Metro Many Dislodged Boko Haram Terrorists Arrested on Their Way to Lagos- Gen

Metro Many Dislodged Boko Haram Terrorists Arrested on Their Way to Lagos- Gen. Isidore
Discussion in 'Metro News' started by Lequte, A moment ago. Views count: 1

Lequte


Nigeria - Many dislodged Boko Haram terrorists have been arrested while fleeing to Lagos, The General Officer Commanding, 81 Division Headquarters, Major General Isidore Edet, yesterday stated.
 He said the terrorists have been arrested, interrogated and sent for profiling by the Nigerian Army in Lagos.
 He spoke on Monday at the decoration of 12 officers to the ranks of lieutenant-colonel, colonel and brigadier-general.
 While seven senior officers were promoted to the rank of brigadier-general, four others were promoted to the rank of colonel and one other person to the rank of lieutenant-colonel.
 "We are in war time. The Nigerian Army is at war; so the leadership in time of war is what is expected of a newly promoted officer especially the one star general," Thisday quoted him as saying.

Wow! U nd ur family deserve a dance of praise for making it dis far my dearest. 👍

Wow! U nd ur family deserve a dance of praise for making it dis far my dearest. 👍
I welcm u nd ur fmly in2 Dec. Ur mnth of praise nd multiple blessings! May God's Joy nd Laughter surround ur life nd home dis mnth nd always In Jesus Name.Amen! 🙏
A happy new month nd a merry Xmas in advance!🌲 Cheers! 💃​​👍😘

Self CPR... Dear All,

Self CPR... Dear All,
Please read this:-
1 Let’s say it’s 7.25pm and you’re going home
 (alone of course) after an unusually hard day on the job.
2 You’re really tired, upset and frustrated.
3 Suddenly you start experiencing severe pain in your chest that starts to drag out into your arm and up in to your jaw. You are only about five km from the hospital nearest your home.
4 Unfortunately you don’t know if you’ll be able to make it that far.
5 You have been trained in CPR, but the guy that taught the course did not tell you how to perform it on yourself.
6 HOW TO SURVIVE A HEART ATTACK WHEN ALONE?
Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack without help, the person whose heart is beating improperly and who begins to feel faint, has only
about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness.
7 However, these victims can help themselves by coughing
repeatedly and very vigorously. A deep breath should be taken before each cough, and the cough must be deep and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest.
A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two
seconds without let-up until help arrives, or until
the heart is felt to be beating normally again.
8 Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing
movements squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating. The squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it regain normal rhythm. In this way, heart attack victims can get to a hospital.
9 Tell as many other people as possible about this. It could save their lives!!
10 A cardiologist says If everyone who gets this mail
kindly sends it to 10 people, you can bet that we’ll save at least one life.
11 Rather than sending jokes, please..contribute by forwarding this mail which can save a person’s life….
12 If this message comes around you ……more than once…..please don’t get irritated……U need to be happy that you have many friends who care about you & being reminded of how to tackle….Heart attacks….AGAIN…
From:
DR. F.A.T Owolabi
(Senior Cardiologist)
Copy and paste...u might save lives

Boko Haram kills soldier, 6 others in fresh Borno attacks

Boko Haram kills soldier, 6 others in fresh Borno attacks
By Agency  /   November 30, 2015 
About seven persons including a soldier, have been killed in both Bam and Gajigana villages of Biu and Magumeri local government areas of Borno State.
While unspecified numbers of teenage girls were abducted in Bam village, scores of people were injured in Gajigana village after insurgents set ablaze shops and houses without confrontation, reports Channelstv.com.
Bam is about 7 kilometres away from Buratai village the home town of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai.
Buratai’s village has suffered series of Boko Haram attacks including the razing down of a mansion owned by the Army General.

Former President Jonathan Escapes Death By Whiskers In Bayelsa

Former President Jonathan Escapes Death By Whiskers In Bayelsa
By Our Reporter  /   November 30, 2015  /   No
Former President Goodluck Jonathan this morning when some suspected militants working for the All Progressives Congress in Bayelsa State drove into his convey.
The men, who intercepted and drove into a short motorcade conveying the former President from the Julius Berger bridge area of the state capital Yenagoa, trailed and chased the motorcade to the entrance of the Yenagoa private residence of the former President in the Kpansia area of the town, before they were overpowered and arrested by a combined team of security operatives attached to the former President.
Members of the arrested gang have been taken to the Bayelsa State Police Command for further investigation and interrogation.
pilot newspapers

student beneficiaries from UK

of student beneficiaries from UK
By Abosede Musari, Abuja on November 30, 2015 10:02 pm
Owei Lakemfa
The Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme has explained why some beneficiaries on formal education have been returning from the UK, stating that this was not as a result of lack of funds as being speculated.
Media and communication consultant, Owei Lakemfa said in a statement on Sunday that the amnesty office had cleared all payments except a few with foreign exchange component. This according to him, has been delayed because of the Tresury Single Account (TSA) policy of government newly introduced.
Lakemfa also explained that the returning students are doing so because they need to renew their visas. “Students who are returning from the United Kingdom are not doing so due to non-payment of fees or allowances, but because their visas are expiring and are affected by the 28-day window policy of that country. It is in the interest of such students to return as the policy provides for a ten-year ban from entering Britain for anyone caught with expired visa”.
He further explained that the students abroad and in the country on the Amnesty Scholarship Programme have received their payments. “However a few students abroad are yet to be paid because the payments, which have Foreign Exchange components, have to pass through the new TSA Policy at the Central Bank”.
“Before now, there was a backlog of payments, due to the three-month absence of a signing authority in the Amnesty Office following the change of Government and the removal of the former Coordinator.
Brig General Paul Boroh (Rtd)
Brig General Paul Boroh (Rtd)
Upon assumption of office in August, 2015, the new Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig General Paul Boroh (Rtd) immediately ensured the clearing of the backlog. However, the introduction of the TSA in September, 2015 which affected all MDAs, has understandably led to a slowdown of payments as the CBN perfects the system”, he explained.
General Boroh, who has personally visited some students under the Amnesty Programme both in the country and abroad, assures affected students that everything possible is being done in concert with the CBN to ensure that they all receive their payments as quickly as possible.
Lakemfa also added that the October, 2015 stipend to those covered under the Amnesty Programme is delayed because the Fourth Quarter Release (October – December 2015) to the Amnesty Office has not been perfected.
 10:02 pm

Dickson is a ‘bush man’, confused and lacks confidence says Sylva

Dickson is a ‘bush man’, confused and lacks confidence says Sylva
By Sam Oluwalana on November 30, 2015 10:19 pm

Sylva
Many people, including your main opponent, questioned your motive to want to be the Governor of Bayelsa State again, after the court has annulled your election in 2012?
 Anybody that asks that question is quite ignorant. I left Bayelsa state government house unwillingly and all Bayelsans knew the circumstances under which I left and since then no other opportunity have presented itself for me to re-contest for that office.
This is the first opportunity that has presented itself since 2012. Actually, the event of 2012 should be fresh in the mind of every well-meaning Bayelsan.
I was disqualified by the power that be from contesting an office I was still occupying at the time. I didn’t forget anything in Bayelsa State Government House, but Bayelsa state government as we are concerned is occupied by a usurper who came and use Federal might.
Today, when they now begin to shout about Federal might, I wonder. Look at Bayelsa state now, look at Yenagoa, do you see any Army check point? Now, take your mind back to 2012, at this time, towards the election in 2012, we had over a hundred check points in Bayelsa state, manned by fierce-looking armed soldiers. Amour Personal Carrier (APC) already blocked the government house, and of course toward this time, army helicopters were already flying over Bayelsa, so what are they talking about? .
 Now, nothing of such is happening and yet they still want to scream because they are scared of their own shadows.
Your party, the APC, dislodged your ‘brother’, Goodluck Jonathan from the presidency; don’t you think this alone might affect your chances at the poll?
 I don’t think this will have any impact on the election at all. Every Ijaw man should be fair to the APC and me. The former President, set the scene for his exit from office by bringing the war to his home. He started the fire and he didn’t start the fire any other place, he started it from his own home.
Look, after I was removed from office, I went to exile and I was arrested by all kinds of people, many times. They never even left me alone after removing me from office, they wanted to kill me, they wanted to jail me, and they wanted to do everything to me. I was visited by a lot of elders from different part of the country, Elders from the West visited me, Elders from the East visited me, Elders from the North visited me and the one question on the lips of all those elders who visited me was, do you not have elders in Bayelsa state who can intervene between yourself and the president?

You said, he called me a ‘guy man’ governor (laughter). Well, I wonder what Dickson mean by being a guy man but I think I am a typical Bayelsan. Dickson is just a disgrace to himself and I don’t know what he means by ‘guy man’. Everybody knows that governor Dickson is a ‘bushman’. He is a ‘bushman’, I am not exaggerating if I call him a ‘bushman’ because that’s who he is, he knows too that he is a bushman and that is why he doesn’t have self-confidence.
Governor Dickson has said severally, that the election is not going to be about him or you but about the people of Ijaws. He has also described your candidacy as anti-Ijaw interest, how do you react to these?
In a way, I will agree with the governor that the election is not about me or about him, but about Bayelsans and about the Ijaw people. I agree with him about that but when you take it further, then you can see the state of mind of the man we are talking about, he is in a confused state of mind obviously. I had said in other fora that none of the parties, neither APC or PDP is an Ijaw party, they are national parties. I was one of those who brought PDP into Bayelsa, he was not even a member of the PDP.
Has he worked for that party? Because as far as I know after contributing to the impeachment of Alamieseigha, he came here and as compensation, he was made a Commissioner. That was how he came to the PDP.
The APC is also a national party. The truly Ijaw party we had was called the NSM, the National Solidarity Movement, formed by the late sage, Chief Melford Okilo. When Chief Okilo realized that the PDP has won the national election, he decided to subsume that party into the PDP because he thought that we couldn’t survive without the center. If you go back in history, the Niger Delta Congress has to merge with the NPC for us to survive and we have always wanted to be at the center of national politics.
Your opponent has also described you and your party as being violent. Is this true?
 You see, they always say that the cat wanted the apple and he jumps to catch the apple and couldn’t get the apple, then he consoled himself by saying ‘rotten apple’ and then he walks away. That is his only compensation because he just couldn’t get it.
Now, let me tell you, even this present out-going governor did everything to join the APC. He himself had tried to join the APC but you know the APC is not for people like him. The APC is not for bullies, Pharaohs and Emperors and so unfortunately we didn’t accept him and now he is saying rotten apple because he couldn’t get in.
Maybe if he had gotten in, he would be saying by now that the APC is the greatest party. If he is honest to himself, of course I know he can never be true to himself but if he is true to himself, he should be truthful to tell Bayelsans that he made attempts to join APC. If he lies about that I will accept because he always lie about everything.
The APC cannot be a violent party, look at the streets today, just a few days, he himself instructed people to go out there and tear down my posters. Everywhere you go my posters are on the ground as if tearing posters means winning elections.
The Governor says you are a ‘guy-man’ and that the people of the state do not need a guy-man. Another issue is that of loans.
 You said he called me a ‘guy man’ governor (laughter). Well, I wonder what Dickson mean by being a guy man but I think I am a typical Bayelsan. Dickson is just a disgrace to himself and I don’t know what he means by ‘guy man’. Everybody knows that governor Dickson is a ‘bushman’. He is a ‘bushman’, I am not exaggerating if I call him a ‘bushman’ because that’s who he is, he knows too that he is a bushman and that is why he doesn’t have self-confidence. That is why he calls me guy man. He is a countryman and I am a guy man.
I inherited N111 billion Naira debts from Jonathan. Now, what we did was servicing those debts. What I did was to take a bond to absolve the debts that I inherited. I took a 50 billion-naira bond because we felt that if we service the loans alone to commercial banks, it would cost us a lot. So we took some of that loan to, absorb it in that bond and then we took some of that money from that bond to pay our contractors on the Brass road project.
If they are truthful they will tell you. I inherited a debt of N111 billion and what Dickson inherited from me was N207 billion contractors’ debt. I am sure that if I take over today, the contractors’ debts would have gone up above N400 billion. I would not go out and announce that Dickson owes so much. That is to somebody that does not understand economics.
The loan stock that I owed commercial banks, (20 billion Naira) which Dickson could have paid off in the first three months because when he came in, was when fuel subsidy was practically removed. There was more money. In fact, in that year we budgeted fifty billion extra because we were expecting more money to the state and Dickson got more than 50billion extra. I keep telling you, the facts are there?
The first year I got into government, I received 89 billion from the federation account. The first time Dickson came, he recovered N191 billion. Secondly, I received 154 billion Naira, Dickson received N216 billion. The 3rd year, I received N106 Billion while Dickson received N156 billion. So what is he talking about? Now, he is taxing the civil servants, which I did not do.
 10:19 pm 0

Fuel scarcity: VP to plead with marketers

Fuel scarcity: VP to plead with marketers
 November 30, 2015 at 9:07 pm in News 

…As Kachikwu meets marketers, tours depots
By Clara Nwachukwu
 Worried by the continued scarcity of petroleum products in the market, Vice President Yemi Osinbanjo, Monday night, intervened with a crucial call to marketers on the best way to end the current fuel crisis, which had engulfed the country in the last couple of months.
The call came as a proposed meeting between the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. IbeKachikwu, suspended a meeting between him and major marketers, scheduled to hold in Lagos Monday.oil-minister
The Minister told Vanguard that the suspension of the meeting was at the instance of the oil majors, saying, “The meeting was pushed forward to a future date because about three out of the five managing directors of the major oil companies were out of town.”
He added that “They requested I give them more time to see how far to regularise products supply in the market, as the scarcity eases.”
Meets with independents today
Kachikwu however disclosed that he is meeting with the independent marketers tomorrow (Tuesday) to discuss what they are doing as well as “touring their depots to see what is happening in them.”
Some marketers, who were supposed to attend the meeting, confided in Vanguard that “We were supposed to meet with the Minister of State for the meeting initially scheduled for 1pm, said the meeting could not hold because it was cancelled late last night (Sunday).
Kachikwu, who also doubles as the Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, was expected to plead with the marketers to resume fuel importation, particularly of premium motor spirit, PMS, or petrol, which is in very high demand in Nigeria, pending the release of the subsidy claims.
In response to a possible Plan B in the event the lawmakers did not approve the supplementary budget as expected, the minister said it means that “the burden will continue to be carried by the NNPC until the majors and other marketers are able to import.”
He expressed the Ministry and NNPC’s commitment to carry the burden of supply of products for the time being, noting that this is what Corporations are set up for tointervene duding emergency situations like this.
“We are moving about 3,000 trucks daily and if the situation persists, what we are doing now, which is Plan A will become Plan B. and we are ready to increase the truck loads until we are able to arrest the situation.
Refineries to be re-streamed mid-December
 Kachikwu also said that there is no succor yet from the nation’s refineries, as 210,000-capacity Port Harcourt Refinery will be re-streamed by mid-December.
According to him, Port Harcourt Refinery will be re-streamed on December 6th. You know that when this happens you have to give the plant some time before it can begin to churn out products. So we are not expecting anything from Port Harcourt Refinery until mid-December.
“Same thing goes for Kaduna Refinery, which is expected to come back about that time if we dispatch with the pipeline issues.
Notwithstanding the state of the refineries, the minister gave the assurance that “We are preparing heavily for the Yuletide Season and we are going to bring in products massively to cater for demand.”
Marketers are sceptical
But marketers are sceptical whether the talks or meetings would yield the expected fruits, since the N413billion approved for subsidy claims had not yet been paid to them.
According to them, “No amount of promise will convince the banks to raise an LC (Letter of credit) if the claims are not paid.”
Against this backdrop, it is also uncertain what the Vice President’s intervention will achieve, since everything is dependent on the National
 Assembly approving the supplementary budget today as expected.
NNPC’s Spokesman, Mr. OhiAlegbe, who told Vanguard that the Corporation was not aware of the majors meeting with the minister, however expressed the hope that “the legislators will do the needful and pass the supplementary budget. This will enable marketers to be paid their subsidy claims for them to resume fuel importation.”
He recalled that the NNPC “Met with Senate Committee on Downstream last Friday, and the Committee Chairman,Senator UcheEkwnunife, promised to lay down everything on the table.”
Fashola, meeting with DISCOs
However, all is still shrouded in secrecy regarding the meeting between the Minister for Power, Mr. BabatundeFashola and the electricity distribution companies, DISCOs on one hand, and subsequent meeting between the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC and the DISCOs on the other hand.
Vanguard had exclusively reported about the meetings, which held yesterday in the minister’s office and the NERC office in Abuja, which focused mainly on the issue of tariff.
Some of the chief executives of the distribution companies who attended the meeting, told Vanguard, “We had a confidential meeting, which we are not supposed to discuss with the public.”
But the NERC Chairman, Dr. Sam Amadi, who spoke with Vanguard on the telephone confirmed that “there was no major or significant outcome from the meeting,” adding that conversations are still ongoing regarding the issues raised until a decision is reached.

Imo Health Crisis: Practitioners call for Okorocha’s impeachment

Imo Health Crisis: Practitioners call for Okorocha’s impeachment
 November 30, 2015 at 9:03 pm in News 

Medical practitioners in Imo State under the aegis of Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of the Nigeria (AGPMPN), have called on the State House of Assembly to immediately begin impeachment proceedings against Governor Rochas Okorocha, noting that the call became necessary, following the shutdown of all public primary, secondary and tertiary health centres in the state by the governor.
Chief Okorocha
Okorocha
The Chairman, AGPMPN Imo State, Dr. Philip Njemanze, who also alleged that Governor Okorocha is threatening to close down all private hospitals in the state, lamented that these actions have had devastating effects on the Imo people.
Njemanze said: “Many people have lost their lives and others severely harmed. There is a total paralysis of all primary healthcare services in all rural areas in Imo State. There is a collapse of all health services in the three major general hospitals and the Specialist Hospital in Owerri.
“This has resulted to rising incidence of diarrhea diseases, tuberculosis, malaria and cholera and total absence of surveillance for the most dangerous diseases like Ebola, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and Yellow fever. The state immunization programs, antenatal and post-natal care have been halted in most rural areas. Neonatal mortality, child mortality and maternal mortality are rising suddenly due to absence of first responders in the health system in Imo State.”
Speaking further, Njemanze called on President Muhammadu Buhari to impose a State of Emergency in Imo State.
According to him, “The grounds for this action is based on violations of public safety of Nigerians in accordance to Section 305 (2)(c) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The poor state of governance in the Imo State and gross unconstitutional actions of Governor Rochas Okorocha have jeopardized public safety, and constitute impeachable offences.”
The medical practitioners, however, called on the Imo State House of Assembly “to immediately begin impeachment proceedings against Governor Rochas Okorocha.”

NUC should explain failure of Universities of Education – Obasanjo

NUC should explain failure of Universities of Education – Obasanjo
By Kehinde Akinyemi, Abeokuta | Publish Date: Nov 30 2015 1:56AM | Updated Date: Nov 30
NUC should explain failure of Universities of Education – Obasanjo
Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, says only the National Universities Commission (NUC) can  explain why the proposed Federal Universities of Education did not materialize during his tenure.
 Obasanjo challenged government at all levels to do more in the area of employment, saying the country must avoid sitting on “a keg of gun powder.”
He said the government at the centre had 12 years ago proposed the upgrading of the Adeyemi College of Education, Ivan Ikoku College of Education and two others in Kano and Zaria into full fledged universities and the council was ready to go before the set back from the NUC.
 Obasanjo who spoke at the 16th & 17th convocation, awards of honourary doctorate degrees and 10th year anniversary of the Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED) Ijagun, Ogun State at the weekend, commended the Ogun State government for taking up the initiative to establish the first University of Education in Nigeria.
 Obasanjo, who was conferred with Doctor of Science Education in Political Science alongside the late Matriarch of Awolowo family dynasty, Yeye HID Awolowo and business mogul, Aliko Dangote, stressed the need for the establishment of universities of education.
“The idea of University of Education in Nigeria came up 12 years ago when I was at the helms of affairs in the country. I had thought that if we have specialized universities for agriculture, specialized universities for Science and Technology, why not  University of Education? Why can we not have a university designated for education?
 Obasanjo said his acceptance of the award, even when he had rejected the one from the BELLS University, was because of the name, Tai Solarin, which the university is named after and Mama Awolowo, whom he described as role models as far as education development is concerned in Nigeria.
 
Read more at http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/general/nuc-should-explain-failure-of-universities-of-education-obasanjo/121891.html#dvxqOOv6iZQFwIsM.99

workers seal-off Jos offices

Protesting ITF workers seal-off Jos offices
By Hir Joseph, Jos | Publish Date: Nov 30 2015 4:28PM | Updated Date: Nov 30 2015 4:49PM
image: httpg
Protesting ITF workers in Jos on Monday

related news
Paraguay official sacked for ‘kicking woman’
Kogi Governorship crisis: Bello dangles carrots before Audu’s camp
Scores of workers at the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), in Jos, Pleatueu state on Monday stationed themselves at the gates of the three offices of the fund and sealed them off in anger against the management which they accused of financial infractions.
The workers, who were led by various unions, also commenced a three-day warning strike to press for the implementation of various demands ranging from welfare matters, to accountability in the management of overhead cost by the Director General, Mrs. Juliet Chukka-Onaeko, who they accused of reducing the fund into “a private business.”
The workers, in their numbers arrived at the three offices of the fund as early as 8:30am, chanting anti-Onaeko slogans before sealing them off.
They protested under the auspices of Senior Staff Association of Communications, Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations and Civil Service, as well as other unions in the ITF.
Although the police reacted promptly and stationed armed officers and men at the gates of the three offices, the surging workers defiled them and went to forcefully seal off the gates, where they stood to raise placards bearing various anti-Anaeko slogans.
Mr. Kayode Alakija, president of the Senior Staff Association of Communications, told newsmen at the headquarters that workers decided on the option to seal off the offices and proceed on a warning strike because they had exhausted all avenues of negotiation with the management
Read more at http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/general/protesting-itf-workers-seal-off-jos-offices/121952.html#u8JR3KFPOC2R61m3.99

An interesting insight.

An interesting insight.
Divide your SALARY by 30 days and see what you
get (i.e. the number of days in a month and see
the funny thing about your salary plan).
For example,
(1) An average level-12 worker in the state
government civil service earns NGN 60,000.
**** And this translates to
NGN 60,000÷30= NGN 2,000 every day. This is
LESS THAN the amount made daily by an
AVERAGE HAWKER in the city.
(2) A freshly EMPLOYED GRADUATE BANKER in
most NIGERIAN BANKS earns an average of
NGN120,000 monthly.
***So everyday, you get NGN120,000÷30=
NGN4,000 as the daily value for your work-life.
by implication, this is LESS THAN d amount
earned DAILY by an AVERAGE DRIVER in d city
and in some villages.....
(3) If you are a FRESH GRADUATE EMPLOYEE in
some oil companies, you earn an average of
NGN300,000 monthly. So in a day your WORK-
VALUE is
NGN300,000 ÷30= NGN10,000
This is LESS THAN the daily amount earned by an
IRRIGATION FARMER supplying vegetables to
Lagos MARKETS, a TIPPER CAR DRIVER supplying
sand for three BLOCK INDUSTRIES and
CONSTRUCTION SITES just 3 times a day and
DRIVERS of DANGOTE TRUCKS who have bought off
the trucks at scrap value and are using them to
convey products between villages and the cities
for just five business owners.
--------->>>HOPE BY NOW, IT IS SINKING IN,
RIGHT?
And when there is an ISSUE in the FAMILY that
requires FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, the DRIVERS,
HAWKERS and the rest are looking up to you
with a WHITE COLLAR JOB.
(4) If you are an NYSC MEMBER, you DON'T need
to be told that:
*****NGN19,800÷30 = NGN 660 is your worth on
a daily basis.
I hope you know that PURE WATER SELLERS who
own a shop, a pepper soup joint and a small
TOYOTA COROLLA car to distribute pure water to
five restaurants earn MORE THAN you & WHEEL-
BARROW PUSHERS working on contract for three
warehouses probably make MORE MONEY than you
EACH DAY ............
We shouldn't end at satisfactions from these
earnings. We should be more proactive, create
room for more income and strive to diversify
our streams of income.
The earlier you wake up and smell the coffee,
the better for you...... I know of someone right
now who will say this is too ideal to be true but
take your time and do this analysis over and
over again, and you will grasp the crux!!!

An interesting insight.

An interesting insight.
Divide your SALARY by 30 days and see what you
get (i.e. the number of days in a month and see
the funny thing about your salary plan).
For example,
(1) An average level-12 worker in the state
government civil service earns NGN 60,000.
**** And this translates to
NGN 60,000÷30= NGN 2,000 every day. This is
LESS THAN the amount made daily by an
AVERAGE HAWKER in the city.
(2) A freshly EMPLOYED GRADUATE BANKER in
most NIGERIAN BANKS earns an average of
NGN120,000 monthly.
***So everyday, you get NGN120,000÷30=
NGN4,000 as the daily value for your work-life.
by implication, this is LESS THAN d amount
earned DAILY by an AVERAGE DRIVER in d city
and in some villages.....
(3) If you are a FRESH GRADUATE EMPLOYEE in
some oil companies, you earn an average of
NGN300,000 monthly. So in a day your WORK-
VALUE is
NGN300,000 ÷30= NGN10,000
This is LESS THAN the daily amount earned by an
IRRIGATION FARMER supplying vegetables to
Lagos MARKETS, a TIPPER CAR DRIVER supplying
sand for three BLOCK INDUSTRIES and
CONSTRUCTION SITES just 3 times a day and
DRIVERS of DANGOTE TRUCKS who have bought off
the trucks at scrap value and are using them to
convey products between villages and the cities
for just five business owners.
--------->>>HOPE BY NOW, IT IS SINKING IN,
RIGHT?
And when there is an ISSUE in the FAMILY that
requires FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, the DRIVERS,
HAWKERS and the rest are looking up to you
with a WHITE COLLAR JOB.
(4) If you are an NYSC MEMBER, you DON'T need
to be told that:
*****NGN19,800÷30 = NGN 660 is your worth on
a daily basis.
I hope you know that PURE WATER SELLERS who
own a shop, a pepper soup joint and a small
TOYOTA COROLLA car to distribute pure water to
five restaurants earn MORE THAN you & WHEEL-
BARROW PUSHERS working on contract for three
warehouses probably make MORE MONEY than you
EACH DAY ............
We shouldn't end at satisfactions from these
earnings. We should be more proactive, create
room for more income and strive to diversify
our streams of income.
The earlier you wake up and smell the coffee,
the better for you...... I know of someone right
now who will say this is too ideal to be true but
take your time and do this analysis over and
over again, and you will grasp the crux!!!

Syria denies using chemical weapons in civil war

Syria denies using chemical weapons in civil war
 November 30, 2015 at 7:39 pm in News 
Syria on Monday denied ever using chemical weapons in its four-year-old civil war, telling a global watchdog it was cooperating fully with the destruction of its toxic stockpile.
Damascus’s rebuttal comes amid growing accusations it is not being transparent with the world’s chemical watchdog and as United Nations efforts are stepped up to track down the perpetrators of deadly chlorine gas attacks in the war-torn country last year.
“We wish here to state categorically that we have never used chlorine or any other toxic chemicals during any incidents or any other operations in the Syrian Arab Republic since the beginning of the crisis and up to this very day,” Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Moqdad told the annual meeting of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
Damascus rejected “the false accusations against Syria with respect to its supposed use of chlorine as a weapon in military operations,” he added, speaking in Arabic through an interpreter.
The accusations “only serve political agendas, which also aim at diverting our successes in eliminating our chemical weapons,” Moqdad said.
But Western countries including the United States and Canada, as well as the European Union, have lambasted Syria, raising doubts about whether President Bashar al-Assad’s regime is truly committed to ridding his country of all chemical arms.
There are “many uncertainties regarding the dismantling of Syria’s chemical weapons programme, notably the gaps and contradictions contained in Syria’s declarations,” EU representative Jacek Bylica told the meeting in The Hague, attended by delegates from the OPCW’s 192 states.
“These uncertainties lead to doubts as to compliance by Syria with its obligations under the Convention,” Bylica said at the opening of the five-day assembly.
Last week the OPCW itself voiced “grave concern” at the continued use of toxic arms in Syria, despite the regime’s ratification of the UN Convention banning chemical weapons.
The OPCW investigations did not directly blame any of the parties in the four-year civil war, aimed at ousting Assad and in which civil groups say more than 250,000 people have been killed.
French ambassador Laurent Pic told delegates some reports indicated the presence of helicopters at the time of chemical attacks.
“We all know what that means: the pursuit of relentless oppression by any means, including the most abominable, by a criminal regime against its own people.”
Accusations have also mounted that extremists with the Islamic State group, which has captured a swathe of territory in both Syria and Iraq, have resorted to such tactics.
The OPCW — which won the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize — confirmed earlier in November with “utmost confidence” that mustard gas was used in Syria in August during fighting between rebels and jihadists, and “likely” killed a child.
OPCW experts also concluded that chlorine gas was likely used in an attack in Idlib province in March.
OPCW director general Ahmet Uzumcu said a joint UN task team, approved by the Security Council in August to probe chlorine attacks in Syrian villages last year, was up and running in New York and in The Hague “with plans to set up in Damascus.”
The panel, which comprises 24 experts, is expected to deliver its first report to the Security Council in February, Uzumcu said.
The watchdog’s top official told Monday’s meeting “significant progress” had been made in destroying Syria’s declared chemical weapons stockpile.
Under a deal hammered out in 2013 between Russia and the United States following a sarin gas attack on the outskirts of Damascus in which hundreds died, the regime joined the UN Convention against chemical weapons and pledged to hand over all such arms to the OPCW for destruction.
Some 1,300 tonnes of chemical weapons were handed over by Syria, including mustard and sarin gas.
The last of the stockpile will be destroyed in the United States by the end of the year, Uzumcu said.
But Canadian ambassador Sabine Nolke said: “More than two years after acceding to this treaty, Syria has failed to demonstrate that it deserves treatment similar to that of any other ordinary member.”

Five ways Russian sanctions can hurt Turkey economy

Five ways Russian sanctions can hurt Turkey economy
 November 30, 2015 at 6:46 pm in News 

Russia’s economic sanctions against Turkey over its downing of a Russian warplane could hurt the Turkish economy in several areas from fruit to tourism, even if the initial impact is likely to be limited. Turkey and Russia have enjoyed burgeoning trade ties in recent years despite disagreements on a number of political issues from Moscow’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine to the more than four-year old civil war in Syria.
But ties hit a low when Turkish jets shot down last week a Russian warplane on the Syrian border which Ankara said had violated its air space.  Moscow put forward a raft of economic sanctions against  Ankara while demanding an official apology from the Turkish leadership.
But Moscow is keeping some of its powder dry and the effect may be limited for now, with tourism and agriculture the most immediate casualties. “The impact… will, in general, probably be limited,” said William Jackson Senior Emerging Markets Economist at Capital Economics in London, putting the maximum cost to the Turkish economy at 0.5 percent of GDP annually.
Here are five sectors of the Turkish economy that could be hurt by the Russian action:
TOURISM:
Shortly after the crisis erupted, Russia swiftly called on its citizens to scrap any travel plans to Turkey, dealing an immediate blow to the Turkish tourism industry.  Russian tour firms promptly halted the sale of holidays to Turkey, in line with a directive from the federal tourism agency.
The move dealt a huge blow to tourism in Turkey, where every eighth tourist is Russian and Russians dominate resorts on the Mediterranean like Antalya and Alanya. According to Turkish tourism ministry statistics, 3.5 million Russian tourists visited Turkey in 2015 from January to October, down from 4.1 million in 2013 and 4.3 million in 2014. “Perhaps the most damaging impact to Turkey from the sanctions will come via tourism,” said Jackson.
ENERGY
Russian Economy Minister Alexei Ulyukayev did not rule out that the measures could hit two major projects with Turkey — the planned Turk Stream gas pipeline under the Black Sea and the Akkuyu nuclear power plant.  Meanwhile, energy-hungry Turkey relies on Russia for 55 percent of its natural gas and 30 percent of its oil as it searches for greater self-sufficiency.
However while the Turk Stream and Akkuyu projects may be at risk, no Russian energy official has seriously suggested cutting off energy supplies to Turkey, a move that would severely hurt Russian gas giant Gazprom.
TRADE
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin had ambitiously aimed at reaching a trade volume of $100 billion in 2023, up from $32 billion in 2013. According to the Russian state statistics office, in 2014 Russia exported $24.5 billion of goods, mainly natural gas, oil, steel and grain to Turkey, while imports from Turkey totalled at $6.7 billion.
The $100 billion target now looks like a pipe dream.  Lilit Gevorgyan, senior economist at IHS Global Insight, said the confrontation was “a major setback of more than a decade long efforts to build commercial and energy partnership between Russia and Turkey, despite their geopolitical and historic differences.”
FOOD
Turkey was a major beneficiary of the Russian trade embargo on EU foodstuffs imposed as a retaliation measure with bilateral trade in agricultural goods rising 19 percent to $4 billion in 2014 due to imports of Turkish fruits, vegetables and nuts.
However Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich said Monday that Turkish fruit and vegetables would be banned, albeit after a certain lag to stop inflation. Russian Agriculture Minister Alexander Tkachev warned Ankara that Turkey’s agricultural exports could be replaced by Russia within a week, with suppliers from countries ranging from Iran to South Africa.
CONSTRUCTION
Some 35 percent of Russian imported construction services were from Turkey in 2014, according to central bank data. Turkish companies had also benefited hugely from the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi that year.
But Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov said Monday that while contracts with Turkish companies signed before December 31 would be honoured any new deal would require government approval. Shuvalov emphasised however that no measures were planned “for the moment” against Turkish industrial goods.

Five ways Russian sanctions can hurt Turkey economy

Five ways Russian sanctions can hurt Turkey economy
 November 30, 2015 at 6:46 pm in News 

Russia’s economic sanctions against Turkey over its downing of a Russian warplane could hurt the Turkish economy in several areas from fruit to tourism, even if the initial impact is likely to be limited. Turkey and Russia have enjoyed burgeoning trade ties in recent years despite disagreements on a number of political issues from Moscow’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine to the more than four-year old civil war in Syria.
But ties hit a low when Turkish jets shot down last week a Russian warplane on the Syrian border which Ankara said had violated its air space.  Moscow put forward a raft of economic sanctions against  Ankara while demanding an official apology from the Turkish leadership.
But Moscow is keeping some of its powder dry and the effect may be limited for now, with tourism and agriculture the most immediate casualties. “The impact… will, in general, probably be limited,” said William Jackson Senior Emerging Markets Economist at Capital Economics in London, putting the maximum cost to the Turkish economy at 0.5 percent of GDP annually.
Here are five sectors of the Turkish economy that could be hurt by the Russian action:
TOURISM:
Shortly after the crisis erupted, Russia swiftly called on its citizens to scrap any travel plans to Turkey, dealing an immediate blow to the Turkish tourism industry.  Russian tour firms promptly halted the sale of holidays to Turkey, in line with a directive from the federal tourism agency.
The move dealt a huge blow to tourism in Turkey, where every eighth tourist is Russian and Russians dominate resorts on the Mediterranean like Antalya and Alanya. According to Turkish tourism ministry statistics, 3.5 million Russian tourists visited Turkey in 2015 from January to October, down from 4.1 million in 2013 and 4.3 million in 2014. “Perhaps the most damaging impact to Turkey from the sanctions will come via tourism,” said Jackson.
ENERGY
Russian Economy Minister Alexei Ulyukayev did not rule out that the measures could hit two major projects with Turkey — the planned Turk Stream gas pipeline under the Black Sea and the Akkuyu nuclear power plant.  Meanwhile, energy-hungry Turkey relies on Russia for 55 percent of its natural gas and 30 percent of its oil as it searches for greater self-sufficiency.
However while the Turk Stream and Akkuyu projects may be at risk, no Russian energy official has seriously suggested cutting off energy supplies to Turkey, a move that would severely hurt Russian gas giant Gazprom.
TRADE
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin had ambitiously aimed at reaching a trade volume of $100 billion in 2023, up from $32 billion in 2013. According to the Russian state statistics office, in 2014 Russia exported $24.5 billion of goods, mainly natural gas, oil, steel and grain to Turkey, while imports from Turkey totalled at $6.7 billion.
The $100 billion target now looks like a pipe dream.  Lilit Gevorgyan, senior economist at IHS Global Insight, said the confrontation was “a major setback of more than a decade long efforts to build commercial and energy partnership between Russia and Turkey, despite their geopolitical and historic differences.”
FOOD
Turkey was a major beneficiary of the Russian trade embargo on EU foodstuffs imposed as a retaliation measure with bilateral trade in agricultural goods rising 19 percent to $4 billion in 2014 due to imports of Turkish fruits, vegetables and nuts.
However Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich said Monday that Turkish fruit and vegetables would be banned, albeit after a certain lag to stop inflation. Russian Agriculture Minister Alexander Tkachev warned Ankara that Turkey’s agricultural exports could be replaced by Russia within a week, with suppliers from countries ranging from Iran to South Africa.
CONSTRUCTION
Some 35 percent of Russian imported construction services were from Turkey in 2014, according to central bank data. Turkish companies had also benefited hugely from the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi that year.
But Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov said Monday that while contracts with Turkish companies signed before December 31 would be honoured any new deal would require government approval. Shuvalov emphasised however that no measures were planned “for the moment” against Turkish industrial goods.

South African mother offers to sell 19-month baby for N69,200

South African mother offers to sell 19-month baby for N69,200
November 30, 2015 • By pmnews
ShareTweet+ 1Mail.
Gumtree
A 20-year-old woman in South Africa has pleaded guilty to trying to sell her child for 5,000 rand (N69,2000; $346; £230) on advertising website Gumtree, authorities say.
Zama Bongiwe Madlala, named for the first time, was charged with human trafficking and money laundering after she posted an advert for the baby.
A National Prosecuting Authority spokesman told the BBC that she would remain under house arrest until her next court appearance early in the new year in Pietermaritzburg, the capital of South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province.
Her 19-month-old boy will remain in the care of social workers for the time being.
Ms Madlala was arrested in October after a police agent posed as a buyer.
Last month, police spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said the initial advertisement was immediately red-flagged by Gumtree, and removed.
He said a second advert was then placed, with the heading: “baby car seat” and placed in the Baby and Kids sale section.

INEC confirms Bello as APC choice for Kogi supplementary polls

INEC confirms Bello as APC choice for Kogi supplementary polls
November 30, 2015 • By pmnews
Yahaya Bello picked to succeed Audu as APC governorship candidate in Kogi
Yahaya Bello picked to succeed Audu as APC governorship candidate in Kogi
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has confirmed that the All Progressives Congress, APC has submitted the name of Yahyah Bello as its candidate for replacement of Abubakar Audu in the Kogi State supplementary election due for Saturday.
Audu, the candidate of APC in the substantive election held on 21 November had died as the results of the election were being announced the next day. He was leading his closest challenger, Idris Wada who is also the incumbent governor of the State by 41,000-vote lead before his death.
The election was declared inconclusive by INEC which also asked APC to nominate another candidate for the supplementary election to conclude the process.
But the death of Audu has thrown up a constitutional crises, with the deceased’s running mate, James Faleke claiming to be the right inheritors of the votes while APC seemed to have settled for Yahyah who came second in the APC gubernatorial primaries.
Supporters of the two contenders clashed at the Wuse, Abuja headquarters of the party on Monday as they waited for the party’s decision.
A stakeholders’ meeting being attended by Falake and Bello and other heavyweights of the party like the governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai was still ongoing as at the time of writing this story.
The party is expected to unveil Bello as its choice for replacement of Audu at the end of the meeting.
The meeting is however a mere formality as Nick Dazang, the INEC Deputy Director of Publicity said on Monday that APC has already sent the name of Bello as replacement for Audu in the supplementary election.
“They have sent the name of their replacement candidate, the second runner-up in their primaries, that is Yahaya Bello, to the commission,” Dazang said.

INEC confirms Bello as APC choice for Kogi supplementary polls

INEC confirms Bello as APC choice for Kogi supplementary polls
November 30, 2015 • By pmnews
Yahaya Bello picked to succeed Audu as APC governorship candidate in Kogi
Yahaya Bello picked to succeed Audu as APC governorship candidate in Kogi
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has confirmed that the All Progressives Congress, APC has submitted the name of Yahyah Bello as its candidate for replacement of Abubakar Audu in the Kogi State supplementary election due for Saturday.
Audu, the candidate of APC in the substantive election held on 21 November had died as the results of the election were being announced the next day. He was leading his closest challenger, Idris Wada who is also the incumbent governor of the State by 41,000-vote lead before his death.
The election was declared inconclusive by INEC which also asked APC to nominate another candidate for the supplementary election to conclude the process.
But the death of Audu has thrown up a constitutional crises, with the deceased’s running mate, James Faleke claiming to be the right inheritors of the votes while APC seemed to have settled for Yahyah who came second in the APC gubernatorial primaries.
Supporters of the two contenders clashed at the Wuse, Abuja headquarters of the party on Monday as they waited for the party’s decision.
A stakeholders’ meeting being attended by Falake and Bello and other heavyweights of the party like the governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai was still ongoing as at the time of writing this story.
The party is expected to unveil Bello as its choice for replacement of Audu at the end of the meeting.
The meeting is however a mere formality as Nick Dazang, the INEC Deputy Director of Publicity said on Monday that APC has already sent the name of Bello as replacement for Audu in the supplementary election.
“They have sent the name of their replacement candidate, the second runner-up in their primaries, that is Yahaya Bello, to the commission,” Dazang said.

Buhari’s Trips are Not for Enjoyment

Buhari’s Trips are Not for Enjoyment

30 Nov 2015

Perspective

By Garba Shehu

I have been amused, reading a number of jokes concerning the frequency of the President, Muhammadu Buhari’s foreign trips.
 Questions have been raised about why so many visits, and what are the benefits Nigeria is getting?
I will make it clear from the beginning that the critic is entitled to his and her opinion and nothing said here is intended to silence him or her.
Criticism goes with the territory and as it is often said in a wisecrack, if you don’t like the heat, get out of the kitchen.
 President Muhammadu Buhari came into office under the mantra of change. While Nigerians are yearning for change, you need someone who will set up the infrastructure, both at home and abroad for it. President Buhari is busy doing that. The change is manifest in where he visits and what he does. In the delegations accompanying him abroad, President Buhari has slashed the numbers, bringing them down to a tolerable or the bearable minimum.
He went to the United Nations General Assembly in September with an unbelievable 32 officials in his delegation. These included his cook, his doctor and luggage officer.
His predecessor in office went to the same meeting with 150 officials and family members the year before.
 Wherever they are given government accommodation and feeding, members of President Buhari’s entourage receive reduced allowances, thereby saving the government some money.
In public diplomacy, experts say that it is better conducted through  face-to-face interaction than through third parties. This is even moreso at the level of heads of state. To do by it by proxy is to miss the effect of fostering strong interpersonal relations between leaders, by which nations benefit.
President Buhari has so far visited Germany, South Africa, USA, Niger, Tchad, Cameroon, Benin, Ghana, South Africa, India, Iran and Malta, where we are presently for the Commonwealth Summit. Mostly, these were due to either the United Nations, EU, African Union or energy and security-related summits. They were mostly undertaken to attend specific meetings, not State Visits. Looking at these assignments, the trips are inescapable for the President. What would Nigerians say of their leader when see the array of world leaders assemble, as they would shortly be doing discussing climate change in Paris on Monday and their own President is missing from the table?
Those of us who were around under Abacha read all the taunts about him being a sit-at-home leader. Abacha was despised for not representing his country abroad. President Buhari’s foreign visits have been marked by punishing schedules. They are always business-like and results-oriented.
All trips have been marked by tight schedules. Meeting after meeting, happening back-to-back morning, afternoon and evening. The President has had to travel overnight for some of these meetings.
 The visit by any president to another country is the highest act in international relations.
 It sends out a message that that county is important to the visitor.
It is not like your usual vacation abroad. Official discussions involving political leaders, the military, the diplomats and at times, business people are held at multi- track levels. In foreign  policy you stand on a quick sand of events and you slip up if take a rest or lose focus. Governments also know that their achievements at home will be meaningless if they cannot project them abroad. Who or where are the foreign investors,whose hand you are seeking if you can’t travel meet them? Will they come if they don’t know about the country? President Buhari demonstrated a keen understanding of these when in the first week of his taking the office, he brought together foreign policy and all three cardinal objectives of his administration-security,economy and war on corruption- by embarking on visits to neighboring countries. In our recent history, much of the West had ignored Nigeria under the corrupt PDP administration for many years, which warranted the country’s tilt towards some Asian countries. As a consequence, this country has suffered past isolation of various types, including the denial of access to the arms-purchase market.
As a member of the then Standing Committee of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, I remember being in a delegation that visited the Aso Rock Villa, to beg the government at that time not the execute the writer and activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa.
 At the meeting with the Number Two man in that government, Major-General Oladipo Diya, he announced to everyone’s shock and disbelief that Ken had been executed. “Honestly,” he muted, “I think he has been executed about two days ago.”
What followed that pronouncement was a global outrage. The then Foreign Affairs Minister, Arch. Tom Ikimi representing Nigeria at the Commonwealth meeting in New Zealand, shattered the feelings of the leaders of those countries when he announced to them that he had not been briefed about the executions and begged for time to talk to the leaders back in Nigeria.
Nigeria faced an imminent expulsion from the group and would have been so sacked but for the intervention of the then President of South Africa, late Nelson Mandela.  In place of this extreme form of sanction, a suspension and and a barrage of sanctions followed and remained in place until an appreciable remorse was was shown and progress made towards the return to democracy by Nigeria. Throughout that period of time, it was difficult being a Nigerian in the international space.
As council members of the UN Human Rights Commission, Africans would caucus in Geneva without us Nigerians. Like lepers, we were shunned wherever we showed up.
I mentioned this short narrative to illustrate two things: one, for a country to do the right things all the time and two, you don’t know the joy being a part of international gatherings until you suffer the pain of exclusion from them.
 Short of begging the world, there was nothing that the Abacha government didn’t do to be taken back into the Commonwealth.
 And it is against this background that I felt the need to pen this opinion in the hope of bringing better understanding to fellow countrymen and women on the current subject matter.
There is no reason to be angry with anyone criticizing President Buhari for traveling abroad. In politics, even if President Buhari were to bring with him a suitcase full of cash and a pot  gold each time he returned from a trip, someone will criticize him, saying that the journey is wasteful.
The PDP will kick, knowing that they got 16 years and did nothing with it. Those who didn’t do much during their term of governance will find it instructive to fault whatever the President is doing.
 If President Buhari is successful as a leader, the PDP will be history.
My own point here is that he is doing a great job and the fruits are here, and many more will soon come. He is working to strengthen diplomatic relations, trade and the security of our nation. He holds serious meetings with serious investors and has fetched us investments in the range of billions of US Dollars.  Now, countries such as France, UK, The U.S are supporting Nigeria with intelligence, weapons and training for our military against Boko Haram and the economic saboteurs in the Delta region.
 President Buhari will definitely make Nigeria great,what the PDP fooled us for 16 years.
All heads of countries around the world now take Nigeria seriously. His foreign trips are for business, security of the country and bilateral contacts- contacts that get actualized by follow-ups and the love and support a leader enjoys at home and abroad.  Today the world is in a warm embrace of President Muhammadu Buhari.
 Nigerians should be proud of the attention, love and admiration, importance, respect and investment he is bringing to Nigeria. These trips are not for enjoyment. Lastly, to answer those who ask all the time, what is he bringing back home?
We are not a country of beggars. It is good if something is in the bag as the leader comes home from a trip.  Culturally, we never return home from a trip without a souvenir for everyone left at home. Yes it is good he declares something upon his return.
 But the most important task for the president at this time is to reset the image of Nigeria abroad, given the damage it sustained over many years in the past. So far, in fairness, the president has projected  a large image of Nigeria and of himself which should be a matter of pride for all our citizens. Marketing of Brand Nigeria can never be more important than currently it is.
 The president is doing a great job for the nation. He needs to be supported.
• Shehu is the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity

Tags: Nigeria, Featured, Politics

Fuel Shortage to Ease as Kachikwu Meets Marketers in Lagos

Fuel Shortage to Ease as Kachikwu Meets Marketers in Lagos

30 Nov 2015
Fuel-queues-at-a-f.jpg

•  PH refinery to resume operations this week
By Ejiofor Alike

There are strong indications that the acute fuel shortage in the country will soon ease as the Minister of State for Petroleum and Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, will today meet with marketers in Lagos to appeal to them to resume importation, THISDAY has learnt.
This is coming as NIPCO Plc has emerged as the first major marketer to import products under the fourth quarter import allocation approved for the marketers by the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), while other marketers continue to rely on NNPC for supply of products.
THISDAY gathered that MT CHAMPION brought in 27,000 metric tonnes of petrol for NIPCO at the weekend, which translates to about 37 million litres.
A source close to Kachikwu told THISDAY at the weekend that the minister would come to Lagos to solicit the cooperation of the marketers to resume imports like NIPCO as part of the efforts to meet the two-week ultimatum given to the minister and the NNPC by the Senate to end the current fuel shortage.
“He (minister) will meet with the marketers to plead for their cooperation. Their subsidy claims have been approved and the money has been set aside. It is just for the National Assembly to pass the supplementary budget and they have promised to pass it on Tuesday.
“Already, NIPCO has brought in a cargo. So other marketers should bring in cargoes because their money is ready. That is why the minister wants to meet with them,” he said.
It was also gathered that the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) Limited will this week activate all its processing units as NNPC battles to restore normalcy in domestic fuel supply.
The planned resumption has been attributed to the completion of repair work at the refinery’s crude distillation unit (CDU), where one of the columns collapsed, forcing a recent shutdown of the 210,000 barrels per day refinery.
 The situation worsened the fuel shortages caused by the withdrawal of private marketers from importation.
The Senate Committee on Downstream, after a meeting with the officials of the Ministry of Petroleum on Thursday, had ordered the ministry and the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC), a subsidiary of the NNPC, to ensure effective distribution of petrol, informing them that Nigerians would not be impressed unless they saw results.
Though PPPRA recently approved the fourth quarter import allocations for marketers, THISDAY gathered that most of them have not ordered for cargoes due to the non-payment of subsidy claims and their inability to access foreign exchange.
 The marketers are facing difficulties procuring foreign exchange from the interbank market to finance their allocations even as the N413 billion approved for the payment of their subsidy claims by the federal government is yet to be paid to the marketers.
 As Kachikwu makes efforts to woo the marketers to resume imports, the Port Harcourt refinery, which was shutdown in October, will resume operations this week to also help augment supply.
THISDAY gathered from sources at NNPC that the restoration of the plant would normally have required the urgent intervention of foreign experts with huge replacement costs estimated at N640 million, while delivery and mobilisation of contractors to site would have taken several months.
However, due to the urgency of the situation, it was learnt that the management of the refinery repaired the defective parts in the country, utilising over 150 host community youths in the process.
 According to sources, the entire workforce and staff of Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) and Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) were also mobilised for the repair work.
THISDAY also gathered that the cash crunch forced the workers of the refinery, including security guards, drivers, and support staff to raise N5.5 million to procure critical materials, as government funding was not immediately available.
 With the resumption of operations, the plant will produce petrol to augment imported volumes and help ease the current scarcity.
 Kachikwu had at NNPC’s town hall meeting at the weekend, credited the speedy repairs to total dedication, commitment and patriotism of the management and staff of the refinery.

Abacha Loot Spent on Infrastructure, Says World Bank

Abacha Loot Spent on Infrastructure, Says World Bank

30 Nov 2015
SERAP-
 By Davidson Iriekpen  
Civil society group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has said that it received several documents from the World Bank totalling over 700 pages on information about the spending of recovered assets stolen by the late General Sani Abacha, with some of the documents showing that the loot was spent on roads, electricity, education, health and water.
This information was disclosed by SERAP’s Executive Director Adetokunbo Mumuni in a statement on Sunday.
The organisation said: “SERAP can confirm that last week we received several documents from Ann May of the Access to Information Team of the World Bank following our Access to Information Request to the Bank.
“We also received a letter dated November 24, 2015 from Mr. Rachid Benmessaoud, Director of the World Bank in Africa.
“In total, SERAP has received over 700 pages of documents, which we are now closely studying and scrutinising with a view to discovering whether the documents contain details that Nigerians would like to see and whether the information correspond to the facts on the ground.
“After this analysis, we will respond to the Bank and consider our options, including filing an appeal before the Bank’s Access to Information Appeals Board and taking other appropriate legal actions nationally and internationally to discover what exactly happened to Abacha recovered loot.”
The organisation added that its preliminary review of some of the documents and the letter from Benmessaoud revealed certain facts which raised more questions about what exactly happened to the Abacha loot: “First, that Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as Minister of Finance in a letter dated January 9, 2005 explained to the Bank that around $500m (N65bn) of Abacha loot received from Switzerland was programmed into and spent in the 2004 and 2005 budgets on roads, electricity, education, water and health across all 6 geo-political zones of Nigeria.
“Second, Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala explained to the Bank that N18.60bn was spent on roads; N10.83bn spent on health; N7bn spent on education; N6.20bn spent on water; and N21.70bn spent on electricity.
“She also said that part of the funds were spent on new and ongoing investment projects. Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala said that relevant federal ministries have the full details on the spending of repatriated Abacha loot.
“The Bank noted that there was no funds monitoring and tracking mechanism in place to trace the spending of Abacha loot.”
SERAP further revealed that Benmessaoud confirmed that the World Bank played a monitoring role in the return of assets by Switzerland but that it is not currently involved in the monitoring of spending of the Abacha loot that had been returned to Nigeria in recent years.
“He said that the Bank would be prepared to set up a mechanism to monitor the use of Abacha loot if the Nigerian government request the Bank’s assistance in this respect.
“Given Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala’s involvement in the spending of Abacha loot, SERAP calls on President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently probe the role of the Ministry of Finance and relevant federal ministries at the time in the spending of the Abacha loot particularly given the strong allegations of mismanagement that characterised the use of the funds,” the organisation said.
It added: “Although Mrs Okonjo-Iweala said that Abacha loot was spent in the 2004 and 2005 budgets on roads, electricity, education, water and health across all six geo-political zones of Nigeria, there is no evidence of such projects as millions of Nigerians continue to travel on dead roads, while they continue to lack access to adequate electricity supply, water, health and quality education.
“Therefore, President Buhari can no longer continue to remain silent on this issue of public interest if Nigerians are to continue to trust him in his fight against corruption.”
SERAP had on September 21, 2015 sent an access to information request to Jim Yong Kim, President of the World Bank Group, urging him to exercise the Bank’s prerogative to release documents relating to spending of recovered assets stolen by the late Gen. Abacha.
The group also asked Yong Kim to provide information about the World Bank’s role in the implementation of any projects funded by the recovered assets and any other ongoing repatriation initiatives on Nigeria with which the World Bank is engaged.

Tags: Nigeria, Featured, News, SERAP

Federal civil servants allege anomalies in promotion exams

Federal civil servants allege anomalies in promotion exams

Federal civil servants allege anomalies in promotion exams

Senior civil servants have appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in the “injustice” perpetrated by the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation (HCSF) and the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) over their promotion examinations.
The senior civil servants, who are professionals in the accountant pool, accused the Head of Service’s office and the Civil Service Commission of manipulating service rules to demoralise long-serving and dedicated civil servants.
The aggrieved civil servants cited the last promotion examination held in Abuja last September for officers on directorate cadre as capable of derailing the civil service.
They alleged that the anomalies witnessed in the examination were unprecedented.
A civil service source, who spoke on behalf of those affected and pleaded not to be named, regretted that they were made to work in vain.
  
The source said: “The most affected officers were those on Grade Levels 14 and 15 that took the examination for the next grade level.
“In our opinion, Mr. President must act fast on this. About 189 officers sat for the examination for Assistant Directors’ Level. Over 200 sat for Deputy Directors’ examination.
“These officers were made to work hard for the examination, but it was like the authorities just played a trick on us.
“I say this because after an examination, it is incumbent on those that sat for it to know the result. But that was never the case in our own situation. We did not see our results; so we don’t know who passed or failed. There was no list we can refer to and that was against the rules.
“More demoralising is the fact that of about 189 that sat for the Assistant Director examination, only nine were promoted. Does that mean that the rest failed?”
The source added: “I think non-release of the result was to create room for manipulation because for accountants, 38 Assistant Director vacancies were declared by the Office of the Accountant General (OAGF) last year.
“So, the question is: what happened to the 31 vacancies left since only nine were promoted to the position of Assistant Director?
“The case of over 200 Assistant Directors that sat for the Deputy Directors’ examination was even worse.
“After the examination that also had no result list, the unfortunate senior civil servants were told there were no vacancies to fill. So, no promotion.
“Is there anything more demoralising and frustrating more than that?
“Again, the question is: why was the examination conducted and those concerned made to suffer, waste energy, time and resources at the risk of their lives?”
Among other demands, she said the aggrieved workers must be availed the results of the examinations as well as declaration of available vacancies before future examination.
“In addition, we want President Buhari to address this obnoxious issue of direct employment into directorate cadre.
“It should be discouraged and if not, it should be subjected to strict guidelines because as it is presently, there is nothing more demoralising than this direct appointment of people into the directorate cadre,” the source said.
The source added that failure to address the issue would be followed by an invitation to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and court action.
The FCSC, however, exonerated itself, denying any form of complicity in the said promotion examinations.
At a news conference last week, Chairman, Sub Committee on Promotion, FCSC Prof. Aminu Diyo Sheidu said the process leading to the examination involved other bodies and security agencies.
He said: “When all scores for each candidate were already added together, candidates in each cadre were ranked in their order of performance. Ranking was done using relevant computer software. But the accuracy was checked and rechecked over and over again by the commissioners with the active participation of the security personnel.
“Based on the vacancies approved by the OHCSF for each cadre, the best candidates were selected for promotion.
“I am sure you will agree with me that our Directorate Levels Promotion Examination processes and procedures are quite rigorous and painstaking. These procedures are measures adopted in self-regulations to ensure the integrity and transparency of the entire exercise.
“As you are all aware, a critical condition for promotion of an officer is the availability of vacancy. The FCSC has no control over the number of vacancies declared. The OHCSF does. The FCSC shall continuously strive to improve on the promotion processes and procedures. It will also work harmoniously with the OHCSF to improve vacancy availability.”

Airports security under threat, cab operators cry out

Airports security under threat, cab operators cry out


Airports security under threat, cab operators cry out

Car hire operators have raised the alarm over security threats at the nation’s airports as a result of the operation of illegal cab operators.
The Airport Car Hire Association of Nigeria (ACHAN) said unless the government curbed the activities of illegal cab drivers at the airports, security of passengers and facilities around the terminals could be compromised.
According to them, 98 per cent of missing passengers’ cases are linked to those who boarded unregistered cabs at the airports. Those drivers have been established to have taken passengers to unknown locations.
The operators said terrorists could infiltrate such cabs to bomb airport facilities since they often  drive close to the arrival halls.
President of ACHAN, Chief Stanley Worlu Dike, said the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN)  should put urgent measures in place to curtail their operations as they have increasingly infiltrated major airports in the country.
  
Chief Dike urged FAAN to provide office spaces for ACHAN members since the association complements the efforts of government in providing job opportunities for young Nigerians.
Chairman, Board of Trustees of ACHAN, Alhaji Muili Yinusa, said the military location at the General Aviation Terminal 1 in Lagos has become a safe haven for such unregistered operators.
He said: ” A lot of illegal vehicles operate from the military location at the GAT and when they steal passengers’ luggage or property, the victims run down to look for the Chairman of ACHAN”
Alhaji Yinusa urged FAAN to cancel the proposed ‘Pay As You Go’ policy the airports management authority is planning to impose on ACHAN members.
“We pay millions of naira to FAAN annually, so we are supposed to enjoy certain privileges as other concessionaire.”, he added.

Ghana launches power ship to boost electricity

Ghana launches power ship to boost electricity

Ghana launches power ship to boost electricity
•Power facility

Ghana has taken delivery of a power generating ship which would boost power supply- bringing an end to the chronic blackouts the nation had been thrown into.
Ghana’s Power Minister, Kwabena Donkor, stated this amid anger over the blackouts, which can last for 24 hours at a time, a development that threatens President John Mahama’s chances of re-election next year.
The government contracted the ship from independent Turkish producer, Karpowership, to generate 235 megawatts of electricity daily to help offset a national supply deficit of around 500 megawatts.
“This is only one element in our solution, but it is a very useful element,” Donkor told newsmen in the port of Tema, east of the capital Accra.
“It is a strong signal that we are on course to ending the blackouts and to restoring investors’ confidence in our economy.”
  
Traditional chiefs welcomed the ship on Sunday by pouring alcoholic spirits onto the ground.
The power blackouts, which have been going on for three years, stem from insufficient rain to operate hydro facilities, obsolete equipment, inefficiency and a long-term failure to add capacity to the grid.
Irregular power has compounded a slowdown in economic growth in a country that, until recently, was investors’ favourite.
Ghana’s economy grew strongly for years through its exports of gold, cocoa and oil, but lower global commodity prices have blunted that expansion and the government began an International Monetary Fund (IMF) aid programme in April.
The generating ship, Aysegul Sultan, should be plugged into the national grid by mid-December and is the first of two plants that will provide a total of 450 megawatts of power under a 10-year contract, Donkor said.
Donkor said an additional supply of up to 250 megawatts was coming next month from the Dubai-based independent producer, Africa, and Middle East Resource Investment.
He added that other projects would deliver about 1,000 megawatts in 2016- that would give Ghana a power-reserve.

30 killed in Congo clash

30 killed in Congo clash
At least 30 people including one United Nations peacekeeper were killed in clashes pitting the army and UN troops against Ugandan Islamist rebels in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, local sources told Reuters on Monday.
The violence on Sunday underlines persistent instability in an area where local activists said at least 500 civilians have been killed since October 2014, most in overnight raids by rebels carried out with machetes and hatchets.

Turkey sends corpse of shot down pilot back to Russia

Turkey sends corpse of shot down pilot back to Russia
 November 30, 2015 at 11:16 am in News 

Turkey on Monday sent back to Russia the corpse of a pilot killed when his plane was shot down by the Turkish air force for allegedly violating its air space on the Syrian border, reports said.
A special flight carrying the corpse of Oleg Peshkov left Ankara airport for Russia, the state-run Anatolia news agency reported, without giving further details.
His body had at the weekend been taken from Syria to southern Turkey and then flown to Ankara.
Both pilots aboard the Su-24 war plane ejected and parachuted to the ground on the Syrian side of the border after being shot down by Turkish F-16s in the November 24 incident.
Peshkov was killed in circumstances that have yet to be fully explained while the second pilot, Konstantin Murakhtin, was rescued unharmed and has already spoken to Russian media.

UN pledges to consolidate peace as Burkinabes vote

UN pledges to consolidate peace as Burkinabes vote
By NAN  /   November 30, 2015

United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, has reiterated the commitment of the world body to support democratically-elected authorities in Burkina Faso to consolidate peace, stability and to advance democratic governance.
 This was contained in a statement issued by the UN Spokesman, Stephane DuJarric, yesterday in New York.
 The statement was issued on the occasion of the presidential and legislative elections which will mark the end of the transition period in Burkina Faso.
 The secretary-general called on all national stakeholders to uphold their commitments throughout the process.
 He called on them to ensure that the polls were conducted in a peaceful and transparent manner that respect the will of the people of Burkina Faso.
 Ki-Moon further called on them to resolve disputes that might arise from the electoral process through established legal channels.
 Presidential and parliamentary elections commenced yesterday in that country one year after a violent public uprising that forced President Blaise Compaore out of office.
 According to NAN, a report from Ouagadougou indicated that two out of 14 candidates have emerged as favourites.
 One was the 58-year-old former Prime Minister, Roch Kabore, of the People’s Movement for Progress, while the other was the 56-year-old Zephirin Diabre, former Finance Minister, of the Union for Progress and Change.
 Compaore has planned to modify the constitution to allow him extend his 27-year rule.
 Thousands of people had protested in the capital Ouagadougou against the plan, which was cancelled amid violence and pillaging, while Compaore fled the country.
 A transitional government was put in place with a fresh election set for October, but a coup attempt led by Compaore loyalist General Gilbert Diendere in September delayed the vote.
 Diendere, who led the 1,200-member presidential guard in taking interim President Michel Kafando captive, has since been taken into custody by government forces.
 Campaigning in the run-up to the elections has been incident-free since the coup.
 Kabore, who left Compaore’s party out of opposition to extending his rule, was regarded as the forerunner against Diabre.
 Both candidates have promised to boost economic growth in the agriculture-driven economy, which has a population of about 17 million.
 The former French colony in West Africa, known as Upper Volta until 1984, was a low-income country, with per capita income at 670 dollars in 2013.
 The UN’s Human Development Index ranked Burkina Faso the 181st out of 187 countries in 2014.
 Nearly 5.5 million voters are registered to vote.
 The electoral rule indicated that if none of the candidates receives 50 per cent of the vote, a second round would be held about eight days after the results, which are expected on December 5.

UN pledges to consolidate peace as Burkinabes vote

UN pledges to consolidate peace as Burkinabes vote
By NAN  /   November 30, 2015
United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, has reiterated the commitment of the world body to support democratically-elected authorities in Burkina Faso to consolidate peace, stability and to advance democratic governance.
 This was contained in a statement issued by the UN Spokesman, Stephane DuJarric, yesterday in New York.
 The statement was issued on the occasion of the presidential and legislative elections which will mark the end of the transition period in Burkina Faso.
 The secretary-general called on all national stakeholders to uphold their commitments throughout the process.
 He called on them to ensure that the polls were conducted in a peaceful and transparent manner that respect the will of the people of Burkina Faso.
 Ki-Moon further called on them to resolve disputes that might arise from the electoral process through established legal channels.
 Presidential and parliamentary elections commenced yesterday in that country one year after a violent public uprising that forced President Blaise Compaore out of office.
 According to NAN, a report from Ouagadougou indicated that two out of 14 candidates have emerged as favourites.
 One was the 58-year-old former Prime Minister, Roch Kabore, of the People’s Movement for Progress, while the other was the 56-year-old Zephirin Diabre, former Finance Minister, of the Union for Progress and Change.
 Compaore has planned to modify the constitution to allow him extend his 27-year rule.
 Thousands of people had protested in the capital Ouagadougou against the plan, which was cancelled amid violence and pillaging, while Compaore fled the country.
 A transitional government was put in place with a fresh election set for October, but a coup attempt led by Compaore loyalist General Gilbert Diendere in September delayed the vote.
 Diendere, who led the 1,200-member presidential guard in taking interim President Michel Kafando captive, has since been taken into custody by government forces.
 Campaigning in the run-up to the elections has been incident-free since the coup.
 Kabore, who left Compaore’s party out of opposition to extending his rule, was regarded as the forerunner against Diabre.
 Both candidates have promised to boost economic growth in the agriculture-driven economy, which has a population of about 17 million.
 The former French colony in West Africa, known as Upper Volta until 1984, was a low-income country, with per capita income at 670 dollars in 2013.
 The UN’s Human Development Index ranked Burkina Faso the 181st out of 187 countries in 2014.
 Nearly 5.5 million voters are registered to vote.
 The electoral rule indicated that if none of the candidates receives 50 per cent of the vote, a second round would be held about eight days after the results, which are expected on December 5.

Leave a Comment on the News

Terrorism can only endure if people remain non-committal – Buhari

Terrorism can only endure if people remain non-committal – Buhari
By NAN  /   November 30, 2015
President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday during the closing Executive Session of the 2015 Commonwealth Summit in Malta said that violent extremism and terrorism could only thrive and endure if good people remained non-committal and complacent.
 Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in a statement said President Buhari stated this while speaking on behalf of other participating African Heads of State and Government at the closing Executive Session of the 2015 Commonwealth Summit.
 Expressing confidence that terrorism would be ultimately defeated with greater international cooperation and collaboration, Buhari said, “We have had the opportunity to discuss, in a serene atmosphere, wide ranging issues that are of great significance not only to the members of the Commonwealth but to the entire global community.
“Of particular note is the Action Statement on Climate Change, which is expected to herald our commitment to saving the planet for present and future generations.
“Of equal significance are our deliberations on Radicalisation and Violent Extremism. We are witnesses to the growing phenomenon of terrorism that is affecting us all, whether big or small.
“The reign of terror will only succeed if peace-loving people choose to remain idle. But I am confident that through our collective efforts, we will defeat this scourge and restore peace,’’ he said.
 He also reaffirmed, according to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, the unwavering commitment of Nigeria and other African member-countries to the promotion and protection of the core values of the Commonwealth.
“I came into power via democratic principles and values espoused by this same body. Nigeria as a country will continue to protect and promote these democratic ideals,’’ he further assured heads of delegations at the session.
 The President thanked the outgoing Secretary-General, Kamalesh Sharma, for his exemplary service to the Commonwealth.
“We in Nigeria will not forget his five memorable visits to our country during his tenure. As this is his last CHOGM in his present capacity, I know I speak for my colleagues from Africa in expressing our immense gratitude and best wishes to him,’’ President Buhari said.
 Buhari also congratulated the Commonwealth Secretary-General-elect, Rt. Hon. Patricia Janet Scotland, and assured her of the full support of Nigeria and other African members of the Commonwealth

Terrorism can only endure if people remain non-committal – Buhari

Terrorism can only endure if people remain non-committal – Buhari
By NAN  /   November 30, 2015
President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday during the closing Executive Session of the 2015 Commonwealth Summit in Malta said that violent extremism and terrorism could only thrive and endure if good people remained non-committal and complacent.
 Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in a statement said President Buhari stated this while speaking on behalf of other participating African Heads of State and Government at the closing Executive Session of the 2015 Commonwealth Summit.
 Expressing confidence that terrorism would be ultimately defeated with greater international cooperation and collaboration, Buhari said, “We have had the opportunity to discuss, in a serene atmosphere, wide ranging issues that are of great significance not only to the members of the Commonwealth but to the entire global community.
“Of particular note is the Action Statement on Climate Change, which is expected to herald our commitment to saving the planet for present and future generations.
“Of equal significance are our deliberations on Radicalisation and Violent Extremism. We are witnesses to the growing phenomenon of terrorism that is affecting us all, whether big or small.
“The reign of terror will only succeed if peace-loving people choose to remain idle. But I am confident that through our collective efforts, we will defeat this scourge and restore peace,’’ he said.
 He also reaffirmed, according to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, the unwavering commitment of Nigeria and other African member-countries to the promotion and protection of the core values of the Commonwealth.
“I came into power via democratic principles and values espoused by this same body. Nigeria as a country will continue to protect and promote these democratic ideals,’’ he further assured heads of delegations at the session.
 The President thanked the outgoing Secretary-General, Kamalesh Sharma, for his exemplary service to the Commonwealth.
“We in Nigeria will not forget his five memorable visits to our country during his tenure. As this is his last CHOGM in his present capacity, I know I speak for my colleagues from Africa in expressing our immense gratitude and best wishes to him,’’ President Buhari said.
 Buhari also congratulated the Commonwealth Secretary-General-elect, Rt. Hon. Patricia Janet Scotland, and assured her of the full support of Nigeria and other African members of the Commonwealth

Terrorism can only endure if people remain non-committal – Buhari

Terrorism can only endure if people remain non-committal – Buhari
By NAN  /   November 30, 2015 
President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday during the closing Executive Session of the 2015 Commonwealth Summit in Malta said that violent extremism and terrorism could only thrive and endure if good people remained non-committal and complacent.
 Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in a statement said President Buhari stated this while speaking on behalf of other participating African Heads of State and Government at the closing Executive Session of the 2015 Commonwealth Summit.
 Expressing confidence that terrorism would be ultimately defeated with greater international cooperation and collaboration, Buhari said, “We have had the opportunity to discuss, in a serene atmosphere, wide ranging issues that are of great significance not only to the members of the Commonwealth but to the entire global community.
“Of particular note is the Action Statement on Climate Change, which is expected to herald our commitment to saving the planet for present and future generations.
“Of equal significance are our deliberations on Radicalisation and Violent Extremism. We are witnesses to the growing phenomenon of terrorism that is affecting us all, whether big or small.
“The reign of terror will only succeed if peace-loving people choose to remain idle. But I am confident that through our collective efforts, we will defeat this scourge and restore peace,’’ he said.
 He also reaffirmed, according to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, the unwavering commitment of Nigeria and other African member-countries to the promotion and protection of the core values of the Commonwealth.
“I came into power via democratic principles and values espoused by this same body. Nigeria as a country will continue to protect and promote these democratic ideals,’’ he further assured heads of delegations at the session.
 The President thanked the outgoing Secretary-General, Kamalesh Sharma, for his exemplary service to the Commonwealth.
“We in Nigeria will not forget his five memorable visits to our country during his tenure. As this is his last CHOGM in his present capacity, I know I speak for my colleagues from Africa in expressing our immense gratitude and best wishes to him,’’ President Buhari said.
 Buhari also congratulated the Commonwealth Secretary-General-elect, Rt. Hon. Patricia Janet Scotland, and assured her of the full support of Nigeria and other African members of the Commonwealth.

Boko Haram can’t stop us – Shiite leader

Boko Haram can’t stop us – Shiite leader
By Bashir Bello, Kaduna  /   November 30, 2015 

Reacting to last Friday’s attack on his members while on procession in Kaduna, the Islamic Movement of Nigeria otherwise known as Shi’ite said Boko Haram insurgents cannot wipe out the group in Nigeria.
 Leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria in Kaduna State, Sheikh Mohammed Mukhtar Sahabi, disclosed this while addressing a press conference.
 It would be recalled that a bomb blast disrupted and killed members of the Shiite movement in Kano on Friday which Boko Haram had since claimed responsibility.
 Sheikh Sahabi said the insurgents cannot stop their procession.
 Also reacting to an online report that Boko Haram was set to wipe out Shi’ite in Nigeria, Sheikh Sahabi said his group is not threatened as they will go ahead with their procession from Kaduna to Zaria today.
 According to him, “if you consider this as a threat which will stop you from practicing your religion then you may end up not practicing. These people attack those in churches, mosques, houses, motor parks and market places among others. If we say because they attack people in mosques then it means all mosques will be closed. No more going to the church and market places. Then what is going to be left, everything will stop and that will be the end of the world.
“We have to face the challenge because If Imam Hussain did not face it, we won’t be commemorating or celebrating him as a symbol of resistance to tyranny and operation. So these people who are doing this want to paralyse the whole world. We have taken it as a test from Allah. We don’t see it as a threat that will stop us from our religion.
“We are not worried about the threat. How can we be worried about people who are ghosts? They don’t have houses, schools not to talk of an identity. How can you fear ghosts that don’t even exist? You said Boko is Haram yet you make use of things produced from Boko. So, this shows that it is just a name that is used by some people who are trying to destabilise the nation.
“Be rest assured that not even Boko Haram or Boko Halal will finish or destroy us. People interested in Nigeria’s wealth are responsible for terrorism as they cause chaos and commotion. If not, why is it that these crises are only in areas where you have oil? For instance, Iraq, Syria, Sudan particularly the place they call Dafur and Mali where they have gold and then come to Nigeria where you have oil and gas.
“Why did they choose Sambisa in the North-East?” he stated.
 He also explained why they embark on the procession, saying “The trek is not fabricated and is not done out of religion. The option of trekking to Zaria is symbolic with trekking to Hussainiyyah Baqiyyatullah. It is similar with the option that if you don’t have money to perform hajj you can perform eid-el-fitr in your village.’’

Security: Nigerian Army, FCTA call for extra vigilance

Security: Nigerian Army, FCTA call for extra vigilance
By Ogechi Okorondu  /   November 30, 2015 

Security concerns, especially during the yuletide, yesterday came to the front burner as the Nigerian Army warned citizens to be extra vigilant within their environment during the period. This is coming even as residents of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, have been warned of possible attacks by terrorists in the city.
 The Nigerian Army’s call on the citizens to be extra-vigilant and security-conscious as part of efforts to tackle insecurity in the country was made by Col. Sani Usman, Director, Army Public Relations while delivering a lecture at an inaugural Annual Lecture of Class 1992 Alumni of Mass Communication Department, Bayero University Kano.
 According to him, citizens should not only rely on security agencies for protection but should be security-conscious and provide useful information to relevant security agencies in the country.
“With the kind of intelligence we receive regularly from the military and security operatives, the citizens need to be proactive and security-conscious while the media intensify campaign on same.
“Internal security challenge is not a problem unique to Nigeria. The U.S., UK, France and many other countries face similar challenges within their borders on daily basis.”
Sani Usman further said the difference between those countries and Nigeria is the management of threats by the government and the citizenry, how knowledgeable they are, how patriotic and united their citizens are against threats of insecurity and crisis.
“The countries are never divided on any ground when the interest of the nation is the subject. This cushions the effects of those crises on their national security and image.
“The media need to mobilise people during crisis as a cardinal element of national security effort,’’ he said.
 He urged media practitioners to enlighten the public on the true situation in national effort to guarantee national security.
 Meanwhile, in a well circulated notice, FCTA has warned residents of imminent attacks from members of the deadly Islamic sect, Boko Haram using young girls as members of aid group to carry out attacks in places of worship and markets.
 The memo signed by the Director, Security Services, FCTA, Mohammed M. Mohammed to the Presidents of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Ja’matu Nasrul Islam and the General Manager, Abuja Metropolitan Management Limited, AMML, said “Intelligence reaching this office revealed that insurgents are planning to attack the Federal Capital Territory. Their main targets are worship Centres and Markets with the use of young girls as members of aid groups to carry out their planned attacks.”
The statement added that, “It is in our view of the foregoing that I am directed to inform you to communicate the content of this letter to all Mosques, Churches and markets across the FCT for extra vigilance, particularly about unknown persons dressing as aid workers loitering around the worship areas and markets.”
- See more at: http://nigerianpilot.com/security-nigerian-army-fcta-call-for-extra-vigilance/#sthash.36M6J0hD.dpuf