How Boko Haram started – Gov Aliyu

Notorious leader of the radical Islamic fundamentalist sect, Boko-haram, Abubakar Shekau started his ‘ministry’ in an expansive land located within a remote village in Niger state a few years ago before they were dislodged by the state government.
Abubakar Shekau, the acclaimed spokesman of a factional group of the sect led by, Abubakar Kaka who is believed to have been killed by men of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Maiduguri were dislodged from the then, Daru-Islam by security operatives in the year, 2009.
Niger state Governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu who made this known in Minna when he met with traders at the government house also confirmed that the pictures of both Shekau and Abu Kaka posted regularly on the sects websites and published in newspapers are the same with the ones the security agents captured before the duo were dislodged from Niger state.

*Gov Aliyu Babangida of Niger State

The Governor said but for the proactive nature adopted by the security agencies in dislodging the group from the state and the support given by state government, Niger state would been the headquarters of the dreaded sect.
Governor Aliyu said it is necessary for all Nigerians to rise up and oppose the activities of the fundamentalists which he said has had untold negative effects on the economy of not only the northern part of the country but Nigeria as a whole.
He said for any business to thrive it must be in a peaceful and secured environment, insisting that in view of the series of attacks on security men in Niger state capital government will tighten security within and outside Minna the state capital and therefore asked that they should cooperate with security operatives handling the exercise.
Defending the movement of the old Minna central market to its present location, Governor Aliyu said the market when it was established did not envisage the rapid growth the state capital had witnessed.
When the market was at its old location it contributed to congestion being experienced in the city centre, Aliyu said adding that the other market at PZ area of Minna will soon be moved to the Kure market to give more room for the development of the Minna city centre.
Aliyu told his guests that critics of the administration were those who wanted him to be sharing public money without embarking on any developmental programmes, insisting that the same people will in no distant future turn round to say he (Aliyu) spent 8 years without anything to show for it.
Governor Aliyu who solicited for the continued support of the administration in its developmental strides said, “My government will not share money, what is uppermost in my mind now is the development of the state”.
The traders through their spokesmen Alhaji Mohammed Umoru and Alhaji Dandere pledged their loyalty to Governor Aliyu and his administration but asked that the governor should reduce the series of levies they have to pay daily in the markets.
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We’ll disgrace you, Mimiko tells Tinubu On October 16, 2012 ·

We’ll disgrace you, Mimiko tells Tinubu

On October 16, 2012 · 

IN a sharp response Governor Mimiko described the ACN national leader, Asiwaju Tinubu of being unworthy of the title of national leader of a national party accusing him of behaving like a common street boy in his manners and utterances.

Speaking through his campaign spokesman, Kolawole Olabisi, deplored the use of what he called raw and dirty language that he claimed would even be detested by area boys.

Noting that the ACN leader lacked the moral credibility to address Mimiko, he said:

“Pray, isn’t it absurd that Tinubu could be asking the people to vote for his party when all over the South West where he controls, governance is at it lowest ebb. It has been strikes galore as workers and government are at loggerhead over unpaid salaries and emoluments.”

“Students of higher institutions are groaning while they pay through their noses. Yet, they say they want to capture Ondo State which is better governed than any of these states and has become a benchmark in the art of good governance in Nigeria.

“When so-called leaders dance naked on national television and unleash verbal abuses on a sitting Governor of a state who has chosen nothing but high sense of respect for him as well as assault the sensibility of the people of Ondo State, then such leaders should be prepared to be disgraced.”

“How can a leader also ask the people of Ondo State to re-enact the terrible episode of the 1983 election violence if his party should lose the election? We urge the security operatives to be abreast of all the vituperation and pure incitement of the people by Tinubu and other leaders of the ACN at today’s so-called redemption rally of theirs and take note of unfolding events as the election approaches,” the Mimiko campaign advised.

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Tinubu launches final attack, says he’s different from Anenih On October 16, 2012 ·

Tinubu launches final attack, says he’s different from Anenih

On October 16, 2012 ·

LEADER of the Action Congress of Nigeria ACN Asiwaju Bola Tinubu yesterday launched a final attack on Governor Segun Mimiko describing him as an ingrate and a serial betrayer even as he disclaimed any aspiration towards fitting into Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s shoes.

At a rally in Akure to round off the party’s rallies ahead of this weekend’s gubernatorial election, Tinubu declared “I am not fighting for the shoes of Awolowo it is too big for me. I am not fighting for Awolowo cap. He has taken both away.”

Tinubu also took time to castigate the incumbent governor Olusegun Mimiko describing him as an ingrate whom he helped but later dumped him.

Quoting from the Holy Bible what will happen to those who are ingrates, Tinubu insisted that he bankrolled the expenses incurred by Mimiko at the election petition tribunal.

He said that Mimiko betrayed his two predecessors in office, Adebayo Adefarati, Olusegun Agagu and former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Tinubu however said that he was not surprised that Mimiko is denying that he collected money from him when he was in the trenches.

He asked the people of the state to “”drive Mimiko out of Ondo state through their votes on October 20 this year.

ACN leader, Bola Tinubu

The leader of the party rubbished the Mega Primary Schools of the government saying the state do not have the population that would warrant the construction of Mega schools in the state.
On godfatherism, he pointed out that “I am happy he calls me godfather. My own godfather is not that of Anthony Anenih in Edo state. Mine is for the development and progress of South West states.
”My own godfatherism is mentoring reliable and dependable people in the South West states for progress and development.

He reiterated the need for Ondo State to join other states in the region to make integration of the region a success.

The National Chairman of the party Chief Bisi Akande displayed a red card saying indication that Mimiko has been ejected from the state.

The candidate of the party, Rotimi Akeredolu called for a three day prayer and fasting starting from Wednesday for the success of the party at the poll.

Akeredolu promised to liberate the people of the state from poverty if voted into power and promised to turn the southern part of the state to a tourism centre.

All the governors of the party excluding that of Ogun state, former governor of Ogun state Segun Osoba and other political appointees from all the South West states attended the rally.
vanguard news.

Muslims can no longer accept “massacres of its people” – OIC

Aazaz, Syria (AFP) – The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation suspended Syria on Thursday, saying the Muslim world can no longer accept a government that “massacres its people”, further isolating the embattled regime.

The move by the world’s biggest Muslim grouping came after dozens of people, including women and children, were reported killed in an air strike on a rebel bastion in northern Syria, while a bomb attack and a firefight rocked Damascus.

UN investigators also said Syrian forces had committed crimes against humanity, including the Houla massacre in May that shocked the world, during an escalating conflict that has killed thousands and sent many more fleeing.

Violence continues to rage in many parts of the country, including the northern battleground of Aleppo, with bitterly divided world powers in deadlock over how to end a conflict that could threaten the entire region.
The UN Security Council meets Thursday to formally end its observer mission in Syria, as UN chief Ban Ki-moon struggles to persuade Algerian diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi to become the new international envoy on the conflict.

An emergency OIC summit in the Saudi holy city of Mecca said it had agreed to suspend Syria because of “deep concern at the massacres and inhuman acts suffered by the Syrian people”.

OIC chief Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said the decision sent “a strong message from the Muslim world to the Syrian regime” of President Bashar al-Assad.
“This world can no longer accept a regime that massacres its people using planes, tanks and heavy artillery.”
The United States and the opposition Syrian National Council welcomed the move.

“Today’s action underscores the Assad regime’s increasing international isolation and the widespread support for the Syrian people and their struggle for a democratic state that represents their aspirations and respects their human rights,” State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said.

A damning report by the UN Commission of Inquiry said government forces and their militia allies committed crimes against humanity including murder and torture, while the rebels had also carried out war crimes, but on a lesser scale.

“The commission found reasonable grounds to believe that government forces and the shabiha had committed the crimes against humanity of murder and of torture, war crimes and gross violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law,” the report released on Wednesday said.
It said they were responsible for the massacre in the central city of Houla in May when 108 civilians, including 49 children, were killed in a grisly attack that Assad himself had said was the work of “monsters”.
Rebel fighters were however not spared in the probe, which found them guilty of war crimes, including murder, extrajudicial execution and torture.

The conflict erupted in March last year when regime forces cracked down on peaceful protests but has spiralled into an armed rebellion that activists say has killed 23,000 people while the UN puts the death toll at 17,000.

Assad — who says he is fighting a foreign “terrorist plot” — has been hit by a wave of defections and a rebel bomb attack that took out four of his top security officials last month.

In the north of Syria, activists and residents reported another atrocity by the regime, with dozens killed in an air strike in Aazaz, a rebel bastion near the second city Aleppo.

– ‘These animals will kill us all’ –
“Bashar did this. God help us, these animals will kill us all,” said one man, hoisting a bloodied arm from a pile of body parts on the pavement outside the local hospital.

Dozens of residents fled for nearby Turkey, many of them entire families carrying boxes of clothing and food on their heads.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 31 people were killed, including women and children, and another 200 wounded, while Turkey, which took in many of the victims, said on Thursday that another 15 had died of their injuries.

Nationwide, at least 167 people were killed on Wednesday, the Observatory said.
UN humanitarian chief Valerie Amos also warned that the situation in Syria was worsening, with the number of people in need possibly as high as 2.5 million.

And in a worrying development in neighbouring Lebanon, rioters blocked roads and dozens of Syrians were kidnapped and their shops vandalised in violence that triggered orders from Gulf nations for citizens to leave immediately.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar all issued warnings for their nationals to leave because of what the UAE foreign minister said was a “very dangerous” situation.

In New York, the Security Council meets Thursday to formally end its observer mission with entrenched divisions among the major powers meaning there is no hope of a renewal when its mandate ends at midnight Sunday.

Ban — who has branded the conflict a “proxy war” being played out by rival international players — has called for a “flexible” UN presence.

Human Rights Watch urged the Security Council to impose an arms embargo on Syria after the air strike on Aazaz.

“This horrific attack killed and wounded scores of civilians and destroyed a whole residential block,” said Anna Neistat, acting emergencies director at Human Rights Watch.

“Yet again, Syrian government forces attacked with callous disregard for civilian life.”
It said two rebel Free Syrian Army facilities in the vicinity of the Aazaz attack could might have been targets of the Syrian aircraft, but neither was damaged.

On Wednesday, the FSA claimed a bomb attack targeting a military headquarters near a hotel used by the UN observers, saying it was a warning that it could strike any time at the very heart of the regime.

source: vanguard

Investigations of Shell’s Nigeria spills a ‘fiasco’: Amnesty

Lagos, Aug 3, 2012 (AFP) – Rights group Amnesty International said Friday investigations into Shell oil spills in Nigeria were a “fiasco,” alleging the company repeatedly blamed sabotage in an effort to avoid responsibility.

“No matter what evidence is presented to Shell about oil spills, they constantly hide behind the ‘sabotage’ excuse and dodge their responsibility for massive pollution that is due to their failure to properly maintain their infrastructure,” Audrey Gaughran, director of global issues at Amnesty, said in a statement.

She said that “the investigation process into oil spills in the Niger Delta is a fiasco,” referring to the oil-producing region that is home to Africa’s largest crude industry.

The London-based rights group accused the Anglo-Dutch oil major of ignoring evidence that the latest spill in the Delta’s Bodo Creek area, discovered in June, was caused by pipeline corrosion.

Bodo Creek saw two major oil spills in 2008 over which the Anglo-Dutch petroleum giant is being sued in a London court by 11,000 Bodo residents.

An official from Shell’s Nigerian subsidiary told AFP the company was not ready to comment on the latest allegations.

In the statement, Amnesty said it hired the US company Accufacts to examine pictures of the Bodo Creek pipeline over the June spill.

According to Amnesty, the company said it noticed a “layered loss of metal on the outside of the pipe,” which is “a very familiar pattern” consistent with corrosion.

“Shell have said locally that the spill looks like sabotage, and they completely ignore the evidence of corrosion,” said Stevyn Obodoekwe of the Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development, which co-authored the Amnesty statement.

“This has generated a lot of confusion and some anger in the community,” he added.
Sabotage is a worsening problem in the Delta, where oil thieves often blast into pipelines and siphon off crude for sale on the black market.

Some estimates suggest Nigeria loses 150,000 barrels of crude per day to oil theft, known locally as bunkering.

Shell has admitted liability in the 2008 disaster in Bodo, although there remain significant disagreements over the amount of oil that poured into the creeks.

Claims of the amount spilled have ranged from 1,640 barrels to more than 60 times that amount.
Nigeria last month hit Shell with a $5.0 billion (four billion euro) fine over a December leak at the Bonga oilfield that spilled roughly 40,000 barrels of crude into the Gulf of Guinea.

The company is contesting the fine and has insisted there was no basis for it since it had acted quickly to contain the spill.

A landmark UN report last year set out scientific evidence for the first time of devastating pollution in Ogoniland, part of the Niger Delta and where Bodo is also located.

It said years of pollution may require the world’s biggest ever clean-up, while detailing urgent health risks, especially badly contaminated drinking water.

Shell faced criticism in the report, which said “control and maintenance of oil field infrastructure in Ogoniland has been and remains inadequate …”
source:vanguard

Lagos Road Traffic Bill as presented by Lagos Attorney General

Lagos govt arrests 52 suspected commercial sex workers

IKEJA – In a renewed onslaught, the Lagos State Taskforce on Environmental and Special Offences, Enforcement Unit, has arrested 52 suspected commercial sex workers.

The taskforce, acting on information, stormed Isaac John and Toyin streets in Ikeja, Wednesday night, where it arrested the suspects, whose ages ranged between 18 and 34 years.

The suspects were later taken to the Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, to await prosecution.

Taskforce Chairman, Mr. Bayo Sulaiman, confirmed the arrest when contacted, saying that there had been complaints and public outcry of a surge of commercial sex workers in Isaac John and Toyin streets junction.
He said: “Isaac John is where we have the Government House and it is a criminal offence to engage in harlotry by the sides of the road. The people in the area have been crying over upsurge of prostitutes in their area and the gridlock by the night club.”

Sulaiman stated that a particular hotel (name withheld), and its night club had been causing traffic menace around Toyin Junction. He said  the owner of the joints had been served notice to abate the nuisance  in the area.

He said: “We have told the owner to dissuade from obstructing traffic in the area. We will not tolerate this anymore.”

Sulaiman warned that his men would extend the raid to Lagos Island, Ikoyi and Victoria Island where activities of women of easy virtues  had been on the increase, while urging those still in the trade to stop as the wrath of the law would soon catch up with them as the exercise would be continuous.

He said: “The state government will no longer condone prostitution. These people are bad examples to the youths. We have taken their photographs and finger-prints individually and when we apprehend them the second time, the punishment will be grievous. We have arraigned several of them in court in the past and we had got conviction on some of them.
source: vanguard

US NBA stars rout Nigeria 156-73

LONDON (AFP) – United States NBA stars shattered the Olympic single-game scoring record on Thursday, producing one of the greatest shooting performances in basketball history in a 156-73 rout of Nigeria.

On a day when Spain and Russia clinched berths in the medal playoffs with thrilling victories and France and Argentina took big steps toward reaching the quarter-finals with triumphs, the American multi-millionaires stole the show.

Carmelo Anthony scored 37 points, the most by any American player in Olympic history in a game, and the New York Knicks’ playmaker’s 10-of-12 3-point shooting was also a US Olympic mark.

“When they shoot like this, I don’t know if there is any team that can beat them,” Nigeria’s Ike Diogu said.
The old Olympic record for points by a team in one game was set by Brazil in 1988 at Seoul in a 138-85 preliminary round triumph over Egypt.

“It’s a great achievement to get that record,” Anthony said. “Any time you have a chance to reach a milestone, you have to take advantage of it.”

The Americans also eclipsed their own Olympic team record for points in a game, set in a 133-70 victory over China in 1996 at Atlanta.

Kobe Bryant of the United States shoots in the first half during the men’s Basketball match against Nigeria on Day 6 of the London 2012 Olympic Games. Photo:London2012.

Russell Westbrook added 21 points and Kobe Bryant had 16 on a night when every US player scored and the team hit 59-of-83 from the field, a team Olympic record 71 percent of its shots, including 29-of-46 from 3-point range.

“Just an incredible shooting performance,” US coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “We just shot better in a game than any team I have ever coached.”

Despite a 3-0 start, the US men have not clinched a medal playoff spot, although that is expected to come Saturday when they face Lithuania.

Vitaliy Fridzon sank a 3-pointer from the left corner with four seconds remaining to give Russia a dramatic 75-74 victory over Brazil in a battle of unbeatens while reigning European champion Spain edged winless Britain 79-78.

Jose Calderon led Spain with 19 points and sank crucial free throws in the final seconds to hold off a late charge by minnows Britain, led by 25 points from Joel Freeland and 23 from NBA Chicago Bulls star Luol Deng.

“When you lose your focus and concentration, you really get in trouble,” Spain coach Sergio Scariolo said.
The win ensured Russia and Spain will advance from Group B. Brazil will join them with one more win. Australia would advance by beating Britain on Saturday.

Alexey Shved hit a jumper and a 3-pointer to pull Russia even at 72-72 with 26 seconds remaining. Marcelinho Huertas put Brazil ahead with a layup with 6.1 seconds to play before Fridzon hit the game winner.

“Wins like this give the team a lot of confidence,” Fridzon said. “We showed that we will never give up.”
Andrei Kirilenko scored 19 points to lead Russia while Timofey Mozgov added 18 points and Shved finished with 17. Brazil was led by 16 points from Leandrinho Barbosa.

“We should learn from this,” Huertas said. “They hit a very tough shot. Maybe he shoots this shot 10 times and he would never hit it again.”

NBA star guard Tony Parker scored 27 points to lead France over Lithuania 82-74 while Manu Ginobili, Parker’s teammate on the NBA San Antonio Spurs, netted 24 points as Argentina ripped winless Tunisia 92-69.

Both France and Argentina moved to 2-1 in Group A and each can secure playoff spots with a split of their last two games.

“It was really important to win,” French NBA standout Boris Diaw said. “We are chasing a quarter-final place and we want to be as high up the table as possible.”
Lithuania sunk to 1-2 and must face the Americans next.

“We’ve got to prepare for that game like we do for every game,” Lithuania’s Martynas Pocius said. “It’s going to be a very tough game. We’ve got to try.”

Even if they advance, the Lithuanians are looking at facing Spain or Russia in the quarter-finals.
“We’re not quitting,” Lithuanian coach Kestutis Kemzura said. “We want to use even the smallest chance.”
Argentine NBA sharpshooter Carlos Delfino scored 21 points and NBA big man Luis Scola added 18 for Argentina, which won Olympic gold in 2004 at Athens and took a bronze medal four years ago in Beijing. Next for Argentina is Nigeria.

“The next game is very important to us. It’s a game that’s going to clinch us a quarter-final,” Scola said.
Tunisia led 28-14 after the first quarter, but Ginobili sparked Argentina to the first 15 points of the second quarter and after a 40-40 half-time deadlock the South Americans opened the third with a 23-6 run over six minutes to romp.

Australia delivered a double blow to winless China’s playoff hopes with an 81-61 triumph in which Chinese NBA star Yi Jianlian suffered a right knee injury. Yi’s status was uncertain for the remainder of the Olympics.
source: vanguard

I wish Nigeria were different – Athletes lament

Felix Ekpo yesterday wished that sports development and its administration were different in Nigeria.
The Weighlifter had just finished his event and waited at the venue before heading to the Games Village to rest and hope that he could place among the top three.

He finished second in his group and had to wait for the other group to finish their events before total results would be collated and winners known. He competed in the 77 KG category.

Ekpo is not the firebrand athlete and in no way criticised the sports ministry or Nigeria Olympic Committee. He did not frown at any official but just wished that things were done differently in Nigeria.

“You don’t come to the Olympic Games and say you want to win gold without preparing for it,” he said while chating with this reporter at the Weighlifting venue.

“We camped in Germany which was good but it takes more than camping to win gold at the Olympics. It’w a whole package that has to do with nutrition, training, exposure and competitions. When you compete regularly you meet the same people you will meet at the Olympics, you will learn more techniques and develope confidence.

You can’t win gold at the Olympics by hurriedly preparing and going for last minute camping. Here, at the Olympics, you hear athletes saying that they prepared for four or five years and you feel out of place, you know that only God can help you and with a feeling you strive that the best comes out of you. Someday, we will get it right in Nigeria.”

Wrestling coach Daniel Igali, an Olympic gold medalist for Canada has repeatedly told the authorities that talents were wasting in Nigeria and challenged the authorities that Nigeria could produce a gold medalist at the Olympics if the proper things were done. And he has always reminded all that Nigeria is far from doing the right things. Igali had to switch to Canada to win an Olympic gold medal, something that would have eluded him if he remained in Nigeria.
source vanguard

Oba Aromolaran absolves self from deputy’s detention

OSOGBO – OwaObokun of Ijesaland, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran, has absolved himself from any complicity in the travails of one of his high chiefs, Obanla of Ilesa, Chief Matthew Ogedengbe, who is currently in prison custody on the order of a Chief Magistrate’s Court, Ilesa.
At a briefing in his palace, yesterday, the monarch said he had no hand in the arrest and detention of the embattled chief.

Some residents of Ilesa believed to have sympathy for Chief Ogedengbe had blamed Oba Aromolaran for the ordeal of the chief as a result of the face-off between the two in recent time. But, Oba Aromolaran said he was neither in control of the police who arrested the chief, who was accused of fragrantly trespassing a residents property nor the magistrate who ordered his remand in prison.

The monarch noted that the chief’s travail stemmed from a report to the police over illegal possession of some people’s landed property in the town.

The traditional ruler said the matter before the court was between the chief and one Mrs. Omotunde Adediran, a widow, whose husband property on Stadium Road, Ilesa, was trespassed upon.

On the controversial blood oath-taking allegedly ordered to be taken by his traditional chiefs, the monarch said there was nothing unusual in his action, arguing that it was purely traditional. He said: “There is nothing unusual about taking oath of allegiance. It is not a blood oath, and even if it is a blood oath it was not forced on anybody. Public functionaries take oath of office. There is nothing unusual about it, even husband and wife before getting married, take oath of allegiance.

“In the palace here, initiation is part of our culture and it is not in any way against God’s will. When I asked all my chiefs to take oath of allegiance, everyone of them complied except two, one who gave excuse that he was already a communicant while the other, who is 86-year-old, gave old age as reason for his refusal.
“In our palace here, we don’t have a place for altar. No church and there is no mosque, all what we have here are shrines.”
source: vanguard
 source: vanguard

I complained about Dana plane before crash – Sanusi

ABUJA—The Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, told staff and family members of  the bank’s’ staff who died in the  Dana plane that crashed recently that he personally complained about its condition shortly before the accident.

He spoke in Abuja, yesterday, at a memorial service for the victims of the crash. The governor said he flew the plane just a few days before it crashed, adding that he personally raised alarm about the condition of the aircraft.  Many family members and colleagues of the victims wept openly when Mallam Sanusi made the comment.

According to him, “every Nigerian was touched in a much more profound way. I have a memory of that evening that will live forever because I lost a cousin in that flight. It was a very sad day”.

Mallam Sanusi who lost eight members of staff was philosophical as according to him, “things like this remind us of how transient life is because any of us in this room could have died from such circumstance. I was on that plane a few days earlier and I remember that I complained about the condition of that plane. I was not the only one that complained, other people who flew the plane also said that this aircraft isn’t a good aircraft.”

“This should be a great lesson to us that should make us understand that every time we spend with our wife, husband, daughters and sons could be our last encounter with them.”

The 8 officials who were killed in the crash were: Mr. Amiaka Rapheal; Mrs. Antoniah Attuh; Mr. Bamaiyi Adamu; Mrs. Falmata Mohammed; and Mr. Ibrahim Yusuf.

The rest were: Mr. Kim Norris ; Mr. Istifanus Mutihir ; and Mr. Samuel Mbong.
 source: vanguard

U S Ambassador visits mosque, pledges to promote peace in Nigeria

The U.S Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Terence McCulley, on Thursday said that the U.S mission in Nigeria was committed to promoting peace and mutual understanding in the country.

McCulley said this at Guzampe, Abuja, at the Al-Habibiyyah Ramadan feeding programme.
McCulley, who was represented by Mr James McAnulty, the Charge D’ Affairs of the embassy, said that the gesture was aimed at fraternising with the Muslim faithfuls.

“The opportunity to join the Muslim brothers and sisters in the celebration of their faith, reminds us that we are all part of a larger community dedicated to making Nigeria a better place,’’ he said.
The Ambassador, who came in the company of some U.S mission volunteers, said that the desire for a life of peace and prosperity was not limited to any community.

“We hope that by being here today, we shall keep up the good relationship we have with Muslim community of Abuja and Nigeria as a whole. This Iftar is special because it brings individuals from many groups and Muslims to celebrate one of the five pillars of the Islamic faith.’’

McCulley stated that his country was pleased to support Al-Habibiyyah’s food bank programme and hoped that such efforts would be sustained. NAN.
source vanguard

Nigeria requires 650,000 policemen to overcome security challenges

Ado-Ekiti – About 650,000 police officers would be needed to adequately confront the security challenges facing Nigeria, a university lecturer, Prof. Kunle Ajayi, said in Ado Ekiti on Thursday.

Ajayi, a Professor of Political Science, Ekiti State University, (EKSU) gave the figure in a paper he delivered at the annual Michael Opeyemi Bamidele Lecture Series, held at Christ School, Ado-Ekiti.
The paper is entitled: “Legislating in a Troubled Times: National Assembly and the Challenges of Legislating for Good Governance in Nigeria”.

The don, who is also the Head the institution’s Department of Political Science, said that shortage of personnel had been the major constraints militating against effective policing in the country.
He said that Nigeria with an estimated population of 160 million people was policed by 370,000 policemen
“This unfortunately translates to mean one policeman to as many as 432 people,” he said.
“For effective policing, the nation needs at least 650,000 police personnel for a start,” he said.
Ajayi urged the three tiers of government to collaborate to stem the tide of insecurity in the country by providing jobs for unemployed youths.

He also urged government officials to address the issues of corruption and incompetence in public places. (NAN)
source: vanguard news

Jonathan challenges African first ladies to speak against abuses

Abuja — President Goodluck Jonathan has challenged African First Ladies to summon courage to speak out against abuses in the continent to promote peace and stability.

President Jonathan, who declared open the African First Ladies Peace Mission, AFLPM, in Abuja, Thursday,  expressed optimism that soon, Nigeria will produce its first set of female service chiefs.

ROM LEFT: NIGERIAN FIRST LADY/PRESIDENT, AFRICAN FIRST LADIES PEACE MISSION (AFLPM), DAME PATIENCE JONATHAN; PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN, AND THE PRESIDENT JOYCE BANDA OF MALAWIAN, AT THE 7TH SUMMIT OF AFLPM IN ABUJA ON THURSDAY 

According to him, the recent re-admittance of women into the Nigeria Defence Academy, NDA, to train to become combatant soldiers was an indication of the Federal Government’s commitment to uplifting the fortunes of women.

According to him, “for the first time, we admitted women into the prestigious Nigerian Defence Academy to prepare women as full combatants in the Army, Navy and Air Force.

“We have admitted women now into NDA and we are hopeful that in few years to come, a woman could be Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Air Staff, Chief of Naval Staff  or even Chief of Defence Staff.
“We have commenced the journey and we’ll get there. I just listened to my sister, Banda, who advocated women to grow to be heads of their armed forces.”

He said as women and mothers, women had the power “to control the gladiators that cause conflict in Africa and being mothers can control the youth used for violence”.

He pledged that his administration remained resolute in the implementation of policies on effective representation of women in all aspects of governance.

“I urge you all to encourage governments to implement existing international legal frameworks that promote peace, security and human development.

“It must also summon the will to speak up wherever and whenever these frameworks are abused. But the task is not for you alone, raising the standards of survival in Africa is a collective task,” the president said.
 source: vanguard

Urhobo youths plan mass protest over govt neglect

WARRI – WORRIED by the perceived neglect of the Urhobo Nation by the Goodluck Jonathan led administration, and the dwindling political fortune, the Urhobo youths have been called upon by Comrade Rex Anighoro, an Urhobo youth leader, to take their destiny in their hands and join forces together to wrestle back the lost glory through a planned mass protest.

This is coming on the heel of the call on the President by Chief (Maj-Gen.) Patrick Aziza (Rtd.), President General of the Urhobo Progress Union to appoint an Urhobo son/daughter into the federal executive. council in order to correct the perceived neglect.

An agitated Anighoro made the call thursday in Warri, Delta State in a social media chat promised that the planned protest will be peaceful.

According to him, “The Urhobo nation has become a laughing stock, greatly derided by friends and enemies, the urhobo people strong, intelligent and creative but lacking in common purpose. The urhobo nation which is bigger than over 70 independent nations has lost her leadership role in the Niger Delta, the Nigerian enterprise and African project.”

Anighoro lamented that with the Urhobo greats fast declining with no adequate and ready replacement; it is high time that the youths rose to the occasion by staking a claim to reclaiming its lost glory.
In his words, “ Today, as the first generation of Urhobo greats, like the Oshues;  Mowoes, Salubis, Okumagbas, Dafinone, Ovie whiskeys, Akpores,  Ibrus, Brumes, and the rank and file gets more depleted, I fear if there are adequate replacements.”

He declared that it is time for the Urhobo people to join forces with the over 1000 Urhobo youths to storm the streets in a direct action to renegotiate the Urhobo pride of place.

“We shall use the face of Mukoro Mowoe and Oshue of Orhuworun as our symbols, we shall design our flags, draw our map, compose a political national anthem, design our coat of arms and many more. It is the urhobo revolution! Watch out for Urhobo youth summit!”
source:vanguard news

Slow budget implementation: Presidency shifts blame to N-Assembly

Abuja — The Presidency, yesterday, shifted the blame for the slow implementation of the 2012 budget to the doorstep of the National Assembly, saying the insertion of constituency projects by the legislature into the original copy of the budget has significantly altered the budget.

Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who addressed State House correspondents after the weekly Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting in Abuja maintained that the ultimatum given by the House of Representatives for a 100 per cent implementation of the budget by September was untenable even in advanced economies.



According to the minister, who was accompanied by the Minister of Information and the Director General of the Bureau of Public Procurement,  the insertion of constituency projects by the parliament  requires the ministries to commence fresh procurement process which is procedural and backed by the law.

Okonjo-Iweala said the collaboration between the two arms of government on  the budget implementation had yielded results as the implementation and utilisation of resources which as at end of May stood at 39 per cent  was now at 56 per cent as at July 20.

Third quarter funds for release next two weeks
She said of the budgeted figure of N4.96 trillion, N404 billion had been released with a  cash backing of N324 billion and a utilisation of 56 per cent. The minister said the third quarter funds would be released within the next two weeks.

She noted: “We have been working quite collaboratively with the National Assembly on the budget. We have met with the various committees of the House and the Senate and we appreciate the cooperation that we have from them in trying to get this budget and also in working to implementation.

“Let me stress that the objective of Mr. President and that of the execuives is very much the same as that of the National Assembly, which is to ensure that there is budget execution in order to deliver on the development programmes for this country.  To that effect, we have really been working hard to try and get this done and I think the proof that the attention the President has been giving to these issues is bearing fruit is the fact that from the review we had last month, where implementation and utilisation of resources was at 39 per cent, we are now at 56 per cent. So, we have moved from 39 per cent as at the end of May to 56 per cent as at July 20.

“So, I think that is a very good progress and we expect to see continuing progress in that particular area. As you know, we have released about N404 billion so far, cashed back N324 billion and the utilisation of that is 56 per cent. We will soon be considering the release of the third quarter funds, we hope to do that within the next two weeks or so.

Challenges
“We do face a couple of challenges that we have also been working with the National Assembly on, effectively and quietly we have been working with them on a couple of these challenges.
“We hope that the good cooperation we have had with the National Assembly will continue in rectifying some of these moves which you find in the budget because it will also enable MDAs to implement the budget a bit faster.

On 100% budget implementation
On the ultimatum that government must  implement 100 per cent of the budget by the end of September, Okonjo-Iweala said: “In terms of 100 per cent implementation, I think what I read that was said by sections of the National Assembly will have to do 100 per cent implementation of the budget by September.
“First, in my experience world wide, there is hardly any country where you would implement 100 per cent even by the end of the year and this is based on very broad experience, but people try to get at least to 80 per cent or 90  per cent of the budget, as much as can be done.

“One hundred per cent by September, you know September is the ninth month of the year, so we will definetly be moving. I think the point is that Mr President is determined to implement this budget as fully as possible and, therefore, we will be moving towards the figure of as full implementation as we can by the end of the year because the budget was made for the whole year.”

“So you can see that there is no lack of effort, no lack of goodwill. If we could go from 39 per cent in May to 56 per cent by mid July, that shows a considerable leap and I’m quite confident that as we go month by month, both us and the National Assembly will be able to look at it and say yes a good effort has been made for the country.”

On his part, the DG BPP said “Part of the global requirement is that public funds must be subjected to scrutiny. In our law, it is open competitive bidding. Projects must remain in public domain for the period of six weeks”.
source: vanguard news

FUEL SUBSIDY SCAM: Bamanga Tukur’s son, 11 others charged

By Abdulwahab Abdulah, Onozure Dania & Bartholomew Madukwe
LAGOS—The law bared its fangs, yesterday, as the Ikeja and Lagos judicial divisions will try 7 oil companies and 12 directors charged before them.

They face between 7 years and 20 years imprisonment and to refund N304bn which was alleged to have been illegally taken from the Federal Government coffers.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, filed charges against the first batch of 18 suspects comprising six oil companies and 12 individuals implicated in the oil subsidy fraud. The companies are: Nasaman Oil Services; Eterna Oil and Gas Plc; Contario Oil & Gas Plc; Nadabo Energy Limited; Pacific Silver Line Limited, Axenergy Limited and Fago Petroleum and Gas Limited.

The 12 individuals involved in the scam are: Mamman Nasir Ali; Christian Taylor; Mahmud Tukur; Ochonogor Alex; Walter Agbasoma; Adaoha Ugo-Ngadi; Fakuade Babafemi Ebenezer; Ezekiel Olaleye Ejidele; Abubakar Ali Peters; Jude Agube Abalaka, Abdulahi Alao and Oluwaseun Ogunbanbo.

Ezekiel Olaleye Ejidele is director of the accounting firm of Akintola Williams Deloitte while Fakuade Babafemi Ebenezer is a staff of the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulating Agency, PPPRA.
At Ikeja High Court, Justices Habeeb Abiru and Adeniyi Onigbanjo have been assigned to entertain some of the charges while Justices Samuel Candide-Johnson, Lawal Akapo and Dotun Adefope-Okojie of Lagos High Court will try the other charges in Lagos.

Justices Abiru and Onigbanjo who are presently on annual court vacation couldn’t come for the formal arraignment of the oil marketers yesterday. It was gathered that the Judges will sit today (Wednesday) for their arraignment.

In Justice Onigbanjo’s court, Mahmud Tukur, son of the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur; Ochonogor Alex, Abdulahi Alao and Eterna Oil & Gas Ltd are defendants in a nine-count charge of  alleged conspiracy, forgery, and obtaining N676.9 million under false pretence.
The EFCC alleged that the suspects on April 28, 2011 in Lagos, fraudulently obtained a total sum of N676.9 million from the Federal Government purporting same to be payment accruing to Eterna Oil under the Petroleum Support Fund.

They are also accused of falsifying claims of having “purchased 33,288,388 litres of Premium Motoring Spirits (PMS) from Mercury Energy Trading AS and imported to Nigeria through Ex-MT Fulmer, Ex-MT Emirates Star and Ex-MT Panther.”

The case preferred against the defendants before Justice Abiru bordered on “conspiracy to obtain N1.9 billion under false pretence contrary to Section 8, punishable under Section 107 of Advance Fee Fraud & other Related offences.”

The charge against Fakuade Babafemi Ebenezer and Ezekiel Olajide Ejide stated that they “conspired to obtain property by false pretence contrary to Section 8 punishable under Section 1 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences on July 7, 2010, within the jurisdiction of this court.

“Conspired to commit an offence to wit: Obtaining the sum of N340, 178, 111.231 from the Federal Government of Nigeria, purporting to be Payment Support Fund, which sum was in excess of the actual value of the product imported into Nigeria.”

They were also said to have collected the sum of N340, 015,198, being “Excess of the value of the actual product (12,070,706 litres) delivered by MT. Union Brave to Integrated Oil & Gas Ltd on your behalf as against 19,681, 731 litres you falsely claimed to have discharged.”

The defendants were also accused by the government of “altering and forging documents contrary to Section 468 and 467 of the Criminal Code Cap. C17, Vol. 2, Laws of Lagos of State of Nigeria, 2006” respectively. The offences were said “to contradict Section 1 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences.

“The charge further said: “On July 7, 2010, within the jurisdiction of the court, you conspired to commit an offence to wit: Obtaining the sum of N340, 178, 111.231 from the Federal Government of Nigeria Support Fund, which sum was in excess of the actual value of the product imported into Nigeria.”

Abdulahi Alao will also face another 7-count charge bothering on obtaining by false pretence, forgery and use of false documents before Abiru.

He is accused of “fraudulently obtaining N2.5 billion in December 2010 from the Federal Government as subsidy payments for supplying 13,364,284 and 20,014,627 litres of PMS from Ex- MT Gavros and Ex-MT Nippon Princess.”

In same vein, two directors of other oil companies who were charged  before the Lagos State High Court in Igbosere will be arraigned on Thursday (tomorrow) for their alleged complicity in the fuel subsidy fraud of N2.153 billion, for the importation of 36.654 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) into the country.
In a charge No. ID/117C/2012, Integrated Resources Limited, Durosola Omogbemigun, Pinnacle Oil & Gas and Peter Mba who are defendants were accused of having between 2010 and 2011conspired to defraud the Federal Republic of Nigeria by collecting the said money from the Petroleum Support Fund, in respect of purported importation of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from Europe to Nigeria.

The charge read: “You Integrated Resources Limited, Durosola Omogbemigun, Pinnacle Oil & Gas and Peter Mba, on or about February 4, 2011 within the jurisdiction of this Court, by false pretence and intention to defraud obtained from the Federal Republic of Nigeria the sum N986.154 million, requested the said money to be subsidy payment payable to the Integrated Resources Limited, by the Federal Government, under the Petroleum Support Fund, in respect of 19.347 million litres of PMS, which you falsely claimed to have purchased from Guinness Petroleum Limited.”

The charge further stated, “Omogbemigun, on November 15, 2011 defrauded the Federal Republic of Nigeria of the sum N343.182 million, money meant to be subsidy payable to the Integrated Resources Limited, by the Federal Government, under the Petroleum Support Fund, in the respect of 4.116 million litres of PMS, which he claimed to have purchased from Alkamo International Limited and allegedly imported into Nigeria.

“That Durosola Omogbemigun, on or about November 15, 2011 within the jurisdiction of this honourable Court, by false pretence with intent to defraud the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the sum of N823.305 million, purported the said sum to be subsidy payable to the Integrated Resources Limited, by the Federal Government, under the Petroleum Support Fund, in respect of 9.191 million litres of PMS, which you falsely claimed to have purchased from Alkamo International Limited and alleged imported into Nigeria”

Nasaman Oil Services; Mamman Nasir and Christian Taylor are to face charges bordering on obtaining N4, 460, 130, 797. 94 (Four Billion, Four Hundred and Sixty Million, One Hundred and Thirty Thousand, Seven Hundred and Ninety Seven Naira, Ninety Four Kobo) from the Federal Government of Nigeria under false pretence. The sum is alleged to have been fraudulently obtained as subsidy payments from the Petroleum Support Fund for the purported importation of 30.5million litres of Premium Motor Spirit from SEATAC Petroleum Limited of British Virgin Islands.

Nadabo Energy Limited, Abubakar Ali Peters, Jude Agube Abalaka and Pacific Silver Line Limited are to be prosecuted for allegedly obtaining the sum of N1, 464, 961, 978.24 (One Billion, Four Hundred and Sixty Four Million, Nine Hundred and Sixty One Thousand, Nine Hundred and Seventy Eight Naira, Twenty- Four Kobo ), being payments fraudulently received from the Petroleum Support Fund for a purported importation of 19.4million litres of Premium Motor Spirit.

Walter Agbasoma; Adaoha Ugo -Ngadi; Fakuade Babafemi Ebenezer; Ezekiel Olaleye Ejidele and Contario Oil & Gas Nigeria Limited will be arraigned for fraudulently obtaining the sum of N1, 959, 377, 542, .63 (One Billion, Nine Hundred and Fifty Nine Million, Three Hundred and Seventy Seven Thousand, Five Hundred and Forty Two Naira, Sixty Three Kobo) from the Petroleum Support Fund for a purported importation of 39.2 litres of Premium Motor Spirit.

Fago Petroleum and Gas Limited and Oluwaseun Ogunbanbo who are also charged will be docked for fraudulently obtaining the sum of N979,653,110.20 ( Nine Hundred and Seventy Nine Million, Six Hundred and Fifty Three Thousand, One Hundred and Ten Thousand Naira, Twenty Eight Kobo), from the Petroleum Support Fund for a purported importation of 33, 627, 84 litres of Premium Motor Spirit.

source: vanguard news

FUEL SUBSIDY SCAM: Bamanga Tukur’s son, 11 others charged

By Abdulwahab Abdulah, Onozure Dania & Bartholomew Madukwe
LAGOS—The law bared its fangs, yesterday, as the Ikeja and Lagos judicial divisions will try 7 oil companies and 12 directors charged before them.

They face between 7 years and 20 years imprisonment and to refund N304bn which was alleged to have been illegally taken from the Federal Government coffers.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, filed charges against the first batch of 18 suspects comprising six oil companies and 12 individuals implicated in the oil subsidy fraud. The companies are: Nasaman Oil Services; Eterna Oil and Gas Plc; Contario Oil & Gas Plc; Nadabo Energy Limited; Pacific Silver Line Limited, Axenergy Limited and Fago Petroleum and Gas Limited.

The 12 individuals involved in the scam are: Mamman Nasir Ali; Christian Taylor; Mahmud Tukur; Ochonogor Alex; Walter Agbasoma; Adaoha Ugo-Ngadi; Fakuade Babafemi Ebenezer; Ezekiel Olaleye Ejidele; Abubakar Ali Peters; Jude Agube Abalaka, Abdulahi Alao and Oluwaseun Ogunbanbo.

Ezekiel Olaleye Ejidele is director of the accounting firm of Akintola Williams Deloitte while Fakuade Babafemi Ebenezer is a staff of the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulating Agency, PPPRA.
At Ikeja High Court, Justices Habeeb Abiru and Adeniyi Onigbanjo have been assigned to entertain some of the charges while Justices Samuel Candide-Johnson, Lawal Akapo and Dotun Adefope-Okojie of Lagos High Court will try the other charges in Lagos.

Justices Abiru and Onigbanjo who are presently on annual court vacation couldn’t come for the formal arraignment of the oil marketers yesterday. It was gathered that the Judges will sit today (Wednesday) for their arraignment.

In Justice Onigbanjo’s court, Mahmud Tukur, son of the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur; Ochonogor Alex, Abdulahi Alao and Eterna Oil & Gas Ltd are defendants in a nine-count charge of  alleged conspiracy, forgery, and obtaining N676.9 million under false pretence.
The EFCC alleged that the suspects on April 28, 2011 in Lagos, fraudulently obtained a total sum of N676.9 million from the Federal Government purporting same to be payment accruing to Eterna Oil under the Petroleum Support Fund.

They are also accused of falsifying claims of having “purchased 33,288,388 litres of Premium Motoring Spirits (PMS) from Mercury Energy Trading AS and imported to Nigeria through Ex-MT Fulmer, Ex-MT Emirates Star and Ex-MT Panther.”

The case preferred against the defendants before Justice Abiru bordered on “conspiracy to obtain N1.9 billion under false pretence contrary to Section 8, punishable under Section 107 of Advance Fee Fraud & other Related offences.”

The charge against Fakuade Babafemi Ebenezer and Ezekiel Olajide Ejide stated that they “conspired to obtain property by false pretence contrary to Section 8 punishable under Section 1 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences on July 7, 2010, within the jurisdiction of this court.

“Conspired to commit an offence to wit: Obtaining the sum of N340, 178, 111.231 from the Federal Government of Nigeria, purporting to be Payment Support Fund, which sum was in excess of the actual value of the product imported into Nigeria.”

They were also said to have collected the sum of N340, 015,198, being “Excess of the value of the actual product (12,070,706 litres) delivered by MT. Union Brave to Integrated Oil & Gas Ltd on your behalf as against 19,681, 731 litres you falsely claimed to have discharged.”

The defendants were also accused by the government of “altering and forging documents contrary to Section 468 and 467 of the Criminal Code Cap. C17, Vol. 2, Laws of Lagos of State of Nigeria, 2006” respectively. The offences were said “to contradict Section 1 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences.

“The charge further said: “On July 7, 2010, within the jurisdiction of the court, you conspired to commit an offence to wit: Obtaining the sum of N340, 178, 111.231 from the Federal Government of Nigeria Support Fund, which sum was in excess of the actual value of the product imported into Nigeria.”

Abdulahi Alao will also face another 7-count charge bothering on obtaining by false pretence, forgery and use of false documents before Abiru.

He is accused of “fraudulently obtaining N2.5 billion in December 2010 from the Federal Government as subsidy payments for supplying 13,364,284 and 20,014,627 litres of PMS from Ex- MT Gavros and Ex-MT Nippon Princess.”

In same vein, two directors of other oil companies who were charged  before the Lagos State High Court in Igbosere will be arraigned on Thursday (tomorrow) for their alleged complicity in the fuel subsidy fraud of N2.153 billion, for the importation of 36.654 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) into the country.
In a charge No. ID/117C/2012, Integrated Resources Limited, Durosola Omogbemigun, Pinnacle Oil & Gas and Peter Mba who are defendants were accused of having between 2010 and 2011conspired to defraud the Federal Republic of Nigeria by collecting the said money from the Petroleum Support Fund, in respect of purported importation of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from Europe to Nigeria.

The charge read: “You Integrated Resources Limited, Durosola Omogbemigun, Pinnacle Oil & Gas and Peter Mba, on or about February 4, 2011 within the jurisdiction of this Court, by false pretence and intention to defraud obtained from the Federal Republic of Nigeria the sum N986.154 million, requested the said money to be subsidy payment payable to the Integrated Resources Limited, by the Federal Government, under the Petroleum Support Fund, in respect of 19.347 million litres of PMS, which you falsely claimed to have purchased from Guinness Petroleum Limited.”

The charge further stated, “Omogbemigun, on November 15, 2011 defrauded the Federal Republic of Nigeria of the sum N343.182 million, money meant to be subsidy payable to the Integrated Resources Limited, by the Federal Government, under the Petroleum Support Fund, in the respect of 4.116 million litres of PMS, which he claimed to have purchased from Alkamo International Limited and allegedly imported into Nigeria.

“That Durosola Omogbemigun, on or about November 15, 2011 within the jurisdiction of this honourable Court, by false pretence with intent to defraud the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the sum of N823.305 million, purported the said sum to be subsidy payable to the Integrated Resources Limited, by the Federal Government, under the Petroleum Support Fund, in respect of 9.191 million litres of PMS, which you falsely claimed to have purchased from Alkamo International Limited and alleged imported into Nigeria”

Nasaman Oil Services; Mamman Nasir and Christian Taylor are to face charges bordering on obtaining N4, 460, 130, 797. 94 (Four Billion, Four Hundred and Sixty Million, One Hundred and Thirty Thousand, Seven Hundred and Ninety Seven Naira, Ninety Four Kobo) from the Federal Government of Nigeria under false pretence. The sum is alleged to have been fraudulently obtained as subsidy payments from the Petroleum Support Fund for the purported importation of 30.5million litres of Premium Motor Spirit from SEATAC Petroleum Limited of British Virgin Islands.

Nadabo Energy Limited, Abubakar Ali Peters, Jude Agube Abalaka and Pacific Silver Line Limited are to be prosecuted for allegedly obtaining the sum of N1, 464, 961, 978.24 (One Billion, Four Hundred and Sixty Four Million, Nine Hundred and Sixty One Thousand, Nine Hundred and Seventy Eight Naira, Twenty- Four Kobo ), being payments fraudulently received from the Petroleum Support Fund for a purported importation of 19.4million litres of Premium Motor Spirit.

Walter Agbasoma; Adaoha Ugo -Ngadi; Fakuade Babafemi Ebenezer; Ezekiel Olaleye Ejidele and Contario Oil & Gas Nigeria Limited will be arraigned for fraudulently obtaining the sum of N1, 959, 377, 542, .63 (One Billion, Nine Hundred and Fifty Nine Million, Three Hundred and Seventy Seven Thousand, Five Hundred and Forty Two Naira, Sixty Three Kobo) from the Petroleum Support Fund for a purported importation of 39.2 litres of Premium Motor Spirit.

Fago Petroleum and Gas Limited and Oluwaseun Ogunbanbo who are also charged will be docked for fraudulently obtaining the sum of N979,653,110.20 ( Nine Hundred and Seventy Nine Million, Six Hundred and Fifty Three Thousand, One Hundred and Ten Thousand Naira, Twenty Eight Kobo), from the Petroleum Support Fund for a purported importation of 33, 627, 84 litres of Premium Motor Spirit.

source: vanguard news

FUEL SUBSIDY SCAM: Bamanga Tukur’s son, 11 others charged

By Abdulwahab Abdulah, Onozure Dania & Bartholomew Madukwe
LAGOS—The law bared its fangs, yesterday, as the Ikeja and Lagos judicial divisions will try 7 oil companies and 12 directors charged before them.

They face between 7 years and 20 years imprisonment and to refund N304bn which was alleged to have been illegally taken from the Federal Government coffers.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, filed charges against the first batch of 18 suspects comprising six oil companies and 12 individuals implicated in the oil subsidy fraud. The companies are: Nasaman Oil Services; Eterna Oil and Gas Plc; Contario Oil & Gas Plc; Nadabo Energy Limited; Pacific Silver Line Limited, Axenergy Limited and Fago Petroleum and Gas Limited.

The 12 individuals involved in the scam are: Mamman Nasir Ali; Christian Taylor; Mahmud Tukur; Ochonogor Alex; Walter Agbasoma; Adaoha Ugo-Ngadi; Fakuade Babafemi Ebenezer; Ezekiel Olaleye Ejidele; Abubakar Ali Peters; Jude Agube Abalaka, Abdulahi Alao and Oluwaseun Ogunbanbo.

Ezekiel Olaleye Ejidele is director of the accounting firm of Akintola Williams Deloitte while Fakuade Babafemi Ebenezer is a staff of the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulating Agency, PPPRA.
At Ikeja High Court, Justices Habeeb Abiru and Adeniyi Onigbanjo have been assigned to entertain some of the charges while Justices Samuel Candide-Johnson, Lawal Akapo and Dotun Adefope-Okojie of Lagos High Court will try the other charges in Lagos.

Justices Abiru and Onigbanjo who are presently on annual court vacation couldn’t come for the formal arraignment of the oil marketers yesterday. It was gathered that the Judges will sit today (Wednesday) for their arraignment.

In Justice Onigbanjo’s court, Mahmud Tukur, son of the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur; Ochonogor Alex, Abdulahi Alao and Eterna Oil & Gas Ltd are defendants in a nine-count charge of  alleged conspiracy, forgery, and obtaining N676.9 million under false pretence.
The EFCC alleged that the suspects on April 28, 2011 in Lagos, fraudulently obtained a total sum of N676.9 million from the Federal Government purporting same to be payment accruing to Eterna Oil under the Petroleum Support Fund.

They are also accused of falsifying claims of having “purchased 33,288,388 litres of Premium Motoring Spirits (PMS) from Mercury Energy Trading AS and imported to Nigeria through Ex-MT Fulmer, Ex-MT Emirates Star and Ex-MT Panther.”

The case preferred against the defendants before Justice Abiru bordered on “conspiracy to obtain N1.9 billion under false pretence contrary to Section 8, punishable under Section 107 of Advance Fee Fraud & other Related offences.”

The charge against Fakuade Babafemi Ebenezer and Ezekiel Olajide Ejide stated that they “conspired to obtain property by false pretence contrary to Section 8 punishable under Section 1 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences on July 7, 2010, within the jurisdiction of this court.

“Conspired to commit an offence to wit: Obtaining the sum of N340, 178, 111.231 from the Federal Government of Nigeria, purporting to be Payment Support Fund, which sum was in excess of the actual value of the product imported into Nigeria.”

They were also said to have collected the sum of N340, 015,198, being “Excess of the value of the actual product (12,070,706 litres) delivered by MT. Union Brave to Integrated Oil & Gas Ltd on your behalf as against 19,681, 731 litres you falsely claimed to have discharged.”

The defendants were also accused by the government of “altering and forging documents contrary to Section 468 and 467 of the Criminal Code Cap. C17, Vol. 2, Laws of Lagos of State of Nigeria, 2006” respectively. The offences were said “to contradict Section 1 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences.

“The charge further said: “On July 7, 2010, within the jurisdiction of the court, you conspired to commit an offence to wit: Obtaining the sum of N340, 178, 111.231 from the Federal Government of Nigeria Support Fund, which sum was in excess of the actual value of the product imported into Nigeria.”

Abdulahi Alao will also face another 7-count charge bothering on obtaining by false pretence, forgery and use of false documents before Abiru.

He is accused of “fraudulently obtaining N2.5 billion in December 2010 from the Federal Government as subsidy payments for supplying 13,364,284 and 20,014,627 litres of PMS from Ex- MT Gavros and Ex-MT Nippon Princess.”

In same vein, two directors of other oil companies who were charged  before the Lagos State High Court in Igbosere will be arraigned on Thursday (tomorrow) for their alleged complicity in the fuel subsidy fraud of N2.153 billion, for the importation of 36.654 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) into the country.
In a charge No. ID/117C/2012, Integrated Resources Limited, Durosola Omogbemigun, Pinnacle Oil & Gas and Peter Mba who are defendants were accused of having between 2010 and 2011conspired to defraud the Federal Republic of Nigeria by collecting the said money from the Petroleum Support Fund, in respect of purported importation of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from Europe to Nigeria.

The charge read: “You Integrated Resources Limited, Durosola Omogbemigun, Pinnacle Oil & Gas and Peter Mba, on or about February 4, 2011 within the jurisdiction of this Court, by false pretence and intention to defraud obtained from the Federal Republic of Nigeria the sum N986.154 million, requested the said money to be subsidy payment payable to the Integrated Resources Limited, by the Federal Government, under the Petroleum Support Fund, in respect of 19.347 million litres of PMS, which you falsely claimed to have purchased from Guinness Petroleum Limited.”

The charge further stated, “Omogbemigun, on November 15, 2011 defrauded the Federal Republic of Nigeria of the sum N343.182 million, money meant to be subsidy payable to the Integrated Resources Limited, by the Federal Government, under the Petroleum Support Fund, in the respect of 4.116 million litres of PMS, which he claimed to have purchased from Alkamo International Limited and allegedly imported into Nigeria.

“That Durosola Omogbemigun, on or about November 15, 2011 within the jurisdiction of this honourable Court, by false pretence with intent to defraud the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the sum of N823.305 million, purported the said sum to be subsidy payable to the Integrated Resources Limited, by the Federal Government, under the Petroleum Support Fund, in respect of 9.191 million litres of PMS, which you falsely claimed to have purchased from Alkamo International Limited and alleged imported into Nigeria”

Nasaman Oil Services; Mamman Nasir and Christian Taylor are to face charges bordering on obtaining N4, 460, 130, 797. 94 (Four Billion, Four Hundred and Sixty Million, One Hundred and Thirty Thousand, Seven Hundred and Ninety Seven Naira, Ninety Four Kobo) from the Federal Government of Nigeria under false pretence. The sum is alleged to have been fraudulently obtained as subsidy payments from the Petroleum Support Fund for the purported importation of 30.5million litres of Premium Motor Spirit from SEATAC Petroleum Limited of British Virgin Islands.

Nadabo Energy Limited, Abubakar Ali Peters, Jude Agube Abalaka and Pacific Silver Line Limited are to be prosecuted for allegedly obtaining the sum of N1, 464, 961, 978.24 (One Billion, Four Hundred and Sixty Four Million, Nine Hundred and Sixty One Thousand, Nine Hundred and Seventy Eight Naira, Twenty- Four Kobo ), being payments fraudulently received from the Petroleum Support Fund for a purported importation of 19.4million litres of Premium Motor Spirit.

Walter Agbasoma; Adaoha Ugo -Ngadi; Fakuade Babafemi Ebenezer; Ezekiel Olaleye Ejidele and Contario Oil & Gas Nigeria Limited will be arraigned for fraudulently obtaining the sum of N1, 959, 377, 542, .63 (One Billion, Nine Hundred and Fifty Nine Million, Three Hundred and Seventy Seven Thousand, Five Hundred and Forty Two Naira, Sixty Three Kobo) from the Petroleum Support Fund for a purported importation of 39.2 litres of Premium Motor Spirit.

Fago Petroleum and Gas Limited and Oluwaseun Ogunbanbo who are also charged will be docked for fraudulently obtaining the sum of N979,653,110.20 ( Nine Hundred and Seventy Nine Million, Six Hundred and Fifty Three Thousand, One Hundred and Ten Thousand Naira, Twenty Eight Kobo), from the Petroleum Support Fund for a purported importation of 33, 627, 84 litres of Premium Motor Spirit.

source: vanguard news

‘Good Samaritan’ docked for stealing from victims

LAGOS— Police in Lagos, yesterday, arraigned a 32-year-old unemployed man, Bartholomew Mbatuonu, before an Apapa Chief Magistrate’s Court for allegedly stealing the property of an accident victim, who later died.

The prosecutor, John Iberedem, told the court that Mbatuonu stole three bags containing various women clothes, shoes and cash totalling N200,000 belonging to Mrs Georgina Chijioke , who was involved in a bus accident around Maza- Maza on Lagos-Badagry expressway on July 2.
Iberedem said the accused pretended as if he was helping the accident victims and in the process stole the bags.

He said Mbatuonu, of no fixed address, was facing a one-count charge of stealing.
The prosecutor said that the accused was caught with the three bags, by a ‘Good Samaritan‘ who was also helping the victims.

Mbatuonu pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Chief Magistrate, E.A. Ogundare, granted him bail in the sum of N50, 000, with one surety in like sum.
He also ordered the surety to show evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government, as part of the bail conditions.

Ogundare adjourned the case to October 12 for further hearing.

source: vanguard

NLC deplores deadly bombings

LAGOS (AFP) – The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Monday condemned “incessant” bombings killings in the country, saying that the atmosphere of insecurity was inimical to growth and development.
“These incessant violence and general insecurity, which are engendering fear and restlessness in the citizenry is taking a negative dimension and is inimical to growth and development,” NLC president Abdulwahed Ibrahim Omar said.
“No nation can grow in a chaotic and anarchical situation,” he said in a speech at a forum for training of young labour unionists in Uyo, capital of southern Akwa Ibom State.

Omar particularly cited recent killings in central Plateau state and urged government and the security agencies to rise up to the occasion by defending the lives and property of Nigerians and foreigners.
Members of the livestock-herding Fulani ethnic group were blamed for July 7 raids on Christian villages that killed more than 80 people.

Another 22 people, including two senior politicians, were killed the following day in an attack on the victims’ funeral, also blamed on the Fulani.

The labour leader also reiterated the NLC call on government to expedite action on the implementation of the reports of committees set up to probe oil subsidy scam “in order to bring those found guilty to justice.”
In April, a parliamentary report alleged Nigeria had lost $6.8 billion from 2009 to 2011 through a fuel subsidy programme rife with corruption.
source: vanguard

Only in Nigeria that crude oil is stolen – Jonathan

ABUJA — President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, expressed dismay at the continuous stealing of Nigeria’s crude oil by illegal bunkerers, vowing that his administration would do everything possible to stem the tide by bringing the perpetrators to book.

The President  stated this at the opening of the Maritime Sector Presidential Retreat with the theme, “Harnessing the Potential of Nigeria’s Maritime Sector for Sustainable Economic Development” at the Presidential Villa.

President Goodluck Jonathan (middle); Vice President Namadi Sambo (left) and Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala during the opening of the Presidential Retreat on Maritime Security at the Banquet Hall, State House, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

He upbraided those involved in the crime and told them to “throw their heads under the pillow” in shame as there was no justification for their actions.
Jonathan’s comment came on a day the Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala revealed that the country loses over N2 trillion annually in capital flight to foreign countries following the inability of the indigenous ship owners to fully participate in lifting of the over 150 million tons of cargo from the country including crude oil exports.

It’s only in Nigeria that crude is stolen
According to Jonathan, “it is embarrassing that it is only in Nigeria that crude oil is stolen. It is a very bad news and I believe that Nigerians and foreigners who are involved in that act need to throw their heads under the pillow because all over the world, it is only in Nigeria that crude oil is stolen.

He said: “This must stop. We will be decisive in putting an end to this malaise. Our charge to all relevant agencies and departments of government is to work cooperatively with the required urgency.”

He said the maritime sector was a critical component of the economic development of a modern state, noting that it was in this regard that it was incorporated as a major component of the transformation agenda.

The president said the “sector facilitates approximately 90 per cent of world trade, creates millions of jobs and generates billions of dollars in economic output. The sector, to say the least, is a major engine of our national growth strategy.

“Besides improved prospects in traditional sea-related activities such as fishing, shipping, ship-building and repairs, agriculture and tourism, the sector is a major hub in offshore oil exploration and production activities and will remain so in the foreseeable future.

“Given its importance to the national economy, we have an uncompromising obligation to safeguard our territorial waters against all threats: poaching, piracy, pipeline vandalism, coastal insecurity, crude oil theft, illegal bunkering, non-payment of statutory levies and charges, illegal entry of ships into our territorial waters, illegal importation of arms and hard drugs, among other sundry crimes.”

Cost of inadequate maritime safety
Okonjo-Iweala who also spoke at the event said the cost of inadequate maritime safety and security to Nigerian society and the economy “has been significant.”

She  said “the Indigenous Ship Owners Association of Nigeria said that we now lose over N2 trillion annually in capital flight to foreign countries which own vessels used to lift about 150 million tons of cargos including oil products from this country as there is no Nigerian flag ship currently plying international routes. Nigerian-own vessels make up less than one per cent of the global fleets and are quite old with an average of 30 years of age”.

FG sets up 15-man maritime c’ttee
Meanwhile, the Federal Government, yesterday, set up a 15-member committee to draw up roadmap for effective maritime operations in the country.

The committee which has heads of most of the maritime agencies was charged with the responsibility of working out ways for the development and effect exploitation of the enormous potential of the sector.
The committee is chaired by the Minister of Transport, Sen. Idris Umar while a re-known maritime lawyer, Olisa Agbokoba, SAN will serve as the vice chairman.

Other members of the Committee are the Director General of NIMASA, Mr Patrick Akpobolokemi, the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Maritime, Mr Leke Oyelese and the Managing Director of the Nigeria Maritime Authority, Alhaji Omar Suleiman.

Others are the Chairman of Indigenous Ship Owners Association of Nigeria, Chief Isaac Jolapamo, Chairperson Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria, Mrs Vicky Harstrup and former Managing Director of  Zenith Bank Plc, Mr Jim Ovia.

Also in the Committee are the Comptroller-General of Customs, Alhaji Dikko Umar and the Special Adviser to the President on Project Monitoring who will represent the Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-weala, the Chief of Naval Staff, the Minister of Petroleum Resources,

Attorney-General of the Federation and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation would send a representative each as members of the committee.

At the end of one day retreat on Maritime security in Abuja, President Goodluck Jonathan who announced the setting up of the committee  charged it to look at all the issues raised at the retreat and bring out workable solutions in sustainable ways of achieving them with timeline for execution.

The President said that the Secretariat of the committee would be provided by the Ministry of Transport.
President Jonathan in his closing remarks reiterated the need for concerted efforts at putting an end to crude oil theft, illegal bunkering and the activities of the illegal local refineries.
source: vanguard

9 feared dead in multiple explosions in P/Harcourt

EXPLOSIONS yesterday rocked a section of Port Harcourt killing no fewer than nine persons.  The incident which happened at about 915am at the former PW jetty, Abuloma area of the State occurred in a vessel.

Eye witnesses who spoke to   Saturday Vanguard at the scene of the incident said a welding work was going on in the ocean liner which was carrying a large quantity of crude when suddenly it exploded three times.

Nobody could confirm the death toll from the bang but sources said several persons were still trapped in the smouldering fire from the vessel at the time Saturday Vanguard visited.  “Several persons are still trapped in the burning vessel. Some said they are ten, others put the figure at thirty.  But all we know is that some persons have burnt to death in the vessel”, a marine worker said at the scene.

Saturday Vanguard gathered that the captain of the vessel and one of his deck hands were among five persons that were rushed to the hospital.

Confirming the incident, Spokesman of  Sector II of the Joint Task Force, Operation Pulo Shield in the state, Captain Samuel Sunday said the vessel exploded in the morning hours, adding that he had little details on the incident.

A vessel explosion at Abuloma Waterside in Port-Harcourt on Friday (20/7/12) NAN-PHOTO

Meantime, neighbourhood sources said those that were trapped in the fire included some commercial workers that had stormed the vessel to “dish out service” to those in the cabin. They said the vessel had three cabins and was conveying crude out of the state.

Effort by fire fighters to extinguish the raging fire on the vessel was helpless as their hoses could not extend to the vessel which was at the shore end of the jetty.  “The fire fighters from the government only came here on sight scene. They could not do anything because their hoses could not get to the spot where the vessel is burning”.

Also the Sector II of the Joint Task Force, Operation Pulo Shield said it set fire on five petrol tankers conveying illegal crude at Eneka area of the state. Spokesman of the security body, Captain Sunday said no life was lost in the operation, adding that six persons were arrested over the issue.

In a related development, seven offices in the administration area of the Rivers state owned newspaper, The Tide were razed down in an early morning inferno.   The state government was yet to issue a release on the incident at press time but workers were seen milling around the office premises discussing the development in groups.

Plateau crisis: Mark urges warring factions to cease fire

Senate President David Mark on Wednesday appealed to aggrieved parties in Plateau to lay down their arms, embrace dialogue and restore lasting peace to the state.

Mark made the call in Abuja during a valedictory session in honour of the late Sen. Gyang Dantong.
In an address entitled: “The Death of the People’s Hero”, Mark urged the warring parties to make renewed commitment to peace so as not to allow Dantong’s death to be in vain.

“In the end he paid the ultimate price for freedom, human dignity and peaceful coexistence in the Plateau. Having paid this supreme sacrifice, his death must not be in vain, peace must now return to Plateau state.
“If peace does not return to Plateau, then his death would have been in vain. For the sake of our brother and our friend, the late distinguished Sen. Gyang Dalyop Dantong and all those who lost their lives in Plateau State, I urge all the warring parties to sheath their swords and return to the dialogue table like brothers and sisters.”

While paying his last respects, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, said the year was a challenging period for the country given the huge number of people who lost their lives.
He said it was difficult to understand why a peace loving, industrious and hardworking man such as Dantong would die at such a time and under such circumstances. NAN.

source: vanguard news

Manchester United win world tour with narrow victory

DURBAN  (AFP) – Manchester United started a six-game pre-season world tour with a 1-0 win over AmaZulu before a capacity 50,000 crowd at Moses Mabhida Stadium Wednesday.

Federico Macheda scored the winner midway through the first half for the Red Devils, who came closest to increasing the lead just before time when another Italian, substitute Davide Petrucci, rattled the crossbar.
It was a closer match than anticipated, with many South Africans believing mid-table AmaZulu would be swept aside by the former European champions even though they were lacking many first choices like Wayne Rooney.

Political icon Nelson Mandela, the first democratically elected president of South Africa, was remembered before the kick-off with the teams wishing him a happy 94th birthday in song.
United left new signing Shinji Kagawa from Japan on the bench as they started with a mix of experienced stars like captain Rio Ferdinand and young players Robbie Brady, Scott Wootton, Frederic Veseli and Jesse Lingard.

The Red Devils were quick into their stride on a clear mid-winter evening in the Indian Ocean city and could have taken the lead inside two minutes had Javier Hernandez been sharper.
Kapini failed to grasp a close-range Macheda shot and the ball fell invitingly for the Mexican in front of goal but he failed to connect with the ball and it was hastily cleared.

United were dominant in the early stages against nervous opponents and the 2012 English Premier League runners-up to Manchester City would not have been flattered by a three-goal lead after 10 minutes.
Machedo broke the deadlock on 20 minutes by finishing off good work from Paul Scholes and Dimitar Berbatov with a close-range shot that touched the hand of the AmaZulu goalkeeper and the foot of a defender before crossing the line.

The goal triggered greater urgency from AmaZulu, a mid-table South African Premiership side coached by Swede Roger Palmgren, and Ayanda Dlamini twice threatened the visiting defence.

Bulgarian Berbatov was unlucky not to score a second goal for United before half-time as his sweetly struck volley off a corner was brilliantly tipped over the bar by Zimbabwean Kapini.

A frenetic start to the second half saw both teams come close to scoring and AmaZulu posed more of a threat as it progressed, although they were continually let down by wild shooting.

Kagawa, a June signing from German champions Borussia Dortmund, finally came on one minute from time after a prolonged wait on the touchline before the ball went out of play.

United play Ajax Cape Town Saturday before flying to China for a midweek clash against Shanghai Shenhua, the club that recently signed Chelsea Champions League hero Didier Drogba.

The Old Trafford club will also face Valerenga in Norway, Barcelona in Sweden and Hanover in Germany during a 22,000-mile (35,400-kilometre) pre-season tour before opening their Premier League campaign against Everton.

source: vanguard news