Headlines
APC tackles PDP as US set to return looted $8m
A Royal Court in Jersey, United States, has ruled that stolen money worth £6.9m ($8.9m) be repatriated to Nigeria.
The said money was allegedly diverted by Nigerian government officials in 2014 during ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, under the guise of purchasing arms to fight Boko Haram terrorists.
According to the BBC, the court ruled that the money, deposited in a Jersey bank account was likely stolen by officials in the Nigerian Government in 2014.
Controversies had surrounded the purchase of weapons in the fight against insurgency with the then National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, being accused of diverting funds meant for security equipment during Jonathan’s administration.
Dasuki, a retired army Lieutenant Colonel, who was appointed by Jonathan in June 2012, was locked in a legal tussle with Nigeria’s state security services.
During Dasuki’s time in office, Nigeria was caught up in a money laundering scandal as South Africa seized two planes in 2014 carrying millions of dollars in cash allegedly for an arms deal.
When former President Muhammadu Buhari assumed power, his office used Twitter to share the president’s concern about the early findings of the probe.
“The findings made so far are extremely worrying considering that within the same period, our troops were in desperate need of ammo/equipment,” Buhari said on Twitter, now X
However, the order of the Royal Court in Jersey followed a forfeiture notice to the court by Jersey’s Attorney General, Mark Temple KC.
The court held that the funds were deposited in a Jersey bank account and were not used for the arms purchase.
Temple said the government of Jersey was in close partnership with Nigeria on the repatriation of the funds.
The AG claimed part of the funds were shared with family members of politicians in the then-ruling Peoples Democratic Party ahead of the 2015 general election.
“This case again demonstrates the effectiveness of the 2018 Forfeiture Law in recovering the proceeds of corruption and restoring that money to victims of crime.
“I now intend to negotiate an asset return agreement with the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.
Reacting to the development on Tuesday, the ruling All Progressives Congress described the Peoples Democratic Party as a reckless party during Jonathan’s administration.
The APC Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, in an interview with NewsNow, said, “This shows that the PDP government under President Goodluck Jonathan was reckless. That is also one of the reasons why Nigeria has rejected the party.
“Since coming to power, the APC has been injecting sanity into the economy, sanity into the system. And it’s bringing in all the ingredients of presidential guides to ensure that public funds are utilised in the way and manner they are earmarked.
“So this is a welcome development and I hope it will serve as a guide to allow our government to work in accordance with the financial provisions and ensure that whoever is given responsibility is held accountable.
“I am quite aware President Bola Tinubu has set up a desk that was not there before and put Hadiza Bala Usman in charge of coordinating and monitoring all public appointees holders to ensure that everything is done in line with the plans of the government, any deviation will attract sanctions.”
But, the PDP Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, alleged that the APC-led Federal Government was notorious for corruption.
He said, “I don’t trust this government and I don’t think they will utilise this money well. I don’t think so.
“I dare this government to prove me wrong. It is a government whose officials are notorious for corruption and one whose profligacy is legendary.”
The post APC tackles PDP as US set to return looted $8m appeared first on NewsNow Nigeria.
Education
1ST NIGERIAN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS CONFERENCE ON UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGS) ESSAY COMPETITION
Competition Overview:
The SDG Youth Essay Competition offers a grand prize of N1 million for the top three winners, along with free sponsorship to attend the 1st Nigeria Tertiary Institution Conference on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in April 2024 in Abuja.
Competition Requirements:
1. Eligibility:
– Open exclusively to undergraduates in Nigerian tertiary institutions.
2. Entry Guidelines:
– Topic:The Role of Students in Attainment of SDG4
– length: Essays should be 1500 words.
– Entry Period: Thursday, February 1, 2024 – Thursday, February 29, 2024
– Referencing: APA Style (6th Edition).
– Font: Times New Roman, 12-point font size.
– Documentation: Typed in 1.5 line spacing, MS Word format only.
– Plagiarism: Only original content is accepted; plagiarized entries will be disqualified.
Benefits:
– Prizes:
– 1st Prize: N500,000
– 2nd Prize: N300,000
– 3rd Prize: N200,000
– Winners will also receive free sponsorship to attend the 1st Nigeria Tertiary Institution Conference on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in April 2024 in Abuja.
Required Documents:
– Student’s Institution ID Card
– Copy of Student’s Admission Letter
– One recent passport-size photograph
– WhatsApp telephone number and email address
Application Procedure:
– All entries and submissions (essay and required documents) should be scanned and sent to nigeriaessay@sdgyouth.org before the deadline.
For Further Inquiries:
– Call: 08068931151, 08133846739, 07067772964
– Email: nigeriaessay@sdgyouth.org
Deadline: February 29th, 2024
Don’t miss this opportunity to contribute to achieving SDG4 and win exciting prizes. Submit your entry and required documents before the deadline. For any inquiries, feel free to contact them via phone or email.
Competition Overview:
The National Essay Competition invites undergraduate law students to showcase their expertise and contribute to the discourse on AI, privacy, and data protection. In addition to cash prizes, participants have the chance to intern with Pentagon Partners, gaining valuable hands-on experience.
Competition Requirements:
1. Eligibility:
– The competition is open to 400-level and 500-level undergraduate law students in Nigerian universities.
2. Essay Requirements:
– Length: Essays should not exceed 1500 words.
– Format: Double spaced, 12pt Times New Roman font.
– References: OSCOLA format for citations with 10pt font size for footnotes and endnotes.
– Submission Format: Essays must be submitted in PDF format.
– Entrant Details: Include full names, school, level, phone number, and email address in both the body of the email and on the last page of the essay.
– Single Entry: Each entrant is allowed only one submission.
– Originality: Plagiarism will result in automatic disqualification.
Competition Benefits and Timeline:
1. Prizes:
– Winner: N200,000
– 1st Runner Up: N150,000
– 2nd Runner Up: N100,000
2. Internship Opportunity:
– In addition to cash prizes, winners have the exclusive opportunity to intern with Pentagon Partners, enhancing their career prospects.
Application Procedure:
– Interested participants should submit their essays to essay@pentagonpartnerslp.com during the submission period.
– The subject of the email should be the Essay topic
For additional information and updates, visit www.pentagonpartnerslp.com.
Deadline: March 22nd, 2024
Don’t miss this chance to showcase your legal expertise, contribute to important discussions on AI and law, and vie for enticing cash prizes. Pentagon Partners looks forward to receiving your submissions.
Purpose:
Inaugurated in 2020, the CDEC is part of SystemSpecs’ Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) commitment to promoting capacity development in the Nigerian ICT industry. By encouraging young Nigerians to tackle everyday issues, the competition contributes to intellectual growth and societal progress.
Topic:
The theme for the 2024 competition is “Protecting the Nigerian Child from the Dangers of Online Technology.” Participants are tasked with exploring strategies to safeguard children in an increasingly digital world.
Eligibility:
– Open to primary and secondary school students in Nigeria aged 9 to 16.
– Junior category (ages 9 to 12) essays must not exceed 1,000 words.
– Senior category (ages 13 to 16) essays must not exceed 1,500 words.
Prizes:
– Winners will receive generous rewards, including a high-capacity laptop, premium headphones, a portable laptop stand, a smart wristwatch, and one year of internet data, among other items.
– Consolation prizes will be awarded to other participants.
Application Process:
– Interested candidates should access the application page
– Essays must be written in English and reflect original thought.
– Each participant is limited to one entry.
– Entries must be endorsed by an accredited school official, parent, or legal guardian.
– Deadline for submissions is April 12, 2024.
Submission Guidelines:
– All submissions must be in PDF format and include the student’s name, home and school addresses, email address, and contact phone number.
– Double entries will result in automatic disqualification.
– Submissions must be received by March 15, 2024, at 5:00 p.m.
Notification of Winners:
– Successful students and schools will be contacted in the second quarter of the year.
– Updates on winners will be announced on @nercng social media platforms.
The SystemSpecs Children’s Day Essay Competition offers a unique opportunity for Nigerian students to demonstrate their creativity and problem-solving skills. By addressing the theme of online child protection, participants contribute to building a safer and more secure digital environment for all. We encourage eligible students to seize this opportunity and showcase their talent and ingenuity.
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