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Money Laundering: EU, International IDEA, NBA Collaborate to Get Nigeria Solve Money Laundering, Terrorism Financing

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Money Laundering: EU, International IDEA, NBA Collaborate to Get Nigeria Solve Money Laundering, Terrorism Financing


…Over 300 Lawyers sensitized on professional conduct

By: Michael Mike

The Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) with the support of the European Union are working together with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to get Nigeria off the high risk areas of money laundry, funding of terrorism and, proliferation of small arms.

Nigeria has already been designated as one of the high risk areas of money laundering and terrorism financing.

the Anti-corruption Programme Manager of the EU-funded Rule of Law and Anti-corruption Programme (RoLAC-Phase II) of International IDEA, Dr. Emmanuel Uche, at a two-day sensitization event on the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners in Abuja, said the main essence of this workshop is to get lawyers on board to get Nigeria off the grey list of the Global Financial Action Task Force.

According to him, the taskforce is the global body that monitors financial transactions and the financial risks inherent in different jurisdictions.

He said: “The last evaluations of Nigeria’s risk clearly says Nigeria is one of the high risk areas of money laundry, funding of terrorism and, proliferation of small arms which underscores the challenges Nigeria is currently facing today and therefore, they’ve made a handful of recommendations necessary to get Nigeria out of that high level vulnerability to this risks.

“While those risks subsists and Nigeria remains on this grey list, there would be very limited confidence in Nigeria, being able to participate with other global countries that mean well. That’s why you will be surprised, when you want to use your debit card on an international website, it is not recognised.

“Other jurisdictions don’t honour our financial instruments because they think working with us exposes them to the same risks of money laundering, terrorism financing amd all that you see with kidnapping and proliferation of small arms.”

The President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Afam Osigwe, said the ability of lawyers to adhere to the highest ethical standards in giving services to the people is very important.

He said even if it’s one lawyer that runs foul of our Rules of Professional Conduct, it worries us.

“While we may not achieve 100 percent compliance level, we want to instill confidence in the public that we are interested in ensuring that members of the public adhere to the highest standard.

“”We will also ensure that those who violate their Rules of Professional Conduct are brought to book because that’s the only way we can show the society that we have the capacity and the willingness to weed out those who give us a bad name”.

The Head of Programme, RoLAC II, International IDEA, Mr. Danladi Plang, at the event said the importance of seeking to increase transparency and accountability of anti-corruption systems and reforms cannot be overemphasised as it is regarded as fundamental to sustaining a democratic system of government.

Plang who was represented by the State Project Coordinator, Abia State, RoLAC II
Mr Peter Omenka, said the democratic system of governance comprises a network of interdependent actors and the performance of each actor is affected by the performance of others.

He stated: “Within the system, the legal practitioners are recognised to generally work to support progressive ideals whereby lawyers are expected to be sensitive and create a process to which democracy can flourish.

“It is relatively fair to acknowledge the unique role that lawyers’ play in the protection of rule of law within a limited sphere.

“The legal profession is often regarded as a catalyst for progressive reforms within the legal and societal frameworks of a nation. Legal professionals serve as the architects of the legal system, playing a pivotal role in refining and sustaining the democratic structures of governance. “

The Head of Programme further stated that the ” issues such as misrepresentation of facts, fraud, exploitation of legal loopholes, deceit, and intimidation have marred the integrity of the profession. These unethical practices pose a significant threat to the legal system and must be addressed before they undermine its foundation. In Nigeria, instances of professional misconduct frequently go unchallenged, suggesting a more widespread prevalence of such behavior.”

“Over the years, there has been an increasing societal focus on the ethical conduct of legal professionals, emphasizing the protection of individuals, clients, the courts, fellow practitioners, and the legal profession itself.”

According to him, the “ growing concern underscores the importance of upholding ethical standards in law. In response to this, the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Chairman of the General Council of the Bar undertook a review of the Rules of Professional Conduct (2007), aiming to address global malpractice concerns and to ensure that the conduct of legal professionals reflects the highest ethical standards.

“Every society influences its ethical disciplinary culture and ensuring fairness and consistency in a disciplinary procedure promotes a progressive societal value for the public. It fosters positive cultures, encourages a fair and transparent approach to societal goals that promotes confidence and trust. What remains unenforceable and has limited the discipline of erring lawyers is the disciplinary procedure and this gap within the legal community remains a major challenge for the noble profession.”

Earlier, the Communications Officer, International IDEA, Mukhtar Suleiman
in a media advisory, said the two-day national sensitization event, scheduled to take place in Abuja, will serve as a Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop, with participants from all 130 NBA branches, including branch chairpersons and leaders of the Young Lawyers’ Forum.
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Money Laundering: EU, International IDEA, NBA Collaborate to Get Nigeria Solve Money Laundering, Terrorism Financing

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Zulum Dissolves Borno State Executive Council

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Zulum Dissolves Borno State Executive Council

By: Our Reporter

Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has approved the immediate dissolution of the State Executive Council.

The decision is to provide an enabling environment for any member of the council who may wish to contest elective positions in the forthcoming general elections.

The Governor has therefore directed all Commissioners to hand over the affairs of their respective ministries to the Permanent Secretaries on or before Friday, April 3, 2026.

Governor Zulum expressed his profound appreciation to the outgoing Commissioners for their dedication, commitment, and invaluable contributions to the development and service of the people of Borno State.

Zulum Dissolves Borno State Executive Council

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How corp member Samuel Orji bowed to humanity at the recent Monday market tragedy

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Late Sam Orji before his demise

How corp member Samuel Orji bowed to humanity at the recent Monday market tragedy

By: Bodunrin Kayode

Corp member Samuel Orji is not new to Monday market because he was raised in a restaurant right in front of the place as a kid because his mother used to be a food vendor to the traders within the vicinity.

Till the day of his death, he had friends and associates along the popular Ahmadu Bello way right down to Ali Kotoko Street where traders used to patronize his mother’s buka food.

But his mother have since left the town for Abuja leaving him and his brother Steve because he was still a student attending Ramat Polytechnic where he studied Electrical engineering when she left.

Having grown up in Maiduguri, he already knew that Improvised explosive devices IED could explode at any time during the day but never knew a semblance of the worse days could return to the city of yerwa.

For people who grew up in Maiduguri, the worse days are really over when everyone goes home before six pm so he was obviously rounding off his hustling that night when the explosion went off on Ahmadu Bello way which hit his legs and brought him down.

Though we all share a common humanity, living in the north east war theatre of hadin kai, we all go out each day for our daily bread not knowing what the end of the day will be like but taking each day as it comes.

Likewise, when corp member Samuel Orji left the house of his next of kin in Maduganari that fateful black Monday, he never planned not to return home, but as fate would have it, he was one of the victims that got hit by the suicide bomb explosion in front of the Monday market.

After being called up to the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) with number NYSC/RPM/25/185709, the young Orji was still serving at the engineering department of the Nigerian television authority (NTA) Potiskum in Yobe state when he lost his life.

Orji with YB/25B/1003 now serving in Damaturu found himself in Maiduguri the weekend before that black Monday because he had taken a pass to spend the public holiday with his brother and next of kin Stephen Orji who lives in Maduganari a suburban area of Maiduguri.

Speaking with this reporter after the tragedy, Borno State coordinator of the NYSC Bashir Nasir said the entire tragedy was a shock to him after a long spell of calmness in the city.

As soon as the incident happened, he was contacted by his headquarters (HQ) in Abuja to conduct a census of his Corp members to ensure all was well and report back to them.

It was in the process that he realized that his team was fine and that the fellow that died was indeed a Corp member but was serving the nation from Damaturu and that he had died as a result of the Monday blast on Ahmadu Bello way at the entrance of the market place.

“I quickly went into action by visiting all the places I know my corp members are based. And I was sure the fellow was not serving here in Borno after the roll call.

” Later a call came from his next of kin Steve to one of our staff in Yobe who indeed linked up with us here and that was when it was ascertained that Samuel Orji was a corp member serving in Yobe.

” I then went to the home of his next of kin Stephen Orji at Maduganari and that was how we took charge by handling all the preliminary expenses to ensure he is taken home for burial.

” The Yobe axis arranged for an ambulance and staff to convey his corpse to Enugu on Monday last week for burial.

” As a result of that triple blast I had to halt routine activities of corp members in the state except the medical officers among them who were released to assist in the hospitals on the condition that management will release ambulances from them to go and return safely to their bases. ” Said the state coordinator.

Challenges of the Corp in Borno state

The main challenge is obviously tied to their security which is why they are using the Arabic Teachers secondary school as a temporary location for now.

The original location has been tendered not usable after idps used it from 2012 to 3021

However, the governor in his magnanimity has given them a new camp of one km by one Km at Auno in the outskirts of the city.

Meanwhile the coordinator who would be one year next month since he assumed duty hinted that 506 Corp members of the batch A stream one of 2005 will pass out this week on the 31st of March.

Another bold set of Corp members of the batch A stream one of 2026 will however be sworn in on the 22nd April.

How corp member Samuel Orji bowed to humanity at the recent Monday market tragedy

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Tension in jos north council area as government slams curfew over sunday’s killings in Plateau

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Tension in jos north council area as government slams curfew over sunday’s killings in Plateau

By: Bodunrin Kayode

Reports coming from Jos North council area of plateau State indicates that there is palpable tension in the city as suspected gunmen on motorcycle allegedly opened fire on some residents of Angwan Rukubu area Sunday evening.

The unprovoked shooting of innocent citizens caused serious pandemonium in the area forcing many residents to flee from the scene and avoided the general area until late at night when the government resultantly slammed a curfew in the area.

Residents were advised to avoid wandering around the general area from tomorrow in view of the incident so as not to fall victim of possible reprisals by young residents of the area.

‎PLATEAU STATE GOVERNMENT ORDERS 48 HOURS CURFEW IN JOS NORTH COUNCIL AREA

‎Reacting to the situation, the government has placed a 48 hour curfew on the area which is highly tensed according to eye witnesses for now.

A release signed by the Commissioner of information Joyce Ramnap stated that “‎Following the tragic security incident that occurred at Gari Ya Waye community Angwan Rukuba today Sunday 29th March 2028 resulting in the loss of lives, while several others sustained varying degrees of injuries.

‎”The Plateau State Government in conjunction with security agencies wishes to inform the general public of the imposition of a 48 hour curfew within Jos North Local government Area with immediate effect, commencing from 12 midnight of 29th March, to 1st April, 2026.


“‎The government under the leadership of His Excellency, Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang strongly condemns this barbaric and unprovoked attack on innocent citizens and assures the public that all necessary measures are being taken to apprehend the perpetrators and bring them to justice.


“‎Citizens are urged to remain calm, stay vigilant, and cooperate fully with security agencies by providing any useful information that may aid ongoing investigations.” Noted the release.

Tension in jos north council area as government slams curfew over sunday’s killings in Plateau

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