₦airaland Forum

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/209384-dogara-gbajabiamila-others-received-n10-billion-illegal-allowances-jibrin.html


How Dogara, Gbajabiamila, Others Received N10 billion In Illegal Allowances — Jibrin

August 27, 2016
Samuel Ogundipe



A FORMER Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, Abdulmumin Jibrin, on Friday accused some senior lawmakers in the House of living large by appropriating illegal allowances to themselves at the expense of Nigerian taxpayers.

The lawmakers, who currently serve in different capacities as principal officers of the House, have allegedly shared more than N10 billion amongst themselves as “office running cost,” a subhead legislators have used for years to corner illegal allowances to themselves.

Nigerians have complained about these illegal allowances for years but this is the first time in Nigeria’s history that a serving lawmaker would open up on the sharp practices.

Mr. Jibrin disclosed the details in an email to PREMIUM TIMES Friday night as part of the unfolding budget padding scandal he triggered more than a month ago.

The 10 principal officers and the funds they have allegedly received so far as running costs included the Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara, who allegedly got the largest share of N1.5 billion.

Others on the list included Deputy Speaker, Yusuf Lasun, N800 million; Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, N1.2 billion; his deputy, Buba Jibril, N1.2 billion; House Whip, Alhassan Doguwa, N1.2 billion; and his deputy, Pally Iriase, N700 million.

The rest included Minority Leader, Leo Ogor, N1.2 billion; Minority Whip, Yakubu Barde, N700 million; Deputy Minority Whip, Binta Bello, N700 million; and one Chuma he listed as Minority Whip, N700 million.

But contrary to what Mr. Jibrin stated in his statement, PREMIUM TIMES could not find any lawmaker by the name Chuma with the designation of Minority Whip.

Similarly, Mr. Jibrin listed Mr. Barde as Deputy Minority Leader who has been in the House since 2007. But findings by this newspapers showed that Mr. Barde was first elected in 2003 and he serves as Minority Whip. Our Efforts to get Mr. Jibrin to clarify these ambiguities were unsuccessful as calls to his known telephone number was neither answered nor returned.

Although the latest allegations primarily targeted the familiar names Mr. Jibrin had been waging political and media war against for weeks, it nonetheless, marked the first time the Kano lawmaker would openly accuse Mr. Gbajabiamila of being a beneficiary of fraudulent proceeds.

The inclusion of Mr. Gbajabiamila did not however entirely come as a surprise to observers. He was among the principal officers who jointly signed a statement last week to castigate Mr. Jibrin and threaten him with sanction when the House resumes from its recess in September.

In his statement on Friday, Mr. Jibrin said he listed Mr. Gbajabiamila and other principal officers to show that he was not only waging a war to remove Mr. Dogara from office but also to stop the questionable office running largesse, which he described as the sole unifying force for the 360-member House.

“Most of these members use it to acquire properties, cars and live a life of luxury they never lived before coming to the House,” Mr. Jibrin said.

Mr. Jibrin said he would continue the fight because “It is only when the legislature comes with purity that effective oversight will be carried out and investigative hearing to expose fraud and corruption can be undertaken.”

Mr. Jibrin said he was waging the campaign with the hope that it would bring about a lasting turnaround in the fraudulent premise upon which many aspiring lawmakers readily base their ambitions.

“The consequential effect of dealing with corruption in the House, especially the allowances issue, will take its toll on even elections. Candidates usually spend so much money hoping that they can recoup from the huge allowances they will receive when elected into House.

“When you know that there is no such money in the House to be shared, I am sure nobody will want to put in so much money just to win an election to the House.

“The resultant effect will be that only people who truly want to serve will vie for the office, and voters will be obliged to vote according to the dictate of their conscience. This is just one advantage,” Mr. Jibrin said.

Mr. Jibrin made the first revelations about the fraudulent manipulation of 2016 budget on July 21, a day after he was eased out as chairman of the powerful appropriations committee.

This week, he celebrated the first month of what experts described as of one Africa’s biggest parliamentary scandals and ascribed his perseverance to his natural desire for political advocacy.

“I have said it repeatedly that this activism has been running in my blood, and thankfully the fallout of the 2016 budget became the trigger and provided me with the right avenue.”

Mr. Jibrin, therefore, implored Nigerians to remain steadfast and vigilant as he leads the cause to liberate it from those he described as corrupt elements.

“As we continue this struggle to wipe out corruption and restore sanity in the House of Representatives, I will continue to urge Nigerians to remain vigilant as these corrupt elements can go to any length to change the narration and evade justice,” Mr. Jibrin said.

Mr. Dogara’s spokesman, Turaki Hassan, did not answer PREMIUM TIMES’ calls seeking comments for this story.

Abdulrazak Namdas, the spokesperson for the House, could also not be reached for comments as his listed telephone line was switched off the several times our reporter called.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/209235-senator-elected-10-months-end-session-paid-4-years-audit-report.html

How Senator Elected 10 months Before End Of Session Was Paid For 4 years – Audit Report

August 25, 2016
Hassan Adebayo



Shem Zagbayi

A NIGERIAN senator who replaced a deceased lawmaker barely 10 months to the expiration of the Seventh Assembly under David Mark, received full four-year pay for accommodation and furniture, the government’s audit report has shown.

The 2014 audit report said the lawmaker was overpaid by nearly N8 million.

The report released this year, had earlier been submitted to the National Assembly, but its full details recently became public.

It contains shocking revelations of how state resources were squandered on bogus spending, and how officials, in many cases, arbitrarily spent billions of naira without explanations.

“A Senator who was elected to replace a deceased Senator, in the month of September 2014, 10 (ten) months to the expiration of the 7th Senate was found to have been paid full Accommodation and Furniture Allowance (of Four Years),” the report disclosed.

According to the report, N10,132,000.00 (Ten million, one hundred and thirty-two thousand naira) was paid to the Senator, “instead of N2,533,000.00 (Two million, five hundred and thirty-three thousand naira) which represented his actual entitlement for one year.”

While there was no mention of the name of the lawmaker in the report, Senate records show that Shem Zagbayi, Niger East, was the only lawmaker sworn in in September 2014 – the period referenced by the audit report.

Mr. Zagbayi, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, was elected as replacement for Dahiru Kuta, who died in June 2014.

The audit report shows that Mr. Zagbayi was overpaid by the David Mark-led Senate by N7.6 million.

The report demanded the amount be recovered and paid back to government.

Although the audit report said the overpaid Senator had 10 months to serve, records show Mr. Zagbayi actually served for just seven months, as a court later ruled that his election was fraudulent in the first place.

On March 11, 2015, the Minna, Niger State, division of the Court of Appeal, sacked Mr. Zagbayi about three months to the end of the Seventh Senate.

The court affirmed an earlier ruling of a Tribunal which cited malpractices and non-compliance with relevant laws, and granted victory to the All Progressives Congress candidate, David Umaru.

Mr. Umaru who was sworn in April 1, 2015. He later returned to the eighth senate, and is currently the chairman of the committee on judiciary and human rights.

It was not immediately clear if Mr. Umaru, like Mr. Zagbayi, was paid for four years instead of the barely two months he had to serve in the Seventh Assembly.

Mr. Umaru did not answer calls or reply to messages from PREMIUM TIMES.

There is no evidence, also, that Mr. Zagbayi made any refunds to the government. He too could not be reached for comments.

Mr. Mark, who authorized the humongous pay for Mr. Zagbayi, could not also be reached, for comments.

His spokesperson, Paul Mumeh, did not answer calls placed to him.

http://punchng.com/ssanu-storms-efcc-office-demands-funaab-vc-probe/

SSANU Storms EFCC Office, Demands FUNAAB VC Probe


Vice-Chancellor, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, and President, Association of African Universities, Prof. Olusola Oyewole

Olufemi Atoyebi, Ibadan

THE National body of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities on Wednesday staged a demonstration at the Ibadan, Oyo State office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

They called on the Federal Government to investigate the financial and other administrative activities of the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Prof. Olusola Oyewole.

The union vowed not to allow the VC, who is under investigation by the EFCC, to return to the institution until he answered all allegations levelled against him.

During the peaceful protest, leaders of the union noted that there were lots of financial malpractices and other forms of mismanagement going on in the Nigerian university system, promising to make available documented evidences to back up their claims.

The union leaders added that effort was ongoing to expose corrupt VCs of federal institutions across the country.

Representatives from different chapters of the union, which included the University of Ibadan, FUNAAB, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso and the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Ibadan were present at the protest.

Members of the union carried placards with inscriptions such as ‘Oyewole must go,’ ‘Vice-Chancellors, stop victimising our members’ and ‘A thief cannot be our Vice-Chancellor.’

The Chairman of SSANU in UI, Wale Akinremi, who spoke on behalf of the leaders of the union, said the group staged the protest to condemn and reject the recent suspension of members of the union by the embattled VC.

He said the suspended members were targeted because they wrote a petition against Oyewole to the EFCC.

“Our position is that as from this moment, SSANU as a union ceases to recognise Prof. Oyewole as the VC of FUNAAB. Our members are not suspended because as of the time he wrote the letter, he himself was on suspension as the VC of the university, whether he has been given the letter or not, the position of the law is that, he was on suspension as of the time he claimed to be writing the letter,” said Akinremi.

He noted that there was too much recklessness in the handling of funds that came to FUNAAB and other universities from the Federal Government.

“We are saying that the Federal Government should beam its searchlight on the university system, especially on the pro-chancellors, the vice-chancellors and the bursars,” he added.

Copyright PUNCH.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/business/business-news/208793-cbn-denies-liquidating-skye-bank-says-not-distressed.html

CBN Denies Liquidating Skye Bank, Says Not Distressed

August 18, 2016
Premium Times

THE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has advised customers and other stakeholders of Skye Bank to disregard any message purporting a liquidation of the bank.

This is contained in a statement by the Acting Director, Communications, Isaac Okorafor, in Abuja on Wednesday.

According to it, malicious messages are making the rounds suggesting that the bank is distressed or has been liquidated by the CBN.

“The CBN wishes to state, and emphatically so, that it has not liquidated Skye Bank or any other Deposit Money Bank for that matter.

“The bank also wishes to reiterate its earlier assurance that Skye Bank is not in distress and remains a healthy bank in the Nigerian banking system.

“Indeed, the health of the Nigerian banking system remains strong; all banks in Nigeria are safe and depositors have no cause to fear over their deposits.’’

The statement recalled that Skye Bank had corporate governance challenges and that the CBN had since taken proactive steps to resolve the issues identified.

It also said that the CBN was satisfied with the efforts of the new management to reposition Skye Bank for effective service delivery.
..

Ex-RCCG Pastor Writes Adeboye Open Letter, Demands Unpaid Fees, Others

August 13, 2016

Akinjiyan

Jesusegun Alagbe

AFTER serving at the Redeemed Christian Church of God for 23 years, Bayo Akinjiyan, 55, has decried what he described as “Man’s inhumanity to man and the travesty of justice” by the Church he served “meritoriously.”

Akinjiyan, who voluntarily resigned from the Church in 2013 after rising to the position of an assistant provincial pastor at Lagos Province 25, said he could not fathom why an organisation he was once a part of for 23 years would treat him with “human indignity” and refuse to pay him what is due to him.

Upon his exit from the church, Akinjiyan said he had to vacate a N15m house he personally built on Plot 15, Diligence Road, Redemption Camp, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, which is in line with the policy of the church that a non-member has no rights to own any building at the camp.

However, after handing over the property, its receipt has yet to be acknowledged by the authorities of the church; a position Akinjiyan said had made him uncomfortable.

His other grievance is over unpaid consultancy fees amounting to over N2m on projects designed, supervised and or managed by him since 2012.

Akinjiyan said he had exploited all available media to express his grievances to the church, including through the writing of private letters to the General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, but after waiting for over two years and his grievances had yet to be addressed, he had resorted to writing an open letter to the leader of the church.

His letter read, “First, I want to address the attitude and response of the authorities and leadership of the Redeemed Christian Church of God over the house on Plot 15, Diligence Road, Redemption Camp Estate, Redemption Camp, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway that I handed over to them upon my voluntary exit from the church after 23 years of meritorious service and having risen to the position of assistant provincial pastor.

“This was contained in my letter of resignation, dated November 3, 2013. That I gave my best in this adventure was alluded to by the church in the letter of release, dated March 11, 2014, which states inter alia, ‘…We wish to appreciate you for your contributions to this ministry and we pray that God will reward and support you in your future endeavours…’

“Secondly, the attitude and response of the Board of Governors of Christ the Redeemers College, Sagamu, Ogun State Nigeria — a private secondary school operated by Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries, an affiliate of RCCG, over an unpaid consultancy fees on projects designed, supervised and or managed by me since 2012.

“I know the implications of my actions and having fully weighed my options, I hereby accept full responsibilities for my actions. My decision to inform the Christian community and the larger society is not aimed at destroying or tarnishing the image of anyone or maligning the church that once gave me fire, but rather, it is aimed at putting records straight, and satisfying my God and my conscience. I have prayed over this matter, consulted those that I needed to, and I have come to the conclusion that God is on the side of those who have a right standing with Him.

“Let us address the first issue — the house at Redemption Camp. In line with the policy of the RCCG mission on those who build on its land, the keys to the house on the above mentioned location, which is a five-bedroom house (all en-suite), valued by a firm of chartered estate surveyors at N15.5m as of December 5, 2011, were submitted to the church through my letter to the General Overseer, dated March 4, 2014 upon my voluntary exit.

“Reminders were also sent through four other letters dated September 2, 2015, January 2, 2016, March 10, 2016, and June 27, 2016. Of all these letters and reminders, the only response I had was a letter dated October 9, 2015, acknowledging the letter of September 2, stating as follows, ‘…We wish to inform you that the issues raised in your letter have been referred to concerned officials for their comments and response. We shall get back to you as we receive feedback and further directives from the mission authority.

“Almost a year down the line, I am still waiting. My request was that the church should at least officially acknowledge the receipt of the house, even if there is no form of compensation. The God who built that for me can always give me a better one. This is my belief. The need to acknowledge the takeover of the house becomes necessary for at least two reasons: first, when I get to heaven (and by the grace of God I will make it), there will be an official and authentic record from RCCG in my favour, of the house that was forfeited to her as a result of doing the will of the Master here on earth.

“Secondly, it is to my knowledge that properties said to belong to the leadership of the church or that of the RCCG Mission sometimes allegedly, carelessly and surreptitiously fall into "wrong hands". In view of this development, the question is: Is Pastor Adeboye even aware of this house in question of having been handed over to RCCG? If yes, has he given an instruction for my request to be granted? If yes, what is delaying his instruction from being carried out almost a year after? If no action has been taken with all these efforts of mine, what is the reason for this?”

Akinjiyan’s second grievance is the non-payment of N2,140,604.66 consultancy fee on projects designed, supervised and managed by him since 2012 at Christ the Redeemers College, the Secondary School of the church.

He wrote, “I was appointed by the Governing Board of the above-named College for the purpose of overseeing the projects on a week-by-week basis at a meeting held by the Board on November 28, 2009. My duties and responsibilities were diligently carried out to the letter. When I wrote to the College for payment thereafter, no response was given. I wrote a reminder after two years, the college refused to collect the letter for reasons best known to the official at their reception desk. I thereafter sent it to the General Overseer on March 10, 2016. A reminder was sent in June 2016 and also a personal copy to Pastor (Mrs.) Folu Adeboye, the wife of the G.O., who is a major stakeholder of the college.

“For all these to have happened in a church I diligently served for 23 years is questionable in my opinion. I have yet to find out why I should be so treated in this manner even after I had followed due process to secure my release. Please also note that it took the church over two years to organise a send-off in my honour and this was after I wrote the G.O. about it. It took the church over two years and after two separate letters of reminder, to pay royalty on over 30 of my published books in the church bookshops. This also happened after I wrote to the G.O. about it.

“Would it be right then to say that perhaps all these are personal vendetta coming from those on whose toes I stepped on while I served through my insistence that right things must be done and I am now being made to pay for my uncompromising stance on corruptive tendencies within the spheres I served and particularly at the college?

“I believe that for our nation to be great again, all hands must be on deck. Religious leaders have a crucial role to play beyond praying for the nation. They need to also teach their members and warn against the evil of corruption, expose its tendencies within the system. Then and only then can our nation be sanitised and become great again. The government alone cannot fight and win this humongous battle against corruption.

“One thing is for sure: for the leadership of the RCCG to keep ignoring me and all the letters I’ve sent across to it for its own best known reasons would be cutting off its nose to spite its face. I know so much more than anyone could think of and I counsel that they should just let sleeping dogs lie. If this situation persists in the next couple of days, one may be compelled to press for full redress on these issues. I am using this opportunity to call on all those who believe in the course of justice within the church and outside of it to please assist me in this cause. I’m calling on human rights groups and civil society organisations and others to please strengthen my arm through the law if need be.

“I also call on the irrepressible media, both print and electronic in Nigeria and in the international community, to conduct investigative journalism and prove me wrong in any of my assertions. A young lawyer friend has provided me legal services so far and has written the appropriate bodies on these issues. I pray the church authority will act fast on this, but if they think otherwise, I am fully prepared for the days ahead. I also know that this journey may be long, lonely and dreary. The wheel of justice may grind slowly, but with God on my side, there is a glorious light at end of the tunnel.

“To the Christian community and friends, I demand your prayers at this time. I know some ‘brethren’ will vilify me, abuse and harass me, take me through scriptures on how to resolve church conflicts (I have explored all these) or how not to touch ‘mine anointed.’ I know some would call me names, raise non-existing scandalous issues that have not surfaced since I left over three years ago. I know I could be under threat of attack or be monitored. I am not bothered.

“What is not worth dying for is not worth living for. Some might ask: You want to destroy a house you helped in building or once lived in? My answer is ‘no’. It is to prevent the house from collapsing on its present occupants that is my concern. Some might ask why fight over mundane issues such as house or money and just N2.1m? My answer is ‘no’. I have been involved in projects for the church to the extent that that if I were to collect consultancy fees, it would have run into over tens of millions of naira, but yet I executed some of these projects with my colleagues in the building industry for next to nothing.

“I am not a gold digger nor do I seek to reap where I did not sow. I belong to the Joshua generation and this error of treating with indignity people who follow due process in resigning from the church must stop. I have suffered in the hands of vipers, vultures, lions, crocodiles, pharaohs and goliaths in the church system over the years, I have suffered with Christ through obedience to His will. I’ve gone through and still going through ‘indignity’ of living in a rented accommodation, after building a decent house and living in it just because of doing God’s will. I’ve had my own portion of the vicissitudes of life.

“I have a different spirit and have followed the Lord fully. Having been given positions of trust and responsibilities and never abused any, I rejoice and see all these as part of the faith package of my redemption through Christ Jesus and in all of these. I’m more than a conqueror. I have no regret of any decisions taken in the past, I have no better yesterday yet, I’m a believer in a glorious tomorrow. I have coveted no man’s silver or gold; I’ve never stolen church funds or church members.

“Unconfirmed reports indicate how people who left the Redemption Camp sold their houses through illegal transfers without the mission batting an eyelid. I decided to do the right thing and must I suffer for it? While I do not claim to be perfect, just as no one is, I contend daily for the faith that was once delivered unto the saints. I am not intimidated and can never be. I serve the living God, the God of faithfulness and without injustice, good and upright is He. A word, they say, is enough for the wise and those who live in glass houses do not throw stones.”

- Copyright PUNCH.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/208102-stolen-kia-car-sold-n10-000-ogun.html

‘Stolen Kia Car Sold For N10,000 In Ogun State’

August 5, 2016
Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji


A member of a robbery gang, Jimoh Wasiu, on Thursday narrated how they stole a Kia car and sold it for a meagre N10,000.

Mr. Wasiu, 37, made the disclosure while being paraded before journalists at the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, headquarters in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

He was paraded alongside two other members of the gang, named Damilola Daramola (38) and Tunji Makinde (38).

Mr. Wasiu said the gang was formed in 2015 and had only snatched two cars. One of the stolen cars was the Kia they sold for N10,000.

He said the group specialised in snatching cars and tricycles on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

The Ogun State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, who paraded the suspects, said the gang operates on Lagos-Ibadan Highway.

Five suspected cultists were also paraded. They were accused of terrorising Ogijo and its environs before they were arrested.

Mr. Oyeyemi said the cultists killed a man at a filling station.

The police spokesman disclosed the identities of the suspected cultists as Oluwatosin Mosaku, Tunde Adeleye, Olajuwon Kashimawo, Sunday Ajayi and Sharafa Oladipupo.

He said Mosaku, popularly known as Mega Tea, was a notorious cultist who had killed many people in Ikorodu, Lagos state, while Kashimawo was allegedly responsible for the death of a-16-year-old boy that was killed on Tuesday at MRS Petrol station in Ogijo.

He said Ajayi, popularly known as Egbere, had been on police wanted list for snatching a rifle from a police corporal at Oko-Oba in Ogijo located in Sagamu local government area of Ogun State.
...

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/207858-breaking-jamb-withdraws-2016-admission-lists-sent-varsities-others.html

BREAKING NEWS: JAMB Withdraws 2016 Admission Lists Sent To Varsities, Others

July 31, 2016
Press Release




THE Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has withdrawn the list of recommended candidates for admission earlier sent to the tertiary institutions, the Board said in a statement on Sunday.

“This is to ensure that the University Senate perform its statutory responsibility of conducting the selection of candidates and refer it to JAMB for confirmation in line with the admission criteria of merit, catchment and educationally disadvantaged states as directed by the Hon Minister of Education at the policy committee meeting,” Fabian Benjamin, the organisation’s head of media, said in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES.

“The earlier list was sent to help fast track the process of admission so as to allow other tiers of institutions also conduct their admission.

“Candidates should not panic because this is part of the process of the 2016 admission exercise. JAMB regrets any inconvenience this decision would have caused the tertiary institutions

“The Board regrets any inconvenience it’s proactive step would have caused the tertiary institutions.”

Taeewo:
Awon omo nna

They are Nigerians....
They are "our children"...
Whatever the Name-Checking exercise aimed to convey...

To outsiders we are Nigerians (whether good or bad).

Rest in Peace to those executed.

If there is an avenue for a review, or if you are to be given another chance to come back to this world, you are now in the best position to determine if you will do as you did in the term just terminated

Money rituals? What a nonsense!

Deep down in our African roots, many of us still have this belief in some magical means of manufacturing money....
Some is said to require blood: from chicken, to ram and even human beings.
There are usually periods of renewals
Eventually, the end of such people are usually not enviable

Why embark on such a risky "adventure"?
Why should the proponents be asking others to do it: while they avoid it?

Or even, why must we believe in such nonsense in the first place?

True talk

You have tried in this analysis of the downward trend of education in Nigeria

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/207155-exclusive-judicial-panel-indicts-nigerian-army-general-others-zaria-massacre-shiites.html


EXCLUSIVE: Judicial Panel Indicts Nigerian Army General, Others For Zaria Massacre Of Shiites

July 19, 2016
Samuel Ogundipe




THE General Officer Commanding the Nigerian Army’s 1st Division, Adeniyi Oyebade, a Major General, authorized last December’s military operation that massacred at least 347 members of the Shi’a Muslim group in Zaria, AND SHOULD BE PROSECUTED, a Judicial Commission of inquiry into the killings, has said in its Final Report.

The commission of inquiry, set up by the Kaduna State government, indicted Mr. Oyebade and other Senior Army Officers for the attack, PREMIUM TIMES can authoritatively report.

The panel’s report was submitted to Gov. Nasir el-Rufai on Friday, but its details are yet to be made public.

The killings drew worldwide condemnations, and several investigative reports said hundreds of people were killed by government troops and secretly buried in a mass grave in Zaria, Kaduna State.

The Shi’a Islamic movement said it lost more than a thousand members in the attack that took place between December 12 and 14 at its headquarters in Zaria.

A representative of the Kaduna State Government told the commission of inquiry that 347 bodies were handed over by the army for a secret mass burial.

But despite the evidence, the army claimed it killed only seven Shiites who blocked a public road and attempted to assassinate its chief, Tukur Buratai, a Lieutenant General.

It said troops only used force after it became clear that Mr. Buratai’s life was in danger.

The leader of the Shi’a group, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, who was arrested by soldiers during the operation, has remained in custody - seven months after.

The attacks were never condemned by the Army hierarchy or the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

After his initial silence, Mr. Buhari later suggested during a televised interview on December 30 that the victims invited the wrath of the military upon themselves by “hitting the chest of Generals”.

The report neither apportioned any blame to the Federal Government nor the Army leadership, headed by Mr. Buratai.

Still, its details provide a glimpse into what was clearly a deadly use of disproportionate military force in quelling a civil unrest. The report confirmed that by any measure, the killings took place at a horrific scale.

Shooting Through The Blockade

The panel said it was able to confirm the death of 349 people, including a soldier. But it made clear it lacked the cooperation of Military officials to establish the actual number of those killed.

The Commission of inquiry listed culpable actors for civil or criminal prosecution and suggested ways of preventing similar incidents in future.

A copy of the report, exclusively obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, said the GOC of the Army’s 1st Division, Kaduna, Mr. Oyebade, deployed soldiers to carry out such a large scale operation without recourse to the chain of Command.

It recommends that Mr. Oyebade and other yet-to-be-disclosed officers who participated in the operation “should be brought to trial before a court of competent jurisdiction”.

The report, which contains 101 pages of correspondences and exhibits, starts with a recap of what transpired on December 12, 2015.

It said the Chief of Army Staff, Mr. Buratai, left Dutse, Jigawa State, at about 11:30 a.m for Zaria, where he was invited to be the reviewing officer at the passing out parade of the 73 Regular Recruits Intake of the Nigerian Army Depot.

Mr. Buratai and his entourage arrived at the Hussainiyya Baqiyyatillah shrine of the Shi’a group along Sokoto Road, Zaria, around 2:20 p.m.

There, the report said, he encountered members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria in their hundreds.

A memo submitted by the Nigerian Army said the individuals were armed with “dangerous weapons”.

In a testimony to the commission, an officer in Mr. Buratai’s security detail, said after all entreaties to the protesters to leave the road failed, they decided to “shoot their way through the blockade” to prevent their Principal from being attacked.

The next day, the report said, Mr. Oyebade deployed troops to the shrine to arrest the leaders of the Shi’a group, which resulted in the killings.

The panel said it established that the invasion of the IMN compound was carried out strictly on Mr. Oyebade’s order and without any rules of engagement, an action the Commission said was at variance with the provisions of the Armed Forces Act, 1994, and the 1999 Constitution, both of which vested such authorities strictly in the President of the Federal Republic.

“There was no evidence that there was the requisite delegation by the President to the officer who issued oral order for the deployment of the officers and men of the Nigerian Army for the cordon and search operation,” the report said.

The Commission rebuked Military officers for refusing to give useful information that could have helped it reach a more detailed conclusion, hinting that the number of those killed could have been far higher than 349.

“All the officers who testified were not forthcoming in providing full disclosure on the number of the dead, wounded and missing persons,” the report said.

Similarly, the medical examiner in charge of the bodies kept at Nigerian Army medical facility in Kaduna also withheld support for the Judicial Panel.

“It is unfortunate that the Medical Officer in charge of the Nigerian Army Depot Health Centre who took custody of some of the corpses was not forthcoming in giving evidence that would have enabled the Commission to ascertain the actual number of people killed,” the report said. “The Officer said he didn’t even ascertain the gender of both the adult and children corpses that were deposited in his Medical Centre.”

The report said the refusal of the Shi’a group, IMN, to appear and give testimony during its sittings, did not help the process in confirming the actual number of casualties.

“Had IMN submitted a memo and appeared before the Commission, it might have been able to shed light on the number of their members who might have lost their lives in the clashes.”

Kaduna Government Undignified Treatment Of Corpses

The Commission was unable to determine the causes of death of the deceased victims owing to the mass burial conducted by the state without any autopsy, the report found.

The panel said the burial of all corpses of male and female Muslims in one grave violated Islamic traditions and other relevant burial laws of Kaduna State and Rule 115 of the Geneva Convention.

The Commission found members of the IMN culpable in the death of an army officer, Dan Yakubu, a corporal, and recommended that those found culpable in the killing of the officer should be prosecuted.

Still, in a damning verdict, the panel said the force deployed by the Army against the Shi’ites was “disproportionate”.

“The Nigerian Army should intensify efforts in ensuring compliance with the rules of engagement and other legal standards in cordon and search operations at all times.”

The report also recommended that soldiers should never be deployed against civilians and that the police should be better equipped for adequate response to public disturbances.
..

The son's uniform (and rank indicated) is NOT that of the Nigerian Air Force, nor of a Flying Officer.

In my opinion, his uniform resembles more as that of a civilian pilot of a commercial airline

My experience was a case of the ATM making an OVERpayment to me!

It was a Sunday evening some years ago. I went to a FirstBank ATM located in a health facility in a town in the SouthWest. I took out the dispensed cash, together with the receipt issued and placed them inside a novel I was reading. I left to prepare for the office the following day. (By the way, I never think it is worth it to count cash dispensed by the ATM - most especially when the was not within the banking premises)

It was almost 9 pm when I had the cause to go examine the transaction I had in the hospital a few hours ago.
Lo and behold, I was overpaid! There was no doubt, as the notes were serially numbered

I typed out a letter of complaint that night which was addressed to the Manager.
I must have been among the "First Eleven" to enter the bank on Monday.
The Manager was shocked! He gave me an account No where to pay in the excess. I insisted my letter of complaint be received and acknowledged.

One can imagine my pleasant surprise when a delegation from the Bank later came to me with an appreciation letter from the Bank's Zonal office!

It was alleged that a mistake was made in loading the currency trays...
N200 being placed where N1,000 ought to be and vice versa. The delegation that came to ne also revealed that over N350,000 had been lost by the bank....

I await the Almighty Allah's blessings of old age to enable me show my grandchildren my letter of complaint of overpayment, and the subsequent letter of Appreciation from the Bank

Very revealing...
And so sad!
But why are we humans (from this part of the world) so sadistic?

HungerBAD:
Nice pictures.

My concern now is the Ooni. I know he is young,and trying very much to give the Yoruba race a relevant voice in the scheme of things around the world.

But,over exposure is bad. And this can lead to the trivialization and casualization of the throne.

Take a cue from all the past Oba's of Benin. It was a rarity to see any of them. Just imagine?an Oba with his goddess sitting on an ordinary party table.

This is not good.

This is also my candid opinion...
Kabiyesi need not be attending all these functions personally.
For most of these outings, his Staff of Office would suffice.

The Kabiyesi should, most of the times, be in the Palace

No matter how one looks at it, the whole episode is very shameful

The coup has been confirmed...
The Military has taken over in Turkey

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/business/business-interviews/206901-electricity-supply-worsens-affordable-ways-can-power-homes.html

As Electricity Supply Worsens, Here Are Affordable Ways You Can Power Your Homes

July 14, 2016
Omono Okonkwo



Electricity supply in Nigeria has recently worsened than ever before, leaving Nigerians scrambling for alternative ways of powering their homes and businesses.

The government has repeatedly blamed sabotage of power installation as well as attacks on gas facilities for the constant outages

A lot of businesses have closed down following the irregular power while millions of citizens unable to afford generators now live in darkness.

Even powering the fuel and diesel generators are no longer easy, what with the increase in the pump price of petrol from N97 per litre to N145 in May.

Also, many households running on generators constitute environmental and noise pollution hazards to themselves and their neighbours due to the noise and smoke fumes that emanate from generators.

These are reasons citizens need to consider cheaper alternative energy sources that are noiseless and require neither petrol nor diesel.

PREMIUM TIMES met with a cross section of residents in Abuja and Owerri, the Imo State capital, to understand how the alternative energy sources they chose are working for them. We also interview vendors of those of equipment needed to install alternative power sources.

Below are what we came back with.

The Materials Needed For Using Alternative Energy Are:

Inverters: These store power that can be used when public power supply is unavailable. The cost depends on the number of light points and home appliances the user wants to power at a time. Gabriel Enemaku, an Abuja-based vendor says locally built inverters are cheaper than imported ones. He however did not say which is more durable.

Batteries: These are used as conduits to charge inverters. When there is public power supply, the batteries are used to charge the inverter. When the DISCOs cut off supply, the inverter provides power with the aid of the batteries.

Photovoltaic Solar Panels: These are just like the inverters but instead of being charged with electricity, they are charged with solar energy from the sun through the batteries. Which is why they are placed outdoors, especially on the roof, to access direct sunlight.

Solar Charge Controllers: These acts as a stabilizer between solar panels and the batteries. They are used to prevent the intensity of the sunlight rays from damaging the batteries.

Option 1 – For as low as N80,000, a user can purchase 120 watts solar panels and car batteries and an average inverter to power 1 bulb, LED 1 television set and a decoder. But this will only provide power for six hours at full charge. But during rainy season, where there is usually less sunshine, the user may not enjoy it to the maximum.

Option 2 – According to Solomon Ita, an Abuja-based vendor, with about N150,000, you can buy an an inverter and car batteries to power three energy bulbs, 1 television set and 1 ceiling fan. Without solar panels, the inverters will have to be charged with electricity whenever available. It will give you power for 12 hours, when fully charged.

Option 3 – Also, with N300,000, you can buy high quality inverter and luminous batteries to power 5 energy bulbs, 2 television sets and 2 standing fans (without solar panels) for a period of 12 hours, when fully charged.

Option 4 – However, according to Stanley Duruson, an Imo State-based alternative energy expert, if the user wants a perfect system, using both inverter and 600 watts solar panels, he or she has to pay more.

With N500,000, a user can purchase inverter, batteries, solar panels and solar charge controller, to power seven energy bulbs, two television sets, one air conditioner (which is best used during the day because of sunlight rays) and one standing fan. The materials will provide power for 24 hours. On the other hand, without solar panels, the cost will reduce to N380,000 for the same 24 hours.

Segun Odunaiya of Havenhill Synergy Abuja, told PREMIUM TIMES that each user will have to consider how many power points they want to power based on the voltage each point will consume, noting that some consume more than others.

“It is left for the vendor they choose to enlighten them on the best choice to make, it is not advisable to power a big refrigerator with alternative energy unless they are ready to pay for more energy capacity.

“Solar panels and solar charge controllers are optional for those who cannot afford the full package. The implication of using all four items is that power never goes out, the user gets to benefit both from recharging batteries with PHCN power and power harnessed from the sun,” he said.

Jessica Ure, a Lagos resident, told PREMIUM TIMES she welcomed the idea of using alternative energy after the vendor gave her a sustainable payment plan of N100,000 within a year. According to her, the installation powers her mini fridge, LED television and 2 energy bulbs when there is power outage.

Indeed things have changed for the worse

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/206846-buhari-govts-45-electricity-price-hike-illegal-court-declares.html

Buhari Govt’s 45% Electricity Price Hike Illegal, Court Declares

July 13, 2016
Press Release


THE Federal High Court, Ikoyi has declared the 45 per cent tariff increase by the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) as illegal and has directed its immediate reversal.

The court said on Wednesday that the implementation of the huge increase constitutes a violation of its interim order.

The court awarded N50,000 cost against NERC.

The Nigeria Labour Congress which has opposed the price hike described the ruling as “courageous and deserving of commendation”.

“We also consider it victory for the ordinary Nigerian who has been crushed by exploitative bills,” a statement by the NLC’s president, Ayuba Wabba, said.

The Labour Congress urged NERC and DISCOs to obey the judgement and revert to the old rates without further delay.

The electricity commission raised the tariffs which took effect despite a resolution of the National Assembly and a restraining court order against the policy

I wonder what message the OP was trying to convey

What a way to show one's true colour!
"Man of God", indeed!

You people made the Cele-man chopped the sacrifice, abi?
No problem as Mr Esu, whom the meal is meant for has been helped....

Small time, people will be talking on how God heard their prayers. Hippocrates.... all of them!

There are so many causes that can often result into "Sudden Deaths"....
But many times, our people, (even including those that are supposed to know) term these deaths as being "mysterious", "due to witchcraft", etc.

Those of us in this forum should at least start to spread the news of the fact that "witchcraft" should be the last to be blamed in cases like this.

False alarm. That is all.

It is the guilt in them that will make to run away from their shadows

Who knows...
Maybe his inner voices told him to do the cutting off by himself!

Wonders shall never end

The Police should be invited....

All the signs point to Murder!
Suicide, my foot.

It is unfortunate that most of the current Labour leaders are no more as dedicated as those of yesteryears. The current leaders are easily swayed by the bribes of corrupt politicians. These lucre are responsible for the leaders not to always have the overall interest of the struggle.

The leaders seem to be more interested in lining their pockets and feathering their nests. The interests of the masses are never in the priority

Court cases are not argued as advertorials on the pages of Newspapers....
Are they just waking up now? Or why were these facts not pleaded and tendered at the Federal High Court in Abuja?
And the case was in that Court for more than a whole year!

It will seem the more you look, the less you see: as far as this case is concerned....

They say no new or fresh evidence can be brought in any more: as the Appeal Court will only rely on the facts of the law as the case was presented at the High Court level

I shall assist in better concealment: (after all the deed has already been done!)
I will ensure that not much change is detected in our life styles...
But we MUST immediately put in place foundations and schemes that will raise the status and future hopes of many that are currently not as favoured
Scholarship schemes, health assistance schemes for those that need urgent assistance, etc

All of them will let 'down their hairs' and will be in a relaxed atmosphere

I can imagine them reliving their youthful times: backslapping and calling of nicknames....

Such is life

The President is naturally relaxed among old classmates...
I can imagine them calling each other some age-long nicknames and their having reminiscences of teachers and seniors...