Yesterday’s World Cup draw threw up a whole host of fascinating subplots and has, in some ways, changed the complexion of the tournament for a number of the competing sides.

Africa’s five representatives enjoyed mixed fortunes. KickOff.com looks at who has got reason to cheer and who has reason to fear the big kick-off in Brazil next summer.

Group A: Cameroon, Brazil, Croatia & Mexico

At first glace, Cameroon’s chances of progression look pretty slim having been handed a tough-looking group containing Mexico, Croatia and hosts Brazil.

However, excluding the hosts, who one would expect to qualify in top spot, the other two sides are beatable and the draw could certainly have been a lot trickier for the Indomitable Lions.

They open against a Mexican side who endured an extremely problematic qualification experience, finishing fourth in the Concacaf Hexagon programme before having to contest a double-header against New Zealand. El Tri boast some fine individual players and have an excellent recent record for escaping the group stage. However, it is not unrealistic for Cameroon to target a victory in this opening bout.

Next up, Croatia, another side who failed to qualify automatically from their qualification group; Valtreni bested their bitter rivals Serbia in Uefa Group A, but could not overcome the Belgians and had to beat Iceland in a play-off to book their ticket to the World Cup.

Croatia’s impotent performance in the first leg, when they could only draw 0-0 in Reykjavik, will imbue Volker Finke with optimism.

A final group clash with Brazil in Brasilia, the country’s capital, is a terrifying prospect for any national side – the Indomitable Lions will have to hope that the Selecao, having already qualified, take their foot off the gas.

Don’t hold your breath, however!



Group C: Cote d’Ivoire, Colombia, Greece & Japan

Finally, after two tournaments where the Cote d’Ivoire were almost eliminated before they even kicked a ball, the Elephants have finally managed to avoid a Group of Death.

The West African nation finds itself up against Asian champions Japan, Greece and the seeded Colombia. The draw is not an easy one by any stretch of the imagination, but having faced the likes of Portugal, Brazil, Holland and Argentina in recent tournaments, Sabri Lamouchi’s men will just be delighted to have avoided the big guns.

It is imperative that the faded Golden Generation expel any complacent elements that may be lingering within the camp. This, along with fear and perceived arrogance, has been their weakness in the continental arena and they must not exit the 2014 tournament having missed a glorious opportunity to make amends for failures past.

This group provides them with ample opportunity to progress to the knockout rounds, although they must not slip up against Japan in their opening match.



Group F: Nigeria, Argentina, Bosnia-Herzegovina & Iran

News of the Super Eagles’ World Cup draw has been greeted with broad optimism and ebullient patriotism in Nigeria.

Having conquered the continent, Stephen Keshi and his troops fear no one and the promise of a rematch with Argentina is one that the team look set to approach with relish rather than reticence.

Many Nigerian fans will be particularly excited at the prospect of witnessing Vincent Enyeama, currently in the form of his life, attempt to once again thwart Lionel Messi. The Lille stopper delivered one of the finest performances of his career at the 2010 edition of the tournament to persistently prevent Messi from finding the net.

While Nigeria should realistically hope to join Argentina in qualifying from the group, rather than pip them to top spot, the group’s other two sides provide cause for optimism.

Bosnia boast a number of fine players, but they are World Cup debutants and one of the weaker European sides in the tournament. Iran will not be easy opponents but considering the names that could have been drawn from the Asian/American nations, they are not a bad prospect at all.



Group G: Ghana, Germany, Portugal & the USA

Unfortunately, Ghana have not enjoyed the fortune of their West African brothers and find themselves in a Group of Death that lives up to the moniker.

Germany, rife with talent, are one of the world’s finest sides and will be expected to reach the tournament’s latter stages, let alone escape the group.

Portugal, inspired by Cristiano Ronaldo, will look to follow them out of Group G. The Real Madrid forward is naturally the star of the team (and could well be the star of the tournament), but his compatriots also possess exceptional qualities and any kind of result would represent an achievement for the Black Stars.

The United States complete the set and are probably the toughest possible team that Kwesi Appiah’s men could have come up against from Pot 3.

This collection of teams presents a number of intriguing subplots; America boss Jurgen Klinsmann will be forced to duel with his countrymen, while brothers Jerome and Kevin-Prince Boateng will meet face-to-face on June 21.

The Black Stars will doubtless be casting envious glances over to Africa’s final representatives ...



Group H: Algeria, Belgium, Russia & the Korea Republic

While Algeria may be Africa’s least-promising team, they find themselves in one of the World Cup’s most-promising groups.

Belgium will not be an easy prospect, and ought to top the group, but compared to some of the other top seeds that the Fennecs may have encountered, they are not terrifying opposition.

The North Africans are not favourites to qualify ahead of either Russia or the Korea Republic, but neither will they fear their two other group-mates.

If Madjid Bougherra can keep things tight at the back, and if Sofiane Feghouli can channel some of his creative qualities, then Algeria could feasibly target a first-ever spot in the last 16.

They will never again get as easy an opportunity to do so.

source http://www.kickoffnigeria.com/mobile/news/39644/world-cup-2014-how-the-group-stage-draw-has-treated-africa

The Rector of Yaba College of Technology, Kudirat Ladipo, has been accused of exploring desperate means to victimize Fatima Salau, a final-year student of the institution for daring to reveal how the school management props up and shields cult gangs, SaharaReporters has learned.

A lecturer at the institution, which is known as Yaba Tech, told SaharaReporters that part of Ms. Ladipo’s moves was to set up a panel which would be used to victimize the student after she had written her exam. Our correspondent was told that the whistle-blower, Ms. Salau, wrote her last paper on Thursday, November 21, 2013 and immediately received a letter from the school’s management to face an indicting panel. Her offense is that she reportedly stated that the institution’s top officials were responsible for the absurd increase in the number of cult members and their violent activities on the campus.

Several sources told SaharaReporters that the panel was clearly out to intimidate the whistle-blower when she appeared before them. They said the panel members informed Ms. Salau that she faced the risk of not receiving her statement of results for the Higher National Diploma (HND) she recently concluded. In addition, our sources disclosed that Ms. Salau was also warned that her National Diploma (ND), which she earned more than two years ago before enrolling for the HND, may also be recalled.

Ms. Salau, the public relations officer of the Lagos State chapter of the Joint Campus Committee of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), spoke a few weeks ago on SaharaTV where she discussed the menace of cult groups at Yaba Tech. During her appearance, she disclosed that the spike in the violent activities of cult gangs, which led to a recent closure of the school by protesting students, was due to the strong backing cult members received from the management of the College.

Several weeks ago, students at Yaba Tech shut the school down after a suspected cult member used a bottle to viciously attack a fellow student in the Banking and Finance Department. Students were particularly irate as there had been no prior argument between the victim and the assailant before the attack was launched, leaving the victim with severe injuries.

To register their outrage over the assault, protesting students closed all entrances into the institution, barring any activity. They demanded that the culprit be identified and punished. The rector reportedly cut short a trip to return to campus and appease the students, promising to address the menace of cults. Several students told SaharaReporters that the rector subsequently failed to meet certain conditions the students gave for discontinuing their protest

The students’ demands included that the management take full responsibility for the treatment of the victim of the attack, identify and punish the culprit, publish the full list of all cult members on the campus, and eject cult members who reside on the campus especially in the Complex Hall residence.

“The cult members often boast that they are paid by the management,” said a former member of the Students Union Government (SUG). He added: “At a recent meeting, the management also told us that they would speak to the cult members to stop their nefarious acts. It all means they know each other, both the management and the cult gangs.”

Instead of meeting the students’ demands to curb cult activities and rusticate known cult members, the rector and some of her team of administrators seemed determined to go after innocent students. Students went on another round of protests after Yaba Tech’s management released an alleged list of supposed cult members. “The list did not contain names of cult members,” one student told SaharaReporters. “It was populated with names of innocent students, while the actual cult members who are well known to the management were deliberately exempted,” he alleged. Students rejected the list, describing it as a ploy by the management to shield the cult members. The students demanded that the management should start over and prepare a genuine list of actual cult members.

In her interview on SaharaTV, Ms. Salau stated that cult members were well known to the management, but added that the Rector, Ms. Ladipo, was “trying to be mother” to them all. The whistle-blower also disclosed that some cult members who are non-students reside on the campus of the college.

When our correspondent visited the college recently, numerous students who asked for anonymity accused the school management of funneling cash to the leaders of cult groups, thereby providing incentives for the violent gangs to increase. One of the students accused the rector of cultivating the cult gangs with pay-offs so that they would be handy for her husband, a politician who is reportedly mulling a run in the upcoming 2015 elections.

“Although we like the woman, but the truth is that she was the least expected to emerge as our rector,” said one of the students. “She became the rector through political influences, and I guess she is servicing the interests that gave her the office by helping to generate touts for their next round of election.”

A senior lecturer at the college told SaharaReporters that he was not aware that the rector was engaged in clandestine breeding of cult members for political purposes. He added, however, that the perception was damaging enough. “If some students believe that the person who runs this college was breeding a group of students who attack other students, then that is bad for the image of this revered institution and undermines the moral authority any leader must possess in order to lead effectively.” The lecturer added that the allegation was serious enough for the rector to resign or be removed.

In the meantime, SaharaReporters learned that the panel set up by Ms. Ladipo asked many questions of Ms. Salau but did not give her the opportunity to answer. Rather, members of the panel focused on detailing to the whistle-blower the likely vindictive actions the college could take against her for daring to expose the management’s indifference to the scourge of cult groups.

A lecturer told our correspondent that he learned that the panel members received a huge shock when they asked Ms. Salau whether she regretted her whistle-blowing action and she gave a resounding “No!” as her answer.

source http://saharareporters.com/news-page/yaba-tech%E2%80%99s-cult-gangs-rector-accused-desperate-efforts-victimize-whistle-blower

Lokoja – The advance team of President Goodluck Jonathan’s entourage, returning from Ado-Ekiti on Sunday rendered emergency rescue services to accident victims on the Lokoja-Abuja highway.

The accident which occurred at Okpu village, few kilometres after Lokoja, involved two cars, carrying 11 people.

A Nissan Almera car with registration number AH 47 KAA going to Lokoja and a Honda Accord car (Baby Boy) with registration number BG945BWR en-route Abuja, were involved in the accident.

The two vehicles had a head-on collision with serious impact, causing varying degrees of injury to the occupants of the vehicles.

The accident occurred few minutes before the presidential motorcade came to the scene.

The security team in the convoy swung into action by rescuing trapped victims in the two cars.

The front door of the passenger seat of the Nissan car was axed before a middle aged woman, who was trapped inside, could be rescued.

The medical team, led by Dr Aliyu Usman of the State House Clinic, rendered emergency medical treatment to the victims, aided by two nurses.

A team of Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), led by one Mohammed Haruna, came to the scene of the accident about 30 minutes into the rescue operation.

The victims were taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja in an FRSC rescue van for further medical attention.

An eye witness, Aliyu Sadiq, said that the accident was caused by over-speeding, dangerous driving and the poor state of the road.

Sadiq appealed to the Federal Government to expedite action on completing the dualisation of the Lokoja-Abuja highway.

The eye witness, who is a commercial bus driver, said he plied the road on daily basis, adding that “there is a hardly a day that an accident is not recorded on the road.” (NAN

source http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/10/jonathans-motorcade-rescues-accident-victims/

Nigeria’s first Lady, Patience Jonathan pose for pictures with President of Hansei University, Sung-Hae Kim

Wife of Nigeria’s president, Patience Jonathan, on Thursday added one more Honorary Doctorate degree to her gallery after a South Korean University honoured her.

It is Mrs. Jonathan’s fourth doctorate since becoming Nigeria’s First Lady.

The awarding institution, Hansei University, said they honoured Mrs. Jonathan because she had worked “hard for many good causes.”

“She’s a humanitarian who has dedicated her life to working for the less privileged in Nigeria and Africa especially for women and children,” president and Chancellor of Hansei University, Sung-Hae Kim said.

”Her vision as the defender of the poor in Nigeria fits into Hansei University’s motto of a practising Christian. Now she’s part of our community,” Prof. Kim added.

The university also said it chose her for the degree because of her dedication to prayer.

”I was surprised that she travelled here for the Church Growth International conference years back to pray for Nigeria. For her selfless work, Hansei University confers this degree on her,” Yonggi Cho, co-founder of the Hansei University.

“I was just doing my own thing not knowing that in far away Asia everything was being noted. I want to assure you all that with God’s help I will do more,” Mrs. Jonathan said, thanking the Koreans.

”My grandma used to say: `Whatever little you have, share; If you have a thousand and you can’t share, you won’t share a million if you have’.

The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the ceremony was attended by wives of the governors of Benue and Ebonyi, wives of the Chief of Army Staff and the Chief of Naval Staff, among other dignitaries.

source http://premiumtimesng.com/news/146462-patience-jonathan-honoured-doctorate-degree-north-korea.html

The situation around the campus is now normal.

The management of Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), has refuted claim that there was a cult clash on its campus.

Adekunle Adams, Head, Public Relations Unit of the institution, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Saturday.

Mr. Adams said that the recent protest on the campus was an internal issue that was misinterpreted into a cult clash.

He said that a committee had been directed to look into the incident and summit a report to the school authority.

“The management wishes to state that there was no cult clash on its campus but a protest by students to express their displeasure over certain issues.

“On Wednesday night, some group of students gathered in front of their hostel to watch the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) league.

“Some minutes later, a fight ensued between some of them which left a student injured.

“On Thursday morning some of the aggrieved students gathered at the main entrance of the institution to protest the beating of their colleague.

“What happened was not a cult clash, the expressed views as reported in some quarters do not fully reflect the true picture of the situation on campus,” he said.

Mr. Adams said that the Rector, Kudirat Ladipo, upon being notified, cut short her trip to Abuja to address the situation.

He said that the rector had addressed the students and took their complaints and promised to address the issue as soon as possible.

“The Rector has since set up a committee to look into the case and submit its findings,” Mr. Adams said.

A correspondent who visited the institution observed that normalcy had returned to the campus as students were seen receiving lectures.

Mr. Adams reiterated the institution’s zero tolerance for cultism and other acts of indiscipline, saying that it would not condole any act of indiscipline.

He added that any student found wanting would face the wrath of the law.

“The present administration does not condone acts of indiscipline as the college is known to be the most peaceful campus among Nigerian tertiary institutions.

“On this, we will not compromise as reported cases of cultism are referred to the security unit with further link to relevant security agencies for the law to take its course,” he said.

He said that the institution remained committed to the training of young men and women to be worthy in character and learning.

(NAN)

Source http://premiumtimesng.com/news/145178-cult-clash-yabatech-management-says.html

ASUU has been on strike since June 30.

The Vice President Namadi Sambo has, in a bid to end the continuous gridlock in the dialogue between the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU and federal government, taken over the negotiation process. The government’s negotiation team was formerly headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Pius Anyim.

For the first time since the commencement of the over 10-week-old strike action by the union, the Vice President met with the leadership of the union at the Presidential Villa on Thursday.

The meeting was held behind closed doors.

Nigerian Universities have been shut down since June 30 as a result of federal government’s failure to honour an agreement signed between it and ASUU in 2009 bothering on issues of university funding and improvement of infrastructure in the sector.

Speaking to journalists at the Presidential Villa after the closed door meeting, the ASUU President, Nasir Fagge, said that he was taking back a “message given to him at the meeting for his members” and that Nigerians would have to wait for the response of his members on the way forward.

“We have had a meeting with the Vice President and he has given us a message to our members, and we said that as the messengers that we are, we are going to deliver the message faithfully to our members and then they will take the decision.”

According to him, “I know Nigerians are expecting a solution to the strike, we also want a solution, but I have been given a message to our members. The message is not for Nigerians, it is for our members”.

“If I deliver the message, our principal will decide and we will get back to the ministry of education within this week,” he added, saying the union would get back to the education minister on its stance on the government’s latest offer.

The federal government had offered N100 billion and N30 billion for infrastructure development in various universities and payment of verified earned allowances of lecturers respectively. It is not clear if the government made an improved offer for the lecturers whose only demand is that government implements fully the 2009 agreement.

The Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, who was also at the meeting, explained that the meeting had been convened to find a lasting solution to the crisis.

“One is quit hopeful that ASUU is committed, they have the passion and that there is the need for us to move the education sector forward.

“ASUU coming to discuss means that they are committed on their own part and that the federal government is also committed. We have gone very far, we believe that in no distance time, you will have a very good result,” he said.

Also on the ASUU delegation were two former Presidents of ASUU, Dipo Fasina and Abdullahi Sule-Kano.

Other members of the government’s delegation included the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Julius Okojie; as well as the Vice Chancellors of Bayero University Kano (BUK), University of Ibadan (UI) and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Bauchi, Abdulrasheed Abubakar, Isaac Adewole, and Muhammed Muhammed respectively.
Source http://premiumtimesng.com/?p=144991

An FCT High Court on Thursday struck out a suit by Lagos state Governor, Babatunde Fashola, challenging the purported election of Plateau state Governor, Jonah Jang, as chairman of a faction of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.

Details of the judgment are sketchy at this time.

Mr. Fashola had on June 5 filed the suit asking the court to stop Mr. Jang from parading “himself as the elected Chairman of the NGF in any manner whatsoever and howsoever.”

However, on July 17, the Lagos governor filed a motion on notice seeking to withdraw the case. His lead counsel, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) said Mr. Fashola was withdrawing the suit  to enable him to put his house in order.

But Mr. Jang and two other defendants in the suit opposed the motion. Mr. Jang’s lawyer, Tayo Oyetibo, argued vehemently that it was too late for Mr. Fashola to bring the motion after parties in the suit had already determined issues for determination.

In her ruling, Justice Affen however asked the defendants to allow Mr. Fashola’s counsel to first move his motion for withdrawal before advancing reasons for opposing it.

The Lagos governor sued Mr. Jang after the Plateau Governor set up a parallel faction of the Governors’ Forum hours after he was defeated 19 to 16 votes by Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers in a keenly contested chairmanship election.

Source. http://premiumtimesng.com/news/144903-breaking-court-strikes-fasholas-suit-seeking-stop-jang-governors-forum-chair.html

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former Super Falcons and African Woman Player of The Year, Mercy Akide-Udoh, opens up on her illustrious career, coaching, family and more

 

 What are you doing presently?

I have been coaching in the United States but for some weeks now, I have been in Nigeria trying to help young girls. I have a project called Play2Learn. There are some schools in the United States that want Nigerian players to have better education and give them a better life. That is why I am in Nigeria. We had 10 scholarships to give away.

What was the response from Nigerians?

I used the media; my husband Colin and his colleagues have been very helpful. I have no sponsors right now; it’s like charity work for me. I believe that if a girl from a home that has nothing gets educated, the family is made. You know girls don’t forget home. It’s like me; I started with nothing but this is where I am today. I always talked about giving back to the society and that is why I am doing this.

What coaching qualifications do you have and what level of the job are you into in the US?

Well, I have been coaching for a very long time. I have coached in Georgia. I have been in coaching for close to 10 years now. I coach from U-6 to U-16 but my main teams are from the U-9 to U-10 because I like bringing the kids up and teaching them more about foundation. That is what I am doing. I have a youth coaching license.

Would you say constant changing of Falcons players have affected the team?

Every coach has his philosophy of coaching. We swing coaches too often and it affects the girls. You find out that we have a group of talented players but they cannot deliver. They don’t play as a team; they play individual soccer. Our time as players in the national team has passed but the coaches that have been coming in now haven’t stayed too long with the team. They come back from competitions and what you hear is that they are fired. Things can’t work like that. If you give a coach a contract to train the girls, give him time and let him his job. If they don’t deliver, you can tell them to go but they are not given enough time to do what they are appointed to do. It’s messing up the team seriously.

Women haven’t been given much chance to manage the Falcons. Are you interested in the job?

It’s not that I don’t want to coach the national team but right now, my aim is to ensure the project I came to Nigeria to execute succeeds. I submitted my credentials but nothing has been said about it. So I don’t want to think about it. Right now, I believe I should help the kids. If I can help one or two kids to go to America, play football and get educated, I will be much pleased. I prefer doing what I am doing now to thinking of coaching the Falcons. Along the line if it happens, okay, but I am not keen about it.

The present Nigerian Football Federation board has been giving jobs to a lot of retired male footballers. Do you think the women deserve similar treatment?

I think the NFF know what they are doing. They want to start first with the men because the men’s game first came before women football. But we have achieved more than the men. We need the men and the men need us as well. We went to the World Cup before them. We’ve done so well and they should try and also focus on the women too. They need to do something for the girls.

Were your parents happy that you wanted to become a footballer?

My mum was very happy that I played football. It was a surprise. She took me as a tom boy. I only have two brothers and I was running around with them. So, she didn’t mind me going out with my two brothers to play. And when the Falcons went to China in 1991 for the first Women World Cup, I said I would play for the team. She encouraged me to the last but my dad was unhappy because he felt football is a man’s game. He didn’t want me to get hurt but along the line, he saw that I had passion for the game and it didn’t bother him anymore.

Was it easy getting your first club as a young girl?

We started at grassroots level in Port Harcourt. We started out with a team called Garden City; I don’t know if they still exist. We started the club from school. We played school competitions and they picked the best players. That was how the team was formed. It was like a one man show; we didn’t have much funds. I was playing barefooted when I started. I didn’t have kits for a very long time. I had kits when I came to Lagos to play for Jegede Queens. So, it took me a while to be where I am today.

What were the major challenges faced by players in your time?

We faced a lot. There was the issue of provision for us and when we got to camp, we didn’t have the necessary equipment; there was no decent camp for us. They were just throwing us from one hostel to the other, which they called camps. We didn’t also prepare early enough for competitions, although that is what is still going on now. It has never changed. We succeeded because we just wanted to play; that was our aim. We wanted to make a difference and I think that is what differentiates us from the present players.

How was competition for players like then?

You had to fight for your place; if you didn’t, somebody else will take over. When I came into the team, Okunwa Igunbor was playing on the right wing. In practice, it wasn’t that she was doing badly but she wasn’t doing what the coaches wanted. I was the up-and-coming player, I was recalled to the team, I ws fired up, the coaches saw the passion in me and I took her position. Some other coaches would have said, ‘She (Igunbor) is an old player, let her start.’ I was the only new player but the coaches knew I would do well.

How true were stories of lesbianism in the Falcons camp?

You know what, I don’t pry into people’s business. That is their problem and I didn’t know what they were talking about. I don’t want to make any comment about that because I was in the national team to play the game. I didn’t go there to look at what others were doing. I was just there to play and that’s all.

What was the secret behind the Falcons’ quarter-finals outing at the 1999 Women’s World Cup, their best ever achievement?

Honestly, we had better preparation then. We went to Germany and Holland and we played men’s teams, not just girls. I think that was what gave us the motivation. We felt if we could play against the boys, then we could do better. I think that was the secret. We also had a leader in Florence Omagbemi, our captain. We just didn’t go to the pitch like that; we had somebody that was leading us. Florence was a good leader; she captained the team very well and carried everybody along. If a player was down, everybody had to go down with that player. We were together.

After winning the first game, the Falcons were humiliated 7-1 by hosts USA. What happened?

I won’t lie; I think the stadium contributed to the defeat. We were playing the home team and the fans came in large numbers to cheer their team and we got rattled. It was overwhelming when the crowd cheered. You could hear it on the pitch. It was echoing. Most of us were young and it wasn’t easy handling the pressure. It was a lot more pressure than when we played Denmark in the first match.

How were you able to get yourselves back to winning?

Well, coach (Ismaila) Mabo didn’t say anything to us when we got into the bus after the game. When we got to the hotel, the only thing he said was that we should sleep and get over it because we still had one more group game to go. If we won the game, we still had a chance of qualifying. We came out that morning, we talked to each other and we picked ourselves up. I think that was the game changer; we didn’t relent.

You were down 3-0 to Brazil in the quarter-final but the team equalised in the second half before you lost 4-3 in extra time. How did you feel with the semi-final in sight?

We were thinking we were going to make it to the semi-final since we came back from 3-0 down to equal score 3-3 and we were still fired on. It started from the dressing room; we knew that if we didn’t get goals, we were not going to make the Olympics. And we wanted to be part of the Olympics. We talked to each other and encouraged each other. We got on the pitch and got the result. We were sad when the Brazilian goal came in extra time. Ann (Agumanu) was down and they brought the second choice goalkeeper. But I am not putting blame on anybody. A free-kick can beat anybody. The Brazilian girl was a good free-kick taker and she got the goal. We were pleased getting to that stage. It was a good outing for us.

How did you feel being the first African to be named in FIFA’s world 11?

I am grateful and I thank God for everything He has done in my life. It was amazing to be the first African to achieve that. I was very happy.

What were your best and worst moments?

Do I really have any bad moments? I think the only bad moment I had was when I was first invited to the national team. I went to the camp late 1994 and coach (Paul) Hamilton told me I was still young. He said if I changed my attitude towards the game, I would make the team when they called me again. So, I went back because that got me fired up and I started working so hard. I was not just scoring for the team when I returned in 1995; I was playing for the team. My best moment was the 2004 Olympics in Athens. It was against Sweden and I scored a beautiful goal, a volley. It was a wonderful goal and what made it even more beautiful was that after the game, Colin proposed to me and told me he had already fixed a date for our wedding.

How did you meet Colin? Was it love at first sight?

Well, we were friends for two months and then he asked me out. That was it.

Would you say meeting Colin, a sports journalist, changed your career for the better?

It gave me another impression about journalists. You guys are not bad guys after all. During my career before I met Colin, I always thought you guys were bad guys. You know how you people wrote bad stories about us, that we were not doing well. You guys put us so down and we didn’t want to have anything to do with you. But now I have a different impression. It’s just like me; they say I am mean when I enter the field. Sure, I may look mean but when I come off the pitch, I am different.

How did you feel on your wedding day?

How would I feel? I was just excited as a woman. I was happy to settle down with my lovely husband.

Are your kids into football as well?

I have two beautiful girls. The older one Coleen will be six this month while Madison just turned three. Madison runs around with me and Coleen says she wants to be a goalie. In future, I don’t know which country they are going to play for. It’s going to be their calling and not mine.

What do you think is the problem behind Falcons decline in Africa?

We have a lot of problems. We don’t have the younger ones taking over from the older ones. Look at USA’s Mia Hamm and the other players. Before they left, Amby Wambach was young. They had a youth programme that they picked from; it’s not about calling up 60 players today and 70 tomorrow. You need to groom the younger ones with the olders ones so that as they are growing, they will follow the legacy. Today, Wambach has beaten Hamm’s record and that is the way our team should have been. I got married and they didn’t call me to the Falcons again. They just kicked me away. It’s not supposed to be like that. You shouldn’t just kick out somebody who has done so much for Nigeria. Even if you want to push the person away, do something for her. Put her story there for the younger ones to emulate. Now, I don’t even know most of the kids. In the US, their players are celebrated but there is nothing to read about us. I am talking of the likes of Omagbemi, Uche Eucharia and Ann. I met them in the team. It’s not supposed to be like that. And it hurts.

Who was the toughest defender you played against?

It would be the US defence. Their defence was very solid; they read the game very well. Joy Success gave me a very tough time.

Any regrets playing for Nigeria after the way you were left out of the team?

I am blessed. Without Nigeria, I don’t think I will be where I am today. I don’t have any regrets at all. When something happens, it’s another step for you to move on. I think they pushed me to my glory because without that, I don’t think I would have had kids early. Now, I have two kids and I still have one to go. I am doing very well. I am not regretting being a Nigerian; that is why I am home to give to the kids. I don’t want their situation to be like mine. I want theirs to be better than mine. Taking them to America will better their lives, their families and Nigeria because after their studies, if they want to play for Nigeria, then we will have better trained players. We have no structure and facilities here. Even youth clubs in the US have better facilities than our national teams. If I have more Nigerian players schooling there, the better for our football.

If you were not a footballer, what would you have been?

Well, I love people. I could have been a nurse if I didn’t play football. I love to help people.

Recently, FCT Queens players reportedly went into prostitution because of lack of salaries…

I have been following the team for a very long time. They played Rivers Angels recently and they lost 2-0. They are always like that. They owe them salaries, the kids work so hard all year and I think at the end of the year, they just pay them all their money. But it shouldn’t be like that. How do they take care of themselves? These are ladies who need to be taken care of. I feel so bad. It was like when we were playing.

What is your advice to young female footballers in Nigeria?

They have to be disciplined, put in more and that will make them better


http://www.punchng.com/sports/sportlight/my-husband-proposed-to-me-after-my-wonder-goal-akide/

Amnesty Office to train 16,000 more ex-militants between now and 2015.

No fewer than 186 former Niger Delta militants on Saturday departed Nigeria for the United Kingdom and South Africa for training sponsored by the Presidential Amnesty Office.

The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Matters, Kingsley Kuku, held a pre-departure briefing with the contingents at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, describing the benefitting batch as lucky, as they were the largest to be deployed for educational training in the UK.

Mr. Kuku advised the beneficiaries to be good ambassadors of Nigeria in their host countries by abiding by the laws and concentrating on their studies, warning that the Presidential Amnesty Programme for youths in the Niger Delta has zero tolerance for misconduct.

The Adviser noted that on completion of their training, the skills of the participants would be relevant in the operations of the oil and gas industry, particularly the new private refineries that would be coming on stream soon.

He recalled that about 690 delegates had in the past been repatriated and reprimanded for various infractions committed during similar programmes overseas, warning that government would not tolerate any repeat of such behaviours.

“About 2,000 delegates have been empowered by the office following their successes in their various training programmes, and were provided with business start-up packages,” he said.

“Also, 174 others have been offered direct employment in various public and private onshore and offshore organizations, while 1,190 women had also been placed at specialised skill acquisition centres.

Mr. Kuku said that some of those who trained in aviation services were being offered jobs as instructors in some training centres abroad, adding that the programme was scheduled to come to an end by 2015.

From inception, he said the programme was designed to run for five years, a time he believed should not be altered, with the Amnesty office planning to train about 4,000 Niger Delta youths in 2013; 6,000 in 2014, and another 6,000 in 2015.

He advised state governments in the Niger Delta region to commence youth engagement and empowerment programmes for their citizens, adding that by 2016, all states in the Niger Delta must take up the responsibility of designing programmes that would empower youths and women in their states.

Out of the current 186 delegates, 60 would undergo a 12-month vocational training in South Africa as emergency medical technicians, otherwise known as `offshore medics’, while the remaining 126 delegates would undergo educational training in tertiary institutions in Britain and the Republic of Ireland.

The latest batch of delegates brings to about 16,683 the number of ex-militants sent for training in educational and vocational institutions abroad since the Amnesty programme started in 2010
.
Source http://premiumtimesng.com/news/144726-186-niger-delta-youths-depart-training-uk-south-africa.html

The governor inherited most of the commissioners from his late boss, Patrick Yakowa.

 

The Governor of Kaduna state, Ramalan Yero, has announced the immediate dissolution of the state executive council.

The governor announced the dissolution Wednesday at the end of a cabinet meeting at Government House, Kaduna.

A statement by his spokesperson, Ahmed Maiyaki, quoted Governor Yero as thanking “the outgoing members of the council for their valuable contributions to the state and wished them success in their future endeavours”.

The statement also directed all commissioners to hand over the affairs of their respective ministries to their permanent secretaries by Friday, September 13.

Most of the commissioners sacked by Mr. Yero Wednesday were inherited from the era of late Governor Patrick Yakowa, who died in a helicopter crash on December 14 last year.

Although the governor made a minor cabinet reshuffle on May 27 this year, the commissioners only swapped positions.

There had been speculations of cabinet reshuffle in Kaduna since January this year shortly after Mr. Yero assumed office after the demise of his late boss.

Mr. Yero’s decision to sack his cabinet Wednesday also coincided with a similar action at the federal level, where President Jonathan sacked nine of his ministers.

In the same vein, Plateau Governor, Jonah Jang, also Wednesday sacked chairmen of local government Councils in his state, replacing them with permanent secretaries and directors in the state’s civil service.

 
Source http://premiumtimesng.com/regional/144541-kaduna-governor-ramalan-yero-sacks-commissioners.html

 Mr. Jonathan says there is no political undertone to the sack of the ministers.

President Goodluck has  deployed some Ministers who survived today’s cabinet shake-up to oversee the activities of the ministries which lost their ministers Wednesday, the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, has said.

Mr. Maku said the president gave the directive through the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Anyim Pius Anyim.

Mr. Maku, who briefed journalists after the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council, FEC, said that he had been deployed to supervise the Ministry of Defence, while the Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, was assigned to oversee the Ministry of Education.

The Minister of State for Niger Delta Development, Darius Ishaku, will oversee the Ministry of Environment, while the Minister of Solid Mineral Development, Musa Sada, was assigned to oversee the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, just as Minister of Communication Technology, Omobola Johnson, was assigned to oversee the Ministry of Science and Technology, vacated by Ita Ewa Okon.

The Minister of state, Works, Bashir Yuguda, was assigned to oversee the Ministry of National Planning following the sack of the longest serving cabinet member, Shamsudeen Usman, who was first appointed minister by late President Umaru Yar’Adua.

Mr. Maku also announced that the Ministers of Agriculture, Akinwumi Adesina and Power, Chinedu Nebo were directed to take charge of their ministries alone pending appointment of new ministers of state.

The information minister quoted President Jonathan as thanking the removed  Ministers for their service to their fatherland, and saying he would continue to engage them in “the implementation of the Transformation Agenda”.

Justifying the sack of the cabinet members, the president, according to Mr. Maku, explained that it was necessary that  ”government is retooled from time to time to bring new lease of life to an administration”.

The President had earlier announced the sack of nine ministers from his cabinet during the weekly FEC meeting.

The nine Ministers sacked were Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Olugbenga Ashiru; Education, Ruqqayatu Rufai; National Planning, Shamsudeen Usman; Land and Urban Development, Ama Pepple;  Environment, Hadiza  Mailafia; Science and Technology, Ita Ewa; Minister of State Defence, Olusola Obada; Minister of State, Power, Zainab Kuchi; and Minister of State, Agriculture, Tijjani Bukar.

Mr. Jonathan was quoted to have told the ministers that he was very pleased with their services.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the sacked ministers were caught off guard because throughout the duration of the meeting, the president did not show any sign of his plan to do away with some of them.

A presidency source, who asked not to be named because he was not authorised to speak on the matter,  said the President actually announced the sack after the meeting.

“Just as the president was about to leave, then he turned round and said ‘some of you Ministers will no longer be with us, it is nothing special but its just the ways of democracy,”" our source said.

He then went ahead to read out the names of the removed ministers and immediately left the council chambers.

Mr. Maku had while briefing State House correspondents said a fresh list of ministerial nominees would be sent to the National Assembly for approval to fill the vacancies left by the nine Ministers.

No Political Undertone

Responding to questions from reporters, Mr Maku said there was no political undertone to the sack of the cabinet members.

“There is no government in the world where the leaders do not reshuffle their cabinets, there is none and cabinet reshuffle is part of a systematic public administration and I believe what the President has done is simply to address the issues of re-tooling his government to achieve service delivery,” the minister said.

“It is at the discretion of the President at all times to reshuffle his cabinet. It is his own prerogative under the constitution and this has nothing to do absolutely with any other factor other than having come two years into his administration in the last lap, what I see the President doing is to refocus his government, to inject in fresh blood to achieve greater service delivery to the people of Nigeria.

Source http://premiumtimesng.com/news/144533-cabinet-reshuffle-jonathan-appoints-wike-interim-education-minister-maku-oversee-defence.html

Former chairperson of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Farida Waziri, has spoken of her distress at how, despite committing more than three decades to serving the nation, she was booted out of office without a proper notification by the government.

Mrs. Waziri said in an exclusive interview granted Zero Tolerance, a magazine produced by the EFCC, that she got to know of her sack by President Goodluck Jonathan in November 2011, in the news media; and said she did not deserve the humiliation since she had not been found wanting for any misdemeanour.

“If you are removed like that, it has a tendency to scare some people. I wasn’t bothered that I left because my philosophy of life is simple, “what has a beginning has an end,” Mrs. Waziri said in an interview with the agency she headed for more than three years. The interview was part of events marking the EFCC’s 10th year anniversary.

“The manner of the sack was what bothered me. I have done a span of 35 years, fighting for my fatherland, I deserve some little dignity and respect. When you wake up and you see on AIT, Waziri sacked! NTA, Waziri sacked! Channels, Waziri sacked! That is the style I am talking about.”

“My predecessor’s case was even worse, but I do hope that the authorities will take note. Except you are removed as a result of gross misconduct, any other way you should be treated with dignity, respect for the human person,” she said.

Mrs. Waziri insisted it was the approach of her removal that she frowned at, not about leaving. “I knew I would one day leave. In fact, the handwriting was on the wall. I knew it was matter of time,” she said.

The former EFCC boss was sacked in November 2011 in what seemed a controversial circumstance, ending a tenure that many Nigerians and foreign partners believed largely diminished whatever gains Nigeria had made in the fight against corruption.

The sticking point of her career as the EFCC boss was the abysmal trial of former governor of Delta state, James Ibori, who escaped conviction in Nigeria due to what many believed was the EFCC’s unserious approach to the trial.

A powerful backer of the then Musa Yar’adua government, which appointed Mrs Waziri, the former governor was assisted to side-step justice by the then controversial minister of justice, Michael Aondakaa.

Mr. Ibori was later arrested in Dubai, United Arab Emirate, before being repatriated to the United Kingdom where he was convicted and is currently serving a 14-year jail term for stealing state funds.

Mrs. Waziri denied helping to free Mr. Ibori, and claimed she never knew the former governor as many claim. She also denied knowing Mr. Aondoakaa ahead of her appointment to the EFCC, but made clear Mr. Aondoakaa’s relationship with the former governor may have played a role in Mr. Ibori’s escape from the law.

“I never knew him. I never knew James Ibori. When I was appointed, I went to the villa very often because the president called his staff and told them Farida has free access to him 24/7, whether in the office or villa. So I went there very often and I met Ibori; he was always there,” she said.

“I think what happened was that my younger brother, Aondoakaa, the former attorney general was close to Ibori.”

“….if I was in league with Ibori and was not sincerely pursuing him, would he have run, gone out of this country to Dubai?”

Mrs. Waziri dismissed claims she tipped Mr. Ibori off, to flee the country after Mr. Yar’Adua’s death as “all lies of the enemies.”

“By my training and upbringing I can never betray my country for anyone, for any reason; never! Of course I was all out and that was how he ran out and went and got himself in more trouble,” she said.

She also denied widespread belief that her leadership of the EFCC lowered Nigeria’s effort against corruption when compared with the record set by her predecessor, Nuhu Ribadu.

“Go and check the record of convictions, the first conviction ever that went to logical conclusion was during Farida,” she said. “190 billion naira, one single recovery from one person that went to jail was during Farida Waziri.”

She said the negative impression accusing her of bungling several investigations, was more of a fierce media campaign against her stay in office, and said she faced intense interference in her work. She declined to give names.
Source http://premiumtimesng.com/news/144423-jonathan-disgraced-office-despite-service-nigeria-farida-waziri.html

The Vice President said this in Abuja on
Thursday.
The Federal Government on Thursday in Abuja said it
was confident that the nation’s power plants would
be generating 20,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity
by 2016.
Vice-President Namadi Sambo gave this reassurance
when members of the Alumni Association of the
National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies
(NIPSS), Kuru, near Jos visited him at the State
House.
Mr. Sambo, who highlighted the progress made by
the federal government in the power sector, said the
country would by 2016 be able to generate adequate
electricity.
He said such power generation would assist in the
speedy industrialisation of the country.
“When work is completed on all the power plants,
electricity supply will be adequate to drive
industrialisation in the country.
“These plants include those at the Mambilla, Gurara
and the 250 MW plant in Kaduna, as well as the 10
thermal power plants about to be commissioned by
President Goodluck Jonathan,’’ the vice-president
said.
Mr. Sambo called on members of the alumni
association to support President Goodluck Jonathan
in actualising the Transformation Agenda of his
administration.
“The Transformation Agenda is highly commendable,
in terms of the results being recorded in key sectors
of the economy.
“It is the vision of President Jonathan to transform
the agricultural sector and turn it into a business
venture. It is also the vision of the President to make
sure every Nigerian child goes to school. That is why
Almajiri schools are being built.
“Apart from infrastructure, school uniforms and
books are being given to pupils,’’ he said further.
Earlier, members of the association, led by their
President, retired Major General Lawrence Onoja, had
commended the federal government for ensuring
peace and development in the country.

Source www.premiumtimes
ng.com/news/144221-fg-reassures-nigerians-20000-mw-electricity-2016.html

The Vice President said this in Abuja on
Thursday.
The Federal Government on Thursday in Abuja said it
was confident that the nation’s power plants would
be generating 20,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity
by 2016.
Vice-President Namadi Sambo gave this reassurance
when members of the Alumni Association of the
National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies
(NIPSS), Kuru, near Jos visited him at the State
House.
Mr. Sambo, who highlighted the progress made by
the federal government in the power sector, said the
country would by 2016 be able to generate adequate
electricity.
He said such power generation would assist in the
speedy industrialisation of the country.
“When work is completed on all the power plants,
electricity supply will be adequate to drive
industrialisation in the country.
“These plants include those at the Mambilla, Gurara
and the 250 MW plant in Kaduna, as well as the 10
thermal power plants about to be commissioned by
President Goodluck Jonathan,’’ the vice-president
said.
Mr. Sambo called on members of the alumni
association to support President Goodluck Jonathan
in actualising the Transformation Agenda of his
administration.
“The Transformation Agenda is highly commendable,
in terms of the results being recorded in key sectors
of the economy.
“It is the vision of President Jonathan to transform
the agricultural sector and turn it into a business
venture. It is also the vision of the President to make
sure every Nigerian child goes to school. That is why
Almajiri schools are being built.
“Apart from infrastructure, school uniforms and
books are being given to pupils,’’ he said further.
Earlier, members of the association, led by their
President, retired Major General Lawrence Onoja, had
commended the federal government for ensuring
peace and development in the country.

Source www.premiumtimes
ng.com/news/144221-fg-reassures-nigerians-20000-mw-electricity-2016.html

Nigeria's Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar is set to remarry about a year after he lost his wife, Maryam Abubakar, to cancer in January 2012.

The IGP will be engaging in a three-day wedding ritual to a popular 35 year-old Safiya according to sources close to the Mr. Abubakar. The wedding proper will take place on Septemeber 14, 2013. Saharareporters obtained a photo from a series of photos taken during a photo shoot in preparation for the grand wedding.

http://mobile.saharareporters.com/news-page/inspector-general-romance-police-ig-md-abubakar-set-remarry-september



Tuesday, 27 August 2013

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday August 23, 2013 arrested one Tope Ajayi over his alleged involvement in digital satellite broadcast scam. Ajayi was picked up by operatives of EFCC from his apartment located at 26 Link Bawo Road in Hausawa area of Kano following intelligence report.

Over 100 decoders and other computer gadgets were recovered from his server room by operatives of the Commission during a search on his apartment.
Ajayi who claimed to have worked with Skye Bank Plc is said to be a major digital satellite broadcast scammer. He is alleged to have a server that links up with a server in China and an unknown Internet Service Provider, ISP, somewhere in Europe or the United State of America.

The suspect is also alleged to be engaged in illegal importation, selling and distribution of pirate devices popularly known as Dungle which enables subscribers to have free access to Multichoice satellite signals across West and Central Africa.

According to Mr Frikkie Jonker, Senior Anti-Piracy Manager, Multichoice, Ajayi’s server is considered strong as it controls its counterpart server in China and distributes satellite signals to a host of West African and Central African countries including Senegal, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya Uganda and Benin Republic .

It was also revealed that the suspect had been extracting control words from multichoice cards in Nigeria and sending same to a server in China which is connected to an ISP server placed somewhere in Europe or America.

Jonker, who expressed his gratitude to the EFCC for the arrest, described the scam as one of the biggest in recent time.

Ajayi will be arraigned in court when investigation is concluded.




Source
mobile.saharareporters.com/press-release/efcc-press-release-efcc-arrests-satellite-broadcast-scammer-kano

The Minister may have been fired for his role in the new political association floated by seven PDP governors.

President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday relieved Inuwa Abdul-kadir of his appointment as Minister of Youth Development.

According to a statement from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Pius Anyim, the President’s directive takes immediate effect.

The statement, which was signed by the Special Assistant on Media to Mr. Anyim, Sam Nwaobasi, directed Mr. Abdul-kadir to hand over to the permanent secretary of the ministry.

The President expressed appreciation to Mr. Abdul-kadir for the time he put in the service of the nation and wished him success in his future endeavours.

“Mr. President expresses appreciation to the Former Minister for the time he put in the services of the nations and wishes him success in his future endeavor,” it said.

Although, the statement was silent on the reason for Mr. Abdul-Kadir’s sack, presidency sources said it might not be unconnected with his closeness to the governor of his home state, Sokoto, Aliyu Wamakko.

2015 politics

The Sokoto state governor recommended Mr. Abdul-Kadir for the appointment when his (Abdul-kadir) predecessor resigned to contest the governorship primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 2011. Mr. Wamakko was also an aspirant in the primaries and eventually emerged the party’s candidate before winning re-election.

A presidency source claimed that Mr. Abdul-kadir is an interim official of a new political association, Voice of the People, VoP, floated by Mr. Wamakko and five other PDP governors; and now seeking the nod of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as a party.

It was gathered that the former minister may have been functioning as the protem secretary of the new group.

Media reports on Monday had linked seven PDP governors- Chubuike Amaechi (Rivers), Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Musa Kwankwaso (Kano), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara) and Mr. Wamakko, all of who belong to the faction of the Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, chaired by Mr. Amaechi- with the new association.

Apart from belonging to the parallel faction of the governors’ forum, the governors are also believed to be opposed to the undeclared second term aspiration of Mr. Jonathan.

Some of the governors had also visited some former leaders of the country in their acclaimed bid to save its democracy. In the course of the visit, they canvassed the removal of Bamanga Tukur as the national chairman of the PDP, an alleged move to get at the President.
Source
premiumtimesng.com/news/143527-revealed-why-jonathan-fired-minister-of-youth-development.html

President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday sacked the Minister of Youth Development, Inuwa Abdulkadir from his cabinet.

A statement from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, did not give reasons for the sudden termination of Abdulkadir’s appointment.

The statement relieving the minister of his appointment, was signed by the Special Assistant on Media to the SGF, Mr. Sam Nwaobasi, which directed him to hand over to the Permanent Secretary in his office with immediate effect.

The statement said, “His Excellency Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR President and Commander –in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria has relieved Inuwa Abdul-kadir, Esq of his appointment as Honourable Minister of Youth Development with effect from the 26th of August, 2013.

“The former Minister is to hand over to the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Youth Development.

“Mr. President expresses appreciation to the Former Minister for the time he put in the services of the nations and wishes him success in his future endeavours,” the statement said.
Source http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/08/jonathan-sacks-youth-development-minister/#sthash.VfqdJJBO.dpuf


Following the Nasarawa governor’s claims that one percent enjoy 90 percent of the state’s revenue, in an interview with International Centre for Investigative Reporting, clarification was sought from Mohammed Baba Ibaku, chairman, Committee on Media and Information, Nasarawa State House of Assembly.

Here are his responses.

How do you react to allegations that you and other legislators collect N10 million every quarter for constituency allowance and there is not much to show for it?

Who told you that they assigned N10 million to us? I am not a first timer. I was in the assembly in the last legislative tenure. So, my people should be the ones that will ask me what I am doing with the money. By the way, what is N10 million? Go to my people and ask them about what I am telling you, I may be lying. If possible, let them show you what I have been doing with money.

Do you know what this constituency allowance is meant for? Constituency allowance is meant for anything that you may not even know. Go and get a definition of constituency allowance then I will tell you what I have been doing with my people for the past six years and they are still happy with me.

What do you use N10 million for? What is the money for?

What is this money for? If your wife is sick and I carry her to the hospital, how do I quantify that? If I take people to hajj, how do i quantify that? For the past six years, how many people have I sponsored to Jerusalem? Will I use my father’s money to do that?

If maybe I decide to buy a vehicle for somebody, is it bad? I am into construction of class rooms in my constituency. Go and ask them I am a teacher, I am an educationist. I built class rooms and exam hall in many places. I am not the type that will do project and call people to come and launch it.

Go to my area and ask them what I have been doing, they will tell you. But, what I am telling you is just a little of those that I can remember.

So you confirm that, indeed you get N10 million every quarter which you spend the way you want?

What is N10 million? If I want to spend money for my people, i can spend nothing less than N100, 000 in a day. N100, 000 in three days is N3 million. N3 million in three months is N9 million. So, what are you saying?

If you want to balance your story, ask the governor from January to date, how much has the state received and what has he done with it? Go and ask the commissioners how much their ministries have received and what they have done with it.

You put these questions to Honorable Muluku and he referred you to me. Were you not on earth when Muluku bought motor cycles and distributed?

(After the phone interview ended, Baba Ibaku called back to pose a question) What has he (Governor Al Makura) done with the N400, 000,000 given to him for flood mitigation? Where is the money? Let them answer this question.

What is the money doing in account now that rain is falling? Which account? Let them give you the account because i am in a better position to go to the account and inquire. Yes, the law permits me to ask them this question, let them give me the account.

And what is the money doing in the account when people are suffering. I hope they are not saying we should shave their hair without touching it. I want to read that story about the N400, 000,000.

This Interview was first published by International Centre for Investigative Reporting

Source premiumtimesng.com/news/143438-i-can-use-constituency-allowance-as-i-want-hon-baba-ibaku.html

About 50 armed men stormed the village on Tuesday.

At least 44 persons were killed Tuesday in a village near Baga Village of Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State, emergency health workers said.

Baga was the scene of an April attack that led to the death of about 200 people, mostly civilians, with many of them believed to have been killed when soldiers allegedly set hundreds of houses on fire in retaliation at the killing of soldiers by suspected Boko Haram members.

An official of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, said officials of the agency counted at least 44 corpses in Tuesday’s attack by suspected members of the Boko Haram.

Residents told aide workers who visited the troubled area that about 50 armed men stormed their village and embarked on a killing spree using knives.

“Those who did not die were left with their eyes gorged out with knives, and several others seriously injured,” said the NEMA official, who doesn’t want to be quoted as he was not authorized to speak to the press yet.

“Many people were displaced because the Boko Haram set their houses ablaze, though we cannot say how many. We are going to Baga village on Saturday to set up camps for the displaced,” the official added.

“As I am speaking to you now, Red cross officials and the Medicine Sans Frontier are attending to the injured victims. The village has been deserted and the people are now taking refuge at the Baga central primary school.”

Journalists have been unable to confirm the incident since Wednesday due to lack of communication networks, which has been grounded in the state in the last three months.

The spokesman of the Joint Task Force, JTF, Sagir Musa, could also not be contacted.

The Media Coordinator of the Multi National Joint Task Force, MNJTF, in Baga, Haruna Sani, told journalists in response to an email sent to him seeking confirmation of the incident that he had no knowledge of the attack, as he was away from his base.

“I am right now in Adamawa State for an assignment and due to the network problem, I have difficulty in reaching my Headquarters. I suggest you find out from Defense Headquarters, may be they are in the picture of the incidence. Thanks for your effort,” he said.

But a security source, who doesn’t want to be quoted, as he is not allowed to speak to press, confirmed the incident to PREMIUM TIMES.

“There was an attack on Tuesday in Baga that I am aware of but I have no detailed information on it because this is not under the purview of the JTF; it is the MNJTF that can speak on that,” the source said.

The Boko Haram has embarked on attacking softer targets outside Maiduguri after the vigilante (Civilian-JTF) joined forces with the JTF to apprehend them. The JTF recently announced the death of top leaders of the sect including that of its overall leader, Abubakar Shekau, who is believed to have died from gunshot wounds.

The terrorist are believed to use knives as gunshots often attract Civilian-JTF or soldiers to the scene. Many of such attacks on isolated villages and hamlets are reported by victims and residents, but verification has been difficult due to the state of emergency and network shutdown in the state; while security operatives often do not confirm the attacks.
Source
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The drama of the alleged failure of the Rivers State government officials to pay the First Family a condolence visit continues after the First Lady issued another statement, Wednesday, insisting that the state ignored her during her moment of loss.

In her second public statement in less than 72 hours, Patience Jonathan, wife of President Goodluck Jonathan, reiterated that several groups and individuals from across Nigeria paid condolence visits at the State House, Abuja.

“Many of us claim to serve God. God whether as Christians or Muslims, is compassionate in nature. If truly we serve Him, this should reflect in our actions,” Mrs. Jonathan said in the statement by Ayo Adesugba, Director of Information, Office of the First Lady.

“We restate, for the avoidance of doubt, that neither the Rivers State governor nor his wife has come to the State House, Abuja, like so many other people from all walks of life, to condole with the First Family.

“This is a gesture of compassion, which comes from the heart. The First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, therefore, holds no resentment towards anyone who does not wish to come to the State House or to her home in Port Harcourt to extend the act of commiseration,” she added.

Mrs. Jonathan lost her mother, Charity Oba, in a ghastly auto accident along the East-West Road in Rivers State, on July 22.

Since her bereavement, no official of the Rivers State government had paid the president and his wife a condolence visit, according to the First Lady.

In her first statement, late Monday, Mrs. Jonathan described the action as a ‘disrespect’ to the First Family.

“It should be noted that while several groups and individuals from across the country came to condole the first lady and Mr. President on the death of her mother, no official of Rivers state government deemed it fit to pay the first family condolence visit, yet they claimed the first lady is a daughter of Rivers state,” Mrs. Jonathan had said.

“He who must go to equity must go with clean hands. They should learn to give respect to those who deserve respect so that they too can earn respect,” she had added.

However, less than 24 hours later, photographs of Judith Amaechi, the First Lady of Rivers State, signing a condolence register at Mrs. Oba’s residence surfaced.

PREMIUM TIMES checks also revealed that in addition to Tele Ikuru, the Rivers State Deputy Governor, and other state functionaries accompanying Mrs. Amaechi on the visit in Port Harcourt; Rotimi Amaechi, the State Governor, had also issued a statement commiserating with the First Lady on her bereavement.

In her statement, late Wednesday, Mrs. Jonathan said that was not enough.

“It is instructive to note that since the death of Mrs. Charity Oba, the mother of the First Lady, several groups and individuals from across the country have come to condole the First Family at the State House, Abuja,” Mrs. Jonathan said.

“They include Executive State Governors and their wives from all the political divides; Nigeria’s former Presidents and Heads of State and their wives, captains of industry, female Ambassadors and High Commissioners of Nigeria, other members of the diplomatic corps, royal fathers and traditional leaders – the list is too numerous to call.

“However, the Governor and the wife, from the state the First Lady hails, have not paid such a visit,” Mrs. Jonathan added.

Reacting to the photographs circulating in various media, the First Lady stated that they were taken in Mrs. Oba’s home, and that the she did not receive condolence guests in her late mother’s home.

“All those who paid condolences and commiserated with Dame Patience during her visit to Rivers State, came to the First Lady’s home in Port Harcourt, where arrangements were made and facilities were made available to receive sympathizers.

“We can borrow a leaf from His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who went to Lagos State with some members of his Executive Council, to commiserate with Governor Babatunde Fashola on the demise of his father, Alhaji Ademola Fashola.

“Death does not know age, gender or political party affiliation. Neither should compassion.”


Source premiumtimesng.com/news/143244-condolence-visit-rivers-officials-ought-to-have-visited-abuja-not-port-harcourt-says-patience-jonathan.html

The political albatross of opposition parties in Nigeria
is their inability to transcend personal, regional and
ethnic divisions for meaningful cooperation and
handshake across the Niger.
Ethnic considerations used to be the major issue in
Nigerian politics with religion being a secondary
factor but the debacle caused by Nigeria’s purported
induction into Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC)
, relentless Evangelization by pentecostals, Muslim
radicalization and introduction of political sharia
changed everything.
Since the 1990s, Nigeria lost whatever innocence it
had left and allowed religion to be the defining and
dominant fault line in the country’s socio-political
landscape.
Then came the Yar’Adua effect – the reinforcement of
the “born to rule” attitude, unguarded statements,
wanton acts of impunity and unconstitutional
usurpation of powers when President Yar’Adua
became terminally ill sent very wrong signals to the
southern electorate.
The largely Christian South saw the actions of the
Yar’adua cabal as an affront, a final assault and a
kind of in your face insult to its collective psyche.
It forced a reflective fall back into the realization that
all four Southern Christian Heads of State or
Presidents the country has produced owed their
inaugural ascension to accidental factors.
The undisguised humiliation of Goodluck Jonathan
during those uncertain times was the break point, it
brewed a simmering discontent among Southerners
which any politician aspiring to the presidency
ignores it at his own peril.
The lessons learned is reflected in the election of
Jonathan and the shut out of Buhari in the South.
Those lessons must never be lost on any Northerner
interested in presidential politics going forward.
The results of the 2011 presidential election exposed
an electoral map showing hidden undercurrents of
increasing regional, ethnic, and religious polarization,
the like of which we have never seen.
Many politicians, opinion leaders and pundits will like
to downplay the inconvenient truths and hidden
realities of religion and ethnicity as demonstrated by
the voting pattern and demographics of the 2011
election. However, the realities and truths of our
ethnic and religious chasms remain obvious to
discerning minds regardless of the Orwellian exercise
in political correctness and rhetoric of dismissal that
has become fashionable.
Arguably, the middle belt (North Central States) has
always been the political bellwether region of
Nigerian politics.
The core determinant of where the power pendulum
swings in presidential elections, is in the political
leaning of the North Central states. Before the
formation of APC, any presidential candidate who
wins the middle-belt wins the election because the
Southwest always vote for its own regional party.
With the merger of opposition parties to form the
APC, the equation is about to change.
Jonathan’s election, on his own accord is a watershed
in the annals of Nigerian politics. It puts paid to the
notion of Northern hegemony and even if it ever
existed, it has run its course and outlived its
usefulness. Despite the massive discontent over
Jonathan’s violation of the PDP zoning agreement
and the political structures set up to wrestle power
from him and return it to the north, he won in a
landslide. T
he outcome of the election signals an emergent
ethno-religious consensus stoked by the likes of Ayo
Oritsejafor for the Christian South and Mallam
Adamu Ciroma under the umbrella of Northern
Political Leaders Forum (NPLF) and the Arewa
Consultative Forum (ACF).
The activities of these Northern groups heated up the
already fragile polity, it served as a rallying point for
Northerners and achieved the outcome of galvanizing
the Middle Belt and Southern States for Jonathan.
This dichotomy led to bigotry by religious leaders –
instructing their member to vote candidates of their
respective religious affiliations. The powerful
Christian leaders of the South instructed their
followers to vote their faith at the elections.


Source
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The First Lady, Patience Jonathan, has expressed unhappiness with officials of the Rivers State government for failing to pay the “first family” a condolence visit after the death of her mother.

Mrs. Jonathan lost her stepmother, Charity Oba, in a fatal car crash last month.

In a statement issued by Ayo Adesugba, Director of Information, Office of the First Lady, Monday, Mrs. Jonathan noted that only people from outside her home state paid them condolence visits.

“It should be noted that while several groups and individuals from across the country came to condole the first lady and Mr. President on the death of her mother, no official of Rivers state government deemed it fit to pay the first family condolence visit, yet they claimed the first lady is a daughter of Rivers state.

“He who must go to equity must go with clean hands. They should learn to give respect to those who deserve respect so that they too can earn respect,” Mrs. Jonathan said.

Mrs. Jonathan also reacted angrily to media reports claiming that she snubbed Tele Ikuru, the Rivers State Deputy Governor, at the Port Harcourt International Airport on her arrival on Sunday.

Mr. Ikuru had reportedly gone to welcome the First Lady at the airport but was barred from getting near her.

“The reports, by all indications, represent a contrived motive of some gladiators in the Rivers state crisis to continue to paint the first lady as an aggressor,” Mrs. Jonathan said.

“Ordinarily, the wife of the state governor receives the first lady whenever she visits any state. That is why the wife of Bayelsa State Governor travelled from Yenagoa to receive the first lady,” the statement said.

Mrs. Jonathan’s visit to Port Harcourt, last June, generated public outrage after security officials blocked major streets in the city during her seven day stay, grinding the city’s vehicular traffic to a halt.

Also, President Goodluck Jonathan’s widely publicized and protracted power tussle with Rotimi Amaechi, the Rivers State Governor, which had thrown the state into crisis, had done little to mend fences between the state and the presidency.

“In addition, as a daughter Rivers state, the first lady is free to visit the state any time she desires. But we are forced to ask: why the presence of the first lady in Rivers state always generate rumpus?”

Mrs. Jonathan further stated that she had deliberately refrained from commenting on the Rivers State crisis.

“It should be clear to all that for quite some time now, the first lady has refrained from commenting on issues relating to the Rivers state crisis while these gladiators have continued to use every media at their disposal to fan the embers of disharmony and hatred,” Mrs. Jonathan said.

“By now, every right thinking person should know those genuinely interested in peace and those who claim to be democrat and committed to peace, but who have continued to heat up the polity.

“It is for this reason of the intrigue at play that the first lady would want to be left out of Rivers state crisis, hence making her visit to the state as quiet as possible, so as not to give room for mischief makers to succeed in their pla
ns,” Mrs. Jonathan added.
Source premiumtimesng.com/news/143068-amaechi-other-rivers-govt-officials-failed-to-paid-me-condolence-visits-says-patience-jonathan.html

The former head of state called for prayers to uproot bad leaders.

A former Military Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, has called on Nigerians to stop blaming God for the crises plaguing the country.

Mr. Gowon, who was speaking during an official visit to the Gethsemane Prayer Ministry presided over by the national coordinator of Nigeria Prays, Moses Aransiola, also urged Nigerians to intensify their prayers for God to uproot all the leaders with evil intentions against the country.

“Nigerians should stand up as one and intercede on the crises rocking this nation; that is when God will uproot all the leaders that have evil intention against this country. Nigerians needs to desist from creating problems which they cannot solve and stop blaming God for their shortcomings,” he said.

The former Head of State also dismissed the prediction that the country would break up by 2015. He pointed out that France had earlier predicted 2014 but the prediction was currently falling apart.

“Every Nigerian should stand against the claims. If every one of us believes that it will not happen, then it will not. I believe God will not allow such to happen. Nigeria Prays is really praying against such and that was the reason why this group came into existence,” Mr. Gowon said.

Commenting on the conduct of politicians in light of the 2015 elections, Mr. Gowon said Nigerians should not take most of them seriously, referring to the politicians as “over-ambitious.”

“They should be ignored, they spell doom for the nation. Politicians should not be selfish but should protect the interests of the people to ensure equitable development of the country.”

He preached love for the nation as the only way for every citizen to play his role effectively in the polity.

“Nigerians at home and abroad are very concerned about the crisis that is rocking this nation and we believe that only prayer can solve it. If you love Nigeria the way I love Nigeria and if I love Nigeria the way you do and we have faith then we shall overcome,” he said.
Source
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The new opposition said presidential spokespersons should leave muckraking and face issues.

The All Progressives Congress, APC, has challenged the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and the presidency to tell Nigerians why the ruling party has failed to lift the country in the 14 years that it has been in the saddle, ‘instead of peddling concocted tales about the opposition’.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, the party also asked the presidency to tell Nigerians why it has defied INEC rules by continuing to campaign for the 2015 elections.

“Issues, issues and issues. These are what Nigerians are interested in, not continuous muck-raking about opposition leaders like Gen Muhammadu Buhari and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. For example, Nigerians want to know why the country can still not feed itself after 14 years of endless promises by the PDP; Nigerians want to know why they cannot be protected by their government when the security of lives and property is the rason d’etre of any government,” APC said.

“Nigerians want to know why over 40 million youth cannot get a job under a government that gleefully touts a 6% GDP growth; Nigerians want to know how 400,000 barrels of oil are being stolen daily and who the thieves are’ Nigerians want to know why the country is more divided than ever under the watch of President Goodluck Jonathan, and why corruption has become a bigger monster in the years under the PDP.

“The 2015 elections will be fought on the platform of issues, not meaningless attacks on personalities and attention-diverting tales like how Gen. Buhari wants to stage a comeback or how Asiwaju Tinubu wants to expand his imaginary empire,” it said.

What we intend to do

APC said its eight cardinal programmes, which shall be articulated in the days ahead, represent a summary of how the party intends to reposition the nation. These are War Against Corruption, Food security, Accelerated Power Supply, Integrated Transport Network, Free Education, Devolution of Power, Accelerated Economic Growth and Affordable Health Care.

“Our Guiding Philosophy will derive its impetus from these seven principles: Belief in, and the fear of God; Upholding the rule of law; Preserving national unity; Pursuit of a just and egalitarian society; Building of strong institutions; Commitment to social justice and economic progress; and Promoting representative and functional participatory democracy.

“These are the issues we will be enunciating in the days ahead as we steer the politics of our nation away from jejune matters that are at the core

of the PDP misrule to serious issues of relevance that will benefit our people under an APC federal government,” the party said.

It said a party that defies rules and lies through its teeth cannot be trusted to rule over a people who are eager for their country to join the comity of developed nations.

“While one of the PDP gong-bearers, Okupe, was telling Nigerians that President Jonathan has not informed anyone that he will contest in 2015, his wife was coercing hundreds of hapless women, including those in uniform, into a show of shame tagged a ”Peace Rally”, but in essence a campaign for President Jonathan ahead of 2015.

“Defying INEC, this brazen campaign featured women clad in specially-made ‘ankara’ that bore the picture of President Jonathan and reminds one of the disgraceful days of the late despot Mobutu Sese Seko of former Zaire, and the late clownish leader of Uganda, Idi Amin. What a company to keep in the 21st century!”!

Source
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In this interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Kehinde Bamigbetan, veteran journalist, former chief press secretary to the Lagos state Governor and current Chairman of Ejigbo local council in Lagos, talks about his life as a journalist, the challenges in his council, and his plans at the expiration of his term.

He describes his recent ordeal in the hands of kidnappers as “a nightmarish experience. I’m still trying to heal myself and would rather not discuss it.”

You are in the second year of your second term in office, when you look at what you have done, do you think you could have done more?

Bamigebetan: If you look at what it took for us to get this far, you will realize that we have actually overstretched ourselves. The four roads that we are building right now, for example, we had to get a loan to do them, and for us to get the loan, it took us over a whole year for negotiations. That means of course that money is an issue here. We would love to do so many things, we have so many plans. We have around 36 roads that are priority that we believe needs to be done. But you can see that so far now we have taken only about five of the roads as a local government. So in terms of resource availability, we don’t have enough. If we have more than this, I’m quite sure that we could do much much better than what we are doing, and that’s basically why we are trying to now encourage the residents to pay what they ought to pay to the council. There are laws that say you need to pay a Development Levy if you are above 18. If you are running a canteen you need to pay food and premises levy, if you are running a bar, you need to pay for your licence, all these have been neglected over the years, and now we are going house to house talking to people of the importance of…. If you don’t pay how do you want the local government to be able to provide services to you? Because, note also that the local government does not have direct access to federal funding, it is an LCDA that relies on subvention from the Oshodi-Isolo local government. So that in effect means that our money cannot be as much as Oshodi local government. That is why I say that many Lagosians who are bothered about performance of local governments should actually support us by insisting that we should be given LGA status, so that we can have direct access to federal funding. That would dramatically improve our capacity to deliver on many of the complaints that they are having against the local government system. So I think that if I had more resources, I will definitely be able to do more than this because we are not talking of lack of ideas now, or lack of plans but the money to make those plans a reality.

You’ve talked about the issue of taxes and development levies, and residents have always complained of multiple and over taxation. How have you been able to address this issue?

Bamigbetan: Many of them have not bothered to look at what the law says. The government operates at three tiers…because before the taxes were designed, there was a national constitutional conference where they called all of us, everybody came together and said “how do we fund our local government system?” Our people must pay so-so number of taxes. How do we fund our state government? So it has been agreed and it is what is in the constitution that is being implemented. So what they call multiple taxation, somebody has said that once he has paid his tax to the state, he will not pay to the local government…

The same tax?

Source
premiumtimesng.com/news/142959-interview-how-a-report-on-harry-akande-cost-me-my-job-in-punch-kehinde-bamigbetan

The party condemned the governor for sealing Orji Kalu’s property over the deportation controversy.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has lambasted the Babatunde Fashola-led APC government of Lagos state for sealing off a property belonging to former Abia state governor, Orji Kalu, after Mr. Kalu criticized the Lagos government for expelling more than a dozen alleged vagrants to Anambra state.”

The party, in a statement signed by its Acting National Publicity Secretary, Tony Okeke on Sunday described the development as “reminiscent of the infamous decree No. 4 of 1984 promulgated by maximum dictator and supreme leader of the APC, General Muhammadu Buhari, with which he clamped down on the freedom of speech and victimized anybody that criticized his government.”

The PDP noted that it is not surprised at the development, describing it as a clear signal of the dictatorial and inhuman treatment to be expected from the government controlled by the APC.

“Fashola, a lawyer, has allowed his dalliance with dictators and bigots like his masters General Buhari and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to substantially impair his reasoning and actions. Instead of accepting that it erred in expelling innocent Nigerians in total breach of their constitutionally guaranteed right of residency in any part of the country, the APC-led government of Lagos state has ignobly resorted to clamping down on those who criticized its evil deed,” the party said.

“We are indeed not surprised. After all, what would one expect from a government controlled by a party established by dictators with a penchant for unlawful actions and dehumanization of the citizenry? If the APC would approve the unjust detention and flushing of helpless citizens from a state where they have immensely contributed just to be dumped at a place like Upper Iweka Bridge at the dead of the night without any form of care, clamping down on its critics is only a signal of the draconian rule which Nigerians must rise against.”

It also said that although Mr. Fashola was forced to release Mr. Kalu’s property, the sealing of the property in the first place had only succeeded in betraying the reason for which the APC is desperate for power, the PDP said, is to broaden the execution of the dictatorial, corrupt and oppressive agenda of its leaders.

“The APC leaders should borrow a leaf from President Goodluck Jonathan who as a true democrat and statesman has continued to maintain dignified calmness in the face of daily vituperations and unwarranted media attacks by the opposition,” the PDP said

Source
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premiumtimesng.com/news/142970-fashola-is-the-new-dictator-pdp.html

Various petty traders narrate their experiences.

Officials of the Abuja Environmental and Protection Board, under the guise of keeping the city clean, routinely extort money from street traders; forcing the helpless victims to either part with their meagre income or lose their wares, a PREMIUM TIMES investigation reveals.

These officials, who go around the Nigerian capital in marked buses, harass the traders in the presence of gun wielding security officials usually police men.

The officials do not only commit their atrocities within the city centre, they also regularly extort money from street traders in the satellite towns. Sometimes, the environment officials, whose agency is saddled with protecting and maintaining the environment, carry out their nefarious activities close to government buildings.

In trying to execute part of their mandate of stopping street trading in the Nigerian capital, the officials also make illegal money for themselves.

The Abuja secretariat incidence

On June 12, hawkers in front of the Federal Secretariat in Abuja were harassed by officials of the AEPB who arrived in a marked white bus with the number 50 printed on it.



Abuja Environmental Protection Board Bus 50 after the operation

A PREMIUM TIMES reporter, who witnessed how the hawkers, mostly women selling perishables ranging from carrots, groundnuts, fruits, and corn ran away clutching their goods as the task force officials arrived.

Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES after the task force had left, many of the hawkers said similar incidents occurred everyday with the officials giving them two condition: either give them bribe or have their goods confiscated.

“They used to collect bribe here, every blessed day different faces come, we will give them money and the next day another set will come and say if we don’t give them they’ll pursue us. After sometime you’ll see another set of people with different faces. If you stay here small their motor will still come with different set of people,” Happiness a groundnut seller, said

Another banana hawker, who identified herself as Grace, also narrated her ordeals in the hands of the officials.

She said the hawkers at the secretariat contribute money which is given to the task force officials for them to allow the hawkers sell their product.

“I sell Banana. This people (AEPB officials) come here every day. It’s been happening for long and we are told they are the Abuja task force,” Grace said in Pidgin English.

The middle aged banana seller said the traders usually contribute money for the officials.

“After we’ve given them the money, another set of officials would come in a similar bus to seize our goods into their vehicle; or demand their own bribe,” she added.

Another trader, Esther, told PREMIUM TIMES that most times the traders contribute between N100 and N1, 000 to pay as bribe to the officials.

“All of us here contribute N100 each for each set that comes here. One time, one particular set came and said we will give N1, 000 each before we can stay here for our business, we gave them; and before you know it another set came with a different bus and different faces. Sometimes they come three times in a day and we ‘settle’ them on each occasion,” she said.

When a PREMIUM TIMES reporter approached the AEPB officials at the secretariat to ask questions on their activities as well as the bribery allegations, they became aggressive and almost started a fight.

The officials queried the reporter’s reason for asking questions and taking photographs of their activities. They eventually drove off in their mini bus!!!

Source premiumtimesng.com/news/142965-how-abuja-administration-officials-extort-bribes-from-petty-traders.html
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