₦airaland Forum

It used to be just one of the beautiful houses in the quiet neighbourhood. Black, glittering iron-rod gates, red bricks, trees and a green-white-green flag fluttering in the breeze.

Not anymore. Abuja House, the Nigerian High Commission in the United Kingdom, is now famous – for housing a Very Important Personality (VIP), President Muhammadu Buhari.

Located in the posh Campden Hill area of the Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in West London, Abuja House is one of the most prominent buildings on the street. Across the road is the home of the High Commissioner of South Africa to the UK.

This is where President Buhari has been spending his vacation. The President left the country after informing the National Assembly and transferring power to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as acting president on January 19.

The announcement of the President’s vacation, which was initially for 10 days before it was extended last week, added that the President would take the advantage of his trip to do some medical checks.

That sparked speculations, especially in the social media, that the President was gravely ill and in the hospital.

The rumour won’t go away despite attempts to dispel it by presidential aides and the Federal Government. This, however, has turned out to be false.

Last week, All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former Interim Chairman of the party Chief Bisi Akande, visited the President at the Abuja House. The photograph of the visit, with the President beaming, was splashed on the front pages of many newspapers.

Yesterday, our London Bureau Chief met with the President’s cousin, Alhaji Mamman Daura, who visited the president.

At exactly 1.05 pm (London time), two young women believed to be President Buhari’s daughters were driven out of the Abuja House in a black Mercedes Benz car.The vehicle returned at 2.24 pm without its passengers.

At 1.20 pm, Daura arrived in a London black cab. He was with two others. Daura, who left at about 2.50 pm, declined comments when asked about how the President was getting on. He said; “I came here with Asiwaju (Bola Tinubu) the other day, didn’t you see it?”

Shortly after, the serenity of the street was shattered (at about 3.30pm), when five officials – two contracted private security guards and three others, who appeared to be High Commission officials, and a personal aide to the president, came to ask why this reporter was “hanging around”.

He was threatened and told to go away to avoid police invitation. “You have to go away with this car from here. You cannot take any photograph here,” a guard said.

But this reporter declined because the United Kingdom law does not forbid parking on a public road and taking photographs of private properties from public view.

Four policemen later arrived at about 3.40 pm, using two vans and two motor bikes. The policemen were armed. The engagement between this reporter and the policemen turned into a friendly banter – to the embarrassment of the officials who received a lecture from the police that there was no offence in taking photographs of private properties and also parking on a public road where there is no double yellow line.

But the policemen told this reporter that high commissions get worried when unfamiliar people come around to take photographs and loiter.

According to them, the Saudi Embassy is particularly not inclined to people coming around it. “We do get regular calls like that,” one of the policemen said.

http://thenationonlineng.net/day-abuja-house-london/

By Emma Amaize, Festus Ahon, Perez Brisibe and Paul Olayemi


OGHARA – FORMER Governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, yesterday reaffirmed his innocence of charges leveled against him in the United Kingdom where he recently served a jail term, saying, “I am not a thief.”

Chief Ibori, who spoke in English and his native Urhobo dialect, gave the clarification at a thanksgiving service organised in honour of him by the monarch and people of Oghara kingdom at the First Baptist Church, Oghara.

The former governor, who was dressed in light brown native and blue wrapper, was ushered into the church during the praise and worship session at about 10.25a.m in company of his sister, Christie Ibori-Ibie, daughter and member, state House of Assembly, Hon Eriatakhe Ibori and a host of other dignitaries.

Speaking for the first time since his arrival after serving his jail term in London, Chief Ibori said: “Today, I have decided to speak for myself, I am not a thief, I cannot be a thief. Today is the day they say I should give testimony to God, for those that know me, you know that my entire life is a testimony itself and I have said it over and over again that my life is fashioned by God, directed by God, sealed, acknowledged, blessed by God and I believe that since the day I was born.

“Like the Arch Bishop said, when this whole commotion started, what was most painful to me was the pain and suffering that my people were going through.

“It has nothing to do with me as a person because for some reasons like I said to you, I drew my strength from God and somehow, I knew that God would stand by me, I knew that one day, and this day would come. I am indeed very pleased that I can now stand before you and look at your faces, faces that I have missed and those of you that have indeed suffered the pains of my absence. It has nothing to do with me.

“So, when I reflect, it gives me joy that all your prayers, God has answered, all your support and solidarity with me all through this period, it is indeed not what I can begin to say…”

“If I am to give testimony of my journey, you will not leave here. The only testimony that I have is the fact that I am back and alive in your midst. And again I say that I never had any doubt in my mind that I would get back home,” he said.

Speaking in Urhobo, Ibori asserted: “There is an Urhobo adage that says it is in the river that one changes clothes, it is in the river that I changed my cloth.”

“When I looked how things were going, I discovered that they want to separate me from you people. They want me to go to the corner where I will not be seen.

“That is how I see it. At a point, I called my elder brother (former Governor Uduaghan) that this is how I can get home, that this is what I am about to do now. It was a pragmatic decision. I am happy to be home with my people. There is nobody that can battle with the Lord. Urhobo adage says there is time for everything (Okemutie). A day will come when I will tell my story and every one of you will hear me. Today is to thank God,” he added.

Earlier, the South-South chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Arch Bishop Gpddowell Awomakpa, who delivered a sermon on “Knowing the Gift of God,” said: “Ibori was the point of contact that unites government with the church. What we actually need are politicians, who would go into politics for the betterment of the land.”

“James Ibori comes from God and as we speak, he represents another government up there. In Urhobo land, we have two people who made mighty impact. Olorogun Michael Ibru, after him, all of them went there for their pocket until the time of Brother James.

“Some of you while in office did not even build a house for anyone, but this building that we are in here today, was actually built by Brother James, besides who believed that Brother James would come and be here with us today. Today indeed calls for joy and celebration for the people of Oghara kingdom,” the clergy man asserted.

In his remark, the Ovie of Oghara kingdom, Orefe III, who spoke on behalf of the people of the kingdom, said: “Oghara is blessed with a very big son in who we are well pleased.

“Our son has placed Oghara in a very big map for which we are very happy. We lost our son for some time; he went to a special school and is it not right that we celebrate him? He has touched so many lives and for that we are indeed happy.”

Dignitaries present at the event include the former Delta State governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, member representing Ethiope Federal constituency in the national assembly, Hon. Lovett Idisi, Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Monday Igbuya, Secretary to the Delta State Government, Chief Ovie Agas, Delta State APC factional chairman, Chief Adolor Okotie-Ebor, Senator Patrick Osakwe, Chief Ighoyota Amori, Ovuzorie Macaulay, a cross section of monarchs and a host of political appointees from Delta State.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/02/today-decided-speak-not-thief-cannot-thief-ibori/

So very sad. Police said he would soon be charged to court, hmm....
What happens to the young girl? After delivery? Her future?

Just cant imagine the trauma.

Wife is nursing a child and another one on the way, meanwhile he has no source of income.

Which kind life be this

This lady is very confused. She even quotes the Bible to back up her confusion

Price and your contact, please.

Good one ZUBY

Former minister of petroleum resources, OPEC president Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke has denied unsubstantiated allegations that were made recently by the EFCC regarding the sum of $153m forfeiture. The former OPEC president sheds more light on the alleged forfeiture, and other allegations.

RESPONSE

1. THE $153.3MILLION ALLEGATION

I am deeply disturbed and bewildered by recent media reports (Premium Times Thursday 12 January, 2017 and other dailies about the same time) claiming that by virtue of an order of the Federal High Court, I have forfeited to the Federal Government, the sum of $153.3m which I purportedly stole from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC.

First and foremost, whilst the reasons for my being out of the country are public knowledge, the principle of fair hearing demands that I should have been notified of formal charges if truly there was a prima facie evidence or indictment against my person linking me with the said issue, so as to ensure that I had adequate legal representation. This was never done.

I wish to state that I cannot forfeit what was never mine. I do not know the basis on which the EFCC have chosen to say that I am the owner of these funds as no evidence was provided to me before the order was obtained and they have not in fact served me with the order or, any evidence since they obtained it. As at the time of my writing this rebuttal (Thursday 19th January, 2017) the EFCC have still not furnished me or my Lawyers, with a copy of the order.

I am also informed by my lawyers that the legislation under which the EFCC obtained this order is for situations where the funds are believed to be the proceeds of crime and the owner is not known. I do not therefore, understand how the EFCC can in the same breath say that the monies in question are mine. If they had evidence that the monies were mine then they would not /should not, have used the procedure which applies only to funds of unknown ownership. If indeed they used this particular legal procedure because they did not know who owned the monies, then how can they now be falsely attributing the ownership to me(Annex-1A).

Let me re-state categorically as I have always maintained, for the record, I have NOT and WILL NEVER Steal Money from OR DEFRAUD the Federal Government of Nigeria. I am willing to respond to any charges brought against me that follow duly laid down procedures. However, in their typical manner and style, the EFCC have gone to the media to attempt to prosecute their case as trial by TV and other media, rather than go through the onerous but tried and tested means of the Judicial Court process.

In the face of the obvious falsification of facts and misinformation, it is only right and proper that the EFCC should publish the details of the $153.3M lodgements, the bank account numbers and the account beneficiaries, showing proof of my link to them. Having also alleged that the said $153.3M was ‘wired’ from NNPC, the EFCC should also publish details of the NNPC accounts from where the said $153.3 million was taken from, with proof that I authorized such a transaction/transactions acting either in my private capacity or, as The Honourable Minister of Petroleum.

Let me state for the record that as Minister of Petroleum, the operation and management of NNPC finances were outside my purview as outlined in both the Petroleum Act and the NNPC Act. The only involvement I had in NNPC Finances was in terms of statutory matters, where the Petroleum Act prescribed that as Minister, there were certain duties or actions which I had to perform or take in relation to NNPC.

2. MALABU

With regards to the various news reports published in both the online and print media, insidiously inferring that I was indicted by Italian prosecutors for, as they put it, ‘ sharing in the Loot’ of the $1.3bn OPL 245 oil block deal that involved Malabu and the Joint Venture Multinational partners, ENI(AGIP) and Royal Dutch Shell.
Let me once again State for the record, that this is another figment of the author’s imagination, which given the persistent bid to ensure my destruction and stick all of the Sins of the Corruption plagued Oil and Gas Sector of over the last 30years upon my head, probably emanated from the EFCC itself!

Let me clarify the position re the history of OPL 245, otherwise known as Malabu. You will find a full chronology in the attached report that I made to the House of Representatives in late 2011 (Annex 2A/Annex-2B).
In 2010, shortly after I was appointed as Minister of Petroleum Resources, the issue of OPL 245 was brought to my attention. I looked into the case and immediately became aware of the inherent and long standing sensitivities around this issue. It became clear from the onset that this case was not within the direct purview of the Minister of Petroleum Resources but in the main was centered around issues of Law. By this time there was already an ICSID(International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes) investigation and claims against the FGN running into billions of dollars. Therefore, we took directives from the Chief Legal Officer of the Nation; the Attorney General and Minister of Justice. In all of these matters due process was followed to the letter at all times.

I wish to categorically state that I have never held any discussions on this matter, with any individuals or entities outside of official channels. As Minister of Petroleum Resources, I did not participate in any activity relating to financial payments on the Malabu matter, other than those statutorily mandated to the Minister of Petroleum Resources by the Petroleum Act. My role in this matter was a purely statutory one as required by Law in the Petroleum Act


3. THE ALJAZEERA REPORT – $18MILLION MANSION

On the 13th of June 2016, the EFCC once again took their well-trodden path to the media. This time claiming that they had ‘discovered’ a mansion in Asokoro, Abuja, worth $18million (approx. N9billion) which they purported to belong to me. The EFCC went to the extent of bringing in Aljazeera, an International TV Station, to air a damaging documentary against me in this regard, showing a particular residential building in Asokoro, Abuja, which they told Aljazeera belonged to me https:. The EFCC Chairman Ibrahim Magu, personally took the Aljazeera reporter to the building, alleging that it belonged to me. It has since become apparent that the house belongs to a company owned by Mr Kola Aluko.

If this is not a witch hunt or a personal vendetta against me, how is it that one of our Country’s premier investigative agencies were unable to avail themselves of facts that are freely available in the public domain. Since the EFCC claims that the alleged $18million Asokoro property belongs to me, then they should kindly produce the ‘Authentic’ Certificate of Occupancy and Land Registry information and any other relevant information, as proof of my ownership of the property.


4. FAMILY HOME – YENEGOA, BAYELSA STATE

On the 9th November 2016, the EFCC visited our Family home in Yenegoa (Bayelsa State) as pre-agreed and they were escorted around the premises. I was therefore completely shocked to once again see my name sensationally splashed across the Front Pages of Newspapers and widely circulated on the internet, with blaring Headlines such as “EFCC UNCOVERS DIEZANI’S MULTI-BILLION NAIRA ESTATE” – Nation Newspaper, January 8, 2017 (Annex- 4A). There was absolutely nothing ‘Hidden’ or ‘Concealed’ about the home. I HAD DECLARED IT OPENLY as required by Law, in my Asset declaration forms (Annex-4B). Yet the EFCC have announced that they ‘Just Discovered’ my ‘Hidden Estate’! And labelled it a ‘Multi-Billion Naira Estate’! Even though they had been given the Bill of Quantities, showing actual amount spent.

It is accepted Tradition across the length and breadth of Nigeria, for people to own Country/Village homes. Given the size of the land and the location of the compound, the buildings thereon cannot by any stretch of the imagination be a “Multi-Billion Naira” palatial estate, as the news mongers would want to portray.

The EFCC were taken on a tour of the compound which consisted of A Main house, and two outhouses – An Obi (meeting bungalow) and a staff quarters(BQ) building – above which we built 3 guest rooms and a parlour. The only other 2 structures are the gate and generator houses. Construction began in late 2011 and was handled in phases. During the visit the EFCC was given the bill of quantities, which up until the time construction stopped in early 2015, due to my illness, was at approximately N394million which was declared in the code of conduct documentation, attached (the costs were partially funded by a loan – see code of conduct – Annex4B, the work is still uncompleted and the contractor is still being owed). Building costs escalated as a result of delays in construction and external factors such as the extreme flooding of late 2012, that covered most of our areas in the Niger Delta. It is the accepted norm when building in the Niger Delta, that due to the topography of the land and the heavily waterlogged and marshy terrain, construction is infinitely more expensive than in other parts of the Country, as by its nature it requires the building of extensive piling/raft foundations before any structural work can commence. The flooding of 2012 compounded the problem and further increased the cost of construction.


5. $700 Million Cash Found In My House

Stories were circulated by unscrupulous agents of calumny that the EFCC found a mind boggling $700million in cash in my home in Abuja. Would the videos of this $700 million cash discovery not have made good viewing? Or should those who recovered this money not tell the public where exactly the money has been kept? Perhaps the Central bank should corroborate that it is in custody of these monies allegedly found in my house? But then, it is now patently apparent that Nigerians are no longer easily led to believe fables and sensational untruths.


6. REALITY VERSUS FICTION

I would like to state for the record that I performed my duty as Minister of Petroleum Resources with the utmost sincerity and sense of responsibility, ensuring that all Nigerians irrespective of creed, gender or tribe enjoyed their rightful benefits from the Oil and Gas Sector.

$5.6 Billion LNG Dividend Fund
It is pertinent to note that at the end of my tenure, I left behind in the LNG dividend fund, for the incoming Administration, the sum of $5.6billion(five billion six hundred million US Dollars)(Annex-6A). I did this to ensure continuity in the crucial gas sector development which underpins the entire Power and Energy Sector and which was and still is, absolutely imperative for the Country’s current and future economic development.

Local Content
Having pushed for the full implementation of the Nigerian Local Content Act, despite resistance from various stakeholders, I actively promoted the benefits of ‘Nigerians Right to First Consideration’ in both the downstream and upstream sectors. The immediate effect of my actions was that for the first time in history, thousands of Nigerians were able to break through the barriers of a sector that had hitherto been the preserve of a few powerful groups with vested interest, and thereby earn a living. This remains a source of pride to me, that not only did it create wealth across the entire economic value chain but it also ensured the unparalleled transfers of knowledge and expertise for our indigenous operators. It is noteworthy that the template is being adapted for use in other countries.

Fuel Scarcity
It is on record, that I immediately took the issue of incessant fuel queues head-on and in my time as petroleum minister, Nigerians rarely experienced fuel shortages. These queues had long dominated our landscape, causing untold hardship to millions of ordinary Nigerians stuck in fuel queues for hours; like the bus driver who was unable to earn enough to go to the market, and the market woman who, therefore, earned less and so could not afford school fees. This example, though at the most basic level, caused a chain reaction which was replicated in various facets throughout the economy. So, on the macro economic level, the main benefit of ending the fuel queues was an immediate increase in GDP, reduction in inflation and easier facilitation and movement of people, goods and services, across the country.

The continuing effect of all these measures were that even in the most remote locations, Nigerians could buy and sell petroleum products.

Gas Supply & Infrastructure
As soon as I assumed office, I put into play my wealth of experience in the oil and gas sector, knowing that gas was imperative for our future growth and prosperity. I put together a team to look at all aspects of growing Nigeria’s Gas with the intent of turning Nigeria into a Premier Gas Exploring and Producing Country, even more than an oil producing country. We started working on Gas for Industry – The commercialisation approach, Gas for home use – LPG, and Gas for Power generation. We even sponsored a pilot scheme for Gas to power vehicles. I implemented a short, medium and long term project to put in place sustainable gas supply to underpin the power sector and began laying the requisite infrastructure that was virtually non-existent when we took office. We worked with NERC and the CBN to put in place the necessary fiscal levers, to ensure that Gas supply would be competitively priced. I left behind a comprehensive and detailed plan for the rollout of LPG and the Industrialisation of GAS eg. The Ogidingben project.

Petroleum Industry Bill
I personally worked tirelessly through the night on many occasions, with the committee on the Petroleum Industry Bill, to finally get it to the point where for the first time in over 12 years, we could place it before the Federal Executive Council, and the National Assembly. I championed this in a bid to create a less corrupt, more transparent, accountable and responsible NNPC and Oil and Gas Industry as a whole. It was also to create additional funding inflows for the Nation. This was in spite of the fact that there was major resistance from powerful interest groups within and outside Nigeria. I take personal satisfaction even now, that the PIB template I presented to the country is still the benchmark for the current and future development of the Oil Sector in Nigeria. The Template is already being adapted for use in other countries.


7. MY POSITION

It is saddening that after eight years of serving my country, my experience as a public servant has been fraught with continuos malicious castigation and character assassination, all in the name of ‘personal vendettas’ or political horse trading. It has become apparent to many that these untruths told were at best well-crafted fables. The most dramatic and damning accusation was the infamous missing $49.8 Billion Dollars, that went from to $12 Billion and then up to $20 Billion and which was alleged missing from NNPC. Today, we all know that the PWC report that was published cleared me of any wrong doing and no one up till now has been able to controvert the PWC report nor has anyone found the “missing” 20 billion, or who took it. In addition, the Makarfi-led committee in the Senate of The Federal Republic of Nigeria, in a series of publicly-held hearings, also vindicated me on the matter of the purportedly missing funds. Yet, we are all silent as if these events never occurred! SEE ATTACHMENT-1 THAT EXPLAINS MY POSITION ON THE ‘MISSING’ $20 BILLION.

The allegations that I have addressed above are no different, the character assassination continues, this time with a new set of hirelings.

One of the basic tenets of the human trait is that we all have shortcomings and we all make our fair share of mistakes, whether we are in positions of Leadership, or not. However, one error that cannot be ascribed to me is STEALING FROM NIGERIA & DEFRAUDING MY COUNTRY! It is therefore sad and distressing that in spite of all that I tried to do in the best interest of our Nation, I continue to be faced with constant demonisation, unproven accusations and deeply personal insults.

In response I have chosen not to insult, accuse or demonise anyone, any person or persons. In spite of all the allegations that have been made against me, not one has been factually proven.

I remain very proud of the fact that all the policies, tenets and plans that I initiated in the Oil & Gas sector are still underpinning the entire structure. This is because they were put in place with the good of the entire nation and its people in mind. They were not factional, or tribal, neither were they based on religious bias. I am a woman from the Niger Delta, who through perseverance and sheer hard work rose to one of the highest positions in the Country’s premier International Oil Company, and in tune with my ethos of hard work I earned the prestigious British Foreign & Commonwealth Chevening Scholarship Award and was thereafter admitted to my MBA program at the World renowned Cambridge University. In 2006, I was appointed as the first female executive director in the history of Shell Petroleum, Nigeria. Just over a year later, I was nominated and appointed as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, culminating in my appointment as Nigeria’s first female Minister of Petroleum, where again by dint of hard work I was appointed as the first female in history(in a completely male dominated space) to hold the Presidency of OPEC.

I can therefore, NO LONGER SIT BACK and allow the fabricated accusations against my person designed by unscrupulous persons with a vengeful agenda go unchallenged.

As a Christian, it is my sincerely held belief that in the coming months, history will be the judge of exactly who Lied and who told the Truth. By the Grace of God, I shall be here to see the day when truth prevails. The fight against corruption in Nigeria will be far better served if the EFCC focus on incontrovertible facts, as opposed to media sensationalism and completely distorted stories, in their bid to demonise and destroy a few specially chosen Nigerians.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/01/not-will-never-steal-money-defraud-federal-government-nigeria-diezani/

Tosyne2much + MMM = front page

Oya oooooooooooooooo

Can it fly for 1.9k?

Wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode, has charged the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) to be more vocal on the worrisome trend of violence against women and children.

Mrs. Ambode while receiving the lawyers yesterday at the Lagos House, Ikeja, commended them for promoting the rights of women and children in the state and the country. According to her: “For a long time, many defenceless women and children suffered in silence because nobody stood up in their defence, a situation which has caused many broken homes, emotional breakdown and psychological trauma, among others.”

She assured the group that the state government was doing everything possible to ensure that the rights of every citizen in the state were protected.The chairperson of the association, Lagos State branch, Mrs. Ngozi Ogbolu, commended the state government for its proactive steps in adopting and enacting laws that protect, promote and preserve the rights and interests of women and children, citing the VAPP Laws of Lagos State (Violence Against Persons Protection Laws).

She disclosed that the overriding objective of FIDA was in line with the vision of the pet project of the governor’s wife; Hope for Women in Nigeria Initiative (HOFOWEM), which sought to impact the lives of underprivileged women, widows and expectant mothers, while also seeking to help rehabilitate vulnerable children and encourage their education.


https://guardian.ng/news/ambodes-wife-tasks-women-lawyers-on-domestic-violence/

After surrendering a record 40-game unbeaten run, Real Madrid suffered a second defeat in four days on Wednesday as Celta Vigo took a 2-1 first leg lead from their Copa del Rey quarter-final at the Santiago Bernabeu.

All three goals came in a six-minute spell midway through the second-half as strikes from former Liverpool striker Iago Aspas and Jonny either side of Marcelo’s reply for Madrid handed Celta a famous win.

Real can still salvage their quest for a first ever treble of Cup, La Liga and Champions League, but now need to score at least twice when the visit Balaidos for the second leg on January 25.

“I am not worried,” insisted Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane.

“It is not a good moment for us, two defeats (in a row), but we can overcome this. We still have the return leg to go.

“Losing 2-1 the result is not in our favour, but we know we can go there and change that.”

Celta Vigo boss Eduardo Berizzo said the Galicians’ first win at the Bernabeu in a decade didn’t surprise him, but that they would need to be even better next week on home soil to finish the tie off.

“None of my team’s victories surprise me. It is a huge win, coming to a place like this and facing the best team in the world, but we believed we could do it,” said Berizzo.

“We are happy to win, but it obliges us to play even better in Vigo because we are facing a brilliant opponent and it is the toughest footballing test.”

Cristiano Ronaldo was making his first appearance in the Copa del Rey for two years as Zidane named a strong side with just four changes from the team that was beaten for the first time in 41 matches at Sevilla on Sunday.

However, with temperatures plummeting below zero and the match not kicking off until 21:15 local time, the subdued atmosphere at the Bernabeu was matched by a lacklustre Madrid display.

Ronaldo had to wait until 33 minutes for his first clear sight of goal, but failed to make a clean connection with Sergio Ramos’s cut-back and Jonny was able to clear from underneath his own crossbar.

An unfortunate hand injury to Marco Asensio as he was accidentally trod on by Facundo Roncaglia ensured Ronaldo moved from the centre of the Madrid attack back onto his habitual position on the left as Alvaro Morata was introduced early in the second-half.

Morata has scored four times as a substitute this season, and nearly had an instant impact when he blazed over when well-positioned inside the area.

Instead, it was Celta who got the opener as the game sprung into life in the final 25 minutes.

Marcelo’s miscued clearance from Theo Bongonda’s cross only found the grateful Aspas alone inside the area and he rifled the ball high past Kiko Casilla for his 15th goal of the season.

Madrid rallied as they so often have this season when Marcelo made amends with a brilliant volley from the edge of the box.

However, no sooner had Celta kicked-off when they were back in front as a huge hole appeared in the middle of the Madrid defence and Aspas teed up Jonny to bear down on goal and slot coolly past Casilla.

Zidane threw on Karim Benzema for the hapless Danilo as the hosts chased the game in the final 10 minutes.

And the Frenchman’s daring approach should have been rewarded with a second equaliser, but Benzema somehow blazed over with the goal at his mercy seven minutes from time meaning Madrid have it all to do at Balaidos next week.

In the night’s other tie, two late goals from Ibai Gomez handed Alaves a 2-0 win at second division Alcorcon.

https://guardian.ng/sport/real-madrid-slumps-to-another-defeat-against-celta-vigo/

A pro-Biafra group on Wednesday announced its intention to hold a rally in Nigeria in support of Donald Trump on his inauguration day as US president. Hundreds of protests against Trump are expected to take place around the world on Friday when the billionaire businessman is sworn into office as 45th president of the United States.

But the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) movement is bucking the trend, choosing instead to rally on the Republican’s behalf in Nigeria’s southern oil hub, Port Harcourt. IPOB released a statement inviting people to participate in a “peaceful solidarity rally for the United States president-elect Donald J Trump,” saying they “welcome civil and pragmatic democracy anywhere we find it”. IPOB is part of a wider secessionist movement that advocates an independent state of Biafra, a region in southeast Nigeria that unsuccessfully fought for independence in a brutal three-year civil war that ended in 1970. Early on in the US presidential race, IPOB threw its support behind Trump in the belief he would recognise their independence movement. Soon after Britons voted to leave the European Union in a referendum last July, the group pushed for its own version of “Brexit” from Nigeria that it dubbed “Biafrexit”. Prince Emmanuel Kanu, the brother of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, who has been held by the Nigerian government since October 2015 on treason charges, said of Trump: “He supports the right to self-determination.” Separatist sentiment has grown in the months since Kanu’s arrest and sparked bloody clashes with security forces that have since been condemned by human rights groups.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/01/pro-biafrans-announce-trump-solidarity-rally/

Pictures please.

Don't really know this guy. Please is e related to Danrele?

The expression on her face says it all. Its her belief.
Really sad.

God have mercy.

The guy with cap at the corner though.... stretching so hard to see what na?

Location please? Do you have an email address?

And Seun will not even give small thing to FTC

Congratulations to all NLs

Alexk2:
This is church ...you shouldn't have display the face.
What example are you showing the world? What will the church gain from going about it this way?

The bible doctrine teaches excomminication, discipline and restoration in this case

My thoughts too. @OP you that post his picture and the tithe thief who is evil? God does NOT rejoice in the death of any sinner.
Why not help him change his ways.

Take it to baba Sule wey defile small pickin, shoot him, Keep it in his house and walk away

The deed has been done, since 2013. She retraced here footsteps and apologized, this should count for something.
All parties involve have moved on, madam stop robbing it in and move on.

Ok. Noted.

OP u for add graphic na, I just manage get lunch.

RIP to the dead.

With no Identification, relatives and friends might still be searching for her. So sad.

Front page tinz. Make I park my wheel-barrow here.

Number 6. One day I came back from bathing in the rain and had a very good beating from my mum. Several years later I had my son we went to visit my mum, soon it started raining. Guess what we did...? My mum had a good laugh watching us in the rain.


I too like rain sha

Location please.

Awesome God. I rejoice with the family.

Good for her. I no mind to see video of where she spark the belle news or ....

Judge was considerate.
So he has a car?... and maybe a driver. Just...

According to the Nigerian culture, one’s in-laws are more or less like one’s family members; hence, it is often expected that one should do for an in-law what one can do for one’s family member. Accepting this notion could, however, be difficult sometimes. For instance, can you use your child’s school fees to pay your in-law’s hospital bill? SATURDAY PUNCH has the answers of some Nigerians

I can if the in-law is a good person








Ifejowo Adeshina

Yes, I can do it, but it is on one condition — the in-law must really be a very good person. I could call my children’s school that they should have patience with me concerning the school fees and I am very sure that they would because they wouldn’t be ready to lose any pupil in their school, especially if I have never owed them before. I’m sure they would understand.

It depends on the urgency of either scenario

Falayi Oluwadunsin

What I would do depends on how urgent either of the two cases is. Paying a child’s school fees might be more urgent than paying a hospital bill and vice-versa. Apart from that, I could only pay an in-law’s hospital bill if the person is responsible and a close person. Paying my child’s school fees would then have to wait. But if it’s an in-law that is not good, my child’s fees would be the priority here.

I can’t because my child is my future

Oyeniyi Oyeyemi

How can I use my child’s school fees to pay for my in-law’s hospital bill? Even though my in-law might think I’m a bad person, I’m not. My child is my future and I shouldn’t do anything to jeopardise that future. I will pay my child’s school fees first and find another means of getting my in-law’s hospital bill paid.

School fees would have to wait

Emegha Anita

Yes, I can use my child’s school fees to pay my in-law’s hospital bill because I can always get the fees later. If you weigh the two scenarios, saving a life is much more important than school fees. One could plead with a school and they would understand, especially if you’re not a debtor, but hospitals hardly accept pleading.

I’ll save my in-law’s life first

Amaso Jack

I believe that my child’s destiny would still be fulfilled whether I pay his school fees on time or not. If I’d never owed the school before, I’m sure my credibility would speak for me. My reputation would be my currency to negotiate with them to save life first. I’d beg the school to allow my child to study even if I had to drop collateral with them. You know everything a man becomes in life depends on relationships powered by prayers, favour and grace. I cannot allow my relationship with my in-law to suffer.

I can pay my child’s school fees later

Ajoke Lawanson

I can pay my in-law’s hospital bill first and delay the payment of my child’s school fees because life is more important than school fees. If I use my child’s school fees to pay my in-law’s hospital bill, that act of humanity would speak positively for me later in life. I’m sure God would provide another money for me to pay my child’s school fees.

Life is more important than school fees

Salau Opeyemi



To be sincere, it would not be too easy to decide when one is confronted with such a situation. But I think for me, health is more important than school fees. I can still get money to pay the school fees later, but you can’t say you want to save a life later. Moreover, an in-law is more or less like a family member. What you can do to a family member, do to them.

If my in-law’s case isn’t critical, I’d pay school fees

Ogunsuyi Rita

If my in-law’s case is not critical, I would pay my child’s school fees first because they are my future. I would prefer to look for another money to pay the hospital bill than having to worry to pay my child’s school fees. It could be embarrassing when a school sends your child back home because he hasn’t paid school fees.

I can’t delay paying my child’s school fees

Alagbe Bukunmi

I won’t use my child’s school fees to pay my in-law’s hospital bill. I would rather look elsewhere where I could borrow money to pay the hospital bill than use my child’s school fees to pay. Paying the school fees must have been planned for and I wouldn’t let an emergency situation to disrupt my plan.

http://punchng.com/can-use-childs-school-fees-pay-laws-hospital-bill/

Is this car still available?

By granting Pioneer Status, the Federal Government has waived $2.1 billion (N1.1 trillion) to 22 oil companies through tax holiday as at 2014.

These companies are operators in the marginal field segment of the Nigerian oil and gas industry, according to the latest report from the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI).

Pioneer Status is a tax holiday incentive, designed by the Federal Government and backed by the law granted to targeted industries, products and services, designated as priority areas and growth drivers of the economy.

Some have argued that these are monies lost to government and to Nigerians in general, as these could have been ploughed back into the petroleum sector, particular the downstream infrastructure including refineries, depots, jetties, pipelines network and a host of others to improve products distribution in the country.

NEITI, the revenue watchdog, also shares this view in its 2014 Oil and Gas report, which regarded the tax waivers, as a loss of revenue to the federation, which it noted, would hamper development projects in the economy.

A copy of the report obtained by The Guardian stated that granting pioneer status to oil and gas companies has greatly undermined the optimal collection of revenue due from Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT).

The agency therefore, said that pioneer status should not be granted to any company in the oil and gas sector, unless it is evidently clear that the company is actually pioneering an aspect of the industry in the country.

It therefore, called for a “Regular review of the pioneer status to discover some of the companies granted tax waivers that had outgrown pioneer status.

“A coordinating desk should be established in the Ministry of Finance for all the agencies that process tax incentives while the final approval for tax waivers should be issued by the Minister of Finance,” it stated.

Speaking recently on the benefits of pioneer status, Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc’s Chief Executive, Austin Avuru, noted that the grant of pioneer status made it possible for the company to boost oil and gas production, provide employment opportunities, impact on their communities and help grow the Nigerian economy.

At the presentation of report by the Tax Justice and Governance Platform, tagged: “Pioneer Status in Oil and Gas Industry; Is It Worth It?,” discussants argued that the pioneer status given to oil and gas companies was not worth it, noting that as long as these companies are making profit, they will be adding little or nothing to the development of the nation.

The group urged the National Assembly to monitor the action of government agencies in granting tax incentive. “The FIRS should ensure that PS beneficiaries file tax returns annually with sanction imposed on defaulters. NIPC capacity in monitoring pioneer companies should be strengthened, while removing matured companies from the pioneer status list. Government should sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with marginal field operators on the establishment of guaranteed margins for the companies.”

Explaining the benefits of pioneer status to companies, the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council (NIPC) said in a document on “Investing in Nigeria,” that the grant of Pioneer Status to an industry is aimed at enabling the industry concerned to make a reasonable level of profit within its formative years.

It noted that the profit so made is expected to be ploughed back into the business.

The Agency stated: “Pioneer status is a tax holiday granted to qualified or (eligible) industries anywhere in the Federation and five-year tax holiday in respect of industries located in economically disadvantaged local government area of the Federation. At the moment, there is a list of 71 approved industries declared pioneer industries, which can benefit from tax holiday.

“To qualify, a joint venture company or a wholly foreign-owned company must have a minimum share capital of N10 million and incurred a capital expenditure of not less than N5million, whilst that of qualified indigenous company should not be less than N150,000.00. In addition, an application in respect of Pioneer Status must be submitted within one year the applicant’s company starts commercial production otherwise the application will be time-barred.”

http://guardian.ng/business-services/neiti-condemns-n1-1trillion-tax-waivers-to-oil-firms/