₦airaland Forum

PETROLEUM CABAL (OR THIEF) , AKA SAHARA ENERGY STRETCHING ITS TENTACLES TO THE POWER SECTOR‏
NIGERIANS, WE MUST SAY, "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH" TO THE CABAL THAT IS TAKING OUR COUNTRY FOR GRANTED.
JOIN HON. MINISTER OF POWER, PROF. BART NNAJI AND HIS EXCELLENCY, PRESIDENT JONATHAN IN PROTECTING NIGERIA'S PROPERTY.

SAVE EGBIN POWER PLANT

Wednesday, March 7, 2012 1:24 AM
PRESS STATEMENT 7 MARCH 2012
SAVE EGBIN POWER PLANT
Whereas, the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties {CNPP} supports State Capitalism, where we expect the Federal Government of Nigeria to fully invest in critical infrastructure like Egbin-Power-Plant; however we are of the candid view that if any State Owned Enterprise is to be sold or privatized at all, it must be at the best market value.
On this score we support the position of Professor Barth Nnaji, Minister of Power and by extension President Goodluck Jonathan for preserving the Egbin-Power-Plant; hence under the Multi Year Tarrif Order revenue expenditure they invested N1.5billion in the plant. Egbin-Power-Plant is presently Nigeria’s power plant generation flagship and nobody should grab it through the back door.
It will be recalled that in a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in December 2007, CNPP among other untidy privatization deals like that of the refineries queried the less than transparent transaction packaged on the eve of the departure of ex-president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in 2007, when a company by the name Sahara Energy and Korean Electric Power Company {KEPCO} formed a Special Purpose Vehicle {SPV} with the sole purpose of purchasing 51% of the 1320MW power plant for a mere peanut of $280million; against the market value of over $1billion.
We had kept vigil waiting for the renewal of the bid of Sahara Energy and cohorts to lay claim to Egbin power plant with the knowledge that they had done everything under the sun, even to the extent of smuggling $168million into an escrow account purported to be part payment for the plant.
We are glad that the former president, Umaru Musa Yaradua of blessed memory, halted this unholy auction of Nigeria’s biggest power generating plant and cancelled several hurried deals among which is the refineries which Chief Obasanjo offered as parting gift to cronies.
We are at a loss why the media is casting aspersions on the Minister of Power for the delays in the privatization process which falls within the ambit mandate of the Bureau of Public Enterprises {BPE}. For example the ill-fated deal with Sahara Energy was with the Bureau of Public Enterprises; therefore, it is curious that Sahara Energy has been sponsoring media criticism against the Ministry of Power, rather than the agency in charge of privatisation with which it has been negotiating on Obasanjo's instructions.
It is worthy to note that the failed deal with Sahara Energy is a perfect example of Obasanjo's meddlesome in privatisation which almost discredited the entire privatisation exercise. The revelations at the Senate public hearings on privatisation of state owned enterprises under Obasanjo are too fresh in our memory. Wikileaks took a swipe on this theatre of absurd.
News reaching us is that Sahara Energy and cohorts have not only intensified their lobby network to cajole President Jonathan into letting go the Egbin power plant; but have deployed a battery of media houses to demonize Professor Nnaji.
In a statement in Abuja today, the CNPP Publicity Secretary, Mr Osita Okechukwu, stated thus, ‘the Sahara Energy cabal has been moving from one media house to another in a desperate attempt to lobby the media against the Minister of Power, Professor Bart Nnaji, in order to frustrate the ongoing power sector reform because of the minister’s conscientious refusal to acquiesce in the illegal and inconclusive sale of the Egbin Power Plant in Lagos State to Sahara Energy and its foreign partner, Korean Electric Power Company (KEPCO), for a ridiculous amount of money’.
Consequently, the Conference of Nigerian Parties (CNPP) challenges President Jonathan not to capitulate to the machinations of Sahara Energy and cohorts who on one the hand failed to expand the capacity of Egbin plant by 1350Megawatts as promised but want to grab the national patrimony without commensurate market price, secondly the gentlemen of the press should desist from hatchet jobs and be weary of the campaign of calumny against Professor Nnaji who is undoubtedly the defender of our commonwealth.
Otherwise Okechukwu said, ‘CNPP will mobilize Nigerians to prevent the fraudulent sale of the Egbin Plant to questionable characters, especially those, who, far from testifying at the public hearings of the House of Representatives ad hoc committee on the management of the subsidy on petroleum products, took to their heels after collecting a humungous amount of money from taxpayers in the name of fuel subsidy’.
Osita Okechukwu
National Publicity Secretary
CNPP

Gov. Rochas Okorocha Returns to School‏


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlwEZTBA1gM&feature=share

M-A-S-S-A-C-R-E-! Fulani herdsmen, Boko Haram kill 39 *13 villages sacked in Benue *20 feared dead on Akure-Ilesa Expressway
Written by Johnson Babajide, Sam Nwaoko and James Bwala
Tuesday, March 6, 2012


AT least 30 persons have been reported killed and 13 villages sacked at Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State by people suspected to be Fulani herdsmen in a renewed attack on the council area.







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This is just as about 20 people were feared dead in an accident at Iwaraja junction on the Ilesa-Akure Expressway in Osun State on Monday.


Nigerian Tribune gathered that the suspected Fulani herdsmen invaded the affected villages with sophisticated arms, on Sunday, killing and maiming.


It was gathered that at the time of filing this report, normalcy was yet to return to the area, while villagers were said to have deserted their homes.


Speaking on the development, Joseph Mom, president of Tyoch'a Association in the council area, said that the invasion was the second within a year, adding that no fewer than 30 people were feared killed in the renewed attack.


He added that many families could not be found as a result of the attack, stressing that about 13 villages around River Benue were attacked by the Fulani herdsmen.


Tyoch'a, who could not give reason for the attack, however, said that it was carried out by the Fulani herdsmen, who always destroyed their farmland while grazing their cattle.


According to him, "we were told by our people living at the disturbed areas that the cattle rearers stormed their villages on Sunday and killed many of them. As I am talking to you now, we cannot give the actual figure of casualties, but according to information we received, they are in the range of 30 persons, while 13 villages have been sacked by the Fulani herdsmen.


"We cannot say the cause of this renewed crisis but it may not be unconnected with the grazing of their cattle. If you newsmen will recall mid last year, the same Fulani people attacked our villages and killed many of our people."


Some of the villages, he claimed had been sacked include Tse Yanshe, Namikpe, Tse-gboku and Tser Ker. He, however, appealed to the government to build security posts in all the disturbed villages to curb invasion by the Fulani herdsmen.


Confirming the report, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Ejike Alaribe, said he could not give the actual figure of casualties but noted that normalcy was returning to the troubled areas.


In the Ilesa-Akure Expressway accident, reports said two 18-seater passenger buses had a collision and instantly caught fire, trapping the occupants of the two vehicles.


Eyewitnesses were said to have told the press crew of the Ekiti State governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, that "an unidentifiable 18-seater bus, which was heading probably to Ekiti State or Iwaraja swerved from its lane to avoid hitting a motorcyclist, who was allegedly being pursued by officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps."


The reports added that the vehicle that swerved "hit the oncoming bus, which belongs to Akoko-Edo council, and which was said to be coming from Igarra in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State."


The press crew of Governor Fayemi, which said the team was on its way to Lagos "to attend a function," added that "the two buses caught fire immediately, trapping passengers and drivers of the two buses."


According to the crew, "five passengers were said to have managed to escape from the inferno but still got seriously injured," adding that the injured "have been taken to hospital for treatment while others who were said to be more than 20 were burnt to death."


It said, "efforts of passers-by and men of the Osun State fire services to fight the fire ended in futility as the casualties could not be saved."


9 killed in Borno, Kano

NO fewer than seven people, including three members of Boko Haram, were killed in two separate incidents in Maiduguri, Borno State.


Also, two policemen attached to the residence of a commissioner of police in Doroyi quarters, Kano, were killed by suspected members of Boko Haram, while two others were injured, when pandemonium broke out on Monday.


However, the Boko Haram violence in Borno has led to exodus of over 5,000 traders from Maidu-guri, the Nigerian Tribune has learnt.


Three members of the sect were allegedly gunned down by the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Maiduguri in the early hours of Monday, while attempting to burn down Lamisula Primary School, Maiduguri.


The sect members, in another incident, shot dead four people, including a woman and her 10-year-old child in Zannari ward, Maiduguri.


The other two persons killed by the Boko Haram were unidentified shop owner and a tailor at the Bamgouru market, which was set ablaze last month.


In an operation carried out in the early hours of Monday, which was confirmed by the JTF spokesman, Lieutenant-Colonel Hassan Mohammed, the JTF laid ambush and killed three members of the sect while attempting to set ablaze the primary school.


The spokesman for Borno State police command, Sa-muel Tizhe, said though he learnt of the various attacks and killings, he was yet to be officially briefed.


In Kano, two policemen attached to the residence of a top security official were killed, while two others were injured.


The state commissioner of police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, confirmed the incident, adding that the hoodlums escaped with bullet wounds after they were given a chase by members of the public.


He, however, refuted a newspaper publication that Shekau, one of the Boko Haram leaders, escaped from police custody in Kano.

http://odili.net/news/source/2012/mar/6/620.html

Nigeria owes Obasanjo for his foresight, says PDP
On March 6, 2012 · In News 4:45 pmTweet

Abuja – The leadership of PDP has said that Nigerians owe former President Olusegun Obasanjo a lot for his foresight and undiluted belief in the unity of the country.


Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture ‘Goodwill Ambassador’ and former President of Nigeria, eating bread with 50 per cent cassava content; and IITA Scientist, Dr. Gbassey Tarawali in Abeokuta. Picture Wunmi Akinola.

Prof. Rufai Alkali, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, made the remark in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday congratulating Obasanjo on his 75 birthday anniversary.

“For a man who destiny has twice enthroned to lead the nation at challenging times, he left no guesses as to his commitment and competence, leaving legacies that will outlive him.

“The nation owes a lot to his conscience, foresight and undiluted belief in the unity and oneness of our dear nation.

“From every stretch of imagination, Obasanjo is a great Nigerian, African statesman and a world citizen whose immense global contributions will be indelibly etched in history,’’ Alkali said.

The statement urged Nigerians and friends of the country to felicitate with Obasanjo.

The party wished the former president good health “ and many more years to enable the nation continue to benefit from his wealth of experience’’.

It described Obasanjo as a man, who for the better part of his life, demonstrated uncommon leadership in service to Nigeria, Africa and the world.

It added that “the significance of these years of fearless patriotism beckons on the psyche of all Nigerians and that of those that wish her well.’’ (NAN)

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/03/nation-owes-obasonjo-a-lot-for-his-foresight-says-pdp/

http://odili.net/news/source/2012/mar/6/504.html
Fuel scarcity: Passengers stranded as Arik Air cancels US flight
…Passenger causes pandemonium at airport
By UCHE USIM
Tuesday, March 06, 2012


•Passengers at the airport
Photo: Sun News Publishing
More Stories on This Section
The persistent scarcity of aviation fuel (Jet A1) has taken its toll on the domestic airlines as many of them have been forced to continually cancel both local and international flights.

Arik Air, which has been severely hit by the scarcity, yesterday, cancelled its Lagos- New York flight, a development that shocked scores of passengers who had hitherto checked-in, waiting to board.

Expectedly, some of the passengers went wild at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, as they almost mobbed the airline’s crew for what they described as a most jolting development. The passengers include students, old people and sick people who were going to the USA for various important programmes.
“Why didn’t they tell us on time via SMS that the flight would not operate? Why will they wait until we’ve checked-in before giving us the bad news. Some of us came from other states to board this flight and what do we do now? What of our connecting flights already booked and paid for. They said we should check on Wednesday, not even tomorrow (Tuesday). What sort of thing is this?”, a passenger who identified himself as Gbenga lamented.

Reacting, a source from the airline said the Jet A1 scarcity had reached an alarming level where virtually all domestic airlines had exhausted their reserves.
“This scarcity has been going for over a week now and we have tried to address it but to no avail. The oil marketers I learnt are not importing and the matter is serious. We’ve been forced to combine flights on the domestic scene but internationally, the story is severe. It’s really bad for us now,” she said.
At the domestic terminal, virtually all the airlines’ check-in counters had long queues, an indication that most of the flights were being combined as a way of maximising yield and reducing operational costs.
Daily Sun learnt that the scarcity was connected with the same shortage of petrol which sprang from oil marketers’ inability to import petroleum products.

A domestic airline managing director said operators would be forced to jerk up airfares if the scarcity continued.
In another development, an unidentified man yesterday caused pandemonium at the MMIA when he went berserk at the departure lounge of the airport.
The man who breached airport security protocol said his “madness” was as a result of his being duped about $4,000 (N640,000). To people’s amazement, he threatened to kill passengers and flight crew members on ground.

As he roared like a lion, airport security officials, including anti-bomb and anti-terrorism personnel of the police grabbed him. He was said to have gained entrance via an unmanned point at the E-Wing of departure section, very close to Virgin Atlantic boarding point. He was later taken to the Airport Police Command for questioning.

ojogbontomoye:
I heard 90% are Ebos. very lazy bunch.

Are you for real? we are talking about massive corruption in our Nigerian system of government and you are making it a tribal issue! well you are entitled to your own opinion, but it will be nice if you can back your statement with facts maybe people like me will be informed.

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=79096:-panel-finds-17000-ghost-workers-in-phcn&catid=1:national&Itemid=559

A WORKER verification exercise carried out by the Federal Government in Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) has shown that 17,000 “fake employees” are on the payroll of the firm.

It was also discovered that PHCN has 6,000 casual workers.

The biometric project was undertaken by Creative HR, which in its report, said there was massive fraud in both the number and engagement of the workers, which the Labour unions have allegedly defended.

A Presidency official told The Guardian at the weekend that the exercise had formally ended and the result very shocking. The official said figures collated by Creative HR during the exercise, which started on October 19, 2011, indicate that instead of the 40,000-47,000 work-force being brandished for PHCN, only a little over 30,000 personnel showed up for screening.

Also, 4,000 “contract workers” showed up for verification whereas 10,000 had been presented as waiting to be converted to regular employees.

Before the latest discovery, the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), which conducted a similar biometric exercise, had alerted of the existence of ghost workers in PHCN.

In a memorandum on items to be submitted by government to its chief negotiator with Labour, the spokesman for the government’s team, Dr. Timiebi Koripamo-Agary, had stressed that 4,106 casual workers had been verified as at February 18, 2012. .

On the regularisation of casual workers, the document, obtained by The Guardian yesterday, noted: “The regularisation process for this category of members of staff is on-going and is expected to be concluded shortly. However, as at February 18, 2012, 4,106 casual workers have been verified and will be subsequently regularised. However, it should be noted that the regularisation would be based on the certificates presented at point of entry for appointment as a casual. For casual workers whose appointments have been regularised, their pension and gratuity benefits shall be negotiated.”

Another government official confirmed to The Guardian that the process had ended and that the figure of those confirmed had not changed significantly.

The government had agreed to the regularisation of all casual workers hired before December 31, 2009 and subject to biometric verification. This is in addition to the implementation of a 50 per cent salary increase for all employees effective June 1, 2012.

The government and the National Union of Electricity Employees have been on the war-path over the biometric verification of electricity workers in the country. PHCN workers opposed it as condition for payment of their salaries.

But the government insisted that PHCN workers, who refused to participate in the exercise, would be denied their salaries and the 50 per cent pay rise. .

Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji, had in defence of the initiative said: “I am a minister and I was biometrically verified. Every government worker needs the verification to get paid. So, we really have to ask why some people do not want to subject themselves to this verification?”

In a statement issued last November on the issue, BPE spokesman, Mr. Chukwuma Nwokoh, stressed that a number of ghost workers had already been uncovered through the scheme.

Nwokoh said: “In the wake of the suspension of the exercise, BPE members of staff, who were at the various locations, discovered ghost workers on the payroll of PHCN and the unions were obviously concerned about the development, which might explain why they forcibly ejected the consultants.”

The workers’ union’s General Secretary, Joe Ajaero, in the petition, said workers did not at any time reach agreement that there would be biometric for serving members of PHCN.

He said: “We are in receipt of a provocative memo sent to Chief Executive Officers of PHCN by Mr. H. Labo, citing biometric exercise for members of staff as a pre-condition for payment of the negotiated 50 per cent salary increase.

“We are not surprised at this satanic verse. This confirms our earlier fears that some people within the system were bent on importing crisis into PHCN, where none exists

Nigeria risks coup, without national conference —Musa
March 4, 2012 by Allwell Okpi 53 Comments

Prominent northern leader and former Kaduna State governor, Balarabe Musa, has warned that the refusal of the Presidency and the National Assembly to allow the proposed National Conference to hold could lead to a social revolution or military coup.

Musa said the realities on ground showed that it was inevitable for the “sovereign people of Nigeria” to come together and discuss the way forward for the country.

According to him, the current debate over revenue sharing formula, in which northern governors are demanding more funds is another indication of the need for the conference.

“What we are proposing is a national conference, in which the delegates would be elected by their people, as the representatives of the sovereign people of Nigeria, in addition to representative of bodies such as labour, the Nigerian Bar Association and civil society groups. These people would be elected independent of the executive and the legislature, but with their support.

“After the conference, we would have a new constitution to replace the 1999 Constitution. The new constitution would be taken to the National Assembly for ratification by a motion. Then it would pass through a referendum and then becomes our new constitution,” he said.

Musa added that this was different from a Sovereign National Conference, which would require an interim government.

“SNC should be a last resort,” Musa said. “But if the executive and the legislature deny the people the opportunity for a national conference, then it would result in an SNC, a military coup or a social revolution. Are we sure what happened in Egypt and the Arab world cannot happen in Nigeria?”

Musa also queried the demands of the northern governors as regards revenue allocation. He said if the governors needed more funds, they should liaise with senators and members of the House of Representatives from their states to push for the amendment of the law that established the current revenue sharing formula.
http://www.punchng.com/news/nigeria-risks-coup-without-national-conference-musa/

Derivation and deprivation: Why the North is poor
On March 4, 2012 · In Special Report 6:48 pm, Email17
By Ross Alabo-George
ACCORDING to official figures, the leading oil producing state, Rivers, received N1,053 billion between 1999 and 2008 in federal allocations. By contrast the North-eastern states of Yobe and Borno, where the Boko Haram sect was created, received N175bn and N213bn respectively. Broken down on a per capita basis, the contrast is even starker. In 2008 the 18.97m people who lived in the six states in the north-east received on average N1,156 per person.
“By contrast Rivers State was allocated N3,965 per capita, and on average the oil producing South-South region received on average N3,332 per capita. This imbalance is compounded when the cost of an amnesty programme for militants in the delta is included together with an additional 1 per cent for a special development body for the Niger Delta. To boot, the theft of oil by profiteers in the region diverts tens of millions more weekly from federal coffers. – Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.



YES, forget these per capita figures! I agree the North is poor. Yes, I agree the poverty has bred millions of destitutes, who have become instant and easy recruits for Boko Haram. But my question is: Who impoverished the North?

A caveat: I am an unabashed capitalist who believes that every citizen has a right to do good business and make profit. I salute hard work and do not disparage honest efforts. However, uncompassionate capitalism driven by pulleys of aristocracy breeds a brutal class order worthy of condemnation.

In my last article titled – ‘El Rrufai’s amnesia: The day Boko Haram Wore Jeans’, I categorically stated that greed and the senseless chase for power by the Fulani aristocrats and political elite of the North are responsible for the extreme poverty of the North. I still and will always stand by that. My position did not go down well with my targets; they responded vituperatively.

Mallam Sanusi’s statistics was intended to mislead us by ruffling the rudder of our common sense. See, Ekiti state has a 2012 budget 0f N88 billion; Kwara State, N90 billion; Cross River State, N144 billion; Anambra State, N82 billion; Enugu State, N74 billion. Now let’s look at the 2012 budgets recently passed into law by the four major Boko Haram occupied states – Kano State has a budget of N 210 billion; Borno State, 150 billion; Gombe, N94 billion; Yobe State, 80 billion.

A simple comparative analysis shows that Ekiti State has about the same revenue as Yobe and Gombe, but only 17 students passed WAEC and NECO in Gombe state last year, while Ekiti is known for its high literacy level. Gombe State has a bigger budget that Enugu and Anambra, why has MASSOB not bombed anyone.

Borno State has a budget twice that of Enugu State but the poverty and unemployment level in Borno State is more than thrice that of Enugu State. Borno has a bigger budget than a Niger Delta state – Cross River. While the leaders of Cross River over the last decade have transformed it into the nation’s leading tourist destination; those of Borno have transformed it into a Somalia.

Kano State gets the highest statutory allocation from the Federal Government, because on paper Kano is the most populated state in Nigeria, yet Kano has about 1.6 million destitute Almajiris. Kano has a budget almost thrice the budget of Enugu, twice the budget of Kwara, Anambra and Ekiti, but how come almost 90 per cent of students in Kano fail WAEC? How come the poverty level in Kano is higher than all these states put together? Why is the North so poor? From the figures above I have shown that Southern states with lesser budgets have shown better development performance than most North Eastern states with bigger statutory allocation and budgets.

Now, I need to tackle the sensitive question of revenue allocation that has infuriated the Mallam Lamido Sanusi and Mallam Elrufai and their likes. Niger Delta states get higher revenue allocation because they contribute virtually all the eggs in the national crate. That is expected. Albeit the 13 per cent remains grossly inadequate, the CBN Governor has suggested that his Boko boys are resisting the disparity.

I want to posit that the North-East through their aristocrats and ex-military rulers (except Gen. Mohammed Buhari) rake in more oil money (from the Niger Delta) individually than any Niger Delta state, and collectively more than twice the entire Niger Delta put together. In this disquisition, I have attempted to show that 80 per cent of crude oil and gas produced by indigenous companies is controlled by the North-East. It is an area they have well conquered through Generals IBB, Abacha and Abdulsalami. However, the loots never get back home.

Uneven nature of the distribution
In this first part I will attempt to describe the very uneven nature of the distribution of the nation’s wealth among the Northern aristocratic families and their military generals who for decades looted Nigeria. They did so blatantly, and while Nigeria was weeping about oil windfall loot and others, Nigerians would wail if they know how much of the nation’s resources these folks allocated to themselves and their business fronts before they stepped aside.

Let us therefore begin: To the state of origin of Boko Haram: Borno State. Enter Cavendish Petroleum, the operators of OML 110 – with good yielding OBE field. This oil block was awarded to Alhaji Mai Deribe – the Borno patriarch, who even in death will remain the richest man dead or alive in the history of Borno State – by General Sani Abacha on July 8, 1996. OML 110 has a proven oil reserve in excess of 500 million barrels (more than the entire 300million barrels reserve of Sudan). As yet with the capacity to produce about 120,000 barrels of crude oil daily from its OBE 4 and OBE 5 wells. At optimal production levels, Cavendish nets circa N4billion monthly in crude oil sales (using current oil price of $100pb). Cavendish Petroleum’s N4bn monthly net dwarfs the monthly statutory allocation of Borno which is about N3bn and its internally generated revenue staggers around N1billion.

His mansion in Maiduguri has become a tourist attraction. A simple Google search will throw up different perspectives of Mai Deribe’s palatial home.

Enter Oriental Energy Resources Limited, a company owned by Alhaji Mohammed Indimi, a Fulani and close friend of General Ibrahim Babangida. Also worthy of note is that General IBB’s first son is married to Alhaji Mohammed Indimi’s daughter – Yakolo Indimi-Babangida, who also serves as a director in the company. Alhaji Indimi hails from Borno State.

Good yielding offshore oil blocs
Oriental Energy Resources Limited runs three oil blocks: OML 115, the Okwok field and the Ebok field. OML 115 and Okwo are OML PSC, while Ebok is an OML JV. All of them good yielding offshore oil blocks. OML 115 on its own is 228 sqKm. On OML115 Oriental Energy Resources Limited has 60 per cent while Equity Energy Resources AS. On Okwok, Addax has 40 per cent and on the Ebok field, Oriental Energy Resources shares with none: its 100 per cent. AMNI produces twice as much as Cavendish Petroleum.

I will then shift to the centre of the aristocratic hegemony in the North East – Kano. Here. Enter the Fulani Prince Nasiru Ado Bayero, Mallam (Prince) Sanusi Lamido Sanusi’s cousin. He is a key shareholder and director in Seplat/Platform petroleum operators of the Asuokpu/Umutu Marginal Field with a capacity of 300,000 barrels monthly and A 30mmfcsd gas plant capable of feeding 100MT of LPG. The Ado Bayeros, Yar’Aduas and Atiku Abubakar are Nigerian directors of Intels. It is a private port that has grounded three Federal ports in the South. Intels is discussed later.

Enter South Atlantic Petroleum Limited (SAPETRO). South Atlantic Petroleum (SAPETRO) is a Nigerian Oil Exploration and Production Company that was created in 1995 by General T. Y. Danjuma. General Sani Abacha awarded the Oil Prospecting License (OPL) 246 to SAPETRO in February 1998.

The block covers a total area of 2,590km2 (1,000 sq. miles). SAPETRO partnered with Total Upstream Nigeria Ltd (TUPNI) and Brasoil Oil Services Company Nigeria Ltd (Petrobras) to start prospecting on OPL246. Akpo, a condensate field was discovered in April 2000 with the drilling of the first exploration well (Akpo 1) on the block. Other discoveries made on OPL 246 include the Egina Main, Egina South, Preowei and Kuro (Kuro was suspended as a dry gas/minor oil discovery).

Barrels of condensate
In June 2006, General TY Danjuma divested part of its contractor rights and obligations to China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) for $1 billion (N160bn). Akpo exports about 230,000 barrels of condensate daily. Condensate export is not regulated by OPEC, so SAPETRO/TOTAL exports as much as possible each day. Egina exports about 75,000 barrels of oil daily.

Therefore, Akpo and Egina fields export just over 300,000 barrels of oil/condensate daily (three times what the country Ghana exports). SAPETRO (TY Danjuma) get 25 per cent of this. Now, note I have not talked about the gas component – it’s about 2.5 trillion cubic feet. The money SAPETRO nets each month is more than the monthly statutory allocation of all the Niger delta states combined and also more than the oil revenue of Ghana. Do your maths.

Enter AMNI (or is it AMIN?) International Petroleum Development Company. AMNI owns two oil blocks – OML 112 and OML 117. In the production sharing contract, AMNI gets 60 per cent for owning the oil block and Total gets 40 per cent for providing technical advice. OML 112 was awarded on the 12/02/1998 while OML 117 was awarded 06/08/1999 all by Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar. Operations started on both blocks 0n 26/02/2006. The licenses are due to expire 11/02/2018 and 05/08/2019 respectively. (Now you see why the next election is important?)

The Okoro and Setu fields in OML 112 are operated by Afren Energy, a company substantially controlled by Rilwanu Lukman. The Okoro and Setu oil fields have about 50 million barrels in reserve and currently produce/exports just a little below 20,000 barrels per day. The chairman of AMNI International Petroleum and Development Company is Alhaji (Colonel) Sani Bello a Fulani from Kontagora, Niger State. Lest I forget, Alhaji Bello’s son – Abu, is married to General Abdusalami Abubakar’s eldest daughter.

Enter Express Petroleum and Gas Limited floated by Alhaji Aminu Dantata. General Abacha awarded him OML 108 on the 1st of November, 1995. CAMAC Houston, a company owned by Kase Lawal bought 2.5 per cent of Express Petroleum’s 60 per cent holdings. The other 40 per cent on OML 108 is owned Sheba E&P Limitedi. SEPCOL operates the Ukpokiti offshore field in Shallow water Nigeria, which was acquired from ConocoPhillips in May 2004.

Enter Shebah Exploration And Production Limited (SEPCOL) . It is the operator of the Oil Mining License 108 offshore Nigeria. Head office is in Lagos, but ‘head quartered’ in Minna.

Enter Consolidated Oil. Conoil Producing Limited is an integrated upstream oil and gas company. They are the operator of six blocks in the Niger Delta as well as 25 per cent Equity holder in the Joint Development Zone (JDZ) Block 4. Corporate Head office is in Lagos, but its ‘Headquarters’ is in Minna, Niger State.

Conoil signed a technical operator agreement with Continental Oil and Gas Limited (CONOG) to provide 100% funding and technical service agreement to operate blocks OML 59 on a 40 per cent (Conoil) / 60 per cent (CONOG) basis. Conoil entered into a Production Sharing Contract with the NNPC by virtue of an agreement executed on October 17, 2008.

Conoil’s has overall potential hydrocarbon resources of over 1.0 billion barrels of oil and 7.0 trillion cubic feet of gas. General Ibrahim Babangida awarded the first oil bloc to Conoil in 1991. The company produces about 100,000 barrels per day.

Enter Rilwanu Lukman, another Fulani multimillionaire with controlling holdings in Afren, the operators of AMNI oil blocks and also with very key interest in the NNPC/Vitol trading deal, Vitol is a London based oil trading company. Vitol lifts 350,000 barrels of crude oil daily from Nigeria.

Enter Intels and the Yar’Adua, Ado Bayero family and Alhaji Abubakar Atiku. The Oil and Gas Free Zone and Oil Services Centres, as well as support bases, are operated from government-owned facilities, leased to Intels under long-term agreements. Intels runs a ‘private port’, a venture that has systematically killed the Calabar, Warri and Port Harcourt ports.

More money in profit
There are over one hundred major companies operating at the Intel facility in Port Harcourt. The company makes more money in profit than the government of Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states put together. I shall give details and figures in part two of this disquisition.

Finally, let me introduce you to NorthEast Petroleum. The name is as clear as the message it sends. I do not need to write so much about NorthEast Petroleum registered as NorEast. NorthEast Petroleum Nigeria Limited is the holder of OPL215 license, covering an area of 2,564 square kilometres in water depths between 200 to 1600 metres. NorEast is the parent company of Rayflosh Petroleum Nigeria which got the 2005 bidding round and was awarded the blocks OPLs 276 and 283 closing thereupon a Joint Venture Agreement with Centrica Resources Nigeria Limited and CCC Oil and Gas.

Not surprising, NorthEast Petroleum is owned by another Fulani businessman from the North East, Alhaji Saleh Mohammed Jambo. The license was awarded to him by General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida in 1991 and then renewed in 2004. So far $50million has been spent on the very promising Okpoi-1 and Egere -1 exploratory well.

In the Part II, we shall finish the discussion. We will table other North Eastern billionaires who make more money than their states of origin from Niger Delta oil blocks.

With all these oil blocs owned by ‘North- Easterners’ in the Niger Delta, it should be clear to El-Rufai and Sanusi who really benefits from the Niger Delta Amnesty Programme.

Sadly, the National Bureau of Statistics Poverty Profile Report just released shows the North East as the poorest region in the nation with 69.1 and 76.3 as absolute and relative poverty levels respectively, while the South-West had the lowest poverty profile with 49.8 as absolute poverty level and 59.1 relative poverty level. With these figures from the National Bureau of Statistics, I rest my case. The rich man’s wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty. Let us reason together.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/03/derivation-and-deprivation-why-the-north-is-poor/

Pirates kill four soldiers in creek attack -Army
On March 4, 2012 · In News 6:29 pm, Email0
LAGOS (AFP) – Four soldiers declared missing last week were killed by pirates in the restive oil-rich Niger Delta and their bodies have been recovered, an army spokesman said on Sunday.

“The attack was carried out by a gang of sea pirates led by Shedrack Itokofuwei, alias Mammy Water, who hails from Azagbene (in) Bayelsa State,” Lieutenant Colonel Timothy Antigha said.

The remains of the four attacked last Thursday along the Eweleso River have been retrieved, said Antigha.

Itokofuwei and his gang left their base in a convoy of five speed boats and on their way, attacked the soldiers.

In an ensuing encounter with a navy patrol, three of the pirate boats were sunk while two others escaped, he said in the statement.

Itokofuwei was among those killed “in the fire fight as disclosed by his gang member captured close to the scene of encounter,” the statement added.


Nigerian Navy counter-piracy demonstration
The soldiers killed, among them a lieutenant-colonel who was commander of a unit, were ambushed and attacked not far from where four marine policemen were shot dead at a checkpoint the same day.

A militant group in the region, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), on Friday claimed it was behind the killing of the policemen. It gave no motive for the attack.

MEND militants claim to have been fighting for a fairer distribution of oil revenue in Nigeria.

The Joint Task Force, deployed in the region to tackle crime, including oil theft and piracy, warned that it was prepared “to crush any obstacle on the path to lasting peace and security in the Niger Delta region.”

Oil, the mainstay of Nigeria’s economy, is derived from the Niger Delta, President Goodluck Jonathan’s home region.

A 2009 government amnesty offer for the militants greatly reduced attacks in the region after more than 25,000 ex-fighters laid down their arms.

Most of MEND’s commanders and their fighters took up the amnesty offer, but MEND spokesman Jomo Gbomo said the group was never part of the deal.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/03/pirates-kill-four-soldiers-in-creek-attack-army/

Diamond bank moves to declare Offor bankrupt over N2bn debt

March 4, 2012 by Adelani Adepegba

Diamond Bank Plc has begun moves to declare an oil magnate, Mr. Emeka Offor, bankrupt following an alleged N2bn debt owed by his company, Chrome Oil Services.

According to a document obtained by SUNDAY PUNCH, the bank had granted a series of loans to Chrome oil which amounted to N750m, but the firm defaulted in the payment of the facility which had accrued to over N2bn by December, 2011.

Investigations further showed that the oil firm allegedly reneged on its promises to pay the loan contrary to the agreement it entered with the bank, before it was granted the facility.

According to the bank, after repeated demands to pay the debt, then in excess of N1.3bn, the company in October, 2006 made a proposal to the bank to pay N750m as final settlement within 12 months, through monthly instalments of N62.5m with effect from December, 2010.

"The bank accepted the offer on the condition that if the company failed to abide by the monthly payment agreement, the concession granted it would be cancelled and it would be liable to repay the total outstanding sum, including the interest suspended.

"It also threatened to sell the company's property in Asokoro, Abuja, which the company mortgaged to it. Offor who personally guaranteed the loan repaid only one instalment of N62. 5m within the 12 months limit that the company set out," the bank said on Friday.

When all efforts by the bank to recover the money failed, it served Offor, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party and his company notice that the concession had been withdrawn and that the quantum of the indebtedness, with interest application that was hitherto suspended, had increased to N2bn.

A letter to Offor dated March 1, 2012, read, "Take notice that as a consequence of your company's unwillingness to repay its debts and in deference to your representation to the bank in the deed of personal guarantee, which you voluntarily signed and which it relied on to grant the loans that led to the debt, we hereby call-in your guarantee by demanding that you personally repay the debt within seven days from the date of the letter, failing which the bank will commence steps to declare you bankrupt for inability to repay your debts, to enable a liquidator to be appointed over your assets for it to recover its funds."

Offor could not be reached on Friday as he did not respond to several calls and a text message sent to his phone by our correspondent.

The text read, "Sir, I will like to get your comment on the moves by Diamond Bank to declare you bankrupt over a N2bn debt."

Odidigborigbo of Africa
On March 4, 2012 ·

By Adenrele Animasaun, London
“Real happiness is cheap enough, yet how dearly we pay for its counterfeit” – Hosea Ballow.
In a packed courtroom Ibori, dressed in a dark grey suit and black shirt, appeared in the dock to enter ten guilty pleas to fraud, money laundering and conspiracy on what was due to be the first day of a 12-week trial.
His wife, his mistress and his sister were all jailed for five years each for money laundering offences following earlier trials. Last March, Gohil, 46, described as Ibori’s London-based lawyer, was jailed for seven years for his role in the scam.
Attempts will be made to confiscate as much of Ibori’s money and assets as possible so that they can be returned to Nigeria. The Met’s Detective Inspector Paul Whatmore said: ‘It is always rewarding for anyone working on a proceeds of corruption case to know that the stolen funds they identify will eventually be returned to some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in the world.’

*James Ibori
Former Delta State Governor James Ibori(Odidigborigbo of Africa) has now pleaded guilty to all the charges of corruption and money-laundering levelled against him in London. This is the ‘best option’ for him as suggested by his well-paid lawyers instead of wasting time and resources to prosecute him.
Any bitter lesson for Nigerian leaders who are still looting and keeping the stolen funds in foreign banks? Is James Ibori paying the ultimate price for not supporting Dr Goodluck Jonathan’s political dream? Ibori’s accomplices are still serving their years behind UK bars and it is just impossible for the British Judge to set James Ibori free despite the un-deniable and concrete evidences of money-laundering.
All our massive wealth saved abroad in private bank accounts is enough to reduce the hardship and poverty in Nigeria only if our leaders are not ‘wickedly selfish’. Who is the next ‘execu-thief’ to go down like James Ibori? Many corrupt politicians and looters are still walking as ‘free men and women’ in Nigeria because they are ‘untouchables’. Nigeria is richly blessed with abundant natural and human resources but majority of Nigerians are still ‘neck-deep’ in chronic poverty.
For James Ibori -the time has come for those whose sole desire is to get to the seat of power to steal and pillage the coffers with impunity. Wake up and smell the coffee – IT WILL BE YOU SOON AND YOU WILL BE RIDICULED home and abroad AND WE WILL TAKE BACK YOUR SPOILS and ill gotten funds. YOUR CHILDREN WILL BE ASHAMED AND YOU AND YOUR RELATIVES WILL HIDE FOR GOOD.
Chinese mode of eradicating corruption should be adopted in Nigeria if we really committed to put an end to lootingcracy. If it is in China, proved looter would be executed in his/her family home and none of their lineage would ever serve in exalted office.
Nigerians never had a leader instead we’ve always been led by scumbags…… I hope very politician rogue should be scrutinized before contesting for any political post otherwise the rogues embarrass our great nation and the hard working poor citizens.
This is the time to ask our parliaments questions; both national and state parliaments, what their main duties are? Why are we paying huge amount of money from the reserves for service not rendered? For eight years under their watch one person stole this amount and it only took months for foreign countries to detect the act. The national assembly should be disbanded if they can’t make laws that would plug these loopholes: if they are not doing their job effectively or they are not doing it at all.
Once a convict ,always a convict. Thank God Ibori is not being convicted in Nigeria. They would have asked him to take a bow and the next thing hold a thanksgiving service and life continues. Everyday for the thief, one day for the owner.
Very shameful for unborn generation! Is it not an act of incurable madness for Nigerian leaders to steal money and keep them in foreign banks? Why not use the wealth to create employment, build modern computerised schools/hospitals, and provide good roads and all good things of life for fellow Nigerians? UK govt might NOT release all the Ibori’s stolen money!
Less we forget, James Ibori was implicated in the death of veteran politician and former NADECO financier, Chief Alfred ‘Osibakoro’ Rewane.
Falling and falling of Ibori
· He was found guilty of stealing goods from the Wickes store he worked at in Ruislip in 1990.
· He was later convicted of handling a stolen credit card.
· He was voted governor of Delta State in 1999, winning re-election four years later.
· He systematically stole from the public purse, taking kickbacks and transferring state funds to his own bank accounts around the world.
· He helped family members, including his wife Theresa, sister Christine Ibori-Ibie, his mistress Udoamaka Oniugbo and Mayfair lawyer, Bhadresh Gohil.
· He bought six properties in London, including a six-bedroom house with indoor pool in Hampstead for £2.2million and a flat opposite the nearby Abbey Road recording studios.
· There was a property in Dorset, a £3.2million mansion in South Africa and further real estate in Nigeria.
· He owned a fleet of armoured Range Rovers costing £600,000 and a £120,000 Bentley.
· On one of his trips to London he bought a Mercedes Maybach for more than £300,000 at a dealer on Park Lane and immediately shipped it to South Africa.
· He bought a private jet for £12million, spent £126,000 a month on his credit cards and ran up a £15,000 bill for a two-day stay at the Lanesborough hotel in London.
· Scotland Yard began its investigation into Ibori after officers found two computer hard drives in his London office that revealed his criminality.

VIDEO: The Thief In Government House‏
A former Nigerian state governor - who once worked as a cashier in a Ruislip hardware store - has pleaded guilty to embezzling millions of US dollars of Nigerian public funds following a ground breaking investigation by the Metropolitan Police Service's Proceeds of Corruption Unit.

James Ibori, 49 (4.8.62) - an ex-governor of Nigeria's oil-rich Delta State with presidential aspirations - siphoned off an estimated US$250million of state funds, that should have been used to improve the life of his electorate, for his personal use.

The money was lavished on a portfolio of luxury houses, fleets of top-of-the-range cars, fees at some of the UK's most expensive boarding schools, first class travel, expensive hotels and even a US$20 million private jet. His monthly credit card bills alone amounted to around US$200,000 in personal spending.

Today (27 February) at Southwark Crown Court he pleaded guilty to ten offences relating to conspiracy to launder funds from Delta State, substantive counts of money laundering and one count of obtaining a money transfer by deception and fraud.

He is remanded in custody for sentencing at a future date.


Please enjoy the video:




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lghwXiBdLJs

Nigerian COCAINE dealer, Adegboyega Adeniji, jailed for 3[i][/i][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][/font]0 years

http://www.usafricaonline.com/2012/03/03/nigerian-cocaine-dealer-adegboyega-adeniji-jailed-for-30-years/



http://www.usafricaonline.com/2012/03/03/nigerian-cocaine-dealer-adegboyega-adeniji-jailed-for-30-years/

Why we can’t build refinery in Nigeria-Shell
On March 2, 2012 · In News 3:00 pmTweet

Mr Malcolm Brinded, the outgoing Executive Director of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), says the company cannot build a refinery in Nigeria because there are surplus refineries across the world.

Brinded, who is in-charge of the Upstream International unit of the company, made the statement in an interview with the State House correspondents, after a farewell visit to President Goodluck Jonathan at the State House.

The out-going Shell chief in Nigeria, who led a delegation to the State House, Abuja, said rather than build new refineries, the company was divesting from those it had interest in around the world.

“With respect to downstream, two comments there. Shell is divesting from refineries all over the world because there is a surplus of refineries; we no longer own any refineries even in the United Kingdom.

“I will also say because of the surplus of refineries available in a way, one has to look very closely whether building new refineries is a good investment for anyone not just for Shell but for countries involved.

“In today’s world, not looking at the past but where we are today, there is surplus of refinery capacity which essentially means many refineries in the world run at a loss.

“Which also means one can get refined products back again and pay very little for it to be refined,’’ he said.

Brinded said that building refineries was no longer profitable and that informed the company’s decision to invest in the gas sector.

According to him, Shell would continue to invest in the development of the gas sector, adding: “I do believe that investment in the downstream sector, especially gas sector in Nigeria, as I touched on, is very important.

“Nigeria has huge resources of gas that have yet to be unlocked and the potential to add to that gas not only in power but in other ways in the country.

“I think there are a lot of opportunities for Nigeria and for Shell in Nigeria and the potential much more than to consider refining.’’

Comments are moderated. Please keep them clean and brief.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/03/why-we-cant-build-refinery-in-nigeria-shell/

Travel Warning
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Print
Email
Nigeria
February 29, 2012
The Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the risks of travel to Nigeria, and continues to recommend that U.S. citizens avoid all but essential travel to the Niger Delta states of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers; the Southeastern states of Abia, Edo, Imo; the city of Jos in Plateau State, Bauchi and Borno States in the northeast; and the Gulf of Guinea because of the risks of kidnapping, robbery, and other armed attacks in these areas. Violent crime committed by individuals and gangs, as well as by persons wearing police and military uniforms, remains a problem throughout the country. Based on safety and security risk assessments, the U.S. Mission requires advance permission and justification as mission-essential for U.S. official travel to all Northern Nigerian states, in addition to the locations listed above. This Travel Warning replaces the Travel Warning for Nigeria dated January 12, 2012, to update information on recent violent activity, and to inform U.S. citizens that the U.S. Mission to Nigeria has placed restrictions on all travel by U.S. government personnel to Northern Nigeria.

On December 31, 2011, the President of Nigeria declared a state of emergency in 15 local government areas in the states of Borno, Niger, Plateau, and Yobe. According to the Government of Nigeria, the declaration of a State of Emergency was in response to recent activities of extremist groups. The State of Emergency gives the government sweeping powers to search and arrest without warrants.

On January 9, residents of Nigeria participated in a national strike in protest of the government’s elimination of a gasoline subsidy, causing the closure of businesses throughout the country. Several large protests took place across Nigeria and some clashes with security forces resulted in deaths. Authorities established curfews of varying lengths in the cities of Kaduna (Kaduna State), Kano (Kano State), Oyo (Oyo State), Potiskum (Yobe State), Yola (Adamawa State), and Gusau (Zamfara state). Both international and domestic air travel were disrupted during the strike which ended on January 13.

On February 7, the extremist group known as Boko Haram claimed responsibility for three simultaneous attacks on Nigerian military targets across Kaduna in which dozens were killed and injured. In addition, eleven people were killed during a January 22 gun battle and bomb attacks in Bauchi, Bauchi State. On January 20, elements of Boko Haram claimed responsibility for multiple explosive attacks and assaults against various Nigerian government facilities in Kano. The attacks lasted several hours and caused numerous casualties. Boko Haram has continued attacks in January and February, focusing on Borno, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, Kano, and Kaduna states, and the group continues to publicly threaten attacks throughout northern Nigeria.

On January 6, gunmen reportedly killed 12 worshippers at a church in Jineta-Yoli, Adamawa State. Gunmen also attacked gatherings in Gombe, Gombe State and Mubi, Adamawa on January 5, reportedly killing 28 people. An explosive device was thrown into an Arabic-Koranic school in Sapele, Delta State on December 28, 2011 injuring seven people. Boko Haram also took credit for church attacks on December 25, in Niger, Plateau, and Yobe States that killed dozens. On August 26, a suicide bombing at the UN Headquarters in Abuja killed 25 people and wounded more than 80 other individuals. This attack was the first against an international organization and the fourth bombing in Abuja during the past year. It followed a similar bombing against the Nigerian Police Force Headquarters ten weeks earlier that killed five individuals on June 16. These bombings were in addition to bombings elsewhere in Borno, Yobe, Gombe, Adamawa, and Plateau States throughout the last year.

The risk of additional attacks against Western targets in Nigeria remains high. In December 2010, a bomb exploded near an Abuja “fish bar,” killing several people and injuring many others. Also in December, several explosive devices detonated in Jos, Plateau State, and alleged members of an extremist group attacked police and others in Maiduguri, Borno State, leading to significant casualties. In October 2010, two car bombs detonated in downtown Abuja during Independence Day celebrations, killing ten and wounding many others. Since March 2010, five improvised explosive devices (IEDs) have detonated in the Niger Delta region, causing one to three reported casualties in each case.

In September 2010, over 150 members of Boko Haram escaped from prison in Bauchi, some of whom now may be participating in attacks in other parts of the country. A loose alliance of militant groups in the Niger Delta region has conducted a number of attacks against oil installations and posts of the Nigerian military's Joint Task Force (JTF), which had attempted to close the militant camps. In June 2009, the Federal Government of Nigeria offered unconditional amnesty to any militants willing to surrender their arms and accept the government's amnesty program. While almost all major militant leaders accepted the offer and the amnesty remains in effect, the potential for violence and the risk of kidnapping remains, with violent incidents involving "ex-militants" continuing.

Kidnappings continue to be another security concern. In January 2012, a U.S. citizen was kidnapped from his vehicle in Warri, Delta State and his security guard was killed. Assailants kidnapped a German citizen, also in January 2012, along a road where he was reportedly working in Kano, Kano State. In 2011, there were five reported kidnappings of U.S. citizens in Nigeria. The most recent occurred in November when two U.S. citizens, along with a Mexican national, were taken hostage in international waters off the Nigerian coast and held captive for over two weeks in the Niger Delta. Others have occurred in Lagos and Imo States. Also, a British national and an Italian national were kidnapped in Kebbi state in May 2011. Since January 2009, over 140 foreign nationals have been kidnapped in Nigeria, including seven U.S. citizens since November 2010. Six foreign nationals were killed during these abductions, while two U.S. citizens were also killed in separate kidnapping attempts in Port Harcourt in April 2010. Local authorities and expatriate businesses operating in Nigeria assert that the number of kidnapping incidents throughout Nigeria remains underreported.

Travel by foreigners to areas considered by the Nigerian government to be conflict areas without prior consultation and coordination with local security authorities is not recommended. The Nigerian government may view such travel as inappropriate and potentially illegal, and it may detain violators. In 2008, Nigerian authorities detained six U.S. citizens, including journalists, on six occasions, in areas where militant groups had operated. The Nigerian government interrogated these U.S. citizens for lengthy periods of time without bringing any formal charges before ultimately deporting them. Journalists are required to obtain a special accreditation from the Ministry of Information prior to traveling to conflict areas in the Niger Delta region states. This special accreditation is in addition to the general press accreditation and a valid Nigerian visa which are required to conduct such activities elsewhere in Nigeria.

Many foreign oil companies operating in the Niger Delta states of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers have implemented “essential travel only” policies for their personnel. The U.S. Mission requires advance permission for U.S. government travel to these states, as well as the states of Abia, Edo, and Imo, the city of Jos in Plateau State, and Bauchi and Borno States, given the safety and security risk assessments and the U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate General's limited ability to provide assistance to individuals detained by Nigerian authorities in these states. Due to recent violent activity, the U.S. Mission has temporarily restricted all travel by U.S. government personnel to Northern Nigeria. All travel requires advance permission and justification as mission-essential for U.S. official travel to all Northern Nigerian states. U.S. citizens who are resident in these states are advised to review their personal security in light of the information contained in this Travel Warning.

Nigeria is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious society in which different ethnic and religious groups often live in the same area. The States of Bauchi, Borno, and Plateau have experienced violence in the past year exacerbating tensions along those lines.

Violent crime committed by individuals and gangs, as well as by some persons wearing police and military uniforms, is an ongoing problem throughout the country, especially at night. U.S. citizen visitors and residents have experienced armed muggings, assaults, burglary, carjacking, rape, kidnappings, and extortion - often involving violence. Home invasions remain a serious threat, with armed robbers accessing even guarded compounds by scaling perimeter walls; following, or tailgating, residents or visitors arriving by car into the compound; and subduing guards and gaining entry into homes or apartments. Armed robbers in Lagos also access waterfront compounds by boat. U.S. citizens, as well as Nigerians and other expatriates, have been victims of armed robbery at banks and grocery stores and on airport roads during both daylight and evening hours. Law enforcement authorities usually respond slowly or not at all, and provide little or no investigative support to victims. U.S. citizens, Nigerians, and other expatriates have experienced harassment and shakedowns at checkpoints and during encounters with Nigerian law enforcement officials. Traveling outside of major cities after dark is not recommended due to both crime and road safety concerns. There are regular reports of piracy off the coast of Nigeria in the Gulf of Guinea. Armed gangs have boarded both commercial and private vessels to rob travelers. The Nigerian Navy has limited capacity to respond to criminal acts at sea.

U.S. citizens who travel to or reside in Nigeria are strongly advised to enroll through the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). U.S. citizens without Internet access may enroll directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By enrolling, you make it easier for the U.S. Embassy or Consulate to contact you in case of emergency.

U.S. citizens should contact the U.S. Embassy in Abuja or the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos for up-to-date information on any restrictions. The U.S. Embassy in Abuja is open Monday - Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The U.S. Consulate General in Lagos is open Monday - Thursday from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Friday 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The U.S. Embassy in Abuja can be reached by telephone, including after-hours emergencies, at +234(9) 461-4000. The U.S. Consulate General in Lagos can be reached by telephone, including after-hours emergencies at +234(1) 460-3600 or +234 (1) 460-3400.

Current information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada, or a regular toll line at-1-202-501-4444 for callers from other countries. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). You can also stay up to date by bookmarking our Bureau of Consular Affairs website, which contains the current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts as well as the Worldwide Caution. Follow us on Twitter and the Bureau of Consular Affairs page on Facebook as well

National Power Training Institute of Nigeria
federal Ministry of power

NAPTIN Graduate Skills Development Programme




Nigerian Graduates are invited to apply for the NAPTIN Graduate Skills Development Programme for Careers in the Power industry

The National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN) is calling for Nigerian graduates who want a career in the Nigerian power industry after privatisation to apply for one year graduate skills development programmes which will improve their potential for rewarding careers in the electricity sector.

The National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN) is an autonomous body of the Federal Government of Nigeria, operating under the aegis of the Federal Ministry of Power. It was established on 23rd March 2009 and commenced full operation in September, 2009. The primary purpose for its establishment is to provide training for power sector personnel and coordinate training activities in the sector. In pursuit of this mandate, NAPTIN took over the management of the PHCN regional training centres. Through the Headquarters in Abuja and the eight Regional Training Centres around the country, NAPTIN delivers training on various power sector courses to a wide range of clients.

NAPTIN has identified the skills that will be needed by the various power companies in the power industry after privatisation and there are needs for skilled workers at all levels and in all categories, including in generation, transmission, distribution, instrumentation and controls, safety, systems, turbines, project management, communication technologies etc.

NAPTIN is seeking to equip the industry with the skills that will be needed and are now looking to train 500 graduates under the Graduate Skills Development programmes. University graduates who want a career in the power sector after privatisation are invited to apply for the one year skills development programmes. These will equip applicants with the necessary and essential skills for the potential jobs and careers in the power industry. NAPTIN is particularly interested in applications from engineering graduates for the whole range of technical careers.

You will be joining us at the most exciting time of change in Nigeria’s power industry. We are looking for well qualified and talented people with good technical skills, who are passionate about change and who love electricity.

By the end of the programme you will have a general overview of the business, a detailed understanding of a specific function, and the skills and qualifications needed to take the next step in your career in the privatised Nigerian electricity industry.

Requirements and Applications
Applicants will need to be University graduates and have completed their National Youth Service Corps programme, and will be asked to show evidence of these during the application process. Applicants will need to fund the cost of the programme and also their accommodation and subsistence but they may be able to find sponsorship, for example from their State, Local Government, companies or well meaning Nigerians, or be self-funding.

In the first instance, applicants can apply through the online application which will be available on the NAPTIN website: www.naptin.org.ng or by sending a CV and covering letter, quoting where you heard about the programme, to:

Graduate Programme,
NAPTIN Corporate Headquarters,
Plot 1124 Eldoret Close,
Off Aminu Kano Cresent, Wuse II, Abuja,
P.M.B. 596 Garki, Abuja.

Each application will be supported by payment of an application fee of N2,500.00 which may be made by either Bank Draft made payable to NAPTIN or by direct transfer to NAPTIN Account number, at any Guarantee Trust Bank in case of on-line application. Applications without the required payment will not be processed. Please quote the transaction details on the application.


SIGNED
MANAGEMENT

funny huh! that "Yoruba pervert, " is not a Nigerian? I like that

US arraigns Nigerian nurse for handling patient
February 6, 2012 by Agency Reporter 6 Comments
A former Wishard nursing assistant accused of handling a patient and videotaping it appeared in an Indianapolis court on Tuesday. The judge appointed a public defender and entered a “not guilty” plea on his behalf.
But police said the evidence against Folajuwani Ajayi pointed to guilt. His immigration status, though, could help him avoid jail term.
Ajayi is scheduled to face trial for one felony and two misdemeanor charges on April 2.
But court documents indicated while working at Wishard Memorial Hospital, the certified nursing assistant fondled an unconscious inmate being treated in the hospital’s detention area and videotaped it.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Ajayi’s cell phone video showed “a black male remove the clothing material around the female patient” and fondled her genital area.
Police said a fumbling Ajayi accidentally video-taped his Wishard-issued ID card that hung around his neck. The court document said the video showed Ajayi’s name and the title care tech.
“It’s always disturbing when someone in a position of trust violates that trust,” said Eric Schmadeke, Marion County deputy prosecutor.
Ajayi holds resident alien status. Police and prosecutors have alerted Immigration and Customs Enforcement leaders.
But Schmadeke said investigation was only beginning.
There were 40,000 pictures and 17 videos on Ajayi’s cell phone. Investigators are trying to identify the women in every image, find them and interview them. If and when they do, Ajayi could face many more charges.

STUDENT WHO OBTAINED 0% IN AN EXAM

But he didn't answer any question wrong!

Q1. In which battle did Napoleon die?
A: his last battle

Q2: Where was the declaration of Independence signed?
A: at the bottom of the page.

Q3: River Kanji flows in which state?
A : liquid

Q4: What is the main reason for failure?
A: exams

Q5: What is the main reason for divorce?
A: Marriage

Q6: What can you never eat for breakfast?
A: Lunch & dinner

Q7: What looks like half an apple?
A: the other half

Q8: If you throw a red stone into the blue sea, what will it become?
A: it will simply become wet

Q9: How can a man go eight days without sleeping?
A: No problem, he sleeps only at night.

Q10: How can you lift an elephant with one hand?
A: you will never find an elephant that has only one hand

Q11: If you had 3 apples and 4 oranges in one hand and 4 apples and 3 oranges in other hand, what would you have?
A: very large hands.

Q12: If it took eight men ten hours to build a wall, how long would it take four men to build it?
A: No time at all, the wall is already built.

Q13: How can you drop a raw egg onto a concrete floor without cracking it?
A: Anyway you want, concrete floors are very hard to crack.

What a shameful way of making a statement by MEND; I support any form of peaceful protest by any group so long as innocent lives and properties are not affected or wasted. Destroying government properties or blowing up pipe lines will only cost Nigerian Govt. and innocent taxpayers monies that would have been channeled to other meaningful purpose. For crying out loud blowing up any govt property will create another avenue for the corrupt politicians to syphon money and enrich themselves and their cronies.
It's a shame that my father's land has become so ungovernable that any dick and harry can just wake up one morning and form a rebel movement and claim recognisance. Shame unto the selfish politicians that can not create jobs and provide security for their citizens. Why can't those charlatans in the name of Boko Haram, MEND, etc claim importance when you have approximately six to nine thousand police protecting a whole State in Nigeria; that's less than the number of law enforcement agencies in one county (Local Govt) in California and California alone has 58 counties so do the math. GEJ should better think twice and address this unimaginable unemployment rate, corruption and security issues facing Nigeria before the whole nation will become "the gladiator school" where it;s OK to do anything you have to do to survive. Will always Love Nija4Life

Thank you for your advice; it's very helpful to me and I really appreciate it. I just followed the step by step instructions you recommended to reply your message; and I think it’s very easy and worth it. In response to your question on “BTW, what is a “check message text”? Well, it’s a SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) Authentication- where you simply check your mail before sending since many networks either block unknown senders or just filter some mails to junk instead of inbox. Hope I clarified my self a little better. Peace always!

carry Go

Good one

Still new to the forum, need help figuring out how to respond to a particular person. I tried responding to a post but couldn't find a reply botton next to the senders note. Also when I tried sendig a "check message text" but it posted my text at the bottom of all the discussions. Please any suggestions will be highly appreciated.

Thank you

Happy New Year to Nairalanders!
Borrowing the words of Sydney Smith, “Resolve to make at least one person happy every day, and then in ten years you may have made three thousand, six hundred and fifty persons happy, or brightened a small town by your contribution to the fund of general enjoyment.”
I have been enjoying Nairaland forum for quite sometime before deciding to join the forum this year 2012. So welcome the Nairaland newest member of the year and rookie of the year 2012 .Truth4life