₦airaland Forum

Nigeria and half of the countries in Africa posted relatively weak performance in their policy environment, supporting development and poverty reduction, the World Bank has said.

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According to the bank’s yearly Country Policy and Institutional Assessment (CPIA) for sub-Saharan Africa, out of 38 countries, seven showed improvements while another 12 saw a decline in their performance, including Nigeria.

The CPIA rates the performance and challenges of poor countries to determine the allocation of low to zero-interest financing and grants for countries that are eligible for support from the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA).

CPIA scores assess the quality of countries policy and institutional progress using 16 development indicators in areas, such as economic management, structural policies, policies for social inclusion, equity, public sector management and institutions.

With policy reforms, Rwanda continues to lead all countries with a CPIA score of 4.0 followed by Cape Verde, Kenya, and Senegal, all with a 3.8 score. Improvements in several policy areas reversed the slide in Ghana’s score, lifting the country’s CPIA score from 3.4 in 2014 to 3.6 in 2015 with Nigeria in the lower rung.

The bank in a statement explained that countries transiting out of violence saw modest improvements. Côte d’Ivoire with an aggregate of 3.3, that has enjoyed four consecutive years of wide-ranging reforms and improvements in CPIA scores, saw stronger performance in equity of public resource last year, but this did not translate into an improvement in the country’s aggregate CPIA score.

By contrast, both Burundi (3.1) and The Gambia (2.9) saw the CPIA score drop from last year’s rating, underscoring that conflict and weak governance can set back policy gains and development progress.

Commenting on the report, World Bank Chief Economist for Africa, Albert Zeufack said: “Although there are a number of highly performing countries, African IDA-eligible countries on average continue to lag behind those in other regions in their policy and institutional ratings.”

He said urgent action is needed as more countries are facing downward pressure on the current account and fiscal balances, declining reserve positions, depreciating currencies, higher inflation, and rising debt burdens.

The statement further stated that the number of African countries that declined in CPIA last year doubled the number that improved, regretting that sub-Saharan Africa’s fragile countries continued to lag behind.

He regretted that only seven countries such as Ghana, Comoros, Chad, Guinea, Madagascar, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe. Citing Nigeria, the report indicated that overall, the low governance scores for African countries indicated that public institutions need to be strengthened so they can be more accountable for delivering human development services, security, and justice to citizens.

Lead Economist, World Bank Africa Region, PunamChuhan-Pole said though some African countries are currently going through difficult situation, he argued the situation also presents opportunities to accelerate key reforms to boost competitiveness and diversification which are critical for raising growth prospects and ending extreme poverty. He encouraged the diversification of the economy of sub-Saharan countries against the prevalent mono product economy even for the otherwise large countries.

Source>>http://www.barbaric.com.ng/nigeria-development-indices-world-bank/

The country’s oil and gas business may be heading for good times as Blooming Faith Petroleum Ltd., a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based Blooming Faith Global Holdings Ltd, would partner the Federal Government to build and operate a refinery with an installed capacity of 200,000 barrels per day, in Akwa Ibom State.

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In a statement made available to Vanguard, a senior management team of the organisation, which is currently in Nigeria to kick-start procedure for the project, confirmed a successful engagement with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC.

Speaking on the development, Chairman of the company, Dr. Robert Yeung, explained that the company’s interest in building a refinery was influenced by the discovery that Nigeria, a major oil producing nation, relied on importation of refined products to attend to its domestic needs.

His words: “We became immediately interested for two basic reasons: first, as a business entity, we have identified a vacuum to be filled, because the government of Nigeria will not import what it can access locally. “Second, our confidence in Nigeria as an investors’ destination of choice in Africa: we know that we can never get it wrong with a country of almost 200 million people.”

Source>>http://www.barbaric.com.ng/hong-kong-firm-build-200000bpd-refinery-nigeria/

Nigerian equities lost N606 billion over the past six trading sessions as foreign investors hesitated to wait for the clear results of the Nigerian foreign exchange (forex) amidst global uncertainties on the heels of the decision of the United Kingdom (UK)’s decision to withdraw from European Union (EU).

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Aggregate market value of all quoted companies on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), which had opened penultimate Friday at a high of N10.671 trillion, closed this weekend at N10.065 trillion, representing a loss of N606 billion. In the five-day trading session last week, equities recorded a net loss of N462 billion, trading in four negative trading sessions against one recovery. Market capitalisation had opened last week at N10.527 trillion.

The benchmark index for the Nigerian stock market, the All Share Index (ASI), which had peaked at 31,071.25 points, depreciated to 29,305.40 points, indicating average six-day loss of 5.68 per cent. The ASI, Nigeria’s sovereign equities index, dropped by 4.39 per cent last week. It had opened at 30,649.66 points.

Market analysts attributed the decline in recent trading sessions to the spillovers from the UK’s EU exit referendum, popularly known as Brexit, month-end rebalancing and gap between the forex change and flow of portfolio investments.

A dealing member at the NSE told The Nation that the stock market witnessed massive sell-off immediately after the Brexit decision, a downturn that was compounded by the reluctance of foreign portfolio investors.

Total turnover last week slowed down to 1.47 billion shares worth N17.06 billion in 21,246 deals as a total of 2.39 billion shares valued at N26.38 billion traded in 28,072 deals two weeks ago. The financial services industry led the activity chart with 1.17 billion shares valued at N10.24 billion in 12,697 deals; contributing 79.6 per cent and 60.0 per cent of the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.

The three most active stocks were Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, FBN Holdings Plc and Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc, which altogether accounted for 523.549 million shares worth N6.539 billion in 5,223 deals, representing 35.65 per cent and 38.32 per cent of the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.

There were 22 gainers and 52 losers last week as against 40 gainers and 32 losers recorded in the previous week. A total of 106 equities remained unchanged last week compared with 108 equities recorded in the previous week. Julius Berger Nigeria led the gainers with a gain of 15.75 per cent to close at N50.93. Conoil followed with a gain of 15.68 per cent to close at N25.45 while Union Dicon Salt rose by 15.67 per cent to close at N17.35.

On the negative side, Smart Products Nigeria recorded the highest percentage loss of 25.49 per cent to close at 76 kobo. Honeywell Flour Mills dropped by 22.60 per cent to close at N1.61 while Champion Breweries declined by 14.86 per cent to close at N4.24 per share.

Source>>>http://www.barbaric.com.ng/subdued-foreign-interests-shave-n606b-nigerian-equities/

Abuja—Senior officers in Nigeria Police Force have petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly, NASS, over non-payment of promotion dues, death allowances and pension arrears, despite efforts made to get them paid.

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This came as the Budget Office wrote Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, to produce comprehensive details of arrears for government’s action . Towards this end, a circular with reference number BD/2000/EXP/Shortfall 2016, requesting for comprehensive list of arrears, has been sent from the Budget Office to all ministries for prompt response.

Indications to this effect came out following Vanguard, investigation of some of the petitions which showed that for years, thousands of workers in the civil service, foreign service and other parastatals, including security agencies, had been denied either their legitimate retirement benefits or pension arrears.

“The amount involved is said to be in several billions of naira but in the anti-corruption drive of the present administration, efforts will be made to ensure the monies owed the workers are genuine and not padded,” a source said. Petitioners The petitioners said: “It has never happened in history that arrears of promotion in an organisation exceed one calendar year. There

There are usually no carry over to another year as the budget for the next year usually capture indebtedness of the past year. “The promotions in the Police force have become mere decoration rather than remuneration.”

Source>>>http://www.barbaric.com.ng/police-officers-petition-buhari-nass-non-payment-promotion-dues-others/

KADUNA—As controversy rages over the 2014 National Conference report, organised labour has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to be statesmanlike and pragmatic in accepting the principles in the report for implementation while fine-tuning the detailed policies/findings for national development.

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Speaking through the General Secretary of the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, NUTGTWN, Mr. Issa Aremu, Labour blamed Nigeria’s woes on absence of “development agenda”, urging the presidency to go back in time and look at past reports of Visions 2010, 2020 and consolidate them with 2014 National Conference report.

Aremu, who is also the Chairman of IndustriALL Global Union, Africa region, contended that governance should move beyond the “present adhockism to informed policy choices and implementations strategies”. While speaking at a career development and mentoring lecture organized by S.M.I.L.E.S (Sending Message by Impacting Lives with Enabling Support) youth initiative held at Zamani College Malali, Kaduna, Aremu said Nigeria could not engage meaningfully with countries like China which had sustainable development agenda without its own development agenda, insisting: “Development does not come through friendship but self national interests in national plans.”

According to him: “China engages with Africa within the context of its 13th Five-Year Plan 2016-2020 for Economic and Social Development. Buhariconomics must also be rooted in consolidated Visions 2010, 2020 and reports of 2014 National Conference.” On the current face off between the Presidency and the National Assembly, he said: “Watching the presidency and the National Assembly leadership in recent times exchanging star-words on who is right or wrong over critical issues of probity and accountability cases already in the courts of law is disheartening.

There must be cooperation between the presidency and the National Assembly members in the interest of the nation. Both arms of government must learn to be less hard on themselves but be hard on the national problems that include perennial shortage of electricity, low capacity utilisation, falling Naira value, insecurity, entrenched corruption and worsening poverty. Nigerians voted for change from underdevelopment to development not exchanges of “bad mouths” between the executive and the legislators.”

Source>>>http://www.barbaric.com.ng/labour-tasks-buhari-2014-national-confab-report/

ABUJA — The Federal Government, yesterday, distanced itself from the governorship crisis currently rocking Abia State.

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This came as Governor Okezie Ikpeazu alleged that there was a plot by “desparate politicians” to kidnap judicial officers in Abia State to swear-in Dr. Uche Ogah, who was issued a certificate of return last week by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. But Uche Ogah said the fight to swear him in as governor of Abia State was still on and expressed hope that God would see him through.

However, the Federal Government, through the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, said it never influenced the INEC to issue certificate of return to Ogah. The AGF, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Salihu Isah, urged all the parties involved in the governorship tussle to await the “decision of the courts” on the matter. Malami maintained that so far, nobody had approached him to proffer any legal opinion on the crisis. Ikpeazu and Ogah He said:

“The attention of the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has been drawn to the insinuations and crass lies being peddled and disseminated by a cross-section of Nigerians and the various media platforms that the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation is behind the legal logjam over the Abia State governorship seat and wishes to clarify that those canvassing this position have no basis to do so.



“Of particular concern are those who have peddled ill-natured rumours with a view to misinforming our discerning populace that it was the Attorney General of the Federation and by extension, the Federal Government of Nigeria, that gave directives to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to issue Certificate of Return to Dr. Uchechukwu Ogah declaring him governor-elect.

“He has definitely not taken any action either by spoken words or body language as far as this Abia governorship crisis is concerned.

“I wish to, therefore, on behalf of my principal, declare that these rumours are untrue and a figment of the imagination of those pushing these selfish, shameless and irredeemable lies into public space which only translates to partisanship on the side of its purveyors.

“As far as the Attorney General of the Federation is concerned, the constitutional powers for the legal opinion of his office have not been invoked on this issue. “So far, nobody has approached him to proffer any legal opinion to it.

As a strong believer in the rule of law, it is his belief that the law should naturally take its course “The Honourable Attorney General of the Federation will not be dragged into this controversy and mind-games being played out by the various legal minds and spin doctors of both camps at this point.

“The parties involved should await the decision of the courts. “In fact, we wish to, by this statement, advise those in the habit of dragging the highly esteemed Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice into knotty issue of this kind even when it is yet to take a position.

They should desist from these unwarranted presumptions henceforth.” Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja had on June 27, sacked Governor Ikpeazu of Abia State from office over alleged tax fraud. Aside ordering him to immediately vacate his office, the court further directed INEC to issue a fresh certificate of return to Dr. Ogah, who came second in the primary election of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, that produced Ikpeazu. Though INEC had since issued certificate of return to Ogah, another court in Abia State, however, restrained the Chief Judge from swearing him in.

Plot to kidnap judges Meanwhile, Governor Ikpeazu has alleged that there was a “plot to kidnap judicial officers in Abia State” to swear-in Ogah. Ikpeazu’s allegation came on the heels of the position of Ogah that the refusal of the state’s Chief Judge, Justice Theresa Uzokwe, to swear him in as the duly elected governor of the state was an affront on the rule of law. I never absconded from office —CJ But the judge has said that she never absconded from duty to avoid swearing in of Ogah as governor of Abia State, insisting that she was in office on Thursday, June 30, 2016, till 4.30 pm.

A statement by the Acting Chief Registrar, Abia State Judiciary, Mrs. Vicky Analaba, said: “The attention of the Chief Judge of Abia State, Justice Theresa Uzoamaka Uzokwe, has been drawn to various spurious and mischievous reports alleging that the Chief Judge absconded from her duty post on Thursday, June 30, 2016, to avoid swearing in Uche Ogah as Governor of Abia State. “Contrary to the allegations of cowardice by mischievous politicians, the Chief Judge, was in her office throughout the working hours on Thursday, June 30, 2016 from 8:30 a.m. till 4:30 p.m.



“For the avoidance of doubt, on Thursday, June 30, 2016, the Chief Judge was in her court room performing her lawful duties, including the delivery of four rulings on that date.

“The particulars of the ruling in question are: HU/35CM/2015 Francis Akor vs the State; HU/ICM/2016-Johnson Asiegbu vs. Commissioner of Police, HU/42CM/2016-Onyekachi Samuel vs. Commissioner of Police; HU/34CM/2016-Lucky Sampson vs. the State.

“These facts are verifiable and in the records of the court. The various lawyers who appeared in the respective suits listed above are also living witnesses.

“This press release has become necessary in order to avoid further mischief and to set the records straight.” Raising the kidnap alarm, Ikpeazu in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Enyinnaya Appolos said:

“The state government has uncovered plots by desperate politicians to kidnap judicial officers in the state. “We call on security agencies in the state to increase surveillance and protection services around all judicial officers in the state.

“We wish to warn those involved in this plot to desist from their nefarious activities as the government will not hesitate to apply the full weight of the law against them.

“We also call on Abians to be vigilant and report any suspicious movements around them to the security.” Ogah had accused the Chief Judge of Abia State, Justice Theresa Uzokwe of constituting “an affront on the rule of law” by refusing to swear him in as duly-elected governor of the state,” saying the action was capable of undermining the peace and stability of the state.

According to him, the stay of execution of order secured from an Abia High Court in Osisioma has no force of law as the court has coordinate jurisdiction with a Federal High Court. “A High Court in Abia is a court of coordinate jurisdiction with a Federal High Court and so any order given by such court to contradict an earlier order of the same court is ipso facto null and void. It is only a higher court that has the legal capacity to reverse the earlier order or judgment,” Ogah was quoted as saying through his Special Adviser on Public Communications, Monday Ubani. Abia PDP accuses Ogah of nursing unbridled ambition On its own, Abia State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has accused Ogah of nursing “unbridled ambition” and alleged that he was plotting to kidnap judicial officers to swear him in as governor of Abia State. A statement by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Chief Don Ubani, stated:

“The Peoples’ Democratic Party in Abia State has frowned on the reports making round in the state that a certain desperate politician in the state, whose illegal efforts to seize power from the back door which has been frustrated by decent application of the rule of law, is now directing his evil machination towards kidnapping judicial officers in the state with the hope of intimidating them in order to have access to power that he did not canvass for.

“The party has equally taken cognizance of the inordinately ambitious politician’s plot to kidnap some top functionaries of the party in the state.

According to intelligence available to the party, the political desperado is embittered with the state executive of the party for not coming out to support his acts of illegality.

“The party, therefore, cautions the politician that is involved in this sacrilegious and bloody shenanigan to quickly retrace his nefarious steps as the likely consequences of his devious desires and mischievous plots would compound his imagination and would only leave him with regrets that may not be redressed or even corrected in his life time. “The party wishes to remind him that he who throws stones into a crowded market should not forget that his loved ones could end up being the victims of his action.”

The fight is still on —Ogah But speaking, yesterday, on developments in the state, Ogah said the fight to swear him in as governor was still on. Ogah said he was hopeful that God would see him through the fight, adding that this was not the time to talk much.

Source>>>http://www.barbaric.com.ng/battle-abia-ogah-planning-kidnap-judicial-officers-ikpeazu-alleges/

Amount covers all sources,Int’l and local, including 4 years of Jonathan
Contrary to wild assumptions that the Borno State Government has received billions of cash donations in local and foreign currencies for the management of Internally Displaced Persons, the State Governor, Kashim Shettima has revealed that a lot of Nigerians may be shocked to know that a total of three hundred and forty five million naira (N345m) is the overall amount received as cash donation by his administration from May, 2011 when he inherited the Boko Haram crisis to date.

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Governor Shettima made the disclosure while responding to questions by journalists in Maiduguri shortly after his arrival from Abuja. The journalists sort his response over claims on the social media and a section of the main stream media the ‘the Borno Government had received billions of naira in cash donations as support to cater for IDP’S whereas the donation was diverted by Govt officials with food supplies not provided for the IDPS.
“You see, contrary to wild assumptions that the Borno State Government has received billions of cash donations in local and foreign currencies for the management of Internally Displaced Persons, a lot of Nigerians may be shocked to know that a total of three hundred and forty five million naira (N345m) is the overall amount received as cash donation by our administration from May, 2011 to date.
‎Here is the list of cash donations we received from all sources whatsoever for the support of IDPS, in Borno State and this figure is from 2011 when I took over, to this moment:
‎1. The FG under Jonathan gave us N200m in 4 years
2. Lagos State Government, N50m in October, 2015
3. Edo State Government, N25m in 2013
4. Kano State, N20m in 2013
5. Adamawa State, N20m in 2013
6. Ekiti State, N10m‎ in 2013
7. Osun State, N10m in 2013
8. Kaduna State, N5m
9. Unity Bank, N5m
‎‎There is one woman who prefers her name not to be mentioned, she donated one hundred thousand naira in cash bringing total cash received to three hundred and forty five million, one hundred thousand naira.
‎So, in effect, N345m is the total cash donation received by the Borno State Government from 2011 to date meant for support of internally displaced persons and we were spending N600m every month to cater for IDP’S throughout the Jonathan era.
All other interventions have been in kind through donation of food items or medical supplies etc and they include:
A. Kebbi State Government had donated 1,200 bags of rice
B. Ebonyi State Government gave us 5,000 bags of rice
C. Taraba gave us 3 trucks of highland tea
D. Gombe gave us 6 trucks of assorted food products via 2 interventions.
These were all for IDP interventions from State Government but of course, there have many other groups who visited and donated food items in the last five years but certainly not cash to Borno State Government” he said.
The Governor explained that International partners operate in such a way they have technical partners that implement their interventions.
‎”We have received tremendous support from some part of the International community but no foreign country or any International partner within or outside the UN and major world donors gave any cash to our administration from 2011 to date for the purpose of IDPS but rather all donations come in materials like medical supplies, technical support and food items, most of which are directly distributed by the International partners themselves to reach IDP’S in different parts of Borno State.
Amounts you might heard through the media were not cash donated to Borno by international partners but rather, items and services worth such amount mentioned to the public. They do not give cash. For instance, there was a time the General Electric graciously donated one million dollars to Borno in support of IDPS,I was at the presentation in Abuja, I was even presented the symbolic cheque but the money was paid to UNICEF and it was UNICEF to implemented the G.E’s intervention in the era of Healthcare and nutrition.
When the Government of Norway announced donation of 4 million dollars, the money wasn’t given in the form of cash to Borno, it was the worth of their food supplies and these food supplies are being distributed by the Norwegian Refugee Council which deals directly with the IDPS in Borno. The ICRC has made the highest humanitarian intervention in Borno but we don’t even know how much they have spent, they have their men on ground who deal directly with the IDPS across Borno State” he said.
He noted that “the World Food Programme also makes intervention of food and recently they are doing conditional cash transfers and that also is handled by officials of the World Food Programme. If there is one organization that has given us any cash donation outside the N345m for IDPS, it was the Dangote Foundation which gave Borno N400m but that wasn’t for IDPS, it was an economic empowerment program for women which the Dangote Group launched in different States including Lagos,Kano, Jigawa, Kogi, Adamawa and Yobe States in which N10,000 each was given to about three or four hundred thousand women across these States I mentioned. The N2b Dangote announced in support of Borno two months ago, we requested that he doesn’t give us cash but building materials worth the amount”.
Shettima also said “as far as 2012, I foresaw eventual mischief on this issue of intervention on IDP’S, that was why we made it a policy of not dealing with cash but supplies and even on the supplies when the food is much, in most cases, we insist that donors supervise the distribution of their donations to the IDPS, this was exactly what we did with the 104 trailers of food donated by Dangote Foundation for the Ramadan feeding for IDPS. Officials of Dangote led the entire distribution.
So, I really don’t know where this issue of Borno collecting Billions for the purpose of IDPS came from, the Borno State Government has been the one bearing the major brunt of managing these over two million IDPs throughout the Jonathan era. We have spent Billions of our resources not only in feeding IDPS but also in reconstruction of many communities from 2011 to date and yet we manage to pay salary of N2.6b to our workers by 26th of every month without failing for once. We have paid salaries of June last week. I think people should be fair to us. We are not angels, we have our short comings as humans but we do our best most of the time to meet the needs of our citizens”.
The Governor said ‎”a political group in Borno has since hijacked the issue of IDPS, the group was no where when we were in crisis and taking care of these IDPS, now that peace is emerging, politics has set in, they send all kinds of information with misleading figures and pictures, the media should try to separate facts from fiction by simply seeking clarification from us on issues that affect us. I am not a fighter by my nature but Allah has blessed me with the capacity to resist pressures.
Challenges don’t distract or slow me down, they inspire me,they make more focused. I have been following all the mischief. The social media doesn’t bother me at all. The only comment that surprised me was one that kept being repeated on the Television by a particular TV station based in Lagos. There is a program they call Journalists Hang Out, in which some senior journalists that ought to simply assign their reporters in Borno to get them facts or reach my media aides or even me directly for clarifications, who chose to be making serious and libelous allegations on live TV saying Borno State has received hundreds of Billions of naira as cash donations to take care of IDPS and that the funds were diverted and IDPS were left dying of hunger.
Unfortunately, other media houses seem to have bought into that misleading information since the unfortunate case of malnutrition came out of Bama which by the way, we brought it to public knowledge after I ordered the evacuation of over 1000 malnourished children and adults before and during my visit to the Bama IDP camp on 15th of June which was before the statement by the MSF” he said.

Source>>>http://www.barbaric.com.ng/shettima-idp-receives-n345-million-total-cash-donation-2011-till-date-idps/

Our attention has been drawn to an editorial published in the Punch Newspaper of Monday, June 27, 2016 (http://punchng.com/national-assemblys-one-year-of-dashed-hope) Ordinarily, this should not deserve any response from us, but for the fact that the opinion is coming from a revered news medium such as The Punch which has carved a niche for itself in the world of Journalism. Although an editorial of a newspaper represents an opinion of the publishers and editorial board of the newspapers, it should be based on facts and realities of issues on ground so that the public should not be misled into believing falsehood and half-truths.

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The editorial from the onset presented a scenario of a dashed hope judging by what the newspaper thinks that within a spell of one year, things should change for the better in the country through the magic wand of the National Assembly. For the newspaper to state that the Legislators have been legislating the good things of life for themselves at the expense of the people in the past one year, clearly raises many questions as to the objectivity of the motive behind the editorial piece.

It is an indisputable fact that within one year, the House of Representatives has focused its attention on legislating for the good governance of the country. Immediately the crisis associated with the selection of the Principal Leaders of the House was resolved the House settled into its legislative business. That explains the unprecedented record of achievements that was made by the House within the first one year. For instance, in the 16 years of uninterrupted democracy in the country, no Assembly, whether in the states or at the national level has introduced a record number of such bills as was done by the current House.

Even though Punch Newspaper acknowledged this feat, that a total of 685 bills were introduced at the House in the first one year, of which 675 were members’ bills and 10 were from the executive. Out of these, 95 bills were passed in just one year; but in a desperate effort to paint the House in bad light, the Punch did not even commend the House for a job well done but went to ask which of the bills are aimed at revamping the economy without scrutinising all the 95 bills passed. A little effort aimed at analysing the bills would have provided them with more than sufficient answers.

The editorial also said the Legislators are yet to do away with their jumbo salaries and other perks of office, thereby insinuating that the MPs are only concerned after their luxuries and not the wellbeing of the people.

Regrettably, the Punch Newspaper ignored the fact that more than any, the 8th Assembly is very conscious and sensitive to the present economic woes bedeviling the country and has responded positively by making the much needed sacrifices. For example, President of the Senate Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki and House Speaker, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, rejected the N10 billion the Federal Capital Territory Administration proposed in the 2016 budget for building official residences for Principal officers. They are all living in rented accommodation.

Let us remind the Punch that the National Assembly has also reduced its budget from N150 billion to N115 billion. Even though it is always erroneously and mischievously insinuated that this money is shared among the 360 Reps and 109 senators, what is more tragic is the failure of intellectuals to realise that N150b some 8 years ago is not the same amount now. Inflation has reduced that amount by over 50%. Let the Punch do the maths and convince Nigerians that this assertion is not true.

The truth is, there are a plethora of agencies and bodies that draw their funding from the N115 billion total allocation to National Assembly; such Agencies include the National Assembly Service Commission, Public Complaints Commission, National Institute for Legislative Studies which takes as much as N12 billion, the management with over 5000 civil servants, about 3000 Legislative Aides, Senate, and House of Representatives. The overall figure of N115 billion shared among eight ( agencies and bodies represents less than 1.9 percent of the over N6 trillion budget.

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As part of its Legislative Agenda, it is on record that for the first time, the current House introduced sectoral debates. The first sector covered was the diversification of the economy. Relevant Ministers have taken turns to address the House on steps taken and targets set in their respective MDAs to diversify the economy and boost revenue generation. Indeed, this is the first time Lawmakers and the Executive brainstormed, in a frank manner, on the way forward, following the dwindling revenue in the country. Yet, as if the newspaper is hell bent on doing mischief, this giant and novel idea by the House of Representatives was not recognized by the newspaper.

On the much talked about Petreolum Industry Bill, it is on record that Speaker Yakubu Dogara, had in the last one year made several calls to the Executive to forward its own version of the proposed legislation to the National Assembly but it all fell on deaf ears.

This compelled the two chambers to procure the services of renowned experts and other consultants to help them craft the piece of legislation. Before June 9, 2016, the Bill had scaled second reading in both the Senate and the House. We therefore expect the newspaper and other Nigerians to commend the parliament for leading the way and also put pressure on the Executive to do the needful instead of condemnation. In fact, on Wednesday June 28 2016, some civil society organisations appealed to the Federal government to with immediate effect forward the PIB to the parliament for immediate legislation.

In case the Punch Newspaper does not know, The Railway Act amendment and the NTC bills are not Executive bills. They are private members bills that have passed first, second reading and have also undergone public hearing while the report is being awaited for final passage. What more can the parliament do in this instance?

Again, rather than commend the National Assembly for the scrutiny of the budget proposal which led to discovery of some salient issues, the newspaper jumped into blaming the Legislature for the delay in the passage of the budget. If the present administration is to realize its goal as promised under the Change Agenda, it must first start with having a realistic budget; that responsibility belongs to the Legislature and was religiously and dutifully discharged. As for the wild allegation by the newspaper that important allocations for budgets were expunged to make way for constituency projects, the newspaper has the duty to come out with facts to prove it.

To the contrary, it was the National Assembly that first discovered that the document as submitted by the President was heavily padded by bureaucrats which the Executive later admitted that it did happen and even punitive measures were taken againts the culprits

The newspaper, in what seems to be a stereotyped opinion on the Legislature, sweepingly concluded that Nigerians do not seem to appreciate the importance of the parliament in a democracy. We feel that rather than instigate Nigerians against the Legislature, the newspaper should contribute its quota in enlightening the public—which is also its duty—on the need to have a truly independent Legislature for the sustenance of democracy. How have the Executive and Judiciary faired so far? Are they any better than National Assembly? Why don’t we have a part time Executive, Judiciary and Legislature because Nigerians do not seem to appreciate the importance of these Institutions?

The newspaper should be reminded that what is realizable in other jurisdictions may not necessary be realistic here. The debate on whether Nigeria should operate a unicameral Legislature or retain the existing one has been on for long. Nigerians have seen the need for each constituency to be represented in the National Assembly in the present arrangement. Also, the issue of whether it should be part time or full time has been in the list of issues Nigerians gave their contributions on, and in all cases the majority opinion has been to maintain the status quo because where as the House represents equality of the people, the senate represents equality of the states which balances the equation and ensures that every state or people no matter how small their population, are adequately represented in the federal legislature. This is why a state like Bayelsa or Ekiti has three senators as Lagos and Kano. This is the wisdom behind the Presidential democracy recommended by the Constituent Assembly in 1978 which gave birth to the 1979 Constitution that was also adopted as the 1999 Constitution.

It should be noted that the legislature is the heart, nerve and hub of democracy without which there can be no democracy. Instead of working to strengthen this institution that directly represents and symbolises our democracy, The Punch, it seems to us, has joined forces with enemies of democracy by setting out to instigate and pitch citizens against this arm of government.

By insinuating that the work of the parliament should be made part-time, the newspaper is all out to destroy our hard earned democracy as there are people who will happily celebrate it since they will now have a field day as there wont be anybody to check their excesses.

Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas
Chairman
House Committee on Media & Publicity

Source>>>http://www.barbaric.com.ng/house-representatives-responds-punch-newspaper-editorial/

Laolu Akande; Kaduna
Our country at this time needs a new group of elites consisting of professionals in the military who will join in building a new nation built on high values of integrity, justice and diligence, according to President Muhammadu Buhari.

https://i1.wp.com/www.barbaric.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/PRESIDENT-BUHARI-DECORATES-SERVICE-CHIEFS-IN-ABUJA.jpg
PIC 2. PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI (L) AIDED BY VICE-PRESIDENT YEMI
OSINBAJO IN DECORATING THE CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF, MAJ.-GEN. TUKUR BURATAI
WITH HIS NEW RANK OF LT.-GEN, AT THE PRESIDENTIAL VILLA ABUJA ON
THURSDAY (13/8/15).
5927/13/8/2015/ICE/CH/NAN

In a speech delivered over the weekend by Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, in Kaduna state, the President said “the Armed Forces are probably the most visible symbols of national unity and cohesion,” in the country. Addressing the audience made up of top military chiefs including service chiefs and new graduates of the College’s Senior Course 38, the President told the military, “this is why the responsibility for fighting against all forms of ethnic and religious prejudices is yours.”

Continuing he explained that “one of the most profound dangers to our democracy and freedom lies in the divisive application of our ethnic and religious diversities. As defenders of the nation’s territorial integrity, we must resist and reject ethno-centricism and religious intolerance. These evils threaten our very existence as a sovereign and indivisible nation.”

In his words, “to build the new Nigeria, we need a new tribe. A tribe of men and women of all faiths, tribe and ethnicities, diverse, but firmly committed to a country run on high values of integrity hard work, justice and love of country.”

He added that “our nation at this time needs an elite consisting of professionals from the military, businessmen, politicians, religious leaders and all others who believe that a new Nigeria is possible. Nigeria needs men and women from the Armed Forces who are prepared to make the sacrifices and self-constraints that are crucial to strong society.”

“This nation needs an elite prepared to stick together, fight corruption and other national ills side by side. An elite who insists on justice even where our friends are at the receiving end,” the President concluded.

Addressing graduands who were drawn from the army, airforce, navy, paramilitary and civilians from the Ministry of Defence, the President also observed that fighting Boko Haram or ISIS is a profound new experience not only for our military but all over the world, stressing that it is “like what we have never seen before.”

“Our society is more complex and our world is more difficult than ever before. The nature of warfare is also vastly different, consequently, the officer of today cannot just be soldier in any event, being in the military today requires more than just carrying weapons. The officer must be a public intellectual of sorts, a thinker, versatile, dynamic and capable of introspection”.

He told the gathering, which included the Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, Service Chiefs and other senior military officers, that contemporary military warfare especially the influence of technology like drones has thrown up a huge challenge for the military who must develop the right strategies to deal with what he described as “this future before us”.

The President then commended the management of the college for pursuing appropriate structured courses for the participants to prepare them for command and staff responsibilities in full-scale warfare, noting that the graduation ceremony “is a testimony of your hard work and determination to contribute towards the re-professionalization of the Nigerian Armed Forces”.

Also, Vice President Osinbajo while fielding questions from journalists after the ceremony explained that “terrorism is a major blemish on the nation and our character,” adding that it is important to continue to speak against it and to have concerted efforts on the part of all to deal with it.”

He stated further that by the nature of the unconventional operations of insurgents, there is the demand for appropriate strategies from the military to combat it.

191 Nigerian officers from the military, paramilitary and civilians including 8 foreign military officers from the African continent, and a South Korean officer graduated from the prestigious military institution.

Source>>>http://www.barbaric.com.ng/president-buhari-says-military-elites-role-building-new-nation/

The President today will be in Ogoniland for the initiation of the clean up exercise of the Ogoniland devastated through decades of oil exploration; a militant group has however since February 2016 been making headlines through their capacity to destroy oil infrastructure.

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Their attacks have driven Nigeria’s oil output to near a 22-year low. Contrary to popular opinion, the group, Niger Delta Avengers, NDA for short, according to them is not just made up of Niger Deltans but has support from other parts of Nigeria, namely Northern, Western and Eastern part of the Country with the sole purpose of crippling the Nigerian Economy until their demands are met.

NDA Recent Attacks included:

Attack on Nigerian National Petroleum Coperation (NNPC) crude and gas lines – this Crude line feeds the Warri and Kaduna refineries respectively, while the gas line feeds the Lagos and Abuja electricity power supply. Warri and Kaduna refineries have been affected.
Chevron Oil Well at Egbema Creek in Warri
Shell, Agip Pipelines were also hit
Chevron Escravos Tank Farm
Forcados terminal crude oil export pipeline
Bonny Soku Gas Export Line
Agip Brass crude oil pipelines in Bayelsa,
Escravos- warri crude oil pipeline,
Escravos -Lagos- Abuja gas pipeline,
Alero Dibi Abiteye crude Crude oil pipeline and also,
the Escravos-Abiteye gas line
Things Being Demanded
– Immediate implementation of the report of the 2014 National Conference.
– The ownership of oil blocks must reflect 60% for the oil producing people and 40% for the non-oil producing people.
– The only Nigerian Maritime University sited in the most appropriate and befitting place Okerenkoko must start the 2015/2016 academic session immediately.
– The Ogoniland and indeed ll oil polluted lands in the Niger Delta must be cleaned up and compensation be paid to all oil producing communities.
– Nnamdi Kanu, the Leader of IPOB must be released unconditionally as the court said.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixoNh8JMe8k

Nigeria Military’s Response

Follow

Brig.Gen R. Abubakar @RabeAbubakarDDI
1. Bombing of pipelines is #callous and can only be done by cowards and criminals with no foresight and future.

2:17 PM – 2 Jun 2016
131131 Retweets

4242 likes

Follow

Brig.Gen R. Abubakar @RabeAbubakarDDI
2. All culprits involved in such destructive activity will be brought to book without inflicting unnecessary pain on innocent citizens.

2:23 PM – 2 Jun 2016
109109 Retweets

2929 likes

Follow

Brig.Gen R. Abubakar @RabeAbubakarDDI
3. We will remain professional and committed to maintaining#peace and #security in our great nation #Nigeria .#NigerianArmedForces

2:26 PM – 2 Jun 2016
101101 Retweets

2222 likes

According to reports, Diplomats and security experts say the group has shown a level of sophistication not seen since the peak of the 2004-2009 insurgency, which halved Nigeria’s oil output. They say it must be getting help from sympathetic oil workers knowledgeable enough in identifying the pipelines to cause maximum damage. Authorities have no hard facts about the group – such as its size, bases or leadership. Only known name of member is that of the Spokesperson, “Col. Mudoch Agbinibo” which might be a pseudonym.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=getliB6TSm8

Dissociation

Former militant leader Government Ekpemupolo, better known as Tompolo dissociated himself from the group, stating he is also a victim of the group. Eris Paul, a former leader of the now-defunct Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) “Niger Delta Avengers are not fighting for the sake of Niger Delta,” , he also claimed “We don’t know them.” Ijaw communities leading tribe in Niger Delta also dissociated from all activities of the group. No one has publicly aligned with the Niger Delta Avengers.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wATowDgRd9U

What the Government is Doing

Following the spate of attacks, the Nigerian Military has increase its engagement in the Niger Delta with deployment of addition units that included 100 Gunboats, 4 Warships and Fighter jets to the area; this is to align with increase in Naval deployment in the area.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vh6NIXm8yBA

President Buhari has restated support in the clean up of the Ogoniland devastated through years of oil exploration. Also, a proposed restructuring of NIMASA has been put in place following years of endemic corruption; which might have resulted in Amnesty funds not getting to the right persons and groups.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNV3QxVBL20

Source:>>>http://www.barbaric.com.ng/dont-know-niger-delta-avengers/

Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu is the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the September 10, 2016 governorship election in Edo State.

In this interview, Ize Iyamu speaks on his ambition to govern the state, his reconciliation moves to his opponents and their supporters that lost the governorship primary, his recent invitation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, among other issues.

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Now that you have emerged the candidate of your party, what is the next line of action?

We are trying to put a campaign team together. What we had before was a vehicle to get to the stage we are now. It will be wrong to continue with that same structure.

Now, I’m no longer Osagie Ize-Iyamu, an aspirant trying to get the ticket of the PDP, but the candidate of the PDP.

I must now sit with the leadership of the party to work out the campaign arrangements, the itinerary and the campaign structure. So, what we are doing now is more of consultation and trying to put up a structure. You also know that we have to do some reconciliation with those who are aggrieved. Some people supported other aspirants, but having won, one must stretch his hands and reach out to them. They are all PDP members and we must try to bring everybody together.

Talking about reconciliation, how far have you gone in that direction?

We are reaching out and our opponents are also reaching out. We are optimistic that we will come out of the whole exercise stronger than we were before. One thing is that you can’t win everybody, but we will do our best to reach out to aggrieved people. We know that some people, for some reasons, might decide that they are not comfortable and that they want to leave. There is nothing one can do about that. The good thing is that in the other party, there are so many, who also want to come and identity with us. From the eighteen local government areas, we have people who want to join us.

Are you not bothered about the leadership crisis currently affecting your party, the PDP?

A lot of our members are worried but, quite frankly, I’m not. I believe it will sort itself out. I know that there is a lot of engagement ongoing at various levels and at the end of the day; the matter will be sorted out. To worry about it, amounts to distraction. I have chosen to focus on the issues here rather than issues I have no control over. I’m happy that the primary we had was witnessed by INEC and they have also expressed satisfaction with the transparency of the process. One of the issues raised by the APC candidate was that the PDP government that you were part of killed the civil service in Edo State.

To what level is the claim correct?

Maybe he was misquoted or he didn’t know the situation. On the other hand, the Edo State civil service has never had it this bad. The service is totally depleted and is in dire need of new hands. It is very difficult to find anyone who has been recruited in the past eight years.

That means that everybody in the civil service came in long before now. Many people have died and many have retired, while punitive dismissals have been carried out without regards to extant rules. In many place, lots of directors have been summarily dismissed without even taking their cases to the Civil Service Commission. I know that before we left, we injected fresh blood into the system.

Young professionals such as lawyers, doctors, engineers, teachers and town planners were employed. Today, how many physics or other science teachers do we have in the public schools? Less than 20. How many general surgeons? Two. How many dermatologists? One on contract employment. When you look at the statistics, it is shocking. It is only one quantity surveyor, who is an external person, that does all the bills of quantity in this state. The same man will quantify, supervise and okay payment.

How prepared are you to face the APC bearing in mind that the leadership of the Edo APC said the PDP was dead in Edo?

How can a party that has two out of the three senators in a state be dead? Out of the nine House of Representatives members in this state, the PDP has five. That was an election that was conducted a little over a year ago; even the governor of the state, which party is representing him in the state House of Assembly? PDP.

So what are you be bringing into government? Ize-Iyamu

We are coming to government with a clear-cut agenda. We have a clear idea of how we will start and where we are going. We are not coming to government by trying to determine our destination. We have spelt out our ideas in a very simple manner. The economy of the state will be revitalized in such a way that we will not rely solely on what comes from Abuja. We intend to reinvent our public service because it has been destroyed in the past seven to eight years. The morale is currently at the lowest ebb and many core departments don’t even have the personnel. A lot of things are being given to external consultants.

The level of corruption in the system is staggering. Money that should have been in government’s coffers are in private pockets. Projects are not being advertised and there is no due process in job awards. When you finally get figures of how much jobs were done, they are scandalous. Government cannot disclose even during commissioning stages how much was spent on projects. We have a comprehensive plan that covers every sector and every part of our state because we believe in even development.

We don’t develop a place at the detriment of another. Development can go on simultaneously and we believe that Edo State has enough resources to go beyond where we are now. In every area, whether it is health, economy, agriculture sports or tourism, we have a detailed plan of what we intend to do. Sincerely, I believe the present government has been very wicked to Edo people and youths.

How can you explain the fact that this government has not employed teachers in the past seven and half years despite the obvious vacancies in the schools?

Apart from the urban schools, you need to go to the rural areas to see the pathetic situation. In many of these rural schools, they have one principal and one teacher. The public service including the civil service is suffering acute shortage of manpower. Most of the legal cases of the government are not being done by the Ministry of Justice, but people outside. What of industries?

When I was in government, Bendel Breweries was giving the state millions every month as contribution to the state’s IGR. What about agriculture? Government’s attention to agriculture has been zero, Sports? Edo used to be number one in sports. How come we can no longer compete? Many state governors appear to have hijacked the responsibilities of the local government chairmen.

Will you free councils if you become governor?

Definitely. The difference between Pastor Ize-Iyamu and many of these people is that I am not afraid to highlight what I intend to do. We intend to ensure strict supervision of council resources and expenditure. We shall, however, encourage financial autonomy for the local government councils and create Local Governments Development Areas (LCDAs) so as to fast track development in these areas.

We will also give freedom to local government councils in order to function in accordance with their mandates and protect council chairmen from executive intimidation and constant harassment and unwarranted removal. Council chairmen are elected just like governors, but it is unfortunate that they now live in fear. Their tenures could be brought to a sudden end with an announcement by the governor. How can you remove a man who was elected by his people just because you are governor?

You removed the chairman of Orhionmwon, who was elected by his people. You removed chairman of Oredo, even Etsako Central when you are from Etsako West. That amounted to lawlessness and abuse of power. These councils have been castrated and cannot function anymore. State government and supervisors of local governments should publish what the councils are bringing as IGR.

Do you know that just as you share VAT, the councils are entitled to 10 per cent of the IGR of the state government, have they ever been given? They have actually aided the financial mess of these councils to the extent that they cannot pay salaries or complete projects. When last did you see council chairman commission a project. On a monthly basis, they are servicing the people that are supposed to supervise them.

All kinds of instructions are also being given them to fulfil, thereby leaving them even more indebted. We will empower the council. We will encourage them to explore and exploit their revenue sources. A lot of them have been hijacked by political touts. Money meant for councils cannot be kept in the houses of political touts; it must be returned.

There are talks that if elected into office, your government will probe the current government. Do you actually have such plans?

When you use the word probe, it is like you have concluded that they are guilty. I am a lawyer by profession. Of course, there must be handover and the handover note will be thoroughly investigated. Sometimes, the word, probe, is given a negative connotation. I’m happy you didn’t use the word, “prosecute.”

Certainly, Edo money belongs to Edo people. If you find out that some of the money went into wrong hands, you take steps within the law to ensure that the money comes back. Our intention is, however, not to witch-hunt anybody. I’m not coming with a mindset to punish or pursue anybody.

Certainly, we will look at what is in place. The governor said you will be the easiest candidate to defeat in the election. How easy will it be defeating you? If that was what he said, then he should go to sleep. If he believes it will be easy defeating me, then he should be celebrating.

How can a governor, who said it would be easy to defeat me, say that I would be moving from one EFCC cell to another when they are busy campaigning. He is afraid and, in that statement, he has actually expressed his fear. If EFCC will not help him, what is he going to do? Like I said, the governor should allow his candidate to speak. He (Oshiomhole) should know now that this is not a third term agenda, unless he wants to tell us that he is the one contesting. By the time campaigns start, we will know who is afraid of whom. Nothing has been heard lately about your invitation by the EFCC lately.

Is the matter over or when are you going back there?

EFCC’s invitation is in the public domain. I thank God that the EFCC did not invite me because of any crime I committed. I was the coordinator for the former president in Edo. Money was sent to Edo and, in conjunction with two others, we were told to witness the arrival of the money and to ensure that the money was given to those it was meant for. The money was meant for the election and it is a common knowledge that election anywhere in the world is capital intensive.

There was a budget and every local government area had an amount specified for them. The money was collected and signed for. Those who signed and collected the money also went to their local government areas to disburse it. That was what I explained to the EFCC. As far as we were concerned, the president had an elaborate fund raising that was televised live. I didn’t go there but I saw it on TV.

One naturally expected that it was the proceeds of the fund raising that was brought to us. It is instructive to know that I personally did not take one kobo out of the money. Because of my position, I saw myself as someone that should be contributing, not taking out of money that was brought. So people like us, despite what came, we were adding to it. Perhaps if I had taken some, the issue of Pastor must come and make refund. So, I went to the EFCC and they went to town saying that Pastor has been arrested, Pastor has been detained. In fact, it became a regular song here until I got the ticket. I’m surprised it has stopped now.

Before I got the ticket, they were singing it every day as if the intention was to discourage PDP delegates. They had hoped that the more they echoed the story, the likelihood that the PDP delegates would become more scared of supporting me. Now, it has stopped, but I’m sure they are thinking of other things to say. I can assure you that the EFCC thing is not a problem.

I have always said the EFCC is a public institution and I must say, to the best of my knowledge, that they have conducted themselves in a very professional manner. If they were to be used, despite my innocence, they could decide to detain me and take me to court. I know the characters on the other side have made overtures, saying, “Detain Pastor, hold him, keep him.” That is a wishful thinking. I will be around to campaign and, by the grace of God, we will win the election resoundingly.

Source>>>http://www.barbaric.com.ng/will-surmount-pdp-crisis-edo-state-ize-iyamu/

The National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS) on Saturday gave seven days ultimatum to Gov. Mr Yahaya Bello of Kogi State to unconditional reopen the state university in Anyigba.

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A statement signed by the National President of NANS, Mr Tijani Shehu, made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, stated that the ultimatum would take effect from July 4. It said that the association called on the governor to immediately address their requests bothering on the state’s economy, welfare of Nigerian students of Kogi State origin and state workers.

It said that failure of the government to do so; the association student would stage a protest on the streets of the state capital, Lokoja. It said that the position of the association was based on the preliminary report from its Joint Campus Committee, Kogi State chapter.

The statement said that the association expressed displeasure on “perpetual refusal’’ to resolve the crisis that led to the continued closure of the university. It said that the strike had kept the students at home for about three months, thereby, making most of them vulnerable to social vices and crimes. “We also decried the refusal of Kogi State

Government to continue the age long policy of bursary and scholarship payment to Kogi students even when we know the state has not been this buoyant in the last one year. “It is our advocacy that the educational sector be accorded it rightful place in accordance to the UNESCO resolutions on educational development globally. “Also of serious concern is the continue withholding of three state allocations plus bailout funds meant to ameliorate the long suffering workers whose children are already out of school,’’ it added.

The statement said that the association also condemned what it described as the crippling of the banking sector in the state as a result of the poor policy of the state government. It said that the state government had directed all staff to use only designated banks (Access and Zenith Bank) in eventual payment of their arrears. “This is leading to banks closing shops and leading to high retrenchment of staff, thereby worsening the state of already battered labour force and overriding their fundamental human right to basic freedom of choice,’’ it said.

It added that the association demanded the reversal of the state policy on restricted banking, which they said was “killing the one time viable sector with the negative consequences on our tiny economy’’. It stated that the association called for immediate commencement of disbursement of students’ scholarship and bursary as well as prompt payment of staff salaries as at when due.

“The National Secretariat hereby issues a seven days ultimatum with immediate effect from Monday July 4, on the governor to respond to our prayers. “The governor should do the needful before we pass a vote of no confidence on his administration.

“We have resolve to start mobilising Nigerian students down for a total short down of Kogi economy to occupy the street of Lokoja in solidarity with the poor masses and civil servant,’’ it stated

Source>>>http://www.barbaric.com.ng/nans-gives-7-days-ultimatum-gov-bello-reopen-kogi-university/

President Muhammadu Buhari is awaiting legal advice from the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mallam Abubakar Malami (SAN) on the governorship tussle in Abia State, The Nation gathered last night.

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Malami, is cutting short his trip to Saudi Arabia for lesser Hajj and may return to the country tomorrow in connection with the development.

In the meantime, the president has ordered security agencies to ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order with three persons now laying claim to the governorship seat.

Dr. Uche Ogah who was issued a certificate of return by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the order of a Federal High Court, Abuja for the purpose of assuming office as governor has described the refusal of Chief Judge Theresa Uzoukwu to swear him in as an affront on the rule of law.

The stalemate took a twist yesterday after one of those who contested the PDP governorship ticket in the state in December 2014, Sir Friday Nwosu, declared yesterday that he, and not Ogah, should replace Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.

Nwosu, like Ogah, has filed a suit in court accusing the governor of forging his tax documents.

The Nation learnt that security agencies have extracted a commitment from Governor Ikpeazu and Dr. Ogah to sheath their swords until there is a legal opinion on the confusion in the state.

A top government source said: “The President is awaiting legal advice from the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice who has been away to Saudi Arabia for the lesser Hajj.

“In line with his commitment to the Rule of Law, there is nothing the President can do without a legal opinion.

“The AGF is expected back in the country on Monday and from then we may get a legal opinion on the situation in the state.”

Another source said the President had taken appropriate steps to prevent a breakdown of law and order in the state.

The source said: “All security agencies have been ordered to beef up security and prevent acts capable of causing unrest and breaches in the state.

“In line with the directive, security agencies have extracted commitment from Ikpeazu and Ogah that they will not take the laws into their hands. This was why the state Director of DSS had audience with Ogah on Thursday. The sitting governor has also given assurance to continue to ensure peace in the state.’

Ogah’s Special Adviser on Public Communications, Monday Onyekachi Ubani said yesterday in Abuja that Justice Uzoukwu’s action was capable of undermining the peace and stability of the state.

He rubbished the stay of execution which Ikpeazu said he obtained against the verdict of the FHC Abuja asking him to vacate office, as a black-market injunction that has no force of law.

His words: “In a pre-election matter, the enforceability of a court judgment is immediate as the losing side in the legal argument, in this case, Ikpeazu, was never adjudged to have been qualified to contest the election in the first place while in a post-election matter the mandate enjoyed by an incumbent subsists until the tribunal or appellate courts rule otherwise.

“The court having found that the information Ikpeazu supplied about his tax payments was all false, ruled that he was not qualified to have participated in the primary election of PDP in December 2014, that all the votes he gathered at the said primaries were invalid and of no effect, in fact wasted.

“Since a general election has been held and the PDP won, Ikpeazu was asked to vacate his seat while the certificate of return should be issued to Ogah who came second during the primary election. He was ordered to be sworn in by the Chief Judge of Abia state immediately. Note the word used by the presiding judge was immediately.

“Enrollment order was procured by Dr Uche Ogah and INEC was served and they obeyed the extant judgment of the Federal High court by issuing Dr Ogah with the certificate of return”.

He dismissed the injunction granted Ikpeazu stopping the swearing in of Ogah.

He said:”I am not ignorant of the black market injunction allegedly obtained by Ikpeazu at Osisioma Ngwa High court restraining the Chief Judge of Abia state from swearing in Dr Ogah. “That interim order was premised on section 143 of the Electoral Act which is only applicable to judgments obtained in Election Tribunals, but not in pre-election matters.

“It is a laughable ruling not worth the paper it was written. For God’s sake, a high court in Abia is a court of coordinate jurisdiction with a Federal High court and so any order given by such court to contradict an earlier order of the same court is ipso facto null and void. It is only a higher court that has the legal capacity to reverse the earlier order or judgment”.

“Failure or delay to swear in Ogah as the duly elected Governor of Abia state is an unqualified affront to the rule of law and constitutional governance in a true democracy, and an act that is capable of undermining the peace and stability of the state.

“Ikpeazu has been duly removed as Abia state Governor and not the amount of legal shenanigans and illegal public holidays will derail the law of the land taking full effect. Ogah will be sworn-in in due course so as to avoid the dangerous power vacuum that currently exists in Abia State and for him to begin the urgent task of empowering Abians with his laudable developmental programs already lined up.”

However, one of the PDP governorship aspirants in the December 2014 primaries, Sir Friday Nwosu, yesterday faulted the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which sacked Ikpeazu and declared Dr. Uche Ogah as governor.

Nwosu who is also challenging in court the validity of the tax papers submitted by Ikpeazu for the election said he was the rightful candidate of the party.

The suit is being heard by Justice A.I. Alagoa of the Federal High Court, Owerri.

Nwosu who spoke in a telephone interview with journalists stated that the court erred in law when it declared Ogah as governor since he (Ogah) refused to accept the result of the December 8, 2014 PDP primaries and thereafter petitioned the national leadership for a rerun of the exercise.

Nwosu said: “The judgment is in error and cannot stand judicial scrutiny. Dr. Uche Ogah should not be allowed to benefit from an exercise he totally condemned by refusing to sign the result and petitioning the party to conduct another primary election.

“He should wait for the rerun of the PDP primaries which he prayed for in his petition to the party. In the eyes of the law, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu and Sir Friday Nwosu, were the only candidates who ran for the party primaries. Since Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has been disqualified, I remain the lawful candidate of the PDP and ought to be declared governor.

“Again, the PDP in its Constitution recognizes zoning of political offices. The 2015 governorship position was rightly zoned to Abia South in the spirit of justice and equity. Since Dr. Uche Ogah is a member of the PDP, he must abide with the decisions of the party. Therefore, he cannot emerge from behind to shortchange the people of Abia South.”

He said he has appealed the verdict and urged his teeming supporters across the state to remain law abiding, adding that justice would be served on his petition which is being heard by the court.

Source>>>http://www.barbaric.com.ng/president-buhari-awaits-legal-advice-agf-abia-state/

KOGI State under Governor Yahaya Bello is probably the most feverishly active state in Nigeria. But it is also probably the most incontestably retrograde of states, full of paradoxes, and heading fatefully in the wrong direction. There is of course, the legal conundrum the state is yet to untangle, a huge moral burden occasioned by the brazen usurpation of both election victory and justice perfected by forces almost wholly outside the state.

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The witness Mr Bello is just a pawn in that unfortunate game. But there is an even more horrendous problem the state will battle with as long as justice eludes the state over the last governorship election won conclusively, despite the election tribunal ruling, by the duo of Abubakar Audu and James Abiodun Faleke. That horrendous problem is the open and indisputable clumsiness of the governor.

Though a famous pastor recently visited the governor and described his assumption of office as divine, perhaps in the same way the emergence of Adolf Hitler and other dictators and bloodthirsty rulers in history were divine, it is also true, if not truer, that Mr Bello assumed office emotionally unprepared and without a developmental programme of any kind.

His inaugural address, as this column noted after he was sworn in, was kindergarten, and his delivery burdened by the troubled conscience of someone making away with another man’s goods. He is beholden and besotted to Abuja from whence his legitimacy derives, and indifferent to his state where he imposes his practice and consistent tomfooleries. When he took office in January, the superstitious Mr Bello swooped on the main arterial road in Lokoja, the state capital, particularly the roundabouts, and uprooted them, supposing them to be demonically possessed.

Then he took on the House of Assembly, and with the brilliant mathematical support of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), the military and the police, subverted that citadel of lawmaking by emplacing five legislators over 15 of their colleagues. Mr Bello has, in short, proceeded from one fumbling policy to another, desultorily, hesitantly and braggingly. It is estimated he has collected about five allocations of about N2.5bn each from the central purse and added that to some N20bn first tranche from the bailout fund Abuja made available to mendicant states.

He then added these to a fair amount of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of about N500m, and thereafter inflated himself with the illusion of wealth without responsibility, splurging on birthdays and official cars in the most spendthrift of manners. Despite these sizable sums, it was only two weeks ago or less that he reluctantly paid some of the outstanding salaries to some (not all) workers, some of whom he paid 30 percent of their salaries. Civil servants have not been paid.

Even the simple task of paying what he owed to a few has become a very complex and challenging problem to him. He wrecked the screening process through which he aimed to discover ghost workers, and has now attempted to herd primary school teachers and local government workers to open accounts with Access Bank, and civil servants to patronise Zenith Bank. A confirmed and exuberant polygamist still thirsting for more, the 41-year-old is generally despised in the state as incapable of managing the state’s affairs, especially with his coterie of sybaritic fortysomethings in the cabinet.

Worse, because some of the Kogi workers were reluctant to open these new accounts, the banks themselves went ahead to perform the operations on behalf of the workers. Other banks are protesting the government’s unorthodox practices, just as organised labour has also embarked on strike. The state is not only frothing with instability under Mr Bello’s administrative, legislative and bureaucratic excesses, it is also enduring the governor’s untrammeled penchant for travelling.

Despite the state’s ethnic configuration and the thin-ice politics upon which they cavort, it is doubtful whether his ethnic group would feel proud to have him as their representation in the salutary dynamics of power shift. Nor is it clear his imperious and obstinate federal supporters, some of whom could very well become his in-laws, would feel exultant to have such an undignified and vacuous politician become their pawn in the convoluted chessboard of national politics.

Source>>>http://www.barbaric.com.ng/kogi-state-govt-active-indulgent-retrograde/

Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Babacir Lawal, says he is not nursing the ambition to become governor of Adamawa.

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Lawal told newsmen in Yola on Saturday that the speculation was baseless, adding that at his age and position as SGF, it was not proper for him to think of serving as state governor in the future.

“At over 60 years of age and my position as SGF, I should not be thinking of being a governor; governorship should be left for younger people.”

Lawal also said he was not planning to sponsor a candidate for governorship of the state. “The whole thing is funny; they are even saying that I favour my own tribe of Kilba in federal appointments because Boss Mustafa was recently appointed the Managing Director of Nigeria Inland Waterways Agency.

“People need to know that Mustafa is not only well qualified for the job but also a chieftain of the party who actively participated as an official in Buhari Campaign Organisation. “Buhari knows Mustafa’s capacity and Buhari’s appointments are always based on merit.

“If they said I engineered the appointment of Mustafa because he is a Kilba man like me, how about other appointments of Adamawa indigenes that are not Kilba. “Another funny thing is that in Abuja, some people are accusing me of favoring Adamawa”, Lawal said.

He urged Nigerians to shun rumours and politics of sentiments, adding that Buhari has good plans for Nigerian and was committed to a positive transformation of the country.

The SGF said recent deregulation of the downstream sector that led to rise in fuel prize was a painful decision taken by the administration to save the nation’s economy from total collapse.

“It was a very difficult task convincing the president on this. The president is always on the side of the masses. “The president is not easily convinced when additional hardship is placed on the people”, the SGF said. (NAN)

Source>>>http://www.barbaric.com.ng/no-governorship-ambition-sgf/

DCP DONALD AWUNAH; Abuja

The Inspector-General of Police, Ag.IGP Ibrahim K. Idris, NPM, mni, on 1st July, 2016 conducted on-the-spot assessment and evaluation of security situation in some flash points in the creeks of Delta State.

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In recent times, some riverine communities in the Niger-Delta region of Nigeria witnessed renewed militancy occasioned by pipeline and oil installations vandalization, thereby causing environmental and security challenges.

During a courtesy call on the Governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, IGP Idris said that one of the strategies to tackle crimes in the country will be the formation of Eminent Persons Forum in collaboration with State Governments and various communities. The Eminent Persons Forum will be engaged in conflict resolution arbitration.

The Governor congratulated the IGP on his well-deserved appointment and promised to cooperate and assist the IGP in the task of crime management.

The IGP who was accompanied on the visit by the Commissioner of Police in charge Police Mobile Force, Commissioner of Police in charge Border Patrol, Heads of Operational and Tactical Teams as well as the Commissioner of Police, Delta State conducted aerial surveillance/patrol of some riverine communities, which include Ugborodo, Madawo, Oparaza and Camp Five.

IGP Idris held interactive session with elders, youths and members of Ugborodo and Oparaza communities, admonishing them to be law abiding and cooperate with law enforcement agencies by exposing criminal element in their communities.

He assured the communities that the Police under his leadership will engage every community in accordance with international core values of policing with integrity, respect diversity, operate within the principles of democratic policing and cultivate the culture of professionalism.

The Community Leaders assured the IGP of their unalloyed support, cooperation and active partnership.

Source>>>http://www.barbaric.com.ng/igp-visits-delta-state-conducts-aerial-surveillance-creeks/

The Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun on Friday said the Nigerian movie industry otherwise known as Nollywood, played a very important role in the country’s economy.

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She said this in Abuja at the film industry stakeholder’s workshop aimed at restructuring and reinvigorating Project ACT Nollywood.
The Project ACT Nollywood is a N3 billion grant programme set up by the Federal Government to address challenges impeding the growth of the Nigerian movie industry.
The workshop was to examine outstanding areas of the programme that was yet to be implemented and review them to ensure that they were still appropriate for the industry.
The minister, however, said that the problem of the industry was not in the quality of movies produced but in the structure of the industry.
She said that it was regrettable that pirates were the main beneficiaries of the industry, adding that they waited for creative talents to create a product while they claimed the profit.
According to her, most of those who create the value do not actually get the value in terms of returns.
The minister said that to improve distribution to ensure that the investments actually got the expected return, there was need to evaluate the entire value chain from the tax system to the enforcement system.
She said that there was also a need to ensure sustainability in the industry, adding that a committee would be inaugurated to look into issues raised at the workshop.
“Today, we will inaugurate a committee to review the programme, restructure if necessary and come up with implementation plan.’’
She said that the plan would establish measurable and demonstrable deliverables that would ensure maximum value for the industry’s stakeholders and Nigerians generally.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed at the workshop, said that proper distribution of movies was very important in the industry.
Represented by Mrs Grace Gebe, the minister said that without proper distribution channels, piracy would continue to thrive in the country.

“It is our hope that very soon the N1.9 billion that is meant for the distribution fund will be given to the beneficiaries that had been interviewed and selected.
“If this is done, we are very sure that piracy will be curbed in Nigeria,’’ the minister said.
He added that piracy strives in the country because there was no genuine product in the market, “thus people buy whatever that is available on the streets’’.
According to him, if there is a proper channel for distribution of creative products, nobody will want to buy fake products on the streets.
He, however, expressed satisfaction that the capacity building and the film distribution components of the programme had been successfully completed.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr Mahmoud Isa-Dutse, while giving an update of the project, said that it was being implemented under three grand schemes.
He said that the schemes included capacity building fund, film production fund and innovative distribution fund.
He said that the capacity building fund got an allocation of N300 million and was at 80 per cent completion.
He said that the film production fund with an allocation of N800 million was also being concluded while the innovative distribution fund which got a N1.9 billion was the main crux of the workshop.
He said that for the first component capacity building funds, 247 practitioners had so far been sponsored to attend specialist training.
Isa-Dutse said that several private training institutes were being supported to help enhance their capacities.
“For the film production funds, we have so far co-financed 113 film projects through grants and awards.
“So far, the Project ACT Nollywood has implemented specialist training programmes in Nigeria and abroad in which 247 practitioners have been trained.
“The training is to improve their technical and professional capacities in the entertainment industry thereby employing 2,436 people,’’ he said.
He said that for the innovation distribution fund, 383 completed applications were received out of which 348 were prequalified applications, while 150 of them have been interviewed.
The Project ACT Nollywood, was being implemented by the Ministry of Finance in collaboration with the Ministry of Information and Culture, Nigerian Film and Video Censors` Board (NFVCB) and the Nigerian Copyrights Commission (NCC) (NAN)

Source>>>http://www.barbaric.com.ng/nollywood-vital-nigerian-economy-kemi-adeosun/

Two former ministers and directors of Media and Finance respectively of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Campaign Organisation in the 2015 general election, Femi Fani-Kayode and Nenadi Usman are to remain in prison till Monday July 4, 2016 as a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos today reserved ruling on their bail applications.

Fani-Kayode and Usman alongside Danjuma Yusuf and Jointrust Dimensions Nigeria Limited were on June 28 arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission before Justice M. S. Hassan on a 17-count charge bordering on conspiracy, stealing, corruption and making cash payments exceeding the amount authorized by law. The accused persons are alleged to have diverted about N4.9 billion belonging to the Federal Government of Nigeria for political and personal uses.

They had pleaded not guilty. Consequently, their counsel, Ferdinand Orbih, SAN, Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN) and S. I. Ameh (SAN) moved the motion for bail, having filed separate applications in which they prayed the court to release their clients on bail. But the prosecuting counsel Rotimi Oyedepo said he needed time to respond to the applications. Justice Hassan consequently adjourned proceedings to July1 for hearing of the bail applications.

At the resumed hearing today, counsel to the defendants (Ferdinand Orbih, SAN, Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN) and C. I. Ndukwe) argued the applications.

Orbih (SAN) prayed the court to admit the first accused person to bail based on self recognition pending the hearing and determination of the charges preferred against her. He also prayed the court to grant her bail on very liberal terms. Adedipe (SAN), and Ndukwe aligned themselves with Orbih.

Prosecution counsel, Nkereuwem Mark Anana opposed the applications. However, he stated that where the court decides to exercise its discretion in favour of the defendants, it should impose conditions that will compel them to attend trial.

Justice Hassan consequently adjourned to July 4, 2016 for ruling.

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Fani-kayode in Court During Bail Hearing

Source>>>http://www.barbaric.com.ng/fani-kayode-nenadi-usman-remain-prison-till-july-4/

– TEAM SENT FROM PRESIDENCY TO ASSESS CURRENT SITUATION OF RESCUED PERSONS AMID CONCERNS ABOUT MALNUTRITION

– NUTRITIONAL EMERGENCY DECLARED IN BORNO STATE

Laolu Akande, the Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity releases a press stated which stated the FG’s determination in bringing relief to recently rescued Boko Haram captives and to ensure their well-being in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in the Northeast, the Federal Government has conducted an on-the spot assessment at the camp in Bama.

At the visit, the delegation led by the Presidential Special Adviser on Social Investments, Mrs. Maryam Uwais restated government’s firm commitment to bringing relief to the thousands of recently rescued Boko Haram captives currently hosted in the IDP camp in Bama, Borno State.

“We’re here to see for ourselves the situation on the ground here,” she said.

The delegation, which included senior officials of the Borno State Government, officials of the National Emergency Management Agency, the State Emergency Management Agency, and representatives from the United Nations, was taken around the camp, home to 25,000 adults and children, by the Brigade Commander of the 21 Armoured Brigade, Bama, Colonel Adamu Garba Laka.

The Commander highlighted the challenges faced by the camp, including shortages of medical personnel, shelter, water and sanitation facilities. Mrs Uwais commended the military for their gallantry and dedication to securing and caring for the displaced persons.

Acknowledging that “this is a crisis situation”, she assured that the Federal Government would work with the State government, international community, local partners and civil society groups to ensure that all the needs of the inhabitants of Bama camp, and the several others like it, are speedily met.

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FG Delegates In Bama

Speaking during the visit, the Borno State Health Commissioner, Dr Haruna Mshelia, said that 1,800 of the most vulnerable persons in the camp had been relocated to Maiduguri for medical attention and specialized feeding, and that the relocation is ongoing.

He added that a permanent health team had been working in the camp since May 2016, and that the existing team still required a lot of support.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on IDPs, Dr Mariam Masha, assured that, alongside the humanitarian work, the Federal and State Governments are also focusing on the longer-term work of ensuring that the reconstruction and resettlement is effectively hastened to enable the IDPs return to their homes and communities, and rebuild their lives and livelihoods.

She added that as the military continues its task of liberating hitherto isolated communities from the grip of Boko Haram, the scale of the humanitarian crisis is certain to increase, and called for increased support from all partners and stakeholders.

The six year old insurgency by Boko Haram has already resulted in the displacement of more than two million people across Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad. In the third quarter of 2015, the Nigerian military launched Operation Zaman Lafiya Dole, and followed this up at the end of April with Operation Crackdown, intended as a final onslaught against Boko Haram in its Sambisa Forest base.

The immediate outcome of this determined push has been the liberation of tens of thousands of people from areas previously in Boko Haram captivity. In recent months, no fewer than fifteen new camps have emerged in these newly liberated areas, including the one in Bama.

Together, these emergency camps hold more than 200,000 people. Having been held for extended periods of time in areas hitherto isolated by Boko Haram, malnutrition problems brought in while in captivity has now emerged as a challenge that requires urgent humanitarian attention as the rescued persons from the liberated communities arrive in the IDP camp.

The development agencies and local partners have continued to support governments’ efforts to address the welfare needs of the displaced persons, but every time new communities are liberated, hordes of hitherto unknown captives are rescued.

To that end, the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Health this week declared a nutritional emergency in Borno State, and mobilized a rapid response team to coordinate efforts to ameliorate the situation.

Source>>>http://www.barbaric.com.ng/fg-delegation-visits-liberated-communities-now-idp-camp-bama/

Justice A. R. Mohammed of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, on Friday, July 1, 2016 granted bail to Obaje Musa Mohammed, one of the three accused persons charged for conspiracy and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N220million by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

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Economic and Financial Crime Commission

Mohammed and his co-accused – Dayo Jimoh and Victor Ochola \ were arraigned on June 22, 2016on a 27-count for allegedly defrauding one Mohammed Jibrin, Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Suntrust Savings and Loans Limited, with a promise that they could help him secure some government houses purportedly being sold by the Ad-hoc Committee on sale of Federal Government houses.

However, the defendants issued forged offer letter and payment receipts to the victim, after he had made payment via bank drafts to various accounts belonging to the accused persons.

In the suit, Jimoh, Ochola and Mohammed were charged as first, second and third defendants respectively.

Justice Mohammed refused to admit the first defendant (Jimoh) to bail on the ground that, he had repeatedly proved to be unreliable in making himself available to the EFCC when granted administrative bail, a situation that had caused some of his sureties to withdraw from the matter.

However, the judge granted bail to Mohammed in the sum of N10million with two sureties in like sum. The sureties must have landed properties within Abuja. The title documents of the properties are to be submitted with the Court Registrar, along with the international passport of the defendant. The first defendant is not to travel out of the country pending determination of the case. The two sureties are to submit two recent passport photographs.
The case is adjourned to October 12, 2016 for trial.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity

Source>>>http://www.barbaric.com.ng/n220m-faud-court-grants-man-n10m-bail-denies-two-others/

The general public is aware that in recent days, some States of the Federation have witnessed spate of kidnapping incidents perpetrated by criminal elements in a bid to further their selfish pecuniary and/or criminal interests. In furtherance of security measures initiated to checkmate this trend, series of special tactical operations were carried out by this Service, where successful arrests of masterminds of these criminal gangs were made by the Service, while their hide-outs were decimated.

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Department of State Service

2. On 7th June, 2016, one Kabiru SHUAIBU, the ring-leader of a kidnap gang, comprising his accomplices namely: Haruna SALEH, Tukur SHUAIBU and Abdulmumuni ADAMUNA, were arrested by the Service along Murtala MUHAMMAD Bridge, along Lokoja-Abuja Highway, in Lokoja, Kogi State. The suspects were part of a criminal gang which has been terrorizing innocent citizens in the Northern region of the Federation. During their arrest, a locally-made pistol, seven (7) cartridges, fourteen (14) mobile phones and six hundred and fifteen thousand naira (N615,000) were recovered on them.

3. On 8th June, 2016, one Reuben AKINBEHINJE aka Chairman, the ring-leader of a notorious kidnap syndicate, was arrested by this Service in Akure, Ondo State, along with five (5) other members of his gang namely; John Imoleayo UCHE, Seun LAJUWON, Seun Iseoluwa AKINTAYO, Lateef Fayemi HAMMED and Saheed OYEWO. The AKINBEHINJE gang has been the brain behind the kidnap of two Catholic nuns in the State and other criminalities such as armed robbery, hijack and diversion of fuel tankers and cult-related activities in Ondo, Oyo, Osun, Lagos and Kwara States.



4. Similarly, on 12th June, 2016, this Service arrested one Ifeanyi Michael ONYIKE, a suspected kidnap kingpin at D-line, Port Harcourt in Rivers State. ONYIKE was involved in the kidnap of Ebere CHINDA, wife to Igo CHINDA, the Personal Assistant (PA) to the Minister of Transport, Rotimi AMAECHI.



5. Further to this tactical offensive, on 25h June, 2016, in one of the North-Western States, one Sani ABDULLAHI, and his three accomplices, namely Rufai Tukur ABDULLAHI, Najeeb ABUBAKAR and Abdullahi AHMED, were apprehended by this Service. The group has concluded arrangements to embark on serial kidnap of high-value targets in Katsina State, before their arrest. This gang has hitherto been terrorizing the North-Western States of Kano, Katsina, Kebbi and Zamfara.



6. In a bid to stem the activities of vandals in the Niger Delta, this Service effected the arrest of Selky Kile TORUGHEDI, on 17th June, 2016, in Calabar, Cross River State. TORUGHEDI is an ex-militant and suspected member of the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), and was arrested for planning to assassinate one MB.YAHAYA, a serving military officer. TORUGHEDI, who is a close associate of Government EKPEMUPOLO (aka TOMPOLO), had already conducted surveillance at the residence of YAHAYA in Kaduna, preparatory to his plot when he was intercepted. He is also fingered as a sponsor of pipeline vandalism in some States in the South-South region. Suspect is currently assisting the Service, with critical leads.



7. In a related operation, this Service arrested one Christian OLUBA aka SENSOR, another suspected militant with the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA). SENSOR was arrested while perfecting plans to carry out explosive attacks on critical oil and gas pipelines, including critical storage points.



8. Meanwhile, sequel to increasing threat posed to public peace by the activities of the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB), this Service arrested one Chidiebere ONWUDIWE, a graduate of Mechanical and Chemical Engineering and known member of IPOB, on 22nd June, 2016. ONWUDIWE and his associates within and outside the country, were planning to carry out coordinated attacks against religious bodies/edifices, Police-Check Points and the computer village in Ikeja, Lagos State, with Improvised Explosive devices (IEDS). The suspect was apprehended while making logistics supplies for their nefarious plan.

9. In another development, on 19th June, 2016, at Langtang North LGA in Plateau State, this Service in liaison with the military and Police, arrested one Nanpon SAMBS (aka Yabam), an illegal arms dealer. SAMBS is a member of a notorious black market arms syndicate led by one Peter NEHEMIA (aka Adagyo) which operates in the State. A Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) launcher and circuit charger were recovered from a Toyota Highlander SUV belonging to the suspect.

10. Also, this Service wishes to alert the general public to be wary of suspicious packages and persons, as celebration of the Eid-el-Fitr approaches. The Service is availed of intelligence which indicates threat by extremist elements to attack selected locations across the Federation, particularly parks and congregations of worshippers, in order to further their cause.



11. The Service wish to state that it will continue to deploy every window within its constituted mandate to ensure the security and safety of all law-abiding residents and citizens wherever they reside. We therefore call on the general public to be security-conscious and to report any suspicious persons/groups or activities to relevant security agencies.

Thank You.

Tony OPUIYO

Department of State Services

Abuja.

Source>>>http://www.barbaric.com.ng/security-cautious-sallah-dss-warns-arrest-kidnappers-nda-members-ipob/

The Federal Government has signed a contract agreement with the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) on the construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Railway project.

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The Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi who signed on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, said the contract is an addendum to the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Railway project which was initially awarded by the former President Goodluck Jonathan’s Administration to CCECC at a contract sum of $11.917 billion disclosing that at the inception of President Muhammadu Buhari Administration, the Federal Government renegotiated the contract with the Management of CCECC and agreed at a contract sum of $11.117 billion thereby saving a whooping sum of $800million.

Amaechi reiterated that the Federal Government has completed the signing of the same contract with a different contract sum in order to legalize the new deal. “What we have done today is signing same contract but different contract sum to make it legal”, he said.

The Minister further said part of the contract agreement with CCECC is to expedite action and conclude arrangement with the China-Exim Bank to facilitate the commencement of work on the Railway project noting that his desire and expectation is the completion of the project in two years.

On the funding of the project, the Minister assured that funding would not pose any hindrance to the smooth commencement and final completion of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Railway project.

“President Muhammadu Buhari has assured me that he is committed to the development of the Railway Sector in Nigeria and would not leave any ‘stone unturned’ to achieving that dream”, he said.

Explaining further, Amaechi said his Ministry’s determination is to conclude the 1st and 2nd segments of the projects which run through Calabar-Uyo-Aba-Port Harcourt-Yenogua-Otuoke-Ughelli-Warri-Sapele-Benin-Ore-Ijebu-Ode-Lagos with a target of covering all the Seaports along those Routes in good time.

Speaking after the signing of the Contract agreement on behalf of CCECC, President of the construction giant, Mr. Cao Baogang expressed appreciation to the Federal Government of Nigeria and promised that the Company would not let the nation down and delivered on target.

Source>>>http://www.barbaric.com.ng/fg-saves-800m-coastal-railway-renegotiation-agreement-ccecc/

Kwara State Governor, Dr Abdulfatah Ahmed has congratulated the Olofa of Offa, Oba Mufutau Gbadamasi, Ewusoye II, on the affirmation of his emergence as the Olofa of Offa by the Supreme Court.

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Governor Ahmed in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Alhaji Abdulwahab Oba, said the judicial victory by the Olofa should give the monarch the necessary impetus to consolidate his passion towards development of Offa and indeed, the state.
Governor Ahmed advised Oba Gbadamasi, as the father of all to see the judgment as a no victor no vanquished by extending hands of fellowship to all parties in the dispute.
“I urge the aggrieved members of the royal family to regard the Olofa’s victory as a victory for all by coming together to solidify the royal knot and develop the community”.

The governor prayed God to give the Olofa the wisdom and the necessary guardians to pilot the affairs of the town and contribute more to the growth and development of Kwara State.

Source>>>http://www.barbaric.com.ng/governor-ahmed-felicitates-olofa-offa/

Vice President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, Micah Wilkins Wright has called on the ECOWAS Commission to give special consideration to the court to enable it prosecute cases effectively.

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He said this at the end of the 9th budget and administrative retreat organised by the ECOWAS Court of Justice in Nasarawa State.

It was a moment of serious brainstorming by the staff of the ECOWAS court of justice as they reconciled the account of the court in order to chart a better way forward.

With observations raised, corrections effected and recommendations proposed, the ECOWAS Court of Justice agreed that about 75% of the court’s budget will be spent on staff welfare.

Vice President of the Court, Micah Wilkins wright said despite the limited resources available to the commission, the court will not be deterred in proper prosecution of cases.

Micah Wilkins wright called on member states of the community to support ECOWAS by paying their dues to strengthen regional body perform the responsibilities bestowed upon it.

Source>>>>http://www.barbaric.com.ng/ecowas-court-justice-strengthen-prosecution-cases/

Sani Kukasheka Usman, Abuja: Following combined clearance operations against Boko Haram terrorists from other parts of our neighboring countries, escaping terrorists attempted an incursion into our troops position while in harbor at Kangarwa yesterday evening.

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The troops dealt decisively with the fleeing terrorists and recovered arms and ammunitions from them in an encounter that lasted for about 3 hours.

Quite a number of the Boko Haram terrorists were killed, while several others escaped with gun shot wounds.
Unfortunately, 8 soldiers and 2 Civilian JTF were however wounded in action during the encounter. They have since been evacuated for proper medical attention. They are in stable condition and responding to treatment.

In addition, one of the troop’s Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle caught fire following a Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) shot that affected the fuel tank and other electrical fittings. The troops however quickly put off the fire.

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The gallant troops captured a number of motorcycles, 1 General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), 3 AK-47 Rifles, 6 Mortar Bombs, 4 Rocket Propelled Grenade Bombs, 3 Improvised Explosive Device (IED) Chargers, various types of ammunitions a 16/750 tyre and assorted types of drugs.

Source>>>http://www.barbaric.com.ng/troops-repelled-attempted-incursion-boko-haram-terrorists/

Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman(Nigerian Army Headquarters, Abuja): Troops of 1 Division Nigerian Army involved in Operation SHARAN DAJI, the outfit to clear cattle rustlers, armed bandits and kidnappers in the north west geo-political region in the country, yesterday cleared armed bandits in Gobirawan Kwacha, Dansadau District of Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

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During the encounter in the forest, the troops were able to kill 3 armed bandits and recovered 1 AK-47 rifle, 1 AK-47 magazine and 11 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition. Unfortunately, the bandits shot and damaged the troops’ vehicle. However, none of the soldiers was injured.

Source>>>http://www.barbaric.com.ng/operation-sharan-daji-nigerian-army-clear-armed-bandits-gobirawan-kwacha/

Nigeria, DHQ: The Deputy Chief of Defence Staff of the Malian Armed Forces, Brigadier General Didier Dacko has eulogised the Nigerian Armed Forces for their exceptional role in peace keeping and high professional conduct in all military operations in the sub-region, Africa and around the globe.

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Brigadier General Dacko made the commendation when he visited the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja. While praising the Nigerian Armed Forces for its leadership role in the West African sub-region, he stated that he was in DHQ to understudy the Nigerian Armed Forces winning strategy against the dreaded Boko Haram Terrorists so that his country can replicate same in tackling the security challenges in Mali.

In his remarks, the CDS restated the Nigerian Armed Forces readiness to partner with any country in the sub-region to curb the menace of terrorists and reactionary forces. He urged the regional security forces to evolve new strategies in intelligence gathering and sharing to unmask and defeat terrorist elements working against the progress of the continent.

General Olonisakin noted that the regional security forces must synergise to tackle the common enemy who are hell bent to destabilise the region. The CDS also expressed willingness to support the actualisation of an operational African Standby Force. He therefore called the regional forces to close ranks and bridge the gap to achieve the vision of having a terrorist free region.

Source:http://www.barbaric.com.ng/mali-solicits-nigerian-armed-forces-cooperation/

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) said that its attention has been drawn to a comment, going round the internet, by one Bridget Ehichoya Violet who claims to have access to the Air Secretary, AVM CN Chukwu, to assist with regards to recruitment or enlistment into the NAF.


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This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Airforce in Abuja.

NAF in the statement categorically stated that this claim is another scam by some unscrupulous elements to defraud unsuspecting members of the public of their money.

According to the statement, the mention of the Air Secretary in connection with the purported claim by the fraudsters is merely a gimmick to deceive people to fall prey to their trap.

“Therefore, members of the public are advised not to have anything to do with the GSM number (08145038139) or the contacts provided by these fraudsters as they are all false.

“The public is once again reminded to always refer to the NAF official website at www.airforce.mil.ng or Facebook page atwww.facebook.com/hqnigerianairforce for any information, particularly the conduct and progress of the on-going NAF Recruitment or Direct Short Service Commission Exercise 2016.” It added.

Source:http://www.barbaric.com.ng/naf-warns-enlistment-scam-force/

Justice J K Omotosho of the Federal High Court Kano, today convicted a school teacher, Idris Buhari and sentenced him to 7 years imprisonment for offences bordering on obtaining by false pretence.


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The convict who was prosecuted on a three count charge brought against im by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, was arrested following a complaint by Abdullahi Salisu Muhammad alleging that he gave the convict the sum of N500,000.00 for the processing of Hajj ticket in April, 2012, after he presented himself as a registered travelling agent. But the convict allegedly diverted the funds to his personal use and all efforts to recover the money or get the ticket were futile.

Part of the charge reads, “that you Idris Buhari sometime in April 2012 at Kano within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court with intend to defraud did obtain the sum of N500,000.00 cash from one Abdullahi Salisu Muhammad on the pretence that you are a registered travel agent licensed to provide visa and tickets for intending travellers for the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1a, (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2016 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act”.

He pleaded guilty when the charge was read to him. Justice Omotosho consequently convicted and sentenced him to seven years imprisonment.
He convict however received an option of N200, 000.00 fine considering the fact that he had restituted the victim the sum of N500,000.00.

Source:http://www.barbaric.com.ng/man-bags-7-years-prison-visa-scam/

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, on Thursday expressed grief over the death of two notable Nigerians, Captain Elechi Amadi and Chief Ojo Maduekwe.

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While Amadi, one of Africa’s finest novelist, poet and dramatist passed on at 82 years, Maduekwe, a former Minister who took charge of three federal ministries at different times and later served as Nigerian Ambassador to Canada and Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was 71.

Saraki described Elechi as a literary giant whose impactful life will continue to be of immense educational benefit to Nigerians and the world at large. He noted that Elechi contributed greatly to national development having served in the Nigerian Army.

He also extolled the virtues of Maduekwe describing him as a “social-political engineer” whose exploits in the nation’s political landscape will remain evergreen in the annals of the country. “Maduekwe was a brilliant, erudite and hardworking politician, a man of fine intellectual background who was not shy to take a position on serious national issues and will articulate the position to the admiration of both his supporters and opponents”, the Senate President stated.

“It is most regrettable that both Elechi and Maduekwe left us at a time their intelligence and wealth of experience is needed to advance education, deepen our democracy and political culture,” Saraki said.

While calling on the families of the departed men to be comforted by the exemplary lifestyles of the late ambassadors of the country, he called on the Federal Government to immortalize them. He also prayed God to grant their souls eternal rest.

Signed:

Yusuph Olaniyonu

Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, to the Senate President

Source:http://www.barbaric.com.ng/saraki-mourns-amadi-maduekwe-says-left-time-intelligence-wealth-experience-needed/

The former spokes person of Peoples Democratic party has agreed to return the 400 million naira he was accused of receiving from the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki. According to the statement issued by his lawyer Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) said his client Chief Olisa Metuh’s legal team and officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have begun talks to facilitate the return of N400million traced to him from defence funds.

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Read the full statement;

Why Our Client (Chief Olisa Metuh) is Offering To Refund The N400 million – Counsel

In the light of the circumstances regarding the case of our client, Chief Olisa Metuh with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), we want to explain the reasons for our client’s proposal to refund the N400 million released to him by former President Goodluck Jonathan, and which was expended on a project approved by the ex-President on national issues relating to his Presidency and the Federal Government at that time.

1. We want to restate that at the time the money was released to him after his presentation to the ex-President, our client had no knowledge of the source, a fact that is now obvious from the evidence of the prosecution and defence witnesses. Our client had every cause to believe that the money was from the ex-President to whom he made a presentation, received directives and rendered report and accounts accordingly.

2. When the matter first came up, and Chief Metuh was invited to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in December 2015, he requested to know the source of the money and expressed his readiness to make refunds if it was from government coffers, not minding that the money had been expended as directed by the former President. Officials at ONSA never got back to him as they promised, until his arrest by the EFCC in January 2016.

3. It was however while in court that a document was brought regarding the source of the money and since then, our Client has made manifest his willingness to refund the money and has indeed approached his family, friends and associates to mobilise funds to refund the entire N400 million to the government regardless of the fact that the money had been expended based on the directives of the former President and that part of the money had been recovered from one of the prosecution witnesses.

4. We want to confirm that since then, we have been in talks with the Ministry of Justice, the EFCC and other necessary bodies on how to refund the money and resolve the issue.

5. Our client occupied no government office. His commitment and dedication to his official duties have been confirmed by even prosecution witnesses. In this whole saga, he has been an unfortunate victim of circumstances. His refunding the money, therefore, goes to show his support for the anti-corruption war as well as serve as a testament to his sincerity, integrity and honesty in this matter.

6. There is no doubt that the prosecution has considerably embarked on some expenses in the course of this case. It is hoped that by not discounting the sum already recovered, whatever cost so far incurred would have been defrayed. By this, a critical objective of recovery of funds would no doubt be achieved.

7. It is pertinent to restate our client’s continued support for the anti-corruption campaign, which is necessary to ensure probity in the affairs of Nigeria to the extent that it is conducted within the rule of law.

8. Finally, it is our client’s prayer that this nation shall come through this difficult time by the grace of the Almighty God.



Signed:

Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN)



Counsel To Chief Olisa Metuh

Source:http://www.barbaric.com.ng/former-pdp-spokesperson-olisa-metuh-agreed-return-n400m-received-ex-nsa-dasuki-trows-support-anti-corruption-war/

President Muhammadu Buhari commiserates with the families, government and people of Abia, Delta and Rivers States on the passing away of their illustrious sons Chief Ojo Maduekwe, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Justice Nikki Tobi, retired Supreme Court judge and Elechi Amadi, a literary icon.

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With profound sadness, President Buhari received the passing of Maduekwe, who also served as Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Canada.
In all his years of service to Nigeria as a diplomat, minister, politician and ambassador, President Buhari says that Maduekwe was an ardent believer in the unity of Nigeria and gave all to that pursuit.
As Nigeria’s Foreign Minister, the President affirms that Maduekwe’s relentless call to citizen diplomacy and for Nigerians to be treated with dignity across the globe will continue to inspire other patriotic people to promote a positive international image of the country.
President Buhari also pays tribute to Justice Nikki Tobi, describing him as a brave jurist who served Nigeria creditably and brought his many years of training, knowledge and wisdom to the Bench.
The President also joins the literary and academic community in mourning Amadi whose writings and postulations as a novelist, poet and playwright introduced many generations of the world to the vibrant Nigerian culture.
In paying homage to the Man of Letters, visionary and venerated elder who dedicated his life to values of peace, equality, dignity and the reading culture in Nigeria, the President believes that the passing away of Amadi is as much a loss to Nigeria and Africa as it is to the world.
The President affirms that the outpouring of grief and tribute across Nigeria and beyond is a testament of the high degree of respect and acceptance Amadi commanded around the world.
He prays that God will grant the souls of the departed citizens eternal rest and comfort their families, friends and admirers.
Garba Shehu
SSA to the President (Media & Publicity)

Source:http://www.barbaric.com.ng/president-buhari-pays-tribute-maduekwe-justice-tobi-elechi-amadi/