₦airaland Forum

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, has deployed the special teams of the Nigerian Army to Benue, Taraba and Nasarawa states to check further loss of lives.

Buratai, who disclosed this yesterday in Abuja during the distribution of farm implements by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, at the military ranch in Giri, pledged that the military would restore peace and order in the affected states, adding that it would be easier to develop the agricultural sector and boost the nation’s economy in a peaceful environment.

His words: “We are asking our Special Forces Brigade to ensure that they are deployed across the county at short notice to ensure they stem the crisis between herdsmen and farmers.


“We have deployed officers across Benue, Taraba and Nasarawa states where to ensure peace and stability for the development and betterment of our country.”

He disclosed that the military had secured 436 hectares of land in Nasarawa State for agriculture purposes, stressing that once the nation achieves food security, criminal activities, including insurgency, would reduce drastically.

The army chief, who said the idea of ranches in military formations came to him while on a course in Bangladesh, stated that soldiers nationwide now engage in various forms of agricultural activities, including poultry and horticulture.

http://guardian.ng/news/buratai-deploys-troops-to-benue-taraba-nasarawa/amp/?F=&__twitter_impression=true

Olufemi Atoyebi, Ibadan

The Oyo State Commissioner for Health, Azeez Adeduntan, on Tuesday said the death of Fresh FM radio presenter, Femi Oluwajobi, should not be blamed on the inability of Adeoyo State Hospital to admit him for treatment when he was brought to the hospital.

Oluwajobi died after he was hit by a driver on the night of December 31, 2017, on his way to church for the New Year’s Eve service. He was taken to the hospital, but was transferred to the University College Hospital, Ibadan, where he was confirmed dead. Since his death, the public have castigated the state government for not funding the hospital.

Adeduntan, however, said the criticism was unfair on the government and the management of the hospital, noting that Oluwajobi was brought in with no chance of survival, having been taken elsewhere before.

The commissioner said, “We did our best in the hospital. This man came to the hospital with Glasgow Coma Scale, which shows that the man has a chance to live or die; he had five over 15.

“He came in brain dead. Instead of blaming the driver that knocked him down around 12 midnight on New Year’s Eve, you are now blaming the caregivers that did their best.

“He did not die at the hospital, but at the UCH. There is no perfect world, even in the US.”

Samuel Ortom, Governor of Benue State, on Tuesday said the killing perpetrated by herdsmen in the State became worse due to “threat without action,”

Ortom said this while asking President Muhammadu Buhari to do the needful about the killings in the state.

Speaking with State House Correspondents after a closed-door meeting with the President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the governor said Buhari had been carrying out some investigations to know the next line of action to take on the situation.

According to Ortom,“I briefed Mr President when this incident took place on January 1. After staying back on the ground to do the needful to ensure that we restore normalcy, I said it was important for me to come personally and brief him and that has been done.

“Already, because of the communications we have been having when this incidents started, actions have been taken as directed by him. The movement of the DIG, the movement of the IG now to relocate to Benue state to ensure that this challenge is surmounted was at the instance of Mr President.

“Of course, additional personnel of DSS and police have been deployed and even the army. We have additional personnel on ground now. We have adequately and fully given them the logistics support to ensure that our people are protected.

“I had to brief him, he is also doing further investigation to know the next line of action. I believe that my request that the leadership of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore be arrested be approved… I accused them directly since June last year. I have been writing to the leadership of security agencies, that these people are a threat to our collective interest and they must be dealt with.

“They must be arrested and prosecuted because we cannot allow impunity to continue to thrive. And of course, threat and no action has resulted in this killing and I think that Mr President will also do the needful to ensure something is done.”

http://dailypost.ng/2018/01/09/discussed-buhari-aso-rock-benue-herdsmen-attack-gov-ortom/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

In order to check herdsmen farmers persistent clashes, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, has said the Federal Government is ready to establish cattle colonies.

The initiative is expected to provide sustainable solution to the herdsmen/farmers killings across the country.

Ogbeh disclosed this yesterday during a 2-day retreat organised by Synergos for special advisers and directors in the ministry in Abuja.

He assured that needed facilities and supports such as water and grasses would be provided for the herdsmen and their cattle.


The Minister explained that the cattle colony project would commence immediately following the offer of five hectares of land from 16 state Governors in the country.

He added that President Muhammadu Buhari has promised to help the ministry with needed fund for the project, adding that no other sector is capable of creating jobs for the unemployed.

While he debunked claims that 4 million jobs were lost last one year, Ogbeh argued that over 6 million jobs were created in the agric sector only, adding that Hibiscus also known as Zobo earned the nation’s farmers about $35 million last year as demand continues to increase.

“On the issue of cattle we have to start immediately, 16 states have given us land to work on. The programme is not going to be cheap. Mr President has personally informed me that if we seek help from him he will give it to us over and above the budget we have, and when that budget is released I plead with all of you to come on board to work hard to achieve results.

“We are talking of cattle colonies not ranches so to speak, where we will provide water, grass, training for herdsmen, cattle breeding and insemination.

“We have to deal with an urgent problem, cattle rearing and the conflicts between farmers and herdsmen, and actually bring it to a halt. I know that some people argue that the culture of open grazing is our culture, but when a culture begins to develop dangerous trends leading to warfare between people and bloody clashes and death that culture is due for re-examination; if it is harmful we reform it.


“Nigerians are getting extremely uncomfortable with these killings and we may make political statements and issue palliatives and ask the police and army to go after killers. Let us do our own duty by eliminating the conflict by creating cattle colonies.”

According to the Minister 2018 Frontiers for the sector will focus on new plantations for cashew nuts, also relaunch of cocoa that will move the country up from number seven to number one in the next five years, improve fertilizer blending, which micro nutrients will be included.

The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr. Bukar Hassan, in his remarks revealed that Nigeria will soon export organic fertilizer to Europe in February 2018, Hassan made this known while he called on ministers’ aide and civil servants to work together, because the ministry has enormous work to deliver Buhari’s change agenda before 2019 elections.

In his remarks, the Synergos Country Representative, Adewale Ajadi, called on directors and political advisers in the ministry to synergise and work assiduously and not to allow politics distract what has commenced.

Ajadi urged the federal, state and local governments to work together and have proper coordination of activities and policies in the sector.

http://thenationonlineng.net/killer-herdsmen-fed-govt-set-establish-cattle-colonies/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

The national chairman of the All Progressive Congress, APC, John Oyegun, has said the party should not be blamed for the controversy that trailed President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent board appointments as it was not fully involved in the process.

The chairman, while speaking with journalists on Saturday in Abuja, said the appointments had caused enough controversy.

The Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, recently announced the appointment of 209 board chairpersons and 1,258 board members.

In the appointments, PREMIUM TIMES reported how names of deceased persons were included, others duplicated and a few non-members of the ruling APC included.

The presidency has since owned up to the anomalies in the list, saying the errors would be corrected.
Also, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and other Nigerians described the appointments as an unpardonable national embarrassment and avoidable.

Mr. Oyegun said the party was involved in the early stage of the process but was not consulted at the end, ”otherwise some of the fully obvious problems in that list wouldn’t have been there.”

He urged the presidency to consult it in any future amendments to the list so as to avoid other anomalies.

“The list has caused enough controversy. It is pretty obvious that that the party was not involved in the final completion of the list.

“We demanded that that every state send nominees’ names to the committee set up for that but between then and now a lot has happened. People have changed parties, people have died, three governors who were not there before are now with us.

“It is my hope that we will be fully involved in review that has to now take place,” he said.
He also spoke on the delay in the holding of convention by the party which has been criticised by many.

“We are going to have our convention. We will kickstart with the caucus and NEC. This will be done at the end of the month give or take then we will go through the processes of congresses,” he said.
The chairman equally spoke on some strides made by the APC-led government.

“Power will continue to improve not just in its generation but in distribution. The Buhari’s administration has stabilised the situation, it has firmed up the capacity to distribute. We are firmly in the process of feeding ourselves,” he added.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/254663-apc-distances-self-buharis-controversial-board-appointments.html#click=https:///2Wtp3tQZgL

The All Progressives Congress has stated that it is not aware of any declaration by the President Muhammadu Buhari or him setting up a Presidential Campaign Council (PCC).

The party, however, said the President has the right to seek for a second term in office.
The APC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi stated this in reaction to the declaration for the President for second term in office.

According to Abdullahi, it is not in the APC leadership position to speak about the second term of the President but will get involve at the appropriate time.

His words, “It is not the party’s place to talk about second term. The President, within his right as provided in the constitution has the right to aspire for the second term. The party has no reason getting involved at this stage. Until the party has been formally notified it cannot make a comment on that as it stands.”

Asked what is the position of the party on the alleged declaration of the President and his setting up campaign committee, Abdullahi said, “l said the party has not been informed, the party is therefore not aware and we believe that we will be able to comment on it if it becomes necessary. As far as we are concerned, we are not aware of any such action been taken. We believe that at the appropriate time the President knows the right thing to do and he we inform the party.‎”

It would be recalled that President Buhari has appointed the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Ameachi as the Director General of his campaign organization, having declare his re-election ambition.

https://newtelegraphonline.com/2018/01/not-aware-buharis-second-term-bid-apc/

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the review of the list of the 209 chairmen and 1258 members of governing boards of agencies and parastatal.

Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, disclosed this to TheCable on Friday.

Shehu said the list is being reviewed by the office of the secretary to the government of the federation (SGF).

In December last year, Boss Mustapha, the SGF, announced that Buhari had approved the appointments.

The list was, however, filled with errors as at least six of the names on it were those of dead people.

The National Iron Ore Mining Company (NIOMCO), Itakpe, Kogi state which was privatised by this government also had members of its board on the list.

The presidency later explained that the list was compiled in 2015.

On Friday, Shehu said the review of the list is to replace the dead appointees and ensure compliance with the acts establishing the agencies.

“The list is being reviewed against the statutes and the acts establishing the various government agencies,” he told TheCable.

“It is to ensure compliance with the various acts establishing the agencies. Obviously, that (replacement of the dead appointees) is also going on simultaneously.”

The presidential spokesman also said one of the appointees whose names was on the list had died.

Shehu, who could not give details, said the deceased was a senior member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Adamawa state.

“He was from Adamawa… A senior member of the APC. I can’t remember his name but I know that he was a man of Buhari for so many years,” he told TheCable.

https://www.thecable.ng/another-appointee-dies-buhari-orders-review-list/amp?__twitter_impression=true

The Bring Back Our Girls group has reacted to the latest release of another abducted Chibok girl from the list of 276 schoolgirls abducted in April, 2014.

The girl, Salomi Pogu, was identified by the Nigerian Army as the same person with the serial number 86 on the list of girls abducted from a secondary school in Chibok, almost four years ago in Borno State.

In a statement signed by the #BBOG spokesperson, Sesugh Akume, the group thanked the Nigerian army for Ms. Pogu’s release and expressed hope that the remaining girls would be released soon.
The #BBOG group however noted that Ms. Pogu’s name is numbered 15 on its list and not 86 as indicated by the Nigerian Army.

“Our movement is delighted to confirm this news to be true. Salomi Pogu is a daughter of Mallam Pogu Yahi from Kaumutahyahi, a village in Kuburmbula ward of Chibok LGA. Both her parents are currently IDPs in Rumirgo Village, in nearby Askira/Uba LGA in Borno State.

“She is Number 15 on the publicly known list of missing #ChibokGirls NOT Number 86 as the statement by the military said. This brings the number of our missing #ChibokGirls to 112,” the statement said.

It added that the BBOG group will commence its monthly march to the Presidential Villa on January 23.

Ms. Pogu was rescued by Troops of Operation Lafiya Dole deployed in Pulka Bornu State, on Thursday.

The army in its statement said the Ms. Pogu was rescued alongside a 14-year-old girl, carrying a baby.


The other girl was identified as Jamila Adams.

About 276 schoolgirls were abducted by the Boko Haram in 2014 while the girls were preparing for their final exams in a dormitory within the Chibok community.

About 82 of them were released last May, following a negotiation with the terror group while 21 had earlier been released in October, 2016.

Two other girls were also found separately, in addition to those who escaped on the night of their abduction.

The BBOG has been at the forefront of a global-pronged campaign to facilitate the release or return of the remaining Chibok girls.

The group says there are still 112 girls missing.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/254489-bbog-group-reacts-release-chibok-girl-insists-protest-marches.html

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has traveled to the United Arab Emirates, UAE.

The VP is currently observing his vacation in what seems to be his very first since May 2015 when the current administration came into power.


His spokesperson, Laolu Akande, in a tweet Wednesday, said Osinbajo left the country alongside his wife and children.

“VP Osinbajo, his wife & children have been resting abroad on his annual leave. He is expected back in the country this weekend from the UAE,” Akande said.

Osinbajo had a busy 2017 while president Muhammadu Buhari was in London for medical treatment.

Many Nigerians then hailed him as an “active” acting president.

http://dailypost.ng/2018/01/04/osinbajo-family-leave-nigeria/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday described the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as “a dead party, not capable of capturing Lagos in 2019.”

The Assistant Publicity Secretary of the APC in the state, Mr Abiodun Salami made the remark in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

Salami was reacting to an assertion by the Publicity Secretary of PDP in the state, Mr Taofik Gani, that the opposition party would win Lagos and take over government in 2019.

Gani had told NAN on Tuesday that 2019 would be the beginning of the end of APC administration in the state as the party was sure of dislodging the ruling party.

He had claimed that Lagosians were tired of the “non-performance of APC government “and were eagerly waiting to vote PDP.

“We will shock the APC in 2019. Take my words. We already have a lot of novel ideas to wrestle governance from them.

“For now, we will keep our strategies sealed. When the game starts, we will unleash them.

“Ambode has failed in purposeful governance. The only thing we see is propaganda. Lagosians desire a change, and that change is PDP,” Gani had said.

But Salami described the assertions as laughable, saying PDP had been completely decimated and have no capacity to make any impact in the governorship election let alone winning.

He dismissed the assertion as “empty boast”, saying Lagosians knew the difference between light and retrogression and would continue to vote the APC.

“The assertion made by the PDP that it would win the state in 2019 is a huge joke. In fact it is laughable.

“How do they want to achieve that? The party has been deserted and left for dead by Lagosians.

“A party where virtually all their bigwigs, such as Obanikoro and others had deserted because they have seen the light and are now in the fold of APC.

“Who is left in the PDP in the state? I think they are living in a fool’s paradise by thinking they would make an impact let alone win in 2019. PDP in Lagos is dead and buried,” he said.

Salami said he was surprised that PDP was still boasting of winning some House of Assembly seats in 2015 even though all those elected under its banner with the exception of one member had since defected to the APC.

He said the recent defection of no fewer than 1,500 former PDP members to APC was further confirmation that the opposition party had no place in the state.

Salami said Lagosians trusted the APC government in the state to deliver good leadership, saying PDP lacked the drive for progress.

“Gov. Akinwumi Ambode has been rendering purposeful leadership in the state in line with his electoral promise.

“Lagosians appreciate the progress the government is making, the people trust the APC to do more. PDP has no place in the state,” he said. (NAN)

https://leadership.ng/2018/01/03/2019-pdp-dead-cant-win-lagos-apc/

Olalekan Adetayo, Abuja

Fuel marketers on Tuesday insisted that they could no longer import and Premium Motor Spirit at a control price of N145 per litre.

They also said they were not responsible for the recent scarcity of the product witnessed across the country.

The Chairman of Depot and Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Dapo Abiodun, disclosed these to State House correspondents at the end of a meeting stakeholders in the oil industry had with Federal Government’s delegation led by the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari.

The meeting which was held at the Old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja was also attended by the heads of the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Immigration Service as well as representatives of other paramilitary services.

Abiodun said neither the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation nor the independent marketers could be blamed for the recent fuel scarcity.

Details later.

http://punchng.com/marketers-insist-petrol-cant-sell-for-n145-per-litre/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Oyetunji Abioye

The nation’s external reserves, also known foreign exchange reserves, rose by 50 per cent in the last one year to hit $38.73bn on December 28, 2017, the Central Bank of Nigeria data showed on Sunday.

This means that the foreign reserves gained $12.9bn between December 2016 and December 2017.

Between January and October 2017, the reserves rose by $8bn, indicating a 30.9 per cent increase when it recorded $33.83bn on October 31.

The CBN latest statistic showed that as of December 22, 2017, the Nigeria’s foreign reserves stood at $37.92bn.

Relative stability in the Niger Delta, uptick in the global oil prices, improvement in Diaspora remittances and establishment of the Investors and Exporters Foreign Exchange Window by the CBN in April 2017 have led to significant growth in the country’s external reserves especially in the second half of the year.

The breakdown of the latest figure showed that the reserves gained $3.8bn in almost one month, rising from $34.9bn on November 30, 2017 to $38.7bn on December 28, 2017.

This means the external reserves have risen by about 10 per cent in one month.

The foreign exchange reserves had reached $23.6bn low in October 2016, from $40bn high in January 2014.

In September 2008, the country’s foreign exchange reserves hit $62bn, with the Federal Government spending $12bn to settle external debts.

In his remarks on the nation’s external reserves, the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, had in November, said, “It is my belief that if we remain resolute with our efforts, policies and actions, we can attain a foreign exchange reserves position of about $40bn by end of 2018.”

Emefiele had in December disclosed that the nation’s foreign reserves rose to $38.2bn with the issuance of Eurobonds by the Federal Government.

He regarded the external reserves figure as the highest in 39 months.

In November, the Federal Government raised $3bn through Eurobonds, which was oversubscribed by about $11bn and split across 10-year and 30-year tranches at issuance yield of 6.5 per cent and 7.625 per cent, respectively.
The CBN spokesman, Mr. Isaac Okorafor, had said that the increase in foreign reserves could be attributable to peace in the Niger Delta.

Okorafor added that with the sustained forex interventions by the central bank, the apex bank had pushed forex demand from the parallel market into the formal regulated market.

http://punchng.com/external-reserves-hit-38-7bn-rise-by-50-in-one-year/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged Nigerians to live their lives in 2018 with a spirit of optimisim and vigour.

According to the Party, brighter days were ahead of Nigerians in spite the current challenges rocking the nation, stressing that President Muhammadu Buhari was making good progress and already delivering on many fronts.

Odidgie-Oyegun, the APC called on Nigerians to join in the effort to build a more vibrant nation that every citizen will be proud of.

The message reads: “Our great Party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) welcomes all Nigerians to the 2018 New Year.

“2017 was indeed an eventful, yet challenging one for many Nigerians. We thank Nigerians for their continuous support and prayers for the President Muhammadu Buhari administration and indeed the Party. We urge Nigerians to collectively look to the New Year 2018 with renewed optimism and vigour. Brighter days are ahead of us.

“Indeed, the collective task before us is converting our country’s potential – derived from size, demography, human, and natural resources – to greatness. While the task may seem onerous, it is achievable. With the right ethics, morality, attitudes and priorities, we will get out of our current societal morass that has found expression in our economic challenges, bad politics, ethno-religious divisions and other negative aspects of our national life, sooner than sceptics believe is possible.

“We are acutely aware of our current national challenges, particularly on the economy. However, we assure Nigerians that the administration is not asleep, but working assiduously to address these challenges and meet the expectations of Nigerians. We remain focussed and solidly committed to delivering on our Party’s 2015 election promises which were largely hinged on curbing corruption, restoring the economy and the security of the nation.

“Happily, the President Buhari administration is making good progress and already delivering on many front such as restoring our country to its deserved standing among the comity of progressive nations; fighting corruption and repairing our value system; diversifying our economic revenue base, creating jobs and economic opportunities for Nigerians; bringing succor to the insurgency-ravaged North-East; reforming the oil, defence, pensions, and other critical sectors; creating a world-class transport system, among others.

“We can only downplay the ramifications of corruption at our peril. Corruption has for long enabled its perpetrators to divert resources for delivering development to the citizenry and as a result bred discontent, which religious bigots and ethnic jingoists take advantage of to create insecurity and other societal malaise. Therefore, the solution is the enthronement and entrenchment of quality and accountable leadership in governance.

“We should continue to support the administration’s development efforts for the country. The Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) should be supported by all as a basis for realizing social inclusion objectives, such as employment generation and eradication of poverty and inequality. Such safety net initiatives as the Home Grown School Feeding Programme, conditional cash transfer scheme and N-Power will guarantee that the poor and vulnerable directly benefit from economic development.

“We are acutely aware of our current national challenges, particularly on the economy. However, we assure Nigerians that the administration is not asleep, but working assiduously to address these challenges and meet the expectations of Nigerians. We remain focussed and solidly committed to delivering on our Party’s 2015 election promises which were largely hinged on curbing corruption, restoring the economy and the security of the nation.

“Happily, the President Buhari administration is making good progress and already delivering on many front such as restoring our country to its deserved standing among the comity of progressive nations; fighting corruption and repairing our value system; diversifying our economic revenue base, creating jobs and economic opportunities for Nigerians; bringing succor to the insurgency-ravaged North-East; reforming the oil, defence, pensions, and other critical sectors; creating a world-class transport system, among others.

“We can only downplay the ramifications of corruption at our peril. Corruption has for long enabled its perpetrators to divert resources for delivering development to the citizenry and as a result bred discontent, which religious bigots and ethnic jingoists take advantage of to create insecurity and other societal malaise. Therefore, the solution is the enthronement and entrenchment of quality and accountable leadership in governance.

“We should continue to support the administration’s development efforts for the country. The Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) should be supported by all as a basis for realizing social inclusion objectives, such as employment generation and eradication of poverty and inequality. Such safety net initiatives as the Home Grown School Feeding Programme, conditional cash transfer scheme and N-Power will guarantee that the poor and vulnerable directly benefit from economic development.

“Let us join in the effort to build a more vibrant nation that every Nigerian will be proud of. Let us join and support the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration in the ongoing of task of building a new Nigeria for our progress, peace, unity and prosperity.

“Once again, our great Party sends warmest greetings to all Nigerians on the occasion of the 2018 New Year.”

http://dailypost.ng/2017/12/31/want-nigerians-2018-apc/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Olaleye Aluko

As President Muhammadu Buhari’s son, Yusuf, continues to receive treatment at Cedar Crest Hospital, Gudu District, Abuja, some petty sellers close to the hospital are happy about the boost in their sales due to the influx of dignitaries, SUNDAY PUNCH has learnt.

The traders, who deal in food, recharge cards, and drinks around the hospital on Sam Mbakwe Street, told our correspondent on Saturday that notwithstanding the improved sales, they wished the President’s son a quick recovery.

Among the top government officials who visited Buhari’s son were the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.

When our correspondent, who posed as a buyer, approached one of the traders, identified only as Hauwa, she said, “For the past four days, I have been selling everything quite early. Many security people staying at the hospital because of the President’s son come here to eat. We have a lot of visitors coming with policemen to the hospital every day. The demand is high because of what has happened in the hospital."

A recharge card vendor expressed a similar observation, saying, “Demand for recharge cards has been higher in the last four days. It was not like that before. People come from the hospital to buy recharge cards as often as you can think of. I learnt the President’s son is there. We have all noticed the heavy presence of policemen on the street.”

http://punchng.com/hospital-visits-to-buharis-son-boosting-sales-abuja-traders/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

GBENGA ADENIJI chronicles some of the 2017 prophecies made by Nigerian clerics which went off the mark and those ostensibly accurate

A Lagos-based pastor, Olagorioye Faleyimu, stirred the pot sometime ago when he gave a damning prediction about a Nollywood celebrity, Funke Akindele. The prediction caused so much uproar that fans of the celebrity, on her behalf, totally rejected the disquieting prediction from coming to pass. That striking episode marked the claim to fame of the cleric.

Despite the public outcry that trailed the prophecy, Faleyimu, who is the founder of Mountain of Blessing and Miracle Church of Christ, reeled out more than enough prophecies for Nigeria in 2017.

Among the prophecies, the pastor boldly claimed that the Yoruba and the North would ‘soon’ form a new party to take over from the ruling All Progressives Congress. But as it seems, except 2017 is extended by a day, the prediction is anything but exact. This is because the North and the Yoruba in the current political climate have yet to jointly form a political party to unseat the APC.

Similarly, the President of the Omega Fire Ministry, Apostle Johnson Suleman, is not new to controversy. The outspoken man of God in his 50 prophecies for 2017 touched on some critical national issues.

He said, “Nnamdi Kanu’s detention to cause international crises. God is angry with Buhari for the continued detention. I see presidents being removed in Africa, I see presidents being installed.”

Though the incarceration of the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, was initially condemned by some Igbo, the tune later changed after he was granted bail and the agitation for Biafra seemed to have subsided since Kanu’s assumed fleeing of the country. There was also no revolt on the international scene regarding the matter.

Suleman, however, hit the mark in his prediction that in 2017, presidents would be removed and installed in Africa. The prophecy was accurate in Zimbabwe where the nonagenarian, Robert Mugabe, was carefully ousted by the military and replaced by Emmerson Mnangagwa. The latest outcome of the Liberian election further stamped that prophecy.
The presiding Bishop of Divine Seed of God Chapel Ministries in Ibadan, Oyo state, Prophet Wale Olagunju, in his 52-point prophecy for 2017 made some remarkable predictions that stood out.

He said, “God says those who think the Peoples Democratic Party is dead are making a mistake as He (God) does not work in the counsel of men but in the reasoning of His word. God says the party will bounce back and its members in the APC will return to their original house.”

In actual fact, the PDP has bounced back and conducted a convention to appoint its chairman. The party suffered divisions early in the year with factions instituting court actions to attain legitimacy. Despite the emergence of another faction shortly after the convention, the party looked ready to pick a presidential candidate for 2019.

It wouldn’t be out of place to say that the crystal ball of Olagunju was accurate in 2017. This is because nothing could be closer to the truth in the nation’s political space now with his prediction that, “God says the name Atiku Abubakar will continue to ring like a bell. He will be so popular among Nigerian politicians to the extent that many will root for him.”

After his return to the PDP from the APC, Abubakar’s name has rung a gong instead of a bell on the political space. Olagunju in the past had variously predicted the disintegration of Nigeria in 2015.

He, however, goofed in his prophecy that there would be a ‘serious fight’ between Obasanjo and Buhari as revealed by God Almighty.” As far as 2017 was concerned, there was no known “major fight’’ between the duo as prophesied by the pastor. Besides, ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, known to usually exhibit his grievances via letters, didn’t publicly write any acerbic one to the President.

The clergyman had earlier told this correspondent during a telephone interview that his prophecies were of God and not his own making.

Commenting on the issue, a psychologist at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Prof. Toba Elegbeleye, said he didn’t subscribe to the sources and claims of those who make prophecies.

Elegbeleye said, ‘‘If pastors make prophecies and they didn’t come pass, nobody would take them to task. Everything we do in the social sciences is based on empirical evidences. You must be able to prove your claims beyond reasonable doubt.

“During the last US election, some predicted a win for Hilary Clinton but Donald Trump eventually won. There was a time in Nigeria during the presidential election between Alhaji Shehu Shagari and Chief Obafemi Jeremiah Awolowo, a cleric predicted that the person who would win had his name in the Bible. Christians felt it would be Awolowo because his name ‘Jeremiah’ is in the Bible. But Shagari won and when the cleric was asked what happened, he said something like Shagari’s name was also in the Bible but written in a different form.

“Many of them make predictions based on what catches their fancy and on the spur of the moment. They also do so based on intuition or pressure from society.”

Also, a pastor, Michael Akande, said there were misconceptions about prophecies, adding that people do mistake predictions for prophecies whereas both aren’t same.

He added, “Prediction is based on what you feel will be the likely outcome of a particular action or scenario. Anybody can predict from his own point of view or as it occurs to him or her of which may not be correct. On the contrary, prophecy is an art of foretelling or prophesying events in the future as a result of the super understanding or spiritual power that the prophet/individual possesses.”

Akande, who is the curate pastor, Christ Apostolic Church, Ijanikin zone, Lagos, stated that a prophet prophesies according to what he receives from God.

He said, “When a prophet prophesies, he speaks what is in the mind of God. For instance, we see Prophet Isaiah telling King Hezekiah that he will die. What the prophet said wasn’t his own prediction but a message from God. He told the king the message he received from God. There are factors that may allow some prophecies to come to pass or fail. For instance, Hezekiah did not die according to the initial prophecy of Isaiah because he prayed to God.”

Also, a good prophetic declaration could be delay or stopped if one did nothing to actualise it.

In his predictions tagged, ‘Prophetic insights for 2017’, Abuja-based pastor, Joshua Iginla, among other things, said there would be clamour in the year for President Muhammadu Buhari to re-contest in 2019.

The Senior Pastor of Champions Royal Assembly, specifically said, “The clamour for his Excellency, Mr. President, to come back in 2019 will be very high. Buhari should be very careful. There are lots of judases around him.”

Of a truth, several kites were flown by the handlers and aides of the President who starting rooting a second term for him shortly after his return from overseas where he went on a medical tour.

The cleric further said the “Governor of Rivers State will suffer a lot of political persecution but it will not stop what God is about to do.”

If anything, in the year, Governor Nyesom Wike’s voice nearly drowned that of a cymbal as he bestrode the political space like a colossus. He was everywhere, trying the Buhari government for a size and also played a major role in the PDP convention.

His fracas with the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, in Rivers State when the convoys of the duo squared up, made headlines in the year.

Igunla’s crystal ball also saw beyond Nigeria as the prophecies were extended to Europe, the Americas and other African countries.

According to Akande, some prophetic declarations which are bad in nature can be nullified through prayers and the right deeds.

“If God reveals to a man of God his good intention for Nigeria, it is left for Nigerians to take the right steps so that the prophecy will become a reality. If nothing is done, one cannot blame God or the prophet. God sent Jonah to the Ninevites to tell them of His intention to punish them for their sins.But they repented, hence God changed His mind. What determines whether a prophecy will come to pass or not is anchored on other human actions.

“Notwithstanding, we must be careful of some so-called prophets who prophesy with the intention to defraud people. The highest prophecy for the believers is the Bible. Any prophecy that lacks substance from the scripture is from the gate of hell.”

Notably, other controversial pastors with failed prophecies in the past, carefully reeled out their prophecies devoid of specifics in 2017.

http://punchng.com/failed-accurate-prophecies-of-2017/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

The presidency has reacted to the controversy generated by its appointment, Friday evening, of 1,468 Nigerians into the boards of agencies and parastatals.

The list generated controversy after names of some dead persons were found among the appointees.

PREMIUM TIMES checks also show duplications and appointments of individuals that are no longer in the ruling All Progressives Congress.

The Presidency however downplayed the matter Saturday as, according to a spokesman of the president, there was nothing scandalous about the list.

Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES by telephone, Garba Shehu said “the list has a history” which explains the controversy around it.

“In 2015, Mr. President requested all state chapters of the party to submit names of 50 party members for board appointments,” Mr. Shehu said.

He said the names where compiled by the national secretariat of the APC and forwarded to the then secretary to the government of the federation, Babachir Lawal.

“However, complaint arose from some governors who felt they were not carried along in the process. To answer this, the president constituted a committee under the vice president to review and reflect the interest of the governors”.

Mr Shehu however said action was delayed on the report of the committee headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as President Muhammadu Buhari took ill.

“The president’s trips for medical attention slowed down completion of the process,” he said, until when Mr Buhari decided to revisit the matter recently.

“The current SGF was only directed to complete that process by releasing the list which he apparently did without altering it,” Mr. Shehu explained.

Mr Shehu admitted that errors were committed but added that “no human undertaking can be free of mistakes”.

He said the errors identified with the list were not enough to describe the exercise as scandalous, insisting that “there is no scandal”.

The spokesperson said all errors in the list would be corrected.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/253997-presidency-explains-controversial-list-board-appointments.html/amp?__twitter_impression=true

Olaleye Aluko, Abuja

The Spokesperson for the Defence Headquarters, Abuja, Maj Gen John Enenche, and 398 other officers have been redeployed in a major posting and appointment released by the Nigerian Army on Friday.

The army, which said the 2017 Fourth Quarter Postings and Appointments would take effect on January 2, 2018, noted that the shake-up affected officers in the rank of Brigadier-Generals and Major-Generals.

Our correspondent learnt that some senior officers were retired, having completed the mandatory years of service in the army.

The army said the Director, Defence Information, Enenche, was now the Commandant, Army War College, Abuja, ” while Brig Gen J.A. Agim is now the acting Director, Defence Information.”

The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig Gen Sani Usman, who confirmed the appointments in a statement on Friday, said, “The redeployment has affected some Principal Staff Officers at Defence and Army Headquarters, Corps Commanders, General Officers Commanding, Commandants of Training Institutions and Directors, among others. In all, the posting and appointments affected 399 Officers.

“Major General John Enenche has been appointed Commandant, Army War College Nigeria, while Brig Gen JA Agim is now the acting Director, Defence Information. Brig Gen LT Omoniyi has been appointed as the Commander of the newly established 17 Brigade with Headquarters in Katsina; while Brig Gen ET Essien is now Commander, 29 Task Force Brigade. All the postings and appointments take effect from January 2, 2018.”

http://punchng.com/military-redeploys-spokesman-398-officers-in-major-shake-up/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Lalasticlala Mynd44

Reno Omokri, former aide to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan has called on Nigerians to stop blaming People Democratic Party, PDP, for President Muhammadu Buhari’s son accident

This is reaction to a post by a Facebook user, Amir Wali, stating that the opposition party, PDP is to blame for Yusuf’s power bike accident which occurred on Tuesday night.

The post read: “Yusuf your father survived so shall you!! Insha Allah, this is the work of PDP

Reno Omokri via Twitter appealed to Nigerians to stop politicising the situation and pray for Yusuf’s recovery

He wrote “What sort of madness is this? There is no need to politicize everything.

“Allow this family to focus on the recovery of their only son without witch hunting the opposition.

“Yusuf, again I pray that God in His infinite mercy heals you and restores you as you were. In Jesus’ name.”

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has reportedly blamed his security aides for the incident.

http://dailypost.ng/2017/12/29/pdp-not-blame-yusuf-buharis-accident-reno-omokri/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

The military Joint Task Force (JTF) has launched “Operation Jagunlabi” on Lagos creeks to combat the increasing menace of pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft. The exercise, which is an offshoot of the ongoing Operation AWATSE (an Hausa word for scatter), was kicked off to further solidify the gains of the joint task force in battling vandalism and crude oil theft in Lagos creeks and backwaters.

The exercise which was kicked off by the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Slyvanus Abbah, at the naval outpost in Majidun area of Ikorodu, saw the JTF patrol both the waters and the land around that area.

Abbah was joined by the Air Officer Commanding, Logistics Command, Air Vice Marshal Ibrahim Yahaya; the General Officer Commanding, Major General Peter Dauke and the Commander, NNS Beecroft, Rear Admiral Maurice Eno.

The maritime operation kicked off from Majidun creek and saw the military gunboats patrol to Ebute waterside, Ibeshe ferry jetty and later to Oworonsoki jetty before heading back to the naval base. For the patrol route for the show of force, the ground forces also took off from Majidun and stormed the Ikorodu garage roundabout, Ibeshe junction, Ibeshe Ilaje, Imota, Ishawo and rendezvoused back at the naval outpost.

Rear Admiral Abba said the joint patrol means the three arms of services will pull resources and manpower together to tackle the menace of pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft, adding that the JTF might consider aerial bombardment with the aid of the Air Force if the need arise. Harping on the importance of intelligence gathering, Abbah who addressed the troops before the exercise began said they are to mix up with civilians in order to get them to loosen up. He said, "Operation AWATSE has been an on-going operation and if you are in Lagos, I think this is the most peaceful festive period you have ever had in Lagos.

"We have been working tirelessly before now. Before now, you know the criminals have been carrying out their nefarious act at the high sea; which is sea robbery." Abbah also said the components of Operation Awatse will partner Operation Delta Safe in the Niger Delta in order to tackle the issues of the influx of vandals and militants to Lagos waters from neighbouring creeks. The FOC said the partnership with Operation Delta Safe will see the military raid the creeks and backwaters of the Niger Delta region to arrest the rampaging militants.

He said, "Although Lagos by itself is a peaceful place but the criminals come from elsewhere. For instance, the last attack that happened on Lagos waters, we have arrested so many of them and all of them are not from Lagos. "The five of them that are in our custody are not from Lagos but have their accomplices in Lagos who gives them information which we are working on to rid the state of all those things. "Lagos is the hub of all activities.

Anybody you kidnap in Lagos, you know that ransom can be handsomely paid so they plan their operation to operate in Lagos. However, we are not resting on our oars to tackle this. "This period you know nobody came around to kidnap this period and we have to commend the soldiers because they are working very hard to ensure everything is fine peacefully." On the operation he said, "This is an ongoing and continuous exercise. Our presence here today is just to meet and interact with the soldiers.

We want them to share their problems and we will also address them. "Before now you know Majidun is a no go area but as you can see everybody is feeling happy and operating freely and that is why we want to make all those non-penetrable areas to be safe now for everyone to carry out their businesses. So Operation Jagunlabi is a show of force to tell those boys (the militants) wherever they are, we are here for them,” he affirmed.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/amplite/military-launch-operation-jagunlabi-to-check-vandalism-in-western-waters.html?__twitter_impression=true

TheCable hereby retracts its report, “Buhari’s son flown abroad for treatment over head injury”, and tenders an unqualified apology for the misinformation.

The reporter who filed the misleading report has also tendered his resignation, which has been accepted by the management.

The details contained in the report were actually the evacuation plan put in place by the management of the Cedacrest Hospital, Abuja, in the event that Yusuf Buhari is stable enough to travel to Germany for specialist care as suggested by some family members.

The plan included flying him out in an air ambulance under the care of a Nigerian doctor and three paramedics.

An orthopaedic consultant with specialisation in head injuries was also to be on the flight to monitor his progress.

However, his condition needed to be very stable before he could be subjected to a six-hour flight to Germany.

Aside a broken limb, he also suffered head injuries.

His friends, family members — notably his sisters — and politicians as well as other dignitaries have been visiting the hospital in Abuja to check on him.

We have since unpublished the report and take full responsible for the inaccuracy.

Also, we wish to reiterate that we take our professional responsibilities very seriously and will continue to improve our reporting standards.

https://www.thecable.ng/retraction-buharis-son-yet-flown-abroad/amp?__twitter_impression=true

'He has been flown to Germany', 'he has not been flown to Germany', which one do we then believe? This is confusing.

Independent petroleum marketers in Ekiti have reduced fuel price to below N200 per litre, a development coming the second day after Governor Ayodele Fayose effected the sale of petrol in the government’s house pump to the public.

Fayose had on Monday directed the sale of the fuel at the pump price of N145 per litre to the public to cushion the effect of the hardship of the fuel scarcity during Christmas.

The Chief Press Secretary to Governor Fayose, Mr Idowu Adelusi, in a release, said a tour around the state capital on Wednesday showed that the sale of the government fuel was still ongoing at Alade Filling Station, Iyin Ekiti road.

It also said Phenrose Oil and Gas, Irona was selling the fuel at N180 per litre to motorists.

NIPCO filling station at Adebayo Road and Akinbami filling station in Ureje also sell at N190 per litre.
This was against the price of N400 and N500 per litre it was sold at the black market on Monday, and also the N250 and N200 some filling stations were selling before Monday.

Many of the independent marketers had been selling fuel at outrageous prices before the intervention of Fayose.

Many independent marketers who had been hoarding the commodity in anticipation of a hike in price are now forced to sell the products.

An manager in one of the Independent marketers’ outfit, who spoke to Correspondents and pleaded anonymity, said the root cause of the fuel scarcity is that independent marketers had been getting pump price at N150 from source, and had a dilemma of selling it at official price of N145 or N143 as some of them were known for.

“Truth of the matter and root cause of this fuel palaver is that the Independent marketers have been getting fuel litre at N150 from source, these marketers have a dilemma of selling above official pump price of N145 and gain but incur the wrath of the members of the public or sell at either N145 or below, and lose in the transaction.

“But some of them are wise, instead of selling all the content they receive, they rather divert the bigger amount of it to smaller filling stations who took turns to sell to members of or the public at exorbitant costs of N200 or N250 and above. This is why the major marketers do not have much fuel to sell to members of the public who queue at their stations for days with it getting fuel. I do not think you would blame them for doing this because no one wants to do business and fail, he said. “

In another development, the reduced prices and stoppage of fuel hoarding are only more pronounced in the state capital. In some other towns that are outskirts of Ekiti, residents still complain of either not getting fuel and having to rely on black market sales of N550, and above or getting fuel from very few filling stations at N280 or N250.

http://www.tribuneonlineng.com/fuel-scarcity-independent-marketers-forced-cut-price-ekiti/

Lalasticlala Mynd44

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo says the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) bears the cost of fuel subsidy and not the federal government.

NAN reports that the vice-president clarified this on Monday while answering questions from journalists after visiting the Oando and Total depot in Apapa, Lagos.

“NNPC is trading in fuel; the federal government is not, at the moment, paying for any subsidy. NNPC is trading,” he said.

“If you are buying and selling fuel, you would have to be able to pay for it. So, it’s not a question of government provision for subsidy, the federal government, at the moment, isn’t paying any subsidy.

“And don’t forget that the way that the NNPC trades is that, in many cases, NNPC is actually giving fuel; there is 445,000 barrels of fuel.

“So really what you are seeing, in many cases, is more or less an exchange for PMS. So at the moment NNPC is paying the cost.”

While speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Maikanti Baru, NNPC group managing director, had said that the landing cost of petrol is now N171 as against the official retail price of N145.

TheCable had reported that this would mean that the federal government would have to pay N40.70 as subsidy on every litre of petrol imported to retain the retail price of N145.

https://www.thecable.ng/Osinbajo-nnpc-not-fg-bearing-cost-subsidy/amp?__twitter_impression=true

Mr Tayo Aboyeji, the South-West Chairman of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), on Monday confirmed that massive loading of petrol was ongoing at different depots in Lagos.

Aboyeji made the confirmation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, assuring Nigerians that the current scarcity of fuel would end in the next two days.

According to the chairman: “I am glad to tell you that the product is now available and today, being Christmas holiday, tanker drivers are waiting to collect the product.

“Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is now making use of Major Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) tank farms to distribute petrol.


“This is to accelerate the product to different locations. As I am talking to you, our members are taking the product out of depots to filling stations across the country.

“To make it quicker, NNPC is also using Folawiyo depot, Aiteo and NIPCO depots and I can tell you that the rate at which loading is taking place now, the crisis will soon be over,” he said.

Atoyebi denied allegation of diversion of the product by his members, adding that such had not been reported to him.

“To the best of my knowledge no such cases have been reported to the union.

“It is not easy to divert the product because petroleum tankers loaded were being monitored to their destinations,” he said.

He urged Nigerians to desist from panic buying, adding that the product was now available.


“Nigerians should not result to panic buying now; petrol is available in depots unlike few days ago when the product was not available.

“The product will be in all filling stations in few day’s time, so buy only what you will use and stop hiding petrol in your house, it is dangerous,” he said.

http://thenationonlineng.net/nupeng-confirms-massive-loading-petrol-depots/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

A national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Ahmed Tinubu, on Sunday, called on Nigerians to support President Muhammadu Buhari to resolve the country’s current economic challenges.

Tinubu made the call in a Christmas message signed by his Media Officer, Mr Tunde Rahman in Lagos.

He urged Nigerians to learn from the example of Jesus Christ “who faced and overcame the greatest evil” by uniting to overcome the country’s various challenges.

”The challenges facing the country are difficult ones. Let us unite to overcome our challenges and keep the hope alive.

”We must support President Buhari and complement his efforts in his resolve to stimulate the economy and reposition the country.

” The president needs our support, understanding and prayers. We must fully break the terrorism of Boko Haram and completely put down the last vestiges of the terrorists.

”We must continue to pray for the men in uniform who risk their lives to keep us safe and to end this scourge on the nation. I commend our troops battling the terrorists. I thank them again for their courage and bravery.

Let us remember those who have been dispossessed of their homes and traumatised by the evil of these terrorists and pray that they all will be able to return home soon and begin their lives a new and better.

“Yet, we must do more than pray. We all have something to give, something to contribute to the greater good. As Jesus gave of himself that we may live better, we must give of ourselves that others around us may have a better life, ” he said.

Tinubu also urged Nigerians to reflect and recognise how Jesus lived and what he lived for while celebrating Christmas.

”Christmas Day, is one of the most precious days of the year for it celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ.

”Be you Christian, Muslim or just a human being with a soul that yearns for peace, compassion and hope, Jesus Christ belongs to all of us. His teachings are universal in application and speak of truth eternal.

”He reached out to all. Jesus fed the poor and healed the sick. He spread compassion and charity and preached love and justice. There are no finer aims than these and we can do no better than to do all we can to follow his example,“ he said.

The leader urged Nigerians to embrace and spread the gospel of love, tolerance and forgiveness this season and into the New Year.

“We must commit ourselves to peace and unity. Let us eschew all bitterness and bigotry,” he said.

NAN

http://punchng.com/support-buhari-to-overcome-economic-challenge-says-tinubu/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Lalasticlala, Mynd44

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Sunday said it has carried out more air strikes against the Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) at the fringes of Borno state, near Lake Chad, Killing scores of the insurgents and damaging their structures.

It said the bombardments were conducted with fighter jets and helicopter gunships with the aim of weakening the will of the insurgents and neutralising them from carrying out their deadly activities.

The Director of the NAF Public Relations and Information, Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya, in a statement issued in Abuja asserted that the air interdictions were conducted after a routine Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) mission had been carried out indicating the strong presence of the Boko Haram Terrorists in Tumbun Rago and Bogumeri, Borno state.

AVM Adesanya said: “The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has intensified its air operations in Northeastern Nigeria and in the process, neutralized scores of Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) in TUMBUN RAGO, a settlement at the northern fringes of BORNO State bordering Lake Chad.


“During a routine Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) mission on 20 December 2017, a NAF ISR platform sighted BHT activities at TUMBUN RAGO, occupied by Albarnawi faction.

“Accordingly, fighter aircraft and helicopters were detailed for air interdiction over the location on 21 December 2017.

“The fighter aircraft took turns to unleash their armament on the location. Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) of the attacks revealed that the targeted BHT structures were destroyed, causing fire within the location and neutralizing scores of insurgents in the process.

“Thereafter, the recently acquired helicopter gunships carried out mop-up attacks on a few fleeing insurgents.

“Furthermore, the following day, on 22 December 2017, the NAF neutralized a large gathering of BHTs Southeast of BOGUMERI, also in BORNO State, after a convoy of BHTs on motorcycles had been trailed to the location.

“The intensification of air operations by the NAF is aimed at further reducing the will of the BHTs to continue their nefarious activities while also creating the needed advantage for own surface forces to effectively operate”.

http://thenationonlineng.net/air-force-bombs-book-haram-structures/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Fuel scarcity continued to make life unbearable for Nigerians on Friday, with black marketers exploiting the situation to sell petrol at exorbitant prices.

Reports across the country showed that motorists and commuters continued to face a lot of hardship as a result of the fuel scarcity which has also forced up transports fares. In most cases, a litre of petrol sold at the black market for an average of N300.

The majority of petrol stations in many parts of the country visited by Saturday Tribune remained without supplies, putting the few stations dispensing the commodity under the strain of dealing with large crowds of motorists and other buyers.

Many Nigerians who could not withstand the commotion and endless queues at the dispensing petrol stations decided to turn to the black market for respite where a litre of petrol sold for as high as N300 on the average.

This was the situation in Ilorin, Kwara State, where taxi and okada operators have increased their charges by 100 per cent. The same transport situation was observed in Kano and Kaduna states where four litres of petrol sold for between N1,000 and N2,000 in the black market.

In Enugu and other South East and South South states, petrol sold for an average of N300 in the black market with transporters jacking up their fares by as much as 200 per cent.

In Ibadan, the Oyo State capital; Osogbo, Osun State, and many other cities in the South West, the scare commodity sold for between N200 and N300 per litre in some cases in the black market, and N500 in extreme cases.

Crisis ’ll be over soon —Marketers

But the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) said there had been improvement in supplies to its members across the country in the last few days.

Speaking with Saturday Tribune on Friday, the chairman of IPMAN, Ejigbo depot branch, Lagos, Ayo Alanamu Balogun, stated that “if the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) can sustain the tempo at which they are supplying us now, the fuel scarcity will be over by the weekend.”

When asked what the NNPC is doing differently, he stated that “they have increased daily supply to our depots. We now get an average of 60 trucks daily as against six to seven trucks we used to get. We are working 24/7 and we are looking forward to our usual loading of 120 trucks per day.

“They (the NNPC) have also fixed the part of the pipeline that got burnt recently. They have resumed supplies to Ibadan depot and that part of the country (South West) will also experience improvement in fuel supplies,” Balogun said.

On his part, the Executive Secretary of Depot Owners and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMA), Femi Adewole, stated that “all our members are dispensing and are doing so at N145 per litre. We operate with major marketers and as you know, all major marketers are also selling at N145 per litre.”

On what would be the lasting solution to the perennial fuel crisis in Nigeria, Adewole said “the government and the NNPC know what they did last year to ensure fuel availability during the Yuletide. We partnered them and ensured we had abundance last year. So, tell them to repeat same this year, I can assure you, there won’t be scarcity [again] during the entire Yuletide season and beyond.”

Do something now about fuel scarcity, PDP challenges Buhari

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to find a quick solution to the lingering fuel scarcity in all parts of the country.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Friday in Abuja, the leading opposition party reminded the president that as Minister of Petroleum Resources, it is his responsibility to resolve the issue quickly.

The PDP insisted that “it is not enough for the president to sit in his comfort zone and put the blame of the fuel scarcity at the doorsteps of marketers, while Nigerians continue to suffer untold hardship.”
According to the statement, “the unbearable fuel situation in the country is completely unacceptable.
“Mr President must become up and doing. He should not allow anybody to push him to claim that the issue of fuel scarcity is not under the purview of the Minister of Petroleum Resources.

“When he took office as President of Nigeria and also as the Minister of Petroleum Resources, he was aware that the buck stops at his table.

“Nigerians must not be made to suffer, especially at this time of the year when we have the Yuletide and New Year festivities, which come with a lot of activities.

“This is the same APC government that promised that it will make fuel available and affordable. Today, under their deceitful and corrupt watch, fuel has not only become extremely scarce, the price has also risen from where the PDP left it at N86.50 per litre to as high as N300 per litre and above.
“The effect is that transport fares, running costs, prices of food, medicines and other basic needs have soared beyond the reach of Nigerians, who are now groaning heavily under the hardship of APC misrule.

“But should Nigerians be subjected to this type of anguish and pain after supporting APC to win election in 2015? Does APC indeed deserve another support in 2019?”

“Whereas we know that the time is already up for the APC, we nevertheless urge Mr President to, within the remaining short time, rise up to his responsibilities as the minister of petroleum or immediately relinquish that position and allow a competent person to run the ministry. Enough is enough.”

The statement urged Nigerians not to despair but rekindle their hope in the future as the PDP “is now repositioned to regain power in 2019 and return the nation to the path of good governance, social stability and economic growth, for which it is generally known.”

Edo govt, DPR warn marketers against hoarding

To ensure a hassle-free Yuletide celebration and discourage hoarding of petroleum products this season, the Edo State government, in collaboration with the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), has commenced monitoring of petrol stations in the state and has vowed to prosecute marketers found to be hoarding the products.

In a statement signed by the Secretary to the Edo State Government (SSG), Osarodion Ogie, the state explained that the exercise was meant to ensure that the products allocated to Edo State were dispensed to buyers at the official pump prices and save the people the hardship they suffer at the hands of shylock marketers.

“Edo State has been sufficiently supplied with petroleum products and received a fresh 465,000 litres this weekend, in addition to the 296,000 litres loaded to the state on Tuesday this week.

“Motorists and other users of petroleum products should refrain from panic buying that causes unnecessary queues at petrol stations and traffic congestion on major roads in the state.

“Marketers are hereby warned to ensure judicious dispensing of allocated products as government will not hesitate to apprehend and prosecute any erring marketer,” the statement said.

Govt working to end scarcity –DPR

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has stated that the government is working to address the scarcity and make fuel available nationwide.

Speaking with journalists in Jos, Plateau State, on Friday, the state Operations Manager of DPR, Mr Jeremiah Mashat, said there had been dip in the supply of fuel to the state in the past three weeks as 214 trucks were supplied to the state during the period.

“If you divide 214 trucks by 21 days, you will get an average of 10 trucks per day for a state that has 17 local government areas.

“You can see that some local governments may not get the product at all; that is how critical the situation is. Under normal condition, Plateau gets about 30 trucks per day, but it has now gone down to as low as 10 trucks per day.

“The fact is that there have been administrative challenges between government and marketers taking some time to be resolved. Once in a while government has to reconcile its records with the marketers, and that takes a while. But I can assure you that government is working round the clock to get the issues resolved.

“We have sent reports from the state to the minister, and I believe the other states have done same. And I can assure you that government is working hard to resolve the crisis; and I believe in a short while, the situation will be brought under control,” he said.

Mashat dismissed suggestions that the scarcity has to do with the Yuletide, saying “it is not aimed at making life difficult at Christmas; it’s a mere coincidence.”

He added that in spite of the scarcity, the DPR in the state had ensured that the product was not sold above the official price of N145 per litre.

“We go around every day to monitor the filling stations to ensure that the product is not sold above N145 per litre. We have also put some measures in place to ensure that trucks that leave the depot are tracked till they get to their destinations to ensure that the product is not diverted to wrong destinations,” the DPR official said.

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The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, has banned the Special Anti Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police Force from conducting stop and search operations on roads except when necessary.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that some group of Nigerians recently in the social media, called for the scrapping of SARS over alleged harassment of innocent Nigerians, using the #EndSARS.

Following the allegation, the Inspector- General of Police , Mr Ibrahim Idris, promised to restructure and reposition the unit for effective service delivery.

Idris also warned members of the group against acting as body-guards, delving into land matters and debt collection that were considered civil.

He further warned that members of the unit must only embark on operations with the permission of the commissioner of police in charge of SARS in the police commands.

“You must operate in official uniform clearly marked for identification.

“I just want to warn you all here that any officer caught engaging in these activities will be dealt with accordingly.

“The Nigeria Police force under my leadership shall operate strictly guided by the human rights principles as enshrined in the United Nations charter on human rights, ”he said.

He mandated the Inspector-General of police’s monitoring units and the X-squad and other oversights unit of the force to monitor the activities of the SARS.

The police boss noted that the establishment of the unit was due to activities of the men of the underworld.

He said that as part of measures to check the unit, they would be solely mandated to confront only armed robbery cases and violent crimes in the country,

Idris also said that men deployed to SARS would undergo training, continuous assessment and psychometric test to determine their suitability or otherwise.

NAN

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