News
Stakeholders throw weight behind bill to establish Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Examiners of Nigeria
Amid stiff opposition by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Bill seeking establishment
Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Examiners of Nigeria has received the nod of stakeholders.
In line with the dynamics of the society, government stakeholders reasoned that the proposed Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Examiners of Nigeria when passed into law would play a critical role in proactive steps to stopping fraudulent incidences in Nigeria.
This is even as ICAN is insisting on monopolistic stance on fraud detection and examination responsibilities.
Speaking at the public hearing organised on the Bill, Thursday, at the National Assembly, Abuja, representatives of various public and private- sector organisations, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) as well as the Nigeria Deposit and Insurance Corporation (NDIC), expressed support for the Bill seeking to establish the Institute to deal with various crimes, offences and all manner of professional and social misgivings requiring in-depth investigations to turn in trusted results.
The organisations, took time to address some of what they considered grey areas in the sections of the proposed Act that, in their separate opinions, require changes.
On the contrary, however, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), represented by Dr. Innocent Okwuosa, a 2nd Vice President of the Institute, maintained that what the bill on the Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Examiners was seeking to achieve was already being practised by ICAN and other agencies of government like the Police, the EFCC, the ICPC and other such professional bodies whose corporate mandates and roles, he believed, would be threatened if the bill in question was passed into law.
He added the bill also sought to criminalise other practitioners of forensics and posited that, ANAN was alongside ICAN, opposing the passage of the Forensic Institute Bill.
This position was, however, refuted by the ANAN Registrar/ CEO, Nurudeen Abdullahi, in the presentation that came after that of the ICAN representative.
While urging stakeholders to take a deeper look at the Bill seeking to give a legal backbone to the Institute, which has been in operation in the last ten years through which it has made appreciable impact for outstanding professionalism and diversity of specialisations, its 2nd Deputy President, Professor Suleiman Aruwa, said the nation would lose so much if it failed to harness the benefits of the multi-disciplinary outlook of the Institute.
He expressed surprise that ICAN, which only has accountancy as its main competency and pre- occupation, would choose to challenge the right to existence of a body that has chosen to carry out the application of forensics on diverse areas of endeavour.
Also speaking in support of the proposed Institute, its President and Chairman of Council, Iliyasu Gashinbaki, called for stakeholders’ support for the bill, which he said had gone past the first and second readings in the House of Representatives before getting to the crucial stage of Public Hearing.
He told the audience that the multi-disciplinary outlook of the Institute was one that offered the nation an alternative to travelling to other sister African countries and elsewhere and spending scarce resources to source solutions on forensic challenges in different fields.
Earlier in his remarks, the sponsor of the bill, Rt. Hon.Yusuf Buba Yakub, said the bill for which the public hearing was being held was one that, “answers the clarion call on each of us to be a veritable gate-keeper and whistle-blower in order to preserve our nation beyond the greed, incompetence, slothfulness, negligence of duty and, of course, the usual mischief of some of our fellow Nigerians, whose failures, often resulting from mischief or poor approach to official duties and tasks, leave the nation at the mercy of their ineptitude or calculated wrong-doing”.
Continuing the Gombi/Hong, Adamawa State Rep, who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, added: “This bill seeks to, therefore, add serious impetus to the manner in which we fight the social malaise of our society, like crime in its entire ramifications, including official malfeasance, sleaze, internet frauds and the like.
“Many things would change in society if people knew that no matter how smart they feel they can be in their doings, the torch of forensics on their acts will, eventually, give them away”, the lawmaker observed.
While declaring that the proposed Institute when established would constitute no new burden on Government, Buba informed that its activities would be run and driven by contributions and subscriptions of its members and benefactors.
He also added that, apart from providing for the regulation and control of the Institute’s membership, the bill when passed into law would also promote the profesional practice of fraud examination and forensics in Nigeria and complement, in that regard, the efforts of the nation’s law- enforcement/prosecuting agencies such as the EFCC, ICPC, NFIU and the Police.
News
Reports of Justice Agim accompanying Wike to UNICAL convocation false, misleading Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Nigeria has denied that one of its justices, Justice Emmanuel Agim accompanies the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory to the convocation at the University of Calabar in the South South Nigeria.
The denial came amid suspicion that Justice Agim who wrote a judgment of the Supreme Court in favour of the 27 lawmakers in Rivers State is close to Wike, hence, his presence around Wike has triggered speculations.
Wike is the former governor of Rivers State and a current of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) who controls lawmakers in Rivers.
In a statement issued on Monday by the Supreme Court’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Festus Akande, he refuted the claims, saying Agim attended the event on his own.
The statement described the rumour as misleading, insisting that Justice Agim attended the event as a honoree, urging Nigerians to disregard the social media lies.
\
“Hon. Justice Agim attended the convocation as an esteemed honouree and an alumnus of the institution, who the Governing Council had found worthy to be conferred with an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Law (Doctor Honoris Causa),” the statement read.
“That Justice Agim was recognized for his significant contributions to the legal profession, which reflect his dedication to justice, integrity, and the rule of law.
Naija News reports that the statement highlighted that Justice Agim’s achievements serve as an inspiration for aspiring legal professionals and students alike.
The statement also addressed the claim that Justice Agim had attended the convocation ceremony in the company of Nyesom Wike.
It stressed that this was a false narrative, stating that Justice Agim’s attendance was independent of any government ministry or department and that he was not accompanying any government official.
“Any insinuation to the contrary is not only inaccurate but undermines the judicial independence that is crucial to our democracy,” the Supreme Court emphasized.
Additionally, the statement noted that Justice Agim had been scheduled to attend the burial ceremony of Hon. Justice Stanley Alagoa in Bayelsa State but had sought permission to attend the convocation ceremony instead.
In conclusion, the Supreme Court urged the media and the public to verify information through credible sources before dissemination.
“We encourage the public and media to verify information through credible sources before sharing or publishing to prevent the spread of misinformation,” the statement concluded.
News
State of Emergency in Rivers: $5,000 shared to Reps as ‘Sallah gesture,’ not bribe – Hon. Betara
Member representing Biu/Bayo/Shania/Kwaya/Kusar Federal Constituency of Borno State, Hon. Mukhtar Aliyu Betara has disclosed that he shared $5,000 with members of his committee as a “Sallah gesture”.
Betara who is the Reps Committee Chairman on FCT said the money was not a bribe to pass resolution declaring a state of emergency in Rivers as being insinuated.
The was posted by a Nigerian investigative journalist, Jaafar Jaafar on his X handle.
Jaafar said Betara explained this to him after the lawmaker reached out to clarify that the $5,000 given to lawmakers was merely a “Sallah gesture” and not an inducement.
He quoted Batara to have said the gesture was a long standing g tradition and has nothing to do with the state of emergency I Rivers.
Jaafar wrote:
“The chairman of the House Committee on FCT, Mukhtar Aliyu Betara, has clarified to me that he only shared $5,000 with each member of his committee as a ‘Sallah gesture,’ not as an inducement to support emergency rule in Rivers State.
“According to him, he maintains the tradition—like Santa Claus—every year.
“As we say in Hausa, not thigh but hind leg.”
The clarification by Betara came amid strong speculations that Senators received $15,000 bribe to pass a resolution to sustain declaration of state of emergency rule in Rivers.
The bribe was reportedly shared on Tuesday before they voted on Wednesday.
News
INEC holds crucial meeting to look into petition recalling Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from Senate
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has proceeded into a crucial meeting to study and look into a petition submitted to it by constituents of Kogi Central Senatorial District.
CAPITAL POST gathered, it a top management meeting as it was claimed that over 250,000 constituents signed the petition out of 480,000 registered voters.
The meeting was confirmed on Monday by the Acting
Director of Publicity, Esther Chibuikem, stating that the meeting held at a committee room at the INEC headquarters in Abuja.
It was also confirmed that the Secretary to the commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, on received the petition against Natasha on Monday.
The petition follwed the nod given by the Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja on Friday where the earlier judgement restraining INEC from accepting the petition was set asid3.
Last week, constituents from Kogi Central were said to have i initiated a recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, but some constituents claimed that they were d3ceived into exercise as they were told to gather with their voters card for 3 powerment.
However, the Court, in a judgement delivered in Lokoja, affirmed that the recall process is constitutionally valid and aligns with the civic rights of the constituents.
The court urged the constituents to continue exercising their rights in an orderly and peaceful manner.
The development was after the court on Thursday granted an interim injunction restraining INEC, its staff, agents, privies or assigns from receiving, accepting or acting on any petition containing signatures of members of Kogi Central Senatorial District.
As at press time, INEC hasn’t release information on the next action as signatures may have to be critically compared with its register to determine validity.
Kogi: CP Dantawaye engage stakeholders in Ijumu, emphasises security, community policing
Fidelity Bank equips entrepreneurs for global trade success with EMP 18
Reports of Justice Agim accompanying Wike to UNICAL convocation false, misleading Supreme Court
-
News1 week agoBill to establish National Cashew Production and Research Institute in Kogi passes first reading in Senate
-
News1 week agoShehu Sani debunks Governor Uba Sani’s alleged diversion of LG funds, challenges El-Rufai to publicly tender evidence
-
News1 week agoReport of attack on Wike’s Port Harcourt residence false, misleading – Police
-
News7 days agoPlateau gov’t expresses concern over violence in Shendam LGA, calls for calm
-
Sports1 week agoMerino gives Arsenal win over Chelsea
-
Politics5 days agoOpposition leaders announce coalition to challenge Tinubu in 2027
-
Interview1 week agoSenators Natasha-Akpabio saga should have been resolved privately – Rev. Mrs Emeribe
-
News1 week agoNatasha uncovers arrest plot after reported Akpabio to IPU in New York