₦airaland Forum

Olalekan Adetayo, Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday met behind closed-doors with the nation’s security chiefs.

The meeting, our correspondent learnt, reviewed the military operations in the troubled Niger Delta region and the ongoing anti-terrorism war in the North East.

Security chiefs who attended the meeting included the Chief of Defence Staff, Gabriel Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar; Chief of Naval Staff, Ibok-Ete Ibas; Director-General of the Department of State Services, Lawal Daura; Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Mr. Ayo Oke; and the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris.

The meeting was also attended by the Minister of Defence, Brig-Gen. Mansur Dan Ali (retd.); National Security Adviser, Maj.-Gen. Babagana Munguno (retd.); Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Babachir Lawal; and the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr. Abba Kyari.

They did not speak with journalists at the end of the meeting that lasted over three hours.

Olonisakin quickly moved to his waiting car as he came out of the venue of the meeting.

When Buratai was approached for comment, he directed journalists to the CDS who had already gone out of the premises.

The Presidency did not issue any official statement on either the agenda or outcome of the meeting.

A 33-year old woman identified as Akhere Emujede has been raped and murdered at Ubiaja town, headquarters of Esan South East Local Government.
Her corpse was dumped in a church within the locality.

Eyewitnesses said the victim’s throat was slit and vital organs removed from her body.

She was said to have attended a church programme from a neighboring village but was killed.

The killing of Akhere has brought cases of suspected ritual killings in Ubiaja to seven within six days.

A human head was said to have been dumped in front of a school principal office and another body was found within the school premises.

Principal of the school, Patrick Odensenye, said he was taken aback when the found the human head in front of his office.

Other mutilated bodies were found in different parts of the community.

Rev. Dr. Joseph Ehimen in charge of the church where Akhere body was found said they open the church to discover her corpse.

During Tuesday plenary at the State House of Assembly, the lawmaker representing the Esan South East, Festus Edughele, raised the alarm of presence of ritualist in the community.

He said the suspected ritual killings has spread fears in the minds of residents in the area.

Acting Public Relations Officer for Edo State Police Command SP Stephen Onwochei who confirmed the incident appealed for information that would assist the police.

His words, “We received information that a young girl was found dead inside a church at Ubiaja area of Edo State.

“Her name is Akhere Emujede, 33, it is so unfortunate but the command is investigating. For now, no arrest has been made, our men have profiled the scene of crime”.

lalasticlala:
Madam, if you want to recommend a thread for a FP, it's cool, but you can't tell the super mods when to feature a thread. OK.

It added that, “This practice where some group of senators amend the Rules of the Senate without
following legal procedures is not only criminal but
portends danger for growing democracy”.

Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has not apologised to the wife of president, Aisha Buhari, as demanded by her for linking her to American Congressman William Jefferson’s bribery scandal of which the US lawmaker was convicted in 2009.

The five-day ultimatum which the president’s wife issued to the governor, demanding an apology, expired yesterday.

The media director in the Office of the Wife of the President, Zakari Nadabo, told Daily Trust on the telephone last night that the office had not received any communication from the governor as of 7.00pm yesterday.

Nadabo also disclosed that the wife of the president had left for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for lesser hajj.

Mrs Buhari, through her lawyers, Ismaila Alasa and Mary Ekpere, described Fasoye’s allegation as “very wild and unfounded” as well as threatened to drag the governor to court if the statement was not retracted within five working days.

Sunday Aborisade, Abuja

The Senate, through its committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, on Tuesday, issued a fresh summon to the Attorney – General of the Federation, who is also the Minister of Justice, Mallam Abubakar Malami.

Malami was being invited by the senate for instituting a forgery case against the presiding officers of the upper chamber, and two top management staff of the National Assembly.

The senate had first summoned Malami, following a motion moved by Senator Dino Melaye, representing Kogi West Senatorial District, who relied on order 14 and 52, to demand the approval of his colleagues for his two prayers including the invitation of the AGF and the genuineness of the rule book.

The senate, had approved the two prayers through voice votes while Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the session, asked the Judiciary, to summon Malami, within 48 hours and interrogate him on the issue.

The red chamber therefore mandated its panel to within two days summon the AGF to explain and justify with evidence the basis for his action.

The senators also wanted the committee to find out from Malami to tell them, whether his action did not constitute gross misconduct, incompetence, contempt of court and abuse of office.

Malami, did not honour the invitation of the senators last week Thursday, but sent a letter to the committee, stating his reasons for his absence.

The senate panel in its fresh summon dated June 27 and signed by its Chairman, Senator David Umaru, asked Malami to appear before it on Thursday, by noon.

Part of the letter, a copy of which was obtained by our correspondent on Tuesday, reads,
“I write with reference to your (AGF) correspondence on the above subject matter with Ref. HAGF/NASS/ZOIG/Vol.1/24, dated 23rd June, 2016, whereby you requested for an adjournment of the meeting of the Committee, which was supposed to hold on Thursday, June 23, 2016, to enable you prepare your response.

“The Committee has considered your request and having regard to the reason adduced, acceded to the request for an adjournment.

“Accordingly, the meeting is now scheduled to hold on Thursday 30th June 2016 at 12 noon prompt.

“The venue is Senate Meeting Room 31.3, 3rd Floor, New Senate Building, National Assembly Complex. You are by this letter invited to appear before the mentioned place above.”

The senate at plenary on Tuesday, after a two-hour closed session, summoned Malami, over the planned prosecution of Saraki and Ekweremadu, for allegedly forging the Senate Standing Order 2015.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal, has alerted that the economic downturn many negatively impact on constituency projects planned for execution by the National Assembly.

Lawal said this during the weekend in Abuja in a chat with reporters.

“Government might find it very difficult to implement the constituency projects to the latter because MDAs might not find constituency projects as critical to the execution of their mandate and given the dwindling resources this could be some of the areas that will suffer during implementation. Even those that have been appropriated for, in light of the dwindling revenue, government will still need to prioritize.

“If the revenue of the government improves, of course, all capital projects appropriated for will be fully implemented. But we do not see that happening soon.

While the government is willing to do that, it is obvious that it can only implement that for which you have money and I think these are some areas that might suffer from the implementation in the budget,” he said.

lalasticlala

The Federal Government has directed that all higher consumers known as Maximum Demand (MD) customers be metered by the 11 electricity Distribution companies (Discos) before November 30, 2016.

A statement from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) said the directive to meter their MD customers within the specified period is without prejudice to metering all classes of electricity customers according to their performance agreement.

The Acting Chairman, NERC, Dr. Anthony Akah who provided further insight into the directive said that default from any Disco would attract sanctions from December 1.

He explained that any MD customer who was willing to subscribe to the Credited Advance Payment for Metering Initiative (CAPMI) during the moratorium period should be allowed, the statement said.

ARUKAINO UMUKORO recently met women who were abducted by Boko Haram insurgents and forced into marriage
Twenty-year-old Jumai Haruna spent the last two years in Sambisa forest, the stronghold of the extremist Islamic sect, Boko Haram. Four months ago, she was rescued from the clutches of the extremists by the security forces. She left the forest with a large scar from a bullet wound on her arm. But as she spoke to our correspondent, last week, at the Internally Displaced Persons’ camp in Yola, Adamawa State, it was obvious that Haruna’s emotional scars were bigger than the physical ones.

The story that Haruna shared was a tale of rape, abuse, forced labour, torture and her forced marriage to one of the terrorists.

“I would never have married such a man but we were all forced to marry them or be killed,” she said with growing bitterness. “I lost a pregnancy for my original husband because of the condition of the place.” Haruna’s ‘original husband’ was the man she married shortly before she was captured by Boko Haram.

Two years in captivity with the insurgents have obviously taken its toll on Haruna. Frail, gaunt and listless, she looked at least 10 years older. She insisted that it was the pain inside of her that hurt the most.

“It is like cutting a baby with a knife, you can imagine the pain she would feel. We endured many difficult days. They fed us with raw maize, and at some point, we spent three days without food or water,” she told SUNDAY PUNCH.

‘Boko Haram baby’
Haruna’s tragic journey into captivity began in 2014 when she and other women were captured by Boko Haram fighters who attacked their village in Gwoza Local Government Area, in Borno State, North-East Nigeria. As she shared the details of that journey, she kept looking down at the child she bore for Hamidu, her Boko Haram captor. The three weeks old baby slept peacefully in her arms, as she spoke to our correspondent under a tree, away from the scorching northern sun.

When asked to speak about the abuses she suffered in Sambisa, Haruna said she did not want to talk about it. Her memories of her cohabitation with Hamidu are full of pain.

“As for this baby I carry now, it is destiny, but I don’t want to remember the past. I appreciate him because it is God that gave me the child. I love this child; I cannot do anything to change my destiny. So, I will take care of my boy child as my own,” she said.

A recent report by Global Terrorism Index stated that Boko Haram, which started its terror campaign in 2009, was responsible for 6,664 deaths in 2014, compared to the 6,073 deaths linked to the dreaded Islamic State in the same year. The index stated that Nigeria witnessed “the largest increase in terror-related deaths ever recorded by any country,” increasing by over 300 per cent from 2013.

Haruna is determined to bring up her son with much love and also ensure that he does not follow in the footsteps of his father. She vowed never to let her son know who his real father was.

She said, “No, I cannot tell him that his real father is a member of Boko Haram. No, he would be disappointed and it would be a big blow to him. I will not allow that. I will prevent him from knowing. But I will love him.”
Interestingly, her original husband, who is based outside Borno, came visiting her at the Internally Displaced Persons’ camp in Yola, a week before SUNDAY PUNCH was there. An official at the IDP camp told our correspondent they allowed Haruna’s husband to stay with her for a week.

She stated, “Yes, he came and spent a week with me. He said he is still in love with me, despite all that I went through and the forced marriage. He said he was still interested in me and would wait for me. He is a good man. He said that, like every good Muslim, he believed this was his destiny, and he had to accept it, whether it was good or bad. He said the fault was not the baby’s and he promised to take care of him as his own biological child.”

But there is a twist in her love story. Her husband’s younger brother is a Boko Haram member and was in Sambisa when she was captured. “My real husband’s younger brother is part of Boko Haram,” she said, and mentioned the names of some other Boko Haram members she came to know. “I have given their names to the security agencies. He even told me that if he ever saw my husband, he would kill him.”

She said she felt no sympathy for Hamidu despite having had his child. “Even those from the same village with me, if I know they are with Boko Haram, I would report them to the military; just like I would report him if I see him now. I want them (military) to kill him,” she added.

Like Haruna, 18-year-old Asta Abdullahi, also from Gwoza, was abducted and forcefully wedded to a Boko Haram member by the sect.

She said she and some of her friends were working in the farm when the terrorists swooped on their village, a few months after the kidnap of the 276 Chibok girls, 218 of whom remain missing.

“When they came into our village, they started shooting at everybody and everything. We ran, but they finally caught us inside the bush. We were about 18 in number, eight of us young girls, and 10 married women. They pushed us inside a big truck and took us to Sambisa,” she said.

Abdullahi said they were not the only girls or women there. “We saw many women there, more than 200. Later, they threatened us that if we didn’t marry them we would all be killed. We had no choice; we did not want to die. Some girls managed to escape before me,” she said.
She said she later managed to trick her Boko Haram husband into following her to a nearby village.

Narrow escape
Abdullahi said, “After some time, they allowed us to go to nearby places only with our ‘husbands,’ since they had already forced us to marry them. So, on that day, I lied and said I wanted to go visit my uncle in a nearby village. He accompanied me. On the way, I pleaded with him to allow me escape. He agreed but said he would go with me. He came with me to the IDP camp in Borno, from where we were taken to the transit camp in Mubi. That was where we were when the military brought us to Yola three months ago.”
She said she did not report her Boko Haram ‘husband’ to the authorities when they got to the camp because she was scared for her life.

“In Sambisa, they had threatened to kill anyone that reported their husbands to the security agents. He later escaped. Maybe he knew his real identity would later be discovered. He has not tried to contact me since then,” she said.

Abdullahi and Haruna are just two out of the 7,000 women and girls the United Nations said had been abducted and turned into sex slaves by the insurgents in the North-East since 2009.

Insurgents in their hundreds would often attack villages and markets in remote areas of Borno, making away with cattle and foodstuffs, leaving a trail of death in their wake.

Earlier this year, the Borno State government banned trading in four cattle markets in towns outside Maiduguri, the state capital, in what it said was aimed at stopping the sale of stolen cattle used to fund the insurgent group.

Abdullahi did not like talking about her Boko Haram ‘husband.’ She said she got pregnant for him but had a miscarriage.

“His name is Ahmadu, but I don’t know his surname. He is a young man who looked like he was still in his 20s. I never liked him, not even for one second, I was forced to marry him. I do not have any interest in him. I prefer him to be killed if he is caught,” she said.
She, however, does not know the whereabouts of her sister, who was also captured two years ago. “I don’t know if she is dead or alive,” she said.

As our correspondent spoke with Abdullahi, Aisha Mohammed, 27, heavily pregnant, sat in a corner. At first she was reluctant to talk or say who the father of her unborn child was, but after some persuasion, she gave a glimpse into her horrific past.

“I’m carrying the baby of my Boko Haram husband that I was forced to marry. My real husband was caught during the attack on our village and killed. I have two children, one died, while the other one is here with me,” she said.
She said she would like to go back to her hometown if the military assured them of adequate security, food and shelter.

“If I am lucky to name the baby, I would name him after my father. If the baby is a girl, I would name her after the wife of my father because of the love they showed me when I was a child,” she said.
Although Abdullahi said her husband was not as brutal as others in the camp, she said many women and girls experienced harassing moments.

She said, “Whenever they captured people and brought them to Sambisa, they took them to a separate location away from our view and slaughtered them. They stopped killing people in front of us because the women were usually frightened and went crazy.”

Hadiza, one of the women rescued by the military from Sambisa, may have been one of such women whose mental state got affected by the horrors she witnessed. Our correspondent tried to talk to her but she didn’t respond. An official who did not want to be named told SUNDAY PUNCH that Hadiza usually preferred to stay alone, adding that she might be suffering from severe depression as a result of what she passed through in Sambisa. “She may have been raped several times, and seen many people killed,” the official said.

‘I saw Chibok girls’
Amnesty International says Boko Haram insurgents have abducted “at least 2,000 girls and women since the beginning of last year, turning them into cooks, sex slaves and fighters, and sometimes killing those who refused to comply.” The kidnap of Chibok girls in April, 2014 from their hostels in Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, is still considered the single biggest abduction.

Haruna said, “I saw some of the Chibok girls in Sambisa. They captured them before us. Some of them had already been impregnated. Some of them had given birth to children. The Boko Haram members kept them in a special place in Sambisa. Boko Haram members shared and sold the girls among themselves.”

When our correspondent asked how she knew they were the abducted girls from Chibok, Haruna said, “It was the girls that said so themselves whenever they sat down (with other kidnapped women) and discussed with some of us. They confirmed it to us. Boko Haram members called Chibok girls and other girls or women they captured ‘Ganima.’” According to one of the officials at the camp, Ganima, loosely translated from the local Hausa language spoken in the North-East, means “spoils of war.”

She also said that, because Sambisa was a vast area, the insurgents gave names to different locations around it. “They gave names to different places in Sambisa, names such as Gobara, Imsa, Sabluda, Jimia, and so on. The Chibok girls were scattered everywhere.”

In May, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, said Sambisa forest was as big as Enugu State, in the South-East, with a population of over four million. He noted that the military thus needed more time and thorough planning to completely flush out the insurgents.

Haruna added, “They have their own medical team and makeshift clinic, a room, in Sambisa, where they get treated whenever they are injured from the battle with the army. The clinic was at Gobara. I have seen so many of the insurgents get injured. I saw more than 10 ‘doctors’ there. They mostly spoke Kanuri dialect.”

Hope still alive
For the many rescued girls and women in IDP camps scattered across the North-East, it is still a long road to recovery. At another IDP camp in Yola, an official told SUNDAY PUNCH there were a number of pregnant women at the camp who are reluctant to reveal the identities of the fathers of their unborn children, for fear of stigmatisation.

“The conditions of the camps are getting better, but the government needs to do more. Like that woman you spoke to, I think she would need better care outside this camp,” noted an emergency worker in the state.

Conflict and insecurity take their toll on women’s health in a number of ways, an Amnesty International report states.

The report says these include, “Physical wounds caused by war-related injuries; vulnerability to disease aggravated by fatigue, malnutrition and displacement; damage to the health care system; inaccessibility of health centres and hospitals due to insecurity; and widespread sexual violence and the attendant transmission of HIV and other diseases. Discrimination against women and cultural restrictions work against women receiving appropriate health care.”

In 2010, the then Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Margot Wallström, was quoted as saying, “While bullets, bombs and blades make the headlines, women’s bodies remain invisible battlefields.”
Despite their rescue by the military, many of these young girls and women are still facing the battle of their lives.

For Abdullahi, after two years in Boko Haram captivity, the process of healing has started with a sweet reunion.

The next day, just before our correspondent left the IDP camp that sunny afternoon, Abdullahi’s parents showed up after several visits to different camps in search of their daughter.

Her mother, Azumi Alli, could not hide her emotions. “I am very happy that I have seen one of my lost daughters. Two of them were missing. Before now, I had given up, thinking that my daughters were dead. Boko Haram killed my two boys and kidnapped my daughters. I want to thank the army for rescuing my daughter alive,” she told SUNDAY PUNCH.

Abdullahi’s father, Yusuf Alli, who is a member of a vigilance group in Madagali Local Government Area in Adamawa State, said, “I am a hunter, and part of a vigilance group. I got information that my daughter was in this camp, so we came here. If I see the man who forced my daughter into marriage, I will kill him.”

The “419”, otherwise known as advance fee fraud, scam is well-known in Nigeria for boasting empty promises of stupendous returns which induce victims to willingly part with their valued possessions. These fraudsters, ply their trade nationwide with targets which cut across the social spectrum and surprisingly include otherwise, highly successful businessmen and professionals, who are usually gullible and driven by the unreasonable expectation of clearly unrealistic returns on their “investments”. Ultimately, the bubble would burst and much pain and sorrow would follow.

Similarly, the International Monetary Fund and other respectable international financial agencies and local economic experts, have commended the recent devaluation via a floating naira exchange rate as “investments” that would ultimately yield great dividends. We are encouraged to believe that the new forex regime will recharge our economy and sustain inclusive growth with increasing job opportunities, and also reduce our almost total dependence on export revenue from crude oil, by facilitating the realisation of a diversified economy.

It is also suggested that a floating naira rate will create a level playing ground, and encourage marketers to reduce the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s present unwieldy monopoly of fuel imports and also attract investors to build more refineries.

Nonetheless, the promise that the new forex policy would attract much needed foreign investment inflow is probably the most notable claim by supporters of the new regime. Consequently, the Central Bank of Nigeria trusts that the reported $10bn to $15bn hurriedly evacuated from Nigeria when oil prices slumped, would be channelled back by foreign portfolio investors. Sadly, however, the present level of uncertainty and insecurity sustained by our socio-economic tensions may not encourage a quick return of such hot money inflow, for now.

Incidentally, the desperation of foreign portfolio investors to evacuate their funds from Nigeria contributed in no small measure to the present battered naira exchange rate. As usual, portfolio investors primarily target exceptionally high returns on the CBN and the Federal Government’s loans. Thus, such investors may borrow at lower rates, below five per cent from offshore banks and reap a harvest of 10 per cent and much more in Nigeria, even when the proceeds of these loans have not been socially impactful. Expectedly, however, portfolio investors would still want to be assured that, ultimately, their original profit projections would not be wiped out by another devaluation.

Furthermore, the elevated level of insecurity and naira rate instability may also deter potential “foreign direct investors”, whose operations add value to our industries and infrastructure while also creating more jobs. Thus, the sharp depreciation and a floating naira exchange rate will not immediately propel the expected return of over $10bn earlier scrambled away from Nigeria. Consequently, it will be clearly misleading to insist that a bountiful inflow of dollars will soon stabilise the exchange rate, as speculated by experts.

Conversely, barely eight hours after the commencement of the new forex regime, the cost of the “yet to be realised ‘regenerative’ benefits”, had already made horrendous dents on our economy. For a start, Nigeria’s erstwhile celebrated $510bn Gross Domestic Product immediately crashed below $350bn, while per capita income crashed from over $1000 to well below $600 as an attestation of deepening poverty. In addition, the dollar value of all equity listed on the Nigerian stock market also plunged from almost $48bn on Friday, June 17 to below $25bn on Monday, June 20, when the new forex regime commenced.

Invariably, all cash income and savings held in naira, also immediately fell below 60 per cent of their dollar purchasing value overnight. Similarly, the equally celebrated over $25bn accumulated national pension fund, also lost over $10bn, just like that, to imperil the future welfare of our senior citizens. In truth, we were all literally cut to size with government consent within 24 hours by the new forex policy and any offshore expenditure we all make, thereafter, will require almost 50 per cent more naira to fund.

Furthermore, all outstanding dollar denominated loans, (personal, corporate or government) will henceforth require much more naira to service and repay, while additional assets will be demanded to supplement existing collaterals. Consequently, widespread default on foreign loans and outstanding import bills will be common. In such an event, billions of dollars credit lines, which hitherto supportively restrained the cost of raw materials imports to local industries, may also be cut to compound spiralling operational costs and challenge the export competitiveness of Nigeria’s real sector.

The naira value of all external public sector debt obligations will similarly increase to raise the ratio between annual debt service charges and actual income well beyond the precarious level of 35 kobo on every N1 revenue. Worse still, if the 2016 budget deficit of N2tn is also captured, we may ultimately need to allocate over 50 per cent of earned revenue to service our debts in the near future!

Although the NNPC management has remained unexpectedly reticent on the impact of the new forex policy on fuel prices, however, the pump price of petrol cannot remain at N145/litre, if the naira exchanges for N280=$1 or more. Indeed, unless the NNPC accommodates a new round of subsidies, petrol will soon sell beyond N200/litre. Invariably, marketers will defer their fuel imports until the price issue is resolved, especially when they have to borrow up to 50 per cent more with higher interest rates to fund fuel imports. If however, in the interim, the NNPC’s congested import schedule falters, severe supply shortages will resurface, and extended queues and frustrating delays at fuel stations will return.

Nevertheless, since the budget 2016 made no provision for subsidy, a deregulated price regime will certainly spike petrol price and correspondingly propel inflation rate well above 20 per cent to create serious consequences for consumer demand and investment, with collateral adverse impact also on employment.

In addition, the recently established electricity tariff structure, predicated on naira exchange of N197=$1, will become unsustainable, and a further hike in electricity tariff will be inevitable, much against consumer expectation.

Sadly, the celebrated 30 per cent, 2016 capital budget, will also suffer, as the significant import components usually required for infrastructure and equipment may now require almost N300bn more to fully implement. Consequently, public expectation for urgent infrastructural remediation will still have to remain on hold.

Furthermore, our desire to diversify output and revenue sources away from crude oil will also become severely challenged by irrepressible production cost, which will invariably sustain inflation well beyond the current 16 per cent. In this event, the CBN will be compelled to raise monetary policy rate to levels that will push cost of funds well above 30 per cent, to unwittingly make import substitutes more competitive. Ultimately, real sector operations will become crippled and any hope of economic diversification will gradually fade.

With respect to improved security infrastructure, the fiscal allocations voted to increase the capacity of the armed forces and other agencies, will also become inadequate and require additional appropriation to implement. Sadly however, our presently distressed financial state will obviously make such a supplementary allocation a challenge, unless we further deepen our already oppressive debt profile.

Evidently, the new forex policy has clearly exposed the increasing loss in naira purchasing value. Incidentally, the N1,000 note which is currently our highest denomination is presently worth about $3. Going forward, we will either redenominate our currency profile, with say two decimal points or adopt N2,000, N5,000 and N10,000 note denominations, to facilitate portability. Regrettably, however, neither gimmick will stop further depreciation, as the naira, clearly, no longer inspires much confidence as a safe store of value. For this reason, the public will still prefer to preserve the value of their income in dollars, even when they do not import anything.

Ultimately, the question must be why we readily surrendered a pound of our flesh in return for a platter of clearly unrealistic promises and benefits.

midolian:
wow! Didn't know. Quoted a part of the thread, searched to see if its bn posted and it didn't give any result..so I went ahead to post.

midolian:
..

BEN AGANDE, ABUJA.

Former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ali Modu on Saturday announced the suspension of the members of the state executive of the party in Edo state and replaced them with a caretaker committee.

In a statement jointly signed by senator Sheriff and the Former National Secretary of the Party, Professor Wale Oladipo, the duo said decision to suspend the state executive was taken at the National Working Committee meeting of the party held on the 21st June, 2016.

Though both Sheriff and Professor Oladipo were members of the former NWC which was dissolved at the Portharcourt convention, the duo have remained in office.

The statement reads:
"The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has, in line with the provisions of section 31 (2) (e) of the PDP constitution, suspended the Edo State Executive Committee of the party.

"The suspension, which is part of the decision taken at the NWC meeting of June 21, 2016 is sequel to various petitions deriving from allegations of irregularities arising from the last State Congresses that sought to elect State Executive Committee for the chapter.

"The National Working Committee (NWC) decided to suspend the Committee instead of outright dissolution to enable it investigate the allegations and come out with a fair and just decision.

"Consequently, the National Working Committee has approved the appointment of the following persons as Caretaker Committee to manage the affairs of Edo State PDP for the constitutional stipulated period of three months.

"The Committee has Chief Ebenezer Alabi as Chairman and Barr. Zealiwe Edmund as Secretary. Other members are Ehimekpen Okharedia, Mrs. Melody Ekunne Osagie, Blessing Agbabaku, Negerese Berry, Hon Daniel Ohiole Asekhame and Mr.Dan Omozokpai".

lalasticlala

calabardick:
You're wrong, I once dated a lovely lady that her husband died, she had 5 children, her honeypot was far better than the open sepulcher our young ladies that have no children are carrying around.

I miss her so much!

The 10 lawmakers who attended International Visitors Leadership Programme in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, were interrogated by officials of the US State Department over allegations of sexual misconduct against three of their colleagues.

Hon. Mark Gbillah, Hon. Samuel Ikon and Hon. Garba Gololo were accused of soliciting for sex during the trip.

THISDAY gathered from reliable sources that the lawmakers were interrogated in April 2016 before they returned to Nigeria.

Some other lawmakers on the trip included the Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Jonathan Gaza Gbewfi; the Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora Affairs, Hon. Rita Orji; Hon. Ayo Omidiran, Hon. Nkole Ndukwe and Hon. Danburam Abubakar.

This therefore negates any claims by the lawmakers that the allegations were brought to their attention when they returned to Nigeria.

Reliable sources also told THISDAY that the State Department is in possession of more than just ‘verbal evidence’ against the three men.

The House spokesperson, Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas, however told THISDAY that he was not aware that lawmakers were interrogated while in the US.

US Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle, in a letter to Speaker Yakubu Dogara, had alleged that Gololo grabbed the housekeeper who was cleaning his hotel room and solicited for sex from her while Gbillah and Ikon allegedly asked hotel parking attendants to assist them to solicit prostitutes.

The accused lawmakers have denied the allegations and have threatened legal action to clear their names.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Committee on Ethics and Privileges, Hon. Ossai Nicholas Ossai, said the committee is still working to sort the modalities for the investigative hearing which would be public.

The committee, in collaboration with the Committee on Foreign Affairs, is saddled with the responsibility of investigating the allegations against Gololo, Gbillah and Ikon.

It is expected to liaise with the US Embassy in Abuja to examine any evidences against the men, that would buttress the allegations for which their visas have already been revoked.

Ossai said the committee had not made the decision on when to commence the hearing. Meanwhile the House has commenced on a two-week recess for the Ramadan. It would reconvene on July 12, 2016.

The 10 lawmakers who attended International Visitors Leadership Programme in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, were interrogated by officials of the US State Department over allegations of sexual misconduct against three of their colleagues.
Hon. Mark Gbillah, Hon. Samuel Ikon and Hon. Garba Gololo were accused of soliciting for sex during the trip.

THISDAY gathered from reliable sources that the lawmakers were interrogated in April 2016 before they returned to Nigeria.

Some other lawmakers on the trip included the Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Jonathan Gaza Gbewfi; the Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora Affairs, Hon. Rita Orji; Hon. Ayo Omidiran, Hon. Nkole Ndukwe and Hon. Danburam Abubakar.

This therefore negates any claims by the lawmakers that the allegations were brought to their attention when they returned to Nigeria.

Reliable sources also told THISDAY that the State Department is in possession of more than just ‘verbal evidence’ against the three men.

The House spokesperson, Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas, however told THISDAY that he was not aware that lawmakers were interrogated while in the US.

US Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle, in a letter to Speaker Yakubu Dogara, had alleged that Gololo grabbed the housekeeper who was cleaning his hotel room and solicited for sex from her while Gbillah and Ikon allegedly asked hotel parking attendants to assist them to solicit prostitutes.

The accused lawmakers have denied the allegations and have threatened legal action to clear their names.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Committee on Ethics and Privileges, Hon. Ossai Nicholas Ossai, said the committee is still working to sort the modalities for the investigative hearing which would be public.
The committee, in collaboration with the Committee on Foreign Affairs, is saddled with the responsibility of investigating the allegations against Gololo, Gbillah and Ikon.

It is expected to liaise with the US Embassy in Abuja to examine any evidences against the men, that would buttress the allegations for which their visas have already been revoked.

Ossai said the committee had not made the decision on when to commence the hearing. Meanwhile the House has commenced on a two-week recess for the Ramadan. It would reconvene on July 12, 2016.

he never suspected that he could have amorous relationship with his his wife and mother of seven children.

By Evelyn Usman

LAGOS—Tragedy struck at Alhaji Ede Avenue in Igando area of Lagos, after a 19-year-old lady allegedly committed suicide following a quarrel with her lover.

The deceased, Uche Obiora, was said to have visited her lover’s home over the weekend.

There were, however, different accounts as to how the tragedy struck.

A version of the account said a quarrel ensued between them, over suspicion by Obiora that her boyfriend, Ernest Ihaza, was having an affair with another lady.

Another version stated that during the visit, Ihaza announced his intention to discontinue with the relationship.

During the verbal confrontation between them, Ihaza was said to have stormed out of his apartment.

However on arrival, he reportedly met Obiora writhing in pains on the floor holding on to her stomach.

Obiora, who later reported the case at the Igando Police Division, disclosed that Obiora drank poison.

Contacted, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Dolapo Badmus, said: “Ernest Ihaza reported at the Igando Police Station that his girlfriend, Uche Obiora, committed suicide by drinking snipers insecticide. We are investigating the matter.”

By Willy Eya

THE Federal Government is considering adopting late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s op­tion in tackling the deteriorating situation in the oil-rich region.

On June 29, 2009, Yar’Adua granted amnesty to Niger Delta militants and that started a long process of restoration of peace to the region hitherto crippled by militancy.

An elder statesman from the Niger Delta who is currently occupying a very sensitive position in the coun­try told Daily Sun, on condition of anonymity, that government has realised that only the strategy adopted by Yar’Adua could stop the renewed militancy in the oil-rich region.

Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) have been bombing critivcal pipelines in the region lately.

Regardless, the elder statesman said President Muhammadu Bu­hari “has been prevailed upon to reconsider his tough stance strategy of using the military option in tackling the menace as that would rather exacerbate the situation.”

“Soon, you may see a new approach by the Federal Government in the way and manner it would handle the Niger Delta Avengers. Just like late Yar’Adua did, it would be a carrot and stick approach. The federal government has realised that trying to use the military to crush the militants may not be easy.

“When Yar’Adua came, he did not threaten anybody, neither did he shoot any gun. He simply adopted the dialogue approach and gave the militants a sense of belonging. Many did not believe it but it worked like magic,” he said.

The source told Daily Sun that Yar’Adua worked with many stakeholders who the militants trusted in achieving his aim.

He revealed for instance that one of the core people, who helped to douse tension in the Niger Delta under Yar’Adua, was the former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mike Okiro who is also from the region.

But the source said even though Okiro was the nation’s police boss then, he did not use officialdom to tackle the situation but engaged the militants, who saw him as a ‘son of the soil’, in series of discussions.

“Many may not know that Yar’Adua used the police authorities so well in achieving his aim in the Niger Delta.

“I can tell you that it was Okiro who sold the idea of the amnesty programme to Yar’Adua and the presidency supported the move through and through.
“Okiro was the intermediary between the militants and Yar’Adua. The former IGP had series of meetings with the president and the militants before the programme took off.

Meanwhile, Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, dimissed dialogue as a foregone conclusion.
“The question you are asking me is stale and has been published in the media.

“President Buhari recently said the Gazette on the amnesty pro­gramme should be dusted and, if there are commitments the fedral government made that have not been fulfilled, government would look at them…”

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“The suspect did not deny that he impregnated
the girl. He knew the government was involved
and he had no hiding place. We learnt he told the
police that his wife did not allow him to have
sex with her and he yielded to the temptation of
raping his daughter.

BY NDAHI MARAMA

MAIDUGURI - Troops of 114 Task Force Battalion of 28 Task Force Brigade in conjunction with members of vigilante group in an effort to keep the road open and secure, Sunday, carried out a clearance operation along Bitta-Damboa axis, leaving four terrorists dead with scores escaped with gunshot wounds.

Similarly, the troops of 22 Brigade Garrison accompanied by Civilian JTF also carried out patrol at Albanya village and its environs along Dikwa-Marte axis.

The troops encountered Boko Haram terrorists at Sinabaya village which is left of Marte-Kaje road in Dikwa Local Government Area of Borno State. During the encounter, they killed 3 and apprehended 11 Boko Haram terrorists.

Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman, Acting Director Army Public Relations disclosed this on Monday in an email to our Correspondent.

Unfortunately, the troops ran into an ambush which was eventually cleared. 5 soldiers were wounded in the ambush and their Buffalo vehicle was badly damaged.

"The troops carried out clearance patrol from Bitta up to Junction point at Gambori village, Borno State. During the operation, the troops encountered Boko Haram terrorists at Bulajani village and successfully cleared and pursued the fleeing Boko Haram terrorists in the area.

The troops killed 4 Boko Haram terrorists, while an unconfirmed number escaped with gun shot wounds.
"The patrol recovered 6 bicycles and food storage facility laden with foodstuffs. They also discovered and safely detonated 1 Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at Madube village.

The wounded soldiers have been evacuated to 23 Brigade medical facility in Yola for further treatment.
"In a related development, troops of 22 Brigade Garrison accompanied by Civilian JTF also carried out patrol at Albanya village and its environs along Dikwa-Marte axis. The troops encountered Boko Haram terrorists at Sinabaya village which is left of Marte-Kaje road in Dikwa Local Government Area of Borno State. During the encounter, they killed 3 and apprehended 11 Boko Haram terrorists.

"The patrol team also recovered 1 AK-47 rifle with registration number N37113 and 5 AK-47 rifle magazines. Other items recovered include a 36 hand grenade, 3 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition, 4 motorcycles, 3 bicycles, 1 magazine pouch and 1 mobile telephone handset.

"The arrested terrorists have been moved to the Brigade Headquarters for preliminary interrogation and subsequent handing over to the Joint Interrogation Committee.

Similarly, another patrol team from the same unit in conjunction with some elements of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps picketed Dikwa-Mafa-Maiduguri road in order to keep it open and safe against Boko Haram terrorists activities.

"The same team also escorted International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) humanitarian materials from Maiduguri to Dikwa and Gamboru Ngala Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in collaboration with troops of 7 Division Garrison.

"At this point, it is important to state that as at today, there are 68, 653 IDPs at Dikwa camp that comprised of 31, 296 males and 37,356 females". Col. Usman said.

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