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.

Buhari urge Nigerians to promote national unity

President Muhammadu Buhari has urged Nigerians to promote qualities that

foster national unity with a view to tackling the problems facing the country.
Speaking at the Hassan Usman Katsina Memorial Conference in Kaduna
yesterday, Buhari who was represented by the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman
Danbazau urged Nigerians to remain patriotic to national cause to foster better
integration.
He lauded the qualities of Usman Katsina describing him as a consequential and
courageous Army General who mentored more than a generation of officers and
men of the Nigerian armed forces.
A former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon described the late Usman
Katsina as a soldier who had total loyalty and commitment to his region.
He said, as his boss, he can testify that General Hassan was absolute in every
aspect and was called the “Governor of Governors.”
In his paper titled “Restructuring Nigeria for Greater National Integration and
Democratic Stability,” a former Nigerian Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar
said as a country, not much has been done to realise national integration.
“The fight in this country over resource control, while it may still be significant
today, is really a fight belonging to the past,” he said.
According to him, even the discovery of large quantities of oil and gas in the
north can only bring temporary relief but cannot reverse the fundamental shifts
in the world’s energy trajectory. The Governor of Katsina State, Alhaji Aminu
Masari represent by his deputy, Mannir Yakubu said General Hassan Katsina
had always propagated the values of education as a fundamental human right
essential to ensure inclusive, equitable and sustainable democratic development.
He insisted that the quality of education provides people with the skills,
knowledge and values they need to tackle various challenges they are likely to
face in the society.
The Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabir Usman expressed concern over
threats to national security including Boko Haram, cattle-rustling, Niger Delta
Avengers and kidnapping in the country.
He said threats have become constant occurrences and a serious problem to
the country and the north especially.
The emir said that if Nigerians emulate the characters of past leaders, we would
not be in the mess we are today.

Buhari approves council, BoT for Ogoni clean-up

The President, Muhammadu Buhari, has approved the composition of the
Governing Council and Board of Trustees, (BoT), for the clean-up of Ogoni land.
The composition is key to the governance structure required for the exercise.
A statement from the federal ministry of environment stated that the President
approved the inauguration of a 13-member Council and a 10-member BoT.
The Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed noted that this was in line with
the implementation of the UNEP Report.
She said the governance structure ensures inclusiveness, accountability,
transparency and sustainability of the clean-up exercise.
The minister however, disclosed that her team was actively working
collaboratively with the Ministries of Petroleum Resources, Niger Delta, NDDC
and key stakeholders to see to the success of the cleanup.

Halima Abubakar under attack over virginity claims

Halima Abubakar ruffled the feathers of her fans last week when she declared

that she is a virgin and cannot wait to have kids. The 31-year-old curvy
actress made this known on her Instagram page. Some of her fans have been
pouring out their minds on her revelation and won’t buy her virginity claims.
“I just found out you bleached your skin away which is very sad. You were
natural before bleaching, now you look like a ghost. Hope you get help because
you are sick in the head. May Allah forgive you” retorted one of her fans.
Ted Cassanova added: “The good news is that I make beautiful babies!” A
certain Olayinka puts it this way: “I remember you once said you don’t want to
get married during one of your interviews. I was busy following your words.
Now I have chased all the guys away. You can’t wait to have kids again?”
Dane’s reaction was more direct: “Stop lying! The day someone who has slept
with you comes out, your half-baked career is over. “Craze they worry her, she
dated a married guy from UK few years back. I just no wan name the guy cause
na my town guy” another fan revealed”.
Halima Abubakar in the past has been romantically linked with rapper,
Ruggedman.

13 inmates escape in Kogi jail break

The Koton/Karfe Minimum Security Prisons in Kogi State, yesterday,

experienced a jail break that led to 13 inmates escaping. The prison break, it
was learnt, did not follow the usual method of outsiders bombing their way to
release their targets; it was reportedly done by the inmates.
Sunday Vanguard gathered that the inmates made their escape around 7:15 am
by scaling the prisons fence after first breaking through the inner wall of the
facility.
How that was possible remained a question yet to be answered by the prisons
authorities as the Koton/Karfe prisons was rebuilt and ‘fortified’ after the old
one, built in 1914, was broken into four times in two years.
However, a security source hinted: “It’s as if someone in the prisons did not do
his/her job well and the prisoners took advantage of that to make good their
escape”.
The source said the negligence of the person may be ‘intentional’ and hoped
that the prisons authorities will probe the break to forestall future occurrence.
The source said the remanding of some kidnapping kingpins, paraded by the
DSS, last week, may not be unconnected with the jail break.

MEND, FG strike deal to end N-Delta crisis

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) and the

Federal Government, currently engaged in a dialogue through the oil companies
and security agencies to end renewed bombings in the oil-rich Niger Delta,
seem to have reached far-reaching compromises, including the possible release
of a former militant leader, Henry Okah, from prison in South Africa, and his
brother, Charles Okah, incarcerated in Nigeria.
Militants vs Buhari
They were also said to have agreed that ex-militant leader, Government
Ekpemupolo , alias Tompolo, would not be harassed by government if he makes
himself available as a delegate on MEND Aaron Team 2, while the leader of the
Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, would be released on condition
that he renounces the agitation for “Biafra Republic.”
MEND, in a statement by spokesperson, Jomo Gbomo, yesterday, announced
the resolutions to end the revolt in the South-South and South East
regions. The statement came on a day security forces were said to be
deploying into strategic positions in the Niger Delta to prepare to use force
against militants if peace talks failed. However, MEND said the recalcitrant
Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, still has opportunity to embrace peace, failing which
a combination of military forces and volunteers in the region would smoke
them out.
The statement said: “The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta
(MEND) is the only militant group from the Niger Delta region presently engaged
in a dialogue with the Federal Government of Nigeria - through oil companies
and security agencies - with a view to resolving the current Niger Delta crisis.
“Thus far, the deliberations have been fruitful, various concessions and
guarantees have already been secured, some of which include but not limited
to the release of Henry Okah, Charles Okah and Obi Nwabueze; review of the
life sentence handed to Mr. Edmund Ebiware based on a proposal put forward
by the Aaron Team representative for Abia and Imo states, Senator Adolphus
Wabara;
conditional release of IPOB leader, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu and others if they renounce
their agitation for a ‘Biafra Republic’”. Furthermore, MEND said they agreed
that Mr. Government Ekpemupolo shall not be arrested, harassed and/or
intimidated whenever he makes himself available as a delegate of the MEND
Aaron Team. The statement went on: “That international arbitrator and conflict
negotiator, American Dr. Judith Asuni, shall be accepted as the representative of
the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) on the MEND Aaron Team; that the criminal
charges against Urhobo freedom fighter, Mr. Kelvin Prosper Oniarah, shall be
reviewed.
“That the life sentence which was handed to seven soldiers in 2008, who
actively supported the Niger Delta struggle, be reviewed under the Presidential
Amnesty Programme. The affected persons are: Suleiman Alabi Akubo, Major.
Mathias Peter, Sgt Alexander Davou, L.cpl. Moses Nwaigwe, L.cpl. Nnamdi
Anene, L.cpl. Taatihi Emmanuel, L.cpl Caleb Bawa, PTE.
“However, one of the most immediate and urgent fallouts of the ongoing
dialogue is the imperative for the Federal Government and MEND to jointly and
separately take proactive steps to rescue and secure the region. This is in the
event that the recalcitrant Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, continues its senseless
and politically-motivated path of attacks on the country’s oil assets.
“To this end, both parties agreed that the Special Forces of the Nigerian Army
should commence the purely routine but strategic military exercise, code-named
‘Operation Crocodile Tears’; while MEND would commence a meet-the
government-actors-and-people tour of the Niger Delta region code-named
‘Operation Moses’.
“‘Operation Crocodile Tears’ is aimed at ensuring the combat readiness of the
Nigerian Army in amphibious and internal security operations in the Niger Delta
as well as check criminal activities like kidnapping, pipeline vandalism, piracy
and other forms of criminal activities spearheaded by the NDA in the Niger Delta
as well as check criminal activities like kidnapping, pipeline vandalism, piracy
and other forms of criminal activities spearheaded by the NDA in the region.
“MEND’s ‘Operation Moses’ is essentially to inform, educate and generally
sensitise the citizenry in the Niger Delta, particularly the government, the youth,
oil companies, elders and militant community on the need to ceasefire and
support the President Muhammadu Buhari Administration in its determined bid
to proffer sustainable solutions to the current Niger Delta crisis.
“Consequently, MEND urges all states, local governments, oil and gas
companies and law-abiding citizens in the Niger Delta region to go about their
lawful and legitimate concerns without any iota of fear as we have received firm
assurances from the Federal Government that ‘Operation Crocodile Tears’ is an
innocuous exercise in the national interest.
“Meanwhile, MEND’s ‘Operation Moses ‘shall be anchored by the Aaron Team 2
Dialogue, Peace and Development Initiative, jointly led by Mr. Odein Ajumogobia,
SAN, and HRH King Alfred Papapreye Diette-Spiff, the Amanyanabo of Twon-
Brass in Bayelsa State.
*No confirmation yet, says Presidency
ABUJA-Presidency has said it was not formerly in the know of any agreement
with the MEND as claimed by the Body. MEND had in a statement on Saturday
stated that its conditions for peace included the release of Henry Okah from a
South African prison, his brother, Charles Okah and the Leader of IPOB, Nnamdi
Kanu from detention. It also needed assurance from the government that
Tompolo would not be arrested when he showed up for the negotiations with
the federal government.
But speaking through the Senior Special Assistant to President Mohammadu
Buhari, Mallam Garba Shehu on the latest statement by MEND on the stage of
the peace talks, the presidency said it was yet to get a confirmation of the
supposed truce. Shehu said that the Office of the National Security Adviser, NSA
was yet to receive confirmation on the matter as at the time of filing this report.
According to him, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe
Kachikwu who was a stakeholder in the matter could not be reached on his cell
phone. “I have been trying to get the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe
Kachikwu, on phone. But he did not pick his calls. And the NSA’s office has no
confirmation as at now. May be, later. But as at now, the NSA’s office has no
confirmation of such agreement to give me”, Shehu told Sunday Vanguard on
phone.Vanguard

BUDGET PADDING: Coalition drags Jibrin to EFCC

The controversy surrounding the padding of the 2016 Budget at the House of

Representatives continued yesterday with the alleged sealing of the office of the
House Committee on Appropriation by some people suspected to be operatives
of the Department of State Services (DSS).
The controversy blew open after the immediate past Chairman of the House
Appropriation Committee, Hon Abdulmumunu Jibrin, alleged that he rejected
moves by principal officers of the House, led by Speaker Yakubu Dogara, to pad
the 2016 Budget to the tune of N410 billion.
Jibrin has been replaced by Hon. Mustapha Dawaki.
Also, yesterday, Jibrin said he had reported Dogara to the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged corrupt practices, even as the
anti-corruption unit of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) petitioned
the EFCC to ask the commission to probe the former House Appropriation
Committee Chair for alleged fraud.
Meanwhile, reacting to the alleged sealing of the House Appropriation
Committee’s office, Dawaki said it was safe and open and that all the
documents in the office, including computer system, were intact.
But the Clerk of the committee, Dr. Abel Ochobi, who tried to take journalists to
inspect that the office was not shutdown, could not gain access to his office,
prompting him to say that the security operatives seen in the place was on the
order of the Clerk of the National Assembly, Sani Omolori.The Clerk had, in a
letter to the CNA, titled, ‘Alleged shutdown, seizure, packing/relocating of
Committee system and records/documents and harassment of staff’, had
claimed that the report was false.
Saying, yesterday, that he had reported Dogara to the EFCC, Jibrin made it clear
that the Deputy Speaker, Yusuf Lasun; the Chief Whip, Ado Doguwa, and the
Minority Leader, Leo Ogor, were also joined in the petition to the EFCC,
alongside eight other chairmen of committees.
According to the document he made available to journalists, he said, “Yesterday
we recorded huge success in our mission to get the Speaker of the House,
Yakubu Dogara and his cohorts to face prosecution.
“On the request of my lawyers, the security agencies have promptly protected
the appropriation secretariat, my office and the House”.
A coalition of media and civil society organisations also said, yesterday, that
the nation’s democracy was under trial following what it described as the
alleged plot to destabilise the leadership of the House of Representatives by
external forces.
The CSO, in the statement, signed by Omoluabi Olabode Adeyemi, Executive
Director of African Media Roundtable Initiative and convener, Coalition of
Analysts and Media and Civil Society Organisations, and Opeyemi Duke,
Executive Director, Centre for Legislative Advocacy, said it was the responsibility
of the legislature to make appropriation, adding that there was nothing like
padding in legislative terms.
The NYCN, in its petition to EFCC, signed by its coordinator of the anti-
corruption unit, Ifeanyi Okonkwo, accused Jibrin of being involved in multi-
million naira contract and called on the anti-graft agency to investigate him.
The group accused Jibrin of orchestrating the alleged padding of the 2016
budget. Vanguard

Court Sacks Makarfi, Affirms Sheriff As PDP Chairman

The leadership crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, deepened

on Thursday , as the Federal High Court in Abuja, sacked the Senator
Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee of the party.
The court, in a ruling by Justice Okon Abang, held that every action the
Committee has taken since it emerged through a convention the party
purportedly held in Port Harcourt on May 21 , amounted to nullity.
"Parties have an uncompromising duty to obey court order until it is set
aside. The Lagos Division made orders on May 12 and 20 , forbidding
the PDP from removing the Sheriff-led Caretaker Committee. That order is
still subsisting.
"Having regard to the order of the court, PDP had no lawful authority to
hold the convention that led to the emergence of the Markafi-led
Committee.
"The convention was unlawfully held and the Caretaker Committee was
unlawfully and illegally appointed and could not take any legal decision for
the PDP in view of the subsisting order of the Lagos Division of this
court.
"Consequently, any action taken by the Markafi-led Committee, including
the purported mandate for legal representation in this matter is hereby
declared illegal.
"If the Markafi-led Caretaker Committee, as apostles of impunity, missed
their way to the Port Harcourt division of this court, that court could not
have conveniently assumed jurisdiction to set aside the earlier decision of
the Lagos Division.
"I hold that the Port Harcourt division of this court cannot make an order
to neutralise the potency of the Lagos Division of this court dated 12 and
20 May ".
Justice Abang said he would have voided the judgment of the Port
Harcourt Division for being a nullity, assuming there was an application to
that effect.
He warned politicians not to cause disaffection among judges of the High
Court, saying "the culture of impunity must stop in this country".
According to the court, "Ali Modu Sheriff is the National Chairman of the
PDP. Any decision not taken by the Sheriff-led Committee is not binding
on the PDP".
The ruling came on a day two Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SANs, clashed
in court over the suit seeking to stop the National Convention of the party
billed to hold in Port Harcourt on August 17 .

Kalu, Saraki, Akpabio, Sheriff, Akala, others in ‘Big Trouble’, this is why

Trouble is here again for some ex-governors in Nigeria as FG is set to re-try

them for corrupt practices while in office.

Recall that the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr

Abubakar Malami, had written to the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt

Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) to reopen corruption

cases against former governors.

Those whose case will be reopened include embattled Senate President

Bukola Saraki, factional Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ali Modu

Sheriff; and Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio.

Other former governors include Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia); Chimaroke Nnamani

(Enugu); Saminu Turaki (Jigawa); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Joshua Dariye

(Plateau); Ahmed Yerima (Zamfara); Gabriel Suswam (Benue); Martin Elechi

(Ebonyi); Danjuma Goje (Gombe) and Murtala Nyako (Adamawa).

They also include Ikedi Ohakim (Imo); Obong Victor Attah (Akwa Ibom);

Achike Udenwa (Imo); Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa); Gbenga Daniel (Ogun);

Jolly Nyame (Taraba); Boni Haruna (Adamawa); George Akume (Benue);

Rashidi Ladoja (Oyo); Attahiru Bafarawa (Sokoto) and Adebayo Alao-Akala.

Others are Usman Dakingari (Kebbi); Adamu Mu’azu (Bauchi); Peter Odili

(Rivers), and Lucky Igbindedion (Edo).

According to Punch, the AGF ha also sent a similar request to the Economic

and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with the same list of former

governors annexed to his letter.

Drivers kill 35 FRSC regular marshals in the last year

About 35 regular marshals of the FRSC lost their lives in the passing year,

Commander Susan Ajenge has said.
Ajenge who made this disclosure on the floor of the Niger state House of
Assembly, said the development occurred when the officers were trying to
enforce simple safety regulations on the highways.
She said another staff recently knocked down by a driver while trying to clear
obstruction on the highway, is currently battling for life in a hospital.
She said the victim may loose his manhood, having gone through two
operations.
Daily Post reports that the state legislatures had invited the commander to
defend the series of criticisms by the public against FRSC, over allegations of
its officials intimidating and harassing motorists in its desperate move to
generate revenue for government.
However, Ajenge defended the commission, lamenting that rather than obey
simple traffic rules, motorists would turn around to criticise and attack FRSC
officials.
Meanwhile, an FRSC officer was beaten to pulp in Lagos, after he reportedly
caused a very ghastly motor accident. The FRSC officer was said to have
caused an accident while trying to flag down a motorist .

ARMS PROCUREMENT PROBE: THE BEATIFICATION OF SAINTS DANBAZAU AND BURATAI

The suspected cache of sleaze prevalent in the military between 2007- 2015 on the pretext of fighting Boko Haram provoked the setting up of a 13 man committee on Audit of Defence Equipment Procurement (CADEP) in the Nigerian Armed Forces by President Muhammadu Buhari. It is headed by retired AVM John Ode and briefed to investigate the arms procurements during the period under review. As work began in earnest with shocking revelations and discoveries of the ignonimous roles played by the former Chiefs of Air Staff AVM Alex Badeh and Adesola Amosun, the former National Security Adviser Dasuki Sambo, politicians especially members of the Peoples’ Democratic Party and a whole lot of contractors, a damning report indicting both and many others has led to their arraignments. Many more prosecutions are in the offing. 

The public clapped and is gorging on the perceived odium of these soldiers and men turned villains if you like. The courts have been urged to see that justice is done in the matter not only to serve as a deterrent to others but for possible recovery of the loot. Of great importance is the expected justice for the injured, homeless and hundreds of malnourished babies dotting IDP camps in the North East. Justice for the souls of innocent Nigerians who died as a result of deliberate dereliction of duties, greed, falsehood and inactions of those involved. The courts are seen to have been consciously working to meet the expectations of Nigerians. However, the nation is in dilemma as to what to do when the courts  grants bails in favour of some of the suspects but the executive ignores it still using the courts to justify their action.

However, with the submission of the third interim report bothering on the army, the anti- corruption tang has vanished considerably. There seems to be a deliberate twist or complete derailment of the anti-corruption drive by President Muhammadu Buhari himself or his men. The campaign has unfortunately crowned and beatified two big fishes: Abdulrahman Dambazau the minister of Interior and Lt .Gen. Tukur Buratai; the current Chief of Army Staff who held various strategic positions during the period under review. In fact, Abdulrahman Dambazau was the Chief of Army Staff from 2008 to 2010 under the dispensations of Musa Yar’adua and Goodluck Jonathan while Tukur Buratai was the Director of procurement in Defence Headquarters from 2012 - 2014. Both played significant roles in the fight against Boko Haram. 

Both were fingered in the arms deal saga but the report indicted only two former Chiefs of Army Staff:  Generals Azubuike Ihejirika, Kenneth Minimah and others who served after Danbazau. Many Nigerians accuse the government of being selective and refusing to indict key members of the current administration who are believed to have played questionable roles in military procurement since 2007.  Nigerians could testify to the fact that the depravity and monstrous part of Boko Haram was sparked during Yar’adua and Jonathan’s administration after the killing of Yusuf Mohammed, the leader of the sect. It is ironic to hide behind a government known for its anti-corruption stance to provide cover and exonerate these two for obvious reasons.

How possible was it that the former Chief of Army Staff Abdulrahman Dambazau did not procure arms even when it was in the public knowledge that the vicious attacks of the sect on innocent citizens escalated during his reign as the army chief. How possible could it also be that Buratai who served as Director of Procurement, Defence Headquarters, between 2012 and May 2014 before he was appointed force commander Multi- national Force was ignorant of purchases and shipments of arms and logistics to fighting the terror of Boko Haram? Your answers are as good as mine. 

In an attempt to ward off allegation of bias, the Buhari government, in a statement from the office of the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed said,  “Mr. Dambazau’s name was not included among those indicted because the third interim report only looked into procurement and contracts awarded for and by the military between 2011-2015. “When the documents regarding procurement from 2007 to 2010 are available and scrutinised, the committee will then issue its report on that. The audit is being done in phases, and the report that was released on Thursday is the third of such,” said Segun Adeyemi, the minister’s media aide.  What a a half truth and a smart defence of an obvious lie.

There was a report by Premium Times an online newspaper not long ago alerting Nigerians of a grand and criminal conspiracy to undermine the integrity of that report by those fingered in the saga using their positions as government officials and some cabals in the presidency in a face saving effort aimed at washing the government clean of visible corrupt elements within its ranks. In fact, according to Premium Times, “Danbazau was found wanting by investigators, and that he was frantically lobbying to have his name delisted from the report. The government is also accused of not indicting Tukur Buratai, current Chief of Army Staff, who served as the director of military procurement under the former Goodluck Jonathan administration.” The report was released and true to their “omnipotence” the evil machinations of this clique has succeeded. Danbazau and Buratai’s names were not mentioned. This action of a few powerful men will take the nation many steps backward in the well-intended fight against corruption and corrupt tendencies. The law of nature abhors injustice, therefore, the seeming dispensation of favour and application of deliberate weapons of falsehood and partiality in the discharge of national responsibilities will fail and the nation and its poor citizenry will be worse off as usual.

While those behind this pointless face saving expedition of their friends against national interest are walking the corridors of power, Nigerians are disenchanted with the seed of discord gradually being sown in the polity. It is evident that a high level of discontent is already building and brewing in the nation. One section of the country is obviously favoured for juicy appointments and also insulated from ongoing major prosecution for reasons best known to those in power. A political party and those associated with it are criminalised while those who occupied powerful political positions previously in the same party for years but have become emergency converts overnight are today walking freely and celebrated democrats. Government trudges on and behaves as if all is well with statements from appointees who Dele Sobowale, a renowned economist and veteran journalist referred to as suffering  from Aso Rock Disease strenuously striving to retain their jobs and paraphernalia of offices. But anyone who pretends that no damage is done or has been done to the essence of our nation must be living in denial and in fool’s paradise too. The result is the economic woes confronting the nation now and the prevalence of dissenting groups and non-state actors daring the government on all fronts. The latest hydra-headed monster is the Niger Delta Avengers which is a product of isolation and brazen injustice. When will Nigeria learn from her previous mistakes? This piece of information should not be misconstrued to drum support for or condone corruption or impunity by those occupying positions of authority as it was not a product of fund raised by those indicted, any proxy or pay master as the case may be but we should be treated fairly and equally in a nation already in shambles with visible crack and suspicion drawn among ethnic interest.

Lawyers in serious battle to represent PDP in court

Two different lawyers are currently in battle to represent the Peoples

Democratic Party (PDP) in a case against the party by the embattled
national chairman Ali Modu-Sheriff.
Modu-Sheriff in a motion of injunction filed before a Federal High Court,
Abuja, asked that the party be stopped from conducting its planned
convention scheduled for August 17.
At the hearing in court today, Adeniyi Akintola formerly representing the party,
said he is yet to understand the role another lawyer Ferdinand Obi wants to
play in the matter.
Obi in his argument had said that the plaintiff cannot sue and offer legal
representation for one of the defendants in his suit.
He said such act would amount to a scandalous one.
The court however sought to determine who among both counsels will
represent the PDP as Akintola had accused Obi of playing dual roles on the
matter.
He said Obi intends to offer legal representation and also collect process for
the second defendant, PDP, adding that he (Akintola) is the legal adviser of
the PDP.
“I am yet to know who that legal adviser is, though I am sure it’s not sheriff
but a man, Maidugu was said to be the one who collected the process,”
Akintola said.
But the judge over the matter, Okon Abang inquired from all parties if the
decision of the party to go ahead with its national convention was legal,
given the court order against it.
Earlier today, July 28, Akintola had informed the court that an application
have been served on all the parties involved.
He further sought to withdraw an application dated July 27.
But Ahmed Raji, counsel to the applicant said he served an application on
INEC but did not serve PDP because he did not recognize Obi as the counsel
to PDP.
Concerning the application by PDP, Raji said since the application for an
order to join certain parties in the matter will determine the validity of the
matter.

He said his applications for joinder was filed and served yesterday because
he received instructions on Tuesday, July 27, at about 9pm.
“My lord, we had to work overnight to ensure this,” Raji said.
He also said that he received a counter affidavit on his motion from PDP
counsel, as he prayed the court for a short time – an adjournment – to look
into the counter affidavit which he said is commendable.
Raji said: “This is a suit brought by former officers of the party and the
current officers are saying please allow us to be heard, which is very
surprising.”
Also, Alhassan Umar, a counsel to the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC), said the matter was assigned to him at about 5pm in
Wednesday, July 27.
He said the only process served by the plaintiff is the motion of injunction
filed on July 20, 2015, and that his grief is that the first defendant (INEC) is
yet to be served with the originating summons.
“My lord, in view of the fact that wr have not been served with the
originating summons, I am doubtful whether the motion is ripe for hearing,”
Umar said.
Umar said it is clear that the motion cannot be taken at this stage, but the
plaintiff’s counsel said there are contradictions in the replies.
He said: “In one breath, he wants your lordship disqualified from the process
and in another breath he is challenging your lordships jurisdiction to hear the
matter,” adding that his team is yet to be served with the second
application.
As at the time of filing this report, Abang was yet to rule on the legal
representation for the party and at the last hearing, Justice Abang had
ordered the disappearance of all counsels representing the PDP.
Modu-Sheriff had in a motion asked the court to make an order to stop the
acting chairman of the caretaker committee Ahmed Makarfi led faction from
conducting a national convention on August 17.
Meanwhile, a Federal High Court judge in Abuja Okon Abang on Thursday,
July 28, expressed his anger over misinterpretation of court’s order by the
media.
Abang who was visibly angry said it is wrong for the media to misinterpret a
court’s actions.
The judge was angry over the misinterpretation of a ruling he gave on
counsel representation for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in a matter
before him.

IYC says Avengers are within Buhari’s government

The group of Ijaw youths, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), has said that
President Muhammadu Buhari should look for Niger Delta Avengers (NDA)
within his government.
Udengs Eradiri, the president of the group, revealed this to the press at the
headquarters of the council in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state.
He also lamented endless linkage of avengers and criminals in Lagos state to
Ijaw people.
Eradiri urged President Buhari to commence the search for Avengers within
his administration insisting that members of the militant group were in Aso
Rock villa.
Ijaw youths leader said: “Why are they always quick to attack our
communities? Gbaramatu is not the headquarters of Avengers. It does not
habour any Avenger. Do you think that the community people are happy that
they are under siege and cannot go about their normal duties?
“The more they are doing this thing, the more Ijaw people will begin to come
together and we will never be divided. The government should stop harassing
our people.
“The NDA is within them. They know themselves. They are blocking the
President left, right and centre so that he would not see them. The NDA is
with him and his people there.”
He also restated that his people were not behind the violent onslaughts on
communities in Lagos and Ogun states by militants lamenting that some
people intentionally credited such criminalities to Ijaw to cause ethnic war
between Ijaw and their Yoruba neighbours.
Eradiri added: “There are some groups in Lagos engaged in criminal activities
and those activities are now threatening the brotherly relationship our people
have enjoyed in Lagos.
“First, Nigeria should stop ascribing anything that happened in the Niger
Delta to Ijaw people. For the avoidance of doubt, Niger Delta Avengers are
not Ijaw people. I am tired of answering questions about Niger Delta
Avengers.
“I am the president of the Ijaw Youth Council. I am not the president of NDA.
NDA are not Ijaw people. We don’t know who Niger Delta Avengers are. If
the security agencies know avengers, they should arrest them. They should
do their jobs.

“They should stop transferring their jobs to community leaders or youth
Organisations or leaders of ethnic nationalities. Their duty is to maintain law
and order, to gather intelligence and do whatever they deem fit to ensure that
there is peace in the country.
“Please stop ascribing negative things to Ijaw people. We are the fourth
largest ethnic nationalities in Nigeria and I agree that we are the people who
refuse to eat sand and call it food. But that does not mean that every little
thing that happens in the region will be ascribed to Ijaw people”.

NBA ELECTION: Ex-Legal Adviser accuses Alegeh of imposition of candidate

LAGOS— A former National Legal Adviser of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Mr Nwaogu Victor, has alleged that the out-going President of the association, Mr. Augustine Alegeh, SAN, has a preferred candidate for the position of president in the forthcoming national elections of the association, contrary to his earlier denial of same.

The other candidate for the same position in the elections is Chief Joe Kyari Gadzama, SAN.

Another member of the association, based in Enugu, Mr Daniel Ogbonna, also alleged that Mr Alegeh openly boasted at the inauguration ceremony of the newly created NBA Onueke branch, Ebonyi State on July 6, 2016, that he had a candidate for the office of NBA president in the forthcoming elections of the body.

Ogbonna in a deposition before the Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State said: “On the said date, precisely at 1p.m., at Onueke headquarters of Ezza South Local Government Area, while the inauguration ceremony was on going, the national president of NBA, Mr Alegeh, SAN, when making his inaugural speech, boasted that he has a presidential candidate for the forthcoming national NBA elections.”
On his part, Nwaogu in his deposition before an Abia State High Court sitting in Aba, averred “I am from Umuezegwu in Ihitte/Uboma L.G.A of Imo State. Ihitte/Uboma L.G.A in one of the four local government areas that made up Mbano/Etiti branch of NBA. The said Mbano/Etiti branch of NBA was inaugurated on July 6, 2016 by the president of NBA, Alegeh, SAN.

“I was one of the members of NBA that attended the said inauguration. Before the president of NBA, Alegeh, SAN, inaugurated the said branch, he made an opening address where he addressed about 65 members of NBA in attendance including my humble self to the effect that we should all vote for A.B. Mahmod as the next president of NBA to take over from him.

“He told us that his reason for urging us to vote for A.B. Mahmoud was because, J.K. Gadzama, SAN, had told lawyers that he was coming to destroyed all that he (Alegeh) had built including amending the constitution. He told us not to vote for a person who could not account to NBA when he organised a conference and claimed that he was attacked by armed robbers who took all the receipts.

“He mentioned my name, Victor Nwaugo three times in cause of his address and also asked me whether robbers also steal receipts. In the course of his address, he boasted that any person who cared could video him, tape his speech, but that he would move from branch to branch in course of his thank you visits to branches, urging them to vote for A.B. Mahmoud.

“I have followed past presidents of NBA closely, non ever canvassed votes for his successor in the open. Alegeh, SAN.”

Also, former Assistant National Publicity Secretary of the association, Mr. John Unachukwu and sole candidate National Publicity Secretary position in forthcoming election in the suit, he filed before an Abuja High Court, challenging his disqualification, also accused Alegeh of campaigning for Mahmoud.

   

Biafra restoration not personal decision but call from God Almighty- Nnamdi Kanu

ONITSHA—Detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu yesterday, exploded from his prison custody when he insisted that his decision to restore the nation of Biafra was not his personal choice but a mandate from the Most High God (Chiukwu-okike-abiama) which was assigned to him from time immemorial.


Nnamdi-Kanu in court
He maintained that the restoration of the nation of Biafra is a priority and a project that must be achieved under the watchful eyes of the IPOB led by himself, an arduous task that must be accomplished in order to lead his people out of the contraption called Nigeria, without fear of death.

The Media and Publicity Secretary of IPOB, Comrade Emma Powerful who disclosed this yesterday in a press statement, quoted Kanu as telling some sympathizers who visited him in prison custody that he had even dedicated his life to restore Biafra, just as our Lord Jesus Christ dedicated His own life for the salvation of mankind.

According to Kanu, “the reason my mother gave birth to me was to restore and save Biafrans. I also promise that the Biafran race will be a cleaned up nation and all the people of Biafra will come back home, if they are living outside the country of the new nation. Our people will no longer wander on the road again”.

He queried: “How can I encourage the people of Biafra to work towards the upbringing of Nigeria, when we don’t hear the same language, don’t eat the same food and don’t have the same culture. In fact, if we come to their land to practice our culture and religion, we will be beheaded. Their women wear hijab, and Biafran women don’t, and on the point that our women don’t wear hijab and we don’t practice the same religion, they will see us as infidels and then, we will be beheaded. We are 100 per cent Christian. These people are Muslims who see killing as a culture.

“In Biafra where we originated from,, it will be hard for our people to kill a human being, because in my language a human being is called MMANDU, which means in English language the beauty of life. Now, you can see it will never work, the only solution is Biafra.”
Mazi Nnamdi Kanu further stated that “there is no regret in his dictionary,” adding that “he is ready to spend a thousand years in a prison. “

“And also we are not trying to secede from Nigeria. We are older than Nigeria. You can only talk about seceding if Biafrans are they ones that colonized Nigeria. But we are older than that contraption. So we can’t secede rather we just want to go back the way we were before the British came. It is Biafra or nothing, Nigerians knows that.”

Economic recession: Private varsities suspend staff recruitment

That Adeyewa made this general assessment is not surprising. Apart from being the Redeemer’s VC, he is the Chairman, Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Registrars of Private Universities in Nigeria and so he knows where the shoes pinch.

Of the 143 universities in the country, 61 of them are privately-owned.

Adeyewa says, “The present economic situation has affected the fortunes of private universities adversely in view of the fact that these institutions depend on the fees remitted by parents as well as the goodwill of other donors whose economic well-being has been affected by the downward trend nationwide.

“In many private universities, parents have been unable to pay fees as due and there have been numerous pleas to allow students to defer payments while some even ask institutions to allow their wards to sit for examinations and then pay the fees later. In some critical situations, some students actually requested the deferment of a semester or an academic session due to financial difficulties.”

In practical terms, he declares that the recession has affected the provision of diesel, equipment as well as the right environment for reading and learning.

The CVCRPU Chairman adds, “The running cost of universities has increased because of the astronomical rise in the cost of diesel, laboratory consumables and the like. Some institutions have had to shorten the hours of providing electricity. Since this drives the provision of water and the running of scientific equipment, the toll on research can hardly be quantified.

“Another critical area is the equipping of our laboratories with state-of-the-art equipment.  The high cost of importing scientific equipment because of the crashing of the Naira has made procurement of high-end scientific equipment near impossible. These are limiting factors to the provision of the best environments for educational institutions in view of the fact that we are not profit-oriented.”

As part of measures to cushion some of the economic challenges, some institutions, he explains, have put on hold the recruitment of additional staff to ensure that salaries are being paid.

Adeyewa’s counterpart at the American University of Nigeria, Yola, Adamawa State, Dr. Margee Ensign, says the excruciating economic situation is more than real in the institution.

She notes, “The prices of many things have obviously risen, including energy. We are becoming a “greener” campus to reduce our costs; and we work hard to run the university efficiently and effectively and use our resources very carefully.”

The VC of the Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Kwara State, Prof. Mohammed Ibrahim, agrees with Adeyewa and Ensign.

Ibrahim, for example, notes that some students could not sit for the last semester examination following the non-payment of their tuition.

But are there plans to increase their tuition next academic session in order to further cushion the challenges? To this, Ensign says there is no immediate plan. Tuition in many of the private universities range from N400,000 to N2m depending on the course of study.

The AUN VC adds, “This is a board decision, but we have no plans to increase our tuition next year. We can only do this because of the generosity of our founder, who over the years has increased his contributions in support of the university.”

Redeemer’s University, according to its VC, is also not contemplating increasing the tuition. He, however, explains that it is inevitable for the ivory tower to increase its feeding fees.

Adeyewa adds, “For those providing central feeding for students, marginal increase is inevitable due to the high cost of food items. For instance, Redeemer’s University used to charge a subsidised rate of N30,000 per semester for feeding (twice daily) but this is no longer feasible nor sustainable in the current situation.”

The Al-Hikmah VC, who also thinks that tuition increment is a no-go-area for now, holds the view that fees for sundry services in the university may not  remain the same.

According to him, since there are high electric charges and high cost of diesel or petrol for generators, it has become inevitable to increase hostel fees in order to continue to provide the students with water, electricity and other utilities.

He adds “We have yet to see how it is going to affect enrolment for next session. Parents that have a student on campus are finding it difficult to pay, not to talk of those that have two or three students.  It has become a problem.

“However, we are suggesting some marginal increment in certain charges in hostels as well as other services. But this suggestion has not been approved by the council so it has yet to take off.”

For the VC, Crescent University, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Prof. Ibraheem Gbajabiamila, the magnanimity of its founder,  Justice Bola Ajibola (retd), is keeping the institution afloat.

Gbajabiamila, who says the tuition in the ivory tower is “reasonable”, notes that it spends a huge sum on diesel and water monthly.

He adds, “Whereas an expert analysis by a former Executive Secretary of the NUC a few years back was that to survive, a private university needs a student population of three thousand paying between N800,000 and N900,000 per session,  Crescent University is charging far less than that. It provides electricity 24 hours per day with the cost of diesel at N4m, while cost of water is N2m per month.

“All of these are supposed to be part of infrastructure provided by the government. The current hike in cost of doing business in Nigeria has only exacerbated the situation. So, constant proprietary support in keeping the university afloat has been tremendous. In spite of these challenges, the university remains committed to offering excellent academic and moral education at very reasonable fees.”

But the CVCRPU helmsman has urged his fellow managers of private universities not to allow the “unfavourable economic situation” to frustrate them from serving humanity better.

He advises, “My advice to them is to keep up the good work of providing excellent services at  minimal cost to stakeholders as much as possible in spite of the unfavourable situation. It is our sacrifice to motherland. In due season, Nigerians will appreciate our contribution to the development of the nation and support our drive to change obnoxious laws limiting the accessibility of private universities to funds that can be used for the common good.

“I also advise my fellow managers of private universities to use the opportunity of the current situation to run our institutions more efficiently, avoiding the leakages and wastages that are normally associated with the running of public institutions.”

Flood’ll affect Lagos, Imo, Yobe, 11 others –NIHSA

The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency on Monday announced that there would be flooding in 14 states and urged residents living in flood-prone areas of the states to relocate.

According to the agency, most cities would experience heavy floods due to the rise in sea levels and tidal surge.

The agency added that Lagos, Rivers, Calabar, Benue, Sokoto, Anambra, Imo, Cross River, Yobe, Ogun, Osun, Kaduna, Oyo and Yola were the states that would be affected by flooding this year.

The Director-General, NIHSA, Mr. Moses Beckley, said this during the public presentation of the 2016 Annual Flood Outlook in Abuja and warned that this year’s flooding would be higher than the one experienced in 2015.

He said, “The expected inflows in the country for this year will be lower than that of 2012. Meanwhile, the predicted probable flood area coverage in 2016 is expected to be higher than the predicted probable flood as well as the observed value of 2015.

“The expected areas of river flooding this year are located in the following river basins, Niger, Benue, Sokoto-Rima, Anambra-Imo, Cross River, Niger Delta, Komadougu-Yobe, Ogun-Osun and several other sub-basins of the country.

“Some coastal areas such as Lagos, Port Harcourt, Calabar, etc, are expected to experience flooding due to rise in sea level and tidal surge, while flash and urban flooding are likely to occur in Sokoto, Ibadan, Kaduna, Yola, Maiduguri, Makurdi, Hadejia and settlements/cities along the Nigeria coastal line.”

NIHSA urged those living along those places to keep safe distances and “those in the areas where you have dams constructed to also be careful about erecting structures close to where the dams was.”

os landlord kills tenant of four months

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a landlord, Gbade Metibemu, for allegedly stabbing his tenant of four months, Bright Abraham, to death on Apollo Street in the Makoko area of the state.

 PUNCH Metro learnt that Metibemu attacked the 35-year-old Abia State indigene with a knife for refusing to vacate his plank apartment after a week-long disagreement.

Our correspondent was told that the suspect had warned the victim to stop soiling the slum with the faeces of his baby.

When the warning did not yield any result, the suspect was reported to have threatened to kill Abraham.

Last Thursday, around 10pm, the father of four was preparing to sleep when an argument ensued between him and the landlord which degenerated into a fight.

Metibemu was alleged to have got a knife with which he stabbed Abraham in the chest.

He allegedly rushed to the Adekunle Police Station to report that he had been injured by his tenant.

He was, however, detained when news filtered in that Abraham had died at the hospital where he was taken to for treatment.

A resident, who identified himself as Christian Nwankwo, said Metibemu always fought his tenants.

He said, “Abraham packed into the house four months ago. He was well-behaved and good-mannered and those were attributes that endeared him to us. His room is beside the landlord’s.

“However, about a week ago, the landlord started complaining that he should stop spreading children clothes on the washing line. He also complained about the faeces of his baby, which he said was soiling the house.

“He started threatening him to leave or he would kill him. We thought it was a joke.”

Another resident, Ndubuisi Nkegba, said the victim had excused himself from a chat to go to bed that Thursday when he was stabbed.

“Just about 10 minutes after he left us to go to bed, we heard a noise. We rushed there and saw that he had been stabbed in the chest three times by the landlord. He was in a pool of blood. We rushed him to the Federal Medical Centre, Yaba, where he was confirmed dead.”

The landlord was said to have gone to the Adekunle Police Station with a friend, identified as Femi, to report the incident.

“He told the police that his tenant stabbed him. The police were taking his statement when some friends of the deceased, who were returning from the hospital, met him at the station. They told the police that the tenant was dead. The landlord’s friend, Femi, fled, but the landlord was detained.”

It was learnt that the wife and children of the victim had been taken to their family house.

Our correspondent was told that an angry mob demolished the suspect’s apartment and destroyed some of his property.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the incident, adding that the suspect had been transferred to the State Department of Criminal Investigation and Intelligence, Yaba.