₦airaland Forum

Female suicide bombers in Nigeria are now carrying babies to avoid detection in their attacks, authorities warn.

An attack in the town of Madagali on 13 January saw two women detonate their devices, killing themselves, two babies, and four others.

They had passed a vigilante checkpoint, mistaken for civilians because they were carrying infants.

Female attackers have been seen before, but officials said the use of babies could signal a “dangerous” trend.

The insurgent group Boko Haram is widely suspected of having carried out the attack.
Four women attacked Madagali located in Adamawa State, which was recaptured from Boko Haram in 2015.

Two were stopped at a security checkpoint, and detonated their devices, officials said.
The two women carrying infants, however, were not stopped, and exploded their own devices past the security point.

Boko Haram is known for using women, including young girls, as suicide bombers, notes the BBC.

The Nigerian government has been fighting the group in a major counter-offensive, recapturing much of their former territory.

But the insurgents have ramped up their suicide bombings in response.

In early December, two female suicide attackers killed at least 45 people in the same town, after they detonated their devices in a busy market.

A similar attack killed 25 people a year earlier.

A Seventh Day Adventist pastor was beaten mercilessly after he failed to play a 'worldly' song for a groom at a wedding ceremony.

A marriage ceremony ended in a bad note after a groom identified as Bhekinkosi Bhebhe was disgraced for bashing the Master of Ceremony (MC) who refused to play his worldly music at a Seventh Day Adventist church, wedding in Bulawayo area of Zimbabwe.

The family of the groom were forced to withhold all gifts ‘until he apologises’ to the people he disrespected when he turned his own wedding upside down and beat up an MC who also happened to be a local church pastor, Mr Miller Dube.

According to B-metro, Dube is a Seventh-Day Adventist (SDA) church pastor who was hired by the Bhebhe’s family to help with the wedding.

According to reports, Dube’s job was supposed to end after the two tied the knot, but he insisted on carrying out the duties all the way to the wedding reception where everything turned nasty.

The MC allegedly refused the wedding party a chance to dance and insisted that their worldly songs were not to be played during the service.

It is also said that Dube went on to call Bhebhe, “Bhekisathane” instead of Bhekinkosi saying that his actions of insisting on dancing at his wedding represented the devil’s ways and therefore replacing the “nkosi” part of his name with “sathane (devil)”.

Bhebhe was not happy with the statements and he then flew into rage and attacked the MC with clenched fists turning a peaceful wedding ceremony into a boxing match.

by Adeola Yusuf

Banks have foreclosed further lending to importers and marketers of petroleum product in Nigeria, New Telegraph has learnt.

This is coming at a time when the over $2.2 billion loans to the downstream sector worsened liquidity problem rocking the lenders.

Over $1 billion out of the total loan was extended to the marketers alone, while the total facility is poorly serviced, raising interests to N160 billion and heightening fear of hiccups in petroleum products’ supply.

Marketers, comprising Major Oil Marketers of Nigeria (MOMAN), Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), and Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association (DAPPMA), confirmed that the banks have started to “tail” them over the loan, maintaining that operations of the financial institutions and the country’s financial system are under threat due to the loans.

Head, oil and gas investment section of a first generation bank told this newspaper that all the big banks have got their fingers burnt due to the loans, most of which, he said, are no longer performing.

They have, expectedly, begun to go after marketers as parts of strategies mapped out to recoup the non-performing loans. The strategy, he added, may differ from bank-to-bank.

“The entire financial system is in a mess buoyed by this humongous, but poorly funded loan facility,” the banker said after his anonymity was guaranteed based on the injury full disclosure of his name could inflict on the business interest of the financial institution he represents.

The marketers had earlier confirmed that the $1 billion outstanding debt was money borrowed from banks to fund importation during the subsidy regime, which has accumulated an interest of N160 billion.

The situation became messy, the debtors who rose under the aegis of Independent Petroleum Products Importers (IPPIs) said, because of the failure of the Federal Government to pay the interest on the loans as agreed.

The source, however, maintained that the banks have been so badly hurt with the situation, which has now worsened their liquidity problems.

On why lenders may no longer fund oil projects in the short to medium term, he maintained that all the big banks have got their fingers burnt; so, they are playing a cautious game.

“Seventy per cent of non-performing loans,” he said, “are incurred from oil and gas-related risk portfolios. So, it makes no meaning for banks to rush into the sector, at least for now.

It as well makes absolute no sense to direct facilities towards the downstream sector, where over $1 billion loans are poorly serviced by the debtors. “It, therefore, becomes natural for the affected banks to embargo further lending, which most of them have done.”

Oil and gas sector, he said, remains one of the biggest debtors of commercial banks. Statistics from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), as of March 2016, put credit allocation to downstream oil and gas operations, natural gas and crude oil refining at N2.237 trillion.

The CBN data showed that the sector owed commercial banks over N2.272 trillion as at December 2015 and over N2.299 trillion in February.

In a communiqué issued at the end of their meeting in Lagos last weekend and signed by their legal adviser, Mr. Patrick Etim, the marketers, comprising MOMAN, IPMAN, and DAPPMA, said that banks’ operations and the country’s financial system are under threat due to the loans.

Their inability to pay or service the loans, they stated, has also stalled importation of fuel by the private marketers.

The problem of the banks, the marketers added, was compounded by the fact that they provided billions of dollars to finance the importation of cargoes of petrol by IPPIs.

“They opened Letters of Credit at approximate exchange rate of N197 per dollar. Petrol cargoes were supplied and sold by the IPPIs at the selling prices approved and subsidised by government and the subsidy payments were calculated using the above exchange rate.

“Now at the beginning of 2017, the banks have not liquidated the Letters of Credit from 2014 because of lack of foreign exchange from the government.

The outstanding matured Letters of Credit are currently over $1 billion. The Nigerian banks involved and the entire Nigerian banking system is at risk on account of these transactions,” the marketers said.
The communiqué added that there is little evidence that the government has seen the risks in further delaying the payments under the subsidy scheme.

“The exposed situation of the banks is exacerbated by the current trends in the petrol market. When the fixed pump selling price of petrol was increased from N97 to N145 per litre in May 2016, it was based on an exchange rate of N285 resulting in a 45 per cent increase.

On June 20, 2016 the naira was devalued from N285 to N305, which is an increase of seven per cent but the fixed pump-selling price of petrol has not been increased. This means that petrol must be subsidised,” the marketers added.

“A key term of the government’s contract with IPPIs is that the subsidy payments shall be paid to IPPIs within 45 days of discharge of petrol cargo.

It was also agreed that after 45 days, the government shall pay the interest charges on the loans taken by the IPPIs to finance the importation of cargoes of petrol.

The outstanding interest payments owed to IPPIs is currently over N160 billion,” said the marketers. The communiqué added that the outstanding claims arose largely from importation of petroleum cargoes authorised by the administration of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s government, stressing that since government is a continuum, the contracts of the Jonathan’s government will remain binding on successive governments.

Consequently, the marketers appealed to the government not to allow its inactions in handling the critical issues facing banks, airlines, manufacturers, electricity companies and other businesses expose consumers to suffering, adding that honouring contract agreements would help boost local and foreign investments.

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor, Marie-Therese Nanlong, Suzan Edeh, Emmanuel Una, Ndahi Marama, Chioma Onuegbu & Peter Okutu

Former governors are exerting pressure on the finances of state governments with pension payments and other entitlements draining billions of naira every year from developmental funds for the states.
Over N37.367 billion was, according to
Vanguard findings, expended on servicing 47 former governors from 21 sates in pension payments and provision of houses, staff and vehicles replaceable between three and four years.

Bauchi tops pension payouts to ex-govs

Payment of pension to former governors over a four-year cycle are highest in Bauchi, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Lagos states with former governors drawingN23.18 billion, N2.795 billion, N2.043 billion and N1.606 billion respectively over four years.

Former governors of Bauchi State are paid the sum of N1.201,634.28 billion per annum, while former deputy governors, according to Vanguard findings, earn N1,131,345.96 billion per annum. The amount is apparently based on the monetised benefits that include personnel, vehicles, houses and other allowances.
The payments are in many cases besides provisions for medical expenses for the former chief executives which run into hundreds of millions per former chief executive.

The pension payments and other entitlements drawn by the governors are irrespective of the prescription of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC providing 300 per cent severance for the governors as stated in the Certain Political Office Holders and Judicial Officers Remuneration Act. Under that act, former governors are like lawmakers entitled to 300% of their basic salary of N2, 223,705 amounting to N6,671,115 as severance pay.

Most of the provisions stipulate the provision of vehicles renewable every three to four years, accommodation at the state capital and sometimes in Abuja; 30-day-paid holiday outside the country and free medical treatment for the former governors and their immediate family members.

However, a few other states including Akwa Ibom, Yobe, Gombe, Lagos, Kano, Rivers, Kwara and Sokoto, have earmarked outlandish cash transfers to the former governors. The humongous payouts are sometimes styled as medical allowance and have generated controversies.

The Sokoto State pension law provides for N200 million every four years for former governors, and with three former governors, the state would have to cough out N600 million every four years for the former governors. Another N180 million is set aside for payment to former deputy governors.

Gombe was the first to pay out a benefit in the hundreds of millions when it paid N900 million to its two living former governors (Abubakar Hashidu and Senator Danjuma Goje) under the state pension law for former governors which provides N300 million per term for each of the two governors.

The Yobe State Pension Act, signed into law in early 2007 by former governor, Bukar Abba Ibrahim gives former governors pension for life. The former governor/ deputy receive 200 million and 150 million respectively, two vehicles replaceable every four years, two drivers, free medical for the former governors/ deputies and their immediate families in Nigeria or abroad.

Senator Abba Ibrahim, who served three different times as governor of the state is the only one enjoying the entitlement being the only former governor alive. The only other person to have shared the governor’s office with him were the late Senator Mamman Ali who died in office and the incumbent.

Other recommendations

Besides the cash payments, some states, including Cross River, Kwara, Lagos, Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Ebonyi, Kano, Zamfara and Sokoto States have also recommended the payment of the basic salaries of the incumbent governors as yearly pension payments to their former governors.

The version of the governors’ pension law in Kwara State which came into effect in 2010 states that the former governor shall be entitled to two cars and a security car, replaceable every three years, a well-furnished 5-bedroom duplex, furniture allowance of 300 per cent of his salary; five personal staff, three DSS operatives, free medical care for the governor and the deputy, 30 per cent of salary for car maintenance, 20 per cent for utility, 10 per cent for entertainment, 10 per cent for house maintenance.

Chief Emeka Wogu, a former minister who also represented Abia State in the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC and was chairman of the RMAFC committee which prescribed the severance payments told Vanguard that the pension laws prescribed by the states if inconsistent with the law as prescribed by the commission, would be deemed illegal. Wogu, also a lawyer and public policy expert, however, drew back from declaring the payments to the former governors as illegal.

“Anything outside the law that was recommended by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, and not in consonance with the law, and where it is already prescribed by states houses of assembly, that means that such laws are in conflict with the federal law.”

Ahead of the 2015 presidential election, General Muhammadu Buhari as candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, had promised to use moral suasion to compel the governors to amend the provisions of the pension law on the ground that they were unsustainable.

lalasticlala

In what appeared like confirmation of underlying grumbling within the rank and file of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South-West, vis-à-vis their relationship with the party at the centre, notable leaders in the region last week converged on Ibadan, Oyo State, with a view to thrashing out the issues. Evidently, the elaborate gathering was all about 2019; a review of what the South West-invested in the last three years in the political scheme of things, what it has gained so far and whether the outcome was commensurate with what its members invested. Analysts believe that the zone had already gotten enough, far ahead of other regions, a verdict that is being contested by some politicians in the Lagos-Ibadan axis.

In attendance at the five-hour closed-door meeting held in the Executive Council Chambers of the Oyo State Governor’s Office, at Agodi, Ibadan were the national leader of the APC, Sen. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Akinwumi Ambode (Lagos);  Isiaq Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo); Senator Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun); Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (Osun); Majority Leader of the House of Representatives,  Femi Gbajabiamila; the Minister of Works, Housing and Power, Babatunde Raji Fashola; Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun; Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed;  Minister of Communications, Barr. Adebayo Shittu and Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole.

Other party leaders at the meeting were Chief Bisi Akande, Chief Segun Osoba, Engr. Segun Oni, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Otunba Niyi Adebayo and Senator Sola Adeyeye, among others. At no time did the eminent politicians hold such a meeting since 2015. Almost all the South-West leaders attended the meeting with many of their lieutenants, a development that underscored its importance, at a time when many things are said to be going the way they should not.

There had been conflicting tones since the aftermath of the 2015 general elections. The triumph in the election is seen by some sections of the country as the product of their “personal feat” though at least four of the six geo-political zones in the country played one vital role or the other, without which the APC wouldn’t have been what it is today.

While there was a kind of consensus that the South-West had played an unprecedented role in the success story, and adequately compensated by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government in terms of appointments and allocation of projects, there are still complaints here and there in that part of the country. It is no longer news that some stakeholders in the South-West still feel short-changed, citing contributions they made that culminated in the dethronement of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015. Among other issues, the blame game that refused to abate is that relating to the leadership in the National Assembly and the aftermath of the 2016 elections in Kogi, Edo and Ondo states.

The outcome of the National Assembly and the elections somewhat collectively turned out to be in favour of a different camp, rather than a certain vested interest in the South-West. Some of these issues were reportedly discussed at the Ibadan meeting. Though the communiqué issued at the end of the meeting did not reflect some salient issues, including the elections in Kogi, Edo and Ondo, sources said some of the chieftains did not mince words in expressing their dismay. 

“It was actually the Asiwaju that calmed nerves; he doused the tension and played a fatherly role because many chieftains were angry and ready for anything,” a source at the meeting, said. From the communiqué read to newsmen at the end of the meeting, Chief Osoba noted that all those invited were present except the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives,  Lasun Yussuf, who he said was unavoidably out of the country on official mission.

According to Osoba, the discussions which centred on all socio-political issues affecting the South-West APC were amicably resolved “and there is now unity of purpose. The leadership is one, and we are all together on all issues,” he said, adding that the meeting resolved all issues concerning the governance of the country and what should be the role and the influence that should be exercised by a group for the interest and progress of the nation. He also said the meeting specifically examined governance at the centre and decided to formally present its position in this regard to Abuja.

Osoba said the meeting also discussed exhaustively, the relationship of the South-West APC with the National Assembly and the party leadership, and expressed the hope that henceforth, there would be harmony and consultation, especially with governors when it comes to decision making, for the development of the zone and the country at large. He said in conclusion, the meeting resolved that the South-West APC, “As leaders of the progressives in Nigeria, are determined to re-assert our interest in the progressive politics of Nigeria, for the betterment of the nation.”

Pundits posited that the last aspect of the communiqué, which revolves around “re-asserting the interest of the South-West”, would imply many things. “Yes, being in the progressive politics of Nigeria means the Yoruba Nation still believes in the APC as a party and by extension, President Muhammadu Buhari,” another source at the meeting, said. 

But according to him, unfolding events in the polity would determine the disposition of the South-West leaders to the present arrangement. He said there was a clear message when the issue of the National Assembly was brought to the fore during the meeting. “Obviously, everybody knows what happened during the leadership tussle at the National Assembly in 2015 but things are gradually taking shape. We’ve indeed received a fair share of important positions in the polity but we’re still looking for more. The president had hundreds if not thousands of appointments to make,” he said.

But other insiders insist that the Ibadan meeting is a pointer to how important the South-West has become in Nigeria, and how obvious it is that political heavyweights from the region are putting together a grand plan for the 2019 elections, which is already being discussed in political circles. 

“Study the patterns as they unfold. The Ibadan meeting, the power and influence wielded by people from the South-West, and all the intricate political dramas playing out and you will know there is something epic in the offing,” a major political player from the region told Daily Trust on condition of anonymity.

Before the Ibadan meeting, the crave for the purported mega party was said to be gathering steam in Lagos, Ogun, Ondo and Oyo states, heightening fears that the popularity of the APC would be decimated in that region, at a time when the PDP is equally struggling to regain its balance. Another problem discussed in Ibadan, according to insiders, was the alleged “side-lining” of the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, in the scheme of things.

Though the APC won the gubernatorial elections in Kogi, Edo and Ondo states, none of Tinubu’s preferred candidates were able to sail through to the government house. It was gathered that Tinubu had during the meeting, repeatedly affirmed that he nursed no grudge against anyone and urged the party leaders to remain strong and resolute. Towards the end of last year, various groups in the Lagos axis had voiced their disaffection for long, including the call for a new sense of direction by their leaders.

In November 2016, a group, #IStandWithTinubu, staged a rally in Lagos during which the members expressed reservations over how Tinubu was allegedly being treated. The group also paid a visit to the APC state headquarters in the state. In an interview with Daily Trust a few days after, the state chairman of the party, Chief Henry Oladele Ajomale, said the party did not sponsor the rally.

“They were the ones who organised the rally, not us. But they wrote to me that they were ending the rally at the party secretariat. So, we had to receive them since they are members of our party. And when they came, you heard what they said; they were having this solidarity walk because of the way they are treating our leader. We cannot listen to them commending the efforts of our leader without making some reciprocal response to their gesture. After all, they spent their time and money to get to that stage, having realized the tremendous contributions of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to democracy. Without Tinubu’s efforts in galvanizing his members, his loyalists and supporters in voting in the 2015 elections, I don’t believe that we could have been where we are as a ruling party,” he said.

Pundits believe that for now, to align themselves with the floating of a new party will be politically suicidal for the South-West, bearing in mind that they have a huge stake in government. 

For now, the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo is from the region, specifically Lagos. The region also has key ministries, or Grade ‘A’ as Nigerians have tagged them. These include Works, Housing and Power, Finance, Communications, and Solid Minerals. The South West also have the Minister of State for Health (Isaac Adewale) and his counterpart for Niger Delta Affairs (Cladius Omoleye Daramola). The region also has the headship of important parastatals of federal government. 

In terms of developmental projects, the South as a whole has been favoured by the 2017 appropriation bill. For instance, The South-South and South-West region will get N138 billion (equivalent to 51.45 percent) of the federal government total spending of N268 billion on construction and repairs of 171 roads across the nation. Specifically, South West zone has N64bn for 26 road projects in the 2017 budget. The zone which had the lion’s share of N67bn in the 2016 Appropriation Act had 18 projects which included the Lagos-Ibadan road (N49.4bn), Apapa-Oshodi, Lagos (N5.2bn) and the MMI Airport road (N4bn). This is in sharp contrast with what will go to the North-East, which will get N31bn to do 28 projects. Also, the North-East got N33.1bn for 17 projects in 2016. 

It’s now left to be seen if the Ibadan meeting will assuage the supporters of the South-West leaders as more political realignments continue to unfold across the country ahead of 2019.

There are strong indications that heads may roll as the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) moves to unravel the mystery surrounding the January 17 accidental air strike on an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Rann, Borno State.

Saturday Telegraph gathered from highly-placed military sources, that the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, is determined to get to the root of the matter and has vowed to unearth the circumstances that led to the air strike, which left over fifty dead, and scores injured. Already, a six-man Panel of investigation has been commissioned, to probe the incident.

The panel, which is headed by the Chief of Standards and Evaluation, NAF Headquarters, Air Vice Marshal Salihu Bala- Ribah will, among other terms of reference, “determine the immediate and remote causes as well as the circumstances that led to the incident.”

One of the sources, who spoke in confidence with Saturday Telegraph yesterday, said the CAS was determined to use the Board of enquiry, to demonstrate “the professional competence” of the NAF.

The source, who had advised that “it is too early to talk about the Board of enquiry”, said: “I can assure you that whoever failed to satisfy minimum expectations in war situation, will be dealt with.

“Let me tell you this; before striking any enemy position, the Air Force undertakes what is known as Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR). “Failure to carry out accurate grid reference, may lead to blue-to-blue.”

Another source told Saturday Telegraph, that; “The CAS will not hide anything from the public, as any military officer found complicit, will be shown the way out.

I The six-man Panel has up till February 2, to submit its report to the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar.

lalasticlala

Eniola Akinkuotu , Abuja

For failing to declare $310, 500 to the authorities at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, a traveller, Efosa Eriamiantoe, has been asked to forfeit the sum to the Federal Government.

Justice Saliu Seidu of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos , on Friday, also convicted the suspect.

The convict had been arrested by officers of the Nigeria Customs Service at the airport on his way from South Africa on January 25, 2015 for failure to declare the money found on him.

He was subsequently arraigned on April 23, 2015 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on one count bordering on money laundering , an offence punishable under Section 2( 5) of the money laundering ( prohibition) Act, 2011 ( as amended by Act No .1 of 2012) .

He pleaded not guilty to the charge , thereby setting the stage for his trial.

The prosecuting counsel, Abba Mohammed, had, during the trial , provided enough evidence to convince the judge that the convict had flouted the provision of the money laundering ( prohibition) Act , 2011.

The defence counsel , E. A . Onyeke , pleaded with the judge to allow his client forfeit the money to the Federal Government , rather than serving a jail term.

“ My Lord , the defendant has suffered so much in the court of this trial, ” he added.

Consequently , Justice Seidu convicted the accused person and ordered that the undeclared $310, 500 should be forfeited to the Federal Government.

“ The accused is a frequent international traveller who knows the rules guiding money laundering. But he is inconsistent in his evidence.

“ I am satisfied that the prosecutor has been able to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. The accused is hereby convicted and should forfeit the sum of $310, 500 to the Federal Government of Nigeria , ” the judge said.

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

There was a twist to a matter before a Lagos court between two married female members of Deeper Life Church in Isolo over an allegation of husband snatching which led to a public fight in Lagos State.

The women, Nwazema Oluchukwu, 58 and Chizoba Alloy Njoku, 34 were charged before Isolo Magistrate’s court over Chizoba’s husband, Alloy Benson Njoku.

Both, who are members of the same church and hails from Owerri in Imo State, were separately married with children to different men.

While Chizoba married and live with Benson, Oluchukwu alleged that Benson was her lover who she introduced to Chizoba while she was married to her own husband.

She told the Isolo Magistrate’s court that Benson and Chizoba were merely cohabiting despite the fact that they had three children because they did not contract any marriage as Christian or as Igbo culture demand.

P.M.EXPRESS gathered that Oluchukwu, a senior member of the Deeper Life Bible Church, decided to take Benson back when her own marriage reportedly crashed. But things turned to worse when Chizoba, who all along knew the relationship between Oluchukwu and Benson, decided to fight and hold on to Benson and this resulted in a street fight between them.

Meanwhile, Benson had moved into Oluchukwu’s house at 16 Panada Street, Isolo Lagos, after he deceived his wife, Chizoba that he was traveling on a business trip outside Lagos. However, the bubble bust after Chizoba was tipped that Benson had been in Oluchukwu’s house since the time he told her that he was going for business trip outside Lagos.

Chizoba trailed them until she caught Benson and Chizoba in front of Oluchukwu’s house while they were returning from an evening strolling.

She confronted Benson and asked him to follow her back home, but Oluchukwu stopped him and told her she will not release Benson to her.

This resulted in both fighting publicly until a police patrol team passing-by stopped and arrested the two women and took them to the station.

They were charged before Isolo Magistrate’s court for conduct likely to cause breach of public peace under the Criminal Code.

The presiding Magistrate, Mrs A.K. Shonubi granted them bail in the sum of N20,000 with one surety in like sum.

They were initially remanded in prison custody and was released after they perfected their bail condition.

The matter has been adjourned till 6 February 2017 for trial.

The cracks within the MMM community in Nigeria have continued to widen with many of the three million participants in the Ponzi scheme losing patience and trading accusations due to their inability to get their money out of the scheme after waiting for more than a month.

After being mocked Nigerians opposed to the scheme and fed excuses by those behind it for over a month, confidence in the scheme is declining with participants questioning its mode of operation and faulting explanations offered by guiders.

The discontent with MMM became evident this week after all payment ( Get Help ) requests by participants were removed by the scheme . The development meant that even the poor or small investors that the scheme said upon its ‘ return ’ on January 13 it would pay before higher investors were equally frozen out .

Ironically , the frustration follows the wild jubilation that followed its return on January 13.

“ We were patient for a whole month. What were you guys doing during that period ? It’ s not right that after you made us wait for so long , you are now making some upgrade or whatever without pre -informing us . You are now preaching patience , ” a participant , Busola , wrote on one of the schemes help platforms, mmmhelp. . com.

When accused by an anonymous participant of being rude and refusing to calm down, Busola fired back , “ Dear anonymous , why not carry cane and start flogging me ? Last I checked it was a free world . There ’ s no law against me saying my mind or ranting as you claim . Plus if I can remember clearly, you didn ’ t pay for my subscription so who the f **k are you to ask me why I am ranting . You really don’ t want me to divert my attention to you , trust me . I don ’ t know you and you won ’ t wanna know me …”

Another participant with the username Jane suggested that participants should be made to provide help before getting help , saying , “ This is what majority of your participants want , this is Nigeria , nobody is going to willingly PH once paid for fear of not being paid again , we are ready to PH to GH because then we are sure there would always be somebody to pay us . ”

However , she was told such a move would negate the MMM ideology . She warned that the scheme was losing trust as a result of the problem, saying , “ Making people wait endlessly without hope of getting their money back negates MMM ideology even more so chose which is better, 100 per cent loss of trust which is ongoing or 50 per cent loss of trust. ”

Joseph Adeiye accused the guiders of collapsing the system and made a call for guiders to provide help to sustain the system . His view was shared by several people including one Olamide, who posted, “ Those guiders are the reason for the problems the system is facing . A guider GH 2. 4m but he only PH 300k. Imagine that f *^k% *ry ! They are all thieves and will not want to PH . Greedy bastards . ”

He added , “ They had a whole month to do this stupid upgrade but they didn ’ t do anything. I am seriously suspecting that they are intentionally causing the panic so that the system will crash . Bastards !!!! All of dem ”.

When a participant , Sunday Olawoyin , called for patience and for the MMM administrators to be commended as one month was not enough for the system upgrade , he was attacked by aggrieved participants including one Ike Oko .

Oko retorted , “ Quiet your mouth there . A site can be running and still be upgraded, it is just a matter of uploading the files to the server . Do stop saying wizard , wizard this . All programmers and even ordinary web developers can do it too . Do shut your trap.”

An anonymous participant , however , continued to defend the scheme , and expressed surprise that people were not satisfied with the explanations provided for the challenges.

“ Let ’ s be patient and understanding … Have you considered the fact that maybe there is not enough PH ( help ) to go round ? You paid to somebody and you need someone to pay you . ”

In response to the anonymous comment , MMM Nigeria help replied , “ Together we change the world . ” But that only enraged aggrieved participants with Jane posting , “ MMM is just mocking us with dis useless slogan of “ together we change the world ” can’ t you see it’ s not working in this case ? chai! dem warn me I no hear . ”

A participant with the username , Fagsam , lamented , “ I ’ m getting tired and losing confidence in this system already . People are now making mockery of me that “ didn ’ t we tell you not to do mmm ?”… Everything needed should have been done during the break …. Sad something . ”

As the debate raged on , some participants begged those behind the scheme to pity them , while others were worried about the growing panic and negative reports it would generate .

“ Please , MMMNigeria, don ’ t fail us because we have never failed you people since we started …We are just speechless , ” wrote Chinaza Abel.

But some have given up on the scheme with one of them posting , “ This MMM is fraudulent. Poor people like us are suffering so much . I wish I never put my money on MMM . God will forever punish MMM and all the people behind it, forever and ever. ”

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By Bukola Idowu

A total of N784.129 billion was internally generated among the 36 states of the federation in 2016 with the largest contribution coming from Lagos State, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) yesterday.

A total of N317.79 billion was generated by 29 states that have reported their half year 2016 Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) figure and the revenue was generated across the following streams: pay as you earn (PAYE), direct assessment, road taxes, revenue from ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) and other taxes.

However, Abia, Anambra, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Oyo, Rivers and Sokoto are yet to report their 2016 first half revenues and the NBS said it repeated their revenues for 2014 in the report. The statistics office also noted that the full year value for 2016 was annualised by taking the half year result and multiplying by two.

“This will be revised when actual full year values are received,” it said.

Lagos State, which is the commercial nerve centre of the country, in 2016 generated N301.192 billion internally, accounting for 38.4 per cent of the total IGR of the states. It was responsible for the 13 per cent rise in total IGR for the 36 states, from the N693.705 billion generated in the comparable period of 2015.

With the bulk of its IGR coming from PAYE, Lagos State’s internal revenue rose by 12.3 per cent from the N268.224 billion it made in 2015. It grossed N97.33 billion from PAYE and N21.56 billion from other taxes during the period.

The state generated N150.59 billion in the half year period of 2016, closely followed by Ogun State with N28.15 billion while Nasarawa State generated the lowest revenue for the period under reference at N1.05 billion.

According to the report, 15 states recorded increases in their IGR, while 14 states recorded decline. Kwara, Lagos, Ogun, Delta, Kano, Edo, Akwa Ibom, Yobe, Kadunna, Plateau, Osun, Benue, Kogi Adamawa and Zamfara states recorded improvements in their IGRs in 2016.

On the other hand, the IGRs of Cross River, Enugu, Ondo, Bayelsa, Niger, Katsina, Imo, Taraba, Gombe, Kebbi, Ekiti, Borno and Nasarawa states dropped in 2016.

Nasarawa’s IGR dropped by 51.1 per cent, the biggest decline by any state during the year. The state’s highest revenue came from PAYE which amounted to N964.60 million.

Kaduna State’s IGR improved from N11.53 billion in 2015 to N15.497 billion, while Kano increased its IGR by 153.2 per cent. It rose from N13.61 billion in 2015 to N34.46 billion in 2016.

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Samson Folarin

The police have arraigned a 20- year -old housemaid, Loveth Emmanuel , before an Ebute -Meta Magistrate ’ s Court for allegedly stealing N 700, 000 from the safes of her boss, identified only as Rufus .

It was alleged that the suspect used a stick of broom to open four safes and stole the money at their residence on Sholanke Street in the Ebute -Meta area of Lagos State

She was alleged to have attempted to flee when the boss alerted policemen from the Denton division, who arrested her .

Rufus described the suspect as an ingrate, saying he treated her well and gave her the same privilege as his children.

He said Emmanuel, who was brought to his family by an agent, stole money meant for his children’s school fees and jumped into a fast moving vehicle in a bid to escape .

However , the 20-year - old claimed that her boss got her arrested because she wanted to sit for an examination , adding that it was when she was not given time for the exam that she decided to flee .

The Cross River State indigene said the theft allegation happened since July 2016, and she had been forgiven until she was arrested while going for the exam.

Emmanuel , who claimed to be an orphan , said she started staying with Rufus about a year ago , and she was not given any breathing space in the house.
She was , however , arraigned on two counts of stealing.

The charge read in part, “ That you , Loveth Emmanuel, on July 12, 2016, on Sholanke Street , Ebute - Meta, Lagos , in the Lagos Magisterial District , did conduct yourself in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace by using a piece of broom to steal the sum of N 700, 000 from four safe boxes in the room of one Rufus , your boss….

“ That you did steal the sum of N 700, 000 from four safe boxes , the money meant for children ’ s school fees , property of Rufus …. ”

The police prosecutor , Inspector Julius Babatope , said the offence was punishable under sections 166 and 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State , Nigeria , 2011.

The defence counsel , Okoya Sholope , asked the court to grant the defendant bail in liberal terms , adding that the offence was bailable .

The prosecutor did not object to the bail application .

The magistrate , Mrs . M . A . Olajuwon , consequently granted her bail in the sum of N 200, 000 with one surety in like sum, adding that the surety must be resident in Lagos with evidence of tax payment to the state.

The case was adjourned till January 25, 2017.

Davidson Iriekpen

A Federal High Court Lagos monday granted an application by the federal government to amend processes in its suit against Total E&P Nigeria Plc, over alleged under declaration of crude oil exports.

The government had sued Total E&P, alleging that it under-declared the volume of crude oil it shipped out of the country between January 2011 and December 2014.

The plaintiff accused the oil company of short-changing the country to the tune of $245 million, by allegedly shipping several barrels of crude oil out of Nigeria, without making due remittance to the federal government.

At the resumed hearing of the case monday, Mr. Charles Nwabulu, announced appearance for the plaintiff, while Mr. H. Abudulkareem appeared for the defendant.
Nwabulu then informed the court of a motion seeking leave to amend its pleadings.

He said the plaintiff had written to the court on December 9, 2016, and had filed an affidavit of urgency to enable it apply for hearing of its motion to amend its processes.

Moving in terms of his motion, Nwabulu said his application was premised on the provisions of Order 17 rules 1, 2, and 3 as well as sections 36 of the 1999 Constitution.

He urged the court to grant the plaintiff’s application and allow an amendment.
In response, the defence counsel, Abdulkareem, said he was not opposed to the prayer for amendment, but urged that the court put it on record that the plaintiff had made several amendments in the suit.

He noted that the amendments of plaintiff’s processes had foisted it on the defence to make a consequential amendment on its statement of defence, adding that same should be put on record.

Defence counsel also prayed that upon a grant of amendment of the plaintiff’s processes, a time frame should be afforded the defence to regularise its statement of defence.

The trial judge, Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, then enquired from counsel to the plaintiff, how many times he had amended his processes.
Nwabulu informed the court that he had amended twice.

In a short ruling, the court granted the plaintiff’s motion and adjourned the case to March 23.

In the same vain, a similar suit between the federal government and Chevron Nigeria Limited, was also called up monday.

Mrs. Miannaya Essien (SAN) had announced appearance for the defendant, while Nwabulu also appeared for the federal government.

Nwabulu had also made similar application for amendment of plaintiff’s processes before the court.

He stated: “My lord, we have four motions in court and we had written a letter dated December 9, 2016 with an affidavit of urgency informing the court of our motion; so if it pleases your lordship…….”
Justice Olatoregun abruptly cut in, “it does not please me.”

She instantly chided plaintiff’s counsel for showing what she described as “unseriousness” in the suit, adding that the matter had been on for a long time, with no remarkable progress.

She noted that the matter was adjourned till today for commencement of trial, and asked the plaintiff for its witnesses.

The judge frowned at the habit of “pushing processes” instead of focusing on the business of the day, adding that it was an unacceptable practice.

She urged counsel to exhibit due diligence in the matter.

Meanwhile, defence counsel informed the court that in spite of serving the plaintiff with a memorandum of appearance, the plaintiff still served processes directly on her client, instead of her chambers.

In response, Nwabulu apologised for the error adding that same would be redressed.
Consequently, the court granted the plaintiff’s application for amendment, but awarded a cost of N15,000 against the plaintiff.

She also fixed March 23 for trial.
The federal government through its lawyer, Prof. Fabian Ajogwu (SAN), had said it filed the suit following a forensic analysis.

The analysis was said to be linking decline in oil revenue to alleged non-declaration or under-declaration of volume of crude oil shipped out of the country by Total and other oil companies.

The federal government’s statements of claims were backed by supporting affidavits deposed to by three United States of America-based experts.

According to the deponents, about 57 million barrels of crude oil were allegedly illegally exported by the defendant.

He said these were sold to buyers in the US between January 2011 and December 2014 without making due remittance to the federal government.

The deponents claimed that the said crude oil was sold to Tostsa Total oil Trading SA of San Felipe Plaza-Suite 2100,5847 San Felipe, 770557-Houston, US at the port of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The plaintiff claimed to have uncovered the alleged illegality using high-technology information technology system, including satellite tracking systems, which were deployed by its consultants.

The federal government is therefore, seeking a court order, compelling Total E&P to pay it $245 million, “being the total value of the missing revenues from the shortfall /under-declared crude oil shipments.

The federal government wants 21 per cent interest per annum on the sum till final liquidation.

Again, it is also seeking general damages in the sum of 245 million dollars from Total E&P Nigeria Plc.

The court had on September 30, 2016, dismissed a preliminary objection filed by Total, urging the court to dismiss the federal government’s suit for failing to disclose a reasonable cause of action.

Meanwhile, similar suits had been filed by the federal government against, Agip Oil Company Ltd, Shell Western Supply and Trading Ltd and others.

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By Emman Ovuakporie and Johnbosco

ABUJA – No fewever than five members of the House of Representatives on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from Imo State may soon dump the PDP for the All Progressives Congress, APC, Vanguard investigations revealed.

The defection according to the investigations was being championed by the Chairman of Imo State caucus in the House, Raphael Nnanna Igbokwe who represents Ahiazu Mbaise/Ezinihitte Federal Constituency of the State and also member of the Ali Modu Sheriff-led faction of the PDP.

But Rep. Igbokwe has accused some PDP stalwarts in the state of trying to shut him out of the party’s meetings and activities, alleging that a former federal lawmaker in the area was making things difficult for others.

Fuel subsidy convict ‘faints’ forcing judge to postpone sentencing

A judge has deferred the sentencing of fuel subsidy convicts till Monday after Adaoha Ugo-Nnadi, one of the convicts, fainted.

A Lagos High Court on Friday convicted Walter Wagbatsoma, Adaoha Ugo-Nnadi, and their company Ontario Oil and Gas on an eight-count amended charge of fraud.

The defendants were found guilty on each of the eight counts.

The third defendant, Babafemi Fakuade, was, however, discharged and acquitted.

The judge had taken a 30-minute break ahead of an expected sentencing, but suspended after Ms. Ugo-Nnadi fainted.

PAUL IYIGHOJIE

Operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad, FSARS, Adeniji Adele Road, Laos Island, have arrested two suspected notorious robbers terrorizing and robbing residents of Ire Akari street, Ejigbo and Isolo areas of Lagos, snatching and vandalizing vehicles in the area for long.

Police identified the suspects as Chinedu Ajogwu, 24 and Uchenna Chukwudi Mbah, 33.

The alleged ring leader simply known as ‘Small’ is said to be at large.

Police alleged that nemesis caught up with the suspects who claimed to reside at Ejigbo area of Lagos on 31 October, 2016 when they raided residential apartment, mechanic workshop and car sales outlets in the area to steal and vandalize vehicles.

Police alleged that while the operation was going on, victims sent a distress call to the DCP in charge of FSARS, Mr. Ibrahim Kaoje, about the incident.

The DCP dispatched a team led by CSP Megida Dauda to the scene to arrest the suspects and bring them to the station. And on sighting the SARS team, the suspects open fire on them and gun battle ensued during which the two suspects were arrested while alleged leader called Small escaped.

Items recovered from them, according to the police, include their two operational vehicles and vandalized vehicle parts such as two Infinity SUV head light, Golf headlight, 4 Corolla car door glass control, two brain boxes, one HP laptop, 1 generating set, 1 Mercedes car jack and 2 Honda car glass control.

During investigation, according to the police, the two suspect allegedly confessed to the crime and said that they have been robbing residents and vandalizing vehicles in the area for the past two years.

One of the suspects, Chinedu Ajogwu allegedly said “Small is our leader and the owner of the guns we used for the operation. We specialize in robbing residents, vandalizing vehicles at mechanic workshops, car sales outlets in the area and we normally sell the stolen items at the popular spare parts market in Lagos. We promise to stop stealing if we are set free”
The suspects were arraigned before an Igbosere magistrate court, Lagos on a two count charge of robbery.

The offenses according to the prosecutor, DSP Charles Odii, are punishable under sections 297 and 285 (1) of the criminal laws of Lagos State, 2011.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the alleged crime in the open court and magistrate Mr. O. Owumi admitted them to bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties each in like sum.

Owumi adjourned the case till 13 February, 2017 for trial while the accused persons were sent to Ikoyi prison pending when they will perfect their bail condition.

Jyoti and Kiran Matharoo, the sisters named “Canadian Kardashians” who were recently arrested for blackmailing randy Nigerian billionaires, have left the country ahead of their scheduled appearance at the Yaba Magistrate Court, TheCable Lifestyle understands.

There are also strong indications that the digital copies of the 274 pictures and videos of randy Nigerian billionaires — discovered on their seized laptop by the police — are still intact.

Insiders in the know of the saga told TheCable Lifestyle that because of the scandalous images of famous Nigerians found on their laptop, a deal was struck to allow the girls leave the country quietly because of the potential national embarrassment.

They were found with the images of nude or semi-nude Nigerian billionaires allegedly recorded surreptitiously by them at their EKO Hotel room where the escapades usually took place.

They were accused of being the brain behind a website, NaijaGistLive, where threats to expose the dirty secrets of the billionaires were regularly published — and a third party was said to be collecting hush money, usually in foreign currencies, on their behalf.

A very popular minister from the south-west and a former “uncommon” PDP governor from the south-south are in the lewd images, police sources told TheCable Lifestyle.

Also, the naked picture of a bank MD was accessed on the seized laptop, while a high-flying lawyer and businessman from Kogi state was seen pulling down his boxer’s shorts in one of the videos, the insider said.

The brother of a famous retired general from the middle belt was also seen in some of the pictures.

“The fear of a scandal of global proportions blowing up in the media during their trial led to a change of tact,” a source familiar with the soft landing deal told TheCable Lifestyle.

The police may withdraw the charges when the case is called on January 26 at the magistrate court, except there is a change of plans.

The sisters were forced to sign a prepared undertaking promising not to engage in blackmail and cyber bullying again — and to stop extorting their “victims”.

They were then allowed to quietly return to Canada and are now “safe back home”.

PICTURES ‘INTACT’
However, contrary to the belief that the pictures of the randy billionaires have been wiped out, it has now emerged that the girls — or a third party — could still be in possession of the digital copies.

The NaijaGistLive blog has been attacked by paid hackers and taken down and the girls have signed an undertaking not to have “any involvement whatsoever” with the site.
But recent posts on Instagram under the account name “9jagistlive4” suggest that the publications could continue — this time with no “extortion” involved.

The posts appear targeted at Femi Otedola, the billionaire businessman who was celebrated as bursting the two-girl ring by sending detectives after them.

The account operator, who used the singular “I” in the posts, promised that the website will come back with better security and would continue to expose the dirty secrets of Nigerian billionaires who cheat on their wives.

In one post, the writer said: “If you thought NGL was gone, you pulled a fast one on yourself bih. I noticed, the ones who were mysteriously happy thinking that NGL was gone are those who feel threatened by the truth and pure evidence of it. To all my NGL fans, when the new site is up and running (please be very patient, security is key): I will clearly state in every article that no TRUTHS shall be taken down for whatever reason. So when you communicate with random emails asking to take down a truth, just know it’s not NGL and be advised NOT to pay money to anybody at all. (Name withheld for legal reasons), take notes! Stop cheating around with hoes and there won’t be hoes trying to extort from you in the name of MY website. Okay? somebody please @him or send this to his email.”

In another post, he or she wrote: “So many things have happened in the past week and I’ve come to realize how big of a joke the Nigerian legal system is.

“Arresting innocent or not-so-innocent people, having them admit to something they don’t own, sign stupid papers and/or release scripted apologies under DURESS just to appeal to your ego shows how SICK some criminals (and Nigerian police) are.

“Truly, people unassociated to my NGL brand might have created accounts/ emails and clone websites in an attempt to use MY website(s) to defraud others, in which case, after proper, I repeat: PROPER investigation, they can be detained and tried to the law. First I was baudex, then SDK, then the Matharoos. Joke joke joke!

“As for the #NaijaGistLive brand, it remains one to truthfully expose criminals. The brand can never die. Not even the bigoted (name withheld for legal reasons)can stop it.”

Vivian and I had been dating for long until I started losing interest in her. Vivian has a cousin called Blessing.

Vivian attends Covenant Life Church, while Blessing and I attend Sabbath Domain Church. I used to see Blessing at church services.

I started developing feelings for her. I decided to break up with Vivian to date Blessing.”

Matthew Kukah, Catholic arch-bishop of Sokoto diocese, says though he is an optimist, he has never “been as unsure about the future of this country as I am now.”

Speaking on Thursday at the launch of a book, ‘Religion and the making of Nigeria’, Kukah said Nigeria may not be able to stop killings because it has not been able to separate criminality from religion.

He also lamented that the Buhari administration had not been able to deliver on his promises.

“As a Nigerian and a citizen, I have always been an incurable optimist. But I have never been as unsure about the future of this country as I am now,” Kukah said.

“People say they are killing for religion, but intentions are not enough. As it is, we may never be able to prosecute anybody because we have not been able to separate criminality from religion. In Nigeria, we have a feeling that somehow, people can genuinely kill in the name of religion.

“I think that unless Nigeria as a country is prepared to make laws and ensure that all citizens live by same and be answerable by the same law, what we are witnessing is a symptom, not the disease. The creeping inequalities, the inability of this system to deliver has made us uncomfortable.

“The point, therefore, is not for us to keep praying. Should religion lead to the un-making of Nigeria? The answer is ‘No’. But the government of Nigeria should separate religion from politics and economics and let everybody make his claims.”

The 336-page book launched was written by Olufemi Vaughan, a professor for Africana Studies and History at Bowdoin College, in the US.

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

A man, Taofik Opadeji has lost two teeth after he was brutally attacked by two friends who was angry that he came to their neighbourhood to woo a woman they had interest in.

The incident happened at Oluwadarasimi street in Abule Odu, Egbeda, Lagos where the suspects reside, while the victim reside elsewhere.

The two friends, Tayo Onifade and Taiwo Adeosun have been arrested and charged to Lagos court for assault and occasional harm.

Trouble started, P.M.EXPRESS gathered when the suspects started seeing Opadeji with the woman, they decided to challenge and warned him to stay away from the lady because they are interested in her.

But Opadeji rebuffed them and informed them that the lady had made her choice and he would not back off because of their threat. This resulted in exchange of hot words and later turn to free-for-all among them.

During the fight, one of them knocked Opadeji in his mouth and two of his teeth fell down and was bleeding profusely.

He was taken to a hospital while the matter was reported to the police at Idimu division, who arrested the suspects.

At the Isolo Magistrate’s court where they were later arraigned, they pleaded not guilty.
The presiding Magistrate, Mrs A.O Adedayo granted them bail in the sum of N50,000 with one surety in like sum.

They were remanded in prison pending when they will perfect their bail.

The matter was adjourned till 30 January 2017.

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The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation says its three refineries in Kaduna, Port Harcourt and Warri have resumed production of diesel and kerosene.

The Group General Manager , NNPC Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu , disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said that the resumption of refining of the products was expected to balance the disequilibrium in the demand and supply of the products as being experienced in parts of the country.

He further said that the Kaduna Refinery had also commenced operations to ease the situation in supply and distribution of petroleum products nationwide.

Ughamadu also stated that NNPC had made arrangements for additional supply intervention through direct importation of diesel , kerosene and DPK to sustain product availability across the country.

In the statement, Mr . Solomon Ladenegan , the Managing Director of Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company, said that the plant was doing well.

This, he said , was especially so since the Crude Distillation Unit was revived on Jan.7, adding that it resumed production same day.

According to Ladenegan, the plant now refines 2 million litres of kerosene and 3 million litres of diesel daily.

“ This morning , we have pumped the products to PPMC and they have started loading ; they are going to load up to one million litres of diesel and kerosene.

“ The products are there in the tank and we are doing everything to get them to the market, ” Ladenegan said.

In the same vein , the Managing Director of the Port Harcourt Refining Company , Dr Bafred Enjugu, said that the refinery was producing 3 million litres of AGO ( diesel ) daily .

This , he said , was in addition to 2 millions of DPK ( kerosene ) being produced by the refinery daily .

Enjugu expressed happiness that his operators were thrilled following the rehabilitation of old Port Harcourt Refinery.

He said that with the development , production of diesel was being carried out by locals without deployment of foreign expertise.

An independent marketer , Alhaji Abubakar Yahaya of Yamoyus Nigeria Ltd . described the refinery and the depot environment as positive

He said that marketers now had access to diesel and kerosene in sufficient quantities .
NAN

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Chineme Okafor in Abuja

The Federal Government has said that it will not approve a fresh electricity tariff hike at least for now, stating that it is still meeting with stakeholders in the country’s electricity sector, including the World Bank to provide some level of interventions to the market.

Speaking on Monday in a Channels Television Talk Show, Sunrise Daily, which was monitored in Abuja, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, said the government was meeting with the World Bank to find solutions to the financial challenges of the power sector.

Fashola by this, confirmed a THISDAY report in December 2016 that the government and the World Bank had initiated efforts to bail the country’s power sector from the existing liquidity challenges threatening its survival.

Also, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) is expected to, this month, announce new cost-reflective electricity rates to reflect current operational indices in the industry.

Statutorily, NERC undertakes periodic reviews of the tariff to factor in changes in operational indices like foreign exchange and inflation rates, price of gas for power, as well as changes in generation capacities.

Fashola, however, said that if the government’s deliberations with the World Bank on the financial challenges of the market end well, Nigerians would be protected from a possible electricity price hike.

He said: “Government still has to deal with how to stabilise the value of the naira to the dollar, and again that will be impacted by how much money we get from oil production, which is still our major foreign income earner. We have used our leverage in OPEC to get OPEC to agree to a production cut, which heralded a price rise but can we as a protagonist take advantage of this by stopping to fight?

“People must be clear that if government accepts the recommendations that we will make to intervene, it is not to give the Discos a golden parachute, but first to protect citizens from price hike in terms of power for now and also to keep the subsectors so that they don’t lose their businesses.”

Fashola provided an insight to the deliberations with the World Bank, saying: “You would have heard that there are liquidity issues in the power sector that came from the way the privatisation itself was structured, essentially through bank loans. Most of the people who bought them had very little if any skin in the game in terms of their own private equity.”

He said technically, the banks owned the power assets, explaining that that was part of the problems of the Discos because of their debt burden, which had made it difficult for them to get more money to expand their distribution assets, their transformers and to get meters.

The minister explained: “Now all of that underperformance is not necessarily only their faults, it is also the way the economy has played out. Assets they bought and loans they took at N197 to a dollar has certainly lost value. We had a tariff increase to cushion that effect but all of that was almost wiped out by the depreciation in the naira to the dollar.

“Gas as a component of power production is indexed in dollars but the collection is in naira, so the bills that you could pay if you need only N200 to pay, you now need N400 to pay and you can’t increase the tariff to deal with that and those are the liquidity gaps.”

He explained further: “What we have seen in many parts of the world where these things have taken place, [is that] there have been a transitional funding support and when we recommended it or proposed it to the World Bank, they looked in their books and saw very correlative historical precedents that government still needs to intervene but not necessarily by giving money to the Discos and this is not a concluded policy, but perhaps in a way in helping them manage their debts with certain conditions either in governance, diminution of shares, requiring them to recapitalise or take some technical expertise.”

Fashola also said that the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) had increased its electricity wheeling capacity to 7200 megawatts (MW), claiming that the transmission network was no longer the weakest link in the sector as often stated by stakeholders.

According to him: “The generalisation about the grid not been able to carry what we generate is really an inaccurate reflection of realities. We have expanded the grid; additional projects are going on, and the Kudenda substation in Kaduna is part of the grid expansion.”

From Kemi Yesufu, Abuja

There is tension in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) over a recent recruitment of four new general managers and 11 other senior staff.

The issue, according to Daily Sun investigation, has to do with the manner the new recruitment was allegedly done, which “did not follow due process.”

Besides, 10 senior staff were reportedly transferred out of Abuja, “with southerners, as targets.”

Former executive secretary of the agency, Femi Akingbade, who handed over to Prof. Usman Yusuf, has been sent to Edo State as South-South Zonal coordinator.

In the new recruitment, 11 were picked from the North-West, with four coming from Katsina State, alongside the current Executive Secretary, three from the North-Central and one from the North-East.

Other senior staff, including former spokesman of the agency and Deputy General Manager Media and Public Relations Division, Ayo Osinlu, Laja Abereoran, deputy general manager and Kayode Bello an assistant general manager were posted out of Abuja.

Staff are asking questions about the process of recruitment of the new staff.

A staff, who is not authorised to speak with the media, told Daily Sun, nevertheless, that “not only were fresh recruitments made, despite being presented as secondments from other government parastatals, the vacancies were not advertised, even as the Ministry of Health was not not informed,” due to the absence of a governing board for the NHIS.

It was further gathered that following several complaints, Senate summoned the NHIS boss and Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, in November 2016, “for explanation, through the Senator Lanre Tejuosho-led Committee on Health. The minister simply washed his hands off the recruitment.

“In the civil or public service, if you transfer service, your date of employment is the date from where you are coming from. But, all these 15 people have the date of their first and present date of appointment to be the one by the NHIS.

“Old staff of the scheme are also worried about the confusion being caused in order to avoid questions. Four people were appointed on Grade Level 15 but are being called Heads of Divisions, when there are general managers on the same grade level who, by our structure, are head of divisions,” another source said.

It was equally gathered that a former staff of the Economic and Financial Crimes Comission (EFCC) was employed as an Assistant General Manager on Grade Level 13.

Against this backdrop, a chapter of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) in the agency is spoiling for war. The ASCSN claims it was “left in the dark about the recruitments.”

When contacted, spokesperson of the agency, Abba Zayyan asked Daily Sun to call back and when this was done, hours later, he directed that one Mathews Egwaba speak on his behalf.

Egwaba, on his part, said the management of the agency would be willing to address the matter and other important issues concerning the NHIS, but did not say when or how.

“If you look at how the NHIS is currently staffed, the South East would have produced the highest number in the next generation of General Managers, then the next set would have been dominated by the South-West, all by did of hard work. But now, this natural progression is under threat.

“There is practically no way a 33 year old would have qualified to be an Assistant Director in the main civil service or its equivalent, an Assistant General Manager in the NHIS, yet we have one brought-in at this level.

“The Executive-Secretary keeps saying he has the mandate of the president. But I don’t think any president, talk more of the current president who doesn’t condone a lack of due process will support the current abuse of an agency’s structure the way it has been done”, another source told Daily Sun.

When contacted spokesperson of the agency, Abba Zayyan asked to be called back and when this was done hours later, he directed that one Martins speak on his behalf.

Martins on part said the management of the agency would be willing to address the matter and other important issues concerning the NHIS, but didn’t say more than that.

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From Fred Itua, Abuja and Chinelo Obogo

As the Senate resumes plenary today, one thing that will confront it is series of petitions over alleged manipulation in the nomination of Mr. Anthony Mkpe Ayine as Auditor General of the Federation (AGF) by the Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. David Babachir Lawal.

Daily Sun gathered that the Senate had listed Ayine’s nomination on its Order Paper on December 15, 2016, for consideration, but skipped the item at the last minute. No reasons were given for the action.

In one of the petitions to the Senate by the Network Against Impunity (NAI), copies of which were circulated in Abuja, yesterday, the group said Ayine’s name was not one of the three candidates submitted to the SGF for consideration as AGF.

The petition, dated December 23, 2016, and signed by the National Coordinator of the NAI, Yakubu Adagba, alleged that the original list of shortlisted candidates was substituted by the SGF before the nomination got to the Senate.

“The original list of three shortlisted candidates forwarded to the SGF by the FCSC was jettisoned by the SGF who substituted the list and presented a different list of nominees to President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Therefore, Ayine’s confirmation request, pending before the Senate, is nothing but a cash-and-carry deal, packaged by the SGF and about to be rubber-stamped by the Senate,” he said.

Another non-governmental organisation, One-Nigeria-One-Nation Advocacy Initiative also opposed the nomination of Ayine as the AGF, saying it negates the federal character principle.

In a petition addressed to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and signed by the groups’ Coordinator, Omotunde Adewale, the group said the appointment of Ayine, who hails from Cross Rivers State, was made in total disregard to the Constitution, since the Head of Service of Nigeria (HoS), the Chief of Naval Staff and the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) “are all from the same state.”

“The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria requires that the principle of ‘federal character’ be applied in the distribution of federal government appointments across the 36 states of Nigeria,” the group insisted.

Ola Ajayi, Ibadan

A 61 year old man, Adejare Adebayo who was identified as a pastor has been remanded in Agodi Prison Custody, Ibadan by a Magistrate Court for allegedly using a knife to cut off the breast of his wife.

After cutting off the left breast of his wife, Mrs. Risikayat Adegbule aged 43, the excruciating pain allegedly led to the death of the woman after some days.

When he appeared before the Chief Magistrate F. Richard of court 2. Monday, the accused man pleaded not guilty to the one-count charge.

The crime was allegedly committed at Onikankan Village, Ibadan on the eve of Christmas.

Though yet to be ascertained, the man was quoted as saying that he cut the other affected breast because his dead wife had earlier suffered cancer in her left breast.