Fashola: Nigerians Will Get 24 Hour Power Supply - if They Can Afford it

by Lequte, 

Nigeria's Power Minister, Babatunde Fashola, has stated that a new power tariff will soon be launched in the country which will ensure Nigerians pay more for electricity - if they want to consume more. 

He spoke during the inauguration of additional 220 megawatts to be dedicated to Lagos State by Egbin Power Plant in Lagos. This will be in addition to the Disco’s normal power allocation from the national grid.

According to him, FG will encourage the electricity distribution companies to allocate dedicated power to only those consumers who are ready to pay more under a ‘willing buyer, willing seller basis’.

“I want to emphasis to the members of the public that there is privatisation. So, our role as a government has changed. The sector has been taken over by the private sector,” he said.

“If Eko Disco takes dedicated power and give it to those who are will to pay a bit higher on a willing buyer, willing seller basis, it will free more power for those who pay less,” he argued.

Breaking: Lieutenant Colonel killed in Boko Haram ambush

Chief of Army Staff, Liutenant-General Yusuf Buratai

A lieutenant  colonel is feared dead in an ambushalong Maiduguri Bama road when suspected Boko Haram insurgents allegedly ambushed a military convoy  returning to Bama after a working visit to Maiduguri

Though details of the attack are still sketchy as at the time of filing this report, a source close to the attacked troops said  the convoy slowed down at a bad portion of the road when insurgents opened fire on them from a bad portion of the road.

The source  said several soldiers in the convoy sustained various  degrees of gun injuries and some military vehicles got damaged in the process.

 There are reports of total liberation of some towns in the state by the military and subsequent return of people to those town that include Bama & Konduga.

Tuesday’s  attack took place along the main road between  Bama and konduga by Sambisa forest.

Wike heads to Supreme Court to reclaim mandate

By Lemmy Ughegbe

 

Wike, Rivers state governor

In a swift reaction to the ruling of the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja affirming the nullification of his election as the governor of Rivers Sate by the Rivers State Governorship Election Tribunal, Governor Nyesom Wike has instructed his lawyers to proceed to the Supreme Court to challenge the judgment.

In an electronic statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, Wike said he “disagrees with the judgment, hence his decision to exhaust his constitutional right by challenging the Appeal Court judgment at the Supreme Court.”

The statement, in part, reads: “Governor Wike called on all his supporters and the people of Rivers State to remain calm as Justice will be done at the end of day.

“He assured the people of the state that he will use all constitutional processes to protect the mandate they freely bestowed on him, hence his decision to approach the Supreme Court for further adjudication.

“The governor said that he still remains the duly elected governor of Rivers State pending the determination of his appeal by the Supreme Court.

“Governor Wike assured the people of Rivers State that all ongoing development projects will continue while his administration will continue to promote the security of lives and property across the state.”

It would be recalled that the Rivers State Governorship Election Tribunal had on October 24 nullified the April 12 governorship.

The tribunal led by Justice Suleiman Ambrosa had also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct a fresh election within 90 ‎days.

Dissatisfied with the tribunal’s decision, Wike approached the Appeal Court, seeking to set aside the tribunal’s verdict, but failed to do so following the dismissal of his appeal for want of merit.

Again dissatisfied with the appellate court’s verdict, Wike has now resolved to go to the final court – the Supreme Court.

Man gets 3 strokes for stealing 7 tubers of yam

By NAN

A Gudu Upper Area Court in Abuja on Wednesday sentenced one Yusuf Salisu to three strokes of the cane for stealing seven tubers of yam.

The judge, Alhaji Umar Kagarko, who gave the sentence, warned the convict to desist from further involving himself in criminal activities following his guilty plea.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Mr A.O Urom, told the court that one Harisu Galadima reported the matter at Garki Police Station on Dec. 14.

Urom alleged that the convict went to the complainant’s house and stole seven tubers of yam.

“The tubers of yam were valued at N3, 500.

“ During police investigations, six tubers of yam were recovered from him.

“He also admitted to the crime,’’ Urom told the court.

He said the offence contravened Section 287 of the Penal Code.

The convict, however, begged for leniency and told the court that he would not repeat the act.

Army/Shiite Clash: Iranian President, Hassan Rouhani calls Buhari

Following last Saturday’s violent clash between the Nigerian Army and members of the Muslim sect, Shiite, in Zaria, Kaduna State,  Iranian President, Hassan Rouhani has called President Muhammadu Buhari, on phone, over the clash which led to the death of hundreds of Shiite members.

Iranian President, Hassan Rouhani and President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria

The IRNA yesterday, quoted Rouhani as telling President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that “minor disputes must not be allowed to turn into deep differences”.

He was also said to have asked about the welfare of the injured victims, especially Ibrahim Zakzaky, leader of the sect,while advising Buhari to issue strict orders that could forestall further attacks. The agency quoted him as emphasising the importance of unity among Muslims. “Under such conditions that terrorism is a serious threat against many Muslim countries’ security the Muslims need to unite and not permit trivial differences of opinion to lead to acute disputes, since safeguarding the Muslims’ lives is our major and public responsibility,” he reportedly said.

“The Islamic world is more than ever before in need to peace and peaceful resolving of its existing problems “We expect the Nigerian government to relieve the entire bereaved families and injured victims of that disaster and to issue strict orders to prevent the occurrence of any further unrests.

“A group is after sowing the seeds of discord among Muslim in Islamic countries and therefore it is our duty to preserve Islam’s prestige and the Muslims unity alertly and consciously.”

Rouhani also announced Iran’s readiness to dispatch any special assistance, such as medical and rescue and relief teams to assist the disaster’s victims.

On his part, Buhari reportedly appreciated the effort of his Iranian counterpart, emphasizing that he realises his responsibility in safeguarding the lives of Nigerian Muslims.

“The Nigerian government is also determined to pursue the precise causes of the occurrence of that incidence and will definitely react to it accordingly,” he was quoted as saying.

“We will also do our best to restore security in our country and will act against those who have disturbed it.”

 

BIM accuses MASSOB of collecting N500m from FG to stall Kanu’s release

By Anayo Okoli.
UMUAHIA – BIAFRA Independent Movement [BIM] led by Chief Ralph Uwazuruike has accused the new leader of Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra [MASSOB], Comrade Uchenna Madu of collecting N500 million from the Federal Government to stop the release-Nnamdi Kanu protest.

But in a swift reaction, MASSOB dismissed the allegation as baseless, saying it reflects the thinking of “a drowning group looking for where to cling”, and described the allegation as “paid black mail”.

Mr. Sunny Okoroafor of BIM had leveled the allegation against Uchenna Madu and urged him to return the money to the Federal Government.

In a statement signed by the new Secretary of MASSOB, Ibem Ugwoke Ibem, the group condemned what it called “calculated attempt by the Uwazuruike’s BIM to discredit and blackmail the MASSOB leader.

“This distractions, false impression and blackmail will never distract, frustrate or hinder our leader, Uchenna Madu from his consistent and determined spirit of non-violence Biafra actualization and continue to press for Nnamdi Kanu’s release.

“The release of Kanu is paramount in MASSOB agenda now. We are not deterred by blackmail and negative impression being circulated by BIM.

Sunny Okoroafor said that they have evidence of where Uchenna Madu collected millions of Naira to stop Biafra demonstration. MASSOB challenges Okoroafor to disclose his evidence in three days or we shall expose the secret of all Uwazuruike’s [alleged] atrocities.

“The new leader, Uchenna Madu has never collected any money from Federal Government”.

Nicki Minaj criticised over Angola concert plans

 
Nicki Minaj

Rights groups on Wednesday called on US hip-hop star Nicki Minaj to cancel an upcoming concert in Angola, saying her performance would endorse the authoritarian rule of long-time PresidentJose Eduardo dos Santos. Minaj is due on stage on Saturday in the Angolan capital Luandafor a Christmas concert hosted by the Unitel communications firm, which is part owned by dos Santos‘s family.

Fellow US singer Mariah Carey was criticised in 2013 for performing in front of President dos Santos, who has governed the southern African nation for 36 years. “Nicki Minaj is following in the footsteps of Mariah Carey, callously taking money from a dictator… who has effectively and ruthlessly choked free expression,” said Jeffery Smith, of the Robert F. KennedyHuman Rights centre.

“This sustained crackdown on basic human rights in Angola has swept up activists, opposition members, journalists, and even musicians.” Dos Santos, 73, has been accused of overseeing corruption, misrule and intimidation in a country that suffers endemic poverty despite being Africa’s second-largest oil producer.

“Nicki Minaj is a global artist. There is no good reason for her to do business with the corrupt Angolan dictatorship and endorse the ruler’s family company,” said Human Rights Foundation president Thor Halvorssen.

Angola marked 40 years of independence from Portugal last month, with dos Santos vowing to bring progress to the country, but critics accuse him of ruling through fear and repression. Minaj has appeared in a Unitel clip on Facebook, promoting her Angola show.

Photos: Pro-Biafra protesters ground Lagos Int’l Market over Kanu

Pro-Biafra protesters on Wednesday, grounded vehicular and commercial activities at the Alaba International Market, Ojo Local Government Area, Lagos, in a mega rally to call for the immediate and unconditional release of Radio Biafra Director and Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

In a statement yesterday, IPOB had disclosed that it will hold its rally along the Alaba International Market axis, as well as  visit several Embassies and High Commissions, the Amnesty International and UN offices, in Victoria Island and Ikoyi axis of Lagos, to deliver protest letters.

Meanwhile, armed Policemen, Vanguard gathered, were at the scene of the protest to ensure there was no breakdown of law and order.

Eyewitnesses shared the photos below.

Pro-Biafra protesters during a mega rally at the Alaba International Market, Ojo LGA, Lagos, on Wednesday, 16/12/2015

Pro-Biafra protesters during a mega rally at the Alaba International Market, Ojo LGA, Lagos, on Wednesday, 16/12/2015

Pro-Biafra protesters during a mega rally at the Alaba International Market, Ojo LGA, Lagos, on Wednesday, 16/12/2015

Pro-Biafra protesters during a mega rally at the Alaba International Market, Ojo LGA, Lagos, on Wednesday, 16/12/2015

Buhari to present 2016 budget next week

President Muhammadu Buhari will on  December 22, present the 2016 Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly for consideration and approval, The Nation learnt yesterday.

A reliable source in the Senate told our reporter that the subject matter of the presentation of the 2016 Appropriation Bill on Tuesday next week was discussed at a close door session the upper chamber held yesterday.

He noted that the Senate would have adjourned plenary for Christmas break tomorrow but didn’t do so because of the presentation of the 2016 budget “tentatively slated for next Tuesday.”

The source however added that “nothing is sacrosanct as the date can still be changed if occasion demands.”

Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Aliyu Sabi did not mention the presentation of the budget at a briefing yesterday.

Sabi only said Nigerians would be informed whenever the 2016 budget was received from the Presidency when he was asked whether the fiscal document had been submitted to the Senate.

Edo Govt donates vehicles to Police

Governor Adams Oshiomhole

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State Wednesday presented some operational vehicles to the Edo State Police Command to boost their operations and logistics in tackling crime, particularly this yuletide.

The Governor while presenting the nine Hilux vans, which brings to over 120 the number of vehicles presented to the Police by his administration, eulogized the efforts of the Command in bringing the level of criminal activities in the state to its minimum level and assured them of his continuous support.

Oshiomhole said, “On behalf of the government and indeed, Edo tax payers, we will like to present these 9 operational vehicles which are purpose-built to help complement the efforts of the Federal Government in providing security to our great country.

“We appreciate the security challenges across the country right now and we do recognize that no particular arm of government or level of Government can be saddled completely with the responsibility of policing our country which is why Edo State government has raised funds to procure these vehicles.

“This obviously is a far cry from what you need, given the size of this state, our land mass, the number of local governments and even the sheer number of DPOs, these numbers is certainly not enough.

“But as we have often done in the past, we would, with time, procure more even as things are tough because we recognize that nothing else will matter to our people if they don’t feel safe. Even the poor man who is hungry wants to feel safe and with the events in parts of the country, nobody needs to sermonize anymore about the need for we all to join forces with the security agencies and complement the efforts of the police.

SEE ALSO:  IGP Arase redeploys 19 AIGs, 49 CPs

“Let me say that what has also inspired me even at this time to look for money when even payment of salary is tough in other parts of the country is that we are very encouraged that even with the absence of the necessary wherewithal to fight crime and criminals, you have through sheer determination provided inspiring leadership to your officers and men and we can see the number of criminals that have been put out of business over the past months since your assumption of duty.

Newly Appointed Jos LG Chairman Dies Two Days After Swearing-In

Dr Hosea Azi, who was sworn in as Chairman, Jos-East Local Government in Plateau on Friday, is dead, the state government announced on Monday.

The Governor, Mr Simon Lalong, in a statement in Jos, described Azi’s death in a motor accident at Garaku, Nasarawa State, on Sunday, as “very shocking”.

“I received the news of the sudden demise of the newly sworn-in Management Committee Chairman of Jos East Local Government Council, Dr Hosea Azi, with great shock,” Lalong said in the statement signed by his Director of Press Affairs, Mr Emmanuel Nanle.

The statement explained that Azi died in an accident on his way to Abuja, when the vehicle he was travelling in, rammed into a stationary truck resulting in the death of the Chairman and two others.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Azi was sworn in to replace Mr Sanda Daura, who was removed from office, “in response to the yearnings of the People of Jos East”.

Lalong described Azi as an astute politician and an academic of repute, who was appointed into government to provide the needed people-oriented leadership having garnered experience as a member of the Plateau House of Assembly.

The statement, however, debunked the initial speculation that Azi had the accident with kidnappers that were racing away with him toward an unknown destination.

“Family sources have dismissed such rumour; government has actually confirmed that the death occurred while he was on his way to a legitimate function in Abuja,” the statement said.

The governor expressed government’s condolences to the people of Jos- East, as well as the family of the deceased, and prayed God to grant everyone the fortitude to bear the loss.

Saudis elect 19 women after first candidacies in landmark polls

The official election results released on Monday in Riyadh indicated 19 women have been elected to Saudi Arabia’s local councils after the first election in which women were allowed to compete.

Observers said that the election win marks a breakthrough in the conservative kingdom.

The Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Head of the General Elections Committee Abdullatif bin Abdulmalik Al-Al-Sheikh, announced that 2,106 candidates had won seats after elections that saw 47-per-cent voter turnout.

He said that not less than 702, 000 Saudis casted their ballots on Saturday, including 106,000 women out of 130,000 registered, meaning almost 82 per cent female participation.

A media report noted that this was the first time in Saudi history that women were allowed to vote and stand as candidates.

It disclosed that the female winners stood in several areas of the country, including Riyadh, Jeddah, Mecca, the northern province of al-Jawf, and the province of al-Ihsa in the east, reports dpa.

It said that two-thirds of the seats in the kingdom’s 284 municipal councils were up for grabs in Saturday’s elections.

“The other third of councillors will be appointed by the government.

“The councils have a four-year mandate as Saudi Arabia has no elected parliament,’’ it said.

Women’s participation in the polls was decreed in 2011 by then-king Abdullah.

The monarch, who died in January, also ordered that 20 per cent of members of the kingdom’s consultative Shura Council be women.

In spite of the growing female representation on Saudi government bodies, activists complain that women in the country still require a male guardian to transact official business.

PDP demands probe of Buhari’s election funding

FG: Return billions looted from the treasury

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded an inquest into the funding of the election of President Muhammadu Buhari, accusing him of embarking on selective anti-corruption war. But the Federal Government, yesterday, charged officials of the immediate past PDP government involved in the looting of the treasury to urgently return all stolen funds to government coffers. Several top officials of the Goodluck Jonathan government and PDP stalwarts have been named in the $2 billion arms deal.

They include the immediate past National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) and Minister of State for Finance, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda. The party urged Buhari to be courageous enough to open a probe into the source of funding of the PDP and the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s 2015 presidential campaigns. PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, said in a statement that the Buhari administration’s anti-corruption war should not be limited to only those opposed to the president and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

According to the statement, until top officials of the former government open up on the exact source of the funding, it is premature to be accusing only PDP members of corrupt practices. “Nigerians are quite eager to learn the business and investment tricks of past and present public officers in the APC fold, especially former governors, former ministers, as well as their national leader, who suddenly acquired multibillions investments and are now reputed to be the richest politicians in the country,” PDP added. According to the statement, Nigerians demand to know the contributions from APC-controlled state governors to Buhari’s campaign, and “the allegation that people were made ministers just to cover up the slush fund that they provided to finance the APC presidential campaign.”

Continue

Angola Overtakes Nigeria in Crude Oil Production

OPEC office

• OPEC plans emergency meeting if prices fail to recover
Alike Ejiofor  with agency report     

Nigeria’s crude oil production fell by 250,000 barrels per day (bpd) in November, making the country lose its status as Africa’s top oil producer to Angola, latest data from the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has shown.
Nigeria recorded the biggest drop in output in November among its peers in OPEC, followed by Saudi Arabia, the group’s biggest producer.


OPEC, in its latest monthly oil market report, put crude oil production from Nigeria at 1.607 million bpd in November based on direct communication, down from 1.812 million bpd in October.
Angola also saw its oil output drop to 1.722 million bpd last month from 1.762 million bpd in October.
Meanwhile, the oil cartel will hold urgent talks, if crude prices don’t recover by February, according to OPEC president and Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu.
“It is expected that the upward trend in oil prices will be seen by February next year.

If it does not happen, it is clear that OPEC will need to have a very urgent meeting,” Interfax quoted the OPEC president as saying.
On December 4, OPEC decided to keep the current output level of around 31.5 million barrels per day despite oversupply on the global oil market.
On Monday, Brent and WTI benchmarks sank to lows not seen since 2009. Brent crude fell below $37 a barrel while the US benchmark WTI dropped to below $35 per barrel.
Crude prices rebounded slightly in early trading yesterday with Brent trading at $37.73 and WTI at $36.18 per barrel as of 8.36am GMT.
OPEC produced 31.7 million barrels per day in November. It is the highest output in over three years and 1.7 million barrels per day over its former production limit.


Less affluent OPEC states like Algeria, Angola, Nigeria and Venezuela have been calling for production cuts in order to increase crude prices.
But OPEC’s biggest producer Saudi Arabia is refusing to cut crude output in order to defend its market share. Riyadh is hoping to squeeze out its competitors, primarily the US and Russia.
In a move that some see as Moscow calling Riyadh’s bluff, Russia's Finance Ministry announced this week that it is drawing up plans based on the price of oil as low as $30 a barrel until 2022.
That scenario would have devastating implications for OPEC, according to Russia’s Deputy Finance Minister Maxim Oreshkin.


In a related development, the Secretary General of OPEC, Abdullah al-Badri, has said that global crude oil prices could witness a rebound within one year.
Reuters reported that most analysts however do not expect oil prices to regain the $100 mark until 2017 or later, arguing that producers will continue to pump out more crude than the market can consume.
But speaking yesterday at the first OPEC-India Energy Dialogue in New Delhi, Badri said he had seen six price cycles in the oil business, adding that the current low price would not continue.
“I have been in the oil business all my life. I saw six cycles - I saw very high prices, I saw low prices, and this is one of them.

This will not continue,” Badri said.
“In a few months or a year or so this will change,” he added.
He said OPEC does not have a target price but was looking for a fair value that means “member countries can have a decent income and also where we can invest to (provide) more supply to the consumers”.
The world is already producing up to 2 million bpd more oil than it consumes, with OPEC pumping at near-record levels in an attempt to drive higher-cost producers such as US shale oil drillers out of the market.

Its strategy appears to some extent to be working.
Non-OPEC annual supply growth shrank to below 300,000bpd in November from 2.2 million bpd at the start of the year, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).
Oil output could decline in the next two to three years as low prices have resulted in a planned $130 billion in investment being cut this year, Badri said, adding that non-OPEC supplies are set to decline by about 400,000 bpd next year.
OPEC, at its last meeting failed to agree on an output ceiling, raising the stakes in a battle for market share that began at the end of 2014.


Another big supplier Iran has been clear that it aims to raise its output by at least 1 million bpd - about one per cent of global supply, after sanctions against it are lifted next year.
OPEC is determined to keep pumping oil vigorously despite the financial strain even on the policy’s chief architect, Saudi Arabia, alarming weaker members of the cartel who fear prices may slump towards $20 a barrel.
But Badri said even if the United States government begins to allow more exports of crude, prices will not be weakened further and OPEC can continue to produce at current rates.

AGF: There is Insufficient Evidence to Prosecute CCT Chairman

Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami,

FG to constitute National Prosecution Council
Damilola Oyedele in Abuja and Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano

The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, has revealed that the federal government lacks sufficient evidence to prosecute the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Mr. Danladi Umar.

Malami also revealed that a National Prosecution Council (NPC) to be constituted by President Muhammadu Buhari was underway.
The AGF said this was because the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)  had investigated the petition against Umar, and concluded in its report that the allegations against him were mere suspicions.

The Anti-Corruption Network (ACN), in its petition submitted to the House of Representatives, had accused Umar of embezzlement and misappropriation of funds to the tune of N44.5 million.

The group had accused the Office of the AGF of persecuting the co-accused in the initial petition,  one Mr. Ali Gambo  Abdullahi, and neglecting to persecute Umar.
Malami, appearing before the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions yesterday, confirmed that the ministry did receive the petition.

“Drawing from the conclusions, it became difficult for any prosecution to be initiated based on the basis of facts as they were presented. The position of the office of the AGF is that in the absence of further material fact in the allegation,  we find it very difficult to prosecute Umar in the circumstances against the background of his presentation and the further conclusion arrived at by the EFCC,” he added.
The Executive Secretary of the ACN, Mr. Ajulo Ajulo, in his presentation, insisted that Umar was guilty of the allegations leveled against him.

“Chairman, they should provide the original copy of their capital vote book advance payment book; and other vouchers from 2011 to date,” he said.

The CCT Chairman, again denied all the allegations against him which include appropriation of N1 million for his wedding from the coffers of the CCT, N4.2 million for external light bulbs, fictitious contract for supply of office furniture and fittings for N11,430,000, and purchase of Toyata Prado SUV for N15,273,000.

Speaking before he adjourned the hearing, the Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Nkem Abonta, directed the AGF to provide documentation backing his claims that the EFCC did a thorough job in its investigations.
Meanwhile, Malami, while speaking at a reception organised in his honour by the Kano State branch  of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)  revealed that NPC to be constituted by President Buhari was underway.

He explained that the body of judicial ‘wise-men’ would consist of legal practitioners with integrity drawn from all parts of the federation.
According to him, the council members are expected to make up a prosecution team to handle high profile corruption cases on behalf of the federal government besides serving as a think-tank to advise on cases involving highly placed individuals and institutions among other responsibilities.

“Let me use this opportunity to reveal that as a matter of policy, it is the desire and intention of this government under President Buhari to put in place a national prosecution team comprising lawyers of integrity across the nation for the purpose of prosecuting high profile corruption cases. This is before the Federal Executive Council and I assure you Kano NBA will have a share of it,” he hinted.

The AGF who admitted that he was proud to have been a member of the Kano State branch of the NBA, further disclosed that the federal government would not waiver in its determination to fight corruption to standstill in the country with all legal instruments within its disposal.

“I am happy to be in your midst today and I am grateful to Kano branch that afforded me the opportunity to serve as the secretary of the association years back...”, recalling that when he was conferred with the title of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) as well as when he aspired to be governor of Kebbi, his state of origin; the Kano NBA lent him support.

“Also now, when I was appointed as AGF, Kano branch as well as individuals, especially prominent members, were the first to congratulate me and offered me words of advice. Up till this day, they are readily available to support me,” Malami stated.
In his speech earlier, Chairman of the NBA, Kano State branch, Mr. Ibrahim Umar, advised the attorney-general to lay emphasis on harmonising the judicial sector as well as ensuring enforcement of court judgments.

In their various goodwill addresses, three eminent legal practitioners, Mr. A.B Mahmoud (SAN), a former Attorney General of Kano State, Professor Muhammad Tabiu, a  teacher in the department of law, Bayero University, Kano, as well as Dr. Lawan Mamman Yusufari, a one-time chairman of NBA, Kano branch all eulogised the AGF and expressed their confidence in his ability to succeed in office.   

Amaechi: I Never Knew Railway Transport Existed in Nigeria

Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi,

  Minister expresses ignorance of contract awarded to Tompolo

Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja
 and Sunday Okobi in Lagos

 In a bizarre twist, the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, On Tuesday announced that he never knew the railways as a means of transport efficiently existed in Nigeria.

 The minister who stated this when he and other officials of the ministry toured the facilities of the Nigerian Railways Corporation (NRC) in Lagos, added that the government would concentrate on building standard gauge railway lines that would befit Nigeria status as a developing economy as well as compliment it.

Amaechi said: “In fact, I think we have a problem; most people don’t believe that the railway transport is functioning in Nigeria. I didn’t even know, until I started this tour, I never knew that the railway was functioning, it was even from his (MD’s) speech that I learnt that there are some coaches or services that go to Kano or Port Harcourt or elsewhere.”

 According to him, “The federal government will concentrate on standard gauge of the railways, because it is critical that Nigeria becomes one of the countries founded on standard gauge. The only time I had seen railways (trains) or the coaches was one or two days in Lagos, and I thought it started from the beginning of Lagos to the end of Lagos. 

“So we need to make people become more aware that the narrow gauge is working, and that people can still use it to travel around that country. There was a joke somebody told me that it takes three days to reach Kano from Lagos on the narrow gauge, and when I asked the managing director of NRC, he said no, it takes one and half days; I said: ‘what’s the difference between three days and one and a half days?’ So that is why the government has to reemphasise on the need for the construction of the standard gauge to help boost the economy.”

 In his speech, the Managing Director of the NRC, Adeseyi Sijuwade, expressed appreciation on  the commitment and desire of the minister to effect positive change in the railway subsector, adding that the subsector had for years been in comatose but now back on track, and that with the minister’s desire to see it taken to another level, the railway transport is on it way to attaining greater heights.

In another development, Amaechi yesterday expressed ignorance of the multi-billion naira pipeline protection and waterways security contract awarded to ex-Niger Delta militant, Government Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo.

Tompolo was one of the Niger Delta militants who accepted the Nigerian government’s amnesty in 2010.
Amaechi who made the denial while appearing before the Senate Committee on Marine Transport chaired by Senator Ahmed Rufai Sani, said he only heard about the contract through the newspapers, adding that he was yet to be properly briefed by officials of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) on the matter since his appointment as transport minister.

Amaechi added that he only knew about Global West Vessel Specialist Agency Limited, said to be owned by Tompolo when he visited the office of NIMASA recently.

“It was in the public that I knew that Tompolo had a contract. Even up till now, I have never been briefed about the contract. How did I know the company? I got to NIMASA and I saw a building that was looking very ugly. And I said for Christ’s sake, who are the people staying in this dirty place? And they said staff of Global West Company and they are Tompolo’s staff.

“Nobody ever mentioned that contract to me. That’s why I said give me information about all the contracts that you have awarded in NIMASA so that I know and the stage of payment.”

Global West had secured $103 million contract during former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration alongside other similar multi-billion naira contracts.

The contract and others given to Global West and other companies linked to the ex-militant have been a subject of controversy since they were made public.

At the meeting, Amaechi who said he had to cut short his visit to agencies and parastatals in the maritime sector in Lagos to honour the committee’s invitation, said he was still studying the railway and aviation sectors and called for more time to furnish the committee with necessary information.

3,000 African youths in terror groups – AU official

Smail Chergui, African Union (AU) Commissioner for Peace and Security, said African countries were concerned about the possible return of between 3,000 and 6,000 youths who joined the Islamic State (IS).

The commissioner said on Wednesday in Algiers that the youth fighters, returning home to join terrorist groups in the Middle East were real threat to Africa.

He urged African nations to draw up a “de-radicalisation system” to encourage people to adopt more moderate views in terms of religion.

Chergui said this had become very urgent because no country in the region was safe from terrorist acts.

He also said that establishment of Africa’s police cooperation mechanism (Afripol) had become essential.

According to him, Afripol will boost cooperation and coordination of efforts among African police bodies to efficiently deal with the spread of transnational terrorism and organized crime.

Chergui pleaded for identifying the real causes of radicalism and putting a strategy that deterred youngsters from taking to violence.

He said that military action was not enough to fight against terrorism, stressing that governments should launch economic projects that generated jobs for youths and met their socio-economic needs.

Democracy has come to stay in Africa – Buhari

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

ABUJA — President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed happiness over the sustenance of democratic rule on the African continent.

President Muhammadu Buhari

The President stated this, Monday, at the inauguration of President Alpha Conde’s of Guinea Conakry for the  second term in office.

Represented by his Vice, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, President Buhari said with the conduct of peaceful elections and transitions from one government to the other on the continent, it was clear that democracy has come of age in Africa.

“It shows that democracy has come of age in Africa. All over, you can see the demonstration of peaceful elections, peaceful transitions from one government to another,” the Vice President said in Conakry, Guinea at the inauguration of Prof. Alpha Conde’s second term in office.

Buhari, at the ceremony attended by several African presidents and leaders, also noted that peaceful elections were producing the right leaders in Africa.

This, he said “points to the fact that democratic elections in Africa could produce leadership in the right way,” stressing that “we are seeing that everywhere in Africa.”

Congratulating the people on the success of the election, he also described President Conde  as “a great leader, a person who has committed himself to developing his people; a leadership that focuses on development of infrastructure and human capital”.

Making his remarks earlier at the inauguration, President Alpha Conde expressed willingness for greater bilateral cooperation with Nigeria while seeking more support and assistance for the new administration.

Other dignitaries from Nigeria who also witnessed the event in Conakry with Vice President Osinbajo included national leader of All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu; Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, former federal ministers, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili and Mr. Demola Seriki.

Osinbajo meets NAGGW,, Imperial College, London delegations

Meanwhile, the Vice President Osinbajo, yesterday, in Abuja stated that the problem of desertification in the north was “a very urgent, dangerous trend that we should attack with a lot of fervor.”

He spoke while receiving a delegation of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall, NAGGW, led by its Director-General, Mr Goni Ahmed.

While commending the agency’s documentary presentation at the meeting, Osinbajo noted that “if we allow decertification, poverty would worsen, and we would have ourselves to blame. So, we have to take the matter very seriously.”

Also at another meeting, the Vice President received a delegation from the Partnership for Child Development, PCD, Imperial College, United Kingdom.

Led by its Executive Director, Dr. Lesley Drake, the group is providing support to the Federal Government’s Homegrown School Feeding Programme considered to be an important component of the Buhari presidency’s social investment plans in the forthcoming 2016 budget.

Nigerians divided over Dasuki’s arms money laundering saga

As the wave of stern denials from prominent Nigerians who have been alleged to have partaken in the Dasuki arms laundering saga keep pouring in even as more lists of benefactors to that loot are still being anticipated, some Nigerians have been divided in their opinions over the whole issue.

ARMS PROBE—From right: Former National Security Adviser, NSA, to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd); former Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa; former Director of Finance, Office of the NSA, Mr. Salisu Shuaibu; former Director at Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Aminu Baba Kusa and former Minister of State for Finance, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda, after their arraignment at an Abuja High Court by the Economc and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

The embattled former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd), who has been accused of separate charges running as $2.1bn arms cash laundering, Illegal diversion of N32bn and diversion of N13.6bn and who has revealed that some prominent Nigerians shared in the loot is now facing a 47-count charges before three different courts and judges in Abuja.

Denials:

However, the Presidency has vindicated President Buhari from the list of benefactor to the arms loot, saying, “Our attention has been drawn to reports making the rounds, especially on internet-based media, that President Muhammadu Buhari received $300,000.00 and up to five armoured SUVs from the Office of the National Security Adviser in the aftermath of the attack on his convoy in Kaduna last year…we unequivocally deny that President Buhari received $300,000.00 or any monetary compensation whatsoever from the Jonathan Presidency or any of its officials, in the aftermath of that attack, or at any other time since then.”

Also, The former governor of Rivers State, Dr. Peter Odili, has equally denied reports that a former Minister of State for Finance, Mr Bashir Yuguda, gave him N100 million out of the money collected from the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd). “I reiterate for the purpose of emphasis, that I had no dealings with the former NSA, neither did I collect any money from Yuguda. I challenge anyone who has any contrary evidence to produce it,” charged Dr. Odili.

Also, National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, denied partaking in the loot even as he admitted Tuesday that he collected some money from former President Goodluck Jonathan to handle a job, just as he did not mention the nature of  job that was given to him and how much was involved.

“In the course of my duties as the National Publicity Secretary of our party, the then leader of our party and President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria invited me and directed that I carry out some assignment relating to my office and which he duly funded. It is important to note that the former President was fully satisfied with the way and manner I handled the assignment,” Said Metuh.

Therefore, below are some selected comments of Nigerians to the Dasuki arms fund laundering saga.

UnapologeticallyYoruba

Dasuki, Plea bargain??
I thought he pleaded not guilty.
The only plea bargain that will work for me is
1. a refund of all our money.
2. The names of ALL those that partook of the sharing of the commonwealth.
2. A court martial to try Dasuki like he organized the trial and sentencing of innocent soldiers to cover up his crimes of not supplying weaponry.
4. A one way ticket to the front lines in Sambisa with an AK47 and munitions (I am not wicked like him and want to give him a fighting chance at survival).

prosper5 •

The end justify the means. If at the end Dasuki and Co did not go to jail, I will know Buhari is not serious. No plea bargain.

Dr Philo •

There’s no way Jonathan was not aware of all these; N2.1bn for media, other billions given to presidential primaries’ delegates.. another set of funds for presidential campaigns, etc. Are they scared of asking him questions?

Darlington_Ehondor •

THE “ADMISSION” ONLY INSPIRES GIGGLES OF AMUSEMENT

It is a fact of nature: whenever it threatens to rain, thunder goes into spontaneous overdrive, summoning humanity to torrential downpours. We are seeing a fitting human analogy. Sambo Dasuki, today’s favorite villain and Mohammadu Buhari’s current preoccupation, threatens to sing a song of stunning revelations, and even his persecutors are collapsing into disorienting panic and “admitting” their own complicity in the docudrama of sleaze and robbing the public to pay the pigs.

Clearly destabilized by Dasuki’s threat, the presidency is coming out, in shivering haste, to “admit” that Buhari, far from being the squeaky clean embodiment he supposedly represents, took some of what Dasuki allegedly stole from the public. Unsurprisingly, however, Buhari’s minions are justifying his guilt by resorting to ludicrous legalism, thereby unilaterally legitimizing, hence distinguishing it from acts of......

Continue

Breaking: Appeal Court sacks Gov Wike, orders fresh election in Rivers

The three-man Court of Appeal panel sitting in Abuja has struck out the appeal of Nyesom Wike seeking a dismissal of the judgment of the Rivers election petition tribunal which sacked him as governor of the state.

In a 110-page ruling delivered by Justice M.B. Dongban-Mensem, the Court ruled that the election of Nyesom Wike did not conform with the electoral act.

Wike

The Court has ordered a rerun in 90 days.

In delivering a final ruling the Court of Appeal decided all the seven issues raised by Governor Wike against in favour of Dakuku Peterside and the All Progressives Congress party.

Recall that on Saturday, October 24, the tribunal had held that Wike was not duly elected governor of Rivers‎ state.

It ruled that a fresh election be held in the state within 90 days.

But Wike appealed against the judgment, insisting that he was duly elected governor of the state‎.

He asked the appellate court to set aside the judgment of the tribunal, arguing that‎ the lower court failed to consider the evidence – that a proper election took place in Rivers state on April 11 – tendered before it.

Wike had previously gone to the supreme court to challenge the jurisdiction of the tribunal, which sacked him. His main argument at the apex court was that the tribunal should have sat in Rivers state and not in Abuja.

But the supreme court dismissed his suit for lacking in merit‎, ruling that the tribunal – owing to security reasons – was right to have relocated to Abuja to sit in judgment on the petition of Dakuku Peterside, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the April 11 governorship election in Rivers state.

Breaking: DSS drops charges against Nnamdi Kanu in Magistrate Court

A lot of firecrackers, Jubilation & celebration everywhere here in Aba on hearing that the DSS has drop all charges held against Nnamdi Kanu the director of IPOB and the owner of Radio Biafra.   

At 12:26 Nigeria time Vanguard new reports that the Magistrate of the Chief Magistrate Court, Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, Shuaibu Usman, on Wednesday discharged the Director of Radio Biafra and Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB),  Nnamdi Kanu, on all counts of criminal conspiracy and ownership of an unlawful society brought against him by the federal government.

Nnamdi-Kanu in court

After holding that the government had dropped the charges against Kanu, the judge ruled:  “The accused person is hereby discharged and the case struck out.”

The government through its agent, the Department of State Services (DSS), had elected to withdraw the case at the lower court for a higher court, which has jurisdiction to entertain charges bordering on terrorism, to take over.

Usman was scheduled to deliver judgment on the application of the DSS on December 1, but he put it off until December 16, reports TheCable.

The DSS has held Kanu for at least 90 days despite an order of the magistrate court granting him bail in October.

After the lower court granted him bail, the DSS got an order of the federal high court, Abuja, to keep the leader of IPOB in detention.

However, his lawyer, Vincent Obetta, filed a counter application, seeking bail for the accused person.

Meanwhile, Justice of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Adeniyi Ademola, is expected to rule on the bail application on Thursday.

Since, the arrest and detention of Kanu by Nigeria’s secret Police, in Lagos, on Saturday, October 17,  wave of protests, engineered by IPOB, as well as members of the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) had swept through the South-East and parts of the South-South, demanding an immediate and unconditional release of Kanu.

9 foreigners jailed 5 years for oil theft

By Onozure Dania 

Lagos—Justice Ibrahim Buba of  a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, yesterday, sentenced nine foreign citizens to five years imprisonment each after convicting them for stealing  3,423,097 metric tons of crude oil from Nigeria.

Five of the convicts are Filipinos while the other four are from Bangladesh.

The convicts were intercepted by the Nigerian Navy on March 27,  2015 while they were  trying to take the stolen product loaded in their vessel, MT Asteris, out of the country.

Delivering his judgment, Justice Buba convicted them on four counts in relation to the crime and sentenced each of them to a jail term of five years with an option of N20 million.

Handing down the sentence, the judge said he was satisfied that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which prosecuted the convicts, proved its case beyond reasonable doubts.

“The case of the prosecution is as clear as the daylight,” the judge held, adding that the failure of the convicts to supply the evidence that they had lawful permit to deal in crude oil further strengthened the prosecution’s case.

The judge said the evidence of the prosecution witnesses were not controverted.

He agreed with the PW5 who stated that the product was illegally sourced in Nigeria as “the Department of Petroleum Resources confirmed to the EFCC that MT Asteris was not lincensed to deal with crude oil in Nigeria.”

The judge further stated that it was the likes of the convicts that had made Nigeria a laughing stock in the eye of the world.

He said it was not right for anyone to deprive the country the enjoyment of its natural resources through illegal means.

Duty to send strong signal

Justice Buba said the court has the duty to send a strong signal to Nigerians and non-Nigerians alike that the country has laws and the laws are enforceable.

“It is people like the convicts that have made Nigeria a laughing stock in the eyes of the world. The court must send a strong signal that Nigeria is a nation; not a nation of booty. It is not right for either Nigerians or foreign nationals to deny this country its God-given natural resources through illegal use.”

According to him, “this court hereby sentence each of the convicts  to five years term of imprisonment on count one with effect from March 27, 2015 with an option of N5 million fine.”

He also sentenced them to five years each on counts two, three and four or a fine of N5m for each count.

He held that,”All the sentences are to run concurrently but not the option of fine. In addition, the vessel, MT Asteris, and the cargo on board are forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“For purposes of clarity, each convict is to serve five years term of imprisonment with effect from 27 of March, 2015 or a fine of N20 million for all the four counts.”

The convicts who were convicted and jailed are Axel Joseph Gibo Jabone; MD Zahirul Islam; Juanito Camireno Infantado; Suarin Fernando Alave and Gatila Jaypee Gadayan.

Others are  Islam Shahinul; Islam Rafiqul; Shaikh Shibli Nomany and Rolando Jose Comendador.

N31b loot: Jonathan’s camp to seek talks with Buhari

Suspects opt to refund cash for freedom

North’s leaders may intervene

President Muhammadu Buhari and his predecessor, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, may soon meet over the mind- boggling revelations from the arms cash probe.

Former National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki, who is standing trial for alleged misapplication and fraudulent disbursement of over N31b meant for purchase of arms, has alleged in his statement to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that all his disbursements were approved by the ex-President.

Sources said some associates of Dr. Jonathan were arranging a private meeting between the leaders to enable Jonathan “straighten out” some things with the President.

The ex-President is believed to be desirous of addressing some of the allegations  in confidence because he is not keen on speaking publicly “so as not to heat up the polity”.

It was also gathered that the ex-President’s camp noted that some of the N31billion cash was sourced from “security votes and budget for Special Services”.

“Jonathan will prefer a private audience with the President rather than taking up issues with the suspects in public. Some of the expenditures have grave security implications as they involve some neighbouring countries,” a source said, adding:

“As a statesman, Jonathan cannot just open up at all. For example, there is a unit where the overhead of past Presidents and Heads of State was taken care of. Some of the funds disbursed by the office had to do with these funds. If Jonathan speaks, will he not rubbish these past leaders?

“Some Presidents from some countries sought financial assistance from ex-President Goodluck Jonathan. Do you expect the former leader to issue a statement on such a sensitive request?”

The source spoke of how Nigeria bought vehicles and some equipment for some countries from the funds, adding that diplomatic etiquette does not allow such a disclosure.

“At a point, there was negotiation to end Boko Haram insurgency. This type of deal cannot be put in the public domain”, he said, pleading not to be named because he is not permitted to talk to the media.

Also yesterday, it was learnt that some of the suspects facing trial may opt  to return looted funds and forfeit some assets in exchange for freedom or light sentences.

It was also learnt that some leaders of the North may prevail on President Buhari for soft-landing for some of the suspects.

About N31billion has been traced to more than nine suspects facing trial in Abuja courts.

Some of the suspects, according to sources close to the investigations, are already overwhelmed by the evidence against them and would prefer the plea bargain option.

The suspects are said to have volunteered to return the funds traced to them and their cronies through phoney companies.

They are also said to be considering the plea bargain option to save time and get lighter jail terms where conviction becomes necessary.

The names of the suspects seeking plea bargain were kept under wraps last night, but only a former Minister of State for Finance, Alhaji Bashir Yuguda, has indicated his willingness to recover N600million out of the over N1billion traced to him.

A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “Despite the fact that most of the suspects pleaded not guilty, some of them have been considering plea bargain to get off the hook.

“Those affected have told the EFCC in confidence that they want to return looted funds and assets for outright state pardon or lighter jail terms.

“These few ones seeking plea bargain said they ought to regain freedom to retrieve funds where they are stashed.

“In fact, one of the suspects said having admitted that he had slush funds, there was nothing to prove in court again.”

Last night, counsel to one of the key suspects said: “I think there is a plea bargain offer by some suspects. Some lawyers appearing in the cases have been meeting to enable the nation to get some of these funds back.

“These suspects would, however, prefer to return funds and assets to the EFCC for outright pardon.

“As I am talking to you, we have not reached any conclusion on the terms of plea bargain to be presented to the EFCC, which is prosecuting all the suspects.”

Some elders, led by a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation are said to be pushing for soft landing for some of those on trial.

The elders are said to be worried that most of the suspects are from the North.

It was learnt that the elders had been under pressure to save these key Northern figures on trial.

But some of the elders, who are unsure of President Buhari’s reaction, were said to have met with presidential confidants.

There were plans last night for the elders to have an audience with the President.

Another source said: “These elders want a plea bargain alternative, which will lead to the surrendering of all looted funds by the suspects.

“Thereafter, an amicable political solution will be reached to allow the suspects to go home and sin no more. Alternatively, those with bad cases can serve lighter jail terms.”

Senate orders recall of suspended police officer 21 years after

By Bridget Chiedu Onochie and Azimazi Momoh Jimoh, Abuja

 

Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase

THE Senate yesterday requested the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, to immediately order the reinstatement of Sergeant Amos Olaniyan, who was illegitimately suspended 21 years ago from service.

This followed a petition submitted to the Senate by Senator Solomon Adeola (All Progressives Congress, Lagos West) on behalf of the victim who was one of his constituents.

The Senate also ordered that the officer be fully paid his salaries and all monies due to him including promotions for the number of years he was suspended.

Olaniyan was said to have been verbally suspended from Nigerian Police Force 21 years ago for an offence that he was later found innocent of.

The matter was referred to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petition, which conducted an investigation into the matter.

According to the Senator Samuel Anyanwu-led committee, although Sergeant Olaniyan was found not guilty, the police could not reinstate him, as the officer who suspended him did so only verbally and has since retired.

The report of the committee, which was adopted at the plenary however stipulated that, “Sergeant Olaniyan be fully re-integrated into the Police Force with a letter of reinstatement, and apology be tendered to him and that all his dues including promotions and entitlements be fully granted and paid.”

Senator Adeola while presenting the petition on the floor of the Senate had stated that Olaniyan was verbally suspended in 1994 on a baseless allegation of bribery which an Orderly Room Trail discharged and acquitted him but the Police refused to recall him even as he had his Police ID card and uniform.

Reacting to the findings and resolution of the Senate, Senator Adeola expressed joy that at last, justice has been done to his constituent who had suffered for 21 years without any redress.

Meanwhile, the committee on Police Affairs has been mandated to ensure immediate compliance with the resolution and other similar resolutions and report back within two weeks.

Immigration arrests Senegalese woman with cocaine at border

By Odita Sunday

 

THE Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Zone A, has arrested a Senegalese woman attempting to cross the Seme border with tonnes of cocaine.

The suspect, 45-year-old Sall Fatou, was intercepted by curious immigration officers, who suspecting her nervous posture and arrested her for interrogation. The drugs were discovered in her private parts.

According to the Assistant Comptroller General Zone A, Mr. Musa Maza, who disclosed the arrest, the suspect claimed to be a courier and not a drug dealer.
“The suspect’s nervous posture aroused the suspicions of our officers at the border. She told us she was sent to deliver the drugs to someone in Senegal. The drug was uncovered within her private parts,” Maza said.

Fatou, who spoke to newsmen in French, noted that she was only playing the role of a ‘middle-man’. She claimed she did not know the person who supplied her the drugs.
“The drug was given to me by someone I did not know at midnight. My own role was to deliver it to someone I also do not know in Senegal but I was caught at the border. I never knew I would fall into this kind of trap. I really regret my actions.”

The suspect was handed over to the narcotic officers from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the headquarters of the NIS, Ikeja, Lagos for further investigation and prosecution.

Dollar steady ahead of Fed rate-hike decision

By AFP

 

Dollar Stock and money. Photo: investing-for-the-futureThe dollar held steady on Wednesday after upbeat US inflation figures all but sealed the case for a Federal Reserve interest rate hike, analysts said.

Financial markets are focused on the US central bank’s last 2015 meeting, which wraps up Wednesday, with policymakers likely to give the go-ahead to a rate rise for the first time in almost a decade.

The case for a rate lift-off — which is a plus for the dollar — has grown stronger over the past year as the world’s top economy appeared to be staging a firm recovery.

That view got another boost Tuesday as fresh November data showed an inflation gauge that excludes volatile food and energy prices hit the Fed’s 2.0 percent target.

“For (Fed Chair) Janet Yellen, who has been at pains to emphasise her concern of inflation overshooting if rates are not hiked in 2015, this final data point surely locks in the Fed rate rise now,” Angus Nicholson, a market analyst with IG Ltd. in Melbourne, wrote in a commentary.

The benchmark federal funds rate has been pegged near zero since December 2008 to support the economy’s recovery from deep recession.

In Tokyo trading, the dollar rose to 121.87 yen from 121.66 yen Tuesday in New York, while it gained 0.18 percent against the Malaysian ringgit, and also ticked up against the Taiwanese dollar, Thai baht, Indonesian rupiah and Singapore dollar.

However, the South Korean won rose 0.67 percent on the greenback, as it bounced off recent drops.

The euro edged up to $1.0936 and 133.18 yen from $1.0930 and 132.97 yen in US trading.

The pound ticked up to $1.5050 from $1.5039 while the dollar edged down to 0.9901 Swiss Francs against 0.9914 francs in New York.

While markets have been pricing in a rate hike, analysts said there was still room for the dollar to strengthen.

“Money markets have not fully discounted a Fed rate hike, so there is scope for the US dollar to have a knee-jerk upside reaction,” Elias Haddad, a currency strategist at Commonwealth Bank of Australia, told Bloomberg News.

“We expect the (Federal Open Market Committee) to emphasise that its tightening cycle will be gradual. This should slow rather than reverse the uptrend in the dollar.”

Gunmen kill Rivers varsity lecturer, son in Port Harcourt

By Jimitota Onoyume

PORT HARCOURT— Returning Officer in the March 28, House of Representatives  election for Obio Akpor federal constituency in Rivers State, Dr Ebirien Fubara has been killed alongside his son at their residence in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Vanguard gathered that the sad incident occurred weekend.  Meanwhile, when contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmad Muhammad said, the police was not aware of the ugly development.

The late Fubara was appointed a Commissioner in the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC, by Governor Nyesom Wike.

It was gathered that the assassins, who stormed his Odili Road residence in Port Harcourt, first killed his second with a rod and then went for the father, clubbing him till he fell unconscious.

Thinking that he had passed on, the assassins fled.  Dr Fubara according to reports gave up the ghost on Sunday at a hospital in Port Harcourt and his remains deposited in a morgue.

He was a senior lecturer at the Ignatius Ajuru University, Rivers State.

Reps move to establish commission for North East

By Terhemba Daka, Abuja

 

House of Representatives and former Speaker, Bauchi State Assembly, Haliru Dauda Jika, has commended the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara.

• Legislators want Dec 10 as national air safety day 
THE House of Representatives yesterday passed a piece of legislation which seeks to facilitate the establishment of North East Development Commission with the mandate to receive and manage allocations from the Federation Account as well as aid from international donors for settlement, rehabilitation and reconstruction of roads, houses and business premises of victims of insurgency.

The bill, sponsored by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, was endorsed at plenary presided over by Deputy Speaker, Sulaimon Yusuf Lasun.

Dogara, who for the second time stepped down and took a seat on the floor to lead debate on the bill, said the challenges affecting the North-East were enormous and must, therefore, be given priority by the Federal Government.

Meanwhile, the lawmakers have urged government to set aside December 10 of every year as National Air Safety Day in memory of the students of Loyola Jesuit College who died in the December 10, 2005 Sosoliso air crash in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The House, at its resumed session, yesterday, said the date would also serve as a memorial for other victims of air crashes in Nigeria.

The parliament also urged government to “carry out a review of the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) report on the Sosoliso plane crash and other crashes that have occurred in Nigeria from 2005 with a view to ensuring the implementation of recommendations contained therein.”

The House resolution followed adoption of the prayers of a motion introduced by Wale Raji who brought the issue under matters of urgent national importance.

The motion titled, “Need to set aside December 10 of every year as National Air Safety Day in memory of the students of Loyola Jesuit College, Abuja and other victims of air mishaps in Nigeria” was passed when the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, put the question to a voice vote.

It was subsequently referred to the House Committee on Aviation for further legislative action in collaboration with the relevant MDAs to ensure compliance.

We’re stripping B’Haram of religious pretensions, says Buhari

By Mohammed Abubakar

 

Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has admonished religious leaders in the country to do more to support efforts to strip Boko Haram of all its religious pretensions and fully expose the group as vicious terrorists, devoid of any moral or philosophical direction.

Speaking at separate audiences with Ecuador’s new Ambassador to Nigeria, Leopoldo Rovayo Verdesoto, who was at the State House to present his letter of credence, President Buhari was quoted in a statement by his spokesman, Femi Adesina, to have said that a lot had already been done to properly expose Boko Haram as a ruthless, destructive and misguided terrorist group.

The statement, however, avoided reference to the current face-off between the military and members of the Shi’ites Islamic sect but outlined what the government had done to expose the Boko Haram terrorists.

What we have succeeded in doing is to separate terrorism from religion. The initial attraction for recruitments was religion. But now, people cannot relate with their relevance anymore and they are only associated with the destruction of lives and properties.

If your life does not mean anything to you, other peoples’ lives will not mean anything to you as well. And people are beginning to see that Boko Haram is just about destruction and nothing else,” the President said.

Buhari also told the new envoy that his administration would continue to prioritize diversification and other measures to help the Nigerian economy withstand the shock of falling crude oil prices.

The President also received the letters of credence of the new Ambassador of Zambia, Dr. Solomon Jere, and the new Ambassador of Columbia, Ms Claudia Turbay Quintereo,
He wished all the three new ambassadors successful tenures in Nigeria.

India’s top court slaps ban on new diesel cars in capital

By AFP

 

India’s top court Wednesday imposed a temporary ban on new diesel-guzzling SUVs and other luxury cars in New Delhi in an attempt to clean up the world’s most polluted capital.

The Supreme Court also barred diesel trucks older than 10 years from entering the city, one of a string of orders handed down to tackle smog-shrouded Delhi.

Chief Justice T.S. Thakur ordered the ban on registration of new diesel vehicles with engines over 2000cc, typical of SUVs, jeeps and large cars made by BMW, Toyota and others.

The courts are pushing authorities to act over Delhi’s toxic air, ranked as the worst in the world in a World Health Organization survey last year of more than 1,600 cities.

The ban on new diesel car registration would last until March 31, according to local media reports.

Leading environmentalist Sunita Narain, who was in the court, said judges also ordered city-based taxis to move from diesel to CNG (compressed natural gas) by the end of March and banned the burning of garbage.

“There cannot be anything more fundamental than the right to clean air and what the court has recognised today… (is) this is a public health emergency,” Narain told reporters.

“There is now a ban on the registration of diesel vehicles above 2000cc across NCR (Delhi),” she said.

Successive Delhi governments have faced scathing criticism for failing to come up with a strategy to tackle the smog.

Facing flak over the crisis, the city government earlier this month said private vehicles would only be allowed on the roads on alternate days for a trial period in January.

Delhi’s air routinely worsens in the winter as the poor start lighting fires to stay warm and as cooler air and clouds trap pollutants.

But unlike Beijing, which also suffers from hazardous haze levels, the city does not issue public health warnings.

More than 23 percent of the cars on Delhi roads run on diesel, which produces much more carcinogenic nitrogen oxide than petrol cars.

Los Angeles schools to reopen, email threat ‘not credible’

By AFP

Los Angeles schools were due to reopen on Wednesday after authorities determined that an emailed threat prompting the shutdown of the second-largest school district in the United States was not deemed credible.

The drastic decision on Tuesday to close more than 900 schools and to keep 640,000 students at home was made out of “an abundance of caution,” and in light of the deadly December 2 attacks in nearby San Bernardino, said schools superintendent Ramon Cortines.

“I’m not going to take the chance with the life of a student,” said Cortines, who runs the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD).

But Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti told reporters later Tuesday: “We can now announce the FBI has determined this was not a credible threat.”

The LAUSD said on Twitter that classes and after-school activities would resume Wednesday, adding: “When it comes to the well-being of our children, we will never take chances.”

A similar threat was also made against New York schools, but officials there said they deemed it not credible from the onset and accused Los Angeles school officials of badly overreacting.

California congressman Adam Schiff said the emails, sent late on Monday from an IP address in Frankfurt, Germany, were likely a prank.

“Preliminary assessment is it was a hoax to disrupt school districts in large cities,” Schiff said on Twitter.

But Garcetti cautioned it was too early to draw conclusions.

“Whether it’s criminal mischief, whether it’s somebody testing vulnerabilities of multiple cities, we still do not know enough to say definitively,” he said.

Authorities raised the alarm after several members of the LA school board reported receiving emails threatening violence involving backpacks and packages left at some schools.

California congressman Brad Sherman told CNN that the emails had come from a person claiming to be a “extremist Muslim” who said attacks would take place on Tuesday and would involve nerve gas.

The message also said the person boasted of having “32 accomplices… all ready to take action today,” Sherman said.

But in biting criticism, New York Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said the schools shutdown in Los Angeles was “totally, totally uncalled for.”

“It’s what they want, whether it’s a prankster or a terrorist, they want to instill fear,” Bratton told reporters.

Bratton, who previously served as Los Angeles police chief from 2002 to 2009, said the person behind the threat may have been inspired by the hit television series “Homeland.”

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio told a press conference that the threat was “so generic and outlandish” that it could not be taken seriously.

– ‘Easy to criticize’ –
Bratton’s comments prompted a rebuke by the Los Angeles police chief Charlie Beck, who insisted the school shutdown was justified.

“It’s very easy in hindsight to criticize a decision based on results that the decider could have never known,” he said.

The Los Angeles Unified School District comprises more than 21,000 buildings spread over 720 square miles (1,865 square kilometers) within Los Angeles and nearby communities.

California has been stunned by the massacre in San Bernardino, located about an hour east of Los Angeles, carried out by US-born Syed Farook and his Pakistani wife Tashfeen Malik.

The Muslim couple were killed in a shootout with police following the attack, which the Federal Bureau of Investigation is treating as an act of terrorism.

According to a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll released on Monday, national security has become the top issue of concern for Americans in the wake of the San Bernardino assault and last month’s recent deadly attacks in Paris.

30 dead in Boko Haram attack on Borno villages: vigilantes

By AFP

Brutal weekend attacks on three villages by Boko Haram Islamists in the restive northeast of Nigeria have left 30 dead and 20 others wounded, a vigilante told AFP.

“Most of the victims were slaughtered and most of the wounded (had suffered) machete cuts,” Mustapha Karimbe, a civilian helping the Nigerian military fight Boko Haram, said of Saturday’s attacks in the villages of Warwara, Mangari and Bura-Shika in Borno state.

News of the attacks has been slow to emerge because telecom masts in the area have been destroyed in previous Boko Haram raids, hindering communication.

The Islamists invaded the villages, hacking and slaughtering their victims before setting the villages on fire.

The villages are near Buratai, the hometown of Nigeria’s highest military chief Tukur Yusuf Buratai.

‎Warwara, where 20 people were killed, was the worst affected, said Musa Suleiman, another vigilante.

The attackers killed six people in Bura-Shika and another four in Mangari, he said.

The latest deaths take the number of people killed in Nigeria since President Muhammadu Buhari took office in May to more than 1,530, according to an AFP tally.

Residents of the villages fled to Biu, 30 kilometres (19 miles) away.

Buratai and nearby settlements have recently been the targets of deadly raids by Boko Haram, which have left scores dead and entire villages looted and burnt down.

Residents believe the attacks are in response to the pressure that the army chief is exerting on Boko Haram in counter-insurgency military operations.

On Thursday Boko Haram insurgents killed 14 people — decapitating some of them — when they raided Kamuya village, the hometown of the army chief’s mother, and burnt it down.

Nigeria’s government has vowed to end the Boko Haram insurgency by this month but the deadline looks likely to be missed as attacks persist.

The Islamists’ grip on the region has suffered as a result of offensives launched by local armies, leading to raids like Saturday’s becoming rarer.

There has, however, been a spike in suicide attacks in Nigeria and neighbouring Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

At least 17,000 people have been killed since the conflict began in 2009.

A new 8,700-strong Multi-national Joint Task Force (MNJTF) comprising troops from Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Benin was supposed to have been deployed in late July.

But the African Union-backed force has yet to start operations, with no reason given for the lengthening delay and questions over whether the countries have the resources to commit.