₦airaland Forum

A Niger Delta militant group, that styles itself Koluama Seven Brothers on Sunday said it carried out a “warning” strike on an oil facility owned by energy company Conoil in Bayelsa.

The attack was carried out on Friday, by the new group at 12:20 a.m. on Jan. 4 at Conoil’s Angle 2 Field.

The group said the attack “is just a warning”.

The organization said it had “no other option than to launch a strike to shut down Conoil” if demands were not met.

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps confirmed that a blast was heard on Friday around a Conoil pipeline in Bayelsa.

The militants threatened a production shut down at the facility owned by Mike Adenuga.

The Koluama Seven Brothers said in a statement it would carry out further strikes if its demands, including job creation, were not met by the company and a traditional leader.

Conoil Producing Nigeria operates six highly prospective blocks in the Niger Delta and produces over 80,000 barrels of oil per day, according to information on its website.

Attacks on pipelines and other facilities in the Niger Delta reached a peak in 2016, cutting Nigeria’s crude production from as much as 2.2 million barrels per day (mbpd) to near 1 mbpd – the lowest level seen in at least 30 years, Reuters first reported.


https://insiderpostonline./2019/01/06/niger-delta-militants-blow-up-oil-facility-in-bayelsa/

Following recent public outcry by the controversial senator of allehed plans by the Nigerian police force to assassinate him, members of the force have reportedly invaded the senators residence. It is not clear if the senator was at home when the police men arrived.



More details coming:
https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/28/breaking-nigerian-police-invade-senator-dino-melayes-house/

Photo- Kingsley Moghalu

Kingsley Moghalu, presidential candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), has accused Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo of making “disappointing appeal to tribalism”.

He said this while reacting to Osinbajo’s comment that the people of the south-west should vote the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019 so that power can return to the region in 2023.
The presidential candidate said he least expected such from Osinbajo.

“Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo’s reported recent statement at the palace of the Alafin of Oyo that ethnic Yoruba should vote for President Buhari in 2019 so that the Yoruba will produce the President of Nigeria in 2023 is a sad and disappointing appeal to tribalism in leadership selection in the 21st century,” the statement read.

“That this statement comes from an educated personage as Prof. Osinbajo shows us why we must turn our backs collectively on the recycled old politicians as represented by the APC and PDP.
“We must say NO to tribalism and ethnic irredentism. The twin evils have caused much damage to our national unity, leaving us a broken country when we should by now have become a real nation.

“If elected President of Nigeria in 2019, my government will unify and heal Nigeria of extreme tribalism by establishing a philosophical foundation of the Nigerian state that will unite us around a common national ambition and a national identity instead of tribal ones.”

He accused members of the ruling party of engaging in ethnic identity politics in order to secure votes in the 2019 polls, saying that anyone who believes in them is living in “fool’s paradise”.

“Senior officials of the APC-led federal government have been peddling ethnic identity politics in order to win bloc votes in the 2019 elections. Boss Mustapha, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, has reportedly assured the Igbo of the Southeast geo-political zone that they essentially will be ‘granted’ the presidency of Nigeria in 2023 if they vote to re-elect President Buhari in 2019. And Raji Fashola, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, has argued that the presidency should return to the Southwest in 2023,” he said.

“This duplicitous and primordial politics of the APC-led federal government, alongside vague promises peddled by the PDP of an ‘Igbo presidency’ in 2023 is proof that politicians from any part of our country who believe that anyone will ‘grant’ them their constitutional entitlement to leadership aspiration in Nigeria and determine when their ‘turn’ for national political leadership has arrived, are living in a fool’s paradise.

“Our old, recycled politicians, with their incompetence and their tired, divisive politics, have failed. They have given us poverty instead of prosperity, unemployment instead of jobs, and a comatose economy instead of the wealth of nations in a globalized world.

“We must now reject them at the ballot box in 2019 and vote, based on merit and not the backward approach of ‘zoning’ that recycles mediocrity, for a modern leadership that can take our citizens out of poverty and our country into the 21st century.”
https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/24/moghalu-attacks-osinbajo-asks-nigerians-to-reject-tribalism/

Photo- unidentified gunmen

Seventeen people have been confirmed killed following an attack by unidentified gunmen in Zamfara, Nigerian police have confirmed.

The attack in Magami village of Faru district in the Maradun area of Zamfara late Saturday followed a mid-week attack in which 25 people were killed in another area of the state.
Zamfara police spokesman Muhammed Shehu said more police officers have been deployed to the area to prevent further attacks.
State officials, including the acting governor of Zamfara, Sanusi Rikiji, attended the funeral of some victims of the massacre on Sunday.

Zamfara, as well as neighboring Kaduna State in Nigeria’s northwest region, has witnessed a series of onslaughts by gunmen in the past six months.
Earlier in the year, the Nigerian government had deployed troops to the two states to forestall attacks.
Hundreds of people have been killed by gunmen in attacks in Zamfara alone this year.
https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/24/gunmen-kill-17-more-in-zamfara/

The Lagos state transport management authority LASTMA has revealed that it has temporarily closed the Eko bridge, which is a crucial route for commuters shuttling the Island/Mainland axis.

In a press release this morning, also shared via the state agency's official handle, LASTMA tweeted:
"Cordon Alert!
Temporary closure on top of Eko bridge due to ongoing rehabilitation on top of Eko bridge from Alaka. Motorists should navigate from Alaka Iponri Costain towards Eko bridge for now".

https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/20/lagos-eko-bridge-temporarily-closed/

Photo- FAAN press release

Following a preas release by the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, Insider Post has been furnished with a footage of the newly built terminal at the Nnamdi Azikiwe international airport.

See video below:
[url]Source[/url]
https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/20/see-video-of-new-international-terminal-to-be-commissioned-by-buhari-today/

Gallant men of the Nigerian army have just intercepted suspected female suicide bombera at Konduga, a troubled LGA in Bornu state.

The report was shared by the Nigerian army headquarters, via its official facebook page.

More details to follow:
https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/20/breaking-nigeria-army-intercepts-suspected-female-suicide-bombers-in-konduga-bornu-state/


See photos below:

The Nigerian government announced Wednesday that at least 2.5 million bottles of codeine-based cough syrup had been removed from circulation following a ban at the beginning of the year.

Health Minister Isaac Adewole said in a statement released in Abuja that the ban on the production, distribution and sale of codeine-based cough syrups has helped to reduce drug-related problems across the country.

“Since we banned codeine syrups in the country, more than 2.5 million bottles have been removed from circulation, and we will continue our efforts to ensure that this threat is kept to a minimum,” Adewole said.

Codeine is a narcotic that is both antitussive and pain relieving, similar to morphine and hydrocodone.

The ban on all codeine-based cough syrups came into effect in Nigeria on May 1, following a growing abuse of this type of product in the most populous country in Africa.
Adewole said that codeine-based cough syrups have now been replaced by dextromethorphan, a less addictive substance.
https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/20/nigeria-recalled-2-5-million-bottles-of-codeine-based-cough-syrup/

Photo- Policemen in action

Some residents of Nasarawa state have told Amnesty International (AI) that policemen sent to their communities to stop attacks by suspected herdsmen asked them to pay N150,000.

The residents made the allegations in a report released by AI on the conflict between farmers and herdsmen in the country.

In the report released Monday, the villagers were quoted as saying the policemen who were reportedly deployed from the force criminal intelligence and investigation department asked them to pay the money for “logistics”.

The report read: “Some residents of villages from Nasarawa and Kokona LGAs and Agwada, Udege, and Loko Development Area Councils, all within Nasarawa State, on 10 March 2017 wrote a petition to the Chief of Army Staff seeking help against what they described as incessant attacks by Fulani gunmen on their communities.

“The army wrote a letter to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), attaching the petition, asking the IGP to “look into the petition with a view to taking necessary action to remedy the situation”.

“The IGP forwarded the letter to the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department for investigation.

The villagers told Amnesty International that the policemen sent from the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters asked them to pay N150,000 ($411), for logistics, which they paid in cash, because the policemen did not want to leave any trace of the funds to them. But only three policemen were sent to Nasarawa LGA.

“The policemen then went to the police station in Agwada town between the 25 and 27 May 2017, where they asked people from the affected villages to come and write statements.

According to a resident of one of the villages, the policemen refused to go to the villages, complaining of bad road and that the Fulani gunmen had better weapons than them.”

https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/19/policemen-demanded-n150k-for-logistics-after-calls-over-herdsmen-attacks-amnesty-international/

The Presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar and his running mate Mr Peter Obi, will today hold an interactive session with campaign supporters in Aba.

The Abia State coordinator of the Atiku/Obi Presidential Campaign Organisation, Chief Charles Obioha Ogbonnaya in a statement, called on all the Atiku/Obi support groups, political action groups, civil society organisations and the general public to an interactive session with the candidates. He also commended senators from the South East for working hard to realise the South East Development Commission, SEDC, which bill was passed recently.
https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/19/atiku-obi-to-visit-aba-today/

See reactions:

The video was shared on twitter by a former presidential spokesman Segun Adeniyi, with the caption #Is this Iberiberism?

See video here
https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/18/see-video-of-governor-rochas-okorocha-dancing-recklessly/

Or watch on twitter

THIS IS IBERIBERISM! pic.twitter.com/PJ45kxgOAB

— Olusegun Adeniyi (@Olusegunverdict) December 18, 2018

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, Equatorial Guinean Teodoro Obiang and Togolese Faure Gnassingbe attended the 60th Anniversary of the Republic of Niger on Tuesday, including a large civilian and military parade in Zinder ), the second largest city in the country, was found on the spot.

Several other distinguished guests from friendly countries, Presidents of the institutions of the Republic, Ministers, deputies, representatives of the diplomatic corps, senior military officials and delegations from different regions of the country also attended this important event. .

The festivities began December 12 with different artistic, sporting and cultural events that saw the participation of thousands of young Nigeriens from all parts of the country.

Established since 2005, the revolving festival of the Republic aims above all to allow the chief towns of the regions, through the program of modernization of cities, to equip themselves with various infrastructures, contributing to create a pleasant living environment.

On this occasion, Zinder has had a facelift this year offering a new face symbolized by an airport with international standards, a new road, multiple achievements and multiple remediation and beautification for a budget of 50 billion francs CFA (about $ 86 million), according to Nigerian President Mahamadou Issoufou.

It is the region of Tillaberi (far-west) that will host on December 18, 2019 the 61st anniversary of the rotating party of the Republic, an official source said.

Source:
https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/18/presidents-of-nigeria-equatorial-guinea-and-togo-at-nigers-60th-independence-anniversary/

A presidential spokesperson Garba Shehu via his official twitter handle disclosed that the president has departed the country for Niger republic to attend the West African nation’s independence day celebration. This however is coming just hours after the vice president’s media aide Laolu Akande shared photos of his principal Yemi Osinbajo who is currently at Europe/Africa high powered forum in Vienna. The presidency has not revealed if it handed over government to the president of the senate Bukola Saraki in the interim. This decision might not be unconnected with the ongoing cold war raging between the APC led presidency and the senate president who defected from the ruling party months ago.

https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/18/with-buhari-and-osinbajo-out-of-the-country-does-presidency-hand-over-to-saraki/

The Ekiti state Government Kayode Fayemi has accused the states former Governor of diverting the Paris club refund for other use, rather than attending to workers remunerations

However, in a swift reaction, Fayose told Governor Fayemi to stop complaining, but to use the over N30 billion his government already received from the Federal Government as refund on federal roads construction, arrears of Budget Support and Paris Club refund to pay workers salary instead of lying against him.

Governor Fayemi, who spoke in Ado Ekiti, on Sunday evening, while appearing on the December edition of a programme tagged: Meet your Governor, said he had started giving incentives to security outfits in the state to ensure safety of lives and property. “Let those making the allegation come with verifiable proofs to substantiate their claim. Let them come with evidence, he states. “I have not collected any money in the fashion of road intervention or paris club refund. Fayose had the opportunity of paying bulk of the backlog of salaries and pensions. He collected a sum of N18 billion out of the N21.5 billion due to Ekiti in the fund, so what is left for Ekiti is just N3.5 billion which can’t pay a month if we add the overhead costs of subvented institutions.

“I decided to delay appointment of politicians into government to enable me pay our workers. With this, Ekiti can now know who the honest friend of the masses is. “I don’t want to do media trial for anyone, so I have hired the services of a renowned audit firm to look into our finances and the forensic state’s accounts will be published during our 100 days in office in January 2019, the Governor added.
https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/18/fayose-wasted-18-billion-naira-paris-club-refund-fayemi-alleges/

bedspread:
But their was no rally! It was more of a Meeting !

This is more of a BMO/Bmc Collaboration !

No video! Nothing

Please see video here
https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/17/atiku-pdp-rally-organisers-refused-to-pay-us-our-10k-young-lady-cries-out/

More reactions

The Governor of Lagos state Akinwunmi Ambode who once fell out with the leadership of the APC and its national leader, has continued to drum suppprt for his party. The once embattled Governor who previously called out the party Guber flag bearer in the state mentally unfit for office announced on Monday, the 17th via his official twitter handle that “the All Progressives Congress, remains one big family”. He further stated that the party will head to the 2019 polls in unity, ready to win and deliver good governance.

See pictures and reactions below:
https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/17/apc-will-head-to-the-2019-polls-in-unity-ready-to-win-and-deliver-good-governance-ambode/

Speaking on a Channels television programme on Monday December 17, the presidential spokesman Garba Shehu had claimed that it took President buhari who was sworn in on May 29, 2015 until November 11, 2015 to appoint his ministers because the “President was given handover notes by Goodluck Jonathan only 48 hours to the handover of power”.

However, the former president reacting to the statement, through his media aide said ‘the Jonathan administration has absolutely nothing to do with the failure of this government to appoint ministers early enough to inspire confidence in investors because it is obvious that handover notes from a predecessor does not contain the list of ministers for the incoming administration.’

Jonathan in a statement on Monday signed by Ikechukwu Eze his Media Adviser and titled ‘Garba Shehu’s gaffe on Jonathan’s Handover notes to Buhari’ said that anyone who uses handover notes to justify a President’s indiscretion of not appointing ministers until after spending six months in power, is either being mischievous or does not really understand governance processes.

He also said that ‘those who think like Shehu that a Government would not function properly if it does not receive handover notes in time, should be reminded that there is no law establishing the process. It is simply a matter of convenience for an outgoing President to develop handover notes to guide his successor understand key issues and hit the ground running.
https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/17/i-have-nothing-to-do-with-buharis-failure-jonathan-replies-garba-shehu/

Following the indiscriminate massacre of unarmed members of the Islamic movement of Nigeria in October, the Nigerian army through its spokesperson claimed it acted in self defense against the protesters. However, American newspaper New York times has released a compilation of video evidences refuting the army’s claims. This is coming after the Nigerian military threatened to call for the closure of Amnesty International’s offices in the country, accusing the international NGO of sponsoring dissident groups and concocting fabrications.

https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/17/ney-york-times-releases-evidences-of-mass-killings-of-unarmed-protesters-by-nigerian-soldiers/

Watch video evidences here
https:///pawHGw-G
Or
https://nyti.ms/2GwdKAW

Nigerian army spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman said in a statement on Monday that the international human rights organisation Amnesty International is attempting to destabilise the nation and this is evident in its constant fabrication of fictitious allegations of alleged human rights abuses against the Nigerian security forces.

This is coming ahead of recent calls by a coalition of Civil Society Organisations (Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, Enough is Enough, and BudgIT) for a comprehensive expenditure report over funding of the war against terror in the North eastern part of the country.

In a statement by its spomesman, the Nigerian army also accused the international human rights group AI of sponsoring dissident groups to protest, as well as promoting unfounded allegations against the leadership of the Nigerian military.

Usman, on behalf of the army threatened to call for the closure of AI’s offices in Nigeria, accusing the international NGO of being on the verge of releasing another concocted report against the militray. He further urged Nigerians to be wary of the NGO, alleging that it’s goals are to destabilise and dismember the country.
https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/17/ai-sponsoring-dissident-groups-and-concocting-fabrications-nigerian-army-cries-out/

Photo credit- iea.com

Jude Ojewande

The British magazine Spectator in its annual indices earlier this year had ranked Nigeria as the world’s second worst electricity supply nation, just behind war torn Yemen and before disaster ravaged Haiti.

In a recent study by the German news agency Deutsche Welle, it was observed that as of 2018, around 90 milliom rural Nigerian dwellers were not connected to the country’s electricity grid. A plight that government has either deliberately ignored or is just not capable of easing.

The German news agency discovered in a focused study that In Unguwar Dogo, a town with over 20,000 people in the president’s state “Katsina”, the inhabitants still have to work 40 minutes to find villages with electricity sometimes just to charge their mobile phones.

An elderly resident identified as Ramu Kabiru recalled how she spent 2,400 Naira on batteries to power her Chinese made torch light when the price of DPK sky rocketed. More women also lamented that lack of electricity forces them to cook with fuel wood and it also hinders their entrepreneurial potentials.

With daily electricity production averaging 3,850 Megawatts, Nigeria’s minister for power Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola was heard stating at a colloquium earlier in the year that the country suffers from darkness because it had incompetent people in the power sector.
https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/16/90-million-nigerians-8000-villages-without-access-to-electricity/