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Operators of domestic and commercial wastes in Lagos State are already in court to stop the government from displacing them or replacing them with new operators through the guise of reform.
In a suit filed on their behalf at a Lagos High Court by Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, the PSP operators, urged the court to urgently uphold and protect their existing rights and benefits so that the government will not appoint new operators to replace them.
Listed as defendants in the suit are the Lagos State Government, the Attorney-General of Lagos State, Commissioner for the Environment, the proposed foreign operators and their local agents–namely Visionscape Group, Visionscape Santiation Solutions Limited, and ABC Sanitation Solutions Limited.
"If the government's resolutions are implemented to the letter, the regime of refuse heaps may soon return to the state," Adegboruwa, a human rights lawyer said.
In their 77 paragraph affidavit deposed to by Olabode Coker, the Chairman of the Association of Waste Managers, the operators stated that they had helped Lagos State to rid the state of refuse spanning several years of investments in human and material resources, which had also involved professional trainings and education.
The association, comprising over 350 PSP operators, asked the court to restrain any foreign operator, and their local agents, from taking over the collection, disposal and management of domestic solid waste in all areas of Lagos State.
"The operators claimed that Lagos State had encouraged them in the past to improve their operations through acquisition of modern trucks, for which many of them obtained loans from banks with huge interest rates and the consideration was to be using the resources generated from the waste operations to service the said loans, and they have built offices in various parts of Lagos State for the smooth administration of their operations," Adegboruwa maintained.
They also claimed to have been operating at a loss because of the refusal of Lagos State Government to enact a legislation that will facilitate the enforcement of collection of dues.
The PSP had contended in the suit that the location and dilapidated state of the dumpsites make the operations of waste disposal burdensome as trucks have to wait for hours in order to discharge waste, leading to congestion and the bad roads leading to the dumpsites have caused refuse trucks to break down very often, with huge costs of maintenance.
Meantime, the Lagos State Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, has said that waste generation within the state has increased to over 420, 000 monthly, representing 14, 000 metric tons daily.
Chairman of LAWMA, Olumuyiwa Adejokun and General Manager, Mr. Segun Adeniji, disclosed this recently, at the opening session of a 3-day training workshop for officials of the agency, themed: "Reformed Waste Management in Lagos State: The role of LAWMA," held at Lekki, Eti-Osa Local Government Area of the state.
The governor's directive, Adejokun, stressed was part of the planned reform to make the agency more efficient and effective saying, "Government does not have the huge funds required to manage waste in the state, this is why the governor has decided to embark on waste management reform."
He explained that the reform would see LAWMA being excluded from waste collection and concentrate on regulatory role of waste collection in the state.
The U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Stuart Symington, on Friday said America would not discriminate against any Nigerian on the basis of religion or on the new visa regime.
President Trump recently signed an executive order that banned citizens from seven countries from travelling into the U.S. for 90 days.
The countries are Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
The restrictions were part of wide-ranging immigration controls that also suspended refugee arrivals.
At a press conference in Abuja on President Donald Trump's executive order and its effects on Nigeria, the ambassador dispelled the rumour of reducing U.S. visa policy for Nigeria to one year.
Symington said that the two-year visa for Nigeria was still valid.
"The new order now is for the U.S. government to cross-check as many that are coming into the U.S. before issuing visas.
"We will not discriminate on the basis of religion in issuing visas to Nigerians. The two-year visa is still valid contrary to reports we have heard in the media.
"Nigeria's leadership role is crucial in the world and Nigeria cannot be blacklisted. The importance of Nigeria in the world is legal," he said.
The envoy explained that Nigerians, particularly its Muslim community, would not be discriminated against by the order.
He said that the aim of the executive order was not to be used as a weapon to deliberately deny anyone visa into the U.S.
The ambassador explained that the executive order was designed to put in place a new and effective system.
He said that the new system would ensure that people, who genuinely wanted to visit, live or work in the U.S., could do so and stop any that posed a threat from entering into the country.
On the issue of the U.S. closing its doors against countries that were in crisis and refugees, Symington said that his country was not shutting its doors but putting in place measures to ensure safety for all.
"We recognise that we are a nation of immigrants and a nation constantly seeking to bring diverse people together.
"Our goal is to have in place a process that works. For everyone that applies for a visa, we should be able to find out the persons background as to where he has been before.
"The idea is to ensure that when we open the door to our house, people are going in to do good deeds, not to do harm," he said.
The Head of Consular Affairs, U.S. Embassy, Abuja, Mr Megan Moore also gave assurance that the executive order would not affect the validity of visas issued to Nigerians, saying that the only thing that had changed "is the renewal period''.
The Consular Chief said that though the U.S. visa policy was based on reciprocity, Nigerians would not be discriminated against.
"It is important to note that there is not going to be any changes for Nigerians who have a valid U.S. visa.
"The U.S. Government issues multiple-entry two-year visa to Nigerians. The rumour that we are planning to change that to one year is not true.
"The main difference for Nigerians will be; you can use the DHL Drop box renewal programme if your visa has expired within 12 months.
"But if it expired more than 12 months ago, then you will need to schedule an appointment for interview.
"Our goal is to ensure that Nigerians are able to travel to U. S. so that they continue to participate in the fabrics of our lives," Moore said.
Waste management in Lagos State is currently facing a tougher time following the planned introduction of major reform into the sector by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.
Lagos state government is making moves to rescue the state from the inefficiency of the Private Sector Participation, PSP, operators through the launch of 'Cleaner Lagos Initiative'.
Lagos waste generation which was between 9,000 to 10,000 metric tons of waste per day has recently, risen to between 13,000 to 14,000 per day.
Commissioner for the Environment in the state, Dr. Samuel Adejare, while announcing the development, said besides creating the enabling environment for the private sector to harness international best practices, the Cleaner Lagos Initiative is likewise concerned with addressing the existing challenges in solid waste management in the state.
Under the proposed reform, government will carry out a re-certification of all the 350 PSP operators, re-license them and audit the state of their compactors.
Government will also transform the existing Transfer Loading Station (TLS) and introduce about 25 Material Revolving Facility (MRF) where wastes will be sorted, 600 new compactor vehicles will be acquired, and waste dumpsites will be closed and replaced with engineered sanitary landfill sites.
The reform will include; Establishment of five new power stations – one in each division in the state, which will be built to generate power from wastes, and closure of the Olusosun at Ojota, Kosofe Local Government area, and Solus, Igando, old Alimosho LGA, dumpsites next year.
Supermodel Karlie Kloss, WNBA All-Star Candace Parker and Fitness Influencer Hannah Bronfman Prove Creativity is the Difference Maker in the New Film Series Portland, Ore., February 1, 2017
Adidas has unveiled a global campaign underlining the brand's aggressive pursuit for creativity to push the boundaries of sport.
The new campaign, titled "Unleash Your Creativity," is told through a female athlete's lens and stars supermodel Karlie Kloss, fitness influencer Hannah Bronfman, fitness instructor and bestselling author Robin Arzon, WNBA All-Star Candace Parker and USWNT soccer star Becky Sauerbrunn, among others.
"Like this campaign, creativity enables me to accomplish more and follow my passions. It is inspiring to work alongside this incredible group of women and help each other achieve our personal goals,” said Karlie Kloss.
Adidas creative challenge
"Unleash Your Creativity" builds upon the brand's belief that hard work only gets you so far. The campaign includes a multi-athlete TV spot and short film series that brings to life authentic stories of 15 female athletes around the globe who use creativity to defy conventions, reinvent routine, create their own path and inspire others to make a difference in sport.
Karlie Kloss' film highlights how she uses her imagination to make a difference in the world while Candace Parker shows how she uses creativity to shape her style of play and elevate her game. Dancer and fitness influencer Ally Love inspires women to unleash their own creativity daily from her motivational spin classes to charging up an arena as host of the Brooklyn Nets.
Ruqsana Begum is a British and European Kick-Boxing champion who blazed a trail for Muslim women to access sport. Running coach Jessie Zapo found a way to open her sport to a new generation of runners.
Adidas creative challenge
USWNT Captain Becky Sauerbrunn uses her creativity in soccer to challenge her opponents on the field and win championships. "Hard work is a given. We believe that athletes who tap into their creativity have a powerful edge," said Lia Stierwalt, Senior Director of Global Brand Communications at Adidas.
"This new film series continues the 'Here to Create' conversation that we began in 2016 reinforcing the brand's point of view that engaging an athlete's imagination to unleash their creativity will take them further than their mind or body ever could."
"Unleash Your Creativity" debuted online today and will air globally in more than 20 countries during key moments including the Super Bowl LI Pre-Game Show, NBA All-Star Game, and The Academy Awards.
Follow the "Here to Create" conversation via #heretocreate on @adidas Twitter, Instagram and Facebook channels and view all films in the series via www.youtube.com/adidas, www.adidas.com/heretocreate.
About Adidas
Adidas is a global designer and developer of athletic and lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories with the mission to be the best sports brand in the world.
As an innovation and design leader, Adidas engineers the best in high-performance products to make athletes better, faster and stronger and creates a range of classic and fresh lifestyle and high-fashion lines. Visit adidas.com for more information.
A UK charity foundation, The Foyer Federation, has appointed a Nigerian, Tokunbo Ajasa-Oluwa as its Chief Executive Officer.
Tokunbo who was formerly the Head of Innovation at Bauer Academy, was placed with the responsibility of developing new programming opportunities and building strong senior client relationships. Prior to being the Head of Innovation at Bauer Academy, Tokunbo was Founder and Managing Director of Catch 22 Magazine CIC, a social enterprise saddled with the duty of training young diverse media talent to become multimedia communicators and content providers, and He was also Head of GoThinkBig, a national award winning social action initiative. The young man has a lot of achievements tied to his name.
Tokunbo Ajasa
Andrew Croft, chair of The Foyer Federation said, "…Tokunbo has the confidence, enthusiasm and drive to build on The Foyer Federation's recent achievements and our current business strategy…"
"Its clear that Tokunbo brings a commitment to innovation and a passion for developing transformative opportunities for young people across the Foyer network and beyond."
On his appointment, Tokunbo commented on how excited he is about joining The Foyer Federation because it is a charity that has innovation at its heart, challenges the status quo and side steps negative stereotypes that young people face every day.
He will join The Foyer Federation officially this February 2017.
The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), says it has mobilised no fewer than 15,000 Nigerian youths to welcome President Muhammadu Buhari at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja, from vacation.
The President proceeded on a 10-day vacation in London on Jan. 23 and is expected to return to Nigeria on Feb. 6, 2017.
Malam Gambo Jagindi, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President of NYCN, Murtala Gamji, made the disclosure in a statement made available to newsmen on Friday in Abuja.
Jagindi said that time had come for Nigerian youths, who are the future leaders of the country to show love, solidarity and support for the President, who is their current leader.
" The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has concluded arrangements to mobilise not less than 15,000 of its members to be at Abuja airport on Feb. 6, to welcome President Buhari from vacation.
"It is on record that integrity, discipline and honesty are gradually returning to our public life unlike in the past when impunity was the order of the day,'' the spokesman said.
He berated those spreading rumours of death about the President.
He said: "we all know that they do not have the interest of our country at heart and are only wishing to carry on with the looting of our treasury in the absence of our president.''
Jagindi said that Buhari's assignment for Nigeria was not yet over, adding that only God could determine who lived or died.
He commended the president's efforts to rid the country of what he termed, "undesirable elements'' who did not mean well for Nigeria and Nigerians.
He urged Buhari to continue with the good work as the youths of Nigeria were solidly behind him.
He noted that in spite of the "corrupt mafias'' working to undermine the anti-corruption war, Nigerian youths under NYCN would continue to support Buhari's laudable programmes.
Six Australian archbishops will be questioned by the country's powerful royal commission as part of an investigation into widespread sexual abuse of children in Catholic churches and institutions, the commission announced on Friday.
The public hearing will begin in Sydney on Monday as part of the four-year-long inquiry into the handling of abuse cases, some as old as 70 years.
The hearing seeks to find out what churches are doing now to protect children.
Six of Australia's seven archbishops will appear in the three-week-long hearing.
One of them has already been charged with concealing information about child sexual abuse by a paedophile priest in 1971.
He has pleaded not guilty.
Bishops and leaders of other church orders, like Christian Brothers, Jesuits, as well as education officials and experts, will also give evidence at the hearing.
The commission will also release statistics on child sexual abuse by the clergy, the first such data to be released, including details of the complaints, and how or if they were dealt with.
Some of the Catholic leaders are so wary about the fallout they have issued messages warning parishioners about the inquiry.
Archbishop of Brisbane Mark Coleridge, one of those being questioned, said in a video message to be played in more than 200 diocese on Saturday that there would be "grim moments and some shocks."
"We have to shift the culture and that's a far more difficult thing to do," he said.
"It will reveal a horrific picture of the extent of the claims of abuse by priests and brothers whose responsibility was to protect and care for children," Francis Sullivan, the chief executive of the Truth Justice and Healing Council, said in an email statement.
"It is absolutely important this information is made public.
"It is part of being transparent and ensuring the complete story is told."
Little children acting the role of the father and mother is a very common game, especially where you have a couple of them growing up together in same vicinity. The older kids play the role of parents while the younger ones play the role of the children. They all try to re-enact as much as possible, what they observe in their different family settings.
While the 'father' goes to work, the 'mother' often stays back at home to take care of the house chores as well as prepare meals for the 'family'. The meal, mainly made of sand is served on pieces of paper for plates and everyone touches the sand to their chins to eat. What happens after this depends on what time of day is being acted out and what kind of environment the play is being staged, secluded or open.
Usually, the house consists of two main rooms. They may be virtual or real, again, depending on the environment. The real rooms are usually divided with the wrappers of someone's mother as curtains. The 'children' sleep on one side of the divide while the 'parents' sleep on the other.
Now, what takes place in 'father' and 'mother's room depend largely on the intelligence, exposure or awareness and smartness of the two actors. Many young people experienced their first kisses and more behind these curtains.
While visiting a dear close friend at her home, a couple of years ago, we were forced to sit on the terrace to gist and play catch up, because the PHCN had decided to do what it knows best to do. Her last child, a four year old boy also had a visitor, a little girl from their compound who had come over to play.
As we discussed, we could hear their voices and laughter from where we were until everything became quiet suddenly. Perhaps acting on instinct or just motherly intuition, my friend asked for permission to go and check on them. Then, I heard her calling out to me frantically to come and see something. I rushed in to find the two children standing just feet apart from each other, both with funny looks on their faces.
"What happened", I asked my friend. "Can't you see what is happening here" she said, pointing to the children and winking downwards to the direction she wanted me to look at. I quickly scrutinized the scene and concluded that something bad had been interrupted here. My friend began laughing very hard, pointing to her son's now extremely shrunken penis and the little girl who clutched on to her knickers in her hand as if her life depended on it.
As my friend kept asking her son what happened and who took off his shorts, he just kept looking straight while pointing his forefinger at the girl. Initially, I did not quite understand what was happening but when it finally clicked, I did not understand why my friend was laughing and praising her four year old son for being such a fast Houdini. I found nothing funny about it.
One major mistake parents of the boy child make is to erroneously believe in the alpha male syndrome. Such parents believe that they have no problems since their boys can never get pregnant from their sexual escapades, neither will they be frowned at or socially stigmatized as loose and bad boys. So when incidents such as this happens, they take a stand-offish posture, leaving the girl and her parents to take the fall, just as my friend was doing.
My Miss-do-good attitude took over and I just had to let my friend see things from another perspective. A little girl already engaging in the "Cowgirl position" with her male friend could not have conjured this all by herself. She must have either seen her parents having sex or someone else had been teaching her these moves secretly.
This meant that she was either being abused or exposed to such by an adult. My second position was that, should an adult be involved in this unfortunate incident, then the poor girl might have been exposed to STDs, including HIV/AIDS. In that case too, her son was also in serious danger, I told my friend. "God forbid", she cried, "it is not my portion".
But it can be, I insisted, so it was important that the little girl's parents be informed so that they could conduct a thorough investigation. If this problem was not seriously addressed, there is no telling what could become of the girl as she grows older. By the time I was done, we were heading to the little girl's flat. What we uncovered at the end of the day, is a story for another day.
While the girl child may remain the endangered specie all of her lifetime, the boy child will remain the sound board for whatever falls out of any unwholesome alliance between the sexes. And then, the beat goes on. That is why sex education for young people is compulsory, rather than necessary. Both sexes must be well grounded if we intend to do a good job for both society and humanity.
When Lizzy returned from a business trip to Abuja and was informed that her seven year old niece who was spending the holidays with them had been caught under the sheets with her five year old son, she almost whipped him into a pulp. She said, "I can't remember for how long or how many times I whipped him with the belt as I had lost control of myself.
My house help and younger sister had to hold me and retrieved the belt. As I was whipping him, I was crying at the same time. I was afraid that a little mistake could ruin his life and ultimately ours too. I did not touch my niece at all. I simply called her mother, who is my sister to come and remove her from my house before I killed her. I was alarmed when our mother tried to play the matter off lightly, insisting it was just a game and that most children engage in it.
She insisted it was nothing to be scared about and that I was taking things too seriously". On investigation, they discovered that a teenage boy in their compound had been abusing her and giving her money, biscuits and sweets for her cooperation. My sister wanted to call in the Police but my mother again prevailed on her, arguing that she will only bring herself to ridicule in the neighbourhood. That was how the matter died, but it was how the issue of anyone spending their holidays in my house also died", she told me during a conversation.
Sex education that works starts early, before young people reach puberty, and before they have developed established patterns of behaviour. The precise age at which information should be provided depends on the physical, emotional and intellectual development of the young people as well as their level of understanding. What is covered and also how, depends on who is providing the sex education, when they are providing it, and in what context, as well as what the individual young person wants to know or needs to know about.
It is important for sex education to begin at a young age and also that it is sustained. Despite recent increased awareness, many parents still find it difficult or think it is inappropriate to discuss sex with their children. I have seen parents who prevent their children from watching even kissing scenes on the Television rather than take time to explain what it means to them and why they are not to engage in any forms of sexual intimacy with the opposite sex.
We often forget that these children have access to the television and many other media channels when our backs are turned. Giving young people basic information from an early age provides the foundation on which more complex knowledge is built up over time. For example, when they are very young, such as in the case above, children can be informed about how people grow and change over time, and how babies become children and then adults, and this provides the basis on which they understand more detailed information about puberty provided in the pre-teenage years.
They can also when they are young, be provided with information about viruses and germs that attack the body. This provides the basis for talking to them later about infections that can be caught through sexual contact.
Indeed, many are against the teaching of sex education to young people. They are concerned that providing information about sex and sexuality arouses curiosity and can lead to sexual experimentation. However, in a review of 48 studies of comprehensive sex and STD/HIV education programmes in some selected US schools, there was found to be strong evidence that such programmes really did not increase sexual activity. Rather, some of them reduced sexual activity, or increased rates of condom use or other contraceptives, or both. It is important to remember that young people can store up information provided at any time, for a time when they need it later on.
So, when must we start? This is a question often asked by many parents I interact with. Sometimes it can be difficult for adults to know when to raise issues, but the important thing is to maintain an open relationship with children which provides them with opportunities to ask questions when they have them. Parents and caregivers can also be proactive and engage young people in discussions about sex, sexuality and relationships.
Naturally, many parents and their children feel embarrassed to talk about some aspects of sex and sexuality. Viewing sex education as an on-going conversation about values, attitudes and issues as well as providing facts can be helpful. The best basis to proceed is a sound relationship in which a young person feels able to ask a question or raise an issue if they feel they need to.
Research has shown that in counties like The Netherlands, where families regard it as an important responsibility to talk openly with children about sex and sexuality, this contributes to greater cultural openness about sex, sexuality and improved sexual health among young people.
The role of many parents and caregivers as sex educators changes as young people get older and are provided with more opportunities to receive formal sex education through schools and community settings. However, it does not get any less important. Because sex education in school tends to take place in small time-blocks and can't always address issues relevant to young people at a particular time, parents can therefore fulfill a particularly important role in providing information and opportunities to discuss things as they arise.
A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Youth Health and Social Reforms (YOHESOR), has called for the introduction of improved anti-corruption content and life building skills in the nation's school's curriculum.
The group's National Coordinator, Dr. Ijeoma Arodiogbu in a statement in Abuja said that YOHESOR is collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Education and other stakeholders on anti-corruption campaign in schools through The Value Project.
He said the programme would be hinged on Picture Code, Curriculum Enrichment and Peer Education to drive home the anti-corruption message among students.
According to Arodiogbu "though the picture code may not cover all facets of corrupt practices and habits but it would try to capture the very relevant ones that are quite common among students and adults in the school environment and public office respectively were captured."
He noted that the advocacy on curriculum enrichment is concerned with enhancing the basic and secondary education sectors to impact highest level of morals and ethics in students to bring the desired social and economic re-engineering.
"The YOHESOR-NGO is advocating for curriculum enrichment with adapted life building skills and anti-corruption education content and subject matter that will ensure skills on the learners," parts of the statement read.
In view of this, Arodiogbu said the NGO said it has reached out to the Nigerian Educational Research Development Council (NERDC) and initiated the dialogue for curriculum enrichment towards the anti-corruption education campaign.
On the concept of peer education, Arodiogbu said through the Value Project, selected individuals would be trained as peer educators who will in turn serve as anti-corruption champions that would influence their immediate communities, adding that the NGO would collaborate with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) to implement the strategy.
"The implementation of the Peer Education strategy will be anchored on partnership with UBEC, and possibly the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) where the need arises for integration of corps members in the training and mentoring of students peer educators at school level," he added.
Recall that the Value project is one of the three programmes that the Federal Ministry of Education is collaborating with NGOs, traditional institutions and other stakeholders to inculcate moral and ethical norms and standards among students.
The other two projects include the Case project aimed at the creation of enabling environment for productive and purposeful learning in tertiary institutions, and the professionalization of teaching, that will enhance value, quality, career progression among teachers.
Lagos – The Naira on Friday depreciated further to N500 to a dollar at the parallel market after it had remained stable for nearly three weeks, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
The Pound Sterling and the Euro traded at N616 and N530 respectively at the open market. The Nigerian currency, however, remained stable at the Bureau De Change (BDC) segment of the market exchanging at N399 to a dollar, while the Pound Sterling and the Euro closed at N617 and N527, respectively.
The Naira also remained stable at the interbank window exchanging at N305.25 to a dollar. Traders at the market said that the scarcity of the greenback was far from being over.
In spite of the weekly sale of forex to BDCs by the apex bank, the Naira could not resist the temptation to fall.
University of Lagos Alumni Association will on Sunday raise N150 million scholarship fund for indigent but brilliant students of the institution who are having challenge of continuing their education at the university.
Lagos State branch chairman of the association Dr Lukumon Adelaide who announced this during a briefing held at UNILAG, stated that the Lagos branch has began a week-long activities which will be climaxed with a general meeting and a get-together of all Alumni members resident in Lagos this Sunday. He said: “The governor of Lagos state, Akinwunmi Ambode, an Alumnus of Unilag, together with notable commissioners who are also Alumni are expected to grace the occasion.”
Speaking to journalists, Dr Adeoti, an Associate Professor from the Department of Geosciences, Unilag said the association would commence with 20 students first, who would be eligible to N150,000 per session regardless of their programmes, and all through theirstay in the university.
Adeoti said the project which is in collaboration with the university's authority, would see the amount take care of tuition, accommodation, feeding and other expenses while pointing out the Association will liaise with the Heads of Department and the Students' affairs Department in the selection of the students and disbursement of the fund..
He explained that the association prioritises the academic success of indigent students to enable them concentrate, and complete their studies. He acknowledged how painful it is to some brilliant students end up not fulfilling their desire to get education because of financial inabilities.
Further Adeoti said the association would extend hand of collaborations with individuals and corporate bodies in this drive and appealed to individuals and corporate bodies to participate in this laudable humanitarian gesture.
The week has been packed with activities for the Lagos state Branch of Unilag Alumni week, A walk show and health lecture on 'Executive stress management" was held on the 2nd of February, Jumaa't prayer was held yesterday Friday while today is sports day to test members fitness.
Tomorrow Sunday 5th of February 2017 marks the end of the Alumni week with an Award of Excellence which will be given to distinguished members and friends of the Alumni. Adeoti said the award session would see the Lagos State Governor AkinwunmiAmbode lead other friends of the institution who have 'contributed significantly' to the development of the university, education and the country at large
Abeokuta – Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has described those peddling the rumuored death of President Muhammadu Buhari as wicked, callous and treacherous.Obasanjo
Obasanjo stated this in a release issued by his Media Aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, in Abeokuta on Friday, adding that instead of embarking on such “worrisome” wishes, they should rather engage in marathon prayers from him.
He said, what the President need “are our prayers and best wishes, which will ginger his morale to come back more stronger and better.”
Obasanjo who cautioned against politicization of every situation in the country, recalled that he has also been a victim of such rumoured death while in office as the President, declaring, “no normal human being will wish an elderly person dead irrespective of their differences.
“If you don’t like him, wait for another election, not going about to say he is dead. No matter his health situation, we should pray for him to recover quick and come back more stronger and better. For anyone wishing him dead, such person or group of persons are callous, wicked and treacherous.
“I was also rumoured to have died almost 12 times. I don’t know what they derive from doing so, but, they should seek for forgiveness.
“Even if we know that the President is sick, he is in a better position to know what to say or what to do and not wishing him dead. We should just stop politicizing everything, especially with the elderly in the country.”
A section of the social media had claimed that President Buhari had died in London, UK following his illness last week.
The President who had travelled to London on a 10-day vacation is expected back in the country next week.
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, says the country is under siege of disinformation and fake news that can bring the country on her knees if not checked.
The minister stated this on Friday in Abuja when he paid a working visit to the headquarters of DAAR Communication Plc, owners of African Independent Television (AIT) and Raypower FM.
Mohammed said that the dangerous trend of disinformation and fake news championed by social media and which the traditional media are "unfortunately feeding on, could tear the fabric of society, if not checked.
"There was a time when the spoken and the written words were not challenged or questioned, but today it is not so.
Lai Mohammed
"About 50 per cent of what we read in the social media is not true but unfortunately even when it is not credible, it goes viral and people believe the fake stories.
"My greatest problem and worry is with the traditional media, which are latching on the same fake news and disinformation.
"I am worried because it affects the credibility of the media itself and once the media is no longer believed by the people, then it has serious consequences on the society,'' he said.
The minister recalled the recent disinformation on President Muhammadu Buhari who is on vacation but fabricated news on his death and health went viral.
"What happened last week is quite worrisome as Mr President left for vacation.
"Within 12 hours of leaving the country, news that he has died went viral, later it changed to that he was critically ill.
"This actually heated the polity and even the rebuttal of the spokespersons to the President and myself, did little to dampen the rumour,'' he said.
He appealed to traditional media not to join force with the purveyors of fake news but ensure that the unity and security of the country become paramount consideration when weighing what news to send out.
The Executive Chairman of DAAR Communication, Raymond Dokpesi Jnr. said the issue raised by the minister was very pertinent to media and journalism generally.
"The emergence of fake news driven primarily by social media is indeed a global phenomenon,
"It behoves on us the traditional media to reaffirm our commitment to the highest ethic and standard of journalism, to investigate and fact-check stories before we go to press."
He said AIT and Raypower, over the years have been absolutely committed to the highest standard of journalism.
Dokpesi said they had been looking forward to the minister's visit.
"You are our own minister. After the whole cycle of electioneering, there must be the need to build bridges and move from political mood to governance mood,'' he said..
Speaking in same vein, the company's Group Managing Director, Tony Akiotu, said DAAR Communication shared the passion for the survival of the Nigerian project.
A Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday sentenced three drug traffickers to five years imprisonment each for drug trafficking. The convicts are: Bukola Adeoye, 24; Muyideen Ipumafayi, 35; and Alani Babaraji, 30.
They were arraigned by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on three separate charges of one count each bordering on drug trafficking. Adeoye was first arraigned on March 6, 2013, before Justice John Tsoho and had pleaded not guilty to the charges, while trial had commenced.
Tsoho was transferred from the Lagos division of the court, while, Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, assumed sitting as the new trial judge. On Feb. 1, this year Adeoye opted to change her plea from not guilty to guilty. She was re-arraigned and remanded in custody while the court adjourned for review of the facts.
The prosecutor said she was arrested at Ejigbo in Lagos with about 12.15 kg of cannabis sativa which she trafficked. Ipumafayi was arrested on Dec. 7, 2016 along the Lagos Ibadan expressway, for transporting about 10.4 kg of hemp. He was arraigned on Jan. 26, this year and pleaded guilty to the charges while the court adjourned for review of the facts.
Babaraji was arrested on Nov. 29, 2016 in an uncompleted building at Ijegun area of Lagos for dealing in 1.1kg of Cannabis. He was arraigned on Jan. 26 this year and had also pleaded guilty, while the court adjourned for review of the facts.
At the resumed hearing of the case on Friday, the prosecutor, Mr Jeremiah Aernan reviewed the facts and tendered several evidences before the court to establish his case against the convicts.
He tendered statement made by the convicts, a request for scientific aid form, as well as bulk of exhibits which were all admitted by the court. Delivering her judgment, Justice Olatoregun found the convicts guilty of the offences as charged.
She accordingly, sentenced Adeola, Ipumafayi and Babaraji to a term of five years imprisonment each on the offences, saying the sentence would run from the date of judgment. The judge however, gave the convicts an option to pay N5 million fine in lieu of sentence.
Over 1,500 members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Radda town, Charanchi Local Government Area of Katsina State, on Friday defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The defectors moved to the PDP with their leader, Alhaji Mustapha Radda, APC youth mobilisation officer in the state from 2010 to 2016.
Receiving the defectors, the PDP state chairman, Alhaji Salisu Majigiri, said the party had constituted reception committee to receive defectors to the party.
APC-PDP
"The committee is mandated to receive all the people who defected to our party from other parties.
"We shall treat all those who defected to our party equally without any form of discrimination.
"Just this week, we received Alhaji Umar Tata APGA governorship candidate in the 2015 election to our party together with his supporters.
"We are ready to provide level playing ground to old and new members during future elections and there will be no imposition of candidates this time around," Majigiri said.
In his remarks, Radda, the leader of the defectors, said he decided to dump the APC for the PDP to rescue his people from alleged maltreatment.
"We have done a lot for the APC, but today my people especially the youths that I mobilised have nothing to show for it.
"We did not benefit from the APC poverty alleviation programme meant to rescue women and youths from poverty; we have presented several requests to those that matter but we were rejected,'' Radda said.
Also speaking, Tata the former APGA governorship candidate said the defectors were prepared for the restructuring of the PDP for effective service delivery.
He said that the leadership of the PDP had promised to assist the youths with capital to establish their business.
President Donald Trump said Friday that the United States must “get smart” after a machete-wielding man attacked security forces at the Louvre museum in Paris while yelling “Allahu akbar” (“God is greatest”).US President Donald Trump
Trump said the attacker was a “radical Islamic terrorist,” using a term he has used previously to describe such attackers.
“A new radical Islamic terrorist has just attacked in Louvre Museum in Paris. Tourists were locked down. France on edge again. GET SMART U.S.,” Trump wrote on Twitter.
In a briefing earlier this week, a senior US administration official defended the temporary US travel ban on refugees and other travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries by saying America was trying to avoid the security situation in France and other European countries.
“The reality, though, is that the situation that exists today in parts of France, in parts of Germany, in Belgium, et cetera, is not a situation we want replicated inside the United States,” the official said, warning against a “large and permanent domestic terror threat.”
“We don’t want a situation where, 20 to 30 years from now, it’s just like a given thing that on a fairly regular basis there is domestic terror strikes, stores are shut up or that airports have explosive devices planted, or people are mowed down in the street by cars and automobiles and things of that nature,” the official added.
Police held hundreds of tourists in secure areas of the renowned museum in central Paris after the assailant was shot five times around 10:00 am (0900 GMT) in a public area inside the Louvre complex.
The attacker is in a serious condition, while one soldier received a “minor” head wound and has been taken to hospital, security forces said.
Two backpacks carried by the assailant were checked by bomb disposal specialists at the scene and were found not to contain explosives.
The incident sparked fresh jitters in a country still reeling from a string of terror attacks over the last two years and under a state of emergency since November 2015.
Despite the current economic decline in Nigeria, famed Nollywood actress and movie producer, Maryam Charles said the entertainment industry is not in any way feeling the heat of economic recession.
The beautiful screen goddess who is gearing up for the premiere of her recent movie, 'Madam Caitlyn' told the press if the federal government can focus on the entertainment industry, the sector may be used as a vehicle to drive Nigeria out of the economic tension the country is experiencing.
According to Maryam, "based on available facts, the entertainment industry isn't affected by recession. The entertainment contributed immensely into the economy in 2016, and expected to gross N16bn in 2017.
Maryam Charles
Nollywood is the biggest movie industry in Africa, in terms of value and amount of movies produced per year, we are also the second largest film industry in the world in number of annual film productions estimated to be worth over $800 Million, now tell me is there any sign of economic recession here?
Obviously, the industry that is not affected by recession, can also be a vehicle that will drive Nigeria out of the economic recession if the government decides to tap into it and utilize all opportunities very well."
She, however, concurred that entertainers are affected by the economic challenges. "As entertainers, I can say, we are feeling the heat of recession to some extent, but, we are all coping and we are optimistic that before the end of 2017 our economy will shine again."
'Madam Caitlyn' starring Maryam Charles, Rachel Oniga, Moyo Lawal, Deyemi Okanlawon, Bolanle Ninolowo and more is expected to premiere in February 2017.
Social media have led to “strange practices” such as the use of “fingertips instead of minds” to think, a Saudi religious leader said Friday in the Islamic kingdom where online platforms are used widely.
“The nature of social media has given rise to strange practices contradicting morals, customs and norms,” Sheikh Saud al-Shiraim said during weekly prayers at Mecca’s Grand Mosque, the official Saudi Press Agency reported.
“People are using their fingertips to think instead of their minds and tongues,” he said, adding that the ease of online communication has detracted from the “grandeur and importance” of the spoken word.
“This has removed a lot of the reservations or barriers of the spoken word that would normally not be uttered in front of people,” he said.
Saudi Arabia is founded on ultra-conservative Wahhabi thought but more than half of its citizens are under 25, spending much of their time on social media platforms such as Twitter, away from official strictures and traditions of the Muslim kingdom.
The country bans alcohol, public cinemas and theatres, and men and women not from the same family are segregated in public.
But there are pressures for social change.
As part of wide-ranging social and economic reforms to diversify the country’s oil-dependent economy, a new entertainment authority has begun to slowly introduce foreign shows, music and other events seen by limited audiences.
Saudi Arabia’s highest-ranking cleric, Grand Mufti Abdulaziz al-Sheikh, warned in early January of the “depravity” of cinemas and music concerts, saying they corrupted morals.
French police raided a building in central Paris on Friday as part of the probe into a thwarted attack by a machete-wielding man at the Louvre, a source in the inquiry said.
Investigators entered a building near the Champs-Elysees avenue, the source said, after the assault in which the attacker was shot and wounded by a soldier patrolling outside the museum.
A French soldier patrolling at the Louvre museum shot and seriously injured a machete-wielding attacker on Friday, thrusting security and the terror threat back into the limelight three months before elections.
Police held hundreds of tourists in secure areas of the renowned tourist attraction after the assailant was shot five times around 10:00 am (0900 GMT) in a public area near one of the museum’s entrances.
The knifeman, who yelled “Allahu Akbar” (“God is greatest”), is in a serious condition. One soldier received a “minor” head wound and has been taken to hospital, security forces said.
Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said the incident, which will heap more misery on the city’s struggling tourism sector, was “terrorist in nature.”
It sparked fresh jitters and anger in a country still reeling from a string of terror attacks over the last two years and under a state of emergency since November 2015.
The economy, immigration and security are major issues for voters ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections which had been forecast to confirm the country’s shift right after five years of Socialist rule.
President Donald Trump tweeted that a “new radical Islamic terrorist has just attacked in Louvre Museum in Paris. Tourists were locked down. France on edge again. GET SMART US.”
– ‘Sad and shocking’ –
Witnesses described scenes of panic as shoppers, sightseers and workers fled the Louvre complex following the incident.
“We heard gunshots. We didn’t know what it was about. Then we evacuated the employees and we left,” a man who works in a nearby restaurant told AFP, asking not to be named.
A woman colleague said: “We saw death coming for us, with everything that’s happening at the moment. We were very, very scared.”
The lucrative Paris tourism industry has been a major casualty of the terror attacks, with visitors cancelling or shortening their stays.
Thousands of troops have been deployed to guard the capital, with groups of soldiers carrying automatic rifles a regular sight inside the Louvre and around its sculpture-filled gardens.
Security forces simulated an attack there in early December to rehearse for such an emergency.
“It’s so sad and shocking… we can’t let them win, it’s horrible,” British tourist Gillian Simms, who was visiting Paris with her daughters, told AFP on Friday.
Jessie McCaw, a 18-year-old from the US state of Montana, said that she had been evacuated but she appeared unfazed.
“I’m not worried because the police seem prepared in France, which is reassuring,” she said.
The huge former royal palace in the heart of the city is home to the Mona Lisa and other legendary artworks as well as shops and restaurants.
City police chief Michel Cadot told reporters that a man whose behaviour was “suspicious” had also been arrested following the attack.
– String of attacks –
The series of terror attacks in France began in January 2015 when jihadist gunmen rampaged through the Charlie Hebdo satirical newspaper and a Jewish supermarket, leaving 17 people dead in three days of bloodshed.
Ten months later, gunmen and suicide bombers from the Islamic State jihadist group attacked bars, restaurants, a concert hall and the national stadium in Paris on November 13, 2015, killing 130 people.
And last July, a Tunisian extremist rammed a lorry through crowds celebrating Bastille Day in Nice on France’s south coast, crushing 86 people to death.
In between, there have been other murders and security scares inspired by the violence of the Islamic State group, sometimes involving unstable assailants with mental health problems.
Security has been one of the themes of campaigning ahead of the presidential election in April and May, followed by a parliamentary election in June.
Rightwing candidate Francois Fillon, whose hardline on immigration and Islam had helped make him the presidential favourite, has been ensnared in a damaging parliamentary expenses scandal in the last week.
Anti-immigrant far-right leader Marine Le Pen is hoping for a boost from the furore and Trump’s election, while 39-year-old centrist independent Emmanuel Macron is also climbing in the polls.
Friday’s incident came on the very day that Paris was submitting its formal bid dossier to host the 2024 Summer Olympics.
The Louvre was already suffering from a fall in visitor numbers after the series of attacks in France.
Over the last two years, numbers have fallen by about two million, imperilling its claim to be the most visited museum in the world.
Last year, there was a 15-percent slump in visitors compared to 2015, to around 7.3 million.
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
The Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr Maikanti Baru, on Thursday said the corporation saved 500 million dollars (N152.4bn) on oil products sales.
Baru disclosed at the opening of bid for the Direct Sale Direct Purchase (DSDP), at the NNPC Towers in Abuja. Newsmen reports that DSDP is a model introduced in 2016; carried out through direct sales of crude oil to refiners or consultants, who in turn supply NNPC with equivalent worth of products. Journalists also reports that 128 Indigenous and International Oil and Gas companies indicated interest to participate in the 2017 DSDP programme.
*Gas pipelines
The batch over which the bids were opened is scheduled to last for the next one year, starting from April 1. "The DSDP programme has also recorded significant cost savings of over half a billion dollars through major reduction in the amount we paid for both demurrage and the product themselves.
"It ensures that the supplies from refineries are fully augmented to meet the national supply as well as a sustained over 30 days sufficiency particularly with petrol. "The programme is very transparent and the major instruments on the partnership between the NNPC and the product supplies both local and international, we have as part of this programme," Baru said.
In an interview with newsmen on the sideline of the bidding process the GMD said the requirement was that the bidder must have physical presence in Nigeria. "The major drive here is to ensure that Nigerians are not left out and to ensure that those that emerge, whether consortium or single, must have physical presence in Nigeria.
"That means they must have depots or retail outlets as a minimum or they must be involved with exploration or production of crude oil. "So we will ensure that most of them are domiciled here in Nigeria. This year's programme for DSDP is about 800, 000 barrels at most," he said. He said the tenders will be based on West African quality specifications and we will maintain the latest which is 50 per cent of sulphur content. It was equally reported that the corporation saved a billion dollars from the DSDP programme in 2016.
Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, has said that “If, as a nation, we do not kill religious persecution and extremism, then religious persecution and extremism will kill Nigeria.”
He also said that, “the potential danger associated with the level of conflicts going on across the country is so glaring that no sane mind can ignore.”
He said it is not in the best interest of the U.S. and indeed the international community to ignore Nigeria.”
Jonathan gave the statement in a speech he delivered at the U.S. House Sub Committee on Africa on February 1, 2017.
The speech is titled, “Challenges of Nigerian Christians and the Niger Delta Question-A Summary.”
Read the full speech below:
Challenges of Nigerian Christians and the Niger Delta Question-A Summary
A Presentation by Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, Chairman of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation to the U.S. House Sub Committee on Africa, February 1, 2017
Let me start by thanking Congressman, Christopher H. Smith, Chairman U.S. House Sub-Committee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations for inviting me to share my views on the crisis facing Christians in Nigeria today and the Niger Delta question. The U.S. Congress is a powerful institution not just for good governance in the U.S. but also for global peace and development. Over the years, the U.S. Congress has shown consistent interest in African affairs and I thank you for this and for showing interest in Nigeria.
Congressman Smith has personally visited troubled spots in Nigeria and especially those geo-political zones that are considered the frontline of ethnic and religious conflicts. He has also visited the Niger Delta. I sincerely thank him for these efforts.
File: Former President Jonathan giving his speech at Oxford
In your invitation letter, you highlighted a number of very sensitive issues you wanted me to touch on. I group all these issues under 'Challenges Facing Nigerian Christians and the Niger Delta Question'. A full discussion on even one of these issues may take a minimum of two hours, but here, I am expected to be very brief. I will therefore present a bird's eye view, but when next your committee visits Nigeria, even more detailed presentations will be made by other stake holders.
Nigeria and the World
I read a paper presented by Princeton N. Lyman, a former U.S. ambassador to Nigeria, suggesting that Nigeria is no longer strategic to U.S. interests in Africa and the world as it used to be. Ambassador Lyman may have had valid reasons for such a view point, but I make bold to say that the relationship between the U.S. and Nigeria has come a long way since Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa's State Visit to the U.S. in July of 1961 and that relationship should not only endure, but be built upon.
Nigeria, as a nation, is relevant to the U.S. in my opinion especially when you consider such parameters as:
Mineral Resources
Economy/Trade
Biotic Resources
Population/Human Resources, etc
Nations such as Nigeria can impact the globe positively when things are handled properly. They may also affect the world negatively if things go wrong. It is not in the best interest of the U.S. and indeed the international community to ignore Nigeria.
Killing of Christians in Nigeria
Your invitation letter profusely highlighted the issues of the killing of Christians in Nigeria, the last major incident being the recent killings in Southern Kaduna in Kaduna state, and I do not need to elaborate on that. The challenge is how do we stop that from recurring. How do we ensure that Christians and Muslims cohabit peacefully in Nigeria and practice their religions freely without discrimination, molestation and killings?
One school of thought believes that these killings reoccur because of impunity. Security and law enforcement bodies unfortunately have a history of failing to apprehend the culprits of previous killings and disturbances and punishing according to the law. Such impunity has emboldened and encouraged persons with such tendencies.
Indeed, though there have been over 10 major incidences of ethnic and religious conflagration in the frontline state of Kaduna since 1979, there has only ever been one incidence where the authorities took action, according to the law, to punish the culprits of the disturbances. This was in 1992, after the Zangon Kataf riots in which the official death toll was 300. The military administration of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida constituted the Civil Disturbances Special Tribunal to try arrested persons and a total of 14 persons were sentenced to death, although the Babangida administration commuted the sentences to five years imprisonment.
Within the period I served as a Vice President and later as President, it became very clear to me that if the issue of religion is not handled properly, the unity of the country would be in great jeopardy. Religious and other ethnic issues were becoming a stumbling block towards societal cohesion and economic development. I therefore set up a National Conference with the mandate of looking into all the grey areas militating against the peace, progress and development of Nigeria. On the issue of religion, let me quote unedited the position of the 2014 National Conference. Nigeria has over 350 ethnic nationalities and that:
'"This multi-ethnicity has been compounded by pronounced religious differences, exploited usually for political considerations by avid political classes in contexts of extreme poverty and very low educational development among the mass of the populace. Whereas Nigeria is supposed to be a secular state," one nation bound in freedom, peace and unity", the prevalence of religiosity and its related nepotism at all levels, has effectively undermined the objectivity which secularity would have ordinarily imbued in national politics."
The Conference further stated that:
"In view of the fact that religion plays a vital role in many aspects of our national life especially in the aspect of national security and national unity, it is highly imperative that it be singled out from other fundamental rights and given a special attention via the creation of an Equity Commission whose sole mandate will be to focus on religious rights and their promotion. This is in line with best global practices as many advanced democracies have special legal and institutional arrangements for some very sensitive aspects of their national life. Examples of such specialized agencies from other countries are presented below:
a) In the United Kingdom, despite the existence of the UK Equal Opportunities Commission (UK-EOC), a Commission for Racial Equality (created by the Race Relations Act, 1976) which existed alongside UK-EOC for many years. This was done because at the time, issues of racial discrimination were very sensitive and crucial that it was thought necessary to create a special commission for it.
b) In the United States, despite the existence of the US State Department Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, it has other special human rights enforcement agencies created to promote specific rights. One of such agencies is the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) which is a federal law enforcement agency that enforces laws against workplace discrimination. The EEOC investigates discrimination complaints based on an individual's race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, genetic information, and retaliation for reporting, participating in, and/or opposing a discriminatory practice.
c) Canada has a similar arrangement to that of the United States. The Canadian Human Rights Act has long prohibited discrimination on the basis of gender,COM FINAL CONFERENCE REPORT PAGE 433 race, ethnicity, and certain other grounds. In 1986, the Canadian government passed the Employment Equity Act which was meant to protect certain restricted vulnerable categories of persons. The Canadian Human Rights Act continues to be in force alongside the Employment Equity Act.
d) In Australia, there are 3 different commissions addressing the issues of human rights, namely: Human Rights Commission, Anti-Discrimination Commission and Equal Opportunities Commission"
I totally agreed with the 2014 National Conference on the need to establish the Religious Equity Commission that will have powers to arrest and prosecute those who contravene the law. If, as a nation, we do not kill religious persecution and extremism, then religious persecution and extremism will kill Nigeria. The potential danger associated with the level of conflicts going on across the country is so glaring that no sane mind can ignore.
Even before I set up the National Conference in 2014, my government took certain initiatives to end impunity and reorient the minds of Nigerians. First was education. I established twelve conventional Federal Universities and two specialized universities. Nine of the twelve Federal Universities were located in those states in Northern Nigeria that previously did not have any Federal University. The Specialized Police University was located in Kano state, also in the North, bringing the total number of universities I established in the North of Nigeria to ten. The Specialized Maritime University was located in the Niger Delta.
In addition to these, I also established 165 Almajiri elementary and high schools in each of the nineteen states of Northern Nigeria to combine Islamic education with Western education.
In the area of law enforcement, it was quite challenging, but we were determined. When the Boko Haram Islamic terrorists bombed St. Theresa's Catholic Church, Madalla, in Niger state of Nigeria on Christmas Day of 2011, I physically visited the scene of the bombing at which 44 people died on Saturday the 31st of December 2011 and I promised Nigerians that those responsible for that heinous act would be brought to book.
That promise was fulfilled on the 20th of December 2013 when Kabiru Umar, aka Kabiru Sokoto, was sentenced to life imprisonment after my administration investigated that crime, identified him as the mastermind, arrested him and diligently prosecuted him and some of his associates.
Might I add that this was the first and only successful prosecution of a crime of deadly terrorism against a religious place of worship inspired by religious extremism since Nigeria's return to civil rule in 1999.
Before then, my administration had also diligently carried out the first successful prosecution of terrorists of the Islamic extremist group, Boko Haram, for another terror attack, but this time not in a place of worship but on the offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission also in Madalla, Niger state, an act which led to the deaths of sixteen persons on April 8th, 2011.
We were in the process of prosecuting Aminu Ogwuche, the mastermind of the April 14, 2014 Nyanya bombing in Nasarawa state which killed 75 people but unfortunately that prosecution was ongoing as at the time I left office in 2015.
But the point I want to emphasize by citing these incidences is that my administration had the political will to halt impunity in Nigeria and that is why killings due to religious extremism was localized to the Northeast with occasional killings in other zones of the North.
And even in the Northeast, we had rolled back the Islamic terrorist sect, Boko Haram, by the end of the first quarter of 2015 after we were able to get weapons to arm our military.
The killings did not spread to the mainly Christian south and I believe that the fight back against impunity by my administration was the main reason for this.
Of course, there were other reasons for this. For instance, through my personal reach out to the then President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, I was able to persuade the Body of Christ in Nigeria not to engage in any retaliation or reprisal killings. My job was made easier in this regards when the Christian Association of Nigeria saw a genuine desire on my part to bring religious extremists to book.
Using the same approach with the head of the Muslim Ummah in Nigeria, His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, I was able to get the mainstream of the Islamic faith to publicly condemn Islamic extremism in Nigeria. This was important to show that a clampdown on Islamic extremism was and is not a clampdown on Islam.
Going a step further, I worked through a body known as the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) to bring Christian and Muslim leaders together so they could talk to each other not at each other.
To summarize on the issue of ethnic and religious conflicts, I recommend the establishment of the Religious Equity Commission, enforcement of our laws without fear or favor and maximum cooperation by all Nigerians especially our revered religious leaders and clerics.
The Niger Delta Question
The issue of the Niger Delta is an issue of exploitation of natural resources, economy and development. The complaints and restiveness is not unique to the Niger Delta of Nigeria alone. In most African nations where resources are domiciled in minority regions and the control of such resources are in the hands of majority regions, such agitations are commonplace.
The people in these regions feel that though they suffer from the environmental hazards of the exploitation of the God given resources, they do not commensurately benefit from the exploitation of these resources.
In the Niger Delta, these agitations predate Nigeria's existence in 1914. Oil palm produce (palm oil and kernel) were major raw materials that fed the growth of the Industrial Revolution in Europe, and they largely came from the Niger Delta. Various tribal kings and chiefs such as King Jaja of Opobo and Nana Olomu, resisted British exploitation of these resources and were both arrested, deposed and exiled to the West Indies (King Jaja) and the Gold Coast (Nana) by the British Imperial Government as punishment for their agitations. Let me add that the punitive measures against these kings did not end the agitations.
With the discovery of petroleum, in the Niger Delta, similar agitations surfaced. On February 23, 1966, these agitations culminated in the declaration of the first secessionist state in post independent Nigeria, the Niger Delta Republic, proclaimed by Isaac Jasper Adaka Boro. His twelve day revolution was crushed by the Federal Government. It is instructive to note that Isaac Boro declared the Republic of the Niger Delta a full year and three months before May, 1967 when then Colonel Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu declared the secession of the Eastern Region to form the Republic of Biafra leading to the thirty month civil war.
From the end of the civil war to date the Federal Government has come up with many interventionist initiatives to pacify the Niger Delta. I was a pioneer staff and worked as an Assistant Director of Environmental Protection at one of these early interventionist agencies called the Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission (OMPADEC), set up by the military administration of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida. With the advent of democracy in 1999, then President Olusegun Obasanjo established the present body, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The greatest stumbling block of these interventionist agencies was lack of continuity, resulting from an over politicization of projects as each successive management awarded new contracts rather than continue with those awarded by their predecessors and as such, the Niger Delta is littered with many abandoned projects with very few completed projects to show for the huge monies spent.
During the Obasanjo era, the Federal Government, in line with our constitution and revenue laws, set aside 13% of oil revenues to be paid as derivation funds to oil producing states and shared on the basis of proportion of oil they produce. As a person from the Niger Delta, I can say that the 13% derivation has benefitted Niger Delta states and their people more than the interventionist agencies. For example, those who knew Akwa Ibom state before the 13% derivation become law will agree that the derivation fund has changed the face of that state making it almost overnight one of the most developed states in Nigeria. The same is true with other oil producing states though with varying degrees of development.
From the foregoing, the only option that will solve the agitation in the Niger Delta is true and Fiscal Federalism as practiced in the United States from whom we copied the Presidential model of government. States should be allowed to exploit their natural resources as they deem fit and pay adequate taxes to the Federal Government. This is also the position of the 2014 National Conference. The Conference strongly recommended the adoption of Fiscal Federalism as the only panacea to these agitations and other challenges.
The Role of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation
Resolving both the religious crises and the Niger Delta question requires a new legal framework, thus the Federal Government and the National Assembly have major roles to play. The Goodluck Jonathan Foundation working with Elder statesmen and Civil Society groups can, through dialogue and advocacy, encourage religious leaders, traditional rulers, youth groups and women groups to participate in the formulation of a new legal framework. They will also be impressed upon to abide by these laws when put in place.
Without a new legal framework, successes by any advocacy group will at best be transient, it will not endure. Also, the military crackdown in the Niger Delta will not end the agitation there. It will have the opposite effect of provoking the youths which will cause them to seek to acquire sophisticated weapons to defend themselves and their communities. This may in turn lead to secessionist movements and the reincarnation of the Isaac Jasper Adaka Boro led revolution and the Biafran Civil War. The Federal Government and the international community must work to avoid this.
Global Terror and Boko Haram in Nigeria
The Boko Haram Islamic terrorist sect has been classified as the most deadly terror group in the world by the Global Terrorism Index. Herdsmen operating in and around Nigeria are listed as the fourth most deadly terror group. However, I do not intend to discuss global terror because it is a subject well known to all and the U.S. government has been working hard with various governments to address these issues. My belief is that the day the U.S. government and the Russian government decide to work together, that will surely mark the beginning of the end of global terror.
Conclusion
In my capacity as head of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, I visited former Nigerian leaders to call for unity of purpose to fend off some of these challenges I have listed above.
And finally today I am here, calling on this august body and the new American administration of President Donald J Trump, of whom we are very confident, to please work with the government and people of Nigeria by way of capacity building and intelligence gathering and sharing and indeed in any way possible to bring an end to religious extremism in Nigeria.
Mr. Chairman, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to share my ideas on these sensitive subject with you.
Osun state Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, on Wednesday said that the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo is the father of modern government in Nigeria. Governor Aregbesola also said that his government has decided to establish new Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs, in the state in order to consolidate on the efforts of the late Chief Awolowo and Chief Bola Ige.
Governor Aregbesola made the statement while addressing the people of Osun state at the official commissioning of the newly constructed office building of the newly created Ife Southwest Local Council Development Area, in Awolowo town.
The governor said the establishment of new LCDAs was to build on the legacy laid by the late sage who he described as a father of modern government in Nigeria. He said Chief Awolowo had in 1981, introduced the establishment of LCDAs with cardinal objective of making government closer to the people at community levels.
Osun state Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola commissioning the newly established LCDAs
He said: “Besides, the fact that LCDA contributes to the development of the state, its creation also helps foster communal peace and progress among the people at grassroots. The creation of LCDAs is not for fun but rather, a noble intent to make government more nearer to the masses and enhance all-round growth and development.”
In his welcome address, the Council Manager of Ife South West Local Council Development Area, Alhaji Yinusa Olalekan Akande, commended Governor Aregbesola for the dedication of his government to the general well-being of the people in the state.
He said the commissioning of the new LCDA’s Secretariat complex in the town was a clear manifestation of the vision and mission of the Aregbesola government to make life more abundant and meaningful to the residents of the community
In his remarks, the Chairman House Committee on Education in the State House of Assembly, Hon. Folorunsho Bamisayemi, commended the state government for being supportive of the people of the constituency.
He said the impacts of the creation of the council is being positively felt in the constituency, saying the constituency had benefited immensely from various government intervention programmes.
Earlier, the Olu of Awolowo town, Oba David Omisore, expressed profound gratitude to the state government for citing the new LCDA headquartres in the town.
Owerri – The Commissioner of Police in Imo, Mr Taiwo Lakanu, said the command and the Nigeria Prisons Service had intensified efforts to re-arrest Henry Chibuzor aka "Vampire", a notorious gang leader and kidnapping kingpin.
Lakanu disclosed this in a statement issued in Owerri on Thursday by the command's Public Relations Officer (PPRO) , DSP Andrew Anwerem .‘Vampire' and other inmates
Chibuzor escaped from an Owerri High Court on Friday, after his gang stormed the premises to free him and two others in a commando–style operation.
Chibuzor was the first to be arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services(DSS) in 2015 after about five years of unsuccessful manhunt and has been remanded in prison custody since the case was charged to court.
Lakanu confirmed that police were working seriously with other security agencies to arrest the fugitive .
He further said that plans were ongoing to arrest those suspected to have aided his escape.
He said that the command will, through its investigation , determine if there was internal sabotage from any quarter leading to his escape
He urged members of the public to disregard reports that the police had raided prisons, adding that it was an unfounded and unverified report.
Society for the Empowerment of Young Persons, an NGO, engages, some deportees to acquire vocational skills as means of livelihood, said Mrs Jennifer Ero, the Executive Director. Ero told newsmen on Thursday in Benin that most of the deportees were from rural communities.
She disclosed that the NGO has planned to collaborate with the International Organisation for Migration to engage adolescents from rural communities with most vulnerable traffickers who are often deceived into meaningful vocational jobs. "The huge number of deported Nigerians from Libya and other European countries is alarming.
back home: Deported Nigerians from the United kingdom and Australia at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos,
"Plan is ongoing between my NGO to partner with International Organisation for Migration to employ a process to discourage Nigerians seeking greener pastures overseas through land. "As we all know, Edo citizens continue to record high in numbers of those deported, the situation which became worrisome,'' she lamented.
However, she said a lot of sensitisation has been mounted to create the needed awareness for these young ones. Ero also urged parents to advise their wards against engaging in such travels that would risk their lives. Some of the beneficiaries engaged in the programme expressed satisfaction with the training. They told newsmen that the skill would help them become useful citizens and self-reliant.
Maiduguri – The Nigerian Army said on Thursday that it had arrested three Chadians in Borno as part of its ongoing anti terrorism war in the North-East.
Maj.-Gen. Lucky Irabor, the Theater Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Maiduguri.
Irabor said that the suspects were arrested at a check point in Damasak.President Muhammadu Buhari in a hand shake with the Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Tukur Yusuf Buratai. Others are the Chief of Defence Staff, General, Abayomi Olonisakin, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral, Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar as President Buhari arrives for the Wreath Laying ceremony of 2017 Armed Forces Remembrance Day at the Arcade in Abuja.
"On Jan.26, at about 1745 hours three Chadians were arrested at a check point in Damasak after a mobile phone belonging to one of them was flipped through and it shows pictures of men in both military T-shirt and mufti with GPMG, FN and AK 47 rifles.
"The Chadians are in custody undergoing interrogation," he said.
Irabor said that the army had also intercepted seven females from Niger Republic last month.
"On Jan.16 at about 1715 hours, troops deployed at Cham check point intercepted seven female immigrants from the Republic of Niger enroute Yola via Kano.
"Three of them were with their passports while four had no means of identification," Irabor said.
He said the immigrants were in custody undergoing interrogation and will be handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service for further action.
Irabor said that the army had also conducted ambush operations against the Boko Haram terrorists and recovered large quantity of weapons.
"On Jan. 28, at about 1315 hours our own troops deployed at Miyanti conducted ambush along Miyanti- Banki road.
"The troops encountered the terrorists elements and subsequently engaged them where two were killed in action," he said
"Items recovered from them include: an AK47 rifle; three magazines and five rounds of 7.62 mom special.
"There were also two pieces of 36 hand grenades; a cell phone and a motorcycle," the commander said.
He said that the army had intercepted some terrorists logistics.
" When our troops were returning from Bitta on Jan.19 at about 1400 hours, they sighted two suspected terrorists at Geleri.
"The terrorists immediately fled.However, some items were recovered from them, which include: 31 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition; 22 rounds of 7.62 special; a Nokia cell phone connected with wire and two packets of dicloforte with 10 tablets each, among others," Irabor said.
TEXT OF PRESS BRIEFING BY MAJOR GENERAL LEO IRABOR THEATRE COMMANDER OPERATION LAFIYA DOLE AT THE MILITARY COMMAND AND CONTROL CENTRE MAIDUGURI ON THURSDAY 2ND FEBRUARY 2017
Inspite of the regrettable occurrence of 17 Jan 17 at RANN, our gallant troops have continued to gain traction by recording successes in our operational engagements. Before continuing the Brief, I request that we pay respect to those who died in that incident.
a. Update on Activities in RANN. After the sad incident on 17 Jan 17, an emergency response team was established. A well coordinated response involving the Op LAFIYA DOLE, UNOCHA, ICRC, MSF and Borno State Government was initiated. Helicopters and Ambulances from the UN, ICRC, Op LAFIYA DOLE and the Borno State Government were employed. A surgical centre was established in Rann to help stabilize the wounded before being evacuated. The CO 3 Bn and the Medical officer of the unit among several other medical personnel from the Humanitarian Agencies were involved.
b. On 19 Jan 17 a Federal Government delegation led by the Chief of Staff to the President, that included Ministers of Defence and Information, CDS and Service Chiefs, paid condolence visit to the Governor of Borno State, Shehu of Dikwa and Humanitarian Agencies at UNOCHA office on behalf of Mr President. Similarly, on 20 Jan 17 at about 1340hrs, the COAS Lt Gen TY Buratai accompanied by AHQ PSOs and GOC 7 Div visited RANN, KALA BALGE LGA. The COAS and entourage visited the scene of the incident and condoled the Bulamas. I equally visited the location along with the Maritime and Air Component Commanders. In all, the response was very prompt. I wish to take this opportunity to appreciate the contributions and support of everyone.
The understanding shown by the Government and the people of Borno during the trying moment is very well appreciated. I have constituted a Board of Inquiry to ascertain the circumstances that led to the unfortunate incidence. So far, it has been established that the strike was a mistake. Statistics show that 112 persons died and 97 were wounded. The wounded are in various hospitals receiving treatment.
c. Mop-up Operations. During the period under review, mop-up operations were conducted as follows:
(1) As part of the operations to dominate Sambisa Forest, on 14 Jan 17 at about 0900hrs, troops recovered 50 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition and one AK47 rifle. Items recovered include a GPMG, 2,269 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, 2 RPG bombs and 528 rounds of 7.62mm special. Additionally, recovered and destroyed several BHT vehicles, motorcycles, foodstuff, solar panels and mattresses. A total of 5 BHT were killed in action, including 2 suicide bombers.
(2) On 23 Jan 17 at about 0900hrs, own troops deployed at DIKWA conducted clearance patrol to SINABAYA and MASKITE village. The patrol cleared SINABAYA village and encountered BHT resistance towards MASKITE village. During the operation, 9 BHT were killed and some items were captured. The items captured include 6 dane guns, a GPMG, 4 mobile handsets, a motorcycle with BHT flag mounted and 2 wrist watches. MASKITE village was combed and cleared where 9 civilians held captives were rescued.
(3) On 16 Jan 17 at about 1530hrs, our troops deployed at MONGUNO received information of BHT activities at MARARIA village along MONGUNO – MARTE road. The troops in conjunction with CJTF immediately trailed and encountered some BHT in the village. After an encounter, a BHT member was killed in action while 2 AK47 rifles, 2 AK47 magazines with 8 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition were recovered.
(4) On 18 Jan 17 at about 0530hrs, own troops conducted fighting patrol to MUSARA, GUMNARI, NAIRA and ANGAYINA villages. Troops intercepted 8 men conveying items suspected to be for BHT. The suspects were arrested and searched. During the search, one suspect was found with 2 letters with one of the letters requesting for the supply of 4 AA guns by BHT. Other items in their possession included many torch lights, 4 handsets, large quantities of slippers, clothes, drugs, batteries and the sum of N341,000.00 only.
(5) On 24 Jan 17 at about 0900hrs, own troops in conjunction with CJTF and vigilantes conducted operations to MASA along DIKWA – GULUMBA GANA road. The troops cleared MIJIGITE and GWANGHA villages and later encountered BHT at AJIRI village. The troops came in contact and 2 BHT members were killed in action. The equipment captured include a bandolier, a camouflage trouser, a Tecno handset and a BHT flag. The troops combed and cleared AJIRI village where 85 civilians held captives were rescued. Also, on 26 Jan 17 at about 1130hrs, own troops supported by the CDF conducted operations to GULUMBA GANA. Three BHT were killed in action while one AK47 rifle, one FN rifle and a gun truck mounted with Anti Aircraft gun were captured.
(6) Between 17 – 24 Jan 17, troops conducted long range patrol in pursuit of fleeing BHT along Yale axis. Several recoveries were made including rescue of hostages. Highlights are as shown.
(7) On 27 Jan 17 at about 0728hrs, our gallant troops conducted mop up operations at GULUMBA – GANA for 3hrs 10mins. The troops recovered 2 AK47 rifles, 3 rounds of 7.62mm special, detonator-33 electrical cord, 3 plastic pressure plates, 2 Shilka empty cases primed with simple charge. Other items discovered were IED making materials and 3 prepared IEDs. All items were destroyed in situ.
(8) Yesterday, troops trailed fleeing BHT to Dusla and Buk. Several BHT were killed. Assorted sophisticated weapons including Shilka Gun, 9 AK Rifles, 3 FN Rifles, one tube, one Gun truck mounted with AA Gun, 2 Hilux vehicles, 2 RPG tube and one LMG amongst others as shown.
d. Arrests. Our troops have arrested some BHT suspects during the period under review as follows: (1) On 10 Jan 17 at about 0930hrs, own troops deployed behind IDP Camp MAFA in conjunction with CJTF and vigilantes intercepted one Alhaji Madu, aged 56 years and a native of ANADAWA village. The suspect was accused by the locals of being the BHT Amir and chief imam of ANADAWA village. The locals further revealed that the suspect was once arrested by Nigeria Police in MAIDUGURI and was in custody for over 9 months before he was released. The suspect is currently in custody undergoing interrogation.
(2) On 18 Jan 17 at about 1210hrs following a tip-off, own troops arrested Abur Goni Bukar of LA’ARI MATARI village in an ash-coloured Golf vehicle at a military check point. Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect has been supplying fuel and foodstuff to BHT coming from GINI to DUNGA village. The suspect is in custody undergoing further investigation.
(3) On 20 Jan 17 at about 1820hrs, our troops in conjunction with Nigeria Police personnel carried out a cordon and search operation at WURO DOLE in AKKO LGA of Gombe State based on a tip-off. During the operation, a suspected BHT named Ibrahim Ali was arrested. During prelim interrogation, the suspect confessed to being a BHT member and has been with the terrorists for a period of time. He also revealed that he was part of those that attacked CHIBOK and MADAGALI. The suspect is undergoing further investigation.
(4) On 21 Jan 17 at 1550hrs, own troops in conjunction with members of vigilante arrested one Ayuba Duse Traore suspected to be a BHT member at DUKKU. The suspect claimed to be a citizen of Republic of Mali and could only speak French. He is currently undergoing further investigation. (5) Our troops arrested a suspected BHT member named Haruna Bukar on 25 Jan 17 at about 2247hrs at TIZAN near CIRIMIYA area of SHEWURI South of MAIDUGURI. The suspect, popularly known both as Kwakwa Mafoni and Bulama Modi, was alleged to be part of the syndicate that facilitates the bringing in prepared suicide bombers into MAIDUGURI. He is currently undergoing further interrogation. (6) On 27 Jan 17 at about 1730hrs, own troops arrested 3 suspected BHT with bags of flour, groundnut and millet while trying to convey same to JERAM village. The suspects also had a total of N594,000.00 only in their possession. They are undergoing further investigation.
(7) On 28 Jan 17 at about 1100hrs, own troops at BUNI GARI apprehended 5 suspects with a truckload of gypsum which is one of the major component for making IED. The suspects are undergoing interrogation. Also, on 28 Jan 17 at about 1725hrs, own troops deployed at GAMBORU – FOTOKOL border discovered and confiscated 278 bags of fertilizer concealed in sugar bags in a vehicle. The vehicle and the items are in our custody for further investigation.
(8) On 28 Jan 17 at about 0200hrs, own troops arrested 7 suspected cow rustlers at KWANA MUTUWA. The suspects are Mohammed Abdulkareem, Abbre Gana, Habbib Abubakar, Ali Abdullahi, Bashiru Abubakar, Babagana Abdullahi and Umar Abdullahi. A total of 34 cows were recovered from the arrested suspects and are all in custody undergoing thorough investigation.
e. Arrests of Foreigners. On 16 Jan 17 at about 1715hrs, troops deployed at CHAM checkpoint intercepted 7 female immigrants from Republic of Niger enroute YOLA via KANO. Three of the immigrants were with their passports while the other 4 had no means of identification. All the immigrants are in custody undergoing interrogation and would be handed over to NIS for further action. Similarly, on 26 Jan 17 at about 1745hrs, 3 Chadians were arrested at a check point in DAMASAK. A mobile phone belonging to one of them was flipped through and it showed pictures of men one of them inclusive, in both military T-shirts and mufti with GPMG, FN and AK47 rifles. The 3 Chadians are in custody undergoing interrogation.
f. Ambush Operations. Our gallant troops have conducted some ambush operations as follows: (1) Similarly on 28 Jan 17 at about 1315hrs, own troops deployed at MIYANTI conducted ambush along MIYANTI – BANKI road. The troops encountered BHT elements and subsequently engaged them where 2 BHT were killed in action. The items recovered include an AK47 rifle, 3 magazines, 5 rounds of 7.62mm special, a wristwatch, 2 pieces of 36 hand grenade, a mobile phone with its accessories and a motorcycle
g. Interception of BHT Logistics. When our troops were returning from BITTA on 19 Jan 17 at about 1400hrs, they sighted 2 suspected BHTs at GELERI.
The BHT immediately fled on sighting our troops. However, some items were recovered which include 31 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition, 22 rounds of 7.62 special, a Nokia phone connected with wire, 2 packets of Dicloforte with 10 tablets each, a BHT flag, a Diclofenac injection, a Lincocin, 2 pieces of syringes and 2 bicycles.
h. Discovery of BHT Graves. On 13 Jan 17 at about 1030hrs, troops deployed at KANGARWA embarked on foot patrol ahead of their location. The troops discovered 4 BHT bodies buried in a shallow grave. Additionally, 3 graves for killed BHT members were found and were all exhumed. Also found was a 36 hand grenade and 25 rounds of 12.7mm ammunition.
i. Person Borne Improvised Explosive Device Explosions. There were recorded cases of PBIEDas follows:
(1) On 16 Jan 17 at about 0510hrs, a PBIED was detonated at UNIMAID. The first incidence occurred when a young boy detonated the IED on his body during morning prayers at a mosque close to UNIMAID Gate 4. The suicide bomber and 2 other civilians died at the spot. The second incident occurred when a female suicide bomber attempted to infiltrate through UNIMAID Gate 5. The vigilant troops deployed at the gate challenged her from a distance as she approached their sentry post. Consequently, she panicked and detonated the IED on her body. In this case, the suicide bomber was the only casualty. The NEMA/SEMA were contacted and the corpses have been evacuated.
(2) On 16 Jan 17 at about 0830hrs, some civilians in BARAN KAURA village intercepted a female suicide bomber trying to cross into town through MUNA DALTI village. She was challenged by the civilians who quickly called own troops. Consequently, she detonated the IED on her as she sighted our troops. The IED failed to fully detonate leaving some part of the explosives on her. She attempted to stand up but was gunned by own troops. The unexploded suicide vest was neutralized by our EOD team.
(3) On 25 Jan 17 at about 0005hrs, a male suicide bomber was intercepted as he attempted to cross towards troops defensive location at USMANTI.
The suicide bomber was halted but refused to stop and started running towards the sentry. Consequently, he was shot and he exploded killing only himself. Only the suicide bomber was the casualty at the scene. Also, same day at about 0117hrs, a second suicide bomber exploded ahead of USMANTI guard location. Similarly, at about 0615hrs, a third suicide bomb incidentoccurred when a female suicide bomber attempted to enter a mosque around KALARI general area. The civilian security at the mosque challenged her but she kept moving towards the mosque. The troops were immediately alerted. On sighting the troops, the suicide bomber quickly detonated the explosive vest on her killing herself and one civilian while 2 other civilians were injured. The injured have been evacuated to the hospital.
j. BHT Attack. On 19 Jan 17 at about 1730hrs, our troops deployed at RANN came under BHT attack. After a fire fight, the attack was successfully repelled. Two soldiers were wounded in action while 13 BHT were killed in action and another BHT was captured alive. He is in custody undergoing interrogation. Items captured include a gun truck, 2 AK47 rifles, an M21 rifle and 805 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition.
k. Also, on 25 Jan 17, troops position at Kamuya was attacked by desperate BHT. The attack was repelled leaving 3 soldiers dead.
l. Convoy Attack. On 28 Jan 17 at about 1135hrs, the commercial vehicle convoy escorted by troops ran into BHT ambush at KOMALA general area. The ambush was successfully cleared, however, 2 soldiers were injured while 3 civilians were killed (initially one) and 2 others wounded.
m. Police Attack. On 31 Jan 17 at about 1030hrs, the NP while moving a suspect from Biu – Maiduguri ran into an ambush at Kubuwa village along Biu – Damboa road. Unfortunately, one policeman was shot dead and another injured bothwere evacuated to Damboa general hospital.
n. IED Incidence. On 20 Jan 17 at about 1000hrs, own prime mover with troops on clearance operation towards CHIRELIA entered IED at KOREDE. Sadly, one officer and a soldier sustained injuries and were evacuated to our hospital in MAIDUGURI. However, the officer Capt A Adeusi later died in the hospital. Similarly, on 26 Jan 17 at about 1503hrs, own advancing troops in conjunction with vigilantes encountered an IED along rd BUNI GARI – DOKSA road while clearing a river line. A soldier was killed in action while 2 others sustained injuries and were treated by own medical team. Again, on 29 Jan 17 at about 0910hrs, own troops on patrol from BITTA to YAMTEKE encountered an IED. Sadly, a soldier was killed in the incident while 4 others were wounded. The wounded have been evacuated and stabilized.
o. Surrendered BHT. On 21 Jan 17 at about 1115hrs, a total of 4 suspected BHTs surrendered to own troops deployed at MONGUNO. The suspects claimed to have fled BUKAR MERAM village from Mamman Nur’s faction of BHT. They claimed to be fed up with the terrorists' ideology and the unending combat. They have been undergoing interrogation. Again on 28 Jan 17 at about 0900hrs, a BHT member named Mohammed Abubakar surrendered to own troops in MONGUNO. The suspect claimed to be a Cameroonian and that he belonged to Mamman Nur’s faction in KOLORAM BHT camp. He has been undergoing interrogation. ➢ Air Component Clip. Summary of Arrested/Surrendered BHT Suspects and Other Rescued Persons.
A total of 3,332 civilians were arrested as BHT suspects while 5 BHT members surrendered to our troops during our operations conducted between 11 Jan – 1 Feb 17. Also, a total of 26 foreigners were arrested comprising 17 Chadians and 9 Nigeriens.
2. Ladies and Gentlemen, having won the war, the train on the track to enduring peace is currently in motion. Yesterday, the National Coalition Against Terrorism held a Rally where they called on all to give greater support to the peace effort. They equally called on all renegades in the name of BH to surrender without further delay. The people are rising up against Boko Haram and it is encouraging.
Meanwhile, we have received numerous commendations on the achievements so far. It is a job and commendation for all of us. Join the train.
3. The continued support and encouragement of the C-in-C, CDS, COAS and other Service Chiefs are unquantifiable and are hereby appreciated. The other stakeholders including you, members of the press, are duly appreciated. Let us maintain the momentum.Thank you and God bless.
LEO IRABOR MaiduguriMajor General February 2017 Theatre Commander
Abuja – Senate President Bukola Saraki says some Nigerian soldiers who formed part of the regional force that `enthroned' President Adama Barrow of The Gambia will be returning home soon.
Saraki made this known while reacting to questions from State House correspondents after a closed door meeting with the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo.
The Senate President, who was accompanied by the Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, said the acting president briefed them on the activities of the Nigerian soldiers in The Gambia.
"The acting president is briefing us on our trip to Gambia and what the situation is. "And that the navy and the air force will be coming back,and is likely some number of troops will be kept behind," he said.
Nigeria has sent 200 soldiers and air assets including fighter jets to Senegal as part of the regional force to enforce the result of Gambia's contested election.
The Nigerian soldiers were part of the ECOWAS military standby intervention force "tasked by ECOWAS heads of state to enforce the Dec. 1, 2016 election mandate in The Gambia".
The Gambia's former president Yahya Jammeh left Banjul, the capital of Gambia, for Guinea Conakry on exile, bringing an end to a protracted political crisis following presidential elections.
Lago – A 36-year-old man, Ayo Adeyemi, who allegedly slapped his neighbour and poured a bucket of water on him, was on Thursday brought before an Ikeja Magistrates' Court.
Adeyemi, a resident of Oloje Street, Mushin, pleaded not guilty to a two-count charge of assault and breach of peace brought against him.
The Prosecutor, Sgt. Ajayi Emmanuel, told the court that the accused assaulted a woman, Adeyemi Cynthia, on Jan. 24 at Oloje Street.
According to him, the offence was committed when the accused shouted at the complainant's younger sister.
"After Cynthia had confronted Adeyemi for shouting at her sister, an argument ensued and the accused slapped her.
"Adeyemi used his finger nails to injure her and poured a bucket of water on the complainant."
Emmanuel alleged that the accused also dragged the complainant's three-week-old baby on the ground.
"The case was subsequently reported at the police station and the accused was apprehended."
The offences contravened Sections 171 and 166 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011 which carry a penalty of three years jail term.
Following the not guilty plea of the accused, Magistrate A.E. Azeez granted him bail in the sum of N100,000, with two sureties in like sum.
"The sureties must be gainfully employed and must show evidence of two years' tax payment to the Lagos State Government."
The magistrate adjourned the case to Feb. 22 for mention.
ABUJA – Barring any last minute change of plans, the All Progressives Congress APC would hold its national convention on April 29.
A tentative schedule of activities sighted by Vanguard showed that the party leadership would be meeting with cabinet ministers before the convention. By the schedule, the party had met with its governors on January 30.
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The Senate on Thursday, denied that the leadership of the National Assembly received N600 million from the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) for principal officers' rent.
Newsmen reports that the allegation emanated from an online report by a group, Citizen Action to Take Back Nigeria (CATBAN). The report said that President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu and Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and his deputy, Lasun Yusuff, collected over N600 million from the FCT for rent.
Denying the allegation while briefing newsmen in Abuja, Chairman, Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Sen. Dino Melaye, said that the social media released "a very fake report last week''. "The four presiding officers of the National Assembly collects no rent from the FCDA or any other Federal Government agency for that matter," he said.
Melaye described the group as "briefcase Civil Society Organisation that is not registered by law in Nigeria; it is not known or heard; it was hurriedly packaged to do assassin job on the social media". He said that as chairman of t
SENATE CHAMBER
he committee, he had put his integrity on test to say that no kobo had been collected by any of the presiding officers from the FCDA.
"Those who know how government bureaucracy works, know that it is practically impossible for any of the presiding officers to collect money directly from the FCDA. "It should be noted that while Senators Bukola Saraki and Ike Ekweramadu as well as Honourable Yakubu Dogara and Lasun Yusuff are entitled to well-furnished accommodation by virtue of their positions.
"If you recall, the President of the Senate insisted last year that the N10 billion which the FCDA put in the 2016 budget for the completion of the official residences of the Senate President and Speaker be removed from the budget to save cost," he said. Melaye, however, advised the sponsors of the group to verify their information, saying they got the one in contention wrong.
"I call on fake NGOs like this who propagate falsehood and lies all over the social media to advise themselves and do the right thing. "I challenge this group to provide evidence in terms of transfers on how any of the presiding officers benefited financially from the FCDA. It is a lie, malicious and baseless. "Nigerians should not over-react. We must do everything to live in a society where truth, justice and egalitarianism are the watchword of the people.
The Police, Thursday, paraded seventeen (17) people suspected to have committed “culpable homicide and disturbance of peace in Southern Kaduna.”
The Kaduna state Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai who made this known through his twitter handle also said that the police gave the suspects to be Fulani herdsmen and natives of Southern Kaduna.
Also, the Nigeria police spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, confirmed the arrest of the 17 suspects on Thursday in Abuja when he presented the suspects before journalists.
He said that 29 assorted firearms were recovered from the suspects.
Recall that several persons have been killed in Southern Kaduna while many have fled their homes in fear of being killed. The death toll have been variously put between 700 and above so far.
Suspects in Southern Kaduna killings
Many have condemned the killings and called on both the state Government and the Federal government to bring the perpetrators of the heinous crimes to book.
In December last year, Governor El-Rufai of Kaduna state had said that his government traced some “violent, aggrieved Fulanis” supposed to be the killers in the state to their countries and “paid them to stop the killings of Southern Kaduna natives and the destruction of their communities” saying that the renewed violence is carried out by bandits. El-Rufai had made this known while fielding questions from some select Journalists in his office in Kaduna.
Suspects in Southern Kaduna killings
However, the action of the state government in paying the herdsmen did not see the killings abate afterwards but instead, seemed to have aggravated it. Hence, the sought for a lasting solution to the crisis.
The Presidency however, had in response to tackling the crisis, said concrete efforts were been made to arrest the situation not only in Southern Kaduna but in other parts of the country generally.
Suspects in Southern Kaduna killings
The Senior Special Assistant, SSA, to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu had given the assurance while on Channels TV programme late last month. He had said, “The Government has intensified a lot of activities. As we speak now, there are ongoing efforts to establish two military battalions: one in Karsha and one in Zango-Kataf, and there is military surveillance undertaken by the air force.”
“The army has moved and Mobile Police squadrons have been put in place. So, a lot of effort is being made. The humanitarian situation is also being looked at. The Federal Government, through NEMA, is working with Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency in order to bring relief to displaced persons.”
Weapons recovered from suspects in Southern Kaduna killings
Also, The National President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Rev (Dr) Felix Omobude had equally made known the mind of Christians on the killings in Southern Kaduna.
He had said that, although Christians were not scared of fighting back, “we do know that it is the primary responsibility of every government to secure the lives of the people.”
However, as the efforts at bringing the suspects in the crime to justice, the 17 persons already arrested in connection with the killings put paid the assurance by both the state and federal government in bringing the culprits to book.
According to Governor El-Rufai, “The @PoliceNG PRO also stated that other Suspects are currently under Investigation and all will be arraigned in Court.”
The Grand Commander of the Rosicrucian Order, AMORC, Dr Kenneth Idiodi, says the current recession in the country has made Nigerians to be alive to their responsibilities. Idiodi made the observation in Enugu on Thursday while briefing newsmen on its Eastern Regional Rotational Conclave holding in the state. He said that a better appreciation of the laws of the universe couldbe panacea to the socio-economic challenges of the country.
The grand commander said the organization believed that man had yet to explore the secrets to the myriads of their challenges. Idiodi, who is also the Director, Supreme Board of AMORC, said that the current recession in the country had offered man much to ponder about life and the mysteries of creation. He said that it was inexplicable that a country like Nigeria with abundant human and natural resources could be faced with such economic challenges. The commander explained that AMORC is not a secret society contrary to the widely held belief, but a system that committed itself to the study and application of laws that govern the universe. "The Rosicrucian Order is an open organization, but it is perfectly true that we have secret knowledge pertaining to the universe and the welfare of every human being. "So there are things which you are totally incapable of knowing about yourself if you are not a member," he said. Idiodi said that such knowledge, as espoused by the organization, were for improved health, happiness, harmony in and around the adherents. He stressed that AMORC is not a religious organization, adding that it is open to adherents of all religions. "It does not matter which religion you belong. AMORC will make you a better Christian or Muslim. "We live and function in an environment that is charged with intense social vices like armed robbery and cannot guaranty provision of social amenities. "But by such study and application you benefit and become a better believer in God," he said. Idiodi said that members of the organization had better appreciation of human relationship in spite of their religious differences. "AMORC broadens your frontiers and gives you better knowledge and awareness about life regardless of your religion. "What matters is not the religion you belong to. It is not how much you shout, jump up and dance about God but how you live your life. "If you believe in God, practice it and radiate the God consciousness in you. Let your light shine and people will follow you," he said.
In a bid to ensure good governance and promote professionalism, a veteran journalist, Mr Dele Alake, on Thursday urged journalists to rededicate themselves to the profession.
Alake, a former Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, said investigative journalism would keep the nation and the government on their toes towards ensuring accountability and service delivery to the people. He spoke at the launch of two titles — "Practical Guide to Public Affairs for Journalists'' and the "Dictionary of Media Terms'' written by a veteran journalist, Mr Jackson Akpasubi.
Newsmen reports the 224-page Practical Guide and the 106-page Dictionary were launched at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) in Lagos. Alake, while pouring encomiums on the author for his passion, hardwork and commitment to the journalism profession , said Akpasubi remained was a good reporter that knew his onions.
Alake said: "Investigative journalism remains the key to a reporter's success in this profession. We were able to do well and check the excesses of government in our time. "It is only through investigative journalism that we can say we are working for the general public, not routine stories.
"In our days in Sunday Concord, this aspect of journalism sold our papers and the public was better for it. "Hardwork is like a smoke that nobody can cover. Akpasubi's hardwork paved way for him. If reporters of today are hardworking, our nation will be a better place to live in and the public will be better for it." The former editor of the defunct Sunday Concord said that Akpasubi made waves because of his dedication to exclusive investigative stories.
Reviewing the books, Mr Ikechukwu Amaechi, the Managing Director, Niche Newspaper, said the books were good materials not only for journalists, but also for political scientists, historians and other professionals. Amaechi also commended the books to Nigerians, who were desirous of knowing public institutions and the inner workings of government at all levels.
According to him, the books are also resource materials that can help to improve the practice of journalism. "The book explains institutions of government, inner workings of government and inter-relationships of the agencies of government. "It is a handbook for journalists, especially reporters covering crisis or war situation and stir up journalists to be alive to their mandate.''
Journalists reports that the book on Practical Guide deals with public affairs, electoral system, civil service and public corporations, as well the 1999 Constitution, foreign policies and safety of journalists. Earlier, the Chairman of the occasion, Mr Chris Akili, described the author as a special breed who had written several books to expand the frontiers of journalisms.
Akili, a legal practitioner said:"The author is a notable and uncommon journalist who knows everything about journalism both print and broadcast. "This book is rich and because of its wealth of experience, I have decided to get 50 copies each of the two books." Meanwhile, the chief launcher, Prince Louis Osobase, described the book as a rich companion and good reference material for journalists, students, political parties, and anyone who would want to know the inner workings of government.
Osobase, who unveiled the books, said: "I present and recommend these books to every Nigerian and as the chief launcher, I launch the books with N1 million.'' The author said he thought it expedient to put some of his thoughts together for younger generation of reporters. Akpasubi, who had written about 10 books with the first in 1990, said he would stop at nothing to expand the frontiers of journalism.
A member of Kwara House of Assembly, Mr AbdulRafiu AbdulRahman, has decried the non-inclusion of bursary to students of the state in the 2017 budget of the state.
Assembly Mace
AbdulRahman, who represents llorin North-West constituency, said at plenary on Thursday in Ilorin that the omission would create untold hardship for the students. He said that bursary to the students was imperative for cushioning the effect of current economic predicament in the country.
AbdulRahman, a member of the Education Committee of the house, appealed to his colleagues to put a specific amount in the budget for bursary allowance "to assist the students and give them a sense of belonging''. In his remarks, the Deputy Speaker, who presided at the plenary, Mr Mathew Okedare, supported AbdulRahman and called for the appropriation of specific amount in the budget for bursary award. The Leader of the House, Hassan Oyeleke, moved a motion for the passage of the second reading of the 2017 Appropriation Bill and it was unanimously supported by all members. Okedare directed the Committee on Finance and Appropriation to further work on the budget and report back on Feb. 21
A 32-year-old woman, Mrs. Jessica Buki, on Thursday asked an Upper Area Court in Mararaba, Nasarawa State, to dissolve her marriage with Mr Francis Justin, on grounds of sex starvation and abandonment.
Buki, who has been married to Francis for three years, told the court that her husband has refused to have sex with her despite her advise. She said, instead, he has disappeared to an unknown destination, since October, 2016.
She accused her husband of denying her sex despite her advances too.
"Instead of granting my request, he will rather rebuke me," she said.
She claimed that she was not getting the natural satisfaction required of a legal marriage, adding that her husband had continued to avoid her since she married him.
"He has failed to perform his duties as a man and has absconded. I was married to Justin since December 2013, in accordance with the law and customs of my people.
"I want this court to dissolve this marriage because he has showed that he does not want to have anything to do with me.
"I am 32 years old and can no longer wait for him nor stay without a man, so I demand that I get separated officially," she said.
Buki begged the court to grant her request, saying that she had made efforts to find him and make things work, to no avail.
The respondent was not in court even though he was served hearing notice.
The judge, Mr Ibrahim Shekarau, adjourned the case till Feb. 13, to give the couple more time to settle out of court.
Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, the Minister of Science and Technology says Nigeria is preparing to partner with Portugal to host Technology Summit scheduled to hold in the country later this year. Onu disclosed this known in Abuja during an official signing of an MoU between Nigeria and Republic of Portugal on Science and Technology.
According to him, scientists, researchers and other stakeholders from both countries will converge on Abuja for the summit aimed at exploring ways of better managing climate change. " I am happy that in the management of Atlantic Ocean, Portugal will work very closely with Nigeria for us to effectively and efficiently manage the huge resources of the ocean.
Onu
" This will be very good for the world as it is an important ocean that helps to determine the climate change. "So far, we have not been able to study and understand the ocean the way we should. "Now, we are proposing that the Atlantic International Research Centres will have its headquarters in Nigeria" he said.
Onu said that Nigeria was the process of moving economy to be knowledge-based and innovation-driven to meet the need of the nation. Earlier, Prof. Manuel Heitor, the Portugal Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education, said his country would work with Nigeria in all seriousness toward mutual benefits through the application of science and technology.
"We need education to acquire knowledge to help science to brighten our common future as it is a tool needed to build the future for the coming generation," he said. Heitor said that Portugal would work with Nigeria in addressing the impact of Climate Change in the country. He said that his country was also willing to partner with Nigeria on space and bio technology. On the agreement, he said that Portugal would work with Nigeria toward achieving Sustainable Development Goals of 2030.
By Egufe Yafugborhi WARRI – THE Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, Thursday called for resignation of President Muhammadu Buhari, alleging that he is no longer fit to lead the country.
South South chapters of CAN and PFN, at a joint meeting in Warri, Delta State said the president’s silence on the killings of Christians in Northern Nigeria has become worrisome to the point where self help becomes the compelling option for Christians to protect themselves.
Briefing newsmen following a closed door meeting, Bishop Simeon Okah, National Vice President PFN (South-South), said, "Number one issue is this Fulani herdsmen in our bushes. We are no longer going to fold our hands and watch while they kill our people.Some governors are saying they are not from the North. That claim is an insult to us.
“Today our children are now being deported from America and here we have people from outside our country killing people and raping our daughters, mother and wives. Our farmers no longer have farmlands to farm. I think it's high time we started defending ourselves if the government cannot help us."
The economy is dying. When Jonathan handed over to Buhari, the exchange rate was between N170 to N190 to a dollar. Today, it is N550 to a dollar. Imagine how things had gone bad? While the church will pray, if he (Buhari) cannot save the country, let him resign for the country to move to where God wants it to be."
The clergy also affirmed support for Apostle Johnson Suleiman over his recent alleged inflammatory statement which pitted him against Directorate of State Security, DSS, stressing that Suleman spoke the minds of Christians over the said comments.
Ekiti State Governor and Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors' Forum, Mr Ayodele Fayose has faulted the police over its position that it will not allow the planned protest against the Federal Government slated for February 6 to hold in Lagos State, saying; Apart from Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, which provided that "Every person shall be entitled to assemble freely and associate with other persons…", the Court of Appeal already affirmed that protest or gathering do not require police permit or interference.2face Idibia
The governor, who described claim by the Lagos State Police Commissioner Fatai Owoseni that criminals might hijack the process as puerile, added that; "The duty of the police to secure Nigerians is mandatory, and not optional. Therefore, if there is any intelligence report suggesting the possibility of criminals hijacking the process, it is the duty of the police to provide security cover for the protesters.
In a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Governor Fayose noted that the APC-led federal government must be made to understand that "leadership is about accountability. To be accountable, leaders must listen to public opinion either by civil or peaceful protest."
He said; "Court of Appeal affirmed in its judgement in Inspector General of Police Vs All Nigerians Peoples Party that protest or gathering do not require police permit or interference as obtainable in advanced democracy.
"Most importantly, the protest is said to be for and about good governance. So who is afraid of the protest? Who does the police represents or is representing in this issue?"
"While justifying the protest, the governor said; "Nigerians are hungry and angry, our currency is now above N500 to $1. If Nigerians want to show their anger, no one should prevent them. Nepotism, extra judicial killings, disobedience to court order and human rights abuses must stop.
"The conscience is an open wound and the guilty is afraid. If the APC-led Federal Government is now acting as if the protest is against it, it means the federal government has accepted to be guilty as charged.
President Donald Trump ripped into his Australian counterpart during their call last week, reports said, castigating a refugee accord he later described on Twitter as a “dumb deal.”Trump and Turnbull
The Washington Post said Trump abruptly cut short the fiery conversation after criticising the agreement to re-settle people kept in Pacific camps, sparking a war of words with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull Thursday after the report surfaced.
Australia is considered a close US ally — one of the so-called “Five Eyes” with which the US routinely shares sensitive intelligence — and the call might have been expected to be smooth sailing.
But, according to the Post, Trump’s assessment was the opposite.
Of his four conversations with world leaders that day “This was the worst call by far,” it cited him as telling Turnbull, shortly before he terminated the telephone meeting.
Australian government sources told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation the report was “substantially accurate”.
Turnbull said he was disappointed details of the “very frank and forthright” exchange had been leaked.
“As far as the call is concerned I’m very disappointed that there has been a leak of purported details of the call in Washington,” he told Sydney radio station 2GB.
“But I want to make one observation about it — the report that the president hung up is not correct. The call ended courteously.”
He added that Canberra had “very, very strong standards in the way we deal with other leaders and we are not about to reveal details of conversations other than in a manner that is agreed”.
The Post’s account is markedly different from the official read-out of the call provided by both governments.
Turnbull said Monday that Trump had agreed to honor the deal struck with then president Barack Obama to resettle an unspecified number of the 1,600 people Australia holds in offshore processing centers in Nauru and Papua New Guinea.
There were fears the new US president would rescind it after he signed an executive order last week to suspend the arrival of refugees to the US for a least 120 days, and bar entry for three months to people from seven Muslim-majority countries.
– Diplomatic crisis –
After the Post story broke late Wednesday, Trump weighed in on Twitter and threw the agreement into doubt.
“Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal!” he wrote.
After seeing the tweet, Turnbull insisted Trump had already agreed it would go ahead.
“The commitment made by the president in that call was made and we announced that and it was confirmed by his spokesman a day or so later,” he said.
Reports of the Turnbull-Trump conversation came as the US and Mexican governments were denying claims that the former reality TV star had threatened to send troops into Mexico to deal with drug cartels.
Mexican journalist Dolia Estevez, citing “confidential” US and Mexican sources, said Trump made the threat during an hour-long phone call with President Enrique Pena Nieto on Friday.
Mexican and White House officials vehemently denied the report.
Relations have plunged into the biggest diplomatic crisis between the two neighbors in decades.
Trump angered Mexicans last week by ordering the construction of a massive border wall and vowing to make their country pay for the wall.
Pena Nieto has pledged that his government will never pay for the barrier and canceled a meeting with Trump scheduled for this week in Washington.
In addition to the row over the wall, Trump wants to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico. Mexican officials expect talks to begin in May.
