₦airaland Forum

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has concluded arrangements to demonetize the various denominations of coins worth N194.50million. What this means, according to the apex bank, is that these coins are no longer legal tender.
This figure represents the value of the coin denominations withdrawn from circulation by the monetary authority, and put on sale to the public.
The bid, which was open to the public within and outside Nigeria, was for the purchase of its 1991design coins, which were withdrawn from circulation in 2007. The offer price was in Naira for Nigerians (both individuals and organizations) and in US dollars for non-Nigerians (both individuals and organizations).
Payment by successful bidders, who are not resident in Nigeria, the CBN said, was expected to be confirmed through irrevocable letters of credit issued in favour of the Central Bank of Nigeria or direct credit to the pre-advised foreign account of the Bank.
The CBN further said that the "Successful bidders resident in Nigeria would pay in Naira into a pre-advised account in any of the branches of the bank and provide evidence of such payment before the release of the coins. The successful bidders would arrange for the re-packing of the coins from the standard CBN coin boxes (where the coins are still packed) and evacuate the coins from CBN premises within two weeks after payment."
The statement further stated that CBN would not "take responsibility for the safety of coins not evacuated two weeks after payment. Successful bidders are to be responsible for the packing, loading and transportation from the CBN branches where the coins are being kept."
The bid price, as contained in the statement, is not lower than the monetary value of the coins.
Acceptance of offer to purchase, the statement revealed, would be communicated to the address of the successful bidders and would lapse after four weeks from the date of the letter of offer if full payment was not made.
The process of demonization is the final life span of coins produced for monetary transaction purposes, coins demonetized are processed into precious metals like bronze or silver which are used in several industries in the country.

For former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory [FCT], Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, there is no respite in sight as the Police authority has asked the Attorney- General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to prosecute him for official corruption and abuse of office while in office.
This is contained in Police interim investigative report on alleged corrupt practices by el-Rufai while in office, signed by Commissioner of Police, Anti-Fraud Section 'D' Department (F.C.I.D), Abuja, Moses Anegbode, which accused the former minister of under-hand dealings in the revocation and re-allocation of lands in the FCT.
Daily Sun findings revealed that the investigation on el-Rufai followed a petition from the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation to the Inspector-General of Police, accusing the former minister of official corruption and abuse of office in the handling of land allocation to NIPOST in Maitama, which he allegedly revoked and re-allocated to one of his friends.
In their recommendation, Police noted that, "From the above mentioned findings, it is obvious that government parastatals' lands were revoked and laundered at a premium. This pattern of abuse of office and manipulations of the Abuja land reforms by private interest is an affront to equity, justice and transparency.
"Finally, it is the suggestion of the investigation that the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice in this present dispensation whose stance for zero tolerance on corruption and economic crimes as well as upholding the sanctity of rule of law, transparency and equity are well known, should use his good offices to restore the NIPOST land back to the original owner, in order to minimize the huge economic loss incurred by Rosehill Group.
"Meanwhile, Mallam el-Rufai should be brought to book as nobody is above the law, by charging him to court for abuse of office, official corruption and should be made to pay appropriate compensation and restitution for the damages caused to both NIPOST and Rosehill Group, the developer, please".
NIPOST was said to have petitioned the Attorney-General of the Federation when Systems Property Development Consortium (SPDC) allegedly owned by friends of the former minister continued to develop the said property in defiance of a court order stopping all construction works on the site pending the resolution of the litigation over the land ownership.
NIPOST had reportedly gone into a partnership with a developer, Rosehill, to develop the central post office designed to serve seven districts in the FCT, and had written to the former minister for approval.The approval granted by FCDA on July 14, 2004, was relied upon for commencement of construction work in anticipation of the ministerial consent.
The Police in their findings claimed that "While they (Rosehill) were liaising with the office of the Minister of FCT, on January 20, 2006, the Development control of FCDA and a company named Systems Property Development Consortium (SPDC) jointly carried out a demolition exercise on NIPOST offices, notice board, borehole. Prior to this demolition, there was no letter of revocation of the site to NIPOST and on February 22, 2006, after the demolition of the properties on the site, ministry of FCT submitted a backdated letter of revocation of the plot to NIPOST. The letter was backdated 18th October, 2005.
"Our investigation shows that the site meant for public use as a District Post Office was allocated to an individual company SPDC which shared the same office building with el-Rufai and partners; a Quantity Surveying firm owned by the former minister of FCT at No.1 Kandi close, off Aminu Kano crescent, Wuse II, Abuja".
The petition against el-Rufai by Rosehill to NIPOST which was subsequently forwarded to the AGF had seen the former minister suing the private firm at an Abuja High Court, for defamation and asking for N450 million as damages for collateral effect of the allegations in the petition on his integrity.
In their response to the defamation suit, Rosehill group, through their counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) filed a counter-claim for N200 million damages "for the embarrassment, pains, stress and energy dissipation caused the defendants by the institution of plaintiff's frivolous action".
The defendants also claimed that el-Rufai had no name to protect, given all the scandals that had trailed all the national assignments he handled during former President Olusegun Obasanjo's government as well as his indictment for corruption and abuse of office by relevant government agencies.
In the defendants' statement of defence, they claimed that "owners of properties at the FCT were rendered homeless through compulsory acquisitions done by the plaintiff and which acquisitions were later found to have benefited him, his cronies, privies, companies and relatives".

For former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory [FCT], Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, there is no respite in sight as the Police authority has asked the Attorney- General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to prosecute him for official corruption and abuse of office while in office.
This is contained in Police interim investigative report on alleged corrupt practices by el-Rufai while in office, signed by Commissioner of Police, Anti-Fraud Section 'D' Department (F.C.I.D), Abuja, Moses Anegbode, which accused the former minister of under-hand dealings in the revocation and re-allocation of lands in the FCT.
Daily Sun findings revealed that the investigation on el-Rufai followed a petition from the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation to the Inspector-General of Police, accusing the former minister of official corruption and abuse of office in the handling of land allocation to NIPOST in Maitama, which he allegedly revoked and re-allocated to one of his friends.
In their recommendation, Police noted that, "From the above mentioned findings, it is obvious that government parastatals' lands were revoked and laundered at a premium. This pattern of abuse of office and manipulations of the Abuja land reforms by private interest is an affront to equity, justice and transparency.
"Finally, it is the suggestion of the investigation that the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice in this present dispensation whose stance for zero tolerance on corruption and economic crimes as well as upholding the sanctity of rule of law, transparency and equity are well known, should use his good offices to restore the NIPOST land back to the original owner, in order to minimize the huge economic loss incurred by Rosehill Group.
"Meanwhile, Mallam el-Rufai should be brought to book as nobody is above the law, by charging him to court for abuse of office, official corruption and should be made to pay appropriate compensation and restitution for the damages caused to both NIPOST and Rosehill Group, the developer, please".
NIPOST was said to have petitioned the Attorney-General of the Federation when Systems Property Development Consortium (SPDC) allegedly owned by friends of the former minister continued to develop the said property in defiance of a court order stopping all construction works on the site pending the resolution of the litigation over the land ownership.
NIPOST had reportedly gone into a partnership with a developer, Rosehill, to develop the central post office designed to serve seven districts in the FCT, and had written to the former minister for approval.The approval granted by FCDA on July 14, 2004, was relied upon for commencement of construction work in anticipation of the ministerial consent.
The Police in their findings claimed that "While they (Rosehill) were liaising with the office of the Minister of FCT, on January 20, 2006, the Development control of FCDA and a company named Systems Property Development Consortium (SPDC) jointly carried out a demolition exercise on NIPOST offices, notice board, borehole. Prior to this demolition, there was no letter of revocation of the site to NIPOST and on February 22, 2006, after the demolition of the properties on the site, ministry of FCT submitted a backdated letter of revocation of the plot to NIPOST. The letter was backdated 18th October, 2005.
"Our investigation shows that the site meant for public use as a District Post Office was allocated to an individual company SPDC which shared the same office building with el-Rufai and partners; a Quantity Surveying firm owned by the former minister of FCT at No.1 Kandi close, off Aminu Kano crescent, Wuse II, Abuja".
The petition against el-Rufai by Rosehill to NIPOST which was subsequently forwarded to the AGF had seen the former minister suing the private firm at an Abuja High Court, for defamation and asking for N450 million as damages for collateral effect of the allegations in the petition on his integrity.
In their response to the defamation suit, Rosehill group, through their counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) filed a counter-claim for N200 million damages "for the embarrassment, pains, stress and energy dissipation caused the defendants by the institution of plaintiff's frivolous action".
The defendants also claimed that el-Rufai had no name to protect, given all the scandals that had trailed all the national assignments he handled during former President Olusegun Obasanjo's government as well as his indictment for corruption and abuse of office by relevant government agencies.
In the defendants' statement of defence, they claimed that "owners of properties at the FCT were rendered homeless through compulsory acquisitions done by the plaintiff and which acquisitions were later found to have benefited him, his cronies, privies, companies and relatives".

After the December 7, 2008national election and two presidential run-offs on December 28 and January 2, 2009, Professor John Atta-Mills, presidential candidate of National Democratic Congress (NDC), the opposition party, was yesterday declared Ghana's president-elect by the Electoral Commission.
The electoral body announced the results yesterday after the final collation of results from Tain Constituency where a second runoff was conducted on Friday.
"On the basis of the official results given, it's my duty to declare Professor John Evans Atta-Mills president-elect of the Republic of Ghana," electoral commissioner, Kwado Afari-Gyan told reporters in Accra, the Ghanaian capital.
Atta-Mills, 64, already had a 23,055-vote lead over his opponent, Nana Akufo-Addo of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP). He however secured additional 19,566 votes in Tain against the 2,035 votes cast for his rival. This gave him 50.23per cent of the overall vote as against Akufo-Addo's 49.77percent.
The 2008 presidential election was the third in which Atta-Mills participated. He lost the previous two elections to outgoing President, Mr. John Kufuor, who was elected under the banner of NPP.
Afari-Gyan, the chief electoral commissioner, while referring to complaints raised by both political parties over the conduct of polling in certain regions, said: "The commission did not find the evidence provided sufficient to invalidate the result".
He said final results were reached by adding the votes garnered by each candidate in Tain to results from the other 229 constituencies that cast their second-round votes on December 28. Atta-Mills, a law professor, won the Tain election by a wide margin.
Akufo-Addo had won an inconclusive first round of nation-wide voting on December 7. Afari-Gyan, on December 10, announced that neither Akufo-Addo nor Atta-Mills obtained the required 50 percent votes needed for an outright win for the presidency.
The result of the parliamentary election held alongside the last presidential election had shown the opposition NDC having a slight lead over the ruling party, NPP.
In the December 7 presidential poll, out of the total valid votes of 8,465,834 cast, Akufo-Addo polled 4,159, 439 votes, representing 49.13 percent of the votes cast whilst Mills polled 4,056,634 votes or 47.92percent. The total votes cast were 8,671,272 in the December 7 election, out of which 205,438or 2.4 percent were invalidated. Ghana recorded a nationwide voter population of 12,472,758for the 2008 elections. The turnout was 69.52 percent.
In the December 28 runoff, Ghana failed again to elect a new president as no clear cut winner emerged.
The development prompted another runoff in Tain Constituency of Brong Ahaso region on January 2, 2009. The region was, reportedly, tense throughout the period of the runoff and was therefore exempted from the exercise of December 28 round of voting.
Although, the election was tainted by allegations of fraud on both sides, the ruling party prevailed on its supporters to boycott the voting in Tain which they reportedly did, having failed to get the court to postpone the ballot.
The NPP claimed the results had been tampered with in the NDC stronghold of Volta, while the NDC made a similar claim about the Ashanti region. Both parties also traded accusations of harassment and intimidation against each other's supporters and polling agents.
But with yesterday's declaration of results, the Wednesday, January 7, inauguration of the new president is now feasible.
The 2008 election was Ghana's fifth since her return to multi-party democracy in 1992.
Meanwhile, President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua has congratulated Ghana's President-elect and said his election has again allayed insinuations on Africa's competence to conduct a hitch-free democratic election.
Yar'Adua, in a message delivered to Atta-Mills on his behalf by Nigeria's High Commissioner to Ghana, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, said with the manner in which Ghana resolved the stalemate on the election; the country had done the entire African continent proud.
Obanikoro told Atta-Mills, "I'm highly delighted to congratulate you on behalf of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the good people of Nigeria for this hard won victory. As Africans, Ghana has done us proud.
"I hope and pray that the spirit with which the election has been fought and won will be nurtured and promoted not only in Ghana, but also in West Africa. Congratulations, Mr. President-elect".

NOT pleased with the recent dismissal of the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu from the Police force, former President Olusegun Obasanjo is reportedly lobbying for his reinstatement.
The Nation learnt that Obasanjo is putting pressure on President Umar Yar'Adua and the Police authorities to reinstate Ribadu who was dismissed for alleged indiscipline.
Obasanjo is said to be worried that Ribadu's dismissal is a dent on his anti-corruption legacy which he (Obasanjo) regards as one of his major achievements.
The former president also considers Ribadu's sack as a personal indictment since he was the one that recommended his promotion that should have been approved by the Police Service Commission, PSC.
The lobby for Ribadu's reinstatement is said to be a move to prevent Obasanjo from being probed by the EFCC, a source hinted.
It was not clear what the reaction of the President to his predecessor's move would be at the weekend."President Yar'Adua is however said to be bothered about charges of indiscipline against Ribadu by the Police force.
"You know the position of the President to issues that bothers on due process. Ordinarily he wouldn't think about such matter as an officer duly dismissed.
"But, again, he has some measure of respect for his predecessor, which makes the issue of Ribadu's recall a source of intense concern to him," a presidency source said.
Some of the misconducts allegedly perpetrated by Ribadu after his demotion included: Improper dressing by appearing in plain clothes while on official courtesy visit to Mr. President on 13th November, 2008 with other NIPSS Course participants, contrary to rule 030301 (k) of the
Public Service Rules 2006.
Others included institution of legal proceedings against the Inspector-General of Police, Attorney-General of the Federation and the Police Service Commission on 2
ndOctober, 2008 at the Federal High Court, Lagos; refusal to wear police uniform with the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) following his demotion from the rank of Assistant Inspector General (AIG); refusal to appear before the Police Committee Panel and refusal to go on transfer to Benin after completing the NIPSS Course.
Following the recommendation of the Force Disciplinary Committee (FDC) to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mike Okiro early December, the police authorities subsequently announced Ribadu's dismissal from the Police Force on Tuesday, December 23, 2008.
Okiro, who broke the news during a press briefing at the Force Headquarters in Abuja said Ribadu's "refusal to accept his posting or report for duty is a very serious misconduct and may lead to dismissal in the Armed Forces and the Police as such action is inimical to national security".
Expectedly, Ribadu's dismissal from the Police Force was greeted with reactions from members of the public.
Activist-lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN) while reacting to the news of the dismissal said: "It was the act of an evil, lawless and corrupt government".
For right activist, Mr. Femi Falana, Ribadu's "dismissal is contemptuous of the pending suit filed by Mr. Ribadu against the Police Service Commission and the IGP".
However former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN), described the dismissal of the former anti-corruption czar from the Police Force as "long overdue".
Akinjide, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees, said Ribadu should have left office with former President Obasanjo in May 2007.
"He should have gone with President Obasanjo. His holding on to office was the biggest mistake he made", he told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Speaking in the same vein, Mallam Garba Shehu, the media aide to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, in a press statement last week had described the present travails of the former EFCC boss as "pay back time".
According to Shehu, Ribadu was a pawn in the hands of Obasanjo, who used him at will to hound his perceived political opponents.
Some members of the civil society including the Movement Against Corruption (MAC), a coalition of 300 groups have, however, been drumming up support for the embattled former EFCC chair.
The group, at a press conference in Lagos on Tuesday said Ribadu's dismissal in what it called questionable circumstances "only betrays the conclusion of a script this government commenced acting precisely a year ago when it summarily removed Ribadu from office".
"Ribadu's dismissal from the Police Force sends a very strong and wrong signal to the entire workforce of the Nigerian public service on how not to efficiently discharge official responsibilities, particularly when such borders on integrity of highly-placed 'dirty' persons in the society", it added.
Four civil society organizations have also petitioned the United Nations Special Rapporteur, Mr. Leandro Despouy, over the dismissal of Ribadu from the Police Force.
The group, Socio-Economic Accountability Project (SERAP), Committee for the Defence of Human Right (CDHR), Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) and Partnership for Justice (PFJ) in a petition dated December 30, accused the police authorities of failing to follow what they called internationally recognized fair trial standards.
The petition was signed by SERAP Executive Director Adetokunbo Mumuni; CDHR President Olasupo Ojo; WARDC Executive Director Abiola Afolabi-Akiyode, and PFJ Managing Partner, Itoro Eze-Anaba.

A 14-year-old girl was raped to death by three sex maniacs yesterday in a bush at Ogwashi-Uku in Aniocha South Local Government of Delta State.
Police sources confirmed to Daily Champion that the victim one Stella Chinedu, was sent on an errand to a nearby village by her uncle Mr. Paul Oka, when the sex maniacs accosted her and lured her into the bush where they engaged her in rigorous and violent sex.
The girl was said have collapsed during the exercise and died with blood gushing out from her private part. Police sources confirmed that the sex maniacs abandoned the victim and took to their heels.
It was however gathered that when Stella did not return home, the uncle Mr. Paul Oka, a staff of Delta State Ministry of Finance had to organize a search party which later found the lifeless body of the girl in a nearby bush. Following this development, the police was said to have been immediately alerted.
The body of the girl has been removed and taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba for autopsy. Already two of the suspects have been apprehended by the police while investigation into the incident had commenced, Nemesis was said to have caught up with one of the suspects when he was identified by a middle aged man who spotted the rapists and hid himself while the action lasted.
Police who obviously acted on a tip-off by this informant reportedly launched an intensive man-hunt for the identified suspect.
Police efforts were said to have yielded positive result following the arrest of the fleeing suspect.
"Confessions by this suspect, identified as Charles Okoro (a.k.a Obstacle) led to the arrest of others, said police sources.

President, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Cross River State chapter, Evangelist Emmah Gospel Isong, has alerted the nation of plans by a group of persons to immortalise the late General Sani Abacha.
The group, determined to replicate the one million-man match for Abacha scenario, according to the PFN president, has perfected its move to make a martyr of the late head of state believed to be one of Nigeria's fiercest military dictators.
However, Isong, who is also the General Overseer of the Christian Central Chapel International, Ikot Eneobong, 8 Miles, Calabar, said that well-meaning Nigerians needed not worry or fret as the plan to immortalise Abacha would be killed by the media just as Third Term was killed.
The PFN helmsman who gave the alert in Calabar during the 'Crossover Night' service of his church to usher in Year 2009 reeled out many other prophecies that would affect the social, political and economic life of the nation.

T HE Federal Government has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to unseal the premises of the Vaswani Brothers, The Honda Place (THP), which the anti graft agency put under lock and key on Wednesday.
The Guardian learnt yesterday that the EFCC had already complied with the government's directive and had allowed the offices shut in Lagos, Abuja and Kano to re-open for business.
In 2003, the three brothers were bundled out of the country, but the Yar'Adua administration reversed the deportation and allowed them back into the country.
In a letter to the EFCC dated Wednesday December 31, 2008, the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation Mr. Michael Aandoakaa directed the EFFC to "suspend further action on the treatment of the aforesaid petition by Globe Motors pending my full consideration of the issues at stake and further communication with you on the matter."
The Attorney-General in the letter signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Salihu Aliyu, noted that EFCC had earlier been written to, restraining it from involving in the matter because the Supreme Court had decided that the issues must not be reopened again. Moreover, the matter is at the moment before the High Court of Lagos State.
The Guardian learnt that the EFCC chairman, Mrs Farida Waziri might not have seen the minister's earlier letter.
Meanwhile, THP has denied ever forging any document or misleading Globe Motors Limited over the distributorship right of Honda vehicle in Nigeria.
In a statement signed by its management, THP expressed regret over some report published in some dailies that it defrauded Globe Motors and the speculation that it forged import documents.
According to the company, "We have never received a kobo from Globe Motors towards the realization of their rights of distributorship and we are not owing Globe Motors any sum whatsoever.
According to the management, Globe Motors, through a petition to the EFCC had alleged that they are entitled to distribution of 45 per cent of Honda cars in Nigeria and that it had lost over N40 billion through the alleged denial of that right.
Globe Motors further alleged that it was presented with a dealership agreement between THP limited and Honda Japan whose date was forged or altered to reflect a date after incorporation.
According to THP, "The Honda place did not have any subsisting contractual relationship with Globe Motors or any other company with respect to the distribution of Honda cars.
"A Sub-dealership agreement that was executed in favor of Globe Motors was terminated mutually upon the failure of Globe Motors to adhere to rules and regulations approved in sub-dealership agreement by the manufacturer. This termination was confirmed by the consent judgment of the High Court of Lagos State."
"An attempt made by Globe Motors to resuscitate the agreement was dismissed by the Supreme Court in a unanimous judgment delivered on July 15, 2005", THP added.
"Petition of forgery or alteration to EFCC by Globe Motors are really baffling to us as similar allegations have been dismissed by an Abuja High court and also pending before the Lagos High Court.
"The manufacturer of Honda cars has the exclusive right to confer distributions right," it added.
THP maintained that the document whose date was allegedly forged is the exclusive distributorship agreement between the Honda place and Honda manufacturer in Japan.
Globe Motors, it said, is not a party to that agreement and cannot know more about the date the agreement was executed than the parties to the agreement. The agreement is still in force till date and there is no complaint by parties involved, THP added.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has asked Nigerians to make adjustments in their lifestyle this year, warning that the global economic recession will take its toll on the country and affect the inflow of foreign investments.
In Abuja, Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan joined other Christians to pray for an economically stable Nigeria in the years ahead.
Obasanjo spoke yesterday while playing host to Ogun State Governor Otunba Gbenga Daniel at his hilltop residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
He called on Nigerians to prepare for "major adjustments" in every facet of life in the new year, pointing out that the world was going through economic recession that is unprecedented since the end of the Second World War.
According to the former President, "It does not matter which part of the world we are, it does not matter what we produce or the level of our development, this recession will touch everyone of us."
Obasanjo, who maintained that the economic crisis would discourage foreign direct investment in Nigeria and utilisation of local resources, said: "If we base the budget on $45 per barrel in the year 2009and the prices of crude oil fall below $40, we don't need an oracle to tell us that we need to tighten our belts. That is the outlook for the world economically and it is not too bright because whatever affects the rest of the world will affect Africa and Nigeria."
He said Nigerians must be "proactive and innovative" to enhance revenue from other sources, saying the gloomy global outlook "may not allow us to grow as we have grown in the past" - probably a reference to the projected GDP growth rates that is expected to make Nigeria's economy among the top 20 in the world by the year 2020.
He lamented dwindling investment in agriculture, and warned that another food crisis was in the horizon if there was no change globally.
According to him, "Five years away from now, unless something is done drastically, there will be food crisis that is monumental. It is preventable and there is no reason why we should make it happen."
"The time has come to tell our people to adjust. The advice of cutting your clothes according to your size will not be applicable as we need to now cut our clothes according to the size of our clothes," he added.
Obasanjo preached a similar "belt-tightening" message following the drop in oil prices while he was military head of state in the 1970s, asking Nigerians to go back to agriculture.
In Abuja, Jonathan prayed for abundant peace and economic stability in Nigeria in the year 2009.
The Vice-President, who spoke shortly after attending a New Year Day Thanksgiving Service at the Cathedral Church of the Advent in Life Camp, Gwarinpa, also said the recent crisis in Jos, Plateau State, was detrimental to the entire citizenry, but prayed that such crisis would be the last to be witnessed in the country.
He expressed hope that Nigeria will remain focused economically despite declining trends at the global level, and wished all Nigerians happiness in the New Year.
"We believe that as a nation, we would be more focused this year irrespective of the global economic recession. We are also hopeful that with the peace we have achieved across the country, government will be more focused to ensure that things are done the right way. We wish all Nigerians a happy New Year and assure them that we will maintain the steam in a manner that will bring happiness to all," he said.
Jonathan, who was at the service with his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan, his mother, Mrs. Ayi Jonathan, and his children, led other worshippers in intercessory prayers asking abundant blessings from God for the nation in 2009.
He prayed for God's wisdom and guidance upon the country's leaders at all levels of governance.
The Vice-President had also joined other Nigerians in New Year Eve worship and thanksgiving to God "for seeing the nation through 2008" and to usher in the year 2009 at the St. Matthew's Church in Maitama, Abuja.
Jonathan, in celebration mood shortly after the New Year dawned, thanked Nigerians for their persistent prayers for the present administration and the country, noting that though 2008 was eventful, "God Almighty deserves our thanksgiving as a nation for ushering us into the New Year in health and peace".

THE police authorities have started mounting surveillance on the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, as part of measures aimed at preventing his possible exit from Nigeria.
Top police sources told newsmen that the authorities were bent on preventing him from leaving the country for fear of what he might say abroad.
Ribadu, was on the verge of bagging a United Nations appointment, a fact said to have been known to top security operatives in the country.
It was learnt further that the plan by the police to try Ribadu and possibly ensure his prosecution on the allegations levelled against him was part of reasons the authorities wanted to track him down at all costs.
Further details on the issue made available to newsmen indicated that the former EFCC boss was in possession of sensitive information about the government, and hence, the fear in government circles that he could spill the beans once he had escaped out of Nigeria.
The Nigeria Police had last week dismissed Ribadu from service, accusing him of lack of respect for constituted authority, dereliction of duty and gross insubordination.
The travails of the former EFCC boss began early in the year when he was asked to proceed on compulsory study session at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies at Kuru in Plateau State.
Not long after, the police authorities announced his demotion from the post of Assistant Inspector General of Police and asked him to proceed to Edo State to serve as a Deputy Commissioner of Police, a posting he declined.
On the day of his graduation at NIPPS, Ribadu was abruptly forced to leave the graduation ceremony. Even after being kicked out of service last week, the police authorities had gone ahead to finally expunge his name from the list of police officers in Nigeria, an indication that his record in service had finally been erased.
Also, the police have faulted those celebrating Ribadu, saying he was not qualify to be treated like a hero. Arguing that the dismissal of Ribadu had nothing to do with sentiments, the police insisted the former EFCC boss was actually sent packing in line with the regulations governing service in the force.
The position of the police authorities was contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday by the Force Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Ojukwu.

Jos, the Plateau State capital, was enveloped by fresh tension on Friday following the arrest of 26 suspected mercenaries, who were in a bus filled with arms and ammunition,
Our correspondent gathered that the suspected mercenaries were arrested in Jos, armed and dressed in army uniforms early on Friday by a joint security patrol team around the UTC junction. The suspects were allegedly travelling in a bus with the inscription, "Okene Local Government Legislative Council, Kogi State." Security sources said the inscription may have been used to hide the real aim of the suspects.
The suspected mercenaries, who were said to have various security identity cards, charms, guns and other dangerous weapons, were allegedly on their way from Kogi State to Bauchi State before their arrest. Also allegedly recovered from the suspects was a letter purportedly from the Bauchi State Government, requesting for the release of vehicles for their operation. The arrest, which came about two months after a bloody crisis arising from a local government election claimed hundreds of lives and property, caused fear in the state capital.
When contacted, the Director of Press Affairs, Government House, Jos, Mr. James Mannock, confirmed the arrest of the mercenaries. But he declined to make further comments, saying that it was a security matter that was being handled by the police.
Also on Friday, However, at a press conference in Jos on Friday, the youth wing of Jamatul-Nasril Islam said it was morally wrong for Governor Jonah Jang to set up a panel to probe the crisis. the The youth wing's Secretary, Mr. Ahmed S. Garba, who spoke, said, "Governor Jang has exhibited a high degree of partisanship, hatred and bias against the Hausa Muslims."
Garba alleged that the governor and his aides had consistently accused Muslims of starting the crisis, adding that the probe was only a diversionary tactic and an exercise in futility.
He said Muslims would not appear before the panel because the governor had "confirmed our belief of his involvement, but equally shown the world that he has more skeletons to hide in the cupboard than we had known."
According to him, the matter (the Jos crisis) was between the state government and the Hausa Fulani on the other. As such, they regarded the Federal Government as the only neutral arbiter. He called on the panel's Chairman, Prince Bola Ajibola, and other members of the commission of enquiry to reject the offer.

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro, has said that it is only the courts that can reinstate the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Nuhu Ribadu.
Okiro said that the outcome of the legal action instituted by Ribadu against the Police Service Commission and the Nigeria Police over his demotion from the rank of Assistant Inspector-General of Police to Deputy Commissioner of Police would determine Ribadu's future relations with the police. Okiro, who spoke through the Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Emmanuel Ojukwu, in an interview with our correspondent on Wednesday, said the police would comply with the ruling of the court, if it favoured Ribadu. He said that the police, being a law-abiding institution, would not do anything to disobey lawful orders from the courts.
He said though the right to punish any erring police officer lay with the PSC, the outcome of Ribadu's challenge of his demotion would be communicated to the police by the PSC. He said, "The Nigeria Police Force is a law-abiding institution and we are ready to comply with any court. We will not flout court orders. It is not in our character and that is what we are going to do in this matter. The power to sanction any erring police officer lies with the PSC, which also deals with promotion. So, if the court says he should come back, why not? The PSC will direct us accordingly."
Okiro had said on Monday that Ribadu was not sacked because of the case he instituted against the PSC and the IG but for disobeying his (IG's) lawful orders. According to him, "Disobedience of lawful orders of a superior is inexcusable in the Nigeria Police. Officers are entitled to civil liberties, but are not free to refuse postings to any part of the country, or choose which orders to obey and which to arrogantly ignore. To allow disobedience to lawful orders is an open invitation to anarchy, break down of law and order, which may ultimately make Nigeria ungovernable."
The lawful order, according to the police, his refusal to report in Benin as a DCP in Zone 5, as directed by Okiro. Ribadu had claimed that there were plans to post him to an area where he would be killed shortly before he graduated from the Nigerian Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos.

What name do u call your boyfriend or your girlfriend. I call mine Babyluv. Drop ur posts.

@ otokx, u r correct, sum of d commissioners r just there 4 d money afterall it is government work, but if d list is nt influenced by godfathers as d governor has promised, then i feel dat d pple dat will make d list will b pple of intergrity. God help Oshiomhole.

W ITH mobile phones outnumbering Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) across the world by 2000 to one ratio, GSM Association (GSMA), the global trade body for over 700mobile operators in 218countries and over 200supporting equipment vendors, has said mobile money transfer is likely to take the shine off ATMs and cheques across counters in 2009.
Specifically, the GSMA Mobile Money Transfer (MMT) initiative leverages the benefits of GSM technology to improve access to money transfers for a wider section of the global community.
The MMT initiative is similar to the Pay-Buy-Mobile programme announced on November 18, this year. The Pay-Buy-Mobile is a system that enables users to pass a mobile phone close to a Point of Sale (POS) reader in order to buy goods and services and pay for same.
Besides these, GSMA also came out early in the year with Personal Instant Messaging (PIM), an initiative designed to enable mobile users worldwide to exchange instant messages across networks.
With PIM, instant messaging is no longer restricted to the fixed Internet world. It offers the opportunity to connect a mobile community in excess of two billion across all networks and geographic boundaries.
It is not limited to specific Internet communities and with presence functionality available through IMs users can see in real time the status of their contact list and can get in touch with the right person for the first time.
Open connectivity among over 700 mobile operators is also in place and concretised further in 2008.
This defines SMS-dubbing, Roaming, Global Roaming Quality and online training.
There is the mobile, media and entertainment programme, which facilitates interaction between the mobile, media and entertainment industries. This aids mobile advertising, music, film, gaming and all sorts of multimedia transactions.
Industry analysts said on Monday that there is no doubt that 2008 was the year of the smartphone.
The last 12 months has seen the launch of iconic devices such as the iPhone 3G, Google G1, Blackberry Storm and Nokia N97.
It also saw the emergence of the electronic ecosystems needed to get the most out of such handsets.
But all is not rosy in the smartphone garden. The popularity of these devices has brought to light several problems that look set to become acute in 2009.
"It was a goodish year," said Andrew Bud, chairman of mobile firm Mblox and director of the Mobile Entertainment Forum.
One of the high spots, he said, was the knock-on effect the launch of innovative smartphones had on the mobile market.
Many were using them to get at popular social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Bebo, said Mr. Bud.
"We've also seen the emergence of applications as a whole new content category," he added.
Alongside the launch of the Apple and Google smartphones went shops that gave away and sold applications to run on the high-end handsets.
Nokia's Comes With Music could set trends for 2009
Apple said more than 100 million applications had been downloaded from its App Store between July and September.
For Steven Hartley, senior analyst at Ovum, the popularity of the smartphone was a signal that older technologies were coming of age.
"3G has really started to deliver on its promise," he said. "That's again something that has been talked about for a long time."
The success of 3G has been attributed to the use of a technology known as High Speed Packet Access (HSPA).
Dan Warren, director of technology at the GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) Association, described HSPA as: "the original 3G service on steroids".
Mr. Warren said data rates looked set to get a further boost in 2009 thanks to a follow-up technology known as HSPA+.
He said: "HSPA+ will start to become prevalent in 2009. It takes you up to 42Mbps but the maximum at the moment is 7.2Mbps in the UK."
But despite the good news for the mobile world 2009 is unlikely to see that success continue.
For a start, said mobile analysts CCS Insight, 2009 will see sales of handsets shrink.
"This will be the first time the market has contracted since 2001," said an end of year report from CCS.
The firm said this slowdown could be blamed on the global economic downturn that will hit every part of the mobile industry.
The only place to buck these trends will be markets in developing nations, said the report. In particular, it said, India, sub-Saharan Africa and China still have low penetration rates by the standards of mature economies such as the UK.
Handset sales look set to dip in 2009 following years of growth
But, said Mr. Hartley from Ovum, more customers in some markets will be a mixed blessing.
"As more and more people get a mobile you are going down the value pyramid," he said. "You get a lot of people but every single one is not going to be generating a lot of revenue."
The important thing that mobile operators have to get right in 2009 is increasing the numbers of people paying for data traffic, he said.
But, added Hartley, the problem with pushing people towards using more data on the move is the knock-on effect it has on the infrastructure operators need to support those customers.
The global downturn could mean operators will find it hard to raise the capital needed to cope with significant growth, he said.
For Mr. Bud from Mblox, the growth of mobile broadband highlights another pressing issue for operators - how they price data plans.
Research by Mblox showed a huge discrepancy between the amount people using different operators in different countries will pay when downloading or browsing the web.
In the UK, it found, some folk will pay about �10 to download a two-megabyte music track. By contrast in Germany, on some tariffs, customers will only pay 24 cents (22p) a megabyte.
The confusion that results was holding back the growth of mobile data services, said Bud. Few people were willing to risk downloading, as they were worried about racking up huge charges.
In some cases, he said, their fears were being justified. In the summer of 2008 one unlucky Vodafone customer returned home from a holiday in Portugal to a phone bill in excess of �31,000
He racked up the bill by using his phone to download an episode of Prison Break and several music tracks while on holiday abroad.
"The price consumers see should be the price they pay," said Bud.

One of the major things that happened in the Nigeria Police Force in 2008, was the way the sun suddenly eclipsed for the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, resulting in his fall from his Olympian height.
In his days as the EFCC boss, all that Ribadu, who wielded so much powers when Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was the President of the country, needed to do was to cough and Nigerians, especially those who have skeletons in their cupboards, will catch cold. Ribadu was EFCC and EFCC was Ribadu. The Adamawa born crime fighter was dreaded by many, including his colleagues in the Nigeria Police. He was carried away by power such that he forgot that he was first and foremost, a security agent, who was supposed to subject himself the authority accord respect to his seniors in rank.
This writer recalls how Ribadu, who was supposed to arrive at a function in Lagos, before his boss and former Inspector General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, waited until he (Ehindero) arrived and sat down before he stormed the venue with retinue of his security men. He was even reluctant to accord Ehindero his compliments as the No.1 police officer in the country. Ribadu replicated what Major Hamza Al-Mustapha did in the military during the Abacha days, where he was said to have disrespected, snubbed and humiliated even Major Generals. Ribadu's promotion, from the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police to Assistant Inspector General of police (AIG), within a short time, without following the laid down rules for promotion in the Nigeria Police, actually created disaffection among police officers, especially, his course mates. Such demoralized and disenchanted course mates who, up till day, are still Chief Superintendent of Police(CSP), were seen murmuring and tactically refusing to 'perform' effectively because of the perceived injustice.
But suddenly, the sun began to set for the anti-corruption fighter, especially, with his de-ranking from Assistant Inspector General to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), on August 4, 2008, in an exercise which affected 139 others, including Ehindero's relative. De-ranking? Yes, because the affected police officers did not deserve the promotion as at the time Obasanjo and Ehindero decided to play father Christmas with police ranks, all in the name of favouring the 'boys.'
Justifying the de-ranking, the Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Parry Osayande, a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), said the special promotion given to the officers were not based on established criteria and therefore, was a total breach of Section 153 of 1999Constitution and Police Service Commission Act 2001.
The announcement of the de-ranking came when Ribadu had already gone for senior officers' course at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Kuru, Jos, Plateau State. The training would have prepared position him to achieve one of his greatest ambitions - becoming the next Inspector General of Police after Mike Okiro.
As they say, one thing followed the other and finally, the anti-climax came on Tuesday, December 23, 2008, when the Nigeria Police Commission dismissed him from the police for gross indiscipline, among other reasons. Another major achievement of the PSC this year under Osayande was the recall of 10,000 officers retrenched by the former Inspector General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero.
Shifting attention from Ribadu and the Police Service Commission, it germane to critically examine the security situation in the country in 2008. As they say in the security circle, crime rate is not static, it fluctuates and varies both in degree and tempo, owing to various factors.
The factors could includes, rate of unemployment, urbanization, illegal and uncontrolled acquisition of arms and ammunition by the citizens, lack of political will on the part of the government to fight crime, among others. Like the past years, 2008 witnessed cases of violent robberies, kidnapping, fraud, rape, murder, extra judicial killing by the police. Crime rate in the country in 2008 could be said to be high, contrary to the expectations of many that, with the end of active political activities in 2007, crime rate would drop. Actually, Nigerians never expected zero level society as this is impossible anywhere in the world. But they had looked forward to reduction in crime rate. But that is not to suggest that the police did not try their best in the area of crime combat and prevention. In spite of their constraints, they were able to kill and arrest robbers, intercept arms and ammunition that were coming into the country illegally, foil many kidnap attempts, among others.
Like in the Holy Bible, where a note of warning was sounded that not all the things that transpired were contained in the Holy book due to space constraint, I would like to inform the readers that not all crimes committed in the country in 2008, or exploits of the police could be found in this write-up. But efforts were made to highlight some of them. It is important to note here, however, that the country did not witness much of the high profile killings or assassinations this year, like in the previous years. It was also observed that there were many reported cases of women, especially, young ones, involving in violent crimes like, stabbing people to death, dousing neighbours with hot water, among others. Also, a visit to the Special Fraud Unit (SFU) at Milverton Road, Ikoyi, Lagos and EFCC offices revealed increase in the involvement of young ladies in bank fraud, which in the past, were mainly perpetrated by men. This is a worrisome development. Extra-judicial killings across the country are also on the high side.
Another important incident in 2008, was the arrest of Kenny Martins by the EFCC and his arraignment. Kenny Martins-led Presidential Committee on Police Equipment Fund (PCPEF) was supposed to help to equip the police in order to perform better. But the House of Representatives probe panel, which investigated the Committee said over N20 billion was spent for purposes other than equipping the Police Force.
Kidnap cases
Before Gideon Ekeowe assumed office as the Secretary to the Bayelsa State Government, his wife, Mrs. Augustina Ekeowe, was kidnapped in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, by some gunmen. That was on Sunday, June 1, 2008.
*Four young men in their early '20s also kidnapped a 75-years-old grandma in Abia State, Ezeine Sarah Nwakudu. The kidnappers demanded a whopping sum of N200 million ransom. The incident took place on May, 2008.
*Police in Port Harcourt rescued abducted Shell staff, Fidelis Akpoghiran, in Port Harcourt, on Sunday, November 16, 2008. The kidnappers made the demand of N7 million ransom.
*Gunmen on Tuesday, October 21, kidnapped two children of a Nigerian oil worker in Port Harcourt.
*Master Dienfa was kidnapped by gunmen, who invaded his school, Cedar Court British School in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. He was later rescued by policemen.
*Police also rescued a woman, Comfort Erondu, from kidnappers. She is a native of Ugba Uzoiyi, Umuodochi in Nsulu, Isiala Ngwa Local Government Area.
*On July 5, 2008, gunmen kidnapped the kid brother of Super Eagles player, Joseph Yobo, Mr. Nonru Yobo, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. He was abducted from a hotel in Rumumasi area of the Garden City.
*On Tuesday, February 5, 2008, gunmen abducted Seinye Lulu Briggs, wife of oil magnet and multi-millionaire, Chief Lulu Briggs. The kidnapers were said to have demanded N500 million ransom.
*Two toddlers, Emmanuel Etim Edet and Blessing Offiong Edet, were kidnapped in Cross Rivers State. They were not that lucky as they were killed by the callous kidnappers.
*Gunmen also abducted 11 years old boy and son of a businessman in Port Harcourt. In their desperate bid to take away the boy, Chidi Nsirim, the gunmen killed the boy's family driver and a police escort attached to the family. His mother was also shot in the hand.
*On Wednesday, February 6, 2008, gunmen struck in Rivers State capital and instead of the usual kidnap, they killed the wife of the prominent politician and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, a policeman guarding the house and wounded their daughter.
*On November 24, 2008, five dare-devil boys kidnapped 2 years old Chinohim Chukwuezie, from his school on Okada Road, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
*Police in Lagos also rescued 9years old girl, Hamilat Turaki, a student of Dedayo High School, Abule Egba. The kidnappers demanded $20,000 ransome.
*The year ended on a sour note for the family of Odivwri in Ughelli, Delta State, as Chief Jacob Odivwri Edjesa, 82, was abducted from his residence on Tuesday, December 16, 2008. The body of the father of Eddy Odivwri, member of THISDAY Editorial Board was dumped in his neighborhood, at Emonu Orogun, in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.
*Police in Delta State in the month of October 2008 rescued 17 years old final year Secondary School (SSS3) boy from his kidnappers. The boy, simply identified as Cyril was a student of Christ the King College. He was kidnapped from the school premises.
*Police in Enugu rescued seven teenagers from baby factory in a confinement at a hospital in Enugu State, for the purpose of producing children for sale. Medical doctors and nurses were arrested in respect of the dastardly act.
Murder/ unnatural deaths
*On June 30, 2008, some persons suspected to be cultists shot and killed Mrs. Chinwe Yongo, a lecturer in the History Department of Benue State University (BSU), Makurdi and also shot her four years old son.
*In the month of December five children were locked in the booth of their father's car at Ureje Quarters in Ekiti State, The only survivor was Rashidat, 8.
*Eight Nigerian workers died in a Lebanese firm in Abuja on Wednesday, September 24. Thirty were said to be on danger list. The firm is located on Plot 77, Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse 2. The company is Maikano Engineering, and company and deals on heavy duty generating plants and other heavy equipment.
*On Friday, October 10, robbers struck in Ibadan, Oyo State and killed a Divisional Police Officer (DPO), a Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) and four others at Bola Ige International Market, Gbaji and end of the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway.
*On October 6, 2008, armed robbers killed a female bank manager in Lagos. The incident occurred at Biola bus stop, Demuren, Ketu, Lagos.
*The refusal of 33 years old spare parts dealer, Mukaila Azeez, to buy beer for his friend in a beer parlour in Osogbo, Osun State, sent him to his early grave as he was stabbed to death during disagreement. The incident occurred on Sunday, October 5. He was killed by Taofeek Hassan, 28.
*During this year's Independence Day celebration, a naval man, Eduke Enkponu, stabbed Abdukazeem Gafaru to death over N20 phone call.
*One Ayomitan Olorunda allegedly murdered her husband, Dare Audu, in Omuo-Ekiti, in Ekiti East Local Government Area.
*Seventeen years old girl (orange hawker) in Lagos, stabbed 18 years student to death in Tin Can Island, Lagos. They were Tomola Akanya while the suspect is Bose Saidu.
*Two policemen were allegedly murdered and buried in a monarch's palace in Abia State. The victims were: Inspector Cherechi and Sergeant Francis Egwu. The incident occurred in November.
*A naval rating was said to have killed a policeman in a hotel in Ogun State. The victim was identified Oladunni Abanikanda.
.On Thursday, March 27, 2008, three policemen and two others were killed in Owerri, Imo State, while a man was said to have stoned his wife to death in Elere Village, Ewekoro, Ogun State, after he accused her of being possessed by the evil spirit. The suspect, Sunday Abbah, hails from Kogi State. Four soldiers and civilians were killed while a naval gunboat was destroyed, when some gunmen attacked a bank in Rivers State. On May 15, 2008, no fewer than 39 persons, including at least, 15 school children were roasted when pipeline exploded in Ijegun area of Lagos.
On May also, six members of a family died in ozuoba in Obio/Akpo LGA of Rivers State, after inhaling fumes from generator. An evil father in Ikorodu area of Lagos stabbed his one month old baby to death after misunderstanding with his wife. His name is Esikat Jacob. Also, the body of the missing former Edo Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Barrister Calus Enoma, was found in one room of the Palm Royal Hotel in Ugbowo, Benin, Edo State. He left his house on Friday, March 28, 2008, after receiving a call and checking into the hotel room the same Friday night.
, Tragedy struck in Mbube in Ogoja, Bayelsa State, on September, when a jealous man, Thomas Atumar shot his 'adulterous' wife and shot himself.
On September 17, six policemen and seven others were killed in Anambra State and a bullion van loaded with money hijacked.
On Monday, January 28, a 66 year old father and two of his sons got drowned in a well in Ajegunle area of Lagos.
Twenty seven robbers raided Oyedepo's winners church in Ogun State and killed four policemen and injured others. Police constable killed a lorry driver in Apongbon area of Lagos. After the dastardly at, the policemen from Ebute-Ero Police Division, abandoned the patrol van marked, PF 4958 LA and fled. The number of the lorry is XN 236 KSF.
In Ebonyi State, 74 years old woman was gruesomely murdered in her farm in the Federal Polytechnic, Uwana, Afikpo. On August, Ayo Ogundeji, Editorial Board member, THISDAY was killed in Lagos by some unknown.

Former Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode got a reprieve Wednesday, as a Federal High Court granted him bail on charges of money laundering amounting to over N200 million preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Ruling on the bail application, the trial judge, Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed, said the accused should be allowed to go home, provided he could produce two sureties in the sum of N200 million.
Besides, one of the sureties, must also be a landed property owner in either Ikoyi or Victoria Island, while the other surety must be in position of a Director in either Federal or state Civil Service.
Justice Mohammed further pronounced that the sureties must swear to affidavit of means and deposit their titled documents with the registrar of the court.
Dismissing the counter application brought by the EFCC, praying the court to perpetually remand the accused in prison, pending the trial, Justice Mohammed held that the accused person had shown enough evidence to prove that he would not jump bail, having surrendered himself before the commission in Abuja prior to his arrangement.
Upholding the arguments canvassed by Chief Mike Ozekhome, with Chief Roberty Clarke (SAN) and Ladi Williams (SAN) the judge declared: "The reason for bail is to ensure the presence of the accused during his trial and the accused in this case has demonstrated that he is ready to stand trial, I hereby grant him bail."
EFCC had preferred a 47-count charge of money laundering against Fani-Kayode, alleging among others that he laundered the money through some of his aides, wife, Regina and daughter, Remilekun.
Further trial has been fixed for January 28, this year.

Maiduguri-Two policewomen, Ruth Simon and Clementina Jerome, who were recently dismissed from the police for allegedly engaging in lesbianism have denied the allegation and called for a review of the case.
Ruth, 28, who was recruited into the Nigerian Police in 2001as constable with registration number 09961, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that there was no truth in the allegation.
She said that Clementina was only a close friend and that they shared a room at Wulari Police Barracks in Maiduguri.
She said that before her employment into the force, Clementina had been her closest friend when they were in secondary school.
"The relationship later transformed into a family friendship. We are also family friends,'' Ruth added.
Ruth said that her enlistment into the police was a source of inspiration for her friend to join the force in 2003 and since then they had lived peacefully without any problem with each other.
She said that the incident that led to their dismissal in November this year was as a result of misunderstanding she had with Clementina over the ownership of a handset.
Ruth said that the misunderstanding drew the attention of the Sokoto Police Command and subsequently led to their trial by the police authorities. "I saw Clementina with a new Nokia handset and as a friend I asked how she got it, she asked why should I question her over the handset.
"I immediately snatched it and ran away. My friend was annoyed and went straight to my room and broke my television set. I then reported her to our superior officers and she was directed to replace the television.
"Following this misunder-standing in August, the command later resolved to transfer me to Kukawa Divisional Police Station, while Clementina was transferred to Uba division,'' she added.
Ruth further said that barely three months after the transfers, they were again summoned to the state headquarters and accused of lesbianism.
"We were immediately sacked by the state police for 'discreditable conduct' under the Police Act.
"I am not a lesbian as I am already with a man who is preparing for our marriage any moment from now,'' she noted.
She called on the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mike Okiro to order for a review of the case after a thorough investigation for them to be recalled.

There is no respite for the embattled Vaswani Brothers yet, as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) yesterday threatened to physically occupy Honda Place outlets across the country, following alleged violation of the commission's seal order. It also said the company's offices would remain closed until the directors turn themselves in for interrogation.
But the Vaswani brothers, speaking through a director of The Honda Place (THP), Alhaji Tajudeen Olalere disputed claims by the EFCC of a fresh case against them, affirming that the latest actions against them was only a rehash of a dispute settled by the past leadership of the commission.
A violation of the Seal order, as learnt included the skeletal conduct of businesses within the Honda place premises, in spite of the order of the commission to stop any further business, until its directors honour its invitation.
According to EFCC's Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Babafemi, who confirmed this development to Vanguard in Abuja, "they have been invited and we expect them to honour our invitation.
Of course, The Honda Place will remain sealed until the directors make themselves available. Besides we have information that the seal order was not being strictly obeyed and that means they may force us to take physical possession of the premises.
The EFCC shut The Honda Place in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port-Harcourt following a petition by Globe Motors alleging breach of a N4billion franchise deal.
However, Sunil, Haresh and Mahesh Vaswani, Monday said, the matter for which they have been declared wanted by the EFCC has since been disposed of by the courts.
A statement signed by their counsel Alhaji Abdullahi Ibrahim (SAN), the Vaswani brothers said that Globe Motors had once claimed N40billion from them, but the matter was dismissed by the Supreme Court.
According to the statement, "We are mindful of a need not to comment on issues pending before the court, but it is pertinent to say that we possess exclusive rights to distribute and render after sales service for all brands of Honda cars in Nigeria.
"This right, which was vested in our company by Honda manufacturers in Japan, has been exercised to the benefit of our teeming customers for several decades. We have exercised this right to the benefit of our teeming customers and satisfaction of Honda manufacturers in Japan.
"We do not have any subsisting contractual relationship with Globe Motors or any other company with respect to distribution of Honda cars. A sub-dealership agreement that was executed in favour of Globe Motors was terminated mutually upon failure of Globe Motors to adhere with rules and regulations stipulated by the manufacturer, and in the sub-dealership agreement.
This termination was confirmed by the consent judgment of the High Court of Lagos State.
"An attempt by Globe Motors to resuscitate the agreement was dismissed by the Supreme Court in a unanimous judgment delivered on 15th July, 2005.
Petitions of forgery or alteration to EFCC by Globe Motors are really baffling to us as similar allegations have been dismissed by an Abuja High Court, and the same claims are also pending before the Lagos High Court."
It added that, "The manufacturers of Honda cars have the exclusive rights to confer distributorship rights. The document whose date was allegedly forged is the exclusive distributorship agreement between The Honda Place and the Honda manufacturers in Japan.
"Globe Motors is not a party to that agreement and cannot know more on the date the agreement was executed than the parties to the agreement themselves. The agreement is still in force till date and there is no complaint by parties to the agreement.
"We deny forging any document whatsoever or misleading Globe Motors Limited at any time. We have never received a kobo from Globe Motors towards the realisation of our rights of distributorship, and we are not owing Globe Motors any sum whatsoever.
"Our lawyers have already written two letters to the EFCC explaining that the complaint of Globe Motors is pending before the court. The Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation recently wrote to EFCC upon receipt of a copy of our lawyers' letter and asked the EFCC to suspend investigations so that the action in court will not be duplicated.
The letter of the Honourable Attorney- General of the Federation was copied to our lawyer, Alhaji Abdullahi Ibrahim CON, SAN.
"Our officials subsequently visited EFCC's office in Abuja and they were asked to hold on until further notice. This was, as far as we are concerned, the stage of the matter with the EFCC before the 24th December, 2008.
"The allegation that we have failed to heed EFCC's summons or defend ourselves of Globe Motors' petition as published on the pages of newspapers are therefore baffling to us. This is the more reason why the current action of the EFCC is baffling to us and will appear to have emanated from a mix-up.
"Our directors have absolutely no reason to 'run' or 'flee' anywhere. It will be recalled that similar allegations led to the deportation of our directors in 2003. For five years, we co-operated with the EFCC in the investigation of all the allegations levelled against us by all our competitors.
At the end of the exercise in 2008, the Federal Government rescinded the unjustified deportation orders.
"On the 24th of December, 2008, the officials of the EFCC visited our office at 270A Ajose Adeogun Street (Lagos) and pasted seals reading "under investigation".
"The only investigation that we are aware of is the petition by Globe Motors which we have adequately responded to through our officials and our lawyers. We therefore believe that there must be a mix-up somewhere along the line.
The company affirmed that contrary to insinuations that their business rival was the one breaching trade agreements on the marketing of Honda cars in the country.
Rebuffing claims of forgery made against THP, the company further asserted:
"We have no problems with the EFCC and there is no forgery by us as is being claimed. These matters being civil in nature are in court.
The EFCC should remove their hands from our businesses and allow the government's due process mantra to take its full course.''
"We are not running away from anyone. All our decision-makers involved in running the companies with the full support of our lawyers are available on the ground to answer all questions."

Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, Executive Governor of Edo state emerged as the first runner up in the contest for Vanguard's 2008, MAN OF THE YEAR AWARD.
Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole assumed office as the executive governor of Edo state on November 12,
Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole
2008, 18 months after one of his opponents in the April 2007 election, Professor Osaretin Osunbor illegally occupied the Governorship seat in Edo state.
Oshiomhole, the immediate past president of the Nigeria Labour Congress, general secretary of the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers Nigeria, member Governing Body of the International Labour Organisation ( ILO) made history as the first union leader in the history of Nigeria to be elected into an executive position in government.
He was sworn in as Governor of Edo state following the ruling of the election tribunal which was upheld by Electoral Appeal Court.
The delay in the composition of the Appeal court to hear the case filed by Professor Osunbor and the submission of Adams Oshiomhole attracted comments at the annual conference of the Nigeria Bar Association ( NBA).
It is remarkable that for the 18 months that Oshiomhole fought his battle to reclaim the Governorship of Edo, violence was not recorded anywhere in the state. Not even on the day that three of his supporters were killed while trying to cast their votes.
For a man, who has spent the better part of the last eight years leading national strikes and protests nationwide, the non-violence record of Oshiomhole remains a lesson for other politicians.
Oshiomhole is a personification of the audacity of courage and hope, the people call him THE OBAMA OF EDO STATE.
He raised hope for the people with his campaign slogan, FAREWELL TO POVERTY, LET THE PEOPLE LIVE ; which he used to make the point that the state's resources can be managed for the greater number of the people. It is therefore not surprising that a major objective of his administration is the creation of 10,000 jobs for the youths.
Barely 30 days after he assumed office, he has taken steps to match words with action on the promise of 10,000 jobs.
With his resilience, he demonstrated that indeed THE OPPOSITION PARTY can get Justice in our courts.
His election represents a break from the past. He represents the ALTERNATIVE.
He represents a paradigm shift.
For the first time in many years, those who had politically influenced the Governorship of EDO State lost out. This time the people won.
The jubilation that followed Oshiomhole's victory transcended Edo state.
His policy of politics of inclusion; inviting the Peoples' Democratic Party; the party that snatched his mandate has taken his political opponents by surprise. Indeed, a large heart.
Oshiomhole's battle in the courts wasn't the first. In 1996, the government of General Sani Abacha passed Decree 4 of 1996 to stop Oshiomhole from being elected president of the Nigeria Labour Congress.
With the death of Abacha in 1998, Decree 4 was repealed and Oshiomhole became NLC president in February 1999, a post he held for eight years.
His slogan during his campaign for the post of NLC president was CHANGE. Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole symbolises COURAGE, HOPE.
He has struggled against poverty, the status quo and political godfathers.He just cannot be ignored.
Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, executive governor of Edo state is the runner up for Vanguard's MAN OF THE YEAR.

Now fuel scarcity!!!

F UEL scarcity in Edo State as Governor Adams Oshiomhole yesterday shut down about 10 filling stations selling petroleum products above the official rates. He ordered that management of the affected filling stations be prosecuted by the police.
To avoid the hammer from the governor, many filling stations have shut down under the cover that they were out of stock and this created long queues in the few stations that sold yesterday.
Oshiomhole, in an unscheduled visit to petrol stations on Monday discovered that 10 out of the 11 stations he went to were selling petrol between N75and N100 as against the official rate of N70. Some of the stations displayed N70 in their notices but were selling at N80, while only Oando located along Iyaro road was found to be selling at the normal pump price of N70 prompting the governor to commend its management.
A visibly angry Oshiomhole encouraged consumers not allow themselves to be cheated, he said they should report culprits to the government, saying that going by the fall of prices of crude oil in the international market, the price of refined products ought to have also dropped considerably.
Upon learning that the governor was visiting petrol stations that morning, many fuel attendants absconded from their stations while some quickly locked up.
The sealing of some filling stations led to the closure of filling stations by the management of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), but they however resumed sale after a meeting with government officials. None of the officials of the association agreed to talk to The Guardian on the outcome of their meeting but they hinged their selling above the official pump price to claims that they bought the products from Lagos as they could not get from the NNPC depot in Benin.
Addressing a mammoth crowd that was at the stations, Oshiomhole said that the cost of petroleum products is falling in the international market and Nigerians cannot afford to pay more at the local level.
"We want to ensure that from now on, we don't want those who are powerful to continue to exploit those who are powerless. Petrol should be selling for N70, it should even be cheaper than that but these people are selling at N85 and sometimes they sell for N100 and that is why transportation fare is going up and poor people are made to pay through their nose.
"Anytime you hear they are selling above the official price, report to us. All these stations that are doing it we are going to shut them down now, the managers will be detained until he vomit that money.
"You must learn to enforce your right. As long as we are in Government House, nobody will cheat you. Any petrol dealer who is not ready to sell at control price will be dealt with."

Mistake nw realised.

APPARENTLY, just hours after an heroic performance, the Liverpool hero has had one of his darkest hours as a footballer and now finds himself in i ail. According to BBC News, Liverpool and England talisman Steven Gerrard has been arrested by police. At 2:30 AM Monday morning, an incident occurred in a pub in Southport, with Gerrard arrested following an alleged assault. A 34-year-old man ended up in hospital with facial injuries.
Six men have been detained, including the footballer, having been arrested near the pub after the unsavoury event. The ages of the detained men, who come from Huyton, Formby and Litherland, range from 18 to 33. Having spent the remaindei of the night behind bars. Gerrard is reportedly being quizzed by Merseyside Police, who would only say: "We are investigating an assault in the early hours of the morning or Lord Street. "Officers detained six people on suspicion of Section 20 assault."

Octogenarian father of Oluwaleke, one of the three National Youth Service Corps members slain in the Jos riot, Mr. Josiah Akande, has said the incident poses a major threat to the touted unity of the country.
In a voice laden with emotions, he called on President Umaru Yar'Adua, traditional rulers and leaders of thought to re-examine the workability of the said unity.
The elder Akande spoke during a condolence visit to the family in Ibadan on Tuesday by the Director-General, NYSC, Brig.-Gen. Yusuf Bomoi, over the murder.
Oluwaleke, who graduated from the School of Engineering, The Polytechnic, Ibadan was among the over 300 victims of the Jos crisis that was ostensibly triggered by a dispute over the election into the Jos North Local Government.
Emphasising the need for the safety of the country's youths to be guaranteed wherever they found themselves, he stated that the country was doomed without them.
Akande said, "I leave all to God. How do we ensure the safety of all these young men endowed with good potential? We have to do something about it. There should never be any repetition of this kind of carnage; this kind of brutality.
"It does not paint Nigeria well in the outside world and within ourselves Nigerians. And we are calling ourselves one entity. Is this the way to ensure the one entity of Nigeria?
"Please deliver the message to Mr. President that we pray that his tenure will be peaceful. That he will have a successful tenure of office, but not this carnage and this kind of brutality.
"The soul of a man cannot be bought with money, you (Bomoi) said that before. As a parent, put yourself in my position, with my age. Think seriously about it. This kind of thing should never happen again in Nigeria.
"Our chiefs, our emirs and our Obas should sit down together and know exactly where they are going. If this kind of thing continues, I don't know what will be the fate of Nigeria."
Josiah, who is the elder brother of a politician, Chief Harry Akande, urged the DG to visit the All Nigeria Peoples Party stalwart and extend a similar condolence to him.
With Bomoi during the visit were the Oyo State Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Mr. Ayoola Makanjuola; NYSC State Coordinator, Mrs. Bosede Aderibigbe; and his Plateau State counterpart, Mr. Peter Atilola.
Describing the slain corps members as heroes, the DG said that the management of the service would immortalise them in due course.
He said, "The essence of the NYSC is to foster national unity. It is a sad thing that they have to die the way they died. We know that everybody will die one day, but in their own case, it is particularly painful.
"These were young men sent to Plateau State to serve the country. It is something those of us in the NYSC will never forget. We want to assure you that you are not alone in this thing. You are aware that the whole nation has been mourning their death.
"Those of us in the NYSC probably feel the pain of their death more than any other person, probably apart from you in the Akande family.
"This is because it is our moral and professional responsibilities to cater for the welfare of the corps members. I want to assure you that the management of the NYSC will do everything humanly possible to immortalise these distinguished corps members.
"For everybody that worships God and believes in God, one thing that is clear is that all of us will die one day. We believe that it was destined that they will die that day. The place and circumstance by which people will die is only known to God almighty.
"These were young men that were trained and properly brought up. What happened is beyond the imagination of all of us that are mortals. I want to appeal to you to take solace in the fact that they died as heroes."
Following the request by the family, Bomoi directed that the late Leke's younger brother, who was a corps member in Osun State, should be redeployed to Ibadan, especially because of the anguish of the parents over the murder of his elder brother.

@ Jarus, no vex o, na my teacher teach me o.

Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, on Monday ordered the arrest of nine petrol dealers in Benin, Edo State for selling petrol above the N70 government approved pump price.
The governor gave the order when he stormed 11 filling stations within Benin City metropolis after receiving reports that some petrol stations were selling fuel above the official pump price of N70 a liter.
In the 11 petrol stations visited, it was discovered that 10petrol stations were selling between N75 and N100 while only Oando located along Iyaro Road was found to be selling at the normal pump price of N70, prompting the governor to congratulate the manager.
The filling stations affected are Agolite Nigeria Limited along New Lagos Road, which was selling at N80, Nocheal Oil along Iyaro Street, Loba Petrol Station along Siluko Road at N90, Edosa Petroleum in Egor at N80, Noma Petrol in Upper Siluko Road at N75 and Obek ventures along Siluko Road was selling at N85.
Others are Iluobe Station along Aduwawa Road at N73, Zico Petroleum along Aduwawa at N83, AP Filing Station in Upper Mission at N75 and Tonsodo along Aduwawa at N80.
At Nocheal Filling Station, Iyaro, the fuel attendant said the managing director authorized them to sell fuel at the price above N70, while other managers and owners of some of the stations claimed they were selling above the official pump price because they bought the products from Lagos as they could not buy from the NNPC depot in Benin.
Addressing a large crowd at the stations, Oshiomhole said the cost of petroleum products was falling in the international market and Nigerians could not afford to pay more at the local level.
Oshiomhole who told the managers at the stations that they were selling above the price recognized by law, ordered that the filling stations should be shut down and the culprits to be charged them to court.
"If you cannot sell within the law then you will not sell. Even the one you have already sold, you are in problem now. We will seal up the station and you have to pay back all those you have extorted money from. You will go to the police now and give your statement then we will charge you to court. Anybody who sells above the law, I will revoke the C of O. No extortion."
"We want to ensure that from now on we don't want those who are powerful to continue to exploit those who are powerless. Some of these petrol that should be selling for N70, it should even be cheaper than that but these people are selling at N85 and sometimes they sell for N100. That is why transport fare is going up and poor people are made to pay through their nose and anytime you hear they are selling above the official price, report to us. All these stations that are doing it we are going to shut them down now, the manager will be detained until he vomits that money.
"You must learn to enforce your right. As long as we are in Government House, nobody will cheat you. Any petrol dealer who is not ready to sell at control price will be dealt with."
Continuing Oshiomhole said, "Life is already very tough for our people. We have some shylocks who want to make it more difficult. The owner of this station has run away but the station cannot run. Always insist on your right. Don't allow all manner of idiots to cheat on us. Edo state government must protect. This one has display here for N80 and people are paying. Nobody is more powerful than the government. If they oppress you we will oppress them."
Meanwhile, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) in Edo state in reaction to the action of Comrade Oshiomhole was said to have planned to proceed on strike as they considered the arrest of some of their members as an embarrassment.
Daily Sunlearnt that the decision was reached after a meeting held by all the members of IPMAN but the State Chairman could not be reached for comment as at press time.

Although the impressive record of indigenous Coach Shaibu Amodu in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers has redeemed the image of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Sani Lulu has yet to forget the embarrassment German Coach Berti Vogts, who he hired, brought to Nigeria. Lulu confessed that bringing Vogts to Nigeria was a costly blunder the NFF committed, and they paid dearly for it.
The football chief said they never thought the German would disappoint the nation following his rich credentials both as a footballer and coach. But they got the shock of their lives when the coach showed his true colour when the chips were down.
"We made a very big mistake by employing Berti Vogts," Lulu began. "We didn't have enough time to test him before the last Nations Cup in Ghana.
"We thought we could try him with that championship, we never knew he would become the biggest flop of the century. It's unfortunate we couldn't get the best of the German.
"Coach Amodu has proved himself since he took over from where the German stopped. In fact, we need to encourage our coaches, because they have the wherewithal to becoming the best we can have for our teams and elsewhere," he said.
Lulu said the NFF would henceforth monitor the formation of each of the national side to avert future disaster.
Speaking on how the country is preparing for the Under-17 World Cup, which Nigeria will host next year, Lulu said they had informed Henry Nwosu, the Eaglets' coach to move into the various football academies in the country and fish out promising players, who are good enough for the competition.
He also promised to shun federal character in selecting national team players. According to him, federal character had rubbished our football in many areas. He stated that he was ready to do away with anything that would draw his administration back.
Lulu, however, apologised to Nigerians for all the poor results that were recorded by our female national teams in recent time and also, for the Under-20's disgraceful outing in the last WAFU Championship in Delta State.
"We appeal to Nigerians to forgive us in this our transition session. We promise to make valuable amendments in every area of our endeavour," he assured.

Oba of Lagos, His Royal Majesty, Rilwan Akiolu, has described the embattled former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) Nuhu Ribadu as one of the best brains in the Nigeria Police Force.
The monarch, however, lamented that Ribadu allowed himself to be used for selective investigation and harassment of political rivals by ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo.
Akiolu made the comment in Lagos at the weekend, at the commissioning a multi-million naira project, "Jabitta Court," built by notable lawyer and politician, Senator Sikiru Shitta Bey, the Seriki Musulumi of Lagos.
Blaming the travails of the former EFCC boss on youthful exuberance, Oba Akiolu, who is a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) recalled that he invited Ribadu for talks before the crisis blew out of proportion.
"Ribadu is a very good investigator and I pray and wish there is a way God will bring him out of this problem.
"He is a very good boy. Because of him, and being an alumnus of NIPSS, I was at the last graduation and certificate award ceremony. Honestly, I felt very bad about what happened to him.
"He ought to know that discipline is the bedrock of the Nigeria Police, he shouldn't have behaved in the way he did because he was driven to the wall," the traditional ruler said.
Oba Akiolu further said former president Obasanjo succeeded in deceiving Nigerians, arguing that 80 per cent of all projects commissioned by the ex-ruler during his eight-year administration were not in existence.
"Quote me that I, Oba Akiolu, said that 80 per cent of all projects commissioned by Obasanjo during his tenure were not in existence." Ribadu's travails began with his removal as chairman of the EFCC. He was subsequently nominated for a course at the Nigerian Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS).
While undergoing the one-year course, the Police Service Commission announced the demotion of Ribadu from his AIG rank to deputy commissioner of police, stating that promotions gained by the ex-EFCC boss were illegal.
Apparently peeved by the turn of events, Ribadu neither reverted to his old rank, nor resumed at his new duty post. He also refused to appear before disciplinary panels, which the police authorities set up to probe allegations of misconducts against him.