Foreign reserve drops to $25.209bn

Kemi Adeosun, Minister of Finance
Nigeria’s foreign continue to depreciate in the face of economic recession, low capacity oil production and dwindling revenue profile.

As at August 17, 2016, the reserve stood at $25.209bn from about $30.837bn recorded on August 13, 2015. It represented about $5.628bn reflected in a year period, CBN data showed.

In a week, between August 11, and 17, the foreign reserve depreciated by $119.810m from $25.329bn to $25.209bn.
However in the same period of 2015, the reserve rose by $84.990million.
In the first week of August 2015, it peaked at $31.537bn as against the $30.837 recorded in the second week, by August 13, 2015.
This period largely witnessed currency control regime of the CBN which saw Nigeria’s foreign reserve to deplete hugely as the CBN struggled to shore up the Naira, a war it eventually lost to the liberation of the naira.
The CBN lately had introduced a number of measures to reduce the pressure on foreign reserve. Some of these measures including, restricting Foreign Exchange (FX) sales to 41 items, banned of sale of FX to BDCs, restrictions on daily FX spending on ATM abroad and other policies.
Credit:Dailytrust

FORUM COORDINATOR CHARGED FOR CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY AND INTIMIDATION

                            Joyous Stanley Ilumah after the bail

The Coordinator, PHCN STAFF FORUM, Kaduna Mr. Stanley Ilumah was yesterday docked at the Customary Court I Tudun Wada Kaduna for criminal conspiracy, criminal intimidation and defamation of character of Moses Amedu and Ali Sikamta Mishelinga.

The prosecutor, Sergeant Nanjul Amos who read the charges to the hearing of the accused (Stanley Ilumah) informed the court that the above offences contravenes sections 96, 398 and 391 of the penal code of northern Nigeria respectively. The plea of the accused was taken and denied the charges.
Consequently, in his submission, the counsel to the defendant and PHCN STAFF Forum, Barrister Suleiman Rufai prayed the court to grant his client bail. The Honourable Judge, IbrahimTitus Jujas granted the application and accused bail accordingly.

            Members of PHCN STAFF FORUM, KAduna at the Court
Selected members of the Forum were on hand in solidarity with the coordinator. Solidarity songs erupted after the release of the coordinator signaling the resolve to continue to fight on till victory is achieved.
The plaintiffs had no legal representation in court. An executive of the National Union of Electricity Employees who arrived the court after the proceedings looked befuddled, ruffled and bewildered. A member of the Forum who craved anonymity said he confessed that he did not know, this issue will get to this level. The case was adjourned to 1st September, 2016 for further hearing.

ISSUES SURROUNDING THE PLANNED DEMOLITION OF GBAGYI VILLA COMMUNITY KADUNA

Since March 4 when residents of Gbagyi Villa Community - a new settlement behind Kaduna Polytechnic by Sabon Tasha were issued notices of demolition amidst heavy security presence in what the Kaduna state government termed illegal encroachment of Kaduna polytechnic land, life has become terribly unbearable. Apprehension has grown from mere headache to nightmare and worse of all hypertension. Some law abiding residents were molested for daring to inquire the rationale behind KASUPDA’s action and the heavy presence of security in a civil and peaceful environment. From the foregoing, Gbagyi Villa is marked for unjustifiable demolition and waiting for the bulldozers to come in any moment from now. 

As a civil and law abiding community, the temple of justice was its last resort and Kaduna State High Court currently entertains the matter. To ensure that justice was not denied both parties until the determination of the suit, an interlocutory injunction was given to Kaduna State government, its agents and proxies to desist from further actions. At this juncture it was incumbent on both parties and proxies to desist from actions capable of shattering the peace, one that could interfere with the court processes, impugn on the authority of the court or violate the rights of both parties. The community in its characteristic peaceful manner has left the court to do its job bearing in mind that it is the last hope of the common man.
However, in an unscheduled visit by the governor to the over 3000 fully developed housing community, 40 churches, about 12 schools and more than 5,000 inhabitants on Thursday, July 21 the governor said there was no going back on the planned demolition exercise. El-Rufai who stormed the community in company of top Kaduna state government officials, Kaduna Polytechnic Management team amidst heavy security presence said it was unfortunate some people have been coned into buying government owned land. Therefore, the community cannot stop their houses from being demolished. It is disheartening for one to stand and listen to a conversation where it has been concluded that one’s house stands at the mercy of an impending bulldozer. Did Kaduna state government take into account the enormity of pain and damage it will inflict on the community by taking this anti-people oriented action?
El-Rufai informed journalists that although, the government of Kaduna State and its agencies were aware that the case is in a competent court, action will however be taken against criminal trespassers. The Governor said the encroached land case in court has little to do with breaking of the law, “when you break the law you can’t go to court and hide.” This sudden twist and the unscheduled visit to Gbagyi Community by the governor is serious considering his antecedent as a minister of the Federal Capital Territory. That visit is an affront to the ongoing judicial process and crass intimidation of a harmless community with the instrumentality of power.
A good father does not take side when crisis breaks out among his children. He takes pain to peacefully mediate for peace to return and rein in his home. As at this moment, the governor has not deemed it fit to bring both parties to a round table for an amicable resolution of the land dispute. Instead, he has continued to show preference to the Polytechnic by his actions and deeds. The governor has already delivered judgement in his “executive court” in favour of Kaduna Polytechnic. The presence of the Rector, Kaduna Polytechnic Dr. Mohammed Bello Ibrahim, who was in the entourage of the governor at the time of that visit without any representative of Gbagyi Community, is a clear indication of the governor’s subjective position which must be noted. The governor veered off the substance of discussion and blamed some people for giving the matter religious and ethnic colorations maintaining that government will not allow illegal encroachment on Kaduna Polytechnic land to stand. He warned that, the present administration will not condone any form of illegality in the state, stressing that in Kaduna nobody can hide behind religion or his or her ethnic group to break the law and get away with it. As a listening government, the above sentiment raised by the governor should be a good reason to apply brake in the interest of peace.
According to the Chairman, Gbagyi Villa Community, Chris Obodum, Gbagyi Villa is the ancestral land of the Gbagyi people before part of it was acquired by Kaduna Polytechnic. He maintained that the parcel of land in question has been a source of conflict between the native People of Gbagyi because the owners claimed they were not duly compensated at the time of acquisition. Sometimes in 2010, a suit was instituted against Kaduna Polytechnic by indigenous Gbagyi people. In the course of the proceedings, Kaduna Polytechnic sought for out of court settlement of the case. The court obliged and the matter was settled amicably. Thereafter, the late governor of Kaduna State, Sir Patrick Yakowa waded into the matter and after due diligence and administrative processes inaugurated a “White Paper Committee” in May, 2011 which looked into the matter and amicably demarcated the boundary between the two parties. Consequently, Kaduna State government issued a white paper while the Surveyor General of Kaduna State produced a survey map demarcating Polytechnic land from that of Gbagyi Villa Community. As we speak, Kaduna Polytechnic land has been adequately secured with a wall of fence and it is instructive to mention that no member of Gbagyi Villa Community lives or is building inside the fenced polytechnic land. He argued that the governor’s actions are untenable excuses to destroy the products and sweats of ordinary citizens by force of the law and power that have sworn to protect citizens.
Government white paper is a definite instrument employed in the decision making processes of states on various range of issues including settlement of land matters. It is an authentic government policy document which lays to permanent rest such burning issues of state and not one to be dismissed or spurned to satisfy the vested the interest of individuals. Government is a continuum and as such decisions of previous governments which the present found unacceptable could be reviewed in line with laid down administrative processes. That has not been done by Kaduna state government in relation to Gbagyi Villa. The antagonistic and premeditated posture of Nasir El-Rufai on this issue contradicts the amicable out of the court resolution initiated by Kaduna Polytechnic. It scorns the stable peace and friendliness both the community and the Polytechnic enjoy through the good effort of late Governor Patrick Yakowa and the boundary demarcation carried out by the Surveyor General of Kaduna State which was graciously accepted by Kaduna Polytechnic by erecting concrete fence around their portion of land. It is an attempt to rewrite history and an effort to rupture the existing peace in Kaduna because it is unthinkable for people to fold their hands and watch their hard earned properties go down in rubbles.
This matter is before Kaduna State High Court and an interlocutory injunction was given to Kaduna state government, its agencies and proxies, the Nigerian police and others to refrain from taking further action pending the determination of the suit. In the light of above, one wonders what nectar of interest the governor has which prompted him to visit Gbagyi Villa on July, 21 in defiance of the court injunction. It baffles one that Kaduna state government has become a meddlesome interloper in a matter bothering a Federal Higher institution which can sue and be sued, stand firm and defend itself. It is even more curious that Kaduna Polytechnic has resorted to self-help on a matter before a court of competent jurisdiction in the state. President Muhammadu Buhari, the international community and well-meaning Nigerians are called to prevail on Governor Nasir el-Rufai to desist from intimidating Gbagyi Villa Community and allow the justice system to run its full course. This is democracy!

Sunday Onyemaechi Eze, a Media and Communications Specialist is the publisher of thenewinsightng.blogspot.com. He wrote via sunnyeze02@yahoo.com and can be reached on 08060901201

DEALING WITH GHOST WORKERS SYNDROME IN NIGERIA

Ghost worker syndrome in Nigeria predates the second republic. Every government has desired to resolve this caterpillar and cankerworm ravaging the public service without success.  Several committees were set up in the past to end the ugly trend but the more reports were turned in the greater the increase. It is increasingly becoming evident that it takes more than wishful thinking or mere policy statements from government to eliminate this menace. There have been uncountable physical verification exercises of staff of ministries and agencies in the Federal, States and Local governments in the past with minimal or no results.

Who is a ghost worker? He or she is a non-existing employee who earns an undeserved monthly wage and enjoys the unequaled incentives of services not rendered. His or her absence from duty and unknown schedules benefits him/her, the unscrupulous officer or group who employs him to corruptly line his/their pocket(s). The public service has tacitly encouraged this unwholesome and unaccepted trend as if nothing is wrong to the detriment of our nation. The system has pretended to be wag
ing a war against a disorder while the solution knocks at the door step of the same system.
How does one juxtapose an unwholesome situation and a syndrome created by a system to be resolved by that same system? The beneficiaries of the “sweet fruits” of this system are the worms inside the fruit itself which ruins it. Government should not claim ignorant of the source of our clear predicament. The person who is said to be behind the predicament of an individual is that man very close to him. An ordinary Nigerian knows the right source of this mess, can pin-point it and offer useful suggestions to ending it, why does it seem the government is at loss as to the step to take. Those who sustain the evil are same sitting at the committee levels of destroying the condition. It is a syndicated brand where the booty fuels the cars of beneficiaries, pay the school fees of children, satisfies the pleasure of and the lavished life styles of those who should burst it.
The syndicates are known Governors, Ministers, Directors, Commissioners, Heads of agencies and parastatals, Local government Chairmen who constitute the cabal in the public service. Others are powerful politicians and godfathers who make things happen in states throughout the nation. It is not surprising that more than twenty-seven states cannot pay salaries. The practice serves as a patronage for political big wigs who made it happen during elections. They forward names of their wives and children including the dead who stay at home but collects fat monthly pay packages without knowing the road to their offices. In fact, it is incontrovertible that some people earn salaries and wages for years without knowing their state secretariats or local government headquarters.
Before the introduction of e-payment policy by government, states and local government secretariats are always beehives of activities as supposed staff throng in, in anticipation of payment of salaries only for the human traffic to dry up thereafter. It is a desperate cult of money and power seekers who initiate subordinates strategically positioned and designated to take this baton of corruption to the next stage in sustenance of the depraved legacy as the old ones bow out of service. The tall, strong, huge iroko tree of ghost worker syndrome was planted long ago and it must take the gut of a bulldozer to pull it down.

Government must take drastic actions aimed at rooting out those involved in perpetrating the evils of ghost worker syndrome wherever they are in Nigeria. Kemi Adeosun, the minister of finance is at the vanguard of putting an end to it. It was reported that the Continuous Audit Team has saved about 50 billion and over 43, 000 ghost workers were identified nationwide and removed from federal government payroll of ghost workers. She also promised persecution of those involved in the scam. 

One of the lasting solutions to inability of states to pay salaries rests in eliminating ghost workers disorder. The governors should as a matter of urgency borrow a leaf from the federal government to stem the tide. I cannot imagine a non-management staff having a ghost worker. If it is obtainable at all, such a staff must have been induced by the “oga at the top” who has the power and authority to infuse as many ghosts workers as he wants. Therefore, government knows the category of staff to investigate as part of the measures to end this scourge. Dealing with ghost workers syndrome in Nigeria is a joint task for all.

Chai! Woman sells her unborn child for N100,000

A 29-year-old woman from Amasiri, Ebonyi State, Miss Chidimma Okorie,

yesterday, stunned people at the headquarters of the Anambra State Police
Command in Awka, when she admitted that she had already sold her unborn
child for N100,000.
The mother of five, who said she had never been married, also admitted
stealing two three years old boys at Umuoji in Idemili North Local Government
Area of Anambra State, with the connivance of two medical doctors operating
private hospitals in the area.
The two medical doctors, Emmanuel Tobechukwu and Cosmos Ugorji, who the
police described as accomplices in child trafficking, were also helping the police
in their investigations.
Chidimma said she had sold two children since she was introduced into the
“business” by a woman she identified as an Evangelist.
According to her: “I sold the two children for N50,000 each. I am pregnant and
the madam (Evangelist) said when I deliver my baby, she would buy it for
N100,000. I have five children, but I am not married. I have not sold any of my
children, but I have sold two children, starting with the child of a pastor last
month.”
She said the two medical doctors were helping her in the trafficking because
they had a ready market through a nurse, still at large.
She alleged that the Evangelist brought her along with two other girls from
Ebonyi State to Anambra State and took them to a shrine in Asaba where,
according to her, she collected their blood samples for a ritual so that they
would not reveal to anybody the type of business they were into.
We just did blood tests —DOCTORS
Dr Ugorji, however, insisted that he had neither seen her before, nor done any
transaction with her.
He said one nurse, now at large, was coming to his hospital, located at Awada,
Obosi, near Onitsha, for blood tests, adding that he was surprised police
stormed his hospital and started talking about child trafficking.
On his part, Dr Tobechukwu, who said his hospital was at Nkpor, near Onitsha,
admitted that a woman brought Chidimma to his hospital for blood test.
He said: “This woman (Chidimma) has a medical condition, which I would not
want to discuss here. She was brought by one woman, who said she was a
nurse. I did not document their addresses because we did not do any treatment.
What we did was blood test and they left.”
The doctor, who said he was from Enugu State, said he had nothing to do with
child trafficking.
Anambra Police Command Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Nkeiru Nwode, said the
suspects were arrested on Wednesday, after a tip-off.
She said Chidimma had come to Idoma village and stolen the boys, but luck ran
out on her as people raised alarm and she was apprehended.
The PPRO said before the latest incident, Chidimma had stolen a child
belonging to a pastor in the area.
Nwode said the doctors were accomplices, who were linking the traffickers to
ready markets.

Stop further attacks, ex-militant leaders beg Avengers, others

EX-MILITANT leader, Mr. Smart Amola (aka) 'General' Gentle,

yesterday, appealed to the Niger Delta Avengers to stop further attacks
on oil installations, insisting that the attacks have negative effects on the
economy of the region and the country.
Also, Niger Delta Sustainable Development Advocacy, NDSDA, has called
on Ijaw elders and leaders of thought not to allow the Avengers and other
militants to use the bombing of oil and gas installations in the region to
continuously hold government and international oil companies to ransom.
NDSDA, in a statement by Greg Afoegba, however, commended the leaders
for their recent intervention, urging militants to embrace dialogue and
cease hostilities.
It said: “Niger Delta region cannot be taken out of Nigeria. As a nation,
we have a government in place from the presidency, national and states
Assemblies, judiciary, state and local governments governed by the 1999
constitution.

Naira hits 400/dollar as banks sell forex to BDCs

The naira plunged to 400 against the dollar at the parallel market on

Thursday as shortage of foreign exchange continued to have negative
effects on economic activities in the country.
The local currency had closed at 390 against the greenback on Wednesday.
The shortage of forex at the interbank and the black market has continued
to weigh on the value of the naira.
After closing at around 378 against the dollar for most part of last week,
the naira dropped to 380 on Friday before falling to 382 on Monday.
The currency closed at 315.06 to the United States dollar at the interbank
market on Thursday.
Economic and financial analysts have linked the wide depreciation in the
value of the naira against the dollar at the parallel market to huge demand
for forex by holidaymakers seeking to travel abroad.
However, some experts said the huge demand for forex at the parallel
market was beyond the normal summer rush.
They linked the development to the activities of speculators and significant
demand by manufacturers and importers whose demand was not being met
at the interbank market.
Currency analyst at Ecobank Nigeria, Mr. Kunle Ezun, said, “The issue still
has to do with inadequate forex supply. As far as you continue to have
some 41 items banned from the interbank market, importers and
manufacturers of those items will continue to seek for forex at the parallel
market.
“This is part of the reason you are having pressure at the parallel market.”
According to Ezun, the global plunge in oil prices has affected the capacity
of the Central Bank of Nigeria to defend the naira.
“If the price of oil should go up, more forex will come in and you will see
that things will change,” he added.
A Professor of Economics at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye,
Sherrifdeen Tella, said the huge demand for dollars could be due to the
activities of genuine manufacturers and importers seeking forex for
production and business purposes, or corrupt people who had stolen state
funds.
Tella said, “The naira is falling at the parallel market because there is
scarcity at the interbank market. This fall could be due to the activities of
genuine manufacturers or some people you cannot identify. These are
people who have stored naira somewhere and are seeking to convert them
to dollars. They use every chance they have to buy dollars. What the CBN
may need to do is to neutralise that money by changing the colour of the
N500 and N1,000 notes.

Rio Olympic: Eagles beat Japan in a 5-4 thriller

Despite arriving the venue of the match late, Nigeria’s under 23 male team fired by the spirit of patriotism and zeal, Friday morning defeated their Japanese counterparts 5-4. Nigeria’s Sadiq Umar opened the scoring chart, but the Japanese were able to equalise through a penalty kick. The hero of the match, Oghenekaro Etebo scored four goals, which sealed the fate of the Japanese. Not even late effort at equalisation could save them as their effort could only fetch four goals. The I can do it spirit of Nigerians is never in short supply.

Budget crisis: APC bars Dogara, Jibrin from public comments

Speaker House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara and a former chairman

committee on appropriation have been barred by their party from speaking
further to the press on crisis in the House over illegal pork barrel projects.
Daily Trust learnt that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) gave the gag
order in a letter sent to them dated yesterday.
The House has been set against itself since the scandal broke and it continues
to dominate newspaper headlines and the social media.
It all began when on July 20 the Speaker sacked Abdulmumin Jibrin as
chairman appropriation committee over allegation that he illegally inserted
projects worth N4 billion for his constituency.
Few days later Jibrin responded by embarking on a damning media campaign
against the Speaker, his deputy Yussuf Suleimon Lasun and two others, alleging
that they have done far worse than what they said he did.
He said the Speaker, his deputy together with chief whip, Alhassan Ado Doguwa
and the minority leader, Leo Ogor, have illegally pork-barrelled projects worth
over N40 billion into national budget.
Jibrin released documents to the social media, some with hand written notes on
the margin, which he suggested were made by the Speaker and the others to
prove his allegations.
At the last count Jibrin had made about 23 allegations against the quartet and
personally delivered petitions he wrote against them to anti graft agency, the
EFCC, the internal intelligence agency, the DSS and Force Headquarters.
It was at this point that the party said it had had enough and summoned both
sides for a separate meeting on Tuesday to broker a truce.
Sources told Daily Trust that it was as a result of that meeting that the party
sent separate letters to both Dogara and Jibrin, directing them to stop further
public statement on the matter.
The letter, seen by Daily Trust, which was signed by the party’s deputy national
chairman, North, Lawal Shuaibu, said:
“As you are aware, the party and indeed the Government have not been happy
over recent developments in the House of Representatives over the issue of the
2016 Budget. We found it embarrassing to have to deal with another new
phenomenon you tagged ‘Budget Padding.
“However, I write to thank you for your cooperation in honouring our
intervention and your readiness to afford the party the chance to handle the
House of Representatives ‘budget padding’ crisis.
“Arising from the series of meetings we held with you over the subject matter,
the National Working Committee had decided to request you to henceforth avoid
issuing any public statement on this matter.
“This, however, includes statements through social media or other means of
transmitting an opinion on the matter to the public, as the party is now looking
into it towards finding possible solution.”
Daily Trust gathered that during the party’s meeting with Jibrin on Tuesday, the
officials expressed their displeasure over the happenings and told him the
implication of his action to the party, saying it could go beyond the National
Assembly.
It was further gathered that the session got so heated that Jibrin broke into
tears.
However, Jibrin told Daily Trust on Wednesday night, before the party’s letter of
yesterday, that the APC leaders only demanded the details of what happened.
He spoke only briefly on the matter.
“They called me to hear the full details of what is happening. But they didn’t in
any way try to force me to drop the criminal allegations that I made against the
13 members of the House.”
Asked about the displeasure expressed by the party about his action and its
consequences on the party and some of its officials, Jibrin simply said “I don’t
know about that.”
When Daily Trust further asked Jibrin if it was true that he cried during the
interaction, he burst into laughter and then said “I’ve already responded, and I
think what I said is enough,” he said.

Jimoh Ibrahim buys Ondo gov’ship forms from Sheriff

A governorship candidate of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP),

Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim, has obtained the Ondo State Peoples Democratic
Party’s (PDP) N11 million governorship expression of interest and nomination
forms from the Senator Ali Modu Sheriff-led faction.
Barrister Ibrahim, who expressed optimism about his chance at the poll in Abuja
yesterday, said the Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee of the
party was not known to the law.
He said his administration would create jobs, develop human capital and pay
the outstanding salaries of workers in the state within 100 days in office.

House of Reps member kidnapped

Rep Bello Sani


The member representing Mashi/Dutsi federal constituency in the National
Assembly, Sani Bello, has been kidnapped.
Daily Trust gathered that the member was picked up from his farm at Gobirawa
village of Birnin Gwari area of Kaduna State.
The spokesman of the Katsina State Police Command, Salisu Abubakar, who
confirmed the incident, said the state command and its Kaduna counterpart
were liaising to address the situation.
Sources at the Katsina Government House told Daily Trust that the state
governor, Aminu Masari, who had given full support for the manhunt of the
kidnappers, asked that everything possible be done to ensure his safe return.
Mashi, 51, has been in the federal legislature since 2011 and had previously
served in the Katsina State House of Assembly. He was also the chairman of
Mashi Local Government Area.
Mashi who is a holder of Higher National Diploma (HND) obtained in 1996 from
the Hassan Usman Katsina Polytechnic, targets to make laws that would bring
development to his constituency, according to the website of the National
Assembly.
He is of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Villages around the Birnin Gwari axis, including Goburawa from where Sani Bello
has been abducted, have in recent times been haunted by bandits.
Thousands of people in the villages have lived in fear of the armed bandits
believed to dwell in a thick forest sharing boundaries with Zamfara, Niger and
Katsina states, from where they plan and repeatedly launch attacks on villagers
and road users mostly around Birnin Gwari, killing some people and abducting
others.

Buhari, Jonathan in closed door meeting

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday met behind closed-doors with his

predecessor Goodluck Jonathan.
Jonathan, who visited President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock President
Villa in Abuja, stressed the need for Nigeria’s unity after a 20-minute meeting
with President Buhari.
He however noted that resolving the Niger Delta crisis was not just about him,
but about traditional rulers, elders and opinion leaders of the Ijaw ethnic group,
adding that they had been in touch to see that peace reigns in the country.
Mr. Jonathan had publicly visited Buhari twice; the first visit took place at the
president’s residence and the second while the president was at work in the
office.
The visits came at a time that Jonathan’s senior civilian and military officials
are being arrested and prosecuted in the government’s anti-graft drive.
Yesterday’s visit took place in the office and even though it lasted 15 minutes
the atmosphere looked more relaxed than during the other times.
While the former president walked away without speaking to reporters on
previous occasions, yesterday he stopped to answer their questions.
A source in the presidency also told Daily Trust that President Buhari took the
visit seriously.
The source said Buhari announced at beginning of the cabinet meeting that he
had an important engagement at 2.00 pm and the meeting should end well
before that.
Jonathan arrived the Presidential Villa at exactly 1.55pm in a black Range Rover
Sport Utility Vehicle marked KWL 86 CN, and after the meeting, warned that the
country would go into extinction if fragmented.
A militant group, the Adaka Boro Avengers, had recently said it would declare
the Niger Delta Republic on August 1, 2016 and open its headquarters in
Kaiama, the country home of the late Ijaw freedom fighter, Major Isaac Adaka
Boko. The group however did not make the declaration, saying prominent
leaders of the region had advised against it.
Jonathan said: “Those of you that have followed my talks when I was here, my
emphasis is that we need a united Nigeria, and I always emphasise that Nigeria
is great not just about the oil. So many countries produce more oil than
Nigeria, nobody notices them, we are great because of our size, the human
resources we have, the diversity we have.
“If we fragment the country into small components, we will be forgotten by the
world. That has been my focal position, and without peace, there cannot be
development anywhere in the world. We are all working collectively to see that
issues are resolved.”
Answering a question on the Buhari administration’s anti-corruption war, he
said it would be unfair of him to comment on it since many cases were in court.
Jonathan said he visited Buhari to intimate him on his international
engagements, especially his recent appointment as leader of the African Union
election observation mission to Zambia.
He said: “One key thing is that having been a head of a government, a former
president, you become a state property. That is the privilege you have, but
every privilege has its corresponding responsibility. And once you become a
state property, most of your international engagements become national
assignments, you brief the president.
“Even when I was here, former presidents used to do that. I have been coming,
most times, I come in the night; that is why you don’t see me. I came to brief
the president about some of my engagements. It is the tradition.”

Commission confirms Omolori as N/Assembly Clerk

The National Assembly Service Commission has confirmed the appointment of

Mohammed Sani-Omolori as the substantive Clerk to the National Assembly.
The confirmation was contained in a letter signed by the commission's
Chairman, Malam Adamu Mohammed Fika. Omolori had been on acting
capacity since June when the former clerk, Salisu Mailasuwa, proceeded on
terminal leave.
The letter said the appointment was in recognition of his hard work, dedication
to duty and responsible conduct as well as loyalty to the leadership of the
National Assembly. The appointment takes effect from August 15, 2016, the
letter said.
PASAN threatens Assembly shutdown
Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) in the
National Assembly has threatened to shut down the federal legislature if the
alleged plan to extend the tenures of some senior officers due for retirement was
carried out.
PASAN took the decision at its meeting yesterday, alleging that there were
pressures from some quarters to extend the tenure of some officers, which they
said would deny junior officers the opportunity for elevation.

THE PROPRIETY OF IMMUNITY FOR NASS AND STATE ASSEMBLY LEADERSHIPS

The propriety or otherwise of immunity for the leadership of National and State Assembly's leaderships has sharply divided Nigerians. The weight of public opinion has exclusively reserved immunity for only the executive arm of government. Some premised their reasons on some mundane rhetoric while others were anchored on emotion. Our opinions are often moulded by what we hear from people, what we see or read from the mass media which more often than are preconceived ideas of what the editor churns out for public consumption. That was why it is said that news is what the editor says is news. The bill which has passed second reading in the Senate recently threw the House of Representatives into another round of legislative commotion. 

In an ideal democratic situation, the law is sacrosanct and a respecter of no man. It firmly stands independently on its own without anyone interfering with it. The roles of the three arms are properly defined by these laws and no arm interferes with the other. In our unique democracy and the Unitary-Presidential system of government in practice, the power at the disposal of the executive is enormous that it is sometimes overbearing. The executive arm flaunt or throws the weight of this power recklessly around to compel and intimidate other arms to comply with certain decisions.
Section 308(1)(a) of the Constitution stipulates that “ no civil or criminal proceedings shall be instituted or continued against a person to whom this section applies during his period of office.” Subsection (3) further defined such persons as, “a person holding the office of President or Vice Presidents, Governors or Deputy Governor; and the reference in this section to “period of office” is a reference to the period during which the person holding such office is required to perform the functions of the office.” The writers of the Nigerian constitution did not envisage or foresee the crass overbearing influence of the executive arm of government over others arms. They took care of any imminent distractions that could hinder the smooth running of governments at the federal and states but did not envisage the kind of acrimony witnessed today in our polity especially as it affects the smooth running of the legislature.
Therefore, the urgent drive for immunity for the leadership of NASS and State Assemblies was a child of circumstance and necessity. When it has become evident that those who refused to rise from the defeat they suffered in the election of the leadership of the NASS are throwing deadly punches even from their lost grounds, a law to insulate the leaders of that arm who we knew are targets of prosecution from distraction is the only right approach very handy. Protection of the independence of the legislature at the national and states that makes good governance possible should be paramount. When someone under whatever guise tend to prosecute the principal officers of an arm of government which makes the laws as a pay-back for their strong will and seeming disobedience of party directives, the simple thing to do is to seek refuge within a law.

The politics behind immunity was one that has unduly favoured the executive arm since Abraham Lincon defined democracy as government of the people, for the people by the people. Does it mean that there is no element of corruption and executive recklessness in the executive arm in Nigeria? For many, it has been so and so shall it be forever and ever. Democracy is a beautiful practice anchored on equality and designed to better the lives of the practitioners. It provides excellent services and development to the people, checks and balances between the three arms of government which ensures synergy for smooth running of government. In Nigerians the tenets of democracy are desecrated with impunity by those in power. It is a master slave relationship between the executive and legislature where there seems not to be a clear mutual respect for the independence and authority of other arms. Democracy has evolved in Nigeria but we are far from reaping the beauty of representative government. 

It is always difficult for everybody to be on the same slate whenever Nigerians ventilate their views on issues bothering on our overall well-being. The constitution did not prohibit NASS or the Judiciary from immunity. It is pertinent to point out that the attendant backlash and inherent opposition to the bill by some members of the NASS acting the badly written scripts of party god fathers is a futile attempt to gag NASS and State Assemblies perpetually.  The bill on the long run is for the good and well-being of democracy. The NASS is determined than ever to do it, therefore no external influence or forces can stop it. 

Sunday Onyemaechi Eze, a Media and Communications Specialist is the publisher of thenewinsightng.blogspot.com. He writes via sunnyeze02@yahoo.com and can be reached on 08060901201. Twitter: @thenewinsightng

Pres Buhari's Economic Team in Special Meeting with Experts, Consider Quick Recovery Options

Concerted efforts to address the economic challenges intensified as President

Muhammadu Buhari's Economic Management Team, EMT, held a consultative
forum with a team of notable economic and financial experts at a meeting
presided over today by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.
At the parley which held at the Presidential Villa, strategies and suggestions on
how best to reflate the economy, bring it out of recession and promptly restore
growth topped the agenda, with the Vice President expressing the President's
determination to continuously consider and adopt policies that would boost
business, increase employment and provide succor to the poor and
disadvantaged.
Speaking at the forum, Prof. Osinbajo said:
"We will continue to engage with experts and other stakeholders so we can
measure progress of the economic policies that have been put in place. The
challenges are many but the opportunities are much greater, we are clearly on
the path to building an economy that will create jobs and ensure inclusive
growth."
The EMT meets weekly and also hold special consultations with members of the
private sector and economic experts from time to time.
Experts who attended the four-hour long special meeting were Mr. Bismarck
Rewane, Mr. Bode Augusto, Prof. Akpan Ekpo, Dr. Ayo Teriba and Prof. Badayi
Sani.
Issues discussed at the consultative forum include the review of the new foreign
exchange regime and its effect on the economy as well as the draft Medium
Term Economic Framework for 2017-2019. The EMT members and the experts
made a plethora of suggestions on how to reflate the economy, especially
through massive infrastructural spending with active private sector participation,
ensure pro-people economic policies, increase the supply of dollars to the forex
market among other issues.
Speaking with reporters at the end of the meeting, Minister for Budget &
National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma said "we’ve just finished a
special meeting of the economic management team, as you know, we are in the
middle of consultations to develop the new mid-term economic framework, M-
TEF."
He further disclosed that the meeting is "part of a comprehensive consultation
process that we are embarking on to make sure that we reach out to a wide
spectrum of Nigerians to get a feed back in terms of how best to make sure
that we come out of this recession."

OPC members storm Ogun to fight militants

NO fewer than 5,000 members of the Reformed Oodua People’s Congress

on Tuesday stormed the Imushin community in Ogun State, to confront
suspected militants in the area.
Our correspondent gathered that the members of the ethnic militia, who
arrived in more than 100 buses and cars, came from Lagos and Ogun
states.
They reportedly moved around some of the areas and visited the Olumushin
of Imushin, Oba Taiwo Bamgbose, who received them outside his palace.
A palace source said the OPC members, which did not carry any weapon,
were only armed with charms, which they claimed had powers.
He said, “They were over 5,000 and they filled the whole community. They
carried all kinds of charms and a few of them even carried placards,
protesting militant’s invasion of the South-West.
“They said they were ready to enter into the creeks to face the militants
and kill them and all they needed was the permission of the traditional
ruler. Some of them said they could transform to snakes and lions, once
they get into the creeks.
“The traditional ruler, after thanking them for their concern, asked them to
leave because he had not received authority from higher authorities to
allow them fight the militants. He urged them to get approval from the
government before doing anything in the community. ”
The President of the OPC group, Dare Adesope, who confirmed the visit to
our correspondent on the telephone, said their presence in the community
was to assure residents of their security.
Adesope said his group was incensed by the killings and kidnap of
residents without any response from the government.
He explained that the members of the group had issued a 14-day
ultimatum to the militants to vacate the South West, adding that the
ultimatum expired on Monday.
He said, “On July 19, we issued a 14-day ultimatum to the militants to end
their activities in the South-West and we said if they didn’t leave, we will
challenge them and defend our people. That ultimatum elapsed yesterday
(Monday).
“The recent military action against the militants might have been influenced
by our ultimatum, because prior to the release, the Federal Government
didn’t do anything.
“We decided to go to the community in 107 buses and some cars, to show
that the Reformed OPC is still on the ground and our aim is to protect the
lives and property of everyone that is residing within our area of
jurisdiction.
“Our silence all this while is not an act of cowardice. It is because we
believe in dialogue before action. It is wrong for anyone to be kidnapping,
raping, robbing and killing our people. We say no to that and we don’t
want anything like that again in Yoruba land. After today, if we hear
anything again in the area, we know what to do.”
The traditional ruler, who also confirmed the visit on the telephone,
appealed to the fleeing members of the 18 villages in the community to
return home.
He thanked the Federal Government, the Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle
Amosun, and the members of the Joint Task Force for the efforts aimed at
restoring sanity to the area.
Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website,
may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in
whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

EFCC arraigns Fayose’s ally, Agbele, on fraud charges today

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission will on Wednesday (today)

arraign Mr. Abiodun Agbele, an ally of Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti
State, on charges of fraud involving N1.2bn belonging to the Federal
Government.
The said sum was alleged to be part of the N4.7bn that was mysteriously
transferred from the imprest account of the Office of the National Security
Adviser to the bank account of Sylvan McNamara, a company allegedly
owned by the sons of a former Minister of State for Defence, Senator
Musiliu Obanikoro.
Obanikoro allegedly took N1.2bn from the N4.7bn and flew it to Akure
during the build-up to the governorship election in Ekiti State and handed
the sum to Agbele for onward transfer to Fayose.
It was learnt on Tuesday that the EFCC filed the charges against Agbele
before Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court in Abuja on
Monday.
The EFCC had arrested Agbele in Lagos on June 28 and kept him in its
custody pending investigations.
The EFCC said the amount was part of the proceeds of economic and
financial crime in which Agbele “was found to have allegedly assisted in
receiving and concealing in conspiracy with the former Minister of State for
Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, and the Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele
Fayose.”
Justice Olukayode Adeniyi of a Federal Capital Territory High Court in
Maitama, had on July 21 ordered the EFCC to release Agbele from its
custody.
Justice Adeniyi in a ruling on the suspect’s bail application declared the
continued detention of the suspect without being charged to court and
without the backing of any competent remand order amounted to a “gross
violation” of his right.

The judge awarded N5m against the EFCC as compensation to Agbele for
his unlawful detention by the anti-graft agency.
Justice Adeniyi in another ruling on Tuesday, dismissed an application by
the EFCC seeking an order of stay of execution of the court’s July 21 order.
The anti-graft agency had filed the motion for stay of execution along with
its notice of appeal challenging the court’s ruling.
But the judge in dismissing the application for stay of execution, held on
Tuesday that there was no special circumstances to warrant the stopping
the enforcement of the order granting bail to the accused.
One of our correspondents confirmed from court officials on Tuesday that
Agbele had now been charged before Justice Dimgba of the Federal High
Court and his arraignment slated for Wednesday.
In a related development, the EFCC has quizzed Agbele’s account officer,
Rita Balogun, over the suspicious payments made into his company
account domiciled in Diamond Bank.
Balogun, who works at the Business Banking Unit of the Ibadan West
directorate of Diamond Bank, said in her statement of oath that Agbele
received over N60m from the Ekiti State local governments funds.
The funds were allegedly paid into his company account, BYKD Consult,
with number 0059177132, between February 18 and March 30, 2015. The
money was then wired to Affordable Motors.
Agbele allegedly got the funds under the pretext that he was given a
contract by Fayose. Investigators are, however, of the opinion that there
was no evidence of any contractual agreement.
Balogun in her statement of oath, said, “On February 18, 2015, he received
N18,159,050 from MDG-CGS-LG. On the same day, he received
N15,319,850 from the same account. On the same day, he also received
N11,238,500 from the same account.
“On February 19, 2015, he debited the account with N40m and transferred
it to Affordable/Toyota. On the next day, he transferred N15m to
Affordable/Toyota. On March 30, he received N15,704,325 from MDG-CGS-
LG.
“On April 1, he transferred N3,195,000 to Fini Insurance Brokers. On April
29, he transferred N5m to his personal account titled Abiodun Agbele. On
April 30, he transferred another N5m to his personal account while N2m
was on May 15, transferred to his personal account.”
She noted that the account had since been frozen by the EFCC. Punch

Police arrest A’Ibom man for killing daughter

The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested a 30-year-old chief priest, Eno Akpan, for allegedly killing his one-year-old daughter, Favour

Ufot.
Akpan, who hails from Ikot Akpan Udo village in Ikot Abasi Local
Government Area, is the priest of the village shrine, the News Agency of
Nigeria reports.
The state Police Commissioner, Murtala Mani, said in Uyo on Monday, that
Akpan had a misunderstanding with his wife, Blessing, which resulted in his
beating her up.

Mani who spoke through the state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP
Cordelia Nwawe, said that during the scuffle, Blessing ran to her mother’s
house and left her daughter behind with her husband.
“On July 23, the complainant, Blessing, had misunderstanding with the
husband, Eno Akpan. In the process the husband beat her up. She left the
house to her mother’s place, leaving her daughter behind.
“The husband asked her to come back home and take the child along, she
refused and the husband used machete and inflicted cuts on the back and
head of their daughter and she died on the spot,” he said.
The police commissioner said investigation was in progress and the
suspect would appear in court after investigation.
On his own part, Akpan said he had a scuffle with his wife over her
lateness in returning from the market where she went to sell oysters.
He said that he used his fists on her, but by the time he picked up a
machete to strike her, she pushed their daughter forward and the machete
landed on her head.
Akpan said that he did not mean to hurt the girl, but her mother’s action
resulted in her death.

Budget padding: APC moves to save Dogara, meets Speaker, Jubrin

The All Progressives Congress has intervened in the crisis rocking the

House of Representatives over alleged padding of the 2016 budget.
The APC was said to have made the move to prevent the party from being
“brought to dishonour.”
The APC National Working Committee, at the party’s headquarters in Abuja
on Tuesday, separately met with the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara; and a former
Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jubrin.
It was gathered that the meetings were aimed at addressing the crisis and
preventing the removal of Dogara.
A leader of the party, who confided in The PUNCH, said, “We are making
moves to resolve the crisis. Dogara is a loyal party man.”
The national executive of the APC had, through a letter, summoned Jubrin
to appear before leaders of the party at 2pm on Tuesday.
The party leadership had earlier on Tuesday met with Dogara.
In the letter by its Deputy National Chairman (North), Lawal Shuaibu, the
party decried the media war between the two APC lawmakers without
consulting the party for resolution.
The letter read in part, “As a disciplined party, the constitution of our party
has made adequate provisions on ways of resolving any issue among
members. It behoves the party to take all necessary steps to ensure that
no member of our family brings dishonour on the party.
“You are, therefore, by this invitation, expected to appear before the
undersigned at the APC national secretariat on Tuesday, August 2, at 2pm.
“Kindly note that failure to and/or refusal to honour this invitation will
amount to a decision you have made not to submit to the party.”
Jibrin arrived at the APC headquarters in Abuja in a Toyota Land Cruiser
with number plate, BWR 768 AM, around 2.10pm and immediately went
into a closed-door meeting with Shuaibu.
It was observed that the meeting was attended by the northern caucus in
the party’s executive.
Other officers who attended the meeting are the National Secretary, Mai
Bala Buni; and the National Vice Chairman (North-West), Inuwa Abdulkadir.
Both Jibrin and Dogara, who are at the centre of the budget-padding
scandal, are from the North.
The Deputy National Chairman of the APC, Segun Oni, who was sighted
around the party’s headquarters, did not attend the meeting.
The meeting, which was held in Shuaibu’s office, lasted till around 5pm.
Shuaibu, who later addressed journalists, said the meeting was a
consultation among party members.

He said, “This is strictly a consultation between a very great member of the
party and party officials in respect of what is going on in the House of
Representatives.
 “There is nothing like passing any judgment against any member of the
party; we will play our role as an umpire in this matter to see how we can
restore peace and unity among our members.”
Shuaibu said there was no truth in the information that the meeting was
called to discipline Jibrin.
“But when certain things go off course, the party needs to call its members
to know how best to reunite them. That is exactly what we did. We heard
his side of the story. We earlier heard from the Speaker,” he added.
The APC chieftain further said the meeting with Jibrin was to get “a better
briefing” because the party had to be carried along as the Speaker and
Jibrin were members of the APC.
“We should know directly from them what is really going on,” he added.
When he was asked if the crisis had been resolved at the meeting, Shuaibu
said, “I said we are discussing with them and the discussions are not
concluded.
“We will continue to consult. We are not done with them. We sat with the
Speaker earlier. We just finished talking with Jibrin. If the need arises, we
will have a round-table discussion with both of them.’’
Jibrin also told journalists that he and the party leaders discussed
“extensively” at the meeting on the crisis in the House.
He said, “We will continue to discuss. I will continue to honour the
invitation of the party, respect the party, and I am sure that whatever it is,
you will know in due course.”
When our correspondent asked Jibrin why it took him so long before
coming out on the alleged padding of the 2016 budget, he said, “I want to
restrict my discussion to the party’s invitation.”
Jibrin, from Kano State, had on Monday submitted a petition to the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Independent Corrupt
Practices and other related offences Commission and the Nigeria Police
Force against Dogara and some leaders of the House.
A party source, who spoke to our correspondent after the meeting,
lamented that the crisis in the House was embarrassing the party.

Mbaka attacks Buhari, says Nigerians may not vote for him in 2019

Enugu Catholic priest, and Spiritual Director of the Adoration Ministry,

Enugu State, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, has warned President Muhammadu
Buhari that Nigerians will not vote for him in 2019 if he does not address
the high level of hunger and suffering in the country.
Mbaka has been one of Buhari’s most vocal supporters since he asked
Nigerians to reject the incumbent, Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples
Democratic Party during the 2015 presidential pol and predicted Buhari’s
victory.
But, in a surprising turn of events, Mbaka attacked Buhari in a recent
message, details of which were obtained by journalists on Tuesday night.
In the message, Mbaka noted that there was too much suffering in the
country, and faulted the President for not appointing the right people.
He also accused the President of listening to the wrong advice.
The message partly read, “The issue is that Mbaka is speaking as the
Spirit leads him – there is hunger everywhere. My job is to tell leaders the
truth, the landlords are crying, the tenants are lamenting, sellers are crying,
buyers are lamenting – there is hunger on the streets.

“I can’t keep quiet when things are going wrong.
“I am telling the President to look around him and know those who are
advising him rightly and those who are telling him that there is no trouble.
“The President should know that there is trouble – if things continue like
this, in the next election, nobody will vote for him.
“Whether they like it or not, I am speaking the raw truth.
“If the President should have somebody like me and he cannot be talking
with me, then there is a problem.
“There is a problem somewhere; somebody who can advise you without
asking for anything and he is representing the poor masses in the country
and he won’t tell you lies.
“He will praise you when you are doing well and when you are not doing
well, he will look at you in the face and tell you.”
Continuing, he said, “I don’t need the President; I need God, I need the Holy
Spirit, I need Jesus; there is suffering everywhere, people are suffering.
“To feed is now a problem, and an hungry man is an angry man.
“Hunger and anger will lead to danger.
“So, let him know whether he can do away with some advisers around him
and bring in the people who are experts in economic revamp.
“There are people who are experts in that; let them begin to empower
people, people are not empowered, they are still walking around in vicious
circles, planning and planning and planning.”
Mbaka said there were no spaces left in mortuaries across the country.
“Hunger is everywhere, many neighbours don’t eat again, many are being
attacked by hunger, hunger is becoming a normal thing and there are
people responsible for this.
“Mortuary and ambulance business is now thriving because many cannot
afford drugs.
“In today’s Nigeria, many are becoming hawkers, who will buy from you,
with what?
“Everyday, more pipelines are being blown, the Avengers are at work and
up till now, there is no solution.

“You know when certain things begin to happen, you begin to ask some
questions, somebody like me will begin to ask – when will this end?
“If it continues in the next three months, there will be no money to pay
salaries – the vicious effect is disastrous and when salaries cannot be
paid, teachers will come home, students will stop going to school, there will
be more kidnappings, more hooliganism, more armed robbery, more
prostitution, immorality will be on the increase.”
He urged Buhari to sit up and stop going after the leadership of the Senate.
Mbaka equally bemoaned the continuous depreciation in the value of the
naira.
“So, the President should sit up – there is a red light blinking on the
country.
“The issue of Saraki and Ekweremadu, nobody wants to listen to such
stories any more, whether Saraki is the President of the Senate or
Ekweremadu is not this or that, the countrymen are tired of such stories.
“We need economic experts, gurus, sages that are sincere, who can come
in and think about our economic revamp and judicial reformation.”

Massive resignations hit DSS

ABUJA — A gale of resignation has hit the Department of State Services, DSS, in

recent times, forcing the management of the service to temporarily place a
moratorium on further voluntary resignation from personnel of the service.
Investigations by Vanguard at the headquarters of the Nigerian secret police
indicated that in the last 10 months, no fewer than 70 middle cadre and junior
cadre officers had resigned from the service, both from the state commands and
the national headquarters.
While some of the officers resigned because they got better offers of
employment from, especially embassies of western nations, others resigned
because of unfavourable terms of employment they alleged had pervaded the
service since the take over of the present Director General of the agency,
Mallam Lawal Musa Daura.
One of the staff who resigned two weeks ago, told Vanguard : “The condition of
service is no longer favourable. Some allowances that we were entitled to were
stopped, while others were cut in half without explanation.
"Most importantly, operation allowances that we used to enjoy were stopped
without any reason. And we were still expected to put in our best. If I cannot be
treated well while in service, how will my family be treated well when I am
dead? It’s unfortunate that I had to leave after so much has been invested in
me by this country.’’
Another personnel who said he would also leave in the next few months, told
Vanguard that the condition of service was no longer palatable.
“During the last dispensation, the service personnel were well motivated to do
their job. We embark on dangerous covert assignments to keep the nation safe
and all that we get in return is insults and suspicion from the leadership of the
service. Fortunately, most of us are well trained so our services are needed by
those countries that helped in training us. We cannot be jobless. If you get a
better offer, it’s only natural to move” he said.
Another complain given by those who left is that “there appears to be no future
in remaining. When I joined the service, it was like one family. There was no
regional or ethnic segmentation. What we have seen so far is perception of
actions or inactions from the prism of where one comes from. We were told
during training that your competence will make or mar you. That promise has
been compromised. It’s no longer interesting” she said.
Vanguard gathered that at the last count, five of those personnel who left were
absorbed by the American Embassy, ten by several banks and other financial
institutions as head of security, while about four have joined oil companies.
Worried by the steady resignation, the management of the service issued a
circular through departmental heads and state Directors directing that voluntary
resignation by service personnel should no longer be accepted until further
notice.
No member of the service was ready to speak on record and the service has no
official spokesman since the last one, Marylyn Ogar left service.
However, a senior official of the service who spoke with vanguard in confidence
claimed that the last dispensation exposed its personnel to unnecessary wealth
“which is capable of compromising operational duties”

“There is no way the present leadership would have continued with the
shenanigans that was perpetrated in the last dispensation. Apparently the
leadership wants to return the service to its founding vision which is selfless
service to the nation. It’s obvious that those who cannot fit in would naturally
leave” he said.
It will be recalled that DSS 65 cadet officers of the service who were undergoing
training at the State Services Academy, SSA, in Lagos, including a sibling of the
sacked former spokes person of the service, Marilyn Ogar were asked to leave in
September last year, few weeks to their passing out.
No reason was given for their dismissal which was contained in a letter by the
Director General of the Department of State Service, Lawal Daura.
A senior officer of the service who is familiar with the matter told Vanguard
then that their sack was “inevitable” because their recruitment process was
“flawed.”
He explained that “What happened was that recruitment of most of these
cadets did not follow due process. They were brought into the service by
politicians without meeting the stringent requirements set by the service in
recruiting its personnel. They were dumped on the service by politicians through
the active connivance of the past leadership of the service. We are re-
organising the service so we cannot afford to have partisan political moles in
our midst” the source said.
The source who is a senior operative of the service said the process of
“weeding undesirable elements” who found their way into the service was
ongoing. The present leadership of the service is determined to reposition the
service to its professional roles. There is nothing personal about the decision of
the service. It was a very painful decision in view of the investment made on
them but it was a decision that must be taken” he had said.

Why JAMB Registrar, others were sacked

Abuja - The Federal Government has sacked the Registrar, Joint

Admission Matriculation Board, JAMB, Professor Dibu Ojerinde and 16
other chief executive officers in Ministry of Education that were appointed
during former President Goodluck Jonathan administration .
In the statement signed by the Deputy Director (Press), of the ministry,
Mr. Benjamin Bem Goong, in Abuja announcing the sack, the government
gave no reason for the action.
Ojerinde whose tenure was suppose to end April 2017, might have been
sacked over the 2016 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations, UTME,
irregularities from bordering on result multiplicity, centre relocation and
system failure.
Many people protested that the irregularities of the exercise underscored
their their gaining admission this year, that the board was unprepared for
the CBT it adopted three years ago.
Not only were the 17 CEOS sacked by the Federal Government, they were
immediately replaced.
The appointments were for: the National Universities Commission (NUC),
Prof. Abubakar Adamu Rasheed; Nigerian Institute For Educational
Planning and Administration (NIEPA) Prof. Mrs. Lilian Salami; Universal
Basic Education Board (UBEC), Dr. Hameed Bobboyi; National Library of
Nigeria (NLN), Prof. Lanre O. Aina; and National Examinations Council
(NECO), Prof. Charles Uwakwe.
Others were:National Commission For Mass Literacy, Adult And Non-
Formal Education (NCMLA&NE) , Prof. Abba Haladu; Nomadic Education
Commission (NEC). Prof. Bashir H. Usman; National Business and
Technical Examination Board (NABTEB), Prof. Ifeoma Isiugo-Abanihe;
Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), Prof. Sunday Josiah
Ajiboye; Computer Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN), Afolabi N.
Aderinto; National Commission For Colleges of Education (NCCE), Prof.
Bappah Aliyu; and Tertiary Education Tax Fund (TETFund), Dr. Abdullahi
Bichi Baffa.
The rest were: National Teachers Institute (NTI), Prof. Garba Dahuwa
Azare; Librarian Registration Council of Nigeria (LRCN), Prof. Michael
Afolabi; National Mathematical Centre, Sheda (NMC), Prof. Steven Ejugwu
Onah; Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq
Olarenwaju Oloyode; and National Institute of Nigerian Languages
(NINLAN), Prof. Chinyere Ohiri-Aniche.
The following four Chief Executive Officers retained their positions. They
are : Prof Samaila Junaidu of Nigeria Educational Research & Development
Council (NERDC); Prof Raauf Adebisi, Nigerian French Language Village
Badagry, (NFLV) ; Dr Mas’ud A. Kazaure , National Board For Technical
Education (NBTE) ; and Prof Muhammad Mu’az of the National Arabic
Language Village, Maiduguri, Borno State (NALV).

Obama says Trump ‘unfit’ to be president

In a blunt and virtually unprecedented presidential rebuke, Barack Obama on Tuesday described Donald Trump as "unfit" to be president and called on Republicans to disown him. Standing alongside the prime minister of Singapore, Obama cast aside any pretense of domestic unity and described Trump as "woefully unprepared" and "unfit to serve as president. "He keeps proving it," Obama added. "This isn't a situation where you have an episodic gaffe," Obamansaid as the 70-year-oldnmogul was embroiled in multiple controversies over his comments about Muslims, babies, firefighters and the military.

Obama turned up the heat on Republican leaders who have backed Trump, but continue to denouncemsome of his comments. "This is daily andmweekly where they are distancing themselves from statements he's making," Obama There "There has to be a point in which you say: 'This is not somebody I can support for president of the United States, even if he purports to be a member of my party.'"mObama has endorsed Hillary Clinton in the 2016 White House race and has repeatedly pilloried Trump's populism.
But his comments in the East Room of the White House -- where Abraham
Lincoln lay in state and Theodore Roosevelt today casts a painted gaze -- are a
significant and highly personal escalation of presidential rhetoric.
"There have been Republican presidents with whom I've disagreed with, but I
didn't have a doubt that they could function as president," Obama said.
Turning to his 2012 and 2008 election opponents, Obama said "Mitt Romney
and John McCain were wrong on certain policy issues, but I never thought that
they couldn't do the job."
Obama's comments came amid a roiling war of words between Trump and the
father of a slain US soldier who rebuked the Republican nominee as having
"sacrificed nothing."
Trump also has come under fire for remarks in a television interview in which he
appeared not to be aware of Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea after its
takeover from Ukraine.
Obama said: "The notion that he would attack a Gold Star family that made
extraordinary sacrifices on behalf of our country, the fact that he doesn't
appear to have basic knowledge around critical issues in Europe, in the Middle
East, in Asia means that he's woefully unprepared to do this job."
"There has to come a point in which you say 'enough'," he said, in a comment
directed at Republicans.
"The alternative is the entire party and the Republican party effectively endorses
and validates the positions being articulated by Mr Trump. As I said in my
speech last week, I don't think that represents the views of a whole lot of
Republicans out there."
Obama last week addressed the Democratic convention in Philadelphia and
painted this election as a choice not between a Democrat and Republican, but a
Democrat and a demagogue who threatens democracy.

I’ll rather die than renounce Biafra – Nnamdi Kanu

ONITSHA - Detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and

Nnamdi Kanu has asserted that IPOB is not in the business of betrayal and as
such would rather prefer to die than to renounce Biafra and abandon the
struggle for its restoration.
In a press statement signed by its spokespersons, Emma Nmezu and Dr. Clifford
Iroanya, in reaction to the recent statement credited to members of the
Movement for Emancipation of Niger Delta, MEND to the effect that a
negotiation could be reached with the federal government to release Kanu and
then he would renounce Biafra, IPOB quoted Kanu as saying that Biafra's
restoration is not subject of negotiation.
The statement entitled: "Biafra or death", added that if there should be any form
of negotiation at all, it must be centred on asset sharing between Nigeria and
Biafra and on the payment of reparations for money stolen from Biafrans by
Nigeria through the 1970 twenty pounds deal and other subsequent acts of
thievery by Nigeria against Biafrans.
According to the statement, "We want to make it categorically clear that MEND
and their Ahithophel Team are strictly on their own and do not in any way,
shape or form represent IPOB or the leader of IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. When
we say “Biafra or Death”, we meant every syllable of that phrase".
"Again, we reiterate that Nnamdi Kanu is not Ralph Uwazuruike and IPOB is not
MASSOB. Therefore, anybody thinking that our leader will renounce Biafra is
certifiably mad. For both IPOB and their leader, Nnamdi Kanu, it is either we get
Biafra or we die on the process of getting it. There is no middle ground".

Militants attack SPDC trunk line in Delta

WARRI—SUSPECTED militants, yesterday, attacked a major crude oil exports

trunk line close to Odimodi community in Delta State.
It was gathered that the trunk line, Trans-Ramos, belongs to Shell Petroleum
Development Company, SPDC.
Confirming the incident on phone to Vanguard, a resident of the community,
Endoro New-world, said: “The incident occurred at 1a.m., with the intensity of
the blast shaking apartments in the community amidst a huge ball of fire.
“At sunrise, a group from the community in company of SPDC's surveillance
team was able to locate the site of the blast.”
The attack is coming 10 days after some suspected militants tied up two
hunters and left their items, including dynamites, cables and a shovel behind
after they failed to excavate the spot to be exploded on the trunk line amidst a
downpour.
It was gathered that the hunters managed to escape and alerted the Odimodi
community vigilante, which came to the scene of the incident with security
agents from the SPDC platform.

FG NOMINATES DUROJAIYE, DARE, OTHERS INTO NCC’S BOARD

The Federal Government has given a mandate to the Senate to
confirm nominees into the positions of Chairman, Executive
Commissioner and Non Executive Commissioners of the Nigerian
Communications Commission (NCC), respectively.
Senator Olabiyi Durojaiye (South West) was nominated as
Chairman, while Mr. Sunday Dare (South West) is Executive
Commissioner, Stakeholders’ Management.
The Non Executive Commissioners are Aliyu Sa’idu Abubakar
(North East), Clement Omeiza Baiye (North Central), Chief Okoi
Ofem Obono Obla (South South), Pastor Ezekiel Yissa (North
Central) and Senator Ifeanyi Ararume (South East).
In a statement yesterday by the Special Adviser to the President
on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, President Muhammadu
Buhari, urged the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, to ratify
these nominations, which are in accordance with Section 8(1) of
the Nigerian Communications Commission Act 2003.
The board is expected to run the affairs of the commission. While
the Executive Commissioners are empowered with executive
prerogatives and are involved in day to day running of activities in
the commission, the Non Executive are like every other director
who attends board meetings for a better commission.

Rivers: 5 abducted police officers yet to be found

The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Francis Mobolaji Odesanya, has

confirmed that five police Officers abducted at Okujagu in Okrika Local
Government Area of the State in May are yet to regain their freedom.
Odesanya who spoke at a press briefing yesterday in Port Harcourt, said the
command was working round the clock to get to them. “We are still searching
for them and with the help of God we will rescue them,” he stated.
The five police officers were ambushed alongside their colleagues in May at the
Okujagu community where they were on a routine inquiry.

Gunmen kill 11 in 3 Kaduna villages

Eleven persons were killed when some gunmen attacked three villages near
Godogodo town in Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State in raids that
lasted several hours yesterday.
The villages are Gada Biyu, Akwa’a and Angwan Anjo.
Scores were also injured while parts of one of the villages were torched, a
source who called from the village informed newsmen on phone.
Six men and three women were reportedly killed in Gada Biyu and two men died
at Akwa’a. At Anguwan Anjo, though no life was lost, shooting was said to be
going on even at the time of going to press.
The source said the gunmen invaded Gada Biyu, 2 kms from Godogodo, around
6 am on Monday and started shooting and burning houses.
He said people fled in different directions but the Police were quick to arrive and
the invaders fled into the bushes, leaving four corpses, while five more bodies
were later found.
He said, “When the killers escaped from Gida Biyu, they resurfaced at Akua’a
this morning and killed two people. But they did not burn any house there. The
Police arrived on time again, and they ran away. But this afternoon they
appeared at Agwan Anjo and started shooting. But by this time people had fled
the village, and the police also arrived promptly. However, about an hour ago,
the police, who have not had any rest, went to get some food in town. Now, I
am sure if you listen very well you can hear the sound of heavy gun fire. They
are shooting from afar.”
State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Aliyu Usman, promised to check the
details and call back but never did at the time of sending this report.