Breaking News: Suspected Cultists Kill 16 In Rivers

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

PORT HARCOURT – Sixteen persons were reportedly shot dead, Wednesday, in Ula Upata community, Ahoada East local government area by suspected cultists. The Rivers state Police command on its part said it was aware of the death of eight.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Muhammad in a text message to the Vanguard said suspected cultists were behind the brutal murder, adding that the timely intervention of Policemen saved the community of more death by the rampaging cultists.

“The incident was more of cult-related heinous activities at Ula Upata community, Ahoada East local government area. Eight persons were killed. Quick intervention by our men for stalled the situation from escalating. One of the suspected cultists was arrested and an English pump action gun recovered from him.

Investigation is right now ongoing”, he said. An eye witness, Mr Frank Alabi said he was in his room in the village when suddenly he started hearing gunshots, adding that he quickly ran into a nearby bush where he monitored all that happened.

He said the assailants after killing ten in his Ula Upata village moved to to Ahoada West to kill another six persons, “I saw everything. I was in my room when about five boys started shooting. The killing started about 12.5am. I was in my house when I saw the killers. They were five persons. They carried three AK47 and two pump actin. I called the DPO and the JTF.”

One of those killed was a Police Corporal and nine others in the community before they later moved to Ahoada West to kill another six persons. Continuing, he said the JTF that responded to his distress call arrested one of the cultists.

Former Deputy Speaker , Federal House of Representatives, Hon Chibudum Nwuche condemned the killing, urging the Inspector General to intervene to save the state from further cult related killings.

Jobs vacancies in Delta State

It is hereby announced for the information of the general public particularly persons of Delta State origin that the State Job Creation office has embarked on the registration of graduates of Agricultural Sciences from Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education who are unemployed and aged 18-35 years and are interested in the job Creation Scheme of the State Government.

Interested candidates should register at the job Creation Office with the following document:

1. Recent pass port photograph

2. Identity Card

3. Certificate of Local Government of Origin

4. Photocopy of Graduation Certificate/Statement of Result, and

5. NYSC /Discharge Certificate

Individual candidate should register at the office of the Job creation Officer, Anwai/Illah Road not later than Friday February 5, 2016.

Paul Osahor: Director of Information

Naira as good as dead, sells at N305 to dollar

By Babajide Komolafe

The naira, Wednesday, depreciated further to N305 per dollar as scarcity of dollars intensified in the parallel market.

From an average of N287 per dollar, Tuesday, the parallel market exchange rate rose to an average of N305 per dollar across the country.

Since Monday when the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) stopped the weekly dollar sales to Bureaux De Change (BDCs), the naira has been depreciating against the dollar.

BDC sources who confirmed the development to Vanguard however said that the exchange rate situation is uncertain as the rate changes from time to time.

Vanguard investigation revealed that though the exchange rate touched N305 in major cities like Lagos, Abuja and Kano, it dropped slightly to between N295 and N300 per dollar in Lagos and Abuja at the close of business, while it closed at N305 in Kano.

Chief Executive Officer, H.J Trust BDC, Mr. Harrison Owoh, told Vanguard that the market is fluid. “You cannot quote rate for anybody now because the rate is changing every time.”

An Abuja based BDC Operator who spoke to Vanguard on condition of anonymity said that the rate closed in Abuja at N298 but was above N300 during the day. He however said that it was difficult to quote any specific rate now as the situation is unpredictable. He opined that the rate would stabilised by next week, when the market would have absorbed the impact of the new CBN policy.

Naira Crash: Devaluation is Now Inevitable - Expert

Following the continued widening of the gap between the value of the naira on the black and official markets, a devaluation is now inevitable, Samir Gadio, head of Africa strategy at Standard Chartered Bank said.

"With pressure on foreign reserves and oil prices at $30 per barrel, devaluation is now unavoidable. The issue will be the quantum and methodology," he said.

Recently, Russian investment bank, Renaissance Capital, recently said a fair price for the naira is 305 to a dollar but stated that a devaluation to 240 or 250 per dollar is appropriate.

Currency and stock markets have been hard hit by the persistent fall in crude, Nigeria's main export, triggering a fall in government revenues and exit of foreign investors from the local bourse.

Nigerian stocks on Wednesday fell 3.6 percent to near a three-and-half-year low after the naira hit a new trough of 300 per dollar on the black market, weighed down by sliding oil prices and the central bank decision to curb dollar supply.

The Central bank had stopped dollar sale to Bureaux de Change, accusing them of negatively speculating about the naira.

Why EFCC is after PDP members---APC National Chairman

THE National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has offered an explanation as to why only members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appeared to be targeted in the ongoing anti-corruption war, saying that it was because the opposition party occupied power at the centre in the last 16 years.

Emerging from APC's National Working Committee (NWC) meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday night, he told State House correspondents that it was natural that those who were in power would be the ones to answer questions on their stewardship.

He said the war had nothing to do with political divide but would be fought not minding whose ox is gored.

He stated: "The APC is not in any way apologetic. We promised change and there is a lot of rot in the system. This must be cleansed any whoever and whatever ox is being gored, wherever the tree is going to fall, let it be.

"We must get used to the fact that in the process of cleansing this nation, there is going to be a lot of bullets to bite.

"The APC was not in office at national level in the last 10 to 16 years. So, the issue of whether somebody is PDP or not PDP does not arise. We have a nation to cleanse. The president has committed himself to that and we should do it whatever way it comes. We are not being apologetic about that at all.

"It has nothing to do with witch-hunting. It just happened that the dramatist personal of the period all happened to be on one side of the political divide."

On members of the opposition defecting to the ruling party, he denied that it was a ploy to make Nigeria a one-party state as he added that the APC would welcome to its fold anyone who could help it to advance its vision.

Odigie-Oyegun revealed that the national leadership of the APC discussed the state of the nation with the president and the upcoming elections in different states of the federation.

According to him, the meeting "has been a normal interactive meeting. We were here to brief the president on the state of the party, the challenges that we are facing, the numerous elections that we have to face in the next two, three months.

"As of today, we have 78 elections to contend with mostly arising from court actions following the national elections. We also took the opportunity to be briefed on the state of the nation and the great work the administration is doing in the face of very, very intense challenges to tackle these issues and these problems.

"So, we are going away fulfilled, happy that government has substantially blocked the leakages in the system. There is still a lot to be done and we are looking forward to the early passage of the budget so that full implementation will begin. "