A Minna High Court on Monday remanded the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Niger State, Tanko Beji in prison custody. The presiding judge, Justice Aliyu Maiyaki held that Beji, who had been in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) for about two weeks, would remain in prison custody until hearing on his bail application on Friday, June 23. Counsel to former Niger State Governor, Babaginda Aliyu, Ayodele Oladeji had urged the court to grant the PDP Chairman bail on the ground that he is a lawyer who has been practicing in the state. The EFCC lawyer, Gbolahon Latona, however, moved against the bail and urged the judge to use his discretion on the matter. Mr Beji was formerly arraigned on Monday by the EFCC in amended charges alongside former Governor Aliyu and former commissioner of environment, Umar Nasko, for criminal breach of trust punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code Law of Niger State, Cap 94, Vol. 3 Laws of 1992. In the amended charge, the former governor who is the first accused in the case is standing trial on a seven-count charge of criminal breach of trust and abuse of office while he was governor of the state between 2007 and 2015. Beji who is the second accused person is also standing trial on two count charges of criminal breach of trust and abetting the commissioner of crime punishable under Sections 85 and 312 of the Penal Code of Niger state; while Nasko is standing trial on three count charges of criminal breach of trust and abuse of office. The three accused persons have pleaded not guilty to the charges levelled against them. Justice Maiyaki, however, did not tamper with the earlier bail granted Babangida and Nasko, saying the amended charges do not entail tampering with their bail and that that they did not violate the stipulated bail conditions. The judge fixed September 11 to 15 for hearing on the substantive suit of the accused.

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The Independent Corruption Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) has said that corruption is an abuse to public office for private gain.

The commission made this known while sensitising students from various tertiary institutions in Delta State, with the theme, “Vanguard against corruption”

According to the ICPC Commissioner for Edo and Delta States Mr Olukile Olusesan, “The youths of today who make up a vibrant and active educated segment of the society and of whom the society should leverage their energy and innovative ideas to positively influence the society unfortunately, have been infected with corruption, hence the need to restructure their mindset has become imperative

Corruption has no universally accepted definition but according to the World Bank, it is an abuse of public office for private gain

Whichever way corruption is defined, it represents negativity and something that is reprehensible in Nigerian values

“Even our educational institutions are not spared by the ugly trend as it has meandered its way into various tentacles bedeviling policies, procedures, systems, personalities and standard of education.

“Which is why the ICPC has gathered students from various tertiary institutions in delta state, sensitizing them on the need for students unionism as a platform to initiate what it calls “vanguard against corruption” that will meaningfully engage students in the fight against corruption

The ICPC believes that this crusade will not only serve as a veritable tool for the much needed change that is so needed in the nations tertiary institutions but in the nigerian society at large

The Keynote Speaker and Chairman Anti Corruption and Transparency Unit of the University of Benin Edo state, prof. Ahbor Ignoroje reiterated the importance of the carrot and stick approach in tackling corruption

According to her, anti corruption strategy is not just about punishing the corrupt. Although prosecution of corrupt individuals is important to demonstrate that corruption is not tolerated and no one, neither the highest government official nor the wealthiest businessperson is immune from prosecution, a reward system for good behavior should also be adopted”

Participants present at the seminar, were also given an opportunity to interact with the floor  and the table on the challenges and possibilities of becoming anti corruption ambassadors