On September 6, 2006, President Olusegun Obasanjo asked Vice President Atiku Abubakar to leave the Federal Executive Council chamber to allow ministers deliberate on an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission investigative report that mentioned the vice president.
According to sources at the meeting, the President told the Vice President to “step aside for a few minutes” while the council considered the EFCC document dated September 2006.
The report, titled “The EFCC Report on Vice-President Abubakar Atiku (Full Report)”, contained allegations of corrupt practices, money laundering and other financial crimes arising from investigations conducted between 2005 and 2006.
The EFCC probe focused largely on activities relating to the Petroleum Technology Development Fund and other government transactions during Atiku’s tenure as vice president.
The Administrative Panel of Inquiry headed by the Attorney General of the Federation had also submitted its own report dated September 5, 2006, which the council later approved and gazetted.
Government officials declined to give details of the deliberations afterward, saying only that the council was acting in line with its anti-corruption agenda.
The September 2006 EFCC report had indicated that prosecution could be considered after the Vice President left office, since he was covered by constitutional immunity at the time.
In 2006, Atiku challenged the process in court. On November 28, 2006, Justice Inumidun Akande of the Lagos High Court ruled that the EFCC report and the administrative panel report “do not exist in law and in fact” and that submitting the report to the President instead of filing charges at the High Court amounted to “usurpation” of judicial power.
On September 6, 1980, Nigerian footballer, Joseph Yobo, was born.
Yobo, who rose to become a mainstay at the heart of Nigeria’s defence for over a decade, began his journey right here in Kono, Khana LGA.
From kicking makeshift balls on dusty community fields to captaining the Super Eagles, his career traced the classic Nigerian football story of talent, discipline, and opportunity.
The former defender earned 100 caps for Nigeria between 2001 and 2014, making him one of the few Nigerians to hit the century mark in international appearances.
He featured in three FIFA World Cups and lifted the Africa Cup of Nations trophy with the Eagles in 2013 as captain.
At club level, Yobo made his name in Europe with Olympique de Marseille before a long and respected spell at Everton in the English Premier League. He later had stints in Turkey and Spain, known for his composure, aerial strength, and leadership at the back.
