₦airaland Forum

EFCC seals El-Rufai's estate
ERASMUS ALANEME, Abuja
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday sealed off a mini estate belonging to Security Properties Development Consortium (SPDC) allegedly linked to Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.
Also, five out of the six staff of the SPDC who were arrested on Monday in Abuja by operatives of the EFCC including the MD, Idris Uthman were yesterday granted bail while the remaining staff could not be released because he could not submit his international passport as demanded by the commission.
Aside from seizing Uthman the International passport, the EFCC sealed the said mini estate located within the Aso Rock Villa even though it is registered in Uthman's name.
It would be called that the EFCC on Monday, raided the company, which is allegedly owned by to El-Rufai, and arrested the MD along side five other staff of the company on allegations of land racketeering.
It was also alleged that the EFCC operatives had during the Monday raid recovered documents reportedly belonging to the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), including land allocation forms and lists of revoked lands made by the administration of el-Rufai.
EFCC's head of media and Publicity, Femi Babafemi, when contacted, confirmed the sealing up of the estate but declined further comment.
El-Rufai was recently declared wanted by the EFCC for alleged economic crimes and abuse of office including the misappropriation of the balance of N32bn accruing from the sale of Federal Government houses in Abuja and all funds collected by the Satellite Towns Development Agency, Abuja Investments and Security Property Development Company Limited.

I pray that God should help Nigeria.

Pharmacists under the aegis of the Lagos State Branch of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) have raised dust over appointment of Dr. Paul Orhii as Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and have called on President Umaru Yar'Adua to immediately reverse the appointment. Making the call in Lagos yesterday, the body threatened to go to court if their call is not heeded within seven days. At a joint press conference addressed by the incumbent Chairman of the Lagos PSN, Pharm. Lanre Familusi and two past Chairmen of the Aassociation, Pharm. Olumide Akintayo and Pharm. Bola Oyawole in Lagos, the trio alleged that Orhii, a neuro-pharmacologist and lawyer, was not qualified as a pharmacist as required by law, hence they described his appointment as NAFDAC Director General to be illegal and a breach of existing Acts of parliament.
Quoting Section 9 (1) of Decree 15 of 1993 (as amended) which deals with the appointment of officers who are to serve with the Agency, they said it provides that the president of the country shall appoint a person who has a good knowledge of pharmacy, drugs and food as director general of NAFDAC on the recommendation of the minister but noted that, unfortunately the newly appointed Director General is a practising lawyer".
"We believe that since the Yar'Adua Administration professes the rule of law as it s guiding philosophy, then the honourable minister of health would have recommended the nominees for the exalted office to the president."
Records at the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria shows that Dr. Paul Orhii is a neuro-pharmacologist and lawyer. If this is the situation, it is our strong conviction that Dr. Orhii has not fulfilled the condition precedent in section 9 (1) of decree 15 of 1993. Dr Orhii has never worked in Nigeria and in fact reports reveal he has been practising law in et last three years.
They claimed that PSN decided to protest the appointment because the nominee cannot be said to have good knowledge of pharmacy, drugs and food.
Alleging that government appears to be dealing systematically to bring down notable agencies in this dispensation, they said, "Dr Orhii as it is today cannot meet the provisions of section 5 and 6 of Cap 535 LFN 1990 which designates only pharmacists as pharmaceutical inspectors of food.
The group further alleged that his appointment would jeopardised the efforts of immediate past Director General of NAFDAC, Prof. Dora Akunyili in fighting the menace of fake drugs in the country. "We totally reject his appointment as he is not qualified".
Stressing that by law, the position of the Director General of NAFDAC remains the birth right of pharmacists, they pointed out that the newly appointed Director General was not a pharmacist as his name could not be found in the gazetted list of pharmacists in Nigeria.
Describing the action of the president as misleading, they queried "How will a non -pharmacist regulate the pharmaceutical industry, a purely professional endavour for which he is not trained?
"It amounts to a climax of the absurd that a non - pharmacist be charged to regulate and control the sale, importation, manufacture, distribution of drugs, chemicals and such items".

Pharmacists under the aegis of the Lagos State Branch of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) have raised dust over appointment of Dr. Paul Orhii as Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and have called on President Umaru Yar'Adua to immediately reverse the appointment. Making the call in Lagos yesterday, the body threatened to go to court if their call is not heeded within seven days. At a joint press conference addressed by the incumbent Chairman of the Lagos PSN, Pharm. Lanre Familusi and two past Chairmen of the Aassociation, Pharm. Olumide Akintayo and Pharm. Bola Oyawole in Lagos, the trio alleged that Orhii, a neuro-pharmacologist and lawyer, was not qualified as a pharmacist as required by law, hence they described his appointment as NAFDAC Director General to be illegal and a breach of existing Acts of parliament.
Quoting Section 9 (1) of Decree 15 of 1993 (as amended) which deals with the appointment of officers who are to serve with the Agency, they said it provides that the president of the country shall appoint a person who has a good knowledge of pharmacy, drugs and food as director general of NAFDAC on the recommendation of the minister but noted that, unfortunately the newly appointed Director General is a practising lawyer".
"We believe that since the Yar'Adua Administration professes the rule of law as it s guiding philosophy, then the honourable minister of health would have recommended the nominees for the exalted office to the president."
Records at the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria shows that Dr. Paul Orhii is a neuro-pharmacologist and lawyer. If this is the situation, it is our strong conviction that Dr. Orhii has not fulfilled the condition precedent in section 9 (1) of decree 15 of 1993. Dr Orhii has never worked in Nigeria and in fact reports reveal he has been practising law in et last three years.
They claimed that PSN decided to protest the appointment because the nominee cannot be said to have good knowledge of pharmacy, drugs and food.
Alleging that government appears to be dealing systematically to bring down notable agencies in this dispensation, they said, "Dr Orhii as it is today cannot meet the provisions of section 5 and 6 of Cap 535 LFN 1990 which designates only pharmacists as pharmaceutical inspectors of food.
The group further alleged that his appointment would jeopardised the efforts of immediate past Director General of NAFDAC, Prof. Dora Akunyili in fighting the menace of fake drugs in the country. "We totally reject his appointment as he is not qualified".
Stressing that by law, the position of the Director General of NAFDAC remains the birth right of pharmacists, they pointed out that the newly appointed Director General was not a pharmacist as his name could not be found in the gazetted list of pharmacists in Nigeria.
Describing the action of the president as misleading, they queried "How will a non -pharmacist regulate the pharmaceutical industry, a purely professional endavour for which he is not trained?
"It amounts to a climax of the absurd that a non - pharmacist be charged to regulate and control the sale, importation, manufacture, distribution of drugs, chemicals and such items".

Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal is to rule at a latter date on whether or not to admit additional grounds of evidence filed by Rev. Emeka Ezeugo, a.k.a. Rev King, the embattled General Overseer of the Christian Praying Assembly (CPA), Lagos, presently challenging his death sentence for killing a member of his church. Rev. King who was convicted January 2007 for killing a lady, member of his church, Miss Ann Uzor Ezeugo, is praying the appellate court to set aside the death sentence imposed on him by Justice Joseph Oyewole of the Ikeja High Court, Lagos.
The court's ruling was sequel to the argument canvassed by his lawyer, Mr. Olalekan Ojo, and the state counsel, moment they adopted their written addresses.
In a ruling delivered by Justice Dalhatu Adamu, the court held that the date for the ruling on the application to introduce additional grounds of appeal would be forwarded to all the parties in the suit. King, who is currently held in Kuje Prisons, Abuja, was on January 11, 2007, sentenced to death by hanging for murder, in addition to a 100 year jail term on 5 counts of murder, setting members of his church on fire and for allegedly committing fornication, an act which led to the death of one of them, Ann Uzoh King.
King in his notice of appeal prayed the appellate court to strike out all the six counts preffered against him at the trial court, and to reverse his convictions. Besides, he urged the court to order his discharge and acquittal from the counts levelled against him.
The counsel argued that the trial judge erred in law by assuming jurisdiction over the case when the six-count charge against him was not dated and that the trial judge failed to consider the adduced evidence in relation to all the counts and to make a finding on whether each count had been proved beyond reasonable doubt.
He noted that based on expert opinion it was impossible for him to pour petrol on the late Ann Uzoh King as alleged by the prosecution without getting burnt. King further stated that the trial judge erred in law when he held that the prosecution had proved beyond reasonable doubt the burning incident that occurred on the night of Saturday, July 22, 2006; and that the convict planned to kill the burnt victims, who are his church members.
, by pouring petrol and throwing a lit match on them.According to the appeal, the trial judge, Justice Oyewole, erred in law in believing and accepting the evidence led by the prosecution (Lagos State Ministry of Justice) before considering the evidence led by the defence.

Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal is to rule at a latter date on whether or not to admit additional grounds of evidence filed by Rev. Emeka Ezeugo, a.k.a. Rev King, the embattled General Overseer of the Christian Praying Assembly (CPA), Lagos, presently challenging his death sentence for killing a member of his church. Rev. King who was convicted January 2007 for killing a lady, member of his church, Miss Ann Uzor Ezeugo, is praying the appellate court to set aside the death sentence imposed on him by Justice Joseph Oyewole of the Ikeja High Court, Lagos.
The court's ruling was sequel to the argument canvassed by his lawyer, Mr. Olalekan Ojo, and the state counsel, moment they adopted their written addresses.
In a ruling delivered by Justice Dalhatu Adamu, the court held that the date for the ruling on the application to introduce additional grounds of appeal would be forwarded to all the parties in the suit. King, who is currently held in Kuje Prisons, Abuja, was on January 11, 2007, sentenced to death by hanging for murder, in addition to a 100 year jail term on 5 counts of murder, setting members of his church on fire and for allegedly committing fornication, an act which led to the death of one of them, Ann Uzoh King.
King in his notice of appeal prayed the appellate court to strike out all the six counts preffered against him at the trial court, and to reverse his convictions. Besides, he urged the court to order his discharge and acquittal from the counts levelled against him.
The counsel argued that the trial judge erred in law by assuming jurisdiction over the case when the six-count charge against him was not dated and that the trial judge failed to consider the adduced evidence in relation to all the counts and to make a finding on whether each count had been proved beyond reasonable doubt.
He noted that based on expert opinion it was impossible for him to pour petrol on the late Ann Uzoh King as alleged by the prosecution without getting burnt. King further stated that the trial judge erred in law when he held that the prosecution had proved beyond reasonable doubt the burning incident that occurred on the night of Saturday, July 22, 2006; and that the convict planned to kill the burnt victims, who are his church members.
, by pouring petrol and throwing a lit match on them.According to the appeal, the trial judge, Justice Oyewole, erred in law in believing and accepting the evidence led by the prosecution (Lagos State Ministry of Justice) before considering the evidence led by the defence.

, Grants administrative bail to El-Rufai's associates
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday traced ownership of a mansion located within the precincts of the Presidential Villa, allegedly to embattled former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.
Sources close to on-going investigation of the former minister confided in Abuja that the ownership of the mansion was established through documents seized by its operatives in Monday's raid on the System Properties Development Company (SPDC) alleged to be one of of El-Rufai's business outfits.
The Managing Director of SPDC, Mallam Idris Othman, alongside others arrested in the raid, as learnt were however granted administrative bail, with conditions, including the seizure of their international passports and to report every day to the commission.
But, one of the suspects, Mr Niyi, believed by operatives to have useful information that would further the cause of investigations is still being detained at the time of filling this report.
According to the source, who pleaded not to be named, "we have been able to establish the true ownership of a mansion located within the precinct of the presidential villa, through some vital documents recovered from the company on Monday.
"Part of the direction of investigations, with respect to this property is to determine how a privately owned company bought a house, and later sold it to El-rufai"" he added.
The Head of Media and Publicity in the EFCC, Mr. Femi Babafemi, confirmed the development, adding that, investigations were still on.
A surprise raid on the premises of SPDC, located on Aminu Kano Crescent in the Wuse 11 District of the Federal Capital City (FCC), Abuja, at 11 am on Monday, led to the arrest of the company's managing director, five others, after which three were released same day.
Several documents and computers were also carted away by the operatives, as part of on-going investigations of the former Minister over allegations of official corruption, bordering on alleged stealing and revocation and repossession of lands, using the company as fronts.

The Federal Government said yesterday in Abuja, that the dismissal of EFCC's former Chairman, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, from the Nigerian Police, is final.
The Minister of Police Affairs, Dr. Ibrahim Lame, made the disclosure at an interractive session with senior police officers at Force Headquarters. "Ribadu's case is a disciplinary issue that has been properly tackled by the police authority.
"The Federal Government cannot afford to allow anybody, no matter how highly placed, to disrupt the disciplinary system in the force. The case will not be revisited," the Minister said.
The police authority, late last year, dismissed Ribadu, after demoting him from the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police to deputy commissioner and deploying him to the Edo State police command. The former EFCC chief is however challenging his dismissal and demotion in court.
In another development, Lame has directed the immediate withdrawal of all police officers attached to private individuals. "Government frowns seriously at the rate at which police officers are attached to private individuals in the society. "It is quite disgraceful to see police officers performing demeaning jobs for their principals which has gone a long way to debase the professional values and ethics of the force."
"The loyalty of these officers now lie with the principals, rather than the force," he said.
The Minister directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Mike Okiro to look into how registered private security outfits could provide the security needs of such private individuals. Lame also charged the IGP to put all measures in place to enforce the executive's directive banning the use of siren by unauthorised persons.
He remarked that the directive has not been complied with since it was issued. The Minister commended the Police for fighting violent crimes to a near stand-still in the past year.
He, however, noted that the country witnessed other forms of crime as assassination, kidnapping and threat messages on GSM which he said the Police must brace up to.
"The government has realised that for the economic vision of taking Nigeria to the league of top 20 economies by year 2020 to become a reality, internal security, law and order must be guaranteed," he said. Okiro thanked the government for its support to the police in the past years and congratulated the Minister on his appointment. He noted that the previous year, though challenging, witnessed a tremendous reduction in crime rate.
He identified kidnapping as the new wave of crime, and bank robbery and corruption as the major challenges of the police. The IGP also assured the Minister of the cooperation of his officers and men.

For fear of being shot dead, a 15-year-old girl simply identified as Chioma was allegedly forced by a police Constable Bako Binta to abort a seven month old baby.
Chioma who claimed to have been lured into illicit affairs by Bako who is attached to Ejigbo police station revealed that on discovering that she was pregnant, Bako allegedly forced her to abort the child as he didn't want anything to stall his forthcoming marriage ceremony.
The bubble burst when the family discovered that their little girl was heavy with a baby quickly reported the matter to the police which led to the arrest of Bako and his accomplice.
The suspects are being detained at Zone 2, Onikan, Lagos for further investigation.
Speaking on behalf of the family at a press conference on Thursday, Mr. Ben Nwadu recalled that on October 31, 2008, Chioma complained of acute pains in her stomach. Worried by his sister's pains, he took her to the hospital.
"At Isolo General Hospital, medical examination revealed that Chioma was seven months pregnant. It was discovered that the fetus was already dead.
Medical findings reveal Chioma had severe damage to her womb. The internal bleeding she had was attributed to complication that arose from the process of aborting the fetus in a most unprofessional manner."
Chioma was referred to Island Maternity Hospital. However on their way Chioma started bleeding and experiencing pains like a woman in labour. Then she delivered a dead baby before they got to the hospital. The police were invited to take photograph of the dead baby. She was later taken to the hospital for medical treatment.
"It was at that point that Chioma confessed to us how she was taken to a quack doctor that gave her drugs. The 'doctor' instructed that she should be taken to a secluded place for four days as she would definitely discharge the unborn child on the fourth day. Instead of taking her home they gave her money and dropped her on top of Oshodi Bridge,'' he alleged.
Narrating the incident to Daily Sun, Chioma recalled that she was on her way to school when Bako confronted her with the fact that he wanted to have sex with her. She told him that her parents would be annoyed if they learnt of it.
"When I said I wasn't interested he showed me his gun and threatened to kill me. When I discovered that I was pregnant I informed him and he also threatened to kill me if I spoke a word about it. He now took me to a house where I was given some drugs."
Barrister Paully Onyeka, counsel to the family commended the AIG zone 2, Mohammed Abubakar for his timely intervention.
"We wish to commend the efforts of the AIG of zone 2 police command and the Inspector General of Police for their efforts so far in ensuring that the culprits were apprehended when the DPO of Okota refused to act. We believe with their intervention, Nwadu family will get justice.
"We also wish to advise young girls who are being abused sexually by officers of the police force not to be afraid or intimidated by the mere fact that they are armed uniform men. They should endeavour to confide in their parents or guardians in order to nip the immoral and wholesome influence, of these randy officers in the bud," the counsel said.

For fear of being shot dead, a 15-year-old girl simply identified as Chioma was allegedly forced by a police Constable Bako Binta to abort a seven month old baby.
Chioma who claimed to have been lured into illicit affairs by Bako who is attached to Ejigbo police station revealed that on discovering that she was pregnant, Bako allegedly forced her to abort the child as he didn't want anything to stall his forthcoming marriage ceremony.
The bubble burst when the family discovered that their little girl was heavy with a baby quickly reported the matter to the police which led to the arrest of Bako and his accomplice.
The suspects are being detained at Zone 2, Onikan, Lagos for further investigation.
Speaking on behalf of the family at a press conference on Thursday, Mr. Ben Nwadu recalled that on October 31, 2008, Chioma complained of acute pains in her stomach. Worried by his sister's pains, he took her to the hospital.
"At Isolo General Hospital, medical examination revealed that Chioma was seven months pregnant. It was discovered that the fetus was already dead.
Medical findings reveal Chioma had severe damage to her womb. The internal bleeding she had was attributed to complication that arose from the process of aborting the fetus in a most unprofessional manner."
Chioma was referred to Island Maternity Hospital. However on their way Chioma started bleeding and experiencing pains like a woman in labour. Then she delivered a dead baby before they got to the hospital. The police were invited to take photograph of the dead baby. She was later taken to the hospital for medical treatment.
"It was at that point that Chioma confessed to us how she was taken to a quack doctor that gave her drugs. The 'doctor' instructed that she should be taken to a secluded place for four days as she would definitely discharge the unborn child on the fourth day. Instead of taking her home they gave her money and dropped her on top of Oshodi Bridge,'' he alleged.
Narrating the incident to Daily Sun, Chioma recalled that she was on her way to school when Bako confronted her with the fact that he wanted to have sex with her. She told him that her parents would be annoyed if they learnt of it.
"When I said I wasn't interested he showed me his gun and threatened to kill me. When I discovered that I was pregnant I informed him and he also threatened to kill me if I spoke a word about it. He now took me to a house where I was given some drugs."
Barrister Paully Onyeka, counsel to the family commended the AIG zone 2, Mohammed Abubakar for his timely intervention.
"We wish to commend the efforts of the AIG of zone 2 police command and the Inspector General of Police for their efforts so far in ensuring that the culprits were apprehended when the DPO of Okota refused to act. We believe with their intervention, Nwadu family will get justice.
"We also wish to advise young girls who are being abused sexually by officers of the police force not to be afraid or intimidated by the mere fact that they are armed uniform men. They should endeavour to confide in their parents or guardians in order to nip the immoral and wholesome influence, of these randy officers in the bud," the counsel said.

League of Professionals, a group that works to promote good governance, has joined issues with Professor Wole Soyinka over his recent criticism of Professor Maurice Iwu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Soyinka had in a recent interview described Iwu as dishonest. This was in his (Soyinka's) bid to eulogise the recent elections in Ghana at the expense of the April 2007 elections held in Nigeria.
But in a statement by the league at the weekend, its national coordinator, Dr. Gordon Obisike, said Soyinka's stance on Ghana, Iwu and the 2007 elections in Nigeria was predictable.
The league said that Soyinka had voiced nothing new other than to follow the jaded and reprehensible pastime of the misguided lot who have refused to appreciate the good work done by Iwu, who successfully conducted an election that saw Nigeria, for the first time, transit from one democratically elected government to another.
According to the group, Soyinka went off the mark when he began to cast aspersion on the person of Iwu, rather than dwell on the issue at stake.
It continued that the Nobel Laureate's comment smacked of little-mindedness vis-a-vis Iwu's courageous defense of the conduct and outcome of the 2007 elections.
The league said that Soyinka displayed an incredible poor judgment by refusing to consider the environmental circumstances of the two countries before passing his judgment.
It noted that even though last month's election held in Ghana was largely successful, it did not mean that Nigeria's was a failure simply because some bad losers and uncritical segments of the Nigerian society feel so.
The league argued that the Ghanaian situation was markedly different from Nigeria's because whereas there is a strong and credible opposition in Ghana, the same cannot be said of Nigeria.
"Here, we have an amalgam of groups which believe in nothing but masquerading as political parties. What do you expect from amorphous groups such as these?" the league queried.
The league said it was regrettable that Soyinka who should know better has fallen for the plebeian mentality which has been reigning supreme in many quarters. It, however, pointed out that Soyinka's interjection was not completely out of tune with his antecedents. According to the group, Soyinka is fond of running with the hare and hunting with the hounds. "He enjoys condemnation but is usually quick to associate, one way or another, with what he has already rejected."
The league argued that it was this tendency that made Soyinka to accept to serve with the Federal Road Safety Commission under the regime of Ibrahim Babangida. "One would have thought that Soyinka would distance himself from the job given his no-holds barred denunciation of Babangida and his administration."
It further accused Soyinka of high level hypocrisy, the type that made him to allow his daughter to serve under the regime of Olusegun Obasanjo, the man he hates with a passion.
The league said that Soyinka should, in the face of these inconsistencies, spare discerning Nigerians the agony of being reminded of the past of a man whose stock in trade is unbridled criticism. It therefore advised Soyinka and others like him to let Iwu be.

For the timely intervention of onlookers at a scene of a ghastly motor accident along Wuse/Kado expressway, Abuja, on Sunday the FCT Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr. Nseibong Akpabio (MON) would have been beaten to a stupor by a Lebanese, Mr. Tony Abou Ghazaleh.
It was like an action packed Nollywood film when to the dismay of everyone present, Mr. Ghazaleh who claimed to be a member of PCRC, obviously angered that a road block was mounted at the scene of the accident by the FRSC, bounced heavily on the national award holder, Mr. Nseibong dragging him by his uniform, removed his beret and threatened to sack him and his team members from their jobs after an argument ensued between them.
Trouble started when a team of FRSC members led by the FCT Sector Commander mounted a road block at the scene of a motor accident which occurred at about 10pm involving a BMW that failed its brakes and sped to the other side of the expressway, tumbling severally after hitting and uprooting a street light. No life was lost.
In order to clear-up the remains of the badly damaged car, a road block was mounted. But this was certainly an obstruction and a delay to Gahazaleh who was driving a Peugeot 307 with registration number FH769 ABC (ABUJA). Despite the several sign cautions, the Lebanese only managed to stop after almost running into everyone standing by the road block.
Following the incident, Mr. Nseibong had demanded for Gahazaleh's driver's license and his car particulars. But instead of presenting the documents requested for, the Lebanese arrogantly flaunted an NPF harmonized membership I.D card with No. 14565 which he claimed was issued on June 12, 2008 by the Nigerian Police. He boastfully dialed a number from his handset while pacing, bragging and threatening to sack the Sector Commander and his team from their jobs, if they delayed him any further.
However, after about 10 minutes, the already raging Gahazaleh unleashed terror and anger by descending on the FCT sector commander.
He dragging his uniform and removing his beret. He was to start raining blows on him when those gathered intervened. Speaking exclusively with Daily Sun at the scene of the incident, Mr. Nseibong condemned the assault describing it as an aberration and blatant insult on the entire FRSC. He wondered if such could ever happen in Lebanon while also questioning the rationale behind issuing NPF harmonized ID to a foreigner.
Gahazaleh who was yet to calm down told Daily Sun that, "I will make sure I deal with these people. They certainly do not know their jobs. If there is an accident, so what? Is that why they should put road block on this side of the road? This is stupidity! I have told them, if they delay me any further, by not given me my Police ID, I will deal with them ruthlessly."
Speaking further, he said: I am not ready to answer any further questions from you (referring to Daily Sun reporter). All I need to do is to make some phone calls and all of them including the so called FCT commander would lose their Jobs." Efforts to reach the Police P.R.O to confirm Gahazaleh's claims were not fruitful as we could not reach him on his mobile line.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Monday, intensified its investigation into alleged sleazy land deals involving former minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Nasir El Rufai, with a raid on one of the companies believed to be owned by him.
Operatives of the anti-graft agency launched a surprise raid on the premises of System Property Development Consortium (SPDC), a company allegedly owned and used by the former FCT minister as a channel of re-possession and sale of illegally revoked plots of land in the nation's capital city.
Six persons, including the Managing Director, Mallam Idris Othman, were arrested during the raid at about 11.am, while the company's office located on Aminu Kano Crescent in the Wuse District of Abuja was closed to business as at the time of filing this report.
Items reportedly carted away from the company's office during the raid included Federal Capital Development Authority [FCDA] documents, fresh and processed land allocation forms, list of revoked lands in Abuja, records of ministerial meetings, contract papers awarded by el-Rufai, and other sensitive government documents.
Dependable sources close to the EFCC told Daily Sun that the raid was necessitated by damning reports on how the former FCT minister allegedly revoked plots of land belonging to individuals and corporate organizations, which he re-sold through SPDC, a company allegedly owned by him.
"He revoked peoples' land and allocated them to this company directly, which in turn sells to people at black market prices or develop the land to estates and the houses sold.
There is the case of this particular land situated at the Jabi Lake Front in Abuja which is owned by the NNPC, but was revoked by el-Rufai. He then allocated the plot to 45 fictitious persons who curiously, gave the land back to SPDC. That is just one of the shady deals under investigation," said a source who pleaded anonymity.
EFCC spokesman, Femi Babafemi, confirmed the raid of the company and arrest of six suspects. "Yes, it is true that our operatives raided the premises of SPDC in Abuja, believed to be owned by el-Rufai. Six persons were arrested, but two among them including the managing director of the company and one other staff, are still being detained for further investigation," he told Daily Sun on telephone.

The Federal Government on Monday sealed the fate of former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, with a declaration of support for his recent dismissal from the Nigeria Police Force.
The declaration was made as the Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro, revealed a shocking crime statistics on kidnappings across the country, noting that total of 353 cases were recorded last year.
Police Affairs Minister, Dr. Ibrahim Lame, who announced government's position on the fate of the former anti-graft czar during his maiden visit to the Louis Edet House Force Headquarters of the Nigeria Police in Abuja, foreclosed the possibility Ribadu's recall to the Nigeria Police.
"The Federal Government has closed Ribadu's case. It is a disciplinary issue that was handled by the police authorities, and the Federal Government is in total support of the decision taken. Government cannot afford to allow anybody, no matter how highly placed, to disrupt the disciplinary system in the Force and to disturb the police hierarchy," the minister declared.
Lame, who commended the police management for reducing the spate of armed robbery and other violent crimes, however, noted that the persistence of other forms of criminalities such as assassination, kidnappings, and threat to lives via SMS messages, pose a great challenge to the police.
Said he: "I, therefore, charge you all to evolve and design strategies to checkmate these crimes, which will also consolidate on the successes recorded so far. In designing these strategies, you must pay attention to intelligence gathering, because all over the world today, intelligence-led policing has become the latest trend."
Expressing dismay at the demeaning manner to which some police officers attached to private individuals were being subjected, the minister ordered the immediate withdrawal of all police officers attached to private individuals without due authorization, just as he directed the Inspector General of Police to look into the possibility of using registered private security guards for such purposes.
Lame also ordered the immediate dismantling of all road-blocks mounted by the police on the nation's highways, saying only motorized patrols and other surveillance techniques should henceforth be used on the roads. "There should be no more road-blocks. Rather, we should have stop-and-search operations when the need arises, and these should be disbanded as soon as the objectives are met," he emphasized.
While warning that any policeman caught extorting money from members of the public would be dismissed and prosecuted, the minister disclosed plans by the Federal Government to conduct a manpower audit of the Nigeria police with a view to identifying unscrupulous and unqualified personnel in the system.
His words: "There have been rampant cases of recruitment of unqualified people into the Force lately. This trend has got to stop. The era of recruitment of people based on patronage has gone. Henceforth, recruitment will be judiciously carried out, based on federal character. The recruitment policy of this administration will ensure only qualified and morally upright members of the public are recruited into the Force. The police must cease to be a dumping ground."
Commenting on the Niger Delta crisis, Lame, who commended the role played by the police in the Joint Task Force constituted to restore peace to the troubled oil-rich region, said the Federal Government had further opened up dialogue with all stakeholders to ensure that normalcy returned to the area as soon as possible.
He also dropped hint of government's intention to upgrade the Police Academy [POLAC], at Wudil, Kano, to a degree awarding institution to enable graduates compete academically with their contemporaries in other Forces, and the society at large.
Earlier, the IGP, Mike Okiro, disclosed that the police recorded a total of 353 incidents of kidnapping last year, but had always not been confrontational in handling the cases to ensure the safety of victims while on rescue operations.
Okiro, who commended the Federal Government for de-merging the police from the Interior Ministry, expressed concern over the unwillingness of banks to procure bullet and fire-proof bullion vans as earlier directed, warning that he would withdraw police escorts from banks which failed to comply with the directive at the end on January.

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Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole yesterday in Benin appealed to the Police Service Commission (PSC) to revisit the case of former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu who was recently dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force.
He said that Ribadu''s travail and recent dismissal from the Nigeria Police Force has done a lot of incalculable damage to the corporate image of the force and Nigeria as a nation.
According to Comrade Oshiomhole who made the appeal while hosting the chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Mr. Pary Osayande in his office, "I am just pleading that Nuhu Ribadu like every other Nigerians must have made some mistakes, some of them very serious. I am pleading that let the thing be handled in a way that it should not be misunderstood".
"Things are hard and things are tough. As a Union leader who has had the opportunity to plead on behalf of victims who are victimized, I want to plead that the police revisit the case of Nuhu Ribadu. It is doing a lot damage to the corporate image of the police force.
When an employer makes a mistake, in favour of the employee and the fact of that mistake is established, by law you do not seems to correct it at the expense of that employee in a manner that could be injurious to his social life".
"If Nuhu Ribadu was over promoted, if indeed that was a breach, the state should find the courage to deal with the person responsible for the breech not the victim. Each time this thing happens, they did damage to our collective psyche".
"The police as an institution should not be seen to target just an officer with all the weapon in the armory, including trivializing whether or not he should get a certificate for a course that was impose on him by the same police authorities. And a lot of Nigerians are saying is it because he fought corruption".
"In a democracy, those issues of perception if it is not real become a problem. We do not think that the way Ribadu has been treated makes the best statement of the police. I am not entering any defence about how Ribadu operated but the greatest problem he had which many people observed was that he was used to fight certain persons and in the process he shielded certain persons".
"Others says, I think is untrue he appears to be arrogant with the way he went about it. My own thinking is you can''t fight corruption without a certain level of self-confidence and even arrogance. After all those who have held us down have held us down with the same degree of arrogance".
"That there is no question where you create a situation that people who have held us down are now celebrating you are going to find it very, very hard if not in the future to find someone who will risk as much. I thought the challenge of Nuhu Ribadu successor to now go after those Nuhu Ribadu did not go after. Yar Adua has shown that he is not ready to shield anybody".
"Many Nigerians misunderstood what is happening now. They think that the man is being victimized because of what he did.
I am begging sir. As a governor, I should not be talking like this. If the Police Service Commission under your leadership finds favour by reviewing it, where an employer listens and help those who are down is not an indication of weekends. The man is already down. The court can''t help. Only God and you can help him".
Earlier in his speech, the chairman of the Police Service Commission, Mr. Pary Osayande, a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police said that he was in government house to commiserate with the governor on the loss of two of his aides and congratulate him for successfully dismantling a clique that constituted a cog in the wheel of progress of the state.
He disclosed that since he retired from the Police Force about 16 or 17 years ago, this was his second time of coming into the government house as he deliberately refused to interact with those who were at the helm of affairs in the state.
While thanking the governor for what has done for the police command in Edo State so far, Mr. Osayande disclosed that the Nigeria Police was the single largest police institution in the world with manpower of 377,000.
He lamented that during the 29 years of military interregnum, the police force grew in various direction, uncontrolled and unplanned for, adding that either by default or design, successive regimes neglected the institution by way of under-funding, lack of barracks, operational vehicles and logistics just as recruitments into the force was bastardized.
"But today, I with my team, we are prepared to reposition the Nigerian police so that it can become people friendly, people oriented and service effective".
"We cannot do this alone. We are now trying to resort to community policing. We have approached traditional rulers, Civil Liberty Organisation (CLO). We have approached youth leaders, market women and all the governors of the federation to join us to reposition the Nigerian Police because security is total and everybody is involved", he said.

President of West Africa Bar Association, (WABA), Femi Falana had carpeted ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo over his call on Nigerians to brace up for hard times this year.
Falana who spoke to Daily Sun in Lagos said Obasanjo inflicted unmitigated poverty on Nigerians during his eight-years tenure despite of the unprecedented oil boom and unparallel revenue growth.
"Inspite of the oil boom, which his government enjoyed Obasanjo maximized poverty throughout the length and breadth of this country for eight years.
"His neo-liberal and anti-people economic policies maximized poverty through fake privatization, fraudulent oil block allocations, illegal duty waiver and outright looting of treasury."
"It was before our very eyes that Obasanjo and his cronies engaged in primitive accumulation of wealth at the expense of the people," he said.
The chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Rule of Law Committee asked the former president to stop insulting the intelligence of Nigerians with his dubious and hypocritical call. "Since he could not manage the oil windfall to improve the lot of our people for eight years, he should stop his gratuitous insults on Nigerians," he said.
Falana reasoned that instead of asking the people to brace up for hard times, the chairman of the Board of Trustees of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) should have persuaded public officers to shed their excess monetary allocations, which had been taking a toll on the economy, especially with the price of crude oil dropping to $40 per barrel.
The WABA president tasked Obasanjo to justify the allocation of a whopping N104billion to service the National Assembly under the 2009 budget viz-a-viz his call on Nigerians to brace up for hard times.
He expressed cynicism about the economic policy of President Umaru Yar'Adua, describing it as a continuation of Obasanjo's voodoo economic policy repackaged as seven-point agenda.

President of West Africa Bar Association, (WABA), Femi Falana had carpeted ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo over his call on Nigerians to brace up for hard times this year.
Falana who spoke to Daily Sun in Lagos said Obasanjo inflicted unmitigated poverty on Nigerians during his eight-years tenure despite of the unprecedented oil boom and unparallel revenue growth.
"Inspite of the oil boom, which his government enjoyed Obasanjo maximized poverty throughout the length and breadth of this country for eight years.
"His neo-liberal and anti-people economic policies maximized poverty through fake privatization, fraudulent oil block allocations, illegal duty waiver and outright looting of treasury."
"It was before our very eyes that Obasanjo and his cronies engaged in primitive accumulation of wealth at the expense of the people," he said.
The chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Rule of Law Committee asked the former president to stop insulting the intelligence of Nigerians with his dubious and hypocritical call. "Since he could not manage the oil windfall to improve the lot of our people for eight years, he should stop his gratuitous insults on Nigerians," he said.
Falana reasoned that instead of asking the people to brace up for hard times, the chairman of the Board of Trustees of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) should have persuaded public officers to shed their excess monetary allocations, which had been taking a toll on the economy, especially with the price of crude oil dropping to $40 per barrel.
The WABA president tasked Obasanjo to justify the allocation of a whopping N104billion to service the National Assembly under the 2009 budget viz-a-viz his call on Nigerians to brace up for hard times.
He expressed cynicism about the economic policy of President Umaru Yar'Adua, describing it as a continuation of Obasanjo's voodoo economic policy repackaged as seven-point agenda.

The relative peace enjoyed by residents of Zaria following the Jos sectarian crisis was punctured on Tuesday with the attack on the revered Emir of Zaria, Alhaji Shehu Idris, by an Islamic sect, the Shiite group led by Mallam Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.
According to an eye witness, the emir was on his way to Kaduna to attend the weekly security meeting when he bumped into an army of the Muslim group, who were said to have barricaded the road as they were marking the anniversary of the assassination of Hussein, one of the grandsons of Prophet Muhammad, which coincided with the 10th day of the new Islamic year.
Daily Sun gathered that all entreaties made to the group by the emir to see reason to allow him continue his journey met a brick wall as the group insisted that he emir must go back.
The emir's police orderly who attempted to ward the group off was beaten into a coma by the mob.
It was further learnt that the group began to haul stones at the emir's vehicle, a situation that forced the monarch and members of his entourage to beat a retreat and returned to his palace.
Upon reaching his palace, Daily Sun learnt, the emir's supporters who were said to be visibly angry by the treatment meted out to the traditional ruler, moved into the area, where some of the Shiites members lived and descended on the household of the deputy leader of the group and in the process, the house of the leader was razed.
As soon as the house was set ablaze, the Police was said to have quickly moved in to save the situation from degenerating. As at the time of filing this report, the situation was said to have been brought under control.
When contacted, police sources confirmed the story and said the police was already investigating the matter, even as one of them said it was not correct to say the emir was attacked.
According to the source, who pleaded anonymity, "every year, you know this people do celebrate the 10th day of the new Islamic year. And you know they normally move in groups round the town and do their preaching.
"So they were in such mood when the emir ran into them and they refused to allow the emir pass. That cannot be said to be an attack because by attack, it means they went to his house or barricaded the road and carried out the action."
On the house of the deputy leader of the group that was set ablaze, the police source said: "We have confirmed that. We just received the report and we are investigating the matter."

Inspector General of Police Sir Mike Okiro, yesterday gave fresh reason why the promotion of former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, was reversed explaining that it was done to save imminent insurgence among the rank and file of the Police.
This is even as management of construction giant Julius Berger vowed never to return to the troubled region where it was handling multi-billion East West road before pulling out due to the precarious security situation.
D. Lubase, Divisional Manager of Julius Berger said the company would not mind if the contract is re-awarded to another firm since, according to him, all measures put in place by security agencies to guarantee safety of its workers have failed.
Ribadu was promoted first from the post of Deputy Commissioner to Commissioner of Police and then Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) within one year by former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.
Okiro who was represented at an interactive session with members of the House of Representatives committee on Niger Delta on ways of attaining peace in the troubled region, by Commissioner of Police (Administration) Mr Felix Ogbaudu, said Ribadu's colleagues and superiors in the Force were already getting restive over his rapid promotion, insisting that there was need to restore sanity in the Force.
Narrating his personal experience, for instance, Ogbaudu who expressed disgust over the promotion wondered why Ribadu who joined the Nigeria Police about 10 years after he, Ogbaudu was enlisted was elevated far ahead of him.
He further said besides being Ribadu's senior by 10 years, the latter even served under him as Chief Superintendent, when he has already a Commissioner.
Okiro said some of his peers in the Armed Forces were also disturbed by the promotion that they told him that the action would have engendered serious crisis if it were done in the military.
His words: "My friends in the military even called me to say that if such a thing was done in the military we would all kill ourselves".
Okiro suggested that the former president would have rewarded Ribadu with national honours award for his zeal to rid the nation of graft.
On the controversial exotic cars procured for the Police by the Presidential Equipment Fund, the IGP said they were bought without their prior knowledge hence they fell short of their requirement.
Okiro said if they had been approached before the vehicles were purchased, the Force would have opted for rugged operational vehicles rather than the luxury ones supplied.
"The 306 Peougeot vehicles were imposed on the Police by the Police Equipment Fund", he lamented.
On measures to rid the Police of corrupt officers, Okiro said there was need to improve on training and re-training of officers and men.
He blamed some privileged political office holders for influencing certain postings especially during months preceding election period.
Okiro suggested launching of massive arms and ammunition recovery programme as one of the ways to bring peace to the troubled region.
Other measures, he listed include the need for the Ministry of Niger Delta to immediately embark on mass oriented projects in the region.
Okiro said the other measures are the need to impress on all the need to eschew violence,
assure the people that all abandoned contracts will be completed and action must commence for them to see, make the people imbibe the culture of hard work and accept that there is dignity in labour, among others.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that it would encourage politicians in the country to use alternative means in resolving political disputes instead of heading to the tribunals at all times.
In his address at a one day workshop on "Alternative Dispute Resolution" (ARD) with the theme: "Resolving Political Disputes in a Democratic Setting-The Place of Alternative Dispute Resolution," the INEC chairman, Prof. Maurice Iwu said the idea will be good for the country giving that it will enhance both political and economical development of the nation.
Iwu who was represented by INEC National Commissioner, Victor Chukwuani said it would also accord the executive the chance of focusing on nation building instead of dissipating energy at the various electoral tribunals in the country.
"Now is the time for us to find other viable methods of resolving electoral disputes because it is regrettable that after almost two years we had the elections, we still have many cases at the tribunals, you could call it mediation, arbitration, conciliation, negotiation or what have you but the bottom line is that issues would be resolved amicably and the nation will be better for it," he said.
Continuing, the INEC boss said that such alternative means of resolving electoral disputes will reduce the work load of the judges.
He therefore advocated for a situation where winners in elections will be magnanimous in victory while those who lost should accept their fate and not to continue to drag the whole nation back in tribunals "because in my view conflicts are phenomenal that could be avoided".
In his own remarks, the Senate President David Mark who was represented by Senator Isiaka Adeleke charged politicians to always play the game according to the rules right from the beginning noting that most disputes start from the nomination process where people begin to agitate for the party's ticket ahead of the election proper.
Mark, then, advocated for a national workshop that will dwell mainly on strengthening our internal democracy "and part of it is that we must device other means of solving electoral disputes in this country". Two papers were presented at the occasion with Dr. Paul Idornije a former Senior Lecturer at Nigeria Law School presenting the paper entitled: "Overview of Alternative Dispute Resolution Process," while the second paper entitled: "Application of Alternative Dispute Resolution Process to Political Party Disputes was delivered by Prof. Andrew Chukwuemerie of the Ebonyi State University.

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), yesterday raised an alarm that the administration of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, was under threat by unknown elements in connivance with a Nigerian international business mogul.
Spokesperson for the EFCC, Femi Babafemi, who disclosed this in a statement made available to Daily Champion in Abuja, said the plot was through discrediting the anti-graft agency, after President Yar'Adua threw his weight behind it during the recent launch of the Anti Corruption Revolution (ANCOR).
The statement said: "Though there have been similar attempts in the past but the latest plot is targeted at the administration of President Umar Musa Yar'Adua, who only last week, charged the EFCC to go after the corrupt with vigour.
"It is the belief of those behind the plot that by discrediting EFCC which is the engine room of the nation's fight against graft, they would have succeeded in weakening Yar'Adua administration's renewed bid to take the war against graft to the doorsteps of the corrupt.
"To achieve this, some of these elements have begun moves to launch series of attacks against the commission and its leadership with the aim of discrediting its line of actions in the weeks ahead.
"Information available to the commission indicates that some of these individuals including a discredited businessman whose dubious means of livelihood was recently terminated by the EFCC have been working in connivance with some insiders in the commission and their overseas collaborators to among other things, cook up and peddle falsehood about the work of the commission and some of its officials.
"Let no one be deceived that the attempt to tarnish the image of the commission and its officials has any semblance of truth. It is purely a blackmail to discredit the commission's activities in the weeks ahead," the statement read.

At least ten Nigerian pilgrims who embarked on the 2008 pilgrimage to the muslim"s holy city of Mecca are still in different hospitals in the holy land receiving treatment for various ailments.
The National Chairman of the Hajj Commission, Alhaji Mohammed Musa Bello told journalists after the last batch of pilgrims were flown into Abuja in the early hours of yesterday that those remaining are those who were involved in auto accidents as well as those who took ill during the exercise.
He said government through relevant agencies has taken adequate and necessary steps to ensure that those left behind are adequately catered for and their hospital bill taken care of.
Speaking on the demonstration by some Nigerian pilgrims in the holy land, the national Hajj commission boss blamed poor screening of pilgrims by some state pilgrims board for the embarrassing protests saying that the commission would take measures to ensure that only people spiritually prepared embark on the pilgrimage in the future.
According to him, investigations by various security agencies indicated that the demonstration had nothing to do with the processes of the hajj but mischief of the organizers of the protests pointing out that those who protested did not know the essence of the pilgrimage.
"Any genuine Muslim who set out for the pilgrimage knowing the full essence of the exercise would not embark on a protest. We have since discovered that the screening process in some states were faulty.
But after the protest, the relevant agencies investigated and discovered that it was not necessary."
Appropriate measures are being taken to ensure that such incidence does not happen again"" he said.
Some of the measures being contemplated, he explained, were the establishment of a Bio Metric Data to ensure that records of all pilgrims are better kept and a stricter screening of intending pilgrims in order to differentiate between genuine pilgrims and those with other motives.
Assessing last year"s pilgrims, the chairman of the commission hailed it as a huge success saying the commission was able to beat the deadline for the airlift of all pilgrims to the holy land by two days while the deadline for the return of all pilgrims from the holy land was also met.
Earlier in his remarks, the deputy amir Hajj and Emir of Suleja, Mallam Awwal Ibrahim attributed the success of this year"s hajj to the leadership provided by the Amir Hajj, the speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dimeji Bankole and the support from the federal government, adding that the success achieved must be improved upon during subsequent exercise

At least ten Nigerian pilgrims who embarked on the 2008 pilgrimage to the muslim"s holy city of Mecca are still in different hospitals in the holy land receiving treatment for various ailments.
The National Chairman of the Hajj Commission, Alhaji Mohammed Musa Bello told journalists after the last batch of pilgrims were flown into Abuja in the early hours of yesterday that those remaining are those who were involved in auto accidents as well as those who took ill during the exercise.
He said government through relevant agencies has taken adequate and necessary steps to ensure that those left behind are adequately catered for and their hospital bill taken care of.
Speaking on the demonstration by some Nigerian pilgrims in the holy land, the national Hajj commission boss blamed poor screening of pilgrims by some state pilgrims board for the embarrassing protests saying that the commission would take measures to ensure that only people spiritually prepared embark on the pilgrimage in the future.
According to him, investigations by various security agencies indicated that the demonstration had nothing to do with the processes of the hajj but mischief of the organizers of the protests pointing out that those who protested did not know the essence of the pilgrimage.
"Any genuine Muslim who set out for the pilgrimage knowing the full essence of the exercise would not embark on a protest. We have since discovered that the screening process in some states were faulty.
But after the protest, the relevant agencies investigated and discovered that it was not necessary."
Appropriate measures are being taken to ensure that such incidence does not happen again"" he said.
Some of the measures being contemplated, he explained, were the establishment of a Bio Metric Data to ensure that records of all pilgrims are better kept and a stricter screening of intending pilgrims in order to differentiate between genuine pilgrims and those with other motives.
Assessing last year"s pilgrims, the chairman of the commission hailed it as a huge success saying the commission was able to beat the deadline for the airlift of all pilgrims to the holy land by two days while the deadline for the return of all pilgrims from the holy land was also met.
Earlier in his remarks, the deputy amir Hajj and Emir of Suleja, Mallam Awwal Ibrahim attributed the success of this year"s hajj to the leadership provided by the Amir Hajj, the speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dimeji Bankole and the support from the federal government, adding that the success achieved must be improved upon during subsequent exercise

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Are you keen on a job? Do you have a killer instinct? If you do, then this job suits you! It even gives you the legal authority to loop a noose round the neck of fellow human beings, and snuff life out of them.
As with James Bond in the epic series - 007 - you are licensed to kill. Here, the people who do this kind of job are called Hangmen! That's the type available right now. The pay, it has been touted, is "good", but it requires guts, courage and boldness. Beyond that, however, you have to possess a degree in Criminology.
Around the country's prisons formations right now, there is a dearth of Hangmen -professional executioners, that is. Which explains why there are hundreds of condemned criminals awaiting execution at the moment.
Only last week, 27 of such men on death row in kiri-kiri Maximum Prison alone, dragged both the Lagos State and Federal Governments to court challenging the constitutionality of keeping them in the gallows for periods ranging from 10 to 24 years. No date has yet been fixed for the hearing of the suit filed at the Federal High Court in Lagos.
But if you ever imagined that most Nigerians would shrug their shoulders over the suggestion of taking a job at the gallows, here is a shocker. Sunday Sun learnt at the weekend that there has been a deluge of applications by Nigerians who have suffered unemployment for years.
Justifying the need to hire more executioners, a source said: "The Service is in dire need of the services of Hangmen. Right now, there are about four hangmen in the country. Their services are needed now, more than ever before. Imagine how many condemned criminals are in the cells as we speak, so they are needed."
Although the job is usually reserved for serving prisons officials, Sunday Sun however learnt that somehow, outsiders got wind of the vacancies, and are already showing interest in the job; even lobbying to be hired.
Ideal situation
A source revealed that Hangmen are usually serving Prisons officials, who double as executioners. They are never publicly acknowledged in the latter category. Nonetheless, they are believed to be "well remunerated".
The veil over their identities, a source suggested, is to protect them from odium and public ridicule.
"Yes, they are our colleagues, but I can't honestly point at one person and say, 'this officer is a Hangman'. We do not know their identities. So you might just be sitting and chatting with a colleague without knowing that he is a Hangman. That's the way it is," the source said.
Confirming what the source told Sunday Sun, the Prisons Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Command, CSP Ope Fatinikun said the Hangmen issue is an in-house matter, which must not be revealed to outsiders, even among their colleagues. He further said, any prison warder could be appointed a hangman because it is part of their training.
The PRO said the identities of hangmen are usually kept under wrap. They are only summoned to the gallows when there is an 'assignment' to be done. Even then, they usually wear masks.
What is curious, however, is the criterion attached to the job: They must be graduates of Criminology.
Psychiatrist's opinion
So why would anybody want to do the job of a Hangman?
A Principal Clinical Psychologist, Federal Neuro Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos, Mr. Ajirotutu Omotayo, said: "a hangman must be a hard-hearted person who does not have emotions for human lives nor have value for live. Such a person must be someone who takes decisions without looking back; thinking that the convict must have killed unlawfully, therefore killing him lawfully is no sin."
Mr. Omotayo further argued that for any person to do the job of a hangman, he must have gone through a period of apprenticeship, understudying other, adding that they must take a thorough counseling and psychological therapy.
Nonetheless, he said, "no matter how fat their salary, the psychological effects are bound to be there, which varies from one person to another."
Considering the unemployment situation in the country, who, in fact, would agree to be a Hangman?
Ordinarily, this is not the type of job, as Sunday Sun found out, that most people would be proud of. Which explains why, those who bought the idea, declined to have their names in print, let alone give out their photographs. Conversely, those who expressed disdain for the job had no inhibition whatsoever giving out either their names or photograph.

Pa Aki Onoforere whose age is put at 160, probably making him Nigeria's oldest man, never took any photograph in his life time.
Strangely though, on the day he was to pass on, he sent for a photographer but before the camera man arrived, the man popularly known as 'Papa Sure' had passed on. His grand children quikly bought a chair,sat his lifeless body on it and asked the photographer to take their grandpa's first and final photograph. That is the picture you are looking at in this page.
Pa Onoforere's story is stranger than fiction.
It was gathered that on that fateful morning when Onoforere alias 'Papa Sure' was to take his final exit, he went round Evwreni, his home town in Delta State and exchanged pleasantries with many people before he retired to his house.
On getting home, he was said to have sent for a photographer to snap him but before the arrival of the photographer, 'Papa sure' had already taken his exit.
Papa's grand daughter, Miss Faustina Efe Mukoro, who shed more light on life and times of 'Papa Sure' described as wonderful and miraculous, the life the deceased led.
Faustina said Papa started his life like every other person and latter got married at a tender age but all the first set of children he had that time died in a mysterious manner.
"Unlike the Biblical Job that lost his children at a time, Papa attempted to commit suicide but his uncle took him to a Yoruba town called Atijeren where he settled and got married to many women and had a lot of children", explained Faustina.
On why her grand father was called "Papa Sure", Faustina who is presently the Headmistress. Revival International Mission School Agbarho, further explained that the deceased was a super tradio-Medic who never failed in healing people afflicted with various kinds of disease.
"Papa was a disciplinarian and he kept to his promise that the day he will die, birds will fly all over Evwreni town and neigbbouring villages and will also serve as a signal of his departure to all his family no matter where they are and this actually happened", said Faustina who was pointing repeatedly to the tomb of the deceased.
According to her, immediately after the death of Papa, he was quickly arranged on a chair and his photograph was taken which is the picture you are seeing in this publication.

Pa Aki Onoforere whose age is put at 160, probably making him Nigeria's oldest man, never took any photograph in his life time.
Strangely though, on the day he was to pass on, he sent for a photographer but before the camera man arrived, the man popularly known as 'Papa Sure' had passed on. His grand children quikly bought a chair,sat his lifeless body on it and asked the photographer to take their grandpa's first and final photograph. That is the picture you are looking at in this page.
Pa Onoforere's story is stranger than fiction.
It was gathered that on that fateful morning when Onoforere alias 'Papa Sure' was to take his final exit, he went round Evwreni, his home town in Delta State and exchanged pleasantries with many people before he retired to his house.
On getting home, he was said to have sent for a photographer to snap him but before the arrival of the photographer, 'Papa sure' had already taken his exit.
Papa's grand daughter, Miss Faustina Efe Mukoro, who shed more light on life and times of 'Papa Sure' described as wonderful and miraculous, the life the deceased led.
Faustina said Papa started his life like every other person and latter got married at a tender age but all the first set of children he had that time died in a mysterious manner.
"Unlike the Biblical Job that lost his children at a time, Papa attempted to commit suicide but his uncle took him to a Yoruba town called Atijeren where he settled and got married to many women and had a lot of children", explained Faustina.
On why her grand father was called "Papa Sure", Faustina who is presently the Headmistress. Revival International Mission School Agbarho, further explained that the deceased was a super tradio-Medic who never failed in healing people afflicted with various kinds of disease.
"Papa was a disciplinarian and he kept to his promise that the day he will die, birds will fly all over Evwreni town and neigbbouring villages and will also serve as a signal of his departure to all his family no matter where they are and this actually happened", said Faustina who was pointing repeatedly to the tomb of the deceased.
According to her, immediately after the death of Papa, he was quickly arranged on a chair and his photograph was taken which is the picture you are seeing in this publication.