₦airaland Forum

The sport minister, Solomon Dalung recently met with President Buhari in Abuja House, London.

According to reports, Dalung, who was in London for the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championships, met Buhari on Tuesday, August 8, 2017.

The sports minister, on his Facebook page revealed that he discussed issues concerning the state of the country with the President.

According to Dalung, “Yesterday, Tuesday, 8th August 2017, at about 2.30pm, I arrived 2-3 Campden Hill, Abuja House London for an appointment with Mr. President.

“At 3.05pm, I was ushered into a sitting room, then Mr. President walked in, extended handshake. "Che Guvera, Why are you not dressed in your khaki, was it because of the cold here"? He protested. Yes sir, it is due to the cold weather, I replied. we exchanged pleasantries and sat down.

“Mr President, I am in London for IAAF World Championships and Nigeria is participating, I said. I have been following up, President Buhari replied. The discussions moved to the state of affairs in the country and ended up with Mr President stating that sports is a veritable tool for Youth empowerment, employment and wealth creation, we must explored it for our advantage.“Finally, I thanked God for his health and prayed for speedy recuperation. The Daura born General stood up, gave me a hand shake, while I walked out, with his charismatic smile he waved me bye. President Buhari has recovered and is fast recuperating. To God be the Glory for the great things He has done to us.”
full details at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/08/sports-minister-dalung-meets-president.html

There is the fear of an outbreak of Lassa fever in the country as the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) yesterday confirmed that two patients treated have died within a few days of admission in the past one week.

The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of LUTH, Prof. Chris Bode, told journalists that the two patients who were at the advanced stage of the infection died despite efforts to save their lives.
“The first was a 32-year-old pregnant lady with bleeding disorder who died after a stillbirth. Post-mortem examination had been conducted before her Lassa fever status was eventually suspected and confirmed. No less than 100 different hospital workers exposed to this index case are currently being monitored,” he said.

Bode, who is also a professor of paediatrics, said a resident doctor from the Department of Anatomic and Molecular Pathology who took part in the autopsy was later confirmed with the disease and is currently on admission and responding well to treatment at the Isolation Ward of LUTH.
The CMD who visited the Isolation Centre yesterday in the company of his top management staff assured doctors of the hospital’s full support.
The paediatric surgeon enjoined all LUTH workers to maintain a heightened level of alert in the wake of this new outbreak and observe universal precautions in handling all suspected cases of this viral hemorrhagic fever.
He urged Nigerians to notify the response team in LUTH in case of any suspected case of Lassa fever through the following phone numbers : 08058019466, 08058744780, 07035521015 and 08023299445.
The medical expert noted that LUTH has always worked closely with officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Health in handling a number of diseases of public importance such as rabies, cholera, Lassa fever and the recent diarrhoea disease at the Queen’s College. He said both the Lagos State Ministry of Health and the Federal Ministry of Health have responded swiftly to contain the current Lassa fever outbreak by mobilising human and material resources to trace the sources and extent of the disease, follow up on potential contacts, identify early and test suspected cases.
The LUTH boss said there were adequate materials for the containment of the disease while drugs have been made available to treat anyone confirmed to have it. The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) in Nigeria has also been contacted and two other suspected cases from Lagos State are also currently admitted and quarantined while confirmatory laboratory tests are ongoing.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness of two-21 days duration that occurs in West Africa. The Lassa virus is transmitted to humans via contact with food or household items contaminated with rodent urine or faeces. Person-to-person infections and laboratory transmission can also occur, particularly in hospitals lacking adequate infection prevention and control measures.
Lassa fever is known to be endemic in Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria, but probably exists in other West African countries as well. The overall case-fatality rate is one per cent. Observed case-fatality rate among patients hospitalised with severe cases of Lassa fever is 15 per cent.
It has been shown that early supportive care with rehydration and symptomatic treatment improves survival.
The virus is zoonotic, or animal-borne. About 80 per cent of human infections are without symptoms; the remaining cases have severe multiple organ disease, where the virus affects several organs in the body, such as the liver, spleen and kidneys. Lassa fever is a significant cause of severe illness and death.
According to the WHO, the reservoir or host of the Lassa virus is the “multimammate rat” called mastomys natalensis which has many breasts and lives in the bush and around residential areas. The virus is shed in the urine and droppings of the rats hence can be transmitted through direct contact, touching objects or eating food contaminated with these materials or through cuts or sores. Transmission also occurs in health facilities where infection prevention and control practices are not observed.
A WHO fact sheet on Lassa fever noted that it occurs in all age groups and both sexes. Persons at greatest risk are those living in rural areas where mastomys are usually found, especially in communities with poor sanitation or crowded living conditions. Health workers are at risk if Lassa fever is not suspected or while caring for Lassa fever patients in the absence of proper barrier nursing and infection control practices.
According to the WHO, the onset of the disease, when it is symptomatic, is usually gradual, starting with fever, general weakness, muscle and joint pains, prostration and malaise. After a few days, headache, sore throat, muscle pain, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, cough, and abdominal pain may follow. In severe cases facial swelling, fluid in the lung cavity, bleeding from the mouth, nose, vagina or gastrointestinal tract and low blood pressure may develop. Protein may be noted in the urine. Shock, seizures, tremor, disorientation, and coma may be seen in the later stages. Deafness occurs in 25 per cent of patients who survive the disease. In half of these cases, hearing returns partially after one – three months. Transient hair loss and gait disturbance may occur during recovery. Patients may die from shock.
The only known specific treatment for Lassa fever is Ribavirin which may be effective if given within the first six days of illness.
It should be given intravenously for ten (10) days. Supportive treatment should include; Paracetamol, Vitamin K (Phytamenadione), Heamacel, Ringers lactate, antimalaria and antibiotics- start by I.V. If patient is severely anaemic, consider transfusion.
Unfortunately, there is currently no vaccine that protects against Lassa fever.
According to the WHO, prevention of Lassa fever relies on promoting good “community hygiene” to discourage rodents from entering homes. Effective measures include storing grain and other foodstuffs in rodent-proof containers, disposing of garbage far from the home and maintaining clean households.

Before now and besides Lagos, active transmission of Lassa fever has been reported in five states (Bauchi, Edo, Ogun, Ondo, and Plateau) in the past three weeks. Altogether, 13 new suspected cases were reported from four states during the last week of July: Plateau (five), Ondo (five) Bauchi (two), and Ogun (one), including two deaths.
Nigeria is one of several West African countries in which Lassa fever is endemic, with seasonal outbreaks occurring annually between December and June. In 2016, the country reported 273 suspected cases and 149 deaths (case fatality rate 55 per cent) from 23 states. In 2017, Benin, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, and Togo experienced outbreaks that have since been controlled.
The current outbreak of Lassa fever in Nigeria, however, is continuing beyond the normal season.
full details at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/08/panic-as-luth-confirms-lassa-fever.html

The Nigeria’s oil and gas industry would require $10 billion (N3.05 trillion) over the next three years to increase crude oil production from 2.2 million barrels per day (bpd) to 3 million bpd.


The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, who made this disclosure in the current Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Bulletin, said investment is needed to maintain essential work.
According to Kachikwu, “Nigeria’s normal production level is about 2.2m bpd and the government would like to raise it to 3m bpd. Just to get the fields online and cap them will require an average of about $10 billion per year in investments over the next three to four years.”

There are also some dedicated projects in the Bonga oil field, he added, noting that Italy’s Agip plans to spend about $10 billion, while Royal Dutch Shell is hoping to spend $10 to $11billion on the field.
“We are fairly close to identifying dedicated investments upstream. Downstream is a challenge. We need to invest in our refineries. We need to do pipelines.”He put the industry’s infrastructure gap in the midstream and downstream to be about $30 to $40billion, saying that some of the required investments could come from Nigerians with investment capabilities, rather than being restricted to investors abroad.

Kachikwu also commented on refining direct purchase agreements, which were introduced last year, as well as associated crude-for-product exchanges, stating that refineries are not working well, and are only producing about 10 to15 per cent of the country’s requirements, with most products being imported.
To tackle the problem, the Petroleum Ministry decided that rather than have middlemen sell Nigeria’s products and (import finished products), it tried “to achieve synergy by giving the crude to an established refinery to process it and bring it back to us.”
He added that the move was “worth the effort,” as it saved the country billions of dollars in his first year as Minister, adding that the refineries would be repaired hopefully between 2019 and 2020.

“But over and above that, we want those involved in this trading to begin to invest in refineries. I think it’s a shame that we are still importing so much product. When the government came in two years ago, that was a major concern for us.”

Currently, he said supplies are better, but there is still a fundamental need to focus on local demand.The Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr Maikati Baru, said recently that with improved security in the Niger Delta, and resumption of production on the Forcados Oil Terminal, FOT, and Qua Iboe Terminal, QIT, pipelines, average national production is expected to grow and surpass the 2017 target of 2.2 million barrels of oil and condensate per day.
full details at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/08/nigeria-requires-n305tr-to-increase-oil.html

Nigerian protesters demanded Monday that President Muhammadu Buhari, receiving treatment in London for an undisclosed ailment for more than three months, either return or resign.

Buhari left for the British capital on May 7 on what is his latest medical trip, appointing Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to act on his behalf.
Dozens of protesters marched in heavy rain to the presidential villa in Abuja with banners urging that the 74-year-old retired general, who headed a military regime in the 1980s, return.

“Resume or resign, Nigerians say enough is enough,” one said, with others stating: “If president Buhari cannot return to Nigeria after 90 days, then he should resign and go home”, and “Buhari, where are you? Nigerians want full disclosure. What is wrong with our president?”
The peaceful march was organised by a coalition of civil society groups under the supervision of security agents.
“We are here today because the president of Nigeria has absconded from duty,” said Deji Adeyanju, one of the organisers.
“He has not only absconded, he has continued to lie to us. This year alone the president has been away for 144 days.
“He was away for 52 days in January and he has been away again today for 92 consecutive days. This cannot continue.”
Buhari has been dogged by speculation about his health since June last year when he first went to London for treatment of what the presidency said was a persistent ear infection.
He then spent nearly two months in London in January and February and said on his return in early March that he had “never been so ill”.
Last month, members of the ruling party and the opposition went to see him in London and even took pictures in an attempt to douse public anxiety.
The health of Nigeria’s leaders has been a sensitive issue since the death in office of president Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in 2010 after months of treatment abroad.
Buhari’s main opponents in the 2015 election that brought him to power claimed he had prostate cancer. He denied the claim.

full details at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/08/nigerian-protesters-tells-buhari-to.html

Doha-based broadcaster Al Jazeera on Monday vowed to take legal action against Israel after the Israeli government’s decision to close the TV network’s bureau in Jerusalem.


“Al Jazeera denounces this decision made by a state that claims to be ‘the only democratic state in the Middle East’,’’ the broadcaster said in a statemtions Minister Ayoub Kara, said that he has demanded the Government Press Office rescind the reporters’ press cards from Al Jazeera’s staff; Kara said he is working with cable and satellite providers to remove Al Jazeera’s broadcasts in Israel.

Al Jazeera, which has been repeatedly accused of bias by the Israeli authorities, said that the “Israeli minister could not substantiate his comments by referring to a single news bulletin or situation that proved Al Jazeera had not been professional nor objective during its coverage in Jerusalem.’’


The Qatari network said that the decision comes in the context of a campaign initiated by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who accused Al Jazeera in a statement of inciting violence during its coverage of the al-Aqsa Mosque crisis.

Al Jazeera, a main conduit for news from Israel to the Arab and Muslim world, extensively covered tensions in Jerusalem over Israeli security measures at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount.

The news network has been banned in several countries including Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Syria and has been accused of being a mouthpiece for Islamist groups.

Al Jazeera has denied the charges.
http://www.akelicious.com/2017/08/al-jazeera-vows-legal-action-over.html

An Abuja-based physician, Dr Baba Ahmed on Monday urged Nigerians to develop the habit of eating food rich in Vitamin D for the benefit of healthy liver and kidney.

Ahmed, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja said the lack of vitamin D could cause chronic liver or kidney disease.
He said that function of the vitamin was to maintain serum calcium and phosphorus concentration within the range that supports neuromuscular function.

According to him, vitamin D deficiency is commonly noticed early in children than in adults and in children it is called rickets and osteromalacia in adults.
Osteromalacia is the softening of the bones caused by defective bone.
He noted that the sources of vitamin `D’ were basically from the fatty substances such as vegetable oils, plant oil like soya oil, sunflower oil and groundnut oil, among others.
“Others are butter, egg yolk, cod liver oil, sardine, liver and few brands of margarine as well as sunlight.
“We also have animal sources such as Cow and Goat like the kidney, and liver they are rich in vitamins D when boiled moderately,’’ Ahmed explained.
He, however, advised against frying oil as it could lead to the loss of the vital ingredient; palm oil in its natural form contains many of vitamins like vitamins A, E and D.
Ahmed said that bleached oil could affect the vitamin content, saying at a certain stage it would become soap.
He said that lack of vitamin D in children could be noticed if the physical development of the child was affected.
“It happen when a child that is supposed to be standing finds it difficult to do so at a particular stage of development and the child has no other physical disability.
“This condition can be described as a high index deficiency and requires the screening of the person’s calcium to ascertain whether it is normal, if it is not normal it indicates lack of vitamin D.’’
Ahmed said that this condition could also be an indication that “the child is not properly fed with the necessary food rich in vitamin D.’’
“Again you may observe that the child’s lower limbs, especially between the knees will begin to knock together, this is known as rickets – a disease caused by a lack of vitamin D.
“Knock knees is a condition in which the knees touch, but the ankles do not touch.
“Other signs are feeling of pain in the bone, tiredness while walking in the case of adults and this condition is usually common in women in older age, especially after menopause.’’
Ahmed, however, encouraged the public on healthy eating to prevent diseases, adding that “in life everything is about moderation’’.
full details at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/08/eat-food-rich-in-vitamin-d-for-healthy.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5isVVyNxV4
http://www.akelicious.com/2017/08/anambra-guberprp-aspirant-dr-mbah-shows.html

The lamentation the other day by teachers in schools attached to the police force and their barracks nationwide over the very poor working condition and remuneration there, once again, underscores the inhuman treatment and pathetic welfare of teachers in Nigeria. Teachers are, of course, among the most maltreated workers in the country and the case of those in police schools merely highlights the general situation in all public schools.

Across the country, teachers in both primary and secondary schools are unduly traumatised, as salaries and other entitlements are hardly paid on time. The result is that the teaching profession has been bastardised and made unattractive, leading to a mass exodus of good hands to other means of livelihood. The experience of those who teach in schools for children of policemen in the main is particularly disgusting, as they recently reached out to the Federal Government through the Federal Civil Service Commission, lamenting their poor working condition, lack of promotion and non-regularisation of their appointments.
Reports have it that there are over 100 of such police schools across the country and teachers on Level 14 in those schools have, reportedly, not had promotion for about 10 years. The teachers, who number over 200, lament that they are short-changed each time there is promotion examination. The reason: there are no vacancies or offices to place them if promoted.

The worst affected are teachers on levels 1 to 6, who are waiting for regularisation of their engagement. Even those whose appointment were regularised as far back as 2006 have not been promoted once. The teachers have complained several times to the Federal Ministry of Interior but nothing has been done.
The result is untold frustration, a depressed teaching personnel and, of course, extremely poor output.
A lot has been said about the appalling state of education in the country. Rather than improve, the situation seems to be getting worse. The problem cuts through the entire gamut of education from primary through secondary to the tertiary level. There is absolutely no commitment anywhere at any level of government in the country to turning around the education system of which teachers are a critical component. Only lip service is paid to building the nation’s future.
It needs to be re-emphasised that the quality of education anywhere depends on the quality of teachers. If the teachers are recognised and treated well, it reflects on their products, the students, upon whom the future of the country rests. Unfortunately, the Nigerian system or leadership is not interested in this, obviously. Teachers are treated as the dregs of the society, as people who must live with the crumbs thrown at them as remuneration when such is paid at all. Every month, across the country, teachers are usually the last to be paid and they earn the least.
Retired teachers are also not paid their pension and gratuity. Promotion is a no-go area, not even on notional basis. Denying the teachers promotion on the pretext that there are no offices to place them is tragic. The dignity for which teachers were known in the past has been eroded and the Nigerian authorities appear uninterested in learning the appropriate lessons. In countries where the boundaries of excellence are being constantly pushed, teachers are given a pride of place and they are proud to belong to a noble profession. Meanwhile, the development of a society depends on the quality of the teachers in its schools.

If Nigeria would make progress, therefore, it has to return to the noble past when teachers were accorded due honour and an end must come to the erosion of their dignity. It is unfortunate that quite often, people who have no respect for knowledge are the ones at the nation’s affairs, planning for today helm of and the future of the country. Because of this poor attention to what matters, most people who teach in the schools today are not really teachers. Most just want the job and not the work. Those with the right intellectual capacity, hardly take to teaching. Most people trained teachers have abandoned the profession for more lucrative means of livelihood.
Truth, however, is that there will be no improvement in education in the country until teachers are accorded due honour and are properly remunerated. Government should therefore pay special attention to this and treat teaching as the noblest of professions.
The package of teachers in terms of promotion, remuneration and welfare should be given special and urgent attention to encourage the best minds to go into teaching and for them to put in their best. Education, afterall, should be the priority of any responsible government
http://www.akelicious.com/2017/08/teachers-and-their-poor-reward.html

By not investing in exclusive breastfeeding, Nigeria loses $21b per year or 4.1 per cent of its gross national income, the United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF) has said.

Mrs. Ada Ezeogu, a UNICEF Nutrition Specialist, made this known at a media dialogue on breastfeeding organised by Child Rights Information Bureau, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, sponsored by UK Department for International Development (DFID) in Ibadan.
She said the summation of low cognitive development, low IQ and health costs due to inadequate breastfeeding translated to $21b economic loss.

“Based on UNICEF fact sheet, the low rate of Exclusive Breastfeeding (EBF) leads to 103,742 child’s deaths and robs 5. 4 million children yearly of essential nutrition required to develop properly. Delaying breastfeeding for two to 23 hours after birth increases the risk of dying within 28 days of a baby’s life by 40 per cent,” Ezeogu said.
According to her, this has contributed to the country’s problem of chronic malnutrition, resulting to the current 11 million malnourished under-five children.
Also, Mr. Geoffrey Njoku, UNICEF Communication Specialist, said the dialogue was aimed at partnering with the media to increase rate of EBF in the country
In his remarks, Mr. Tejinder Sadhu, Chief of Field Office UNICEF, Akure, said.
“Breastfeeding is not one woman’s job. Mothers need assistance and support from their healthcare providers, families, communities, employers and government, so that they can provide their children the healthiest start to life. Together we can support them into breastfeeding, protect and help in ensuring the wellbeing of our future generations.”
Similarly, UNICEF Chief Field Officer in Borno State, Geoffrey Ijumba, has said the rates of exclusive breastfeeding among mothers in the Northeast are still dangerously low for infants taking refuge with mothers in Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDPs) camps.
Ijumba revealed this at the weekend during a joint launch of community campaign to promote and support breastfeeding, to mark this year’s World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) in Maiduguri.
Borno State Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Abubakar Hassan also said most of the IDPs in camps are women and nursing over 350, 000 children.
Ijumba explained that partners promoting the breastfeeding community campaigns are reaching out through the media by engaging traditional, religious and community leaders to highlight the benefits of breastfeeding.
“The breastfeeding campaign is to promote creation of supportive environment for women to breastfeed their children,” he said.
He noted that the youngest are the most vulnerable when families are displaced and food and health services become scarce.
http://www.akelicious.com/2017/08/nigeria-loses-21b-yearly-by-not.html

It was a gathering of Anambra stakeholders, family members, friends, well wishers, donors, kinsmen, old school mates and others last week Thursday. The venue was Welcome Centre Hotel along International Airport Road, Lagos and the time was 6:00pm. The atmosphere was cordial and the attendance was impressive and supportive.

It was all for the presentation of campaign manifesto by one of the leading All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirants in the November 18 Anambra governorship election, Engr. Barth Nwibe. Setting the ball rolling at the event was the master of ceremony, Mr Okey Eze, who took time to welcome and recognise the dignitaries that graced the occasion.
During the opening prayer and breaking of kolanut, former President-General Igboukwu Development Union (IDU) Chief Eric Nwobi prayed for a hitch-free governorship election in Anambra State and declared total support for Nwibe’s governorship ambition, stressing that it is a dream that must come true.

Nwobi said: “What amazed me was Nwibe’s commitment to his friends, relations, kinsmen and his support to whoever wants to make Anambra a better place. He is willing to serve selflessly. Little wonder, he has turned out to be one of the best in his engineering profession.
“He is second to none in chosen specialty-oil well drilling. He has built one of the most successful oil service companies in Nigeria-developed expertise, generated employment and created unquestionable wealth for himself and people. Nwibe has not kept his wealth alone. He is expending it on education, youth empowerment, Christian causes and humanitarian projects.”
After, Nwibe mounted the podium to unveil his manifesto amidst encomiums and standing ovation. Nwibe thanked the stakeholders, friends and others for making time to attend the event. He said that if elected governor of Anambra state, he would publish all the audited sources of revenues accrued to the state on monthly basis and how they were being spent. He enumerated the malaise in the state which include increased youth unemployment, dirty townships with blocked drainage and waterways, decaying health facilities, wasteful and frivolous expenditure of public funds, lack of transparency and accountability, lopsided appointments, infrastructural developments and others.
Nwibe said: “My major policy focus is to provide enabling environment, critical supports and guarantees that will revive all employment creation production and service facilities and create new ones especially in Agriculture and industries. To provide enabling atmosphere for the full development of oil and gas reserves in Anambra state to include the refining operations, gas production for domestic use, power and export.
“To provide the critical supports for the full attainment of a medical Tourism leader in Nigeria in partnership with our Diaspora brothers with specialist skills and managerial expertise all over the world. My target is to build a world class hospital in each of the three senatorial zones with linkage to existing hospitals.”
On his Ten-point Development Programme of Excellence For Anambra, Nwibe said: “This involves a holistic and grassroots marshal plan on how to reposition the State for better performance. The programme include power generation and industrialization of the state, eradicating wastage in government, security of lives and property, buy-Anambra initiative, integrated infrastructural development, make Anambra a health city, modernised and integrated agricultural development, education, youth development and woman empowerment, Think-home Thrust: Diaspora participation, and transportation.”

Also in his passionate appeal to people of Anambra state, Nwibe said: “Umunne Ndi Anambra, our state has come to a crossroad once again, and now you have the power to change the political fortunes of our beloved state. Elections are about choices. But this election isn’t just like any other. It is about deciding whether to switch to the right path to prosperity and good life for our people or to continue in the aimless journey to nowhere upon which our state has set out since this present government came to power.
“I am ready to be your governor and I fully understand what this means. A governor’s job is to ensure that government works for every citizen of the state and not for his kinsmen alone. A governor should bring people together and build bridges between urban and rural areas and harness the different viewpoints for the effective and overall development of the state. I cannot do this without your support. It starts indeed with your vote.”At the end of his presentation, many of the stakeholders, friends, supporters and others took turn and time to speak on the personality called Bart Nwibe.
Speaking to The Guardian at the end of the event, Nwibe said he was humbled and impressed by the massive support he has received from the people of Anambra State, promising that if elected governor, he will never disappoint them.
http://www.akelicious.com/2017/08/anambra-guber-day-apc-aspirant-nwibe.html

The Senate Friday made good its threat to get the chief executive officers of 30 companies arrested for allegedly failing to appear before it.

The arrest order was issued by the chairman of the Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariff and Marine Transport Hope Uzodinma, at the committee’s meeting in Abuja yesterday.

The committee accuses the companies including mobile giant Globacom, Crown Flour Mills, British American Tobacco, CCECC, Dana Group, Olam Int. Ltd., Hong Xing Steel Co. Ltd., Visafone, African Wire, Star Comments and Allied Ltd. and Aarti Steel Nig. Ltd of involvement in Nigeria’s loss of N30 trillion-revenue in the maritime sector.

Others are Abyem-Diva Int. Ltd., Gagasel Int., Friesland Campina, Etco Nig., Edic Chemicals and Allied Distributors, De United Foods makers of popular Indomie noodles, Don Climax Group, Skill G Nig. Ltd., Premium Seafood and La Rauf Nig. Ltd.


Also involved are Standard Metallurgical Co. Ltd., Kam Industries, IBG Investment Ltd., Orazulike Trading Co. Ltd., Popular Foods Ltd., A-Kelnal Integrated & Logistics Services, African Industries, African Tiles & Ceramics and ZTE Nigeria.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that only 33 of the 63 firms invited by the Senate Joint Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariff and Marine Transport, handling the investigation honoured the invitation.

Uzodinma said yesterday that the refusal of the officials to honour the invitation in spite of several reminders was disrespectful to the National Assembly.

He warned that the 8th Senate would not tolerate such behaviour from anyone or institution, particularly in the present situation involving Federal Government funds.

He said investigations carried out by the joint committee showed several forms of infractions that have cost the country huge amount of money in revenue loss.

He said such development in a country currently in recession was a disservice to it.


“It is no longer going to be business as usual,” he said.

“We have directed the Nigeria Police to arrest the heads of the firms and bring them before us.

“If we can suspend our recess as lawmakers to see to the end of this investigation, I see no reason why the firms that have been indicted will not come to defend themselves,” he said.

The chairman asked the firms that honoured the invitation to go through the documents given to them and return next week for defence.

The Senate had mandated the joint committee to carry out extensive investigation into alleged N30 trillion revenue leakages in the import and export value chain between 2006 and 2017.

The committee had already interfaced with commercial banks indicted in the matter as well as relevant government agencies.

The committee had on Wednesday threatened to issue the arrest warrants; but on Thursday, it said it was extending the appearance till next week.
http://www.akelicious.com/2017/08/senate-orders-arrest-of-ceos-of-glo_4.html

ESET has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), to ensure maximum protection of both private and public organisations gateways.

ESET, an IT security company that offers anti-virus and firewall products, said that with the MoU signed with NITDA and its Secure School Initiative, millions of students in the tertiary institutions will receive free anti-malware solutions from ESET.
The firm also works with NITDA to provide standards and guidelines in the protection of Nigeria cyberspace and ensuring that all federal government MDAs’ IT infrastructures are secured.

The agreement signed by parties in Abuja recently, will enable NITDA and governments institutions IT administrators to have access to periodic Cyber security training by ESET experts on emerging threats.
“We are at a defining moment in the evolution and growth of the Internet in running day to day activities and deliverables of Government and schools. Large-scale data breaches, ransomware attack, cybercrime, surveillance and other online threats are eroding Nigerians’ trust on Government e-platforms/websites and affecting how they use the Internet in as a whole,” Dr. Isa Ali Pantami PhD, NITDA Director-General disclosed.
He said that this makes the partnership highly necessary to provide awareness and education on cybersecurity and also ensure that all government and private institutions are protected by a tested and trusted IT Security Solution Provider.
ESET, will support and drive NITDA’s role in providing and jointly developing frameworks for data protection and safe cyberspace in Nigeria, Olufemi Ake, ESET Country Manager told Nigeria CommunicationsWeek.
The partnership which is also part of activities to mark 30th anniversary of ESET, Mr. Ake said, it will also provide schools in Nigeria with internet security on their connected devices through a scheme tagged “ESET Secure School Initiative”.
While introducing ESET Secure School Initiative, Mr Ake said the scheme is designed is to sensitize over 70% of the academia in cyber security and the need for proactive protection of research data.
http://www.akelicious.com/2017/08/eset-nitda-move-to-secure-nigerias.html

A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Anambra State, Dr. Alex Obiogbolu has vowed to win the state for the party if he gets its gubernatorial candidate.

Obiogbolu, who is the first governorship aspirant in the state to purchase the PDP form, stated this after obtaining the party’s Expression of Interest/ Nomination form.

He said the recent defection of some PDP chieftains in Anambra State to other political parties will not affect the fortunes of the party in the state, noting that the grassroots is still with the opposition party. He added that his greatest strength in the PDP primaries is his unalloyed loyalty to party.

Besides, the governorship hopeful said his neutrality in the crisis that hitherto rocked the Anambra PDP will make it easy for all the interest groups in the party to rally round him if he gets the governorship ticket.

According to him, “What gives me the advantage is that they call me “the last man standing” in the sense that when every other person was leaving the party for the APC, UPP and others, I remained committed to the party. Many in the PDP believe it is time to give it to someone who has been a loyal party man who has the experience.”

Speaking earlier, the PDP National Organising Secretary, Senator Abdul Ningi said the party has a great chance of winning the Anambra governorship poll, especially as it has put its house in order in the state.

He said although the PDP lost the 2015 general election, the current state of the polity has proven to Nigerians that the party meant well for the people when it was in power.


Ningi, who presented the nomination and expression of interest form and a copy of the PDP constitution to Obiogbolu, promised that the party will create a level playing field for all aspirants.

“Anambra is there for the taking. We have put our house in order and be considerate to those that have been loyal to the party. We are proud of your loyalty. We will give you a team that will conduct a free and fair primary,” he stated.
http://www.akelicious.com/2017/08/anambra-guber-pdp-must-take-over.html

Move to stop Tony Nwoye from participating in the primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the Anambra governorship election failed Wednesday as the sitting vacation judge of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Justice Yusuf Halilu declined to hear a motion ex-parte filed to that effect.

The motion ex-parte filed by Okechukwu Ogbonnaya, contained seven prayers, particularly prayer 6, for an order of interim injunction restraining the APC from “from clearing the 1st defendant (Nwoye) to contest or stand for its primary elections for the purposes of selecting the party’s governorship candidate for the forthcoming Anambra State governorship election pending the determination of the motion on notice.


Although the case was listed in the court’s cause list for yesterday, the judge declined to hear the applicant’s lawyer, who had sought the hearing of the ex-parte motion on grounds of urgency. The judge said there was no urgency to warrant the hearing of the motion.

Ogbonnaya listed as defendants, in the suit, Nwoye, Chief Arthur Eze, Atlas Petroleum International ltd, Oranto Petroleum Ltd, Fidelity Bank Plc, APC and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He is challenging, among others, the propriety of the alleged donations by Eze and others, to Nwoye’s governorship ambition.

Nwoye has however challenged the court’s jurisdiction to hear the suit, arguing that the subject matter of the suit relates to Anambra governorship election, on which a court in Abuja cannot hear. He asked the court to strike out the case.

Alternatively, he asked the court to order the plaintiff to put the defendants “on notice of prayers 3, 4, 5, and 7 in the motion ex parte filed on 31st July, 2017 to enable the 1st defendant (Nwoye) to be heard on those prayers as those reliefs are targeted at stifling the exercise of the constitutional right of the 1st defendant to contest for the Anambra State governorship election.”

In a supporting affidavit, a lawyer in Nwoye’s team, Obinna Onya said the suit has a direct bearing on the Anambra State Governorship election, which has been scheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission to hold on 18th November, 2017 and the primary election of the 6th Defendant which by the prescription of the electoral body must be held not later than August, 2017.

Onya stated that he was informed by the leader of the legal team, Tobechukwu Nweke that the plaintiff lacks the locus standi to institute the case and that the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain adjudicate over a pre-primary issue before the conduct of a primary election


In further attacking the competence of the suit, Onya stated that “The originating summons and the affidavit in support (filed by the plaintiff) failed to disclose any reasonable cause of action

“This matter being one bordering on criminality was wrongly commenced by originating summons. This matter is a gross abuse of the process of this Court

“Being that this motion challenges the jurisdiction of this Court, it is just to set the issues of jurisdiction down for hearing and determination before any other step is taken in this matter.

“Being that prayers 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 in the motion ex parte filed on 31st July, 2017 are targeted at stifling the exercise of the constitutional right of the 1st defendant to contest for the Anambra State Governorship election, it is only just and proper that the Defendants be put on notice of those prayers to enable the 1st defendant to be heard on those prayers,” he said.
http://www.akelicious.com/2017/08/anambra-guber-election-court-refuses-to.html

A Pro-Biafra group, Biafra Zionist Federation (BZF), led by Chief Benjamin Igwe Onwuka, yesterday announced an “interim government in Nigeria.”

Onwuka, who addressed journalists in Enugu with members of his group, declared that the “interim government” which would run for 30 days beginning from today (August 1), is a prelude to the “full declaration of Biafra Republic on September 1, this year.”
He claimed he had secured the support of the United States (U.S.) to declare “Biafra and form government.” He named himself (Benjamin Onwuka) as the President and would go by the title Biafra Zionist President (BZP) and announced his would-be cabinet members, which shall include President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo as Biafra Ambassador to the United Nations; Prof. Jerry Gana as Minister of Transportation; Prof. Patrick Utomi as Foreign Affairs Minister while Isreali would retain Defence, Internal Affairs and Agriculture as well as 25 per cent of the civil service positions in Biafra, among others.

However, Ohanaeze President, John Nwodo, told The Guardian yesterday on phone that he would not join issues with the group, but cautioned the agitators to be cautious of the way and manner they go about their agitation to avert crisis.
In another development, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) says it has given its unalloyed support to Yoruba Liberation Command (YOLICOM) and its declaration of July 27, 2017 that the Yoruba were tired of British contraption called Nigeria.
In a statement signed by its spokespersons, Emma Nmezu and Dr. Clifford Chukwuemeka Iroanya, the group said “the YOLICOM declaration was in line with the quest by IPOB for the restoration of the nation of Biafra through the instrumentality of a referendum mandated and supervised by the United Nations (UN).”
While supporting YOLICOM’s call on the UN to dissolve Nigeria and allow the constituent nations of Arewa, Oduduwa, and Biafra to go their separate ways, IPOB recalled that members of YOLICOM expressed dismay at the way the good people of Yoruba nation were denigrated in the past by some Biafrans.
Meanwhile, the Ugoani of Okpanam, His Royal Majesty Michael Mbanefo Ogbolu, has warned the agitators of IPOB to stay off Okpanam community, including seeking an audience with his palace for undisclosed reasons.
He said “my people have suffered enough in the hands of the defunct secessionist regime of Biafra during the Nigerian Civil War under the watchful eyes of late Chief Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu.”
The monarch stated this while reacting to the message by one Pastor Ikechukwu Ezechukwu, a pastor of a Pentecostal church in Okpanam, that Nnamdi Kanu, leader of IPOB, wants to visit his palace to propagate Biafra agenda.
Ogbolu recounted what the people of Okpanam lost in the person of late Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu because of the civil war, stating that despite Nzeogwu’s contributions in Biafra, his efforts were never appreciated by Ojukwu.
http://www.akelicious.com/2017/08/pro-biafra-group-bzf-announces-interim.html

Former President of the Senate, Sen. David Mark, on Monday applauded the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, for the restoration of combat training at the Nigerian Military School (NMS) Zaria.

This is contained in a statement signed by the NMS’ spokesman, Capt. Haruna Sani.
According the statement, the senator made the commendation during the NMS’ Speech and Prize Given Day Ceremony in Zaria, Kaduna State.

Mark, who was the President of the 6th and 7th Senate, said the reintroduction of training at NMS would boost students’ morale.
Mark also an alumni of NMS said that the school had produced eminent Nigerians that contributed immensely to the development and unity of the nation.
He observed that the school had remained the benchmark of not only academic excellence but also for character moulding.
While congratulating the graduating boys for a successful six years journey, the lawmaker urged them to count themselves privileged to have passed through extensive military training.
Mark charged them to remain committed, dedicated disciplined and prepare their minds for greater challenges ahead.
The lawmaker enjoined them to be good ambassadors of NMS and contribute their quota to national unity and development.
The statement said the event featured the unveiling of the Young Leader Magazine, presentation of awards to deserving students and souvenirs to dignitaries at the event.

http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/mark-lauds-buratai-for-restoring-combat.html

Nicki Minaj and Fergie allegedly collaborated on a new track, and fans are freaking out on Twitter over a reference Nicki reportedly makes to her ex Meek Mill. Here’s what we know!

Nicki Minaj, 34, and Meek Mill, 30, are definitely over, but on a new Fergie track that has reportedly leaked, Nicki mentions him by name, and fans can’t handle it. “Damn, I ain’t see Meek Millie in a week,” Nicki allegedly raps on “You Already Know,” “Five shows, made three millie in a week.” The implication is that she’s missing him while on tour, and it’s pretty clear that the alleged track was written and recorded before Nicki and Meek split. Sad!

Fans first got wind of the Nicki feature when Fergie performed part of the song at Rock in Rio in Lisbon, Portugal, back in May 2016, though the only Nicki line was the outro (“Make some noise for my girl Fergie Ferg”). Hopefully the collaboration will officially drop soon, and of course we’re crossing our fingers for a music video!

Now, people are flipping out over Nick’s alleged mention of Meek. “In You Already Know, Nicki references Meek Mill. That’s how long ago this album was recorded,” one fan tweeted along with a skull emoji. Others are speculating that Nicki will change her line before the track officially drops, for obvious reasons. You can see more reactions below, and check out some of the alleged lyrics to “You Already Know:”


Let it go, get rolled, I just can’t hold
Back and forth ’cause I’m the girl with soul
Ain’t controlling effects, so what the heck
Rock the discotheque ’cause this groove is up next
Tease on the camera, freeze while I animate
I’m no amateur, I’m a laminate
I’ma assassinate all the imitates
Then I’ma take a break, and meditate
Hmm, let me think about it.
http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/nicki-minaj-allegedly-gives-shout-out.html

Lagos State Government has charged youths in the country to shun cyber crime and channel their energy into profitable ventures.

The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde, gave this charge on Sunday at the launch of a book, titled: “It’s your time, make it count,” written by Adeniran Bamisaye.

He lamented that many youths waste away their time on unprofitable ventures, saying as the future belonged to the youths and they must make it count through pragmatic approach.

The commissioner, who was represented by the Director, Public Affairs, Mrs. Oladapo Toro, also charged youths to identify their talents and use them for the benefits of the nation.


He said: “You must take advantage of the opportunity you have now and utilize it. Don’t waste your talents, use them. We have so many challenges confronting the youths, you need to take your rightful position.

“You have great roles to play, shun internet fraud and don’t be carried away by crime in the society.”

The Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf, commended the author for a job well done.

Represented by a Director in the ministry, Julius Olukosi, the commissioner appealed to the youths to utilize their time and opportunities well so that they could have a better future.
http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/lagos-urges-youths-to-shun-cyber-crime.html

The traditional ruler of Igbo-Ukwu Kingdom in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, His Royal Highness Igwe Barr Martin Ezeh, has warned the Igbo in the North not to take anything for granted concerning the October 1 deadline of the quit notice given to them by some youths there.

Igwe Ezeh said in not minding that the Arewa youths were said to have rescinded their quit notice, the Igbo in the North should be security-conscious. He called for a dialogue between Northern elders and the Ohaneze Ndigbo to avert the possibility of the two regions having a clash of any kind.

The Igwe noted that the youths from both sides who, ‘beating war drums’ never witnessed the 30-month Nigeria-Biafra civil war to be able to assess the evil consequences of war. The traditional ruler explained that anybody who experienced the Nigeria-Biafra civil war would never like to witness situation again even in a dream.

“I do not advise the Igbo in the North to return home. But because of the Arewa youths’ persistence that our people should go, the Igbo should rather be cautious of their environments so that they would not be taken unawares. Leaders of both sides should reach an understanding. As a traditional ruler, I must preach love and I cannot preach violence. If by the crossfire of hate speeches, the country is plunged into another senseless war the youths would be held responsible,” he said.

The monarch also said that the National Assembly should reconsider its position in the issue of power devolution. The Igwe noted that there was need to give adequate attention to popular opinion in the lawmaking business. He is of the opinion that if restructuring is what the people need, why not give it to them.

“The authorities responsible for the restructuring of this country should expedite action so as to douse the tension already created by people agitating for self determination. To keep on delaying this restructuring or waving it away is not the best option for this country. It is rather dangerous and that poses a threat to the peace and stability of this country,” he warned
http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/quit-notice-be-security-conscious.html

The Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Sen. Mohammed Hassan has offered scholarship to 880 students from his constituency.

The lawmaker, who represents, Yobe South Senatorial District, spoke to newsmen after commissioning various projects in the constituency.

He said the offer was for students studying in all institutions of higher learning across the country.

Hassan explained that the scholarship would be available to 20 students from each of the 44 wards in his constituency.
The lawmaker also promised to pay salaries of staff of the Mohammed Hassan Arabic and Islamic School Arikime at the commissioning of the school.
He further promised to provide uniforms for all students of the school as well as establish three science laboratories to enable them compete favourably with other schools.
Hassan also pledged to donate the sum of N2.5 million for the rehabilitation of another school, Fatahul Rahaman Islamic School.
He said the gesture was informed by his desire to help provide education for as many school age children as possible, adding that, education was one of the greatest legacies to bequeath the future generation.
“I promised as part of my campaign promise to continue to encourage the younger ones to take the issue of education seriously.
“That is why I decided to offer scholarship to 20 students from each of the wards in my constituency.
”We have identified the students attending institutions of higher learning and we will be giving N20,000 to each to them, meaning there will be 880 beneficiaries of this scholarship.
” It is going to be an annual thing to enable the students pay up for registration in school.
”This is one of the ways I feel I should encourage our younger ones to rise to whatever height they wish to without hindrance,” he said.
At another event, the lawmaker pledged the sum of N10 million as part of contribution for rehabilitation of the Central Mosque in Potiskum, Yobe State.
The lawmaker said he was poised as a representative of the people to ensure their needs were met.
“I came to Potiskum to among other things, commission a school that I built for the benefit of the people of Arikime community.
“I gave the sum of N2.5 million to another school that does not have classrooms. They do not even have a place of their own, so, I decided to give them a token to support them
“I was equally invited for the launching ceremony of the Central Mosque in Potiskum and I made a contribution on behalf of my family, friends and the people of my constituency of N20 million,” he said.
Hassan further disclosed that besides the projects already on ground, plans were underway to construct a knowledge centre to support the youth that have interest in furthering their education.
He stressed that the essence of the centre was to support the students to improve on their secondary school results to enable them gain admission into good institutions of higher learning within and outside the country.
He called for concerted effort by relevant stakeholders, to take the education system in the country to an enviable height.
The lawmaker decried the level of illiteracy among the people, adding that the sector like other sectors, required government and individual intervention.
“If you look at the educational standard of the people, particularly those from my constituency, you will realise that we are down the ladder.
”I therefore want to use this opportunity to call on the Federal Government to continue to support all programmes that will uplift the educational standard of the people.
”I also want to call on everyone who has the wherewithal to support the needy in the society.
“God has created us not just for ourselves, it is to continue to support those who require our support,` `he said.
On the 80-bed hospital he built for the people, Hassan commended the National Assembly for earmarking the sum of N400 million as take-off fund for the hospital in the 2017 Budget.
He said the provision was made following visit of the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, chairmen of senate committees on appropriation and health as well as other lawmakers during the commissioning of the hospital.
On the abandonment of constituency projects, Hassan called for continuity to ensure sustainable development.
He said a lot of people do not understand what constituency project meant.
”There is this general misunderstanding that with constituency projects, monies are given to legislators to do whatever they want with. This is not true.
”As a representative of the people of Yobe South for instance, I know what my people want and all I need is to ensure that projects that will be of benefit to them are reflected in the budget.
“These projects are domiciled in the respective MDAs and they go through the approval process like other process of approval.
“That is why we always put pressure on the federal government to continue to make releases so that projects can be implemented.
“It doesn’t matter if today as a senator representing this senatorial district, I embark on constituency projects, I expect whoever succeeds me to continue with the project.
“Same thing with the executive arm of government.
“Government is a continuum and whatever we are doing is for the benefit of our people because we are to represent them,’’ he said.
On the distribution of relief materials to victims of insurgency in the state, the lawmaker commended the federal government for ensuring that his constituency, which had been neglected was being considered.
He said ”I went to the Acting President and made the case known to him.
“He graciously summoned a meeting where the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency(NEMA) and senators from the three senatorial districts in my state were invited.
”I can confirm to you now that as a result of the meeting, we have started having positive response,” he said.
http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/sen-mohammed-hassan-offers-scholarship.html

Nnewi High Court recognised APGA National Chairman, Ozo Victor Oye has slated August 15 for his party's primaries election.

Oye disclosed this to some journalists at his Amawbia residence yesterday.

Meanwhile, the Federal Appeal Court recognised National Chairman of APGA, Ochudo Martin Agbaso is yet to fix a date for APGA primaries.

While Oye parades himself as APGA National Chairman under the cover of a state high court judgement, Ochudo Agbaso has legal backing of the Appeal Court.
Oye faction has only Obiano as their guber aspirant while Agbaso camp has two governorship aspirants. They are Dr Elo Afoka and Pharm. Chris Orazulike.
APGA Interactive Forum Media Group investigation reveals that Oye camp abused court processes to secure the two kangaroo rulings from Nnewi and Awka High Courts on Friday, in order to create legal confusion thereby believing that INEC will adopt its 2010 dispute resolution approach where the judicial confusion between Victor Umeh and Chekwas Okorie leadership tussle forced the electoral body to handover the party's nomination forms to the then BOT chairman of APGA, the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu.
Oye camp however failed to accept the fact that with the ruling of the Appeal Court Enugu on July 13, 2017 setting aside the stay of execution against the order of mandamus recognising Agbaso as the authentic and only National Chairman of APGA has nullified all their kangaroo charade at the state high courts.
As the two camps set for their primaries, all eyes are on INEC on how the Commission will handle the legal abracadabra in APGA.
http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/victor-oye-to-hold-apga-primaries-on.html

The Nigerian Army is to deploy 230 personnel, including 19 officers and 211 soldiers to Liberia, Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai has said.

Speaking in Kaduna at the end of a a four-week intensive training on leadership and peacekeeping for the personnel, Buratai, charged them to shun acts that could tarnished Nigeria’s image.

“You must observe human rights, and respect the cultural and religious sensitives of Liberians,” he said.

The army chief said that since 1960, Nigeria has deployed over 20, 000 troops to 40 peacekeeping missions in Africa and across the world.
Earlier the Nigerian Army Peacekeeping Centre, Jaji was renamed Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and Peacekeeping Centre, in recognition of his commitment to peacekeeping efforts and excellent service.
The centre was established in 2004 by Agwai as a Wing, when he was the Chief of Army Staff.
Speaking, Agwai noted that peacekeeping was gradually becoming an intra-country issue with the military at the centre stage following internal conflicts such as ethnic, religious other crises.
He, however, noted that Nigeria has been involved in peacekeeping operations in Africa and world at large, but had not repeat the economic and diplomatic benefits of such venture.
Agwai, who was also a Chief of Defence Staff, called on government and private-owned organisations to partner the centre in leadership training on conflict prevention and management in the quest to achieve enduring peace.
He thanked current and past leadership of the army for the honour done him by naming the centre after him.
NAN reports that Agwai, was former Deputy Force Commander, United Nations Peacekeeping Operation in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), Chief of Army Staff Nigerian Army, Force Commander of African Union/United Nations Mission Hybrid Mission in Darfur (UNAMID).
http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/nigerian-army-to-deploy-230-personnel.html

More than 50 people were killed in a Boko Haram ambush on an oil exploration team in northeast Nigeria earlier this week, multiple sources told AFP on Thursday, warning the death toll could rise.

Tuesday’s attack in the Magumeri area of Borno state on a convoy of specialists from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was the Islamist militants’ deadliest in months.

It underscored the persistent threat posed by the jihadists, despite government claims they were a spent force, and also the risks associated with the hunt for crude in the volatile Lake Chad basin.

Details of the ambush, which was initially thought to be a kidnapping attempt, have been slow to emerge and an exact death toll difficult to establish, as the military strictly controls access to rural Borno.
Telecommunications and other infrastructure have been severely damaged or destroyed in the conflict, which has left at least 20,000 dead and more than 2.6 million homeless since 2009.
The army said on Wednesday that 10 people were killed in the attack.
But one source involved in dealing with the aftermath told AFP on Thursday: “The death toll keeps mounting. Now we have more than 50… and more bodies are coming in.
“It’s clear that the attack wasn’t for abduction. They (Boko Haram) attacked just to kill.”
Missing staff
An aid agency worker in Magumeri, which is 50 kilometres (32 miles) northwest of Maiduguri, said 47 bodies were recovered from the bush as of Wednesday evening.
“Eleven of them were badly burned in the attack. They were burned alive in their vehicle, which was stuck in a trench,” he added.
“We buried them here because they couldn’t be taken to Maiduguri.
“This evening (Thursday), six more bodies were recovered, including one soldier, and many more could be recovered because search and rescue teams are all over the place.”
A medical source at the Nigerian Army 7th Division headquarters at Maimalari barracks in Maiduguri said: “So far we have 18 dead soldiers. Ten were brought yesterday and eight more today.”
At the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), a medical worker said: “We have 19 bodies at the moment of civilians.
“Fifteen of them were vigilantes (civilian militia) and four were staff from the university. They have been taken for burial.”
The head of the academic staff union at the University of Maiduguri, Dani Mamman, confirmed they had received four bodies and said two of them were academics.
“We got the impression our staff on the team were rescued because that was what the military spokesman said yesterday,” he added.
“But we were shocked when we were given four dead bodies. This means it wasn’t a rescue.
“We still have other staff that are yet to be accounted for.”
Show of force?
In a statement, Nigeria’s junior oil minister and the former head of the NNPC Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu described the attack as “unfortunate” but did not give a death toll.
OPEC-member Nigeria is looking to find new oil reserves away from the southern Niger Delta, which has been blighted by attacks from militants wanting a fairer share of revenue for local people.
With production hit by the attacks, there has been a shift in focus to explore inland basins, including around Lake Chad in the northeast, where Nigeria meets Cameroon, Chad and Niger.
Both Chad and Niger are exploiting reserves on their side of the freshwater lake.
Activities on the Nigerian side had to stop in November 2014 because of Boko Haram violence but the military gave permission to resume exploration in November last year, according to Kachikwu.
Work is centred on a triangle of hotly contested land stretching from Gubio in the west of Borno to Marte in the east, and Kukawa, in the far northeast corner near the shores of the lake.
There has been no serious suggestion that Boko Haram is motivated by a desire to control oil in northeast Nigeria.

But fighters, squeezed out of captured territory by the military counter-insurgency, may have been keen to make a show of force against the soldiers and civilian militia guarding the NNPC team.
In recent months, the Islamic State group affiliate has been forced to rely on guerilla tactics, particularly suicide bomb attacks, against the security forces and civilian militia.
Women and young girls in particular have been used against civilian “soft” targets such as mosques, as well as the university in Maiduguri, which teaches the “western” education the group despises.
source http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/boko-haram-attack-on-nigeria-oil-team.html

BACKGROUND

My name is Mrs Chi Daniels Iwuagwu, the CEO of CHIDAN FASHION CORNER. I am a graduate of Federal polytechnic nekede Owerri, IMO state, department of Chemistry (SLT). For those that passed through Federal polynek between 2014-2016 might know me as Okpala Chinazor A. When I was the acting President of Students Union Government 2015. I am currently doing my 1 year National youth Service at Federal University of Technology Owerri, IMO state. I am from Anambra state but married to IMO state. I base in Owerri.

MY INSPIRATION

ChiDan fashion corner is the chief producer of crochet wool foot wears. Crochet foot wears is my brainchild initiative; an idea I created myself due to my quest to help the government to reduce the rate of youth unemployment in the the country. Frankly speaking, I am a Distinction graduate in Chemistry discipline, I am very much creative and talented. but owing to the economic reality of the country and over dependence in paper qualification, I asked myself several questions! I have to sustain myself while I wait for white collar job, I have to use my creativity and invest it in something. I discovered that the best thing to do for myself is to learn a skill. But virtually all the skills is saturated, I needed something unique and different, I needed to differentiate myself. Then I came up with this! Crochet footwears! I thought of the idea of using a wool to crochet footwears. after a feasibility studies, I found out the following about wool, it cannot be damaged by rain and therefore it is washable when dirty, it is aerated and therefore doesn't have smelly shoe odours, it is soft and comfortable and doesn't pain on the legs hence can be worn from morning till night, wool is very durable when knitted together and tighter, coupled with the fact that I use a special type of wool which is more durable than the rest, and above all it is fashionable.

MY MOTIVATION

when I did the first work and posted on my Facebook wall, many people commented positively and encouraged me, I wasn't ready to give up, I assured myself that it only gets better, I was determined. Then I improved through many trials and errors before I got to where I am now. I have successfully trained and is still training more entrepreneurs who will help to create awareness on this unique product. One thing I love about this skill is that you don't need to own a shop before you start, because you can crochet this even at your own comfort zone, while chatting with friends, while relaxing on a couch and it is very much unique, fast selling, easy to learn, very high demand with few number of suppliers, and hence high profit return. You can start up this skill with as low as 20k which includes the cost of training and training materials. You can still regain your money after one month of training.




CHALLENGES

Every business has a challenge, mostly which is finance, but my own case is different. The challenge I have is lack of adequate number of producers which can meet up with the market demands because the few number of people I trained in this skill are very much busy trying to meet up with the individual demands of this same product from their customers. So we need to train and sensitize more of our youths on the need to learn this skill. I was among the NYSC SAED resource persons that trained the 2017 batch A stream 1 corps members during their 3 weeks orientation course and they are lucky to be the first set of Corps members I trained. They will as well share their testimonies.




TRAININGS

We have both online and offline (face to face) training courses. Offline/ Face to face training are for those who stays in IMO state and who can come Down to my workshop which is located at no 4 chief tony ejimnkeonye avenue area M world bank Owerri. While online/whatsapp training are for those outside IMO state. To learn this skill, to be a distributor of this product, to buy this products or for other enquiries call or whatsapp 07063203109.
Source http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/all-must-read-chi-daniel-story-it-all.html

The internet users and data subscribers in Nigeria’s telecommunications networks marginally increased to 91.6 million in June.

According to data published by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Airtel and MTN gained more internet subscribers during the month, while Glo and Etisalat were the big losers.
Overall, internet users increased by 33,747 to 91, 598,757 from 91,565,010 in May, the June NCC Monthly Internet Subscribers Data showed.
MTN accounted for 284, 629 new users, increasing its subscription to 31,691,070 from 31,406,441 in May.
Globacom lost 218,482 internet users and had 27,184,002 data subscribers left on its network in June. In May, Nigeria’s second largest network had 27,402,484 internet users.
Airtel gained the most with 261, 428 new internet users. It had 20,174,089 internet users, as against 19,912,661 in May.
Etisalat, the financially troubled network saw 293,828 internet users migrating away. It had 12,549,596 users in June against the 12,843,424 users recorded in May. (NAN)

source http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/mtn-airtel-gain-internet-usersglo.html

Residents of Ekiti State, under the auspices of E11, have called the Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, to vie for the governorship next year.

During a reception in Ado-Ekiti by a mammoth crowd consisting of market women, artisans friends, relations, All Progressives (APC) stalwarts, youths, among others, the journalist turned politician was blankly told at his Iworoko Road residence within the capital to throw his hat into the ring owing to his past efforts in lifting the state on the path of progress.

The citizens noted that Ekiti was in dire need of a sterling leadership to galvanise its overall development, which they maintained Ojudu was capable of delivering.

Chairman of E11, a popular pressure group in the state, Femi Ajiniran, said the time to get a credible person to lift Ekiti State from its present sorry state was now.
His words: “Poverty in the state is now walking on four legs while youth unemployment is alarming. We are in a situation where our able-bodied youths now roam the streets begging for alms. The culture of self-discipline and hard work which formed the fulcrum of our existence has taken flight.
“We need people that can create wealth at this point. And this is why Ojudu has to listen to the voice of the people and run in the coming gubernatorial polls in Ekiti State. If Ojudu fails to declare, I will pack my load and go back to Lagos. This is because he is capable to deliver the goods. He loves Ekiti, but he needs executive power to be able to deliver effectively.” Responding, Ojudu called on APC members to join forces in upstaging the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration in the state.
source http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/buharis-aide-eyes-ekiti-governor-seat.html

Two children of same parents aged 12 and 6 have been confirmed dead following massive flooding in Okpoko, New Haven Layout, Ogbaru, Anambra State.

Rainfall which started on Thursday evening and lasted through the early morning yesterday left several properties damaged in parts of Onitsha, Owelle Aja and Oduke in Obosi and Okpoko area.

Church buildings, fences, vehicles and houses were damaged in the flooding.

In Okpoko area, streets affected include Achina, Ojibe, Onyekwelu and Emenike.

Consoling Mr John Obasi, father of the victims, chieftain of the Progressive Peoples Alliance and governorship aspirant, Mr. Godwin Ezeemo lamented that lack of proper planning and drainage system had caused untold hardship in several parts of the state.

Ezeemo who was pained by the loss of the children under such circumstances called on both state and federal governments to urgently come to the aid of the displaced and affected families.


President General of Okpoko community, Chief Linus Ezenwamma blamed the flooding in the area on indiscriminate dumping of refuse leading to blockage of drainage channels.
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/2-kids-of-same-parents-killed-as-flood.html

The Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND), and Market Development in the Niger Delta (MADE), Programme have identified strategic policy initiatives in agriculture that will address the current economic challenges confronting Nigeria, create employment, and boost industrialisation.

In a joint report launched in Abuja last week, the development partners showcased the impact of the devaluation of the Naira, and emphasised the need for government and international organisations to focus on agriculture and reshape interventions to reflect the prevailing economic realities, especially relating to aquaculture, poultry, palm oil, and cassava sub-sectors.

It noted that the devaluation of the Naira was occasioned by the drop in crude oil price from above $100 per barrel in early 2014, to below $30/bbl, and has influenced market dynamics for most farmers and agricultural market players, especially in the Niger Delta region where PIND and MADE are intervening.

“The devaluation has led to significant increases in costs of major inputs over the last two years which influence costs across all the value chains, forcing farmers and processors to look inward,” the report said.
In the Aquaculture value chain, for example, the report observed that, “Catfish prices have increased, as consumers turn to it as an alternative to more expensive imported fish and poultry, meaning that the farmers who have stayed in business have seen their revenues increase.”
Additionally, the currency devaluation has made foreign feed more expensive, creating an opportunity for local producers to meet demand.In the Cassava value chain, the report noted that the increase in the prices that market players in the Niger Delta received for their products was higher than the increase in input prices, meaning that Naira devaluation has been positive for most of the farmers.The report also explained that demand for cassava from the food sector increased, as the price of imported rice, a major substitute for cassava food products, more than doubled between 2015 and the beginning of 2017. As a result, rice imports dropped by about two million tonnes since the devaluation. Even with the increased industrial demand, the price for cassava on the food market is still higher than on the industrial market, leading producers and processors to allocate even more cassava to producing cassava derivatives for the food market.
Similarly, the report highlighted the impact of the ban on importation of some agricultural products. The ban on crude palm oil, for example, has allowed for an increased demand for both Technical Palm Oil (TPO), and Special Palm Oil (SPO).
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/pind-made-provide-policy-direction-to.html

A coalition of youth leaders under the aegis of Ethnic Nationality Youth Leaders forum yesterday said government must allow them participate in governance at the ratio of 50 per cent of elected and appointed positions for them to sheath their sword.

According to a communiqué signed by the presidents of the Ohaneze Youth, Ijaw Youth Council, Yoruba Youth Council, Arewa Youth, Middle Belt Forum, North East and Ibibio Youth Council, they vehemently advocated that if government want to nip in bud conflicts, they must give them elective and appointed positions from state to federal levels.
They warned political parties to mind their agitations before the 2019 general elections or else they would call for a new political order.

The President of Ijaw Youth Council, Pereotubo Oweilaemi, who read the text of the communiqué to newsmen in Abuja, lamented that the interest of the youth is not being protected and that is why they are saying it’s a must that by 2019, irrespective of any political party in the country, they should give Nigeria youths 50 per cent of elective position and 50 per cent of appointed position after election.
“If they fail, youth are energetic we will employ our resources to resist them.’’
While commending the leadership of the Coalition of Northern Youths and the Ohaneze Youth Council for their efforts in dousing ethnic tension, they said the meeting was informed by the willingness of the Nigerian youths to debate the possibility of nipping in the bud conflicts that may emerge in the nation.
They called all the agitating groups, Niger Delta militants, Biafra agitators, Arewa youths among others to give peace a chance for the interest and unity of the country.
Meanwhile, 50 youths groups in the country yesterday threatened to commence the recall process for the leadership of the National Assembly Constitution Review Committees jointly led by the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Sulaimon Yussuff Lasun, over the exclusion of youths in governance.
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/for-peace-to-reign-youths-seek-50-of.html

Paylater is going on the road!
If you live in Lagos - starting from today (17th July), you may notice our adverts on BRTs across various routes throughout the city. This is a first for us and we're pretty excited, but we also want you to share in the fun.

We'll be giving out NGN2,000 cash each to the first few quick people that meet the simple requirements below:
1) Keep your eyes open for our new ads, similar to the image above
2) Take a selfie of yourself in front of one of our BRT ads - make sure your face and the advert are both clearly displayed!
3) Upload the picture on social media, also tagging any of our handles (Facebook, Twitter& Instagram) and using the hashtag #PaylaterBRT

We'll announce some lucky winners this week.

"But I'm not in Lagos - what about me?"
Not to worry! We're working on getting Paylater adverts in cities around the country - through our mobile app, we serve customers in all 36 states, so it's only fair that everyone is represented. Here's how you can help that
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/get-loan-of-up-to-1m-in-5-minutes-with.html?m=1