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Alleged N785m fraud: Court orders arrest of Imo state Deputy Speaker, Iwuanyanwu
Following his alleged involvement in a N785million fraud, the Federal High Court in Abuja issued an arrest warrant for Hon. Amarachi Iwuanyanwu, the deputy speaker of the Imo state House of Assembly, on Friday.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the Nigeria Police, the Department of Statistic Services, the Nigerian Immigration Services, and Interpol were ordered by the court in a ruling delivered by Justice Inyang Ekwo to immediately arrest the lawmaker “anywhere he is sighted in Nigeria or outside Nigeria and produce him before this honorable court or to the EFCC headquarters, Abuja.”
The EFCC filed an ex-parte motion with the court on November 14 through its attorney, Mr. Olanrewaju Adeola, which led to the court ordering Iwuanyawu’s detention.
The EFCC informed the court that it received information that the legislator had since fled the nation and was currently hiding in the United States of America, USA, in the application with the file number FHC/ABJ/CS/2124/2024.
It informed the court that the Respondent declined to show up to answer a petition filed against him and his business, Sun Gold Estate Limited.
The EFCC claims that Hakiz Investment Company Limited entered into a Memorandum of Understanding, or MoU, with Iwuanyawu’s company at some point in 2012 to develop an estate with 14 units of four-bedroom terrace homes and one block of six flats on the petitioner’s land in Mabuchi, Abuja. The petition was signed by the company’s lawyer, Mr. A. A. Malik, SAN, and was addressed to the EFCC’s Chairman.
It informed the court that the terms of the agreement were as follows: Upon Respondent’s completion of the estate, the complainant—who is the landowner—would receive 40% of the building, and Respondent—who is the developer—would receive 60% of the building.
However, the anti-graft agency alleged that its investigations revealed that “upon completion of the estate, the Respondent sold all the buildings and criminally diverted the funds without the knowledge of the Complainant”.
“That the market value of 40% of the buildings is about N785million.
“That investigation is still ongoing and all invitations extended to both Iwuanyanwu and his company proved abortive.
“That a lawyer to the Respondent had on one of the occasions, received a copy of the invitation on his behalf and made promises that he would be available for questioning.
“That there is an intelligence report that the Respondent is in the USA.
“That without the suspect being apprehended or voluntarily coming to state their side of the story, the investigation will be incomplete.
“That in the light of the calculated effort by the suspect to remain evasive, there is need to place the suspect on watch list of the Commission, the police and any other law enforcement”, EFCC averred in an affidavit that was deposed to by one of its officials, Ufuoma Ezire.
According to the EFCC, the court should issue an arrest warrant for the Respondent in the interest of justice.
It used section 35(1)(c) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, sections 3, 37, and 39(1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, as well as sections 6, 7, 13, and 41 of the EFCC (Establishment Act), to support the request for an arrest warrant to be issued against the Respondent.
The Commission testified before the court that it has since sent letters outlining its investigation operations to the Corporate Affairs Commission, banks, and other pertinent organizations.
Meanwhile, in his ruling, Justice Ekwo held that there was merit in the ex-parte application and accordingly granted it.
Specifically, the court, made an order: “Issuing a warrant of arrest against Hon. Amarachi Iwuanyanwu.
Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter till February 23 for report.
The Enugu State Government has commended the Republic of Finland for the arrest of Simon Ekpa, a Finland-based leader of the proscribed separatist group, Autopilots.
Ekpa has been accused of orchestrating violence and chaos in Nigeria’s South East region.
In a statement issued on Friday by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, the government described Ekpa as a “common criminal, con man, and terrorist” who has exploited the Igbo people while claiming to represent their interests.
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“The Enugu State Government welcomes the arrest of the Finland-based terrorist, Simon Ekpa,” the statement read.
“His arrest and trial will no doubt go a long way in strengthening peace, security, and stability in all parts of the South East.”
The state government accused Ekpa of sponsoring violent activities that have resulted in the loss of lives, destruction of property, and disruption of the region’s economic activities.
It stated that Ekpa’s actions were driven by personal greed and not genuine concern for the Igbo people.
Onyia said, “Ekpa is a murderer and fraudster who delights in killing his people and living large off their misery.
“He thrives on manipulating, exploiting, and extorting the people on the pretext of fighting for their interest and for the restoration of Biafra.”
The government emphasized its readiness to provide evidence of Ekpa’s alleged crimes to support his prosecution, whether in Finland or Nigeria.
“This arrest is in line with the demand of the Governor Peter Mbah Administration, which has repeatedly made it known that Ekpa is a megalomaniac, common criminal, murderer, and fraudster who takes joy in feeding fat on the manipulated emotions of Ndigbo and inflicting misery on the South East region,” the statement added.
The government further criticized Ekpa for fostering a climate of fear and insecurity that has harmed the entrepreneurial spirit and economic growth of the Igbo people.
“Ekpa has for long, and unfortunately from Finland, made a living by creating a siege climate and mentality in the South East, destroying lives, property, and the Igbo trademark of entrepreneurship and hard work,” Onyia said.
The Enugu State Government expressed optimism that Ekpa’s arrest would mark a turning point in the quest for peace and stability in the South East, urging residents to remain vigilant and supportive of ongoing efforts to restore normalcy in the region.
The COP29 presidency has unveiled an ambitious climate finance plan, calling on developed nations to provide $250 billion annually to developing countries by 2035.
The proposal, part of a broader initiative to mobilize $1.3 trillion from public and private sources each year, seeks to address the mounting challenges posed by climate change.
The five-page draft text, released on Friday, emphasizes the need for developed nations to lead the charge in financing climate action.
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According to the document, this financial commitment is seen as a critical step toward combating the climate crisis and fostering sustainable development globally.
“In this context, it is decided to set a goal in extension of the goal referred to in paragraph 53 of decision 1/CP.21, with developed country Parties taking the lead, to USD 250 billion per year by 2035 for developing country Parties for climate action,” the draft states.
The announcement follows the release of an earlier 10-page draft on Thursday, which drew significant criticism from Global South delegations.
Many expressed frustration that the document lacked clear financial commitments from wealthier nations, falling short of expectations to support adaptation and mitigation efforts.
“There is a clear need to address the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, especially given the diverse circumstances shaping national priorities,” a negotiator from a developing country delegation remarked.
The updated proposal aims to address some of these concerns by outlining more specific targets. However, skepticism remains among some negotiators, who feel the revisions still fail to adequately address their demands.
Meanwhile, developed countries have raised their own reservations about the proposed plan.
A European negotiator, speaking to Reuters, described the $250 billion annual target as unrealistic and criticized the lack of measures to expand the pool of contributing countries.
“No one is comfortable with the number because it’s high, and there’s almost nothing on broadening the contributor base,” the negotiator said.
The mixed reactions underscore the persistent divide between developed and developing nations in climate negotiations.
While the draft text aims to reconcile these differences, the gap between expectations and commitments remains a significant hurdle.
The President of the African School of Governance, Kingsley Chiedu Moghalu has admonished state actors against resorting to brutal force in the bid to muscle out separatist agitators.
In the aftermath of Mazi Simon Ekpa, the Finland based Biafran nationalist agitator being caught in legal web and the Nigerian government moving swiftly to seek his repatriation, the former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has cautioned that ‘We either fix our problems, or our problems will eventually “fix” us. No alternative to a renegotiated union.’
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The political economist, while expressing his hope in Nigeria, made it clear that “hope is not a strategy”.
He bared his mind in a series of posts on his verified handle on micro-blogging site, X on Friday.
Moghalu wrote, “Despite sustained contemporary difficulties, I am hopeful about Nigeria. But hope is not a strategy. We need to improve state capacity for effective governance.
“We either fix our problems, or our problems will eventually “fix” us. No alternative to a renegotiated union.
“We must learn to be honest with ourselves and address the root causes of our problems. Why ignore them, when the problem is actually quite solvable? The problem with continuing with this approach is that when the danger crystallizes, those who thought they were benefiting from
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