Saturday, 30 January 2016
15 die in Adamawa bomb blasts
15 die in Adamawa bomb blasts
January 30, 2016
Fidelis Soriwei, Abuja
Several people were killed in a twin bomb blast that rocked the Gombi Grain Market in Adamawa State on Friday.
An eyewitness who spoke to our correspondent said that the blast occurred around 2pm when the market was filled to the brim.
It was stated that several people are looking for their loved ones who went to the market to buy grains.
The sources said that two male suicide bombers carried out the attacks.
It was further gathered that the youths of the community arrested one of the attackers with unexploded bomb strapped to his body.
He was said to have confessed to his interrogators that five suicide bombers were deployed in the market for the operation, confessing that only two of the suicide attackers detonated their bombers, while two others were still hiding in the locality.
The source said that about 15 people were killed in the attack with several others injured.
The source said, “There was a bomb attack in Gombi Grain Market. The attack took place around 2pm when the market was filled with people.
“The casualty figure is between 12 to 15 people while several others sustained injuries. Several people are looking for their loved ones who went to the market.”
The Acting Director, Defence Information, Brig. Rabe Abubakar, who confirmed the unfortunate incident, urged Nigerians to be vigilant and pay attention to the presence of mad persons in crowded areas and markets.
He said that the insurgents had devised a new means of disguising as mad people to detonate their dangerous weapons in crowded places and markets.
He said, “It is true that the incident happened. The general public should be aware of the new tactics of the Boko Haram members who have devised another strange method of disguising as mad people in order to carry out their heinous acts against the citizens. Nigeria should be wary of mad persons in markets and crowded places.”
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Buhari makes case for economic integration in Africa
Buhari makes case for economic integration in Africa
Buhari makes case for economic integration in Africa
January 30, 2016
President Muhammadu Buhari
Olalekan Adetayo, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has called on all stakeholders to intensify intra-African trade and economic integration across the continent.
According to a statement on Friday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the President spoke at a banquet held in his honour in Nairobi on Thursday evening at the conclusion of his state visit to Kenya.
Buhari said the expansion of trade relations between Nigeria and Kenya in recent years should be replicated by all other African countries to speed up the pace of economic development on the continent.
He said, “We now have Nigerian industrialists establishing cement plants in Kenya while Nigerian telecommunications operators are learning and adopting the Kenyan mobile banking model as a tool for financial inclusion in rural Nigeria. We have Nigerian farmers coming to learn from successful Kenyan farmers, while at the same time, we have many up and coming Kenyan oil and gas businesses partnering with Nigerian oil companies. We have Nigerians drinking Kenyan coffee in their homes and offices, while we have many Kenyans listening to Nigerian music and watching Nollywood movies.
“These developments point to a real integration on the continent beyond formal diplomatic relationships. Greater intra-Africa trade will ultimately result in the creation of millions of jobs within Africa for Africans.”
The President expressed the hope that Nigeria and Kenya will continue to build on the mutually-beneficial trade and economic relations between them. He also called for the rapid implementation of all bilateral agreements already signed by the two countries and the convening of their Joint Commission for Cooperation. Buhari said, “As our two governments move ever closer, our business communities will also take full advantage of this momentum to increase trade and economic activities.
“I feel confident that by the end of this visit, new and solid bridges for movement of persons, goods and services would have been constructed.” President Uhuru Kenyatta was said to have announced that both leaders agreed to intensify bilateral cooperation on trade, investment and the fight against corruption and terrorism.
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All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
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Criticism won’t stop Buhari’s anti-corruption war –Mohammed
Criticism won’t stop Buhari’s anti-corruption war –Mohammed
January 30, 2016
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed
Fisayo Falodi and Femi Makinde
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari will not relent in his war against corruption until the scourge is destroyed in the country.
He also called on Nigerians to join the battle against corruption in the country.
“This is not Buhari’s war; this is not the All Progressives Congress’ war. This is a war for all Nigerians and we must all join hands in waging the war,’’ Mohammed said while delivering a lecture on Friday at the Faculty of Arts, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State.
He claimed that once the people were determined to fight corruption, they were assured of victory.
The minister said, ‘’No power has ever been great enough to defeat a people who are determined to win. Let us all form what I call citizens’ coalition against corruption by speaking up against the crime, refusing to glorify or support looters, irrespective of how much dirty cash they dangle before us, and refusing to be divided along religious or ethnic lines.”
While listing the effects of corruption in the nation, the minister said Nigeria lost $400bn in the oil sector alone, adding that so much money was stolen by corrupt leaders from the health, education, security and other sectors.
According to him, atrocities committed by the Boko Haram insurgents continued for many years because the funds allocated to buy weapons for the military were shared by some corrupt persons.
Apart from massive loss of lives and property, Mohammed stated that corruption in public office had caused endemic poverty, poor infrastructure and lack of qualitative health care, among other effects.
The minister, however, claimed that corruption had started fighting back, saying some of the corrupt persons had started hiring hack writers, pseudo analysts to attack the President’s war against corruption in the media.
He said, “On the part of government, let me reiterate what I said earlier that there is no stopping this fight. Those who doubt the resolve of this administration to successfully wage this battle will learn a tough lesson, a lesson of their lives.
“Failure is not an option in this fight. In the days ahead, we plan a road show of sorts on corruption sensitisation efforts.”
Mohammed decried the use of ethno-religious sentiment to weaken the anti-corruption war, but asked Nigerians to ignore the trick “because poverty and other effects of corruption did not discriminate between people according to ethnicity or religious belie
FIRS Director nabbed over N25 million tax fraud
FIRS Director nabbed over N25 million tax fraud
On January 30, 20167:36 am/In News
By Soni Daniel
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arrested Abumere Joseph Osagie, deputy director, regional tax office, Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, in a case of abuse of office and bribery. The suspect was picked following a complaint about his attempt to extort a University proprietor N5million. Osagie and one Jamila Ojora had on January 27, 2016 allegedly approached Senator Ahmed Datti, the Chancellor of Baze University, Abuja and gave him a tax assessment of N20,029, 496.00 through a letter of intent, which he paid.
However when he requested for the assessment certificate, they refused to oblige him. Instead they allegedly demanded for N5million gratification. All pleas by him fell on deaf ears. Consequently, he petitioned the EFCC, and was advised to play along. Consequently, marked N5million was delivered to the director through Ojora in a sting operation. Ojora was arrested after she collected the N5m. He confession
led to the arrest of Osagie. The houses of the suspects were searched by operatives of the EFCC , and documents recovered. The spokesman for the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwuaren, who issued the statement, said investigation into the matter would be intensified
Friday, 29 January 2016
Job cut looms as Shell, BG seal world’ biggest $52bn LNG deal
Job cut looms as Shell, BG seal world’ biggest $52bn LNG deal
By Our Reporter on January 29, 2016 Business
By Adewale Sanyaolu with Agency reports
As the hydrocarbon industry goes through its worst downturn in decade, BG Group (BG.L) shareholders, yesterday approved its acquisition by Royal Dutch Shell in a $52 deal, sending shivers down the spine of Shell workers in Nigeria and beyond and raising fears of possible job losses in months ahead.
Under the deal seen as the world’s largest LNG acquisition BG will now merge with Shell on February 15, bringing an end to nearly two decades of the company’s operation, having been carved out of British Gas.
With the merger, Shell will start a complex integration process that will include thousands of job cuts, tens of billions of dollars in asset sales and the harmonisation of the companies’ trading and production operations as they overlap in many parts of the world.
Shell has promised to find $3.5 billion from cost savings and overlaps by 2018, from various areas including its corporate, administrative and IT operations.
BG was created in 1997 when British Gas split into two separate companies. In 2000, another change saw the creation of BG Group, focused on international oil and gas production.
At a meeting in London, 99.53 percent of BG shareholders voted in favour of the merger, a day after 83 percent of Shell’s shareholders approved the deal first announced on April 8, last year. On the other hand, Shell shareholders are putting their faith in its CEO, Ben van Beurden’s, decision to focus the Anglo-Dutch company’s operations in LNG and deep water oil production over the coming decades.
Low oil prices will remain a challenge for the combined company in the short term, however, as crude has fallen 75 percent over the past 18 months to around $30 a barrel.
While the oil price is expected to stage a gradual recovery, Shell has said the combined group needs crude to be above $60 a barrel to break even.
“I very strongly believe in what Shell is trying to do long term.The idea that they try to specialize in their strengths being deepwater and LNG is absolutely the right thing to do,” BG Chairman, Andrew Gould told said.
Meanwhile, BG Chief Executive Officer, Helge Lund, who joined BG weeks before the merger was announced, is set to step down with Shell’s executive, Huibert Vigeveno, who headed the integration planning in recent months, becoming the transitional Chief Executive Officer(CEO).
Lund, who previously led Norway’s Statoil through a period of spectacular growth, has yet to indicate his plans.
Arms deal: Metuh out on bail
Arms deal: Metuh out on bail
By Our Reporter on January 29, 2016 COVER, Politics
•After 24 days in EFCC custody, Kuje Prisons
By Iheanacho Nwosu, Taiwo Amodu and Godwin Tsa, Abuja
After 24 days in detention, National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, yesterday night, fulfilled his bail conditions to regain temporary freedom.
A senior lawyer in his defence team, Chief Chris Uche (SAN) confirmed his release from detention to Daily Sun.
Upon his arrest by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on January 5, where he spent weeks in its custody, Metuh was finally arraigned before the court over alleged N400 million money laundering allegations through his firm, Destra Investment Limited.
He was granted bail by Justice Okon Abang on January 19, 2016 in the sum of N400 million with two sureties in like sum.
The court said the two sureties must be residents of Abuja and have property in Maitaima district worth N200 million.
The court further directed the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Sylvanus Tahir, to, within 24 hours of being notified, verify the addresses of the proposed sureties and the Certificate of Occupancy of the property to be presented by them.
But, when it became practically impossible for Metuh to meet up with these conditions, he approached the court with an application seeking the variation of the conditions.
On Wednesday, Justice Abang granted the application and lessened the bail terms.
In his ruling on Metuh’s application for the variation of his bail conditions, Justice Okon Abang, said the applicant would no longer be required to produce two sureties who must have property limited to the Maitama District of Abuja.
While the bail sum of N400 million and other attached conditions remain, Metuh’s proposed sureties, who the court insisted must be resident in Abuja, could now be owners of property with valid title documents “in any district of the Federal Capital Territory.”
The court rejected the second leg of the application despite disregarding the opposition by prosecuting counsel to that aspect of the prayer for failing to file his objection to the application within 24 hours earlier given him to do so.
The judge upheld Metuh’s counsel, Emeka Etiaba’s request that Tahir’s submissions be expunged from the court’s records but still went ahead to rule that, “As regarding the second leg of the application, I think the first defendant (Metuh) is asking for what is not legally permissible.”
Justice Abang said since the purpose of bail is to give liberty to the defendant to be able to defend himself, and he has deposed to affidavit that while he has not been able to get anybody in Maitaima to stand surety for him, he has friends with more expensive property in other districts of the FCT, the court is compelled to vary the bail conditions.
“The court, in varying its earlier condition is not sitting in an appeal, but making an order to give effects to its earlier condition,” Justice Abang said.
The judge said he has his reasons for making the order and if the defence counsel is dissatisfied with it, the only option is to go to on appeal.
He, however, assured that the court will ensure that the prosecution counsel will not be an obstacle to the fulfillment of the bail conditions.
After proceedings in court yesterday, Metuh, in company with his lawyers made frantic efforts to meet up with the conditions.
Senior lawyers were seen moving about with documents for the purpose of the assignment.
Metuh, whose case was heard yesterday, retired to the courtroom where he sat with family members and friends.
Daily Sun was told that Metuh had to fast-tract the process in view of the fact that the trial judge is scheduled to travel to Lagos tomorrow and would not be back till next week.
A source at the EFCC confided in Daily Sun that his lawyers arrived the commission late in the evening where the bail documents were verified.
When contacted, Metuh’s family thanked God for his release. A senior family member who declined to be named said the “family is pleased that he is out. We thank God for making his release possible.”
He, however, said the family may issue a formal statement on his travail and the bail granted him today.
From his party, however, mum was the word.
The party’s National Working Committee last night declined comments on Metuh’s bail.
Speaking with Daily Sun on phone, deputy National Publicity Secretary, Abdulahi Jalo, declined comments when he told Daily Sun that only the Acting National Chairman, Uche Secondus can talk on the development.
“I can’t speak on Metuh; only the national chairman is in a position to talk on that. Please, call Secondus,” Jalo said.
Secondus could not be reached on phone as his line was switched off.
Metuh regains freedom/sd
Arms deal: Metuh out on bail
From GODWIN TSA, Abuja and TAIWO AMODU, ABUJA
After 24 days in detention, National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, yesterday night, fulfilled his bail conditions to regain temporary freedom.
A senior lawyer in his defence team, Chief Chris Uche (SAN) confirmed his release from detention to Daily Sun.
Upon his arrest by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on January 5, where he spent weeks in its custody, Metuh was finally arraigned before the court over alleged N400 million money laundering allegations through his firm, Destra Investment Limited.
He was granted bail by Justice Okon Abang on January 19, 2016 in the sum of N400million with two sureties in like sum.
The court said the two sureties must be residents of Abuja and have property in Maitaima district worth N200 million.
The court further directed the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Sylvanus Tahir, to, within 24 hours of being notified, verify the addresses of the proposed sureties and the Certificate of Occupancy of the property to be presented by them.
But, when it became practically impossible for Metuh to meet up with these conditions, he approached the court with an application seeking the variation of the conditions.
On Wednesday, Justice Abang granted the application and lessened the bail terms.
In his ruling on Metuh’s application for the variation of his bail conditions, Justice Okon Abang, said the applicant would no longer be required to produce two sureties who must have property limited to the Maitama District of Abuja.
While the bail sum of N400million and other attached conditions remain, Metuh’s proposed sureties, who the court insisted must be resident in Abuja, could now be owners of property with valid title documents “in any district of the Federal Capital Territory.”
The court rejected the second leg of the application despite disregarding the opposition by prosecuting counsel to that aspect of the prayer for failing to file his objection to the application within 24 hours earlier given him to do so.
The judge upheld Metuh’s counsel, Emeka Etiaba’s request that Tahir’s submissions be expunged from the court’s records but still went ahead to rule that, “As regarding the second leg of the application, I think the first defendant (Metuh) is asking for what is not legally permissible.”
Justice Abang said since the purpose of bail is to give liberty to the defendant to be able to defend himself, and he has deposed to affidavit that while he has not been able to get anybody in Maitaima to stand surety for him, he has friends with more expensive property in other districts of the FCT, the court is compelled to vary the bail conditions.
“The court, in varying its earlier condition is not sitting in an appeal, but making an order to give effects to its earlier condition,” Justice Abang said.
The Judge said he has his reasons for making the order and if the defence counsel is dissatisfied with it, the only option is to go to on appeal.
He, however, assured that the court will ensure that the prosecution counsel will not be an obstacle to the fulfillment of the bail conditions.
After proceedings in court yesterday, Metuh, in company with his lawyers made frantic efforts to meet up with the conditions.
Senior lawyers were seen moving about with documents for the purpose of the assignment.
Metuh, whose case was heard yesterday, retired to the courtroom where he sat with family members and friends.
Daily Sun was told that Metuh had to fast-tract the process in view of the fact that the trial judge is scheduled to travel to Lagos tomorrow and would not be back till next week.
A source at the EFCC confided in Daily Sun that his lawyers arrived the Commission late in the evening where the bail documents were verified.
When contacted, Metuh’s family thanked God for his release. A senior family member who declined to be named said the “family is pleased that he is out. We thank God for making his release possible.”
He, however, said the family may issue a formal statement on his travail and the bail granted him.
From his party, however, mum was the word.
The party’s National Working Committee last night declined comments on Metuh’s bail.
Speaking with Daily Sun on phone, deputy National Publicity Secretary,
Abdulahi Jalo, declined comments when he told Daily Sun that only the Acting National Chairman, Uche Secondus can talk on the development.
“ I can’t speak on Metuh, only the national chairman is in a position to talk on that. Please, call Secondus,” Jalo said.
Secondus could not be reached on phone as his line was switched off.
Arms deal: EFCC arrests Amosu, ex-Chief of Air Staff over alleged N29bn scam
Arms deal: EFCC arrests Amosu, ex-Chief of Air Staff over alleged N29bn scam
By Our Reporter on January 29, 2016 COVER, National
From Henry Chukwurah, Abuja
FOR his alleged refusal to co-operate with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged role in the diversion of N29billion in the $2.1billion arms deal, former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adeola Amosu (retd), was yesterday arrested in Abuja.
He was picked up after preliminary investigation showed that he was accused of authorising the purchase of two helicopters which had no functional rotors, among other alleged crimes. Amosu was said to have compelled two Air Force officers to use one of choppers after they were equipped with a rotor that was taken from an unserviceable Russian-made helicopter gunship. The officers died in a crash near Yola, capital of Adamawa State last year. The rotors were said to be too heavy for the helicopter.
Amosu’s arrest came amid speculations that more former and serving senior military officials may still be ” invited” in the coming days to explain their roles in the raging arms procurement scandal (aka Dasukigate).
A highly dependable source at the EFCC, who confirmed Amosu’s arrest, said: “Yes, it is true that he is with us.” He declined further comments on the matter.
The EFCC’s spokesman, Mr. Wilson Uwujare, could not be reached for comments on the arrest at Press time.
President Muhammadu Buhari had ordered a probe of many serving and retired senior military officers over questionable deals in the procurement of weapons which were meant to boost the military’s anti-insurgency war in the North-East during the Jonathan administration.
Meanwhile, Details released by presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu on January 15, the Presidential Committee that investigated the purchase, said: “A major procurement activity undertaken by ONSA for NAF was that concerning the contracts awarded to Societe D’ Equipment Internationaux (SEI) Nig Ltd.
“Between January 2014 and February 2015, NAF awarded 10 contracts totalling Nine Hundred and Thirty Million, Five Hundred Thousand, Six Hundred and Ninety US Dollars ($930,500,690.00) to SEI Nig Ltd.
“Letters of award and End User Certificates for all the contracts issued by NAF and ONSA respectively did not reflect the contract sums. Rather, these were only found in the vendor’s invoices, all dated 19 March 2015.
Additionally, some of the award letters contained misleading delivery dates suggesting fraudulent intent in the award process. The observed discrepancies are in clear contravention of extant procurement regulations.
“However, it was confirmed that the helicopters were excessively priced and not operationally airworthy at the time of delivery. A brand new unit of such helicopters goes for about Thirty Million US Dollars ($30m).
Furthermore, the helicopters were delivered without rotor blades and upgrade accessories.
Fire destroys shops, filling station in Lagos
Fire destroys shops, filling station in Lagos
January 29, 2016
Afeez Hanafi
No fewer than 200 shops were destroyed on Thursday after fire razed some sections of the sawmill in the Jakande Market, in the Ikosi-Ketu area of Lagos State.
This is just as a fuel-laden tanker went up in flames at the MRS filling station in the Lawanson area of the state.
The Ketu fire, which started around 4am, also destroyed three cars, an office and a toilet facility within the market. Traders estimated their losses at millions of naira.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the fire was caused by an electrical surge from two of the prepaid meters in the saw mill.
Most of the victims approached by our correspondent declined comments as some of them were busy salvaging what remained of their property.
Jakande Market
A trader, lamenting his loss, said in Yoruba, “What do you want us to be saying when our property has been destroyed? About 200 shops and several milling machines were burnt. I just brought goods of about N3m yesterday (Wednesday) and everything is gone just like that. One of the burnt cars was bought a few months ago.”
Another shop owner, Waheed Adekeye, said he lost his planks and machines worth N5m to the inferno.
He said, “I got a call that the sawmill was on fire. Before I reached here, all my planks and three machines of about N5m had been burnt.”
A youth, who identified himself only as Shina, said he was woken up by smoke, adding that he escaped death by a whisker.
He said, “I am a tailor. I have a shop here and I sometimes pass the night in the shop. The fire started around 4am. It was the smoke that woke me up. By the time I rushed out, the fire had almost reached me. All my machines were burnt.”
A resident, Tunde Kolawole, said the state firefighters arrived at the scene about one hour after the fire started and put it out around 8am. He appealed to the state Governor, Akinwumi Ambode, to come to the aid of the traders.
“I live close to the sawmill. I heard people shouting, ‘help, help’. I saw the fire raging and dashed out to the scene. The firefighters came a bit late, but they tried their best,” he said.
The Director of the Lagos State Fire Service, Mr. Rasak Fadipe, said firefighters from Alausa and Ilupeju stations went to the scene.
“Immediately we got a distress call at about 4.30am, firefighters mobilised to the market and the fire was put out around 7am. No life was lost to the inferno and nobody sustained injury,” he said
The General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Michael Akindele, urged market authorities to procure gadgets that could be used to combat fire while awaiting firefighers.
“We are yet to ascertain the cause of the fire, but it severely burnt down sections of the market. Three vehicles were burnt, while several shops were completely razed down. Post disaster assessment will be conducted by LASEMA,” he added.
In Lawanson, a fuel-laden tanker went up in flames while discharging its content at the MRS filling station in the area.
Two buildings and the filling station were said to have been affected by the fire.
The spokesperson for the National Emergency Management Agency, South West, Ibrahim Farinloye, said the fire had been put out in the station and a building.
He said, “We received a distress call around 6pm. A tanker was trying to discharge its contents when the fire started . It affected the filling station and two residential buildings. We are left with one of the buildings. It will be put out pas
Thursday, 28 January 2016
Abe predicts mass defection of PDP members to APC
Abe predicts mass defection of PDP members to APC
On January 29, 20163:08 am/In News
By Tare Youdeowei
Senator Magnus Abe, the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate in the Rivers South-East senatorial district re-run election, has predicted that members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, will decamp en-masse to the APC, before the state and National Assembly re-run elections.
Speaking at the reception of over 700 decampees of PDP to APC in Khana Local Government Area, Senator Abe said that the Ogoni people have realised that PDP has nothing to offer them.
Magnus AbeMagnus Abe
He urged those still in PDP and wishing to decamp to do so immediately as the APC was willing to accept them and work with them in the campaigns, pointing out that those who worked for the party during the election would also be considered by the party in victory.
“We expect that we will work together to move Ogoni to greater heights where everybody will have a chance to prosper,” he said.
Earlier, one of the decampees, Mr. Marvin Yobana, the African Representative in the World Assembly of Youths and former aide to Mrs. Patience Jonathan, said that he was an ardent supporter of former president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and was deceived into believing that President Buhari did not like Niger Delta people, but, 60 days after his assumption of office, the President approved the implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP report.
He explained that that singular act confirms that the Ogoni stand to benefit more in Buhari’s administration than being in opposition in PDP.
He urged Ogoni people to vote massively for Senator Abe and other candidates of APC at the re-run elections.
Abe predicts mass defection of PDP members to APC
Abe predicts mass defection of PDP members to APC
On January 29, 20163:08 am/In News
By Tare Youdeowei
Senator Magnus Abe, the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate in the Rivers South-East senatorial district re-run election, has predicted that members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, will decamp en-masse to the APC, before the state and National Assembly re-run elections.
Speaking at the reception of over 700 decampees of PDP to APC in Khana Local Government Area, Senator Abe said that the Ogoni people have realised that PDP has nothing to offer them.
Magnus AbeMagnus Abe
He urged those still in PDP and wishing to decamp to do so immediately as the APC was willing to accept them and work with them in the campaigns, pointing out that those who worked for the party during the election would also be considered by the party in victory.
“We expect that we will work together to move Ogoni to greater heights where everybody will have a chance to prosper,” he said.
Earlier, one of the decampees, Mr. Marvin Yobana, the African Representative in the World Assembly of Youths and former aide to Mrs. Patience Jonathan, said that he was an ardent supporter of former president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and was deceived into believing that President Buhari did not like Niger Delta people, but, 60 days after his assumption of office, the President approved the implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP report.
He explained that that singular act confirms that the Ogoni stand to benefit more in Buhari’s administration than being in opposition in PDP.
He urged Ogoni people to vote massively for Senator Abe and other candidates of APC at the re-run elections.
Abe predicts mass defection of PDP members to APC
Abe predicts mass defection of PDP members to APC
On January 29, 20163:08 am/In News
By Tare Youdeowei
Senator Magnus Abe, the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate in the Rivers South-East senatorial district re-run election, has predicted that members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, will decamp en-masse to the APC, before the state and National Assembly re-run elections.
Speaking at the reception of over 700 decampees of PDP to APC in Khana Local Government Area, Senator Abe said that the Ogoni people have realised that PDP has nothing to offer them.
Magnus AbeMagnus Abe
He urged those still in PDP and wishing to decamp to do so immediately as the APC was willing to accept them and work with them in the campaigns, pointing out that those who worked for the party during the election would also be considered by the party in victory.
“We expect that we will work together to move Ogoni to greater heights where everybody will have a chance to prosper,” he said.
Earlier, one of the decampees, Mr. Marvin Yobana, the African Representative in the World Assembly of Youths and former aide to Mrs. Patience Jonathan, said that he was an ardent supporter of former president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and was deceived into believing that President Buhari did not like Niger Delta people, but, 60 days after his assumption of office, the President approved the implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP report.
He explained that that singular act confirms that the Ogoni stand to benefit more in Buhari’s administration than being in opposition in PDP.
He urged Ogoni people to vote massively for Senator Abe and other candidates of APC at the re-run elections.
Abe predicts mass defection of PDP members to APC
Abe predicts mass defection of PDP members to APC
On January 29, 20163:08 am/In News
By Tare Youdeowei
Senator Magnus Abe, the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate in the Rivers South-East senatorial district re-run election, has predicted that members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, will decamp en-masse to the APC, before the state and National Assembly re-run elections.
Speaking at the reception of over 700 decampees of PDP to APC in Khana Local Government Area, Senator Abe said that the Ogoni people have realised that PDP has nothing to offer them.
Magnus AbeMagnus Abe
He urged those still in PDP and wishing to decamp to do so immediately as the APC was willing to accept them and work with them in the campaigns, pointing out that those who worked for the party during the election would also be considered by the party in victory.
“We expect that we will work together to move Ogoni to greater heights where everybody will have a chance to prosper,” he said.
Earlier, one of the decampees, Mr. Marvin Yobana, the African Representative in the World Assembly of Youths and former aide to Mrs. Patience Jonathan, said that he was an ardent supporter of former president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and was deceived into believing that President Buhari did not like Niger Delta people, but, 60 days after his assumption of office, the President approved the implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP report.
He explained that that singular act confirms that the Ogoni stand to benefit more in Buhari’s administration than being in opposition in PDP.
He urged Ogoni people to vote massively for Senator Abe and other candidates of APC at the re-run elections.
Abe predicts mass defection of PDP members to APC
Abe predicts mass defection of PDP members to APC
On January 29, 20163:08 am/In News
By Tare Youdeowei
Senator Magnus Abe, the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate in the Rivers South-East senatorial district re-run election, has predicted that members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, will decamp en-masse to the APC, before the state and National Assembly re-run elections.
Speaking at the reception of over 700 decampees of PDP to APC in Khana Local Government Area, Senator Abe said that the Ogoni people have realised that PDP has nothing to offer them.
Magnus AbeMagnus Abe
He urged those still in PDP and wishing to decamp to do so immediately as the APC was willing to accept them and work with them in the campaigns, pointing out that those who worked for the party during the election would also be considered by the party in victory.
“We expect that we will work together to move Ogoni to greater heights where everybody will have a chance to prosper,” he said.
Earlier, one of the decampees, Mr. Marvin Yobana, the African Representative in the World Assembly of Youths and former aide to Mrs. Patience Jonathan, said that he was an ardent supporter of former president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and was deceived into believing that President Buhari did not like Niger Delta people, but, 60 days after his assumption of office, the President approved the implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP report.
He explained that that singular act confirms that the Ogoni stand to benefit more in Buhari’s administration than being in opposition in PDP.
He urged Ogoni people to vote massively for Senator Abe and other candidates of APC at the re-run elections.
Abe predicts mass defection of PDP members to APC
Abe predicts mass defection of PDP members to APC
On January 29, 20163:08 am/In News
By Tare Youdeowei
Senator Magnus Abe, the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate in the Rivers South-East senatorial district re-run election, has predicted that members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, will decamp en-masse to the APC, before the state and National Assembly re-run elections.
Speaking at the reception of over 700 decampees of PDP to APC in Khana Local Government Area, Senator Abe said that the Ogoni people have realised that PDP has nothing to offer them.
Magnus AbeMagnus Abe
He urged those still in PDP and wishing to decamp to do so immediately as the APC was willing to accept them and work with them in the campaigns, pointing out that those who worked for the party during the election would also be considered by the party in victory.
“We expect that we will work together to move Ogoni to greater heights where everybody will have a chance to prosper,” he said.
Earlier, one of the decampees, Mr. Marvin Yobana, the African Representative in the World Assembly of Youths and former aide to Mrs. Patience Jonathan, said that he was an ardent supporter of former president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and was deceived into believing that President Buhari did not like Niger Delta people, but, 60 days after his assumption of office, the President approved the implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP report.
He explained that that singular act confirms that the Ogoni stand to benefit more in Buhari’s administration than being in opposition in PDP.
He urged Ogoni people to vote massively for Senator Abe and other candidates of APC at the re-run elections.
Abe predicts mass defection of PDP members to APC
Abe predicts mass defection of PDP members to APC
On January 29, 20163:08 am/In News
By Tare Youdeowei
Senator Magnus Abe, the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate in the Rivers South-East senatorial district re-run election, has predicted that members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, will decamp en-masse to the APC, before the state and National Assembly re-run elections.
Speaking at the reception of over 700 decampees of PDP to APC in Khana Local Government Area, Senator Abe said that the Ogoni people have realised that PDP has nothing to offer them.
Magnus AbeMagnus Abe
He urged those still in PDP and wishing to decamp to do so immediately as the APC was willing to accept them and work with them in the campaigns, pointing out that those who worked for the party during the election would also be considered by the party in victory.
“We expect that we will work together to move Ogoni to greater heights where everybody will have a chance to prosper,” he said.
Earlier, one of the decampees, Mr. Marvin Yobana, the African Representative in the World Assembly of Youths and former aide to Mrs. Patience Jonathan, said that he was an ardent supporter of former president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and was deceived into believing that President Buhari did not like Niger Delta people, but, 60 days after his assumption of office, the President approved the implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP report.
He explained that that singular act confirms that the Ogoni stand to benefit more in Buhari’s administration than being in opposition in PDP.
He urged Ogoni people to vote massively for Senator Abe and other candidates of APC at the re-run elections.
Abe predicts mass defection of PDP members to APC
Abe predicts mass defection of PDP members to APC
On January 29, 20163:08 am/In News
By Tare Youdeowei
Senator Magnus Abe, the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate in the Rivers South-East senatorial district re-run election, has predicted that members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, will decamp en-masse to the APC, before the state and National Assembly re-run elections.
Speaking at the reception of over 700 decampees of PDP to APC in Khana Local Government Area, Senator Abe said that the Ogoni people have realised that PDP has nothing to offer them.
Magnus AbeMagnus Abe
He urged those still in PDP and wishing to decamp to do so immediately as the APC was willing to accept them and work with them in the campaigns, pointing out that those who worked for the party during the election would also be considered by the party in victory.
“We expect that we will work together to move Ogoni to greater heights where everybody will have a chance to prosper,” he said.
Earlier, one of the decampees, Mr. Marvin Yobana, the African Representative in the World Assembly of Youths and former aide to Mrs. Patience Jonathan, said that he was an ardent supporter of former president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and was deceived into believing that President Buhari did not like Niger Delta people, but, 60 days after his assumption of office, the President approved the implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP report.
He explained that that singular act confirms that the Ogoni stand to benefit more in Buhari’s administration than being in opposition in PDP.
He urged Ogoni people to vote massively for Senator Abe and other candidates of APC at the re-run elections.
Wednesday, 27 January 2016
Plot to smear Tinubu in full swing’
Plot to smear Tinubu in full swing’
‘Plot to smear Tinubu in full swing’
A campaign to smear the reputation of All Progressives Congress (APC) national leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which started about six weeks ago, is in full swing, his Media Office said yesterday.
In a statement signed by Sunday Akin Dare, the Tinubu Media Office (TMO) said it had learnt of “a concerted, wilful campaign tagged ‘destroy the reputation of Tinubu and his relationship with Buhari,’” which it has been monitoring for six weeks.
The statement said: “As part of this ugly plot to cultivate the worst of lies against the national leader of the APC, several blogs and online sites recruited to launch this smear campaign have manufactured stories to advance this sinister plan to taint the public mind with gross lies disguised as news reports and interviews.
“This campaign, now in full and desperate swing, involves a blatant violation of the minimal standards of journalism and social media ethics.
“Without conscience or any hint of a sense of morality, the lie in the most outlandish fashion by attributing statements to Tinubu which he never made.
“ They concoct interviews that were never given and assert positions that he would never hold or endorse. They go about putting words in his mouth, contending that he was in places that he never was, and reporting falsely his movements and meetings.
“They recently have trespassed another boundary of proper behavior by engaging in cloning letterhead of the Tinubu Media Office and issues their libelous statements under such letterhead. This filth is now being circulated in the social media in a malicious attempt to tie him to the Dasuki money. The writers of these lies wilfully seek to mislead, confuse and deceive the public.
“Such fallacious headlines such as: ‘Reasons Why I collected N9 million-Tinubu’ and ‘I will not return N9 million –Tinubu’. ‘I am afraid PDP will stop Buhari in 2009 – Tinubu,’ are being paraded.
“Try as hard as they can, the creators of these false tales and misleading headlines will fail miserably. Their stories cannot stand up to the slightest scrutiny. They are patently false and we condemn in the strongest terms those involved in this anti-Tinubu racket.
“While these fellows may think themselves cunning, they might have outwitted their very selves. In writing these stories, they have committed clear libel. In abusing the media office letterhead and name, their misrepresentations amount to forgery.
“They laugh now but walk on thin ice. Soon, that ice will break and they shall have nothing but the weight of their wrongdoing to blame for their predicament that will soon come.
“The individuals behind the plot are mostly scarred PDP elements made frightened by Buhari’s anti-corruption campaign. They direct these falsehoods at Tinubu in the futile mission of trying to drive a wedge between the President and Tinubu, to disrupt the progress being made against corruption and to destabilise the APC.
“But their PDP is already something by-gone, buried under the mass of its corruption and wrongdoing. They fight for a cause that has no cause. They are mercenaries of all the ills and defects that the people want excised from our body politic. Thus, we must do the people a public service.
“After identifying the bloggers and paid hatchet writers perpetrating these wrongs, the Tinubu Media Office is taking the step to alert the public to beware and be wary of hatchet writers, false prophets and paid bloggers.
“The Tinubu Media Office has the names and online sites recruited for this campaign and will not hesitate to make them known if they do not desist from their negative mission.”
‘Plot to smear Tinubu in full swing’
A campaign to smear the reputation of All Progressives Congress (APC) national leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which started about six weeks ago, is in full swing, his Media Office said yesterday.
In a statement signed by Sunday Akin Dare, the Tinubu Media Office (TMO) said it had learnt of “a concerted, wilful campaign tagged ‘destroy the reputation of Tinubu and his relationship with Buhari,’” which it has been monitoring for six weeks.
The statement said: “As part of this ugly plot to cultivate the worst of lies against the national leader of the APC, several blogs and online sites recruited to launch this smear campaign have manufactured stories to advance this sinister plan to taint the public mind with gross lies disguised as news reports and interviews.
“This campaign, now in full and desperate swing, involves a blatant violation of the minimal standards of journalism and social media ethics.
“Without conscience or any hint of a sense of morality, the lie in the most outlandish fashion by attributing statements to Tinubu which he never made.
“ They concoct interviews that were never given and assert positions that he would never hold or endorse. They go about putting words in his mouth, contending that he was in places that he never was, and reporting falsely his movements and meetings.
“They recently have trespassed another boundary of proper behavior by engaging in cloning letterhead of the Tinubu Media Office and issues their libelous statements under such letterhead. This filth is now being circulated in the social media in a malicious attempt to tie him to the Dasuki money. The writers of these lies wilfully seek to mislead, confuse and deceive the public.
“Such fallacious headlines such as: ‘Reasons Why I collected N9 million-Tinubu’ and ‘I will not return N9 million –Tinubu’. ‘I am afraid PDP will stop Buhari in 2009 – Tinubu,’ are being paraded.
“Try as hard as they can, the creators of these false tales and misleading headlines will fail miserably. Their stories cannot stand up to the slightest scrutiny. They are patently false and we condemn in the strongest terms those involved in this anti-Tinubu racket.
“While these fellows may think themselves cunning, they might have outwitted their very selves. In writing these stories, they have committed clear libel. In abusing the media office letterhead and name, their misrepresentations amount to forgery.
“They laugh now but walk on thin ice. Soon, that ice will break and they shall have nothing but the weight of their wrongdoing to blame for their predicament that will soon come.
“The individuals behind the plot are mostly scarred PDP elements made frightened by Buhari’s anti-corruption campaign. They direct these falsehoods at Tinubu in the futile mission of trying to drive a wedge between the President and Tinubu, to disrupt the progress being made against corruption and to destabilise the APC.
“But their PDP is already something by-gone, buried under the mass of its corruption and wrongdoing. They fight for a cause that has no cause. They are mercenaries of all the ills and defects that the people want excised from our body politic. Thus, we must do the people a public service.
“After identifying the bloggers and paid hatchet writers perpetrating these wrongs, the Tinubu Media Office is taking the step to alert the public to beware and be wary of hatchet writers, false prophets and paid bloggers.
“The Tinubu Media Office has the names and online sites recruited for this campaign and will not hesitate to make them known if they do not desist from their negative mission.”
Rep decries killing of Nigerians in S-Africa
Rep decries killing of Nigerians in S-Africa
On January 27, 20164:07 am/In News
By Anozie Egole
LAGOS—The Chairman House Committee on Diaspora Affairs, Hon Rita Orji, representing, Ajeromi/Ifelodun federal constituency has decried the recent killing of Nigerians in South Africa, describing it as an epidemic that is getting worse by the day.
In a statement made available to Vanguard, the lawmaker called on the Nigerian Consul General to South Africa, Uche Ajulu-Okeke, to act fast on this incident and present a report to the Federal Government as he promised.
Rita-OrjiHon. Rita Orji
She said: “From tales of xenophobic attacks against foreigners, Nigerians included, to all kinds of violent crimes perpetuated against Nigerians in South Africa by both the police and citizens, we are, once again, saddened by another incident of a Nigerian dying under the custody of the Police. Eye witness account reported that the South African police arrested the deceased, Mr Timothy Chinedu, tied his hands and covered his face with a cellophane bag. The Nigerian national was allegedly suffocated to death by the police in Kempton Park, Johannesburg. The Police, however, is alleging that he died after ingesting drugs but a Nigerian witnessed the entire incident and reported it to us.”
“This is coming at the heels of another Nigerian, Christiana Onyeka, 34 years old, killed on 3 December, 2015, in her husband’s office near Johannesburg by yet to be identified gunmen. This recent death of Mr Chinedu has sparked off protests among Nigerians and some sympathizers, carrying placards and chanting songs in solidarity with the deceased Nigerian. While there have been conflicting reports on the cause of the death from the police and the eye witnesses , the bizarre circumstances surrounding his death have once again thrown up the recurring issue of the South African police brutality against Nigerian suspects under their custody. This is an epidemic that is only getting worse by the day,”
According to her, “The number of Nigerians being killed by South Africans or found dead while in police custody every now and then have increased drastically in recent times. These deaths are tragic, but the sad truth is that these sorts of incidents happen routinely and are likely not going to abate soon until the South African authorities employ stringent measures to tackle police brutality and checkmate the excesses of South Africans who always brazenly take the laws into the hands.
“While we await the outcome of the independent autopsy report, I would remind the South African authorities that it has the responsibility and obligation under international law to protect foreigners and to ensure that their fundamental human rights are not trampled upon by the police or private citizens. Article Articles 5 – 10 of the Declaration on the Human Rights of Individuals Who are not Nationals of the Country in which They Live states it clearly among others that the right to life and security of the person, including freedom from arbitrary arrest or detention should be guaranteed. I am calling on the Nigeria`s Consul General to South Africa, Uche Ajulu-Okeke, to act fast on this incident and present a report to the Federal Government as he promised.”
Tuesday, 26 January 2016
😀Punch of the Day😀
😀Punch of the Day😀
In Tanzania, two friends went for an interview... One was educated and the other wasn't, so they agreed to help each other
They agreed that th e educated one should go first... And when he comes back, he should give the other answers to all the questions
The first guy's interview started;
QN 1:"When was Tanzania's independence?"
GUY 1:"It was supposed to be 1960 but it was postponed to 1961 due to many reasons."
QN 2:"Who brought independence to Tanzania?"
GUY 1:"So many participated but it was Mwalimu Nyerere who finalised it."
QN 3:"It's believed that in planet mars there is life...is it true?"
GUY 1:"So many say so,but it has not been scientifically proven."
When he left the interview room, he went straight to his uneducated friend and gave him all the answers.
Second guy's interview also started:
QN 1:"When were you born?"
GUY 2:"It was supposed to be 1960 but it was postponed to 1961."
QN 2:"What!! Who is your father?"
GUY 2:"So many parcitipated but it was Mwalimu Nyerere who finalised it."
QN 3:"Oh My God!! Are u CRAZY???"
GUY 2:"So many say so but it has not been scientifically proven!"
Dont laugh alone
In Tanzania, two friends went for an interview... One was educated and the other wasn't, so they agreed to help each other
They agreed that th e educated one should go first... And when he comes back, he should give the other answers to all the questions
The first guy's interview started;
QN 1:"When was Tanzania's independence?"
GUY 1:"It was supposed to be 1960 but it was postponed to 1961 due to many reasons."
QN 2:"Who brought independence to Tanzania?"
GUY 1:"So many participated but it was Mwalimu Nyerere who finalised it."
QN 3:"It's believed that in planet mars there is life...is it true?"
GUY 1:"So many say so,but it has not been scientifically proven."
When he left the interview room, he went straight to his uneducated friend and gave him all the answers.
Second guy's interview also started:
QN 1:"When were you born?"
GUY 2:"It was supposed to be 1960 but it was postponed to 1961."
QN 2:"What!! Who is your father?"
GUY 2:"So many parcitipated but it was Mwalimu Nyerere who finalised it."
QN 3:"Oh My God!! Are u CRAZY???"
GUY 2:"So many say so but it has not been scientifically proven!"
Dont laugh alone
Asset declaration: Customs officers may defy directive
Asset declaration: Customs officers may defy directive
By Our Reporter on January 26, 2016 National
From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
Fresh indications emerged on Monday that officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) may defy the two weeks deadline by their Comptroller General, Col. Hameed Ali to declare their assets or risk sack.
The two-week deadline expires on Friday, January 29.
Daily Sun investigation at the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) showed that some officers were yet to either pick or submit their forms.
Ali had, on January 15, ordered personnel to declare their assets within two weeks when he observed that many officers had not complied with the provisions of the Act over the years, stating that the 14-day ultimatum for compliance will be strictly enforced.
The directive on assets declaration was contained in a circular, signed by the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Ali and addressed to all deputy comptrollers general, zonal coordinators and Customs area controllers. All officers are to comply with the directive within 14 days.
However, investigations at the CCB asset declaration department located at the highbrow Asokoro District of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, revealed that although some officers have obtained their assets declaration forms, most of them were yet to fill and return them for submission.
A source told Daily Sun that most of the officers who picked up their forms are “relying on a particular rule which allows them 30 days within which to fill and submit their assets declaration forms.”
The source, who declined to be named because he was not authorised to talk, referred Daily Sun to Rule 3 contained on the instruction page of the asset declaration form which specially allows every declarant 30 days within which to submit their forms.
The extant rule provides that, “every declarant is required by law to declare his/her assets/liability including that of his spouse(s), who is not a public officer and children under 18 years age, honestly, sincerely and submit same to the bureau within 30 days of the receipt of the forms.
Also, rule two of the instructions states that, “the responsibility to collect, fill and return the form rests solely with the declarant; therefore, submission of completed forms by the declarant through his/her respective head of department does not, in any way, exonerate declarant from responsibility or liability.
Suicide bombers kill 32, wound dozens in northern Cameroon
Suicide bombers kill 32, wound dozens in northern Cameroon
By Our Reporter on January 26, 2016 COVER
DOUALA, Cameroon (Reuters) – Suicide bombers targeting a town in northern Cameroon killed 32 people and wounded 66 on Monday, one of the worst attacks yet in the Central African nation as it struggles to contain violence blamed on Nigeria’s Boko Haram.
State-owned radio and local officials said four explosions struck a busy market and entrances to the town of Bodo, which borders the Islamist insurgency’s strongholds in northeastern Nigeria, at around 10 a.m. (0900 GMT).
A local official, who said the death toll could rise further as a number of those take to hospital were in serious condition, said the attackers had slipped in under the cover of seasonal, dusty Harmattan winds.
“The Harmattan has been blowing for three days. … The vigilance committees weren’t able to see the suicide bombers, who entered the village in the middle of the night,” he said, asking not to be named.
While there was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, northern Cameroon has become the scene of increasingly frequent suicide attacks as Boko Haram has stepped up cross-border violence that has also spread into Chad and Niger.
Twelve people were killed in an attack on Jan. 13 at a mosque in the town of Kouyape.
Bodo, separated from Nigeria by only a small border river, was previously targeted at the end of December when two female suicide bombers blew themselves up at the town entrance.
Boko Haram has killed thousands of people and driven more than 2 million people from their homes during its six-year insurgency in one of the world’s poorest regions.
Experts warn that the US is underestimating a greater jihadist threat than ISIS
Experts warn that the US is underestimating a greater jihadist threat than ISIS
Business Insider
Pamela Engel Mon, Jan 25 5:28 AM PST
Al Qaeda Nusra Front(REUTERS/Hosam Katan)
Members of Al Qaeda's Nusra Front seen near al-Zahra village, north of Aleppo city, in Syria in 2014.
A joint report between two Washington, D.C.-based think tanks concludes that the US is dangerously underestimating a jihadist group that could become even more of a threat to the long-term security of the country than ISIS.
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The Institute for the Study of War and the American Enterprise Institute released its report last week. A group of experts, some of whom were involved in planning the 2007 surge of US troops in Iraq, met over multiple weeks to create the report.
The report said Al Qaeda's affiliate in Syria, Jabhat al-Nusra, posed "one of the most significant long-term threats" of any jihadist group.
"This Al Qaeda affiliate has established an expansive network of partnerships with local opposition groups that have grown either dependent on or fiercely loyal to the organization," the report said. "Its defeat and destruction must be one of the highest priorities of any strategy to defend the United States and Europe from Al Qaeda attacks."
While the US's strategy in the Middle East is heavily focused on ISIS, which is also known as the Islamic State, ISIL, or Daesh, Jabhat al-Nusra, which is also known as the Nusra Front, is spreading its influence through groups that oppose the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Fighters with whom the US partners in Syria have previously been told they must focus on battling ISIS and refrain from attack Assad's troops. But ISW and AEI pointed out that deposing Assad, a brutal leader who has been accused of massacring his own citizens, is the top priority for many rebels.
In that case, they'll align with the groups with the best funding and equipment that allow them the freedom to fight both ISIS and Assad. In many areas, that group is Jabhat al-Nusra.
"Jabhat al-Nusra has weakened the moderate opposition and penetrated other Sunni opposition groups in Syria so thoroughly that it is poised to benefit the most from the destruction of ISIS and the fall or transition of the Assad regime," the report said.
"The likeliest outcome of the current strategy in Syria, if it succeeds, is the de facto establishment and ultimate declaration of a Jabhat al-Nusra emirate in Syria that has the backing of a wide range of non-al-Qaeda fighting forces and population groups," it continued.
ISW and AEI predicted that Jabhat al-Nusra could then become a key affiliate for the global Al Qaeda terrorist network that focuses on attacking the West.
So far, it appears that Jabhat al-Nusra has been focused mostly on fighting in Syria. But that could be part of a strategy to avoid scrutiny from Western officials.
"The fact that the US is focused so exclusively on ISIS means that we are ignoring a threat that is as great," Kimberly Kagan, the founder and president of ISW and one of the authors of the report, told Business Insider.
Jabhat al-Nusra is playing a "long game," Kagan said.
"ISIS is in fact overt about its presence and Nusra is covert about its presence," she said. "Nusra's covert presence means the US hasn't focused enough on its presence."
She added: "Al Qaeda's senior leaders have had a deliberate strategy of where they host cells that are planning deliberate attacks against the West at any given moment. Because the US has deliberately targeted Al Qaeda on the basis of whether or not there are attack cells focused on the West, Al Qaeda has tried to minimize the footprint of these cells in areas where it actually wishes to see long-term success. Syria is the top priority for Al Qaeda."
ISIS Islamic State Raqqa Syria Member(REUTERS/Stringer)
A member loyal to the Islamic State waving an ISIS flag in Raqqa, Syria, in 2014.
Other experts, however, have characterized the potential threat from Jabhat al-Nusra in less dire terms.
Fred Hof, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council who was a special adviser for transition in Syria under Hillary Clinton, then the secretary of state, agreed that Nusra's resources had attracted many anti-Assad rebels to the group's ranks. But he contended that these fighters weren't very interested in broader operations.
"Absent a specific focus on fighting the Assad regime I think it will be difficult for the Nusra Front to exist in any meaningful way in Syria, thereby making it difficult for the group to use Syria as a launching pad for global operations," Hof told Business Insider.
Hof also pointed out that the US could lure these Nusra recruits back to moderate opposition groups if the moderate groups had resources comparable to Nusra's.
Still, Kagan warns that groups like Nusra intended to attack the West "whether they're actioning that intent right now or not."
"US policymakers are underestimating Jabhat al-Nusra because Jabhat al-Nusra wishes to be underestimated," Kagan said.
"We are so focused on ISIS that we are not looking at the second threat," she added.
And defeating ISIS could unintentionally strengthen Nusra.
Both ISIS and Nusra are Sunni terrorist groups. ISIS has presented itself as a group that can protect Sunnis against the Assad regime, which is aligned with Shiites. Once ISIS is gone, Nusra could step in and assume that role.
"Defeating ISIS inside of Syria is likely to increase the capability and strength of Jabhat al-Nusra," Kagan said. "It’s waiting in the wings for ISIS' demise in order to establish itself more firmly in key terrain and to present itself as the only reliable ally for the Sunni population."
I really luv dis😊
I really luv dis😊
👇👇👇👇👇
Bible Emergency numbers:
☎📞When in sorrow, call John 14
☎📞When men fail you, call Psalm 27
☎📞When you have sinned, call Psalm 51
☎📞When you worry, call Matthew 6:19-34
In danger, Psalm 91
☎📞When God seems far away, call Psalm 139
☎📞When your faith needs stirring, call Hebrews 11
☎📞When you are lonely and fearful, call Psalm 23
☎📞When you grow bitter and critical, call 1 Cor 13
☎📞You feel down and out, call Romans 8:31-39
☎📞You want peace and rest, Matthew 11:25-30
☎📞When the world seems bigger than God, call Psalm 90
☎📞When you want Christian assurance, call Romans 8:1-30
☎📞When you leave home for labor or travel, call Psalm 121
☎📞When your prayers grow narrow or selfish, call Psalm 67
☎📞When you want courage for a task, call Joshua 1
When you think of investments/ returns, call Mark 10
☎📞How to get along with fellowmen, Romans 12
☎📞For great invention/ opportunity, Isaiah 55
☎📞For Paul's secret to happiness, Col 3:12-17
☎📞For idea of Chrisitanity,call 2 Cor 5:15-19
☎📞Depressed. Psalm 27
☎📞To be fruitful, John 15
☎📞If your pocketbook is empty, call Psalm 37
☎📞Losing confidence in people, 1 Cor 13
☎📞If people seem unkind,call John 15
☎📞If discouraged about your work, Psalm 126
☎📞If you find the world growing small and you great, call Psalm 19.
🔴Please send these emergency numbers to all your contacts cos u don't know who may be in need of them!!!
👇👇👇👇👇
Bible Emergency numbers:
☎📞When in sorrow, call John 14
☎📞When men fail you, call Psalm 27
☎📞When you have sinned, call Psalm 51
☎📞When you worry, call Matthew 6:19-34
In danger, Psalm 91
☎📞When God seems far away, call Psalm 139
☎📞When your faith needs stirring, call Hebrews 11
☎📞When you are lonely and fearful, call Psalm 23
☎📞When you grow bitter and critical, call 1 Cor 13
☎📞You feel down and out, call Romans 8:31-39
☎📞You want peace and rest, Matthew 11:25-30
☎📞When the world seems bigger than God, call Psalm 90
☎📞When you want Christian assurance, call Romans 8:1-30
☎📞When you leave home for labor or travel, call Psalm 121
☎📞When your prayers grow narrow or selfish, call Psalm 67
☎📞When you want courage for a task, call Joshua 1
When you think of investments/ returns, call Mark 10
☎📞How to get along with fellowmen, Romans 12
☎📞For great invention/ opportunity, Isaiah 55
☎📞For Paul's secret to happiness, Col 3:12-17
☎📞For idea of Chrisitanity,call 2 Cor 5:15-19
☎📞Depressed. Psalm 27
☎📞To be fruitful, John 15
☎📞If your pocketbook is empty, call Psalm 37
☎📞Losing confidence in people, 1 Cor 13
☎📞If people seem unkind,call John 15
☎📞If discouraged about your work, Psalm 126
☎📞If you find the world growing small and you great, call Psalm 19.
🔴Please send these emergency numbers to all your contacts cos u don't know who may be in need of them!!!
Democracy in danger –Mantu
Democracy in danger –Mantu
By Our Reporter on January 26, 2016 Politics
Former Deputy Senate President and Chairman Board of Trustees of Save Democracy Africa Group, Alhaji Ibrahim Mantu is a founding member of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In this interview with MAGNUS EZE, in Abuja, he x-rays the goings-on in the nation’s polity and submits that democracy is endangered. While Mantu supports the anti-corruption fight of the All Progressives Congress-led government, he also begs Nigerians to forgive PDP.
Excerpts:
Why the Save Democracy Africa Group project?
When you say save something, it means something is in danger. If you say, save democracy, it means that democracy is in danger and there’s need to save it. That’s why some of us who have benefitted from democratic rule feel that we have a duty to save that which we have benefitted from and also promote good governance for the good of all.
You recall that this is the first time in the history of Nigeria that democracy has survived for up to 17 years. The first and second republics, including the third abortive republic all didn’t last more than once term; at best. From 1999 till date, we have had an uninterrupted democratic rule.
One would have expected that the longevity of democracy would have helped to deepen democratic principles and practice; that we would have developed democratic culture of doing things naturally without hiccups.
But you will agree with me that in spite of the fact that we have made progress in some areas, we still have not made progress in the fundamental areas that matter. For example, there is no internal democracy in all the political parties in Nigeria. And that to me is the foundation; the beginning of the political journey. By being a candidate of a political party through proper process, you will now see the need to win your election through a proper process. But if you emerge as a candidate of a political party through fraudulent means, you won’t see anything wrong in using fraudulent means to win the election because a product of fraud will not see anything wrong in committing fraud.
So, we feel that if there is no internal party democracy, we cannot say that democracy is being practised as it should be. Unless you respect your constitution and conduct your elections in accordance with your constitution, in a free and fair manner, where anybody who wins the majority vote will be declared the winner, then we are not talking democracy. But you know that in our primaries, party members will come out en masse from morning to night, queuing behind aspirants of their choice in order to have a candidate, but what happens? After they have denied themselves food and water till the night, not because they are fasting, but because they are performing their civic responsibilities, at the end of the day, their choice sent to the national headquarters of the party to be forwarded to INEC is not the one forwarded. A very powerful person with money goes to the party chieftains and gets such popular choice replaced with either his anointed son, his wife; his girlfriend; or any other person that the big man wants to put there. And they jettison a candidate who emerged through popular vote.
As I said earlier, if a man emerges as a party candidate through fraudulent means, he will use similar fraudulent means to get INEC to declare him the winner of the election proper. He will buy INEC officials; he will get thugs to disorganise the voting process, beat up voters and get the officials to declare whatever result he wants them to declare in his favour.
All these malpractices must stop. Every time we’ll say, like it’s done in Britain, like it’s done in America, like it’s done in Jamaica, but are those people not human beings like us? They have two eyes and we have two eyes; they are normal human beings like us. But why are they doing things that we appreciate and see as exemplary, yet we cannot do it right? It’s because we have refused to obey the constitutions of our parties; we’ve refused to play by the rules and regulations, we’ve failed to come to terms with democracy. It’s because we’ve not respected the principles and practice of democracy.
We are saying that after 16 years of uninterrupted democracy, that the most important achievement so far is the outcome of the 2015 general elections. For the first time in the history of Nigeria, we had a sitting president who was defeated by the opposition candidate. And the then sitting president did not only accept defeat, he even congratulated the winner before the official declaration of the result. That singular act was responsible for the peace that greeted the result of the general elections in 2015.
Again, that actually made Nigeria to be seen by other African countries as having woken up from the slumber and having embraced the right way of doing things and taken the rightful role as a leader of Africa. Almost all the African countries saluted and commended Nigeria for that feat.
So, what we are saying is that since we have started getting it right, since God has intervened and we have done something very positive, we have to build on the positive achievement by building the foundation for democratic principles and practice. From there, we’ll begin to practise democracy as done in the advanced democracies.
That is why we decided to form the Save Democracy Group, so that we’ll get democracy out of the woods and entrenched in Nigeria.
What do you expect of INEC in all these?
I totally agree that we need to build strong democratic institutions if our democracy should endure because it’s only that that can make our democracy endure. INEC is trying its best, introducing all forms of innovations to improve on elections but that notwithstanding, we are still far away from getting it right.
As I said before, the 2015 general elections were commended by virtually all well-meaning citizens of the world but if you take into consideration what happened in Bayelsa governorship election recently, it’s like we are reversing the trend. Instead of deepening democratic practice, we seemed to have gone back. Honestly, I was so sad to see what happened in Bayelsa because it’s like it has taken us many steps backward.
We don’t want to have free and fair elections only in the federal election; we want free and fair elections conducted at the local government council, state level, in fact, even at ward level. It is when the whole thing is holistic; free and fair councillorship election to free and fair presidential election that we will say that everything has come to stay. It’s then we will say that everybody has come to embrace the theory of free and fair election.
But when people are still killing, still hijacking ballot boxes, still getting involved in so many malpractices; they will not give us the accurate result. What it means is that this new direction we chose in 2015 has not been embraced by some people. We really have a duty to do that.
Hence, INEC, the police and the political parties must wake up. INEC is doing its best, but there is still much to be desired. But above all, the police need to do much more than any other organ because where there is tight security; it will be difficult for hoodlums or miscreants to snatch ballot boxes or waylay INEC officials and snatch other sensitive electoral materials.
The parties must conduct free and fair primaries where winners are fielded as the parties’ candidates and no amount of pressure from any quarters should make them change the candidates.
Secondly, the police must provide adequate security to ensure that hoodlums do not have their way and take over the conduct of elections in various electoral centres.
What do you think should be done to check the maddening defections in our polity?
The truth is that our parties are not actually built on ideologies. In countries where political parties are centred on ideologies, you hardly hear the issue of cross-carpeting or defection. For instance, in Britain, you have Labour Party, Conservatives and the Liberals. Those who formed the Liberals were opposed to the ideology of the Conservatives and also opposed to the ideology of Labour Party. So, they formed their own, but unfortunately they did not get the kind of membership that will make them form a government. In fact, for several decades, they were just having one, two or three members in the parliament. But gradually, people began to buy their own story and they grew with time. Recently, they formed a coalition government in Britain. They never said because they can’t form a government, let us go and join the Conservatives or Labour.
If you go by that, everybody should remain where he is. But the fact is that Nigerian political parties are mere platforms for achieving political ambitions. That’s why Nigerian politician can jump from one party to another, like a person runs for the primaries for the governorship ticket of one political party and fails to get it, the next day you see him as the flag bearer of another party for the same election. You can see clearly that if there had been clearly defined ideologies, it would be difficult for someone who does not share your ideology to just jump into your party.
Coming to the National Assembly for example, the law is very clear that you cannot cross carpet from your party to another party unless there is crisis in your own party. So, if there is no crisis in your party, you must remain in the political party that brought you to the National Assembly until your tenure is over. But as I said that people just join parties because of their political ambitions, if somebody is in say PDP for about 15 years and loses nomination, the following morning he goes to APC or Labour Party, gets their ticket and wins. You will see that he’s not really a committed APC or Labour Party member because he doesn’t even know anybody there; he just wanted to use the party platform to be in the senate.
But if there is a crisis in your party, you can actually leave for another party; where there is no crisis, you will actually lose your seat. There are decided cases in the Supreme Court on this.
As of now, people are just jumping out because nobody wants to be in opposition because nothing is there. That tells you that most people in politics are in it because of what politics can give them and not because of service. If you are there to serve the people, it doesn’t matter where you are; you must not be in the ruling party. Every time a political party wins, people flood to the ruling party. When are we going to develop the kind of opposition that will be formidable to criticise the government and its policies. We need a viable opposition that has the capacity of barking and biting.
I personally believe that jumping from one party to the other is not right and should be condemned. I have been in PDP from inception and I’m still there even when I left the National Assembly in 2007. The PDP was in power from 1999 to 2015 but I didn’t say let me leave the party since I was not accommodated in any capacity in 2007. I would have been a very good candidate for defecting to APC; because of marginalization, but I said no. I believe in PDP. PDP, as a political party, has also made me what I am. I cannot just run away from the party because we’ve lost election. There must be winners and losers in any election. And in any case, you must be principled. You can’t claim to be a good leader without principle because when you can’t accommodate a small heat, how do you expect your followers to accommodate heat? You must lead by example. As far as I’m concerned, it will be a sign of ingratitude for me to say because PDP is now not in power, let me leave the party. After all, in 1999 I came to the National Assembly as Ibrahim Mantu, when I was sworn in, I became Senator Ibrahim Mantu and in 2000, I became deputy senate president; the second in command in the senate, the highest law making body in the country; courtesy of who, the PDP. If I had not been given the opportunity by the party, I wouldn’t have been deputy senate president.
So, if it’s my dead body lying there now, they will say there lies the body of former deputy president of the senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It’s not every time that you must win. The world is not a bed of roses; there are times you laugh and sometimes you cry.
I see the PDP as a father infected with leprosy and his son says my father is not healthy again, let me run away and leave him to his fate. But a good son will say no, my father has leprosy, let me stay and get him cured. Even if it becomes incurable like cancer or AIDS, at least you will give him a befitting burial if you stay behind. For me, I will not run away from my father because he’s infected with leprosy, I will sit there and cure him.
That’s what we are doing now. We are going about, evolving different strategies of revamping the party. We’ll sift the party, remove the bad eggs and bring in new good people. I am one of those people that are totally committed to revamping the PDP. We are going to dissect it, look at the ills of the party, see what we can do to remove those ills and come up again as people who are born again. We’ll baptize the party that people will now see that these people are totally committed to see that a new PDP is born; we’re bringing faces of hope to run the party at all levels. We’ve learnt our lesson. We knew what we did wrong and we are not going that route again. We’re going to make sure that this time around, we allow the people of Nigeria to determine who leads them and we will allow them to choose people of their choice; not imposition of candidates. We will allow our constitution to be totally in charge; nobody will do anything outside the constitution. And when people see that they will now know that yes, we’ve learnt our lesson, we’ve purged ourselves.
Is PDP now prepared to play the role of opposition?
Whether we are prepared to play the role of opposition or not, we’re now in the opposition and we have to learn how to live the opposition life. Indeed, the PDP was not prepared to play opposition, but many of us saw it coming because we knew with the kind of attitude, the kind of impunity displayed at all levels, we knew that there was no way PDP would survive the election. Many of us saw it and that was why some of us were not visible in the presidential campaign because we told them and they refused our pieces of advice. You can only take the horse to the stream, but not force it to drink the water. Since they jettisoned our advice, they eventually saw the result.
But we will remain there to get it right. I’m a veteran; I’ve been in this game for over three decades and there is no way I don’t know exactly what to do to put things right. If somebody is in charge and he says he doesn’t recognise your value, are you going to force yourself on the person? No!
The PDP now must accept its role because we are responsible for our situation. We have to pay the price for impunity, pay the price for sins we have committed and that’s why I’m saying as far as I’m concerned that we should ask Nigerians to forgive us for disappointing them because for 16 years we enjoyed the patronage and support of the Nigerian people. This is the first time any political party will enjoy such number of years in government. Nigerian people didn’t actually want to part with the PDP but PDP’s impunity, arrogance and power drunkenness led us to where we are now. But we are saying we are sorry. We’re sorry, we’ve purged ourselves, we’ve realised where we went wrong; we’re truly repentant, we’re born again. Give us another chance; we’re going to show you that we’re not going to repeat the sins of the past because we’ve learnt our lesson.
With rumours of political realignments going on, is the Save Democracy Group not another way of bringing up another political party?
This is not a PDP outfit, neither is it an APC outfit. It’s not a Labour Party outfit. In fact, it’s not anybody’s outfit. It’s an outfit of committed, patriotic democrats who want to make sure that we play by the rules of the game; who want to make sure that we don’t kick out democracy in Nigeria again. We don’t want a situation where one Sergeant in the military will come and say ‘I sergeant so, so, so, again’. As I told you earlier, the worst democratic government is better than the best military dictatorship.
So, we just want to ensure that we continue to enjoy democratic government, if not for any other thing, it allows us to express ourselves and tell our leaders where they are going wrong. You don’t have that in a dictatorship. Therefore, this is not a political party; its membership cuts across all the political parties and very senior citizens who are not politicians but they are committed to ensuring that democracy survives in Nigeria. When we have good governance, everybody benefits, everybody enjoys. You know this country is blessed; God has blessed us with abundant natural and human resources yet the people are suffering.
That’s why we are saying that there must be good governance so that everybody will enjoy the benefits.
What’s your take on the fight against corruption by the President Muhammad Buhari administration?
As far as I’m concerned, the current war against corruption is not a Buhari versus corruption. It is a war that all hands must be on deck to fight corruption because the effects of corruption are being felt be all of us. Whether you are a politician or not; APC or PDP; Labour or any other party, even non-politicians, you are suffering from the negative effects of corruption because it is bad governance that gives birth to corruption. That is what is responsible for our not realising maximum benefit from what God has given us.
With our abundant human and natural resources, Nigeria should be flowing with milk and honey. Instead people are suffering; many people in this country can’t eat a meal in a day not to talk of a square meal. As we speak, there are millions of Nigerians that have not eaten. This shouldn’t be the case. We have no business with poverty. God did not intend that any Nigerian should suffer anything deprivation.
But because of bad management of our resources, people are living in abject poverty. So, all we are saying is that the fight against corruption is not a party’s fight or individual fight. All citizens must join hands and fight corruption so that good governance will provide us with all the good things of life.
Somebody must be there at any given time. Today, Buhari is there and he has introduced the fight against corruption. Back in 1984, the same Buhari engaged in the war against indiscipline. Nigerians were beginning to behave themselves but it was short lived. And we went back to our old ways of doing things. We do hope and pray that this time, the war against corruption will be entrenched and develop strong roots that nobody again will come and uproot it as was done before.
I don’t care who is there but I care about the need to fight corruption.
What about the school of thought that the fight against corruption is one-sided?
The issue is that you have to start from somewhere. At this point in time, we are only dealing with one office; Office of the NSA. There are governors in 36 states, there are ministers; there are commissioners in the states, all these are coming but they can’t pick everybody at the same time. They must go step by step. At this point in time, because the NSA’s office happened to have disbursed or shared this money to PDP people, it tries to look as if the probe is one-sided. But don’t forget that a very close person to the President, a former military governor was also given this money and he is in APC. He’s not in PDP.
If office of the NSA disbursed the money to mostly people in PDP, by the time we arrest people in other sectors, you may find out that all the people that are involved may be APC or members of other parties or even non politicians.
I don’t want us to use what is happening in one office to measure. We are fighting corruption and Rome was not built in a day. The searchlight is on the Office of the NSA and as soon as that is finished, we are already told that there are others they are still pursuing. It’s premature to say it’s one-sided. Let’s give them enough time to bring out all the cases.
Govt recovered much of Abacha’s loot under A’Abubakar, Obasanjo –ex-Minister
Govt recovered much of Abacha’s loot under A’Abubakar, Obasanjo –ex-Minister
By Our Reporter on January 26, 2016 Business
From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
Former Co-ordinating Minister and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has alleged that the Federal Government recovered much of the Abacha loots during the regime of General Abdulsalami Abubakar and the first term of President Olusegun Obasanjo when she was not in government.
She made this allegation in response to an attempt by a Lagos lawyer, Mr Femi Falana to link her with the $2.1 billion arms deal, rocking serveral former government officials. According to her only $500 million was recovered during her tenure as Finance Minister in President Olusegun Obasanjo government’s second term
“During the time Dr Okonjo-Iweala was Finance Minister in the second tenure of President Obasanjo administration, $500 million was recovered. As documented by the Field Study conducted by the World Bank with the assistance of national and international NGOs, this amount was properly applied.
Falana’s insistence on the contrary shows how despicable he is and how he is ready to ignore facts and concoct a fiction in the service of his sponsors” she averred.
The former Finance Minister through her Special Adviser, Mr Paul Nwabuikwu, noted that she fought corruption in her time as minister by introducing variuos policies like IPPIS, TSA, GIFMIS and other policies.
lt is on record that Dr. Okonjo-Iweala championed transparency and vigorously fought corruption during her two terms as Minister. Among other actions, starting from Obasanjo’s second term in office, she, for the first time in Nigeria’s history, published monthly revenue allocations to all tiers of government for Nigerians to see.
While serving in the Obasanjo administration, she requested the assistance of the World Bank and DFID, the UK’s development agency to build institutions and systems that could block leakages from the treasury. This work stalled after she left office in 2006. In August 2011 when she returned under the Jonathan government, with the assistance of the Ministry of Finance team, she re-invigorated the establishment and use of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Management Systems (IPPIS), the Government Integrated Financial Management System (GIFMIS) and the Treasury Single Account (TSA), all of which saved the country billions of naira by drastically reducing avenues for corruption in the public service.
These facts are well documented in successive World Bank, DFID and IMF Article 4 Reports.
It is gratifying that the present government has adopted and is further building on these systems for the benefit of the country” she said.
Okonjo-Iweala said that it was callous of Falana to overlook the fact that her 83-year old mother was kidnapped because of her stance on corruption.
“Falana is callous beyond belief for ignoring a fact of recent Nigerian history: the kidnap of Professor Kamene Okonjo, the then 83 year old mother of Dr Okonjo-Iweala by agents of fuel subsidy fraudsters who were angry that the former Minister had blocked them from defrauding the country further.
“The kidnappers had told the traumatised old woman that they were sent to punish Okonjo-Iweala for refusing to pay some oil marketers. It is on record with the State Security Services that the kidnappers initially demanded the resignation of Dr Okonjo-Iweala in return for the release of her mother. Thank God Professor Okonjo is still alive to tell her story today and she will not be silenced.
It is extremely insensitive and, in fact, inhumane for Falana and his sponsors to level false accusations against someone like Dr Okonjo-Iweala who went through this kind of searing personal ordeal for her principled fight against corruption.”
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