Darius2000:

The above comment is so false and misleading. I work in one of the refineries, and can categorically tell you that Mr Ogbuigwe's claims are tenable. It's so sad when pple who have no idea about the internal mechanisms of a workplace make unfounded

Criticism should be constructive to achieved its purpose.

Frank-C:

And for your celebration of the so called Egyptian, Tunisian and Lybian 'revolution', tell me, between the leaders that was deposed and the citizens, who are better off today? What has the 'revolution' brought them? Is Lybia better today than it was under Ghadaffi? And is Egypt better today? Don't talk out of exuberance. Think through your opinions.

Maxymilliano:

I was equally searching for the 13 million liters he claimed earlier but seems the search engines did not support his imaginary figure, hence the need for the additional irrelevant news, just to be seeing as making a point.

@Op, nice efforts by all concerned, the multiplier effect of such laudable developments can never be quantified, but until a greater degree of self-sufficiency is attain, where importation of refined crude become less lucrative and domestic price is determine through the inter play of market forces, the path to sustainable development in the oil sector will still be a mirage.

Nonetheless, a journey of thousand miles always begin with a step and this is a step in the right direction ...

http://premiumtimesng.com/regional/132500-osun-govt-explains-jail-term-for-man-who-stole-gov-aregbesolas-phone.html
Published: May 3,2013

The Osun Government says reports over the theft and court sentence regarding Gov. Rauf Aregbesola’s phone were sensationalised.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that an Osogbo High Court had on Monday April 29 convicted one Kelvin Ighodalo for stealing the governor’s phone.
Reacting to the sentence through a statement by Adewale Afolabi, the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, the government described the reports as over sensationalised by the media.
Although, Afolabi did not accuse any particular medium, he stressed the need to put the record straight and to educate the public on the facts in the case and the application of the law.
“Kelvin, from the investigation carried out by the State Security Services and presented before the court, is a dismissed police officer, who had earlier on been in prison for six years for a murder charge.
“He has subsequently served prison terms for receiving stolen goods in 2010 and while in prison, he was obviously working in conjunction with a syndicate.
“Members of the syndicate, who are still under investigation, arranged the stealing of the mobile phone of Gov. Rauf Aregbesola and before the SIM card was blocked, the syndicate impersonated the owner.
“They defrauded many close associates of Aregbesola. One Abdulgafar Yusuf was caught by security agents while trying to withdraw money paid into his bank account by two of their victims,” the statement read in part.
The commissioner also recalled that Mr Shenge Rahaman and Oba Adekunle Aromolaran had earlier on been defrauded of almost a million naira, while other numerous victims had fallen to their pranks.
The Attorney-General said that Kelvin was later arrested and charged to the court alongside his arrested accomplices; namely Ogunjobi Babatunde (a prison officer) and Abdulgafar Yusuf (the prison officer’s brother).
Mr. Afolabi said the accused were charged to court on a- six-count charge of conspiracy to obtain money under false pretence, obtaining money under false pretence, stealing and impersonation.
“Although Ighodalo was granted bail by the Court, he jumped bail and attempted committing similar offence with another person’s GSM number but was caught in the process.
“He was later arraigned on the six-count charge and he pleaded guilty to all the six counts. The first three counts carry twenty years maximum term with no option of fine,” he noted.
Mr. Afolabi clarified that whoever committed this offence under Subsection (1) or (2) is liable on conviction to imprisonment for not more than twenty years and not less than seven years without an option of a fine.
The commissioner further recalled, however, that the Judge, while sentencing Ighodalo, exercised his discretion within the limited space allowed by law to sentence him to 10 years term on each of the first three counts.
“To say that Ighodalo was sentenced to 45 years prison term for stealing Aregbesola’s phone is not only misleading but unduly sensationalised, unfair to the court and the entire criminal justice system.
“I will only advise that Nigerians should refrain from trivialising or playing politics with serious financial crime more so when other members of the syndicate are still at large and any member of the public may fall their victim.
“Financial crime must be confronted frontally no matter who the victim or the culprit is to have an economically prosperous, sane and safe society,” he added.

emiye:
Sounds incredible to come from ebonyi state.
Largest turbine power plant in Nigeria ? installation to be completed by end of this month ?
Surely, something is not adding up.

Ramnon.2:

Hopefully, you will say the same thing when Fashola makes his own empty promises. Ewu Gambia.

http://www.cpj.org/blog/2013/05/nigerias-impunity-ranking-the-facts-dont-lie.php
By Peter Nkanga/ CPJ West Africa Consultant



Nigeria's press freedom record is on the decline.

For the first time since 2008, when CPJ began publishing its annual Impunity Index, Nigeria has made the list of the "worst nations in the world for deadly, unpunished violence against the press."

Dapo Olorunyomi, leading Nigerian journalist and editor-in-chief of online newspaper Premium Times, in an op-ed encapsulated the state of Nigeria's press as "perhaps the most dismal" since the country's return to civil rule in 1999. Citing Islamist terrorists in the North and national insurgents in the South; thieving politicians; a swelling climate of intolerance; criminal gangs sustained through official corruption, oil theft, and kidnappings; ethno-national mobs; and politically-financed terror squads, Olorunyomi says this recent wave of impunity has "finally come home to roost."

"These are the notations of impunity, the hydra-headed monster that now threatens freedom, rights, and ultimately, the democratic aspirations of citizens. In all climes, reporting events like these comes at dreadful costs," Olorunyomi wrote.

The Nigerian government has tried to downplay these facts. Presidential spokesman Reuben Abati told daily Leadership that CPJ's report is "referring to journalists caught in the cross fire of the Boko Haram activities in the North and it is in protest to the security challenges in the Northern part of the country." He said CPJ's survey "promotes sensationalism, rather than the truth" and is "not a true reflection of journalists in the country."

Abati got it wrong on several fronts.

Firstly, CPJ's Impunity Index, published since 2008, does not include cases of journalists killed in combat. It documents countries where journalists are deliberately killed in relation to their work and their killers go unpunished. It is published to commemorate World Press Freedom Day marked yearly on May 3.

Indeed, the murders of five journalists in Nigeria during the decade covered by this year's Impunity Index--January 1, 2003, to December 31, 2012 --remain unsolved. These are Channels TV reporter Enenche Akogwu in 2012; Zakariya Isa of the state-broadcaster NTA in 2011; Nathan Dabak and Sunday Gyang Bwede of the Light Bearer monthly newspaper in 2010; and Bayo Ohu of The Guardian in 2009. Nigeria is second only to Somalia in terms of Africa's worst record on unpunished journalist murders.

Secondly, Abati's assertion that anti-press violence in the country is not about the relationship between media and the authorities is wrong. In 2012, CPJ documented 143 attacks on the press in Nigeria. Government and security forces were responsible for 79% of the cases, while Boko Haram militants were behind only 16%.

Thirdly, Abati claimed that journalists practice their profession "with the utmost freedom" and with "no media repression in Nigeria." CPJ counters these claims with an invitation to Abati to visit CPJ's page on Nigeria where--among other things-- exactly a year ago today on World Press Freedom Day, I reported how police authorities locked up seven journalists at the Special Fraud Unit in Lagos, Nigeria's commercial capital, to prevent them interviewing the former state governor and current parliamentarian, Bukola Saraki, whom police had summoned to respond to allegations of involvement in a multimillion dollar fraud.

Chuks Ehirim, the Abuja chapter chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, also weighed in on the sorry state of Nigeria's press corps, contradicting Abati. Ehirim said Nigerian journalists face recurring arrests, beatings, and detentions without trial, either at the hands of government security agents or highly placed individuals, Leadership reported.

"Journalists are still being killed unnecessarily in Nigeria... Although we are happy that, today, the world will be celebrating Press Freedom Day, but I think that Nigeria will be aside, because there is nothing to celebrate here," Ehirim said.

otokx: As usual future tense.

http://www.dailytimes.com.ng/article/14-fuel-laden-ships-discharge-lagos-ports

[size=14pt]14 fuel-laden ships to discharge at Lagos Ports[/size]

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) on Friday that about 13 ships were waiting to discharge petroleum products at the various oil terminals within the Lagos Ports.

The NPA announced this in its daily publication, the Shipping Position in Lagos.

The publication reported that six of the 14 ships would discharge petrol; two would discharge diesel, five kerosene and one bulk gas.

According to the publication, two other ships will discharge bulk wheat and bulk malt.

It also said that 110 ships, carrying different cargoes, would sail into the ports between May 3 and May 28.

The publication said that 13 of the ships would arrive with petroleum products, while 24 would sail in with new and used vehicles.

It said that 43 other ships would arrive with containers and others with general cargoes, bulk fertiliser, bulk wheat, fresh fish, bulk salt, crude palm oil, base oil, bulk sugar, bulk Soya, bulk gypsum and bulk cement.

Rossikk:
Thanks. This is what we we call first-hand, corroborative testimony and evidence from an independent eyewitness source.
Now no one can claim it's just ''govt propaganda''.

http://www.dailytimes.com.ng/article/nnpc-gets-largest-chunk-fuel-subsidy
The Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has admitted earning a large chunk of the subsidy funds the federal government say was siphoned by a certain “cabal”.

The Group Managing Director of NNPC, Austine Oniwon, on Monday admitted before the senate panel investigating the management of Nigeria’s fuel subsidy that his organisation has earned N2.157 trillion from the subsidy funds since 2006, making it the largest beneficiary of the scheme.

Last week, the senate panel had named a group of businesses the government fondly calls “The Cabal” and blames for the failure of the subsidy scheme.

Despite the huge earnings from the subsidy scheme, Oniwon could not account for the daily utilisation of 65,000 barrels of the crude oil allocations to NNPC. He told the senate committee that he was uninformed as to the whereabouts of 65,000 barrels out of the 445,000 barrels of crude allocated to NNPC daily.

According to him, NNPC entered into a swap deal – crude for refined PMS - with three refineries for 210,000 barrels per day, while 170,000 barrels are refined by local refineries daily.

On the whereabouts of the balance of 65,000 barrels per day - crude oil worth $6.5 million per day - the GMD begged the senate panel for time to find out its utilisation and report back to the committee.

Members of the committee had earlier alleged that NNPC shares the missing crude with a private oil company, an allegation Oniwon said he was not aware of.

He also failed to give an account of the volume and value of PMS it receives in return for its various swap deals.
“Definitely, it (volume of PMS received in exchange for a barrel of crude) is available but I don’t have the figures to give you,” he told the lawmakers.

The senate panel has, for three weeks, tried unsatisfactorily to reconcile arguments proffered on why the cost of fuel subsidy was exceedingly high this year.

The probe was started after Senator Bukola Saraki moved a motion calling for the probe of the sharp rise in expenditure on the scheme this year. N256 billion was budgeted for the subsidy scheme this year, but records show that N1.46 trillion has so far been spent on the scheme.

Rossikk:
Told by whom? Where is your source for this claim? Any links we can click on?

Rossikk: These refineries have barely refined a drop of oil in the last 25 years, and now...they're up and running at 66% capacity.

This GEJ is turning into a magician right before our eyes.

Omo_Tier1: Oh... so finally they realized they were heading for doom, they should have proceeded with the case, I thought they were power hungry

gbanikiti: Sickcere 9gerian started a thread. courtesy demands you first of all tell us about how your governor who is Peter Obi is fighting corruption. You are trying to deviate from the topic and using Fashola as your case study. You see how daft you are?

Don't you even dare mentioning the name of Rochas or using him as a case study in your silly topic. As you can see, he is an anti corruption crusader.Get it into your blockhead that GOODLUCK JONATHAN IS CORRUPTION PERSONIFIED!

S@NNiE:
The United States Government has reportedly withdrawn military assistance to Nigeria citing various human rights violations by Nigerian security forces; particularly the military, which is presently embroiled in a controversy over the loss of civilian lives and destruction of property in Baga town, Borno State during a clash with members of the Boko Haram sect.

According to a report by THE WILL, the US Government’s stance was made known in a private meeting in Abuja Thursday, by the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Terence P. McCulley with about ten members of the human rights community in Nigeria.

He said the move was in accordance with an existing law that bars the United States from offering military assistance to any government that violates basic rights of citizens.

He said the Obama-led administration has therefore ceased to assist Nigeria militarily in obedience to the law.

The US supports the Nigerian military and security agencies with capacity building, intelligence and weapons.

Some of the activists at the meeting include Mr. Clement Nwankwo, Mr. Emmanuel Onwubiko of the Human Rights Writers’ Association of Nigeria; Kole Shettima of the MacArthur Foundation and Auwal Rafsanjani, an Executive Director at Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) among others.

http://royaltimes.net/news/obama-withdraws-military-assistance-to-nigeria-over-baga-human-rights-violations/

HARDEYLEKE:
Condemning the way Jonathan give the job of security agency's to his brothers, who are ex-militants, Obasanjo added that: “This (Sunday) morning, I was travelling from Abeokuta and I was listening to a radio station when I heard that they (government) are going to set up an agency for pipeline protection. Now, what are the police for? What are all the security agencies that we have doing? This is another chop chop."
Source: Olofofovillage

ewet:
Sincere confutionist.this your post is laden with retardeen fervour.How can you compare the federal railway project with tht of lagos.


The federal railway line if you recall had been under going refurbishment since the PTF days of abacha thru to OBJ and Yar'adua then GEJ.It was not wholly conceptualised by GEJ he was only there to complete it.

The railway you are making so much noise abt had already being on ground and all the FG did was to revive it while tht of LASG was to start from scratch with very complex logistics due to the peculiar nature of a mega city.

go over to the blue line rail project and compare the design and quality to what you criminals in PDP call your phoney railway project.i bet you there is no way i can ride on those dinosaur boxes you call modern rail cars.if you useless PDP people are telling us this is wht we get for all tt money spent on the fedral railways then i must tell you tht u hav suceeded in commiting the biggest heist in human history, you bloody criminal.

Evry1 knws tht PPP is the way to go in insfractructural development and management in this modern times and you very well know how terrible the naija govt is in managing insfractructure.
If your ABJ paymasters had so much money why dont we have good transportation insfractructure in naija till date.Why is the lagos-Ibadan exp way still comatose after 14 years of PDP rule.

Sincere 9gerian: Why are the vultures avoiding this thread? Where is the "Eko oni ba je" crew? They should tell us why their Lagos gods can still not complete Lagos railway project 14yrs after. Why are they still sourcing for N400billion 14yrs after? They seem to be clueless

oxford: Ok as usuall those that are egg headed will call me names - that is expected. But the discerning minds will look beyoung the surface and it will reflect in their responses. Never-the-less, all reponses are welcome!

Gbawe: Even if this is true then this is obviously an own-goal against the PDP. This is how unintelligent and ridiculously dull Nigerian politicians are. Ordinarily , and in sane nation with sane political Parties, it would be considered really dumb for any Party to confess spurning a politician who has now blossomed into one of the better performers. A bit like a football club bragging about shunning Lionel Messi. The PDP looks even dumber when they claim they cannot accommodate Oshiomhole while Nigeria and the world see them hosting miscreants, mediocrities and crude looters.

tosh_acer:

Whats your problem with what he said? Itemise it instead of ranting. Are they not part of Labour? Pension chiefs, etc. Are you faulting the fact that they are not labour members whilst the President said they are Labour members?

How did we let him become President? Did you vote for him? Why moaning?

Ricky_Ross:
OBJ did well in telecoms and banking sector reforms and that was just it. The rest of the economy was badly mismanaged.
SO far GEJ has done better than OBJ. Electricity lasts longer during GEJ regime. The Nigerian roads are much better now, I drove from Owerri to Lagos by road and i commend this guy for fixing our highways. Our airports are being fixed under GEJ, I used MMIA last month. Our railways are working under GEJ. I can go on and on. GEJ will win the next general election if he choose to contest. Internet ranting cannot stop him, FACT.

vanunu: I don't support state or federal government diving into car manufacturing due to past experiences, Fashola should instead invest in infrastructure, that is what government all over the world do, what is the point establishing a factory that will collapse immediately you leave office.

Scarpon: why is ACN always the bad guys

vanunu: I use to hate GEJ before, but now I have realized that we don't have a better option. He is far more honest than his opponents.

Dreal1247: Superior authority must b recognized and respected. How could a state governor b challenging the president. How many local government chairmen are challenging their state governors. Everyone is saying that Gej is weak. The guy is not weak, but slow. Just tell Amaechi 2 b wise in dealing with superior authority.

Sincere 9gerian:
You should be shamed terribly ashamed of yourself for derailing this thread with a USELESS contract signed by OBJ 6months before leaving office. That USELESS $8billion railway modernization contract remained on paper, same as the contract for Second Niger Bridge which OBJ signed few days to leaving office and other USELESS contracts.

In case you dont know, the sister line of the completed Lagos-kano narrow guage rail line, ie the eastern narrow guage rail line rehabilitation is still ongoing and is yet to achieve 50% completion. The target is to complete it this year. When it is completed and commissioned, I also expect you come up contract papers signed by Lord Lugard in 1900. Fool!

You can continue arguing with yourself because I'll not respond to your silly line of thought again.

Sincere 9gerian:
You think because Tinubu pays you to maintain several IDs others do the same. Never! I dont do such. I have absolutely no reason to use multiple IDs. This one unique ID has done enough DAMAGE to ACN/CPC paid e-warriors. When losers lose as usual they start making silly points and blaming their predicament on unseen enemies. Very shameful.

Sincere 9gerian:
"It was part of a package - youare right that Abacha first awarded the contract for rehabilitating Nigeria's railways to the Chinese but nothing happened. OBJ built on that effort by recalling the Chinese and putting together a comprehensive contract making sure they started work"

So that was all your OBJ could do in 8yrs? "OBJ built on that effort by recalling the Chinese". What a shame.

Well, courtesy of GEJ the trains are BACK in just under 3yrs. If you dont like that, go commit suicide.

POINT OF CORRECTION: I didn't say GEJ has done nothing on railway modernization. I was refering to Lagos-Kano standard guage line which OBJ awarded few months before he packed out of Aso Rock. Atleast, GEJ has also signed contract for Lagos-Ibadan standard guage rail line. Since you now celebrate OBJ for signing contract, celebrate GEJ too. What is good for the goose is also good for the gander. But the DIFFERENCE is that while OBJ signed his own contract when has already packed his bag to leave Aso Rock, GEJ signed his own early in his administration allowing time for the project to COMMENCE and reach appreciable level.

In addition, GEJ did not only sign contracts, work is going on at the moment on the Abuja-Kaduna standard guage rail line. The line is part of the modern Lagos-kano line. The Lagos-Ibadan standard line which contract was awarded last year will stretch to Abuja to link up with the Abuja-Kaduna line. The Abuja-Kaduna line will later be extended to Kano, completing the Lagos-Ibadan-Abuja-Kaduna-kano modern rail line. Work on the Abuja-Kaduna standard rail line has reached 50% completion.

utumunta: Is Rotimi Amechi elected to traverse d lenght and breadth of Nigeria attending funerals? From Abuja - Owerri -Akure - port harcourt, whose money is used to fuel this jet? We always miss the point and argue over triflings in ds con3.
Is Amechi angry that his Jet was delayed at the airport to make for proper documentation? (the word grounded should nt apply in this instance).
Is this press release meant to curry sympathy from d masses that bought and fuel the jet, yet cannot afford "attach" seat on a night bus or members of Amechi's billionaires club?