A Nigerian newspaper and Online version of the Vanguard, a daily publication in Nigeria covering Niger delta, general national news, politics, business, energy, sports, entertainment, fashion,lifestyle human interest stories, etc
Bally has been evicted from the Big Brother Naija Live Show. The eviction went differently today as the host, Ebuka didn't announce him as the evicted housemate, instead, his friend came into the house to get him out.
Bally
High tension as a result of the Show finale being in sight resulted n 11 million total votes according to show host Ebuka Uchendu.
TBoss, Marvis, Debie-Rise and Efe were all up for possible eviction, and then Biggie instructed the Head of House, Bisola to do a save and replace; a swap which he previously said won't be made. The only option apparently, was Bally, So, Bisola swapped Bally for Efe, thus removing Efe from possible Eviction.
Roger Federer defeated long-standing rival Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-4 to win the Miami Open on Sunday and continue his outstanding start to the year.
Since returning from his six month injury lay-off, the 35-year-old Federer has also won the Australian Open and Indian Wells and he heads into the clay season as, once again, the dominant presence on the ATP Tour.
Roger Federer
Federer has beaten Nadal in all of those events this year and has now won his last four meetings between the pair.
“It’s been a fabulous couple of weeks,” said Federer after his victory.
The Spaniard was playing in his fifth Miami final but remains without a win in the Masters series event.
The first set was a tight affair with both players having their opportunities to break. But it was not until the eighth game and 10th break point of the set that one of them was able to get ahead.
Nadal could only find the net from a Federer backhand and the Swiss grabbed a 5-3 lead and held the next game to secure the first set.
Federer pinpointed his saving of break points in the first game and at 3-3 as crucial moments in the contest.
“It was totally key,” Federer said. “He looked good from the get-go. He was playing big tennis, stepping in and doing all the right things.
“A bit more luck on his side and the wrong decisions by me at that moment and it could have turned very quickly. It was a very intense first set.”
There has always been a marked contrast between Federer and Nadal’s differing styles and with time it has become further accentuated.
Nadal was working hard in the 83 degrees afternoon heat, thrusting himself into his shots while the elegant Federer’s poise appeared almost casual.
The second set took an almost identical path, albeit with fewer openings to break for both players until Federer again pounced, to grab a 5-4 lead when Nadal went long returning a fine backhand.
The Ekiti state Police command said that it would soon come up with the report of its investigation into the alleged assault on a woman by policemen at a checkpoint in Ado Ekiti.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Abdullahi Chafe disclosed this while presenting some suspects to newsmen in Ado Ekiti on Sunday.
Abdullahi Chafe
He dismissed insinuations in some quarters that plans were in the offing to shield the officers involved from being prosecuted if found wanting.
Chafe said the ongoing investigation would address the claim by the woman that the policemen on duty at the said checkpoint impounded 750 Dollars found on her during the encounter.
He said the command was determined to expose anyone found to be directly or indirectly involved in the act.
"We will soon address the press on the outcome of our investigation on the incident, even as we are trying our best possible to ensure that justice is done to both sides.
"No one will be spared or covered, we have not been covering any policeman and the case at hand will not be an exception
"But let me assure that police do not engage in cover-ups of its men found wanting in cases such as this, contrary to beliefs.
"The recent case of Apo six in Abuja, in which some policemen were arrested, dragged to court and later sentenced to death, is a clear example.
"It is however unfortunate that in Nigeria, some people who had long formed negative impression about the police never see anything good in them,"he said.
Chafe said that those protesting on the streets against the police over the matter never cared to make any inquiry before making up their minds.
The commissioner said that the police top management had never taken issues like this kindly, adding that such officers were always shown the away out of the force if found guilty.
Mrs. Toyin Adeyeye, a nursing mother, was allegedly beaten by policemen on March 19 at a check point in Ado Ekiti for alleged refusal to give bribe to the police men.
She was also detained along with her nine month old baby overnight at the police station.
The police claimed the woman slapped one of the policemen at the checkpoint and also tore his uniform. The woman and her husband said the police version was concocted.
Governor Ayodele Fayose also promised an enquirer on the incident
The South East Governors' Forum has set up a 10 member committee to fashion out ways to integrate and boost economy of the zone. The Chairman of the forum, Gov. Dave Umahi of Ebonyi, disclosed this to newsmen in Enugu on Sunday at the end of its meeting. Umahi said that the committee made up of two representatives each from the five states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states in the zone, would present its report at the next meeting of the forum.
"We have mandated the committee to meet and fashion out road map towards our economic integration. "This, the committee will do in coming weeks and present our economic indices and development route in our next meeting.
"We equally agreed to meet with all stakeholders in the zone to discuss and address all issues of interest to our people," he said. He said that the activities of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and others were also discussed.
"We discussed the issue of IPOB, MASSOB, Nnamdi Kanu's detention, ecological problems of South East and various water dams that have been abandoned in the zone.
"Other challenges such as power, security and other very many concerns of our people were also discussed and we agreed to immediately meet with the various and appropriate authorities to address them," he said.
Umahi said that the governors were committed to addressing the challenges and had already initiated action on them. He said that the meeting was so crucial that they agreed to attend in persons instead of sending representations.
"To underscore the importance of this meeting, we decided to attend in our capacities as governors," he said.
The chairman said that the secretariat of the forum in Enugu had become fully functional adding that the governors could be contacted through the secretariat at the government house in Enugu. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that all the governors in the zone except Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, could not attend because of delayed flight from Lagos.
Governor Rochas Okorocha has attributed the actions of Nnamdi Kanu to youthful exuberance, saying he believes that his continued detention is a distraction.
Nnamdi Kanu
He said this while speaking at a south-east governors meeting which was held to profer a way forward for Kanu’s case.
He added that some leaders in the South-east region are already coming together to make a case for his release and would caution his actions afterwards.
The Meeting Chaired by Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, told reporters that other issues discussed at the meeting include ecological problems facing the region and economic integration among others.
The continuous detention of the self-acclaimed leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has been top of the agenda of discussions among Governors of the South-east region.
The leaders, meeting for the second time in 2017 at the Government House in Enugu State, announced their resolve to engage relevant authorities at the Federal level and the region to address the issue.
The meeting came on the heels of Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, called on the Federal Government to consider the release of the self-acclaimed IPOB leader.
Mr Kanu was arrested in October 2015 and has been held in prison since then, despite various court orders that ruled for his release.
Members of the IPOB in the South-east have also held series of protests, demanding his release.
By Dennis Agbo ENUGU- The Governors of states in South East geopolitical zone, on Sunday, unanimously resolved to wade into all issues of self determination by the pro-Biafra groups in the zone.Nnamdi kanu
The pro-Biafra groups, the governors particularly mentioned are the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB and the Movement for Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB.
The Governors precisely said the have decided to wade into the issue of the detention the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
The Ekiti state Police command said that it would soon come up with the report of its investigation into the alleged assault on a woman by policemen at a checkpoint in Ado Ekiti.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Abdullahi Chafe disclosed this while presenting some suspects to newsmen in Ado Ekiti on Sunday.
He dismissed insinuations in some quarters that plans were in the offing to shield the officers involved from being prosecuted if found wanting.
Chafe said the ongoing investigation would address the claim by the woman that the policemen on duty at the said checkpoint impounded 750 Dollars found on her during the encounter.
He said the command was determined to expose anyone found to be directly or indirectly involved in the act.
"We will soon address the press on the outcome of our investigation on the incident, even as we are trying our best possible to ensure that justice is done to both sides.
"No one will be spared or covered, we have not been covering any policeman and the case at hand will not be an exception
"But let me assure that police do not engage in cover-ups of its men found wanting in cases such as this, contrary to beliefs.
"The recent case of Apo six in Abuja, in which some policemen were arrested, dragged to court and later sentenced to death, is a clear example.
"It is however unfortunate that in Nigeria, some people who had long formed negative impression about the police never see anything good in them,"he said.
Chafe said that those protesting on the streets against the police over the matter never cared to make any inquiry before making up their minds.
The commissioner said that the police top management had never taken issues like this kindly, adding that such officers were always shown the away out of the force if found guilty.
Mrs. Toyin Adeyeye, a nursing mother, was allegedly beaten by policemen on March 19 at a check point in Ado Ekiti for alleged refusal to give bribe to the police men.
She was also detained along with her nine month old baby overnight at the police station.
The police claimed the woman slapped one of the policemen at the checkpoint and also tore his uniform. The woman and her husband said the police version was concocted.
Governor Ayodele Fayose also promised an enquirer on the incident
The European Union (EU) has set aside N392 million for training and resettlement of repentant cattle rustlers and militants under the amnesty programme, a member Presidential Committee, said on Sunday in Katsina.
Air Commodore Joseph Adeleke, a member of the Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapon (PRESCOM), disclosed after inspecting 364 weapons surrendered by repentant cattle rustlers in Katsina state.
He said that the training and resettlement were under an alternative livelihood project to make the surrendered militants self reliant.
Adeleke said that all the repentant militants would be trained in skills acquisitions to learn a trade that would stop them from going back to their old trade.
"The presidential committee on light arms has conducted similar programme in Benue and Katsina states to display the surrendered weapons by the militants," he said.
Adeleke said that Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara and Kaduna were selected from the north-west while Cross River and Akwa Ibom were selected from the south-south for the project.
He said repentant militants would receive training on vocational skills and equipment would be provided to guaranty the continuation of their businesses.
"We initiated the project so that surrendered militants will not carry arms again.
"We will train them on skills acquisition and provide equipment to set up businesses," he said.
Adeleke said the alternative livelihood project would be implemented by the presidential committee and United Nation Development Programme (UNDP).
He said that the committee would soon commence biometric data of all repentant militants in the seven states to benefit from the programme.
He commended Katsina government for initiating amnesty programme for cattle rustlers, saying the move demonstrated commitment of Gov. Aminu Masari to ensure peace and protection of lives and property in the state.
Earlier, the permanent secretary in the office of the secretary to the government of the state, Alhaji Sulieman Safana, said that government would fulfill its promise for the successful implementation of the programme.
Safana commended the presidential committee for its encouragement and introduction of alternative livelihood project for repentant militants.
He called on the repentant militants to desist from any act that was capable of truncating the amnesty programme.
ABUJA – Determined to stave off further altercation between the Presidency and the Senate, the ruling All Progressives Congress APC would Tuesday meet with its caucus in the upper legislative chamber.
Bolaji Abdullahi,ex Sports Minister
In a statement issued Sunday in Abuja, spokesman of the party, Bolaji Abdullahi said, worried by the worsening relationship between the two arms of government, the Party had embarked on a series of consultations with the key actors aimed at resolving the growing impasse.
It would be recalled that the Party's leadership, led by its National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun recently met with the House of Representatives APC Caucus.
“Following the All Progressives Congress (APC) resolve to intervene in the on-going rift between the Executive and the National Assembly, the APC National Working Committee (NWC) will on Tuesday, April 4, meet with the Party's Caucus of the Senate”, Abdullahi said.
Speaking to newsmen after the meeting, Abdullahi, said the APC National Chairman had used the opportunity of the meeting to plead with the House of Representatives members to continue to support the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, even in the face of some of the expressed grievances which may be considered as genuine. Abdullahi however added that the APC would not support any member of the Party or anyone appointed on its platform to disrespect the legislative institution.
“Ahead of the Tuesday meeting with the Senate, the Party expresses its happiness with the committee set up by President Muhammadu Buhari to re-examine the Executive relationship with the National Assembly. The Party considers the committee headed by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo as a step in the right direction, which demonstrates President Buhari's recognition of the paramount importance of the legislative institution in a democracy.
“The Party reiterates its commitment to ensure that the relationship between the two critical arms of government improves further, and commended the National Assembly leadership for its maturity and pre-disposition to have all the issues resolved as quickly as possible in the interest of the party and the nation as a whole.
“The Party however warns that it would not hesitate to take appropriate action against any member whose utterances or behaviour are capable of jeopardizing the peace initiatives or further worsening the existing situation”, the statement added.
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), has predicted moderate dust haze and partly cloudy weather conditions in visibility range of one to three kilometres over the central states of the country on Monday.
The NiMet's Weather Outlook by its Central Forecast Office on Sunday in Abuja also predicted chances of localised thundery showers over Lokoja, Makurdi and Lafia during the evening and night hours.
It added that the region would have day and night temperature of 34 to 40 and 19 to 30 degrees Celsius respectively.
The agency predicted that southern states would experience morning cloudiness with isolated thunderstorms over the coastal cities such as Port Harcourt, Calabar, Yenagoa, Lagos and warri later in the day.
It also predicted isolated thunderstorms over the inland of Akure, Ado-Ekiti, Benin, Enugu, Owerri and Obudu with day and night temperatures of 34 to 39 and 20 to 26 degrees Celsius respectively.
According to NiMet, northern states are expected to experience dust haze conditions in visibility range of 1000m to 3000m are expected to prevail over this region.
"Maiduguri, Gombe, Nguru and Yola may likely experience visibility of less than 1000m with day and Night temperature of 31 to 41 and 17 to 29 degrees Celsius respectively.
"Reduced visibility in dust haze condition is anticipated to persist over the northern and part of the central cities.
"The south is expected to be under the influence of cloudy to partly cloudy situation with prospects of localised thunderstorm in the next 24 hours,'' NiMet predicted.
By Levinus Nwabughiogu ABUJA-Presidency has vowed never to relent the ongoing anti-corruption fight despite the growing the criticism against President Muhammadu Buhari's administration.
The Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu reiterated this during a radio program 'Hannu Da Yawa' on Federal Radio Cooperation of Nigeria, FRCN, Kaduna at the weekend.
Shehu also dismissed insinuations that Buhari was selective in the anti-graft war, but that corruption was fighting back.
He said: "Let me say one thing. Those whose illicit ways of accumulating money have been stopped will criticize this government but all that will not derail the unfaltering commitment of President, Muhammadu Buhari's administration to the war against corruption.
“He is aware that this was one of the main reasons why Nigerians in their millions put their trust in him; the main reason they voted him into power in 2015.
“To keep that trust of ordinary Nigerians who voted him into the office, he has vowed to give corruption a good fight. He will not let them down.”
“Corruption has been fighting back vehemently, finding accomplices in various forms and guises. Nevertheless, the Buhari administration will not relent.”
Shehu also assured Nigerians that gone were the days when corruption reigned supreme in Nigeria. “Nothing will return our country to those sad, old days of wanton thievery that have plunged us into the economic mess from which Nigeria is currently recovering. The war against corruption in Nigeria is one of those clashes between good and evil, where good is determined to triumph.” Highlighting the various measures introduced to promote transparency by the present administration, Malam
Shehu disclosed that upon directives by the President, the National Hajj Commission carried out an audit of accommodation agents in both Makkah and Madina in Saudi Arabia and as result, a saving of more than sixteen million Dollars (USD 16.7 m) is being made..
“Each Hajj pilgrim is being saved between 600 to 1,000 Saudi Riyals, which is about N60,000-N100,000 on accommodation, money that had lined the pockets of agents in the past. This year, houses are being rented directly from owners”, he said.
He commended Nigerians for embracing the whistle-blower policy by “taking extraordinary risks to expose corruption.” Speaking on the ongoing rehabilitation of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja and the relocation of flight services to Kaduna for the six-week period of the closure, Shehu he encouraged the government and people of Kaduna State to take advantage of the social and economic benefits of the relocation.
‘The government of Nigeria has done a big thing for Kaduna. You must show appreciation to this by supporting the administration”, he said.
Referring to the “massive cash releases for capital projects in excess of a record one trillion Naira under the 2016 budget,” the Presidential Aide hailed the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola for being the first Minister to do an inspection drive on all the federal roads across the nation.
Shehu added upon all the projects, the Mambila power project, the Lagos-Kano, Lagos-Calabar and Port Harcourt-Maiduguri railway modernization projects and the new Presidential Initiative on Fertilizer were of paramount importance to President Buhari, assuring that he was determined to execute the projects.
AC Milan Coach, Vincenzo Montella admitted Gianluigi Donnarumma’s error against Pescara was unlikely to raise a laugh in the AC Milan dressing room after they failed to come back and claim three points.
Donnarumma misjudged a firm backpass from Gabriel Paletta, allowing the ball to squeeze under his foot and over the line to hand the struggling hosts the lead, with Mario Pasalic rescuing a 1-1 draw for Milan, who remain in seventh place.
The 18-year-old’s first appearance since becoming Italy’s youngest starting goalkeeper will be remembered for the howler and Montella offered some cold comfort, suggesting it would have been quickly forgotten had his side gone on to win.
“Mistakes can happen. Gigio needs to relax,” Montella told Mediaset Premium. “If we had won the game, we would have had a laugh about it.
“There was a misunderstanding, Paletta was being pressed and Donnarumma was in the right position, he just got the first touch wrong.”
Dropping two points at bottom club Pescara dealt Milan’s European hopes a blow, especially as Lazio and Atalanta recorded wins, but Montella believes they can still force their way into Serie A’s qualification places.
“The race for Europe is not over, but I hope that those above us in the table think it is,” Montella said. “I am convinced we’ll be in it to the very end. We lost one set, to use a tennis term, but there are others still to be played.
“Towards the end we created three or four important chances and we didn’t make the most of them. Today pride was not enough, we just needed to move the ball around quicker.
“We got stretched out, Pescara did well. It’s a draw that we accept and we look to the next games with optimism.”
A popularly pickpocket suspect known as 'Dayo Skippo' has been arrested by the operatives of Rapid Response Squad, (RRS) of Lagos State Police Command.
The suspect who claimed to be an expert in stealing was arrested at Ikeja-Under-Bridge
He confessed to RRS decoy team in an interrogation that the current economic situation led him into the crime.
The suspect, a secondary school drop-out further explained that all he needs to do is to have the slightest physical contact with his victim and their valuables are gone. "I can use my head to remove anything from your body. I will just pretend as if I know you somewhere and in the process of giving you salutations, your item is gone", he said.
He also confessed that he doesn't perpetrate the theft alone but works with some members of his group just in case the victim becomes suspicious, they would quickly swing into action.
One of his victims who narrated his encounter with the suspect, said "I went to Ikeja Computer Village to see a friend of mine, after seeing him on my way to the bus park I just saw someone hugged me from behind and later apologized to me when I told him I didn't know him; before I could look around again, I discovered my phone was gone already and the guy was nowhere to be found."
"I went back to my friend shop almost immediately to track my iPhone and the location I saw was that my phone was already in Lagos Island". The victim added.
The suspect however appealed during the interrogation to be given a second chance to turn a new leaf swearing that he will never go back to the act.
Confirming the incident, the Police PPRO, ASP Olarinde Famous Cole, said that there would be no hiding place for criminals in Lagos State adding that officers of the command are at alert to nip crime in the bud.
The suspect have been transferred to the SCID, Panti for further investigations.
The recent visit of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to Edo State, where he met with stakeholders in the oil producing communities in the state, has doused tension in the communities. The stakeholders meeting is one of the major national events to be hosted by Governor Godwin Obaseki. Stakeholders from the three oil producing local government areas of the state, Ikpoba Okhai, Ovia North East and Orhionmwon, were on hand to lament the plight of their people despite the oil in their domain. Youth organisations and civil society groups were equally not left out, as the Director of the African Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), Rev.David Ugolor, and the Chairman of Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth International, Nimo Bassey, said the people of the Niger Delta are still suffering pollution and neglect from the activities of oil companies operating in the region. Besides Obaseki and his deputy, Philip Shaibu, other dignitaries at the occasion include King Alfred Diette-Spiff representing the Pan Niger Delta Area Petroleum Producing Forum (PANDEF), the Minister of State Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachukwu, and Minister of State Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani Uguru Usani.
Shaibu, in his welcome address, expressed appreciation to the Buhari administration for initiating the move to find lasting solution to the Niger Delta problems, saying: "This meeting will proffer solution to the challenges being faced in the Niger Delta. We believe that this meeting will strengthen the existing partnership on the development of our region. This will afford the stakeholders and leaders of the oil producing communities the opportunity to table their challenges for possible government intervention. There is no doubt that engagement and dialogue of this nature will help to douse restiveness in the region in order to get our economy back on track. I am confident that the Federal Government will consider the various submissions by stakeholders in the various oil communities so that we will fashion out a workable solution to the challenges facing us".
The Esogban of Benin Kingdom, Chief Davie Edebiri, who spoke on behalf of the people of Ovia North East, lamented the plight of his people, the only bridge in their domain that connects the entire oil producing communities in the state has remained undone irrespective of the fact that "on paper in Abuja the bridge has been completed". His words, " We are not among those who are involved in militancy. Even if we are militants, our youths are patriotic citizens of this country. The oil companies exploring oil in our area have not shown sufficient zeal to better the lot of the people. They have not shown sufficient love to consider the citizens of this area in their employment. We have three oil firms in Ovia North East. We want to appeal to the President to use his good office to prevail on these companies to adhere strictly to the agreements they reached with the Federal Government. I also want to call your attention to one vital issue. The bridge that connect the oil producing communities in our area has not been done. We have gone to Abuja to find out why that bridge is still like that, and we were told that in the books that the project has been completed but it is not true. We want you to use you good office to make sure that this bridge is completed without delay".
Johnson Acheghele spoke for Ikpoba Okhai people while Osaiten Osadolor spoke for Orhionmwon people. The duo harped on the issue of neglect and marginalization. Acheghele said: "We have 11 oil producing communities. Ologbo has 49 oil wells and giant flow stations. We also have a giant gas plant. For over 40 years, there has been oil exploration in our area but there has been no case of vandalization or kidnapping of oil workers. This is due to the way elders of the communities are organizing the youths despite the fact that there is no presence of government in the communities. What we have is total neglect, under development, slavery, marginalization. We don't have link roads to these communities. If you want to enter these communities, you have to get to Delta State first because we have no roads. In these communities, especially Kolokolo, there are no health facilities. When our people take ill, they have to go by boat to Delta State before they can get treatment. The worst is that they is no school, we are breeding illiterates. In terms of appointment, our people are not considered, it was only recently that the immediate past governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, visited our community and saw we were living in abject poverty and gave us a Commissioner".
Speaking also, Diette-Spiff urged the Federal Governemnent to ensure the "establishment of the Gelegele Seaport and export processing, the construction of Calabar-Lagos rail, the reconstruction of Benin-Warri federal high way, the construction of Uromi-Agbor road; and the completion of the Benin-Ekpoma-Auchi- Kogi road. "The PANDEF representative went on. "But it will surprise you to note that there is no substantial presence of government in these areas. We believe that with your visit today things will change. Permit us to list some of the Federal Government abandoned projects in Edo. One, completion of the skill Acquisition Center at Iguolaba, completion of the by-pass by the Federal Ministry of Works, completion of the Oben road, completion of the Gelelege road. PANDEF expresses gratitude to the Federal Government on the policy statement made during your visits, when you ordered oil companies to relocate their offices to the Niger Delta. This is a major policy issue that will facilitate socio-economic state of the communities where the oil companies operate. The NNPC headquarters should also be relocated to the Niger Delta because they have no business in Abuja. The Federal Government should open the Nigerian Maritime University Okerenkoko. The decision to legalize small scale refineries will boost local content which will boost the economy of the communities.
"Our prayer is that urgent steps are taken for the implementation of these policies that will oil companies operate peacefully in our domain. IOCs should be made to comply with your directives, the government should instruct the NNPC and its subsidiaries to work together with the host communities instead of the militarization of the oil communities".
However, there was pandemonium in the hall while the programme was on going as youths from Ijaw communities stormed the venue to insist that the acting president visit their communities rather than held a stakeholders meeting which, according to them, will not yield the desired result. For over ten minutes the occasion was disrupted and it took the intervention of the state deputy governor, Shaibu, and security agents to bring the situation to nomalcy. The host governor, Obaseki, announced that Osinbajo will soon tour Niger Delta communities. He then rolled out his plans for oil communities which according to him had suffered neglect in the past. Obaseki said, " Like other oil producing communities in Nigeria, we have had our own fair share of neglect and deprivation. And that is what you heard from our people today. We are aware that the Federal Government has made several attempts in the past to try to develop our region, these communities, but as we have seen due to several factors, ranging from corruption, ineptitude, we have not been able to achieve our desired goals. The youths have a very strong feeling of deprivation and marginalization and that is what you just saw this afternoon. The growing incidents of crime and violence has become a major threat to our socio-economic development. It is like we are now caught in a web. We must release ourselves now from that web. Edo State welcomes this bold step being taken by our President and I can assure you, as you have heard from various stakeholders, that we are prepared to work with the Federal Government.
"I want you to look into the reports of various commissions that have been out in place in the Niger Delta over the years. I also appreciate sir, if you can consider to pay another visit when your schedule is less busy so we can go to these various communities. "As part of the efforts of my administration to curb militancy in oil producing communities, I have mandated EDSOPADEC to embark on the following: We must now spend resources from this year's budget to develop the master plan for each of the 38 oil producing communities in Edo State. We will now prioritize the projects in these communities with the master plan. We will now align the budgets that we spend as Edo state government, NDDC, Ministry of Niger Delta, Federal Government and oil companies so we can make more impacts in these communities. Mr President, we will not allow any agency to operate in any of these communities without strict adherence to our master plan. We will set up a review mechanism with the communities and their representatives constantly review and evaluate the progress being made in this master plan. We are preparing almost five thousand hectares of land for cropping this raining season. We are also going to partner with various security agencies so that the socio-economic activities can strive. Oil producing communities in the state have continued to embrace dialogue and that is what has sustained the peace we are enjoying".
Addressing the gathering, Osinbajo debunked the claim by the Ijaw youths that he was not able to visit their communities due to security reasons. "Our plan is to ensure that we visit all of the oil producing communities and we had stationed at the airport helicopters in order to take us there, there is no issue of insecurity at all. Any body who says so it is not true, what has happened is that the Abuja airport will be closed tomorrow, we will not have enough time to visit all the communities but we have agreed that I will pay a visit so we can visit these communities,"he stated.
The Vice President went on: "In November 2016, the PANDEF visited President Muhammadu Buhari and submitted a 16 point road map for the development of oil producing communities in Nigeria. The President decided that we must undertake visit to these communities and hear from the people and seek a better solution to the problems. That is why I am here. The majority of the oil producing communities have suffered, the story of devastation is everywhere. I can tell you precisely how much has been voted in several communities and there is no sign of development in those areas. I can tell you how many of these projects are supposed to have been completed but when you look at the books they said they have been completed. They have not even been done, many have not even been started at all. This is the story not just in the oil producing communities but here in Edo and everywhere.
“This is a story of many years of corruption that has deprived our people, especially people from the oil producing communities, of their means of livelihood. That is one of the issues that we intend to address. We want to impose a new way of doing things, a new era for oil producing communities in Nigeria. This is an important engagement, it is not an engagement that we are taking lightly. The reason we have spent the few days going from community to community, state to state is because this is a serious engagement. We are committed to any one of the things that we say we want to do. It does not make sense for leadership to look at the plight of the people, especially in the oil producing areas, and look back. This is the source of the wealth of the nation and you can't ignore the people; even if you ignore the people for a while, a time will come when you can no longer ignore them. So, there is no question at all that we are committed to say we will do what we promised to do. And that is a pledge coming directly from the President himself".
Continuing he said, "The Federal Government has entered into a partnership with oil communities, state, local governments and civil society organizations for the rapid development of these communities. It is our belief that we must treat these oil producing communities as special development areas focusing in particular on how to ensure that the people see the benefits of the wealth of the land. And when I say the people, I mean the people because the elites everywhere, and not just in the oil producing communities, have very frequently deprived the people of the opportunity to enjoy the fruit of the land. That is the Nigerian story. The elites in Nigeria, and this is an issue we must deal with, have not allowed the actual people to enjoy the fruit of the land and we must deal with it. We cannot continue as if we don't know the issues, it is not just an oil producing community issue, it is across the country.
"If you look at the number of contracts and the volume of money that has been spent on paper, it is enough to develop other countries but the money is usually corruptly taken away. It is our duty to ensure that we speak up against these things and ensure that our people feel the benefits of the wealth that this country has. The new vision will define the future. We must make our oil producing communities' hubs of petrochemical industries so as to create jobs for our youths. I note that in our forty years there has been no vandalization of pipelines in these oil communities. I will be working with the NDDC and the Niger Delta Minister to ensure that we get all abandoned projects on track and that we hold defaulting contractors to account. And I have ordered that all contractors who have abandoned their projects back to site. We are going to ensure that any contractor who has taken money and abandoned the project is prosecuted. All contractors must be held accountable. Nobody will be allowed to abandon a project and take away the money".
Arsene Wenger endured more frustration as Arsenal were held to a 2-2 draw by top four rivals Manchester City, while Swansea and Middlesbrough remain in relegation danger after a 0-0 draw on Sunday.
With Arsenal fans once again calling for Wenger to resign during a pre-match protest march outside the Emirates Stadium, the Gunners boss desperately needed a dominant display from his team.
Arsenal’s German defender Shkodran Mustafi (centre right) jumps highest to win a header as he scores Arsenal’s second goal during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Manchester City at The Emirates in London, on April 2, 2017. The game finished 2-2. / AFP PHOTO
Instead, Arsenal twice had to come from behind to avoid a third successive Premier League defeat.
The north Londoners remain in sixth place, seven points behind fourth-placed City in the fight to qualify for the Champions League via a top four finish.
“We were nervous and surprised by their start. I feared that we could start with the handbrake on because of the pressure we are under,” Wenger said.
“We were not completely at our best because of the pressure but we showed mental strength and did not lie down.
“Mathematically a draw is not the best solution for both teams but it is a point which will help us.”
City manager Pep Guardiola added: “We didn’t play in the first half, after the goal we forgot to play, the desire went.
“In the second half we played more. We suffered a lot in the first half because we did not make those passes together. ”
Arsenal fell behind after only five minutes when Leroy Sane held off Hector Bellerin as he accelerated onto Kevin De Bruyne’s pass before rounding David Ospina and slotting home.
Theo Walcott equalised for Arsenal in the 40th minute when he stabbed in after City defender Gael Clichy played him onside following a half-cleared corner.
Just two minutes later, Sergio Aguero restored City’s advantage with a predatory finish after more sloppy Arsenal defending.
Arsenal lost French defender Laurent Koscielny to an Achilles tendon injury at the interval.
But Wenger’s side were back on level terms again eight minutes after half-time as Shkodran Mustafi headed in from Mesut Ozil’s corner.
– Stalemate –
City had a penalty appeal turned down when Nacho Monreal appeared to handle in the final seconds.
Guardiola’s side have now drawn their last three league matches and have a five-point lead over fifth-placed Manchester United, who have a game in hand on their local rivals.
At the Liberty Stadium, Middlesbrough wasted a chance to boost their survival bid in a stalemate with relegation rivals Swansea.
Steve Agnew’s side would have moved within two points of safety with a victory at the Liberty Stadium.
But instead second-bottom Middlesbrough remain five points adrift of 17th-placed Swansea.
Middlesbrough, without a win in 12 league games, are four points behind third-bottom Hull, although they have a game in hand on both sides in the battle to avoid dropping into the Championship.
It was also a missed opportunity for Swansea, who could have pulled clear of the bottom three but instead remain deep in trouble themselves, just one point above Hull following their third successive game without a win.
“It would have been harsh if we’d lost that game on the chances we created. We just couldn’t get over the line,” Swansea boss Paul Clement said.
Middlesbrough manager Agnew added: “The attitude and intensity of the players was there for all to see and that will hold us in good stead.”
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says that eligible candidates for its 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) can now purchase the pin for registration using the Remita mode.
The board said on Sunday the development came on the heels of the reported challenges the candidates faced in an attempt to acquire the pins from NIPOST and the designated banks.
The Head of Information of JAMB, Dr Fabian Benjamin, said the board had noted the many headaches of prospective candidates from various parts of the country, including Lagos.
He said that candidates had lamented the difficulties involved in obtaining the pins from designated banks on the payment of N5,500 and the subsequent hassles in getting registered.
candidates had described the process as cumbersome and frustrating as they have to queue as early as 2 or 3 a.m. in some cases in banks just to acquire pins.
They had also said that often times, they spent the entire day waiting endlessly without results as the bank officials tell them that they could not access the site for the pins.
They also said the development normally warranted them to spend almost an entire week trying and that even when they succeeded, they start facing the task of registration at overcrowded centres.
According to Benjamin, candidates are advised not to panic as every eligible candidate desirous of registering will do so before the closing date of April 19.
"We appreciate the fact that the sales of the UTME for 2017 which is hitherto set to last for six has been reduced to one month.
"This was done in the interest of the candidates as it was to ensure that the challenges candidates are going through are resolved.
"To further cushion the effect of these challenges, we have decided to bring the Remitta mode on board.
"Candidates can now purchase the pin for registration from the comfort of their homes.
"So, aside the banks and NIPOST, candidates can now purchase the pins through Remita,'' Benjamin said in a statement.
The statement explained why the board banned cyber cafes from registering candidates for the examination, noting that activities in the cafes damaged records and statistics of candidates.
"In as much as we want to be inclusive, we cannot look the other way while students' records and national statistics are mutilated.
"Ours is an examination, so we cannot be guided by primordial consideration over quality and standard,'' it said.
According to the statement, most problems associated with candidates' registration such as wrong spellings of names, wrongful placement of passport photograph and others emanates from the business centres at registration points.
"Don't forget, it is virtually impossible to regulate the activities of these business centres as their mode of operations did not provide necessary details about them.
"These problems created by cafes make information gathering, processing and administration of examination cumbersome as records and data of candidates are distorted.
"The accreditation centres are on the board's website for easy identification cohesion and smooth operation,'' it explained.
He added that the board would continue to expand the frontiers and channels of the sales of the pins in virtually all the banks, with a view to bringing the services to the door step of every Nigerian child desirous of qualitative tertiary education.
According to the statement, examination is a serious business and it cannot be left open the way some people want it to be.
"We again urge Nigerians particularly anxious candidates not to fall prey to unsuspecting and dubious individuals who parade themselves as agents of JAMB with the intention to defraud them.
"The board's e-brochures and syllabus are on the CD to be given out to candidates and it is free and available as a guide to candidates to have a hitch-free registration exercise,'' the statement said.
President of the Nigeria Thoracic Society, NTS, Professor Etete Peters, has called on health professionals and allied bodies in the country to put more efforts into educating the public on the ills of tuberculosis.
Peters made the call in Uyo at a symposium organized by NTS in collaboration with the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) to mark this year's World Tuberculosis Day.
Speaking during the event, tagged, "Unite to Eradicate Tuberculosis", Peters said about one third of the world population is affected by mycobacterium tuberculosis each second of the day, noting that there was need for improved strategies to contain the disease including the expansion of what he described as "Directly Observed Treatment Strategy".
The professor, who is also the Chief Medical Director of University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, explained that HIV/AIDS pandemic has further led to the increase in TB cases.
The problem, he said, has been further compounded by the emergence of multi-drug resistance and even more recently the extensively drug resistant TB.
"Globally, up to half a million people developed multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB), with extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) reported by 100 countries", he said, adding that tuberculosis is the single commonest infectious disease worldwide with an estimated 9 million cases and 1.5million deaths annually.
"Though TB is a medical disease it has a lot of socio-economic confounders. "There is slow progress in tackling drug-resistant TB – 3 in 4 drug-resistant TB cases remain without a diagnosis".
A presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, said that President Muhammadu Buhari's led administration has vowed to fight corruption to standstill in spite strong resistance by some individuals and groups to thwart these efforts.
Shehu, who is the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, made this known in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday.
He stressed that the war against perfidy and corruption by the Buhari administration would not stop despite the opposition against it in some quarters.
The Presidential aide, who featured on a radio programme tagged, `Hannu Da Yawa' at the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Kaduna zonal station, on Saturday, maintained that the President declared rooting out corruption as one of the cardinal policies of his election campaign.
"Let me say one thing. Those whose illicit ways of accumulating money have been stopped will criticize this government but all that will not derail the unfaltering commitment of the President, Muhammadu Buhari's administration to the war against corruption.
"He is aware that this was one of the main reasons why Nigerians in their millions put their trust in him; the main reason they voted him into power in 2015.
"To keep that trust of ordinary Nigerians who voted him into the office, he has vowed to give corruption a good fight. He will not let them down,'' he said.
Shehu admitted that so far, the battle to uproot corruption from Nigeria has not been easy.
According to him, corruption has been fighting back vehemently, finding accomplices in various forms and guises but reassured that the Buhari administration will not relent.
"Nothing will return our country to those sad, old days of wanton thievery that have plunged us into the economic mess from which Nigeria is currently recovering.
"The war against corruption in Nigeria is one of those clashes between good and evil, where good is determined to triumph.''
He dismissed the insinuation that some members of the governing party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) were being spared in the ongoing campaign against corruption, saying "all are equal before the law''.
Shehu disclosed that upon directives by the President, the National Hajj Commission had carried out an audit of accommodation agents in both Makkah and Madina in Saudi Arabia, as parts of measures to promote transparency.
He revealed that a saving of more than 16.7 million dollars was realized from the exercise.
"Each Hajj pilgrim is being saved between 600 to 1,000 Saudi Riyals, which is about N60,000 – N100,000 from accommodation, money that had lined the pockets of agents in the past.
"This year, houses are being rented directly from owners.''
Shehu also lauded those fearless ordinary citizens for embracing the whistleblower policy by "taking extraordinary risks'' to expose corruption in the society.
On the ongoing relocation of international flight services to Kaduna Airport, the Presidential aide challenged the government and people of Kaduna state to devise ways by which the social and economic benefits brought to the state did not depart the city after the rehabilitation of the Abuja airport.
"The government of Nigeria has done a big thing for Kaduna. You must show appreciation to this by supporting the administration,'' he said.
While referring to the "massive cash releases for capital projects in excess of a record of one trillion Naira under the 2016 budget'', Shehu reiterated the determination of the Buhari administration to complete some developmental projects.
He said this is meant to uplift the quality of life of all Nigerians irrespective of their geo-political backgrounds.
He acknowledged the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola with the record of being the first ever Minister to ride on all the federal roads across the nation.
"In addition to the roads, three of the major projects very dear to the President which he is determined to execute are the Mambila power project, the Lagos-Kano, Lagos-Calabar and Port Harcourt-Maiduguri railway modernization projects and the new Presidential Initiative on Fertilizer.''
The presidential aide noted that already the fertiliser initiative had started making an impact by cutting the price of fertiliser to about 50 per cent.
Atlantic Triangle, an exhibition of artworks organised by the Goethe Institut, Lagos, is set to tell the historical reconstruction of the conditions of exploitation through timely configuration of cultural dynamics and interdependence of the Brazilian Quarter in Lagos.
Speaking of the exhibition, Director of Goethe Institut, Mr Hug Alfons disclosed that "the Goethe-Institut, Lagos, is located right in the middle of what is known now as the Brazilian Quarter, a district reminiscent of the old towns in Rio de Janeiro or Salvador-Bahia, constructed in the 19th century by a group known as the Retornados.
To the Retornados called Amarôs or Agudas in the Yoruba language, Africa represented a promise of a return of history and of mercy.
