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Pictures extracted from my phone were edited, UNICAL professor alleges
Prof. Cyril Ndifon, the suspended Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Calabar (UNICAL) on Tuesday, alleged that pictures extracted from his phone, in the alleged sexual harassment offence, were edited.
Ndifon told Justice James Omotosho of a Federal High Court in Abuja that the pictures alleged to have been extracted from his phone by the the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) were edited.
The suspended lecturer stated this while being led in evidence as 1st defence witness (DW-1) by his lawyer, Joe Agi, SAN.
He said in the pictures, he did not see his face nor that of the prosecution star witness, identified as TKJ.
“I did not send any nude photographs neither did I solicit for any.
“This (Oppo phone) is not the phone I used to chat with her (alleged rape victim).
“She has another number which she used to chat with me,” he said.
He said ICPC admitted in the open court that they did not ask for the girl’s phone to verify the pictures.
When asked about “Exhibit H” which contained pictures and chats allegedly exchanged between him and the alleged rape victim, he said: “All these pictures are not from my phone.
“Looking at it, slide 661 shows that this document has been edited.
“I haven’t gone through the whole document so I don’t know which other part was edited.
“I watched the video slide, but I didn’t see my face or TKJ’s (name of the girl withheld).
“The ICPC didn’t invite me to where they were doing the extraction and I haven’t been told about who told ICPC about the complain.”
Ndifon told the court that TKJ, who is now a student of the Faculty of Law in UNICAL, made her statement to ICPC on Nov. 9, 2023 and Nov 10, 2023 after he was already charged to court on Oct. 30, 2023.
He alleged that TKJ was admitted as a student after testifying against him, despite not being qualified.
The suspended lecturer said she was listed as number one, on the notice for those who wrote supplementary exams for Faculty of Law.
Ndifon expressed shock that the prosecution witness (PW) came to testify as he was not even in the position to assist her, being that he was no longer in the Faculty of Law at the time of the allegation.
“The allegation against me occurred when I was no longer in the Faculty of Law, so she cannot say I had asked for oral sex or any other advances.
“I’m totally shocked she came to testify, because nothing like that happened,” he insisted.
The suspended dean said he neither sent nor requested for explicit photographs from anyone.
He accepted knowing TKJ through her uncle in the UK, who informed him that she allegedly paid someone in the Vice Chancellor’s office the sum of N100,000 to help her secure admission into the Faculty of Law in the University, but the person failed.
According to Ndifon, her uncle then asked me to help recover the money since admission had closed but I felt insulted and refused to respond, having scored 102 in her JAMB exam.
The embattled professor told the court that TKJ reached out to him later and told him that she had enrolled for the Diploma programme and he advised her to study hard in order to gain admission through direct entry into the Faculty of Law.
Ndifon, who said he has three phones, said the iPhone was his main line, and not the Oppo phone where the photographs and images were found.
He said he used to chat with the star witness, using his main line.
Ndifon was cross examined by ICPC’s counsel, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, before Justice Omotosho adjourned proceedings until Feb. 12 and Feb. 13 for continuation of trial.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ICPC had, on Jan. 25, 2024, re-arraigned Ndifon alongside his lawyer, Sunny Anyanwu, on four counts bordering on alleged sexual harassment and attempt to perverse the cause of justice.
The commission had alleged that Ndifon, while being the Dean of the Faculty Law, UNICAL, requested a female Diploma student, identified as TKJ, to send him her “pornographic, indecent and obscene photographs of herself” through Whatsapp chats.
Anyanwu, who is one of the lawyers in the defence, was joined in the amended charge filed on Jan. 22, 2024, by the ICPC on allegation that he called one of the prosecution witnesses on her mobile telephone during the pendency of the charge against Ndifon to threaten her.
They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.(NAN)
The Confederation of All Progressives Congress (APC) Support Group (CASG) and Concerned Nigerian Citizens for Justice and Sovereignty have condemned what they describe as a coordinated campaign by US federal agencies targeting President Bola Tinubu, warning that such actions threaten Nigeria’s sovereignty and democratic integrity.
Engr Muhammed Kailani, Director General of the groups in a statement
issued on Wednesday, accusing the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of orchestrating a “politically engineered witch-hunt” against Tinubu.
He described the actions as an affront to Nigeria’s democracy.
“President Tinubu was elected to lead, not to be distracted by foreign conspiracies or trial by media,” Kailani said.
“The world must respect our sovereignty and our right to choose our leaders without external intimidation.”
The groups pointed to the recent release of decades-old documents by US agencies as evidence of a deliberate attempt to tarnish Tinubu’s reputation and undermine the will of Nigerians, who elected him in the 2023 presidential election.
The vote, widely regarded as free and fair, saw Tinubu emerge as the country’s leader despite longstanding allegations that have never been substantiated in court.
“This sudden rush to dredge up old documents is nothing short of a politically motivated attack,” Kailani added.
“Nigeria is a sovereign nation, not a satellite state to be dictated to by foreign intelligence bodies acting on behalf of interest groups.”
He called on the FBI and associated agencies to “immediately halt this charade,” warning that continued actions could be interpreted as foreign interference in Nigeria’s domestic politics.
The groups also raised concerns about the timing of the allegations, suggesting they were fuelled by “politically biased actors” seeking to destabilise the country.
The brand new magnificent Enugu State International Conference Centre was the venue of the 14th Chief Emeka Anyaoku Lecture Series on Good Governance with the theme “The Imperative Of Good Governance: Nigeria in a Global Comparative Perspective”, and organised by the Board of Youth Affairs International Foundation.
The event was a Spectacle of immense didactic importance with great minds in attendance. The Former Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Nations, Chief Emeka Anyaoku was the Star of the day, the former Military Governor of the Old Imo State, and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Major General Ike Nwachukwu was the Chairman of the event, and Nigeria’s former Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari was the Guest Speaker at the event where the Performing Governor of Enugu State Dr Peter Mbah amongst other Esteemed Guests stood in honour of a nonagenarian whose life is a testament of dignity, integrity and discipline.
At the event, the Former Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Nations, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, described Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State as an epitome of good governance, noting that the Governor was genuinely and quietly transforming Enugu State.
Chief Emeka Anyaoku was clear and unambiguous in his appraisal of the Enugu State Governor as a visionary, and that Peter Mbah’s leadership style works for the speedy development of the State. Anyaoku was emphatic that the spate of development in Enugu State under Governor Peter Mbah, would become the norm should Nigeria have a genuine Federal Constitution that engenders True Fiscal Federalism.
The Super Diplomat whilst speaking at the 14th Chief Emeka Anyaoku Lecture Series on Good Governance hosted in his honour at the Enugu State International Conference Centre on Tuesday, was unequivocal in his praise of the Enugu State Governor, hear him, “Allow me the privilege of describing him (Governor Peter Mbah) as a truly performing Governor. Yesterday, I was given glimpses of projects that have either been completed or in active progress towards completion. I saw, for example, this magnificent International Conference Centre. I saw an array of CNG Buses at Okpara Square. I saw the Smart Green Schools, which I gather that the Governor’s plan is to replicate in every Electoral Constituency (Wards), and I learnt that there are as many as 260 of them. I was also able to visit a state-of-the-art Bus station, the Holy Ghost Terminal. So, I would say that Governor Peter Mbah is genuinely transforming Enugu State, which used to be described as a Civil Service State. He is transforming it into an Industrial, Educational Hub and Agricultural Innovation.”
Chief Anyaoku continues, “The surprising thing is that all these developments are going on with little publicity. I had expected, as my experience visiting many other States in this country has shown, that in places where you have two to three projects going, you will have massive publicity of them. But not so in Enugu. So, Governor Peter Mbah is not just a performing Governor, but he is also a quiet and noiseless Governor”, he noted.
In a few days, the Enugu State Government will be hosting the National Convention of the Nigerian Bar Association NBA, another testament to the beauty, the peace, the Security, the Industry and the camaraderie that attends the Enugu space, thanks to the ebullient Servant Leader, Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah.
We, the Concerned Professionals For Good Governance (A Good Leadership Advocacy Group) are committed to a private sector driven appraisal of leadership any and everywhere in Nigeria. We shall praise, applaud and celebrate PERFORMERS whilst profusely lampooning all underperforming Political operators across the nation, such is our creed. And in furtherance to this creed of ours, we hereby adopt the salient and unequivocal words of the 92 years old Elder Statesman, Chief Emeka Anyaoku to wit that Peter Mbah is genuinely quietly transforming Enugu State… And such is the unassailable TRUTH.
Okechukwu Nwafor
Concerned Professionals For Good Governance. (A Good Leadership Advocacy Group).
Emomotimi Agama, director general (DG) of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), says the agency has not received any formal notice regarding the sale of Lafarge Africa Plc to Chinese investors.
Agama announced in a letter dated April 23, addressed to the clerk of the national assembly, and distributed during a hearing with the committee on the capital market on Wednesday.
The clarification followed a resolution by the senate (S/Res/2/78/24), which urged the federal government to stop the reported sale of Lafarge Africa Plc to Chinese interests on the grounds of national security and economic sovereignty.
“I acknowledge receipt of your letter referenced above, requesting the Commission’s intervention in the ongoing sale of Lafarge Africa Plc, with specific emphasis on safeguarding national security and economic sovereignty,” Agama said.
“The Commission wishes to inform the national assembly that it has not received any formal filing regarding the proposed divestment of majority shareholding in Lafarge Africa Plc.”
He noted that the commission was only informed of an internal restructuring by Holcim Group, which holds 83.81 percent of Lafarge Africa’s issued share capital.
Agama explained that Holcim Group controls its stake through two wholly owned entities — Caricement B.V. with 56.04 percent, and Associated International Cement Limited with 27.77 percent.
“As part of the internal restructuring, the 27.77% equity stake held by Associated International Cement Limited was transferred to another Holcim-owned entity, Davis Peak Holdings Limited,” he said.
“There has been no change in the ultimate beneficial ownership of the shares as a result of this transaction.”
He added that no regulatory action has been taken and no approval has been granted by the commission in relation to any sale to Chinese investors.
“Please be assured that the Commission remains committed to transparency, strict adherence to regulatory requirements, and the protection of national interest in all capital market operations,” Agama said.
In February, Agama assured the national assembly that the capital market operates a disclosure regime rather than a merit regime.
“Every company and director has a responsibility for figures that are disclosed to the public,” he said.
The DG also said it is the responsibility of the SEC to monitor and ensure that documents provided to members of the public are accurate, adding that if they do not meet standards, such institutions will be penalised.