₦airaland Forum

Man abandons wife after delivery of quadruplets
Written by Ola Ajayi
Thursday, February 12, 2009
A mother of quadruplets, Mrs. Tawakalitu Ismaila is now in dire straits at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan on how to settle the hospital bill and maintain her unexpected babies. The woman was rushed to the UCH from Adeoyo Maternity Hospital five hours after delivery of one of the quadruplets.

Due to the sudden conception and arrival of the quadruplets, the woman stated, her husband, Mr. Ismaila Odebunmi has reportedly refused to visit the babies after his first call at the hospital.

According to her, due to her financial constraints, one of the babies died when she could not meet the necessary need.

Though, three of the babies are hale and hearty, her preoccupation now is to settle the hospital bills and the upkeep of the babies.

When Vanguard visited her in the hospital yesterday, she almost burst into tears complaining that her husband who has no job, at the moment, visited her last about sixteen days ago.

Speaking on the condition of the woman, the Chief Medical Social Worker in the hospital, Mrs. Umar Temilola said she was unconscious and bleeding profusely when she was rushed to the UCH from Adeoyo.


She was however lucky as the hospital’s specialists carried out a successful caesarean operation on her for the delivery of the remaining three babies.

Considering her poor financial state, she explained that her department had written to the Chief Medical Director, Professor Ilesanmi for approval to exempt the woman from paying the hospital bill running into N100,000.

When narrating how the unexpected pregnancy came, the mother of the babies said, “after four children, we did family planning. But unexpectedly, the pregnancy came. I did not know the trouble I fell into until the scan revealed that the babies in my womb were three. But, to compound my problem, after the delivery of the first three babies, the fourth one came”.

“My husband who is a driver, has no vehicle to drive. And I was a petty trader before everything packed up. He has absconded now. He left only me to face this hard situation. How would I cope with these babies together with four children we already have”, she complained.

Meanwhile, she pleaded with Nigerians who still have milk of human kindness flowing in them to come to her aid. She said anybody willing to help her should direct whatever they have to either the Public Relations office or Department of Social Work of the hospital

Ibadan’s filth and chaos 13/2/2009


It is simply amazing that Oyo State and the 16 or so local governments in Ibadan, the state capital, appear unconcerned about the decay, dilapidation and deterioration of this largest city in Africa, south of the Sahara. Ibadan, during the Awolowo days of Western Nigeria used to be the cynosure of all eyes, but since the creation of states, the city has gone down and down in a slippery slope to decay and absolute neglect, with the effect that what used to be a liveable city has turned into one of the most unattractive and unwanted cities in Nigeria.

Yet, cities like Enugu, Kaduna and even Benin that were regional headquarters at the same time with Ibadan have not suffered the same kind of deterioration and neglect. Ibadan is a symbol of the failure of governance in Nigeria. The roads have remained the same narrow roads that they were in the 1960s. Apart from Bodija Housing Estate established in 1958, there is no attempt at planned urban development in the city. People just build houses without approval despite the fact that there is a metropolitan planning authority.

There are no public toilets or dumping sites for industrial and domestic wastes. The result? The city has become a dump site. The only surprising thing is that we have not recorded an outbreak of major epidemics in this filthy urban sprawl. Ibadan in the last decade or so has not seen any flicker of street lights, yet, newly created state headquarters are putting in place street lights powered by solar energy.

Interestingly, Ibadan is not far from Lagos where a state government has embarked on wholesale urban renewal, including widening and dualisation of roads and urban clearance.

In recent times, the Oyo State Government received about N33 billion from the Federal Government, being its own share of excess crude oil account and accumulated excess deduction. What did it do with the money? Roads like Abeokuta Road, Amunigun and Oke-Ado-Molete roads are begging for dualisation or rehabilitation.

When will something be done in the urban squalor of Ogunpa and Amunigun? When will Ibadan roads be rid of the undesirable road traders? When will appropriate flyovers be constructed in Molete-Ring Road and other intersections tying up Ibadan traffic? When will the Lagos type of discipline come to Ibadan and other towns in the state? What is happening in Ibadan is a collective shame of the entire country. It is unimaginable that the Federal Government is unconcerned about the deplorable situation in Ibadan. Can Washington D. C. ignore the collapse of New York, Los Angeles and Chicago simply because there are state governments in such places? If the local authority in Ibadan does not know what to do, the Federal Government, even if out of shame, should call the attention of the state government to it.

We have only two months before the next rains. This is the time for the layback government of Oyo State to do something before all hell breaks loose. The recent spate of armed robbery in the city is a manifestation of despair which the decay and underdevelopment of the city have engendered

Three Feared Killed In Ogun Bank Robbery Wednesday

Three feared killed in Ogun bank robbery Wednesday

THE Director General of the National Automotive Council (NAC), Alhaji Aminu Jalal says that with sufficient commitment, a Nigerian car is feasible by 2017.


A bank worker, a student and a policeman were on Wednesday feared dead when daredevil armed robbers struck at the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (UNAAB) Micro-Finance Bank.

During the operation, which reportedly lasted for just 30 minutes, the bandits having held customers in the bank hostage, began shooting, leading to the death of a female staff of the bank and a male student of UNAAB.

The late policeman was killed while driving into the bank premises. Apparently trying to prevent him from hindering them from operating, they reportedly shot him right inside his car.

The hoodlums reportedly left the bank, located at Isale-Igbein, Abeokuta, near the Government House, after operating successfully.

An eye witness account told The Guardian that the bandits, "riding in a jeep and a salon car" arrived at the bank at about 10 a.m and immediately shot the policeman dead after which they fired several shots into the air to scare away people, adding that "the female staff, sensing danger attempted to carry the money at the counter and rush it into the vault but in the process the robbers saw her and shot her dead," the eye witness stated.

The State Police Commissioner, Mr. Emmanuel Dipo Ayeni, while confirming the incident, said he was on his way to assess the situation.

15 killed in 4 tragedies - Trailer crushes 7 on Lagos-Ibadan expressway - Policeman, robbers kill 4 - 4, on okadas, die fleeing from policemen
From Olalekan Olabulo and Olayinka Olukoya - 13.02.2009

ABOUT 15 people lost their lives in four tragedies that took place at different locations in Lagos State, the Lagos-Abeokuta and the Lagos-Ibadan expressways between Wednesday and Thursday.


In Lagos, there was uproar in some parts of the city between Wednesday night and Thursday morning where at least six people were feared killed in two accidents that involved the police while two other people were were killed by armed robbers.


Two people were on Thursday morning feared dead as a trigger-happy policeman shot at a commercial bus at Adura Bus Stop on the Lagos-Abeokuta expressway.


Nigerian Tribune gathered that the victims, the driver and the conductor of the commercial bus, had earlier had a brush with a driver of a micro-finance bank before they were shot by the policeman who was said to be on guard at the bank.


The incident, which occurred close to the premises of the said bank, led to some violence by hoodlums before policemen were called to restore order.


The driver of the micro finance bank had reportedly called the policeman who was on guard at the bank to help him deal with a commercial bus driver when the unidentified policeman shot at the vehicle, hitting the driver and the conductor in the process.


When the Nigerian Tribune visited the scene of the incident on Thursday afternoon, dozens of armed mobile policemen were on guard to forestall a reprisal attack from commercial bus drivers and hoodlums


In another incident involving the police, four people were on Wednesday evening fear

26 states risk outbreak of menigitis this year —FG
By Segun Olatunji, Kaduna
Published: Friday, 13 Feb 2009
The Federal Government on Thursday in Kaduna raised the alarm of an impending outbreak of the deadly cerebro spinal meningitis in about 26 states of the federation this year.

The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Aliyu Idi Hong, disclosed this at an advocacy and sensitisation meeting of the commissioners for health from the 26 high risk CSM states on enhanced meningitis control, epidemic preparedness and response.

He said that the CSM epidemic, which occurred every 10 years mainly in the 19 Northern states, had now spread into about seven other states in the southern part of the country.

The southern states standing the risk of the epidemic include Oyo, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Anambra and Cross River State.

According to Hong, a worse outbreak of the disease, which last broke out in the country in 1996 and resulted in a high casualty figure, was being expected since 2007.

He added that there were clear indications that the nation was “sitting on the keg of gunpowder waiting to explode.”

The minister, however, said that the Federal Government had already taken proactive measures to check the outbreak and spread of the epidemic through the procurement of 1.6million doses of drugs.

He added that the Federal Ministry of Health had also set aside about N300m for other drugs to manage the situation.

Hong said, “Every functionary must start to prepare for the emergencies towards addressing this issue.

“You don’t need to be told. It happened in 1986; it came around in 1996 and we have been expecting it since 2007 and we are seeing the graph going up.

“We are now at the verge of a major epidemic. So, I see no reason why we shouldn’t have started working towards arresting this epidemic in good time.

The quantity is small but the beauty of avoiding this epidemic is that we just need a very small population to provide immunity for the entire population.

“So we are hoping because there is a global scarcity of supply of this vaccine. We were made to understand that the accredited manufacturers of this drug will only manufacture about six million doses in a year.

“So, we are challenged. We are the highest demander of this supply. So, we are ordering about 1.6million doses and in the next one week it will be available and it will be sent to the places that have the highest risk so that we will try and build up the hard immunity.”

The minister, therefore, appealed to state governments to support their state ministries of health to effectively check the impending outbreak.

Earlier, the state commissioners for health in their statement of commitment towards combating the CSM read by the Anambra State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Amobi Ilika, committed themselves to providing the required leadership to deal with the looming epidemic.

The commissioners also said that they would ensure that public health and other laboratories were involved in the diagnosis and management of the disease.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art2009021223485071

Enahoro, Soyinka, Tinubu, Osoba, Dangote, D’Banj, Sahara Reporters, Pointblanknews, CNN, BBC, others nominated for Awards

Pointblanknews.com and Saharareporters.com have been short-listed as finalists in the category of ‘Foreign Media of the Year’ by the Organising Committee of Media Nite-Out Awards, MNA .

Also, Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka , Anthony Enahoro , Akinrogun Segun Osoba, Chief Ahmed Tinubu, Asiwaju of Lagos, Chief Raymond Dokpesi , executive chairman, Daar Communications Plc, among others made the final list. The 3 rd edition of MNA, a red carpet event is slated for the month of April 2009 at Planter One, an upscale entertainment event outfit along Maryland in Lagos .

The finalists cut across the foreign/local media, banking & telecom sector, oil & gas, politics, tourism, sports and entertainment. Some of the finalists are:

Governor of the Year Region (South East)

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Nominees: Governor Peter Obi (Anambra) , Governor Sullivan Chime ( Enugu ) and Governor Ikedi Ohakim (Imo)

Governor of the Year (South- South)

Nominees: Governor Chibuike Ameachi (River), Governor Liyel Imoke ( Cross River ), Governor Adams Oshiomhole ( Edo ) and Governor Godwill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom).

Governor of the Year(South West)

Nominees: Governor Alao Akala (Oyo), Governor Gbenga Daniel (Ogun) and Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola (Osun)

Evergreen Media Awards (Hall of Fame)

Recipients: HighChief Raymond Aleogho Dokpesi, executive chairman, Daar Communications, Chief Anthony Enahoro, Professor Wole Soyinka, Aknirogun Segun Osoba.

Most Promising Tabloid of the Year

Nominees: Sun newspapers ,National LIFE newspapers, Saturday Punch newspapers and Saturday Independent newspapers

Banker of the Year

Nominees: Zenith Bank, Skye Bank, Bank PHB and Standard Chattered Bank

Media Friendly Business Czars of the Year

Nominees: Jimoh Ibrahim, Femi Otedola, Aliko Dangote, Wale Tinubu and Wale Adenuga

PR Brand of the Year

Nominees: Quadrant, So & U, tpt, Media Reach, Town Criers and DKL

Journalist of the Year (Entertainment)

Nominees: Tosin Ajirire (SUN), Nonye Iwuagwu (PUNCH), Victor Akande (Nation), Tony Ogaga Erhaife (National LIFE), Richard Ayeni (AIT) and Ayeni Adekunle (PUNCH)

Journalist of the Year (Politics)

Nominees: Tolani Abati (Encomium), Wale Olaleye (This DAY) and DareOdufowokan (National LIFE)

Journalist of the Year (Society)

Nominees: Olumide Iyanda (Saturday Independent), Kunle Rasheed (Global Excellence), George Elijah Otumu (National LIFE), Kayode Alfred (This DAY), Austin Fair Nwulu (National Mirror) and Kemi Lawal (PUNCH)

Female Writer of the Year

Nominees: Kemi Dayo- Ashefon (PUNCH), Yetunde Oladeinde (National LIFE), Amina Brai (National Mirror) and Adaeze Amos (National LIFE)

Brand Writer of the Year

Nominees: Onoshe Nwabuikwu (PUNCH), Wale Alabi (The Nation), Ofosa Godie (M2 magazine) and Ofuma Agali (M2 magazine)

Columnist of the Year

Nominees: Azubuike Ishekwene (PUNCH),Coker Onita (Daily Independent) and Ochoronma Nnana (Vanguard)

Editor of the Year

Nominees: Steve Ayorinde (PUNCH), Steve Nwosu (Sun) and Christian Ita (National LIFE)

Newspaper of the Year

Nominees: This DAY, Vanguard, the Nation, Champion and PUNCH

Business Newspaper of the Year

Nominees: Financial Standard, Business DAY and Business Times

On-Air Personality of the Year

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Nominees: Femi Sowoolu (TV Continental), Miriam Arthur Anazodo (NTA 2 Channel 5), Moyo Oyatogun (Star fm), Tokunboh Ojekunle (TV Continental), Jacob Akinyemi Johnson, JAJ (Stv/ Rhythm fm)

Gossip Editor of the Year

Nominees: Dada Eriye (News of the People), Dapo Olaniyan (Reality Weekly), Azu Arinzeh (Encomium), Kunle Rasheed (Global Excellence) and Bamidele Ogundele (City People)

Foreign Media of the Year

Nominees: Cable News Network (CNN), Agence France Presse (AFP), Voice of America (VOA), British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Sahara Reporters, Pointblanknews agency and African Examiner Agency

Recognition (Tourism)

Tourism Personality of the Year: Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, Director- General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) and Prince Femi Oluwasina, Chairman, Jethro Tours and Travels.

Sexiest Actor in Nollywood

Nominees: Jim Iyke , Emeka Ike,Ramsey Nuoah, Desmond Elliot and Pat Attah

Screen Diva in Nollywood

Nominees: Omotola Jalade- Ekeinde, Ini Edo, Genevieve Nnaji, Alex Lopex, Cossy Orjiakor, Rita Dominic and Eucharia Anunobi

Airline of the Year

Nominees: Arik,Virgin Nigeria ,Afrijet, Bellview and Aero Contractor

Music Legend of the Year

Nominees: King Sunday Adeniyi Adegeye (KSA), Chief Ebenezer Obey, Fela Anikulapo Kuti (post- humous), Sir Victor Uwaifo and Fatai Rolling Dollars

Musician of the Year

Nominees: D’Banj, P-Square, Asa, Durella, Mode 9, 9ice, Timaya, Ikechukwu and Weird MC

The Organising Committee of MNA wishes to release a comprehensive lists of other nominees/categories soon

You got News for us, give us a tip at: newstip@pointblanknews.com. We treat them confidential as we investigate!

Varsity lecturer crushes student to death

By Agency Reporter

A female lecturer of the Electrical Engineering Department of the Federal University of Technology Minna, (name withheld) on Tuesday crushed one of her students, Mr. Istifanu Tokan, to death on the campus.


The woman who was driving a Mercedes Benz car on her way to a lecture, was alleged to have hit Tokan, a 500 level student at the Gidan Kwano permanent site of the university as the student was also rushing to attend the lecture.

Our correspondent gathered that the deceased, was on a commercial motorcycle and that in order to avert a head-on collision with the lecturer's car he jumped off the bike, but was killed in the process.

The deceased student hailed from Manchok in Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The National President, National Association of Nigerian Students, Mr. Abdullahi Ebiloma, and the FUT Student Union President, Mr. Eniola Omisola, confirmed the death of the student in an interview with our correspondent in Minna, on Wednesday.

They said that the remains of the deceased earlier deposited at the Minna General Hospital mortuary had since been taken to Kaduna for burial.

US Embassy: 12 persons arraigned for attempted fraud

By Francis Famoroti

Twelve suspected fraudsters were on Wednesday arraigned before an Ikeja Senior Magistrate's Court, for conspiracy and attempt to defraud some persons of their money at the United States of American Embassy in Lagos.


The accused persons are Ignatius Ugwu (54), Orisco Stanley (32), Titi Thomas (29), Ugochukwu Edubiri (31), Fegnald Anyokhlor (31), Omokaro Israel (25), and Prince Oyemechi (31).

Others are Chinedu Okpara (30), Marcus Egede (58), Emma Ekpo (33), Chima Nnana (20) and Shina Akinola (31).

The accused, who were facing a two-count charge, were alleged to have on February 6, at Walter Carrington Crescent, Victoria Island, Lagos conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace by parading themselves as workers of the American embassy in Lagos.

The prosecution said the act of the accused was meant to defraud unsuspecting citizens of their money.

The offence is contrary to sections 249(d) and 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap 17, Vol 11, Laws of Lagos State, 2004.

When the charge was read, the accused they pleaded 'not guilty.'

Police prosecutor, Inspector Bartholomew Nwaokoye, told the court that the suspects were arrested based on an intelligence report received from the State Security Service on the activities of some persons parading themselves as workers of the US embassy.

He added the police carried out a raid on the premises and arrested the suspects .

Lawyer to the accused, Mr. Osita Egonu, however, said the suspects were gainfully employed, arguing that they were at the embassy for lawful purposes.

He, however applied to the court to release them on bail on liberal terms.

The court adjourned the matter till February 27.

North would have regretted Nigeria's break-up, says Dikko
From Saxone Akhaine, Kaduna

SECOND Republic Minister of Transport and Special Duties, Alhaji Umaru Dikko, yesterday revisited the events that preceded the Nigerian Civil War and the North's last minute withdrawal of support for the break-up of the country.


He said with the creation of more states, the strength of the East was weakened and urged the present leaders to encourage the policy to strengthen federalism and the nation's unity.

Dikko spoke at the occasion to commemorate the death of the former Premier of Northern region and Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello. He accused the present leadership of the nation of pursing monetary gains rather than imbibing the legacies of Sardauna.

He pointed out that the North would have regretted the initial agenda mooted by some of its leaders and other prominent individuals from other parts of the nation under the regime of Gen. Yakubu Gowon to break the country, "but for the insistence by delegation from the defunct Midwestern region who vehemently supported that Nigeria should continue to remain as one entity.

"But through states' creation under the same Gen. Gowon, we were able to frustrate the agenda of Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who wanted the country to break up, so that he can have control of the oil region in the East and later deal with us. In fact, it was the creation of more states out of the former regions that save the situation, and also strengthened the nation's federalism. "

Dikko argued that "when Gowon took over government there was a constitutional conference, people from the Northern, Eastern and Western regions came together to say which way Nigeria should go. Because, at that time, the country was in turbulence and anything could have happened.

"So, we went, some people were saying Nigeria should break up. All the regions supported the idea, except Midwest (now Edo and Delta states), which said no, the federation should remain and continue. We went as Northern delegation, led by Sir. Kashim Ibrahim, Governor under the Sardauna to Lagos to discuss the matter."

According to him, the prompt intervention of himself (Dikko) and the former Secretary to the Government of the Northern Region, Alhaji Ali Akilu, after conferring with the Governor of the defunct Northern Region, the late Gen. Hassan Katsina that turned the tide against the agenda to disintegrate the nation by consensus.

Dikko also recalled how the head of state, Gen. Murtala Ramat Muhammed told Gowon that the reason why Sardauna was killed was "for us to loose the control of power in Nigeria totally, and he said this can never happen to us, the country would not break up, we shall continue under one nation and as a country in unity.

"The design was aborted. The design was that if Nigeria was allowed to break up, Ojukwu would have full control of the oil region and later turn back to deal with the North by subjugating us. So, we then decided that states must be created in the East, North and other parts of the country to weaken the power of Ojukwu and strengthen federalism."

He continued: "I can still remember vividly how one Emir in the North, he is still alive told some of us who went round to tell our people in all parts of the North why we should no longer support the idea of the country breaking up. The Emir told us that we have gone to collect money to suppress the idea to break up Nigeria. When the time comes I will mention his name that is when I am writing my book."

Dikko therefore advised the present leaders to be committed to states creation to strengthen the unity of the nation in the face of complaints of marginalisation.

Several retrenched workers of Kaduna Textiles Limited (KTL) were at the venue of the occasion to protest the lost legacies of Sardauna of Sokoto, while carrying placards demonstrating how the present political leaders destroyed the industry in the North.

The Textiles Workers Union Secretary-General and Vice President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Alhaji Issa Aremu, said that "the strategy of self- reliance of the late premier was to reverse this dependent strategy."

Three feared killed in Ogun bank robbery Wednesday

THE Director General of the National Automotive Council (NAC), Alhaji Aminu Jalal says that with sufficient commitment, a Nigerian car is feasible by 2017.


A bank worker, a student and a policeman were on Wednesday feared dead when daredevil armed robbers struck at the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (UNAAB) Micro-Finance Bank.

During the operation, which reportedly lasted for just 30 minutes, the bandits having held customers in the bank hostage, began shooting, leading to the death of a female staff of the bank and a male student of UNAAB.

The late policeman was killed while driving into the bank premises. Apparently trying to prevent him from hindering them from operating, they reportedly shot him right inside his car.

The hoodlums reportedly left the bank, located at Isale-Igbein, Abeokuta, near the Government House, after operating successfully.

An eye witness account told The Guardian that the bandits, "riding in a jeep and a salon car" arrived at the bank at about 10 a.m and immediately shot the policeman dead after which they fired several shots into the air to scare away people, adding that "the female staff, sensing danger attempted to carry the money at the counter and rush it into the vault but in the process the robbers saw her and shot her dead," the eye witness stated.

The State Police Commissioner, Mr. Emmanuel Dipo Ayeni, while confirming the incident, said he was on his way to assess the situation.

Britain goes tough on fraudulent visa seekers
From Oghogho Obayuwana, Abuja

ANY Nigerian trying to enter the United Kingdom (UK) for studies with fraudulent documentation when caught risks a 10-year visa ban.



The British government has however promised to encourage genuine Nigerians to improve their economic and social well being by acquiring British education.

At a dinner for delegates of 50 UK educational institutions on Monday night in Abuja, Jason Ivory, Head of Visa Services Operations of the British High Commission, said Britain would be strict in it application of visa rules.

The delegates are in Nigeria for the 6th yearly UK education fair, which began yesterday.

"We have been criticised in the past for second-guessing applicants. That the system (visa procedure) was complicated and unpredictable. We have now come out with this simpler method. The points system (Nigerians need to score 40 points) is transparent and makes sure that only the fraudulent is punished," Ivory said.

In June last year, in an apparent response to growing complains about its visa policy for immigrants, Britain had announced a new system for assessing highly skilled immigrants wanting to work in UK. It is an Australian style Points Based System (PBS), which guides potential students who having being offered admissions, seek to travel to the UK for study.

But the 10-year visa ban is only a sanction meant for the worst type of offender. "It is a very serious matter when applicants use false documents or deception when making a visa application and the ban is up to 10 years," he said.

Addressing the delegates earlier, British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Bob Dewar, said one of the ways the partnership bond between Nigeria and Britain could be strengthened was through the sharing of knowledge and assistance in the development of Nigeria's human potentials.

Over 10,000 Nigerians went to the UK for studies last year. Dewar said: "We are very proud of this and we are very excited about it. Through this many bright Nigerians have been given the opportunity of making invaluable contributions to the Nigerian society when they return home."

The introduction of PBS follows a tightening of British border security, which requires all visa applicants to submit their fingerprints for checking against government databases before visas are approved.

Arrests in Nigeria baby poisoning

Nigerian drug regulators have announced they have arrested 12 people in connection with the poisoning of 111 babies with a tainted medicine.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (Nafdac) said the accused faced 15 years in jail or a $3,500 (£2,441) fine.

Those arrested were from the company that manufactured the drug called "My Pikin" and some of its marketers.

Since November 84 children have died after taking the teething drug.

'Zealous'

The paracetamol-based syrup, used for treating sore gums, was found to have been contaminated with diethylene glycol, used as an engine coolant.

It caused the babies' kidneys to fail.

"We will henceforth zealously prosecute people who manufacture dangerous products that hurt or kill Nigerians," Nafdac head Paul Orhii said.

He said no new cases of illness had been reported by hospitals for more than a month.

All of the deaths recorded occurred in November and December 2008, after the alarm was raised.

More than 5,000 bottles have been taken out of circulation by Nafdac, but it said it is not known how many were made in the tainted batch, or how far the bottles had been distributed.

Authorities have called on private pharmacies to turn over stocks to regulators.

The name My Pikin means "my baby" in Nigerian pidgin.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7884202.stm

Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi has said he would like a United States of Africa to include "Caribbean islands with African populations".

Col Gaddafi, speaking in Tripoli as the African Union's (AU) new chairman, said this could include Haiti, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic.

The Libyan leader also sympathised with Somali pirates, describing their actions as self-defence.

Last week he said that multi-party democracy was not right for Africa.

The BBC's Rana Jawad in the Libyan capital says Col Gaddafi's critics believe he is too erratic to be chairman of the 53-nation AU.

A week into his appointment his agenda for Africa is expanding and his views remain as controversial as ever to some people, she says.

Praise for pirates

Celebrating his new role at his compound in Tripoli on Tuesday, Col Gaddafi suggested Caribbean islands should join the AU and become a bridge between Africa and Latin America.

He went on to tell a gathering of some 400 guests that Somali pirates were only hitting back against other countries stealing marine wealth from the region's waters.

Col Gaddafi said the United Nations should protect Somali waters from the piracy of other countries.

He also said he would use his 12 months at the helm of the AU to try to resolve Africa's conflicts, including Darfur and Somalia.

Last week, the Libyan leader used his inaugural address as rotating head of the AU in Ethiopia to push his long-cherished pet project of a United States of Africa.

He envisages a single African military force, a single currency and a single passport for Africans to move freely around the continent.

But the response from many of his fellow African leaders was lukewarm, with some saying the proposal would add an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy.

He also raised eyebrows by saying that multi-party democracy only led to bloodshed in Africa and that the best model for Africa was his own country, where opposition parties are not allowed.


SOURCE:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7883178.stm

na wa.

lol.

;d ;d

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IR63c-6kmME&feature=related-The governor is a 4 1 9er who has sworn allegiance to a shrine.

The main town is a refuse dump.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fX-cP9jWFag&feature=related

;d ;d

closed thread, whining about nothing.

N19.5b Aviation Fund: Senate Recommends Five Year Ban On Fani-Kayode

By Adetutu Folasade-Koyi, Snr Correspondent, Abuja

Senators on Tuesday disclosed how the N19.5 billion Aviation Intervention Fund was shared among top government officials, using companies as fronts, under the watch of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

A report by the Senate Aviation Committee, which probed the disbursement of the Fund, indicted two former Aviation Ministers, Babalola Borisade and Femi Fani-Kayode.

The Committee recommended a five-year public office ban for Fani-Kayode based on "established irregularities in the award of contracts" while he was Minister.

It detailed how 20 companies, with a combined share capital of less than N21 million, got N10 billion worth of contracts, and how fake Due Process Certificates were used to siphon money from the Fund.

Committee Chairman, Anyim Ude, presented the report to plenary on Tuesday.

But when Ude wanted to read out the recommendations, Senate President, David Mark, stopped him, "based on the discussions we had with you yesterday (Monday)."

The Committee urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to go after Borisade; former National Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) Managing Director, Roland Iyayi; and Avsatel Nigeria Managing Director, George Eider, and recover N5 billion being inflated cost of the Safe Tower Project.

The Senate, however, did not debate the report on the premise that the matter is before the courts.

The Committee's findings and recommendations also include:

-Most of the companies awarded contracts by the Ministry of Aviation and Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) had low share capital of between N20,000 and N500,000.

They were awarded contracts ranging from N50 million to N100 million and above, which is against the law.

Examples of such companies include:

Avsatel (got contracts worth N6.5 billion), ADB Airport Lighting Systems (N920 million), Belform (N725,546,426), Almonds (N145 million), Smarribs (N50,685,726.35), Proxy-U (N50,358,066.32), Umco Royal Links (N50,261,211), and High Grade Tech (N49,658,000).

Valca Builders (N48,116,112.56), Abhal Ventures (N45,927,000), Neregroma (N44,533,528.42), M/s U-Ess & Part (N37,426,533), United Prefab (N29,190,500), and Vindotco W/A (N27,975,700).

Rockefeller Const (N21,535,266.32), Remiss Inv (N22,825,686.31), Endev Ass (N20,371,929.48), Jelroi Merchants (N20,785,612.50), Batec (N16,805,000), and Jimmy Nigeria (N14,000,648).

The 20 companies have a combined share capital of less than N21 million but they were given combined contracts worth about N10 billion.

-The federal Accountant General and Aviation Ministry officials should provide details of unspecified expenditure of $3,149,210.29 in their submissions and the $7,269,754.74 difference in expenditure between 1999 and 2006 should be reconciled or explained.

-The Senate should urge the EFCC and the police to recover N5 billion being inflated cost of the Safe Tower Project from Borisade, Iyayi, and Avsatel Nigeria and also prosecute them.

-The Safe Tower Project, though well intentioned, was used to defraud the country.

-The EFCC should investigate the source of the fake Due Process Certificate said to have been issued by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) for the award of the N6.5 billion Safe Tower Project.

-The EFCC should find out why Certificate of Payment was never issued by the BPP and no request to that effect was made by the ministry as well as the source of other fake Due Process Certificates used by contractors who did jobs for and were paid by the FAAN.

Fani-Kayode should be barred from holding public office for five years for the following reasons:

-Irregularities in the award of contracts in the Ministry of Aviation, FAAN and NAMA during his tenure.

-The weight of his undue interference in the management, recruitment, and deployment of staff in FAAN led to the bloating of the parastatal shortly after the "right-sizing" of staff and payment of severance benefits.

This resulted in the FAAN's current crippling salary bill of about N700 million a month.

-He threatened and harassed any Chief Executive who dared to express a contrary opinion; for example, he first suspended and later sacked former FAAN Managing Director, Mohammed Yusuf, who was re-instated by Obasanjo.

-Fani-Kayode recruited his own men from outside the aviation sector without due process and thereby got serving officers demoralised.

For examples, the Director of Administration, Adedeji Adebiyi (who was brought from Leen Oil and should have been deployed to handle estate matters), and the Director of Finance, Jerry Onifade (picked from Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation with controversial antecedents).

-The N19.5 billion released by the government in 2006 was intended to finance major projects in four aviation parastatals as follows:

FAAN (N9.2 billion), NAMA (N7.3 billion), Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) (N2.2 billion), and Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) (N0.9 billion).

-But the disbursement of the N19.5 billion was changed by the Ministry of Aviation as follows:

FAAN (N13,100,956,240.07), NAMA (N6,399,043,759.35), NCAA (nil), and NIMET (nil).

-The Rivers State Government later released an additional N2 billion to the FAAN to upgrade infrastructure at the Port Harcourt Airport - making a total N21.5 billion in the Fund.

-The money was sourced and broadly applied as follows:

Bank Loan: NAMA Safe Tower Project (N6.5 billion).

FGN Natural Resources Account: FAAN severance benefits (N2.0 billion).

FAAN intervention at four airports (N11.0 billion).

Rivers State Government FAAN infrastructure at Port Harcourt Airport (N2.0 billion).

However, on Tuesday, an Abuja High Court granted leave for Eider to travel to Austria for medical treatment.

He is standing trial over allegations of bribery in the award of contract for the Safe Tower Project, and is charged alongside Borisade, Iyayi, and T.A. Dairo, an aide to Borisade

Suit against Soludo


The Federal High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti yesterday adjourned the suit filed by a rights activist Morakinyo Ogele against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Prof Chukwuma Soludo till March 5 for adoption of addresses.

Justice Louis Alagoa directed parties to exchange briefs before March 5 when all addresses are expected to be adopted.

Ogele, who is a lawyer, approached the court for an order of mandamus to compel the ICPC to investigate Soludo’s handling of transaction involving the African Finance Corporation (AFC) which in his opinion, did not comply with the principles of transparency and due process.

The ICPC was not represented by any counsel at yesterday’s proceedings.

Counsel to Soludo, Mr. C.I. Mbaeri who had filed a notice of preliminary objection dated November 13, last year, yesterday filed a written address in support of the preliminary objection.

Ogele who represented himself in the matter objected that the preliminary objection is incompetent on grounds that Soludo’s counsel had mixed facts with the law.

He also argued that though the alleged offence was not committed in the jurisdiction of the court, the Federal High Court is constitutionally empowered to assume jurisdiction over matters anywhere in the country, citing the case of M.K.O Abiola v Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Justice Louis Alagoa ordered parties to address the court on the issue of where the alleged offence was committed, the motion challenging the competence of the preliminary objection and the notice of the preliminary objection itself.

Justice Alagoa who raised the issue of the jurisdiction of the place of commission of the alleged offence suo moto urged parties to supply him the authorities of the Court of Appeal on the issue of assumption of jurisdiction.

backward culture.

Abia a failed backward brafia project.

Bini people are very backward.

lol.

;d ;d