Less than 24 hours after the kidnap of Muiba, wife to Osun State House of Assembly Speaker, Hon. Najeem Salaam, her abductors have demanded N200m ransom for her release.

According to an inside source, the kidnappers phoned the Speaker on Wednesday to make the demand. They were said to have told Hon. Salaam to call them back between 11am and 12 noon on Wednesday, assuring him that his wife was in safe hands.

It was further learnt that the hoodlums assured him that his wife would be released to him unhurt as soon as the money is paid. The Speaker however refused to comment on the matter.

Meanwhile, investigation has revealed that the six-man gang trailed Muiba, who is in her 40s, from her shop in Olota’s compound to the Speaker’s residence in Oke Oyo area.

According to reports, she was driving home in a Honda car with the state House of Assembly number plate when she noticed the suspicious movement behind her car.

She quickly alighted at the front of her house and made a dash into the compound but the gunmen caught up with her and forced her into their waiting car before speeding off.

The state House of Assembly has described the kidnap as “strange, barbaric and criminal”. A statement by the Press Secretary to the Speaker, Mr Goke Butikakuro, said the incident might be aimed at disrupting the peace in the state.

The Action Congress of Nigeria, Osun State chapter, described the development as “an ominous development signalling the gradual but seemingly unstoppable spread of criminality and anarchy across the country”

“Eyewitnesses accounts revealed that policemen were at the scene of the incident. Besides, policemen at the police station confirmed to one of the bereaved parents who visited them that policemen were there."

Mrs Chinwe Biringa, mother of Chiadika, one of the four UNIPORT students who were lynched last Friday for allegedly stealing laptops and BlackBerry phones in Aluu community has said that policemen were present during the killings.

Chinwe who spoke in a telephone interview during a public affairs programme on Channels Television on Wednesday said she was disappointed with the way and manner the policemen looked on and did nothing to stop the gruesome murder of the four boys.

She said, “And the explanation they gave was that they were overwhelmed by the crowd and that they had insufficient bullets in their guns and all that thrash to confront the crowd.

“But those people were only with sticks not with guns. If they really wanted to work they would have worked. If they had done what the Joint Task Force did by firing warning shots into the air when they wanted to collect the corpses, things wouldn’t have gone awry.”

While insisting that the four murdered boys were not robbers, Chinwe said, “We don’t have security in this country. We don’t just have and our children and wards are all over the country. We are only living by God’s grace everyday, because this can happen to anybody any day.

“God knows best because nothing stops Him from doing something extraordinary to save them. But may God judge all those who had a hand in the killings,” she prayed.

Only recently, a story broke about one rookie movie producer, Arsenal Bruno, who got a public embarrassment from an up and coming actress, over failure by the movie producer to fulfil his own side of a sex for movie role promised the actress.

That means this producer actually had sex with the young actress with a promise to give her a role in a movie, but at the end of the day there was no movie and the lady was left devastated.

However, another source has again revealed that the same movie producer, Arsenal Bruno is in another mess with another up coming actress, who this time, was humiliated for not giving in for the sex for movie role gimmicks of the producer.

According to the gist, Bruno gathered top artistes like Annie Macaulay, Tonto Dikeh, Yul Edochie and some budding artistes for a movie shoot in Enugu. He lodged the upcomers at Prince Palace Hotel, Ukporkiti, Enugu, where it was learnt he used as his slaughter house of the naïve and desperate wanabe actresses.

The source revealed that Bruno had a problem with one of the girls who refused to open legs for him. As we were told, Bruno asked this Edo State-based budding actress named Keshi Thomas to sleep with him before she could get a juicy role in the movie. But as a way of rejecting the offer, Keshi was said to have told Bruno that she was menstruating, which fell into the deaf ears of Bruno as he was said to have insisted on sleeping with Keshi even if she was ‘on’.

When the actress didn’t give in to Bruno insistence, the source revealed that Bruno reduced her role in the movie into a minor. He then later told Keshi that she would be responsible for her hotel and feeding bills while on that set. The source further added that Bruno told the hotel manager to throw the actress out of the hotel if she is unable to pay her hotel bills.

When Keshi couldn’t bear the humiliation being meted out on her, she left the movie set after raining curses on the producer.

Sequel to her leaving, the source added most of the acts have left the movie set as Bruno could not pay the bills of those he lodged at the hotel. The source alleged that Bruno later escaped from the movie set and left the director, Bassey Ubong to be detained by the hotel management to clear the bills.

Tonto Dikeh, Yul Edochie and others have since left the movie set.

Unknown gunmen, Tuesday, kidnapped the wife of the Osun State House of Assembly Speaker, Hon.Najeem Salaam. The Daily Post reports that Mrs. Muibat Salaam was snatched on her way home along Union Baptist Road in the Oke-Oyo area of Ejigbo, Osun State, after closing from her shop where she sells bags of food items

According to The Daily Post, former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has declared his intentions to contest the 2015 Presidential elections on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Atiku, who spoke with journalists in Abuja had vowed not to form any alliance with the opposition parties, particularly, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

 In its efforts to cushion the devastating effects of the flooding experienced in parts of the country, the federal government has earmarked the sum of about N22 billion as financial assistance to all the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and as allocations to ministries and parastatals.

This is as President Goodluck Jonathan, who made a nationwide broadcast Tuesday, announced the establishment of a 34-man Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation to be co-chaired by billionaire Aliko Dangote and renowned activist Olisa Agbakoba.

A breakdown of the funds by the president indicate that the 36 states and the FCT will get N13.3 billion while federal government agencies will get N4.3 billion.

The remaining allocations were made to the Ministry of Works, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), ministry of environment, National Commission and the technical committee on flood's impact assessment; which will receive N2.6 billion, N1.1 billion, N350 million, N150 million and N100 million respectively.

So far, since the disaster began a couple of months ago NEMA in conjunction with state governments has spent N1.314 billion to provide mediate relief material to victims just as the Ministry of Works expended N556 million on “the repair of collapsed bridges and the construction of by-passes while the Minster of Environment has spent N95 million on sundry relief measures.”

According to the president the provision of the national flood relief fund to the states and the FCT is in four categories.

Oyo, Kogi, Benue, Plateau, Adamawa, Delta, Bayelsa and Anambra are Category A states.

Category B include: Jigawa, Kano, Bauchi, Kaduna, Niger, Nasarawa, Taraba, Cross River, Edo, Lagos and Imo States.

In Category C are: Kwara, Katsina, Gombe, Ogun, Ondo, Ebonyi, Abia and Rivers; while Category D states include, Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Yobe, Enugu, Ekiti, Osun, Akwa Ibom, Borno and Federal Capital Territory.

The president explained that “all category A states will receive N500 million each, category B states, N400 million each, category C states N300 million each and category D states each, N250 million each.”

Expressing dismay over the “unprecedented flood” that wrecked havoc in many parts of the country, the president commiserated with all the victims reassuring that “the federal government is prepared to do everything possible to mitigate the impact of this natural disaster.”

Stating that the apex government is ready to unfold a medium and long term plan to mitigate such problem in the future once the technical committee he set up completes its assignment, President Jonathan announced the establishment of another committee on flood relief and rehabilitation “to assist the federal government to raise funds to mitigate the pains and ensure the effective post impact of rehabilitation of victims,” within one year.

Members of the committee are:   Alhaji Karami Isiaku Rabiu, Alhaji Mohammed Indimi, Ngo Hannatu Cholum, Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija, Prof. Dora Akunyili, Mr. Tony Elumelu  and Secretary-General Nigerian Red Cross .

Others are: the representatives of  the Christian Association of Nigeria (C.A.N.), the  National Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (N.S.C.I.A.), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) the European Union, the Department for International Development (DFID),  and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The permanent secretaries of the federal Ministries of Environment, Water Resources, Works, Agriculture, Health, Finance, National Planning  and Ecological Funds Office are also on the committee.

Other members include: the Director-General of NEMA, acting Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Chairman, Senate Committee on Special Duties and Chairman, House Committee on Environment.

The Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), the National Council of Women’s Societies (NCWS) will have representatives in the committee along with Mr. Tunde Lemo, who will represent the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Ms. Fatima Wali, Mr. Frank Nweke Jnr. and Senator Florence Ita-Giwa are also in the committee, which secretariat will be provided by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

“The Committee,” according to the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, in a statement: “has been given the mandate to raise funds to complement government’s resources for the provision of relief to flood victims across the country and the post-impact rehabilitation of affected persons and communities.”

“The Committee which is also expected to advise government on the judicious utilization of funds raised, has been authorized by President Jonathan to co-opt any other persons or organizations that it may find useful in carrying out its assignment.”

President Jonathan concluded his broadcast by expressing gratitude to “governments, members of the National Assembly, private individuals, agencies of government, private sector institutions, NGOs, faith based organizations, and philanthropic groups who individually and collectively have risen to the aid of persons communities affected by the floods.”

He said: the “humanitarian and compassionate spirit that has been on display in the past few weeks, reassures us that at critical moments, Nigerians are able to come together in pursuit of a common purpose,” emphasizing that his “administration remains fully committed to the welfare and well being of all Nigerians at all times. May God bless the Federal Republic of  Nigeria."

 The Kano State Police Command has confirmed that eight suspects have been arrested in connection with the killing Tuesday of two policemen, while three AK 47 machine guns were also recovered from the uncompleted building where the suspects were apprehended.

The state police commissioner, Mr. Ibrahim Idris told THISDAY on phone Tuesday night that “the area cordoned off by the security operatives succeeded in arresting the eight suspects."

He said items recovered were three AK -47 guns, with two of the machine guns belonging to the policemen killed by the suspects.

The third weapon is believed to have been used by the gunmen in carrying out their attack on the security operatives.

He said the suspects were arrested at an uncompleted building at Kofar Dawanau quarters of Kano, adding that the innocent ones among them would be released after questioning.

Idris emphasised that the role of police to ensure protection of lives and properties which is the top priority of the security agents in the state.

He also appealed to the people to always cooperate with security operatives in the state.

“The cooperation of members of the public assisted in the arrest of the suspects," the commissioner disclosed.

The commissioner also urged members of the public to report any suspicious movement to law enforcement agents for prompt attention.

 Nigeria finally gave up Monday  on its quest to reclaim the oil-rich Bakassi Peninsula, which it ceded to Cameroun in 2008 following the judgment of the International Court of Justice(ICJ).

The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN), said in a statement last night that seeking a review of the judgment, as being clamoured for by some Nigerians and the National Assembly, was not in the nation’s interest.

President Goodluck Jonathan is scheduled to address the nation this morning on the matter, apparently to calm frayed nerves over the tension Nigeria’s refusal to push through the case could cause, especially among Bakassi people.

However, the Bakassi indigenes said irrespective of whether Nigeria succeeded in reclaiming the peninsula or not, the Federal Government should give priority attention to resettling them and paying compensation.

Adoke, in the statement, said: “The Federal Government is of the informed view that with less than two days to the period when the revision will be statute barred (9th October, 2012), it would be impossible for Nigeria to satisfy the requirements of Articles 61(1) -(5) of the ICJ Statute. Government has therefore decided that it will not be in the national interest to apply for revision of the 2002 ICJ judgment in respect of the land and maritime boundary between Cameroun and Nigeria.

“Government is however concerned about the plight of Nigerians living in the Bakassi Peninsula and the allegations of human rights abuses being perpetrated against Nigerians in the peninsula and is determined to engage Cameroun within the framework of the existing implementation mechanisms agreed to by Nigeria and Cameroun in order to protect the rights and livelihoods of Nigerians living in the peninsula.

“Nigeria will also not relent in seeking appropriate remedies provided by international law such as the invocation of the compulsory jurisdiction of the ICJ; petitioning the United Nations Human Rights Council and good offices of the United Nations Secretary General which has played pivotal role in ensuring the peaceful demarcation and delimitation of the boundary between the two countries and other confidence building measures and calls on the United Nations to continue to provide assistance to the affected populations.

“The Federal Government wishes to assure all Nigerians, especially the people living in the Bakassi Peninsula of its determination to explore all avenues necessary to protect their interests including but not limited to negotiations aimed at buying back the territory, if feasible, the convening of bilateral meeting of the Heads of State and Government to ensure protection and development of the affected population.”

According to the minister, the eight-member presidential panel set up last Thursday to advise government on the Bakassi reclaim exercise, examined the case against the requirements of Article 61 of the ICJ Statute and observed from the oral presentations made to it by supporters of the review of the ICJ judgment that such presentations would not meet the strict requirements of Article 61.

“This is because their presentation was unable to show that Nigeria has discovered a decisive fact that was unknown to her before the ICJ judgment, which is capable of swaying the court to decide in its favour. This is more so as most of the issues canvassed for in support of the case for a revision of the ICJ judgment had been canvassed for and pronounced upon by the ICJ in its 2002 judgment.

“The Federal Government also retained a firm of international legal practitioners to advise on the merits and demerits of the case for revision.  The firm after considering all the materials that were placed at its disposal against the requirements of Article 61 of the ICJ Statute came to the reasoned conclusion that ‘an application for a review is virtually bound to fail’ and that ‘a failed application will be diplomatically damaging to Nigeria’.”

The minister urged well-meaning Nigerians in the Bakassi Peninsula to be law abiding and to allow the various initiatives being undertaken by the Federal Government to bear fruitful results.
Bakassi people, at a news conference in Calabar by the Leader of the Bakassi People’s General Assembly, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, said Nigeria had enough time to file the appeal before now but decided to play politics with the issue.

According to her, the current hurried effort may not achieve the desired result given that the government is acting under pressure.
She said if the government had filed for a review of the judgment before the final handover of Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroun on August 14, 2008 and argued the case with all the fresh facts at its disposal, the peninsula would still be a Nigerian territory.

“Many well-meaning Nigerians, organisations and groups have severally advocated the revisit of the ICJ judgment. Quite recently, the National Assembly had even passed a resolution asking for a revisit of the judgment. We equally remember that two members of the National Assembly representing Cross River State, namely Hon Essien Ayi and Senator Bassey Otu, had at different times moved relevant motions on the floor of the National Assembly sometimes in 2006 on the matter. As we speak, all these efforts seem to be in futility,” she stated.

The former presidential adviser on National Assembly Matters said the Bakassi people had been turned into internally displaced people in their country for the past six years, with no place to call theirs.

Since last week when the president met with a cross-section of the stakeholders on the matter and subsequently empanelled a presidential committee to guide government on how to go about the task, nothing much has been achieved so far.

The committee had been riven by internal squabble, as some members believed that Nigeria has no strong case to pursue, while others argued that the nation would lose nothing by trying.

Also Monday, a statement from presidential spokesman, Dr Reuben Abati, said Jonathan would brief the nation today. It was, however, silent on the subject matter.

The House of Representatives is also expected to take a final position on the issue today.

A member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Hon. Nkoyo Toyo, said that all hope was not lost on Bakassi.

Toyo, who represents Calabar/Odukpani Federal Constituency of Cross River State, said Nigeria could still pursue the recovery of Bakassi Peninsula through other avenues.

“The ICJ judgment is just one case, Nigeria can pursue the matter in many other ways.

“Nigeria could return to the ICJ on the basis of the case of Southern Cameroun, which was an English territory administered from Nigeria,” she said.


Bakassi Timeline
1966: The late Gen J.T Aguiyi Ironsi upheld international agreements that included the ownership of Bakassi Peninsula by Cameroun

1967: The Gen Yakubu Gowon regime also upheld the same international agreements

1970: Efforts to redraw the map of Nigeria after the civil war to contain the Bakassi Peninsula began

March 29, 1994: Cameroun filed suit at the International Court of Justice, The Hague on the ownership of Bakassi

September 3, 2002: Chief R. Oluwole Coker, a Nigerian surveyor who along with Mr. Ngo of Cameroun, decided the off shore line in 1971, died

October 10, 2002: The International Court of Justice, delivered judgment transferring Bakassi to Cameroun.

November 15, 2002: UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, set up a commission to oversee the peaceful implementation of the ICJ ruling.

July 9, 2006: Bakassi people threatened to secede if Nigeria failed to uphold its sovereignty over the peninsula

Nov 22, 2007: The Senate rejected the transfer of the peninsula  to Cameroun

August 14, 2008: Nigeria handed over Bakassi Penisula to  Cameroun

July 23, 2012: Tension began to build up at the peninsula  as Cameroun deployed troops and arms in the area.

July 30, 2012: Bakassi people stepped up campaign for a review of the ICJ judgment

September 20, 2012: Pressure to apply for a review of the judgment intensified with many prominent Nigerians joining the fray

September 26, 2012: Senate passed a motion for Nigeria to seek a review of the ICJ judgment

October 3, 2012: FG set up panel to advise it on whether to appeal the judgment or not

October 8, 2012: Nigeria finally gave up Bakassi.

The Federal Government is to spend not less than $1.6 billion for the turnaround maintenance (TAM) of its three refineries located in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna, Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, said Monday.

Alison-Madueke, who appeared before the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources Downstream Sector in Abuja, told the members that it is only after the TAM that the three refineries could operate at full capacity utilisation. The TAM, which is expected to begin in January 2013, is scheduled for completion in October 2014.

THISDAY checks revealed that while the Port Harcourt refinery has not been in operation, both the Warri and Kaduna refineries as at July, have been operating at about 25 per cent capacity utilisation.

The minister, while fielding questions from the committee Chairman, Senator Magnus Abe, on the lingering fuel scarcity and distortion in the official prices of the products, explained that for strategic reasons, the timetable for the maintenance had to be revised.

However, as part of efforts to address the fuel scarcity, the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) has issued permits to 39 Oil Marketing and Trading (OM&T) companies for importation of petrol for the fourth quarter.
Alison-Madueke added that under the new timetable for the maintenance of the refineries, work would commence in January 2013, first with the Port Harcourt refinery, which has not undergone any major repair since 2000, followed by the repair of the Warri and Kaduna refineries respectively.

According to her, over 75 per cent of the parts needed for the TAM on the Port Harcourt refinery has arrived the country, adding that $32 million had been paid to the original builder of the refinery as part of the efforts to revive it.

However, she pointed out that the total amount that would be expended on the Port Harcourt refinery is $147 million, while the modernisation of the refinery alone would cost the government $406 million.

Alison-Madueke attributed the constant shortage of petroleum products across the country to the wilful vandalism of oil pipelines by illegal bunkerers.

She called on stakeholders such as state governments and security agents to help in the fight against pipeline vandalisation.

On the distortion in the pump price of petrol in the wake of the current fuel scarcity, she said the resort to trucks to transport petroleum products from PPPMC depots has not helped the situation.
On the immediate solution to the intermittent shortage of the products across the country, the minister said that government was collaborating with security agents to check pipeline vandalism.

Earlier, Abe had told the minister that the committee had travelled round the country and found that in many places visited, petrol and kerosene were sold far above the official prices of N97 per litre and N50 per litre respectively.
He expressed worry about the state of the three refineries, adding that there is an urgent need to transform them to modern refineries using the latest technology in the sector to enhance their efficiency.

He also criticised the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) discriminatory attitude towards independent oil marketers.
He said: “I want to let you know that independent marketers are going through hell in their attempts to load fuel at the depots even though there is evidence that they have paid for these products.

“You are the head of that ministry and it is your duty to supervise the agencies and put proper checks in place so that there will be sanity.” 
Towards checking the lingering fuel scarcity, the PPPRA has given permits to 39 oil marketers to import petrol between September and December.

Sources confirmed Monday that the beneficiaries were contacted last Friday to pick up their allocation documents.

The PPPRA, it was also learnt, is to retain the same level of imports as in the third quarter, estimated at 3.12 million metric tonnes, an equivalent of 4.2 billion litres of petrol.

The companies that got approval for the third quarter import included: NNPC, Acorn Petroleum Ltd, Aiteo Energy, Ascon Oil, Avidor Oil and Gas, A-Z Petroleum, Bovas, Capital Oil and Ind. Ltd, Conoil Plc, Dee Jones Petroleum and Gas, Eterna Plc and Folawiyo Energy Ltd.
Others are: Oando Plc, Obat Petroleum. Ltd, Ontario Oil & Gas Ltd, Sahara Energy Ltd, Rain Oil Ltd, Rahamaniyya Oil Gas, Shorelink Oil Ltd, Spog Petrochemicals Ltd, Swift Oil Ltd, Techno Oil Ltd and Total Nig Plc.

Other beneficiaries are Forte Oil Plc, Fresh Synergy Ltd, Heyden Petroleum, Honeywell Oil & Gas Ltd, Ibafon Oil Ltd, Integrated Oil & Gas Ltd, IPMAN Refining and Marketing Ltd, LUBCON Oil & Gas, Master Energy Ltd, Matrix Energy Ltd, Mobil Oil Plc, MRS Oil & Gas Ltd, MRS Oil Nig. Plc, NIPCO Plc and Northwest Petroleum & Gas Ltd.

The agency had reduced the number of companies that participated in the fuel importation to 39 in the third quarter, from the 42 in the first and second quarters of the year, to check corruption that has characterised the fuel import scheme.

In the first quarter, the 42 oil depot and facility owners were issued permit to import a total of 3.755 million metric tonnes of petrol or 5.036 billion litres.

However, the volume was slashed to 3.575 million metric tonnes or equivalent of 4.794 billion litres in the second quarter, reflecting a drop of 180,000 metric tonnes or 241.38 million litres.

Despite a pat on its back by the Senate Committee on Gas for  implementing key gas infrastructure projects across the country, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Monday disclosed that most of its gas infrastructure projects are been delayed by lack of fund.

According to a statement from the Corporation in Abuja, the Group Managing Director of NNPC,  Mr. Andrew Yakubu told the Senate  Committee who were on an oversight visit to the corporation that less than 50 percent of it’s budget for proposed gas infrastructure projects in  the 2012 final year was approved by the National Assembly.

Yakubu said in the statement that was signed by the corporation’s acting General Manager Public Affairs, Mr. Fidel Pepple, that it made a budget request of $1.05 billion in 2012 to facilitate the construction of some gas infrastructure but got a final  appropriation of $490 million from the National Assembly which is less than 50 per cent of the requested funding.

He noted that despite the paucity of fund, the corporation was able to implement nine key gas infrastructure projects within the period, adding that eight of such projects have been stalled by lack  of fund.

The GMD stated that within the appropriation period, gas infrastructure focus was  prioritised around critical pipeline expansions and additions to serve stranded power plants especially along the Escravos Lagos Pipelines (ELPS).


He also explained that creative strategy to accelerate such outstanding projects through a Public Private Partnership arrangement is being developed to augment envisaged funding from the Federal Government.

“Very significant progress was made with these projects leading to gas deliverability improvement to Geregu, Olorunshogo, Omotosho and Sapele power plants.
In total, an addition of about 250mmscf/d of gas has been enabled towards improved power generation over the period as a result of infrastructure development.

Due to funding shortfall, an additional eight projects remain unfunded. These will be the focus for 2013 budget,” Yakubu stated.

Accordingly, Chairman of the Committee who led the delegation, Senator Nkechi Nwaogu expressed satisfaction with the contributions of the Corporation in ensuring adequate gas supply to power plants as well as to industries.

Nwaogu said: “On the whole and in general I think the 2012 budget of the NNPC has been reasonably complied with and implemented. We saw the documentation.

What I saw today and what we saw as a Committee, we are encouraged, we are impressed and we are delighted. What we need to do is to consistently follow-up to ensure that they do not start on a good note and derail partway, that is the function of the National Assembly oversight activities.”

 There has hardly been pretence about the flamboyant lifestyle of Chief Rochas Okorocha, the governor of Imo State.  His flashy way of living predates his governorship status. But as a public figure, many had thought the demands of office would temper his showmanship’s propensity.

He proved those who thought along that line wrong Monday when he chose to celebrate his 50th birthday amid pomp and ceremony. It was double celebrations for him as the occasion also marked the 10th anniversary of Rochas Foundation.

In his honour, the state government ordered all markets and schools in the state shut. Civil servants, including teachers, with their students in tow, were directed to proceed to Heroes Square, Owerri, venue of the grand finale of the activities marking the birthday of the governor. It was a directive everybody obeyed peremptorily.

The celebration of the birthday, which actually ought to have taken place on September 28, was shifted to October 8 to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the Foundation of his schools. But between then and yesterday, there have been several activities lined up, all in celebration of the golden jubilee of the governor.

Over the weekend, the publicity blitz of the ceremony hit the public dais, as most national newspapers celebrated the advertorials of the governor from his retinue of appointees — commissioners, special advisers, special assistants —  as well as friends, associates and contractors to the state government.

It was gathered that the governor’s appointees were under strict instruction to take up advert spaces in the media to show solidarity with their boss. It was not certain how the funds for the adverts were sourced. Prime time was also bought on national television to celebrate the governor.

But at the Heroes Square yesterday, the pomp associated with the ceremony reached its peak as it turned out a mini parade of the power barons of the country. Leading the pack was former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, who in company with the governor, rode into the square with some streak of a triumphant entry, as the mass of the people who had gathered at the square since 8am rose in loud ovation on sighting their governor and his array of important guests.

Other dignitaries include Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, Mr. Morgan Tsvangirai, governors of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi; Rivers, Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi; Delta, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan; Kastina, Alhaji Shehu Shema, and Bauchi, Mallam Isa Yuguda.

In his remarks, Tsvangirai charged African leaders to look inwards by delivering those promises they made during their electioneering campaign, adding that the electorate expected more from them. He commended Okorocha for his milestone in ensuring that his people benefit from the democracy dividends abound in the country.

In his own speech, the former Head of State, Babangida extolled the virtues of Okorocha for his achievements in education, philanthropy and governance. He called other leaders to assist the special citizens by providing for them at all times.

Okorocha reinstated his vow to put Imo in the map of the fastest developing states by executing only people-oriented programmes. He also promised to complete several on-going infrastructural projects in the state before the expiration of his tenure so as to transform the state.

But some concerned Imo citizens who were critical of the flamboyant ceremony, described it as “wild and outlandish”. They expressed dissatisfaction over the exaggerated attention the celebration was given, especially given the huge financial cost of the ceremonies, whereas civil servants have not been paid their September salary.

Former presidential candidate of the Peoples Mandate Party (PMP), Dr. Batos Nwadike, a citizen of the state, told THISDAY that it was not right for a sitting governor to celebrate his birthday in an elaborate manner.

He expressed worry over the loss of man-hours in the state, arguing that such extreme celebration at public expense could not happen in a productive economy.

“This is no reason for a sitting governor to celebrate his birthday. If he must do that, it would not be an elaborate affair, because the governor is still working and not done with the projects in the state. Why should he celebrate when roads are bad, schools are dilapidated, hospitals are mere clinics? People are hungry; civil servants have not received their September salary. So it shows lack of vision, especially when the event is made to be a state affair by closing roads, markets, schools without any feeling for the common man,” he said.

Others who commented on the elaborate ceremonies, but who would not want their names mentioned, lamented that the governor overstretched his personal celebration and sacrificed the overall interest of the state.

The ceremony which attracted dignitaries from the Northern part of the country and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) chieftains in the South-east, also had in attendance students from Rochas Foundation Colleges in Ibadan, Jos, Kano, Owerri and Okpoko, the governor’s home town.
The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Chinedu Offor, could not be reached for comments.

 Suspected gunmen in Kano ambushed and killed two policemen on Tuesday, while a woman was critically injured by a stray bullet during the attack.

The policemen were on Polio Immunization assignment when they were ambushed by unknown gunmen at Kofar Dawanau quarters in Dala Local Government Area of Kano metropolis.

State Police Commissioner, Mr. Ibrahim Idris told reporters on Tuesday that the officers were attached to the Immunization Task Force and were on that assignment when they received a distress call.

Idris said: “It was in response to the distress call that they were ambushed by their attackers who shot and killed the two police men instantly while a woman also identified as a member of the immunization team sustained gunshot injury and is currently on admission for medical treatment.”

According to him, a combined team of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) were mobilised and cordoned off the area with a view to making arrests, adding that the gunmen fled after the attack.

The Police Commissioner, who said that investigations are continuing, appealed to the general public to report any suspicious person in their community, assuring that confidentiality of the source would not be compromised.

Our correspondent in Kano also observed that security check points have been intensified, with the posts being manned by both soldiers and policemen.

It was also observed that Armoured Personnel Carriers have also been deployed to sensitive areas, including higher institutions within and outside the city to ensure total security of lives and properties.

 The Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Tuesday  confirmed  that the apex has recovered a total of N620 billion from commercial banks as part of the loan given them for recapitalisation.

He said the stability and confidence achieved in the sector stemmed largely from these monies that CBN gave as loans to commercial banks.

He however, did not disclose the total amou nt that was released since 2009.
The CBN Governor who was represented by his Deputy in Charge of Financial System Stability Directorate, Mr. Kingsley Moghalu, made the disclosure in an interactive forum between the members of the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Matters headed by Senator Bassey Otu.

Sanusi bemoaned the rapid lack of growth in the real sector of the economy, pointing out that there was need for structural reform in the system.
He said: “Nigeria economy is not productive adding that there is need for structural reform of the nation’s economy.

Commenting on the structural defects in the economy, he said the problem with the nation’s economy is because the whole economy is geared toward importations of goods, adding: “Nigeria economy is not productive, the whole economy is geared toward importations and until there is structural reform in the nation’s economy there will still be problem with the nation’s economy.”

According to him, introduction of structural reform will lead to an improvement in the economy of the country.
He said:  “That with the structure put in place by CBN the nation’s banks are viable.”

He explained that CBN has put in place consumers protection department in order to address the problem associated with unnecessary banks charges. The Governor pleaded to the National Assembly to expeditiously pass the National Ombudsman Bill into law in order to ensure banking stability.

In a remark, Senator Otu, said that the National Assembly is concerned about the financial stability of the economy, adding that it would do everything possible through proper legislation to bring about the desired growth in the economy especially in stimulating the real sector.
Otu said: “We would do anything that would lead to moving our country’s economy forward.”

 On a day President Goodluck Jonathan announced a multilateral approach to tackle floods that have ravaged many states of the federation, a large body of water cut off his home state of Bayelsa from the rest of the country.

As part of the efforts to tackle the crisis, the president announced the constitution of a 34-member committee, whose membership includes President, Dangote Industries Limited, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, and Chairman, Globacom Nigeria Limited, Dr.  Mike Adenuga (Jnr.), to raise funds to support government’s efforts in providing urgent relief for flood victims.

The flooding in Bayelsa has forced the Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson, to order the indefinite closure of all public and private schools in the state as the flood submerged Yenagoa, the state capital.

Jonathan, in a nationwide broadcast, announced the Federal Government’s immediate provision of N17.6 billion to states and some federal agencies to enable them cope with the emergency.

Shortly after the broadcast yesterday morning, the president also announced the constitution of the 34-member National Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation to mobilise funds that would be used to bring succour to the flood victims in the affected states.

The committee will be jointly chaired by Dangote and former President, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Olisa Agbakoba, while Adenuga is designated as the chief fund mobiliser.

Other members of the committee are Alhaji Karami Isiaku Rabiu, Alhaji Mohammed Indimi, Ngo Hannatu Cholum, Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija, former Minister of Information, Prof. Dora Akunyili, and former Managing Director, United Bank for Africa Plc, Mr. Tony Elumelu.

Others include Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Tunde Lemo, who is representing the bank, Ms. Fatima Wali, former Minister of Information Frank Nweke (Jnr.) and a former presidential adviser, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa.

The president lamented the effects of the floods, which he said had rendered tens of thousand Nigerians homeless, and destroyed property, farmlands and infrastructure.

He said in a bid to tackle the problem, his administration had set up a Presidential Technical Committee to visit all affected areas to properly assess the impact of the floods and suggest how the Federal Government could help the states.

According to the President, before the current intervention, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) had spent N1.314 billion, the Ministry of Works spent N556 million on the repair of collapsed bridges and the construction of bye-passes, while the Ministry of Environment spent N95 million on relief measures.

He said: “In addition to this, the Federal Government has decided on a number of measures to further ameliorate the situation. These include the immediate provision of a total of N17.6 billion in direct financial assistance to the affected states and some Federal Government agencies responsible for disaster management. The states will receive a total of N13.3 billion, while the federal agencies will receive N4.3 billion.

“Based on the present assessment, the states have been categorised into four groups: A to D. All Category A states will receive N500 million each; Category B states, N400 million each; Category C states, N300 million each; and Category D states, N250 million each.”

Jonathan named Category A states as Oyo, Kogi, Benue, Plateau, Adamawa, Delta, Bayelsa and Anambra.

Category B states are Jigawa, Kano, Bauchi, Kaduna, Niger, Nasarawa, Taraba, Cross-River, Edo, Lagos and Imo.   
While Category C states are Kwara, Katsina, Gombe, Ogun, Ondo, Ebonyi, Abia and Rivers.

Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Yobe, Enugu, Ekiti, Osun, Akwa-Ibom, Borno and FCT are under Category D states.

The shares of federal agencies from the distribution of the special intervention fund, are as follows: Ministry of Works, N2.6 billion; National Emergency Management Agency,  N1.1 billion; Ministry of Environment, N350 million; National Commission for Refugees, N150 million; and Technical Committee on Floods Impact Assessment, N100 million.

A statement after the broadcast by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, said the fund raising committee would assist to mobilise resources for the provision of relief materials to flood victims nationwide and for the post-impact rehabilitation of the affected persons and communities.

However, the president’s home state could no longer be accessed by road, as the only highway leading to the state, the East-West Road was yesterday cut off at two points, Umeh in Delta State and Okobe in Rivers State.

The worsening flood crisis has prompted Dickson to order the immediate and indefinite closure of all schools in the state.

He also sought the approval of the state House of Assembly to withdraw N1.5 billion from the N27 billion Compulsory Savings Account of the state to tackle the emergencies.

Dickson, in a statement by his media aide, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said the decision to close the schools was taken to save lives due to the flooding occasioned by the alarming rise in the water levels across the state.

Meanwhile, the Kogi State Government has expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for assisting flood-ravaged states, describing the announcement of the N17.5 billion support fund as timely.

 You have heard of acute accommodation shortage among the living in many Nigerian towns and cities. But in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, even the dead are now facing worse space congestion as the few places meant for them — the mortuaries and graves — are spilling over.

Tuesday, dozens of persons killed in the reprisal launched by the military were merely dumped in front of a hospital in Maiduguri.

Men of the Joint Task Force (JTF) were believed to have opened fire, killed more than 30 civilians, and torched many houses after a bomb planted by Boko Haram members exploded and killed an army lieutenant.

But the JTF spokesman, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa, in a statement,  denied the allegation.

He advised those he called sympathisers of Boko Haram to be "wary of rumours by the terrorists and their sympathisers in furtherance of their evil activities."

But Musa denied that soldiers killed civilians and attributed the resulting fires on buildings, to the single bomb that targeted soldiers earlier that morning. He did not explain how the dozens of civilians were shot dead.

“On Monday, 8 October 2012 about 0715 hours (7:15am) a Joint Task Force (JTF) patrol vehicle was attacked by Boko Haram terrorists at Gwange area, using roadside remote controlled Improvised Explosive Device (IED).

"The attack led to the death of an officer and two soldiers with others severely injured. The incident occurred within 400 metres radius where a similar IED had earlier exploded killing one soldier and injuring others with multiple fractures and severe burns on October 1, 2012, " he said in the statement.

Musa, while insisting that there was no civilian casualty from the incident, drew the attention of the members of the public to the effects of the IEDs, noting that they contain acid and highly inflammable substances, which lead to blast and thermal effects.

According to him, "It was also discovered that some of the houses and shops in the area had IEDs which went off as a result of the fire triggered by the initial bomb blast."
He, however, appealed to the public to report any strange person or suspicious movement of persons in their area to law enforcement agents, adding that the task force is committed to protecting lives and property of law abiding citizens and would not relent until the terrorists are defeated.

The army said its men did not kill any civilian in Monday's attack even as it claimed that the 100 buildings soldiers were accused of destroying were razed by the improvised explosive devices (IEDs) which were stockpiled.

The hospital, overwhelmed by the scale of the violence and the resultant number of casualties, has stopped admitting more corpses into its mortuary, “as everywhere (inside the mortuary) is over-full now”.  The relations of the victims have been turned back with their corpses.

Maiduguri has been the operational headquarters of the deadly Islamist sect, Boko Haram, which holds the city in the grip of bloody violence. Many persons said the army had in the past engaged in such mindless killing of unarmed persons.

“This is just the latest in a number of incidents in Maiduguri where soldiers have allegedly committed serious abuses, including extrajudicial killings of community members following Boko Harm attacks,” said Eric Guttschuss, who studies Nigeria for Human Rights Watch.

A bombing Monday morning by suspected members of Boko Haram, which killed a lieutenant, sparked the violent retaliation.  The troops opened fire with assault rifles and heavy machine guns mounted on armoured personnel carriers on Gwange area, a busy neighbourhood in Maiduguri, near the local headquarters of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

Over 50 shops and homes were burnt in the Monday attacks with the bodies of civilians lying alongside the streets. The dead carried no weapons, nor any sign they belonged to the sect or posed a threat to the soldiers. Footage aired yesterday afternoon by the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) showed people trying to splash water on their burning homes after the attack, while others fearfully raised their hands above their heads as a government motorcade sped past.

Tuesday, a worker at the Maiduguri General Hospital told the AP that officials collected 32 corpses after the attack.

The hospital turned away other bodies as its mortuary was full, the worker said, with bodies of the dead on the floors for hours. The worker spoke on condition of anonymity, scared about reprisals from the soldiers. The worker said the remaining bodies were taken to the nearby Umaru Shehu Ultra-Modern Hospital.

But whether or not the people were killed by soldiers, a Lagos-based human rights group, Access to Justice (AJ), has called on President Goodluck Jonathan and the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, to fish out those who allegedly engaged in the indiscriminate killing of civilians in Maiduguri.

In a statement by its Executive Director, Joseph Otteh, the group stated that except justice is done, government’s war against terrorism would be “pointless, unprincipled, duplicitous and dishonest.”

“Government should establish clearly and unequivocally that it will not tolerate the killing of innocent Nigerians arbitrarily or summarily.

“If government does not set this example now, more indiscriminate killings will follow in the near future as soldiers and even members of the public will feel that they too are entitled to kill,” it stated.

“The shootings by the soldiers were mindless, irrational, and completely unjustifiable. The soldiers were sent to the streets and communities to protect the lives of residents from terrorists, maintain security and order and give residents the confidence to go from their houses and pursue their daily activities without feeling that their lives would be in danger,”  the statement added

 The Special Fraud Unit (SFU) of the Nigeria Police Tuesday arrested the Managing Director of Capital Oil and Gas, Mr. Ifeanyi Uba, for his alleged involvement in the fuel subsidy fraud, running into N22.4 billion.


The SFU was said to have arrested him in Lagos at about 2.30pm.
Uba was taken to the SFU office in Ikoyi, where he was grilled by a team of detectives.

Police Public Relations Officer for SFU, Ngozi Isintume, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, confirmed Uba’s arrest, adding that the suspect is presumed innocent until investigations are over.

She said: “I cannot really say much for now because he is currently being interrogated by SFU detectives. Ifeanyi Uba was arrested because of his alleged involvement in the fuel subsidy scam.

“We are still investigating the case so I cannot say if he would be released at the end of today (Tuesday).  He was indicted by the presidential committee on fuel subsidy verification.

“Our job is to thoroughly investigate the matter and then prosecute if it comes to that. We don’t want to pre-empt investigation by commenting on everything. As you are aware, investigation is still on.

“But be rest assured that the Commissioner of Police, Tunde Ogunsakin, would in line with his mantra of zero tolerance to corruption see this case to a logical end.

“Remember the law says one is innocent until otherwise proven guilty. That is the line we are towing until investigations are over.”

Uba, alongside other marketers, was indicted by the Presidential Committee on Verification and Reconciliation of Fuel Subsidy Payments, led by Access Bank Plc Managing Director, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede.

The name of his company is on the list of the 25 companies indicted by the committee and recommended for criminal investigation for their alleged involvement in the N62,501,511,789.24 fraudulently obtained through the subsidy scheme.

In addition, Uba and his company are on the list of 113 companies and 419 directors/shareholders that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has barred banks in the country from extending further credit to.
The CBN arrived at this decision because of the reluctance by the debtors to pay back their loans despite the purchase of the debts at an agreed price by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).
His company is said to owe over N48.014 billion to banks.

Good News! Nigerian Professor Becomes VC Of University Of Illinois

Of a truth, some Nigerians are still doing the country proud in foreign lands. Ondo State-born Professor Ilesanmi Adesida has become the first black Vice Chancellor of University of Illinois in the United States of America.

63- year-old Professor Adesina is a naturalized American Physicist of Nigerian descent.

He was the Dean, College of Engineering at the University before the University Board of Trustees selected him to be the next Vice Chancellor for Academics Affairs and Provost, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Professor Adesida assumed his new position since August 2012

Young fast-rising musician, Davido is not happy with his critics. He believes there is some sort of conspiracy by somebody or a group of persons to bring him down at all cost, especially with regards to the assault case against him.

Below is how he reacted to the development:

    "I want to assure all my beloved fans and friends that, I am not wanted by the police and no officer in the Nigerian police gave an order for my arrest. I went to the police some weeks ago to give a statement and cleared my name.

    I did not beat up any taxi driver and the lady that hired the taxi driver and all those that are involved in this matter have made statements to the police and none of them mentioned my name except the taxi driver who claims that a large sum of money was missing in his taxi, in fact the lady in question stated that she was not beaten by anyone and that nobody assaulted the taxi driver.

     This is a case of blackmail, and I have resolved not to succumb to any blackmail for money. And to all those that are involved in this conspiracy to bring me down, I want to remind you that God Almighty himself got me to where I am today in my music career and you will not succeed in your devilish efforts to bring me down."

Could this be love or sheer madness?

Nigeria's leading music producer, Don Jazzy, went online recently to give honour to those due, especially those he said have influenced his career thus far.

After paying his first respect to 2Face, he thanked JJC with a post, "Kudos to JJC for without him, I would still be doing 'tungba' (local) music. [I am] not saying that it (tungba music) is not good. But I found out I was better doing something else."

Giving credits to his former partner, D'Banj, Don Jazzy has this to say, "KUDOS to my bro, D'Banj for without him, my production skills I gathered from JJC might have been a waste. Dude made me Don Jazzy."

He went ahead to honour others like Wande Coal, D'Prince, etc.