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Update : Tinubu Releases N5bn palliative for each state, “The money will not get to the people,” Says Labour
The organised labour has knocked the Federal Government for releasing a N180bn palliative package to states to cushion the impact of the fuel subsidy removal.
The Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress insisted that the governors could not be trusted, noting that politicians and not the poor would benefit from the N5bn largess given to each state government for disbursement to the citizens.
The Federal Government on Thursday announced an N5bn palliative for each state of the federation and 180 trucks of rice as part of measures to assuage the pains of the subsidy removal.
The policy, which led to sharp and multiple increases in fuel pump prices, has driven up the prices of goods and services, pushing millions of Nigerians into poverty and worsening the socio-economic situation in the country.
The development also triggered nationwide protests by organised labour which insisted on the repair of refineries as a precondition for the subsidy withdrawal.
But announcing the release of the palliative at the end of the 135th National Economic Council meeting presided over by Vice President Kashim Shettima in Abuja, the Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, disclosed that the N5bn was to enable the state governments to procure 100,000 bags of rice, 40,000 bags of maize and fertilizers to cushion the effect of food shortage across the country.
He added that considering the urgency in meeting the need to mitigate the skyrocketing food prices across the country, the Federal Government had last week released five trucks of rice to each state of the federation.
Shettima explained, “NEC met today and expressed serious concerns as regards increasing cost of food items, increasing cost of transportation amongst others as a result of subsidy removal. In order to cushion the effect of subsidy removal, the federal government released five trucks of rice to each state last week.
“Furthermore, in order to cushion the effect of food shortages across the country, the Federal Government has approved the sum of N5bn to be given to each state for the procurement of 100,000 bags of rice, 40,000 bags of maize, and fertilizers.
“This funding has to be shared with a formula as follows: 52 percent of this money is given to states as grants, while 48 per cent of the N5bn is to be paid back on an installment basis within a period of 20 months to the CBN by the states and the local government areas in Nigeria.
“The council commended the efforts of the Federal Government under the leadership of President Tinubu as well as the CBN. We have also commended the efforts of NEMA in cushioning the effects of the subsidy removal.
“Council has taken bold decisions in order to ensure speedy release of grains and other items in order to cushion the effects of subsidy removal on the less privileged in the society.’’
He noted that the council took bold decisions in order to ensure the speedy release of grains and other items for immediate distribution to the less privileged in society.
Shettima added, “The council has also taken note of the $800m loan and insists that it be strictly used for the intended purpose and based on an accurate and acceptable register. The $800m announced by the president will go to Nigerians in accordance with an accurate social register.
“Furthermore, the council has also noted the package that was announced by the President in order to cushion the effect of subsidy removal, amounting to about N500bn.
“This fund has to be distributed to the following sectors: MSMEs, industrial sector; about N125 billion will go for cash transfers, agricultural sector as well as gas expansion for buses.
“And because of the increasing cost of fossil fuel, the federal government intends to establish more gas stations in Nigeria and procure more gas-powered buses, CNG buses as well as electric buses.”
He said the council commended the efforts of the Federal Government and the CBN in addressing the current situation in the country.
In a bid to create a forum for dialogue towards resolving issues surrounding the petrol subsidy removal across the states, the NEC which is made up of governors of the 36 states, the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, and other government officials, constituted an ad hoc committee to engage with the leadership of labour unions.
According to a statement released by the Office of the Vice-President, the committee comprised the Nigerian Governors Forum Chairman, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; Governor of Anambra State, Chukwuma Soludo; Chairman of Progressives Governors Forum, Hope Uzodinma of Imo State; PDP Governors Forum Chairman, Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, and Abia State Governor Alex Otti.
The VP said the committee would liaise with the leadership of labour unions in the country to find a way forward on the emerging issues in the interest of the nation.
The council also received progress reports on the ongoing nationwide distribution of rice, grains, fertilizer, and other items to states and N5bn financial support, provided by the Federal Government and commended the Central Bank of Nigeria and the National Emergency Management Agency for their interventions.
It also noted the various interventions by state governments and urged them to upscale the distribution of palliatives towards alleviating the suffering of citizens, especially vulnerable groups.
The statement read, ‘’During the meeting, details from some accounts of government were revealed such as Excess Crude Account from 19th July to 14th August 2023, $473,754.57; Stabilisation Account from 18th July to 14th August, N30,346,557,405.12 and Natural Resources Account from 18th July to 14th August 2023, N115,175,616,159.65.”
Similarly, the NEC assessed the state of the economy, particularly investment, and the forex crisis, among others.
It stated, “Investment inflows have dwindled since 2019, likewise the country’s investment/GDP ratio; Crude Oil exports and refined petroleum products imports dominate Nigeria’s trade structure; Nigeria’s Naira position against major trading currencies deteriorated; Weak FX supply and heightened demand for imports remains core drivers of exchange rate instability; market volatility persists despite recent FX alignment, driven by pressure on FX demand that widens the gap between official and parallel market rates due to inadequate supply and speculative tendencies; external reserves remain under pressure as external reserves fell by 8.3 percent from 37.1bn in January 2023 to 33.9 billion in July 2023.”
But reacting to the government’s interventions, the Assistant National Secretary-General of the NLC, Mr Chris Onyeka, wondered why the FG was releasing money to governors, many of whom he said had refused to pay the minimum wage.
He dismissed the palliative fund as paltry, noting that it would not get to the intended beneficiaries.
“The money will not get to the people, let them share the money as they want but what the NLC agreed with them were certain milestones. The NLC will close its eyes to what the Federal Government is trying to give to the governors.
“To us as far as we are concerned, NLC will still stick to the milestones that we have agreed on, we will insist that those things are discussed and implemented to the letter.’’
“When the Federal Government wants to subvert the instrument of dialogue, it intentionally creates problems. The Federal Government had already started engaging using this instrument when they engaged the NLC; for them now to go and sit down at the level of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and to go and pretend to give them money is a subversion of social dialogue, subversion of peace, and a subversion of democracy because it is not democratic.”
Speaking in the same vein, the TUC Deputy National President, Tommy Etim stressed that governors could not be trusted with the implementation of the palliative funds.
“It is one thing to make pronouncements, implementation is another thing. I am sure you remember what happened to the COVID-19 palliatives in 2020 when foodstuffs were stored in warehouses and kept from hungry citizens. Same thing with the issue of the Paris Club relief fund that some governors went to hide in the bank so that they could get some from it while citizens were starving.
“We need a body that will follow up on the implementation because left to the state governors, the palliatives may not get to places where it should get. We need a body that will make them accountable. We need the citizens to be aware. The body should let everyone know when each state gets its own relief (package). Everyone should know the details that are received by each state, how the packages were distributed,’’ he suggested.
Also, the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, said the Federal Government was about sharing N2,000 and a cup of rice to poor people across the country.
He also stated that the governors could not be trusted, as most of them were not paying minimum wage, adding that no committee was established to ensure the successful implementation of the initiative.
Ajaero said, “N5bn multiplied by 36 states is going to give you N180bn. So if you divide that with the official figures from the National Bureau of Statistics, which says that 133 million Nigerians are multi-dimensionally poor, and calculate it, you will get about N2,000 each for those who are poor.
“That is the official statistics of the government, but you and I know that the actual figure is more than that. So is that what to celebrate? And then, five trucks or there about, of rice to a state. The poor people of these states cannot get one cup of rice. It will not go round.
“Even if you pick them from the poverty bracket, it will be difficult for them to get one cup of rice. Is that the best we can do? Is that the best approach to governance? So do we look at our people as people we should give one cup of rice and N2,000? Is that palliative?”
He said the government should be serious with governance that served the interest of the people.
“Who are governors you are giving it to? Is the governors who have not paid minimum wage? Is there any committee to ensure the effective disbursement of that which is very insufficient?.
The Deputy Secretary General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Mr Erazua Oniha, was opposed to release of money to the states, pointing out that rehabilitating the refinery was a better idea.
He added, ‘’We feel repairing the refineries will be a better deal for all of us. The promise by the government to ensure that the Port Harcourt refinery is working is a deal for all of us, for me as an individual and a concerned citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria because when you multiply the amount by the number of states, it can repair some of the refineries and solve all these problems.’’
The Nigeria Governors Forum could not be reached for comment on the allegations that state governors would frustrate the palliative programme made by the organised labour. Its spokesperson, Abduleazaque Bello-Barkindo, did not respond to calls and he had yet to reply to a text message on the issue as of the time of filing this report last night.
In acknowledgment of the current hardship brought about by his policy, the President has again appealed to Nigerians to bear the pains caused by the removal of petroleum subsidy, saying ’’the hardship of today will give way to a better tomorrow.’’
The Commander-in-Chief stated this at the public presentation of the autobiography of elder statesman, Edwin Clark, in Abuja on Thursday.
Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, Tinubu urged Nigerians to be patient saying the palliatives being rolled out by the Federal Government would soon cushion the effect of the hardship.
He said, “Solutions to the challenges of subsidy removal are being churned out daily but they are not immediate. The hardship is but for a moment. Palliatives have been rolled out and more are still being rolled out and there is hope that tomorrow will be better than today.”
Akume noted that Dave Umahi’s appointment as the Minister for Works was an indication that “the President is a rewarder of those who work diligently in service to their people.’’
Harmonisation of versions begins •Red Chamber okays e-upload to IREV
The controversy over the passage of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2026 at the Senate was laid to rest yesterday.
The Red Chamber endorsed electronic transmission of election results, without including the contentious “real-time” provision.
This was shortly before it adopted the Votes and Proceedings of the passage of the Bill, which scaled third reading on February 4, during a rowdy session.
Because the version passed by the Senate did not include “real-time” transmission, unlike the version earlier passed by the House of Representatives, a conference committee of both chambers will harmonise the bills before final approval and eventual presentation for presidential assent.
The amendment of Section 60(3), effected yesterday and passed along with other sections read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, states: “The Presiding Officer shall electronically transmit the results from each polling unit to the INEC Result Viewing Portal, and such transmission shall be done after the prescribed Form EC8A has been signed and stamped by the Presiding Officer and countersigned by the candidates or polling agents where available at the polling unit.
“But if the electronic transmission of the result fails as a result of communication failure, and it becomes impossible to transmit the result electronically, the signed and stamped Form EC8A by the Presiding Officer, and countersigned by the candidates or polling agents where available, shall in such a case be the primary source of collation and declaration of results.”
This differs slightly from the version passed by the House of Representatives in December, which states: “The Commission shall electronically transmit the results from each polling unit to the IREV portal in real time, and each transmission shall be done simultaneously with the physical collation of results.”
The House also passed Section 60(5), which provides: “The Presiding Officer shall transmit the results, including the number of accredited voters, to the next level of collation.”
The Electoral Act 2022, under which the 2023 elections were conducted and which is in the process of being repealed, states in part under Section 60(5): “The Presiding Officer shall transfer the result, including the total number of accredited voters and the result of the ballot, in a manner as prescribed by the Commission.”
Before senators began proceedings yesterday, protesters, for the second consecutive day, gathered in front of the National Assembly to call for the passage of real-time electronic transmission of election results.
Among the protesters was the former Governor of Rivers State and immediate past Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi.
The police prevented the protesters from gaining access to the National Assembly complex.
Inside the chamber, the Senate passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill after a heated debate in a rowdy plenary session.
At the session presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, senators modified their earlier position on real-time electronic transmission of poll results.
They consequently approved a revised clause mandating electronic transmission of results from polling units to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV), with a fallback mechanism in the event of network failure.
In such instances, Form EC8A, on which results are recorded, would serve as the basis for collation.
The amendment, once harmonised with the House of Representatives’ version and signed into law by the President, is expected to legalise the use of IREV in the result transmission process, unlike what obtained during the 2023 elections.
There was palpable tension in the hallowed chamber as the initial proposal to adopt the Votes and Proceedings of the previous sitting led to heated procedural disputes, which were carefully managed by Akpabio.
Outside the National Assembly, protesters continued to agitate for the inclusion of the real-time electronic uploading clause, which had been upheld in the House of Representatives’ version of the bill.
The modification followed the approval of a motion by the Senate Chief Whip, Mohammed Tahir Monguno (Borno North), titled: “Motion for Rescission on Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2026.”
Moving the motion, Monguno recalled that the bill had been passed by the Senate on February 4 but said “fresh issues have emerged in respect of Clause 60(3), which require further legislative consideration to ensure the conduct of smooth, transparent and credible elections in Nigeria.”
Invoking Orders 1(b) and 52(6) of the Senate Standing Orders, 2023 (as amended), he urged the chamber to rescind its earlier decision on the clause and recommit it to the Committee of the Whole for reconsideration and passage.
Trouble began when Monguno rose to move the motion while the Senate President was reading out the rules on Votes and Proceedings.
His action triggered confusion, with many senators questioning whether the Senate could revisit a decision already taken within the same legislative session.
Some senators argued that Order 1(b) empowered the Senate to suspend normal procedure.
Following a voice vote, the chamber agreed to allow Monguno to proceed.
Monguno said ambiguity surrounding the earlier amendment, particularly the controversy over the use of the words “transfer” and “transmission” of election results, had generated public concern and required urgent legislative clarification.
He proposed a fresh amendment stipulating that presiding officers at polling units must electronically transmit results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV) after completing and signing Form EC8A.
He added that where electronic transmission fails due to communication challenges, the signed and stamped Form EC8A would serve as the primary source for collation and declaration of results.
After the motion was seconded by Senator Abba Moro, who described the development as “a victory for democracy,” the chamber descended into disorder when the Senate President declared that the voice vote had carried the amendment.
Several senators protested and invoked Order 72, which allows any senator to challenge the opinion of the presiding officer by calling for a division.
Citing Order 72, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe demanded individual voting, triggering loud protests, shouts of points of order, and repeated calls to order by Akpabio.
At the height of the confusion, Abaribe withdrew his request for a division, a move that further unsettled the chamber.
Akpabio ruled that Abaribe’s withdrawal stood, thereby upholding the voice vote that carried the amendment.
Following the approval of the revised clause, the Senate adopted the Votes and Proceedings of the previous sitting, bringing the stormy session to a close.
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To fast-track harmonisation of the Electoral Bill with the House of Representatives’ version, the Senate expanded its conference committee from nine to 12 members to match the number of conferees from the House.
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The committee is chaired by Senator Simon Bako Lalong, with Mohammed Tahir Monguno, Adamu Aliero, Orji Uzor Kalu, Abba Moro, Asuquo Ekpenyong, Aminu Iyal Abbas, Tokunbo Abiru, Adeniyi Ayodele Adegbonmire, Jibrin Isah (Echocho), Banigo Ipalibo and Onyekachi Nwebonyi as members.
Expressing optimism that the committee would conclude its work swiftly, Akpabio said: “This is a matter of urgency. If you are able to conclude within the next few days or one week, the President should be able to sign this amended Electoral Bill within this month.”
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who spoke in Minna, the capital of Niger State, said electronic transmission of results would restore sanity and avert chaos.
However, he expressed doubts about the ability of the proposed law to guarantee real-time transmission.
Atiku said: “This is below the expectations of Nigerians. During the last elections, Nigerians were expecting real-time electronic transmission of election results at various levels of the election, but what we got was a mixture of electronic and manual uploading, which caused more confusion and chaos.
“It will be best if we have a single-tier electronic transmission, which is real-time electronic transmission, which is the preference of all Nigerians.”
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) stalwart urged opposition political parties to reject the Senate’s decision to allow manual uploading of election results.
He said: “We need all opposition political parties to pursue this issue. We should not allow it to rest the way they wanted it to rest today at the Senate.”
The African Democratic Party (ADP) warned of likely public distrust of the electoral process if electronic transmission is not upheld.
The party’s National Chairman, Yabagi Sani, said in a statement that “while the Senate’s reversal of its earlier rejection of electronic transmission reflects public pressure and democratic expectation, the ADP notes that a reform that does not guarantee mandatory, real-time transmission cannot restore electoral credibility.”
The ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, described the Senate’s modified position as a victory for the resilience, vigilance and rising political consciousness of Nigerians.
He said in a statement: “It demonstrates, in the clearest possible terms, that when citizens act with unity, clarity of purpose and resolve, they can indeed move mountains.”
The ADC credited Nigerians’ coordinated civic actions, noting: “From the street protests to the digital campaigns, the Nigerian people have once again shown that sovereignty truly belongs to them.”
Hailing the protesters, Abdullahi added: “We salute the courage and tenacity of Nigerians. We commend every citizen who raised a voice, whether online or offline, to resist legislative mischief that threatened to undermine our electoral integrity.”
A former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Dr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), said the adoption of real-time upload of results would engender public trust and close electoral loopholes.
He said the regulatory process must be adequately backed by law.
Agbakoba noted in a statement that the 2023 election exposed a critical gap in the electoral legal framework, recalling that despite INEC’s deployment of the IREV portal for electronic transmission of results, the Supreme Court ruled that the innovation lacked legal force.
The human rights lawyer explained that the IREV portal currently serves only for public viewing and is not admissible as evidence of results in election petitions.
He said: “The message was unmistakable: without explicit statutory provision, electronic transmission remains optional and legally inconsequential, no matter how transparent or efficient it may be.
“This legal gap creates an insurmountable evidentiary burden in election petitions.”
The Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the PDP rejected the Senate’s position on transmission of election results, describing the senators as “clever by half.”
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, said in a statement that the addendum introduced by the Senate to allow manual transmission was a backdoor attempt to achieve the same objective as the earlier rejection.
The statement reads in part: “We have taken note of the outcome of the Senate’s reconsideration of its earlier position on the real-time electronic transmission of election results, wherein an addendum was introduced to permit manual transmission where technology is said to fail.
“We hold the firm view that this addendum is nothing more than a backdoor attempt to achieve the same objective as the earlier outright rejection, while pretending to align with the wishes of the Nigerian people.
“Manual transmission is already sufficiently provided for under the Electoral Act. The current agitation for electronic transmission is aimed at introducing a second-layer authentication mechanism that prevents the alteration of results en route to collation centres, a malpractice that has historically been the bane of Nigeria’s electoral process.
“Furthermore, it is inconceivable that the same BVAS technology, which successfully undertakes accreditation throughout an election, would suddenly become unreliable for the transmission of results and accreditation data arising from that same exercise.
“This caveat is a clear indication of the humongous fear being harboured by senators opposed to electronic transmission, particularly Senate President Godswill Akpabio, whom we reasonably suspect remains haunted by the ghost of his 2019 election loss, occasioned by the deployment of technology to curb over-voting.
“They must be reminded that Nigeria is bigger than their narrow personal and political interests.
“We therefore urge members of the Conference Committee to adopt the version of the bill passed by the House of Representatives as the harmonised position, if indeed they are committed to delivering credible elections in 2027.
“They must rise above the instincts of politicians fixated on the next election and instead focus on the sustenance of democracy and the protection of future generations.
“Should this democracy fail, the names of Senator Akpabio and all senators who voted against electronic transmission will undoubtedly occupy a conspicuous chapter in the book of infamy.
“We also call on Nigerians to remain resolute in their demand for real-time electronic transmission of election results. This is no time for excuses. This hard-won democracy is far too valuable to be left in the hands of politicians alone.”
The Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has accepted to be the Royal Father of the Day at the New Telegraph Awards Night/ Dinner holding at the Grand Ballroom of the Oriental Hotels, Lagos this Friday.
That is as veteran Elder journalist and former Governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, has also accepted to be the Chairman of the event.
The New Telegraph Awards Night/Dinner is a high octane event, where governors, captains of industry, banking and financial institutions and executives as well as public, private sector players and sports personalities would be honoured.
Nine state governors from across the country have confirmed their attendance at the event, with other awardees expressing delight and anticipation towards the event.
In a letter conveying his choice as the Royal Father of the Day, the Management of Daily Telegraph Publishing Company, publishers of the New Telegraph, Saturday and Sunday Telegraph titles informed the paramount ruler and the number one Yoruba king that his choice was borne out of his dedication to excellence and public good in his 10-year reign as the Paramount Ruler of the Yoruba Nation.
“Your Highness, it is important to let you know that you were chosen because of your position as not only the Paramount Ruler of one of the largest and homogenous nations in Nigeria, but also because of your dedication to service, excellence, reward and honesty in your over 10-year reign on the throne of your ancestors.
The letter was delivered to him personally by the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper, Mr Ayodele Aminu. Similarly, Aremo Osoba, a former Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Times and Grand Patron of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, was chosen because of his close association with his profession, several years after serving as governor.
Osoba is ever present in the activities of journalists and editors, despite being a leading political figure in the country.
According to Aminu, Osoba reflects the dream of not only journalists but every profession because he did not forget his roots and easily identifies with his colleagues, no matter the gap in age and experience.
More applicants have approached the Federal High Court in Abuja over some properties linked to former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN).
The applicants prayed for the setting aside of the interim forfeiture order made against some of the property linked to the former minister.
They argued that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) failed to establish any nexus between their property and any unlawful activity, contrary to Section 135 of the Evidence Act and the Advance Fee Fraud.
In their separate motions on notice filed by their lawyers, the applicants – Alhaji Muktaka Usman Junju, and Rayhaan Bustan and Agro Allied Limited – urged the court to vacate and discharge the order made on January 6 by Justice Emeka Nwite.
Junju, a businessman, through his lawyer, Kalu Kalu Agu, prayed the court to set aside the order made on property listed as Number 40 by the EFCC.
Rayhaan Limited, an agricultural food production company, through its lawyer, Joseph Daudu (SAN), also asked the court to remove property listed as numbers one, 28, 29, 30, 31, and 32 from the list of property brought by the anti-graft agency.
The duo, in their applications, also prayed the court for an order directing the immediate restoration of their possession, control, and enjoyment of the listed property from the 57 property sought to be forfeited to the Federal Government.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the property listed as number 40 in the EFCC’s schedule is Al-Afiya Energy Tanker Garage, opposite Rayhaan University Health Centre, along Sani Abacha Bypass Road, Birnin-Kebbi, valued at N2,450,000,000.00.
Property Number One is a luxury duplex at Amazon Street, Plot Number 3011 within the Cadastral Zone, A06 Maitama; File Number: An enhancement 11352, which was purchased in December 2022 at N500,000,000.00 (value after enhancement at N5,950,000,000).
Property numbers 28, 29, 30, 31 and 32, which are under Rayhaan Agro Allied Factory in Kebbi, include Factory Buildings, Factory Machines and Plants Units, Factory Mosque, Rayhaan Mill Staff Quarters and Rayhaan Bustan Building, valued at N4,200,000,000.00; N10,500,000, 000.00; N2,450,000,000.00; N1, 487,500,000.00; and N3,150,000, 000.00 respectively.
NAN reports that Justice Nwite had, on Jan. 6, ordered the interim forfeiture of the 57 property suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities linked to Mr. Malami.
The multi-billion naira landed properties are located in Abuja, Kebbi, Kano and Kaduna States.
The judge granted the order following an ex parte motion moved by the EFCC’s lawyer, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, to the effect.
Malami was the AGF and Minister of Justice in the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Nwite, in the ruling, also directed the publication of the interim order of forfeiture in any national daily, inviting any person(s) or body (ies) who might have an interest in the property to show cause, within 14 days of the publication, why a final order of forfeiture to the Federal Government of Nigeria should not be made.
Although the case was formerly before Justice Nwite, the case file had been transferred by the chief judge to Justice Obiora Egwuatu of a sister court for adjudication.
Also in his motion on notice dated January 26, but filed January 28 by Agu, Junju stated that the property listed as Number 40 belonged to him.
According to Junju, the root of title and acquisition history are described in the schedule attached to the affidavit in support of the motion, as Exhibit A.
Nigerian Property Investment
His lawyer argued that the commission had not established that the property was proceeds of an unlawful purpose, which, he argued, robbed the court of jurisdiction.
Agu submitted that the EFCC had failed to comply with the constitutional and statutory dictates of Section 44(2) (b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Section 17(1) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006, requiring it to disclose specific particulars of the alleged unlawful act committed and the applicable laws.
Besides, he said the court did not conduct a global review of the entire documents and exhibits attached to the commission’s motion ex parte filed on January 6 and granted the same date, “which constitutes an abdication of its judicial duty to properly consider the application to ensure there is a reasonable suspicion that the property was linked to unlawful activities.”
The lawyer argued that Junju duly purchased the land in question “from an original allottee, by name Alhaji Usman Na’Allah Bunza and has no link with Malami, SAN or any Al-Afiya Garage.”
“Respondent (EFCC) is guilty of fraud and non-disclosure of material facts regarding ownership and acquisition of property of the applicant (Junju) forfeited in the interim by the orders of this honourable court.
“The interim forfeiture was procured in violation of Section 5 of the Assets Tracing, Recovery and Management Regulations 2019, having not been initiated through the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation,” Agu said.
Also in his argument, Daudu, in their motion dated Jan. 19 but filed Jan. 23, said Rayhaan Ltd, by law, is a corporate person and can acquire and own property anywhere in Nigeria.
He described Rayhaan as “a limited liability company, duly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) pursuant to the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA).”
The senior lawyer said properties listed as Nos. 1, 28, 29, 30, 31 and 32 all belonged to the company.
“The applicant’s property Number One was acquired with payments made from Excel Merchants Ltd in favour of the applicant,” he said.
Daudu also said the property numbers 28, 29, 30, 31, and 32 were acquired by the company from banking facilities granted by NEXIM BANK, the Bank of Industry and Access Bank Plc.
“The NEXIM Bank loan has now been called in by reason of the interim order of forfeiture of January 6, 2026.
“Zenith Bank Plc, which had guaranteed the loan, has revoked the guarantee by reason of the interim order of forfeiture of January 6, 2026, and has commenced daily interest charges on the outstanding sum,” Daudu said.
The lawyer argued that the EFCC did not establish that the assets listed as numbers one, 28, 29, 30, 31, and 32, in the interim forfeiture order were proceeds of some unlawful activities, as required under Section 17 (1) of the Advance Fee Fraud Act 2006, and that no predicate offence was linked to the acquisition of the property.
He also argued that the court was not invoked and prompted to conduct a global review of the entire documents and exhibits attached to the motion ex parte, “which constitutes an abdication of its judicial duty to properly consider the application to ensure that there is a reasonable suspicion that they were linked to unlawful action.”
Daudu aligned with Agu that the EFCC “is guilty of fraud and non-disclosure of material facts regarding ownership and acquisition of properties of the applicant forfeited by the orders” of the court.
He submitted that the proceedings of January 6 amounted to unlawful deprivation of property, denial of fair hearing and abuse of court process, urging the court to set the same aside.
Malami had, equally, filed a motion, praying the court to vacate the interim order of forfeiture against his property.
Also, Justice Egwuatu has fixed February 12 for the hearing of the matter.
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