₦airaland Forum

‎Buhari, this your school feeding programme you first started in the east just to score political point have failed.

Ndigbo can afford foods, if you may know, our kids don't go to school with empty stomach, we can provide for our kids unlike your people.

If you want us to support your 2nd term bid you better shift your attention to infrastructure in the east and stop this madness.

IN another rollout of one of the Social Investment Programmes of the Buhari administration, the National Homegrown School Feeding scheme the Presidency on Thursday said the National Homegrown School Feeding scheme, a component of the Federal Government’s Social Investment Programmes, has started in Anambra State

THE Presidential Initiative on the North East could not account for N2.5 billion from the money in its possession till date.



This came to the fore when when officials of PINE, put together by President Muhammadu Buhari, appeared before the Senate on Tuesday.

PINE, according to its mandate, is to oversee the reconstruction and rehabilitation of communities destroyed by Boko Haram in the North East.

While the Secretary of PINE, Umar Gulani, claimed that N203 million was spent on clearing grass somewhere in Yobe State, stakeholders from the state, led by the state’s Commissioner for Information, Mohammed Lamin, disputed this.

Lamin said: “No taipa grass was cleared in the state by any Federal Government agency.”

Also, Gulani’s claim on clearing of invasive plants species around river banks in the state at the cost of N253 million by PINE was denied by the commissioner and other Yobe State officials.

They also denied the N422.5 million the PINE official claimed was spent on the provision of temporary shelter (tents) for some families in the state.

Also dismissed was the claim by the presidential initiative that it had spent millions of naira on the renovation of about 18 schools completely wiped out by the Boko Haram insurgents in Yobe State.
Lamin said only three schools had been renovated in the state by agencies outside the state.

The Senate Committee told the leadership of PINE to forward to it all documents, including photographs, of claimed executed contracts within one week.

The lawmakers asked why a paltry sum of N2 million was spent by the initiative to feed Internally Displaced Persons, while it donated N50 million to a non-governmental organisation as stated in PINE’s statement of account.

A member of the Senate Committee, Senator Theodore Orji, said: “The affected states said they were not aware of all the contracts executed by PINE.

“You people just decided to make money and that is why you decided to donate N50 million for a conference organised by an NGO.”

Another member of the committee, Senator Ben Murray-Bruce, said when the lawmakers visited some IDP camps in the North East, many women cried out for provision of sanitary pads.

Murray-Bruce said this could have been taken care of if the N2.5 billion given to PINE out of the budgeted N5 billion had been well utilised.

sarrki:
Nobody takes her serious

It's only enemies of Nigeria that will

Am also very sure wiles will do

sarrki:
Op ow far ?

She allowed Gej to rubbish her

sarrki:
Advocate of wailers

Ngozi baby damaged our economy

She connived with the Dr of zoology to loot

Nigeria to a bleeding point

THE kidnappers arrested in connection with the killing of the Human Resources Manager of Dangote Industries Limited, Bello Istifanus Gurama, have adduced reasons for their action.



Gurama had gone to pay a ransom of N5.6 million to the kidnappers for the release of five expatriates that they kidnapped.

They had demanded for N100 million ransom.



The suspects – Abubakar Gide, 24; Abdullahi Salihu, 22; and Babuga Adamu 25 – killed Gerard after collecting the ransom from him.

They dumped his body in a river.

He was shot in the head.

Nine of them were involved in the killing, but only three have been arrested.

The kidnappers have told the operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team who arrested them that they killed Gurara because the money he brought fell far below their expectations.

They said having worked it out that none of them will get less than N11 million each from the N100 million ransom, only for Gerard to appear with just N5.6 million.

Salihu reportedly fired the shot that sent Gurara to his grave.

A police source said: “It all started after four expatriates and one Nigerian working for Dangote Group in Ijebu Igbo Ogun State were abducted on November 9, 2016.

“When Gurama was alerted about the kidnap of his colleagues and asked to go and negotiate for their release, he had thought it was like other negotiation: fluid, simple and successful.

“The negotiation turned out to be his last.

“On November 13, 2016, Gurama went to pay ransom for the five workers to be released.



“When the kidnappers discovered that the money was not N100 million as they demanded, they held Gurama.

“When the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, got the information, he quickly deployed his IRT operatives to the Ogun State.

“The team was led by a Chief Superintendent of Police, Abba Kyari.”

A former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has dismissed speculations that she interested in Nigeria’s presidency.








In a statement by her media aide, Paul Nwabuikwu, on Tuesday, Iweala said she is busy with her international duties and will not abandon that for anything else.


The statement reads in full: ”Our attention has been drawn to speculative media stories linking former Minister of Finance, Dr Okonjo-Iweala with the next presidential election scheduled to hold in 2019.


“In an effort to invest their efforts with phony credibility, those behind the project have even gone to the extent of designing a fake campaign poster embossed with her image.


“This is to clarify that Dr Okonjo-Iweala who is busy with important international duties has absolutely nothing to do with these speculations and activities.


“She has neither discussed nor endorsed them with anybody.


“We urge the Nigerian media and public to ignore this mischievous exercise and its sponsors.”

EKITI State Governor, Ayo Fayose, on Tuesday presented a total of N93.46billion as estimates for the state’s expenditure for the year 2017 to the House of Assembly.
https://www.socialtimesng.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/fayose-budget-presentation6.jpg
Of the sum, recurrent expenditure would gulp N55.03 billion, while capital expenditure received N38.43billion.

The figure is 33 percent higher than the 2016 revised estimates, which was N70.5 billion.

Mr. Fayose, while making his remarks, said it was not the intention of his government to increase the budget beyond the revenue of the government, but certain fiscal realities were taken into consideration.

“In arriving at this figure, we took into consideration various Parameters, Assumptions and Indications. Issues like the Exchange rate, inflation figure, Crude oil price, Oil Production and Inflation, among others,” he said.

“But in our characteristic manner, we chose to be conservative believing that it is better to budget within achievable limits rather than overload the budget document with unrealistic figures.”

The governor said the N93.5 billion would be sourced from federal allocations, internally generated revenues from MDAs, tertiary institutions. VAT, Education Intervention Fund, grants and loans, MDGs conditional grant schemes, reimbursements from the federal government on road projects, Paris Club refund of differentials, and sundry incomes.

The revenue profile indicated that the bulk of the funds would come from federal allocations with an annual expectation of N31billion, followed by VAT and external loans which records N10billion and N8.4billion respectively.

Mr. Fayose explained that a large percentage of the capital estimates was allocated to infrastructure in a bid to ensure “transformation” of the landscapes with good roads, modern public buildings and potable water.

“Our Social Security Scheme will receive additional boost with provision for widows and women empowerment,” he said.

“The ongoing works on the Ado Ekiti Flyover bridge, Oja Oba Modern Market, Ikere Road Dualization, Construction of Governor’s Office and High Court Complex among others shall continue.

“We shall also dualize more roads in some Local Government Headquarters. We hope to complete some ongoing rural electrification projects and start new ones in Ile Ona, Iwaji, Igeede, Ilokun and Aba Igbira Waste Plant among others. We intend to boost our capacity in Agriculture by supporting our farmers in Cocoa and Rice production.”

THE Rivers State Chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, says its attention has been drawn to the ruling made today in respect of TAI rerun elections and wished to state that at no time did Justice Mohammed Liman of the Federal High Court sitting Port Harcourt nullify and/or ordered for a fresh rerun election in Tai.





The APC in a statement signed by its Spokesman, Senibo Chris Finebone said, Justice Liman’s “order for the conclusion of the Tai rerun is merely in tandem with the position already announced by INEC that the Commission will conduct elections in some wards and units in Tai come Saturday, December 10.”
 
Continuing, the party said, “It baffles the mind when members of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, deliberately dispense blatant falsehood especially to the gullible on social media to the effect that the High Court judge ordered a fresh rerun election in Tai. The reference to a specific directive by the Justice for INEC to declare results based on the results filed from the field on December 10 as being bandied is as shady as it is spurious.”
 
“We believe that Justice Liman knows the limit of the powers of his court with regard to the Constitution and the Law and would not have attempted to overreach himself in his ruling. For the avoidance of doubt, Section 133 of the Electoral Act 2010 as Amended recognises only an election tribunal and not the federal high court as having the power to affirm or nullify an election result declared by INEC.”

The APC believed that the judgement did not differ in any way with the position already taken by INEC to conduct rerun elections in the few outstanding units and wards in Tai.
 
“It is too bad but not surprising that members of the PDP prefer to always live in denial by deceiving themselves” the statement concluded.

Lalasticlala, mynd44

AFTER suspending the planned increase in data price, the Nigerian Communications Commission on Wednesday said the decision to rescind its earlier directive to telecom operators to commence charging the new floor price rate for data from December 1, was to allow for further consultation with industry interest groups.








“Following concerns that visited the directive to introduce price floor for data segment of the telecommunications sector beginning from December 1, 2016, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has suspended any further action in that direction,” the director, Public Affairs at the NCC, Tony Ojobo said in a statement.


“The decision to suspend this directive was taken after due consultation with industry stakeholders and the general complaints by consumers across the country.”


Mr. Ojobo said the Commission has already asked all operators to maintain the status quo until the conclusion of study to determine retail prices for broadband and data services in the country.


Prior to the suspension, Nigerians had raised concerns about the impropriety of the decision by government to hike price of data at this time.


Several Nigerians accused the NCC of insensitivity, considering the high cost of living in the face of the current economic recession in the country.


Social media users expressed fears the government planned to limit citizens’ access to the Internet.


In its reaction, the Senate passed a vote asking the Commission to immediately halt the proposed Internet data tariff hike.


The upper chamber of the National Assembly, in a motion under matter of urgent importance by Bala N’ Allah, the Senate Deputy Leader, condemned the planned data tariff hike, and asked the NCC to halt the increase immediately.


On November 1, the Commission, after a consultative meeting on October 19 with all mobile network operators in the country, wrote to them on the need to determine an interim price floor for data services.


In the memo, the telecom sector regulator justified its decision to have a price floor, claiming it was primarily to promote a level playing field for all operators in the industry, encourage small operators and new entrants.


The price floor of N3.11 kobo per megabyte of data in 2014, it recalled, was removed in 2015, pointing out that the price floor that was supposed to flag off on December 1, 2016 was put at 90 kobo per megabyte.


Although the Commission said smaller operators, by virtue of their small market share, were exempted from the now suspended price regime, it said the decision on the floor price was to protect the consumers who are at the receiving end.


The commission said the decision was equally to save the smaller operators from predatory services likely to suffocate them and push them out of business into extinction.


“The price floor is not an increase in price, but a regulatory safeguard put in place by the telecommunications regulator to check anti-competitive practices by dominant operators,” Mr. Ojobo clarified.


He denied the regulator had fixed prices for data services, pointing out that “the NCC does not fix prices, but provides regulatory guidelines to protect the consumers, deepen investments and safeguard the industry from imminent collapse.”


Prior to the now suspended price floor of N0.90k/MB, the industry average for dominant operators, including MTN Nigeria Communications Limited, EMTS Limited (Etisalat) and Airtel Nigeria Limited was N0.53k per megabyte.


Etisalat offered (N0.94k per megabyte), Airtel (N0.52k per megabyte), MTN (N0.45k per megabyte) and Globacom (N0.21k per megabyte).


A comparison of the data prices by the major operators with that initially proposed by NCC shows that but for the reversal, majority of Nigerians would have had to pay  between 90 and 300 per cent increase in data prices.


The smaller operators/new entrants, including Smile Communications, Spectranet and NATCOMS (NTEL) were allowed to charge N0.84k, N0.58k and N0.72k per megabyte respectively.

A Bill seeking to amend the 1999 Constitution and limit the tenure of an acting president or governor to a single term, passed second reading at the House of Representatives on Wednesday.








The amendment bill is sponsored by the deputy speaker and chairman, Special House Ad hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, Yussuff Lasun.


The bill provides that no person who had held office of president or governor of a state, or acted as president or governor of a state for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected president or governor, shall be elected to the office of president or governor of a state more than once.


The aim of the bill‎ is to give constitutional protection to the two term tradition as contemplated by virtue of the combined provisions of sections 137(1)(b) and 182(1)(b) of the Constitution.


These sections provide that the president and governor of a state shall serve in those capacities for a maximum period of eight years.


“However, the Constitution equally envisaged circumstances where a person can be chosen to act as president or state governor, such as when the president or a governor resigns, dies or is impeached,” Mr. Lasun said.


If passed, an acting president or acting governor who served for more than two years in a four-year term, shall only be eligible to contest election to the same office only once.


This proposed amendment, the deputy speaker said, was inspired by the 22nd amendment to the constitution of the United States of America.


It provides that “no person shall be elected to the office of the president more than twice.


“And no person who has held the office of president or acted as president for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected president shall be elected to the office of president more than once,” Mr. Lasun added.


[NAN]

Lalasticlala

THE Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on Wednesday announced the immediate suspension of the new minimum pricing template for data services by mobile operators.








The new rate, which would have led to price increase in data for some Nigerians, was scheduled to take effect from December 1.


The commission and the federal government had however come under intense pressure and criticisms following the announcement leading to the call by the Senate during Wednesday’s plenary for the move to be suspended.


The NCC said in a statement that the decision to suspend the increase is to allow for further consultation.

A walk out was staged today at the senate's plenary.



This was done by senators elected under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The action followed the defection of one of them, Senator Yele Omogunwa, to the All Progressives Congress.

Omogunwa is representing Ondo South Senatorial District.

He had before the Ondo State governorship election, won by the APC’s candidate, Rotimi Akeredolu, defected to the party.

Wednesday’s announcement in the Senate was to formally inform his collleagues.

AN Official of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has given reason behind the directive to the five big telecoms operators in the country to increase their data tariffs from Thursday, December 1.



The reason is reportedly in order to allow small operators and new entrants to acquire market share and operate profitably.

The NCC official who spoke on condition of anonymity on Monday said the regulator came up with the new data regime after some new entrants into the market complained that there was no way they could break even if they operated on same data regime with the likes of MTN, Glo, Etisalat and Airtel, Daily Trust reports.

He said NCC yielded to their pressure when last month it notified the operators of the new rate.

Meanwhile, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, on Tuesday urged the Federal Government not to increase the cost of data to avoid further pressure on mobile telephone users.

THE Senate on Tuesday jerked up the N180 billion virement request by President Muhammadu Buhari to N213 billion‎.








The decis‎ion followed a presentation by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Danjuma Goje, who explained that during the interaction with MDAs, the committee observed that there other areas of critical needs that must be included in the virement in order to stimulate the economy.
‎
However, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, kicked against approving the virement of N213 billion, saying it was not constitutional.


But the Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, countered Ekweremadu.


He said when Ekweremadu was the Deputy Senate President for eight years under a Peoples Democratic Party-led Federal Government, he never complained about the constitutionality of virement.
‎
In the report of the committee, N167 billion was vired for recurrent expenditure, while N44 billion goes for capital projects and N2.5 billion for statutory transfer.


In the capital project, the Ministry of Defence is to get N12.7 billion in the virement, payment of local contractors debts/other liabilities to gulp N25 billion, ‎Presidential Initiative for the North-East – N1.5 billion.


The Senate approved the sum of N300 million appropriated in the 2016 budget under the Transmission Company of Nigeria‎ for the construction of 132 KVA susstation at Gwaram, Jigawa State, to be vired for reconstruction of fallen towers and replacement of glass insulators.


In the findings of the Committee on Appropriation, it was discovered that the total amount for the virement is sourced from recurrent and capital component of the Special Intervention Programme.‎


Buhari had written to the Senate requesting for the amendment of the 2016 Budget in order to meet some crucial needs.


He sought to move money from sub-heads to the other.

AS President Muhammadu Buhari‘s daughter, Zahra, prepares to walk down the aisle with Ahmed, son of billionaire businessman, Mohammed Indimi, on November 30 and December 4, more information about the hitherto low-key wedding have been revealed.









Zahra is also the ambassador for the SCAF, a foundation set up to arrest and minimize the case of sickle cell around the nation.


The groom is the marketing director of his father’s Oriental Energy Resources. A socialite, he trended on social media after he showed off a screenshot of his account balance of N99.864, 731 on Instagram.


Although the bride, who is a graduate of Microbiology from the University of Surrey in England, has yet to officially comment on her impending nuptials, the same can’t be said of her in-laws, the Indimis.


On Tuesday, one of the Indimi daughters, Rahma, posted Zahra’s picture on her Instagram Page, saying her family is “happy to have (Zahra) as one of theirs.



Her post read, “I met this young girl many years ago and I was smitten by her cheekiness. Only years later down the line she is to become ours. My darling Zahra, you are an amazing young lady with so much to give. We have seen and conquered our mission. My prayer is for the two of you to have a beautiful marriage and life with plenty of little ‘Rahma’s running around) we are happy to have you as one of us. Good things are hard to get and the fight was worth it. We can’t wait.”


According to reports, an introduction ceremony between both families held at the Aso Villa, Abuja on Friday, November 18, The wedding is said to be on a low-key celebration as the president desires it to be a simple and an intimate ceremony to be attended by only close family and friends.


But, the Indimis, who are one of the prominent Northern Nigerian families, are not known to do things in half measure.


Indeed, they are renowned for throwing some of the best bashes in town and this time around, they are pulling out all the stops for what many have tagged the wedding of the century.



Over the weekend, Zahra received customized Louis Vuitton boxes from the Indimi family. The boxes are called Laife, and in northern tradition, the groom’s family buys a box for the bride. The box is usually filled up with diamond and gold jewelry, shoes, bags, super wax, laces, perfumes, underwear, cosmetics and more.


Once more, the Indimis posted the photographs of the boxes on Instagram.


The LV boxes have Zahra’s name customized as ZBI (Zara Buhari Indimi).


[NAN]

THE Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry, Enugu, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, on Monday said residents are happy with the exemplary performance and visionary leadership of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State.








Mbaka said: “We, the Enugu State people and residents, are happy with Governor Ugwuanyi’s performance so far.”


He said this during the Holy Mass organised to inaugurate the 2016/2017 Legal Year of the state Judiciary held at his ministry.


The cleric noted that it is instructive that Ugwuanyi’s administration had enthroned peace across the state and united diverse political interests.


He said: “I will implore everybody in the state to continue to support his administration because it has been anointed by God to do the right things.”


Mbaka noted that the governor’s leadership style has fostered development especially in this period of recession.


He said: “I am always praying to God to grant him the grace to expand infrastructural growth to sub-urban communities to link up such areas with the urban centres.”


Describing the new legal year as “a year of favour”, Mbaka advised lawyers to have the fear of God and eschew corruption in the discharge of their responsibilities.


He also enjoined the younger generation of lawyers to imbibe the ethics of hard work and discipline that would enable them to rise to the zenith of their career.


Mbaka stated: “I pray that the new session will usher in a turnaround in their career.”


Commenting on the nation’s economy, the cleric advised the Federal Government to look inward to find ways of diversifying the economy to create jobs and empower the youth.


The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Ugwuanyi and most of his aides attended the mass.


Other dignitaries included the acting Chief Judge of the state, Justice Priscilla Emehelu; the President of Enugu State Customary Court of Appeal, Justice George Nnamani; and the state’s Commissioner for Justice, Chief Mellitus Eze.

THE candidate of the Alliance for Democracy, AD, in the just concluded governorship election in Ondo State, Olusola Oke, on Monday congratulated the winner of the election, Rotimi Akeredolu of the All Progressives Congress.








He, however, decried the “heavy monetization” of the election held on Saturday.


Mr. Oke came a distant third at the election with 126, 889 votes, winning only two local government areas, Ilaje and Okitipupa.


In a statement made available to journalists in Akure, Mr. Oke commended both the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the security agents deployed to the state for their fairness in the handling of their duties.


According to him, alleged open and free use of money to purchase votes by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the APC blighted the process.


He said the ugly development required the urgent intervention of government if the much publicized anti-corruption agenda of the Federal Government would make any meaning to Nigerians.


“In the last seven years, the policy direction of the government of the day (in Ondo State) has resulted in the growth and circulation of poverty to our people,” he said.


“The resultant effect is the debilitating poverty that had made the people so vulnerable.


Therefore, trading away dignity in the face of excruciating hunger during electioneering process requires little or no considerations for morals and values that defined us as a people.


“Offer of money for votes is worse than looting the government treasury. Apart from compromising the dignity of the people, it provides a fertile training ground for future looters of government treasury.


“The consequence of it is to render the anti-corruption fight a farce. There may be no economic matter more urgent, difficult to unravel and more sensitive to the pursuit of the average person in Ondo State than the current indignity foisted on the people by poverty orchestrated by maladministration and priority misplacement by the current administration.”


He expressed the hope that the incoming administration would address the problem of poverty so that the integrity of the electoral process would be restored.


Mr. Oke, who recalled the event leading to his movement to the AD, said it was necessitated by the need for them to shun the “in-built perfidy and organized deception” in APC as revealed during its primary election.


“We moved to AD less than six weeks before the gubernatorial election. We knew it was a big challenge and the greatest challenge was time. But we were determined in the pursuit of our dream,” he explained.


He assured that as members of the opposition, the AD would continue to contribute to the process of governance and would not hesitate to point, in a civilized manner, the attention of the incoming government to any area where the masses seem not to have been considered in the policy framework of governance.


But the APC has denied that it was involved in vote buying during the election, accusing the PDP and others of spreading the report.


Steve Otaloro, the Publicity Director of the party in Ondo State, said those alleging that it bought votes should prove their allegations against the party.

IN a move aimed at countering the release of Amnesty International’s latest report the Nigeria army on Wednesday evening released a statement denying that soldiers killed and tortured defenceless pro-Biafra agitators.



The latest reports of the Amnesty International (AI) have revealed how no fewer than 150 pro-Biafra protesters in the South East were killed by the Nigerian security forces led by the military.


The group, in a press statement yesterday, based its figure on analysed 87 videos, 122 photographs and 146 eyewitness testimonies relating to demonstrations and other gathered between August 2015 and August this year.


The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) emerged in 2012 and campaigns for an independent Biafran state. Almost 50 years ago, an attempt to establish Biafra state led to a civil war from 1967 to 1970.


There has been series of protests, marches and gatherings by members and supporters of IPOB since August last year by the group which has been seeking the creation of a Biafran state.


However, tension increased following the arrest of IPOB leader,  Nnamdi Kanu on October 14, 2015, who has since remained in detention.


The statement read: ‘’The Nigerian security forces, led by the military, embarked on a chilling campaign of extrajudicial executions and violence resulting in the deaths of at least 150 peaceful pro-Biafra protesters in the south east of the country," according to an investigation by Amnesty International published today (yesterday).


It further stated that available data consistently showed that the Nigerian military fired live ammunition with little or no warning to disperse crowds.


AI also said it found evidence of mass extrajudicial executions by security forces, including at least 60 people shot dead in the space of two days in connection with events to mark Biafra Remembrance Day.


“This deadly repression of pro-Biafra activists is further stoking tensions in the South-east of Nigeria. This reckless and trigger-happy approach to crowd control has caused at least 150 deaths and we fear the actual total might be far higher,” said Makmid Kamara, Interim Director of Amnesty International Nigeria.


“The Nigerian government’s decision to send in the military to respond to pro-Biafra events seems to be in large part to blame for this excessive bloodshed. The authorities must immediately launch an impartial investigation and bring the perpetrators to book.”


According to the group, the largest number of pro-Biafra activists were killed on Biafra Remembrance Day on 30 May 2016 when an estimated 1,000 IPOB members and supporters gathered for a rally in Onitsha, Anambra State.


It went further to state that night before the rally,  Nigerian security forces raided homes and a church where IPOB members were sleeping.


“On Remembrance Day itself, the security forces shot people in several locations,’’ it said.


Although Amnesty International said it had not been able to verify the exact number of extrajudicial executions on the occasion,  it estimated that at least 60 people were killed and 70 injured in the two days.


Fearing that the real number of extrajudicial executions might be higher, AI  quoted one Ngozi, 28, mother of one who told the group that her husband left in the morning to go to work but called her shortly afterwards to say that the military had shot him in his abdomen.


“He said he was in a military vehicle with six others, four of whom were already dead. He (my husband) started whispering and said they just stopped (the vehicle). He was scared they would kill the remaining three of them that were alive… He paused and told me they were coming closer. I heard gunshots and I did not hear a word from him after that.


“The next day, Ngozi searched for her husband and finally found his body in a nearby mortuary. The mortuary attendants told her that the military had  brought him and six others. She saw three gunshot wounds; one in his abdomen and two in his chest, which confirmed her fear that the military had executed him.”


The Amnesty also said it reviewed videos of a peaceful gathering of IPOB members and supporters at Aba National High School on February 9, 2016, during which the Nigerian military surrounded the group and fired live ammunition at them without any prior warning.


“Many of the protesters at Aba were rounded up and taken away by the military. On February 13, corpses, including those of men known to have been taken by the military, were discovered in a pit near the Aba highway.


“It is chilling to see how these soldiers gunned down peaceful IPOB members. The video evidence shows that this was a military operation with intent to kill and injure,” said Kamara.


In many of the incidents detailed in the report, including the Aba High School protest, AI said the military applied tactics designed to kill and neutralize an enemy, rather than to ensure public order at a peaceful event.


“All IPOB gatherings documented by Amnesty International were largely peaceful. In those cases where there were pockets of violence, it was mostly in reaction to shooting by the security forces. Eyewitnesses told Amnesty International that some protesters threw stones, burnt tyres and in one incident shot at the police. Regardless, these acts of violence and disorder did not justify the level of force used against the whole assembly.


“Amnesty International’s research also shows a disturbing pattern of hundreds of arbitrary arrests and ill-treatment by soldiers during and after IPOB events, including arrests of wounded victims in hospital, and torture and other ill-treatment of detainees.


Vincent Ogbodo (not real name), a 26-year-old trader, said he was shot on Remembrance Day in Nkpor and hid in a gutter. When soldiers found him they poured acid on him. He told Amnesty International: “I covered my face. I would have been blind by now. He poured acid on my hands. My hands and body started burning. The flesh was burning… They dragged me out of the gutter. They said I’ll die slowly.”


A man who was detained in Onitsha Barracks after the Remembrance Day shooting on May 30, 2016 told Amnesty International: “Those in the guardroom (detention) were flogged every morning. The soldiers tagged it ‘Morning Tea’.”


The group lamented that despite the overwhelming evidence that the Nigerian security forces committed gross human rights violations including extrajudicial executions and torture, no investigations have been carried out by the authorities.


‘’A similar pattern of lack of accountability for gross violations by the military has been documented in other parts of Nigeria including the north east in the context of operations against Boko Haram’’.


“Amnesty International has repeatedly called on the government of Nigeria to initiate independent investigations into evidence of crimes under international law, and President Buhari has repeatedly promised that Amnesty International’s reports would be looked into. However, no concrete steps have been taken,” said Makmid Kamara.


In the very rare cases where an investigation is carried out, there is no follow up. As a result of the apparent lack of political will to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of such crimes, the military continues to commit human rights violations and grave crimes with impunity.


In addition to investigations, the Nigerian government must ensure adequate reparations for the victims, including the families. They should end all use of military in policing demonstrations and ensure the police are adequately instructed, trained and equipped to deal with crowd-control situations in line with international law and standards. In particular, firearms must never be used as a tool for crowd control.


AI said on September 30, 2016, it  shared the key findings of its report with the Federal Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Interior, Inspector General of Police and the Director-General of the state Security Services.


Although it stated that responses were received from the Attorney General and Inspector General of Police, but neither answered the questions raised in the report.


Army Denies


Denying, the Military stated that the report was an attempt to tarnish the reputation of Nigerian security forces and that of the army especially.


The statement by the acting director of army public relations, Sani Usman, a colonel, stated that IPOB members relished in the use of violence that threatens the security of the country.


It claimed that IPOB members attacked and killed people from other ethnic groups in the south-east and injured several soldiers and policemen.


The statement also claimed that the protesters vandalised military and police vehicles.


He stated that the military acted within its mandate and in fact, approached the protesters with restrain despite their use of “unjustifiable violence”.


“The evidence of MASSOB/IPOB violent secessionist agitations is widely known across the national and international domains.  Their modus operandi has continued to relish violence that threatens national security.  Indeed between August 2015 and August 2016, the groups’ violent protests have manifested unimaginable atrocities to unhinge the reign of peace, security and stability in several parts of the South East Nigeria,” the statement read.


“A number of persons from the settler communities that hailed from other parts of the Country were selected for attack, killed and burnt.  Such reign of hate, terror and ethno-religious controversies that portend grave consequences for national security have been averted severally through the responsiveness of the Nigerian Army and members of the security agencies.


“These security agencies are always targeted for attack by the MASSOB/IPOB instruments of barbarism and cruelty.  For instance, in the protests of 30 – 31 May 2016, more than 5 personnel of the Nigeria Police were killed, while several soldiers were wounded, Nigeria Police vehicles were burnt down same as several others of the Nigerian Army that were vandalized.


“The strategic Niger Bridge at Onitsha came under threat thus leading to disruption of socio-economic activities.  In the aftermath of the encounter that ensued between security agencies and MASSOB/IPOB militants many of own troops sustained varying degrees of injury.  In addition, the MASSOB/IPOB recurrent use of firearms, crude weapons as well as other cocktails such as acid and dynamites to cause mayhem remain a huge security threat across the region.


“Therefore, it is rather unfortunate for the Amnesty International to allow itself to be lured into this cheap and unpopular venture that aims to discredit the undeniable professionalism as well as responsiveness of the Nigerian Army in the discharge of its constitutional roles.”

THE Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, on Wednesday in Abuja said N420 billion was shared in October among the Federal, States and Local Governments.
Adeosun told newsmen that same amount was shared in September.








She said that N6.3 billion was refunded to the federal government by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.


The net statutory allocation is N197 billion while Value Added Tax is N69.6 billion, an increase of N5.35 billion from the previous month.


She said that there was exchange gain of N37.3 billion while excess Petroleum Profit Tax was N109.1 billion.


Adeosun said the Federal Government received N96.67billion, representing 52.68 per cent while states got N49billion, representing 26.72 per cent.


The local governments, she said, received N37.8 billion, amounting to 20.60 per cent of the amount distributed.


She said N13.5 billion, representing 13 per cent derivation revenue was shared among the oil producing states.


For distribution from VAT, she said that the federal government got N10 billion representing 15 per cent while the states got N33.4 billion representing 50 per cent and the local government councils got N23.3 billion representing 35 per cent.


Adeosun also said that during the month under review, the country generated N140.2 billion as mineral revenue and N98.5 billion as non-mineral revenue, showing a decrease of N41 billion from both sources.


The minister also said that the Excess Crude Account stood at 2.4 billion dollars.


She noted that there was a decrease in crude production in August which was one of the months the nation had very challenging situations in the Niger Delta.
She said that 950 barrels per day was shut-in and that the impact was being felt on revenue.


Adeosun said: “Of course the situation in the Niger Delta continues to affect us but we are working to resolve it, we are confident that we will gather production volumes back up as quickly as possible.


“The large driver of the lack of growth is the oil sector which is down by minus 22 per cent.


“The situation is being addressed and we are now of course seeing production volumes coming back up and we are confident that that progress will be continued.’’


She, however, said that there was growth in the agriculture and solid minerals sectors “which is very encouraging’’.
Adeosun said the rate at which the economy was declining was slowing down.


She said that it was encouraging and that the federal government will continue to watch and look for areas to provide far more fiscal stimulus to get growth back.


She said that it was clear from the figures from the National Bureau of Statistics that the manufacturing sector was the most challenged and that unavailability of foreign exchange was responsible for that.


She added that the sector would benefit from more consistency of foreign exchange policy.


She said: “On the fiscal side we are rolling out a number of measures that will support the manufacturing sector in terms of tax relief and other measures that would allow the balance sheet of the manufacturers to be repaired.’’


On debts owed contractors, she said the ministry was working with the Central Bank of Nigeria to find a solution to the problem.


She, however, confirmed that the debt affected a number of sectors in the economy.


Adeosun said: “Clearly, it is affecting the ability to get the economy going because if contractors are owed they cannot invest.


“It also affected our stimulus because when we released funds to contractors many of them found that they were not allowed access to the funds because they were already in overdrawn positions.


“So many of these hidden debts are significant and we are working very much in conjunction with the CBN and we have already consulted with the National Assembly on what we are proposing to do to solve the problem.’’

AYODELE Fayose, Governor of Ekiti State has backed the call by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) for the postponement of the Ondo governorship election.








Reacting to the victory of the party’s candidate, Eyitayo Jegede, at the Court of Appeal on Wednesday, Mr. Fayose told journalists in Ado Ekiti that the electoral body should postpone the election as it did recently in Edo.


He said the victory of Mr. Jegede as the PDP candidate in the Saturday election was not in favour of the party to win the poll.


He called for the postponement of the poll as done by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the last Edo governorship election.


Mr. Fayose alleged that INEC, in collaboration with some people, had succeeded in undermining the strength of the party through the long judicial impediment.


“Postponing this governorship election remains the best option if INEC is truly an unbiased umpire,” he said.


“I commend the Court of Appeal panel as the judgment should not have been otherwise because you cannot cover the truth. l have said it ab initio that charlatans in PDP are colluding with INEC and some elements to undermine our party,’’ he said.


He said INEC had no reason in the first instance to change Mr. Jegede’s name for any other person’s.


“This is not the best of times for us in the PDP and the good people of Ondo State. This is not the best time this judgment should have come.


“But we are still looking for Nigeria of our own, I mean Nigeria, where there will be fairness and equity.


“It is regrettable that some charlatans can be colluding with INEC and others to destroy our party. This is very regrettable and unfortunate.


“As it is now, the commission has no reason not to postpone this election because what the INEC did was a deliberate action to weaken our party.


“This judgment coming at this time is a major setback for our party, which I believe can only be cured if this election is postponed,’’ he said.


[NAN]