₦airaland Forum

Mrbillionaire:
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SyDojo:
I am an american hoping to travel to Nigeria. From the information I have gathered I see I need to be invited to Nigeria by a Nigerian citizen. I don't know anyone in Nigeria to invite me though. Is there any other way for me to visit Nigeria? I have attemped to contact the Nigerian Embassy here in DC but the numbers do not work. Should I just give up and choose a different country in West Africa to Visit?

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, has challenged two judges of the Federal High Courtto go to court and prove any case they have against him, instead of resorting to blackmail and falsehood in the media.
Justices Ademola Adeniyi and Namdi Dimgba are accusing Malami of being the brain behind the recent raid of homes and arrest of judges.
The judges are seeking leave of the Chief Justice of Nigeria to raise legal issues against the DSS and the AGF over the raids on their home and infringement on their fundamental rights.
But Malami, who spoke to Vanguard through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Comrade Salihu Isah, said that the claims by the embattled justices were untrue.
Malami wondered why the affected judges did not bring up the cases against him when he appeared before the Senate for confirmation but threw them up only after being confronted with corruption allegations by the DSS.
“The Minister of Justice does not do a personal job to warrant taking vengeance on anyone. The issue is clear and unambiguous. If you have any case against him, proceed to court to prove it or stop whipping up sentiments to score cheap points.
“From all indications, what they are trying desperately to do after the DSS raids is an afterthought, which cannot avail them of any advantage in law, as the AGF has nothing personal against any of them or any other Nigerian in the discharge of his duties,” Salihu said.
The two judges claimed in separate letters sent to the CJN that their travails in the hands of Malami stemmed from recent verdicts they entered against the Federal Government, which the minister was uncomfortable with.
While Justice Ademola ordered release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, and also granted bail to the detained former National Security Adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Col. Sambo Dasuki, retd, on self recognition, Justice Dimgba on the other hand, granted bail to a former member of the arms probe panel set up by the Federal Government, Air Commodore Umar Mohammed (retd).
http://dailypost.ng/2016/10/17/stop-blackmailing-go-court-agf-malami-tells-judges/
lalasticlala

Oil tycoon’s fortune plunges to $550 million from $1.8 billion

Nigerian businessman Femi Otedola‘s net worth has plunged from $1.8 Billion to $550 Million following a massive drop in the stock price of Forte Oil, the Nigerian Stock Exchange-listed petroleum marketing company.

As at the close of tradingon Friday, Forte Oil’s share price plunged to a one-year low of N145 ($0.44) per share, down from an all-time high of N342 ($1.1) in March this year when FORBES published its annual ranking of the world’s richest people.

Apart from the tumble in Forte Oil’s stock price, Otedola’s fortune has also been adversely affected by a central bank devaluation of the Naira in June. In dollar terms, the devaluation in addition to Forte’s floundering share price has knocked about $1.3 billion off the value of Otedola’s fortune which was pegged at $1.8 billion in March.

Otedola, who is Forte Oil Plc’s Chairman, is now worth only $550 million as at the close of business ofFriday, according to the FORBES’ billionaires’ database.

Femi Otedola was unavailable for comments. However, an analyst at a Lagos-based Investment bank hinted that the share price drop may not be unconnected to the current recession in Nigeria that has witnessed 2 consecutive quarters of negative growth with inflation soaring to levels as high as 17%.

Investors are dumping Forte Oil’s shares as a result of wide-spread disappointing results of Nigerian Companies of which Forte Oil Plc is also not immune. The company’s profit after tax was down at N2.80 billion ($8.8 million) for the third quarter ended Sept 30 2016 as against N4.28 billion ($13.5 million) for the same period in 2015. Sources also attribute the results to reduced demand for energy consumption as a result of the recently increased pump price which has adversely affected the fortunes of oil marketing companies in Nigeria.

With a fortune now pegged at only $550 million, Otedola falls out of the ranking of Africa’s billionaires.

Forte Oil PLC is primarily engaged in the distribution of petroleum products such as diesel, aviation fuel and Premium Motor Spirit (PMS). The company has over 500 company-owned, dealer-assisted and dealer-developed gas stations spread across the country, oil storage depots in Lagos and Rivers states, a Power plant and a Joint User Hydrant Installation facility in Lagos. The company also sells its own range of automobile lubricants. Forte Oil Plc are also the owners and managers of the 435MW Geregu Power Plant in addition to also providing oilfield support services through its subsidiary, Forte Upstream Services.

Governor of Ekiti State Ayodele Fayose (in white), led armed security men and some youths to arrest one of the cows that were grazing along Ado-Afao road
http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/general/photo-news/166809.html#y7syOC1V7Y8TY82i.99
mynd44

deantimes:
Bros make them no stone you oooo

The man who trek from Lagos to Abuja to celebrate the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 general elections, Mr. Suleiman Hashimu, has concluded plans to embark on another trek for the president.

Hashimu, however, said on Friday that this time, he would not use his legs but vehicles in touring the 36 states and FCT.

He said he wants to showcase the achievement of the president so far.

He said, “I will be embarking on another trek for President Muhammadu Buhari. This time, my trip is with a vehicle, not my usual trekking. I would tour the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

“This is to showcase achievement recorded by this administration so that they will appreciate the achievements recorded so far.

“President Buhari has achieved a lot in security and anti-corruption crusade. People that are untouchable in this country are answerable to the law of the land.

“Another big achievement recorded on Thursday was the rescue of the 21 of the over 200 kidnapped Chibok school girls. This is no doubt a great achievement.

“I will like to tell Nigerians to continue to support President Muhammadu Buhari to achieve all the promises he made during his campaign for the presidency.”

Hashimu arrived in Abuja on April 20 to celebrate the president’s victory in the 2015 general elections after trekking three weeks from Lagos, covering over 700 kilometres.

NAN

aieromon:
Jumping from one tariff plan to the other within 30 days is NOT free.

Almost one and a half years after former President Goodluck Jonathan left office, his 2015 campaign posters are still displayed in markets in Ebonyi State, including the over 70-year-old Abakaliki main market.
Speaking to our correspondent on Thursday, one of the traders, Celestine Chikodiri, said the traders resolved to retain the posters as a show of love for the former President.
He said, “We like the way Jonathan ruled us; his government was good, we like the Jonathan administration more than the present government and it is why we decided to leave the posters in the market because we are missing him.
“If you look around the market, you will not see campaign posters of any presidential candidate other than Jonathan’s own.
“The Jonathan administration will not be easily forgotten; things were moving smoothly, our businesses were flourishing, civil and public servants were patronising us,’’ he said.
Chikodiri described Jonathan as a true democrat for conceding defeat at the presidential election which he said was another reason the traders allowed his campaign posters to still remain in the market and called on politicians to emulate him.
Another trader in the market, Mrs. Nwode Angelina, said the current hardship being experienced in the country had shown that Jonathan was a good ‘husband’ to the nation.
“Today, everybody has seen that he tried for the nation and I am not surprised that his campaign posters are still littering our market.”

Dino Melaye, a Nigerian senator from Kogi, is known to be controversial and love the good things of life including cars
– However, his latest collection which he calls the 1923 Rolls Royce has become a major subject following discovery that he may have lied about it
The latest alleged expensive car bought by Senator Dino Melaye, a representative from Kogi state, has been discovered to be fake according to a finding conducted by Sahara Reporters.
The report said controversial Melaye has been parading a cheap MG-TD replica of a Rolls Royce car worth N180 million.
The report said Melaye’s associate had circulated a statement that the senator bought the classic Rolls Royce estimated at $400,000 (N180 million).
The car allegedly paraded as a Rolls Royce
According to the statement, the 1923 model Rolls Royce which is 93 years old is a rare collectible item that is not only scarce but very expensive

Gov. Ayo Fayose on Wednesday donated N50 million to public school teachers in the state.
He announced the donation at a rally held at the Oluyemi Kayode stadium in Ado-Ekiti as part of activities to commemorate the World Teachers’Day in the state.
He explained that the donation was in recognition of the current feat by the state which had been adjudged first in the just released NECO results.
He ordered that the money be shared equally among all the teachers,irrespective of grade and status.
He also directed that the state Accountant General must make the share of the money available in each respective teacher’s personal account on or before Friday this week.
Fayose said the gesture was aimed at spurring the teachers for greater achievements in the years ahead. and spur them for better performance.
The governor urged all the teachers to further ensure that their students performed well in both NECO and WAEC in subsequent years by keeping the flag flying.
Aside the cash gift, two teachers, adjudged to be the best in the state in the out-going year at both secondary and primary schools, were given brand new KIA RIO cars each.
Two runners-up received N200,000 each,while the two teachers that came third got N100,000 each.
“I am doing all of these because Ekiti’s name has been brought under world focus once again, and it is my wish that our current academic feat be repeated over and over again, afterall, to whom much is given, much is expected”,he said.
Earlier, Chief Afe Babalola,(SAN) emphasised the inportance of quality education as a pre-requisite for the progress and development of any nation.
In his contribution, a former governor of old Ondo state, Amb.Bamidele Olumilua commended the strides so far recorded in the education sector under Fayose, urging him to maintain the tempo.
Also in his remarks, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers,(NUT), Mr Kayode Akosile advised the government to pay adequate attention to the welfare of teachers as an incentive for greater feats.

"Arise, O Compatriots" is the national anthemof Nigeria. It was adopted in 1978 and replaced the previous anthem, Nigeria, We Hail Thee. [1]The lyrics are a combination of words and phrases taken from five of the best entries in a national contest. The words were put to music by the Nigerian Police Band under the directorship of Benedict E. Odiase.
English lyrics
Arise, O compatriots
Nigeria's call obey
To serve our fatherland
With love and strength and faith
The labour of our heroes past
Shall never be in vain
To serve with heart and might
One nation bound in freedom
Peace and unity.
-
Oh God of creation
Direct our noble cause
Guide our leaders right
Help our youth the truth to know
In love and honesty to grow
And living just and true
Great lofty heights attain
To build a nation where peace
And justice shall reign.
Lyrics in Igbo
Zọlié ndi àlà anyị
Záá òkù Naijiria
Ka ànyị jee ózi n'okwukwe
N'íké, n'ịhụnanya
Ka íké ndị odogwu ànyị kpàrà
Ghàrá ịla n'íyì
Ji óbì, n'íké jee ozi
Ótù obodo nwe ònwé ya
Ùdó na idi n'ótù
Lyrics in Hausa
Yaku 'yan Nijeriya ku farka;
Ku amsa kiran Nijeriya;
Domin mu taimaki ƙasarmu ta haihuwa;
Don aiki ga ƙasata cikin soyayya da riƙon gaskiya;
Domin gudumawar da shuwagabaninmu 'yan kishin ƙasa suka bada;
kada ta zama a banza;
Muyi aiki da zuciya ɗaya da girmamawa a gareta;
Domin ta kasance ƙasa ɗaya mai yanci ga kowa tare da haɗin kai da zaman lafiya.
Lyrics in Yoruba
Dide eyin ara .
Wa je-pe Naijiria,
ka fife sin 'lewa
pelu okun ati 'gbagbo
Ki ise awon akoni wa
ko ma se ja sa-san,
Ka sin tokan-tara
ile tominira wa,
alafia so-dokan

Popular Nigerian actor, Babatunde Omidina, popularly known as “Baba Suwe”, is sick.
The health of “Baba Suwe’’ deteriorating, said Producer and Actor Yomi Fabiyi who tried to reach out for assistance.
Fabiyi said on Wednesday on his Instagram page that since an encounter with officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Baba Suwe’s health has deteriorated.
PUBLICIDADE
inRead invented by Teads
Baba Suwe was arrested by NDLEA at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on allegation of drug trafficking, but was later released after screening and was exonerated.
He later approached the courts for the restoration of his fundamental human rights and was granted general damages of N25 million against NDLEA.
The money has not been paid by the Agency, Fabiyi said.
Fabiyi accused NDLEA officials of torturing Baba Suwe in the encounter and had since then been sick.
He appealed to stakeholders in the entertainment industry to rally round to rescue Baba Suwe from the undisclosed ailment.
He said, “On Baba Suwe, I am calling on all senior colleagues in the entertainment world especially those close to Baba Suwe because I don’t have everyone’s contact to please reachout to him ASAP (As Soon As Possible).’
“The torture done on him by NDLEA is vastly damaging his health at an alarming rate.
“He told me he no longer feel comfortable since that episode. Baba Suwe is a widower, he can hardly walk properly as I speak, let alone go to film.
“How will he feed and take care of the children Aunty Moladun left behind?
“This is an A-List Entertainer and this conspiracy of silence gives me MENTAL AGONY on my part, I don’t want to speak when it may be too late, I won’t forgive myself.’’
Fabiyi said Baba Suwe told him that NDLEA official inserted a long pipe was inserted through his anus and was detained for too long because he was randomly suspected like every normal person.
He said, “In my opinion, only lazy, ill-trained, unfit and uncivilised officers torture in the name of investigation. Torture is criminal and sinful. If this accusation is found to be true by independent investigators, it shouldn’t go unpunished.”
Aside the N25 million NDLEA was directed to pay to Baba Suwe by the court, the Agency was also directed to tender open apology.

A man simply identified as Azu Onyia on Wednesday cried out that he lost his ear drum yesterday as a result of a slap allegedly from a policeman from the “B’ Division in Warri for failing to pay three months vigilante dues in his area, DAILY POST can exclusively report.
Mr. Onyia, who resides in Gesimisi Street in Warri, claimed that he paid five thousand naira as bail bond to enable him access to medical treatments after the police arrested him at about 2pm yesterday afternoon.
Mr. Onyia admitted that he is owing six hundred naira for the period of three months. He noted that he and other residents of the pay area pay two hundred naira monthly but he had not paid his dues as a result of the economic hardship in the country.
He threatened to institute legal actions against the vigilante chairman in the area, who he said brought the police to arrest and eventually slapped his ear.
As at press time, the Divisional Police Officer of “B” Division, CSP Anieteh Eyoh, could be reached on phone for comments.
The Delta state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Celestina Kalu has not been reached either.
http://dailypost.ng/2016/10/05/lost-eardrum-slap-policeman-man-cries/

The Code of Conduct Tribunal on Wednesday dismissed the motion filed by Senate President Bukola Saraki’s asking the tribunal chairman, Danladi Umar, to disqualify himself from further presiding over his (Saraki) on charges relating to asset declaration breaches.
Saraki, had in his motion filed on June 13, 2016 sought the tribunal’s order compelling its chairman to disqualify himself over allegation of a bias statement credited to him during the proceedings of June 7.
The defence had quoted the tribunal chairman to have warned the defence against causing delay of the case with a threat that the delay tactics would not reduce the consequence awaiting the accused.
But ruling on the application, the tribunal, held that the comment credited to him was unverified and that the defence failed to meet the legal standard of proving allegation of bias against a judge.
Umar, who read the ruling of the tribunal said the affidavit of “concerned citizens” filed by Saraki to prove the allegation of bias against him was unknown to law.
He said, “It is our holding that the defendant/applicant’s allegation of bias is merely founded on conjecture.
“The allegation of bias is a serious issue and it is capable of destroying public confidence in the institution.
“The affidavit by the concerned citizens does not constitute a standard for proving such serious allegation.
“The tribunal upholds that the application of the applicant is not legally founded and it is hereby refused.”
Reading the ruling of the two-man panel, Umar noted that even if he had wished to withdraw from the trial, the Constitution constraints of removing the tribunal chairman as captured under Paragraph 17(3) and (4) of the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution, would not permit him to do so.
He also noted that the practice of asking a judge to recuse or disqualify himself from the trial before the CCT was only application to the Federal High Court, the National Industrial Court, as well as the High Court of the various states of the federation but not to the tribunal.
Noting that no court apart from the CCT has the jurisdiction to try the cases relating to asset declaration -related breaches, Umar added that asking the chairman to recuse himself was tantamount to closing down the tribunal as “without the chairman, there is no tribunal”
Mynd44,lalasticlala

Hundreds of youths and women from Ubima community in Ikwerre Local Government area of Rivers State, the country home of Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, have defected from the All Progressives Congress, APC, to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
The defectors said they were misled by the leaders of APC in Ikwerre Local government area.
One Murphy, who spoke on behalf of the defectors said they were elated by the peace brokered by the PDP between warring factions of youths in Ubima.
According to him, “They used us and abandoned us. The APC used us and left us alone. Since after one year they lost election, we have been living in the bush. Nobody was asking after us again. All the work that we did for them was just a waste. Many of us, our family members have not seen us for more than a year now.
“We are suffering. That is why we said no; we cannot remain in the bush for four years. We are hungry, we need work and not money. We want to work. And thank God PDP came to our rescue. They brought us out of the bush and they have settled all the fight in Ubima. We thank God we are free now.
“We only want to beg PDP not to use us like APC. We are willing to live peacefully among ourselves, but please empower us. Give us jobs, we want to work.”
The defectors were received by the Spokesman of the PDP in Rivers state, Samuel Wonosike at the party secretariat in Port Harcourt.
http://dailypost.ng/2016/10/01/rivers-amaechis-kinsmen-defect-pdp/

Former Africa Player of the Year, Victor Ikpeba has negated news announcing Taribo West’s death.
Reports that filtered the air on Friday evening has it that the former Super Eagles' defence stalwart died in South Africa, but his former teammate, Ikpeba and close associates rebuffed the claims via Twitter.
My brother Taribo West is alive. Please ignore rumours that he is dead.— Victor Ikpeba (@V_Ikpeba) September 30, 2016

President Muhammadu Buhari has given reasons why he will continue to blame previous administrations for Nigeria’s current economic challenges.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which ruled the country for 16 years had former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo in charge from 1999 to 2007, late Umoru Musa Yar’Adua from 2007 and 2010 and Goodluck Jonathan from 2010 to 2015.
Speaking at a public presentation of a pictorial book titled: “Buhari: A New Beginning” and Conversation themed: “Creative Youth as Drivers of the Change Agenda,” at the Presidential Villa on Thursday night, Buhari said those that were in charge in the last 17 years took things for granted despite God’s huge blessings for Nigeria.
The conversation had seven selected youths exchanging ideas and highlighting challenges in the creative industry.
Buhari said: “My dear countrymen especially the youths, you have a fantastic country, God has endowed Nigeria with human and material resources.
“I’m going to bore you with what we met, I know I’m being accused in the papers of passing the buck. But passing the buck is sometimes absolutely necessary to remind people who take things for granted.
“When we came in by some unfortunate coincidence, I scream to high heavens because I had promised a lot while seeking vote. I said where are the savings? There was none. There was no infrastructure, power, rails, roads, there was none. What did we spend the money on? I was told buying food and petrol.
“Where were the billions going? We conducted a study and found out that the oil marketers were committing fraud on at least one third ‎of what they were importing, which is about 25 per cent of our foreign exchange.
“The youths must watch our elites. The condition we found ourselves, it is unpatriotic for anybody to pretend that economically we have not had a problem.
“We have gone into the farms, I congratulate some of the governors and by the grace of God by the end of this government we will be exporting rice and grains. So all the money alleged to have been used to import will be available to sustain development.
“I have bored you with this long explanation because there are things that could be hidden from you by those that had mismanaged the country in the last 16, 17 years.”
http://thenationonlineng.net/recession-will-continue-blame-jonathan-obasanjo-buhari/