South African court issues arrest warrant for ex-president Jacob Zuma

A South African court has issued an arrest warrant for former President Jacob Zuma who has been on trial on 18 count charges of fraud, racketeering and money laundering relating to a $2 billion arms deal with French defense firm Thales in 1999 when he was the country's deputy president.



Judge Dhaya Pillay issued the arrest warrant after the former President failed to appear in court on grounds of needing medical treatment. Zuma's lawyer presented Pillay with a sick note from what he said was a military hospital, but the judge insisted that there was no medical number showing if and where the doctor was certified.



She said before issuing the arrest warrant;




“I don’t even know if [he] ... is a doctor. There is ... nothing to suggest that he is.”



Pillay concluded that the note was insufficient to excuse Zuma from appearing for the trial, but gave him until May 6 to turn up before the warrant kicks in.



There are also reports of Zuma being in Cuba as his lawyer revealed that he is abroad for medical treatment.



The charges against the former President of South Africa was initially a decade ago by the National Prosecuting Authority, but it was set aside shortly before he successfully ran for president in 2009. Following appeals and lobbying by opposition parties, the NPA reinstated the charges in March 2018.

John Obi Mikel and his family ‘racially abused by Fenerbahce fans’ as his club take legal action

Ex-Super Eagles captain and Trabzonspor midfielder, John Obi Mikel, was allegedly the target of racist abuse from Fenerbahce supporters after their Turkish Super Lig clash on Saturday.



It was reported that thousands of abusive and harmful messages were sent to Obi Mikel's social media accounts, as well as to his family, as his side defeated their arch-rival 2-1.



Turkish media detailed how abusive messages were sent to the player's Instagram page. 'including use of the N-word and banana emojis'.



His club, Trabzonspor have confirmed an official criminal complaint over racist abuse allegedly suffered by the former Chelsea midfielder.



In a statement released, Trabzonspor wrote: 'Racism is a shelter for helpless and ignorant.



'We condemn the racist attacks against our player Obi Mikel after the match against Fenerbahce and we bring to the public attention that a criminal complaint has been filed against the assailants. #WeStandwithObi #SayNoToRacism'



Reacting on Instagram, Mikel wrote: 'We are all one and equal. It’s just a game at the end of the day.#saynotoracism.'

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We are all one and equal. It’s just a game at the end of the day.#saynotoracism🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿❤️

Un post condiviso da Mikel Obi (@mikel_john_obi) in data: 4 Feb 2020 alle ore 2:42 PST

Abacha's $308 million loot to return to Nigeria as FG and US sign agreement

The United States of America and the Nigerian government on Monday February 3, signed an Asset Recovery Agreement to repatriate over $308 million of forfeited assets to Nigeria.



The confiscated funds were laundered through the US banking system and then held in bank accounts in Jersey in the name of Doraville Properties Corporation, a BVI company and in the name of the son of former Head of State of Nigeria, General Sani Abacha.



Governments of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, United States of America and the Bailiwick of Jersey commenced the negotiation of the procedures for the repatriation, transfer, disposition and management of the assets in 2018.



It is expected that the money which was forfeited as property involved in the illicit laundering of the proceeds of corruption arising in Nigeria from 1993 to 1998 when General Abacha was Head of State by a U.S. Federal Court in Washington DC in 2014, will benefit the people of Nigeria as it will be administered by the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority and independently audited.



Three critical projects to be executed with the $308m were previously authorised by President Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian legislature. The recovered funds will reportedly be used to finance the construction of the Second Niger Bridge, the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the Abuja-Kano road.



The Federal Government will also establish a Monitoring Team to oversee the implementation of the projects the money is channeled into and also make periodic reports.



The statement also revealed that the US will continue to seek forfeiture of over $177 million in additional laundered funds held in trusts that name Abacha associate Bagudu, the current governor of Kebbi State and his relatives as beneficiaries.



The statement reads in part;




“Specifically, the laundered funds under this agreement will help finance the construction of the Second Niger Bridge, the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the Abuja-Kano road – investments that will benefit the citizens of each of these important regions in Nigeria.

“The United States has asked the government of Nigeria to withdraw litigation it has instituted in the UK that hinders the US effort to recover these additional funds for the people of Nigeria. The United States entered into the trilateral agreement to repatriate the Jersey assets because of its longstanding commitment to recover asset for the benefit of those harmed by grand corruption and because of the important safeguards embodied in the agreement.



Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Brian A. Benczkowski was also quoted saying;




“General Abacha and his cronies robbed Nigerians of vast public resources and abused the U.S. and international financial systems to launder their criminal proceeds.

“Today’s landmark agreement returns to the people of Nigeria hundreds of millions of the embezzled monies through a lawful process that ensures transparency and accountability."

Rita Dominic looks stylish in this monochrome ensemble (photos)

Rita Dominic looked very classy in this monochrome dress she wore to an event over the weekend.



See more photos below.

President Buhari is the number one person who gives hate speech in the country - Aisha Yesufu

Aisha Buhari, co-convener of the Brig Back Our Girls group, has accused President Buhari of being the number one person that gives hate speeches in the country.



Yesufu who is very critical of the Buhari-led administration, said this at the social media townhall forum organized by Africa Independent Television on Monday February 3rd.



The meeting had in attendance Senate President Ahmed Lawan and many others.



When participants were given the opportunity to contribute on the controversial hate speech bill, Aisha Yesufu said no other person gives hate speeches in Nigeria like the President who she referred to as Major General.




''I want to say something here that as citizens of this nation, we matter. A situation where we have a town hall and we have the senate president come in here and speak to us and leaves before he hears from us is not acceptable. Please let's correct that.

If you are talking about hate speech, the number one person who gives hate speech in this country is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Rtd. Major General Mohammed Buhari; when he called the youths of Nigeria lazy, that was hate speech.

You sat down here today and told us everything about what is wrong in Nigeria, about the killings. It i not caused by hate speech; it is caused by the incompetence of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and also the Federal government'' she saidWatch video of her speaking below

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says President Buhari is the number one person who gives hate speeches in the country

Un post condiviso da Lindaikejiblog (@lindaikejiblogofficial) in data: 4 Feb 2020 alle ore 3:56 PST

Enugu local government chairman allegedly empowers women with head pans and shovels (photos)

Nsukka Local Government Chairman, Hon Chinwe Ugwu has reportedly moved on from sharing wheel barrows to empowering women in the local government area she heads with head pans, shovels and trowels.



Facebook user, Chijinkem Ugwuanyi who shared photos from the empowerment program alleged that the local government boss shared 50 head pans, 50 shovels and 20 trowels.



He wrote;




No #Movement

Ooh my God! What a disgrace?

Wickedness in high places.....

Wicked #Nigerian Politicians...

Again Hon. Chinwe Ugwu. Nsukka LOCAL Government Chairman Shares 50 Head pans, 50 Shovels, and 20 Trowels as an Empowerment....

What is wrong with these people? The same woman who shared Wheelbarrow few weeks back and called it Empowerment?

Very clueless set of Politicians from Enugu North, Giving them head pan and #Shovel, encouraging them to suffer more.

We are in a wicked world, Where our #Politicians make you hungry and give you food, they bite you and tell you sorry...

Madam Chairman why Encouraging Hardship?... Please can you start by giving one of those #HeadPan and #Shovel to your children to go out and carry #Block and concrete....

I don't understand this again... Are uou encouraging women to involve in hard labour?
This one is not empowerment again, it is just Enslavement.

Can you try this "rubbish' in #Anambra? They will use it and break your head. Nonsense....

You #Politicians of #EnuguNorth have the guts to subject my people because they have accepted to live a life of poverty and suffering if not how dare you try this #Shit.....

Who even gives this woman ideas? May all your generations and that of those who are behind those ideas go into Hard Labour ....

#Nonsense...... I #Senator is angry but can't do anything..... No problem "Make we de roll" one day I will grow and come back to that town and stop this #Rubbish....