₦airaland Forum

R.I.P bro

You have made the ultimate sacrifice.

You were brutally murdered serving Nigeria.

 

I have many whys

Why this tragedy?

Why did you join the Nigeria Police Force after the very many years you labored to become a doctor?

Why did they post you to Maiduguri?

Why did the Boko Haram terrorists not spare you?

Why do we live in a nation that the sanctity of life is losing meaning?

Silence.  Painful silence

 

I remember your determination.

You refused to be denied. A  physician you wanted to be. A physician you became.

I remember your smiles

You lit up conversations. You were a blessing to many

I remember your humility

Big in frame but gentle in interaction

Thank you for your service

No where was too far. No time was too awkward. You were our able OTIC pilot.

Patiently and joyfully, you taught me to drive. You were there to encourage and share with me the joy of “hanging” a car.

 

Big Bobby

I will miss you

We will meet at the Master’s feet

Death where is thy sting

Grave where is thy victory

 

He lives
http://gbengaadebayo.com/tribute-bobby/

“It is laughable’ says Tukur-led PDP group.
The Kawu Baraje faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Sunday, demanded the immediate resignation of the National Chairman of the ruling party, Bamanga Tukur, saying he ceased to be its member seven years ago.
It said that Mr. Tukur was expelled from the party since 2006 alongside nine others following disciplinary action taken against them for anti-party conducts and therefore should hand over to Mr. Baraje.
The faction, also called “New PDP,” made the demand in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chukwuemeka Eze, in Abuja.
Mr. Tukur, who was a founding member of the PDP, became its national chairman in March 2012.
Responding swiftly, the Tukur-led PDP described the demand as “laughable,” wondering whether Mr. Baraje, who as acting national chairman, handed over to the PDP chairman, did not raise the issues then.
The splinter group said records at its disposal indicated that since his expulsion, the PDP national chairman had not been re-admitted to the party, thereby making his membership defective.
It added that all the actions he had taken since 2012 were illegal.
The statement said, “The Abubakar Kawu Baraje-led Peoples Democratic Party wishes to demand the immediate resignation of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, as he is not a registered and card-carrying member of the party and so has no business being its national chairman.
“Alhaji Tukur was expelled from the PDP in 2006 with nine others as a result following disciplinary action taken against them for anti-party activities. Since then, he has not officially returned to the party.
“All the records at our disposal show that Alhaji Tukur has not followed due process for his readmission into the party.
“He neither apply for, nor obtained the requisite waiver by the National Executive Committee of the party before offering himself for election into the office of National Chairman in 2012.
“This makes his membership incurably defective and his emergence as PDP’s National Chairman null and void and of no effect, whatsoever since he is the product of a flawed process.
“Consequently, all the actions he has taken as the Chairman of PDP since his purported election in March 2012, including the convention of August 2013, are null and void, and of no effect.”
The faction added that information available to it revealed that Mr Tukur was desperately seeking a way out of his predicament and had set about falsifying party records with regard to revalidating his membership through the back door.
“We wish to put him on notice that this is criminal and we hope he understands the consequences of his actions. In this regard, Alhaji Tukur’s continued occupation of the Office of PDP National Chairman is clearly fraudulent, illegal and unconstitutional,” it stressed.
While alleging that Mr Tukur was holding the entire party as well as the nation to hostage, the “New PDP” urged the Presidency and the party leadership to ease him out in the most diplomatic way to avoid hurting him considering his age, zeal and commitment to serve it, by offering him a ministerial post.
It said, “We hereby urge Alhaji Tukur to tow the path of honour and throw in the towel. This is the best option open to him.
“However, since one man cannot hold the party and the entire nation hostage, should he fail to heed our advice, we would have no other option than to appeal to both the Presidency and the PDP leadership to ease him of the party in the most diplomatic way to avoid hurting him so much considering his age, zeal and commitment to serve the party by offering a Ministerial post to him.
“This is a good opportunity for the Presidency to demonstrate if it is serious about restoring peace and unity to the party.”
The “New PDP” demanded the immediate recall of Mr. Kawu who it claimed erroneously handed over to Mr. Tukur as national chairman.
“This will enable Alhaji Kawu to organise a proper, unified convention that will usher in a duly elected National Working Committee of the party as early as possible to enable us face the business of positioning PDP as the ruling party come 2015.
“It will also pave the way to restore PDP’s past glory based on the visions of the founding fathers of the party. A word is enough for the wise.”
The Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Jalo Ibrahim, said the demand of the Baraje faction was not necessary, saying the party’s constitution was very clear about the procedure for resignation.
“The party’s constitution is very clear about resignation. The party’s constitution has an in-built mechanism for resignation,” Mr. Ibrahim told PREMIUM TIMES in a telephone interview.
“However, the demand is laughable. It is laughable because at that time, Baraje was at the helms of affairs. Did he not look at the allege discrepancies? If these things are true, why did he allow them? That shows you that they are not true.
“We all are looking at ways to resolve our crisis and not to bring issues which will aggravate the situation.”
http://premiumtimesng.com/news/146147-pdp-crisis-baraje-faction-demands-tukurs-resignation-wants-ministerial-position.html

Having spent almost two unproductive years at home after graduation, Evelyn was badly in need of a job. After passing the aptitude test and first interview, she was pretty confident as she walked out of her second interview for a management trainee position at Access Bank.
But her confidence immediately atrophies like an ice cube thrown into a burning fire when she was told, over the telephone, by an official of the bank that she needed to source a total of N1 million from at least 10 new customers within a week as a prerequisite for being employed.
Her parents immediately kicked against her continuing with the recruitment process saying it was exploitative.  But the thought of having to sit at home for an indefinite period in search of another job was far scarier for Evelyn. She was determined to meet the bank’s demand.
Hard as she tried, she could only get eight people to open new accounts with the bank. Two days later she got a call from the bank telling her she didn’t make the cut.
“In Access Bank it has to be ten over ten or nothing,” the voice at the other end of the phone said.
Evelyn was devastated. She felt used and dumped.
“After the second interview, I thought I already had the job,” she said.
In fact she was called for the third interview, which is usually a formality, according to an Access Bank source.
John, another applicant, said he didn’t feel comfortable raising N1 million as a prerequisite for employment.
“I remembered telling myself this was nonsense. Why would they ask me to get N1 million before I was employed? I didn’t even bother to try.”
Some of applicants who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES said the bank gave them ten account-opening booklets each carrying Access Bank employee numbers for this purpose.
“When I say the employee numbers on the account-opening booklet, I was confused. Does it mean that I’m running around for someone else to take the credit,” wondered another applicant who raised N900,000.00 and was not employed.
Evelyn, who said she is now doing what she described as her dream job, told PREMIUM TIMES one of those who opened an account with her went through a lot of hassles when she tried to withdraw the money she deposited.
“She wasn’t given a debit card or chequebook. They kept telling her at the branch that they have issues with her account when she when to withdraw the money she deposited. After paying several visits to the branch over three months she could only manage to withdraw part of the money she deposited.”
Access Bank says the practise of asking applicants to generate N1 million within one week is to prepare them for “the rigour of the highly competitive market.”
The bank’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Segun Fafore, says only candidates that have passed the entry requirement are asked to raise this amount.
“It is part of the training. It is part of the recruitment process. This person will certainly go to the training school. It is just the practical aspect before you go for the four months training programme,” he said.
However, none of those we spoke to this paper were called to resume at the bank’s training school. Despite excelling at all the pre-recruitment evaluations, they were specifically rejected because they raised less than the N1 million asked by the bank.
Employment bond
Access Bank has been courting controversies for some time now due to some of its recruitment practices. In what is a blatant disregard of the country’s labour laws, the bank makes new employees sign bonds that force them to stay in the bank’s employ willy-nilly for at least two years.
Access Bank says it does this to protect the “heavy investment” it makes in training its staff. It says due to the quality of training its staff get they are usually poached by both local and international firms.
“The bank invest heavily in building the competence and capacity of its staff to a level of admiration that matches what is available in the global financial community,” Mr Fafore says.
“Following market tendencies, it is not surprising that with this kind of investment in its people other institutions, financial and non-financial, within and outside Nigeria encroach on the bank’s School of Banking Excellence.”
Mr Fafore says the bank designed its employment contract to “stem the tide” of employee poaching.
Alarmed, Lagos lawyer and frontline human rights advocate, Jiti Ogunye, describes the practice as “shady, irresponsible and illegal.”
“From employment and banking perspective it was illegal for the bank to compel people who are not employees of the bank to discharge banking duties,” he said.
“Having compelled these applicants to go and be scouting for customers for them as a condition of being offered employment, a relationship of implied agency has crystallised between the bank on one hand and those prospective employees. So the bank has made them her agent by sending them out to go and bring customers so the question there is if the bank had made these people her agent how did the bank remunerate them at the end of the day?
It flies in the face of constitutionally guaranteed rights of citizens. A bank is expected to be a repository of integrity. This is nothing but obtaining property by false pretence. This is nothing but fraud.”
Obituaries and epitaphs
Allegations of malpractices and abuses have dogged recruitment processes and staff training in the Nigerian banking sector. For instance in 2011, a group of Guaranty Trust Bank’s entry level trainees were expelled on the last day of training for what the bank described as  “[contravening] several basic programme rules that include professional conduct.”
But several members of Sapphire, as the class was nicknamed, said the consultant instructor during the training, Tutu Sholeye of Learners and Trainers, traumatised the group with an unending string of vile comments, verbal abuse and attack on their self-esteem.
They told this paper that they were asked to write their obituaries and epitaphs as part of the training regime.
“We were shocked when she told us to write our obituaries and epitaphs. And it didn’t end there; whatever you wrote will be used as an excuse to rain more insults on you,” said Taye, still visibly angry two years after the experience.
For instance, a trainee who smokes and had indicated to live up to 85 years in his obituary was told by the trainer: “how do you expect to live that long with the worthless life you’re living?”
Learners and Trainers website says it focuses on the “attitude training and personal development” rather than focus on “skills and knowledge training.”
Ms Sholeye declined to speak with PREMIUM TIMES. She said as a consultant, it was unprofessional for her to speak about what happened during the training.
Peter Ogunnubi, a psychiatrist at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, says this style of training is “archaic and barbaric.”
“It is a form of mental torture that can lead to post-traumatic and personality disorder.” He says this is even more so because the trainees didn’t get the job.
Guaranty Trust Bank says this approach to staff training has brought out the best in its employees.
“The curriculum adopted for the training programme which all employees must undertake, has been in use for the same period and you will no doubt agree with me that our Bank has the finest, most professional and knowledgeable human capital in the country today,” says Pascal Or, the bank’s official in charge of Brand Management.
Regulatory laxity
Those wronged by unfair recruitment may have to look further from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, if they hoped to get succour for the wrong done to them.
CBN Director of Corporate Communications, Ugochukwu Okoroafor, says the CBN cannot act on hearsay.
“Please note that the allegations have not come to our attention with concrete evidence. This is necessary to enable us take action,” he said.
“There is nothing the CBN can do on the basis of mere hearsay, other than moral suasion,” he added.
Mr Okoroafor, says the CBN prohibits profit and liability targeting by banks and other unethical practices.
“Unfortunately, these are not things you can pick up from financial records when conducting bank examinations. Neither can interviews with Bank Management or staff reveal them.”
However Mr Okoroafor said the bank encourages whistleblowers to come with names, dates and evidence of malpractices.
*** The names of the bank informants in this story have been changed to protect their identities. All of them still work with different banks in the country and fear they might be victimised by their employers.
http://premiumtimesng.com/news/146117-shocking-access-bank-demands-n1million-employment-gtb-asks-trainees-write-obituaries.html?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=shocking-access-bank-demands-n1million-employment-gtb-asks-trainees-write-obituaries

Scam!

Abdullahi Inua still couldn't believe that he survived the black Sunday preceding Nigeria's 53rd independence anniversary. According to him, he saw death face to face in his black uniform but wondered why and how he survived.

Inua is a student at Yobe State College of Agriculture in Gujba Village, Yobe. He was one of the students attacked by gunmen in military uniform, an incident that left 41 students of the institution and a lecturer dead.

He told Saturday Punch, "I cannot explain why I am still living and talking with you at this moment. I can say it is only Allah that knows why I am still alive this minute. I saw death face to face and it's very difficult for me to believe that I am alive.

"I was sleeping on my bed and I heard the gunshots. Before I knew anything, one of the Boko Haram guys came into our hostel and started spraying bullets in the room. After he did that for a while, he flashed his torch and started shooting anybody he saw that was shaking; I lay on my bed watching him. When he came to me, he slowly turned his torch away and left. There was blood all over my body so maybe he thought I was dead," Abdullahi said.

Inua, a pre-ND student and the only child of his mother, said he had to rush home so that his mother could see him because he knew her mind would not be at rest without seeing him.

"I called our neighbours to tell my mother that I was alive but she still could not believe them. She said she wanted to see me so I had to rush to the village in Degubi to let her believe that I was not killed," he said.

Some other students were not as lucky as Inua.

Isa Mohammed Fika and Mohammed Yau Saleh sustained serious injuries during the attack and they were referred to the Federal Medical Centre, Nguru, for operation. Hospital sources said they would undergo surgery for multiple fracture and gunshot injuries.

The duo who were groaning in pains could not talk when our correspondent visited them at the hospital. Fika only mustered enough strength and was just able to say, "How I wish I could see you after I get well."

Saleh's brother vowed that he would not see the walls of that school again in his life.

"I don't care what it means, oga but my brother is not going back to that school again," he said.

When our correspondent visited the family house of the slain lecturer, Samaila Alhaji Musa, his aged father, Musa was seen visibly distraught.

He could only say, "Boko Haram has cheated my son. Hmm, they have cheated him, Kai, they have cheated him seriously.''

The family of the slain lecturer was grieving in joy as his wife gave birth to a baby boy two days after he was murdered.

If there is any other word more than grieving, it could have described better the situation in Yobe after the attack on the collage.

News of the attack began like rumours as it appeared scanty in the early hours of Sunday. Authorities were not quick to confirm the report of the attack neither was the exact figure of the casualties handy.

At about 10am, the effect of the attack was full blown as 26 corpses of innocent students were brought to the General Sani Abacha Specialist Hospital in Damaturu where they were off-loaded and piled into the mortuary.

The hospital immediately became a Mecca of sort as parents, relatives, loved ones, security agents, newsmen and bystanders besieged the hospital premises. Sights of wailing, anguish, frustration, emotions of shock, pity and grief all characterised the sea of crowd that thronged the hospital.

While many struggled to identify their children or loved ones from the dead bodies, the sound of sirens rented the air signalling the arrival of another set of 14 dead bodies conveyed in two ambulances by combined men of the Road Safety, Red Cross, the police and officials of the hospital management Board.

The mode of the attack according to eyewitness was horrifying and most dastardly as students were executed at close range with guns.

It was observed that most of the dead bodies were either shot on the head or on the necks. Some were shot below their jaws while others had their skulls completely severed from their bodies by gunshots. Some students were killed in their hostels, others in the classrooms while others were shot while fleeing from the attackers.

Adamu, one of Samaila's brother said that his brother was writing a book before he was killed.

"He was working on a book before his death. Samaila was one of the most brilliant in our family. He told me he had to sleep over at the collage that fateful day because of the workload he had on his job and the book he was writing.

"We will miss him so much especially his humour and the way he tried to make everyone in the family happy,"Adamu said.

The Provost of the collage Molima Mata also described Samaila as a very brilliant person and a dedicated and hardworking member of staff.

Mato informed that Samaila was the coordinator of the Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme( SWES) of the collage.
http://m.naij.com/news/48932.html

A pro-Jonathan political rally, disguised as a Unity and Peace rally, has ended abruptly on a tragic note in Kaduna, with an unspecified number of participants reportedly injured, with some dripping with blood.
At least two people were stabbed and rushed to hospital while several others suffered minor injuries after participants began to use dangerous weapons on one another, witnesses said.
The rally, reportedly bankrolled by a governor from the South-south geopolitical zone,  was organized under the auspices of the Northern Youth Forum, which has members in the 19 northern states.
The governor is believed to have shelled out N500million for the rally meant to buoy President Jonathan’s acceptance in the north ahead of the 2015 presidential election.
The participants, those familiar with the organisation of the rally said, were bused to Kaduna from all the 19 northern states and paid N3000 each.
In the invitations to participants, organizer Jubril Tafida, a former vice-chairman of a local government in Kaduna and current youth leader of the Northern Youth Forum, had claimed the rally was called to promote unity in the north.
But shortly after the event began at the Murtala Muhammed Square in central Kaduna, it dawned on participants that the rally was organised to drum up support for the reelection bid of President Goodluck Jonathan, witnesses said.
Muhammed Bello, who attended the event, said the rally turned violent after Mr. Tafilda and other speakers began to heap praises on President Jonathan in their speeches.
“As they praised Jonathan, some elements in the crowd began exhibiting campaign posters of the President,”  Mr. Bello said. “A lot of participants became angry and they started throwing stones and bottles at the organizers. People started running in different directions. Some people were saying they don’t want to hear Jonathan’s name at the rally.”
Another witness said the police was later called in to restore order.
“The police started shooting teargas until everyone dispersed,” he said.
Spokesperson of the Kaduna state police command, Aminu Lawan, could not be reached to comment for this story, as calls to his telephone failed to connect.
Mr. Tafida’s telephone was also switched off the several times our reporter called.
 
http://premiumtimesng.com/news/146081-breaking-pro-jonathan-rally-turns-violent-in-kaduna-several-injured.html

The workers shutdown their offices.
Staff of the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, on Friday shut down their offices at the Abuja headquarters to protest what some described as illegal deductions of their salaries by the management of the commission.
The CAC is the agency responsible for company registrations in Nigeria.
Lawyers who besieged the commission’s office in the Maitama District of Abuja to incorporate new firms, conduct corporate searches and conduct other businesses left disappointed.
“The workers said they will not work until the management stops deducting their pay illegally,” one lawyer said.
The spokesperson for the commission could not be reached for comments as he did not answer or return calls made to his telephone.
Details later…
http://premiumtimesng.com/news/146021-breaking-corporate-affairs-commission-cac-staff-embark-strike-pay.html

I smell what the Americans said will happen before 2015.let me go bck to farm.

The influx of illegal aliens, arms, ammunition, and IEDs materials into Nigeria are some of the factors.
 
The military says the influx of illegal aliens, arms, ammunition and Improvised Explosive Device (IED) materials into Nigeria through porous borders is a challenge to the efforts to combat terrorism.
It also identifies the use of animals like camels, donkeys and cows to traffic small, light and collapsible arms into the country as another challenge.
This is contained in the current special edition of the “Nigerian Defence Magazine’’, a publication of the Defence Headquarters.
The magazine said that the arms were being brought into the nation through some of its porous borders.
It said that most of such arms came to the Boko Haram insurgents through Libyan and Malian rebels, desperate to exchange arms for money.
“This has added to the overwhelming challenge of the influx of illegal aliens, arms, ammunition and sophisticated IED materials into the country, and efficient and effective fight against terrorism,’’ it said.
It also said that the waterways and sea ports in the South provided another means through which those arms were trafficked to the country via the ships, speed boats and canoes through the creeks.
It described as “disheartening and unfortunate’’ the means by which “merchants of death” (insurgents) trafficked small weapons, to beat security agencies at the borders.
“The fact that the weapons are small, light and collapsible makes them easy to be concealed and moved on camels and donkeys’ back in specially crafted skin or thatched bags,’’ it said.
It said that some merchants of cows and grains in the region hid the arms and ammunition in empty fuel tankers, under vehicle engines and bags of grains and smuggled them in.
“The grains are transported in large number via trucks, trailers, lorries and old model pick up vans and jeeps with little attention given to them by security agents.
“The use of tricycles (Keke NAPEP), camels, donkeys and cows moving in flocks to deceive, hide and conveniently traffic arms in some parts of the North are ways hitherto unknown,’’ it said.
It, however, said that the Joint Task Force (JTF) in the region had since uncovered those means and had taken measures to contain them.
The magazine called for adequate deployment of personnel and technology in the borders to man, monitor and check the movement of illegal persons, goods and arms into the country.
“Security agencies at the borders and seaports have complained of the porosity of the nation’s border and water ways.
“The problem of porous borders is compounded by inadequate personnel, patrol vehicles, surveillance helicopter and equipment.
“Consequently, most of the borders are leaky and this makes effective control of intruders, smugglers and merchants of deaths, a mirage,’’ it said.
The military has been battling against terrorists in the northern part of Nigeria where a state of emergency has already been declared in three states.
The Boko Haram, the most deadly of the terrorist groups operating in Northern Nigeria, is responsible for the killing of thousands of civilians and soldiers in various attacks across the northern states.
 
http://premiumtimesng.com/news/145874-nigeria-military-lists-factors-hinder-efforts-combat-boko-haram-terrorism.html?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=nigeria-military-lists-factors-hinder-efforts-combat-boko-haram-terrorism

The provost of the collage confirmed the attack.
Gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram terrorists attacked the Collage of Agriculture in Gujba, Yobe state killing several students.
The Provost of the collage, Mulima Mata, confirmed the attack which he said occurred early Sunday morning.
Yobe, like Adamawa and Borno have been under state of emergency since May.
Details later… NAN
http://premiumtimesng.com/news/145636-many-students-killed-as-boko-haram-attack-yobe-collage.html

The State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, confirmed the casualty figure.
No fewer than 42 people were on Friday drowned in a boat mishap on River Niger close to Malilli Village in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that 100 others on board were missing in the mishap which occurred at about 2 p.m.
The Public Relations Officer of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Ibrahim Hussaini, confirmed the incident in a telephone interview on Saturday.
Mr. Hussaini said the incident occurred around 2 pm when the traders were returning from Malili Village back to Tunga Illo Village across the River Niger, after the day’s market.
He said the details were sketchy, but the boat which had over 150 passengers capsized midway and drowned 42 people, while 100 others were missing.
The spokesman said that local divers from Malili Village had recovered 42 corpses, while efforts were being intensified to rescue possible survivors or the corpse of those drowned.
“At the moment search and rescue is ongoing on the river.
“I will make the details of the incident later, but the agency has dispatch its officers to assist the villagers in the rescue efforts,’’ he said.
Mr. Hussaini said the recovered corpses would be given mass burial close to the river bank, adding that neighbouring villages had been alerted to look out for floating corpses.
The Secretary to the State Government, Saidu Ndako, confirmed the boat mishap.
“I received the information late in the night that a boat had capsized and 42 persons have drowned in the incident, while rescue operation is ongoing.
“We believe that the boat was overload because the boat’s capacity was put at 60 passengers, but over 150 passengers were said to be on board during the incident.
“The debris in the swollen river may also have been responsible for the incident,’’ Mr. Ndako said.
Mr. Ndako said that the government condoled with the family of those who had lost their loved ones, and pray that Allah grant them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
http://premiumtimesng.com/news/145580-breaking-42-confirmed-dead-100-missing-niger-boat-mishap.html

Nigerian government attacks PREMIUM TIMES, SaharaReporters over reports on security operations
The Nigerian government on Friday launched a vicious attack on PREMIUM TIMES and news website, SaharaReporters, accusing the two publications of publishing reports capable of undermining military strategy against extremists, and stirring mutiny within the military.
But in a swift reaction, PREMIUM TIMES described the administration’s attack as a desperate plot to blackmail and intimidate it from performing its sacred duty and role of holding government and its officials accountable.
Information Minister, Labaran Maku, spoke of the Federal Government’s “utmost displeasure” with some online media reportage of military operations, but singled out the two publications, apparently, in response to a series of factual reports by PREMIUM TIMES, exposing the government’s neglect of Nigerian troops in Mali, as well as the violations by security forces confronting Boko Haram’s brutal insurgency.
“In particular, I refer to Sahara Reporters and Premium Times, both of which frequently publish online reports deliberately contrived to undermine military strategy, demoralise our troops, or even cause incitement to mutiny. This is unacceptable,” said Mr. Maku, who also supervises the Defence Ministry, after the sack of the former minister.
He gave the remarks in Osogbo, Osun state, where he attended the 44th National Council on Information on the theme “Social Media and Public Information Management”.
The comment was later emailed to news organizations, including PREMIUM TIMES, in a statement signed by his aide, Joseph Mutah.
Coming amid a raging controversy over a military operation in Apo, Abuja last week, that killed at least seven men authorities claim were terrorists, but who witnesses say were innocent and unarmed citizens, Mr. Maku’s statement appeared to reflect the frustration that the case has triggered within government circles.
PREMIUM TIMES has maintained a lead role in reporting the bloody raid, contradicting official position of events, based on multiple interviews and painstaking checking and cross-checking of facts with survivors of the attack, residents and witnesses.
The army and the Department of State Security (DSS) that carried out the bloody raid say operatives they arrived at the building to excavate hidden weapons, but were greeted by heavy gunfire.
Army chief, Azubuike Ihejirika, told the House of Representatives committee on Public Safety and National Security on Thursday that the operatives only returned fire in self-defence.
The House and the Senate as well as National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) are currently conducting separate investigations into the killings.
After its initial reporting exposing the contradictions in the government’s claim, PREMIUM TIMES exposed a plan by the security community to plant weapons and other evidences at the scene of the attack, a report that embarrassed many government officials.
That plan was hurriedly shelved after the report, our sources said, giving a hint at government’s discomfort with PREMIUM TIMES’ incisive publications.
Authorities had long demonstrated their uneasiness with this website’s reports, occasionally harassing its reporters at news events.
Government spokespersons have also constantly fumed at the paper’s objective and independent stance on national issues.
Prior to the Apo attack, government’s concern was about our reporting on the military’s neglect of Nigerian troops in Mali, and the abuses against civilians by troops hunting for Boko Haram fighters in Borno and Yobe states.
In one recent attack reported by PREMIUM TIMES, a last minute cancellation of the operational plan that required the use of aerial support literally handed over troops in the hands of militants for slaughter. Dozens were killed, while many more were, and still, missing.
For each new article, PREMIUM TIMES reporters consistently reach out to the appropriate authorities for a response, which when provided, are always adequately reflected in the article for balance.
But, Mr. Maku said the Defence Headquarters had repeatedly complained about what the government regarded as ‘inciting online reports’, which it said ‘undermined military operations, emboldened terrorists, and stirred the people against security forces.’
The statement did not, however, specifically deny any of the reports.
Mr. Maku said the government believed in media freedom and would not gag any medium, although he maintained there has to be some forms of regulation on the use social media for reporting.
He said the Federal Government was drafting a bill on Cyber Crime, to be tabled before the National Assembly for deliberation.
Reacting to Mr. Maku’s comments, PREMIUM TIMES’ Managing Editor, Musikilu Mojeed, said the paper had always exhibited a great deal of professionalism and discretion in its reporting, and would continue to do so while upholding the people’s right to know.
“We will continue to expose what the government does not want readers to know no matter whose ox is gored,” Mr. Mojeed said. “We love Nigeria far more than the likes of Mr. Maku and care even more about the welfare and security of our soldiers whose lives Mr. Maku’s government jeopardise when they refuse to act right and provide basic and essential necessities for them to function.
“We will continue to expose the corruption, ineptitude and human rights abuses in private and public institutions in our country. That much we owe our teeming readers in general and the Nigerian people in particular. They deserve to have the information they need to enable them know what is going on in the innermost recess of our government, and we will continue to provide them information they can rely on to make objective decisions. We will remain focused and will never succumb to this latest tactics to intimidate and cow us.”
http://premiumtimesng.com/news/145568-nigerian-government-attacks-premium-times-saharareporters-reports-security-operations.html

The party accused the federal government of corruption and incompetence.
The crisis in Nigeria’s ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, worsened to what appears a point of no return on Thursday when a faction of the party accused the Jonathan administration of running Nigeria’s economy “aground.”
The Baraje-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, condemned the rape of the country’s economy by the Goodluck Jonathan administration.
The faction is backed by seven serving governors (Sokoto, Kano, Niger, Kwara, Rivers, Adamawa, and Jigawa), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and some other leaders of the party. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, is also believed to be a closet member of the faction.
The spokesperson of the Baraje-led PDP, Chukwuekeka Eze, in a statement on Thursday in Abuja quoted Abubakar Baraje, the chairman of the faction, as saying that despite claims to the contrary by the Administration in a futile bid to deceive Nigerians, the overwhelming evidence was that the Nigerian economy had been run aground by the present administration and was now comatose.
He said with the massive scale of officially-induced oil theft, the dwindling returns from oil and massive looting going on at the federal level, Nigeria was surely on the brink of economic collapse.
One manifestation of this, he added, was the Federal Government’s inability to pay states their share of federal revenues since July.
“The last time that states were paid was for part of July. The arrears continue to mount by the day. As at today, the states are being owed N336 billion, with the N75 billion being the balance of the July 2013 arrears, N121 billion from June augmentation and over N90 billion as July augmentation,” he said.
According to Mr. Baraje, the implication of this unfortunate development is that the 36 states have become impoverished and unable to meet up with basic obligations, including the payment of workers’ monthly salaries, which many of the states have been unable to do due to lack of funds.
Most states have also as a result been unable to meet their obligation to contractors. This dangerous scenario is complemented by the growing rate of unemployment, which presently hovers around 80 per cent, the politician said.
“If states cannot pay their contractors – not to talk of entering into new contracts – if states cannot pay their workers because there is no money to pay them, what could result is a huge social catastrophe that will add to the social, economic and political inferno already ravaging Nigeria today,” he added.
He also said all these portended very grave danger for the country as youth and labour restiveness appeared imminent.
“Nigerians should expect further worsening of the unemployment situation and the loss of jobs, which is inevitable should the Federal Government continue with the present shoddy management of the economy which leaves much room for abuse.
“Ironically, while the masses suffer, Government officials continue to feed fat, using various guises to fritter away our common patrimony. They continue to enjoy a life of opulence, which has blinded them to the realities of the monumental suffering to which the masses are being subjected on a daily basis,” Mr. Baraje said.
Where has all the money gone?
Mr. Baraje also accused the government of being a spendthrift, querying the whereabouts of billions of Naira earned by the administration. He said the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, had revealed that the country earned a total of N1.05 trillion in July, and questioned why the finance ministry could not pay states their due statutory allocations.
“Where are the billions of dollars accruable from daily crude oil sales? Where are the billions of naira accruable from multiple taxation which is strangulating struggling businesses on a daily basis? And where are the billions of dollars which the Jonathan Administration claims to be saving from one so-called cost-saving measure or the other?” he asked.
He said Nigerians could no longer be deceived.
“The truth is that Nigeria is broke and it shows that worse days are ahead under this inept administration,” he said.
The Baraje-led PDP also said it was unacceptable for Nigerians to be subjected to high level of suffering when their country is one of the world’s leading oil producers.
He said the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF under the leadership of Governor Rotimi Amaechi that “includes the progressive G7 Governors of the authentic PDP” recently raised the alarm, calling on the finance minister to resign in view of her shoddy running of the economy.
The finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who is also the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, has said there was no cause for worry about the economy; a claim the factional PDP disputed.
“Since nobody has a monopoly of wisdom, we wish to advise President Jonathan to humbly consider the NGF Report on the nation’s economy and see what he can borrow from it to take the country’s economy out of the woods,” the factional chairman said.
Mr. Baraje called on Mr. Jonathan to act fast to rescue the country as there was a limit to which Nigerians could be pushed.
“Anything short of this is an invitation to anarchy. A word is enough for the wise,” he said.
Final battle
Thursday’s statement by the Baraje-led PDP appears an indication that the crisis in the party would not be resolved.
Several meetings by leaders of the two factions of the party, as well as interventions by elders of the party, have yielded no result. This new attack on the Jonathan-led PDP administration may also confirm the believe of some Nigerians that the Baraje-led PDP was set to leave the party for an existing political platform or form its own.
http://premiumtimesng.com/news/145510-nigeria-broke-jonathan-running-country-aground-says-baraje-led-pdp.html

No fewer than 8,000 women on Thursday matched to the Zamfara Hisbah Commission, seeking the state government’s assistance to enable them to get married.

Led by the Chairperson of the Zamfara Widows Association, Hajiya Suwaiba Isa, and the patron, Alhaji Sa’idu Goshe, the women said they were not living a normal life and needed husbands to become whole.

“Many of us cannot afford two meals in a day because there are no men to support us,” they said.

The patron said the association had over 8,000 women, comprising 5,380 divorcees, 2,200 widows, 1,200 orphans and 80 others, whom he said, were looking for men to marry.

He said the women also needed assistance to purchase household items such as beds, mattresses and other basic necessities needed to move to their husbands’ houses.

Goshe appealed to the commission to assist the association in screening suitors for the women.

He said the screening would determine the suitors’ health status, source of livelihood and ability to maintain a family.
http://www.punchng.com/news/8000-zamfara-women-protest-over-scarcity-of-husbands/

Usman Gangara was removed by 19 of the Kaduna 34 lawmakers.
The Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Usman Gangara (PDP, Giwa East) and his deputy Dogara Mato (PDP, Lere) have been impeached.
Mr. Gangara had survived two impeachment attempts, while the time given him by his colleagues to voluntarily resign had lapsed.
An acting speaker, Philimon Mana (PDP, Makera), who presided after the impeachment, announced the election of Shehu Tahir (PDP, Giwa West) and Peter Adamu (PDP, Kagarko) as Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively.
Kantiok Isiaku (PDP, Zonkwa) moved the motion for impeachment; and was seconded by Yakubu Yusuf (APC, Zaria Kewaye).
The eight principal officers who were absent at the sitting, and all standing committees were dissolved by the new speaker.
A total of 19 out of 34 members of the assembly agreed to the impeachment.
“The quorum of members required for the impeachment is 13, but the house had 19,” the speaker said in an interview with journalists.
The new speaker said the impeachment was not influenced by Vice President Namadi Sambo, who is a former governor of Kaduna and wields lots of influence in the state.
He said the appointment of new principal officers will be announced soon.
http://premiumtimesng.com/regional/145340-kaduna-speaker-impeached-new-speaker-elected.html

The governor said the office is no longer essential in the state.
The Nasarawa State Governor, Tanko Al-Makura, has sacked his security adviser, A. Umaru, a retired Major-General.
The sack was announced on Monday evening in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Zainab Abdulmumini.
Mr. Al-Makura said the office of security adviser is no longer needed following the recent deployment of soldiers by the Federal Government to assist in curbing the violence in the state.
The sacked security adviser is an Eggon from Nasarawa Eggon Local Government Area, the headquarters of the Eggon people to which the Ombatse cult belongs.
“In view of the new approach to contain security challenges, especially the reinforcement of security operatives by the federal government in order to give them an unfettered operational discretion, the office of the state security adviser has become irrelevant,” the statement read.
Mr. Al-Makura, however, thanked the sacked security adviser of his contribution to the state and wished him well in his future endeavors.
The statement further called on displaced person to return to their houses following the return of peace to those areas with a promise to provide vehicles to convey them to their various places.
“Consequently government will provide vehicles to convey the displaced persons in various camps to their various homes,” the state government said.

http://premiumtimesng.com/regional/145300-nasarawa-crisis-al-makura-sacks-security-adviser.html?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=nasarawa-crisis-al-makura-sacks-security-adviser

God help us

ucforu: Here is the link to the photo.... http://www.citigist.com/2013/09/tragedy-averted-in-enugu-as-police.html

Thank you

Category: News Published on Saturday, 21 September 2013 05:00 Written by Hir Joseph, Lafia Hits: 126

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“Kill Man, No Case,” is the inscription  on one of the walls standing amidst the rubbles along a major street beside the palace of Asakyo of Owusakyo, the traditional ruler of Assakio, a town on the outskirts of Lafia, along Shendam road.
The inscription tells the story of the time in the last one week in Nasarawa State. The state witnessed the return of bloodbath in four towns and villages between Friday and Monday. Adabu Alago, a settlement along Lafia-Obi-Awe-Taraba State borders road, and Obi, headquarters of Obi Local Government Area  were sacked between Friday and Saturday, while Assakio and environs in Lafia LGA were sacked between Sunday and Monday.
A government state-wide broadcast on Saturday, by the Deputy Governor, Dameshi Barau Luka, accused Ombatse, the Eggon militia group of being behind the new clashes.
 Hundreds of persons were killed in the violence which spread to nearly all ethnic groups of the zones: Alago, Migli, Tiv, Eggon, Fulani, Hausa, Gwandara, Bassa and Mada.
Reports said   trouble started after the Alago people of Assakio tipped off their kinsmen in Adabu Alago, about a group of Eggon youths believed to be Ombatse members, who were on their way to Awe with arms tucked in a Peugeot J5 mini bus. The Alagos, then reportedly tipped off the police, who intercepted the vehicle, and arrested two Eggon youths. Most of the youths in the vehicle were said to have escaped and fled to Tudun Adabu, an Eggon settlement.
This is just as reports said the vehicle conveying the Eggon boys was allegedly torched by   Alago youths, who chanted in celebration to the anger of their Eggon neighbours in the neighbouring Tudun Adabu.
Those who escaped were reported to have called their kinsmen in Assakio, signaling what would befall Adabu Alago.
When they attacked on Thursday, the Eggons of Tudun Adabu barricaded the road in front of their village, stopping vehicular traffic. They were said to have been joined by hundreds of their kinsmen from other Eggon areas including Assakio. 
The police confirmed this, but Chris Mamman, leader of Eggon Cultural and Development Association (ECDA), denied it all.  He said an Eggon teacher in Government Girls’ College in Keana, an Alago town, was murdered by Alago people, just as he said there was an attempted murder of another Alago man in the same school, sparking the road blocks in Tudun Adabu, in protest.
The Eggon youths blocked the road until Friday. That same day, they launched a bloody attack on Adabu Alago, killing some people there, and razing down houses and shops, displacing Alago people as well as the police.
The next day,  the youths whom  the broadcast accused as Ombatse members, allegedly attack Obi razing down houses and shops, again, killing and displacing persons,  the police claimed.
The clashes reportedly reached Assakio, several kilometers away, where they allegedly killed dozens, and razed down buildings, including the palace of Asakyo of Owusakyo, HRH Osula Inarigu.
On that day, they were said to have stormed the police station in Obi, and freed their members.
Same day, soldiers from the 177 Brigade of Guards Battalion arrived the trouble areas, to begin town-to-town and village-to-village  hunt for suspected Ombatse members. In Tudun Adabu  and Assakio, the soldiers allegedly shot several Eggon youths. 
Security sources said the youths, believed to be members of Ombatse, attempted at various points in Tudun Adabu, and Assakio  to surprise soldiers on patrol, with a similar ambush reported to have taken place on May 7 in Alakyo.
A field commander of the group was said to have been killed by soldiers who returned the surprise to them, pushing  them into a tight corner where they could only turn back to face military bullets, security sources said. Not less than a dozen were said to have been killed between Tudun Adabu, where they were alleged to have opened fire on the soldiers; and Assakio, where they alleged ytried an ambush on the troops.
On Tuesday, soldiers said the military checkpoint at Alushi Junction, along Akwanga-Keffi road, was attacked by heavily armed members of Ombatse, among whom was a serving policeman from the Force Headquarters in Abuja. But the soldiers on duty fended them off, killing at least 12, including another militia field commander.
The policeman among them  Corporal Ekipi Mala, was among the not less than 200 Ombatse members led by the field commander killed in the earlier minutes of the incident, soldiers who drove three injured members of the cult members told newsmen in Government House, Lafia.
Mala’s police identity card found on him, after the soldiers disabled him with bullets, showed that he is from a squadron of the Mobile Police (MOPOL), but the state Police Commissioner, Umar Shehu refused to let journalists have a closer look at the document.
Corporal Mala, was brought in company of a teenage boy, who was said to have bore his AK47, and first opened fire on the soldiers at the checkpoint on the outskirt of Akwanga.
An Army lieutenant, who led the soldiers said a young man in his early 20s, rode on a Bajaj motorcycle, and attempted to go through the checkpoint without a pass. He was then forced to stop, to explain himself, but he struggled on with the soldiers as he refused to disclose the content of his bag until it was forcefully collected from him.
The lieutenant said the motorcycle rider finally opened up, and identified himself as an Ombatse member and that the content of his bag were items sent by Baba Alakyo, the chief priest of the cult group, to his elder brother in a village near Alushi.
The soldiers said they asked him to call his elder brother to explain that he had to come because the younger brother was arrested at the checkpoint.
The elder brother was said to have stormed the checkpoint with not less than 200 youth armed with guns of all sorts and machetes, as they were dressed in black attire with red scarf on their heads, screaming war chants in Eggon language.
“They opened fire. The teenager was holding an AK47”, a soldier said, but the military men said they were able to repel them with superior fire power, in a shootout that lasted over 10 minutes.
Travelers claimed they spotted not less than eight corpses lying   at various points of the road. The President General of ECDA, reacted harshly against the killing, describing the action of the soldiers as “high level of rascality by government agents.”
Mamman said he was also informed that soldiers opened fire on two Eggon youths ridding on a motorcycle, and killed them at Wulko that same day.
 He said “the level of rascality by government agents has reached a level that will lead to an emergence of more crises and social vices. “They are making it difficult for community leaders to appeal to the people to be patient.”
More than 10 policemen of Eggon origin have been in detention at the Nasarawa State police command, after they were arrested in May, in connection with the alleged leak of a security operation to members of Ombatse.
Also, Eggon people believe that they have had to face suppression from their neighbours over the years, due to land. The case of Assakio where a clash first broke out between them and Alago people in June of 2012, is case in point. That year, the Eggon people refused to pay royalties to the Assakio traditional ruler. The Alago people insisted the payment has been a longstanding tradition over a particular piece of land, but Eggon people insisted they were suppressed. A panel of inquiry was set up by Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, with its report indicting both the traditional ruler, an Alago, as well as about five Eggon people.
But distrust reportedly set in barely a year after their election victories against the PDP, because it is widely alleged that if there was an agreement, it may have been broken. Crisis erupted in much of the southern parts of the state between 2012, and this year, especially between Eggon and Alago, and Eggon and Fulani. Al-Makura and Ewuga have been widely accused by various communities and groups at the ongoing public hearings of the panel sitting in Lafia, over these crises.   Ewuga is accused of being behind Eggon onslaught on communities, while Al-Makura is alleged to have watched as Fulani mercenaries raided Eggon villages.
Behind the scene too, traditional rulers in the southern parts have been blamed for aiding and abating violence against farmers, using Fulani mercenaries.
http://weeklytrust.com.ng/index.php/new-news/14097-ombatse-return-turns-back-the-hand-of-the-clock

Tragedy averted in Enugu as police evacuate unexploded civil war bomb

By Ameh Comrade Godwin on September 21, 2013

Tragedy was averted in Enugu State, Thursday as Police anti-bomb squad successfully recovered an unexploded Nigerian civil war bomb in Umuhu town in Awgu Local Government Area of the state.

Sources disclosed that a man who was working on his farmland uncovered the explosive device and immediately informed the police.

The Anti-bomb squad was quickly deployed to the area and successfully evacuated the civil war ordinance also known as UXO.


Spokesman of the Police in Enugu State, Ebere Amaraizu, who confirmed the story urged members of the public not to play with unexploded ordinance anytime they come across it while farming or digging because of its destructive effects.

He advised the public to report such discoveries promptly to the nearest police station, which would in turn notify its bomb unit for necessary action.

Real reasons behind Apo killings revealed

By Ali Adoyi on September 21, 2013

Revelation emerged Friday afternoon regarding the incident at Apo legislative quarters, Abuja where 7 people were killed.

DailyPost had learnt that men of the SSS had mobilized some military men to an uncompleted building to excavate some weapons purportedly buried by some Boko Haram militants. The action was sequel to security details gathered from two Boko Haram suspects currently in detention.

However, an officer of the SSS who pleaded anonymity had disclosed that about a week ago, men of the SSS stormed the uncompleted building, warning the occupants to vacate the place based on government’s directive, but the people remained adamant, demanding for a perfect explanation on why they were asked to leave.

He added that “when men of the SSS were accompanied to the building around 12am this morning, the people were all ordered out of the building. For security reason, they were all asked to sit on the ground pending when the excavation work was completed. However, while work was still ongoing, some men believed to be Boko Haram suspects fired at the security team. The soldiers in turn responded. While the fire exchange was on, those who tried to escape from the scene were gunned down by either bullets from the security men or the Boko Haram militants.” He had disclosed

Another James Ogile who also lived in the uncompleted building had told our reporter that those who lost their lives were actually killed by the military, as they only heard few shots from those the SSS claimed were Boko Haram only fired few shots at them ” the truth is that the Army and the SSS thought we were Boko Haram informants, so after they fired at them, they started shooting indiscriminately, and those who attempted to escape from the scene were all gunned down. They should have faced those whom they claimed attacked them and not innocent people like us. We did not attack them; we did not even resist their order. We were very peaceful when they ordered us out of the building. Why should anyone kill poor, innocent and harmless squatters like us? We do labourers work here with no evil inten tion.



Others who spoke with our correspondent equally confirmed that the men were just squatting in the building. ‘’ This is getting out of hands. How can anyone open fire on innocent people whom we all know, and claimed they were Boko Haram members. I know those guys. They are very responsible people who have been engaged in legitimate businesses. Do you think they would have preferred to live in an uncompleted building if they could afford an accommodation? If they were Boko Haram members, would they have come to live in an uncompleted building? I doubt if the SSS are being sincere here. I’m not even sure they came for any excavation. In fact, anything goes in this country.’’ One Samson had told our reporter.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Director, Public Relations Department of State Services, Marilyn Ogar had yesterday afternoon issued a press statement, stating her own version of the incident.

According to her, a combined security team went for the said operation sequel to information obtained from two (2) Boko Haram elements; Kamal Abdullahi and Mohammed Adamu, who had earlier been arrested for terrorist activities. The duo, according to Orga had disclosed to the SSS that some weapons were buried within the vicinity of the building. Orga disclosed that during the operation, some suspected militants engaged the military men in a gun duel. She said some people were injured at the process.

The statement read “In the early hours of today, 20th September, 2013, about 0030 hours, a combined security team went for an operation behind the Apo legislative quarters. The operation was sequel to information obtained from two (2) Boko Haram elements Kamal ABDULLAHI and Mohammed ADAMU, who had earlier been arrested for terrorist activities. They led the security team to uncompleted buildings where arms were purported to have been buried underground.

“2. No sooner had the team commenced digging for the arms, than they came under heavy gunfire attack by other Boko Haram elements within the area, which prompted immediate response from the security t eam. As a result, some persons were injured and twelve (12) others have been arrested in connection with the incident, and are making useful statements.

“3. Normalcy has returned to the area. Members of the public are advised to go about their normal businesses, as appropriate security measures have been emplaced to ensure the safety of citizens in the FCT. We want to reiterate the need for all Nigerians to be vigilant of their immediate environment and promptly report suspicious activities to security agencies. Our National security must remain the collective responsibility of all Nigerians.”
http://dailypost.com.ng/2013/09/21/real-reasons-behind-apo-killings-revealed/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=real-reasons-behind-apo-killings-revealed

Nigeria’s secret police, the State Security Service, Thursday said it thwarted an attempt by some kidnappers to abduct one of the daughters of late President Umaru Yar’Adua.
Marilyn Ogar, the agency’s spokesperson, said two suspects, including a fake army general, have been arrested in connection with the incident.
Details of the incident are still sketchy.
However, cases of kidnap are on the upsurge, especially in the South of Nigeria.
Human rights lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, and the Archbishop of the Niger Delta Province of the Anglican Communion, Ignatius Kattey, were among high profile Nigerians who have just been released from kidnappers’ dens after they were held for days.
There are speculations that ransoms are usually paid before the abductors release their victims.
More to come …
http://premiumtimesng.com/news/144962-breaking-sss-foils-kidnap-late-president-yaraduas-daughter.html

The Police Special Fraud Unit has declared Vincent Ezenwajiaku, Commissioner for Special Duties in Anambra State, wanted.
The police alleged that Mr. Ezenwajiaku was involved in a N10 million fraud which took place between 1996 and 2002.
Repeated efforts to get the commissioner to honour police invitation have been unsuccessful, according to the police.
Details later…
http://premiumtimesng.com/news/144866-breaking-police-declares-anambra-commissioner-wanted.html

Me don inform una,for the sake of those passing there nw,call any 1 in Akwanga if u so care.

I jst passed Agwanga saw the road was blocked because the ombaste militia attacked their check point. I was jst able to snap only 1 pix,I think about five ombaste were killed.People passing there now should be very carefull please.

I jst passed Agwanga saw the road was blocked becouse the ombaste militia attacked their check point.Peaple passing there now should be very carefull please.

Nigeria has some of the world’s worst health statistics but few specialist hands to help treat her millions of poor, sick people.
In March 2013, when the pains in Ogaga Akpojaro’s breast, ankles and wrist became unbearable, she rushed to a private hospital in Ozoro, Isoko North local government area of Delta state where she lived.
A doctor, whose name she recalled only as Dr. Ben, treated her with antibiotics and a painkiller, and explained that the pains were symptoms of fatigue.
That made sense since Mrs. Akpojaro spent all her days, except Sundays, on the farm and sold garri during evenings in the local market. So she took the drugs as directed, stayed away from work for weeks, but her condition worsened. By early May, her breast had become swollen and rigid. Her ankles became taut. She rapidly lost weight and could barely walk.
“When all the pain killers Dr. Ben prescribed refused to work, he said we should take her to Ughelli General Hospital,” her only daughter, Ifoghale, recalled recently.
At the new hospital where they travelled to same night, no doctor attended to her, so they returned to Dr. Ben who referred them to Federal Medical Centre, Warri. There, a doctor explained that she needed to see an Oncologist – a cancer specialist. Delta state, one of Nigeria’s richest states, had none. So she got another referral to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Idi-Araba, Lagos.
It was at LUTH, where they had borrowed money to travel to, that the family got a startling response. Without examining the gravely sick woman, a doctor minuted on the referral letter and asked her to return in two weeks.
“I was shocked and said it was not possible. I cried with no one able to console me and I created a scene,” Ifoghale, a 17-year-old student of the Delta State Polytechnic told PREMIUM TIMES.
“I had borrowed money to bring my mum to Lagos and returning in two weeks meant more expenses.”
While she waited, sobbing, the doctor emerged in the door way, and she accosted her, and pleaded that she help save her mother’s life. But the doctor calmly explained to her the hospital’s burden, and indeed Nigeria’s, one that portends great danger to public health if a response is not quick: there were just too many patients queuing for the same attention.
“He said ours was a new case and the queue is quite long and may not get to our turn even in the next two months as oncologists are so few compared with the number of cancer patients in the country. But to assist us, she phoned another oncologist in LASUTH and sent us to him,” she recalled.
With Nigeria taking the bottom lead on several global health indicators, nothing threatens to keep those woeful numbers unchanged as the dearth of qualified health personnel in key sectors of health care.
Despite the rising cases of cancer, there are only a little above 15 Oncologists in the country, experts told PREMIUM TIMES. Besides Delta state, 28 other states have no Oncologist. Only seven states in the entire country have specialist care for cancer. These include: Lagos – 7, Oyo – 7, Kaduna – 5, Edo – 1, Ondo – 1, Sokoto – 1, and Abuja – 3.
Patients like Mrs. Akpojaro travel long distances, through states, to get attention. Many don’t live to narrate their experiences. Those unable to travel for lack of money settle for non-specialists, while well-to-do families go abroad for treatment.
In Nigeria, the Lagos hospital, LUTH, is one of the most visited.
With no Paediatric Oncologist in Adamawa state and environs, Benjamin Enema, shuttles his son, Monday, who was diagnosed with leukaemia, between Adamawa and Lagos seeking the resources to keep the five-year-old alive.
“It was one of the most hectic moments of my life. Shuttling Lagos and Adamawa every now and then was not funny,” Mr. Enema said.
As the family struggled to keep up with the rigorous routine, his wife gave up her petty trading, relocated to Lagos to be with Monday while the father hunted for more cash. Their other three children lived with relatives while the ordeal lasted.
http://premiumtimesng.com/news/144701-investigation-gravely-ill-patients-die-queuing-to-see-nigerias-few-specialist-doctors.html

Pix

Pandemonium was averted yesterday at Bridge Head, Onitsha, when a female police officer, Inspector Tochukwu Offoegbu, was abused, molested and almost stripped naked by a dreaded wealthy man, (name withheld) who allegedly slapped the Commissioner of Police last year.

An eye witness and a tout, who gave his name as Tunde, said Offoegbu was on duty when the ‘big man,’ who owns a park in Onitsha, approached her, allegedly telling her that he would facilitate her removal from Onitsha as he did to one Archibong.


He said the female police officer demanded to know what she did that would warrant her removal, so he gave her a slap for daring him. Also, his boys allegedly tore the female officer’s uniform, leaving her almost naked.

‘’She ran for her life into the Police post to avoid the peering eyes of the public before the Area Commander Benjamin Nwordu asked all of them to come to the area police station, Onitsha.

‘’That man cannot be arrested because last time he slapped the Commissioner of police because of park matters and so the governor closed the park and now, it is an Inspector. I fear,” said Tunde.

When contacted, the DPO Fegge, where Offoegbu works , Muikdi Shehu, said he would not speak on the matter, insisting that the PPRO is the only person authorized to speak.

The PPRO, Emeka Chukwuemeka, when contacted on phone said he was with the Onitsha Area Commander and would get back to this reporter on the issue.

CP Balah Nassarawa was said to be out of the state as at the time of going to the press.

Reacting, another eyewitness and Campaign for Democracy Coordinator, Dede Uzor A Uzor, demanded for the immediate arrest of the accused and thorough investigation into the matter with a view to punishing the offender to deter future occurrence.

CD gave the Commissioner of Police seven days to arrest the man or face human rights groups protest and call for his removal as that was the height of abuse of an officer on duty, particularly a woman.

http://www.nigerianeye.com/2013/09/female-police-officer-molested-stripped.html?m=1