₦airaland Forum

[size=13pt]Workers shut Benue House over N63m allowance[/size]
On September 28, 2011 · In News

BY Peter Duru
MAKURDI—Benue State branch of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, PASAN, yesterday, barricaded the entrance to the Benue State House of Assembly in protest over the non-payment of over N63 million outfit allowances owed its members for four years by the leadership of the House.

The protesting parliamentary staff locked up the main entrance to the Assembly and offices as early as 6am.

Some of them carried placards which read: Ours is a story of toils, tears and sweat; N63 divided by 200 staff multiplied by four years equals peanut, apparently comparing the outstanding allowances to what the legislators earned.

Speaking to newsmen on their grievances, Benue State Chairman of PASAN, Mr. Bem Mela regretted that the leadership of the Assembly has refused to honour the agreements reached over three months ago following series of negotiations on the need to pay them their wardrobe allowance. He said this was what prompted the national body’s intervention in the matter.

While addressing the workers, Speaker of the state Assembly Mr. Terhemen Tarzoor, blamed the situation on the poor allocation of fund to the state from the Federation Account.

He said: “I had discussed the issue with the State Executive Council but the problem is that the Federation Account which the state wholly depends did not hold its regular meeting.”

Tarzoor also blamed the situation on the political class, but assured the workers that the matter would be solved in two days. All entreaties by the Speaker to the workers to go back to work failed as they told him that they would not return to their offices until the money was paid.

The incident also attracted the attention of the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Emmanuel Obiako who takes that route on his way to work.

Obiakor called the Speaker aside and reminded him on the ban on public procession and urged the leadership of PASAN to disperse their members.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/09/workers-shut-benue-house-over-n63m-allowance/

[size=13pt]28 of our members missing in Abia- Massob[/size]
On September 28, 2011 · In News

By Anayo Okoli
Umuahia—Movement for the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, has accused Abia State Police Command of mass arrest of its members, alleging that the whereabouts of 28 were currently unknown.

But the state’s Police Commissioner, Mr. Bala Hassan, in a quick reaction, dismissed the claim, saying the Police was not involved in extra-judicial killing.

According MASSOB, while eight members are currently languishing at Afara Prisons, two are being detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department of the police command.

The group accused Abia Police Command of neglecting President Goodluck Jonathan’s alleged order for all MASSOB members in detention to be released.

MASSOB, in a statement signed by its Director of Information, Comrade Uchenna Madu, alleged that the mass arrest was ordered by Abia State Government on a day they were hoisting their flag to commemorate their 12th year anniversary.

However, Abia State Police Commissioner, Mr. Bala Hassan, denied that his men had detained 28 MASSOB members anywhere in the state.

Hassan admitted, however, that eight members of the group were currently at Afara Prisons where they were remanded by the court, adding that two other members were being detained at the state CID.

He denied knowledge of the whereabouts of the alleged missing 28 members of MASSOB.

Hassan said: “You know we don’t engage in extra judicial killing. We have some of them in the Prisons and state CID. They should check them there.”

But MASSOB insisted that their men were missing, saying “right now, about 28 members of MASSOB are still missing. These men and women were arrested in their homes, allegedly, by the governor’s security agents to unknown destinations.

“While these names below [names attached] were arrested by the red cap policemen, the remaining 28 members are still missing.”

The group said continued detention of  its members was contrary to the order allegedly issued by President Goodluck Jonathan to the effect that all MASSOB members detained any where in the country be released.

The gave the names of the their members in Afara Prison as Chief Moses Chionye, Mrs. Peace Chionye, Mr. Humphrey Nwakanma, Mr. Akwakanti and Mr. Chika Uluocha. Others  are Ndubuisi Nwahiri, Sunday Brown and Ndubuisi Nmaduako.

According to Madu, those in detention at the State CID are Goodluck Afonne and John Irotahu, described as Keke operators.

MASSOB has therefore appealed to the President to urge the Abia police command to obey his release-all-MASSOB-members order as they “did not commit any offence”.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/09/28-of-our-memebrs-missing-in-abia-massob/

Security: Jonathan lacks political will, says Afenifere


AKURE—THE Yoruba Socio-Political group, Afenifere, yesterday expressed concern over the state of the nation and asked President Goodluck Jonathan to deal with the myriads of problems threatening the continued existence of Nigeria with “a strong political will irrespective of whose ox is gored.”

In a statement by its leader, Chief Rueben Fasoranti, in Akure, the group said it was disturbed “and constrained to call your attention to the situation for a quick redress before anarchy takes over and the state machinery grinds to a halt.”

Negetive forces at work

Fasoranti who said there were negative forces threatening to frustrate the objective of trying to lay a solid foundation for a successful administration of President Jonathan, however blamed President for not demonstrating the political will to tackle the problems.

Afenifere listed the negative tendencies to included Boko Haram activities such as suicide bombing in parts of the country and strikes by organized labour and Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU.

It said other problems confronting the country, included the Justices Katisna Alu and Ayo Salami crisis rocking the nation’s judicial system, natural disasters like flood, carnage on the roads and the killings in Jos.

Harvest of bad governance

According to the group these problems were harvest of bad governance, saying “these are just too many negative side of the scoreboard. They should be reversed and all of us with goodwill in this country should rise up to the occasion, but with you dictating the pace.

“Our concern is that such attempts at disintegration and undermining development and progress are parts of the challenges to be expected, we are worried that they are not being met or addressed with serious attention they deserve. For instance, we wonder if all these can be happening without the security agencies having inkling.”

Slams FG over Boko Haram

The group slammed the Federal government for allowing “the Boko Haram to take the initiative. Henceforth, we should not blow hot and cold and occasionally let out vital information of our strategy and the likes for them to work upon and forestall us.

They have so far been dictating the pace and taking the initiative thus beating the government to the game. Criminals are now having the upper hand as any success normally recorded encourages them to plan for and execute more dastardly action. No, All these have to stop.

“Terrorism is a statement that something is wrong and there is the need to quickly go down to its root cause, proffer some solutions and deal with the situation with a strong political will, irrespective of whose ox is gored. More than any other time, these events call for a national dialogue on how Nigeria should continue to exist. You just have to demonstrate political will for Nigeria to continue to exit. That was the mandate Nigerians gave you in April 2011 to do less will be a shame, ” the statement added.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/09/security-jonathan-lacks-political-will-says-afenifere/

[size=13pt]Ijaw Militants [Water Lions] Warn Boko Haram “Enough Is Enough” Or “Face Us"[/size]

https://247ureports.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/ijaw-militants.jpg
Egbesu Mightier Fraternity Of Izon [IJAW] Land [The Water Lion ]

26th September, 2011.

Press Statement

BOKO HARAM:  Enough is enough and No Basis For Unity.

We are compelled by the present Boko Haram merciless bombing in the country without verifiable developmental agitation.  The continuous killings of Christians in the north should be stop forthwith. Those foolish and irresponsible enough to assume or pretend that it is possible to run Nigeria by sectarian dictation do no more than reject a natural phenomenon, which is that when it hits, it reverberates.

The tsunami of Boko Haram will not, in its sweep, skip the homes and interests of it promoters, active or passive.  Boko Haram has been leaving bombs around churches and other places with clusters of the innocent.  In the event of a failed state, all those Nigerians pretending to possess two heads, and currently cruising around in limousines and jetting about the globe will be grounded.

Why can’t we live in peace?  If peace is pronounced a war, why can’t we go our separate ways by amicable agreement?  Boko Haram may have its origins from wherever it likes.  Its wild excesses are essentially a reaction to the Presidential ascendancy of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.  It has its sponsors and financiers.   If we are actually one Nigeria, why won’t we allow other Geo-political Zone to rule the country?

Saudi Arabia is the centre of the Islamic faith, yet, there was not even a single killing of Christian faithful in that country.  why all these killings of National Youth Service Corps members and other innocent citizens in reaction to Goodluck Jonathan’s Presidential Victory?

“NOTE WELL, if further killings by Boko Haram as a result of Goodluck Jonathan’s Presidency in the country within fourteen days of this statement, we shall without hesitation commence sending every Muslim in the Niger Delta Region to their various homes and ask our people to return home.  No section of this country is an embodiment of killing others. Muslims can’t live in our land freely (Niger Delta) while they will be killing our people in their land. If they don’t want peace we will meet them were ever they are. This is our message.”

No Muslim has condemned the killings of Christians by Boko Haram in the North.  Is it only the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan Nigeria has witnessed major security lapses as the northern elites want to ridicule him as incapable of protecting the territorial integrity of the country?  we have tasted blood war.  That Borno and the entire North are guilty of harbouring and protecting Boko Haram.  If they don’t want the terrorist organization they should push them out of their midst and give them up to the military after all they live amongst them and probably pray in the same mosque.   So they can’t claim that they don’t know where the Boko Haram are.

The emergence of the notorious Boko Haram was premediated and designed to blackmail and undermines the authority of President Jonathan. The Sect is suspected to be affiliated with the Yemini version of Al Quaeda.

We urge the President to invoke his powers as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and give his security chiefs an ultimatum within which to use every strategy to dislodge the notorious Boko Haram and other perpetrators of attack on the Nigerian people. The Truth is that no dispensation will ever be good in Nigeria except from Muslim North. The release of Boko Haram Co-founder, Alhaji Ali Tishau by the Police on request by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) and later vanished from detention is clear demonstration that the North is out to fight the President with the Islamic Sect. Enough is enough with this Sect to worry Mr. President.

That if further attempt to distract the developmental attention of Mr. President in the country, we the Egbesu Mightier Fraternity will earth the so called Boko Haram in the North. This is our word. We have killed and we will not care to kill again.

This is signed by the joint Revolutionary Council.

                                   
GEN – OKIN SELE                                      GEN – ELVIS TENTEN
Bazoka Boys of                                             Water-force of Izon land
Niger Delta


                                 
GEN – kurumah                                      GEN – ABU MIC
The Strike Force                                                      Barkoromo Ogbo of
of  Izon land                                                   Niger Delta


http://247ureports.com/?p=1434

[size=13pt]Awolowo my inspiration, says Aliyu[/size]

The love and undying passion of the late sage and first Premier of the defunct Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, towards free and affordable education were the major inspirations behind the free education policy in Niger State, Governor Babangida Aliyu has said.

The governor also praised the legal luminary Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), likening him to Awolowo for his love for education. He noted that the love Babalola has for education spurred him to establish the Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD).

Aliyu said free education is possible nationwide if governments at all levels can check excesses and if true federalism could be adopted instead of the present defective federal system the country operates.

The governor spoke at the weekend when he chaired the inauguration of the new leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) at the Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja.

ABUAD won the award of the Most Progressive, Dynamic and Fastest Growing University Nigeria.The university was the only higher institution that won an award at the event.
Aliyu said he was impressed that ABUAD is the only university in Nigeria registered as a not-for-profit institution, noting that this was borne out of Babalola’s generosity and determination to offer quality education to Nigerians without aiming at profit.

The governor also said the free tuition, which he enjoyed from primary up to tertiary level, was another reason he introduced free education in Niger State.

Aliyu said the seed of affordable education, which the late Awolowo planted in his lifetime, has empowered and liberated the Southwest from material and intellectual poverty.
He said: “I’ve always respected our founding father, Chief Awolowo, when he introduced free education policy in the then Western Region. Chief Awolowo foresaw education as the future. This was why he was so passionate about free education for his people, and he implemented it to the core. And his region, the Southwest, is better for it today.

“I’m also impressed with what Babalola is doing in ABUAD. It shows commitment and determination on his part to give quality education. I also understand that ABUAD was established as a not-for-profit institution, ”

http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/20901-awolowo-my-inspiration-says-aliyu.html

[size=13pt]Gaddafi ‘Mercenaries’ Arrive Kaduna[/size]

By John Shiklam

Over 100 people, suspected to be mercenaries that fought for the sacked Libyan Leader, Muammar Gaddafi, have arrived Kaduna through the Nigeria - Niger Republic border at the weekend.

They were said to have been conveyed in two luxury bus owned by transport companies located in the South-eastern Nigeria.

There were no any official comments from the Kaduna Zonal Comptroller of Immigration, Suleiman Umar, as he kept reporters waiting for hours without attending to them.

However, a source in his office explained that the command had to obtain clearance from Abuja and liaise with other relevant security agencies, like the State Security Service (SSS), Police and Army before speaking to the press.

“We are yet to ascertain whether they are Gaddafi’s fighters but we know they are Nigerians from Libya. They came in through Niger-Nigeria border. As I am talking with you now, another set are at the Kaduna toll gate coming.

“What we want to do now is to keep them in our custody and await directives from government on the way forward. We don’t have money; certainly, the state will cater for them until further directives.

“Right now, high level security meeting is going on at the government house and our zonal comptroller has gone there.”

One of the victims, who pleaded anonymity, claimed they were wandering in the desert for the past three weeks before they were apprehended by Immigration officials at the Niger-Nigerian border.

“We left Libya about two weeks ago wandering in the desert before our arrest and subsequent conveyance here (Kaduna) from the Niger-Nigeria border,” he said.


They have however been taken to Abuja.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/gaddafi-8216-mercenaries-8217-arrive-kaduna/99288/

[size=13pt]Uprising may lead to violent change – Soyinka[/size]

Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, on Monday warned that the current security problems in the country might lead to violent change if nothing was done to arrest the trend.


Apparently referring to the security challenges resulting from the Boko Haram bombings in parts of the country, the playwright cautioned that some forces were bent on taking control of the nation’s affairs for selfish reasons on account of the abundant natural resources the nation was endowed with.


Soyinka stated this at a lectured titled, ‘Nigeria in 21st Century Governance’, presented at the 50th anniversary of the Nigerian Institute of Management (Chartered) at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.


The lecturer, who said the theme of the conference was as timely as it was crucial, said governance had taken a new course globally and that it was left for Nigeria to move forward.


Soyinka said, “If we fail to act now, some forces will take control of the affairs of the nation for selfish reasons as Nigeria, as a nation, has a lot in terms of natural resources to be coveted.


“The theme of this paper is timely also because the uprising we are experiencing in all aspects of our national life is a testimony to the fact that if nothing is done soon, violent change might take place.


“The presidential system of government has failed us as the people in leadership are more alien to the needs of the people now than in pre-colonial time.”


According to him, the status quo creates opportunity for public officers to rule without knowing or feeling the needs of the led.


Soyinka suggested that the job of those in leadership should be on a part-time basis to make it less attractive to those who had seen it as a profitable enterprise.


He added that religion should be left out of governance, saying morals and values could be derived from religion.


He said the 1999 constitution should be redrafted to address some glaring inadequacies which were being exploited at certain quarters.


In her address, the NIM President, Mrs. Sally Adukwu-Bolujoko, called on the Federal Government to combat the high level of corruption in the country.


She explained that corruption had accounted for the failure of the nation to experience a meaningful development.


She said NIM would continue to campaign against corruption in government and the political and social affairs of the country.


She stated that the institute had plans to establish an academy that would provide a blueprint for the country on agriculture, economy, health and education to facilitate the development of these sectors.


Adukwu-Bolujoko explained that the NIM would mobilise fresh graduates to join the institute so they could be the best in their various disciplines and fields.


“The institute will also not relent until corruption and other social vices which have hampered Nigeria’s development are completely exterminated from our body polity,” she said.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201109274122975

Lawd have mercy!

[size=13pt]Boko Haram plots suicide bombing Oct 1 -Intelligence Report [/size]

•CBN, NNPC Towers, Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Federal Secretariat prime targets
•As FG puts security agencies on red alert
•May cancel Independence Anniversary parade

THE terrorist Islamic group, Boko Haram, appears not willing to let go of its sinister plot to wreak a monumental havoc on the nation to avenge the military onslaught against the group, with intelligence report showing that the group has earmarked between Monday, September 26 and Saturday, October 1, 2011, when Nigeria would be celebrating its 51st independence, as the period to hit some of their selected targets.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that security agencies have unmasked plots by the group to use two brand of vehicles, a Nissan Sunny salon car with registration Abuja-CL 735 ABJ and an Audi new model with Kaduna number plate, as the cars with which to possibly carry out their next suicide attacks on ‘very important government targets’ in the Federal Capital Territory.

Among these targets, the source said, are the NNPC Towers in Abuja; Central Bank of Nigeria headquarters; the Federal Ministry of Finance; Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Army barracks and mammy markets in Abuja; Federal Secretariat Complex; the National Assembly; Supreme Court; Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Nigeria Police headquarters.

It was reliably gathered by security agencies that their target at the Police Headquarters is yet to be accomplished, even after the earlier attack in June this year.

Subsequently, Nigerian Tribune gathered that a new security alert has gone out to all military, police and other security agencies to be alive to their responsibilities and not switch off for any moment as the sect appeared determined to carry out their destardly act.

Asked if states earmarked for attack by the group particularly those in the Niger Delta should downgrade the threat by the sect, now that it had narrowed its plots to attacking government assets in Abuja, the security source said.

“It will be a big mistake as the group was very good at elements of surprise. When you begin to think all is well, that their minds were focused on a different target, that is when they strike at you.”

Also, Nigerian Tribune gathered that an army general has been assigned following controversies over the release of one of the Boko Haram’s leader, Ali Tishau, who was purportedly released to one of the military security agencies by the police from where he gained his freedom.

The source said that the government had taken a serious view of the action of the said general, as his organisation is one of those government was looking up to seriously to help it in tackling the Boko Haram menace in the country.

Meanwhile, worried by the security implications of the terrorist activities of the Boko Haram, the Federal Government may have cancelled the Independence Day parade scheduled to be hold at the Eagle Square, Abuja, on October 1.

An impeccable presidency source, who revealed this to the Nigerian Tribune in Abuja, at the weekend, said the action became necessary, following what was described as “bad security reports” from the nation’s security agencies.

It will be recalled that during last year’s celebration, there were two multiple bomb blasts in Abuja, shortly after the visiting foreign heads of governments and President Goodluck Jonathan arrived at the Eagle Square.

Already, a visit to the Eagle Square, venue of the celebration, showed that there was no sign of preparations at all, while the usual rehearsals by military and paramilitary organisations, which normally take place at the square, were absent.

Nigerian Tribune’s source revealed that the security agencies reportedly advised the Federal Government to allow this year’s celebrations to be on a low key and to further save Nigeria from international embarrassment that any blast on the Independence Day would cause the nation, should the Boko Haram sect carried out threats to cause further mayhem during the celebration.

It was gathered that the security agencies further based their reports on the recent incessant bombings in the country, especially the Police Force headquarters and the United Nations (UN) Abuja office, which had further proved that the Boko Haram sect was unrepentant and which would make Nigeria look unsafe to the international community.

According to the source, “no world leader will like to come to Nigeria at this particular time for any Independence Day celebration, because of the recent security challenges in the country. Up till now, we have no clue about those behind these incessant bombings and how to stop them. We don’t want to take chances, they did it last year and they will want to repeat same, going by their daring posture in recent times.”

The source could, however, not confirm whether similar parades at the state and local government levels would be affected by the cancellation at the national level.

http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/front-page-news/28733-boko-haram-plots-suicide-bombing-oct-1-intelligence-report-cbn-nnpc-towers-transcorp-hilton-hotel-federal-secretariat-prime-targets-as-fg-puts-security-agencies-on-red-alert-may-cancel-independence-anniversary-parade

[size=13pt]Boko Haram declares SSS director wanted[/size]

.Islamist sect places N50m reward on Service topshot
.Presidency probes release of co-founder, Tishua

From MURPHY GANAGANA, Abuja


The dreaded Islamist sect, Boko Haram, has placed N50 million reward for any member who kills Ms Marilyn Ogar, spokesperson of the Department of State Security (DSS).

Ms Ogar is an Assistant Director of the Service even as the Presidency is set to probe the release from detention of Mr. Ali Tishau, a self-acclaimed kingpin of Boko Haram.

The planned investigation is coming on the heels of alleged claims by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) that it had indeed, returned the suspect to the Police for custody and that it was denied the opportunity of having him back on a second request.

The request, dead or alive, was intercepted in a coded high-tech website of the dreaded . Boko Haram was successfully hacked into by the international intelligence community and accessed by their local counterparts. The demand for Ogar’s head, it was further learnt, was part of a robust action plan said to have been mapped out by the sect, including public infrastructure and other areas as well as individuals targeted for attack. However, attempts by Daily Sun to confirm if the report on the N50 million reward was from the authentic Boko Haram were futile by Press time.

Daily Sun reveals that the sect may have indeed made the monetary offer to get Ms. Ogar, before the SSS announced N25million reward for anyone with useful information that could lead to the arrest of Mamman Nur, the alleged mastermind of the United Nations (UN) House bombing in Abuja on August 26, 2011.
Though the circumstances could not be ascertained by Press time, repeated calls to Ogar’s mobile telephone line were not successful for about a week as it was said to be switched off until yesterday when Daily Sun was able to speak with her at about 10.38am.

However, Ms. Ogar feigned ignorance of the development when contacted. “How did you get the information? Well, I am just hearing about it from you, but I am neither the DG, SSS nor the DG, NIA, for anyone to place money on my head,” she told Daily Sun on Saturday, in a telephone chat.
But a top police officer who does not want his name in print, confirmed the report that Boko Haram placed monetary reward for the head of the SSS senior officer.

He was, however, quick to add that it was not peculiar to her, as several other top security officers and politicians had been threatened by Boko Haram.“Yes, it is true that they placed about N50million ransom on the woman’s head. We were contacted for assistance over the matter, as the woman was running from pillar to post. But I think there is nothing unusual about it. Boko Haram has threatened the Chief of Defence Staff; Boko Haram has threatened the Chief of Army Staff, attacked the Police headquarters in Abuja. The thing with them is that they threaten you when you talk about them, and the moment you stop, they leave you alone. We’ve been reading their website, and we see a lot of things they write about. But there is no cause for alarm”, he said.

On the planned probe of Tishau’s release, the Police authorities had announced on Friday, that it officially handed over Tishau to a sister security agency via a memo by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Alhaji Hafiz Ringim, dated July 7, 2011. Police said the action was based on a formal letter from the unnamed sister agency dated June 27, 2011, which requested the release of the suspect to it.
Police spokesman, DCP Olusola Amore, had said that the IGP acceded to the request in the spirit of sharing intelligence as it is customary in security circles. He was quick to add that the identity of the sister agency concerned would not be given for national interest.

Fingers were, however, unofficially pointed at the direction of the DIA, whose erstwhile chief, Major-General Babagana Munguno, allegedly made the request and eventually took over the custody of Tishau from the Police. But in a swift reaction, all the military intelligence chiefs denied having anything to do with the suspect. However, in a curious twist of events, fresh reports indicated that the DIA had admitted taking custody of the suspect from the Police after writing a formal request, but claimed it encountered several obstacles in the process, which were eventually surmounted with the intervention of a top security chief, who prevailed on the IGP to release Tishau to the former Chief of Defence Intelligence.

Following his release to the DIA, the suspect was said to have opened up on the activities of Boko Haram and allegedly claimed to have intimated the police authorities. Reports further said that topshots of security agencies were notified by the DIA on its encounter with Tishau, before he was returned to police custody.
But the bubble burst when the DIA reportedly asked for the suspect to be released to it a second time for further investigation, a request that was allegedly turned down by the Police whose spokesman, Amore, denied that Tishau was ever returned to their custody, talk less of the authorities receiving a second request for his release to the DIA

Sources told Daily Sun yesterday that the flurry of claims and denials amongst the security agencies, which had been further compounded by reports of the DIA’s eventual admission of taking custody of the suspect at a point in time from the police, has become a source of concern and embarrassment to the Presidency, which has resolved to diligently investigate the incident with a view to taking appropriate actions.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/sept/26/national-26-09-2011-001.html

[size=13pt]$550m World Bank cash coming for agric[/size]

Nigeria is negotiating a $550million financing to boost agriculture and fix some of its environmental challenges, Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has said.
The minister, who dropped this hint in an interactive session with reporters in Washington DC at the World Bank/International Monetary Fund (IMF) meeting, said the Bank’s response had been quite encouraging. The deal will be finalised when a new World Bank country director arrives in Nigeria.

Said Mrs Okonjo-Iweala: “We have an ambitious programme to create jobs. One of the several priorities is agriculture. We have a very detailed plan for investment in agriculture. One of the things we did here in Washington was to start negotiating for extra financing from the World Bank. And we are in discussion with them to see if they can advance about $500 million to support the sector. And also environment because we see agric and environmental issues desirous of having support. So also we entered into discussion of $50million to support the work of the environment and $500 million for agriculture. It is not concluded, but it is looking quite positive and we are very happy with what is happening. We will conclude it when we get to Nigeria and the new country director arrives.”

Besides, the minister said some investors are interested in building the second Niger Bridge through a public private partnership (PPP) scheme. She went on: “We just had an interesting meeting with both International Finance Corporation (IFC) – the private sector arm of the World Bank – and with the representatives of a group of investors who are interested in public private partnership project in Nigeria. Specifically, they are interested in financing and investing in the second Niger Bridge. This is very promising and we had discussions with them about the next step and IFC will be coming to manage this operation. It could turn out as one of the best private sector partnership ventures that Nigeria would do and it will set an example that Nigeria is capable of delivering a clean approach to PPP. And this will unlock investments in other PPP. We tend to get into discussion with the Minister of Trade and Investment and colleagues in the economic management team. And, of course, present to Mr President what we have done and then take it from there. We had discussions with the Minister of Works before coming to Washington and we plan to reconvene and share what we have done,” she said.

Mrs Okonjo-Iweala is the coordinating Minister of the Nigerian Economy. On the alleged frosty relationship between her and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, she described the relationship as cordial. Her words: “The governor has spoken, but people are looking for contention; they are not going to have it.
When I came in, I said that we have the good intention to drive the economy. We have an idea of where we want to drive the economy. And you can see the relationship is extremely cordial. But, just like any other jurisdiction, you have your normal monetary policy and fiscal policy tension that takes place. The Chief Economic Adviser can testify to it that it exists everywhere.

“However, apart from that, we have a remarkable meeting of minds in terms of the goals for the economy. He is quite focused on the real sector and we want to work with him and he has been concerned with the fiscal policy; we want to work on it.” On job creation, Dr Okonjo-Iweala said the government was looking at both skilled and unskilled areas to generate gainful employment, but needs various approaches to address different categories.

She said: “I am very happy to announce that Mr President will soon announce a programme targeted at skilled population, called Youth Enterprise Programme. This would be launched within a couple of weeks to try and launch business enterprise competition asking our youths to create enterprises. If they have innovative ideas about how to expand and employ more people, we would run a competition to support those ideas. We will support those ideas by working with banks.

“We are also working with the Ministry of Youths and ICT. This is going to go live on the web and use all the modern tools to encourage participation. We are in partnership with the Lagos University and the World Bank. It is really a consortium to try and launch this across all the zones and to get all these ideas. Hopefully, at the end of the day, we can get about 600 proposals, which can be supported and financed and that will create the jobs. We are targeting several thousand jobs out of this. This is a very interesting programme and part of the N50 billion set aside in the budget will go to the financiers.

“We are also looking at public works programme for the unskilled and we are still working to finance that. We are also looking at women and will also launch for the women in various categories.”

http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/20913-550m-world-bank-cash-coming-for-agric.html

[size=13pt]Sanusi wins African Central Bank Governor Award[/size]

[img]http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/thumbnail.php?file=Sanusi_292451512.jpg&size=article_medium[/img]

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi has, for the second consecutive year, has been named Central Bank Governor of the Year in Sub-Saharan Africa. The award was presented by the global business magazine, Emerging Market.

Sanusi’s award in Washington DC came a day after two Nigerian bankers (Evelyn Oputu, chief executive officer of the Bank of Industry) and two banking institutions (First Bank of Nigeria Plc and Stanbic IBTC) won international recognition for their achievements in banking during the financial year. The awards were presented by the Africa Banker magazine.
These awards are yearly events held alongside the International Monetary Fund (IMF)/World Bank annual meetings and attended by Central Bank Governors, Finance Ministers and Bank Chief Executive Officers from across Latin America, Africa, Middle East and Asia.

The Editor of Emerging Markets, Taimur Ahmad, said the awards recognise and honour the leading policy makers in each region as adjudged by the editorial team taking into account the views of leading regional experts. He said Sanusi was recognised for the second year running “for his strong policy track-record and continued bold reforms in monetary policy over the past year.”

“The CBN, under Governor Sanusi’s stewardship, has consistently been ahead of the curve.Governor Sanusi has also continued to push through a radical financial sector reform agenda, while having the courage to draw attention to corruption and misuse of funds,” Ahmad said.

Sanusi attributed his award to the collective efforts of his CBN colleagues, the support of the Federal Government and the law makers of Nigeria. He acknowledged that the reform process has been challenging, affirming that all the banks will be fully recapitalised by the end of September 2011, thus drawing a line under the banking crisis in Nigeria.
“We have done all of this without losing any depositors’ funds,” Sanusi asserted. “Furthermore, the banks themselves are paying for the bail-out and the reforms, not the taxpayer.” He called for better preparedness for the inevitable repercussions for Africa.

He noted that the Nigerian banking reform experience could provide some lessons for Europe, which continues to grapple with their financial crisis while bankruptcy looms for many of its countries. In a related development, FirstBank won the “Most Innovative Bank of the Year’; Stanbic IBTC Bank picked up “Deal of the Year through its Golden Sugar Refinery Project financing”, while Evelyn Oputu, CEO of the Bank of Industry and one of the most respected businesswomen in Africa and internationally, was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award. She set a new record for being the first woman to receive this particular accolade.

Chairman/Managing Partner of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) that bought UK’s Gatwick Airport for £1.51 billion from the British Airports Authority,  Mr Adebayo Ogunlesi, also got recognition from the same Publication. Present at the Emerging Markets event, which held at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel, were about 300 guests. They include a former Minister of Finance Mansur Murtar and Minister of Finance/Co-ordinator of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

At the Africa Bankers awards were Ms Arunma Oteh, Director-General, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC); Jean-Louis Ekra, President of Africa Export-Import Bank, and Arnold Ekpe, chief executive officer of Ecobank.

http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/business/20896-sanusi-wins-african-central-bank-governor-award.html

[size=13pt]Abia govt changes position on gang rape[/size]

ABIA State Government has said its statement on the gang rape video clip was based on claims by the Vice-Chancellor of the state University, the institution’s student union government and the state police commissioner.


Five suspected members of a cult group had gang-raped a student of ABSU, recorded the incident and posted it on the Internet, a development that had triggered an uproar across the country.


The state government had earlier described the claim that five students from the state university gang-raped a female student as false, insisting that such an incident did not take place within the university.


But the Media Adviser to the State Governor, Mr. Bonny Iwuoha, explained that the earlier position of the state government on the matter was based on the report credited to the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Chibuzor Ogbuagu, the institution Students Union Government and the police.


Iwuoha, who argued that the matter was still an allegation, recalled that Ogbuagu, the school’s SUG and the police had maintained that there was no rape incident.


He said, “The statement that was made initially by the state government was based on the report of the Vice-Chancellor, President of the university’s student union government and the police.


“The Vice-Chancellor said nothing of that nature happened. The university’s SUG and the police also said there was no rape incident. So the state government reacted based on that.”


Iwuoha said the state government would still rely on the ongoing investigation by the police before taking a position on the matter.


The Abia State Commissioner of Police, Bala Hassan, on Sunday confirmed that the police had apprehended two of the five suspects allegedly involved in the rape.


Hassan said the police acted on the information given about the identity of the suspects on the Internet to make its arrest, adding that they were working hard to apprehend the remaining three.


The CP said the suspects were arrested within the Uturu campus of the university.


He could not disclose if the police had made further findings in the cause of unravelling the identity of the rape victim.


Hassan, however, said those arrested were “mere suspects” as the Internet site that broke the story of the rape incident in the university did not disclose the full names of the purported rapists.


The CP said no five names listed as the assumed rapists had their surnames attached to them, saying it would be difficult for the police to identify the likely culprits.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201109261114634

[size=13pt]Jonathan slams critics of his style, government[/size]

President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday chided critics of his style and government, accusing them of trying to force him to act in ways that were contrary to his nature.


The President also noted that while he was condemned at home, he was celebrated outside the shores of the country.


“Some Nigerians still want the President of this country to be a lion or a tiger; somebody that has the kind of strength, force and agility to make things happen the way they think.


“I don’t need to be a lion, I don’t need to be Nebuchadnezzar, I don’t need to operate like the Pharaoh of Egypt, and I don’t need to be an army general. I can change this country without those traits,” he said.


Jonathan spoke at an inter-denominational service to mark the nation’s 51st independence anniversary at the National Christian Centre, Abuja on Sunday.


At least 10 people died during the 50th Independence anniversary in Abuja, last year, when twin bomb explosions went off near the Eagle Square venue of the event in Abuja.


The incidences of bombing have grown since then with the Islamic violent sect, Boko Haram, prosecuting a campaign of bombing against the Federal Government. Analysts and critics of the government have expressed worries at what they considered the failure of the Federal Government to take decisive actions to tackle the worsening insecurity in the country.


The President, who read the second reading during the service, described such critics as Nigerians who wanted a leader who would rule with impunity.


He said, “Some others will want the President to operate like an Army general, like my Chief of Army Staff commanding his troops. Incidentally, I am not a lion; I am also not a general.


“Somebody will want the President to operate like the Kings of Syria, Babylon, Egypt, and the Pharaoh-all powerful people that you read about in the Bible. They want the President to operate that way, unfortunately, I am not one of those.


“But God knows why I am here, even though I don’t have any of those attributes, or those kinds of characters I have used as an example. But through your prayers, God placed me here. The only thing I ask you to do for me, and that is the prayer I pray every time, is for God to use me to change this country.”


The President said there were forces that were bent on frustrating his administration, adding that these enemies must be dealt with for the nation to move forward.


“There are Goliaths everywhere; very terrible Goliaths, the ones that can even kill their father, their mother and even their children in order to stop government. And they are willing to do it. So, we have these terrible Goliaths that are trying to frustrate us, but surely with God we will conquer them.


“Every Goliath has an exposed forehead; all the Goliaths that are stumbling blocks to the development and growth of this country, God will expose their foreheads for the stone of David,” he declared.


The President urged Christians to continue to pray for his administration as there are many people, especially politicians who do not want the government to make any “meaningful progress.”


Specifically, he asked Nigerians to pray that God should use him to change the country.


The President, who appeared to be concerned about recent criticisms of his government, chided Nigerians for criticising him, while world leaders such as President Barak Obama and others kept commending him.


He said, “You know, these days, for you to be an intellectual and for people to listen to you, you have to abuse government. Somebody was asking, is Nigeria on auto pilot? Meaning a plane without a pilot, and I say Nigeria is being piloted by God himself,


“I just returned from the United Nations General Assembly in the US. (Barak) Obama, when he spoke, commended Nigeria, but back home we are being abused. When we had the Security Council meeting outside the General Assembly, Nigeria was commended, but here we are being abused.


“When the Presidents of South Africa, Gabon spoke they commended Nigeria but here we are not being appreciated. But what I can assure you is that Nigeria is on course and with your prayers and guidance of God, we will surely get to the destination we are going.”

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201109260425115

[size=13pt]Terrorism: FG places seven countries on watch list[/size]

The Federal Government has drawn up a terrorism watch list similar to the one maintained by some developed countries. Travelers who arrived from or are going to the countries on the list would receive special attention by the security agencies, and the Nigeria Immigration Service.


THE PUNCH learnt over the weekend that the countries on the list were Somalia, Pakistan, Yemen, Sudan, Niger, Chad and Mauritania.


A source in government who spoke to one of our correspondents said government had directed all its security and border agencies to put people whose travelling itinerary included any of these countries under watch.


The directive is said to have followed the sensational interview that Mallam Aliyu Tishau, the co-founder of the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram, granted the Africa Independent Television last Tuesday. In the interview, which was published by THE PUNCH on Wednesday, Tishau had said that many young Nigerians, who went to Mauritania to train and fight, would soon return to the country.


“I predict that the Nigerian situation may become like what is happening in Somalia. I give this warning because many of those young men who went to Mauritania are being attracted back home because of the violent situation brought by the present crisis,” he had said. The Boko Haram leader also said that three of the returnees were bomb specialists who had been recalled from military training in Mauritania


On Sunday, an official of one of the security agencies told one of our correspondents that the agencies had always paid special attention to people coming and going to those countries. However, he admitted that their (agencies’) efforts had been increased in the last five days.


The source, who pleaded anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the subject, said, “It is not that we have not been monitoring travelers from the affected countries, but Tishau’s revelations have made us to intensify efforts in the last five days.”


Investigations revealed that travelers coming from and going to Niger and Somalia were included in the watch list because of the link Boko Haram had with some citizens of the two countries.


The group, while claiming responsibility for the June 16 bombing of the Police Force headquarters, had said, “Our jihadists have arrived in Nigeria from Somalia where they received real training in warfare from our brethren who made that country ungovernable.”


Also, the State Security Service, in a statement on September 6, had said that it had arrested five suspects, including a Nigerien national over the bombing of the Suleja offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission on April 8.


The source said, “The surveillance is not limited to West African countries. There are countries where there are regular occurrences of bombings. Travelers going to and coming from such countries are included.


“We are not taking anything for granted. The surveillance is not aimed at harassing anybody. It is meant to beef up security along our borders.”


The enhanced security procedures came on the heels of the meeting between the Inspector-General of Police, Hafiz Ringim, and senior security officials from the Niger Republic in Abuja last Friday.


The Police Force Public Relations Officer, Olusola Amore, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, had explained that the meeting was aimed at combating the illegal flow of arms and ammunition, and the movement of illegal immigrants.


When contacted, the NIS Public Relations Officer, Joachim Olumba, confirmed to one of our correspondents that travelers from terrorism-prone countries had been receiving special attention from the service.


Although he declined to name the countries, he said, “Although travelers to these countries always lie that they were going to Ghana or Gambia, we have ways of knowing their real destinations and we have put in place mechanism to track them.”


According to him, the operational strategy of the agency goes beyond tracking travelers to terrorism-prone countries, adding that the NIS had strengthened its intelligence and operation departments to address the prevailing security challenges in the country.


Responding to a question that the immigration service was not being carried along by other security agencies in the fight against terrorism, the NIS PRO said that the organisation received intelligence report from other sister security agencies “when necessary.”


While addressing all the State Comptroller-Generals in her office a few weeks ago, the NIS Comptroller-General, Mrs. Rose Uzoma, had warned that the officers would be held accountable for lapses in their areas of jurisdiction.


She urged them to be in synergy with other security agencies to gather intelligence, adding that traditional rulers and commercial motorcycle unions should not be left out of the efforts to secure the country.


“Businessmen in Immigration uniforms must be unmasked and shown their way out of the Service. We cannot condone any officer who regards the Service as a part-time job,” she had warned.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20110926044326

You Are The Love Of My Life - George Benson

New management takes over at FERMA

ENGINEER Gabriel Amuchi led management of Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, FERMA, has assumed office.

The new Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, CEO of FERMA, was formerly the Zonal Director South East.

Other members of the Management team are Engr. Patrick Ikpenwa, Executive Director, Operations, Engr. Garba Mubi, Executive Director Road Maintenance Management Services, Engr. Hassan Mohammed Ibrahim, Executive Director Planning and Engineering Services, Bishop Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, Executive Director Administration and Human Resource Development and Mr. Taiwo Ladipo, Executive Director, Finance and Accounts.

It will be recalled that the Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen, on Monday, 12 September 2011, announced the reconstitution of the Management team of FERMA.

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan recently reconstituted the agency’s Governing Board and Executive Management.

Engineer Ezekiel Olajide Adeniji is to chair the new board of FERMA, while Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Gusau, Air Commodore Indongesit Nkanga (Rtd) Ambassador Jerry Ugokwe Senator U.J. Yohana Mr. Olatunji Shelle Mr. Samuel Gwomna Engineer (Mrs.) Mayen Adetiba, Engineer G.C. Amuchi (Managing Director, FERMA are to serve as members.

Other members of the board include representative of the Federal Ministry of Works, representative of the Federal Ministry of Finance- Member, representative of the Federal Ministry of Transport, representative of the Federal Road Safety Corps and the representative of the National Union of Road Transport Owners Association. Barrister (Mrs.) Stella Anukam (Legal Adviser, FERMA) is to serve as the Secretary.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/09/new-management-takes-over-at-ferma/

[size=13pt]Tenancy law: Lagos tasks tenants to challenge unfair rent hike[/size]

By Monsur Olowoopejo
Lagos State Government has urged sitting tenants whose landlords unreasonably increase their rents after the expiration of their advance payment to seek redress in the law court.

Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye, gave the advice at a one-day day sensitisation programme held, last week, in Ikeja for stakeholders on the essence and workability of the new tenancy law.

According to him: “The right was provided for in the new law to check landlords who use   arbitrary rent increases to unlawfully eject sitting tenants who in most cases could not afford such increases.”

The tenancy law bans landlords from collecting advanced rents in excess of one year in respect of new tenants and six months for sitting tenants. It prescribes N100, 000 fine or three months for violators which also include tenants who offer to pay more than what is prescribed by the law.

“We are aware that some landlords deliberately increase rents after the expiration of their initial contracts with their tenants as a way of ejecting them and get new tenants who would pay them in advance. Most times, these increases are as high as 100 percent or more.

The government   believes this is exploitative and so we made a provision in the new tenancy law giving tenants   the power to challenge such unreasonable increases in court.

The courts would now determine whether such increases are right based on some considerations and if not justified, the landlords would be asked to review such downwards,” he said.

Ipaye further noted that the state has, in the alternative, established mediation centres across the state to intervene in conflicts arising from rent increases with a view to achieving amicable settlements.

On why the state exempted some highbrow areas in some aspects of the law, the commissioner said the government based the exemption on the peculiarities of the areas as well the status of tenants. The government had said the ban on advance payment of rents in excess of one year did not apply in Victoria Island, Ikoyi, Ikeja GRA and Apapa.

“Most of the tenants in these areas are companies who as a matter of convenience prefer to pay in advance, sometimes ten years. We don’t want to discourage them and we don’t want to discourage investments in real estate in those areas,” he said.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/09/tenancy-law-lagos-tasks-tenants-to-challenge-unfair-rent-hike/

[size=13pt]Edo Assembly moves to stop FRSC’s collection of licence fees[/size]

By Gabriel Enogholase
BENIN—A motion directing the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, to stop the collection of driver’s licence fees as it is a tax/rate to be collected by state governments in the country is expected to come up today before the Edo State House of Assembly.

Sponsors of the motion, Mr. Momoh Abdul-Razaq (Estako West II), Shaibu Philip (Estako-West II), Oghuma Johnson Egwakhide (Estako Central), among others, said the state was being denied N650 million annually from the over 100,000 drivers’ licences and vehicle plate numbers issued in the state.

According to them, the Taxes and Levies (approved list for collection) Act No 21 of 1998, Part II, expressly stated that road taxes and other taxes incidental to it shall be collected by state governments.

The sponsors of the motion said that before the advent of the FRSC, motor licence, driver licence and other incidental road taxes and rates where collected by the various regional and state governments. They added that this position was not changed by either the Taxes and Levies Act, or the Joint Tax Board.

Insisting that whereas the creation of the FRSC was to provide uniform licenses and plate numbers in the country, they lamented that the FRSC had inadverten-tly usurped the rights of the state governments to collect the revenue accruing from there.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/09/edo-assembly-moves-to-stop-frscs-collection-of-licence-fees/

Nigeria reiterates support for Palestinian statehood bid


United Nations – Foreign Minister Olugbenga Ashiru has reiterated Nigeria’s decision to support Palestinians’ bid for UN membership as a sovereign state.

Ashiru told Nigeria journalists covering the ongoing UN General Assembly in New York that Nigeria preferred “a solution whereby two states, Palestine and Israel, will live peacefully side-by-side’’.

“It has always been the consistent policy of the government of Nigeria that we prefer a peaceful solution to the problem in the Middle East. We prefer a solution whereby two states -  Palestine and Israel – will live peacefully side-by-side.”
He said Nigeria recognised the state of Palestine since 1984 and that its ambassador had been resident in the country since then.

“In fact there was a time when the ambassador, for 15 years, was the Dean of the diplomatic corps in Nigeria.

“Our stand and policy is very clear and there is no change in our position,

“Nigeria seems to be the beautiful bride sought after by the two groups and other countries trying to find out how Nigeria will vote,’’ said the minister of Jonathan’s separate meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak

“But in all the meetings, we maintained our consistent position that we want to see a two-state solution to the problem in the Middle East where the State of Palestine and the State of Israel will live in peace side by side.

“We told all the groups that came – some to the president and some to me – that our policy has remained the same. We want a two-state solution and Nigeria will, as before, maintain a pattern of voting since the issue has been before the Security Council.

“It is very simple; we support the people of Palestine to have a state of their own.”

NAN reports that Nigeria has traditionally maintained close relations with the Palestinians as well as good ties with Israel, particularly in the area of security, trade and Christian pilgrimage.

Each year, thousands of Nigerians flood to Israel for Christian pilgrimage.

On Friday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas asked the UN to recognise a state for his people, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said only direct negotiations could deliver peace in the area.

Abbas handed UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon a letter requesting full UN membership, which the 15-member Security Council said it would discuss on Monday.

The U. S. has vowed to use its veto power if it comes to voting.

Under the UN process for approving statehood, aspiring members submit applications to the UN Secretary-General, who is then required to send the application to the UN Security Council.

The UN Charter states that the admission of any state to membership will be effected by a decision of the General Assembly upon recommendation by the Security Council.

The Security Council recommendation is made by a resolution subject to a veto.

For the request to be granted Palestinians must garner nine Security Council votes and avoid being vetoed by one of the five permanent members. (NAN)

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/09/nigeria-reiterates-support-for-palestinian-statehood-bid/

Visa: Fingerprinting causes fall in requests


The introduction of fingerprinting for people in Nigeria who wanted visas to come to Ireland has resulted in a significant decrease in the number of applications.

From 2006 to 2008, the number of visa applications in Nigeria rose from 4,000 to 11,000, a rate of increase far in excess of what was being experienced elsewhere, according to the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General in Ireland.

A six-month pilot project was introduced in March 2010 that involved the introduction of two new steps in the Irish visa process.

Fingerprints were taken of applicants for Irish visas and the visa holders’ fingerprints were then checked when they arrived at Dublin airport.

The fingerprints taken in Nigeria were compared against data in Afis, a new automated fingerprint identification system that has been introduced for the use of the Garda and the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service.

The results of scanning the prints into the system were returned to the visa office of the Irish Embassy in Nigeria within 24 hours so they could be used as part of the visa-assessment process.

The pilot scheme coincided with a significant drop in the number of Nigerians seeking Irish visas, according to the report. A reduction in the number of asylum applications from Nigerian nationals was also identified as was the detection of a number of individuals seeking to re-enter Ireland who had already been deported.

No decision has been taken on the system’s future deployment.

The scanners can store images with a resolution of up to 1,000 dots to the inch. However, because of an industrial relations dispute at the Garda National Immigration Bureau offices in Dublin, the machines there are not being used.

Bombings: FG plans low-key independence celebration

Following the spate of bombings that has rocked the nation’s capital, Abuja, and the precarious security situation in the country, preparations for the October 1 Independence Day celebrations have been put ‘on hold’ for now.

SUNDAYPUNCH gathered that this year’s would be low-profile celebration as the government was wary of bomb attacks by the fundamentalist Boko Haram sect, which had been waging a relentless war against the FG.

The Assistant Director, Press, to the Minister of Interior, Theodore Jackson, confirmed the development, saying the preparations for the Independence Day celebrations had been put on hold.

According to him, the programme of events, which is usually released few weeks to the celebration day, has not been issued.

He said, “What I can say is that the preparations for the celebration have been put on hold for now. The government has not issued the programme of events, but from what I gathered, the event would be very low-key.”

Our correspondent’s attempts to reach the minister were not successful as he could not be reached on his phone for full disclosure on government plans for the October 1 celebration.

SUNDAY PUNCH further gathered that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had yet to issue invitation letters to Foreign Embassies for this year’s Independence Day celebration; a sign that it would be devoid of the usual pomp and pageantry.

Confirming this, Mr Wale Adebajo of the Communication Section of the British High Commission in response to SUNDAY PUNCH’s inquiry said, “We are yet to receive an official invite to the Independence Day events. We will be honoured to attend and trust that the Nigerian security will be adequately in place.”

His counterpart at the United States Embassy, Mr. Sani Mohammed, in response to whether an invite had been sent to them by the FG said, “I think this question should be directed to Nigerian authorities.”

It was not clear as at the time of filing this report whether or not there will be the traditional military parade often associated with such events.

Attempts to get official comments from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with regard to the invitation were unsuccessful as the Foreign Affairs Minister, Amb. Olugbenga Ashiru, led a delegation of ministry staff to accompany President Goodluck Jonathan to the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Calls to the mobile phone of the spokesperson for the ministry, Mr. Damien Agu, did not go through; text messages to the same number went unanswered.

However, a member of staff of the ministry, who declined to give his name said, “It is the office of the minister that handles such issues. If there is going to be an event of this magnitude that will involve foreign dignitaries, the minister issues a directive for us to prepare and send out invitation letters but as we speak, no such directive has been given.”

The member of staff however said, “It is not late, October 1 is still over a week from now, there is still time.”

It would be recalled that last year, many foreign dignitaries accepted invitations to attend Nigeria’s 50th Independence anniversary celebrations but backed out barely 24 hours to the event.

Their decision was informed by bomb threats which turned out to be true.

The statement allegedly issued by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta read, “With due respect to all invited guests, dignitaries and attendees of the 50th independence anniversary of Nigeria being held today, Friday, October 1, 2010 at the Eagle Square Abuja, the MEND is asking everyone to begin immediate evacuation of the entire area within the next 30 minutes. This warning expires after 10:30 hours,

“Several explosive devices have been successfully planted in and around the venue by our operatives working inside the government security services.

“In evacuating the area, keep a safe distance from vehicles and trash bins. There is nothing worth celebrating after 50 years of failure.

“For 50 years, the people of the Niger Delta have had their land and resources stolen from them. The constitution before independence which offered resource control was mutilated by illegal military governments and this injustice is yet to be addressed.”

Although a number of diplomats who came into the country for the event were ferried from the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, an unspecified number remained behind in their rooms.

A Canadian diplomat who is ending his term of duty said, “I was at Eagle Square (venue of the parade) when the bombs went off but did not know anything was wrong until I received a text message.”

He explained that while some of them decided to ignore the threats, others decided it was credible enough for them to steer clear of the venue.

Despite the seeming unpreparedness of the FG as October 1 approaches, security agencies in the country are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that it is not marred by any incident of bombings and the killing of innocent Nigerians.

The Police Force Public Relations Officer, Shola Amore, said the police would not disclose their plans. He said, “Security strategies are not discussed on the pages of newspapers but we have taken good care of the security that would be needed on that day.”

SUNDAY PUNCH investigations reveal that operatives of the State Security Service have commenced holistic preparations.

It was gathered that security operatives have also taken over all the high rise buildings in and around the Eagle Square to ensure that the country was not embarrassed by terrorist organisations affiliated to the Boko Haram sect.

The source dismissed insinuations that foreign delegates, ambassadors and high commissioners might be wary of attending the event because of the security situation in the country.

It was further gathered that the October 1, 2011 anniversary would be marked by an unprecedented deployment of security personnel.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art2011092552178

Nigerian emigrants stranded near Libyan borders

Hundreds of migrants, including Nigerians, are reportedly stranded around the Libyan borders for fear of violation, arbitrary arrests, detention and beating by rebels.

These migrants were said to have made makeshift camps in the outskirts of Tripoli, the Libyan capital, since the uprising to overthrow the nation’s dictator, Muammar Gaddafi, spread to the city in August.

An online news agency, irinnews.org, said the migrants included Nigerians, Chadians, Sudanese, Senegalese and Malians.

One of such camps was said to be in Sidi Bilal, 35 kilometres west of the capital, where the migrants have been taking shelter in abandoned boats and hanging blankets from the hulls to create makeshift walls.

The rebels, who ousted Gaddafi’s 42-year rule, had accused the embattled leader of using black African mercenaries to fight back. Since then, the rebels were said to have “arbitrarily arrested, robbed and beaten hundreds of migrants, while many migrants have had their money, mobile phones and passports taken.”

The agency reported, “When armed rebels came to the area, the migrants retreated to their improvised homes. They fear violation or more arrests. One migrant said the armed men beat the hell out of them.

“This is just one of several camps made up of migrants, who do not have the means to go back home, despite a hostile environment here. Some of those who are able to return have faced their own difficulties in their home countries.

“Others are still trying to get out of Libya, in what the International Organization for Migration still considers an emergency situation.”

Despite the evacuation of thousands of the migrants from Libya, IOM is still trying to reach vulnerable communities in areas like Sebha, 650 kilometres south-west of Tripoli, which had remained under the control of Gaddafi’s loyalists.

IOM Chief of Mission for Chad, Quasim Sufi, was quoted to have said in a communiqué that “Chadians, Nigeriens, Nigerians and others have sought protection at the IOM centre in Sebha, but with no electricity, fuel, and little food or water, the situation is becoming increasingly difficult. The migrants are very scared and threatened.”

The Libyan National Transition Committee and its supporters have persistently maintained that the immigrants played a leading role in checking the rebel advance, and providing Gaddafi with a last line of defence.

Illegal migrants heading for Southern Europe, notably Italy and Spain, had taken Libya as a stop-over point, but later turned the country into a destination especially those seeking job opportunities in a fast-expanding economy.

The majority of them, notably Nigerians, took up mainly unskilled jobs.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20110925534714

[size=13pt]Federation Cup final: Enyimba, Heartland in Oriental classic[/size]

By John Egbokhan

The Teslim Balogun Stadium will be literally rocked to its foundation today when Enyimba confront Heartland in the final of the Federation Cup.

Dubbed the ‘Ultimate Oriental Battle’ by football fans, today’s high-profile match, which is billed to start at 4pm, sees two rival teams from the eastern part of Nigeria, coming against each other, to determine who become the champions of the oldest soccer competition in the country.

In its 66th edition this year, the competition, which has changed from the All Nigeria Governor’s Cup to the Challenge Cup, then to the Coca Cola FA Cup and now to the Federation Cup, might have lost some of its rich value over the years, still ranks as one of the most sought after trophies in the football calendar season.

Interestingly, one of today’s finalists, Enyimba have emerged as the most successful club since the competition was renamed Federation Cup in 2009 and would be hoping to win it again this year.

Their coach, Okey Emordi, who was in charge when they won their first Cup title in 2005, said last night that they were good for the title but added that they were going to face a stern test from their eternal rivals from the Owerri, Heartland.

“We are good for the Cup but it is going to come at a cost because we are facing a team who do not like losing to us. They are our brothers but also our rivals and in such a situation, you find out that things are bound to be very tough”, said Emordi.

Emordi, in his quest for victory, will hope his strikers, find their ranges in today’s explosive finale. He will be counting on the likes of David Tyavkase, who is their most experienced and most decorated player, Junior Osagie, another essential forward, in the star-littered Enyimba team and Uche Kalu, who has become one of the most influential players in the Aba-based side.

For Heartland, the chance to play in the final of the Fed Cup, has presented them another opportunity to  seal a place to play in next season’s CAF Confederation Cup. This fact is not lost on their Dutch Coach,  Lodewijk de Kruif, who however said that he was not under pressure going into today’s classic final against Enyimba.

“Of course, we came here to collect the cup otherwise it is no use coming over here. It is one game; it is a long road coming here. We did well in those roads, I tell you the beginning was difficult but after several games, the Federation Cup was becoming more important for us than anything else in the world because in the league it was a bit disappointing.

“When I came in the team was 13th on the log but we are 10th on the table now, so in the very early stage we already knew it was not possible for us to collect a continental ticket in the league. So we have to focus on the Federation Cup.

“I am not under any pressure; the pressure is playing good football. When we play good football we have a big chance to win the cup. There is no pressure for me, the only thing we do is to focus on the game, focus on the players and prepare them as well as we can for Sunday’s match”, added Coach de Kruif.

The likes of Super Eagles’ Chibuzor Okonkwo, Bassey Akpam, Daniel Akpeyi, Chinedu Efugh, Obinna Nwachukwu , Chibuzor Ozurumba and Batholomew Ibenegbu are the players who Coach Kruif will be banking on to win today’s match.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/09/federation-cup-final-enyimba-heartland-in-oriental-classic/

[size=13pt]70 per cent of Nigerians are illiterates -VC[/size]

The Vice-Chancel lor of the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Professor Isaac Adewole, has painted a gloomy picture of education in the country, saying that about 70 per cent of the population are illiterates in a time most countries in the world have been rolling back the frontiers of ignorance.

Professor Adewole stated this at the weekend in an opening remark as the chairman of a Read Dinner and Award night in commemoration of the 2011 World Literacy Day held at the banquet Hall of the Premier Hotel, Ibadan.

He said the country, rather than arrest the drift towards poverty of knowledge, was already preparing grounds for future illiterates with about eight million Nigerian children out of school.

The vice-chancellor, who was represented at the occasion by Professor Clement Kolawole, said that education data survey of Nigerians between the age of 19 and 50 showed that only 20 per cent of males in the category could read and write, while 70 per cent could not, whereas about 50 per cent of females in the same category were literate.

He attributed the development to lack of attention to the education sector, adding that the situation would become gloomier unless conscious efforts were made to promote reading culture, as well as explore the use of indigenous languages as languages of instruction in schools in the country.

http://tribune.com.ng/sun/news/5168-70-per-cent-of-nigerians-are-illiterates-vc

[size=13pt]Jonathan happy with outcome of Amnesty Programme[/size]

, vows to stamp out insecurity

President Goodluck Jonathan has attributed the buoyancy of the Nigerian economy to the relative success of the Amnesty Programme for repentant restive youths of the Niger Delta region. He said　oil production now stands between 2.6 million-2.8 million barrels per day. Jonathan spoke yesterday in Cross Rivers State during the last batch graduation ceremony at the Amnesty Camp in Obubra.

He said the Disarmanent and Demobilisation of the first phase of the Presidential Amnesty programme has closed. On the effectiveness of the Amnesty initiative, Jonathan noted that in 2008 alone, the nation lost N3 trillion at the peak of the activities of the Niger Delta ex-combatants. Represented by the Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs , Hajia Maina Ibrahim-Kuchi, he stated that the current high oil production was a testimony of the success of the amnesty programme.

He said: "It got to a point where Nigeria’s export dwindled to as low as 800, 000 bpd, compared with a targeted 2.2 million bpd for the first quarter of 2009. "In 2008 alone, it was estimated that Nigeria lost over N3 trillion as a result of militancy in the Niger Delta". He expressed his administration’s determination to restore security of lives and property across the country, saying peace is necessary for development.

"This government is determined and poised to stamp out insecurity in all parts of the country. "It is when we live in peace as a united nation that we can feed our teaming people, tackle unemployment and confront head-on infrastructural challenges. "We shall not relent until every part of Nigeria is rid of restiveness and other challenges of insecurity," he said.

4, 149 ex- militants trained at Obubra have been placed in skill acquisition centres and formal education in Nigeria and offshore by the Amnesty Office. 20, 192 ex-militants have so far undergone the disarmament and demobilisation training and being re-integrated into civil society. Another 6, 616 that have disarmed are waiting undergoing non-violence training in Obubra in the second phase of the amnesty programme.

The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Chief Executive Officer of the Amnesty Programme, Hon. Kingsley Kuku, urged the ex-combatants to remain peaceful and hard working to make the most use of the opportunity provided them by the programme. He also charged the international community to support the programme by granting visas to the ex-militants for overseas training and studies.

http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/20810-jonathan-happy-with-outcome-of-amnesty-programme.html

[size=13pt]EFCC has reduced advance fee fraud, Jonathan tells foreign investors[/size]

President Goodluck Jonathan has assured foreign investors of the safety of their investments.He hinged his assurance on the fact that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has reduced advance fee fraud and financial crimes to the barest minimum. Also, the Chairman of the EFCC, Mrs. Farida Waziri, said the agency has recovered over $9 billion in the last three years.

Jonathan gave the assurance at the just-concluded Nigeria Investment Summit and Exhibition in New York. The summit, which was one of the sideline activities of the 66th United Nations General Assembly, was organized by the African Business Roundtable in conjunction with Nigeria’s Mission in the UN.

A statement by the Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Femi Babafemi, quoted the President as assuring foreign investors of having nothing to fear about the possibility of losing their investments to advance fee fraud or any of the other related economic crimes in the country. Jonathan said: "Our investors can rest assured that their investments are safe in Nigeria and fraudsters pose no threat again because the EFCC has almost eradicated the problem of advance fee fraud in our country.

"A lot of people are impatient over some of these cases in court but not many of them understand that these things take time and that when EFCC files charges in court, it has done its bit and more than 50 per cent is in the hands of the judiciary. He told the gathering, made up of American, Asian, and European investors as well as Nigerians in the Diaspora, that the "activities of the anti-graft agency have been largely based on the rule of law resulting in reduction of the culture of impunity."

In her presentation at the Summit where former British Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair presented the keynote paper, the EFCC Chairman, Mrs Farida Waziri, said apart from ensuring that anyone, no matter how highly placed who violates Nigerian laws were investigated and made to face charges in court, many investors have been saved from losing billions of dollars to fraudsters through a preventive measure codenamed Transactions Clearing Platform, TCP among others.

She said: "The supply side of corruption (the givers) has a big role to play in dismantling the safe havens that provide facilities for laundering the proceeds of crime in their financial institutions. The damning 2010 report by the London based Global Witness chronicled how British Banks (HSBC, RBS, NATWEST and USB) facilitated corruption in Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea. The international investment community must therefore stand up against this."

Others who spoke at the colourful and well-attended Summit under the theme "Nigeria in the Global Economic System: Taking Nigeria to the World and Bringing the World to Nigeria", include Mr. Blair, Mrs. Waziri, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur (President,ABR), Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke (Petroleum Minister). Others are Prof Bart Nnaji (Energy Minister), Olugbenga Ashiru (Foreign Affairs Minister), Prof Joy Ogwu, Frank Nweke Jnr., among others.


http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/20799-efcc-has-reduced-advance-fee-fraud-jonathan-tells-foreign-investors.html

[size=13pt]Boko Haram: Northern leaders are hypocrites, says Niger Governor[/size]

THE Chairman of the Northern Governors' Forum, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu yesterday challenged leaders of the region to stand up and be counted in the battle against the menace of Boko Haram. In a down to earth speech he delivered at a meeting of the Northern Traditional Rulers Council held in Kaduna he berated leaders of the region for dragging their feet on the threat that Boko Haram has become to the region and the country in general.

"We cannot drag our feet any longer. We can't continue to double-speak in our handling of the issues, saying one thing in the open and acting differently in private. We must categorically say no to the recurring wave of bombing, terrorism and crime in our communities." Aliyu said.The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Sa’ad who also spoke at the meeting condemned the spate of violence that across the region has led to the death of many.

Dr. Aliyu said that the North could not afford to fall into another crisis before taking necessary measures to safeguard the integrity and future of the region. The North, the governor stated, must collectively and categorically say no to the recurring wave of bombings, terrorism and crime in the region. According to him, the North must go beyond current efforts to address the underlying causes of these violence and take practical steps to "cure the disease and to move forward," adding that "to secure our future and forestall violence, crisis and conflicts, we must create the space and opportunities for people to realize their full potentials and aspirations".

Dr. Aliyu noted that Nigerians must decide whether they "are serious about lasting peace or merely paying lip service to it while some of us continue to remain in our comfort zones as our society is overtaken by violence, crime and extremism. "There is no doubt that as traditional and political leaders, we have a great opportunity to make the much needed difference. But we must remember that opportunity come with responsibility. We really need to properly define lasting peace – could it be merely bringing about an end to violence and conflicts in our communities and the nation or doing more?"

The governor added: "we have a responsibility to act decisively to conquer poverty, illiteracy, ignorance, diseases and extremism of all forms before we can genuinely hope to achieve desirable lasting peace and stability. "We must categorically say no to the recurring wave of bombing, terrorism and crime in our communities. But our responsibility does not end there. We need to go beyond that to address the underlying causes of these symptoms, to take practical steps to cure the diseases and to move forward. To secure our future and forestall violence, crisis and conflicts, we must create the space and opportunities for people to realize their potentials and aspirations.

"We need to do a lot at different levels to change the perception of the North as the bastion of violence, poverty and religious extremism. As traditional rulers, you can do a lot to assist the development process in the society by involving yourselves in matters that affect the socio-economic well being of the people". According to him, "as elites we have to take full responsibility for what is happening in the nation. we need to unite to protect the interest of those not so privileged, rather than remain fragmented in pursuit of narrow selfish interests, otherwise we will lose all.

"We must have the character to call a spade a spade, to condemn the unfortunate incidents on the Plateau, in Borno and Bauchi States as well as other parts of the Northern states and the nation in general. "We must be prepared to pay any price to achieve this goal because we cannot expect any tangible development and economic growth as a nation in the present atmosphere that we have found ourselves. "We should, therefore, be concerned about the rising incidence of religious ignorance and extremism in our communities, we should take deliberate steps to neutralize any suspicious religious groups with traits of intolerance and extremism."

He contended that "as prominent leaders, we should be decisive and courageous in tackling our socio-political problems as soon as they arise, to forestall their escalation and degeneration beyond control." In his address, the Sultan Abubakar Sa’ad lamented the lives that have been lost to series of violence in the north, pointing out that the nation’s politics and political processes should never be allowed to succumb to unfortunate outcome as witnessed during the last election.

The Sultan noted that "at this stage of our national development, we must be able to evolve institutions that should bring harmony and understanding among our people and to build consensus on those fundamental issues that affect our collective existence". He noted that the sustenance of peace and harmony within the respective communities depends upon the ability and the willingness of elected leaders to discharge effectively their responsibilities to those who elected them, adding that poverty has become a constant companion to a significant percentage of the population.

He noted that "I believe the time has come for us all to renew our determination as a people, as a region and as a nation, to resolve these crises. We must work together to ensure that peace, security and religious harmony return to every nook and corner of Northern Nigeria. "The rising spectre of youth unemployment is a stark reality that we cannot run away from… we need to address these issues seriously and concertedly at all levels of governance and we should do so with all the urgency that it deserves.

"We must say the truth and stand by it at all times. As religious and traditional rulers, this is the basis of our moral authority and the essence of our leadership. We must remain politically non-partisan, regardless of the enormity of the pressure for us to act otherwise". The Kaduna State Governor, Ibrahim Yakowa who was the host, noted that the meeting provided the opportunity for the Northern traditional rulers to review issues affecting the North and the country, particularly on matters of peace, security, stability and socio-economic progress and development.

"I salute your tireless determination and efforts in collaborating with one another toward finding a lasting solution to the frequent ethno-religious and political disturbances, as well as general insecurity in our region and the nation in general. We must never give up until we restore our region to the status of its glorious past where we had unity in diversity and focused plans for meaningful development," he said.

Four Governors, Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Umar Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa), the host, Yakowa, and Aliyu as well as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, attended the meeting.

http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/20800-boko-haram-northern-leaders-are-hypocrites-says-niger-governor.html

[size=13pt]Police discover terrorist training camp in Bauchi[/size]

Men of the Bauchi State Police command have raided a terrorist training camp in the Toro Local Government Area of the state, arresting 10 men and recovering arms and ammunition


The leader of the camp was in the process of recruiting another 35 people for training before the camp was invaded by the police.


Toro is less than 30 kilometres from Jos, which has witnessed serial killings in the last two months.


The police said the suspects were undergoing training at the camp, saying it recovered five camouflage military uniforms, 70 rounds of 7.62mm AK47 live ammunition, 44 rounds of live cartridges, four pump action guns, one military jungle hat, four machetes in bayonet-like form, and a box containing assorted charms.


The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, who described the invasion and arrest as a ‘breakthrough,’ said Toro appeared to have become a training ground for terrorist activities.


He expressed worry at the recoveries, especially that of the military uniform and high velocity military arms and ammunition.


Aduba said, “Since my posting, this is the first time I am seeing such. They have refused to name their sponsors, but investigations will unravel those behind the camp.”


The Police Public Relations Officer, Mohammed Barau, said the suspects would be taken to Dikwa in Kaduna state for further investigations because they confessed that they were supposed to go on a reprisal attack following the killings of some Fulani people in the area.


The PPRO gave their names as Buba Yayi, Sule Saleh, Lawalle Abdulkadir, Abdulkadir Saleh, Musa, Abubakar alias Musa duna, Alhaji Abubakar Mohammed (leader), Adamu Jagaba, Seidu Saleh, and Risku Usman


Barau said, “We arrested them in a village called Gumau in Toro. The first thing we did was to screen them based on the suspicion of conspiracy, unlawful possession of offensive weapons, firearms, live ammunition and pump action cartridges — all lethal weapons.


“As investigation progressed, it became obvious that they were no mere criminals, but terrorists.


The fact became obvious when from the confessional statement of three of them, they said that they were recruited by one Alhaji Abubakar Mohammed, who is their leader.


He quartered them and they have commenced training in the use of fire arms and tactful defence.


“They were to be trained in weapon handling. It was obvious from their statement that after the training, their mission would be to avenge the death of their Fulani brothers and sisters that lost their lives in Kaduna riots. To be more specific, they were planning an attack on Zamkwa community in Zangon Kataf in Southern Kaduna.”


Barau said five of the suspects were arrested around 7am on September 15, after an attack on the village of Fuska Mata in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State. Fuska Matta is a border village between Jos and Toro in Bauchi.


He added, “More importantly the group is being investigated for their possible involvement in the attack on the village of Fuska Matta which was attacked by Fulani on September 9 at 9pm. It was these five that took us to the house where the remaining five were arrested.”


He said that the suspects were being trained with one AK47 rifle and one pump action.


The CP added that the police would not leave any stone unturned in a bid to unmask the sponsors of the group but that his greatest headache was the internally-displaced persons who migrated from Maiduguri and Jos to Bauchi.


He said, “Most of them are not employable. However, our 24-hour patrol is on and we are making efforts to contain these hoodlums.”

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20110925553839