₦airaland Forum

BY KOLA EKE-OGIUGO

A 51 year old carpenter, Joseph Abbah has abandoned his pregnant wife after scan revealed the protruding tummy has triplets.

Abbah who resides in camp 74, Anwai, Asaba, Delta State was said to have disappeared shortly after the way revealed to him the result of her scan.

It was gathered that Joseph Abbah had three children, a boy and two girls.

The woman, Mrs. Mary Abbah, a petty trader, told our reporter that the doctor in one of the private hospital along the Expressway (name withheld) had insisted for a scan when she visited the hospital for the usual maternity clinic.

She noted that her husband consented to her going for the scan and even provided the N4000 with which she used for the exercise.

“The following day I went to the hospital with money and after the scan, I was told it was triplets, and I was happy, unknown to me that my husband had a different intention”.

A visibly disturbed Mrs. Abbah disclosed that on getting home upon the husband return from work, she informed him about the result of the scan but “his countenance changed almost immediately”.

She said that while the children and she had gone out of the house, her husband was said to have told a neighbour that he was traveling to Benin-City for a contract that will last for three days.

The wife said it’s almost one week since the man fled to Benin and when she contacted him, he bluntly told her that he had no money and that the triplets will add to his problems.

Mrs. Abbah who hailed from Benue State, further disclosed that she had been married to her husband for almost ten years, adding that they have been encountering one difficult times or the other, especially in the present recession as they moved into Asaba from Owo in Ondo State.

The expectant mother who broke down in tears, said: “I waited for three days I did not hear from him, I called his GSM line but he did not pick, until I took the pains to locate one of his friends who took me to Benin City, where I was that he had left where he claimed to have gone to seek for job”.

Sources close to the carpenter said he is always in the habit of complaining about not having sufficient patrons, and had allegedly threatened to disappear from his house to seek fortunes elsewhere.

But his brother, Abel Abbah told our reporter that the wife’s nagging and querulous acts, allegedly drove his brother out of the house adding “my brother may not be having money, but his wife’s worrisome acts, unnecessarily ways drove him out of the house”.

Residents of camp 74, Anwai, Asaba who spoke to our reporter on condition of anonymity described the fleeing carpenter as lazy with evil intention.

When our reporter visited their house yesterday, the fleeing carpenter’s one room self-contain apartment which houses him and his family was under lock and key.

By Olakunle Olafioye

THERE are indications that the final crash of Mavrodi Mondial Moneybox, a ponzi scheme popularly known as MMM, may be nearer than expected as more intending help providers (Provide Help) continue to renege on their promises to pay help seekers (Get Help).

Promoters of the scheme had re-awakened the interest of many subscribers when it announced the return of the scheme on Friday, January 13, a day earlier than the expected return date given, but the euphoria that greeted the unfreezing of the scheme was short lived following the inability of members to get paid.

While announcing its return penultimate Friday, operators of the scheme had announced that the scheme would attend to small investors first while subscribers with bigger financial commitments would have to wait a bit longer.

This was, however, not to be as the applications of those who signified interest in getting help (GH) were cancelled while intending help providers (PH) were put on hold. Promoters of the scheme had attributed the delay to upgrade of the system.

However, when some help seekers (GH) were eventually matched with intending help providers (PH) on Friday, findings by Sunday Sun
showed that a good number of intending help providers reneged on their promises to pay.

Some mavrodians, who spoke to our correspondent, blamed the failure of help providers to fulfill their promises on the growing uncertainties surrounding the scheme. A subscriber, who simply identified himself as Michael, said he refused to pay the help seeker he was matched with because he no longer believed in the scheme. “I was paired to PH but I declined because I am not sure if I will ever get my money back. Some people I know to have been paired have also declined to pay. The way things are unfolding, the scheme cannot survive this week,” he said.

Narrating her inability to get help despite having been paired, a subscriber who gave her name as Rolake, said: “I was paired to get help but none of my PHs has responded.

When I called to remind them yesterday, two of them promised that they would pay me but when I called them this morning neither of them picked my calls,” she said.

But while many help providers continue to ditch the scheme, Sunday Sun gathered that there are few others who are still willing to give help.

Subscribers, who belong to this category, it was gathered, are largely those who have their money trapped in the system and who have also signified interest to give help.

One of them who claimed to have N200, 000 trapped in the scheme said he was compelled to pay somebody yesterday because of fear of losing his money.

“I paid somebody yesterday because I don’t want my account blocked. I have N200, 000 in my account before it was suspended last year and since I had also indicated intention to provide help.

If I didn’t provide the help, my account would be blocked and that simply means I would lose all my moey,” the subscriber who gave his name as Ebuka said, adding that, “it is easy to back out only if you don’t have money in your account.”

A man, Oluwaseun Ayorinde, has dragged his wife, Gbemisola Ayorinde to the Oja Oba/Mapo Grade C Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State on the account that she’s quarrelsome and has totally neglected her responsibility of keeping the home.

His wife, however, countered that the problem started after he discovered that I invested money borrowed from him in MMM.

He therefore prayed the court to dissolve their 11-year-old marriage and give him the custody of their 10-year-old daughter. He further sought that the court restrain her from coming to disturb or embarrass him at his place of work and new residence.

“My marriage is devoid of peace. My wife neither cares about me nor our daughter.

We fight almost everyday and we have become a nuisance in the neighbourhood.

“She’s fond of attacking me with knives and broken bottles whenever we are fighting and this in the presence of our daughter.

“I decided to move out of our home last December because I couldn’t put up with her behaviour any longer.

“I don’t want her to kill me since she’s wild and brandishes knives and broken bottles at me at every given opportunity.

“I don’t want her any more. She has failed to be a good mother to our daughter. I want to live the rest of my life in peace and take care of our daughter, the plaintiff stated.

The defendant, while responding to what the plaintiff had said, denied all the allegations and also disagreed with her husband on a divorce.

“All my husband has said is a lie,” she told the court.

“My husband has passed the responsibility of caring for the home to me.

“We have only one daughter and I’m the one solely responsible for her education.

“When I met him, he was living in a one-room apartment. I was then newly-enrolled in the Police Force. When I collected my first salary, it was made up of six months arrears and this we used in buying a plot of land at Olodo area of Ibadan, Oyo State.

“We built a house on the land and that’s where we are living presently,” she stated.

Explaining what led to her husband moving out of their home she said, “We had a misunderstanding over an amount of money.

“He lent me N140,000 which I promised to return at a stipulated time. I spent N100,000 out of the money on MMM and used N31,000 to pay our daughter’s school fees since she has been sent out of school.

“I thought I would be able to make the refund at a record time, but I couldn’t because the MMM transaction failed.

“He threw up a fight when I couldn’t pay him back. Our church pastor mediated in the matter but he was adamant and insisted on taking his money.

“I ran around and was able to make a refund of N100,000 out of the money,but he insisted on having the balance.

“We also moved out of our home when it was getting too hot,” she said.

The court president after listening to both parties presented a letter written to the court by the couple’s church, Witness of Christ Chapel Church, Olodo, Ibadan, Oyo State, pleading that the case be adjourned so that it can mediate in the matter.

But the plaintiff refused. According to him, the church has mediated in their marital crisis more than once but his wife has failed to change. He, therefore, insisted on a divorce.

The court president thereafter admonished both parties to seek the possibility of settling their rift outside the court and adjourned the case till March 29, 2017.

From ADE ALADE, Abuja and FEMI FOLARANMI, Yenagoa

For former Petroleum Minister, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, her trouble comes in threes. Just at a time things appear quiet on her, a new flank of troubles opened and began pouring in again. Barely two weeks after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC got an interim court order to seize over $153 million allegedly linked to her in some four Nigerian banks, the anti-graft agency last week submitted to the UK authorities several bank and court documents, photographs and audio visuals linking Diezani to multi-billion naira estates in Nigeria.

Saturday Sun gathered that in the last four weeks, EFCC operatives were able to uncover multi-billion naira estates allegedly linked to the former super minister in Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Rivers and Yenagoa, Bayelsa. It was gathered that photographs and visuals of the estates were compiled for the acting Chairman of the Commission, Mr Ibrahim Magu to take to London last week, where he had meetings with detectives at the International Corruption Unit, ICU, of the United Kingdom National Crime Agency, UK NCA, which in 2015 arrested and has since then been investigating Diezani. Magu has since returned to Abuja.

Saturday Sun further gathered that with the cooperation received so far from the Magu-led EFCC on the case, the former oil minister who is currently holed in London due to her battle with cancer and her investigation, the NCA may soon file formal corruption charges against her in a London court. “Some of the documents received from the EFCC will help in the prosecution of the case against her”, an official of the agency not willing to be named because of the high profile nature of the case told Saturday Sun on Thursday.

Apart from mansions already placed under investigation and temporary forfeiture in Abuja and Yenagoa, Saturday Sun further gathered that more multi-billion naira estates allegedly linked to her were also recently discovered on Omerelu street, GRA Phase 1 Port Harcourt, Rivers State where she allegedly has two other mansion as well as others in Ikoyi and Lekki areas of Lagos. Pictures of some of the mansions were obtained exclusively by Saturday Sun.

Leave her alone, Attisa Kingdom warns FG

The people of Attisa Kingdom in Yenagoa local government area where Diezani Alison- Madueke hails from have warned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Federal Government to leave their daughter alone.
Speaking through the clan head, His Royal Majesty, King Godwin Igodo, the Ebeni- Ibe of Attisa Kingdon, they noted that other people have occupied the position of Petroluem Minister in Nigeria and are not being treated like Mrs Alison- Madueke.

The Monarch who is a close friend of Mrs Alison- Madueke’s father, King Fredrick Abiye Agama in an interview with Saturday Sun in his palace said people have been spreading stories about Diezani’s properties scattered across the country, allegations he claimed they have not been able to prove.
King Igodo while noting that he was not aware if money was seized from Mrs Alison- Madueke said a visit to Yenaka community would reveal that there is nothing in the community to indicate the level of wealth ascribed to her.

“I am not aware of her properties in Bayelsa or Port Harcourt that government wants to seize, people have just sat down to formulate stories about her and her wealth. Go toYenaka and visit the father’s house, if she has all that money, that house would not be like that. I am the clan head and I know what I am saying. People are just fond of bringing up stories about her to tarnish her image. It is not fair”.

King Igodo noted that the persecution of Mrs Alison- Madueke must stop, adding that the continued harassment of her mother, Mrs Beatrice Agama is unfair and unjust.
“The Federal Government should leave my daughter alone. Federal Government should hands off our daughter. Federal Government should leave Diezani alone.

Others have occupied that office and nobody is harassing them. They should leave Diezani alone. I even understand that they are molesting the mother. That woman, is an innocent woman, they should leave her alone. In Port Harcourt, Diezani’s mother still stays in the house the husband built, if she has that stupendous wealth as they claimed, she would have built another house for the woman to stay. Instead, it is the house the father built that the mother is still staying with all the other people there. They should leave her alone,” the king declared.

Also speaking, a relative of the Agamas, Hon Omeleh Gershom Esueze said the people of Bayelsa and Ijaw leaders are not happy with the way President Muhammadu Buhari is persecuting all those who worked for former President Goodluck Jonathan.
According to him, it is obvious that with the way Buhari has gone after Mrs Alison- Madueke, the Federal Government wants to humiliate Jonathan. He further declared that the Ijaw people would protect Diezani and would not allow her to be disgraced by Buhari, saying that “it is for the government to prove that she stole money.

“The truth of the matter is that we are angry. It has become clear now that Buhari wants to humiliate Jonathan and that is why they are doing all what they are doing to Diezani. Former governors that embezzled their states funds are in Buhari government. He has not ordered the arrest of these people.

The anti-graft war of the Federal Government is selective. Buhari wants to disgrace and humiliate Jonathan but Buhari is not God. We the people and God would defend Diezani, Pateince Jonathan and others that are being persecuted by the Buhari government because they served in Jonathan’s government.

“Diezani was not the only person that worked in Jonathan’s government, yet everyday what you read is only about Diezani. Other women like Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala served in this government but because she is being protected by the Igbo people, nobody is harassing her. We are going to protect Diezani too, nothing must happen to her”.

For the spokesman of the Ijaw Youth Congress (IYC), Eric Omare, Buhari government has shown it thrives on misrepresentation of facts to hoodwink the people.

“On the issue of the seized N35 billion, what we understand was that the money should have been remitted by the Nigeria National Petroluem Corporation (NNPC) which it did not do and the money has been seized. It has nothing to do with Diezani, unless they want to say Diezani and NNPC are the same. The media should be careful and not allow the government and its anti- corruption agencies to mislead it”
On the plan to seize some assets in Port Harcourt and Yenagoa traced to her, Omare said the Buhari government should learn how to do things in line with the rule of law.

“Nobody is opposing the war against corruption. We all want corruption to end in this country. However, due process must be followed. Government cannot just wake up and seize property”

Once upon a powerful minister

Though her name, Diezani means ‘look before you leap’, her recent troubles show she may not have studied her terrain too well before leaping into the troubled waters that now threaten to drown her.

On the other hand, it is possible she may have calculated wrongly and found herself in what has turned out to be nightmare. Who would have imagined Nigeria’s once powerful oil minister with billions of petro-dollar funds at her command being invited and quizzed by law enforcement agents in any part of the world?

If the re-election for second term of Dr Goodluck Jonathan had pulled through, Diezani surely would not be in the mess of an arrest and possible prosecution and conviction on alleged money laundering charges. If and many Ifs. But like many human situations, times and chance have changed the equation: Diezani knows now, even if she hadn’t contemplated such.

In the recess of her cold abode in the United Kindom, she would have plenty time to to reflect on her eight years sojourn in government, from 2007 when she was first appointed Minister for Transportation by President Umaru Yar’Adua.

Indeed, most of her political life has seen her swimming in one controversy or another. Easily, the most controversial of ex-President Jonathan’s ministers, Diezani was seen by many as the alternate president and chief bursar of the last administration. She was not only powerful, many top government officials crossed her path with trepidation. She had the eyes and ears of the No1 citizen.

This is the story of Diezani Allison-Madueke, nee Agama, born into a royal and wealthy family in Bayelsa State. She lived up to that reputation of royalty, luxuriating in opulence fit only for a princess as she bestrode the corridors of Nigeria’s power house, Aso Rock Villa under President Jonathan.

Only God will vindicate me – Diezani

The embattled former Minister has expressed displeasure with reports of allegations of corruption against her.
She described as cold-hearted, those maligning her in the media while she was battling cancer.

While reacting to a recent report that she owns a property in Abuja allegedly worth $18 million, she said
“This will not be the first time calculated attempts have been made to demonise and damage my reputation in the public space. Many times, my detractors have got away with these irresponsible smear campaigns because they have become accustomed to my characteristic approach of silence in the face of these callous attacks.”

According to her, “This, to say the least, is the height of journalistic brigandage and a sheer mockery of Nigeria’s anti-corruption war before the eyes of the world who are watching and asking if the war against corruption is a circus show where suspects are prosecuted and sentenced on the pages of newspapers and video blogs without anything as remotely in the semblance of a trial in the courts of law.

“When did it become a crime to own a property in Nigeria? When did it become a crime for a woman of my status to have in her possession, jewellery? Jewelry, which women all across the world, including the woman selling tomatoes in Bodija market have in abundance in their closets? In which court of law, anywhere in the world was I prosecuted by the EFCC and found guilty of corruption?

“With all sense of modesty, I say this only for posterity and for the records. I have strived within my means and the blessings of God to live a decent and accomplished life. I studied architecture in England and obtained a Bachelor’s degree from Howard University, United States of America in 1992. When I returned to Nigeria that same year, I joined Shell Petroleum Development Corporation. In 2002, I obtained an MBA at Cambridge University, United Kingdom.
“In April 2006, I was appointed by Shell the company’s first female Executive Director in Nigeria. In July 2007, I was appointed by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Minister of Transport. The next year in December 2008 I became Minister of Mines and Steel Development. In April 2010, I was appointed Minister for Petroleum Resources and served in that capacity till May 2015.

During this period as Petroleum Minister, I had the honour of serving Nigeria and representing her in the Organisation of Oil Exporting Countries (OPEC) where I was elected first female President. All through my career, I have strived to maintain a record of hard work, integrity and excellence, giving my best to society, because my parents raised me in the consciousness that a man or woman’s greatness is defined not by the amount of wealth they have acquired but the impact of their service to God and humanity.

“Coming at such a critical time in my life when I am battling cancer, this poorly executed propaganda bares on its face like tribal marks, a clearly malicious attempt to victimise an innocent woman in what appears an exaggerated plot to validate and give credibility to the anti-corruption crusade under Nigeria’s new regime.

“People who are battling cancer or those who have lost their loved ones to this medical condition understand what I am going through at this time. This is what makes me ponder at the cold-heartedness of those who will go any length to defame and destroy in the name of propaganda.

What happened to our shared humanity?
“I have absolute regard for the law and believe that people who have breached the laws that govern societies should be made to face the wrath of the law. But in a civilised society, a responsible government owes its citizens absolute commitment to the principles of rule of law, equity, fairness and justice. I have been wrongfully and maliciously maligned and those behind this reckless action know it. I leave them to posterity, their conscience and above all the Almighty God who is the final judge of all.”

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

A landlady, Mrs Idayat Aderibigbe has suffered broken leg after her tenant, Obidi Ibeagha attacked her and pushed her down for demanding 20 months rent arrears he was owing her in Lagos.

The tenant, Ibeagha has since been arrested and charged before a Lagos court for allegedly assaulting from where he was remanded in prison custody.

The incident happened on 13 January 2017 at Cele Bus-stop in Egbe Ikotun, suburbs of Lagos where the suspect reside with his family.

The Oba, Anambra State-born tenant has been unable to pay the rent arrears due to the economic situation before the landlord died last year.

44-year old Ibeagha, said to have became angry and attacked the landlady for asking from him the rent he owed the woman’s late husband.

He reportedly pushed her and she fell down and got injured and broke one of her legs.

P.M.EXPRESS gathered after the landlord died last year, Ibeagha had hoped that he will not pay the rent arrears since the person who rented out the three bedroom apartment to him had died.

He, however became angry when the victim started demanding for the rent from him, he first told her that he wanted to park out from the apartment to a smaller apartment and as such he would not pay the arrears because she was not his landlord at that period he was owing.

When the landlady insisted that he will pay the arrears before he will be allowed to move out, he reportedly attacked her.

The victim was rushed to a hospital and the matter was reported to the police at Ikotun division who arrested Ibeagha.

He was taken to court where he was charged with assault and occasional harm under the Criminal code.

He pleaded not guilty.
At the Magistrate’s court sitting in Ejigbo, the presiding Magistrate, Mr A.A. Fashola granted him bail in the sum of N50,000 with two sureties in like sum.

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

The matter was adjourned till 15 February 2017.

by Biodun Oyeleye

The Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Ilorin, Kwara State Police Command, has launched a man-hunt for an employee, who organised the robbery, rape and murder of his mistress and master.

The employee, an aide in the house of the deceased, whose identity police are yet to disclose, was said to have disappeared with another gang member after killing Mr. Michael Akhigbe, 65 and his wife, Juliana Akhigbe, 60.

The operation was carried out by the said employee and three others. The police said that the men dumped the bodies of the man and wife inside a well and locked it in order to conceal the crime. Juliana was raped before being killed.

The suspects took the couple’s Toyota Camry car, phones, ATM cards and other valuables. Although the couple’s employee escaped, two among the men that carried out the dreadful act have been arrested.

They have been identified as Adeyemi Aderinkomi and Timothy Ajayi. Aderinkomi and Ajayi, who are presently singing in police custody, said they were promised N200, 000 each to carry out the operation.

The incident happened on December 12, 2016, at Fate area of Ilorin. Aderinkomi and Ajayi, said that the operation lasted nine hours, during which time their partners, now at large, went to a nearby bank gallery with the couple’s Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards and withdrew money.

It was also during that time that Ajayi pounced on 60-year-old Juliana and raped her. Aderinkomi, son of a high chief in a community at Ibadan, Oyo State, was alleged to have inscribed the title of his father on the car, so that it could pass police check points.

Aderinkomi, a security guard, working a stone throw from where the aged couple lives, said he and Ajayi were recruited by the two fleeing partners, on the excuse that they needed to collect some documents from Michael.

The state commissioner of police, Mr. Olusola Amore, said that the masterminds of the crime took the decision to strike because they had information that Michael withdrew a huge sum of money from bank and took it home. Amore added: “The suspects dumped the bodies inside a well to hide their tracks and locked it with a brand new padlock.”

Aderinkomi explained that one of the men that are yet to be arrested is called Soldier.

According to him, it was Soldier that told them that he had some documents he needed to collect from the couple’s apartment. Aderinkomi said: “They promised to give us N200, 000 each. We agreed and told them to alert us whenever they were ready. That night, they called us.

They were the first to enter the house; they met the woman and tied her. Then the man returned at about 7.30 or 8.00pm. He drove into the compound in his car; the two men jumped on him. He was surprised.

He started speaking with them in a language we didn’t understand. He, however, didn’t put up any resistance.

“Later, they ransacked the whole house and took some documents. They collected two ATM cards from the woman; one was for UBA and the other for Union Bank. They went to the bank and collected some money.

They gave us N20, 000 and asked us to take the car away.” The two men also allegedly told Aderinkomi and Ajayi, to take the couple’s television, phones and other belongings and look for buyers.

Aderinkomi further recalled: “We were on the operation until 4.30am. We left the two men there. It was in the morning I heard the couple was killed. I went to Timothy and together we went to meet the two of them. We went to them because we were troubled.

We complained to them about the killing; they assured us that they would handle everything. Honestly, the two of us didn’t know they would kill the couple. Up till now, they have not given us the N200, 000.”

Amore, who described Aderinkomi as a serial criminal, said that the Toyota Camry car, which the suspects took from the couple’s home, was set on fire to cover their tracks.

Aderinkomi, who further confessed to have once led a team of robbers to attack his biological sister, in order to steal her car, said he sustained injuries when he attempted to remove the battery from late Akhigbe’s Toyota Camry car, while it was burning.

Some politicians of southern extraction, under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party, have formed a new group, “PDP Southern Leaders Consultative Forum’’ as a force ahead of the 2019 elections.

Already, members of the movement have started meetings to discuss critical issues affecting the party, and how the southern zone would position itself in terms of power sharing ahead of future elections.

Our correspondent reports that party stalwarts from all the states in the South-West, South-East and South-South regions met in Abuja, Wednesday night, at the residence of Chief Tom Ikimi, where they deliberated on issues till the early hours of Thursday.

The venue of the meeting was where the merger of legacy parties took place. The parties later collapsed into the All Progressives Congress (APC) when Chief Ikimi was in the party.

It is not yet clear if the movement will metamorphose into a different political party.

Addressing newsmen at the end of the meeting, yesterday, Chief Ikimi, a member of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) said the forum had constituted a 7- man committee to be chaired by a former governor of Cross River State, Liyel Imoke, to propose its structure.

He, however, said the meeting was not to divide the party or to form a forum against the North.
“A motion was moved for the formation of this forum and adopted,” he said.

He added that the PDP governors in the South would be fully engaged to ensure that the movement was sustained.

“I think it has reached a stage now where this party should be born again, where those of us who are from the South should see ourselves as one.
“If we do not unite and work together, our ambitions will be an illusion,’’ Ikimi said.

Speaking during the opening session, Ikimi, said the PDP constitution recognised the North and South in order to establish equality, stability and fairness in power sharing, adding that the forum’s aim was to rebuild and re-launch the party.

“This is time for unity and brotherhood. It’s time that we put our house in order. This is not a time for power sharing. This is a meeting to inaugurate a new face of the PDP.

“As we speak, the Northern leaders of the PDP are also meeting regularly to put their house in order. If we had worked together, we wouldn’t have lost the 2015 general elections,” he said.

Some of the prominent politicians from the zone who attended the meeting, which was witnessed by the Makarfi-led national caretaker committee’s secretary, Ben Obi and its spokesman, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, are former minister of state for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro; former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha; Mulikat Abiola, Chief Raymond Dokpesi; former governorship candidate of the PDP in Lagos State, Jim Agbaje; Stella Onu, Iyiola Omisore, and Shuaibu Oyedokun.

Ghana’s new president, Nana Akufo-Addo has approved and authorized the deployment of a combat team of 205 troops to Gambia to enforce the result of the Gambia’s disputed election.

Revealed in a statement released on Wednesday, the objective is to create an enabling environment for the effective enforcement of the rule of law and the constitution Gambia.

The Nigerian Air Force yesterday deployed troops and fighter jets to Gambia, as part of the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS) mandate to enforce the December 1, 2016 election result in that country.


The Air Force contingent for the Gambia operation were air lifted from the 117 Air Combat Training Group Kainji, in Niger state, to be on standby in Dakar, Senegal.

The troops airlifted in an Hercules C-130 transport plane included; Combat Support Group, Technicians, Special Forces, and Medical personnel.

Mudiaga Affe, Calabar

A driver attached to the Cross River State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Calistus Okune, was on Wednesday remanded in the Afokang Prison in Calabar for assaulting two officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps .

Okune was alleged to have acted on orders of his boss, Mr . Peter Egba, after the Toyota Corolla that he was driving was impounded for several offences , including driving without using seat belt and use of fake government number plate.

The incident was said to have happened in front of a magistrate , who presided over cases of traffic offences , during a mobile court session facilitated by the FRSC.

While one of the affected FRSC officials was beaten up and had his uniforms torn by the aggrieved driver, the other had a deep cut in his head .

One of the assaulted FRSC officials , Fidelis Eteng, who spoke with PUNCH Metro , said trouble started after he had impounded the vehicle for the offences.

According to him , the commissioner rushed to the scene shortly after the vehicle was impounded and in the course of argument, he ( commissioner) gave an order to the driver and others to “ deal with ” those responsible for the seizure.

He said , “ We stopped the vehicle first when we noticed that he ( Okune) was driving without using a seat belt. Later , we had to impound it on discovering that it bore a fake government number plate. The driver also had no driving licence . We immediately took the car to the mobile court arena where he was booked .

“ Shortly afterwards , the commissioner came and started ranting.

“ He said he was going to ensure that those involved would be sacked. It was while the argument was on that he ordered Okune to assault me . The commissioner himself later joined in the beating and also used stone to injure a colleague in the head . ”

Angered by the disregard for judicial authority on duty , the sitting magistrate , Dorothy Duke , ordered that the driver be remanded in Afokang Prison until February 3, when the case would be heard.

Officials at the state Ministry of Justice were said to be angered by the development as the wife of the commissioner , who is a cousin to the magistrate , was said to have appeared on the scene and also confronted the magistrate .

The state Sector Commander , Mr . Ikechukwu Igwe, who condemned the action, said he had notified the Ministry of Justice and the Commissioner of Police of the development.

Igwe also showed PUNCH Metro letters already written to the state government over the flagrant use of fake government number plates on private vehicles owned by top officials .

Egba , however , denied giving order to his driver to assault any FRSC official.

“ I went to the scene immediately because my little boy was in the vehicle. I was polite when I approached them ; but before I knew it, they started pointing their fingers into my eyes and it was at that point that my driver intervened and a fight broke out. They actually tried to beat me up , ” he said.

BY KOLA EKE-OGIUGO


A man (names withheld) has declined his family’s sanction imposed on his wife who was allegedly caught red-handed in an adulterous act.

The man, who hails from Ada-Irri in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State, has kept mute over the wife’s infidelity, even after the family sought immediate dissolution of the marriage which was conducted seven years ago under the traditional rites of the land as it is believed to have its disastrous consequences.

A reliable source, on condition that he would not be named in print, disclosed that the marriage has been childless, adding that the woman (names withheld) who hails from a neighbouring community, has allegedly pleaded guilty and confessed to the crime.

It was revealed that she normally sneaks out of her matrimonial home to visit the lover; especially at occasions as the husband who does bricklaying jobs, most times spends days outside his home in order to fend and provide for the family.

It was disclosed that she has been severally accused of such abominable acts as stated in the laws and customs of the land, but has constantly denied, until that fateful day when she left the house pretending to be ill and going for medical attention, unknown to her that she was being followed by one of the brother-in-law who later alerted the husband and other family members after being caught behind closed doors for hours with her secret lover.

Meanwhile, the husband has refused to press charges against the wife and her lover who said to have disappeared since the incident occurred.

by Taiwo Jimoh

Detectives from Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID) have arrested a policeman for allegedly shooting and killing a 21-year-old boy, while he was praying at the Lagos Island area of the metropolis.

The policeman, attached to the Lion Building Station, has been simply identified as Chelsea. Eye witnesses claimed that that the tipsy policeman, slipped and his corked rifle exploded, pumping three bullets into the stomach, right hand and knee of the victim named Qouzeem Hassan.

Hassan was rushed to the Lagos Island General Hospital by policemen, but he was confirmed dead on arrival.

By Ismail Mudashir

Police to deploy 3 helicopters, 500 vans


The Federal Government has earmarked N1.1billion as cost of logistics and security during the six weeks period when flights would be diverted from Abuja to Kaduna Airport, the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika said yesterday.

Briefing senators on the planned closure of Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, Sirika said the amount would be spent on security, transportation and others.

He said of the N1.1bn, the Nigerian Railway Corporation will get N103million, Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC), N237million, Police N358million, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) N29million and Ministry of Transport (Bus services), N84million.

The minister also put the cost of repair of the Abuja airport at N5.8bn.

Also speaking, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola said the repair of Abuja-Kaduna Highway would gulp N1.05billion.

Fashola said the contract awarded to CGC Construction Company would be completed on February 28 this year.

Justifying the selection of Kaduna against Minna Airport, he said the state of Abuja-Kaduna Highway was better than Minna Highway.

Speaking on the level of security preparedness, the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris said three helicopters, 500 patrol vans and 500 tactical personnel are going to be deployed during the six weeks.

Represented by the DIG operations, Joshak Abila, he said the police would partner with sister security organizations to ensure the safety of passengers and other road users.

In his presentation, the Managing Director of Julius Berger, Engineer Wolfgang Goetsch said the extent of damage on the runway does not allow partial closure of the Airport.

“It is in all our interest to make the thing happen and to solve it as quickly as possible. We guarantee that within six weeks the repair work is done subject to the fulfilment of the obligations of all stakeholders.

“Julius Berger also guarantees after the repair work a lifespan of this runway up to 10 years minimum subject to regular maintenance,” he said.

The Senate however resolved in favour of segmented repairs of the Abuja Airport runway to avoid complete closure but said “the Minister can take decision based on technical advice by stakeholders.”

lalasticlala

The South-South and South West region will get N138 billion (equivalent to 51.45 percent) of the federal government total spending of N268 billion on construction and repairs of 171 roads across the nation.

The proposed allocation is N37bn less than the allocation for 108 road projects in 2016, which was pegged at N305bn.

The Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing proposed N434.3bn capital allocation for 2017, an increase of N81 billion from the N353.1bn capital appropriation of 2016.

Analysis of the budget by our reporter revealed that in terms of the projects’ cost in 2017, the South-South will get the highest allocation of N74bn to do 30 projects. The zone which is leading this year was the least in 2016 with only N6.770bn for four projects.

The South West zone is following with N64bn for 26 road projects. The zone which had the lion share of N67bn in the 2016 Appropriation Act had 18 projects which included the Lagos-Ibadan road (N49.4bn), Apapa-Oshodi, Lagos (N5.2bn) and the MMI Airport road (N4bn).

The South East has 23 projects worth N36.3bn. In 2016, the zone had 20 projects worth N29.5bn. However another N96bn was earmarked to pay outstanding debts for construction of roads in Anambra State.

The North Central geopolitical zone has more projects in 2017. The 43 road projects under it have been allocated N47bn. It also had the highest number of 22 projects in 2016 when it got N38.5bn.

For the North-east, its allocation is reduced by N2bn this year as it will get N31bn to do 28 projects. It got N33.1bn for 17 projects in 2016.
The North-west which has the least funding of N15.6bn to do 21 projects this year, got N33bn to do 26 projects in 2016.

Key projects in geopolitical zones

The breakdown of the proposal shows that the key projects in the North Central include the dualization of Obajana junction to Benin road (N9bn); Oju/Loko-Oweto bridge roads (N7bn); Ilorin-Jebba-Mokwa-Bokani road (N3.5bn); dualization of Suleja-Minna road (N2.8bn); and dualization of Abuja-Abaji-Lokoja road (N9bn).

Top of the projects in the North East will be the dualization of Kano-Maiduguri road (N14bn); rehabilitation of Hadejia-Nguru-Gashua-Bayamari road in Jigawa and Yobe states (N2.3bn); construction of bridges destroyed as a result of insurgency (N1.6bn); Tamburawa bridge - protection of exposed piles (N1.5bn), and reconstruction of Sumaila-Falali-Birnin Bako- Bauchi State border road (N1.5bn).

In the North-west, the top projects include the rehabilitation of Sokoto-Tambuwal-Jega-Kontagora-Makera road (N3.2bn); rehabilitation of Zaria-Funtua-Gusau-Sokoto-Birnin Kebbi road (N2.7bn); and the dualization of Kano-Katsina road (N2bn).

Most of the huge projects in the South-west will be in the Lagos axis as they were in 2016. Some of them are the dualization of Lagos-Otta road (N1.7bn); construction of Apakun-Murtala Mohammed International Airport road in Lagos State (N2bn); access road to Apapa/Tincan Port, NNPC depot -Mile2 road (N1.2bn); dualization of Ibadan-Ilorin (N3bn); expansion of Lagos-Shagamu-Ibadan road (N31.5bn), and rehabilitation of Apapa-Oshodi road (N7.8bn).
Other huge projects in the zone include, emergency rehabilitation of Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos (N5.3bn), and rehabilitation of Ikorodu-Shagamu road (N2bn).

In the South South, the major ones include the dualization of Odukpani-Itu-Ikot Ekpene road in Cross River (N3.7bn); rehabilitation of Ikot Ekpene-Aba-Owerri road (N1.2bn); rehabilitation of Calabar-Ugep-Katsina Ala road (N3bn); reconstruction of Benin-Ofosu-Ore-Ajebandele-Shagamu road N5.5bn; construction of Bodo-Bonny road in Rivers State (N9bn); dualisation of Sapele-Ewu road (N4.5bn), and the dualization of Yenegwe road in Bayelsa State (N1.3bn).

For the South East, its major projects will include the rehabilitation of Oba-Nnewi road sections in Anambra and Imo states (N1.1bn); construction of 2nd Niger Bridge phases 2a & 2b in Anambra and Delta states (N12bn); rehabilitation of Enugu-Port Harcourt way (N9bn); rehabilitation of Abakaliki-Afikpo road (N1.2bn) and the rehabilitation of Onitsha-Enugu way (N5bn).

There are strong indications that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is making serious efforts towards gaining more grounds in the South-East and South- South ahead of the 2019 general elections.

The targets of the federal ruling party are some governors in the geo-political zones.The APC performed woefully in the two zones in the 2015 general elections, losing most of the areas, save for Imo State to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

That is in addition to Anambra State, which has been in the hands of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). To this end, New Telegraph gathered that top leaders of the party are dangling carrots of automatic re-election to some first term governors in the two zones.

With the exception of the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, who has proven a stubborn fly for the APC, sources said that other governors in the two zones, who are in their first terms, but do not belong to the APC, are being targeted for the cross-over onslaught.

Sources close to the APC indicated that top on the list of those being approached are the Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano; Ebonyi State Governor, Chief David Umahi; Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu; Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade and that of Akwa Ibom, Mr. Udom Emmanuel.

It was gathered that towards achieving the goal, some top shots of the APC in the two regions have been reaching out to the governors, with a view to convincing them to join the APC and ditch the PDP.

The position of the APC stalwarts is strengthened by the continued crisis in the PDP, where the two arrowheads of the combat, Senator Ahmed Markarfi and Senator Ali Modu Sheriff are locked in a battle of supremacy over the control of the party.

“The lingering PDP crisis is a fertile ground and a good excuse for anybody to defect and abandon the party now. Of course, you know that factionalisation is one of the grounds allowed by the constitution for defection.

So, it is a good excuse for anybody to use and leave PDP for now,” said a PDP leader and former minister. Obiano, whose election comes up first in the latter part of this year, is under serious pressure to move to the APC. His APGA is having pockets of crisis, which is threatening its unity going into the election.

He was elected in 2014. It was learnt that some highly placed APC members from the South-East are in the forefront of the battle to recruit the governor into the APC fold.

“If he accepts to cross over to the APC, he will pick the ticket automatically,” said an APC chieftain from the South-East.

A source close to the governor said that the fear of the governor’s camp is that the rolling APC machine might complicate matters for him in the state.

“You can see how the APC took Edo and Ondo states. You can also see how the APC treated Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State in the rerun election.

Those are test runs for what the APC is planning for us this year and in 2019. If the governor does not play his game well,you know the APC will attempt to take him out.

That is the fear,” the source said. But, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Legislative Matters and Strategy, Prince Oliver Okpala, said that the governor would return for a second term on the platform of APGA.

Also contacted, the Chief Press Secretary to Umahi, Mr. Emma Anya, insisted that his governor would remain in the PDP. But he admitted that the story has been trending for some time.

Anya said: “That story has been flying around for some time. It is not today that we started hearing it. But the governor has been saying that he remains in the PDP and would not move to the APC.

He has always said that the PDP remains the party to beat in Ebonyi. The story has not changed.” Ayade has been in good terms with President Muhammadu Buhari.

He has visited the president several times and is one of the very few governors the president has visited to inaugurate projects.

The speculation that Ayade may defect to the APC has been lingering for a long time. Christian Ita, Chief Press Secretary to Ayade, told New Telegraph that his governor remains in PDP.

“Ayade has stated it several times that he remains in PDP. The only thing is that my governor has a good working relationship with the president. For him, after election, it is governance.

So, Governor Ayade is busy with governance now. When it is time for politics, he will play it,” Ita told New Telegraph. Ikpeazu’s CPS, Enyinnaya Appollos, said “nobody approached the governor to join APC and the governor is not leaving PDP.”

Highly placed sources within the APC informed New Telegraph that the party is focused on making serious inroads into the two zones to ensure its desire to retain power at the centre in 2019.

It is the drive that has attracted some bigwigs from the zone into the party. “We need to be a bit certain in the two zones for 2019.

The two zones are proving difficult for our party, but we remain optimistic that we can break into the two zones in 2019. We have some big men from the zone in our party now. That leaves us with an option to work hard and achieve our desire in the two zones,” said an APC chieftain in the South-East.

The young man, Isaiah Otong, whose wife ran away two weeks after their marriage, is now calling on the woman’s family to return the money he spent.

The Obot Akara Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State indigene had, in December, 2016, narrated how he spent N950,000 on his traditional marriage to a 47-year-old woman, Idongesit John Udoma, only for her to dump him 15 days later for another man, with the connivance of her family.

Otong had sent a warning to men to beware of Udoma and her family who were using her to extort money from men in the name of marriage.

Early this year, Otong had also posted on his intending marriage to another woman which is supposed to take place in Oron Local Government Area of the state, but now, he is leaving no stone unturned in his bid to get his money back from the Udoma’s family.

Read the breakdown of what Otong claimed he spent on the marriage to Udoma:
"I am doing all this because I don't want anyone to fall into this old lady’s love charm again or fall into Cletus Udoma 419 business again.

Run away from Idongest John Udoma, from Ikot Anyiefon family in Ikot Okim village in Obot Akara Local Government Area. I want to show you guys the marriage list here; read it carefully and know why I cannot let this money go.

ITEMS FOR THE FATHER:
1. Ten yards of lace. 2. Six white pieces of singlet. 3. Six pieces of white pants. 4. One hat and one piece of English wax.

5. A pair of shoe and sock. 6. Walking stick. 7. Wrist watch and towel. 8. One bottle of three in one Remy Martins. 9. Two cartons of Eva wine.

10. Two cartons of fruit juice. 11. Twenty-five crates of minerals. 12. Ten crates of Guinness Stout. 13. Twenty cartons of Star beer. 14. Twenty cartons of Gulder beer. 15. Two cartons of Don Simon wine.

16. Two cartons of 5 alive. 17. Ten jars of palm wine. 18. Two big goats. 19. Six hens. 20. Money for food items (N300,000). 21. Live band (N150, 000). 22. Dowry for the father (N500, 000). 23. Five liters of local gin (Kai-Kai). That is only for the father, Cletus Udoma.

ITEMS FOR THE MOTHER:
1. A piece of wrapper, blouse. 2. A pair of shoes. 3. Wrist watch, head tie, handbag, and umbrella. 4. Ofong ndom with stock fish. 5. Four bags of salt. 6. Two big basins each containing crayfish, pepper, 1 tin of palm oil.

7. One big bottle of Yogi wine. 8. Five cartons of Guinness malt. 9. Five crates of mineral. 10. One standing box. 11. Five tubers of yam and one stock fish. 12. Two jars of palm wine. 13. Dowry for the mother (N100, 000).

THE FAMILY:
1. One big bottle of Yogi wine. 2. Three bottles of Eva wine. 3. Three cartons of Star beer. 4. Three cartons of Gulder beer. 5. Five crates of mineral. 6. Kola nut 7. One head of tobacco, grinding snuff and limestone. 8. Family dowry (N20, 000).

THE WOMEN:
1. One bottle of Eva wine. 2. One crate of mineral. 3. One bag of salt. 4. Money for the women, (N5, 000).

THE YOUTHS:
1. One carton of Star beer. 2. One crate of mineral. 3. One bottle of Seaman Schnapps. 4. One FIFA approved football with a pump. 5. One roll of Benson cigarette. 6. Fee (N3,000).

Call Cletus Udoma on this phone number, 08038153154. If this is not true or was not paid by me. The marriage took place on 13 October 2016 and the lady ran away on 28 October 2016. How do you call this kind of marriage if not 419 business?

If you are in my shoes, tell me what next you can do? I am running out of patience. Who will judge us, God or Satan?"

Most of Otong’s friends on Facebook have confirmed that he actually paid everything demanded by Udoma’s family and have urged him to follow every step legally to retrieve his money.

Ovie Okpare and Friday Amobi

A new militant group , the Niger Delta Warriors, has issued a 14-day ultimatum to President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal.

The militant group also called for the removal of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu.

It warned that if the Federal Government failed to sack the duo within the 14 days, youths in the Niger Delta would embark on mass protests in major cities of the country , including Abuja.

In a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Saturday, the spokesperson for the group , General Hart Bradford, said its position was in the light of the fight against corruption by the Federal Government.

Bradford said , “ We are giving the President 14 days ultimatum to sack the SGF and the EFCC chairman , otherwise we shall have no option than to carry out mass protest in Abuja and other cities across the country until the SGF and EFCC chairman leave office . ”

Bradford also warned the FG to stop denigrating the family of former President Goodluck Jonathan, noting that the probe of Mrs. Jonathan was a direct attack on the entire family.

He cautioned the FG not to be selective in the ongoing fight against corruption, adding that several corrupt personalities were in the President ’ s cabinet .

He also called for the reinstatement of the sacked six policemen , who were aides to Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.

“ We are in support of the President ’ s anti - corruption campaign , but the campaign should be carried out without sentiment or witch- hunt against a particular set of people or party, ’’ he added.

Meanwhile , family members of a suspected militant leader, Mr . Felix Miyenminiye , arrested by operatives of the Nigerian Navy have appealed to the Federal Government to release him , adding that he was unlawfully detained.

Felix hails from Ogbudugbudu community , Egbema Kingdom of the Warri- South Local Government Area of Delta State.

He was arrested by men of the Nigerian Navy on August 6, 2016 along Shell Road, Sapele area of the state, for attacks on oil facilities in the region.

The Nigerian Navy also accused him of being a leader of one dreaded militant groups in the region: the Niger Delta Avengers.

In a statement on Saturday by the head of the family, Mr . Morrison Miyenminiye, it explained that the suspect was an ex -Niger Delta agitator who accepted the Presidential Amnesty Programme in 2009 and had since been living a peaceful , private life.

The statement read in part, “ The naval officers who arrested him conducted a search immediately in and around his house and found nothing relating to the said frivolous allegation .

“ Upon arrest, Miyenminiye was initially taken to Naval Base , Warri, and later transferred to Abuja where he has since been in the custody of the Nigerian Navy.

All efforts by the family to reach out to the authorities of the Nigerian Navy to release him has not , in any way, yielded positive result . We therefore appeal to the Delta State Government and the Nigerian Navy authorities to effect the release of Miyenminiye. ’’

lalasticlala

By Lucky Nwanekwu

A pregnant woman,Eniola Kareem, her husband Paul Kareem and another suspect, Ayoola sodiq (21) have been arrested by the Lagos State Police Command for alleged kidnap of one Idris Saheed.

The 21-year-old pregnant woman and her husband aged 23 according to the police, were arrested last week after the kidnap and payment of N100,000 ransom into her husband’s account by the parents of the 23-year-old victim.

According to the woman who claimed to be the mastermind of the kidnap, “ Idris has been making advances at me and I thought I could milk him without having anything to do with him.

“One day, during a telephone conversation with him, he informed me that he was coming to Mowe and would like to see me since I lived there. I obliged him.

Thereafter, I muted the idea of kidnapping him because I know how rich his parents are. I told my husband about how we would kidnap him and tie him with a rope . I told him that when he comes to the house, I will do anything he wants . I planned the kidnap with my husband and his friend Sodiq and we demanded N100,000 from his parents before we released him.”

On his part, Mr.Paul said: “I planned it with my wife who I met in a club where I dance and we started dating . The person we kidnapped told my wife that he was coming to the house, thinking she was still single and that was what prompted the kidnap. We did not harm him or use any ammunition, it was a docile operation.

The boy is gentle and cooperated with us . My wife told me that the boy is from a very wealthy home and that his father is a multi-millionaire but we only requested for N100,000 and we were paid three days later.. We are not real kidnappers and we have not done this before .

Immediately he entered the house to see my wife, we pounced on him and tied him to a chair and demanded that he should call his parents and tell them that he had been kidnapped and needed a sum of N100,000 to be released.”

Speaking, the third suspect, Ayooala sodiq, said ‘’Paul is my friend .I met him at a club at Mowe Ibafo where he was a dancer.

There he introduced me to this business and told me how he was planning to kidnap the victim. He called me and told me about his plan of kidnapping a young boy with his wife .

She called the boy and when he came to the house, they pounced on him and told him to sit on the floor . After that , they called his parents and informed them of the kidnap demanding that they pay N100,000 to her husbands account . After the kidnap , I was given N30,000 while Paul took N40,000 and gave the left over which is N30,000 to his wife.

The police tracked me and arrested me after they already arrested Paul and his pregnant wife and since then , I’ ve been in police custody.

The suspects according to the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Dolapo Badmos would be charged to court.

A thirty-four-year old man, Kingsley Agbini, has developed stroke after he allegedly raped his wife’s niece, simply identified as Comfort in his house at Agbarho Community in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, DAILY POST is reporting.

Agbini who is still recuperating from his stroke has admitted to committing the offence, stating that he developed stroke after his escapades with Comfort on 12 December, 2016 was brought to the knowledge of his wife.

Agbini said, “It was a strong temptation that made me rape my wife’s sister. ”

Agbini whose wife, Grace has packed out of his house with his ten-month-old daughter as a result of the ugly incident is pleading for her return for settlement saying,” It was a temptation. I don’t understand.”

It was gathered that Kingsley Agbini had consistently raped the fifteen year old girl without the knowledge of his wife, Grace, a petty trader.

Trouble started for Kingsley Agbini after he last raped the girl on the 12th of December, 2016.

Pained by the ugly incident, Comfort informed some elderly people who later disclosed the development to her aunt, Grace at their No. 4 Andrew Obire Compound in Agbarho.

The incident made Grace who is now staying with a friend in Effurun to pack out of her hubby’s house.

She also demanded that the husband allow her pack her belongings but Kingsley insisted and allegedly threatened to kill her.

Grace, 28 years old reported the matter at Police Station in Agbarho today for fear of not being killed.

Grace who now has a ten months old baby, Michelle for her husband after their two year-old-marriage told the police that she delayed as a result of threats from Kingsley.

According to her,” Divorce is the best option for me now. How can I continue to stay with a man who cannot take care of my family. A man who threatens to even rape my mother if he has the opportunity. Let him give me my property and let me go. How can he rape my niece? She queried.

The Divisional Police Officer of Agbarho Police Station, CSP Onwumere blamed Grace and her niece Comfort for their delay in reporting the matter to the police just as he condemned the acts by Kingsley Agbini.

He also ordered for investigation into the matter, while a note has been issued for a medical tests to be conducted on the victim.

As at the time of filing this report, Kingsley Agbini is still cooling off his heels at the police station awaiting the outcome of the medical report on Comfort.

It is known as ‘Mercedes Church or Uka Achi’ in Abagana, Anambra State.

The church, which was founded by the late Jeremiah Achi, who passed on two years ago, had the culture of swapping spouses for the church members in the name of getting them hooked to their God-given partner and wrapping it up with a Mercedes Benz car.

Investigations carried out by New Telegraph revealed that the criteria for getting a brand new Mercedes Benz car is when a male member of the church is picked for the husband swap.

Though the swap is neither compulsory nor forced on members, it is said that it comes in form of vision by the general overseer, who died two years ago. Through a vision, a dedicated male member of the church may be seen not to be marrying his God-given wife, hence, another wife is picked for the man from the church to marry as the real life partner whether both are married with children or not.

The practice, it was gathered, had been going on for years with men leaving their already established homes to remarry other women with children. But the spicy meal laced with a Mercedes Benz car gift became sour when a man in the church was asked to leave his wife, who a vision revealed was not his nature-ordained wife, to marry another woman with four children while the woman’s husband was swapped to marry the man’s wife.

The said man got to his new home only to face rejection from the grown up children of the woman who were already in secondary school. On arrival, he got a very numb reception and in the following weeks, the children refused to either greet him or call him daddy, despite their mother’s explanations and admonitions; even neighbours began to ask the children about their father’s whereabouts and who the man they see with their mother was.

After a while of enduring the pain of rejection and with all the new wife’s vain effort to get them to accept the man as their father, the man got fed up and decided it was time to leave and return to his family.

He left the new family and returned to his home and told the man living with his wife to leave his home, but the man refused.
So, he was forced to go back to his pastor, who pacified him and told him that he will resolve the matter.

But the man, who was apparently livid, already had his mind made up on returning back to his home and stormed out of the church in anger. That was the way the man left the church and chased away the man living in his home to return to his own wife.

Not long after the scenario, the general overseer of the church passed away. After his demise and burial, the church continued with its doctrine for a while before shifting base to another location close to the old one led by one of the assistant pastors.

According to a choir member of the church, who at first meeting didn’t want to talk to New Telegraph, the story of Mercedes and wife swap were all lies.

She said that the late general overseer was only doing certain things to help the members. She alluded to the fact that the help included the gift of a car and a wife. “The car is given to help the couple start their life,” she said.

She denied that the church does wife swap, but sometimes “The late general overseer may see someone in a vision and tell the person that the woman he is married to is not his God-ordained wife. “I don’t think there is anything wrong with obeying an instruction from a man of God because God speaks through him,” she said.

After several weeks of tracking the new pastor for an interview failed, the reporter took to adorning a head to toe white regalia in order to enter the church and that way, the pastor, Mr. Emmanuel Ikealor, who severally said he does not speak to journalists, opened up and simply said: “Yes, our daddy used to give a Mercedes Benz car to members of the church who are poor and when he sees in a vision that you are not married to your heaven ordained life partner, he will unite you with your true partner and do the same with the person swapped. Those that did it then have no regrets till today.

“I don’t know why people derive joy in saying what they know nothing about. These things are very spiritual. Even though, I was not married then, it was daddy that picked my wife for me and I am at peace with her.

“A spiritual man sees beyond the physical. That is what people do not understand.” On how the money for the car gifts was sourced, he said: “I cannot answer that.” It was, however, observed that the church which has white as its uniform for services, holds service three times a week while Sunday services last from 8a.m. to 5p.m.
It was also observed that most members who have cars drive Mercedes Benz.

According to an elderly man, Chief Kanayo Nwafor, whose house is close to the church, the “Uka Achi/Mercedes church” has been in existence in Abagana for as long as over six years, but was not popular until the man who founded the church started giving out cars. Nwafor said that the man, before he died, used to be a native doctor for a long time before he claimed he had become a born again and opened a church.

“People then started calling it uka Mercedes (Mercedes church) because they gave out Mercedes cars to the people they swap for marriage. “I don’t have the right to judge anybody.

Only God has the right. But I wonder how somebody will ask me to leave the wife I have married to go and marry someone else’s wife even if she already has grown up children.

It’s absurd.” Investigations showed that the husband/wife swap is still being practised in the new church in line with the principles of the late founder and for the pastor; there is nothing wrong with it.

He asked: “If you are married to a queen of the coast, who has only come into your life to torment you and a man of God has his eyes opened to save you from that decay, would you decline?” Efforts to speak to a member of the church whose wife was swapped failed as he declined to answer the questions put to him.

Olusola Fabiyi, Abuja

The National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party has asked the Deputy Senate President , Ike Ekweremadu , to call the bluff of the All Progressives Congress senators who asked him to defect to their party in order to retain his seat.

The APC senators , who are in the majority in the Senate , had asked Ekweremadu to defect from the PDP to the ruling party so that he could continue to have their support.

The majority senators said this after they had seamlessly removed the Senate Majority Leader , Ali Ndume , and replaced him with Ahmed Lawan.

However , the PDP asked Ekweremadu , who is the highest political office - holder from the opposition party, not to dance to the tune of the APC senators.

The PDP assured Ekweremadu that nothing would happen to him.

The spokesperson for the Senator Ahmed Makarfi -led Caretaker Committee of the PDP , Prince Dayo Adeyeye , said this in a statement in Abuja on Thursday.

Adeyeye said it was wrong for Senator Kabiru Marafa of the APC to have called on Ekweremadu on the floor of the Senate on Wednesday to defect from the PDP to the ruling APC.

Adeyeye said the call on Ekweremadu was unconstitutional and undemocratic.

He said , “ Our attention has been drawn to a statement credited to Senator Kabiru Marafa on the floor of the Nigerian Senate on Wednesday , January 11, 2017, in which he advised Senator Ike Ekweremadu to defect to the APC in order to remain as the Deputy Senate President.

“ This call is unconstitutional , undemocratic and, to say the least , unbecoming of Senator Marafa . ”

While calling on Ekweremadu to defect, Marafa had said , “ I am using this medium to call on Ekweremadu to simply defect . Section 68( G) of the 1999 Constitution captures this . ”

Adeyeye , however , said there was no section of the constitution that stipulated that one must belong to the ruling party to hold an elective office in either the Senate or the House of Representatives.

The former Minister of Works said , “ There is no section or clause of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 ( as amended ) that provides that one must be a member of the ruling party before he/she can be elected into any position in the Senate or the House of Representatives .

“ Equally, it is very distasteful and uncharitable for any senator to stand on the floor of the hallowed chamber and ask his colleague to violate the constitution by cross - carpeting from his own party to join the ruling party.

“ Note that it is the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and not the Senate of the APC . ”

Adeyeye insisted that Senator Marafa was wrong in using the crisis in the PDP as an excuse to call on Ekweremadu to defect .
The PDP is currently divided into two factions.

While Makarfi is leading a group , a former governor of Borno State , Ali Modu Sheriff , is leading the other faction


But Adeyeye maintained that the PDP was not factionalised.

He said , “ It is indeed laughable for Senator Marafa to cite the internal issues in the PDP as a reason for Senator Ekweremadu to defect .

“ For the umpteenth time , let us reiterate that there is no faction in the PDP.

“ A party is only factionalised when its organs are in disarray but this is different from what we have in the PDP where all the organs are intact behind the National Caretaker Committee under the chairmanship of Makarfi.

“ A mere rebellion by a small interest group within the party cannot be referred to as factionalisation of the party. ”

In view of this , he said any member of the PDP who used the current leadership disagreement caused by “ the rebellious group led by the former Borno State governor , Senator Sheriff to defect is doing so at his or her peril . ”

“ Senator Marafa or any other member of the APC has no power to make such demands on a member of the PDP, ” he added.

He reminded Marafa that Ekweremadu was elected as Deputy Senate President by majority votes from both the PDP and the APC senators.

“ Any attempt to remove Senator Ekweramadu for being a member of the opposition party and not because of a constitutional breach or incompetence is a call for anarchy , ” he added .

Adeyeye also said the current situation in the Senate where the Senate President and the Deputy Senate President were from different parties should not continue to appear strange to Marafa and his likes in a democratic system.

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The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on Thursday requested that the minister of petroleum resources be empowered to set royalties for oil companies.

This was disclosed alongside some key amendments to the Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contract (PSC) Act aimed at to enabling the federal government in optimising the collection of royalties and other revenue in deep water oil production activities.

Bello Rabiu, NNPC chief operating officer, Upstream, told the joint house of representatives committees on the amendment of the PSC Act and an Act to establish the National Oil and Gas Museum and Research Centre in Oloibiri, that the move was imperative to effect increment in royalties and increase government revenue.

“It is our opinion that the proposal to increase the royalty rate for terrains beyond 1000 metres, from zero per cent to three per cent, is commendable but it is necessary to also make corresponding adjustments in other categories,’’ Rabiu said.

According to a statement by Ndu Ughamadu, the NNPC spokesperson, the proposed PSC royalty regime would ensure the government revenue will be based on production and price to guarantee fairness and balance between PSC contractors and government.

For royalty based on production within a tranche of 50,000 barrels of crude per day (bpd), the NNPC is proposing a royalty tranche rate of eight percent.

Under a production tranche of 50,000 to 100,000bpd, the royalty tranche rate would increase to 15.5 percent and would escalate to 28 percent once the production surpasses the 100,000 bpd mark.

To calculate royalty based on price, NNPC proposed that under a $50 per barrel price regime, the tranche incremental royalty rate shall be zero per cent but the rate would increase to 0.30 per cent if the price hovers between the $50 to $100 mark.

In the same vain, a price regime of $100-$130 would attract royalty of 0.20 per cent while an increase of price between $130 -$170 translate to royalty rate of 0.10 per cent.

A price regime of $170 and above would attract zero percent royalty payment.

The NNPC argued that in the alternative, the graduated royalty scale as provided in the Act should be removed, while the minister of petroleum resources should be empowered to intermittently set royalties payable for acreages located in deep offshore and inland basin PSC through regulations based on established economic parameters.

On the provision of investment tax credit, investment tax allowance and associated cost uplift and capital allowances to PSC contractors, the NNPC proposed an outright scrapping of the incentives.

“It is our opinion that these incentives have outlived their usefulness and are now impediments to the Federal Government’s revenue collection efforts. The use of such incentives can be terminated by an amendment of section 4 of the Act,” the corporation said.

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CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

In what seems to be the height of deceit, Jonathan Emmanuel and his wife, Gloria have landed in prison for fighting publicly in a popular hotel after Gloria discovered her husband lodged his lover in the same hotel in Lagos.

They were arrested and charged before a Lagos court from where they were remanded in prison custody for their conduct.

The embattled couple had lodged in the popular hotel located at Otitokoro street in Ikotun area for a romp.

Before they moved into the hotel, P.M.EXPRESS learnt Jonathan had brought her lover and lodged her in another room in the same hotel for the same sex romp.

While they were in the hotel, Jonathan was shuttling between the two rooms which made Gloria to be suspicious of his movement and decided to find out.

To her surprises, Gloria discovered that it was her rival that Jonathan lodged in another room. She did not waste time and started fighting Jonathan and damaged any visible item found in the hotel.

Before the management would prevent her, she had already done a massive damage and the matter was reported to the police at Ikotun division.

Jonathan who hails from Delta State reportedly married Gloria few year ago and the relationship had only produced male child before this incident.

At the station, the police discovered that it was Jonathan that caused the fight by involving himself with another woman at the same time in the hotel.

Both Jonathan and Gloria were charged before Magistrate’s court sitting in Ejigbo with conspiracy and felony under the Criminal code.

They pleaded not guilty.

The presiding Magistrate, Mr Akeem Fashola granted them bail in the sum of N50,000 with two sureties in like sum.

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

The matter was adjourned till 1 February 2017.

The federal and 36 state governments will spend half of their N13.5 trillion total budgets for the year on salaries and overheads, Daily Trust investigation have shown.

Analysis of the 2017 budget documents shows that the central and 33 state governments would spend N5.9 trillion (41 percent) of their total budgets on salaries.

The central government’s budget for the year is N7.29 trillion; of which the recurrent expenditure will gulp N2.98 trillion. Other components of the federal government budget are statutory transfers (N414 billion) and debt servicing (N1.66 trillion).

The 33 states have a combined budget of N6.22 trillion and they are spending N2.60 trillion (42 percent) on workers emoluments. There are no budget figures from Adamawa, Ondo and Kebbi states.

The swollen recurrent expenditures keep coming despite the economic recession triggered by the dwindling oil revenues and low votes for development projects.

At Nigeria’s official exchange rate of 304 to a US dollar, the federal and state governments will spend $42.9 billion this year. The 33 states are spending $19.7 billion while the federal government is spending $23 billion.

Capital spending by the central and the state governments this year is N5.77 trillion (43 percent) - N2.24 trillion for the federal and N3.53 trillion for the states.

Further analysis of the budget estimates of the two tiers of government show an increase of N1.3 trillion from last year’s N12.2 trillion.

The total recurrent expenditures of the federal and state governments also rose by over N200 billion, from N5.3 trillion last year to N5.5 trillion this year.

Also, capital projects by the two tiers soared by over half a trillion naira. It rose from N5.04 trillion in 2016 to N5.77 trillion this year.

The 17 northern states have a total budget of N2.38 trillion, witnessing a reduction of over N100 billion from last year’s N2.5 trillion. Of this, N1.37 trillion was for capital and N928 billion for recurrent, compared to last year’s N1.4 trillion and N1.1 trillion respectively.

The total budget of the 16 southern states is N3.83 trillion against previous year’s N3.5 trillion. Of this, N2.15 trillion is capital and N1.67 trillion recurrent against N1.9 trillion and N1.5 trillion in 2016.

Small spenders

The seven states with the lowest approved budgets are Nasarawa (N67 billion), Yobe (N69 billion), Gombe (N86 billion), Ekiti (N94 billion), Abia (N103 billion), Enugu (N105 billion), Niger (N108 billion), and Taraba (N110 billion).

Big spenders

Lagos, with N813 billion, is leading the league of states with huge budgetary allocations. Other big spenders are Rivers (N470 billion), Akwa Ibom (N365 billion), Cross River (N301billion), Delta (N271 billion), Bayelsa and Ogun (N221 billion each), Kaduna (N215 billion), Kano (N210 billion) and Oyo (N207 billion).

Geopolitical analysis

On geopolitical basis, the seven states of the northwest zone (minus Kebbi) have a total budget of N1.01 trillion slightly lower than previous year’s N1.12 trillion. The budget has capital and recurrent components of N635.2 billion and N376.5 billion when compared with last year’s N698 billion and N479 billion irrespectively.

The total budget for the northeast zone is N593.1 billion, about N80 billion lower than 2016’s N676 billion, with capital expenditure consuming N298 billion against last year’s N347 billion; leaving N209.8 billion for recurrent, which is lower than N326 billion for the previous year.

The north central zone’s approved budget for the year is N781.5 billion, a rise of about N100 billion from last year’s N684 billion. N439 billion is for capital and N342.4 billion for recurrent spending, unlike N385 billion and N343 billion in the previous year.

The southwest zone’s budget for the year is N1.47 trillion, slightly higher than last year’s N1.36 trillion, with capital spending consuming N805.7 billion, leaving N668 for recurrent component. The zone has a recurrent vote of N695 billion and N671 billion capital, last year.

The south-south region has a total budget of N1.77 trillion against N1.6 trillion last year, comprising N1.03 trillion capital and N750.6 billion recurrent expenditure. The oil-rich region spent N949 billion on capital projects and N579 billion on recurrent in 2016.

The southeast’s total budget this year is N581.2 billion, about N90 billion increase from previous year’s N490 billion. It is made up of N324 billion capital and N257.3 billion recurrent votes; which is slightly higher than last year’s N242 billion and N248 billion respectively.

Huge recurrent expenses

The seven states with swollen recurrent expenses are Plateau, where Governor Samuel Lalong budgeted N68.5 billion for recurrent, leaving N64.3 billion for capital.

Osun State Governor Abdulrauf Aregbesola budgeted N138.2, allocating N75.8 billion for recurrent and N62.4 billion for capital votes.

Another state in this league is Nasarawa, where Governor Tanko Al-Makura, budgeted N67 billion, out of which N37 billion is for recurrent and N30 billion for capital expenditure.

In Yobe, Governor Ibrahim Gaidam budgeted N69 billion for the year, setting aside N42 billion for recurrent spending and N27 billion for capital projects. Governor Ayodele Fayose’s Ekiti State also has a higher recurrent vote, standing at N55.6 billion out of N94 billion, leaving N38.4 billion for capital expenditure.

Abia State votes N103 billion, setting aside N57.4 billion for recurrent and N45.1 billion for capital spending.

Among the oil-rich states, only Bayelsa and Delta’s recurrent budgets exceeded their capital votes. Of the N271 billion Delta expenditure, N152 billion is for recurrent and N119 billion for capital expenses.

Bayelsa State Governor Henry Seriake Dickson budgeted N221 billion for the year. Recurrent vote will consume N137 billion, leaving N84.3 billion for capital spending.

A former Senate Majority Leader, Sen. Ali Ndume, has said the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, may be the next to lose his leadership position in the Senate.

Ndume, who was sacked by the All Progressives Congress caucus in the Senate on Tuesday, made the claim during plenary on Wednesday while decrying the way he was removed.

He said, “ If today, just like that, without telling somebody and he goes out ( is removed ) … If it is Ndume today and he goes out, it may be, God forbid, Ekweremadu tomorrow,” he said.

Although Ndume accepted the decision of the APC lawmakers to remove him as Senate majority leader and thanked them for the opportunity giving to him , he insisted that he wasn't given a fair hearing by the lawmakers .

He said this was more so because he had attempted to resign from the position for the sake of unity among the lawmakers thrice before his removal.

Ndume, along with Ekweremadu, who is of the Peoples Democratic Party, and Senate President Bukola Saraki had emerged as leaders of the Senate contrary to the wish of the All Progressives Congress.

His claim hints at an attempt to remove all of them. This is more so as he was replaced by Sen. Ahmed Lawal, who had been the party’ s preferred candidate for Senate President.

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The Nigerian Army has either appointed or redeployed no fewer than 14 officers to different military units across the country.

The exercise, approved by the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, on January 9, 2017, affected six major generals, five brigadier generals, two captains and one major, documents exclusively obtained by this newspaper showed.

It came a month after Mr. Buratai promoted 227 Army personnel , including a son of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Adeboye, who was made a colonel.

The first in the list of redeployed officials is M.H. Garba, a Major General, who was moved from Army Headquarters’ Department of Military Secretary to the Army Corps of Artillery.

Mr. Garba, whose redeployment takes effect from January 16, 2016, also received the Chief of Army Staff Commendation Award, the memo showed.

Next on the list is K.I. Abdulkarim, also a Major General, who was transferred from Nigerian Army 6 Division Headquarters to the Defence Headquarters with effect from January 12, 2017.

Major Generals O.U. Obono was moved from Nigerian Army Corps of Artillery Headquarters to the Defence Headquarters from January 12, 2017; and E.O. Udoh, from Defence Headquarters to the Nigerian Army 6 Division Headquarters from January 12, 2017.

Major General I.O. Rabio was moved from Nigerian Army School of Signals to Army Headquarters Department of Military Secretary from January 16, 2017.

Finally, Major General E.G. Whyte has been redeployed from Defence Headquarters to Nigerian Army School of Signals as the new commandant beginning January 12, 2017.

For the rank of brigadier general, the following officials were affected in the latest posting exercise.

I.A. Adegboye was transferred from Defence Headquarters to 82 Division Garrison as commandant with effect from January 12, 2017.

The appointment of S.O. Olabanji as the commandant of Nigerian Army Amphibious Training School will take effect from January 12, 2017. He was transferred from Nigerian Army 3 Brigade Headquarters.

O.T. Akinjobi was moved from 82 Division Garrison to 3 Brigade Headquarters as the new commandant with effect from January 12, 2017.

A. E. Attu was redeployed from the National Defence College to 9 Brigade as the new commandant with effect from January 12, 2017.

S. Mohammed has been transferred from 9 Brigade to Defence Headquarters as the Deputy Director of Land System from January 12, 2017.

From January 12, 2017, Captain A.M. Dankabo will remain in the Chief of Army Staff’s office as L.O.; while Captain I.N. Garba will move from the Chief of Army Staff’s office to the Nigerian Defence Academy as an instructor, also from January 12, 2017.

Effective January 7, 2017, Major H.I. Mbe was appointed as the ADC to the Chief of Army Staff.

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James Emejo in Abuja

The federal government has authorised an independent financial audit of the 35 state governments which accessed its N510 billion Budget Support Facility (BSF) in June last year.

Already, eight reputable accounting firms including KPMG, Ernst and Young and PWC, had been appointed to undertake an independent review of states’ financial management positions.

Importantly, the auditors are required to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the 22-point Fiscal Sustainability Plan (FSP) which was the precondition for accessing the intervention by the benefiting states.

Though the Federal Ministry of Finance had been monitoring compliance to the agreement since June 2016, the independent monitoring and verification of the states involved in the bailout programme will now be undertaken by the selected accounting firms.

The BSF is a 12-month standby loan facility designed to bring immediate financial relief to state governments and enable them meet their financial obligations with a monthly amount of N50 billion in the first three months and N40 billion available for the remaining nine months to beneficiaries.

On the other hand, FSP is a 22-point reform programme which the states had pledged to observe as precondition for accessing the loans mandated for marked increases internally generated revenues, introduction of biometric payroll, publication of audited annual financial statements, and reduction of wastages by establishing efficiency units among other things.

The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, had, while announcing the appointment of the accounting and audit firms, charged them to “vigorously monitor, evaluate and verify the performance of the states against the agreed milestones set by each state government under the FSP.”

State governments that fail to implement the action plans, as stated, would be taken off the facility with immediate effect.

The FSP was introduced for Sub-national governments in 2016 with the view to enhancing fiscal prudence and transparency in public expenditure.

The plan is part of the nationwide Public Financial Management Reform which is being implemented by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari through the Federal Ministry of Finance.

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Suspected cultists in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue have gang raped a 15-year-old girl, the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports.

Sources told NAN that the teenager was abducted on January 5, by the cultists.

The report said that the victim, who went into coma after the rape, is being treated at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, BSUTH, Makurdi.

The victim’s father, Terlanga Ugba, told journalists at the hospital in Makurdi on Monday that his daughter left home at about 11 a.m. on January 5 to buy some tailoring materials for her sewing work but never returned.

Mr. Ugba said that they searched for her in the hospitals, churches and friends’ houses but did not find her until the following day when he lodged a formal complaint with the Katsina-Ala Police Station.

He stated that he followed up the development with a special prayer session for her recovery.

He narrated that a church member later called to inform him that she saw his daughter with a suspected notorious cultist (name withheld).

Mr. Ugba said he organised another search party on receiving the phone to comb all the criminal hideouts in Katsina-Ala until they found the girl being dragged out from one of the hideouts by the river bank to cover tracks of the crime.

He said the search party arrested the suspect with the help of some Okada riders and took him and the girl to the police station.

According to him, he was later asked by the police to take the girl to the hospital for medical attention while they detained the suspect.

He said that he rushed his daughter to Nguher Clinic, Katsina-Ala, in a semi-conscious state where she narrated her ordeal to him and the doctor on call.

However, Mr. Ugba said that the vigilante group in the area arrested one of the suspects (name withheld) and handed him over to the police.

According to the victim, she was abducted by a group of boys as soon as she stepped into their street on the fateful day.

She said that she was blindfolded and taken to an unknown place where they gave her four injections.

She told her father and the doctor that she was not given water or any food for the two days they kept her there, adding that they forced her to smoke weeds while they took turns to rape her.

She added that the suspects, three in number, told her that she was always snubbing them whenever they needed her attention with a threat to deal with her.

Austin Oko referred the victim to BSUTH upon a medical assessment which revealed sexual assault on the girl, no bleeding seen while traces of hard substance was found in her blood.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Bashir Makama, confirmed the report, saying that he had ordered the DPO in Katsina-Ala to transfer the case to the state CID for further investigation.

Mr. Makama assured the public of police action, explaining that rape was a capital offence and no police officer could play with it.

He said investigation was on top gear to arrest the fleeing suspects.
(NAN)

By NGOZI UWUJARE

Twenty-two-year-old Dominic Ogbaji, an indigene of Cross River State, is now gnashing his teeth in bitter regret at the headquarters of the Homicide Department of the Federal Capital Territoty (FCT) Police Command, Abuja, where he is being held in custody.

Dominic, an indigene of Cross River State, is alleged to have killed his elder brother, 32-year-old John Ogbaji, while he was asleep, for not giving him pocket money. The gruesome incident happened on November 2, 2016, at Ajegunle in Mpape village, FCT Abuja.

Dominic came from the village to live with his late elder brother in Abuja, while searching a better source of income. Prior to relocating to Abuja, Dominic had been a barber but was not earning much and earnestly wanted a change. So John invited him to Abuja. Not long after he came to Abuja, he began to pester the brother to get him a job. The situation came to a head on the night of November 2, after the two siblings had eaten their dinner.

Recalling the chain of events that led to the death of the deceased, Dominic told Sunday Sun reporter: “I came from my village to stay with my sister but she referred me to my elder brother. When I got to his place, I told him I needed a job, but he couldn’t get me a job in Abuja. Rather, I was just staying with him. He was giving me food but not pocket money. Life was so difficult for me, I left my village thinking I would get a job in Abuja. Then, on the night of November 2, he gave me N60 to buy bread for us to eat and water. Later I told him I wanted to go back to the village and would need about N4000.

We ate the bread and later watched television together.

In the middle of the night while he was sleeping, I took a cutlass from under the bed and cut his throat. After killing him, I took N10,000 from his pocket and his phone and ran home, to Cross River.”

As Sunday Sun learnt from the Commissioner of Police, FCT Police Command, Mohammed Mustapha, the murder was discovered by a lady in the compound who wanted to charge her phone in the deceased room, who saw the corpse and raised alarm that attracted the neighbours, who reported the matter to the police.

The police then informed relations of the deceased and also launched a manhunt for Dominic, as suspicion of his involvement in the death of his elder grew. Meanwhile, the mother of the two brothers had heard that her younger son had killed the elder brother.

Dominic, unknown to him that news of his heinous act had reached his mother, got to the village and was received by the mother.

Thereafter, she immediately got him bound and transferred to the police, from where he was returned to Abuja, for interrogation.

In the course of the intense questioning, he cracked and spilled the beans on how and why he killed his elder.

“I regret killing my brother because I was hungry and needed pocket money, so the devil pushed me to the evil thing I did,” Dominic said.

Mustapha assured that Dominic would be charged to court soon, to stand trial for alleged murder.

Olusola Fabiyi and Ade Adesomoju

The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court , Justice Ibrahim Auta, has redeployed 11 judges in different divisions of the court.

Two prominent judges of the court, Justice Mohammed Liman of Port Harcourt Division and Justice Okon Abang of the Abuja Division , are affected by the posting.

The Chief Judge, in a circular dated December 21, 2016 and addressed to “ All Judges of Federal High Court , ” redeployed Justice Liman from Port Harcourt to Enugu Division, and Justice Abang redeployed from Abuja to Asaba Division, Delta State.

The circular obtained from a lawyer close to the Chief Judge ’ s office directed the affected judges to resume at their new stations by January 30.

The Chief Judge gave “ the recent developments in the court ” as the reason for the posting.

Details of the said “ recent developments ” were not stated in the circular.

According to the circular , the posting would not affect the criminal cases the affected judges are currently handling.

It read in part, “ In view of the fact some divisions are currently short of judges following the recent developments in the court , it has become necessary to take urgent steps to fill in existing vacancies.

“ Affected judges are expected to resume in their new divisions by January 30, 2017.

“The judges shall continue with the hearing of criminal cases currently before them, as well as at least two witnesses have testified .”
Others affected include Justice S . Saidu ( moved from Lagos to Port Harcourt ); Justice A. O . Faji ( from Asaba to Lagos ); Justice R . M . Aikawa ( from Sokoto to Lagos ); Justice B . O . Quadri ( from Port Harcourt to Abuja ); and Justice Mallong Hoommuk ( from Port Harcourt to Lafia).

Others are , Justice K . K . Dagat ( from Lagos to Kano); Justice Saleh Idrissa ( Kano to Sokoto ); Justice H. I . O . Oshomah ( from Lafia to Port Harcourt ) and Justice J . K . Omotosho) from Kano to Port Harcourt.

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The Nigerian Airforce says it has acquired two Mi-35M attack helicopter from Russia to fight terrorists and criminal gangs.

The Mi-35M is a rugged helicopter that offers round the clock combat use of guided and unguided weapons in regular and challenging climate conditions which is equipped with the latest navigation suite, target sights system, laser range finder and location finder.

“The aircraft have already been delivered awaiting official induction after which they will be launched for operations,” the Chief of Air Staff, Sadique Abubakar, said at a media briefing in Abuja on Friday.

He said the Air Force has also installed camera on a Beechcraft aircraft NAF 202 and NAF 204, and upgraded the camera on NAF 201 all in 2016.

“Furthermore, 3x EC-135 helicopters were handed over to the NAF by NNPC in March 2016. In collaboration with Aero-contractors Nigeria Ltd, 2 of the helicopters were reactivated.

“These included NAF 547 and NAF 548. Efforts are also on-going to carry out PDM/reactivation of 2x Mi-35P helicopters NAF 530 and NAF 531,” he said.

The Air force has also recently inducted four new Super Mushshak Trainer Aircraft, which were acquired from Pakistan.

Trainings
The Air Force also said it spent over N25 billion to train pilots in 2016. The pilots were trained both locally and outside Nigeria.
The Chief of Operations of the Force, Isiaka Amao, an Air Vice Marshal, who made the main presentation said the training activities of the Airforce in 2016 placed more emphasis on “pilots, engineers, technician and regiment personnel”.

“The NAF in 2016 trained 869 of its personnel overseas including 101 pilots and 357 engineers and technicians, while 4,868 were trained locally including 131 pilots and 643 engineers and technicians,” he said.

Throwing more light later, the Chief of Training and Operations, Ahmed Iya, also an Air Vice Marshal, said the Airforce spends “between $600,000 to $700,000 to train Pilots overseas while about $60,000 to $70,000 is spent to train Pilots locally”.
At official rate of N305 to the dollar, the force spent some N25. 7 billion on the pilot trainings.

The Air Chief said 14 Pilots recently graduated and joined the pool of fighter pilots within the service adding “presently more Pilots are training in Ilorin, Jordan and with the Egyptian Airforce”.

The Air force Chief also said “a total of 6,000 hrs was flown by NAF platforms translating to Jet A-1 fuel consumption of 10,525,945 liters”. He said despite this extensive employment of air power, “the casualty figures of own troops were minimal due to the professionalism displayed by NAF pilots”.
He however, failed to give the exact figure of the total casualty.

New Command
Mr. Abubakar, Air Marshal, said due to the additional responsibilities that the Air Force is facing as it supports other forces in the various operations within the country, a new command was established in Bauchi state.

He said the Fifth Command has already taken off while nine units under the Command were equally established.
He said the Service had to intervene in providing infrastructure at the newly established units.

“Some of these units are HQ SOC Bauchi, Forward Operation Base (FOB), Katsina, Quick Response Wing Daura, 201 Composite Group, Bauchi, and Quick Response Groups, Owerri and Gusau.

“Contracts for construction of Group HQ building, officers and joint airmen Mess, residential accommodation for officers and airmen as well as provision of water and electricity have been awarded for development of FOB Katsina and QR Wing Daura,” he said.

He added that the development of 201 Composite Group is at advanced completion stage with nearly all the residential accommodation blocks, apron, fire bay parade ground and other facilities as well as provision of electricity, water and access road in place.

“Additionally, a 60-bedded reference hospital has been constructed and awaiting commissioning. Contracts for the extension of apron and construction of taxiways and access road to operational area have also been awarded,” he said.

On the recent accident of one of the Helicopters given to the service by President Muhammadu Buhari, the Chief of Training and Operations said the Service is unable to give update to the Nigerian public because investigation is ongoing.
The helicopter crashed in Makurdi Benue state with no casualty.

The Air Force Chief said the Cockpit Voice recorder has been returned to the manufacturer to help the service extract the relevant data for analysis.

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