I’ll curb corruption better than Buhari, says Atiku

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has vowed to tame corruption like never before if given the chance to preside over Nigeria’s affairs.
The APC chieftain said this during a facility tour of the new ultra-modern Yaliam Press Limited in Jabi area of Abuja on Monday. Atiku was quoted as saying, “he would fight corruption like never before if he is given the opportunity to preside over the affairs of the country... It is sickening to continue to regurgitate allegations of corruption against me by people who have failed to come forward with a single shred of evidence of my misconduct while in office.”

September 12, 2017

Pregnant Woman Set On Fire By Boyfriend Delivers Baby Prematurely (Photos)

A pregnant woman has been attacked by her boyfriend and forced to deliver her baby seven weeks early after he doused her in flammable liquid and set her on fire.
30 year old Andrea Grinage was found with critical burns over much of her body around 11.45am Friday in Capitol Heights, Maryland, when police and fire crews responded to reports of a fire.
She had been set on fire by the father of her unborn baby who, according to Andrea’s father, was not ready to take responsibility of his baby.
Andrea Grinage was forced into labour by the horrific trauma and gave birth to a baby girl, named Journey Aleah, seven weeks early.
Mother and baby are both recovering.
Before the horrific incident, Andrea was already the mother of two boys, ages 8 and 15. She is pictured below with her boys.

In an appeal on a GoFundMe campaign, Andrea Grinage’s father, Arthur Grinage Sr, said:

“Everything was lost in the fire and she must begin a new with your help. She has a long road to recovery and unknown medical cost. PLEASE stop domestic violence!!” the father wrote.

                       Scense of crime 

Arthur Grinage Sr said that the incident stemmed from the pregnancy and the boyfriend’s immature attitude towards fatherhood.

“It all stems from him not wanting to take responsibility of him being a newborn dad. He didn’t want that.

And once a baby is conceived it’s too late for all that. You either step up and be a dad or you walk away.”

Andrea Grinage was able to tell investigators who had attacked her, and said that she suspected he was headed to Washington DC to attack other members of her family.

Detectives were able to get the suspect on the phone and talk him into turning himself in.

The suspect has not yet been publicly identified by law enforcement.

September 10, 2017

Nigerian Newspapers: 10 things you need to know this Saturday morning

Good morning! Here are 10 things you need to know this morning:

1. The Supreme Court, Friday nullified the election of Senators Stella Oduah and Andy Ubah over pre-election matters. Also nullified was the election of House
Of Reps members from Anambra State. Odua and Ubah are to be replaced by Annie Okonkwo (Anambra Central) and Chris Ubah (Anambra South) respectively.

2. Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, was Friday denied bail by an Abuja Federal High Court. Kanu was sent back to Kuje Prison after the judge ruled against his bail application.

3. The Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, has said a new tariffs regime for electricity consumers across the country will become effective on Monday, February 1, stressing that the new regime will enable the power distribution, generation and transmission companies to acquire needed infrastructure.

4. No fewer than 10 persons were killed in a bomb blast that occurred inside the grain market in Gomi international market, Adamawa State on Friday. Report says twenty-eight others were injured and taken to different hospitals for treatment.

5. The management of Leadership Holdings Limited, publishers of Leadership newspapers, has reportedly returned the N9 million it received from the Presidency through the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria as compensation for the seizure of its publications in 2014. This contained in a letter dated January 29 and addressed to the General Secretary of NPAN.

6. Justice Uche Agomuo of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt Friday granted bail to twenty pro-Biafran protesters. The accused were granted consolidated bail, but each of them must present 2 sureties.

7. Students of the Obafemi Awolowo University, on Friday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to probe the activities of the university’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Bamitale Omole.
They made the appeal in a message they sent to the President through the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who was at the university to deliver a lecture, titled ‘Nexus between corruption and underdevelopment of Nigeria’ at the University’s Faculty of Arts.

8. Kogi State governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has reinstated 15 Local Government chairmen sacked by former Gov. Idris Wada, for decamping to the All Progressives Congress (APC). This was contained in a statement issued in Lokoja on Friday by Bello’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Kingsley Fanwo.

9. Three suspected armed robbers were on Friday morning burnt to death at Orunu village in Ofu local government area of Kogi. Report says the armed suspects blocked the Orunu-Idah road junction and were about to start their operation when some youths in the area mobilized against them.

10. Former Ondo State Special Adviser on Information Communication Technology, Engr. Tunji Light Ariyomo has joined the governorship race in the State. The politician disclosed this on Friday, saying that he joined the race to make a difference.

January 30, 2016

ISLAMIC MOVEMENT ATTACK: WE DEFENDED COAS – ARMY

The Shiite Sect on the orders of their leader, Ibrahim Alzak-zaky  today afternoon in Zaria attacked the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff while on his way to pay homage on the Emir of Zazzau and attend the Passing Out Parade of 73 Regular Recruits Intake of Depot Nigerian Army, Zaria.

See Pictures Of Army-Islamic Movement Confrontation

The sect numbering hundreds carrying dangerous weapons, barricaded the roads with bonfires, heavy stones and tyres. They refused all entreaties to disperse and then started firing and pelting the convoy with dangerous objects. The barricade was obviously a deliberate attempt to assassinate the Chief of Army Staff and members of his entourage while on a legitimate official assignment as Special Guest of Honour at the passing out parade which has earlier been widely publicized.

The troops responsible for the safety and security of the Chief of Army Staff on hearing  explosion and firing were left with no choice than to defend him and the convoy at all cost as well as open up the barricaded road for law abiding citizens. This is in line with the Nigerian Army Rules of Engagement and Code of Conduct. This kind of behaviour will not be tolerated from any individual or groups and should not be allowed to repeat itself.

We wish to implore all Nigerians to continue to be law abiding and remain conscious of other people’s right to life, freedom of movement and passage. The Chief of Army escaped unhurt and continued with his duties.

December 12, 2015

Despite Cash Crunch, Senate Illegally Buying N4.7billion Exotic Cars For Saraki, Other Senators

The Nigerian Senate is currently on the verge of illegally buying various brands of exotic vehicles for use by its President, Bukola Saraki, and the 108 other senators, PREMIUM TIMES can authoritatively report today.

Nigerian Senate
Premium Times
The cars will cost taxpayers an estimated N4.7billion that could be spent on vaccinating newborns and save them from dying or on providing electricity for remote communities so kids stop doing school assignments using paraffin lamps.

The upper legislative chamber is buying the vehicles at a time millions of Nigerians are facing severe economic hardship, including nonpayment of salaries.

The procurement is also happening at a time millions of Nigerians are enduring long and humiliating fuel queues across the country because the federal government is too broke to pay importers of petrol several billions in subsidy claims.

Already, the management of the National Assembly has invited bids from contractors interested in supplying the vehicles.

In an advertisement published in some newspapers, including Blueprint of November 20, 2015, the authorities asked the companies to tender for “Lot 1S, Supply of Utility Vehicles”.

The advert, in what appears a deliberate ploy to conceal details, failed to indicate the number, type and specification of vehicles being bought.

However, PREMIUM TIMES has now obtained detailed copies of tender documents being discreetly issued to prospective contractors.

In one of the documents, the Senate indicated it was buying 120 units of Toyota Land Cruiser, 2016 model.

Other details of the vehicles included that they must be “American Brand, V8, VXR, 5.7, Auto Engine WITH INTELLIGENCE”.

The senators also want the vehicles to come with integrated navigator cruise control, QI-Compatible wireless charging and Kinetic dynamic suspension system, as well as being “full option”.

On November 21, the Senate also put up another advert it labelled “addendum”.

The latest advert under Lot 2S, which was couched to look like an oversight in the first advert, was for the purchase of vehicles for the use of the senate president’s convoy.

Under Lot 2S and based on the tender document, which we have also obtained, the national assembly is seeking to purchase a 2016 modelMercedes Benz S550 for Mr. Saraki.

Other vehicles being procured for Mr. Saraki include four 2016 Toyota Prado jeeps, four 2016 Toyota Hilux SS (Auto) as well as a 2016 model Toyota Hiace Bus.

The spokesperson for the Senate, Aliyu Sabi, could not be reached Saturday to comment on these new procurement as his telephone was switched off the several times our reporter called.

The Director of Information of the National Assembly, Ishaku Dibal, declined to comment on the matter. He said he was driving and couldn’t comment after our reporter put his question to him.

Subsequent calls to his telephone failed to connect.

PREMIUM TIMES carried out a market survey on all the vehicles being bought by the senate and we can confirm that the upper chamber would spend over four billion naira of taxpayers money to enhance their taste for luxury.

Specifically, give or take, vehicles are valued at N4.739,515,625.

Although there are 109 senators, the lawmakers are buying 120 Toyota Land-cruisers. It is not clear where the balance of 11 vehicles would go.

We arrived at our figure of N4.7 billion after computing the cost of the vehicles, 35 per cent duties to be paid, and another 35 per cent levy.

There is also the expected 35 per cent profit margin to be made by each supplier based on the requirements of Nigeria’s procurement act.

Our checks revealed that a Toyota Land Cruiser, 2016 model, goes for $84,000, and at the current exchange rate of N250 to the dollar, it amounts to N21,000,000.

If 75 per cent of cost is added, being duty, levy and profit margin (translating to N15, 750,000) each vehicle would cost Nigerian tax payers N36,750,000.

Given that the senators propose to buy 120 units of the vehicles, the t

December 12, 2015

NPAN tackles Tribune, Peoples’ Daily, Telegraph over NSA Dasuki compensation payment claim

The Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) on Saturday explained why some of its members were yet to be paid the compensation money released to the body by former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.
The publisher of ThisDay Newspapers, Nduka Obaigbena, had said in his response to a letter of invitation from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, that he received N120 million in March 2015 on behalf of NPAN and 12 newspapers.
The newspapers had demanded compensation for the unlawful seizure and stoppage of circulation of their newspapers by armed soldiers in Abuja and several cities in June 2014.
But in separate statements on Friday, some of the 12 newspapers dissociated themselves from the payments.
The newspapers are African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Plc, publishers of the Tribune titles; Peoples Media Limited, publishers of Peoples Daily; Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited, publishers of New Telegraph, Saturday Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph, and Independent Newspapers Limited, publishers of Daily Independent newspapers,.
However, in a statement Saturday, the Executive Secretary of NPAN, Feyi Smith, explained why the affected papers had not been paid.
Mr. Smith said, “Our attention has been drawn to statements issued last night by the Nigerian Tribune, Peoples’ Daily and New Telegraph Newspapers claiming that they did not receive the compensation for the military disruption of circulation of newspapers by the Federal Government.

“It should be recalled that the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN) Executive Council meeting of March 17, 2015, held at the offices of Daily Trust, Abuja, resolved to accept the N120million compensation and passed two other resolutions thereto:
(1) that each member- organisation accepts to donate N1million from the compensation to the Association for the up-keep of the Secretariat;
(2) that members should bring their membership account current, by paying all past dues to the Secretariat before collecting their cheques.
“The cheques for the Nigerian Tribune and Peoples’ Daily remain in the Secretariat awaiting collection.
“In the case of New Telegraph, the Secretariat was confronted with a situation where 13 Newspapers made claims while compensation for 12 newspapers was made. Blueprint Newspapers which was inadvertently omitted from the list has since been been paid.
“When New Telegraph now demanded payment that had been collected by Blueprint Newspapers, the secretariat then brought the matter to the attention of the of the President, Mr. Nduka Obaigbena, who then called Governor Orji Kalu , the Publisher of both the Sun Newspapers (who had been paid) and the New Telegraph (which has not been paid), to urge him to be patient for the matter to be tabled at the next Executive Council meeting, where he would seek the approval of the EXCO to take the funds earmarked for the Secretariat to pay them.”

December 12, 2015

Customs N1.2b Rice Revenue Challenges Senate’s Suspension Order

By Airahuobhor
Barely one week after Nigerian Senate ordered Nigeria Customs Service to suspend rice imports
through the land borders, the Service has announced a total revenue of N1,178,720,376 on the
commodity through the land borders in October and November 2015.
During the same period, the total quantity of rice imported through the land borders stood at 17.596
million Metric Tonnes.
Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd) disclosed the figures at a strategy session
he convened to review revenue performance for the year.
“ The huge collection in just two months has vindicated our position. If we had stuck to our
previous directive, this much quantum of rice would still have been smuggled anyway, and we
would have lost over a billion Naira revenue as this critical period of our economic downtown” , the
CGC said.
Two months ago, the Comptroller-General of the Service had approved the removal of the
restriction placed on importation of Rice through the land borders shortly after assuming office,
sparking public criticism. Many condemned the decision on the premise that it would discourage
further investments in local production, which federal government sought to achieve with the
restriction order.
The removal by Col. Hameed was predicated on the large scale rice smuggling through the land
borders, resulting in huge revenue loss and distortions in the price of the item in the local markets.
The breakdown of the Rice imports shows that Idiroko border in Ogun Command has the largest
volume of 8.276 Metric tonnes, with a collection of N555,152,344 duty. Katsina Borders come next
in quantity of 3,636 Metric tones imported, where total revenue of N242,985,626 was collected
during the same period.
A total of 2.156 metric tones was imported through the land borders of Oyo/Osun command,
generating a total revenue of N144,278,025.
Other Commands include: Seme – 2,140 Metric Tonnes with N143,349,658, Sokoto – 602 Metric
Tonnes with N40,162,759;
Kano/Jigawa – 470 Metric Tonnes with N31,536,148;
Adamawa/Taraba – 248 Metric Tonnes with N16,545,422;
Niger/Kwara/Kogi – 68 Metric Tonnes with N4,710,394.
Meanwhile, Senators unanimously took the decision to suspend the importation of the commodity
through the land borders insisting that it must only come inn through the seaports till further notice.
They argued that considering the huge costs resulting from paying duty to Nigeria and Benin
Republic, anybody importing through the land borders must have an ulterior motive to cheat
government.
With the huge revenue recorded within two months from rice, will the federal government
reconsider allowing rice imports through land borders especially now that the country seeks
inncreased revenue?
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December 09, 2015

My life is in danger: they may become even more vicious and deadly---Pius Anyim

My life is in danger: they may become even more vicious and deadly---Pius Anyim

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim, has raised the alarm over a perceived threat to his life and property. He has asked President Muhammadu Buhari for extra security.

Pius Anyim

In a petition over a publication by Sahara Reporters, in which the online medium on December 2, stated that Anyim was under investigation over allegations that he is funding pro-Biafra protests, the former SGF linked it to a sustained media attack on his person.

In the petition Anyim said he was compelled to seek protection from government because of “the desperation that has sustained the evil elements in the last five months could drive them to become even more vicious and deadly.

“I have taken time in the last five months to uncover the masterminds of this dangerous plan and my findings reveal a bunch of touts and hirelings with a track record of dangerous capacity to commit any harm. They operate as a network and recruit other elements, when necessary, to act as their undercover agents.

“They occasionally appear frontal and, at other times, act as if they are faceless. They are well organised and employ multiple strategies to sustain their plans, including blackmail and spurious allegations.

“It may interest Mr. President to note that following my resolve to maintain my decency and absolute faith in God, I have watched their orchestrations unfold in the last five months. I may not need at this point to name the suspected masterminds but I believe that a clear presentation of their mode of operation would provide a useful lead to the investigating authorities.”

He, therefore, urged the government to uncover all the actors in the plan and bring them to book

December 09, 2015

My life is in danger: they may become even more vicious and deadly---Pius Anyim

My life is in danger: they may become even more vicious and deadly---Pius Anyim

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim, has raised the alarm over a perceived threat to his life and property. He has asked President Muhammadu Buhari for extra security.

Pius Anyim

In a petition over a publication by Sahara Reporters, in which the online medium on December 2, stated that Anyim was under investigation over allegations that he is funding pro-Biafra protests, the former SGF linked it to a sustained media attack on his person.

In the petition Anyim said he was compelled to seek protection from government because of “the desperation that has sustained the evil elements in the last five months could drive them to become even more vicious and deadly.

“I have taken time in the last five months to uncover the masterminds of this dangerous plan and my findings reveal a bunch of touts and hirelings with a track record of dangerous capacity to commit any harm. They operate as a network and recruit other elements, when necessary, to act as their undercover agents.

“They occasionally appear frontal and, at other times, act as if they are faceless. They are well organised and employ multiple strategies to sustain their plans, including blackmail and spurious allegations.

“It may interest Mr. President to note that following my resolve to maintain my decency and absolute faith in God, I have watched their orchestrations unfold in the last five months. I may not need at this point to name the suspected masterminds but I believe that a clear presentation of their mode of operation would provide a useful lead to the investigating authorities.”

He, therefore, urged the government to uncover all the actors in the plan and bring them to book

December 09, 2015

Rector of Maritime Academy of Nigeria is dead

The Rector of Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, Joshua Okpo, is dead.
Mr. Okpo died Tuesday in Abuja, where he had travelled to for an official business of the academy.
A source at the academy told PREMIUM TIMES that Mr. Okpo was expected to be at the National Assembly on Tuesday morning to discuss the academy’s budget with lawmakers.
The source said when staff of the academy waited at the National Assembly complex for the rector and did not see or hear from him for several hours, they drove to his residence in Abuja, where they found him dead in his room.
The cause of death was not yet known.
Mr. Okpo’s body was said to have been deposited in the mortuary at the National Hospital, Abuja.

December 09, 2015

FG To Deploy 5,000 NSCDC Personnel To North-East

Retired Lt.-Gen Abdulrahman Dambazau, the Minister of Interior, says five thousand personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), will soon be deployed to the north-east.
The minister, who disclosed this on during a familiarisation visit to the NSCDC in Abuja on Tuesday, said the deployment would be to areas librated from terrorists.
“A lot is expected from NSCDC. This is the time the country needs you particularly in the post-conflict areas in the north east.
“I am happy that you will soon be deploying about 5, 000 of your personnel to the north-east as part of your contributions in stabilising those areas liberated’’, he said.
He explained that it is not only NSCDC personnel that would be deployed to the area.
“It will be a multi-agency deployment that involves all the apparatuses of government.’’
Dambazau charged officers and men of the NSCDC to be proactive and diligent in the discharge of their duties in line with the change agenda of the Federal Government.
He also stressed the need for adequate training of officers in line with international best practice.
Dambazau assured that the ministry would continue to do its part to ensure better welfare and adequate training for officers of the corps.
He warned that anybody caught misusing his/her firearm would be adequately sanctioned as the arms were meant to protect the citizens.
Mr Abdullahi Muhammadu, the Commandant General of the NSCDC, said the leadership of the corps had been doing a lot to ensure professionalism amongst the rank and file.
He said that the NSCDC will continue to work with relevant security agencies to ensure the protection of lives and property and critical infrastructure in the country.
Highlights of the familiarisation tour was the change of guard, anti-vandal parade, disaster management team simulation and sports unit demonstration, among others.

December 09, 2015

Letter from Africa: Cutting Nigeria's 'big men' down to size

In our series of letter from African journalists, novelist and writer Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani looks at the impact of new economising measures in Nigeria.
President Muhammadu Buhari, who came to office in May, seems bent on making public office less and less attractive to the average Nigerian "big man".
Beyond the unusually austere salary package for new members of his cabinet - in response to the country's worst economic crisis in years - he has given an instruction that should drastically reduce the size of every serving minister's entourage.
Few Nigerian big men walk alone: Such a typical highly esteemed and self-important person in Africa's most populous country goes around accompanied by a multitude of men.
They follow him to weddings and funerals and birthdays and book launches; they follow him to weddings and funerals and birthdays and book launches; they stand when he stands, sit when he sits, and depart when he departs.
You can often tell when a big man is approaching by the number of followers pushing their way through in front of him or those shepherding from behind.
You can usually tell when one is in the vicinity, maybe inside a restaurant or a hotel, by the number of men hovering outside, at the front door or the gate or in the lobby, waiting.
As soon as their principal reappears, they jump into action, surround him to his car, then shove their way into their own vehicles, which zoom off behind and in front of his.
Sometimes, the big man is travelling out of Nigeria, perhaps to a country where such exuberant displays of clustering may be greeted with raised eyebrows.
In that case, the retinue will stop at the airport lobby, watching solemnly as he jets off.
But when he returns, they will have regrouped, possibly on the tarmac, ready to resume their duties from exactly where they stopped.

December 09, 2015

FG To Re-Introduce Toll Gates –Fashola

Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, disclosed yesterday, that the Federal Government will reintroduce toll gates where revenue generated can be channelled towards  sustaining and maintaining quality federal roads. He promised that money generated from the toll gates will be properly accounted for and judiciously put to use.
Fashola, in his maiden press conference at the Ministry of Works in Abuja, also said the former Ministry of Works owes 206 contractors over N2 trillion for which only N13 billion was released to the Ministry out of the N18.132 billion it budgeted for.
In the housing sector, the minister also said that the Federal Government would spend N10 billion to build low income housing estates in each of the states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
On toll gates, Fashola said the Federal Government will re-introduce highway tolling to raise additional funds to finance road infrastructure and ensure efficient road maintenance.
His words: “Maintenance would be our watchword. We are setting up a robust maintenance regime to keep our highways in good shape. This shows that tolling is necessary to support government funding. So, it will not be too much if we ask every road user to pay a little to augment government funding for road maintenance.
“It is eminent commonsense for us to find that money. We will use technology; so if you don’t pay cash, you will pay by tokens or tickets and the money is accountable and it will go to the right place. We will manage that fund properly and we will hold those who we put there to account.”
The Minister further said that the Ministry will have to focus on states link roads and roads with the heaviest traffic flow before it will continue with some other ongoing projects

December 09, 2015

Nigeria Wouldn’t Have Survived If Ex-President Jonathan Had Won 2015 Presidential Election – Soyinka

Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, says he does not regret supporting President Muhammadu Buhari during the electioneering, adding that Nigeria would not have survived four more years of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s rule. Soyinka added that the revelation of stolen loot such as the arms purchase fraud justified his position that Nigeria was being run aground by the last administration.

The Nobel laureate said this during a programme titled, ‘Channels Book Club’ on Channels Television on Tuesday.

The playwright confessed that he used to have a bad impression of Buhari who he once described as a “devil for whom in my calculation, no spoon existed long enough to justify the risk even of an impromptu snack.”

However, Soyinka said many of his trusted companions were able to convince him during the electioneering that Buhari had changed and that the highhandedness that characterised his military rule in the 1980s could not be repeated during a democratic rule.

He said, “We were left with two credible contestants in terms of catchment area for the nation. We had reached, in my view, the bottom. I became convinced that if this country underwent four more years under President Jonathan, the country would run aground completely. I looked at the record and said this cannot go on, this has to stop.

“Then I looked at this man who had contested elections three times before and said he would not contest anymore and then decided to throw his hat in the ring. I talked to people and I said do you know what you’re doing?

“And after weighing all the options, I said let’s try a new one. And since in electoral terms, he was the one, I guardedly, with reservations, announced that no, not a continuation under Jonathan.

“And so very reluctantly, I want this on record, because I made it quite clear, I weighed the two of them and I said this nation stands a better chance under Buhari. And what has been coming out now? Look at all that has been coming out? Look at the figures (loot) which virtually hammer one into the ground just the sheer enormity of the robbery of this nation that is getting exposed progressively. It shows that we did not make a bad choice.”

When asked if he was completely satisfied with Buhari’s six months in office, Soyinka said, “Not totally but Buhari has proven that there is such a thing as a born again democrat.”

Asked his opinion of the recent pro-Biafran agitations, Soyinka said there was a need for the government to meet with pro-Biafran groups to understand the real problem.

The playwright said the government should convoke a fresh National Conference which would address the feelings of pro-Biafran elements.

The octogenarian said the government could not wish away with idea of Biafra because ideas could not be killed.

He said the government should treat the matter dispassionately as there was nothing evil about secession. He noted that Nigeria even ceded the Bakassi peninsula to Cameroun.

Soyinka said, “So, let us sit down, let us talk once again about restructuring the nation in a way that no one will want to leave. The agitations, for me, are not surprising. It was expected that it would happen sooner or later.

“So, I am referring to a genuine and authentic National Conference. Not like the one that former President Olusegun Obasanjo called which was meant to try to perpetuate himself in office.

“The one under Jonathan was extensive; it covered lots and lots of ground. It proposed some far-reaching changes, not far-reaching for me, but far-reaching. It is about time we went back to efforts like that; genuine ones like that.”

December 09, 2015

KANU HAD RECEIVED HUGE SUMS FOR ASSORTED WEAPONS HE WAS BUYING – FG

The Federal Government, yesterday, told a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, why it was not in a hurry to release the detained leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, claiming that its investigations revealed that Kanu, who it identified as the brain behind recent clamour for the creation of ‘Biafra Republic’, had already received huge sums of money to purchase weapons.
Government in a counter-affidavit before the court, said that prior to his arrest, Kanu, had already made enquiries about prices of all the weapons he intends to buy.

In the counter-affidavit by a senior officer with the Department of State Services, DSS,  Mr. Ayo Ibitoye, it insisted that it would be in the interest of justice, peace and order, to allow the IPOB leader to remain in custody of the security agency.

It will be recalled Kanu who is also the Director of Radio Biafra and Television,    was on October 17, arrested in Lagos by security operatives, shortly after he arrived Nigeria from his base in the United Kingdom.

He was later arraigned before a Chief Magistrate Court in Abuja  over allegation that he engaged in  criminal conspiracy, managed and belonged to an unlawful society.

But on October 19,  pleaded not  guilty to the charge and was granted bail in the tune of N2million.

The court further directed the defendant to produce a civil servant of Grade Level 16, to stand as his surety.

However, the accused person alleged that the Nigerian government refused to release  him from detention despite the fact that he had met the bail conditions.

FG had while the matter was pending before the Magistrate court, secured an order from the high court to further detain Kanu for 90 days.

It was sequel to the  order that government lawyer,  Mr Moses Idakwo, asked Magistrate Usman to  step down from the trial on the ground that his court lacks the power and jurisdiction to prosecute terrorism charges.

Following an application by Kanu before the high court, seeking to enforcing his fundamental right to freedom, government filed a counter-affidavit, explaining why he will not been released, despite the clear orders of the court.

December 08, 2015

What FG Should Do About Biafra – Soyinka

Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka has adviced the Federal Government to sit with those protesting for Biafra for dialogue instead of saying “Nigeria is indivisible” or “This won’t happen under my watch.”

He warned that “Once an idea has taken off, you may defeat those behind it in a war but that does not mean the end of the idea.” He said in A Channels TV program

He therefore urged the Government to sit with the leaders of agitation and ask “What can we do to make the Igbo feel part of the country, what can we do to make them to feel that they belong and not alienated.

25
“This is what we are ready to push for in the overall governance content of the country. It is not to be carrying on that this will not happen under my watch; Nigeria is indivisible, Nigeria’s unity is non-negotiable.”

December 08, 2015

Mixed feelings in PDP as it wins, loses Senate seats.

an appeal filed by Chief Victor Umeh of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

The judgment, as read by Justice Datijo Yahaya indicated that the election of Mrs Ekwunife on March 28, 2015 did not meet the prescription of the electoral act and therefore ordered a rerun in the Anambra Central Senatorial District within 90 days.

But later in the day, the sadness within the PDP camp gave way to smile when Prince Buruji Kashamu was declared winner of the Ogun East Senatorial District by the Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan.

The Court of Appeal upturned the October 9, 2015 judgment of the National and State Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal in Abeokuta to reaffirmed and returned Kashamu as the validly elected senator for the district.

The appellate court in a unanimous decision held that Kashamu’s appeal is meritorious and therefore succeeds, consequently, the three-man panel set aside the ruling of the elections tribunal and affirmed as well as returned Senator Kashamu as the winner of the March 28, 2015 senatorial election in Ogun East Senatorial district
While reading the lead judgment, justice M.L Shuaib held that the tribunal erred and was partisan, adding that it descended into the arena and scouted for evidence to nullify Kashamu’s election and truncate his victory.

He added that it was curious, illogical and perverse of the tribunal to place so much reliance on the evidence of a prosecution witness labeled as PW 44 and further admit as evidence documents that were clearly inadmissible under the law and also act on such evidence to truncate Kashamu’s victory.

According to the panel, PW 44 who posed as a forensic expert had discredited himself during cross examination when he stated that anyone with prerequisite knowledge could do what he did and added that he had no degree in statistics.
“PW 44 sold himself out and the tribunal should not have held that he was an expert when he himself had agreed anyone could do what he did. No expert opinion is needed in this case since PW44 stated that anyone, even a layman could do what he did and he has no degree in statistics.

“There is no certification of the admitted print out by the said forensic expert so it is not an exhibit and he also sold himself out when he stated that the Appendix A, B and C which was his report was printed from a computer but the tribunal held that it was PW44’s statement on oath and not a print out,” the panel stated.

The three man panel further held that the case of Prince Dapo Abiodun and the All Progressive Congress is a non issue as the material used to nullify the results of elections in some polling units and order re-election is inadmissible in law.

“The case of the first and second respondents (Abiodun and APC) in this appeal collapses like a pack of cards as the respondents fail to lay necessary foundation for the admissibility of the annexes. Exhibits A, B and C are expunged as inadmissible

“PW44 was a hatchet man brought to truncate the appellant’s victory and since his testimony is that he thoroughly analyzed some documents from INEC’s register and used a computer to draw a table and print it out, the annexes are indeed a printout.

“It is wrong of the tribunal to place so much reliance on the evidence of a discredited witness and use an inadmissible document to arrive at its judgment.”

The three man panel comprising of Justices A.G Msheila, M.L Shuaib and Ignatius Agube also adopted the same judgment for the cross petition filed by Prince Adedapo Abiodun.

Last month, the Court of Appeal, Makurdi Division, annulled the election of the immediate past Senate President, Senator David Mark also of the PDP.

The Court also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct fresh elections in the Benue South senatorial district within 90 days.

Mark’s victory at the March 28th., 2015 National Assembly elections, was challenged by Daniel Onjeh of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), who petitioned the Benue sta

December 08, 2015

Fuel Subsidy Removal: Now is best time to act, World Bank tells Buhari

The World Bank has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to act now if he is seriously considering the removal of fuel subsidy.
The World Bank’s Lead Economist, John Litwack, said Tuesday the best time to take such decision is now.
While the Buhari administration has hinted at its intention to remove fuel subsidy, the debate is still on in the country with many Nigerians, including the organised labour, rejecting the plan.
The issue was discussed Monday at the Executive Council of the Federation meeting.
The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udoma, while unveiling the Medium Term Expenditure Framework and the government’s N6 trillion budget proposal for 2016, said the government was seriously weighing the options between removing or retaining fuel subsidy next year.
The government’s body language appears to favour the former, rather than the latter.
Mr. Litwack said at the launch of the new edition of Nigeria Economic Report that if the government really meant to take a decision on the issue of fuel subsidy removal, the best time to act would be now that global crude oil price was at its lowest level.
Despite last Friday’s attempt by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, during its 168th conference to maintain its production quota so as to stabilize the crude oil market, the price of the commodity slumped further to $37.89 per barrel on Monday from $38.09 on Friday.
While presenting the economic outlook of the global economy and the crude oil market, Mr. Litwack said the Bank foresaw continuous decline in global crude oil price.
He said now is the best time for the government to scrap the subsidy, as doing so would not push retail pump price beyond an average of N100 per litre, or generate the kind pressure that would negatively impact on the people beyond what they are currently facing.
“The fuel subsidy appears to have vast modest benefits for the majority of citizens, but the costs are quite high,” Mr. Litwack noted.
“There is a strong tendency for the cost of the fuel subsidy to increase over time as increasing domestic demand for petrol outpaces growth in oil output or revenues.
“The $35 billion cost of the fuel subsidy during 2010 – 2014 was one of the reasons why Nigeria was unable to accumulate a fiscal reserve n the Excess Crude Account that could have protected the country from the recent oil price shock.”
He said fuel subsidy obligations were expected to reach 18 per cent of all government oil revenues in 2015, pointing out that if the current regulated price regime of N87 per litre was maintained, subsidy was projected to increase to more than 30 per cent by 2018.

December 08, 2015

Boko Haram attacks village, loots food supplies, 200 cattle in northeast Nigerian

Boko Haram gunmen have torched almost an entire village near the northeast Nigerian town of Chibok from where over 200 schoolgirls were kidnapped, a resident who fled and a local elder said Tuesday. The raid in Takulashi village happened on Sunday and saw the Islamists loot food supplies, two days after fighters stole more than 200 cattle from the same location.
Recent months have seen a reduction in such hit-and-run raids in rural northeast Nigeria, in an indication the rebels’ ability to strike has been reduced by an army counter-offensive. But sporadic raids still occur and there is concern about an increase in suicide and bomb attacks in urban centres.
A group of insurgents on bicycles and on foot invaded the farming and herding community at about 6:00 am (0500 GMT) on Sunday, shooting indiscriminately and setting fire to homes. “They burnt more than 100 homes in the village. Only five houses were spared the inferno,” said a resident who gave his name as David, after fleeing to the nearby town of Askira Uba.
The attackers loaded food supplies onto four vehicles they took from the village and burnt four more they were unable to take with them. The rest of the supplies were set on fire. “We will have to wait till everybody is back to know if there were any fatalities in the attack,” Ayuba Chibok, a community leader in Chibok, told AFP.
“We are making contacts with the residents who fled to locations where there is a phone network. “We thought the worst had happened after Boko Haram rustled over 200 cattle in the village on Friday.” In April last year 12 people were killed when gunmen attacked Takulashi in the wake of the abduction of 276 schoolgirls from their school in Chibok by Boko Haram.
Fifty-seven girls escaped soon afterwards but nothing has been seen or heard from the remaining 219 in captivity since a video in May 2014.

December 08, 2015

Security man rapes 15 year old boy, faces jail time

(LAGOS)

Magistrate O.A Ogunbowale of an Igbosere Magistrate’s court has remanded a 45 year-old Security personnel, Musa Mohammed, in prison custody over alleged rape of a 15 year-old boy.

The defendant is facing a three count charge bordering on assualt, unlawful sexual intercourse preferred against him by the police.

The prosecutor, inspector Asu Feddy, said that the security man, who resides at 30 Glover road, Ikoyi, committed the alleged offences on November 9, 2015, at about 4:10pm.

He said that the defendant unlawfully had sexual intercourse with a 15 year old boy through his anus.

Feddy alleged that the defendant sexually penetrated the boy without his consent and spilled semen on the boy’s anus, underwear and trousers.

The prosecutor said “The defendant forcefully raped the boy and spilled sperm all over his body when the boy went to urinate in the toilet.”

According to the prosecutor, the offences committed is punishable under Sections 170, 135 and 259 of the Criminal Law of Lagos state 2011.

The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge.

The Magistrate consequently, ordered that the defendant should be remanded in prison.

The case was adjourned to December 9 for the sentence phase.

December 08, 2015