₦airaland Forum

• APC governors reiterate call for FG's intervention, to wade into N’Assembly crisis
Chuks Okocha and                     Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

Governors of the 36 states of the federation will meet today to consider proposals for a possible bailout for states with financial difficulties, especially those unable to pay workers’ salaries.


Also, the governors are expected to discuss their dwindling monthly allocations from the Federation Account and the status of the Excess Crude Account (ECA).


Last month, governors on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had met with President Muhammadu Buhari requesting a bailout to enable them pay the backlog of salaries to workers in the states.


Already, workers in Osun, Enugu, Ekiti, Benue and Ebonyi States have embarked on strike over the inability of their state governments to pay their salaries.


In a statement by the Director General of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Asishana Okauru, he said: “I have been directed by the Chairman, Governor Abdullaziz Yari, to invite you to a meeting of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum holding as follows on Wednesday, June 17, 2015 at 10 am at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.”


He listed the agenda for the meeting to include: brief by the chairman, update on the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) and ECA, proposal for bailout to states, and a revenue enhancement scheme for states, among others.


In their last meeting last month, the former chairman of the forum, Chibuike Amaechi, in a communique said the governors asked the former Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to account for the money that accrued to the ECA from 2013 to 2015.


Specifically, the governors asked the former finance minister to account for over $20 billion that was saved in the account between May 2013 and April 2015.


In response to their demands, the minister published a schedule of how funds from the ECA were utilised by the federal, state and local governments during the period.


She reminded the governors that despite her advice that money in the ECA should be saved for a rainy day, the states had insisted on spending most of the savings.


She also reminded them that she repeatedly advised the state governments to make the payment of workers’ salaries a priority, but they ignored her, thus leading to the present backlog of unpaid wages.


Ahead of today’s meeting of the NGF, THISDAY learnt that APC governors under the auspices of the Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF) met in the Imo State Governor's lodge in Abuja while their counterparts from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also met in the city last night to articulate their position on the bailout for the states.


A notice of the meeting of the PDP governors made available to the media yesterday stated that the governors would also elect a new chairman for the PDP Governors’ Forum.


The notice signed by the coordinator of the forum, Onaiwu Osaro, said the Governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko, who was the deputy to the former chairman, Godswill Akpabio, would be elected to lead the forum by his colleagues.


The meeting was also expected to deliberate on the state of affairs of the former ruling party, following the recent resignation of its national chairman, Adamu Mu’azu.


The PDP governors’ meeting, which started at 9 pm yesterday, had eight of its 13 governors in attendance.
Those present included Mimiko, Capt Idris Wada (Kogi), Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Mr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi) and Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom).


The governors of Delta and Bayelsa States were represented by their deputies.
Also, rising from their meeting last night, the APC governors reiterated their call on the federal government to provide funds to enable them pay the outstanding salaries of their workers and meet other necessary obligations.


Addressing journalists after the meeting which lasted for over five hours, the Chairman of the PGF and Imo State Governor, Chief Rochas Okorcha, conveyed the concern of the governors over the state of the economy and called for urgent attention by the federal government.


“We the governors of the progressive party met today to review the state of the economy. We also met to review the issues as it affects our great party.


“First, on the economy of the nation, we are concerned and worried by the dwindling revenue of the states which today has affected negatively the lives of our people.


“It has become so serious and urgent action must be taken for a bailout for the states. States are not getting better either. We sat down to review what steps could be taken.


“We are calling for an overhaul of the system to block all the leakages in our economy.
“We have realised that what we are going through today is as a result of the poor management of our economy in recent times. The APC government met a near empty treasury. This has become very worrisome, not just for us, but for the entire nation.


“We have some natural challenges in the country because of the drop in the oil price and the issue of oil theft. There are other issues like the crude swaps.


“We have the gas revenues which has never been reflected before. We have the mismanagement of oil subsidy. A few years ago, we paid about N200 million (for subsidies). Today, it is about N1.4 trillion. We are worried,” he said.


Okorocha also stated that the forum would wade into the crisis trailing the election of the new leaders of the two chambers of the National Assembly.


“We also have congratulated the leadership of the National Assembly. We are aware that the process led to a disagreement. We, the governors of the party, have resolved to embark on a peace process to make sure that we return as members of one family that we have always been.


“We have also discussed how to strengthen our party. This is the party that brought change and that change must stand. We will make the party meet the desires of our great members.


“We are assuring Nigerians that we will remain focused and address some of these issues,” he said.
The meeting was attended by 16 governors of the APC.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/governors-meet-today-seek-bailout-to-pay-salaries/212244/

SaAbbas:
Dullard /pronounced/ (du~`lla¿rd) is an eastern word says by individual especially those who are from baby factories when they wanted to insult highly respected leaders.

Fool from Soka forest

Buhari the Duara Dullard aka BabaGoSlow aka certificateless general

Dullard on it again

From SEGUN OLATUNJI, Abeokuta

Police in Ogun State have arrest­ed no fewer than 30 suspected cult members alleged to have been terrorising Ijebu Ode and its environs.

In recent times, an inter-cult war in the area had claimed no fewer than sev­en persons within a week.

But the police said yes­terday that its intensified efforts to curb cult-related activities in the area had be­gun to pay off as its men had arrested over 30 suspected cultists within one week at different locations in the Ijebu-Ode axis.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, said the suspected cultists were arrested by a combined team of police­men deployed by the Com­missioner of Police, Mr. Valentine Ntomchukwu, to carry out special operations to flush out the hoodlums from the area.

According to Adejobi, some of the arrested sus­pects include Gbenga Ban­jo, Akeem Kareem, Dam­my, Jawando (real names yet unknown), Kazeem Akeem, Oluwatimileyin Akintunde, Olootu Lukman Neyo (not real name) and Oladele Oluniga.

He added that while some of the suspects had been ar­raigned in court in Ijebu Ode, the commissioner of police had ordered thorough investigation of the other suspects and more of the in­cidents recorded in the Ijebu area of the state.

“Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, Ntomchuk­wu, has recently vowed to tackle cultism and other vices that are capable of embarrassing the police and other security agencies in the state. In a bid to ac­tualise his determination, he has deployed more than 10 teams comprising Spe­cial Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), Anti Robbery of the Department of Crimi­nal Investigation and In­telligence, Mobile Police Force and State Intelligence Buruea, led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Department of Criminal Investigation and Intelligence (DCP), Shina Olukolu, and some other se­nior police officers to carry out operations in Ijebu Area.

“The teams on special operation in Ijebu Ode have carried out raids on many black spots and hideouts, including Fidipote Street, Ogbogbo village, Ita Alapo, Imeweje village and some hotels in the area, which have led to the arrest of the prime suspects or ring lead­ers, who had been involved in many criminal acts, in­cluding series of killings of people in the area and in some other parts of the state.

“The command will not allow any individual or group of hoodlums to trun­cate the existing security arrangement in the state or embarrass the command. The police boss vowed to take the fight against cult­ism and other vices to the door steps of the hood­lums,” he said.

The police spokesman further said the state police commissioner had appealed to the general public, par­ticularly the residents of Ijebu Ode, to support the police in the fight against cultism “and believe in the capability of the police and other security agencies in tackling this menace.”
http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=123464

South Africa’s ruling African National Congress
(ANC) on Monday said the International Criminal
Court (ICC) was “no longer useful to the
purposes for which it was intended.’’
The ANC spoke after Sudanese President, Omar
al-Bashir, wanted by the ICC for alleged war
crimes in the Darfur conflict, arrived in South
Africa to attend an AU summit.
Bashir looked unlikely to be arrested as the ANC-
led Pretoria government had granted immunity
to all attending the summit.
With many African states accusing the ICC of
selective justice, the ANC also called for a review
of ICC statutes to make them apply to all UN
members.

www.ngrguardiannews.com/2015/06/south-africas-anc-says-icc-no-longer-useful/

Omolabi economist

MCMLXXVI:
I swear, you will not see vagabonds like Gbawe or Sloan anywhere around this thread. Shame.
The people from this region are the real empty chestbeaters.
Who can forget how these dolts kept lying to themselves with fake imaginary IGR figures two years ago?

One bastard called Sloan even had the gall to open one useless thread called "The IGR Debate" or whatever he called it. On that thread, the same pack of idiots kept deceiving themselves, claiming that Osun State's economy was larger than those of Anambra, Imo, Abia and Enugu. That was when I knew for sure those ignorant m0rons had never left their enclaves.

These dumbasses are the same ones insulting the Niger Deltans o.
We've seen them call Niger Deltans all kinds of names, from drunkards to illiterate fishermen. These scratchfaced animals obviously were delusional with their fake manufactured IGR stats to think they could survive without ND oil, but the events that are playing out today are eye opening. Their proximity to Lagos has obviously fooled them.

Common drop in oil price, people in far away Osun state are starving to death. Where are your much touted IGRs kwanu?
Wasn't Osun state the 7th largest economy according to The Nation newspaper? What happened?
God has finally exposed you animals.
No wonder! You need this ONE NIGERIA even more than abokiiis!

You know the only difference between abokiiis and Waste-earners?
While the abokiii is poor and wretched, the Waste-earner is poor, wretched AND DELUSIONAL.

Daz all!

Those people lie to make themselves happy

Where is 1.6billion Osun state IGR? Yoruba people knows how to lie to themselves

CHIEF of Air Staff (CAS) Air Marshal Adesola Amosu has described as “biased and hypocritical” the “twisted opinion of Amnesty International on the activities of the Nigerian Military in the ongoing war against Boko Haram terrorists even as a 26 year old Flying Officer, killed by the insurgents was buried. Speaking yesterday in Abuja at the burial of Late Flying Officer Duke Linus Toryem, who was killed in the course of duty in Sambisa forest by mines planted by the terrorists. Amosu said: “We want Africa and the Third World to speak with one voice , particularly to be able to use the proper words in describing what happens in the theatre of war. You are fighting combatants that are in mufti but that does not make them noncombatants. “The fact that you do not see them does not make them less combatants. I think it is high time the law on armed conflicts is reviewed”. He said the prejudice exhibited by Amnesty International in judging the military activities of developing countries is worrisome and better off disregarded. “”It is really unfortunate. Because here in Africa and Nigeria in particular, what they would call equilateral damages, they would describe and refer to it as human rights’ violation. But out there, it is equilateral damage. When it is equilateral damage, let us use the appropriate words and stop calling it human rights violations. “Here, instead of saying hostages were rescued they would rather call it displaced people , as if freedom is not involved. It is really unfortunate”, he said. Of the late officer, Amosu said: “Flying Officer Toryem was a courageous officer. Apart from being an Air Force officer , he was a member of the Special Force that is physically on the ground fighting in Sambisa Forest. It is unfortunate what happened to him.” In a condolence message to Toryem’s family, the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh represented by Rear Admiral Austin Oyagha called for sober reflection and lauded the late Toryem for paying the supreme prize in protection of his father land. The late Flying officer Duke Toryem was killed on 21st May, when an operational vehicle he was riding in hit a land mine planted by terrorists in the forest and exploded in flames. Related


www.ngrguardiannews.com/2015/06/amosu-dismisses-amnestys-report-on-fight-against-terrorists/

Osun is a dead state without Niger-delta oil. We will soon know who and who are parasite in this country

Igbo are united with one blood. What God has join together let no man put asunder

Something must be wrong with Yoruba men

omenka:
Apparently his critics think otherwise.

@passingshot: You even forgot adding his democratic credentials vis a vis non-interference in the NASS election. Had Buhari not wanted that shambolic event to occur, it wouldn't have. All he needed to do was deploy armed personnel to prevent anyone from gaining access into the building.

Fayose did it several times, they applauded him. Jonathan not only did it, he even ordered that they be tear-gassed, and they saw nothing wrong with that. But Buhari, whom they call a dictator, chose rather not to tamper with the process.

But these guys can never see all these, they'd rather we focused on how Buhari's fart smells and the colour of the boxers he wears.

Only time will tell.

Chai! This thing pain u wella. pele!

https://newngrguardiannewscom.c.presscdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Oren-Hazan.jpg
Israel’s deputy parliament speaker, lawmaker Oren Hazan, has said he will sue privately owned Channel 2 over a report alleging his involvement in pimping and drugs.

“I have ordered my lawyer to send this evening a letter of warning ahead of a lawsuit against Channel 2,” Hazan, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, said in a posting on his Facebook page late Monday.

“Let them present themselves in court and prove in front of a judge these lies,” he said.

Channel 2 ran an investigative report on Monday alleging that Hazan, who used to run a casino in Bulgaria, had arranged to provide casino-goers with prostitutes and had used hard drugs during that time.
http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/2015/06/israeli-mp-to-sue-channel-over-drugs-pimping-allegations/

NIGERIANS may have apparently exhibited their undiluted interest in the efficient and effective management of the hydrocarbon resources, as mixed reactions trailed the speculations about the prospect of President Muhammadu Buhari doubling as the Minister of Petroleum Resources in view of the agitations for sanity in the oil and gas sector.

Indeed, the speculations, which were dominating the debates in the petroleum sector in recent times, have elicited different reactions from concerned stakeholders who actually believed the country should optimally benefit from the oil resources under this administration.

President Buhari and the former President Olusegun Obasanjo had earlier occupied same position during their respective tenures in office, but this was greeted by several reactions by stakeholders including the transparency watchdog, Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI), among others.
But some stakeholders, who spoke with The Guardian yesterday, believed that President Buhari could actually take up the duty going by his integrity, transparency and zero tolerance for corruption which he exhibited as military head of state about 30 years ago.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Integrated Oil and Gas Limited, Emmanuel Iheanacho, said it was too early for such speculation, urging Nigerians to give the new president a benefit of doubt and allow him to concentrate on the way forward.

“I think it is premature for people to start speculating. What is good is for people to allow him to make his decisions, and after that they can start to comment, but not for us to start circumventing him, we will just create difficulties, which could have been avoided.

“I don’t really like to join that speculation. I think that he has a very good reputation coming in, and it is good that a lot of people trust him, and that is something that earns him the post.

You know that we had a lot of problems on the mismanagement of the petroleum industry in the past, so i think that is why Buhari is giving it priority and that is why he might want to take personal charge of the industry to ensure that things are done correctly, so i don’t see anything wrong in that, if he can really do things that makes sense.

What i think we should do is to all rally round him and support him to ensure that the industry is sanitised and work the way it is supposed to operate.

He however urged the administration to focus on strict transparency in the sector. “We don’t believe that we are getting adequate value for our money, so we really need to get adequate value from the resources that are exploited from our territory.

The export of crude oil has to be done in a transparent way, allocation of concessions for people to lift crude and import fuel must be done in such a way that we will all see that the state is not been short-changed.

All aspects of the industry should be well taken care of through necessary measures to clamp down on corruption and ensure greater accountability and transparency.

It will impact positively on the economy and the well being of Nigerians. I will wish Mr. President well going forward,” he said. The President, Consumer Rights Advancement Organisation,(CRADO), Deolu Ogunbanjo, said: “There will be so much benefit. He got what i called the cognate experience.

He has been in that capacity before, he was in charge of Petroleuem Trust Fund (PTF), and he was also a former head of state, so he knows all the workings, the strengths and the leakages.

For me, i think he is the right person to manage that position. No other person can do it better. “He has the record of no nonsense person, zero tolerance to corruption and that industry is entrenched in corruption, so we need to get away all the nonsense that had happened there and Buhari is the right person to do that,” he said.

He however urged Mr President to concentrate on building more refineries and encourage private refineries through incentives and cleanse the alleged rots in NNPC.
http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/2015/06/mixed-reactions-trail-speculations-on-buharis-oil-ministry-portfolio/

We have elected Zombie as president

The Borno Police Command on Sunday confirmed the killing of two persons after a suspected female suicide bomber detonated an explosive along Baga/Monguno.

Commissioner of Police Aderemi Opadokun, who spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri, said that four persons were also injured.

“A female suicide bomber detonated an Improvised Explosive Devise (IED) strapped on her body along Baga/Monguno highway, killing herself and two others on Saturday.

“Four persons sustained injuries during the attack,’’ he said.

He also confirmed an IED explosion near a military check point in Konduga Local Government Area, in which two persons were injured.

“It is true that we had a suspected IED explosion at Tungushe village in Konduga LGA on Saturday near a military check point.


“Two persons were injured and they are now being treated at the hospital,’’ he said.

Opadokun advised residents to be vigilant and report strange objects to the nearest security check point for action.
http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/2015/06/suicide-bomber-kills-2-injures-4-in-borno/

A CASUAL visitor to Government House and the Commissioners’ Quarters opposite the sprawling seat of power both in Asaba, cannot help, but notice the emptiness of the car parks, which used to be jam-packed with Delta State Government vehicles.

Parking space there used to be a precious commodity at those two places, but not anymore. One hardly sees any car marked ‘DTGH.’

The number of cars at the car parks gradually dwindled just before May 29, when former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan handed over the reigns of government to his successor, Governor Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa.

Now there are practically no vehicle as they seem to have all skedaddled with the exit of Uduaghan. Some of the political appointees who are the chief culprits reportedly vamoosed with four vehicles instead of one, which they were entitled to going by a circular letter signed by the former Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Ovuozourie Macaulay.

Macaulay had explained that political appointees, which include Senior Special Advisers, Senior Political Advisers, Chief Advisers, Special Advisers, Political Advisers, Economic Advisers, Project Directors, Executive Assistants, Senior Special Assistants, Special/Media Assistants, Chief Press Secretaries, Press Secretaries and Political/Media Aides, are entitled to just one car.


The former scribe emphasized that the gestures preclude all other official vehicles, as well as, government properties still in possession of those categories of political appointees. He added that such properties must be returned immediately to the most senior officer in their respective ministries, department and agencies as part of the disengagement process.

As people of the state continue to wait anxiously for the governor to make more appointments into his government, the Commissioners’ Quarter were stripped bare, allegedly by the former commissioners in the past administration. Civil servants attached to the official residential quarters of the commissioners were seen in clusters discussing the development in hush tunes.

One of the workers, who would not disclose his identity, explained that the former commissioners looted almost everything including air conditioners, television sets, furniture and even kitchen utensils from their official residences.

This again ran contrary to the directive of Macaulay, who advised all political appointees in the former administration to ensure the proper handover of all government property which included official vehicles, furniture and equipment in their possession as directed by the State Executive Council.

The scribe further wrote: “This is without prejudice to my circular on retention of official vehicles by entitled political appointees. In fact, persons who have either been given the privilege to retain their official cars as gift in appreciation of their services or in lieu of severance gratuity are also required to return or handover the government official number plates affixed to such vehicles as a condition for the issuance of the letters of release.”

Another source, who would also not want his name in print, explained that there is no way a political appointee will be issued a letter of release if he came with more than two plate numbers, as it is only one vehicle they are entitled to.

He lamented the open disregard of the order, advising that the governor should wield the big stick by inviting law enforcement agents, preferably officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to investigate the activities of the erring officials and prosecute them if indicted.

“It beats my imagination that somebody can take about two, three, four or even five government cars away and nothing happens to him. Some even took the air-conditioners, televisions, fridges and other electronics in their offices and residences away. They should be held accountable.

These are government properties and should not be carted away,” said the source. According to him, with over 200 political appointees in the state, the cost to the tax payers of the vehicles and properties carted away could be over two billion Naira, wondering where the new governor is going to get money to buy new ones, against the backdrop of dwindling allocation from the Federation Account.

Presently, the state government only manages to pay salary of workers, while new political appointees will not be given official cars while those living in government quarters will have to make do without furniture and electronics.

He said that the former political appointees had the audacity to loot the properties because the new administration, just like the former, are both of the same ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and that the new governor was a former commissioner and Secretary to the State Government.

The thinking, according to our source, is that Okowa, being a part of the system will not read the riot act out to them and may just quietly let them go with the loot.

“Having served as a commissioner under ex-governor James Ibori and as the Secretary to the State Government under Uduaghan, they feel he is a homeboy, who will not hurt them. Okowa had declared in his inaugural address on May 29 in Asaba: “And on this day, let it be known that the business of government can no longer be business as usual.”

This obviously seems to be first acid test for Okowa who promised to “avoid waste, profligacy and never lose sight of the fact that we will be held accountable to God and man for our stewardship.”
http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/2015/06/delta-how-government-properties-were-looted-in-asaba/

THE multi-billion naira Rivers State monorail project initiated by former Governor Chibuike Amaechi would either be continued or abandoned by the Nyesom Wike administration when the financial position of the state is known.

Amaechi had conceived the N150bn project in 2009, believing it would be completed before he vacated office in 2015. Investigations reveal that part of the first phase of the project has already gulped over N30 billion, yet the venture is still far from completion.

The monorail was a Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative between the state government and TSI Property and Investments Holdings Limited.

The firm was to provide 80 per cent of the financing, leaving the state government with 20 per cent. Both parties signed the agreement on October 13, 2009. And in May 2011, former President Goodluck Jonathan inaugurated the first phase.

It was, however, gathered that the initiator of the idea was not able to redeem its part of the deal, compelling the state government to bear the full financial burden.


Amaechi, against assurances that he would deliver the project before leaving the Brick House, urged Rivers people, last year, to have a rethink, as funds accruing to the state dropped from N25bn to N12bn and then to N7bn.

On whether, he would proceed with the project or not, Governor Nyeson Wike told The Guardian that he would have to study the financial strength of the state, first, before reaching a decision. Wike said: “I don’t know the financial state of Rivers State yet.

We need to look at the financial stand first before taking a decision on that. You are aware that currently, workers have not been paid. And they said there is no money to pay workers. So, we cannot talk about such projects now when workers have not eaten.

If workers do not eat, then who will do the work?” But in a more audacious tone, the state Deputy Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Nwanosike Samuel, said in a popular Radio programme in Port Harcourt that the new government would not continue with the project, stressing it was of no benefit to people of the state.

He said: “We cannot continue with such financial rascality of the monorail project because the project has no benefit.

It cannot solve the traffic situation in the state. There is an economic crisis in the state and that needs to be tackled first. It is also important to note that the new government has declared operation zero potholes in the state.

So, that, to me, is far more important to the people.” Some residents urged Wike to neglect the project, saying it is capital intensive and of little benefit. Others urged the governor to proceed with the idea, taking into consideration huge funds already injected into it.

A Port Harcourt-based lawyer, Obum Nwoye, who described the project as an unplanned venture, advised the new governor to convert the structure to an amusement centre for children.

He reasoned that it would take a lot of money to dismantle it, a lot more to complete it, and if abandoned, it would deface the city.

Another resident, Benjamin Omaeje, said, the former government made a mistake to have embarked on a project of such magnitude without proper planning and preparation.

He noted that other projects like road and water were more important to the people. “I believe in continuity. The problem affecting Nigeria today is lack of continuity.

A new governor comes in and discards projects started by his predecessor due to bitter politics. So, I want Governor Wike to make plans to proceed with the project, even if it is not immediately. A monorail project is capital intensive; one government does not complete it.

It takes 20 to 25 years to finish. Even if Wike cannot complete it, other governments after him can carry on,” said Omaeje. On his part, Chinedu Eze advised Wike to abandon the project, given the economic situation of the state.

“Before the current structure was erected, several billions was spent including paying of compensation, and yet the distance covered is useless. If the project should be continued, it means more structures will give way and more compensation will be paid,” he said.
http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/2015/06/monorail-wike-yet-to-decide-fate-of-multi-billion-naira-project/

Rubbish from brainless cattle bleeder. We need action not talk

Buhahahahahahahahah

The death toll from two blasts in northeast Nigeria rose to 35 on Friday, raising the total number killed in suspected Boko Haram attacks to 82 during President Muhammadu Buhari’s first week in office.

Rescue officials in the Adamawa state’s capital Yola said 31 people had been confirmed dead in the explosion that ripped through a market on Thursday, with another 38 wounded.

The Yola blast followed a suspected suicide bombing in Maiduguri, capital of neighbouring Borno state, that killed at least four people when a truck carrying firewood rammed into a checkpoint outside a military barracks.

The violence on Thursday came as Buhari ended his first foreign trip since taking office.

He visited Chad and Niger, which with Cameroon are Nigeria’s key allies in the battle against an Islamist uprising blamed for 15,000 deaths since 2009.


Buhari urged closer regional security cooperation, thanking troops from Nigeria’s neighbours for their efforts to date while demanding more action from a multi-national force battling the insurgents on the frontline.

He vowed to crush the Islamists when he was sworn in one week ago but the spate of bombings through his first week in office highlighted the severity of the challenge.

Boko Haram has been weakened by a four-nation offensive launched in February but the extremists have proved resilient in the past.

A new video released by the group — its first for several months and first under the banner of the “Islamic State in West Africa” — insisted the rebels were still to be reckoned with.

– Toll rises –

Yola had been seen as a relative safe haven in Nigeria’s embattled northeast, with no confirmed Islamist attacks in several years.

The fresh explosion hit the popular Jimeta Main Market at about 7:40 pm (1840 GMT), as traders were finishing business.

“So far, we have 31 dead victims and 38 people in hospital receiving treatment”, the National Emergency Management Agency’s coordinator in the city Sa’ad Bello told AFP.

An inital toll from the Adamawa state police said two people were killed.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility but the blast bore the hallmarks of Boko Haram who have frequently targeted crowded markets.

The Maiduguri explosion outside the Maimalari Barracks at about 5:00 pm killed four people and also resembled past strikes by the insurgents, who have made suicide attacks the military a key feature of their uprising.

– Regional cooperation –

Buhari was on Thursday in Chad’s capital, N’Djamena, for talks with his counterpart Idriss Deby after visiting Niger on Wednesday.

“Your troops have stood shoulder to shoulder and fought gallantly with ours in the fight against the forces of evil,” the 72-year-old former military ruler told Deby.

Deby for his part “reaffirmed Chad’s involvement and availability” to work with Nigeria, according to a statement from his office.

Anglophone Nigeria has typically viewed its Francophone neighbours with suspicion, which has been blamed for the lack of a joined-up approach in tackling the militants.

On Wednesday, the military in Abuja announced that a Nigerian officer had taken charge of the new African Union-backed Multi-National Joint Task Force based in N’Djamena.

The 8,700-strong unit, made up of military personnel, police and civilians from Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon, had been due to be deployed last November.

Buhari said “sustained and robust” regional cooperation was essential because of the cross-border threat posed by Boko Haram.

– Deadly week –

Buhari has ordered the military’s command centre be moved from the capital, Abuja, to Maiduguri, where Boko Haram was founded in 2002 and which is regarded as its spiritual home.

The army has since been tested with two rocket attacks on the city, as well as an explosion opposite a military facility on Wednesday, which left at least 18 dead.

There were also two suicide bomb attacks — one at a mosque on Saturday that killed 26 and another on Tuesday at a cattle market, in which 13 people died.

While Maiduguri residents have come to expect relentless bombings, a surge of violence in Yola will create new challenges for Buhari as he strives to pacify the northeast.

The city has been home to hundreds of thousands of people displaced by fighting elsewhere in the region.

Hundreds of women and children kidnapped by Boko Haram have also been brought to camps in the city after they were rescued during recent military operations in the rebels’ Sambisa Forest stronghold in Borno.
http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/2015/06/scores-killed-in-nigeria-presidents-first-week-in-office/

RIP to the dead

Spirit of death is following this Buhari Government. How many people have died since his inauguration

THE second batch of suspects from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and some commercial banks involved in the theft and recirculation of defaced and mutilated currencies of over N8 billion into the public were yesterday arraigned before a Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan amidst a mild drama.

One of the 14 accused persons arraigned before Justice Adeyinka Faaji, a cash officer with a first generation bank, Ayodeji Aleshe, claimed that he did not understand English Language when the charges were read to him. The court, however, provided an interpreter, who explained the charges to him in detail in Yoruba language.

He, thereafter, pleaded not guilty to the charges. A 63-count charge was preferred against the 14 suspects; three are CBN staff while six others were workers of three commercial banks.

This brought the number of suspects who have been arraigned in the first two days of the trial to 21.

The suspects who appeared before the court in three sets were accused of conspiracy, theft and recirculation into the public the defaced and mutilated currencies they were instructed to destroy by substituting the notes with newspapers cutting in naira note sizes.

They were alleged to operate fat bank accounts and own luxury properties in foreign countries as well as shopping complexes in excess of their actual income since they started earning salaries.


The accused persons however pleaded not guilty to all the charges. Justice Faaj fixed June 8, 2015 for motion on bail application for the first and second sets of the suspects and directed that they be remanded in prison custody.

The suspects who appeared before the court in three sets were accused of conspiracy, theft and recirculation into the public the defaced and mutilated currencies they were instructed to destroy by substituting the notes with newspapers cutting in naira note sizes

Lead counsel to EFCC, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) in a chat with reporters after the court sitting said Aleshe purportedly escaped custody after his arrest before the arraignment, adding: “We were looking for him.

He had to disguise somewhere. All his sureties were arrested last night (Tuesday) before we were able to get him.” Jacobs also stated that the court would form an opinion on Aleshe on why a cash officer of a first generation bank claimed he does not understand English, yet he allegedly has a credit balance of N132 million in one of his bank accounts, apart from other properties.


http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/2015/06/i-dont-speak-english-says-suspect-in-n8b-mutilated-money-trial/

Buhari went to renegotiate with his boys in diaspora. Little wonder he went only with his Muslim brother

Wetin person no go hear 4 this country

Niwdog:
On my own part. I wish buhari whatever he wished jonathan during the last administration

God bless u 4 this comment.

Duara cattle rearer is still partying in Aso rock while Nigerians are dying