₦airaland Forum

The Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) worldwide has warned against further killings of Nigerians in the Republic of South Africa saying “these killings must stop and with immediate effect”.

NIDO, in a statement by all its continental affiliations – Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa – demanded that the South African Government put a stop to what it termed the ongoing killings of Nigerians in the country.


The Nigerian diaspora interest organization reminded South Africa of the sacrifices made by Nigeria to free the country from Apartheid, adding it is following with deep shock and concern, the continued unwarranted killings of Nigerians in the country


NIDO reiterated the absolute need for African people on the continent and in the diaspora to stick together and aspire to a greater, self-reliant and progressive African continent.

“We hereby call on all South Africans to emulate the spirit of oneness displayed by all African Nations in no meagre proportion during South Africa’s apartheid regime which Nigeria played a leading role.”


“NIDO is calling for the immediate cessation of such reckless attacks which are contrary to the constitutional principles of the Republic of South Africa, the African Union and the United Nations for the preservation of African freedom and unity.


“Such attacks have no place in democracy nor does it fit into the ideals of hospitality indigenous to African societies.


“NIDO hereby urges the Government of South Africa to sustain its resolve to maintain peace and order by bringing to justice persons involved in these heinous acts.


“In pursuit of the African Union’s 2028 target for a fully integrated Africa, we hereby recommend an acceleration of the integration agenda towards eliminating xenophobic incidence like is presently happening in South Africa.”


NIDO called on South Africans to substitute violence with dialogue so as to facilitate peaceful co-existence and better integration.


The group urged the Nigerian Ambassador to South African to immediately meet with the Nigerian community and the highest authority responsible for migration to sort out whatever differences that might have existed and to set up a sustainable mechanism to addressing them.


It directed all NIDO Continental bodies to mandate all the NIDO Chapters in their continents to deliver a copy of its demand to the Embassies of South Africa in their respective countries.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/01/killings-of-nigerians-in-sa-must-stop.html

Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) Prof Itse Sagay (SAN) has described former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s letter asking President Muhammadu Buhari not to run for second term as insulting

Reacting to the development, Sagay in a statement urged Obasanjo, who he said sought for third term, to show Buhari some respect.

He said: “I saw Obasanjo’s comments and I could not believe my eyes, that a man who tried to get a third term is discouraging someone else from getting a second term. It doesn’t make sense.

“I think Obasanjo should try and respect other people. He has achieved a lot. He is a great man and I respect him. But he should learn to respect other people and think of them as being, at least, as good as himself.

“I think it is insulting for a man who wanted third term to tell somebody else not to want second term. It is most inappropriate, and for a former head of state to say so is most improper.”

Also, a former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President, and leader of the National Intervention Movement (NIM) Dr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) agreed with Obasanjo’s letter to Buhari saying President had nothing more to offer.

Agbakoba said: “It (Obasanjo’s call) is a great idea as Buhari hasn’t anything left to offer. We at the Third Force will build a new coalition to take power.”

Please Read More Here: http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/01/obasanjos-letter-to-buhari-insulting.html

Many months after being watch-listed, Esther Oba, ex-First Lady Patience Jonathan’s sister has been arrested by the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) and handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

EFCC investigators are to interrogate her in connection with the alleged laundering of over N359, 397,458.26 through two firms linked with the former First Lady.

The companies are AM-PM Global Networks Limited and Finchley Homes Limited.

About N317,397,458.26 was traced to the suspect in AM-PM Global Networks Limited. She is expected to explain how she came about the management of N42million in Finchley Homes Limited.

Esther Oba was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at about noon on Monday, shortly after arriving from Dubai in company of her husband, three children and a house help.

Upon ascertaining that she was the person watch-listed, the Nigerian Immigration Service alerted the EFCC whose operatives immediately took custody of her.

Clad in a flowery green Ankara with a touch of yellow, the woman was seen yesterday being relocated to a female cell at the EFCC headquarters.

EFCC sources said the suspect is central to the ongoing probe of the former First Lady.

One of the sources said: “We have been looking for her but she has been faceless. We watch-listed her for arrest by any security agency.

“Fortunately at about noon on Monday, the Nigerian Immigration Service(NIS) contacted us that she was arrested while returning from Dubai with her husband and three children. She was arrested at Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport.

“Her name featured in the operation of one of the accounts of ex-First Lady Patience Jonathan. The account is in the name of AM-PM Global Networks Limited which is domiciled in Stanbic IBTC. It is one of the accounts we have frozen. She is the sole signatory to the account of this firm suspected to have been used for money laundering.”

The source gave an insight into the preliminary findings of the EFCC which necessitated Mrs Oba’s investigation.

The source added: “From our findings, the closing balance in the account was N317,397,458.26 as at August 10, 2017. The inflows came without a clear narration as to the source. However, investigation is being intensified in that direction. Her claim is that the company was owned by their mother who is deceased. However, major inflows into the account occurred after the demise of their mother, Mrs. Esther Fynface Charity Oba.

She claimed that transactions were continued by her late brother, Mr. Tamuno Mohammed Tonye(who was buried in December 2017), but in an attempt to regularise the account at the advent of the of BVN, a board resolution was submitted to Stanbic IBTC requesting that Esther Oba should be the signatory to the account.

“She took charge of this account on 3rd February 2016 and between March and May 2016, the account had an inflow of N350m but she said she does not know the source. She is attributing the source to her brother.”

The source quoted Mrs Oba as saying: “It is only my brother that can explain the source of the cash and he is dead.”

Another source said: “We are suspecting that she and others became involved in money laundering in their quest to mop up money after they left office.

“For instance, on the same day February 3, 2016, another board resolution was submitted to Stanbic IBTC by Finchley Top Homes Ltd authorising the same Esther Oba to be the sole signatory to the company’s account which had about N42million.

“ The signatories to the Board Resolution were Ama Emilia and Ama Ada who are reasonably suspected not to be in existence.

“When confronted, she said she doesn’t know the signatories to the Finchley Homes Board Resolution. She told investigators: ‘I have never seen them in my life.’

When we showed her the international passport of Ama Emilia, she said she cannot remember the face.”

Please Read More Here: http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/01/patience-jonathans-sister-held-at.html

Legendary South African Jazz trumpeter Hugh Masekela is dead.

Masekela, a leading figure in the struggle to end apartheid and the father of South African jazz died aged 78.

A statement from his family said the music star “passed peacefully” in Johannesburg after a protracted and courageous battle with prostate cancer.

Masekela gained global recognition with his distinctive Afro-Jazz sound and hits such as Soweto Blues.

The 1977 song became synonymous with the anti-apartheid movement.

Born in the South African town of Witbank in 1939, Masekela was inspired to learn the trumpet after seeing Kirk Douglas play Bix Beiderbecke in the 1950 film Young Man with a Horn.

He persuaded one of his teachers – the anti-apartheid crusader Father Trevor Huddleston – to buy him an instrument, promising to stay out of trouble in return.

In 1960, aged 21, he left South Africa to begin what would be 30 years in exile from the land of his birth.

Under the tutelage of Dizzy Gillespie and Louis Armstrong, he was encouraged to develop his own unique style.

In 1967, he performed at the Monterey Pop Festival alongside Janis Joplin, Otis Redding, Ravi Shankar, The Who and Jimi Hendrix.

The following year, his instrumental single Grazing in the Grass topped the charts in the US and became a worldwide hit.

Masekela returned to South Africa in 1990 following the release of Nelson Mandela, whose freedom he had called for in his 1986 anthem Bring Home Nelson Mandela.

In June 2010, he performed at both the opening concert of the Fifa World Cup and the tournament’s opening ceremony in Soweto’s Soccer City.

Masekela’s family described him as “a loving father, brother, grandfather and friend” who would be “forever in our hearts”.

“Hugh’s global and activist contribution to and participation in the areas of music, theatre and the arts in general is contained in the minds and memory of millions across six continents,” it continued.

“We are blessed and grateful to be part of a life and ever-expanding legacy of love, sharing and vanguard creativity that spans the time and space of six decades.”

Details of his memorial and burial services, the family said, would be released “in due course”.

Please Read More Here: http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/01/hugh-masekela-south-african-jazz-legend.html

has gathered a list of states that have volunteered to provide free land for Cattle Herders. 16 states agreed to the establishment of cattle colonies, an idea engineered by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh as a means to end the Herdsmen crisis rocking the nation.
Almost all the Northern states have agreed to establish cattle colonies except Benue and Taraba states. The states include Adamawa, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Plateau, Bauchi, Gombe, Borno, Jigawa, Yobe, Niger, Kogi and Kwara states.

All the 16 states have agreed to volunteer 5,000 hectares of land each. Meanwhile, all the 17 states of Southern Nigeria have refused to volunteer land for the cattle herders.

Please Read More Here: http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/01/breaking-full-list-of-states-that.html