DTN: NUJ LAUDS FG OVER PROSECUTION OF FOLIO, ANOSIKE, OTHERS

By NBF News

The Nigerian Union of Journalists, Lagos State Chapter on Wednesday lauded the Federal Government's decision to prosecute Folio Communications Limited, Mr. Fidelis Anosike, Mr. Noel Anosike and others over allegations of fraud and assets stripping at the Daily Times of Nigeria Plc.

The Chairman of the council, Mr. Wahab Oba, who disclosed this during a press briefing in Lagos, claimed that the buy-over of DTN by Folio Communications was a scam.

He also alleged that the development was orchestrated to rip off the Federal Government and truncate its efforts to restore the lost glory of the company.

The Federal Government had recently slammed a 21-count charge of conspiracy and stealing of over N3bn worth of properties belonging to DTN on Folio, Anosikes and three others before a Federal High Court in Lagos.

Oba said the council was confident that the President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration would bring all those behind the sale of DTN to book in order to convince Nigerians of its resolve to fight corruption in the country.

He noted that the prosecution of Folio and the Anosikes by the Federal Government was consistent with the court case already instituted against them.

The council boss said there was the need to revoke the sale of the DTN due to assets stripping, inability to revive the company and non-payment of staff salaries.

He said, 'The council is however gladdened that the Federal Government has finally taken the bull by the horns when it recently commenced the prosecution of Folio Communications. In the charge No FHC/L/274C/10 between the Federal Government v. Folio Communications, Messrs Fidelis Anosike, Noel Anosike, Nicholas Okoye and Gogo Kurubo, the accused persons were charged with 'obtaining 140, 252, 900 shares, about 56 per cent of the total of 233, 754, 840 shares of the DTN valued at the sum of N750,000,000 acquired from the Bureau of Public Enterprise by false pretence; and with representation of possessing the means to pay for the acquisition of same with fresh funds which you did not possess but with intent to defraud the Federal Government of Nigeria.'