₦airaland Forum

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE


A motorcycle operator identified as Essien has dumped Grace his wife of many years, and married a police woman who showed him love during his travail in Lagos.

The police officer known as Joy (surname withheld) was attached to Meiran Police Division under Alimosho Local government Area of Lagos where Essien resided with his family and operated as an Okada rider before the incident.

P.M.EXPRESS scooped that Essien used to be an Okada rider who operated within the Meiran area of Lagos and the bike was his only means of livelihood that he used to take care of his immediate and extended family in Lagos and in his village in Akwa Ibom State.

However, the Lagos State Task Force apprehended Essien and impounded his Okada preparatory to taking it to Alausa in Ikeja; the seat of power in Lagos State.

It was gathered that Essien tried all he could do to influence the task force officers to retrieve his bike to no avail.

He wept bitterly and vowed to do something extra for anybody that will assist him to retrieve his bike as such a person would have ended up preventing him from committing suicide.

It was then the officer, Joy showed him compassion as she was at the Meiran Division where the seized bikes were parked before they will be moved to Alausa, Ikeja. In order to stop him from committing suicide, Joy went to the task force officers, pleaded on his behalf; the bike was retrieved and returned to Essien.

It was learnt that Joy then advised Essien not to continue to ride the Okada because he might run into another trouble and it might be impounded finally.

She further advised him to start another business and even assisted him to access N800,000 loan standing as guarantor, which he used to start the business. Essien therefore stopped riding the motorcycle and faced the business. He was able to repay the loan and the interest over a period of time.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that Essien who was moved with emotion proposed to marry her, but Joy who though was still single refused. She informed him that despite the fact she would have agreed, she could not because he already had a wife.

However, Essien revealed to Joy that he never actually married Grace, that they only met in Lagos and started living together as a couple and had two children. Essien also told Joy that he had convinced his wife Grace that he had found true love and would marry her which Grace gladly accepted.

P.M.EXPRESS confirmed that Essien eventually married Joy and they are now living together as husband and wife. It was also gathered that Essien and Joy had agreed to take care of Grace’s children and that Grace can remarry if she found a true lover.

Olalekan Adetayo , Abuja


The Islamic State in West Africa network operating within some North Central and South - South sections of Nigeria may be responsible for the recent killings recorded in Benue State and other parts of the country.

This information is said to be contained in an intelligence report presented to President Muhammadu Buhari by security agencies , including the Department of State Service .

A top government official who spoke on the condition of anonymity told journalists on Sunday that the security organisations told the President that the ISWA network is using foreign terrorists and recruiting young men to fight and kill innocent persons “ostensibly to exacerbate tensions along the county ’ s ethnic , religious and regional fault lines. ”

He said the discovery was made following the arrest of several suspected attackers made up of Fulani herdsmen , government - sponsored militias , militants and other miscreants in Benue State.

Among those in custody , according to the Presidency source , are many suspects who cannot speak any Nigerian languages .
They are, however , said to be fluent in French language.

He added that this is the first time that security officials would be confirming that the ISWA members are operating as a unit in Nigeria .

The source said , “ A good number of the Islamic State terrorists have been arrested not only in the Benue valley but significantly in several towns in Edo State, specifically in Akoko - Edo , Okpella and Benin as well as in Okene, in Kogi State.

“ It is understood that the cell which has members in different parts of the country concentrates on recruiting young men to fight for the Islamic State in West Africa by unleashing the cold- blooded murder of innocent citizens.

“ There was intelligence report that they had planned several attacks here, before and during Christmas and the New Year .

Their bombing targets included fuel depots , foreign missions and police and military establishments.

“Their network is very wide . But so much was achieved by the DSS which had made a significant number of arrests in the last two months that helped to preempt those attacks. ”

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu , confirmed that Buhari has been receiving a lot of reports on the killings in Benue and other states .

Shehu however said he had no knowledge of the content of any of the reports .

“ President Muhammadu Buhari has been receiving reports upon reports on the situation in Benue and other states .

“ I can also confirm that the DSS has recorded a lot of success lately but I have not been briefed on any of those reports submitted to the President , ” the presidential spokesman said .

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Posted By: Jide Babalola, Abdulgafar Alabelewe,



Sixteen of the 36 states have signified intention to be part of the cattle colonies initiative of the federal government, The Nation can now reveal.

More are expected to join, according to Dr. Olukayode Oyedele, Special Assistant to Agriculture Minister, Audu Ogbeh. Oyedele did not name the 16 states or those in line to join the initiative.

But Taraba, Benue and Abia states have categorically declared that they should be counted out.

Ogbeh, who has been holding series of meetings with stakeholders on the project, defined the ‘colony’ as “a place where many owners of cattle can co-exist, be fed well, because we can make their feeds; they can get good water to drink, cows drink a lot of water and we can give them green fodder.”

Government, according to him, will provide veterinary services for the animals and “protect the cows against rustlers.”

“By a special design, we have to make sure that rustlers can’t cross into the ranches and steal cows and walk away,” he said. Each colony will comprise between 20 and 40 co-located ranches.

The scheme is part of the strategy to check the incessant clashes between farmers and pastoralists whose animals often stray into cultivated farms and destroy crops.

Such clashes have claimed hundreds of lives across the country, setting communities and communities and endangering national security.

It was gathered that Kogi and Plateau states are among the enthusiastic supporters of the cattle colony initiative.
Plateau already has a few ranches which may grow into colonies.

However, the support of the governors for the project is not without opposition from some communities and opinion leaders in their states.

In Kogi State for example, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Capital Market and Institutions, Mr. Teejay Yusuf, asked Governor Yahaya Bello to tread cautiously on the matter “in the interest of coming generations.”

Yusuf said the governor should shun the temptation of taking unilateral decisions on the scheme.

Another member of the House of Representatives from the state, Mr.James Faleke, berated the governor for buying into the initiative without proper consultation with the people while a group called Igala Project from the Kogi East Senatorial District has commenced compiling signatures in support of a petition against the establishment of any such colony in the senatorial district.

The group is objecting to Bello’s alleged designation of part of the district as a cattle colony, saying its position follows “the multiple acts of war and mayhem being unleashed daily, on our innocent farmers and hapless law-abiding citizens, in their villages, homes and farm lands , by rampaging Fulani herdsmen.”

It adds: “between June 2015 and December 2017, Igala land has witnessed several incidences of killings as a result of herdsmen violence in several areas including Ebeje where eight people were killed and farms set ablaze, Agbada/Agojeju where 19 people were slaughtered, Edede – two persons were killed, six people killed in Oganenigu, three people killed in Ojapata, five people killed in Ojuwo Anawo. All these happened in Dekina Local Government Area.”

Audu is quoted as saying: “once the colonies begin, we are also going into large scale artificial insemination to improve the breed of cattle so that the yield of milk can increase.

“As at today, our cows deliver just about one beer bottle which is a litre of milk a day but in East Africa, cows do 15 litres of milk, and in Europe, they do averagely 50 litres of milk a day.

“Somebody said to me in a text, very angry at this policy, that the word colony means that we are trying to use the Fulani to colonize their state, and that it reminds them of colonialism.

“Well, we don’t really want to take anybody’s land to give anybody.”

“We won’t come to a state, take land and give Fulani or Hausa or Itsekiri or Idoma or Tiv and say this area has been seized and given to an ethnic group. That’s not the idea but we’ll also tell the herdsmen: ‘If you are passing through a state, you can only go to the colony and stay there, feed your cattle and, when you are moving off, agro -rangers will follow you and make sure you don’t destroy anybody’s farm.'”

And speaking to reporters in Zaria, Kaduna State yesterday on the sideline of his tour of facilities of research institutes in the university town, Ogbeh blamed state governors during the Jonathan administration for the farmers/herdsmen clashes in the country.

He claimed that the governors received N100 billion to solve the crisis without anything to show for it.

His words: “In 2014, President Goodluck Jonathan gave N100 billion to state governors to solve the farmers/herdsmen crisis once and for all.

“Though, I don’t have the details, it doesn’t appear anything was done.

“If the money went to the states and they have done nothing, what do you expect?

“Let me ask: we have three tiers of government, why does everybody blame Buhari at the centre all the time? Why don’t we ask our state governments questions? ”

Posted By: Kunle AKINRINADE,


https://thenationonlineng.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Victim.jpg

ALL hell was let loose on Sunday January 14, 2018 as hoodlums unleashed terror on residents of Ipaja, a Lagos suburb, during a fracas at an event organised by a white garment church.

The pandemonium broke out between 7pm and 9.30 pm, following a fight between some youths during a ceremony organised by Fogofoluwa Cherubim and Seraphim Church on Gbadamosi Close, Pako area of Baruwa, Ipaja.

Witnesses disclosed that the church was celebrating one of their members who had just returned from trance, when a disagreement between two youths over a girl led to a scuffle.

One of the youths at the event was said to have attacked a boy for dancing suggestively with his girlfriend.

The altercation led to a fight during which the girl’s boyfriend was brutalised and he left the event only for him to return with over 100 hoodlums. They attacked everyone in sight as people scampered into safety.

Scores of residents were brutalised and stabbed as the warring youths freely used dangerous weapons including cutlass and broken bottles to attack themselves and innocent bystanders.

The hoodlums allegedly moved from house to house, attacking residents and dispossessing them of their valuables.

It took the intervention of men of the Ipaja Police Division to restore normalcy in the neighbourhood, while some of the perpetrators were arrested.

The police were said to have rushed some of the victims to a nearby private hospital where they are still receiving treatment for machete cuts.

It was learnt that some of the perpetrators were arrested and detained at the Ipaja Police Station, but they were later released on bail following the intervention of some community leaders.

One of the victims, Sheriff Aremo, a bricklayer cum commercial motorcycle operator popularly called okada, had barely returned home from a visit to his pastor when the hoodlums swooped on him.

He was stabbed in the head and robbed of N40, 000 while the hoodlums searched his room for valuables.

Recalling his ordeal, Aremo said:”I had just returned from the residence of my pastor around 9.30 pm on my motorbike, when those who were beaten up at the event returned with some hoodlums.

They stormed my residence and beat me to a pulp. They hacked me with machete on several parts of my head. They also stole my handset and stole N40, 000 from my room, money I saved up to start a small business later this year.

“The hoodlums also attacked other people especially those who were taking fresh air outside their homes. We were later brought to the hospital by policemen attached to Ipaja Police Division who arrived the scene to disperse the mob and arrest some of the perpetrators.

“There was a young man like me who was also brutalised and stabbed in the head.

The wound on the man’s head was so deep that two fingers could be slotted into it without being seen at all.”

The 25-year-old native of Abeokuta, Ogun State, claimed he had been abandoned in the hospital as the police has refused to compel the perpetrators to pay for his treatment at the hospital.

“I am one of those brought to this

NaoSlay:

The woman uglyness might have killed him, what should he avenge?
This is a lesson to future men, never Marry an ugly lady.

A Masaka Upper Area Court in Nasarawa on Friday sentenced a 25- year - old painter, Aminu Usman , to five months ’ imprisonment for enticing another man ’ s wife .

Usman , a resident of Mararaba area of the state , pleaded guilty to one count of enticing a married woman and asked for mercy .

“ I did not believe her when she told me to stop calling her that she was a married woman. Since I now know , I will not do that again , ” Usman said .

According to the News Agency of Nigeria , the judge , Yakubu Ishaku , gave him an option of N 7 , 000 fine .

He also warned Usman to desist from running after people ’ s wives and look for his own wife , if he was not yet married .

The prosecutor , Frank Swem , had told the court that the case was reported to the police by Umar Ibrahim of Luvu Madaki Masaka , Nasarawa State .

Ibrahim had told the police that his wife , Zainab, informed him that the convict had been stalking her on the phone .

The prosecutor said that anytime the defendant called her , he would tell her that he liked her sweet voice , asking her to meet him at Mararaba .

He said the husband later planned with his wife and lured the defendant to Area 1 Junction , Masaka , where he was arrested.

Meanwhile , a Kubwa Grade 1 Area Court has also sentenced a 25 - year - old ex - convict , Sabiu Ado , to four months in prison for stealing children ’ s school bags and three plastic buckets .

Ado , who worked as scavenger , was convicted and sentenced after pleading guilty to one count of criminal trespass and theft .

NAN reported that he pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy , saying it was a mistake and that he stole because he had a wife and children in the village to cater for.

The judge, Mohammed Marafa , however, gave Ado an option of N 20, 000 fine and warned him to desist from committing crime .

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President Muhammadu Buhari has again tried to allay fears that he harbours a bias against the south-east, pointing out that he appointed four senior ministers from the zone where he got only 198,000 votes in 2015.

Speaking on Thursday at a dinner for chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja, Buhari said he is fully aware of the issues confronting the country.

Buhari said: “There is something that hit me very hard and I am happy I hit it back at somebody. Seven states of the north are only represented in my cabinet by junior ministers, ministers of state.

“In south-east, I got 198,000 votes but I have four substantive ministers and seven junior ministers from there.

“You are closer to the people than myself now that I have been locked up here, don’t allow anybody to talk of ethnicity. It is not true.”
Buhari scored 198,248 votes in the five south-east states while Jonathan got 2,464,906 in the 2015 presidential election.

He said he enjoyed the supports of people of other ethnic groups and religious affiliations while he was struggling to be president from 2003.

“There is one thing that disabused my mind in a dispassionate way about ethnicity and religion across the country. You know that tribunal for presidential election started at court of appeal. The president was my classmate. I missed only four of the court sittings,” he recalled.

“For that first phase, 2003, we were in court for 30 months. My legal leader was Chief Ahamba (SAN), an Igbo man. He asked the panel of judges to direct INEC to produce the voters register to prove that the election was done underground.

“When they came to write the judgment, they completely omitted that. Another Igbo man, a Roman Catholic, in the panel of judges, wrote a minority report.

“I went to the supreme court. Who was the chief justice? An Hausa Fulani, a Muslim from Zaria. After 27 months, Ahamba presented our case for two hours and 45 minutes. The chief justice got up and said they were going on break and when they returned the following day, they will deliver the judgment. They went away for three months. That was what made it 30 months.

“And when they came back, they discussed my case within 45 minutes.

“In 2007, who was the chief justice? A Muslim from Niger state. The third one (in 2011), who was the chief justice? My neighbour from Jigawa State. The same religion and the same tribe.”

Posted By: Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi



The Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, led northern governors to beg Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, not to resign from the Nigeria Governors’ Forum over herdsmen killings in the state.

It was the first move from governors in north since Fulani herdsmen killed 73 people in Benue.

The visit came after South- south, South East, South West and Middle Belt stakeholders condoled with Governor Ortom on the tragic incident.

Shettima was accompanied on the trip by governors Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna), Yahaya Bello (Kogi) and Simon Lalong (Plateau).

The Deputy Governor of Osun State, Otunba Grace Titilayo Laoye also visited the Benue governor.

Governor Shettima, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, said they were in Benue to commiserate with Ortom on the killings.

But midway into his speech, there was murmuring from some guests who expressed dismay that he did not condemn the attack or made mention of the Fulani herdsmen in his address.

The governor also clashed with journalists outside the Banquet hall of the Benue Government House.

He accused South West and South-south leaders of coming to score cheap political points.

By Clement A. Oloyede,



The Federal Government has charged a former interim National Secretary of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Alhaji Tijani Musa Tumsah and his brother for allegedly refusing to declare their assets without reasonable excuses.

Tijani, who is the Vice Chairman, Presidential Committee on the North-East Initiative (PCNI) and a member of the APC’s board of trustees, was charged alongside his brother, Ibrahim Musa Tumsah, the Director of Finance and Account in the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing.

The Federal Government through the Special Investigation Panel on the Recovery of Public Property had in December, 2017 secured a temporary forfeiture order to take over 86 luxury vehicles, together with four houses and a quarry plant in Abuja, said to belong to Ibrahim.

In the two-count charge filed before the Federal High Court, Abuja by Chief Superintendent Celsus Ukpong on behalf of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Tumsah brothers were said to have not only refused but neglected to declare their assets, when invited by the panel in its investigation on the forfeited properties.

Their action is said to be contrary to and punishable under S.3 (3)(1)(a) of the Recovery of Public Property (Special Provision) Act 2004.

In the proof of evidence attached to the charge cited by our reporter, the government said one Mohammed Abdullahi, a police officer and investigator working with the panel would testify among other things that he sent notices to the Tumsah brothers on November 16 and 30, 2017 for them to declare their assets.

Also attached to the charge were statements said to be made by Tijani and Ibrahim to the panel. Ibrahim, who was alleged to own the forfeited properties allegedly wrote: “Apart from my salary, I have income from farming, commodity trading and goodwill from friends and relatives. I do not have any company.

“The property located at No 27 Cairo crescent is owned by a company, Rain Nig Ltd, who’s Chairman and Managing Director is Tijani Musa Tumsah. The property at Sirasso crescent is where we leave with my brother based on his goodwill to me is owned by him. The property located at 34 Euphrates Street, Wuse 2, Abuja does not belong to me. The property located at No 22 I.I. Igbani street is my brother’s office.”

Also, a memo attached to the charge, signed by one Mathias Okoi-Uyouyo, the Director of Operations of the panel and addressed to the chairman of the panel, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, said an online media raised allegations that Ibrahim who earns less than N500,000 a month has properties splashed all over Abuja, Kaduna and Yobe using his name, brother, children and wives to acquire them, prompting the investigation.

The panel said Ibrahim acquired all the assets between 2016 and 2017 and used his brother Tijani as front to own two companies: Rain Integrated Services Insurance Brokers Limited and Rain Integrated Bureau de change Limited with which the assets were acquired.

Reacting to the charges in a phone call, Tijani said as vice chairman of an adhoc committee, he was not required by law to declare his assets.

The case has not been assigned to a judge.

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Posted By: Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin


A former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Samuel Afolayan (retd), claimed on Wednesday that herdsmen burnt 20 hectares of orange plantation, 20 hectares of cassava farm and five hectares of palm plantation in his farm.

He said the farm is about 500 hectares.
The ex- naval chief put the loss at over N200 million.

Speaking with journalists in Ibbo-Ile, Ekiti local government area of Kwara State, Afolayan said the herdsmen had been destroying his plantations for over 10 years.

He said: “The destruction and burning of my farmland has become an annual routine. This will be the first time of letting people know what has been happening in the last 10 years.

It is the cow-rearers that have been damaging my things and right now there about three cases in court. Every year, my farm is burnt and we believed that it is not deliberate when it first started.

They will go and arrest them, they will go to the local chiefs and friends and beg them.

“When I looked at the people that were engaged in this act, I found that they are people of low means. I will release them.

But as times went on, I discovered that these boys are being sponsored by people of means and outside Kwara State. I have of recent somebody who is put in detention who is from Zamfara State.

The one that is in court is from Niger State. So most of the damages I continued to have are from the north. They carry their cows, mindless of the size of what you have or get, they destroyed it with impunity.

“No less than 20 hectares of oranges, five hectares of palm trees and 20 hectares of cassava had been burnt or destroyed this year. I am not an expert or a valuer but my estimation is that the current loss is over N200m.”

Steve Uzoechi Owerri


Barely six weeks after Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State established the Ministry of Happiness and Purpose Fulfillment headed by his sister, Ogechi Ololo, the ministry is yet to secure an office.

Similarly, Ololo is yet to get additional staff drafted to her to build the new ministry.

She is still working from her office as Deputy Chief of Staff (Domestic) and using her former staff which is a little more than half a dozen.

However, there are indications that the Ministry of Happiness and Purpose Fulfillment, which many believe to have been established by executive fiat, is making arrangement to secure office space at the Trade and Investment Centre, new Owerri.

Not a few persons believe the ministry may have been set up to facilitate distribution of materials for ‘stomach infrastructure’ and may, after all, not need the entire gamut of staff required by a full blown government ministry.

Presently, there are no directors and no Permanent Secretary deployed to the Ministry. As such, it may be an uphill task drafting government workers, whose job title and specification have to be spelt out, to the ministry.

Furthermore, it is still uncertain the size of the budgetary provisions for the new ministry and what is the ministry’s corporate objective for the 2018 fiscal year.

Speaking on the Ministry, Aku Obidinma, Coordinator of Imo People’s Action for Democracy (IPAD), said: “From day one, that ministry was a ruse. Having created so much unhappiness in the state with a looming protest organised by IPAD underway in December, he rushed into creating the ministry as a psychological manipulation of the people.”

For the National Organizing Secretary of the newly formed Mass Action Joint Alliance (MAJA), Engr. Promise Digos, the formation of the ministry was an abuse of office by the governor, as the office was more of a product of impulse than it was of careful consideration.

He said: “For all I know, that office serves no meaningful purpose to the state. It’s just a whimsical creation to service the insatiable cravings of the first family.

Ogechi Ololo has further been enriched and the purpose of the ministry has been served. If you are waiting for anything else beyond using the office to disburse political patronage to cronies, you will wait forever.”

Oyetunji Abioye


Starting January 2018 , male employees of Access Bank Plc can take advantage of an enhanced parental leave policy that extends paid benefits to all mothers and fathers, the bank has said .

Fostering an inclusive workplace , the policy offers paid leave to all new parents at the bank , including mothers and fathers, as well as adoptive and surrogate parents.

According to a statement by the lender , the new policy offers one week fully paid paternity leave to male employees and allows them to care for their offspring and spend some quality time with the new addition to their family while supporting the new mother who needs the break .

Also included in the new policy is a surrogacy or adoptive leave with full pay for three calendar months for female employees of the bank .

“ These benefits supplement the 12 weeks of paid leave Access Bank currently provides to birth mothers .

The policy also complements the Bank’ s existing health and flexible workplace benefits, which support work - life balance, ” the statement , signed by Head , Group Human Resources , Bolaji Agbede , added .

Agbede was quoted to have said that paid parental leave allows parents to truly bond with their new child , balance their work schedule and help reduce conflict with parental obligations .

Agbede said , “Studies have shown that fathers who take paternity leave are more likely to take an active role in child care tasks and will continue to play this role long after the period of leave has ended.

“ It is important for the new father to take time off , regardless of family structure. This new policy is an evidence of the bank ’ s support to employees during this wonderful but challenging time in their lives. ”

She added , “ Furthermore , a pregnant employee who has been in the bank ’ s employment for 12 consecutive months also has the option of six calendar months ’ maternity leave with two - thirds of full month pay, while the surrogacy or adoptive leave period is three calendar months with full pay or six calendar months leave with two - thirds of full month pay. ”

By Abdullateef Aliyu, Lagos 


A spate of challenges stalling smooth working has put in doubt the feasibility of completing the standard guage rail project between Lagos and Ibadan by a December 2018 deadline.

Some of the obstructions include the various water pipes, gas pipelines, bridges, among others.

While the Federal and Lagos state governments have agreed to demolish two obstructing bridges in Lagos, the Ministry of Transportation is still interfacing with relevant authorities to remove other obstructions on the right of way.

Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi while briefing newsmen after the monthly meeting of the Project Implementation Committee with the China Civil Engineering and Construction Company (CCECC), the contractors handling the $1.5bn project declared that they are now "battling with time schedule".

He disclosed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has started inspection of some of the gas pipelines on the right of way of the project in Ogun state saying the inspection would be completed in two weeks.

The inspection took the team which included the Senior officials of the Ministry, Managing Director of the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), Engr. Fidet Okhiria, among others to the project sites in Agbado, Ijoko, Itori, Papalanto and Abeokuta.

Residents whose home are in the rail’s right of way have been removing rooftops, blocks and other useful materials from their homes before demolition.

The Minister said the government has settled property owners whose houses were affected in order to clear the land for the smooth take off of the project.

Asked when the laying of tracks would commence, the Minister said this can be determined when all issues of right of way are sorted, adding that the Ministry was collaborating with relevant stakeholders including the Lagos and Ogun state government officials to address the challenges.

He said the target of the contractors was to finish all civil works before the commencement of rainy season, adding, "We still have challenges with water pipeline in Lagos. Gas pipeline. We are also having problem with the barracks as you can see the Army people are here. But we are all working together.”

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https://saharareporters.com/sites/default/files/styles/normal_medium/public/Senator-Atai-Aidoko-Ali-Usman-600x400.jpeg?itok=w9R61Jg5

Despite a court order declaring the Kogi East Senatorial seat vacant, Atai Aidoko Ali, who until the court’s pronouncement represented the district, attended plenary as a Senator on Tuesday.

Mr. Ali’s presence was announced by the Senate Chief Whip.

Before the announcement, he had participated in a closed-door session that lasted an hour.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja had on December 18, 2017, declared the Kogi East senatorial district seat vacant.

But Mr. Aidoko denied the ruling, claiming that the issue of, ‘candidacy or vacant seat’ did not come up during the judgement.

Mr. Aidoko said the Appeal Court judgement did not declare the seat vacant but ordered parties to return to the High Court, ‘to seek requirement for reference which he filed before the Appeal court.’

However, court documents exclusively sourced from PREMIUM TIMES showed that the Senator lied as the seat was actually declared vacant.

The judgement showed that the seat should be empty until a decision of the Federal High Court is made, as directed by the Supreme Court on June 16, 2017.

The Appeal Court in a unanimous judgement condemned the decision of Mr. Aidoko to return to the court to seek an interpretation of a matter that had been resolved by the Supreme Court.

A three-member panel of judges led by Abdul Aboki described as ‘reckless and bizarre’ the application brought by Mr. Aidoko.

It ordered the senator to pay N1 million compensation to his contender to the seat, Isaac Alfa.

By Adeolu Adeyemo



Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Mustafa Magu has painted a graphic picture on how 55 individuals stole over N1.3trillion in 11 years when corruption feasted on the country without bounds. Of the stolen N1.3trillion, Magu said EFCC had recovered about N738billion in less than two years.

He said this yesterday at the convocation ceremony of Fountain University, Osogbo in Osun state. Magu said: “Indeed, corruption could have killed Nigeria if the rate at which corruption was festering then had not been checked. Take for instance, the money stolen by just 55 people between 2006 and 2013 is well over N1.3trillion.

“One third of this monies, using world bank rates and cost could have comfortably been used to construct 635.15 Km of roads; built 183 schools; educate 3974 children from primary to tertiary level at N25.24 million per child; built 20, 062 units of 2 bedroom houses across the country and do even more.

The cost of this grand theft therefore is that these roads, schools and houses will never be built and these children will never have access to quality education because a few rapacious individuals had cornered for themselves what would have helped secure the lives of future generations, depriving them of quality education and healthcare, among others.

“One need not be told that N738billion is no small change. To appreciate what it could have done for the nation if it had been properly invested and spent as it should, we should know that this amount is way greater than the combined allocation to the health sector in 2015 and 2016 budgets which added up to N562billion.

“In the 2018 budget estimates placed before the National Assembly, the president proposes to spend N605.8billion on education. In other words, what was corruptly stolen and now recovered by my Commission, the EFCC, is more than what was budgeted for all the universities, Polytechnics, Colleges of Education and the Universal Basic Education being funded by the federal government in 2018.

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Officials of Kuje Prisons were, on Thursday night, thrown panic for over one hour after it was discovered that Mr. Charles Okah, a leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND), could not be found in his cell by warders on the night shift at about 8 pm.

The situation led to a frantic search.
While prison officials were searching in panic, Okah was lying under his bed and had propped a dummy on his bed.

The MEND leader was said to have taken the action because of prison officials' refusal to take him to the National Hospital, Abuja, where he was scheduled to run a battery of medical tests.

Prison sources told SaharaReporters that the Comptroller of Prisons, Federal Capital Territory Command, Mr. Sylvester Nwakuche, received a text message from the Directorate State Security (DSS) informing him that a man that looks like Mr. Okah was sighted boarding a vehicle at Gwagwalada area of the Federal Capital City.

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Charles Okah


The Comptroller contacted the Officer in Charge of Kuje Prison to confirm if Mr. Okah was still in custody.

The Officer in Charge and many other officers rushed to Mr. Okah's cell (Number 6), where they were relieved to see a man sleeping and left to report to the Comptroller. They, however, did not ascertain if it was the MEND leader that was sleeping.

Not satisfied, the Comptroller asked them to return to the cell, where they discovered that sleeping figure they assumed to be Mr. Okah was a dummy in a sleeping position.

They also found a note from Mr.Okah, which he addressed to the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Prisons Service.

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Charles Okah's dummy at Kuje prison


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Charles Okah's note


The officials read the note, which led to further panic as they were reminded of their colleagues, who lost their jobs as a result of a previous jailbreak in which
Mr. Okah's name was mentioned.

Mr. Okah later emerged from under the bed to chide them for responding promptly to news of an escape but were reluctant to take him to hospital.

Before Friday night's drama, Mr. Okah, who has previously stated that he donated a kidney to his mother 35 years ago, had complained that the Kuje Prison authorities were treating complaints about his health with levity.

He had reportedly complained of passing blood in his urine, a complaint to which the prison authorities did not respond until after five months when they took him to the National Hospital Abuja eight weeks ago.

After that visit, during which he was Okah was reportedly advised to run a series of tests by one Dr. Badamasi, he’s not been taken back to the hospital to run the tests even after complaining that his health was deteriorating.

The prison physician, Dr. Osakwe, said he had applied to the authorities in vain to make arrangements for transportation and security to convey him and others to referral hospitals.

Mr. Okah, who is detained for allegedly masterminding the 1 October 2010 bombing in Abuja, has just one more adjourned date of January 24, 2018, for Adoption of written address before a date for judgement is set for his trial which has lasted years while he remained in detention.

lalasticlala

Olusola Fabiyi , Abuja


The Federal Government has appealed to the media and public commentators to exercise utmost restraint in their coverage of the fallouts of the recent farmers /herders ’ clash in Benue State in order not to further inflame passion and worsen the situation.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday , the Minister of Information and Culture , Alhaji Lai Mohammed , said while the Federal Government was working hard to address the situation with a view to preventing a recurrence , not just in Benue State but everywhere across the country, it was incumbent on the media and public commentators not to engage in actions that can aggravate the crisis.

He said , ”Lest we are misunderstood , we are neither saying the media should not cover the crisis nor asking public commentators to desist from commenting on it . All we are saying is that both must be circumspect.

” The current poisoned atmosphere of incendiary comments , unrestrained use of pictures and footages that offend human sensibilities as well as finger pointing can only exacerbate the situation and complicate ongoing efforts to end the crisis. ”

Mohammed said the Federal Government is absolutely saddened by the loss of lives and the destruction of property resulting from the crisis, and recalled that Buhari , in commiserating with the Benue State Governor , Samuel Ortom, unreservedly condemned the killings and also assured him of the necessary security measures to prevent further attacks and bring the perpetrators to book .

He said the Federal Government had also mapped out short and long -term solutions to the incessant clashes between farmers and herders , including a planned conference of stakeholders.

lalasticlala

By Gibson Mhaka

UNBELIEVABLE!


A cheating woman from Chivi who arrived home from a late night sex romp with her boyfriend was reportedly sold out by the “after sex” smell and condom odour that was allegedly sniffed out from her privates by her husband.

It is reported that Sarudzai Mutamba from Vuranda Village under Chief Madamombe failed to give satisfactory reasons to her husband Garikai Mhindo when he asked about the source of the alleged post-romp smell.

Angered by the stench, Mhindo reportedly hit his wife with a sjambok and fists all over the body until she confessed that the odour was a result of a sexual act with her married lover Abraham Makombe.

Neighbours reportedly intervened but were unable to calm the situation, Chief Madamombe whose jurisdiction the estranged couple’s area falls under, was not available for comment, a source close to the family confirmed the incident.

The source said before Mhindo busted his wife, she had been all along acting suspiciously and at one time he reportedly found unexplained stains in her pants.

“After reporting home late (Mutamba) her husband who had been suspicious that she was cheating on him was proved right on that night. What happened is that he didn’t give her a chance to bath when he quickly called her to their bedroom hut.

“When Mhindo was about to make love a strong ‘after sex’ and condom smell from his wife greeted him. When he asked her about the origins of the smell the already panicking wife could not give a satisfactory explanation thereby inviting her husband’s anger,” a source who requested strict anonymity told B-Metro.

The source said seething with anger, Mhindo bashed his wife with fists and a sjambok leading her to confess that she had a nice time with her boyfriend.

“Mhindo who seems to know his wife’s ‘normal’ scent was able to tell that something was wrong on that particular night,” added the source.

Mhindo who has since reportedly approached Chief Madamombe to dissolve his marriage on the grounds of prostitution and adultery refused to entertain the Press when contacted for comment.

“My marital problems are none of your business and what do you benefit from them?” charged Mhindo before he hung up his phone.

According to online studies if a vagina gives off a strong, fishy odour that smells foul, especially after sex, chances are high that the woman is suffering from an infection.

If the smell increases right after sex, or it’s accompanied by an increase in discharge, it could be bacterial vaginosis, a condition marked by an overgrowth of bacteria that upsets the vagina’s delicate PH balance, which can be cleared up with antibiotics.

Adepegba , Abuja,

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A software engineer , Sidney Osahon, who was about being evicted by his landlady , has won the N 20m Give ‘ n ’ Take
national lottery jackpot in Abuja .

The 35- year - old native of Edo State explained that he was contemplating selling his mother ’ s landed property in the Federal Capital Territory , when he received information last Sunday that he is now N 20m richer .

Speaking to journalists on Thursday in Abuja , Osahon said he had been playing the lottery for some time , noting that his win came at the time his landlady was threatening to evict him .

He said , “ I owed my landlady a few months ’ rents and she had been threatening to evict me . In fact , the day I received the news of my win, she had sent me an SMS in the morning that she was coming for a showdown over the arrears of rent.

“ My mother was saying maybe we should sell her parcel of land in Abuja and use part of the proceeds to settle the rent, but I felt that was not a progressive thing to do . So , I prayed to God that I am tired of paying rent and that I would like to move into my own house , and God did it for me ; I am now a landlord, ” Osahon said jubilantly .

He added that his mother doubted him when he informed her that he was now a millionaire , noting that she almost fainted on hearing the good news .

He said , “ When I told her that I had got the money to build my house , she didn’ t believe it . She said , ‘ I would faint ’ . ”

The Managing Director , Give ‘ n ’ Take lottery , Jolly Enabulele , disclosed that Osahon played the lottery with N 100 , noting that his win, from available records , is the biggest lottery prize in the history of lottery in the country.

He further explained that Osahon won the N 20m jackpot because the first winner failed to claim the prize, adding that the money was rolled over to another week and Osahon won the star prize.

Enabulele said , “ It will interest you to know that a ticket on December 24, 2017 emerged the first ticket to win the N 20m bonanza , but failed to come forward within seven days to claim his winnings.

“That failure and in keeping with our avowed promise to ensure that someone wins the national jackpot prize, we held a second electronic draw after the weekly jackpot draw , which then saw Osahon join the millionaires ’ club . ”

The organisers stated that the jackpot winner would be presented his cheque on Sunday by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission officials .

By Nsikak Nseyen 


A Masaka Upper Area Court, in Nasarawa State, on Thursday arraigned a 60-year-old man, Inusa Aliyu and his daughter, Jamila for allegedly scamming a suitor of N710, 000.

The accused who reside at Luvu Masaka area of the state, are facing a three-count of conspiracy, breach of trust and cheating.

The prosecutor, Frank Swem, told the court that one Yusuf Mamuda, a resident of the Kurudu, Abuja reported the matter at the Divisional Police Station, Masaka on January 4.

Swem said Mamuda alleged that sometime in September 2017, one Haruna, surname unknown, now at large, conspired with Aliyu and compelled Mamuda to enter into a marriage agreement with Jamilia.

He said, Haruna and Aliyu capitalised on the fact that he was in search of a woman to marry so they convinced him to give them the sum of N650,000 as the total cost of the marriage rite.

“When it later occurred to me to investigate on the marriage issue in order to avoid any form of marrying a woman that has an existing marriage, I requested for her divorce certificate since they claimed that Jamila is a divorcee.

“They were unable to produce the certificate as claimed. They started dribbling me and later asked me to give them N60,000 to enable them to travel to Zamfara to bring the certificate.”

The prosecutor said that the complainant later gave them the N60,000, but they failed to produce the certificate as they promised.

He added that Jamila later told Mamuda that she had no intention of marrying him, adding that everything that happened was a conspiracy between her father and Haruna to defraud him.

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the allegation.

The offences contravened Sections 97, 312 and 322 of the Penal Code.

The judge, Yakubu Ishaku, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N500, 000 each, with one reliable surety each in like sum.

Ishaku, adjourned the case until Jan. 19 for hearing.

By Victor Azubuike 


The Senior Pastor of a new generation church, Alter of Grace Ministries, Pastor Chidiebere Okoroafor has been arrested by the Rivers state Police Command for allegedly killing three people, including two pregnant women and an infant in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The Pastor, DAILY POST gathered is being detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department where detectives are working to unravel the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Concilia Ezenwa and her daughter, Somto Ezenwa.

The bodies of the woman and her daughter were recovered alongside that of the third victim, Olumma Onweagba within the premises of the church, Alter of Grace Ministeries near Izuom market in Oyigbo.

Preliminary investigation revealed that randy Pastor Okoroafor had impregnated Olumma Onwaagba who until her death was a member of the church choir.

It was gathered that the detained Pastor allegedly pressured his victim to terminate the pregnancy which she refused.

Olumma’s refusal to terminate the pregnancy led to her death and that of those who knew about the scandal, DAILY POST gathered.

Meanwhile, Joseph Ezenwa who is the husband of Concilia Ezenwa told newsmen that the Pastor had invited his wife and her friend to amicably discuss the pregnancy but they never returned.

“On the 11th of December, 2017 when I returned from my normal hustling I did not see my wife. I searched for her every where till around 11pm until I saw one of my neighbors who told me that my wife told her that she should tell me that she was going to see Pastor Okoroafor.

“Pastor Chidiebere Okoroafor invited Olumma to the Church so that they can settle the matter of her pregnancy amicably but Olumma decided to invite my wife to accompany her with the belief that the Pastor will not harm her if he sees a mature woman with a baby.

“The next day I went to Pastor and asked him where my wife and her friend are. The Pastor denied knowing them but later agreed but said he last saw them 3months ago. Meanwhile two weeks before then my wife had told me she was going for prayer with her friend in that church and with the pastor. That was when I noticed foul play.

“Few days later I got a call from the Police. I went , behold I saw the body of a little child and a woman; the little child was my daughter while the woman was Olumma but we did not see my wife.

“After some days they called again and by this time it was my wife’s decomposing body in the Church premises, ” he said.

When contacted Spokesman of the Rivers State Police Command, Nnamdi Omoni confirmed the incident.

He said, “We are aware of the matter and it is being handled by the Homicide department of the state CID.

“Some people have already been taken into custody including the pastor but where we are now is that doctors have been contracted to carry out an autopsy. We are on the matter and we will get to the bottom of it.”

Posted By: Fanen Ihyongo, Jalingo,



Killer-herdsmen have extended their bloody campaign to Taraba State, killing 55 people in Lau Local Government Area.

About 200 homes and huge piles of foodstuff were destroyed. Many people are missing in the attacks, which began last weekend.

Twenty-five bodies were recovered and given a mass burial on Tuesday when reporters and Bala Dan Abu, a media assistant to Taraba State Governor Darius Ishaku, visited the area.

Policemen and soldiers cordoned off the area as the burial was hurriedly done by angry youths amid fear of the attackers coming for them.

“You know, I don’t like witnessing a funeral; what more, a mass burial like this,” Bala said, fighting back tears.

The affected area was deserted like a ghost town. Policemen and soldiers were on patrol.

Those buried were mostly children, women and elderly persons. Most of the bodies were recovered from burnt houses, bush paths and farmlands. The bodies had swollen.

Sources said some of the victims tried to escape from the marauders, but were hacked down by another set of herdsmen who ambushed them in large numbers.

The invaders used mostly “sophisticated guns and poisoned knives” to carry out the massacre, described by many as “genocide”.

Those who survived the herdsmen’s bullets are taking refuge in Abari, a settlement.
The bereaved spoke of their harrowing experiences when reporters visited the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

“Herdsmen are killing people in Lau,” Governor Darius Ishaku told The Nation on telephone on Tuesday night.

Ishaku attributed killings by Fulani herdsmen in some parts of the country, to a “drive for territorial control”.

He blamed the elite for masterminding the violence for their political and economic interests. He urged Nigerians to pray for the country.

Taraba State Police Command confirmed the killings. Spokesman David Misal said the situation was calm yesterday.

Misal, who had earlier reported the casualty figures as 12 when the attack began, said “enough security personnel have been deployed in the area”. What we are doing now is to build confidence in the people.”

The Lau incident is the latest act of unprovoked aggression against communities in Taraba State by Fulani herdsmen.

On his facebook page yesterday, Dan Abu posted a lamentation:
He said: “Tears flowed freely on Tuesday in several communities in Lau, Taraba State, as youths in the area buried 25 corpses of their parents and children murdered last weekend by Fulani herdsmen who invaded their villages.

“Most of those killed were women, children and the aged who could not escape the gun and knife wielding herdsmen who invaded their communities at about 3pm on Friday, January 5.

“At least 25 corpses recovered from burnt houses, bush paths and nearby farms where the victims tried to hide from the killer Fulani herdsmen were buried on Tuesday.

“A combined team of armed soldiers and police men provided them security cover to enable them complete the funeral rites.

“Many of the youths spoke of their missing relations, burnt houses, farms, food items and other valuables as they sobbed profusely while talking to a group of jourlaists that visited them in Abari where most of those who survived the attacks escaped to.

“The Lau attack is the latest act of unprovoked aggression against communities in Taraba State by Fulani herdsmen. No fewer than 55 lives were lost, according to the accounts of the villagers while over 200 houses were burnt.”

Taraba State Commissioner of Police, David Akinremi, on Tuesday visited the affected area to see things for himself.

Although no arrest were made. The police chief said “the attackers came from neighbouring Adamawa State, where they are already at war with the Bachama ethnic group.”

Some victims lamented their ordeals to this medium. David Jonathan, a cleric from Katebu tribe, in an emotion-laden voice, said “we don’t deserve this, because we didn’t provoke anyone.”

lalasticlala

By Seun Opejobi 


Babangida Aliyu, former Governor of Niger State, has said the People Democratic Party, PDP, “won’t need much campaign to take back Aso Rock in 2019.”

The former governor predicated his claim on the abysmal performance of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

He also noted that Nigerians had realised that the PDP churned out people oriented program, stressing that the former ruling party would not need much campaigning to take back Aso Rock in 2019.

The former Chairman of the Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) said this at his Abuja residence while hosting some executives of the PDP campaign team.

This was contained in a statement sent to DAILY POST by the Publicity Secretary, PDP @Your Door Campaign Forum, Jacob Onjewu Dickson.

He said that Nigerians had seen the difference and can’t wait till 2019 to liberate themselves from the chains of APC.

Babangida decried the spate of insecurity that has bedeviled the country as a result of lack of ideas from the APC.

“APC government said they are doing N-Power for Nigerian youth but out of several millions of youth who constitute about 60 per cent of the population, only I think about 100,000 are captured by the programme,” he added.

By Ayodamola Owoseye,



President Muhammadu Buhari has named four heads for major health institutions across Nigeria.

The president appointed Ajayi Adekunle as Chief Medical Director, Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti, Ekiti State.

He appointed Henry Ugboma as Chief Medical Director, University of Port-Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port-Harcourt, Rivers State.

He appointed T.O. Adebowale as Medical Director, Neuro-Psychiatric, Aro, Abeakuta, Ogun State and Achigbu Kinsley as Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Imo State.

The appointments were disclosed in a press statement issued by the Ministry of Health on Wednesday.

The appointments of the new officials are for a term of four years from December 31, 2017.

The appointments of heads of these institution come months after a PREMIUM TIMES report showed that about 20 of Nigeria’s 52 tertiary health institutions have no CMDs. These institutions had been run by interim heads for between six months to two years, against the provision of the Acts that established them.

Out of these 20, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, while in acting capacity as the president, had approved appointment of 14 heads for the tertiary health institutions. The four announced on Wednesday are also part of the 20.

The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, according to the statement, congratulated the new appointees and charged them to justify the confidence reposed in them by the president.

lalasticlala

dubemnaija:
Afonja people.
Always disgracing themselves

By Anule Emmanuel Abuja,


Two governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday clashed over New Year attacks by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Benue State. Over 50 people were killed in twin attacks on January 1st in Guma and Logo local government areas, homes of Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom and his predecessor, Dr. Gabriel Suswam.

Herdsmen, under the aegis of ‘Myetti Allah Kautal Hore’, before the attacks, had vowed to resist the anti- open grazing law enacted by the Benue State House of Assembly to check frequent clashes between herders and farmers.

While the Benue State governor is accusing the Nasarawa State government of harbouring the perpetrators of the attacks, Governor Tanko Almakura has blamed the killings on the implementation of the anti-open grazing law approved last year by Ortom. While speaking to State House Correspondents after a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa, Abuja, Ortom disclosed that the killer herdsmen are being camped in Nasarawa State from where they launched attack against Benue people.

Ortom said the state had witnessed relative peace since the implementation of the anti-open grazing law until the killer herdsmen came from Nasarawa State to attack the people of Benue State. “There has been relative peace amongst farmers and herdsmen until this militia from Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, came and attacked us.

And they are known, we know where they are. As I talk to you, they are in Tongua in Awe Local Government in Nasarawa State. That is where these people are camped and are coming to attack people.

“Just on Monday in Logo local government, Mobile policemen that were deployed to protect the people and the land, these militias exchanged fire with them, slaughtered two mobile policemen,” Ortom said.

But Al-Makura faulted Ortom’s claim that the Nasarawa State government has carved out a site in Tonga in Awe Local Government Area from where Fulani marauders launch attacks on communities in neighbouring areas in Benue State.

Al-makura said: “I’m really taken back by this statement. It is most unfortunate. I will like to use this opportunity to say that there is nothing like that whatsoever. If anything, the Tonga that Ortom is talking about in Awe Local Government is now the safe haven for displaced persons. As I speak with you today, there are more than three IDP camps in Awe local government that quarters and caters for the number of people that have migrated from Benue to Nasarawa.

“To be specific, they are more than 7,000 people that are camped in Tonga. So, it is very ironical that a place that is supposed to be an area that has become a safe haven for IDPs can now be called a place where militias are camped.

“On Monday, we held over seven hours of rigorous interfacing with seven governors, service chiefs and some ministers and all our security operatives within the states around Benue, and my colleague could not tell me this; he could not approach me and give me an idea if there is anything that he saw or is worried about.

“Besides, from all the discussions we have had on Monday, there was no concrete security report stigmatizing any part of Nasarawa State as harbouring people that are coming to attack Benue. “I feel what should be of concern to us as leaders is the plight of the people and any of such statement that is inflammatory is likely going to cause more confusion to what is already there,” Almakura noted.

On his part, Ortom insisted that the best way out of the increasing killings was the establishment of ranches across the country. He said ranching of cattle by the herdsmen, like it is done in other African countries as against the option of creating ‘grazing colonies’, remains the solution to the crisis. The Benue State governor also rejected plans by the Federal Government to establish colonies across the country to end the rising incidences of killings by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

According to him, “I’m waiting to be briefed about what colonies means, I don’t understand it. But like I keep saying, for us, the way forward is ranching and up till this time I am talking to you, the way forward is ranching because it is global best practice.

And it is not just practice in other parts of the world, on African soil in Swaziland, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, almost all African countries that rear cattle, they ranch. So, why can’t we do the same thing here? “For the colony thing, I don’t know what colony is.”

The Benue State governor also pledged to give all necessary support to the latest security deployment to the state as directed by the President, even as he lamented that the herdsmen attacked a contingent of mobile policemen in the affected area, beheaded two of them and severely injured others.

“I had earlier briefed Mr. President when this incident took place on January 1st. After staying back on the ground to do the needful to ensure that we restore normalcy, I said it was important for me to come personally and brief him and that has been done.

“I had to brief him. He is also doing further investigation to know the next line of action. I believe the leadership of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore must be arrested and prosecuted because we cannot allow impunity to continue to thrive.

And of course, threat and no action has resulted in this killing and I think that Mr. President will also do the needful to ensure something is done,” he said. On allegations that he hired mercenaries from Republic of Ghana to fight herdsmen, he said: “I’m not aware of this and I don’t even know about that one, I’m hearing it for the first time. If someone has done that, it must be this Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, that have done it.”

On suggestion that fullblown military operational base be set up in Benue like other places, Ortom said: “Anything that can stop the killings of my people, I will go for it. I support it.” He also denied allegation that the killings were in retaliation for the theft of 1,000 cows by some people in the state.

However, Al-makura blamed the New Year killings in Benue on the implementation of the anti-open grazing law. Al-Makura said: “It is the implementation of the anti-grazing law in Benue that has caused the problem and now Nasarawa State is being infected by the problem notwithstanding that we are being our brothers’ keepers and good neighbours. “I had to cut short my leave and come to find ways of helping my colleague.

We have called all our security to meet to find ways and means of helping Benue and if all efforts we have done and with all the relief materials we have given and the protection to the IDPs that were created, that certain parts of Nasarawa State can now be stigmatized with this allegation is, to say the least, most uncalled for and most unfortunate.

“We will still continue to render whatever assistance that we can give to the IDPs from Benue because we have some Tiv people that live in Nasarawa in virtually all the three or four local governments that share boundary with Benue State.

We are duty bound as a responsible administration to cater for all. “And the Tonga he is talking about is a town within three states, that is Goa in Benue, Shanda, Ibi in Cross River. So anybody can fly through the River to go and attack in Benue.

“And don’t forget the obscurity of the wilderness which is very porous and anybody can move from any part to any place to attack any place. “So, as far as I am concerned, there is nobody keeping anybody anywhere in Nasarawa State.”

lalasticlala

Tony Okafor , Awka


A Fulani herder , Muhammed Haruna , has allegedly died from injuries he sustained after being stoned by a female farmer in Delta State.

It was gathered that the herder and his colleague drove their cattle into the yet - to - be indentified woman’ s farm in the Upper Agbarho area of Ughelli.

The incident, Southern City News
learnt occurred last week .

It was gathered that the woman and the herders were engaged in a stone - throwing match after a heated argument .

It was gathered that the 15-year - old Muhammed was hit by one of the stones and immediately collapsed on the scene of the confrontation before he was rushed to a private hospital where he was pronounced dead by doctors .

Security sources told Southern City News that the incident had led to tension in the area as security operatives launched a manhunt for the fleeing owner of the farm .

One of the sources in the area said , “ When the owner of the farm , a lady , accosted the herdsmen while they grazed on her farm with their herds , a verbal confrontation ensued .

“ This led to the throwing of stones at the herdsmen by the locals in the area , including the woman. The herdsmen attempted fleeing , but one of them was hit and he collapsed . ”

The state Police Public Relations Officer , Andrew Aniamaka , confirmed the incident when contacted , saying that the lady in connection with the incident had absconded .

Aniamaka added that the matter was being investigated by the state command , adding that anyone found guilty would be punished in line with the law.

Meanwhile , unknown persons in Ughelli have allegedly attacked a suspected herdsman for reportedly raping two women on their farms , resulting in the accused being stabbed in his mouth.

The incident, it was learnt , happened last Saturday after some natives of the area pursued two of the unidentified herdsmen into the interior areas of the community where they attacked and injured them.

Posted By: Victor Oluwasegun, Abuja



The Federal Government is owing road contractors over N2.7 trillion for projects executed over the years. Minister of Power, Works and Housing. Babatunde Fashola has said.

Fashola made the disclosure yesterday during an oversight assessment visit of the 2017 budget by members of the Toby Okechukwu- headed House Committee on Works to the Federal Ministry of Works.

According to the Minister, a major portion of the debt was inherited from previous administrations and that poor budgetary allocation made it impossible to settle.

The debts, he said are made up of completed projects, inherited claims of previous years and ongoing projects across the country. “N2.792tn is the total contractual liability”, he said.

Fashola also revealed that N265.5bn worth of certificates had been generated for completed projects for the 2017 capital implementation, “We have not paid this money, but we have continued to work.There is no state in the country that one federal road project or another is not going on. We are present in every state and the Federal Capital Territory.

“The difference may be that the projects are not located in places where each of us may want them to be. So, the fact that payment has not been made does not mean that work is not being done”, he added.

He said the generated certificates indicates that 2017 budget performance on roads is 73 per cent and that efforts are ongoing to pay part of the liability.

The sum of N120 billion, he said was released in December 2017 for second quarter, adding that the difficult procurement process as contained in the Public Procurement Act had stunted the take off of many road contracts earlier awarded.

But Okechukwu and other members like chairman of Committee on Finance, Babangida Ibrahim, Pat Asadu, Solomon Bulus-Maren, Abubakar Kannike and Emmanuel Ekon expressed displeasure on why the government’s new 25 road projects were yet to take off.

To the observations of the members, Fashola said:
“”At both the informal and formal interactions with our parliamentarians, I have raised this issue of the lengthy procurement processes.It is an area that we all have to look into to see what can be done to fast-track the work before us.

“We have challenges with the award processes. Most of the time, the procurement process is very difficult. You have to do a lot of things. If you can come to our aid and amend the process, that will be helpful,” he said.

He added that any state that wishes to repair federal roads will be given the chance by the Federal Government the federal government . He gave examples of Lagos and Kaduna States, that have done such in their states with much success.

Okechukwu, Chairman of the committee said there is the need to enable the ministry work effectively and hence there might be need to review the the procurement act.

He said: “We’re aware of how the procurement process is. Most of the time, when you go to ministries, you see long queues of people waiting for the process. But on our part, we’ll have to look at the procurement process.

“The long process of procurement is not helpful. We need to look at the law again”.

lalasticlala

Obi Soniyi


A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has refused an ex-parte application brought by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami (SAN) to stop the National Assembly from probing the reinstatement of the former Chairman of the Presidential Task Force of Pension Reform, Abdulrasheed Maina, into the civil service.

Justice Binta Murtala Nyako reportedly heard the application in chambers, but turned it down and ordered the applicant to put the respondents on notice, so as to come and show cause why the application should not be granted.

The court later fixed January 15 for hearing of the motion on notice.

In the suit, the AGF asked the court to determine if the National Assembly has the right to probe issues relating to the “employment, attendance at work, disengagement, reinstatement and or promotion of a civil servant”.

He equally wants the court to among other things declare that “the employment, attendance at work, disengagement, reinstatement and or promotion of a civil servant are matters outside the exclusive and concurrent legislative lists contained in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended)”.

Malami also wants the court to declare that the National Assembly cannot legitimately regulate the employment, attendance at work, disengagement, reinstatement and or promotion of a civil servant, which are matters exclusively within the purview of the Federal Civil Service Commission under the Constitution.

He also prayed the court to declare that the National Assembly lacks the legislative competence to investigate the employment, attendance at work, disengagement, reinstatement and or promotion of a civil servant, which are matters exclusively within the purview of the Federal Civil Service Commission under the Constitution.

The AGF submitted that the power of investigation vested in the National Assembly by Section 88(1) of the Constitution is limited and such that can only be exercised within the confines of Section 88(2) of the Constitution.

According to him, the plaintiff as the Chief Law Officer and Minister of Justice of the Federation is bound to ensure compliance by the Federal Government of Nigeria and or any of its cognate organs/agencies with the express or implied contents of extant judgments and orders of competent courts in Nigeria.

He further submitted that the National Assembly cannot constitute itself into a quasi-appellate court, tribunal or panel with a view to reviewing any executive action taken in compliance with the adverse judgment in the said Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/65/2013.

Controversy has continued to trail the reinstatement of Maina who had been on suspension over his alleged involvement in the N100 billion fraud perpetrated by the pension reform task force, which he headed up till 2013.

The AGF was alleged to have masterminded the controversial reinstatement of Maina into the civil service, even though he has denied the allegation.

Despite clear evidence that his office wrote a letter to the Head of Civil Service recommending Maina’s reinstatement, Malami denied having knowledge of the letter.

The Senate had last October mandated its Committees on Public Service, Internal Affairs, Anti-Corruption, Establishment and Judiciary to probe the circumstances of Maina’s return to the public service.

The House of Representatives had already commenced the probe.

When he appeared before the House panel, Malami denied involvement in Maina’s recall.

Despite his alleged complicity in the pension fraud, abscondment from work and becoming a fugitive of the law, Maina was recalled and deployed to the Ministry of Interior under controversial circumstances.

Owing to the uproar that followed his reinstatement, President Muhammadu Buhari ordered Maina’s sack and queried the Head of Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita, to provide an explanation for Maina’s recall.

As a follow-up to that, the Senate moved to conduct a forensic investigation into the reinstatement.

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