₦airaland Forum

I MUST THANK THE PEOPLE/PERSON THAT MANAGED TO GET THIS RAW PICTURE.
THIS IS FOR THE WHOLE WORLD TO SEE HOW T.A. ORJI IS DISGRACING HIMSELF THINKING HE IS DOING OTHERS.
THIS IS THE PORT HARCOURT ROAD HE CLAIMED TO HAVE RECONSTRUCTED.
WHAT OF THE ONES HE DID NOT EVEN AWARD THE CONTRACT NOT TO TALK OF REHABILITATION?

BELIEVE YOU ME: HIS 8 YEARS IN OFFICE IS 8 YEARS OF BACKWARDNESS WHICH WILL TAKE ABIA STATE 16 YEARS TO RECOVER FROM THIS MENACE.

THE APGA STATE CHAIRMAN SHOULD SAY THE TRUTH AND STAND BY IT.

THE STATEMENT BY THE REPORTER IS THAT A VOTER'S CARD WAS ISSUED TO OBIANO THIS OCTOBER IN ANAMBRA.

WHY ARE YOU TALKING OF HIS APPLYING FOR TRANSFER OF THE SAID CARD FROM LAGOS.

ABIANS AT HOME AND IN DIASPORA SHOULD BEAR IN MIND THAT THERE IS ALWAYS A PAY BACK TIME.
WHAT THE ABIA STATE GOVERNOR IS DOING NOW IS WAITING FOR ABIANS TO PAY BACK IN YEARS TO COME.
ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT THE PAST IS ALWAYS IN THE FUTURE AS HISTORY IS ALWAYS IN THE FUTURE.
1) DISENGAGEMENTS OF IGBOS FROM THE STATE CIVIL SERVICE
2) INTIMIDATION OF INHABITANTS OF THE STATE
3) EXTORTION FROM THE LAW ABIDING INHABITANTS OF THE STATE VIA ALL MANNER OF TAXES AND LEVIES
5) ETC.

WHEN YOU WILL START TO PAY BACK, I CAN ONLY ADVICE YOU TO GO BACK TO YOUR ARCHIVE AND DIG UP YOUR PAST CALENDAR

IF THINGS ARE DONE THIS WAY, THERE WOULD BE NO PROBLEMS IN THIS COUNTRY. LET OTHER SECTORS AND AREAS OF THE SYSTEM WITNESS THIS SAME DEVELOPMENT.

LET ME START BY THANKING GOD THAT YOU REGAINED YOUR FREEDOM. NOW THAT YOU HAVE KNOWN WHAT IT MEANS FOR SOMEBODY TO BE KIDNAPPED, I BELIEVE YOU HAVE LEARNED A LOT.you should be happy that they kidnapped you for money. REMEMBER THE SAID THEY KNOW HOW MUCH YOU MADE FROM....THOSE OF YOU THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE CORRUPTNESS NATURE OF THIS COUNTRY,BY THE TIME KIDNAPPERS WILL START TO COME FOR YOUR LIVES,THEN YOU WILL DECLARE STATE OF EMERGENCY ON CORRUPTION AND not kidnappers FOR IT IS CORRUPTION THAT BREEDS KIDNAPPING.

THIS USED TO HAPPEN. now that most men look for ladies that are working(working class ladies) and ladies who understands what it means to be a HOUSE WIFE now look for what to do nomatter how small t is. finally, considering our ECONOMY, most young men are tired of SIT DOWN DEY LOOK WIFES.

Justice Gabriel Kolawole of a Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday dismissed an application filed by the suspected terrorists believed to be behind the October 1, 2010 Independence Day bombing in Abuja.

The suspects Charles Okah, Edmund Ebiware, Obi Nwabueze and Tiemkemfa Osuwo (aka General Gbokos) – had requested the court to stay proceedings on the ground that they had filed an appeal to challenge its ruling, which dismissed the motion to quash the charges levelled against them.

Also, the court ordered the State Security Service to take one of the accused, Charles Okah, to the National Hospital, Abuja for medical attention, following his claim that he was suffering from partial paralysis.

In his response, the prosecuting counsel, Dr. Alex Izinyon, said Okah would be moved to the National Hospital directly from the court for medical treatment.

But Okah had, through his lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo, filed a suit at the court claiming N10bn damages from the Federal Government.

Okah sued the FG for the inhuman and degrading treatment, as well as the psychological trauma and torture, which he had suffered in the hands of agents of the SSS.

Keyamo said the fumigation of the cell where Okah was detained with poisonous chemicals and the SSS decision to lock him up amounted to a violation of his fundamental right to dignity of human person and the right to life, as enshrined in Section 34 and Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

He said, “The respondent’s continued refusal to allow the applicant participate in daily physical exercises in the prison, like the other inmates, amounts to a violation of his right to human dignity, as enshrined in section 34 of the 1999 Constitution.

“Also, the respondent’s refusal to allow the applicant to worship in the worship, like the other inmates, amounts to a violation of his right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, as enshrined in Section 38 of the 1999 Constitution.”

Keyamo asked the court to compel the SSS to allow Okah to enjoy all the rights accruable to other inmates in the prison and to order the security agency to pay N10bn as damages for maltreating him in their custody.

No date has been fixed for the hearing of Okah’s application, but Justice Kolawole named Feb 15 and 27 and March 14, 2012 for the trial of the accused persons.

The judge also fixed Jan 26, 2012 to hear the application for bail by the second accused person.

The court had observed that the grounds on which the accused’s application to stay proceeding was premised did not fulfill the conditions laid down by law.

Justice Kolawole therefore dismissed the application for lacking in merit.

The accused persons had earlier brought an application praying the court to quash the charges against them and at the same time challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the matter.

But the court had dismissed the application, saying that the accused had a case to answer and they go through a full trial.

Not satisfied with the ruling, the accused persons had filed an appeal against the decision through their counsel.

Okah was arrested, alongside the three others by agents of the SSS following the Independence Day bomb blasts in Abuja in 2010.

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) insisted yesterday that it has Constitutional power to prosecute anyone who commits fraud in any part of the country.

The commission’s counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, made the assertion in response to the argument of former Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel that the commission has no constitutional power to try him.

Daniel is insisting, among other things, that since the offences he was alleged to have committed were committed in the state, the commission, being an agency of the Federal Government, cannot try him over “state offences”.

EFCC has slammed a 43-count charge against Daniel for his alleged fraudulent practices during his eight-year tenure. These include conversion of state assets and $8million state funds to his personal use and outright stealing.

But when the case came up on Thursday, Daniel, through his lead counsel, Prof. Taiwo Osipitan, brought an eight-point application asking the court, presided over by Justice Olanrewaju Mabekoje, that all the charges should be quashed on grounds that the commission, being a Federal Government agency has no jurisdiction over the case.

THERE were multiple explosions and gunshots in Kano, the Kano State capital yesterday, ostensibly by Boko Haram members, leading to policemen scampering for safety and Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso imposing a 24-hour curfew on the city.

This comes just as the federal government yesterday set up a panel of inquiry to investigate the escape of Kabiru Umar (also known as Kabiru Sokoto), the alleged mastermind of the Christmas Day bombing of St Theresa Catholic Church in Madalla, Niger State that claimed over 44 lives, from police custody.

A source said the first explosions occurred around 4.30pm at the Zone 1 Headquarters of the Nigeria Police in the ever-crowded farm centre and Bompai axis of the metropolis, when a suicide bomber with a vehicle laden with explosives rammed into the gate of the Police House and drove towards the office of the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of the zone, before detonating the bomb.

The casualty figures could not be obtained, but an eyewitness said he saw charred remains of several persons.

Another bomb was said to have gone off at the farm centre axis of the metropolis, leading to more deaths.

The passport office in the area was in flames, just as a police post believed to be the target of the attack was also reduced to rubbles.

As at 7 pm yesterday, the deafening sound of bombs and gunshots was yet to abate in the metropolis.

An ECWA Church and several other churches were among the areas badly affected by the explosives.

Smoke could also been seen coming from the Marhaba and Gyadi-Gyadi neighbourhood, as motorcyclists and motorists fled the areas.

A source said the attack started when some armed youths laid siege to a police station in the city, firing several shots for about 45 five minutes, ostensibly before bombing it, leaving it in smoke. A police van was said to have later arrived at the scene.

There was confusion in the city, as residents struggled to get out of harm’s way, while those already at home remained in-doors.

The degree of damage and number of casualties could not immediately be ascertained, as the situation remained tense.

A suspected Boko Haram member who attempted to bomb the Kano headquarters of the State Security Service (SSS) was arrested after his bid failed.

By 7.30 pm, calm gradually started returning to the city after an exchange of sporadic gunfire between soldiers and policemen and members of the sect.

In Abuja, Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Capt. Caleb Olubolade (rtd), who disclosed this, noted that the panel, made up of senior officials of the ministry and military officers, had been given a week to submit its findings on how Sokoto managed to escape while being transferred for interrogation in Abuja.

The suspect is believed to be a member of the Islamist sect, Boko Haram, which claimed responsibility for the heinous act.

Inspector General of Police Hafiz Ringim has already been queried over the escape of the suspect, the response of which he said was being considered by the panel.

Sokoto’s disappearance is an embarrassing blow to President Goodluck Jonathan, who has imposed emergency rule in parts of four states in a bid to curb the sect’s onslaught.

The Police have offered a N50 million reward for information that could lead to the re-arrest of the suspect, and already, a police officer, Zakari Biu, a newly promoted Commissioner of Police (CP), is being questioned in connection with the escape.

Shortly after the church bombing, President Goodluck Jonathan admitted that the sect and sympathisers have infiltrated virtually all sections of the system, including government officials.

Sokoto, who was arrested last Saturday at the Borno Governor’s Lodge in Abuja in company of a Nigeria Airforce officer, was freed by suspected Boko Haram members who allegedly attacked the police escorts trying to transfer him.

Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for several bombings and killings in Nigeria, especially in the northern part of the country, including the August last year suicide bombing of United Nations (UN) headquarters in Abuja that killed over 25.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) in charge of Works at the Force Headquarters, Mr. Sale Abubakar has decried lack of intelligence in the Force and courage to fight back in the face of terrorist attacks.

Abubakar, who was on a two-day working visit to Benue State, said this while addressing officers and men of the Force at the state command headquarters in Makurdi.

He expressed dismay at the way and manner Boko Haram sect and criminals blow up police stations in the country without any arrest.

He stressed the need for officers to be more proactive in tackling terrorist activities in the country.

When intimated that a school of intelligence training has been established in Kano to train police officer in the act of intelligence gathering to avert terrorist and criminal activities in the country, the DIG further decried corruption in the Force.

January 16, 2012 by Lekan Adetayo, Abuja 128 Comments

There was confusion at the Aso Villa on Sunday as President Goodluck Jonathan failed to address the nation on the fuel subsidy crisis, despite earlier indications that he would do so.

All over the country, Nigerians who had heard reports that the President would address the nation after holding a series of meetings with stakeholders went to bed in disappointment when it became clear that the speech would not be aired.

For the greater part of the evening, Channels Television had run a news bar saying, “President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to address the nation on nationwide strike”.

However, none of President Jonathan’s aides was available to explain the sudden cancellation to State House correspondents.

The correspondents, who had earlier covered the meetings held in the Villa on Sunday to resolve the crisis, were still waiting for the speech to be made as at the time this paper went to bed in the wee hours of today.

Earlier in the day the President had held meetings on the crisis with two groups. The President met with some governors and the principal officers of the National Assembly. He also held a meeting with senior officials of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress.

Efforts made by our correspondents to get officials of the organised Labour to speak on the decisions reached proved abortive as they insisted that the President would have to address the nation before they could speak.

At the end of the President’s meeting with the governors, which lasted for three hours, Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State told State House correspondents that none of them would speak with the press. He, however, promised that the President would himself make the decisions reached public.

The President of the Senate, David Mark, also told journalists that the issue had been resolved.

He said the decision to be conveyed by the President to Nigerians would end the impasse.

Other participants at the meeting were Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal; Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu; Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr. Emeka Ihediora; Senate Leader, Mr. Victor Ndoma-Egba.

The governors in attendance included those of Akwa Ibom, Benue, Ondo, Delta, Rivers, Anambra, Enugu, Imo, Lagos, Niger, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Taraba.

Others were those of Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Ekiti, Plateau, Ebonyin, Sokoto, Kogi, Cross River, Katsina, Jigawa and Bauchi.

Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke; Minister of Labour, Mr. Emeka Wogu; Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku; and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, were also in attendance.

Before the arrival of the President, Okonjo-Iweala was seen discussing in hushed tones with some governors one-on-one. At a point, she excused Governor Rotimi Amaechi who was discussing with seven other governors.

She and Amaechi who is the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum then retired into a corner in the Council Chambers where they chatted briefly.

At the end of the meeting, the six governors of the Action Congress of Nigeria also met briefly outside the venue.

At the end of their discussion, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti told journalists that the President would brief the nation on the decision reached.

Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State said in arriving at the decision to be broadcast by the President, peace, stability and sustenance of democracy were paramount.

Earlier, the President had also met with the security chiefs. Although none of the chiefs spoke with State House correspondents after the meeting, a source said issues relating to the lingering strike and protests took a centre stage at the meeting. The security chiefs were said to have reviewed the security agents’ handling of the last week’s strike and strategised for this week.

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[right][/right]Leaders-of-labour

• We Had Fruitful Discussion; Crisis Will End Soon — Mark

• Civil Society Resumes Mass Demonstration Tomorrow

• We’ll Not Shut Down Oil Production, Says NLC President

MEETING between Labour and Federal Govt yesterday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, failed to reach a compromise on the main clause of the week-old dispute occasioned by the January 1 removal of fuel subsidy. Leaders of the 18-man Labour team led by President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Abdulwaheed Omar, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, Peter Esele, told journalists at about 11.20pm when the meeting ended , that “Government was not ready” to yield to their demand of reverting to N65 per litre. When he was initially asked if the stalemate meant that the national strike would continue, he said he would communicate his NEC’s meeting to the media by today. But he later addressed the journalists, declaring categorically that the industrial action, which after five days was suspended for two days at the weekend, would continue tomorrow.

Omar, however, assured that Labour would not shut down oil production as “Labour is still giving peace a chance”.

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) had on Thursday promised to join the strike by shutting down oil production from early this morning should Labour and Govt failed to reach a compromise.

Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, told journalists that Labour was expected to report back to Governemnt today on the response of its NEC to government’s offer, which he, however, did not mention. .

Senate President, David Mark who presided, came out of the meeting at about 12 midnight, and told journalists, “We had a fruitful meeting; we are working hard for the good people of Nigeria. There is going to be an end to the problem soon”.

The Government team was led by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim; and included Governors of Niger, Edo, Lagos, Rivers, Sokoto, Adamawa and others, as well as Ministers of Finance, Petroleum, Labour, Justice, Trade and Investment, Information, and others.

The meeting which started at 7.30pm and ended four hours later (with a 15 minutes break observed at about 10pm) also had in attendance, Speaker of the House of Reps, Aminu Tambuwai, his deputy Emeka Ihedioha and other NASS members.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the coalition of civil society groups that had driven the five-day mass action that started last Monday, yesterday vowed to continue mobilising Nigerians to stage street demonstrations from tomorrow, should Labour agree to fuel price higher than the old N65.

This resolution emerged at a joint media briefing between the Save Nigeria Group, SNG, and the EnoughisEnough, EiE, at Ikeja in Lagos yesterday. The meeting held even as leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, resumed their meeting with the President and some members of his cabinet, executives of the Governors’ Forum with leaders of the National Assembly in attendance.

The Civil Society warned that the mass action, expected to resume tomorrow would be protracted, should Federal Govt refused to agree to revert the price of fuel to the pre-january 1 N65.

Prior to the Labour leaders meeting with the Executive last night, The National Executive Councils, NEC of the NLC and TUC, had mandated their representatives to insist on N65.

It was unclear last night how Government would receive Labour’s rigid position, which also tallies with demand of the Civil Society groups.

At the briefing in Lagos yesterday, Executive Director of EnoughisEnough, Nigeria, ‘Yemi Adamolekun, noted that the demands of protesters have now gone beyond the reversal of subsidy removal, and petrol price to N65. While faulting the position of government on why the subsidy regime was ended, Adamolekun said: “you can’t add more money to a corrupt system and expect miracles.”

Dividing the struggle into two phases, the coalition said regardless of whatever agreement the Federal Government reaches with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the protests will continue unless the price is reverted to N65 from N141. The EiE also insisted on a reversal of the ‘no work, no pay’ order issued by the Federal Civil Service to its striking workers; and a demonstration by government of readiness to tackle corruption.

Similarly, the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) warned that Nigerians were watching negotiations between organised labour and government keenly. In a statement, the CLO’s Executive Director, Ibuchukwu Ezike reminded Labour negotiators that the current struggle is not a labour struggle alone, but that in which Nigerians have made sacrifices.

“Any agreement they strike with government devoid of reversal to N65 pump price will not be acceptable to Nigerians and it will be rejected. CLO rejects all the arguments presented by the government in the defence of its action because it lacks logic and are only fabricated to deceive Nigerians”, stated CLO.

Meanwhile a new slant may have been introduced into the ongoing mass action against subsidy removal, as some civil society groups in the Niger Delta may have coalesced to rally support for government’s position. .As at Thursday, Asari Dokubo, former militant leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF) led a peaceful rally of a sizeable crowd, threatening to defend the position of President Jonathan.

According to him, should PENGASSAN carried out its threat to shut oil production from today, he would rally former militants, to take over and ensure that PENGASSAN does not return .

At the weekend, a coalition that called itself Deltans Occupy Niger Delta Resources (NDONDR), in a communiqué said it would take its resources back, by all legal means available to it.

The release signed by Ankios Briggs, President Agape Birthrights and convener of the (NDONDR) reads, “Niger Delta and oil resources found in the Niger Delta belong to Niger Delta people. All resources found in any other region of Nigeria belong to the people of such region. We call on all our Niger Delta people, for the sake of our future to look to our nearest neighbours, the Ibos for immediate and strong alliance, to enable the Niger Delta nations and the Igbo nation to face the obvious change that will come to Nigeria, in strength, justice, brotherhood and truth.

“If Jonathan, a Niger Delta son is not good enough to govern Nigeria, the oil in his Niger Delta is not good enough for Nigeria. If the Niger Delta people are not good enough to be part of good governance in Nigeria, then our oil and gas of the Niger Delta peoples is not good enough for Nigeria.”

“Accordingly, CLO demands that such resolutions of the meeting should, include but not limited to Nigerians sitting down with the state actors to re-discuss Nigeria, including discussing issues relating to corruption and how it should be killed, discussion on the bogus salaries and allowances for politicians (especially those in both the executive and legislative arms) and the articulation of people-oriented economic framework would diversify the economy to create wealth and end politician- and corruption -induced sufferings of our people.

“Any agreement devoid of these critical issues may not be acceptable to Nigerians because convincing documents, accusations and counter accusations have demonstrated how public funds are shamelessly looted by the government and its agents. In this wise, it will be absolutely nonsensical to ask Nigerians who have sacrificed hugely to make further sacrifices while the politicians and their associates feed fat on state resources.”