Sharia court to chop off hands and legs of 10 people, stone 5 to death In Bauchi State






The Controller of Prisons, Bauchi State Command, Suleiman T. Suleiman has said that five persons who were sentenced to death-by-stoning; and 10 others whose legs and hands are to be amputated are awaiting the day of judgment.  
 
Suleiman, who spoke in an interview with newsmen in his office on Tuesday on the state of prison in Bauchi, also lamented that some convicts have been in jail for over 10 years with action not taken on them. He said six other inmates have also been condemned to death, five are currently on life sentence, while 188 are on various jail terms of two years and above.  
 
He lamented that the prison currently has 947 inmates at the 500-capacity Bauchi Prison.  He said:

Quote:“The condemned convicts we have are mostly coming from Sharia Courts. These and other related cases like amputation of hand or leg have been in jail for over 10 years without knowing their fate. Their hands are not cut off, their legs are not cut off, they don’t know their fate.  
“There are also those who are supposed to be stoned to death. I am worried. I feel touched that each time I go to any of the prisons to visit, they’ll be the first to confront me with questions about their case. I have written to the state governor, I have also written to the state Chief Judge to see that something is done about these people. They’re the only category of people that cannot be taken to court because they have already been convicted, but there’s no execution.”  

Quote:“If this cannot also be done, they should be granted pardon and counselled to be of good behaviour and released. I want the government to execute the law as it is and if they cannot do that, the governor has the power to give clemency to these convicts.”

by Linda Ikeji 

NEWS
Saraki explodes over probe of spendings from 2003, reveals those using EFCC



Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has responded to Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) confirmation of probe of his activities since 2003.

Saraki through Yusuph Olaniyonu, his Special Adviser, said he was aware of the letter written by the commission to the Kwara State Government, in which it demanded for all details of salaries, allowances, estacode or any other entitlement he enjoyed during his tenure as Governor of Kwara State between 2003 and 2011.

The statement lambasted the EFCC, and stated that the commission was asked to go after him on a witch-hunt exercise by political opponents seeking to settle scores.

It reads: “We will first make clarifications to put a lie to some of the claims made by the EFCC in the statement issued yesterday. The EFCC claimed that “the commission’s letter to the Kwara State Government House, which sought an inquest into Saraki’s earnings as the state Governor, from 2003 to 2011 was dated Friday, April 26, 2019, predating his announcement as IHRC ambassador at large which came on Sunday, April 28, 2019 with two clear days”. It should be noted that the IHRC letter informing the Senate President of his appointment is dated March 16, 2019, that is about 40 days before the EFCC wrote its letter conveying the investigations to Kwara State Government House. In fact, the media team of the Senate President held on to the announcement of the appointment for several weeks so that we could do due diligence on it.

“At this point, we need to remind members of the public that Dr. Saraki’s tenure as Kwara State Governor has been investigated several times since his last months in Office in 2010 till date. In fact, at a point, as incumbent Governor, he voluntarily waived his immunity and submitted to investigation and yet nothing was found against him. Also, members of the public should be reminded that during the proceedings of his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) between 2015 and 2018, it became clear that the evidence relied upon was from investigations conducted by the EFCC on his tenure as Governor and that is why the lead witness for the prosecution was an EFCC agent, Michael Wetkas. Yet, the CCT in its judgement dismissed the 16 charges filed against Dr. Saraki and that verdict was upheld by the highest court of the land, the Supreme Court.

“This new investigation into his activities as Governor of Kwara State is a repeat performance. The EFCC is fishing for evidence that they did not get in the past investigations which has spanned almost nine years. However, we need to remind the Commission that Dr. Saraki is not an outgoing Governor. Since 2011, tens of governors have been in and out of our various State Houses. Like wise, hundreds of Senators and Representatives have been in and out of the National Assembly. To single out one individual for persistent investigation can only be logically and plausibly interpreted to be a witch-hunt. This is definitely no fight against corruption. It is a battle waged against a ‘political enemy’. It is a ‘label to damage’ plot.

“Not satisfied with the reports submitted by its various teams which worked on the Saraki case in Ilorin and Lagos, the EFCC constituted a fresh team to investigate the Office of the Senate President and despatched another letter late last week to the Clerk of the Senate signed by Mohammed Umar Abba, Director of Operations, in which it requested for the following: “the Certified True Copies of the following: i) All Cash Books, Payment Vouchers, Contract Award Letters, Evidence of Contract Bidding, Agreement and Certificate of Contract Completion from 2015 to date. ii) Certified True Copies of all Financial Retirement made within the same period. iii) Any other information that may assist the Commission in its investigation”.
“We observed that this type of letter was only written to the Office of the Senate President and not to both chambers of the National Assembly. Also, it is the first time such a letter is written to the office of the Senate President at the twilight of the tenure of the National Assembly indicating hostile investigation along these lines. None of his predecessors got such ‘exclusive’ treatment in which their office was investigated by state officials seeking to nail them at all cost. What EFCC does not know is that all the issues they are seeking to probe in the office of the Senate President are handled by the National Assembly Management, that is the bureaucracy of the federal legislature. The Senate President has nothing to do with such issues. However, in the eagerness and desperation to nail Dr. Saraki, they ignored even the basic facts upon which the entire investigation rests.

“Some people who have called Dr. Saraki about the EFCC statement have wondered whether this is the Commission’s way of settling scores by blaming the non-confirmation of its acting chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, on the leadership of the Senate. For those who reason in this direction, our response has always been that the decision not to clear Magu was not a personal issue between both men. It was an institutional decision which was taken on a day that the public freely follows the proceedings through live coverage on television. This was done to avoid accusations that some people seized the process to deliberately deny Mr. Magu fair hearing.

“Let it be known that the usual claim by the EFCC that its actions were directed against corrupt elements does not apply to Dr. Saraki because he is a man who at every point in his public service life has sought to institute transparency and accountability in governance. Dr. Saraki has always worked to promote transparency in governance in all the places he had held public office. For example, as Governor of Kwara State, he waived his immunity to enable his regime be probed and introduced the Price Intelligence Unit, the first by any state. This unit reduced leakages in government revenues. The idea was later adopted by the Federal Government as it became Bureau of Public Procurement(BPP).

“Kwara State under his governorship was the first state to be rated by Fitch, the global rating agency which affirmed its National Long term rating at AA-(minus) and ratings of B+ in public finance transparency. In 2006, the EFCC under Mallam Nuhu Ribadu in a report presented before the Senate gave Kwara State under his tenure a clean bill of health, alongside five other states. At the end of his tenure in 2011, the anti- corruption agency did not find any reason to invite him for any questioning. It was more than a year after he left office when he moved the controversial motion calling for investigation into fuel subsidy that the EFCC first invited him for investigation and nothing came out of that effort. Again, Dr. Saraki in his first term in the Senate was the one who through a motion on the floor exposed the biggest fraud in the country then. That is the oil subsidy scam. Such a person can definitely not be said to be a corrupt element.

“There is need to once again put it on record that the Eighth Senate led by Dr. Saraki has played key roles in institutionalizing the fight against corruption, which is the national objective for setting up the EFCC and other anti-corruption agencies. Among the bills passed to facilitate the fight against corruption include the National Financial Intelligence Agency Act, which, in-line with international best practices, created an autonomous Financial Intelligence Unit in the country that would allow Nigeria to have access to information relating to financial investigations in the 152 member countries of the EGMONT Group. 

The Senate got commendation from the Financial Intelligence Database Agency (ultrascan) for passing the NFIA Act and enabled the nation to be readmitted into the Egmont Group. In fact, the latest directive by the NFIA preventing Governors from accessing local government funds and banning banks from allowing transactions from State Joint Local Government Account without monies first reaching the accounts of the particular local government is also a derivative of the NFIA law passed by the Eighth National Assembly.

“Another one is the Proceeds of Crime Bill which now pave the way for the country to become full member of the Financial Task Force (FATF). South Africa was the only African country on the task force before now. The Senate also passed the Federal Audit Services Commission Bill, which is aimed at empowering the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation to ensure that MDAs comply with the Fiscal Responsibility Act in the management of public funds and in the timely submission of their audited accounts for scrutiny. The bill came out of the oversight by the Senate in which it uncovered the fact that over 300 MDAs have not submitted their reports to the office of the Auditor-General in the past years. These are definitely not the acts that a corrupt element will prefer.

“Other anti-corruption bills passed by the Eighth Senate include the Whistleblowers Protection Bill, which seeks to ensure that individuals that are in danger of reprisals in relation to whistleblower activities are protected under the law; Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act which sought to among other things identify, trace, freeze, restrain, recover, forfeit and confiscate proceeds, property and other instrumentalities of crime; Witness Protection Bill, which is geared at encouraging witnesses of crimes, especially organized crimes, terrorism or other crimes to come forward and assist government and its agencies by offering protection to witnesses willing to provide information, and evidence for the purpose of ensuring proper investigation.

“These are more fundamental issues that can make permanent the anti-corruption war and remove it from the realm of whimsical pursuits. All these are legislative measures taken by the Eighth Senate led by Dr. Saraki to make the EFCC and other anti-corruption agencies more efficient, and generally, in aid of the fight against corruption.


“It is to the credit of the Senate President and his colleagues in the Eighth National Assembly that there has not been any case of bribery scandal or misappropriation in the procurement process. Dr. Saraki promised more transparency on his inauguration as Senate President and the Eighth National Assembly has promoted transparency tenets in which the full details of its budget are now available for public scrutiny. The engagement of the Eighth Senate with the public in the process of conception, drafting and passage of bills are unprecedented.
“Dr. Saraki led a Senate where the leadership do not get involved in contract awards. It has initiated public hearing as part of the process for annual appropriations bill passage and has helped to make the legislative institution more responsive to the yearnings of the ordinary people.

“While we do not wish to obstruct the EFCC in the performance of its tasks, we reiterate our position that the Commission should be professional, ethical, transparent and consistent. It cannot be deemed professional when the agency is not consistent in the application of its rules and the laws to all cases and individuals. The recent onslaught against the Senate President by the anti-graft Agency is definitely a case of different laws for different folks.”

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Daily Post Nigeria




POLITICS
Despite war songs, you failed to deliver Buhari in Rivers – Wike mocks Amaechi
[img=46x0]https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/19e3e3053d12000e74963aced28b63d9?s=46&d=mm&r=g[/img]



The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has declared that people of the state overwhelmingly voted for him during the 2019 governorship election because of his outstanding performance and project delivery.

In a response to an allegation made by the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi during his appearance on Channels Television Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, Governor Wike said that the former Rivers State Governor failed in his quest to truncate his second term because Rivers people were happy with his work.
He said he wouldn’t have responded to the falsehood being peddled by the Minister of Transportation, but he owes the public the duty to set the record straight.

He said: “It is unfortunate. I extended the Olive Branch and I meant every word of it. It was on that basis that the State Attorney General filed a nolle prosequi to withdraw the charge against Flag Amachree.
“If I did not do well in my first term, PDP wouldn’t have given me the party’s flag to fly. In 2015, the same man vowed that over his dead body would I emerge victorious.
“I have done well for my people. It is for the people of Rivers State to decide. It is not in the place of Amaechi to decide.

“We have over 6million people and over 3million registered voters. Therefore, Amaechi cannot say I cannot go for a second term. He has only one vote.
“In the past, he said an Ikwerre man cannot succeed another Ikwerre man. Today, he is saying his grouse is that I cannot go for a second term. At every step, he has one story or the other”.
Governor Wike said contrary to the story that Amaechi peddled whilst he was on Channels Television, kidnapping raged during his tenure. He said it was so bad that the State Chairman of Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission under Amaechi was kidnapped.

The Governor noted that despite the National High-Rate of insecurity, Rivers State is relatively peaceful, with very high ratings.
“Our internally Generated Revenue has improved due to the peace and security of the state”.
Governor Wike said that the political misfortune that befell the APC during the last general elections in Rivers State was principally due to the impunity of Amaechi .

He said: “It is because of this impunity that his party was not on the ballot. Because of this impunity he has denied so many people their political future “.
He said that the plots by Amaechi to manipulate the Tribunal will fail like other previous plots. The Governor noted that Amaechi’s boast that he appointed the members of the tribunal and they would work for him remains one of his empty boasts.
Governor Wike said that Amaechi’s plot to use the police to illegally certify fake results as he did for Rivers East Senatorial District during the rerun elections tribunal would fail.

“The game he played in Rivers East of using the police to certify fake results will not work. During the rerun Police certified fake results. That game will not work again. We have gone beyond that. We are waiting for the police to certify fake results for Amaechi “.
He stated that there was no way that the defeated AAC Governorship Candidate, Engr Awara would have been coasting to victory when he neither campaigned or printed posters.
He said: “Awara ran for the PDP councillorship in 2018 and lost. For this election, he did not Campaign and never printed posters.

“Look at that kind of impunity. He brought a man that the people of Rivers State never knew three days to the election.
“The AAC had no House of Assembly Candidates, they had no House of Representatives candidates and no senate candidates for the elections. There is no way that such a party would have been coasting to victory “.
He added that the AAC Governorship Candidate could not have been coasting to victory and still approach the Federal High Court for the cancellation of the Governorship Election Results.
On the allegation that the INEC Chairman , Professor Mahmood Yakubu influenced the suspension of the Collation process because he worked under him at the Federal Ministry of Education, the Rivers State Governor said that the position of Amaechi was baseless. He said that at the Ministry of Education, he superintended basic Education, while the INEC Chairman served as TETFUND Executive Secretary under the Minister of Education. He said that the INEC Chairman was appointed by the APC Federal Government and since his appointment, there has been no links
Governor Wike said despite the evil machinations of the Minister of Transportation, he was unable to deliver 25 percent of votes for President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 and 2019
“In 2015, as a sitting Governor, he failed to deliver 25percent of votes for President Buhari. He claimed that Jonathan helped us. In 2019, with all the security agencies, he still couldn’t deliver 25percent for President Buhari.
“He sang war songs, but couldn’t deliver 25 percent of votes for the President “, he said.
On the incident at Obio/Akpor LGA Secretariat, Governor Wike said that the GOC of the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Jamil Sarhem sent soldiers to invade the Collation Centre and cart away results .
“I went there to stop the Army from carting away results from my Local Government Area “, he said.
Governor Wike said that the illegal activities of the Nigerian Army all through the Governorship Election were well documented by the media and the International community.
He said that the videos of the Army invading the Rivers State Governorship Election Collation Centre has since gone viral.
He said that even the Rivers State Commander of F-SARs has since written him a congratulatory letter on his well deserved victory.
He said that his administration continues to fund all security agencies in the state, including providing needed logistics. He said that the Israelis that Amaechi introduced were only used to siphon State resources .
He wondered why Amaechi finds Pleasure in de-marketing Rivers State, when the State made him Speaker, Governor and Minister of the Federal Republic.
Governor Wike said after four years as a Minister, Amaechi cannot boast of attracting a single project to Rivers State. He noted that as Minister of State for Education, he attracted several projects to the state.
He denied attempting to bribe the GOC, saying that he has never met him at any point. He said by Amaechi’s logic, it means that the Minister bribed the GOC 6 Division to subvert the Electoral Process.

POLITICS
Godfatherism: ‘Lagos is not Kaduna’ – APC slams El-Rufai over attack on Tinubu



The All Progressives Congress (APC) has told Governor Nasir El-Rufai that Kaduna State is not Lagos State where he retired four godfathers from politics

El-Rufai, at the weekend, had taken a swipe at Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s dominance of the political structure in Lagos State, saying it was time to end godfatherism in the state just the way he ended it in Kaduna State.
To free Lagos from Tinubu’s grip, El-Rufai said, one of the best ways is to start the campaign now by embarking on a study to understand why five million out of the six million voters in Lagos State did not vote

Reacting to El-Rufai’s remarks yesterday, Joe Igbokwe, Publicity Secretary of the APC in Lagos, noted that Lagos was not Kaduna where El-Rufai ended the dominance of godfathers.
He also said anyone who wanted to achieve Tinubu’s status in Nigerian politics must work hard and do less talking.
In a press statement, Igbokwe added: “That was what happened; he was making reference to Asiwaju Tinubu. The person that threw up the question is Muiz Banire, and you know the relationship between Banire and Asiwaju. But Lagos is not Kaduna.

“They want to be like Asiwaju, they want to command respect, they want the world to accept them the way they have accepted Asiwaju, they want to get great followers like Asiwaju BAT, they want to be admired the way people admire Asiwaju, they want the people to love them the way they love Asiwaju, they want to stand tall anywhere they go like Asiwaju, they want to attract attention like Asiwaju, they want to be celebrated and honored like Asiwaju, they want to be worshiped the way Asiwaju’s great followers worship him, they want to be lifted up the way God has lifted Asiwaju up, they want to be noticed like Asiwaju, they want to stand out like Asiwaju and they want to influence decisions at all levels like Asiwaju, etc.
“But in actions and deeds they are not like Asiwaju. In character and in tolerance they are not like Asiwaju. In commitment and hard work they are not like BAT.
“In grace and empathy, they are not like BAT. In temperament and love for humanity, they are not like Asiwaju. They cannot surrender their home to the people the way BAT has been doing. They cannot fight for others the way BAT does.

“They cannot deny themselves freedom for the sake of others the way BAT does. They cannot stand for the ordinary people the way Asiwaju does. They cannot be trusted the way we trust BAT.
“They cannot give the way BAT does. They cannot sacrifice what BAT has sacrificed for humanity for close to 40 years. They cannot live for others the way the way Asiwaju has done for years. I can go on and on but he who must lead others must first lead himself.”

Container Falls Off Ojuelegba Bridge In Lagos

 




                             
A container has fallen off from Ojuelegba bridge and has caused gridlock to traffic flow.

The container fell off a truck which was travelling on the bridge on Tuesday, May 7, 2019, according to a security operative that spoke to TheCable.

“The load is too much for the body, so as it was climbing the bridge, it was rolling down. It is 40 feet tall,” he said.

The truck driver, who also spoke to TheCable, said the accident was as a result of a bus driver who overtook him.

He said, “As I was climbing the bridge, a bus overtook me and I had to stop. When I set out after the bus left, the gear dragged me back and the container turned and fell. It is not because of the break. There is no casualty. I was not the only one in the truck, we were three in number, but nothing happened to any of us.”

This is not the first time such is happening on this very Ojuelegba Bridge. The one that fell off last month destroyed seven vehicles.

Not just that; three people were killed in June 2018 when a container load of plywood fell off a truck and crushed three commercial buses and a Toyota Corolla Camry.

NDLEA destroys 10 hectares of Indian hemp farms in C/River

 



                                 
The National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Command in Cross River says it has destroyed 10 hectares of Cannabis Sativa (Indian hemp) farms in the state.

The Commander of the agency in the state, Mrs Anthonia Edeh, made this known in a statement on Tuesday in Calabar.

Edeh said that the destroyed farms were located at Esok Odot community in Odupkani Local Government Area.

She also disclosed that four suspects were arrested in the farm while they were harvesting the illicit weeds.

“The four suspects are Mr Emmanuel Usen, 40; Mrs Effiom Emmanuel, 37; Mr Abraham Emmanuel, 18 and Okon Effiong, 27.

“Processed hemp totalling 194.8kg, 14.5kg of cannabis seeds and 14.5kg of fresh cannabis weed, with grand total of 223.8kgs were seized from the suspects, while 10 hectares of hemp cultivation were destroyed, ‘’ Eneh said.

She commended operatives of Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) for their support and cooperation in the successful operation.

“I must commend men of the NSCDC for this operation code-named `Fob Ikon-Ekpo’.

“This kind of synergy, if sustained, will go a long way in curbing all forms of criminality, especially illicit drug trafficking and abuse in Cross River, ‘’ she said.

The commander decried the continued activities of hemp cultivators in the state in spite of regular sensitisation and awareness campaigns by NDLEA.

She, however, said the agency was ready and will do everything within its powers to ensure that Cross River was not a safe haven for unscrupulous illicit hemp farmers.

Edeh appealed to community heads, chiefs and youth leaders to remain vigilant and always be mindful of who they leased their lands to, warning that “ignorance will not be an excuse when indicted’’.

According to her, anyone found culpable will be prosecuted as accomplice regardless of how highly placed.

She said that the suspects would be charged to court after investigation.

Naira gains against dollar at parallel market

 


                          
The Naira on Tuesday gained 40 Kobo to exchange at N359 to the dollar at the parallel market in Lagos, stronger than N359.6 traded on Monday.

The Pound Sterling and the Euro closed at N470 and N402, respectively.

Trading at the Bureau De Change (BDC) segment saw the naira closing at N360 to the dollar, while the Pound Sterling and the Euro traded at N470 and N402, respectively.

At the investors window, the naira exchanged at N360.99 to the dollar as market turnover hit 109.52 million dollars.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the naira had remained stable at the parallel market in Lagos due largely to the interventions of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Meanwhile the dollar fell slightly against the yen and some other major currencies as trade talks between the United States and China toughens

Toyota annual net profit drops by one quarter






                               
Japanese car giant Toyota said on Wednesday that its annual net profit fell by a quarter, despite record sales, blaming investment losses — but it forecast an upturn in the year ahead.

Toyota’s bottom line for the past year was pushed down by some 294 billion yen in book losses on its investment portfolio.

The maker of the Camry sedan and Prius hybrid said net profit was down 24.5 percent, from its best-ever result the year before, at 1.88 trillion yen ($17 billion) in the year to March 31.

The firm forecast net profit to rise 19.5 percent in the coming year to 2.25 trillion yen.

Senior managing officer Masayoshi Shirayanagi blamed “the deterioration of the stock market in the current period” for the investment losses. He added the figures suffered in comparison with previous year’s 250-billion-yen boost from US tax reform.

Sales rose 2.9 percent to a record 30.23 trillion yen, leaving an operating profit of 2.47 trillion yen, which was up 2.8 percent year-on-year.

According to local media, it was the first time a Japanese company had ever logged sales over 30 trillion yen.

Toyota expects operating profit for the current year to March 2020 will increase 3.3 percent to 2.55 trillion yen. Sales forecast to sag 0.7 percent to 30 trillion yen.

“Toyota has cruised steadily, compared with its rivals,” said analyst Satoru Takada at TIW, a Tokyo-based research and consulting firm.

“The firm largely showed a reasonable performance around the world at a time when the global market is slowing down,” he said.

– Brexit ‘relocation talks’ –

Takada was not so optimistic about the outlook of the auto industry.

Japanese carmakers have enjoyed a heyday in recent years with the North American market steadily recovering from the financial crisis of the late 2000s and China growing into a mammoth market, he noted.

“But the outlook for the two biggest markets is now murky, while material costs are rising,” he said.

“Also, they can’t expect the one-time impact of US tax cuts, which temporarily boosted their profit before. Tough factors outnumbered positive ones,” he told AFP.

The business environment for companies like Toyota has also been clouded by the US-China trade war and continued uncertainty from Brexit.

Toyota executives have said previously there would be no way to avoid a negative impact in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

Its assembling plant in Burnaston in central England, which produces 600 vehicles per day, would be affected.

The plant operates under Toyota’s famous “just-in-time” system, holding limited stock on site and relying on flexible imports of millions of component car parts from the EU.

“If Britain finally leaves the EU, automakers are likely to accelerate relocation talks. It is natural for them to move to a profitable place,” Takada said.

Toyota shares were down some two percent late in the morning but trimmed the losses by around half after the results and guidance were announced.

This was mainly due to the announcement it would buy back shares for up to 300 billion yen, boosting the price.

AFP

FG awards $3.9b contract for Warri seaport




                            
The federal government has approved the building of a new seaport in Warri at a cost of $3.9 billion.

Contract has also been awarded for the rail connecting Abuja with Warri and Itakpe and Abuja, Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi said.

Amaechi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the rail would also link the new seaport in Warri.

He reported that about $45 billion dollars would be needed to complete rail development in the country.

He said that the country would have been covered with rail once Lagos-Kano, Port Harcourt-Maduguri, Lagos-Calabar and Abuja-Warri rail lines were constructed.

According to him, government has not spent more than $3 billion yet on all the ongoing projects.

“The Lagos-Ibadan rail will cost about $1.6 billion, that doesn’t include the extra cost of things we didn’t prepare for or see in the evaluation; Abuja-Kaduna was constructed with about a billion dollars.

“We also paid $500 million to buy locomotives and rolling stocks for Lagos-Ibadan rail. I can’t remember how much we spent buying rolling stocks for Kaduna-Abuja, that is what we have spent so far.

“So all the noise that you hear people saying we have spent 8 point something billion dollars is not true. I don’t think we have spent up to three billion dollars so far. Railway is capital intensive; a trillion naira is about $2.7 billion.

“And that is for 200km of railway, if you plan to do Lagos-Ibadan and you are looking at 8.7 billion dollars that is between 3 trillion and 4 trillion Naira. That is why I said we will need about 35 to 45 billion dollars.

“To be able to do Lagos-Kano, Port Harcourt-Maduguri, Lagos-Calabar and Abuja-Warri, once we do this four tracks, we have covered the country and we have solved the problems of transportation to a great extent.” (NAN)

Court sentences Nanny to 15 years in prison for death of baby she force-fed

 




                            
While I don’t find the defendant is an evil-intentioned baby slayer, I also don’t find her actions were accidental.” Mason said before handing down the sentence.

Prince George’s County prosecutors argued that the nanny unscrewed the lid of a baby bottle and poured nearly eight ounces of milk down 8-month-old Enita Salubi’s throat.

Adeleye, a native of Nigeria, testified in her own defense at her trial that she was “cup-feeding” the baby to ensure it didn’t go hungry, a custom in her home country.

She and her attorneys said that she did not mean to hurt the child and that Enita’s death was a “tragic accident.”

Adeleye had others testify in her defense, saying that cup-feeding — pouring liquid in one’s hand to feed children when they do not want to eat but need to be fed — was common in Nigeria.

“Please forgive me. I didn’t mean to kill your child,” Oluremi said in court on the day the judgement was delivered.

The child had roused the nanny from a nap, and the girl essentially drowned in milk while in Adeleye’s care in Glenarden on Oct. 24, 2016, prosecutors said at trial.

Enita’s mother, Nikia Porter, said at the sentencing that she moved from the South Side of Chicago to escape gun violence that could have put her family in danger.

“I didn’t want to lose my child to a stray bullet…. I lost her to a formula.”

Adeleye, opted for a bench trial, in which a judge weighed her fate instead of a jury.

In finding Adeleye guilty of all the charges against her, Mason said Adeleye lied to homicide detectives in recorded interviews about whether she unscrewed the cap of the bottle to feed the child.

The shifting story, Mason said, demonstrated a “consciousness of guilt.”

Kcee Loses 1million Naira Bet Following Barcelona's Defeat To Liverpool

 


                          
With a 3-goal advantage, Barcelona went into the semi-final game as the obvious favourites to qualify for the 2019 Champions League final, sadly they were stunned by Liverpool's 4 unreplied goals.

Before the match, Nigerian singer, Kcee had promised to give 1million naira to @mrchidozie (a die hard Liverpool) on Twitter if hs team wins.

As it turns out, Barcelona lost and Liverpool won.

Below is the screenshot of their conversation and payment made afterwards.


Tags # ENTERTAINMENT





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Photo: UNN lecturer asks students to kneel down and raise their hands 'for not sweeping classroom'




 
 
A lecturer at the University of Nigeria Nsukka allegedly punished her students for not sweeping the classroom by asking them to kneel down and raise up their hands.
 
Read report by eyewitness below: 

Quote: 
"This happened earlier today in 3rd year class, department of Microbiology, University Of Nigeria Nsukka.
 
No matter how anyone would want to look at it, this is outright insanity, to say the least. How do you mete out this kind of punishment to university students for not sweeping their classroom when we've got non-academic staff who're paid to get stuff like this done???
 
If people like this lecturer are not called to order, a time will come when they'd flog and physically abuse students and it will still be swept under the carpet. This is sheer humiliation and totally unacceptable."

President Buhari participates at the opening of 2019 Ramadan Tafsir at the State House Mosque (Photos)



 

 
President Buhari today in Abuja said he will not let Nigerians down in providing effective and result-oriented leadership that safeguards and ensures a better life for citizens, assuring that he is conscious of the weight of responsibility on his shoulders.
 
Speaking after attending the daily Tafsir (Quranic interpretations) marking the month of Ramadhan fast at the State House Mosque, President Buhari said the reality of his office weighs heavily on his mind at all times, and he will keep working to deliver an improved life to Nigerians.
 

 
The President said he knows what to do, and will not fail Nigerians. He expressed gratitude to all Nigerians for the opportunity to serve a second term in office. He said their expectations for giving him the mandate will be met.
 

 
“The expectations of Nigerians will be met. I will not let them down. I will continue to do my best,” he said. He also reiterated his earlier message on the occasion of Ramadhan to Nigerians that discipline should be the watch word of every citizen. He advised citizens to use the fasting period to reflect and be more constructive in purpose by promoting harmony.
 
He said the fasting period also provides good opportunity for charity.
by L

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES

WEDNESDAY, 8TH MAY.

THE GIFT OF CHOICE

…I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live (Deuteronomy 30:19).

Our heavenly Father is so gracious and kind; ever loving. All He does and seeks to do is bless you. He knows every detail about your life. He knows your address. He knows where you are, and what you go through, and His plan is to see to it that you’re triumphant always, no matter what the trouble is.


Even when you make mistakes, He makes every effort to correct you and help you. He’s more passionate for your well-being—your success, prosperity and joy—than you could ever be. Sadly, He doesn’t always succeed at ensuring that His children live as He planned for them to live. You might ask, “How’s that possible?”

The reason is that He doesn’t run men’s lives; that’s why He makes the effort. Otherwise, He would have just “pushed the buttons” and everything He wants for your life would just become. He’s Almighty God! He’s got the power; but He doesn’t function that way. He gave man a gift, the gift of personal will; the gift of choice.

You can choose to love God; you can choose not to love Him. You can choose to serve Him; you can choose to serve yourself. The choice is yours. And because He gave it to you as a gift, He doesn’t usurp it or take it away from you.

Romans 11:29 says, “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” How He functions is seen in our opening verse: He gives you all the information you require to make the best choices. He tells you the best choice to make, but never forces you to make it.

However, it’s the reason judgement is a necessity. Without a right to choose, judgement wouldn’t be necessary. But because He gave man the power of choice, man would have to be judged for the choices He made. One day, God would have to show what was right and what was wrong; He’d show every man whether or not they made the right choices and decisions. You’re accountable to God.

This is why it’s important that you live your life in Christ every day, because if you live your life in Christ with the consciousness of His salvation, living in the Spirit through the Word, you’ll not be judged. The only judgment you’ll face would be for your reward. And in that judgement, the Bible says every one of us will be praised; no one will be condemned if they live in Christ. So, keep your focus on Him and use your gift of choice in His love.

PRAYER

Blessed be God who has deposited in me the power to make wise, right, and perfect decisions in line with His divine destiny for my life! The Word is my all-time guide, and Christ has been made unto me wisdom; therefore, I make only godly and Spirit-guided decisions, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY

Isaiah 30:21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.


1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN
John 4:1-26 & 1 Kings 1

2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN
Mark 8:34-9:1 & Numbers 11



#TALKINGSESSION

8TH MAY.

KINDLY SAY THESE WORDS OUT LOUD

Dear Lord, I thank You for the privilege of insight into the mysteries of Your eternal Kingdom. I’ve become a dispenser of the unsearchable riches of Christ. Through me, Your wisdom is manifested, Your grace is showcased, and the love of Christ is demonstrated to my world. I thank You blessed Father,

for giving me a brand new life in Christ. Everything about my life is infused with divinity and speaks of Your glory. Eternal life, love, health, peace, joy, righteousness, prosperity; You’ve made them mine! Thank You for this extraordinary life of glory and excellence I have in Christ. My life is the fulfilment of the destiny that You’ve ordained for me, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

God bless you

Questo stile è fondamentalmente parte converse pro leather della collezione "The 10" originale di Virgil Abloh, e la scarpa la mantiene pulita con una colorazione traslucida bianca e trasparente, anch'essa accentata con materiale semi-rivelatore. Altri dettagli chiave includono il testo nero su tutti i lati e l'intersuola, le cuciture con linguetta arancione e una suola ghiacciata per completare il tema. Consulta questo OFF-WHITE x Converse Chuck 70 in altri negozi Converse selezionati e online il 12 maggio. 

Tieni sempre bloccato su KicksOnFire per le ultime notizie sulle sneaker, le date di rilascio e dove acquistare i tuoi kick preferiti. Disponibile su Kixify e eBay "" Nike ha sorpreso tutti oggi rilasciando OFF-WHITE x Converse Chuck 70 oggi sull'app SNKRS senza alcun tipo di avvertimento. La scarpa converse online è stata trasmessa in diretta l'app questa mattina alle 9:00 ET, dove solo i titolari di account selezionati sono stati in grado di acquistare la sneaker. 

Una versione più ampia del mondo è confermata per il 12 maggio. Puoi cliccare qui per converse gialle vedere l'elenco dei rivenditori. L'OFF-WHITE x Converse Chuck 70? È stato creato con l'idea di Virgil Abloh di "GHOSTING", che impiega un tomaia traslucida per esporre i dettagli del design originale anni '70 della silhouette. Altri dettagli includono il marchio OFF-WHITE sul pannello laterale mediale, "VULCANIZED" scritto sull'intersuola traslucida laterale, "RIGHT" e "LEFT" scritto su ogni toebox, e la firma con zip rossa sui lacci. 

Per il suo design, Virgil Abloh? Applica la sua? Idea di GHOSTING al Chuck 70, che utilizza converse con zeppa una tomaia traslucida? Per esporre i dettagli del design originale degli anni '70 della silhouette. Altri dettagli includono il marchio OFF-WHITE sul pannello laterale mediale, VULCANIZED scritto sull'intersuola traslucida laterale, DESTRA e SINISTRA scritto su ogni toebox, e la firma con zip rossa sui lacci. 

La Converse Chuck Taylor All Star di OFF-WHITE, che faceva parte dell'originale collezione The 10 di Virgil Abloh, è finalmente in uscita la prossima settimana dopo una lunga attesa. La scarpa la mantiene pulita con una colorazione traslucida bianca e trasparente, anch'essa accentata con un materiale semi-rivelatore. Altri dettagli chiave includono il testo nero su tutti i lati e l'intersuola, le cuciture con linguetta arancione e una suola ghiacciata per completare del tutto il tema. 

Cerca la collezione di Tyler, The Creator x Converse One Star GOLF Le Fleur Mono per scendere il 26 aprile in taglie unisex esclusivamente in converse chuck taylor 2 "Converse" e "Golfwang". Disponibile su Kixify e eBay "" Tyler, The Creator e Converse continuano a Unire le forze quando sembra che rilasceranno più colori della "Le Fleur One Star". Guardato sulla sua storia su Instagram, oggi vi presentiamo un'altra nuova coppia che dovrebbe cadere nel prossimo futuro che viene coperta in una pelle scamosciata blu burrosa su tutta la tomaia con marchio di fiori da golf Tyler's signature posizionato sulle linguette e sui pannelli laterali. I lacci, la fodera interna e la suola in gomma sono stati tutti realizzati in bianco per fungere da contrasto con la tomaia blu.

ÿþSet to begin releasing nike free 5.0 tomorrow, here s an on-feet look at the?ACRONYM x Nike Vapormax Moc 2 in Light Bone and Black.The?ACRONYM x Nike Vapormax Moc 2 in Light Bone and Black is one of the three different colorways that were designed as part of this newest collab between?Errolson Hugh (Acronym founder)and Nike. The collab opts to keep the shoe?relatively unchanged. Errolson?saw?this collaboration as a visual project because there is  nothing retro about it , so in his opinion, the shoe needed no modern updates since it was already updated and modernized. 

Skepta x Nike Air Max Deluxe Collab To Release In July nike free Mar 23, 2018 We knew another Skepta x Nike collab was in the works, we just weren t sure which model it was going to be on. In addition to the rumored Skepta nike flyknit racer x?Nike?Air Max 97/BW collab , it now looks like the next?Skepta x Nike?collab will be on none other than the Nike Air Max Deluxe. Not familiar with this Air Max model? 

That s because it s an Air Max that made its official debut back in 1999 and hasn t gotten much limelight ever since.Above you will get a photoshop rendering of what the?Skepta x Nike Air Max nike shox Deluxe courtesy of py_rates. All we know is that the shoe is expected to come dressed in a?Black and Deep Red color scheme, but not other type of design information has leaked just yet. More info is sure to leak shortly since the?Skepta x Nike Air Max Deluxe is rumored to be releasing during the month of July. Stay tuned.via: py_ratesAvailable Now on Kixify & eBay 

The Nike Air VaporMax Utility is a brand new take on the VaporMax tooling that features a three-quarter-high mid cut design. To start off spring, the model is coming in a Clay Green theme and features a Barely Grey nike vapormax Flyknit upper paired with a sock-like ankle collar. Details like an exposed toggle lacing system, white piping on the midsole, and an aqua blue clear VaporMax sole completes the style altogether. 

Air Max Day is going to be celebrated on March 26th, and this Nike WMNS Air VaporMax 2 in a creamy white theme will be releasing after the event. The shoe basically features the perfect spring/summer hue across its entire flyknit upper with matching Swooshes on the sides in a metallic finish. Other details like a contrasting white refined heel, pull tabs and translucent VaporMax sole completes the design altogether. 

Adidas har forpligtet sig til at tilbyde udendørs atleter adidas sneakers og entusiaster over hele verden med førende produkter og udstyr. De vil blive hjulpet udfordre udendørs ekstreme sportsgrene med det. Derudover vil sportspiriten af   "fuld investering" blive oplevet af dem, og de kan udfordre og overgå sig selv kontinuerligt. Siden den 15. september vil Adidas udendørs specialbutikker også komme ind i nogle byer, såsom Shenyang, Changchun, Hangzhou og Xi 'en. 

Desuden vil Adidas fremme ture af road shows i Shuang Yashan, Changchun, Harbin, Shijiazhuang, Tianjin, Wuxi og andre seks byer. Det vil være muligt for lokale forbrugere at opleve Adidas Terex 'lette og frygtløse' alene. Taler om musikens gyldne dreng, der hedder Justin Bieber, er han blevet en af  adidas sko dame  de hotteste superstjerner i den europæiske og amerikanske popmusikcirkel nu. Han ved alt, uanset om det kommer til at skabe sange og tekster, tromme, danse og spille klaver og andre aspekter. Det vigtigste er, at han er meget smuk. Men adidas spezial hvad vi vil tale med dig næste er samarbejdsproblemet mellem ham og Adidas NEO. Ifølge de seneste nyheder har myndigheden officielt meddelt undertegnelsen for at hedde Justin Bieber som global talsmand. 

Hvis du vil lave et hip hop-look, er Adidas originaler den bedste mulighed for dig. Virksomheden er et navn i produktion af sportsbeklædning. Bortset fra at tilbyde sportsbeklædning til sine potentielle kunder, tilbyder Adidas også producenterne mode og livsstil produkter som punge, briller, sko og andre. Har du nogensinde slidt mænd adidas boost Adidas skovhøje afslappede sko? Disse sko er et af Adidas mest populære produkter. 

Du kan sætte dem på når du jogger. De fungerer også som godt fodtøj, når man nyder golfbold eller fodbold. Det bedste ved disse sko er, at bortset fra at have fremragende funktionalitet, er de også meget fashionable. Hver modebevidst person er sikker på at få et par af disse Adidas sko i skabet. Disse sko er meget afslappet. Derfor, selvom du sætter dem på i lang tid, vil du ikke smerte dine ben. Et af de bedste steder at købe Adidas originale skovhopper til salg er Online. Der er flere butikker, der fremmer sko af denne vare. 

Som vi ved, forsøger Adidas Corporation altid sit bedste for at gøre sig perfekt og gøre sine kunder tilfredse. Virksomheden udveksler uendeligt ideer og behov med de mest berømte sportsfolk og trænere. adidas campus Efter en række gentagne tests tilbyder virksomheden os alle slags ergonomiske produkter. Faktisk kan disse produkter ikke kun hjælpe de professionelle atleter med at forbedre deres sportsresultater. Derudover kan de også imødekomme kundernes efterspørgsel efter højkvalitets sportsartikler. 

TX Multi Pants materialet er elastisk nok, så det giver mere frihed til dem, der dyrker sport. Desuden er bukserne forstærket for at beskytte vores kroppe mod skaderne af disse skarpe ting. Vi kan ikke ignorere formationsfunktionen, som er en slags tredimensionel skæring. Det forbedrer folks udendørs ydeevne, og folk bliver mere hyggelige. Vi kan se en snor i delen af   taljen.

President Buhari seeks UN support to rebuild IDPs camps destroyed by Boko Haram



 



The assistance of United Nations and the international community will be invaluable in reversing the devastation visited on Nigeria by the Boko Haram insurgency, President  Buhari today told the visiting President of the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Ms Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces.

Quote:"The condition of internally displaced persons ((IDPs) in the country is pathetic. We have at least a million children who neither know their parents, nor where they come from," the President told Ms Garces during an audience at State House, Abuja.

Quote:"Nigeria is a major troops’ contributor to peace keeping operations, and a major part of the human rights architecture," Ms Garces said.

by 

Vice-chancellor of Kwara State University, Prof Abdulrasheed Na’Allah sacked from office with immediate effect



 



The Vice-chancellor of Kwara State University, Professor Abdulrasheed Na’Allah has been removed from office with immediate effect.
 
A statement by the Kwara government directed him to immediately step down for Professor Kenneth Adeyemi who will serve as acting Vice Chancellor while Mr Naalah proceeds on terminal leave.  
 
The ousted VC would have remained in office till July 27 when his tenure expires. The Kwara State Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Science and Technology, Abdullahi Alikinla, urged  Adeyemi to “take charge of responsibilities relating to the smooth running of the institution in accordance with the law establishing it.”
 
Alikinla said Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed took the decisions regarding the two professors in the exercise of the powers conferred on him by the Kwara State University Law 2009, as amended. The law, he said, empowers the governor, as the visitor to the University, to appoint and remove the Vice Chancellor for good cause and following due consultations.  
 
The state government did not give any reason for the sudden removal of Mr Na’Allah, the pioneer head of the institution. However, the Nigerian Tribune is quoting the chairman of the university’s governing council, Saka Nuru, as dissociating the council from the governor’s action.

Quote:“This directive is not in tune with the University’s law and is going to lead to distraction from the Rain Semester examination and the process appointment of principal officers that are currently in progress,” the newspaper quoted Professor Nuru as saying.
“This action of the state government is illegal and the Governing Council of KWASU has no hand in the directive.”  Mr Na’allah, 56, was appointed vice-chancellor at the inception of the university in the 2009-2010 academic session.  Mr Adeyemi, 69, was a professor of operations research and business development at Covenant University.

by Linda Ikej

Ade Adesomoju, Abuja

The Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal will hold its inaugural sitting on Wednesday, The PUNCH has confirmed on Tuesday.

As earlier exclusively reported by The PUNCH on Monday that the notice for the preliminary sitting of the tribunal would be issued this week, the PEPT issued the notice on Monday.


Our Correspondent confirmed on Tuesday that the notice was served on all the parties to the petitions, including the Independent National Electoral Commission, on Tuesday.

Others that were said to have been served through their lawyers included the All Progressives Congress, President Muhammadu Buhari, the PDP and its presidential candidate in the 2019 presidential elections, Atiku Abubakar.

The newspaper also learnt that the five-man panel that will hear the PDP‎ and Atiku’s petition is to be led by the President of the Court of Appeal.

The tribunal has three other petitions by various political parties and their candidates ‎to hear.

The PUNCH had reported on Monday that the PEPT ‎was, this week, expected to issue the notice for the pre-hearing session on the petition filed by the PDP and Atiku.

The tribunal will, during the pre-hearing session which the Electoral Act provides must be completed within 14 days, fix “clear dates” for the hearing of the petition.

The five-man tribunal has 180 days’ period from the date of filing of the petition on March 18 to hear and deliver its judgment in the case in which the petitioners said they had assembled about 400 witnesses to testify.

https://punchng.com/breaking-tribunal-holds-inaugural-sitting-on-atikus-petition-wednesday/

Quote:Yakubu Dogara, the Speaker of the 8th House of Representatives has said contrary to believe in some quarters that corruption is the major problem facing the country, the lack of leadership is to be blamed for the country’s woes.

Mr Dogara stated this on Tuesday while addressing participants at a conference organised by the Not-Too-Young-To-Run Movement.

President Muhammadu Buhari has often emphasized on the need to rid the country of corrupt elements, saying they are the major problems of the country.

Mr Buhari’s war against corruption is said to be selective mainly targeted at opposition politicians.





A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, recently accused the president of promoting corruption in the country by refusing to probe his allies alleged to be corrupt.

“Nigeria’s real disease is lack of leadership; I disagree with all those who say our major national disease is financial corruption; rather, the real disease has been the absence of true leadership,” Dogara said.

The speaker also said lack of direction by leaders in the country encouraged fraudulent conduct.

“This in turn breeds moral corruption and wickedness. Get a true leader that solves moral corruption and wickedness; when that happens, you will search for financial corruption to no avail.



“Unfortunately, the leadership model we have practised so far is the kind of leadership that produces sycophants who are expected to serve their political godfathers and not the people,” he said.

The lawmaker also blamed godfatherism for some of the conduct of those elected into positions in the country.

“Our so-called leaders have mastered the art of political witchcraft so much so that if you are independent minded, you are automatically disqualified.

“If for any reason you are picked, then you have to surrender your soul for them to eat in small bites until you become their worshiper.

“In the midst of this pandemic sycophancy, the so-called godfathers expect the children to fit in and not to stand up to be counted or make a difference.

“For you, trailblazers who carry the burden and the promises of a generation that must not fail, if you are ever going to get there, it must be on the wings of discipline that produces character.

“This is because without character, you cannot be men and women of influence and without influence, you cannot change anything. Character means that you cannot be separated from your word — a quality no godfather in history has ever possessed,” he said.

To overcome the challenges, Dogara charged the youths to apply an all-inclusive politics because politics means reaching out to all and not to lose sight of the long-term goal of representing their people, state and country.

Talk show and Big Brother Nigeria host, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu has expressed shock with the fact that people still voted for Governor Umaru Ganduje of Kano State, despite video recordings showing that he took bribe.

The Big Brother Naija host in a tweet on Tuesday morning said it was truly amazing that the Kano state governor who was accused of taking bribes from contractors and also caught in several videos stuffing dollars into his “babariga” – could still be reelected back to the office.

Read more on https://idonsabi.com/ebuka-expresses-shock-on-how-ganduje-won-in-kano-state/

Former governor of Anambra and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Vice-Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi is ill.

He had on Monday, visited Queen of the Rosary Hospital, Onitsha, where his blood samples were taken to run some tests.

He was also admitted for few hours where he received treatments for an undisclosed ailment.

Contacted, Obi’s Media Aide, ‎Valentine Obienyem said that his principal has since returned back to work.

“He only complained of being a little feverish. Yes, he visited the hospital but has since returned and gone back to work.

“Like every human being, he gets sick. But what struck me this afternoon was that one of his friends that visited him, who also learnt that he visited the hospital, argued so vehemently that for a person like him, any sign of discomfort should see him of the UK for good care.

“I watched in amusement when Mr. Peter Obi disagreed with him by telling him that the urge to travel is because our leaders neglect the health sector.”

He quoted Obi as saying, “There are many hospitals I can confidently visit when ever in Anambra State. I can visit Odumegwu-Ojukwu Teaching Hospital at Awka, we got it accredited. I can visit the General Hospital at Onitsha, we also got it accredited. Mr… Know it today that Peter Obi can visit Our Lady of Lourdes, Ihiala; Queen of Rosary, Onitsha; Borromeo, Onitsha; St. Joseph, Adazi-Nnukwu; Diocesan Hospital, Amichi.

“Why do I say so? I know the resources our Government committed to these hospitals and I can testify the level of their improvement before we left office. If leaders sustain such efforts, in 20 years, nobody should be talking of medical tourism. I went to Waterside and received fantastic treatment. I spent not up to 1/30th of what I would have spent If I travelled.

“Remember to add the flight ticket and other expenses. This is exactly my argument when we started supporting mission hospitals – these hospitals are in Anambra State and primarily treat people from the state.”

Source: http://igberetvnews.com/634367/breaking-...pitalized/

FG blocks governors from monopolising local government allocations 

MAY 6, 2019 

BY VICTOR OGUNYINKA

Sets June 1, 2019 takeoff date for direct allocations to 774 LGAs 

Limits daily cash withdrawal from LGA accounts at N500,000

Any transaction above N500,000 must go via cheques/e-transfer 

Soni Daniel – Northern Region Editor

Alarmed by the continuous pillage of cash allocated to local government councils across the country by the state governments through the Stat, Joint Local Government Accounts, the federal government on Monday outlawed the meddling of states into council allocations. 

The federal government, through the newly inaugurated Financial Intelligence Unit, NFIU, which was excised from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, set June 1, 2019, as the takeoff date of the new order, making it compulsory for all LGA allocations to go straight to their respective bank accounts. The decisions are contained in a guideline released by the NFIU after a lengthy meeting with officials of commercial banks in Abuja. 

Guidelines To Reduce Vulnerabilities Created by Cash Withdrawals from LG Funds throughout Nigeria, Effective 1st June 2019, is said to have been prompted by threats by the international financial watchdog to sanction Nigeria because of abuse of financial abuse. 

The NFIU warned banks to comply with immediate effect, saying that any of them that flouts the order would be sanctioned. The agency said: “The NFIU requests all financial institutions, other relevant stakeholders, public servants and the entire citizenry to ensure full compliance with the provisions of the guidelines already submitted to financial institutions and relevant enforcement agencies including full enforcement of corresponding sanctions against violations from 1st June, 2019. “Having realized through analysis that cash withdrawal and transactions of the State, Joint Local Government 

Accounts (SJLGA), poses biggest corruption, money laundering and security threats at the grassroots levels and to the entire financial system and the country as a whole, decided to uphold the full provisions of section 162 (6) (of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution as amended which designated “ State Joint Local Government Account into which shall be paid allocations to the local government councils of the state from the federation account and from the government of the state” “The amount standing to the credit of local government councils of a state shall be distributed among the local government councils of that state” and not for other purposes. “As far as the NFIU is concerned the responsibility of the account as a collection account is fully reinstated. 

“In addition, taking such measures was necessitated by prompting reasons on the NFIU to respond to threats of isolating the entire Nigerian financial system by other International financial systems because of deficiencies in our anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing implementation. “Therefore, it is no longer possible to allow the entire system to suffer the deliberate and expensive infractions or violations by public officials and/or private business interests. “Henceforth, all erring individuals and companies will be allowed to face direct international and local targeted sanctions, in order not to allow any negative consequences to fall on the entire country. “To be precise, with effect from 1st June any bank that allows any transaction from any local government account without monies first reaching a particular local government account will be sanctioned 100%, both locally and internationally.

“In addition, a provision is also made to the effect that there shall be no cash withdrawal from any local government for a cumulative amount exceeding N500,000:00 per day. Any other transaction must be done through valid cheques or electronic funds transfer. “The complete guidelines have been released to the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Chairman, Economic, and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and Chief Executive Officers of all Banks and other financial institutions. 

“Any state government that is willing to seek any expert economic advice in the unlikely event of these guidelines constituting an inconvenience to the management of the state can work with the NFIU and /or CBN,” the NFIU said.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/05/fg-blocks-governors-from-monopolising-local-government-allocations/

Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode has told President Muhammadu Buhari to leave PDP’s candidate in the 2018 governorship election in Osun State, Ademola Adeleke alone.

While reacting to the senator’s arrest by the Nigerian Police yesterday, Fani-Kayode said his arrest will not stop him from becoming the governor of Osun State.

He tweeted:

Quote:BUHARI, FOR GOD SAKE STOP THIS MADNESS AND LEAVE DEMOLA ADELEKE ALONE! DETAINING HIM WILL NOT HELP YOU. WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT HE WILL BE SWORN IN AS GOVERNOR OF OUR BELOVED OSUN STATE. IMOLE TI DE! YOU WILL NOT AND CANNOT ROB THE PEOPLE OF OSUN OR DENY THEM THEIR CHOICE!

Quote:“Senator Adeleke is currently in police custody. He was taken into custody in the evening of today yesterday (6th, May, 2019, in connection with ongoing criminal investigations touching on his person.

“Meanwhile, in the best tradition of natural justice and fair hearing, he has already been served with the relevant charge sheet containing his alleged offences in the presence of his attorneys.

“He will be arraigned in a competent court of law tomorrow, 7th May, 2019.”

Ratings: Top 10 banks by profit in 2018

May 07



Nigerian banks made significant progress in recovering bad loans in 2018. That was the singular factor that powered profit performance in the year while revenue constraints remained. Some banks recorded significant write backs of previous credit losses, which seems to have continued to obscure the underlying industry problem in the core business.


Net interest income continued to decline industry wide as interest expenses again grew generally ahead of interest income. The core business of lending and investing didn’t contribute to profit improvements recorded by banks in 2018.
Weakness in interest income hindered revenue growth in banks in the year and the few banks that were able to grow revenue did so by growing non-interest earnings. Revenue performance generally failed to provide the strength to grow profit in the year. Profit improvements happened through cost cutting and this was led by loan impairment loss reductions. The bigger the cuts in credit losses, the stronger the profit performance attained in the year.


Zenith Bank retained the position of Nigeria’s leading bank by profit for the second year with after tax profit of over N193 billion at the end of the 2018 financial year. Profit growth slowed down sharply from over 34% in the preceding year to 11% in 2018, reflecting a 15% drop in revenue.
Profit improvement therefore happened for Zenith Bank in 2018 by drastic cost cutting that saved more money for it than what it lost on revenue drop. The cost cutting harmers fell on loan impairment expenses and interest cost. It was a white flag up for the bank’s management in 2018 for snatching resources from creditors and bad customers to grow the wealth of shareholders.

[img=317x0]https://f5p3e9e4.stackpathcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/toop-ten-banks.jpeg[/img]
Guaranty Trust Bank maintained its position on the banking industry ranking by profit at the end of 2018. The bank closed the year with an after tax profit of about N185 billion – a year-on-year increase of under 10%. This is a sharp slowdown in growth rate from 28% the bank recorded in 2017.


The bank was unable to improve revenue reasonably in the year due to a drop in interest income and the profit improvement was built by cutting cost. This came mainly by a 60% cut in loan impairment expenses. The bank’s management extracted increased profit margin per naira of revenue in the year, taking profit margin to a new peak at over 42%.


Access Bank climbed one step ahead to take the position of the 3rd biggest bank in Nigeria by profit in 2018. It closed the financial year with an after tax profit of N95 billion with one of the industry’s top record advances of 58%. This is a compensating performance for a 15% profit drop the bank suffered in 2017.


The bank is one of the few operators that were able to push up revenue in the year, with an impressive growth of 15%. That strength was further reinforced by a 57% cut in credit loss expenses as well as a 55% drop in tax expenses. The banks’ management continued to experience the headache of rising interest expenses that consumed over 54% of interest income in 2018.


UBA steps down from the 3rd position in the prior year to the 4th on the ranking with profit flat at under N79 billion for the 2018 financial year. Profit improvement slowed down sharply for the second year from 12% in 2017 to 1% in 2018 – the slowest profit improvement among the top 10 members.

The room for profit growth was sealed by a major slowdown in revenue growth and rapid increase in interest expenses. An escape route that prevented a profit drop in the year was loan recoveries. Loan write backs helped management to cut loan loss expenses by more than 86% in 2018. That brought credit loss expenses lower than the bank has seen any time in the past four years.

On the 5th spot is Stanbic IBTC Bank, retaining the position for the second year. The bank ended the 2018 financial year with an after tax profit of over N74 billion, representing another top industry growth record of 54%. The bank had closed the prior year with profit nearly doubling.

In just two years, the bank has launched itself to a profit region where it is closing ranks with UBA. From closing ranks, it could overtake should it maintain for the third year the galloping speed seen in the last two years.  In line with the industry trend, the profit improvement came from cost saving – mainly a shift from a net loan impairment loss in the preceding year to a net write back in 2018.


FBN Holdings places 6th on the table of Nigeria’s leading banks by profit, the same position it held in the prior year. It built an after tax profit of close to N60 billion at the end of 2018 – a year-on-year growth of 58%. This is one of the top profit improvements recorded in the banking industry in the year. It is also another major profit advance for the bank after tripling profit in 2017. Despite the strong growth, it was unable to improve its position on the table. The bank has not yet been able to match its 2014 profit high of N84 billion since it suffered a major profit drop in 2015.

Loss of significant profit capacity was the effect of major increases in loan loss expenses in FBN Holdings in 2015 and 2016. Profit performance has been undermined considerably by over N600 billion in credit loss expenses the bank has recorded in the past five years. The improving performance equally follows major drops in the loan impairment charges in the past two years by 33% in 2017 and 43% in 2018.

The 7th position is retained by Fidelity Bank, which posted an after tax profit of roughly N23 billion for its 2018 operations.  That represents a growth of 29% in the year, building further on a 225% profit leap in 2017. The bank’s management faced the challenge of slowing revenue growth in the year and took steps to squeeze costs to extract an increased profit margin per naira of gross earnings.

The biggest cost saving for the bank came from a 63% drop in credit impairment expenses, during the year. The cost savings enabled management to meet cost increases in the other main expense lines and improve profit margin.

Union Bank still holds its 8th position on the ranking with a closing after tax profit of N18 billion in 2018. A 39% profit advance in the year compensated for a decline it recorded in 2017. The profit improvement happened despite an 11% drop in gross earnings, which was lead by interest income.
In line with the industry trend, loan recoveries changed the bank’s operating story from a possible drop in profit to the strong growth recorded. There was a shift from a net loan loss expense of over N25 billion in 2017 to a net write back of over N3 billion in 2018.

FCMB retains the 9th spot on the ranking with an after tax profit of slightly below N15 billion at the end of the 2018 financial year. The bank closed the year with an industry leading profit growth record of 74%, making up for a 40% profit fall it suffered in 2017. Revenue growth remained tight for the bank and the profit performance was powered by a 38% drop in loan impairment expenses in the year.
Sterling Bank closes the top 10 big profit earners’ table retaining its 10th place with an after tax profit of N9 billion.  The bank has sustained profit improvement for the second year, having grown the bottom line by 55% in 2017. It reported a moderate improvement in revenue in 2018, which it reinforced with a 52% drop in credit loss expenses to build profit.

Angry villagers block Osinbajo’s convoy in Abuja

May 07
10:302019


Aggrieved protesters blocked the convoy of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo along Umaru Musa Yar’Adua expressway in Abuja on Tuesday morning.

The vice-president was heading to the airport when his convoy ran into a barricade at the Goza village axis of the road.

Residents of Gbagyi village had converged on the spot, which is the major road connecting the airport to the city, to protest the alleged invasion of their land by the military.

The security aides of the vice-president tried to appease the protesters but failed, forcing Osinbajo to alight from his car.
Some of the protesters hailed the vice-president as he approached them.

Osinbajo sued for calm, assuring the protesters that their grievances would be addressed.
Apparently convinced by his intervention, the people allowed his convoy to pass but denied access to other vehicles.
Below are some pictures from the scene:
[img=0x0]https://f5p3e9e4.stackpathcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Osinbajo-2.jpg[/img]

A dead man has been buried inside a coffin which is shaped like a coffin in a community in Nsukka, Enugu state.
Photos have emerged showing the moment a man got buried in a very spectacular manner in a community in Nsukka.
 
The man who has been identified as Abraham Ayogu, was buried inside a coffin which was shaped like a bird, a development which caused quite a stir in his community.
 
Abraham who was also known as "The Young", was buried in his hometown of Umuegbede Village in Alor Uno, Nsukka and the burial was witnessed by many people.
 
It is not exactly clear why his remains was buried inside a bird-shaped coffin.
 

Below are more photos from the burial.

Quote:By John Chuks Azu


A Federal High Court in Abuja has summoned President Muhammadu Buhari, the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad and others to appear before the court over the removal of former CJN Walter Onnoghen. Justice Inyang Ekwo on Friday also directed members of the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC), the Federal Government of the Republic of Nigeria, the Attorney General of the Federation, and the Senate to appear before the court to show cause why an order to restrain them from initiating the confirmation of the acting CJN as substantive CJN should not be made. 

“I have perused the processes in the ex parte and affidavits attached. I am of the opinion that none of the prayers can be granted by ex parte application,” the judge said. A civil rights lawyer, Malcolm Omirhobo of the Omirhobo Foundation had brought an ex parte application seeking an order of the court to restrain President Muhammadu Buhari and others from initiating the confirmation of the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Muhammad.

Omirhobo wants the court to determine whether by sections 1(1)(2), 231（4) (a) (i)(b), 153(1) and Paragraph 21(a)(b) Part I of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution, the office of the CJN was vacant as at 25th January 2019 when Justice Muhammad was sworn in as Acting CJN. He wants the court to determine whether the provisions of the Constitution contemplated the removal of the CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen, by ex parte order of the court. 

He therefore wants the court to make a declaration that, “the third defendant (Justice Muhammad) having conducted himself in a manner that cast doubt of confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the Judiciary and has made himself as tool used in the violation of the Constitution of Nigeria is not a fit and proper person to be recommended by the 2nd defendant (FJSC) to the 1st defendant (NJC), and by the 1st defendant to the 5th defendant (the President) for appointment to the office of the Chief Justice of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.” The case has been adjourned to May 13 for hearing.

Senator Ahmad Lawan pay a condolence visit to the family of Senator Dino Melaye who lost his mother recently in Abuja.

Senator Ahmad Lawan with Sen. Bello Mandiyya, Sen. Aliyu Abdullahi Sabi, Sen. Sani Musa 313, Sen. Solomon Adeola Yayi, Sen. Yahaya Abdullahi, as he arrives Senator Melaye house on a condolence visit to the family on the demise of his mother.

Senator Lawan signs condolences's register after his condolence visit to the family of senator Dino Melaye in Abuja

PDP Raises Concerns over Adeleke’s Arrest, Detention
Akelicious 5 hrs ago politics,
 
                              
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday condemned the arrest and detention of its governorship candidate in the Osun State governorship election, Senator Ademola Adeleke, saying it was in total disregard for the extant order of the Federal High Court.

The party in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, said Adeleke was arrested yesterday by the police in Abuja.


“This is highly provocative, an invitation to anarchy and recipe for a very serious crisis not only in Osun but also in the judiciary and our polity as a nation. The arrest and detention of Senator Adeleke is a direct act of violence against our laws, the institution of the judiciary and the 1999 Constitution (as amended),” PDP said.

The party stated: “This is part of the grand plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to coerce Senator Adeleke to relinquish the mandate that was freely given to him by the people of Osun State, which was further established by the election petition tribunal.”

It added that the plot is to drag Adeleke before an “ostensibly compromised magistrate court,” over the same issues of alleged forged school testimonial that is already before the Federal High Court, with a view to using such corridor to secure a stampeded trial and hurried conviction, and put him out of circulation, over trump-up charges.

The main opposition party further stated that the “heinous calculation” by the APC is to ensure that Adeleke is not free to be sworn in as governor of Osun State as the ruling party knows that he will surely obtain justice and retrieve his stolen mandate at the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.

PDP added: “The police arrested Senator Ademola on the guise of an invitation despite the direct orders of the Federal High Court, restraining it or its agents from arresting and detaining him on account of statement of result and testimonial duly issued by the Ede Muslim Grammar School, Ede, pending the determination of the originating summons pending in the court.

“Senator Adeleke, as a law-abiding citizen, honoured an invitation by the police only for him to be arrested and detained in a dingy facility in Maitama, in direct affront to the order of the Federal High Court.”

The PDP said that any arraignment of Senator Adeleke in a magistrate court, for a matter that is already being heard by the Federal High Court, is a calculated plot to cause crisis in the judicial system, enmesh the matter in unnecessary controversy as a pathway to truncate the course of justice in his matter.

The PDP therefore demanded forthwith, the immediate and unconditional release of Senator Adeleke by the police, saying its demand is predicated on fears already in the public space that there are plots by certain elements to poison him in detention.

The PDP cautioned those playing the script of the APC with regard to Senator Adeleke to retrace their steps and allow the people of Osun State to move ahead with their preferred governor, adding that “nothing, not even these heinous plots, will subvert this reality.”

75 political parties pass vote of confidence in INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu over the 'satisfactory conduct' of the 2019 General Elections



 

 
On Monday, 75 political parties on the platform of the Inter-Party Advisory Council passed a vote of confidence in the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, for what they described as satisfactory conduct of the 2019 General Elections.  
 
The action was taken at a national round-table meeting organised in Abuja by the Centre for Transparency Advocacy and chairmen of political parties.
 
The council’s Deputy National Chairman, Jeff Ojirika, read the communiqué which was attended by a former Vice President of Sierra Leone, Samuel Sam-Sumana. The communiqué read,

Quote:“The roundtable, after a comprehensive review of the conduct of the 2019 General Elections, passes a vote of confidence in the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, for the successful conduct of the elections.  
The roundtable notes with satisfaction the transparency in communication and regular engagement of stakeholders at the national, state and local government levels which ensured that everybody was carried along in the process. The roundtable indicts the security agencies for the lapses in the election due largely to their collusion with unscrupulous politicians and negligence to do their jobs.”  

Quote:The communiqué added, “the roundtable calls on the National Assembly to immediately re-present to President Muhammadu Buhari the amended electoral law and calls on President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure the bill was signed into law.
The roundtable demands the establishment of electoral offences tribunal to try electoral offenders, which should be structured to take off less than a month after election petitions tribunal hearings have been concluded. Political parties and young people should leverage the provisions of the Not Too Young to Run Act to increase political participation in subsequent elections.” 

Business and Economy
NSEASI drops by -0.05% to open the week negative
 








Nigerian Stock Exchange closed on a negative note on Monday as NSEASI depreciated by 0.05% to close at 29,196.87 points as against 0.04% appreciation recorded previously. Its Year-to-Date (YTD) returns currently stands at -7.11%.

Market breadth closed flat as NEM led 14 Gainers as against 14 Losers topped by UAC-PROP at the end of yesterday’s session- an unimproved performance when compared with previous outlook.
Market turnover closes negative as volume moved down by 23.93% as against 27.44% uptick recorded in the previous session. Japaul Oil, UBA and Courtville were the most active to boost market turnover. UBA and Zenith Bank topped market value list.

Ikeja Hotel leads the list of active stocks that recorded impressive volume spike at the end of yesterday’s session.
Trading activities on the NSE in the past week were mixed, extending the bear run for the second consecutive week. This could not be changed by marginal gains in the last two trading sessions of the period under review.


In the four-day trading week owing to the public holiday declared to mark the international labour day, overall sentiments, as measured by market breadth showed a slight improvement over that of the previous week. Volume traded was higher, ushering in what may be another dicey month of May that may defy the saying: sell in May and come in October.


This has been defied thrice in the last five years with the month ending positive twice in the three years of a down market in 2014, 2015 and 2016. It was up again in 2017 but negative in 2018, given the factors that militated against the market, particularly uncertainties associated with the pre-election year, among other factors.


Now the elections are over, but the dust generated by it was still so thick and beclouded the benchmark indicators of the bourse in April and although the month of May started positively with two sessions of mild gains. Like happens every four years and in the month of May, Nigerians are looking forward to another inauguration day, as incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari will be sworn in and announce a new cabinet. This month also, before then, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) will publish critical economic data such as the April inflation and Q1 GDP report, while the Federal Government, hopefully, unveils its economic reform agenda.

This will mostly focus on boosting productivity and job creation, using the delayed 2019 budget passed by the National Assembly only recently as a catalyst.
Given that the economic realities have not changed, just like the policy implementation style, the Nigerian equity market is looking for positive surprises to trigger a rebound. Oil price has relatively remained stable, the nation’s external reserve is looking up and attracting foreign inflows now that our benchmark Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) All-Share index is forming a double bottom, which supports upward reversal.

FG extends 50% discount for MSMEs registration by another three months


 
The Federal Government on Monday in Abuja directed the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to extend by three months, the special window for Micro Small and Midium Enterprises (MSMEs) registration in Nigeria.
Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Office of the Vice President, in a statement, said the gesture was spurred by the successes recorded in the first 50 per cent discount window.
Osinbajo gave the directive at the first quarter MSMEs stakeholder meeting held at the Presidential Villa.

The special business name registration window of 50 per cent discount was granted by the Federal Government through the CAC to help to bring as many MSMEs to formalise their businesses.
The vice president also directed the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to harmonise issues relating to overlapping responsibilities for product registration.
Osinbajo also directed relevant government agencies to come up with better funding strategies for small businesses in the country.
“Having listened to all the issues raised in the report and from your various contributions about funding, I think you should come up with suggestions on better funding for startups and MSMEs.
“We need to address this issue as quickly as possible,” he said.
He said relevant agencies of government must ensure that loan beneficiaries were equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to better manage their businesses.
Osinbajo urged regulators in the MSMEs sector to leverage technology to help build capacity for owners of small enterprises as well as broaden the impact of their interventions.
He solicited the support of the relevant agencies for the Shared Facilities project for MSMEs which has already commenced in locations across the country.
Earlier, a presentation on the National MSMEs Clinics indicated that the clinics had been held in 23 states of the federation while One-Stop-Shops had been established in seven cities and shared facilities built in Oyo and Bauchi states.
The report also indicated that business registration increased from 54,000 to 163,000 within six months of introducing the special window for subsidised registration costs.
In his remarks, the Managing Director of the Bank of Industry (BOI), Mr Kayode Pitan emphasised the need for MSMEs to establish a company to de-risk BOI loans.
He said the organisation was working in partnership with the Development Bank of Nigeria to enhance access to finance for MSMEs by providing a guarantee for commercial banks.
The meeting was attended by the Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters, Ambassador Adeyemi Dipeolu, and heads of relevant agencies in the MSMEs sector including the BOI, Federal Inland Revenue Service and NEXIM Bank.
Others were Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, Development Bank of Nigeria, Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Bank of Agriculture, Standards Organisation of Nigeria and NAFDAC.

CBN to Blacklist Bank Accounts Linked with Textile Smugglers


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[url=https://storage.googleapis.com/thisday-846548948316-wp-data/wp-media/2019/03/e26dab08-godwin-emefiele.jpg]Godwin Emefiele

Business and Economy
CBN urges creative industry to take advantage of sector financing
 







Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN has urged stakeholders in creative industry to take advantage of the Creative Industry Financing Initiative CIFI promoted by the Bank and Bankers’ Committee.
According to a circular obtained yesterday at the apex bank website, interested applicants in the Creative Industry were advised to submit applications to their banks for approval and disbursement.


It also explained that those interested in benefiting from the Creative Industry Financing Initiative must have business in any of the following areas; Fashion, Information Technology , Movie Production, Movie Distribution, Music and Software Engineering Student Loan.
The apex bank also stated that business owners can get a loan of up to N3 million for Software Engineering Student, N30 million for Movie Production business, N500 million for Movie Distribution business. But it urged the interested loan seekers to prepare business plan or statement on how much they want for their business.

Some of the interest that should be covered by the business plan include: rental/service fees for Fashion and
Information Technology business, training fees, equipment fees, and rental/service fees for Music business. It also urged young Nigerian entrepreneur that met the criteria to go to any bank to access the fund with the proposal and inform the bank how the business requires.

According to CBN, “Your bank will discuss your request and provide you the money. The maximum interest rate of 9.0% per annum, all charges inclusive is applicable to all loans. Period for the repayment of the loan: For Software Engineering Student Loan, it is a maximum of three years. For Movie Production and Distribution, it is a maximum of ten years For Fashion, Information Technology IT and Music; it is a maximum of ten years”
The CBN in collaboration with the Bankers’ Committee as part of efforts to boost job creation in Nigeria, particularly among the youth, has developed a Creative Industry Financing Initiative CIFI. The initiative has four pillars, namely: Fashion, Information Technology, Movie and Music.

Business and Economy
StarTimes invests $220m in Nigerian economy








STARTIMES, a direct-to-home pay-tv service said it has invested over $220 million in Nigeria, in the last nine years to boost entertainment and enrich the country’s television viewers’ experiences.

Speaking at the Medan media chart in Lagos yesterday, Chief Executive Officer of the company Mr. David Zhang, said Startimes commenced operation in 2010 in Nigeria through NTA-Star TV, adding that it has actively promoted leading Chinese programmes in local languages, like Hausa and Yoruba.
According to him, “So far, we have invested $220m in Nigeria, developed a network of nearly 3,000 distributors in the country, and developed around four million subscribers. We are actively involved in corporate social responsibility, recruited more than 1,000 local staff, 97 per cent of whom are Nigerians.”
Mr. David said that the Chinese Government is committed to the agreements reached with Nigeria and other African countries to bring rapid development to the continent.

‘’Because of our influence in Africa, the Chinese government selected us to implement the access to digital satellite TV for 10,000 African villages, with Nigeria getting 1,000 of those villages. This projects is almost completed and we are proud to be the contractors in all Africa’’.
The company, founded in 1988 by Chinese engineer, Pang Xinxing, is in joint venture with Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) and over time, maintained strong presence in both Nigeria and in over 30 other African countries through its well established subsidiaries.
‘’Available in 2 sizes, 50 and 55 inches, StarTimes Smart TV offers the highest quality of pictures and sound, 4K Ultra HD and Dolby Surround to give viewers an immersive experience.

4K Ultra HD resolution is having four times as many pixels as HD which completely changes the level of visual detail and clarity we’ve come to expect from TV screens.


Whereas traditional HD is limited to 1920 vertical columns and 1080 horizontal rows of pixels, 4K Ultra HD has a total resolution of 3840 pixels by 2160 – a slightly smaller resolution than the 4,096 x 2,160 resolution seen on cinema screens’’.
Because of our influence in Africa, the Chinese government selected us to implement the Access to digital satellite TV for 10,000 African Villages, with Nigeria getting 1,000 of those villages. This project is almost completed and we are proud to be the contractors in all of Africa.
“Since we launched in Nigeria in 2010, our mission has remained the same – To provide affordable quality entertainment to every African home, and we do this through innovation, integrity, diligent and devotion. This has helped us to get closer to our vision – To become one of the most influential media groups in the world.”

“As I am now back in Nigeria as CEO, I hope that all of you, who are already good friends with our company will give me more support as we work together every day to ensure that more Nigerians are aware of our good works to provide affordable entertainment to every home.”
“We are a major investor in Nigeria, with our investment put at over $220m. We also employ many Nigerians today, with over direct & indirect employment to over 1,000 Nigerians in all 36 states of the country and indirect employment to more than 3,000 staff through our dealers.”

Lagos state seize 30 tonnes of poisonous ponmo worth N10m




 
The Lagos State Government through the Ministry of Agriculture, State Taskforce on Environment and Special Offences Enforcement Unit and officers of the Nigeria Police Force says it has seized 30 Tonnes of animal hides and skin popularly known as ‘Ponmo’ presumed to be poisonous and unhealthy for human consumption at a ware house located at College Road in Igando area of Lagos State.
 
The state Commissioner for Agriculture, Oluwatoyin Suarau,  who disclosed this at a news conference, said a special operation which led to the arrest of operators of the factory  was based on a tip off by concerned members of the public who became suspicious of activities in the ware house where  offensive stench ooze out  during the preservation of the consignment.
 
The Commissioner said that the bonfire made with Jamaica rubber, which was also confiscated, in the processing of the ‘Ponmo’ emits a thick toxin smoke which spread within the complex and adjoining neighbourhood adding that the smoke and the unhygienic way of processing the cow skin is harmful to human health.
 
Suarau while stating that investigation into the source of the poisonous ‘Ponmo’ has since commenced, noted that the Ministry of Agriculture has set up a monitoring and investigation committee headed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Olayiwole Onasanya to get the source of the poisonous ‘Ponmo’ and dislodge factories and illegal abattoirs where the they are being processed.

Quote:“This committee would work with relevant government agencies to fish out any other illegal ‘Ponmo’ processing factory and illegal abattoir whose activities poses great danger to the public” he said

Quote:“We will not relent on our oars to ensure that only hygienic meat and meat products are available in our abattoirs and market for human consumption. I therefore used this medium to warn operators of illegal abattoirs and ‘Ponmo’ processing outlets to desist from their criminal activities or risk facing the full weight of the law” he said

Fuel tanker explosion kills 58 people in Niger Republic



 

 
No fewer than 58 people died in Niamey, the capital of Niger Republic after an overturned tanker truck exploded while people were trying to scoop fuel.
 
The blast on the RN1 route near the international airport night left the burnt truck’s wreckage, motorbikes and debris scattered over the road. Nearby houses were damaged by fire.
 
Witnesses said people were trying to collect petrol leaking from the truck, which had overturned on railway tracks, when the explosion happened. “Just before midnight I went out and I saw the truck overturned. People came from everywhere to take gas, then I saw fire on its side and everything burst into flames,” a college student told AFP.
 
President Mahamadou Issoufou visited some of the injured in hospital in the capital, according to the presidential Twitter account while Prime Minister Brigi Rafini and the Interior Minister Mohamed Bazoum inspected the site of the explosion, describing a scene of “real drama.”
 
Bazoum said the truck had tipped over while trying to park. Crowds and motorbike drivers rushed to the scene to take fuel from the tanker. “Unfortunately one of the motorcyclists did not switch off their engine. There must have been a spark that caused a massive blast,” the minister said.
 
He said 37 people were injured. Most were in a very serious condition in hospital with burns. Niger, a poor West African country, has tried to stamp out fuel smuggling from neighbouring Nigeria. Nigeria, a major oil producer, has seen similar deadly accidents and explosions in the past when people try to steal fuel from oil pipelines.
by

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES

TUESDAY, 7TH MAY.


YOU’RE A HEAVENLY BEING.

Therefore as we have borne the image of the earthly, let us bear also the image of the heavenly (1 Corinthians 15:49 DRB).

The Christian is a heavenly being; the Word of God shows us that. Our opening verse is a charge for you to walk as the heavenly being that you are—not when you get to heaven, but here and now—in the earth. Notice the juxtaposition in Apostle Paul’s argument: we’ve borne the image of the earthy, which is now passed away because we’re now new creatures in Christ. Therefore, let us now live as heavenly beings, as icons of Christ, associates of the God-kind.

You’re not an earthling; you’re heavenly. Become conscious of this every day; make it obvious in your communication and manner of life. Every so often, you declare, “I’m a heavenly being.” That’s the Gospel of Jesus Christ; He came to make you heavenly. He came to give you a heavenly life to live, not when you get to heaven but here in the earth. This is important because if you don’t have a heavenly life here in the earth, you’ll never go to heaven.

Heaven is for heavenly beings; those who have a heavenly life in the earth. No one can go to heaven without a heavenly life. There’re only two legal ways someone can be granted entry to a country; any country. It’s either you’re a citizen of that country, bearing the passport of that country, or you’re issued a visa into the country. You must possess either or both before you’re granted entry.

Now, this is true for virtually every country, and heaven is a country. Philippians 3:20 NIV tells us that we’re citizens of heaven. No man will go to heaven who’s not “qualified” to be in heaven. And the way to qualify is being born again; having the life of Christ, the life of heaven in you here in the earth. Then, when He comes, because you’re already a citizen of heaven, because you already belong to Him, you’ll go with Him at the rapture. Hallelujah!

Be glad that you’re born again, and therefore a citizen of the Kingdom. Remind yourself continually that you’re not of this world. You’re heavenly; born from above with the life and nature of God in you.

PRAYER

Dear Father, I thank you for my glorious association as a fellow citizen with the saints, and a vital member of the household of God. I’m not of this world, neither am I subject to the depravities and corrupting influences of this present world. As an icon of Christ, and a comrade of the God-kind, I live far above all earthly and mundane influences, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY

Philippians 3:20 NIV But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,

Hebrews 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

1 Corinthians 15:47-49 The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN
John 3:22-36 & 2 Samuel 23-24

2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN
Mark 8:22-33 & Numbers 10



#TALKINGSESSION

7TH MAY.

KINDLY SAY THESE WORDS OUT LOUD

Dear Lord, thank You for imparting faith into my heart through Your Word. My faith is the victory that overcomes the world. Daily, as I demonstrate my faith, circumstances bow to me; obstacles are eliminated, and I walk in supernatural success and prosperity. I exercise dominion over

sickness, poverty, disease, failure, and the elements of this world. I am unconquerable; a victor on every count. I thank You for giving me such a great life. I am in union and fellowship with the Spirit; thus, I walk in Your perfect will today, and in my glorious inheritance in Christ. I am guided by the Holy Spirit; His wisdom is expressed through me today, in Jesus’ Name. Amen


God bless you

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In 1983, Maitama-Yusuf was accused of corruption by the Muhammadu Buhari military regime of 1983 to 1985. However, he went into exile to avoid prosecution.


BY SAHARA REPORTERSMAY 06, 2019

President Muhammadu Buhari has ratified the appointment of Bello Maitama-Yusuf, former Minister of Commerce, as member of the Board of Directors of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).


Auwal Sankara, Special Assistant on New Media to the Executive Governor of Jigawa State, confirmed the appointment, saying Maitama-Yusuf was nominated by Muhammad Badaru Abubakar, Governor of the state.

"In recognition of his hard work, resilience and steadfastness in the progress of APC and development of Jigawa State and Nigeria at large, the Governor of Jigawa State Alhaji Muhammad Badaru Abubakar has facilitated the appointment of Senator Bello Maitama Yusuf as a Member of the Board of Directors of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC)," Sanakar wrote on Facebook.

The board was inaugurated on Thursday May 2.

Maitama-Yusuf's appointment letter read: “Pursuant to section 5 of the Nigerian Railway Corporation Act cap. N129, LFN2004, and all powers enabling the Honourable Minister of Transportation in that behalf, and consequent upon your nomination by the governor of Jigawa State, I am pleased to inform you of your appointment by the Honourable Minister, as a member of the Directors of Nigerian Railway Corporation.

"Your tenure of appointment shall commence on the date of inauguration of the board and shall subsist at the pleasure of the President of the Federal republic of Nigeria, pursuant to Section 8 of the above-referenced Act 

Maitama-Yusuf, 74, served as Minister of Internal Affairs in 1978 and later as Minister of Commerce in 1982.

He served as senator representing Jigawa South-West at the National Assembly between 1999 and 2007, initially on the platform of the All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP), but he later defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He also contested for the governorship of Jigawa State in 2007.

In 1983, Maitama-Yusuf was accused of corruption by the Muhammadu Buhari military regime of 1983 to 1985. However, he went into exile to avoid prosecution.

Source: http://saharareporters.com/2019/05/06/buhari-appoints-maitama-yusuf-—-same-man-he-accused-corruption-80s-—-board-railway

Rivers state governor, Chief Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike has decried the partisan role of the the military and F-SARS in the 2019 rivers state governorship elections.


In a statement made available to Views media, the governor stated that those indicted of trying to subvert the will of Rivers state people in the guber elections are yet to be prosecuted despite several official complaints and overwhelming evidence against them.





The statement reads"

"It is really unfortunate. All of us know that there was a coup in this state, organised by the Nigerian Army. In the history of this country, it has never happened where during ordinary election, Army will begin to kill people for no just cause.

"Because they believe a particular person or a particular party must win, it doesn't matter how many people die. It was shown on National Television. We watched how the Army invaded the whole Electoral Commission ".

This is the only state the Federal Government has never assisted to fight insecurity. Instead of us to team up & fight insecurity, you politicize it.

"Even if you make recommendations,nothing will happen. I don't know whether we are in a military regime or civil Administration.

Aside the Army, the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARs) has been a major anti-democratic force in the state, since the 2016 rerun elections.

The F-SARs murdered a PhD Holder and Chartered Accountant in cold blood simply because they wanted to subvert the will of the people.

The GOC here is a politician. Nothing has happened to him because he was sent. If it was when the country was a country, you cannot be keeping that GOC. He is sabotaging the security network.

Urgent measures should be taken to rejig the security architecture of the country, in view of the nationwide security challenges.

Rather than address the security challenges facing the country, security agencies move against critics of security failures."


https://www.viewsnaija.com/2019/05/govwike-calls-for-prosecution-of.html?m=1

Two suspects have been arrested for kidnapping a toddler identified as Esther Ojo, during a Mountain of Fire Church program in Lagos. The 2-year-old baby, Esther Ojo,who was rescued by police detectives, was kidnapped at the Mountain of Fire Ministry, MFM, in Agege. The suspects who were arrested for kidnapping the toddler at the Mountain of Fire Church program around 12:30pm on the 24th of March, 2019, reportedly demanded an undisclosed ransom from her parents and the church. 

The police who gave their names as Nwaigbo Magnus and Sixtus Osunwoke Egwim, said they were nabbed around 8a.m, today, while waiting to receive the ransom. It was gathered that they changed the venue for the collection of ransom within Igando axis for over four hours, until they were rounded up by the police.Upon interrogation, they gave up the location where 2-year-old Esther Ojo was held in. The kid has already been reunited with her parents, Mr and Mrs Jame Oladipo Ojo.


https://unclesuru.com/2019/05/06/esther-ojo-two-arrested-for-kidnapping-toddler-during-mountain-of-fire-church-program/

It's a sad day for the friends and members of God’s House of wonders as their senior Pastor Joseph Duke has been confirmed dead.
The sad event happened today and although the real cause of his death is still unknown, some friends who went straight to his Facebook page to mourn the Clergy man said he had a slight headache. 
The man of God got married in December 2018 to his beautiful wife. 
May his soul rest in peace and we pray that God grants his family the heart to bear this great loss.

Daily Post Nigeria




NEWS
There’s kidnapping, banditry everywhere, even in Buhari’s hometown – Garba Shehu
[img=46x0]https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/19dddca81798c9b67c6b86201fc179ea?s=46&d=mm&r=g[/img]
Published
 
on
 May 6, 2019

[img=317x0]https://dailypost.ng/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Shehu-Garba.png[/img]

The Presidency has said that security agencies were not giving preferential treatment to any town in their quest to deal with kidnappers.

Speaking on AIT’s Kakaki, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, noted that the abduction of Alhaji Musa Uba, husband to President Muhammadu Buhari’s niece, Hajiya Biiki, was a clear indication that security agencies were not giving any town preferential treatment.
Uba is also the District Head of Daura, Buhari home town and the father-in-law to the President’s Aide-de-camp, Col. Mohammed Abubakar.

Shehu who was responding to a question on the increasing cases of banditry and the kidnap in Buhari’s hometown, said, “Well, that has happened but I think that brings the message home that it is a national problem and that because the President comes from Daura, that is not to say there cannot be crime in Daura or Daura will be specially treated.

“The army said two days ago that there are clear pointers that these problems are beyond criminality.
“If you ask me about the biggest security (challenge) we met on the ground, it is Boko Haram terrorism and I will score this administration 98 per cent coming this far because Boko Haram is now confined to the fringes of Lake Chad. As a matter of fact, they jump in and out and mainly occupy communities that have not been re-occupied by their owner.”

On a recent report by Acting IGP Mohammed Adamu that 1,071 persons lost their lives in crime-related cases across the country in the first quarter of 2019, Shehu said, “Yes, there has been a recent spike (in attacks) but this is not to suggest that this has never happened in the country and they are beginning just now because President Buhari is out of the country.

“You mentioned the numbers but I want to say from our own point of view in the Presidency, we have avoided comparing numbers because it will lead to the same criticisms that some people have made of being insensitive because even if it is one life of a Nigerian that is lost, it is important, it cannot be justified, it cannot be defended.

“But anybody who takes the trouble to check the Presidential website; at some point, Femi (Adesina) had done the numbers and the staggering numbers put on display coming from the past are nothing comparable to these numbers but we will not take it lightly.”

NEWS
Boko Haram: NYSC confirms abduction of corps member in Borno
[img=46x0]https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/7e5ab1a5a998f33fc8d72f29ed5dd175?s=46&d=mm&r=g[/img]

 May 6, 2019

[img=317x0]https://dailypost.ng/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/65691F9F-1474-4B42-917D-421A1F197DFD.jpeg[/img]
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) on Monday confirmed the abduction of a male corps member, Abraham Amuta, by Boko Haram insurgents in Borno.
The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that Borno State Coordinator, Mr Rabiu Aminu, confirmed the incident to newsmen in Maiduguri.
Aminu disclosed that the corps member was abducted alongside a pastor with the Living Faith Church, simply identified as Oyeleke, in an attack coordinated by the insurgents against motorists on Maiduguri to Chibok road on April 10.
He disclosed that the corps member with Registration Number: BO18b/067; was deployed to Borno State Council of Arts and Culture, located in Maiduguri.
The coordinator lamented that the corps member was abducted while travelling together with his pastor and other members of the church.

“The church claimed that the corps member was abducted alongside his pastor.
“NYSC deploys corps members to only four of the 27 local government areas in the state.
“The councils are Jere, Bayo, Biu and Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC).
“For any corps member to travel, he has to apply through proper channel and this involves formal request from his employer, through the zonal inspector and channel to the state coordinator, where we look at it, endorse or approve the request.
“It was unfortunate that the said corps member travelled on his own; we have been having sleepless night over the issue, because he is under our custody.
“We visited the Church, and the Commissioner of Police called us on Friday over the incident and assured us of their total support to address the situation,” he said.
Aminu sympathised with families of the abducted corps member and called on Nigerians to pray for his release from the insurgents’ captivity.

Peter Okoye who sat for an interview with Nancy Isimie on Hip TV's 'Trending', revealed that he choose his wife and kids over his brothers. The former defunct Psquare music group singer, further revealed that he has always wanted to go solo before now and wished he did it earlier. 

According to Peter Okoye, anybody that feels bad that he choose his wife and kids over his brothers and also wants to stop listening to his music because of it, can go ahead with the plan. He further stated that his wife and his kids are his family. 

Here is the video below; 


https://unclesuru.com/2019/05/06/i-choose-my-wife-and-kids-over-my-brothers-peter-okoye/

Rwanda, Senegal Presidents attend, as Tony Elumelu Foundation hosts 5th Annual Entrepreneurship Forum

PRESIDENT of Rwanda, His Excellency Paul Kagame and President of Senegal, His Excellency Macky Sall, will join Tony O. Elumelu, CON, TEF Founder and Chairman of Heirs Holdings and the United Bank for Africa (UBA) and 5 000 other African entrepreneurs as The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), hosts its 5th Annual Forum
The Forum, the largest annual gathering of African entrepreneurs, holds on July 26 – 27, 2019 at the iconic Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.
The Forum is the culmination of the annual Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme, which this year mentored, trained and seeded over 3,000 young Africans, selected from over [216,000] applicants.

The event provides a unique opportunity for young women and men, from all 54 African countries, to meet, learn and network with the broader African and global entrepreneurship ecosystem. It is also a critical opportunity for political leaders and policy makers to meet, face to face, a new generation of African business leaders, who are transforming Africa’s economic trajectory.

Keynote speakers at the highly anticipated Forum include His Excellency Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda, and His Excellency Macky Sall, President of Senegal, who will join Tony O. Elumelu, CON, TEF Founder and Chairman of Heirs Holdings and the United Bank for Africa (UBA) in an intimate open house discussion. The Presidential Convening is a highlight of the Forum, allowing the African entrepreneurs in attendance to closely engage with political leaders, to give first hand testimony of the important role government can play in catalysing growth and encouraging business ambition.

The Forum agenda includes masterclasses and panel discussions with leading speakers and sector experts, from Africa and globally, who will engage attendees in specialized training sessions to share insights, deepen their knowledge and refine their skills. The Forum will also feature a pitching event, where select entrepreneurs will deliver exciting presentations on the goods and services they provide to a distinguished judging panel.

TEF CEO, Ifeyinwa Ugochukwu who spoke on the impact of the forum said, “The TEF Entrepreneurship Forum will not just convene the most important stakeholders in the African entrepreneurship ecosystem, it provides an opportunity for everyone to make a commitment to advance entrepreneurship and scale the impact of our entrepreneurs if we are to accelerate the development of the continent.”

She added: “We are constantly inspired by the stories we receive from our entrepreneurs who are creating jobs, employing people and impacting their local communities and ultimately, the continent. We believe that these entrepreneurs are our future. Invest in them now and reap the Africa of our dreams tomorrow. This is what we are committed to.”

For first time the Forum will be hosted in Abuja, the Federal Capital of Nigeria and will bring together leading policymakers, business leaders, development agencies and the entire entrepreneurship ecosystem including alumni of the Foundation’s Entrepreneurship Programme. Last year, a significant highlight was the launch of TEFConnect, the digital networking platform for African entrepreneurs, which provides a unique digital hub for the African entrepreneurship, facilitating networking, mentorship and most importantly business beyond borders.

Previous Forums have been headlined by African leaders, including President of Ghana, HE Nana Akufo-Addo, President of Kenya, HE Uhuru Kenyatta, Former President of Nigeria, HE Olusegun Obasanjo, Former Prime Minister of Benin and TEF Advisory Board Member, HE Lionel Zinsou, Vice President of Nigeria, HE Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.

The Tony Elumelu Foundation’s determination to bring change in scale, across Africa and its relentless focus on entrepreneurship is rooted in the inclusive philosophy of Africapitalism, created by its Founder, which recognizes economically empowering Africa’s youth — the continent’s future wealth creators — and thereby creating sustainable economic and social wealth, as one of the most pressing issues of the 21st century.

In 2015, the Foundation committed $100 million to empower 10,000 entrepreneurs from across the continent, over 10 years. Now in the 5th year, the Foundation has funded, mentored and provided business management training to over 7,500 start-ups and small businesses, from all 54 countries in Africa.

NEWS
Stop giving your aides orders to lambast Tinubu, other APC leaders – Oke warns Akeredolu
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Published
 
on
 May 6, 2019
By
 Abdul Babajide [url=https://dailypost.ng/2019/05/06/stop-giving-aides-orders-lambast-tinubu-apc-leaders-oke-warns-akeredolu/][/url]
[img=317x0]https://dailypost.ng/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Akeredolu.jpg[/img]

The crisis rocking the Ondo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC has thickened going by the ‘brickbats’ being thrown by the aides of the State Governor, Olawarotimi Akeredolu and supporters of other leaders of the party in the State.

The latest is the reaction of the chieftain of the party, Chief Olusola Oke, SAN to the statements credited to the aides of the governor, where he admonished Akeredolu to call his aides to order over the incessant attacks on the leaders of the party, which he alleged were based on the directives of the governor.
Following the query of the party’s National Working Committee, NWC, to Akeredolu over his role at the just concluded election, his aides have been attacking the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the South West Director General of the 2019 Buhari Campaign Council, Olusola Oke, former Deputy Governor of the State, Alhaji Ali Olanusi as well as the former chairman of the party, Isaac Kekemeke among others as regards their stance against the anti-party activities of the governor.

Recall that prior to the 2019 General Elections, Akeredolu had directed APC members in the state to work for the victory of candidates who contested under the platform of the Action Alliance, AA, following the failure of his anointed candidates to secure the APC’s National Assembly ticket.
The governor’s move which was termed anti-party was said to have affected the fortunes of the party at the Presidential and National Assembly polls with the party losing Ondo to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Based on this, the aides of the governor, particularly the Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties, Doyin Adebowale, Ilaje Caretaker Chairman, Otito Atikase and the Chairman, Ondo State Radiovision Corporation, OSRC, Kunle Adeniyi among others on various platforms and at different fora have been justifying Akeredolu’s move as they related his action to when Oke dumped APC for the Alliance for Democracy, AD over his failure to clinch the party’s governorship ticket in 2016 before decamping back to APC after the emergence of Akeredolu as governor.


But in a statement issued on Monday and made available to DAILY POST, Oke emphasized that the scenario that facilitated his movement from the APC to AD in 2016 was quite different from the action of Akeredolu in 2019.

The statement signed by Rotimi Ogunleye, the media aide to Oke and entitled, “MR GOVERNOR, CALL YOUR MEN TO ORDER,” reads in parts, “The deliberate silence of Chief Oke all this while is premised on the need for peace in the party. Moreover, being an experienced party administrator, Chief Oke understands the irredeemable havoc that internal bickering, gossips and power conflict can wreck on a political party, especially anyone in power.

“The writer of the syndicated interview made a futile attempt at burying the ghost of the 2016 primary election and also tinkering with the idea of trivializing the unfruitful stint some APC leaders had in the Action Alliance (AA) in the last election. We would have ignored Kunle Adebayo but for the need to protect the truth from the wicked shield of his narratives.

“For the records, Chief Oke and other aspirants protested the outcome of the 2016 gubernatorial primary election of the APC, which the aide of Governor Akeredolu refers to in the interview, on the ground that it was fraught with frauds.
“The grounds as contained in the petitions of all the aspirants that challenged the outcome are:

1. That the process of accreditation of delegates was not credible
2. That the delegates list was doctored and corrupted
3. That 300 delegate tags were issued fraudulently in line with the doctored delegate list.
“The National Appeal Panel upheld the above three grounds. Going further, because there was no any argument or probate evidence from the organizers of the nomination exercise strong enough to vitiate the grounds, the majority of the National Working Committee members of the APC (6 against 5 of the members) approved that the primary election be cancelled.

“Instead of justice, our protest was met with more unfairness and injustice. At the end, the minority overruled the majority. We lack the tolerance for that level of injustice where 5 was greater than 6, hence the resolve of Chief Oke and his supporters to exit the APC for the Alliance for Democracy (AD) voluntarily. He and his supporters did not stay in the party to throw dirts and undermine its effort.

“Just as the people have thought that the story of AD has become a part of history, the aides of the governor, in an attempt to defend the foray into the Action Alliance by those that are aggrieved, has unearthed the hitherto dead story. They have since resorted to making the case of Chief Oke’s defection to AD as a potent defense for the AA adventure.
He added that, “It should be noted here that referring to the movement of Chief Oke and his supporters across the state to the AD and using same as a celebrated basis for shifting the body of blame at this time defeats their claims to courage.

“This denial can only show lack of determination and attempt to evade responsibility. There is no perfect human anywhere. What defines us is our ability to accept responsibility for our actions and seek redress whenever we have gone wrong.

“The above history notwithstanding, Chief Oke after a broad-based reconciliation meeting brokered by Chief Odige Oyegun, the immediate past National Chairman of APC, and other reputable national leaders, has since returned to the APC fold with others that left the party.
“This is not uncommon with his experience as a good party administrator and understanding of the infertile game played by boys who seek relevance and patronage at the corridor of power.

“While Kunle Adebayo in his narratives attempted to heap a mountain of blames on the National Leaders of APC, he has quickly forgotten how the last congress of the party in Ondo state was subverted and party positions cornered by only a group within the state chapter from the state to the unit level.
“Hon D I Kekemeke, Senator Ajayi Borrofice, His Excellency, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, Dr Segun Abraham, Hon Dele Baderinwa, Hon Afe Olowokere and other prominent party leaders in the state including Chief Olusola Oke were schemed out.

Oke, however, maintained that it was not too late for Akeredolu and his “boys” to apologize to the party and its leaders, particularly that they toiled to build and solidify the party which the governor is benefiting from.
“The attempt to vent their anger on Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, a respected leader of the APC, through indecorous interviews and press statements by the aides of governor Akeredolu, is unbecoming of a party man who has benefited from the government of the party that Asiwaju and other prominent leaders of APC labored so hard to put in place.

“Chief Oke is of the firm opinion that as APC members of the southwest extraction, party elders, especially the one that has made huge sacrifices capable of making the platform of APC to endure and the national chairman of our great party, deserve respect and honour at all times.

“The fact of what led some “aggrieved” persons to AA is in the public glare. Its effect ravaged the party from the northern senatorial district to the southern senatorial district. No amount of flowery narratives can blur the image of its devastating effect from the memory of Senator Yele Omogunwa, Senator Ajayi Boroffice, Hon Mayowa Akinfolarin, Hon Bunmi Tunji Ojo, Hon Adeogun, all who were the APC candidates in the last National Assembly elections. Nothing kills a party more than the monster of anti-party.

“Chief Oke believes that we can rise above this level of blame trade by accepting the reality of our situation, offer a remorseful apology to the appropriate quarters just like the party and the government did before the State House of Assembly elections, and our party will be great again.

“Lastly, it is unacceptable that the aides of governor Akeredolu will continue to throw invectives at the leaders of APC in the state and the national level without any restraint. That it has attained a usual trend suggests that the governor approves of their invectives otherwise, the governor should call his aide to order,” the statement read.

3 persons has been confirmed dead at the Boss lounge and night club on Sunday night.

According to an eyewitness who spoke with Views media, 2 mobile police officers and a thug were killed during the fight.

Trouble started when the two police officers tried to stop an armed thug from entering the club.

There were exchange of gunshots and after the smoke calmed down all three were found in the pool of their bloods.

Watch video below:



https://www.viewsnaija.com/2019/05/two-police-officers-and-thug-killed-as.html?m=1

A pastor is on the run after sending kidnappers to kidnap his General Overseer during service.

According to reports, two of the kidnappers were caught and beaten to pulp while two others well armed escaped.

The General Overseer, Rev. Isaac Abraham, while addressing newsmen, narrated how he found out that it was a pastor that sent them.

Watch the video
https://zenithnaija.com/pastor-sends-kidnappers-to-kidnap-his-general-overseer-during-service/

POLITICS
Presidency reacts as PDP says Buhari incompetent, managing himself
on
 May 6, 2019
By
 Wale Odunsi [url=https://dailypost.ng/2019/05/06/presidency-reacts-pdp-says-buhari-incompetent-managing/dailypostngr][/url]


The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has declared that President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) were doing a bad job in handling the nation’s security challenges.

PDP chieftain, Mr. Kassim Afegbua, said this on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, shortly after Buhari arrived in Nigeria.
“The President has no capacity to manage us because he is busy managing himself,” Afegbua said

“I think what we have witnessed in the last four years is a replay of crass incompetence in the way and manner that the security of this country is being handled.
“Don’t forget that the Constitution (1999 as amended) states clearly that the primary responsibility of any government, particularly a government that prides itself as an anti-corruption government is the protection of lives and properties.
“And as we speak today, without sounding immodest, you will agree with me that it will be a surprise if tomorrow’s headline says no killing because almost every day when you read the newspaper it is one killing, too many,” he stated.

Reacting, presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, reiterated the President’s commitment to tackle the security challenges effectively.
“The security challenge is almost as old as Nigeria. But we know that it spikes at some time and reduces at some time. We have challenges on our hands in different parts of the country.
“The President had been tackling that even before he travelled. It’s going to be a continuation of what he has been doing.

“Every week, there is a security meeting where the security chiefs and everybody in the security architecture meet with the President and they look at the problem and the steps being taken to solve them,” he stated.

NEWS
Atiku’s nationality: Falana mocks APC
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 Wale Odunsi [url=https://dailypost.ng/2019/05/06/atikus-nationality-falana-mocks-apc/dailypostngr][/url]
[img=317x0]https://dailypost.ng/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/falana.jpg[/img]

Legal luminary, Femi Falana, lawyer, has mocked the position of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the nationality of Atiku Abubakar, Nigeria’s former vice president.

He spoke at the weekend during a press freedom conference organized by the Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ).
Atiku and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are challenging Buhari’s re-election at the tribunal.

In April, the APC told the presidential Tribunal that Abubakar was a Cameroonian and not a Nigerian.
Against this backdrop, the ruling party insisted that the Wazirin Adamawa was not qualified to contest for the just concluded presidential election.
The former Vice President was born in Jada in 1946, in present day Adamawa state.

Reacting to the APC argument, Falana said it was an indictment on them for insisting Abubakar is originally from Cameroon.
According to him, the party had admitted that those who voted in his ward, including for President Muhammadu Buhari, are Cameroonians as well.
“If Atiku is now a Cameroonian, doesn’t that suggest that those who voted for President Buhari in his ward for the candidate are Cameroonian citizens too?” he asked.

The senior lawyer also decried the killings in various parts of the country, adding that they are signs of anarchy.
He said: “What the country is currently witnessing in terms of increasing violence, banditry and insurgency is a sign of anarchy.
“Since the 2019 elections have been concluded the duty imposed on the media is to ensure that political parties and elected officials are held accountable.

“All persons living in Nigeria including citizens by birth or naturalisation, dual citizens, foreigners, refugees and asylum seekers are entitled to adequate security and protection.”

Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan

Pensioners in Oyo State have lamented unpaid arrears of gratuities and pensions by the outgoing government in the state totalling N62.5 billion.

The Secretary, Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP), Oyo State chapter, Segun Abatan and Secretary, retired Primary School Teachers, Comrade Tunji Ogunwale, who spoke with journalists in Ibadan Sunday, said unpaid pensions and gratuities to retired primary school teachers and civil servants have made it difficult for retirees in the state to rest after labour.


Abatan, who berated political office holders who award themselves life pensions after serving for only four years, said workers should also be made to serve for four years and get life pensions, stating that it amounts to cheating and exploitation of the common patrimony by the political class to do nothing for the people yet enjoying life pensions and what is good for the goose is also good for the gander.

According to him, “It is workers today, pensioners tomorrow. How can somebody serve for four years and continue to take life pension? If that is it then we want to propose that workers should also serve for four years, get out and take their pension for life. What is good for the goose is also good for the gander. Let us see if the economy of this country is going to sustain it.”


On unpaid arrears of pension by the outgoing government of Governor Abiola Ajimobi, the labour leaders said pensioners are owed between eight to 60 months, lamenting that some pensioners receive N2,000 as pension in the state.


According to Ogunwale, “Today, Oyo State government is owing us N62.5 billion. That is the amount of gratuities left unpaid. I am personally being owed 35 months pension arrears. They are owing some of us 60 months, some 55 and some of us 40 months. It varies from eight to 60 months. The governor has never paid anybody gratuity since eight years ago. If we had not gone to court that means he would not have deemed it fit to pay a dime for eight years.”

Abatan however lamented that the N1.5 billion paid by the Ajimobi administration is a drop in the ocean of debt being owed pensioners in the state.

He said: “The government has started paying about N1.5 billion as kick-start even though we know it has not scratched the surface. You owe somebody N60 billion and you released N1.5 billion. How many years will it take you to vacate the remaining humongous debt? The union has taken government to court. As I speak with you, we have pensioners in Oyo State that still earn N2,000 per month.”


https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/05/05/pensioners-lament-60-months-unpaid-pension-arrears-in-oyo/%3famp

Photos: Notorious armed robber nabbed in Bayelsa; confesses to have stolen over 100 phones which he sells to dealers






A team of Bayelsa Volunteer under the leadership of Lucky Oyinkuro Asanakpo have apprehended a notorious armed robber, at the Tombia Amassoma road.
 
 
The team was led by Hon. Godwin Avidi alias Didi, Bayelsa East Senatorial Coordinator (Volunteers) who was said to have been intelled of a robbery incident then quickly rushed to the area with his men. 
 
 
Tombia junction, in the past months, have been a major flash point for criminals in the state, several indigenes, have decried the level of insecurity in the area, calling on the government to intervene as a matter of urgency.
 
 

 
 
Godwin Avidi and his team, reportedly tracked down the hideout of the criminals, after he received a report of phone robbery, others escaped, while one was unlucky.
 
The apprehended suspect made shocking confessions of how he has stole more than 100 phones, which he sells to a phone dealers around the Tombia area.
 
 

 
 
The suspect was later handed over to the Operation Doo Akpo, Police outfit and about nine phones have been recovered as at the time of the publication. 
 
Godwin Avidi in his statement, warned all criminals to avoid the Tombia-amassoma area, as no criminal will be lucky in his/her evil acts again.
 
 


by 

Former President Goodluck Jonathan was pictured observing final rallies of some political parties in South Africa.He said....
'As members of the EISA Election Observer Mission to the 2019 national and provincial elections in South Africa, my technical team and I were opportune to observe the colorful final rallies of some of South Africa's political parties; DA Phetego Rally in Dobsonville Stadium Soweto, ANC Siyanqoba Rally in Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg and EFF Tshela Tsupa Rally at Orlando Stadium, Soweto'.

Source: http://www.trezzyhelm.com/2019/05/photos-of-goodluck-jonathan-observing.html

Senator Marafa whose sister was killed by armed bandits in Zamfara state few months ago, has revealed that the bandits have killed 11,000 men and orphaned 44,000 in the state so far. In a statement made available to journalists in Abuja on Sunday, Marafa, who is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) thanked his colleagues in the two chambers of the National Assembly for the provision of N10bn in the 2019 budget to address the deteriorating humanitarian crises in the state.

Recall that the National Assembly while passing the 2019 budget, made a provision of N10bn for the creation of an intervention fund to be called the Presidential Initiative on Zamfara State to cater for the humanitarian disaster in state.Senator Marafa who revealed that the bandits have killed 11,000 men and orphaned 44,000 in Zamfara, said his colleagues’ support for the initiative showed that with unity of purpose and direction, the country could overcome its challenges.

He said the “unfortunate and dark eight years of banditry from 2011 to date in Zamfara has conservatively led to the killing of over 11,000 male adults, leaving behind an estimated average of 22,000 widows – at two wives per person – and an estimated 44,000 orphans at an average of four children per deceased.”


https://unclesuru.com/2019/05/06/bandits-killed-11000-men-orphaned-44000-in-zamfara-senator-marafa/

“I just saw the police IG, I think he is loosing weight, so I think he is working very hard" - President Buhari



 



“I just saw the IG, I think he is loosing weight. So I think he is working very hard", this was President Buhari's response when asked about the security situation in the country when he returned from UK last night.
 
See the video below....

Quote: 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“I just saw the police IG, I think he is loosing weight, so I think he is working very hard" - President Buhari speaks on security in the country
A post shared by Lindaikejiblog (@lindaikejiblogofficial) on May 6, 2019 at 4:49am PDT

by Linda Ik

Photos: Fulani herdsmen allegedly slaughter two Hausa boys who stopped their cattle from grazing on a land they were guarding in Owerri






Some Fulani herdsmen in the early hours of today, allegedly butchered a Hausa boy and shot another dead in Owerri. 
 
 
According to Facebook user Egeonu Clinton who shared the story online, the Hausa boys guarding a land had earlier warned the herdsmen not to bring their cattles near the land but they allegedly returned with arms and killed the boys. Read below: 
 

Quote:This nonsense has to stop ooo...
Fulani herds men has entered owerri oooo...
IMO state is no more safe ooo...
 
It happened at the early hours of today...
Opposite kenittyza plaza umuorii owerri.. Off road safety  road by Toronto round about..
 As Fulani herds men was said to have entered a land where Hausa's are guiding.. They were told not to allow their cattles destroy things... They refused and engaged in a fight with the Hausa boys... After being defeated, they left and came back with guns and machetes...
Shot one dead and butchered the other one while he is sleeping....
 
Now I  ask... Why are cattle rearers allowed to carry guns but security men left with machetes...
 
Pls ooo friends help and share this until it goes far to people.... It must stop, how can I be in my house and a stranger will be threatening my life.. In my own house kwa...
 
Many people will say, thank God its Hausa's that they killed... Had it been it were in a farm land that belongs to an Igbo man.. The same will happen....
 
FULANI HERDS MEN... Are now terror to lives... They kills anyone that doesn't grant them access to their farm lands for cattle grazing... No no no... It must stopped

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by Linda I

Nigeria ranks 6th on world's list of most miserable countries for 2018





 
This is according to the spectator index.

by Linda

Gunmen attack Plateau Polytechnic staff quarters again, abduct Assistant Registrar’s sister






The Plateau Polytechnic Staff quarters located at Heipang in Barki Ladi Local Government Area of the state was this morning attacked by unknown gunmen.
 
According to reports, the gunmen stormed the staff quarters at about 12.10 am and abducted a lady identified as the younger sister of the institution’s Assistant Registrar, Mr Ezekiel Rangs.
 
Confirming the incident, Rangs said himself and his family were fast asleep when the gunmen forced their way into his home using a big stone to pull down the entrance door.

Quote:”We were sleeping when we heard a big bang on the door. Before we knew what was happening, the gunmen were already inside the house. When we discovered that they were armed, we pleaded for them to spare our lives but they took away my younger sister who just gained admission for National Diploma, Social Development.
When they said we should give them a phone through which we can contact them, I offered to give them my own they refused and instead demanded my wife’s phone and departed. When the incident happened, some soldiers led by one Col.Tanko came to the house within thirty minutes and we told them what happened.”

by Linda Ikeji at

Quote:Oladimeji Ramon



The Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, on Saturday said he defeated and retired four political godfathers in Kaduna State, saying the feat could be replicated anywhere, including Lagos State.

El-Rufai, who argued that godfathers existed only on paper or in the minds of the people, said the key to defeating them was in going directly to the people.

He, however, admitted that defeating godfathers required time and hard work.

The Kaduna State Governor spoke in Ikoyi, Lagos, at an event organised by the Bridge Club tagged, “An evening with His Excellency Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, Governor of Kaduna State.”

In his main speech, El-Rufai had encouraged the club members, who are businessmen, not to shy away from politics, saying it was more important than making money as bad politics could mess up their businesses.

El-Rufai said Nigeria had permanently remained a country of potential because good and competent people had distanced themselves from politics.

However, during the question and answer session, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and three-time commissioner in Lagos State, Dr Muiz Banire, noted that godfathership was one of the drawbacks for professionals and businessmen who might want to go into politics.

Banire then asked El-Rufai how godfathership could be dealt with.

Responding, El-Rufai said, “Godfatherism. This is Lagos. Let me tell you something sir; you know, Kaduna State used to be like that. There were three or four politicians in Kaduna that you could not become anything unless you had them on your side. Those were the godfathers of Kaduna politics and you had to carry them along and you know, the three words, ‘carry them along’ mean paying them regularly.

“But we chose a different path and the long and short of it now is that after this election in 2019, we have retired all of them; we had to.”

El-Rufai added that the fact that only one million out of the six million registered voters in Lagos voted in the last general elections was an opportunity to end godfathership in the state.

He said, “Here in Lagos, you have over six million registered voters, only about a million voted (in 2019 general elections); five million did not vote. If I want to run for governor of Lagos, I will start now. I will commission a study to know why those five million registered voters did not vote; where do they go on election day? Then I will start visiting them for the next four years. I will try and get just two million of them to come and vote for me; I will defeat any godfather. The key is to go to the people. The card reader and the biometric register have given us the tools to connect directly with the people. I assure you if you do that for the next four years, connecting with the people; the tin godfather, you will retire him or her permanently. But it is hard work; it requires three to four years of hard work. So, if you want to run in 2023, you should start now.”

On the question of money, El-Rufai said it would require about N2bn to do the job, which he said the businessmen could provide.

“With about N2bn; if you start, you see these guys with black ties, they will give you the N2bn. Many of the godfathers are either on paper or in the mind of people in politics. They are defeatable. We retired four of them in Kaduna State within a four-year time and they are gone. One of them boasted that he put me in the government house and he would take me out.”

Earlier in his lecture, El-Rufai said the difference between Nigeria and progressive nations of the world was because incompetent people were in charge in Nigeria.

He said, “In most of the developed worlds, the best and the brightest are in politics and public service. I urge you to google the profiles of the captains of the USA, UK, Japan, China and Singapore over the last 10 years and compare their educational and experience profile with ours, you will understand why we are where we are.

“The UK has been run by graduates of Oxford most of the time; the US has been run by graduates of Harvard and Yale most of the time in the last 100 years. You go to China, Singapore, similar profiles. In Nigeria, we have people that never went to school in our National Assembly. We have people with questionable qualifications as state governors. We will go nowhere as long as our best and brightest, people that sit in rooms like this are not in politics or public service.”

The President of Bridge Club, Mr A.U. Mustapha (SAN), who is El-Rufai’s private lawyer, described the governor as an upright and an intelligent person.

Mustapha said El-Rufai was invited so that he could tell the club members about himself, as opposed to the image being given him by the press.

Among the dignitaries at the event were the President of the Nigerian Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick; the Managing Director, Bank of Industry, Waheed Olagunju; and MD, First City Monument Bank, Adam Nuru.

Quote:Suspected armed members of the most dreaded terrorist group in Nigeria, Boko Haram, have regained a community in Borno.

They reportedly invaded a Military Formation on Sunday at the outskirts of Magumeri Local Government Area of Borno State, and sacked all the inhabitants in the base.

Boko Haram, Borno community, military base Boko Haram Due to lack of telecommunications networks, information on the attacks was delayed, Vanguard reports.

Sources claimed that both Boko Haram and some security operatives suffered quiet a number of casualties in the clash, as residents of Magumeri fled into the bush for safety.

Already, some residents have started returning back from bush after 48hours as security situation normalizes.

Magumeri Local Government Area of Borno State located north and about 35 kilometers away from Maiduguri, the state capital had witnessed series of boko haram attacks and killings in recent past.
A local who is a resident of the town living near the market and close to the District Head Palace, Abur Zanna said, ” the Boko haram terrorists entered the town at exactly 5:40 pm in a large convoy of trucks and motorcycles shouting slogans like, “Allahu Akbar” meaning, God is Great, moving round the town scaring the residents and making some residents to flee into bushes to hide for safety as there are no villages close by”.

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Benin Zonal Office on Saturday, May 4, 2019 arrested 13 suspected yahoo boys in Edo during an early morning raid at their resident in Uromi.

The suspects, who are between the ages of 20 to 35 were smoked out from their hideout in a hotel at Uromi.

Upon their arrest, 23 phones and three laptops were recovered from them. Three luxury cars, Lexus R330, C300 4 Matic and GLK 350 4Matic were also recovered from them.

The raid which was sequel to series of intelligence gathering by operatives of the zone is in line with the directive of the acting EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu to rid the state and indeed the entire country of internet fraud and cybercrime.

The suspects have made useful statements and will soon be charged to court.

https://lailasnews.com/efcc-arrests-13-yahoo-boys-in-edo-recovers-3-cars/

Quote:We Go Kill You, Nothing Go Happen, Highest Na Jail - Policemen Caught On Camera Threatening To Shoot A Lawyer In Asaba, Delta State

Gwamnishu Harrison, CEO of Behind Bar Initiative shared this video of some Nigeria Police Officers caught on camera threatening to kill a lawyer at a check point. He wrote:

"Attention: @nigeriapoliceforce. Take a minute and listen to your officers threatening to kill a lawyer at STOP and SEARCH in Asaba. The CP has failed his duty to call these officers to order. SARS are searching phones, SOS are slapping citizens, DPO'S are collecting huge amount for bail. @PoliceNG @segalink @ruggedybaba @adeyanjudeji @frankmbablog

There have been killings going on in Delta State, we are yet to see Police arresting the perpetrators. They are after MOBILE PHONES and BANK SMS ALERT.

Delta State deserves a proactive CP

@NigeriaPoliceForce

I will forward strategic locations where this irregularities are going on and police station turned into a Micro -Finance Bank by DPO'S. This should be treated urgently."

Temidayo Akinsuyi 

Governor Yahaya Bello has declared his support for the endorsement of Sen. Ahmad Lawan and Hon Femi Gbajabiamila as the heads of the 9th Senate and House of Representatives respectively.

The Governor who made this known while on a courtesy visit to the National Leader of the party, Sen. Bola Ahmed Tinubu said the decision of the party remains his position on the next National Assembly leadership.

He said both of them are experienced and qualified to lead the Upper and the Lower Chambers.

“You are our National Leader and we are your children. You have set the agenda and we shall ensure we make it a reality.

“I supported Hon Gbajabiamila in 2015 but it was unfortunate that we lost out. This time around, we shall make sure the decision of the party prevails by electing the two of them to work with Mr President to move the nation forward.

“We have two Senators-elect from my State and seven House of Representatives members-elect. They will listen to us. Even the two others who are in ADC and PDP will be lobbied to support us”.

Governor Bello said his loyalty to the party and the National Leader of the party is not in doubt and that he will continue to build the party to remain unbeatable in Kogi State.

https://www.independent.ng/we-shall-ensure-lawan-gbajabiamila-are-elected-yahaya-bello/

The growing adoption and investment in financial technology has earned 11 deposit money banks about N124.5bn revenue from electronic transactions in 2018.

Nigerian banks have continued to introduce digital products into the financial sector and their operations, organising hackathons in order to develop tech solution to address problems in the industry, sponsoring innovation competitions and introducing chatbot and Whatsapp banking to improve user experience.


All these are believed to have contributed to the growth experienced in the revenue from electronic transactions by the banks.

Analyses of the audited 2018 annual reports of 11 banks showed their revenue from electronic transactions grew by 43 per cent year-on-year from the N86.72bn earned by the financial institutions in 2017.

The revenue was generated from the fees and commission that the banks charged their customers when they carried out transactions through Automated Teller Machines, USSD, Internet banking, Point of Sale payments and agency banking.

Some of the banks assessed are Zenith Bank Plc, First City Monument Bank Plc, Access Bank Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, United Bank for Africa Plc, Sterling Bank Plc, First Bank of Nigeria Limited and Fidelity Bank Plc.

Others are Jaiz Bank Plc, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, and Wema Bank Plc.

First Bank earned the highest income on its electronic products in 2018, reporting N34.03bn revenue, a 36 per cent increase in revenue from N24.99bn in the corresponding period of 2017.

UBA ranked second, reporting N27.92bn revenue from electronic transactions, a 33 per cent increase from the N20.92bn generated during the same period in 2017.

With N20.42bn revenue, Zenith Bank reported a 44 per cent increase in its electronic banking income in 2018 as against N14.15bn earned in 2017.


Earnings from electronic transactions by GTB rose by 28 per cent from N7.48bn in 2017 to N9.59bn in 2018.

Access Bank’s electronic business income closed 2018 with N8.38bn, an increase of 45 per cent over the N5.79bn revenue earned in 2017.

FCMB’s earnings from electronic transactions also improved by 45 per cent to N8.32bn in 2018 as against N5.75bn in 2017.


Sterling Bank recorded N4.85bn income from electronic payments in 2018 but there was no record of its electronic payment earnings for 2017.

With N4.73bn reported for 2018, Union Bank’s earnings grew by 40 per cent year-on-year from N3.38bn in 2017.

For Fidelity bank, it generated N2.85bn from its digital products in 2018, an increase of 62 per cent from the N1.76bn earned in 2017.

Wema Bank earned N2.84bn from its digital payment platform in 2018, growing by 29 per cent as against the N2.20bn revenue in 2017.

Fees and commissions on digital payments earned by Jaiz Bank amounted to N323m as against the N303m it earned in 2017, recording six per cent year-on-year growth

The Central Bank of Nigeria’s guidelines on bank charges, which took effect on May 1, 2017, stipulated that withdrawal from other banks’ ATMs within the country would attract N65 charge after the third withdrawal within the same month.

According to the guidelines, bills payment on electronic channels of the banks also attracts N50 for transactions below and above N10bn, while real-time gross settlement attracts N550 per transaction.

The apex bank stated that alerts on transactions should not be more than N4 per SMS, while bulk payments such as salaries and dividends attract a maximum of N50 per beneficiary, which is paid by the sender.

The electronic payments have become a huge revenue earner for Nigerian banks as can be seen in the growing volume and value of electronic payments logged by the Nigerian Inter-Bank Settlement Scheme. In 2018, electronic instant payments grossed N80.4tn on NIBSS platform, growing by 43 per cent year-on-year from N56.17tn in 2017.

The Managing Director, Upperlink Limited, Mr Segun Akano, said investment in technology for financial transaction was more profitable for Nigerian banks when compared with funds required to establish bank branches for customer’s transaction in the banking hall.

According to him, the customers also have a preference for transactions at their convenience, especially on mobile devices.

“Walk-in bank branch payments are reducing and it is an indication that consumers have accepted other channels of payments more, probably because of convenience and availability. Many people have embraced their phones because the banks have improved in terms of expanding their reach through these devices and it is more profitable for them too, obviously a win-win situation,” Akano said.

He added, “Imagine a bank branch that has to deal with 2,000 customers a day, the services they need to provide a comfort level are quite enormous. The security arrangement, fear of misbehaviour, noises in banking halls, car park hassles, etc, then compare with where you don’t have to have physical contacts with these customers and yet your transactions are going via devices like mobile phones, laptops, ATM and PoS terminals.

“Certainly, transactions have not reduced; it is only the channels that keep experiencing different levels of traffic. While some are increasing, some are reducing but the traditional walk-in bank branch will continue to be a victim.”

The Chief Digital Officer, Alat by WEMA, Mr Dele Adeyinka, said the target of all stakeholders, comprising fintechs, banks, card schemes, switches and the regulator, was to ensure that all Nigerians were financially included.

According to him, bank customers and non-bank customers should be able to use several alternative means of payments, except cash, to carry financial transactions.

Adeyinka said, “Techs and banks as well as several others in the ecosystem, our ultimate goal is to be able to bring a 100 per cent of the Nigerian population into the financial ecosystem. Meaning that we should allow everyone to have access to financial transactions using their devices at the comfort of their homes, offices and wherever they find themselves.

“Today, we only have about 38 million Nigerians who have access to financial services; a fraction of them have accounts in different banks but that is not ultimately where we need to get to. Our work is clearly cut out for us. Until when we are able to make financial services available in the urban and rural areas and bring everyone into the financial sector, that is when we can say we have achieved.”

I did no wrong telling him the truth – Wife 

◗ She never told me she’s another man’s wife – Lover

Quote:Linus Oota, Lafia





It is the stuff that nightmares are made of. Your wife of 14 years, with whom you have sought to have a child for a long time and with whom you have earnestly prayed for it, suddenly turns to you one day and breaks the good news you’ve been hoping for: that she is pregnant. All of a sudden, you find yourself pregnant too with joy and hope. You find yourself dancing for joy.

You went with her through the morning sickness, the complaints of pain and nausea. On the night of delivery you went with her to hospital, you stayed with her in the labour room encouraging and praying for her. The expected baby finally arrives and it turned out to be a boy. You called your friends and relations to break to them the good news.

On the day of his naming ceremony, you decided to paint the town red. You organized a befitting feast for relations and friends. You carried the baby in your arms as you had always done since he was born, as you went through the procedures of the naming proper. But after all that dancing and rejoicing, after all the festivities, suddenly, you are told that the child you had all along thought to have sired, that you had celebrated, in a big way, with friends and well-wishers, on his arrival, is actually not yours but belongs to another man.


The story in a nutshell


How do you handle such shocking news? For a 43-year-old Jukun man called Abu Shoja, a resident of Gubbo community in Awe local government Area, there was no other way to handle such heartbreaking and shameful news than to commit suicide. And, that was what he, a big-time farmer, did when he hanged himself recently when he found out that other members of the community had gone to tend their farms, leaving nobody at home to stop him in his track. His dream of being called a proud father of a baby after 14 years of waiting was shattered recently when his wife told him in plain language that he is not the father of their three-months-old baby boy.

The incident has thrown members of his family into deep mourning as they struggle to come to terms with what had happened. His younger brother, Audu, said he started fearing for senior brother’s life when he noticed that he was depressed and withdrawn after the woman left him, together with the new born baby. But no one envisaged that it would get to the level of him taking his life on account of that.

Abu’s death came as it dawned on him that his wife, Naomi had not only been unfaithful to him, but revealed that her three months old new born baby belongs to another man, one Moses Orhi, a commercial motorcycle operator, popularly called Okada, whom she said she prefers to spend the rest of her life with. She told our correspondent that she did that to get a child, not minding the consequence because she and her husband were unable to get a child during their 14-year marriage. She accused her husband of not taking positive steps to address the issue.

According to her, she met Moses in Awe town and together they hit it off in love affair. Two or three months into the affair, she became pregnant for the man. But her husband thinking that he was responsible, got the whole community to celebrate the arrival of the baby with fanfare. Five months after delivery, the woman told the husband that she want to travel to Lafia on the pretext of needing urgent medical attention. But instead, she proceeded to Benue State and from there to Taraba in the company of Moses. It was from there that she put a call through to her husband to give him the heartbreaking news: that he is not the father of the newborn baby, and that she has returned the baby to his biological father.


Abu’s narrative before he committed suicide


Abu who narrated the story to our correspondent in Lafia five days before he committed suicide said he was overwhelmed with emotion when his wife broke the sad news to him: that a child he thought was his, a child he had carried in the crooks of his arms two months ago, with happiness and relief and great assurances that he would make a wonderful father to is no longer his, in fact, was never his, in the first place.

He recalled with great anguish and bitterness how his wife left home for Lafia under the pretext of going to hospital only to call and inform him later that he is not the father of the child and that she has decided to return the child to the rightful owner.

“To say I am devastated is an understatement,” he said. “Truth is, there are no words adequate enough to describe the loss I feel, after suffering from infertility for more than 10 years. Finally, I thought I was a dad to the new born baby. I lived with the pains of the new born baby pregnancy and I was there at his birth. It was the most incredible moment of my life. That night, I rang friends and relatives to break to them the good news. I never knew I was celebrating some body’s else blood. When this woman told me she has missed her period, I was happy and told her that she was only worried about going to the hospital and that God would do it at the appropriate time. And, truly he did it, though in the last one year, I had suspected this woman and her activities in Awe town. My spirit kept telling me something was wrong with her consistency in Awe but I allowed God to handle the situation.

“When the child came, I was happy and made it known that God has finally answered my prayers. Now, to find out that he is not really mine has been a huge loss, it is akin to bereavement; it is only that the grief is twisted, even magnified, because he is not dead. It pains me to know that I am no longer a father, to know that I’m left, not only with a bleak chasm of loss but also an enormous sense of betrayal. This woman knew from day one that I am not responsible for the pregnancy. Her delivery was the proudest moment of my life. Today, there is no usual cry of a baby in my house.”


Naomi’s side of the sad story


When our correspondent later got the phone number of his wife and called her, she confirmed her husband’s statement. “Yes, he is my husband but he is not the father of my son, that is the truth and I can’t hide it from him,” she said. “We stayed together as husband and wife for 14 years without a child. I did everything humanly possible for us to go to the hospital but he refused and his only excuse is that God would bring a child at the appropriate time. The truth is that we never had any sexual intercourse during the period I took in, so what made him think he is the father?”

Giving an insight into how she got pregnant for another man, she said: “In the course of my fish business, I met one young man by the name Moses. He toasted me and against all odds, I agreed and submitted myself to him. But before I did that, we carried out an HIV test. Both of us were negative and from there, we bonded skin to skin. During this period, I made sure that my husband did not even see my pants. I wanted to taste another man to know where the problem is. I almost relocated to Awe because Moses was actually giving me the necessary satisfaction and in less than three months, he was able to impregnate me.”

Asked why she should break such a sad news in what was supposed to be her husband’s happiest moment, she replied: “It was better I tell him this early because I am no longer interested in the marriage. If he wants, let him to go to court and I will bring the child for the DNA test to prove that what I am saying is the truth: that the man never slept with me during that period. So it is not possible for him to be responsible for the pregnancy and the child subsequently. As I talk to you, me and Moses have left Nasarawa State already.

We are not within again.” Talking about his lover’s financial state, she said: “no matter how poor he is, I prefer to stay with him.”


Her lover’s tale


Naomi linked our correspondent with Moses who he discovered to be not too happy with the situation either, or rather, to be caught between different emotions. “I only got to know that the woman was somebody’s wife when she delivered,” he said over the phone. “I couldn’t have toasted somebody’s wife. What she told me was that she lost her husband nine years ago. She only told me the real story eight months into her pregnancy. I became afraid for my life and left Awe. Right now, I am in Jalingo, Taraba State, but the woman and my son are in Zaki Biam, in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State, but they will soon join me when the current crisis in the area has subsided.”

Talking about the situation, he said: “I blame her seriously for misleading me into sleeping with her. I never knew she was somebody’s wife but now that I know, as soon as my son grows up, I will discharge her back to her husband place. I won’t marry her but I can’t allow my own blood to go. I am the biological father of the boy and I have taken him. It is unfortunate but there is nothing I can do.”


Audu Shoja’s take on the incident


Five days after Shoja’s heartbreaking rendition of the incident he reportedly hanged himself after everybody in the community had gone to farm. Confirming this ugly development in a chat with our correspondent, his younger brother, Audu Shoja wondered aloud: “it is unfortunate that he decided to kill himself because of a woman. What is the big deal there if a woman tells you that you are not the father of her son? So be it and move on. He claims to be a man of God but look at what he has done!

“Since this thing happened, I have been advising him to let it go that he is not the only person. It has happened to many people and they have moved on. He looked so worried since the issue happened. Every day I would advise him to calm down and forget about the woman. But since he feels killing himself is the solution to the whole problem, so be it. We will make arrangement and bury him immediately. That is all I can say, thank you.”