₦airaland Forum

An attempt to kidnap a Deputy Comptroller of Customs, her younger brother and her son was thwarted on Saturday by police detectives attached to Area-D- Police Command, Mushin, Lagos.

Lagos State police spokesman, Chike Oti said acting under the directive of the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Edgal Imohimi, the Area D Commander, Olasoji, an assistant commissioner of police (ACP) quickly assembled a decoy team which played along with a caller who had been calling Barrister Yisa Theophilus, the younger brother of the female Customs officer.


The police team ran a quick check on the caller based on available information and came to a conclusion that he was up to something sinister.
“The team found out that aside from being a notorious criminal in the area, the caller, later discovered to be one Yomi Odudare, was into land selling. So the detectives called him to meet with them for a land deal and he agreed.
“On Saturday, being the day they agreed to meet, the detectives went along with the younger brother of the female officer Yisa Theophilus whom he had been calling frequently. They met the suspect at a project site in Ajah, Lagos, called Fara-park and he was promptly arrested.
“During a brief interrogation at the scene of the arrest, the suspect confessed that he has never met the lawyer nor any member of his family.
“He, however, said that the idea to kidnap Bar Yisa, his sister and her son came from one Olugbenga Kehinde Ojo, a former driver to the deputy comptroller’s uncle. He added that the idea was to kidnap the lawyer and force him to lure out his sister.
“To make his story believable, he put a call to the said Olugbenga Kehinde Ojo. He told him to meet up with him, that he had successfully kidnapped the lawyer.
“He was happy and so he rushed to the venue, straight into the waiting arms of police detectives investigating the case.
“Both suspects took the police to a shanty, surrounded by water, situate in Eleko, along Lekki/Epe Expressway, Lagos, which they prepared as a hostage ground for their would-be victims.
“It was the agreement of both suspects that in order to avoid the mistakes of the notorious kidnapper, Evans, the moment any of their potential victims sights Olugbenga Ojo, a former employee of the Deputy Comptroller’s uncle, that person must be killed because they all know him.”

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/06/police-foil-attempt-to-kidnap-customs.html

Suspected billionaire kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, a.k.a Evans, no longer have a lawyer for his criminal and civil matters.

Evans’ former counsel, Olukoya Ogungbeje, Friday withdrew his representation, citing personal reasons.

Ogungbeje, who represented Evans in his multiple kidnapping, murder and attempted murder trials at the Lagos High Court and two civil suits at the Federal High Court in Lagos, cited “personal reasons” for his decision.

In a June 13 letter made available to The Nation, the lawyer claimed that he and his colleagues in the matter had suffered threats to their lives.


He said: “For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state categorically that we have fought a good fight this far despite repeated and sustained threats to my life and my defence lawyers.


“I dare say we have no regrets whatsoever having conducted the criminal charges involving our client this far.

“For the sake of history, we have been able to enrich the basic principles of our criminal jurisprudence, especially the principle premised on ‘An accused person being presumed innocent until the contrary is proved’ no matter the public opinion and criticism”.

Ogungbeje also claimed that his team kept the Lagos State Prosecution team on its toes in the art of forensic, proper and thorough investigation and prosecution of the accused persons.

Evans was arrested on June 10, 2017 in his Magodo, Lagos mansion.

He is currently facing five criminal charges before three Lagos High Court judges, Justice Hakeem Oshodi, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo and Justice Adedayo Akintoye.


In the case before Justice Hakeem Oshodi which is expected to resume on June 22, Evans, Uche Amadi, Ogechi Uchechukwu, Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi and Victor Aduba are facing a two-counts of conspiracy and kidnapping of one Mr Donatus Dunu who was the last victim allegedly kidnapped by the group before their arrest in June 2017.

https://www.google.com.ng/amp/thenationonlineng.net/evans-abandoned-as-lawyer-withdraws-from-kidnap-cases/amp/

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has partnered Balogun Business Association (BBA) to combat the preponderance of fake and substandard in the country.

The Director General, SON, Osita Aboloma, explained that this move was the agency’s resolve to work together as a team to surmount the menace of substandard goods edging out quality products in the market.

Aboloma, while receiving members of the BBA who sought collaboration with SON to such end, said, “We have agreed to work together and they have agreed to collaborate with us by imbibing the culture of quality assurance and reporting to us whenever they see something unwholesome.


“Some of these traders are law-abiding; what we intend to do is to beam the search light of quality assurance on the market to take out the non-conforming and substandard goods.”

He noted that SON decided to partner with the association because it is the biggest single market in West African region, pointing out that the association is the best and the most reasonable place to start our fight against substandard goods.

“We want to them to know that if they certify and register their products, they will not be affected by the wrath of the law.

We are coming against the perpetrators of substandard goods with all the laws available to us as an agency.

It is no longer going to be business as usual. It is either you close your shops, move away from our markets or you have us to contend with,” he warned.

In his response, the Chairman of the Board, BBA, Trade Fair Complex, Okey Ezibe, expressed the association’s willingness to support SON in its fight against substandard goods.

In his words: “We have to realise that the present Director General has new ideas to combat the menace of substandard goods.

Any country without standards is doomed to fall and we have listened to him and he is committed to fighting the preponderance of fake and substandard goods.”

He added: “We will give him our maximum support. We have decided to turn a new leaf and we will sink this message into the minds of our people.

We have extended our invitation to the Director General to visit the trade Fair complex and see firsthand on how we do things.

There are local arrangements to check the excesses because we are the losers at the end of the day. If people go overseas to bring in substandard goods only for it to be destroyed, then we have lost revenue and businesses.”

He however called on the managers of the economy to bring SON back to the nation’s seaports, adding that this is the easiest and safest way to stop these goods from coming into the country.

“These goods are better checked at the ports not in the markets.

Dealing in fake and substandard products is a crime to humanity and poses great danger for the nation’s economy, as a result of this, we have decided to collaborate with SON to collectively fight this battle against a substandard goods.

We were not doing this before, but the SON boss has convinced us that this is the only way out to stamp out these goods.

We have seen his desires and commitment to fighting this war and we would contribute our own quota by lending our support,” he added.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/06/son-market-leaders-seek-ways-to-check.html

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Uche Secondus has berated the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for their alleged bias in the execution of the anti-corruption war in the country.


Secondus said that the recent arrest and harassment of contractors handling projects in only PDP states had exposed the anti graft agency as doing the bidding of the ruling party ahead of 2019.

The PDP leader in a statement by his spokesman, Ike Abonyi, said that the EFCC had deployed its operatives to intimidate and harass contractors handling various projects in some PDP states with the motive of frustrating their project goals which had visibly placed them far ahead of their colleagues in APC states.


Secondus expressed regrets that the Commission “has remained beclouded in their bias and has refused to heed the advisories from well meaning Nigerians and international watchers including the recent one from the British High Commissioner to Nigeria Mr. Paul Arkwright for them not to take sides with any political party ahead of the 2019 general election.”

He noted that the Commission rather than listen to such counsel, had instead made themselves a willing tool to assist the drowning APC ahead of 2019 general elections.

“Rather than encourage states who are seriously involved in the delivery of democracy dividend to their people, the envious ruling APC has been conniving with the relevant agencies to be harassing contractors ostensibly to frustrate and slow them down in their development strides.


“Contractors in Taraba and Rivers states as well as other PDP states are being harassed by EFCC operatives and are being arm twisted to implicate PDp leaders.

“Intelligence is available to the party that the ruling party and the federal government have resolved to ensure that PDP states are permanently put on their toes so as not to get their bearing ahead of 2019.

“It would be clear to the world and discerning minds that PDP governors are doing fantastic jobs executing projects that touch the lives of their people unlike their APC counterparts.

“In some states like Taraba where projects have been halted as a result of EFCC meddlesomeness, the unemployment situation has worsened,” he said.

Secondus reiterated the position of the PDP that “corruption should be confronted frontally in our system but warned that meaningful result would never be achieved in this regard in an atmosphere of bias and double standards from anti corruption agencies.”

He charged PDP state governors to remain undaunted and refuse to be intimidated in the service of their people.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/06/secondus-reveals-fg-efcc-plot-against.html

Barely seven days after cult related activities led to the death of two men whose names were given as Mr. Paul Ogeh and Ansalem Omah, following a clash between rival cult groups in Ngbo in Ohaukwu Local Government Area, another person, one Maduabuchi Osazi, has been hacked to death.

Akelicious gathered that Maduabuchi had altercation with persons suspected to be members of a rival cult group on Monday over telecommunication facilities.

He was later trailed and killed while he was going to see his wife where she was frying garri.


ASP Loveth Odah, Ebonyi Police Command Spokesperson, who confirmed the incident to our reporter, said that two persons have been arrested in connection with the killing.

She said: “On the 12th June, 2018 by 12 O’clock, one Simon Akpu of Umuogodoakpu Ngbo came to the station and reported that on the 11th at about 11pm that the deceased one Maduabuchi Obasi of the same address, 25 years old, was hacked down with a sharp weapon on his way to see his wife where she was trying garri.


“The scene of crime was visited by a team of police from Ohaukwu Police Divisional Headquarters. Two suspects were arrested which include one Chinedu Ogba, 25 and one Chukwudi Ali, 26. All of them of same address.”

Odah, who disclosed that the corpses of the decease have been deposited in the mortuary at the Ngbo for autopsy, also noted that investigation into the murder was already on, assuring that very soon the case will be transferred to the court after investigation.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/06/cultists-hacked-man-to-death-in-ebonyi.html

About 36.6 million telephone lines have been withdrawn from some telecommunications operators from the National Numbering Plan (NNP) with effect from March 20, 2018.

A telephone numbering plan is a type of scheme used in telecommunication to assign telephone numbers to subscriber telephones or other telephony endpoints. Telephone numbers are the addresses of participants in a telephone network, reachable by a system of destination code routing.

The Numbering Plan is an addressing mechanism for communication networks, which enables routing of traffic to designated networks. NNP is sometimes used to identify different types of services


The lines withdrawn, The Guardian gathered belonged to about 48 operators. While some are still in operation, large numbers of them have down tools as a result of harsh economic challenges and supposed mis-management of their operations in the country.

Some of these operators, according to a document on NNP from NCC, operated with national and states licences. The operators include Alpha Wireless Limited; Disc Communications; Mobitel; Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited; Starcomms; Zoom Mobile; Odu’a Telecoms Limited; Rainbownet; Gicell Wireless Limited; Broadband Technology Limited; NITEL; Multilinks; BIG Communications Limited; Bell and Bell Telecoms, among others.

States and cities were some of these telephone lines were withdrawn from include Lagos, Abuja, Enugu; Gombe; Oyo; Port Harcourt; Oshogbo, Ile-Ife; Warri; Sapele;Ijebu-Ode; Ado-Ekiti; Ilorin; Auchi; Lokoja; Asaba; Jos; Ibadan, Akure; Calabar, Umuahia, among others.

The ranges of these numbers include 770,000; 550000; 710000; 499000; 780000; 8770000; 220,000; 4,100,000; 7070000000, among others.

The area codes of these numbers include 053; 073, 044; 01; 084; 09; 052; 038, and others.

A top official of the NCC, who spoke with The Guardian on the condition of anonymity, said the numbers withdrawn were numbers, which have been in existence since 2001. Some of the operators got the set of lines from the then, monopoly operator, Nigeria Telecommunications Limited (NITEL).

He revealed that after the collapse of NITEL, the regulatory role fell on NCC. He said some of the lines have become dormant and not put to use, while some operators failed to renew their licenses.

According to him, the NNP process was to orderly arrange the numbers for proper management, especially at this period of increasing security breaches through some unidentified numbers.

Earlier in a statement on its website, NCC claimed to have developed the NNP to set up uniform numbering scheme for easy calls to subscribers and operators.
The NNP provides a uniform dialing procedure for local, national long distance, international calls and calls to emergency, special services, independent of where the call was originating from in the country.

According to the NCC, other numbering information includes, terminologies, dialing procedure, area codes by zone and primary centre and mobile telephony number allocation.

Some of the NNP terminologies are numbering area, trunk prefix, trunk code, directory number and international prefix, among others. “Numbering area is part of the country to which a trunk code has been allocated and within that area only the directory numbers are dialed.

“Trunk prefix is the digit or a combination of digits to be dialed by a calling subscriber so as to obtain access to a trunk code and the numbering area.”

It explained that the international number consists of the country code of the required country followed by the national number of the called subscriber. NCC said that it was charged with development of the NNP for the Nigerian telephone networks both for fixed and wireless networks. “This is to ensure allocation of unique numbers to each subscriber connected to the network.”

The Nigerian Communications Act, Section 4 empowers NCC to develop, manage and administer a national numbering plan and electronic addresses plan and the assignment of numbers and electronic addresses there from to licensees”

The Commission, according to the act, shall, solely and exclusively be vested with control, planning, administration, management and assignment of the numbering and electronic addressing of network services and applications services.

The Country Code for Nigeria is +234 and the NNP can be categorized into five classes, which are: Geographic Numbers/Numbering Areas for Fixed Communications Services; Non-geographic Numbers for Mobile Services; Vanity and Toll-Free; Premium Numbers.

There are short codes for special services. For example 112 for emergency services.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/06/ncc-withdraws-366-million-telephone.html

A leading firm on new mother and baby care, Mothersbond Limited, Nigeria has congratulated new mothers (and mothers to be) for the recent extension of available maternity days from 90 to 120 days (four months).

Mothersbond Chief Executive, Michael Osuji, in a statement issued in Lagos and signed by the company commended the government for approving 30 more days to strengthen the bond mothers are developing with their newborns.

Osuji said: “While we note that this is a huge step in the right direction, we would continue to engage with the relevant stakeholders in government, health care experts and the media to push for at least six months fully paid maternity leave. The underlying goal of this is to ensure the moms have no hindrance to exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months, which helps to give babies the best start in life, physically, mentally and emotionally.


“Although our ideal recommendation is six months maternity leave, in the meantime, they can augment with breastfeeding pumps which they can use to express their milk, store the milk appropriately and have their caregiver feed when baby is hungry. This way, they still ensure their little one gets the full nutrition of their milk even while Mom is away at work. A good pump is the Mothersbond super-fast breast milk pump. It saves time by expressing milk fast. Many women in our part of the world don’t know about how useful breast milk pumps are. It helps ensure the chain of exclusive breastfeeding is not broken for the first six months and subsequently.

“We hope the government will not stop at this, but make sure it is followed through especially by private sector employers.”

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/06/mothersbond-commends-fg-on-four-months.html

THE traditional ruler of Ogbozine Akpugo, in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State, Igwe Nwatu has been murdered. Police sources said that Nwatu, was allegedly killed by unknown persons while returning from a court sitting at Nkanu, the local government headquarters Monday afternoon. The traditional ruler who was accompanied by four policemen was said to have arrived the court premises when the court had closed and left the premises with the policemen. Police sources said that Nwatu was trailing one of his subjects who had some issues with him when they were waylaid by a group of people and beaten to stupor. His attackers reportedly disarmed his police orderlies before descending on them. The Divisional Police Officer, DPO, for Nkanu West Police Station, who got wind of the attack was said to have rushed the monarch to Orient Hospital in the area, where Nwatu was given some first aid treatment before he was transferred to the Parklane Hospital in Enugu metropolis, where he died at 9pm last night. However, other sources said that some members of the community were going to Government House, where they had been invited by the Chief of Staff, CoS, to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi over their matter with Nwatu when they were blocked somewhere at Amodu, Awkunanaw by the Igwe and some members of the police anti-robbery squad, SARS, and molested before the fracas which led to the killing of the Igwe started. The members of the SARS were said to have abandoned the Igwe when he reportedly ordered his driver to kill anybody on his way to enable him escape. The driver was said to have overrun one person from Ogbozine, shattering his two legs before his enraged subjects pounced on him and beat him to stupor, leading to his death. The late Nwatu was said to have been having series of problems with his subjects who had always accused him of high-handedness, as well as complained of imposition of arbitrary and illegal levies on them. Meanwhile, the police at Nkanu have recovered one of the riffles snatched from one of the policemen guarding the late Igwe Nwatu. Policemen and family members of late Igwe Nwatu confirmed that the late traditional ruler died from the injuries he sustained during the attack at Park Lane Hospital yesterday. About 15 houses were said to have so far been burnt in a reprisal attack against alleged opponents of the late Igwe. It was said that some members of the local vigilante group, Neighborhood Watch, who were loyal to Nwatu, attacked those perceived to be enemies of the late monarch and set their houses ablaze. Henry Nnamani said that two of his houses were burnt while his brother, Moses, lost over 30 drums of palm oil which he stored in his house, waiting for the period of scarcity to sell them, while Chijioke Okenwa also said that he “lost all that he had laboured for, following the burning” of his house. Enugu State police Spokesman, Ebere Amaraizu, confirmed the killing of Igwe Stephen Nwatu in a text message to Vanguard. His text read: “The (police) command through the operatives of the state criminal intelligence and investigations department have commenced a full scale investigation into the incident with a view to finding out the circumstances surrounding the incident as well as those involved among other things.”

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/06/monarch-beaten-to-death-15-houses-burnt.html

President Donald Trump and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un concluded an extraordinary nuclear summit on Tuesday with the US president pledging unspecified “security guarantees” to the North and Kim recommitting to the “complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.”

They coupled the summit agreement with lofty promises by Trump to handle “a very dangerous problem” and Kim’s prediction for “major change.”

Meeting with staged ceremony on a Singapore island, Trump and Kim came together for a summit that seemed unthinkable months ago, clasping hands in front of a row of alternating US and North Korean flags, holding a one-on-one meeting, additional talks with advisers and a working lunch.

Both leaders expressed optimism throughout roughly five hours of talks.

Light on specifics, the document signed by the leaders largely amounted to an agreement to continue discussions as it echoed previous public statements and past commitments. It did not include an agreement to take steps toward ending the technical state of warfare between the US and North Korea.

The pair promised in the document to “build a lasting and stable peace regime” on the Korean Peninsula and to repatriate remains of prisoners of war and those missing in action during the Korean War.

Language on North Korea’s bombs was similar to what the leaders of North and South Korea came up with at their own summit in April. At the time, the Koreans faced criticism for essentially kicking the issue of North Korea’s nuclear arsenal down the road to Tuesday’s Trump-Kim summit.

Trump and Kim even directly referenced the so-called Panmunjom Declaration, which contained a weak commitment to denuclearization and no specifics on how to achieve it.

The formal document signing followed a series of meetings at a luxury Singapore resort.

After the signing, Trump said he expected to “meet many times” in the future with Kim and, in response to questions, said he “absolutely” would invite Kim to the White House. For his part, Kim hailed the “historic meeting” and said they “decided to leave the past behind.”

In a moment that would never happen in North Korea, reporters began yelling questions to Trump and Kim after they signed the document, including whether they had discussed the case of Otto Warmbier, the American college student who suffered brain damage while in North Korean custody and died in June 2017, days after he was returned home to Ohio.

In the run-up to the meeting, Trump had predicted the two men might strike a nuclear deal or forge a formal end to the Korean War in the course of a single meeting or over several days.

But in the hours before the summit, the White House unexpectedly announced Trump would depart Singapore earlier than expected — Tuesday evening — raising questions about whether his aspirations for an ambitious outcome had been scaled back.

The meeting was the first between a sitting US president and a North Korean leader.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/06/trump-kim-summit-trump-pledges-security.html

Crude oil prices fell yesterday with the global benchmark, Brent crude heading towards its lowest finish in about one month after a report revealed a surprise weekly climb in the United States’ domestic crude inventories.

Prices had traded higher in early dealings, buoyed by reports Venezuela may not deliver some of its contracted crude oil exports on the heels of political upheaval.


An economic crisis fed by the country’s political instability has limited global supply, helping the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) hit its target for reduced output faster than expected.

Benchmark indices for crude oil were mixed throughout much of the previous session after reports circulated that the US was calling for more oil from OPEC tacitly to protect against steady declines from Venezuela and possible declines from Iran.

OPEC is in its second year of an effort to erase a surplus in global crude oil inventories through coordinated production cuts.
The market is near balance, so there’s little margin for shocks like an additional loss of oil.
The US call for more oil comes despite its own record-setting production.

Global benchmark, Brent crude shed 79 cents, or 1.1 per cent, to $74.59 a barrel, aiming for the lowest settlement since May 8.
West Texas Intermediate crude fell 94 cents, or 1.4 per cent, to $64.58 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, poised for the lowest finish since April 9.

OPEC will meet in Vienna on June 22 to decide whether the group and non-OPEC producers, including Russia, should raise output to make up for any supply shortfall from Iran and Venezuela.

Saudi Arabia and Russia were already discussing raising OPEC and non-OPEC oil output by around 1 million bpd, sources familiar with the matter said on May 25.

Global oil supply has tightened with the OPEC-led production cuts that began in early 2017.
Following the drop in oil price to an all-time low, OPEC and other major producers including Russia started to withhold 1.8 million barrels per day output in 2017 to rein in oversupply that had depressed prices since 2014.

The price of oil has been under pressure given the potential for a trade war escalating over Washington’s pursuit of tariffs. Oil prices lost considerable ground in a US-Chinese tit-for-tat on tariffs in April and now the focus is on Europe.

The European Commission announced yesterday it endorsed a decision to impose duties on imported U.S. goods in response to US President Donald Trump’s move on aluminum and steel tariffs.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/06/opec-trade-concerns-push-crude-oil.html

The Edo Youth Volunteers for Progress (EYVP) has cautioned the National Assembly not to unnecessarily threaten President Muhammadu Buhari with impeachment over self-serving matters.

It described the threat by the lawmakers to impeach Buhari as empty.

The group said it would not hesitate to begin recall process against any Edo lawmaker that sign any impeachment notice meant for Buhari.

National Coordinator of the group, Mr. Fred Okunmahie, told newsmen in Benin City that the lawmakers are only protecting their interest and not concern about the country.


Okunmahie said it was high time APC lawmakers used their majority to silence opposition PDP who wants power back through the back door.

He said the conditions given by the lawmakers to Buhari were laughable to ordinary Nigerians.

According to him, “How do they expect Buhari to stop harassment and humiliation of lawmakers that broke the law or accused breaking the law?

“There is no proof by them that the anti-corruption war is selective since all those being prosecuted served in past administration.

“We see it as an empty threat. The National Assembly members want to push their own interests. They want to push their way because of next year’s general election. We know the presidency will not be moved by the threat.”

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/06/your-threat-is-empty-edo-youths-tell.html

This is in furtherance of DSN’s drive for accelerated applications of artificial intelligence to solve social and business problems through a strategic partnership between the academic community, industry, and local and international technology hubs similar to the highly successful Stanford University-Silicon Valley model.

DSN is committed to supporting Nigerian students and encouraging them to turn their academic research into innovative start-ups or social enterprises aligned with millennial developmental goals. DSN has a particular interest in solving local problems in the fields of health, education, agriculture and financial inclusion.


The Hub will be the community centre for data science enthusiasts and experts to fraternize, learn, share ideas and participate in local and international projects. DSN also plans to use the Hub for face-to-face masterclasses, industry meet-ups, and dial-in conferences with its over 100+ mentors from across the globe. Data science practitioners can also participate in many industry data projects as interns, freelancers or experts at the Hub.

The Hub features modern data collection tools including biometric readers, an AWS AI DeepLens Camera, Google Clips, Intel Movidius Neural Stick, GPS tracking devices, Bionic Nature Observing Device, Internet-of-Things suite and many others.

The Hub’s unveiling ceremony will also include the announcement of its highly successful learning bootcamp/hackathon, titled, Deep Learning Nigeria, to be held October 10-15, 2018. This will be a fully residential, all-expense-paid learning camp focused on deepening financial inclusion through the use of machine/deep learning for credit risk scoring, identity image/voice authentication, ATM point-of-presence location optimization using geospatial data, and biometrics/voice analytics.
This will be complemented with a first-of-its-kind Inter-Campus Machine Learning Competition to recruit the best 75 students for a Data Science bootcamp, with opportunity to win 1 million Nigerian naira through participation in Kaggle competitions and bootcamp quizzes.

Data Science Nigeria is the vision of Bayo Adekanmbi, Chief Transformation Officer, MTN, a hands-on data scientist and a doctoral researcher who uses data science algorithms to understand low-income customers. DSN has organised free bootcamps, industry summits, online free courses and provide internship/direct job placements for the Nigerian data science community.

DSN has built the largest network of data science mentors worldwide through its through its #MentorAfricanDataScientists programme, through which Nigerian students are mentored by international data scientists. In its eighteen months of operation, DSN has incubated four data science concepts which are being tested for real world applications.

Data Science Nigeria, a non-profit foundation, is driven by its vision to accelerate Nigeria’s development through a solution-oriented application of machine learning to solve social/business problems and galvanize data science knowledge revolution, which can position Nigeria to become the outsourcing hub for international Data Science/Advanced Analytics/Big Data projects, with opportunity to access at least 1% share of the global big data and analytics market, valued at $150b in 2017 ($203b in 2020).

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/06/photos-data-science-nigeria-opens-1st.html

The Jigawa State office of the National Identity Cards Commission (NIMC), says it has established registration centres in the 26 Local Government Areas of the state.

Mr Aminu Jakada, the coordinator of the commission in the state, made this known on Wednesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse.

Jakada said the centres were established in collaboration with state government in order to speed up the enrollment of residents.

He expressed hope that the local centres would enable residents to register easily with the commission.
“With the support of Jigawa government, we were able to provide registration centres in 26 out of the 27 LGAs.

“And even the last one will be established soon in the 27th LGA. This is to enable people register with ease.

“The provision of these centres will also speed up the registration exercise as people don’t have to come to the state capital to register.

“People can now register in their respective LGAs without necessarily coming to Dutse to register, the gesture will definitely speed up the exercise,” he said.

He urged the people to avail themselves of the opportunity by visiting any of the centres close to their localities for registration.

He revealed that the Jigawa government had also set up a committee to enlighten residents on the need to register and obtain their cards.

“The committee set up by the state government to mobilise people is very important.

“This is because before the committee, the turn-out of people for registration was very poor, but now people are trooping to all our centres to register,” Jakada said.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/06/national-id-card-commission-opens-26.html

Two of the victims of Saturday flood in Karshi, Federal capital Territory, have been recovered, the Chief of Karshi, Alhaji Ismaila Mohammed, has said.

Giving update on the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday, Mohammed said the community was disturbed by the incident and called on the FCT Administration to expand the bridge leading to the town to prevent a recurrence.

He said that the traditional council and relevant government agencies would intensify sensitisation of communities living in flood prone areas.

“In the meantime, only two bodies have been recovered from the scene of the incident, but we are still searching for more missing persons.

“While we pray that God prevent a repeat of the incident, we must also put precautionary measures in place, to prevent a recurrence.

”There is an arrangement now to close the road whenever it rains, to avert a repeat of the incident,” the chief said.

Mr Lawrence Onuchukwu, the Vice Chairman Abuja Municipal Area Council, described the incident as unfortunate and said the local council had dispatched its emergency response team to assess the situation for immediate intervention.

He urged residents of the area to avoid flood prone areas, adding that the emergency committee would work with the youth to sensitise various communities on the dangers of living in such areas.

The flood occurred following a heavy downpour that swept away the three victims who were in two vehicles and attempting to cross through the bridge.

A resident, Mr Jonathan Eda said the flood also destroyed three cars and motorcycles and prevented movement over the bridge which was submerged.

Reacting, a social commentator, Magnus Oku, described the incident as unfortunate and saddening.

He said that it was negligence and insensitivity of those in positions of authority who had failed to complete the Karshi road over the years that led to the sad occurrence.

“It is painful that same politicians come around to run their campaigns in those areas without any show of sympathy to the residents of the community with regards to the completion of the project,” he said.

Oku called on the FCT Minister, AMAC chairman and those representing the FCT in the National Assembly to live up to their responsibilities.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/06/karshi-flood-residents-recover-2-bodies.html

Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson Monday tasked multinational oil companies operating in the state and in the Niger Delta on the protection of the environment, particularly in the areas of crude oil pollution and gas flaring.

Dickson stated this when he held separate meetings with the managements of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company and Shell Petroleum Development Company at the Government House, Yenagoa.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Francis Ottah Agbo, said Dickson decried the level of environmental degradation in the Niger Delta region, noting that, no serious effort has been made to address the problems in spite of the outcry of the people over the years.


Dickson, who described Bayelsa as a state with an plagued by pollution, stressed the need for effective collaboration between the government and the oil companies to tackle the menace with a view to ensuring peace, stability and development.

He specifically called on the oil majors to come up with a concrete plan of action on remediation of polluted sites and intensify efforts at stopping gas flaring in the region.

Dickson used the opportunity to congratulate Mr. Alessandro Tiani on his appointment as the new General Manager, District, NAOC and expressed optimism that, he would employ his wealth of experience to push the frontiers of development.

Describing development as a collective responsibility, he also called on the SPDC to support the state government’s Education Trust Fund, health insurance scheme and sports development initiatives.

His words: “I will like to use this opportunity to once again restate the stand of the Bayelsa State Government on the need for the protection of the environment and for your company and other oil majors to show greater environment responsibility in this area.

“Due to the constant pollution that we have suffered as a people over the years. This state now bears the unenviable title of environmental pollution as a result of a number of factors.

“We, therefore call on all oil companies to come up with a concrete plan of action for the remediation of polluted sites and stopping of gas flaring.”

In their separate responses, the General Manager, District, NAOC, Mr. Alessandro Tiani and the General Manager, External Relations of SPDC, Mr. Igo Weli, pledged their commitment to the development initiatives of the pDickson administration and solicited the state government’s intervention in checking crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/06/bayelsa-governor-tasks-mocs-on.html

The National Assembly is keeping the details of the 2018 budget top secret, despite jacking it up by more than 10 per cent.

The Daily Trust reported that the NASS increased its spending from N125 to N139.5 billion, but did not give a breakdown of what items made up the single line item.

Last year, following pressure from various stakeholders, the leadership of the National Assembly released its budget details, a development that gave the public the opportunity to scrutinise the allocations.

In the budget that has been transmitted to President Muhammad Buhari for assent, the lawmakers allocated N139.5bn to themselves as a line item under statutory transfers.

Daily Trust reports that 18 days after the 2018 budget was passed, the National Assembly has not revealed the details, unlike what obtained last year when the details were released same day the national budget was passed.

In a phone interview, a lawmaker said aside the details of the 2018 budget, the implementation of 2017 budget should be looked into.

“The issue is not only about the details, the focus should be how that of last year was spent. Even if it is in a closed session, it should be discussed. It is only when this is done that we can be talking of transparency,” he said.

He said if the expenditure of MDAs were scrutinised during budget defence, similar process should be done to the National Assembly budget for transparency.

Efforts to get the reaction of the spokesperson of the Senate, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (APC,Niger) yielded no result as he neither picked his call, nor reply the text message sent to him.

House spokesman, Abdulrazak Namdas (APC, Adamawa) when contacted said the budget details would be made available in due course.

“We’ll make it available with time, but for now, we don’t have the details handy,” he said.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/06/national-assembly-keeps-budget-details.html

The crisis rocking the Delta State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken a new twist as the state High Court sitting in Asaba has restrained the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party from recognising one of the chairmen, Mr. Cyril Ogodo who emerged in one of the parallel state congresses.

While Ogodo defeated Mr. Fred Obe with 731 to 99 votes at the state congress conducted on May 21 by the Eugene Odo-led committee from the national secretariat of the party, Mr. Jones Erue who was the incumbent state chairman retained his position in an earlier congress conducted on May 19.


But apparently not satisfied with the conduct of the May 21 congress, Mr. Obe approached the court seeking an order of interim injunction restraining Cyril Ogodo from parading or projecting himself to be recognized by party as its chairman-elect in the state.

Obe also prayed the court to restrain the national chairman, John Oyegun and Senator Osita Izunaso (for themselves and on behalf of the NWC of APC) from forwarding the name of Ogodo to the National Convention Committee of the party or dealing with him “or any other person whosoever (except the claimant) in any manner whatsoever” as the chairman-elect of the party in the state pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.

Presiding Judge of the court, Justice D. C Maidoh held that the application in the suit number A/91/2018 had merit, and granted the prayer of the claimant.


Reacting to the development, a stalwart of the party in the state, Mr. Michael Emumena noted that Obe, who expended “a lot of time, energy and resources to reach the real grassroots people of APC in Delta State and who was widely endorsed across the 25 local government areas and who was/is undeniably the most acceptable candidate for the Delta State APC chairmanship, was not defeated in a free and fair contest but was undermined by godfathers, who appear unconcerned about the growth of the party and competent leadership in the state.

“The godfathers, who worked unfairly to undermine Chief Fred Obe, appear more concerned with a political party that can be solely and selfishly controlled for their personal political gains.


“We wish to reiterate our total commitment and determination to wrestle the soul of Delta State APC from the hands of the godfathers, who are fighting a destructive and divisive winners-take-all battle for the soul of the party in Delta State and return the party to the ordinary party men and women as it ought to be in a sane democracy.”

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/06/apc-crisis-court-restrains-nwc-from.html

The Palestine Football Association head has urged fans to burn pictures of Argentina striker Lionel Messi and replicas of his shirt if he plays against Israel in Jerusalem next weekend.

Twice world champions Argentina will play at Jerusalem’s Teddy Kollek Stadium on Saturday night in a World Cup warm-up match.


The game has attracted huge interest among the Israeli fans, mainly because of Messi’s planned participation.

But the Palestinians are not happy that the match will be held in Jerusalem.

Palestinian FA chief Jibril Rajoub wrote on Sunday to Claudio Tapia, the head of the Argentinian FA, last week accusing Israel of using the match as a “political tool”.

The stadium that will host the match is in west Jerusalem. The Palestinians want the eastern part of the city as the capital of a future state that will include the Gaza Strip and the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

However, the status of the city generally is highly sensitive.

The match was originally slated to be played in Haifa but Israeli authorities contributed funding for it to be moved to Jerusalem, irking Palestinians further.

This is in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump’s recognition of the city as Israel’s capital.

The U.S. embassy was moved there last month.

“The Israeli government has turned a regular sports match into a political tool. As was widely covered in Argentinian media, the match now is being played in order to celebrate the `70th anniversary of the State of Israel’,” part of Rajoub’s letter said.

On Sunday, Rajoub declared a campaign against Argentina and particularly Messi, noting he has millions of fans across the Arab and Islamic world, Asia and Africa.

“He’s a big symbol. So, we are going to target him personally and we call on all to burn his picture and his shirt and to abandon him. We still hope that Messi will not come,” he told reporters after leaving the Argentinian representative office in the West Bank town of Ramallah.

A small group of youths wearing Palestine football scarves demonstrated outside the representation office and attempted to set fire to an Argentinian flag.

Rajoub has long tried to get football’s world governing body, FIFA, and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to impose sanctions against Israel.

This is mainly because of the Israeli government’s settlements policy in the West Bank and because it has imposed travel restrictions on Palestinian athletes citing security concerns.

Those bodies have not heeded his calls. Argentina have made four previous pre-World Cup stopovers in Israel since 1986.

The team has been drawn in World Cup Group D and will open its campaign against Iceland in Moscow on June 16.

Most countries do not recognise either Israel’s or the Palestinians’ sovereignty in Jerusalem and have embassies to Israel in the Tel Aviv area.

However, Guatemala and Honduras followed the U.S. lead in moving their embassies last month.(NAN)

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/06/messi-warned-to-keep-off-jerusalem.html

The Lagos State Government says it has reduced the cost to trespassers of the Lagos State University (LASU) land at Ojo by 67 per cent.

Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr Idiat Adebule, made the disclosure at a stakeholders’ meeting on Thursday at Alausa, Ikeja.

Ambode said that by the directive, trespassers were now to pay N1.25 million instead of the initial N3.9 million.

The governor said the reduction followed a due process and the general state of the economy.
Besides, he said that the landlords would now be tenants to the state government instead of LASU authorities.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that some 682 hectares of land belonging to LASU were encroached on by trespassers.
Ambode said the regularisation (new cost) would cover legal documents to the property.
He said that the decision was taken after series of meetings with the affected landlords through their Community Development Associations, (CDAs), Office of the Surveyor General, Lands Bureau, Lands Regularisation and other government agencies.
“’It was jointly concluded that each plot will now cost N1.25 million for regularisation, titles and Certificate of Occupancy, considering the general state of the economy in the country,” he said.
Ambode added that his government granted the landlords’ demands of not wanting to be tenants to LASU anymore to put an end to the dispute and to make payment process flexible.
“’We assure you that the government will not demolish any single building in the area for contravention except for those that have deliberately built their houses inside LASU compound.
“’No government will allow private residential homes within an academic environment.
“You will be informed on the new timeline for the payment of the money as we are creating a seamless payment process that will not authorise payment through any agent for transparency.
“I’m appealing to you not to offer bribe to any unsuspected dubious person who may pose as government official, any landlord that pays through any agent is at his own risk,” he said.
Responding on behalf of the affected landlords, the Baale of Igbo Elerin, Chief Taofeek Oseni, lauded Ambode for his kindness to the poor.
“Many of us had thought that we would be forced to sell our properties by the time the state government comes out with the amount to be paid.
“We are happy with the new conditions, but with a plea that the government should also consider a further reduction for those with just half a plot of land,” Oseni said.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/06/lasu-land-ambode-reduces-cost-to.html

The Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola; Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka; ex-governor of Ogun State, Chief Segun Osoba; popular poet, Odia Ofeimun; and a human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) on Wednesday, suggested ways the country could attain greater heights.

They spoke in Lagos at a colloquium titled, ‘A bright future for Nigeria and how to get there,’ organised in honour of the Executive Director of The News/PM News, Mr. Kunle Ajibade, who turned 60 on May 28.


The military junta of the late Sani Abacha in 1995 jailed Ajibade for life alongside some suspected coup plotters. He was released on July 18, 1998, after the demise of the despot.

At the event, Aregbesola called for concerted efforts in building the country to achieve its potential, stressing that it was important to ensure that the country became a model in Africa.

Urging young and aspiring journalists to emulate Ajibade’s professional ideals, Soyinka stated, “Forget the fact that he is a jailbird; sometimes, that can be a badge of honour.”

Also, Osoba, who chaired the event, said the media industry was proud of Ajibade’s contributions to the profession.

Ofeimun stated that after two former generals and two civlian heads of state attempted to change the country after post-military politics, it seemed Nigeria was running towards mess and anarchy.

He said, “It is sponsored by the sheer incomprehension of those who claimed to have found a solution. Rather than moving forward, we are like a country merely poaching the dated pursuits of yesterday.”

He added that the goals of Nigerians stood on the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s ‘People’s Republic’ seeking a united, strong and self-reliant nation, a great and dynamic economy, a just and egalitarian society, a land full of opportunities for all and a free and democratic society.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/05/aregbesola-soyinka-others-suggest-ways.html

Indigenous rapper Zoro and Paragon hangout together with "Mbada gangs

More photos at http://www.akelicious.net/2018/05/photoszoro-and-paragon-hangout-together.html

As Shared

Exactly 12am 30th May 2018 we remember all our fallen heroes and heroins in a CANDLE NIGHT.
May their spirit continue to fight their killers until Biafra is restored.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/05/photos-from-ipob-candle-night-as-they.html

The Federal Government says it is targeting the production of eight million tonnes of paddy by rice farmers across the country in 2018 wet season.

Chief Audu Ogbeh, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, said this on Monday in Abuja, while speaking to newsmen on the achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in the past three years.

The minister said that the country was currently producing between 5.8 million and six million tonnes of paddy, adding that it was targeting the production of nine million tonnes by 2019.

He said that the rice revolution was the most outstanding achievement recorded in the Buhari-administration’s economic diversification efforts in three years.
Ogbeh said that the feats in the rice revolution were attained through the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The minister, who noted that in the past, Nigeria spent over five million U.S. dollars a day on rice importation, said that rice importation had reduced by 95 per cent from December 2015 till date.
“The number of farmers growing paddy rice has risen from five million to 12.2 million; more farmers are coming in as we clear more land for them and arrange irrigation facilities.
“By the end of this planting season which we are entering, we should be approaching eight million tonnes of paddy, which will give us roughly 6.5 million tonnes of processed rice.
“We hope that by this time next year, we should be targeting nine million tonnes of paddy because the good thing is that rice grows everywhere in the country.
“Irrigation has to come on board for us to achieve this because as long as we depend on rain-fed agriculture, we would have difficulties in achieving the target.
“When the CBN came up in partnership with us on the ABP loan at nine percent interest rate, which to the farmer was a biggest relief they have seen in years; even though it is still too high but it made all the difference.
“We are still pushing for five per cent,’’ he added.
Ogbeh said that at present, there were over 27 large rice mills and over 5,000 small rice mills across the country, processing rice to international standards so as to boost improved local production.
He listed some of the states that were involved in rice production as Kano State, Kebbi, Ebonyi, Anambra, and Nasarawa State, among others.
Besides, the minister quoted the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) as saying that Nigeria was currently the largest producer of maize in Africa, producing 10 million tonnes.
He said that the country was the foremost yam producer, the second in sorghum production, the third in millet production and the fourth in cashew nut production in Africa.
On the country’s export earnings, the minister noted that the country earned 700 million dollars from cashew nuts sales in the first quarter of 2018.
Ogbeh said that agricultural exports from Tin Can Island Port, Lagos, had risen by 180 per cent in the last two years.
“We are also leaders in cassava production but we are not doing well enough in cassava processing and value addition,’’ he said.
He said that the Federal Government was working tirelessly to free the nation from the anxieties of hunger and food insecurity.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/05/fg-targets-production-of-8m-tonnes-of.html

The Southeast Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr. Chijioke Ekwegh, has alleged that the Igbos have been relegated in terms of development under President Muhammadu Buhari.

Ekwegh, who spoke in Owerri, lamented what he termed as negligence of the Southeast region by the government.

The PDP scribe also said that it became evident that the zone was neglected in the appointments made so far by Buhari.

According to Ekwegh, “For the past three years of APC’s unceremonious rule, the region has not felt any federal government’s presence or impact, be it infrastructure, employment, security and otherwise.
“We cannot forget in a hurry the lopsided appointments made by this government, of which the South East remains the most shortchanged.
“What about the intimidation of business men and women from the Zone, an attempt by the APC federal government to cripple the economy of the region?

“Sadly enough, the only times the South East experienced federal government’s presence in the current dispensation were during the military invasion of the region in the guise of Operations Crocodile Smile and Python Dance.
“These exercises were successfully used with utmost impunity to intimidate, harass and hound people of the area, leading to loss of innocent lives.”

Full report at http://www.akelicious.net/2018/05/buhari-govt-has-abandoned-igbo-land-pdp.html

Coca-Cola has launched its first alcoholic drink, a lemon flavoured alcopop, in Japan in a bid to tap new markets and consumers.

In a global first for the US drinks giant, three fizzy lemon drinks went on sale on Monday.

The product aims at a growing market of young drinkers – especially women.
Described by Coca-Cola as “unique” in the company’s 125-year history, the three drinks range from three to eight per cent alcohol.
In keeping with the company’s tradition, the recipe is closely guarded but the drinks are modelled on the country’s popular Chu-Hi drinks, usually a mix of local spirit and a range of fruit flavours.
Chu-Hi – an abbreviation for shochu highball – has been marketed as an alternative to beer, proving especially popular with female drinkers.
Local companies like Suntory, Asahi and Kirin currently dominate the sector for canned Chu-Hi drinks.
The most popular flavours are strong citrus ones such as grapefruit or lemon, the latter one being the taste Coca Cola now wants a share of.
Coca-Cola says there are no plans to bring the new drinks range to markets outside Japan.
Alcopop drinks boomed in Europe and the UK in the 1990s with the likes of Smirnoff Ice and Bacardi Breezer becoming hugely popular.
They were controversial, with concerns they encouraged young people to drink more alcohol because of soft drink-like taste.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/05/coca-cola-launches-first-alcoholic-drink.html

Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) joint partners’ economic contribution to the federal government between 2013 to 2017 stands at $23 billion (N5.31 trillion).
The revelations came as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) yesterday disclosed that it would review the key performance indicators (KPIs), and other operational strategies it had given to its subsidiaries to boost its plan of becoming a fully integrated national oil company.
The monies were paid under the joint venture agreement between government-owned NNPC, 55 per cent; SPDC, 30 per cent; Total E&P Nigeria Limited, 10 per cent; and the Eni subsidiary Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited, five per cent.
Shell’s share of royalties and corporate taxes paid to the federal government in 2017 stood at approximately $1.1billion (N333.33 billion), SPDC $0.4billion; SNEPCo $0.7 billion).
This was contained in latest edition (April 2018) of ‘Shell in Nigeria Briefing Notes’ which was presented to journalists in Warri, Delta State over the weekend.


The copy of the document which was obtained byAkelicious indicates that Shell also paid $1.9 billion to the Niger Delta
Development Commission (NDDC) since inception in 2002.
According to the report, the oil bearing communities social investment funds for community-driven projects under the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) was $228 million (N41.10billion).
The company stated that 94 per cent of Shell contracts was awarded to Nigeria companies in 2017 while 631,000 barrels of oil equivalent per average daily production by Shell-operated ventures in Nigeria in 2017.
As part of effort to support local content, develop human resources, Shell in 2017 spent about $0.76 billion (N230.30 billion) on contracts awarded to Nigerian companies.
The report says between 2012 and 2017, the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited (NLNG) of which Shell contributes 25.6 per cent share, has committed over $45 million (N14.19 billion) to social investment projects in the Niger Delta region.

According to the report, Shell is also contributing $49 million (15.36 billion) to the construction of the 34-kilometer Bonny-Bodo road project estimated to cost more than $190 million (N60 billion) as part of federal government socio-economic integration of the Niger Delta region.
The report says Shell Nigeria Gas Limited (SNG), another of its sister firms, supplies natural gas to about 90 industrial and commercial customers, majority of which were in Ogun, Rivers and Abia States, adding that the gas is used for power generation and for the manufacturing of domestic products.
The presentation was made by senior SPDC’s officials including Head, Government and Community Relations, Alaye Dokubo; Head Community Interface, Evans Krukrubo, Community Interface Coordinator, Jerry-Gaultney Udjo, as well as Shell Petroleum Development Company, Media Relation Manager, Bam Olugbenga Odugbesan, (SPDC West)’s Media Relations Officer, Mr. Joseph Obari, Precious Okolobo among others.
Before the presentation, SPDC General Manager, External Relations, Mr. Igo Weli, had said SPDC is still very active in Delta State contrary to widespread believe that it had relocated from the state.
To confirm the company’s presence in Delta State, he disclosed that Shell operates Joint Ventures has implemented wide ranging projects in the state which included the disbursement of N1.88 billion to Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) with cluster host communities.

He also disclosed that a Professorial Chair was established at Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun (FUPRE) as part of Shell’s continuous operations in the state and contribute to its development.
“These are in addition to the donation of N600 million facilities to five schools under a Youth Sports and Athletics Development project to mark Nigeria’s centenary anniversary.
“The projects shows our continuous presence and interest in the development of Delta State. While it is true that SPDC divested from a number of assets in line with business strategy, and in support of the participation of more Nigerian companies in the oil and gas industry, we are still active in Delta State,” Mr. Weli said.
He gave, as example, that SPDC still operates Forcados Terminal, Flowstations, gas plants and a network of pipelines in the state.
Meanwhile, the NNPC stated that the reviews would enable it prosper as an oil company despite the changing dynamics of the global oil industry.

Its Group Managing Director, Dr. Maikanti Baru, said this at the corporation’s first quarter 2018 top management steering committee meeting held in Abuja.
A statement from the corporation’s Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, quoted Baru to have admitted that there were tremendous changes going on in the global oil industry which NNPC must plan well to survive through.
Baru explained that apart from the review of its operational KPIs, the other new strategies to be adopted by NNPC would include setting realistic targets for immediate sign-off, as well as spending items capable of improving its bottom-line.
All these, Baru noted would become NNPC’s long-time survival strategies to achieve efficiency, growth and profitability in its operations.
“The changes we are seeing in the industry over the last few years call for some action on our part. This is because as a business concern, we don’t live in isolation in the industry and therefore, we must act now,” said Baru in the statement.

According to him, the NNPC was accelerating its action on the holistic rehabilitation of its four refineries in Kaduna, Warri, and Port Harcourt, in addition to strengthening its internal control mechanisms and intensifying exploration efforts in the frontier oil basins.
He added: “Today, we are reviewing the mission and vision of the corporation and have also ventured into renewable energy and power sectors.”
The statement equally quoted NNPC’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), Downstream, Mr. Henry Ikem-Obih, to have explained that a lot of work had been done to get the corporation to measure up with its peers.
Ikem-Obih, noted that the corporation was investing a lot in downstream supply and distribution assets, and that now its focus in the sector revolved around imbibing world-class culture, implementing best practices, focusing on cost reduction, improving efficiency, deploying cutting-edge technologies and having a clean balance sheet that reflects its corporate business vision.



He said: “Gradually, we are repositioning from an intervention engine for the nation to one that is ready to make profit, grow and create value for our teeming stakeholders.”
Similarly, NNPC’s Group General Manager, Corporate Planning and Strategy Division, Mr. Bala Wunti, said the essence of the meeting was to review performance, redefine expectations, identify areas of improvement and implement actionable items that would boost efficiency and high profitability.
Wunti, noted that the meeting had brought to the fore areas yearning for further improvement which the division would vigorously pursue to ensure profitability and growth for NNPC.
He said: “It is important that we do what we need to do like any other NOC to move on the upward trajectory and be able to achieve our mandate of delivering value to our major shareholders, who are Nigerians.”

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/05/spdc-jv-paid-n531tn-to-fg-in-four-years.html

Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on Saturday confirmed the longevity of payment of several loans incurred by his administration, which according to him will take many decades.

He declared that his conviction about the indispensable nature of education in human development made him to take long time loans to build schools.

” I have taken long time loans to build schools, which will be paid by these children. They will pay it with ease”.

Aregbesola made this known at a calisthenics display by students and pupils from various schools across the state, to mark this year Children’s Day in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.
He emphasised the need for every child to have access to basic education for the purpose of mental development and strengthening of human personalities, saying it is their “fundamental and inalienable rights.”
The Governor maintained that children were custodians of the future and prosperity, hence the necessity of protecting them jealously.

He described calisthenics as a sport with imprint of cognitive instrument to develop mental and physical ability.
“We are giving quality education to our children as a right, where science and technology take number one”.
Akelicious recalls that the Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had recently accused Governor Rauf Aregbesola of “mortgaging the future of the state through huge loans” due for repayment till 2042.
The Chairman of the party, Mr Soji Adagunodo, in a statement challenged Aregbesola to explain to the people of the state how he spent a total of N172billion loan due for repayment between the year 2034 and 2042.
He gave the details of the loans to include: N88 billion Naira commercial loans restructured by the CBN and due for repayment in 2034; bailout funds totalling N35Billion to be repaid in 2035 and N49billion from Islamic bank due for repayment in 2042.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/05/aregbesola-confirms-longevity-of-states.html

A former Minister of Police Affairs, General David Jemibewon (rtd) has provided reasons President Muhammadu Buhari is allegedly not performing well.


The former Minister said Buhari finds it difficult to perform not because he is incompetent but for the fact that he does not know the people he is working with.

He further explained that the president could not function to the expection of Nigerians because the people around him do not believe in some of his policies.


Jemibewon, who spoke with The Sun, also listed former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and Sule Lamido as better candidates for Nigeria’s number one seat come 2019 presidential election.

He said, “I sympathise with Buhari because, one, he doesn’t know the people he is working with.

“Two, those people he is working with don’t believe in some of his major policies. It is not like the military where you follow the leader. When you talk of corruption, idea of his followers is different from his own idea.


“So, you could see the conflict under his leadership. And it is not because of his incompetence. He is a very highly competent person and incorruptible. But then, he doesn’t know those who are working with him. These are some of the reasons we are not making progress.

“If PDP is to do well at all, if PDP wants to make an impact, the person I could see as having the
potential for great things to happen is former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

“The best person under whose leadership we can hope for a better performance is Atiku. It is unfortunate that the man has been messed up. If there was no misunderstanding between Obasanjo and this man, if we had followed a systematic succession plan, this country would have been better than now.

“If PDP is given another chance, the leadership under which there can be progress and
peace is under Abubakar.

“And my reasons are very clear. One, he is a gentleman. At the moment, he is the person
who can talk to some people in the East, some people in the North, some people in the West.

“Peace is very important in a country. You can’t just go and bring one isolated person that is not known across the border. People need to have confidence in the leadership.

“And I think that man has the quality. He has
friends in the East, he has friends in the
West, he has friends in the North. Even though they gave him the tag of corruption, it has not been proved. He has employed thousands of Nigerians.

He has one of the best educational institutions in the country. He has been involved in every sector of the economy and the development of the
country and he is comfortable. Nobody has
given me any bribe to promote anybody.

“But I think if there is any hope for PDP, then they should vote that man. For me, if I am to stick out my neck today, that is the only person I have confidence in.

“Another person I have in mind is the former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido. For me, the best for now is former vice president. Next to him is Sule Lamido.

“If PDP really wants to win, it has to be one of these two people. If PDP can put its acts together, the development of this country is
better achieved with PDP being in control of government.”

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/05/jemibewon-buhari-has-failed-reveals.html

Nigerian music boss Don Jazzy, who is also the CEO of Mavin Records,

Said he is going to embrarrass future wife with is dance moves

See below as shared on IG



If you ever think you can’t dance. Just remember this. You can’t be that bad. I decided to start going out more. Came all the way to this wedding maybe I will see wife ��‍♂️. Everybody was taken sha. But dear future wife, just know that I will embarrass u with my dance moves forever. Take me as I am. I don talk my own. �

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/05/i-will-embarrass-u-with-my-dance-moves.html

The Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu on Friday says there is need to strengthen the weak institutional frameworks in the Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector in a way that would foster synergy among existing ICT institutions in the overall interest of the country.

He made the disclosure at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, venue of an ongoing two days 2018 Ministerial Retreat of the Federal Ministry of Communications.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the retreat with the theme “Mobilizing ICT Institutions for Driving Economic Recovery and Growth”, the minister emphasized that the influence of ICT on the socio-economic life of the people cannot be ignored if trade, commerce and even security must be enhanced.

Shittu, a lawyer, said the “retreat is aimed at bringing together the strategic management staff of the ministry and its agencies to take stock of activities and achievements in the sector. The major objective of the retreat is to build synergy between the ministry and its agencies, strengthen the policy framework and agree on targets for the near future.”


He stated that the strategies and initiatives on the ICT sector could be effectively achieved if the ministry and its agencies work collaboratively, adding that ICT has continued to expand the boundaries of possibilities and that it has become more critical for participation in economic, political and social life in national and international levels.

He said, “To reinforce our review process, we will be projecting the future by identifying smart, attainable, realistic and time-bound targets to guide our actions in the near future. There is no doubt that agreeing targets will facilitate our accountability framework with respect to the outcome indicators in the sector.”

Speaking in the same vein, The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Communication, Mr AbdulAzeez Abdullahi, said the retreat was premised on restoring growth, investing in people and building a globally competitive economy.

He stated that ICT being an enabler for economic growth and development is envisaged to drive the successful implementation of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) of the FG if harnessed effectively and efficiently.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/05/govt-to-synergise-ict-institutions-for.html

Liverpool forward, Sadio Mane has stated that he sent 300 of his club’s shirts to his home village, Bambali, in Senegal for fans to wear during Saturday’s Champions League final against Real Madrid.

According to Mane, he sent the shirts so that out of the 2,000 people living in Bambali, three hundred people can wear it and support Liverpool to win the Los Blancos.
The 26-year-old also disclosed that he found himself in a similar position as the village turned out to watch Liverpool’s famous 2005 Champions League final victory over AC Milan.

The forward, however, hopes to be able to return to Bambali, where his family still live, with the Champions League medal.
“If you had said then I would be playing the final I would say it is something incredible in my life. Hopefully we are going to win,” Mane told reporters ahead of Saturday’s Champions League final.
“My family still live in the village. My mum and my uncle. They are all going to be watching.

“There are 2,000 in the village. I bought 300 Liverpool jerseys to send to the people in the village, so the fans can wear to watch the final.”
Mane added, “I remember AC Milan v Liverpool. Three-nil down, then 3-3 and penalties. This was a big memory for me.
“I was watching in my village. I was not supporting Liverpool at this time. I was a Barcelona fan.
“I remember being with my friend, a big friend of mine, and at 3-0 down he was completely out.
“He stopped watching until the end and ran like crazy to get away. Then he came back at the end and he could not believe (it).”

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/05/why-i-sent-300-liverpool-shirts-to-my.html