₦airaland Forum

LewsTherin:
Do you mean the French Embassy is now handling this in Lagos? I had a business meeting in London and Amsterdam in may. After getting my British visa, I applied for the shengen visa first week of may. After 3 weeks of delays, I was forced to withdraw my application so that at least I meet the appointment in London. Thanks to the Belgian embassy, I landed London the evening of the day my partners left. I missed BOTH meetings and just wasted my time flying to the UK. Plus the flight to Abuja to retrieve my passport.

I was hoping to go back in October but with all I am seeing on this thread, I am not sure I want to waste my time with the Belgians. But if the French are handling it in Lagos, then I see a possibility of going to Amsterdam in October

Yes the French Embassy in Lagos handles for all applicants from the South but I think there is a caveat that after submission, you will still need to go to Abuja for your biometrics if you are a first time visitor. Just to be sure, you can make further inquiries in Lagos about the process. Ah, but from your experience, it looks like the Belgian Embassy have long been this inefficient? Not a good one at all! Very unacceptable and inexcusable. I dont know why Nigeria which hosts Dutch interests like Shell and Nigerian Breweries etc cannot have a full-fledged Embassy to directly handle full consular and visa services.

My friend finally withdrew his visa application after waiting for 10 weeks without any feedback on his Netherlands visa application. They returned his passports with all supporting documents and hurriedly gave him a 2-page letter written in Dutch. They expect him to find an interpreter to decode the message. He said someone else had earlier withdrawn his own but that one had a rejection stamped hurriedly on the passport before it was returned to him -he waited for 2 hours. I tell you its real drama and suspense!

Our consumption of cowhide, popularly known as “ponmo’’, processed with burnt tyres, can lead to kidney failure and cancer, an expert, Dr. Kehinde Bello, has disclosed.

Bello, a medical officer with Adamawa German Medical Centre, Yola, told our correspondent , in Jos , that consuming the delicacy could also affect consumers’ livers and the central nervous system.

“Most butchers try to cut cost; instead of using fire wood to burn the hairs off the cow skin, they use tyres which they see as faster and cheaper.

“This attitude is dangerous because the health implications are very massive since these tyres contain heavy metals such as lead, mercury, carbon monoxide and conium.

“These combined chemicals are toxic and hides processed with them absorb them; consumers of such hides ingest them and this is extremely dangerous to humans,’’ she said.

She said that with constant consumption of the hide processed by such means, the heavy metals accumulate in the system, become excess and could lead to kidney failure when the foreign toxic exceeds the body’s toxic level.

“It does not happen suddenly; it takes a little while and could also lead affect the liver, the central nervous system and the Intelligence quotient of a child,’’ she explained.

Bello said that aside the direct consumption of hides, individuals could suffer similar effect of burnt tyres if it rains as the residues are washed into the soil and into various water sources.

“When such waters are consumed by humans, the effect will be the same as if the individual consumed the cowhide processed by the use of tyre,” she explained.

Bello further disclosed that the burning process also leads to air pollution which could trigger asthma attacks in asthmatic patients.

“It could also lead to serious respiratory infections, especially in children, due to the thick smoke and smell it produces,’’ she said.

The expert urged concerned authorities and stakeholders to take a special interest in the manner cow hide was being processed in view of the large number of persons consuming it.

“I will suggest that a special team be set up to visit the abattoirs to halt the trend of processing edibles with tyres since the health effects are enormous,’’ she said
http://pointblanknews.com/pbn/news/ponmo-processed-with-burnt-tyre-will-destroy-your-liver-expert/

Clearly getting Schengen visa through the French Embassy is a lot easier than through Belgium Embassy with intent to visit Netherlands. Ladies and gents have had harrowing experiences at the Belgium Embassy in Abuja.

Quite lengthy but I read it and got inspired! Thanks.

I hear the Embassy is having network issues? Hello. Anyone in the house?

OP So the Etiebet bothers are Donald Dick Etiebet, Atuekong Don Etiebet and Donatus? Please can you clarify?

Acting National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Hajia Amina Bala Zakari, whose tenure as national commissioner ended, will remain in office based on her new appointment while a National Commissioner, Dr. Abdulkadir Oniyingi from Kwara State (North-Central) bowed out from office with 16 Resident Electoral Commissioners, RECs.
Oniyingi’s tenure and that of Zakari ended on Tuesday.
According to INEC’s Deputy Director of Publicity, Mr. Nick Dazang, “there is no confusion over the position of Zakari in INEC, having been named the acting chairman of the commission by President Muhammadu Buhari.”
Dazang said that Hajia Zakari will remain at the helm of affairs of INEC pending the appointment of a substantive chairman by the Federal Government.
“There should be no controversy over the appointment of the Acting Chairman by the President because in Section 153 to 159 of the Nigerian Constitution, the President has the power to appoint the INEC Chairman subject to ratification by the Senate.
“There is a letter by the Head of Service appointing Zakari as the Acting Chairman pending the appointment of a substantive chairman and this is already in the public domain,” Dazang said.
The affected 16 RECs are Ahmad Makama, Bauchi State; Haliru Tambuwal, Sokoto State; Abdullahi Danyaya, Niger; Abubakar Wara, Kebbi; Mr. Mike Igini, Delta; Prof. Selina Oko, Ebonyi; Hussaini Ahmed Mahuta, Katsina; Dr. A.L. Ogunmola, Oyo; Alh. Ibrahim Zarewa, Kano; Prof. Tukur Sa’ad, Adamawa; Dr. Emmanuel Onucheyo, Kogi; Kassim Gana Gaidam, Yobe; Mr. Timothy Ibitoye, Osun; Ambassador Rufus Akeju, Lagos; Prof. C.E. Onukaogu, Abia and Ibrahim Bagobiri Marafa, Zamfara.
Nigerian Pilot recalls that INEC witnessed a change in leadership when Prof. Attahiru Jega left office after his five-year tenure and handed over to Ambassador Mohammed Wali but was immediately replaced by Zakari by President Buhari.
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP objected to her emergence and even accused the President appointing his daughter as the INEC boss.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja recently, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, said the party was disturbed by the development in INEC where President Buhari, who knew all along that the immediate past INEC chairman would be leaving office by June 30, had to wait for him to hand over to one of the national commissioners only to reverse it immediately, thereby injecting bad blood in the commission.
Those against her appointment led by the opposition PDP, had argued that she cannot be trusted to be fair to all parties, especially during elections, because of her link to partisan politicians. Obviously worried by the opposition against her stay in office beyond July when she is due to retire, some 13 political parties were said to have been mobilised on to shore up support for her.

- See more at: http://nigerianpilot.com/zakari-stays-as-17-inec-commissioners-end-tenure/#sthash.j51tdnoM.dpuf

The Nigerian army has appointed Brigadier General Musa Yusuf to take over the elite Guard’s Brigade in Abuja from Brigadier General Anthony Omozoje who was redeployed to command the 14th Brigade in Ohafia, Abia State.

At a handing over ceremony yesterday in Abuja, the new commandant of the Guard’s Brigade, General Yusuf stated his commitment to ensuring the safety of President Muhammadu Buhari and his family.
“Well for now we are prepared to face all the challenges, we know the major challenges in the country,” General Yusuf said, adding that “on the issues of insurgency in and around Abuja, there are arrangements in place to make sure the city is secured.”
Speaking earlier, the out-gone commander of the Brigade, Brigadier General Omozoje said there was never a dull moment in the brigade, as the task is very demanding which requires a lot of commitment, discipline and sacrifice.
http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/daily/index.php/news-menu/news/60582-army-appoints-new-guard-s-brigade-commander

freddie2014:
Hi Op,

Read your story and am WOW!!!

We applied for French visa, using the Vsf office same date you posted this topic, I had been pre-informed by friends about the annoying delay from the embassy. I called the Embassy and asked them that i heard that they do delay in issuing applicant visa if its true and if i should apply, They just asked that different strokes for different folks and if i choose to apply i should go ahead.

We did send in our application and it took exactly 15 days and the visa's were out. so i come dey wonder when i read your story ooo.

Just put am for prayer too!

Seems the French Embassy gives more favourable and speedy response. The Belgium Embassy is something else altogether! But like you said, prayer is the key because with God nothing shall be impossible.

eddymogul:
Good evening members in this forum, I applied for a belgium tourist visa on the 16th Dec 2013, it took them 32 days to refuse and return my application, a letter of refusal was sent along with my document asking me to appeal, but I didn't make an appeal since I have just have few days left for me cos I didn't really understand the reason of the refusal, I applied again for a business visa visa netherland embassy which belgium treated on the 19th of may I just got my application today took them 40 days to get back to me, still my application was refuse, the annoying part of it is that the refusal letter was written in dutch, when I tried using the Google translator, seems is the same issue why they refuse me at belgium embassy 2 years ago is the same reason I was refuse this year, I don't just understand should I stop applying for schengen visa or I should make an appeal, since is the same reason the refuse me the first time and the second time.

You didnt disclose the reasons why you were refused so not sure if we can be of much help but I dont think it would be easy if you try the third time especially since you apparently havent resolved the issue and you've gotten 2 rejections now.

Seems everyone has gotten their visas sorted out? My friend will withdraw his won application this Friday because its been 10 weeks (2 months plus) and no feedback.

Andrew Itsekiri, the lawyer of Gordon Obuah, former President Goodluck Jonathan’s chief security officer, has asked the Director General of the SSS, Lawan Daura, to either charge Mr. Obuah to court or release him without further delay.

Mr. Obuah is being detained by the State Security Service although the service has yet to officially speak about the arrest.

In a statement, Mr. Itsekiri said Mr. Obuah is held without a charge and his continued detention by the SSS is placing life-threatening strain on his health.

He said Mr. Obuah, who is diabetic and has a serious case of high blood pressure is being “sadistically” denied water, food and life sustaining medications.

Mr. Itsekiri also said family members and friends of Mr. Obuah have been prevented from seeing him.

Mr. Itsekiri explained that Mr. Obuah’s ordeal began a week before he was detained by the SSS. He said Mr. Daura told his client to report daily to the SSS headquarters for questioning over an allegation, the nature of which was never disclosed to him.

He said he was eventually detained last Thursday after he showed up at the SSS office for the daily questioning. Mr. Itsekiri explained that before Mr. Obuah was finally detained, Mr. Daura had asked him if Mr. Obuah wanted him to personally investigate him or delegate a junior officer to do so.

Since the news of the arrest and detention of Mr. Obuah broke last week, the SSS has yet to issue a statement on why he is being held.

The SSS is also investigating the former national security adviser, Sambo Dasuki.

A search was conducted at Mr. Dasuku’s residence in Abuja and his family house in Sokoto simultaneously between Thursday and Friday. The agency later released a statement saying it found sophisticated weapons, exotic armoured cars and other possible incriminating items at Mr. Dasuki’s Abuja residence.

Below is the full statement from Mr Itsekiri:

Call On Lawan Daura, The SSS Director General, To Release Gordon Obuah, Erstwhile CSO To Former President Jonathan Without Delay…

Nigerians should tell Lawan Daura the director general of the SSS to release Mr Gordon Obuah, the immediate past CSO to the former president Jonathan, immediately or to charge him to court if the SSS has any incriminating evidence of commission of crime against him.

We can tell the public categorically that as we write he has not been confronted with any allegation, neither was he given an opportunity to respond to any allegation before he was taken into custody. His ordeal began about a week preceding his eventual arrest last week Thursday when the director general of the SSS Lawan Daura sadistically on a daily basis requested that he should report to the SSS headquarters to respond to allegations known only to Lawan Daura and which he repeatedly failed to disclose to him despite repeated demands by the erstwhile CSO. On each of the 7 days preceding his arrest he would report to he SSS headquarters at about 8am in the morning and released to go back home at about 11pm without being confronted with any allegation.

At a stage Lawan Daura requested from him if he Lawan should investigate the imaginary allegation or if a junior officer should and the consistent response of the erstwhile CSO was for him to at least know the allegation if any to enable him respond. Lawan Daura never confronted him with any petition until he was taken into custody when he reported last Thursday.

As we write this, nobody can access him including family members, friends and his solicitors. Information available presently as we write this, is that he has been deprived of food, water and his medicines and considering that he is diabetic and suffers from serious high blood pressure ,it is clear that the motive of Lawan Daura is to either watch him die in detention and or torture him to admit to crimes he knows nothing about.

Nigerians should advise Lawan Daura to release him immediately or charge him to a Law court if they have any sustainable allegation against him but definitely not to detain him in the Gestapo like fashion that is presently playing out.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/187015-charge-jonathans-cso-to-court-or-release-him-lawyer.html

In his book Peace and Violence in Nigeria, Professor Tekena Tamuno reminds us that when Buhari came to power in January 1984, he was regularly attacked for being “as slow as a tortoise”. Newspaper pundits compared his slow pace to the extremely fast pace with which General Murtala Mohammed hit the ground running when he took over power from General Yakubu Gowon. It turned out that Buhari was not slow; he was planning a blitzkrieg against the corrupt political class that had bankrupted Nigeria.

The Head of State declared that the government was “to all intents and purposes bankrupt.” The person in question was Muhammadu Buhari and the time was October 1984. The statement was a justification for the draconian actions his regime was taking against the political class he succeeded, which he declared to be composed of economic criminals and saboteurs. He detained 475 politicians and businessmen and set up five military tribunals to judge them for corruption. The military, according to Max Siollun, were the prosecutor, judge and jury. The legal principle was that the onus was on the accused to prove their innocence. Within months, the crème de la crème of the Second Republic – Melford Okilo, Abubakar Rimi, Solomon Lar, Bola Ige, Aper Aku, Jim Nwobodo etc. were jailed for 21 years each. The military were not excluded, Colonel Obasa for example was jailed for 22 years when it was discovered that he had 305 Naira in his bank account when he became NYSC director in 1979 and the said account had grown to seven million Naira in December 1983. Suddenly, public opinion turned against Buhari, he was moving too fast and too far. Of course the public opinion was driven by a beleaguered press suffering from the effects of draconian laws that curbed the media and sent many journalists to jail.

It would be recalled that the regime had enacted the infamous Decree No. 4 aimed at stopping the media from “maligning” public officers, irrespective of the veracity of the stories reported. Two journalists of The Guardian, Nduka Irabor and Tunde Thompson had been jailed, and the media and the human rights community were in justified rage against Buhari’s human rights abuses. For many Nigerians, however, jailing corrupt politicians was the right thing to do. Indeed, there can be no doubt that much of the popularity that eventually propelled Buhari to power this year is not unconnected with popular memories linking him to the capacity to deal with corrupt politicians. The more people realised the depth of the corruption of the Jonathan Administration, the more they felt they needed Buhari.


Nigerians are beginning to shout that he is too slow. We should be careful what we pray for; a very fast moving Buhari taking precipitate unlawful action against corruption might not be what we need.

In his book Peace and Violence in Nigeria, Professor Tekena Tamuno reminds us that when Buhari came to power in January 1984, he was regularly attacked for being “as slow as a tortoise”. Newspaper pundits compared his slow pace to the extremely fast pace with which General Murtala Mohammed hit the ground running when he took over power from General Yakubu Gowon. It turned out that Buhari was not slow; he was planning a blitzkrieg against the corrupt political class that had bankrupted Nigeria.

Fast forward thirty years, Muhammadu Buhari is back in power and his immediate assessment is that Nigeria is bankrupt and the Jonathan Administration of mega looters has direct responsibility for the terrible state of affairs. Since assuming power, he has been listening a lot, reading a lot and engaged in little action. Nigerians are beginning to shout that he is too slow. We should be careful what we pray for; a very fast moving Buhari taking precipitate unlawful action against corruption might not be what we need.


I would not be surprised if President Buhari would be wishing that he could set up military tribunals and send all of them to jail. However he knows, and he had said it himself, that the world has since changed. There can be no retroactive laws as he had in 1984. There can be no trial by military tribunals. The legal principle is that all are innocent until proven guilty, and the rule of law is the guiding principle.

I believe that it is not an easy situation for President Buhari. Nigeria has never seen the level of reckless mega corruption displayed by the Jonathan Administration. They stole our national resources with such reckless abandon that suggested they believed they would be thrown out of office at the elections. Yet, the evidence before us is that they believed they would win the elections through free or foul means and yet they stole as if there would be no political tomorrow. Having essentially started by stealing what was in the budget, they graduated to stealing the national income before it even went to the national purse. I would not be surprised if President Buhari would be wishing that he could set up military tribunals and send all of them to jail. However he knows, and he had said it himself, that the world has since changed. There can be no retroactive laws as he had in 1984. There can be no trial by military tribunals. The legal principle is that all are innocent until proven guilty, and the rule of law is the guiding principle. It is, therefore, not surprising that he has been in such deep thought, study and reflection.

Finally, action appeared to have started last week. The all-powerful former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki had his houses raided just two days after leaving office. He was interrogated through the night; monies and arms were reported to have been seized from his domicile. As Col. Dasuki himself said, the high handedness was uncalled for, he should have been invited for questioning and he would have respected the invitation. I was troubled by the press release issued by the Department of State Services (DSS) justifying their high-handed action. They claim to have “credible intelligence linking the immediate past NSA, Mohammed Sambo DASUKI (Col. Rtd.) with alleged plans to commit treasonable felony against the Nigerian State”. The evidence they pointed to include the discovery of twelve new vehicles and seven assault rifles in his house. I have no security training, so I do not know how treasonable felony is executed. All the same, I would be extremely surprised at the feasibility of Col. Sambo Dasuki zooming off in a new SUV carrying riffles to overthrow the regime. We learn from the DSS report that he was still enjoying armed guards from the army, so the existence of the arms might be easily explained.


At this point, President Buhari must explain his anti-corruption strategy to Nigerians and there should be a debate about it. What role, for example, would the anti-corruption agencies paly and how would they be revamped? The possible modes for recovering looted funds should also be debated.

Moving forward, it is very important that investigations into the corrupt deals of the Jonathan Administration follow the rule of law. The investigations must however be done and done thoroughly. Given the extent of the economic crimes and sabotage done by this previous Administration, the investigations must go back to the beginning of its tenure. The monies looted from our treasury must be recovered and used for national development. At this point, President Buhari must explain his anti-corruption strategy to Nigerians and there should be a debate about it. What role, for example, would the anti-corruption agencies paly and how would they be revamped? The possible modes for recovering looted funds should also be debated. President Buhari would also require a competent and principled Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation to anchor the work, which brings us back to the vexed issue of political appointments. President Buhari is a recognised anti-corruption crusader but he cannot do the work alone. He needs a team to guide him away from easy routes that could be booby-trapped and not bear the fruit we are all expecting.
http://blogs.premiumtimesng.com/?p=168197

Only when you are legitimately married to that man or if you are a man, to that woman ... never outside marriage because it is sinful and damns the soul in hell fire, Also, never with a fellow man or fellow woman (homosexuality, sodomy or lesbianism), not with an animal (bestiality) or with self (masturbation)!

President Muhammadu Buhari has given a marching order to the department of state services to strengthen it’s intelligence gathering capability in order to stop the state of suicide bombing in the midst northern part of the country.

The president, according to a source at the intelligence agency office gave the order to the Director General of the DSS, Lawal Daura few days before the multiple suicide bombing in Damaturu Friday during the Eid prayer to mark the end of the Ramadan fast.


Lawal Daura

It would be recalled that since President Buhari took oath of office, ‎more than six hundred persons have been killed by Boko Haram mostly through suicide bombing in different cities in the midst northern parts of the country.

Worried by the development, President t Buhari summoned Lawal Daura to the presidential Villa and reportedly told him to stop the suicide bombing in the country.

A source at the DSS who was privy to the encounter told Vanguard in confidence that the president told the directo General of the service that he appointed him to reposition the service and not to play politics.

“The president t told the DG that he was appointed to provide intelligence on how to stop the killings by the Boko Haram terrorists not to engage in politics. The president was very stern with the DG on his expectations and we believe that the pressure will be extended to personnel very soon” the source who does not want his name in print said.

Vanguard gathered that upon his return from the Presidential Villa, the DG summoned personnel of the Intelligence department and charged them to deliver on the president’s directives.

It was gathered that be cause of the recent mass transfer of personnel of the service by the new DG, most of the service experienced analysts were moved from their desk without replacement and in order to meet the presidential directives, it was also gathered that some of the transferred personnel may be recalled back to the headquarters, a source close to the leadership of the DSS told Vanguard.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/07/buhari-charges-dss-to-stop-suicide-bombing/#sthash.entzHtxZ.dpuf

A retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Adebayo Adeoye, has called for the immediate restoration of the Department of State Services personnel to the Aso Villa to provide close bodyguard protection for President Muhammadu Buhari.

The former DIG noted that the use of soldiers as Presidential guards could expose Buhari to danger and jeopardise his life.

Buhari had on Friday recounted his experience at the Eid praying ground where he was almost mobbed by youths who were anxious to see him, adding that a man with a knife could have attacked him during the tense moment where he managed to escape from the crowd.

Adeoye in a telephone interview on Sunday stated that the incident at the Eid praying ground showed that the soldiers guarding him did not have the requisite experience and skills to protect him.

Adeoye observed that Buhari had to board his official car through the rear left passenger side where the Aide-De-Camp sits, to escape the mob.

The retired police chief said the soldiers guarding the President exposed him to danger by their poor crowd control skills, adding that the DSS operatives would have better protected him because they were trained for such scenarios.

He said, “DSS operatives should be returned to the Villa quickly. They should not endanger the life of the president. Anyone advising the president to use soldiers for his protection didn’t mean well. The president’s life was in danger at the Eid praying ground, he was almost mobbed by the crowd and I hope such a thing would not repeat itself.

“The DSS should be allowed to protect the President, military are not trained for crowd control or close bodyguard protection.

But a former FCT Commissioner of Police, Lawrence Alobi stated that soldiers in mufti could be used as part of the outer layer of presidential security, while the DSS should rather be used for intelligence-gathering.

He disagreed with Adeoye’s stance that the DSS operatives were trained in crowd control, noting that it was only policemen that had such training.

Alobi said, “The President’s security is a collective duty, police should be used for crowd control, DSS should be used for intelligence-gathering and soldiers in mufti could be used for peripheral security because there are different levels of security for the President.

“DSS personnel are not trained for crowd control, only the police can do that. Military intelligence officers in mufti could be used (to protect the President), but soldiers in uniform should not be used, it gives a wrong impression. This is not a military government, so soldiers should not be used, we should not militarise our democracy.”
http://www.punchng.com/news/soldiers-as-presidential-guards-endangers-buharis-life-ex-dig/

Indeed you are correct sir but let me give you a professional advice -your man, Daura who was a member of the APC Presidential campaign security committee chaired by Lt Gen (retired) Dambazzau is now the DGSS, just ask him to identify and urgently get you trained Presidential Body Guards (BGs) and other executive protection operatives from the service -if he likes let all of them be from Katisan State or your village, it doesnt matter but your security arrangement needs help. Those infantry officers from the Army hurriedly trained along with others around you are doing their best but clearly there have been observable lapses due to their limitation which we cant discuss here on a public forum. Please do something, let those troops and operatives provide their usual cover in the outer ring. Surely, not all DSS operatives can be after your life!. I'm sure those that were selected to search ex-NSA Sambo's house for instance, wont be non-professionals or pro-PDP elements. I wish you well in your administration.

Indeed you are correct sir but let me give you a professional advice -your man, Daura who was a member of the APC Presidential campaign security committee chaired by Lt Gen (retired) Dambazzau is now the DGSS, just ask him to identify and urgently get you trained Presidential Body Guards (BGs) and other executive protection operatives from the service -if he likes let all of them be from Katisan State or your village, it doesnt matter but your security arrangement needs help. Those infantry officers from the Army hurriedly trained along with others around you are doing their best but clearly there have been observable lapses due to their limitation which we cant discuss here on a public forum. Please do something, let those troops and operatives provide their usual cover in the outer ring. Surely, not all DSS operatives can be after your life!. I'm sure those that were selected to search ex-NSA Sambo's house for instance, wont be non-professionals or pro-PDP elements. I wish you well in your administration.

A frontline member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zaria, Alhaji Zulkifilu Amfani, yesterday, described the decision of the administration of Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai to eject and demolish houses built on Alhuhuda College, Zaria, as too erratic.

He stated this in Zaria at the weekend where he described the approach to governance by the governor as uncivil and too dictatorial.

“The present Kaduna state government has given people a 21-day ultimatum to vacate their houses built close to Alhuhuda College.

“This approach will only add more enemies to the APC instead of gaining more supporters. My candid advice to the state government is to rethink its decision with a view to solving the problem amicably,” he advocated.

He observed that the area in question has over 1,000 houses already built, “now, where do you expect occupants of these houses to go?”

“There should be diplomacy in approach to issues; we are in a democratic rule not military, hence the need for consideration of human interest,” Amfani noted.

He recalled that it was the same problem that led to disintegration of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

When contacted, an official of Kaduna state government, who pleaded anonymity, said it was not ideal for anyone to build on a school or hospital premises.

“These places are public property and anybody who trespasses should have the belief that one day, government will retrieve its property.

“But I am not responding to the allegation because I have to investigate to actually know what he is talking about,” the source said.
http://leadership.ng/news/447987/demolition-apc-stalwart-describes-el-rufais-government-as-dictatorial

According to Matthew Henry: "if men must be reckoned with in the great day, for every vain and idle word they speak, much more for every vain and idle line they write."

According to Matthew Henry: "if men must be reckoned with in the great day, for every vain and idle word they speak, much more for every vain and idle line they write."

According to Matthew Henry: "if men must be reckoned with in the great day, for every vain and idle word they speak, much more for every vain and idle line they write."

wemite:
God take control

Amen my brother. In times like this, prayer and quiteness is golden. According to Matthew Henry: "if men must be reckoned with in the great day, for every vain and idle word they speak, much more for every vain and idle line they write."

Operatives of the State Security Service, also called DSS, have confirmed that the immediate past National Security Adviser, NSA, Sambo Dasuki, and all persons at his residence, are under house arrest.

Mr. Dasuki’s two houses, one in Abuja and another in Sokoto, have been under siege by SSS operatives since Thursday.

PREMIUM TIMES confirmed that among those inside the Abuja home of the former NSA is a retired Colonel, Bello Fadile, who worked as an aide to Mr. Sambo while he served as NSA.

We gathered that Mr. Fadile was visiting Mr. Sambo when the SSS personnel took over the property.

One of Mr. Fadile’s friends who visited his residence on Friday was informed that the retired colonel has been with the former NSA and he decided to visit the House at No. 13 John Kadiya street, Asokoro district of Abuja.

“When I got to the gate, two persons came out, dressed in a black T shirt with the inscription, DSS, after a while another one wearing a native flowing gown joined us.

“They asked me my mission there and I told them that I wanted to see Mr. Fadile whom I was told was in the House, but they told me that I cannot see him.

“When I insisted on knowing why I cannot see him, the one in DSS Shirt advised me to leave the place because the house is under security siege and that everyone inside is under arrest, he said I should leave immediately,” he said.

A source close to Mr. Sambo informed PREMIUM TIMES that there is presently no electricity in the building, and although he could not confirm if the security personnel cut the power, he said the SSS officials refused to let the occupants of the house to put on the generator.

Meanwhile, a family member of Mr. Fadile told us that he has been under medication and has not taken his drug since yesterday.

“He has not gone out with his drugs, all efforts to let him go and take it were rebuffed by the operatives,” he said.

We also gathered that the DSS agents who left earlier around 6am, reportedly to go and brief their Director General, Lawal Daura, were yet to return.

Also, all the DSS Hilux vehicles that were at the house, have been removed, while only a Silver coloured Toyota Highlander vehicle with Number plate EPE 819AL is parked in front of the House.

When PREMIUM TIMES contacted the Director General of the SSS, Lawal Daura, Friday, he denied knowledge of any siege on the house of the former NSA.

“I am not aware of any siege. What we are doing is celebrating Sallah and not carrying out any siege or house arrest,” he said before cutting the line.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/186843-sss-places-former-nsa-dasuki-bello-fadile-under-house-arrest.html

My brother, lets tell ourselves the hard truth. There are competent people in every tribe and geo-political zone. For example, there must be at least one competent Hausa man, one Yoruba, Igbo etc but it could be in different fields. All "competent" people can’t be from one tribe or zone in a nation of over 100 million so let’s be frank. Our political culture and development (mutual suspicion) for now is such that we should have a measure of federal character but insist on the best or at least the good from anywhere. For instance, I am not convinced that all competent people are exclusively from my State/tribe neither am I convinced that they are from yours or theirs only!

Almost two months after a new government has taken off in Nigeria, the language and tenor of public discourse have continued to be more of campaigns than of actual governance.

The development should worry all citizens.

Almost on a daily basis, the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) still deploy the rhetoric of campaigns, confusing the public rather than rally the country around the new leadership to keep the ship sailing.

The governing party, in particular, should note that it is in the interest of the opposition for the debate to continue on peripheral issues — like who between the outgone administration of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and the new government of President Muhammadu Buhari should take the credit for the recent bailout to states – rather than key items that affect Nigerians and are capable of determining the voters’ decision the next time.

The debate as to whether it was the prudence of Jonathan that left enough money to fill the treasury that President Buhari in one breath said was “virtually empty” and in another was said to be rich enough to provide a bailout, is a mere distraction; one which the PDP will love to stretch to the farthest point of elasticity to the detriment of the APC.

Sadly, the governing party seems to covet the soap box more than the execution arena.

Fortunately, however, it is the duty of the APC to conduct itself as a governing party and not as the opposition. Whining is for the opposition, while action belongs to the party in power.

Why, for instance, would Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole continue to engage in verbal pugilism with former Minister of Finance and Co-ordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala over how well (or badly) the last administration ran the economy?

APC’s spokesman, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has also continued to regale Nigerians with tales of how the former ruling PDP ran the country aground – as if the allegations are new to Nigerians. He recently gave Nigerians prior warning: You will be shocked by the level of rot that the PDP left when we open its can of worms soon.

Of course, the PDP fired back accusing Mohammed of telling barefaced lies.

My argument: The APC is no longer the opposition that should feel content once it has raised an alarm. As the Evil Genius General Ibrahim Babangida would say: The APC should realise that it is not just in office but in power!

Rather than titillate Nigerians with allegations of how badly the PDP performed, the party in power should meticulously gather its evidence, allow anti-graft agencies to package water-tight charges against anybody who has mismanaged the country’s resources, and bring the perpetrators of economic crimes to court.

Governor Oshiomhole, who is already a member of a committee set up by the National Economic Council (NEC) to investigate alleged mismanagement of funds from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) should see the assignment for what it is: A serious national assignment to right past wrongs, if there is any, or commend the previous government if, indeed, it was above board as its spokespersons claim.

An aside: A queer friend wondered aloud if any Nigerian public officer holder who won re-election – including Comrade Governor Oshiomhole – would truly not be guilty of the allegation he threw against Okonjo-Iweala and former President Jonathan. Simply put: How many of the Second-Term governors will come out sparkling clean if their campaign funds were given adversarial investigation? How many of them did not fund their reelection campaign with public funds? And, how clean was the financial war-chest made available to the election campaign of President Buhari? And by whom?

The questions are queer, indeed, and came from my queer friend.

It is in the interest of Nigeria that the financial dealings of the defeated party be probed and anyone found guilty is punished especially at the very top of governance.

That will set a precedent that will guide the incumbent government, knowing full well that in the not unimaginable future, the opposition party of today may also find itself back in power and they tables will be turned again too.

A thorough and forensic probe of the past government will help the suffering public. It will be in the interest of the Nigerian people. The APC should stop engaging the PDP in campaign rhetoric after election. It should simply do what it was elected to achieve: Clean the Augean stable, bring perpetrators of social and economic crimes to book, and set the tone for a greater Nigeria. Enough of allegations that are neither backed by proofs nor followed up with prosecution.

That approach was good and effective for campaigns, not now when governance has started.

While the back-and-forth arguments continue, the APC should be reminded that fuel scarcity has continued unabated and the outlets that have petrol brazenly sell at a minimum of N100 per litre.

The governing party should also note that the Boko Haram menace has continued with greater ferocity. Get cracking, please, and rally Nigerians around your cause.
http://dailytimes.com.ng/campaign-after-election-by-yinka-olujimi-2/

My friend will withdraw his visa application from the Belgium Embassy after waiting for 9 weeks and getting no response. He would do so at Abuja on Tuesday after the public holidays. By next Thursday, his application would have been 10 weeks! Any of you guys got responses or updates on your pending visa applications to The Netherlands via the Belgium Embassy?

President Muhammadu Buhari made famous the lines: I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody”, in his inaugural speech on 29 May.

But the president may have just flunked a crucial test of this philosophy in his selection of Nigerian governors to accompany him on his first official visit to the United States.

In the delegation are governors of Imo, Rochas Okorocha; Oyo, Abiola Ajimobi; Borno, Kashim Shettima, Nasarawa, Tanko Al Makura and Edo state, Adams Oshiomhole.

All the governors belong to the ruling All Progressives Congress. In the past, Nigerian Presidents including the erstwhile Goodluck Jonathan always travels alongside APC governors..

Although President Buhari picked the governors in five geo-political zones of Nigeria: South West, South South, South East, North East and North Central, conspicuously missing is a governor from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.

The PDP which lost its vast majority in Nigeria’s political landscape in the 28 March and 11 April elections now has 13 governors.

The president is scheduled to depart Abuja on Sunday for Washington D.C., on a four-day official visit to the US.


Read more http://newswirengr.com/2015/07/16/buhari-shuns-opposition-pdp-governors-leaves-for-the-us-with-only-apc-delegation/

A former Chief of Army Staff, Abdulrahman Dambazau, on Thursday said he was not desperate about holding any political appointment in the country.

Mr. Dambazzau, a retired Lieutenant General, and the first Nigeria army chief to hold a PhD degree, denied that he was in the race for the National Security Adviser (NSA), a position which was given to retired Major General Babagana Monguno, on Monday by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“What race? There was no race for the office of National Security Adviser (NSA). And if there was one, I was not a contestant,” Mr. Dambazzau said. “For very good reasons, people may have their expectations, but that should not be translated as mine. Of course I will be glad to work for the president if he assigned me any task or appoints me in any capacity he feels I can contribute towards the success of the government.

“This is especially because I was the CPC Chairman of the Security Committee in 2011 and he personally appointed me and also in 2015 as Director, Intelligence and Security of the APC Presidential Campaign Council.”

“At any rate the President has the prerogative to appoint any person of his choice to any of the available positions, but in the final analysis it is God that determines who becomes what. My prayer therefore is for the Almighty God to guide President Muhammadu Buhari in this very important task of nation-building He has given him.”

Mr. Dambazzau, who is currently a Senior Visiting Fellow of the Centre for Peace, Democracy and development, University of Massachusetts, Boston, as well as a fellow and Associate of the Weatherhead Centre for International Affairs, Harvard University, was tipped to emerge the NSA after his role during and after the elections.

Before and after President Buhari assumed office, the former army chief remained close to the president and was part of Mr. Buhari’s team to many state functions and meetings.

However, the president appointed Mr. Monguno the NSA on Monday.

On his relationship with the president, Mr. Danbazzau said, “My relationship with Mr. President does not hinge on political appointment. Whether or not he assigns me to a particular office, my resolve to ensure that he succeeds remains unshakable. He is a person I highly respect and I am ready to support him throughout his tenure. I am not doing him a person favour, but I consider it as a duty to contribute in fixing Nigeria. I have immensely benefitted from Nigeria after reaching the peak of my career as a General and commanded the army, and acquired the highest educational qualification (PhD), it is only reasonable to consider this opportunity as a payback time.”

“I am not unaware of some persons desperate to soil my name, mainly out of envy. I have built a very good reputation both home and abroad, I doubt very much if anyone can easily destroy it. Such people should not see me as an obstacle to their ambition, but like I said earlier, power and wealth belong to God and He gives whomever He wishes at the time He wishes.”
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/186773-im-not-desperate-for-political-office-ex-army-chief-dambazzau.html

Please that post is reserved! Same for FCT Minister and a few others. "We" must reclaim the Agriculture ministry which the last administration dared to take out to the South West. To a large extent, "we" may also not willingly concede Defence, Finance and Petroleum. No vex with "us" after all it’s all about merit and competence!. Does it matter where they come from? It’s just a coincidence that this time, most of the most competent ones come from "our" side. Just bear with "us" for now.

Please that post is reserved! Same for FCT Minister and a few others. "We" must reclaim the Agriculture ministry which the last administration dared to take out to the South West. To a large extent, "we" may also not willingly concede Defence, Finance and Petroleum. No vex with "us" after all it’s all about merit and competence!. Does it matter where they come from? It’s just a coincidence that this time, most of the most competent ones come from "our" side. Just bear with "us" for now.