British court shown footage of James Ibori's display of ill-gotten wealth

Disgraced former governor James Ibori

CC Global Insight

A court in the United Kingdom was shown footage of disgraced former governor, James Ibori's sprawling home in Nigeria. 

Complete with marble columns, a private gym, cooks, maids and chauffeurs, the mansion offers a revealing and rather unfortunate glimpse into the egregious excesses of Nigeria's leaders. 

Footage of the property at Clement Isong Street in Abuja, taken by Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) when it searched the home this year, revealed a level of luxury unimaginable to most of Nigeria's 170 million people. 

The film showed a monumental facade with white marble columns two storeys high. Inside were vast reception rooms adorned with crystal chandeliers, gilded mirrors and marble-topped tables.

The property also boasted a large private gym with a treadmill, cross-trainer and other fitness equipment. A close-up shot inside one of several marble bathrooms showed a power shower with electronic control panels.

Last year Ibori pleaded guilty at London's Southwark Crown Court to 10 counts of money-laundering and fraud in one of the biggest embezzlement cases seen in Britain. He is serving a 13-year term at Long Lartin maximum security prison in England.

Shown as part of a confiscation hearing in which prosecutors are seeking court orders for Ibori's assets to be seized, the film featured a directory of telephone extensions across the property including the "children's parlour" and "staff house".

A list of staff and suppliers included multiple chauffeurs, cooks and housekeepers as well as details of how to reach the "TV man".

Footage of what appeared to be the master bedroom showed an enormous bed with an ornate velvet and silver headboard, facing a large flat-screen television flanked by four high-tech standing speakers.

Outside the house were parked a luxurious Range Rover with TV screens on the back of the leather seats, a red Lexus car and a Toyota pick-up truck. EFCC investigators were filmed searching under mattresses, inside drawers and inside a toilet tank.

They could also be seen looking through papers found in the property including what appeared to be an invoice from French luxury goods maker Louis Vuitton.

That such footage was shown in open court in London will be a humiliation for a man who was once addressed as His Excellency and courted by crowds of people seeking his patronage.

Ibori was not present in court, having declined to attend the confiscation hearing.

In his heyday, Ibori was a power broker at the heart of Nigeria's ruling party, the PDP. He is by far the most prominent Nigerian politician to be held accountable for the corruption that blights Africa's most populous nation and top oil producer.

Also on Tuesday, there was startling revelation that the former governor also owns a third of Oando Oil, PLC. The same Southwark Crown Court in the U.K. was told on the second day of the confiscation hearing, that Ibori himself made the declaration to a bank with which he wanted to open an account a few years ago.

Ibori is said to have described himself as a “very rich man who owned 50 per cent of a bank and 30 per cent of an oil company,” when he wanted to open a foreign bank account in 2004. The court was told Ibori said he “earned $10 million per year and has a net worth of $100 million." 

More to follow.

Howard Schultz finally gets it right..... for once.....

Howard Schultz

Editor-in-Chief

Starbucks CEO, Howard Schultz on Tuesday night wrote this letter requesting that customers no longer bring their guns into Starbucks stores. This request also extends to the stores in states where it is permissible to carry guns.

It has been an open secret for a while, that Schultz has not been favorably disposed to the so-called "Starbucks Appreciation Day" events that pro-gun supporters have held at the Starbucks' office location.

Schultz obviously wants an end to the charade, hence this latest move, one that is sure to anger a potentially "large segment" of his clientele; or maybe not, depending on where the stores are located. 

The truth is most of Starbucks' customers tend to be educated, progressive and not tied to gun-grabbing or gun-wielding positions or laws. They just want to go into a dignified environment, fire up their laptops/tablets while enjoying trendy treats, some good coffee and some ambiance-inducing music. 

Here (below) is the full text of the letter.....

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Posted by Howard Schultz, Starbucks chairman, president and chief executive officer

Dear Fellow Americans,

Few topics in America generate a more polarized and emotional debate than guns. In recent months, Starbucks stores and our partners (employees) who work in our stores have been thrust unwillingly into the middle of this debate. That’s why I am writing today with a respectful request that customers no longer bring firearms into our stores or outdoor seating areas.

From the beginning, our vision at Starbucks has been to create a “third place” between home and work where people can come together to enjoy the peace and pleasure of coffee and community. Our values have always centered on building community rather than dividing people, and our stores exist to give every customer a safe and comfortable respite from the concerns of daily life.

We appreciate that there is a highly sensitive balance of rights and responsibilities surrounding America’s gun laws, and we recognize the deep passion for and against the “open carry” laws adopted by many states. (In the United States, “open carry” is the term used for openly carrying a firearm in public.) For years we have listened carefully to input from our customers, partners, community leaders and voices on both sides of this complicated, highly charged issue.

Our company’s longstanding approach to “open carry” has been to follow local laws: we permit it in states where allowed and we prohibit it in states where these laws don’t exist. We have chosen this approach because we believe our store partners should not be put in the uncomfortable position of requiring customers to disarm or leave our stores. We believe that gun policy should be addressed by government and law enforcement—not by Starbucks and our store partners.

Recently, however, we’ve seen the “open carry” debate become increasingly uncivil and, in some cases, even threatening. Pro-gun activists have used our stores as a political stage for media events misleadingly called “Starbucks Appreciation Days” that disingenuously portray Starbucks as a champion of “open carry.” To be clear: we do not want these events in our stores. Some anti-gun activists have also played a role in ratcheting up the rhetoric and friction, including soliciting and confronting our customers and partners.

For these reasons, today we are respectfully requesting that customers no longer bring firearms into our stores or outdoor seating areas—even in states where “open carry” is permitted—unless they are authorized law enforcement personnel.

I would like to clarify two points. First, this is a request and not an outright ban. Why? Because we want to give responsible gun owners the chance to respect our request—and also because enforcing a ban would potentially require our partners to confront armed customers, and that is not a role I am comfortable asking Starbucks partners to take on. Second, we know we cannot satisfy everyone. For those who oppose “open carry,” we believe the legislative and policy-making process is the proper arena for this debate, not our stores. For those who champion “open carry,” please respect that Starbucks stores are places where everyone should feel relaxed and comfortable. The presence of a weapon in our stores is unsettling and upsetting for many of our customers.

I am proud of our country and our heritage of civil discourse and debate. It is in this spirit that we make today’s request. Whatever your view, I encourage you to be responsible and respectful of each other as citizens and neighbors.

Sincerely,

Howard Schultz

Former Abacha Chief Security Officer and head of notorious Strike Force Unit seeks promotion to Major-General....

Hamza al-Mustapha

CC Breaking News

Major Hamza al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to late dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha, has written the Army High Command, requesting for concessions on his position in the Army.

Sources in the Army told CC that al-Mustapha is seeking his
accelerated promotion to the rank of a Major-General and his consequent retirement with his full benefits paid.

The argument had been that due to his “age on rank”, he should be retired as a Major from the Army but the former CSO is seeking a waiver on the grounds that he was unjustly incarcerated.

For the over 14 years that al-Mustapha spent in prison, the Army high command had paid half of his monthly salary to his family.

While al-Mustapha’s case has been presented to the Army council, the Legal Department is said to be studying the issue with a view to coming up with mutually acceptable recommendations.

CC has been informed that al-Mustapha’s lawyers were waiting the Army’s resolution of the issue with a view to either accepting it or approaching the law courts to get a fair deal for their client.

The Army Council is composed of the Minister of Defense, Permanent Secretary, Chief of Defense Staff, Chief of Army Staff and some other administrative staff.

Director, Army Public Relations, Brig- Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, said that as a professional force, the Army had already looked into al-Mustapha’s case and had forwarded his petition to the Army Council.

He also confirmed that the Legal Department was already handling the issue.

The former CSO wrote the Army requesting that his case be treated fairly and that he should be granted certain concessions.

Gen. Attahiru was, however, silent on the concessions being sought by al-Mustapha.

“The Army, as an organisation looked into this matter and it has been presented to the Army Council – the highest body.

“But the specific departments handling the issue now are the Legal Department and another, which are looking into it and will come up with their submissions soon.

“Al-Mustapha wrote to the Army requesting for certain concessions but the Army is still looking at it and very soon, we shall take a position on the matter and it would be made public,” he said.

Attahiru said the Army has nothing to hide on the issue and that it will never deviate into partisan politics.

The Army had in July debunked speculations that al-Mustapha had been promoted and decorated with a new rank of Brigadier-General, explaining that all administrative procedures are guided by extant rules and regulations such as the Armed Forces of Nigeria Harmonised Terms and Conditions among others.

The Court of Appeal, sitting in Lagos, had on July 12 discharged and acquitted al-Mustapha over an alleged conspiracy and the murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, the wife of late M.K.O. Abiola, on June 4, 1996.

Abiola won the 1993 presidential election, annulled by the military government of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida.

The court had overturned a death sentence handed down on him on January 30, 2013, by a Lagos High Court.

Three days after his release, the Army had confirmed that al-Mustapha was still in its fold and that his case would be handled administratively in line with the harmonized terms and conditions of service.

Already, the Lagos State Government has challenged the ruling before the Supreme Court.

Al-Mustapha joined the Nigerian Army and was trained as an intelligence operative. He was involved in at least two investigations of coup attempts. His conduct of interrogations brought him to the attention of Sani Abacha. When Abacha was Chief of Army (August 1985 – August 1990) al-Mustapha was his Aide-de-Camp.

Hamza al-Mustapha was appointed Chief Security Officer to the Head of State (CSOHS) with a Special Strike Force Unit during Abacha's blood-thirsty tyrannical reign (17 November 1993 – 8 June 1998). Other security outfits at the time were the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Directorate of Military Intelligence, the State Security Service and the National Intelligence Agency. All of these units engaged in extrajudicial killings of people seen as threats to the regime. Both Ibrahim Babangida and Sani Abacha gave Captain (later Major) Hamza al-Mustapha exceptional power, considerably greater than other officers who were nominally his superior.

After being appointed Chief Security Officer, al-Mustapha established a number of small security outfits recruited from the military and other security organizations, and trained in Israel and Communist North Korea. Abacha's National Security Adviser Ismaila Gwarzo and al-Mustapha were said to be responsible for much of the "torture, killing and wanton looting" during Abacha's rule.

As head of the State Security Service (SSS) al-Mustapha was also said to be involved in drug trafficking, using diplomatic pouches to transport the drugs. His wife, an Arab in origin, coordinated a ring of traffickers in the Gulf states.

That a convicted murderer (later effectively "politically pardoned" through a questionable acquittal) would now seek full remuneration from the same tax payers he essentially terrorized and violated their human rights, is quite befuddling.

If there is one thing al-Mustapha deserves, it is not a promotion, but rather a seat in the docket at the Hague, the offices of the International Criminal Court, for Crimes Against Humanity.

More to follow.

Live White House briefing by President Obama on Deadly shooting at Navy Yard in Washington D.C......

CC Look-in

Police reportedly searching for two additional suspects as 12 people are confirmed dead as a result of Naval Yard shooting in Washington D.C.

The president had earlier condemned the shooting calling it a cowardly act.

Here is a live look-in (below) courtesy of Politico at President Barack Obama's latest statement and other updates.....

http://www.politico.com/livestream/

Potential African Zone play-off pairings for Brazil 2014: Nigeria may face Cameroon while Algeria may battle Egypt....

CC Global Sports Desk

Current FIFA ranking to the right and seeding per African (FIFA) rankings in parenthesis to the left

(5)Cape Verde – ranked 36^th

(4)Nigeria ranked 35^th

(3)Algeria ranked 34^th

(8)Egypt ranked 61^st

(7)Cameroon ranked 51^st

(1)Ivory Coast ranked 18^th

(9)Senegal ranked 78^th

(6)Burkina Faso ranked 48^th

(2)Ghana ranked 24^th

(10)Ethiopia ranked 102^nd

By virtue of the above (current FIFA rankings pending any changes later in week of 9/9/13, playoff pairings should be as follows:

a)   Ivory Coast vs. Ethiopia (1 vs. 10)

        b) Ghana vs. Senegal (2 vs. 9)

        c) Algeria vs. Egypt (3 vs. 8)

        d) Nigeria vs. Cameroon (4 vs. 7)

        e) Cape Verde vs. Burkina Faso (5 vs. 6)

        The latest FIFA rankings will be out later this week after the final round of matches during the week and if nothing changes, one can expect the potential match-ups to be as indicated (above) and should provide a thrilling finale to the qualifying rounds.

Kenyan parliament votes for country to leave discredited ICC..... more African countries to follow?

CC African News Desk

Kenyan MPs have approved a motion to leave the International Criminal Court (ICC) following an emergency debate.

A bill to this effect is expected to be introduced in the next 30 days, after opposition MPs boycotted the vote.

The ICC has charged President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto with crimes against humanity, which they both deny. Mr Ruto's trial is due to start in The Hague next week.

The ICC said the cases would continue even if Kenya pulled out.

The charges against both Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto stem from violence that broke out after disputed elections in 2007, in which more than 1,000 people were killed and 600,000 forced from their homes.

Mr Kenyatta is to go on trial in November.

Although this vote does not halt the legal proceedings at the Hague, it sends a rather powerful message of both defiance and disaffection to a body that has been criticized for essentially engaging in systematic witch-hunts of African figures.

It would not be unexpected that other African countries may consider this line of action in the near future.

The ICC was established in 2002 and the Rome Statute has been ratified by 121 countries, including 34 in Africa. 

Ironically, most western nations, the United States included, have refused to sign on to the ICC Statute.

Gareth Bale in record Madrid move as transfer deadline closes @ 3pm PST.....

Gareth Bale

CC Global Sports Desk

Real Madrid have broken the world transfer record to sign Tottenham forward Gareth Bale. 

The Wales star's £85.3M ($132.8M) move eclipses the £80m ($124.3M) Real paid Manchester United for Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009.

The transfer window closes in less than 20 minutes at 3pm PST and here (below) is a link to all the deals done thus far, including Read Madrid's Mesut Ozil moving to Arsenal.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/23882862

 In Summary

·         * Transfer window shuts

·         * Arsenal sign Mesut Ozil

·         *  Fellaini joins Manchester United

·         *  Lukaku, Barry and McCarthy to Everton        

 *         *  Sessegnon and Anichebe to West Bromwich Albion

British MPs vote down military strike on Syria....

CC Exclusive

British MPs have voted to reject possible military action against the Assad regime in Syria to deter the use of chemical weapons.

A government motion was defeated 285 to 272, a majority of 13 votes.

Prime Minster David Cameron said it was clear Parliament does not want action and "the government will act accordingly".

It effectively rules out British involvement in any US-led strikes against the Assad regime.

And it comes as blow to the authority of David Cameron, who had already watered down a government motion proposing military action, in response to the opposition Labor Party's demands for more evidence of Assad's guilt.

Labor had seen its own amendment - calling for "compelling" evidence - rejected by MPs by 114 votes.

But - in an unexpected turn of events - MPs also rejected the government's motion in support of military action in Syria if it was supported by evidence from United Nations weapons inspectors, who are investigating claims President Bashar al-Assad's regime had used chemical weapons against civilians.

This is further proof that there is just no stomach at this time from most, for a repeat of the ill-advised wars in Iraq and Libya, that have turned once prosperous nations into havens for lawless criminals, mostly backed by Al Qaeda. 

In another development, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has also not shown too much of an appetite for the proposed military strike on Syria and in-fact warned earlier this year, against arming the Syrian rebels. 

Al Qaeda papers on the acquisition, training and use of game changer weapons....

CC Investigative Insight

Excerpt:

AL-QAIDA PAPERS....
"The following pages are part of a cache of documents that the Associated Press found on the floor in a building occupied by al-Qaida fighters for almost a year in Timbuktu, Mali. The AP has pieced together the order of the pages as far as possible."

COVER PAGE
In the name of God, the merciful, the compassionate. Sam 7 Rocket (Land-Air)
Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb.

PAGE 1 (313)
Heading: The major encyclopedia of weapons
Sam 7 Rocket (Land-Air) (SA-7)



The Russians invented this type of rocket in 1968. It is an anti-aircraft weapon. In 1972, some modifications were introduced to the initial shape which was later named SA-7A. The modified version was called SA-7B.

Also, the original model was called SA-7A Model (0) and the modified model was
called SA-7B Model (1).

More

OUTDOOR GEAR 

77 year Wimbledon wait for Great Britain ends on 7-7....

CC Global Sports Desk

Andy Murray won his first Wimbledon title and ended Britain's 77-year wait for a men's champion with a hard-fought victory over world number one Novak Djokovic.

The Scot, 26, converted his fourth championship point in a dramatic final game to win 6-4 7-5 6-4 and claim his second major title.

Murray was willed on by the majority of the 15,000 spectators on Center Court, thousands watching on the nearby big screen and millions more around the United Kingdom.

The final game was a battle in itself, with Murray seeing three match points slip by from 40-0 and fending off three Djokovic break points with some fearless hitting, before the Serb netted a backhand to end the contest. After a grueling three hours 10 minutes in searing temperatures, Murray had finally followed in the footsteps of Fred Perry's 1936 win at the All England Club.

Perry used to leap over the net in celebration, but Britain's new champion roared in delight before sinking to his knees on the turf. Murray, who collected a first prize of £1.6 M ($2.4 M), then headed into the stands to celebrate with his family and support team, moments later parading the trophy around Center Court.

The ghost of Fred Perry had finally been exorcised by Murray and all of Great Britain could now heave the proverbial sigh of relief.

SPORTS AND RECREATION