vodutive:


99% of all these so called human organisations are scams, if their cause was genuine why would you pay people to protest? The scam (or business) is to make a name for yourself by hijacking a cause, paying street urchins to protest (the investment) and hope that government will settle you with some contract or political post ( the reward). Daniel Kanu of YEAA (million man march) was the originator of rent-a-crowd in the late 1990s. This is straight out of Daniel Kanu's playbook. It's the model unscrupulous hustlers have been copying since.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Kanu

You so nailed it bro!

There are reports of ongoing protest at the Arik domestic departure lounge, Lagos airport. Due to continued delay of Arik flights, the checked in passengers were angry and had wanted to surge into the tarmac to protest. They were blocked by security and they started singing solidarity songs. Initial reports had it that Accra flight had been cancelled while Owerri and Port Harcourt had been delayed. As at now, the latest is that at all Arik flights have been put on hold, no passenger is allowed to check in and the passengers are all stranded.

When is this year's MLR?

The naira continued to plummet on the parallel FX market yesterday as it fell to N452 to the dollar, lower than the N445 to the dollar from the previous day as demand for the greenback continued to outweigh supply.

The spot rate of the naira also fell on the interbank FX market to N312 to the dollar, compared with the N308 from the previous day.

Some currency analysts blamed the performance of the naira on the parallel market on the activities of currency speculators.

“The situation is gradually getting out of control. For me, you can’t give what you don’t have. Nigeria’s dollar receipts has dropped significantly and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)does not manufacture dollar, it earns dollar. And our dollar receipts have reduced significantly. So, we are in a dilemma.

“Another factor responsible for what is happening on the parallel market is that a lot of importers involved in the importation of those 41 items that were banned are also sourcing for FX to import those items for the normal end of year sales, “a currency analyst who pleaded annonymous said.

He, however expressed optimism that once the central bank finalise its arrangement for Travelex to be selling dollars directly to bureau de change operators (BDCs), normalcy might be restored in the market.

The President, Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), Mr. Aminu Gwadabe, had argued that the current rate of the naira on the parallel market was not a true reflection of the value of the currency. He also attributed the development to the activities of speculators.

According to him, the situation in the parallel market was being driven by speculators taking advantage of the poor implementation of the CBN policy requiring banks to sell dollars to bureau de change operators.
http://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/09/28/confusion-as-naira-slumps-to-n452-on-parallel-market/

MrDraey:
HOw much can one get a 50x50, 50x100 and 100x100 piece of land in Maraba Loko

I think it depends on exact location. I would imagine it can range for like between N500k and N2m per plot.

Aero has suspended flights indefinitely.

Passengers travelling by road to various cities in Nigeria have been told to brace up for an increase in fares, effective September 19, 2016. The transporters under the aegis of Association of Private Transport Company Owners of Nigeria (APTCON) made the announcement in a recent notice to its members.

The group said it was constrained to mark up transport fares by 40 percent because of the prevailing harsh operating business environment, which has seen cost of operations rise by more than 80 percent. The association’s secretariat noted that it was compelled to implement the increase, as the local economy was showing no signs of stability while international transactions were becoming increasingly difficult to close.

“As we are all aware, the global economy is currently facing a downturn that has greatly affected most countries in the world. As an industry, we are not exempt from the crisis as in recent months, our operating costs have risen significantly,” the group stated.

It would be recalled that luxury bus owners (Association Luxurious Buses owners of Nigeria, LUBAN) had earlier announced an increase in bus fares by 35 percent for all their routes effective June 10, 2016.

APTCON lamented that the biggest challenges facing its members were the price of fuelling, cost of spare parts for vehicle maintenance, unit cost of buses, diesel costs for powering terminals, Value Added Taxes (VAT) as well as increase in bank interest rates. “These identified increments, to name but a few, have taken a significant toll on the revenue of private transport company owners across Nigeria”, the statement noted.

The group also noted that many of its members have expressed their inability to pay salaries much less run profitably, while some others have had to shut down operations completely
http://www.businessdayonline.com/en/road-transporters-to-effect-40-fare-increase/

A prostitute at a brothel in Ikwa village, near Zuba, has allegedly drugged and duped a middle-aged man of N223, 000 cash.
A resident of the area, simply identified as Johnson, said the incident happened at about 2:12pm on Tuesday after the victim returned with his ‘girlfriend’ to the brothel, after relaxing at a drinking spot in the area.

He said that the victim, who drove in an unmarked Toyota Sienna bus with the said lady, entered the prostitute’s room inside the brothel and immediately slept off.
Johnson said that when the victim woke and he did not see the girlfriend, he became alarmed.
“He immediately searched his own clothes and to his amazement, he discovered that all the money he had on him had been taken away,” he said. “It then dawned on him that the girl had drugged him to dupe him of his N2230,000.
Our reporter learnt that the victim, a contractor, was resident at Madalla, Niger State. He was said to have gone out for Sallah celebration when the incident happened.
It was gathered that the victim’s effort to reach the lady via her phone wwas unsuccessful as she switched off her phone.
Efforts to reach the Zuba Divisional Police Officer, CSP Eze Nwokeneme, failed. His phone was switched off, while a police officer at the division said the division was not aware of the incident.
Read more at http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/city-news/prostitute-dupes-man-of-n-2m-at-zuba/162650.html#r12yGvu7fFurJtu5.99

Upcoming events with Pastor Kumuyi -Abuja National Stadium on Friday 30 September 2016 and Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Sunday 2nd October 2016.

Three days after two men were killed in Golkofa village, Godogodo District, Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State by alleged armed herdsmen, another man was killed in the same village, yesterday, said a local source. The fresh killing was also confirmed by the police. The killings in Godogodo chiefdom in recent time have created a refugee situation in adjoining towns as no fewer than eighth villages have deserted their abodes for safer places. Speaking to our correspondent on the development, a youth leader said that the herdsmen had taken over Golkofa after the villagers fled due to the siege. He said: “After the killing of my uncle and another youth last Thursday, our chief said that we should all move out, since we do not know the extent of the next killings, considering what had happened to other villages. “So everybody left. I moved to Gidan Waya with my family and many others are also here with us. This morning (yesterday), Mr. Audu Avegbak, 54, a father of 10, left Gidan Waya to take feeds to his animals that he left behind. “The herdsmen were waiting for him. As soon as he came into his compound, they opened fire on him and killed him instantly. “We got to know this through the Hausa people, who escorted him to the village. Though the Hausa left with us to Gidan Waya, the herdsmen always allowed them to come and do their farm works and tend their animals. “It is the same in all the other villages that left. Everything we know going on in our villages are through our Hausa people. “After killing Avegbak, who was the Headmaster of Dangwa Primary School, the police came in. They engaged the herdsmen in a gun battle. But they escaped. None of them was apprehended.” Kaduna State Police spokesman, Mr. Aliyu Usman, confirmed the murder. Usman said: “The victim went to feed his animals and the gunmen killed him, but our men went after them. He was actually killed in the bush, not in the village.” Sources said residents of eight villages have fled the district to Godogodo, Gidan Waya, Kafanchan, Jos or other places. The affected villages are Ninte, Unguwan Anjo, Akwa’a, Gada Biyu, Andaha, Farin Ruwa and Ampany. A source told Vanguard: “They are now breaking into our homes and looting what we left behind. “In villages that are not burnt, they are living inside them. I can tell you that we have no choice than to learn to defend ourselves. The police cannot do it.”

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/09/herdsmen-kill-one-kaduna-sack-8-villages-2/

There was drama, yesterday, at the Port Harcourt International Airport in Rivers State as aggrieved passengers reportedly prevented a Lagos bound Arik aircraft from taking off for about 30 minutes. It took the pleas of several persons at the airport to pacify the passengers who blocked the tarmac for the aircraft to take off. One of the passengers, Mr Ohonda, told Vanguard that they were initially scheduled to fly on the aircraft by 9a.m., but the flight was later rescheduled for 1.30p.m. arik He said: “The that flight was initially for 9a.m., but was rescheduled to 1.30p.m. During boarding the Arik workers did not follow the manifest. They sneaked other people into the aircraft.” Continuing, he said the aggrieved passengers had to mobilise and block the tarmac, insisting that the aircraft would not take off. He said that after several appeals, the passengers withdrew from the tarmac. Ohonda later flew Airpeace to Lagos. Arik air staff declined to comment on the incident.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/09/passengers-storm-p-harcourt-airport-tarmac-block-arik-air/

The Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources is at crossroads as the $7.4 billion cash call debts to Joint Ventures (JV) with Shell, Chevron, ExxonMobil and other international oil companies (IOCs) go bad. The recession facing the country, according to a document of the ministry seen by New Telegraph, will, if not stemmed, raise the cash call debts to $27 billion in the next 10 years.

Cash call is the counterpart funding the Federal Government pays yearly through the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for the 60 per cent equity shareholding it owns in various oil and gas fields operated by IOCs and indigenous oil firms (independents).

The debt overhang in cash calls by the NNPC to multinational and indigenous oil companies it operates Joint Venture (JV) project with, had already hit $7.4 billion as at last July, the document showed. “The cash call deficiency is $2 billion every year, about $200 million ($0.16666667 billion) monthly and this will be $20 billion in the next 10 years if nothing is done,” the document stated. “The cash call was $6 billion in 2015, but now $7.4 billion (approximately) as at July 2016.

While the NNPC is having difficulty to clear the backlog, the cash call will continue to accumulate if nothing is done,” it added. Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, had earlier hinted that it was becoming tougher for the government to finance its 60 per cent shareholding in the JVs. Stating the NNPC’s commitment to balance up the debts, Kachikwu told New Telegraph on the sidelines of a forum in Lagos, that the government planned to deploy other mechanism to finance the JV.

“The cash call is $2 billion every year,” he confirmed, adding: “This will continue to accumulate if we keep evading our shareholding financing.” He said: “I spend every night trying to get solutions and the best we can have is to get our production back to full capacity. “Capital expenditure (capex) world over is shrinking and absolutely we need to compete for that cash deficiency. To do this, we need to fulfill our obligations to Joint Ventures in terms of cash calls.”

The NNPC had, over the years, been battling to clear the cash call arrears. “The Federal Government is determined to settle the arrears to the operators of the various JVs,” Kachikwu had said. The recession, buoyed by oil price rout, had reduced the nation’s revenue from oil, and it is a major hurdle for government to accomplish its desire to settle the over $7 billion debt.

As at last January, NNPC, the oil ministry document revealed, owed the IOCs cash call arrears of $5.5 billion, while their indigenous counterparts are owed $1.1 billion, and an estimated $800 million that had accrued between January and April.

“The ministry is considering the adoption of zero funding model for the JV operations from January 2017 to halt the growth of the cash call arrears,” the document added. New Telegraph had earlier reported concerns raised by stakeholders about this model.

Managing Director of Seplat, Austin Avuru, had told New Telegraph that the zero funding model being contemplated by the ministry will cost the government more. The operators, he said, would source funding from banks, and interests paid on such loans secured by the oil firms will be factored into the cost of production.
“The zero JV funding seeks to empower the operators not to wait for the NNPC counterpart funding before going on with operations and projects implementation. “Therefore, the operators will source funds and go ahead with projects’ implementations, while the NNPC’s bureaucratic processes of approval, including endorsement by the National Assembly, continue.

“The operators of the JVs will deduct costs at the end and remit what is due to NNPC at the end of the deal,” Avuru said. “If government lacks capacity to pay its cash calls, let it choose from some alternative options including divesting some of its equity holdings to indigenous firms, adopt crude for cash calls or privatise the NNPC,” he said.

NNPC has, according to him, been able to meet only 30 per cent of the 60 per cent cash call it is supposed to pay. “As long as the funding issues exist, production will adversely be impacted,” Avuru said, warning that JV oil production has since dropped to one million barrels per day (bpd) as against about 2.5 million bpd in the past due to JV budget delay.
https://newtelegraphonline.com/oil-ministry-frets-7-4bn-shell-others-jv-loans-go-bad/

Akperhe Olomu community, Ughelli South Local Government Area, Delta State, has accused authorities of new military task force, Operation Crocodile Smile of lying about Wednesday’s arrest of Mrs. Amrevweatefa Odada, a septuagenarian and three others still in custody at the 3 Battalion, Effurun Barracks. Others arrested along with the septuagenarian in Akperhe at 3a.m., Wednesday were Vincent Ekeke, Henry Koko alongside Mrs. Rachael Abbah, who was earlier arrested in Ughelli, headquarters of Ughelli North council. The army in a statement same day by Col. Sani Usman, Director Army Public Relations, Abuja, had however, indicated that a patrol team of its troops of 222 Battalion, 4 Brigade arrested the quartet at the Ughelli residence of Gabriel Ogbudje, an alleged suspected militant still at large. At Akperhe yesterday, the community spokesman, Sunday Okoyoyo told Vanguard that, “We are very angry as a community. The army told half truth to give the arrested old woman and the three other bad names. Gabriel Ogbudje whom they are looking for resides in Ughelli, not Akperhe.” However, reacting to the alleged harassment of the locals, Ijaw leader, Chief Godspower Gbenekama, told Vanguard in Warri, yesterday: “There is a humanitarian crisis in Gbaramatu as we speak. The Crocodile Smile soldiers have not moved directly into the communities, but they have taken over the waterways, scaring and harassing those going about their normal businesses. “What that means is that our people are now confined in their homes. They cannot go out or travel on the waterways, which sustain their existence as riverine communities. The panic is aggravated by the report reaching them that army has taken over Warri township too.” On his part, Secretary of Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, Eric Omare, said: “The massive deployment of military men in the Niger Delta and the consequent harassment and intimidation of villagers in the riverine communities by military officers is taking a toll on riverine transportation. “As a result of the denial of movement, harassment and intimidation, some transporters in the riverine areas have stopped plying those routes. The communities worst affected are Ezetu, Aggeh, Iduwini communities, all in Bayelsa State and Gbaramatu, Ogulagha, Burutu, Forcados, Ekeremor, Ijansa and surrounding communities in Delta State. On his part, Public Relations Officer of Oporoza Youth Executive, Paul Kirifade, who spoke on phone, complained: “We are being harassed daily on allegation of being involved in illegal oil bunkering or being members of Niger Delta Avengers.”

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/09/military-operation-food-transportation-crises-hit-delta-bayelsa/

An unidentified middle-aged man, Wednesday, abducted two siblings, who were returning from extra-moral class in Satellite area of Lagos. Thereafter, he exchanged them for two bags of rice in a shop at 63, Marwa Road, near Chemist Bus Stop.
The children are aged eight and 13. It was gathered that at the shop, the abductor told the sales girl that he would like to take two bags of rice to the mother of the children, whom he claimed owned a restaurant close-by, to ascertain whether the rice was the brand she needed. Speaking with Vanguard last night, owner of the shop, Mrs Silverline, explained that “he (the abductor) told my sales girl that the mother of the children needed Indian rice, but my sales girl told him that what we had was Brazilian rice and that it was good. “Thereafter, he made a phone call to someone he claimed was the mother of the children and at the end said he would like to take the bags of rice to the woman. But my girl insisted on following him to collect the money for the bags (N40,000) should the woman agree to buy them. “The stranger said he would ride on a motorcycle with the bags of rice, while my girl followed with the children on foot. But on reaching the purported restaurant, the owner said she never saw any one with bags of rice, neither did she admit knowing the children. “They walked to Ijegun end of Satellite without any sight of the abductor. When we asked the children about him, they said that the abductor was not their father.” An eyewitness, Ifeoma John, said that immediately the abductor left with the bags of rice, a man who claimed to be the biological father of the children, arrived, alleging that his children could have been hypnotised by the abductor. He contacted policemen from Satellite Division, who took everyone involved to the station, from where the children were released to their parents.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/09/man-exchanges-two-siblings-bags-rice/

An unidentified middle-aged man, Wednesday, abducted two siblings, who were returning from extra-moral class in Satellite area of Lagos. Thereafter, he exchanged them for two bags of rice in a shop at 63, Marwa Road, near Chemist Bus Stop.
The children are aged eight and 13. It was gathered that at the shop, the abductor told the sales girl that he would like to take two bags of rice to the mother of the children, whom he claimed owned a restaurant close-by, to ascertain whether the rice was the brand she needed. Speaking with Vanguard last night, owner of the shop, Mrs Silverline, explained that “he (the abductor) told my sales girl that the mother of the children needed Indian rice, but my sales girl told him that what we had was Brazilian rice and that it was good. “Thereafter, he made a phone call to someone he claimed was the mother of the children and at the end said he would like to take the bags of rice to the woman. But my girl insisted on following him to collect the money for the bags (N40,000) should the woman agree to buy them. “The stranger said he would ride on a motorcycle with the bags of rice, while my girl followed with the children on foot. But on reaching the purported restaurant, the owner said she never saw any one with bags of rice, neither did she admit knowing the children. “They walked to Ijegun end of Satellite without any sight of the abductor. When we asked the children about him, they said that the abductor was not their father.” An eyewitness, Ifeoma John, said that immediately the abductor left with the bags of rice, a man who claimed to be the biological father of the children, arrived, alleging that his children could have been hypnotised by the abductor. He contacted policemen from Satellite Division, who took everyone involved to the station, from where the children were released to their parents.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/09/man-exchanges-two-siblings-bags-rice/

MINISTER of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, Mallam Mohammad Musa Bello has been forced to approve a review of the 2016/2017 academic calendar for all primary and post primary schools in the FCT following the forthcoming Eid el Kabir celebrations. According to the Minister, the review affects all public and private schools in the FCT. In a statement by Assistant Director, Head of information Education Secretariat for Ag. Secretary for Education, FCTAAnthony Ogunleye, the reviewed calendar shows that first Term begins on Sunday, 18th September 2016 (for boarding schools) andMonday, 19th September 2016 (for day schools) and ends on Friday, 17th December 2016. Second Term begins on Sunday, 9th January 2017 and ends on Friday, 31st March 2017. Third Term begins on Sunday, 23rd April 2017 and ends on Friday, 21st July 2017 All schools are enjoined to take note and comply. According to him, FCT schools were hitherto scheduled to resume on Sunday, 4th of September 2016 for boarding schools and Monday 5th of September for day schools. However, the Eid el Kabir celebrations which are expected to take place in the second week of September orchestrated the review of the 1st term resumption date.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/08/eid-el-kabir-celebrations-forces-fct-review-20162017-academic-calendar-academic

fxuser:


GTB in a zone all by itself

Indeed. I wonder what is driving this Bank in this recession?

Aero Contractors Airlines has announced that it will suspend its scheduled services from Thursday September 1, 2016.

A statement from the Chief Executive Officer, Capt. Fola Akinkuotu said the development was part of the strategic business realignment to reposition the airline and return it to the part of profitability.

This business decision, which is a result of the current economic situation in the country, has forced some other airlines to suspend operation or out rightly pull out of Nigeria.

In the case of Aero, Akinkuotu said the airline had faced grave challenges in the past six months which impacted its business and by extension the scheduled services operations.

These factors, according to him are both internal and external environmental factors that have made it difficult for the foremost airline to continue its scheduled services.

He said during the period in review, Aero, which was hitherto revered for its safety, timeliness among other virtues witnessed epileptic operations and services to the external publics that are caused by non-alignment of fundamental issue of the business, which in some cases have been frustrating and embarrassing to all parties including staff, customers and indeed all stakeholders.

As part of its resolve to ensure the airline survived unlike most other carriers that experienced short life span in the country, AMCON had appointed Mr. Adeniyi Adegbomire (SAN) as Receiver Manager in February 6, 2016, with the aim of turning the airline around. Since AMCON’s intervention in Aero Contractors in 2011, it has provided support for the airline to meet working capital requirements and fleet expansion. These were to ensure the airline remains a going concern providing services to various clients and the general public.

Unfortunately, the operating environment within and outside the airline have hindered any possible progress especially in the last six months when the naira depreciated against the dollar thus making it impossible for the airline to achieve its operational targets.
https://newtelegraphonline.com/aero-suspends-scheduled-services/

There was pandemonium at the Arik stand at the Ibom International Airport, Uyo, on Tuesday over the refusal of the management of the airline staff to explain the incessant cancellation of flights to agitated passengers, witnesses and passengers told PREMIUM TIMES.

The passengers were booked on an Arik Air flight W3 417 to Abuja which was scheduled for 11: 45am on Tuesday.

However when the passengers arrived the Arik stand for check-in, a female attendant casually told them their flight had been ‘stood down’.

The passengers said the attendant did not make any further clarification of what ‘stood down’ meant to the worried passengers who demanded explanation.

In her response, the lady simply said an aircraft might come to pick them.

Not satisfied with the explanation of the Arik staff, the passengers approached the airline’s station manager, who assured them that the flight would leave between 12 and 1PM.

But that did not happen as the manager and his team made no effort to explain the flight delay from 11:25am to 5pm, our sources said.

By 5:15 PM, an Arik aircraft from Lagos arrived Uyo, but was quietly moved to the hanger despite an earlier announcement that the expected flight was on its way.

When the passengers, comprising the former President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Dr. Dipo Fashina; the Assistant General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Nuhu Toro; and some journalists accosted the manager for explanation, he got angry and asked everybody to keep quiet.

Prior to this incident, Arik had aborted its flight to Uyo which was to pick some officials of the NLC to Abuja. The disappointed passengers abandoned their ticket for a Dana flight to Abuja.

The station manager (whose name the passengers could not ascertain) in his explanation, which was his first contact with the passengers since 11:am, said the aircraft had a bird strike and could no longer proceed to Abuja as scheduled.

He then made to leave without any further explanation which prompted the bewildered passengers to demand that measures be put in place to address the issue.

In the process, he and his colleagues threatened to beat up some of the passengers, a witness said.

The loud argument that followed attracted a large number of security personnel who empathised with the passengers and appealed for understanding.

“Although, the security personnel were mature and did not harass anybody, the Arik Staff were not as they threatened to ‘deal’ with some of the aggrieved passengers and detain them if they behave rudely to the manager who was also threatening,” one passenger said.

The manager later said the management of Arik had arranged to move a flight from Lagos to pick the passengers.

As of the time of publishing this report at 8:25 pm, the aircraft from Lagos was yet to arrive Uyo, and the passengers remained stranded.

Prior to the disagreement over the cancellation of the flights, some of the passengers said they telephoned the spokesman of Arik, Banji Ola, who promised to call the station manager.

Mr. Ola could not be reached to comment for this story.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/209574-arik-manager-threatens-passengers-protesting-delayed-flight-akwa-ibom.html

NIGERIANS have been urged to respond positively to the word of God if they are to benefit from the abundant blessings of God which are always available to the faithful. State Co-ordinating Overseer of Deeper Christian Life Ministry in charge of South-South, Pastor Obinna Nkemjika, gave the charge while briefing newsmen in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on the forthcoming visit of the General Superintendent of the Church, Pastor W.F Kumuyi, to the zone. Pastor Obinna said that the crusade which will take Pastor Kumuyi to Cross Rivers State on the first of September, Bayelsa State on the second, Rivers State on the third, Akwa Ibom State on the fourth, Delta State on the fifth and Edo State on the sixth, will be attended by top government functionaries as well as church members and leaders from other denominations.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/08/deeper-life-church-tasks-nigerians-obedience-gods-word/

Thanks. Are you one of the candidates or you're a student?

Zamfara State Governor Abdulaziz Yari said yesterday that false alarm led to the killing last weekend of eight people in Talata-Mafara.

He debunked insinuations that it was a religious clash in which Christians were killed.

According to him, those killed were Muslims. He promised to ensure that the killers are brought to book.

Also yesterday, the apex Islamic body in the North, Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), raised the alarm on a plot by some forces to hide under “blasphemy” to cause religious tension and crisis in the North and in the country at large.

A woman was killed in Kano and eight people were killed in Zamfara – for alleged blasphemy.
The Zamfara killings started when a student of Abdu Gusau Polytechnic and seven others were killed on Monday for alleged blasphemy against Islam.

A mob set fire to the house of a man who tried to rescue the student.

Speaking with reporters after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Yari described the killings as an act of the devil.

He said: “From the intelligence I had from the security agencies, there was a fight between two students and I think one of them injured the other and started shouting that the other person abused Prophet Muhammad.

“Other students came and beat up the other boy who is Yoruba from Kogi State. Some people are saying he was a Muslim and some say the boy was a Christian. They beat the student until he collapsed and thought he was dead.

“Then security personnel requested help from one shop owner who then took the boy to the hospital in his car. When the students heard that the boy was still alive and in the hospital, they went to the hospital. But the boy was rescued by soldiers in the hospital.

“Then the students went back to the polytechnic and burnt down the shop of the person who gave his car to rescue the boy.

“They went back to town again and, as you know, the police in the division don’t have enough men to contain the riot and before reinforcement came, the crowd threw tyre in the man’s house and burnt down the house.

“That was how everybody in the house was killed and all the people killed in the House were Muslims and not like the rumours going around in the social media that Christians are being killed in Zamfara.

“In fact, the mob wanted to go and burn churches and attack non-Muslims but the security forces stopped them. It’s my home town and that’s where I live.”

The governor said no arrest had been made at the time he left the state for Abuja.

The police and the Department of State Service (DSS), he said, were investigating the incident.

According to him, the authority shut down the school immediately the incident happened.

Yari said: “The government will not take this lightly, people taking laws into their hands. If you say the punishment of who abused Prophet should be killed, and you now kill innocent people, knowing there is a government, laws and courts in place.

“So why should someone take laws into his hands? So definitely all the culprits will be brought to book.”

The JNI raised the alarm in a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Dr. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, who urged governments particularly in the North, to urgently check acts of blasphemy.

The statement condemned the Zamfara incident saying individual Muslims were not Jurists, but faithful in practising their religion and, therefore, have no right to pass judgment on emotions.

The statement said: “Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), upon the receipt of reportage on the alleged blasphemy of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, is once again poised to make this release over the most unfortunate alleged blasphemy which occurred at Abdu Gusau Polytechnic, Talata Mafara, Zamfara State.

“This recurring matter is becoming tediously monotonous and remains condemned in the strongest terms. The unfortunate attacks that ensued thereafter are criminal and also stand condemned. We reiterate that human lives are sacred and therefore must be dignified. That has been the position of Islam.

“JNI reemphasises that individual Muslims are not Jurists, but faithful in the practicing of the religion. Therefore, they don’t have the right to pass judgment on emotions. The nasty behavior of some miscreants should not be misconstrued as the Islamic teaching. In the light of which we commend the efforts of the Zamfara State Government in nipping in the bud the escalation of the crisis and equally the beefing up of security by the various security agencies, around Talata Mafara and its environs is also commendable.

“We however call on state governments, particularly in the North, to hasten mechanisms which will address these repeated acts of blasphemy; it seems that there are deliberate attempts to cause more tension in the region and the country at large, in the name of blasphemy.

“While we commiserate with all the affected victims of the unfortunate incident, we call on respective predominant Muslim communities to be very wary and cautious of crafty art of blasphemy within or around their respective communities and learn to handle such matters with utmost caution – no matter the provocation that may arise therefrom.

“The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General, JNI calls on all and sundry to remain calm and avoid all actions that could jeopardise peaceful co-existence, especially at this material point of trying time of nation building.

“As always, the generality of Muslims are also implored to fervently continue praying for the restoration of peace and security in Nigeria.”
http://thenationonlineng.net/muslims-killed-zamfara-says-governor/

House, please what is driving GTB? It seems to be in a world of its own!

Every time President Muhammadu Buhari comes to the national stage the euphoria and excitement he generates are unprecedented. Yours sincerely was still in school when the military overthrew President Shagari on 31st December, 1983 and “after due consultations” invested then Major General Buhari “with the authority of Head of State, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”. The whole country was very excited. The expectations were very high. However, twenty months later, the same military that brought him to power overthrew his government.

Buhari has never been a politician and still does not know how to practice the art of politicking, unlike some of his military colleagues like Obasanjo and Babangida. It was no surprise therefore that his military government did not come out with any program for transition to civil rule. There was tension as most politicians were in detention, both the innocent and the not so innocent. He also affected delicate national balance when he and his deputy Gen. Tunde Idiagbon were both northerners and Muslims. No wonder one of the reason for his removal given by Babangida was that he failed to understand the “diverse polity” of Nigeria.

Thirty years later, last year, General Buhari was elected President of Nigeria. He promised to “change” Nigeria and majority believed him. His coming to power as a democratically elected President was greeted with unprecedented excitement and expectations. Even some corrupt elements were yearning for change as the country was drifting towards anarchy with Boko Haram terrorists occupying some parts of Nigeria and the Jonathan government looking seemingly helpless. There was also world record corruption by the last regime. Buhari came at a defining moment in the nation’s history and thus ought to create a national consensus as well as national platform.




Fifteen months into his four year tenure so far, there is complain everywhere. Yes, there was appreciable progress in the fight against Boko Haram but new problems are emerging, further complicating already complex problems. The militants of Niger Delta have metamorphosed into the Niger Delta Avengers as their new platform. Biafra agitation has been renewed under the auspices of Independent Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) organization since MASSOB has apparently lost steam. Even the remnants of the Boko Haram insurgents who have pledged allegiance to the ISIS had a new leader appointed for them by ISIS, Abu Musab Al Barnawi, son of the late founder of Boko Haram, Mohammed Yusuf. This certainly is not the best of times for any leader.

To further aggravate the situation, the economy is in dire strait. The international price of oil, which is the main revenue and foreign exchange earner for the country is very low-from over $100 per barrel over a year ago, it is now about $40 per barrel. The volume of oil exports has reduced from 2 million barrels per day to about 1.2 million barrels now due to the activities of the Niger Delta militants. This necessitates a strong economic team to think out of the box and provide fresh solutions to the government. Unfortunately, there are no economists appointed into the cabinet, not even a Chief Economic Adviser to the President and the President has refused to bring economists from the universities or around the world to help out. That is why we are moving in a circle.

There is very little synergy between fiscal policy as represented by the Federal Ministry of Finance and monetary policy as represented by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). In fact, there is no CBN Board of Directors up till now to help fashion out effective responses to the economic challenges. Consequently, from about N150 to a Dollar, the Naira is now exchanging for about N400 to the Dollar. For a country that relies on imports for the most basic of necessities, that means galloping inflation.

President Buhari has gone on a trip to China where a lot of especially economic agreements were signed to push Sino-Nigeria relations to a higher level. But, since Ambassador Aminu Wali left Beijing to take up appointment as Jonathan’s last Foreign Minister, there has not been any substantive Nigerian Ambassador to China for two years now. How then can there be effective follow up on all these agreements? And China is one of the five Permanent Members of the UN Security Council. In fact, fifteen months into the tenure of this government, no substantive ambassador has been appointed to any country in the world. Nigeria has almost one hundred foreign missions but only 47 names have been forwarded to the Senate so far for screening as ambassadors.

This is the era of politics and so the President has to be political as well as politically sensitive to every part of Nigeria. For instance, Mr. James Ocholi, the minister from Kogi state died over three months ago. Up till now, no replacement has been appointed for Kogi and this is a constitutional matter as all the states have to get at least one minister constitutionally. It is their right to have a minister and this has not been done yet. This is largely due to the fact that President Buhari appointed deadwoods who know next to nothing about governance and are therefore not drawing his attention to these important things or help him carry out his enormous duties. They are busy taking pictures with him at the slightest opportunity. They are neither politicians who know and respect people nor technocrats who know and can perform their duties.

Apart from the Federal Ministry of Information and recently Education, all the parastatals are either still retaining their old pre-change heads or have only those in acting capacity. But even if they are appointed, the Treasury Single Account (TSA) has centralised payment such that government money is just being kept in the CBN instead of being used to work for the people even for basic things like drugs in hospitals. Consequently, there is no money in circulation and everyone is suffering. Keeping trillions of recovered and public monies in government accounts while projects are not being executed and people are dying of hunger is simply ridiculous.

Nigeria is at crossroads once more. Like Obasanjo, Buhari has been lucky to be both a military leader and an elected President of Nigeria. This his second coming is viewed as an opportunity to validate or invalidate what IBB and co said about him and his style of government when they overthrew him in August 1985. We are trained to look at indicators, and Buhari should know he and the country do not have all the time in this world. History is beckoning and is always on the side of the oppressed.
http://leadership.ng/columns/545511/buhari-and-history

Aero Contractors, one of Nigeria’s largest domestic airlines, is set to lay off some of its workers as its financial crisis becomes worsened.
Already, the airline is in talks with aviation unions on how to cut down on the number of workers in its employ.
It was gathered on Sunday that the airline, which met with officials of the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria last Thursday on the issue, would continue with the meeting this week.
Our correspondent also learnt that the carrier was facing stiff operational challenges, a development that led to the closure of some of its stations.
While officials of the carrier debunked claims that Aero was at the verge of shutting down completely, it was, however, gathered that the airline had not been able to bring in some of its airplanes that were sent out for routine maintenance due to foreign exchange constraints.
Officials of ATSSSAN and the Airline Operators of Nigeria told our correspondent on Sunday that the challenges were not peculiar to Aero alone.
They stressed that virtually all domestic airlines in Nigeria were being confronted with problems, ranging from double taxation by government agencies in the sector, scarcity of aviation fuel, popularly known as Jet A1 and difficulty in accessing forex.
The President of ATSSSAN, Mr. Benjamin Okewu, said, “On Aero, we are negotiating redundancy with the airline and it is not because they are closing down. It is because the number of aircraft they have has reduced. So many of them have gone on C and D Check and the airline do not have the forex to bring them back, and they also have to close down some of their stations.
“So, we are in the process of concluding redundancy negotiations for them to send some people out. But that does not mean they are closing down completely because Aero has two segments. They are fixed wing and rotary wing. The rotary wing is servicing the oil and gas sector, while the fixed wing is for scheduled services and is ongoing, even though they have a few issues with the number of aircraft. But I want to believe that they are working round the clock to make sure that few machines come back.”
On the takeover of Aero by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria and how this had been affecting the operations of the carrier, Okewu urged the government to intervene, stressing that the matter had been taken to the National Assembly.
He said, “We had a meeting with them (Aero) on Thursday and we are still continuing on Tuesday or Wednesday, but we’ve not been told officially that they are closing shop. I’m aware that recently one or two of their aircraft had snags of bird strikes, which they are fixing, but they also have two other aircraft flying. However, there are a lot of issues with the airline, ranging from AMCON involvement, mismanagement and a few others.
“And these were things we took to the National Assembly and forensic experts have been brought into AMCON to investigate all the allegations. But the AMCON team is saying that they don’t want to spend any money until they reduce the staff strength. This is because if you have a staff strength that was tied to nine aircraft, whereas now you only have about three aircraft, then there is no way you will expect to break even with that number of workers.”
He added, “I will like to state here that this is not the problem of workers but a purely management issue. So, we have urged the government to intervene because the way AMCON is taking the issue is not the best method. It takes a long time before airlines break even and Aero has been going through a lot of challenges.”
When contacted, the media consultant for Aero, Mr. Simon Tumba, confirmed that the airline was in talks with the unions on redundancy issues.
“Aero has been in talks with them on this issue,” he said.
http://punchng.com/amcon-aero-crisis-worsens-may-sack-workers/

Mother of one of the abducted Chibok school girls, Amina Ali, Binta Ali Nkeki, has disclosed that some of the abducted girls died during child birth while others were killed by bomb.

Amina Ali was one of the over 200 girls abducted by Boko Haram insurgents from Government Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State in 2014.

She, however, escaped from the den of the insurgents after two years in captivity.

Speaking with BBC, Mrs Nkeki while quoting her daughter said, “Some of the girls died in childbirth. Others were killed by bombs. Some girls were deafened by the explosions. Some of the girls were wounded and their legs were broken”.

She further quoted her daughter as saying, some of the girls were given out as wives to Boko Haram fighters.

“The man my daughter was given to was from Mubi. He was a mechanic when Boko Haram came. Everyone one ran away but he was under a car and didn’t see them coming. They captured him and Amina was given to him as wife,” she added.
http://dailypost.ng/2016/08/16/382070/

The former chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin, said yesterday that he had approached the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and some embassies in Nigeria over the ongoing budget crisis in the House.
Jibrin said in a statement that after sending a letter to the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the matter on Friday, he forwarded a similar letter yesterday to the Presidential Advisory Committee on Anti-corruption, requesting for an appointment to make a detailed presentation on all the allegations he levelled against Speaker Yakubu Dogara and 12 others.

"I have also commenced briefing the diplomatic community and will in the next few days provide a comprehensive briefing to the British High Commission and the American, French and German embassies.
"I have therefore petitioned the Public Complained Commission and National Human Right Commission to enforce and protect my fundamental human right. Though as Speaker, he has the powers to sack committee chairmen but that must be done with justice, fairness and a huge sense of responsibility
"Nigerians must be vigilant because Speaker Dogara is using his office to obstruct investigation and provide shield for himself and the other accused. He is also using his office to raise money with the massive withdrawal from the House account," he said. The House had at various times said through its spokesman, Abdulrazak Namdas (APC, Adamawa), that it would not join issues with Jibrin in the media on the matter, but that an action would be taken when the lawmakers reconvene from their annual recess in September.

Read more at http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/general/jibrin-approaches-rights-commission-envoys-over-budget-crisis/159132.html#4fLz02FEE7ICh6Ah.99

After killing 11 persons and burning down two villages in Godogodo Chiefdom, Jema’a Local Government Area in the southern part of Kaduna State penultimate week, armed herdsmen, again, allegedly killed six farmers on Saturday in Godogodo village. Meanwhile, Chairman, Kaduna State Chapter of Miyetti Ahallah, Dr. Haruna Usman, said: “Are Fulani crazy to just go and attack people? Did you ask the Godogodo people what they did to the Fulani? We already have 17 grazing reserves in Kaduna State since colonial times, and there is no dispute about that. “What happened was that these people went and killed a Fulani Chief in one of the villages and burnt his house. The Fulani are just revenging.” The villagers, who spoke to Vanguard, claimed that the armed herdsmen said their villages had become cattle grazing reserves and wanted them to vacate immediately. Kaduna State Police Spokesman, ASP Aliyu Usman, confirmed to Vanguard the murder of the six farmers and said some arrest had been made, adding that though there was tension in the area, police were fully in control of the situation. A village elder from Godogodo and family of the deceased gave the names of the victims as Monday Hamza, 24, married with three children; Toma Masara, 35, married with three children and Chaka (Waje) Rubutu, 26, married with four children. They said that the body of Chaka was still missing. The rest are Linus (Golkofa) 20, married with two children; Julius (Golkofa) 19, married with a child; Boboo Okocha, 18, single, and Sambo (Golkofa) 17, single. The elder, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “Godogodo is full to the brim with refugees, who have fled their villages seeking for safety here because it is a bigger village, close to an expressway and has better security. [b]“After the attack, they would cut down all the crops for their cattle to eat. [/b]There will be hunger this year in these villages.” Kaduna State Police Spokesmen, ASP Aliyu Usman, told Vanguard that: “It is true that some people were killed in Godogodo on Saturday. There is tension in the place now, but we have deployed our men to all affected areas and we are on top of the situation.”

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/08/kaduna-herdsmen-attack-theyre-on-vengeance-mission-miyetti/

The Nigerian military asked a man it declared wanted to go home after he reported at one of its facilities in Borno State.

Ahmed Bolori, the coordinator of the Fa’ash Foundation and the Partnership Against Violent Extremism and resident of Maiduguri, was declared wanted alongside two others on Sunday.

The Nigerian Army in a statement said the three, which included journalist, Ahmad Salkida and Aisha Wakil, a lawyer, were declared wanted for their alleged ties to the Boko Haram sect.

The Army said the three refused to provide useful information to authorities despite having clear and unfettered access to the sect and also held them responsible for the Boko Haram video that was released on Sunday.

The video purportedly showed the Army conducting area bombardment of an unknown location where the abducted Chibok girls are kept, killing many of them in the process.

The Defence Headquarters denied killing the girls and said it was also analysing the video to establish its authenticity.

In a message released by Farook Kperoogi, a U.S.-based Nigerian journalism professor, Mr. Bolori reported at “the top military barracks in Maiduguri, waited for more than two hours, but there was no one to interrogate or arrest him.”

Mr. Kperoogi posted the development on his Facebook page which he said was part of the conversation he had with Mr. Bolori.


Mr. Kperoogi also attached a WhatsApp conversation in which Mr. Bolori could be seen discussing with an official of the Defence Military Intelligence about how and where he could turn himself in for interrogations.

IMG_3723Mr. Kperoogi said Mr. Bolori was later told to “go home” after spending more than two hours waiting and making frantic calls to Army hierarchy to come and detain him, having been declared wanted.

The announcement by the Army declaring Messrs. Bolori, Salkida and Wakil wanted has triggered debates across the world.

The spokesperson for the Army, Sani Usman, could not be reached to comment for this story Monday morning. He did not answer or return calls made to him.

Read the full statement by Mr. Kperoogi below:

It is now self-evident that no one in the highest reaches of governance and security enforcement in Nigeria is thinking. How can you declare people “wanted” when you haven’t even invited them for questioning–and they haven’t resisted your invitation? I just got off the phone with Ambassador Ahmed Umar Bolori, one of the people declared “wanted” by the Nigerian military.IMG_20160815_084519

He told me he called the Chief of Army Staff, the spokesperson of the Nigerian military who announced him “wanted,” and other top military officers and said he was at their beck and call and didn’t need to be declared “wanted” since he wasn’t in hiding.

He then went ahead and turned himself in at the top military barracks in Maiduguri, waited for more than two hours, but there was no one to interrogate or arrest him.

He called and texted the chief of army staff and the military spokesperson again and pleaded with them to send someone to detain, arrest, interrogate, or do whatever they wanted to do to him because he wanted to clear his name.

He was later told to go home and return the following day! They told a “wanted” man to go home and come back the next day! Can you believe that? First, he is personally known to the chief of army staff and to the military spokesman. These people also know his home in Maiduguri.

They know where to get him if they want to. Yet they declared him “wanted.” Is there any parallel to this level of puzzling incompetence in the world? Who declares people “wanted” without any interest in seeing, much less interrogating, them?
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/208607-nigerian-army-confused-asks-wanted-man-ahmed-bolori-go-home-turned.html

An Appeal Court judge in Abuja on Thursday ruled that the election of Yahaya Bello as governor of Kogi State was flawed and should be annulled.

But a differing ruling by four other judges meant the minority judgement given by Justice Obande Ogbuinya could not be implemented.

Mr. Bello’s received two favourable rulings on Thursday.

In the first case, which followed a challenge by James Faleke, the five judges unanimously affirmed Mr. Bello as governor.

But Mr. Ogbuinya dissented in the second case filed by former Governor Idris Wada.

In his judgement, Mr. Ogbuinya held that the Kogi election tribunal was wrong in upholding the election of Mr. Bello since he did not partake fully in the entire election process.

Mr. Ogbuinya said Mr. Wada’s arguments were cogent.

He therefore ordered that the election of Mr. Bello be nullified and that the Independent National Electoral Commission should conduct a fresh election in 90 days.

But the other four judges said the grounds for Mr. Wada’s application did not align with constitutional provisions.

They said there was no constitutional provision for Mr. Wada to inherit votes from Abubakar Audu, the All Progressives Congress’ candidate who died before completion of the election.

Mr. Wada’s counsel, Goddy Uche, said the minority ruling proved that their application was valid, saying the former governor will take the matter to the Supreme Court.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/208082-minority-ruling-appeal-court-judge-annuls-kogi-gov-bellos-election.html