₦airaland Forum

http://dailytimes.com.ng/article/civil-servant-adamawa-collected-n6m-monthly-salary

The Adamawa State Government, on Tuesday in Yola, announced the arrest of an employee in its Ministry of Education who is alleged to have been fraudulently collecting a monthly salary of N6 million.

[url=http://dailytimes.com.ng/article/suswam%E2%80%99s-spokesman-escapes-death]Six gunmen attacked and fired several shots at Dr. Cletus Akwaya at his uncle’s house in Makurdi[/url].

Daily Times takes a critical look at the last local council election held in Lagos and its aftermath.

Although the LASIEC chairman has asked aggrieved parties to approach the Tribunal for redress, the Tribunal is yet to open its doors to prospective petitioners almost three weeks after the announcement of results.

By law, petitions must be filed on or before 21 days after the announcement of the election results, but the Tribunal’s registry is yet to be opened.

Daily Times enquiry at the LASIEC office did not yield any results. Calls and text messages sent to LASIEC Chairman’s phone went unreturned and unreplied while the commission’s PRO, Ronke Famakinwa, said she “has no information on when it (the Tribunal) will be set up”.

The sitting Bayelsa governor has been dumped by his party.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has failed to clear the incumbent governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Timipre Sylva; former NDDC boss, Mr. Alaibe Ndutimi; the Chairman of Silver Bird broadcasting company, Mr. Ben Murray Bruce and the present Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Water Resources, Mr. Igali Godknows Boladet.

Tribunal gives Enugu to Chime | http:///v8eedv

Police stifle protest | Daily Times Nigeria: http:///H4p9bwtI #fuelsubsidy #Nigeria

A harvest of deaths at LTV | http:///xlrpfQoC

Eleven members of staff have died mysteriously at Lagos Television this year,

Governors Queue Behind Sylva

Some PDP governors want the party to clear their Bayelsa colleague for re-election[/url].

People's Democratic Party's (PDP) governors have constituted a five-member committee to meet with President Goodluck Jonathan and the party leadership in a bid to put pressure on them to the pave way for the clearance of Governor Timipre Sylva.

Speaking to journalists at the State House Abuja on Thursday, Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State justified the governors' intervention, describing it as an exercise in self-preservation.

According to him, it is Sylva today and could be any other governor tomorrow.

Suswam said his colleagues expected a positive resolution of the matter and were still awaiting the outcome of the meetings between the committee, Jonathan and the leadership of the PDP.

"This issue is being addressed at the highest level between the party, the PDP governors and the president and there is a committee which I am not a member that was set up by the PDP governors to meet with the party," he said.

"Naturally, he is our colleague and we expect that we all go together and so, it’s a game of self-preservation anyway. We take ourselves as governors and we expect that what affects one governor indirectly affects other governors as well."

Asked what step the governors would take if the party still refuses to clear the Bayelsa state governor for the primaries, Suswam said: "We will cross the bridge when we get there. We haven’t gotten to that level, we believe that we are dialoguing on the matter and when we get to where you have mentioned, we will cross the bridge. We haven’t gotten to that yet."

The national leadership of PDP had cleared some candidates in two separate batches for the November 19th gubernatorial primaries, but so far the names of the Sylva; the former Presidential Adviser on Niger Delta, Timi Alaibe; and the former Director General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Ben Murray Bruce, are still missing on the list.

The gubernatorial aspirants cleared so far include: Oruta Boloubo, Henry Dickson, Enai Fullpower, Michael Youppele, Doukpala Amaebi, Fred Korobido, and Austin Febo.


http://dailytimes.com.ng/article/governors-queue-behind-sylva

At least one person has been reported killed in fresh ethno-religious fighting in Kafanchan, southern Kaduna State on Wednesday.

An eyewitness said violence broke out between the Hausa/Fulani community and the indigenous people of Kafanchan, a predominantly Christian town.

Residents have fled the affected areas after mobs torched cars and houses, and blocked exit roads, a witness said.

Two residents said the fracas started after a Hausa boy was mysteriously killed by the locals. “The boy was a spy for the Hausas," said a resident who gave his name as Gimba.

The police could not be reached immediately to confirm the details.

Kafanchan and other parts of southern Kaduna State have for years been a melting pot of religious and ethnic violence.

Hundreds were killed and several properties destroyed in post elections violence early this year.

The recent trouble came amid heightened security fears in the country after the Islamist group,Boko Haram, killed at least 150 people in Yobe and Borno states over the weekend.

The group has warned of more attacks on security formations, government establishments and churches.

The threat has created anxiety in many cities including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

As of Wedesday, the FCT, which has itself seen repeated attacks, remained scanty after the Sallah break.

Many government offices did not fully open while workers and other residents remained apprehensive.


http://dailytimes.com.ng/article/fresh-violence-reported-kaduna-state

Ajani is one of the organisers of a demonstration in protest of the Federal Government’s proposed fuel subsidy removal.

According to reports, Wale Ajani, the president of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, has been detained by the State Secret Service.

Ajani was detained on Wednesday afternoon and, as at the time of filing this report, had been held and questioned by the SSS for over three hours for his role in the planned hunger strike slated for November 11, 2011 by young Nigerians, in protest of the federal government’s proposed petroleum subsidy removal.

The Bill seeks to compel the president to assign portfolios to ministerial nominees before Senate confirmation.

A Bill seeking to compel the president to indicate portfolios of ministerial nominees before sending them to the Senate has continued to generate diverse reactions.

The proposed law, which is known as the Confirmation of Ministerial Nominees (Procedure) Bill, 2011, and sponsored by Friday Itulah (PDP Edo State), was recently listed for consideration in the House of Representatives.

Source
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Welcome back from your holiday, and we will begin today's newsletter with a morning scripture reading. It is stated very clearly in Exodus 20:17 that "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife".
Thus it was that justice of biblical proportions was dished out two days ago to an unnamed youth corps member in Benin City, Edo state. In the middle of a night of passion with his girlfriend, the boy suddenly took ill, and despite the best efforts of his neighbours to save him (they tried prayer), he died from apparent exhaustion. May he rest in peace.

Problem is that his "girlfriend" was engaged to be married to someone else. Although Ugo Chime doesn't necessarily agree about cheating with married women, this yong man's fate raises the question of whether this is a case of divine justice. If it is, the next question will clearly be why the girl was exempted from this version of justice? Or dare-we-ask, is facing her obviously irate fiancé her own comeuppance?

Whatever it is, justice is something that is rather hard to come by in our country, especially if you do not have the means to purchase it. It is probably with that in mind that some Enugu indigenes have simply shrugged, [url=http://dailytimes.com.ng/article/enugu-indigenes-sacked-abia-seek-chime%E2%80%99s-intervention]then petitioned the governor[/url] of Enugu state to have them employed in the Enugu Civil Service. You see, they used to work in the Abia Civil Service until they were summarily dismissed by the current administration in an action which CIC Old Boy rightly points out is against the Constitution of the Federal Republic. It's quite a wonder that the Federal Government has not deemed it fit to intervene in this obvious violation of the constitutional rights of some Nigerians.

But maybe they cannot intervene because they are too busy pretending that there is no problem in North-Eastern Nigeria. The residents of Damaturu on the other hand, have decided to vote with their feet much like their much richer counterparts in Abuja did a few days back.

To be fair to the security forces though, they appear to have swung into action, and have announced the arrests of nine people over Friday's bombings. We sincerely hope that these arrests are the start of a more serious approach to sorting this issue of Boko Haram once and for all.

[size=13pt]Riot breaks out in Kaduna[/size]

https://dailytimes.com.ng/sites/default/files/imagecache/400xY/19nigeria_cnd-articleLarge.jpg

The residents are protesting attacks carried out on a church, on Thursday night, which left 2 people dead

A riot broke out in Zonkwa town, Kaduna State, on Friday, as residents came out to protest an attack on a church, which reportedly left two people dead.

Kaduna State Police Command spokesperson, Aminu Lawal said the clashes may be due to yesterday night's attack on a church in Tabak, a village in the state. Lawal added that two people were killed during the attack, while 12 others were injured.

This latest incident follows series of clashes which have plagued the northern state in the past months.

Following the declaration of Goodluck Jonathan as winner of the presidential elections earlier this year, hundreds of people were reportedly killed in the post-election violence which rocked the state.


Source = Daily Times.

The comedian was released on bail after no drugs were found on him.

Only Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala appeared for the hearing but complained of a busy schedule.

All top government officials, but Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on Thursday, ignored the invitations of the Senate panel probing excessive spending on this year's petroleum subsidy.

The investigative hearing, which was scheduled to hold at the senate wing of the chambers, was called off after the panel realised that their guests and sources for their investigation will not be appearing.

Some of the lawmakers want the existed act reviewed, while others want firearms legalised.

The House of Representatives has passed a bill seeking to repeal and re-enact the Firearms Act Number 32, 1959 .



The bill also seeks to prescribe more stringent and modern ways of firearms control.

The Court of Appeal in Makurdi upholds the earlier ruling of an election tribunal in the case.

The Court of Appeal in Makurdi has sacked the Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Terhemen Tarzor.

This follows an earlier ruling of the elections petitions tribunal which held that the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) candidate for Makurdi North, Avine Agbum, was the actual winner in the April 2011 elections.

The Revenue Commission accuses the state oil company of operating secret accounts while the FIRS says that NNPC simply doesn't pay taxes.

The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) today accused the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) of operating secret accounts, which are not being monitored by the relevant agencies as required by law.

Meanwhile, in her presentation, the Executive Chairman of FIRS, Mrs. Omoigui-Okauru, who has been under fire from the Presidency following her submission on the contentious fuel subsidy removal has said that the NNPC does not pay taxes to the federal government.

The NFF has opted for former Super Eagles assistant coach, Stephen Keshi to replace the disgraced Samson Siasia.

The President reacts to the elections tribunal ruling in his favour.

President Goodluck Jonathan has welcomed the judgment of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, delivered today in Abuja at the Court of Appeal, which upheld his election as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The Election Tribunal has thrown out the CPC's petition for lack of merit.

[url=http://dailytimes.com.ng/article/cpc%E2%80%99s-petition-supreme-court-strikes-out-jonathan%E2%80%99s-appeal-1]The president, the PDP and INEC jointly challenged the July 6 decision of the tribunal, which upheld the filing of the CPC’s petition on a Sunday[/url].

The Supreme Court in Abuja, on Monday, struck out President Goodluck Jonathan’s appeal against the decision of the Court of Appeal to hear the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC)’s petition against his victory.

Michaela Moye, Abuja bureau chief of Daily Times newspapers was harassed and molested by two mobile police corporals who chased her in a bid to seize her camera.

Nigeria to hit 166 million by October ending.

The NGF also reacts to fuel subsidy deductions from state allocations.

The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) has directed state commissioners for finance to reject revenue allocations not in accordance with the Appropriation Act of 2011.

The forum gave the directive in a communiqué read by its Chairman, Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State, at the end of its meeting in Abuja, which ended at the early hours of Tuesday.

Police on Sunday arrested two Nigerian nationals from the upscale Jubilee Hills area in Hyderabad on a charge of drug peddling, and recovered 8 grams of cocaine from them.

Police team raided a place near Durgam Cheruvu main gate and apprehended Sakiry Oladotum Akinsola and Okechnkwu Ohazurike, said Inspector K Narsing Rao.

"The duo was nabbed as they arrived there to deliver cocaine to a customer. Police recovered 8 grams of it from their possession," he said.

Sakiry, who lives in Hyderabad, supplied spare parts to Nigeria. "He himself took cocaine, which he bought from `Jackson', a Ugandan national, Rao said.

Okechnkwu knew some cocaine buyers in the city, and Sakiry gave him a share of profits for getting customers.
About the Author


http://dailytimes.com.ng/article/two-nigerian-drug-peddlers-arrested-india

They have killed the goose that lays the golden egg!

Hear him: "I have been informed by people who should know that several NFF officials and former officials represent the interests of certain players."

Lagos council polls going on peacefully, but marred by low turnout.

As of 8 this morning, electoral officers had started distributing voting materials in most parts of Lagos state for elections into the state's 20 local government areas (LGAs) and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs). Voting started before 9 this morning.

In Lagos governor, Tunde Fashola's ward in Surulere, voting did not start until 10.30, by which time the governor had yet to make an appearance.

The special adviser said one cannot compromise his immediate family because of extended family.

The Abia State Government has, in recent times, been accused of transferring civil servants who are non-indigenes of the State, back to their states of origin.

In a press release signed by Dr. A.C.B. Agbazuere, the Special Adviser to the Abia State Governor on Conflicts Management, he stated that “the issue of backloading on transfer of non-indigenes to their States of origin did not start with Abia State Government. States like Imo, Enugu, among others had done this in the past.”

The Federal Executive Council will reinforce the technical departments in ministries, for efficient supervision of projects
Article | October 20, 2011 - 1:20pm | By Emmanuel Okubenji

Following a directive from President Goodluck Jonathan, the National Economic Management Team (NEMT) is to review dam projects across the country.

The directive came on the heels of an evaluation report on water projects by the Presidential Projects Assessment Committee, which indicated that the country was losing 3,600 megawatts of electricity due to poor designs and improper costing of dams across the country.

Information Minister Labaran Maku disclosed this after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by Jonathan at the Council Chamber of the State House, Abuja.

Maku said besides the review, the council also approved new guidelines for the presentation of project proposals to the FEC for approval, saying the modalities were to prevent future mistakes where awarded projects were abandoned.

He said the resolution followed a briefing by the committee, which he said indicated that the country has about 200 dam projects, some of them completed while others were at various stages of completion.

He said the committee told the council that the dam projects were designed to supply water for human consumption, generate about 3,600 megawatts of electricity for the nation and were also designed to have the capacity to irrigate 3.1 million hectares of land for various agricultural purposes.

The council also agreed to reinforce the technical departments of some of the key construction ministries for efficient supervision of projects. It also said that in drawing up contracts, public interest must supersedes contractors’ interests.


http://dailytimes.com.ng/article/nigeria-loses-3600mw-due-poor-dam-designs