ABUJA – President Muhammadu Buhari has sworn in the
new service chiefs.
Performing the ceremony at the presidential Villa, Abuja, the
president charged them to brace up against Boko Haram
insurgency, armed robbery and militancy.
“I want to reiterate that your appointments and subsequent
elevation to these ranks are based on your pedigree as first
class senior officers who identify sterling leadership
qualities. Therefore I have no doubt in my mind that all of
you are equal to the task ahead of you. You must acquaint
yourselves and justify the honour done to you.
File: From left, Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Sadiq
Baba Abubakar; Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete
Ekwe Ibas; Chief of Army Staff, Major General Tukur Burutai
and Chief of Defence Staff, Major-General Abayomi Gabriel
during Service Chiefs confirmation meeting with Ad-Hoc
Committee on Screening of the Service Chiefs of the Senate,
at the National Assembly, Abuja. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.
“You are all aware of the various security challenges facing
our nation. These challenges include the activities of Boko
Haram terrorists, armed banditry, kidnapping, militancy of
various forms to mention a few”, the president said.
It will be recalled that the president on July 13 appointed the
service chiefs including a new National Security Adviser,
NSA.
They Major-General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin (Chief of
Defence Staff); Major-General T.Y. Buratai (Chief of Army
Staff), Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Chief of Naval
Staff) and Air Vice-Marshal Sadique Abubakar (Chief of Air
Staff), Air Vice Marshal Monday Riku Morgan (Chief of
Defence Intelligence) and retired Major-General Babagana
Monguno (National Security Adviser)
Details coming later

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/08/breaking-new-buhari-swears-in-new-service-chiefs/

By Simon Ebegbulem
BENIN CITY—Governor Adams Oshiomhole has said that he
was ready to face the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the
2016 governorship election, noting that the PDP’s attempt to
play politics with lives of victims of the Boko Haram at the
camp in Edo State will not give them victory in 2016.

Oshiomhole who was reacting to insinuations that his
administration was behind the botched attempt to relocate
the victims and comments made by some PDP leaders who
visited the camp, also warned the media not to spread
falsehood capable of destroying the nation, admonishing all
Nigerians to join hands with President Muhammadu Buhari
to stop the insurgency and insecurity in some parts of the
country.

Speaking after visiting the Internally Displaced Persons
camp in Edo State, he said “I am not a desperate politician, I
earned my votes, I don’t steal votes.
My people love me, I
am not desperate, I don’t need to blackmail somebody to
win votes. I won my votes on merit and I will do my best
any day. I tell people that I am not one of those governors,
who make decisions because election is at the corner, no, I
make decisions when I am convinced.

“And you know when somebody talked about the camp, I
said I will need to know first who is in that camp. I am not
looking for camera opportunity. My conscience is clear.
When I am convinced I take action. So if the PDP wants to
play politics with the lives of the children that is their
business, I will be ready for them in 2016.”


www.vanguardngr.com/2015/08/ill-be-ready-for-pdp-in-2016-oshiomhole-buhari-others-mourn-departed-ooni/

ABUJA -THE House of Representatives Tuesday resolved
that the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank of
Nigeria, CBN, and the National Population Commission, NPC
should appear before the House to brief members on the
real state of the nation’s economy.

The resolution to ascertain the condition of the country’s
economy was contained in a motion sponsored by Rep.
Bede Eke representing Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala Federal
Constituency of Imo State on the platform of the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP.

The House presided over by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara
mandated its Committee on Finance (when constituted) to
invite the Federal Ministry of Finance, CBN, NPC and other
relevant agencies to brief it so as to ascertain the true state of Nigeria’s economy and report back within three weeks.

The need to ascertain the condition of the nation’s economy came on the heels of the statement credited to President Muhammad Buhari that Nigeria was erroneously being regarded as a rich country while indices and parameters ofevaluating a rich country such as economic advancementand improved social services were lacking.
www.vanguardngr.com/2015/08/reps-to-summon-cbn-npc-finance-ministry-on-the-state-of-economy/

OPEC on Tuesday revised upward its growth forecast for
global oil demand in 2015 and maintained projected record
levels of world consumption next year, despite turbulent
market conditions spurred by financial instability in Greece
and China.
In its August monthly report, the Organization of the
Petroleum Exporting Countries said it was expecting world
oil demand to grow by 1.38 million barrels per day — some
90,000 more than announced in its July estimates.
The cartel also stuck to last month’s prognosis that demand
growth in 2016 would reach 1.34 million barrels per day
thanks to global GDP expansion set to reach 3.5 percent, up
from 3.2 percent this year.
“Given the better-than-expected growth in global oil demand
so far this year, together with some signs of a pickup in the
economies of the major consuming countries, crude oil
demand in the coming months should continue to improve
and, thus, gradually reduce the imbalance in oil supply-
demand fundamentals,” OPEC noted in its latest report.
Oil prices collapsed 60 percent between last June and
January, hitting a low of $45. This was due in part to a
supply glut caused by the boom in US shale oil.
But OPEC, which has traditionally defended price levels by
cutting output when necessary, dramatically switched
strategy last November when it opted to leave its production
target unchanged.
OPEC has since stuck to this strategy, keeping its output
target level at 30 million barrels per day.
On Monday, the World Bank warned that the lifting of
sanctions related to Iran’s nuclear programme would have a
“significant impact” on the world oil market in 2016.
Iran’s return to the global market would eventually add
about a million barrels of oil a day, lowering prices by $10
per barrel, the bank said.
Oil markets have also been shaken by China’s reduced
economic growth and collapsing stock market.
As a result of losses “triggered by China’s stock market
slump” and global supply glut, US crude prices posted their
biggest monthly drop since the 2008 financial crisis, with
Texas light sweet declining to $47.12 per barrel on July 31.
Meanwhile, general expectations for Europe’s oil demand
during 2015 have improved since OPEC’s last monthly
report, but remain “coupled with large uncertainties” over
the region’s economic developments, particularly in Greece,
the cartel said.

DaBullIT:
YOU should be banned for poor copy and paste job,

why would you do a writeup without paragraph or spaces?

bros u sure say u no they see double. which other paragraph or space did u need apart from the ones in the story.

THE news trending in the social media about huge sums of
foreign and local currencies being hidden in several
mansions across the country by a former Nigerian leader
gives most right-thinking Nigerians goose pimples. Can it
indeed be true as we have read in various online portals
such as face book, Nairaland and others that the much
sought after hard currencies and Naira amounting to over
one billion dollars are being hidden in various houses
belonging to the wife, relations and concubines of one of
Nigeria’s former leaders?
In most cases, such rumours in Nigeria turn out to be
reality, as we are in a country where “wonders never end”
as they say in ordinary parlance. Every now and then, our
countrymen and women are regaled with news of one
financial malfeasance or the other and one begins to
wonder when we shall extricate ourselves from such
damaging scandals that keep unfolding from time to time.
In the latest stories in the social media, its been reported of
how some posh mansions scattered across different parts
of the country are being stashed with millions of foreign
currencies ranging from the dollar, Euro, pounds sterling,
CFA and Naira. They are being hidden in fortified safes
constructed by major construction firms in Nigeria. The
implication of this is that such safes and their places of
abode will remain impenetrable.
From Lagos to Abuja, Port Harcourt, Yenogoa, the reports
indicate that in several houses in those cities quantum
amounts of foreign currencies “occupy” them rather than
actual human beings. Some of those houses are also
furnished lavishly as a way of concealing the real
“occupants”. This kind of decoy is meant to deceive the
unsuspecting members of the public.
Obviously, what this implies is that the avowed commitment
of the Buhari administration to trace Nigeria’s stolen money
may have injected high level paranoia, fear and trepidation,
that patronising conventional banking system has become a
no go area for corrupt people. As much as this serves the
interest of those that perpetrate this act, it is not by any
means a good omen for our society and financial system
generally, for those in positions of authority to continually
rip the country off, just to serve their pecuniary interests.
This is without doubt the highest betrayal of public trust and
confidence. Irrespective of how demoralising this
monumental sleaze appears, yet it is consoling that the war
against corruption which the present administration has
embarked on is making appreciable impact.
It is only hoped that as the government endeavours to
recover all looted funds that Nigerians will offer them the
requisite support to go the whole hog in sanitising the
system. It is indeed regrettable the heavy toll that many
years of sleaze has taken on our country, and the
consequent hardships and privations associated with it.
Therefore, all hands must be on deck to ensure that as a
nation we don’t relent on the fight to reclaim Nigeria from
the albatross of corruption.
In the latest instance as reported online we find huge sums
of money being frittered away to relations, concubines, wife,
etc. The question is where does the redemption lie? Even
more interesting is that locations where the monies are
hidden are listed. For example, mention was made of Lekki
Phase 1, Ikoyi Victoria Island all in Lagos. Equally
mentioned in the reports are places like Port Harcourt,
Abuja (Maitama and Asokoro), Bayelsa state (Yenogoa and
an unnamed village). If the resources of the country are
frittered away in this manner, obviously we are in for
Armageddon.
All hope is not lost considering that security operatives have
swung into action and Nigerians eagerly await the outcome
of their investigations. The mere fact that two aides of the
former Nigerian leader have stepped forward to spill the
beans, or act as whistleblowers as the social media reports
indicate, goes a long way to show that Nigerians are indeed
sick and tired of a situation where a few revel in opulence
with proceeds of corruption while majority of the citizens
wallow in abject poverty, squalor and want.
There is no period in our nation’s history when war against
corruption has been more desirable than now, considering
the negative effects of the malaise in our national life. The
dilapidated infrastructure, unemployment, poor health care
delivery, drop in educational standards and other ills
bedeviling Nigeria are by-products of corruption.
Many observers have at different occasions attributed lack
of visionary leadership for the propensity by those in
authority to engage in corrupt practices, and this truly is the
case, for visionary leaders usually plan ahead for their
nations. In Nigeria, it seems that people entrusted with
leadership responsibilities consider the interests of their
immediate families as overriding than that of the entire
nation. It is however gratifying that the Buhari
administration has found it necessary to clean the augean
stable by fighting corruption headlong.
Perhaps, this is the reason some former office holders have
resorted to using their homes as “banks” of some sort by
hiding the stolen funds in them. Again, this new approach to
sleaze will do more harm than good to the nation’s
economy, if we consider the inflationary effects on the
economy.
Firstly, it reduces drastically the foreign currencies in
circulation for carrying out legitimate business and secondly
weakens the naira against other world currencies as we
shall now have excess naira chasing few foreign currencies
in circulation.
As patriotic citizens, this ought not to be the approach to
nation-building and development. Sometimes, it raises the
question if Nigerians are different species of human beings
that we do things in ways that befuddle sane people.
From the administration of President Obasanjo, and up this
day Nigeria is still recovering hundreds of millions of dollars
which late Head of State, General Sani Abacha stashed in
foreign banks, yet this did not serve any useful lesson on
our successive leaders, as they continue to loot the nation’s
treasury at will.
By engaging in unbridled corrupt practices, both Nigerians
living and those unborn are subjected to perennial poverty,
misery, want and diseases as the monies that ordinarily
should be used to build the country are stolen and hidden in
unknown places.
If it is indeed true as reported in the social media that over
one billion dollars are hidden in various mansions across
the country by a former Nigerian leader, then government
must intensify efforts to recover the loot, and channel it
towards addressing the huge infrastructural deficits and
other needs of the country.
With the downfall in oil prizes, every kobo must be
accounted for, and the new government can only deliver on
its electoral promises with available resources. Therefore,
all hands must be on deck to give a helping hand in
ensuring that past government officials don’t elope with
their ill-gotten wealth. The day of reckoning is here with us
and everyone, irrespective of status should be called to give
account of his or her stewardship. Nigeria cannot continue
to go on a roller coaster ride in terms of fighting corruption
as it has marred our growth and development as a nation.
By the currency conversion rate today, one billion dollars will
translate into about N220 billion which can be used to
salvage the country.
Mr. Chukwudi Enekwechi, a j ournalist, wrote from Abuja.

www.vanguardngr.com/2015/08/corruptionmoney-now-livein-houses/

The Nigeria Immigration Service said it barred no fewer than
4,916 Nigerians from travelling out of the country between
January and March, 2015.
The Nigerians were suspected to be on their way to join
international terrorist organisations, including the Islamic
State of Syria and Iraq and the Taliban, sources within the
NIS confided in our correspondent.
The NIS also said that 758 Nigerians were refused entry
abroad while 1, 368 others were deported within the period.
Also, it said 12,152 foreigners were refused entry into
Nigeria because they had no genuine reasons for visiting the
country.
For the whole of 2014, the NIS prevented 18,555 Nigerians
from leaving the country, according to passenger movement
returns obtained from the service.
Two Nigerian youths suspected to be on their way to Iraq to
join the ISIS were arrested by the Indian security service last
week after scaling a barbed wire fence near the
international border.
The two youths from Kano State, identified as Imran Kabeer
and Sani Jamiliu, were being detained by the Punjab Police
in India.
The NIS Public Relations Officer, Emeka Obua, in an
interview on Monday said the organisation had intensified
profiling of travellers as part of measures to check people
going abroad to do things that are inimical to themselves
and the image of the country.
When asked why the NIS was not able to stop the two
Nigerian youths arrested in India, Obua explained that in
spite of the efforts of the service, many individuals still
managed to escape.
He said, “Before the advent of ISIS, the NIS had been
battling with illegal migration, organised or otherwise. The
push and pull factors have always been there and the NIS
has fashioned a robust profiling mechanism that identifies
those whose intent for going abroad is either inimical to
themselves or the image of the country.
“The NIS has always tried to stop young Nigerians travelling
for doubtful reasons. It’s easy to know when you see their
young age; many of them are sponsored but many escape
the immigration dragnet and our expansive and extensive
borders are not helping matters and the NIS didn’t have
enough personnel to man all the borders.”
Obua clarified that many young people were being recruited
by the ISIS through the internet and social media, stressing
that terrorism had become a global challenge for security
agencies.
When asked to explain the nature of the profiling been
carried out on intending travellers, the NIS spokesman said
that it involved thorough interrogation of the subject on his
age, travelling plans, means of income, reasons for
travelling and his sponsors.
He said, “We look at the age bracket of the intending
travellers and the persons they are travelling with, put them
by the side and profiled them thoroughly. What are their
intentions for going abroad? Where are they going? Who are
they going to meet? How much do they have on them? Are
they staying in a hotel?
“In the course of this profiling, you would find out the truth.”
When contacted on the fate of the two Nigerians in detention
in India, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ spokesman, Ogbole
Ahmedu-Ode, said he was in a meeting and asked to be
given some time. He later refused to pick subsequent calls
to his phone by our correspondent.
Meanwhile, the Borno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim
Shettima, on Monday described the Nigerian violent Islamic
sect, Boko Haram, as an offspring of the pretentious nature
of many Nigerians to issues of religion and godliness.
Shettima, whose Borno serves as the operating
headquarters of the insurgents, lamented that many
Nigerians were “God in mouth but devil in heart,” which
explains why the nation has been bedevilled by the Boko
Haram crisis.
He said the philosophy of Boko Haram was strange to the
Islamic religion.
Addressing the leader of Borno State delegation to the 2015
holy pilgrimage in Jerusalem at the Government House in
Maiduguri, Shettima said if Nigerians had practised their
religions according to their dictates, the nation would not be
witnessing the ongoing Boko Haram crisis.
http://www.punchng.com./2015/08/terrorism-nis-ban-4916-from-travelling-abroad.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday ordered all ministries, agencies and departments of government to stop forthwith the operation of multiple bank accounts for the purpose of keeping revenues and incomes. The Presidential order affects the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency. Also on the list are the Security and Exchange Commission, the Corporate Affairs Commission, the Nigerian Ports Authority, the Federal Inland Revenue Service, the Department of Petroleum Resources and the National Civil Aviation Authority, among others. All the agencies must henceforth maintain a Treasury Single Account, domiciled with the CBN for revenues and other receipts. The new directive was contained in a statement made available to journalists by the Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande, on Sunday. Akande explained that the directive was meant to promote transparency and facilitate compliance with Sections 80 and 162 of the 1999 Constitution. “Henceforth, all receipts due to the Federal Government or any of its agencies must be paid into TSA or designated accounts maintained and operated in the Central Bank of Nigeria, except otherwise expressly approved,” the statement said. It explained that the presidential directive would end the previous public accounting situation of several fragmented accounts for government revenues, incomes and receipts. He said the existing system had led to loss of legitimate income meant for the Federation Account, and that the directive applied to fully-funded organs of government like ministries, departments, agencies and foreign missions, as well as the partially-funded ones, including teaching hospitals, medical centres and federal tertiary institutions. “For any agency that is fully or partially self-funding, sub- accounts linked to TSA are to be maintained at CBN and the accounting system will be configured to allow them access to funds based on their approved budgetary provisions,” the statement explained. A TSA, according to Akande, is a unified structure of government bank accounts, enabling consolidation and optimal utilisation of government cash resources. He said the system would allow the government to transact all its receipts and payments and get a consolidated view of its cash position at any given time. Buhari had during the inaugural meeting of the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo-led National Economic Council, on June 29, promised state governors that all revenues prescribed for lodgement into the Federation Account would be treated as such under his watch. He had also promised to ensure strict compliance with all relevant laws on accounting, allocation and disbursement. Meanwhile, the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission on Sunday said the mining sector had contributed over N2bn to the federation account. The Chairman, RMAFC, Elias Mbam, according to a statement, said this during a meeting with the executive officers of the Miners Association of Nigeria, led by the association’s president, Sani Shehu. Mbam, in the statement issued by the commission, was also said to have unveiled plans to collaborate with the miners association in order to enhance the revenue generation potential of the sector. The statement read in part, “The chairman commended the executives and members of the association for their sustained interest in the growth and development of the solid minerals sector in spite of the enormous challenges, promising to partner the association in its quest to diversify the economy, especially in the face of dwindling oil revenue. “In this regard, he disclosed that the commission has supported the development of the sector through the Natural Resources Fund domiciled in the CBN. “Mbam stressed that the Sector has contributed over N2bn into the Federation Account.”

men are just funny. I just saw this on a page of vanguard newspaper and decided to share so that we can all enjoy the fun filled weekend. Drop your comments as u look at the pics.

By Vincent Ujumadu Awka—TWO persons were beheaded at Eziagulu Otu, near the embattled Orient Petroleum Resources Ltd in Anambra East Local Government Area yesterday by armed men suspected to be from Ibaji in Kogi State, who allegedly attacked the people in their farms. Four others, who sustained injuries have been admitted at a private hospital in Onitsha. The attack came barely 24 hours after members of Board of Directors of Orient Petroleum informed Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State, during a visit, that the company had acquired two new wells in Aguleri and would increase its crude oil production to 3,000 barrels per day in September. Vanguard gathered that the attackers, who were armed to the teeth, took the farmers unawares and as many of them ran into the river, the attackers caught six of them, killing two and injuring four. As the news of the attack reached the people of Aguleri in the upland, all those whose relations went to farm became worried. Shortly after, the victims were brought him. At press time, it could not be ascertained if some people in the area were still missing. SOS One of the distress messages sent to Vanguard during the attack read: “Information reaching our town indicates that Kogi people are attacking Eziagulu Otu and Enugu Otu in several groups and are about to overrun the area and the oil field facilities there.” Another message from the President General of Aguleri read: “Eziagulu Otu is currently under siege by our Kogi neighbours. “I am informed that serious fighting is going on and casualties have been recorded. We are at a disadvantage under their superior fire power. The situation is bad.” Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hosea Karma, confirmed the incident, saying his men and the Kogi State Police Command had stepped in to stop further clash.

THE legislature, the executive and the judiciary are the three arms of government and the fulcrum on which democracy functions. Constitutionally and legally, they are supposed to function independently of one another in order to preserve the principle of checks and balances to ensure a healthy democracy. That is why the reported visit by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, to the Supreme Court office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Mahmud Mohammed, raised ethical, legal and moral questions. The Governor visited the CJN’s office on July 6, 2015 while the latter was said to be away in Saudi Arabia on the lesser hajj. He repeated the visit two days later while the CJN was in an interview session with shortlisted candidates for the award of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs). Expectedly, the two visits raised several eye brows. A fundamental question to ask is the propriety of the visits at such an inauspicious time when Governor Wike’s victory at the poll is being challenged by five opposition party candidates at the election petition tribunal. The Governor is a lawyer and he is not unmindful of the likely insinuations that would trail his action. His explanation that the visits were to express gratitude to the CJN for sending the Bayelsa Chief Judge to perform his swearing-in is not enough justification. The other reason that the Governor wanted to inform the CJN of the need to appoint an acting Chief Judge and acting President of the Customary Court of Appeal for the state did not warrant two separate trips by a state chief executive to the nation’s head of the Judiciary. There are known official communication channels through which the same purpose could better have been handled. There is obviously nothing wrong if Governor Wike as a member of Body of Benchers pays a scheduled courtesy call on the CJN to discuss issues bordering on administration of justice in Rivers, but there is everything wrong with the timing and when the visits were not on appointment. It is against this backdrop that ulterior motives were read into the whole issue. We strongly commend the decision of the CJN to ban politicians from visiting his office and residence. Equally worth applauding is the decision that politically-exposed lawyers are now to be received by the CJN in the presence of security details. This, we believe, would not only sustain the ethical standards associated with the office, but it could shield the office holder from unnecessary influences capable of undermining his integrity. The temple of justice which the CJN personifies is a hallowed and sacred place that commands an aura which must not be violated.

Nigeria Union of Teachers has condemned the Joint
Admission and Matriculation Board policy that places cut-
off marks for students seeking admission into Universities
at 180 and 150 for those seeking admission into
Polytechnics and Colleges of Education.
The General Secretary of the NUT, Obong Obong made the
disclosure in a statement signed by the union, describing the
policy as derogatory, and highly discriminatory.
NUT explained that the policy is targeted “at demeaning and
lowering the professional status of teachers with its
concomitant negative effect on the attainment of quality
education in the country.
“It is of great disservice to the education sector where the
best brains and students of distinction are placed in other
courses while those with lower grades are pushed into
teaching,” he said.
The union further called for an immediate reversal of the
policy adding that the government must ensure only
students of distinction are admitted to be trained as
teachers in all educational institutions in the county.
Mr. Obong said in most advanced and developed countries,
it is considered that a teacher’s ability to disseminate
knowledge to students is dependent on his sound
intellectual capability.
He explained that the government deliberately sourced for
people with lower educational content to become teachers
only to turn around and blame them for poor delivery.
“If this is allowed to stand, government should take full
responsibility for the resultant short comings that may be
observed in our educational institutions in future from those
teachers,” he said.
He said that NUT has in abundance very brilliant and
effective teachers currently in service who should be
nurtured for effective service delivery .
“We however wish to warn that the teaching profession
must not be made an all comers affair,” he said.
Http//www.vanguardngr.com/NUT-CONDEMS-JAMB-150-CUT-OFF-MARKS-FOR-POLYTHENICS-

By Gabriel Omoh & Levinus Nwabughiogu
ABUJA – President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, in
Abuja said that his administration has identified banks,
financial institutions and countries in which payments for
stolen Nigerian crude oil have been deposited.
Speaking at an audience with visiting United States
Congressmen, President Buhari acknowledged the support
and cooperation his administration was getting from the
international community in gathering required intelligence
for tracing and recovering stolen national resources.
The President, according to a statement signed by his
Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina,
told the Congressmen led by Rep. Darrel Issa: “We are
getting cooperation from the international community,
including information on ships that take crude oil from
Nigeria and change direction, or pour their contents into
other ships mid-stream. Some monies were paid to
individual accounts. We are identifying the financial
institutions and countries that are involved. I have been
assured that when we get all our documents together, the
United States and other countries will treat our case with
sympathy.”
President Buhari told the Congressmen that his
Administration will welcome more regular meetings of the
Nigeria-United States Bi-National Commission. He noted
that the Commission could serve as a more useful platform
for the promotion of bilateral trade and economic relations
as well as joint cooperation in the war against terrorism.
Rep. Darrel assured him that the United States will support
Nigeria against Boko Haram by providing training,
intelligence and military platforms.
“We look forward to helping you in many ways to end the
Boko Haram insurgency and the theft of crude oil in the Gulf
of Guinea,” he said.
Nigeria, the world’s seventh largest producer of crude oil,
accounts for about 68.1 per cent of the total revenue Africa
lost in a decade as a result of illegal transfer of funds
abroad.
N10.08trillion lost in 10 years
The report of the Thabo Mbeki High Level Panel on Illicit
Financial Flows from Africa adopted by African Union Heads
of State and Government at their summit in Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia said about $40.9billion (about N6.87trillion) of an
estimated $60billion (about N10.08trillion) lost through such
transfers from Africa in a decade (2001-2010) was traced to
Nigeria.
The funds are stolen through corruption, tax evasion and
illegal transfer of profits by multinationals, the AU said.
Nigeria, which produces an average of 2.3million barrels of
oil daily as the leading hydrocarbon producer in Africa, is
being ravaged by poverty and underdevelopment.
Cumulatively, Nigeria and Egypt topped the list of 10 African
countries by illicit financial transfers between 1970 and
2008, with $217.7billion (about N36.57trillion), or 30.5 per
cent, and $105.2billion (about N17.67trillion), or 14.7 per
cent respectively, while South Africa had $81.8billion (about
N13.74trillion), or 11.4 per cent.
In its 15-point findings, the panel noted that ending illicit
financial flows is a political decision by the various
governments as it involved issues of abusive transfer
pricing, trade mis-invoicing, tax evasion, aggressive tax
avoidance, double taxation, tax incentives, unfair contracts,
financial secrecy, money laundering, smuggling, trafficking
and abuse of entrusted power.
The interrelationships of these issues, it stated, conferred a
technical character requiring transparency across all
aspects to ensure access to information and the right to
obtain such information.
It will be recalled that there has been reports that stolen
Nigerian oil worth billions of dollars is sold every year on
international markets and much of the proceeds are
laundered in world financial centers like Britain and the
United States which officials said will help President Buhari
to recover the funds. An estimated 100,000 barrels per day
(bpd) of oil was stolen from pipelines in the Niger Delta, the
report by London-based Chatham House said, not including
the unknown quantities stolen from export terminals.
Theft of crude oil
The theft amounts to around 5 per cent of Nigeria’s current
2 million bpd production but has a wider impact because oil
companies are often forced to shut down pipelines due to
damage caused by thieves. The activity costs Nigeria’s
economy an estimated $5 billion a year in potential revenue.
While oil majors like Royal Dutch Shell and Italy’s Eni are
often the first to complain about theft, it is unclear how
much they are losing from it. A measure of acceptable
losses may be keeping them from taking determined
preventive action, the report said. Oil firms do not pay
royalties on stolen oil.
“Nigerian crude oil is being stolen on an industrial scale.
Proceeds are laundered through world financial centers and
used to buy assets in and outside Nigeria,” said the 70-page
report, entitled “Nigeria’s Criminal Crude”. Thieves have
many ways to disguise funds … including cash smuggling,
delayed deposits, use of middlemen, shell companies and
tax havens, bribery of bank officials, cycling cash through
legitimate businesses and cash purchases of luxury goods.”
The report named the United States, Britain, Dubai,
Indonesia, India, Singapore and Switzerland as likely money-
laundering hotspots, and the United States, Brazil, China,
Thailand, Indonesia and the Balkans as the most likely
destination for stolen oil.
Former Oil Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke had called for
stolen oil to be labeled “blood oil”, arguing that the security
risk is similar to those in past and present mineral conflict
zones such as Angola, Sierra Leone or Congo.
The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Saturday said that the
Global financial integrity group has said that about $15.7
billion illicit money pass through Nigeria annually. This
makes Nigeria one of the top 10 countries for illicit financial
flow. As a result, banks in the country have reacted by
rejecting foreign currency deposits, saying that it has
increased its vigilance on illegal financial flow.
A statement issued by Ibrahim Mu’azu, Director, Corporate
Communications of the CBN said: “The Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN) notes with concern a recent report by the
Global Financial Integrity group, which ranks Nigeria as one
of the 10 largest countries for illicit financial flows in the
world. Although we do not have an independent
confirmation of this assertion, the report estimates that
about $15.7 billion of illicit funds go through our system
annually.
“In the light of this avoidably negative commentary, we wish
to draw the public’s attention to several protocols on illicit
fund flows, money laundering, and terrorism financing
both in Nigeria and around the world, and warn that the
CBN will increase its vigilance to ensure that Nigerian
banks are not used as conduits for illicit fund flows,
especially in foreign currencies.
“The CBN will continue to support the Federal Government’s
fight against money laundering, corruption, and terrorism
financing and will block any and every avenue that may
be used for these purposes. We will also ensure that
persons who venture into currency speculation and currency
substitution find it unattractive and dangerous. In these
efforts, therefore, we seek the continued cooperation of all
Nigerians to make this work for the enhancement of our
shared progress, rather than the prosperity of a greedy few
amongst us.”
Illicit financial flows in and out of Nigeria are mainly from
crude oil theft, proceed of corruption, tax evasion, over
invoicing of imports and inflated contracts.
The FGI report
According to the Financial Global Integrity report 2008-2012
released last month, “illicit financial flows from developing
countries are facilitated and perpetuated primarily by
opacity in the global financial system. This endemic issue is
reflected in many well-known ways, such as the existence of
tax havens, secrecy jurisdictions, anonymous companies,
other legal entities, and innumerable techniques available to
launder dirty money such as through misinvoicing trade
transactions.
“This is, essentially, trade fraud and is often referred to as
trade-based money laundering when used to move the
proceeds of criminal activity.
“Of the estimated $1 trillion in measurable illicit outflows
each year, trade misinvoicing is the method most often
used to move funds offshore.”
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/08/we've-found-banks-with-stolen-oil-money/

…accused of awarding contracts to his companies By Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North The Director-General of the National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration And Control, NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhi, has been summoned by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over allegations bordering on abuse of office. Dr. Orhi is currently being questioned by a crack team of detectives for allegedly awarding huge contracts to companies in which he has interests. An EFCC top source confirmed to Vanguard that the DG, who arrived the commission’s headquarters around 10am Monday had been making useful statement to its agents. The source said: “It is true that the NAFDAC head was summoned by us and he is currently being quizzed in relation to allegations that he has been awarding contracts running into millions of Naira to companies close to him. Asked if the man would be released today on self recognition, the source said he had no idea but that doing so might depend on whether the operatives were satisfied with his answers to issues raised against him. Details shortly….

The statement stated that Tambuwal made the promise on Saturday in Sokoto when he visited the Command Headquarters of 1 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Sokoto. It stated that the governor said the state government would continue to accord the welfare and wellbeing of men and officers of all security agencies in the state top priority. “Tambuwal said that Sokoto State had benefited immensely from the activities of the Brigade Command in various ways. “The state government and the army authorities will soon sign a Memorandum Of Understanding to expand the activities of the command’s skills acquisition centre to include youths and women from all parts of the state.’’ It stated that Tambuwal assured that the state government would complete the ongoing water project in barracks and provide accommodation for the youth corps members to ease their burden. He commended the Brigade Commander, Brig.-Gen. Chikezie Ude, for embarking on projects within the barracks in spite of lean resources, and promised to assist where necessary. Ude, who took the governor round the facilities in the barracks, hailed the cordial relationship between the people and the army in the state. He said: “as professionals trained to provide security, the army is willing and ready to assist the civilian population at all times.’’

take a look at this job application letter. it will keep u cracking ur ribs all day long

Nigeria’s army claimed to have freed nearly 180 hostages —
including more than 100 children — held by Boko Haram
jihadists in a dramatic weekend rescue.
The operation which led to the capture of a Boko Haram
commander, an army spokesman said in a statement late
Sunday. The military said earlier that it had killed a “large
number” of the extremists in air strikes in the northeast.
The operation took place on Sunday near Aulari, about 70
kilometres (40 miles) south of Maiduguri, the capital of
Borno state, once a jihadist stronghold.
“During the offensive operations, 178 people held captive by
the terrorists were rescued,” military spokesman Colonel
Tukur Gusau said, without specifying when the rescue took
place.
“They include 101 children, 67 women and 10 men.”
The Nigerian military has announced the release of
hundreds of people held by Boko Haram in recent months,
especially in the notorious Sambisa forest, a longtime
Islamist stronghold.
The air strikes hit the village of Bita on the fringes of the
forest not far from the Cameroonian border, where Boko
Haram was preparing to launch an offensive, the military
said. “Many” Islamists were killed, it added.
Sunday’s rescue came after several attacks by Boko Haram
in recent days. Thirteen people were killed in an assault on
Malari village about 20 kilometres from Maiduguri.
– ‘They set houses ablaze’ –
Local farmer Moha Saleh confirmed the death toll and said
27 people were wounded when the Islamists stormed the
village.
“They also set many houses ablaze after accusing us of
telling soldiers their whereabouts,” he told AFP.
Local resident Goni Musa, a vigilante who fights Boko
Haram alongside the Nigerian military, gave the same death
toll.
“This morning 13 bodies were recovered. Some had been
shot in the back, which means they were fleeing when the
terrorists killed them,” Musa said.
“They burnt down houses and shops before they left, yelling
‘Allahu Akbar’ (God is greatest). Our terrorised women and
children fled into the bush and returned to Maiduguri this
morning,” he added.
State police commissioner Aderemi Opadokun confirmed
the attack but gave a lower toll, saying seven people had
been killed.
Malari has been the target of numerous attacks in recent
months, including a suicide bombing by a youth in a mosque
in the middle of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in July
which left 12 people dead.
– Regional force shapes up –
Boko Haram has increasingly expanded its operations into
neighbouring countries in recent months, prompting Nigeria,
Cameroon, Chad and Niger to launch a coordinated military
fightback.
The four countries, along with Benin, are preparing to launch
a new 8,700-strong force that officials say will go into action
soon.
Niger’s President Mahamadou Issoufou on Sunday vowed
that the new regional force would “eradicate” the insurgents.
“The multinational joint force will eradicate… the blind
terrorism of Boko Haram,” Issoufou said in a televised
speech.
The jihadist group has stepped up its attacks since
Nigeria’s new President Muhammadu Buhari took office in
May, unleashing a wave of violence that has claimed 800
lives in just two months.
Witnesses said the group attacked the town of Gamboru on
Saturday, near the border with Cameroon.
Residents in nearby villages said the militants had set fire to
houses, sending columns of black smoke into the sky.
Umar Babakalli, a refugee from Gamboru who fled to the
nearby Cameroonian town of Fotokol several months ago,
said he saw fighter jets circling overhead “but there was no
sign of any bombardment”.
It was not immediately clear if anyone had been killed in
Gamboru but Babakalli said the town, which has faced
repeated Boko Haram assaults, was deserted. “There is
nobody in Gamboru,” he told AFP.
www.vanguardngr.com

LAGOS — THE shape and faces to the Muhammadu Buhari
administration will begin to unfold today baring any last
minute change of mind by the president, Vanguard has
learnt. Among those to be named are the Chief of Staff,
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF and
personal staff of the president and the vice-president.
Yesterday, the president requested the Senate to approve 15
special advisers for him. Meanwhile, the delay in the
announcement of senior officials of the new administration,
it was learnt yesterday, flowed from the delay by the former
officials of Goodluck Jonathan administration in forwarding
their handover notes to the transition committee constituted
by Buhari.
Sources close to the President and the ruling All
Progressives Congress, APC, disclosed yesterday that the
president would make known the senior officials of his
government today. Besides the Chief of Staff and SGF, other
officials to be named may include the Special Adviser to the
National Assembly, Political Adviser among senior aides of
the president.
“The announcements will be made today baring a last
minute change of decision,” a source privy to the
development told Vanguard last night even as he added that
the president’s scheduled trip to Niger and Chad may be the
only factors that may delay the announcement. Meanwhile,
a senior associate of the president yesterday traced the
delay in the announcement of the president’s senior aides to
the delay in the transmission of the handover notes by the
Jonathan officials to the transition team constituted by
Buhari ahead of his inauguration.
“All we have been doing since Friday is poring over these
notes. This is because you need to know the position of
things before you delegate the appropriate personnel to any
establishment of government,” a source privy to the ongoing
developments told Vanguard last night.
for the lazy readers that will just start commenting without reading this is a June 3rd story so have it as the joke of the day. Good morning nairalandrs.

Penultimate Friday, Dr. Alex Otti, the governorship candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, in the Abia State election, raised the alarm that an attempt was made on his life. This generated so much heat in the state with the Abia State Government taking him on and pooh-poohing the allegation. alex otti In this interview with JIDE AJANI, EDITOR and OLALEKAN BILESANMI, Dr. Otti laments that he is at a loss as to the interest of the state government in the matter, especially since he did not point any accusing finger at anybody. According to him, the police are aware of what happened with the attendant killing of a police guard on duty at the residence where the attackers struck. In fact, he showed photographs of the lifeless body of the policeman in a pool of blood. He was shot in the head.In the photographs, you could see blood on the floor of the house – the images are too gory to be reproduced here. And because of on-going investigations by the police, the identity of the dead is still being kept under wraps. But the interview as not all about the assassination attempt. He also speaks about the parlous state of finances of the Abia and why the people of the state should not allow their future and those of generations unborn, to be mortgaged. Excerpts: Last week, there was a story about an attempted assassination on your life. What really happened? I had been away in the U.S. I returned to the country last (penultimate) Saturday and I went to Abuja. I was in Abuja from that Monday till the early hours of Thursday. From there I went to Umuahia on Friday. As early as 3.30/4am that Friday, the cook in the residence where I stay in Abuja called to alert my personal assistant that there were some unknown gun men who scaled the fence from the back of the house and entered into the premises. He said they shot one of the police guards in the compound, and he died instantly. Thereafter, he said they went straight to my own apartment, ransacked everywhere and turned the place upside down. Of course, I was not there. He said they then went to the other wing of the duplex which also has an office and ransacked it too. Did they steal or cart away anything? Not even a pin was taken. Nothing at all? Nothing! So, it was very clear to me that they were hired assassins. What I did was to call a press conference mid-way during the recess at the tribunal sitting in Umuahia – that was during the one hour break of the tribunal so I quickly used the opportunity to address the press, that same Friday, July 24. I alerted the general public that some people made an attempt but thank God I was not available to be killed. I also disclosed that a policeman was murdered in cold blood – I was very shocked first and foremost that someone was killed. It was one of the guards that had been with me all week. Did you point accusing fingers while you did the briefing? A day later, Saturday, in the evening, I saw an online report that the governor had issued a press statement. To my consternation, the statement said that what happened in Abuja was a robbery event; that they had checked and it didn’t happen in my place but another compound and that the person that was killed was not attached to me. The apartment you were referring to, is it rented or your private property? The place was given to me by a friend. The duplex used to be his own guest house before he went abroad. So, in the last two years, the place has been vacant. Since I left the bank around November last year, he just called me and said he gave me one of the wings so that anytime I am coming to Abuja I could stay there instead of staying in hotels. One of the curious things about the statement from the government of Abia State – mind you I did not mention any name nor did I point any accusing fingers just as I was very careful not to give out too much personal information – was that the government gave the name of the place where the incident happened. The statement said it was Nestoil but in my press statement, I didn’t mention that because the police was still investigating and I didn’t think it was proper. Even in the press interview, I was asked if I suspected anybody and I said I didn’t suspect anybody because I believe that the police will delve into the matter thoroughly and they will come up with the culprits and whoever sent them. That was my comment and it is still there in the public domain. You can go and check. With your petition against the incumbent governor still on at the tribunal and your press briefing during the break could have suggested that ….? Look, I was surprised to read what they were saying, that I was whipping up sentiment…. That’s exactly the point I was trying to make? Somebody was killed. A life was lost. Sentiments? They said I wanted to give an impression that Abia State was unsafe in order to actualize my desire to move the tribunal sitting from Umuahia to Abuja. And I wondered what sense that makes. The attack was in Abuja. If I wanted the sitting to be moved to Abuja I should not be claiming that there was an attack in Abuja. I think the government statement was hurriedly put together and they didn’t really spare a thought for it, otherwise, it does not make sense. I was amazed that somebody of my calibre would be attacked and the sympathy word I would get from my governor is that I was lying. He concluded his investigation 24 hours after the event happened. He arrogated to himself the role of the policemen investigating the case, the Inspector General of Police, the spokesperson of the force and even the commissioner of police in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT. I was very, very shocked that they could be making such statement. Again yesterday (Thursday), they reported that the governor said I was raising false alarm. But, it didn’t matter that a soul was lost. A bread winner, a father! What stage is the police investigation now? They have taken all the statements and samples, because there were quite a lot of blood stains in the place. They are investigating. I think it was assigned to experts, the CID. So, with the way they are going, I believe they are going to be able to come up with some form of information very soon. There was another thing that shocked me, that was on Tuesday. The state chairman of the party, that is PDP, took a page in a national daily and titled it, “Exposed, the antics of a drowning man”. I was really shocked. He said in the publication that he had gone round all the police stations in Abuja between Friday and Tuesday, and no one confirmed to him that such a thing happened and reported, that it was not true; that if it was true, I would have gone to the police. This is a lawyer and as such, he should know better. A matter that obviously has nothing to do with him, going to the police station, he thinks they will just volunteer information to him? I am quite disappointed that he would make that kind of statement. And indeed he made quite a lot of disparaging remarks. I have chosen not to respond to him. I thought it was too desperate an attempt. I believe that the way they have meddled into this matter is a sign of many things the police would have to unravel. I have no doubt that the I.G would invite them, at least, to ask them questions, how did they know the venue of the attack? How could they say the police man was not shot? Could they make statement and credit it to the police? When a thing like this happens, it is either armed robbery, kidnapping or assassination. And they cannot rule out anyone until they finish their investigation. I think they were too jumpy. There is a whole lot they may be able to help the police with. Even though I understand the governor has immunity but that does not stop the police from inviting him if he has information to give them. I think they have spoken enough and the police should wade in and find out what else they know that they have not told us. How has it been like from banking to politics? I won’t say I have been very surprised because I live in this country and I know how things are. But there are few things that I found strange. This is one business where people know somebody is cheating them, yet, they continue to give the cheater money. Where I am coming from, if you are not performing, I get you out. But here, I just had to make do with the good, the bad, the ugly. It is also a place where people do anything. My experience in the election was a bit sad, because you see clearly that some people just bring bring ballot papers, write fake results, force them into collation centre, get the results announced, intimidate people, shoot people at polling units, scatter polling units, snatch ballot boxes, particularly in the South-East, I thought those should be things of the past. A situation where a few staff that should be umpires to the election actually participated in the unwholesome activities. People have said that about INEC, but do you have proof? At the appropriate time, because my case is already at the tribunal, so I try to refrain from making direct comments about the matter at the tribunal. But at least I can tell you what I saw. I am also aware that some people have written petitions and they have evidence about some of the things that happened. All said and done, I think it is an experience. And it is not too much of a price to pay to change things in the country. Some of us have gone through difficult times of bad governance. We cannot keep quiet and not do anything and let it continue the way it is going. One day we may not have a country. For me, I was not looking for work, I had work, I was okay, it was my own way of trying to change things, having people who know what to do, and take part in decisions that affect the people. It was Plato that said when intelligent people shy away from participating in politics, they take away their rights to complain when fools begin to rule them. If we all sit idly and complain and do nothing about it, things will just keep getting worse. The house of assembly in the state, there seems to be tension in your party and the PDP over a N30b approval? I don’t have the details because it happened after I had left Umuahia. I just read it like you did. But I think what happened, according to what I was told, was that a letter from the government, asking for an approval for them to borrow N30b was sent to the House. The speaker explained to them that the funds were going to be used for reconstructing Aba, developing other parts of the state including the state capital. They also sold a dummy to them that most of the states were owing and that President Buhari was going to write off all the debts and that Abia State was not owing as much as other states and that if they got this N30b it will be put in that basket and it would be written off. Of course, anybody who hears that will know it was a dummy. So, they gave approval. But subsequently, one of the government officials came to clarify that the sum was not a fresh loan but would be used to offset some obligations of the state. So, APGA members of the house, having heard this, went and dissociated themselves from it. Some observers have said so many things about your state and its finances. What is actually going on in Abia State? Regarding the loan issue, I think you are very right. There are a lot of things we as APGA have been asking the government and we have been kept in the dark. We don’t know anything about the finances of the state. The state should not be run like a secret society. Virtually all other state governors make pronouncement about what they inherited in terms of debt or outstanding obligations to contractors, salary arrears and all that. Our dear state has not said anything. We read that there was money approved for salary but it was not deployed for that purpose. Even in some ministries and parastatals, people are being owed between 8 to 9 months’ salaries. There is no gain saying that the finances of the state were muddled up. Even the internally generated revenue, IGR, of the state is still very hazy. Even the ministry of finance does not know how much the state collects. We are in Lagos, we know how much Lagos collects. So, we thought there should be some transparency in terms of management of finances of the state. Until you do that, we didn’t think it was wise to borrow. We members of APGA think so too. We look at another APGA state like Anambra, you will see that it is one of the few states that have credit balance system and it is about management of finances; it is not about how much you get. Some of the other states have cut the coat according to their cloth and so they are able manage and stay away from crisis. If you reduce profligacy and manage your finances properly, you will be able to avoid debt. Otherwise if you go borrow N30b today, tomorrow you will have to pay it. Where are you going to pay it from? I am a banker, so I know clearly when you borrow money with an average interest rate of let’s say 15%, that easily means that if you borrow N10b, you pay N1.5b. That N30b will easily be about N4.5b in terms of interest alone for one year. You are still going to pay the principal. I think rushing into loan is not the best thing to do. You need to plan your finances, be sure you are able to pay back the loan. Borrowing is easy, paying back may not be as easy.

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By Henry Umoru
ABUJA- FOLLOWING allegations raised against him by
aggrieved workers of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,
the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh
said yesterday that he was ready to make himself available
to the Department of State Security Services, DSS and other
security agencies for probe.
According to Metuh, the staff who had accused him of
issues ranging from anti- party activities, extortion, shifted
from the real issues.
A statement signed yesterday by Metuh’s Special Assistant,
Richard Ihediwa, read, “The attention of the Office of the
National Publicity Secretary has been drawn to a press
statement by persons purporting to be officials of PDP Staff
Welfare Association, wherein they engaged in direct attack
and threats on the person of the National Publicity
Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh.
“From all indications, those behind the statement chose to
drift from issues and narrowed on the National Publicity
Secretary. This is not unexpected given the role of the
National Publicity Secretary in the rebuilding of our great
party and how uncomfortable the ruling All Progressives
Congress (APC) has been for his outspokenness.
“We are aware that the anti-PDP forces have easily found a
handful of disgruntled PDP staffs as willing tools to attack
Chief Metuh with a view to bringing him to public odium,
distract him and deny our party a credible voice to
propagate its positions. These forces had even gone to the
extent of engineering some discontented PDP members to
portray statements by the National Publicity Secretary as his
personal opinions in the attempt to discredit and intimidate
him.
“For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state categorically
that the National Publicity Secretary will not be deterred or
detracted by such threats and cheap blackmails as he
remains committed to his role in the rebuilding of the PDP
and in providing firm, credible and issue based opposition to
the ruling party.
“This office would not join issues with these elements,
however we make bold to state that Chief Olisa Metuh,
being aware of the challenges that comes with his new role
has offered himself, his office as well as all his private
companies for probe by the Department of State Services
(DSS) or any other government agency for that matter.
“We also find it laughable that anybody would criticise the
recent PDP congresses in Anambra and Kogi that have been
widely applauded to be transparent and credible as
established by the peace and harmony that characterised
the processes. One also wonders how the issue of
congresses helps the case of welfare matters being pushed
by the staff, if not for the ulterior motive of destroying the
PDP publicity.
“The authors of the press statement deliberately refused to
appreciate Chief Olisa Metuh’s immense contributions in the
party and the fact that he became the longest serving
member of the National Executive Committee due to hard
work and the confidence members of the party repose on
him as an individual.
“Finally, this office is happy that those after Chief Olisa
Metuh have for now, chosen to demand for investigation
instead of resorting to plots to assassinate him. However,
we restate that the National Publicity Secretary will not in
any way be cowed or intimidated by the threats, blackmails
and attacks by anti-PDP forces to abandon his mandate as
spokesperson of our great party.
source: http//.www.vanguardngr.com/. i- am - ready- to -probe- DSS- Metuh/

Benin’s President Thomas Boni Yayi announced he will send 800 troops to join a new multinational force tasked with fighting Boko Haram militants after meeting with his Nigerian counterpart Muhammadu Buhari Saturday. Buhari, who was sworn in on May 29, is facing a particularly deadly surge of Islamist violence at home, with more than 800 people killed in north-eastern Nigeria in the last two months. The violence has spread to neighbours Chad and Cameroon, both of whom have faced an unprecedented wave of suicide bombings on their soil in recent weeks. After a visit to Cameroon earlier this week to discuss the fight against the Islamist group, Buhari was in Cotonou to attend celebrations marking Benin’s 55 years of independence. Boni Yayi told reporters after a meeting with Buhari that Benin will show “solidarity” with its “brothers in arms” in the region by sending “a contingent of 800 men… to permanently combat these outlaws”. Troops for the new multinational force, which includes soldiers from Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad as well as Benin, were set to be deployed at any time, according to its commander Major General Iliya Abbah on Saturday. The force, made up of 8,700 troops and headquartered in Chad, is expected to help with better coordination of the regional offensive launched in February, which has made a series of successful inroads against Boko Haram but has failed to neutralise the militants. The extremist group, whose name roughly translates as “Western education is forbidden”, has carried on its campaign of attacks on security forces, suicide bombings and bloody raids on villages across Nigeria’s north and eastern borders despite the military campaign against them. Boko Haram has kidnapped thousands of civilians, including women and children, with many either forced or indoctrinated into joining the extremists, rights groups say. www.vanguardngr.com

y Bunmi Sofola He was every woman’s dream of the ideal man come true. Fade was fresh out of college and looking for a job when a friend introduced her to Godwin. “He was much older than my 22-year old but I didn’t see him as a potential lover – just a boss”, confessed Fade. “My friend had filled me in that most of his empire was in Nigeria but he had a very impressive office in London. His personal assistant just left to get married and he needed an urgent replacement. I didn’t have any working experience but he told me I would do. I had the job! “Within months, we’d attended various meetings and social events together. I didn’t know what I was expected to do officially, but he said I should just look pretty and serve coffee and be his `man Friday’ until I got the hang of the office routine. Before I could do that however, things took on a new dimension. Godwin constantly turned on the charm whenever we were together that it was easy to fall in love with him. He swept me off my feet – flowers, extravagant meals, jewellery – h made me feel like a princess. It was like a dream come true, like I was living a fairytale. “When he asked me to move into his house nine months later, I didn’t hesitate. He had a house-keeper – all I had to do was give instructions and be at his beck and call all the time, dressed to the nines. He was generous with money too and gave me a gold card. I was in cloud nine and when I got pregnant and feared he would ask me to get rid of it, I was surprised when he suggested we get married. He had a wife and children who lived in one of his property in Nigeria but he told me they were never legally married. All they did was a traditional marriage. “When I met Godwin, marriage was the furtherest thing on my mind. Now it’s staring me in the face. I know getting hitched so soon was moving too fast but I was in love with the man and he really was charming, funny, handsome and romantic. What would I gain by waiting? I may have only been 24, but I was ready for this good fortune. Within three years, I’d given birth to a set of twins and an adorable son. My husband’s career had really taken off by now and we had moved house twice – upgrading every time. Though his business schedule meant he had to work long hours, but it was worth it. He was a good dad – just not around that often. Every night, I’d go on my knees and pray to God before bed to thank Him for my blessings. “Sadly, I would soon discover that Godwin was far from perfect. In fact my husband was one of the most ruthless men on earth – an evil monster, a sick and twisted man who caused unimaginable pain and suffering. He was a con artiste per excellence! People had asked me: ‘How could you not know?’ But the thing with psychopaths is you can’t tell. It’s part of the condition. They mimic normal people and it takes an expert to spot one. According to experts, a psychopath is wired towards making people do their bidding and they can be so charming. Some can go through their entire life undetected. Some even end up running corporations. The business world is rife with them as their utter lack of human compassion makes them good businessmen. “Almost ten years after we tied the knot, my life fell apart when the police knocked at my door in the early hours of a cold morning waving a search warrant in my face. I told them Godwin had travelled to Nigeria the previous day, but they didn’t believe me. They turned the house upside down, seized all the computers in the house. And nothing they said made sense. The police were telling me about my husband but it seemed like they were talking about a completely different person. This person didn’t run a legitimate business. He was a scam artiste, a `yahoo-yahoo’ expert with a string of workers working for him at home and abroad. Several of his victims had been financially ruined beyond recover and he’d also dabbled into drugs. The police had been on his trail for weeks after one of his men was arrested with almost four kilograms of cocaine. In exchange for a prosecution deal, he’d told them everything about Godwin. “My jaw nearly hit the floor as I listened to these horrid stories about my husband and the police refused to believe I knew nothing about his crimes. But they had no evidence against me and they left me alone. I couldn’t get hold of Godwin in Nigeria – he’d changed all his phones and I didn’t have any address or contact though which I could reach him. He’s wanted for a string of crimes – racketeering, trafficking cocaine, human trafficking, prostitution charges and fraud. It’s obvious he’s not expected back in Britain any time soon. Meanwhile, my whole life has been ripped from me. I had no idea what my husband way up to, yet I am being punished for his crimes. The house we lived in, which was in his name, has been confiscated, and I’m now living in a rented flat. I can’t imagine what the families of his victims are going through and I’m truly sorry for what he did. Yet the children and I are victims too …” Partners seldom see eye-to-eye when they argue It’s been confirmed that there are some general differences in the way men and women behave in arguments. These differences don’t generally apply to all men and women, but it is worth recognising the tendencies. Women generally want to pursue arguments longer than men do, following their partner from room to room, trying to get a resolution when it would be wiser to let things calm down. They almost always cry more easily than men too, and are more likely to phone their mothers, sisters and friends as a way of escape or to gain sympathy. Men tend to opt for the quiet life at first, avoiding arguments and hoping they will go away. Or they withdraw from them by finding something ‘urgent’ to do: getting engrossed in a paper or watching TV. They are also more likely to escape to the club or to drink too much if the going gets touch. And they often attribute what they see as ‘unreasonableness’ in their partners to premenstrual tension – though it may be the cause, men can overdo the accusation. Generally, men argue about: Th amount of time they want to spend playing or watching sports, or pursuing their hobby, which tends to be more than their partners want. The boss expects long hours, while getting home on time is for ‘whimps’. Money: why is he married to a spendthrift? Surely, the shopping cannot cost quite so much? The mismatch of sexual desire: Has she really got a headache? Why is she asleep when he comes to bed and ‘too busy’ in the morning? Women on the other hand argue about: His untidiness. Why does he always leave his towel on the4 bathroom floor, or fails to put the seat on? Why can’t he spend more time on her and the children? Why are the household chores rarely shared? Why does he see them as her responsibility? And why, when he does them, does he expect her to thank him? Why is he heavy- handed when disciplining the children? Why is he so tight about money? Doesn’t he realise that food and children’s clothes are expensive? Thankfully, some marriage councillors agree there are negotiating rules. Avoiding the pitfalls of a negative approach and understanding how we tend to believe when arguing lead to more positive negotiation. Keep to the point. Don’t set out to win at all costs. Really listen to each other. Avoid giving long monologues on withdrawing into silence. http//.www.vabguardngr.com

Cotonou – President Muhammadu Buhari has said that
Boko Haram will be defeated hopeful by end of this year.
Buhari spoke in Cotonou on Saturday during a gala lunch
held in honour by the President of Benin Republic, Boni Yayi.
He expressed optimism that the Multi-national Joint Task
Force, MNJTF launched in Cameroon on Thursday would
start yielding fruits soon.
This is as Yayi who described his country as the 37th State
of Nigeria assured president Buhari that 800 troops would
be contributed to the Joint Task Force by his country in the
all-out-assault on insurgents.
While commending the gesture by Yayi, Buhari said “and I
assure you that we will defeat Boko Haram by the end of
this year”.
President Buhari who was on a one-day official visit to
Cotonou as the special guest of honour at the 55th
independence anniversary of Benin Republic was bestowed
with the national honor of the Republic of Benin.
Nigeria’s president recalled that both countries have
maintained peace over the years even when he was a
military Head of State.
He said: “I am impressed by your concern and critical
approaches by increasing your contributions to the
multinational task force of the Lake Chad Commission. This
is a great sacrifice on the part of the Benin Republic….
“Even in my first coming into office under a different
arrangement, we have learnt to live in peace with our
neighbours. Within the week I was sworn in, I went to Niger,
Chad. I was supposed to go to Cameroon but I was
summoned by the G7 leaders to brief them about the
security situation in Nigeria concerning Boko Haram which
declared allegiance to ISIS which gives it international
dimension”.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/08/we-will-defeat-bokoharam-before-the-end-of-this-year/

•Show of shame… Security men battle to break up a
fracas involving factional members of the Assembles of
God church, Enugu
AVAILABLE statistics showed that the Assemblies of God
Church has a population of over 2.6 million members
worshipping in over 14,300 churches spread in Nigeria with
its headquarters in Enugu, Enugu State. It has planted more
than 50 missionaries in nine countries across the world with
over 11,650 ministers.
However, the once peaceful members of one-fold family had
been torn apart following a leadership tussle that is
presently bedevilling the church. Crisis of factionalisation of
the church had been lingering as two senior Reverend
gentlemen, Professor Paul Emeka and Dr Chidi Okoroafor
have been at loggerheads, each laying claim to be the
overall leader of the church, qualified to bear the designation
General Superintendent, GS.
The issue which resulted in litigation is currently at the last
bus stop – the Supreme Court, awaiting the final arbitration.
Whilst the much-expected judgement is being awaited,
members of the 27 Mount Street Parish in Enugu engaged in
free-for-all recently. The shameful act still centered on the
crisis over who takes control of the parish which is believed
to be lucrative.
Control ofthe parish
The drama started when Reverend Nathaniel Udeze
stormed the Mount Street parish with letters of posting and
other court documents empowering him to be installed as
the new pastor of the parish that morning.
But he was stoutly resisted along with his team of loyalists
by the current Resident pastor of the parish, Reverend
Amaechi Agbo who, along with his loyalists, accused Udeze
of being an “intruder”. The disagreement led to a free for all
when Udeze insisted on taking over since he had been
officially posted there by the leadership of the church under
Rev Paul Emeka.
He went on to inform the bewildered congregation that their
resident minister, Agbo, had been transferred to another
Parish since May 2015. Earlier, supporters of both warring
pastors were found sharing different versions of the Sunday
school manual during the school which angered the
supporters of the divide until the two pastors began a
shouting match that eventually led to the free for all.
The fracas attracted the attention of the police who raced to
the place and the church was locked up. That was not the
first time members of the congregation would engage in
such a show of shame. Sometime last year, precisely
December 3, 2014, hell was also let loose at the national
headquarters of the church located in Enugu when the two
warring factions engaged in a bloody clash that left no
fewer than five persons seriously injured, while four cars
parked at the premises were burnt beyond recognition
during the free for all that ensued.
Vanguard Metro, VM, gathered that the clash followed the
invasion of the church headquarters by the Reverend Chidi
Okoroafor-led faction in a bid to forcefully take over the
national secretariat of the church which had been under the
control of the embattled General Superintendent, Reverend
Paul Emeka and his loyalists.
Violence broke out that fateful Wednesday morning,
December 3, 2014, when members of the Okoroafor faction
stormed the national secretariat in several buses and
attempted to gain entry into the national secretariat but
were prevented by Reverend Emeka’s loyalists.
How we prevented bloodshed at the parish — PPRO
ENUGU police command told VM surveillance has been
mounted within the vicinity of the parish until normalcy
would be fully restored which is still under lock and key as
at the time of this report.
Speaking to our reporter, the State Police Command’s
image maker, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, said: “Please let me
correct one impression. We (Police) did not lock up any
church. Ours is to ensure that there is no breakdown of law
and order. What happened was that we intervened and
averted what could have resulted to bloodshed.”
“If not for our timely intervention that Sunday,” he went on,
“it could have been a different story. When efforts were
made to bring the two factions to amicable settlement,
which was not forthcoming, we gave our advice, so they
locked it up and the keys are with them not with us (Police).
But for now, we are monitoring the place to ensure that no
unpleasant thing occurred there”.
The CAC angle:
ANOTHER angle has been added to the crisis as the
Nigerian Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, had in a letter
dated June 22, 2015 conveyed the withdrawal of the name
of Reverend Paul Emeka from the Certificate of
Incorporation earlier issued pending the final determination
of the case currently pending before the Supreme Court.
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the people democratic party endorses ex governor and a senator elect in person of God's will akpabio of akwaibom as minority leader.
more details to come soon

A nairalander wants to go for his bachelors degree and he has been offered admission into two different universities. A federal university and a state own university. He was offered chemistry education in the federal university and computer science in the state university.
Fellow nairalanders considering the market value of some of these courses what's it advice on the course he should for.

Abuja - All Progressives Congress has hit back at the People’s Democratic Party after the latter alleged President Muhammadu Buhari was shielding former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, from prosecution. PDP made the allegation through a statement by Felix Obua, Rivers State PDP Chairman, signed by his media assistant, Jerry Needam. “An overview of the eight-paragraph gibberish write-up undeniably offers a pen picture of an unstable state of mind of the writer, his boss and political party. Indeed, it tells of a group of persons who are operating within the horribly pathetic world of full-blown lunacy,” Chris Finebone APC Rivers State Publicity Secretary, said. He said the APC believed that the “obsession with Amaechi by Jerry Needam and his so-called sponsors was a testimony of a deliberate plot to discredit the former governor at all cost. “It underscores the real reasons for the so-called judicial commission of inquiry set up by the Rivers State Governor, Barr. Nyesom Wike. The APC is sure that those who are digging ditches for former Governor Chibuike Amaechi will ultimately become victims of their own devices.” Finebone insisted no amount of blackmail on Amaechi and the ongoing blackmail on President Muhammadu Buhari would stir up ill feelings between the duo. “As many times as they try shall they fail,” Finebone said. - CAJ News

Abuja - The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on Thursday ordered two Permanent Secretaries from Adamawa, Dr Bala Usman and Mamud Abubakar, to appear before it on November 16 over charges on non-declaration assets. Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Danladi Umar, issued the summon in Abuja at the resumed trial of the duo. "The accused persons must appear before this tribunal on November 16," Umar said. Earlier, Aliyu Ahmad, Counsel to the accused persons, urged the tribunal to adjourn to give him time to study an application filed by the prosecutor. Ahmad explained that he had filed a no case application and served same on the prosecutor. He said the prosecuting counsel, Peter Danladi, had also filed a reply to his no case application and would need time to respond. Danladi did not oppose the application for adjournment. He apologised for the delay in filing and serving the defense counsel with the reply.

President Buhari has made it known that he will
not treat those who voted for him the same he
will do those who did not vote him into power.
During a question and answer session in the
US yesterday, President Buhari made this
known. When a female white journalist asked
the president how he intended to deal with
issues in the Niger Delta, particularly
Amnesty, bunkering and inclusive
development, the president said
“(Going by election results), constituencies that gave
me 97% can not in all honesty be treated, on some
issues, with constituencies that gave me 5%. I think
these are political realities. While, certainly there will
be justice for everybody but the people who voted,
and made their votes count, they must feel the
government has appreciated the effort they put in
putting the government in place. I think this is really
fair....
President Buhari concluded his four-day state
visit to the United States on the invitation of
President Barrack Obama on July 22,
Wednesday.
video t come soon

Nigeria’s ex-president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, may be seeking a return to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), following a snub by president Muhammadu Buhari. Obasanjo, a former army general, who publicly ripped his party membership card, is said to be planning a return to the PDP through the back door as his relationship with the Nigerian president has refused to improve. Former president, Olusegun Obasanjo (left) may be on his way back to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) if reports are anything to go by Pointblanknews.com gathered that the president rejected every attempt by the Ogun state-born politician to get close to him (Buhari), shortly after he won the March 28 presidential election. Obasanjo, who had publicly stated his preference for Buhari ahead of former president, Goodluck Jonathan, had reportedly made the first move to get cozy, with the establishment of a think tank to study critical areas of the economy and make recommendations to guide Buhari. The committee, established under the Centre for Human Security, an offshoot of Obasanjo’s presidential library, studied five key areas – education, power, the economy, security and infrastructure. Reports confirmed that Obasanjo did not only present the report to Buhari, he also positioned and presented Stephen Orosanye to the president as a possible candidate for the post of the secretary to the federation which the Nigerian leader may not have favoured. Garba Shehu, Buhari’s chief spokesperson, had told reporters that the vice chairman of the committee and former minister of finance, Dr Kalu Idika Kalu, presented volumes of the report to Buhari in Abuja, but it was unclear if the president is looking towards that direction. And since it was gathered that Obasanjo’s ultimate goal was to be in the good books of Buhari and evade any form of scrutiny from his administration which seems not to be forthcoming, the Owu high chief may be seeking a return to the party which brought him into prominence. Pointblanknews.com further hinted that Obasanjo’s current move is to block any attempt to make immediate past president, Goodluck Jonathan the BoT chairman of the party. A PDP source reportedly revealed that Obasanjo has already begun moves to return to the party after setting up meetings with PDP governors in the South- South and South- East, but it seems that a handful of them are not buying the idea, due to Obasanjo’s inglorious past and how he subjected Jonathan and the party to public ridicule. Former Akwa Ibom state governor, Senator Godswill Akpabio, is also reportedly being used by Obasanjo to convince others and is being groomed for a vice presidential spot in 2019 with a Northerner, preferably embattled former governor of Jigawa state, Sule Lamido. Lamido, is being tried for an allegation N10 billion fraud which also involved his two sons. Ijaw youths had slammed Obasanjo following his comments on Jonathan, describing the comments as baseless, false and condemnable.