Shere's Int. NEWS UPDATE > 7th SEPT 2011

 

 

 

 

 

THE State Security Ser vice (SSS), on Tuesday, said it had discovered a bomb making factory of the Boko Haram sect in Niger State.

A statement by the SSS, signed by its deputy director in charge of publicity, Mrs Marylyn Ogar, said the factory was discovered at a village known as Chechnya, Hayin-Uku village, in Tafa Local Government Area of Niger State.

The statement said the arrest of five sect members, following series of operations by operatives, led to the discovery.

Items recovered during the raid, according to the statement, included one gas cylinder; one battery connected to a detonator; two damaged detonators; one locally made revolver; one gun butt; two knives; 10 GSM handsets with SIM cards; one ceiling fan coil; two laptop computers; 37 unused metallic oil filters; two metallic filters primed for bombing; two metallic cylinders; One clock connected to a primed bladeless ceiling fan with 9 volts batteries ready for use.

Other items were some pieces of shrapnel; Honda Civic car with Borno State registration number AG94MNG; 200 pieces of detonators; some detonating cords (red colour); a Sony remote control, five battery chargers and a black bag containing detonating cables.

The statement indicated that the six suspects so far arrested were responsible for the bombing of INEC office, Suleja; All Christian Fellowship Church, Suleja; and the killing of four policemen at Dakwa-Deidei in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), adding that they would soon be charged to court.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has admitted that it is not quite prepared to tackle the level of terrorism in the country, with the latest being the bombing of the United Nations (UN) building in Abuja by Boko Haram.

The National Security Adviser (NSA), General Andrew Azazi, made the disclosure while briefing State House correspondents on the outcome of the emergency Council of State meeting summoned by President Goodluck Jonathan at the State House, Abuja, on Tuesday.

Flanked by Governors Gabriel Suswam of Benue State and Sule Lamido of Jigawa State, the NSA said "to solve crime sometimes, you need a national identity database, we are trying to put that together."

Azazi, who gave the council a comprehensive brief on the security situation in the country, regretted that terrorism had come to stay in the country, but affirmed that security agencies were working together on how to depend more on intelligence and be more proactive.

He denied that there was a deliberate policy not to prosecute Boko Haram suspects, adding that everyone was concerned about their threat.

He promised to make available the list of names of all the Boko Haram suspects currently under detention, adding that all suspects involved in the INEC office bombings had been arrested.

Also speaking, Governor Suswam said the council deliberated on four issues, namely national security, national honours, appointment of chairman and members of the National Population Commission (NPC) and the issue of the prerogative of mercy.

Present at the meeting were General Yakubu Gowon, Alhaji Shehu Sha-gari, Chief Olusegun Oba-sanjo, General Abdulsalami Abubakar and state governors, among others.

 

 

 

 

Jonathan was never on EFCC list of corrupt governors -Presidency

 

 

 

The Presidency has debunked claims in the media that President Goodluck Jonathan was on the list of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of corrupt governors, describing the report as malicious, disrespectful and disparaging.

A statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said a part of the report was a rehash and obviously a figment of the imagination of the paper (not Daily Sun) and clear demonstration of speculative journalism.

The statement reads: "The Presidency has noted with concern the lead report in today's edition of a national newspaper, The Daily Trust,  which contained malicious, disrespectful and disparaging remarks about President Goodluck Ebele  Jonathan  purportedly  authored by an official of the United States Embassy over two years ago.
"We are completely at a loss as to what purpose the Daily Trust expects its report,  which is wholly based on erroneous opinion and false conjecture to serve other than the objectives of those, who persist in seeing no good in the Jonathan Administration and doing everything possible to distract the President from his Agenda for National Transformation.

"It is a matter of public record, as the editors of the Trust well know, that no charge of corruption was ever made or sustained against the President while he served as Governor of Bayelsa State, while his many achievements as governor of the state speak for themselves.
"The report also includes an unjustifiable attempt to impugn the President's integrity by rehashing a well-worn fictional account of alleged corruption by the First Lady, which has been dismissed as arrant nonsense by the former Chairman of the EFCC, Mallam  Nuhu Ribadu. 
"For the avoidance of any doubt whatsoever, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has never been on any EFCC list of corrupt governors and we challenge anyone to prove otherwise.

"In point of fact, it was his record of achievement and incorruptibility in public office that recommended him to the leadership of the PDP as a worthy candidate for the Vice Presidency in 2007.
"Furthermore, the cable, which purports to be the source of the story is unverified.  Moreover, even the alleged cable itself cites as its source "reports" and yet the newspaper went ahead to report an alleged incident, which was not  in the purported cable and involved the seizure of large sums of money from the President's wife while he was governor.

"The incident described above never happened and is at best a figment of the reporter's imagination. Let me state categorically that at no time was $13.5 million or any other sum seized from  Dame Patience Jonathan at the Lagos airport or any other airport.
"The former Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, who was in office at the time President Jonathan was a governor stated categorically that the allegations were just lies inserted into the media for political purposes.
"Malam Ribadu's precise statement on this issue made on the 13th of October, 2010 was as follows: "We investigated it and there was nothing connected with Mrs. Jonathan. Even as at that time those who were desperately looking to make a political mile out of every opportunity decided to use that to link it with them simply because they wanted to kick them out of office at that time".

"Finally, let me state that President Jonathan remains committed to Press freedom and freedom of speech which is why he signed the Freedom of Information Bill into law. With the passage of this bill into law, the expectation of the President is that such a law could be utilized by the Press to thoroughly investigate allegations before they are released into the public arena as truth.
"The FOI law allows reporters to request for records from the EFCC which when perused would establish the truth about any matter that has been before the EFCC. With the FOI law, there is no longer any excuse for speculative journalism beyond laziness.

 

 

 

 

IBB renews battle with OBJ

 

 

THE  verbal war between former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida and former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has continued to fester as Babangida said on Tuesday that he stood by his earlier statement on Obasanjo's alleged squandering of national resources.

Babangida said this while debunking reports that he recanted on the allegation he made that Obasanjo wasted the sum of $16 billion on power sector as revealed by a National Assembly probe.

Babangida spoke through his media aide, Kassim Sule Afegbua, stating that he meant what he said on Obasanjo and never recanted at any time.

Babangida was recently quoted as accusing the media of quoting him out of context on Obasanjo on the interview he granted to newsmen on the eve of his 70th birthday  in Minna, stating that he had lost many of his friends since the media war between him and Obasanjo broke out.

Afegbua, in his statement said Babangida "wishes to state clearly  and without fear of contradiction that there is nothing like "recant" on his part. What General Babangida stated on the 30th August, 2011 was that the media misquoted him on his earlier interview granted prior to his birthday of 17th August, 2011.

"The contents of the newspapers' reports were different from the screaming headlines that were carried. That perhaps informed Chief Olusegun Obasanjo's misplaced outburst to the effect of calling General Babangida a fool at 70.

"General Babangida still stands by the contents of that interview where he made allusion to the squander-mania that characterised Chief Obasanjo's government with particular reference to the $16 billion  reportedly wasted on a fruitless power project, as revealed by the National Assembly power probe panel.

"There was nothing extraordinary in what General IBB said to warrant Chief Obasanjo's outburst and scathing remarks on the person of General Babangida.

"In the light of the above, he wishes to state arlier position.

unequivocally that the idea or notion or impression of a recant does not arise at all. His response to Chief Obasanjo's outburst remains in force and valid, hence it will be wrong for anyone to report that "IBB recanted" on his earlier position.

"He will not allow history to record it for him that he kept mum when someone reportedly called him a fool. All the issues raised in his earlier response have not been contradicted by Chief Obasanjo save that he resorted to name-calling and abuse.

"He still holds the position very strongly that former President Obasanjo's regime recorded the highest revenue in the history of Nigeria from independence in 1960 till 1999 when his government came into force. Over N16 trillion  was shared among the three tiers of government during Obasanjo's government, out of which about N7.4 trillion was spent by the Federal Government.

came into force. Over N16 trillion  was shared among the three tiers of government during Obasanjo's government, out of which about N7.4 trillion was spent by the Federal Government.

"This is aside from other non-oil income that accrued to his government within the same period. Needless to state that the government went on a spending spree, which culminated in several sharp practices and abuses, particularly in the privatisation exercise. The records are gradually becoming glaring for all to see,  thanks to the National Assembly probe panel.

"IBB will be prepared to offer further clarification should the need arise but let it be recorded that there was nothing like recantation as previously reported."

 

 

 

Presidential polls: Tribunal refuses CPC's application to declare Buhari winner.

 

 

 

Attempts by the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) to secure an early victory at the Presidential Election Tribunal suffered a setback yesterday when the tribunal presided over by the Acting President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Mohammed Garuba turned down its application to declare Maj. General Muhammadu Buhari as winner of the April presidential election.

The party, which is challenging the election of President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had mid-way into the hearing on its petition brought an application urging the tribunal to enter judgment in its favour on the grounds that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has flouted the order of the tribunal directing it to allow the party to inspect the materials used for the April 16 presidential election.

But in its ruling, which lasted for about 45 minutes, Justice Garuba held that the order of May 24 which directed INEC to grant CPC access to bio-metric data did not mean "taking" copies but just to see it. He therefore resolved the first issue against the petitioner.
In addition, the tribunal held that judgment could not be entered in default in favour of the petitioner without hearing the evidence in the matter.

According to Justice Garuba, "this court must hear the matter on its merit; I therefore resolve the second issue against the petitioner. In the light of the above, petitioner's application lacks merit and it is hereby dismissed. I make no order as to cost." The tribunal consequently adjourned till today for the issuance of pre-hearing report.
The CPC, after alleging plot by the PDP and President Jonathan to frustrate the hearing of its petition had accused the INEC of denying it access to electoral materials used for the presidential election against the order of the tribunal and consequently asked the tribunal to enter judgment in favour of its presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari.

The action of the party was contained in a motion on notice brought pursuant to Paragraphs 18 (11) of the 1st Schedule to the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), Section 145 (d) of the Evidence Act and under the inherent powers of the tribunal.
Moving the application, counsel to CPC, Dipo Okpeseyi (SAN) argued that contrary to the order of the court directing the electoral body to grant them access to all the materials used for the presidential election, INEC had refused to do so, adding that such failure invariably showed there was connivance between INEC and Jonathan.

He further stated that on such ground, it showed that CPC won the presidential election.
But in objecting the application, the INEC, PDP and President Jonathan, through their legal representatives, said granting the application would amount to compromising the security of the nation.

It was their contention that allowing the petitioner access to INEC database would expose the identity of the voters against the spirit of the Constitution and the Electoral Act. Specifically, counsel to Jonathan, Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN) opposed the application stating that granting CPC access to DDC machines would compromise the privacy of voters especially voters' identity, which is sacrosanct.
He added that what the petitioner was requesting for would be a breach of Section 125 (3) of the Electoral Act.

Counsel to PDP, Joe Gadzama (SAN) also opposed the application arguing that Section 25 of the Electoral Act, 2010 as amended and Section 1 and 9 of the Official Secret Act 1990 did not permit INEC to allow any person or authority to have information as to the pattern of voting or who a voter voted for during election.
He added that it was a criminal offence under Section 1 of Official Secret Act and any staff of INEC who allowed such act to be done must be prosecuted.

He further argued that it was strange to Nigerian law for a petitioner to go to court and ask for judgment in default of evidence, adding that they (petitioners) had a duty to go to INEC to get all they needed and they had got up to 90 percent of what they needed.

The party had in a statement in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Rotimi Fashakin and entitled, "Aftermath of INEC's Intransigence: CPC files Motion for Judgment" the party specifically said it is seeking the following reliefs:

An order of this Honourable Court entering Judgment in favor of the Petitioner in Petition No. CA/A/EPT/PRES/1/2011 under Paragraph 18(11) of the 1st Schedule to the Electoral Act, 2010 as amended and Section 149 of the Evidence Act on the ground that the order for inspection granted by this Honourable Court on the 24th day of May, 2011 is refusal or failure or neglect of the Respondent s to comply with the terms contained in the said order..

 

 

 

 

WikiLeaks: Obasanjo mounted pressure on S'Court over 2003 polls.

 

 

Fresh revelations have emerged on how the former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, mounted undue pressure on the Supreme Court justice to get his way in the 2003 presidential election. A just released Wikileaks cable revealed how the then Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Muhammed Uwais, confided in the then US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. John Campbell, the several pressures mounted on the justices to enable Obasanjo have his way in the case instituted against him by his main opponent, General Muhammadu Buhari.

 

Buhari was the presidential candidate of the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) in the 2003 presidential election.

In the new revelation, Uwais had met with Campbell in Lagos, where he disclosed that he and other Supreme Court justices were experiencing 'pressure and harassment' from President Obasanjo because the presidency was concerned that the court might not 'do his bidding'.

 

Uwais was reported to have sought a meeting with the new American ambassador so that 'someone knows what is happening here' in case 'something happens' to him.

The CJN was alleged to have also disclosed to the US ambassador the threats and pressures on him as regard the 'complicated effort of James Ibori', the former Delta State governor, to run for the governorship election of 2003 'against the background of his alleged conviction for stealing roofing materials years earlier.'

Specifically, Uwais was reported to have told Ambassador Campbell that attempts had then been made to bribe, blackmail, intimidate and threaten him.

 

"I have not asked Obasanjo for anything and he feels that I cannot be controlled like some others," Uwais was quoted in the cable.

Obasanjo was said to have been nervous about the Supreme Court judgment on the 'severely flawed elections', which Buhari was hellbent in challenging at the Elections Tribunal.

 

The cable reads thus:

Nigeria's Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Muhammadu Uwais met with Ambassador last week at his residence. Uwais laid out a story of interference in the judiciary and attempted manipulation and intimidation by the Presidency. He claimed that accusations that he accepted bribes in an earlier case had been followed by attempts to deposit large sums of money into his bank account to implicate him.

"I have not asked Obasanjo for anything and he feels that I cannot be controlled like others," Uwais said.

 

He commented that he wanted to relate the story to the Ambassador so that "someone knows what is happening here" in case "something happens" to him. After the meeting at the Ambassador's residence, an invitee who came with the Chief Justice was contacted by State Security Services (SSS) and queried about the meeting. The judiciary at the Federal level remains relatively free from corruption and the Chief Justice has shown his concern over the past few years with restoring its image. At the state and local level, the judiciary is of varied quality, with many judges in place through political manipulation and subject to bribery and coercion.

 

Nigeria's Chief Justice (CJ) of the Supreme Court Muhammadu Uwais met with Ambassador last week at his residence. The meeting, while forming part of the Ambassador's scheduled round of introductory visits, was initiated by Uwais. Uwais brought a relative to the meeting and Ambassador was accompanied by the Assistant Political Counsel. Uwais appeared relaxed and seemed to relish the exchange of pleasantries preceding lunch. At the table, however, he laid out a story of interference in the judiciary and attempted manipulation and intimidation by the Presidency.

 

Uwais said that he and other Supreme Court justices were experiencing "pressure and harassment" from President Obasanjo due to Presidency concerns that the court may not "do his bidding." The story begins with the tale of Delta Governor James Ibori and his alleged conviction for stealing roofing materials and Uwais spoke in great detail about the case.

 

According to Uwais, a group of ruling PDP members decided they did not want Ibori to contest the governorship of Delta for a second term in 2003, but were unable to manipulate the nominating process in Delta State against him. Failing which, two PDP 'members' filed a suit alleging that Ibori had been convicted in a court in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the mid-1990's and was therefore ineligible to run for office. This case was not resolved before the 2003 elections and, along with an election tribunal case against Ibori, elements of it linger on without resolution.

 

Uwais said that Ibori personally visited him to alert him of the attempt to bar him from office and asked for the Chief Justice's assistance and gave Uwais a copy of a letter Ibori planned to deliver to Obasanjo.

After the Ibori visit, Uwais instituted an investigation of the matter at the Bwari District Court in the FCT. Two of the three judges serving on the panel recalled the case and confirmed that, in fact, Ibori had been convicted in the theft. Uwais said the third judge's whereabouts were unknown as he had retired.

 

Later, Obasanjo directed the FCT police to investigate the case. The police came to the opposite conclusion, that no case had been entered against Ibori and that the court clerks had been paid to falsify the records.

While these investigations were continuing, a previously unknown group calling itself the "Derivation Front" alleged that Uwais and other judges had been bribed. When the justices reported the matter to the police, an "investigation" was launched. The police, using the INTERPOL unit within the force, concluded that nothing could be done about the allegations because the address and phone number on the letter were false.

 

When Uwais pointed out that there were other names, including the signatories to the letter and an attorney representing the group, the police dragged their feet and made no efforts to investigate further without prodding from the Court.

Uwais says that it is obvious that Obasanjo is behind the efforts to have Governor Ibori removed because the President's "crony and attorney" is leading the case against the governor and speculated that elements "in the Presidency" were behind the 'Derivation Front' as well. Uwais, ignoring the allegations, chose to sit on the panel that heard the appeal to the Supreme Court and deal with the allegations directly. When he opened the hearing of the case, Uwais announced that the allegations were untrue and the organization making them was a front group sponsored to attack the integrity of the court.

 

In a new development, Uwais claimed that this earlier case had been followed by attempts to deposit large sums of money into his bank account to implicate him. Uwais claimed his daughter had received a call from a friend, an attorney named Williams. Williams then called Uwais and explained that the SSS had been tasked with finding the CJ's vulnerabilities, including bank account numbers and properties with an eye to tarnishing his image. Williams claimed that a friend of his in the SSS had asked Williams to alert the CJ because he "respects the CJ and doesn't agree with his orders." Uwais says that he consulted with the other justices and the group decided not to approach the police "as they work for the President and are incompetent."

 

Asked for a reason for the interference, Uwais posited, "I have not asked Obasanjo for anything and he feels that I cannot be controlled like some others." He claimed that Obasanjo is nervous about the Supreme Court because of the Presidential Election Tribunal, which will end up in the Supreme Court regardless of its outcome at the Federal Court of Appeals.

Uwais said a friend reported that Obasanjo had told a group of his supporters during a strategy meeting that "that man (Uwais) can not be dealt with." Uwais speculated that if the pressure was coming from the Presidency, Obasanjo "must be behind it" as nothing happens without his knowledge.

 

Uwais said that he approached the Embassy to relate the story to the Ambassador so that "someone knows what is happening here" in case "something happens" to him. He claimed that he was committed to improving the reputation of the judiciary and beginning the task of cleaning up the dishonest judges throughout all levels of the system. He asserted that, given his age and position, he wanted nothing more than a "good reputation." After the meeting at the Ambassador's residence, the other guest was contacted by State Security Services (SSS) and queried about the meeting.

 

 

 

 

 

Again, EFCC grills Lagos Speaker, others

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FOR more than five hours yesterday, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) went from one office to the other at the premises of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Alausa, Ikeja, to investigate the circumstances surrounding the alleged theft of N7 billion allocated to the Assembly in the last 14 months.

It was the second visit within 48 hours as the operatives had, on Monday, stormed the Assembly to cart away some files, vouchers and cash books.

The Speaker, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, was last Friday arrested by the EFCC in Abuja to answer sundry graft charges bordering on the N500 million allocated monthly to the House.

Released late on Saturday, his international passport was seized and he has been put on the watch list of the anti-graft agency.

Yesterday, the operatives interrogated Ikuforiji and some principal officers of the Assembly to unearth who was lying between the lawmakers and the Speaker.

It was gathered that the Speaker had told the anti-graft agency that some millions of naira were being given to each lawmaker from the N500 million monthly allocation from the executive to which majority of the lawmakers are crying blue murder because what they get was a far cry from the Speaker's claim.

The six operatives came in two vehicles and left with two accountants in the Accounts Office of the Assembly. They were still being interrogated last night at the agency's Lagos office.

It was learnt that some principal officers of the Assembly have also been invited for interrogation.

To avoid being arrested, some workers  stayed away from office yesterday.

An EFCC source confirmed the development last night, saying: "We will get to the root of the matter. Whoever is involved in the deal will not go unpunished. Whether they are politicians or civil servants, we will use this case to tell Nigerians that nobody is above the law and we are not bothered about the politics some people are playing about the whole matter. How can you tell us that there are other suspects around and we should go after them when we have a very strong case in this matter? Stealing knows no colour or race or party. You can belong to any party but the moment you run foul of the law, you will be arrested".
Ikuforiji himself, at the weekend, attributed the crisis to the handiwork of his political detractors.

He was unsparing on his verbal attack, saying: "You cannot rule out political foul play in this issue but I can tell you that this is political madness in its entirety".

Ikuforiji was quizzed based on a petition written by a group, Kick Against Corruption. Signed by Mr. Olawale Williams, the group accused the Speaker of diverting the money and laundering it abroad through an automobile firm allegedly owned by him.
Said a source: "The volumes of documents were carted away from the office of the  Director of Finance and Administration who was grilled for several hours. Our men were directed to retrieve files, vouchers and cash books from the accounts department so that investigators working on the case can complete their investigation."

Ikuforiji is also accused of perjury with his accuser alleging that he was convicted twice in the United States (U.S.) for traffic offence.

There was apprehension at the Assembly Complex yesterday as caucus members loyal to a former commissioner, who is alleged to be behind Ikuforiji's ordeal, are  said to be meeting on how to put pressure on the Speaker to resign or be impeached.
Meanwhile, aggrieved workers of Lagos Television and Eko FM protesting the refusal of the state government to extend the implementation of the N18,700 consolidated wage to them yesterday remained adamant, with many berating Governor Babatunde Fashola, saying that "he is wicked for ignoring us two days into the strike".

The workers, who are members of the Radio, Television and Theatre Arts Workers Union (RATTAWU), spoke to the Nigerian Compass under anonymity as they intensified their siege on the stations, promising to take the showdown into the third day based on the attitude of the stage government to the current impasse.

"The governor is insensitive to our plight. Up till now, he has not deemed it fit to come here and address us. Fashola is wicked and with what I am seeing, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) is worse than the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)," one of the workers said.

"Fashola is not even paying the N18,000 minimum wage. What he is paying is N12,500," another worker alleged. 

It was  gathered that an attempt by management of both stations to recruit consultants to run the stations as part of efforts to frustrate the strike hit the brick wall.

"They brought in consultants to run the stations, but they could not operate the equipment since we have used our superior knowledge to make it impossible for any other person to operate them," another worker said.

But, the Permanent Secretary of LTV, Mr. Lekan Ogunbanwo, has not given up in begging the workers to shelve the strike.
"He begged us three times that the state is losing millions of naira and that we are the ones losing in this strike, not them, the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ)," he was quoted to have said.

 

Yar'adua had no Cabinet, says CBN Gov. Lamido Sanusi – Wikileaks

 

Another United States cable released by Wikileaks yesterday revealed that the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Sanusi Lamido, believed that late President Umaru Yar'Adua did not have a cabinet but "just a bunch of politicians trying to survive politically without any commitment to government"

The cable which was classified by US Ambassador to Nigeria, Robin Sanders and sent to the US state department stated that in a conversation she had in November 2009 with the CBN governor, he expressed grave reservations about Yar'Adua's survivalists, among whom he named the Foreign Minister, Ojo Maduekwe.

According to Wikileaks report, the CBN governor doubted the capability of several ministers, especially the Minister of Power Rilwan (Lanre) Babalola and the Minister of Finance, Mansur Muhtar, to make the right decisions in their sectors.

Lamido was even more concerned, according to the leaked cable, about the ability of President Yar'Adua and Foreign Minister Maduekwe to demonstrate "strong and consistent signals to the international community of where Nigeria is headed on both good governance and reform."

Despite those reservations, Mr. Sanusi gave Yar'Adua high marks for the support Yar'Adua gave him during the bank audits and sector reform the CBN governor had undertaken.  He told Ambassador Sanders, "What [Yar'Adua] did during this very tough period showed that he is willing when he can withstand the pressure of the politics."

Sanusi was referring to the fact that Yar'Adua stood against forces in his family that included both his mother and his brother, both of whom put pressure on him to "drop Bank PHB," from the audit and name-and-shame lists.

With reference to Minister of Power Babalola, the CBN governor was of the view that not only was he out of his depth regarding what needed to be done in the power sector, but also that he was reluctant to listen to advice.
 
Mr. Sanusi was less critical of Finance Minister Muhtar, his former secondary school classmate, whom he described as a "good technocrat" but was concerned Muhtar was feeling overwhelmed by the size and the problems in his Ministry; was not making sound financial decisions; and could not stand up to the politics around him.

Asked by the Ambassador about the integrity of the Finance Minister Sanusi said Muhtar was "not corrupt but weak."
With reference to the politics, Lamido said that Muhtar was "heavily, and unfortunately influenced, of late, by Presidential Chief Economic Advisor Tanimu Yakubu and Agricultural Minister Abba Ruma."

Sanusi told the Ambassador that the influence by these two would be okay if they had the country's best interests at heart, rather than their personal interests.

"Right now the President is not receiving frank advice on the economy from the people who are supposed to have the responsibility of giving it to him, and at the heart of this is simply corruption," Sanusi said.

 

Jang Accused of causing Plateau crisis

 

A new revelation has been made on the protracted crisis in Jos, Plateau State, which has claimed hundreds of lives in the last three years.

WikiLeaks, the controversial online whistleblower, has fingered Governor Jonah Jang for being largely responsible for the mayhem.

The revelation was contained in one of the cables, which originated from the Embassy of the United States (U.S.) in Abuja in December 2008, and formed part of the 251,287 such confidential communications from 1966 to February 2010 between 274 American Embassies across the world which WikiLeaks began leaking via its website in November, 2010.

In the said secret cable, created on December 19, 2008, American embassy officials quoted State Security Service (SSS) operatives as blaming the stubbornness of Jang to go ahead with the conduct of the local government election against security advice for the crisis which has now refused to go away.

The release debunked claims by Jang and his then deputy, Mrs. Paulen Tallen, that armed men from Niger and Chad, either brought in by opposition parties or motivated by their own extremist views, had played a significant part in the November 27-28 Jos riots, rather it noted that the governor's claims was an  attempt to divert blame from himself, noting that he had been warned that the local government elections he was pushing to hold would likely spark violence.

"In response to Jang's allegations, the SSS officers commented that both sides in Jos bore part of the blame for touching off the riots. Both had seen the local government elections as the likely spark to re-ignite the conflict experienced in 2001 and 2004; both had been preparing for trouble for some time and, according to SSS, both bore a share of the blame for what followed.

"SSS also singled out Jang for criticism, noting that he had been warned by federal authorities that pushing ahead with the elections would likely lead to violence, but he insisted on proceeding anyway.

"They dismissed the bulk of his allegations as an attempt to find a "foreign devil" to use to divert criticism from his own mistakes," the report said.

It reads in part: "On the allegations by the Governor and Deputy Governor of Plateau State that armed men from Niger and Chad, either brought in by opposition parties or motivated by their own extremist views, had played a significant part in the November 27-28 Jos riots, at the Ambassador's direction, Embassy offices checked with Nigerian State Security Service (SSS) to see if it could confirm or deny these allegations."

"SSS noted that, while some Chadians and Nigerians were among those arrested during the riots, these were not brought in by Muslim extremist groups, nor were they affiliates of foreign extremists. They were, instead, long-resident laborers who participated in the conflict once it started. SSS did note that there was local premeditated organisation of Hausa-Fulani youth to either instigate or participate in violent acts connected to the Jos election.

"SSS contacts dismissed the Governor's claims as an attempt to divert blame from himself, noting that he had been warned that the local government elections he was pushing to hold would likely spark violence."

Also writing on Tallen, the group noted in the report: "Plateau State Deputy Governor Pauline Tallen told the Ambassador December 2 that the riots in Jos were "a carefully devised plan" by Muslims from Chad and Niger to use local elections as the cover for violent attacks.

"In a later conversation the same day, Plateau Governor Jonah Jang told the Ambassador a slightly different story, blaming a Nigerian opposition political party for importing the armed men from Niger and Chad, as essentially mercenaries to fight against local people.

"Jang went further in a December 4 conversation with the Ambassador, claiming that the opposition party (presumably the ANPP, which is supported by most of the Hausa Muslims in Jos) brought in fighters from Niger and Chad, as well as from other parts of Nigeria, to attack the local Christian community.

"He described these men as "al Qaeda-like" outside extremists, and claimed that the SSS was holding a large group of these outsiders. He said SSS had extracted confessions from them that they had travelled to Jos for the purpose of causing violence during the elections.

"The Ambassador directed, given past intel reports of Chadians and Nigerians being connected to a Nigerian Islamic extremist leader in Borno State, Embassy offices to contact SSS to see if it would back up Jang's and Tallen's allegations.

"SSS officers acknowledged that there were some Nigeriens and Chadians among those being held in connection with the Jos violence. They strongly rejected, however, the Governor and Deputy Governor's claims that they had either started or directed the violence, or that any of them had connections to any known Islamic radical groups. The SSS officers characterised the arrested Nigeriens and Chadians as long-time residents of the Jos area who happened to participate in the violence once it started; there was no evidence that their participation was part of an organised extremist effort.

"There was some evidence of a few outside radicals from other parts of Nigeria joining in the conflict once it started, but SSS said they did not play any significant part in what happened, either. In addition, SSS reported that there was some premeditated organisation of Hausa-Fulani youth groups to instigate or participate in violence connected with the Jos election.

"In response to Jang's allegations, the SSS officers commented that both sides in Jos bore part of the blame for touching off the riots. Both had seen the local government elections as the likely spark to re-ignite the conflict experienced in 2001 and 2004; both had been preparing for trouble for some time and, according to SSS, both bore a  share of the blame for what followed.

"SSS also singled out Jang for criticism, noting that he had been warned by Federal authorities that pushing ahead with the elections would likely lead to violence, but he insisted on proceeding anyway.

"They dismissed the bulk of his allegations as an attempt to find a "foreign devil" to use to divert criticism from his own mistakes

 

 

UN evacuates special team from hotel over bomb scare

 

THE authorities of the United Nations (UN) in Nigeria are not ready to be beaten again by suicide bombers as it promptly evacuated its essential service team from a hotel allegedly listed as the next target by terrorists.

Following the August 26, 2011 terror attack on its Abuja office, where 23 officials and non-workers, the UN assembled an essential service team, which temporarily operates from a hotel in Abuja in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). But from Monday, speculations have been rife that the hotel has been targeted for attack by a terror group.

Consequently, the UN hierarchy in Nigeria ordered the team to immediately leave the highbrow hotel.

Also yesterday, the State Security Services (SSS) confirmed the arrest of 31-year-old Igbo man suspected to be a member of the destructive Boko Haram Islamic sect. He was said to be part of the terrorists who carried out the April 8, 2011 bombing of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Suleja, Niger State.

The SSS, which declined to disclose the name of the suspect until it completes ongoing investigation, said the man, whose mother is a Nigerien, is an indigene of Imo State and got converted to Islam in 2003.

A source said the UN decided not to ignore the latest rumour of fresh attack not minding that it might turn out untrue but "we need to avoid regrets over the negligence associated with the last incident."

The Guardian also learnt that the central Close Circuit Television (CCTV) located on the ground floor of the burnt UN building recorded the details of how the office was bombed.

A UN source said after ramming into the first and second gates of the building, the suicide bomber came down from the car, which he had driven to the reception and detonated the bomb inside the office.

He said the image captured by the CCTV might not reveal the full identity of the suspect because he was covered with blood as a result of injuries he sustained while driving through the barricades.

Asked why the attacker was not held while preparing for the final phase of the assault, the source said the few security operatives on ground were confused, as they did not know what the bomber was up to. Besides, the private security men were not in possession of arms.

He said: "The CCTV captured the man when he came down from the Honda Accord car right inside the reception area. He came down, opened the booth of the car and then detonated the bomb that shattered most of the glasses on the windows in the entire complex. The CCTV may not capture the image of the bomber completely because blood covered all his body as he came down from the car. Nobody could move close to him because the car had already pulled down some of the walls, doors and windows but the CCTV got the image."

The essential service team of the UN in the country is made up of personnel in finance and operations, programme officers, UN insurance team raised to condole and interact with families of dead workers, security team and core human resources employees.

There were also fears yesterday that Nigeria stands to lose huge sums of money, which will be returned to the New York headquarters of the UN at the end of the year having been classified as "unspent funds."

The money was set aside for development programmes in the third quarter of 2011 but have been allegedly cancelled because of the explosion.

With the development, the possibility of Nigeria meeting substantial aspect of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015 is being doubted.

Notably, the UN head four - United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), World Health Organisation (WHO) and United Nations Development Fund (UNDP) - which control the major part of the yearly UN budget for Nigeria, will be compelled to return the unspent money to New York.

The Guardian learnt that part of the money would be channelled to the Horn of Africa (Ethiopian), which is suffering from acute hunger occasioned by famine.

Nigeria may further miss out on the budget for the first quarter of next year if urgent steps were not taken to provide temporary sites for the UN agencies to carry out their functions.

The source continued: "The situation is pretty bad for Nigeria. First, the bomb has set Nigeria back in its drive to meet the MDGs as the money earmarked for the third quarter has been lost. The tradition of the UN is to return all unspent money back to New York headquarters at the end of the financial year, which is December. The way things stand now, there is a possibility that Nigeria will not meet the MDGs targets because all the projects that are planned for the third quarter of this year have been cancelled.

"The only glimpse of hope now is the directive to programme officers to execute only projects that are doable and can yield tangible result and included in the work-plan for the year. Hopefully, we can have few projects executed but they are indeed very few."

It was learnt that payment of compensation to UN workers, who were killed in the blast may be underway as UN insurance team has arrived in Nigeria to begin work on modalities for the payment to the families of the deceased.

On the detained Boko Haram member, The SSS said that the suspect, who was brought up in Niger Republic where he had his early education, admitted to being a member of the sect as well as working with a third suspect from Kano State to carry out attacks in Suleja.

The SSS Public Relations Officer, Marilyn Ogar, told journalists in Abuja yesterday that the suspect along with four other members of the armed group were also responsible for the bombing of the All Christians Fellowship Church, Suleja on July 10, 2011.

Ogar said the confessions of the suspects led to the arrest of two accomplices from Borno State.

She said that the five suspects all confessed that the main supplier of the explosive materials used for the bombing operation is a miner from Nasarawa State, who the Service arrested on August 30, 2011.

"They also confessed that they took part in the killing of four policemen at a check-point at Dakwa-Deidei in Bwari Area Council of the FCT on May 22, 2011," she said.

While disclosing that the Service would charge them to court at the close of its investigations, Ogar said the suspects belong to the Boko Haram cell operating in the Suleja-Abuja axis, which is under the direction and control of a blood-thirsty leader now at large.

The SSS said it had discovered a building in Niger State where Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) are made.

The building, according to the SSS, is a non-descript two-room structure located in Chechnya, Hayin-Uku Village in Tafa Local Council of Niger State.

Ogar displayed items, including gas cylinder, battery connected to a detonator, two damaged detonators, one locally-made revolver, gun butt and knives recovered by its operatives.

Other items recovered by the SSS, which Ogar described as "merchandise of death", are: A ceiling fan coil, two laptop computers, 37 unused metallic oil filters, two metallic filters already primed for bombing, two cylinders and one clock connected to a primed bladeless ceiling fan with nine volts batteries ready for use and some pieces of shrapnel.

Also displayed by the authorities at the SSS headquarters in Abuja were a Honda Civic car registered in Borno State as AG94MNG, 200 pieces of detonators, red colour detonating cords, a Sony remote control, five battery chargers and a black bag containing detonating cables.

At the site of the building in Niger State, residents who spoke with reporters, expressed surprise at the development, and said they were taken aback by it.

 

 

 

Libyan rebels holding 200 Nigerians hostage

 

 

The crackdown on Nigerians in Libya continued yesterday, with the arrest of 25 by the rebel-controlled Transitional National Council (TNC), which has slackened Col. Muammar Gaddafi's 42-year grip on power.

The development has brought the number of Nigerians in detention to over 200, The Nation learnt. There are fears that the detained Nigerians may be killed by the rebels, if the Federal Government does not act on time.

A spokesman for trapped Nigerians in Tripoli, Mr. Daramola Siji, who spoke with our correspondent on the telephone, said: "About 25 Nigerians were today arrested in Tripoli and they are being detained in Salahdin part of the capital city. We have no access to them at all.

"So far, we have over 200 Nigerians being detained in various parts of Libya. We do not know their fate. We are praying that they will not be killed like other black migrant workers.

"The general pattern is that the rebels mount roadblocks and everytime black people are sighted in a bus, they will quickly arrest them and hound them into various cells in the city."

Asked how Nigerians fell into rebels' hands, Siji said: "Having been without food, they decided to venture out of their homes to look for what to buy and, in the process, most of them were arrested.

"I wish to appeal to the Federal Government to take action. We could not reach the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Olugbenga Ashiru, who has been sympathetic to our plight, with the opening up of talks with the TNC leaders.

"Although the Minister designated our Ambassador to Ethiopia to take charge of the situation in Libya, the envoy has remained incommunicado."

Responding to a question, Siji said: "The rebels felt the black migrants were the mercenaries used by Muammar Gaddafi to fight them and that is why they are embarking on retaliatory killings.

"But we have made the TNC to realise that the mercenaries used by Gaddafi were mostly Chadians and Nigeriens. No Nigerian fought on the side of Gaddafi."

A top source in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who spoke in confidence, said: "The Minister is away in Sweden for Nordic Ministers meeting. But he is on top of the situation, even from his base abroad.

"We have got assurances from the TNC, Britain and France that black migrants will no longer be attacked."

 

 

 

 

Scuffles disrupt Mubarak's trial as police testify

 

 

 

POLICE officers testifying at the trial of former President Hosni Mubarak have said they were not aware of orders to shoot at protesters, as scuffles erupted inside and outside the courtroom between supporters and opponents of the ousted Egyptian president.

Mubarak, 83, is charged with conspiring to kill protesters and "inciting" some officers to use live ammunition, in the first trial of an Arab leader in person since street unrest erupted across the Middle East early this year.

Protesters outside the Cairo court scuffled with police and voiced anger at the pace of the trial, which met for a third session on Monday after the first hearing on August 3.

"Prosecution, prosecution, we don't want delays," they chanted.

Many Egyptians say police used tear gas, rubber bullets and live ammunition against protesters in Cairo and other cities. About 850 people died in the 18-day uprising that ousted Mubarak on February 11.

Mubarak, hospitalised since April, was flown to the court by helicopter and wheeled on a gurney into a metal defendants' cage for the first session to hear witnesses.

Egyptians were riveted by images of Mubarak behind bars in the first two sessions. But the Judge Ahmed Refaat barred cameras from the trial after the last session on August 15. The next session will take place on September 7, state television reported.

 

 

 

 

Wonder wristwatches: Make calls, surf the Internet .

 

 

 

Ask a primary school pupil what a wristwatch is and the answer you will get is that it is a small timepiece worn on the wrist. Conventionally, it is believed that an individual's dressing is incomplete without a wristwatch. In other words, a wristwatch is also a fashion accessory that people can hardly do without.

However, in recent times wristwatches are no longer used just for the conventional purpose of keeping time and complementing dressing. The invention of some novel wristwatches has seen people investing in these items for purposes other than fashion.

I'm Watch, for instance, is one designed to work with Android based mobile phones. It is called a smartphone simpatico wristwatch, formulated by an Italian manufacturer. It is also compatible with other iOS devices such as iphone, ipad and ipod.

The I'm Watch showcases two varieties of the product: I'm Jewel, an opulence version designed with precious materials such as titanium, gold and diamond and the I'm Colour collection. About.com reports that the wristwatch works with a Bluetooth device that allows users to make and receive calls, e-mails and text messages as well. Users are also able to use its speakerphone to make hands-free calls.

It's most unique feature, however, is its touchscreen, where users are able to view the most popular social networking sites such as Twitter, Foursquare, Facebook notifications and photo gallery. Another of its exclusive applications is that a user can download items through the "I'm Store" and music through "I'm music".

The Vea Sportive, on the other hand, is a watch that, the designers claim, will revolutionise the world of sports training while wearing it. It can measure the pulse rate of the user, while the activity is ongoing. This allows the users to monitor their own rate and decide whether they can exert themselves a bit more if their pulse rate is still low or to reduce their effort to bring their pulse rate down to an acceptable level.

It also allows for playing of music as well as all the important functions of a training watch such as speed, calories burnt and total distance. Other basic features of the Vea Sportive watch include a camera, 1.5 touch-screen, Bluetooth, eight Gigabyte data storage and an SOS button – the Internet slang for 'Save Our Soul' - which sends out location and specific data of the user in case of an accident.

And for those who are big fans of chemistry and physics, the Atom watch will be an ideal accessory. It comes with a three dimensional design that replicates and represent each component of the atom consisting of the nucleus of proton and neutrons, the orbiting electrons and the trajectory path of the orbiting electrons. Unlike the hand of the conventional wrist watch that represents the hours, minutes and seconds, in Atom wristwatch, the hand of the hour and minute follows the path of the orbiting electron and the hand of the second starts from the nucleus. As thinkgeek observes, it just brings the user to an empty space to think about the wonders of physics and chemistry.

Another unique wristwatch is the Citizen Eco-Drive Watch which works with the Eco-Drive Satellite Wave. Unlike other regular radio signal watches that fluctuates the time automatically - with radio signal watches, the signals decreases with distance from the radio - the Citizen Eco-Drive Satellite Wave Watch receives and sync data from any Global Positioning Systems satellite that is orbiting the earth.

The Citizen Eco-Drive watch consists of dials that spins around the watch, indicating day and date as well as a digital and manual stop watch system. It comes in a distinguished black colour with a metallic green rim which has names of countries that the user can set the time to, though it sets the time in different countries automatically when the user is travelling.

The list of these unique wristwatches is endless, all offering different options but the choice lies with individuals. This choice may be influenced by either taste or size of the pocket.

 

 

 

Young mother poisons infant with petrol !

 

 

A young woman identified as Blessing Ekeh is held in police custody for allegedly killing her baby. Ekeh is purported to have killed her three month old baby due to her inability to pay a hospital bill amounting to N50,000.

Ekeh is alleged to have given her baby daughter petrol  motor spirit (PMS) to drink.  It was gathered that Ekeh gave birth to  a baby girl on May 16   through a Caesarian operation  at Ayorodex, a hospital and maternity home in  Oshodi, Lagos where she was charged the sum of N100,000  which she could not afford to pay. 

In a bid to coerce payment, the hospital management refused to allow her go back home and she had been confined to the hospital premises since May.  

Sources who requested anonymity said Blessing Ekeh struggled to pay half of her bill -  N50,000 but the hospital did not release her. According to the source, Ekeh became desperate and hatched a plan to kill the child in the hospital so as to free herself from the embarrassment. 

"On August 21, [she] sneaked outside and stole petrol which was kept for fuelling the hospital power generating set which she used to feed her baby."  

Hospital sources said they heard the baby crying but ignored it assuming a crying infant as normal in a maternity hospital. 

"Miss Ekeh allegedly sneaked out of the hospital after killing the baby and went into hiding but during a routine check by nurses who were on duty the baby was found dead on the hospital bed. The nurses raised an alarm and a quick medical examination of the child by the hospital indicated that the child  gave up after sipping some quantity of petrol.    

A senior nurse of the hospital, Opeyemi Wahab, went to report the incident at Akinpelu police division. Following the report, the policemen were said to  have arrived the scene of the incident where  the corpse of the baby was removed and taken to a General Hospital for autopsy. 

Efforts to get the medical director of the hospital to speak on the incident were not successful as this reporter was turned down by nurses who said the medical director was not in town. 

Miss Ekeh  has since been arrested  and the case  transferred to the  Homicide department of the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID) Panti  Yaba for thorough investigation.

 

 

 

 

Man kills aunt after reading 'Seven Books of Moses'

 

 

 

 

Residents of Amawbia, near Awka, the Anambra State capital, were in shock yesterday as news of a young man who allegedly killed his aunt filtered into the streets.

According to a family source, the man, who is about 21 years old, "killed the aunt after reading seven books of Moses"
The police in Anambra State have arrested  the young man, simply known as Chidi, who cut off his aunt's head and dumped the rest of the body in the cesspit of an uncompleted building.

The man, who the police said has confessed to the crime, is being held along with his mother, brother and sister by the police in Awka.

The Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, Emeka Chukwuemeka, told newsmen in Awka yesterday that in spite of the confession of the prime suspect, the police would carry out further investigations to establish the motive of the crime.

"This is heinous. This is a heinous crime as far as we are concerned. The suspect has been arrested. We are working on the lead that he could not have committed the crime alone. We will eventually arrest those that must have carried out the act with him," the PPRO said.

He, however, could not say if the killing was done for ritual purposes or not.

The suspect was said to have been caught once reading the 'Seven Books of Moses' and some strange mystical objects.

The deceased, Mrs. Margaret Nwanna, was said to have gone missing on Friday, last week.

But, none of the family members who lived in the same house with her could give account of her whereabouts.

It was then that concerned extended relations of the deceased called in the police, who arrested every member of the household.

It was during police interrogation that Chidi was said to have confessed to the crime and took the police to the place where the body of the deceased was dumped.

Family sources said that there was no love lost between the deceased and the family of the  suspect before the deceased was killed. 

The suspect's mother had been married to the brother of the deceased.

But the suspect's mother, after having one child for the deceased's brother, left him and later had the suspect and a daughter and another son outside of wedlock.

She returned to her husband's house later on.

But, she and the children she returned with never made up with her sister in-law (the deceased).

 

 

 

 

Bayelsa under siege of cultists !

 

 

 

TO an average Bayelsan, taking a walk on the streets of the state capital, Yenagoa, or any other town and community in the oil rich state, comes with a lot of risks and unexpected costly sacrifices. Organised crimes such as armed robbery or attacks on banks by hoodlums have faded away as a result of the steady patrols by the police and the activities of the special security outfit, code named "Operation Famou Tangbei".

Notwithstanding, the recent upsurge in cult violence in the state has succeeded in creating an atmosphere of insecurity among the people, even as tension builds up against the February 2012 governorship poll.

It is quite worrisome and inexplicable that many cultist groups have thrived in the state despite the efforts of the security agencies to rid Bayelsa of criminals.

Investigations by the Nigerian Tribune revealed that supremacy tussle among these warring cult groups has shattered the seeming peace and tranquillity being enjoyed by the Ijaws as violent clashes during the day and night often culminate in pandemonium and loss of lives. Whenever such development occurs, residents at the scene of the clashes are made to go through horrors, with trepidation and psychological trauma of killings and maiming perpetrated by the cultists.

More worrisome is the startling discovery of cultist groups among pupils of secondary schools in the state, some of who were about three months ago, arrested by men of the Bayelsa State Police Command, during an initiation procedures on their new entrants.

Available statistics shows that no fewer than six persons had lost their lives to the mayhem between June and August 2011, just as 20 youths were arrested following the last cult clash, which occurred on  27th, August  at Sagbama Local Government Area of the state.

Horrible skirmishes of about three Sundays, involving feuding cults groups would not be forgotten in a hurry by residents of Akemfa and Ekeki neighbourhoods, in Yenagoa Local Government area. On that particular day alone, three persons were shot dead around 10.30pm when rival groups engaged themselves in a fierce battle that lasted for almost an hour. Pedestrians, residents and shop owners within these areas trembled as sporadic gunshots rent the air, a chaotic development that forced some pubs located in the affected areas to hurriedly close their shops.

Commenting on the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Bayelsa State Police Command, ASP Eguaveon Emopkae stated that, "it is true that three persons were shot dead in some areas, but we are on top of the situation.

Continuing, he explained that "The Sunday killing was a cult related issue. It happened in Yenagoa Division. At Akemfa, one person was shot dead around 8.30am and there was also another killing around Ekeki in the night. But I can assure you that we are doing our best to make sure that the perpetrators of the dastardly acts are apprehended soonest."

No sooner than the security concern raised by the killing subsided, last week Monday, was characterised by another spilling of blood as battle between members of cult societies identified as Icelanders and Greenlanders left two persons  suspected to be their members dead.

That latest violence, Nigerian Tribune authoritatively gathered, sparked off when adherents of the Icelanders group were attempting to carry out forceful initiation of some youths of Onopa area,  Yenagoa, into their group. Subsequently, the refusal of few of them to be initiated attracted a kingpin of Greenlanders, a rival cult, thereby resulting in a gun duel, while axes, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons were freely used to attack each other in a free for all.

Timely intervention of the police prevented the violence from escalating, while they also succeeded in arresting 20 persons, alleged to have participated in the clash. The police PPRO hinted  that victims of the cult war and those that sustained severe injuries had been taken to Patani General Hospital, in Delta State.

Surprisingly, a lady, who supplies members of the Icelanders cult with marijuana and other concoctions such as "monkey tail" was apprehended with a "Ghana Must Go" bag stuffed with dried Indian hemp.

However, the fear being expressed in some quarters now is the vulnerability of the cultists to the monetary enticement of desperate politicians, who may have perfected plans to use them in the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

Already, there are allegations that some top local government officials in Bayelsa have recruited a number of cultists to cow their political opponents and also use them to perpetrate electoral violence as preparations for the much awaited gubernatorial poll gathers momentum.

A social commentator, who spoke to the Nigerian Tribune under condition of anonymity, contended that "the menace of these cult groups must be halted as fast as possible by the law enforcement agencies if peace must reign in this state."

"We cannot continue to live with bated breath, owing to the inimical activities of cultists, whose attacks have constituted great threat to the peace and healthy co-existence among the people. Government should be alive to its responsibilities and do something concrete to eradicate cultism by providing job opportunities to a larger percentage of idle youths in this state. If they have something doing, that could guarantee them some means of livelihood, there will be no tendency for them to be lured into cultism. Unemployment has substantially fuelled the number of cultists in Bayelsa State and this is a fact that can be easily disputed if otherwise."

Meanwhile, gun wielding cultists, continued their attack, on Sunday night, in Yenagoa, as they gunned down another three  persons, in a relaxation joint at Kpansia area, in Yenagoa Local Government.

Investigations by Nigerian Tribune indicated that the cultists, who stormed the pub around 8.30pm in a car, moved swiftly to where their targets were sitting and opened fire, killing instantly the victims before escaping after confirming that they were dead.

Among their latest victims was an undergraduate of a university in one of the South- South states.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

 

 

 

 

 

N150m Tax Arrears: LIRS Seals DStv Office.

 

 

THE Lagos State government yesterday shut down the Lagos office of MultiChoice Nigeria Limited, operators of cable television, DSTV, over an alleged tax evasion to the tune of N150 million.

Special Adviser to Governor Babatunde Fashola on Taxation and Revenue, Bola Shodipo, who confirmed the closure of the DSTV office to journalists, vowed that state government would not relent in going after companies which fail to voluntarily honour the payment of their taxes.

According to him, "it is an offence for any individual or company to decide not to pay their taxes which are a major source of revenue generation for government."

He said that the power to prosecute defaulters as conferred on the board of Lagos Internal revenue Service (LIRS) by the Personal Income Tax had been used in the past years to enforce payment of assessed tax liability.

Shodipo also disclosed that only 20 per cent of the internally-generated revenue was from the informal sector.

"I think with time, they would be doing more because I expected that they form the largest bulk of the state population," he said.

Shodipo said that the LIRS had continued to encourage compliance by the public by making tax payment convenient and straight-forward for all.

"They could do this over 1,200 bank branches of designated banks and 40 LIRS tax stations across the state and major market", he said.

"We have also continued to work with our bankers and agents over the past three years towards ensuring that revenue receipts and electronic tax clearance cards are issued on time," he said.

The state government had in the last three years shut down over 300 companies over tax evasion.

In 2009, the state government recovered about N20 billion from defaulting companies, just as it prosecuted several companies over tax evasion as well as failing to remit tax deductions from their employees.

As at press time, the management of MultiChoice Nigeria and officials of the LIRS were in discussion on modalities to enable them offset the unpaid taxes.

 

 

 

 

 

FG plans 3 coal-fired power stations.

 

The Federal  Government is to build three coal-fired power stations in Enugu, Kogi and Gombe states with the capacity to generate 3,000Megawatts, so as to diversify electricity sources in the country.

Minister of Power, Professor Bart Nnaji, disclosed the Federal Government's new energy mix, yesterday, at a briefing organised by the Federal Ministry of Information to mark the first 100 days of the President Goodluck Jonathan administration.

He said: "Not only does Nigeria have huge coal deposits in Enugu, Kogi, Gombe and  Benue states, but we have the world's cleanest type of coal."

Though the government is spearheading the establishment of the new power stations, it was learnt that it will not own them outright, in line with the ongoing power sector reform.

The Federal Government will have about 25 per cent with state governments and private sector companies owning the rest of the coal-fired companies which may take about four years to complete.

On whether the Ministry of Power will revive the Oji River coal-powered generating station in Enugu State which was destroyed during the Nigerian Civil War, Prof. Nnaji said the dilapidated station was obsolete and produced a mere 35MW "which might have been appropriated for an era when many communities did not have electricity and when neither the population nor the economic activity in the country was as high as it is today."

Nnaji disagreed with suggestion that the country could face criticism from the international community over coal-powered stations because of the environmental implications.

United States and South Africa, he noted, produce more electricity from coal than from any other source.
He said: "We do not expect the international community, including environmental groups, to display double standards so glaringly against us. In any case, ours is clean coal, far better than what obtains in many parts of the world, especially Europe."

Coal from Enugu and Benue,  in particular, has low ash and is of high calorific value while that of Kogi is friable, or easy to use to form smokeless coal bricket.

 

 

 

Winners emerge in Glo SIM registration campaign .

 

Globacom, has announced the first set of winners in its ongoing Glo SIM registration campaign. The campaign which commenced recently, was aimed at encouraging Glo subscribers to register their old and new SIM cards before the 28 September deadline given by the industry regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), while earning fantastic rewards.

The winners comprise 17 lucky subscribers who have registered their SIMs and are now winners of N1 million each in the daily draws of the promotion; a set of 10 lucky subscribers have won all-expenses paid trips to Dubai, 9 others who have won free trips to the UK to watch the home matches of English Premier League champions, Manchester United and 100 subscribers who have won N20, 000 worth of free airtime.
Speaking about the development, Globacom's Group COO, Mohamed Jameel said the winners were picked from Glo subscribers who have complied with NCC regulations and promptly registered their SIMs. He, therefore, urged all Glo subscribers who are yet to register to do so promptly so that they can also benefit from the bumper rewards being given by Glo to its subscribers.

"We are committed to ensuring that all our subscribers are registered before the September 28 NCC deadline for SIM registration. We are also committed to the process of ensuring that our valued subscribers who register their SIMs stand a chance of winning prizes which include guaranteed free airtime, N1 million daily and free trips to Manchester and Dubai . The time to register is now as the benefits of registration are many on the Glo network", he said.

The winners of the N1 million daily prize in the promo include Moses Abi Obi from Benue state, Isaac Obialor from Okigwe, Imo state, Paul Olaha from Umuahia, Abia state, Mustapha Alokolodo from Ajegunle, Lagos, Joy Oluwaseun from Yaba, Lagos, Opuene Doute from Yenagoa, Bayelsa state, John Monye from Warri, Delta state and Aliu Safianu from Kaduna state.

Others are Pwakuli Ishaku from Numan, Adamawa state, Ahmed Usman from Nassarawa state, Ibrahim Aliu from Kebbi state, Emeka Nwairoegbu from Rivers state, Effiong Akpan from Calabar, Cross River state, Adeyemisi Ikioda from Ibadan Oyo state, Olumide Ogunsakin from Ekiti state, Oyi Bello from Kogi state and Chinenye Obi from Anambra state.

The winners of the all expenses paid trip to Dubai are Cecilia Odey, Alexander Assor from Rivers state, Mohammed Ida from the FCT, Adebola Olasimbo and Echo Onyeagu from Lagos, Nana Abdullahi from Zamfara state, Andrew Omame from Imo state, Zibiah Bulus from Kaduna state, Okogba Emmanuel from Delta state and Adediran Folashade from Osun state.
Set to make the trip to Manchester in the United Kingdom are Muritala Alabi from Oyo state, Ayodele Ayodepe from Kogi state, Tyra Fom from the FCT, Sabo Bello from Kano state, Sunday Hungbu from Ogun state, Alex Izogo from Delta state, Ayoola Obisan from Oyo state, Anthony Ovbiebo and Chinasa Egwuatu from Lagos state.

The Glo SIM registration campaign offers fantastic rewards for Glo subscribers who register their SIMs before the September 28, 2011 deadline. The rewards include N1 million daily, free trips to Manchester and Dubai for 60 lucky winners, N20,000 worth of free airtime for 300 lucky subscribers and a guaranteed N200 worth of bonus airtime provided the subscriber recharges N500 and above monthly during the promotion.

 

 

 

 

 

POLITICS

 

 

Presidential tribunal exposes reason for Salami's removal – ACN

 

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) said the speedy disbandment of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal constituted by Justice Ayo Salami may have finally exposed the real reason he (Justice Salami) was removed as the President of the Court of Appeal (PCA).

In a statement issued in Lagos on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said all other illegalities committed by the NJC and President Goodluck Jonathan in removing Justice Salami aside, now seem clear to everyone that he was actually eased out to pave the way for judges, whom those behind his removal perceived as 'friendly', to sit on the tribunal.

"That Justice Dalhatu Adamu, Acting President of the PCA, quickly dismantled the panel, even as time is running out to hear the case filed by the CPC challenging the President's election, seems to be a confirmation of the rumours making the rounds that President Jonathan was afraid that his election may be overturned by the old panel, hence, he acceded to the illegal recommendation of the NJC to remove Justice Salami.
"Even if there is no sinister motive for the action by Justice Adamu in dispersing the judges sitting on the case, which is possible, his hasty action at a time the controversy over the way Justice Salami was removed is at its peak is enough reason to sow the seeds of doubt over his action," it said.

ACN said the disbandment of the election petition panel now made it difficult for anyone to believe that enlightened self-interest was not the reason why the President ignored the Constitution in aligning with the recommendation of the NJC on Justice Salami.
The party said if the removal of Justice Salami and the disbanding of the tribunal was considered along with the fact that President Jonathan was a party to the pending case before it (tribunal), it seemed more evident than ever that the President failed to abide by the Code of Conduct for Public Officers, as contained in the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution.
"Paragraph 1 of the code states: '[a] public officer shall not put himself in a position where his personal interest conflicts with his duties and responsibilities.'

"This is one more reason why the President must reverse his action on the Justice Salami case today. Otherwise he would expose himself to the accusation and rightly so, that he allowed his personal interest to dictate his conduct as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria," ACN said.

 

 

 

Lagos ACN screens 487 chairmanship aspirants.

 

 

The Lagos State Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) yesterday began the final screening of 487 chairmanship aspirants in the 57 councils spread across the three senatorial districts.

The exercise began amid the struggle for the control of the councils by the two dominant caucuses - Justice Forum and Mandate Group - in the next dispensation. 

Observers have predicted a fierce battle at the primaries, especially in local governments where outgoing chairmen are not seeking re-election.

The screening followed the inauguration of a panel headed by the party's chairman, Otunba Dele Ajomale, who advised the aspirants to abide by the rules of the exercise. 

Party leaders from the five divisions of the state witnessed the ceremony, which the chairman described as the beginning of the councillorship and chairmanship race.

The panel is chaired by Prof. Dapo Aderibigbe of the Obafemi Awolowo University OAU), Ile Ife. Other members are: former Information and Strategy Commissioner, Dele Alake; former Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, Bola Badmus-Olujobi; Deputy Registrar of Lagos State Polytechnic, Lanre Kuye; Captain Lisk Keru, a party leader from Lagos Island; Ademola Sodiq, a lawyer; and Alhaja Sade Agbalajobi, the younger sister of the late scholar and politician, Prof. Femi Agbalajobi.

Ajomale told the members that they should clear the aspirants on the set criteria, adding that they were not expected to go beyond their terms of reference.

He urged the panel to vet the certificates and other documents submitted by the aspirants, warning that ACN would not tolerate fraudulent claims.

Ajomale said: "We are responding to the guidelines by the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC). After the screening, the panel is expected to submit its report to the party leadership for consideration. They will screen aspirants from each senatorial district for two days. By Saturday, we expect the panel to round off. We are grateful to the members for this political service to the party and the state."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CRIME FILE

 

 

 

 

 

Father drowns 3-year-old son in Osun River

 

A30-year-old taxi driver in Ede, Osun State, Tajudeen Kazeem has drowned his three- year -old son ,Toib in Osun River. Also, police have arrested two suspects in connection with the kidnap of a 70 -year-old woman, Mrs Victoria Babatunde, who was abducted at her home in Inisa in August.

Kazeem and the two suspected kidnappers, Peter Tominie and Fawole Damilola were among suspects paraded by the Osun State Police Command on Tuesday in Osogbo.
Speaking to Daily Sun after being paraded at the police headquarters,Osogbo, Kazeem said he could not believe he had murdered his son.

"I don't know what came over me. But I can remember taking him to Osun River and throwing him inside. It was the devil's work. Government and my people should forgive me. I loved Toib. My life is ruined," he lamented.
He confirmed that Toib was a product of an extra marital affair between him and Iyabo Sikiru.
Kazeem had picked Toib from his (father's) aunt's place where he was living in preparation for last week's sallah only for him to drown the boy in the river around 6a.m the next day.

Also, two out of a six- man gang of kidnappers, who demanded N800,000 ransom from the family of a 70- year-old woman ,Victoria Babatunde are assisting the police in tracking down others.
The Commissioner of Police, Olusegun Solomon, who was represented by the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Criminal Investigation Department, Adeyemi Gbola said they were arrested at Gbongan, when they were about to pick the ransom.

"The old woman was abducted from her shop at Inisa on August 6 at 7.30p.m. The Police, after a while got a tip-off and took the ransom to Gbongan Junction. The two suspects were arrested and the woman has been reunited with her children."
In an interview with the two suspects they said those at large were those, who were really involved in the crime.
The police linked the gang with the abduction of a popular liquor seller in Osogbo, Alhaji R.A Olaiya in March.
The police boss assured people of safety, saying suspects would be charged to court once the strike by labour unions was over.

 

 

 

 

Pregnant woman dies while separating fight .

 

 

Confusion continued to trail the police investigation into the killing of an Egun man, Abiodun Ogungbe in Idolehin Community in Ado-Odo area of Ogun State as Zone 11 police headquaters in Lagos suddenly took over the investigation last week.

 

In a dramatic turn of event, the youths of Idolehin, who were the complainants in the alleged murder of their kinsman on June29, 2011 surprisingly turned to suspects, as two of them were handcuffed and moved to zone 11, Lagos. The Idolehin people were shocked at the development as the Ogun State Police Command headquarters had commenced investigation following the persistent cry for justice of the deceased's wife, Bose Ogungbe and the grieving community.

The widow, who lost her husband two days after the naming of their new born baby lamented to Daily Sun the lukewarm attitude of the policemen from Ado- Odo to the death of her husband.

 

"They did not answer us when we went to complain to them that the person they came to arrest was found dead on the road few hours later. My mother-in-law was there with other people from the community. They never bothered. In fact we were told to carry our dead. When they eventually came after our people cried to the higher authorities, they never bothered to ask me any question. I know those who took away my husband," she said amidst tears.

 

According to the counsel to the community, Wahab Shittu, the community had to complain to the state command for proper investigation into the death of Ogungbe, when the police division in Ado- Odo, which is nearer to them refused to take any action to investigate the heinous crime.

 

In fact there was drama and confusion at the zone 11,when the wife of the deceased, who had accompanied those handcuffed from Abeokuta to Lagos sighted persons she had mentioned to be among those, who had come in company of police men from Ado- Odo to arrest him few hours before his lifeless body with badly bruised legs was found on the road. According to impeccable police source, the widow threw caution to the wind when she saw them as she was going to wrestle one of them, who she apparently knew but for the timely intervention of a senior police officer at the scene.

All the parties in the matter are expected to return to zone 11 today for further interrogation.

 

 

 

 

Motor Dealer dies in failed robbery operation.

 

 

Chairman of a Motor Dealers Association in Ogun State has been shot dead by Ogun State Police Command during an ill-fated robbery operations during which a Prado Jeep was allegedly snatched at gun point from its owner in Lagos.

Addressing a press conference Tuesday at the Eleweran Police Headquarters, Abeokuta, where a number of suspects in various crimes were paraded, the Commissioner of Police, Nicholas Nkemdeme said the killed Motor Dealer (whose name was not released because of police investigation) was the leader of the gang which robbed the owner of the vehicle last Sunday.

He said the car owner was going to the church alongside with his family when the bandits struck, snatching the car at gun point, before heading towards Ogun State. The victim was said to have later informed the vehicle tracking company about the development.

It was at this stage the company commenced track monitoring on the stolen vehicle and the police anti-crime patrol attached to Sagamu Division were alerted.

The stolen Jeep was traced to a nearby busy within the area, where it was kept besides three other vehicles. The suspects took to their heels when they sighted the police team combing the area.

However, one of the gang members, who was later identified as Chairman of Motor Dealers Association in the area, summoned courage to engage the police in a gun duel, but the superior fireworks of the police rendered him ineffective.

The Police Commissioner said, in the course of the fire exchange, the man was gunned down, while three other members escaped from the scene. Mr Nkemdeme assured that the suspects would soon be apprehended.

Other vehicles from recovered from the bandits, which were shown to newsmen, include a Peugeot 406 with registration number CW 727 RBC and a Logan Renault with registration number SH 841 AAA.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SPORTS

 

 

 

Magical Messi ruined Eagles - Siasia

 

A magical Lionel Messi relished his new role as the Argentina captain as he set up two fine goals to help beat Nigeria 3–1 in a friendly encounter in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka yesterday and Nigeria's Coach, Samson Siasia could not agree more that he is just the best.

Siasia, speaking after the encounter admitted his men simply could not live with Messi. "The game was difficult but Messi made the difference," said Siasia. "We tried to contain him but he was the best player of the game."

The Barcelona superstar, who has often failed to find top form for his country, set the pitch alight with his magnificent left foot, weaving through Nigeria's defence at will to deafening cheers at a three-quarter-full stadium. It was new Argentina Coach, Alejandro Sabella's second victory in as many matches.

His team beat Venezuela 1–0 in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata last Friday in front of 120,000 spectators as part of an Asian tour to drum up new support.
Sabella, who replaced Sergio Batista after Argentina's disappointing performance at the Copa America on home soil in July, said Messi was the difference on the night.
"He did not score but he assisted all three goals. He was the best player in the match. It does not matter whether he scores of not," he said.

The trickster set up the first goal with a deft chip that sent Gonzalo Higuain clear in the 25th minute.
Angel di Maria tapped home the second two minutes later after Messi again ran through the gaping Nigerian defence before his shot was parried by the goalkeeper, the ball falling invitingly for di Maria.

Sabella admitted that, although new to the job, the heat was already on him to deliver.
"I am very happy with the result," he said. "The Argentina fans are very demanding. I feel the pressure of the job so winning the first two games was therefore important for me."

A second-string Argentina lost away to Nigeria in June, but Sabella said revenge was not the motivation in Dhaka. "It was a very good victory. But I don't believe in revenge," he said.

 

 

Yobo thrilled with Fenerbahce return

 

Everton defender Joseph Yobo has rejoined Turkish giants Fenerbahce on a season-long loan.

The Nigeria international, 31, spent last season on loan there, helping the club secure the Super Lig championship.

Yobo, whose Everton contract runs until 2014, did not play in any of their pre-season fixtures and is relieved his future has been sorted out.

"I'm delighted everything is resolved, it's been a frustrating three months to be honest," he said.

"A little hitch here and there but finally I have rejoined a club where I found relative calm, happiness and excitement last season. I am happy with the decision that I have taken, it is normal for a player to seek regular playing time and I know Fenerbahce guarantee that."

Fenerbahce were keen to retain his services and a new loan deal was completed before the Turkish transfer deadline passed at 2200 BST on Monday.

Yobo had looked set to join Fenerbahce at the end of the 2010-11 campaign but instead returned to Merseyside.

Since then the club have been at the centre of a match-fixing scandal and lost its league title and its European qualification.

But Yobo is not ready to be drawn into the allegations.

"We are a strong team and will fight harder. We will prove again that we are the best team," he said.

"We have a passionate and massive fan base, we have dedicated players and the management is top notch, so we are stronger once again.

"I thank Everton Football Club for their support, Nigerian fans, players and officials for their understanding - now is the time to give my best to Fenerbahce once again."

 

Platini: Other teams can't copy Barca's style

 

UEFA president Michel Platini believes trying to copy Barcelona is "difficult" and feels the only way to beat them is by changing styles of play.

"It's difficult to emulate Barcelona's brand of football," Platini told Sky Sport Italia. "I think their way of playing can only be surpassed if other teams adopt different styles."

Pep Guardiola's men appear unstoppable after winning La Liga, the Champions League, European Super Cup and Supercopa in the space of just a few months.

Platini also spoke on the Italian game and it's decline in Europe after losing a Champions League place to Germany from this season, but contested the game isn't suffereing.

"I don't think Italian football is struggling," said Platini. "I recently handed the Champions League trophy to AC Milan [in 2007] and Inter [in 2010]."

 

 

Brazil struggle to beat 10-man Ghana

 

 

Brazil, with playmaker Ronaldinho back in the side, struggled to beat 10-man Ghana 1-0 in a friendly at Fulham's Craven Cottage ground on Monday.

Leandro Damiao struck the only goal on the stroke of halftime, running on to a defence-splitting ball from Fernandinho and finding the corner of the net from a tight angle.

It was one of the few moments of invention from the former world champions, even with the crafty Ronaldinho returning for his first international appearance since November after showing excellent form for Brazilian title contenders Flamengo.

Ghana never threatened after having defender Daniel Opare sent off in the 32nd minute, a series of over exuberant challenges earning him repeated warnings from Mike Dean before the English referee ran out of patience.

The game started at a furious pace but the red card changed things, with Ghana retreating after halftime in a bid to keep Brazil at bay.

The match occasionally threatened to boil over as Dean produced seven yellow cards in addition to the two cautions received by Opare.

Ronaldinho, a World Cup winner in 2002, only came to the fore towards the end.

Perfect Cross

He delivered a perfect cross to provide substitute Alexandre Pato with a header that forced a brilliant save from Ghana's new goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey.

The Norwegian-born keeper, winning his second cap, then saved a free kick by Ronaldinho in the 89th minute.

After the match Ronaldinho and Damiao were included by coach Mano Menezes in a squad of home-based players for two 'B' friendlies against Argentina later this month.

Also included were gifted teenagers Neymar and Lucas, who were in Brazil's Copa America squad in July, but midfielder Paulo Henrique Ganso will miss out after being injured against Ghana.

Monday's win for Brazil, who will host the 2014 World Cup, followed their unexpectedly early elimination from the Copa America and a 3-2 defeat by Germany in a friendly in Stuttgart last month.

 

 

 

 

 

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