Headline

Alleged Corruption: Court Stops EFCC From Investigating Dickson

Published

4 years ago

November 24, 2021

A Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa has stopped the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from further investigating the former Governor of Bayelsa State and Senator representing the Bayelsa West Senatorial district, Senator Seriake Dickson, over the allege undeclared assets between 2007 and 2020.

The Presiding Judge, Hon Justice Isah H. Dashien, while ruling on a suit numbered FHC/CS/81/2021, filed against the EFCC by the Registered Trustees of the Seriake Dickson Incorporated and Senator Seriake Dickson, respectively, declared that the assets acquired with loans when the former Governor was a member of House of Representatives should not be investigated any further having been declared before the Code of Conduct Bureau which issued a certificate of verification for them.

DAILY POST recalls that Dickson, was in August invited by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) in Abuja and interrogated over corruption allegations levelled against him including allegations relating to assets declaration and misapplication of intervention funds.

Dickson had approached the Federal High Court in Yenagoa on the 15th of November, 2021 with six prayers including a declarations that the EFCC is bound by the judgment of the Federal High Court sitting at Yenagoa Judicial division in suit numbered FHC/YNG/CS/40/2020: the registered trustees of the Seriake Dickson Trust Incorporated &another vs Seriake Dickson Trust Incorporated vs Attorney-General of the Federation.

Also sought are “a declaration that by the virtue of the judgement and order of the Federal High Court in suit number FHC/YNG/CS/40/2020, the registered Trustees of the Seriake Dickson Trust Incorporated & another vs Attorney-General of the Federation ,the defendant in this suit, as an investigating and prosecuting agency under the general of the Federation cannot investigate or continue to investigate any matter whatsoever dealing with or relating to any investments made by the first plantiff as covered or affected by the said judgement and orders of the competent court.”

In the fifth prayer, the Registered Trustee of the Dickson Incorporated and Former Governor Dickson sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining the EFCC , its officers, men, agents or privies from inviting or further inviting him as 2nd plaintiff officers and managers or Trustees of the 1st plaintiff over any matter dealing with or relating to any investment made by the 1st plaintiff as covered or affected by the said judgment of the Federal High Court in suit no FHC/YNF/CS/40/2020.

Justice Isah H. Dashien , after hearing from the counsels to the plaintiff and defendants, F.N Nwosu Esq. and C.O. Ugwu Esq. , ordered that “ the suit filed succeeds and judgment is hereby entered for the plaintiffs in terms of all the relief sought”

According to the Court, “That the Registered Trustees of the Seriake Dickson Incorporated and Senator Seriake Dickson, respectively as first and second plaintiff, declared that the EFCC cannot lawfully arrest, investigate and/or prosecute the former Governor who declared the assets in question and for which the verifying authorities, the CCB issued certificates of verification before he became Governor”.

The Judgment affirmed an earlier verdict of the Federal High Court which stated that the former Governor had complied with all the constitutional requirements of the CCB in asset declaration. Therefore it was contrary to the stipulation of the Law for the EFCC to open investigation into assets that were declared over the years before the relevant body, the CCB, and for which the CCB issued verification certificates.

DAILY POST gathered that the earlier judgement noted that in addition to declaration of assets that the Former Governor while in office subjected himself to the Voluntary Assets and Income declaration scheme of the federal government (VADES) and paid taxes on the affected assets therefore the attorney general and other federal government agencies were perpetually restrained.

Reacting to the ruling, Dickson, commended the judiciary for their intervention and urged Nigerians to support an independent judiciary and Public institutions including the EFCC. He urged operators of these institutions to be dispassionate and fair in carrying out their sensitive responsibilities.

He also said that the agencies are doing a very important job and should be supported, urging those in authority to allow all institutions to do their job without undue pressure and enjoined Nigerians to work towards strengthening them.

(DAILY POST)

Headline

Christian Genocide’: Trump Designates Nigeria As Country Of Particular Concern

Published

3 hours ago

October 31, 2025

Editor

United States President, Donald Trump, has named Nigeria a “country of particular concern,” citing what he described as a growing threat to Christianity in the nation.

In a statement on Truth Social on Friday, Trump claimed thousands of Christians have been killed by radical Islamist groups and urged U.S. lawmakers to investigate the situation urgently.

Trump maintained that the United States would not stand by while Christians in Nigeria and other parts of the world face persecution, adding that America remains ready to protect Christian populations globally.

He said, “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a “COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN” — But that is the least of it.

“When Christians, or any such group, is slaughtered like is happening in Nigeria (3,100 versus 4,476 Worldwide), something must be done! I am asking Congressman Riley Moore, together with Chairman Tom Cole and the House Appropriations Committee, to immediately look into this matter, and report back to me.

“The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria, and numerous other Countries. We stand ready, willing, and able to save our Great Christian population around the World!”

His declaration follows increasing criticism from U.S. politicians and public figures who claim that Christians in Nigeria are facing systematic violence.

Recently, US comedian and HBO host Bill Maher accused Islamist groups of carrying out a genocide against Christians in the country.

“I’m not a Christian, but they are systematically killing the Christians in Nigeria. They’ve killed over a hundred thousand since 2009. They’ve burnt 18,000 churches. These are the Islamists, Boko Haram. This is so much more of a genocide attempt than what is going on in Gaza.

“They are literally attempting to wipe out the Christian population of an entire country,” Maher said.

Entertainment news feed
Similarly, US Senator Ted Cruz claimed that Nigerian government officials were “ignoring and even facilitating the mass murder of Christians by Islamist jihadists.”

Cruz also lamented that Christians in the country were being targeted for their faith by terrorist groups and “are being forced to submit to sharia law and blasphemy laws across Nigeria.”

He said it was “long past time to impose real costs on the Nigerian officials who facilitate these activities,” adding that he had introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act to the US Senate to sanction such officials.

In the same vein, Riley Moore, who represents West Virginia’s 2nd District in the US Congress, wrote to the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, urging him to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern.

Moore also called for a suspension of arms sales and technical support to Nigeria until the government demonstrates commitment to ending what he described as “a reign of persecution and slaughter against Christians.”

However, both the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Nigerian Presidency have dismissed the allegations of a Christian genocide.

While CAN described the reports as false narratives peddled by foreign agents, the Presidency insisted that there is no religious war taking place in the country.

Headline

Trump Breaks Silence On ‘Christian Genocide’ In Nigeria

Published

3 hours ago

October 31, 2025

Editor

In a stark rebuke to months of escalating violence, President Donald Trump has declared Nigeria a “country of particular concern” over what he described as an “existential threat” to Christianity, accusing radical Islamists of orchestrating a mass slaughter of believers in the West African nation.

The announcement, posted on Truth Social on Friday, marks the administration’s most direct intervention yet in a crisis that has claimed thousands of lives this year alone, reigniting debates over US policy toward religious persecution abroad.

Full statement below;

“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a “COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN” — But that is the least of it.

Headline

Tanzania Protesters Loot Singer Juma Jux Fashion Store

Published

8 hours ago

October 31, 2025

Editor

Tanzanian protesters have reportedly looted singer Juma Jux’s fashion store.

Unrest erupted on Thursday after a disputed general election marked by disqualification and detention of the key opposition figures in Tanzania.

The protesters are demanding cancellation of the election results, alleging irregularities in the country’s presidential election.

Amid the development, a controversial post by an X user Bolaji Fesomade alleged that the singer store valued at $780 million has been set ablaze by protesters.

Reacting to the report, Juma Jux’s wife, Priscilla Ojo on her Snapchat account, dismissed the claims, noting that the store was looted and not burnt.

She simply wrote; “Looted not Burnt”.