₦airaland Forum

The police in Lagos have arrested a suspected armed robber with a locally-made pistol at Maroko area of Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.
Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Dolapo Badmos said on Wednesday that the State Police Command through its operation at Maroko Division arrested the suspected armed robber, Daniel Sunday, who lived at Odun Street, Bariga.
Badmos said the police arrested the suspect at 5:45am on Tuesday after a distress call was made to the police at Elegushi road in Lekki.
“At about 5:45 am on 9th of August, there was a distress call for help by a lady being robbed along Elegushi road, Lekki. Her shout for help alerted the team of policemen on patrol, led by the Division Police Officer, DPO, SP Abdulmajid Isa.
“The team quickly moved in and apprehended the suspect, recovered from him is a locally made single barrel pistol and the victim’s handbag which contains her phone with the sum of N14,600,” she said.
Badmus added that the suspect had confessed to the crime and would be charged to court soon.

The searchlight of the banks regulator is being beamed at the Heritage bank and this is authoritative. Information has it that the banks is showing a similar characteristic as the rescued Skye bank, thus it is just a matter of days before the Central Bank swoop on the bank.
Insiders have revealed that there are several undercutting within the system and its just a matter of days before the bubble burst. If all things are not clear, the present chairman of Heritage who was the former Group Managing Director of Skye Bank may have questions to answer.
Recall, the bank was formerly Societe Generale Bank owned by the Saraki dynasty. A case of show me your friend and I know who you are.

Drivers of the Bus Rapid Transit, BRT and ticketers on Tuesday embarked on strike over non-payment of salaries and poor welfare packages.
All BRT plying routes in Lagos, especially on Ikorodu Road were off the road this morning as they decided to embark on strike to protest the poor salaries they were being paid.
It was gathered that BRT staff receive around N50,000 pay package on monthly basis, but the management of the buses had not paid them for last months which led the drivers to embark on strike.
Commuters were stranded this morning along the routes being plied by BRT as passengers did not see the buses on the road.
The new BRT scheme is being run by Primero Transport Services Limited.
Mr Sulaiman Hamed, a member of staff said the management of the scheme was yet to collect their July salary and that their monthly bonus had been reduced due to “stringent conditions” attached to the collection of the bonus.
“Primero is maltreating us, we are being sanctioned unnecessarily by the company. Sometimes, they do give us two weeks suspension on any slight mistake and they will deduct the money of the days we didn’t work, as a result of the suspension, from our bonus,” Hamed said.
He also said that their salaries had been reduced from N50,000 to N40,000. “They have reduced our salaries from N60,000 to N40,000 under the pretense that we are lazy and our bonus was increased from N20,000 to N40,000.”
Managing Director, Primero Transport Services Limited, Fola Tinubu said the drivers were being paid N50,000 monthly salaries and N20,000 bonus.
He explained that some of the drivers would take the bus out and parked it somewhere without meeting up with the needed target and still collect the monthly salaries and bonuses.
According to him, what the management decided was to reduce the monthly salaries to N40,000 and increase the bonus to N40,000 so that those who did not work would only collect the N40,000 while those who meet up with the target would collect both.
He said the company would not tolerate a situation where some people who did not work would collect full salaries and bonuses, adding that those who did not work would not be paid.
Primero Transport Service Limited was recently given the sole franchise to manage the BRT scheme after the Lagos State Government terminated the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW’s franchise.
Since Primero began its operation, the total number of buses in the fleet of the company has increased from 70 to 394 buses.

The Abuja division of the Court of Appeal on Tuesday reserved judgment in an appeal by embattled Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, where he is challenging the ruling of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which sacked him as governor of the state.
Recall that an Abuja Federal High Court had on June 27 sacked Ikpeazu as governor over tax evasion.
The Justice Okon Abang-led court had also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to issue Ikpeazu’s challenger in the 2015 Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship primaries, Uche Ogah with certificate of return which was done, however, Ogah has not been sworn in.
Following Abang’s judgement, the embattled governor had filed an appeal at the appellate court presided over by Justice Morenikeji Ogunwumiju, seeking to overturn the judgement.
Details shortly…

Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo Saturday, reacted angrily to media reports suggesting that he attended an event convened by his former party, the Peoples Democratic Party in Abuja.
The former President, who maintained that he was at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre as guest of Senator Abdullahi Adamu, the Senate Committee Chairman on Agriculture, when some PDP leaders stormed the venue to greet him, declared that the report was intended to embarrass him.
A statement statement by his media office said: “The attention of the former President, His Excellency, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has been brought to the photonews story, which has gone viral on the social media on Friday, August 5, 2016 of his purported being “spotted” at a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) event at the Shehu Musa Yar’adua Centre, Abuja.
“While ordinarily his first reaction to the news was that those behind it targeted to get him annoyed and embarrassed him, his conclusion was that he has told the world that he has quit partisan politics and that is final. Anybody hoping to drag him back will fail like any man feeding mice to a dead cat.
‎”To clear the minds of doubting Thomas’s and those behind the orchestrated news in circulation and particularly those who had been calling to ascertain what actually happened at the Shehu Musa Yar’adua centre. On the invitation of the Commodities Association Stakeholders, His Excellency, was invited to the “Zero Hunger Nigeria” event at the Centre.
“He arrived at about 10.00am and immediately moved to the meeting. The meeting commenced but few minutes into the session, his attention was drawn to the presence of some people walking up to where he was seated.
“At closer glance, he recognized them to be politicians and they exchanged pleasantries, saying they came to greet him and they walked out again from the meeting. The former President cracked joke with them calling them ‘invaders and gate crashers’.
“The photo news in circulation, which claimed that he was spotted at a political party event is therefore mischievous, as a responsible journalist ought to have gone further to ascertain his actual destination in among the number of venues at the centre and not taking photograph of his alighting from his vehicle to read another meaning. Shocking also to note that the picture was actually taken while on his way out of the Centre after the programme he had attended had finished.
“This is the height of irresponsible journalism, which the former President is calling for its investigation and sanction on anybody involved in order to serve as deterrent to others who may want to be used either by omission or commission to misinform the public on such sensitive issue.”
Earlier Premium Times had quoted the former president as saying, “Those who know me, know that I have publicly announced my quitting partisan politics and those who will believe the purported story will believe anybody who tells him that his or her mother is not a woman.
“If I quit a party when it was alive and seemingly united, how could I go back to a now divided, factionalized party grasping for breath?”

A former deputy national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Bode George has said members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) who left the PDP will soon return.
George, who picked his expression of interest to contest the party’s chairmanship at the forthcoming national convention, said “It takes an experienced captain to stabilise a ship hit by a tornado.
“But I am happy that all is not lost. Zoning has gone extremely well. I have paid my dues in this party and I shouldn’t be afraid of anybody.
“Since 1999, I never left the party to anywhere. I met crisis and problems but I have been able to resolve them as a leader.”
“We are lucky we got a bloody nose not a technical knockout; we will rise again. Everybody will have to come on board even those of our friends who were angry and left for the APC they are tenants there”, he added.

Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has finally reacted to the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari’s wife, Aisha to the United States.
The governor had earlier alleged that Mrs. Buhari cannot visit the US because of her involvement in the William Jefferson’s bribery scandal.
Fayose’s media aide, Lere Olayinka, in a statement via his twitter account said, Mrs. Buhari’s trip to the country did not exonerate her from the bribery scandal.
“Has traveling to the US invalidated the judgment that said Aisha Buhari transferred $170,000 to Jefferson’s account?
“Has traveling to the US erased the fact that Aisha Buhari transferred $170,000 to Williams Jefferson?
“Their only defence is: it was another Aisha Buhari that was involved. But I have the Aisha Buhari on tape where she denied.
“If they are claiming that another Aisha Buhari was the one involved, shouldn’t they just unravel this mysterious Aisha Buhari?”

Enugu Catholic Priest, the Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka has once again taken former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration to the cleaners, describing his days in office as full of mess and cancerous to the economic life of the nation.
His recent declaration entitled: “FR MBAKA’S ASSERTION ‘THERE IS HUNGER IN NIGERIA’, NOT AN ATTACK ON PRESIDENT BUHARI”, came as a reaction to recent media reports where he was quoted to have bashed President Muhammadu Buhari over the level of suffering in the country.
In a statement he issued through his spokesman, Barr Maximus Ike Ugwuoke, the cleric said he observed with keen concern the news trending some sections of the media that he “attacked” President Muhammadu Buhari.
Mbaka maintained that he didn’t attack Buhari but told him the situation of things in the country and as well suggested ways out.
He stated that “the news headline is not only sensational but also a censorious media colouration and hype of the message of the cleric titled ‘Bless and Be Blessed’ for whatever ends.”
While admitting that he lamented the level of hunger and suffering in the country, the fiery priest said it was followed by another ‎message where he explained that Buhari was not responsible for the situation but the previous administration.
He declared that the “Bless and Be Blessed” message that was misunderstood was followed by a message titled “Mega Change of Conditions”.
According to him, the second message, where he absorbed the President of blames over the hunger situation in the country read:
“There is sword that is moving about in the country. People are dying like flies. The sword of Hunger is eating the land. And as I have told you this is just the beginning. If anybody is telling you it is going to be well very soon that person is deceiving you. This is because many of us were among those that were alive during the years of the past government. The past PDP government was a grasshopper and locus to Nigerian. The past Government was a disaster to the land of Nigeria; the past government was cancer to this country. There is no need trying to cover their incalculable and iniquitous mess. If you don’t feel it now, you will feel it later.
“The impact of their horrific mess is yet to be felt. It was a regime where hooliganism became a political slogan; where looting became the order of the day; where the neglect of youths became a pattern of administration. The result is what we are passing through now. Hunger is everywhere; the hunger was created before this new government came in. Buhari is not the maker of the hunger.
“The hunger was created during the Jonathan PDP administration but Buhari should abate the long procrastination, bureaucracy and slow methods in tackling it.
“Understand it very well. People will know the truth and the truth will set us free. Buhari is just an agent of change. The money in our treasury was nothing to write home about before this new regime came. The country was in an embarrassing mess.
“Apart from the petroleum that we sell and get money, what other means of foreign exchange do we have? The foundation of the Nigerian economy is oil which has now collapsed and the foundation once destroyed what will the just man do? Psalm 11:3. The past administration did not prepare this administration for this season. That is why the sword has risen. Many will die by this sword but there will be survivors.
“That is why I have been saying and I keep on saying that the past administration should publicly come to apologize to the Nigerians. They should not be foolhardy. They should not continue to perpetrate this type of iniquitous attitude planning about 2019 election for them to continue from where they stopped. All these years of Jonathan, nothing happened in Niger-Delta specifically to be recorded in the annals of history. What a shame? What an embarrassment. The place where the oil has been coming from remained underdeveloped under a man from the same soil. If you go to Niger Delta today you will cry. But what worries me is that our people are good in shifting blames.
“Somebody entered your kitchen carried your pot of soup, enter your store and farm raked everything in the store and farm and ran away. And another person enters the kitchen where there is no pot at all and you want the person to turn the kitchen into a magical kitchen that will produce a magical pot and a magical soup, which soup?
“I am just telling president Buhari that people are hungry because he cannot not come to the street like me and notice people’s feelings. But Buhari is not the author of the hunger. The past government planted the tree of hunger and they want to come back to water it. If it is in a developed country by now from the Senatorial to the reps to the governors, all who participated in the last administration should have resigned with apologies to our youths, otherwise the youths one day will begin to stone them.
“They will soon confuse you that present governments don’t want to feed you, feed you with what? It will surprise the whole Nigerians to know that even after Buhari was a petroleum minister and a military president of the country, he had no oil bloc. Is it not a shock? Don’t you hear the quantum of money that is being recovered from one person? Buhari just came as a redeemer. I don’t know if the people of this country are hypnotized.
“How can we be fighting somebody who is fighting for us? Apart from this Buhari, how can somebody talk to these political juggernauts and tell them to bring back what they have stolen? it is only a Beniah personality like Buhari that can enter into the cave and catch a lion and kill a lion in a snow season and come out. The president needs support. He doesn’t know where to begin because there are many holes dug for him by the past administration, and they carried the sand away expecting him to cover the holes with what?”.
“He, therefore maintained that ‎contrary to the media report Fr. Mbaka “merely reinstated the obvious sufferings that Nigerian are facing (which even the president himself had at points acknowledged and sued for patience and perseverance) and advised the president on the ways to tackle it i.e by engaging economic gurus and listening to good advisers.
“We wonder which portion of the message could be viewed as “an attack” or” bombing” of Mr President as twisted in the media. The acclaimed message of the cleric to Mr President to us is rather a further demonstration the cleric’s love to see that the president succeeds in his messianic rescue operation mission in Nigeria and that is why it is devoid of hypocrisy.
“It is obvious that those who are arm-twisting the said message of the cleric to Mr President as an attack on Mr President are those who want the president to fail or be blindfolded so as to use the obvious hardship Nigerians are facing as a weak point of his administration to ride onto power mindless of the fact that Mr President has done so well in fighting corruption and insurgency in the country, which are mega achievements that scores him above average in just few months of his administration.
“In the background of the message, Fr Mbaka encouraged the gallant warrior, President Buhari, to continue his battle against corruption and insurgency asserting that if not a man like President Buhari, by now people may have stopped going to church and mosques. Boko Haram might have wrecked this country. People might have equally stopped going to schools, markets etc. Kudos to Buhari .Fr Mbaka revealed that corruption, insurgency and poor governance by past governments gave birth to three horrible children (1) Hunger (2) Anger (3) Danger.
“He asserted that Buhari is not the cause of corruption and insurgency yet he is fighting them frontally and enjoined the president to extend same to hunger even though he is not the cause. He pleaded the President to begin a War against Hunger, as many are dying hopelessly. He stressed that if the hunger, anger and danger continue, Nigerians may not vote for him again, as they would mistake him for the cause of these maladies while in fact he is a solution.
“Fr Mbaka equally advised the President on being careful about how he appoints people to prominent positions, so that no region will appear marginalized- as happened in NNPC board and charged the President to make sure that those around him are not misguiding him. He advised the President on human empowerment and making sure that those who worked for him (Buhari) during the election ought to be empowered –as one good turn deserves another.
“For the purpose of clarity, granted that Fr Mbaka stated the obvious , that there is hunger in the land, he never attributed the cause of the hunger and economic hardship bedeviling the nation to Buhari rather he attributed it to the offshoot of the actions and inactions of the past administrations of this country.
“We recall that earlier this year, Fr Mbaka had during his New Year message predicted that hunger and hardship will come upon the country this year and so we wonder why this message should make a headline at this point of the year.”

Elder statesman and Ijaw national leader, Chief Edwin Clark, says he has been an ardent supporter of the anti-corruption crusade championed by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He declared that he gave similar supports to past administrations, including that of President Goodluck Jonathan.
Clark was reacting to a publication in a national daily on Thursday in which he was criticised for failing to speak against corruption during the immediate past administration.
He told newsmen in Warri, Delta State that contrary to the claims by the writer of the article, he had always been vocal against corruption.
Clark said anyone accusing him of not speaking up against corruption was unfair to him because he was at the forefront of calls for the trial and subsequent incarceration ‎of former Delta State governor, Chief James Ibori.
He said, “Ordinarily, I shouldn’t have replied, because whoever is the author (of the article) is vicious, wicked and not a patriotic Nigerian. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have written that I never spoke against corruption during the time of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
“I said the author is being vicious because I have been talking about corruption even before the time of Jonathan. In the first place, I talked about corruption during the time of erstwhile President Obasanjo and Yar’Adua.
“I remembered at that time, I was in the forefront of fighting our former governor, Chief James Ibori, leading to him being sentenced in the UK. Every Nigerian is aware of this. I led the crusade against him especially when a judge dropped the charges against him.”
Clark restated his support for Buhari’s anti-corruption war, saying the President was sincere in his fight to end the cankerworm eating deep into the nation’s economy.

The Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development monitoring team recently apprehended a woman soliciting alms with two infant babies suspected to be twins in the Costain area of the State.
Pharm. Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf, the State Commissioner in charge of the Ministry, while speaking on the incident stated that the woman, Hadiza Umoru, who was apprehended by the team is from Minna Niger State, and was arreste during routine monitoring operations by the Monitoring Team attached to the Ministry, adding that “This is another example of the many heartless women who risk the safety of babies for pecuniary gain”.
The Commissioner disclosed that after the preliminary investigation, “it was discovered that the suspect is not the biological mother of the set of twins but Amina, her younger sister, whom she pays each time she uses the twins to beg for alms on the streets of Lagos.”
She, however, noted that all efforts made to get the biological mother of the twins have so far proved abortive as she is believed to have fled her residence for fear of being arrested and prosecuted for child trafficking by the government.
While reiterating the determination of the Ambode-led administration to fully implement the Child Rights Law and its commitment to eradicating street begging in the State, Akinbile-Yussuf averred that giving alms is a good gesture aimed at helping the needy as advocated by religious bodies but it should not be done on the streets.
In her words, “There is an established law in Lagos State; Section 168 of the criminal code of Lagos State 2015 as amended, prohibiting street begging. We don’t want anyone going on the street to beg. We have told people times without number that it is illegal to be begging on the streets of Lagos. And those who want to give should visit any of the established charity homes or go to government resettlement centers that exist across the State”.
The Commissioner, therefore, charged Lagosians to show more kindness to the needy in their immediate environment as a means of keeping them from the streets, stressing that this will go a long way in the implementation of the enacted law as well as support the State government’s commitment to drastically reduce or eliminate the nuisance.

The management of the Lagos State University, LASU, has expelled 69 students over examination malpractice and cultism.
A statement by the school’s Centre for Information, Press and Public Relations, CIPPR, on Wednesday said the decision to expel the students was taken during a management meeting of the school.
The statement added that 25 other students had been suspended by the school’s management for various offences bothering on examination misconduct.
“The University Senate on the recommendation of the Committee of Provost, Deans and Directors on Examination Misconduct at its 228th Statutory Meeting held on Thursday, 2nd June, 2016, considered and ratified the expulsion of 69 students and the suspension of 25 others for the 2015/2016 Academic Session,” it said.
Three of the students, Ademola Goloba, Femi Ibraheem and Olajide Oyekoya were expelled for being members of cult groups, especially the Aiye Cult group and for engaging in a brutal fight.
A 300 level Banking and Finance student, Ruth Hunsu was expelled for using someone’s receipt to write examination, while Balogun Isiaka and Olaniyi Sunday both 500 level Political Science students were expelled over impersonation.
Also, Sherifat Giwa from the Philosophy department was expelled for importing prepared examination answer booklet into examination hall, while Kayode Olawunmi, English department was sacked from the school for bringing piece of papers containing relevant information into the examination hall.
More so, Solomon Omotola, Enemoh Ikechukwu, Erinfolami Olanrewaju and Durowoju Tolulope, all from the Political Science department were expelled over offences ranging from bringing micro-chips into examination hall; importing and copying answers from micro-cips, searching for answers on mobile phone and bringing jotted notes into the examination hall
Some others expelled are Oseni Kingsley, Okuno Chukwuma, Okolo Dickson, Olaunde David, Okpanefe Oghenebrame, Elegbede Ola, among others.

Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode on Wednesday vowed that he is ready to shutdown some locations hibernating militants in a bid to drive out militants and vandals out of Lagos.
The governor spoke when the Acting Inspector General of Police, IGP, Ibrahim Idris paid him a visit at the State House, Ikeja, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.
Ambode commended the police and other security agencies for waging war against militants and vandals in the state, saying that whatever it would take, the state government was ready to stamp out militants and vandals out of the state.
“I want to let you know that whatever it is that we have done in the last 14 months for security agencies in Lagos State, most especially Nigeria police, we will sustain and also enhance whatever that support it is. I want to use this platform to commend the police and other security agencies on our fight against the militants and the vandals that we have embarked on this ‘Operation Awase’ in the last one week.
“I have just been briefed this morning on the impact of what has been done. We need to sustain and also ensure that these people don’t ever go back to the creeks. On our part as a government, whatever it will take to drive the militants and vandals off Lagos, we are going to do it; if it means shutting down some locations where they seem to be hibernating in terms of any commercial trade, we will do it and make sure that we guarantee the lives of our people.
“And whatever it is in terms of financial support to security agencies to sustain the success we have had in the last few days, we will also do it,” he said, while commending President Muhammadu Buhari for approving the joint operation.
The governor also appealed to the IGP to deploy more policemen to Lagos as the current number of police officers in the state was too meager to police a population of over 20 million.
“You have worked in Lagos before, the Lagos of then and now are different, the population is over 20 million people and the land space is not expanding, so the number of police we have as against the population is very meager; as you recruit more police officers, we appeal for more, we have space for them, we can build more police stations.
“We have reduced crime in Lagos by about 70 percent in the last six months and again, some ugly points are coming along our waterways, so we want to partner with you to say that we want to keep our waterways safe. We need a greater presence of marine police along our waterways, we also know that we can support them by supplying gunboats and again we want to say that we will take care proper care of their welfare,” he added.
Ambode appealed to the IGP to partner with the state as the former IGP, Solomon Arase had done, noting that his government would continue to support the police.
“The primary purpose of being in government is really to protect lives and property and the good welfare of our people, we want to solicit that we continue the good relationship we have had with the police.
“Security forms a cornerstone of our administration here, we are driving on a tripod, there is no way we can sustain Lagos as a major commercial nerve centre or a place that is cosmopolitan if people don’t feel safe. So, for whatever we are providing in terms of infrastructure, there is no way it can be used effectively if people don’t feel safe to use it. Without mincing words, we need to support security agencies to allow our people to use the goods and services we provide for them,” he said.
Speaking, Idris said he was in Lagos to visit police formations and to conducted some major assessment in conjunction with other security agencies in places where militants had been driven out.
He assured that the police would continue to support Lagos as the governor had provided adequate equipment for them as well as took care of their welfare, adding that: “We promise within our capacity to provide you and the people of Lagos the best security service in this country.”

Kennedy Uzoka monday resumed as the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc.
He took the mantle of leadership from Phillips Oduoza, who retired as Group Managing Director and CEO on July 31, 2016 after completing two terms of three years each.
Until his resumption as the new GMD/CEO of UBA, Uzoka was the Deputy Managing Deputy of UBA, a position he held in the last six years, working closely with the former GMD/CEO.
His appointment as the new GMD is seen as a testimony to the strength of the bank’s succession planning process.
“Kennedy Uzoka’s appointment has once again proven the resilience of our succession planning process and the value we place on having in place a strong corporate governance system,” said Tony Elumelu, Chairman, UBA.
Uzoka comes well prepared for his new position. He has been leading the transformation agenda of the Bank, since returning from Harvard Business School.
Uzoka has over two and half decades of experience in commercial banking, strategy and business transformation.
Prior to his sabbatical at Harvard, Uzoka served as Deputy Managing Director, UBA Group and was also the CEO of UBA Africa, responsible for the group’s operations in 18 countries across Africa.
A multiple award winner, Uzoka, has also supervised other key areas in the bank including e-banking and information technology in its New York and London offices in addition to strategic support groups such as human resources, legal advisory services, procurement and vendor management, corporate relations and marketing, among others.
As a well-rounded banker, Uzoka has had direct and oversight supervision of critical business functions like Group Treasury and International Financial Institutions and Transaction Banking, Pensions Custodian, Consumer Banking and Cash Management.
He was at various times Head, Strategy and Business Transformation; Regional Bank Head, South Bank covering 17 states in Southern part of Nigeria; Regional-Director South-east, Vice President Northern Nigeria, Chief Marketing Officer, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Marketing Officer, Lagos, and Managing Executive Officer respectively.
“Uzoka brings an extremely strong skill set and a wealth of financial services experience that will help the bank execute the next phase of its growth strategy. I have no doubt that he has the expertise and depth of business experience to ensure that the bank is best positioned to deliver on its strategic aspirations to be the most respected and trusted African financial brand globally,” Elumelu said.
Addressing staff in a video podcast on his first day as GMD/CEO, Uzoka called for support from his management staff and colleagues to grow the UBA brand which he described as strong, recognisable and trusted across Africa.
He promised to build a bank based on a strong foundation of customer service.
“We will stay close to our customers and do everything possible to serve them properly. Our customers will be the beginning, the middle and the end of our strategy,” he stated.
UBA is one of Africa’s leading banking groups with operations in 19 African countries and offices in three global financial centres: London, Paris and New York.
From a single country operation in Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, UBA has evolved into a pan-African provider of banking and related financial services, to more than 11 million customers, through over 1,000 business offices and diverse channels globally.

Report reaching us says President Muhammadu Buhari and his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan, are currently in a meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Jonathan who arrived the forecourt of the Presidential villa in a black Range Rover, marked KWL 86 CN was received by one of Buhari’s aides.
The former President was immediately ushered into Buhari’s office where the meeting is said to be ongoing.
Details later…

Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose has described the current government led by President Muhammadu Buhari as ‘one chance.’
The governor, who was a guest on FRESH 105.9FM Ibadan, said he was sent from heaven as a demigod to liberate the people of Ekiti.
Fayose said that Ekiti State would be in economic bondage until 2036 because of debts allegedly collected by former Governor Kayode Fayemi, which had tied his hand.
The governor also insisted that he owed no one any apology for accusing Aisha Buhari of corruption.
He said, “I didn’t collect money for election from anybody.
“My father had prayed for me that if I continue to be righteous, Ekiti people will serve me forever. I was sent from heaven as a demi god.”
On Aisha Buhari, he said, “Aisha Buhari is as guilty as me on corrupt charges. Nobody can win any battle against me.
“APC is a government of ‘one chance’.
Everything I’ve predicted would happen in Nigeria are happening, some have happened.
“Buhari can’t take Nigeria out of the woods. Food security is better than general security, hence my ‘stomach Infrastructure’ policy. Ekiti will be in economic bondages until 2036 because of debts collected by former Governor Kayode Fayemi, so my hands are tied”.

An Epe-based couple, Abioye Wale Junaid, 41 and his wife, Fausat, 39, aka Iron Lady, have been arraigned before the Lagos State Magistrates’ Court, Igbosere for allegedly obtaining N85m from two businessmen under pretence.
They were alleged to have collected the money and promised to facilitate the appointment of the businessmen as a commissioner in Lagos State and as Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria during the 2015 general election.
The couple were arrested by operatives of the Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad, FSARS, Adeninji Adele Road, Lagos Island following a petition by the two businessmen, Mr. Ambali Abiodun and Otuniyi Adeniyi to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, FSARS, Ibrahim Kaoke.
The businessmen alleged that the couple tricked them into paying N15m and N70m to facilitate their appointment as a commissioner in Lagos State and as Vice President during the last election.
After investigation by ASP Garuba Oseni and his team, Fausat, a staff of Epe LGA of Lagos State and Abioye, a security man attached to the Eko DISCO office at Sangotedo, Ibeju Lekki, Lagos were arraigned before an Igbosere magistrates’ court, Lagos on an eight-count charge of felony to wit: obtaining money under false pretence and impersonation.
Police prosecutor, DSP Charles Odii told the court that the couple committed the offence in October 2014 and 31 December, 2015 at their residence, 7, Ayeola Street, Oke Balogun, Epe, Lagos.
Odii told the court that with intent to defraud, Fausat told the complainants that she was the Principal Assistant to the Iyaloja-General of Nigeria, Mrs. Folashade Tinubu-Ojo while her husband, Abioye claimed to be the principal assistant to the National leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a claim Odii said the couple knew to be false.
He said the couple used false claims to obtain N15m from Mr. Ambali Abiodun to facilitate his appointment as a commissioner in Lagos State and N70m from Mr. Otuniyi Adeniyi to lobby for him to be the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria during the last 2015 general election.
Odii said the couple deceive the complainants that with their closeness and working relationship with the Iyaloja-General and National Leader of APC, they will be able to fulfill their promise to them.
He said the complainants realized that they had been duped by the couple when they were not selected as Vice President before the last general election and as a commissioner in Lagos State in the current government.
Odii said when all efforts by the complainants to retrieve their money proved furtile, they reported the matter to the police.
He said the offences were punishable under sections 409, 312(2),285(5)(a) and 378 of the criminal laws of Lagos State, 2011.
The couple, however, pleaded not guilty to the crime in the open court and Chief Magistrate A. O. Sholadoye admitted them on bail in the sum of N3m each with two sureties each in like sum.
Sholadoye directed that one of the sureties must be on Grade Level 16 in the Lagos State Civil Service and the other must own a property in Lagos State with a genuine C of O.
She adjourned the case to 26 August, 2016 for mention while husband and wife were taken to the Ikoyi and Kirikiri prisons respectively, until the fulfilment of conditions attached to their bail.

The kidnappers of Lagos monarch, a first class traditional ruler in Lagos, Oba Yushau Goriola Oseni, the Oniba of Ibaland, demand N500 million ransom.
The kidnappers stormed the monarch’s palace at Iba area of Lagos around 11:30pm on Saturday and took him away, escaping through the waterways.
According to a palace source, the gunmen killed Oseni’s guard, a Neighbourhood Watch officer and then shot his wife before escaping with the monarch.
Recalls, gunmen stormed the palace of the Oba at about 11:30pm on Saturday and forcefully took the monarch away, killed his guard and shot one of his wives.
Men of the Rapid Response Squad, RRS, Federal Anti-Robbery Squad, army and the navy were seen at the palace of the oba this afternoon as they began manhunt for the gunmen who kidnapped the oba.
A Police Armoured Personnel Carrier, APC, was station at a junction close to the oba’s palace at Iba Junction, as large detachment of security personnel has been deployed to the area with the mandate to rescue the aged traditional ruler.
Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Lagos State Police Command, Dolapo Badmos had early disclose that the police had begun manhunt for the kidnappers in a bid to rescue Oseni.
She said the gunmen who abducted the traditional rulers might be pipeline vandals who resorted to kidnapping since their vandalism business had been curtailed.
Badmos added that the Lagos police would work with their counterparts from Ogun State to ensure that the monarch was released at the shortest time possible.
Details Later…

Attahiru Bafarawa, former governor of Sokoto state, says the constitution of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is “the mother of corruption”.
In an interview with Daily Trust, Bafarawa recalled that he was part of the team that drafted the party’s constitution, adding that he foresaw the crisis rocking it.
He said the problem started in 2014 when the party handed over its structure to the five governors who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Back then, those who moved were Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto), Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa) and Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara).
Bafarawa alleged that the ruling party accepted them because of the money they brought along, claiming that each of them donated N100 million to the APC.
“APC government says it is fighting corruption, but it is the mother of corruption; it has been the mother of corruption since the day it opened its gates to those five governors from the new PDP,” he said.
“When they (five governors) came into the APC, they were warmly received because they had the money to contribute N100 million each.
“When I, a founding member and acting chairman of the party’s constitution drafting committee, queried why they were expressly allowed entry, I was bluntly told they had money to give. I then offered to also contribute N100 million but my own contribution was rejected.
“Those five governors entered APC to corrupt the party, and they succeeded in doing so. This is why I say APC is the mother of corruption.
“I foresaw that they would hijack the party and attempt to do whatever they want. If they are allowed to do whatever they want, there will be problem in the politics of the country; if they are not allowed, which is the situation now, there will be a rift between them and the government, they will be disloyal and impudent to the government, and this will cost the country immense problem in terms of progress.”
Daily Trust said three of the governors it contacted have denied Bafarawa’s allegations.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo State has accused the state governor, Adams Oshiomole and the All Progressives Congress, APC, of plotting to rig the September 10 governorship election.
Speaking during a campaign rally in favour of its candidate in the coming governorship election, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, in Uzebba, Owan West Local Government Area of the state, the Chairman of the party in the state, Dan Orbih warned that any attempt to subvert the election will be resisted.
He said, “President Buhari has never intervened in any election before now, so we hope Edo State will not be an exception. Nobody can use INEC, police, army or EFCC to rig the PDP out.
“I want to tell Oshiomhole that Edo people are prepared to behave the way the civilian population in Turkey behaved when the soldiers marched against them. We will resist any attempt to subvert the will of the Edo people; we stand on a very solid ground knowing fully well that Oshiomhole has failed Edo people.”

The Bank of Industry (BoI), says it has disbursed N426.7 million to 253 members National Youth Service Corps under its Graduate Entrepreneurship Fund (GEF) programme.
This is contained in the bank’s statement given to newsmen in Lagos on Wednesday.
The statement quoted Mr Waheed Olagunju, Acting Managing Director, BoI, as urging the beneficiaries to utilise the opportunity to lift themselves and other youths out of poverty.
Olagunju gave the advice during the presentation of cheques to beneficiaries of the programme.
He urged the corps members to be good ambassadors of NYSC and BOI.
Olagunju said the programme, which was launched on Oct. 5, 2015, was done in collaboration with the Directorate, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
He said the programme was targeted at encouraging graduates to be entrepreneurs, build capacity, deepen financial inclusion by de-risking them and sustaining their businesses.
Olagunju said the beneficiaries attended 3-day capacity building programme at seven designated training centres across the six geo-political zones of the country.
He added that certificates of participation were issued to the 896 corps members that attended the training under the tutelage of nine entrepreneurship training consultants.
Olagunju said at the end of the programme, 360 candidates submitted loan application worth N695.1 million spanning across 27 out of the 40 product clusters identified by BOI.
The areas were mainly agro-processing; comprising meat processing (cattle and poultry), aquaculture and food processing), quick service restaurants, fashion design, shoe making and cosmetics.
Olagunju said the implementation had challenges.
He said the challenges included proposals that were not viable and some proposals domiciled in locations different from the state of candidates’ places of primary assignment.
He said BoI would continue to improve on the implementation of the programme through a feedback process and create measures that would ensure the success of the businesses of beneficiaries. (NAN)

A major crisis is brewing at the nation’s foremost cargo handling company National Aviation Handling Company known as Nahcoaviance and at the center of the crisis is its executive chairman Mallam Suleiman Yahaya.
As at the time of writing this report, it was gathered that a mountain of petitions are already heaped with anti graft agencies over an alleged sleaze being perpetrated by the super power chairman.
According to a reliable source in the organization, the chairman seems to have bitten more than he can swallow this time as allegations and counter allegations are flying around in the aviation sector.
In one of the petitions allegedly sent to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission EFCC, the chairman was alleged to have used a phony company as a conduit to defraud the company.
The petition alleged that a controversial Management Support Agreement was introduced by the chairman to the company where his company called Rosehill Group Limited RHG was set up to be the consultant.
The legal department and a legal consultant hired to access the agreement were said to have raised objections to the proposal of 2.5 percent payment of consolidated net turnover and lack of clear cut line of duties.
Interestingly, in September 2011, the agreement was signed between Nahco and RHG where the controversial proposed 2.5% was fraudulently changed to 3.5% to be paid quarterly for three years. The renewal for the agreement was further extended without recourse to the Board, it was stated.
It was alleged that in the middle of the agreement that the company’s name was changed to RHG – MSA ltd and the registered address of the company was traced to 7 Jose Marti Crescent, Asokoro Abuja, a property suspected to belong to the Mallam Yahaya.
The controversial MSA agreement is said to have extended to other subsidiaries of Nacho such as Nacho energy and power and Nacho free trade zone where the company is alleged to be a shareholder at the moment.
Another company traced to the chairman and mentioned in the petition is Rosecom.net Ltd, an ICT company mentioned in William Jefferson bribery scandal of Halliburton gate and same company hired to handle the Nahco ICT project.
The warehouse modernization project that was commissioned in 2012 was said to have been a major scam where the construction company Interaf Construction Ltd bolted away with funds due to alleged extortion and was later given to Padoke Nigeria Ltd to complete the job of the main contractor.
In another allegation of abuse of office is appointment of his cronies into management positions without recourse to laid down procedures.
For instance his brother Abubakar Yahaya was appointed as the director of mainland Cargo options Ltd a wholy owned company of Nahcaviance and another Baba Abdullah was brought into the service with bogus credentials.
The said who is the chief strategy officer claimed to have attended University of Kent for his first and masters degrees, a claim that has been found to be untrue.
The corporate affairs manager Tayo Ajakaiye of Nachoaviance could not be reached as at the time of filling this report.
Similarly, when the EFCC was contacted, the media unit promised to get back but yet to respond.

Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, a former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), says he is “paying dearly” for his decision to go into politics after heading the nation’s anti-graft agency.

While noting that the “fight against corruption is a thankless job”, the 2011 presidential candidate of Action Congress (AC) maintained that he was never party to the embezzlement of recovered loot during his tenure as EFCC boss.

Ribadu made the comments on Wednesday at a national stakeholders’ Workshop on the Recovery and Management of Recovered Assets, where he was keynote speaker.

“Considering the care we took in handling whatever was in our custody, I find it baffling and disheartening when I hear people make insinuations about how we handled recovered assets. It is a most unfair remark but certainly not totally surprising as the fight against corruption is essentially a thankless job, especially in our climes,” he said.

“That was why I was telling Prof Sagay: ‘Don’t bother sir, people will abuse you; don’t say anything. This is the job’. We are hurting people; we are taking things from those who took things and we denied them chance to make use of them and enjoy and with their family.

“I’m still paying dearly. In my own madness, I decided to go into politics and I am still paying for it. But I am not bothered. I’ll continue fighting till my last breath. If I’m given the opportunity, I’ll do it again.

“We have the most vital tool needed in this war, namely political will. I see in the present leadership, specifically the president, the will to allow the war to be fought without interference and the eagerness to support it in whatever way possible. These two points are important prerequisites in winning the anti-corruption war.

“We are also lucky to have a set of people, including Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), who are very passionate and committed to be in charge of the process.”

Budding Nigerian comedienne, Chigurl is apparently dealing with spinal-related back issues.
The plump entertainer wrote of the pain she experiences on her back, revealing her difficulty in sleeping with a medical aid via an Instagram post.
‘When slipped disc will not allow u sleep like a normal person…back brace, 2 reg pillows. 4 medical pillows and 1 body pillow just to sleep,’ she shared along with a photo of medical pillows and braces she uses to assuage the pain.
‘trying to push past the pain bet i tink i give up and use drugs..#ihatebeinginpain #backpainsucks #slippeddiscgoawayplease #dontwantsurgery,’ she further wrote as fans soothed her with comforting words.

Dino Melaye, chairman of the senate committee on federal capital territory, wants the country to abolish the use of ‘state of origin’, especially in determining the eligibility of citizens for political offices.

Instead, he wants the ‘state of residence’ to be reckoned with, saying this would help to enthrone peace and oneness among Nigerians.

Melaye made the call on Friday in Abuja at a ceremony to unveil the logo/medal of the Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN), in commemoration of its 18th anniversary.

“Ethnic bigotry should be shunned; there should be a replacement of the state-of-origin to unite the country,” he said.

“Any responsible person that has lived in a particular place for a certain number of years can aspire to any political position, including that state’s governor seat.”

He called for the “rebirth” of the country, and challenged youths to guard against moral decadence.

“There is also the need for the review of the educational system so as to teach more morals, values and culture with a view to building falling walls.”

He assured the PCN that the bill for its ratification would pass the third reading at the national assembly.

Dickson Akoh, commandant of PCN, commended the federal house of representatives, for recently passing the bill for an Act to establish the PCN.

“This all-important achievement alone calls for celebration as the PCN reaches 18,” he said.

“It is in view of that remarkable stride that we resolved to commemorate this year’s anniversary. This may be the last anniversary we will be celebrating as a non-governmental organisation (NGO), as we are in the process of transforming into a government establishment.”

Melaye’s position on ‘state of origin’ aligns with the consistent stand of David Mark throughout his tenure as senate president. Although legislative action in that regard never quite materialised, he spoke about it both home and abroad.

“You should know that one of the issues we’ve been discussing in Constitution amendment is shift from state of origin to state of residence because it is an important issue,” he told journalists in Quebec, Canada, after the opening ceremony of the 127th inter-parliamentary union (IPU) assembly, in 2012.

“You are resident in a place for 20 years and still, they don’t take you as part and parcel of that place. I think it’s a difficult task but in my candid opinion, I think if we have an open mind and we approach it from a nationalist perspective, rather than a small, clannish perspective, I think we would get it right.

“Let’s forget the business of state of origin and go to state of residence. Once you are resident in a place and you perform your civic responsibilities for the period, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t benefit, provided, of course, you don’t claim dual residency.”

For peace to reign in the Niger Delta, popular Nigerian musicians have been scheduled to participate at a concert in the region on 31 July.

They include Olamide, Patoranking, Harrysong, Sheyi Shay, Timaya, Orezi, K-Cee, and many more.

Disclosing this in Abuja on Friday, Nigerian music star and Gala Ambassador, Harrison Tare Okiri, popularly known as Harrysong says he has concluded arrangements to hold a peace concert in Asaba.

Harrysong revealed that the concert titled: “One Delta Harrysong Peace concert’’ was part of efforts to restore peace to the Niger Delta region.
“I suspended the release of my album to do this concert because of what is happening in the Niger Delta right now.

“I plan to use this concert to restore peace to Niger Delta amidst the recent happenings in that part of the country,’’ he said.

He also stated that he would not be performing alone as some of his colleagues in the musical industry would be supporting the peace movement.

“I won’t be performing alone, but alongside some of my colleagues in the likes of Patoranking, Sheyi Shay, Timaya, Olamide, Orezi, K-Cee, and many more.

“The concert promises to be a unique one as we plan to use our talents to restore peace to our dear country. So fans, I can’t wait to see you all.

“Thanks for your endless support! God bless Niger Delta and God bless our country Nigeria,’’ Harrysong said.

He also encouraged the youth to think carefully before taking any action, rather than the other way round.

The concert is scheduled to hold on July 31.

Mobile telecommunications giant, MTN’s warehouse located off Acme Road, Ogba, Lagos State, has been gutted by fire.

The fire which started in the afternoon burnt down parts of the roof of the building.

It took two fire service trucks and several police officers to put out the fire and control the crowd.

Investigation revealed that the fire was caused by faulty wiring in the warehouse.

MORE DETAILS LATER

The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has launched a mobile application for propagating Jihad to children, Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, warned on Thursday.

According to a statement he issued in Abuja, which was circulated by Segun Adeyemi, his special assistant, the mobile application, tagged ‘Huroof’ (Arabic alphabets or letters), is to be used by ISIS to teach children the Arabic alphabets with the aid of guns, military tanks and cannons.

“The application utilizes colourful illustrations that attract and engage the attention of young children,” the minister said, urging members of the public in general and parents in particular to be vigilant and to prevent their children and wards from being indoctrinated.

Recall the Islamic State’s “Library of Zeal” has released an application for teaching the Arabic alphabet to children on Android devices few weeks ago. The vocabulary taught within the application includes jihadist themes. The application was released through Islamic State Telegram channels and on other file sharing websites.

The app has games for memorizing and how to write the Arabic letters in addition to including a nasheed (a cappella Islamic songs) designed to help teach the alphabet. The lyrics in the nasheed are littered with jihadist terminology, while other games within the app also include militaristic vocabulary with more common, basic words. Words like “tank,” “gun,” and “rocket” are among the first few taught within the application.

The alphabet app is not the Islamic State’s first mobile application, however it is the first to be directed exclusively to children. The jihadist group has also produced several videos from many of its proclaimed provinces showing children being trained for jihad or being indoctrinated at Islamic State-ran schools. Other videos have shown children being involved in beheadings and executions of prisoners held by the Islamic State.

The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has launched a mobile application for propagating Jihad to children, Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, warned on Thursday.

According to a statement he issued in Abuja, which was circulated by Segun Adeyemi, his special assistant, the mobile application, tagged ‘Huroof’ (Arabic alphabets or letters), is to be used by ISIS to teach children the Arabic alphabets with the aid of guns, military tanks and cannons.

“The application utilizes colourful illustrations that attract and engage the attention of young children,” the minister said, urging members of the public in general and parents in particular to be vigilant and to prevent their children and wards from being indoctrinated.

Recall the Islamic State’s “Library of Zeal” has released an application for teaching the Arabic alphabet to children on Android devices few weeks ago. The vocabulary taught within the application includes jihadist themes. The application was released through Islamic State Telegram channels and on other file sharing websites.

The app has games for memorizing and how to write the Arabic letters in addition to including a nasheed (a cappella Islamic songs) designed to help teach the alphabet. The lyrics in the nasheed are littered with jihadist terminology, while other games within the app also include militaristic vocabulary with more common, basic words. Words like “tank,” “gun,” and “rocket” are among the first few taught within the application.

The alphabet app is not the Islamic State’s first mobile application, however it is the first to be directed exclusively to children. The jihadist group has also produced several videos from many of its proclaimed provinces showing children being trained for jihad or being indoctrinated at Islamic State-ran schools. Other videos have shown children being involved in beheadings and executions of prisoners held by the Islamic State.

Seems like Kim Kardashian and Kanye West‘s daughter, North West is growing up fast!

The power couple’s first child turns three (3) today, June 15 and even her reality star mother marvels at the rate at which her adorable baby has grown.

Kim, in celebration of Nori’s birthday, cheekily implored the cute toddler to slow down her pace of growth.

‘You’re not going to get any bigger. You’re not going to get any taller. You’re going to stay little forever, OK?’ Kimmy asks Nori in a Twitter clip.

‘K!’ North innocently responded, smiling from ear-to-ear in the cutest way. Kim continued, ‘And you’re not going to eat your veggies because I want you to stay really small!’
North West was born on June 15, 2013 at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles a month prematurely, and weighed just 4 pounds and 15 ounces.

‘The joy of my world, my best friend—I would be lost without you,’ Kim wrote in another separate birthday message to Nori on her app. ‘I’ve loved seeing you grow up, and I can’t wait for many more amazing years. I love you, my bubs!’

Justice Isiyaka Momoh-Jimoh Usman of the Kogi Customary Court of Appeal has been freed by his abductors.

A statement issued in Lokoja on Wednesday by the Public Relations Officer of the state Ministry of Justice, Mr Saeed Saqeeb, said that the judge was released in Okene area at about 7 p.m. on Tuesday.

Usman was seized while returning to Lokoja.

His police orderly, Cpl. Abubakar Aba, was shot dead by the abductors. His driver was also shot.

“The judge has since reunited with his family members,’’ the statement added.

The senior pastor of The Fountain of Life Church, Pastor Taiwo Odukoya and his twin sister, Mrs Kehinde Hassan clocks 60 today.
The great teacher of the gospel and father of six took to his Instagram page to share the photo below and wrote:
“Today, my dear twin and I mark our 60th birthday. Please join us in thanking and celebrating God for the gift of life and for the grace to walk the path of His choosing. It’s incredible how far He has brought us. If there is anything I have learned from my life’s story, it is that God is not a respecter of your background. He chooses whom He pleases. He equips by His grace. If He did it for Kehinde and I, He will surely do it for you. I look forward to many more years of His goodness and mercy. He has never failed me. He will never fail you too, in Jesus name.”
Meanwhile, yesterday, Mrs Tolu Ijogun, Pastor Taiwo Odukoya’s first daughter, took to her Instagram page to pen down a tribute to her father ahead of his birthday.