₦airaland Forum

Posted by: Tony Anichebe Uyo


A 25-year-old housewife, Mrs. Helen Bassey Umoh, yesterday asked an Akwa Ibom State High Court in Uyo to dissolve her nine-month-old marriage over ‘malfunctioning’ of her husband’s penis.

Helen, a graduate of Business Administration, pleaded with the court to dissolve the union, because her husband, Mr. Michael Bassey Umoh’s “manhood always has inconsistent erection and that anytime the manhood becomes erect, he ejaculates within a few seconds which is not expected of a real man”.

The petitioner also alleged that her husband did not make known his health status before the marriage, which took place in April.

She said: “My husband cannot satisfy me in bed especially in the night. Anytime I deny him sex, he would pick up a fight; I am tired of the marriage. The marriage has not produced any child and I am fed up with my husband’s harshness. I urge the court to dissolve the marriage because there is no love between us.

“My husband is fond of beating me unnecessarily and would at times curse me and lock me inside our bedroom. My husband blames me for our childlessness. I cannot continue to endure in an unproductive marriage and with a man that has no respect for his wife.”

Helen also told the court that her husband accused her of having extra-marital affairs and prevented her family members from visiting her.

However, Umoh denied all the allegations during cross examination.

He said: “The non-erection of my manhood is not regular; it is just that I am not always in the mood whenever she is in the mood. I don’t use any enhancement drugs for sex as she alleged.”

Umoh also told the court that his wife had in August left his house that she was no longer interested in the marriage, but later came back in October and decided to leave again.

Benin Republic’s telecommunications regulator has withdrawn the operating licence of Nigerian mobile telecoms company, Globacom’s local unit in a dispute over new terms, according to a document seen by Reuters.

The regulator, ARCEP-Benin, said it took the decision after negotiations with Glo Mobile Benin to renew its licence broke down earlier this month after the company refused new conditions imposed by the government.

Officials with the parent company, which is owned by Nigerian billionaire, Mike Adenuga, were not immediately available for comment.

The ARCEP document did not say what the government’s new conditions were, but a source close to the regulator, who asked not to be named, said they included an increase in the cost of the licence.

Glo Mobile Benin said it had over 1.6 million subscribers in 2015, according to the most recent statistics available on ARCEP’s website.

Globacom also operates mobile networks in Nigeria and Ghana.

Posted By: Paul Oluwakoya



Sister to Ex-NFF President Accused
Two Money doublers in Police Net
It has happened again. It is not the first time huge amount of money will mysteriously get missing at the glass house of the Nigeria Football Federation in Abuja.

The latest happened last month and a young lady who was working as an intern in the NFF allegedly took the missing $40,000 with the intention of returning the money after doubling it via voodoo.

According to the report on 90minutsGOAL, the lady who allegedly stole the money and who is said to be a sister to an ex-president of the Nigeria Football Federation, picked four bundles of $10,000 and took to her heels leaving her handbag at the scene of the crime.

The lady whose name was not mentioned then handed the money to two men who assured her of doubling the money to $80,000 within 48 hours.

“Yes two middle aged men have been arrested in connection to the money theft at the NFF. The men confessed to the Police of being money doublers and confirmed that the lady actually gave them the money to double for her”, a top source at the NFF told 90minutesgoal.com.

You would recall that the Nigeria football Federation is in huge debt as it continues to make plans and source for funds for the World Cup. And that only recently the Sports ministry said it needed N3billion ($8340000) to persecute next year’s World Cup.

You would also recall that this is not the first time money especially foreign currencies will go missing in the NFF. In March 2009, the accounts department of the NFF was broken into, and $200,000 was carted away from one of the drawers.

In 2012, $80,000 was alleged to have gone missing, but the NFF denied such ever happened. Ironically, the NFF is yet to issue an official statement since the latest incident happened.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation ( NNPC ) says it will establish 4,600 power plants in Abuja, Kaduna and Kano.

A statement in Abuja by the NNPC spokesman, Mr Ndu Ughamadu, said this would be done through the recently-approved contract for the construction of Ajaokuta-Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Gas Pipeline project, dubbed AKK Pipeline.

According to the statement, the AKK pipeline has started yielding early benefits with the commitment by NNPC to build power-generating plants with combined capacity of 4550 megawatts in Abuja, Kaduna and Kano States.

Ughamadu quoted the NNPC Group Managing Director, Dr Maikanti Baru, as saying that the Corporation in partnership with private investors would build power-generating plants to support Federal Government’s effort to providing stable electricity in the country.

“As part of the drive to establish power plants to augment the power supply to the nation, the Federal Executive Council has recently approved the AKK Gas Pipeline project to be financed through Public Private Partnership (PPP).

“The project comes with other auxiliary ones which include, 1,350 megawatts, 900 megawatts and 2,350 megawatts of power generation plants in Abuja, Kaduna and Kano respectively,” the statement quotes Baru.

It said the NNPC in partnership with private investors would also build fertilizer plants in some parts of the country, one of which would be located at Izzon, Niger State.

The statement said in line with the presidential mandate on oil exploration in all the frontier basins, the NNPC was well-focused on the exploration in the Bida Basin.

“We have contracted the geological mapping of the Bida Basin to Ibrahim Babangida University, Lapai and the job would be completed in three months,” it stated.

Ughamadu said the corporation would go into more detailed seismic data acquisition in the Bida Basin by August 2018, to be followed by an Environmental Impact Assessment exercise.

He said as part of the corporation’s effort to decongest the highways, the NNPC would encourage private investors to build tanker parking facilities around Minna Depot, Suleja Depot, Tegina, Mokwa, amongst others and charge the users of the facility appropriately.

The statement said talks were ongoing with the Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing to re-introduce weight bridges on the highways to checkmate the issue of excessive loading by tankers above the recommended 46, 000ton gross weight.

“The NNPC on its part has already directed all its depots nationwide to stop loading tankers with loading capacity above 40, 000litres,” he said.
NAN

The federal government has released a state-by-state breakdown of another tranche of Paris Club refund.
The money was released alongside the allocations from the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC).

Idris Ahmed, accountant general of the federation, who announced this in a statement, said it was done so that Nigerians could have a better Christmas.

A statement from the ministry of finance said these payments totalled N243, 795,465,195.20.

Paris Club refund is a partial settlement of long-standing claims by state governments relating to over-deductions from their federation account allocation committee (FAAC) allocation for external debt service arising between 1995 and 2002.

Two tranches had been released earlier. Below is exactly how much every state got:
STATE, AMOUNT

1 ABIA 5,715,765,871.48

2 ADAMAWA 6,114,300,352.68

3 AKWA-IBOM 10,000,000,000.00

4 ANAMBRA 6,121,656,702.34

5 BAUCHI 6,877,776,561.25

6 BAYELSA 10,000,000,000.00

7 BENUE 6,854,671,749.25

8 BORNO 7,340,934,865.32

9 CROSS RIVER 6,075,343,946.93

10 DELTA 10,000,000,000.00

11 EBONYI 4,508,083,379.98

12 EDO 6,091,126,592.24

13 EKITI 4,772,836,647.08

14 ENUGU 5,361,789,409.66

15 GOMBE 4,472,877,698.19

16 IMO 7,000,805,182.97

17 JIGAWA 7,107,666,706.76

18 KADUNA 7,721,729,227.55

19 KANO 10,000,000,000.00

20 KATSINA 8,202,130,909.85

21 KEBBI 5,977,499,491.45

22 KOGI 6,027,727,595.80

23 KWARA 5,120,644,326.57

24 LAGOS 8,371,938,133.11

25 NASARAWA 4,551,049,171.12

26 NIGER 7,210,793,154.95

27 OGUN 5,739,374,694.46

28 ONDO 7,003,648,314.28

29 OSUN 6,314,106,340.62

30 OYO 7,901,609,864.25

31 PLATEAU 5,644,079,055.41

32 RIVERS 10,000,000,000.00

33 SOKOTO 6,441,128,546.76

34 TARABA 5,612,014,491.52

35 YOBE 5,413,103,116.59

36 ZAMFARA 5,442,385,594.49

37 FCT 684,867,500.04

TOTAL 243,795,465,195,20

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE


The four-year old relationship between a church evangelist, Nchedo and his wife, Ogoo has crashed after Nchedo lured and impregnated a 15-year old church chorister because he was starved of sex.

P.M.EXPRESS gathered that the couple vowed after their introduction never to have sex unless they concluded all the tradition marriage rites and church wedding before they will live together and have sex.

However, it was learnt that Nchedo got bored for those years, lost emotional control, lured the victim into sex and she became pregnant. When she was asked who was responsible, she mentioned Nchedo to the surprise of fellow church members who knew him for being strong in the faith.

The incident happened at Abaranje, Customs bus stop in Ikotun area of Lagos where Nchedo resided and where he lured the victim. But his wife, Ogoo was still living at Ijegun area of Lagos waiting to move into her husband’s home.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the couple used to attend the same church located at Agege area of Lagos where they met.

They had agreed to get married with the consent of their pastor and had travelled down to their home town Ihiala in Anambra State for introduction and certain rites. They came back to Lagos thereafter but still remained apart as they had vowed.

However, Nchedo had challenges in his business and they were unable to conclude the other part of the marriage including the wedding. It was gathered that the wife had sought to renounce the vow so that she will move into her husband’s home but the man refused claiming that it will be a scandal in the church.

P.M.EXPRESS learnt that when Nchedo was mentioned as the one who got the chorister pregnant, it became a problem because of his position in the church.

The pastor then summoned the elders to a meeting in order to manage the crisis. At the meeting, Nchedo admitted and promised to marry chorister to cover the shame.

The elders asked him what will be the fate of his wife and he replied that he may as well marry the two of them in the interest of peace. However, Nchedo lost both the wife and the girl following the decision taken by the wife and the girl’s parents.

It was gathered that the wife opted out of the marriage and asked him to move on and marry the girl he had already impregnated.

The parents of the victim rejected the marriage offer claiming that it will ruin the victim’s education and the victim cannot afford be a mother at that age.

P.M.EXPRESS confirmed that the wife had already gotten a suitor and the traditional wedding will be taking place on 9 January, 2018 in Anambra State.

lalasticlala

By Taiwo Adeniyi



Police officers at Gwarinpa Division have recovered an iPhone 6 suspected to have been stolen in Abuja from a Nigerian in India. 

A police source at the division said one person was arrested in connection with the phone which was recovered about 14 weeks after it was reported stolen at the division. 

The source was of the belief that the person in India unknowingly bought the phone valued at about N200,000 from a shop at GSM Village, Wuse. 

City News learnt that the phone when reported stolen by a woman, was tracked through the IMEI number. 

The Gwarinpa Divisional Police Officer, CSP Nuruddeen Sabo said the phone was recovered with the cooperation and support of the parents of the man in India. 

“When we tracked the phone, we got the forensic printout of the tracking and arrested one of the soft targets that the person using the phone constantly called. The soft target took us to the house of the person using the phone,” he said. 

He said the parents of the man said the suspect was in India and prevailed on him to return the phone, “The parents told us that he is studying in India when we approached them. We called the boy through the number provided by the parents and he confirmed that he is using the phone in India and that somebody called Chinedu sold the phone to him before he left Nigeria.” 

He said the phone was received from India through a courier service and the man described the shop and person that sold the phone to him in Abuja. 

“We went and arrested one Chinedu from the shop in Wuse and the suspect said it was his boss that put the phone in the shop. The boss has died,” he said. 

The DPO said that investigation was ongoing.

lalasticlala

By Taiwo Adeniyi



Police officers at Gwarinpa Division have recovered an iPhone 6 suspected to have been stolen in Abuja from a Nigerian in India. 

A police source at the division said one person was arrested in connection with the phone which was recovered about 14 weeks after it was reported stolen at the division. 

The source was of the belief that the person in India unknowingly bought the phone valued at about N200,000 from a shop at GSM Village, Wuse. 

City News learnt that the phone when reported stolen by a woman, was tracked through the IMEI number. 

The Gwarinpa Divisional Police Officer, CSP Nuruddeen Sabo said the phone was recovered with the cooperation and support of the parents of the man in India. 

“When we tracked the phone, we got the forensic printout of the tracking and arrested one of the soft targets that the person using the phone constantly called. The soft target took us to the house of the person using the phone,” he said. 

He said the parents of the man said the suspect was in India and prevailed on him to return the phone, “The parents told us that he is studying in India when we approached them. We called the boy through the number provided by the parents and he confirmed that he is using the phone in India and that somebody called Chinedu sold the phone to him before he left Nigeria.” 

He said the phone was received from India through a courier service and the man described the shop and person that sold the phone to him in Abuja. 

“We went and arrested one Chinedu from the shop in Wuse and the suspect said it was his boss that put the phone in the shop. The boss has died,” he said. 

The DPO said that investigation was ongoing.

By Abubakar Auwal, Sokoto 



A newlywed bride Shafa Muhammad, 28, attacked her husband with a razor blade, three weeks after their wedding, and injured him in the head.

The couples were said to be residing at Arkillar Liman area in Wamakko local government area of Sokoto state before the incidence.

The incidence was said to had occurred Friday night, just three weeks after their wedding fatiha.

Daily Trust gathered that Shafa was forced to marry Umar Shehu, 28 against her wish.

"The husband came and wanted to consummate his marriage when she attacked him with razor blade as a result of which he sustained cuts on his head," our source revealed.

Confirming the incidence, The spokesman of the Sokoto state Police Command, ASP Ibrahim Abarass said the husband had been treated and discharged from the hospital because his injuries were not life threatening.

He added that the wife has been detained by the police and would be prosecuted after their investigation.

He advised parents to always consider the wishes of their children before marrying them out.

Nhlalwenhle Ncube


A policeman based at Nkulumane Police Station in Bulawayo is at the centre of a love triangle storm following reports that two women-cum-best friends were involved in a bloody fight when they discovered they were both on his books.

The married police officer, Philani Mbedzi’s double-crossing antics were laid bare when two hairdressers, Thandolwenkosi Dube and her best friend only identified as Gugu, fought in public.

The two hairdressers, reportedly working at a salon situated at Sekusile Shopping Centre in Nkulumane suburb, failed to come to terms with the discovery that they were allegedly being “poked” by the same man.

According to a source who also works at the salon, Dube and Gugu clashed after the latter reportedly started bragging how Mbedzi was making her scream in bed.

“He (Mbedzi) was extremely friendly and nice to both of them. Although, he could not openly show it that he was in love with both of them people could tell that Thando (Dube) and Gugu were being doubled-crossed.

“They would show jealousy against each other especially when he (Mbedzi) came to the salon.

Things came to an ugly head when Gugu confided in Dube that she was always going out with Mbedzi,” said a source who begged to remain anonymous for fear of victimisation.

That did not, however, go down well with Dube who later confronted Mbedzi to explain Gugu’s sensational claims.

“Mbedzi told her (Dube) that Gugu was the one who had been seducing him. That pushed Dube to quickly confront Gugu who subsequently bragged at her saying she was madly in love with Mbedzi adding that they had been seeing each other for a long time. That incensed Dube, leading them to fight,” added the source.

When B-Metro got hold of Mbedzi, he played the “I’m married” card.

“I don’t want to talk to the media and as a married man I also don’t know those women you are talking about,” he said.

Contacted for comment Dube however, confirmed that she knew Mbedzi before she also corroborated that Gugu was indeed her best friend and they fought after they failed to amicably solve their differences.

When this reporter prodded her to explain her relationship with Mbedzi and the differences which sparked the fight, Dube suddenly dropped the call.

Efforts to get a comment from Gugu were fruitless.

lalasticlala

Kunle Falayi


The Social media have served many purposes in Nigeria over the last few years, but for many married women , they have become a tool of war against their husbands ’ mistresses , popularly called ‘ side chicks ’ in Nigeria .

Even though the struggle against competition by housewives or husbands has never been less intense, the visibility that social media afford day- to - day life seems to be serving Nigerians with the juicy details of marital problems that otherwise would have remained within the confines of the affected homes .

A battle for the heart of the husband might sound mundane or like a hilarious spectacle of catfights . However , in recent times, many Nigerian women have taken the fight to save their marriage from ‘ side chicks ’ a notch higher by being more creative and using social media tools to shame their perceived enemies .

Over the last few weeks, a few cases have come into the limelight , showing the length that many women are willing to go to expose their husbands ’ mistresses .

One of the most prominent ones is the case of an unidentified woman who became the talk of the town following the way she exposed her husband’ s alleged lover .

During the week , residents of Nsukka woke up to find posters exposing an alleged mistress displayed on walls and public buildings across the city.

Apparently, an angry housewife had decided to expose her husband’ s lover .
She made posters embossed with the alleged mistress ’ photograph, which were captioned : “ Home Breaker and Marriage Destroyer ” with an additional title that says “ Agent of Satan ”.

“ I have begged you enough to leave my husband for me , but you decided to insult me , let the world help me to beg you . I love my husband , ” the anonymous wife wrote under the picture .

She also added the alleged lover ’ s phone number accompanied by a plea that says “ please repent ”.

Saturday PUNCH tried to contact the alleged mistress through the phone number but it was unreachable .

As some of the stories here would show, it appears that a wife ’ s worst nightmare is knowing that there is a woman somewhere competing for her husband’ s affection .

Interestingly , sometimes , when there are confrontations between wives and alleged mistresses , whether physically or virtually , such secret lovers are on the defensive .

For instance , a few days ago , such a case became a trending topic on the social media when a housewife shared her encounter with her husband’ s alleged lover , whom she had confronted on WhatsApp .

The encounter started with the supposed wife saying , “ Why are you disturbing my husband? I have warned you before now . Be very careful, I am after you . I will deal with you if you ever call his line again .

Ashewo ( prostitute ). You think my husband is a Father Christmas . You will not go and look for husband (sic ) .

“ Fool like you can ’ t have a good husband. You are begging a man to love and have sex with you . You are a fool and a disgrace to women . ”

But the alleged lover did not take the matter lying down .

“You are very stupid for saying that. Do you have a husband? Do you know that your husband loves me ? It is your mother that is an Ashewo . Useless wife and stupid husband , ” the alleged mistress retorted .

Such bitter exchanges between wives and supposed mistresses have become regular occurrences in Nigeria ’ s blogosphere , providing amusement for many who seek to revel in other ’ s misfortunes.

A few months ago, a woman with the Facebook identity – Ogochukwu Blessings – became popular for the wrong reasons when a woman, UC Keres (on Facebook ), posted her picture and issued a dire warning with subtle ominous threats.


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“ My people , please beware of this girl . She is going about disturbing people ’ s husbands on Facebook … Lagoon is calling somebody very soon oooo (sic ), ” she wrote in the post.

It appeared that Keres shared some mutual friends with the alleged lover as she went ahead to tag others in the post .

But once in a while , a housewife steps beyond the boundaries of virtual attacks and makes the fight physical.

Such was the case of a housewife in Bayelsa State , Glory Ben, two months ago , who paid a visit to her husband’ s alleged lover identified as Bridget .

Reports suggest that Glory took the step because she feared her husband, Godspower, and Bridget were about to get married .

At the end of the bitter and brutal encounter , both women lost their ears.

Saturday PUNCH learnt that Glory cut off one of Bridget ’ s ears during their fight and in retaliation, Bridget ’ s family members grabbed the housewife , held her down and cut off her ear too.

In another case of a woman declaring war on her husband’ s alleged ‘ side chic ’ , a woman believed to be based in the United Kingdom , released a video that quickly went viral in which she narrated how her husband of 15 years had been lavishing money and gifts on a lady based in Nigeria .

In the video, featuring just her voice and the photos of the alleged lover , the scorned woman explained how her husband, who had never bought anything for her , spent thousands of pounds on shopping trips with his alleged lover .

She blamed the lady for putting her husband under a spiritual bondage , forcing him to buy her a house and a car .

The housewife said that beyond lavishing gifts on the alleged lover , her husband went as far as setting up a business for the lover ’ s mother .

Stories like these have also become all too common in the celebrity circle in the country .

Prominent among celebrities whose stories hit the trending list are a radio broadcaster , Toke Makinwa , and her ex -husband, Maje ; Caroline Danjuma and her ex - husband , Musa. In both cases, the scorned women took to the social media to call out their ex - husbands’ alleged lovers .

Meanwhile , once in a while , the public gets the inside details of how some housewives go diabolical in the battle against their husband’ s lovers .

Recently , a Facebook user , Azubuike Chineye , shared the eerie story of how she saw her neighbour, who had stripped naked , laying curses on her husband and his lover in the dead of night .

Chineye said she chanced on her neighbour at her Abuja residence at about 1 . 30 am that day, adding that the neighbour was holding a pot into which she was muttering as she put a curse on her husband, his lover and a supposed pastor helping the alleged lover .

She said , “( I was ) about to lie down when I heard a voice crying and saying , ‘ unless my hands are not clean . ’ I bent down and peeped through the window to see where the voice was coming from and I saw a woman who I guessed was my next compound neighbour .

“ She was naked and was standing with a pot or calabash or something like that. I wanted to take pictures but for the first time , I was afraid for my life . ”

“ She said , ‘ Shantel Mukoro , you have decided not to allow me to enjoy my marriage , you have made my husband your money machine . You and your pastor (a popular man in Abuja ) have used charm to get my husband.

“‘Unless my hands are not clean , let evil come upon me (sic ), but if I’ m innocent and I’ ve suffered for this man , let cancer eat you up ( sic ).

“‘As for you , my husband, may your manhood never function again . Today , I transfer your glory to me ; I will be the breadwinner, while you remain at home since you ’ ve decided to pay me evil for good . ’ She repeated these words without mistakes fourteen times. ”

Most of the reactions to the cases identified here were critical of the actions of the housewives , with many of them lambasting them for going after their husbands ’ lovers instead of taking the fight to the actual culprits – the husbands .
Saturday PUNCH asked two marriage counsellors about this .

One of them, Mrs. Adedutu Adesanyan , explained that it was never advisable for a housewife to take on her husband’ s lover publicly.


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She said , “That is not the way to go . I have seen cases of women who have handled this sort of issues in a mature way but did not have to confront such lovers . You have to have a game plan . You would simply embarrass yourself and the man if you fight for him that way.

“ It is not a place to be. But despite the fact that many men are polygamous in nature; a woman must first ask herself why her husband is looking for another lover .

Many women don’ t first look at themselves . If a woman has checked herself and realised that the man will still cheat even if given everything , then you can simply leave him alone and live your life .

“ A man who wants to cheat should be man enough to approach his wife and inform her of his intention to have another wife . But I have handled cases in which the men just want to have illicit sex but are not ‘ manly’ enough to have a second wife .

“ No one can really understand how bad it is until it happens but if it does happen . Let him have another wife ; there is no point in fighting a man who is a cheat. The church tells you not to marry two wives but many pastors have ‘ lovers ’ . There is nowhere in the Bible, for instance, where it states that you cannot marry two wives . ”

According to another marriage counsellor, Bisi Adewale , bringing a marital problem to the public domain only serves to escalate such the problem beyond salvage.
He explained that cases he had handled showed that such actions only achieved the reverse effect .

Adewale said , “ If a wife decides to expose her husband’ s secret lover , the husband too is in the court of public opinion .

Unfortunately , many of such lovers do not feel ashamed to be affected by such revelations as seen in the case of the woman who challenged her husband’ s lover on WhatsApp . We normally encourage people to seek professional help in terms of counselling .

“ One of the reasons celebrity marriages don’ t work for instance , is that immediately they have issues, they go on the social media . Many of them are becoming wiser now , anyway .

“ Things happen in marriages every day. If you can keep such things as a home affair and not wash your dirty linen in the public , there is a possibility of you getting the best result out of problems .

“ Most of the time , when a man knows he has been ridiculed publicly , he calls the bluff of the wife and continues his illicit affair. When the woman tries to resolve the matter privately through professional help , we succeed in detaching the man from such a relationship. As soon as you go public , the rate of success diminishes . ”

lalasticlala

The House of Representatives on Tuesday raised questions over a “purported” presidential approval withholding some special Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation accounts from being transferred to the Treasury Single Account.

The accounts, with funds worth N50bn, are still being kept by commercial banks in breach of the TSA policy, which provides that all accounts belonging to Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government should be transferred to the TSA.

The TSA, a centralised Federal Government revenue account, is kept by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

A Nigerian firm, SystemSpecs, provides the Remita electronic platform for running the TSA, saving the Federal Government revenue that could, ordinarily, have been lost.

An ad hoc committee of the House chaired by a member of the All Progressives Congress from Kano State, Mr. Abubakar Danburam-Nuhu, found out that the NNPC directed some commercial banks to still keep the accounts outside the TSA.

The CBN confirmed to the committee that it was aware of the excluded accounts, pointing to a document tendered by the NNPC saying that there was a presidential approval.

The said approval was a memo written by the Chief Staff to the President, Mr. Abba Kyari, authorising the NNPC to exclude the accounts from the TSA.

Expressing surprise over the discovery, Danburam-Nuhu stated, “Banks are still holding accounts with funds up to N50bn outside the TSA.

“The banks claim that there is an approval by the President for the accounts to operate outside the TSA.

“These are NNPC’s accounts and the corporation must produce evidence of the presidential approval.”

A senior official of the CBN, Mr. Dipo Fatokun, confirmed to the committee that the NNPC indeed wrote to inform the apex bank of the exemptions.

However, Fatokun specifically mentioned accounts relating to Joint Ventures operations as the NNPC accounts covered by the exemptions.

“The banks are actually holding some accounts. We are aware. It’s not yet a case of 100 percent transfers to the TSA,” Fatokun explained.

He also informed the committee that some accounts still being kept by the banks had legal limitations, while others were accounts owned by the Judiciary and the National Assembly.

“We are compiling a report on each of the banks and it will be ready soon,” Fatokun told the lawmakers.

A memo by Kyari, purporting to convey President Muhammadu Buhari’s exemption directive, was analysed by members of the committee and was rejected as “not convincing.”

One member, Mr. Edward Pwajok (SAN), said the memo didn’t say much other than opening with the line, “I have been directed.”

Pwajok added that in the circumstances, the proper thing to do was to summon Kyari to convince the committee that Buhari indeed granted the exemptions.

“Let him come here to show us the evidence of the directive given to him by Mr. President,” Pwajok said.

Another member, Mr. Simon Arabo, noted that Kyari’s memo appeared to be an “Executive Order,” which had to be further examined by the committee.

The committee made two rulings. The Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mr. Maikanti Baru, was summoned to produce the presidential approval within 48 hours.

It also directed the CBN to submit a reconciliation report on the accounts still kept by commercial banks before the end of this month.

The committee commended SystemSpecs for the efficiency of its operations and urged the government to pay for its services.

Danburam-Nuhu stated, “SystemSpecs is being owed money for services it rendered to the country over a period of time. The company should be encouraged.

“If a local firm has performed this well, why owe them money?

“The committee will ensure that the money that is due to Remita and other stakeholders is paid.”

lalasticlala

By Babatope Okeowo AKURE



Officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have arrested two clerics for allegedly defrauding and sexually abusing innocent worshipers in their respective churches. The suspects – Dada Babaroti and Clement Olatunde Fabeku – were arrested by officials of the Ondo State.

They were alleged to be extorting the unsuspecting worshipers by using diabolical and fetish means. Fabeku operates the Truth and Life Bible Church located in Ilorin, Kwara State capital, while Babaroti is the General Overseer of the Blood of Jesus Christ, in Idanre area of Ondo State.

The state NSCDC Commandant, Pedro Awili Idebo, who confirmed the arrest of the clerics yesterday, said the two pastors had been extorting the worshipers by using diabolical and fetish means. Idebo explained that the two men were arrested after some church members reported their criminal activities to the NSCDC and were later arrested in a sting operation.

The commandant added that some fetish items used in swindling the victims were recovered from the suspects. According to him, the criminal activities of the culprits forced some church members to report them to the NSCDC office in Akure.

He said: “They also obtained various sums of money running into millions of naira from members of their congregations under the false pretences. “Section 3 (1) G expressly empowers the Corps to monitor the activities of religious bodies and trade associations.

“We use this opportunity to warn the fake clergymen and women to urgently relocate from the state or face the law of the land.”

Idebo, however, said that the command had begun a clampdown on fraudsters in the state and would team up with other sister agencies to rid the state of criminals.

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Olaleye Aluko , Abuja



The Nigerian Army has said it will investigate an allegation that some cadets of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna State, sneak out of the camp and drop their uniforms with Fulani residents .

The army announced this on its Twitter handle on Wednesday while reacting to some aggrieved Nigerians who said such practice by the cadets had allegedly become common in the NDA.

One of the commentators , who gave her name only as Raliyah, said the danger of cadets dropping their uniforms with Fulani gatemen before sneaking out of the camp, could lead to hoodlums using the camouflage to perpetrate crimes.

Raliyah, who claimed to have seen the cadets on several occasions, said , “ I noticed the happenings in the NDA which could be a big threat in the nearest future if something is not done about it . Cadets, who are meant to go out only when it is official , tend to sneak out of the premises . But this is not a problem.

“ The issue is that they sneak out in their military uniform . They then go to some Fulani gatemen around the academy to change into casual wear. They leave behind their uniform , boots and so on with these Fulani men for as long as three days .

“ My concern is how the cadets leave their military wear behind . Sooner or later , the uniform may be used to commit atrocities in society if they have not even started doing so . The rate of robbery, kidnapping and killings by uniformed men is alarming . We want the appropriate authorities to do something immediately. ”

Another commentator , identified only as Musa, said , “ This is absolutely correct .

There are ways for the cadets to go out for days without the academy authorities knowing . Though checks can be conducted, there are ways to cover up even on parade . When they are caught , they are punished and even dismissed , but it happens .

“ My boss and his driver, while they were coming from the airport after his flight was postponed, escaped being attacked by some Fulanimen in army uniform. The army should investigate this . ”

The army, in its reaction , said necessary actions were being taken on the issue.

The army said , “ Thanks for your concerns . Necessary actions are being taken as we speak . Issues of internal and national security are everyone’ s interest . Once again , thank you for the intelligence. ”

Omarosa Manigault, a Nigerian who is director of communications for the White House’s office of public liaison, has resigned.

According to sources, Manigault who earns $180,000 per annum will leave the White House on January 20, 2017, exactly one year after President Donald Trump took office.

It is not immediately clear why Omarosa resigned but the 43-year-old, who recently married John Newman, a Florida-based pastor, has been struggling to keep her job and family.

A source said Omarosa’s departure is connected to the “internal war” within Trump cabinet.

Her decision raises the expectation of round of departures from the White House going into the New Year.

The White House has said that deputy national security adviser Dina Powell will leave her position early next year.

At least 14 people have left Trump’s government.

Omarosa was the director of African-American outreach in Trump’s campaign.

Posted By: Emmanuel Oladesu


Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chiefs are to raise a search panel for a credible presidential candidate, a source said yesterday.

A senior party official, who pleaded not to be named, said the party had decided to scout for a “sellable” candidate who can match President Muhammadu Buhari, who is believed to be interested in a second term.

“We have made mistakes in the past. We violated zoning and we paid dearly for it. We are considering going for a presidential candidate, who will withstand the predictable propaganda of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government. We want to get it right. If we want to win, we must get a better candidate; a candidate that is better than what the APC will offer because Nigerians will compare and contrast,” the source said.

According to the source, who pleaded not to be named, the party may be looking beyond the array of likely presidential aspirants who have started consultations and mobilisation of supporters, ahead of next year’s primary.

PDP presidential contenders include former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Sokoto State Governor Attahiru Barafawa, former Kano State Governor Ibrahim Shekarau, former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, former Kaduna State Governor Ahmed Makarfi, Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose and Gombe State Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo.

The source said: “There is no shortage of presidential aspirants in our party. But, one factor that will determine the selection of the flag bearer is his ability to win. We as a party want to win. Therefore, the opinion is that, while studying those already holding consultations on their presidential ambition, the door should be open for more people to come in.

The source said: “Many APC leaders are former leaders of the PDP. Thus, communication is easy. We did not offend ourselves. They were fighting Jonathan and he is no more in the saddle. We still meet and relate and the bond is not entirely severed.”

Among APC stalwarts being wooed, according to the source, is Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal and former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwakwanso.
However, despite his potential, Tambuwal’s limitation is that he is considered as a promising politician from a narrow political base and disputed formidability, although he had a seemingly big stature then as the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The source said: “There is no evidence of lack of amity between the PDP and Kwakwanso. Now that there is a division in Kano State APC, we are likely to succeed in our effort to encourage Kwakwanso to return. Kwakwanso actually wants to return, if we mount more pressure on him and convince him. But when he returns, he may have to fight for the ticket at the primary without any special concession given to him beyond the normal waiver.”

The presidential search team, it was gathered will be made up of experienced party leaders, “intellectual friends” of the PDP, founding fathers, National Assembly members, the governors and other party officials, who will consult widely and liaise with prominent leaders of opinion, including royal fathers, religious leaders, past leaders of government and other influential blocs in the society.

The source added: “For us in the PDP, it is a moment of sober reflection. We are facing the reality. It may not be easy to displace an incumbent. But, they defeated us. That has given us the courage that we can also defeat them.

“We need a new strategy. We must also make sacrifice to bounce back. To win, we must strategise, plan and execute our plans with dexterity. MKO Abiola was accepted by all the six regions. Somebody with that kind of antecedent can be honoured with the ticket to salvage Nigeria from the APC.

He can come from the business world, diplomacy, and other sectors where he has made a name.

“The person must be clean; without any baggage and he must be knowledgeable and versatile. He must have adequate knowledge of how to turn the economy around. And you know, the first criterion is that he must be someone from the North because we have zoned the presidency to the North. The factor we are considering is the winning factor and the PDP family will not compromise this factor.”

A court of appeal sitting in Abuja has ordered Senate President Bukola Saraki to face three charges at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

Tinuade Akomolafe-Wilson, the presiding judge, gave the order on Tuesday.

She struck out 15 of the 18 count charges filed against Saraki but said Nigeria’s number three citizen has to return to the CCT for the remaining charges.

In a 70-page unanimous judgment, Akomolafe-Wilson held that there was no evidence to substantiate the 15 out of the 18 counts as valid charges.

The judge however held that on counts 4,5 and 6 bothering on the purchase of house 17 A and B at McDonald Street, Ikoyi Lagos by the senate president, the prosecution was able to establish a prima facie case against Saraki.

The appellate court held that the prosecution established that there were discrepancies in the claims on the asset declaration forms as to how the two houses in Ikoyi were acquired.

The court concluded that credible evidence was led by the prosecution on counts 4,5,6 to warrant the defendant to be called upon to defend himself on how he acquired the properties disclosed in the three counts.

Akomolafe-Wilson said from the totality of the evidence adduced at the tribunal, it was proved beyond reasonable doubt that the 15 counts knocked off were based on hearsay evidence that have no probate value.

The court held that the information supplied in the report used to prepare the charge by the federal government against Saraki did not link Saraki directly with the charges as required by law.

The appellate court held that the federal government erroneously came to the conclusion that the onus to prove the 15 charges was on Saraki whereas it is an established fact that the party that alleges must be the one to prove beyond reasonable doubt.

The court faulted the federal government on the claim that Saraki collected salaries and emoluments from Kwara state government after he had left office as the executive governor of the state adding that it was a big surprise that no single witness was invited from Kwara State to prove the allegation.

On June 14, the CCT acquitted Saraki of the 18 charges of false asset declaration and other related offences preferred against him.

Danladi Umar, chairman of the tribunal, had held that with its four witnesses and 48 documentary exhibits tendered, the prosecution failed to establish a strong case against Saraki.

Umar added that the evidence adduced by the prosecution, led by Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), was “so unreliable that no reasonable tribunal could convict” anyone based on it.

He also said the evidence of the first prosecution witness, Michael Wetkas, an operative of the EFCC, was unreliable.

Dissatisfied, the federal government headed to the court and filed an appeal against Umar’s ruling.

The charges instituted against Saraki before the CCT related to the alleged breaches of the code of conduct for public officers, acts which were said to be punishable under the Constitution and the CCB/CCT Act.

He allegedly committed the breaches by making false declaration of his assets while being the governor of Kwara State between 2003 and 2007 for his first term and between 2007 and 2011 for his second term as governor and from 2011 to 2015 as a senator.

He was also said to have failed to declare to the Code of Conduct Bureau on assumption of office as governor of Kwara State in 2003, his leasehold interest in the property at 42 Remi Fani-Kayode Street, Ikeja, Lagos.

The prosecution also alleged that while being a public officer, the ex-governor operated bank accounts outside Nigeria and failed to declare the foreign accounts to the CCB while being governor and a senator during the period.

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by Chinedu Asadu


The national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may have come and gone but there are still unresolved issues.

Days to the exercise which held on Saturday, everything seemed all right: delegates’ names were collated from the states without hitches, contenders for the various positions campaigned and presented their agenda while the planning committee for the exercise put finishing touches.

Then came Friday night when things began to fall apart.

Bode George, one of the candidates for the chairmanship position, suddenly withdrew from the contest, describing it as “ brazen fraud “.

On Saturday, delegates who have arrived from all over the country trooped to Eagle Square, Abuja, venue of the convention.


THE ‘UNITY LIST’

However, voting had not commenced when a list with the names of 21 aspirants went into circulation.

While results were being collated, Raymond Dokpesi, one of the chairmanship aspirants, raised the alarm that the outcome of the exercise had already been determined by some governors. He said favoured candidates had their names on the ‘Unity list’.

Those whose names were on the list were eventually declared winners.

Mere coincidence? Really?
While the dust raised by the list was yet to settle, Tunde Adeniran, the south-west consensus candidate, stormed out of the convention venue.

Speaking through Taiwo Keju, his publicity director, Adeniran kicked against the use of the unity list and called for the cancellation of the exercise which he said was “sham”.

“We reject the entire electoral process of December 9, 2017. The election has been grossly compromised to achieve a predetermined end in line with the illegal unity list prepared by Governor Wike and Ayodele Fayose and foisted on the entire delegates,” he had said.


THE MISSING LINK

Shortly after Secondus was announced as the winner of the chairmanship race, new facts started to emerge.

Of the 2,233 delegates expected to vote at the convention, 2115 were successfully accredited.

But wait for it…
After votes were collated, it was discovered that the total number of votes cast was 2296 – 181 more than the 2115 accredited for voting.

Secondus polled 2000 votes, according to figures released by the convention electoral committee, Adeniran, 230 and Dokpesi 66.

Who then accredited the other 181? Where did the figures come from? Are there going to be explanations as to the disparities or is the convention tarred with same brush like the others the PDP has had in the past? With each leaving a sad tale of accusations of imposition of candidates and series of court cases.

Efforts to get the PDP to comment on the disparities were unsuccessful as Kola Ologbondiyan, the party’s publicity secretary, neither answered his calls nor replied the text message sent.

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By Ngozi Uwujare


https://www.sunnewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/ld-300x195.jpg

Twenty-nine-year-old Agnes Daniel lost all: a pregnancy, her life and the man, Dennis Eze, 37, who she had hoped to be joined in marriage this December.

Daniel died in circumstances that are not yet clear but detectives at the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Nasarawa State Police Command, believe that it was caused by a fatal abortion bid.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Muhammed Kura, told Sunday Sun that the ugly incident happened on October 12, 2017. He said that information gleaned by the police from the interrogation of Eze, the alleged prime suspect and fiancé of the deceased lady, indicated that Daniel may have died from complications arising from a bid to abort a pregnancy.

When she began to writhe in severe pain, Eze was said to have drawn the attention of his landlord and neighbour and requested his assistance, to take Daniel to the hospital.

In a chat with Sunday Sun at the headquarters of the SCID in Lafia, where he is being held, as investigation progresses, Eze recalled what transpired on the fateful day.

He said: “My late girlfriend, Agnes Daniel, had been having stomach pain for a long time. I didn’t know whether she had an abortion. On the day that she died, she started complaining of severe pain.

I quickly informed my neighbor and my landlord to assist me, to take her to the hospital. It was on the way that she died in my car. I was confused. So I dumped the lifeless body along Masaka road, Nasarawa State.

“After dropping the body, I drove off and went home. When I got back, my landlord asked me about the condition of my girlfriend. I lied to him that she was okay.

My landlord was not comfortable with my response. So, he went to the ‘B” Division of the police to make a report about it. The police came to my house and arrested me.

They asked me questions and I told them where I dumped the body of my girlfriend at Masaka Expressway road.”

Police detectives went to the place and recovered the body of Daniel who hailed from Boko Local Government Area, Plateau State.

Eze, who is a native of Arochukwu, Abia State, explained further that he and Daniel were planning to hold their traditional marriage this December before she died.

“We have been in a relationship for about one year. But she became sick and in pain.

I called her mother about the daughter’s illness. I fully regret the fact that I dumped her body, after she died. It was not intentional, I was just confused at that moment over her death. I want her family to forgive me. It was not my intention to act foolishly.”

The Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the SCID, Mr. Mohammed Akeera noted that Eze had cooperated with the police in the investigation of the case and was still being held in custody. He added that the body of the deceased had been released to her family for burial.

Kura stated that Eze would soon be charged to court after the command receives legal advice from the State Prosecutor.

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Posted By: Yusuf Alli



THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC’S), Acting Chairman Ibrahim Magu confirmed yesterday that over N2.8billion was recovered from suspected pension thieves in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and Police Pension Office.

The cash component excludes many choice assets placed either under permanent or interim forfeiture by courts.
Besides, he insisted that none of the assets seized by the EFCC was re-looted by the operatives of the commission under any guise.

Magu, in a bare it all fact-sheet he made available to the National Assembly to clear the air on the controversy on the assets seized from pension fraud suspects challenged the brains behind the rumour of re-looting to go “the whole hog to name the “ghost” officials that engaged in this “sharing” of pension booty, and the place and time the “sharing” took place.”

He insisted that former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina remains wanted by the anti-graft agency.

But he said Maina’s $2million Abuja mansion and six others have been placed under interim forfeiture.

Details of Maina’s alleged assets are contained in the document.

Magu said there was no cause for alarm because all seized assets were well-documented.

He said what was playing out was a “diversionary gambit intended to befuddle ongoing inquiry over the Maina reinstatement saga by smearing anyone or agency that is capable of unmasking the real pension thieves.”

Magu said: “The suspects investigated in the Police Pension fraud from whom assets were seized, include: Atiku Kigo, Esai Dangabar, Ahmed Inuwa Wada, Veronica Oyegbula, Uzuoma Cyril Attang, Sani Habila Zira, John Yusuf and their associated companies and persons.

“In the pension office of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, those from whom properties were recovered are Shaibu Teidi, Phina Chidi, Abdul Mohammed, Emmanuel Olanipekun, Aliyu Bello and their associated companies and persons.

“The assets seized from these suspects are in two categories. There are assets that are under interim forfeiture which means that they are temporally seized pending the determination of the substantive cases in court.

“Such assets cannot be dissipated because the cases are pending in court. The reality is, most of the assets recovered from pension fraud suspects belong in this category.

“The cash element of the recoveries is also carefully documented. The total funds recovered stand at N2, 886,743,016.71; $3,017,556.73; and €3,385.40.

“The sum of N16, 185,131,847.09 which was recovered from an illegal account in an old generation bank has since been remitted to the office of the Head of Service, while N369, 558,640.99 represents the cash component of John Yusuf’s final forfeiture. There is no opacity regarding the Commission’s handling of the assets recovered from suspects of pension fraud. The fact speaks for itself.”

On the properties confiscated from suspected pension thieves, Magu said they are being managed in a transparent arrangement put in place by the Assets Forfeiture Department of the Commission.

He said Etudo & Co. Estate Surveyors & Valuers, a reputable estate management firm, was engaged to manage the assets, with the exception of assets recovered from Essai Dangabar, which are being managed by Court Registrar based on Court Order.”

He added: “All but one of the assets recovered from suspects in the pension office of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation is under interim forfeiture.

“The exception is Brifina Hotel, which was recovered from Shaibu Teidi. He denied ownership of the property and the court ordered its final forfeiture to the Federal Government. The property has since been handed over to government and is now being used as office by some agencies of government including the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD).

“It is only assets recovered from John Yusuf, who was convicted under a plea bargain arrangement for fraud in the Police Pension office that have been permanently forfeited to the Federal Government. These assets are 32 units in number.

“The assets, both those under interim forfeiture and the few under final forfeiture, are being managed in a transparent arrangement put in place by the Assets Forfeiture Department of the Commission.

Etudo & Co. Estate Surveyors & Valuers, a reputable estate management firm, was engaged to manage the assets, with the exception of assets recovered from Essai Dangabar, which are being managed by Court Registrar based on Court Order.

“The proceeds of rent on the properties that had successfully been let out by the firm are fully documented and available in the recovery account of the Commission.”

Magu said the assets recently seized from Maina were not yet captured in the Interim/Final forfeiture analysis by the anti-graft agency.

He also gave the details of investigation on Maina and what EFCC detectives uncovered.

He insisted that there is still a subsisting warrant of arrest against Maina.
He said: “Recoveries not captured in the interim/final forfeiture analysis, include those that were recently recovered from Maina in Abuja and Kaduna.

“They include seven properties in Kaduna. The properties are a two- storey commercial building located on Ibrahim Taiwo Road, a bungalow located on Katuru Road, and four separate properties located on Kano Road in Kawo New Extension, Kaduna. The other property which is still under construction is a set of four one-storey block of flats located at No. 5, Sokoto Road adjacent to the Zamfara State Governor’s Lodge, Kaduna. Other properties linked to Maina include No. 12, 11th Road, Kado Estate, Abuja; No. A5 Omenai H.O (B Close) Kado Estate; No. 9, Eneli TCM Close, (A Close) Kado Estate; No. 8, Kolo S Close (A Close) Kado Estate; Luxury apartments (eight blocks of flats; six units of three bedrooms; two units of two bedrooms) located at Plot 965, Cadastral C2, Life Camp, Abuja and a sprawling edifice located at No. 10 Hamisu Musa Road, Jabi, Abuja.

“Maina had a total inflow of over N2.7 billion between 2010 and 2013, with 95 per cent of the deposits being in cash. It was discovered that Faizal Abdullahi’s Account (his son), had a turnover of over N1.5 billion in less than a year.

“It should also be noted that Maina operated these accounts through telephone and email messages.

Most of the funds were converted to foreign currencies through Bureau De Change and delivered to Maina in cash.

“Part of the funds was used to purchase properties, including the house at No. 10 Hamisu Musa Road, Jabi which he bought for $2 million in cash. Maina has failed to respond to invitations by the EFCC and he has been put on the Interpol Red Notice.

Presently, there is a subsisting warrant of arrest against Maina.”

Magu expressed regrets that the public was misinformed by some lawmakers and some unnamed agents of Maina on the status of assets recovered from suspects in pension fraud cases investigated by the EFCC.

“The EFCC views with grave concern, the manner in which the allegation, made by unnamed person(s) in close-door session before the committee, was publicly orchestrated at the Senate plenary without the commission having the opportunity to respond. The omission has tragically led to misinformation regarding the status of recovered pension assets. This is unwarranted.

“It should be stated that there had been no controversy regarding the status of assets recovered from suspects in pension fraud cases investigated by the commission.

“These assets are well documented, and their current status has been communicated to the relevant organs of government.

“Had the Senate exercised restraint and sought information on the status of the assets, it would certainly have been obliged, and the nation spared the ordeal of the abominable frenzy over pension assets that were supposedly “shared” by unnamed “officials of the EFCC”.

“The purveyors of the salacious tale should have gone the whole hog to name the “ghost” officials that engaged in this “sharing” of pension booty, and the place and time the “sharing” took place.

“They also did not list the properties that were supposedly recovered by Adbulrasheed Maina and handed over to the EFCC. They equally failed to indicate when the properties were handed over to the EFCC by Maina.

“The failure to provide this information is clear indication that what is playing out is diversionary gambit intended to befuddle ongoing inquiry over the Maina reinstatement saga by smearing anyone or agency that is capable of unmasking the real pension thieves.”

“The EFCC has no record of any collaboration between it and the Maina–led Pension Reform Task Team in the investigation of pension fraud.

“The only link between the EFCC and Maina was the participation of a few staff of the Commission in biometric verification exercise by the Maina Task Team. The leader of the EFCC team at the time was Col. I.D. Sule (retd.), a contract staff who was head of the Commission’s Servicom Unit.

“The verification exercise was not a criminal investigation and no asset was recovered in the process.

“It follows that if the EFCC did not receive any assets from Maina, its officials could not have shared what never existed? Again, those who claim that there was “sharing” of assets are at liberty to state which assets were “shared”, when the “sharing” took place, who supervised the “sharing”, and who got what.

“As far as the Commission is concerned, all the assets recovered from pension fraud suspects, currently at the disposal of the EFCC, are products of its independent investigation.

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slimany:
Prof Adeniran is winning these. Forget all the noise of uche

Posted By Sikiru Akinola



There is no how the history of how opposition rode to power in Nigeria will be told without the mention of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. He did everything. He sacrificed everything. He was the target of ‘bad-belle’ people. He was tried. He was blackmailed.

What didn’t they do to him? This was despite the fact that he was not the one contesting the number one seat. He brought the convention to Lagos. GMB, now PMB, had no kobo to dole out to delegates. Tinubu came to his rescue. GMB won the primary election. Tinubu deployed his boys to the field. Buhari won the election. We were happy after inauguration, Cabal emerged. Their first target is to prevent Tinubu from ‘dominating’ things.

Together with some dissidents and SouthWest’s bastards, they succeeded. Those who Tinubu nurtured from gutter to stardom soon became his enemies because they had become close to the Presidency.

Buhari caused it. His speech during the inauguration said it all – I belong to nobody….To have their way, they blackmailed Tinubu again, saying that he wanted to install his loyalists as principal officers of the National Assembly. Surely, they had their way. Party supremacy was dumped into the dustbin.

Kogi election came. They were uncomfortable with the nomination of Tinubu’s loyalist- Abiodun Faleke as late Abubakar Audu’s running mate. Dino Melaye allegedly wanted it. Melaye had ‘decamped’ from Tinubu’s camp during the NASS leadership election. He was against anything Asiwaju but there was nothing he could do. They also knew Audu had a term to use. Then, few hours to the announcement of the election results, Audu died.

It was alleged that the result, which ought to have been announced, was delayed. Their thought: if it was announced, the running mate will become the beneficiary. Phone calls were allegedly put through to the INEC chairman and REC.

They were relieved with the support they got. They started planning. They took Yahaya Bello, who came a distant second in the APC primaries, to the cabal. This was the same Bello who was nowhere to be found during the APC campaign. This was the same Bello who was accused of financing the defeated Incumbent Idris Wada. Buhari heard them. And instead of the running mate to the deceased, Odigie Oyegun wrote INEC to inform them that Bello was the party’s replacement for Audu.
Everything became history. Few months after, Melaye, Clarence Olafemi and others fell out of favour with Bello. Only few days ago, Bello commissioned the first major project of his administration- his PERSONAL HOUSE, after close to two years in office. He has nothing to do to the security challenges facing the state. Every week, people are kidnapped in the state. Welcome to Kogi, a state governed by a 42-year old man.

In the build up to Edo election, the cabal, through Odigie Oyegun, tried. They supported Pius Odubu. But Oshiohmole was all Tinubu needed to thwart their efforts. Obaseki won the primary and went on to win the general election. Oyegun lost his unit and ward in that election.

Then the Ondo election. It was obvious Tinubu was not going to support Rotimi Akeredolu. The Cabal decided to rally round Akeredolu against Tinubu’s Olusegun Abraham. The primaries came, Akeredolu won, to the surprise of many political analysts. Tayo Alasoadura, Tunji Abayomi and others heaved sigh of relief, saying ‘Abo lowo Tinubu’.

Later, it was alleged that the delegates’ lists had been doctored. We would later see videos of fake delegates confessing how they were contacted for the job. Abraham, Olusola Oke, Ajayi Borrofice and others sought redress. The party assured that they were going to look into it. They sent Akeredolu’s name to INEC, against what they had promised other candidates.

Buhari would later come to Ondo to legalise the fraud by saying the primary that produced Akeredolu is the best in the history of the party. Akeredolu went on to win the election dubbed “dibo ko sebe’. Today, the people of Ondo are ENJOYING Akeredolu administration.
Then came the unfortunate death of Sen. Isiaka Adeleke which led to Osun West rerun. Rauf Aregbesola is Tinubu’s ‘soul’.

They wanted to get at Tinubu. They saw that as an opportunity. The cabal came but didn’t succeed. Though APC lost to PDP as some of APC loyalists played into their hands.

In Lagos, Tinubu’s old boy – Muiz Banire was contacted to lead the struggle. He was part of the Ondo plot that produced Akeredolu. He is the party national legal adviser. The Lagos LG election came. He cried foul against imposition, which he has always been a part of. There was nothing he didn’t do. Tinubu remained calm.

Banire’s threat couldn’t do anything. Election has come and gone. He must be regretting his action now.

In Ogun, Buhari’s number one in the South West, Ibikunle Amosun, is angry with Solomon Adeola Olamilekan because he is a ‘Lagos boy’. He has forgotten how Tinubu assisted him to become Ogun State Governor. He led the struggle against Tinubu in Ondo.

In Ekiti, Kayode Fayemi is leading the cabal against his benefactor. He has succeeded in cornering appointment for his loyalists. But he is afraid of declaring his intention to succeed Ayo Fayose. He was also part of the Ondo plot.

In Oyo, their ‘pointman’, unknown to them, is a bad market. Events in the coming months will reveal this much.

I had to digress this much to give a vivid account of what Tinubu has been made to face in the hands of those who benefited immensely from him. In fact there were plans to buy Yemi Osinbajo, Lai Mohammed, Abike Dabiri, Tunde Fowler and few others to their side. They didn’t succeed.

The APC is still without BoT. Many people, who complained about the indiscipline in the party, were suspended and expelled.

Timi Frank as a case study. There is no state where APC doesn’t have crisis. In Kaduna, it is Nasir el-Rufai and Shehu Sani. It is Abiola Ajimobi and Adebayo Shittu in Oyo. Abdullah Ganduje and Rabiu Kwankwaso are slugging it out in Kano.

Rotimi Akeredolu and majority party faithful are at loggerheads in Ondo. Yahaya Bello and Dino Melaye are not having it good in Kogi. Kayode Fayemi is against Segun Oni, Bimbo Daramola, Babafemi Ojudu in Ekiti State. And Oyegun is doing nothing. And the party is approaching election year.

Meanwhile, Tinubu had retreated. He had been badly injured politically. He needed time to restrategise. He was licking his wound. For the first time in this Fourth Republic, he stayed longer outside the shore of Nigeria. He was either in Chicago or with his friend in Guinea. In fact, he was opportune to assist a number of Africa’s presidents to power.

After laying his hands of information that Atiku Abubakar was leaving the party for PDP, Buhari invited Tinubu home. First for a book launch and second, for a trip to Ivory Coast. Now, he wants Tinubu by his side every now and then. For long, Tinubu’s appellation as APC national leader was removed. To them, he was not even South West leader, he was Lagos APC leader. Just few days after the defection of Atiku, many of them, including Buhari, began to call him ‘our leader.’

But it is all politics. But if I were Tinubu, I will negotiate well for my people. It’s all about who gets what, when and how.

Tinubu should not only ask Buhari for positions for his boys, he should ask for a level playing ground for his men to compete. Tinubu deserves more than what Buhari is offering.

Tinubu didn’t sacrifice his things because he wanted Buhari to defeat Goodluck Jonathan alone, he has people who can man strategic leadership positions and get results. He has done it before and we all saw what his boys are capable of doing. In the interest of the country, the Yoruba nation and his loyalists, Tinubu should negotiate well. I am afraid.

This Buhari can renege on an agreement after winning his second term. That is what he is concerned about now.

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MTN Group did not make it to the final five companies in the bid for 9mobile, TheCable can report.

The top five bidders who made it to the next stage of the bid are Airtel, Globacom, Smile, Helios, and Teleology Holdings Limited. Out of the five, one will be the eventual buyer in a matter of weeks.

In a memo seen by TheCable, Boye Onasanya, CEO 9mobile, said it will have more extensive discussions with the shortlisted parties, as the company gets closer to its final bidder.

“We are now moving on to the next phase, with plans for more extensive discusssions and interaction with shortlisted parties, one of whom will emerge as final bidder in the coming weeks,” Onasanya said.

Earlier 16 companies tendered expressions of interest (EoIs) to Barclays, 9mobile’s financial advisor.

The companies included five telcos: MTN, Airtel, Ntel, Virgin Mobile from the United Kingdom and Vodacom of South Africa.

Some others are BUA Group, Morning Side Capital Partners, Obot Etiebet & Co, Blackstone Private Equity, and Hamilton and George International Limited.

In July, Etisalat Group informed the Abu Dhabi Stock Exchange that it had pulled out of 9mobile, formerly known as Etisalat Nigeria, as a result of controversies surrouding the repayment of a $1.2 billion loan taken by the bank.

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By Ojieva Ehiosun,



As Nigerian citizens stranded in Libya keep returning to the state in their hundreds, a 19-year-old girl among them who did not want her name mentioned, has revealed that attempting to go to Europe through Libya is the worst kind of experience anyone could have.

In an exclusive interview with Saturday Telegraph in Benin the young girl from Edo State said the only regret she had is not making it to Europe, adding that she was persuaded by her friend to make the perilous trip, and that her friend died in the process.

“I’m happy coming back safely from Libya. But please I do not want to disclose my name. It was a very bitter experience that I do not want to talk about, I just thank God that I’m back to my country safely, she said. “It is not as easy as you may imagine; so many Africans are dying in Libya in the name of travelling abroad for greener pasture.

I left Nigeria in early 2017 with the help of one lady who claim to have been sponsoring people abroad. I don’t also want to reveal her name, but she is currently in one country in Europe. I cannot also say how long she has been in the business. She told me she was taking us to Germany, but we ended up in Libya. I spent so much.

I do not really like recalling the whole trauma, I’m just happy that I came back home to meet my family and friends. “I was learning a trade before I embarked on this journey through the persuasion of my female friend.

When we left Benin in March this year, I did not tell my parents, I only told one of my brothers that I would be travelling to Lagos with my friend to see one lady who promised to assist me to get some money to start my business when I’m through learning the trade. “On getting to Lagos, I met a lot of girls from Edo, Delta and Rivers states.

We stayed in Lagos for three days before taking off to Kano and from there we commenced the journey to Libya. It was a bitter experience; I will not advise anybody I know to engage in such a hazardous trip. It is a journey of the survival of the fittest; on the way a lot of strange things happened which everybody knows about. “In Libya we were treated like slaves, taken to an unknown place where our sufferings continue.

The lady that took us there handed us over to some group of very wicked human beings; she kept telling us that we would soon cross over to Italy. The worst thing that happened to me was the day I slept with 18 men in a single night, it was an experience I can never forget in life.

In fact, Arabs are the most evil set of human beings on earth. After they used me, I was paid N15, 000 and my so: called sponsor took N10, 000 from it and gave me N5, 000. They gave me one type of drug before we started the business. You cannot cry, you cannot raise the alarm when you are locked up in a dark room. I thank God for my life, I never thought that I would live to see December.

“So many people are still there with no hope of leaving, and some of them are taken to unknown destinations. I want to thank our state government for coming to our rescue. Unfortunately, the girl I travelled with died. Nobody is talking about her.

Each time I remember her, I cry. I will not embark on such a journey again. I saw hell in the hands of the Arabs.” Another returnee who identified herself simply as Joy who is from Edo North, but was born in Benin City, also narrated her tale to Saturday Telegraph. “I left Nigeria around April this year with the intention of going to Europe.

It is a pity that I ended my journey in a Libyan refugee camp. It is not an experience to talk about at all. I finished my secondary school some years earlier but because my parents are very poor, I decided to travel to Europe. I wanted to help my parents out of poverty, but my dream of going to Europe was aborted on the way.

Now that I’m back home, I will continue to plan. I really want to travel to Europe. I’m the first child of my family and the truth is this country has nothing to offer us.

Those that have various degrees are on the streets, no jobs for them. The attempt to travel to foreign land is as a result of bad leadership. Over there, they accused us of so many things; they said that our country is very rich but that our leaders are busy carting away our money to other countries.

They wanted to know why we were in their country trying to take the little they have. They do not like to set their eyes on Nigerians at all.” A father of five, Sylvester Agho, who also just came back from Libya said it was a journey of hell.

“I just want to thank God that I saw my country at last and I have regained freedom from those wicked people over there. It is not something to be remembered; now that I’m back to my fatherland, I will join the fight against human trafficking in this country,” Agho, also from Edo State, said. “I am happy because there is no place like home.

When you are in Nigeria, you have the freedom to move about without molestation but the moment you step out of Nigeria, you have lost your freedom.

There is a great discrimination in Libya but in Nigeria, there is nothing like such. You can walk freely.” Agho who is among the 531 Edo indigenes deported from Libya to the state so far, said he would advise those still thinking of leaving the country to have a rethink and look for something meaningful to do to earn a better livelihood rather than endangering their lives in a foreign land.

He added: “I left this country on June 15 this year and I am back now which means that I spent five months and some weeks there but throughout that period, I was in hell. There was nothing good over there. And to those that are still going to Libya or nursing the ambition, my advice to them is for forget it.

There is nothing on earth that will make me to travel by land to Europe ever again.” Another returnee, Destiny Gabriel, recounts his story: “When I came back to Nigeria I was happy. I had joy, freedom because we lived in a place where there was no freedom. They do not have respect for human beings at all.

“Coming home, we were expecting to get something to start up our lives again because a lot of us spent our last money, sold our properties to leave this country in the hope of making a better life. If Nigeria is good and our government planned well for us, that urge to travel would not be there.

“I want to use this opportunity to appeal to the federal and state governments to provide a means of livelihood for the returnees to prevent them from taking to crime.” For Miss Esosa Ediae, the joy of returning home is so much that all she wants to do is thank God for rescuing her.

“I don’t want to say anything other than to thank God for my life and safe return to Nigeria. I was doing very well with my saloon business before a friend persuaded me to join the race to Libya in chase of a good life which never came. I sold my shop to embark on this trip, but all the same I’m very happy that I came back to my land, Edo State. “The federal and state governments should do something. They should not sleep.

They should not allow the youth to enter the streets. They should do something that will encourage us to know that our governments are really there for us. “They should give us money. We are in December now and there is nothing we will do to take care of our families. How are we going to make money to take care of our families this December? We need money to buy clothes for ourselves, to buy clothes for our families, to buy food at home.

Some of us do not even have money to rent an apartment. “I appreciate the governor (Godwin Obaseki) who said we should stay in this hotel (Motel Benin Plaza) for three days but after three days, what then happens to us? Some of us do not even have a place to stay after the expiration of the three days; what happen to us afterwards? Where do we go from here?

That is the question I am asking the governor?” Abieyuwa Igue who was two months pregnant before she was convinced by her ‘madam’ to make the trip across the desert also recalls her near escape. “My name is Miss Abieyuwa Igue, I’m from Edo State. I left Nigeria in 2016. I was learning a trade before I was persuaded by my madam to travel out of Nigeria for a better life.

My experience there is nothing to write home about, but my greatest happiness is that I came back to Nigeria alive. I have a sister who travelled to Spain, she succeeded in her trip.

I wanted to join her to make my parents happy and live a more comfortable life, but I ended up in the hands of those wicked Arabs. “It is a very pathetic story to tell. Before I left Edo State, I never knew that I was carrying a two-month pregnancy, I did not tell my boyfriend that I was pregnant, I did not even know until I got to Libya.

In fact, I will say that God was with me all the time I stayed in Libya. In my presence they took our girls away for rituals, rape, and all kinds of evil acts; they never touched me even though they sleep with our girls at will, not minding whether you are pregnant or not. “My plan was to go to Europe, but the moment my ‘pusher’ discovered that I was pregnant, she abandoned me in Tripoli.

I cannot thank God enough for His mercies upon me. Can you believe that I gave birth to my daughter in prison without any medical care? I was supposed to cross to Italy two days before my delivery, in fact it is God that did it for me not man. “For me, I have no regrets. The only regrets I have is the money that my poor mother wasted.

I want to appeal to Nigerian government to quickly help other Nigerian citizens who are in different prisons in Libya. Some of them are in the underground cell, and the moment you enter into that cell, count yourself finished. So many of our young boys have died in that cell. I want to commend Edo State governor for the much he has done for us. We are sorry for the embarrassment.”

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The rate of suicide in Lagos has continued to be on the increase as another man at Kemberi, Okokomaiko area of Lagos committed suicide by hanging himself to a ceiling fan.

The victim, simply known as Papa Ugochukwu was said to have ended his life after an alleged controversy between his wife, mother-in-law and their Pastor.

The deceased was found hung to a ceiling fan in his sitting room by neighbours.

Sources told Linda Ikeja that the man destroyed his ATM cards and left a suicide note on the table, where he wrote that his wife and mother-in-law were his problems.

The man was said to earn up to N200,000 monthly.

The video of the tragedy was shared by Biafra IPOB Infos, on its facebook wall on Friday.

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Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State have promised to procure nomination forms for 2019 presidential election for President Muhammadu Buhari and threatened to sue him if he declines.

Malam Garba Shehu, a presidential spokesman, in a statement in Abuja, said the APC leaders made the promise at a meeting held on the margins of the President’s state visit to Kano on Thursday.

He said that the leaders adopted President Buhari as their candidate for the 2019 general elections, saying they also expressed commitment and support to Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje as their sole candidate for 2019.

According to him, the State Chairman of the APC, Alhaji Inuwa Abbas, hinged the endorsement of the president on his achievements in the last two years, especially in the fields of security, the war against corruption and the restructuring of the economy.

Abbas said: “Security is important for everyone, not just for Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

‘‘It’s even more so for us as a commercial and industrial state.

”We are convinced that you are best for these times when the country has begun to muster energy and resources to develop agriculture, infrastructure and empower the younger citizens.’’

On a humorous note, Gov. Ganduje said the party was prepared to drag the President to court to force his acceptance of the second term ticket.

In his response, Buhari  noted the need to sanitise party politics by ridding it of vote buying and violence.

“What I saw in the elections in Kogi, Bayelsa and Rivers, the use of money and those headless bodies really upset me. I don’t wish to see that anywhere.

“I would not have won if money and killing was the modus operandi. That is my view of politics,” the president said.

Shehu stated that, “President Buhari did not say he accepted, nor did he decline to accept the endorsement in his speech even after the party leaders promised to procure the nomination forms for him and threatened to sue if he declined the gesture."

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CYRIACUS IZUEKWE


A 47-year old man Chijioke Okeiyi has been arrested for allegedly handling a police woman’s breasts at a police station in Lagos.

The incident happened at Isheri Oshun Division where Okeiyi was detained in the cell for fighting in the public with members of their house. He was charged for conduct likely to cause breach of public peace.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that Inspector Adesina Adefoluke was assaulted when she went to open the cell in order to rescue Okeiyi who was attacked by other suspects inside cell.

When Okeiyi came out, he found relief on Adefoluke’s breasts, grabbed it and in the process tore her uniform.

The arraignment turned into a mild drama at the Ejigbo Magistrates court when the victim Adefolunke informed the court that Okeiyi was under stress in the police cell and she went to bring him out.

However, when she opened the key to the cell, Okeiyi came out and landed his hands on her breasts for undisclosed reasons and she had to raise alarm.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that in response, Okeiyi said he was attacked in the cell and was almost unconscious before his hand landed on her breasts and her uniform got torn. His explanation did not stop the police from arraigning Okeiyi for the alleged offence.

He pleaded not guilty.

The presiding Magistrate, Mr L.K.J Layeni granted him bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum.

He was remanded in prison custody pending when he will perfect his bail condition.