By; AMOS TAUNPatriotic
The Northern Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), has noted that Northern Nigeria leads in negative indices in high rate of infants and maternal mortality, number of out of school children, poverty index, insecurity, due to corruption and dearth of patriotic leaders.
Comrade Isah Abubakar, President, Northern Youth Council of Nigeria, while interacting with newsmen on Monday in Kaduna said, “It is a known fact that our region leads the country most negative indices ranging from high rate of infants and maternal mortalities, number of out of school children, poverty index, insecurity, just to mention but a few. All of these can be traced to corruption and dearth of patriotic leaders.
“In other to reverse these trend and reposition our region, the Council has resolved to actively participate in the leadership recruitment processes in every strata of our region in particular, and the country at large. While we don’t have any particular aspirant or candidate in mind for now, we are on a mission to identify those that have been tried with political offices, but have betrayed the trust of the people.
“To this end, we will be starting this series with One Alhaji Liman Isah Kantigi also known as Mohammed Musa from Niger State, who served as one time Chairman of Edati Local Government Council 2011-2013, ALGON Chairman and Commissioner Ministry for Local Government, Community Development and Chieftaincy Affairs, Niger State 2014-2015.”
He added, “Alhaji Liman Isah Kantigi was charged alongside three others named defendants in Charge Number FHC/ABJ/CR/100/2018 at the Federal High Court. They were charged for offences relating to Money Laundering and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering at the Abuja Judicial Division of the Federal High Court on the 25th Day of June 2018.
“Alh Liman Isah Kantigi’s name was mentioned in all the 13 Counts charges as a predicate offender, unfortunately, he was said to be at large. Apparently, he ran out of the shores of the country in order to evade arrest and prosecution by the relevant security agencies. It was established, amongst other offences at the trial court that Alhaji Liman Isah Kantigi had misappropriated the sums of N18,000,000.00 and N140,000,000.00 while he occupied official office in Niger State.
“At the end of the trial, Alhaji Kantigi was indicted by the trial court which found that the offences alleged him were established by the prosecuting authorities. The Judgement was delivered by Honourable Justice Ijeoma L. Ojukwu on the 21st Day of June, 2021. In page 69 of the Judgement, the trial court held as follow..”In the instant case, the defendants including Alhaji Liman Isah Kantigi (who is at large and should be prosecuted when apprehended) as opportunists took advantage of the position of authority, public office and business environment offered by the alw and state. In their quest for personal aggrandisement, they diminished the dividends of democracy which the government promised the citizens the citizens who elected them into office. Instead of being utilized for the provision of infrastructure and other amenities required by these citizens, the government, the government funds ended up in individuals and corporate pockets; the is condemnable. The Money Laundering Act was created to curb menace or curtail it to a large extent.”
The NYCN President explained that dissatisfied by the upright ruling of Justice Ijeoma L Ojukwu, Alhaji Liman Isah Kantigi appealed against the judgment, stressing that again it was summarily dismissed in a unanimous decision by the learned Justices sitting at the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal on the 4th Day of February, 2022.
He further explained that the Appeal was dismissed for lack of merit, saying that the judgement of the Federal High Court, Abuja delivered by Hon. Justice I.L. Ojukwu on 21st June 2021 in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CR/100/2018 was therefore affirmed.
From the forgoing, he stated that it can be distilled that Alhaji Liman Isah Kantigi was tried in absentia in line with extant laws and indicted accordingly, pointing out that he ought to be have been apprehended and prosecuted accordingly as mandated by the trial Court but, unfortunately, he returned to the country and has been walking freely without arrest and any possibility of prosecution in brazen disregard for the valid court order.
“As patriotic Nigerians, we assume that both the EFCC and the Nigeria Police Force have tried to effect his arrest to no avail, hence, we want to use this medium to intimate them that the man who was at large is currently running for the Governorship of Niger State under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party, he is billed to appear in the venue of the Primary election on May 24, 2022. The EFCC and NPF through interagency corporation can get the exact venue from the INEC, to ensure that he is summarily charged and sentenced,” Comrade Isah Abubakar said.
He opined, “Alhaji Liman Isah Kantigi deserves to be in prison not running for office to serve as deterrent to other corrupt elements in our region.”
