A group of thieves stole $5 million in cash, which had been due to travel from Brazil to Switzerland aboard a Lufthansa jet, at a large freight airport near Sao Paulo, police said Monday.

The spectacular heist, which took place late Sunday, was completed in a matter of minutes, and authorities have yet to arrest a suspect.

The crooks entered Viracopos International Airport's freight terminal using a pickup on which they had "placed stickers mimicking the runway security company's logo," federal police said in a statement.

Germany-based Lufthansa's plane had been traveling from Guarulhos airport in Sao Paulo and was making a stop at Viracopos - Brazil's biggest freight terminal - with Zurich as its final destination.

The stolen money had been held under the auspices of secure transport provider Brinks, according to the Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper.

The daily said five men had threatened security agents on the runway before taking off with the cargo, in barely six minutes.

There was no immediate sign of injuries, the airport said.

Cargo theft is on the rise in Brazil, where most targets are semi-trucks, especially those serving Rio de Janeiro.

Gulf News

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Afe Babalola, has said bad leadership is fast turning Nigerians to beggars.

Saying the culture of begging was alien to the Yoruba race, Babalola lamented that it had become a common thing to see Nigerians begging on the streets “because of poverty caused by bad governance.”

The PCN was on an assessment tour of the Pharmacy Department of the newly-inaugurated 400-bedded Afe Babalola University Teaching Hospital.

He said, “Today, Nigeria is at the crossroads. The Yoruba were not used to begging in the 40’s and 50’s, they used to stone beggars because they viewed it as a shameful act.

“But today, go to occasions and see how well dressed people beg for money. That was why we want to join the change agents using our university as a model, even ABUAD is synonymous with change.

“In our school here, we do not concentrate alone on academics, we are into farming. Our moringa tree is used to produce eight products that are consumed and provide jobs for our people.”

The President of the PCN, Prof. Mbang Femi-Oyewo, said the mission of the regulatory body in ABUAD was to assess the Pharmacy Department and to guide on how to give the recommendations to the university on how best to run the department.

She said, “We want this university to have an excellent Pharmacy Department that will serve as a reference point just like every other department in the hospital and that can meet international standard.

“This is a regulatory body that gives recommendations based on facilities we see. We want to ensure that the department is not left behind, and that is why we are here to give professional advice, because we don’t want people to be travelling to India for medical treatment when we have a facility like ABUTH.

Pharmacy department is very essential and it requires special expertise for its operations. We want the best practice here that aligns with the global best practices and that is why we are here as a regulatory body,” he said.

Punch

Withholding assent to the bill might set in motion problems that could mar the 2019 elections

The alarm by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) that it has in its custody a mountain load of uncollected permanent voter cards (PVCs) aside the increasing incidence of double registration, calls for concern. But coming at a time the nation is inundated with overwhelming evidence of the existence of underage voters on the register, INEC needs to do more than raise alarm. Once the register is dubious, a credible election becomes impossible.

Thankfully, with the transmission, last week, of the Electoral Act No 6, 2010 (Amendment) Bill 2017 to President Muhammadu Buhari by the National Assembly, INEC has more opportunities to consolidate its preparations for the general elections. The amendment bill contains far reaching reforms that are intended to make the electoral system deliver cleaner elections in the country.

The bill also addressed some grey areas of the electoral processes that manifested in past elections, including the provision for replacement of a candidate that dies before the declaration of results. The affected party now has a 14-day window to organise primaries for the nomination of a replacement for a fresh election to be conducted by INEC within 21 days.

The amendment bill harkens to complaints about overbearing conduct of political parties’ executives during primaries and enforces internal democracy by prescribing that all members are entitled to vote in the nomination process for delegate or direct primaries elections. Other arbitrary practices, including excessive nomination fees and disqualification of aspirants based on criteria other than those stipulated in the 1999 Constitution as amended, have been curtailed. The bill stipulates nomination fees payable, ranging from N150, 000 for councillorship to N10 million for presidential candidates.

Meanwhile, the controversial aspect of the bill is the provision which mandates INEC to appoint dates for the elections to be held in the following order: National Assembly; State Houses of Assembly and Governorship; and Presidential. This amendment reverses the prevailing order announced by INEC last month, which fixed National Assembly and Presidential elections for February 16, 2019, while the state Houses of Assembly and governorship elections would come up two weeks later on March 2, 2019.

There are arguments for and against the reordering of the sequence of elections by the legislature. For us, the most compelling is the additional cost of a three-stage election to the nation’s purse. This newspaper had argued in the past for a one-day process by which elections into all positions would be held same day and we maintain that remains the best way to go. It would have therefore been advisable, in the circumstances, to retain a two-stage process in which all the legislative elections would hold on one day, while the executive elections would on the other day.

However, in the absence of any meaningful attempt by the executive to engage the legislature before passing the bill, the matter has become quite complicated. Besides, we do not see how the current provision injures the basic objective by INEC to conduct free and fair polls. To therefore withhold assent at this stage, as being suggested by some presidential advisers, could set in motion wide-ranging controversy and generate unnecessary tension that we do not have the luxury of time to deal with.

ThisDay

President Muhammadu Buhari has said the country must never return to the dark days of import dependence.

He spoke when he received members of the Presidential Fertiliser Initiative at the State House, Abuja.

The President praised members for making a success of the initiative.

Buhari said: “I am extremely impressed by how the programme has evolved since my meeting with His Majesty, the King of Morocco 15 months ago.

“I have been monitoring your progress closely. But hearing it first hand and seeing your faces today is truly a wonderful experience.

“In your presentations today, we have heard stories of sacrifices, where all the stake holders agreed that collective progress superseded personal interest.”

He thanked Jigawa State governor and the Fertiliser Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN) for their efforts in the initiative’s progress.

“Firstly, let me thank the Governor of Jigawa State who virtually relocated to Abuja to oversee the successful take off of this project. I must also express my profound gratitude to the people of Jigawa State for allowing us to borrow him on this very important national assignment which indeed, has changed the lives of millions of Nigerians across the country.

“I will also congratulate the members of the Fertiliser Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN) for their remarkable work to date. Under the able leadership of your President, Thomas Etuh, you were able to produce quality products and make it available and affordable across the country within three months. Although you were all competitors in the past, you all put aside your differences and came together to deliver on this important program. So thank you for putting Nigeria first. You must continue on this track.”

Buhari expressed satisfaction with the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) for its contributions to the initiative.

“You moved away from your comfort zone and pushed your capital into the rural economy. I always talk about the endless opportunities in the rural economy if only people would look with an open mind. I will urge you to continue on this track. Unless we create an inclusive and diversified economy, the progress of our country, and its future generations, will always be held hostage by external factors such as global oil prices.

“Special thanks to the three banks. I was told by my Chief of Staff that when this project started, over 15 banks were asked to participate. But only three of you answered this call. I want to ask you to continue to support the PFI expansion plans presented today. Government will continue to work and provide the enabling environment,” the president said.

He said unlike in previous governments where trucks conveying fertiliser would miraculously disappear in transit, none of the 3,333 trucks used for the programme last year went missing.

“I want to assure all participants of the PFI that, we will continue to provide adequate security so that this programme, and its positive impact on Nigeria, is sustained,” Buhari promised.

On the partnership between the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and governors to ensure Nigeria feeds itself, he said: “I want to encourage you to continue on this track. Specifically, you must all support programmes like the PFI and work together to ensure we never return to the dark days of import dependence. I am pleased to hear that already, the CBN is working with the commercial banks on programs that will further expand and enhance the PFI.”

He called for the availability of fertilizer for farmers in the South this rainy season and urged the Ministry of Finance and NSIA to engage the Governors Forum to conclude their orders.

Buhari directed the CBN to work with the commercial banks to ensure affordable capital for farmers and agro dealers.

He also challenged others involved in the value chain to play their parts: “The NSA and the security agencies should be ready to allow and protect the movement of all agricultural goods. Specifically, issues relating to end user certificates must be prioritised.

“The NPA should provide all the necessary support required to expedite the offloading and evacuation of the imported materials.

“And finally, the NSIA and FEPSAN, under the able leadership of the Governor of Jigawa, must ensure quality and affordable fertiliser is available to farmers at the right time.”

The Nation 

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described as fictitious the claim by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) that it spends N24 billion monthly and N774 million per day on subsidising pump price of fuel for Nigerians.

The party, in a statement on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, described the figures as fictitious.

It said it was ”cleverly fabricated to retire the already exposed stealing of trillions of naira by Presidency cabal and APC interests in secret oil deals”.

The PDP said it is duplicitous for the NNPC to claim a sudden surge in fuel purchase expenses at the same time that the nation faced the ”harshest fuel shortage across the country with Nigerians paying exorbitantly for the product.”

The PDP also called on the Buhari-led administration to come clean on the subsidy issue, which it claimed it had abolised but had apparently re-introduced without appropriate endorsement by the National Assembly.

“Nigerians are shocked by moves by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-controlled Federal Government to cover huge fraud in the Presidency by declaring that it spends a humongous N24 billion monthly (N774million per day) to subsidise fuel in the country. The APC-led Presidency is drawing its deceptive proclivity and concealment of fraud too far; and to think that such is hatched in a sector that is under the direct supervision of President Muhammadu Buhari as minister of petroleum affairs is most disheartening.

“This is the same Presidency that claimed to have abolished fuel subsidy payments and even accused the immediate past administration of alleged corruption in its subsidy management. It is therefore strange that the same government can pull out unimaginable figures and claim it is the cost of subsidy enjoyed by Nigerians.

“How come that with such humongous sums, Nigerians are still paying as high as N250 to N300 per liter on fuel in various parts of the country? We have since charged the Buhari-led Presidency to come out clear on the truth on the administration of subsidy under its watch. The question is; why is the Federal Government cloaking the subsidy regime in secrecy if not to conceal its duplicity?”

“Nigerians need to know; who in the Presidency approved the spending of the said N774million per day as fuel subsidy and who are the benefiting companies? Is the subsidy captured in any appropriation instrument of the National Assembly? What is the cost of landing imported fuel to the depots and at what exchange rate? Where are the details of the subsidy pay-out and the negotiating options and contracts?”

The party also made reference to the claims made by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, detailing questionable deals under NNPC boss, Maikanti Baru.

“In reeling out its figures, the Presidency has forgotten that Nigerians are still waiting for its explanations on the leaked memo showing alleged corrupt oil contracts at the NNPC to the tune of N9 trillion ($25billion dollars).

“The Presidency has also refused to offer explanations to the alleged involvement of its officials in various sneaky oil subsidy deals and reported diversion of N1.1trillion worth of crude last year to service APC interests.

“Our take is that Nigerians must be told the truth at all times and not be made to suffer for the fraud being perpetrated by APC interests and the cabal at the Presidency.”

The Federal Government has extended its searchlight on tax evaders with net-worth properties in highbrow areas of major cities.

The Federal Government on July 1, 2017 granted tax payers a nine-month grace to regularise their tax status under the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS).

Yesterday, a  source in the Presidency told reporters that the government through its data mining agency “Project Lighthouse” had received documents on property owners across the country from state governments.

The first set of property owners that will come under scrutiny for tax compliance are owners of buildings in Maitama, Asokoro, Garki ll, Wuse ll in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and those on Banana Island and its environs Magodo, Lekki, Ikoyi in Lagos state.

The source revealed that tax records and bank account details of these property owners are being reviewed by the team of “Project Lighthouse.”

The source said “the extension of the searchlight on these property owners is not unconnected with Illicit Financial Flow (IFF). Most of these people are diverting their incomes to properties and are not paying taxes.”

It was further learnt that some state governments in collaboration with the federal government have provided electronic searchable data base for individual and corporate property owners with the following key information: Name of owner, plot number, location and Certificate of Occupancy (CofO) number.

It was also leant that the federal government is extending the searchlight to other northern states, the south east and the south-south regions.

The decision to go after highbrow property owners the source said, is because “it has been observed that their life style does not reflect in their tax payment.”

Last week, the federal government played to prosecute tax evaders from April 1. Under the VAIDS programme, state governments will be major beneficiaries of the programme because after the recovery, the money will go to the states, which is why the states are cooperating with the federal government on the scheme.

The Nation 

A former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, on Monday revealed one of the major regrets in his life.

The two-time Nigerian leader who is marking his 81st birthday, said the early death of his parents and their failure to enjoy the fruits of the sacrifice they made while raising him continues to make him sad.

He made the disclosure at a ceremony to mark his birthday at Marque Events Centre located within the premises of Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta.

Mr. Obasanjo said he wished his parents lived long to witness his success in life.

“One thing I always miss and remember is that my parents left this world too early. The sacrifice they made, they did not wait to see the results. How I wish they had waited to see and eat fruits of their labour,’ Mr. Obasanjo said.

The former president, however, said he draws consolation from the Yoruba belief that the dead always look behind to see happenings after them on earth.

With that belief, he said he was sure his late parents would still be happy in their graves even now.

“But going by what Yoruba believe and say, that the dead always watch over their beloved ones and see happenings around them, I am convinced that my parents are happy in their graves, as they watch over me,” he said.

On his birthday, Mr. Obasanjo said he would continue to appreciate, praise adore and worship God, just as he admitted that all those who worked and are still working with him are loyal.

He expressed his appreciation to his aides and workers. Mr. Obasanjo said his success would not be without their commitment and loyalty.

He advised people to serve humanity, noting that it is when humanity is serve that one can serve God.

He said he did not believe that God has created a bad situation for Nigeria, or in any particularly country in Africa.

“We mus be able to serve humanity, if we can’t serve humanity, we can’t serve God. I do not believe God had created bad situation for Nigeria, or any particular country in Africa. If things are not going right, we must blame ourselves,” he said.

The former president urged Nigerians to take seriously governance and moral values among other things to get things right in the country.

PT

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have spent the course of two days grilling a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babagana Kingibe.

The former diplomat was quizzed on Wednesday and Thursday last week by a special team of the anti-graft body, PREMIUM TIMES learnt.

A security official, who declined to be named as he is not permitted to talk to the press, said the politician was interrogated at the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA).

Mr. Kingibe headed a presidential panel that reviewed the operations of Nigeria’s prime intelligence outfit, the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).

President Muhammadu Buhari had in November last year empaneled the four-member committee in the wake of scandals rocking the intelligence agency.

Mr. Kingibe was invited by the EFCC to explain his roles in alleged financial scandals during the assignment.

Dauda Mohammed, who acted as the DG of the agency during the time of the assignment had alleged that Mr. Kingibe used his position to extort money from the agency.

He told a House of Representatives committee probing alleged $44 million said to be missing from the NIA’s vault that he was put under pressure by Mr. Kingibe to make agency funds available to him.

The House committee had directed the EFCC to investigate the allegations made against Mr. Kingibe and his panel.

On Wednesday, Mr. Kingibe appeared before the investigators, who grilled him on the wide-ranging allegations before they allowed him go home to return the next day.

Mr. Kingibe reportedly denied benefiting from the NIA or interfering with its activities, as alleged by Mr. Mohammed.

On his return Thursday, the former NIA official was confronted with Mr. Mohammed who was asked to put his allegations before the man he accused.

Mr. Mohammed reportedly reeled out the allegations against Mr. Kingibe, who denied most of them.

“He however admitted collecting N1.5 million weekly from the NIA in lieu of accommodation, aside feeding provided by the agency” the source said.

Mr. Kingibe also reportedly consented to Mr. Dauda’s accusation of him travelling to Bauchi with NIA vehicles and security guard.

The former minister, however, vehemently denied Mr. Mohammed’s chilling charge of giving an alleged girlfriend of Mr. Kingibe monies in foreign currencies, at the instance of the latter.

A source at the EFCC, who confirmed the investigation is ongoing, said the operatives were dealing with a “unique and difficult task” because most of the allegations and counter allegations were not evidence-backed.

“By the operational nature of the NIA, they don’t usually document such monetary transactions and this is a huge problem for our men,” the source explained.

When contacted, EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, said he was not aware of the investigation.

PT

Many commuters plying the Ikorodu Road, Lagos State, were on Monday stranded after residents protesting against the death of a pupil blocked the road.

The protesters made a bonfire and reportedly prevented ambulances which came to pick the corpse from taking him as they insisted on the presence of the victim’s parents.

BRT vehicles on the Ikorodu Road corridor temporarily suspended operations to avert running into the protesters, who mounted the blockade on the Idiroko end of the road where the accident occurred.

Information gathered indicated that the victim, Ezekiel Daniel, a pupil of Cherubim and Seraphim School, Idiroko, was about to cross the road with other pupils when he was hit by the BRT vehicle.

The driver was reported to have run over the boy.

A witness, Bisi Oladapo, told one of our correspondents that the incident happened around 8am.

She said, “The boy was in primary six. The school has a crossing guard and the man had stopped the traffic for a set of pupils. As soon as the pupils passed, the boy wanted to cross as well when he was hit by the BRT vehicle.

“Only his leg was hit the first time. But as he struggled to stand up, the back tyres of the bus smashed his skull. He died on the spot.”

Another resident, Omolade Ibidapo, said sympathisers and other residents made a bonfire and blocked the road.

She noted that two ambulances which attempted to take the corpse were prevented by the protesters.

“The BRT bus sped off. They couldn’t catch the driver and they could not vandalise any BRT vehicle. Immediately the accident happened, BRT drivers passed the information to one another and they started turning back at Agric bus stop.

“Two ambulances were prevented from taking the corpse because people wanted his parents to be around. They couldn’t locate them on time and that was why the body was on the ground for some hours,” she added.

Another resident, Johnson Obiyemi, criticised the state government for not building a pedestrian bridge at the junction.

“The one they built at Ogolonto is at the BRT bus stop, which is far from the school; people are not even using it. Where they are supposed to build a pedestrian bridge, they constructed a billboard advertising the achievements of the governor. It was tragic that the boy was crushed under that billboard,” he added.

A former chairman of the parents’ forum of the school, Muyiwa Oyetuga, said two children from the same family died at the spot some years ago.

Oyetuga, who addressed teachers at the school in an emotion-laden voice, lamented that efforts to make the government build a pedestrian bridge at the spot had been abortive.

He said, “About six to seven years ago, we had a similar incident there. Two children of the same parents who wanted to cross the road were killed. I know where those children were buried and the IPO in charge of that case. When that incident happened, some people played some pranks and the matter died down. If it were to be the children of politicians, would they allow it to continue?

“When this road was constructed, I asked how they would help us safeguard the children who cross the road. They gave us a crossing guard. But we have over 2,000 pupils in the school and sometimes, motorists don’t have regards for the crossing guard. I don’t have children in this school again, but I am pained by this boy’s death.”

The headmistress was said to be unavailable for comment.

A teacher, who did not identify herself, said the school was helpless, adding that they had written letters to the state Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, without a response.

“Even as teachers, we cannot leave until all the children have gone home. The government promised to build a bridge, but they didn’t do anything. We have written many letters without any response. It is the governor that can help, not the teachers,” she said.

One of our correspondents observed that calm had been restored to the area as military officers attached to 81 Brigade stopped vehicles to allow schoolchildren to cross the road.

The Head of Operations, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Lanre Adeyemi, said preliminary investigation revealed that the BRT driver ignored the stop signal of the crossing guard when the accident happened.

“There was a rampage by the residents and some hoodlums hijacked the protest. It was even beyond the police until the military intervened. People have already taken the tag of the vehicle and we believe the police will do the rest of the job,” he added.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chike Oti, confirmed the incident.

He said, “It was a hit-and-run that occasioned a riot. The police came in and restored calm. We are still expecting the driver of the bus to report himself to the nearest police station for necessary action.”

The Chief Security Officer, Primero Transport Services Limited, which is managing the BRT corridor, Mr. Cletus Okodolor, could not be reached for comment as of the time of filing this report.

The Head, Media and Communications, Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, Mr. Kolawole Ojelabi, said the government agency was aware of the incident, but was awaiting a formal report from Primero.

In a related development, two pupils of Our Lady of Fatima Nursery and Primary School, Kuru Jenta, in the Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State, were on Monday confirmed dead in an auto crash.

While 76 injured persons were rushed to the Plateau State Specialist Hospital in Jos, 18 others were taken to Ola Hospital, a private medical facility in the state.

The accident was said to have jolted the Jos community, including Governor Simon Lalong, who was on a tour of projects that would be inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday.

Lalong was said to have cut short his inspection of the projects and rushed to the state hospital to sympathise with the victims of the accident.

While describing the accident as unfortunate, the governor reportedly promised to settle the medical bills of the victims.

The accident occurred around 7am when the vehicle veered off the road, somersaulted and landed on a pavement.

The Proprietress of the school, Rev. Sr. Florence Golan, confirmed the incident in a chat with one of our correspondents at the specialist hospital.

She said, “The pupils are from crèche, play class, nursery and primary 1-4; we have a bus that picks them from their various locations to school. This (Monday) morning, it picked them up as usual. I was not with them, but I was told that they were involved in an accident.

“We have not confirmed the number of deaths yet, but they are not more than two. Those who survived the accident sustained major injuries, but they are in stable conditions. The nurses are attending to them.”

Punch 

The wife of the President, Aisha Buhari, has urged the All Progressives Congress (APC) women leaders across the country to ensure peace and unity among party members to enable them to achieve the party’s mandate of delivering the desired change to Nigerians.

Aisha made the appeal on Monday when the coalition of APC women leaders from the 36 states and the FCT paid her a courtesy visit at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was the first official engagement undertaken by her in 2018.Aisha Buhari and Dolapo Osinbajo(centre) with the APC women

The wife of the president tasked the  women leaders to champion the cause of women and bridge the gap among women at the state level as well as those at the grassroots.

She urged the women to work hard for peace and stability within the party and Nigeria.

According to her, the APC women are guided by the vision of a change in Nigeria which the Federal Government is determined to actualise.

“ On my part, I will continue to appreciate you and the role you continue to play in organising our women for development.

“I am sure you have noticed the numerous empowerment and medical outreach that I organise for our women through Future Assured under Aisha Buhari Foundation.

“We are trying to ensure faster rate of inclusion and economic engagement for more women,’’ she said.Aisha Buhari, extreme left, and some of the women she met on Monday

Mrs Buhari, who thanked the APC women for their visit, said the empowerment programmes were aimed at complementing Federal Government`s efforts to support women to become economically self reliant.

The Six APC women leaders, who spoke on behalf of their Geo-political zones at the event, included Mrs Fatima Kangiwa who spoke on behalf of North-West; Mrs Caroline Nagbor, South-South; Mrs Theresa Ohanuba, South-East and Mrs Hailmary Aipoh, North-Central.

However, the APC leader in the FCT, Mrs Hailmary Aipoh, said the visit was to pledge their support to the administration at the various levels.

Also, the wife of the Vice President, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, advised them to continue the work in unity, to achieve the change agenda.

Mrs Osinbajo urged the women to continue mobilising women in their various states for the success of the party.

The wife of Sokoto State Governor, Mrs Mairo Tambuwal, commended the wife of the president for her continued support by empowering women and youths in Nigeria.

The meeting was attended by the Deputy National Women’s  Leader of APC, Tina Adike; former Deputy Gov. of Plateau, Mrs Pauline Tallen; Senior Special Assistant to the President (Administration), Dr Hajo Sani and other associates of Aisha Buhari.

NAN