₦airaland Forum

Blackteeth:
Go through my posts and tell me where I have directly said Africans were genetically designed to be dumb. I am only asking if it is the likely situation of things.

I DON'T believe that whites are superior to the blacks. But what I believe is Africans weren't naturally made to be like the Europeans and have the same culture with them. In other words, before Africans can match the Europeans in brain contest, they have to be TRAINED to live like an European. If you send an African black baby to be raised in a 100% white European community, that African baby will grow up programmed to behave exactly like an European. And if you bring in a white baby into the Massai tribe of Kenya, that white baby will grow up to behave like a massai.

sage:
No I actually ment the guy I originally referenced
>>>Ok then. The guy doesn't seem to be complaining anyway.

The term "black" is a completely meaningless term to be honest. Australasians are connected to other Asians like Japanese people etc regardless of skin colour. genetic studies prove that. They are about the least connected to Africans of everybody on earth.
>>>The question is why is that so?
The answer actually bolsters the out-of-Africa hypothesis even more. Look at it like this: Who are the people likely to have the most distance in gene differentiation from those that remained on the African continent. That would be the group that split off first - at least among living humans. That would be who? The Australasians.

It is easy to equate black with Africa because that is the global interpretation. In essence, we (all humans) are all Africans, and the suggestion that "The Black African Gene" is somehow defective is plain crazy. Africa/Blacks have suffered, and continue to suffer, from external aggressors and internal traitors (these remains the biggest problems we currently face) - these are the things we need to get rid off, then we will blosom again.

Also with regards to North Africa, some people dont actually understand the history of that part of our continent. People need to do their research before they start speaking on what they dont know anything about. Not all Africans are dark skinned and the indigenous populations of North Africa is testament to a diverse continent.
>>>Hence, no fool should come here talking about a defective "Black African Gene"

sage:
The award for biggest not-so-smart person on Nairaland goes to Rossike for typing rubbish of the highest order.

The guy has absolutely no idea what he is talking about. I guess he must be joking or something


Let me set a few things straight here


1. There is NO such thing (and has never been any such thing) like a "black African gene" or any thing similar. It is only the worlds most silly people would even spout nonsense like that.

2. The Australasians are Asians, completely Asians. They have no connections to Africans whatsoever irrespective of their skin colour or hair. Science has proven that

3. Africa is a continent of diverse colours from time immemorial. Before somebody comes on here to talk nonsense, they should learn about the history of places like North Africa. Some people here dont know WTF they are talking about

Blackteeth:
This is Brownteeth. I was banned two days ago, so here I am with a new ID.

@Koruji. Am yet to believe that all of humanity came from Africa. And there has been no concrete proof to show that. If they are saying that it was a change in environment that made the blacks who migrated from Africa to other regions of the world to have a white skin, pointed nose, straight hair and all that, Why are the blacks in foreign lands at present not transforming to whites or Asians in their host countries? Saying that blacks transformed to whites is like saying that human beings transformed to monkeys cos the began to spend more time on top of trees. Besides who among us is an eye witness to the black to white transformation? NOBODY!! Forget those stories.


@ROSSIKE. First of all do try to make your comments as short as possible to enable an easy and quick grasp of the message you intend passing across. I think you depend so much on the history books without using your brain to question the things you read. Those things you wrote there may be true but I am still trying to let you know that the Egyptian Africans who played those roles thousands of years are not the same as the Africans we have today spread across Sub Saharan Africa. If actually they were the same, that knowledge of civilization should have been passed to the later generations. But it didn't happen cos when the Europeans visited Africa, Africans were stark illiterates. That knowledge should NEVER have escaped like that. But the fact is those things you mentioned are all history. It's time for us to focus on the present age.

I asked you to explain how the TEACHER EVENTUALLY BECAME AN ILLITERATE AND HAD TO BE MADE LITERATE BY THE STUDENT HE TAUGHT, but you brushed it aside.

Anyway, the main thing is whether Africa ushered in civilization or not, it still doesn't change the fact that Africans are presently backward and the focal question is why are they backward? I think you have been beating about the bush with your history book. This is the question you should answer straight away. Don't tell me slave trade or colonization please because Africans have had enough time to fix the damage.

Reps pass Bill to make lawmakers automatic party NEC members
Font size:   Onyedi Ojiabor 09/12/2010 00:00:00
Mark
The House of Representatives yesterday passed the controversial Bill for an Act to amend the Electoral Act 2010, despite strong public opposition.

The passage of the Bill has paved the way for lawmakers to become automatic members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of their respective political parties.

The controversial House Bill 463 is entitled: “A Bill for an Act to amend the Electoral Act, 2010 and for related Matters 2010” was jointly sponsored by Hon. C.I.D. Maduabum and Hon. Igo Aguma.

Relevant Sections of the Act amended by the House include Sections 25, 82 and 87 of the Electoral Act 2010.

Amendment of Section 25 seeks to adopt the time frame contained in the recent amendment of the Constitution passed by the National Assembly to the effect that the general elections will hold between 30 days to 150 days to the end of the tenure of the incumbent.

Amendment of Section 82 (3)(b) of the Act deletes the provision of “Independent Candidate” from the Act (S.82(3)(b).

The House said that this became necessary because the provision for independent candidate did not scale through the Houses of Assembly during the constitution amendment.

Amendment of Section 87 of the Act makes lawmakers automatic members of the National Executive Committees (NECs) of their parties.

Another salient provision in the Act is the insertion that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will monitor political party congresses.

The passage of the Bill was not listed in the order paper for the day; it was passed when most journalists had left the chamber.

What was listed in the order paper was the submission of the report of the joint Committee on Electoral Matters, Intra and Inter Party and Justice on the Bill.

“That this House do receive the report of the joint Committee on Electoral Matters, Intra and Inter Party and Justice on a Bill for an Act to amend the Electoral Act, 2010 and for related Matter 2010 (HB 463)” was actually listed in the order paper.

The implication of the passage of the Bill in the House is that if the Senate concurs and President Goodluck Jonathan assents to the Bill, all federal parliamentarians will become automatic members of the NEC of their political parties.

It was learnt last night that the Senate is likely to pass the Bill today. A conference to harmonise differences would be conducted subsequently.

Hon. Igo Aguma, one of the sponsors of the Bill, was said to have moved a motion for it to be passed.

He could not be reached for comments last night.

Those who opposed the Bill included the National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, National Chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Chief Bisi Akande, Chairman of Conference of Political Parties, and others.

Stakeholders described the Bill as self-serving, adding that it would amount to gate crashing into the NEC of parties.

But the House insisted that it has the constitutional right to regulate the conduct of political parties to deepen party politics and ensure a level playing field.

RICHIE BOI:
the gap-tooth general is really confused and desperate to come back to power at all cost.

By JON GAMBRELL
The Associated Press
Wednesday, December 8, 2010; 6:45 PM

LAGOS, Nigeria -- Nigeria's late President Umaru Yar'Adua was "in a semi-comatose state" as his oil-rich nation teetered on the edge of a constitutional crisis in February over his illness, according to a secret U.S. diplomatic cable released Wednesday by WikiLeaks.

The cable recounts a frank conversation then-Vice President Goodluck Jonathan had with the U.S. ambassador before Yar'Adua's death thrust him into the nation's highest office. The cable described how Jonathan even said to then-Ambassador Robin Renee Sanders that "there were a lot more qualified people around to be vice president."

Ima Niboro, a spokesman for Jonathan, could not be reached for comment Wednesday night. A spokesman at the U.S. embassy in Nigeria's capital of Abuja declined to comment. WikiLeaks is a website that specializes in publishing leaked material and recently made a number of U.S. diplomatic cables public.

Yar'Adua, perpetually troubled by a chronic kidney ailment, left Nigeria on Nov. 23, 2009, to seek medical treatment in Saudi Arabia. His physician later told journalists Yar'Adua suffered from acute pericarditis, an inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart.

However, Yar'Adua's stay in Saudi Arabia drifted from days to weeks to months, stalling government activity in a nation vital to U.S. oil supplies. The Feb. 26 cable describes a conversation Sanders had with Jonathan in which he said "everyone's confused."

He put the blame on the confusion on Turai Yar'Adua, the late president's wife, as well as three advisers who he believed had "nefarious purposes" to continue the "charade," according to the cable.

Jonathan warned Sanders a cabinet meeting "was disastrous and included yelling and screaming." He also acknowledged his own limitations in the ruling People's Democratic Party, as an unwritten power-sharing agreement between the nation's Christian south and Muslim north would have Yar'Adua serve two, four-year terms.

Yar'Adua never completed his first term. He died May 5. Jonathan, who earlier became acting president through an extraconstitutional vote by the National Assembly, was sworn in May 6.

"I was not chosen to be vice president because I had good political experience," the cable quotes Jonathan saying. "I did not. There were a lot more qualified people around to be vice president, but that does not mean I am not my own man."

The cable shows Sanders, at the behest of the U.S. State Department, urged Jonathan to consider himself as a national figure. Jonathan apparently demurred at whether he would seek the nation's office in next year's election.

"Even if he decides to contest for the presidency, Jonathan seems sincere in wanting to leave a lasting legacy of electoral reform for Africa's most populous nation," a note by Sanders at the end of the cable reads. "It is always hard to judge how some will behave (or surprise you) when leadership is unexpectedly thrown in their lap. The verdict is out on Jonathan, and his previously underwhelming personality and performance needs to keep us in the cautious lane, but so far, so good."

The cable also claims that Nigeria's secret police, the State Security Service, nearly let a suspected bombmaker trained by the Somali terror group al-Shabab onto an international flight. Mohamed Ibrahim Ahmed faces terrorism charges in federal court in New York.

The secret police "not only knew about the Interpol notice, but simply said they did not want to hold him any longer," the cable reads.

Al-Shabab, which vows allegiance to al-Qaida and whose members include foreign fighters, controls large parts of southern Somalia and much of the capital, Mogadishu.

Akin-Egba:
I think the students studied with scholarship and the reason for establishing AUST is clear. When you get certain scholarships, you are required to work for the organization (or in this case, where they allow you to work) for sometime. Actually, with the courses offered in that university, one is better of staying back in Africa where one will be more useful, earn good money and spend less. At AUST, you need $15 K per annum and I am sure they got some, if not full uni scholarship

Abagworo:
Even though an evidence is yet to be found,I have a personal belief that the Benin,Nok and Igbouku civilization were remnants of what was left of the ancient Egypt after the Babylonian invasion.I also believe that there were people already in existence in Sub-Saharan Africa who were met by these Egyptian cultured Bini,Igbouku and Nok.The Benin were able to retain a fashion very much like that of the ancient Egypt.The difference I believe is because the materials used in Egypt were out of reach and they had to adapt.

Akin-Egba:
AUST bars graduating students from seeking jobs abroad

Written by Clement Idoko, Abuja
Monday, December 6, 2010

THE authorities of the African University of Science and Technology (AUST), Abuja, have barred its graduating students from seeking and obtaining jobs abroad or risk withdrawal of certificate.



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The Chair, Board of Directors of the University and Managing Director, World Bank Group, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who handed down this warning to the graduating students at the second convocation ceremony of the university in Abuja, at the weekend, said: "I want you to know that we are going to track you."

A total of 43 postgraduate students were awarded various M.Sc Degrees in the five streams of Computer Science, seven graduates, Pure and Applied Maths 12, Petroleum Engineering 15, Theoretical Physics, four, and Material Sciences and Engineering, five graduates.

Okonjo-Iweala vowed that a comprehensive database would be established for all the graduating students of the institution with a view to tracking them in case anyone of them would want to abandon Africa for other parts of the world in search of job.

She reminded the graduating students that the university was established for a particular purpose, which was to train those who would give back to the African continent.

AUST, as the first of the world-class institution, was established as the centre of excellence by the Nelson Mandela Institution (NMI) to produce needed scientists, knowledge building and advancement of science and technology in the sub-Saharan Africa.

Brownteeth:
Point of correction, I am not white. I am charcoal black you. But the difference between us is you chose not to ask this question cos you don't want to accept your failures and research on it. Only the revelation of a divine curse on Africans will properly explain the mystery surrounding our stagnancy in development.

Brownteeth:
Am sorry. All you mentioned above cannot be the reason that explains African's backwardness. The foreign powers inflicted some damage to the African continent, but I expect the Africans to have overcome the infliction and reposition themselves back on their feet by now. But it isn't happening despite the fact that the colonial masters have left us to manage our affairs for decades now.

You also mentioned that Africa lost it's grip on world affairs between 1000BC and 500BC. We have seen powerful empires lose their power and influence on the world, but not to the extent that abject poverty and illiteracy took over as in the case of Africa.

Talking about the civilization aspect, I can only remember the Egyptians and north Africa as the spearheads of civilization. I don't know about sub Sahara and southern Africa as part of the early civilization to generally say Africa as a whole ushered in civilization.


Ajanlekoko, slavery and colonization cannot be an excuse why Africa is so behind. And I repeat, SLAVERY IS NOT AN EXCUSE. Europe experienced a worse situation in the form of disastrous disease outbreaks and frequent wars which includes the more famous WW1 and WW2. But if you go to Europe today, it would seem like the never had a dark past. Africans have been sleeping for too long with no sign of real progress when the ought to have woken up a long time time ago. My brother something is wrong somewhere.

hackney:
I personally think its genetic.
That is the only explanation for all the black nations irrespective of location being poor,
corrupt and totally dilapidated despite several centuries of opportunities to get out of the waste bin.

To the point that even black communities in world class 1st world economies are still
chaotic, impoverished and basically a 3rd world microcosm.

This abominable genetic anomaly kicks in when blacks exist in groups but is recessive in singular
existence ; that is why individuals excel in any societies but in groups as small as 10 they cant
even select a team leader.

If you doubt it, try it.
monkeys.

Brownteeth:
Africa brought civilization to the world But why didn't they retain it for themselves in the long run? And what were they doing when the dominance of world affairs moved from one place to the other over the millennia and the current world powers visiting a unique combination of intellectual, psychological and physical cruelty on the mother continent as you said? Who tied their hands?

Kobojunkie:
Seems more like Fayose humiliated his own self there. Acting out in that manner at a social gathering, that is uncalled for.

Brownteeth:
The europeans have scaled through and are managing their affairs properly. The asians are fairing well enough in managing their affairs too. But what about Nigeria and Africa as a whole? Why are they stuck behind? Is there something about the black gene in africa that prevents them from advancing?

By Dionne Searcey
When lashing out at the Justice Department’s crackdown on bribery, some critics say the agency fails to mind its own beeswax.

In applying the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, Justice has repeatedly targeted foreign-based companies and non-U.S. citizens for overseas bribery charges with the justification that they are fair game because the companies trade on U.S. exchanges. The critics say DOJ should stick to its home constituency and focus on U.S. companies.

Now, Nigeria is following suit. The nation’s anti-corruption agency says it will charge Dick Cheney in connection to a $180 million bribery case tied to a one-time subsidiary of Halliburton. Besides being the former vice president, Cheney once ran Halliburton, heading it up during part of the time the alleged bribery occurred.

This Financial Times report says in this story that the threat of charges against Cheney comes after the detention of 10 Halliburton staff by Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. Halliburton’s country chief was also summoned, the FT said.

Last year Halliburton and KBR, the former unit which was split in 2007, paid a record $579 million fine after pleading guilty to charges that KBR had spent $180 million in bribes between 1994 and 2004 to win contracts.

“We are filing charges against Cheney,” an EFCC spokesman told the Reuters news agency. The spokesman did not give further details and did not respond to the FT’s requests for comment.

Halliburton did not immediately return a request for comment from the LawBlog, and Cheney could not immediately be reached. KBR declined comment on the possible Cheney charges.

Nigeria is well known by groups that monitor bribery to be one of the world’s most corrupt places to do business. With its vast oil reserves, Nigeria has played host to a number of oil and oil services companies who have been caught in the DOJ’s crosshairs over allegations of shady payments to government officials there.

Halliburton has called the detention of its staff “an affront to justice,” the FT said.

It’s worth noting that in the same case, DOJ has extended its reach overseas to charge two British citizens with bribery, Wojciech Chodan and Jeffery Tesler, both of whom have been fighting extradition. The two could not immediately be reached for comment.

The FCPA blog reports that Chodan, indicted in February 2009 by a federal grand jury in Houston, is being sent by the U.K. to our shores, “within the next 10 days to stand trial over his alleged role in a huge international bribery scandal,” according to a story in the Guardian. Tesler lost his extradition hearing in March.

The FCPA blog says they were charged in the U.S. with one count of conspiracy to violate and ten counts of violating the FCPA. They face up to 55 years in prison if convicted on all counts. The indictment also seeks forfeiture from them of more than $132 million, the amount of the bribes U.S. prosecutors claim they arranged to pay on behalf of KBR and its partners to Nigerian officials.

In his own two-page statement dated 30/06/09, former Minister of Integration and Cooperation, Alhaji Lawal Tukur Batagarawa, said he might have collected monies from Bodunde between 15 to 20 times, totalling about N30 million and not in dollars, adding that on one or two occasions, he asked his orderly, Wilson Osuagwu, or his Chief Detail, Usman Danlami, to go and collect the money.

Commenting on the source of the money, Batagarawa said all he knew was what Bodunde told him that Mr. Gaius Obaseki would talk to some friends to help the party, saying, however, that; “who these friends are or what interest they represent, I do not know. As such, to the best of my knowledge, the source of these funds I do not know.”
In his own statement to the Police, former Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Gaius Obaseki said he did not know what amount Mr. Adeyanju Bodunde ever collected from Mr. George of Julius Berger neither did he ever acknowledge receipt of such monies.

Mr. Bodunde is being charged with accepting cash payment of one million US dollars from Mr. George Mark between 2002 and 2003, contrary to section 1 and 15 [d] of the Money Laundering Act, 2004 which is punishable under section 15 [2] [b] of the Money Laundering Act, 2004.

The personal assistant to former President Obasanjo is also accused of accepting cash payment of N140 million from Mr. George Mark of Julius Berger Nigeria Limited thereby committed an offence contrary to Section1 and 15 [d] of the Money Laundering Act, 2004, which is punishable under Section 15 [2] [b] of the Money Laundering Act, 2004 in addition to another $500,000 US dollars from Mr. Hans George Christ between 2002 and 2003 thus committed an offence contrary to section1 and 15 [d] of the Money Laundering Act, 2004 also punishable under Section 15 [2] [b] of the Money Laundering Act, 2004.

The Federal Government had earlier withdrew charges against Julius Berger Plc over alleged complicity in the $ 180 million Halliburton bribery scandal based on a mutual agreement between the two parties even as the government seeks to file a civil action against Halliburton Corporation of the United States towards getting compensation and restitution.

• Seven killed, four injured
From MARIAM ALESHINLOYE AGBOOLA Jos.
Saturday, December 04, 2010

Seven persons have been killed and four others wounded in what was suspected to be a reprisal attack on a settlement in Kwal, in Miango, Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State. The attack came barely a week after a Fulani man was killed in Gero village, in Jos South Local Government Area of the state.

Commander of the special task force (STF) on Jos crises, Brig. Gen. Hassan Umoru, who confirmed the fresh attack, said it was carried out at about 2:23am yesterday, saying this latest attack in Bassa Local Government Area was the fifth in two months.

He said the four people injured were currently receiving treatment at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), while the dead ones have been buried in a mass grave by their relatives.
Spokesman of the STF, Navy Lt. Jerry Ayim-Odu, disclosed that among the seven victims were two men, while the rest were women and children.

Umoru said this fresh attack may have been carried out by the Fulanis, adding, however, that this has to be confirmed by the police. He said the task force had handed over the investigation to the police because “we know they are capable and at the end of their investigation, we will be able to know if the attack was actually carried out by Fulanis.”
The commander said they suspected the attackers to be Fulanis because his troops raided the assailants and found empty cases of cartridges and daggers mostly used by the Fulanis. He, however, said: “But no arrest was made because the troop did not get any of them.”

Speaking on the series of attacks, especially in Jos South and Bassa Local Government areas of the state, the commander said investigation might be slow but the police were trying their best and “we hope they will reveal those behind these attacks at the end of the day.”
Brig. Gen. Umoru said: “People did not understand that they are operating under a difficult situation because Plateau is wide and has very terrible terrain, full of hills, rocks and gullies. We often find it difficult to get to where these attacks are carried out.

“Due to this obvious hindrance to our operation, our troops do not always get to these points of attack until the assailants are gone. But it does not end there; we launch investigation after each of these attacks and we hope eventually we will found out the attackers.”
He said the task force is working together with the police and everything possible is being done to unravel the mysteries.
The task force leader pointed out that troops have been deployed to the areas to prevent further attack.

Saturday, 04 December 2010 00:00 Kunle Olasanmi    .Share 0
Kunle Olasanmi, Abuja

A FEDERAL High Court sitting in Abuja has stopped the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from awarding contract for the importation of the Direct Data Capturing Machines.

The order also includes any other equipment associated with the machines for the registration of eligible voters for the 2011 general elections or any other elections.

The order subsists pending the hearing and determination of a motion on Notice filed before it by an indigenous company, Bedding Holdings Limited.


Bedding filed a suit against INEC, its chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, and three companies, Haier Electrical Appliances Corporation Ltd, Zinox Technologies Ltd and Avante International Technology Incorporated.

The plaintiff is insisting that it was the only company with the patent right to produce Electronic Collapsible Transparent Ballox Boxes, ECTBB, as well as the patentee in respect of Proof of Address System/Scheme, PASS, used for the collation and collection of the names, age, sex, Address, finger print, geographical description and location of various places in the country, including the bio-data of every person resident in Nigeria.

In a motion ex-parte, the plaitiff accused INEC of infringing on its patent right by contracting the 3 external companies to produce voters register for the 2011 general elections without first seeking and obtaining a written license, consent and authority from it.

While urging the court to award it N10 billion as damages for act of infringement committed by the defendants, it equally sought an order of interim injunction restraining INEC from going ahead with its planned voters registration exercise pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

It had argued that it would be in the interest of justice for the court to make the order so as to preserve the ‘Res’ of the action instituted before it.

Justice Ibrahim Auta granted the request of the plaintiff and fixed December 13, to hear the substantive suit.

The restraining order issued by the court yesterday, reads, “that the Defendants/Respondents either by themselves, agents, privies, contractors, surrogates, or any other person or persons claiming through them, are restrained from continuing the process of considering proposals of tendering/bidding for, producing, procuring, supplying, acquiring, importing, buying, receiving, selling, leasing, alienating, applying or otherwise using the Direct Data Capturing Machines, Laptops and/or any other equipment ancillary to, or associated with the process and application of the said machines/equipment about to be supplied or being supplied by the 4th – 6th Defendants/ respondents to the 1st and 2nd Defendants/Respondents for the registration of voters and/or compilation, production and use of a Voters’ Register for the 2011 general elections or any other elections whatsoever, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on Notice for interlocutory injunction filed before this court”.

…How in fighting forced board to return N90 Billion as unspent, while Delta Suffers
   
Air Vice Marshal Larry Koinyan, Chairman, NDDC Board Mr. Chibuzor Ugwuoha, MD/CEO, NDDC Pastor Power Aginighan

Pointblanknews.com is in possession of forged documents used by the suspended Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chibuzor Ugwoha, to illegally transfer $20 million (N3 Billion), from the commission’s offshore account in Union Bank (UK) Ltd, to First Bank (UK) Ltd . The accounts was secretly opened by him and two directors.

The trio of Ugwoha, Director of Legal Services, Harrison Onwon, and the Acting Director, Finance and Supply, Egbejule Jimoh Oma, were recently suspended for their roles in the illicit opening of the First Bank account and transfer of N3 Billion under shady circumstances. A balance of $50 Million was however left in the Union Bank account.

It was also learnt that of the N128 Billion received by NDDC in 2009, over N90 Billion was returned to the Federal Government coffers as “unspent”, when the top shots could not reach an agreement as how to share the cash into private and dodgy accounts. While they fought over sharing and which private accounts NDDC cash should be lodged, the region and its people suffered. Our source hinted that until the trio was fired, close to N110 could have been returned due to in fighting.

Desperate to move the whooping sum, the MD coerced the Director Legal services into signing the mandate sent to First Bank at Finsbury Circus in London. The MD also forged a Board resolution dated September 15, 2010, even though the last board meeting was in July 2010, before the latest one held between November 24 and 25. According to the Director Legal services, his signature on the resolution was forged , while he was forced by the MD to sign the mandate sent to First Bank in London.

The mandate falsely claimed that the MD and Egbejule Jimoh Oma were the new signatories, aware of the fact that the Executive Director, Finance and Supply, Power Ziakede Aginighan, who is a regular signatory, was away on sick leave.

When the dirt hit the fan, the Presidency summoned chairman, AVM Larry Koinyan( Rtd), to explain his negligence, and how Ugwoha could carry out such illegal act without his knowledge. It was learnt that President Goodluck Jonathan was so upset that he refused audience with Koinyan.

The Board sent a report to the office of the Secretary to Government, Ahmed Yayale, where the MD is well connected. He tried to kill the report but failed. He was eventually suspended because President Goodluck Jonathan was already aware.

Written by Gbola Subair, Abuja
Thursday, 02 December 2010

Fifteen months after the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) effected a downward review of the salary structure of political office holders, members of the National Assembly are still collecting salary and allowances based on old salary structure,

This development, the Nigerian Tribune gathered is now a source of concern to the revenue commission which carried out extensive consultations and did a lot of spade work before arriving at the new salary structure which it said was in tandem with Nigerian economic reality.

RMAFC, it was gathered had sent a bill on the reviewed salary structure to the National Assembly last year with the aim of making it operational and binding on the executive, legislative and the judicial arms of government.

Though the executive arm of government effected a 20 per cent reduction in allowances of political office holders without waiting for RMAFC , the National Assembly members were expected to effect the changes immediately since they were not expected to debate their own salary structure.

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE; Mad Cow Disease): You might have heard news reports about mad cow disease and wondered: What the heck is that? Mad cow disease is an illness also known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (say: bo-vine spun-jih-form en-seh-fah-la-puh-thee), or BSE for short.

It's called mad cow disease because it affects a cow's nervous system, causing a cow to act strangely and lose control of its ability to do normal things, such as walk. An infected cow would act "mad," which sometimes means mentally ill.

A cow with BSE develops these problems because it has developed an infection. This infection causes its brain to waste away and become spongy. Researchers are not completely sure how cows get this kind of infection, but they believe it comes from certain kinds of food given to cows. Some of this food contains the remains of dead cows that had the infection. These remains, especially the brains and spinal cords, may contain BSE.

Because BSE was a problem in the United Kingdom, the United States enacted rules to prevent live cows and some cow products from entering this country. The United States has had two cases of BSE in cows — one in 2003 and one in 2005. In both cases, the government took steps so that people wouldn't buy and eat the meat.

malu-brain:
Northerners kill Abiola, kill Onagoruwa, Adisa and poison gani with cancer. Northerners seized our presidential turn and give to obasanjo just to punish yoruba. why should we yoruba support hausa one more time?. if you are yoruba trying na vote for northerner shame on you. Asiwaju will go to hell for joining Buhari. I respect him because we share the same faith but he dissapoint me with that Buhari politics.

Fresh facts have emerged about how four officials of the Bayelsa state government who are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over a N2 billion scam,  shared the money which was meant for augmentation of the state’s workers salary.  A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja was on Tuesday November 30, 2010 told that the officials:  Bayelsa state Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Charles Sylva Osuala, and three others:  Francis Okokuro, Abbot T. Clinton and Ikobho Anthony Howells, actually shared the money among themselves.

The accused were recently arraigned on a six count charge of criminal conspiracy and money laundering among others by the EFCC.

At the resumed hearing of the case,  prosecution witness, Adeniyi Adebayo,  tendered the statements he obtained from the accused persons  during investigation before Justice Donatus Okorowa. He said that the accused admitted sharing the money among themselves under various guises. Though counsel to the accused persons,  raised an  objection to the admissibility of the statements as an  evidence, a development which prolonged proceedings of the court, the accused persons were however made to withdraw their objections.

Adebayo told the court that the accused persons between October 2009 and February 2010, at various places in Nigeria induced the Union Bank Plc, with the intent to defraud, to grant an overdraft facility of the sum of N2 billion to the Bayelsa state Government under the false pretence of using the amount to augment salaries of the state workers. He also told the court that letters were written to UBA and Intercontinental Bank investigating the fraud  and prayed the court to give him time to tender the correspondence with the banks at the next adjourned date.   While adjourning the case to December 14 th and 15 th for continuation of hearing, the judge urged all parties to the case to ensure expeditious determination of the case.
 

Count one of the six count charge reads: “That you, Francis Okokuro, Abot T. Clinton, Ikobho Anthony Howells and Dr. Charles Sylva Osuala on or about the 22 nd of January, 2010, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, converted the sum of N380, 000,000.00 (three Hundred and Eight Million Naira), property of the Bayelsa State Government, through the account of one Habibu Sani Maigidia, a Bureau De Change Operator with Account No. 221433478108, in Fin Bank, Plc, which sum you knew represented the proceeds of the said illegal act with the aim of concealing the nature of the proceeds of the said illegal act and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 14(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition Act) 2004 and also punishable under Section 14(1) of the same Act”.

Yusuf Alli 01/12/2010 00:00:00

Vice-President Namadi Sambo yesterday said Nigeria is not a country of fraudsters.

Also, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)  Chair Mrs. Farida Waziri lamented that Nigeria is perceived wrongly as the home of advance fee fraud.

Sambo, who spoke at the First West Africa Cyber Crime Summit, organised by the EFCC, Microsoft, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and UNODC in Abuja , said it was unfortunate that the country has always been labelled as a nation of 419 even when such crimes are generated from abroad.

He said: “In Nigeria, unfortunately, we are at this receiving end of this double-edged sword: Nigeria stands accused, tried and convicted of being source of emails soliciting for funds colloquially known as Nigerian 419 emails.

“However this reputation must be challenged at several levels. Do we currently have the bandwidth, regularity of power and so on to realistically generate such volumes of cyber-malfeasance for us to earn such high ranking of being the third internet crime perpetrator after the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK)?

“So-called Nigerian 419 is now unfortunately a global terminology for a type of cyber-crime even when it is generated, executed and delivered outside Nigeria’s jurisdiction!

“Does perception matter? Yes, it does as for most people perception is reality!

“There are many more dangerous cyber crimes that must also be acknowledged and addressed as Nigerians are victims as well: our computers get infected by viruses, parents and children can be exposed to offensive content, and businesses are exposed to frauds that reduce the confidence of buyers.”

He was represented by the Minister of Police Affairs, Adamu Maina Waziri.

“We must all in this hall today and far beyond do something to be part of the solution. Cyber security starts with each and every one of us.”

Waziri said: “Nigeria is perceived wrongly as I will soon confirm to you with facts and figures to be the home of advance fee fraud.

“ Nigeria is generally perceived to be the home, if not of cybercrime, then of advance fee fraud. At some time, the crime was generally referred to as “Nigerian Fraud”. This is, however, far from the truth.

“What should be frightening for us is that only about 20% of the West African population has access to internet connectivity and it may well mean that if we have the level of connectivity of Europe and North America , we will perpetually remain in top 10. The challenge for West Africa is how to put in place remedial measures that will ensure that with connectivity, crime does not necessarily follow suit.”

Wednesday, 01 December 2010 00:00 From Lemmy Ughegbe, Abuja.

THE on-going trial of Halliburton officials and their counterparts in Nigeria who allegedly conspired in the $180 million bribe for contract scandal may have reached feverish heights.

Reason: The Federal Government has preferred charges against former Vice President of the United States (U.S.), Mr. Dick Cheney, over his alleged complicity in the scandal.

Government has also resolved to charge Siemens and AGIP to court for their recalcitrance in spite of their alleged complicity in the scandal. 

An impeccable government source  told The Guardian that upon the resolution by government’s lawyers and the Attorney General of Federation (AGF), Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN) that Cheney could not be absolved of complicity in the bribery scandal since he was at that time of the bribery in 2006 the Chairman of Halliburton.
The country’s Chief Law Officer yesterday directed the lawyers to amend the charge sheets in the on-going trial of Nigerian and Halliburton officials to accommodate the charge of criminal conspiracy against him (Cheney).

The source said: “The AGF had on Monday, November 29, 2010 briefed government’s negotiation team made up of a narrow team of technocrats within government and a few carefully screened and selected from the private sector to proceed against Cheney legally”.

Members of Government’s negotiation team include Damien Dodo (SAN), from the private sector, Mr. Emmanuel Akomaye and Godwin Obla, Secretary and Counsel of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) respectively as well as the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Mr. Rowland Ewubare.

Meanwhile, the Managing Director of Halliburton yesterday turned himself in to investigators at the commission and after making some statement, was granted administrative bail pending his arraignment. His counterparts in Technip and Saipem, Frank Ilya and Guiseppe Jurace were picked up last Thursday, but granted similar bail the following day.

Yet another inside source also disclosed that government was determined to ensure that all firms or conglomerate involved in corrupting and compromising a healthy business environment in the country are made to pay by atonement or the full weight of the law would be brought to bear on them.

He noted that after honest consideration of the situation, government decided to explore the viability of the U.S. model for dealing with companies found to have engaged in such criminal practices as occurred in Nigeria.

He explained that under the U.S model, erring companies or individuals are to pay criminal penalty or fine in multiple of the amount of the transaction, disgorge all profits made from that deal and institute a three-year scheme of corporate compliance.

Under such arrangement, the firms and or individual enjoys in return a deferred prosecution agreement, which allows them to be let off the hook if after three years, they are found to have complied with the conditions and have shown good conduct.

The Guardian learnt that it was under that arrangement that Julius Berger approached government for a peaceful resolution of the case against it. Julius Berger was not a direct beneficiary of any contract in the scandal, but served as a conduit to move five million dollars which was passed unto a Nigerian government official.

But the firm upon showing good faith and paying to government 25 million dollars and entering a three year-scheme of corporate compliance, got government to enter a deferred prosecution agreement.

“I must state that the payment of the 25 million dollars does not mean a total let off for Julius Berger. It is in fact probational as it only affords them three years within which they can be fully discharged if they demonstrate good will and conduct”, he explained.

He said while government was open to exploring the U.S. model to the country’s interest, it would not settle for any fine less than the ones paid to the U.S. government since the crimes were perpetrated in Nigeria.
Already, the U.S government has received about 1.28 billion dollars in form of criminal fines and disgorgement of profits thereof from various firms involved, the source disclosed.

He said Siemens has paid 30 million euros, Halliburton has paid 579 million U.S dollars, Snamprogetti and Technip have paid 240 million dollars each as fine and disgorgement to the U.S Government even though the crimes were committed in Nigeria and against Nigeria.

He said while some firms were seeking amicable settlement and offering to comply with the U. S model in negotiation with the Nigerian team of negotiators, others are seemingly aloof.

Government has instructed its legal team to proceed aggressively against Saipem and AGIP with a view to getting convictions against them, it was learnt. The conviction would in turn be used to freeze and confiscate their assets.

Government will not settle for anything less than what these firms have paid to the U.S Government. In fact, it is government’s view that it is better to liquidate criminal corporation than settle for anything less than the criminal fines and disgorgement paid to the U.S”, he stated.