LAGOS — Nigeria’s difficulty to import refined
petroleum products, particularly, Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, also known
as petrol, has worsened as foreign suppliers have blacklisted Nigeria
from further business until such transactions are dollar cash backed.
The development is further compounded with the deferment of about 5.4
million litres PMS daily production, as the Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation, NNPC, yesterday, announced the shut down of Port Harcourt
and Kaduna refineries. The announcement came four days after the plants
were closed. File Photo: Crude Oil
The NNPC, in a statement by its Group General Manager, Group Public
Affairs Division, Mr. Ohi Alegbe, said the shutdown of the refineries
was as a result of crude oil supply challenges arising from the recent
attacks on vital crude pipelines by militants in the Niger Delta. Blacklisting of Nigerian importers Vanguard exclusively gathered that the blacklisting of
Nigerian oil marketers by the foreign suppliers followed the challenges
faced by marketers to access foreign exchange due to stringent rules by
the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, on foreign exchange transactions.
Marketers disclosed that they owe their foreign suppliers in excess
of $1.29 billion, even as the marketers were paid only N413 billion in
December 2015 for oil subsidies.
According to one of the marketers, who spoke in confidence, “yes,
government paid us subsidy, but there is no dollar to buy anywhere. The
Letters of Credit, LCs, that have matured since 2014 to 2015 are worth
$1.29 billion. We are supposed to use the subsidy paid to us to buy the
equivalent of what is due to our foreign suppliers, but the banks say
there is no dollar.
“To show you how bad the situation is, one of us has outstanding
matured LC of $75 million, but his banks are only able to provide $1.5
million last week. So how many weeks will it take the banks to offset
the outstanding sum for him to be able to pay hiss foreign suppliers?
“Remember that what government paid to us was the Naira component of
dollar transactions and government is still owes us the outstanding
payments on the foreign exchange differentials. This is because when we
brought in the products, exchange rate was N165 to $1, but by the time
we were paid, it had risen to N197 to $1.
“This is why the foreign suppliers have blacklisted us until we are
able to pay off our outstanding debts and back future transactions with
dollar cash. Also, government did not pay within 45 days under the terms
of our agreements, so they still owe us the interests on delayed
payments.”
Consequently, he disclosed that except for a few marketers, mostly
the majors, who already have foreign affiliations, all other marketers
have abandoned further importation of petrol until government finds a
way around access to foreign exchange. NNPC to provide dollars
The source further disclosed that in one of the meetings with the
Minister of State for Petroleum, the NNPC had promised to provide
marketers who were licensed to import products in the first quarter,
with dollars to pay for their products, as a way to ease the foreign
exchange challenges.
He added that it is uncertain that the promise had been fulfilled, as no products had come in yet.
However, NNPC’s Alegbe, in a test message response denied any
knowledge of such a promise to marketers, saying: “NNPC? Dollars? I’m
not aware NNPC made such a promise.”
He wondered if perhaps the marketer meant CBN or the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA. PPPRA pricing template
Despite assurances by the NNPC, scepticisms are high over the
capacity of the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company, PPMC
ABU DHABI—President Muhammadu Buhari has said that telecommunication
companies operating in Nigeria must adhere to the rules and guidelines
of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, noting that registration
of all mobile phone users without exception will help security agencies
to pre-empt terrorist attacks. President Muhammadu Buhari in discussion with Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed- 3rd Deputy Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates.
Speaking at an interactive forum with members of the Nigerian
community in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, President Buhari urged
telecommunications companies not to place their desire for huge profits
above the security needs of the nation.
He called on all stakeholders to work in unison to halt terrorism in
the country and assured members of the Nigerian community in Abu Dhabi
that his administration will deal decisively with the seeming resurgence
of oil theft, vandalism of pipelines and insecurity in the Niger Delta.
“The oil thieves and abductors are a less problematic target. We will
re-organise and deal with them. In the face of our new economic reality
of dwindling oil prices, there are a number of things we can really do
without to preserve our economy.
‘’We must develop the capacity to feed ourselves and we should be
spending our resources on real development projects, not luxuries,”
President Buhari said.
Pledging that more persons who abused the public trust would be
exposed and brought to justice soon, President Buhari maintained that
his government was committed to re-establishing former standards of
accountability and probity in the management of public funds which were
jettisoned under past administrations.
The President appealed for more patience and understanding from
Nigerians as his administration takes steps to safeguard the economy
from the shock of falling oil prices.
IF you can read this, it simply means you belong to the Generation Y who are SMS and social media compliant. Tanzania Digital migration: Lessons for Nigeria
Social media and text messaging are perhaps two of the things that
people do most daily. In public vehicles, restaurants, or even just in
the streets, you will find most people are on social media sites or text
messaging with their phones. These days, most youngsters are almost
inseparable from their mobile phones, not because they are constantly
talking, but because they are connecting with their friends through text
messaging.
Although mobile phones are banned in most secondary schools, but text
messaging and social media language have crept into academic discuss
and writing.
The 9-Year Basic Education Curriculum introduced by The Nigerian
Education Research and Development Council, NERDC, placed emphasis on
value re-orientation, poverty eradication and employment generation
capabilities in learners. In these reform initiatives, science,
technology, mathematics, and vocational education and training are
specifically designed to provide the contents, learning experiences and
skills for the socio-economic transformation of the Nigerian nation.
However, the tool to achieve these utopian goals, one of which is
writing, falls short of the expectation, as most students cannot write
legibly nor express themselves in simple correct grammar because of
mixing social media language with proper English grammar. Vanguard Learning sought to know how social media usage has
affected writing abilities; its import on communication and expression
and measures to improve the writing abilities of students.
Speaking on social media use and its effect on the students’ ability
to write proper and correct English grammar, an English Language teacher
with Penny International College, Mrs. Chinweuba Nwanne, said “When I
was a teenager, relationships between boys and girls involve letter
writing. When a boy writes a girl, she checks his handwriting and
grammar, thus, both served as monitor to check their writing and
grammar.
“Today, that conscious effort no longer exists as youths text a lot.
For instance instead of writing the word ‘the’ students write ‘d’,
‘your’ becomes ‘ur’, while ‘you are welcome is ‘URW’. These
abbreviations make students miss-spell words and they lack the zeal to
write because when you give them essays to write, they finds it
difficult.
“But ask the students to text and they will gladly stay on it for
hours because a lot of things like wrong spellings and poor grammar, are
allowed. The most painful part of it is that it is becoming fashionable
and even the good students tend to copy this attitude so as to
‘socially belong’.”
Continuing, Nwanne added; “
Social media distracts students from their studies and it is addictive.
It has become part their lives that if want to punish a child, take away
the phone and that child will feel more punished than when you deprive
him of food or basic needs.”
Agreeing is the Principal, Tonia International School, Mr. Frances
Alayo, who said though social media has its positive use, the negative
effect on students would be immense if not checked.
His words: “Chief of the problems social media causes are the
introduction of laziness on the part of students and the increase in
poor writing ability, as evidence with the use of abbreviation and
repetition.” Abbreviation and repetition
Pointing out that social media language has done more harm than good
in the writing abilities of students, a Masters degree student of
English Language at the Lagos State University, Miss Esther Chioma, said
“the use of social media, amidst it’s many blessings, has caused great
deterioration to people’s writing abilities as most people don’t know
how to make or write good sentences, they tend to prefer the shorter,
elliptic, and sometimes incomprehensible version. In a nutshell, I don’t
think the use of phones should be encouraged in secondary schools.”
For Clementina Nzeako, an Economist based in Kano; “The use of phone
by students has brought about the issue of phone addiction. Students now
spend gargantuan portion of their time on their phones. Because of the
psychological effect it has on students; which has to do with making it
difficult for them to have profitable intellectual discussions in real
life, and inability to make real non-virtual friends, students now stand
the risk of losing their already dormant writing skills.” Students speak: A 200 level student of Chemical
Engineering at the University of Benin, Sylvester Nwokolo, said “I
wouldn’t lie to you, the thing is affecting me. Normally I facebook,
tweet, chat on Whatsapp and ping in short forms like ‘LWKMD’ – Laugh wan kill me die, also, since we don’t submit our notes like we did in secondary school, I use short forms when taking down notes in class.
“There was this particular exam that I wrote in short form because I
was running out of time and the course lecturer specifically came to
class after exam and said that those of us that used short forms have
lost 15 marks. I nearly fainted. He went on to say that we being in
science is not an excuse to not know proper English grammar; that if you
are a first class graduate and you speak poorly people will think you
bought your certificate.”
For Rebecca Obika, an SS3 student in one of the private schools in
Port Harcourt, chatting in long hand is boring. She said “I have a smart
phone because my parents always like to reach me. Teachers say it’s not
allowed but I have to have my phone that I use it for assignments too.
If I chat in normal long form, my friends will say I am boring. In fact,
instead of laughing normally, we just say ‘LOL’ amongst ourselves. It’s
the in thing and we have to keep with the trend.
“there was a time I accidentally used the short form in an exams but I
don’t think the teachers minded so much. At best they will remove two
marks. Is the important thing not to understand what they are teaching?
Does it matter how I type it?”
Toafeek Tajudeen, SS2 student of Federal Government College, Lagos,
said “I use my elder brother’s phone to chat with my friends because I
do not have a personal phone. I know that chatting with those
abbreviations will affect me but I use them so that the text message
will not exceed one page. I am usually conscious not to use it in
copying my notes because we submit our notes for grading and my teacher
will automatically give me zero if we write short form.” Way forward: Text message or chartroom slang affects
students’ academic performance either positively or negatively.
Positively because some use it for important academic message or family
members or friends both at school and at home for information especially
when they are out of credit and cannot make voice calls. Negative when
they become addicted to SMS, IM, BBM and so on when they use text slangs
to the point of writing such slangs in their continuous assessment and
examinations.
It is most astonishing to note that even though the students are
aware of the dangers associated with the use of SMS slangs, especially
during examinations, they still cannot stop it because they uncautiously
use it.
However, the use of SMS slangs can be overcome if only its users can
adopt the use of only simple and correct English when doing so.
The Federal Government, yesterday,
docked the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mr.
Nnamdi Kanu, before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court on a
six-count criminal charge bordering on treasonable felony.
This came just as the Rivers State Police Command arraigned ten pro-Biafra protesters in Port-Harcourt.
Kanu was arraigned alongside two other pro-Biafra agitators, Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi.
The trio took turns and pleaded not guilty to the charge, which was
signed by the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, Mr. Mohammed Diri.
In the charge, the Federal Government alleged that the accused
persons committed treasonable felony by spear-heading an illegal
agitation for the seccession of ‘Biafra Republic’ from Nigeria, an
offence punishable under Section 41(C) of the Criminal Code Act, CAP C38
Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.
FG alleged that the three accused persons were the ones managing the
affairs of the IPOB, which it described as ‘an unlawful society.’ To remain in custody
Meantime, shortly after the accused persons pleaded innocence to the
charge, yesterday, the DPP, who is personally prosecuting the case for
the government, applied for them to remain in custody of the Department
of State Services, DSS, pending the determination of the case against
them.
Diri insisted that it would be more convenient for the prosecution to
produce the accused persons to court from the DSS detention facility
for trial than from Kuje prison.
Citing security reasons, Diri, contended that anything could happen
on the way while bringing the accused person to court from the prison.
“‘The DSS had never failed to produce the defendants in court, but we
have had instances where accused persons in prison were not brought to
court for trial owing to logistic problems.
“‘The nature of the offence and the response of friends, relatives
and sympathisers of the defendants that we have seen, particularly when
the case was before the Magistrate’s Court, is what has prompted this
application.
“I have no personal interest against the accused persons. I am only
doing my job as the prosecutor and the DPP of the federation,” Diri
added. A better option FILE: Nnamdi-Kanu in court
However, his application was vehemently opposed by counsel to the
defendants, Chief Chuks Muoma, SAN, who told the court that his clients
would rather prefer to be remanded in prison custody.
Muoma argued that the prison was the most appropriate place to remand
an accused person that had entered plea before a court of competent
jurisdiction.
”’No amount of convenience can over-ride the law. The prosecution has
not disputed the fact that we don’t have access to our clients. They
have not also disputed the fact that our clients do not have access to
phone calls. Two court orders in respect of this matter have been
disobeyed by the DSS, so what is the guarantee that it will obey
whatever order this court will make? ” Muoma queried.
Besides, he accused the DPP of giving evidence from the bar by
insinuating that the DSS detention facility is more secure than Kuje
prison.
After listening to both parties, trial Justice James Tsoho, over-ruled the DPP and remanded the defendants in Kuje prison.
”’I have given due consideration to arguments by the two counsels. It
is my respectful view that after arraignment, the appropriate and
constitutional pace for remand of an accused person is the prison except
when there is an extra-ordinary reason.
”It is my view that the complainant have all it takes to provide
logistic and security requirements not withstanding the distance between
the prison and the court.
”Therefore, application for remand of the defendants in DSS custody
is refused. Accordingly, the defendants are hereby remanded in Kuje
prison pending trial,” Justice Tsoho held.
Meantime, the court has adjourned till next Monday to entertain
arguments from both parties on whether or not the accused persons should
be released on bail pending hearing and determination of the charge
against him. The charges
One of the charges against the accused persons read: “That you,
Nnamdi Kanu and other unknown persons, now at large, at London, United
Kingdom, between 2014 and September, 2015, with intention to levy war
against Nigeria in order to force the President to change his measures
of being the President of the Federation, Head of State and
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federation as defined in
Section 3 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999
(as amended) by doing an act to wit: Broadcast on Radio Biafra your
preparations for the states in the South- East geo-political zone,
South-South geo-political zone, the Igala Community of Kogi State and
the Idoma/Igede Community of Benue State to secede from the Federal
Republic of Nigeria and form themselves into a Republic of Biafra, and
thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 41(C) of the
Criminal Code Act, CAP C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.”
It will be recalled that Kanu had on December 23, 2015, declined to
enter his plea to the charge which was then before Justice Ahmed
Mohammed of the high court.
It will also be recalled that Justice Ademola Adeniyi of the same
high court had on December 17, ordered the ‘unconditional’ release of
the IPOB leader, Kanu, from the custody of the DSS.
Kanu, who is also the Director of Radio Biafra and Television, was on
October 1, arrested in Lagos by security operatives, shortly after he
arrived Nigeria from his base in the United Kingdom.
He was subsequently arraigned before a Chief Magistrate’s Court in
Abuja over allegation that he engaged in criminal conspiracy, managed
and belonged to an unlawful society.
Kanu, on October 19, pleaded not guilty to the charge and was eventually granted bail to the tune of N2million.
However, the accused person alleged that the Nigerian government
refused to release him from detention despite the fact that he met the
bail conditions.
The Magistrate Court subsequently struck out the charge, even as it discharged the accused person.
In the bench ruling, Kanu was docked before trial Justice J.T. Tsoho
alongside two other pro-Biafra agitators, Benjamin Madubugwu and David
Nwawuisi.
Justice Tsoho, in a bench ruling, ordered that they should be remanded in prison custody.
When the matter was called up, yesterday, Kanu, sought the permission of the trial judge to address the court.
Speaking from the dock, Kanu who was flanked by the other two accused
persons, gave reasons why he would not subject himself to trial before
Justice Mohammed.
The IPOB leader said he had no confidence that the court would grant
him fair trial, saying he would rather remain in detention than to be
subjected to the rigours of trial that would eventually amount to
nothing.
Kanu insisted that the Department of State Services, DSS, had since
his travail commenced, shown that it had a knack for disrespecting valid
court orders.
He said: ‘Based on information available to me, I am convinced that I will not receive fair trial before this court.
‘”There has been several rulings delivered by competent courts of
jurisdiction which the Department of State Services, DSS, never
respected”.
At that juncture, the DPP, Diri, who is personally prosecuting the
matter for the government, interjected, saying it was premature for the
1st accused person, Kanu, to start raising such issues.
The DPP, contended that section ?396(2) of the Administration of
Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015, provided that the court must firstly
enter the plea of an accused person before entertaining any preliminary
objection against the substantive charge.
“My lord, under section 396(2) of the ACJA, an objection to trial may
be raised by the defendant only after plea is taken, but not before.
“In this case, the defendant has decided to put the cart before the
horse by raising objection to his trial before the charge is read to him
and his plea taken.
“I urge your lordship to over-rule the objection of the 1st defendant
and order that the charge be read to the three accused persons for the
purpose of taking their plea, the DPP submitted.”
Responding, Kanu’s lead counsel, Mr. Egechukwu Obetta, urged the
court to ignore the DPP and accede to the request of his client.
Ruling on the issue, yesterday, Justice Mohammed, disqualified
himself from handling the matter, saying he will remit the case-file
back to the Chief Judge of the High Court for re-assignment to another
Judge.
The Judge said: ‘I am of the view that the 1st defendant has the
inalienable right to object to being tried by this particular court. Rivers State arraignment
Meantime,Rivers State Police command yesterday arraigned 10 pro
Biafra protesters arrested this week in the state at Magistrate court 7
and 14.
They were arraigned on two count charge of criminal conspiracy and treasonable felony.
Hearing on the cases were adjourned to 21 and 28 January while the suspects were remanded in prison custody.
Those arraigned are ” Onu Ifeanyi ‘M’, Prinace Onwazor ‘M’,
Princewill Anyanywu ‘M’, Sunday Egbim ‘M’. Uzoma Onyegbu ‘M’, Chigozie
Moses ‘M’, Chukwudi Enyidau ‘M’, Anthony Ochuel ‘M’ Enam David Okon ‘M’
and Friday Nwahiri ‘M’. ”
The state Police Public Relations officer, DSP Ahmad Muhammad said
they were arrested while on their way to embark on pro Biafra protest
from the neigboiring state.
He warned that the command will not tolerate any attempt to disrupt peace in the state.
Abuja – The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf
Buratai has directed all officers of the Nigerian Army who have not
declared their assets to do so immediately.
According to a statement issued last night by the Acting Director,
Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, the Army Chief gave the
directive during a conference with Principal Staff Officers and
Directors serving at the Army Headquarters.
“It is to be noted that the Chief of Army Staff has done so, soon on
his appointment as Commander, Multinational Joint Task Force in May 2015
and also on his appointment as Chief of Army Staff in July 2015. Copies
of both are with the Code of Conduct Bureau” Usman said.
“This directive is in order, considering the fact that all military
officers are having Presidential Commission and are public servants, as
well as subject to both civil and military laws.
“In addition, given the current drive of the country for probity and
accountability, the Nigerian Army should not only key in but should be
one of the key drivers for such laudable project” the statement added.
Chief Ben Apugo was a member of the Board of Trustees
(BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the former ruling party at
the centre. In this interview, Apugo speaks on why he, alongside Senate
President Bukola Saraki, former Governor Nyako of Adamawa State, and
Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, quit the PDP. He also speaks on the fate of the
APC in the South-East and the pro-Biafra quest by some Igbo elements,
among other issues. Pro-Biafra agitators have been protesting across the
South-East and some parts of the South-South. Are you in support of
their agitation?
The civil war ended a long ago time and we are all Nigerians. No
reasonable human being should come out today to talk about Biafra. Our
people have to speak up and make our children understand the situation
of things. Those things they should be protesting for are employment,
roads, water, airports and other amenities that are lacking in the zone.
If they are agitating for these things, they should not block roads;
they should talk to the government of the states in the South-East, not
the Federal Government.
These people you are talking about are small boys whose mothers were
not even born during the civil war. So, what I am saying is that the
governors of the South-East should enlighten the youths and make them
know that there is nothing like Biafra today. People should not be
using Biafra as a tool for causing confusion and defrauding uninformed
people.
The Federal Government should not be looking at the South-East,
especially Umuahia, since they said their leader,Nnamdi Kanu, is from
here, as not supporting Buhari. Buhari did not create any problem in the
South-East. All the while, (former President Goodluck) Jonathan was
there, they should have gone to demonstrate about Biafra. Buhari will
tackle all the problems we are facing now, our former governors did not
perform, and they did not create avenues for employment, no empowerment.
My advice to our children is that they should forget about hoping
against hope. We have cancelled Biafra.
Let them look for the betterment of this country and themselves. They
should avoid this protest because it will not yield any fruit. Their
leaders will not fight more than Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu and Joe
Effiong, who despite their efforts, Biafra failed at the end.
Abuja – The Information and Culture Minister, Lai Mohammed says the
Federal Government has done “very” well in the fight against corruption
and terrorism in the country.
Mohammed said this in Abuja at the weekend.
The minister stated that one major achievement of the Federal
Government’s fight against corruption is that for the first time in a
long time, people have begun to appreciate the fact that corruption is
an ill.
He said that in its anti-corruption war, the present administration
would go beyond prosecuting people, to changing the way Nigerians did
things.
Mohammed, therefore, said that the government would soon launch its change initiative tagged: “Change begins with me”.
“We did campaign majorly on creating jobs for our youth, building the economy, fighting corruption, and addressing insecurity.
“I think so far we have done very well in the area of fighting
insecurity and terrorism; we have done very well in fighting corruption.
“All Nigerians agree that corruption is one of the major ills of this
society and one major achievement of this fight against corruption is
for the first time in a long time people have begun to appreciate the
fact that corruption is really an ill.
“But beyond prosecuting people, this administration is bent on changing the way Nigerians do things.
“And this is why this administration is going to start very soon a
massive campaign to re-orientate Nigerians to let them know that they
cannot continue to do things the same way and expect different results.
“It is not all about criminalising people, who have been corrupt; of
course if you have been corrupt we are going to follow due process; but
it is more about a total change, total sanitising of our society.
“We are working very hard to break our campaign, which is `Change begins with me’.
“ Every Nigerian wants change, but they do not know that that change is embedded in them.”
He urged Nigerians to embrace the change initiative in order to promote development at all levels of the society.
The minister said that corruption and indiscipline were worse at the
lower level of the society because the people at that level “have no
good example to look up to’’.
“Corruption, indiscipline is even worse at the lower level of the
stratum and you cannot blamed them, because they have no good example to
look up to.
“I think Nigeria is fortunate today that we have a leadership, the
President himself, who has shown by his examples that this change is
possible.
“But we are not going to leave it to the president alone, we are
going to involve everybody; when we show good example it is easier for
people to follow.
“And that change would come only when leaders lead by example. When
leaders lead by example, it will inspire those who are governed to do
the right thing.”
Mohammed also urged Nigerians to always strive to promote the image
of the country, saying that marketing the positive aspects of the
country would change the way the country was perceived by the
international community.
“The challenges Nigeria is facing today are small compared to challenges being faced in other parts of the world.
“Yet this perception in other parts of the world is being managed and nobody really notices them.
“We on our part have to market Nigeria vigorously; we have to look at
those areas that are positive and market them while we are addressing
and tackling the issues of insurgency here and there.
The
Independent National Electoral Commission has declared the candidate of
the All Progressives Congress, Alh. Yahaya Bello as the winner of the
Kogi governorship poll.
APC polled 247,752 votes to defeat PDP who came a strong second with
204,877 votes. In today’s supplementary poll, APC polled 6885 votes to
beat PDP which polled 5363 votes.
Declaring the results in Lokoja, the Chief Returning Officer for the
election, Prof. Emmanuel Kucha, who is the Vice Chancellor of the
Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, said having fulfilled all
legal requirements, Alh. Yahaya Bello is declared winner of the election
and Kogi Governor-Elect.
Kucha declared: “That Yahaya Bello, having polled the highest number of votes and satisfied the law is hereby returned elected”.
The collation of results was temporarily paused when an unidentified
agent of the PDP asked about the status of APC running mate. But the
Resident Electoral Commissioner said Faleke remains the running mate to
Alh. Yahaya Bello. The supplementary poll took place in 18 of the 21
Local Government Areas in the state.
Immediately the results were announced, the streets of Lokoja,
Kotonkarfe and Okene erupted in jubilation as people poured into the
streets in hundreds to celebrate the victory.
At Isanlu, Bello Support Organization said it is victory for democracy.
Speaking exclusively to Vanguard at Isanlu, Chief Strategist of the
organization, Abdulrasaq Ashiru said Yahaya Bello is God-sent for Kogi
redemption.
In his words: “This is the moment we have been waiting for; the
moment of history. This is the time we have worked for; the hour of
renaissance. Generations after us will be told the history of this day.
“You can see the state-wide jubilation. That is the level of
acceptance of the man, Yahaya Bello. He is the symbol of a new direction
for our dear state. It is high time we placed emphasis on the factors
that unite us. We are one people.
“To the people’s governor, the time for ethnic equality is now. We
must be united by the actions of government so that we can move forward
as a state”.
Also, a former Chairman of Okene Local Government Area, Hon. Saliu
Ohize told Vanguard that Yahaya Bello’s victory os a product of the
works of the late political leader of Ebiraland, Sen. A.T. Ahmed.
“Today, I am shedding tears of joy and regret. Joy in the sense that a
great governor has emerged. Regret in the sense that our leader, Sen.
A.T. Ahmed is not here today to savour the fruits of his labour”.
When our reporters contacted the governor-elect, Alh. Yahaya Bello,
he said the victory belongs to all Kogites, asking everybody to rally
round him to translate the victory to a success. He is expected to
address the press soon.
Final Results
Ibaji: PDP 220 APC 369
Adavi: PDP 12 APC 878
Ankpa PDP 629 APC 562
Ajaokuta: PDP 12 APC 538
Omala: PDP 323 APC 317
Igalamela/Odolu PDP 434 APC 92
Ofu: PDP 484 APC 105
Dekina: PDP 1999 APC 2178
Kabba/Bunu: PDP 131 APC 201
Ijumu: PDP 102 APC 86
Lokoja: PDP 145 APC 301
Kogi/Koto: PDP 281 APC 406
Yagba West: PDP 73 APC 86
Okene: PDP 02 APC 208
Okehi: PDP 0 APC 108
Idah: PDP 70 APC 62
Bassa: PDP 114 APC 221
Olamaboro PDP 332 APC 167
Total: PDP 5363 APC 6885
Grand Total: PDP 204,877
APC 247,752
The federal government has described the agitations by some Nigerians, largely in the South-East, as “completely legitimate.”
There have been mass protests by Igbos in South-East Nigeria for an
independent country of Biafra. The protests have sometimes gone violent
with reported deaths of about six people, allegedly at the hands of
security officials
The protests got worse following the arrest and prosecution of Nnamdi
Kanu, the promoter of Radio Biafra, a pirate radio the Nigerian
government accuses of spreading hate and violence.
The Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, who spoke on the
agitations, however said the basic cause of it was “economic” which
would have gotten worse but for the efforts of the current
administration.
Speaking at a News Agency of Nigeria Forum in Abuja at the weekend,
Mr. Mohammed appealed to leaders in the country not to exploit the
economic situation to further destabilise Nigerians.
He also urged Nigerian leaders to be courageous enough to come out
and defend the unity of the country even though “in the short term it
might be politically fashionable for them to be on the side of some
agitators.”
The minister, who noted that current agitations by citizens were
“completely legitimate,” assured of the Federal Government’s commitment
to strengthening the economy.
“There are many political frontlines in Nigeria, religious, ethnic
and the like but these things do not come to the fore until when there
are serious economic problems like we are having today.
“I have listened to the complaints of many of these agitators and right down it is economic.
“They must understand too that but for this furtiveness of this administration, this country would have been by far much worse.
“There is need for Nigerians to understand also that these are not
ordinary times and that the government is not just making excuses.
“I appeal to our leaders not to exploit this situation to further
destabilise Nigerians; our leaders should be courageous enough to come
out and defend our unity.
“In the short term, it might be politically fashionable for them to
be on the side of some agitators but in the long term, it is in the
overall interest of Nigeria that we all understand our differences,
respect them forge a united Nigeria.
“There will be no alternative to one united Nigeria.”
The minister emphasised the need for government to have accurate and timely information on complaints presented by citizens.
“The most important thing is that the government must do a lot of self-assessment itself.
“The government has the responsibility to listen to all; it also has
the responsibility to analyse issues to see which complaints are genuine
and those that are not and look into them.”
He also stressed the need for the government to take advantage of
different media platforms to make accurate information on its policies
and plans available to citizens at all times.
He said that the availability of timely information would curtail
agitations, rebuff rumours, and enhance citizens’ understanding of
government’s plans and policies.
The minster urged the media to take advantage of available
opportunities to “dominate” the social media platforms with positive and
accurate information about the country.
He further said that such dominance would pre-empt negative information and activities on such platforms.
“At times some of the agitations might be because the government is not adequately publicising what it is doing.
“Some of the agitations could also arise from lack of understanding of government policies.
“Unfortunately, we have allowed the social media to dictate the agenda for us; that must stop immediately.
“If, for instance, we dedicate platforms that churn out positive stories, very soon other negative platforms become irrelevant.
“It is only the absence of an alternative narrative with the correct information that makes such other platforms relevant.”
He stated that churning out accurate information will present a positive image of Nigeria to the international community
There is an increasing risk of Libya becoming a haven for combatants
from Islamic State, even as western nations target the extremist
jihadist group in Iraq and Syria, the French defence minister warned in
comments published Saturday.
“We see foreign jihadists arriving in the region of Syrte (northern
Libya) who, if our operations in Syria and Iraq succeed in reducing the
territorial reach of Daesh (Islamic State, IS) could tomorrow be more
numerous,” defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told the Jeune Afrique
weekly.
Le Drian ruled out military intervention in Libya but warned the West
had to try to foster Libyan unity in the face of such a threat.
“It is a major risk and that’s why there absolutely must be understanding between the Libyans,” said Le Drian.
Analysts believe Libya would present a less hospitable environment for IS than Syria and Iraq.
But Tripoli is hampered in presenting a united front as rival
governments vie for power — a militia alliance including Islamists that
overran Tripoli in August 2014, and the internationally recognised
administration that fled to eastern Libya.
The current chaos in Libya with groups of competing militias since
the overthrow and death of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011 has allowed
IS to build influence, notably in Kadhafi’s coastal home town of Sirte,
east of Tripoli.
And there are widespread fears the group could exploit tribal conflicts further into Africa.
Recognising Islamic State’s increasing Libyan reach, Le Drian said he
feared that ultimately the group could form one half of a double-edged
jihadist challenge in conjunction with Boko Haram, which pledged
allegiance to their fellow Islamic extremists in March and which has
been bringing terror to Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon.
“There is a major risk of a link being forged with Boko Haram,” said
Le Drian, urging Libya’s rival administrations to make common cause
while urging neighbours Algeria and Egypt to work diplomatic channels to
that effect.
But Le Drian insisted that France would not countenance military action at least while the Libyans are divided among themselves.
“That’s not on the agenda. One cannot release the Libyans from their
responsibilities by suggesting there might one day be an intervention.
They must find solutions themselves.”
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries has decided
against cutting its oil output to lift prices, its president and
Nigerian oil minister Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu said following a meeting
here Friday.
OPEC, whose members together pump out more than one third of world
oil, is currently producing above its official target of 30 million
barrels per day.
“Given the present position of the economy of countries that are
purchasing (oil) and the worldwide economy, we will retain production at
current levels,” said Kachikwu, who is minister of state for petroleum
resources in Nigeria.
OPEC is currently pumping out around 32 million barrels of oil per day.
The cartel on Friday published no figures on output in its
communique, as it awaits increased output from Iran after sanctions were
lifted on the Islamic republic.
“We cannot put a number now because Iran is coming, we don’t know
when Iran will come, and we will have to accommodate Iran one way or the
other,” said OPEC Secretary General Abdullah el-Badri.
“We decided to postpone this decision to the next OPEC meeting (in
June) until the picture will be more clearer for us to decide on a
number,” he added.
Despite oil prices plunging by more than 60 percent in 18 months,
OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia and the cartel’s other Gulf state members are
defying calls to reduce output — in a year-long strategy of attempting
to preserve market share and fend off competition from non-OPEC and
world leading producers Russia and the United States.
Saudi Arabia on Friday repeated the kingdom’s stance that it would be
willing to cut as long as non-OPEC also reduces its output.
“We have said on more than one occasion that we are willing to
cooperate with anyone that will help balance the market… with us,” Saudi
oil minister Ali al-Naimi told reporters gathered at OPEC headquarters
in Vienna.
OPEC’s poorer nations — notably Venezuela, Ecuador and Algeria — had
led the calls for a cut to help boost prices and in turn their badly-hit
revenues.
“Everyone is concerned about… the prices, no one is happy,” said Iraq’s oil minister Adil Abd Al-Mahdi.
OPEC on Friday confirmed that Indonesia had returned to the cartel
after a near seven-year absence, bringing the number of member countries
to 13.
The Islamic State group on Saturday hailed the perpetrators of a mass
shooting in the US state of California as “soldiers” of its caliphate,
without explicitly claiming the deadly attack.
In its English-language radio broadcast, the group praised the Wednesday shooting that killed 14 people and wounded 21 others.
“Two soldiers of the Khilafah (caliphate) executed an attack on the
Inland Regional Centre in San Bernardino, California,” the IS radio
broadcast said in English.
IS refers to the swathe of territory it controls in Syria and Iraq as an Islamic caliphate.
The group’s Arabic-language radio broadcast earlier in the day had
referred to the attackers as “supporters of the Islamic State.”
The English-language broadcast said the attackers, Syed Farook, 28,
and his 29-year-old Pakistani wife Tashfeen Malik, were “killed in the
path of Allah.”
But the group stopped short of issuing an official claim of
responsibility for the shooting in the format it has used in the past
for attacks in Paris and elsewhere.
The FBI said late Friday it was probing the attack as “an act of
terrorism” after reports that Malik had pledged allegiance to IS on
Facebook.
Uti Nwachukwu is a multi talented dude who burst into the limelight
when he won Big Brother Africa Season 5, The All Stars edition in
2010.Ever since, the debonair entertainer has continued to up his game
and remains a force to reckon with in the Nigerian entertainment scene.
Uti Nwachukwu
Handsome, stylish and rich too, many would think this guy has women
falling over him as easily as a piece of candy but it is not so. Uti has
had his share of heartbreaks just as he has broken a few of others too.
He owned up to Ayo Onikoyi in a recent chat.
“Of course who hasn’t?” He retorted when I asked him if his heart has
ever been broken. “And I have had my heart broken too. We all break
people’s hearts please.
Let’s leave that one. They have broken my heart, they have crushed
it. I have broken heart and my heart has been broken. especially
when I was young in my late 20’s.Right now, I am trying to allow
myself to be loved. The last girl that was on my case said something to
me:’Uti allow somebody to love you’ and I guess I did”
Markets, schools, banks remain shut in Onitsha
Soldiers, mobile policemen take over streets, conduct stop-and-search on motorists
MASSOB dissociates self, factions trade blames
By Anayo Okoli, Vincent Ujumadu, Festus Ahon, Nwabueze Okonkwo, Ugochukwu Alaribe, Chimaobi Nwaiwu & Omeiza Ajayi ONITSHA—Following the three-week
long protests embarked upon by members of the Indigenous People of
Biafra, IPOB, over continued incarceration of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu
which led to the alleged killing of its members by members of Joint
Military Task Force, markets, banks and schools in Onitsha and its
environs remained closed, yesterday, in apparent solidarity with the
protesters.
The Building Materials International Market at Ogidi, near Onitsha,
New Auto Spare Parts market at Nkpor and other major markets remained
closed, just as banks and schools remained under lock and key.
A detachment of stern-looking soldiers and mobile policemen were seen
in their numbers standing on the roads and stopping all vehicles, a
situation which led to a traffic gridlock from the former toll gate at
Ogbunike to Bridge-head end of the Enugu/Awka/Onitsha express way.
Meanwhile, a coalition of civil society groups had called for
immediate resignation of the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mr.
Solomon Arase for his alleged shoot-at-sight order and roles in the
Onitsha killings of protesting IPOB members. Extra judicial killings
Scene of Onitsha protest
In a press statement released, yesterday, and signed by Emeka
Umeagbalasi, the coordinating principal of the coalition said it was
equally important to inform that the Nigeria Police Force under Arase
was already under the jurisdictional watch of the International Criminal
Court as compilation and computation of cases of all police and
military related extra judicial killings in the country were steadily in
progress, adding, “for failing to heed our warning of 13th November
2015, we will be glad to ensure that IGP Arase and his named
sub-commanders are handcuffed and flown to The Hague for the purpose of
making them face international trial for crimes against humanity.”
According to the coalition: “We call on the IPOB and its teeming
followers to remain peaceful, non- violent and law-abiding at all times,
not minding the violence recently visited and unleashed on them.
“They must also watch their back and be extremely vigilant so as to
ward off sustained efforts of some commissioned elements within the
Federal Government, particularly its security establishments and stooges
within the South East Governors Forum to implant elements of violence
into their fold so as to destroy their globally -approved method of non-
violence and peaceful means of agitation. IPOB blames APC
Still wallowing in the confusion that followed the killing of nine of
its members, Wednesday, in Onitsha, the IPOB, also yesterday alleged
that the All Progressives Congress, APC, was behind the crisis that led
to shooting to death of nine people and injuring of over 18 people that
sustained various degrees of injuries at the Niger Bridge Head Onitsha
and other parts of Onitsha and its environs.
Spokesman of IPOB in Anambra State, Mr. Emma Powerful disclosed this
while addressing newsmen in Onitsha, saying that it was a calculated
plan by the APC government in the country which became unsettled with
their peaceful and non- violent protests in South East, and had been
looking for a way to provoke violence in their protests to justify the
continued detention and incarceration of their leader, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu. The victims
The IPOB spokesman gave the names of some of the IPOB members that
were shot dead, Wednesday, morning as Chima Onoh, from Enugu state,
Kenneth Ogadinma from Abia State, Angus Chikwado and Felicia Egwuatu
from Anambra State, including another, he said they got information was
killed in Idemili side of Anambra State late Wednesday evening.
He also said that the JTF killed a young lady that was later identified as Nkiruka and tried to take her corpse away.
An eye witness, who took some photographs told Vanguard that he was in his office watching as JTF men were shooting sporadically at Obodoukwu Road by Nigerian Customs Service Onitsha.
He said Nkiruka is from Adazi Nnukwu in Anaocha Local Government Area
of Anambra State, a 200 level student of Federal College of Education
Technical, Umunze and the only daughter of the family.
“Nkiruka was coming from Nigerian Customs Service by Asaba Onitsha
Enugu expressway towards Obodoukwu Road and on hearing gun-shots, she
ran into a restaurant and one of the JTF members shot her dead and was
about taking her corpse away when her family came with an ambulance and
spoke with the JTF men who later released the corpse to them.”
However, the police from Anambra State had denied any killing by the
JTF through the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Ali
Okechukwu. MASSOB disassociates self
Meanwhile, the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of
Biafra, MASSOB, yesterday, dissociated itself from the violence being
perpetrated by IPOB, which had resulted in the killings and destruction
of property.
Speaking to newsmen in Asaba, zonal leader of MASSOB in Delta North,
Mr. Chinedu Amaifeobu, said MASSOB was not a violent group and
condemned the acts of violence being perpetrated by the IPOB.
Amaifeobu said: “MASSOB is not in support of the killings and
destruction of property. We are not against any group in Igbo land but
would not support killing of innocent people and destruction of
property. “
Disclosing that there was no faction in MASSOB as allegedly being
speculated by one Uchenna Madu, he said Mr. Raph Uwazuruike remained
the founder and leader of the group worldwide, alleging that the said
Uchenna Madu was sacked from MASSOB since last year for misconduct and
his group was the one terrorizing Onitsha.
Amaifeobu expressed confidence that they would actualize Biafra
without violence and urged the media to reach out to them in any of
their offices for verification of information concerning MASSOB before
going to press.
Insisting the group had offices in all parts of the Biafra zone, he
held that MASSOB under the leadership of Uwazuruike was committed to the
Biafra struggle. Meeting of North, S/E monarchs
However, at the IPOB’s media briefing, Mr. Powerful dismissed the meeting said to have been held on the directive of the Sultan of Sokoto
with Governor Rochas Okorocha as host and some South East traditional
rulers in attendance as meeting of APC members, adding that some South
East traditional rulers must have been disappointed with the outcome of
the meeting.
“How can anybody be holding a meeting concerning IPOB, MASSOB and
issue of Biafra in Imo State instead of Enugu State or Anambra State,
the home of our spiritual leader Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu without
any IPOB and MASSOB member, even one person from the groups being
present.
“We therefore maintain that it was an APC meeting and its outcome does not have any binding on IPOB or MASSOB,” he said. Call for dialogue
Biafra protesters
Speaking further, the IPOB spokesman berated the Inspector General of
Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, for reading a riot act to armless,
defenseless and non-violent IPOB and MASSOB members when he should be
apologizing and sympathizing with the families of the people his men and
their JTF counterpart killed during their indiscriminate shooting of
protesting people.
“We are demanding that IGP Arase should resign voluntarily or be
removed by Buhari if he is not using him to do a hatchet job. He is not a
competent and intelligent police officer, let alone being IGP, or he
should have consoled the bereaved families whether it was his men that
did it or not.
“Every killing that happened, Wednesday, constitutionally falls on
the Police, because they invited the Army and the Navy to help them
because of their incompetence.“
The APC government through their youths had been looking for a way to
destroy our peaceful protests, but they could not see. They bribed
market leaders to accuse us of shutting the markets and breaking into
stores and shops and that did not work. They now decided to send their
youths to start making bonfire on the roads in Onitsha and other parts
of the state to disrupt economic, social and commercial activities in
the state and give an impression that we are violent.
“This was after they had ordered the Joint Military Task Force to
shoot five of our members, who were observing our three days ‘Sit at
the Niger Head Bridge’ protest as directed by our leaders to press home
our demand for the release of Mr. Kanu. Yet, we did not react.
“We are demanding for the release of our leader and the actualization
of the sovereign state of Biafra. We are determined to have Biafra and
detention of Mr. Kanu and other members of IPOB and MASSOB will not
deter us. Since the end of the civil war, we have not been treated as
part of Nigeria and now, we want to go and nobody will stop us because
we have exhausted our patience in Nigeria,” he said. Appeal for peace
Calling for calm, Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka, the Ogirishi Igbo
has appealed to IPOB and MASSOB to maintain the peace that they had been
known for even in the face of the killing of their members and the
attack by the APC-sponsored youths in the state.
Ezeonwuka urged the youths to keep calm as their anger had been established.
“ I want them to know that IPOB, known for peaceful protest is being
infiltrated by criminals sponsored by politicians from inside and
outside the state to involve in violent activities to destroy their
name.”
Bendossou
Celestine, a 57 year old man from Benin Republic who was alleged to be a
notorious cross-border armed robber has been arrested by the Oyo State
Police Command after several robbery attacks. Before his arrest, he and
other members of his gang had thought they were invincible. To him and
members of his gang, the proverb which says all days are the thief but
one day is for the owner was nothing but mere wishful thinking that
would never come to play in their own case.
•One the robbery suspects nabbed by the Police
But, their oracle seemed to have fallen into a deep sleep when the
long arms of the law caught up with them. While parading the suspect
along with other suspected criminals at the state police headquarters,
Eleyele, Ibadan, the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Mr Leye Oyebade
said the arrest of the suspects was as a result of their renewed effort
to dislodge criminal elements and dismantle their operational bases in
the state.
He told Vanguard how the suspects were arrested through effective
intelligence. He said, “a criminal gang of cross border hoodlums
domiciled in the neighbouring Benin Republic stretched their luck too
far when they clandestinely entered the state and unleashed mayhem on
innocent citizens.
They did this by snatching at gun point a Toyota Corolla with
registration number BDG 238 DR from one Kafo Musiliu at Odo Ona area of
Ibadan”.
The same gang, according to him, also snatched from one Dr. Alonge
Funto , a Toyota Hilux vehicle marked LSR 261 SB at Elebu area of
Ibadan. “Our response time was put to test when a report of the robbery
was made to us. In a jiffy, our combat-ready operatives were mobilised.
In a determined and unrelenting spirit, the policemen engaged the
fleeing robbers in a fierce battle at various points.
During the exchange of fire, one of the armed robbers was hit by a
bullet on the left hand and was subsequently arrested while trying to
escape to Benin Republic. Others escaped with bullet wounds. The undying
spirit of the command coupled with operational dexterity of our
detectives led to the recovery of the two stolen vehicles in Cotonou,
Benin Republic”.
Items allegedly recovered from the gang include two vehicles without
number plates, a pair of female shoes, some mechanical tools, an
identity card and a black bag. The suspect, Celestine, who looked
menacing with his grey beard confessed to the crime saying his condition
led him into robbery.
Also cooling their heels in the police custody were suspected
kidnappers who are believed to be Fulani men. They were said to have
been arrested with the support of the intelligence network put in place
by the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase. About a fortnight
ago, the IGP told Governor Abiola Ajimobi that his men from Abuja had
succeeded in arresting the notorious kidnappers who had been terrorising
the South West states especially Oyo State.
Narrating how the suspects were rounded up, CP Oyebade said the
six-man gang was rounded up at Okeho in Oke Ogun area of the state. He
quoted the suspects as saying they were responsible for a series of
kidnapping activities in several places in the state.
The suspects were identified as Muhammed Sanni, Abubakar Abubakar,
Damahayah Gambo, Usman Saidu and Hassan Saidu. Mr. Pelumi Ariyibi who
claimed to be a 400-level student of Bowen University, Iwo in Osun State
was also arrested for alleged internet fraud.
The innocent looking young man allegedly opened a fake Facebook
account purportedly belonging to Mrs. Florence Ajimobi, wife of the
state governor , Senator Abiola Ajimobi. The CP alleged that the suspect
had the intention to defraud innocent and unsuspecting members of the
public on the wall and time line of the fake Face-book account by
requesting them to pay certain amounts into his bank account-2020524644.
He was said to have lied to many people informing them of
non-existent women empowe-rment programme and car loan schemes of the
first lady. Pelumi confessed to the crime and told Vanguard how she
opened the fake Facebook to defraud people. Internet fraud
He said, “ I opened a new Face-book account in the name of Mrs
Ajimobi by searching for her pictures on Google which I later uploaded
on the account. I then posted on the wall and time line of the account
two schemes – Women Empowerment Programme and Car Loan Scheme.”
When asked how many people he had defrauded, he said four persons had contacted him but were yet to make any payment.
“Initially, I contacted a woman about a woman empowerment programme
going on in Oyo State and she promised to get back to me. She was the
only one I contacted concerning the empowerment programme.
I then made it public on the time line that there is a car loan
scheme going on with which the governor and his wife intend to
compensate the people of Oyo State for their loyalty and faithfulness
towards his administration. “A woman contacted me first and asked about
the details. I told her that the kind of car she wants would determine
how much she would pay as deposit.
Ever heard of the Chinese World War 11 comfort women? Well, comfort
women were a group of Chinese women in the occupied territories, forced
into sexual slavery by Japanese soldiers during World War 11, just for
the singular purpose of providing emotional support for soldiers.
•Under-aged girls
Though Ekiti is not at war with anyone, neither is it an occupied
territory, but a group of criminally minded street urchins, popularly
known as area boys have created a colony in Atikankan area of Ado-Ekiti,
where they have been luring teenage girls, just for the purpose of
sexual pleasure after a heavy bout of cannabis sativa smoking. Strange crime
This type of criminality, where under-aged girls are recruited to
give sexual pleasures to drug addicts is so novel in Ekiti, that it
almost escaped the radar of the law enforcement agencies, but thanks to
the vigilance of the Vigilante Group, what was hidden has been exposed. Atikankan, a City’s dark spot
Atikankan in Ado-Ekiti, could easily be described as the most
notorious area in the state capital, it housed most of the criminal dens
and hideouts, where drug peddlers trade their wares openly with
reckless abandon, it is also an abode for commercial sex workers, most
of the brothels in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, are situated in
that particular area.
Once, it is dusk, Atikankan comes alive and trading of all sorts
begins. The population of these run-away teenage girls is swelling by
the day, and it is instructive to note that most of these girls are from
broken homes. They have found homes in the abode of drug addicts, who
use them as sex slaves in exchange for drugs and little cash. Victims of abuse and stories: Tobi Gbadamosi is just
15-years-old, but the young girl’s ordeal in her short span of
existence far outweighs her age, she has experienced what many ladies in
their twenties, or thirties and forties have never seen in their lives:
she smokes marijuana, engage in wild sex and aborts pregnancies at
will.
In her words, “ I have only aborted once, then I was fourteen. I had
gone to stay with a relative in a neighbouring town when I met a man who
eventually impregnated but bolted away thereafter. I returned home to
find out that the only option available to save my face was to abort the
baby and my mum helped me after she had found out the truth about it,”
Tobi said. How the girls were apprehended
A member of the Vigilante group who had led a vigilante operation to
the places where the girls were picked up, Mr. Babatunde Owoeye told
Vanguard that “we picked two of them in Atikankan area and the others in
Okeila. The parents of one of the girls named Tolu have been looking
for her for about two weeks.
‘’When we eventually got a tip-off about her whereabouts from her
friends around their house. We stormed the place in a notorious dark
spot in Ado-Ekiti, popularly known as Atikankan and we were able to
apprehend her. “ She had raised the alarm to alert some tough looking
young men in the place who rushed out carrying cutlasses to attack us.
But when they found out that we out-numbered them, they took to their
heels.
“We discovered that the girls are being camped in the hideouts, made
to have marathon sex with the wild young men there who also smoke
marijuana and initiate the girls into occult activities. Occult activities
“Many of the girls had absconded home three weeks ago. A parent of
one of them had come to report that her daughter had ran away from home
to practice prostitution with street boys, and pleaded that we help look
for her,’’ the father said. Confession: None of the girls who were scantily
dressed, deny any of the allegations levelled against them. In fact,
they not only corroborated the accusations but also added details.
The 16-year old told Vanguard that she had actually left home for
about 9 days before she was caught. Suliya said she had been asked to
hawk her mother’s wares when she absconded and teamed up with two other
friends to visit their boyfriends’ places.
“I had dropped the palm oil my mother asked me to hawk at my grand
mum’s place and followed my friends to visit the boys. I have a
boyfriend among the boys. We had stayed with the boys till around 7pm
that day and I reasoned that it was already too late so we passed the
night with the boys and had sex with them.
“ Since that first day, I was afraid to go back home, thinking that
my mother would beat me, so we began to stay with my friends’ in their
grandmother’s place. We would sleep there and in the morning, eat and go
to the boys’ place and be with them till late in the night and return
to the grand mother’s place.”
Tolulope, while relating her own story said, “We all have boyfriends
among the boys whose cult name is seven stars in Atikankan. Tolulope ,
16, stayed in Ogbando street before she abandoned home for the street
boys’ abode. Her mother had sent her on an errand which she was supposed
to return to in a couple of hours but which she never came home until
two days after.
Unhappy at her daughter’s attitude, the angry mother in a fit of
anger, sent her back to where she was coming from. To avoid her mother’s
rage, Tolu said she ran off to her grand mother’s place where she has
since been staying. “I also have a boy friend among the boys from where
the Vigilante group apprehended us. We would leave my grandmother’s
place every morning and resume at the boys place and be there, catching
fun till late in the night when we return to my grand mum’s place.”
What was their reward for the amorous service rendered to their
drug-addict boyfriends. While two of them said they don’t receive a dime
for giving emotional comfort to the boys, Tobi, one of the girls,
confessed that “ My boy friend buy clothes for me and other belongings
such as shoes and bras. He also feed me and sometimes give me about
N2500 to take care of myself.
UGHELLI—SOLDIERS have intercepted about 15 youths of Ndokwa ethnic
nationality in Delta State who were going for a peaceful protest against
an oil company at Ase Omoku community in Ndokwa East Local Government
Area of the state.
Army
They accused the youths accosted at Ashaka of planning to raze the Independent Power Plant, IPP, project in Okpai.
A source, however, said that the soldiers found no dangerous weapons on the youths when they searched them.
Among those arrested were Nnamdi Uwai, Onowoma Dickson, Nnamdi
Community, Valentine Uyabeme, Ijeegbunem Obi, Kelvin Nwadele, Kanayo
Kukagha, Agriga Ossai, Dinma Kukaya, Nelson Mabeme, Chidi and Uche
Mabeme.
Leader of the Coalition of Ndokwa Youth Leaders, Mr Alex Agha, who
confirmed the arrest of the youths said, “They explained to the soldiers
that they had no business with IPP and their mission was to Ase Omoku,
where they were going for a peaceful protest, yet they were arrested.”
He said other members of the coalition who were earlier stopped by
soldiers from going to Ase Omoku proceeded to Umuseti community, the
headquarters of the oil firm, Sterling Global, to lodge their grievances
and were received by the Base Manager of the company, Mr Mohan.
A source at the 222 Battalion, Agbarha-Otor, in Ughelli North Local
Government Area, confirmed the arrest of the youths, but alleged that a
youth leader sponsored them to disrupt activities of oil companies in
the area and extort money for personal benefit.
He told one of our reporters that the military handed over the youths to the Police Area Command, Ughelli
Akinjide
served as minister of education in the Tafawa Balewa’s cabinet in the
First Republic and as minister of Justice and Attorney General in the
Second Republic government of President Shagari. Akinjide was a
frontline member of the defunct National Party of Nigeria, NPN and
served as the party’s legal adviser prior to his appointment as attorney
general.
He is presently, a member of the Board of Trustees, BoT of the
Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. In this interview, he reviews the actions
and inactions of the Buhari government, the prospects of the PDP
following its recent electoral loss among other national issues.
You have not been so visible in politics in recent times.
Is it age or you are just playing it cool?
I am a prominent member of the Board of Trustees of the PDP and I
play very active role in Ibadan, Oyo State and in other parts of the
country. So I am very active in the PDP.
Apart from the former Minister of State for FCT, Oloye Jumoke
Akinjide, is there any of your other children who is also in politics?
All of them. Abayomi who also is a lawyer is very active in politics,
Mobola, my daughter is very active in politics and if you count Jumoke
that makes them three, so my family is very active in politics.
What is your assessment of the assignment of portfolios to the ministers?
He nominated very good people, I have no doubt about that. But my
concern is with Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory. When we were in
Lagos as Federal Capital, Yar Adua was a Minister for Lagos and he came
from the North. When Obasanjo was in office before the Capital Territory
was created, a Yoruba person was in charge. But since the Capital
Territory has been created, Northerners have been ministers throughout. I
don’t think that is the best for the country.
I will like to see an Igbo, Yoruba, Middle-Belt man be a minister in
charge of the Capital Territory. To consistently pick someone from the
North as Minister for the Capital Territory is not in our national
interest and is not good. I am not saying the people that have been
picked are bad but I am talking about geographical spread. We should not
give the impression that the capital territory belongs to a particular
part of the country. It should be something that belongs to the whole
country. That is the objection I have and I hope that will be corrected
very soon.
Since President Buhari assumed office six months ago, how can you rate his performance in the fight against terrorism?
He has been trying his best. I mean there are areas in which I might
have done things differently but overall, I will give him a good pass
mark as president of the country.
So Nigerians did not make mistake voting him as the President?
I would not say Nigerians have made mistake although I would have
preferred Goodluck Jonathan to win the election. But since he has been
elected, I accept the election and all of us will support him to
succeed.
In your wealth of wisdom, what do you think the president should do to make this country better?
Economically, Nigeria is the greatest in Africa. There is no doubt
about that. But, we have a committee of 20 of which South Africa is a
member and Nigeria is not, I don’t think that can be supported at all.
Nigeria should be one of the people in the committee of 20, why Nigeria
is excluded, I don’t understand at all. It cannot be defended, it cannot
be justified. We should not be looked upon as if we are the colony of
Europe or somebody who should be playing third or fourth role in that
regard. Europe and America, Japan are wrong.
What is your candid advice to both the Federal Government and the Pro Biafran protesters on the Biafran agitation?
Anybody supporting Biafra must be very, very wrong. I don’t know
their reason but whatever their reason, they are wrong. We fought a war
for three years over Biafra and Biafra was defeated and the whole
country united with the belief that Nigeria should remain one country
and the Igbo joined the country and since then they have been governors
in the country, they have been ministers both at the state and federal
levels. They have been ambassadors abroad. I don’t see why anybody
should now be asking for Biafra again, I think it should be rejected.
I think they should call them to a meeting and talk to them as father
to son and ask them to stop because there is no reason for them to do
what they are doing. In the last government, we had an Igbo as Minister
of Finance (Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala) and also, we had an Igbo as
Secretary to the government, we also had Igbo as ambassadors in many
parts of the world. So, there is no excuse for anybody to say he wants
to break up the country again after we fought a bloody war of about
three years. We don’t want to go back to that. We want peace everywhere
and we want a fair share whether you are from the North, East, West,
South, Middle-Belt everything should be evenly and fairly distributed.
While you say you are still active in politics but the likes of Chief
Olusegun Obasanjo, and Edwin Clark have chosen to opt out of politics.
Do you think it is good for the polity when men of your stature are
opting out one by one?
Those people you have mentioned have positions and are statesmen.
There is no way they can get out of politics. It is in our blood; it is
part of our life and it is in the national interest for us to be
actively involved in politics and in governance. I will forever be in
politics throughout my life, I will not opt out of it at all either as
an adviser or as a statesman. In whatever form that is appropriate, I
will definitely play some role in the national interest.
What do you think actually led to the defeat of PDP in the last general election?
I don’t want to talk on the defeat of PDP. In all elections, somebody
has to win somebody has to lose. Nobody should talk of defeat as if it
is a disease. When they do elections in America, one has to win one has
to lose. The same in England, even in Germany, Israel, Australia and
Japan. Defeat in election is not a disease; it is a normal process. One
party cannot be in power forever and one party cannot be in opposition
forever. I don’t see defeat as a disease; I see it as a normal political
process.
But the fact is that with the reputed numerical superiority and
influence that PDP wielded years back, nobody thought it could lose
election quickly?
I don’t use the word quick. What happened was normal; sometimes, a
party rules the country and in another election it is defeated and after
another election that party finds its way back. Don’t look at winning
or defeat as a disease it is a normal process. It happened recently in
Canada whereby the son of a former prime minister is now a prime
minister in Canada.
Looking at our electoral system, what do you think should be done to
make it more attractive to people outside to stop complaints of rigging?
It is culture. This type of election is not in our blood. We
copied it from Europe and America and other countries, and over in the
generations and years to come it will become part and parcel of our
culture. Look at India. India is the second largest country in the world
following China and yet in my view the greatest democracy in the world
is India. I will rate India better than America and that is very good
and that is what Nigeria should copy.
So, do you see any role for the BOT of the PDP to return the party to winning ways?
Leadership is very important, leadership of the party with the right
person. Then, two, we should nominate the right candidate, once we have
the right leadership and candidates who have credibility. I am sure the
country will vote for PDP again.
The issue of internal democracy was very loud in the PDP in Oyo State
and some other states prior to the last general elections. So, what is
really the way out?
That is subjective whether there is internal democracy or not. What I know is that in any election, one will win one will lose.
Whether this is the reason for winning or losing is a different
matter. But I have no problem that what happened has happened and I have
no doubt that PDP will come back to power again, PDP will win
elections.
In 2019?
As soon as possible.
Can you say precisely that PDP did well in the last 16years?
Very well in many respects.
Very well?
That comment is subjective. It is not objective and other people may
hold opposite views. Politics is argument and I listen to anybody
whether it is right or wrong. But in my view, PDP has done well. Once we
pick the right leadership to run the party and we pick the right
candidates to contest elections for us at all levels we will be winning.
Do you agree with Raymond Dokpesi when he said that the party made a mistake on the issue of zoning?
He said the party ought to have allowed the North to complete its
term and also to allow the North to go for a 2nd term instead of
choosing the former President Goodluck Jonathan.
You may be right you may be wrong. I respect his opinion that is what is
called democracy. You may see something as white, I may see it as black
and you may see it as green.
Ok sir, do you believe in Zoning?
Oh yes. Certainly, we cannot be monolithic. One country cannot be
run by a set of people all the time. We can have a Yoruba running it
this time next time it could be Igbo after that it may be Kanuri, Hausa
or Fulani. I believe that we should be moving the offices from place to
place.
Given the recent kidnap of Chief Olu Falae by some Fulani herdsmen
and the agitation of some Yoruba leaders on the issue, what suggestions
would you proffer to solve the issue of Fulani herdsmen in the
Southwest?
What they did to Falae was very bad and we all support Falae. But, I
don’t believe we should break up the country. We should be objective; we
should be nationalistic. We should warn those people and if they don’t
stop they should be called to order.
What is your advice to the APC government, at least on how it can do things better?
We should offer very strong opposition at the federal level and make
sure the government is run properly and in those states where we won
elections, we should provide good government and run the government
properly. In those areas where we are opposition, we should be good
opposition, we should not make it as a matter of life and death.
How has the judicial system fared in the last 55 years after independence?
Oh Nigeria we’ve got the best democracy and judiciary in the whole of
Africa. I have no doubt about that at all. If you look at our judgments
and law reports it is as good as anything in Canada, Australia, New
Zealand, England and we will continue to do better. I am proud of this
country. I am a member of the English Bar, Nigeria Bar and African Bar. I
practise in three jurisdictions and I enjoy it very much.
Is there any of your children practising law?
Oh yes. I have about nine or ten of my children who read law and
wife and grandchildren who are studying law and I have about three of my
grandchildren who are in banking and I also have in business and I am
very proud of my children and grandchildren. I have been lucky the boys
have married very well likewise the girls and we will do our best to
continue to contribute to the well being of this country.
The apex Igbo organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, yesterday, rose from its Imeobi
(highest decision organ) meeting in Enugu and called on the Federal
Government to release Nnamdi Kanu, the detained Director of Radio Biafra
and leader of IPOB, unconditionally.
Nnamdi-Kanu in court
However, the meeting, which was billed to hold with representatives of MASSOB and IPOB was boycotted by the pro-Biafra groups. Ohanaeze‘s directive was contained in a communique jointly signed by the National President of Ohanaeze, Chief Gary Enwo-Igariwey and the Secretary General, Dr. Joe Nworgu.
They said that agitations and public protests over Biafra had been
exacerbated by the detention of Mr. Kanu, the director of Radio Biafra.
At the meeting attended by representatives of both the Movement for the
Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, and the Independent
People of Biafra, IPOB, in Enugu yesterday, Ohanaeze further
expressed displeasure over the continued incarceration of Kanu, saying
that it was gravely concerned over current wide-spread public Biafra
agitations in states of the South-East and some other states of Nigeria
for the actualization of Biafra.
The communique read in part: “Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex socio-cultural organization of Ndigbo
in Nigeria and the Diaspora, is gravely concerned by current
wide-spread and public Biafra agitations in states of the South-East and
some other states of Nigeria.
“These agitations and public protests have become exacerbated by the
detention of Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, the promoter/proprietor/director of Radio
Biafra by Department of State Services, DSS.”
It further stated that “Ohanaeze Ndigbo fears that these
developments may threaten the security and peaceful co-existence of
Nigerians wherever they may be domiciled, and consequently, decided to
summon an emergency meeting of Imeobi OhanaezeNdigbo to discuss the situation.
“This emergency meeting was held in Enugu at the National Secretariat of Ohanaeze Ndigbo
on Sunday, (yesterday), November 29, 2015. Representatives of the
various organizations and associations involved in the current public
protest also attended the meeting.
“The Imeobi Ohanaeze Ndigbo, after extensive candid
discussions and analysis of the situation is of the view that the
current agitations are the direct result of the excruciating pain of
severe injustice, marginalization and exclusion of Ndigbo from decision making structures in Nigeria as currently configured.
“The Imeobi Ohanaeze Ndigbo strongly avers that the exclusion of Ndigbo
in decision making structure presents danger to the unity and
well-being of the country, not only now, but also in future, and should
be redressed urgently.
Attacking Uwazuruike
Meantime, the movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State
of Biafra, MASSOB, and the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, also
yesterday, lashed out on the leader of MASSOB, Chief Ralph Uwazurike,
accusing him of hypocrisy and deceit over his call for the unconditional
release of the incarcerated director of Radio Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu
by the Federal Government.
This came as the former Chairman of Police Service Commission, PSC,
Chief Simon Okeke cautioned some Igbo elders to “stop making
pronouncements that can be very infuriating and dishonourable to the
agitating groups . He also urged them to speak out early when youths
start derailing, instead of keeping what he called “criminal silence”
and subsequently condemning them when things get out of hand.
MASSOB and IPOB leaders after their joint meeting attended by other
leaders of the two groups said: “Chief Uwazurike’s appeal was “an
expression full of insincerity.”
The groups’ statement made available to newsmen by Mr. Uchenna Madu,
and spokesman of IPOB Mr. Emma Powerful on behalf of other leaders, also
alleged that “Uwazurike has never liked Mr. Kanu because he (Kanu) is
becoming more popular, consistent and trusted by Biafra agitators,”
adding that “in Uwazurike’s mind, he is happy with Kanu’s ordeal in
the hands of the Federal Government .”
Chief Uwazurike while addressing loyalists and friends of MASSOB who
stormed Owerri for the third anniversary of the exit of Dim Chukwuemeka
Odumegwu Ojukwu, which had Ojukwu’s wife, Chief Bianca Ojukwu, Dr.
Fredrick Fasehun and Major Hamza Al- Mustapha in attendance had called
for Nnamdi Kanu’s release.
“We do not believe in Uwazuruike’s call for Mr. Kanu’s release, just
as we condemn the speech at Ojukwu Memorial ceremony where he also said
that some people claiming to be champions in their little knowledge,
forget that Igboland is landlocked and the five states of South East
contribute less than eight per cent of the economy of Nigeria. That is
the height of his deceit that he is actually fighting for the
actualization of Biafra. It is a statement of somebody that has been
compromised, and should not be taken serious.
“That statement was indirectly encouraging the Nigeria government to
continue their detention and persecution of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the
current Biafra hero. If not, how can somebody like Uwazurike be making
such comments and he wants people to take him serious? We saw where he
was going and we decided to leave him,” they said.
Discrediting agitators
Chief Simon Okeke, who was the former PSC chairman regretted that
some Igbo leaders had been discrediting the youths agitating for the
sovereign state of Biafra.
He said: “The war is over, we have all integrated into Nigerian,
there was the doctrine of ‘no victor, no vanquished,’ so the Nigerian
experiment has been going on. I have served as PSC chairman and even
after that, I have been in pursuit of progress of Nigeria, starting with
peace and progress in Igbo land. I think we should stay together as a
country, but issues of Igbo marginalization and victimization are real.
They are there and very glaring and must be addressed, but not with
violence and incessant protests.
“Sometimes truth can be bitter, but it must be told. There are
certain pronouncements from Igbo elders that can be very infuriating and
dishonourable of someone that calls himself an elder.
“I have always spoken aloud, I have always said that our Igbo elders
should correct the youths early when they are going astray, but they
seem to be keeping silent. Their silence is what I have always called
‘criminal silence.’
“If you see the young ones going astray and fail to speak out, your silence is criminal.,” he said.
Discussing with Buhari
Meantime, Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State, weekend, revealed
that the governors of the South East geo-political zone had taken a
decision to discuss issues revolving around the recent agitation by
IPOB in the country.
Governor Umahi made this known when he received the leadership of the
Abakpa Main Market Traders Association at the Government House in
Abakaliki.
According to Umahi, the South-East governors had listened to the
complaints of the agitators and had decided to discuss the issues with
the President.
“We have listened to the complaints of the boys. There is no way
anybody would say that what they are saying is completely outside the
truth, but just like husband and wife, you must have a way of getting
along through dialogue.
“The governors of the South-East have taken up the matter with Mr.
President and I believe that we don’t need another war in this country. I
want to plead with you to encourage whoever is involved that we have
taken up the matter and we will do everything possible to make sure that
their feelings are addressed.
“We should not support secession. We should not support demonstrations; we should not support the castigation of our leaders.”
Handsome, stylish and rich too, many would think this guy has women
falling over him as easily as a piece of candy but it is not so. Uti has
had his share of heartbreaks just as he has broken a few of others too.
He owned up to Ayo Onikoyi in a recent chat.
In a press statement released, yesterday, and signed by Emeka
Umeagbalasi, the coordinating principal of the coalition said it was
equally important to inform that the Nigeria Police Force under Arase
was already under the jurisdictional watch of the International Criminal
Court as compilation and computation of cases of all police and
military related extra judicial killings in the country were steadily in
progress, adding, “for failing to heed our warning of 13th November
2015, we will be glad to ensure that IGP Arase and his named
sub-commanders are handcuffed and flown to The Hague for the purpose of
making them face international trial for crimes against humanity.”
Speaking further, the IPOB spokesman berated the Inspector General of
Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, for reading a riot act to armless,
defenseless and non-violent IPOB and MASSOB members when he should be
apologizing and sympathizing with the families of the people his men and
their JTF counterpart killed during their indiscriminate shooting of
protesting people.
But, their oracle seemed to have fallen into a deep sleep when the
long arms of the law caught up with them. While parading the suspect
along with other suspected criminals at the state police headquarters,
Eleyele, Ibadan, the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Mr Leye Oyebade
said the arrest of the suspects was as a result of their renewed effort
to dislodge criminal elements and dismantle their operational bases in
the state.
Though Ekiti is not at war with anyone, neither is it an occupied
territory, but a group of criminally minded street urchins, popularly
known as area boys have created a colony in Atikankan area of Ado-Ekiti,
where they have been luring teenage girls, just for the purpose of
sexual pleasure after a heavy bout of cannabis sativa smoking.
They accused the youths accosted at Ashaka of planning to raze the Independent Power Plant, IPP, project in Okpai.
However, the meeting, which was billed to hold with representatives of MASSOB and IPOB was boycotted by the pro-Biafra groups.