₦airaland Forum

Does the Nigerian system reward best governors or punish worst ones?  It's sad. Don't be surprised to see some (if not all) of those that have been rightly adjudged the worst by Nairalanders may be there post-May 2011 and some of the best ones may have serious problems getting a second term.  Until our votes count and are counted, 

redsun:
Why is a country of 150 million people be left with the options of lesser and bigger rogues for leadership?

, this is why Nigerians must as a matter of urgency decide what to do with the country.

Jang should please utilise his energy 100% to forestall further killings/riots in Jos instead of making statements that are 100% unrealistic.

Trust in God but lock your car.

Mr Fire:
What were Tinubus' achievements except bringing in Fasola? Can anyone show what Tinubu did in Lagos except Fasola and thuggery upon rigging?

Haba, sincerely and without prejudice, are you saying that Tinubu DID NOT achieve ANYTHING while in office? That his only achievement is Fashola? This is the first time I'm hearing this, even from die-hard opposition members. Your answer will determine whether one should continue with this thread or not.

Mr Fire:
See Tinubu, a failed governor, calling another failed governor to question? How can two house rats fight each other when there is enough to grab in the kitchen?

It offends the sensibilities of an independent observer to describe Tinubu as a failed governor, at least in Nigeria. Apart from laying the foundation for what we see in Lagos today, his courage in fighting for democracy and clear-headedness in canvassing for true federalism are unrivalled compared to other political office holders. His fights have deepened democracy and his ability to surround himself with clever people is commendable. He is a master strategist whose brilliance is unmatched by any of his peers and comptemporaries, even his foes admit that, with or without federal might. He is gifted with foresight and he has been consistent since he came into public limelight. For you to write-off Tinubu, you must mention another Nigerian politician (living of course) that dwarfs him when you consider the aforementioned or other specific performance indicators that you are free to add. Nature abhors vacuum, you know. I am not saying he does not have his failings though.

ThisDay Newspaper June 29, 2010


2011: Babangida to Set up Offices in 32 States
•Pro-Jonathan group chides ex-president over zoning
From Emmanuel Bello and Chuks Okocha in Abuja, 06.29.2010

Former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, will officially launch campaign offices in 32 states of the federation next month.
THISDAY gathered that Babangida and his associates are going to embark on a nationwide commissioning of the offices.
Babangida has also appointed states coordinators who in turn have been charged to get offices in the local government areas of their domains.

When contacted, his Spokesman, Prince Kassim Afegbua, neither denied nor confirmed the report, saying there was nothing outlandish about opening campaign offices.
He said: “There is nothing wrong if General Babangida decides to open offices nationwide. That is a confirmation of his readiness to go the whole hog in his quest for the presidency in 2011. Why do you people like reading meanings to every step taken by our boss, General IBB? As far as we are concerned, there is no going back on his aspiration. Those who are wishing him to drop his aspiration or others who think he will pull out later are in for a shocker.”

There are talks in some political circles that at the appropriate time, the contenders may have to dissolve their aspiration and allow a consensus candidate to run, but Afegbua is ruling out the possibility of Babangida stepping down for anyone.
THISDAY gathered Babangida’s campaign offices may have been provided by top states officials sympathetic to his cause.
Some of the addresses provided include IBB Road , opposite Stella Obasanjo Library, GRA, Benin in Edo State while in Niger State; the office is along Bosso Road.

In Imo state, the office is situated on No. 30, Nbari Street Owerri, though THISDAY has not independently verified the addresses.
Since he showed interest in the 2011 presidency, Babangida has remained the focus of many commentaries, with critics stressing that the military leader has no business running for office.
Meanwhile, a pro-Goodluck Jonathan Support Group has called on him to emphasis less on zoning in the forthcoming presidential election, as what is needed at the moment in Nigeria is not a zonal president, but a president with national appeal.
A statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the Goodluck Support Group, Alhaji Samaila Sambawa, said what is needed is a President elected by all Nigerians on merit and who is competent to free the nation from teething problems of development.

“The North for instance has got the opportunity of giving Nigeria most of her leaders yet the vast majority of our people live in abject poverty. What Nigerians need therefore is a President whose capacity to deliver is his greatest asset,” he said.
The group said that emphasis on zoning is not only a superficial solution to achieving a fair, stable, balanced and acceptable formula for election, but a process consigns the democratic mechanism of the presidential contest into an unnecessary ethnic and religious orchestra.

The spokesman of the group, a former minister of sports in the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo, said: “What the nation needs is the proper restructuring of the nation and the entire electoral system using the extant democratic framework to ensure equal opportunity for every citizen irrespective of tribe or religion to contest and be elected the President on the platform of merit and unrestricted electoral contest.”

He said the group's position is predicated on "historical fact that the founding fathers of Nigeria did not envision zoning in their agenda for a great nation. Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Ahmadu Bello and Obafemi Awolowo did not campaign to rule Nigeria on the basis of zoning.”

Nigerian Tribune - June 29, 2010

Reinstated Bauchi deputy gov resumes amidst tight security

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Written by Ishola Michael, Bauchi Tuesday, 29 June 2010

REINSTATED Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, Mohammed Garba Gadi, on Monday, returned to the Deputy Governor’s office on the ever busy Yakubun Bauchi road, about 200 metres away from the Governor’s Office, at about 7.00 a.m. amidst tight security provided by the state police command. The development followed the judgment of a Bauchi State High Court 4, presided over by Justice Haruna Tsanmani, reinstating Gadi.

Gadi arrived at the gate of the office in a brown Toyota Camry car and was allowed into the premises by the security men at the gain. However, he could not get access into the main office of the deputy governor and he decided to stay in the waiting hall, pending when he would gain entrance into the office he once occupied before he was impeached by the state House of Assembly for what was described as gross misconduct.

Though, he was escorted to the office by his teeming supporters, they were not allowed to go in with him. But a few of his personal aides, as well as the member representing Alkaleri\Kirfi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Dr. Sani Abdul and the member representing Bauchi constituency in the state House of Assembly, Babayo ‘Dan-Dako’ Dali, were allowed inside with him.

Speaking to newsmen from inside the premises across the barbed wire fence, Gadi said, “As you can see, I have resumed my duties as the deputy governor because the court gave me judgment. I am right now in the office and will do my duties as provided for in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Isa Yuguda and his government should respect the rule of law and allow matters to rest.”

Reminded that he was taking a risk by going to the office, considering the tension the judgment had generated since it was delivered, he said, “yes I am taking a risk and I will take even a bigger risk for my supporters who have stood by me all along. This victory is not for me but for democracy and for Nigerians who hate injustice. The state police command has given me adequate security cover, as all my security aides have been returned. So, there is no cause for alarm.”

He, however, called on his supporters, particularly members of the opposition All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), not to do anything that would jeopardise their victory but to remain law-abiding citizens and follow the due process and the rule of law and act according to it, no matter the situation. He assured them that his coming back to office was an act of Allah.

Meanwhile, it took the prompt intervention of the armed mobile policemen, who stormed the deputy governor’s office to stop some political thugs from burning down the building while chanting, ‘Sai Babayo’, ‘Gamawa shine deputy’ while those loyal to the reinstated deputy governor were chanting, ‘Sai Baba Gadi’, ‘Mai wuri yazo mai tabarma ya nade’ and so on.

The armed policemen used canisters of teargas to disperse the crowd that had gathered from the opposing parties — the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the opposition ANPP.

As of the time of this report, the state government had not made any official reaction to the development. But when contacted on the phone, the incumbent deputy governor, Alhaji Babayo Garba Gamawa, was said to be holding a crucial meeting with Governor Isa Yuguda at an undisclosed location within Bauchi.

Nigerian Tribune June 29, 2010

Meanwhile, the CBN has extended the June 2010 deadline given to Unity Bank Plc and Wema Bank to recapitalise.

According to the apex bank, the extension followed the unanticipated three months extension in timeline for setting up Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON),

The release added that the CBN was fully abreast of the significant progress made by the boards of the two banks on their recapitalisation and was satisfied with the efforts.

“It is our hope that with the progress made so far, the two banks should be recapitalised by the end of September 2010 through the combination of sale of toxic assets to AMCON and injection of fresh capital,” the release further added.

Nigerian Compass Tuesday June 29, 2010


Nigerians in the United Kingdom are angry with the British Government over a raid of the Hendon, North London home of the High Commissioner, Senator Dalhatu Sarki Tafida.

In a case the police authorities labeled as ‘mistaken identity’, detectives from Scotland Yard said they raided the home because they suspected that a cannabis factory was there.

Before the operation, the security agents got a search warrant and stormed the house only to discover that it belongs to Tafida, a former Senator from Kaduna State who was sent to London by the former President, the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

The raid was a confirmation that technology is not absolutely error free because the specially-built helicopter used to detect that there was a cannabis factory in the house got a warm temperature from the residence due to the heating system and mistook it for “signs of a cannabis factory”.

The helicopter, using thermal imaging equipment, spotted what appeared to be a higher than normal amount of heat coming from the roof.

To aid the growth of the illegal crop, drug farms, especially in Latin America, use high-powered lights which give off huge amount of heat.

Tafida was not at home during the raid. He was in his official residence at Camden, Nottinghill, in West London.

The raid took place penultimate Thursday, during a cold spell and the central heating system in the house was turned up to the maximum.

When the detectives stormed the house, they were embarrassed as they did not find any trace of drug. Rather, it was discovered that it was the heating system that confused the helicopter.

A lawyer in Central London, Mr. Ayo Ajayi, said the action of the agents was a breach of international law “and what makes it worse is that nothing was found in his house”.

Mr. Iyke Chukwudi, an architect, said it was wrong for the British government not to have apologised to Nigeria publicly after the raid.

“It is totally and completely wrong. That it was his personal house does not matter. They should have apologisedpublicly to our High Commissioner. Can they do that to the American Ambassador? That is absolute nonsense. That their equipment deceived them is begging the issue. They should apologise,” he said.

Another Nigerian, who simply called himself Alhaji, said if the Nigerian government had put its house in order, “such an embarrassment would not have come the way of our ambassador”.

He insisted that the Federal Government should protest to the British Ambassador to Nigeria.

London’s EveningStandard, which also reported the incident yesterday, quoted a police source: “We can confirm a warrant to search for cannabis plants was executed at a home in North London on June 17 by officers acting on information from the Met Air Support Unit. There were no drugs found and no arrests made. Further enquiries traced the heat source to the heating system.”

A spokesman for the Nigerian High Commission said the embassy would not take the matter to the ‘extreme’.

“We accept the explanation that the helicopter detected something but that these things don’t necessarily work with fine precision,” he said.

Picture of deposed Deji of Akure and his wife before the great fight.

Saturday Tribune, June 26, 2010

Nigerian Parents Lock 4-month-old Inside Car, Go Nightclubbing

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Saturday, 26 June 2010

A Nigerian couple did the unthinkable in far-away Cyprus: They locked their four-month-old baby inside their car at 3:00a.m and went to enjoy themselves in a nightclub.

According to reports, around 3:00 a.m., a concerned citizen noticed the infant sleeping in a child seat in the back of the car in Engomi and notified the Ayios Dhometios police in Cyprus.

Officers rushed to the scene and located the car at around 3.20 a.m., ascertaining it was locked. Officers proceeded to search for the owner and after 10 minutes, a 21-year-old Nigerian man appeared and identified himself as the owner of the car and father of the child.

According to a police spokesman in the country, Michalis Katsounots, 10 minutes later, the 26-year-old mother of the infant was found in a night club near where the car was parked. “Both the father and mother were found to be showing signs of intoxication,” said Katsounotos.

The parents were arrested and taken with the baby to the Nicosia CID for exposing the child to danger and were questioned and charged in writing before being released. A Welfare Services officer was also involved in the case and arrived at CID to undertake issues related to the infant.

According to Katsounotos, the baby was alone in the car for at least 45 minutes.

“The issue that should be troubling everyone is to what extent the parents themselves underestimate the life of their own children,” said Katsounotos, adding that “the concerned citizen who found the baby and notified the police deserves congratulations. If the baby had not been found then the consequences would likely have been tragic.”

Is this how we'll continue to watch things degenerate? Fellow Nigerians, is it that we have resigned ourselves to fate or can't we all begin to think of how to end this type of nonsense? The situation is going from bad to worse and any one could be a victim.

SANUSI LAMIDO VS THE NIGERIAN ECONOMY: So the rescued banks are making profit again?
Jun 21st, 2010 | By Victor Shodipo | (Renaissance Professionals)[/b]

Sanusi Lamido Sanusi was at Aso Rock on Tuesday June 15, 2010 with members of the CBN Board to visit President Goodluck Jonathan after failing to secure a one-on-one appointment with the President who he reports to, since he became the President. The interesting aspect of the visit as reported in Thisday of June 16, 2010 was the revelation by Sanusi that the eight banks he took over are making profits once again.

We were not at the meeting but we find the revelation by Sanusi very interesting. In less than a year, the same banks that Sanusi declared as being in grave situation are now making profits again. In less than a year, the banks have moved from being in grave situation into great situation. Perhaps, Sanusi may have gone ahead to tell the President that his cronies who he replaced the former bank CEOs with had done the magic that transformed these gravely ill banks into great banks in less than a year of taking over these institutions.

But the question discerning minds should be asking Lamido Sanusi is:

Which activities are these banks, which were forced to declare multibillion naira losses in November 2009, suddenly making multibillion naira profits from? This question arises against the background that:

1.It is general knowledge that all the taken over banks have not been able to create new loans since they were taken over by the CBN

2.A minimum of 70% of their total loan books have been declared as non-performing and fully provided for

3. Income from interbank trading activities and international trade has dried up. Inter-bank rates and treasury yields are at historical lows while international trade is at its lowest ebb especially for the taken over banks

4.Fee based income is also at historical lows for the taken over banks due to decreased business activities at these banks

5.All the taken over banks have had different forms of third parties – EFCC, External Auditors, CBN appointed financial advisers, Various groups claiming to be investors wanting to buy the taken over banks doing due diligence, the CBN inspectors and NDIC inspectors, all of them asking for one document after the other, distracting the banks to focus on their business.

Is it not interesting that in spite of all these, the taken over banks are announcing mega profits? Union Bank just announced a profit of N3.5 billion for the first quarter of 2010, and making a song and dance of it; Bank PHB is forecasting to make a profit after tax of N45 billion in the second quarter. Sanusi boasts that all the other banks are now making profits. We challenge Lamido Sanusi and the management of the hijacked banks to disclose to the banking public the income lines from which these ‘profits’ are being made.

We should get something clear. These banks were making profits until Sanusi came. Then Sanusi said they were sick and forced them to declare losses. He then put his cronies and now the same banks, without doing any form of serious business – no loans and advances; no improvement in customer deposits, etc – are making mega profits again. Fela of blessed memory would have called this “Sanusi Magic”

Nigerians should also ask Sanusi Lamido to explain how possible it is for the banks he hijacked to be making profits when companies and businesses in virtually all sectors of the economy are still retrenching staff for reasons ranging from decreased demand and the drying up of credit from banks?
But behind these Sanusi Magic lays the truth about these banks that Sanusi took over. Their situation was never as grave as Sanusi made them look. Yes, they were not perfect but no financial institution in Nigeria or globally is perfect either. There was nothing wrong with these institutions that could not have been corrected without bringing the economy to a grandstanding standstill. Nigerians should not be deceived.

It is interesting to note that in the last two weeks, KPMG has been publishing the result of its 2010 KPMG Banking Industry Customer Satisfaction Survey, now in its 4th edition. According to the firm, the survey is “focused on how the banks are faring in delighting their customers inspite of the recent upheavals in the industry.” Amongst the TOP 10 customer focused banks in retail, and corporate/commercial segments are Intercontinental, Oceanic, and Bank PHB. The three leading reasons for customers in maintaining banking relationship are financial stability; excellent customer service and; image and reputation. Nearly one year after hijacking these banks; hauling abuses on their former CEOs; demonising them and detaining them in EFCC cells; and charging them to court, customers still have utmost confidence in these banks, in their reputation and financial stability, well-above those cleared by Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

Will Nigerians allow this injustice to stand?

Sanusi’s cronies running these taken over banks have not done any magic. What they are simply doing is writing back into the banks’ books all the unnecessary provisions that these financial institutions were forced to make during Sanusi Lamido’s audit last year. It is a simple case of subtraction, when it suited Sanusi’s purpose to make the former management look bad and incompetent and, addition when it suits Sanusi’s purpose to make the new management look good and competent.

Another interesting question that Nigerians should be asking Sanusi is that if he says these banks are now making profit, why is he still threatening to liquidate them if shareholders refuse to authorize that they be sold to his group of selected foreign investors? If the banks are back in good health, is it not normal to request that shareholders recapitalize their banks? Why must shareholders be forced to sell their holdings to foreign investors?

Sanusi Lamido Sanusi’s so called banking reforms has been so controversial because it has never stood up to critical scrutiny. It has been sustained with blackmail, propaganda and outright coercion. It is time it is reviewed. It is killing Nigeria and Nigerians.

What is the definition of 'talk too much'? Mind you, someone that is speaking a language you don't understand might be seen to be 'talking too much'. You need to provide a better insight into this potentially sensitive topic in order not to be labelled an ethnocentrist.

Nigerian Tribune Tuesday June 22, 2010
Ex-NDLEA boss, Lafiaji, aide jailed 23 years •For corruption

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Written by Akeem Nafiu, Lagos Tuesday, 22 June 2010

The former Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Alhaji Bello Lafiaji and his Personal Assistant, Usman Amali, were, on Monday, sentenced to a cummulative jail term of 16 and seven years respectively by a Lagos High Court, presided over by Justice Olusola Williams.

The duo were found guilty of using their offices to confer corrupt advantage upon themselves and sentenced accordingly.

The judge, while delivering judgment in the 24- month-old trial, held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, saying she found the two accused persons guilty of conspiracy and abuse of office.

The court convicted Lafiaji on counts one, two, three, four, six and seven while Amali was convicted on counts one, two, three and five respectively. However; the sentences are to run concurrently.

Lafiaji was sentenced to four years each on counts one and two while he bagged two years each on counts three, four, six and seven.

Amali was sentenced to four years on count one while he bagged one year each on counts two, three and five.

Justice Williams held that Lafiaji conspired with his personal assistant to illegally received the sum of 164,300 Euros from one, Ikenna Onochie, a suspect with the NDLEA in order to release him and his vehicles from custody.

“The action of the defendants to carry out their unlawful action is not in doubt. There was an agreement between them to do what they did.

“The prosecution has proved that the release of Ikenna Onochie was irregular,” the court held.

The court, while acknowledging that the former NDLEA boss did all he could to elevate the standard of the agency, regretted that he allowed the love of money to tarnish his hard-earned reputation.

In addition, Justice Williams observed that Usman Amali, [second defendant] also followed the biddings of his master [Lafiaji] blindly.

The court held that the testimony of Samuel Gadzama, the first prosecution witness was credible and acceptable adding that his testimony did not change and did not contradict himself under cross examination.

2011: It’s zoning or nothing, Northern leaders read riot act
From AMOS DUNIA, FRANCIS AWOWOLE-BROWNE, TAIWO AMADU AND JAMES OJO, Abuja
Friday, June 18, 2010
President Goodluck Jonathan
Photo: Sun News Publishing
More Stories on This Section

The meeting of political leaders from the North strategizing to stop the perceived ambition of President Goodluck Jonathan for the 2011 elections took place Thursday night at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja.
The meeting, which held behind closed-doors in the Atiku Abubakar hall started at about 8.00pm.

A dependable source close to the meeting told Daily Sun that the Northern political leaders harped on the need to put aside their differences with a view to pursuing the common good of the North with regards to the 2011 presidential race.

That common good of the North, Daily Sun gathered, centred around the need for the region to retain the presidency in 2011, in keeping with the spirit of zoning which the PDP had long adopted. Although the meeting drew attendance from across political parties, Daily Sun learnt it was headed towards, among other things, producing a Nigerian president of northern extraction.

The Northern leaders were particularly concerned that President Goodluck Jonathan had allowed some people driven by selfish desire to propel him towards contesting the 2011 Presidential election without recourse to unity and oneness of the country.

They noted that rather than face governance, President Jonathan had got engrossed in unnecessary and unwarranted tours, just to sell his candidacy, besides adopting intimidating tactics to coarse perceived opponents to drop their ambition in order to further his own cause to the detriment of the overall interest of the country.
As at the time of filing this report, the meeting was still in progress just as a communiqué based on the resolutions of the meeting is expected to be issued today.

ROLL CALL

Former military President Ibrahim Babangida; former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; ex-Minister of Finance Adamu Ciroma; former Inspector General of Police Mohammed Dikko Yusufu; Alhaji Jibril Maigari, former Minister of Commerce, Alhaji Bello Maitama Yusuf; Ex-governor of old Kaduna State, Alhaji Lawal Kaita; Alhaji Ibrahim Isa Kaita, Alhaji Suleiman Ishiaku, Mr. Eziekiel Ibrahim, former National Chairman of the defunct Democratic Party of Nigeria (DPN) Alhaji Saleh Hassan, Former Minister of the FCT, Air Vice Marshal Hamza Abdullahi (retd); former Minister of Internal Affairs, Gen. Muhammed Ali Magoro; former military Governor of old Western State and Minister of Police Affairs, Gen. David Jemibewon; former Governor of old Borno State, Alhaji Mohammed Goni; Sen. Daniel Sarror; Dr. Shettima Mustapha; Sen. Nuhu Aliyu (retd DIG); Sen. Awaisu Kuta; former National Chairman of PDP, Chief Audu Ogbeh; Prof. Ignatius Ayua; Former Governor of Kwara State, Alhaji Shaba Lafiaji; Alhaji Bello Kurfi; Senator Zainab Kure, wife of the former Governor of Niger State; Sen. Mohammed Ahmed; Hon. Kola Yusuf; former Senate Minority Leader, Senator Usman Albishir; former Chief of Army Staff General Salihu Ibrahim; Senator Gada who is a member of the National Interest Group in the Senate that worked to actualize the Doctrine of Necessity and the Coordinator of the meeting; former Senate President Senator Iyorchia Ayu; National Security Adviser, General Mohammed Aliyu Gusau.

Why Akure robbery operation was successful

* By Damisi Ojo
* Published Today
* News
* Rating: ratingfullratingfullratingfullratingfullratingempty Unrated

•Mimiko visits scene, victims, vows to rid state of bandits

Fresh facts emerged yesterday why a 15-man robbery gang had a successful outing in Akure, capital of Ondo State, on Thursday.

The Nation

’s investigation revealed that the Police Command failed to provide adequate security to confront the robbers led by a woman.

They raided four commerical banks and killed five persons.

The incident, which happened around 10.am, threw the crowded Oja-Oba and its environs, including the ever busy Olukayode Shopping Mall, Arowolo Trade Centre, Oke-Ijebu junction and the entire business axis into pandemonium.

After their operation, the robbers fired sporadically to escape from the scene of the incident and in the process killed five persons, while seven others sustained gunshot injuries.

Two out of the three victims were middle-aged women whose identities were yet to be ascertained at press time.

One of the women, who had her baby strapped on her back, was left in the pool of her blood.

Police sources revealed to reporters on yesterday that the Police Command failed to track down the robbers because the state Commissioner of Police, Bala Magaji Nasarawa, was out of the state attending the Inspector General of Police’s (IGP’s) conference in Abuja that day.

According to the sources, "It was a bad day for the entire command. The CP was in Abuja attending the IGP’s conference, leaving the Deputy Commissioner, Henry Fadairo in charge of the command and in acting capacity.

"Again, the active and gallant commander of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), SP John Mark, and his squad were away to Ore town where they were assigned to curtail criminal activities in the town.

"To everybody’s surprise, when this robbery operation was going on, no senior police officer could effectively mobilise officers and men to chase the fleeing bandits", the source added.

He described the development as sabotage on the part of some unnamed police officers within the state police command. He absolved the CP, Nasarrawa, of blame.

However, men of SARS said they have recovered an AK47 rifle used by the robbers in the banks’ operation. It was used to kill the nursing mother at the entrance of one of the banks.

The weapon, a police rifle, was reportedly snatched by the gang from a police constable attached to Fanibi Police Station, at Coca-Cola Junction, on Ondo Road in Akure, a night before the robbery incident.

The SARS team said despite their absence during the robbery operation, the team hurriedly left Ore town for Akure that morning, but was unable to confront the fleeing robbers on Ondo Road, as military personnel barricaded the Akure-Ondo Road in front of the 323 Artillery Army Barracks.

The team later chased the robbers through Ilesa-Akure Highway before they made a detour into Ilara town and escaped to the neighbouring Ilawe town in Ekiti State.

In a swift response to the incident, and in order to forestall a re-occurrence, the state government has summoned an emergency meeting of all the security organisations in the state.

The state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Ranti Akerele, said government would do everything to ensure that Akure, the state capital, is safe for residents.

No arrest has been made by the police at press time.

Governor Olusegun Mimiko yesterday visited the scenes of the incident where he reassured the people of increased government’s commitment to the safety of their lives and property.

Accompanied by some members of the State Executive Council, the governor, who addressed a large crowd of residents around the area, sympathised with the families of the victims.

"I was briefed on arrival from Abuja today (yesterday) by security chiefs that the incident happened in the market place; and because of this, the security men could not engage in serious shooting, else there would have been more casualities.

"The incident is unfortunate. I got briefings and sketches of what happened when I returned to Akure from Abuja today. We shall rise to the challenges. We are on top of the situation; whatever we need to do, we shall do it to prevent a re-occurrence".

At the State Specialist Hospital, Akure, Dr. Mimiko commiserated with those who were injured in the attacks and wished them speedy recovery.

Quote from: adconline on Yesterday at 12:28:47 AM
It's works in your little mind, but does not work in real world. Got it?

Benin Kingdom known for all these silly beliefs was captured by the Europeans that their king was forced into exile, so what did not work during that time is not going to work now. There is a historical fact that it never worked.


Didn't the Satan through the serpent lead to the fall of Adam?

The Guardian Newspaper; Wednesday, 19 May 2010

THE Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Saad Abubakar, yesterday, advised the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, to put into consideration the overall interest of the nation’s economy and security implications of his ongoing reforms in the banking sector.
The Sultan’s comment is coming barely one month after the National Security Adviser (NSA), Gen. Aliyu Gusau (Rtd), faulted the banking reforms, pointing out that only few banks were being penalised for offences committed by all.
The NSA, who spoke at a retreat for ministers recently in Abuja, said: "The on-going CBN intervention seemed to have damaged economic activities in the banking sector to the detriment of the larger society."
Welcoming the Director-General of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms Arunma Oteh to his palace in Sokoto, yesterday, the Sultan said reforms in the banking sector can be carried out without “blowing it out of proportion”.
Emphasising that the ongoing reforms have security implications for the country, the Sultan said: “When we (Nigeria) have problems, we should not blow it out of proportion”, adding that “we can reposition the banks without blowing it out of propotion”.
While commending the CBN governor for the steps taken so far to reform the banking sector, the Sultan said the visit of the SEC DG was not the appropriate avenue to discuss CBN policies, pointing out that “we will give him some tips on the right track”.
He also used the opportunity to criticise the performance of some banks, which he accused of embarking on round tripping, foreign exchange transactions without adding value to the economy.
He said instead of just declaring “billions on paper”, banks in Nigeria should emulate their counterpart in other parts of the world by contributing meaningfully to the development of the economy.
The Sultan described Nigeria as the best country in the world, adding that Nigerians are doing very well in different fields across the world.
For example, according to the Sultan, the DG of SEC was making positive impact abroad before she was invited by the Federal Government to come home to contribute her quota to the development of the Nigerian economy.
He also appealed to the staff of the commission to give the DG all the support she needs to succeed.
Making reference to earlier call by the DG for students in secondary schools to develop the culture of saving and investing in the capital market, the Sultan said the government should make the economy work very well for people to have enough to save.
He added that people can only consider saving and investing in the capital market after they have taken care of their immediate needs.
Earlier in her submission, the SEC DG said the management of the commission was in the state to launch capital market clubs in secondary schools.
She said for a start, the programme would cover 31 secondary schools across all the local government areas in the state.

Stop watching. Some people are enjoying them. Learn to tolerate dissenting views, whether religious or political. Don't generalise when making statements. Know that traditional worship is neither primitive nor uncivilised (though you may not agree with it). Accept that God has permitted all things on earth and He knows about them all and He shall be the judge (not any other person) over all.

On a parting note, which one has succeeded in keeping the society in check - Christianity/Islam or Traditional Religion? Think about it,

Hello, those of you in the house. Do you know of a good car supplier/seller in Lagos. I bought a brand new car from Dazz motors recently and there are issues with it.

Sanusi has become too controversial for that position. Simple.