Abubakar Audu, APC's Governorship Candidate In Kogi Election Is Dead

The gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi state, Mr. Abubakar Audu is dead. Mr. Audu died of undisclosed medical reasons shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared his victory at the elections inconclusive. Saharareporters could not determine the cause of Mr. Audu's death.Abubakar Audu

NCC says MTN, Globacom, Etisalat violate porting process time

Lagos – The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on Saturday said that MTN Nigeria, Globacom and Etisalat violated the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) process time obligations in the third quarter of 2015.

The commission made this known in its `2015 3Q Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Report’, obtained in Lagos.

The regulatory body said to address the increasing cases of port request rejections, it had resolved to monitor operators and take appropriate actions.

“Consequent upon the above, series of compliance checks were carried out regarding timer violations by donor operators with respect to `validation and deactivation responses’, which have timelines of two hours and an hour respectively,’’ the commission said.

It said that during the compliance check in the quarter, it was observed that there was a timer deactivation violation by Etisalat, regarding a Corporate Port request of over 63 lines belonging to Neoconde Energy Limited.

NCC said that the company had initiated a corporate port out request from Etisalat to Airtel on Aug. 7, 2015 at 9.13a.m., but was partially completed as at 1.52p.m. on the same day.

“As a result, these 63 subscribers were unable to receive calls from Etisalat’s network,’’ it noted.

The commission also said that a timer deactivation violation was noticed from MTN, regarding a Corporate Port request of over 109 lines belonging to Nigerian Breweries Plc.

According to NCC, the company initiated a corporate port out request from MTN to Glo via lead MSISDN: 07036735494 on Aug. 11, 2015 at 1.20p.m., but was partially completed as at 11.22a.m. on Aug. 14, 2015.

“As a result, these subscribers were not able to receive calls from MTN subscribers.

“In the same vein, a timer validation violation by MTN regarding four individual Port requests from MSISDNs: 08139382308, 08143810152, 08135485305 and 08162108093.

“MTN breached the timer of two hours for validation of four port requests from the NPC as stated in the MNP Business Rules,’’ it added.

The telecoms umpire said that a timer validation violation was observed from Globacom, regarding 11 individuals and one corporate Port request.

NCC said that Glo had breached the two hours allowable for validation of six port requests from the NPC, as stated in the MNP Business Rules.

It said that Globacom validated one of these port requests over nine hours after receipt from the MNP adminsitrator.

“Glo also breached the one allowable hour for the Donor to deactivate 147 Ported out lines belonging to Reckitt Ltd consistent with provisions of the MNP Business Rules.

“All the above timer violations are currently undergoing enforcement actions,’’ the commission said.

The regulatory body said that its compliance activity was consistent with Section 89 of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003.

It said that the section mandated the commission to monitor all significant matters relating to the performance of all licensed telecoms service providers and publish annual reports at the end of each financial year.

NCC said it had developed `Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement’ strategies to prosecute the above mandate and achieve its objective of fair competition, ethical market conduct and optimal quality of service in the Nigerian telecommunications industry.

Kogi Election Results: How the battle was won and lost

Never in the history of Kogi politics has a governorship been keener contested. It was an altercation between the power of incumbency and the change hurricane.

In March and April 2015, the opposition party, All Progressives Congress, showed a glimpse of its potency and readiness to take over the mantle of power in the confluence State.

Though many had written off the APC as a fluke and a beneficiary of the Buhari flood of followership, the 2015 governorship election may have heralded a setback to the political dominance of the state by the Peoples Democratic Party which has governed the state for 12 years.

The loss by Capt Idris Wada would go down in history as the second, after Prince Abubakar Audu lost the 2003 governorship election to Alh. Ibrahim Idris of the PDP.

Audu contested on the platform of the All Nigerian Peoples Party.

While the Victory of Audu may not have come as a surprise given the strength of the opposition party in Kogi State, not many people gave the governor-elect the slightest chance to pull through such a strong showing across the three senatorial districts of the state.

How Wada Lost the Poll
The November 21 governorship election shook the political pillars of the state. Bitter rivalry between the two leading contestants led to hate campaigns and sometimes, violence.

Workers Welfare
Top on the list of the factors that led to the fall of Wada was his inability to pay workers salaries, especially council workers and primary school teachers.

With the population multipliers of these segments of the workforce, it is practically impossible to win any election without the support of the labour community.

Though the governor explained the reasons behind the inability of Local Government Councils to pay their workers, many of the workers felt the governor was the factor behind their inability to receive salaries.

It is obvious that the instability in the global oil market has seriously affected the revenue accruing to the states.

But the failure to pay workers’ salaries virtually killed Wada’s dream for a second term.

Political Disconnection
Analysts feel the governor didn’t do enough to play the politics of stomach infrastructure. The decision of the governor to choose competence over politics may have played a role in his failure.

Continue

Corruption: Prosecute 31 former govs, SERAP tells Attorney General

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent an open letter to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mallam Abubakar Malami, SAN requesting him to “urgently take steps to take over and prosecute all 31 former governors suspected of official corruption while in office.”

SERAP said this action “is necessary to send a strong signal that the President Muhammadu Buhari government will not tolerate high level official corruption no matter who is involved, and to secure public confidence and trust in the office of the Attorney General.”

The letter dated 20 November 2015 and signed by SERAP executive director Adetokunbo Mumuni reads in part: “This request is brought to give practical effect to the exercise of the powers of the Attorney-General under Section 174(1) (b) of the Constitution of Nigeria 1999 (as amended). The request is also entirely consistent with your widely publicised commitment to audit and pursue high level corruption cases and end the impunity of perpetrators in the country.”

File: A-G Abubakar Malami 

 “SERAP would like to draw your attention to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Report presented to the National Assembly in 2006 by the former Chairman of the EFCC, Mr Nuhu Ribadu. The Report, which was accepted and adopted by the National Assembly, documented the cases and indictments against 31 former governors.”

 “SERAP urges you to seek and obtain a copy of the Report from the National Assembly, and to use this as a basis to pursue prosecution of the governors. Pursuing these cases would help to enhance public confidence and trust in the office of Attorney General, as previous occupiers of the office seemed to be disinterested in prosecuting or facilitating prosecution of high level cases of official corruption.”

Continue

Obama: World must not give in to fear of terror

US President Obama has called for resolve in the face of terrorist threats. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged the United States and Russia to cooperate on terrorism while other leaders call for IS' destruction.

"It's absolutely vital for every country, every leader, to send a signal that the viciousness of a handful of killers does not stop the world from doing vital business," US President Barack Obama said on Sunday in Kuala Lumpur.

He was ending a nine-day trip to international summits in Turkey and Asia that was clouded by the Paris terrorist attacks and threats that prompted a lockdown in Brussels. The jihadi attacks in Paris resulted in the death of 130 people.

The perpetrators of the Paris attacks were not "masterminds," but rather "a bunch of killers with good social media," Obama said at the East Asia Summit in Malaysia.

The US president insisted that citizens must not succumb to fear, urging world leaders not to abandon the climate summit in Paris.

"Destroying (Islamic State) is not only a realistic goal, we're going to get it done," he told a news conference in Kuala Lumpur.

French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian also said IS must be destroyed at all costs.

"We must annihilate Islamic State worldwide ... and we must destroy Islamic State on its own territory," Le Drian said, speaking on Sunday morning news shows. "That's the only possible direction."

France has intensified its aerial bombing in Syria and Le Drian said French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, which has been sent to help operations against IS militants in Syria, will be "operational" from Monday and "ready to act."

Ban Ki-moon calls for more cooperation

On Sunday, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged the United States and Russia to cooperate in rooting out terrorism. He said he counted on their support to wipe out a common enemy, adding that he would present a comprehensive plan to fight extremism and violence early next year.

"All these terrorists and ideology extremists should be defeated in the name of humanity," Ban stated during a meeting in Malaysia with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev at the annual East Asia Summit.

The Russian prime minister and the US president separately called on all countries to coordinate and fight "Islamic State."

Obama said it "would be helpful" if Russia directed its focus on dealing with the "Islamic State" and expressed his hope that Moscow would agree to a leadership transition in Syria that involves President Bashar al-Assad stepping down.

Russia and Iran have been Assad's strongest foreign supporters during Syria's civil war. But the United States, its Gulf allies and Turkey have insisted he should step down.

People looking to enter the EU can buy fake Syrian passports on social media

Amid a growing refugee crisis and an influx of asylum seekers, people looking to enter the European Union can now buy fake Syrian passports on social media that increase their chances of obtaining asylum in Europe.

There are currently close to 20 million refugees around the world. That's the largest number ever in history. Overwhelmed by the influx of refugees trying to enter Europe, the European Union (EU) has made it very clear that refugees coming to Europe in search of work will not be granted asylum. Only those considered "political refugees" or "war refugees" have a chance of getting their asylum requests approved.

Germany, for instance, recently created a list of "safe countries of origin," meaning refugees from these countries aren't viewed as "deserving" of asylum-seeker status as their country of origin is perceived to be safe enough to live in. The list currently includes all EU member states, three Balkan states, plus Ghana and Senegal.

Refugees from war-torn countries like Syria, however, are viewed as "political refugees" and receive preferential treatment. That means they have a good chance of being granted asylum. In fact, many EU countries have commited to taking in more Syrian refugees over the coming years.

Counterfeit Syrian passports

That's why more and more smugglers are now offering fake Syrian passports for sale on social media. They target refugees from the Middle East or North Africa who speak Arabic, are currently economic refugees, but who seek out documents to fool authorities into believing they are Syrian war refugees.

One of the easiest ways of obtaining such forged papers is through a Facebook page, called اللجوء الى المانيا, which translates from Arbaic as "asylum in Germany" (see picture above).

The Facebook page is most likely located in Turkey, as most of the ads that pop up are for taxis in Istanbul. It's unclear why their cover photo shows an icon of the German Football Association, maybe it's to deter from the content of the page, maybe it's a lack of German skills.

Either way, the page, which was created in April 2015 and has almost 11,000 likes, offers tips and tricks for refugees, from telephone numbers of coastal guards in Greece, Turkey, Italy and Malta, to how to best find a wife in Sweden.

One of the most staggering posts, however, openly offers fake Syrian documents. The post seems to be directed at Syrians who have already made it to Turkey and who have problems with the regime, which makes it difficult for them to receive their paperwork, such as university papers and passports. But the forged passports can also be bought by non-Syrian citizens.

As listed in the post, a forged Bachelor's degree is available for $100 (93 euros), a new passport for $1500.

All documents on offer are said to have an official stamp of authenticity by the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs - the stamps also appear to be fakes. That's also why the Facebook post stresses that none of the documents are archived in Syrian embassies and that the receiver of the forged documents should never show them to official Syrian embassies and only ever use them when crossing into European countries, which, according to the page, won't be able to tell the difference.

At the bottom of the post it says to contact a man called Samer if there are any issues. His number is apparently available via Viber and Whatsapp.

Tips and tricks for refugees

The page also offers tips on how to behave when being interviewed as part of an asylum application.

These tips include being strong and confident but not arrogant, being patient and not seemingly nervous, making sure that your story is identical with that of your family members, being accurate in your answers while not answering in too much detail, and last but not least it says: always keep smiling.

There's even a map of Germany that lists all the cities and states within Germany that are a bit more lenient when it comes to the implementation of the Dublin Regulations and checking for fingerprints that were taken of refugees upon arrival in Europe.

According to the Dublin Regulations, an asylum application has to be processed in the EU country that was a refugee's first point of entry in the EU. According to the map, the German cities of Karlsruhe, Dortmund, Munich, and Bremen are more likely to overlook previous fingerprints.

Implications for EU and Syrian refugees

The fact that it's so seemingly easy to buy forged Syian passports is not just an issue for the EU and the European border agency Frontex, but also for Syrian refugees themselves. In the worst case, fake Syrian passports will harm their chances of asylum and in the best case it will slow their own applications down as officials have to spend more time figuring out who is a genuine Syrian citizen and who has bought forged papers.

Uncertainties surround Hanover terror threat

A German newspaper has reported that the cancellation of last Tuesday's Germany-Netherlands soccer match in Hanover narrowly prevented a terror attack. But other German media have contradicted this claim.

The report in the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung" on Sunday said that German security authorities had been warned by French intelligence of a "meticulously planned terror attack" on the stadium in Hanover where the canceled match was to have taken place.

According to the report, the French intelligence service provided names of the members of the group that was planning the attack on Tuesday, which was said to have involved detonating three bombs in the stadium, one at a bus stop and another at a railway station. The paper said the names had been unknown to German intelligence until then, and that the people concerned were being sought by police.

The timely cancellation of the match might have led the group to postpone its attack, which could be why no explosives were found in the northern German city, according to the paper.

However, the report said German security authorities still considered there to be a high threat of a terrorist attack in the country.

False information?

German public broadcaster ZDF has, however, cast doubt on the existence of a terrorist cell in Hanover with plans for such an attack.

Citing security authorities, it said the warning from the French side was probably based on the kind of false information that intelligence services receive almost every week.

The German chief federal prosecutor has been investigating the matter since Thursday.

Tuesday's match was called off because of concrete warnings of an explosives attack, amid heightened terror fears following the bloody jihadist attacks in Paris on November 13.

State of emergency in Crimea after power lines 'blown up'

Russian authorities say pylons carrying electricity from the Ukrainian mainland to the Crimean Peninsula have been blown up. The destruction has left almost 2 million people without power.

Electricity coming to Crimea from central Ukraine was cut shortly after midnight local time, the Crimean branch of Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

"On November 22, at 00:25 a.m. (2225 UTC), there was a switch-off of electricity coming into Crimea from Ukraine," the statement said, adding that "a state of emergency has been introduced on the peninsula."

The Russian Energy Ministry reported that some 1,896,000 people on the annexed peninsula had been left without power and that emergency supplies had been turned on for hospitals and other important facilities.

Russian media reported that the power cut came after two pylons in the Kherson region of Ukraine were blown up by nationalists, though this was not confirmed by the Energy Ministry.

Russia annexed Crimea last year in a move that seriously damaged relations between Moscow and Kyiv, as well as many Western countries, and was followed by a military conflict in eastern Ukraine between pro-Russian separatists and government forces.

Suspected attack

Violent clashes between activists from a Ukrainian nationalist movement and paramilitary police on Saturday took place near the pylons, media reported, saying that the pylons had already been damaged by the activists on Friday.

If the attack is confirmed to be by Ukrainian nationalists opposed to Russia's annexation of Crimea last year, the incident could further fuel tensions between Moscow and Kyiv.

Crimea is dependent on electricity from central Ukraine. The first deputy of Crimea, Mikhail Sheremet, was quoted by TASS state news agency as saying the peninsula could at most supply half of its power needs using diesel generators and renewable energy sources.

Hong Kong votes one year after 'Umbrella Movement' protests

Over a year after pro-democracy protests erupted in Hong Kong, the former British colony is set to vote in district level elections. Analysts say the results will indicate the city's appetite for democracy.

Hong Kong residents are set to vote Sunday in the first elections since pro-democracy protests erupted in 2014, with thousands - many of them students - demanding increased freedom to choose the city's next leader in 2017.

The protests, deemed the "Umbrella Movement," nearly brought the city to a halt as activists blocked highways and occupied central squares.

At least 431 seats in 18 district councils are up for grabs in the district council elections, with more than 900 candidates vying for the spots.

"It feels like once the 'Umbrella Movement' was over, we didn't know which way to go from there," said Steven Ng, who is running in the elections, reported Reuters news agency.

"I wanted to see if I had the ability to continue to push the democratic movement," the former leader added.

According to a poll by the University of Hong Kong, the district council elections are expected to set a higher turnout than 2011's 41.5 percent.

In June, Hong Kong's Legislative Council rejected proposed electoral reforms, in a move reportedly backed by mainland China.

Following British rule, Hong Kong was turned over to Beijing under a "one country, two systems" arrangement settled in 1997.

The agreement allowed Hong Kong to retain substantial autonomy, with the promise of eventual universal suffrage.

Obama on Destroying ISIS: 'We’re Going To Get It Done'

The “most powerful tool” to fight ISIS is to prevent the group's recent terror attacks in Paris from injecting fear in communities or governments around the world, President Obama said Sunday during his trip to Malaysia.

“We do not succumb to fear,” Obama said during a news conference closing out the final leg of his nine-day, three-nation trip overseas. “The most powerful tool we have to fight ISIL is to say that we’re not afraid. To not elevate them and to somehow buy into their fantasy that they’re doing something important.”

Speaking on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Kuala Lumpur, the president sought to reassure allies that the U.S. will continue as an effective leader of the global coalition to destroy ISIS.

“Destroying ISIL is not only a realistic goal,” Obama said, using a preferred acronym for the terror group. “We’re going to get it done and we’re going to pursue it. It’s going to get done.”

Obama, who is set to visit Paris at the end of the month for a major climate conference, said world leaders would be sending an important message by not letting last week's attack in Paris, in which 130 people were killed, prevent them from attending.

“I think it is absolutely vital for every country, every leader to send a signal that the viciousness of a handful of killers does not stop the world from doing vital business,” he said.

The president also decried news headlines that sought to label the recently-deceased ringleader of the Paris attacks, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, as a “mastermind.”

“He’s not a mastermind,” Obama said. “He found a few other vicious people, got [his] hands on some fairly conventional weapons, and sadly, it turns out if you’re willing to die, you can kill a lot of people.”

The president added that ISIS "cannot strike a mortal blow" to the U.S., France, or even Malaysia.

"They’re a bunch of killers with good social media," he said. "Our way of life is stronger. We have more to offer. We represent 99.9 percent of humanity and that's why we should be confident that we will win."

Obama also gave his first public acknowledgment of ISIS being behind the downing of a Russian airliner over Egypt late last month, killing more than 200 people.

An image included in the latest issues of an ISIS magazine shows a soda can and what explosives experts told ABC News earlier this week are a blasting cap and an electric initiator.

The ISIS magazine said the image showed “the IED [improvised explosive device] used to bring down the Russian airliner.”

"I do think that as a consequence of ISIL claiming responsibility for bringing down their plane, there is an increasing awareness on the part of [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin that ISIL poses a greater threat to them than anything else in the region," said the president.

National Security Advisor Susan Rice said after the press conference that the U.S. agrees ISIS took down the plane.

Argentina goes to polls in first ever presidential run-off

Image copyright AFP
Image caption

Daniel Scioli (left) and Mauricio Macri (right) go head-to-head in the run-off vote

Voting in Argentina's first ever presidential run-off - the first in the country's history - has started after neither presidential candidate managed to win the initial vote outright.

Daniel Scioli, the governor of Buenos Aires province, is up against Mauricio Macri, the city's mayor.

On the eve of the vote, centre-left candidate Mr Scioli lagged behind his centre-right rival in the polls.

Mr Scioli was marginally ahead in the first round, with 36.7% to 34.5%.

But under Argentinian law, a presidential candidate needs 45% of the vote or a minimum of 40% with a 10-point lead over the nearest rival to win outright.

Both candidates have been back on the campaign trail in the month since the first round. Sunday's vote marks the first time a presidential election in Argentina has gone to a second round.

Mr Scioli, a close ally of current President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, had been expected to win by a greater margin in October.

A member of President Fernandez's Front for Victory party, he was handpicked by the outgoing leader, who cannot seek a third term.

Since 2007 Mr Scioli has been governor of Buenos Aires province, considered one of the most influential posts in Argentine politics. Before that, he was vice-president to the country's late former leader and Ms Fernandez's husband, Nestor Kirchner.

Image copyright Reuters
Image caption:
Voters wait in line to vote at a polling station in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Image copyright AFP
Image caption:
There was jubilation at the campaign headquarters of Mr Macri when he tied the first round with Mr Scioli

The son of one of Argentina's richest men, Mr Macri had a long career in business before entering politics.

In 1991, he was kidnapped and kept captive for 12 days by a gang of corrupt policemen demanding millions in ransom.

Four years later, he became president of Boca Juniors Football Club and used his success at the club as a springboard for his political career.

He leads the conservative Cambiemos (Let's Change) coalition.

Ailing economy

Whoever wins the presidency faces significant economic challenges.

While the country gained strength after a financial crisis in 2002, its economy, the third-largest in Latin America, has slowed in recent years, with GDP growing by only 0.5% last year.

The government is also locked in a battle against American hedge funds who disagree with how it wants to restructure $100bn (£65bn) of debt on which it defaulted in 2001.

While the firms successfully sued Argentina for repayment, Ms Fernandez refused to pay.

Cameron to set out Syria strategy to MPs within days

Image copyright EPA

David Cameron is to set out his plan for tackling the crisis in Syria within days, in a bid to win support for air strikes against Islamic State fighters.

It comes after a Foreign Affairs Committee report said the UK should not join allied bombing in Syria without a coherent international strategy on IS.

The government has said it will only call a vote when it is sure to win.

The SNP said it would not back action without clear UN legal authority, while Labour MPs are divided on the issue.

IS has claimed responsibility for the Paris terror attacks, as well as recent attacks in Tunisia, Egypt, Beirut and Turkey among others.

The prime minister will appear in the House of Commons in the coming week to set out a "full-spectrum" strategy - including military, counter-terrorism and humanitarian actions.

Terror attacks: Belgium 'looking for several suspects'

Newspaper review: Cameron 'war plan' and UK security fears

Chancellor George Osborne said MPs would then have time to "digest that response", and the government would take stock of what support it could count on in a parliamentary vote.

Media captionChancellor George Osborne: "We will call the vote, when we're confident we have the numbers to win it"

Privately, some Labour shadow ministers say they may be willing to support the prime minister rather than their own more cautious leader Jeremy Corbyn if a convincing case is made, BBC political correspondent Iain Watson says.

In other developments:

The Great Britain Davis Cup tennis team have delayed travelling to Belgium for the final amid ongoing security fears in the country
A book of condolence has been opened for a British man who died in the Paris attacks

What do other parties think?

In a speech on Saturday, Mr Corbyn, who is under pressure to allow his MPs a free vote on the issue, warned against "external intervention" in Syria.

His close ally, Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, said if there had to be troops on the ground in Syria, they should come from the region itself, arguing that the US and the UK getting involved in another war in the Middle East played into the IS "narrative of crusader invasion".

SNP Deputy Leader Stewart Hosie said his party - which has 55 Westminster MPs - would not support any proposal for UK military action in Syria without a Chapter VII UN resolution, which he said would make military action legal.

Confirmation that the action would be effective and a "post-conflict" plan were also needed if the SNP were to back action, he added.

Image copyright AP
Image captionIslamic State fighters in Raqqa, one of their Syrian strongholds

The Democratic Unionist Party in Northern Ireland, which holds eight seats at Westminster, said it would back British military force in Syria provided it was "realistic and in the national interest".

Meanwhile Maj Gen Tim Cross, the most senior British Army officer involved in Iraq's reconstruction after 2003, said "hard military power" alone would not be enough.

"That will only be a part of holding, containing, degrading Isis in the Middle East. It won't destroy the idea and it won't destroy Isis in and of itself," he told the BBC.

MPs voted against UK military action against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government in 2013.

But they did later approve British air strikesagainst IS extremists in Iraq.

On Saturday, the prime minister welcomed aUN resolution asking nations to "combat by all means" the IS threat.

He is due to meet French President Francois Hollande in Paris on Monday to discuss ways of co-operating on counter-terrorism and the fight against IS.

Paris attacks: Manhunt for Abdeslam continues

Key Points

 Brussels remains on its highest level of alert with the metro suspended 

The manhunt in Belgium continues for Salah Abdeslam, wanted in connection with last week's Paris attacks 

Abdeslam's brother Mohamed appeals on TV for his brother to turn himself in

 The government says it will review the security situation in Brussels this afternoon 

Live Reporting

By Lauren Turner and Tom Spender

Flowers, messages and flags outside Le Petit Cambodge

AP

Floral tributes have grown outside Le Petit Cambodge restaurant in Paris. More than 100 shots were fired at the venue on the night of 13 November, leaving 15 people dead and 15 severely injured. 

Terror attacks: Belgium 'looking for several suspects'

Image copyright EPA

Belgium's police forces are looking for several terror suspects, as the capital, Brussels, endures a second day of a security lockdown.

Interior Minister Jan Jambon said the current threat was greater than that posed by Salah Abdeslam, wanted for the Paris attacks.

Brussels is on its highest level of alert amid fears an attack.

The city was a base for the Paris attackers - Islamic State militants - who killed 130 people.

The security situation in Brussels is being reviewed and an announcement about whether the lockdown should continue is expected at 1700 local (1600 GMT).

Follow the latest live developments

Abdeslam: Suspect 'meant to blow himself up'

Interview transcript: 'My brothers were manipulated, not radicalised'

Metro services remain suspended, and residents have been told to avoid crowds.

Soldiers are patrolling the streets as a manhunt continued for Salah Abdeslam, 26, a French national who lived in Brussels. Police describe him as armed and dangerous.

Friends said he was in the Brussels area and trying to get to Syria.

Interior Minister Jambon said the "terror threat in Belgium would not be over once Salah Abdeslam is out of harm's way".

"The threat is broader than the one suspected terrorist," he told Flemish broadcaster VRT.

Media captionMohammed Abdeslam, speaking to RTBF: "We want Salah to surrender"

Media captionEagles of Death Metal, speaking to Vice.com: 'They killed people in our dressing room'

It was not clear if Mr Jambon he was referring to those involved in the Paris attacks, or others who might be planning attacks in Belgium.

Life in the city is expected to be unusually quiet again during the day. The city centre was almost empty on Saturday night as restaurants and bars shut early.

The US embassy told Americans in the country to stay indoors and the US European Command issued a 72-hour restriction on travel to the city by all military personnel and contractors.

MASSOB faction claims Radio Biafra promoter, Kanu, may have died

THE leadership of a faction for the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, weekend, alleged that Nnamdi Kanu, the promoter of Radio Biafra, detained by security operatives, may have been murdered.
In a statement in Abakaliki, MASSOB factional Director of Information, Comrade Uchenna Madu, stated that information about Kanu’s murder was made available to the group through some security operatives sympathetic to the Biafran cause.
“Factional MASSOB has discovered that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu detained by Nigeria has been murdered in Abuja,”Madu said.
“Information to Biafra Intelligence Agency (BIA), through operatives sympathetic to the Biafran cause revealed it to us. Pro. Biafran groups may not believe it until Monday, Nov 23 when Nnamdi will be arraign in court.
“The cause information we are receiving from Abuja is not healthy, we’re still waiting till Monday. Nnamdi Kanu is the arrowhead of the Biafra agitation. Nigeria should be extremely careful on Nnamdi Kanu”.
“If government extra judicially kills Nnamdi Kanu, Nigeria will experience the worst volcanic rebellion and aggression.
“We call on the Ohaneze Ndigbo, South East Govs, Igbo leaders of thought, South-East and South-South Professionals, Igbo National Assembly members, traditional /religious leaders to call Nigeria’s Presidency to order now.
“We demand that Nnamdi Kanu must appear in court on Monday, Nov 23 alive or dead. We love non-violence & wish to maintain it but Nigeria is pushing Biafrans to the wall”.

Kogi polls: APC, DPP chieftains laud INEC for smooth accreditation

Ekinrin (Kogi) – Chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Democratic People’s Party (DPP) have commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for ensuring smooth accreditation of voters in the Kogi Governorship election.

Mr James Faleke, the APC governorship running mate, in an interview, shortly after being accredited at his Oja Ode polling unit in Ekinrin-Adde ward of Ijumu Local Government Area, said that the arrangement by INEC was impressive.

He commended INEC and security agencies for the measures put in place at making sure that the processes were peaceful.

Faleke also thanked the people of Ekinrin Adde and the entire Okun land for coming out en-masse for the accreditation.

‘’Victory belongs to God.

“All power belongs to God and I am optimistic that victory was sure.’’

In a separate interview , Alhaji Abubakar Ibrahim, DPP’s Governorship Candidate in the state, also commended the INEC for ‘’job well done’’.

Ibrahim also made the commendation shortly after being accredited at the polling unit located within the Crowther Memorial Anglican Church in Lokoja.

He expressed happiness over the timely arrival of INEC officials and election materials.

He said that with the Kogi experience, INEC had laid a foundation for the conduct of free, fair and credible election in the country.

Ibrahim was also full of praises for the voters for their enthusiasm, describing the whole situation in Lokoja as calm and peaceful.

The candidate was full of praises for the Inspector-General Police, Mr Solomon Arase, for deploying over 16, 000 policemen to the state, describing the measure as reassuring.

Also speaking in separate interview, a chieftain of APC in the state, Alhaji Kassim Mabo, lauded the peaceful nature of the exercise in the state.

Mabo, who spoke after undergoing accreditation at the polling unit at Maigari palace in Lokoja, said that no single negative incident was recorded since the exercise commuted at 8 a.m.

He also commended the security arrangement put in place by the police and other security agencies.

Biafra: A cause in need of redemption

From the cool, comfort of  Ireland – at least that  was where he was broad casting from – Nnamdi Kanu propagates the gospel of hate.He spewed many, so many things that would make the most intelligent of Igbos shudder and ask this simple question: Do Igbos of Nigeria deserve the seemingly duplicitous misdirection of angst in a country of clashing socio-political and economic interests?

We will return to the question shortly.

In making reference to the deservedness of a situation or otherwise, the  late first Prime Minister of independent Nigeria, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, after the “Supreme Court gave judgment against his government in the case, Doherty v. Sir A. Tafawa Balewa and Others”, in his characteristic candour, told the then Chief Justice of the Federation, Sir Adetokunbo Ademola, GCON, CFR, KBE: “I am glad you have put us in our place; this is what we deserve. If I do anything wrong, do not hesitate to deal with me”. That was the sitting Prime Minister of Nigeria talking.

Now, therefore, another set of questions should be asked: Have the Igbos been put in their place and are they getting what they deserve?

Is the Federal Government of Nigeria handling, appropriately, the reawakened demand for the actualisation of the sovereign state of Biafra?

We would address the second set of questions first.

The Igbos may have subconsciously boxed themselves into a corner (read place) where they couldn’t have gotten what they rightly deserved.

The presidency has serially eluded them not because they lacked capacity of quality but the type of politics they place allows for group exploitation by those who believe they have conquered a people.

On the handling of the present protests, there is, still, in Nigeria, the anachronistic legislation that seeks to compel the citizens to first seek approval from the Police Commissioner of a state before any form of gathering (read public protest) can be allowed.   But a number of court judgments has poured cold water on that.

However, if there is a protest that portends to disrupt public peace, then the authorities need to act.

So, have the recent activities of those trooping to the streets, mostly in the five states of south-east Nigeria and Rivers State, breached known laws in Nigeria?   If the answer is yes, then the authorities should act.   But in acting, it should not in any way further exacerbate   an already tensed situation by using excessive force – which some times results in fatalities.   In any case, virtually all geo-political zones of the country have one form of discontent or the other against the Nigerian state and, therefore, legitimate means of seeking redress is allowed.

Yes, there is misery in the land but one form of misery far outstrips some others.

And talking about misery, what confers the right on an individual to, in seeking redress for his situation, propagate hate in the guise of bringing to the fore real and perceived injustices against his people?   Recently, some of the hate speeches of Kanu, the self-styled mobiliser-in-chief for the re-actualisation of the sovereign state of Biafra, went viral on social media.   And that ties to the first question about the intelligent among the Igbos.

To paper over the injustices the Igbos have been caused to cope with in Nigeria would not serve the end of good conscience.

But to what ends would the hate campaign of Kanu help restore the dignity the Igbos insist they have been deprived of in Nigeria?

The attempt at actualising the Biafra of old was quashed some four and a half decades ago. Even Ohaneze, the prime pro-Igbo group, acknowledges that.   But the end of an insurgency should not be a magna charter for other groups of seeming co-ordinate ranking in the nation, to deprive the Igbos their ‘rightful’ place.

The present attempt has been reduced to no more than a racket, a convoluted campaign of hate which appears to be provoking more angst because the twisted articulation of the issues causing these discounts make a mockery of the quest for redress. Yes, whereas Kanu may have succeeded in reawakening the quest for Biafra, an access to a transmitting device does not make a good struggle.

And some Igbo leaders, who have been engaging in double speak, are not helping matters with their serial indifference and diffidence.

What the Biafra cause needs is pure re-engagement with a short term view of making the points clearly and a long term objective of achieving redress.

In today’s Nigeria, the grain of opinion may not be in sync with a separatist paradigm. However, if truth be told, there appears to have been an unwritten deprivation mode against the Igbos in Nigeria – and, incongruously, with the active or sub-conscious collaboration of Igbos.

The Jonathan administration presented the Igbos with a good number of high profile appointments yet the cries of marginalisation persisted and still persist.

If Igbo leaders allow the circus going on to continue in the name of mass mobilisation, those intent on hijacking a good cause for personal psychological masturbation would win. On the other hand, if the Buhari administration mishandles its response to the protests, the outcome may be a further garnering of sympathy for the cause.   And anything could happen.

I would have been a post master— Fashola

The Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, may have ended up being a post master, but for his passion for litigation as a young lawyer.

Sen. Fashola

After graduating from University of Benin (UNIBEN) and he was unemployed, his father presented him with the opportunity to work with the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST). This was at a time  working with NIPOST was a dream job. While he realised it was a fantastic opportunity, he was extremely passionate about litigation and thus turned down the offer, and opted to pursue a career as a lawyer.

“I had a different passion and that was being in the courtroom; I therefore had to go for my dream to find a job that would help my career.   It took me a while before I could get  a job and that meant I was jobless for several months after NYSC”, he said at a group mentoring programme for enterpreneurs organised by Young Business Leaders of Nigeria (YBLN) in Lagos.

He, however, noted the failing education system in country and thus lauded the YBLN’s initiative in training young entrepreneurs for positive change in the country.

The immediate past Governor of Lagos State encouraged the young entrepreneurs to pursue their careers with a view to realising their potentials. “I am happy to see young people doing great things in their various areas of business. The better Nigeria, we hoped for begins with us,” Fashola told the 20 budding enterpreneurs.

The minister also spoke of the need for youths to develop a sense of identity, to mark themselves out from previous rigorous thinking, distinctive engagement and an insistence on doing the right thing. He cited an example of a movie,”The men who built America”, and urged participants to emulate the zealous actions of those characters in their aim to change America.

The participants were full of excitement interracting with Fashola; one of them into fashion designing and label creation, Amina Abdulazeez, said, “I am happy to see his Excellency. I found him awe-inspiring and I have been motivated by his words.”

Another participant, Abraham Ogwu, said, “I feel honoured to be sitting with a great leader, all thanks to Young Business Leaders of Nigeria for this opportunity.”

The 20 budding entrepreneurs were selected from over 3,000 applications that came from across the country to the YBLN and have been engaged in business and entrepreneurship coursework, complemented by an integrated programme of leadership training, peer collaboration, experiential learning opportunities and community activities. At the end of the program, each participant would have access to special credit facilities at low interest rates and, in return, are expected to employ a minimum of five persons before December 2016.

The trainees, who also got involved in community service programs, had the opportunity to meet distinguished personalities like the U.S Acting Consulate General, Dehab Ghebreab; Public Affairs Officer of the U.S Consulate, Frank Sellin; the Managing Director of Microsoft Nigeria, Kabelo Makwane;   Managing Director of Unilever Nigeria Plc, Yaw Nsarkoh; Managing Director of Nestle Nigeria, Dharneash Gordhon, among others . Most of the dignitaries were present at the graduating ceremony.

BIAFRA: Igbo’s decisive day as S.East govs,leaders,others meet

TODAY is a decisive day for Igbo leaders  and South-East governors, who will gather in Enugu to deliberate on the ongoing protests and agitation for the actualisation of Republic of Biafra.

For about three weeks, members and supporters of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and a faction of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) have been protesting in several cities of the South-East and South-South geo-political zones rooting for Biafra Republic and condemning the continued detention of Mr Nnamdi Kanu, the director of Radio Biafra, by the Federal Government.

Some of the cities that the agitators have taken their protests to include  Enugu, Onitsha,  Awka, Asaba, Owerri, Port Harcourt, Umuahia and Aba. The protests have been largely peaceful except in PortHarcourt where a soldier reportedly shot one person dead.

Disturbed by the intensity of the protests and effects on economic activities, governors of South- East states met on November 17 in Enugu and fixed Sunday (today), November 22, for an emergency meeting.

After the November 17 meeting, Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, said the forum needed to ensure lasting peace in the zone and so have decided to consult widely with Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, traditional rulers, development unions, the clergy and other stakeholders.

“In furtherance to this, the South-east governors scheduled an emergency meeting of stakeholders on Sunday Nov. 22, 2015 at Enugu. Attendance at the emergency meeting will include all National Assembly members, ministers from the zone and other invited stakeholders from the zone”,Okorocha said.

Advising IPOB and MASSOB to embrace peace, which he said is the only way to the development of the zone, Okorocha said the forum agreed to appoint a high level Economic Advisory Committee to harness the economic potential of the people of the area.

It is on this score that all roads will lead to Enugu today for invited Igbo leaders and stakeholders for the decisive meeting.

Ohanaeze raises team, roots for restructuring

A member of the Imeobi (inner caucus) of Ohanaeze, Chief Guy Ikokwu, told Sunday Vanguard that

the apex Igbo group had raised a team in readiness for the meeting and was just waiting for the governors’ invitation letter.

His words: ‘’Ohanaeze is waiting for the IV (invitation letter). We have selected a team, which is ready to be in Enugu, if invited. We were not part of the last meeting. But the message is clear.

They should ask the president to start restructuring the country now. Those protesting are frustrated youths. Some of them are graduates who are better than peers from other parts of the country. The governors should demand restructuring, devolution of powers from the centre and implementation of the 2014 National Conference report. There is no federation in the world where the Centre is controlling local councils. It is only in Nigeria. The country is made up of six geo-political zones. Four out of the six – South-East, South-South, South-West and Middle Belt (North-Central) want the country restructured. So it is the best thing to do in the interest of the country.”

*42 Igbo groups to march for true federalism

Ahead of the meeting, about 42 Igbo organisations have put the machinery in motion to push for the restructuring of the country through protest marches in 13 South-East cities.

The planned five million man march will hold in the five South East states in December, Evangelist Elliot Uko, founder of the Igbo Youths Movement, IYM, told  Sunday Vanguard.

Disclosing this after a marathon meeting with Igbo Traders Organizations at the IYM Secretariat in Enugu, weekend, Uko said the 13 marches for restructuring Nigeria will hold in Afikpo, Abakaliki, Nsukka, Enugu, Aba, Umuahia, Ohafia, Okigwe, Owerri, Orlu, Onitsha, Nnewi and Awka.

According to him, South-South groups who attended the meeting in Enugu included the  Union of Niger Delta and South-South Youth Congress.

Uko said these peaceful marches will be led by the clergy and students groups in each of the cities and towns in the South East.

Asked to comment on today’s meeting of South-East governors and Igbo leaders, Uko said: “The current developments are beyond political interest and considerations of any individual or office holder, maintaining that only the truth can save the situation and the truth is that Nigeria must be urgently restructured in order to give all sections a sense of belonging thereby enthroning true federalism without delay, any other solution will not work.

My many battles with the rich to empower the poor – Oshiomhole

Governor Adams  Oshiomhole of Edo State celebrated the seventh anniversary of his administration, last week. In this interview, Oshiomhole speaks on the achievements of his government as well as the challenges.

Excerpts:

You just celebrated your seventh anniversary as governor of Edo State. How fulfilled are you looking back?

I feel quite fulfilled, to God be the glory. Seven years ago, the state was almost a one-party state and it was a state notorious for hosting god fathers and, inspite of the initial in roads of the ANPP in 1999, PDP became the ruling party. And, of course, every body told me that votes could not count in Edo as god fathers were in charge, and you had to be anointed and stuff like that to assume political office. Now it is from that background that we are where we are today.

The PDP was in control from the local government level to the federal. But, today, we have moved on to a situation in which the PDP is out in the local governments, in the state and at the federal level. So, my political mission is complete.

I have nothing more to prove. At that time, all the boisterous god fathers were saying ‘we will teach Comrade a lesson, he will soon find out that labour is different from politics’. But, today, they are my very poor students, they are not even among my brightest, they have all dropped out of school. So, God has been merciful. Today, not only have we dismantled their rigging machine, the game is over for them. You will recall that in 2012, two of the god fathers went to Okada. And one of them said they had declared war on Oshiomhole, ‘he will not be re-elected’, and I thundered back and said the war will consume them and, at the end, they were consumed. As we speak, they are down, we are standing.

And I think the pain they have is that even age is not on their side, so they cannot say tomorrow, because tomorrow does not belong to them. They will end up as miserable opposition leaders. The political sub structure has been rebuilt. I predicted that there will be ‘re-alignment of forces and people, out of free volition, will now associate on the basis of preference rather than fear.

And when you look at it today, every body that matters in the PDP has left, they are all now in the APC. And more interesting, those who...

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Army’s Rules of Engagement and defiant pro-Biafra men

SINCE the arrest of the Director of Radio Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, by the Department of State Security (DSS) on October 14 in his hotel room in Lagos, and later moved to Abuja, hundreds of pro- Biafra activists in the South East and some parts of the South –South, particularly Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital and Asaba, Delta State, have engaged in protests.

Those embarking on the protests are mostly youths born after the civil war (Nigeria – Biafra war) which ended in 1970 and claimed the lives of over one million people.

While demanding the release of Kanu, the youths also brought the issue of their dream Biafra Republic to the front burner. However, the question agitating the minds of many people in the South-East is whether the activities of the youths could lead to the breaking away of their envisioned republic from Nigeria.

Despite the massive participation of youths in the protests, it is difficult to find any prominent Igbo supporting the cause. Rather, what the youths have is condemnation by Igbo elders. Most prominent Igbo people are also not prepared to discuss the issue of Biafra.

However, what baffles people is the expertise adopted in the mobilization of the group for any protests as,. often times, they take security operatives unawares.

There are at least three major pro-Biafra group. They are the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, led by Chief Ralph Uwazurike, the Biafra Zionist Movement, BZM, led by Mr. Onwuka and the newest, the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, which has Nnamdi Kanu as its leader.

Uwazurike had hoisted the Biafra flag and declared the republic at the Ariaria area of Aba, Abia State in the early 90s after which he went underground. Hundreds of his followers were to be arrested by security operatives and some of them allegedly died in detention.

Some members of the movement later accused Uwazurike of compromising the Biafra dream. This led to the emergence of factions in MASSOB. Besides, many of the activists felt that the death of Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the leader of the defunct Biafra, was the end of the republic and so, they quit the agitation.

Onwuka of BZM seized the opportunity of the crisis in MASSOB to bring his group to prominence. However, the way he was alleged to have gone about it led to his arrest and detention by security operatives. For instance, he was accused of leading a group of his followers to invade the Enugu State Government House when he and some members of his group were apprehended and taken to Abuja. Their case is still in court.

Then came the IPOB, led by the Abia State-born Kanu, whose Radio Biafra took the Nigerian airwaves by storm. With the radio, Kanu was able to win the hearts of many Igbo people, especially the youths. It was common to hear many people say their radios were permanently tuned to Radio Biafra which was giving the people the hope that Biafra was just a matter of time.

A public relations practitioner, Chief Jude Emecheta, however, believes those championing the cause of Biafra actually do not know what they want. He said: “These youths say they are looking for freedom and I don’t know how they intend to achieve that. I think the whole issue of Biafra Republic is because many people are not happy with the way things are going on in the country and they seize the opportunity of their dislike of what is happening in the polity to express their anger.

“Nobody even knows who the leaders of Biafra are and how they intend to present their case for consideration.”

Dr. Ephraim Odinaka, 68, who claimed he fought during the Biafra war, said it is difficult for anybody who witnessed the war to be part of what he described as the “ongoing madness” by Igbo youths.

According to him, if the republic is handed over to them as they wish, they will not know what to do with it. He said: “It is not enough for any group to say that it wants to make trouble because the Niger Delta militants were settled when they made trouble, or to assume that they will be called to a round table if they continue to carry Biafra flags on the streets. “

Odinaka, however suggested that the best way to keep the Igbo youths off the streets was for government to apply equitability in the distribution of appointments and social amenities to all parts of the country, adding that a situation where Igbos were not considered fit for sensitive positions in the country makes the people to shout that their people were being marginalized.

‘Nobody can stop us’

Meanwhile, signalling it would defy the Army, IPOB has vowed to continue the protests calling for the release of its detained leader and host of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, as well as the actualization of an independent state of Biafra.

The Rules of Engagement

The Nigerian Army had,on Monday, warned MASSOB and IPOB members agitating for secession to desist from such threat to national security as the Army was ready to flush out every element that threatens peace in the country.

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When Girls Took Over the United Nations

Temilolu at the UN

It was a most unforgettable day for the pre-teens and teenage girls from all over the world who gathered at the Trusteeship Council Chambers of the United Nations Headquarters in New York for a summit to celebrate the 2015 International Day of the Girl.

The stage performances of the Working Group on Girls, their speeches and their amazing intellectuality at such a young age must have made an indelible impression on the mind of every girl and convinced them that they have the world at their feet no matter what the situation is right now.

As an adult, I was awestruck. I was delighted that girls could think the way the performers expressed themselves and even happier that other girls could experience them. Even the most repressed soul would have been sensitised to speak. I thank God for the opportunity to be invited for a cause I’m so passionate about. Alas, Africa was poorly represented. I was there to represent the Girls Club of Nigeria and also doubled informally as the Nigerian representative. Sadly, I didn’t come across any other person from Nigeria at the summit.

Most of the issues showcased are issues paralysing the destiny of girls and the female folk in Africa such as child marriage, female genital mutilation, child abuse, sexual harassment, rape amongst others. Akila from Egypt told us about her mother, who married her father when she was 14 and got pregnant at 16. Unfortunately, things are worse for this generation of girls, as one out of three girls is forced into early marriage before the age of 18.

Valentina from Colombia told her story of the domestic violence she witnessed in her own home. And in the world today, every 10 minutes one girl dies out of violence. Gillian from the United States opened up about her experience as a pregnant teen who was kicked out of the house. Aria from Brazil told about her experience with sexual harassment during the World Cup.

Camilla of Nicaragua told us how she only got an education up until 5th grade while her brothers continued their education long after that. Maya shed some light on the issue of Female Genital Mutilation, which she had to undergo at the age of 5. However, Fatima, Chioma and Modupe were nowhere to be found to talk about their experiences in Nigeria the citadel of child marriage, female oppression etc.

The Deputy Executive Director, UN Women in her speech wished the girl child had started speaking out earlier opining that life would have been a lot better for the female folk today. She affirmed the commitment of the United Nations Women towards empowering all females starting from their childhood, freeing them from all forms of discrimination, violence and ensuring they have equal opportunities in education and access to all resources boys have access to.

No doubt the girls who performed at the summit rewrote the history of the girl and one can only pray that other girls all over the world would join hands together to fight for the good life they are entitled to. If they don’t speak out about their discomfort, who would?
Girls have the right to a safe, educated, and healthy life, not only during these critical formative years, but also as they mature into women. If effectively supported during the adolescent years, girls have the potential to change the world-both as the empowered girls of today and as tomorrow’s workers, mothers, entrepreneurs, mentors and political leaders.

Ogun Police Arrest Woman for Stealing Baby

CRIME WATCH

Operatives of the Ogun State Police Command have arrested a woman for allegedly stealing a two - week old baby. Also, the stolen child has been rescued.

SATURDAY Crimewatch learnt that child was stolen from her mother by one, Mrs. Ifeoluwa Yekini on October 31, 2015, in Abule Ifo, in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State and she was subsequently rescued on November 14, 2015, following the arrest of the suspect.

According to Mr. Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Ogun State Police Command Public Relations Officer, trouble began when the suspect, who had been monitoring the mother of the baby when she was still pregnant, went under the pretense of felicitating with her at home after delivery and requested to assist the mother of the newborn baby in strapping her to her back, which the former obliged.

Adejobi continued: “She further requested to take the mother and baby out for shopping, which the mother also, obliged. But at the market, the suspect ran away with the baby to an unknown place. The mother of the baby, after several efforts to locate suspect with the baby, reported the case to the police at the Police Divisional Headquarters in Ifo for search and necessary investigation.

“Meanwhile, the suspect, who had been on some medications to deceive her husband about being pregnant, took permission from her husband to visit her parents, in another village, from where she put a phone call across to her husband that she had put to bed. This was so suspicious and her relations and neighbours raised the alarm, which compelled her to flee to Onipanu area in Ota, Ogun state where she was eventually arrested on November 14, 2015.”

Adejobi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) said the suspect was arrested by combined police teams from Onipanu and Ifo Divisions of the Command when the suspects, who had been placed under surveillance by the police was cited in the area.
He said the Commissioner of Police Ogun State Command, CP Abdulmajid Ali has charged parents to protect their children and wards always. Adejobi stressed that the case should be a lesson to all mothers.
The CP, he said, had directed that the case be charged to court, vowing that the command would not tolerate any act of criminality in Ogun State.

PDP: In Search of a New Beginning

Uche Secondus

After months of recriminations and indulgence in the blame game, the  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appears set to commence a journey for a new beginning to reposition itself in light of current realities, writes Onyebuchi Ezeigbo

The Peoples Democratic party (PDP) penultimate Thursday began  what may seem like an internal soul-searching to try and purge itself of flaws of the past in order to rediscover the path to glory. Indeed, the PDP national stakeholders conference that held in Abuja provided an opportunity for reflections on the milestones recorded by the party in the last 17 years as well as the blunders committed by it’s leaders.

For instance, while the conference noted the selfless contributions of the party in the struggle to enthrone democratic governance as well as strengthening the framework for sustainable democracy in the last 16 years, it acknowledged the failings in the practice of internal democracy and the fact that it had departed from the original ideals of the founding fathers. More importantly, the party has realized that  the loss at the last presidential election was due to the bungling of the zoning principle which was one of the cardinal principles established by the pioneer leaders to ensure political stability and cohesion.

While flagging off the conference with the theme, “PDP and the Sustenance of Democratic Ideals in Nigeria”, the Acting National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, congratulated leaders and members for their perseverance and faith in the party. Secondus said the conference was laudable and auspicious having consideration for the trajectory of the party’s history, 17 years after its formation. According to the Acting National Chairman, the  initiative is part of the soul-searching and also part of the reconciliation process. He said that the national leadership have the duty to bend over backwards and woo back some of the members who may be having a rethink about the Party.

“It is also a forum for reliving the ideals, values and the inspiration of the founding fathers of this party. It is the ideal platform for articulating and marketing the roadmap for the way forward for our party. In spite of the disappointing loss of the PDP in the 2015 general elections, we should draw energy for a rebound from our proud heritage.  Ours is the party that in 1998 rose to the occasion to recreate our civil political institutions, to reconcile the diverse people of Nigeria for unity and brotherhood and propose an agenda, a manifesto that provided hope in the power of the people to build a prosperous industrial democracy”.

Speaking in the same vein, the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, recalled that even during military rule, the PDP founding fathers under the aegis of the G34, “looked tyranny in the face and demanded a return to democratic rule”.  But rather than dwell on lamentations and the euphuria of past contributions of the PDP, Ekwerenmadu decided to throw punches at the new ruling party - APC. He observed that contrary to expectations of many Nigerians, the APC was yet to keep any of its campaign promises and called on the PDP to set up a Shadow Cabinet to benchmark the ruling party on its promises.

“As could be seen from the events of the past few months, it is evident that while a party may ride to power on the wings of propaganda, it takes more than propaganda to govern well and retain goodwill. The APC won by promising much more than they could deliver. They promised to scale up the exchange rate of our currency to one US dollar. Have they kept this promise? They promised to bring back the Chibok girls in less than three months. Have they brought back the Chibok Girls? They promised to pay N5,000 to unemployed youths. Have they paid a kobo to any youth? They promised free meals to our children in the schools. Have they given any? They recently promised to end the Boko Haram insurgency in December 2015. We earnestly hope and pray that this particular promise is kept in the overall interest of our nation”.

Ekwerenmadu also gave APC-led administration knocks for alleged politicization of the anti-graft war. He emphasised that while the PDP will stand by APC-led Federal Government all the way in the anti-graft war, the nation “must diligently guide against the politicisation of the anti-corruption war because that, in itself, constitutes a heavy moral burden”.
Such perception, according to him, “taints the war with witch-hunt and fixates people’s minds on the politics of the anti-corruption drive rather than on whether the accused persons are guilty as charged or not”.

Though, most of the founding leaders including former Vice president Alex Ekwueme, former military president Ibrahim Babangida, former Senate Presidents Ken Nnamani, Pius Anyim and David Mark as well as Adamu Ciroma amongst others were absent,  the THISDAY Dome venue of the function was filled to capacity with other high ranking party faithful including present and former governors, lawmakers and leaders.

Way forward
Key to the rediscovery journey of the PDP is the report of the Post Election Committee headed by Senator Ekwerenmadu. The committee provided among other measures, the restoration of the sanctity of the zoning principle of the party, introduction of biometric membership registration and a return to direct primaries as a means of guaranteeing internal democracy and reconciliation. But it was Prince Secondus who set the balling rolling at the conference when he told the gathering that NEC had adopted the Senator Ike Ekwerenmadu-led committee  report with only few amendments and the NWC and had commenced its implementation including preparing the framework for constitutional amendments to effect those proposals. He said the party had kick-started the biometric membership registration for the PDP in Edo State as a pilot scheme, a strategy he believed can finally remove the phenomenon of  godfather in the party’s lexicon. According to him, the nationwide registration exercise will soon commence.

Secondus also assured that the leadership would build a consensus for implementing the recommendations so that every stakeholders will carry the message of hope to the grassroots and most importantly to Nigerians who according to him are eagerly waiting for the PDP as a credible alternative having seen that the APC does not have the capacity to drive development or the temperament to sustain the unity of our multi-ethnic country, Nigeria.

“We do not have time; we do not have the space either. We all need to work very hard bearing in mind that we have practically one month before we start the preparations for the next round of Congresses and National Convention to elect leaders that would drive the repositioning of our party, the foundation of which our leadership is painstakingly laying”

The Communique
The PDP national conference ended with a resolve that it would continue to ensure credible, robust and issue-based opposition, while promoting harmonious relationship among all people and ensuring that citizens’ confidence in democracy does not wane. In realization  of the imperative for a quick PDP rebound, the conference sort for the immediate implementation of the recommendations of the PDP post-election review committee report, especially those relating to zoning, internal democracy, e-registration and the restructuring of the party at all levels with a view to giving the party back to the rightful owners - the people. The PDP national conference communique also admonished the ruling All Progresives Congress-led regime of becoming increasingly a fascist  government.

The party condemned in strongest terms the growing authoritarianism of the APC-led Federal Government which has been characterized by gross violation of human rights, constitutional infractions, invasion of a governor’s lodge and private homes, deliberate interference and instigation of crisis in the legislature, arm-twisting of the judiciary, undermining of democratic institutions like INEC, nepotism in appointments, abuse of power and clamp down on opposition elements.

It also condemned the sudden decline in the economy and quality of life of Nigerians, occasioned by the lack of direction of the APC government, in addition to the growing tension and rancour in the polity as direct consequences of the alleged divisive tendencies of the present administration. On the same count, PDP denounced what it saw as the prevailing selective application in the fight against corruption targeted at opposition elements and perceived opponents of the regime, while APC members with corruption charges are being rewarded with ministerial positions and other juicy appointments as well as APC tickets in the forthcoming governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states.

It vehemently rejected what it called  the current manipulation of the judiciary and security forces by the APC-led Federal Government in its desperate bid to subvert the sovereign will of the people and forcefully take over states genuinely won by the PDP in the last general elections and ultimately impose a one-party state in Nigeria.  The opposition party charged the new INEC leadership to assert the independence of the electoral body, resist all external influences and ensure free, fair and credible electoral process in Kogi and Bayelsa states and other future elections, adding that PDP will not accept any result that do not reflect the true wishes and aspirations of the people, particularly in Kogi and Bayelsa states.

The party also resolved to further expand the role of youths in its programmes and policies, and take steps to guarantee their full representation in party organs, develop roadmap for a vibrant youth participation and support concession for electoral contests. It used the conference to put all its organs on notice  to commence preparations for the National Convention scheduled for March 2016, the process of which it said would commence with congresses at the Zonal, State, Local Government and Ward levels of the party.

Tackling the Unending Fuel Crisis

Optimal operation of the existing refineries is fundamental in efforts to create an environment conducive to the building of private refineries, which would help to minimise fuel importation and end the era of fuel scarcity. Vincent Obia writes   

Nervous anticipation and rash speculation about fuel scarcity have become part of everyday life in Nigeria. The fears hardly prove to be groundless. In the latest round of scarcity, Nigerians across the states in the last one week struggled to buy the premium motor spirit, the most consumed petroleum product in the country. Long queues of vehicles and crowds of people besieged the filling stations in a largely fruitless search for petrol – a throwback to a fuel crisis that has been festering for decades. 

Executive secretary of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, Mr. Farouk Ahmed, attributed the latest fuel crisis to a recent “supply gap” caused by payment problems and the inability of the oil marketers to raise letters of credit from the banks. The federal government had, apparently, delayed the payment of subsidies to fuel importers who, consequently, failed to place fresh orders.

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the payment of N413 billion in petrol subsidies to try to resolve the problem. And by directive of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, the Directorate of Petroleum Resources has embarked on the confiscation and free dispensing of petrol to the public at filling stations found to be hording the product. But these can only be a palliative. They can only reduce the pain of the fuel crisis without curing the cause of the problem that has lingered for nearly three decades. A permanent solution lies in a fundamental restructuring of the downstream sector, and a deliberate effort to enforce the rules.

The federal government since the Fourth Republic has tried to deregulate the petroleum downstream sector. But experts say to really reap the benefits of deregulation the government must strike a balance between creation of an environment conducive to private investment and protecting the populace against ruthless exploitation by private capital. To this end, the government must be an active participant in the petroleum products refining and distribution business. The country’s four refineries must be made to operate optimally and other facilities in the sector, especially, the depots, must be reactivated and put to proper use.

Resuscitation of the local refining capacity would reverse the current anomalous situation where the country is about 70 per cent dependent on imported fuel. Nigeria is said to be the only member of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries that depends so heavily on imported fuel. The common practice is for countries to import to make up for shortfalls in local production.    

With a population of over 160 million, Nigeria, the sixth largest exporter of crude oil in the world, has only four virtually rundown refineries. The installed refining capacity of the four refineries is 445, 000 barrels per day, but they are said to operate below 40 per cent of their capacity. Experts say with the less than 40 per cent efficiency rate, the country’s four refineries are only able to supply about 13.26 million litres of PMS, 6.8 million litres of diesel, and 2.72 million litres of kerosene/jet fuel per day.

This is a far cry from the daily national demand for refined petroleum products. Nigeria is said to consume on a daily basis 30 million litres of PMS, 12 million litres of diesel, 8 million litres of kerosene, and 900 metric tons of cooking gas (liquefied petroleum gas). Only about 30 per cent of PMS consumed in the country is refined locally. The rest are imported.

What with the expensive and controversial government subsidy on imported fuel, which is bedevilled by numerous allegations of fraud, the huge importation strategy is clearly unsustainable.  Removal of fuel subsidy and enhancement of local refining capacity are key in efforts to resolve the fuel crisis.

The federal government has licensed a number of private refining companies, but only one, Niger Delta Petroleum Resources, is said to be operational; others are yet to install their plants. The price regulatory regime, which seems to make imports cheaper, and fears about the security of the refining infrastructure have been identified as some of the disincentives to the establishment of refineries by the licensed investors.

The federal government needs to end the price regulatory regime to encourage private investors to build refineries. But it should first ensure that the national refineries are in perfect working order and the government depots, too, are in use. The current method of relying almost wholly on private depots unnecessarily increases the distribution cost of petroleum products.

Another critical area in the fuel supply chain is security. The federal government needs to guarantee adequate security for the refining facilities. There are allegations that even when the four national refineries are technically ready for use, their operation is often hampered by insufficient supply of crude oil arising largely from pipeline vandalism.

The Petroleum Industry Bill, which the current Senate and House of Representatives are planning to reintroduce for passage, contains vital provisions for the smooth operation of the oil industry, which would also help to eliminate some causes of the fuel crisis. The Buhari government should push for the early passage of the bill.

There is need for the government to pursue deregulation alongside a policy of active participation in the oil industry to create fair competition and an environment conducive to local fuel production without putting the whole country at the mercy of a few private investors.

Bayelsa Elders Endorse Sylva for Gov

Ex-Gov. Timipre Sylva

In what was considered the biggest political coup ahead of the December 5 governorship election, elders in Bayelsa State, under the aegis of Bayelsa Council of Elders, on Saturday formally endorsed and gave their blessing to the candidature of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Timipre Sylva for governor of the state.

The endorsement of Sylva by the elders took most people by surprise as the council was put in place by Governor Seriake Dickson, and it is led by a staunch Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader, Chief Francis Doukpola.

The Bayelsa Elders’ endorsement was however secured after a promise by Sylva not to bear any grudge against any politician and individuals for their role in the incidents that led to his disqualification to run for the second term in 2012 by the PDP and his travail under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The endorsement was coming barely one week after the council allegedly gave their blessing to the incumbent governor, Dickson, who is the candidate of the PDP.

Present at the meeting were Chairman of the BCE, Chief Francis Doukpola and Chairman, Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers, King Alfred Diete-Spiff, the Amanyanabo of Twon-Brass, HRH, King Agara Mozi, King Joshua Igbugburu, Dr. Amba Ambaowei, Chief Douglas Naingba, among others.

Briefing journalists after the meeting, Diete-Spiff, a former Military Administrator of old Rivers State confirmed they had given Sylva their blessing, even as he was silent on a similar endorsement of Dickson.

Diete-Spiff, who called for voice vote from the elders in front of newsmen to confirm that the endorsement was freely given, with an affirmative “aye” given, stated, “We have told him what we want and as one of our members; we like to give him our blessing. We would like to appeal to all contestants to ensure that there is fair and violence free election.

“For Sylva, we will like to say God be with you. Goodluck! We all rejoice with you in your aspiration and we want to ask that all that you promised us here today are kept.”

Earlier, the Chairman of the council, Francis Doukpola had clarified that though some members were partisan politicians, the BCE as an institution was not partisan.

“Irrespective of the party you belong, Bayelsa is one. We are brothers and sisters. The group is made up of special people. As an institution, we are not partisan - we are a father figure to all.”

Few of the elders known to be loyal to the administration of Dickson, including Chief Thompson Okorotie, were noticeably absent from the meeting.

Earlier in his speech before the Traditional Rulers and Elders of the State, Sylva said though he was pained by the refusal of the Elders from the State to reach out to him during the political processes that led to the exit of the former President from office, the decision to meet with them is based on the conviction that his governorship aspiration is based on true justice.

According to Sylva, “I believe if as a Governor, I was allowed to run in 2012, I would have won and done my second term in office. I was disqualified from the office I was occupying. It only happened in Bayelsa. And I am running again for the same office, not because I forgot anything. If our elders believe in justice, they must start with me.”

On the issue of alleged deployment of troops by the APC led Federal Government to rig the coming election for him, Sylva described the claim as a show of cowardice by the incumbent Governor, Dickson.

Buhari Seeks International Cooperation to Defeat Terrorists

President Muhammadu Buhari

Tobi Soniyi in Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday in Abuja said last Friday’s terrorist attack ‎on an hotel in Bamako, Mali, had made it imperative for the world to work together to defeat terrorism.

A statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President  on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina,‎ said Buhari and Nigeria joined other peace-loving nations of the world in condemning the dastardly terrorist attack on the Malian hotel.

Buhari assured President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and the people of Mali of the full support and solidarity of the Federal Government and people of Nigeria as they mourned those who lost their lives in the attack and to strive to bring the surviving perpetrators to justice. The president also extended heartfelt condolences to the governments and people of China, Russia, the United States and Belgium whose nationals sadly lost their lives in the heinous and callous attack.

Against the background of persisting atrocities in Nigeria and other countries across the world, Buhari called once again for an intensification of international cooperation against all known terrorist organisations, their collaborators and sponsors.

He stated that Nigeria, under his leadership, remained committed to deploying all necessary resources and working with friendly nations, regional, continental and global organisations to speedily overcome the continuing threat of terrorism to world peace and security.