THE Movement for the
Emancipation of the Niger
Delta, MEND, today (Sunday),
confirmed President
Muhammadu Buhari’s claim
that the Federal Government
was actually dialoguing with
Niger Delta militants through
the oil companies and law
enforcement agents.
Spokesperson of the group,
Jomo Gbomo, in a press
statement, said: “The
Movement for the
Emancipation of the Niger
Delta (MEND) wishes to
confirm that indeed it has
been in preliminary talks with
the Federal Government
through oil companies and
law-enforcement agencies as
revealed by President
Muhammadu Buhari on
Thursday, July 21, 2016.”
“These preliminary talks are
the precursor to a wider
dialogue between the Federal
Government and the MEND
Aaron 2 peace initiative,
which will seek to find
solutions to the short,
medium and long-term future
of the Niger Delta region.
“The Federal Government
made it clear during our
meetings that a negotiation
with criminals is out of the
question,” MEND said.
It added: “The Niger Delta
Avengers, internet-based
'militant' groups such as Joint
Revolutionary Council,
Ultimate Warriors etc., an
Ijaw opportunistic tribal
assembly, which were
compromised to keep silent
during the six (6) years of
Goodluck Jonathan's misrule
and neglect, pirates, pipeline
vandals, oil thieves,
commercial kidnappers,
waterway robbers, political
thugs and miscreants all fall
under this category.”
Niger Delta Avengers, which
is the main militant group in
the region currently, had,
last Friday, denied Buhari’s
assertion that government
was discussing with militants.
Its spokesperson, self-
styled Brig Gen Mudoch
Agbinibo, said: “Our attention
has been drawn to media
report that the President is
in touch with Niger Delta
agitators, including the Niger
Delta Avengers, but the truth
is that we are not aware of
any peace talk.”
“If there is any such peace
talk, it means the President
is talking to their
mercenaries set to disturb
the genuine struggle of the
agitators. President Buhari
led government is not
sincere to the Nigeria people
and their foreign allies,” it
pointed out.
NDA asserted: “If we are to
engage in any peace talk, we
made it clear that the
international community must
be part of it. The President
knows our demands.
Therefore, they should stop
deceiving the international oil
companies, the general public
and the international
community.”

Nigeria’s Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremadu, Saturday, carpeted the endless ill feelings of the All Progressives Congress, APC, leadership over his position. The APC hierarchy had continued to wail over the emergence of Ekweremadu as the Deputy Senate President, despite the fact that he belonged to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party. The on-going trial of Ekweremadu and the Senate President, Bukola Saraki is also widely believed to have been influenced by the ruling party. However, speaking on Saturday, Senator Ekweremadu declared that “I want to assure our people that nobody will remove me.” The Senator, who spoke at Ezeagu Local Government Area during the Ikeoha Foundation, Adult Literacy Day and 2015/2016 Scholarship and Bursary Award, stated that “it is not by power, not by might but by the special grace of God. It is not by our trajectory; so, they cannot do anything.” Speaking on the activities of his foundation, which had empowered thousands of people, including widows, within the last three years, Ekweremadu said he would continue to partner with the Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi led administration. “Be assured that we will continue to support you; whoever is your friend will be our friend; whoever is your enemy will have us to contend with”, he told Governor Ugwuanyi. Similarly, over 30 traditional rulers in Enugu State, who attended the event, moved to the podium and handed over “Offor staff” (a symbol of justice) to Ekweremadu, with a caution that no one should dare harm him. His Royal Highness, Igwe Hafford Agana, who made the presentation, while others circled him, said “we are telling the whole world that nothing should happen to Ekweremadu. We have given him another Offor today.” In his speech, Governor Ugwuanyi described Ekweremadu’s empowerment scheme as another milestone, stressing that “education is indeed the bedrock of any society.” He added that “this is why as a government, we have continued to commit considerable resources to the provision of facilities.” He assured that the scheme would continue to receive the support of the State government.

The Nigerian Embassy in
New York has not paid
workers for months. Neither
is the embassy able to repair
its air conditioners, the only
source of air since the
windows of the magnificent
glass building cannot be
opened. Visitors now wait
outside while their passports
are being processed.
BY ADEOLA FAYEHUN
JUL 22, 2016
I needed to see for myself.
I’ve heard that it’s been
more than a month since the
air conditioner broke down at
the Nigerian High Commission
in New York. It was 93°F
that day (32°C), and there
are no windows or cross
ventilation in the 21-storey
all-glass building located on
44th Street and Second
Avenue. The only source of
air in the edifice is the air
conditioning units.
Outside the embassy,
visitors were sitting, waiting
for their passports. I
approached a woman with
two kids, a boy and a girl.
Idera had been sitting
outside for hours, while her
husband breezed in and out
of the embassy. The heat
inside was unbearable for
her and her children. She
showed me the boy; his face
was covered with sweat. She
lifted his arms; “My baby had
no rashes before we came
here today, now his two
arms are covered with
rashes from the heat. It’s
like an oven in there,” she
said.
When her husband came out
drenched, he hesitated to tell
her, but despite waiting for
six hours, the embassy said
he had to come back in two
days because they were out
of ink.
“You won’t believe how rude
they were; they talk to you
anyhow,” he said. I begged
them that my children cannot
come back to this heat, but
they didn’t care.”
Another family sat near the
pillar painted in grey outside
the building. The three
teenagers waited patiently
outside for their mother who
kept going in and out.
“We’ve been here for six
hours,” one of them said.
As soon as I got in the
elevator, I thought of
running back outside. On the
eighth floor, the chairs were
empty. The old standing fan
made no difference. It was
blowing heat. No wonder
people sat outside. I went to
the sixth floor, no air. I went
to the fourth floor, no air. I
went to the second floor, no
air. I had to see for myself.
Getting back to the first
floor, I went to the waiting
room, where about three
families were waiting. Two
families gathered around a
standing air conditioner. I
was so happy to see at least
one source of fresh air, and
I mentioned it to the two
families. I was surprised by
their response.
“The air conditioner didn’t
work all day; we were all
sweating, so most people
went outside. It was later in
the afternoon that it started
working,” they said.
I was short of words. I
looked around the waiting
room, and I was ashamed.
How can this be my
embassy? I saw loose wires
hanging on the walls near
the surveillance camera, and
an old box television with
nothing playing. Though
beautiful outside, the huge
building made me feel like I
was in Nigeria, at one of the
ministries’ run down offices.
A man held his newly born
baby to his chest at the
waiting room, “My baby’s
food is finished,” he said. I
begged the staff all day to
please help us do the
passport today. We came
very early, all the way from
Pennsylvania; we drove for
five hours, they just
dismissed me and told my
wife and I to come back on
Wednesday.” They told him
to come back in two days
because they’re out of
laminating supplies. I was
confused; I thought they
were out of ink, now it’s
laminating supplies.
From what I gathered, some
diplomats have not been paid
for four months. Some local
staff also have not been
paid for two months. The
mission is unable to pay for
medical insurance of staff
and diplomats. So, I was not
surprised to hear customers
say one man was willing to
produce passports if money
exchanged hands. However,
I have no means of verifying
this information, because
while I was in the room, the
man did not take money from
customers. They offered him
cash, but he rejected it.
An embassy employee
noticed me and wanted to
query me. So I asked, “Are
you happy working under
this condition?” He looked at
me and said “no!” I told him
my hope in reporting this, is
that the Federal Government
will release funds to pay
salaries and fix the air
conditioning on time. I found
out even if they get money
today, it could take two
months to install new AC
units.

Former media aide to the
immediate past President,
Goodluck Jonathan, Doyin
Okupe, has called on those
he described as his
persecutors to stay off his
life, adding that God is with
him and will put his enemies
to shame.
Okupe took to his Twitter
handle yesterday night to
lament his inclusion in the
arms scandal.
The former aide is currently
being investigated by the
Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission, EFCC’s
for allegedly collecting N100
million from embattled former
National Security adviser,
NSA, Sambo Dasuki, (retd).
He wrote, “On arms
scandal.D Lord is wt me as
might as mighty terrible one,
there4 my persecutors shall
stumble &not prevail. They
shall greatly be ashamed. Jer
20:11.
”Too many paid character
assassins on the prowl.
What on earth do I HV to do
wt arm scandal.? D counsel of
the wicked shall not stand.”

The Nigerian Navy on Thursday paraded suspects, including two alleged operatives of the notorious Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), in Warri. The new Commander of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Delta, Commodore Joseph Dzunve, who paraded the suspects told journalists that his command had destroyed some five illegal oil refining sites within two weeks. Besides the two suspected Avengers operatives, other suspects paraded included four suspected pipelines vandals, one alleged killer of a naval rating, who was said to have been part of several kidnap cases, and one Navy impersonator. Giving details of the involvement of each of the suspects, Commodore Dzunve said the suspects were arrested during different operations. About the alleged Avengers operatives, he said they were arrested with incriminating effects on them when arrested. “The person I’m pointing my walking stick at was arrested about a week ago, he’s suspected to have taken part in the murder of a rating sometime earlier this year. He’s also involved in kidnapping of citizens for ransom. “Next to him here the person to his right are buyers of some of these illegal refined products, they were caught when we went for that operation last week. They are also suspected members of the Niger Delta Avengers. “This one on my left here is a supplier of equipment they use for the bombing of pipelines, while the one on the right is the mechanic who repairs their boats which they use in conveying the materials whenever they have problems. Further investigation when we hand them over to the prosecuting authorities will reveal the extent to which they partook in those criminal activities”, Dzunve said. The two avengers suspects were identified as Prince David Oyafogha (avengers mechanic) and Felix Ebiaedor (avengers supplier) while the suspected kidnapper was identified Ebiye Ozano. Ebiaedor, who was reportedly arrested with equipment used for making explosives, like huge amounts of batteries and cables, said he was merely transporting the equipment to Chief Government Ekpemupolo’s guest house in Oporoza for some persons. He said he has been doing this since January. “The cables and the batteries are usually brought down to the waterside by Akpos, Rowland and Godbless, whenever they bring them like that they charter the boat and Stanley is the name of the driver. They started early this year, in January. Whenever they bring it, we have a driver that take them down to Oporoza, to the guest house. The guest house belongs to the ex-militant leader, Tompolo”, Ebiaedor revealed.

President Muhammadu Buhari
Thursday in Abuja said his
administration was talking to
Niger Delta militants through
oil companies and law-
enforcement agencies to find
a lasting solution to
insecurity in the region.
Speaking at a farewell
audience with Michael Zinner,
the outgoing Ambassador of
Germany to Nigeria at the
State House, President
Buhari said the government
was studying the instruments
of the Amnesty Programme
inherited from the previous
administration with a view to
carrying out commitments
made that were undelivered.
“We understand their
feelings,” the president said.
“We are studying the
instruments. We have to
secure the environment,
otherwise investment will not
come. We will do our best for
the country,” he said.
The president used the
opportunity to thank the
government of Germany for
its continuing support to
Nigeria in the efforts to
tackle insecurity and the on-
going rehabilitation and
resettlement of displaced
citizens in crisis areas in the
North-Eastern parts of the
country.
President Buhari also
thanked Nigeria’s
neighbours for their firm and
unflinching support in the
war against terror.
The outgoing German
Ambassador noted that
bilateral relations between
Nigeria and Germany “had
improved very much in the
last 12 months of this
administration”.
He expressed the readiness
of Germany to assist Nigeria
in the rehabilitation process
in the North East to help
displaced persons return to
their villages. He also
expressed the eagerness of
German businesses to invest
in the country, now that
“conditions for investment
have been put in place”.
The German Ambassador
said there was a standing
invitation of Chancellor
Angela Merkel to President
Buhari to visit Germany.

Mrs Adeosun, said this at the
Senate where she is
currently briefing lawmakers
on the state of the Nigerian
economy.
The lawmakers had on May
26 summoned the Minister to
brief them on the 2016
budget and other economic
issues affecting Nigerians.
Mrs Adeosun, however,
failed to appear before the
upper legislative chamber on
Wednesday, prompting the
motion to have her do so
unfailingly on Thursday.
The Senate said that the
Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi
Adeosun, had to appear
before it before members
proceed on recess
.
The Senate before inviting
the Finance Minister and the
CBN Governor, Godwin
Emefiele
, in the month of May, noted
that unemployment rate rose
to 12.1 per cent in the first
quarter of 2016 from 10.4
per cent in the last quarter
of 2015.
The Senate agreed that the
declining Gross Domestic
Product and high inflation
rate clearly showed that the
country’s economic policies
required an urgent review to
avoid a further plunge in the
economy.

The National Human Rights
Commission (NHRC) on
Wednesday in Abuja said it
would soon publish names of
electoral officials, security
personnel and others who
committed various electoral
offences during the 2007 and
2011 general elections.
NHRC’s Executive Secretary,
Professor Bem Angwe,
disclosed this in Abuja while
inaugurating a panel of
inquiry to investigate
allegations of genocide in
Tarok community, Wase Local
Government Area (LGA) of
Plateau State.
He said the NHRC would also
make public the report of its
investigation of the last
clash between some soldiers
and members of the Islamic
Movement in Nigeria (IMN).
Last year, the commission
sent an interim report
containing names of people
indicted by electoral tribunals
for election related offences
to the Attorney General of
the Federation (AGF).
NHRC had recommended the
prosecution of those indicted
to the AGF in the interim
report with names of some
prominent Nigerians.
However, the office of the
AGF has yet to act on the
report.
Angwe said the commission
had since compiled a final
report on the issue of
election offences and has
identified culprits for
prosecution.
“In the next two weeks, we
are going to release the
report of our investigation of
the clash between men of the
Nigerian Army and the
Islamic Movement in Nigeria.
“We have also concluded
works on our final report on
those indicted for electoral
offences by the election
tribunals in relation to the
2007 and 2011 general
elections.
“We will proceed to hand the
list containing names of
those so indicted to the
Attorney General of the
Federation for prosecution.
“We will also send the names
of policemen indicted to the
Inspector General of Police
(IGP) and names of officials
of the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC)
for the necessary actions,”
Angwe said.
Members of the Tarok
community had petitioned the
commission alleging attacks
by some officials of the
Nigerian Army on their
community on May 2 last
year.

Days after his
acclaimed meeting
with the militant
group, Niger Delta
Avengers (NDA),
Sports and Youth
Development
Minister, Mr.
Solomon Dalung,
appears to have
run into trouble as
President
Muhammadu
Buhari has ordered
the probe of
circumstances
surrounding the
parley.
“Mr. President has
ordered that the
minister provides
an answer as to
whether or not he
actually met with
Avengers, and if
truly he did, he
wants to know
from him who
authorised the
meeting,” a
presidential aide
told our
correspondent.
This development
came, as it
emerged that one
Jude Tabai, the
son of a retired
justice of the
Supreme Court,
facilitated
Dalung’s trip to
Oporoza.
But the minister
did not disclose his
identity to the
host community
during his visit as
he introduced
himself as the
head of a non-
governmental
organisation (NGO)
working for
development in
the Niger Delta.
The duo of the
minister and Jude
went without any
security escort, a
local source said.
On Monday, the
Sports Minister
claimed to have
met with the
leadership of the
militant group as
well as community
leaders in Oporoza,
Gbaramatu
Kingdom of Warri
South West Local
Government area
of Delta State.
But the source,
who spoke on the
heels of the NDA’s
and Oporoza
community’s denial
of any meeting
with Dalung,
disclosed that the
president has
directed the
National Security
Adviser (NSA),
Major General
Mohammed
Monguno (rtd) to
“get to the root of
the meeting.
“The first question
Mr. President
raised on the
report that the
minister visited
the leadership of
the Avengers and
Oporoza
community was,
who authorised
the visit? The
question became
necessary because
neither the NSA
nor the petroleum
minister or even
the military task
force was aware
of the minister’s
trip to the area.
”One thing again is
the fact that
anything could
have happened.
And again, it raises
the question that
if government now
knows who the
leaders of the
Avengers are, then
what next? “Mr.
President is
unhappy over this
and he directed
the NSA to get to
the root of the
said meeting
because it became
more embarrassing
when both the
Avengers and the
community are
denying that they
met with the
minister,” the
source told New
Telegraph.

Fresh evidence of industrial-scale corruption in the military uncovered by SaharaReporters shows that huge sums of money from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the National Petroleum Investment Services (NAPIMS) were funneled into military/security operations in the restive Niger Delta in the past 13 years, with none of it accounted for.

A document dated April, ​30 2010, exclusively obtained by this online news medium and signed by Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, who was at the time Petroleum Resources Minister, shows that eye-watering amounts went to each of the armed forces and the police under the scheme.

Entitled "Payments On Behalf Of Federal Government Re: Logistics Support For Security Operations In The Niger Delta From 2003 To Date," it was addressed by the Minister to Mr. Goodluck Jonathan who was at the time of the document Nigeria’s Acting president.

"We wish to apprise Your Excellency that between 2006 and 2007, the sum of $745million was approved for the Arms of Services and the Nigerian Police Force for funding of security expenses in the Niger Delta," states the document in its opening line.

The approved sum, she stated, was sourced from NAPIMS JV Cash Call budget and Federal Government dividends from NLNG, and was utilized.

She proceeded to give a breakdown of how much was given to each arm of service and the police.

According to the document:

$220million was approved for the Army;
$185million was approved for the Nigerian Air Force;
$160million was approved for the Nigerian Navy got; and
$180million for the Nigeria Police Force

For the 2008 and 2009 fiscal years, a total of $400million from the NAPIMS JV Cash Call budgets was also appropriated for security in the Niger Delta.

The document revealed that a total of $221.171million was expended on security in the oil-bearing region, as follows:

$46.8million to the Defence Intelligence Agency for logistics for security;
$158.7million to the Navy for patrol boats; and
$11.1million to the Presidential Implementation Committee on Maritime Security and Safety (PICOMSS). That committee was eventually scrapped.

This, revealed the document, left a balance of $178.83million appropriated in 2008 and 2009.

Despite the huge cash splash, Alison-Madueke went on to make additional requests totaling $154.11million, and yet another, of $35.75million. The additional requests, said the Minister in the document, were already with the NNPC awaiting Jonathan's approval for payment.

Broken down the Army made an additional request of $48.75million; the Nigeria Police Force, $15.70million; and PICOMSS, $86.66million. Of the $35.75million also requested by the Minister, and captured as "commitments from the Arms of Service", $5.34million was to go to the Army, 0.07million to the Police, $7.29million to the Navy and $23.05million to the Police.

Before former president Jonathan was voted out of office last year, there were loud calls for an investigation into defence and security spending, with some of those making the calls asking for an extension of the demanded probe to the time of his predecessor, former president Umaru Yar'Adua.

The widespread belief was that there was grand theft while Yar'Adua, who later died, was incapacitated by ill-health. Under Yar'Adua, the Chief of Army Staff was General Abdurahaman Bello Dambazzau, who is currently the country's Interior Minister. Dambazzau, who was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari last August, has had his name mentioned in connection with the financial malfeasance that has dogged the military over the years.

Bizarrely, his name his and that of General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, current Chief of Army Staff, are missing from the list of those affected by the Federal Government probe into defence spending, prompting critics to accuse Buhari of favouritism.


The exclusion of Dambazzau and Buratai from the list has fuelled criticisms of the probe. Notable among the critics is Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, who has challenged Nigerians to demand the release of the authentic report of the Committee on Audit of Defence Equipment Procurement in the Nigerian Armed Forces.

He described the Federal Government's claim that the probe panel only looked into procurement and contracts awarded by the military between 2011-2015 because documents related to procurement from 2007 to 2010 were unavailable as a clear indication of Buhari's support for corruption.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Lere Olayinka, the governor said, “There are many petitions relating to defence from 2007 that are been discarded, the question is why?

“Buhari’s’ Minister of Interior, Major General Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd) was Chief of Army Staff between 2008 and 2010 and the current Chief Of Army Staff (COAS) Major General Tukur Buratai, served as Director of Procurement, Defence Headquarters, from 2012 till May 2015.

“It is a fact that the committee in its terms of reference said it queried all procurement from 2007 to 2015.

"Even the press release issued was titled "Third Interim Report of the Presidential Committee on Audit of Defence Equipment Procurement from 2007 to 2015," Fayose sneered.

The governor also pointed out that the first paragraph of the committee report indicated that it used 2007-2015 as a reference, stressing that the committee "analysed procurement contracts awarded by or for the Nigerian Army between 2007 and 2015."

COAS Buratai was recently exposed by SaharaReporters as the owner of two luxury apartments, worth $1.5million, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. He claimed to have bought them from “personal savings.”

Following strident nationwide criticism, the Federal Government then announced its approval of further investigations into the purchase of military hardware and weaponry from 2007. Among the subjects of a further probe, disclosed the panel handling the investigation, are two former Chiefs of Army Staff, Generals Anthony Ihiejirika and KTJ Minimah; former Foreign Affairs Minister Nurudeed Mohammed; and three former Defence Ministry permanent secretaries.

aressssa:
Funny how the stealing is not corruption otuoke losers now gyrates all over the place collecting worthless and irrelevant mucky mouse award from obscure entities... such his life..

Former Nigeria President, Mr. Goodluck Jonathan, will give the keynote speech of the United States Nigerian Lawyers Association (NLA) Merit Awards Dinner, scheduled for October 29 in New York.


An announcement signed by Nexus U. Sea, President of the association, said tickets for the event at on sale on the NLA website

“Early Bird tickets are $100 for NLA Members and $130 for Non-Members. We recommend that you purchase your tickets before Standard Rates apply. The Early Bird period will expire on August 31, 2016 at 11:59PM. Standard Rates are $130 for NLA Members and $160 for Non-Members. The ticket price for everyone at the Door will be $180.”

The venue of the event is the 630 Second Ballroom, at 630 Second Avenue.

According to Mr. Sea, the keynote speaker will be joining a long list of Nigerian dignitaries who have attended the event in the past.

He named such celebrities as including “Professor Wole Soyinka, a 1986 Noble Laureate in Literature, and world-renowned writer, poet and playwright; Professor Chinua Achebe, world-renowned writer and author of the award-winning novel, "Things Fall Apart"; and Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former World Bank Managing Director and former Nigerian Minister of Finance.

According to the NLA website, the annual Merit Awards Dinner are held “to celebrate the achievements of distinguished individuals who have made outstanding contributions in the legal profession and towards the advancement of public and community service, and to give out scholarships to law students of color from across the country, based on need and merit.”

It was not immediately clear what President Jonathan will focus on in his address. Since losing the presidency last year, he has spent a lot of time abroad speaking to audiences about the success of his administration in tackling corruption and boosting democracy.

In the next few weeks, he is scheduled to launch his foundation, the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, which he announced last year in a letter to former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

In the letter, he said he was back to work following the taking of power by President Muhammadu Buhari, “to continue to serve and dedicate my life to promoting peace and prosperity for all,” and that he would be “devoting the rest of my life and energy to making the world a better place.”

Several of Mr. Jonathan’s aides and former ministers are facing corruption charges in Nigeria related to his term in office.

Militants in Nigeria have
attacked a crude oil pipeline
on the outskirts of Warri, a
city in the Niger Delta, which
is operated by a subsidiary
of the Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation
(NNPC), a community leader
said on Monday.
Two blasts were heard on
the Pipelines and Product
Marketing Company (PPMC)
line late on Sunday night,
said Batan community
chairman Ogugu Dickson. A
security source also said
there had been blasts.
NNPC could not immediately
be reached for comment. No
group has claimed
responsibility for the attack.

President Muhammadu Buhari
has explained why Nigeria
joined the Saudi-led Coalition
Against ISIS.
Buhari also dismissed
insinuations that it had
religious motive.
“We were looking for
solutions to our myriad of
problems in the area of
security posed by Boko
Haram which has pledged
alliance to ISIS and the
Saudi-led coalition against
ISIS was set up to confront
and eradicate ISIS,” he told
African Leadership.
“Boko Haram had pledged
alliance to this terror group
and I don’t see the reason
why we should isolate
Nigeria in any effort to
eradicate global terrorism.
“It is all about eliminating the
menace called Boko Haram.
Having said that, Nigeria
remains a multi-religious
nation where there is
freedom of worship as
prescribed by our
constitution”, he added.
The president assured that
he remained committed to
Nigeria as a multi-religious
society where freedom of
worship will be guaranteed.

The Federal Government on Thursday declared that the delay currently been experienced in the execution of capital projects, as captured in the N6.06trillion 2016 budget is due to procurement procedure and low level of revenue generation.
Speaking while appearing at a meeting organized by the Senate Committee on Appropriation, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, said the problem arose from the six months requirement for procurement process on execution of new projects as provided for, in the Public Procurement Act.

He said “no new project is ripe for any capital releases because of the six months of procurement process, including advertising and so on. It is only existing projects which already met the criteria for the various procurement stages that are qualified for capital releases”.


On the problem of low revenue, he believed that the overall revenue for the first quarter, was about 55% of the projected revenue expectations, which according to him, was caused by agitation in the Niger Delta by militants and earlier difficulties faced by importers in accessing foreign exchange.

According to him “The bulk of the problem of low revenue generation came from militant agitations in the Niger Delta, which affected oil production and prevented us from reaching the 2.2 million barrel, even though the price is going up.

“At a point, production went down to one million barrel but right now, we have been informed by the Minister of Petroleum that it is going up again to about N1.9 million barrel, but the revenue will come in three months time because the generation of today is not the revenue of today but of three months time”.

The minister assured the committee that many of the new capital projects captured in the budget would be executed since duration for their implementation had been extended till May next year by the National Assembly.


He said “The National Assembly gave us till May next year to carry out the capital expenditure and we still have 10 months of capital spending to do.

“Nevertheless, out of the capital for MDAs, out of N1, 587,598, 122, 028, we have released N235, 916, 566, 642 (15 percent).

“In personnel releases, the budget was N1, 723, 819, 398, 198 but what we released was N871, 459, 760, 939 which comes to about 50 percent. This is the way it should be because we are already in July and we have done six months, which is half of the year.

“For overhead, the budget is N218, 368, 364, 886 and we have released N52, 913, 047, 226 (25 percent)”, he explained.

The committee chairman, Danjuma Goje in his remarks said the committee would in the remaining 10 months for capital budget implementation, continue to assess the budget performance.

DSS Arrest. Release Obanikoro’s Wife, Moroofat


Men of the Department of State Security (DSS) earlier this Thursday stormed the Ikoyi residence of the former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, and picked up his wife, Alhaja Moroofat Omolola, after hours of ransacking the house without laying their hands on anything.

Security sources confirmed to THISDAY that the DSS men were actually at Obanikoro’s residence to search the house for possible evidence that could help in their investigation but could not relate with the arrest of his wife.

Mrs. Obanikoro, who has since been kept in their custody at the Lagos office of the DSS on CMD Road, Shangisha was yet to be released as at the time of filing this report, before she was moved a few minutes ago to the Lagos office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), where she was eventually released.

Efforts to reach the Obanikoros however failed as none of them was answering their calls. But a close family friend who confirmed the development said the family was shocked with the arrest of Obanikoro’s wife.

“We know the EFCC was on the matter and had been there at their homes some weeks ago, although without any warrant. But we cannot understand the involvement of the DSS. They were in the house earlier today and after hours of searching everywhere without laying their hands on anything they insisted the woman must come with them.

“Here is a woman, who has been managing high blood pressure and heart-related disease for many years in their custody. What is the business of the woman in this matter and why are our security guys acting this way? This country is going down and it is sad,” he said.

However, not quite long after she was moved to the EFCC office, the anti-graft agency released her, although the basis for her arrest in the first place was not known.