₦airaland Forum

MrPrsdent:
very unlikely to be passed

though they complain,the Western leaders prefer the chaos in Africa to persist.It is to their financial gain,afterall

And how exactly is it to their financial gain?

I really wish this Bill would be passed and implemented. It will go a long way to force those thieves to develop that country and enact rule of law. And pls IBB should be the first on that list cos since his "looting" career Nigeria has suffered a major set-back.

May his radical soul continue to rest in peace

Dokpesi is just abt 2 commit political suicide, i advise everybody to youtube: IBB vs Vatsa after watchin that you will really know the stuff IBB is made of, NEVER TO BE TRUSTED.

Very Funny

Where are all the DIVAS in NL

West Bromwich Albion fans are to unveil a vast anti-racism banner hailing new signing Peter Odemwingie, following the unfurling of a racist banner by Lokomotiv Moscow supporters aimed at their player.

The Nigerian international made a late transfer window move to West Brom, and went on to score a goal on his Hawthorns debut as his new side beat Sunderland 1-0.

However, days later, his former supporters sported a racist banner at their club's game, depicting a banana alongside the sarcastic words "Thanks West Brom" in reference to their former player.

The insult triggered outrage among football fans across the globe, and Albion supporters came up with ideas to hit back at the racism, leading to the giant banner, thought up by Australian graphic designer Phil Turbutt, which has been paid for by West Brom fans out of their own pocket.

The banner that will be on display at the Hawthorns shows a picture of Odemwingie celebrating his goal for West Brom against Sunderland, with the "Let's Kick Racism Out Of Football" logo on one side and a message in both English and Russian that reads "Thanks Lokomotiv" on the other.

[quote author=T.YUSUFF link=topic=505777.msg6677414#msg6677414 date=1283332478]Lets take a few steps back and reason for once in this country, Intercontinental Bank was established 21 years ago of those 21 years Akingbola was MD for 20 years, Akingbola must surely be punished for his miss deeds and in my opinion that 500 mill is only but a bail fee but not the amount that will be extorted from him if found guilty.Therefore lets give the judiciary a little more time to extort our money for us. Akingbola has sinned and he will surely be punished. Yes we have blamed Akingbola Who else is to blame. Lets see in the period when Akingbola was MD NIgeria has had 6 Presidents. Thats 5 four years tenure if he were politically elected.
1. where was the first bank when all dis was happenening
2. wat was soludo doing when banks were recapitalizing. where did our funds go that he didnt notice foul play
3.Wat is NIgeria's rule on the tenure of Bankers
4. No bank MD should be allowed to reign for that long at a point he wil surely break no matter wat a saint he is.[/quote]Now somebody is talking. God bless you broda

PapaBrowne:
^^^^^^
Ok, High Chief Ignoramus! You are not the kind I would usually join issues with (not smart enough)! So I will let your speech pass.

FYI, Akingbola founded Intercontinental Bank alongside three other investors in February of 1989.

This fool will never stop, that he founded Intercontinental now makes him the sole owner rite? Do you know anything called Plc? Do you know how many people have bought shares over those years? Infact am done with you, am sure you are a kid and has never invested $1 b4 in your miserable life.

PapaBrowne:
It's you who is a no brainer! Someone started Bank 21 years ago, grew it to become one of the top 500 banks in the world with assets of over N1.6trillion and was paying 18,000 staff salaries of over N100,000 monthly and you call him a thief because he has N500 million to bail himself.
Poverty mentality!!
The guy is innocent until proven guilty!

You always display the level of your intelligence in every thread, who told you he started the bank? Just listen to yourself, that he grew the bank which was exactly why they gave him the job, does that permit him to mismanage depositors money? He was only appointed by the Board of Directors to manage the said bank, he doesnt own the bank you slowpoke. Pple like you are one of the reasons why that country will never move forward cos you keep celebrating thieves, what is his income for him to afford those billions worth of property(inculding 2 private jets to his name)and you are opening your hypocritic mouth to talk(probably he employed your dad, so I understand your defence for him). Your are the one talking with poverty mentality cos you do not understand what it means for depositors' money to be mismanaged by thieves like Akingbola, i still know so many families that their lives shattered cos of the defunct financial institutions in nigeria. Honestly am not gonna take you serious, cos i saw the stupidity you were spewing the other day, so i gues i shuld just ignore you. FOOL

Some people here in NL really amuse me, that the thief(Akingbola) paid 500m does not mean he has been exonorated of the corrupt charges leveled against him, but just to be free from police custody, the case goes on. Definitely he will be convicted and must do his term. I dont have pity for anybody that embezzles public funds, yes no pity at all. If you cant do the time, dont do the crime

[quote author=mama-gee link=topic=504268.msg6669140#msg6669140 date=1283208547][color=deeppink]It's not my fault!

Over here in the U.S., we don't know much about football. [/color][/quote]Yes football, not soccer

[quote author=Kilode?! link=topic=505419.msg6669042#msg6669042 date=1283207511]Well, since MONEY is the political/social ideology of their party, they are silly for not paying their Tithe!!?

They should pay up with interest! or lose out at the next Position-Sharing jamboree. [/quote]Its not even funny cos Pdp and their cronies have made life very miserable for the poor. Its attitude has been contemptuous. Its policies and programs have been cruel and unfair to citizens of Nigeria. They must be held accountable 2010 for increasing infant mortality among the poor, in the Northern region infant babies are dying at the same rate as during Biafra war, In the Southern regions, babies are being cast away as witches because their parents can’t afford to feed them; there are now 98 million people in poverty, 60% of our population, mostly Youths, women and children. Transparency international rated Nigeria 2009 as one of the most corrupt countries in the world topping only Bangladesh, Iraq and Pakistan. Jesus said that we should not be judged by the bark we wear but by the fruit that we bear. Jesus said that we must measure greatness by how we treat the least of these.

FORMER military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, has accused former President Olusegun Obasanjo of not abiding by his promise to maintain his neutrality among aspirants jostling for the highest political office in the country, just as he said that it was too early to predict the outcome of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential primaries that have not been held.

Babangida spoke, at the weekend, through his campaign organisation, IBB Presidential Campaign Organisation, while reacting to the endorsement and support given to President Goodluck Jonathan by the South-West zone of the PDP to enable him (Jonathan) to contest the forthcoming presidential election.

Former President Obasanjo had led the PDP leaders and chieftains, including the Speaker, House of Representatives, sitting and former governors of the party, to back Jonathan’s aspiration to become Nigeria’s president beyond 2011, at a meeting held at the weekend in Ibadan by the zonal caucus of the party.

The former military president, who is also in the race for the top job in the country, in a statement issued by his campaign organisation, signed by its director, media and communications, Prince Kassim Afegbua, and made available to the Nigerian Tribune, noted that the reported endorsement of the undeclared candidature of President Goodluck Jonathan by the South-West PDP and non-PDP members did not reflect the actual permutations on the ground.

The campaign organisation said it wished to inform General Babangida’s party members and would-be delegates to the 2010 presidential primaries that it was too early in the day for anyone to declare the results of an election that had not been held let alone determine who held the ace.

According to Babangida, the South-West is a politically sophisticated and enlightened zone, comprising distinguished Nigerians, who are familiar and at home with the political dynamics of the country, saying it was, therefore, unlikely that such distinguished, enlightened, civilised and politically conscious people would reportedly concede to the endorsement of an aspirant that had neither declared nor made public his intentions.

“We suspect that someone is trying to be smart by half,” the former military president said.

Commenting on Obasanjo’s role in the exercise, Babangida disclosed that the former president, who is the chairman, Board of Trustees of PDP, had repeatedly said that he and other party chieftains would maintain their neutrality to all aspirants but would exercise their right to vote at the primaries for an aspirant of their choice.

He said it beat his imagination the recent reported endorsement of President Jonathan by Obasanjo, declaring that this contradicted his earlier stand to maintain neutrality on the choice of aspirant.

“As one of the leaders of the party, a former president and elder statesman, we expect that his word should be his bond. We will not be drawn into any argument with those who easily suspect the political moves of former President Obasanjo, but we insist that a true leader should stand by his word,” Babangida counselled.

Babangida declared that the reported claim that President Jonathan had 18 states backing him and he had just 12 states did not hold water, pointing out that: “Those figures are not only disputable but unrealistic in view of the fact that most incumbent state governors have not declared their position.”

“It is, therefore, too early in the day for any political observer to draw conclusions on that basis, particularly on a delegate election that is about to commence, except that the public is being made to understand that the forthcoming elections, despite repeated assurances of credibility, would go the way of other previous elections.

“We believe very strongly that former president, General Ibrahim Babangida, remains a major contender thus far amongst those who have boldly declared their intentions on the ticket of our dear party, the PDP.

But former spokesman to President Obasanjo, Dr Doyin Okupe, said the decision of the leaders of the PDP in the South-West to adopt President Jonathan was taken democratically by all the who is who in the party.

Dr Okupe said in a telephone interview on Sunday that the claim by the camp of General Babangida that the decision did not reflect the opinions of the true members of the PDP in the South-West was incorrect.

Okupe spoke just as a source in the Jonathan’s camp insisted that the camp of the former military ruler was bellyaching because it was becoming apparent it was losing out of the 2011 race.

The source said that while IBB was no longer sure of winning up to 30 per cent of the PDP delegates during the primaries, his hope of taking over the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) was also fast evaporating by the day.

“We are aware of the frustrations of the IBB camp. The frustrations are apparent because the PDP ticket has slipped off their hands, while the hope of clinching the ticket of the ANPP through the backdoor is fast evaporating. The ANPP leaders and the true members are resisting the attempt daily. So the only hope they have is to throw mud. It is unfortunate,” the source said.

Okupe, who was present at the South-West meeting, said “everyone who is who in the PDP in the South-West was there at the meeting.

“The claim by the Babangida people is incorrect. I was one of the earliest callers at the meeting. I arrived there at 10.30 a.m. and I was there till the end. All the who is who in the South-West zone was at the meeting.

“The zonal chairman of the PDP was at the meeting, four of the South-West governors were physically present, all the PDP state chairmen were present, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Senate Leader, majority of our senators and local government chairmen of the party in the zone were there. Everybody who is somebody in the PDP was at the meeting.

“The governors not only campaigned for Jonathan at the meeting, they also endorsed the communiqué,” Dr Okupe said.

Okupe added that elders of the party, including Chief Richard Akinjide and the former governor of Oyo State, Dr Omololu Olunloyo, were also present at the meeting.

“There were those who supported Babangida at the meeting and some people also supported Atiku Abubakar. But we decided to take a common decision and we all took a solid decision to support President Jonathan,” Okupe added.

A suspected drug trafficker, Hakeem Adesegun Habeeb, has died of cocaine ingestion after the hard drug burst in his stomach.
The man, a 45-year-old trader, who was said to have survived the Surulere fire incident of October 3, 2006 delved into drug trafficking business obviously out of frustration.

According to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the deceased ingested the drugs preparatory to his trip to Europe when one of the wraps ruptured. He eventually died at the hospital after admitting to drug ingestion in his dying declaration.

To ascertain his claim, a post mortem was carried out which was witnessed by operatives of the NDLEA in a hospital in Lagos. The operation eventually led to the discovery of a suspected ruptured wrap of narcotic buried deep down his intestinal track. Upon test at the theatre, the substance proved positive for cocaine.

Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, described the incident as sad. “It is very sad. I sympathise with the family of the deceased.” Giade also urged youths to have the fear of God and consider the consequences of their actions. “If they have no respect for themselves, they should at least consider their loved ones and their creator,” the NDLEA boss charged. The late suspect is survived by two wives and eight children.

Preliminary investigation by the anti-drug agency revealed that the deceased, Hakeem Adesegun Habeeb, was one of the survivors of the fuel fire incident that occurred in Surulere, Lagos on October 3, 2006. It was also gathered from his dying declaration that he ingested several drugs but because of the complications, his sponsors kept him to excrete the drugs. When the last wrap was stuck in his belly, they reluctantly asked him to go back home.

A member of the family who preferred anonymity said the deceased kept everybody in the dark. “Hakeem left home without telling either of his two wives where he was going. Three days later, he returned looking very sick. He did not even say what the problem was until he collapsed and was rushed to the hospital. We did not know he had taken drugs.”

Giade, however, called on members of the public to report suspected drug cases to the agency for prompt intervention. He also tasked narcotic investigators to unmask the callous and materialistic sponsors to face the wrath of the law. According to Giade, “drug barons are not bothered over the death of a courier. They will try to retrieve their drugs and recruit another person to smuggle it. We all have a duty to identify these societal enemies and bring them to book.”

The agency had also instructed the hospital authority to release the corpse to the family members.
The deceased, like most traffickers, willingly ingest drugs in utter disregard of the fact that their action could force them into an early grave. The recent case was not the first time a drug trafficker would die of cocaine ingestion. A female drug trafficker, Daniel Ifeoma Joy, 29 years, slumped and died at the departure hall of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, on Saturday, December 15, 2007 due to a burst in one of the wraps of cocaine she ingested. She was to board an Ethiopian airline flight to Dubai with drugs in her stomach when she met her untimely death.

The late Ifeoma had ingested 79 wraps of narcotic drug that tested positive for cocaine. The cocaine weighing 1.325kg was evacuated from her bowels through a post mortem operation. Her last known residence was Ohafia Road, Ikorodu, Lagos State. Joy hailed from Ukwa Local Government Area of Abia State.

Similarly, a drug suspect arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, Agidi Afour Agwu Agbai, 44, died on Saturday, May 24, 2008 due to complications arising from drug ingestion. The late suspect was arrested on May 17, 2008 during the screening of passengers on KLM flight to Amsterdam for unlawful possession of narcotics.

He was placed under observation and he excreted 69 wraps of substances that tested positive for cocaine weighing 1.213 kilogrammes. Agidi, however, gave up the ghost when one wrap ruptured in his stomach. He hailed from Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State. It is possible that several others not reported to the agency may have died of cocaine ingestion.

Anambra State Police Command has arrested the kidnap gang that abducted the mother of former President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Sani Lulu and the wife of former Managing Director of Nigeria Breweries Plc, Chief Festus Odimegwu, Lolo Odimegwu.

Disclosing this while parading the suspects and 12 others, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Philemon Leha, said the seven members of the gang that kidnapped Hajia Lulu and collected N4.1 million ransom from the family were arrested while attempting to kidnap the Chairman of Aba Park, Onitsha, Chief Egbuaba.

Leha said that two members of the gang who abducted Lolo Odimegwu and collected N100 million from the family were apprehended at Ndiakwaeke, Umudim Osumoghu in Ihiala Local Government of the state.
Among the two suspects was a 65-year-old Mr. Anthony Nwangwu in whose house the woman was kept and who told newsmen that he was given N5 million as his own share in the N100 million.

The Police boss who gave details of his commands’ achievements in the last one year, noted that 25 policemen, however, lost their lives on duty between January and this month August, 2010. Giving further details of the achievements, Leha disclosed that between September 2009 and August 2010, the command arrested 140 suspected armed robbers and killed 42, just as it recovered 25 Ak-47 riffles and 96 vehicles.

Also, 130 kidnap suspects were arrested and 22 killed, while 16 kidnap victims were rescued and the sum of N6.5 million and 3,000 US dollars recovered. Noting that he met a police with low morale and absolute lack of confidence to be able to embark on any serious crime fighting and with the pace he wanted, Leha said the story has changed now with the support of the people of the state.

He further said that “after grueling one year in office, “I want to leave you to judge because most of you are resident here. How far have we gone? Have we delivered on the mandate and won the people’s confidence on the ability of the police to protect them? Have we been able to reduce the incidence of kidnapping which was the major crime that we have had to face this past twelve (12) months? It is left for you to judge.

“There is no doubt that Anambra State is an evolving mega city with a lot of sprawling businesses, access roads and enterprising young men and women, and as such, it would be difficult to completely eliminate crime. Nevertheless, I can beat my chest and say that kidnapping is no longer a regular occurrence.

“My dear members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm, we have achieved a lot from the last time we interacted. Most of the hoodlums were gunned down during exchange of fire with my policemen. We have also paid the supreme price, as 25 policemen lost their lives in the line of duty and in defence of the people of Anambra State ,” he said.

However, we do have quite a handful to tell you how very well we have done to bring down the level of crime in the State and win back the trust and confidence of the people.”

The good thing is that he didnt kill them both, i still blame the govt cos they just giving arms to people cos they wear uniform, they suppose to undergo some special trainin both mentally and physically b4 giving them arms. Wish someone could just shoot IBB like this

This can only happen in a Jonathan led govt, cos he is so weak and cannot stand his grounds hence PDP will prevail with their evil activities. IBB is not an option, but Jonathan is not d ideal man for that post. People should stop comparing Jonathan to previous presidents cos you will never judge him correctly, lets judge him with what is obtainable in the office.

^^^^Word

chemberlin:
UP BLUESS , PLEASE I WANT ALL MY FELLOW FANS TO PLEASE PUT MIKEL OBI IN GOD'S THRONE THAT HE SHOULD GET ATLEAST A GOAL FROM THE SEASON EPL, WE REMAIN THE TOP, AND FOREVER WILL BE,

Broda Mikel has really improved alot, lets hope his haters can get off his back. Chelsea 4 life, if there is Chelsea in heaven that means its Chelsea 4 eternity!!!

All party men and women elected or appointed at the instance of the PDP, including ambassadors and board chairmen at the federal level, are required to contribute five percent of their basic allowances or remuneration to the party. The directive is effective from the day they are appointed.” - MAHMUD YAYALE AHMED, Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

Make una leave Mama Gee ooh. Mama Gee dont worry we still gonna thump Manure and arsenal, maybe u start rooting for chelsea, am sure you like fine boys and all our players(even fans) are so handsome

Am tryin to upload the pictures but the size is too much, dont knw what to do, mehn this guys look so innocent even in their NYSC outfit. God will purnish naija police

A very sad story, my heart goes out to the family

Like an average Nigerian avid football fan, two brothers, Collins and Owen Onaodowan, had looked forward to Sunday, August 15, 2010, the day Manchester United and Newcastle were to play in the English premier league, with enthusiasm.

Being Man U fans, the two brothers chose to watch the match at their aunt‘s residence. But they were disappointed when they found out that their aunt‘s decoder was not on full subscription. By implication, they could not watch the match at their aunt‘s place and they opted for one of the viewing centres within the neighbourhood.

Their elder brother, Kevin, a Chelsea fan, who went with them decided to return to the family residence at 12B NEPA Line, opposite Okoloba Road, Effurun, Ovwie Local Government Area of Delta State.

Although Man U won the match, Collins and Owen could not savour the resounding victory of their club.

According to Kevin, a Delta State University graduate, who claimed that he left his brothers at 8pm, a member of their church called around 10pm that his brothers had been apprehended for robbery.

Kevin told PUNCH METRO, ”Around 10pm, a church member phoned me that my younger brothers were later apprehended by soldiers and riot policemen at Okoloba Power Holding Company of Nigeria sub-station for robbery.

”I quickly alerted my parents and we left for Okoloba to see what was amiss. When we got there, we met a mammoth crowd watching as the soldiers and riot policemen stripped my brothers naked and beat them to a pulp.

“At that time, they were still alive. I asked Collins whether he did not show them his National Youth Service Corps ID card to identify himself as a corps member and not a robber, he said he did but they did not mind him.

“Suddenly, one policeman, identified as Dogo, started calling me and my parents names, ‘you family of robbers, bastards, get out of this place before I shoot you,‘ pointing his gun to us.”

Kevin said despite pleas made to the security agents that Collins and Owen were not robbers, the policemen and soldiers continuously beat the brothers to the amazement of the crowd that gathered at the scene.

He added, ”Before our eyes, they bundled them (Collins and Owen) into their Hilux van and drove them to Ekpan Police Station. We were relieved that they were taking them to the police station with the hope that the following day, we would go and bail them.

”How wrong we were! The following day, we went to the station, but we were told at the station that there was no case involving my brothers. As I was about leaving, my uncle, a chief, came to join me at the station. He went in to see the DPO and the DPO told him that he was aware of the two boys that were brought last night and that they were robbers.

“My uncle told him that it was not true because the boys were responsible children who had not been involved in any criminality since they were born. He deceived my uncle and told him that they might have been taken to a hospital since they were brought in with bruises.

”This made us to start searching hospitals and police stations to know their whereabouts until one of the stations asked us to go back to Ekpan station again. When we got back there, the DPO now called my uncle in and told him that my brothers had been killed. When he sought their corpses, he said they had been buried.”

Kevin said the family had secured the service of a lawyer to ensure that the killers of his brothers were brought to book.

Kevin‘s father, Austin, who described Collins and Owen as obedient children, said since they were born, they had not been engaged in any criminality.

He said, ”I want justice. I appeal to the Inspector General of Police, Delta State Governor and Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command to bring the killers to book. Again, I want them to investigate the lives of my children whether they had been involved in any robbery or criminality in the past.”

Recalling how his children were tortured in his presence, Austin said while begging the security agents to leave his children, one of them used the butt of his gun to hit him in his mouth and a tooth fell off.

The slain brothers‘ mother, Otomorire, who was sobbing continuously, told our correspondent that her children‘s death had dealt a devastating blow to the entire family.

She said, ”The policemen were so cruel. I begged them to leave my children that they were not robbers, they did not even listen. Even the crowd pleaded with them, they did not listen. What kind of jungle justice is this?

”Are they not supposed to take them to court to ascertain their criminality? This is one death too many. I appeal to the Federal Government and the relevant authorities to fish out the killers of my children. They meant a lot to me. We need justice. We need justice. That is what we need.”

But the Police Public Relations Officer, Delta State Command, Mr. Charles Morka, told our correspondent on the telephone that the police should not be dragged into the death of the two brothers.

He said the brothers were armed robbery suspects and they were mobbed by the crowd.

”The two were armed robbery suspects and were attacked and killed by the mob. Police have no hand in their death,” Morka said.

A Federal High Court has on Wednesday deferred till Monday ruling in the bail application brought by former managing director of Intercontinental Bank Plc., Erastus Akingbola.

Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos reserved the ruling after counsel to the sacked bank chief; Felix Fagbohungbe (SAN) and counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Kola Awodein (SAN) had argued for five hours on their written submissions.

Akingbola was charged to court by the anti-graft agency on a 22-count charge of theft, market manipulation, insider trading, abuse of office and economic crime worth N346.1 billion equivalent to £10.9 million.

While making the bail application, Fagbohungbe told the court that Akingbola had to journey to the United Kingdom (UK) in order to safeguard his life and avoid being harassed, molested or even murdered by security agencies. This, according to him, was not to avoid being arrested as alleged by the EFCC.
Apart from this, he stated that the applicant had to remain in the UK because the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigerian (CBN), Lamido Sanusi, had said the bank chiefs who were sacked deserved to be tied and shot.
He insisted that the allegations against Akingbola did not carry a death sentence or life imprisonment but were bailable offences.

However, in opposition to this, the EFCC argued that the charges preferred against the defendant were serious and further criminal charges would be filed against him.
He urged the court to refuse the application since Akingbola had also implicated some persons in his statement.
According to him, Akingbola had refused to release his passport so as to evade trial if granted bail and flee to a country with which Nigeria has no extradition treaty.

It averred that Akingbola would have not returned to the country to face the criminal charge against him but for the extradition proceedings initiated against him in the United Kingdom by the Attorney General, Bello Adoke.
But Akingbola’s team had insisted that his decision to come home and clear his name was voluntary and had nothing to do with the London case, especially as the case was not due for mention until sometime in October.
The anti-graft agency averred that Akingbola had in a statement made to the Commission on August 5, 2010 admitted some of the allegations against him. But the defendant denied the agency’s averments against him.

The Nigeria Immigration Service has alerted on plans by some unidentified persons to flood the country with arms ahead of the 2011 elections. Consequent upon this, the service had placed its officers and men on red alert to ensure that the small arms and light weapons were prevented from entering into wrong hands.

At her maiden meeting with the Immigration comptrollers in charge of states’ commands on Wednesday in Abuja, Comptroller General (CG) of the service, Rose Chinyere Uzoma, stressed that the main purpose she invited them was, “to brief you on the urgent and sensitive security situation which came to my attention.”

At the meeting, which had national security, as top priority on the agenda for discussion, Uzoma told her comptrollers that, “we have it on good authourity that some elements have perfected arrangements to bring in small arms and light weapons in large quantities preparatory to the 2011 elections, with the aim of using such weapons to cause civil unrest and hold the nation to ransom.” She also alerted on the plans for a large scale infiltration of non-nationals especially Nigerienne nationals to ferment troubles by manipulating the entire process and throwing the country into crisis.

The CG warned the comptrollers on the need to tighten their controls and ensure that such unwholesome importation do not come through their commands’ border areas. Uzoma said in view of the current delicate security situation in the country as well as the impending general elections, there was also a need to upgrade security measures at their entry points.

“It is important that officers at the entry points wake up to their responsibility and take cognizance at all times of any Nigerian of dubious character, whose departure from the country and entry into the country are inimical to social and economic interest of Nigeria.

“Officers in all formations should endeavour to be firm and fair in the discharge of their official functions and as long as it is done in correct manner without any pecuniary interest, my administration will stand behind them and ensure they receive full protection,” she stated.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said General Ibrahim Babangida (IBB) and himself are working together for the unity, stability and development of the country, adding that they are prepared to make necessary sacrifices in the service of their people.

He said no sacrifice would be too much for them to make in the service of their people and the unity of Nigeria. He made this statement in Yola, Adamawa State yesterday at a public lecture held in honour of Senator Jibril Aminu to mark his 71st birthday.

Gen. Babangida, who was the chairman on the occasion, also recommended the close relationship between him and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to other Nigerian politicians, saying that politics should not create enmity among them. Atiku, who paid tributes to Gen. Babangida at the event, said their relationship dates back to the 1970s.

“What many Nigerians don’t know is that I’ve been friends with General Babangida more than 10 years before I met the late Major-General Shehu Yar’Adua,” he said.
According to him, their relationship had been fostered by the need for Nigerian leaders to close ranks and focus on the challenges facing the country. “We have to work together to solve the problems facing us as a nation and making Nigeria a prosperous country for the benefit of our people.

“The challenges facing the country are immense and there is an urgent need for the Nigerian political elite to work together and reposition the country for the benefit of all Nigerians,” he said. Speaking on Prof. Aminu, who Atiku referred to as his elder brother, the former vice president said the Senator had made immense contributions to the development of Nigeria and deserved to continue as a Senator until he becomes the longest serving Senator in Nigerian’s history.

In his remarks, Senator Aminu said he admired two attributes in Atiku. The first was what he called Atiku’s doggedness. “If Atiku wants something done, he would go to whoever has the key to that thing regardless of how lowly placed the person is. Not all of us politicians can do this,” he said. Secondly, he described Atiku as a party organiser. He said he had witnessed Atiku organise the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other parties and hoped that his return to the PDP would help make the ruling party better.

“Atiku is fully back in PDP, blood and flesh. I welcome it,” he said.
Commenting on the controversy over a waiver for the former vice president to contest the party’s presidential primaries for the 2011 polls, Aminu said he supports Atiku on the matter because he is from Adamawa State.
He queried the discriminatory granting of waivers by the PDP, saying that there was no reason why the ruling party should favour some aspirants to the detriment of Atiku.

“Is it because he is from Adamawa State,” he queried, adding that Adamawa deserved to be treated with respect and dignity internally and externally.