₦airaland Forum

The Chairman of Nigeria’s Code of Conduct Tribunal CCT, Danladi Umar was for wrong reasons in the news for much of last week. Interestingly, the issue at stake had nothing to do with his assignment of determining the level of adherence of public officers to the official code of conduct required of them. Instead, the story was about his interaction in a market-place, with one Clement Sargwak, a security guard at the Banex Plaza in Abuja.

Umar had gone there in his private capacity as a citizen to transact some business which ended up in a case of assault. Several analysts who have dwelt extensively on the story have placed sufficient focus on blame game, making it superfluous to further engage in a rehash of that line of thought. What is yet to be done, is to enumerate the effects of the story on our nation’s growth and development. This is precisely what this piece seeks to do today in the hope that some...

https://leadingreporters.com/code-of-conduct-in-the-market-place/

Australian scientists found that bodies kept moving for 17 months after being pronounced dead.
Researchers used photography capture technology in 30-minute intervals every day to capture the movement.
This study could help better identify time of death.

We’re learning more new things about death everyday. Much has been said and theorized about the great divide between life and the Great Beyond. While everyone and every culture has their own philosophies and unique ideas on the subject, we’re beginning to learn a lot of new scientific facts about the deceased corporeal form.

An Australian scientist has found that human bodies move for more than a year after being pronounced dead. These findings could have implications for fields as diverse as pathology to criminology.

https://leadingreporters.com/australian-researchers-say-dead-

A group, League of Patriots has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and other anti-corruption agencies to launch a probe on the alleged diversion of funds, using “loyal” staff accounts by the Director General of National Lottery Regulatory Commission NLRC, Lanre Gbajiabiamila.
In a petitioned from the group signed by its National and Diaspora Conveners, Abdul Madaki and Williams Diokpa respectively, the group alleges that financial records obtained by them revealed that Lanre Gbajiamile uses trusted staff to rout out funds running into hundreds of millions.

https://leadingreporters.com/breaking-group-petitions-anti-corruption-agencies-to-launch-a-probe-on-gbajiabimila/

More Information now emerges on how the former Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Yusuf Buratai and other Service Chiefs plundered the Military Pension Treasury domiciled with Central Bank of Nigeria.

Information uncovered by initially uncovered by PointBlank News revealed that on 31st December, 2020, Buratai and other Service Chiefs, including the leadership of Military Pension Board fleeced a whopping sum of N2.5b the same minute the said sum hit the Military Pension Account No. NGNAS99912100001, domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.

https://leadingreporters.com/exposed-how-buratai-other-service-chiefs-empty-n2-5b-from-military-pension-board-in-24hrs/

In most democracies, the term ‘election’ means far more than its voting segment of casting ballots which many erroneously over-patronize. In truth, election is not an event but a process of inter-related events which must holistically be handled to get an undisputed winner.

Before the casting of ballots, segments such as the registration of voters, the delimitation of electoral constituencies, the nomination of flag bearers through party primaries and electioneering campaigns must be seamlessly concluded. After these, election is still not over until the casting of ballots, collation of votes, declaration of results, inauguration of winners and the settlement of election disputes have been concluded.

Many people lose elections in Nigeria because they fail to appreciate the true meaning and nature of election with its many dimensions. In the last few years, the segment on the settlement of election disputes has seized the front burner of the country’s electoral process as political parties have learnt to devote ample time, energy and resources to the segment.

Many factors have greatly contributed to the elevation of the settlement of election disputes to the foremost election segment in Nigeria. Among the factors are a) commercialized political system which encourages players to adopt a fight to finish approach, b) weak internal democracy in the nation’s political parties, and c) finality of judicial decisions which enables the judiciary to reverse any electoral victory even where the decision upturns the evident verdict of voters.

https://leadingreporters.com/boring-legal-cases-against-governor-obaseki/

Joe Biden’s ability to effectively govern the world’s most powerful country despite his fragile health was a major topic of concern during the 2020 presidential elections.
President Joe Biden on Friday stumbled and fell three times while trying to board Air Force One out of Washington.

Videos circulating on social media from multiple angles show how Mr. Biden, 78, repeatedly stumbled and then fell completely on the stairs.

https://leadingreporters.com/breaking-u-s-president-biden-slips-falls-three-times-on-air-force-one/

Nigeria In Dire Need of Leaders That Understand The Moral Dimension of Leadership In Service Delivery

“If you understand what sound leadership is all about, you’d know that the world, and indeed Nigeria have serious shortage of leaders in the truest meaning of leadership. When I talk about leadership, I do not mean the politicians that mount the podium during campaign and brand themselves “tested and trusted” leaders.

I am talking about leaders who understand the moral dimension of leadership in service delivery; leaders who have conquered selves, egos, and their ravenous appetite to steal from the treasury; leaders who understand the principle of stewardship; leaders who are followers and not bosses; leaders who understand how to optimize human, natural and other resources”.

The above were part of the opening address given by Light I. Shedrack in his talk to members of the Civil Society Organizations during its maiden edition of a two-day capacity building on Leadership/Basic ICT application training for civil society groups in Nigeria organized by Transparency Advocacy For Development Initiative (TADI) in conjunction with National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

Speaking on the topic “Leadership Capacity Building...

https://leadingreporters.com/there-is-shortage-of-leaders/

Discrete information emerging, following the crashed military plane that took the lives of seven personnel, has it that the pilots of the ill-fated Nigeria Airforce Plane Code-named The King Air 350 vehemently refused to fly the plane,
insisting that it was faulty and might not reach target destination, a complain, LeadingReporters learnt was hushed down and branded “insubordination” by the higher authorities with a threat of detention of the officers, if they refused to fly the plane.

A source who spoke to LeadingReporters on condition of anonymity said that the officers have severally complained that the plane needed total overhauling and may pose a flying danger if deployed on any assignment.

The source said that when the position of the lead pilot was made known to the higher authorities in the Nigeria Airforce, an order to detain them in the officers’ mess was given. Their genuine concerned were believed to mean insubordination.

https://leadingreporters.com/exposed-pilots-of-ill-fated-military-plane-were-threatened-with-detention-for-refusing-to-fly-a-faulty-plane/

Organised Labour has tackled the Federal Government over claims of subsidising electricity supply across the country for over N50billion monthly.
The administration of President Goodluck Jonathan privatized the electricity sector in November 2013 and handed it over to 11 distribution companies and six generating companies.

Last month, Minister of Power Sale Mamman, said the Federal Government was paying N50 billion monthly to subsidise electricity across.

But Labour yesterday wondered why the government would pay subsidy for a sector it claimed to have privatized.

Deputy President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, asked the government to come out and tell Nigerians the level of money they were giving to the operators of the sector.

Ajaero, who doubles as the General Secretary of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), asked the government to unmask the real owners of the Distribution and Generating Companies the sector was sold to in 2013.

He spoke at a briefing to unveil the burial arrangements for the late Secretary General of the Medical and Health Workers Union (MHWUN), Dr Silas Adamu.

The MHWUN scribe and his wife and daughter died in a road accident along Abuja-Kaduna.

Ajaero said: “I have never believed that there is subsidy. Let us take the electricity for instance. When it was under NEPA, the tariff was down there; nobody gave NEPA one kobo. And NEPA was running the lowest tariff. It was not subsidised.

“Now you sold it to people and they increased tariff five times and you still tell me you are subsidising it. I think there is something wrong there. And throughout the meeting we told them there is no subsidy.”

“How do you subsidise a commodity that is the private sector? Are they subsiding garri, banana and plantain that are in private houses? Having privatise the sector unless the so called operators are blackmailing them (Fed Govt) and collecting money free from them (government).

“If a product is sold for N10 per kilowatt hour you then privatise and started selling it at N30 per kilowatt hour, with additional N20 and then you say you are subsidising it doesn’t add up. I don’t know where that money is coming from. It is not true.
https://leadingreporters.com/fgn-n50b-monthly-electricity-susbsidy-not-true/

Notable Politicians, Celebrities and Labour Union has kept silent over the increase of fuel by the government from N147 to N212 per litre.

The Country under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari is currently groaning under heavy taxes and levies, insecurity, increase in prices of food stuff and a host of others now grapples with another hardship of fuel increase as long queues at filling stations and increase in transportation fare are seen all over the country.

Following this drama, increase in prices of foods stuffs rose to over 100% due to agitation and ultimatum given by the southwest governors to Fulani herdsmen to vacate their state or face the consequences, in retaliation they (Fulani/Herdsmen) too ban the exportation of major food commodities to the southwest and other parts of the country who are in dire need for food.

While Nigerians still battle with this series of quagmire, they were shocked to the bone when on March, 12, 2021, the price of fuel increased from N147 to N212 per litre.

The Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, (PPPRA) after few hours of the price increase bowed to pressure by deleting an earlier published template announcing that the new price of petrol has reached N212.6 per litre.

https://leadingreporters.com/flash-back-politicians-celebrities-keeps-mum-over-fuel-hike/

Last Wednesday, state capitals across Nigeria witnessed protests by members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) against the plan to remove the country’s minimum wage from her Exclusive Legislative List.
Expectedly, several elite voices have since condemned Labour on the subject. While some, such as governors elected on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, faulted the approach of the workers, others have described the protests as an attempt to stop the legislature from doing its work.

No one appears to remember that the National Assembly from where the bill was initiated is expected to consist of the people’s representatives whose primary obligation is to be on the side of the people. If so, which people in Nigeria requested their representatives to help them remove the minimum wage item from the exclusive legislative list or who are the legislators helping?

Opposition against the bill can hardly be surmounted. Already, many state legislators who addressed the workers’ protest last week expressed support for Labour making the reasoning of those in support of the removal to be unclear to everyone. It is argued that because some poor states may not be able to pay what others can afford, each state should have power to negotiate directly with its workers.

https://leadingreporters.com/nigerias-minimum-wage-labour-has-a-point/

Former Senator representing Kogi West, Senator Dino Melaye has alleged that the Federal Government imported a worse vaccine for Nigerians.
The Senator in an interview with Root TV noted that the Federal Government did not take the interest of Nigerians at heart but imported a vaccine with most side effect and less potency.

According to Maleye, there are four notable vaccines and the least potent of the four is the one Nigeria government imported and the one imported by the Nigerian government has the worst side effect.

“What am saying is that Nigerians deserve the best, Federal government must carry out citizen diplomacy, they must show that they love there citizen and desire the best for there citizens.”

https://leadingreporters.com/covid-19-fg-imported-worse-vaccines-for-nigerians-dino-melaye/

There are indications that President Muhammadu Buhari may have succumbed to pressure to lay off the National Security Adviser Babagana Monguno and his counterpart in the Nigeria Customs Service NCS, Col. Hamid Ali (Rtrd),

https://leadingreporters.com/breaking-presidency-allegedly-scouting-for-custom-boss-hamid-ali-and-nsa-babagana-monguno-replacements/

Banks and other business organization might begin to count their loss following a seven-day ultimatum given to them
by the FCTA Administration to vacate Maitama relocate to the Central Business District or risk being sealed up.

The Acting Director, Department of Development Control, Mr Garba Kwamkur, gave the warning when the department visited the popular Gana Street in Maitama on Tuesday.

https://leadingreporters.com/banks-to-vacate-abuja-choicest-area-in-7days/

In what seems like a deliberate move to further exploit Nigerians by Southern African Companies in Nigeria, the duo of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, AEDC and DSTV have secretly increased their service charges without any formal engagement with the consumers of these services.
While AEDC increased the official fee for acquiring meters, DSTV on the other hand increased the monthly subscription fee for their different menus cutting across all their service range both in DSTV and GOTV.

Both DSTV and AEDC management are dominated by Southern African management. AEDC top management staff are majorly from Zambia while DSTV are owned by South Africans. Both companies have perennial notoriety of exploiting their consumers in Nigeria.

Also Read: Meet the Zambian Who Earns N12Million A Month In AEDC; A Company Partly Owned By FG
Recall that Nigerians over time have been crying out over what it term systematic exploitation by these companies. Unlike what obtains in other countries, DSTV has vehemently refused to charge Nigerians on basis of Pay-As-You-Consume. AEDC on the other hand offer Nigerian consumers abysmal services with unsubstantiated outrageous bills. Most of these bills are estimated unjustifiable bills that have no bearing on the quality of service rendered.

Meanwhile, Nigerians are calling on the authorities to revisit the data with which AEDC bases its billings and remittances to the government. According to a group, League of Patriots for Greater Nationhood, AEDC may be ripping off government with the housing data with which they make remittances.

The group as well requested the anti-corruption agencies of the Government not to be cowed by the legal intimidation by the DISCOs and investigate the allegation that AEDC is cooking up figures, backdating records with the sole aim of increasing their operational costs as a way of justifying poor remittances they make to the Federal Government. The Federal Government of Nigeria holds 40% equity in AEDC.

Speaking after holding a virtual meeting with stakeholders in the power sector, the group Chairman Ahmed Bimji, asserted that the group would mobilize Nigerians against this latest exploitation. The group further blamed the regulatory agency, Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Agency, NERC for not doing anything to protect the interest of the consumers.

Also Read: NERC orders DisCos to increase tariff from January 2020
“NERC from all indication is a toothless barking dog that does not know jerk about patriotism and how to protect Nigerians from the fury of these economic hawks who fraudulent come to Nigeria with the intention of reaping off the people in the name of foreign investors

“We will resist them by mobilizing ordinary Nigerians who bear the brunt of these exploitations. We have on reliable sources that AEDC is currently cooking up figures to justify poor remittances to the FG.

They use expenses to mop up revenue and thus pay a paltry sum to FG. We have gathered all the information and documents we need. We will speak assertively and go to court when it becomes necessary. We will not wait for the government agencies that either play along with these economic hawks or do not know what their jobs entail at best.
https://www.leadingreporters.com/exclusive/amidst-biting-hardship-aedc-dstv-increase-service-charges-on-nigerians/

The Federal High Court Abuja has fixed the 30th of June, 2020 for Judgment in the suit filed by a former Senator representing Kogi West, Senator Dino Melaye against the Infectious Diseases control bill currently before the National assembly.

At the resumed hearing, Counsel to Senator Melaye adopted his final address as he informs the court that some sections of the proposed bill are injurious and capable of affecting the fundamental rights of his client.

Also Read: Never Again: Africa Does Not Need To ‘Burn Down The House’ To Defeat COVID-19
Counsel to the House of Representatives, the Attorney General of the Federation and Inspector General of Police, however, challenged the competency of the suit and the jurisdiction of the court to entertain it, as they insist that the House of Representatives are only performing their legislative duties.

Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, who presided over the matter adjourned the matter to 30th of June, 2020 for judgment.

Also Read: Coronavirus: Buhari, stop this scam!
Senator Dino Melaye had approached the court, challenging the controversial bill targeted at empowering the Nigeria Center for Disease Control and the Minister of Health in times of a global health crisis, sponsored by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila.

The bill seeks to, among other things, make possession of health cards mandatory for international travelers leaving or arriving in Nigeria, like a yellow fever card.
https://www.leadingreporters.com/health/gbajabiamila-infectious-diseases-control-bill-2020-court-fixes-30th-june-for-judgment/

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the suspension of Adams Oshiomhole as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
An FCT High Court had on March 4 granted an application by six members of the APC in Edo State suspending Oshiomhole from office.

A three member panel of justices led by the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem held that Oshiomhole’s appeal challenging his suspension was unmeritorious.

READ ALSO: Edo State: Reign of fallacy as Oshiomhole continues on tactless allegations
This is coming on the same day Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State resigned his membership of the APC, after meeting with Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, the Chief of Staff (CoS) to President Muhammadu Buhari at the Villa.

Obaseki had met with Gambari over his disqualification from participating in the primary of the APC. Obaseki was disqualified by the screening committee of the APC on Friday.

His disqualification was said to be due to discrepancies in his results. Obaseki and his predecessor, Oshiomhole have been at loggerheads over the governor’s second term bid and other issues.

READ ALSO: The factors that may cost Godwin Obaseki Edo State governorship
The feud between Obaseki and Oshiomhole has polarised the party in Edo State. Obaseki asked Oshiomhole to recuse himself from the nomination processes of the primary but the party did not act on his request.

The faction loyal to Oshiomhole endorsed Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as its consensus candidate for the June 22 governorship primary election of the party.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has expressed willingness to accept Obaseki if he decides to join the party but said he won’t get an automatic ticket to run for a second term.

APC govs fail to rescue Edo gov A last-minute meeting convened to discuss the moves to rescue Obaseki has failed as the National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday said that it would go ahead with June 22, 2020 governorship primary election.

The APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, fielded questions from State House reporters yesterday after a meeting with the Chief of Staff (CoS) to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari.

https://www.leadingreporters.com/headlines/court-of-appeal-upholds-oshiomholes-suspension-as-apc-chairman/

Consultant gynaecologist, Dr. Enoch Okpara of the Federal Medical Centre, FMC Gusau have been killed and burnt with tyres in his residence at Mareri in the outskirt of Gusau, the Zamfara State capital by unknown persons.

The incident was said to have occurred last Friday night at his residence in Mareri community.

The secretary of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA Gusau branch described the incident as unfortunate and a huge blow to the medical profession in the state and the country in general.

He said, last Saturday, Dr. Enoch Okpara was not present in a church programme which he regularly attends, thereafter the church officials called his lines and were not going through.
https://www.leadingreporters.com/headlines/bandits-kill-fmc-gusau-gynaecologist-enoch-okpara/

Edo State Governor, Governor Godwin Obaseki, has formally Resigned from the All Progressive Congress (APC).
The governor announced this on Tuesday after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

He made the announcement four days after he was screened out and declared unfit to participate in the APC primary election ahead of the September 19 governorship poll in Edo State.

READ ALSO: After disqualification, Obaseki visits Governors Wike, Udom Emmanuel
On Friday last week, the Screening Committee led by Professor Jonathan Ayuba submitted its report to the party’s leadership after it screened Governor Obaseki who is seeking re-election, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, and four other aspirants.

READ ALSO: A Proverbial Reply To Odubu’s Traducers
The other aspirants include Dr Pius Odubu, Chris Ogiemwonyi, Osaro Obazee, and Matthew Iduoriyekemwen.

More Details coming soon…
https://www.leadingreporters.com/headlines/breaking-edo-state-governor-godwin-obaseki-dumps-apc/

Americans, Others Question Bill And Melinda Gates’ Preference For Vaccines Over Food, Education In Africa.

These are not the best of times for the Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates and his wife Melinda Gate as questions about their preference for vaccines over food and education in Africa have continued to surface at a global scale.

One of those who believe that the Gates have ulterior motives is Martin Armstrong, an American public issue commentator. Mr. Amrstrong via his blog Armstrong economics.com described Bill Gates as being obsessed with his theory on vaccines.

He said Bill Gates is clueless about the real needs and concerns of the people which he said include loss of jobs and means of livelihoods.
He further questioned why Bill Gates limited his interest on vaccines, especially in Africa which major needs are food and creative education.


Just like Martins Armstrong, many Africans are questioning why bill Gate would not fund education, vocations and skills acquisitions among the hundreds of millions of African youths, or even fund organic
agriculture in Africa.
https://www.leadingreporters.com/news/news-2/americans-others-question-bill-and-melinda-gates-preference-for-vaccines-over-food-education-in-africa/

Devil’s Incarnates: Nigeria Police, Civil Defence Officers Collect N5000 Bribe From Residents of Lugbe, Kubwa, Other FCT Satellite Towns For Not Wearing Facemasks


”HOW CAN YOU EXPECT SOMEONE WHO IS IN HIS HOUSE TO WEAR FACEMASK OR HOW CAN YOU ACCUSE A FAMILY SITTING TOGETHER OUTSIDE OF NOT OBSERVING SOCIAL DISTANCING”.

One of the residents who spoke to LeadingReporters Lead Investigator asked why crying of parting with over N20,000 to Nigeria Security Personnel as bribe to gain his freedom.

Nigeria Police and their counterpart in Civil Defence’s perennial notoriety of harassing, intimidating and coercing hapless and vulnerable Nigerians into parting with their hard earned money on grounds of enforcing orders has once more come to the fore. This time, Abuja residents, mostly in Satellite towns of Kubwa, Lugbe, Nyanya and other places are constantly at the receiving end of this reckless brutality and intimidation.

These security men are now going into satellite villages, arresting residents on grounds that they were not staying indoors or wearing facemasks. These men, especially from the Joint Task Force Team who embark on these criminal activities are said to be collecting N5000 from everyone arrested.


Some of the residents who spoke to this platform narrated how they parted with as much as N25,000 as bribe to have their family members released from the hands of security officers, popularly called the JTF. One of the residents who requested that his name should not be mentioned recounted how he and his family members were resting in front of their house when suddenly these security men swooped on them.

“We were just sitting in front of the house when suddenly the security men made of police and civil defence swooped on us, claiming that we were violating social distancing. We are a family. Social distancing does not involve families that live together.

We tried to explain to them, but they pushed us into the waiting vehicle with others. No one there wore facemask. Not even the security men. We were jam-packed like sardine fishes with everyone rubbing each other’s’ body. They seized all our phones, out of fear that we may call or record their activities. I spent a total of N20,000 to gain my freedom and that of my children. That money was the money, the last of which I kept since we are not sure when this sit-at-home will last

Another respondent said they were arrested right in front of their shops in Lugbe on grounds that they did not wear mask.

“We were sitting in front of our shop. Suddenly, people began to run and they swooped on us (Police and Civil Defence Officers) that we were not wearing facemask, before you knew it, they whisked us away and forced us to pay between N3,000 and N5,000 before we were released. The worse is that they usually jam-pack everyone together in their vehicle. Ironically, the people arresting you did not cover their own noses and mouths. Again, is it not the height of irresponsibility to pack people together in a vehicle when you are arresting them for not wearing facemask and keeping social distancing?

“We call on the authorities to warn these officers who have turned the global misfortune into a money-making venture. People are grieving for the loss of businesses and jobs, people cannot even feed and these men are here robbing people with a gun in the name of enforcing orders. Which orders are you giving when you cannot provide for your citizens in this trying time?

https://www.leadingreporters.com/news/lead-news/devils-incarnates-nigeria-police-civil-defence-officers-collect-n5000-bribe-from-residents-of-lugbe-kubwa-other-fct-satellite-towns-for-not-wearing-facemasks/

Uncovered: How Access Bank Uses Its UK Account To Aid PENCOM’s Fraudulent Activities; Over N1trn May Be Missing From PENCOM Account

Ag. Aisha Dahiru Umar-led National Pension Commission PENCOM is currently sailing in multiple corruption allegations, including diversion of Pension Funds, operation of an illegal account with Access Bank UK, including the whereabouts of a controversial sum of N33billion

which was released from the Central Bank of Nigeria into PENCOM account No 0020165241027 on 28th April, 2017.

This staggering sum of N33b and the whereabouts of another N22billion have been shrouded in secrecy and uncertainty. Information obtained from the office of the Accountant General of the Federation and Central Bank of Nigeria confirmed that the said amount N33b and another N22billion was released into PENCOM’s account, but LeadinReporters investigation revealed that the movement of the money became questionable the moment the money left CBN to PENCOM’s account, which they code-named “Transit Account” as the amount received from CBN never tallied with the amount claimed to have been disbursed to Pension Administrators.


Meanwhile in another development, reports exclusively obtained by LeadingReporters revealed that the N9trn so-called pension net value may be a hoax after all, as the amount available in Pencom’s account is a far cry from the amount being brandished. Many stakeholders are expressing concern that Nigeria pensioners may wake up one day only to discover that their pension have plunged irrecoverably.

One of the groups calling for investigation into the said claim is the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association NECA. NECA in their submission to a previous probe panel has raised alarm that the acclaimed N9trn net worth of PENCOM may be far from what obtains. The group further expressed fears that even if PENCOM’s net worth are the amount claimed, it is not safe in the hands of the current Aisha Umar-led PENCOM, a regime that have operated without Board members for years.

One of the many behind-the-scene activities of PENCOM is the illegal account which it operates with Access Bank United Kingdom. The said account, according to this media platform’s investigation is believed to be a conduit and one of the many phony accounts of PENCOM through which illegal diversion of funds is perpetrated.

According to the investigation carried out by LeadingReporters, the account was ordered to be closed in 2013 through a Presidential Directive, after it was confirmed that Access Bank UK has become a conduit through which PENCOM fund is fleeced. But the account, which PENCOM claimed is not linked to them has been found to be very much active with financial activities occurring in the account currently.

Worse is the fact that all remittances and financial activities in the PENCOM Access Bank UK account are not linked to the Single Treasury Account, TSA.

https://www.leadingreporters.com/investigation/uncovered-how-access-bank-uses-its-uk-account-to-aid-pencoms-fraudulent-activities-over-n1trn-may-be-missing-from-pencom-account/

Nigerian Security Printing And Minting Plc: The New Cash-Cow Being Milked By Emiefele’s Loyalists: MINT MD/CEO May Head NDIC

The fortune of Nigerian Security, Printing and Minting, MINT is currently on a downward trend under its current Managing Director Mr. Abbas Masanawa.
MINT, as the company is popularly known is now run by gang of thirsty hawks, mainly Emiefele’s boys and loyalists right from his days at Zenith Bank.

These men are more concerned with bleeding the company than building it. For instance, the Katsina State-born Managing Director, Mr. Masanawa-led NSMP board has concluded plans to increase the remuneration of the board members and key staff by 60%, while a paltry 15% salary increment is being considered for staffs who toil under excruciating working condition every other day, including Sundays to keep the company running.

Aside from that, the current NSMP Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director have suspended a series of incentive programmes initiated by his predecessor that saw an upward surge in productivity and profitability. Instead, he is diverting the benefits to himself and his gang-men, while productivity and profitability keep dwindling. Again, the company board structure is so one-sided. Again, Mr. Masanawa has resumed the era of unnecessary casualization of staff.
https://www.leadingreporters.com/investigation/nigerian-security-printing-and-minting-plc-the-new-cash-cow-being-milked-by-emiefeles-loyalists-mint-md-ceo-may-head-ndic/

For those who know Governor Ahmed El-Rufai, they’d tell you that the Kaduna State Governor is audacious, impudent, loquacious, cunning and let me add, smart. But it all depends on your concept and definition of “Smartness”.
Some say, El-Rufai is not smart, but an opportunist whose stock in trade is to use what he knows about people to curry favour from their enemies. He was believed to have used what he knew about his former principal and the one who brought him to political limelight, Alh. Atiku Abubakar to curry favour from Obasanjo. He warmed himself into the heart of Buhari by betraying his allies. Today, he is among those who silently call the shot in President Muhamadu Buhari-led APC Government.

However, his critics say his penchant for betraying people may have propelled him to the height he is currently relishing politically, but the same action, they believe may bring him to an abysmal political end since it is almost glaring that he cannot be trusted. Tomorrow is as uncertain as ever. The view held by man is that at the appropriate time, President Muhammadu Buhari will receive a bit of El-Rufai’s vituperations and betraying tendencies. After all, Governor El-Rufai has tongue-lashed Buhari in the past where he described him in the most inhuman way.

Back to the threat of gang-rape from Bello El-Rufai, one of the insolent sons of El-Rufai, Bello only did what his father is notorious about. Threats, reckless utterances and larger-than-life attitude. Perhaps he took it a bit farther than his father. This is because, overtime, Governor Nasir El-Rufai has been seen lambasting and hauling insults on those who he detests either on grounds of religion or other social differences.


Former President Goodluck Jonathan received the height of El-Rufai’s vituperations. El-Rufai described the former President in every detestable word and coined dehumanizing phrases to ridicule the former President. He once described Jonathan as a leader who took delight in mortgaging the future of newer generation by incessant borrowing. Today, it is on record that Jonathan borrowed nothing when compared with President Buhari’s attachment for foreign loans to solve the least national problem. Today, El-Rufai has gone numb in calling a spade by its name. Buhari is his kinsman who shares the same religion and region with him. Governor El-Rufai is that religious and sectional.

Like father like son, Africans will say, Bello El-Rufai displayed the height of irresponsibility when he left his country’s failing leadership to haul insults on a President of a country with the largest economy and better social ratings whose rating and whose rating among his citizens has never been and will never be as woeful Nigeria leaders from the Federal to the Local levels. El-Rufai’s grown children have overtime displayed attitudes that make one easily conclude that they are morally moribund.

Governor El-Rufai’s cravings for insults, intolerance and threats rub off on his children. His grown kids are known to be sadistic brats who believe that money and the political status of their father can shield them from everything. To this end, they have, like their father become untamed in their utterances, and restive in their quest to hurt others. In fact, they believe brutality and threat are integral part of wielding power. They make threat at will.

They do not bother about the consequences. They believe, or they have been nurtured to believe that power is all you need to crush your enemies and those who do not see things through your eyes. Like their father, the vice of brutality, religiosity, and sectionalism rage in them. It could be seen from the way they talk, threaten and attack those who hold dissenting views. They lack the virtue of tolerance. They believe that things must always be the way they want it and anything outside the way they want it must be resisted, even if means using any devious means to achieve same.

The recent rape-threat and tribal vituperations from El-Rufai’s son is a tip of the iceberg. It is the least he has done. He did not threaten what he could not do or what he has not done before. He threatened from the point of knowledge and expertise. They are children raised with that level of permissiveness where they function in a way different from what they profess.

This is not the first time the young El-Rufai is furiously attacking those with dissenting voices, neither is it the first time he is showing vice of violence. The El-Rufai’s are notorious of finding fault in others, but they resist those who tend to find and expose their own faults. The El-Rufais’ emotional intelligence equals nothing. They are simply heck of temperamental critics who lousily lambast others but would go extra miles to ensure that those who criticize them are severely dealt with. This seems a genetic anomaly within the El-Rufai’s.

https://www.leadingreporters.com/opinion/governor-nasir-el-rufai-and-some-of-his-children-share-genetic-notoriety-of-insolence-and-bigotry-part-1/

Study sponsored by drug’s developer Gilead finds dozens of patients, including some on ventilators, improved after 10 days of treatment
Experts urge caution due to small size of study and serious side effects reported in some cases
A preliminary report on COVID-19 patients treated with the experimental drug remdesivir suggests that the antiviral medication may lower the risk of death in severely ill patients and improve the condition of patients relying on a range of devices for breathing assistance.
The safety and effectiveness of remdesivir as a treatment for coronavirus infection is being tested in clinical trials in the United States and around the world. Those studies will rigorously compare the drug against a variety of standard treatments to determine whether its benefits are real, and come without side effects that could put vulnerable patients in further danger.

The report published Friday in the New England Journal of Medicine is among the first to detail the results of remdesivir use in patients whose conditions were meticulously recorded and tracked for 28 days. Among the study’s 53 patients, three-quarters got a full 10-day course of the drug and the remainder took it for between five and 10 days.

Seven, or 13%, of the 53 patients died. That includes six of the 34 patients who were receiving mechanical ventilation or the support of a blood-circulating bypass device when the study began; the death rate in this more severely affected group was 18%.
https://www.leadingreporters.com/health/goodnews-experimental-covid-19-treatment-remdesivir-shows-promise-in-a-study/

Exposed: How Current FIRS Chairman Covered Criminally-Indicted Mohammed Auta; Bought Him A Brand Latest Peugeot;


. Auta Allegedly Under Probe For Ownership of Over 10 Buildings in Abuja built for Him By Julius Berger Nigeria Plc

The new Mohammad Nami-led Federal Inland Revenue Service FIRS may not be different from his predecessors who turned FIRS into a mafia organisation where so much is purportedly achieved but so little remitted to the Federal coffers, our investigation has revealed.
Mr. Mohammed Auta is one of the top management staff of FIRS who was indicted for massively leveraging on his position to enrich himself. It is believed that Mr. Auta may have acquired more than 20 choice houses in highbrow areas of the Federal Capital Territory and elsewhere.

He may be among the richest public servants in Nigeria. But instead of prosecution, Mr Auta has been rewarded by the new Chairman of FIRS with a brand new latest Peugeot with registration number FIRS 439.
https://www.leadingreporters.com/investigation/exposed-how-current-firs-chairman-covered-criminally-indicted-mohammed-auta-bought-him-a-brand-latest-peugeot/

The Coronavirus (Covid-19) was said to have stated for the city of Wuhan in China where many feared dead and others fully recovered.
The Virus believed to have started in Wuhan speedily spread to other Nations with a serious effect on the world economy and general well-being.

How about some good news…?

https://www.leadingreporters.com/news/lead-news/coronavirus-good-news-outweighing-bad-and-fearful-news/

Nigeria Lady Writes Trump “There Is Soleimani The Second In Nigeria” That Requires Your Urgent Attention

A Nigerian lady named Okoyeocha Nkechi has taken to her Facebook page to thank the United States President, Donald J. Trump for his effort at eradicating global terrorism.
She thanked her specifically for drone-striking Soleimani and other terrorist elements. Nkechi went further to urge President Trump to beam his light in Nigeria as, according to her, there is Soleimani the second in Nigeria who leads the Boko Haram terrorist group that requires the urgent attention of Donald Trump.
https://www.leadingreporters.com/news/lead-news/nigeria-lady-writes-trump-there-is-soleimani-the-second-in-nigeria-that-requires-your-urgent-attention/

Abandoned $70m, N170m NDDC Fund: Is Akpabio Ridiculing Nigeria Anti-Corruption Agencies?

It was in the news most recently that NNDC abandoned $70million and another N170m in undisclosed banks. The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, and former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio made the claim.
He went further to say that the banks came forward to make these confessional statements to him on phone the moment a forensic audit was ordered on the accounts of NDDC by President Muhammadu Buhari.
But the million-dollar question is, on whose account was the money abandoned? Individual account or NDDC account? Senator Akpabio did not tell us that.
https://www.leadingreporters.com/opinion/abandoned-70m-n170m-nndc-fund-is-akpabio-ridiculing-nigeria-anti-corruption-agencies/

Charity or Foolishness?: Gov. Obiano’s Wife Caught In USA Showering Money, Food On US Homeless

There is a popular saying that charity begins at home. But for the Governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano and his wife Ebelechukwu Obiano (Osodieme),
charity is better done in a distant shore as the wife of the Governor was recently caught in far away, Houston USA showering money, gifts, and food to the America homeless.

Many respondents have described the act as unimaginable and ridiculous, more especially at this point in time when poverty, hunger and lack are ravaging the greater number of Nigerians.

A respondent while speaking to this online platform wondered why Obiano and his wife would always be in the news for the wrong reason.

https://www.leadingreporters.com/news/lead-news/charity-or-foolishness-gov-obianos-wife-caught-in-usa-showering-money-food-on-us-homeless/

How Senator Abaribe Blindfolds And Denies His Constituents Good Governance With His ”I Bailed Nnamdi Kalu Mantra”

Nigeria’s elected representatives of Igbo extraction are full of deceits. In fact, the nonchalant attitude, the wetin-concern-me posture and the political naivety of the Igbos vis-à-vis politics has done them more harm than good.
https://www.leadingreporters.com/opinion/how-senator-abaribe-blindfolds-and-denies-his-constituents-good-governance-with-his-i-bailed-nnamdi-kalu-mantra/