₦airaland Forum

UNILAG SCHOOL GATE SHUT DOWN AS NON ACADEMIC STAFF MEMBERS PROTEST
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/12/unilag-school-gate-shut-down-as-non.html

Recall that about two weeks ago, the Non Academic Staff Union of University of Lagos, Unilag, Akoka Lagos Mainland, embarked on an indefinite strike.
Eyes Of Lagos gathered that, The strike which took another turn today is as a result of the Federal Government’s failure to fulfill the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the union on September 20, 2017.
Meanwhile the NASU staff members has staged a peaceful protest today December 14, 2017, around the Institution even though the Schools security personnel’s did not allow the protest in the schools premises, the staff members still went ahead with the protest as planned.
Even with the setback at the school gate, the protest still went well and calmly, according to an eye witness.
The Staff members as at this morning did not allow anyone go in or out of the gate, they said they will leave the school premises by 6pm and that the protest will continue until the institution’s management and Federal Government keeps to their own side of the bargain.
The protest seems to have cause heavy gridlock on the Onike, Bariga, Lagos Mainland Road.

12.2M FARMERS JOIN RICE, WHEAT REVOLUTION
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/12/122m-farmers-join-rice-wheat-revolution.html

President Muhammadu Buhari has disclosed that over 12.2 million farmers have joined the rice and wheat revolution, as the country moves close to achieving self-sufficiency in grains production.
The President also declared the current administration’s Anchors Borrowers’ Programme a huge success.
Eyes of Lagos gathered that, Speaking at the 25th edition of the Nigeria Media Merit Award (NMMA) Ceremony in Lagos on Wednesday the President, who was represented by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the success of the agriculture revolution has turned thousands of rice farmers into millionaires and drastically reduced rice import.
‘’Apart from the successes we have achieved in tackling insecurity and fighting corruption, perhaps our most remarkable progress has been in the area of agriculture. Quietly but steadily, our agriculture revolution is bearing fruits.
‘’According to the Rice Exporters of Thailand, rice imports from Thailand fell from 644,131 tons in Sept 2015 to 20,000 tons in Sept. 2017, representing a 95 per cent drop,’’ President Buhari said, noting that self-sufficiency in rice is so important because it is the most widely consumed staple in Nigeria, and also because Nigeria’s daily expenditure on rice for over three decades stood at $5 million a day.
He said Nigeria is also doing well in Millet, Sorghum and Maize cultivation, adding: ‘’We are now the second largest producer of sorghum after the US, the third in millet after India and our breweries are now enjoying local sourcing of those commodities. For maize, we are producing 10 million tons while we need about 13 million tons for both human and animal nutrition.’’
The President said Nigeria leads the world in the yam and cassava production and that efforts are being made to restore and improve on the country’s ranking in cocoa production, where it has fallen from 2nd to 7th position.
‘’We are also investing in a new line of tree crops targeting local and foreign end users and certain to earn foreign exchange. These are shea butter, palm trees, coconut, mangoes, bananas and plantains, kenaf and sisal hemp, castor and pineapple, among others. Overall, our ambition is that agriculture should rise from 25 per cent to 40 per cent of GDP so that we can banish poverty and overcome our economic anxiety,’’ he said.

MARITIME WORKERS TO SHUT SEAPORTS OVER SAIPEM’S N10BN DEBT
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/12/maritime-workers-to-shut-seaports-over.html

The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has vowed to shut down the operations of Saipem in Nigeria over the company’s indebtedness running into more than $29 million (N10.6 billion) for various services at the port.
Saipem Nigeria is the Nigerian subsidiary company of Saipem, with a huge structure covering oil and gas industry such as drilling on/offshore, construction activities on/offshore (pipelines, power plants, fabrication activities) engineering, maintenance but operates in the Lagos seaport and Onne Port.
According to Wikipedia, Saipem in 2011 was under trial in Italy over charges relating to bribery in Nigeria. But, the President-General of MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju disclosed at the weekend that the union would shut down Saipem over indebtedness to dockworkers.
Saipem it was gathered owes the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) $19.3 million (N6.9 billion) for pilotage services and also owes dockworkers, who are members of MWUN, through their stevedoring contractor, Agwut A. International Ltd, more than $10.4 million (N3.7 billion) for accumulated stevedoring services.
The executive director, Marine and Operations of NPA, Dr. Sokonte Davies confirmed the company’s huge debts in a letter dated 15th November 2017. In the letter with reference number HQ/ED/M&O/OP/1130 addressed to the Managing Director of Saipem Contracting Nigeria Ltd, Davies said the huge indebtedness and Saipem’s lackluster attitude to meeting its financial obligations for the pilotage and stevedoring services is capable of stoking industrial crisis in the port.
Eyes Of Lagos gathered that, Davies stated in the letter: “We are constrained to once more draw your attention to the looming industrial crisis you are stoking by the refusal of your company to pay outstanding stevedoring claims to Messrs Agwut A. International Ltd.
“You will recall that following the threatened industrial action by the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, whose members are affected by the non-payment, the Nigerian Ports Authority intervened through letters ref: HQ/ED/M&O/OP/799 and HQ/ED/M&O/OP/806 dated 22nd August 2017 and 12th September 2017 respectively. Further clarifications were made to stakeholders at a meeting recently held on stevedoring matters in which your company participated.
“The intention of the meeting is to ensure that affected parties equally understand all issues relating to this operation. Obligations on this operation are supported and guided by laws and extant guidelines in which all parties involved should not violate.”
Davies gave Saipem two weeks within which to pay up the huge sums owed the dockworkers but as at the end of the two weeks grace period, the company remains unmoved. MWUN President-General, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, consequently said that an industrial action against the company appears inevitable.
According to Adeyanju, “This matter has been ongoing for more than a year and the workers that are working under them have been disturbing us but they (Saipem) are still adamant and have refused to pay. We have written series of ultimatum but they are still adamant.
“I don’t know why somebody will come and do business in Nigeria – of course we did not say they should not come and do business – but at least they should respect the opinion of Nigerians and pay the workers what belongs to them.
“The two weeks ultimatum given to them by NPA has elapsed and up till now, they have not called us for any meeting and this issue is generating a lot of crisis in the union because the workers are seeing us as if we have connived with the firm.
“We are planning a showdown because at our own level too, we have written, given them ultimatum and it has elapsed. We have directed our members not to do any job until they settle all the outstanding bill they owe us.
It is painful that somebody will work for you and you will not pay the person salary and we know what our economy is like today,” the union leader said.
A dockworker, Gideon, said the company had always taken dockworkers and the Nigerian authorities for granted. According to him, “Saipem already received the money for stevedoring and pilotage services from their contractors, who they work for, so they are taking Nigerians, the Nigerian Government and the union for a ride by withholding the payments due to them. This is not acceptable at all.”
Saipem has been in the eye of the storm lately as an Italian court ordered some of its executives to face trial on allegations of corruption in Nigeria and Angola.

NASU EMBARKS ON INDEFINITE STRIKE, SEE HOW IT AFFECTS ACTIVITIES IN UNILAG
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/12/nasu-embarks-on-indefinite-strike-see.html

Due to the ongoing strike which commenced occurred yesterday December 4, 2017, by the non-academic staffs of University of Lagos, The University authorities has been compelled to postpone screening for Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) till further notice.
The 2017/2018 academic section screening which was scheduled to commence yesterday, Monday December 4-15, 2017, was disrupted the non-academic staff strike.
The Senior Assistant Registrar, Taiwo Oloyede in a statement said that the indefinite strike affected the academic and administrative activities in the institution.
“The postponement is indefinite; a new date will be announced. “Candidates are enjoined to check the university’s website regularly for updates,” he said.
Eyes Of Lagos gathered that three other non-academic union had embarked on the strike, the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU), Non Academic Staff Union of Universities and Associated Institutions (NASU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).
Meanwhile National President of SSANU, Samson Ugwoke, has said that the union’s strike is as a result of the Federal Government’s failure to take action on the Sept. 20 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) it signed with the unions.
“Most of our people were laid off unjustifiably; they are yet to be reinstated in the university’s payroll.
“We are tired of being tossed around or seen as not important in the running of the university. We are as important as any other union within the system and need to be given that recognition.
“After several negotiations with the government, we expected that it sees the need to honour whatever agreement reached, but the reverse is the case,” Mr. Ugwoke, also the Chairman of the JAC, said.

IMPORTATION OF RICE DROPS BY 95% – OGBEH
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/12/importation-of-rice-drops-by-95-ogbeh.html

The minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, yesterday disclosed that rice importation into the country has dropped by 95 per cent in the last two years due to consistency in the federal government’s efforts at drastically reducing importation of the food product into the country.
Ogbeh also said the federal government has achieved this feat despite the fact that some elements in the polity are bent on sabotaging the efforts at drastically reducing importation.
According to the reports gathered by Eyes Of Lagos, The minister disclosed this yesterday in Abuja at the second day of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing system for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) Agribusiness and Policy Linkage Conference, that hopes to see the implementation of the Agriculture component of the Economic Recovery Growth Plan (ERGP).
He decried heavy dependence on foreign products by the country irrespective of the dangers they pose.
“This country by and large have been taken hostage, some persons have refused to believe it but why are there no jobs, why so much poverty, nobody want to buy local thing because the importers have connections. They have ships, they have banking facilities and they persuade opinion makers that it is better and cheaper to import.
“We pass through so much struggle to have a foothold in our own market including rice and people think there is nothing wrong. They will tell you they prefer foreign rice even though what we produce is better and safer for them. The rice from Thailand has many challenges which they don’t care to know, because if you grow rice for too long in a mashed land, there will be high content of acid in it. There’s too much dependency on foreign goods just because it is foreign,” he said.
However, he disclosed that despite the challenges, the country has made a lot of success in terms of eradicating rice importation and this is a plus to the country’s economy.
“One example of success is in rice. As at September, 2015, this country was importing 644,131 tons of rice. Exactly two years later, that is September 2017, rice importation drops to 20, 000 tons; that’s a 95 per cent drop.
“There are 12.2 million people growing rice in the country, producing paddy for the rice mills.
“In Kano alone, we have 1,421 rice mills. We have large fields in Anambra, Ebonyi, Nasarawa, Jigawa, kebbi and more are coming up, “he said.
Ogbeh also enumerated the challenges currently faced in agribusiness exporting to include funding which is access to credit, high interest rate agricultural mechanization, packaging, and quality. Other include seed development, research development and marketing. He called for more private partnership as according to him, ‘government is only steering the wheel’.
The Managing Director of NIRSAL, Mr Aliyu Abdulhameed in an interview with LEADERSHIP said as events are unfolding, the government is laying down policy to ensure that the private sector succeed in Agribusiness.
“What you see today represent what the government is looking at, how the private sector can lead and how the policies affect that leadership. The good thing about investment is that ones you can be able to proof a risk return profile and you can de-risk it, then investment will
“What you observed today is the mandate of NIRSAL as handed to us by the CBN. How do you get actors from the value chain from primary production all the way through processes, retailing, and domestic markets to export?
Mrs Alaba Lawson, President, NACCIMA said all hands must be on deck to achieve success and called on all to come on board.

HERE IS WHY ‘OKADA’ AND ‘MARWA’ OPERATORS ARE ARRESTED IN IKEJA
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/11/here-is-why-okada-and-marwa-operators.html

In recent times, the operations of riders of motorcycles and tricycles better known as ‘Okada’ and ‘Keke Marwa’ in Lagos Mainland have been restricted to certain routes and inner streets in the communities they operate.
This is as a result of the rapid developments across these Lagos Mainland communities and the grand plan by government to continually ensure the state achieves its Mega City status.
With the operators of Okadas and Keke Marwa having little or no understanding of the restricted routes which often leads to the law enforcement agencies clamping down on them, InsideMainland has exclusively obtained the list of restricted routes for Okadas and Marwa from the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA).
As a result, Eyes Of Lagos will daily, share the list of restricted routes across the LGs and LCDAs that falls under the Lagos Mainland.
See below the list of prohibited routes for okadas and keke marwa drivers in Ikeja Local Government Area.
1. Lagos Ibadan Expressway (from Lagos Boundary to Lagos and Toll gate)
2. Sheraton Link Bridge
3. Oba Akran Avenue
4. Obafemi Awolowo Way
5. Kudirat Abiola Road
6. Moboloaji Bank- Anthony Road
7. Lateef Jakande Road
8. Nurudeen Olowopopo Drive
9. Otunba Jobi Fele Way
10. Allen Avenue
11. Opebi Road
12. Secretariat Road
13. Mobolaji Johnson Road
14. Osho Street
15. Hakeem Balogun Road
16. IPM Way
17. Ashabi Cole Street
18. Toyin street
19. Entire Ikeja GRA Road Network
20. ACME Road
21. WEMPCO Road
22. Oduduwa Road
23. Isaac John Street
24. Alausa Secretariat Perimeter Road Network
25. Simbiat Abiola Road
26. Kaffi Street
27. Opebi Link Bridge
28. Ikosi Road
29. Adeniyi Jones Avenue
30. Entire Alausa CBO
31. LADIPO Oluwole Avenue
32. ASBFI Road
33. Olowu Street
34. Ola Ayindan Street
35. Unity Road
36. Armoire Avenue
37. Ijaola Street
38. Iyaoloye Crescent
39. Olu Akerele Street
40. Emmanuel Street
41. Odo- Iyalaro Underbridge
42. Olotunbosun Street

ONE DEAD AS POLICE RESCUES GRADUATE FROM ‘ONE CHANCE’ ROBBERS IN OSHODI
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/11/one-dead-as-police-rescues-graduate.html

For the intervention of the operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) attached to the Lagos State Police Command, Mz. Liberty Whitney would have lost all her valuables and certificates to highway robbers also known as ‘one chance’ robbery gang in Oshodi, Lagos Mainland.
However, an unidentified driver who bus was almost snatched by the robbers died following gunshot wounds sustained in the robbery.
Eyes Of Lagos gathered that, According to the Police, the victim, an International relations graduate from Lead City University, Ibadan, was on her way from school at about 9.30pm and boarded an unpainted public bus from Oshodi to Mile 2. She was the only passenger in the vehicle as at the time she boarded.
Minutes after moving, more passengers came on board and the bus was left with two empty seats. On getting to Rainbow bus top along the Oshodi – Apapa expressway, two men boarded the bus and that was when pandemonium struck.
The two men who joined the bus unleashed mayhem on the passengers, the Police said.

The victim receiving her valuables
Narrating the incident, Whitney said: “The bus was slowing down to pick passengers at Cele bus stop when two guys in white native attires, having two guns each and pointing at us while asking that we remained calm and do as we were told.
“While other passengers were screaming and jumping down from the bus, I was held by a man that had joined the bus earlier and unknown to others, was a member of the gang. He pulled me back so I could get robbed.”
Whitney noted that when she made another attempt to jump down, one of the robbers, brandished a gun in her face with the threat of getting shot if she didn’t comply.
“One of them asked me for my phone, bag and money and when I was reluctant, he hit me on my neck-line close to my chest with the butt of the gun with him. I couldn’t breathe well for some minutes. I handed over all I had with me instantly, my traveling bag, polythene bag, laptop, phone, chargers and school certificates.
“I was allowed to jump down from the vehicle. Barely some minutes later, I heard a gunshot then a guy was thrown off the bus. He had been shot by the side. He hung on the back of the bus. I don’t know why he did that though but it was at this point that RRS men chased the vehicle with bikes. The robbers shot several times in the air but the policemen went after them.”

The vehicle involved in the incident
Meanwhile, Eyes Of Lagos learnt that the robbers on getting to Mile 2, Lagos Mainland, hurriedly alighted from the vehicle, abandoning the bus.
The Police however searched the abandoned bus where the victim’s valuables and documents were recovered except for her phone that the robbers took with them.
In addition, the Police said the other victim who was shot and hung by the back of the bus was the driver.
According to the Police, the victim died of gunshot wounds on Thursday, November 23, 2017, after all efforts to revive him at the Critical Care Unit of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja , Lagos Mainland, failed.
Confirming the incident, the Lagos State Police PRO, SP Chike Oti, explained that investigations are ongoing to clamp down on the robbers. He however advised that citizens should not drag valuables with robbers especially when they are armed.
Meanwhile, the case has been transferred to SCID, Panti for further investigations.

COURT ORDERS PUBLISHER TO PAY GOV ORTOM N5M DAMAGES
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/11/court-orders-publisher-to-pay-gov-ortom.html

A Makurdi High Court Judge, Justice Adam Onum has ordered the editor-in-chief of Nigerian Concord Newspapers, Mr Aare Abiodun Oluwarotimi to pay the sum of N5 million to the Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, as damages for libel.
Delivering judgement in the suit filed by the governor, against Mr Oluwarotimi, Justice Onum also ordered the defendant to within 14 days of this judgement retract all the libelous publications in national newspapers, television, radio and social media platforms as well as tender apologies which must be published in the national dailies.
The governor in a suit had demanded for N10 billion for damages.
Eyes Of Lagos gathered that, Speaking with newsmen after the judgement, counsel to the Benue State government, Andrew Wombo, expressed satisfaction with the judgement and pledged that he would take legal steps to enforce it.
He stated that the objective of the case was to prove to the entire world that Mr Oluwarotimi’s publications against the office and person of the governor were false, fabricated and mischievous.
“Although the motive for instituting the case were not for financial benefit he would make sure the defendant pays the money as a deterrent against those bent on publishing falsehood against others.”
Throughout the proceedings of the suit, Mr Oluwarotimi had failed to appear in court and was not represented by any defence counsel.
Court processes were however served on him through substituted means in some national daily newspapers as well as on his Facebook page

PMB’S GOVT HAS EXCEEDED ECONOMIC TARGET – LAI
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/11/pmbs-govt-has-exceeded-economic-target.html

The federal government yesterday said that available statistics, international reports and indices revealed that the present administration has surpassed its economic target.
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who disclosed this at a press conference in Lagos said the various economic recovery and growth plans introduced by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration have not only helped the country to achieve economic stability, but also positioned it on the path of rapid growth.
“I am happy to inform you today that we are winning! Our well-thought-out policy, encapsulated in the Administration’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), launched on April 5th 2017, is working and the results are beginning to show”, he stated.
Flanked by the senior special assistant to the president on Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, Mohammed recalled that in September, the country exited recession, a development that returned Nigeria to the path of growth after five consecutive quarters of contraction.
He reiterated that taking Nigeria out of recession did not happen by accident, adding that it was the culmination of months of hard work by the administration and fidelity to its well-articulated economic policies.
He said, “To show that taking Nigeria out of recession was not a fluke, less than two months later, precisely 31st Oct. 2017, Nigerians got another good news: The country has moved up 24 places, to 145th, in the World Bank’s ‘Doing Business’ report.
“Not only that, for the first time the country is recognized as one of the top 10 most improved economies in the world. This is phenomenal. More importantly, it is the direct result of a well-articulated policy by this Administration”.
Eyes Of Lagos gathered that, According to him, after the establishment of Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) which is chaired by Vice President Yemi, it took a significant step towards making it easier for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to do business in the country.
The minister explained that PEBEC approved a 60-day National Action Plan on the ease of doing business with clear deliverables and timelines for the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) responsible for implementing each line item in the plan.
Mohammed continued: “Remember that MSMEs, which account for almost half of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), play a key role in the Nigerian economy and employ over 80 percent of the country’s labour force. Therefore, we look up to these enterprises to provide the endless possibilities for Nigeria’s economic growth. We know for sure that if the MSMEs blossom, Nigeria’s economy will thrive.
“This is what PEBEC set out to do, and the result is what you are seeing. Lest I forget, we even surpassed our target. We had hoped to move up 20 places. We beat that by four more to move up 24 places.
“As part of the administration’s efforts to improve Nigeria’s tax to GDP ratio, which currently sits at a paltry 6 percent – one of the lowest in the world – the administration has launched what is called the Nigerian Voluntary Asset and Income Declaration Scheme, or VAIDS.
“This provides a time-bound opportunity for taxpayers to regularize their tax status relating to previous tax periods and pay any taxes due. In exchange for fully and honestly declaring previously undisclosed assets and income, taxpayers will benefit from forgiveness of overdue interest and penalties, and the assurance of not facing criminal prosecution for tax offences or tax investigations. As of 31st Oct. 2017, VAIDS has raked in over 200 million Naira and 55 million US dollars”.
He pointed out that for eight consecutive months, headline inflation had been falling, while the foreign exchange reserves are up to $34 billion, from $24 billion a year ago
He also pegged oil production at nearly two million barrels per day, saying it is a significant improvement from 2016 when it was mostly below a million.
The minister noted: “The value of the Naira in the parallel market has appreciated significantly in recent times against the US dollar, and that at about 1.8 billion dollars, the capital inflows in the second quarter of 2017 were almost double the $908 million in the first quarter.
“The bottom line is that as things continue to improve, Nigerians will begin to feel the impact in their daily lives. With the ongoing massive infrastructural development, especially in roads, railways and power, Nigerians will begin to get a new lease on life. Food prices will tumble. Businesses will thrive. More jobs will be created.
“This Administration will not relent in its determined effort to usher in a new dawn for Nigeria. We are winning the battle to revive the economy. We are fighting corruption like never before. We are tackling insecurity with a renewed vigour. While the naysayers, who are obviously in the minority, persist in their pastime of acting as a distraction, discerning and well-meaning Nigerians will continue to appreciate and encourage the good work of our Administration”.
Also speaking, the SSA to the president on Industry, Trade and Investment, Oduwole, said the World Bank and other economic feats recorded this year was as result of concerted efforts by the federal government and stakeholders working in close collaboration with the National Assembly as well as state governments, particularly Lagos and Kano States and private sectors.
She said the reforms carried out by the government to ensure ease of doing business in the country helped to get the nation back to sound economic footing.
The presidential aide added that the Corporate Affairs Commission had simplified some procedures that were making things difficult for SMEs.
“Talk of paying taxes we now have a lot of payment options with many tax payment points very near to the offices, residence. We also have the ability to take e-payment, e-filling and these are parts of the things the Federal Inland Revenue Services is trying to promote more this year,” she said.

SENATE TO INVESTIGATE $1.035BN FRAUD IN POWER MINISTRY
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/11/senate-to-investigate-1035bn-fraud-in.html

The Senate yesterday vowed to investigate a $1.035 billion fraud in the Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing.
This followed a motion on Order 42 of the Senate Rules moved by Senator Dino Melaye (APC Kogi West).
Melaye informed the plenary that the ministry acquired about $1 billion from euro bond, which was issued by the federal government in 2013.
Senate President Bukola Saraki, on hearing the discovery of the alleged fraud, granted Melaye’s prayer to sponsor a substantive motion on the allegation on the next legislative day, being next week Tuesday.
Revealing how the money was gotten, Melaye said that the sum of $350 million was given to IBEX in 2014 by the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
He alleged that the money is being syphoned in installments by officials of the ministry.
He said, “In line with the anti-corruption posture of this chamber, especially now that our cries and observation are yielding evidence as expressly manifested in the case of Babachir Lawal, today, I bring to the attention of this Senate, a monumental fraud in the power sector.
“In July 2013, the federal government raised N1 billion from a Euro bond issue. From the proceeds, the sum of $350 million was given to IBEX in 2014. This money is installmentally stolen”.
The lawmaker further alleged that in 2016, the ministry came up with a project named Fast Power, which was supposed to build new generating plants to add to national power grid.
He said the project failed, as the National Assembly did not approve any expenditure for it.
According to the report gathered by Eyes Of Lagos, Melaye continued: “As I speak to you Mr. President, sometime last year again, the Ministry of Power came up with the project they termed Fast Power. This indigested project is supposed to build new generating plants to add power to our grid.
“There are few questions I need to ask to bring a substantive motion up in another legislative day. Up till date, there are no details to build this new generating plant or feasibility study. There is no appropriation by the National Assembly for this project.
“The ministry has spent $35 million on the affirmed Fast Power project that has no appropriation or no detailed feasibility study. How and when was this money appropriated? Out of this money, $29 million was purportedly paid to General Electric for turbines, while $6 million was paid to others. This amount, amongst others, is a monumental fraud. We need Senate to investigate this after moving a substantive motion”.

WORLD BANK SCORES NIGERIA HIGH ON BUSINESS REFORMS
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/10/world-bank-scores-nigeria-high-on.html

A new World Bank report on doing business in sub-saharan Africa has shown that the region’s economies led by Nigeria, Malawi and Zambia adopted a record number of business reforms in the last one year.
This was reported in the 15th anniversary edition of the World Bank Group’s annual Doing Business report, which monitors the ease of doing business for small and medium enterprises around the world.
According to the report reaching Eyes Of Lagos yesterday, Nigeria “improved access to credit by guaranteeing borrowers the right to inspect their credit data from the credit bureau and also made starting a business faster by allowing electronic stamping of registration documents”.
It noted that Nigeria moved up 24 places to 145th in the World Bank’s Doing Business rating, even as the country, for the first time, is recognised as one of the top 10 most improved economies in the world.
The World Bank’s Doing Business project provides objective measures for business regulations and their enforcement across 190 economies.
The report said the region is well represented in this year’s global top 10 improvers based on reforms undertaken by Nigeria, Malawi and Zambia.
It added that Malawi, which implemented four reforms, made significant improvements in the area of Getting Credit by adopting a new law that sets clear rules related to bankruptcy procedures and by establishing a new credit bureau.
Reforms in Zambia also included the strengthening of access to credit by adopting a new Movable Property Act and by setting up a new collateral registry.
A total of 83 business reforms were carried out in the past year, surpassing the previous year’s record of 80 reforms.
This brings to a total of 798 the number of reforms carried out in the past 15 years in the 48 economies of the region monitored by Doing Business in the report released yesterday.
“Four other economies – Mauritania, Nigeria, Rwanda and Senegal – implemented five reforms each during the past year”, the report said.
It added that Mauritius, the region’s top-ranked economy, carried out four reforms, which included outsourcing the design and construction of sewerage connection works, thus, speeding up the process of obtaining a construction permit and improving processes to facilitate cross border trade.
The World Bank Group pointed to the fact that much of the reform activity in the past year focused on the areas of trading across borders and starting a business, with 15 reforms each, followed by dealing with construction permits, where 14 reforms accounted for 64 per cent of the 22 reforms recorded in this area globally.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has described the phenomenal improvement of Nigeria on the World Bank’s Doing Business latest rankings released yesterday as a welcome development.
Besides moving up 24 places in the rankings, Nigeria is also reported by the World Bank to be among the Top Ten Reformers globally.
In a statement by his special adviser on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, the president congratulated all Nigerians on this very significant step forward, which he said symbolises the real success achieved by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), the National Assembly and state governments in making it easy for people to register their businesses speedily, obtain licenses and approvals from government agencies without unnecessary bureaucratic bottlenecks.
According to President Buhari, “it also reflects our efforts to make it easy for foreign business visitors to obtain visa on arrival, pass through our airports and do their businesses with ease and speed”.
Buhari commended PEDEC chaired by Vice President Yemi
Osinbajo for a job well done, stressing that he was looking forward to even greater achievements for the nation.
Reacting to the development, Vice President Osinbajo said, “I welcome Nigeria’s improved performance. We are one of the top ten reforming economies in the world in 2017. After a decade-long decline in Nigeria’s rankings, last year the Government recorded a modest increase. This year, Mr President set us an ambitious target of moving up twenty places in the rankings – I am delighted that we have exceeded his goal.”
A statement by spokesman of the vice president, Laolu Akande, noted that the World Bank highlighted five reforms making it easier to do business in Kano and Lagos, the two cities covered by the report.
AfDB Backs Nation’s Recovery Plan
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has commended the federal government’s Economic and Growth Recovery Plan (EGRP).
In a statement posted on its website yesterday, the bank also refuted media report that it has cancelled a loan of $400 million to Nigeria.
Denying the report that it had cancelled the $400 million loan to Nigeria, it stated its continuous support for the federal government’s economic recovery efforts.
Reuters news agency had reported that the bank called off negotiations for a loan to Nigeria that was meant to help government fund its budget.
The report quoted the Bank’s Vice-President for Power, Energy, Climate Change & Green Growth, Amadou Hott, as making the disclosure on Monday in an interview during a Nordic-African business conference in Oslo, Norway.
According to the statement, in November 2016, the Board of the AfDB approved a 600 million dollars loan to support Nigeria’s efforts to cope with macro-economic and fiscal shocks that arose from the massive decline in price of crude oil.
It noted: “An additional 400 million dollars in support could be considered, if requested and approved by the Board, as part of a larger coordinated effort with other development partners, including the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
“The African Development Bank wishes to categorically refute the statement that it has “called off loans to Nigeria”, as reported in Reuters and credited to AfDB Vice-President for Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth Amadou
“The AfDB is highly encouraged by the economic recovery of Nigeria from recession and salutes the government’s efforts towards diversification of the economy.
“The Bank also strongly supports the Economic and Growth Recovery Plan of the government and efforts to stem corruption and strengthen fiscal consolidation and efficiency.
“The Bank assures the Nigerian Government of its full support for its continued reforms to diversify the economy and boost economic growth and development’’.

BUHARI- WHY ECOWAS SINGLE CURRENCY IS NOT FEASIBLE NOW
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/10/buhari-why-ecowas-single-currency-is.html

President Muhamadu Buhari yesterday in Niamey, Niger, urged ECOWAS member countries to tread carefully in pushing for a single currency in the sub-region by 2020, drawing attention to the challenges faced by the European Union in realising the same goal.
Eyes Of Lagos gathered that, According to a statement by his Special Adviser media, Femi Adesina, In his speech at the 4th Meeting of the Presidential Task Force on the ECOWAS Currency Programme, President Buhari said the necessary economic fundamentals among countries continue to differ over the years, making it more difficult to pull through with the project by 2020.
“Nigeria advises that we proceed cautiously with the integration agenda, taking into consideration the above concerns and the lessons currently unfolding in the European Union. To that end, Nigeria will caution against any position that pushes for a fast-track approach to monetary union, while neglecting fundamentals and other pertinent issues,’’ he said.
President Buhari noted that some of the obstacles to realising the roadmap for the implementation of a single currency include diverse and uncertain macro – economic fundamentals of many countries, unrealistic inflation targeting based on flexible exchange rate regime and inconsistency with the African Monetary Co-operation Programme.
The President said domestic issues in ECOWAS member countries relating to their constitutions and dependence on aids continue to affect the framework for implementing the single currency in the sub-region
He said “although the ECOWAS Commission has anchored its pursuit of the new impetus to monetary integration on “the information presented to the Heads of State which were the basis for their recommendations”, we are concerned that we have not properly articulated and analyzed a comprehensive picture of the state of preparedness of individual countries for monetary integration in ECOWAS by 2020.
“In previous meetings, we had specifically raised observations on the state of preparedness of the member states, the credibility of the union if anchored on watered down criteria, and the continuing disparities between macroeconomic conditions in ECOWAS countries, amongst others. And I would like to reiterate this concerns.’’
The President told the Heads of State that the conditions that pushed Nigeria into withdrawing from the process in the past had not changed.
“Nigeria had earlier withdrawn from the process because its key questions and concerns were ignored and till date, none of the issues has come up as an agenda issue to be considered by the Taskforce. Consequently, the Roadmap which did not involve widespread consultation with national stakeholders is not sufficiently inclusive,’’ he added.
Going forward with the project, President Buhari suggested a thorough review of the convergence roadmap and the constitution of an expert committee on each of the subject areas to come up with acceptable time frame, defined cost and funding sources identified.
“This should also consider stakeholders such as the Ministries of Finance, Customs, Parliamentary groups, Tax Authorities, Immigration authorities to achieve comprehensiveness,’’ he said.
The President said there should be a push towards ratification and domestication of legal instruments and related protocols, while fiscal, trade and monetary policies and statistical systems, which had not gone far, could be harmonized.
President Buhari noted that the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) countries should make a presentation on a clear roadmap towards delinking from the French Treasury.
He also advised an examination of the African Union position on the same issue, which the African Central Bank Governors, in line with the African Union programme of monetary convergence, recommended a convergence deadline of 2034 for the establishment of Regional Central Banks in all sub-regions.
In his remarks, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Marcel Alain de Souza, said the single currency for the West African sub-region was a laudable and historical project, but regretted that it had taken too long to be actualized.
The President said the creation of a Central Bank for the West Coast would accelerate the process.
He noted that Nigeria constitutes more than 70 percent of the GDP of the West African region, with a population of 180 million, and would play a significant role in facilitating the process of realising a single currency for the sub-regio

VICE PRESIDENT OSINBAJO - NIGERIA STILL SUFFERING FROM MALABU SCANDAL
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/10/vice-president-osinbajo-nigeria-still.html

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said yesterday that Nigeria is still suffering from the consequences of the lack of transparency in the award of OPL 245 to Malabu Oil and Gas Ltd in 1998.
Osinbajo spoke in Jakarta, Indonesia, yesterday at a conference on beneficial ownership organised by the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI).
Eyes Of Lagos recalls that the Malabu oil scam, which had been making the headlines for years, is one of the biggest corruption scandals ever witnessed in the global oil industry.
The controversial $1.3 billion deal revolves around “OPL 245”, which is believed to be the most valuable oil field in West Africa.
The scam is being investigated in Nigeria, Italy and Netherlands due to the involvement of oil giants Shell and ENI.
The oil block, which is said to have about 9 billion barrels of crude oil, was sold to Shell and ENI for $1.3 billion in 2011.
The money was then allegedly shared to various public officials in Nigeria as bribes, while the government only got the sum of $210m USD as signature bonus on OPL 245.
According to Osinbajo, the scam had been and is still subject of criminal and civil proceedings in many parts of the world involving huge legal costs.
Osinbajo said, “Nigeria is still grappling with the negative consequences of the use of opacity by senior members of government and their cronies between 1993 and 1998 awarding themselves juicy contracts in the extractive industry.
“One of such incidents involving a company called Malabu Oil and Gas has been and is still subject of criminal and civil proceedings in many parts of the world involving huge legal costs while the full benefit of the natural resource remains unexploited for the benefit of the people of Nigeria to which it belongs”.
Osinbajo added that hidden corporate ownership poses “real and present danger” to most countries, especially the developing ones such as Nigeria.
He said anonymous companies are not always illegal or are not always designed to harm.
The vice president, however, said secrecy provides a convenient cover for the criminal and the corrupt, adding that “we are not just operating from the theoretical or hypothetical standpoint”.
He continued: “Yes, experience has shown clearly that anonymous corporate ownership could serve as vehicles for masking conflicts of interest, corruption, tax evasion, money laundering, and even terrorism financing.
“But this is not just a developing world’s problem. We live in a more inter-connected world, and anonymous companies have footprints and tentacles that do not respect the developed/developing divide.
“Even when the degree of exposure may differ, everyone in today’ world is at risk of the dangers posed by anonymous corporate ownership. If nothing else, the Panama Papers clearly illustrated the global scale and spread of this problem. So this is a global challenge and nothing less than a truly global approach will be needed to tackle it”.

LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT DEMOLISH SHOPS AND HOUSES AT ADURA ALAGBADO LAGOS
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/10/lagos-state-government-demolishes-shops.html

Lagos State government demolish shops and houses at adura alagbado Lagos, According to the reports gathered by Eyes Of Lagos, A shop owner narrated to us that they were just notified yesterday that the place will be demolished today.. Lot of properties and valuables were destroyed .. Demolition still ongoing.


watch video : https://www.instagram.com/p/BadtJvnDSzT/?taken-by=eyesoflagos


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1bHv1We_dU

cc: lalasticalala, mynd44

FEAR OF EPIDEMIC BREAKOUT GRIPS MUSHIN RESIDENTS AS WASTE COLLECTORS ABANDON COMMUNITY
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/10/fear-of-epidemic-breakout-grips-mushin.html

Residents of Mushin community, Lagos Mainland, are currently gripped by fear of an impending epidemic breakout following the continuous neglect of the area by waste collectors attached to the Lagos State Waste Management Agency (LAWMA).
According to a resident, Lincoln Bamidele, the waste management agency has completely abandoned its duties in the area.
Bamisile in a note sent to Eyes Of Lagos stated that LAWMA has failed to evacuate waste in the area for more than three weeks.
According to the resident, the areas affected the Lagos University Teaching Hospital in Idi Araba, Ishaga Close, Itire Road off Isolo Road and Ilasamaja.
“The dangerous aspect of the situation is the fact that there are hundreds of schools within this vicinity and locations, which will definitely sooner or later affect the health of the thousands of school children,” he said.
Meanwhile, Bamisile who appealed to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to intervene in the situation stated that “I need not overstate the repercussions and it does not seem to have any hope of getting any attention anytime soon.

SENATE ORDERS UNFREEZING OF PATIENCE JONATHAN’S ACCOUNTS
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/10/senate-orders-unfreezing-of-patience.html

Despite assurances and pledges Senate had made in the past to support the ongoing fight against corruption in the country, senate committee investigating the petitions against the freezing of the accounts of the former first lady, Patience Jonathan has directed that they should be unfreeze.
The Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions committee after subjecting the management of four different banks where the first lady had accounts, directed that those accounts not encumbered by any legal process be reopened.
Committee chairman, Senator Sam Anyanwu stated that some of the accounts were frozen based on some administrative lapses.
Eyes Of Lagos gathered that, He said the accounts with the banks which were frozen with court order and in which such order has been vacated by other courts, must be re-opened, the committee insisted.
The committee members were particularly displeased with what they called arbitrary manner in which the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) used the banks to close the accounts without complying with due process of law.
After listening to the committee, bank executives present informed the committee that the court order vacating the earlier ones relied upon by the EFCC to close the accounts was not made available to them.
Accordingly they promised to re-open those accounts having been made known of the vacation order.
The committee expressed shock that the banks could rely on ordinary letter by the EFCC anticipating a favourable ruling to freeze customers’ account.
The Senate on Monday, December 14, 2016 pledged its support for the ongoing fight against corruption in Nigeria. Chairman Senate Committee on Anti-corruption and Financial Crimes, Senator Chukwuka Utazi made the pledge when the committee received the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu.

IPOB: KANU’S KINSMAN APPROACHES COURT FOR REPATRIATION ORDER
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/10/ipob-kanus-kinsman-approaches-court-for.html

Justice John Tsoho of Federal High Court has been asked to order the British High commission and the NigerianImmigration Service to arrest and repatriate Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from the United Kingdom back to Nigeria to face trial.
In a suit dated 4th October and filed on the 5th by Kanu’s kinsman, Ugochukwu Kenneth, through his lawyers,Obor John, Esq and Tersagh Unande, Esq, also asked the court foran order directing the Attorney-General of the Federation to advise PresidentMohammadu Buhari to declare the British High Commission as persona non grata for her complicity in facilitating and harbouring a fugitive from justice in her territory being the United Kingdom.
Joined in the case with ‎suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/9300/17 are the British High Commission, the Comptroller, Nigerian Immigration Service and the Attorney-General of the Federation.
Eyes Of Lagos gathered that, The case has been assigned to Justice Tsoho and will be coming up on October 12, 2017.
In the suit, the plaintiff asked the court to determine whether by a true interpretation of Sections 1, 4 and 5 of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2013 the 1st and 2nd Defendants have not abdicated their duties by failing, neglecting or omitting to prevent and arrest the IPOB separatist leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who is standing trial for treason and terrorism in Nigeria from illegally travelling to the United Kingdom?
He also asked the court to determine whether the British High Commission is not under obligation to repatriate Mazi Nnamdi Kanu –a fugitive from justice irrespective of him holding dual nationalism of Nigeria and the United Kingdom, back to Nigeria to stand trial for the offences of treason and terrorism pursuant to the provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2013 and the United Nations Convention on Terrorism?
Theplaintiff prayed the court for the following reliefs:
A declaration that by a true interpretation of Sections 1, 4 and 5 of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2013 and Section 2 (1) of the Immigration Act 2015 the 1st and 2nd Defendants have abdicated their duties by failing, neglecting or omitting to prevent and arrest the IPOB separatist leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who is standing trial for treason in Nigeria from illegally travelling to the United Kingdom and remaining as a fugitive from justice in the United Kingdom.
A declaration that the British High Commission is under obligation to repatriate Mazi Nnamdi Kanu-a fugitive from justice, irrespective of him holding dual nationalism of Nigeria and the United Kingdom, back to Nigeria to stand trial for the offences of treason and terrorism pursuant to the provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act 2013 and the United Nations Convention on Terrorism.
He also prayed the court for an order compelling the 1st and 2nd Defendants to arrest and repatriate Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from the United Kingdom back to Nigeria to stand his trial.
He prayed the court to make an order compe the 3rd Defendant to advise the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to declare the British High Commission as persona non grata for her complicity in facilitating and harbouring a fugitive from justice in her territory being the United Kingdom.
In the affidavit in support of the suit, deposed to, by the plaintiff, he said, “That consequent upon the above condition, Senator Enyinnaya Harcourt Abaribe, the Senator representing the good people of Abia South Senatorial District of Abia State, Tochukwu Uchendu and Jewish Chief High Priest Immanuel –El Shalom Oka-Ben Madu perfected the bail bond which facilitated the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“That upon the perfection of the bail and consequent released of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from prison custody, Mazi Kanu has to the best of my knowledge breached all the bail conditions to wit; granting press interviews while on bail, participating in any rally, or being found in a crowd of more than ten persons in the course of the bail and to make matters worse, Mazi Kanu has finally travelled to the United Kingdom in an attempt to escape trial and the arm of the law.
“That I know as a fact that if Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who has travelled to the United Kingdom in an attempt to escape justice, fails to appear in Court on the next adjourned date being 17th October, 2017 the freedom of the Senator representing my District and other co-sureties will be in jeopardy.
“That consequent upon the above, if Senator Abaribe who is my representative is finally arrested as required by law, myself and the good people of Abia South Senatorial District will be denied representation at the Senate and by extension the dividends of democracy.
“That I know as a fact that the illegal disappearance of Mazi Kanu from the shores of Nigeria to the United Kingdom would not be possible, if not for gross display of negligence on the part of the 2nd Defendant as well as complacency of the 1st Defendant who aided the illegal travel of Mazi Kanu considering the fact that he holds citizenship of the 1st Defendant”.

JAYBAZ FT GBFAMOUS - MEDICINE (OLAMIDE + PHYNO + REMINISCE) DISS
source ; http://mpjamz.com/s/18762be84

Sensational Lagos based rapper Jaybaz drop this hot trending jam featuring famous producer Gbfamous calling out Olamide and Phyno and Reminisce .. This one is titled Medicine (Olamide + phyno + reminise ) Diss .... we think hush puppy sponsored this project you need to download it .. Disturbing


cc: lalasticalala , seun , Mynd44

FG, NLC CONDEMN MOVES TO EXEMPT PARAMILITARY AGENCIES FROM NEW PENSION SCHEME
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/10/fg-nlc-condemn-moves-to-exempt.html

The federal government, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), among others, have opposed the bill sponsored by Hon. Oluwole Oke, seeking the exit of paramilitary agencies from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
They made their position known at the public hearing on the bill, in Abuja, after it had earlier gone through the second reading in the House of Representatives. The federal government represented by the acting Secretary General of Federation(SGF), Dr. Habibat Lawan, said passage of the bill would means that government would be taken care of the pension contributions of the paramilitary agencies.
Eyes Of Lagos gathered that, This, he said, would create further financial burden on the Federal government, who is still struggling to offset its huge pension liabilities, saying, the depleting government revenue sources will not allow FG takes over that responsibility. She called on the National Assembly to reject the bill, as it will destabilise the entire fiscal and financial system of the economy.
In the same vein, the President, NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said though, the bill is good on the surface, but in reality, it will collapse the pension system. Stating that the labour did not support the move, he noted that most of the agitations of the bill has been taken care of in the Pension Reforms Act(PRA2014), saying, it would amount to futility the activities of the promoters of the new scheme, if this bill is passed into law.
Believing the scheme can be tinkered with to accommodate most concerns raised, he said any amendment now would be too soon, three years after the Pension Reforms Act was amended.
According to him, “Pensioners are satisfied with the current arrangement which gives security to the fund. The Pension Fund Administrators (PFA) don’t have access to the money. It is kept with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and this gives security to the fund. To make the scheme works better, government must do enough to remit as and when due to ensure smooth and effective CPS.”
Exiting the paramilitary agencies from the CPS, he said, will only add to the financial burden of the federal government who is still struggling to offset its huge liabilities.
Exiting these people will mean taking them back to the old scheme riddled with embezzlement and financial malpractices, he stressed. He, however, urged the government to revisit the gratuity issues to ensure that retirees get their gratuities earlier before their pension entitlement is ready for access.
Earlier, the Inspector General of Police(IGP), Ibrahim Idris, represented by Mr. David Bodo, disclosed that police still wants to remain in the CPS, even as he felt the welfare of the Paramilitary is best taken care of under the new pension scheme.
The director, Centre for Pension Right Advocacy, Dr. Ivor Takor , said passage of such bill will make other agencies to be calling for exit from the scheme, adding that, this would eventually spelt doom for the pension industry.
Speaking on another bill seeking to alter section 7 of the Pension Reform Act (PRA) 2014, to raise pension benefits for those disengaged from work and were unable to secure another job within four months of disengagement, from 25 per cent to 50 per cent of the contributions in their Retirement Saving Account (RSA), the Acting Director General, National Pension Commission(PenCom), Mrs. Aisha Dahir-Umar, said this would affect the monthly pension entitlement of contributors at retirement, as they will have little to get, since they have already taken 50 per cent from it earlier.

CYBER ATTACKS: NIGERIA JUMPS TO 9 SPOT AS BANKING TROJANS WRECK HAVOC
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/10/cyber-attacks-nigeria-jumps-to-9-spot.html

Nigeria remains amongst the top ten countries at highest risk of cyberattack, currently sitting at number nine on the list after having climbed one position from last month according to Check Point Software Technologies Ltd August Global Threat Impact Index released at the weekend.
It revealed that banking trojans were extensively used by cyber-criminals during August, with three variants: The Zeus, Ramnit and Trickbot banking trojans all appeared in the top ten. These Trojans work by identifying when the victim is visiting a banking website, and then use keylogging or webinjects to harvest basic login credentials or more sensitive information such as PIN numbers.
Alternatively, Trojans may also direct victims to fake banking websites designed to mimic the legitimate ones and steal credentials that way. The August Global Threat Impact Index also revealed that Globeimposter, a ransomware disguised as a variant of the Globe ransomware, was the world’s second most prevalent malware throughout the month.
In Nigeria, the study discovered that Roughted, a large scale Malvertising was used to deliver various malicious websites and payloads such as scams, adware, exploit kits and ransomware to attack any type of platform and operating system, and utilises ad-blocker, bypassing and fingerprinting in order to make sure it delivers the most relevant attack.
On the second spot was Virut, one of the major botnets and malware distributors in the Internet. It is used in DDoS attacks, spam distribution, data theft and fraud. The malware is spread through executables originating from infected devices such as USB sticks as well as compromised websites and attempts to infect any file accesses with the extensions .exe or .scr. Virut alters the local host files and opens a backdoor by joining an IRC channel controlled by a remote attacker.
Also, it found out Fireball, adware vastly distributed by the Chinese digital marketing company Rafotech acts as a browser-hijacker which changes the default search engine and installs tracking pixels, but can be turned into a full-functioning malware downloader. Fireball is capable of executing any code on the victim machines, resulting in a wide range of actions from stealing credentials to dropping additional malware.
Financial gain is the major motive for the vast majority of cybercrime, and unfortunately criminals have a wide range of tools at their disposal to achieve this,” said Doros Hadjizenonos, country manager of Check Point South Africa.
. “To see both a highly effective ransomware variant and a range of banking Trojans in the top ten most prevalent malware families really underlines how tenacious and sophisticated malicious hackers can be in their attempts to extort money. Organisations need to be both vigilant and proactive in order to protect their networks.”
“It’s vital for organisations to be alert to these shifting threats, to simultaneously keep their defenses up against well-known malware families, new variants and new zero-day threats. This requires a multi-layered cybersecurity strategy, which can respond to a broad range of continually evolving attack types,” added Hadjizenonos.

Still basking in the euphoria of his critically acclaimed debut single ‘Worry Dem’. The D’baron Gotti Entertainment music act BODE BLAQ drops his sophomore single ‘PARTY ANIMAL’

The song was produced by Hi-pitch as BODE BLAQ unleashes the party animal in him on this top notch banger.

Be warned!! Downloading will unleash the PARTY ANIMAL in you.

Download & listen here : http://mpjamz.com/s/2d9f87b20

Follow bode blaq on social media :
Twitter / IG : @iambodeblaq

NAIRA DEPRECIATES MARGINALLY AGAINST DOLLAR
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/09/naira-depreciates-marginally-against.html


The Naira on Thursday depreciated marginally against the dollar at the parallel market, exchanging at N365.5 to the dollar.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Nigerian currency lost 50 kobo from N365 posted on Wednesday, while the Pound Sterling and the Euro closed at N487 and N436.
At the Bureau De Change (BDC) window, the Naira traded at N362 to the dollar, while the Pound Sterling and the Euro closed at N487 and N436.
Trading at the investors’ window saw the Nigerian currency closing at N360.33 to the dollar.
Traders said high demand for the Naira led to its slight depreciation at the market.
The Naira remained stable for more than five months, exchanging at N365 to the dollar.
The rise in the nation’s external reserve made the CBN comfortable in its aggressive interventions at the foreign exchange market.

PDP SUSPENDS UBAH, SENDS KASHAMU TO DISCIPLINARY C’TTEE
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/09/pdp-suspends-ubah-sends-kashamu-to.html

The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday wielded the big stick against the Senator representing Ogun East, Buruji Kashamu and one of its aspirants in the Anambra State governorship election, Ifeanyi Ubah, over alleged acts of indiscipline.
The national publicity secretary of PDP, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, said the party suspended Ubah for one month for his refusal to reply a query over disparaging comments he was said to have made against the party’s leadership.
Eyes Of Lagos gathered that, He added that the party further referred Ubah’s case to its disciplinary committee headed by Chief Tom Ikimi for further action.
In the case of Kashamu, Adeyeye said the senator was only sent to the disciplinary committee, noting that he had replied a query where he denied some allegations of indiscipline leveled against him.
The party’s spokesman however
said the disciplinary committee is expected to submit their findings to the party leadership within two weeks.
Miffed by the outcome of the PDP primaries in Anambra State, Ubah had lambasted the party and threatened to go to court. Kashamu, on the other hand had rejected the outcome of the party convention which dissolved the leadership of the party in Ogun State and the South west.
Adeyeye said, “This week we had some disciplinary issues regarding the issue of Anambra governorship primaries, in which one of the aspirants had launched a major attack against the leadership of the party in the media. I’m talking of Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah who has not been satisfied with the decision of the Governorship Appeal Panel, and decided to launch a rhetoric attack on the leadership of the party and those who were involved in the conduct of the primary.
“The National Caretaker Committee took a decision to issue him a query, asking him to retract the statement and to offer apology to those who have been disparaged by his remarks in the press.”
“He chose not to answer the query. Of course the query was issued under the relevant sections of the Constitution of the PDP. But he decided not to answer the query; consequent upon which the National Caretaker Committee today decided to suspend him for a period of one month and to refer the matter the National Disciplinary Committee for further necessary action.”

NIGERIAN BUSINESS LEADERS RECEIVE U.S. CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/09/nigerian-business-leaders-receive-us.html


Chairman of Oriental Energy Resources, Mohammed Indimi, President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, Chairman of Heir Holdings, Tony Elumelu, Stanel Group Chief Executive Officer, Stanley Uzochukwu, and other top Nigerian business leaders on Wednesday received an eight-member Congressional delegation from the United States at the U.S. Consulate General’s resident in Lagos

RESIDENT DOCTORS BEGIN NATIONWIDE STRIKE MONDAY
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/09/resident-doctors-begin-nationwide.html


Eyes Of Lagos gathered that, The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARDs) has threatened to embark on an indefinite nationwide strike, beginning from Monday, to protest non-payment of their salaries.
The president of NARDs, Dr Olusegun Olaopa of University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan, who disclosed this in a statement he issued yesterday, said the resident doctors have decided to commence an indefinite industrial action on Monday to press home their demands.
According to him, the action is sequel to a statement signed by John Onyebueze and Aneke Emmanuel, national president and secretary of NARDs, respectively.
The statement said that it was resolved at the NEC meeting of NARDs held in Abuja on August 26 to embark on the strike.
It noted: “Neither the Federal nor State governments has shown commitment to the resolution of issues at stake nor honoured previous agreements. Consequent upon this, the association resolved to proceed on a total indefinite industrial action from Monday, September 4, 2017, until all these issues are permanently resolved.
“Nationwide pre-strike protests against this injustice are to hold in all our branches and states of the federation on August 30, 2017. All heads of tertiary health institutions who have received funding for payments to our members should be directed to pay same immediately.”
NARDs members are demanding for the resolution of persistent shortfalls and unpaid arrears of salaries earned in both federal and state tertiary health institutions.
Other issues are the enrolment of resident doctors into the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) since 2003 and non-implementation of adjusted House Officers’ Entry grade level equivalent since 2014.
The resident doctors are also asking for the resolution of issues around their stagnation of promotion and non-promotion of members who have met requisite criteria despite all collective bargaining agreements and circulars.
Resident doctors in UCH had on January 6, 2017 embarked on a one-day protest rally over non-payment of their November and December 2016 salaries.

POLICE DEBUNKS CLAIM OF KIDNAP OF EXPATRIATE BY BADOO MEMBERS
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/08/police-debunks-claim-of-kidnap-of.html

The Lagos State Police Commissioner, Fatai Owoseni, yesterday, Wednesday, August 30, 2017, debunked the viral reports that an expatriate was allegedly kidnapped by men reportedly belonging to the dreaded ritualist gang, Badoo in Ikorodu.
Speaking on the incident, Owoseni said the command had not recorded any such incident of an ‘American expatriate’, either kidnapped or attacked, in Ikorodu axis of the state.
Recall that news surfaced online that an unidentified suspected member of the dreaded cult group, Badoo, allegedly attacked an expatriate who boarded his taxi from the Lagos airport.
The expatriate was reportedly picked from the airport by the cultist who is reportedly a cab driver.
The Badoo member then reportedly proceeded to take the foreigner home, where he then allegedly used a cutlass to attack the victim who, however, survived.
The video of the alleged incident was posted online by a Facebook user.
Meanwhile, Owoseni said the command had conducted wide search in all police divisions in Lagos and Ikorodu and had no record of such incident, Premium Times reports.
The commissioner advised that residents should be careful with contents shared on social media. He also maintained that such video might have been put up to create mischief, adding that the social media is not the only avenue where crimes could be reported.
“Sometimes, people just ascribe names of places to where incidents happen. From the voices that followed that (video), Yoruba language was being spoken… languages that appear Edo are (also) being spoken,” he said.
“We want to appeal to the general public not to do anything that will disparage the country and make it appear as if it is not safe.
“When they see such incident, they should report to the appropriate quarters,” he said.

NAIRA CLOSES AT N362 AS CENTRAL BANK INJECTS $547M IN ONE WEEK
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/08/naira-closes-at-n362-as-central-bank.html

The Central Bank of Nigeria on Thursday raised the total intervention for the week to 547 million dollars as against 195 million dollars offered the previous week.
The CBN spokesman, Mr Isaac Okorafor, in a statement in Abuja, said that the intervention would uplift the Naira exchange rate, boost liquidity in the forex market and ensure timely execution and settlement of eligible transactions.
Okorafor, also expressed confidence that the interventions would continue to guarantee stability in the market and ensure availability to individuals and business concerns with genuine demand for Forex transactions.
Meanwhile, the Naira on Thursday closed at N362 to a dollar as supply by CBN improves. This is a far improvement over the N370 it was selling earlier in the week.
Also, the Pound Sterling and the Euro have maintained their strength against the Naira, exchanging at N462 and N428 respectively.

I INHERITED OVER N220BN DEBT – AKEREDOLU
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/08/i-inherited-over-n220bn-debt-akeredolu.html

Eyes Of Lagos gathered that , The Ondo State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, on Wednesday said he met a staggering debt of N220,588,125,731.00 when he assumed office in February 2017, saying the economic situation of the state was also in bad shape.
Despite the economic condition, the governor said, his administration had designed some ways to boost the Internally Generated Revenue, which he said would soon yield positive results.
Akeredolu stated this at the swearing-in ceremony of new commissioners and special advisers held at the International Event Centre in Akure, Ondo State.
He declared that with the current state of the state’s economy, there would be no room for waste, reiterating that he would not borrow to pay workers salary; and that if there was any need to borrow, he would only borrow to execute capital projects.
He said, “With a total inherited debt of over N220bn, it should not be difficult for anyone to know that the government’s capacity for seeming elastic adjustment to cater for the people has been stretched to its limit.
“There is no gain asserting the obvious; our administration is not in any position for frivolities. All of us must gird our loins for the great task ahead.
“The picture is not good. Therefore, all acts with the potential of pushing us deeper into economic crisis must be jettisoned. We earnestly promise to provide the needed leadership.”
While swearing in the new commissioners, the governor said they (new commissioners) were capable hands who would assist him in moving the state forward, admonishing them to shun all acts of corruption.
The newly sworn-in commissioners are: Mr. Toafiq Abdulsalam, Rasheed Badmus, Solagbade Amodeni, Adegboyega Adefarati, Saka Yusuf Ogunleye, and Mrs. Omowumi Olatunji-Edet.
Others are, Mr. Donald Ojogo, Yemi Olowolabi, Dr. Wahab Adegbenro, Funso Esan, Wale Akinterinwa and Pastor Emmanuel Igbasan.
Also in the list are, Alhaji Olurimisi Ismaila, Femi Agagu, Prof. Bayonle Ademodi, Lola Fagbemi, Timilehin Adelegbe and Kola Olawoye.

45 YEARS AFTER, FG MOVES TO COMPLETE MAMBILLA ELECTRICITY PROJECT
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/08/45-years-after-fg-moves-to-complete.html


45 years after Nigeria began talks about its take off, precisely in 1972, the federal government yesterday approved 5.792 billion dollars (N1.140trillion) for the construction of the 3,050 megawatts Mambilla Hydro-Power project at Gembu, Taraba State.
The approval was made at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, gave the hint while briefing State House correspondents alongside the minister of Labour and Employment and their Sports counterpart.
Eyes Of Lagos gathered that, He said, “The memorandum from the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing was to the award of the Mambilla Hydro-Power plant. I believe that many of you have heard of this project.
“Several efforts had been made to bring it to reality but I’m happy to announce that this government approved the contract today to joint ventures of Chinese Civil and Engineering company for the engineering and turn-key contract, including civil and electro-mechanical works for 5.792 billion dollars. The construction should take about 72 months (6 years)”.
Noting that the scope of work of the project will include the construction of four dams and 700 kilometres of transmission lines, the minister said the project, when completed, will boost the nation’s economy.
He added that it will also unleash the potential that had been reported about Mambilla in the fields of agriculture, tourism and energy.
“It will also help Nigeria strike a very big blow on the climate change issue and fulfill its commitment under the Paris Agreement, because this is going to be renewable energy, coming also at a relatively competitive cost”, he stated.
Fashola said, while the project will be jointly financed by the federal government and the China Export Import (EXIM) Bank, EXIM bank will provide 85 per cent of the cost and the federal government will provide 15 per cent.
On his part, Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, disclosed that FEC approved Boiler and Pressure Vessel Regulation to ensure industrial safety in the country.
According to him, the approval was in line with international best practices to safeguard lives and property in the industrial sector of the nation’s economy.
Also speaking, Sports Minister, Mr Solomon Dalung, said he presented to FEC the AfroBasket women champions, who after 12 years, won the championship in Mali on Sunday.
He said, “When they were presented to the ministry yesterday, we sought the approval of Mr President which he graciously approved to receive them today and indeed they were received in council and having emerged as champions, they are qualified for the competition in Spain in 2019.
“Although we have athletes who had competed in other sports and had won laurels for the country, we felt it was economical to present the basketball team which was handy on ground in view of the fact that if you look at the component of players, they were mixed with national players and foreign based.
“So, we got the opportunity handy and had received them and for those we have not been able to do, we will still do it at the appropriate time, knowing too well that this government is always committed to receiving and honouring our athletes whenever they make the country proud”.

VIDEO: POLICE OFFICERS ALLEGEDLY ASSAULT MAN FOR OVERTAKING THEIR VAN IN LAGOS
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/08/video-police-officers-allegedly-assault.html


IG user, @emiraltyafrica, shared a video on their page showing a man who was being manhandled by police officers for allegedly overtaking their van in Lagos. The caption on the video reads;
"This just happened now at Ojota area of Lagos. Armed police men assaults a road user, for attempting to take their pictures after he was slapped for overtaking police car on the toll-gate/ojota highway. Please repost till this gets to necessary authorities.".

Watch the video below:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BYWLg17hCVF/?taken-by=emiraltyafrica