No justification for electricity tariff hike – Stakeholders

NIGERIANS have been thrown into confusion over whose authority supersedes on the issue of electricity tariff increase. No sooner than President Muhammadu Buhari, assured Nigerians that there will be no hike until supply improved significantly, than the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, last week declared a new tariff regime effective from November 1.

Stakeholders note that the new tariff is more than 40 percent higher than the current levels and will be the second time in nine months, even as there has been no significant improvement in the electricity supply situation in the country.

While some consumers admit to better supply in some locations, majority however, insist that the situation is even worse than before, as they enjoy the scarce commodity only for a few hours late into the night, when it is really of no use to them.

No justification: Reacting to the development, an advocacy group, Nigerian Electricity Consumers Advocacy, NECAN, said the recent “consultations” on tariff carried out by electricity distribution companies, DISCOS, were a mere trick to justify tariff hike.

According to NECAN President, Mr. Tomi Akingbogun, “We believe NERC is allowing the public to be over billed by allowing the DISCOs justify the increases. Otherwise, how can it be explained NERC allowed a tariff hike of 12.5 to 48 percent in January, and allowing same percent in October of that same year?

“NERC has allowed the DISCOs to take advantage of everyone and had changed the rules at will thereby breaking all the rules. The condition given to them was to ensure that customers are metered before complaining of losses.” He therefore called on the President Buhari to keep his promises to Nigerians and discourage the exploitation by the DISCos.

Costs evaluation: Also commenting, the Director General, Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, Mr. Muda Yusuf, said  the proposed upward review in electricity tariff at this time is worrisome, as consumers should not be made to pay for inefficiency or corruption costs.

His words: “It is important to evaluate the elements of the current costs especially the integrity of procurement processes and other operational expenditure under the current dispensation. The risk of bloated costs is typically high with such enterprises, especially as they operate in a monopolistic environment.

“Pricing is only one component (although fundamental) in the power reform process. There are other issues such as the gas availability, security of gas infrastructure, adequacy of investment in gas infrastructure, security and adequacy of the transmission lines, and the general framework to mitigate the risk of investment in the sector.

“The problem of outrageous billing is yet to be addressed. The commitment to the provision of meters for electricity consumers to ensure fair billing is inadequate. A vast majority of consumers still have no meters.

Inadequaciesin billing

Yet this is fundamental to a good relationship between the power firms and their customers. Many consumers feel exploited at this time because of the inadequacies in billing. The contentious fixed charge is still in place. “It is heart rending that the choice of locations of many of the Independent Power Projects, IPPs, was informed more by politics than the economics of power generation.

“Access to a major input in power generation, which is gas, was not sufficiently taken into account.  This reality has badly affected the cost profile of the IPP projects. All these are complications and challenges on the path of the power sector productivity,” he maintained.

Breaking the law:  According to Section. 76 of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act. MYTO 1.0 states that there will be no increase until 2017, and only 5% will be allowed. DISCOs were given two years to meter all customers. But they refused saying there was no money. Grant was given them, they refused to access it.

Alternatively, customers were asked to fund meter purchase and be refunded from their bills. But for three to four years or more down the line, nothing has been done to that effect. The law does not recognise estimated billing. NERC should stop the practice, but instead it allows it on the excuse that DISCOs must make profit.

Presently, only about 40 percent electricity users are metered. How does NERC want the DISCOs to make profit from the 40% customers captured? This is the question begging for answer if the plan is not to allow them make super profits before metering everyone.

No valid basis for hike: Against this backdrop, the Nigerian Association for Energy Economics, NAEE, condemned attempts by the DISCOs and NERC to increase electricity tariffs, saying that there is no valid and empirical basis for any sort of increase.

Vincent Enyeama retires from Super Eagles

One of Nigeria’s best goalkeepers, Vincent Enyeama has said that he is no longer a player with Nigeria’s senior football team, Super Eagles. Enyeama who took to his Instagram page,  ‘vinny 2908’, said he has served Nigeria his best while in the pitch and now, has retired from active play with Eagles to focus on his club career.

“I have fought a good fight for more than 13 years. I have finished my course, I have kept the faith and sang the anthem with passion. henceforth, there is laid for me a crown which only GOD can reward me for my 13 years of national services. God bless NIgeria.

“Henceforth, I am no more the captain of the NIgerian senior football team, I am no more the goalie of the team. I am out of the team. I am no more available for international duties.

“I want to say thank you to every Nigerian fan and supporter world wide. It’s been the most trying period of my life but I know that Nigerians are there for me and God is with me. God bless NIgeria,” he said.

Recall that the former Eagles captain was recently stripped of that title by the Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh and handed over to CSKA Moscow forward Ahmed Musa, following an altercation between them.

Although Oliseh has said the rift between him and Enyeama has been sewn, he insisted that his decision of stripping the former Eagles captain was based on discipline. ‘’I want a captain who is disciplined. A leader who can motivate other players. A player who  comes to camp early. I want a young player not a retiring player as captain. And Ahmed Musa is that player. He is my captain.’’

“The fact that I would like to have somebody (as captain) who is thinking of playing now and not somebody who is preparing for retirement or thinking of life after-football. And I think it’s time we had peace and quiet around the Super Eagles. That is why I am glad that most of the players here are finding ways to work as a team because I get the feeling now that they are aware that they are representing 170 million people’’, Oliseh said on Brila.

Aggrieved SURE-P staff protest over N4.9bn fraud

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olabode George among other Nigerians have been accused of embezzlement to the tune of N4.947billion from 51,000 jobless Nigerians recruited as Federal Task Force officers for the protection of Subsidy Re-investment and Empowerment Programme,SURE-P/Federal Road Maintenance Agency,FER MA projects in Nigeria.

The aggrieved staff who almost barricaded the complex, petitioned the House of Representatives via the Chairman, House Adhoc Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Sani Zoro (APC, Jigawa); a copy of which was made available to newsmen, stated in the petition that the PDP chieftains among who is a former minister made them to purchase the Federal Task Force forms which were supposed to be free at the rate N30,000 each, despite their impoverished situation, only to be employed, used and abandoned.

The petition read in part: “We wish to cry out and seek for your urgent help over the fraudulent extortion from us and dehumanization of our lives under the SURE-P/FERMA employment programme named Federal Task Force by the above listed names and other officers (Directors) under the following pretence and tricks. Hence we were recruited and employed for the past three years without any training allowances, no salary and other allowances were paid to us.

“We were mandated to pay for the Presidency SURE-P/FERMA Task Force forms. We bought the forms with inscription ‘NOT FOR SALE’ boldly written on it at an average amount of Thirty Thousand Naira (N30,000) each.”

It further alleged that several other payments were made for different reasons such as “loyalty” by the 51,000 recruited officers and petitioners.

The petition was jointly signed by the 51,000 aggrieved officers who laid siege on the National Assembly complex in their full operational gears yesterday. Oluremi Adeniji as Director of Administration.

Bode George reacts
Efforts to reach Chief George proved abortive but one of his aides, who pleaded anonymity said “Chief Bode George never collected a kobo from anybody, he was never part of the SURE-P or FERMA programme, nobody knows those who were there. They mentioned names of their officials, let them go and meet those officials.

The people that were mentioned are those controlling the programme, let the officials tell them those who collected money and what they did with the money. He (George) had never, at any particular time identified with those boys, we don’t know what they were doing. We don’t know who collected money from those boys.”

How 2 female suicide bombers struck Damaturu mosque

Two women suicide bombers killed 15 people, including themselves, early Wednesday in northeast Nigeria at a mosque in the compound of a government workers’ housing estate called Buhari Housing Estate, and at another location there.

The blasts came after Boko Haram militants this week claimed to have carried out three suicide attacks on the outskirts of the capital, Abuja, last Friday that left 18 dead and 41 injured.

File photo: Gombe presidential rally Car-Bomb-Blast

However, in a separate attack, the military said Boko Haram Islamic extremists attacked a rural military camp in northeast Yobe state overnight but were repulsed by troops who killed at least 100 insurgents.

Army spokesman Col. Sani Usman in a statement said seven troops died in the fighting and nine were injured in the village of Goniri.

But hours later, around 6 a.m. when mosques are filled with the faithful performing early-morning prayers, the suicide bombers struck in Damaturu, Yobe’s commercial center.

“One of the suicide bombers gained entry into the mosque and detonated explosives and the other bomber was sighted roaming around the compound and (when) asked questions, she too detonated explosives,” a resident Ibrahim Musa told AP.

He said he counted 15 bodies and 12 wounded people rushed to the hospital in Damaturu, which has suffered dozens of attacks during the 6-year-old Islamic uprising.

Residents blamed them for the dawn attack on Buhari Housing Estate, apparently named after President Muhammadu Buhari.

Meanwhile, NEMA coordinator for Yobe state, Bashir Idris Garga said the first blast happened at a small food store at a housing estate, killing four.

Another near a mosque killed one, while nine, including a family, lost their lives when another bomber exploded at a Fulani settlement on the outskirts of the city.

“Total injured 10, seven partially injured and three critically injured,” Garga said.

The insurgents have stepped up attacks since Buhari, briefly a military dictator 30 years ago, took office in May pledging to halt the insurgency.

Most attacks take place in the northeast and have spilled over into neighboring countries that regularly suffer suicide bomb explosions and hit-and-run raids.

Amnesty International estimates 20,000 people have died in the insurgency.

Risk consultancy Verisk Maplecroft has recorded 3,770 civilian deaths this year linked to Boko Haram’s uprising.

Bomb blast: Pieces of human flesh litter Abuja suburb

Pieces of human flesh were seen on Saturday morning littering the roadside in a suburb of Abuja, Nyanya, where an explosive went off late on Friday.

The explosive was said to have been detonated at the Jikwoyi Park, Nyanya, on the popular Abuja-Keffi Expressway, claiming yet-to-be ascertained number of lives.

The late Friday incident was the third to be recorded in that vicinity.

Two previous incidents with heavy casualties were witnessed there last year.

Our correspondent, who visited the scene as early as 6.30am on Saturday,  reported that the scene of the blast had been cordoned off by security operatives.

A combined team of soldiers, policemen, officials of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps as well as the Federal Road Safety Corps were seen controlling the crowd of onlookers which kept increasing every minute.

Some policemen wearing black T-shirts marked “EOD” were seen picking pieces of human flesh that still littered the road side.

The pieces of flesh were being packed inside cartons by the security operatives as wailing residents looked on.

Buses and cars that had their windscreens shattered as a result of the impact of the blasts were still at the scene.

An eyewitness, who identified himself simply as Aminu, told our correspondent that rescue workers recovered many corpses from the scene of the blast late Friday.

“What you see them packing now are pieces of flesh because many of the victims were torn into pieces. Corpses with several missing parts were taken away last night,” he said.

The incident has caused a serious traffic gridlock on the expressway inwards Abuja as many motorists made attempt to get a glimpse of the scene.

Security operatives were still having difficulties in controlling the surging crowd at the time of filing this report at 7.15am.

How Fulani herdsmen kill, rape Ogun residents, farmers

Farmers and residents of agrarian communities in some local government areas of Ogun State have some gory tales to tell on the menace of Fulani cattle rearers, otherwise known as Fulani herdsmen.

Fulani-herdsman

So many lives have been lost while property worth millions of Naira has been destroyed allegedly by these Fulani marauders .

It was gathered that, the Fulani herdsmen move with their cattle from one of these agrarian communities to the other wreaking havoc.

Further findings have also shown that worse still, they do not respect the borders of the state. They did not only seek pasture they inflict deaths and mayhem.

Records have shown that, not quiet long ago, the border town of Oja-Odan in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State was invaded by some Fulani herdsmen who killed a farmer and injured dozens of others.

The farmer, identified as Agbaose Sewotan, was killed because he complained against the invasion of his farm.

It was learnt that his elder brother, Mr. Oluwole Sewontan,while narrating their ordeal, said; “this is not the first time that our people were slaughtered like cows on our own soil with impunity. My dear brother was killed simply because he protested the invasion of his farmland by the herdsmen.”

Also, a mother of three, Mrs Ayesi Balogun, was allegedly raped and killed   by some suspected Fulani herdsmen at Asa village, in the Oja Odan area,Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State.

Balogun, was said to have been killed after being raped on her farm.This damning revelation was contained in a statement made available to our correspondent by the Ketu Advancement Front.

The statement which was signed by its Coordinator and Secretary, Kunle Abiose and Joseph Bankole respectively, read thus, “For the umpteenth time, we, members of Ketu Advancement Front want to register our strong protest with the Government of Senator Ibikunle Amosun over its callous abdication of its constitutional responsibility of ensuring the security of lives of Ketu People from wanton killing by marauding herdsmen.

“We are sad to announce that Mrs Ayesi Balogun, a poor mother of three, was raped and hacked to death on her farm in Asa, Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State over the weekend by Fulani herdsmen.

“On sighting her entering the farm, the killer-herdsmen, who had taken over her farm, pounced on her, probably gang raped her, before hacking her to death.”

According to the statement, Balogun’s case brought to 25, the number of innocent and poor people, who had been sent to their early graves in agonising and dehumanising circumstances.

It said, “the latest in the series of the ceaseless murder cases had been reported at the Oja-Odan Police Station for anybody to confirm.

“The state Police Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, confirmed that the corpse of Balogun was found in the bush, adding that it had not been established that she was killed by Fulani herdsmen.

He argued that it might be a reprisal killing by the Fulani herdsmen.”A few days ago, the corpse of a Fulani man was found in the bush in the same axis,” he said.

Earlier, a septuagenarian, Pa Mathew Olukogun had narrated how a newly wedded lady in Asa Village, in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, (name withheld) was allegedly raped by armed nomadic Fulani herdsmen.

Speaking on behalf of hundreds of farmers in the area, Olukogun said these marauders have been terrorizing more than 30 communities in the Council Area.

He said the immoral acts by the normal Fulani had instilled fears into the communities, saying, fears of being attacked by the herdsmen had gripped the villagers who were appealing to the state government to come to their aid

He said “aside from this immoral act by the intruders, many of our sons and daughters have been gruesomely murdered in a way that appears as if we don’t have government.

“Our brilliant ones including our wives have been raped, assaulted and even killed by the strangers.” He said many of their wives and ladies that had been raped were either on their way to the market or river to fetch water.

“How would you feel if I mention your wife’s name as one of those that have been raped by the cattle rearers?,” the old man replied in an answer to a question on the need for him to mention names. Olukogun said those who had been raped by the marauders knew themselves.

“Many of our wives , ladies and daughter who have been raped were largely taken to the hospital in Abeokuta, the state capital.”We are losing people as well as being prevented from doing what we know how to do best because of the grazing of our farms by the herdsmen’s cattle.

‘’With the terrible experience of the raping of our daughters and ones, including newly wedded wives, living in our communities is no longer safe, hence, we have deserted the communities in hundreds, praying that the state government would urgently come to our aid.

‘’The worst of the action of the marauders was the raping of many newly wedded wives in our communities and we are bitter about this.”

“In a matter of days, they enter the country through our communities and destroy our farmlands with the indiscriminate grazing of their cattle. We are helpless and that’s why we are appealing to the state government to urgently checkmate them.”

Reacting to the incident, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi said that the Ketu people were only crying wolf where none existed.

While warning the Ketu people not to drag the Police into the matter, he stressed that ‘’the Police could only ensure that there was no breakdown of law and order rather than stopping the Fulani herdsmen from coming into the area.

Meanwhile, a coalition of socio-cultural groups from the area, including Ketu Advancement Front, Ketu South People’s Assembly and Ketu Alliance have alleged that about 21 innocent residents of the area have allegedly been killed by the Fulani herdsmen since 2000.

The representative   of the socio-cultural groups, Mr. Lasisi Adewole, said three residents of the area, including Phillip Akanan from Owode-Ketu, Amosu Olofinjin and Akinola Tunde from Agbon-Ojodu have been killed this year alone by the Fulani herdsmen.

Adewole also lamented that all efforts to ensure that the police, the State Security Service and the state government put in place adequate security measures to protect the people, particularly during dry season when the Fulani herdsmen usually encroached and destroyed their farms by the indiscriminate grazing of their cattle had yielded no fruits.

Nigeria’s Dream Team beat Congo to win bronze

Nigeria’s U23 football team, Dream Team VI, have finished as bronze medal winners in the men’s football event of the ongoing All Africa Games in Congo.

The Coach Samson Siasia-tutored side had set their eyes on winning gold at the African games but failed in their bid after a shock 3-1 loss to Burkina Faso in the semi-finals.

The Nigerian team battled host, Congo, for the consolatory bronze medal, a mission in which they succeeded in doing on Thursday but after a gruelling clash.

The Dream Team VI and their Congolese counterparts played out a goalless draw in regulation time but the Nigerian players held their nerves in the ensuing penalty kicks which they won 5-3 to win the bronze medal.

Daniel Etor, Atanda Ololade, Kingsley Sokari, Erhun Obabor and Christian Pyagbara were the penalty takers for Nigeria and they all scored their goals.

Already Coach Samson Siasia has apologised to Nigerians for not getting the gold they promised to get at this African Games.
Next stop for the Dream Team VI is the U23 African championships billed for Senegal.

The tournament will serve as the qualifiers for the Rio 2016 Olympics football event.

Three tickets is up for grabs in Senegal.

Air strikes: More insurgents, panic, surrender –Army

THE military says scores of terrorists in the North-East have continued to surrender to troops in the frontline due to sustained offensive by ground troops and pre-emp­tive air strikes by Nigerian Air Force.

A statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by the act­ing Army Director of Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, said more terrorists have also indicated willingness to lay down arms.

Sani said ground troops had also adopted routes-blocking strategy in a bid to `constrict and snuff out’ Boko Haram terrorists from their hideouts.

“Many of the terrorists willingly surrendered paint­ed images of mass panic and hysteria among their erstwhile colleagues.

“They said their col­leagues were feeling the noose tightening on their necks with the relentless ef­forts of troops and renewed vigour in the operations in­spired by the personal lead­ership of the Chief of Army Staff.

“Terrorists also seem to have an inkling of what happens to surrendered sus­pects as regards screening and de-radicalisation of in­nocent ones among them,’’ it said.

Sani said the Nigerian Army, in conjunction with the Nigerian Air Force, and other security agencies, would continue to employ effective strategies to bring the insurgency to a speedy end.

It said the military would continue to receive surren­dering suspects and assured innocent ones among them that ‘surrendering is the only option open’ to them.

Electronics dealers decry closure of Onitsha Market

Traders in Onitsha International Electronics Market have decried the closure of the market by the Anambra State Urban Development Board.

The Secretary of the market, Mr Damian Ogudike, told newsmen in Onitsha on Thursday that the closure was “illegal and unwarranted.”

Ogudike said the traders had lost millions of naira due to the action of the board.

He however, called on Governor Willie Obiano to investigate the action of the board, adding that the traders did not deserve such maltreatment.

Ogudike said, “We call on Governor Willie Obiano to investigate the illegal activities of ASUDEB.

“The General Manager of ASUDEB and his team would have been lynched by traders when they were locking up the gates but for my intervention.

“How can they block the access road which is a service lane that leads to our market from Onitsha-Enugu Expressway through Uga road to Obodo-Ukwu road and then into our market and others.

“Envoy Oil Company dumps waste materials on the service lane and we used our own money to remove the waste and construct drains that help to control the flood in the market.”

However, the General Manager of the board, Mr Nathan Enemuo, said he locked the gates on the directive of the Commissioner for Lands, Mrs. Stella Onuorah.

“Before we locked the gates, we served them with revocation notice because the gates were not part of the plan of the market.

“Also, the market and industries are not compatible to stay in one place according to the master plan of the area,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that the officials of ASUDEB led by the general manager early on Monday, locked up the entrance and exit gates to the market.

Three die, others injured as Delta JTF, militants clash

Three persons were confirmed killed while several others sustained injuries when the Joint Task Force (Operation Pulo Shield) engaged suspected militants in a gun duel in Delta State.

The JTF Commander, Maj.-Gen. Alani Okunlola, made the disclosure on Thursday in Warri while briefing newsmen at the 3 Battalion, Effurun.

Parading one suspect arrested with various arms and ammunition, Okunlola said the operation took place on September 5 in Benigboye community, Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.

“My men raided a militant camp in Benigboye.

“On sighting the troops, the suspects opened fire which led to a gun battle that lasted for 30 minutes before they fled the camp.

“In the follow up operation on September 6, my troops, on getting information on the hideout of the suspected militants that attacked Odimodi community, launched a search operation and apprehended one Ebiwame Lamia,” he said.

Okunola added that during preliminary investigation, Lamia confessed that he was in the camp during the previous raid.

He quoted Lamia as saying that three persons died in the gun battle while several others escaped with bullet wounds.

The commander said the JTF was in search of the fleeing suspects and urged the people to assist the troops with useful information that could lead to the arrest of the criminals.

Okunlola listed weapons recovered from the camp to include sophisticated weapons like Medium Machine Gun (MNG), AK 47 Light Machine Gun (LMG) and AK 47 automatic rifle.

Others included Fabrique Nationals (FN), SMG, G3 riffles, one single barrel gun, 11 Improvised Explosive Divices (IEDs), an ID card and ATM cards belonging to the hoodlums.

He said the recovered arms and ammunition were in the custody of Operation Pulo Shield.

The suspect, Lamia, who said he was 17 years old, told newsmen he was a cook in the camp of the militants.

Chibok Girls Dispersed, Some Married Off & Appointing Ministers Tough, Says Buhari

MORE than 513 days after the abduction of the Chibok Secondary School girls in Borno State, hopes of rescuing the girls en bloc vaporized as President Muhammadu Buhari, Tuesday, disclosed that they have been dispersed and some of them, especially Christians, married off against their faith.

President Buhari made the comments in an interview on BBC Hausa service on Tuesday.

Asked if he received any information about the whereabouts of the kidnapped Chibok girls, he said: “They (Boko Haram insurgents) have scattered them, and (they) are being guarded at dispersed locations. Most of the girls are Christians and were forced to embrace Islam. The sect’s cruel leaders have married some of the girls, obviously against their wish. Others have been left to practice their religion but their condition could hardly be ascertained.

Some of the abducted Chibok girls

“Both ground and air security personnel in the Sambisa forest could spot where the girls are, but since the insurgents have also kidnapped housewives and other women, no one could say whether they mixed them or how they dispersed them. But efforts are being intensified and as people know, the three neighbouring governments of Cameroon, Chad, and Niger are helping us since these suicide bombers are now going to their areas and detonating the bombs in mosques and other places.”

On his efforts to check the Boko Haram insurgency, Buhari said: “One of the decisions we took soon after we came into office was to change the service chiefs and we overhauled the infantry. We mandated the military chiefs to change the infantry, re-train them, equip them with adequate weapons and put trained and qualified commanders for the soldiers. The three states of Yobe, Borno and Adamawa know the successes being recorded now.”

Locals must help fight Boko Haram

Told that despite this success of the military, suicide bombers have continued to strike, the President fingered the international dimension of the insurgency and stressed the need for the support of local people in the war.

“Boko Haram members have pledged their allegiance to ISIS — an insurgent group from the Middle East, with enough money and its members were brainwashed into killing innocent people, including Al-Shabbab around Somalia, and Al-Qa’eda from Yemen, plus the ISIS itself around Syria and Iraq. If you can recall, ISIS even went to mosques in Saudi Arabia and killed people on about three to five occasions not to talk of doing same in Nigeria. So, the biggest problem here is how they brainwashed young people, including young girls, who go to mosques, churches, markets, motor parks and detonate bombs, kill themselves and other civilians. How we are going to overcome this is going back to the traditional security apparatus — community leaders, neighbours, district heads, emirs, who should begin to identify new faces in their localities and ask them where they come from and what brought them. They can identify them in either markets, or any other place. This is what will help us in that regard so that those planning to undertake suicide missions could be identified and they would be dealt with appropriately,” he said.

I appointed people I can trust

In the interview, Buhari also defended his recent appointments criticized by many Nigerians as lopsided, saying he nominated people he could trust, and who had worked with him for years.

An overwhelming majority of the President’s senior appointees are from the northern region of the country, where he comes from, and about 33 per cent of the appointments is from his native Katsina State. The South East has no appointee yet.

Asked why his appointments are lopsided, he said: “This is the nature of Nigerian politics. If they will do justice to me, as an elected Nigerian president, let them look at the Constitution a Nigerian president works with; there are people who will closely work with me that don’t need to be taken to the Senate. If I select people whom I know quite well in my political party, whom we came all the way right from the APP, CPC and APC,  and  have remained together in good or bad situation, the people I have confidence in and I can trust them with any post, will that amount to anything wrong? I have been with them throughout our trying times, what then is the reward of such dedication and suffering? They did not defect because of positions, they did not involve themselves in the pursuit of personal gains, and they accepted their fate throughout our trying moments. What is wrong if I make you the secretary (of the federal government) because I have confidence that things will go normal?”

NNPC, big theatre of theft

On his anti-graft war and whether he has made some recoveries since he came to power, the President identified the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as the biggest arena for stealing the country’s funds.

His words:  “The biggest area of stealing of Nigeria’s funds was through NNPC, which is the apex oil selling corporation. That was why we dissolved their board and brought someone who knows the oil sector very well, but who is not from NNPC and entrusted him with the leadership of the NNPC. And instead of the eight major departments, four were liquidated and four continue to exist. This is because, for the past 10 years, the crude oil stealing has been going on using some vessels. By law, their owners, captains and where they are taking the crude must be known.

“So, the method for the crude oil stealing was that those involved shipped the crude through smaller vessels and then transfer the crude to the larger vessels at distant locations in the ocean, before they head to other countries. Some of them carry the crude but later change the destination.

“Our new approach is to get support from European countries, the US and China. Those doing the bunkering, you need to know the amount first and the banks they deposit the monies, etc. These are the things we are doing currently. And you know, those developed countries are strict on evidences and you have to show the evidences of such cases before they can assist you. If you recall, during the military regimes, such people were arrested, thoroughly interrogated and arraigned before the courts with evidences.

“But that is impossible now. It is democracy and even the foreign countries, where the money is being taken to, practice democracy. The companies involved in buying the crude and the banks that kept the money would be identified so that we would determine whether they are Nigerians or not; whether the stolen crude and its quantity was actually taken from here, sold with the Nigerian name and how what accrued to Nigeria was diverted.

“So, the situation is a complex one, but we are getting support from governments of those countries, including their security agencies. When we get the relevant documents, we would bring them (culprits) back to our courts and try them. We would then show the evidence to the world that the crude oil they traded was actually stolen or shipped with Nigerian name but later changed the papers and took away the money, instead of depositing them into the Central Bank of Nigeria.”

Asked when he would prosecute the looters given his recent promise that within weeks, Nigerians would witness the prosecution of such looters in the courts, he responded: “Actually, we are at the verge of doing that. I have just explained the difficulties involved. In the past, around 1984, the process we underwent to recover the stolen monies was different from the one we are adopting now. It was a military regime at that time, but now, ideologies of the countries involved is that until you are proved guilty, you remain innocent. And that is what we have been trying to establish; the actual identity of the people, where they took the crude to, did they really pay back the money to the CBN or to the pocket of some individuals? Was the entire crude shipped or part of it? This is not an easy thing and we have never realized its complexity until recently when some foreign countries agreed to support our course.”

Appointing ministers tough

The President who reassured that his cabinet would be in place before the end of the month, however, disclosed that he is finding the process difficult to  finish because of the massive rot in the polity.

“The process is difficult to finish. So, we would continue the screening to come up with people that deserve to hold the positions. This is because, what I see daily in terms of the damage inflicted on Nigeria in the last 10 years is enormous. Only God knows its magnitude,” he said.

Asked if there were names that he earlier lined up for appointments that he later discovered their complicity and then changed his mind,  Buhari said: ‘’There are people that deserve to hold the position because of their knowledge in either financial issues or oil sector or even in governance. But you discover that in one way or the other, and whether they knew it or not, they were dragged to such unwholesome practices. Bringing such people will be tantamount to leaving your doors open when you have gone to rest in your apartment. Putting such people in either financial, petrol or works ministry would be dangerous because behind the scene, some people control a person. They would be dictating to them with a threat to award them contracts.

Driver Dies As Truck Hits High Tension Wire

A yet-to-be-identified truck driver on Wednesday morning got electrocuted after his trailer hit a high tension wire while trying to enter the Jakande Estate, in the Isolo area of Lagos.

Commercial activities were grounded in the area as residents, commercial motorcyclists and traders besieged the scene of the accident.

The chairman of the commercial motorcyclists in the Jakande Estate, who identified himself simply as Aremu, said the truck driver was trying to enter the estate to take a consignment of woods.

He said the victim, whose corpse had since been taken to the morgue, was in company with two others who sat with him in the front seat of the truck.

Aremu said that when the truck suddenly stopped while trying to approach the gate, the driver poked his head to see what was blocking the truck and mistakenly placed his hands on a metallic part of the truck.

He said, “He didn’t know that the front of the truck had touched a high tension wire, the driver, who was seated with two others in the trailer, noticed that the truck suddenly got stuck. So he poked out his head out of the window. While he was trying to open the door, he got electrocuted. He struggled to get out of the car but his strength failed him. He finally hit his head on the pavement. His clothes was already burnt

“Meanwhile, the other two , having seen what happened to the truck driver managed to escape through the other door but sustained injuries on their arms.

Four Arraigned For Kidnapping Policemen.

The police have arraigned four men for allegedly kidnapping nine policemen on May 24, 2014 at the Arepo area of Ogun State.

The accused, who were on Tuesday arraigned on 10 counts of terrorism, include one Sergeant Akowe Jacob, 41.

Others were 36-year-old Godwin German, Tamarami Tunwa, 23; and Mayibi Hazeez, 29.

The prosecutor, Mr. Raymon Odion, listed the kidnapped policemen as ASP Abdullahi Bature; Inspector Raymond Oriere; Inspector Usman Muhammed; Inspector Oguntimehin Kolawole and Inspector Tijani Jimoh.

Also kidnapped were Cpl. Elogbamen Timothy; Cpl. Yakubu Aliyu; Cpl. Usman Abdulkareem and Cpl. Dauda Mohammed.

The prosecutor told the court that the accused kidnapped the victims at about 9am on the fateful day, adding that the crime contravened Section 2(c) (ii) of the Terrorism Prevention Act.

Odion said the four accused were liable to punishment under Section 33(1) (a) of the same Act, which prescribes a jail term of up to 20 years upon conviction.

However, after the 10 counts were read to the accused, they all pleaded not guilty.

The prosecutor sought for an order to remand them in prison custody, as well as a date for commencement of trial.

However, the defence counsel, Chief S.W. Baidi, informed the court of a bail application filed for the accused and urged the court to grant them bail.

Baidi said, “My Lord, bail is a discretionary remedy, but the Constitution allows the applicants the benefit of presumption of innocence until proven otherwise.

“The offence that the defendants were charged with is a bailable offence.

“The accused persons are all responsible, especially the third defendant, who is a Sergeant and has not been dismissed. He was in the process of writing promotional exam for the rank of Inspector when he was arrested.”

Justice Muhammed Yunusa adjourned till September 15, 2015, to rule on the bail application.

We’ll never hang Buhari’s portrait in our offices –PDP

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh

The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party has refused to hang the official portrait of President Muhammadu Buhari at the party’s national secretariat, checks by The PUNCH have revealed.

Over 100 days after the President assumed office, the PDP has yet to hang his portrait at any of the offices in its Wadata House national secretariat, located at Zone 5, Abuja.

The party has also said it would never put Buhari’s portraits on its walls though it has removed that of the former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who ruled on the platform of the PDP.

“We will never hang his portrait in this office, because President Buhari is not known to our party. He is not a leader of our party and therefore we will never put his portrait here. We are a political party, very partisan and therefore, we are not going to hide that,” National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Olisa Metuh, told our correspondent on the telephone on Tuesday.

Jonathan was also the presidential candidate of the former ruling party during the last general election but he was defeated by Buhari, who was the presidential candidate of the opposition All Progressives Congress.

The defeat was the first to be suffered by the PDP since the return of democracy in 1999.

Before now, the party has always been hanging the portraits of all the Presidents at the party’s reception area as well as the National Executive Committee and National Working Committee halls within the secretariat.

Metuh said the APC also did not hang the portrait of Jonthan in its offices before the former President was defeated in the March 28 election.

“Can you find out if the APC had the portrait of former President Jonathan in their office before he was defeated? That is just it,” he told our correspondent.

When asked whether the party was taking its own pound of flesh, Metuh said no but that since Buhari “is not a member of our party, we won’t put his portrait here.”

The APC National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Lai Mohammed, expressed shock at Metuh’s comment.

“This is ridiculous and we have no comment. Let Nigerians judge the PDP on this matter,” Mohammed said.

He said the PDP spokesman had a shallow understanding of the concept of opposition politics.

Meanwhile, work has stopped at the new secretariat of the PDP, located in the Central Business District, Abuja.

Investigations by our correspondent indicated that contractors handling the project were only doing skeletal jobs at the site.

When our correspondent visited the site on Tuesday, there was no visible job being done at the site.

It was gathered that the cost of the project was put at N11.5bn when it was awarded some years ago. At completion, the building is expected to have 12 floors, with two other floors serving as the car park.

The party had claimed that the project was being financed from levies and contributions from members.

When a fund-raising dinner was organised a few years ago, the party was able to realise about N5bn, and the project, which started more than four years ago, was to be delivered in 126 weeks.

The former National Chairman of the party, under whose leadership the project commenced, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, had then said that the complex, when completed, would strengthen the capacity of the PDP to discharge its role effectively in Africa.

The party had claimed on January 5, 2015 that it was going to spend part of the N21.8bn it realised from the party’s fund-raising on the party’s secretariat.

A former Minister for Information and the Chairman of the party’s Fund-raising Committee, Prof. Jerry Gana, had said the money donated to the PDP was not meant for the campaign of the defeated Jonathan alone.

Nigeria is built on satanic foundation, says Fani-Kayode

 

Femi Fani-Kayode
| credits: Photo file

A former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, says Nigeria has refused to develop because it was built on a ‘satanic’ foundation.

The former minister said this in a Facebook post titled, ‘Lord Lugard’s Magic and Flora Shaw’s Spell.’

Fani-Kayode, who also served as the Minister of Tourism under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, said the manner with which Nigeria was created in 1914 was the reason the country was still struggling.

He said both Lord Fredrick Lugard, who was the first Governor-General of Nigeria; and his wife, Flora Shaw (later Flora Lugard), who gave Nigeria its name, were worshippers of Satan.

Fani-Kayode said, “It is generally agreed though not commonly admitted that both Lugard and Flora Shaw were Luciferians who practised the black arts and all manner of satanic rituals.

“He (Lugard) was a ‘High Priest of the Freemasons’ whilst they were both avid followers of Aleister Crowley, the leading satanist of his day and the self-styled ‘world’s most wicked man.’”

“This explains a lot. It also explains why Shaw gave us the name Nigeria – a name which has questionable roots. Anyone that doubts this should consider the literal translation of Nigeria into Latin: it means “the area of darkness” and there is a deep spiritual and mystical reason why she gave us that name.

“It comes with a lot of baggage because not much good can come out of an area of darkness.”

Fani-Kayode, who was the spokesperson for former President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign organisation, said most of the African countries that were colonised by Britain had since changed their names.

He said only Sudan and Nigeria refused to change their names and that was why they were still struggling.

He added, “Most of the former British colonies changed their names after independence for similar reasons but because most of our leaders in Nigeria were not aware of these matters, they refused to do so.

“Lugard and Shaw were an unlikely couple who had no children. What held them together was more spiritual and mystical than anything else and Nigeria and Sudan are their joint legacy to the world.

“Sadly, both countries are having major challenges today. Sudan has broken into two after a protracted and bitter civil war while Nigeria is experiencing serious regional, ethnic and religious tensions. It is clear that our nation needs a good deal of prayers. May God deliver us from Lord Lugard’s magic and his beautiful wife’s spell.”

Fani-Kayode said Nigeria was created such that the North could rule forever while the resources of the South would continually be exploited.

The former minister said it was a miracle that Nigeria had only witnessed one civil war since it gained independence in 1960.

He argued that the only thing that had kept Nigeria united was the oil in the Niger Delta as well as the strength, patience and collective will of the people.

He said, “This was his (Lugard’s) vision: a northern Nigeria that was essentially the ‘head of the household’ and that would remain in control of all the powers and resources of the state and a southern Nigeria that would play the role of a passive and subservient wife whose destiny it was to remain in perpetual subjugation and bondage.

“The truth is that the British colonialists were masters of divide and rule. The amalgamation of the southern and northern protectorates was a Greek gift which was designed to fail and to crumble at the appropriate time. Nigerians have done well to have held it together for so long and the fact that we have only experienced one civil war is miraculous.”

Estelle says: What satanic foundation, we humans like to blame everything on Satan, why can't we take responsibilities of our actions. So its Satan that has been embezzling the country's funds.

With N30m Savings, Buhari May Be Africa’s Least Corrupt Leader

Following the declaration of asset by President Muhammadu Buhari, which puts his savings at $150,000 (N30m ), The Washington Post has said in one of its’ report that Buhari may be the least corrupt in Africa.

According to the reports which was tied to obtainable standards of other sub-Saharan African leaders, Buhari was described as being ‘dirt-poor’.

Recall that a statement released by  Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President,  Garba Shehu, reveals that Buhari has N30m ($150,000) in his savings account, owns five homes and two mud houses, an orchard and ranch with 270 head of cattle, 25 sheep, five horses and a variety of birds. He has bought two cars from his savings.

“President Buhari had no foreign account, no factory and no enterprises. He also had no registered company and no oil wells,” reads the statement released by the spokesman, Garba Shehu, describing the president’s assets as “Spartan.”

The Washington Post stated, “Corruption, after all, is a major problem in Africa’s largest economy. Buhari himself has publicly said that more than $150 billion is missing from the government’s coffers. Still, the public declaration appears to be an attempt to show some much-needed transparency. Buhari was elected in March largely by promising that he wouldn’t tolerate corruption.

‘What’s clear is that Buhari has done what his predecessors — and most other African leaders — have never done.’

However, It was stated in the report that the question on many minds is: Is Buhari, Nigeria’s former military ruler and ex-head of the oil ministry, telling the truth? Read the full report

 

Cars Snatcher Slashes Vehicle Owner’s Throat In Enugu

Police in Enugu have arrested a suspect (names withheld), who slashed the throat of one Anthony Nnamani in a bid to snatch the victim’s Toyota Camry, at Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State, on August 28.

An eyewitness said that the incident, which occurred at about 3:40p.m., quickly drew peoples’ attention, noting that they thought the car snatcher was a ritualist.

Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, confirmed the incident in a statement, saying operatives of Udenu Police Division got wind of the incident, rushed to the scene and arrested the car snatcher.

Amaraizu said: “The suspect will be charged to court upon the conclusion of our investigation.”

Estelle says: The fear of God is so scarce these days

Robbers Invade Ogun Hospital, Rape Patients, Nurses

Ogun State Police Command has arrested suspected armed robbers, who allegedly robbed and raped patients and nurses at a private hospital in Ijebu-Ode.

Police also said the suspects were responsible for the killing of one Alayande Oladipupo after dispossessing him of his belongings in Ijebu-Ode.

Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Muyiwa Adejobi, said in a statement that no fewer than 10 armed robbers had been arrested in Ijebu-Ode for the two incidents.

According to Adejobi, the command made the arrest while acting on a tip-off that the armed men, who had been terrorizing Ijebu-Ode and its environ, were sighted at Molipa-Ikanga area in Ijebu-Ode about 5:30p.m. on Saturday

He said: “The police operatives attached to Igbeba Division of the command swung into action immediately the information got to them and rushed to the said area where the suspected armed robbers opened fire on the police operatives, who responded with heavy fire power before eight of them were arrested.

“These suspects have been identified as the  killers of one Alayande Oladipo, who was shot dead in Ijebu-Ode on August 25 and those responsible for the robbery and rape cases at a hospital in Ijebu-Ode.

“The suspects had robbed patients and staff of the said hospital and raped some of them during their operation at the hospital.”

Hoodlums attack NAFDAC officials in Lagos, Ogun states

Officials of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and mobile Policemen attached to its enforcement directorate have been attacked by traders and touts in Lagos and Ogun states.

This is contained in a statement signed by Mr Anslem Okonkwor, Public Relations Officer, Enforcement Operations of the agency, and made available to the New Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.

It said that the attacked enforcement teams of the agency were on a nationwide raid for fake, unregistered, counterfeit and suspected contaminated vegetable oil in major markets and distribution channels in the states.

“When the traders and touts swooped on them, they seized some of the products already evacuated by the teams and beat up one of the Agency’s staff identified as Miss Evelyn Chiemeke.

“The exercise which was almost successful turned rowdy when the members of the union at markets trooped out in their hundreds with the help of ‘area boys’.

“Preventing the enforcement team from evacuating the offending “MOI Vegetable oil”
and other products already seized from the markets.

“From Mile 12, to Ikorodu, Sango Otta, Alaba-arago in Ojo, Boundary market in Ajegunle, Suru Alaba and Oke-arin markets, there were attacks despite the presence of armed mobile policemen attached to the teams.

“At the Ikorodu market where four shops were sealed, 438 gallons of fake vegetable oil valued at N6,576,000, and two traders arrested, the officials narrowly escaped mob attack.

“The traders resorted to carrying all forms of weapons at the instigation of a market leader who admitted being the importer of the unregistered vegetable oil from Cotonou into Nigeria,’’ the statement said.

It said at Sango market in Ogun, where NAFDAC officials were also assaulted by the market union members, six shops were sealed and one of the staff of the Agency was roughly manhandled.

“At Alabarago Market in Ojo LGA where the team forced open a warehouse stock with fake products after the owners had absconded on the sight of NAFDAC’s officials.

“One of the Mobile Policemen attached to the team was attacked and almost lost his gun to the mob in the process.

“The Agency has regretted that the exercise was marred by pockets of violence.

“The Agency stormed the markets following intelligence reports over illegal importation and indiscriminate circulation of unregistered vegetable oil in the Nigerian markets,” the statement read in part.

It said the agency was also surprise on the shocking discovery of unhygienic warehouses right inside the markets.

The agency said that consuming such vegetable oil refilled in such a dirty environment would not only expose consumers to infections but could lead to untimely deaths.

“We have been going round other markets. This is Ajeromi market. We have seen smuggled oil and we have seen equally a place where they are refilling empty kegs of registered oil like Kings vegetable oil.

“They are refilling them with adulterated oil. We also have Emperor Vegetable Oil that is also being refilled. The owners have taken to their heels.

“We have sealed about 15 shops today including warehouses where they refill these adulterated vegetable oils. We will invite the owners through the market leaders for further investigations,” NAFDAC said.

The statement warned the public that by NAFDAC definition, any regulated product not registered is considered as fake because such products have not been tested or certified fit for human consumption by the Agency.

“Allowing it in public domain is 10 times risking the lives of poor Nigerians.

“The unhygienic environment where they operate and there is no way NAFDAC will approve any repackaging or refilling of any edible oil in this market,” the statement said.

It said that the exercise was a continuation of its nationwide regulatory exercise aimed at ensuring that Nigerians consume healthy oil as studies have linked consumption of adulterated vegetable oil to rise in heart related diseases.

On the seizures, the statement said a total of 1,040 kegs of MOI vegetable oil were found, thousands of products mutilated labels, six shops sealed at Alabarago market but evacuation hampered by members of the union and area boys.

“At the Mile 12 Market, a major distributor of fake vegetable oil was raided, traders trooped out and assisted by touts to cause commotion thereby preventing the team from raiding other shops.

“33×25 litres of the offending `MOI Vegetable oil’ were eventually evacuated to our office.

“Two arrests were made and other 438 gallons of 25 litres valued at N6,576,000 were discovered.

“Also 247 gallons were evacuated at Ikorodu market while 55 gallons were kept on hold after forcing the shop open due to the uncooperative posture of the traders,” the statement added. (NAN)

Presidency: Boko Haram May Fall Before Deadline

Presidential aide, Mallam Garba Shehu, has expressed confidence that the wave of Boko Haram attacks could end before the three months given by President Muhammadu Buhari to end the insurgency.

He also said that hope was not yet lost on the efforts by Nigeria’s security forces to secure the freedom of the Chibok school girls taken hostage by Boko Haram more than a year ago.

Speaking in an interview with journalists in Abuja yesterday, Shehu said the terrorists were now in disarray, having lost their central command and had been broken into splinters due to the efforts of the Nigerian troops under the new leadership.

Responding to the criticism that the President Buhari-led administration had not done enough to stop the insurgency as promised during the election campaigns, Shehu said on the contrary, the administration had been working hard to cripple the terror organisation, adding that due to intensive military bombardments, Sambisa Forest, their stronghold, was now being degraded.

“From my conversation with these commanders, what they are saying to themselves is that they are not going to wait for three months, but do their best to beat the target given by the president.

“So there is so much going on and I can assure you that spirits are very high. The army chief was there with the soldiers for about nine days. That is leadership because you see him leading the soldiers from the front.

“If the chief himself is there, who are you to drop your gun?  A lot is happening and Boko Haram has been degraded, they have lost central command and are now in splinters.

“What you have now is bits and pieces carrying out distractive action because they don't want to go down alone. So they are looking for very soft targets such as churches, mosques and markets.

“The air force is clearing this place for the ground troops to move in. They are looking for bomb making structures and moving convoys of these insurgents. But they are being careful about certain locations with the hope not to harm the Chibok girls in those locations,” he said.

Shehu, who spoke on the expectation that the administration will do something to free the Chibok girls, said the troops were being careful about certain locations so as not to harm the Chibok girls taken hostage by the terrorist group.

He explained that the bombings were being carried out in a careful manner to avoid certain locations of interest as far as the Chibok girls were concerned.

According to the president's spokesman, Sambisa Forest was under observation 24 hours day in the event somebody decides to move the girls and if there was any movement that is suspicious, there are drones that fly around the place at night and during the day.

“To be fair to President Buhari, did he ever say he will bring back the girls on the second day of his administration?  What he has always said is that we don’t even know where the girls are and that we need to go in there and get the intelligence and the situation of things and then act.

“Without meaning to endanger what is left of those girls, you know that the Sambisa Forest is being degraded right now.
“In the last few days, you even saw the Chief of Army Staff leading the troops and I am aware that in the last few weeks, very interesting pictures have been shown to the president on the basis of which we will say to Nigerians, don’t lose hope on the Chibok girls. I am not saying they have been found or that they have been seen. But it is not yet time for Nigerians to say we have lost them,” he added.