₦airaland Forum

Drs [Jonathan + Abati + Okonjo-Iweala] + Profs [Jega - Nnaji] = Intellectual Dullness
Posted: August 30, 2012 - 01:03
Posted by siteadmin

By Churchill Okonkwo
Intellectual laziness tends to be harder to spot and much easier to disguise with randomness eclipsed by high degree of entropy in Nigerian system. There is currently a pervasive intellectual laziness in policy formulation and implementation from supposed experts in President Jonathan’s administration. The culture of affirmation as opposed to challenge being displayed by the likes of Profs Jega, (Nnaji) and Drs Abati and Iweala is pretty disturbing and by some measures, offensive. Be it laziness or narcissism, there is little excuse for obviously well paid and well educated professionals to relax into tired inertia. They deceive themselves and those around them that Nigeria is being moved in the right direction by this administration. As a result, the future of Nigeria is being threatened by sloppy thinking as superstitious nonsense spread its tentacles.

Let’s start with Jega; since he took over as INEC chairman, no tangible change has been introduced to track and verify rigging of elections at all levels. While the increased competition at the state and national assembly elections ensured high turnout with party agents that refused to compromise, the low voter turnout at the presidential elections and the subsequent massive rigging exposed the total lack of any mechanism for preventing rigging. What this shows is that Jega is displaying a willful ignorance with regards to the evidence in the flawed 2011 presidential election. Jega’s unwillingness to challenge cherished acts of systematic rigging and come up with a simple measure that will ensure random verification of votes (using finger prints) during election tribunals is a display of intellectual dullness.

Other than ‘personal integrity’, what has Jega done differently from Iwu? Nothing! With all that money we spent on capturing fingerprints during registration you begin to wonder whether Jega and his team could not smartly come up with a mechanism to randomly match fingerprints from ballot papers with fingerprints from voters register and thus guard against rigging. What Prof. ABC Nwosu did with option A4 as imperfect as it was, was the smartest formula to free and fair election in Nigeria. Prof Jega is a scholar and should have known through research that the act of improving is by expanding or refining. As a professor of political science, all Jega needed to have done is to call for research proposal from the academia and policy analysts on how to improve on Option A4 or what he inherited from Iwu. Rather, he has chosen the path of intellectual laziness that has failed to move our electoral process beyond where it was in 2003. In a free and fair electoral system, you do not need have even a single agent in a state to be assured that only credible votes are counted. Until Prof Jega comes up with that formula, he will remain intellectually lazy.

Abati’s case is not just that of intellectual dullness but one that included physical laziness and intellectual dishonesty. To paraphrase Cyril Connolly, Abati with all his talents he started out with, has now condemned himself to second-rate thought and second-rate friends including Dr. Doyin Okupe. The very idea of Abati joining this present administration was frighteningly ambitious, but the writer had since showed himself to be intellectually lazy and shallow: peddling ignorance as an actual governing alternative. It is very interesting watching Dr. Abati descend to the lowest level of a sycophant shining his oga’s shoes in other to save his job from the “attack dog” Doyin Okupe. Maybe Abati is taking a rest before he gets tired.

I had earlier written extensively about Dr. Okonjo-Iweala’s second coming as an example of “how smart people can be stupid.” It will certainly be more beneficial for Dr. Iweala not to believe in something that allows her to be intellectually lazy. The Nigerian economic dynamics is riddled with corruption and as such, our policy directives require some element of intellectual craziness rather than laziness and confusion Dr. Iweala is championing.

Talking about confusion, I was working on a piece titled “ Prof Barth Nnaji must either be incompetent or confused or both” as he threw in the towel. Suffices to say that he has been consistently inconsistent in handling matters at the energy sector. Prof Nnaji’s very thought of attempting to blame the epileptic supply of power in Nigeria to unwillingness of consumers to pay is contrary to the basic economic principle of demand and supply shown by the high demand for generators and diesel as alternative to PHCN. Nigerians should not be deceived with the “apparent” short term improvement in power generation. These power stations will be privatized shortly and it is very important that Prof Nnaji should tell Nigerians how much he spent in the power generation drive with or without his resignation.

Now that Prof Nnaji is gone, let me restate here that the significant remaining obstacle to successful privatization of the power sector in Nigeria is the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and government’s lack of political will to expedite reform. But to effectively jump-start the reform in the power sector, the next minister must be a professional that can approach equity with clean hands. He should be an individual that can effectively challenge NUEE with clean conscience and no personal interest while pushing for a successful conclusion of power sector reforms. The next minister must be a champion that can dictate to Goodluck Jonathan what needs to be done. In fact, he should be someone that will give conditions before accepting the position for minister for power.

This brings me to President Jonathan who is an epitome of a school master that cannot read nor write. The bad news for Nigerians is that GEJ is a diet of underdone roasted yam. What happens when the yam comes out of the fire half-done? "Unexplainable" stomach aches, political infertility and repeated miscarriages to diagnosed inherent illness in the system. Over the past two years, it is becoming clear that he has not fully identified his priorities, does not fully understand the problem facing the nation and where he does, is coming up with the same tried and tired solution. An underdone roasted yam needs to be re-roasted before served.

How can we escape intellectual dullness? Getting rid of intellectual laziness is important first step. All people are guilty of being intellectually lazy at one time or another, but a consistent pattern of intellectual laziness is a death knell to clear and substantive thought. The Profs and Drs in this administration need 101 basics on Escaping Intellectual Laziness. What Abati and co needs is intellectual energy which can be psychologically uncomfortable. They have to challenge cherished assumptions in approaching Nigerian problems. They should start thinking for themselves rater than allowing the sycophants in this administration do that for them. They have to develop sound criteria and standards in approaching their respective responsibilities with this administration.

Robert Half says that laziness is a secret ingredient that goes into failure. But it's only kept a secret from the person who fails. President Goodluck Jonathan is a ‘confirmed failure’ with Prof Nnaji jut joining him. Our duty as Nigerians now is to let the likes of Abati, Iweala and Jega know that they are intellectually lazy and drifting towards failure.

Churchill Okonkwo
Churchill.okonkwo@gmail.com

http://saharareporters.com/article/drs-jonathan-abati-okonjo-iweala-profs-jega-nnaji-intellectual-dullness

Critics Of Payments To Ex-Militants Insane, Says Asari Dokubo’s Wife

Posted: August 30, 2012 - 00:13
Posted by siteadmin

caption: Mrs. Mujahidat Daba Asari-Dokubo
By SaharaReporters, New York
Mujahidat Daba Asari-Dokubo, wife of boisterous Niger Delta militant Mujahid Asari Dokubo, has described critics of millions of dollars paid to her husband and other militant kingpins as insane.

The US-based Wall Street Journal recently reported that President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration had paid more than $40 million to Mr. Dokubo and several other militants.

In her reaction, Mrs. Dokubo also accused Northerners of over-criticizing the president and trying to box Mr. Jonathan into a corner through attacks by cabals and Boko Haram. Warning the North, Mrs. Dokubo also described Mr. Jonathan as an intelligent and sincere leader. She said her family had been close to the president since his days as governor of Bayelsa State.

Mrs. Dokubo has been using her Facebook page to defend the payments made to her husband and a few others, crediting the militants with protecting oil pipelines and other critical infrastructure in the oil-rich Niger Delta.

Below are sequences of some of Mrs. Dokubo’s unedited posts:

“I want to clear the mind of some these northerners who never see anything good in Mr president pls stop boxing Mr president to a corner so that he will be at the beck and call of the north and forget that the Niger delta region has to be developed where the proceed of the resources used in running the 37 states including Abuja is gotten from. At the end of his tenure it is the same people who will come out and say your brother was there and he couldn't do anything for the people of the Niger delta region. The Gej I know is a very kind hearted man and very intelligent he knows his onions pls let the cabal in the north and their agents, boko haram give him a chance to transform this country, their past leaders destroyed. In less than the next 2 years most you who are criticizing Gej will turn around and swallow your vomit
“People who are complaining about the pipeline jobs awarded to ex freedom fighters should go and re-examine the head if they are sane. You are questioning the owners of their properties why a peanut should be given to them compared to those who lived in the desert that don't produce a spoon of oil, yet they control the resources of the Niger delta. They live fat and large from the proceed of oil in the Niger delta that they are now mad.

“What concerns a stranger with what I do with my property is it becos we the Niger deltans kept quiet for a very long time after the death of Isaac Adaka Boro? In fact all freedom fighters deserve huge oil blocks not pipeline contracts. Do you people know how many people these freedom fighters care and feeed? This pipeline job will cater for thousands of poverty striken families in the Niger delta. So those of you running your mouth should just shut your trap. Boko haram kill their people and strangers especially Christians they are demons so stop comparing Niger delta freedom fighters and boko haram I rest my case.”


http://saharareporters.com/news-page/critics-payments-ex-militants-insane-says-asari-dokubo%E2%80%99s-wife

N11 billion Fraud: Police Will Prosecute Bukola Saraki, Commissioner Says
Posted: August 29, 2012 - 16:31
Posted by siteadmin

caption: Bukola Saraki
By SaharaReporters, New York
The police in Lagos have told PM News they will soon be ready to prosecute Senator Bukola Saraki, and that the delay in the process is to ensure that the investigation is thorough so that the prosecution is not thrown out by a court on a technicality.

In an interview published in today’s edition, Mr. Ayotunde Ogunsakin, the Commissioner of Police, Special Fraud Unit (SFU), told the newspaper that as a matter that involves an important personality and some other individuals, the Saraki case cannot be hidden.

Below are some excerpts from the interview:

Sir what’s the update on Saraki’s case and why have you refused to prosecute him?
It’s not that we have refused to prosecute him, you must be aware that we are doing a very extensive and painstaking investigation, we don’t want a situation where we rush him to court and the case will be thrown out. As it is now, we have carried out extensive investigation and it involves a lot of work. However, what I can tell you at this stage is that investigation is almost concluded. The whole world we know when we conclude the investigation. It’s not a case that can be hidden as it involves an important personality and some other individuals. So we are doing a painstaking and intensive investigation so as not to get to court unprepared. That’s all I can tell you. We want to be as diligent as possible.

We are aware that you are investigating a case in FAAN, can we get the update?
Yes, that is also a very critical case in the sense that it has to be extensive as we want it to be. It has to do with the officials of FAAN, Senior officials of FAAN past and present; senior officials of Ministry of Aviation, past and present; very senior officials. I won’t be able to give details now so as not to impede our investigation. Since some of the people we are investigating are still in office, we don’t want to give all the details out. However, I can tell you it has to do with funds and inappropriate use of funds, inappropriate funding in terms of training outside Nigeria and inappropriateness in the award of contracts. These are some of the allegations…and you know the issue of FAAN is very sensitive as it has to do with planes flying and all that, especially with the problems in the aviation industry. We want to be as painstaking as possible, and we don’t want our investigation to disrupt operations at the airport.

Most time when you charge suspects to court, when they are granted bail, they come back to the same crime. What do you think is the solution?
I think that’s the society issue. Like you are aware that we arrested a guy recently who committed the same offence and we took him to court; at the court he was granted bail but as soon as he was out, he was discovered to have gone and defraud another person, committing same offence and so we had to pick him up again. I think it has to do with justice administration, and it appears that the justice system is slow but surely we will get there. At times maybe we need to review our laws too, to tackle issues like this, so there can be an improvement in our legislation, especially in fraud cases like this. Or other issues that require National Assembly to look into our fraud and evidence cases, so that when something like this comes up, they can also assist the police to curb such offences. What I can say is that we cannot say the judiciary isn’t doing enough but like all facets of the society, the police reform and the judiciary are places we should look into as well. Our legislation also has to be looked at.

http://saharareporters.com/news-page/n11-billion-fraud-police-will-prosecute-bukola-saraki-commissioner-says

Dokubo, Tompolo, NNPC Officials And Fake Boko Haram Middlemen Must Be Prosecuted
Posted: August 26, 2012 - 13:13
Posted by siteadmin

Asari Dokubo inside a private jet

By Gambo Ibrahim Gujungu
It has become imperative to speak out and challenge President Goodluck Jonathan's much publicised tantrums about fighting corruption and entrenching probity and accountability in governance, as well as this government's persistent noise about repositioning all sectors of our national life.

The revelations last week from Wall Street Journal that Federal Government under President Jonathan, through Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) annually bribes some Niger Delta militants with about $40 million to guard pipelines is worrisome, and makes nonsense of all the audacity this government claims to be standing on as a democratically elected government.

It is suicidal and a shame for a government that claims to abhor corruption, irregularities and all manner of fraudulent contracts and embezzlement of public funds to be the bastion of corrupt practices. A government that has remained nonchalant and undermining national security and public interest before its citizenry and the international community.

It has clearly demonstrated that the government is not sincere and to an extent a watershed for corruption; what is more, its silence on the report by the Wall Street Journal has also proved that corruption is mainly perpetrated by the government and its cronies with impunity. That Mr. Dokubo Asari, collects $9million every year to keep his estimated 4000 soldiers at bay. 'General' Ateke Toms and 'General' Ebikabowei Boyloaf Victor Ben collect $3.5million apiece while General Government Tompolo Ekpumopolo is the most priced of all: he gets $22.5 million yearly calls for serious concern, aside the multi-million naira contract given to him to supply 20 patrol vessels shows that the country is under militant siege.

The development further confirms that the allegations of fraud and audit challenges in NNPC are real and being hatched by NNPC officials in collaboration with presidential directives.

Another avenue that has been justified in siphoning public funds is engagement of fake middlemen in achieving dialogue with Boko Haram sect. It is also clearly deliberate to continue milking away national resources, as the government persistently say its doors are open for dialogue and they are dialoguing with the sect. And only for Nigerians to continue witnessing spontaneous attacks.
It is against this backdrop that we resolve as follows:

· That the government must explain to Nigerians in detail the circumstances surrounding bribing the likes of Dokubo Asari, Tompolo, who once faced treasonable charges and his fellow kingpins with over $40 million yearly to guard the nation's pipelines. Are they a veritable alternative for Nigerian Armed Forces and other security personnel?

· The National Assembly too should set up a viable independent committee to investigate the allegations, and the role of NNPC as the mainstay agency of Nigerian government. It is pertinent because this act has serious implications that ought to be treated with utmost urgency.

· The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) should begin prosecution of the militants, the NNPC officials and other top government personnel involved in the fraud. The same thing should apply to all those defrauding the country of its resources in the name of dialogue with the Boko Haram sect.

http://saharareporters.com/press-release/dokubo-tompolo-nnpc-officials-and-fake-boko-haram-middlemen-must-be-prosecuted

Why insecurity thrives in Nigeria, by Tinubu
By Adeola Oladele-Fayehun 12 hours 19 minutes ago

The National Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN),Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, yesterday in Chicago, USA, blamed the current spate of insecurity in the country on the reluctance of the Federal Government to share security responsibility with the nation’s constituent parts.

This monopolisation of security control, he said in a paper entitled ‘Nigerian and the Search for True Federalism,’ has turned Nigeria into “one of the most dangerous places on earth.”

Citing the Boko Haram menace, Asiwaju Tinubu said: “Because it wants to acquire power and not lose any, the national government has adamantly opposed any decentralisation of internal security. The result has been that Nigeria is becoming one of the most dangerous places on earth. Not only do we have Boko Haram, there is growing insecurity and blatant unchecked criminality in other parts of the nation.

“The roots of these security challenges have mostly local origins. A centralised structure, however, tends to deploy security officials and units with insufficient knowledge and understanding of local issues.

“ Instead of helping, the security personnel often worsen the situation because of their lack of knowledge. Community policing has proven effective in many different social conditions around the world. It is an idea whose time has come for Nigeria. However, it cannot be applied purposefully under the current security structure. Thus, our security apparatus remains big but uninformed.”

He said while Nigeria is supposed to be practising democracy the PDP-led Federal Government still exhibits military authoritarianism, hence “this slack adherence to good governance.”

“Nigeria has been unable to progress toward economic development or consolidation of democracy. Our dreams of a great and robust nation remain in the realm of sleep. The nation has been placed on indefinite hold. We are like the ambivalent person, standing half in the light, half in the shadows. Everyday, we hope her great potential will dawn in its fullness. What transpires is the opposite. Those entrusted with her governance connive to pull her back into the night.

“Nigeria has been run like a closely held private corporation with a revolving ownership. While the leaders have changed, one theme remains constant. Those who run the corporation do so for their sole benefit. We must replace this selfish dynamic with one of greater public purpose.”

He cited the creation by the Federal Government of the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF), saying “ the federal government has taken the money belonging to states without the express or tacit consent of the states. The legislation passed by the National Assembly is a nullity and an ineffective cover for a blatant violation of the constitution.

“ In other words, it is a fiscal brigandage, a daylight robbery. I have no qualms with the Federal Government using its money to establish an SWF. I have no qualms with states volunteering to participate in such a venture like it obtains here in the United States. That is their prerogative. I sharply oppose federal seizure of funds from unwilling states for the seizure amounts to nothing more than an illegal taking. I fear this is a bitter foretaste of fiscal transgressions to come. Should this be allowed to stand, what prevents the Federal government from concocting other schemes to siphon more monies from states and local governments?” He also alleged moves by the federal authorities to undermine the states by proposing “ a proposed constitutional amendment severing the fiscal relationship between state and local government. The amendment would transfer the passage of funds to local governments from the states to the national government in Abuja. As such, the amendment would make local government dependent on Abuja causing them to turn their backs on their state capitals. Making local governments susceptible to Abuja’s financial control, the federal government increases its power at the expense of the states.”

At an earlier town meeting at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC, Asiwaju Tinubu described the Federal Government as a giant bureaucracy suffering from elephantiasis.

“If you decentralise the power of the Federal Government, things will be better in Nigeria,” he said.

“I suggested to the president to subsidise farming, especially in the North so that Boko Haram will stop recruiting those unemployed that are begging on the streets. If they have jobs, they won’t be going about killing people, and it will improve their nutrition value. Concerning Jos, all the Federal Government needs to do is create another local government for the people.

“You can’t fight corruption because the government itself is corrupt. Majority of the perpetrators made financial contributions to ensure the president wins the election, so he cannot prosecute them. Nigerians are not stupid, they want a change. People no longer believe in the government. Enough of PDP in our lives, they have been tagged as Poverty Development Party.”

Meanwhile, the book, Financialism: Water from an empty well, jointly written by Asiwaju Tinubu and Mr. Brian Browne, will be launched today in the USA.

The book details how the financial system drains the economy with emphasis on the recurrent crises, which show that something is profoundly wrong with the global financial system.

The authors say developed and emergent nations have committed the similar sin of turning what should be productive economies into factories of financial speculation that generate more financial paper than they do material products that real people can use to improve their living conditions.

They are also of the view that the underlying problem is that many who call themselves capitalists have lost their way.

http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/news/59006-why-insecurity-thrives-in-nigeria-by-tinubu.html

Outrage over N5.6bn contracts for Asari, Ateke, Tompolo
By Segun Ajiboye/Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt/Tony Akowe,Kaduna 13 hours 22 minutes ago

From across the country yesterday came a cascade of outrage over the N5.6billion contracts said to have been awarded by the Federal Government to ex-Niger Delta militants Mujahhid Dokubo-Asari,Ebikaowei “Boyloaf” Victor Ben,Ateke Tom and Government “Tompolo” Ekpumopolo.

The American Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that Dokubo-Asari,leader of the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force earns $9million (N1.420billion) annually ,guarding pipelines of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC),while Tompolo is paid $22.9million (N3.614billion) for a similar contract.

The NNPC ,according to the report,gives $3.8million each annually to Boyloaf and Ateke.

Kaduna-based civil rights activist Mallam Shehu Sani called the contracts a fraud and a clear indication that the agitation in the region was not done in the interest of the suffering people of the Niger Delta.

Sani, in an interview, said: “A nation that buys its peace is a nation indebted to war.

“ The revelations clearly expose the facade and the inherent fraud in the truce and the amnesty programme

“The huge and scandalous payment to pacify the militants clearly demonstrates that the agitation in the Niger Delta is not about the plights of the suffering people there, but a mercantile and bogus approach to state extortion and blackmail.

“There is nowhere in the world where freedom fighters are paid for fighting. The diversion of billions of Naira that should be ideally spent on health, education and infrastructure for the appeasement of the militant is an act of irresponsible governance and a recipe for political and economic disaster.

“The undeserved appeasement of the ex- militants by the Federal Government amounts to a state in perpetual payment of ransom. The Niger Delta agitation has become a big and lucrative business draining the economy of the country and delivering no good to the ordinary masses of Niger Delta.

“President Jonathan should not leave behind a legacy of appeasement to an extortionist few but of delivery of good governance to all”.

The Arewa Consultative Forum(ACF) said it was not surprised by the development since projects and contracts have always been skewed in favour of South-South by the Jonathan administration.

ACF spokesman,Mr. Anthony Sani, said: “It is important to point out that the Federal Government is too intelligent not to know that the constitution which has brought about the government does not allow some individuals or groups to have undue advantage in the distribution of and access to national resources by way of political appointments, employment, projects or infrastructure and contracts.

“The purpose of such provision is to command loyalty of constituent parts of the nation that are needed for national solidarity and unity devoid of any sense of undue insular particularism.

“And in participatory democracy, people are at liberty to cry foul whenever they notice constitutional infractions by the government in order to inspire corrections on the part of the government.”

The Executive Director of the Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (IHRHL),Port Harcourt, Mr. Anyakwee Nsirimovu, described the contract award as the height of insensitivity to the plight of Nigerians, especially Niger Deltans, who he said, continue to suffer in the midst of plenty.

Nsirimovu, in a telephone interview, said: “Contract award in Nigeria is guided by laws and regulations. I do not feel that being ex-militants should be the criterion for them to be blindly awarded contracts. It is condemnable.

“Under the public procurement law of Nigeria, there are processes for tendering and contract award, which must be transparent and accountable. If due process was followed, no problem, but if it was not followed, that is quite unfortunate.

“With the award of N5.6 billion contract to the ex-militants, there will be no value for money in the country. The funds belong to all Nigerians. Contracts should not be on patronage basis. The contract to ex-militants is not part of the amnesty programme. The amnesty should not be monetised.

“Niger Delta youths, who never participated in armed struggle, will now be motivated to carry arms, as a result of the contract award to the ex-militants. The nation’s future is fraught with danger. Nigeria will pay the price.”

However, a Port Harcourt-based legal practitioner, Uche Onyeagucha, who is also Ateke Tom’s lawyer sees nothing wrong with the N5.6 billion contracts.

Onyeagucha said: “The pipelines deserve to be protected. Nigeria’s economy is tied to the production of crude oil and gas. We may be creating more problems through oil sabotage and breaking of pipelines, if they are not well protected.”

Calls to the mobile lines of Dokubo-Asari, Ateke, Boyloaf and Tompolo were either not picked or not connected for many hours yesterday.

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and presidential candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in the 1999 presidential election, Chief Olu Falae, described the report as a sad commentary on the security system of Nigeria.

According to Falae, the oil operators resorted to the use of private security operatives to guard pipelines because they have lost confidence in the police and the army to secure their business operations.

“If the oil companies feel they need security from a group of people for their business to go on, that has nothing to do with me or Nigeria. However, we should understand that the oil companies are resorting to the militants because they have lost confidence in the police and the army. It is a sad commentary on the security system of the country.”

Also speaking, former Lagos State police commissioner, Abubakar Tsav, described the situation as sad and dangerous for the country.

According to the former police officer, the huge payment made to the militants has further empowered them to purchase more ammunition to cause more havoc in the country.

“It is a big surprise that the government would allow the same people that have caused havoc, destroying the same pipelines to now earn such huge amount of money in the guise of guarding the pipelines,” Tsav said, adding: “What this means is that the militants have been further empowered by the government to buy more arms to cause havoc in the country. This is very sad and dangerous for the country.”

He voiced his disappointment about President Goodluck Jonathan giving in to what he termed the ‘blackmail’ of the militants. “They are blackmailing the government, and unfortunately, government has caved in to their blackmail by making such money available to them,” he said.

Tsav also expressed the fear that the revelation that the militants now earn such huge sum of money may encourage other people with similar intents from other parts of the country to cause trouble, hoping they too would be ‘settled”

“My fear now is that other people may be encouraged to engage in similar activities, and hope that the government will give them similar money. This is dangerous and we should be careful.”

http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/news/59001-outrage-over-n5-6bn-contracts-for-asari-ateke-tompolo.html

Gunmen in church: we’re here to finish all of you
By Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja 1 hour ago
Font size:

Pastor Kumuyi


Four more victims of the Okene church shootings were buried yesterday.

But the survivors are still struggling to free themselves from the hangover of the horror, which many of them are reliving.

The gunmen, who stormed the Deeper Life Bible Church on Monday, used torchlights to identify victims writhing in pains before shooting them to death, The Nation learnt yesterday.

“They put off the light and started shooting kakakakaa,” an eyewitness said.

Eleven of the 17 church members confirmed dead have so far been buried.

Four were buried on Tuesday, three on Wednesday and four yesterday.

Among the dead were a Physics teacher and the former Head of Department of Preliminary Studies at the Kogi State Polytechnic, Pastor Emmanuel Lambe.

The late Lambe, 57, hailed from Offa, Kwara State. He was the Pastor-in-Charge of all Deeper Life churches in Adavi Local Government Area, Kogi State.

Adults who died in the attack included Mrs Obada Alice, Mr Joshua Sule, Mrs Toyin Adurewa, Mrs Imagejor Ruth, Mrs Yusuf Grace, Mrs Isaiah Yusuf, Mrs Jimoh Martha, Mrs Ibrahim Mary, Mr James Ibrahim and Aminat Dauda.

The youths are: Precious Dayo, Ismaila Jana, Isiayaka Grace, Matthew Yusuf, Lydia Michael and a little girl, Maimunatu who came with her sister, Mrs Johnson, to the church for the first time.

A member of the church and Medical Director of Dosam Clinic and Maternity, Chaplain Colonel Samuel Nyamida, said members from three branches had congregated at the church for a Bible Study when the gunmen struck.

Nyamida lost a 17 years old cousin Master Ismaila Jana.

One of his sons had a bullet brush on his neck.

The boy is said to be receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre, (FMC) Lokoja.

He said eight of his children, including his cousins, were in church on that fateful day.

One of his daughters, Joy, saw one of the gunmen.

One of the gunmen was said to have told the worshippers that “we are here to finish all of you!”

Nyamida, in tears, said: “We were on a Bible Study, our usual Bible Study every Monday. The service started around 6pm. So we commenced the other preambles before the General Overseer, Pastor W.F. Kumuyi, will come on board via satellite.

“That is even what brought many of us together, if not we would have held our services at different locations. I was around. I took my children to the church. The pastor was ministering. I left there for the clinic.

“I was actually with a member of the church, who lost his wife. We always stay and move around the church to ensure that everything is safe.

“It was a call that made me to leave the church for the clinic. When this thing happened, I then said, ‘let me rush so that I can join the programme midway’. After picking what I wanted to go and give to this patient, I became very restless and weak. I just went in.

“I did not even take my bath. I put on another trousers. The top I wore since morning was still on me.

I was about to kick my car, the next thing I heard was the sound of gunshot ‘poropopopo, popo, popo pro.’

“I then said ‘where is this sound coming from?’ Then, I ran out, going towards the church because there is a generator there; this infinity, that used to make that kind of noise and even the community had complained about it.

“I thought it was the generator but I did not feel okay. I said, ‘let me move to that place’. While I was going, before I branched off the highway, I saw one of my daughters carrying my small baby on her back, I said ‘what happened?’’ One elderly woman was holding her stomach shouting in Ebira dialect’ ‘They shot my stomach, they shot my stomach.’

“I said ‘is it in the church?’ They said ‘yes.’ And about eight of my children were there. I just carried those two and that mama who was complaining of having been shot in the stomach. I rushed her to the clinic for medical attention.

“I went back immediately. ‘Do I go to the security men?’ I felt they would delay. But since my children were there I risked it. On getting there, everywhere was dark.

“The generator was on but there was no electricity supply. There was nobody. I saw cars parked. I ran inside and I was able to see dimly coming out of their hideouts. I used my handset torch to see people sprawling on the floor. “I shouted and some of them that ran away started coming back. The ones I could carry, I carried them and put them in the car and came to drop them in the hospital. I did not have enough workers to help me but, luckily, a friend called me and I said ‘come to my clinic and help me.’

“I ran back and picked some people again. It was then I met the soldiers. I said, ‘stop, stop, I am the one that is bereaved.’ They said okay let’s go. They said, ‘where is the place?’ I said ‘up there.’

“When we got there, we carried the injured to the Federal College of Education hospital and left the dead behind. The soldiers and police then took over the place before we were able to evacuate the bodies to the mortuary.”

Nyamuda added: “A pastor who lost his wife saw the gunmen.

“The pastor said he just felt like not sitting down where he normally sat. So, he decided to move. The pastor said when they came in and put off the light, he made to run outside, and one of the gunmen collided with him.

“He said he did not know how he escaped. He said he saw them and that when they came in, the next thing they did was to remove their guns and shouted ‘all of you kneel down.’ And he said ‘Ah, this people have come!’ then they pulled the wire and there was light out. The generator was still working when they started shooting, kakakakakaka at a close range.

“Everybody started running and falling over one another. They said the gunmen said, ‘We are here to finish all of you!’

“They (gunmen) were using torch light to check those who were not dead and then shooting to make sure they were dead.”

According to him, “Fifteen people died on the spot, two later died in the hospital, making 17 so far. As at yesterday, when I went to the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, others were still being taken to the theatre to be operated upon. We don’t know the fate of about two of them now.”

His 14-year-old daughter and Junior Secondary School (JSS3) pupil narrated the incident this way: “I saw them entering the church. I only saw one. Immediately I saw the gun I was scared. I thought they were policemen.

“I ran out of the church. They were putting on black and one was putting on papa’s cap. When I saw the gun, I ran out of the church immediately because I was sitting at the back, close to the door. I ran out of the church before they switched off the light and started shooting.

“I was saying ‘if they were policemen, why should they be shooting inside the church?’ So, I didn’t even bother to go back, not until my sister called me to come and carry my brother while she went back and looked for the others. That was when I took my brother and we met our daddy on the way.”

Ebenezer Sumaila, 11, who lost his elder brother, said: “I did not see any of them, but when they started shooting, all of us lay on the floor. They would shoot and stop so that when people stood up they shot again so that they could kill many people. When I saw my uncle standing up and going home, I too stood up and followed him.”

Nyamuda blamed the incident on “hatred” and described the killing as “too barbaric”.

Nyamida said: “I begin to ask if these people were to wake up from the dead, can they face you with gun. They are not holding anything. So what brought that hatred? This is hatred to the core.

“These are people you never had a quarrel with. I still want to know if it is because of Christianity that you hate these people or there is any other matter. The killing is too barbaric.

On how to deter such gunmen in future, he said: “I feel government should be able to allow us to be armed because the rate at which the nation is going, it is not good.

“If they know we are armed it will not be easy for them to penetrate and even if they come we will know that it is battle for battle. But they met us helpless, killing these people even though women and children.”

He added: “We know it pleased the Lord to have done this and we take it as our fate. We embrace and rejoice over it that our brethren are being martyred for Christ. Thank God it was in the Bible Study, we thank God.

“Though it pains us a little the way they met us. Afterall we have people to emulate. We can boldly say that the pains those Christians before us went through we have tasted it too.”

http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/news/57100-gunmen-in-church%3A-we%E2%80%99re-here-to-finish-all-of-you.html

Ibori birthday celebration cancelled
On August 3, 2012 · In News 8:00 pm 0

The James Ibori Political Associates, have cancelled the 54th Birthday celebration of Chief James Onanefe Ibori earlier scheduled for Saturday, 4th August 2012.

The group in a statement Friday signed by its secretary, Olorogun Jaro Egbo said; “we regret to announce the cancellation of all activities planned to mark the 54th birthday anniversary of James Onanefe Ibori due to circumstances beyond our control.

“We appeal to all our invited guests that the decision to cancel the event is as result of the sad loss of our national leader’s brother who died after a brief illness”.

“Our Prayers and indeed that of all well meaning Deltans are with the Ibori family at this period. We enjoined all Deltans and indeed Nigerians to continue to pray to God to strengthen our leader, Chief James Ibori as he matches through this difficult phase of his life.

“We therefore apologize for the inconveniences the cancellation will cost our numerous guests and supporters.”

Comments are moderated. Please keep them clean and brief.

Showing 2 comments

tata tata 1 comment collapsed Collapse Expand
odidigborigbo...send his greetings from london...he is watching the olympics, and asks all his supporters to keep the faith...he shall be back...and who no know, go know...

A Like Reply 6 minutes ago 0 Like F

worksman 1 comment collapsed Collapse Expand
May God punish you and your associates forever! "All well meaning Deltans to pray for a thief. who converted a considerable amount of Delta money to his personal use and benefit to his so called associates. I pray that he dies in prison and go to hell.

A Like Reply 8 minutes ago 0 Like F

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/08/ibori-birthday-celebration-cancelled/

Jonathan’s Aides Go After PDP Chief Over Impeachment
Posted: August 3, 2012 - 03:06
Dr. Sam Jaja
By SaharaReporters, New York

SaharaReporters has been reliably informed that the closest aides to President Goodluck Jonathan have gone after Sam Jaja, the deputy national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, over Mr. Jaja’s comments that the President has committed impeachable offences.

Last week, Mr. Jaja told journalists at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja that “Mr. President is making errors that require impeachment.”

The PDP official had made the startling admission to reporters who asked what actions the party would take to resolve the face-off between President Jonathan and some members of the House of Representatives. The representatives have been threatening to impeach Mr. Jonathan over his poor implementation of the budget.

For two weeks, members of the House have been demanding that the president improve on his budget implementation record before the members resume from their break in September or face impeachment.
Mr. Jaja’s comment was seen as a bold, if shocking, moment of honesty and candor by a top politician from the president’s political zone. Several sources close to Mr. Jaja and within the Presidency told

SaharaReporters that Mr. Jaja has been bombarded with reproachful calls from the Presidency, especially from the office of Mike Oghiadomhe, the president’s chief of staff.

Our sources disclosed that Mr. Ogiadome told Mr. Jaja that the President was furious at his candid comments and demanded that he immediately retract the statement.

Inundated by rebukes from the president’s men, Mr. Jaja tried to deny the statement credited to him, said a source close to the PDP official. “But when Dr. Jaja listened to the audio tape of the press briefing and heard his own voice, he did not know what to say again,” said the source.
A source told SaharaReporters that the Presidency has also called for the audio and video tapes of the press briefing.

Meanwhile, in a style reminiscent of how former President Olusegun Obasanjo dealt with his enemies within and outside the party, Mr. Jonathan has reportedly ordered that Mr. Jaja be placed under security surveillance.

“What pained Mr. President is that he and Dr. Jaja are both from the south-south geo-political zone,” said a source close to Mr. Jonathan. “And the truth is that Dr. Jaja would not have been there today if not for the president’s support,” the source added.

The source revealed that, prior to Mr. Jaja’s forthright comment, the president was contemplating eventually sponsoring Mr. Jaja to take over from Bamanga Tukur, the PDP’s aged and feeble national chairman, whose running of the party has been widely criticized by members as unsatisfactory.


http://saharareporters.com/news-page/jonathan%E2%80%99s-aides-go-after-pdp-chief-over-impeachment-comment

Budget: Okonjo-Iweala begs Tambuwal to stop crisis
By Yusuf Alli 1 hour ago

Worried by the budget implementation face-off between the Executive and the House of Representatives, the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has urged Speaker Aminu Tambuwal to pull the brake.

The Minister, who had a two-hour meeting with the Speaker, pleaded with him to prevail on the House to resolve the conflict with the Executive.

But the Speaker told the Minister, who is also coordinating the economy, that the budget implementation row is neither personal to him nor the Minister.

Tambuwal said it is in the interest of all Nigerians for the economy to be in a better shape through effective budget implementation.

Sources told The Nation that the Minister, who appeared before a Senate Committee yesterday, had a no-holds-barred audience with the Speaker in London on Monday to find “amicable solution” to the budget execution logjam.

A source, who pleaded not to be named because he is not permitted to speak to the media, said: “The Minister took time to give the details of budget implementation so far and why the mass release of funds had been very slow.

“She said the budget implementation plan put in place was not being adhered to by MDAs, especially their poor response to utilisation of funds.

“She explained that there is a tight implementation plan to curb waste and ensure that Nigerians have value from the funds released to the MDAs.”

Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala, it was said, denied deliberately delaying release of funds to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). She explained that some ministries had actually got full release of their funds, it was learnt.

The sources said: “She later reeled out facts and figures to back her points on the budget implementation procedure. She disclosed that the release of funds is being fast-tracked now.

The source described the Minister as “humble” during the mutual session.

But at the end of the meeting, Tambuwal reportedly told the Minister that “our concern about budget implementation is not personal; we want the system to run its full course.”

The Speaker was quoted as saying: “I respect you; the issue is not about your person or my person but it is about having the budget implemented for the benefit of Nigerians. The House does not have anything personal against the President and you.

“She also begged the Speaker to prevail on members to show some understanding and see the process as part of improving the system. She pledged that the Executive would take into account the observations of the House to increase the percentage of the implementation of 2012 Budget.”

Another source, who also pleaded not to be named, said: “Having received many entreaties and interventions from the Executive and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the onus is on the Speaker to brief the House on what transpired during the recess.

“From what transpired so far, the House may soft-pedal on its impeachment threat and give acceptable benchmark for the 2012 budget implementation.

“The House might also extend the tenor of the 2012 budget by one or two months to ensure appreciable implementation. These are options that might be tabled before members in September.”

In spite of the rapprochement to the House, some Senators met in Abuja yesterday on the Executive’s stand on the budget.

http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/56187-budget-okonjo-iweala-begs-tambuwal-to-stop-crisis.html

.

Fuel Subsidy Fraud: Five Fresh Suspects Arraigned In Lagos High Court… Judge Grants Bail To All Five Over EFCC Objections
Posted: August 1, 2012 - 19:11
Posted by siteadmin

caption: Left: Walter Watgbasoma of Ontario Oil and Gas Ltd
By SaharaReporters, New York
Arisekola's son, Abdulahi Alao also freed on Bail

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Wednesday, Aug. 1, arraigned five fresh suspects implicated in the fuel subsidy scam.

The five suspects - Walter Wagbatsoma, Adaoha Ugo-Ngadi; Fakuade Babafemi Ebenezer; Ezekiel Olaleye Ejidele and Ontario Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited - have been charged with obtaining property by false pretences, altering, forgery and conspiracy.


The case had been scheduled for a hearing last month by the Lagos High Court but was postponed due to the failure to appear of Wagbatsoma. All five defendants have pleaded not guilty.

EFCC Counsel Rotimi Jacobs who pointed out that all the accused persons were influential members of the public who may tamper with investigations and flee the country and jump bail, opposed bail applications for the five

Specifically, granting bail to Wagbatsoma based on self-recognition was not tenable because the defendant had already fled the country to evade arrest upon learning about the charges filed against him. He said all efforts to get him arrested proved abortive and he also refused to present himself before the EFCC when he was invited.

Charges were first filed against Wagbatsoma on July 20, 2012, noted Jacobs, but he claimed to have travelled out of the country on June 17, 2012, returning to the country on July 3, 2012 only to take off again on July 20 when he got wind of a charge filed against him before the court. “A letter was received by the EFCC from the defendant's company, Ontario Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited that he was out of the country for medical check up and will be available the moment he returned to the country. But that letter was dated 18th July, 2012. So he was still very much in the country. These are some accounts of the deceit he employed to confirm that he was evading arrest. Up till now, we have not been able to obtain his statement. He left Abuja for France by 9pm on the 20th July, 2012 having got wind of this”, Jacob said.

Despite these incontrovertible facts, Justice Abiru, granted all the accused persons bail.

The first defendant (together with Ontario Oil & Gas Nigeria Limited) received bail in the sum of One hundred and fifty million naira ( N150, 000,000.00), and three sureties in like sum; two of whom must have landed properties in Lagos and must all be resident in Lagos . Bail was also granted the second defendant in the sum of One hundred million naira (N100, 000, 000.00) and two sureties in like sum, one of whom must have landed property in Lagos and must all be resident in the state.

Justice Abiru subsequently adjourned the case till 24th October, 6th, 7th and 8th November, 2012 for commencement of trial.

Meanwhile, in a related development, a Lagos State High court sitting in Ikeja before Justice Habeeb Abiru granted Abdullahi Alao and Axenergy Ltd bail in the sum of N100,000,000.00 (One hundred million naira) and two sureties in like sum. Alao was docked by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, last week over his involvement in the fuel subsidy scam.

Specifically, Alao, the managing director of Axenergy Limited was docked on a seven count charge bordering on conspiracy to obtain money by false pretences contrary to Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006. The accused , together with his company, Axenergy Limited allegedly obtained the sum of N2,640, 141, 707.75 ( Two Billion, Six Hundred and Forty Million; One Hundred and Forty One Thousand; Seven Hundred and Seven Naira, Seventy Five Kobo only) being payments obtained from the Petroleum Support Fund for the purported importation of 33.3 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit.

http://saharareporters.com/news-page/fuel-subsidy-fraud-five-fresh-suspects-arraigned-lagos-high-court%E2%80%A6-judge-grants-bail-all-f

Abati should consider resigning his appointment
August 1, 2012 by Sabella Abidde 178 Comments

In July 2011, Dr. Reuben Abati was appointed the Special Adviser to President Jonathan on Media and Publicity. One year later, the President appointed Dr. Doyin Okupe, his Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs. Semantics aside, this is duplication of duties; but not of practical roles. Keen observers of the Presidency and the media have posited that while the job descriptions for both men are the same, their expected roles are different — pointing to the “good cop,” “bad cop” phenomenon.The former is the good cop; and the latter, the bad cop assigned to hunting critics and digging their graves.

I don’t know much about Okupe, but I know plenty about Abati. In private, and in public, many have complained that Abati is not and cannot be a Dele Giwa. That may be true. Frankly, he needs not be. He needs not be because he brings to the media topography a different set of skills and mentality and sensibility. And he most likely would have failed or considered a mediocrity if he had copied or attempted to copy Giwa, who, decades after his assassination, remains the golden yardstick of contemporary journalism in Nigeria. Aside from the minor Abuja land scandal, Abati has carried himself and represented his chosen profession honourably.

In an age where many Nigerians believe they are better than many others, Abati is actually better than most. In an age where many journalists and columnists think they are geniuses, Abati is actually one or very close to being one. He was a columnist and the chairman of the Editorial Board of The Guardian. He was also a lawyer, scholar, and teacher and had earned his doctorate before he turned 25. Along the way, he amassed domestic and foreign awards. Critics — including me — have generally tended to criticise him when in actuality he did not deserve many of the criticisms and caustic remarks.

Based on comments and commentaries found online, it seems readers were angry at him for accepting to work for the Jonathan administration. Many of the aggrieved believed he would be corrupted by the political system; and others felt abandoned at a time when they needed an ally. In a society where the poor and the downtrodden have few honest voices to speak on their behalf, they felt betrayed by his ‘carpet-crossing’. That millions wanted him on their side, in my view, is an indication of the trust and affection and respect they have for him. Otherwise, why would they ‘give a damn’, as Jonathan would say, whether or not he remained at Rutam House?

After the untimely death of Chief Alex Ibru, the well-respected publisher of The Guardian, Reuben Abati penned a heart-rending tribute entitled, “Alex Ibru: There Goeth A Man.” Amongst other recollections, he revealed that when President Jonathan and Chief Ibru discussed his going to work for the President, the Chief at first opposed the idea, but “when he saw that I was determined to take a leave of absence, his last response was: ‘I don’t want you to go. But whatever decision you take, I promise you, I will stand by you and support you.’” Looking back now and considering the current climate, Abati should have stayed at The Guardian.

Not only were the masses of people who wanted Abati to distance himself from the Jonathan administration correct, events have proved Chief Ibru right. Abati is a fighter; but not the type that would fight in the gutter. He is a good dancer; but not the type that would dance naked. He can be loud; but definitely not foulmouthed. Friends who know him tell me he is mild-mannered and every way a gentleman. Taking his worldview and his other essences together, this is not a man suited for the role and responsibility of an “attack dog.” He won’t do it. In fact, he seems incapable of doing it. This is precisely why he must vacate his current position.

Again, I submit that I do not know Okupe, and I am not about to engage in any kind of speculation. Nevertheless, media reports have suggested that “he was hired as an attack dog” because the First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, was unhappy with Abati’s performance vis-à-vis the mountain of criticisms that have been directed at the Presidency. Saharareporters, that veritable and venerable New York-based media outfit, reported that “the personnel shake-up came at the instance of First Lady Patience Jonathan who bitterly complained that Mr. Abati was not doing a satisfactory job of shielding her as well as her husband from media attacks.”

What type of protection were the President and the First Lady expecting? I would submit that the vast majority of the criticisms and attacks have been worthy. They brought it upon themselves – be it the Permanent Secretary brouhaha or the street naming in Abuja or attempted renaming of the University of Lagos. And did decorum escape her when she engaged in a drawn-out battle over a parcel of land? In the last year or so, she has shown herself to be more powerful, more ambitious, and more raucous. These are not the kinds of things respectable journalists and media men should be defending.

You cannot defend the indefensible. And you should not defend the reprehensible. In fact, if Abati was still at The Guardian, he most definitely would be having a field day with Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan. At some level, I have no doubt that Abati is missing his old job. There must have been times when he soliloquises: “How and why did I get myself into this asphyxiating chamber…get me out of here!” Does he have the courage to walk away?

Do we really have an attack dog in the person of Doyin Okupe? Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode, in responding to Okupe’s appointment was quoted as saying, “Congratulations to my friend and brother, Dr. Doyin Okupe…He has taken over my old job at the Presidency.” And exactly what was the job? Jonathan does not need a mauler the same way Obasanjo needed one. And if he does, well, Reuben Abati is not the man for the job; hence he should consider resigning his appointment and return to Rutam House, Lagos. Millions of his readers and supporters will applaud and welcome him back to the fold.


http://www.punchng.com/viewpoint/abati-should-consider-resigning-his-appointment/

Mali Islamists stone unmarried couple to death
On July 31, 2012 · In News
10:48 am

BAMAKO (AFP) – Islamists in northern Mali have stoned an unmarried couple to death, the first reported sharia killing since they occupied the area, ratcheting up pressure on an embattled interim government.

The execution came as interim President Dioncounda Traore finalised a unity government which foreign partners have demanded be formed by Tuesday to take decisive action against the jihadists who have cleaved the nation in two.

As politicians grappled for solutions in Bamako and west African capitals, the Al-Qaeda linked Islamists grew bolder, dragging a rural couple to the centre of the town of Aguelhok Sunday for a public stoning.

“I was there. The Islamists took the unmarried couple to the centre of Aguelhok. The couple was placed in two holes and the Islamists stoned them to death,” said a local government official on condition of anonymity.

“The woman fainted after the first few blows,” he said, adding that the man had shouted out once and then fallen silent.

A second official confirmed the information, saying the couple had two children the youngest of which was six months old.

“They were living in the bush, they were brought to town by the Islamists who stoned them to death. People came out to watch, there were witnesses,” he said, also not wishing to be identified.

The small town in the region of Kidal near the Algerian border was one of the first to be captured by Tuareg separatist rebels on January 24.

Some 82 civilians and soldiers were summarily executed during the attack, France said earlier this year, accusing the rebels of using Al-Qaeda style tactics.

The Tuareg rebellion sparked a March coup by angry and overwhelmed soldiers, but the chaos only allowed the desert nomads and Islamists fighting on their flanks to seize the country’s north, an area larger than France.

The Islamist groups, which experts say are acting under the aegis of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) have since chased out the Tuareg separatists and are firmly in control.

In Timbuktu, they have also implemented strict Islamic law and destroyed ancient World Heritage sites which they consider idolatrous.

Once one of the region’s stable democracies, Mali has crumbled into despair in half a year and the interim government which took over from the junta has been powerless in the face of the jihadist occupation.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) wants to send a 3,000-strong military force to Mali but is waiting for United Nations approval and a formal request from a more inclusive government.

Traore on Sunday announced the creation of new bodies tasked with ending the crisis.

In a televised address to the nation, he announced he would be in charge of a High Council of State, lead talks for a unity government himself and create a committee to negotiate with the Islamists.

“Mali will not collapse,” Traore said several times during his speech.

ECOWAS had ordered the authorities to form a unity government by July 31 or face sanctions but it reacted positively to Traore’s latest measures Monday and said the deadline would be extended.

The 70-year-old was appointed in April as a junta led by Captain Amadou Sanogo which ousted the regime of Amadou Toumani Toure on March 22 handed power to a civilian transition government.

However on May 21 a mob of protesters stormed his office and beat him savagely. He returned Friday from France where he has been recovering since.

The High Council of State is designed to “complete the country’s institutional architecture” and “adapt it to socio-political realities.”

It will be made up of the interim president and two vice-presidents, one of whom will be in charge of defence and security and handling the crisis in the north. The other will represent the various non-political forces in Mali.

Traore also announced that “neither the president, nor the prime minister, nor the ministers, can run in the next presidential election.”

Meanwhile the president of the Malian Islamic High Council, Mahmoud Dicko, was in the northern city of Gao on Monday to negotiate with the Islamists, a member of his entourage told AFP.

“We will meet with our Malian brothers, if they are Muslim like us, there is no reason for us not to find a solution,” the source said on condition of anonymity.

Dicko would notably meet the leader of one of the Islamist groups Ansar Dine (Defenders of Faith) Iyad Ag Ghaly.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/07/mali-islamists-stone-unmarried-couple-to-death/

Fresh Attack On Police Station In Sokoto Kills Policeman
Posted: July 30, 2012 - 20:24
By SaharaReporters, New York

Gunmen riding on motorbikes opened fired on the Arkilla police station near a Mobile police barrack in Sokoto at 6:30 PM Nigerian time.

Police sources told SaharaReporters that an officer was killed in the drive-by attack. The gunmen fled on their motorbike before reinforcement could be called in from the MOPOL barrack nearby.

The attack this evening will be the third attack police formations in Sokoto by Islamist militants.

http://saharareporters.com/news-page/fresh-attack-police-station-sokoto-kills-policeman

My Experience Of The Scramble & The Hassle Of Renting An Apartment in Lagos
Posted: July 29, 2012 - 02:41
Segun O'Law
By Segun O'Law

Are you thinking of renting an apartment in Lagos? Please come with me for an idea of the rough journey that awaits you. I recently decided to get an apartment in Lagos in order to beat the cost of shuttling between Ota and Lagos on reportorial assignments.

Really, it’s depressing when you daily encounter traffic jams that have no fixed end-points, such that you arrive for every event just when it is about to end or has just ended. You sit idly on the bus as it inches along with very little progress towards your destination and the event you are to cover. Time and event do not understand that you are stuck in logjam traffic resulting from the poor road network of Lagos and too many vehicles on streets. The roads are narrow and mostly dilapidated. Aside from the main problem of poor roads that deny vehicles easy passage, the situation is worsened by by men of the National Union of Road Transport Workers and sundry miscreants collecting illegal fees from transporters on behalf of strange persons, depending on the time of the day, at each bus stop: ”owo Bukky,” “owo Shola,” ”owo Segun,” ”owo Aaro,” ”owo osan,” ”owo irole,” ”owo Oru,” etc. They also harass commuters for money. The boys at bus stops will do anything to delay bus driver who do not cooperate by paying the amount demanded promptly. They would yank off a windscreen wiper or the side mirror if the driver tries to speed off without paying the levy.

Another cause of delay is the annoying practice of drivers who veer into already crowded petrol stations just to buy a litre or two of fuel meant to last one journey.

They seem always sure that one or two litters would be enough for a trip, which may be true, but unanticipated delays in traffic lead to their pullingg up for another litre or two before the end of the trip, causing further delays to their passengers. If that makes you hiss, then think about the scorching heat and the offensive odors in the buses. Sometimes, it is as though we commute with decaying bodies.

If you decide not to ride a Lagos bus or other public transport contraptions like cabs, you must still worry about the event you are to cover as the clock ticks. If vehicles can wait take their time in traffic, not so the event. I have considered biking at an additional 150-200 percent costs over staying put on a bus and feeling frustrated in a traffic gridlock. Certain distances covered by bus at N50 cost N150 to N200 by bike, depending on location.

Biking also has its own hurdles and clear dangers. Apart from the difficulties f navigating every street and crowded bus stop in Lagos, a bike provides no protection from rain and other weather conditions. And one must also be very careful and ready to ply Spartacus or Superman when the biker misses his track and an accident occurs. On two occasions, I was able to avoid crashing by jumping off the bike just before the accident, but I tell you it wasn’t easy achieving that
feat.

Well, I had decided to relocate to the center of attraction, Lagos. After 25 years, I was done with Ota. Even Ramota who back then in our college days, we jokinngly said would grow old and rust in Ota by virtue of her name which, literally, means ”dissolving in Otta,” had since left for Port Harcourt. So, what reason had I for remaining in Ota?

I delved into the search for a Lagos apartment. I contacted all of my close pals, commissioning them to look out for any vacancy in the city of Lagos. One of them, Wahed, warned me that Ikeja, Surulere and of the old residential areas are very expensive, but I did not listen to him. In any case, none of my friends knew of any vacancy in those areas, but they knew of every vacant room at Iyana-Ipaja, Abule-Egba,

Ahmadiya and all the partly-Lagos and partly-Ogun parts of the greater Lagosmetropolis. [I understand it is because house rents are affordable there.] A friend, Jamiu, who works in Oshodi, never bothered to inquire about vacancies or current rent rates around there, yet he knew of every room in the suburbs about to be vacant the next day and those whose tenants owed rent and were about to receive quit notices or be ejected. Jamiu hinted me about a vacant room in Iyana-Ipaja at N2, 500 monthly rent with one year’s rent in advance. The total cost of renting it, including agreement and estate agent commission, was N49, 000 – but my desire to live in central or inner Lagos prevented me from considering it. That put paid to any help from my friends, so I undertook the house hunting in person. What follows is an account of my experiences as a first-time apartment hunter.

The first and easiest thing, I discovered, is finding House agents. Perhaps the most available informal job in Lagos is being a house rent agent. Ask even a bus conductor; if he is not an agent himself, a relative his is. It seems every family in Lagos has at least one person who is either an agent or has a friend that is one, fake or genuine!

I went straight to Yaba and before I had asked two people, I was already speaking to an agent. Wasiu, whom I only asked where I could find an agent, wanted to know what type of house I wanted and my preferred location. He wore a pair of faded khaki trousers and a shirt of a color somewhere between white and ash or butter; it was hard to tell, due to overuse. He spoke a little Pidgin English, but mostly Yoruba.

Wasiu knew of no vacant place I liked so he took me around Jibowu, the WAEC area of Yaba, Morocco, Akoka, Bariga, Ladi-lak and Ilaje. I was already spending a good amount of money on transport just to see his fellow agents. Each of them asked me to obtain a form at N3, 000 or N2, 500 before taking me to see any vacant apartment. Wasiu had made the same demand, which I declined because I wasn’t convinced that he was genuine. He had no office and his co-agents who had only wooden cubicles for offices used their friends’ trading stalls for contact. N3,000 wasn’t a huge amount of money compared to the cost of transporting myself on bikes all day long. But which of the legion of hungry-looking and sweet-tongued agents did I think worth sticking with? That was my first challenge.

We ran into one Tunde, a young Yoruba man close to his forties.

He operated a video club that did very little business and used same as his agency office. At the time we arrived at his office, he appeared to be in serious conversation with some elderly persons. However, in just two minutes of my encounter with him after his visitors had left, I learned that he a drunk and a once married polygamous man and now a bachelor. I had no problem with boozy people or womanizers as long as they don’t shirk their responsibilities. I told him what I wanted, that I would not fill his form and would not pay any money, but that if he had apartments available for rent, I would pay any fare for inspection visits. I added that he would still get more than N3, 000 as an appreciation gift, more than the application fee. I dislike filling forms and even more giving personal information to strange fellows. Even though I’m not rich by any means, I know the risk of leaving one’s personal information with people one does not know.
I gave Wasiu some transport money and promised to ”see” him after he had found me an apartment. I could not be paying the fare for all three of us every time we went inspecting a house when his friend had no reason to go with us. He had no vacant apartment me, after all, but Tunde had a few we could take a look at.

My expedition with Tunde

After I had told Tunde what I wanted, he asked for call cards to speak with some landlords and landladies so he’d be sure they had vacant rooms before went on inspection visits. I handed him N300 and after only one unsuccessful call, he began to call his girlfriends. At first, I kept quiet on the assumption that he may have been using his own cards but about five minutes after, he had used up the credit and was asking me for more phone cards. I laughed! How did he expect me to give him more money when he had not used the one I had given judiciously? He wasn’t even making any effort to hide wasteful spending from me. After he had tried with no success to get more money from me, he devised new ideas. I did not budge: I would not give him another penny until he had shown me at least one or two apartments.

Tunde asked if I would pay for transport to see some vacant rooms he had suddenly remembered. I knew it was just one more effort to to get me spend some more money, but I decided to play along since we might just happen on an apartment in the process. After we had seen an apartment in house that was the exact opposite of what I had told him I wanted, and which he knew I would not like, Tunde remembered another one. He assured me I would like it. Then he called another client to tell him about the apartment we had just seen, asking him to come over to his office. I realized then then that he had tricked me into transporting him to see the place for himself, knowing I would not like it the old, clayey-looking house. I frowned as he manipulated another client over the phone into bringing him money for an inspection visit to the same house he had now inspected at my expense.


After Tunde had concluded his deal with the new client, he returned his attention to me.

“I have a place and I know that it is exactly what you want,” he said to me.” I brought you here and I see you don’t like it. When I take you to this other, you will not know it is not all that easy to find a house, but let me just favor you and make it easy for you,” he added, just to brighten me up.

I forgave him immediately. After all, it’s one of the well-known hassles of apartment hunting in Lagos and everyone knows that It is never over until it is over. “But”, Tunde continued, “I’m famished and have to eat first to regain some energy”. He seemed to have forgotten I watched him eat his last meal and drink a bottle of beer in his office. I told him I would wait around for him to find a restaurant. That was when he was forced to declare his real intention by saing, ., “Na you go pay for my food na. No be you I dey help find house?” In spite of myself, I took some pity on him, though it was now clear to me that I was dealing with real rotten character.

I braced up and paid for his food and drink. He did not care that I had not taken a sip myself all through the excursion. I understood his attitude; he must have said to himself, “This guy that owns a blackberry and carries around a Laptop on which he typed whenever we stopped to rest must be an O.B.O, Omo Baba Olowo .

But the day ended without success and Tunde promised he would find a house for me the next day. Although I began to distrust him at that point, I still retained some hope that he might just, by sheer chance, be useful to me in my search. That night, I combed the streets of Akoka and Yaba, hoping to find a landlord I could deal with directly so I could save myself the hassle of going through so-called agents, just as an uncle had advised me, but I did not find any. All the signs of room, 2 or 3 bedroom flats, self-contained or shops to let had been placed by agents. I called one and he told me to come with my N5,000 application fee the next day. I immediately deleted his number from my phone.

Just as I was thinking of taking a well-deserved rest from the daylong trudging, Tunde beeped me. I called him and he announced that he had learned of an available apartment but he needed a phone card and transport fare so he could call and then go see the Landlord. “Send me card now, now,” he said with extreme urgency. I hissed and hung up. Give more money to an irresponsible fellow like Tunde? But then I thought, what if, his rigmaroles aside; he has found what I’m looking for? I dashed out, unmindful of the late hour, to buy phone cards. I bought enough cards to for all the calls he would need to make and to take care of his transport so he would have no excuse when I saw him the next day. All I wanted was for the crazy search to end so I could give my attention to other useful things.

The next day, I allowed ample time for Tunde to go through the chores of concluding the search and discussing the terms. I got to his “office “by noon but curiously, he asked me to wait. I understood right then that he had not found any vacant apartment as he promised the previous night when he asked me for phone cards. “He must be doing the same thing to others as well”, I thought. “His estate agent business was a scam.”

While I waited, Tunde made several calls, but he talked mostly to one Bunmi. The lady would beep him and he would call back, asking her down to his office. While this went on, he didn’t seem to be aware of my presence about fifteen minutes later, a cream-toned woman of reddening hue arrived on a bike. She wore a singlet top and Celestial Church cap. She beckoned Tunde over to pay the biker. I knew I was witnessing the first episode of a new soap opera at Tunde’s shop and sat to watch. They both headed to the left side of the street, Tunde signaling to me to wait. He noticed that I was frowning and smiled, as if to calm me down. I did not oblige him. And it was at that point I understood that finding me an apartment was hardly Tunde’s primary concern. I decided to go inside his video-club cubicle to make use of the time. I shut the door halfway,made some calls and opened my laptop to do some work, pending Tunde’s return.

Tunde came back about thirty minutes later. He looked exhausted. He sat next to me and could seem to stp smiling, but again I did not change my countenance. I could tell from the way he looked that he must have must have been really at it with his woman Bunmi. After a while, he managed to stand up, called a bike and said we should go on the inspection visit. I asked him where we were headed, but he couldn’t talk much; didn’t have the strength for it I paid the biker who followed Tunde’s sometimes spoken and sometimes pointed directions. We stopped in front of a storey building and right away I did not like it. Apart from the strong smell that came from the dirty street, the area was full of miscreants who smoked cigarettes under the scorching sun. The structure itself looked like it would collapse any moment. Seeing the look of disappointment and rising anger on my face, Tunde said, “I know I have taken your time. I’ll take you several places today and make sure you find one you like. Can you afford N6, 000 per month for two years?” I thought for a while, noting that for the first time, he mentioned a figure that was commensurate with the prevailing rental rates in Lagos. If N6, 000 per month for two years was what would fetch me what I wanted, that was better than an endless search, I conceded. I indicated to Tunde that I could afford the amount. And now, Tunde looked serious and ready for me. He signalled to street yogurt vendor on a bicycle, bought one and told the vendor to collect payment from me. I paid for the yogurt; I felt I had to humour him if I was to get anywhere with him. I even lethim him collect the change. And soon we were taking too another bike to yet another ancient house. I went berserk.

Two Gentlemen (Agents) to the Rescue

We returned to Tunde’s office and soon two men came in a car. They stared intermittently at me as they talked with Tunde who stood by their car outside the shop. I noticed they didn’t appear to be comfortable as Tunde asked them for help. A shot while after, they called addressed me.

They asked me for my name and I told them. Then they told me that they were estate agents and that they would help me. At which point Tunde did all he could to prevent me from talking to them; he kept trying to dominate the conversation. The agents could tell from the harried look on face that Tunde had duped me.

At last, one of them managed to get in a word above Tunde’s non-stop chatter.
“Would you like us take you to see some nice houses now so you can stop giving your money away to this man?” he said. I understood the men to be honest persons. It seemed they knew Tunde to be either fraud or just a time waster. I had nothing to lose so I decided to try them out. They told me their terms: I would fuel their car with N500 worth of petrol and they would take me to see five houses. They assured me I would be pleased with at least one. It seemed to me a more credible proposition than anything Tunde had come up with. After all, they weren’t asking me to fill an useless form, nor to buy them food or yogurt, nor phone credit cards. Moreover, it was cheaper to go to five different locations for N500 than spending about N1, 250 on bikes only to see two old houses and return to Tunde’s office to buy him food. Tunde pinched me, signaling that I should decline the offer, but I couldn’t stop thinking that they seemed more reliable. I chose to go with them. Then the gentlemen asked Tunde, “How many decent houses do you have access to?”

Tunde quivered but could not name even one. It became clear he was nothing but a quack and a fraudster. I decided that I would have nothing more to do with him.

Aware that he was about to lose me, Tunde called aside and asked that I give him the N500. He would coordinate the use of the money, he said. I knew it was his last gambit to get any more money from me in the light of the new development. I was eager to get going with the new agents, please them even, so I gave him the money. Then he approached the gentlemen and harangued them into accepting N300. And then he immediately bought a N200 phone card to make a call.

[Whether they would accept it or not, my concern was that we would go to see the houses they had promised without any further delay. But those gentlemen had seen me hand the N500 to Tunde and knew his ploy. They refused N300 and after a brief argument, they drove off. So I had lost N500,more money, without being closer to finding an apartment. I turned on Tunde but he did the best he could to calm me down me.

The next day was a Saturday and after writing a report due at work in the morning,

I headed again to Tunde’s office to continue my search. After about twenty minutes of waiting in Tunde’s shop, I saw the gentlemen of the day before drive pass. They too noticed me and and came to ask me about the progress so far. One of them who gace his name as Ola asked if I could provide N500 to fuel his car. I said I could. After all, the N500 I gave to Tunde the previous day was gone without any result. Tunde caught us in the middle of the discussion and saw now that he could no longer prevent me from going with those men. He joined us in the car and thus began a serious search. I was impressed by the gentlemen’s approach.

Ola had immediately begun to make calls to find out areas where there might be vacancies. He had not asked me for phone card c but I decided that I would reimburse him.

A mad rush for house rent in Lagos

That day, we visited three different places but the first two houses we saw had just been taken. I liked the third one, a two-storey building close to Ilaje bus stop and owned by a professor. The minimum rent demanded by the landlord was three years with the final amount including fees coming up to N260, 000. I promised to come with the payment the next day. I quickly contacted my uncle to announce the news and hint at the urgent need for me to pay the rent so I could secure the apartment. He swiftly wired the money to me, yet by the next morning, someone had already paid for the apartment. Apparently, that person had paid the rent as soon as we left the professor’s house the previous night. It was then I developed the idea of carrying the cash for rent with me. I wouldn’t let the agents know that I carried the money with me everywhere. Our search continued. We visited three other places and it was same story: “Sorry, someone just paid for it.” Late in the evening, we found another one, tucked inside the Ladi-lak area of Lagos. The caretaker informed us the total rent and fee package would be N200, 000. The apartment had a separate kitchen and toilet and offered a glimmer of hope. But it was also a very small room that would not accommodate anything bigger than a single bed mattress. The separate toilet and kitchen were the compensations for the cubicle-size room. I wasn’t planning to cook anyway. The dearth of houses around my area of choice made me think of managing do with this apartment. “After all, I would be the only tenant,” I said to myself. And then something dramatic happened. Two agents had given us the information about the apartment; then there were the two agents, the gentlemen, who took me along with Tunde to inspect it. As it happened, the caretaker claimed to be the agent in charge of the house. So there were now six agents for the one-room apartment demanding to be “settled.”

Ola called me to one side and advised me to begin a serious downward pricing of the rent with the hope that the caretaker/agent would reduce the rent by about N20,000 and thereby make room for his commission. ”Tell him you are a student and can only afford N180, 000,” Ola suggested. I became afraid that the only deal we had come close to making since I began my search for an apartment was about to fall through. I did not have much of a choice, so I agreed. All of the other agents began to press the caretaker to prevail on the landlord to accept N180, 000. He
collected the money, issued me receipt but said that the deal had not been finalized.
The following morning, the caretaker refunded me my money on arrival. A higher bidder had gone to the landlord with the N200,000 soon after we left. Even late in the night, desperate Lagosians took cash to landlords. It amazed me just how much people scramble for vacant cubicles in Lagos,

A scramble worsened by the addition of a few more thousands to the army of “homeless” Lagosians with the demolition of the Makoko Waterfront slum.

Tenant Criteria, other limitations

When I resumed my search we found several vacant rooms but stringent terms of some of the landlords dimmed my chances. In one place, the landlady said she wanted a Muslim. At a few places, I was told that they wanted a Yoruba, even though I am a Yoruba who happens to look like Igbo. At yet some other places, they wanted only a married person because they believed that a married tenant’s wife would tidy up the premises. I had no problem with tidying up myself, but they just wanted a married person. I remember overhearing the tenants in one house

Saying, ”This guy won’t comply with our sweeping roster.” Others insinuated that I am a yahoo boy and may not be responsible. All sorts of reasons.

The only houses where I did not encounter such hassles were squalid structures reeking of the stench from broken sewage pipes or pits. The better structures with clean premises were not only expensive; their landlords also demanded more than one year minimum rent in flagrant violation of the recently enacted Lagos State tenancy law. Only landlords and landladies in the outskirts of Lagos, like Iyana-Ipaja, obeyed the law and accepted a minimum of one year’s rent.

Some landlords/ladies not only demanded three years’s rent at once but also went ahead to insist other conditions, like marital status, gender, religion or ethnic background.

At a point during our continued search, N500 was no longer enough to for fuel . And soon, I was paying N1, 500 for fuel what is more, even offering to buy them food whenever I was hungry.
At last, however, we found an apartment. A big room, the landlord demanding a minimum of two years’ rent. The total package came down to N232, 000 after settling the long chain of agents. As soon as I had paid, another agent came with a prospective tenant, further confirming the mad scramble for accommodation in Lagos.

And after finally finding a suitable apartment, I know now that it is one thing to secure accommodation and quite another to furnish it. A new phase of spending has just begun: painting, curtains, the door and some work on the ceiling, carpets, furniture, house wiring, mattress, a television, a ceiling fan to cool off the crazy Lagos heat, a generator together with an inverter and more.

Honestly, nobody will really miss me in Ogun State because I lived a reclusive life and was too busy to make friends. But in my new place, my landlady’s twenty-year-old daughter seems to like me. Ehn? Whatever!

I’m now willing to make friends. Are you available?

Follow me on twitter: @segunOLaw.
Share with me on BBM: 28C7FDEC

http://saharareporters.com/article/my-experience-scramble-hassle-renting-apartment-lagos

Boko Haram Suicide Bombers Hit Two Police Formations In Sokoto
Posted: July 30, 2012 - 12:11
By SaharaReporters, New York

Suicide bombers of the Islamist militant sect Boko Haram today attacked two police stations in Sokoto metropolis today.

At first a suicide bomber driving a bomb rigged car attacked the office of the Assistant Inspector General of Police in the city at Marina killing a police officer and injuring several others.

Another bomber also bombed Unguwar Rogo Police station in the metropolis. The number of casualties in the second attack is unknown as at the time of publishing this report.
This is developing story...

http://saharareporters.com/news-page/boko-haram-suicide-bombers-hit-two-police-formations-sokoto

My son is an adult, says Arisekola-Alao
By Our Reporter 2 hours 4 minutes ago


Businessman Azeez Alao-Arisekola has described his son, Abdullahi as an adult who is answerable for his actions.

He spoke in a statement on his behalf at the weekend in response to the arraignment of his son among others before a Lagos High Court on alleged illegal collection of subsidy cash.

Abdullahi Alao is standing trial alongside the Mahmud Tukur, son of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman Bamanga Tukur and Mamman Ali, son of former National Chairman Ahmadu Ali among others.

In the statement, the Ibadan-based businessman said:

“Abdullahi Alao is an adult and a businessman doing business like every other Nigerian.

“He is answerable for his actions and transactions

under the law of the land. As an adult and a true Muslim, there is no doubt that he knows what is wrong and what is right”


http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/55678-my-son-is-an-adult-says-arisekola-alao.html

Subsidy scandal: Don’t crucify me for my son’s sins, says Bamanga Tukur
By Gbade Ogunwale 12 hours 47 minutes ago
Font size:

Bamanga Tukur,


National chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, has deplored attempts by critics to crucify him for his son’s role in the oil subsidy theft, saying that as an adult, his son is old enough to answer for his actions.

Tukur’s son, Mahmud, is one of the 20 persons standing trial for alleged looting of the Petroleum Support Fund. Mahmud is the Managing Director of Eternal Oil and Gas, one of the companies indicted in the scam.

Speaking through his Special Adviser on Monitoring, Mr. Bernard Mikko, yesterday, the PDP chair said there was no reason to castigate him or diminish his status for his son’s alleged involvement in the scam.

According to the aide, “The anger with which Nigerians vent their venom on corrupt officials or persons can therefore be seen from the standpoint of the angst against corruption or that they would have been the beneficiaries rather than the persons caught.

“This explains why we are quick to try suspects, especially those linked to top government functionaries in media circles, creating frenzy where none exists. Our laws are clear and even a primary school pupil knows we are all presumed innocent until proven otherwise and convicted by a competent court of law”

He continued: “The sons of the past and current PDP chairmen are no exception. Mahmud is the son of Bamanga Tukur, the current PDP national chairman. But since the reported arraignment of the former, the trial seems to have not only shifted from the courts to the media, but also shifted from the son to the father.”

Waxing biblical, Mikko said what is happening in Mahmud’s case contradicts Deuteronomy 24:16, which states that “the father shall not be put to death for his children and the children for their father; every man shall be put to death for his own sins.”

He also quoted from Ezekiel 18:20, which states that “the soul that sineth shall die. The son shall not bear iniquity for his father and neither shall the father bear iniquity for the son.”

Expatiating further, the aide said these biblical verses underscore the point that every individual is accountable for his or her own actions and that a parent cannot take medication to cure his or her child’s ailment.

He went further to make allusions to an uncle to the United States President, Barack Obama, Onyango Obama, who was arrested in Boston, Massachusetts in August 2011 for traffic offences.

Mikko also cited another instance in which President Obama’s aunt, Zeituni, was arrested for alleged immigration offences in April, 2008, pointing out that in none of the cases was President Obama’s reputation impugned upon by the American public.

“In South Korea, a ranking member of parliament and an elder brother to the president of that country, Lee Sang Deuk, was arrested for receiving $525, 000 bribes from chairmen of two troubled saving banks between 2007 and 2011 in return for helping them avoid regulatory audits and punishment.

“The former lawmaker was arrested just about two weeks ago, precisely on July 11, 2012, and his younger brother, Lee Myung Bak, who is also the incumbent president of the Korean Republic, was not dragged into the case as we are seeing in the subsidy trial in Nigeria.

“Corruption as a global phenomenon requires concerted effort by all to mitigate, and the simple way to this is to promptly report or expose all cases of it and allow justice to take its course. Once vendetta or any atom of ill will and malaise is introduced into it, it becomes corruptive in itself and will result in injustice,” the aide emphasised.


http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/55462-subsidy-scandal%3A-don%E2%80%99t-crucify-me-for-my-son%E2%80%99s-sins%2C-says-bamanga-tukur.html



My Son is an Adult, Bamanga Tukur reacts
On July 27, 2012 · In News
8:04 pm

By Henry Umoru 27-7-12
ABUJA- THE National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur has urged Nigerians not to engage in media trials as the prosecution of his son, Mahmud Tukur and others by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC is on in the fuel subsidy scandal.

Mahmud Tukur and Mamman Nasir Ali

Tukur who also pleaded against jumping into conclusion by Nigerians, stressed that his son, Mahmud Tukur who is the Managing Director of Eterna Oil and Gas is an adult and capable of speaking and defending himself.

The PDP National Chairman’s son is presently facing trial with others alleged involvement in fraudulent management of oil subsidy fund.

Bamanga Tukur stressed that as the case is on, there was no need diminishing his status as a father because of the perceived ‘sins’ of the son, adding that there was no need visiting the son’s sin on him.

According to him, as an adult and managing a publicly quoted firm, the rules and guidelines of all companies are contained in the Deeds of Association of the company and the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/07/my-son-is-an-adult-bamanga-tukur-reacts/

MTN decries distortion of facts in PDP/Oyinlola matter

By Our Reporter 23 hours 5 minutes ago

•MTN CEO Brett Goschen •MTN CEO Brett Goschen

‘Our officials didn’t recant information on lines’

MOBILE giant MTN said yesterday that it has not changed its position on the ownership of two lines linked to the election dispute in Osun State.

MTN decried what it described as inaccurate and biased reports in some national newspapers yesterday, which alleged that its officials recanted their position on the ownership of the two lines. The matter has precipitated a series of spurious allegations against MTN by the PDP (Osun Chapter) and the former Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola.

In a statement in Lagos, the company’s Corporate Services Executive, Mr. Akinwale Goodluck, said the reports were a deliberate misrepresentation of the information given to the Police by MTN officials in Abuja on Tuesday, in respect of Oyinlola’s petition against the company.

Goodluck said: “We would like to state categorically that our officials did not recant earlier information given in respect of the ownership of the two phone lines for which details of ownership and call records were requested from MTN. We have provided consistent information to the authorities as contained in our records at every stage that the information has been requested. For the avoidance of doubt, we explained to the Police that since the SIM registration exercise, the ownership of the lines for which information was requested has changed and we gave the Police the most recent records of the individuals to which those lines are currently registered. We are not required by law to verify documents presented to us as proof of identity by those who register their SIMs. We do not have the expertise to do so.”

Besides, he stated that the harmonisation between the NCC’s SIM registration records and those of operators had not been concluded and, as such, information held by operators is technically incomplete. It is for all the aforementioned reasons that any information given to authorised security organisations by MTN, all carry bold disclaimers, clearly stating that MTN cannot confirm the authenticity of the information provided, hesaid.

Goodluck expressed disappointment that the details of statements given to the Police could be so easily obtained and then deliberately misrepresented in the public domain. He said this breach itself was indicative of bad faith on the part of those who stand to benefit from such misinformation.

Goodluck said the MTN officials who honoured the invitation of the Police to provide further information and perspective on the matter did not make any statements that differed from their previous statements at all material times.

He said the company is apolitical and non-partisan, and, as such, has no reason to act in any unethical manner as being alleged by the politician. He noted that MTN had made strenuous effort to explain the processes and procedure of their business and the reasons why all customer information and records are routinely presented in a particular way.

“MTN is guided by strict corporate governance codes and we take grave exception to this continuous insinuation of unethical or improper conduct against us by the plaintiff. It can never be in our interest to misrepresent facts or falsify information. We have provided all the necessary records to the requisite security agencies in accordance with laid down procedure,” Goodluck said.

He urged the media to always seek to ensure that the facts that they report are accurate and, in accordance with their professional ethics, strive to hear the other side of the story before they publish such sensitive information in the future.

http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/55391-mtn-decries-distortion-of-facts-in-pdp-oyinlola-matter.html

Okupe Will Do Better Than Maku And Abati, Says Fani-Kayode
Posted: July 26, 2012 - 23:52
Femi Fani-Kayode
By SaharaReporters, New York

Following today’s appointment of Dr. Doyin Okupe as Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to President Goodluck Jonathan, the former holder of that office, Femi Fani-Kayode, took to social media this evening to offer his applause.

Fani-Kayode who acted as a rabid attack dog against opponents of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and would later become Minister of Aviation, expressed the view that Dr. Okupe will do better than Labaran Maku, the Minister of Information, and Reuben Abati, Jonathan’s hired hand for Media and Publicity.

“Congratulations to my friend and brother Dr. Doyin Okupe,” he said on his Facebook page. “He has just been appointed SSA Public Affairs to President Goodluck Jonathan. He has taken over my old job at the Presidency and I am very happy for both him and the Government.”

He recalled that Dr. Okupe had previously served in the same capacity between 1999 and 2002, but that the office of Public Affairs, “which is far more combative and complicated,” did not yet exist.

“This appointment is a very strategic and timely one for the Jonathan Government and it should liven up the space,” he wrote. “I have known Doyin for almost 30 years and I can assure you that he is very tough, very thorough and very good at what he does.”

He commended the Jonathan administration “for bringing on board a deeply courageous man of good breeding and impeccable credentials.”

It would be recalled that in 2006, when renowned author Chinua Achebe turned down the Obasanjo government’s offer of a national honour, it was Fani-Kayode, reveling in his reputation as the presidency’s attack dog, who rose to bite the old man.

"No matter how distinguished and resourceful a person you are and no matter how brilliant and gifted an individual you are, if you feel that your country does not deserve to honour you, then we believe that you certainly do not deserve your country,” he said, writing himself into infamy.

http://saharareporters.com/news-page/okupe-will-do-better-maku-and-abati-says-fani-kayode

"It's difficult to balance being an athlete and a Christian. In a way, that super-competitiveness goes against Christian beliefs. You want to win instead of that guy and if God is with everyone then why should that happen? Finding time to go to church is difficult too, since a lot of races are on Sundays. I try to make my canoeing a way of glorifying God - a form of worship - so I don't feel as guilty going off in a canoe instead of going to church on Sunday." - Johny Akinyemi

Patience Versus Turai Land Tussle: ‘A Study in Despicable Sycophancy, High-level Corruption And Impunity,” Says ACN
Posted: July 26, 2012 - 18:16

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has described the legal tussle between the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan and her predecessor, Hajiya Turai Yar’Adua over a juicy plot of land in the Federal Capital territory as “a study in despicable sycophancy, insider abuse, arbitrariness and manifestation of the culture of impunity all of which have become the hallmarks of the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.”

In a statement issued in Lagos today by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said in more decent climes the scandal would have seen the immediate exit of the Federal Capital Territory Senator, Bala Mohammed, from the cabinet and severely affected the political fortunes of President Jonathan. ACN said while it was not holding brief for Hajiya Turai, it was clear from the court records that the disputed land was first duly allocated to her Women and Youth Empowerment Foundation non-governmental organization by the Minister for the Federal Capital Territory, and a statutory right of occupancy duly issued under the hand of the same minister.

“From the same court records, the organization paid all levies and dues running into several hundreds of millions of Naira. However shortly after, the minister for the Federal Capital Territory without reasons issued a notice of revocation of the said property ostensibly on grounds of overriding public interest only to swiftly re-allocate the same land to another non-governmental organization, the African First Ladies Peace Centre believed to belong to the current First Lady Dame Jonathan.”

According to the party, any close observer of the FCT Administration under the watch of Senator Bala Mohammed will know that this is vintage Bala Mohammed, a man who will do anything to remain in the good books of President Jonathan. It recalled that only recently, the party condemned in very strong terms the decision of the same minister to name an extension of the Maitama District after President Jonathan, even when no such honour was bestowed on former heads of states especially those whose contributions to the development of Abuja as the Federal Capital are glaring and undeniable.

“But even if Senator Bala Ahmed’s scandalous conduct can be excused on the grounds that his behavior is consistent with the character of a man who will do anything to hang on to his job can anyone excuse the conduct of Dame Patience Jonathan who according to both court records and newspaper reports, her African Ladies Peace Centre in defiance of a subsisting court order restraining them from carrying out further activities at the site mobilized contraction to the site to commence construction work?” ACN queried. “Should Nigeria’s First lady be seen to be promoting a culture of impunity and disrespect for court orders? Obviously this Caesar’s wife does not believe she should be above board.’

The ACN said that the entire saga has in addition revealed the under belly of the gargantuan edifice of corruption of the PDP led Federal Government. “Where, for instance, does the office of the First Lady source funds to buy land for over a quarter of a billion naira and award a contract for its construction for a further sum of N13, 000,000,000.00 (Thirteen billion naira only)?” the party queried.

http://saharareporters.com/news-page/patience-versus-turai-land-tussle-%E2%80%98-study-despicable-sycophancy-high-level-corruption-and-

African first ladies begin summit amidst controversy, drama
July 26, 2012 by Everest Amaefule, Abuja 41 Comments


It is expected to be an edifice for peace and conflict resolution in 12 months when it is projected to be completed.

However, the foundation for the African First Ladies Peace Centre was laid in the midst of intense security measures and controversy in Abuja on Wednesday by President Goodluck Jonathan’s wife, Patience.

The atmosphere was enlivened by songs in praise of the President’s wife by scores of women dressed in resplendent white as well as traditional dancers from different parts of the country.

The venue of the foundation laying ceremony was the prime land situated between the Federal Secretariat and Izon Wari, the Bayelsa State House, which had originally been allocated to non-governmental organisation, the Women and Youth Empowerment Foundation, belonging to former First Lady, Hajia Turai Yar’Adua.

The Board of Trustees of WYEF had approached an Abuja court to challenge the revocation of the 18,000 square metre land and reallocation of the same to African First Ladies Peace Mission chaired by Mrs. Jonathan.

Although, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice had requested for out-of-court settlement of the dispute, the conflict was yet to be settled before the foundation for the seven-storey edifice was laid on Wednesday.

As the first ladies approached the venue of the programme, Abuja Market Women led by Chief Felicia Sani, burst into Igbo songs in praise of the First Lady: Ahia oma n’ere onwe ya; Mama Patience, Ahia oma n’ere onwe ya; Anaghi ekwe ya onu (meaning: Good product that sells itself; Mother Patience, good product that sells itself; The price is not subject to negotiation).

As Patience made her way to the podium, the market women greeted her with two more songs: Patience, na you we know; Patience, na you we know; any other president, na them sabi; any other president, na them sabi.

In her short speech, the Nigeria’s First Lady said African ladies received with shock and sadness the death of the President of Ghana and the husband of one of their colleagues (Mrs. Ernestina Mills), Mr. John Mills.

She thanked the government and people of Nigeria for their generosity in allocating the land for the construction of the headquarters of the African First Ladies Peace Mission.

She said, “This foundation laying ceremony is a follow up to our commitment to lay solid foundation for our organisation.

“We have demonstrated that we are committed to achieving lasting peace in our continent. We shall build a befitting structure for our mission.”

http://www.punchng.com/news/african-first-ladies-begin-summit-amidst-controversy-drama/

African First Ladies Jamboree: CPC Blasts Jonathan, PDP
Posted: July 25, 2012 - 15:15
By SaharaReporters, New York

The Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) has condemned the hosting of African First Ladies by Nigeria’s First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, under the aegis of the African First Ladies for Peace Mission (AFLPM).

The event is billed for July 24 to July 27, 2012.

In a statement signed by Engineer Rotimi Fashakin, its Publicity Secretary, the CPC dismissed the event with “utter disgust,” describing as “befuddling” the attendant huge depletion of the Nation’s scarce resources, with 200 exotic cars reportedly being ordered for the convenience of the guests.

The CPC said it was stupefying that this unbudgeted spending is coming when many states of the Federation are on a shoe-string budget because of the depressed Economy, with the May allocations not fully released to them.

“It is at this time that the Jonathan administration has chosen to host a rather feckless and utterly profligate jamboree,” the statement said.

“Undoubtedly, the Jonathan regime, in word and deed, does not really ‘give a damn’ if the Nation totters so long the avaricious fancies of the First family are accomplished. There is palpable unease in the Land because of the depressed economy; many patriotic leaders in other climes would have used times like this to invest the scarce resources in invigorating the productive capacity of the Economy.”

It wholeheartedly condemned what it called an infernal show of insensitivity on the part of the Jonathan administration and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), saying that such profligate spending has become synonymous with PDP administrations because it was exactly the same way that the former former President Olusegun Obasanjo spent fortunes on the COJA games in 2003.

“We do hope that the National Assembly (NASS) shall query the source of funding this fiesta,” the statement said.

http://saharareporters.com/news-page/african-first-ladies-jamboree-cpc-blasts-jonathan-pdp

Two Indian Nationals Killed In Maiduguri
Posted: July 25, 2012 - 15:47
By SaharaReporters, New York

Two Indians were killed today in Maiduguri by unknown persons. A source told SaharaReporters that both men were found with their throats slit. Saharareporters could not confirm the circumstances under which the attack occurred.

A third man, also an Indian, reportedly survived but is in critical condition at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.

http://saharareporters.com/news-page/two-indian-nationals-killed-maiduguri

How Johny Akinyemi Became Nigeria's First Olympic Canoeist

Sunday, 22 July 2012 03:35
Written by NVS/News Reports


Johny Akinyemi needed a "miracle" and a new nation to get to the Olympic Games.

The 23-year-old will become Nigeria's first Olympic slalom canoeist at London 2012, having beaten the Beijing 2008 bronze medallist in a race-off to secure his place.

But Akinyemi has lived and trained in the Cheshire town of Warrington all his life, as his accent attests, and admits he is "not the darkest Nigerian you're going to see, by a long way".

He grew up as part of the British slalom squad's junior programme, racing alongside names he can now expect to face as rivals at the Games, but switched to Nigeria in 2008.

"My dad's side of the family is Nigerian - my grandad came from Lagos - and when you grow up as a mixed-race guy in the UK, you go through a time when you almost 'discover' yourself and your roots," explains Akinyemi.

"Around that time I was really looking into my Nigerian heritage, which is something I'm proud of, and I learnt a lot about myself. My identity came through that.

"Warrington is not the most ethnically diverse place in the world and, when you're mixed-race, it's sometimes difficult to wrestle with your identity. But I'm proud to be Nigerian, and proud to be British as well."

In early 2008, Akinyemi made his first trip to the nation he now calls his own, spending several hours at Lagos passport control trying to get his documents back. "I was initiated into Nigerian corruption straight away," he recalls, ruefully.

Once in the country he discovered that, while slalom canoeing meant nothing to most Nigerians, his Christian faith certainly did.

"Religion is really important to me. It's the main thing, the foundation of my life really," he says. "I went to church while I was in Nigeria and that was pretty intense.

"They have big, big churches and there's a lot of shouting - it's really vibrant. I'm not used to that at the Baptist church I'm at [in Warrington], it's a bit more peaceful!

"Everyone in Nigeria welcomed me with open arms. I was worried whether people would accept me when I switched but my name helped. When I said, 'I'm Johny Akinyemi,' they said, 'Ah, you're a Nigerian.' I'm privileged that they allow me to canoe for them."

Akinyemi believes his faith has done more than build bridges for his canoeing career.

"All of 2011, I was building up for my Olympic qualifier in South Africa. I knew it would be a straight race, winner takes all, between me and Benjamin Boukpeti, the Olympic bronze medallist from 2008," he explained.

"I think, in South Africa, my religion got me through. A lot of people back in Nigeria, and in Warrington, were praying for me.

"After the semi-final, where I came fourth, I was disappointed and the nerves were setting in. I took a step back, read some of the Bible - Psalms 18 - and I felt people's prayers giving me strength and peace on the start line.

"I beat Boukpeti and I think God was with me on that run. I think of it as a modern-day miracle, because he's a really good paddler. When you see his muscles, you'll understand," he jokes. "I needed that extra."

If Akinyemi is still cementing the connection to his new country then his rival Boukpeti's allegiance to Togo, for whom he won that bronze medal in 2008, is yet more tangential.

Boukpeti was born and raised in France and had visited Togo only once, a trip to see his grandmother as a child, prior to the Beijing Games.

No other African has threatened the podium in Olympic canoe slalom. Part of that is through a shortage of appropriate facilities, and Akinyemi is determined to make a difference to the sport in Nigeria once London 2012 is over.

"Nigerian slalom is very much in its early development stages and, at the moment, I'm the only athlete competing at an international level," he says.

"The rest of the guys are in the lagoons of Lagos paddling and, when I go there, that's where I train. I do my weights and fitness in the national stadium, and paddle on the lagoons.

"It's interesting to see - you look around and there are canoes everywhere in Nigerian heritages. On the lagoons you have villages where people use canoes as their main mode of transport.

"After the Olympics, I'll go to Calabar [a city in south-eastern Nigeria] and see if we can find any white water to set up a club there. If we can just get the kids growing up around canoes into a competitive environment, and into the right kind of boat, then the future is pretty bright."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/canoeing/17293636