Several political figures in the All Progressives Congress (APC) told SaharaReporters that there were serious apprehensions about former Governor Ahmed Bola Tinubu of Lagos State who has not been seen in public for several weeks. Some of the politicians wondered whether the former governor had taken ill, noting that there were political challenges in the party’s south-west zone that they expected Mr. Tinubu to be on ground addressing.
In the wake of their concerns, a source close to Mr. Tinubu told SaharaReporters that the former governor left Nigeria two weeks ago and flew to the United Kingdom for personal reasons. The source added that Mr. Tinubu was supposed to have returned a week later, but his whereabouts remain unknown to party apparatchiks.
The APC leader’s aides did not initially return our correspondent’s phone calls and ignored text messages inquiring about his whereabouts and requesting to interview him. However, in a short text to SaharaReporters just before we went to press, Mr. Tinubu dismissed concerns about his health, stating that he was abroad on vacation and to attend to some long neglected personal affairs.
Several APC politicians who spoke to our correspondent said their concerns grew when Mr. Tinubu, a former senator who serves as the national leader of the APC, became noticeably absent during yesterday’s visit to Osun State by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Mr. Tinubu had issued a statement yesterday assuring the people of Ondo State that the APC was prepared to win the forthcoming governorship election in the state, but there were unanswered questions about the politician’s location.
In Ondo State, where APC primaries are expected to hold tomorrow to choose the party’s governorship candidate, Segun Abraham, a contestant who is known to be Mr. Tinubu’s anointed favorite, was described as deeply worried by his main backer’s prolonged absence. A political source in the state said Mr. Abraham’s campaign appear troubled by Mr. Tinubu’s absence. The candidate’s aides impatiently rebuffed efforts to interview him.
Mr. Tinubu’s text message said he was “very well,” adding, “I may be returning today.” According to him, he was spending part of his summer holiday and “taking care of previous neglected personal affairs.”
Before going to press the APC National Leader’s aides said he has arrived Lagos from the UK.
Unknown gunmen earlier today assassinated a former local government caretaker committee chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State, Niyi Pirisola. A source who spoke to Reporters correspondent in a phone said Mr. Pirisola was "gunned down" in the early hours of Friday. "He was killed in the early hours of today (Friday) at about 3:00 am while returning from a branch of Celestial Church Of Christ at Ilutuntun in his hometown," the source said.
Unknown gunmen earlier today assassinated a former local government caretaker committee chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State, Niyi Pirisola.
A source who spoke to Reporters correspondent in a phone said Mr. Pirisola was "gunned down" in the early hours of Friday.
"He was killed in the early hours of today (Friday) at about 3:00 am while returning from a branch of Celestial Church Of Christ at Ilutuntun in his hometown," the source said.
The source further said the tenure of the deceased and the chairman of the local area witnessed "bloody violence".
A police officer in the town also confirmed the news to our correspondent in the phone.
"Yes, he was assassinated by yet to be identified gunmen and his body has been deposited at the Okitipupa General Hospital.
"We (Police) have begun our investigation into the murder case by interrogating members of his family, " the officer said.
When reporters contacted one of his close aides, but his mobile phone was switched off as at the time of this report.
Akwa Ibom is a really blessed and awesomely amazing state, with a variety of culture, cuisine, fun spots and truly great people. We are a ready spot for work and play with highly motivated skilled and semi-skilled workforce and don't forget, we also have the best opportunities for investment that serves to boost the economy of the Nigerian Nation.
Make plans to visit and experience Akwa Ibom for Yourself and join us as we arise of the faith that we are a people created for greatness. We look forward to birthing great things with you. Welcome!
For once we the people of Niger Delta have to think outside politics. We all see things from different angles and different view. my view might be foolish but can go a long way if we try put it to work. Africa has become the world’s business destination as God has truly blessed Africa with quad-trillions investment opportunity. That multi-billionaires have set Billions of Dollars to come invest in Africa. Last week Japan set $200 Billion Dollars aside to come to invest in Africa. The US has set $300 Billion aside for Africa investment, other countries like China, UAE, India, UK, Germany, Italy and many more have all set billions aside to come invest in Africa and they are rushing in their numbers to get this opportunity to take over the African market. Millions of individuals like Bill Gate, Mark Zuckerberg, George Soros and many more have all set Billions aside to come invest in Africa this was why Mark Zuckerberg visited Nigeria because the treasure of Africa is in Nigeria. Nigeria is the bedrock of Africa, and Niger Delta is the bedrock of Nigeria, that is to say the exact spot where these billions are coming into is Niger Delta. The investors are knocking on our doors with Billions of dollars in their hands waiting, but no investor would invest in where there is insecurity, violence, kidnappings, robberies, and extortion of money from them; for they are simply business men. They cannot come in right now as Nigeria is hot, Niger Delta is boiling as we have been blacklisted. We are fighting FG to come to Develop us as we are underdeveloped and marginalized, while the FG is even struggling to develop and take care of itself. We are fighting Federal government for peanuts, while investors are with Billions watching and waiting for us to be calm so they can come pour this billions on Niger Delta for massive investment and development. But due to the hotness and politics of election aftermath, we are being blinded, to blind to hear or see the billions of dollars knocking on our doors as we are busy fight the FG over peanuts. FG spent $40 Billions dollars for the development of Niger Delta between 2009-2015 and it seems like hugh money, when one investor can invest $100 Billion dollars in one month into Niger Delta if we all act like fools but we know what we are doing. FG Budget for 2016 is six (6) Trillion Naira which they have not been able to raise half of it, and we are too focus fighting FG to get our share to develop Niger Delta from this government purse, making us blind to see more than six trillion dollars knocking on our door to develop us without the help of the FG government. The FG can only develop 5% of Niger Delta between now and the next 20 years, but ourselves with the foreigners can develop Niger Delta 95% within the next 5 years. It is 100% possible. Why fight FG for peanuts when we can acquires Billions of dollars from foreigners in a shortest time without lifting a single weapon or raising our voices to make much noise? This is why we have to put our political cap and glasses aside, turn away from the Federal government to look outside Nigeria to the Millions of billionaires with cash to spend on Niger Delta and let them bring in this money and development to us with immediate effect before it becomes too late. To catch a monkey, we must act as monkeys. This is why we must all come up publicly before the world to condemn militancy, kidnappings, robberies, and extortion of monies from companies, starting from our political leaders to the Least Deltan all condemn this act of militancy. simply denounce militancy, educate your people on the profits and gains foreigners and investors would bring into the state if we allow them to walk freely on our streets, do their businesses without harassing and extorting monies from them. Educate the youths to stop robberies, kidnapping, and extorting monies from oil and non-oil companies. Make lots of adverts on the Internationals and local medias of how we have ended militancy in Niger Delta You invite one or few white men even from near Abuja or Lagos into the Niger Delta to walk the streets without security, take selfies and video in our street to show to the world that we have stopped kidnapping, robberies and militancy. Let the white man sleeps in the nearest hotel, buy food from local food sellers, art sculptures and beads from the ordinary man in the street, even bottle water, party in our beaches. And he would returns backs home to his country and tell his people that he walked freely in the street of Niger Delta and he had great time with the people, and two or three of his family would come back with him to also have the same fun as they spend the monies they bring into the country in Delta state as all these puts money even to the pocket of the ordinary man or woman in the street as well. They also would return and inform their friends and family and business partner of what they saw, one or two business opportunities which the Niger Delta man have
udysweet: The heart of man? Desperately wicked! Me wey can't kill chicken,yet some people murder without flinching! Why ia he pleading now? Let the deceasd ghost haunt him! Nsa mmi o,Abasi mmi akan idiok mkpo lol.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has uncovered how $32.5 million of about $200 million fines from Halliburton Energy Services was allegedly paid into a private account.
The cash was said to be missing because the anti-graft agency could not ascertain whether or not it was remitted into the Federal Government’s account.
A top shot with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC), Mr. Roland Ewubare, who was one of the lawyers involved in the Settlement Agreement with Halliburton, has been given up to September 15 to submit a letter authorising him by the Federal Government to open the private escrow account.
Ewubare told the EFCC that, as the then Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), he acted in national interest in opening the escrow account.
He is in the United States to retrieve the relevant documents relating to the account for the EFCC.
The EFCC has grilled the Managing Director of Halliburton Energy Services in Nigeria, Henry Oki.
Oki gave the details of how agreements were signed between the Federal Government and Halliburton in London.
About five companies have paid fines in line with a Settlement Agreement with the Federal Government .
The breakdown of the remittances by the five companies is as follows: Julius Berger ($35m); Siemens (Euros 30m); Snamprogetti ($30m); Halliburton Energy Services ($32,500,000); and Japan Gasoline Corporation ($26, 500,000).
Top Nigerian lawyers who oversaw the agreement are a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Joseph B Daudu (SAN), Mr. E.C Ukala (SAN) Chief Godwin Obla (SAN), Mr. Roland Ewubare and Damian Dodo (SAN).
Some members of the legal team were conferred with national honours for the recovery.
EFCC detectives have discovered that the missing $32.5million was transferred by Halliburton into FGN JP Morgan Chase New York Swift BIC Code CHASUS 33, Account No. 000742501406865.
It was gathered that the account was titled Madison Avenue/ Escrow /CBN/ FGN further Credit to FGN Litigation Settlement.
The EFCC team later discovered that although the account was opened in the name of the Federal Government, it was a purely private account which was managed by Ewubare and others as signatories.
A top source said: “Out of over $200million fines paid, about $32.5million(N13,585,000, 000) is missing. Our team only succeeded in tracing the transfer of the cash into an account in New York but there is no record of whether or not it was remitted into the Federal Government Consolidated Account.
Courtesy visit to the Inspector General of Police by the Kaduna State Governor. The Kaduna State Governor, His Excellency Honorable Nasiru Ahmed El-Rufai paid courtesy visit to the Inspector General of Police, Ag. IGP Ibrahim K. Idris, mni, psc, in his office at the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters, Abuja on 1st September, 2016
The nation’s foreign exchange reserves have increased by $595m to hit a one-month high of $26.196bn, the latest data from the Central Bank of Nigeria have shown.
This came on Monday just as the naira traded around 412- 413 against the United States dollar at the parallel market, compared to 414/dollar on Sunday.
External reserves stood at $25.6bn as of August 24, down from $26.21bn on July 28, the CBN data showed.
The reserves declined from $26bn on August 4, 2016 to $25.97bn on August 5 as the CBN stepped up dollar sales to boost liquidity at the interbank market and support the ailing naira.
The central bank has been selling dollars regularly at the interbank market to prop up the naira since it floated it on June 20. The currency touched an all-time low of 365.25 per dollar on August 18 at the official market.
In June and July, the reserves hovered between $26.3 and $26.4bn, but fell to $26.12bn on August 1.
The reserves had stood at $26.4bn between May 24 and 27, after dropping to $26.5bn from $26.6bn the same month.
Between May 31 and June 7, the external reserves stood at $26.3bn, before rising back to the $26.4bn mark on June 8, a level it maintained up until June 24. On June 27, it fell back to $26.36bn.
The CBN had in June lifted its 16-month-old currency controls and auctioned about $4bn on the spot and futures market to clear a backlog of dollar demand to help boost interbank market trading.
The reserves had dropped by over 10 per cent from last year when they closed at $29.7bn.
The Head of Research and Investment Advisory at SCM Capital Limited, Mr. Sewa Wusu, said several factors could lead to the increase in the external reserves.
In the aftermath of Gabonese President Ali Bongo’s election, aggrieved protesters reportedly set fire to the parliament on Wednesday.
Citizen reports on social media and images began emerging online showing the country's parliament engulfed in flames a little more than an hour ago. The fire has since been confirmed by international news agencies with correspondents in Gabon.
Akwasi Sarpong, a reporter for BBC Africa, reported that the Gabonese military in the capital city has "withdrawn from the precincts of Gabon's parliament which was set ablaze by protesters."
Protests erupted after Mr. Bongo was declared the winner over his chief rival, Jean Ping.
According to the official results released on Wednesday, the incumbent won 49.8 percent of the vote to Mr. Ping’s 48.23. Mr. Ping had declared himself the winner of the election on Sunday and has continued to insist that the election has been rigged.
Katsina State branch of The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Nigeria revealed in a statement that hundreds of farmlands were destroyed in the recent floods within Baure, Ingawa, Matazu and Malumfashi Local Government areas of Katsina state. An assessment was carried out to note the extent of the damage done after the heavy downpour of rain.
An aide to the All Progressives Congress candidate in the concluded Bayelsa State Gubernatorial Elections Mr. Jonah Okah has been arrested by the Nigerian Police Force over his status on Facebook.
His crime was making comments regarding the arrest of Richie Etonye, The Chief Accountant of the Bayelsa State Government, on issues bothering on money laundering and his subsequent arrest.
Jonah, before his arrest was an aide on social media to a past Governor of Bayelsa State Timipre Sylvia. Mr. Jonah was arrested earlier this morning at his residence in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State Capital.
As you would recall his boss, Timipre Sylvia contested the 2016 Bayelsa governorship elections under the umbrella of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) , but lost to his major opponent of the People's Democratic Party.
Calls put to the Public Relations Officer(PPRO) of the state was not returned nor answered as the officer was said to be in a meeting.
Aero Contractors Airlines, Nigeria Confirms Suspension of Services Aero Contractors Airlines, Nigeria’s second largest commercial carrier, has confirmed the suspension of its scheduled services beginning from Thursday September 1, 2016.
Confirming this in a statement signed by the carrier’s management on Wednesday, Aero stated that the suspension was part of the strategic business realignment to reposition the airline and return it to profitability.
It stated that this “business decision”, which is a result of the current economic situation in the country, had forced some other airlines to suspend operations or pull out of Nigeria.
The management of the carrier said the airline had faced grave challenges in the past six months which impacted its business and by extension the scheduled services operations.
These factors, according to Aero, are both internal and external environmental factors that have made it difficult for it to continue its scheduled services.
It stated that during the period in review, Aero witnessed epileptic operations and services to the external public that were caused by non-alignment of fundamental issue of the business, which in some cases had been frustrating and embarrassing to all parties including staff, customers and indeed all stakeholders.
As part of its resolve to ensure the airline survived unlike most other carriers that experienced short life span in the country, AMCON had appointed Mr. Adeniyi Adegbomire SAN as Receiver Manager in February 6, 2016, with the aim of turning the airline around.
Since AMCON’s intervention in Aero Contractors in 2011, it had provided support for the airline to meet working capital requirements and fleet expansion.
These were to ensure the airline remains a going concern providing services to various clients and the general public.
But the airline noted that unfortunately, the operating environment within and outside the Aero had hindered any possible progress especially in the last six months when the naira depreciated against the dollar thus making it impossible for the airline to achieve its operational targets.
It started that with these realities coupled with protracted engagements with all relevant stakeholders, the management strenuously reviewed and assessed options and opportunities on ensuring viability, safety and sustainability of operations during the period with a lot of sacrifices.
The airline said, “The impact of the external environment has been very harsh on our operational performance, hence management decision to suspend scheduled services operations indefinitely effective September 1, 2016, pending when the external opportunities and a robust sustainable and viable plan is in place for Aero Contractors to recommence its scheduled services.
“The implication of the suspension of scheduled services operations extends to all staffs directly and indirectly involved in providing services as they are effectively to proceed on indefinite leave of absence during the period of non-services.
It added, “We are aware of the impact this will have on our staff and our highly esteemed customers, hence we have initiated moves to ensure that we are able to return back to operations within the shortest possible time, offering reliable, safe and secure operations, which the airline is known for.”
The Ijaw Youth Council has dismissed the rumoured attack by military personnel on Alhaji Asari Dokubo, founder of the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force (NDPVF).
There were widespread rumours of Asari being killed in an alleged confrontation with soldiers on Saturday morning.
But in a statement by the spokesman for IYC, Eric Omare, on Saturday said the former militant warlord was in good health and there was never a confrontation between him and military men.
IYC, an umbrella body for Ijaw youths, also called for the immediate withdrawal of troops from the region particularly the creeks of the Niger Delta following the recent ceasefire deal reached with militant youths and stakeholders in the region.
The group stated that there was no reason for military deployment in the region, adding that such was already causing tension and fear among people in the region.
The first son of Senator Stella Oduah has died at a Turkish private hospital in Abuja due to the wrong prescription by a medical doctor; SaharaReporters has learned.
Senator Oduah's son, whose name was given as Maxwell Chinedu Etoromi, died yesterday after he took a wrong medication prescribed for him following a tooth surgery.
SaharaReporters learned that the 28-year-old graduated from Guildford College in the UK before returning to Abuja.
Ms. Oduah served in the Goodluck Jonathan administration as a Minister of Aviation before running for a seat in the Nigerian Senate.
Politics / Bola Tinubu Returns To Nigeria Amidst Concerns (photo) by saaedlee: 10:45pm On Sep 02, 2016 
