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
By Levinus Nwabughiogu ABUJA – Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has warned that Nigeria would be plunged into deep trouble if the present war against corruption was not won. Buhari He said that corruption was fiercely waging reprisal attacks in the States, but assured the public that President Muhammadu Buhari was committed to sustaining the anti-corruption fight to ensure that the system was cleaned up and government business done the right way.
He also called for a re-orientation of the Nigerian people.
Speaking during a courtesy visit to him by the Nigerian Association of Law Teachers in the State House, Abuja on Tuesday, Osinbajo noted that Defence contracts of $15 billion for which many individuals were being prosecuted "is half of our country's foreign reserves."
He said: "If we are not able to sustain the trouble against corruption, we will end up in a very, very bad way as a nation.
"We have seen it in so many different ways that at almost every state, corruption fights back and fights very fiercely.
By Soni Daniel The economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Tuesday, recorded another huge cash haul worth N4 billion with the help of a whistle blower.
The anti-graft agency believes the cash is proceed of corruption and has begun manhunt for the suspect, whose names was not made public as at last night.
The Spokesman for EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the cash haul but did not give details.
‘”investigation as to the owner of the funds revealed that the money belongs to a former deputy governorship candidate in Niger State.
“The suspect uses the names of two companies– Katah Property & Investment Limited and Sadiq Air Travel Agency- in laundering the funds.
“Each of the company has N2 billion fixed in its deposit account domiciled in Guaranty Trust Bank.
“The suspected owner of the account and the account officer are currently on the run,” Uwujaren said.
The agency has confiscated huge cash worth billions of Naira in the last one week.
My best friend, who is also a childhood friend met her boyfriend eight months ago and since then, her personality has changed. She was once bubbly and outgoing, but now she's nervy and quiet. Recently, I noticed bruises on her rists, and a few months ago, she
had a swollen lip. She said she had tripped on the carpet and banged into a door. I don't have any proof but I suspect that her boyfriend is hitting her. I've tried talking
to her, but she won't say anything. How do you think I should tackle this?
Doyin, by e-mail.
Dear Doyin,
Is your friend living with her boyfriend? If she is, your butting in might be very tricky. But you urgently need to let her know how concerned you are of her well-being.
Put her in touch with professionals who can counsel her and make sure you call on her as often as you can so her boyfriend could know you are on to him.
Let her know that domestic abuse is assault and he could be prosecuted if reported.
Lagos State couldn't be more blunt of its intolerance of domestic abuse. Sadly, your friend might refuse your help, seeing it as interfering – but at least you would have planted
Emmanuel Adebayor scored a hat-trick as Istanbul Basaksehir thrashed city rivals Galatasaray in the Super Lig. The ex-Arsenal and Tottenham striker scored twice before the break and headed in a third on 57 minutes, with Mustafa Pektemek adding a fourth.
Emmanuel Adebayor celebrates with a team-mate
Adebayor's last hat-trick came for Real Madrid in 2011, while the 33-year-old now has five goals since joining Basaksehir as a free agent in January.
His side are five points behind leaders Besiktas with seven games remaining.
Save the Children, an international NGO, says about 97 per cent of meningitis victims in Zamfara are women.
The Area Operations Manager of the organisation in the state, Mr Kennedy Yibin, disclosed this on Tuesday at a one-day Stakeholders Round Table meeting on Women and Girls Empowerment and Health Outcomes and Indices in the state.
Yibin told the meeting that Save the Children monitored the victims of meningitis in isolation centres set up by the State Government at various health facilities to arrive at the percentage.
A child being immunised against mennigitis
He attributed the development to poverty, illiteracy and poor accessibility to healthcare services.
He observed that a change of attitude at the family level, which is the "baseline" and without any cost, the woman would realise her potential and how to take better care of her family particularly the children.
He explained that the meningitis scourge would not have ravaged the state like it did if the women were empowered and their potential developed to a certain level.
Presenting a paper titled "Girl child education: Foundation for Women Empowerment in Zamfara State'', a lecturer with the Federal University, Gusau, Dr Rabiatu Mafara, said women should be allowed to take control of their reproductive decision.
She said more incentives that would encourage girl child education should be introduced in order to maintain the enrolment and retention of the girls in school to enhance girl child education.
The don also charged governments at all levels to implement the policy of education for all in the country.
ABUJA – The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has admitted how some of its staff got over N3 billion as bribe in the 2015 general elections.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC had in a report detailed how about N23 billion was deployed to influence the elections, but INEC said its figure was arrived at after an in-house investigation of 282 of its serving and retired staff, including a former national commissioner and several Resident Electoral Commissioners RECs. Money allegedly recovered from INEC Electoral Officials by the I-G’s committee set up to investigate Electoral Offences and Other Violent Acts during the Re-Run Rivers State Parliamentary Election held December 10, 2016, displayed by the committee during presentation of its report to I-G Ibrahim Idris in Abuja, yesterday. Photo. Gbemiga Olamikan. “Out of over 23 billion Naira, which the EFCC report said was used to influence the elections, the Committee established that 3,046,829,000 Naira was received by INEC staff in 16 States”, said INEC in a late-evening statement signed by one of its national commissioners, Mohammed Haruna.
Part of the statement reads: “The Commission met today to consider the report of its expanded Appointment, Promotion and Disciplinary Committee on the EFCC Interim Report on Bribery Corruption and Money Laundering Charges During the 2015 General Elections.
You may recall that late last year, the Commission received an Interim Report from the EFCC detailing allegations against 202 serving and retired INEC officials and staff in 16 States of the Federation. In furtherance of its zero tolerance for corruption in the electoral process, the Commission ordered a thorough investigation into the allegations to establish the culpability or otherwise of those named in the EFCC Report.
The Committee's work was thorough and painstaking, involving issuance of queries to the 202 staff mentioned in the Report and interviewing them individually in accordance with the principle of fair hearing and in consonance with INEC Staff Conditions of Service. As a result of initial findings of the Committee, an additional 80 serving officials of the Commission, who were not named in the EFCC report but whose names came up in the course of the investigation, were also queried and interviewed.
“Among other things the Committee found that there was a clear attempt to bribe INEC staff to influence the outcome of the 2015 general elections using an NGO, the West African Network of Election Observers (WANEO), made up mainly of retired senior INEC officials.
“In reaching its decision on the findings of the Committee, the Commission adhered strictly to the INEC Staff Conditions of Service. The Commission therefore decided as follows. The cases of one former National Commissioner, five former Resident Electoral Commissioners (one of them deceased) have been referred to the Presidency and EFCC for further necessary action.
“Based on their level of involvement, two hundred and five (205) serving INEC staff will be immediately placed on interdiction, which entails suspension from duties and being placed on half salary, pending the final determination of the cases they have with the EFCC.
“Seventy staff (70) about whom there was insufficient information regarding their involvement will be referred back to EFCC for further investigation and possible prosecution.
“The Commission hereby reiterates its commitment to defending the integrity of the electoral process. Therefore, it will continue to take stern action against its officials who compromise its core values of integrity, transparency and impartiality in the conduct of elections”.
By Emman Ovuakporie and Johnbosco Agbakwuru ABUJA – THE House of Representatives Tuesday told the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir Ahmed El-Rufa’i not to deceive the public with his alleged published security vote, claiming that what the governor published was his security budget and not security vote.
The House also advised governor El-Rufa’i that as he was preaching transparency which was normal, he should also be aware of his past and how the company he had interest in, the Pentascope, allegedly operating from an abandoned Church in the Netherlands, ruined the Nigeria Telecommunications, NITEL
Recall that the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, had on Friday April 7, 2017 in response to calls by Kaduna State Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai disclosed that the leadership of the National Assembly had directed the bureaucracy and all other agencies under the National Assembly to make available details of their annual budgets beginning from 2017 budget which is still under consideration in the parliament.
Besides, Dogara had requested the Governor, who he said is “known for his consistent advocacy for openness in the budget of the National Assembly”, to, in the spirit of good governance, transparency and accountability extend his campaign to other arms and tiers of government beginning from the Judiciary, to State Governments and Local Governments.
The executive governor of Anambra state, Chief Willie Mmaduaburochukwu Obiano on Tuesday flags off the Umueri International Cargo Airport Project.
In the bid to fulfilling his campaign promises of making Anambra state an international, economic, secure and political vibrant state, Chief willie Obiano posits that “Ndi Anambra, when I took over the reins of leadership of this great state three years ago, I delivered an Inaugural Address titled – Expanding the Frontiers of Excellence. The historic ceremony we have gathered to perform here today is a very important step in expanding the frontiers of excellence in Anambra State”
See his speech and video clip:
Anambra is on the Rise!
An Address presented by the Governor of Anambra State, His Excellency, Chief Willie Obiano during the Flag off of the Umueri International Cargo Airport Project on April 11, 2017
Ndi Anambra, three years into my first term in office, I stand before you today to answer the call of history. In Christian numerology, the number 3 is the number of perfect manifestation. So, three years into my administration, the Lord God Almighty has given us a new VISION and a new SONG!
Umu nnem, our elders say that na Ugo gbuzuo, ochakee! Anambra State has finally hit the bend in the river and our famous can-do spirit has now taken over! From now on, we have nothing more to fear! Nothing! Not even ourselves!
Ndi Anambra, when I took over the reins of leadership of this great state three years ago, I delivered an Inaugural Address titled – Expanding the Frontiers of Excellence. The historic ceremony we have gathered to perform here today is a very important step in expanding the frontiers of excellence in Anambra State!
Obiano
Indeed, it is important to note that my Team and I have got a few things right in the past three years. Against all expectations and at a time of great economic recession, we have established our beloved state as a compelling investment destination and attracted investments valued at over 5 billion US Dollars. And with this airport city project, the figure now stands at 7.2 billion US Dollars. We have also successfully placed Anambra on the agricultural map and blazed a trail with the exportation of our farm produce to the UK. In addition, we have positioned Anambra as the safest state in Nigeria and completely re-engineered the social architecture of our beloved state. Finally, we have re-awakened self-belief among our people and provoked their can-do spirit. Ladies and gentlemen, Anambra is finally on the RISE!
Ndi Anambra, what we have come to flag off in Umeri today is not your usual airport project. Mbanu! Nke anyi di iche! What we are flagging off today is an Airport City Project with a model that will accommodate an airport with two runways, an aviation fuel dump, an airport hotel, an industrial business park, an international convention centre as well as a facility for aircraft maintenance. The Umueri airport city project is conceived to join some of the most advanced airports in the world with a capacity to land any of the most sophisticated vessels known to man today. It sits on 1500 hectares of land with enough elbowroom for expansion from Ivite Umueri to neighbouring communities such as Nando, Umunya, Otuocha, Aguleri, Nteje, Nsugbe and beyond.
The project is estimated to cost over 2 billion US Dollars. It is a partnership between the Government of Anambra State, Orient Petroleum Resources Limited and Elite International Investments Limited (Sinoking Enterprises Limited).
Under the contractual agreement, Elite International Investments Limited will provide all the funds needed for the project under the Build-Operate-Manage-and-Transfer arrangement. However under the same SPV arrangement, the Anambra Airport City Infrastructure Limited has allocated 75% equity stake to Elite International Investments Limited, 20% to Oreint Petroleum Resources Limited and 5% to the Government of Anambra State. The host communities are entitled to 3% of the profit from this project in perpetuity as a part of the standard corporate social responsibility.
Indeed, the economic benefits of the Umueri Airport City Project are enormous. It is expected to generate 1,200 direct and 3600 indirect jobs. We expect that Ndi Anambra will grab 70% of these jobs in continuation of our efforts to create wealth and prosperity for our people. It will also provide an opportunity for training and skills transfer to our people. I have no doubts whatsoever that this project will have a tremendous impact on the ease of doing business in Anambra State as it opens a direct access by air to our vast markets. In particular, I hope that on completion, the Umueri Airport City Project will wipe out the difficulties our businessmen and women often encounter in exporting and importing goods and services and help in improving the entire supply chain.
Ladies and gentlemen, with this project and our subsequent plan for a light rail project, Anambra State will eventually assume its rightful place as a major commercial and industrial hub in the West African sub-region. As you are aware, my administration is intensely focused on building projects that have immense economic values. That is why we have concentrated efforts in building roads and bridges that either lead to industrial clusters or the oilfields or the agricultural belt of the state.
This Airport City Project follows the same trajectory. That is why we have established a strong synergy between Orient Petroleum Resources Plc and the Airport project with a view to operating an Aviation Fuel Segment that will attract both local and foreign airlines to refuel their aircraft in Umueri. This will no doubt open a new economic corridor for our beloved state as it is expected to stimulate growth in the oil and gas sector and multiply our revenue sources. It is my candid hope also that when this airport becomes operational, the world will have a direct and easy access to the vast tourism offerings of Ogbunike Cave and Ogbaukwu Caves and Waterfalls as well as the timeless archaeological treasures of Igboukwu!
Ndi Anambra, our beloved state is fast opening its doors to the world. Let us join hands and welcome the benefits that knock on our collective door!
Umu nnem, please, always remember that wherever you are and whatever you do, our ancestors left us with a timeless reminder that Aku luo uno, amalu onye kpalu ya!
My colleagues and I are waiting eagerly to receive you, go through your business plan and offer you the assistance you need to make your enterprise sink deep roots in the soil of Anambra State!
ABEOKUTA-Former Nigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has appealed to the government of Zambia to adhere to the rule of law and human rights principles in dealing with the opposition in the Southern African country of Zambia.
Former president, Olusegun Obasanjo and Zambian president, Edgar Lungu
The appeal is coming on the heels of the report, which broke early Tuesday that the house of the main opposition leader, Hakainde Hichilema, was allegedly broken into by the government police and other para-military agencies with the purpose of arresting him without any warrant.
Obasanjo, in a statement signed by his Media Aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, said it was in the best interest of the country to maintain the rule of law and human rights principles, which he said are recipe for peace, stability and development not only in the Southern African country, but the entire African continent.
According to Obasanjo: “Early this morning, the news broke that the Zambian government police and other para-military agencies broke into the house of the opposition leader, Hakainde Hichilema, to effect his arrest without any warrant.
“Special appeal is being made to the government of Zambia to ensure that the rule of law is followed without breach of human rights in dealing with the opposition leader of the stature of Hakainde Hichilema.
“It is in the best interest of the country in ensuring that the rule of law and human rights principles are followed to ensure peace, stability and security, which are fundamental basis for development, which all Africans require at this point in time,” Obasanjo was quoted as saying.
Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, on Tuesday said that there was no judicial gang-up against the Federal Government's corruption campaign in the country.
Onnoghen, who disclosed this after a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in the Presidential Villa, described the assertion as mere speculations.
The CJN also said that the judiciary was behind the fight with all sense of responsibility.
"If there was steam then it wouldn't happen without the participation of the judiciary. So, if there is losing of steam you should not only equate it to the judiciary.
Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen,
"The fight against corruption has lost no steam. It is not correct. Now, you should know one thing: two people will always have a quarrel.
''They may be three or four or one hundred. All the parties to that quarrel will always have different stories to tell.
"By the way our system is fashioned and designed and operated, when you go to a court of law, you cannot have a drawn game.
"There must be a winner and there must be a loser. In our system, a loser has the chance of appealing to the highest court eventually.
"So, you cannot say because the government or any agency has lost a case in the high court, you have lost a case and the fight is losing steam,'' he said.
It would be recalled that the federal government had appealed an anti-corruption case against a judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Justice Adeniyi Ademola, his wife, Olabowale, and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr Joe Agi.
They were discharged and acquitted of the 18-court criminal charge filed against them by the trial Judge, Justice Jude Okeke, who held that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against the defendants.
Okeke described the charges as speculative and without an iota of merit.
Newsmen also report that a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos had ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to unfreeze the account of the wife of the former President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience.
The account was one of the multiple accounts of Patience the court ordered to be frozen on the ground that the money is suspected to be proceeds of crime.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday cautioned a pro-democracy advocacy group, Nigerian Wailers, over an allegation on Twitter.
The group had alleged in a tweet that the commission had assisted a popular lawyer, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), to acquire a N1 billion home in Abuja.
"Falana Acquires 1 Billion Naira Maitama Home With Help of EFCC,'' it said via its handle @NGRWailers.
The commission responded almost immediately through its handle @officialEFCC, urging the Nigerian Wailers to tread with caution.
It said, "When you are invited to substantiate your claims, you will scream blue murder and then behave like your name. Please exercise caution.''
EFCC operatives
The exchanges generated hilarious comments from other Twitter users, some of whom urged the EFCC to hold the group accountable for the "falsehood''.
One Uche Jegbefume reacted via @jaustinuche with the photograph of a man in tears accompanied with the question, "Somebody cannot just joke with you?''.
Another user, Chukwuemeka Nwosu, suggested that the group was only trying to gain publicity by its action.
"Some Nigerians love to be in the news. But when asked to illuminate their views they claim to have terminal illness,'' he said.
Tweeting via @akeem_nosiru, one Akeem Nosiru urged the commission to deal with "@NGRWailers for perpetrating falsehood''.
On its website, the Nigerian Wailers described itself as a community of people promoting the "citizens' democracy''.
"This is the pro-democracy platform that connects the people and the government through a reportage of activities of the government and demand for good governance,'' it said.
The bride who failed to show up for her wedding ceremony on Saturday in Ondo, Miss Taiwo Orimoloye, has called her parents from Osogbo, the capital of Osun State, informing them of her whereabouts.
According to a source close to the family Miss Taiwo failed to show up for the church service on her wedding day, disappointing her husband to -be and many guests who attended the wedding.
Her parents and the family of the groom knew nothing about her whereabouts.
However, a resident of Christ Land area in Oka, Ondo, where Taiwo 's parents live, on condition of anonymity disclosed that the 'runaway' bride had called her parents on a different telephone line, informing them of her whereabouts.
The resident said, " She has called her parents on a telephone line on Monday where she told them that she was in Osogbo. Her call, as a matter of fact has doused the tension in her family.
" Everybody in the family is now happy that she is alive hale and hearty. "
A truck driver driving against traffic on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Tuesday crushed three persons at Arepo, Ogun area of the highway.
Mr Clement Oladele , the Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), in Ogun, who confirmed the accident, told newsmen in Abeokuta that the three persons died on the spot.
Nigerian Police
He said that the driver of the ash-coloured truck was travelling from Lagos to Ibadan in the morning and the three victims were male.
"The accident was caused by route violation and dangerous driving because the driver of the truck was facing one way.
"The police have apprehended the driver of the truck," Oladele said
The sector commander said that the FRSC ambulance conveyed the corpses of the dead to Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH) mortuary.
Detectives attached to the Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested two suspects who posed as passengers and killed an Uber driver, in an attempt to steal his vehicle.
The suspects and one other, who is at large, strangled the driver, Innevosa Emmanuel and disposed him of his KIA RIO salon car marked KTU 594DM.
he suspects always go after uber drivers with the intention of killing them and stealing their cars, to resell them to new buyers.
The suspects boarded the vehicle from Ikeja to take them to Ogba, Oke-Ira during which they suddenly ordered the driver to make a U-turn and take them to Oremeji Street, Obawole area of Ogba, where he was strangled with a belt by the robbers and the vehicle was driven away.
According to one of the suspects, he said they were three that participated in the killing of the driver.
"I and Michael met at Ogba where I went to drink and we became friends. I told him how difficult things were for me that I needed to relocate to Benin to start all over again.
"It was at this point that Michael told me about a deal that could fetch me some money that we could get a car and then sell it to his boss.
"Michael then told me about one Alex (Emmanuel) who had a vehicle and we agreed to meet the following day. Since then we had been meeting and discussing how to buy the vehicle.
"On the fateful day the Uber driver came, I was with Michael in his office and his friend Destiny was with him but I don't know if he discussed the vehicle deal with Destiny.
"Around 9:30p.m, we called the Uber driver to come and pick us at Tantalizer eatery at Ogba. I and Destiny were inside the vehicle with the driver, but Michael was outside while I was holding the belt.
"Immediately I put the belt across the driver's neck, Destiny dragged the belt and we strangled him. When we were satisfied that he was dead, we took his corpse to Oremeji Street and dumped him in front of a church around 10:30 p.m., without anybody noticing us.
"After killing the driver, we took the vehicle to Michael's boss to sell it. The buyer then inquired from us where we got the vehicle from and Michael told him that we killed the owner.
"The buyer then said we should take the car away and Michael said we should take it to his house and park it outside, before taking it to another buyer in Benin.
"Later we were tracked to Benin, arrested and brought back to Lagos." the suspect said.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, who paraded the suspects at the Command headquarters, said the command received a report of a missing Uber driver, whose car was stolen and the driver missing.
Owoseni said since then, it has been an issue of concern and detectives through their sustained efforts towards the missing driver, two days ago arrested two suspects in connection with the missing driver.
"The suspects posed as passengers, strangled the Uber driver and dumped his remains at Ogba and the vehicle was taken to Delta State, where it was recovered and the suspects arrested."
The Police boss said the suspects would soon be charged to court.
The Senate on Tuesday, rejected the report of its Ad Hoc Committee on Southern Kaduna crisis over non-reflection of details and serious issues affecting the area.
The report was also turned down because it did not cover similar crises in other parts of the country as the committee was mandated.
The committee was mandated to cover all the states in the country, especially Zamfara, Kaduna, Benue, Enugu, Abia, Taraba, Nasarawa, Delta, Edo and Kano, that had recorded clashes.
But the committee visited only Kaduna and Zamfara.
The rejection came after the presentation of the report by Chairman of the committee, Sen. Kabiru Gaya, at plenary.
Gaya had told the senators that the committee recommended that those found wanting in the Kaduna crisis should be brought to book and that victims deserving compensation should be paid.
"The reason why we raised the recommendation is that most of the white papers produced during the last routine crises in Kaduna, none has been implemented," he said.
He added that the committee also recommended that Kaduna State Government should collaborate with security agencies to embrace everybody irrespective of ethnic or religious affiliations.
"They should also set up a committee to embrace dialogue for peace to reign within Kaduna South and Kaduna State."
The lawmaker said this was very vital because there was a kind of communication gap between the government and the committee.
But reacting to the report, Deputy President of the Senate, Mr Ike Ekweremadu, noted that the committee identified only 10 states to visit, but that the crisis and the killings existed in more than 10 states.
"This Senate must accord this issue the seriousness it deserves. The report needs to be deeper than this; the recommendation needs to reflect more of the seriousness of the matter.
"They should be given more time to do more work on this so that they will be able to show to the whole world that this senate is serious about this matter.
"To say that we have to use money for "service wide vote'' to address this matter shows our misunderstanding of the concept of "service wide vote''. It is not a small fund, it is tied to specifics," Ekeremadu said.
On his part, Sen. Baranabas Gemade (APC-Benue) said that the report was obviously an interim one.
According to him, it is very obvious that quite a lot of work that needed to be done to bring this report to a level that we will actually establish the seriousness of this problem has not been done.
"There are many aspects of insurgency and disturbance in these areas; there is the aspect of cattle rustling and nomads straying into farmlands, disturbing people," he said.
On the recommendation of recreating cattle routes, Gemade said that there was the need to look at the fundamental requirements of our nationhood.
"Where is that law that provided free assets of nomads in West Africa to go wherever they like, however they like and do whatever they like.
"These are issues we must deal with. We must come to a point where we are in total agreement of what is good for everybody," he said.
In his remarks, President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, said that there were many other parts of the country with similar issues as Kaduna South that the committee' report did not cover.
"The seriousness of the matter deserves in-depth and detailed recommendations," he said.
Saraki, therefore, urged the committee to address some of the observations and report back.
Meanwhile, the Senate adjourned sitting to April 25 for the Easter holiday
Food in the European Union (EU) continued to be largely free of pesticide residues or contained residues that fell within legal limits, the European Food Security Authority (EFSA) revealed on Tuesday in a new report.
According to a 2015 EU report on pesticide residues in food, 69.3 per cent of the samples came from EU member states, while 25.8 per cent were imported from countries outside the EU.
The origin of the remaining samples was not reported.
The report showed that 97.2 per cent of the samples analysed fell within the limits permitted in EU legislation.
Among them, 53.3 per cent of the samples tested were free of quantifiable residues while 43.9 per cent contained residues that didn't exceed legal limits.
However, in 2015, 1.7 per cent of samples from EU and European Economic Area (EEA) countries exceeded legal limits, up from 1.6 per cent in 2014, and 5.6 per cent of the samples from non-EU countries exceeded legal limits, down from 6.5 per cent the previous year.
Among these, the food that exceeded legal limits the most was broccoli at 3.4 per cent, said the report.
It was followed by table grapes, which was 1.7 per cent.
The Naira on Tuesday sustained its loss against the dollar at the parallel market.
This was in spite of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)'s intervention at both the interbank market and Bureau De Change (BDC) window.
Newsmen report that the naira on Tuesday afternoon exchange between N405 (buying rate) and N410 selling rate at the parallel market.
Newsmen report that it was weaker than N405 traded on Monday.
CBN & Exchange rate: Naira & Dollar
Also, the Pound Sterling and the Euro closed at N490 and N430 respectively.
At the BDC window, the Naira was sold at N362 to a dollar, while the Pound Sterling and the Euro traded at N500 and N428 respectively.
Trading at the interbank market saw the Naira closed at N306.20 to the dollar.
A currency trader told newsmen that dollar had remained scarce in the market in spite of the injection of foreign exchange at the interbank market and the BDC window.
Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe, the President, Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), decried the movement of illicit funds across the nation's borders.
Gwadabe said that the BDCs were ready to cooperate with the CBN to see rates convergence at the market.
He urged security operatives to be on the lookout for the movement of "hot money'' across the nation's borders.
Newsmen report that the CBN had not relented in providing foreign exchange to end users.
The CBN had on April 4 injected 10,000 dollars to BDCs nationwide to checkmate the activities of currency hoarders and speculators.
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
Following Presidential approval, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) has released the promotion of 3,487 Senior Officers to various ranks.
The promotion according to Joseph Attah, Public Relations Officer Comptroller-General of Customs, Monday, was strictly based on merit, considering the cumulative scores from examination, oral interview and seniority. File Photo: Senior Customs officers
A breakdown of the promotion shows: DC-CC=17, AC-DC=27, CSC -AC=156, SC-CSC=62, DSC-SC=86, ASC1-DSC=144, ASC II-ASC I=2,522, DCIC-CIC=23, ACIC-DCIC=30, PIC-ACIC=57, SIC-PIC=56, Support Staff DC-CC=3, AC-DC=4, CSC-AC=2, SC-CSC=8, DSC-SC=8, ASCI-DSC=8, ASCII-ASCI=44, DCIC-CIC=2, ACIC-DCIC=5, PIC-ACIC=2, SIC-PIC=21, Lateral Conversion=119, Upgrading=81: Total = 3,487.
Some of the newly promoted officers to the exalted rank of Comptroller include Musa MBA, Wale Adeniyi, Angbalaga J.J, Seriki-Kebbi, MM, while the Public Relations Officers, Joseph Attah and his deputy Abubakar Dalhatu were promoted to Deputy Comptroller and Chief Superintendent respectively.
During a symbolic decoration at the Customs HQ, Abuja, the CGC charged the officers to see their promotion as a call to higher duty.
As part of the ongoing reforms in line with circular Ref: HCSF/EPO/EIR/CND/100/ST/98 of 8th September 2016 from the Head of Service of the Federation and the approval of Government since April 1992 for Nigeria Customs Service to align with the Nigeria Police Force rank structure, the CGC approved the removal of dichotomy against holders of Higher National Diploma from Bachelors Degree in the Service.
He directed immediate alignment of rank structure of the service with that of NPF.
Consequently, officers in the Inspectorate cadre on Salary Grade level 08 and above are to align with the appropriate rank in the Superintendent Cadre.
Responding on behalf of the newly decorated officers, Comptroller Olusemire Kayode thanked the Management and gave the assurance of recommitment to effective service delivery.
He said, the newly promoted will uphold the confidence reposed in them by contributing their best to the course of Nation building.
Mrs Ayopo Adeyemi, a dermatologist has warned women against the use of heavy makeup, saying it aggravates skin problems.
Adeyemi said on Monday in Lagos that the use of heavy makeup could lead to skin irritation, allergies and even skin cancer.Snapchat celebrity and Nigerian male Barbie, Bobrisky, poses on November 7, 2016 in Lagos. Bobrisky sells skin lightening creams and in 2016 catapulted to fame as a social media celebrity chronicling his makeup looks. / AFP PHOTO / STEFAN HEUNIS
She said that excessive makeup was usually used by women to cover skin problems like pimples, allergies, patches, scars, dark circles, boils and wrinkles.
The expert, however, warned that this could aggravate the problems if care is not taken.
Adeyemi added that the harmful effects of makeup were not limited to skin related issues, but also varieties of other health challenges.
"Lipsticks, Kajal sticks and eye-shadows, for example, are known to contain lead, carcinogen and neurotoxin that can affect the nervous system adversely, leading to high blood-pressure, allergies, behavioural abnormalities and even decreased rates of fertility."
She explained that some chemical preservatives used in many cosmetics were hazardous.
" Using too much product on your skin will eventually further the wrinkles, lines and spots you are attempting to conceal, and ultimately make you look older than you actually are," she said.
The dermatologist said that it was imperative that makeup enthusiasts indulge in proper cleaning regime to remove all traces of chemicals from the skin.
"There are plenty of face washes, cleansers and scrubs available in the market to choose from."
She advised women to use natural facial treatments like cucumber, tomatoes, honey, eggs instead of using unsafe products.
Former First Lady, Patience Jonathan, on Monday visited the Maitama branch of the Skyebank in Abuja to withdraw part of her $5.9million recently unfrozen by a Lagos High Court.
But she met a brickwall. EFCC boss Magu and Patience Jonathan
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had procured a stay-of-execution of the judgement and also simultaneously filed an appeal against the judgment given last week on 6 April by Justice Mojisola Olatoregun,
News spread quickly that she visited the bank on Monday, following another visit on Friday 7 April. Unconfirmed reports said that she wanted to withdraw as much as $1million, but was given $100,000 by the bank.
She returned at 10:00 a.m. and had a closed-door meeting with an Executive Director of the bank.
She finally left the bank at 4:05 p.m. but declined to speak to newsmen who sought to know why she was there.
One of her aides, who declined to disclose his name, told newsmen that "everything was okay".
A Federal High Court in Lagos, on Thursday vacated its order which in 2016 froze the Skye Bank account of the ex-first lady.
The account had a balance of $5.9 million dollars at the period.
Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, set aside the 'No-Debit Order' which the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission earlier placed on the account on allegations that the money found in it was a proceed of crime.
Patience Jonathan's lawyer, Mr Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), had urged the court to unfreeze Jonathan's account on the grounds that she was not a party in the suit leading to the freezing order.
Citing judicial authorities, Adedipe contended that the suit was an abuse of court process as the court had no Jurisdiction to make an order against one who is not a party in a suit filed before the court.
The EFCC did not file a response against Adedipe's suit.
The Lagos State Government has expressed concern on the growing incidences of suicide attempts and as such has promised to educate members of the public on suicide and common causes with a view to stemming the spate of suicides and suicidal attempts recorded in the State in the past few weeks.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, made this known at a press briefing on mental health to commemorate the year 2017 World Health Day with the theme "Depression: Let's Talk".
Idris stated that suicide could be committed by people of all ages and listed its common causes as inability to deal with life stresses such as financial problems, relationship breakup, chronic pain and illness, adding that individuals experiencing conflicts, disaster, violence, abuse or loss and a sense of isolation are strongly associated with suicidal behavior.
The Commissioner noted that suicide rates are also high amongst vulnerable groups who experience discrimination such as refugees, migrants and prisoners, just as he said that depression tops the list of common causes of suicides.
According to him, depression is a common mental disorder, characterized by sadness, loss of interest or pleasure, feelings of guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, feelings of tiredness and poor concentration.
"Globally, more than 300 million people of all ages suffer from depression which is the leading cause of disability worldwide, and is a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease," he said.
While saying that more women are affected by depression than men, the Commissioner posited that depression can be long-lasting or recurrent, substantially impairing an individual's ability to function at work or school or cope with daily life and can have devastating consequences for families, friends, communities and workplaces.
He stressed the need for coordination and collaboration amongst various sectors of the society including health, education, labour, justice, law, politics and the media, explaining that people suffering from depression need support to be courageous, come out to talk about it and shun the fear of stigmatization and discrimination.
He disclosed that the State Government has set up help lines – 08058820777 and 09030000741 – through which residents can ask questions, make inquiries and seek help from professionals early enough to allow for appropriate intervention.
"I must stress that there are people available to help. So, "Let's Talk" …if you are a student, "Let's Talk", if you are a parent, "Let's Talk", “If you feel alone in the world, Let's Talk," he said.
Also present at the press briefing were the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Modele Osunkiyesi; Permanent Secretary, Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Atinuke Onayiga; Permanent Secretary, Health Service Commission, Dr. Jemilade Longe and Professor Abiodun Adewuya of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) amongst others.
Carol Bowditch, a 64 year old female pensioner of Evedon, Lincs, was filmed having sex with dogs.
It was reported by Mirror.co.uk, that she had sex with a St Bernard, a black labrador and an Alsatian claiming later she did not realise that it was illegal.
Her activities were exposed as a result of an RAF Police investigation which centred on a man identified as organising a bizarre sex party. Dog's owner laments that after having sex with dogs she goes home to have sex with men.
Details of the event were later posted on an internet forum specialising in bestiality.
This according to reports compelled investigating police officers to visit Bowditch. When her home was searched officers recovered a DVD and a USB stick which both contained film of her with dogs.
She was apprehended and sent to be prosecuted in a court.
“When the DVD was analysed it was found to contain extreme images’ Victoria Rose, prosecuting, told Lincoln Crown Court.
“Those images portrayed persons committing penetrative sexual acts with dogs.
“Also included were images of this defendant herself carrying out sexual activity.
“Included was an eight minute and 59 seconds video of Mrs Bowditch engaging in vaginal and oral sex with a St Bernard dog named Oscar.
“When the defendant was interviewed she admitted she had penetrative sex with dogs.
“She accepted it had taken place over several years. She was unaware it was illegal.”
Miss Rose said that at least eight photographs were found of Bowditch having sex with dogs and 30 moving images.
The United State is said to be ready to sell high-tech aircraft to Nigeria for its campaign against Boko Haram Islamic extremists.
The Congress according to thewillnigeria.com is expected to receive formal notification setting in motion a deal with Nigeria which the Obama administration had planned to approve at the very end of Barack Obama's presidency.
The arrangement will call for Nigeria to purchase up to 12 Embraer A-29 Super Tucano aircraft with sophisticated targeting gear for nearly $600 million, one of the officials said.
Buhari and Trump
The officials were not authorized to discuss the terms of the sale publicly and requested anonymity to speak about internal diplomatic conversations.
Though President Donald Trump has made clear his intention to approve the sale of the aircraft, the National Security Council is still working on the issue. Military sales to several other countries are also expected to be approved but are caught up in an ongoing White House review. Nigeria has been trying to buy the aircraft since 2015.
Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, said last week that he supported the A-29 deal to Nigeria as well as the sale of U.S.-made fighter jets to Bahrain that had been stripped of human rights caveats imposed by the Obama administration.
Under Obama, the U.S. said Bahrain failed to make promised political and human rights reforms after its Sunni-ruled government crushed Arab Spring protests five years ago.
"We need to deal with human rights issues, but not on weapons sales," Corker said.
The State Department said in a 2016 report that the Nigerian government has taken "few steps to investigate or prosecute officials who committed violations, whether in the security forces or elsewhere in the government, and impunity remained widespread at all levels of government."
Amnesty International has accused Nigeria's military of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the extrajudicial killings of an estimated 8,000 Boko Haram suspects. President Muhammadu Buhari promised to investigate the alleged abuses after he won office in March 2015, but no soldier has been prosecuted and thousands of people remain in illegal military detention. Nigeria's military has denied the allegations.
The A-29 sale would improve the U.S. relationship with Nigeria, Africa's largest consumer market of 170 million people, the continent's biggest economy and its second-largest oil producer. Nigeria also is strategically located on the edge of the Sahel, the largely lawless semi-desert region bridging north and sub-Saharan Africa where experts warn Islamic extremists like the Nigeria-based Boko Haram may expand their reach.
The aircraft deal also would satisfy Trump's priorities to support nations fighting Islamic uprisings, boost U.S. manufacturing and create high-wage jobs at home. The A-29 aircraft, which allow pilots to pinpoint targets at night, are assembled in Jacksonville, Florida.
"It's hard to argue that any country in Africa is more important than Nigeria for the geopolitical and other strategic interests of the U.S.," said J. Peter Pham, vice president of the Atlantic Council in Washington and head of its Africa Center.
Once Congress is officially notified of the sale, lawmakers who want to derail it have 30 days to pass veto-proof legislation. That's a high hurdle given Corker's support. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., chairman of the Armed Services Committee, also said he backs the sale.
"We've really got to try to do what we can to contain them," McCain said of Boko Haram.
In Trump's first phone call with Buhari in February, he "assured the Nigerian president of U.S. readiness to cut a new deal in helping Nigeria in terms of military weapons to combat terrorism," according to Buhari's office.
A Feb. 15 White House statement that provided a summary of the call said "President Trump expressed support for the sale of aircraft from the United States to support Nigeria's fight against Boko Haram."
Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, said in mid-February he was "leery" of the sale because of the Nigerian military's impunity. Cardin said this week he's not trying to block the deal.
"Ultimately we hope that the sale goes forward," he said. "But there is progress that needs to be made in protecting the civilian population."
The Pentagon believes the Syrian regime likely has additional chemical weapons stocks at the airfield struck by US missiles last week, but these were deliberately left untouched, an official said Monday.
US President, Donald Trump
US intelligence experts assess Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s military is probably hoarding the weapons in munitions depots at Shayrat airfield near Homs in central Syria, the US military’s Central Command spokesman Colonel John Thomas said.
President Donald Trump ordered a massive military strike on the air base last week, in retaliation for a “barbaric” chemical attack he blamed on Assad.
“We suspected there was a significant probability there could be other chemical weapons which would be ready to go, weaponized in those facilities, and so we didn’t strike those,” Thomas told reporters.
The chemical stocks were left untouched because the Pentagon did not want to risk unintentionally sending a plume of toxic gas across parts of Syria.
Though the United States is confident Assad is stockpiling chemical weapons, intelligence analysts are not certain what these are.
Under a 2013 Moscow-brokered deal, Assad was supposed to have dismantled Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal and ship it to Russia.
The Pentagon has said it is sure Assad unleashed a chemical attack on April 4 that killed at least 87 civilians in the rebel-held Syrian town of Khan Sheikhun.
“Our advice was to make sure we didn’t inflict any greater damage by touching any of the chemical weapons in the area,” Thomas added.
“We were trying to degrade their capability to launch aircraft and to load them up with chemical weapons.”
The Pentagon says the strike destroyed more than 20 Syrian jets but the military has come under criticism for not targeting Shayrat’s runways, amid reports regime planes were again using the base hours after the attack by 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles.
Thomas said the runways were deliberately avoided because the United States was trying to draw a clear line that its military action was in response to the suspected chemical attack, and not signal a willingness to get more involved in Syria’s brutal civil war.
US forces gave Moscow a heads up shortly before Friday’s strike, as Russian personnel and equipment were based at Shayrat under Russia’s ongoing military intervention to prop up Assad.
Moscow reacted furiously to the US strike and immediately threatened to suspend a vital hotline established to avoid mishaps between the two powers in Syria.
Thomas refused to confirm whether the so-called “deconfliction line” remains operational, but said that even without it, “there are still ways for the pilots to hail each other.”
While US and Russian pilots can use radar to see each other, the lack of a direct line of communication would further heighten the risks of misunderstandings or accidents in Syria’s already crowded skies.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, retired Col. Hameed Ali, has announced that HND holders on salary Grade Level GL 07 in the service are automatically moved to GL0 8 while a supplementary budget will be made for their salary arrears.
Ali said this during the decoration of the newly promoted senior customs officers on Monday in Abuja.
Custom boss Hameed Ali
He said that officers in the inspectorate cadre on salary GL 08 and above awere to align to the appropriate rank in the superintendent cadre.
"This is expected to boost the morale of officers and eliminate confusion in the seniority of officers, "Ali said.
According to him, the rank structure of the Nigeria Customs Service is align with the Nigeria Police Force forthwith.
Ali said that the service had just promoted 3,487 senior officers.
He said that the promotion was a great height in the lives of the newly promoted senior officers, adding that promotion came with greater responsibility.
"From this moment things have changed therefore; you are now required to take up greater responsibilities.
"All the promoted officers have worked hard to achieve this; in the past, officers were promoted when they are not supposed to.
" Merit is the key to promotion; diligent and hard work is the key to success.
"We have to get `God fathereeism' out of Customs before we leave, " Ali added.
According to him, by June this year, officers will commence full training at the Customs Command, Gwagwalada, FCT.
He said that the essence of the training was to enhance their skills and make them to be specialists in carrying out their duties.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that during the ceremony, nine officers were decorated.
Six of them are Comptrollers; two Deputy Comptrollers and one Assistant Comptroller.
The United States, Mexico and Canada announced a joint bid to stage the 2026 World Cup on Monday, aiming to become the first three-way co-hosts in the history of FIFA’s showpiece tournament.
The bid was announced at a press conference in New York attended by the head of CONCACAF, Victor Montagliani along with US Soccer Federation chief Sunil Gulati and Mexico counterpart Decio de Maria.
A Cyber attack on Union Bank of India in July 2016 initiated the malware that hackers used to steal Union Bank's access codes, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.
The access codes were for the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT), a system that lenders use for international transactions.
The cyber attack began after an employee opened an email attachment which released malware that allowed hackers to steal the state-run bank's data.
The opening of the email attachment, which looked like it had come from India's central bank, initiated the malware that hackers used to steal Union Bank's access codes.
The attempt closely resembled the cyber theft in 2016 of more than 81 million dollars from the Bangladesh central bank's account at the New York Federal Reserve, the paper reported.
The codes were used to send transfer instructions for about 170 million dollars to a Union Bank account at Citigroup Inc in New York.
Union Bank had traced the money trail and blocked the movement of funds.
SWIFT had late 2016 said that some banks using its system had been attacked after the Bangladesh heist, the Journal said, but did not specifically name Union Bank of India.
Union Bank Chairman Arun Tiwari told the newspaper that SWIFT officials had been working with the bank since the day of the cyber attack.
The UN Security Council on Monday condemned "in strongest terms" a terrorist attack that took place in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden.
On April 7 a truck rammed into people on a central Stockholm street before crashing into a department store, killing at least four people and injuring over a dozen of others.
"The members of the Security Council reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed,'' a press statement made by the 15-nation council said.
"The members of the Security Council underlined the need to bring the perpetrators of these terrorist acts to justice," it added.
The attack put Stockholm, another capital city in Europe, under terror threat following Paris, Brussels, Berlin and London, adding pressure to the already fragile security situation in the continent.
It shows that the map of terrorist attacks in recent years has expanded from Western Europe to Northern Europe, which is considered one of the safest havens in the world.
An African regional bloc on Monday condemned Al-Shabaab terror attack on Sunday that killed 15 people in Somalia and vowed to stabilise the Horn of Africa nation.
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) pledged all-out efforts to bring lasting peace, stability and economic development in the country.
"IGAD condemns in the strongest terms possible the Al-Shabab terror attack of Sunday that killed innocent citizens and injured others in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.
"This atrocious terror attack which was targeting Somalia's new military chief is a failure that once again showed Al-Shabaab terror group's disrespect for human life and civilians' protection," it said in a statement.
The group said that the terror group was bent on destroying every gain realised by "this long suffering nation that heroically overcame two decades of war and destruction".
It regretted that the militants were still causing much harm in spite of being weeded out of most areas by the Somalia national forces and the AU forces, even after being downgraded to "roaming murderers."
The East Africa bloc that spearheaded efforts to establish the Somali government offered its condolences to the government and the people of Somalia.
Somalia's new Army Chief, Ahmed Irfid, survived the suicide car bomb attack that killed at least 15 people near his convoy in Mogadishu.
The Al-Shabaab militant group claimed responsibility for the attack.
The insurgents have increased their attacks since Somali President, Mohamed Mohamed, declared an all-out war with the group and gave them 60 days to surrender.
The Federal Government says it has provided N500 billion to resuscitate the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) to make mortgage facilities easily available to Nigerians.
Alhaji Mustapha Baba-Shehuri, Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing, announced this in Lafia on Monday when he called on the Nasarawa State Deputy Governor, Mr Silas Agara.
Newsmen report that the minister visited the site of a National Housing Project (NHP) in Lafia.
"The resuscitation of the bank with N500 billion will provide the institution with adequate funds to provide mortgage facilities to interested Nigerians.
"The Federal Government in its quest to provide shelter to Nigerians, has recently directed the FMBN to waive the payment of 10 percent equity on mortgages below N5 million.
R-L, Minister of State Aviation, Sen Hadi Sirika, Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Ameachi, Minister of State Mines and Steel, Alhaji Abubakar Bawa Bwari, Minister of Mines and Steel, Dr Kayode Fayemi,Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnya Onu and Minister of State Power Alhaji Mustapha Baba Shehuri as Acting President Yemi Osinbajo Presides over 4th FEC Meeting at the Council Chamber State House in Abuja. PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE.
"This will greatly enhance the transition of low income earners from tenants to home owners,'' he said.
Baba-Shehuri explained that the project would provide houses and jobs for low income earners.
The minister said the houses would be built based on Nigerian housing design with 100 per cent local content.
"The housing project came up with a 100 per cent Nigerian housing design and local content.
"This is done because government wants to create employment for Nigerian youths,'' he said.
The minister commended the state government for providing land for the National Housing Project, saying that it was in line with President Muhammadu Buhari's administration's promise of providing infrastructure.
Baba-Shehuri said the ministry would leave no stone unturned in tackling the challenges of housing shortage in the country which was about 16 million to 17 million.
He disclosed that the government had commenced plan to construct mass housing units in every state for public and private workers over the next three years.
Responding, the Deputy Governor thanked the minister for the visit and commended the Buhari led administration for initiating the project.
"We assure you as a state that we will partner with your ministry to ensure that the project is successfully completed.
"As you are aware, we have fulfilled our part by providing a good location in Akruba in the outskirts of Lafia metropolis for the project,'' he said.
Newsmen report that the minister visited the ongoing project in Akruba in Lafia Local Government Area comprising 76 houses of one, two and three-bedroom apartments.
A Fundamental Enforcement Rights suit, filed by an Abuja-based lawyer, Mr Hammed Jimoh, against the Federal Government, fixed for hearing on Monday was stalled.
The case, slated in the Federal High Court, Abuja, was due to the late filing of processes by defence counsel.
It was instituted against the Nigerian Air Force and Attorney-General of the Federation for accidental bombing of Rann IDPs camp in Borno on Jan.17, which claimed many lives, including some international aid workers.
Ruling on motion for adjournment, Justice John Tsoho held that all the parties must be given equal opportunity in the interest of justice.
"In the circumstance, the suit is adjourned till April 28 for definite hearing but at no cost to anyone.
"Already, the court is aware that the second respondent (AGF) is billed to pay the sum of N50, 000 as default penalty, adding other bills would amount to double jeopardy,'' he said.
At the resumed session, Mr Philip Okongwu, counsel for the first respondent (Air Force) drew the attention of the court to his inability to access some of the latest processes filed by the applicant.
Okongwu said the applicant had briefed him about those processes, but that he had traveled out of Abuja and therefore could not access them.
"My Lord, for the interest of justice, an adjournment remains the most viable option for today's proceeding.
"Even though, we had filed our motion challenging the jurisdiction of the court on this matter, it is only fair that parties are given equal chance in the case,'' he said.
Also, Mr Tijani Gazale, counsel to AGF filed an oral application, urging the court to avail his client a short adjournment to prepare for the case.
He noted that the second respondent had clearly defaulted for not filing brief of argument within the speculated period, adding that he had done that some hours ago.
"My Lord, this setback came from our registry but that has been sorted and at this point, we are urging the court to grant us an adjournment to enable us come back strongly,'' he said.
However, Jimoh, vehemently objected the position canvassed by counsel to the two respondents, adding that hearing notice had been served on all the parties by the court.
He said the respondents were using delay tactics to buy time, adding that the court should disregard the motion and move on with the hearing of the suit.
Jimoh, who is also the counsel representing himself in the matter, said the suit had fulfilled all the provisions of law and the rules of the court to be heard.
He urged the court to specifically turn down the prayer of the counsel to the second respondent, because they had chosen to file processes after 50 days they were served with the originating summons.
Jimoh, however, said if the court was disposed to granting the adjournment, then, the second respondent should be made to pay N50, 000 as cost to the applicant.
Newsmen report that the applicant in the suit is seeking an order compelling the respondents to produce the true figures of the victims of the disaster.
He is also urging the court to compel the respondents to pay N100 million as compensation to each of the families of the dead in the incident and award N50 million compensation to those wounded in the air raid.
The applicant said he brought the action under the enforcement of fundamental human right to life, pursuant to Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Jimoh also prayed the court to hold that he had locus to institute the action and that it had jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
Newsmen also report that the Federal Government has constituted a committee to do exactly what the applicant may be asking the court to do.
Speaking with journalists, after the session, counsel to the second respondent said the applicant was over reaching himself, adding that the action was motivated by need for self aggrandisement.
"It will interest you to know that the applicant has not visited the injured victims and families of the dead and this is obvious as the names of the victims are not mentioned in the summons," he said.
However, Jimoh said he was simply moved by the plight of the injured victims and families of those who died due to the bombing.
"I am human rights activist, this is the area of law I have chosen to profess, no harassment or blackmail shall change me"
A Moroccan court sentenced a man to three years in jail for trying to throw himself on King Mohammed VI’s car to give him a message, media reported on Monday.
Morocco’s King Mohammed VI
A video posted online on March 23 showed a young man running towards the king’s motorcade in the capital Rabat during a visit by Jordan’s King Abdullah II.
The footage shows members of the royal guard jumping off a moving vehicle to run after the man and tackling him, helped by motorcycle outriders.
Daily newspaper Akhbar Al Yaoum said the man was sentenced to jail last week after he tried to “hand a letter of grievances to the king”.
The 25-year-old was sentenced for “blocking the royal procession, threatening to endanger the lives of others and disturbing the public order”, the daily said.
There was no immediate response when Rabat court was contacted on Monday for confirmation.
Other videos showing Moroccans running towards the king’s car in an attempt to present him with their demands have circulated on social media in recent months.
In July last year, the interior ministry warned against “the danger of blocking the circulation and passing of a royal procession on a public road in a bid to benefit from certain advantages”.
In December, the ministry added that “security services accompanying the royal procession will receive no demand presented in this manner”.
A descendant of the Alawite dynasty which has ruled Morocco since the 17th century, King Mohammed VI has been in power since 1999.
Mr Franklin Akinbade, an officer of the Department of State Service (DSS), on Monday told an FCT High Court, Kubwa, how a suspect, Olumide, Akiola, falsified documents which he presented at the American Embassy.
Akinbade, led-in evidence by Mr Oremosele Collins, the prosecuting counsel, told the court that the suspect introduced himself and four others as staff of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
According to him, the defendant told him during investigation that sometimes in 2013, one Lawrence and Chidi, now at large, met the defendant to help them secure visa for their clients, which he declined.
" He told me that they came back in 2015 asking to sponsor him (the defendant) to a Global Summit holding in America, which was in line with his profession as a protocol officer, if he would assist his friends too.
"Thereafter, he obtained a letter from the Ministry of External Affairs, introducing himself and four others as officers of NIMC. " He also told me that Lawrence was the one who `photo-shopped' his identity card as staff of the commission.
" At the embassy, the officials discovered `hanky panky' and called the General Manager, Human Resources at NIMC, whose signature was on the ID card to confirm its authenticity. " That was how they were caught and the defendant later confessed that he forged the signature." According to Akinbade, some items recovered from the defendant after he was arrested were international passports, invitation letters, identity cards of NIMC and a photocopy of a letter written to the Ministry of External Affairs.
The defendant, a business man, is facing a two-count charge bordering on fraud and forgery.
Mrs S. Abimbola, counsel to the defendant, applied to the court to adjourn the matter on the ground that the defendant was ill and could not continue with the proceedings. The prosecuting counsel did not object, saying it was pardonable since the adjournment was based on health grounds. The judge, Justice Bello Kawu, adjourned further hearing in the matter until May 3.
Gov. Umar Al-Makura of Nasarawa State, has approved the release of N300 million for the payment of gratuity to retirees and death benefits to families of deceased civil servants in the state.
Mr Thomas Ogiri, the Head of Service (HoS) in the state, made this disclosure while addressing newsmen on Monday in Lafia.
Ogiri explained that the fund was sourced from the Paris club remittance fund which accrued to the state.
He said the gesture was to alleviate the sufferings and pains of citizens in view of the current economic realities.
According to Ogiri, beneficiaries include, widows and widowers, the sick and the aged; as well as people living with disabilities.
He said a committee had been constituted to ensure the success of the distribution of cheques to beneficiaries as from April 12 in Lafia.
"All the state beneficiaries are expected to check their names on the notice board of the HoS office, the state Pension Bureau, secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners and the Lafia city hall," he said.
Umaru Al-Makura
Ogiri urged beneficiaries to come along with their National Identity Cards, original copies of their letters of retirement or letter of administration for the deceased persons and two coloured passport photographs for verification.
He reiterated the governor's commitment to the welfare of pensioners, adding that in view of the current economic situation, it would be done quarterly.
Ogiri, however, called for the understanding and support of all retired officers.
Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has promised to uncover hidden treasures in the Southern part of the state.
Akeredolu made the promise in Akure on Monday during the inauguration of the board of the Ondo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (OSOPADEC).
He said his administration was resolute in addressing the various socio-economic challenges facing the people of the area.
The governor also said his administration had initiated programmes aimed at fostering comprehensive development to enhance the living condition of people of the area.
Ondo State governor, Rotimi Akeredolu
He, therefore, advised the people to cooperate with the new chairman of the commission to bring ''positive change'' to turn around the fortunes of the citizens.
Responding, Mr Olugbenga Edema, the Chairman of OSOPADEC pledged the commission's commitment to complement the efforts of the state government in developing the state.
While speaking with journalists, Edema noted that the oil producing area had been neglected in the past in terms of provision of basic amenities.
He promised to fulfill the mandate of the commission with a view to developing the area.
"Like you heard the governor said, listing the mandate of OSOPADEC to include provision of basic amenities; we will do the immediate evaluation of the area.
"We will do orientation and re-orientation of our people; if you cannot go to school, learn a skill," he said.
The Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) on Monday directed its members to ensure that the Naira appreciated against the Dollar and other major foreign currencies.
Its President, Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe, who spoke at the directors' meeting in Lagos, said that it was important that the members complied with CBN regulation to force down the exchange rate in the parallel market.
The ABCON chief said that the CBN was ready to increase weekly volume of foreign exchange to BDCs if they worked hard to drive down the increase in the exchange rate.
Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele
"We will cooperate with the CBN to narrow the gap between the parallel market and the official market.
"We are looking at an acceptable exchange rate for the dollar,'' Gwadabe said.
He noted that there were pressures, even from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that the naira was overvalued.
"There are pressures from speculators and from black market operators.
"All these are happening in the market and it is really driving up the rate.
"We are looking at a very acceptable margin between the official and parallel market rates, say a maximum of five per cent, which translates to about N10," Gwadabe said.
The financial expert said that speculators were influenced by sentiments which made the market volatile and prone to manipulations.
Gwadabe said that the BDCs were ready to see that the market remained liquid to drive down the increase in the exchange rate.
"Definitely our message will reach the market and we are sure with the support of our members, we are going to do it by the close of trading today.
"On margin, we have told the regulators that it was small compared to other climes, adding that there were margins that were up to 10 per cent," Gwadabe said.
Gwadabe said that the association already had a relationship with the Nigerian Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) to ensure that members used electronic platform for documentation of foreign exchange sales.
He added that the usage of the electronic platform would commence in two weeks' time, adding that some ABCON members were being disqualified on weekly basis.
"Sometimes it is difficult to know that users have used their international passports to buy foreign exchange.
"They so perfect it that even if you put stamp, they can go and clean it and re-present it to you to buy dollars.
"What we are doing with NIBSS is that there is a platform that they have developed whereby all the international passports that buy dollars will be stored on that platform.
"So, BDCs will just go into that platform and input the passport number and this shows if the passport has been used by a particular bank or BDC, since one is allowed to buy one in a quarter, '' Gwadabe said.
Talking about the 450 million dollars found in an abandoned shop on April 7 in Lagos, he said that investigation was ongoing and still under the security purview.
Gwadabe assured that as soon as investigation was concluded, the press would be briefed accordingly.
"We have identified the characters involved and we are going to write them to invite them.
"The reason we call this meeting is to say that we condemn it in entirety,'' he said.
Gwadabe urged members to desist from such act since it was an abuse of Know-Your-Customer (KYC) policy.
The House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee investigating alleged 17 billion dollars stolen undeclared oil proceed has summoned Mr Ibrahim Magu, acting Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to appear before it on Tuesday.
The Chairman of the committee, Rep. Abdulrazak Namdas, summoned Magu on Monday in Abuja at the opening of the investigation where all the invited stakeholders sent their subordinates to represent the committee.
The committee has commenced investigation into alleged 17 billion dollars stolen from undeclared crude oil and liquefied natural gas exports to global destinations.
Also summoned by the ad hoc committee to appear before it were the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr Maikanti Baru; and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele.
Others were Director-General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr Dakuku Peterside; and Accountant General of the Federation, Mr Ahmed Idris.
The committee also summoned the Group General Manager, National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), Mr Stephen Sejebor; and Director of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Mr Modecai Ladan, in connection with the stolen fund.
Namdas, who is the spokesman of the House, noted that since the nation lived by oil proceeds, no fight against corruption could be meaningful without serious search-light on the industry.
According to him, this is especially when the perpetrators are high and mighty who inexorably are the models the society look up to.
He warned that the House would not hesitate to invoke its constitutional powers to compel the invited chief executives to appear, if they default.
He therefore turned back directors and other management staff who were sent as representatives of their respective organisations.
Earlier in his welcome remarks, Namdas said that reports had it that over 57 million barrels of crude oil were illegally exported and sold in the U.S. between January 2011 and December 2014.
He said that the estimated revenue loss by the government of Nigeria "is around 12 billion dollars''.
"At an exchange rate of N196 to a dollar, this translates to over N2 trillion. You could imagine what the value is now".
According to him, the corruption in the oil industry distorts public policy, creates misappropriation and misapplication of resources.
He added that "it vitiates private sector and private sector development and over and above all, it undermines good governance and ultimately hurts the poor most".
Meanwhile, the Speaker of the House, Mr Yakubu Dogara, had said that the incidence of stolen and missing money at the NNPC and the entire oil industry was now an albatross to the development of the nation.
Dogara, who declared the public hearing open, lamented that if not for the constant theft in the oil industry, the nation would not have been in economic recession at the moment.
"The incidence of money missing in the industry has become a recurrent decimal to the point that news items in the media are incomplete without mention of the ills of the industry.
"The reports of the media on the ills in oil industry clearly attest to the concern of the government to tackle corruption in the industry head on".
The speaker, who was represented by the Minority Whip, Rep. Yakubu Barde, said that the country had received disturbing audit reports about the oil industry.
He said that the report about the oil industry involving International Oil Companies (IOCs) was that 4.4 billion dollars was trapped somewhere instead of remitting it to the federation account.
He cited a report from an anti-corruption organisation, the Action Network for Economic Justice, in which it claimed that NNPC did not remit over 12 billion dollars to the federation account since 2009.
"The same organisation alleged that the sum of 5.9 billion dollars of the federation accounts were lost to offshore processing agreements and through crude theft in the country".
According to the speaker, "if loss of revenue to the nation through the oil industry was to be avoided, I can beat my chest that under no circumstances should Nigeria be talking about recession.
"Therefore, no amount of investigation in the oil industry can be said to be an over kill as the oil industry has become endemic.
"The investigation of the 17billion dollars therefore remains part of the ongoing process in confronting the hydra headed monster".
He therefore urged the committee to complement government's efforts in the fight against corruption.
