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Senate Halts Screening Of 3 Ministerial Nominees Over Alleged Forgery, Age Falsification

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2 years ago

August 1, 2023

The screening of at least three ministerial nominees was put on hold for reasons of age forgery and age falsification, among others, as the Senate commenced the exercise yesterday.

Of the 14 nominees listed on the order paper for screening, seven, including immediate past governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, were asked to take a bow and go, while four others were screened.

Others asked to take a bow and go included two-term members of House of Representatives, Abubakar Momoh, from Etsako Local Government Area of Edo State; Senator Abubakar Kyari, who was in the 8th and 9th Senate and currently the Acting National Charman of ruling All Progressives Congress, APC; a senator in the 8th Senate, Senator John Enoh; and the immediate past governor of Jigawa State, Abubakar Badaru.

Also asked to take a bow and go were former Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Nkiru Onyejeocha, who represented Isuikwuato/ Umunneochi Federal Constituency, Abia State; former member, House of Representatives and Nigerian Ambassador to Germany, since 2017, Amb. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar.

But those whose screening was put on hold and asked to clarify issues were Prof. Joseph Utsev who is currently the Rector of Federal Polytechnic, Wannune, the home town of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator George Akume.

Utsev, who hails from Buruku Local Government Area of Benue State, is said to be the candidate of Akume.
The nominee in his resume indicated that he was born in 1980 and finished his primary education in 1989 at the age of nine, thereby drawing the attention of the Senate on how he would be in primary one at the age of three.

The two others were Senator Abubakar Sani Danladi, Taraba, who was alleged to have been banned by the Supreme Court from holding public office for ten years and Bello Mohammed from Sokoto State whose case had to do with his secondary school leaving certificate,

The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio said that those who had issues would have their cases looked into at the stage of confirmation.

The nominees whose names appeared on the Order Paper, but were not screened included Arch. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa – Katsina State; Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji – Enugu State and Stella Erhuvwuoghene Okotete – Delta State

The screening exercise, which commenced at 1.32 pm ended at 6 pm, starting with a two-term of House of Representatives member, Abubakar Momoh from Etsako Local Government Area of Edo State.

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Soon after Momoh introduced himself as a former councillor, local government chairman, ex-member, the House of Assembly and a two-time member who represented Etsako federal constituency, he was asked to take a bow and go.

The second to appear before the Senate at the hallowed chamber was the former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike.

Addressing the senators, Wike said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would not regret nominating me as a minister, describing himself as a performer.

Wike, who noted that he executed and commissioned a series of capital projects across Rivers State when he served as governor, said: “Every day I was commissioning projects. Mr President will not regret nominating me as a minister.”

On his part, Senator Mpigi Barinada PDP, Rivers), said that over five million people from the state supported Wike’s ministerial nomination and urged his colleagues to free him.

Akpabio then asked the former Rivers governor to take a bow and go, following a voice vote.

Even when there were shouts of resistance apparently from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, senators, the Senate president hit the gavel.

Another nominee who appeared at 2.55 pm was Senator Abubakar Kyari, who was in the 8th and 9th Senate and currently occupies the position of acting National Chairman of ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

Senator Kyari was asked to take a bow and go as a former senator and the acting national chairman of APC.

The next was the immediate past governor of Jigawa State, Abubakar Badaru, followed by a senator in the 8th Senate, Senator John Enoh; then the former Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Nkiru Onyejeocha who represented Isuikwuato/ Umunneochi Federal Constituency, Abia State; former member, House of Representatives and Nigeria Ambassador to Germany, since 2017, Amb. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, who were all asked to take a bow and go.

When the matter of Supreme Court banning him from public office was raised, Senator Abubakar Sani Danladi, who was former acting governor and deputy governor of Taraba State, said: “There was nothing in Appeal Court, they just struck out the case for lack of merit.

“At the Supreme Court, the same thing happened as Mrs Mary Odili said the Federal High Court Jalingo was wrong to have passed the judgment in that manner because when I was a deputy governor in 2007, they used their executive power at that time to nullify me so from Supreme Court, I had to go back to the Federal High Court, Jalingo since the Supreme Court said there was no basis for the Federal High Court,, Jalingo to do that judgement.

“Then the same jurisdiction of the Federal High Court Jalingo now sat on the same judgement and set aside that judgement that is hanging on me.”

Responding, Akpabio said: “The Federal High Court, Jalingo, gave a judgement against you that you were not qualified to contest on the basis of perjury, that you lied on oath in respect of your date of birth, then later the Federal High Court sat on the same matter and cleared you?

“What we are saying is that the moment the Federal High Court gave the first judgement they become Funtus Officio in Law and can no longer sit as appellate court over its own judgement, so you will definitely say what you want to say, we will study this because it is in the interest of Nigeria and it is in public interest, We will give him chance to finish, as soon as he finishes, he can take a bow.”

Senator Danladi continued: “On the same issue , Senator Shaibu Lau took the matter to Federal High Court, Abuja, here sir. The Federal High Court gave me the judgement and he now went to Appeal Court which affirmed the judgement of the Federal High Court.

”He now went to the Supreme Court, the court game me judgement, so there was no judgement from Supreme Court. As I am talking, the Supreme Court is hearing me, there was no judgement. If there is judgement, it is here.”
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Related Topics:Ministerial Nominees Senate

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Trump Administration Proposes New Rule Limiting Nigerians, Others

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24 hours ago

August 28, 2025

Editor

The Trump administration has unveiled a proposal that would restrict the length of time international students can remain in the United States for their studies.

According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the regulation, which is expected to be published on Thursday, would impose a four-year cap on student visas and other categories of temporary admissions.

According to Fox News, the DHS said the proposal is part of efforts to curb “visa abuse” and strengthen the government’s ability to “properly vet and oversee these individuals.”

It added that some students have “taken advantage of U.S. generosity” and become “forever” students by staying enrolled in colleges to prolong their residence.

“For too long, past Administrations have allowed foreign students and other visa holders to remain in the U.S. virtually indefinitely, posing safety risks, costing untold amount of taxpayer dollars, and disadvantaging U.S. citizens,” a DHS spokesperson stated.

“This new proposed rule would end that abuse once and for all by limiting the amount of time certain visa holders are allowed to remain in the U.S., easing the burden on the federal government to properly oversee foreign students and their history,” the spokesperson continued.

Currently, F visa holders may stay in the U.S. for the “duration of status,” meaning the period they are enrolled full-time. The new proposal would allow stays for the length of a programme but would not permit them to exceed four years, generally less than the time needed for postgraduate studies.

Foreign journalists would also be affected. Under the plan, they would receive an initial admission period of 240 days, with the possibility of a single extension for another 240 days, but not longer than their assignment.

The DHS said regular assessments would provide “proper oversight” and help reduce the number of people residing in the U.S. on temporary visas.

But education experts warned the measure could hurt universities financially. International students typically pay higher tuition and have fewer opportunities for scholarships, which contributes significantly to the financial support of American colleges.

“It will certainly act as an additional deterrent to international students choosing to study in the United States, to the detriment of American economies, innovation, and global competitiveness,” Fanta Aw, executive director and CEO of NAFSA: Association of International Educators, said in a statement to Politico.

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Russia Hits Ukraine With ‘Massive’ Deadly Overnight Strikes

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1 day ago

August 28, 2025

Editor

Russian forces launched a “massive” attack on Kyiv on Thursday, hitting the Ukrainian capital with strikes that killed at least four people and wounded around 30 others, Ukrainian officials said.

The attack came as Moscow and Kyiv traded blame over an impasse in diplomatic efforts towards a peace deal spearheaded by US President Donald Trump.

AFP journalists in Kyiv witnessed powerful explosions that illuminated the night sky and left behind a column of smoke.

Ukraine’s Interior Minister Igor Klymenko said the strikes killed four people and wounded “about 30 people.”

Those killed included a 14-year-old girl, while five children aged seven to 17 were among those who sustained “injuries of varying severity,” Tymur Tkachenko, the head of the city’s military administration, said.

Mayor Vitali Klitschko described the strikes as a “massive attack” that caused damage in several districts of the capital.

Tkachenko said Moscow had fired ballistic and cruise missiles as well as Iranian-designed Shahed drones from different directions to “systematically” target residential buildings.

Red tracer bullets sailed through the night sky in an effort to intercept drones above the city centre, an AFP journalist saw. At least one missile appeared to be shot down.

Around 100 people took refuge in a subway station, with some lying in sleeping bags and others holding their pets.

A five-story building in the Darnytsky district had collapsed, and a shopping mall was hit in the city centre, Klitschko reported.

– Ukrainian attacks on Russia –
Kyiv suffered one of its worst attacks of the over three-year war on July 31, leaving more than 30 people dead including five children.

Ukrainian officials also reported a Russian strike in the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region on Thursday.

Russian authorities said they destroyed over 100 Ukrainian drones overnight. A Ukrainian attack sparked a fire at an oil refinery in the Krasnodar region but caused no casualties, according to local officials.

Russian forces have been slowly but steadily gaining ground in Ukraine in recent months, as diplomatic efforts have accelerated.

Trump held a high-profile summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska this month, followed by a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky and European allies.

But there has been little progress since then.

Before concluding any peace agreement, Ukraine wants security guarantees from the West to deter any future Russian attacks.

Moscow has cast Kyiv’s demands as unrealistic and has raised particular objection to the notion of stationing Western peacekeeping troops in Ukraine.

Zelensky said on Wednesday that members of his administration would meet with US officials in New York on Friday.

The Ukrainian leader said he saw “very arrogant and negative signals from Moscow regarding the negotiations”, urging extra “pressure” to “force Russia to take real steps”.

AFP

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Two US Pastors Arrested In $50m Human Trafficking, Fraud Case

Published

1 day ago

August 28, 2025

Editor

Two church leaders in the United States have been arrested in an alleged multi-million-dollar conspiracy after multiple Federal Bureau of Investigation raids across the country on Wednesday, including one in Hillsborough County’s exclusive Avila neighborhood.

In a statement issued via its website on Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Justice said Michelle Brannon, 56, was arrested at a mansion near Tampa, while David Taylor, 53, was arrested in North Carolina over allegations of multi-million dollar money laundering, forced labour and human trafficking.

According to the DOJ, Taylor and Brannon are the leaders of Kingdom of God Global Church, formerly known as Joshua Media Ministries International.

The Justice Department said Taylor referred to himself as “Apostle” and to Brannon as his Executive Director.

FBI officials said law enforcement arrested Brannon early Wednesday at 706 Guisando De Avila in Hillsborough County, which is owned by the church, according to property records.

Investigators arrested Taylor on Wednesday morning in North Carolina, while SWAT and FBI agents also raided a hotel owned by the church in Houston.

A 10-count indictment alleged that Taylor and Brannon ran call centres in Florida, Texas, Missouri, and Michigan to solicit donations to the church.

The pair convinced their victims to work at the call centres and work for Taylor as personal servants – referred to as “armour bearers” – for long hours without pay, according to the indictment.

Federal investigators said Taylor and Brannon “controlled every aspect of the daily living of their victims,” who slept at the call centre or in a “ministry” house and were not allowed to leave without permission.

The indictment also says the suspects forced the victims to transport women to Taylor and ensure that those women took Plan B emergency contraceptives.

The church received about $50 million in donations through its call centres dating back to 2014, according to the DOJ.

Taylor and Brannon are accused of using much of that money to buy luxury properties, luxury vehicles, and sporting equipment such as boats, jet skis, and ATVs.

Taylor and Brannon face charges of forced labour, conspiracy to commit forced labour, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Each alleged crime carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Michigan returned a 10-count indictment against two defendants for their alleged roles in a forced labour and money laundering conspiracy that victimised individuals in Michigan, Florida, Texas, and Missouri.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said the two defendants were arrested in North Carolina and Florida in a nationwide takedown of their forced labour organistion.

“Combating human trafficking is a top priority for the Department of Justice.

“We are committed to relentlessly pursuing and ending this scourge and obtaining justice for the victims,” he said.

Also speaking, U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon Jr. for the Eastern District of Michigan, said, “We will use every lawful tool against human traffickers and seek justice for their victims.

“A case like this is only possible through a concerted effort with our federal partners across the country and the non-governmental agencies who provide victim support. We thank them all.”

“The indictment of David Taylor and Michelle Brannon demonstrates the FBI’s steadfast efforts to protect the American people from human exploitation and financial crimes, including forced labour and money laundering.

“The alleged actions are deeply troubling. I want to thank the members of the FBI Detroit Field Office, with strong support from our federal and agency partners in the FBI Tampa Field Office, FBI Jacksonville Field Office, FBI St. Louis Field Office, FBI Charlotte Field Office, FBI Houston Field Office, and the Detroit IRS-CI Field Office, in addition to several local, county and state law enforcement partners, for their role in executing this multi-state operation.

“The FBI in Michigan will continue to investigate those who violate federal law and remain focused on ensuring the protection and safety of our nation,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Reuben Coleman of the FBI Detroit Field Office.

“Money laundering is tax evasion in progress, and in this case, the proceeds funded an alleged human trafficking ring and supported a luxury lifestyle under the guise of a religious ministry.

“IRS-CI stands committed to fighting human trafficking and labor exploitation, and pursuing those who hide their profits gained from the extreme victimization of the vulnerable,” said Special Agent in Charge Karen Wingerd of IRS Criminal Investigation, Detroit Field Office.

According to the DOJ, conspiracy to commit forced labour carries up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000, while forced labour carries up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000.

It noted that conspiracy to commit money laundering carries up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine up to $500,000 or twice the value of the properties involved in the money laundering transactions.

It was gathered that Brannon appeared in federal court in Tampa on Wednesday afternoon, but an attorney for Brannon wasn’t present.

A judge asked where her attorney was and whether she had representation.

Brannon told the judge that she had two private attorneys, out of St. Louis and Oklahoma, who were already working with them. However, she said she hadn’t heard from either of them.

The judge said the attorneys were not able to be reached through the phone numbers provided to federal prosecutors. It’s not clear if Brannon has legal representation at this point.

The judge continued Brannon’s hearing to Thursday afternoon. He instructed Brannon to find an attorney in the Tampa area in the meantime.