Headlines
Court acquits Aminu Wali of N950m campaign fund charges
Nasiru Yusuf
The Federal High Court in Kano has on Friday discharged and acquitted former minister of foreign affairs Aminu Wali accused with receiving N950 campaign fund from PDP during 2015 presidential election.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is prosecuting Mr Wali and Mansur Ahmed with three count charges bordering around 950 million Naira campaign fund received from People Democratic Party PDP in 2015, an act that contravened Section 1 of money laundering prohibition Act 2011.
Delivering the judgement, the trial judge Lewis Allagoa said the prosecution has failed to probe their case beyond reasonable doubt.
Mr Allagoa averred that the prosecution though established that the money 950 million was received beyond the threshold allowed by law,It failed to establish the money was received outside a financial institution an ingredient of probing the case beyond reasonable doubt.
The court said that while the defendants have admitted to have collected the said money from a financial institution, EFCC couldn’t not prove the money laundering charge against them.
He therefore discharged and acquitted the defendants.
Reacting to the judgment, counsel to EFCC Cosmos Ugwu described the judgment as “a well considered judgment.”
Mr Ugwu said, “we will take it as delivered, we will go back and study it and see what to do hereafter.
“I do not think the EFCC has gotten it wrongly because we charge base on the provision of the law. It doesn’t necessarily means that party was malicious in it prosecution, it only means that the element of the offense that ought to have been proved were not proved.
“The central issue was that whether there was transaction through a financial institution or not. Our argument was that it was not because you cannot go to Fidelity Bank and say give me the account from which this money was paid and you will get it.
“But, it is a new area of law so we would continue to work towards developing it so that subsequently when this kind of matter comes up we would have authority, we would have authorities to quickly bring to the aide of the court to say this is what the supreme has said.
“I am sure if the appeal court or supreme Court had interpreted the phrase ‘through a financial institution’ we wouldn’t have had the difficulties we had in trying to prove that it was not through a financial institution,” Mr Ugu said.
Commenting on the judgement, counsel to Messrs Wali and Ahmed, Sam Olagunorisa commended the judge for exhibiting erudition of law in his final verdict.
According to him “His lordship showed his erudition. He went through the law, and at the end of the day, it was very clear that, the entire transaction in this charge went through financial institution, which is one of the major cardinal ingredients before you can find anybody guilty for an offence of money laundering.
” Both the prosecution and defence agreed that the money went through Fidelity Bank. Fidelity Bank is the financial institution within the laws of Federal Republic of Nigeria. To that extent, one of the cardinal ingredients for which the prosecution must probe was found not existing. That account for the reason why the defendants were discharged and acquitted.
Reacting to the judgement Mr Wali expressed gratitude to God for vindicating him despite three years of litigation.
“God is there. God will never allow injustice to persist. I thanked Him and I thanked all for the support and the believed had in me that this thing never really happened, is all political,” Mr Wali said.
Messrs Wali and Ahmed were arraigned alongside former governor of Kano, Ibrahim Shekarau by EFCC before the court on May 24, 2018 on six count charges that the trio received the money on March 25, 2015 from PDP without transacting through a financial institution contrary to section 1(a) of Money Laundering Act 2011, punishable under section 16 (2b) of same act.
Mr Shekarau was later discharged and acquitted by the same court after he filed and won a case of no submission at the court of appeal leaving Wali and Ahmed with a three count charges before the Federal High court.
Aminu Abdullahi
The adolescent girls initiative for learning and empowerment AGILE has been described as a major catalyst to educational development.
KANO FOCUS reports that the Emir of Rano, Alhaji Muhammad Isa Umaru, made the indication while receiving AGILE team in his palace.
According to him, Kano has witnessed significant progress in girl child education facilitated by AGILE, hence the need for traditional institutions and relevant stakeholders to contribute their quota to achieve the desired objectives.
He noted that, Rano Emirate has been at the forefront of ensuring enrollment retention and completion of girls education through various initiatives.
The emir called on the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) to upgrade the girls school in his community.
The monarch said, the school, located beside the palace, requires expansion to accommodate a larger number of students.
The traditional ruler suggested that AGILE should visit the school to assess its condition, saying that, relocating the school to a bigger location had been earlier considered.
In his remarks the permanent secretary Kano state ministry of education Alhaji Bashir Baffa explained that, they were at the palace to seek for support and blessings form the royal father.
He said, AGILE has fostered an enabling environment for girls through promoting behavioral changes through communication campaigns engagement with traditional rulers and advocacy.
He maintained that, the team has embarked on advocacy visits to all relevant stakeholders at community and state levels on the importance of girls education.
Alhaji Baffa hinted that the state government had declared a state of emergency on education, hence the need for the traditional institution to contribute its quota to achieve the desired objectives.
He posited that, the team will visit the school to see possible ways of intervening for the development of education.
The permanent secretary also used the opportunity to condole Rano emirate over the killing of its indigenes in Uromi.
KANO FOCUS reports that, earlier the team has paid a similar visit to Karaye Emirate council as part of efforts to advocate for support from the traditional institution and relevant stakeholders.
Aminu Abdullahi Ibrahim
The Kano State Ministry of Education’s Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) Project, supported by the World Bank, has successfully renovated over 1,300 senior and junior secondary schools in the state in the last three years.
KANO FOCUS reports that the state commissioner for education, Alhaji Ali Haruna Makoda, disclosed this during a visit to the Karaye Emirate on Tuesday.
He added that the AGILE program has enrolled more than 30,000 girls through targeted outreach, grants, and its Second Chance education initiative.
Makoda further revealed that the state government has finalized plan to construct 130 new schools in rural communities, with over 35,000 girls already benefiting from financial assistance under the scheme.
He urged the Karaye Emirate to lend full support to the program and prioritize girls’ education.
In his remarks, the Emir of Karaye, Alhaji Muhammad Maharaz, pledged the emirate’s commitment to advancing girls’ education in Kano State.
He commended the state government and the commissioner for their dedication to the programme’s success.
“It is our collective responsibility to support this initiative,” the Emir stated, calling for measures to ensure beneficiaries complete their education with strong academic outcomes.
The commissioner’s delegation consist of the Kano State AGILE Project Coordinator, Malam Mujitapha Aminu and other members of State Programme Implementation Unit (SPIU).
Aminu Abdullahi Ibrahim
Bayero University Kano (BUK) on Monday celebrated the 50th anniversary of its Faculty of Education and inaugurated its Alumni Association at the Convocation Arena of the university’s new campus.
KANO FOCUS reports that the event was graced by government officials, education stakeholders, and alumni all gathered to commemorate the faculty’s contributions to Nigeria’s educational sector.
In her keynote address, the State Minister for Education, Mrs. Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad announced the Federal Government’s Sector Renewal Initiative designed to transition Nigeria from a resource-based to a knowledge-based economy.
She highlighted that the aim of the renewal initiative consists of – Reducing the number of out-of-school children; combating learning poverty; nhancing skills development and human capital for the labor market
The minister noted that the initiative prioritizes Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET); Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM); Digital literacy and education quality assurance.
Mrs. Ahmad disclosed that the Federal Government had disbursed ₦35 billion to 261 beneficiaries under the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), with BUK among the top beneficiaries.
“So far, the scheme has received 420 applications, and we are scaling up investments,” she stated.
She further confirmed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved ₦120 billion to boost TVET programs, with plans to train 650 youths in technical, vocational, and digital skills over the next two years.
Emeritus Professor Sani Ahmad Sufi, former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, praised the faculty for its high-quality graduates.
“Our pride lies not just in the number of graduates produced yearly, but in their impact across Nigeria and beyond,” he said.
He added that the faculty has produced Nigeria’s largest pool of graduate teachers many of whom hold key positions nationally and internationally.
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje applauded the faculty for its significant role in advancing education in Nigeria.
The event concluded with awards presented to distinguished alumni and supporters of the faculty in recognition of their contributions to its growth.
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