Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State on Friday threatened to sack health care workers indulging in sharp practices in the State Primary Health care Development Board.

Akeredolu issued the threat at Idanre Local Government Area of the state while flagging off the 2018 Measles Vaccination Campaign (MVC).

“I have set up a panel of inquiry to fish out some elements in the Primary Health Care Development Board engaging in sharp practices.

“Those that refuse to dispense drugs given to them and other means of corruption will not be spared.

“This money is from our partners that must be spent accordingly and those caught culpable will be exposed.

“No amount of protests will stop us from dismissing them when caught,” he said.

The governor charged the board workers to be honest and transparent.

According to him, the state has done very well in immunisation and other healthcare delivery.

He said the state was among those that topped national encouraging immunisation chart.

“The former governor piloted a lot of ideas and policies in the sector and we have determined to build on his work.

“We are targeting above 90 per cent in primary health care, though we are doing well, we can still do better,” he said.

He, therefore, urged parents and guardians to cooperate with government to reduce causes of high mortality in children through immunisation.

 

DailyPost 

The Nigeria Police Force said on Friday that its personnel would enforce all the laws in any state as they concerned the protection of lives and property.

The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Jimoh Moshood, stated this in an interview with Saturday PUNCH, while speaking on the enforcement of the law on the open grazing ban in Benue State.

Moshood said the police would enforce all the laws as they pertained to the protection of lives and property.

The police spokesperson noted that the civil authorities had the right to issue a directive to the security agencies.

The House of Representatives had on Thursday asked President Muhammadu Buhari to direct security agencies to immediately begin the enforcement of the Open Grazing (Prohibition) Law in Benue State and halt the killings by herdsmen.

The House passed the resolution in Abuja as lawmakers again condemned the latest attacks on villagers in the Okpokwu Local Government Area of the state where 26 more lives were lost on Monday.

It asked the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris and heads of other security agencies to implement the anti-open grazing law in Benue State.

When asked whether or not the police had enforced the law on open grazing by the Benue State Government as directed by the members of the House of Representatives, Moshood said, “If they are directing the IG, they have the constitutional right to give any directive to an agency over which they have an oversight. Nobody is denying that. They should be the ones to say whether we have been enforcing the ban or not.

“On our part, the police have been enforcing all the laws as they concern the protection of lives and property. What I’m telling you is that the police are bound to enforce all laws (including the ban).

“It is the same people who say they are giving a directive that can say whether the police have been enforcing the ban or not.”

The Benue State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, could not be reached for comment as of the time of filing this report.

But he had earlier told one of our correspondents that 44 persons had been arrested for violating the anti-open grazing law in Benue.

Owoseni had said that the arrests were made by the military in the course of the operation, which started on February 15, 2018.

He said, “Arrests were made with regards to the non-compliance to the Open Grazing Prohibition Law of Benue State.

“Forty-four suspects were arrested by the military in the course of the exercise by the military for violating the law in the state. The suspects have been arraigned in court and their trial is ongoing.”

Besides Benue, Taraba State has made a law that bans open grazing in any part of the state.

The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, had at a northern stakeholders summit on security on February 28, advised state governors to build ranches before banning open grazing.

He had said, “To reduce the incidence of clashes between farmers and herders in Nigeria, state governments should endeavour to establish grazing ranches in their various states before enacting laws to prohibit open rearing and grazing,”

This, he said, would make the law banning open grazing acceptable by the people.

The IGP, on Wednesday, warned governors to desist from pushing anti-open grazing laws in their respective states until they had ranches for livestock in place.

Idris’ comment, which is a reiteration of similar warnings for which he had been criticised in the past, was delivered at a security meeting with northern leaders on Wednesday in Kaduna, according to a police statement.

“To reduce the incidence of clashes between farmers and herders in Nigeria, state governments should endeavour to establish grazing ranches in their various states before enacting laws to prohibit open rearing and grazing,” Idris was quoted as saying in an e-mailed statement from the Force Headquarters.

The police chief has been an ardent critic of any legislation that targets herdsmen’s activities across the country, warning that the best approach towards a peaceful resolution of the farmers-herders crisis is to work out the modalities for livestock ranching first.

Benue cancels mass burial, prepares for Buhari’s visit

Meanwhile, the Benue State Government has cancelled the planned mass burial for victims of Fulani herdsmen attack in Okpokwu last Monday.

The state governor, Samuel Ortom, had announced the mass burial for the victims of Fulani herdsmen attack during his visit to Omusu Edimoga in Okpokwu Local Government Area of the state.

Twenty four persons were said to have been killed during the attack which left many people injured and several persons missing.

A statement on the Facebook page  of the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Terver Akase, said, “There wouldn’t be a mass burial of victims of Fulani herdsmen attacks in Okpokwu.”

No reason was given for the cancellation of the mass burial which was initially planned for Friday (yesterday).

The statement added that the burial would now take place next week Thursday.

The statement further said, “A church service followed by the burial of the victims will take place on Thursday, next week at Okpokwu.”

Ortom had equally announced the visit of President Muhammad Buhari to the state on Monday.

Ortom disclosed the planned president’s visit during the state working committee’s meeting of the All Progressives Congress on Thursday.

Herdsmen kill 11, torch 50 houses in Plateau

Over 50 houses were burnt and eleven persons, including twins, were murdered in the early hours of Friday in two separate attacks carried out by suspected Fulani herdsmen on two villages in Plateau State.

President Muhammadu Buhari had barely left Plateau State when the attacks were launched on Ganda village of Daffo District in Bokkos Local Government Area and Miango village in Bassa Local Government Area. The communities were attacked few hours after the inauguration of Plateau State Peace Building Agency by the President, who was in Jos, the state capital, on a working visit.

The Spokesperson for the Miango Youth Development Association, Lawrence Zongo, identified the five persons killed in Miango as Emmanuel Joseph (16), Christopher Joseph (16), Peace Joseph (6), Henry Audu (25), Illa Isa Peter (52). Three of them were siblings, out of which two of them were a set of twins.

He added that Cenka Amos, four, who he said was seriously injured, was receiving treatment at Enos Hospital, Miango.

He said, “What happened to us is very bad, (it happened) despite the presence of President Muhammadu Buhari. The state government has been preaching peace but Plateau State went up in flames. Five persons, including a set of twins (Emmanuel Joseph and Christopher Joseph) and their brother, Peace Joseph, were killed.

“We have been devastated and shocked. Despite all the peace meetings with the Fulani people, the assailants keep killing our innocent people without provocation. It is sad that the military cannot arrest the Fulani persons behind the killings. The government has failed in protecting lives and property of citizens. Our demand is that the perpetrators should be arrested and prosecuted.”

The National President of Irigwe Development Association and a former member of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Sunday Abdu, also confirmed the casualty figure of the Bassa attack, while the Spokesperson for Bokkos Local Government Area, Jerry Datim, confirmed that of Ganda.

Abdu said, “Yes, it is true that five people were killed in Miango by Fulani herdsmen in an attack which took place on Thursday night and lasted till the early part of Friday. Others were wounded in the unprovoked attack. The bodies of the five slaughtered people have been deposited at the hospital morgue. We are no longer in a hurry to bury our dead. Whenever we are going to bury them, we will let you people know.

“The Fulani herdsmen are killing us but they are the ones crying. What kind of pretence is that? I still appeal to the security personnel not to relent, but to step up vigilance and surveillance to stop this pogrom and unwarranted carnage.”

Datim said that “over 50 houses were burnt, six persons killed at Ganda, while several persons were also injured and rushed to the hospital.”

A lucky survivor, Matawal Mangut, who lost five brothers to the attackers in Ganda, lamented that their house was burnt completely and that everything they ever worked for was gone.

He called for “assistance from the federal and state governments” to help protect them from the persistent Fulani herders’ attacks in the area.

When contacted, the Spokesperson for Plateau State Police Command, Matthias Tyopev, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, confirmed the killings, describing it as “culpable homicide and grievous hurt.”

Tyopev also gave the names of some of the deceased persons but some of the details were different from the information provided by Zongo.

He said, “Yesterday (Thursday), March 8, 2018, at about 8 pm, some unknown gunmen attacked and killed four Irigwe people at Datanko village and one Fulani Christian at Nzharuvo village in Miango District. The deceased persons were identified as Emmanuel Joseph (male, 16 years), Christopher Joseph (male, 16 years), Peace Joseph (male, six years), Henry Audu (male, 25 years) and Samuel Isah (male, 48 years).

“Meanwhile, Samuel Isah has been buried, while four other corpses have been deposited at the Jos University Teaching Hospital’s mortuary. Chenka Amos, four, is still lying unconscious at Enos Private Hospital, Miango. The investigation is in progress; intensive patrol is being sustained.”

The Chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (Plateau State), Mohammadu Nuru Abdullah, had on Wednesday alleged that there was a fresh attack on his kinsmen, which claimed three lives.

While it was not clear whether the allegation was true, investigations by Saturday PUNCH revealed that anytime MACBAN made such claims, including the rustling of their cows, there were always reprisals on communities.

Abdullah, had in a statement, said he was “overwhelmingly shocked” that the Irigwe militias, in an effort to accomplish their mission of terrorising Fulani herdsmen in Bassa Local Government Area, had on Monday, April 5, 2018, again attacked Fulani cattle herders and mercilessly killed three persons without any provocation.

He had identified the persons as Abubakar Shehu, Abubakar Gidado and Ishaq Yusuf.

“It is also disturbing that the Irigwe community would always trespass into other neighbouring local government areas, launch their attacks and kill our people for no reason.”

He had said, “On the same Monday when three of our kinsmen were killed, the same militias attacked and killed a total of 38 cows; 20 of the cows belonged to Wada Alh Audu, while 18 belonged to Umaru Ibrahim.

“The Irigwe militias usually cross into Riyom, Jos South and part of Southern Kaduna to strike. In this particular incident, they operated from Rukwechungu village of Miango district in Bassa Local Government Area into Gero village of Gyel district in Jos South Local Government Area.

“They also beat up and wounded Haruna Zakariya, who is now receiving treatment in a clinic at Rafin Bauna. It is on record that this militia group has been unleashing terror on  our innocent cattle herders in the area.”

 

Punch 

Justice Binta Murtala Nyako of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted an exparte application seeking the leave to bring an application for an Order of Mandamus to compel the Inspector-General of Police to arrest and prosecute Senator Andy Uba over allegation of certificate forgery.

A civil‎ society organisation, Anti-Corruption and Integrity Forum, through their lawyer, Amobi Nzelu, in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/175/2018 dragged the IGP and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice before the court, asking it to order the arrest of the senator.

In an order signed by Justice Nyako and dated March 8, 2018, the court said, “That leave is granted to the applicant to apply for the issuance of an order of mandamus compelling the 1st respondent to arrest, investigate and commence criminal proceedings in respect of forgery charges involving Senator Emmanuel Nnamdi also known as Andy Uba upon which a letter was written to the 1st respondent dated 12th February, 2018, urging him to exercise his power under Section 4 of the Police Act and other relevant laws.

 

“That leave is granted to the applicant to apply for the issuance of an order of mandamus compelling the 2nd respondent‎ to arrest investigate and commence criminal proceedings in respect of forgery charges involving Senator Nnamdi Uba also known as Andy Uba, upon which a letter was written to the 2nd respondent dated 12th February, 2018 urging him to exercise his powers under Section 174 (1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended”.

In the order, the judge asked the plaintiff to put the defendants on notice and adjourned the case to 26th March, 2018. In the affidavit in support of the motion on notice, deposed to by Ikechukwu Godswill Nwaozichi, the deponent said on April 24th, 2017, the law firm of Anthony Agbolahor wrote a letter to the IGP oon behalf of Chief Victor Uwajeh‎, regarding the alleged fake West African. Examination Council Certificate of the senator. He also said based on the letter, the IGP directed the office of the DIG in charge of criminal Intelligence and Investigation department to investigate the matter. He said based on the directive, the office of the DIG wrote a letter to the Registrar of WAEC to confirm the authenticity of the certificate.

“That the West African Examination Council responded to the said letter wherein it stated clearly that the certificate was not issued from their office. The said response from West African‎ examination Council is attached and marked exhibit D. “That based on the said response from the Registrar of the West African Examination Council, the Deputy Inspector General of Police Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department, through the office of the Senate President, requesting Senator Emmanuel Nnammdi Uba also known as Andy Uba to see him for interview on the 31st of August 2017.

The said letter is attached and marked exhibit E. “That the said interview never held due to the intervening circumstances arising from the letter written by the 1st respondent to the Deputy Inspector General of Police Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigating Department on the matter”.  

Leadership 

There was palpable tension on board an Arik Air Dash 8 Q400 aircraft on March 6, 2018 as undetected source of smoke in the aircraft cabin forced the pilot in command of the flight to declare emergency 81 nautical miles to the Kotoka International Airport, Accra , Ghana.

The confusion that enveloped passengers on board was triggered by failure of the oxygen masks to deploy after the crew on board tried to calm down passengers, who had gone into prayer sessions as the smoke escalated.

A passenger, who sent the incident message on social media said the cabin crew issued them serviette to cover their noses to avoid being choked by the smoke.

The passenger recounted his experience thus :” I boarded Arik air flight W3304 to Accra on Tuesday 06/03/2018. The name of the aircraft is STEPHEN. It was a Dash 8 NextGen propeller aircraft. The flight took off precisely 7.20pm (Lagos time) 35 minutes into the 55 minutes flight, I started perceiving something smelling like a burning stuff.

“Shortly after the guy sitting next to me asked if I perceived any smell of burning stuff and that confirmed my worst fears. Before you could say jack, smoke had filled the cabin. The air hostesses were busy scampering around opening the cabins and the lavatories to check if they could trace the source of the smoke without success.

“While that continued, the oxygen masks that were always being advertised during the safety demo prior to take-off couldn’t be released instead we were handed tissue papers (otherwise called serviets) to use to cover our noses to minimize and filter out possible carbon monoxide inhalation.

“About 5 minutes after, precisely with 15 minutes of flight time remaining, the pilot came on the public address system to inform us that they have smoke coming into the cabin and that they don’t know the source and that they have DECLARED EMERGENCY”.

“At that point we knew that our lives were only in God’s hands. Everyone prayed to his/her Gods.

“To the glory of God, the flight successfully landed by 8.15pm (7.15pm Accra time) to the waiting of several fire service trucks at Kotoko International airport, Accra.

“We were evacuated into a waiting bus with instruction to leave everything behind in the cabin. Sadly there was no Arik official to address us neither was there any manner of first aid attention given to the passengers to manage stress and possible elevated blood pressures.

“After a while our cabin luggage were brought to us and we had to leave from there to go through the Ghana immigration to our individual destinations.

“I’m highly discouraged that this near crash major incident was not reported in the media 2 days after (today is 08/03/2018) and I suspect a cover up by Arik and the authorities. So I have chosen to use the social media to ensure this news gets out.

“Kindly keep forwarding this message till everybody is made aware of the quality and kind of services Arik air gives and the possible cover ups before something terrible happens.

“If anyone is in doubt, I can be reached through This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and I can provide my phone number for further verification.”

While confirming the incident ,Arik Air on Friday gave clarifications on how  unknown source of smoke was detected in the cabin of its Dash 8 Q400 aircraft that was on flight W3 304 from Lagos to Accra on March 6, 2018 forcing the pilot in command to declare an emergency 81 nautical miles to airport of disembarkation.

According to its Public Relations and Communications Manager, Adebanji Ola, the pilot took the safety step in line with standard operating procedures .

Ola said the captain of the flight briefed the passengers accordingly assuring them that the aircraft was under control and safe for landing in Accra.

The aircraft, he said landed safely in Accra without further incident and all passengers disembarked normally.

He said :” The aircraft is currently parked in Acrra and our team of engineers are conducting comprehensive inspections on the aircraft to ascertain the cause of the smoke, after which the aircraft will be flown without passengers to a maintenance facility for rectification and testing. The relevant aviation authorities in Ghana and Nigeria have been briefed appropriately on the incident.”

 

Punch 

More facts have emerged on the alleged gang-up against the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki; Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; and other principal officers of the legislative chamber.

Saturday PUNCH has reliably gathered that there is indeed a group of senators in the All Progressives Congress caucus who are loyal to President Muhammadu Buhari and are bent on defending him on the controversial amendment to the Electoral Act 2010.

PUNCH had exclusively reported that both the Senate and the House of Representatives were set to override Buhari should he fail or refuse to assent to the bill, but the intention did not go down well with lawmakers loyal to the President, who felt it would be an “insult” to him if overridden by the National Assembly.

Adoption of the report by the Senate and House of Representatives’ Conference Committee on the Amendment to the Electoral Act had caused a sharp division in the ranks of the All Progressives Congress caucus in the Senate.

The conference committee had approved a new Section 25 in the Electoral Act which states that the sequence of the elections will commence with the National Assembly poll, to be followed by the governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections, while the presidential poll will come last.

The Senate had adopted the report by the committee, which generated controversy.

Saraki had also blocked protests by three senators against the passage, leading to 10 APC members storming out of the chamber.

The senators were Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa-West), Abu Ibrahim (Katsina-North), Abdullahi Gumel (Jigawa-North), Ali Wakili (Bauchi-South), Binta Masi Garba (Adamawa-North), Ovie Omo-Agege (Delta-Central), Umar Kurfi (Katsina-Central), Andrew Uchendu (Rivers-East), Benjamin Uwajumogu (Imo-North), and Abdullahi Yahaya (Kebbi-North).

The crisis became dramatic when the Senate resolved to query Omo-Agege, based on a petition by Senator Dino Melaye, for saying the amendment was targeted at President Muhammadu Buhari, while the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions was mandated to carry out a probe into the claim.

Omo-Agege had, however, raised a point of order at the plenary to apologise to the chamber and withdrew his comment.

The same day, the Northern Senators’ Forum had sacked Adamu as a leader and replaced him with Senator Aliyu Wamakko.

A member of the pro-Buhari group, who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity on Thursday night, dismissed the alarm raised by Senator Obinna Ogba (PDP, Ebonyi-Central) at the plenary on Thursday that there was a plot led by Adamu to remove Saraki and other leaders of the Senate.

While the Senate panel probing Omo-Agege was asked to probe Adamu over the alleged anti-Saraki plot, the ex-governor had denied the allegation but insisted that he would remain resolute on his position on certain issues in the chamber.

The pro-Adamu senator disclosed to our correspondent that the group was mobilising for a counter-move against those loyal to Saraki who seemed to be working against Buhari’s re-election in 2019.

According to the APC senator from the South-West, it will be a major “insult” to Buhari if the President vetoes the Electoral Act Amendment Bill and the Senate overrides him.

He said, “Politics is full of cheats and lies. All that they were saying concerning the removal of Saraki is a lie. They only want attention because they are afraid. What the group wants to achieve is to never allow those people to rubbish Buhari. We won’t let them veto Buhari; it is an insult to him and to us.

“The group was formed because of this issue of elections re-order. They want to rubbish Buhari and we won’t support it. Buhari has his shortcomings but how can they just decide to veto the President? If they can get two-thirds of the members to do that, it means they can also impeach the President. And that is what the group wants to prevent. Nobody cares about Saraki’s seat.”

Although Adamu, who has been accused of spearheading the plot for Saraki’s removal, has denied making such move, the source told our correspondent that if the ongoing probe by the Senate led to Adamu’s suspension, there would be a crisis in the chamber.

“They won’t suspend them but if they do, they will create problems for Saraki which he would not want because he is also supporting the President indirectly. The cases they are handling now can create problems in the Senate. They must not suspend them. If they suspend them, it means they have looked for trouble.”

According to the lawmaker, former governors in the chamber will defend Adamu, who was once a governor of Nasarawa State. He also said Wamakko, an ex-governor of Sokoto State, might reject his appointment to replace Adamu as Chairman of the Northern Senators’ Forum.

He said, “Initially, most of the ex-governors were new in the Senate and had not gained their ground. But now, they can fight. At least 19 governors will fight Saraki if Adamu is suspended. Buhari won’t have less than 12 APC governors that will support him. Eventually, Wamakko might say no (to the appointment). He might reject it.”

Another member of the APC caucus from the North-West, however, stated that Adamu and Omo-Agege risked suspension, warning that the ex-governor’s case might be like that of the suspended member of the House of Representatives, Abdulmumin Jibrin.

He also cited the example of Senator Ali Ndume, who was removed as leader of the APC caucus and Majority Leader of the Senate for opposing the Senate’s rejection of the appointment of Ibrahim Magu as Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. Ndume was later suspended for asking the Senate to investigate scandals involving Saraki and Melaye.

The senator said, “I think the best thing for him (Adamu) is to keep quiet. If he drags this issue further, they will send him out of that Senate. Yes. There is no doubt about it. The people there are angry and ready to crush anybody. The best thing for him is to keep quiet and do his thing, and simply ignore everything. But if he now wants to engage them, he will end up doing like Omo-Agege.”

The lawmaker noted that the Presidency was not always protecting those who suffer in defence of Buhari and his administration. He warned that Adamu and other senators fighting in defence of Buhari might regret their actions.

“The Presidential Villa has this kind of attitude. If they block him here (at the Senate), they will block him there (at the Presidency) too. You see what happened to Jibrin? You see what happened to Ndume?”

When asked if Omo-Agege might get a soft landing after apologising to the Senate, the source said it remained uncertain. The senator was also asked if pro-Saraki senators were after the rest of the 10 senator who openly opposed the Senate on the amendment, he said, “It is only him. This is to send a message. And they know that it is not the kind of a normal government where if anything happens to you, the other side (Presidency) will help you. They will not help you. Even, they will block your finances, block your office and everything.”

Also speaking to our correspondent, Senator Ali Wakili (APC, Bauchi-South), who had challenged Adamu’s removal as northern senators’ leader, noted that the lawmakers would speak when the panel’s report would be considered in the Senate.

“When we debate it, we will speak. It is preemptive. They will definitely bring it to the floor of the Senate. It has gone to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions; let them come out with their findings. We will be alive and we will talk.”

 

Punch 

Sen. Babafemi Ojudu says his choice as the All Progressive Congress (APC) governorship candidate for the Ekiti governorship election will fast-track the defeat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

Ojudu, the Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Political Matters, said this on Friday at Ado-Ekiti at his declaration ceremony for the July 14 governorship poll.

“By the grace of God, my candidature will not only drive PDP away, we will ensure that we defeat the incumbent and his nominee,”, NAN quoted him as saying.

Ojudu said his decision to run for the gubernatorial race was not by accident but a result of wide consultations with respectable men and women, including opinion leaders in the state.

Ojudu, who described himself as having penchant for winning elections, said he defeated current governor, Ayo Fayose to become a Senator and promised to repeat same feat if given another chance.

He enjoined leaders of the party in the state to provide a level-playing ground for all the aspirants so as to enable the best candidate emerge.

“I am going into the governorship race as a call to serve and not to acquire wealth. God has been so kind to me in all my ways and I think the best way to appreciate God is to serve my people with all my vigour.

“My mission is simple but critical to the growth and development of Ekiti, and that is to make Ekiti work for all as well as taking back its pride.

“It is my plan to take the jobless off the streets, re-focuse the civil servants who are the engine room of government.

The Ado-Ekiti born politician promised to turn Ekiti State into one of the major producers of rice if he realised his ambition of ruling the state.

Ojudu promised to also use his wide influence to attract investors, aside from establishing cottage industries.

He said that with this jobless people both men and women including school leavers could be engaged.

He added that industrialization of Ekiti would be his priority to make the state less dependent on allocation from the Federation Account.

He promised to use his experience as a media manager to run an efficient government in which workers would be well taken care of.

According to him, a situation in which the current administration in the state owed workers arrears of salaries and allowances after receiving its due allocation from the Federation Account will not arise.

Ojudu advised the leadership of the party to conduct a credible primary election among the party’s aspirants in line with the famed integrity of President Buhari.

 

DailyPost 

Federal Government has offered employment to 350 ex-agitators from the Niger Delta region, who graduated from various tertiary institutions across the world.

The Coordinator, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), retired Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh, made this known when he fielded questions from State House correspondents in Abuja on Friday.

Boroh, who is the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, said the affected ex-agitators had already been posted to various federal ministries awaiting approval of the 2018 appropriation bill by the National Assembly.

“The federal government ensured that about 350 of them have been employed in the various ministries in the country.

“We are only waiting for appropriation so that once they report to their various ministries they will start earning their salaries,’’

He disclosed that the 350 graduates were among the about 30,000 ex-agitators sponsored for various studies abroad by the amnesty office.

The presidential aide, however, described as untrue and false that some of the ex-agitators studying abroad had been abandoned following the failure of the amnesty office to pay their school fees and allowances.

“I will never allow any of my children schooling outside this country under government (sponsorship) to suffer.

“So as we speak 96 per cent of those on off-shore scholarship have graduated and returned home.

“I have only a few, in fact not more than 100 of them left in the entire globe where they have been schooling in the US, UK, Asian countries and South Africa – they have graduated and have come home.

“The ones that refused to graduate and are trying to make life unbearable for themselves is their own cup of duty.

“The federal government is not responsible for them anymore,’’ he said.

Boroh, who announced that no date has been fixed for the collapse of the amnesty programme, said his office was in the process of achieving sustainable reintegration of the ex-agitators in the programme.

According to him, his task is to continue to ensure peace and stability in the Niger Delta region.

 

(NAN)

The Federal Government yesterday launched fresh moves to seize looted funds and suspicious assets traced to some former governors, ministers and senators in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The Attorney-General of the Federation, Mallam Abubakar Malami (SAN), and the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, left for Dubai last night to finalize the forfeiture process.

The number of the affected Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) under probe were said to be over 20.

Although the names of those implicated were kept under wraps as at the time of filing this report, checks  revealed the following: a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke;  a former Managing Director of the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC), Mr. Haruna Momoh(eight suspected assets in Dubai ); a former Managing Director of the defunct Oceanic Bank, Mrs. Cecilia Ibru; a former First Lady;  Senators involved in London-Paris Club scandal; ex-PDP National Chairman; ex-CG of Customs; a former Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs to a former President;  about nine ex-governors and six former ministers.

Nigeria had signed six agreements with the UAE on January 19, 2016 following a state visit by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The pacts include Judicial Agreements on Extradition, Transfer of Sentenced Persons, Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal Matters and Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal and Commercial Matters (the recovery and repatriation of stolen wealth).

Investigation by our correspondent revealed that the Federal Government had been collaborating with the UAE authorities on suspicious cash and assets allegedly owned by some Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs).

A top source, who spoke in confidence, said the Federal Government had gathered enough evidence on some of the Nigerian suspects who had stashed public cash in Dubai with choice assets to wit.

The source also said in some cases, the EFCC had secured court orders/Mareva injunctions for the seizure of some of the assets.

Also the source claimed that financial intelligence had confirmed how public funds were wired to UAE by some of the suspects in question.

The source added: “In the last two years, there had been shuttles to  Dubai by the AGF and Magu on some of the slush funds and suspicious assets.

“We are now at the stage of attaching or seizing some of the cash and assets. We have hauled evidence to the place with a view to concluding the process of repatriating the looted funds. In fact, in some instances, a few suspects admitted owning some of these suspected assets in Dubai.

“The UAE law is very strict on suspected assets and looted funds. Nigeria had to provide verifiable evidence before seizure can be allowed.

“From the look of things, we are hopeful that the first set of seizures will soon be agreed upon by the two countries. Those affected are many.”

Responding to some questions, the source added: “I think some cases are straightforward. It is  public knowledge that a former Managing Director of the defunct Oceanic Bank, Mrs. Cecilia Ibru, was convicted. The Federal Government is only trying to attach some suspected assets allegedly owned by her or  traced to her links. It is left to the UAE Government to verify through appropriate agencies whether or not the suspected assets in Dubai are hers.

“The EFCC also has evidence of how some Senators benefited from the London-Paris Club refunds and the shop owners in Dubai used to launder such funds. The financial intelligence sharing by the two countries can uncover this. Apart from seizing the funds, those implicated can be prosecuted in Nigeria for money laundering.

“There are some cases in which we have provided evidence, including some on ex-Minister Diezani, businessman Kola Aluko, a former PPMC MD, Momoh; a former First Lady, a former Special Assistant to an ex-President on Domestic Affairs and some ex-governors and ministers.

“The assets allegedly identified with Diezani are marked as J5 Emirates Hills (30million Dirham) and E146 Emirates Hills valued at 44million Dirham.

Those allegedly traced to Aluko are as follows: 4100 Le Reve Dubai Maria, Dubai;  Unit 1402, PS 14th Floor located at Metro TECOM near Internet City Metro Station, Dubai; Unit 712, ES 7th Floor located at First Central, Off Sheikh Zayed, TECOM, Al-Barsha 3 Dubai and Unit 512, 5th Floor located at First Group Marina Hotels, Al-Seba Street, Plot 394-426, Dubai AE-AJ.

The list of the houses allegedly traced to Momoh  in the United Arab Emirates( UAE)  are at First Group Marina Hotels, Al-Seba Street, Plot 394-426, Dubai, AE-AJ United Arab Emirates;  Unit 503, 1 Bedroom Heritage, 5th Floor located at First Central Dubai Media City TECOM off Sheikh Zayed, TECOM Al- Barsha 3 Dubai; Unit 1910 ES Heritage, 19th Floor located at First Central Dubai Media City TECOM off Sheikh Zayed, TECOM Al- Barsha 3 Dubai; a Unit 2507 Dubai Sports City; Unit 314 Dubai Sports City; and Unit 1002, TECOM BARS 125616.

Others are Unit 1402, PS 14th Floor located at Metro Central, TECOM near Internet City Metro Station, Dubai ( UAE);  Unit 712, ES 7th Floor located at First Central, Off Sheikh Zayeed, TECOM, Al-Barsha 3 Dubai( UAE); Unit 512, 5th Floor located at First Group Marina Hotels, Al-Seba Street, Plot 394-426, Dubai AE-AJ UAE.

Sections 7 of 28 and 34 of the EFCC (Establishment Act) 2004 and Section 13(1) of the Federal High Court Act, 2004 mandate the agency to seize suspicious assets.

Section 7 says: “The commission has power to (a) cause any investigations to be conducted as to whether any person, corporate body or organization has committed any offence under this Act or other law relating to economic and financial crimes.

“(b) Cause investigations to be conducted into the properties of any person if it appears to the commission that the person’s lifestyle and extent of the properties are not justified by his source of income.”

Sections 28 and 34 of the EFCC (Establishment Act) 2004 and Section 13(1) of the Federal High Court Act, 2004 empower the anti-graft agency to invoke Interim Assets Forfeiture Clause.

“Section 28 of the EFCC Act reads: ‘Where a person is arrested for an offence under this Act, the Commission shall immediately trace and attach all the assets and properties of the person acquired as a result of such economic or financial crime and shall thereafter cause to be obtained an interim attachment order from the court.’

Section 13 of the Federal High Court Act reads in part: “The court may grant an injunction or appoint a receiver by an interlocutory order in all cases in which it appears to the court to be just or convenient so to do. (2) Any such order may be made either unconditionally or on such terms and conditions as the court thinks just.”

 

The Nation 

Citizens have been killed, maimed, bruised, abducted, abused and violated because of the failure of successive governments to perform the primary constitutional duty of protecting life and property. Once again another major tragedy has befallen our country. The Red Card Movement strongly condemns the criminal invasion and abduction of the Dapchi School girls, by yet to be identified gunmen on the 19th of February, 2018. The abduction is very similar to that of Chibok girls which happened four years ago, under a different regime. This regime rightfully criticized the condemnable conduct of the last regime in handling the 2014 Chibok girls' abduction.

The abduction of the Dapchi school girls was totally avoidable. Every reasonable Nigerian expected our government to have learnt multiple lessons from the Chibok girls’ abduction especially from the findings of the various committees of its predecessor administration and the ones it also constituted. Is it right to conclude that the President Buhari led administration did not learn and therefore failed to put corrective measures in place to avoid the repeat tragedies that have become rampant across the country? News of the abduction of 110 school girls from Government Girls Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State, and confirmed by both the State and Federal Governments, was the least expected terrorist act, after several assurances by the President Buhari`s led administration that “the menace of terrorism as represented by the Boko Haram sect in Nigeria has been seriously contained, and that Boko Haram Sect has been dealt a fatal blow, degraded and defeated.”

The abduction of Dapchi girls is undisputed evidence that indeed our Federal Government, the security team and the military in particular must undertake a comprehensive review of the counter-terrorism strategy to ensure absolute defeat of BokoHaram. When will this administration disclose and publish the findings of the Presidential Committees set up to investigate the Chibok abduction under President Jonathan? When also will the Report of the President Buhari led administration’s investigation panel on Chibok Girls abduction which has been demanded by various groups, be published? We are left asking, was no intelligence gathered from the released Chibok girls during their debriefs? Did the government learn nothing during the negotiation process for their release? Education is a basic fundamental right and we are of the firm opinion, that it is an act of cowardice, for criminals and Boko Haram terrorist group (as in the case of the waves of abductions and killings that have bedeviled the Citizens), to continue to prey on defenseless citizens in order to prove their bravery in a misguided war that is in the main, senseless and barbaric.

Terrorism must not be allowed to defeat Democracy. Never shall we tolerate the freedom of terrorists in our society. Never shall we tolerate a government that cannot protect life and property of every Citizen. This Federal Government much like its predecessor has manifested a visible failure in intelligence gathering and application. The denials, contradictions, lack of empathy and slow response have similarities to the last regime. We are extremely disturbed by the official lies, contradictions and denials that followed after the tragedy in Dapchi. Our movement unequivocally states that such misinformation and disinformation were uncalled-for, appalling and insensitive.

At best it shows poor co-ordination from government and at worst it reveals a troubling trend of falsehood and cover-ups that offends the sensibilities of every Nigerian, especially the families of the victims of dastardly act in our society. Citizens have an undeniable right to know the truth at all times and to be confident that their government keeps its constitutional responsibility. The Citizens of Nigeria deserve considerably better governance than what is being offered by the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration as of right. Good Governance is not a privilege! In this vein, the Red Card Movement is calling on Mr. President to keep to his obligation as set out in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of 1999 (as amended).

The President should ensure that both the 112 Chibok Girls and the 110 Dapchi Girls are rescued and returned to their families without further delay. We also demand that a secure Nigeria is not only provided for the Dapchi Girls, but to every Nigerian student(boys and girls) to enjoy their studies uninterrupted. Therefore we call on the Federal Government and all the state governments to swiftly implement the Safe School Initiative to which they committed Nigeria globally in 2014. Finally, we wish to use this opportunity, to appeal to the Citizens at home and in the Diaspora to unite. We all must show more than a passing interest in the affairs of our nation.

Nigeria is all that we have. We enjoin everyone to join the discussions regarding our collective future. Every citizen has a Voice and should use it. If we all do not speak up now, who will? Whenever one Nigerian is endangered we all are endangered. Whether it be in Dapchi, Benue or Omoku, we are all victims and must take on a collective fight against our common enemy which is bad governance. This is not the time for indifference and silence from any citizen. It is time for all citizens to speak up! All Citizens must hold our governments accountable.

Good Governance and Ethical Leadership is no longer negotiable. We commend our patriotic warriors, brave men and women who are out there on the battlefield for their unrelenting efforts to secure Nigeria and its territories. We equally call on all citizens to offer as much cooperation and intel to our security forces that is needed to overthrow this ugly reign of terrorism in our land. Nigeria can win this war if our Government places the dignity of every Nigerian’s regardless of status above every other consideration. The President as Commander -in-Chief of the Armed Forces can demonstrate that by ensuring that the 110 DapChi Girls, 112 Chibok Girls and all other abducted citizens of Nigeria are immediately rescued from their captors.

On the occasion of the 2018 International Women’s Day celebration, the President of Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) Prince Adetokunbo Kayode has called for funding tactics that will improve the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) where women are playing key roles.

 

In a message made available to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday by the Media and Protocol Officer of the Chamber, Mr. Lubem Gena, he appreciated the role of women in the development of nations and economies across the globe pointing out that many of them have broken all barriers and reached the pinnacle of success in every aspect of life.

 

Prince Kayode noted that, funding the SMEs will go a long way in stimulating women’s productivity.

 

 In his words: “Today is a special day for all of us to recognise and appreciate the vital roles women have played either individually or collectively in building homes, communities, economies and to showcase the great efforts they have invested in paving way for others. Continued silence about the critical amd positive role women play in the society is no longer golden.

 

“For us at the ACCI, today is a day that calls for another deep reflection on the way and manner women in business have been affected. One of such areas in which women have played key roles is in the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), which as we all know is still struggling to overcome some basic challenges.

 

“I therefore call on the appropriate authorities to adopt better tactics to ensure better funding of SMEs where women are actively playing roles that is helping to advance our economy of Nigeria. To this end, we prefer a situation where the Organised Private Sector (OPS) will be given the opportunity to guarantee or securitise funding for  members than going through the rigorous processes in commercial banks which have proven, over the years, not to be structured to handle such critical roles”, the President emphasised.

 

While calling for concerted efforts to achieve full gender equality for women across the globe, he insisted that it is of immense importance to galvanise actions that will account for the advancement of women.

 

He recalls that the occasion provides another avenue to honour  genuine efforts of women in the family, in social works, in education, in sports, ICT, in innovation, in politics and national development amongst others, where they have successfully left indelible marks.