₦airaland Forum

splendid22:
A man identified as one Dr. Orji (Full name yet to be ascertained) committed suicide on Sunday after jumping into the Lagoon from Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos.

According to an eye witness who spoke with TheNewsGuru.com, the said doctor reportedly stopped his driver while on the bridge saying he needed to check something on the body of his vehicle, a Mercedes GLS450 SUV with plate number JJJ-308BL.

“The driver parked the car, the doctor came down and immediately jumped into the lagoon.” He added.

Officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency have arrived the scene of the incident as at the time of filing this report.


Read more here
http://thenewsguru.com/breaking-doctor-commits-suicide-jump-off-3rd-mainland-bridge-lagos/

The Police in Lagos have arrested a man for allegedly parading himself as a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP).

Lagos State Police spokesman, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, who confirmed the arrest, said the suspect was arrested on Thursday for terrorising the public in a CSP uniform in Surulere area.

“At about 4pm on March 16, the command operatives attached to Area ‘C’ Command, Surulere, arrested the suspect following reliable information.

“The suspect over the years has been parading himself as a police officer and extorting money and other valuables from unsuspecting public.

“The suspect was intercepted under the National Stadium Bridge, Surulere where he was about to resume his criminal activities.

“On sighting the patrol team, the suspect took to his heels, but was given a hot chase that resulted to his arrest at Shitta Area of Surulere.

“A walkie-talkie, a Lagos State Ministry of Transportation identity card bearing the name, Olayiwola Animashaun and his passport photograph, were found in his possession,” he said.

The spokesman said the suspect later led the detectives to his residence where exhibits, including a traffic task force reflective jacket, police statement forms, and a machete, were recovered from his house.

Famous-Cole said the suspect confessed that he was a former staff of the Lagos State Government but currently without a job.

“He confessed to be operating mostly around Tejuosho, Ojuelegba and National Stadium areas,” the police spokesman said.

Famous-Cole advised the public to be wary of individuals who present themselves as police officers with no proof of official identification.

He urged the public to question such people and alert other security agencies when the need arises.

The spokesman said the suspect would be charged to court after investigation was completed.

Ihuoma Chiedozie, Enugu

A man, Mr. Chinedu Okeke, has been arrested by the police in Enugu for enslaving and repeatedly torturing his son.

It was gathered that Okeke, who lives in the Trans Ekulu area of Enugu, constantly subjected the 14-year - old boy, Kelechi, to various forms of physical and emotional abuse.

The man cited Kelechi ’ s alleged ‘ stubbornness ’ as the reason for the inhuman treatment.

Kelechi was tied with a rope, and made to kneel on stones in a dark room, when the police, acting on intelligence informed, stormed the family house to arrest Okeke on March 15, 2017.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Enugu State Police Command, Mr . Ebere Amaraizu, who confirmed the development on Sunday, said several fresh wounds, inflicted by Okeke, were found on Kelechi’ s body when he was rescued.

It was learnt that Okeke habitually flogged the boy with wires and heavy sticks, purportedly in a bid to ‘beat the stubbornness out of him ’.

“ Okeke is always in the habit of subjecting the son to inhuman treatment, such as kneeling on stones with his hands tied together, and massive flogging with wires and other dangerous objects, thereby leaving his entire body scarred with injuries, ” Amaraizu said.

The police spokesman further revealed that Okeke was not living with Kelechi ’ s mother , who left him for undisclosed reasons.

But Amaraizu added that Okeke is currently living with the wife of a pastor, who left her husband to move in with him.

The said woman , who now lives with Okeke, already had four children for the pastor.

Amaraizu said Okeke and his concubine, the pastor’s wife , turned Kelechi to a slave.

“ Following the rescue of Kelechi with injuries and the arrest of Okeke, facts emerged that Kelechi ’s mother is not living with the father , although there appears to be unresolved marital issues which left the little boy in the hands of the father.

“ Further findings revealed that Kelechi’ s father is however living with a woman with four kids belonging to a certain pastor in Enugu.

“ The woman has abandoned the pastor over a yet to be established issue and now lives with Kelechi’s father, and in that process allegedly turned the little boy to a slave, ” Amaraizu said.

Kelechi, while narrating his ordeal to the police, disclosed that he was subjected to constant torture for about one month before he was rescued.

Meanwhile, Okeke, who is currently in police custody, has claimed that the devil was responsible for the inhuman treatment he subjected his son to.

But he insisted that the boy was stubborn, adding he only tortured Kelechi in a bid to discipline him.

By Samson Atekojo Usman


The Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Shehu Sani has stated that the governor of Kaduna State’s leaked memo criticising President Muhammadu Buhari of being a failure was dubious.

He also explained that the Governor’s secret memo condemning Mr. President and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was a manifestation of Nasir El-Rufa’i’s attempt to dust a popular sympathy and carve an image of a ‘competent alternative’ to President Buhari come 2019.

In his instagram page on Saturday, the human rights activists turned Senator emphasised: “Now El-Rufai has cunningly criticised the President and the party, disguised it as a memo and leaked to the Press; that also qualified him as disloyal and disrespectful.”

“That means logically, he is now leaking memo to dust popular sympathy and carve an image of a competent alternative to President Buhari”, he insisted.

Sani wondered how Kaduna governor insisted that he should be ostracized from the party for speaking his opinion on fundamental issues of governance.

He added that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) should punish El-Rufai for the height of disrespect to Mr. President and the party, insisting that it was time the Party began to decipher the message.

Francis and Flora Onwudiwe


Less than 72 hours after some naval officers swooped on a hapless policewoman at the Mushin area of Lagos State, whipping her black and blue, another woman, this time, a civilian, has been brutalised by soldiers at Ikorodu, also in Lagos. The police woman, identified as Sergeant Vicky, attached to the Traffic Section of the Lagos State Police Command, was attacked by a naval officer and a rating because she hit the body of their car. Vicky was said to have hit the body of the car after the men refused to heed her signal to halt along Mushin axis.

The incident occurred about 1p.m. on Friday. The naval men, who were in full uniform, angrily stormed out of their car, descended on Vicky with the horsewhips.

Although Vicky’s boss was at the scene, he seemed too petrified to render a helping hand to the policewoman. A source said: “After whipping Vicky, the naval men bundled her into their car and zoomed off. The horsewhip welts were seen on her face. Her mouth was swollen and her uniform dirty.”

It was learnt that moments after the naval men abducted Vicky, operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), who were on routine patrol, drove to the area. Vicky’s frantic boss signaled the SARS men to stop and narrated the incident.

The source said: “The SARS operatives immediately started chasing the naval men.

The incident happened at Mushin area, but the SARS men chased them through Ojuelegba. On climbing the Ijora Bridge, SARS men blocked them. The SARS men asked them why they abducted the policewoman.

When the policemen didn’t receive a satisfactory answer, they attempted to forcibly drag Vicky out of the naval men’s car.” The argument between naval men and policemen caused a gridlock. If the SARS men pull the car door of the naval men open, the naval men would slam it close. In the process, the door handle fell off.

The naval rating jumped out of the car and locked the vest of one of the SARS men.
They started struggling. Other SARS men used the opportunity and tried to drag Vicky out of the car, but the naval officer repeatedly stopped them. After a tug of war, the SARS men succeeded in pulling Vicky out of the car, but her uniform tore during the pulling between naval and policemen.”

The naval rating, who still held one of the SARS men, refused to let him go. The SARS operative punched him in the face, leading to fisticuffs. The naval rating was said to have been beaten until he passed out and slumped on the road. Orji The source said: “The news of the clash travelled like wildfire. Policemen were alerted on air to proceed to the scene and do everything possible to rescue the abducted sergeant. Police re-enforcement started moving to the scene.

At the same time, naval men and soldiers started appearing from nowhere. Some of them stepped down from commercial buses, moving towards the scene of the fracas. When the SARS men noticed the growing number of naval men and soldiers, they started shooting sporadically.

They even shot and perforated the tyres of the car of the two naval men.” The shooting was so intense that motorists, fearing it was an ongoing robbery operation, abandoned their vehicles and scampered for safety.

The SARS men drove to Command with Vicky. It was learnt that since the incident, the SARS men have been expecting a debriefing from the Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, but he was yet to invite them. There has also been a graveyard silence from Navy and Army.

When contacted, the state Police Command Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Olarinde Famous-Cole, said the command was not aware of it. While the outrage over the attack and attempted abduction of Vicky on Friday, March 10, is yet to die down, another woman, a civilian, identified as Ruth Orji, was attacked on Sunday, March 12, by soldiers. Orji was beaten at Odoguyan, Ikorodu area of Lagos, after she challenged a soldier for slapping her brother. She sustained several injuries as a result of the brutality.

lalasticlala

Up to 60% of workers of the distressed airline Aero may have been laid off following dwindling operations by the airline which is the oldest in the country.

Findings show workers, more than 1000, were issued letters of redundance this week in moves to reduce operational costs.

It would be recalled that the airline established in 1959, resumed operations in December 21 2016 after about four months of self-imposed closure to enable its reposition.

However, the airline resumed operations 10 days to the New Year flying to four locations including Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Warri, Delta State using its Boeing 737-400/500 and the Dash8-Q400. Over 10 of its aircraft are currently grounded at the airport.

In a statement today, the airline said it had been grappling with huge and unrealistic personnel cost as well as other operational challenges worsened by lack of enough aircraft to keep all the workers meaningfully engaged.

It said issuing letters of redundancy was “a business decision that will ensure Aero's survival.”

"Following the operational challenges of Aero culminating in loss of business opportunities that adversely affected company finances vis-à-vis operations, we are constrained to place you under redundancy pending a possible future review,” the letter read.

"This decision was communicated to the unions where their understanding was solicited in view of prevailing operational difficulties. Whilst Aero appreciates your contribution to the company and continues to regard you as worthy ambassadors, we solicit your understanding as we struggle to stabilize operations and rebuild the company..."

The statement however clarified that those in Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) and other essential staff in critical departments will not be affected by the development.

It said, "The current situation where over a thousand people are basically not engaged due to lack of serviceable aircraft is not sustainable for the airline. The huge monthly salary associated with a bloated workforce will eventually kill the airline, which is not the intention of the current government.

"Aero Contractors currently has aircraft-to-employee ratio of 1:500, which analysts believe is perhaps the worse in the history of global airline industry.

"Government's intervention in Aero was to save it from total collapse therefore, all steps such as this (issuance of redundancy letters) to ensure its survival must be put into consideration to save the airline".

Ramon Oladimeji

Justice Muslim Hassan of the Federal High Court in Lagos has withdrawn himself from further presiding over the alleged N 4. 9bn fraud charge pressed against a former Minister of Aviation , Femi Fani- Kayode , by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The judge ordered the return of the case file to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court , Justice Ibrahim Auta, for re -assignment to another judge.

He directed Fani - Kayode and his co- defendants to go and await further directive from Justice Auta.

ekems2017:
We read this some days back.

He said , “This paper ( report he was holding) is the same paper ( Melaye read ). I have read it . There were two reports of such submitted to this office the same day and there were two of such reports submitted by the same law enforcement agency; two different reports submitted the same day about the same people. That goes to tell you the credibility of such an institution.

Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ibrahim Magu, has vowed to continue the fight against corruption, stressing that neither the rejection of his nomination by the Senate nor the report by the Department of State Security (DSS) that he is ‘unfit’ to head the anti-graft agency can stop him.

Magu said this when he addressed a coalition of civil society groups at the entrance to the National Assembly.

“My priority is to fight corruption. My confirmation has not changed anything. We have always been on duty I will work until the last day whether confirmation or no confirmation.

“The greatest violation against human right is crime against the society and the humanity but everybody has a duty and responsibility to fight corruption and I also has a responsibility. I assure you that we will fight to finish.

“We will never be deterred because what we are doing is trying to investigate what has gone before and protect the future of our children and our future generation. So, if we don’t work today and fight against corruption, the future is not guaranteed, the future of our children is not guaranteed.

“So, we must wake up, where ever you find yourself, fight corruption. Anytime you discover that I am corrupt, expose me.”

Fresh revelation yesterday suggested that the Air Force personnel, Aircraft Man (ACM) Kalu B.A who gunned down his female colleague and lover over suspicion that she was cheating on him had planned his action well ahead.

The accused, Kalu had on Sunday morning pulled the trigger of his service gun on his colleague girlfriend, Aircraft Woman (ACW) Oladipupo Solape at their quarters in the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Tactical Air Command in Makurdi when he allegedly found her with another man.

Daily Trust gathered yesterday from witnesses at the NAF base that the jealous lover and his deceased girlfriend were course mates at the Air Force training camp and that both began their soldiering career in January this year.

It was learnt that Kalu, an Igbo man and his now deceased Yoruba lover had related as two inseparable lovebirds to the admiration of those who knew them until suspicion heightened in the mind of the accused that she was cheating on him with a male youth corps member.

He was said to have obtained the rifle he used against Oladipupo from his unit at NAF base after the 5am emergency wakeup parade which allowed soldiers on duty to sign for a rifle for the day.

A source who has close knowledge of the incident told Daily Trust in confidence, that “The corps member boyfriend had spent the night with the Air Force lady. The way Kalu went about his action proves that the action was predetermined. Early hours of the Sunday morning after the sound of the emergency alert about 5am, troops gathered at the appropriate spot to take instruction from their superiors and to proceed to sign for their rifles for the day.

Kalu, after obtaining his rifle had moved straight to the lady’s house where she was with her corps member boyfriend, and shot her in the neck.”

The source added that Kalu made attempt on the life of the corps member who struggled with him until the bullet hooked as he tried to pull the trigger, making it possible for the corps member to escape.

Kalu, apart from leaving a suicide note behind before embarking on his act, had on the eve of the tragedy hinted on his face book wall that Saturday night would be his last moment at the base because he was going to do something that would shock the world.

He said in his suicide note: “It is a prestige for me writing this because it would be read by most top men. It is a love story of a guy falling in love with a wrong witch who pretended to be good.”

The Command Public Relations Officer, Wing Commander Emmanuel Iheoma would not speak on the incident. He insisted that the details would be made known on completion of investigation.

Our correspondent gathered that the accused would be court martialed, dismissed and handed over to police for civil legal action, and it has been reported that a psychiatric test process had started to determine Kalu’s mental health.

The Federal Government has instituted a panel of inquiry to investigate Nigeria’s failure to clinch the post of Commissioner for Peace and Security at the African Union (AU), the News Agency of Nigeria has reported.

Nigeria contested for the position of the post at the AU meeting in Addis Ababa on January 30 and lost the election to the incumbent, Algeria.

Citing presidential sources, NAN said the constitution of the panel was informed by the reported acts of sabotage leveled against some staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The source said already a senior staff of the ministry had been identified as the brain behind the plot against Nigeria before and during the election.

“A serving Director and two retired Permanent Secretaries with reported ties to one of the candidates from a friendly country that vied for the same position of Commissioner, Peace and Security, were said to be behind the illegal, fraudulent and highly unpatriotic issuance of these infamous Notes.

“The serving director had since been issued with a query.

“This, certainly, is another case of suspected fraud and corruption which, by the way, is also endemic in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in its more than 100 missions abroad.”

According to the source, the official single-handedly wrote a letter to express Nigeria’s support for the Algerian candidate despite a Nigerian, Fatima Kyari, running for the same position.

“Clearly, therefore, Nigeria’s failure to clinch the post can only be attributed to other factors and not the quality of the its candidate.

“In this kind of elections, countries base their voting pattern more on political and other considerations than on the substantive quality (competence, skills, experience) of candidates.

“This pattern is clearly reflected in the elections of all the other categories, including that of the Chairperson and the Deputy Chairperson of the AU Commission.

“”Most worrisome and unfortunate is the issue of the so-called Note Verbal issued by our embassies in Addis Ababa and Algiers, conveying a decision by the Federal Government of Nigeria to withdraw from the race in favour of Algeria. The truth is that there was no such decision by the government,’’ he said.

The source said Nigeria deserved to be commended for the way it reacted to the outcome of the election.

“If anything, the Government deserves commendation for keeping calm and abstaining to raise dust, despite initial indication of an external influence in the issuance of these highly embarrassing Notes,” the source said.

The presidential source also disclosed that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, chaired the selection process where prospective candidates were shortlisted.

Mr. Onyeama, he said, also chaired the interview panel which graded and recommended names of candidates for the consideration of Mr. President.

He said Fatima Kyari was graded as second best candidate along with another female candidate even though all the other candidates were also found to be competent.

“However, only one candidate was to be selected. While only Mr. President and possibly those who were privy to the final selection process could say why Fatima and not any of the other three highest rated candidates was approved, the AU rule regarding gender parity, might have been a determining factor in favour of a female candidate.

“”The rule requires that the two Commissioners from each of the five regions must be a male and a female.

“”While Nigeria was still on the selection process – as always we were running late – , Senegal and Ghana had already put forward candidates for the two top most posts of Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson respectively.’’

He maintained that Ms. Kyari’s proficiency in French language, among other set of skills, also stood in her favour.

The source also dismissed the insinuation that Ms. Kyari was “inexperience” and “incompetent” for the seat.

He noted that the AU contracted an independent consulting firm that evaluated, assessed and cleared those who were adjudged to have the requisite skills, experience and competence to hold the positions they wanted to compete for.

He said that Ms. Kyari went through this process as all other candidates did, and was duly cleared otherwise she would not have been allowed to run.

“It, therefore, amounts to ignorance, malice and/or mischief to label the candidate as inexperienced and incompetent to serve as Commissioner at the AUC.

“The candidate is indeed highly qualified not only by the assessment of the AU consultants, but also by the testimonies of many other African and non-African personalities, bodies and organisations.

“She is skilful, competent and experienced to do the job very well and indeed add value into the job with new and pragmatic ideas.”

The source recalled that Fatimah was selected, along with 12 other African mid-career leaders, for the 2016 Africa Program of the Eisenhower Fellowship in the United States, but could not participate because it coincided with the preparations for the AUC election.

He also dismissed the report claiming that Fatima Kyari is the daughter of Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari.

“The assertion, including in some major media, that Fatima is the daughter of the Chief of Staff to the President is utterly callous and malicious, clearly made with the intention to generate bad feelings against not only the Chief of Staff but the President, and to also denigrate the candidate by associating her to nepotism.

“This is much so because it does not take anything to crosscheck her lineage, if no malice was intended and if professionalism was a motivating, and guiding factor.’’
According to him, the Chief of Staff met her for the first time ever after she became Nigeria’s candidate.(NAN)

sniperr007:
Where is d picture?

By Victor Azubuike


A High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has sentenced one Azubuike Ogonor from Ahoada Local Government Area of the State to death by hanging for killing his girl friend, Miss Blessing Iyumame.

The case which lasted for over thirteen years brought relief to the family of the victim.

Justice Chioma Okirie, who made the pronouncement, said that the convict had in his confessional statements to the police admitted to the crime.

The trial judge noted that Ogonor had confessed to have committed the crime by pouring petrol on the victim and ignited it with matches.

Okirie stated that the convict and the victim did not have issues of misunderstanding that could have led to the killing.

The court revealed that Ogonor set his girl friend ablaze out of jealousy, after he saw her strolling with another man.

Enigo:
I need to see the evidence with pics

The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, has urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to extend Bank Verification Number (BVN) requirement to account holders in Microfinance Banks (MFBs).

She said this would facilitate the detection of bank accounts which might have been opened and operated in such banks by ghost workers and other syndicates.

A statement by the ministry’s Director of Information, Mr. Salisu Dambatta in Abuja on Monday, said Adeosun had written to the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, to make her case.

The minister said that the introduction of BVN by the CBN had contributed immensely in improving the integrity of the Federal Government payroll on which more than 50,000 ghost workers were detected and removed.

She said that operating bank accounts in Microfinance Banks without requirement for BVN had left a huge loophole which individuals with intent on financial crimes could use to hide and launder proceeds of crime and successfully escape detection by law enforcement agencies.

Adeosun referred the CBN governor to the discovery that prior to the deadline for obtaining the BVN, there had been movement of a large number of salary accounts of federal employees from commercial banks to microfinance banks.

“This is a suspicious activity and we have already commenced a review of such cases to identify and investigate any cases of fraud.

“We know that extending the requirement for BVN to Microfinance Banks may put a huge financial strain on the smaller Microfinance Banks; however, some MFBs such as National Police Force Microfinance (NPF), have over 27,000 salary accounts.

“Our inability to perform checks on such a large number of salary earners is a key risk.

“I am therefore seeking your cooperation to enforce compliance with BVN on any MFB with over 200 active salary accounts or those above a certain size.

“This will support the Federal Government’s efforts at reducing leakages to create headroom for the capital projects that will support the growth of the economy,” she said.

The CBN had, in September 2016, announced its intention to extend the requirement for the extension of the BVN to MFBs in the country, but the exercise had not taken off.

It was learnt that after attempts to withdraw the money failed, the suspect having memorised the victim’s secret pin number, advised him to follow him ( the suspect ) to a nearby bank where the transaction might be easier

Policemen attached to the Special Anti -Robbery Squad in Akwa Ibom allegedly brutalised some civilians in Eket area of the state.

According to a Facebook post by one Solomon Buchi Bartholomew, the policemen flogged and beat passersby, even cut their hairs with scissors because they supposedly looked like cultists.

martineverest:
i dont support violence...but this man got what he deserve...y name ur dog muhammad when u know the implications?

Some people are just professional troublemakers

By Chukwu David and Onyekachi Eze


.......Makarfi, Sheriff differ on Dickson’s C’ttee’s recommendations


The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senate Caucus, yesterday, said that it would pursue out-of-court settlement of the current crisis rocking the national leadership of the party.

The chairman of the caucus and Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, stated this while briefing journalists shortly after a closed-door meeting of the caucus.

Akpabio said that the PDP lawmakers met to consider the March 6th letter of the national chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, requesting for a meeting with the caucus.

He explained that while the caucus would continue to push for an out-of-court settlement regarding the current leadership tussle, the meeting of all major stakeholders would be a better option.

His words: “We held this meeting because there was a letter from Senator Ali Modu Sheriff to the caucus and we had to meet first to know whether this is the right time; whether the meeting is right or not and what we agreed is that the leadership meets first, thereafter we meet with the Sheriff group, the Makarfi group and the Board of Trustees (BoT).

“When this happens, we will then see whether all can come to a consensus and not just the caucus running to the party office to meet him. That will look like sectionalism.” He pointed out that if the PDP was not strong enough to provide strong opposition to the ruling party, the country might slide to a one-party state.

“As a caucus, we believe strongly in peace and we believe in the unity of the PDP so that Nigeria can have a robust democracy. We believe that without the PDP being strong and united, Nigeria may slide into a one-party state and democracy may be in peril,” he said.

Akpabio pointed out that for the party to succeed with any alternative to court processes, it was pertinent to meet all major stakeholders, including governors and National Caretaker Committee.

“If we succeed in doing so, it could even be a major way out instead of continuous processes in court. We will pursue that option without prejudice to the ongoing court processes.

We will do that until we can arrive at a solution where we could, at the end of the day, use what we have with the totality of all agreeing as consent judgement,” he said.
He noted that the caucus used the opportunity to pray and wish President Muhammadu Buhari quick recovery.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Makarfi and the National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff have disagreed over the recommendations of Governor Seriake Dicksonled National Reconciliation Committee.

The Bayelsa State governor had, on Tuesday, submitted the report to the Appeal Court-reinstated chairman, Sheriff. The committee had recommended that the party’s national convention should hold not later than June 30, while Sheriff should be allowed to preside.

But Makarfi, in a statement yesterday, said he was shocked that Governor Dickson made public presentation of the report approved. Said Makarfi: “He met me yesterday (Tuesday) and I pointed out the problems with his proposals, that it will go against even the Court of Appeal judgement. “At the end, I told him as caretaker committee, whatever is approved by the organs of the party that we represent, we will work with, and advised him to revert back to his colleagues and other organs. But this is what we are seeing.”

Makarfi, who said the caretaker committee would meet over the report, added that he referred the governor back to the organs of the party as well as the Goodluck Jonathan committee.

The former president has been pursuing political solution to resolve the leadership crisis. But the PDP National Working Committee (NWC), after its meeting yesterday, commended the Chairman of the Committee on Reconciliation and his members “for a very thorough job after the receipt and deliberations of the committee report.”

In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting and signed by the National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo, the NWC “noted with delight that most of the recommendations of the reconciliation committee are in line with the thinking of the NWC.” It announced that with recommendation No. 6 of the Reconciliation Committee, “the NWC has mandated the office of National Organising Secretary to quickly come up with the timetable for the conduct of congresses in the states of Oyo, Kwara, Sokoto, Lagos and Anambra, where congresses did not take place.”

However, Makarfi has denied reaching any agreement with Sheriff. In a statement by his media aide, Mukhtar Zubairu Sirajo, Sheriff said there is no truth in the media that he had accepted offers made to him by Sheriff as a precursor to the reconciliation process.

“Senator Ahmed Makarfi wishes to state categorically that even though his commitment to reconciliation in the party as well as that of the caretaker committee over which he has the honour to preside are total and unwavering, neither he nor the committee has given or accepted any terms to or from anybody,” the statement noted.

Makarfi had repeatedly assured that he and the caretaker committee were ready to abide by any decision(s) the organs of the party might decide to take at any time.

“And for the avoidance of doubt, the caretaker committee is amenable to a reconciliation that is comprehensive and one that creates a level playing field for all, legally watertight and acceptable to all organs of the party,” the statement added.

Also, Sheriff has called on PDP members to join him in rebuilding the party. Sheriff, who spoke when he received PDP members from Kaduna State, reminded party members that politics needs unity.

“I want to make it clear that in the Appeal Court judgement, there is no winner and no loser. Politics needs unity. I pledge to carry everybody along and I am willing to work with everybody. I call on other members of the party to join me in building the party to a greater height,” he stated.

The group, in an address read by David Kajid, called on party supporters and aggrieved members to respect the rule of law. They appealed to PDP NWC to explore dialogue in resolving the leadership crisis.

lalasticlala

A 400 level student of the University of Ghana has allegedly committed suicide by jumping from a balcony in the early hours of today (Wednesday).

According to reports by local media, the deceased, identified as one Jennifer Nyarko, who was believed to be suffering from hay fever, reportedly jumped from the balcony of the Akuaffo Hall annex, Room 407 after missing lectures for several days.

Her roommate claims that she was on the phone throughout the night talking to some guy until they slept.

She was spotted on the floor by a passerby, who alerted students and school authority.

She was rushed to the Legon Hospital, where she was confirmed dead.

lalasticlala

From Molly Kilete. Abuja.


The Nigerian Army has issued security alert on hotels in the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja).

The army also said it has put new security measures in place to protect hotels and other national infrastructures and assets which are usually targets of terrorists in the Abuja.

The security cordon is on the heels of an intelligence report which reportedly revealed a fresh plan by Boko-Haram to launch another attack on the nation’s capital.

Chief Of Army Staff(COAS), Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai made this known when he received Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Valentine Ozigbo, in his office, yesterday.

Buratai said the new security arrangement came about given high profile visitors, including foreign Heads of State and other very important personalities who usually lodge at the hotel.

He said hotels like Transcorp and other five stars hotels, as well as other national assets, are usually easy targets of terrorist because of crowds who troop to such places on a daily basis.

Buratai said the army is working in conjunction with other security agencies in the FCT round the clock to ensure Boko Haram does not have easy access into the nation’s capital,.

He added that aside deploying soldiers to keep security at such places, the army also has plain clothes intelligence officers deployed there to ensure safety and security and commended the Transcorp delegation for the visit and assured them of continuous protection of the army at all times.

In his response, Ozigbo said he was at the army headquarters to brief Buratai on steps taken by the management to secure the hotel.

He commended the army for responding promptly to issues concerning Transcorp and called for collaboration between the two organisations.

Meanwhile ,the Public Complaint Commission(PCC), has appealed to the army to have a rethink over the recent dismissal of 524 soldiers from the service.

Chief Commissioner of PCC, Chief Emanuel Ogbile, who made the appeal during a courtesy visit to Buratai said given the age bracket of the dismissed soldiers, their dismissal could mean bad omen for the country.

considering what it is passing through in the hands of boko haram and other criminal groups terrorizing the country.

Ogbile, who said the dismissed soldiers had staged a peaceful protest to the CCB, office in Abuja, asking the CCB, to plead with the army authorities to reinstate them back into the service, urged Buratai, to use his good office to revisit their cases with a view to resolve it, and if necessary reinstate them “in the best interest of the Nigerian army and the country”.

He said given the involvement of the army in fighting the counterinsurgency war and other security challenges, the country cannot afford to allow another kind of terror.

Buratai, in his response, while noting that the soldiers were dismissed from service having committed one offense or the other, said “we are going to revisit their case and look at each case at his own merit with a view to resolve them in the best interest of the army and the nation.

The army chief who described the number as huge, said their dismissal has greatly affected operations of the army saying “524, is almost a battalion. We felt the impact of their dismissal but I can assure you we will look into it, which we have already started”,

Ekiti State Governor wowed people recently as he showed off his tailoring skills by sewing his own ankara dress for tomorrow's International Women's Day.

The amiable Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose was in a happy mood as he celebrated ahead of the International Women's Day by sewing his ankara uniform ahead of the celebration tomorrow.

The Governor also declared tomorrow a public holiday to enable the women celebrate it in grand style.

According to him, the holiday will also enable men wishing to identify with the womenfolk, the opportunity to do so without hindrance.

He said the state government would sponsor the event to enable the women showcase their potentials and had a sense of belonging in the society.

NAN reports that no fewer than 45,000 women across various professions, trades as well as those in the public service have already enlisted to be part of the women’s special event.

The women have also paid N500 each to buy a branded and subsidised Ankara, which has a market value of N3,500.

NAN Correspondent who visited the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium, venue of the event reports that the place is now wearing a new look in preparation for tomorrow.

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By Abdullateef Salau |


The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, has said that Nigerians who have United States valid travel documents are free to embark on their trip.

The minister's call came barely a day after the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, advised Nigerians to postpone their US travel plans until the country's new administration's policy on immigration is clear.

She said the warning became imperative due to series of reports received by her office.

The minister, while briefing newsmen in Abuja Tuesday, urged Nigerians to dismiss any report asking them to postpone their US trip.

"This is not the case" Onyeama said, stressing that no Nigerian with valid US visa were turned back.

The minister said he had spoken to the US ambassador to Nigeria and high level US officials who said nothing of such had happened," he said.

He said Nigeria is not among the countries currently under US travel ban, noting that both countries enjoyed cordial bilateral relations.

He stressed that it is only the Office of the President and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that are credible sources of information about Nigeria's foreign relations.