₦airaland Forum

ABUJA—As Nigerians expect quick recovery of the country from the economic recession, it is also expected that the Federal Government would drive the recovery plan by blocking all leakages in the nation’s budget implementation.

But this seems not to be in the plans of the Minister of Information and Culture, which has proposed to spend N661,006,782 million on travelling and transportation, refreshment and miscellaneous in the 2017 fiscal year.

The amount is part of the N49,464,302,080billion allocated to the ministry from the N7.3 trillion appropriation bill for 2017currently before the National Assembly.

A breakdown of the amount showed that the sum of N273,706,901m is allocated to travelling and transportation, N347, 299,681 to miscellaneous, whereas N40m will be spent on refreshment in the fiscal year.

Vanguard checks showed that the sum of N50m will be spent on scanning and keeping of official records.

Our findings showed that from the total allocation, only N8,380,248,826 will be spent on capital projects, while N41,084,053,254 is for recurrent expenditure of the ministry.

Other areas expected to take the chunk of the allocation of the ministry include, grassroots publicity and enlightenment campaign on government policies and programmes, which has another N409,240,600, while N100m will be spent on interaction with stakeholders.

The ministry also in the year in view is expected to spend N192,863,901 on publicity and advertisement and another N270 million for hosting of town hall meetings across the country.

Also for the year, N97.2 million has been earmarked for procurement of motor vehicles for the ministry, while another N50m is allocated to the annual Abuja Carnival and National Creativity week in 2017.

Similarly, the sum of N88m, will go into operation and maintenance of cultural centres abroad in China and Brazil.

For welfare and sporting activities, the ministry is to spend N69,140,907 and N12,909,380 respectively for the year in view.

Part of the capital projects contained in the budget include acquisition of tangible assets which got N447,554,559m from the capital allocation.

This is in addition to N88,995,701 proposed for maintenance services by the ministry.

However, N29, 311,283 and N35,476,295 were earmarked for office rent and other maintenance services in the ministry.

A former governor of Abia State, Orji Kalu, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari and the entire Nigerian political class to stop the use of bulletproof cars whether in or out of office.

Kalu urged Buhari, state governors and other government functionaries to use the money for posh bulletproof cars to provide electricity and other basic amenities for the masses.

The former governor spoke in Owerri, the Imo State capital, on Tuesday, at the inauguration of a Catholic church building built by a former Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory, Chuka Odom, at his Okwu community in the Ikeduru Local Government Area of the state.

Kalu said as the governor of Abia State for eight years, he never used bulletproof cars because there was no reason for that.

He said, “As the governor of Abia State, I never used bulletproof cars. Even up till now, I am not using bullet proof cars. I made use of buses as governor and I am still using buses up till now.

“I don’t believe anybody can kill me except God. Instead of spending huge money on buying expensive bulletproof cars, governors should use the money and provide electricity for their people.”

In his speech, a former governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim, stated that irrespective of political party affiliation, all Nigerians must support Buhari to succeed, maintaining that if the President failed, everybody had failed.

The Catholic Archbishop of Owerri Catholic Archdiocese, Anthony Obinna, in his comment, said the killings in Southern Kaduna were orchestrated to wipe out Christians in the country.

He warned that if the crisis was not promptly checked, it would degenerate into serious national crisis.

A critical stakeholder in the Ijaw nation and leader of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief E.K. Clark has warned that Niger Delta militias might return to the creeks and resume hostilities if the federal government holds out too long on the issue of dialogue with the agitators.

He stated this in his country home, Kiagbodo in Delta State this week while receiving the newly sworn-in executives of Izon-Ebe Oil and Gas Producing Communities Association (IOGPCA) – an association of oil and gas contractors of Ijaw extraction that cut across the entire oil-rich region.

According to Clark, “It is getting late for President Muhammadu Buhari and the federal government on the issue of dialogue with the aggrieved Niger Delta agitators who have stopped the bombing of pipelines and other oil facilities.

“If the dialogue fails to commence as soon as possible, the boys may feel betrayed and go back to the creeks and resume hostilities.

“I saw the president’s media man (Femi Adesina) claiming that we are not one and not united, and that the federal government was still looking for people to negotiate with.

“That was a great insult to us. I was in government before he was born. On July 30, 2016, I summoned a meeting of all Ijaw leaders and traditional rulers to my house in Warri and the Deputy Governor of Delta State was in attendance.

“After that first meeting, I decided to call for another one with paid adverts in national dailies, since it was not only the Ijaws that have oil and gas.”

The Ijaw leader added that at that meeting, which was held at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) Effurun, with over 500 delegates in attendance, the Ijaw leaders advised the agitators to lay down their arms and stop the destruction and vandalism of oil and gas facilities.

Clark added that after the meeting, the “boys in the creeks” quickly responded and mandated him to negotiate on their behalf, stating that on November 1, 2016, he led a delegation comprising traditional rulers, leaders, women and youth leaders from the Niger Delta to the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where they presented to the federal government a 16-point demand for dialogue and negotiations.

“Yet, this government is saying that it does not know whom to negotiate with. We are ready to negotiate, the earlier the better. Therefore we are using this opportunity of you coming to see me, to tell the federal government that it’s getting too late. We are Nigerians and we are nationalists,” the Ijaw leader warned.

The elder statesman also highlighted some of the educational benefits for the Ijaws under the amnesty programme, adding that of those who graduated from universities in 2015, four of them made first class, 26 made second class upper in Benson Idahosa University, Benin City in 2016, while 187 passed with second class upper and lower divisions.

He advised the association to maintain peace in expressing their grievances and should not let their enemies to divide them.

“Let us come together and fight our cause as one. I am happy that you realised that for us to achieve our aim we must come together and fight our common enemy,” Clark added.

On the issue of the Maritime University in Okerenkoko, Delta State, he also warned against the scrapping of the university, adding, “I do not see any reason why people are opposed to the Maritime University in Okerenkoko as this was something that was recommended as far back as 1998.”

He congratulated the association’s president, Hon. James Edoukumo and his executive members for their victory in their elections, and urged them to always respect their traditional rulers, elders and leaders.

Chief Clark, who said he will be 90 this year, said for the government to take the oil and gas from the Niger Delta, it should be ready to develop the region.

MackBrooklyn:
.





Lol, Baba no dey whine me abeg... Me sef don join the moderate bank tey tey

MackBrooklyn:





Chei, Baba who you go con leave those ones wey no dey moderate for now??

MackBrooklyn:





Lol, nothing OoO Baba mi... Ah just dey feel you say you sef like those things moderately

MackBrooklyn:




Ma Nigga...

iambijo:
only big thieves can contest presidential election in nigeria.

iambijo:
tell me one nigerian politician that's not a theif.

The key indexes of crude oil, stocks and naira for brighter economy for Nigeria started the 2017 trading day on a negative note, figures have shown.

The much-talked about crude oil price started on a positive note yesterday where it rallied to its strongest level in 18 months at $58.15 a barrel in the first hours of trading, then gave up most of the gains to close at $55.42 a barrel.

Also investors at the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE) lost about N100billion as it closed with -0.96 in both capitalisation and index while the naira at the parallel market depreciated by about N3 or -0.61 to the United States dollar.

Analysts said lack of clear commitments by the Oil Producing Countries to honour the first production deal in eight years by some OPEC and Non –OPEC member countries was behind boom and bust of the oil price yesterday.

In September, 2016 an agreement by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and some non-members to cut 1.8 million barrels of crude a day was reached and the group in their Ordinary General Meeting in Vienna, Austria on November 30 adopted the pact and fixed January 1, 2017 to start the output cut.

Crude oil rallied by about 15 percent after the announcement, and finished 2016 up by 45%, its biggest annual gain since 2009.

However, until yesterday there were no signs by both OPEC members and non- member of the huge cut as adopted which left the trader on speculative mode.

The West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures, the US benchmark, gained as much as 2.4% to $55.01 per barrel, before slumping 1% to trade near $53.17.

Brent crude, the international benchmark, rose 2.3% to as high as $58.15.

Saudi Arabia, the defacto leader of OPEC in a statement yesterday, according to Reuters, urged members to implement their agreement.

Also, higher oil prices have encouraged US shale drillers to ramp up production. The count of active oil rigs rose last week for a ninth straight week, increasing the combined tally to the highest level in one year, according to Baker Hughes.

“A US production hike would offset some of the production cut and effectively earn more market share,” said Jason Pride, director of investment strategy at Glenmede, in a note. “As prices rise, US drillers will boost supply, limiting price increases beyond $60 per barrel.”

At the Nigerian equities side, investors maintained a bearish sentiment on stocks. Consequently, the NSE-ASI weakened by -0.96% (-257.73pts) to berth at 26,616.89pts with corresponding market capitalization of N9.16trillion.

The Nigerian stock market maintained a bearish outlook to close the year 2016 on a negative note by 6.17% as against 17.36% loss posted in the year 2015. This translates to an average monthly loss of 0.27% as against 1.34% recorded for the previous year.

While the equities market extends 2years losing streak to post 3yrs loss of -34.97%, investors’ confidence remained significantly low as market net worth had declined by N3.98trillion in the last three years. A waning bearish momentum was observed in the year when compared with the previous year performance.

Sell pressure on NB (-138.28pts), GUARANTY (-59.98pts) and ZENITHBANK (-31.99pts), which cancelled out the gains in STANBIC (+20.09pts), FBNH (+5.22pts) and UCAP (+1.39pts) could be largely blamed for yesterday’s decline.

Activity levels as measured by volume and value traded was however mixed as investors exchanged over 296m units of stocks valued at N1.3bn in 2,033 deals. This represented a +89% jump in volume traded while value turnover declined by -13%. OMOSAVBNK and GUARANTY were the most actively traded stocks with 190m and 28m units respectively.

There were 13 gainers led by UAC-PROP (+4.96%) as against 18 decliners topped by CCNN (-5.00%).

Major sectoral indexes closed negative; Banking (-2.38%), Consumer (-1.99%), Oil & Gas(-0.49%) and Industrial (-0.18%).

Experts comment

Experts had predicted that the index would open the year on a bearish note, given the current fragile macro outlook, and advised a gradual building of positions in quality names for investors with a medium to longer term horizon.

Naira also was hit at the parallel market as the scarcity of the forex continues, the local currency dropped by -0.6 to close at 491 to a dollar, it maintained its values at Central bank and interbank at 305 and 314 a dollar respectively.

A trader, Abubakar Sadiq said the naira ended the year at 488 to a dollar on Friday said he was not surprised with the trading yesterday because of scarcity of the forex in the market.

He said the forex supply gap has continued despite the remittances by some Nigerians in diaspora and those who came back home for the new year celebration. “Normally at the end of the year like this, the naira appreciates due to the increase in supply of the forex but this time, the gap is huge.

He said if care is not taken the local currency will continue with negative sentiment till the end of the first quarter.

Ahmed Yusuf, CEO of Coral Spring Group said the oil price will not rise as expected because there are other factors that determine the oil price beside the production cut.

He said the change in the government in the United States and the relationship between Donald Trump and Putin of Russia, the Syrian Crisis, US/Isreal relationship and the commitment to honour the obligations by the OPEC and non-Opec member are all factors the investors are considering.

On the local currency, Ahmed said the naira can only appreciate if we can provide from 50-60 percent of our demand of goods and services,that is when the forex scarcity will reduce.

He said with government policy of buy made in Nigeria goods, and when all our military and para-military will start to patronse uniforms and shoes from local markets it is then the value of naira will appreciate.

On the stocks, Yusuf said the only investors in the market are the institutional investors who take many things into consideration before taking decision. Those individual investors have not been encouraged to return to the market since the crash of the market in 2008, therefore the market is not a reflection of the economic performance at the moment.

Presidency: Things will work this year

Meanwhile, the Presidency has expressed optimism that things will work for the country in the new year.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, said this yesterday in a statement on his twitter handle. The presidential spokesman stated that the 2017 is a defining year for the country.

According to Adesina, 2017 is a year of harvest for the country, "First working day of 2017. Things will work for Nigeria. It is a defining year. We have sown in tears, now to reap in joy. Harvest comes," he stated.

Lalasticlala, Mynd44

famosh:
My brother, Happy new year.
Which tribe do you think these trapezium heads belong to?

ademoladeji:
Issokay flattie..... ~ ~

AlhajiSpray:
See as the family members sef dey bone? It must be hard living with such a drunken beast anyway!

I feel their pain even in the midst of plenty!

ademoladeji:
The suspect, 34-year old Enugu State indigene, Okolo Emenike Kingsley, was arrested at the at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja....


Drugs and ********* be like /------\

Officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), over the weekend, arrested a man attempting to smuggle cocaine valued at £3.8million into the country. The suspect, 34-year old Enugu State indigene, Okolo Emenike Kingsley, was arrested at the at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja.

In a statement signed by Mr. Mitchell Ofoyeju, spokesman to the anti-narcotics agency, the NDLEA said that the illiicit drug, which was discovered stuffed in shoe soles, weighed 9.150kilogrammes. The discovery, explained the agency, was made in a shipment of shoes during inward screening of passengers on a Turkish Airlines flight from Sao Paulo, Brazil. The statement added that the drug was industrially concealed in the soles of new foot wears and that the seizure was the last arrest of the year at the NAIA, Abuja.

NDLEA Commander at NAIA, Mr. Hamisu Lawan, said: "There was an arrest at the weekend of a 34-year old suspect, Okolo Emenike Kingsley, who hails from Ezeagu, Enugu State. The motorcyle parts dealer said that he was offered the sum of N1 million to smuggle the drug to Nigeria. Investigation is ongoing, and the suspect is cooperating with our team of undercover officers.” The suspect, who is married and has a child, said he was forced into becoming a mule because motorcycle parts business has been hit by recession. The failure of his business, he added, made him travel to in search of job opportunity to Brazil, where his financial difficulties continued.

“I was confronted with the fear of deportation. This made me to be desperate in my search for quick wealth. In the process, I met my childhood friend who offered me N1 million to traffic cocaine to Nigeria.

“He also paid for my ticket and gave me three bags of shoes containing the cocaine. On arrival at the Abuja Airport, the cocaine was detected and I was arrested. I had wanted to invest the N 1 million in business in Nigeria,” he said.

Speaking on the arrest, NDLEA Chief Executive, Colonel Mohammad Mustapha Abdallah (retd.), said the seizure is an indication of the enhanced capacity of the agency's officers. “The seizure is a validation of enhanced capacity of officers due to series of training programmes carried out by the agency. The training covering investigation, raid operations as well as prosecution was conducted with the assistance of the United States government, European Union (EU) and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).


“This is just a tip of the iceberg because as the benefits of these training begin to manifest, more drugs shall be detected, and cartels dislodged in the days ahead.”

Colonel Abdallah added that the NDLEA is determined to make the business unattractive to drug cartels by denying them the huge profits that serve as motivation. He called on all stakeholders to join inthe anti-narcotic campaign in the new year, adding that drug proceeds could be used to fund terrorism and bribe government officials, thereby stifling economic and social development.

Lalasticlala, Mynd44

Corrinthians:
Mtscheew. Fresh evidence since 1962 with zero convictions.

Next.

Against the backdrop of expectations that President Muhammadu Buhari would rejig his cabinet any time soon, intense lobbying and high wire intrigues may have put him at the crossroads, New Telegraph gathered over the weekend.

A reliable source at the Presidency confided in our correspondent that reports about an impending cabinet reshuffle was true. Another source, who is a minister, confirmed that the president will drop some of his ministers and aides, especially “those who have been found wanting.”

The source disclosed that the level of power play and lobby amongst serving and potential ministers appear to have created more power cartels within the seat of power.

Powerful northern traditional rulers are said to have been enlisted in the lobby game.

Apart from filling the vacancy created by the death of Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Barr. James Ocholi, and the impending exit of Minister of Environment, Ms Amina Mohammed, who has been appointed as Deputy General Secretary of the United Nations, some ministers are expected to be dropped from the cabinet.

“Maybe, the story was not well timed. Soon after it broke that the president was considering replacing some ministers, the lobby commenced, but it got intensified between Christmas and the New Year period with a lot of powerful forces putting in a word or two for their preferred choices.

“This has actually created some hurdles for the man (president) because who do you please and reject in the process? You can imagine an influential traditional ruler from the North approaching you on behalf of a loyal All Progressives Congress (APC) man, not an outsider, and there are other contending political forces too.

“The man is bound to be more careful and may delay whatever he wants to do under the prevailing circumstances so that it could come as a surprise and taken away from the current lobby tide,” he said.

New Telegraph gathered that retired diplomat and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Ambassador Babagana Kingibe was being considered to return to the Presidency. Curiously, Kingibe is among those secretly saddled with the responsibility of ‘suggesting possible inputs’ into the cabinet.

In his new discrete role, Kingibe has reportedly suggested that immediate past governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole be drafted in just as he tipped former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr. Timi Alaibe to come board.

It is yet to be officially confirmed, but while Oshiomhole is being tipped to man an envisioned Works and Housing Ministry, Alaibe’s possible inclusion is coming on the heels of his strong ties with stakeholders in the troubled Niger Delta. Both Kingibe and Alaibe have been close allies since the days of the late president, Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua while the former SGF supervised the NDDC under Alaibe.

Alaibe’s inroad is also being propelled by the Transportation Minister, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi. The former NDDC boss and pioneer head of the Presidential Amnesty Programme is likely to contend with the former governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Timipre Sylva, whose nominee, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri is also being considered to move to the Niger Delta Ministry from Agriculture as minister of state.

The current occupier, Pastor Usani Uguru may be saddled with the Labour and Productivity Ministry if the new arrangement is accepted by the president.

By implication, Mr. Babatunde Fashola may be left with the Power Ministry. Sources said that Fashola has, of recent, come under heavy scrutiny by some close allies of the president, who believed that the three ministries tucked under his arm were too much for one man.

It was also learnt that some forces within the APC believe that Fashola has not delivered on any of the fronts in any of the ministries. Senator Hadi Sirika, current Minister of State for Aviation, may emerge as substantive minister as it has been proposed that the sector stands distinct from Transportation.

It could, however, not be confirmed if Sirika’s constant rift with Transportation Minister, Amaechi, is responsible for the new thinking. But far more interesting is the reported move by the president’s unofficial handlers to ensure that the position of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) is shifted from the North-East to the South-East.

An unnamed governor from the North-West is the arrowhead of this plot to what a source called ”the need to placate the Igbo ahead of 2019.” It was further learnt that the move to take the SGF to the South-East is also aimed at galvanising some support for the APC in the zone.

An APC chieftain in the South-East said: “You know that the South-West, for obvious reasons, might not be game for the APC in 2019. The party might need to move into another area to exert influence if it must remain in power.”

Buoyed by this calculation, Science and Technology Minister, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu and his Labour and Productivity, Dr. Chris Ngige are lobbying to clinch the position.

But also in contention for the same position, although not from the South-East, is Chief Audu Ogbeh, Agriculture and Rural Development Minister. But a serving minister in the Buhari cabinet said that Buhari has a mind of his own and is not usually influenced by sentiments.

According to him, “You will be shocked at what he will do this year. Just watch and see. It might be sooner than you think.”

Lalasticlala, Mynd44

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has uncovered fresh evidence against one Esther Oba, an alleged front and cousin of Dame Patience Jonathan, the wife of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

Oba recently came under investigation when she was identified as one of the owners of N9bn accounts bearing the signatures of Patience.

Sources told our correspondent that Oba, whom the EFCC has put on its watch list, allegedly possessed two valid Nigerian passports which bear two different signatures.

A source in the EFCC said, “After we froze Patience Jonathan’s accounts a few months ago, we continued to investigate the former First Lady. We then stumbled on some accounts, which did not bear her name but had her signature.

“We realised that one Esther Oba, who we believe is Patience’s cousin, had been operating some accounts for her. The accounts had Oba’s BVN but carried Patience’s signature. So we began investigating Oba.

“We found out that Oba used two different passports in operating some of the accounts. The two passports are valid but carry different signatures. We immediately wrote a letter to the Nigeria Immigration Service to seek clarification.

“Immigration confirmed that the two passports are indeed valid. They bear the same name, picture and details but different signatures. So, they have also launched an investigation into the matter. Obviously this is a case of fraud.”

The source told our correspondent that all attempts to locate Oba had proved abortive.

He added that the EFCC had already hired some forensic experts to study the signatures.

He said, “Oba’s signature and that of Patience look exactly alike. But in order to build a solid case, we are hiring some forensic experts to study the signatures and give us a report which we would be able to present in court.”

He added that due to the existence of Bank Verification Number, it had become difficult for politically-exposed persons to keep huge sums of money in their accounts.

The detective explained that such people opened accounts with other people’s identities but used their own signatures on the accounts so that only “the sponsors” would have access to the accounts.

Justice Mojisola Olatoregun-Ishola had recently granted an order freezing the bank accounts allegedly belonging to Patience with over N9bn lodged in them.

While one of the former President’s wife’s accounts, domiciled in Skye Bank Plc, has a balance of $5,316.66, five other company accounts and one belonging to Oba were also frozen.

While the companies’ accounts in six commercial banks are said to have a balance amounting to N7.4bn, Oba’s account is said to have $429,381.87 (N135,255,289.05).

The companies are Finchley Top Homes Limited, Aribawa Aruera Reachout Foundation, Magel Resort Limited, AM-PM Global Network Limited, Pansy Oil and Gas Limited.

Apart from the recently frozen accounts, the EFCC had, in July, frozen four company accounts with a balance of $15m.

Patience had informed a Federal High Court in Lagos that the money in the accounts belonged to her even though the accounts did not carry her name or BVN.

Some of the accounts were said to be operated by some domestic servants in the employ of a former Special Adviser to ex-President Jonathan on Domestic Affairs, Waripamowei Dudafa.

The companies are Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited, Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Limited, Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Limited and Globus Integrated Service Limited.

The companies had, on September 15, 2016, pleaded guilty to money laundering when they were arraigned before Justice Babs Kewumi of a Federal High Court in Lagos.

Lalasticlala, Mynd44

The Federal Government plans to spend N915m on counterpart funding for the procurement of contraceptive commodities this year.

The budget for the national distribution of the commodities is also included in the allocation.

The sum is part of the total sum of N31.bn allocated to the Federal Ministry of Health in the 2017 Appropriation Bill currently before the National Assembly.

According to the details of the document obtained by our correspondent, the huge sum will be spent on contraceptives based on what government called 2016 forecast.

Contraceptives are birth control devices or devices intended to prevent conception.

The sum is different from another N12.3m allocated for what the government called the “last mile distribution of contraceptive commodities.”

Another N1.8m is allocated for the training of community health extension workers on long acting reversible contraceptives.

According to the details, the government will also spend N1.2bn on contribution and counterpart funding for UNICEF for the procurement of RUTF; and N9m will be spent as support for states in the development of implementation plan for the Nigerian Family Planning Blueprint.

The government will also spend N1.5bn on the placement of 100,000 on HIV treatment and management.

The takeoff of the Tobacco Control Unit as stipulated in the National Tobacco Control Act will also gulp N12.5m.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government on Monday denied media reports that N29bn was provided in the 2017 budget to fight militancy.

The Ministry of Budget and National Planning in a statement by the Media Adviser to the Minister, Mr. Akpandem James, said no such provision was made by the ministry in the budget.

The statement said President Muhammadu Buhari had consistently and categorically stated that the focus of his administration in 2017 would be to continue to pursue peace initiatives in the Niger Delta through dialogue and engagement.

It added that this was the reason why among other projects earmarked for the Niger Delta, N65bn was provided in the 2017 budget proposals for the re-integration of transformed ex-militants under the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

The statement read in part, “The attention of the Ministry of Budget and National Planning has been drawn to a story which quotes a statement reportedly issued on Saturday night and signed by a member of the Central Working Committee of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, Dr. Alfred Mulade, that the Federal Government had earmarked N29bn in the 2017 budget, specifically to fight militancy in the Niger Delta.

“It must be clearly stated that there is no such provision in the 2017 budget proposals presented by the President, so we have absolutely no idea where this story is coming from.”