Ibori pleads guilty to stealing

A former governor of Nigeria's oil-rich Delta state, accused of stealing $250 million from the public purse, pleaded guilty in a London court Monday to fraud and money-laundering.
James Ibori, 49, entered his plea at Southwark Crown Court . He is to be sentenced on April 16.
Ibori's guilty pleas capped an inquiry which began in association with Nigerian anti-corruption investigators in 2005. Ibori was immune from prosecution in Nigeria between 1999 and 2007 when he was serving as governor of Delta state, police said.
Paul Whatmore of the Metropolitan Police Proceeds of Corruption Unit said it is estimated that Ibori stole around $250 million from Delta state. British authorities claim Ibori funneled much of the stolen funds to banks in England.
"The scale can only be described as huge," Whatmore said. "Vast sums of money which were used to fund his lavish lifestyle."
Ibori used the money to buy houses in London and Johannesburg, a fleet of armored Land Rovers, and a $20 million private jet. He racked up credit card bills of $200,000 a month, police said.
Nigeria's anti-graft investigators, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, had arrested Ibori in 2007, and police in London got a court order to freeze U.K. assets of 35 million pounds ($55 million) which allegedly belonged to him.
In 2009, a court in Ibori's home town of Asaba dismissed 170 charges of corruption against him.
The case was reopened in 2010 by Nigerian investigators, but Ibori evaded arrested and fled to Dubai. He was detained there at the request of British police and extradited to London in 2011.
Ibori was charged in Britain with a string of offenses, including siphoning money from the Delta state government to line his own pockets.
Britain's Crown Prosecution Service said Ibori pleaded guilty to 10 charges, including one count of conspiracy to defraud and seven counts of money laundering.
"In pleading guilty, Ibori has admitted that he defrauded the Nigerian states of Delta and Akwa Ibom during his time as governor of Delta state and laundered the proceeds," said Sue Patten, head of the prosecution service's Central Fraud Group. "This is a significant prosecution of very serious charges for which Ibori will be sentenced in due course."
British prosecutors previously won convictions against Ibori's wife, Theresa; his sister, Christine Ibori-Ibie; his mistress, Udoamaka Oniugbo; his lawyer, Bhadresh Gohil; a financial agent, Daniel Benedict McCann; and corporate financier Lambertus De Boer.
Police said two computer hard drives seized from the lawyer's London office proved to be a major break in the case.
Ibori had previous convictions in London, police said.
He and his wife were charged in 1990 with stealing goods from a hardware store where Ibori worked as a low-paid cashier; he was fined 300 pounds. In 1991, he was fined 100 pounds after being convicted of handling a stolen credit card, police said.
Whatmore said police "will now be actively seeking the confiscation of all of his stolen assets so they can be repatriated for the benefit of the people of Delta state."
"It is always rewarding for anyone working on a proceeds of corruption case to know that the stolen funds they identify will eventually be returned to some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in the world."

Abdulmutallab's parents call for review of sentence

The parents of the Nigerian "underwear bomber" who tried to blow up an airliner on Christmas Day 2009 have urged the US to review the life sentences given to their son, said a statement on Friday.
   A judge in the US state of Michigan on Thursday condemned Al-Qaeda-linked Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab to four consecutive life sentences for his botched attempt to blow up the airliner as it approached Detroit.
   "We strongly appeal to the American Justice Department to review the life sentence," Abdulmutallab's family said in the statement sent to the media in Nigeria.
   "We also appeal to the Federal Republic of Nigeria to... engage with the American government to ensure that a review is made to show justice in accordance with the circumstances of Umar Farouk's case," the statement continued.
   In court, Abdulmutallab declared he was "proud to kill in the name of God" as he defended his botched attempt to kill the 289 people on board Northwest Airlines Flight 253 that originated in Amsterdam.
   The family said they learned of the "unfortunate news" of the foiled attack on December 26, 2009.
   "It was with tremendous shock that we discovered our son, Umar Farouk, was allegedly involved," the statement said.
   "This was so because even though he had gone missing by that time and there were concerns about his situation, he was nevertheless the last person anyone who knew him would link to such actions.
   "We are grateful to God that the unfortunate incident of that date did not result in any injury or death. We pray for a more peaceful world," the statement also said.
   In October or November of 2009, Alhaji Umaru Mutallab -- the bomber's father -- approached US embassy officials in the Nigerian capital and said he was worried his son had become radicalized by extremists in Yemen.
   Mutallab, a British-educated prominent banker who serves on the board of several Nigerian companies, however gave no indication that his son planned an attack.
   US authorities therefore did not add Abdulmutallab's name to a "No Fly" list and the failure to act on the father's warning struck a blow to the reputation of the US intelligence services.
   Days after the thwarted bombing, the bomber's family offered full cooperation to US authorities. Mutallab was then interrogated by the CIA and FBI in Abuja about his son's actions.
   In the statement, the family thanked "the American Government for facilitating visits to check on (Abdulmutallab's) welfare and show love and support."
   The would-be suicide bomber showed no remorse during sentencing in the Detroit court on Thursday, saying he was carrying out the work of God against the "oppressors" of Muslims.
   Despite stringent security measures at airports in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks, Abdulmutallab managed to smuggle more than 76 grams of the explosive Pentaerythritol tetranitrate on board the flight from Amsterdam.
   But the bomb hidden in his underwear failed to properly detonate and instead simply caused a fire as the plane began its descent to Detroit.
   Passengers and crew members were able to restrain Abdulmutallab and extinguish the blaze, allowing pilots to safely land the plane.

Mandela bank notes launched in South Africa

PRETORIA South Africa launched a new line of bank notes on Saturday bearing the image of its first democratically elected president Nelson Mandela on the 22nd anniversary of his release from prison.
The announcement pays tribute to the legacy of a Nobel Peace Prize-winner known as one of the world's greatest statesmen.

"It is my honour and pleasure to announce that new South African bank notes will bear the image of president Mandela, the first president of a free, democratic South Africa," President Jacob Zuma told a press conference in Pretoria.
The notes bear the 93-year-old former president's image circa 1990, the year he was freed from prison in a moment that came to symbolise the fall of apartheid and the rise of a new, democratic South Africa.
 They replace a design featuring the "big five" safari animals -- Cape buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion and rhino -- introduced in 1992, two years before Mandela was elected the country's first black president.
   All five notes -- 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 rand ($1.29 - $25.80, 0.98 - 19.60 euros) -- will now bear Mandela's face on the front. Officials would not say what design would be on the back.
Zuma praised the former president's legacy, calling him "Madiba," the clan name by which he is affectionately known.
"It needed a president like Madiba to lead a bruised nation like ours on a journey of forgiveness and reconciliation, and he acquitted himself exceptionally well, as he has always done in every aspect of his life."
Mandela, whose public appearances have grown rare as he has become increasingly frail, was not present at the unveiling.
He also missed the funeral Saturday of his last surviving sibling, Makhulu Nothusile Bhulehluthi (born Nokuthamba Mandela), who died January 28.
Central bank governor Gill Marcus said Mandela had seen the notes and was "delighted".
That sentiment will not likely be shared by investors who sold off rand and equity in a frenzy of speculation Friday after the president's office announced a secretive press conference of "national importance" to be addressed by Zuma, Marcus and Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan.
 The rand fell 2.2 percent Friday afternoon to 7.75 to the dollar, and stocks ended down 1.1 percent.
"I'm not sure why you would assume -- that the rumours and the assumptions were such that there would be a terrible announcement today. It just shows you how little we look forward to good news," Marcus said Saturday.
"I regret that there was confusion, but I'm not sure that it was driven by us."
She said the new design had cost 2.5 million rand.
 Marcus said it is standard international practice for countries to upgrade their bank notes' security and design every six to eight years, and that South Africa had last enhanced security measures on its notes in 2005

Nigerian panel throws out fines against BA, Virgin Atlantic

LAGOS A Nigerian judicial panel has thrown out fines totaling $235 million imposed on British Airways and Virgin Atlantic by the country's civil aviation authorities, officials said on Friday.
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority had argued that BA and Virgin Atlantic charged more for routes to Nigeria than to nearby Ghana and alleged that they colluded over fares.
In November, it fined British Airways $135 million (100 million euros) and Virgin Atlantic $100 million, while a judicial panel was assigned to look into the case.
Harold Demuren, head of the civil aviation authority, told AFP the panel "cancelled the fines because at the time of the offence between 2004 and 2006, there was no law to make them culpable."
"As far as we are concerned, the two airlines are guilty," he said.
Both airlines have denied the allegations. Demuren said the authority intended to pursue the matter further, but was still studying which steps to take.
The fines came as Nigeria's government engaged in negotiations with British officials over allegations that British Airways had been overcharging on its routes between Nigeria and Britain.
It also held talks with British officials over slots at London's Heathrow airport. Demuren denied at the time that the fines were linked to the negotiations over the Heathrow slots.

Etihad Airways announces new flights to Nigeria

ABU DHABI  Etihad Airways today announced the launch of flights to Lagos, the airline’s first destination in West Africa, from July 1, subject to regulatory approvals.

 The direct flights will link Abu Dhabi and Lagos six times a week and will be operated by a two class A330-200 aircraft with 22 Pearl Business class and 240 Coral Economy seats.

 Lagos becomes the 83^rd destination in Etihad Airways’ global network and the return flights will create a new link between Nigeria, Africa’s third largest economy, and the United Arab Emirates.

 Following the launch of services to the Seychelles in November 2011, Tripoli last month and Nairobi in April, the addition of Nigeria marks another milestone in Etihad Airways’ African expansion plans.

 James Hogan, Etihad Airways President and Chief Executive Officer, said: “The launch of services to Lagos is consistent with our strategy of targeting areas of strong growth in emerging markets.

 “The United Arab Emirates is a major trade partner of Nigeria, which has a population of more than 150 million people, the largest in Africa and the seventh biggest in the world.

 “The country is rich in natural resources, such as oil and natural gas. Our new point-to-point services will strengthen the oil and gas links between the UAE and Nigeria and facilitate further growth in these industries.

 ”The country is also enjoying strong economic growth driven by significant foreign investment, particularly from China, which means there is increasing demand for travel between Lagos and other emerging economies.

 “The Lagos schedule will provide seamless connections over Abu Dhabi to key North and Southeast Asian destinations and markets in the Indian Subcontinent and Australia.”

Proposed flight schedule:

Flight #	Departs	Departure Time	Arrives	Arrival Time	Frequency
EY671	Abu Dhabi (AUH)	10.00am	Lagos (LOS)	2.45pm	Three per week: Monday, Tuesday, Saturday
EY672	Lagos (LOS)	8.00pm	Abu Dhabi (AUH)	6.55am
EY673	Abu Dhabi (AUH)	2.25am	Lagos (LOS)	7.10am	Three per week: Wednesday, Friday Sunday
EY674	Lagos (LOS)	8.50am	Abu Dhabi (AUH)	7.45pm