Aviation workers ground Arik Air’s operations over N12.4 billion debt

The operations of Nigeria’s largest indigenous airline, Arik Air, were disrupted by members of several aviation unions on Wednesday morning over an alleged N12.4 billion debt owed the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). Scores of passengers were left stranded at the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Arik Air’s operational base in Lagos, as early as 6.30 am as placards-carrying unionists grounded the operation of the airline. Some of the passengers were seen demanding a refund from the airline staff while others were making alternative arrangements. According to a travel news website, the Nigerian Travel Flight Deck, the union members said they resorted to blocking the airline from operating this morning after years of negotiating with the airline over the debt failed to yield any result. Some of the placards have captions like: “Arik Pay Your 12.4bn Debt”, “FAAN can no longer pay salaries, pension, staff claims due to your debt.” “Debtors pay all you owe FAAN now.” “Arik if you can’t pay don’t fly”, “Arik pay your debt 12.4bn is too much.” The General Secretary of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) Olayinka Abioye, in a statement stated: “We are engaged in picketing exercise against Arik Air over its indebtedness to FAAN in the sum of N12.5b”. FAAN’s spokesperson, Yakubu Datti, confirmed the story and said he could not provide additional information as the action was a union affair. The spokesperson of Arik Air, Ola Banji also confirmed the claim that it owed FAAN N12.4 billion as “spurious”. He added that the airline was already challenging the claim of the union members at a Federal High Court in Lagos. He said by blocking its operations, the workers were taking laws into their hands. “The action by the workers’ union is connected with the long-standing and unsubstantiated claim by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) of spurious indebtedness of the airline to the agency which is now before a Federal High Court in Lagos at the instance of FAAN,” he said. “For several months, the management of Arik Air and FAAN have been meeting to reconcile payment accounts between the two institutions. The reconciliation process is still ongoing until the latest actions by the union. “This is not the first time that FAAN workers’ union will be taking the laws into their hands by disrupting operations of Arik Air. “The current situation is deeply out of control of Arik Air and the management of the airline has been compelled to suspend all domestic operations for today. This will remain in force until such a time the unfortunate situation is resolved.”

FINALLY US agrees to return $480m looted by Abacha family, others to Nigeria

United States has finally agreed to repatriate to Nigeria about $480million believed to have been stolen by the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha and his family members.
Already, the conditions for the repatriation of the cash and other details are being worked out. Also, it was learnt that the Department of Justice in the United States now has a Kleptocracy Unit, which assist to track looted funds and money laundered by public officials from Nigeria and other nations. According to The Nation, the planned repatriation is the outcome of the meeting between President Buhari’s Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission( EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu the Department of Justice. “The US is likely to advise on specific areas to spend the funds on and the project monitoring mechanisms. It does not want the cash re-looted.” In the source’s view, there is no hiding place for Nigerian treasury looters in the United States anymore. “The Federal Government and the U.S. on January 14, 2003 signed the Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters between the two nations. So, no corrupt public officers from Nigeria can hide in the US. “At the session with AGF and the EFCC boss, they told the Nigerian team that the DOJ now has Kleptocracy Unit which is closing tabs on Political Office Holders and other public officers in this country and many other nations.” Recall that the Criminal Division of the Office of International Affairs of the US Department of Justice, had in a letter to the Federal Government, identified the accounts where Abacha loot was hidden. The highlights are as follows: Doraville Properties Corporation – $287 million in Account Number 80020796 located at Deutsche Bank International Limited in the Bailiwick of Jersey; HSBC Fund Administration (Jersey) – $12 million in account number S-104460 in the Bailiwick of Jersey; and Rayville International, S. A – $1 million in account number 223405880IUSD at Banque SBA in Paris, France. Others are Standard Alliance Financial Services Limited – $144 million in account 223406510PUSD at Banque SBA in Paris; Mecosta Securities – $21.7 million in accounts 10030688 and 100138409 at Standard Bank in the United Kingdom; and HSBC Bank Plc – $1.6 million in account number 38175076. Also listed are Blue Holding (1) Pte Ltd/ Ridley Group Limited – £6,806,900; Blue Holding (2) Pte. Ltd/ Ridley Group Limited – £21,846,983; Blue Holding (1) Pte. Ltd/ Ridley Group Limited – £10,293,343.58; Blue Holding (2) Pte. Ltd/Ridley Group Limited – £56,962,996.26. It was learnt that the Abacha family had pledged to cooperate with the Federal Government.

JOHN LEGEND AND WIFE WELCOMES BABY GIRL

JEFFREY MAYER/WIREIMAGE

A baby Legend is born!
Model, TV host and newly-minted cookbook author Chrissy Teigen and her husband, musician John Legend, welcomed their first child on Thursday, April 14, they announced via social media Sunday. “She’s here! Luna Simone Stephens, we are so in love with you! And sleepy. Very sleepy,” Teigen wrote alongside a snapshot of the baby’s weight — 6 lbs., 11 oz. — and dated Thursday.Legend also tweeted the happy news on Sunday, writing, “Our new love is here! Luna Simone Stephens, born on Thursday, the 14th. We couldn’t be happier!”  

Teigen, 30, shared her pregnancy news on Instagram in October after revealing that she was undergoing IVF in order to conceive. In February, she told PEOPLE exclusively that she chose a female embryo during the process, though they didn’t reveal the sex publicly until December. “I’ve made this decision,” Teigen said. “Not only am I having a girl, but I picked the girl from her little embryo. I picked her and was like, ‘Let’s put in the girl.’ ” For the couple, who married in 2013, their daughter will hopefully be the first of many. “The number of embryos we have left is not matching the number of people I want at my dinner table, so I’ll have to do it again,” Teigen told PEOPLE. “I wish I had frozen my eggs earlier. We have a few more on ice. Who knows what will work?”

PANAMA PAPER SCANDAL: BUKOLA SARAKI, DAVID MARK,JAMES IBORI, OTHERS AMONG NAMES LISTED

The Federal Government has opened a file on all Nigerians whose names have been mentioned in the Panama Papers as operating offshore accounts in notorious tax havens. Some of the individuals listed in the papers so far are the current Senate President, Bukola Saraki; and his predecessor, David Mark.Others listed include Africa’s richest man, Mr. Aliko Dangote; his cousin, Saayu Dantata, and a former Minister of Defence, Lt.Gen Theophilus Danjuma (retd.) It was learnt that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had been gathering reports from local and international media as well as the responses being given by those named. It was also learnt that the EFCC would then carry out its independent investigation and involve INTERPOL if necessary. German newspaper, Süddeutsche Zeitung, had last Sunday released the Panama Papers, the biggest leak in the history of data journalism, publishing online 11.5 million documents from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, which showed how some prominent people across the world criminally hid money using anonymous shell corporations across the world. The story began back in February 2015, with an article in Süddeutsche Zeitung that revealed the German newspaper had a slug of secret files about offshore companies on the books of the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca. Some 80 gigabytes of data about the firm’s customers had been received by the paper’s investigative reporters, Bastian Obermayer and Frederik Obermaier. The Panamanian law firm, regarded as one of the world’s most secretive companies, according to the documents, has helped clients launder money, dodge sanctions and evade tax. Already, the Nigerians involved have all denied complicity. In an exclusive report by online medium,Premium Times, it was alleged that about four assets belonging to the Saraki family, which included Girol Properties Ltd., Sandon Development Limited, and Landfield International Developments Ltd., were tucked away in secret offshore territories. For instance, the report stated that Girol Properties was registered on behalf of Toyin by Fonsecca on August 25, 2004, in the British Virgin Island, a year after her husband became the Governor of Kwara State. But the assets were allegedly not part of the ones declared by the Senate President or Toyin when Saraki became governor and after he was sworn in as the nation’s number three citizen. Similarly, at least eight offshore companies in the British Virgin Island have been linked to Senator Mark which he allegedly operated while holding public office, a criminal offence according to Nigerian laws. An impeccable source said the Federal Government was studying the body language of the international community and looking at how other countries were handling investigations. The source, who pleaded anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, said, “We are studying the matter closely. In fact, we have opened a file and all reports are being gathered. “We want all the names to be released first before launching full investigations. The issue is a tricky one. After preliminary investigations, we will seek advice from the Office of the Attorney General because investigations of such nature will need foreign collaboration.”