Inasmuch as oil theft and this theft and that theft has been recently been the excuse for inefficiency and under delivery in the relevant sectors, I believe We nigerians are capable of anything...so this should address ur question of "doesn't it need a delicate and special equipment for that?"

The attention of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has been drawn to statements from Generals Muhammadu Buhari and Ibrahim Babangida purporting to be responses to the advice he gave both men to retire.

Since Babangida libelled whole generations of Nigerian youth as being unfit for leadership, age has become an issue in the coming elections. While it is true that neither youth nor age supplies wisdom on their own, it makes sense to ask those who have been recurring decimals in our country’s sorry history to leave the stage. That is all El-Rufai asked of these men who seem to think that their failure to do their best for Nigeria when they had the chance qualifies them for a return to office. Our people surely deserve better.

El-Rufai is amazed that General Buhari cannot debate this matter without scurrying to the gutter, making claims that are baseless and unsupported by any facts. Mallam El-Rufai’s tenure as FCT minister was a period of stellar performance in remaking our federal capital. Despite the difficult decisions that had to be taken to restore Abuja, Mallam El-Rufai continues to receive deserved praise and recognition for his achievements in restoring the Abuja master plan, introducing Nigeria’s first computerised land registry and helping thousands of Nigerians achieve their dreams of home ownership in the federal capital. Buhari is perhaps one of a tiny few blinded by their prejudice from recognising the quality of El Rufai’s service.

That same prejudice accounts for the baseless claims of corruption Buhari levels against El Rufai. The fact is that Mallam El-Rufai served Nigeria with integrity and has never been convicted of any corrupt act. He is boldly contesting the false charges which the Yar’Adua government filed against him in court. It is strange that a Buhari who protests when unproven claims of N2.5 billion (about US $3billion in those days!) missing oil funds are levelled against him can gleefully elevate similar claims into facts when it concerns another. How would Buhari feel if the corruption allegations made against him by Group Captain Usman Jibrin, then a board member of PTF, are today reported as if they were proven facts? So much for “corrupt background” and “shoddy performance”.

Mallam El-Rufai wishes to remind General Buhari that he has remained perpetually unelectable because his record as military head of state, and afterwards, is a warning that many Nigerians have wisely heeded. His insensitivity to Nigeria’s diversity and his parochial focus are already well-known. In 1984, Buhari allowed 53 suitcases belonging to his ADC’s father to enter Nigeria unchecked at a time the country was exchanging old currency for new. Against all canons of legal decency, he used retroactive laws to execute three young men for drug-peddling after they were convicted by a military tribunal and not regular courts of law. Buhari was so high handed that he gave himself and his officials immunity even from truthful reporting. That obnoxious Decree 4, against which truth was no defence, was used to jail journalists and attempt to cow the media as a whole. That tyrannical legislation shows the essence of his intolerance. These are facts of recent history.

The story of counter-trade and import licensing, the cornerstone of Buhari’s stone-age economic strategy and those whose interests it served, is a tale for another day.

Mallam El-Rufai respects both Generals Buhari and Babangida as elder statesmen. He believes their age, experience and guidance may contribute to the success of any future government. El-Rufai however believes that it is time for a new generation of leaders with new thinking and wholesome democratic attitude to move our nation forward. The vicious response by the Buhari camp to a simple statement that their almost-70 principal should retire is proof enough that a Buhari, the new Democrat, tolerant of views different from his own, is yet to evolve. And that is sad, for his fledgling party and its leadership. Buhari and his cohorts may wish to reflect that it will take more than attacks on personalities to become electable. Having seen his version of discipline, Nigerians are not likely to cherish an encore. But they will welcome an engagement with the issues and problems of everyday life that have hobbled the peoples of this land.



Muyiwa Adekeye

http://saharareporters.com/article/el-rufai-buhari-should-stick-facts

Alot of intrigues building up ahead of 2015...So help us God.

Governors Of Sokoto, Adamawa, Jigawa and Kano in a closed-door meeting with former President Shehu Shagari In Sokoto Now.

.....Details shortly!

- See more at: http://leadership.ng/news/300713/2015-g-5-governors-closed-door-meeting-shagari-sokoto#sthash.6jnesDGV.dpuf

Greek Trojan Horse tinz on my mind...

picaro:
always want to be spoon fed. Google it! do some work yourself, haba

Thank you Picaro...

The Government of France has returned a valuable artefact, Esie statute, stolen from Nigeria in 2011 and seized by Customs officials at the Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris.
The statue, which originated from Kwara State is said to be between 500 to 900 years old.
The Ambassador of France to Nigeria, Mr. Jacques Champagne de Labriolle, at a symbolic handover ceremony to mark FrenchNational Day in Abuja Sunday night, said the artefact was returned in line with France hardline stance against trafficking in art works and historical items.
He also handed over the restitution documents to the Director General of the National Museum and Monuments Commission, Dr. Abdalla Usman. Labriolle described the statue as one of great antropologic value, while he recalled that five items of Nok origin were returned to Nigeria in February this year by the French government.
Speaking on bilateral issues between Nigeria and France, the envoy disclosed that the trade volume between the two nations reached about $6 billion annually.
He added that Air France, which commenced direct flights between Abuja and Paris in 2012 had recorded so much success on the route that it had converted to the use larger aircraft.
“French businessmen would visit Nigeria in October this year to access the potentials for their business. I have no doubt they would be interested provided the appropriate environment is guaranteed,” he said.
He said French troops have assisted ECOWAS to restore peace and push out terrorists in Mali, adding that the French Mission in Mali was a success.
He disclosed that 18 Nigerian troops marched alongside AFISMA and French troops in Paris on Sunday to mark the national day.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/france-returns-stolen-artefact-to-nigeria/153449/

The General Manager, Air Traffic Control Operations of the Nigerian Air Space Management Agency (NAMA), Mr John Onyegiri today cleared the air on a “junk” plane that was seen at Dapsey Fuel Station in Igando, Lagos, South West Nigeria.

The “junk”, according to him was being towed by a van to an unknown destination for “education purposes”.

Onyegiri said “You can’t call this one an aircraft anymore; this is like towing a junk”.

He further explained that the wings of the plane had to be taken off to ease movement and traffic on the road.

He called the plane a “tricycle” after the wings had been removed.

“Aircrafts have wings, so to be able to tow it as a junk, they have to take off the wings and it becomes a tricycle.

So they hook it up and take it somewhere else for tourism, for education purposes”.
He also said the airport is littered with “eyesores” like that that are yet to be removed by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

http://www.channelstv.com/home/2013/06/14/nama-calls-plane-seen-at-fuel-station-a-tricycle/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

The Police have arrested two Fulani herdsmen alleged to be behind the invasion of Ichama community in Okpokwu local government area of Benue State which led to the death of five people.

The state Police Public Relation Officer, PPRO, DSP Daniel Ezeala who disclosed this to newsmen yesterday disclosed that the suspected herdsmen were apprehended by security men when they were attempting to escape to a neighbouring state.

Similarly, Juliana Obeta, chairman of Okpokwu local government council, who also spoke to newsmen on phone yesterday, said that the suspected herdsmen were apprehended close to Enugu State.

She said all the cows carted away by the marauders were recovered and returned to the Catholic Diocese in Ichama.

Obeta who commended the policemen for prompt response to the ugly development also praised the youths in the council area who she said went extra mile into the bush to assist the security operatives to search for the fleeing Fulani herdsmen.

According to her, “the joint efforts of both the security men and our youths who braved the odds and went into the bush in search of marauders helped in apprehending the Fulanis and all the cows stolen’.

It would be recalled that the marauders invaded Ichama community in the council area on Monday night, killed people and carted away 40 cows belonging to Otukpo Catholic Diocese.

But the state secretary of Myetialla Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria, Garus Gololo said the attack was not perpetrated by the Fulanis but by unknown gunmen.


http://www.nigerianpilot.com/police-arrest-invading-herdsmen-in-benue/

papaejima1: Oh Mehn!
imagine this scenario.

A guy is happily cruising along the road in his car, kukere blasting from his car stereo.
Then glances at his rear view mirror and sees something. looks away!
Wait...looks again! does a double take as he sees a boeing 737 bearing down on him along the express road.
Jesus.....!!!

That is when you will understand the term "He makes a way where there seems to be no way"
Cos the dude will simply carve a new road into the nearest compound, river, school or church..

Sweet Sense of Humor!!!

jibosqie: Its Official.......Nigeria is a failed state. Aircraft on roads meant for vehicles? SMH

any small thing, ''Nigeria is a failed state'' if you are a Nigerian then you have also failed and when Nigeria becomes a succesful state, u will still remain a failed chap, cos u cant see beyond your nose! Nigeria is a Work in Progress!

The British deputy high commissioner (DHC), Mr Peter Carter, has described as criminals those involved in illegal bunkering, pipeline vandals and others involved in illegitimate scooping of Nigeria’s oil.

Carter also expressed deep fears that if the trend is not addressed appropriately, the impact it will have on the economy would be colossal.

The high commissioner stated this during an interview with LEADERSHIP in Lagos yesterday. He cautioned the federal government on the steps being taken, saying full measures have become imperative now to wrestle the criminals.

“Those who steal the Nigeria oil are criminals and their activities are not in the economic interest of the country and her people,” he bluntly declared.

He also said pipeline vandalism occasioned by militant activities in addition to other forms of illegal acts on oil facilities have led to unquantifiable damage to the environment.

Carter, who perhaps was speaking on the strength of the country’s dependency on oil, warned that except drastic approach is taken with the concerted effort of all stakeholders, the oil thieves will continue to hold the nation to ransom.

He observed that the loss coming from oil theft is enormous and may create shock on the economy which is on the path of recovery.

The British envoy also maintained that without a legislative infrastructure and effective government policy in place, achieving real change in economic models as well as public and private behaviour would be significantly difficult.

He called for attitudinal change among the people but emphasised on the need for government to provide adequate fund mechanism to address dearth of infrastructure needed to prop the economy.

He added that the British government had shown keen interest in the country’s energy sector.

Carter said his government is discussing directly with the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) to develop a sophisticated carbon supply and demand forecasting tool for Nigeria.

He said, “We are also engaged in discussions with the Lagos State commissioner for energy and minerals in particular on renewable energy such as solar to power street lamps, energy from waste and hydro-power.”


http://leadership.ng/news/100613/deal-oil-thieves-uk-tells-nigeria

President Goodluck Jonathan has taken a great deal of flak for Boko Haram. Some of it are deserved – the protracted pussyfooting that hinted at a government hopelessly confused; and the squandering of a large chunk of the budget in the name of national security.

A lot, however, is undeserved. Nigerians are now given to speaking as though Jonathan started the crisis, forgetting that since 1979, every Nigerian government has tried – and mostly failed – to deal with the dangerous spectre of extremist Islam; and that what is happening now is that it has now fallen upon Jonathan to inherit the legacy of decades of mishandling religious crises.

There is also the fact that much of the blame should go, not to the Federal Government, but to the state governments and local politicians – many of whom actually belong to an opposition party, not the PDP –who created and perpetuated the conditions for the tragedy we are today experiencing (more on that later).

Shamefully, the President’s opponents themselves are not helping matters. None of them has demonstrated any evidence that they’d handle the Boko Haram matter given the chance. So, all we get is criticism of a flailing President, but no sensible or coherent strategy on the possible solutions to a crisis that may eventually consume all of us.

Let’s take Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd) for example, who, 30 years ago led a military offensive similar to the one he’s now loudly condemning. This is how historian Max Siollun describes it, in his forthcoming book, “Soldiers of Fortune: Nigerian politics under Buhari and Babangida”:

“Buhari was in charge of troops sent to Nigeria’s north-eastern border region in 1983 to prevent infiltration by armed rebels from the neighbouring Republic of Chad. After his troops successfully cleared the Chadian rebels from the border area, the troops advanced several kilometres into Chadian territory. The political hierarchy ordered Buhari to withdraw his troops, but he refused, arguing that the Chadian rebels would return to the area as soon as his troops departed. Buhari’s view was that it was futile to risk the lives of soldiers by confronting the rebels, only to withdraw and allow them to return once the objective had been achieved.”

Having once been Military Governor of the then North-Eastern State, to which the present Borno State once belonged (1975 – 1976), and having returned to successfully fight armed rebels in that same area (1983), Buhari probably understands the situation better than most of us and should be able to explain why he thinks that a military response to threats to sovereignty was a good decision in 1983 but is a bad one in 2013.

Clearly, in the last three decades, the Northern part of Nigeria has never been free from religious/ethno-religious agitation. Through the Shagari, Buhari, Babangida and Abacha years, uprisings erupted regularly. From Maitatsine (which was put down – or so we thought – by a military offensive ordered by President Shehu Shagari, and which was very similar to the one ordered by President Umaru Yar’Adua in 2009) to Kafanchan to Zangon-Kataf to the El Zakzaky crises of the late ‘90s, the story of Northern Nigeria has been one of persistent religious tension.

Starting in 1999 with Zamfara (following the return of democracy), a number of Northern states began to implement Sharia law. The seeds of Boko Haram were sown in those conditions – the sect emerged around 2002, in Maiduguri, inspired by the radical teachings of a young Islamic cleric, Muhammed Yusuf. Yusuf preached a message of “Jihad”– a call to defend Islam from the corrupting influence of secularism and the West. This, of course, must have fit perfectly into the wider clamour for the implementation of Sharia being pushed by many Northern governors at that time, who saw it as an easy way to endear themselves to the populace (for the purposes of getting a second term, I believe).

However, until 2009, hardly anyone outside of Borno and Yobe states had heard of Boko Haram. I recently attended a roundtable dialogue put together by The Kukah Centre in Abuja, that brought together civil society groups and individuals to discuss “Dissent, Revolt and Militant Religious Ideas in Muslim Communities in Northern Nigeria.” One of the speakers made the point that until 2009, Boko Haram remained a “small ragtag army” and that by missing several “signposts” that might have pointed the way to non-violent resolution, “it was the Nigerian State that radicalised (Boko Haram).”

The argument – which is debatable – is that it was the government that first went on the offensive, killing them even in the absence of provocation, and arresting and detaining their wives and children. (This explanation ties in to what activist groups have been saying about gross human rights abuses by Nigerian security forces, and the perception that the sympathy of many residents of the affected areas is more likely to lie with Boko Haram than with the Nigerian military).

Going by that argument, the resulting attacks on military barracks, police stations and prisons – starting with the five-day uprising in July 2009 that led to the death of the sect’s leader, Yusuf – are the revenge acts of an embittered group on those perceived as having victimised them. This might also explain why Boko Haram in 2011 demanded apologies from the governors of Borno, Bauchi and Gombe states, and has suggested that it should be the one offering the Federal Government amnesty and not the other way round.

At the top of the list of government blunders is the extrajudicial killing of Yusuf and his father-in-law, Baba Fugu, in 2009 while in police custody. In his book, “Power, Politics and Death”, Segun Adeniyi writes about the death of Yusuf. Yusuf was arrested alive by the Army (there are mobile phone video recordings as evidence), and handed over to the Police with nothing more than an injury on his arm. Hours later, the police displayed a bullet-ridden body, and then failed to make up their minds on exactly how Yusuf had died. First, they said he had died while trying to escape. Then, they said he died during an “exchange of fire” with the police, at his hideout. Boko Haram has apparently never forgiven the Nigerian State for those killings, and we can trace the escalation of their insurgency to that.

There is also the political angle, which I hinted at earlier. We now know that in the elections preceding 2009, Northern politicians armed young men belonging to groups like Boko Haram, deployed them to political ends (the same way Niger Delta politicians armed the gangs that morphed into the militants that are now enjoying the amnesty programme in the region), and then abandoned them after the elections. It’s not rocket science – Give a man a gun instead of a job, and the gun becomes the job.

The roundtable speaker I quoted earlier picked out the Ali Modu Sheriff-led ANPP government (2003 – 2011) in Borno State for special blame, pointing out that “there is a very strong dose of anti-ANPP (sentiments] in the top echelons of Boko Haram.”

In the time since 2009, a lot has happened. Boko Haram has become bolder. It has developed international affiliations, enabling it access to funding, training, weaponry and new members. It has also splintered, so that today there are several strands, operating at different levels of radicalisation, and pushing different agenda (the splintering is not new, according to Adeniyi, as far back as 2004 a group broke off that called itself the Taliban, capturing a village in Yobe, which it renamed “Afghanistan”)

And, of course, there’s also been the infiltration of Boko Haram and its affiliates/splinter groups by purely criminal interests, the ones who kidnap for ransom and attack banks for cash.

Now that there are several interests bunched up under the Boko Haram umbrella, it is a very complicated issue, and the Presidency deserves some sympathy for what it has to contend with on behalf of Nigeria.

So, what is the way forward? This is not the time for blame-trading. Nigeria is already at war. My opinion is that we should fight this ongoing “war” to the finish. I also believe the Boko Haram issue ultimately deserves a multi-partisan approach – government and the opposition putting aside all their differences and cooperating to resolve the crisis.

On the basis of the seriousness and urgency of Boko Haram, President Jonathan ought to end at once all the “2015”battles he’s been fighting with state governors, and focus his attention on the one battle that threatens to consume us all.

And the opposition too should stop playing politics with this matter, crafting verbose, meaningless statements faulting every move of the Federal Government.

After all, the APP/ANPP (now APC) has controlled Yobe and Borno states since 1999, and should share in the blame for superintending the transformation of Boko Haram into the monster it now is.

In any case, if Boko Haram wins this current battle, there probably won’t even be a Nigeria to fight for at the polls in 2015.


http://www.punchng.com/opinion/boko-haram-time-to-stop-the-blame-game/

[size=14pt]I think these geeks were planning a major attack on Nigeria o! What if the State of Emergency did not come mogbe![/size]

Security operatives in Kano have unearthed another Hezbollah-linked cache of arms and ammunition in the same location as last week’s find.

Military spokesman Captain Ikedichi Iweha said the new cache involves a bunker beneath the master bedroom. Three Lebanese nationals have been arrested.

The new discovery was made yesterday at the 3 Gaya Road, Bompai address where, last week, a large quantity of arms and ammunition was found in a warehouse, and four foreigners were arrested.

SaharaReporters was told that the owner of the warehouse, a Lebanese national, was being interrogated following the discovery. Today, however, it was understood that the property belongs to one Abdul Hassan Taher Fadlalla, a Lebanese national, but that he is currently out of the country.

In a statement made available to reporters, Iweha of the Third Brigade of the Nigerian Army said that further search of the bungalow led to the astonishing discovery of dangerous weapons buried under a wardrobe.

“After painstaking search of the whole premises, the search team uncovered an underground bunker in the master bed room where a large quantity of assorted weapons of different types and caliber and ammunition which were properly wrapped was recovered.

“On further search of the property, a cooler was recovered buried under the wardrobe which had in it, 80 indicators, 5 PPK pistols, 334 rds of 7.62mm special, 9 magazines, 4 pistol silencers, 18 36 hand grenades caps, 4 explosive fuses and 2 explosive devices.”

He recalled that on 28 May 2013, a combined team of the DSS and 3 Brigade Nigerian Army conducted a thorough search of a house at No 3 Gaya Road off Bompai Road Kano.
http://saharareporters.com/news-page/fresh-arms-uncovered-inside-hezbollah-bunker-kano

The U.S. government on Tuesday said the Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, accused of terrorism activities in Nigeria, could be tried in the U.S. when caught.

Kurt Rice, the U.S. Acting Assistant Director of Diplomatic Security Threat Investigations and Analysis Directorate, said this at a joint tele- news conference with David Gilmour, Deputy Assistant Secretary for African Affairs.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the tele-conference was aired to audiences in Abuja, Accra, Dakar, Lagos and Niamey.

Rice’s comments came a day after the U.S. offered a 23 million dollars (about N3.6bn) reward for information on the location of five leaders of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Boko Haram.

All the suspects named in the first U.S. Rewards for Justice Programme for the sub-region were accused of being the mastermind of different cases of kidnap of foreigners and terror activities in West Africa.

Rice said that Shekau when apprehended could be charged before a Nigerian court or ``the courts of partner nations whether in Nigeria, North or West Africa.’’

He expressed the hope that the capture of the Boko Haram leader would ``check’’ the deadly attacks in the country linked to the militant group in the past.

``Our intent is to bring him before a court. Our intent in offering this reward at this time is to work with our Nigeria partners to try and make (Nigeria) a more stable and secure area,’’ he added.

Rice said the U.S. rewards for Justice programme had a ``track record’’ that had paid out 125 million dollars (about N19.8bn) to more than 80 people, who provided information leading to the arrest of terrorists, since 1984.

“The fact is that this is a shared fight against terrorism. This is one tool we have against terrorism and we find that overtime it has been enormously effective and it has saved a lot of lives and we want to continue doing that,’’ he said.

Under the latest reward programme, he said the Obama administration offered five million dollars (N792.4m) rewards on Al-Qaeda’s Mokhtar Belmokhtar.

He was accused of being responsible for the Algerian gas plant attack that killed three Americans and 34 other foreigners in January.

An additional five million dollars (N792.4M) was offered to help arrest AQIM leader Yahya Abou Al-Hammam, believed to have been involved in the murder of an elderly French hostage in Niger in 2010.

The rewards programme also targeted Malik Abou Abdelkarim, a senior fighter with AQIM, and Oumar Ould Hamaha, the spokesman for Mali’s Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa.

A thee million dollar (N475.4m) cash reward was also offered for any information leading to their arrest.

Also speaking, Gilmour ruled out suggestions that the seven million dollar (N1.1bn) bounty offered on the head of

Shekau could be counter-productive to Nigeria government amnesty offer to the insurgents.

Gilmour reiterated the U.S. position that security-based solution was not the only way to address the current security challenges in Nigeria.

He said the U.S. recognised that among Northern Nigeria there were legitimate grievances such as social inequality and youth unemployment.

“We urge the Nigeria government to take seriously those grievances of the general population of Northern Nigeria,’’ he said.

He advised Nigeria security operatives, currently conducting military operations in three North Eastern states, under the state of emergency rule, to try and build the confidence of the population to keep them safe.

The U.S. diplomat on Africa said his government was working closely with Nigeria on security and counter-terrorism issues.

“It is a multi-faceted programmes that requires a multi-faceted response,'' he said. (NAN)



http://leadership.ng/news/040613/boko-haram-leader-could-be-tried-us-says-official

nedu2000: They can't order your arrest 'cause you've not been caught making out with a woman. Make alaba or aluu boys catch U̶̲̥̅̊ dey romance woman for public ,na dat time U̶̲̥̅̊ go know say police na ur friend!!! waste pype

[size=14pt]End of Discussion![/size]

A former Director of the Department of State Security (DSS), Mike Ejiofor has called on all Nigerians to co-operate with the security agencies in the country in stamping out terrorism.

Speaking as a guest on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, Mr Ejiofor said it was with the information provided by the resident of Kano, Northwest Nigeria, that security operatives were able to uncover an illegal armory with links to Hezbollah terrorist organization.

A combined force of the Nigerian military, the Police and the DSS had on Thursday uncovered an armory suspected to be that of Hezbollah organization in Kano.

The army also arrested four persons suspected to be the occupants of the house.

Mr Ejiofor said one of the problems Nigeria face is its porous borders.

“One of the greatest challenges we have is our porous borders. Our borders are so wide. The Minister of Interior told us sometimes that we have over 1, 497 illegal routes and this is not good for us,” he said.

He advocated that the agencies responsible for controlling the nation’s borders – the Nigerian Customs Services and the Nigerian Immigration Services –should be strengthened and encouraged by making formation available to them.

He said, “There is no way those weapons could have come in without the collaborations of some unscrupulous Nigerians. So we need to be vigilant; we are facing an international war and we must rise up to the challenges.”

Decisive Action

With the uncovering of a Lebanese terror group, Hezbollah in Nigeria, Mr Ejiofor said the Federal Government should rather than taking a hurried action against Lebanon, open a diplomatic channel with the country.

“In International diplomacy, you don’t just rush into issues like that but I was pleasantly surprised by the action taken by the government for security forces to have filled the premises of the terrorist suspects.

“I think a diplomatic channel should be opened between Nigeria and Lebanon alongside with Iran because Iran has been indicted two or three times now on this very terrorist act. I think Nigeria should take decisive action towards Iran,” Mr Ejiofor said.

http://www.channelstv.com/home/2013/06/03/former-state-security-boss-calls-for-support-from-nigerians-in-fighting-terrorism/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre and the most cosmopolitan city-state in the country is a place where sharp practices aimed at making fast money thrive. Many of these take place on the streets.

Investigation reveals that millions of naira flow from commercial bus drivers to bus conductors, policemen, drivers’ unions and other uniformed state officials in Lagos everyday through what can best be described as ‘tolls’. These ‘tolls’ are fees arbitrarily imposed on commercial vehicles drivers and owners by law enforcing agents of the governments.

However, it is quite intriguing that though the demand for these ‘tolls’ is illegal, the demand is often enforced with force, Saturday PUNCH observed.

As far as policemen are concerned, there is no legal basis for them to collect any form of fees, levies or tolls in the course of enforcing the law on the roads or streets in the state.

As the Inspector-General of Police, Muhammad Abubakar, took the mantle of leadership in 2012, he proscribed checkpoints and roadblocks by the police.

While making the pronouncement in February 2012, Abubakar said, “Toll stations in the name of checkpoints adorn the highways with policemen shamefully collecting money from motorists in the full glare of the public. Any observed non-compliance with this directive will attract severe sanctions.”

This pronouncement closed the door on the avenue through which many policemen make money on the roads and streets of Lagos.

But it has now become clear that rather than lose this veritable source of additional income, some policemen have become wiser and have devised a new method of demanding the money from commercial vehicle drivers.

An average passerby is not likely to see any policeman collecting this toll at the different bus stops in Lagos. But the commercial bus drivers who regularly drop and pick passengers at these bus stops know better.

Our correspondent visited some of these bus stops in Lagos to find out more about this newly developed method used by policemen to collect money from commercial bus drivers.

At all the bus stops our correspondent visited, a similar method of keeping tab on commercial buses was observed.

Touts and street urchins run after commercial buses, sweating with marker pens in hand.

Some of them become physically aggressive with the bus drivers.

One of such touts, whom our correspondent got friendly with, gave an insight into the deal.

The young man, who identified himself as Sati, told Saturday PUNCH, “Most times, we are the ones who tell the police to allow us collect the money on their behalf because we know we are likely to get good returns.

“The policemen who are in charge of traffic at the bus stops in Lagos collect money cautiously but they don’t usually have the ability to enforce it well because their Divisional Police Officers must not hear about it.

“But we are able to run after the buses and sometimes intimidate the drivers. This is more effective than they demanding it themselves. We get our share when we decide to go and rest in the evening. I get more than N1,000 per day sometimes.”

At Anthony Bus Stop, as our correspondent stood and observed this exercise, which took place each time a bus stopped by, a driver, who obviously had paid once at the same point that day, would demand to know why he had to pay again.

Each time, the sweating street urchin answered with two words, “ Owo olopa (Police money).”

The bus driver would grudgingly hand him N50.

Some traffic policemen sat nearby, observing the ‘transactions’.

Our correspondent was to see at least eight other commercial bus drivers pay this “police money” within the 10 minutes he spent there.

Each time these men collect the money, they would mark a conspicuous part of the vehicle.

On the way to Oshodi bus stop, our correspondent got into a conversation with the driver of the commercial bus he boarded.

The driver, Saheed Idowu, told our correspondent, “You have to pay the police money. The policemen standing at those bus stops are the ones those boys are collecting the money for. They use those street urchins because those ones know how to use aggression to demand the money. You know there is a limit to which a policeman can demand money from you on the road by force.

“They mark your vehicle so that when you get there later, they will see the mark on your vehicle and won’t have to collect another round from you. The boys can destroy part of your car if you don’t pay.

“Apart from that, if the policemen noticed that you are notorious for not paying when you get to their stop, you’re likely to suffer a lot because they will regularly impound your vehicle on flimsy allegations.”

At Oshodi Bus Stop, our correspondent observed the same trend.

A commercial bus driver, who identified himself simply as Sope, told our correspondent there that he paid as much as N300 as police fee at different bus stops everyday.

“You can imagine how much these policemen are making from all bus drivers if I pay as much as N300 each day. Sometimes, I evade the payment at some bus stops but one cannot escape all the others,” he said.

At Ketu Bus Stop, our correspondent noticed a policewoman wearing a reflective jacket on which was inscribed, “Police Inspector Traffic.”

She held a baton menacingly as she controls buses picking and letting off passengers at the bus stop.

The policewoman kept an eye on a young man, who held a marker pen and a wad of cash.

The young man was doing a great job of running after buses and getting the drivers to pay.

Our correspondent was at the bus stop for at least 30 minutes, observing the scene.

Within this time, the policewoman seemed to be giving the “toll collector” some instructions at irregular intervals.

Our correspondent could not make out what was being said between them.

But a bus conductor confirmed to our correspondent that the young man was the policewoman’s collector.

The conductor said, “These police people here are smart. If you escape without paying and you think they have not noticed, you will suffer for it when you’re stopping at the bus stop later.

“They are familiar with us because they are the ones directing traffic at the bus stop. Usually, we pay N50 each time we pass the bus stop. But if you have paid before and the collector has made a mark on your bus, you can promise to pay at your next round and escape that way.”

Joshua Ilumogbon, who plies the route between Mile 12 and Ojuelegba, said he paid police fee at almost every stop on the Ikorodu Road.

He explained to our correspondent that not every street urchin collecting money at the bus stops were agents of police traffic officers.

Ilumogbon said, “There is usually one at each bus stop. The other boys collecting money are working for their union leaders. Usually, each bus stop is controlled by a particular union leader, a boss who has authority over those collecting tolls.

“The money is delivered to them everyday and they in turn give the toll collectors some stipends. In the case of these policemen, they collect the money from the boys at the close of work late in the evening. The boys get some amount for their service. They make a lot of money.”

A young man at Berger Bus Stop on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, once asked a bus conductor for money in the presence of our correspondent.

When an argument ensued between them, the young man mentioned that the money was different from what the driver had paid before.

“This is for the police,” he said.

Our correspondent looked around but saw no policeman. An attempt to get the tout about the policeman he was collecting the money for was promptly rebuffed.

But the driver of the bus said sometimes the policemen might not be seen in the vicinity.

But the boys always make the necessary returns at the close of work.

Saturday PUNCH could not get comments from the police spokesperson in the state, Ngozi Braide, on this new trend on Wednesday as call, to her line went unanswered.



http://www.punchng.com/feature/super-saturday/confessions-of-a-lagos-tout-policemen-are-our-partners-in-crime/

“MY ideal woman is soft and considerate. I have a hot temper, so I need a partner who calms me down.

“I want a man who shows me love and affection.”

You hear the above expressions among intending couples. And they not only say what is desired in a life partner, they confess that persons who make such wishes do not possess the qualities they seek in potentials. These therefore are people who deliberately look for opposites to match themselves. So, I believe that when we look for that person who complements us in a relationship, we seek the one who is opposite to our personalities. Some are very much aware that they would not want to live with or marry someone who is like them but some fall in love with their opposites without knowing why.

For example, a man who has the tendency to party non-stop realizes his weakness and he knows that his lifestyle would not favour him when he begins to raise a family. He therefore may not choose to settle down with a woman he knows to be more at home in a night club than in a kitchen. He deliberately and consciously looks for a homely woman who would not only know how to tolerate his behaviour, but would teach him how to become a more homely person.

But those who do not deliberately marry others who share no interest with them, do so because they recognize that their partners possess what is missing in themselves. Hence, I agree with the opinion that nobody chooses a life partner blindly. I agree that nurture and experiences predetermine what we seek in a relationship.

Example of nurture deciding who you marry is that the average male would look for a woman who looks up to him as the leader of the household. It hardly makes sense in this modern time of equality of genders. But the woman knows that for peace to reign in that household, she has to play along. Ordinarily, he may not have wanted to marry a woman who could earn an income outside the home, bear and rear children and still respect him as head of the family. So he feels strongly attracted to her. But the major reason may be that he wants to learn how she can manage it all.

The woman on the other hand may discover that although her income enables her to live an independent life, she feels incomplete without a man. So she falls in love with that one who does not feel intimidated by her success. He admires her way of life. And she feels complete because she is able to find a man who makes her feel dependent, the way a woman has been raised to with with her partner.

Their love life may raise eyebrows here and cause tongues to wag, but left to them, they have found their ideal match and are living life the way they want it. And it would be better if “concerned people” could mind their business. Grit your teeth, shake your head and pray that it does work well for them.

Like you, they are managing their lives. They may not appear happy because of the constant argument. But look at your own relationship; you may not be similar to your better half at all. You may not fight because you have found ways to go through life together. For example, a woman who sees her husband as a father figure is not on equal footing as her husband. But she realizes that she has to behave like a child to make him stay committed. She thinks that if she is needy and dependent, he forgets that he wants to depend on his better half. But when you see your partner as a parent, there is a problem of dependency and trust. There are many ways we marry our opposites and still succeed because we admire them for who they are. How do you relate? According experts, opposites will always manifest in these forms.

Master and slave?

You have a problem with authority and control. If you earn equally, one partner may become insecure. To exert authority, he may take over the house hold expenses. The partner who fears responsibility does not protest because she thinks that her better half is too stubborn or domineering and gives in easily.

Distance and pursuer

They are both afraid of intimacy and feel alright that while one person may claim to be neglected, that he/she does not necessary crave for it. So they have the freedom to do what they like in their relationship.

Idol and worshipper

When one partner rates the other higher it means that they have a problem with competition. In order not give room for comparison, both partners unconsciously agree to play this game.
GETTING into arguments and misunderstandings with your man can be very tiring and draining. Do you know that just a slight change in your choice of words will mean a huge improvement in your relationship with your man? You have to be able to choose your words wisely before saying something that will hurt your man over a period of time. Words are like eggs. Once thrown out, they could never be put back together again and that’s when we find ourselves apologizing over and over again.

A few years ago, a friend of mine told me a rather disturbing problem. She told me that she used to have great sex with her husband every single time until one night when the mood in the bedroom drastically changed forever. What happened? They just had an argument where, in a fit of anger, she insulted her husband by pointing below his belt and yelling: “BIG? You call that big?” That was awkward! Since then, even after they apologized, kissed, and made up, their lovemaking has been starkly different. Their bed sessions are now shorter, less fun, less intense, and much less satisfying than before. By calling him “tiny,” she just made a huge mistake. With her careless words, she probably killed the romance in their bedroom for the rest of their lives.

Now, Are You That Kind Of Woman Who Always Speaks Her Mind?

When I told my friend what I thought, she tried to explain herself by saying that she was just mad and angry at him and she didn’t really mean it! But then that doesn’t matter now, does it? The words stuck, and it planted a seed of insecurity that sprouted and grew every time her husband took off his pants. Every time he would take a shower, he’d think: “I’m tiny.” Every time he goes to the toilet: “I’m tiny.” Every time he makes love to her: “I’m tiny.” My advice would be: never say bad things about a man’s family jewels, unless you want to scar him for life. Got it? Good. Now let’s discuss four other things you should never ever say to the guy you love.

You Should Never Ever Talk Down At Him

It doesn’t matter if you praise him 10 more times than you criticize him. It’s human nature that we remember only that one criticism at the end of the day. It’s even worse if you talk down to him in front of friends, family, or co-workers.S o be very very careful.

Never Say ‘Never’ And ‘Always’

These fatalistic words should never be used in arguments and misunderstandings with your man. Like insulting his privates. They plant seeds of doubt and insecurity and they put your future together in question.

Not Being Romantic At All

Some women refuse to be romantic to their men. They say: “He’s not romantic to me, so why should I be romantic to him?” This mistake can also put your future together in jeopardy. You should learn to say the right things to your man.

Talking About Your Previous Relationships

Believe it or not, but this seemingly harmless activity can also plant the seed of doubt in a man’s heart, especially if you’ve already made any of the previous mistakes I mentioned. Why? If you’ve already made him insecure with your words, and then you start talking about your ex, he’ll think you’re comparing him to your ex and that he’s falling short of your expectations. A lot of men would give up on the relationship there and then. So don’t risk it! Now, here’s the sad part. The lady I talked about earlier isn’t the only person who ruined her relationships with her careless words. Over the years, I’ve heard heartbreaking stories from so many people I’ve lost count. If you are one of them, this newsletter is especially for you.

Now, if you are thinking to yourself “what am I going to say to my man to make him feel better” ?, then let me give you a few suggestions.

Supportive Suggestions

Your man is not perfect. He craves your support and respect, but he knows he has certain weaknesses and needs your help from time to time. So when he’s troubled, give him your love, support, reassurance and a few helpful suggestions. Few things boost the male ego more than overcoming problems.

Statements Of Hope

Never say “never!” You’ll want to be your man’s biggest fan, who’s always behind him in good times and bad. Optimism is contagious. And when a man is optimistic, his heart is in the right place to lead the relationship.

Be Romantic

No matter how manly he is, he likes sweetness. That’s because the more feminine you are, the more masculine he feels. And yes, when a man feels like a real man, the more he’ll act like one! So my advice: Don’t skimp on the sweetness. You’ll miss out on a lot if you do!

Don’t Talk About Your Exes

Need I say it? As much as you can afford to, leave your exes out of the conversation. Unless, of course, he asks about them! These are just some of the things men want to hear from you. Simple, right? But their effect is anything but simple. These tiny gestures can make your man love you more, commit to you, lead the relationship, and more. Make no mistake. Your words can make your relationship stand the test of time. Or they can ruin the relationship in one evening, as they have done with others. It’s totally up to you!

To the loving happy relationship we all deserve, good luck in love and life. Cheers.


http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=123247:why-opposites-make-good-matches&catid=184:love-a-life&Itemid=711

A former member, House of Representatives, Dino Melaye, has come under heavy attack from his Facebook friends over his comments about the 2013 Democracy Day celebration.

Melaye had told his over 6,000 fans on Facebook that there was nothing to celebrate about Democracy Day in Nigeria. But, unlike the past, when his opinion about the polity was applauded on the social service, many of his fans did not agree with him.

He had said, “We have nothing to celebrate today being Democracy Day. Nigeria is sick, the midterm performance of Mr. President is a beautiful nonsense. We must wake up and ask questions on why we are where we are. Come out of your cocoon, fellow Nigerians, and let’s rescue our dear country from political demons and financial scavengers.”

One of the first set of comments on his Facebook wall was from Afam Chukwuwike, who argues that there is no difference between Melaye and those who he has over time openly criticised on social media in the past.

While trying to prove a point that Melaye is not on the side of the masses, as he claims to be on the social media, Chukwuwike challenged Melaye to prove that the bullet proof cars he cruises in around town as well as his mansions in Abuja and Kogi State were acquired before he joined politics.

Chukwuwike says, “The bullet proof cars, mansions in Abuja and Kogi State — did you have all these things before the advent of democracy, Mr. Dino Melaye? We understand your frustrations, having been pushed out of the PDP.”

Another friend of Melaye on the social network, Osita Opurum, says if he was serious with his claims that Democracy Day should not be celebrated by Nigerians, he should take a bold step by selling all the properties he acquired while he held sway as a member of the National Assembly and give the proceeds to the poor whose cause he claims to be championing.

“Dino has now become a social crusader because he lost his job in the House of Representatives. If you are serious, then sell all the properties you got from democracy as dividends and give it to charity. Then, I will take all of you serious,” Opurum notes.

One Jeff Ikhinmwin explains that he would only take Melaye serious the day he removes the ‘Hon.’appellation from his profile both offline and on social media and finally strips himself of the title. According to him, many of those who crippled and milked the country dry are those parading themselves as honourables.

“Quietly remove the appellation from your name if you want us to take you seriously. You can’t be bearing the appellation of those who crippled this country and you want us take you seriously. It only shows you are one of them,’’ Ikhinmwin argues.

Corroborating Ikhinmwin’s arguments, another fan of Melaye, Eki Matthew, notes that as long as he continues to parade himself as an ‘honourable’ then “it is a case of thief accusing thief of stealing!”

Some of his Facebook friends, however commended him. Besides, responding to the fierce criticism, Melaye says the agents of his enemies at the Presidential Villa took over his fan page to attack him over his comment. He also shrugged off those who slammed him for driving posh cars saying ‘’a poor man cannot deliver a poor man.’’

He says, “It is unfortunate that rather than being objective and talking issues, all the Villa agents are attacking my person. I challenge any of you to carry out simple research on my activities in the National Assembly. I have grown beyond myopic and porous comments. The fight to salvage our dear country from these gerontocratic leaders is a battle of no retreat no surrender.

“All you hired goons, you and indeed PDP are yet to dig out just one corruption or indictment against me. Those hating because of my cars, you haven’t seen anything yet. A poor man cannot deliver a poor man. We shall not stop hitting on the walls of corruption. We shall overcome.”


http://www.punchng.com/i-punch/dino-melaye-attacked-by-facebook-friends/