Like the Biblical Daniel in the Lions den, Former Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel said he passed through harrowing and tempestuous persecution for eleven years on political trial strewn with thorns, bats and vampires after leaving office. 

NIGERIAN NEWSTRACK reports that Daniel made this known on Sunday in a paper titled, “The Daniel Odyssey: A journey through the Courts, made available at a church thanksgiving service to celebrate his final victory from malicious trial instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in conjunction with Ogun State Government under former Governor Ibikunle Amosun. 

The former Governor at the Abrahams Tabernacle Church, Sagamu in the paper, recalled that on completion of his term when he handed over on May 29, 2011 to his successor, Ibikunle Amosun, he secured the needed clearance from the Commissioner of Police and the State Director, Department of Security Service (DSS) and left for United Kingdom.

“After handing over on the 29th of May 2011, looking back, I felt I was a fulfilled man, turning around the fortunes of the state and impacting on the lives of many positively. I therefore decided to board the British Airways flight to London to rest from the stress of eight years of hardwork”, he recalled.

Daniel said to his amazement, on arrival in London, and just settling down to much needed rest, he started receiving several calls from concerned citizens about his whereabouts, adding that some of the calls were mischievous, to confirm speculations which was already flying around about his purported arrest in London.

The former Governor said at this stage, he consulted his family and legal team, and was advised he should return to the country, to face whatever allegations that might have been raised against him, explaining that he heeded to the advice because he had no skeleton in his cupboard.

“Living in strong conviction that I have no untoward in my closet . I heeded the advice of my family and legal team, even at my most inconvenience. My entire eight years of stewardship as the Governor of Ogun State (2003-2011) was a clear signpost. I jumped into the next available plane back to Nigeria”, he said.

Daniel going memory lane said on his arrival, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) swooped on his Sagamu residence,combing all areas to proofs of graft to no avail, and was thereafter transported to the commission office in Lagos, then onward to their headquarters in Abuja.

The former Governor said that was the painful start of the 13 days of hurtful detention for serving Ogun State, and was eventually arraigned on October 11, 2011 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on allegations which fell flat after eleven years of trial in the face of the law and remained unproven.

The EFCC arraigned him on a 32-count charge, bordering on alleged false declaration of assets, land allocations and ‘underpayment’ of values and alleged mismanagement of N211.3 million Ogun State fund.

But, Daniel, through his counsels led by Professor Taiwo Osipitan, filed a “no case submission”, debunking all the allegations.

In 2019, the Ogun State High Court hearing the case since 2011, knocked out 15 out of the 32 counts, leaving Daniel to open his defence on the remaining 17 counts.

But, he approached an appellate court in Ibadan and the Court of Appeal led by Yargata Nimpar discharged him on all the counts.

Speaking to journalists, the Ogun East senatorial aspirant maintained that he neither stole lands nor money as governor.

While conceding that he is not a saint, Daniel, however, said he did everything right to the best of his knowledge.

When asked if he was not worried during his trial when some of his fellow former governors being tried were sent to jail for funds misappropriation, Daniel said he used to feel strong that God would vindicate him, but he got worried at times.

“What I was sure of is that, I am not a saint, but I did everything right to the best of my knowledge. I don’t know how anyone will say I stole the land on which this (Abraham Tabernacle) church was built. I don’t even know who the complainant is. The land was paid for, the church is not for profit-making. We donated the church back to the Baptist convention.

“Another one is The Church of the Lord in Ogere, where we gave them a land to build a university. How do we turn things around in the nation if we don’t encourage this kind of thing? What’s my duty as a governor? I’m supposed to look at areas where people need support and help them.

“The perception was that everybody is taking money. Do you take money from the church?

“Those are the things I had to face; and quite honestly, I felt strong, felt God will vindicate me, but there are certain times I got worried because when you see what is happening, you wonder. I think the tragedy is, in whatever we do, we must not see every single person as a thief. Because, there must be consequence for doing bad and appreciation for doing right. But when you have a society where those that do right are being persecuted, there will be no incentive for doing right. That’s my own worry,” he submitted.

OGD, as he is fondly addressed, commended the judiciary for standing by the truth, saying: “Let me end this thanksgiving by saluting the judiciary, I have a strong belief that the judiciary being the last chance of a common man is the only succour that our country continues to have.

“I am praising the judiciary today that, despite the challenges they have, the difficulties they have encountered, (because it is not easy to decide who is wrong or who is right in our country), but for the judiciary to stand and decipher and come to the kind of judgment they gave, I want to dedicate this victory to them. They failed to succumb to pressure.”

In his sermon, the Retired Prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Dr Sunday Makinde, congratulated Daniel for his triumph over the trial.

Makinde implored Christians to imbibe the spirit of praises and thanksgiving to God at all times.

The thanksgiving service was well attended as families, friends and political associates among others joined the former Governor to rejoice.

The number of functional crude oil production rigs in Nigeria decreased by 37.5 per cent to just 10 operational rigs in March 2022, the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries has said.

An oil rig, offshore platform, or oil and/or gas production platform is a large structure with facilities to extract, and process petroleum and natural gas that lie in rock formations beneath the seabed.

Nigeria is a strong member of OPEC and has been championing activities of the group for decades, though failing lately in meeting its monthly oil production quota as approved by the organisation.

Data obtained on Friday from OPEC’s latest Monthly Oil Market Report for April 2022 showed that Nigeria’s operational oil rigs had been on the decline since 2019.

In its world rig count and units,  OPEC stated that in 2019 Nigeria had an average of 16 functional rigs, but this dropped to 11 in 2020 and crashed further to an average of seven in 2021.

In fact, the organisation revealed that the country’s rigs dropped to as low as five in the second quarter of 2021, before picking up to 10 in the third quarter of same year, but eventually dropped again to seven in the fourth quarter of last year.

It moved up to eight functional rigs in the first quarter of this year, going by OPEC data, as the organisation’s report further showed that Nigeria’s oil rigs were eight in February 2022.

The rig count appreciated marginally in March this year to 10. Hence, the fluctuations in Nigeria’s rig counts indicated that it dropped from an average of 16 in 2019 to 10 in March 2022, representing a decrease of 37.5 per cent.

Meanwhile, the report showed that aside from Iran which had maintained 117 rigs since 2019, some other oil-producing nations witnessed varying degrees of declines in their rig counts.

The rig counts of Saudi Arabia, Algeria, and the United Arab Emirates, for instance, also dropped from 115, 45 and 62 to 74, 30 and 41 respectively between 2019 and March 2022, according to OPEC data.

However, countries such as Angola, Venezuela and Libya, for instance, saw a marginal rise in the number of functional oil rigs in their various domains.

Amidst the drop in oil rig count for Nigeria, the country has also suffered massive decline in its crude oil production making it unable to meet its OPEC approved oil production quota since this year.

Operators in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector had also attributed the drop in oil production to oil theft, while the government had raised concerns about the exit of international oil companies from Nigeria due to the global push for net zero carbon emission.

Also an analysis of the OPEC report showed that Nigeria’s oil production had been falling since January this year.

It was observed that while the country produced 1.413 million barrels of crude oil daily in January, this dropped to 1.378 million barrels per day in February and plunged further to 1.354 million barrels per day in March.

The situation confirmed concerns by both government officials and International Oil Companies operating in Nigeria that crude oil production in the country had been on the decline since 2021.

On March 24, 2022, for instance, the total value of Nigeria’s crude oil stolen between January 2021 and February 2022 was about $3.27bn (representing N1.361tn at the official exchange rate of N416.25 to the dollar), according figures from the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission.

International oil companies and their counterparts in Nigeria also stated recently that the massive oil theft across the country posed a threat to not just their existence, but to the Nigerian economy.

But NNPC’s Group Managing Direction, Mele Kyari, had announced recently that measurable outcomes against the massive crude oil theft in the Niger Delta would be visible in three weeks time.

Kyari had said, “As we speak now there is massive disruption to our operations as a result of the activities of vandals and criminals along our pipelines in the Niger Delta area.

“This has brought down our production to levels as low as we have never seen before. Today we are doing less than 1.5 million barrels per day simply because some criminals have decided that they should have some infractions on our pipelines.”

Nigeria’s oil production quota by OPEC has revolved around 1.8 million barrels per day. The country has repeatedly missed this target due to oil theft.

“And that clearly is the biggest form of business disruption that we are facing today,” the NNPC boss had stated.

He added, “This kind of engagement, the certifications that we have today around our systems and processes should be able to respond to this. And part of the response is to bring in the best framework possible to contain this situation.

“I’m happy to tell us that enormous work is going on between us and the Federal Government recognised security agencies, our partners, particularly those on the corridors that are impacted, and also the community members.

“And I’m very optimistic that within the next two to three weeks some very measurable outcomes will come so that our businesses will continue. As we speak now, the Nigerian Navy is launching a massive operation to contain oil theft in the Niger Delta.”

An attack by gunmen on a police station in Kogi state has resulted in the death of three officers.

The attack on a police station in Adavi LGA of the state occurred in the wee hours of Saturday.

In a statement, William Ovye-Aya, spokesman of the Kogi police command, quoted Edward Egbuka, commissioner of police, as saying the gunmen launched a “surprise attack” on the station.

According to NAN, Egbuka said they are working to bring the perpetrators of the incident to book.

“Early Saturday morning, the command received a report of an unfortunate incident at Adavi police division, where some hoodlums attacked the station,” the statement reads.

“They shot sporadically, but were repelled by our men and operatives of the Quick Response Unit who were on special operations at Adavi Local Government Area.

“Unfortunately, the command lost three of its officers to the gun duel, while the hoodlums fled with gunshot wounds as they could not get access into the station.

“Consequently, a team of tactical operatives was deployed and it swiftly restored normalcy to the area.

“Operatives are trailing the hoodlums with a view to apprehending and bringing them to book.”

Egbuka condoled with the families of the deceased police officers, adding that they made the force proud.

Contrary to insinuations that the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) are targetting non-indigenes, especially the Hausa communities in the Southeast, the group has specifically declared that they are not its enemy even as they have vowed to give them protection against attacks.

The group in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, also insisted that the violent attacks witnessed in the zone for quite some time now are not caused by its members, blaming it on their detracors who they said only wanted to rope them in so as to be labelled as a terrorist organisation and thereby prolonging the release of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

He said: “We want to make it categorically clear to all and sundry that anybody committing any atrocity in Biafra land in the name of IPOB or ESN operative doesn’t want Biafra to come.

“Those behind this madness are working with the Nigerian security to criminalize IPOB. They must also be prepared to pay for their sins because we will not allow anyone who inflicts pains and sorrow on our people to go free.

“Kanu made holistic announcement during those days that Hausa are facing the same predicaments Igbo people are facing in Nigeria and should be allowed to do business anywhere they like in Biafra land.

“Biafrans shall never try to harm any Hausa man or woman in Biafra land for any reason. IPOB will ensure the protection of all persons living in Biafra land, including non-indigenes. We will continue to protect them against our common enemy – the jihadists and their sponsors.

“I wish to state unequivocally that those behind these atrocities are not IPOB members nor are they Eastern Security Network (ESN) operatives.

“The perpetrators are criminals recruited by our enemies to demonise us. No member of IPOB will engage in acts inimical to the people we are struggling to liberate. We are not terrorists and we cannot suddenly resort to terrorism.

“These agents of darkness behind the senseless and barbaric acts are the ones who don’t want our detained leader, Kanu to be released. Their intension is to create the false impression that his followers are violent, but they are wrong.”

You know your business better than anyone, but when you’re in the weeds, it’s difficult to zoom out and shift perspective.

There is an epidemic of loneliness among leaders, and the forces that fuel it are insidious. Executives spend their careers climbing ladders of success. They achieve results and recognition through hard work, grit, and collaboration. But when they reach the top of the ladder they realize, ironically, they are more alone than ever. Unable to confide in board members or senior executives for fear of losing trust and hesitant to alert direct reports to sensitive challenges, leaders often work through problems in a vacuum. Even the most inclusive leader can feel isolated and stuck.

Well-known executives have written about the loneliness epidemic, from Apple’s Tim Cook to Starbucks’  former CEO Howard Schultz. It is crucial for leaders to combat loneliness without jeopardizing personal and organizational goals. These steps are for leaders who want to change this paradigm:

BUILD YOUR PERSONAL BOARD

Identify people outside your organization in whom you can honestly and confidentially confide. These individuals become thought partners and sources of out-of-the-box solutions. They are agenda-less sounding boards to help refine ideas and identify landmines or unforeseen consequences. Here’s where you can start your search:

Hire a career coach: It’s a great investment. Find someone who believes in you but will challenge you and identify paths you have not explored.

Reach out to peers with similar roles outside your immediate field: Comb through your network and third-party resources and reach out to schedule informal meetings. Check your ego at the door and start these valuable conversations. And don’t just ask for advice! Offer your engagement—you may be surprised by an overwhelmingly positive response.

Open up to trusted friends for recommendations: Friends who know you well may know people outside your network who could be strong informal advisors. Find open and daring thinkers from different professional and personal backgrounds and demographics.

Seek out mentors: These might be former professors or managers, speakers who impress you, or professionals who you’ve admired from afar. Reach out directly or get introduced through mutual connections.

In my work advising and coaching CEOs, the “Aha!” moments that are generated from our conversations and the creativity that is sparked through our ongoing dialogue are inspiring. But the work starts with you.

ACKNOWLEDGE PAINS, PROBLEMS, AND CHALLENGES (PPCs)

You know your business better than anyone, but when you’re in the weeds, it’s difficult to zoom out and shift perspective.

Label PPCs: In his 2011 book Creative People Must Be Stopped, David A. Owens proposes six “innovation constraints:” Individual, group, technology, societal, organizational, and industry constraints prove time and again to stymie progress. Identifying which constraints lie at the root of PPCs enables you to focus on problem-solving. Then, you can better aim your resources at achieving resolutions.

Don’t problem-create; problem-solve: Problem-solvers notice the challenges ahead of them and, rather than wringing their hands, set immediately to strategizing. They put a name (see above) to their pain points and work through solutions strategically with thought partners.

Keeping such ideation in rarified air, however, won’t do anything for your business or your stress.

IMPLEMENT CREATIVE SOLUTIONS

When I experience a breakthrough with a senior leader, we immediately shift to action items rooted in the here and now, the who and how.

Focus on your internal team: Can Person(s) A implement a solution to address PPC A? Can Person(s) B compile research to alleviate PPC B? If you need outside support, ask your personal board to connect you with the right experts.

Listen to internal feedback: A leader can always learn—from the newest hire and from the most seasoned expert. Create safe spaces for your team to express their ideas. Be open and receptive to feedback.

Growth is uncomfortable: Trust your instincts and embrace the sticky. You’re going to make mistakes. You’re going to have to change course. Trust that you will figure it out. Know you are supported.

BE OPEN TO VULNERABILITY

I have been tremendously inspired and impacted by the pioneering work of researcher/storyteller Brené Brown. We’re hardwired for connection, Brown explains in her classic book Daring Greatly. “[T]he level to which we protect ourselves from being vulnerable,” she writes, “is a measure of our fear and disconnection.” It all comes down to being vulnerable.

Ignore fear: Fear makes us disengage. It makes us spiral.

Embrace being vulnerable (and a little uncomfortable): Vulnerability is the most trustworthy path to self-actualization as a leader. It’s the process by which you become open to building your personal board, asking for help, and noticing when you need to pivot.

Foster I-You relationships (a.k.a., people are people): Finding ways to create safe spaces with trusted confidantes and advisors isn’t just “nice to have;” it’s a must for successful leaders. In her work, Brown discusses philosopher Martin Buber’s framework of I-it vs. I-you relationships. I-it relationships are transactional; I-you ones are authentic, building trust and connection.

Be a radical people-person: It may sound silly, but we all forget that the people who surround us—especially those who are challenging us—are more than titles and collections of skill sets, demands, and KPIs. It’s hard to view them as allies. But they are. People will help you solve any problem. But you have to build the relationship first.

Leaders have the power to transform the narrow ladder of success into a wide, expansive staircase where others can rise up. There, at the top of the staircase, the possibilities are endless.

Nigerian filmmaker, music video director, movie director, television director and producer, whose works have been aired on MTV Base, BET, Channel O, Soundcity and Netflix, no other person than Kemi Adetiba, has tied the knot with her Ghanaian lover who is a music executive, Oscar Heman-Ackah, Vanguard reports.

It would be recalled that Kemi Adetiba had shared beautiful moments from her surprise marriage proposal, which occurred in Ghana on 28th January 2022.

The King of Boys filmmaker revealed that her lover, Oscar Heman-Ackah popped up the big question, and she wholeheartedly said yes.

While the entire netizens are still wallowing in the just concluded colourful traditional marriage ceremony of actress Rita Dominic and husband Fidelis Nosike, little did they know that couple of hours ago, that Kemi was tying the knot with her long time lover.

A video of Kemi and Oscar’s private ceremony, which surfaced on social media to the delight of many was well received by friends and fans in the entertainment Industry.

Reputedly, both husband and wife only had a few people over in the warm and intimate wedding ceremony.

Kemi was seen holding her man closely as a man of God officiated.

Taking to her Instagram page on Friday to announce the good news, the excited bride shared a picture of herself and Herman-Ackah.

The explosive device that rocked jalingo, Taraba state capital Friday night has left some destruction and human injury on residents close to the site of the blast, according to a Vanguard report.  

When Vanguard visited Nukkai Saturday morning, men of the Nigeria Police anti-bomb squad were seen at the cordoned site of the blast. 

The female attendant of the local beer joint, Tabitha John where the explosive device went off, is now partially deaf. 

Newsmen at the scene wrote out questions for her to read so she could tell her story. 

According to her, “I was about to go pick a rubber to serve someone who requested drink when the blast happened.  

“Immediately I turned my back, I heard the loud sound and it hit my ear.”

An eyewitness, Patience Vankani who passed the bar few seconds  before the explosion said she and her sister escaped by the whiskers.

She said, “it was around 8.02 pm when me and my sister passed this joint. 

“ Immediately we crossed the front of the bar heading our way, the explosive device went off.

A Canadian woman who spent decades impersonating nurses and other professionals by using fake identities was sentenced Friday to seven years in prison for fraud.

Brigitte Cleroux, 50, was arrested in Ottawa last August after her latest deceit was discovered by a colleague seeking to file a complaint against her with a governing body for nurses and an imposter alert popped up.

She pleaded guilty in January to seven offenses including impersonation and assault with a weapon — for administrating medication and injections to 20 patients at a fertility clinic and a dental clinic.

Ontario Court Justice Robert Wadden was quoted by public broadcaster CBC as saying her fraud struck “at the core of the trust our society puts in our health-care system.”

Minus credit for time spent in detention awaiting trial, Cleroux must serve five years and eight months in a federal penitentiary, her lawyer told AFP.

Cleroux had reportedly committed similar frauds throughout her adult life, using forged resumes and fake identity cards with dozens of aliases and accumulating a long criminal record.

When found out, she would sometimes disappear before she could be held accountable. Cleroux still faces prosecution on separate charges of having posed as a nurse at a British Columbia hospital for a year.

Several patients have also launched a lawsuit against the British Columbia health authority for failing to verify her nursing credentials when employing her.

Suspected gunmen have allegedly kidnapped 10 persons, suspected to be herders in Anambra State, with a demand for N4 million and an AK-47 riffle as ransom, according to a Daily Post report.

The incident happened at Obene community in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State at early hours of Saturday.

South East Chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Alhaji Gidado Siddiki, who alerted journalists about the incident, said those kidnapped were his members.

Siddiki said the incident took place at Fulani settlement at exactly 1.30am on Saturday, while the herders and their cattle were asleep.

“The cattle herders were attacked at their settlement while asleep, and their herds numbering about 300 forcefully taken away by the gunmen numbering about 40.

“The men invaded the area with sophisticated weapons, including guns cutlasses, sticks and charms.

“The kidnappers have established contact with their victims families, demanding N4million and one gun as ransom.

“As I speak to you now, I have reported the incident to the Police and DSS for prompt action,” he said.

He appealed to the kidnappers to release his members and their cows, stressing that those kidnapped were mere herders, who were struggling to eke out a living.

Meanwhile, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ikenga Tochukwu, confirmed the incident

He urged the leadership of Miyetti Allah in the state to come up with more information that would enable the Police to commence aggressive investigation into the matter.

He said: “Yes, we are aware of the incident, but we want the Miyetti Allah leadership to supply us with more information, since the Kidnappers have established ransom contact with the victims families.”

He assured them that the state commissioner of police, CP Echeng Echeng and other security agencies in the state would do everything possible to rescue the victims from their abductors.

No fewer than 100 people died on Friday night after an illegal refinery exploded at Abaezi forest in the Ohaji-Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State, the Punch has reported.

Six vehicles were also razed during the incident which had thrown the community into panic.

At the scene of the incident on Saturday, a large number of people visited the place to have a glimpse of the unfortunate development.

At least 50 bodies burnt beyond recognition were counted at the scene of the explosion.

The state Commissioner for Petroleum Resources, Goodluck Opiah, who is an indigene of Egbema, at the scene said that the state government had declared the owner of the illegal refinery, Okenze Onyenwoke, wanted.

He advised the suspect whom he said was on the run to turn himself in at the nearest police station.

The commissioner said, “This is a sad development. The Imo State Government has declared wanted, Okenze Onyenwoke, who owns this illegal refinery. I advise him to hand himself over to the police or any security agency.

“This is wickedness. This is economic sabotage. It is also destroying our youths. I, therefore, call on the youths to go away from this kind of illegal business. There are so many legitimate businesses one could do to make genuine money.”

An indigene of the community who identified himself simply as Ejike said, “Nobody survived the incident. Those who were rescued yesterday have all died this morning. The casualty figure is over 100. This is sad. People are rushing to look for their relations but the unfortunate thing is that the victims were burnt beyond recognition.”