₦airaland Forum

Despite her return to Nigeria in pomp and circumstance about one month ago, First Lady Patience Jonathan is still sick, SaharaReporters sources say.

Saharareporters learned that shortly after the public relations exercise that attended her return, she retired into a medically-induced bed rest that has her kept her away from the public, unable to attend to official duties.

On October 26th Mrs. Jonathan appeared with her husband and the Ondo State governor, Olusegun Mimiko and his wife to cut her 55th birthday cake in the presidential villa, since then she has disappeared from the public.

A presidency source stated that Mrs. Jonathan’s doctors in Germany have also continued to visit and watch her recovery.

When Mrs. Jonathan returned from a prolonged medical trip to Germany in October she spoke effusively about being given a second chance, but denied having been in a hospital.

Our sources say the publicity given her return was designed to end all forms of speculation about her true condition because the presidency had badly miscalculated by not revealing her actual medical status to the country. Contrary to the plans of the presidency, SaharaReporters exposed specific details her husband wanted to keep hidden.

Since her return, Mrs. Jonathan has not been able to accompany her husband on any official trips in or outside of Nigeria, including visits to her home state of Rivers, or that of Mr. Jonathan, Bayelsa.

In addition to all this, she has not attended to her duties in Bayelsa as Permanent Secretary, a position she seized with grand fanfare months before she left the country on an extended trip she said was not for hospital treatment purposes.

It is unclear how long Mrs. Jonathan's bed-rest will continue as she remains inaccessible to the public, or how her absence is impacting her official duties in both Abuja and Bayelsa.

its a welcome development....

Is going on strike the only way des pple express their grievances holding the country to ransom. There are betters ways to settle this issues must not be strikes all the time!!! People are suffering!!!!!
Nigerians, brace up for hard times.God save this country.

A letter by alleged Boko Haram members on the notice board of the College of Education, Gashua yesterday threatening students and authorities to vacate the school for their safety, has led to the closure of all the institutions in the town.

Students in the college told our correspondent that copies of the letter were pasted on the notice board and dropped in several locations of the school

“I read the letter on the notice board, and from its content calling on students leave the school for their safety or risk being burnt along with the school.”

A principal officer in the college who did not want his name mentioned said the incident was reported to the SSS. “And they advised us to shut the school temporarily, so that we shouldn’t take chances because anything can happen.”

Similarly, there was a report that the letter was also dropped at Comprehensive Science Secondary School Gashua where students were said to have fled.

JTF spokesman Lieutenant Eli Lazarus confirmed the incident, saying security had been beefed up in the area.
http://news.naij.com/14365.html

On Saturday, members of The Word Of Life Bible Church, in Ajamimogha, Warri, Delta state, presented their Pastor, Ayo Oritsejafor with a private jet as his birthday gift at a lavish party that marked the 40th anniversary of his work as a pastor in Warri.
As soon as the news broke on social media and went viral, The Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, El-Rufai tweeted one of the links to the story and added: “Hope Bakare will receive same…hehehe..no!”

It was perceived by a lot of people as a blow below the belt, as Pastor Tunde Bakare, who is a member of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), will probably not accept such gift from his members.

In response to a tweet at him, El-rufai seems to suggest, in a sarcastic manner that the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, is a ‘PDP branch.’
See tweets below

Founder and President, Oodua People’s Congress, Dr. Frederick Fasehun, says Saudi Arabia is a risky venue for any dialogue between the Federal Government and the insurgent group, Boko Haram.

Fasehun said any dialogue between the government and the sect should hold within Nigeria.

The OPC leader made this known at a press conference in Lagos on Friday.

Fasehun said, “Saudi Arabia as host for talks on a purely Nigerian affair is fraught with danger.

“Therefore, Mecca will not be the ideal place for the negotiation of the security of a secular state like Nigeria and the OPC urges the government to change the venue.”

He said Boko Haram should drop former Head of State, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) from its list of negotiators, except if the former military leader had confirmed his membership of the group.

Fasehun said since Boko Haram remained faceless, government should not discuss with the group until its leaders were unveiled and known.

He said, “Much of Boko Haram’s hostility has been turned against Christians. Therefore, Christians, through the Christian Association of Nigeria, must be represented at the talks.

“Negotiations should be opened up to accommodate other ethnic interests in the conflict such as Ohaneze Ndigbo, Afenifere, Middle Belt Forum, Egbesu, Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta and other nationality groups, whose indigenes have been wantonly slaughtered by Boko Haram.”

Fasehun said professional bodies like the Nigerian Bar Association, Nigerian Union of Journalists should also be appointed as mediators.

He, however, canvassed that government should guarantee the safety of Boko Haram’s representatives instead of seeing it as an opportunity for security agents to hound and arrest their leaders.

Fasehun said the conditions spelt out by the sect for dialogue had the potential of becoming a stumbling block to the positive outcome of the talks.
http://news.naij.com/14251.html

Hear them....Pot calling kettle black.........monkey dey laugh monkey's back. what's the difference between these evil infested polical harlots called pdp, acn, cpc or whatever.....Nija dey laugh me!. Instead of getting focussed and do the job, stupid policians are talking of US election as if they will use it as an instrument. There is a fact to know. African (Nija) politics can NEVER change. Electoral college kor, senatorial college ni.

This is not a good news, what an exhibition of gross incompetence by d Nigeria police you can't deceived us,your a failure!!!
Whatever happens was planned and arranged and IG you also there oooooooooo.... Wake up!!! Produce Sani Mohammed or ABI UNA DON CORLET MONEY AND DON LET TAME GO

he Joint Task Force (JTF) in Maiduguri this morning foiled an attempted attack on one of its vehicles.

The incident occurred in the Costain area where suspected Boko Haram operatives planted a remote controlled Improvised Explosive Device (IED) on the road. The target was a JTF Toyota Hilux vehicle.

A statement by JTF spokesman, Lt. Colonel Sagir Musa said nobody was killed or wounded.

“The area was cordoned off, searched and swept by the bomb disposal arm of the JTF,” he said. “Normalcy has since been restored in the area.”
http://saharareporters.com/news-page/jtf-foils-ied-attack-maiduguri

Oil giant, Shell says about 90 million Nigerians suffer from health problems resulting from their exposure to large concentration of toxins emitted from burning of fuels occasioned by the use of smoke-emitting cooking stoves.

Country Chairman of Shell Companies in Nigeria (SCIN), Mr. Mutiu Sumonu, disclosed this yesterday while speaking at the Clean Cookstove Exhibition Day, organised by SCIN and the Nigerian Alliance for Clean Cookstoves in Port Harcourt.

Sumonu said 70 per cent of those suffering from the health problems are in the rural areas, pointing out that Nigeria experiences the highest number of smoke-related deaths in Africa, after malaria and HIV/AIDS.

He stated that other serious health problems associated with exposure to large concentration of toxins from smoke-emitting cooking stoves include; pre-mature babies, babies weighing less than 2.5 kilogramme, mental damage, lung diseases and birth defects.

Sumonu who was represented by the Manager, Geo-Solutions of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Mr. Gabriel Nedo Osayande, said the multi-national oil firm launched the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves in 2010 in collaboration with Shell Foundation and numerous United States government agencies and non-governmental organisations.
http://news.naij.com/13468.html

Information reaching 247ureports.com through credible sources indicate that the dreaded Islamic terrorist group, the Boko Haram will be announcing a cease fire. The announcement is expected to come by 3pm via the YouTube video.

The cease fire is expected to come with some conditions. It unceratin what their condition will be but our source indicates that the conditions will include -a demand for the federal security authorities to release the entire members of Boko Haram currently in detention, to allow them freedom of worship, compensate them for loses and their dead comrades.

Stay tuned.
http://247ureports.com/breakingnews-boko-haram-to-announce-cease-fire/

The Honourable Minister of Petroleum Resources, driven by the need to strengthen the institutions responsible for Petroleum Revenue Management, commissioned the Petroleum Revenue Special Task force (PRSTF) on 28

February 2012. The goal of the Task Force was to support the programme of the Federal Government of Nigeria in enhancing optimization, probity and accountability in the operations of the Petroleum Industry.

As part of this agenda and the issues arising from the various fiscal regimes existing in the sector, there arose an urgent need to establish the streams of revenue flows from the Petroleum sector to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and design systems and processes which would enhance the accountability of each agency or entity.

The assignment of the Special Task Force is contained in its Terms of Reference and covers the entire Petroleum Value Chain. Accordingly, the Task Force set out to confirm if existing systems, laws, processes and functions across the value chain provide reasonable assurance that revenues from the Petroleum Industry are captured, complete, recorded intact, properly accounted for and that revenue due is demanded and collected.
Terms of Reference

At the inauguration of the Petroleum Revenue Special Task Force, the following Terms of Reference (ToR) were communicated:

1. To work with consultants and experts to determine and verify all petroleum upstream and downstream revenues (taxes, royalties, etc) due and payable to Federal Government of Nigeria;

2. To take all necessary steps to collect all debts due and owing; to obtain agreements and enforce payment terms by all oil industry operators;

To design a cross debt matrix between all Agencies and Parastatals of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources;

4. To develop an automated platform to enable effective tracking, monitoring and online validation of income and debt drivers of all Parastatals and Agencies in the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources;

5. To work with world-class consultants to integrate systems and technology across the production chain to determine and monitor crude oil production and exports, ensuring at all times, the integrity of payments to the Federal Government of Nigeria; and

6. To submit monthly reports for ministerial review and further action.
Scope and Methodology

Since its inauguration, members of the PRSTF have approached the assignment with all the seriousness that it deserves. In carrying out its ToR, one of the initial activities performed by the PRSTF was to obtain both written and verbal presentations from the various stakeholder groups within the Petroleum Industry. This was to enable the Task Force to understand the challenges faced and the type of reforms that are required. This was all carried out with a view to determining and optimising the nation s revenue streams from all sectors within the industry.

The Task Force members also visited and reviewed selected agencies and operators, supported by the Consultants, for the period spanning 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2011 in line with the Statute of Limitations. Two workshops were also held to aid information gathering process with respect to key issues of Metering and Measurement in the Oil & Gas Sector Value Chain, and Security in the Oil and Gas Sector.

Apart from several plenary meetings to receive briefings, analyse gathered information and deliberate on findings, the Task Force also operated through constituted two (2) ad-hoc subcommittees to conduct a detailed review of NNPC s and DPR s roles in petroleum revenue management.

Five (5) standing subcommittees were also formed and conducted detailed assessments followed with recommendations in specific areas relevant to the overall ToR. Specifically in pursuance of ToR 2, the Task Force through the Security and Enforcement Subcommittee also liaised with relevant agencies to validate the status of outstanding debts identified in the course of the forensic review, and to demand payments where deemed necessary.

Revenue Review and Debt Verification Findings

The Task Force in pursuance of ToR 1 and 2 conducted activities to determine and verify all Petroleum Upstream and Downstream Revenues due and payable to Nigeria; and took all necessary steps to collect all debts due and owing.

It was determined that the main petroleum revenues due to the national treasury in respect of oil and gas activities in Nigeria are:

Domestic Crude Oil Sales, Equity Crude Oil Sales, Gas Sales, Refined Petroleum Products sales, Profits from NNPC subsidiaries, Petroleum Profits Tax, Company Income Tax, Signature Bonus, Concession Rentals, Royalties from Oil and Gas, Gas Flare Penalties, and Miscellaneous Oil Revenues.

The Task Force s key findings are presented below according to these revenue streams.

1. Proceeds from the sale of Domestic Crude Oil

As at 31 December 2011, N843 million1 was due to the Federation in respect of Domestic Crude Oil allocations. The amounts outstanding as at 31 December 2011 represent amounts due for the months of September 2011 to December

2011. In view of the 90-day credit period, the outstanding amount as at 31 December 2011 was not due for payment.

The Task Force received representations from the NNPC and other relevant agencies on the Corporation s practice of deducting amounts for subsidy-related expenses prior to remittance of these revenues. In the course of the Task Force s work, we did not receive sufficient justification for the practice which does not accord with the law, with particular reference to the Constitution.

1 PRSTF is aware that further settlement should now have reflected providing figures as at April 2012

Our review of the records received for 2002 to 2011 showed an inconsistent pattern in the implementation of the policy to allocate 445,000bpd allocation to NNPC, with variances found for the ten years reviewed.

The Task Force also compared the average price per barrel payable by NNPC for Domestic Crude with the average weekly prices for Nigeria Bonny Light, Forcados, obtained from the Energy Information Administration (EIA). The review revealed that over a 10 year period (2002 2011), the State may have been short paid by an estimated sum of US$ 5 billion, although it was understood from discussions with NNPC officials that the pricing of domestic crude oil was based on international prices. Enquiries from NNPC revealed that up until October 2003, NNPC was granted fixed price regimes which explain the wide disparity in prices in the earlier years.

The Task Force found that the exchange rates used in arriving at the Naira equivalent of the amounts payable differed from the CBN rates for six (6) of the ten (10) years reviewed. The potential underpayment of amounts payable to the Federation Account over the 10- year period is estimated at N86.6 billion. Also, the Task Force s review of the domestic crude utilisation showed that the percentage not refined in- country ranged from between 50% to 88% over the 10 year period.
2. Proceeds from Equity Crude Oil Sales:

Equity Crude represents government s share of crude oil production (excluding domestic crude) obtained mainly from three (3) arrangements: Joint Operating Agreements (JOA) with IOCs, Production Sharing Contracts (PSC) and Service Contracts. Equity Crude Oil proceeds are remitted into the Federation account as export proceeds, DPR accounts as Royalties and FIRS accounts as Petroleum Profit Tax.

The Task Force observed that there is no single point accountability for the income and expenditure streams of upstream petroleum operations, compounded by the current structure of NNPC such as multiple roles executed through NAPIMS and its COMD.

A decline was also observed in national investments that would increase the nation s proven reserves. Accordingly, despite the increase in crude oil production in Nigeria over the years, the nation s entitlement has decreased as a result of various alternative funding arrangements for its upstream investments.

The Task Force found that legislation governing the industry and agreements with third parties are outdated, do not reflect current economic or legal realities; or include ambiguous clauses. Also, there are some provisions within the legislation that could significantly improve government s revenue that the government is yet to take advantage of. Examples include a provision to ensure that the share of the Government of the Federation in the additional revenue shall be adjusted under the Production Sharing Contracts if the price of crude oil at any time exceeds $20 per barrel; and the requirement for a periodic review of provisions in specified time frames.

It was also observed that some traders lifted crude oil although they were not listed on the approved master list of customers who had a valid contract and were selected through an annual bidding process. The Task Force research also found that quite a number of traders did not demonstrate renowned expertise in the business of crude oil trading.

Furthermore, the Task Force found that the use of crude oil traders was contrary to the global trend wherein national oil companies develop their own trading arms, such as the various NNPC trading subsidiaries which currently have limited capacity. The Task Force identified various concerns in this area with Nigeria being the world s only major oil producer that sells 100 percent of its crude to private commodities traders, rather than directly to refineries. Various submissions to the Task Force demonstrated the potential for lost margins to middlemen, manipulation of pricing, suboptimal returns and market fraud as emanating from this policy and practice.

A review of NAPIMS s audited financial statements as at 31 December 2009 showed that Joint Venture cash calls payable was N459.568billion. Since 2006, government has not allocated enough funds to cover these amounts and NNPC has entered into a range of borrowing arrangements referred to as Alternative Financing Arrangements with the costs of financing this debt (estimated at around 8%) continuously mounting. This cycle will continue to increase in the coming years unless a systemic solution is found.

As JV partners there is a need for the effective management and oversight of oil companies operating costs which affects revenues accruable to Nigeria. There is also a clear training, technology and human capacity gap between NAPIMS staff and their counterparts in the private oil and gas sector.
3. Proceeds from the Sale of the National Entitlement (Gas):

The Task Force aided by the Consultants identified a total of N137.572 billion ($946.878 million) due to the Federation from SNEPCO representing the proceeds of gas sales from the Bonga oil field; according to the NNPC (NAPIMS) Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2009.

For Liquefied Natural Gas, the price observed at which the feedstock gas is sold to NLNG seems too generous, compared to prices obtainable on the international market. The estimated cumulative of the deficit between value obtainable on the international market and what is currently being obtained from NLNG, over the 10 year period, amounts to approximately US$29 billion.
4. Proceeds from Sale of Petroleum Products:

From the Task Force s review, NNPC is owed N27billion including current debt, total overdue, disputed debt and total debt outstanding, by the major marketers of petroleum products. We also found that amounts payable to suppliers of petroleum products, as at 31 December 2011 amounts to approximately US$3.6 billion, of which US$2.7 billion represents amounts outstanding for over 365 days. The Task Force also observed that pipeline product loss has steadily increased over the years.

5. NNPC and Subsidiaries:

From review of the latest available audited financial statements (2009) it was noted that NNPC has sixteen (16) subsidiaries. The financial performance of the Corporation and its subsidiaries in 2009 shows the Group had a deficit of approximately N298billion for the period. Various reviews conducted by the Task Force showed that the NNPC does not receive the required capital to grow its assets or meet operating costs. NNPC has therefore increasingly relied on the FGN for lines of credit, and deduction of oil revenue due to the Federation Account. In our review, the legal basis for this practice was unclear.
6. Signature Bonus:

The Task Force found that discretionary decision-making in the award of oil blocks can result in revenue losses for Nigeria. Our review also showed that the management of past bid rounds has resulted in lower demand and fewer qualified bidders, uncompleted deals weakened government returns, and lower development of acreage.

The DPR provided the task force with information indicating that 67 licenses were awarded between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2011; with an outstanding balance of $566 million unpaid in signature bonuses. For the 7 discretionary allocations reviewed, the Task Force found $183million outstanding and due to the nation s treasury. We were however informed that of the total $749m outstanding in signature bonuses, $321m was legally disputed.
7. Concession Rentals:

The Task Force found that $2.9million represents outstanding amounts to be collected by the DPR from the various concessionaires. However, we also observed inconsistencies in records provided by DPR in respect of information and schedules regarding the list of concessions.

8. Royalties (Crude Oil and Gas):

The Task Force found that $3.027billion was outstanding from the operators for crude oil royalties as at 31 December 2011 per the DPR s records. Of this amount, the DPR had stipulated that ADDAX is liable to pay $1.5billion royalties under the 2003 fiscal regime and there is currently a dispute between Addax and NNPC on the one hand, and the DPR on the other. In the course of the review, the Task Force also encountered differences in records of payments made to the CBN vis- -vis DPR records, and lack of independent gas production and sales data.
9. Gas Flare Penalties:

The Task Force found that the DPR is currently unable to independently track and measure gas volumes produced and flared and depends largely on the information provided by the operators.

We also observed that the periodic reconciliation meetings with the operators to address the gas flare volumes were delayed with only 6 completed of 36 at the time of our review.

The total revenue from gas flaring during the review period was $175million with the balance outstanding as unpaid was approximately $58million indicating that $115million had been received by the DPR. We however reviewed payments received by the CBN in respect of gas flare penalties. However a review of CBN records showed that $137million was received between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2011. The DPR was not able to reconcile the $115 million to the $137million.

Lastly, operators have not compiled with the recent Ministerial directive signed on 15 August 2011 increasing the gas penalty fee from N10.00 to $3.50. The operators have continued to flare gas at the rate of N10 and records at the DPR reveal that none of the companies have paid any gas penalty fee in 2012.
10. Miscellaneous Oil Revenues:

The Task Force was unable to obtain a comprehensive miscellaneous oil revenue schedule from the officials of the DPR, although a review of CBN s records provided some information albeit with unexplained variances. The amounts due in respect of the various fees relating to the miscellaneous oil revenues are also not reflective of the current economic realities.

Revenue Losses in the Nigerian Petroleum Industry The Task Force identified sources of revenue losses in the industry, with a view to identify opportunity areas for major reform in boosting resources obtainable from the sector for national development. These include the following.

1. Crude Oil Theft and Associated Revenue Losses: Hydrocarbon theft was found by the Task Force as being a major and chronic source of revenue loss to Nigeria. Theft of crude oil and refined petroleum products may be reaching emergency levels in Nigeria.

The Task Force observed various estimates by International Oil Companies and Government officials of the scale and volume of crude theft which ranged from 6 to 30 percent of production. While the Task Force does not endorse any of the numbers it received, we note that it could actually be as high as 250,000 barrels per day closer to 10% of daily productions amounting to as high as N1 trillion annually. This issue therefore requires immediate attention.

2. Lost Refined Products and Associated Revenue Losses

The Task Force did not receive comprehensive figures documenting volumes of refined products stolen or spilled. NNPC reports that thieves stole 3.2 million metric tons of products from its pipeline network between 2001 and 2010 and that about 40 percent of products currently channelled through pipelines are lost to theft and sabotage.

PPMC also recorded 4,468 product pipeline breaks in 2011, 98 percent of them from sabotage; and values the products stolen from its pipeline network between 2001 and 2010 at N178 billion.

3. NNPC Withholdings for Costs Associated With Theft and Sabotage: NNPC withholds oil revenues from the Federation Account to cover costs associated with theft and pipeline sabotage.

4. Pioneer Status granted to Indigenous Companies

The Task Force was informed that at least five companies: Allied Energy, Midwestern Oil & Gas, Brittania Oil Nigeria Limited, Suntrust Oil Company Nigeria Limited; and Niger Delta Petroleum Resources Limited2 have been granted pioneer status by the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (with others pending or undetected) for their exploration and production activities.

The Task Force finds that the granting of pioneer status to oil operators for an activity that is well established for over 40 years inappropriate. The loss of revenue from the grant of pioneer status to oil operators is an avoidable loss and it is recommended that any such further consideration be stopped forthwith and the current ones set aside and or revoked.

1.Collateral Social Costs of Theft:

The Task Force also found that certain social costs emanated from crude oil theft and considered them important and requiring urgent attention. These include environmental

2 The argument that the status is appropriate for exploration and not production is untenable and self-defeating because once it is accepted that production is already being carried on in Nigeria the same goes for exploration pollution and its socioeconomic impacts, armed piracy, and lost investment in the sector leading to revenue losses.
Debt Collection

Based on the detailed review of outstanding debts owed to the Federation, the Task Force determined outstanding amounts for royalties, signature bonuses and concession rentals. Pursuant to an initial understanding of ToR 2 of the PRSTF, relevant government agencies were invited to assist in a debt collection drive, and invitation and demand letters were sent to over 47 oil companies allegedly indebted to the nation. We have recommended that government pursue debts further in any manner deemed appropriate.

However during the debt reconciliation exercise, the sum of USD$5,830,261 was paid into the treasury of Government with evidence of payment, while several companies made undertakings to pay at later dates.
Automation of the Nigerian Petroleum Industry

The Task Force identified Information Technology and business automation gaps, by carrying out Current Position Assessments of the stakeholders within the Oil and Gas production value chain, including government regulatory

parastatals. The assessment scope covered three broad categories namely Core Business Systems, Reporting Capabilities and Automation Capabilities of these entities.

Our findings showed that there were evident automation gaps in the oil and gas value chain specifically in key agencies under the Ministry of Petroleum Resources/ Department of Petroleum Resources that are vested with the mandate to produce Oil and Gas, licence, keep and update records, supervise petroleum industry operations and ensure payment of rent and royalties.

Additionally, the PRSTF reviewed the state of metering and measurement in Nigeria s oil and gas value chain vis- -vis best practices. The challenges identified with the current metering and measurement regime can be summarised as a lack of adequate vision and ownership required to articulate and drive a cohesive implementation of IT and Automation in MPR and DPR.

The Task Force identified the following specific challenges with the metering and measurement regime:

• Dependence on manual data gathering processes

• Low level infrastructure at remote locations

• Lack of regular and systemic well testing

• Inadequate data and IT infrastructure among industry players

• Inadequate MIS reporting and dashboard capabilities in existing systems

• Disparate systems with differing data, nomenclature among operators

• Diverse data requirements from Government agencies

• Multiple and strong stakeholders with divergent interests

The Task Force also found inconsistent oil and gas data across the petroleum industry. These inconsistencies in information were sighted across the major agencies and parastatals of the MPR as well as with the oil and gas operators themselves.
Recommendations

In order to address the findings and issues above, the Task

Force has developed the following recommendations which Government should implement to address the issues identified and their root causes.

1. Strategic Management Recommendations

From a strategic viewpoint of the Task Force s review and the findings discussed above, the Task Force recommends the following:

• Set up a process, independent of NNPC, to review the use of oil traders and NNPC s system for selling crude, on grounds of value for money and probity.

• Undertake a strategic review of all NNPC subsidiaries before the PIB passes, with a view to privatizing, repositioning or scrapping non-performing, redundant or irrelevant business units.

• Require a full public report by NNPC of the amount, cost and terms of all cash call debts; improve reporting of this information to the National Assembly as part of the annual budget and oversight process.

• Pass an oil sector transparency law that requires all oil companies active in Nigeria to report all payments, costs and earnings for each license or transaction, and to publish all contracts and licenses.

• Create a special, properly-trained Oil and Gas Sector Financial Crimes Unit for law enforcement

• Appoint a new NEITI Board, now long overdue.

Members should be sector experts with a commitment to transparency, and civil society should appoint independent representatives.

• Establish an embedded and independent office of transformation for the sector with a fixed term and

3 The EFCC is one government agency with skill sets to develop this specialised area of law enforcment

specific mandate to carry through recommendations and transformational reforms accepted by government.

• Implement an aggressive debt collection process for outstanding signature bonus payments; revoke blocks from non-paying firms; sanction those agencies that failed to collect.

• Conduct an independent process audit of all upstream cost control rules and mechanisms, including the use of cross-country price benchmarking.

• Amend the 1984 Special Tribunal (Miscellaneous Offenses) Act to strengthen the legal framework for oil theft and other sector crimes.

• Arrest and prosecute perpetrators and financiers of illegal bunkering rings.

2. Production

• Production data for fiscal purposes should be obtained at the flow stations where crude oil is stabilised and not at the terminals as is currently the practice.

3. Domestic Crude Sales

• No deductions should be made from the amounts payable to the Federation Account.

• Domestic crude oil should be sold at international competitive prices.

• FGN should block leakages in the conversion to finished goods process of NNPC.

• There should be full compliance by NNPC with prevailing CBN exchange rates for remittance of crude oil proceeds.

• The Federal Government should revisit the Domestic Crude Oil Business Model

4. Equity Crude Oil Sales

• Restructure NNPC for single point accountability for Petroleum Revenues

• National investment in the oil and gas upstream sector must be managed from a strategic focal point

• Ensure full compliance of all agencies and companies with existing legislation

• Regularise Crude Oil Lifting Under Contract

• Ensure open competitive selection process for crude oil sales

• Review the nominations process for all the Joint Ventures

• Ensure and institute proper review of all draft contractual agreements

• Adequate funding of the Federation s investment obligations

• Create standard terms and conditions and uniform terms of contract agreements

• Proper and realistic budgets and approvals should be prepared annually

• Capacity Building should be embarked upon for NAPIMS in terms of optimal number and appropriate skills and training level of staff

• Ensure uniformity of the realisable prices used by all parties

• Carry out adequate review of the purchase or lease option for production equipment

5. Sale of the National Entitlement (Gas)

• Draw up master agreements for the development of all potential gas reserves in Nigeria

• FGN should ensure that written consents exist for gas for all assets

• FGN should intensify efforts to get the other LNG projects up and running

• FGN to carry out a comprehensive review of its NGL/LPG entitlements under the Agip and Shell Joint Ventures

6. Signature Bonus

• The FGN should expedite action with respect to the blocks in dispute in order to ensure that the $321million outstanding is collected.

• DPR should take further actions against the concessionaires that are yet to pay the amounts due ($167million) within the remit of the law.

• Proper record keeping should be enforced at the DPR

7. Concession Rentals

• DPR should take action and enforce collections of the amounts due of $2.9million within the remit of the law.

• The DPR should put in place measures to ensure consistency and accuracy of custodial information relating to oil and gas concessions

8. Royalties (Crude Oil and Gas)

• DPR should take action and enforce collections of the amounts due of $3.027billion from relevant operators within the remit of the law.

• DPR should make a demand for the outstanding Addax/NNPC Royalties payments of approximately $1.5billion on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the consequences of default should immediately be visited on the contract and the relevant parties.

• DPR should instruct the CBN and operators to ensure the proper description of all revenue remittances in order to facilitate easy reconciliation.

• DPR should independently track and record gas production and sales data

• DPR should ensure that all reconciliation process with all the outstanding gas producing companies is concluded before the beginning of the next fiscal year.

9. Gas Flare Penalties

• DPR should independently track and record gas flare volumes

• The reconciliation process should be expedited for all operators to ensure timely collection of the gas flare penalty amounts due.

• DPR should take action and enforce collections of amounts due as gas flare penalties within the remit of the law.

• Enforce the new gas flare penalty directive as a disincentive to gas flaring.

• The FGN should put more effort in enforcing a zero gas flare policy by the beginning of the next fiscal year.

10.Miscellaneous Oil Revenues

• The DPR should employ the use of proper IT systems and databases to keep its records and ensure consistency and integrity of information across the organisation.

• The Fee and Licensing regimes for operating in the Oil and gas sector should be reviewed to reflect the current economic realities in the Oil and Gas industry

11.Removing the Source and Outlets of Revenue Losses

• Explore Fingerprinting of Nigeria Oil to enable tracking.

• Establishment of a transparent whistle blowing and information portal as an independent and transparent repository of information on petroleum revenue losses, sabotage, and illegal activity.

• Implement a deliberate policy on market ban of participants in crudIe oAil theftL

• The Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007 should be amended to criminalize withholding payment of petroleum revenue after due date and assessment and a notice of demand.

12.Automation of the Nigerian Petroleum Industry

1.Department of Petroleum Resources

• The DPR should work with Galaxy Backbone and competent consultants to review on-going projects, NDR and NPMS, and also develop a strategic IT blueprint for the organization.

• DPR and MPR should commence the implementation of a portal that aggregates and presents in real time all relevant information about the operations and performance of the oil and gas industry.

• An ERP Solution should be put in place to capture and automate the identified backend processes in DPR.

• DPR, based on its mandate should build a Data Warehouse which would serve as a hub for gathering vital data about the industry and disseminating reports in various formats to government stakeholders. A framework and implementation roadmap to full automation of measurement and metering should be developed in a collective effort involving DPR and the operators with oversight from MPR.

2.Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation

• The implementation of SAP should be expedited to fully automate key processes especially relating to revenue generation, processes feeding and pulling data to external parties.

• The NNPC’s culture, end user work ethics and employee resistance to change all need to be managed extensively for the SAP implementation to be a full success.

• The SAP implementation should be independently monitored from the Ministry to track and ensure that the strategic objectives are met.

3.Central Bank of Nigeria

• A quick win solution would be to study and automate the NXP forms with a view to track shipments and track repatriation of export proceeds.

• The existing CBN systems should be interfaced with other systems in the various relevant agencies in order to provide an overview of all revenue reporting and enable timely reconciliation between organizations.

1.Nigeria Customs Services (NCS)

• The existing NCS system should be integrated with other systems in the various relevant agencies in order to provide an overview of all revenue reporting and enable timely reconciliation between organizations.

1.Full automation of the Petroleum Industry

The PRSTF has recommended a way forward for the full automation of the Petroleum Industry. Key features of the proposed metering and measurement regime in particular are shown below.
First Bank Online
http://247ureports.com/full-text-of-nuhu-ribadus-oil-subsidy-report/

NPF, if its not stray bullets then its a drunk officer if its not then its police brutality God if its not then its police execution.....

Nigerian Looters' Anthem

The Looters’ Anthem
Arise O Lootatriots
The looter’s call obey
To loot our fatherland
With greed and zest and verve
The booties of our looters past
Shall never be recovered
To steal with patience and vigour
One nation ruled by bandits
Crooks and bribe-takers.....

O God of subsidy
Protect our bribery scams
Guide our looters right
Help our greed the loots to steal
In debts and terrorism we grow
And looting day and night
Fat foreign reserves plundered
To build a nation where luck
And cabals shall reign

PLEDGE:
I pledge to the umblerra of my party
To be greedy, clueless and corrupt
To loot Nigeria with all my strength
To defend our lootitude
And uphold our mansions and billions
So let us loot

Conference

, so indirectly no hope for steady power supply

Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) will spend a total sum of N1.126 billion on refreshment and meals as well as another N843 million on generator fuel, the 2013 budget proposal has shown.

The breakdown of the allocations to various MDAs shows that the Ministry of Education will receive N20 million for generator fuel, N10.6 million for refreshment and meals; Culture and Tourism, N3.16m for generator fuel, N41.57m for refreshment; Defence, N23.7m for generator fuel, N14.2m for refreshment; Environment, N11m for generator fuel, N2m for refreshment; Federal Civil Service Commission, N24m for generator fuel, N180m for refreshment; Federal Character Commission, N6m for generator fuel, N8m for refreshment; Finance, N65m for generator fuel, N44m for refreshment; Fiscal Responsibility Commission, N4.9m for generator fuel, N4.7m for refreshment.

In the same vein, Agriculture Ministry gets N5.9m for generator fuel, N3.2m for refreshment; Communication, N5m for generator fuel, N18m for refreshment; Foreign Affairs, N66.8m for generator fuel, N75m for refreshment; Code of Conduct Bureau, N3.6m for generator fuel, N10m for refreshment; Aviation gets N13m for refreshment; Transport gets N11.6m; Wages Commission gets N6.5m for refreshment; Petroleum Resources gets N35.5m for refreshment; Power gets N8.7m for refreshment; Special Duties gets N4m for refreshment; Water Resources gets N19m for generator fuel.
http://www.channelstv.com/home/2012/10/15/2013-budget-ministries-get-n1-billion-for-refreshment/

Senate President David Mark and Speaker Aminu Tambuwal came under fire from the Presidency yesterday over their comments on Wednesday in which they criticised President Jonathan for poor budget implementation. Presidential assistant Doyin Okupe said the National Assembly leaders were merely grandstanding and were deliberately trying to discredit the Jonathan administration.

At the budget event on Wednesday, Mark told the President not to expect the lawmakers to “robotically pass budget estimates as presented,” while Tambuwal said the 2012 budget implementation had not been impressive.

But at a news conference in Abuja yesterday, Okupe, who is Jonathan’s senior special assistant on public affairs, said Mark and Tambuwal’s statements were unnecessary.

“What was clearly a masterly presentation of a commendable development agenda…was nearly marred by some unnecessary scathing remarks by the leadership of the National Assembly,” Okupe said.

“Let me state emphatically that the president and his administration do not expect and has never ever conceived the idea that in a healthy democracy, the National Assembly would just rubber stamp whatever is presented.

“It is quite clear that this is not a high handed administration and is not dogmatic in any way. In a healthy democracy there is exchange of ideas and deliberations over various national issues until reasonable agreements are made.”

Okupe also criticised Mark for saying that the budget figures were “mere estimates”.

“The budget represents the mission, intention and the definitive steps that the government intends to take over the next twelve months and we felt that referring to it as mere estimates demeans the quality of the document itself,” Okupe said.

In his statement on Wednesday, Tambuwal had said reports from House of Representatives committees that monitored 2012 budget implementation showed that the execution level and the funds releases were poor.

“This statement cannot be wholesomely acceptable if you look at the background and how they hurriedly packaged the oversight visit. In one week, the assembly had gone round the whole country and quickly completed oversight function and come to that conclusion,” Okupe said.

He added that the claim of poor budget execution was a deliberate attempt by the National Assembly to discredit the Jonathan administration, arguing that the late passage of the budget should have been considered.

“This budget became law at the end of 2012 so it has just been implemented for the past five months only. A budget is expected to last for 12 months but because of the late passage, it was only implemented for five months,” he said.
http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/index.php/other-sections/lead-stories/178754-presidency-fires-back-at-mark-tambuwal

…Set up panel

The House of Representatives on Thursday set up an eight-member panel to investigate the payment of N140.9 billion to Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria by businessman Femi Otedola.

Speaker Aminu Tambuwal named the members of the panel to investigate the transaction which took place during the end of legislative year recess of the House.

The Minority Leader of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, heads the panel.

Other members are Sani Kalgo, Idris Wase, Jerry Manwe, Pally Iriase, Muraina Ajibola, Evelyn Ojakovo and Uzo Azubuike.

The House had criticized the N140.9 billion debt settlement deal between Otedola and AMCON, saying the transaction was suspect.

The payment, which was credited to AMCON’s managing director, Mustafa Chike-Obi, was Otedola’s outstanding debt to the corporation.

Obi confirmed that AMCON board approved the transfer of Otedola’s assets as well as undisclosed cash to the corporation as full payment and final settlement of his liabilities.

The House, however, said the transaction was done with “confidentiality and secrecy” and that “the National Assembly would be interested in getting full details of the transaction.”

According to the House, the procedure was unacceptable.

“It is curious that AMCON, being a government establishment, which is under the purview of the National Assembly, could do that without the knowledge of the House,” Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Zakari Mohammed, had said.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe has faulted some of the comments made the leadership of the National Assembly during the presentation of the 2013 budget by President Goodluck Jonathan.
Speaking in Abuja on Thursday, the President’s aide disagreed with positions of the Senate President d and Speaker of the House of Representatives, that the presidency expects the national assembly to ‘rubber-stamp’ the budget as they drew the battle line ahead of approving the Appropriation Bill.

According to Dr Okupe, what the president deserves is not condemnation but commendation.

He also emphasized the president does not disregard the resolutions of the legislature.

House boy

Meanwhile, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, in his response to Dr Okupe, stated the president’s aide is “dabbling into areas where he is totally ignorant about.”

The Speaker in a response “there’s limit to being errand boy” signed by his media aide, Malam Imam Imam, stated that “the uncouth manner in which he replied elected representatives showed his apparent lack of respect to the legislature as an institution.”

“The entire remarks he made gave him out as an overzealous official doing a hatchet job in order to be relevant in the scheme of things” the Speaker stated.

Mr Tambuwal further explained that remarks made by the leadership of the national assembly were in conformity with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, adding that all the statements were backed by facts and figures from field studies by the legislators and expert advises.

Islamist sect Boko Haram and Nigerian security forces might have committed crimes against humanity during three years of conflict that has killed at least 2,800 people, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said yesterday.

Crimes against humanity are offences that can lead to prosecution by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Boko Haram says it is fighting to create an Islamic state in Nigeria, and its fighters have killed hundreds in bomb and gun attacks since launching an uprising in 2009. The sect has become the No. 1 security threat to Africa’s top energy producer.

The report documents multiple cases of abuses by Islamists, including brutal killings of Christian civilians and the assassination of Muslim clerics who criticise them.

Some of these attacks were “deliberate acts leading to population ‘cleansing’ based on religion or ethnicity”. The ICC defines crimes against humanity as grave offences that are “widespread or systematic”.

There was no immediate reaction from Boko Haram.

The report also accused Nigeria’s joint military and police joint taskforce (JTF) of “physical abuse, secret detentions, extortion, burning of houses, stealing money during raids, and extrajudicial killings of suspects”.

“Despite allegations of widespread security force abuses, the Nigerian authorities have rarely held anyone accountable … further solidifying the culture of impunity for violence.”

The study came as Nigeria’s military tried to fend off accusations of a shooting spree in the insurgent stronghold of Maiduguri on Monday that residents say killed at least 30 civilians.

Asked about the report, JTF spokesman for Borno state, of which Maiduguri is the capital, reiterated a statement on Wednesday that there was no evidence of such abuses.

“There is no established or recorded case of extrajudicial killing, torture, arson or arbitrary arrest by the JTF in Borno state”, where most of the violence has occurred, he said.

“It is important to state that terrorists killed were during gun battles with the JTF troops”, not executions, he said.

The military campaign against Boko Haram has had some success – limiting Boko Haram’s ability to carry out large scale attacks, but the heavy-handedness has angered locals.

“These killings, and clashes with the group, have raised the death toll of those killed by Boko Haram or security forces to more than 2,800 people since 2009,” the HRW report said.

The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, has opposed the establishment of state police, saying that Nigeria is not ripe for it.

He said this at the opening of the public hearing on the Review of the 1999 Constitution held by the Senate Committee on Constitution Review, in Abuja on Thursday.

Stakeholders also differed on the creation of more states and a return to regional structures in line with the existing six geopolitical zones.

Representing the IG at the hearing, Chief Superintendent of Police, Mr. David Akpour, said the only problem of the police was that of funding, arguing that if the force was well-funded, it would be alive to its responsibilities.

He said, “It is not in the interest of the country to establish state police. Nigeria is politically immature for state police. As God cannot satisfy everyone, so the police cannot satisfy all.”

However when asked if he knew any country that operates a unitary system of government with a centralised police, Akpour could not mention any.

He however said that Nigeria was remarkably different from other countries operating state police. While making his presentation before the committee, former Nigerian Bar Association President, Olisa Agbakoba, canvassed devolution of powers to regions created along the “six natural ethnic geopolitical framework.”

According to him, a unicameral national legislature is ideal in the proposed structure which will be responsible for dealing with national issues, while the regions would have their legislature to tackle matters affecting them.

He argued that the implications would be that the devolution of power would affect the judiciary, where the regions would have their judicial authority and autonomy.

He said, “For Nigeria to get it right, we have to agree that centralising judicial and legislative powers just cannot work. We have so much centralisation of power in one central government at Abuja, we can only get things right by massive devolution of power.”
http://www.punchng.com/news/ig-rejects-state-police-agbakoba-backs-regionalism

joeydozzy: stop misleading the public

Is Mother Monster pregnant with a Little Monster?!

She's certainly put on a few pounds - in a good way, she looks great - of late, and not that she knows anything, but Kelly Osbourne thinks Lady Gaga is pregnant. The outspoken Fashion Police star has been discussing the singer's recent fashion choices and lack of bleach in her hair, claiming all the evidence points to Gaga expecting a child.

'I think she is pregnant because she has been covering up this part of her body recently and I have been noticing that a lot,' she said on Alan Carr's Chatty Man.

'And her style has changed and you can't bleach your hair blonde when you are pregnant.'

Read more celebrity gossip at: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/09/lady-gaga-pregnant-or-drunk-dieting/#ixzz28udRjoEo

Gunmen on Wednesday morning shot dead two officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps along Madobi Road at the outskirt of Kano city.

Another officer was seriously injured in the attack, state FRSC Sector Commander, SA Zaki told Daily Trust.

The men were on morning patrol near Sani Abacha Youth Centre building when the attackers, who were riding on a motorcycle, fired on their official vehicle. One officer escaped the attack unhurt.

Men of the Joint Task Force (JTF) operating in the state were said to have cordoned off the scene of the attack for possible arrests.

The killing occured less than 24 hours after gunmen shot and killed two policemen escorting vaccinators in another part of the state.

http://dailytrust.com.ng/index.php/news/178565-gunmen-kill-2-road-safety-officers-in-kano

When a young lady suddenly begins to vomit, the elders have a way of suspecting that she may have taken in. At Lady Gaga’s age, it is out of place to suspect so. Nevertheless, the sensational musician did something close to that on stage on Saturday.

Online sources say Gaga tossed her cookies, mid-song on stage in Barcelona on Saturday night at the Palau Sant Jordi arena. According to Buzzfeed, she was singing The Edge of Glory, the 23rd song of her regular 24-song set.

She tweeted out a link to the YouTube video of it, saying, “Was praying nobody saw but actually it’s quite a good laugh if you need one!”

Kelly Osbourne has shared her thoughts about Lady Gaga's recent weight-gain.

The child of reality TV star Ozzy suspects Stefani Germanotta could be carrying a Baby Gaga

She was speaking to Alan Carr for his Channel 4 chat show when she revealed her theory.

'I think she is pregnant because she has been covering up this part of her body recently and I have been noticing that a lot.

Rumours about Gaga being pregnant began a few weeks ago when she was seen throwing up backstage at a gig in Romania.

She has been dating Vampire diaries hunk Taylor Kinney since late last year.

However, Kelly's comments came before the Born This Way singer was seen smoking a joint during a gig in Amsterdam.

The fact that the New York-born star was lighting up casts serious doubt on theories that she is expecting.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2206147/Kelly-Osbourne-claims-Lady-Gaga-pregnant.html#ixzz28uhbdX8s
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Bakassi no more with us, People kids are killed in various part of the country, flood sacking people from their communities and also taking life's of Nigerian and all this clown has to offer is wat Showing us a pic of some girl dressing mute in a boat!!!!!!!!!!! How has dat got to effect people and the country. There are beta issues to post and get views or comments from people than posting this thrash. if you ain't got wat to post pls stay

Chelsea and Nigerian midfielder, John Obi Mikel has made foray into music with the setting up of a label named Matured Money Minds.

To prove his seriousness the Champions League winner with Chelsea last season, has signed on four acts, Splash, Kido, Edgar and Charass.

With the help of his younger brother Patrick Obi, the 25-year-old football star has set up his Matured Money Minds (MMM) entertainment label and has already signed a couple of music acts

Mikel who has a relationship with P-Square, is hoping to take music promotions in Nigeria to another level. Mikel was born in Jos, a City that has produce great acts like P-Square, MI and Ice Prince.

“Mikel had always showed his love for music. Setting up a label is just a confirmation of his desire to contribute to the growth of the industry in Nigeria,” said a source.

It was gathered that the artists on the label have already cut their album and full promotions are in the pipeline to promote and make then rub shoulders with the biggest artistes in the music industry in Nigeria. The acts include: Charass, Kido, Edgar, and Splash. Mikel’s younger brother, Patrick will be in full control of operations.

A prosecution witness in the trial of former Minister of the FCT, Nasir el-Rufai, Mr. Sunday Idowu, insisted that the ex-minister illegally allocated plot 1201 to his family members, the News Agency of Nigeria reported on Tuesday.

Idowu, an EFCC officer, who led the investigations which facilitated the arraignment of el-Rufai and two others, said the accused revoked the land belonging to the PHCN and allocated over 10 plots to himself and friends.

Arraigned with el-Rufai are Altine Jibrin, former Director-General of the Abuja Geographic Information System and its former General Manager, Ismail Iro.

The EFCC is charging the trio for abuse of public office and illegal conversion of a land meant for the construction of transmitting/injection sub-stations of the PHCN in Asokoro.

They were also alleged to have conspired and converted plot 3352 located in Maitama, belonging to NIPOST for the construction of district post office.

El-Rufai is accused of allocating 10 plots of land in Asokoro District in various sizes to his family members, including his two wives, Hadiza and Hasiya.

The EFCC claimed that he committed the offence between 2003 and 2007.

At the resumed hearing presided by Justice Abubakar Umar of the FCT High Court, Idowu also said that during the investigation, he did not come across any letter from PHCN asking the FCT minister to reduce the parcel of land.

Idowu, during cross- examination by Chief Kanu Agabi, counsel for Iro, said he did not come across any letter written by the PHCN that it no longer required the land for a 330kva corridor at the site.

He said it was not only the 10 family members and friends of el-Rufai that were named as beneficiaries of the land allocation on plot 1201.

Idowu said the daughter of a former Executive Director of the FCDA, Alhaji Mohammed Alhassan, also benefited from the allocation.

During further cross- examination by Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN), counsel for el-Rufai and Jibrin, Idowu agreed that the power to allocate and revoke land in the FCT was vested in the minister.

He also agreed that a minister of the FCT and his/her family members had a right to own land anywhere in the country.

Regarding the revoked NIPOST plot in Maitama, Idowu said it was meant for a Post Office, but he did not know the terms of allocation.

He said he was also not aware that NIPOST sought a declaration to void the revocation, or that NIPOST’s civil action was pending before the criminal case was filed.

Idowu also denied knowing that NIPOST had leased the land to Rosehill, a private firm to develop the area.

He affirmed that he read the statement of el- Rufai; but when told that the first accused disclosed NIPOST’s lease to Rosehill in that statement, Idowu said he could not remember everything about the case.

When asked why the Rosehill lease was not investigated, Idowu said NIPOST did not disclose it.

Further testifying, Idowu said he did not know that Rosehill requested el-Rufai to transfer the NIPOST allocation to them, but he conceded that the FCT minister has the right to allocate and revoke land titles.

Justice Umar adjourned further hearing in the case till November 8 for the EFCC to produce its witnesses.

Theresa Ibori, the wife of jailed former Nigerian state governor James Ibori, was on the list of deadbeats who altogether owe British taxpayers “a staggering one billion pounds,” according to a new report.

Senior lawyers called on ministers to look “urgently” at whether new powers were needed to collect the unpaid debts.

Mrs. Ibori’s name appeared along with major drug importers, fraudsters and other serious criminals who are among more than 7,000 convicted offenders that must still pay back their unlawful gains.

“These are very worrying figures,” said Keith Vaz , chair of the Commons home affairs select committee of the unpaid debt totals. “They show that it is far too easy for major criminals to hold onto the profits of their crime. These serious offenders are escaping proper punishment and, even worse, they are being left with large sums of money which they can use to fund further crimes.”

Mrs. Ibori still owes just under £5 million of a court order imposed for her role in a £50 million fraud committed by her husband, despite owning a home in Hampstead and missing a deadline for repayment that ran out in May.

k2039: This man is just ranting.

Who will try them,(they never born person wey go try them)

Any thing is possible especially with such a sensitive issue like this one..

PROFESSOR Anya Oko Anya, 75, pioneer chairman of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG) and 1992 National Merit Award winner is sad over Nigeria’s handling of the Bakassi Peninsula and insists that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) would reverse its 2002 judgment ceding the territory to Cameroon if the Nigeria appeals the verdict with prevailing facts and documents. (Vanguard Newspapers )

He wants former heads of state, retired Generals Yakubu Gowon and Olusegun Obasanjo, who signed off and ceded the territory respectively to Cameroon to take part in the recovery efforts because they might be charged with treason in future. Excerpts:

The Bakassi matter

Bakassi is a very unfortunate development for Nigeria. It is also not a very good advertisement for our leadership. Nations develop military power. The whole armed forces is established to protect the territorial integrity of the nation. Serious nations don’t cede their territory except in war; in peace time, no nation cedes its territory.

ICJ judgment can’t stand

There are three reasons why the International Court of Justice judgment on Bakassi cannot stand. The reasons are historical, international law and the concept of patriotism.

History -The Efiks are a major tribe in Nigeria and historically have been on the Atlantic Coast. Bakassi has always been part of the Efiks without a war. In 1884, the British entered into a treaty with the Efiks, which included Bakassi. There would not have been a treaty if there was no ownership.

International law

It does not make sense to cede any part of Nigeria. Arnold Smith, former Commonwealth secretary general is alleged to have said in his memoirs that he was surprised at the ease with which General Yakubu Gowon appeared ready to handover Bakassi to Cameroon. He was alleged to have raised the matter with Gowon, who told him that he wanted to make sure that Biafrans are denied access to the sea in case of a future war. That shows hoe serious he was about ending the war and reconciling Nigerians.

Gowon is said to have said it wasn’t true. Anyway, Gowon could have wished to cede Bakassi to Cameroon but he could not have effected it and he did not effect it for two reasons.

One, the matter of delineation of boundaries and ceding of territory must be bound by an agreement and a treaty. A treaty cannot be valid or binding on a nation unless it is approved or ratified by the sovereign authority, which in most cases is the Parliament. Under Gowon, no treaty was presented to the Supreme Military Council, SMC, which wielded executive and parliamentary powers at the time. So, there was nothing that could have been effected.

Then came President Olusegun Obasanjo, who signed the Bakassi Green Tree Agreement, GTA. His case was worse because it was during a civilian era and the National Assembly was in place. A Head of State can reach an agreement with a foreign power but that agreement has to be approved by the National Assembly, which has the sovereign authority.

Beyond that, subjecting yourself to the authority of the ICJ is by choice, it is not mandatory. That is why the US does not recognise the ICJ on any matter of national interest. So, why did Obasanjo agree to go to the ICJ? It was not necessary and mandatory.
There is an opinion that either now or in the future, Gowon and Obasanjo would be accused of and tried for treason because you don’t give away your territory.

Turkey came and seized part of Cyprus because it has not been recognised by anybody. The world cannot allow it or else the world would be an unstable place.

Another dimension to the treaty of 1884 between the Kings of Calabar and Great Britain is that it was concluded between two sovereign people and it pre-dated the Vienna Convention of 1885. So, the 1913 agreement with Germany has to return to the source, 1884, which does not support it. In international law, laws follow earlier laws, which set precedent.

So Bakassi has always been administered as part of Nigeria. The people of Bakassi took part in all election before and after independence. They were not treated as part of Cameroon as the 1913 agreement claimed. Even if it was in the trusteeship agreement, there is a clause that says you cannot change the trusteeship agreement without going to the people through a plebiscite or referendum to determine where they want to go. The right to self-determination still exists. You must consult the people of Bakassi and that has not happened. You can’t just remove them from their ancestral land and settle them elsewhere as if they are stones.

Lack of compassion

There is a surprising dimension to the whole issue. The dimension is that those of us, who claim to be Christians like Gowon and Obasanjo, should have compassion, an important character of a Christian is compassion. If you have compassion, you will ask: have been compassionate towards our brothers and sisters in Bakassi? The answer is no. It is not only Gowon and Obasanjo, even the press and other Nigerians are guilty because they have treated the matter as if it is not a matter of great interest.

That shows we have not learnt lessons from the civil war and because we have not recognised those lessons we are repeating them. We treat problems affecting other parts of the country as ‘it is their problem, it is not our problem.’ We cannot continue treating problems like that if we want remain as a united country. In a united country, a problem affecting one part is treated as a collective problem.

The press has not shown much interest. In the effort to evict Bakassi people from their ancestral home, Nigerians have not asked themselves what they would do if they were in Bakassi’s shoes.

We have to learn a lesson from the US, who are prepared to go to war over one American citizen. Even when an American commits a crime, they will fight that the American should be repatriated and tried at home under American law.

Bosnian war, America mobilised to Bosnian to rescue on American. If you have a country that is prepared to go to war because of you, why won’t you give your life for that country? We are talking about patriotism and reward of citizenship. By donating Bakassi, your territory to another, what are you telling Nigerians? You are telling Nigerians that no Nigerian is worth anything. How do you expect the citizen to be patriotic in that circumstance?

We must defend our territory and recover Bakassi. Looking at the map of Africa, we often say God has shaped Africa like a gun and Nigeria is the trigger and in Nigeria, the actual point where the trigger is, is Bakassi. It is important to recognise the significance of that. Bakassi is so strategically located that anybody who controls power there can control the Southern Atlantic.

Why is France, Britain and US so interested in Bakassi? Nigeria with the potential to develop into a major power will be in a position to control what happens in the Southern Atlantic, therefore

The solution

The Nigerian government must immediately respond to what has happened by inviting the ICJ to revisit the Bakassi issue. The bases for such requests are:

First, ICJ expects you to come back if you are not satisfied within 10 years of th judgment, which will expire in October.

Secondly, the decision of the ICJ was not even unanimous. Three dissenting judges -Madagascar, Senegal and Jordan, faulted the judgment of their colleagues. If it were a split decision then, you will win now if the ruling is appealed with facts and developments that were not available then.

We should approach the appeal with our A Team, a competent team to handle the case. With due respect to Chief Richard Akinjide, the issue of Bakassi were not issues he had first hand experience. Even if he had, he needed insight because the matter had legal, cultural, historical and strategic dimensions. So, the Nigerian team should have had the best that Nigeria has in those areas.

An authority in Nigeria and in the world on the history of Bakassi; the interactions of people of that area with the metropolitan authorities; interactions of traders that live in the area is Dr Walter Ofonagoro. His Ph.D Thesis at Colombian University dealt with the treaties in that area.

I understand that when the matter reared its head during late General Sani Abacha era, Abacha sent Ofonagoro to the United Nations with source documents to show that Cameroon had no leg in Bakassi and matter died until Obasanjo came. The question is, did anybody consult Walter before going to the World Court? I doubt.

Finally, one must say there is a huge political dimension to the problem, which the current Nigerian government must be aware of.

The political dimension is while it could be easy for Gowon and Obasanjo to take a decision relating to Eastern Nigeria in a whimsical and cavalier manner, politics will not favour President Goodluck Jonathan, to take that kind of decision because he is an easterner. An easterner cannot be at the helm to rubber stamp the donation of an eastern territory to a foreign country. It is a dilemma for Jonathan. Even if he fails, history will record that he tried.

Dealing with issues like this intellectual power. Nigerian governments don’t pay enough attention to harnessing the intellectual power of the nation. We must do so in this case because we don’t have an alternative to Bakassi.

We must appeal to Gowon and Obasanjo to be involved in the crusade for restoration of Bakassi to Nigeria. It is a matter of simple personal interest. It is beginning to happen where people, in other parts of the world, are called to account for what they did 20, 30 years after they left office. They can say, ‘I made mistake, how do we solve the Bakassi problem?’ The problem will not vanish, future generations will ask questions

Naija is just a lawless country!!!!!!!! are we waiting to hear his run running nuclear war heads or the weapons he sold is the one that killed a high profile citizen before the take the matter serious?

Unidentified gunmen tonight killed the Borno State commissioner of Justice, Barrister Zannah Mallam Gana. Sources said Barrister Gana was killed by suspected members of Boko Haram sect in Bama.

In what appeared to be a major victory against the Boko Haram sect, the Joint Military Task Force confirmed, yesterday, that the sect’s spokesman, Abu Qaqa, has been killed, while two other members were arrested after a shootout between the sect and security operatives. There were, however, different accounts on how the encounter took place.

According to one account, quoting an official of the task force, the shooting occurred yesterday morning in Mariri, a town southeast of Kano, where soldiers stopped a vehicle with the sect spokesman, the commander, the spokesman’s wife and their children, the official said. It was not clear what happened next, though the official said soldiers shot dead both the commander and the spokesman. The wife and children remain in military custody.
The wife told soldiers the men had accompanied her to Kano as she sought medical help. The military official was said to have spoken on condition of anonymity as the information was not to be made public yesterday. Lt. Iweha Ikedichi, a military spokesman in the region, later told journalists that soldiers had only killed one man, the Boko Haram spokesman. However, the official who spoke to The Associated Press had been at the scene of the attack and offered further details about the scene.

A different account said a team of the Joint Military Task Force stormed the hideout of the sect in Hotoro area of Kano municipal where one of the commanders of the sect was killed, while two other members were arrested during the combat operation.

Vanguard was told that the military action followed intelligence report indicating the presence of high profile sect members, who had been on the wanted list of security agents in the area.

The source further revealed that the daylight operation involving several infantry and counter terrorism officers was swift and ended within half an hour.

The sources, however, refused to divulge the identity of the “top commander” killed during the operation and those taken into custody, pointing out that “what mattered at the moment is the success recorded during the military action”.

Residents were apprehensive when a military helicopter was seen hovering the skyline of the city indicating a major military operation.
JTF confirms operation

Confirming the arrest, JTF spokesman in the city, Lt. Ikediche Iweha told Vanguard on phone that “we carried out a raid this morning around Hotoro general area where we killed a member of a terrorist group and arrested two during the operation”

Lt Iweha, however failed to clarify the identity of the top commander killed and those arrested. He only said that “we don’t have their nominal roll and can not say who was killed and arrested but investigation would certainly reveal their identity.”

Meanwhile, Kano city and environ were generally calm after the operation as business activities resumed while there were increased activities in all the military check points in the city.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/09/boko-haram-top-shot-killed-jtf/