Picture of the Day

 

Credit: The Punch

A Chief Justice That Has Always Lived Above His Means And Now, Nemesis

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen is facing the battle of his political carreer. He was one of the judges indicted for corruption and recommended for dismissal by the the Justice Kayode Eso Panel set up by the Sani Abacha military regime to probe incessant allegations of judicial corruption in 1994. Justice Onnoghen was then a judge in the Cross River State high court where he was accused of selling justice to the highest bidder. Luckily for Justice Onnoghen he had been promoted to the Court of Appeal when the implementation of the recommendation of the Eso Panel was carried out against only judges of high courts across the country.

As the leopard never changes its colour Justice Onnoghen has continued  with corrupt practices. The judge has not been able to account for the millions of Naira, Pounds Sterling, Dollars and Euros in his bank accounts. The money is so much for a serving judge that Justice Onnoghen did not declare some of his bank accounts as required by law. Hence, the Chief Justice was charged with failure to false declaration and failure to declare his assets containing hundreds of over $3 million of dollars before the Code of Conduct Tribunal last week.  It has also been alleged that for 18 months the Chief Justice did not withdraw from his salary account, suggesting that he was spending bribe money.

Although the petition was received by the Code of Conduct from an ex aide of President Buhari on January 9, 2019. A team of officials from the Code of Conduct Bureau visited the Chief Justice on January 10. When confronted with the fact that he did not declare his assets as stipulated as stipulated by the Constitution the Chief Justice said that he "forgot" to have done so. He therefore pleaded for the "understanding and cooperation" of the Code of Conduct  Bureau officials. The official promised to cooperate but asked the Chief Justice to write a statement under caution. He did so in his own handwriting where he admitted that he "forgot" to declare his assets.

Based on the admission by  the Chief Justice that he did not declare his assets the Bureau quickly prepared a charge and filed it  before the Code of Conduct Tribunal on January 11. The Tribunal fixed the case for the arraignment of the Chief Justice for January 15.  To avoid the disgrace of being arraigned at the Tribunal the Chief Justice was advised to stay away from the proceedings of the Tribunal which he did. In a counter move, the legal team of the Chief Justice informed the Tribunal that their client had not been served with the charge sheet. The case was adjourned to January 22 for hearing after which proper service would have been effected on the Chief Justice.

Meanwhile, a case filed on Monday, January 15  at the  federal high court to stop the trial of the Chief Justice through two NGOs were assigned to a judge, Justice N. E.  Maha, a newly appointed judge in the court. We have confirmed that Justice Maha is very close to the Chief Justice as a former staff in the office of the Legal Practioners Privileges Committee located in the Supreme Court complex in Abuja.  The Committee is headed by the Chief Justice. Within minutes of receiving  the file of the new suit it was heard by Justice Maha who quickly granted  a motion ex parte in the case.  The judge restrained the Code of Conduct Tribunal from proceeding to hear the charge against the Chief Justice until the hearing of the motion on notice.

Not sure that the order of Justice Maha was sufficient to shield him from prosecution before the Code of Conduct Tribunal the Chief Justice planned another strategy. He held a meeting with Justice Babatunde Adejumo, the President of the National Industrial Court whose wife, Justice Abimbola Adejumo had delivered the judgment in the case of Nganjiwa v Federal Republic of Nigeria which ruled that all corruption cases involving judges should be reported to the National Judicial Council which is headed by the Chief Justice. The judgment was delivered to prevent  the arrest and prosecution of judges as was witnessed in 2016 when about 10 judges were arrested and charged to court for corruption.
At the end of the meeting which held in Abuja last Sunday the embattled Chief Justice asked Justice Adejumo to get an order to prevent his arrest by the police, efcc or icpc. A case was filed the following day at the National Industrial Court . It was hurriedly assigned to Justice Sanusi Kano by Justice Adejumo. The case was heard by Justice who granted an order restraining the Police from arresting the Chief Justice pending the hearing and determination  of the motion on notice. The judge also stopped the trial of the Chief Justice by the Code of Conduct Tribunal.  Lawyers and judges  are asking if the Chief Justice has become an employee to have his case decided at the National Industrial Court established to hear only trade union and labour matters.

In a desperate move to save Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen from prosecution and compulsory retirement the Body of SenIor Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN) had called an emergency meeting of Senior Advocates of Nigeria to hold at the Lagos campus of the Nigerian Law School at 11 am on Saturday, 19th day of January 2019. But the communique of the meeting was prepared in advance  and surreptitiously passed to the secretariat of the body for adoption at the meeting. The meeting was poorly attended by senior advocates.

But the few members of the body who attended the meeting kicked against the move to use the BOSAN to condemn the trial of the Chief Justice whose conduct was criticised at the meeting by many senior advocates. It was the view of the majority of those who attended the meeting that while the procedure adopted by the Executive in charging the Chief Justice before the Code of Conduct Tribunal is procedurally wrong they wondered when forgetfulness became a defence to a criminal offence in Nigeria. The suggestion that the N1.4 billion money laundering charge filed against the NBA president, Mr. Paul Usoro SAN by the efcc  be tabled for discussion was unanimously rejected by members of BOSAN.
It was a very somber meeting as members expressed concern over the  damage being done to the reputation of the legal profession by senior judges and lawyers.  In order not to be accused of covering the Chief Justice who cannot explain the sources of the  local and foreign currencies in his declared and undeclared bank accounts the BOSAN dropped the prepared communique and issued another one which tactically  called for caution by all the parties concerned. The communique was signed  by Professor Ben Nwabueze SAN and Seyi Sowemimo SAN, the Chairman and Secretary respectively of BOSAN.

Even though the federal government has denied the reported plan to arrest the Chief Justice, the National Financial Intelligence Unit has frozen his  accounts under the Presidential Executive Order No 6 of 2018. An  application has already  been filed in court to have the Chief Justice  removed from office since he has ignored the call of the federal government to call it quits.

Credited to  Annie Orji

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Breaking: Dapchi girls have been brought back – parents

Parents of the 110 schoolgirls of the Government Girls Technical College in Dapchi, Yobe state who were abducted over a month ago have said that the girls have been brought back.
Parents go through list of 110 schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram from Government Girls Technical College at Dapchi town in northern Nigerian on February 28, 2018.
Nigeria’s government on March 1 said it had set up a committee to establish how Boko Haram jihadists managed to kidnap 110 girls from their school in the country’s remote northeast. Members of the militant Islamist group stormed the Government Girls Science and Technical College in Dapchi, Yobe state, on February 19, nearly four years after a similar mass abduction in Chibok, Borno state.
Two parents told AFP on Wednesday about the return of the students to Dapchi saying: “The girls have been brought back. They were brought in nine vehicles and dropped outside the school at about 8:00 am (0700 GMT),” said Bashir Manzo, who heads a group set up to support parents whose children were abducted.

Vacancies Vacancies Vacancies!!!!!!!!

Our Client, an International Online Sports betting platform is recruiting to fill the position of a Head of Marketing.

JOB DESCRIPTION

The successful candidates’ responsibilities include but not limited to the following;

 Development and implementation of the brand strategy.

 Devise effective marketing strategies aimed at achieving betting targets.

 Developing the marketing strategy for new and existing products.

 Carrying out competitor analysis to ensure the company’s marketing strategy is competing

effectively.



QUALIFICATION AND SKILLS

 Minimum of a university degree in any social science discipline.

 Minimum of three years (3) marketing experience in similar role(retail).

 Experience with brand development and positioning.

 Possess strong creative skills with proven ability to envision, strategize, and manage to fruition a

multitude of innovative ideas/possibilities.



Qualified candidate should send in their resume to resumes@kimberly-ryan.net using the job title as

the subject of the mail.



Follow https://goo.gl/GnXZLf for more information.





A printing press company is urgently looking to fill the position of a Marketing Executive.



This role is permanent and location is based in Lagos State.



Ideal candidate must have proven experience and knowledge of a printing press.



Strong interpersonal skills and effective in communication both verbal and written. Also good knowledge in presentation.



Minimum of 6 years’ experience



Interested and qualified candidate should send their updated cvs to ashertalent@gmail.com







VACANCY: Discipline Engineer (Marine)



Job Objective: To supervise and coordinate the execution of offshore installation and

hook up of Structures, Pipelines, and Brown Fields Work offshore Nigeria.

Location: Offshore with onshore work as required.



Responsibilities:

1. Carry out all construction and hook up supervision / monitoring activities required for the

successful delivery of the assigned works.

2. Develop Procedures, Scope of Work, and Method Statements as may be required.

3. Participate in constructability reviews and the planning and scheduling of construction

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4. Maintain a flexible and positive attitude, especially with regard to the working environment

5. Ensure projects are completed and handed over on schedule.

6. Prepare project close out and “lessons learnt” reports.

7. Review and comment on construction work procedures; assess personnel and equipment

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Please send cv to recruitment@petrokoilandgas.com







VACANCY: Discipline Engineer (Structural)



Job Objective: To provide structural engineering expertise to aid in the execution of the

Company’s onshore and offshore projects and ongoing operations.

Location: Port Harcourt



Responsibilities:

1. Assist with the resolution of structural engineering questions from conceptual

engineering through to detailed design and construction. Carry out reviews of Design

Bases, design drawings and specifications, etc. Provide structural engineering input

to other discipline specialists to assure that design outputs are consistent.

2. To act as the Company representative (as required) to ensure that design work by

contractors meets Company standards and relevant industry codes, in particular, API,

ASME, ANSI, NFPA, etc.

3. Assist resident or project engineers with structural engineering aspects of project

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Senior Agronomist Needed Urgently!!!!!!



Location: Anambra State.



Our client, a fast-growing Agribusiness urgently desire to employ qualified and motivated individuals for the role of a Senior Agronomist who will be responsible for supporting the GM Farms to deliver on targets for land development, cultivation, harvesting, crop yields, seed production and new variety development as well as the development and management of a mechanized, irrigated commercial scale rice farm towards achieving superior yield within defined cost parameters.



Requirement: Qualified candidate should be tactful and hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Agronomy or Agriculture related field and have a minimum of 5 years’ middle management experience in commercial rice farming operations, with particular experience managing at least 200Ha+ of rice cultivated in a single location; Experience with mechanized commercial rice farming, and knowledge of and familiarity with required equipment for large-scale rice farming; Practical experience and knowledge of plant breeding, rice agronomy, seed production, and yield improvement aspects for rice.



Method of application: Interested and qualified candidates should send applications to femi.ajiboye@globalprofilers.com; Otano.agbator@globalprofilers.com





VACANCY: Project Control Lead



Job Objective: Develop and ensure structured, consistent and accurate cost control,

reporting and estimating for the project Management group. Maximise the use and integration

of cost control and WBS systems.



Responsibilities:

1. Maintain accurate tracking, analysis and reporting of project budget performance at

the individual Project level to ensure that cost overruns are identified prior to incurring

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2. Monitor expenditure monthly on a Value of Work Done (VOWD) basis for ongoing

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DONALD TRUMP: REX TILLERSON BECOMES THE 23RD ADMINISTRATION CASUALTY

With a tweet, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson becomes the latest administration casualty:

BREAKING: Suspected Herdsmen Kill 25 Persons In Fresh Plateau Attack

Suspected herdsmen have killed 25 persons in another attack in Plateau State.Those killed in the attack are 19 men, three women and three children.The incident occurred on Monday night in Dundu village, Kwall District in Bassa Local Government Area of the state.
Details coming..

QUESTION OF THE WEEK-WHO IS THE COMMAMDER IN CHIEF?

Question :Buhari said that he was surprised at the revelation that the Inspector-General of Police Police, Ibrahim Idris, did not spend 24 hours in Benue, when he directed him to relocate to the state and remain there till peace was restored.. Who is the Commander in Chief?
A)  PMB
B)  IGP
C) CABAL
D) B and C above

Demonic Fulani Herdsmen Continues Their Attack on Innocent Citizens

#ViwersDiscretion...

Demonic Fulani herdsmen invaded  St.John's Anglican Primary School Agodo,Ogun and turned the school into a pool of the blood of the innocent, little kids. Please share on till barbaric act is put to an end
#ViwersDiscretion... 

Senate confirms N13.5m monthly running cost

The Senate yesterday confirmed the disclosure by Senator Shehu Sani (APC, Kaduna) that each senator receives N13.5m monthly as running cost.
This is a confirmation of  the running cost of the Federal lawmakers. Headlined, “Senators, Reps share N46bn annually as running cost”. . The report was based on the running cost of the 469 lawmakers at both the Senate and House of Representatives.

Senate spokesperson, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (APC, Niger) in a statement, tagged: “Senators’ Salary: Shehu Sani said nothing new” said salaries and allowances of senators are well captured in various line times.
Sani in an interview with the News Magazine said he and his colleagues receive N13.5m monthly as running cost.
“But what I am saying is that that money (N13.5 million per month) must be receipted for what you do with it. But what you are given to go and spend without any accountability is N750,000.00.
“The constituency project itself is given on a zonal basis and almost every senator will go with a constituency fund of about N200 million, but it is not the cash that is given to you.
“You will be told that you have N200 million with an agency of government for which you will now submit projects equivalent to that amount. And it is that agency of government that will go and do those projects for you,” he said.
The Senate spokesman said the figures about running cost were contained in the budget of the National Assembly, which has been made public.
He dismissed insinuations that Sani’s colleagues were unhappy with him and said if people had looked critically at the budget of the National Assembly, which has since been made public, they would have seen that various line items like travelling, medicals, consultancy and the rest were captured in the budget and they were the funds divided for each senator’s use.
“Almost all holders of elective and appointive offices have running costs allocated to their offices and that cannot be said to be part of their salaries”, Abdullahi said.
Credit :DailyTrust

Breaking: China’s parliament abolishes presidential term limits, Xi to rule for life

China’s Xi Jinping on Sunday secured a path to rule indefinitely as parliament abolished presidential term limits, handing him almost total authority to pursue a vision of transforming the nation into an economic and military superpower.
                           

                      President Xi Jinping, has a duty to defend China
The move reverses the era of “collective” leadership and orderly succession that was promoted by late paramount leader Deng Xiaoping to ensure stability following the turbulent one-man rule of Communist China’s founder Mao Zedong.
The historic constitutional amendment breezed through the rubber-stamp parliament with 2,958 in favour, two against and three abstentions despite an unusual bout of online criticism that censors have scrambled to extinguish.
Xi stood up first at the imposing Great Hall of the People in Beijing to cast his paper ballot in a red box, as delegates of the National People’s Congress applauded after each vote on the constitutional amendment to lift the two five-year term limit for the presidency.
The first constitutional amendment in 14 years had been expected to breeze through the legislature, which has never rejected a Communist Party diktat in its half-century of existence.
“This is the urgent wish of the common people,” Ju Xiuqin, a delegate from northeastern Heilongjiang province, told AFP, echoing party claims that the amendment had the unanimous support of “the masses”.
Xi, 64, has consolidated power since 2012 when he was appointed to the country’s top office: general secretary of the Communist Party.
While the position has no term limits, his two predecessors both gave it up after two terms as part of an orderly process established by Deng.
– ‘Soft coup’ –
The country’s presidency is a largely ceremonial office, but the constitutional limits meant Xi would have had to give it up in 2023.
But with the new amendments, he could now have a lifetime to push his goal of turning China into global economic powerhouse with a “world-class” military by mid-century.
His rise has been accompanied by tighter restrictions on civil society, with the detention of activists and lawyers, and stricter limits on the already heavily controlled internet.
At the same time, he gained a measure of popularity among Chinese people through a relentless crackdown on corruption that has punished more than a million party officials, and sidelined potential rivals.
“I think that during the past five years, he has been carrying out a soft coup, including making the Politburo a mere figurehead,” Chinese political commentator Wu Qiang told AFP, referring to the 25-member Communist Party body one level under the ruling council.
“He wants to prevent power from falling into the hands of technocrats like Jiang (Zemin) and Hu (Jintao),” Wu said, referring to Xi’s two predecessors.
While attention has focused on the term limits, the amendments also include major provisions that will engrave Xi’s eponymous political mantra in the constitution and hand the Communist Party an even larger role in the country’s affairs.
In a written report, the head of the parliament’s Standing Committee, Zhang Dejiang, said the amendments “will ensure the constitution improves and develops in step with the times and provide a firm constitutional guarantee for upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era”.
– Secret path –
The Communist Party says the move merely aligns the presidency with the limit-free titles of party secretary and military chief, claiming “the masses” unanimously called for the removal of term limits.
But the proposal was kept secret until it was revealed in a state media report on February 25, a week before the legislature’s opening session.
The party later disclosed that Xi had presided over a meeting of the Politburo in September during which the leadership decided to revise the constitution.
The party then sought proposals and opinions, culminating in a decision in late January to introduce constitutional amendments at the NPC.
“Xi Jinping has presided over so many important projects such as economic reforms and the fight against corruption. There was a consensus that we supported him having more time to finish his work,” said Dou Yanli, a delegate from eastern Shandong province.
The surprise move triggered a backlash online, prompting censors to block phrases and words such as “I disagree” and “emperor” and the image of Winnie the Pooh, the cartoon bear to which Xi has been compared.
Activists fear that removing term limits may lead to a further tightening of already strict controls on media, civil society and religion, as Xi tries to impose his highly ideological vision of socialism on every aspect of society.
Beijing-based activist Hu Jia, who says authorities forced him to leave the capital during the congress, called the amendment “illegal”.
“Xi asked all people to obey the constitution, and then used the amendment to place himself above it. He used the constitution as the ultimate legal weapon that binds officials and all citizens
Credit :Vanguard

SUICIDE :FIRST-CLASS STUDENT COMMIT SUICIDE IN UNIBEN

The management of the University of Benin , Edo State, has confirmed the death of one of its students who allegedly committed suicide .

The deceased, identified only as Adams , was said to have been found dead in his room at Ekosodin community, in the Ovia North -East Local Government Area of the state .

He was said to be a 500- level student in the Department of Computer Engineering .

It was gathered that Adams had been sighted at his department where he submitted an assignment , before he returned to his hostel on Thursday .

Some of his friends were said to have suspected that something had gone wrong when they could not access his room while he was inside.

However, his lifeless body was later said to have been found by his relatives who forced the door open in the evening.

Some of his colleagues seen at the department on Saturday declined to speak on the issue and referred our correspondent to the authorities of the school.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr . Johnson Kokumo , could not be reached for comments as calls put across to his telephone were unanswered .

He had yet to respond to a text message sent to his mobile as of the time of filling this report

But the Public Relations Officer of the university , Michael Osasuyi, who confirmed the incident, said the institution received the report with surprise .

Osasuyi noted that the deceased was a first-class student . He said, “The 500-level computer engineering student was discovered in his room at Ekosodin.

“He hung himself . His father came to see him and that was how it was discovered that he hung himself . The information that got to us was that he was a bright student , a first-class student .’’

Osasuyi urged students , no matter what they might be experiencing , to be bold enough to speak out.

Credit :Punch 

Robert Mugabe demands cash for Pension

“The President (ED) said it was highly irregular and irresponsible, and the lady indicated that cash salary payments were standard for the old man (Mr Mugabe) and she assumed that was how things were done for the highest office in the land.

“His Excellency (ED) gave her his bank account number and told her to do a transfer as is done for everyone else, and told her that if he needed cash he would queue for it like everyone else because the cash shortages affected all Zimbabweans and he would demand no such preferential and irregular treatment.”

Photos: Ajimobi’s son and Ganduje’s daughter’s wedding

IBADAN, the Oyo State capital, literally became a Mecca of sorts, as personalities from all walks of life converged on the ancient city to grace the talk-of the- town wedding reception of Idris and Fatima, son and daughter of Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State and his Kano State counterpart, Alhaji Abdulahi Ganduje.  

                             L-R: A former Governor of Osun State, Chief Olagunsoye Oyinlola; Wife of a former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Derin Osoba; and her husband, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, at the reception

An Ibadan-based industrialist/CEO Jogor Centre, Mr. Femi Babalola; and Ondo State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, at the reception
                                 

L-R: Wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode; Wife of Osun State Governor, Mrs. Sherifat Aregbesola; and Groom’s father, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, at the reception
                                               

L-R: Oba of Lagos, Oba Riliwan Akiolu; and Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, at the reception
                   
                                     

L-R: A former Governor of Ekiti State, Chief Niyi Adebayo; Wife of Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Erelu Bisi Fayemi; and the minister, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, at the wedding reception for Idris and Fateemah Ajimobi, at Agodi Gardens, Ibadan… on Saturday. Photo: Oyo State Governor’s Office
                                 

L-R: Senator Kabiru Gaya; a former Governor of Oyo State, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala; and his wife, Kemi, at the reception
                       

L-R: A former Governor of Ekiti State, Chief Niyi Adebayo; Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; and Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, at the reception

L-R: National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; Groom’s father, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State; Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; and an industrialist, Sir Kesington A Deputy  

L-R: Groom’s mother, Chief Florence Ajimobi; Groom, Idris; Bride, Fateemah; Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari; and Groom’s father, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, during a reception for the couple, at Agodi Gardens, Ibadan… on Saturday.

L-R: Bride’s father, Governor Umaru Ganduje of Kano State; Groom’s mother, Chief Florence Ajimobi; Bride, Fateemah; Groom, Idris; Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari; Bride’s mother, Hajia Hafsat Ganduje; and Groom’s father, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, during a reception for the couple, at Agodi Gardens, Ibadan on Saturday.
Credit :Vanguard Newspaper

PDP Tasks Presidency, APC Over Illegal Importation of Military Equipment...Demands Open Investigation On Gov. Bello’s Alleged Involvement.

March 10, 2018

Press Statement

PDP Tasks Presidency, APC Over Illegal Importation of Military Equipment...Demands Open Investigation On Gov. Bello’s Alleged Involvement.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that the linking of the exposed illegal importation of military equipment to All Progressive Congress (APC) interests, particularly in Kogi State, is revealing and places a heavy question on the doorsteps of the Presidency and the ruling party.

The PDP said Nigerians have been wondering how weapons and other military equipment get into the hands of marauders, who have been ravaging the nation, adding that this discovery could be an unfolding clue for which an open investigation must be conducted.

It also expressed fears that the development could be part of the alleged plot by the APC to compromise the nation’s security system and set the stage for the intimidation of Nigerians during the 2019 general election to push their desperate but ill-lucked re-election bid.

The PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Saturday also tasked the Presidency and military high command to immediately come out with explanations to Nigerians on how APC’s Governor Yayaha Bello allegedly secured the permission to import military equipment, which function is exclusively under the purview of the Presidency and the military.

From the reports so far, it appears that we are now having a clue on how weapons and other military equipment being used by marauders and criminals to ravage and murder our citizens are illegally sneaked into the country and by which interest.

Nigerians now know that some persons and officials linked with APC interests have been playing roles in compromising the security of our nation by smuggling in military equipment for unknown groups ostensibly to carry out evil activities.

We hold that this is a very critical matter and as a pro-people party, committed to the well being of Nigerians, urge the Presidency and the military to quickly offer explanations to Nigerians on who issued the end user certificate for the importation of the said military equipment into our country.

The PDP therefore demands and open forensic investigation so that Nigerians will know the truth. Nigerians need to know where the military gadgets were sourced from and who purchased them? They need to know who issued the end user certification for the importation and, if they are not for the military, then who is the actual end user and where is the intended final destination?

Furthermore, we want an open inquest into the alleged involvement of Governor Yahaya Bello and his aides in this matter. What is their interest in the illegal cargo? Do Kogi officials run a militia or are they involved in an illegal trafficking for a wider political interest in the APC? How long have they been in this illegal business and what is the volume of deals so far?

We therefore call on all well-meaning individuals and groups as well as the international community to note this development in our country and join forces in ensuring that the nation gets to the root of the matter

Signed:

Kola Ologbondiyan
National Publicity Secretary

Mama Boko Haram :What federal govt must do to calm insurgents.

- A north east human rights activist known as Mama Boko Haram, Aisha Waki disclosed what the government has to do so as to end insurgency in the northeast Nigeria
-Waki declared that the Islamist sect felt aggrieved about the killing of their members

- She said the government should put its feet on the ground and meet with those that can talk to the insurgents
A north east human rights activist, popularly called Mama Boko Haram, Aisha Wakil, has advised the federal government to engage those who can talk to the insurgents so as to get them to stop their attacks.​
Wakil, who insisted that Boko Haram will not surrender to anybody in “air conditioned” rooms, advised the authorities to act fast.
She made the suggestion in a chat with Punch on the recent kidnap of Dapchi schoolgirls.
According to her, ''I will tell the federal government, please, they should please put their feet on the ground, come down. There are people these boys respect, there are people they hear their voices, they should get in touch with those people.
''I might not be the only one, I might not even be part of it. I don’t care; my own is just to scream the way I am screaming. And if I get them, I tell them, my son, you are not hearing what is happening.
''They know the name they call me. So they should calm down. Or is it that they don’t want to look for them or they believe that by staying somewhere in air-conditioned rooms, the boys will just start coming?
''Someone has to come down, talk to them, they will do their talking to them too in the bush, you will see. You know, there are questions they will ask. You will see them start coming (out).
''Reminded that Chibok schoolgirls’ kidnap​, like the Dapchi incident, occurred close to election periods​, the activists replied: “You just hit the nail (on the head).​”
She added that he Islamist sect felt aggrieved about the killing of their members, a reason why they have taken up arms which created an ongoing war between them and the Nigerian military.
According her, ''When I heard the rumour about their intention to revolt, I called Mohammed Yusuf. He told me that they were betrayed.
''Up till now, I do not know what the betrayal was all about. He said they were angry because somebody made them angry and they wanted an apology.''
Wakil, who is said to be highly respected by some leaders of Boko Haram said she was ready to sacrifice her life to rescue the girls from abductors.
She said: ''This thing that is happening, is really breaking my heart. These children don’t even know what they are doing. Some of them were not even born at the time this thing started.''

So Sad: Lagos Corps Member With Earpiece Plugged In, Feared Dead After Ikeja Train Accident

A Corps member, deployed to Lagos State for her service and identified as only Debbie, was reportedly involved in a train accident yesterday in Ikeja area of the State, which according to sources left her body seriously mangled.
Leadership reports that the corps member was later rushed to the hospital for medical attention by some people, even though her case seemed hopeless. It was further gathered that the hospital where she was taken to, was kept secret by officials of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

An eyewitness who spoke to a news correspondent said;
The train was not moving at a high speed. People tried to call her attention to the incoming train but she didn’t yield to the call as she continued pressing her mobile phone.”
He also further stated that “I was looking at her from where I stood and saw her with an earpiece plugged into her ears which made her unable to hear the sound of the incoming train.
This is coming after we reported that tragedy which struck along same Ikeja railway line few weeks ago, reportedly left a postdoctoral student at the University of Lagos identified as Fatai Mutiu Abolade and a yet to be identified final year student of LASU dead, as they were reportedly crushed to death by the train around Ajayi Farm, Ikeja.
The identity card found on the LASU student, showed that he was studying Economics in UNILAG and his matriculation number was 119081228.
According to eyewitnesses, Abolade and the LASU final year student were crushed to death by the train which was on full speed, while on their phone. It was gathered that the train driver kept honking, but the late accident victims were distracted by their phones.
“He was looking into his phone and pressing it. The train was honking but he did not hear. People were also shouting, he just checking his phone. By the time he raised his head up, he was already hit by the railway. There was no how he could have survived it” one of the eyewitnesses said.

Ikeja Court Bans Media Coverage Of Top Nigerians’ Marriage Dissolution

An Ikeja Customary Court in Lagos on Thursday banned the media from covering its proceedings. It insisted that the order was from the Judicial Service Commission.

A court registrar, simply identified as Yomi, told journalists that he would forcefully order them out of the courtroom. We do not allow journalists into the court room to report proceedings due to the type of high profile cases and the calibre of people that come into this particular court”, he said.
The order not to allow journalists cover proceedings in this court is from above,” he said. He insisted that if any journalist comes into this court to report proceedings, he will walk the person out.
He said: “I have walked journalists out of the court before with the backing of the President of the court. Ikeja Customary Court is the number one court in Lagos State because of the Calibre of people and cases that are filed there. You can never hear any news on marriage dissolution emanating from this particular court.
Credit :Daily Post

‘I Stole The Phone To Pay My School Fees’ –Timilehin Olaniyi

A student, who was captured in a viral CCTV footage stealing an iPhone 8S at a shop in Computer Village, Lagos, was later arrested by the police in Ogun State. The culprit has confessed that he stole the phone to pay his school fees.
The suspect, Timilehin Olaniyi, disclosed that he was desperate to pay his school tuition fee of N80,000, hence he stole the iPhone 8S.
Olaniyi, a 200 level student of DS Adegbenro ICT College, Ogun State noted that he was in Computer Village, Ikeja on 16th February, 2018 in the morning to dispose off an iPhone 5s given to him by his course mate to enable him raise money for his school fees.

The suspect was tracked and arrested in Wasimi, Ogun State by the Decoy Team of Rapid Response Squad said:
“I was in Lagos on the invitation of a close friend. He is aware that I was struggling to pay my school fees, so he gave me an iPhone 5s to sell in order to raise money.
“So I went to Computer Village to sell the phone. When I entered the phone store, my plan was to know the price of iPhone 7s but it was not available. I noticed that one of the attendants went out leaving behind an iphone 8s on the table.
I don’t know what came over me. I monitored the other attendant and I went away with the phone. I never knew I was captured by the CCTV camera. I sold that iPhone 5s to pay my tuition fee while I started using the iphone 8s”, he stated.

He continues “it was about the second day that the friend I was squatting with sent me packing from his house over a CCTV footage circulating on the internet of a phone thief. He said I was the one.
Source stated that Olaniyi failed to open up to his elder brother who saw him spotting a T-shirt he bought for him in the video. The brother had gone to engage the services of a lawyer for defamation.
The suspect was arrested few days later in Wasimi, Ogun State.

"Rich Men Make Me Wet" - Actress Crowncy Anyanwu

Nollywood actress, Crowncy Anyanwu has said that rich men makes her wet, the upcoming actress said this in a recent interview with The Sun.
Crowncy in the interview said for now she is concentrating on her career and that when she is ready to settle down, only men with money will get her attention.

I want the man that will have me to be dark-complexioned and handsome. He must be God fearing, and most importantly rich, because money makes me wet. In fact, rich men make me wet,” she said
When asked when she will be ready to date and get deflowered, the actress said: “For now, boyfriends can wait, my career and business come first. But rich guys can get close on a neutral relationship, and let’s see where it would lead to.”

Drug Abuse :JSS student dies of Tramadol overdose

The Abia State Commandant of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency , Mr. Akindele Akingbade, has disclosed that a Junior Secondary School student in Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State, whose identity has yet to be known , reportedly died after he allegedly took 10 tablets of Tramadol.
Akingbade stated this on Wednesday in Umuahia while delivering a lecture at a seminar organised by his agency , Office of the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu on Narcotics and Abia State Drug Abuse Control Committee .

The seminar was organised for patent drug dealers in Abia Central Senatorial District .
He pointed out that the student was said to have taken the tablets to enhance his performance during an inter- house sports competition being organised in his school.
The deceased, according to Akingbade, was billed to participate in the competition before he died.
Akingbade explained that the JSS student died shortly after taking the drugs .
He disclosed that Abia was among top ranked states in the country with high level of drug / substance abuse , stating that the governor of the state had been informed about the incident.
Explaining that efforts were being made to apprehend the seller of the banned drug as directed by the governor, he warned patent drug dealers against selling drugs without prescription from medical doctors or pharmacists .
He attributed high rate of criminal activities , including armed robbery, rape , kidnapping, etc . to the negative effects of allowing illicit drugs to get into wrong hands .
The NDLEA state commandant said that apart from the agency ’s resolve to take the awareness campaign against selling of harmful drugs to the abusers, the agency had begun encouraging schools to establish Drug - Free Clubs in their schools in order to discourage students from abusing drugs or taking illicit drugs .
He pointed out that the dangerous effects of abusing drugs or consumption of illicit drugs on human health were better prevented than treated .
The Director, Pharmaceutical Services, Ministry of Health, Chief Chimezie Uzuegbu, and Senior Special Assistant to Governor, David Anyanwu , commended the NDLEA for its “ tireless” efforts in ensuring that the activities of drug dealers and users were brought to the lowest ebb .
Anyanwu specifically called for proper funding of NDLEA by the Federal Government , saying that he was sure that the agency would do more if it should have the necessary logistics and manpower needed to do its jobs effectively .
Credit :Punch

Violence escalates in Taraba, 24-hour curfew imposed after President Buhari visit to Taraba state

Rural communities in Taraba state, were on Friday on indefinite lockdown as the authorities tried to contain mounting violence between cattle herders and farmers.

Police spokesman David Misal told the AFP that a round-the-clock curfew has been imposed in affected areas “due to the escalation of violence between Fulani and Mambilla ethnic groups”.

At least 10 people were killed in several days of violence in Taraba last week into the weekend, while some 24 lost their lives in Benue in the last few days.

Misal said there were reports that the violence was spreading but gave no further details.

“The government, after consultation with security agencies, finds it necessary to impose a curfew in order to allow security operatives to restore peace,” he told AFP.

“From Wednesday, residents in (the affected areas) have been ordered to remain indoors day and night indefinitely until the security situation is reviewed.”

The Mambilla area of Taraba lies on Nigeria’s border with Cameroon and is a herding and farming hub reputed for fertile land, lush vegetation and abundant water.

Tensions have been running high for many years between herders and farmers over increasingly precious resources.

Last year, the cattle herders union claimed more than 700 people were killed in violence, although the authorities gave a much lower death toll.

Violence:Fresh Mass Killings by Fulani Herdsmen after President Buhari Left Plateau State

Muhammadu Buhari was rounding off his visit to Plateau State on Friday morning, there was devastating news of yet fresh mass killings by Fulani herdsmen in two local governments in the state.

No fewer than 11 persons were killed in Bassa and Bokkos  local government areas of the state, while many others sustained varying degrees of injuries in two separate attacks by suspected herdsmen.

President Buhari left Plateau State around 12.30 pm on Friday. The news of the killings came after he left Jos for Abuja.

The National President of Irigwe Development Association (IDA), Mr Sunday Abdu, confirmed the attacks to journalists in Jos on Friday. He said the unfortunate incident happened in the early hours of Friday in Miango part of the area when some suspected herdsmen stormed the area and attacked people at random.

According to him, “Yes, it is true that five people were killed in Miango by Fulani herdsmen in an attack which took place overnight and lasted till the early part of this morning. Others were wounded in the unprovoked attack. The bodies of the five slaughtered people have been deposited at the morgue. We are no longer in a hurry to bury our dead. Whenever we are going to bury them, we will let you people know.

“The Fulani herdsmen are killing us but they are the ones crying. What kind of pretence is that? I still appeal to the security personnel not to relent but step up more vigilance and surveillance to stop this pogrom and unwarranted carnage.”

Another six people were reportedly killed in Ganda Village of Dafu District in Bokkos Local Government Area of the state by people suspected to be herdsmen on Thursday.

Mr. Matawa Mankut, a community leader in Bokkos, who confirmed this on Friday afternoon to journalists, blamed herdsmen, who went on a shooting spree as they entered the village.



“We are at the burial ground in Ganda village to give the deceased a mass burial. Our appeal to both the state and federal governments is that they should not relent in their efforts to safeguard the lives and property of the villagers.

“Yes, there is peace in Plateau metropolis but those of us in the villages are facing fire. In fact, this is a holocaust aimed at annihilating our race. So, they should come and assist us and should not leave us in the lurch,” she pleaded.

The spokesman of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), Major Adam Umar, confirmed the two incidents. He said when the unfortunate incident happened in Bassa , the people alerted the OPSH personnel and they responded swiftly and mobilised to the scene.



But, according to Umar, before the men got there, the attackers had fled. He added that soldiers of the command are now fully in charge of the area as patrols have been intensified with a view to getting the perpetrators.

On the incident in Bokkos, he said men of OPSH had been deployed to the affected community, adding that the causality figure was yet to be ascertained. He appealed to the people to always be vigilant and be security conscious by reporting any strange object or movement to the nearest security agency for prompt attention.

The two local government areas have been under the siege of Fulani herdsmen in the past six months. There is no week without one form of attack or the other in the local governments. Both the natives and the herdsmen have been trading blames over the unfortunate killings which have refused to abate.

Vacancies

Herdsmen Attack: Group seeks new U.S. religious freedom post for Nigeria

The Global Coalition Working to Defeat Persecution and Violence in Nigeria, including representatives of the Baptist World Alliance (BWI), the 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative (21Wilberforce) and the newly formed International Committee on Nigeria (ICON), decided to petition Congress for the new post after hosting a meeting with Nigerian governors and others Feb. 27-28 at BWI headquarters in Falls Church, Va.

The U.S. State Department currently operates an Office of International Religious Freedom, headed since Feb. 1 by U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback, as well as an embassy and consulate in Nigeria.

"But there's been no sort of special coordinator, no individual that's taken up the cause or mantel of addressing specifically the Boko Haram and the Fulani pastoralist militia," ICON Director Kyle Abts told BP today.

Joining the coalition at the February meeting were Adeniyi Ojutiku, a North Carolina Southern Baptist working to help his Nigerian homeland through the Lift Up Now grassroots group. Also in attendance were several governors from Nigeria's Middle Belt, the Church of the Brethren, International Christian Concern, Doctors Without Borders and other groups.

Boko Haram terrorists and a militant group of Fulani herdsmen have reportedly strengthened in Nigeria's Middle Belt in recent months, more than two years after Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari declared a technical defeat of Boko Haram.

Texas native Elijah Brown, BWI general secretary since Jan. 1, said Nigeria is at a critical human rights juncture that could affect the entire continent of Africa with global consequences. The longstanding dispute between Muslim Fulani herdsmen and Christian farmers can no longer be viewed simplistically, Brown told BP.

"I believe that the violence sweeping through Nigeria is no longer best understood through an analysis of farmer-herder conflict," he said, recapping an address he made at the coalition meeting. "With thousands of individuals killed, entire communities burned to the ground, famine-inducing conditions inflicted upon entire populations, and the use of helicopters, machine guns mounted to vehicles and sophisticated weapons, this conflict has morphed into one of militant attack.

"Predominantly Christian communities currently account for over 85 percent of the victims," Brown said. "With ongoing discrimination against religious minority communities across northern Nigeria, Boko Haram to the northeast, and Fulani militancy in the Middle Belt, Nigeria is the only country in the world to be currently facing two of the top five most lethal terrorist organizations, and Christians, including some Baptists, are caught in the crossfire."

Within the next month, the coalition will seek a Congressional hearing and request the new post, Abts said. ICON promotes itself as a diverse "group of committed Nigerians and other nationalities joining forces, resources, and voices" to strengthen oppressed and minority groups in Nigeria.

In most recent waves of violence, Fulani herdsmen have been blamed for killing at least 170 Christians in attacks on villages and towns in Nigeria's Middle Belt in January, according to reports. Nigeria's military has launched a six-week offensive to combat the violence that has increased in conjunction with several new local anti-grazing laws meant to protect the farmers.

In February, Boko Haram terrorists kidnapped as many as 101 Nigerian schoolgirls who remain missing, mirroring the terrorists' kidnapping of more than 300 schoolgirls in 2014 from a school in the Christian town of Chibok.

Buhari claimed in December 2015 he had technically defeated Boko Haram, weakening the group so much that it would only be able to carry out isolated suicide bombings.

Boko Haram, which began attacking first Christians and then others in its attempts to establish Sharia law in Nigeria, has killed an estimated 20,000 people and displaced 2 million in Nigeria and neighboring nations since 2009. The terrorists have claimed allegiance to the Islamic State and have been accused of killing Christian farmers increasingly in raids since 2017 in cooperation with or under the guise of Fulani herdsmen.

US President Donald Trump has agreed to a historic first meeting with North Korea's Kim Jong Un.

South Korea says Kim "expressed his eagerness to meet President Trump as soon as possible."

Accepting the invitation, Trump says "great progress" is being made but sanctions will remain until an agreement is reached.
Trump Tweets: "Kim Jong Un talked about denuclearization with the South Korean Representatives, not just a freeze. Also, no missile testing by North Korea during this period of time."
Credit :AFP

Suicide :First-class final-year student Commit suicide in UNIBEN

The management of the University of Benin , Edo State, has confirmed the death of one of its students who allegedly committed suicide .

The deceased, identified only as Adams , was said to have been found dead in his room at Ekosodin community, in the Ovia North -East Local Government Area of the state .

He was said to be a 500- level student in the Department of Computer Engineering .

It was gathered that Adams had been sighted at his department where he submitted an assignment , before he returned to his hostel on Thursday .

Some of his friends were said to have suspected that something had gone wrong when they could not access his room while he was inside.

However, his lifeless body was later said to have been found by his relatives who forced the door open in the evening.

Some of his colleagues seen at the department on Saturday declined to speak on the issue and referred our correspondent to the authorities of the school.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr . Johnson Kokumo , could not be reached for comments as calls put across to his telephone were unanswered .

He had yet to respond to a text message sent to his mobile as of the time of filling this report

But the Public Relations Officer of the university , Michael Osasuyi, who confirmed the incident, said the institution received the report with surprise .

Osasuyi noted that the deceased was a first-class student . He said, “The 500-level computer engineering student was discovered in his room at Ekosodin.

“He hung himself . His father came to see him and that was how it was discovered that he hung himself . The information that got to us was that he was a bright student , a first-class student .’’

Osasuyi urged students , no matter what they might be experiencing , to be bold enough to speak out .

Credit PUNCH 

Whistle-blower allegedly exposes 13-properties- reportedly-owned-by Deputy Senate President Ekweremadu

Nigerian Government Discovers Hidden Multimillion Properties Linked To Deputy Senate President Ekweremadu In The US, UK And UAE
The letter is reportedly about properties owned by Senator Ike Ekweremadu The federal government has reportedly written to the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States of America over properties allegedly owned by deputy Senate president, Ike Ekweremadu, Sahara Reporters reports. According to the online news medium, the letter was sent by Tunde Fowler who is the executive chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service. It was reported that Fowler “is relying on the Automatic Exchange of Information (AEoI), a multi-jurisdictional instrument for exposing hidden assets and incomes, to which Nigeria is a signatory.

World's richest Senators receive $37,500 monthly each, separate from salaries

There are 109 Senators and 360 members of the House of Representatives so in terms of payment by result, the Nigerian lawmakers do not deserve such high pay and surely does not perform their duties to warrant such hyper inflated pay. In America, a Senator earns 174,000 US dollars and in the UK, a Member of parliament about 64,000 US dollars a year. So what do our lawmaker do for this generous amount can someone please tell me why they deserve this enormous amount of money. It is about time Nigerians demand better service and improvement for Nigeria and Nigerians.
No one deserves that much money while ordinary people are scavenging to make ends meet. Nigeria has got multitude of deprivation; high infant mortality rate, maternal mortality rate, malnutrition, inadequate health care and transportation and lack of electricity outage, high crime rates, high number of young people not in education, employment or in training. So why is some of these excesses going to improve the lives of Nigerians. So instead Nigerians lawmakers are paid for below par performance and disregard to the electorates that they are meant to represent. I feel that ordinary Nigerians have been severely short changed, cheated and insulted by these so called honourable people.Our  investigation revealed that, the Nation's Senators are the highest paid in the World.
A Senator, who wants to remain anonymous on this issue for fear of being suspended by the other senators  says, "I think what I can say is that the running cost of a senator is N13.5 million every month."