Central Bank of the Gambia Was Not Looted - Barrow's Spokesperson

Halifa Sallah, spokesman to President Adama Barrow has debunked media reports claiming that Yahya Jammeh took out about $11m from the country's treasury before going on exile.
Speaking at a news conference in Banjul, Mr Sallah said:
''Allegation of theft etc cannot just be made by any member of an executive. It is not the domain of the executive. Allegation of anything that is a crime must be passed on to the inspector general of police and they are the competent authority that should conduct investigation of anything reported to them and eventually prefer charges against the accused who also must be presumed to be innocent until la trial takes place before we actually find them guilty of a crime.
''We are saying that this new government intends to be a civilised and democratic government which will abide by its instruments and institutions in order to fight any injustice. So I have told you without any ambiguity that the inspector general of police was asked to go to all public enterprises, all public institutions to examine their current state.
''What I am reporting to you is that as far as the Central Bank of the Gambia is concerned, those who are in charge of it have stated with clarity that not only the Central Bank is normal and functioning normally but that all the banks in the country are functioning normally. If other people have any allegation of whatever has been done I will advise them to hand it over to the inspector general of police for investigation."

Trump Tells CIA - The Press Lied About My Inauguration Crowd

Discussion in 'World News' started by Jules,
US President Donald Trump on Saturday accused the press of lying about the number of people who attended his inauguration.
Speaking at the CIA headquarters, Trump criticized the "dishonest media." "As you know, I have a running war with the media. They are among the most dishonest human beings on Earth," Trump said.
On his inauguration crowd Trump accused the media of misrepresenting the facts to make him look bad. The president said the crowd “looked honestly like a million-and-a-half people,” falsely adding that “it went all the way back to the Washington Monument.” But instead of the crowds, the media showed “an empty field and it said we drew 250,000 people. Now that’s not bad, but it’s a lie,” Trump said.
President Trump on crowd size at inauguration: “It looked like a million and a half people.”

Later in the day, new White House press secretary Sean Spicer angrily supported Trump's claims on the crowd size.
"This was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration, period," Spicer said, contradicting all available data.Aerial photos have indicated that former president Barack Obama's first inauguration attracted a much larger crowd. Nielsen ratings show that Obama also had a bigger television audience.
It has also been reported that after the National Park Service retweeted messages that negatively compared the crowd sizes at Barack Obama's 2009 inauguration to Donald Trump's inauguration Friday, representatives from the new administration asked the Interior Department's digital team to temporarily stop using Twitter.

Buhari's Death Report Throws Social Media Into Frenzy, Presidency Reacts

Could this be true? What kind of media report is this? These among many questions were posed by Nigeria's internet users in the last few hours following a report by one Metro-uk.com that President Buhari has reportedly died in a German hospital.
The report reads in part: Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has died in a London Hospital where he was receiving medical care, the Nigerian Mission in UK has said.
According to the information released by the Nigerian Embassy, Buhari left the West African country for a vacation in the U.K in order to undergo medical checks.
One of the President’s aides who accompanied him to the U.K and spoke on condition of anonymity said the President has been battling an “unknown disease” for a while now.''
This unverified report threw the social space into fear and unguided conversations, calling for the
The Media aide to the President, Femi Adeshina has however reacted to the report saying: Best wishes to all who wish PMB well. As for those who carry evil rumors, may they receive grace to repent.
Garba Shehu, Senior Media aide to President Buhari also debunked the report saying: ''He is alive and well! President Buhari is not magical. He cannot be holidaying in the UK & be in Germany, dead or alive at the same time.''

More troubles for Diezani as FG, UK police tighten noose on her.

For former Petroleum Minister, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, her trouble comes in threes. Just at a time things appear quiet on her, a new flank of troubles opened and began pouring in again. Barely two weeks after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC got an interim court order to seize over $153 million allegedly linked to her in some four Nigerian banks, the anti-graft agency last week submitted to the UK authorities several bank and court documents, photographs and audio visuals linking Diezani to multi-billion naira estates in Nigeria.
Saturday Sun gathered that in the last four weeks, EFCC operatives were able to uncover multi-billion naira estates allegedly linked to the former super minister in Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Rivers and Yenagoa, Bayelsa. It was gathered that photographs and visuals of the estates were compiled for the acting Chairman of the Commission, Mr Ibrahim Magu to take to London last week, where he had meetings with detectives at the International Corruption Unit, ICU, of the United Kingdom National Crime Agency, UK NCA, which in 2015 arrested and has since then been investigating Diezani. Magu has since returned to Abuja.
Saturday Sun further gathered that with the cooperation received so far from the Magu-led EFCC on the case, the former oil minister who is currently holed in London due to her battle with cancer and her investigation, the NCA may soon file formal corruption charges against her in a London court. “Some of the documents received from the EFCC will help in the prosecution of the case against her”, an official of the agency not willing to be named because of the high profile nature of the case told Saturday Sun on Thursday.
Apart from mansions already placed under investigation and temporary forfeiture in Abuja and Yenagoa, Saturday Sun further gathered that more multi-billion naira estates allegedly linked to her were also recently discovered on Omerelu street, GRA Phase 1 Port Harcourt, Rivers State where she allegedly has two other mansion as well as others in Ikoyi and Lekki areas of Lagos. Pictures of some of the mansions were obtained exclusively by Saturday Sun .
Leave her alone, Attisa Kingdom warns FG
The people of Attisa Kingdom in Yenagoa local government area where Diezani Alison- Madueke hails from have warned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Federal Government to leave their daughter alone.
Speaking through the clan head, His Royal Majesty, King Godwin Igodo, the Ebeni- Ibe of Attisa Kingdon, they noted that other people have occupied the position of Petroluem Minister in Nigeria and are not being treated like Mrs Alison- Madueke.
The Monarch who is a close friend of Mrs Alison- Madueke’s father, King Fredrick Abiye Agama in an interview with Saturday Sun in his palace said people have been spreading stories about Diezani’s properties scattered across the country, allegations he claimed they have not been able to prove.
King Igodo while noting that he was not aware if money was seized from Mrs Alison- Madueke said a visit to Yenaka community would reveal that there is nothing in the community to indicate the level of wealth ascribed to her.
“I am not aware of her properties in Bayelsa or Port Harcourt that government wants to seize, people have just sat down to formulate stories about her and her wealth. Go toYenaka and visit the father’s house, if she has all that money, that house would not be like that. I am the clan head and I know what I am saying. People are just fond of bringing up stories about her to tarnish her image. It is not fair”
King Igodo noted that the persecution of Mrs Alison- Madueke must stop, adding that the continued harassment of her mother, Mrs Beatrice Agama is unfair and unjust.
“The Federal Government should leave my daughter alone. Federal Government should hands off our daughter. Federal Government should leave Diezani alone. Others have occupied that office and nobody is harassing them. They should leave Diezani alone. I even understand that they are molesting the mother. That woman, is an innocent woman, they should leave her alone. In Port Harcourt, Diezani’s mother still stays in the house the husband built, if she has that stupendous wealth as they claimed, she would have built another house for the woman to stay. Instead, it is the house the father built that the mother is still staying with all the other people there. They should leave her alone,” the king declared.
Also speaking, a relative of the Agamas, Hon Omeleh Gershom Esueze said the people of Bayelsa and Ijaw leaders are not happy with the way President Muhammadu Buhari is persecuting all those who worked for former President Goodluck Jonathan.
According to him, it is obvious that with the way Buhari has gone after Mrs Alison- Madueke, the Federal Government wants to humiliate Jonathan. He further declared that the Ijaw people would protect Diezani and would not allow her to be disgraced by Buhari, saying that “it is for the government to prove that she stole money.
“The truth of the matter is that we are angry. It has become clear now that Buhari wants to humiliate Jonathan and that is why they are doing all what they are doing to Diezani. Former governors that embezzled their states funds are in Buhari government. He has not ordered the arrest of these people. The anti-graft war of the Federal Government is selective. Buhari wants to disgrace and humiliate Jonathan but Buhari is not God. We the people and God would defend Diezani, Pateince Jonathan and others that are being persecuted by the Buhari government because they served in Jonathan’s government.
“Diezani was not the only person that worked in Jonathan’s government, yet everyday what you read is only about Diezani. Other women like Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala served in this government but because she is being protected by the Igbo people, nobody is harassing her. We are going to protect Diezani too, nothing must happen to her”
For the spokesman of the Ijaw Youth Congress (IYC), Eric Omare, Buhari government has shown it thrives on misrepresentation of facts to hoodwink the people.
“On the issue of the seized N35 billion, what we understand was that the money should have been remitted by the Nigeria National Petroluem Corporation (NNPC) which it did not do and the money has been seized. It has nothing to do with Diezani, unless they want to say Diezani and NNPC are the same. The media should be careful and not allow the government and its anti- corruption agencies to mislead it”
On the plan to seize some assets in Port Harcourt and Yenagoa traced to her, Omare said the Buhari government should learn how to do things in line with the rule of law.
“Nobody is opposing the war against corruption. We all want corruption to end in this country. However, due process must be followed. Government cannot just wake up and seize property”
Once upon a powerful minister
Though her name, Diezani means ‘look before you leap’, her recent troubles show she may not have studied her terrain too well before leaping into the troubled waters that now threaten to drown her.
On the other hand, it is possible she may have calculated wrongly and found herself in what has turned out to be nightmare. Who would have imagined Nigeria’s once powerful oil minister with billions of petro-dollar funds at her command being invited and quizzed by law enforcement agents in any part of the world?
If the re-election for second term of Dr Goodluck Jonathan had pulled through, Diezani surely would not be in the mess of an arrest and possible prosecution and conviction on alleged money laundering charges. If and many Ifs. But like many human situations, times and chance have changed the equation: Diezani knows now, even if she hadn’t contemplated such.
In the recess of her cold abode in the United Kindom, she would have plenty time to to reflect on her eight years sojourn in government, from 2007 when she was first appointed Minister for Transportation by President Umaru Yar’Adua.
Indeed, most of her political life has seen her swimming in one controversy or another. Easily, the most controversial of ex-President Jonathan’s ministers, Diezani was seen by many as the alternate president and chief bursar of the last administration. She was not only powerful, many top government officials crossed her path with trepidation. She had the eyes and ears of the No1 citizen.
This is the story of Diezani Allison-Madueke, nee Agama, born into a royal and wealthy family in Bayelsa State. She lived up to that reputation of royalty, luxuriating in opulence fit only for a princess as she bestrode the corridors of Nigeria’s power house, Aso Rock Villa under President Jonathan.
Only God will vindicate me – Diezani
The embattled former Minister has expressed displeasure with reports of allegations of corruption against her.
She described as cold-hearted, those maligning her in the media while she was battling cancer.
While reacting to a recent report that she owns
a property in Abuja allegedly worth $18 million, she said
“This will not be the first time calculated attempts have been made to demonise and damage my reputation in the public space. Many times, my detractors have got away with these irresponsible smear campaigns because they have become accustomed to my characteristic approach of silence in the face of these callous attacks.”
According to her, “This, to say the least, is the height of journalistic brigandage and a sheer mockery of Nigeria’s anti-corruption war before the eyes of the world who are watching and asking if the war against corruption is a circus show where suspects are prosecuted and sentenced on the pages of newspapers and video blogs without anything as remotely in the semblance of a trial in the courts of law.
“When did it become a crime to own a property in Nigeria? When did it become a crime for a woman of my status to have in her possession, jewellery? Jewelry, which women all across the world, including the woman selling tomatoes in Bodija market have in abundance in their closets? In which court of law, anywhere in the world was I prosecuted by the EFCC and found guilty of corruption?
“With all sense of modesty, I say this only for posterity and for the records. I have strived within my means and the blessings of God to live a decent and accomplished life. I studied architecture in England and obtained a Bachelor’s degree from Howard University, United States of America in 1992. When I returned to Nigeria that same year, I joined Shell Petroleum Development Corporation. In 2002, I obtained an MBA at Cambridge University, United Kingdom.
“In April 2006, I was appointed by Shell the company’s first female Executive Director in Nigeria. In July 2007, I was appointed by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Minister of Transport. The next year in December 2008 I became Minister of Mines and Steel Development. In April 2010, I was appointed Minister for Petroleum Resources and served in that capacity till May 2015.
During this period as Petroleum Minister, I had the honour of serving Nigeria and representing her in the Organisation of Oil Exporting Countries (OPEC) where I was elected first female President. All through my career, I have strived to maintain a record of hard work, integrity and excellence, giving my best to society, because my parents raised me in the consciousness that a man or woman’s greatness is defined not by the amount of wealth they have acquired but the impact of their service to God and humanity.
“Coming at such a critical time in my life when I am battling cancer, this poorly executed propaganda bares on its face like tribal marks, a clearly malicious attempt to victimise an innocent woman in what appears an exaggerated plot to validate and give credibility to the anti-corruption crusade under Nigeria’s new regime.
“People who are battling cancer or those who have lost their loved ones to this medical condition understand what I am going through at this time. This is what makes me ponder at the cold-heartedness of those who will go any length to defame and destroy in the name of propaganda. What happened to our shared humanity?
“I have absolute regard for the law and believe that people who have breached the laws that govern societies should be made to face the wrath of the law. But in a civilised society, a responsible government owes its citizens absolute commitment to the principles of rule of law, equity, fairness and justice. I have been wrongfully and maliciously maligned and those behind this reckless action know it. I leave them to posterity, their conscience and above all the Almighty God who is the final judge of all.”
Diezani: Bank chiefs fail to claim $153m
By Lukman Olabiyi
Two weeks after Justice Muslim Hassan of the Federal High Court, Lagos ordered the temporary forfeiture of $153,310,000, which a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueze, allegedly siphoned from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and stashed in four Nigerian banks, none of the parties has shown interest in proving the legitimacy of the fund yet.
The judge, Justice Hassan had given the banks, some of their executives and any other interested party 14 days to appear before him to prove the legitimacy of the funds running into billions when converted into the Naira, failing which the funds would be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), out of the allegedly stolen $153.3m, over N23 billion, another N9 billion and $5m were kept in three separate banks.
Justice Hassan gave order of temporary forfeiture of the monies to the Federal Government on January 6 while ruling on an ex-parte application filed by the Commission against the banks, and since then neither the banks nor any interested party has appeared before the court or the EFCC to claim the fund or prove its legitimacy.
Saturday Sun investigations at the court revealed that since the judge gave the verdict over two weeks ago, nothing new has happened, while it seems all the interested parties have accepted their fate based on the order.
A source within the court who spoke to Saturday Sun on the matter, disclosed that the case file was no longer with Justice Hassan, adding that the judge had returned it to the ‘admin judge’ for re-assignment.
According to the source, Justice Hassan heard the matter as a vacation judge and the vacation was over now. “All the cases that were heard during vacation due to urgency then, their files had been returned to the admin judge for re-assignment”, the source added. The court was on vacation between December 19, 2016 and January 6.
Another reliable source at the EFCC also confirmed that nobody has shown interest in the fund “and the only thing the Commission is waiting for now, is for the 14 days given by the court to lapse.”
In a nine-paragraph affidavit filed in support of the ex-parte application, an EFCC investigator, Moses Awolusi, had claimed that the anti-graft agency discovered through its investigations how sometime in December 2014 Diezani allegedly removed the whopping sum of $153,310,000 from NNPC and given to some bank chiefs for keeps.
According to Awolusi, Diezani instructed the bank chiefs to ensure that the money was “neither credited into any known account nor captured in any transaction platforms.”
Source :Sun

Kidnappers of Turkish School Students & Staff Reject N7.2m Ransom

Kidnappers of Nigerian Turkish International Colleges (NTIC) , Ogun State have rejected a N7.25 million ransom parents raised.

Armed men had on January 13, stormed the school premises at about 9.30PM and held hostage three female supervisors, a female cook, a female teacher (Turkish), three students, and two others that were in the school for coaching for Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

The school said that its security noticed some movement on the CCTV camera at the girls’ section and promptly deployed security personnel and alerted the relevant security agencies in the area.

The management added that the armed invaders opened fire on the security staff and managed to escape with the hostages.

The kidnappers had earlier demanded N100 million for each of the students, and N300 million each for the Turkish nationals.

After the kidnap, parents withdrew their children from the school, and it was shut down.

Reports say the kidnappers had reduced the amount earlier this week, but the parents still couldn’t afford it.

“The parents met yesterday at Ikeja. They were able to gathered N7.250m. They got in touch with the kidnappers, but the men said the money was too small. They asked them to go and add more to the money, if they wanted their kids to be released,” a source told New Telegraph.

The Inspector- General of Police Special Intelligence Response Team (IRT) has arrested two suspects – Philip Joel Kakadu (aka General Kakadu), 29, a native of Egbema Kingdom, Warri North Local Government Area and Romeo Council, 40, (aka Raw).

Kakadu confessed to the police that the abduction was, a ‘Joint Operation,’ among three different gangs of kidnappers.

He told police that he contributed five men and planned the abduction, but didn’t go with them.

Kakadu was arrested after four years on Police Wanted List for bank robbery, pipeline vandalism and kidnapping.

He was the unseen face, but known name in police circles, behind the popular Agbara, Festac, Lekki and Ikorodu bank robberies.

Kakadu and his men were known for blowing up banks’ doors and vaults with dynamites. It was, however, based on his confessions, that the IRT operatives have spread into states in South-South and South-West.

The report stated that more than 16 suspects, had been arrested earlier, including women, but thorough investigations by the IRT operatives, whittled down the number.

Presently, five confirmed suspects, including a lady, are among the suspects in police custody.

Police Arrests 2 Teachers for Defiling 6-year-old Pupil after She was caught Performing Fellatio on Her Brother

Lagos State Police has arrested two teachers of a primary school in the Amuwo Odofin area of the State for allegedly defiling a 6 year old pupil.
The arrest was made after the pupil was caught kissing her brother’s private part while they were playing together.
When asked where she learnt it from, she confessed that one of her teachers had taught her about sex during after-school tutoring and that the practice had been going on for months.
According to the pupil’s mother;
I noticed my daughter was kissing his brother’s manhood. When I asked her where she learnt that from, she started shivering and claimed that it was nothing.
I took her inside like a mother would do, then she opened up that it was actually what she viewed on her teacher’s laptop.
So, I asked her for more details. She said when the lesson was over; the teacher would play pornographic videos for her to watch.
And after that, he would start caressing her until he penetrates her with his manhood and fingers.
From what she said, it happened about four or five times.
We reported the case to the police and investigation showed that she was defiled.
“She has not been eating well and has been crying every time; my baby has suffered trauma,” the mother added.
When the teachers – Stanley Akanno and Olakunle Hassan – were paraded by the ‘X’ Squad of the Zone 2 Police Command, Lagos, on Thursday, the girl identified them as her abusers.
The duo denied the allegations.
The police said that it has been medically established that she had been deflowered.
One of the suspects, Akanno, refuting the allegations, said:
I am a parent as well. If I were to be the parent of the child, I would have started my investigation at home.
According to the girl’s mother, the girl kissed the elder brother’s manhood and that was how she came to know about it.
If she kissed the elder brother’s manhood, once, twice and thrice, it means this is what they have been doing. Unfortunately, they were caught on that day. She should have started her investigation at home.
Hassan, who also refuted the allegations, said:
I was told she claimed that she walked up to me and whispered in my ear telling me that she wanted to suck my manhood and that I took her to a corner and asked her where she leant it from and that I just pulled my trousers down and she started sucking.
I have a laptop which was seized on Friday and they could not find anything like that (pornography) in it. I don’t know where this is coming from but I know that God will vindicate me.
Source/Photo Credit: PUNCH

Gambia: Breaking News: Gambia’s Newest President Says “The New Era Of Gambia Is Here At Last.”

“My dearest Gambians the presidency of Yahya Jammeh is officially over. The new era of Gambia is here at last,” said President elect Adama Barrow in a twitter posting shortly past midnight after the expiration of Jammeh’s...
January 19, 2017
Letters To The Editor
“My dearest Gambians the presidency of Yahya Jammeh is officially over. The new era of Gambia is here at last,” said President elect Adama Barrow in a twitter posting shortly past midnight after the expiration of Jammeh’s presidential term mandate.
Mr. Barrow, will be sworn in today as Gambia’s third president since independence from Great Britain. He has backing of the West African bloc ECOWAS, the AU, EU, and the United Nations.
Meanwhile, African troops are moving towards The Gambia to help oversee the inauguration of president elect Barrow. Senegal, is leading the military operation. A Senegalese Colonel, who goes with the last name Ndiaye was quoted as saying that: “ We are ready and are awaiting the deadline at midnight. If no political solution is found, we will step in.”
The Gambian military will likely not put up any resistance to the foreign troops, said a source close to the corridor of power. The majority of the personnel of the army believe that Barrow is the legitimate president elect, and they would not shed blood and tears for Jammeh, our source added.
Banjul is calm as we file this report. It is a virtual ghost city. There are military checkpoints mounted around the city centre.
Thousands of Gambians have fled to neighboring Senegal, in search of safety. Western tourists have also been evacuated from the country, ahead of the possible military showdown in Banjul on Thursday.

Italy earthquake: 'Many dead' in avalanche-hit hotel Bodies were found inside the hotel in the central Abruzzo region, media reports say.

Several people have died after a ski hotel was buried by an avalanche in earthquake-hit central Italy, according to Italian media.
"There are many dead," Antonio Crocetta, the head of a group of Alpine police that was trying to reach the cut-off hotel, was quoted as saying on Thursday.
SkyTG24 television said some dead were found inside the Hotel Rigopiano in the town of Farindola on the Gran Sasso mountain in the province of Pescara in the Abruzzo region.
Media reports said there had been at least 20 guests and seven staff at the Hotel Rigopiano on the lower slopes of the Gran Sasso mountain when the first of four powerful quakes hit the region on Wednesday morning.
The rescuers at the hotel were reported to have a snow mobile capable of transporting up to eight people.
Ambulances were blocked by two metres of snow some nine kilometres away, according to the civil protection agency.
Antonio Di Marco, president of the province of Pescara, which includes the mountain village of Farindola, close to where the hotel is located, said two people had been found alive.
"We don't know yet how many people are unaccounted for or dead," he wrote on his Facebook page.
"What is certain is that the building took a direct hit from the avalanche, to the point that it was moved by 10 metres."
Seismic shocks
It was not clear if the two confirmed survivours had been at the hotel or had been out skiing when the avalanche occurred.
One of them was helicoptered to a hospital in Pescara suffering from hypothermia but was not in a life-threatening condition.
The region was hit by four seismic shocks measuring above five magnitude in the space of four hours on Wednesday, when at least one person was confirmed to have died.
The hotel is located around 90 kilometres from the epicentre of the earthquakes at Montereale , a small village south of Amatrice, the town devasted in an August earthquake in which nearly 300 people died.
Avalanche warnings were issued across the region which is dominated by Gran Sasso, a majestic 2,912 metres peak. The area has numerous small ski resorts popular with day-trippers from Rome and urban centres on Italy's east coast.
Source: News agencies

Osinbajo to Become Acting President as Buhari Seeks Senate Permission For Leave

President Muhammadu Buhari has written to the Nigerian Senate seeking a ten days leave between 23rd January to 6th February 2017.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will serve as Acting President in Buhari's absence.

Dangote Group Partners Sinotruck to Roll Out Assembled-in-Nigeria Trucks.

Aliko Dangote

Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote , in partnership with China’s heavy duty truck group, Sinotruck , is to roll out first assembled-in-Nigeria trucks next week, the Dangote Group said on Wednesday.
The Executive Director of Dangote Group, Edwin Devakumar , told Reuters in Lagos that the $100 million plant would assemble cars soon.
“It aims to meet an expected increased demand for transport in the country as the government focuses on boosting agriculture and farmers need to move goods across the vast country. [The Dangote Group] has a fleet size of 12,000 trucks and large users. One of the biggest challenges in the market today is logistics because we do not have a proper transport network. The joint venture, which is 65 per cent owned by Dangote and 35 per cent by Sinotruck, will assemble components and knocked down parts imported from Sinotruck to the Nigerian plant,” Devakumar said.
He said the plant had the capacity to assemble 16 trucks a day and would export to West Africa, adding that the facility would expand into vehicle manufacturing.
Last March, Dangote bid for a majority stake in Peugeot Automobile Nigeria . The results of the sale have not yet been released.
Turning to Dangote’s other interests, Devakumar said the group was on track to launch its $17 billion oil refinery plant with the first crude for processing going into the plant in October 2019.
“It will handle 650,000 barrels per day. The company will scale down operations in its flour milling, sugar refinery and tomato processing businesses however, due to dollar shortages to fund the import of raw materials. Where the foreign exchange is not available we are cutting down our operations. For example, we had a vegetable oil refinery we have shut down; we had a tomato based processing plant we have shut down,” he said
Dangote’s cement business was continuing as its main raw material – limestone – could be sourced at home.
He added the firm commissioned a new cement plant in Sierra Leone last week and expected a plant in Congo to begin production this year.
Photo Credit: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg/ Getty Images

Professor Yemi Osinbajo's visit To Gbaramatu Kingdom (Photos)

On Monday, the 16th of January, 2017, I visited the Gbaramatu Kingdom on behalf od President Muhammadu Buhari. I had the privilege of meeting with his royal majesty, the Pere of the Gbaramatu Kingdom and his chiefs. It was such a warm reception

 The message for the people of the Gbaramatu Kingdom and the people of the Niger Delta was short. It was about preparation for the future.

In 2014 alone, there were over 3,700 incidents of pipeline vandalization, from January to June 2016, there were over 1,447 incidents of vandalization. Between 1998 – 2015, over 20,000 persons have died from fire incidents arising from breaching pipelines. These figures do not even take into account the environmental degradation.

Around the Niger Delta, there are signboards of proposed infrastructural projects many of which are uncompleted and some others that are simply abandoned.   The city is poor, poor infrastructure, few schools and thousands with health challenges as a result of severe environmental pollution.

From the Niger Delta Development Board in the 60’s to OMPADEC to NDDC, & the Amnesty Programme, many of these projects have not been able to meet the objectives for which they were established.

My message in simple terms is it is time to prepare for the future.
Unfortunately, there is no time because the future is already here, every citizen should  ensure that  the future is not worse than today.

We understand that for things to change, three things must happen and l want you to follow the points below closely:

1. We must recognise that the Niger Delta is a special place , a special economic zone for this nation and so must be treated as a special development zone .
2. We must recognise the unique environmental and daring challenges of Niger Delta.
3. The future is full of challenges for the oil industry.

SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT ZONE
Long ago, the Willinks Commission recommended that because of the peculiar environment of the Niger Delta, and the profound challenges, it should be treated as a special development zone. And I agree entirely that this zone has to be treated as a special development zone,  but what does this mean in practical terms ?

It means that the Federal Government, State Government and the National Assembly  representatives alongside NDDC and the Civil Society representatives of the  Niger Delta  people must sit together and develop a plan and concrete arrangements for  development of the Niger Delta.

There is no excuse for not planning together. The State Government should also be prepared to devote substantial portions of their budgets to this special projects.

 The PANDEF has submitted a concise list of 16 dialogue issues that will be extremely helpful in ascertaining the key development priorities for the future of the Niger Delta region.

We must also hold some of the international oil companies accountable to the agreement made with host communities as it relates to development of those areas. We must ensure that in commercial  opportunities rising from oil exploration  activities, pipelines supervision, contracts should  favour host communities.

The critical issue is infrastructure, roads, rails, hospitals  and schools .

In the 2017 budget, we have provided for the commencement of the Lagos-Calabar rail way, the coastal railway which  will go through  the Niger Delta . We are doing  this with the Chinese.  We will also be visiting Kurutie, the site of the Maritime University.

The President has directed the Ministry of Petroleum to work  quickly to see the  realization of all of the objectives  in implementing this crucial  educational institutions. The Bill of  the Maritime  University have just passed the second reading in the National Assembly and l know we have the commitment  of the members of the National Assembly to fast-track this to ensure that the Maritime University  can come to fruition as soon as possible
.
All of these are listed  in the 16 dialogue document, projects that will benefit not just  the Gbaramatu Kingdom but  the  entire Niger Delta.

But the issue is how to finance, there must be resources and revenue and if the revenue does not come we merely deceive ourselves.  Revenue can only come when we are sure that there is peace and I do believe that this must come with justice, legal justice itself is needed for these to be effected.

ENVIRONMENTAL CLEAN-UP
The second thing that must happen in order to ensure that we prepare adequately for the future is the clean- up of environmental  degradation  of the entire  Delta. The Ogoni clean-up has already been  flagged off and an implementation  committee is in place. For the clean-up not to be a waste of  money,  we must enforce strict  environmental  standard for the oil producing companies including  regulatory  commitments  on gas  glaring and all our communities  must prevent vandalization  which is also a major source  of environmental degradation.

FUTURE OF OIL

Finally, in preparation for the future, we must understand that the future is full of challenges  for the oil industry. And we must recognize that  in another 20 to 30 years our oil will not be as precious as it is today  and that is reality.
America has stopped  buying oil from us. All the countries in the Asia that buy oil now are developing alternative sources of power, China and Japan are developing  electric cars. Infact Japan now has more charging stations than petrol stations. Solar power & other various sources of energy are getting cheaper.
We must be smart, we must act intelligently, intentionally and on time. We have a window of opportuniy, we must use our oil to develop  our people.

If we don’t take that window of opportunity  we will spend that window toying with  ourselves. I earnestly hope that we will work together to  make sure that we are able to  deliver for the future, & for all of our people.
I informed the Youth Councils , that I would take their messages back to Mr. President.

But let me say to all of the young men and women here, the future belongs to you. You are not the leaders of tomorrow, you are the leaders of today because the future  is already here, it has come but it comes with  tremendous  responsibility.

The first responsibility is to ensure peace beacause development  cannot rise without  peace, the world is moving quickly, we must not waste time.

 For President Muhammadu Buhari, every part of this nation is important to him and he is completely  committed to ensuring that  there is justice  in Gbaramatu Kingdom, justice  in the Niger Delta , peace and progress  in the Niger Delta region.
Source : Prof Yemi Osinbanjo.

4 injured as herdsmen, farmers clash in Anambra

NO fewer than four persons were, yesterday, hospitalized following injuries they sustained when some Fulani herdsmen and farmers clashed in a farmland at Okoti-Odekpe community in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State.
This came as some communities in Nimbo, Uzo Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State donated over 350 hectares of land to enable the African Nations Development Programme, ANDP, build a home for Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, in the area.
According to the source, the clash started at about 10 a.m. when the herdsmen invaded the farmland with their cattle and destroyed a large farmland which resulted in a clash as a farmer from Okoti-Odekpe and three herdsmen were injured.
Eyewitnesses told newsmen that it was the herdsmen that first launched the attack against the farmers with cutlasses and injured one Dubem Ononuju. This led the farmers to launch a reprisal attack and they injured three herdsmen.
The incident attracted the attention of soldiers, navy and policemen, who rushed to the scene and rescued the herdsmen from the youths of the community and took the injured to a nearby hospital.
Confirming the incident, the Police Area Commander for Onitsha, Yahaya Abubakar, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, said some arrests were made.
Communities donate 350 hectares of land for IDPs
Under the African Nations Development Programme in Nimbo, the agency is to build 5,000 housing units for displaced persons in the area, following the attack on them by some Fulani herdsmen April last year, which left over 40 persons dead and several families displaced.
Sources told Vanguard that “after the attack by herdsmen on Nimbo, the ANDP came up with a programme to rehabilitate the IDPs. They are building 5,000 housing units for displaced persons, a secondary school, a university, hospital and a shopping mall.”
A statement signed by the President General of Nimbo Town Union, Chief Christian Nwodi, stated that the 350 hectares of land were donated freely, adding that the promises made by ANDP to build the social amenities for displaced people in the area formed the basis for the donation of the land.

Less than 24 hours after Osinbajo’s visit: NPDC crude oil pipeline set ablaze in Delta

UGHELLI- LESS than 24 hours after the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbanjo, visited Delta State, unknown persons set fire on a crude oil pipeline at Ughelli, in the state, sparking fears of attacks by suspected oil rebels.

The pipeline belonging to the Niger Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, located behind the SETRACO construction yard, along the East/West express road, was seen raging with fire at about 4:30p.m, sending huge balls of flame into the atmosphere, which could be seen from different parts of Ughelli metropolis.

Though the flame had subsided at about 7:12p.m, Vanguard could not immediately reach the spot reason, as the terrain could not be easily accessed

As at press time, it was not certain if the cause of the fire was as a result of an attack or environmental impact, as no group has claimed responsibility.

However, confirming the incident, a security source, operating in the area, debunked insinuation that the inferno was as a result of an attack by suspected militants.

He said: “The cause of the incident is as a result of bush burning. Someone set fire on the area and the pipeline, which had some crude oil spill on it and the surrounding environment went up in flames, sending huge balls of flame into the air.”.

Speaking further, the source said: “We are ensuring the maximum protection of oil and gas facilities in the area and I can assure you that there would be no form of attacks on oil facilities in the area like time past.”

Unemployed man in court for stealing fridge.

A 22-year-old unemployed man, Qudus Bakare was on Tuesday arraigned before a Badagry Chief Magistrate’s’ court, Lagos State for alleged theft of fridge worth N45,000.
The accused whose address is unknown is facing a one count charge of stealing.
The Police Prosecutor, Insp. Innocent Uko, told the court that the accused committed the offence on Jan. 14, at Deborah Shopping Complex located at Ajara area of Badagry.
He said the fridge belonged to the complainant, Mr Grillo Adebanji.
“The complainant was taking the fridge for repairs when he dropped it by the roadside in order to look for a car that will carry it.
“Within the twinkle of an eye, the accused came out of nowhere and took the fridge and started walking away like nothing happened.
“When he was caught, he claimed that he carried the fridge to carry out test on it,” the prosecutor said.
Uko said the offence contravened Section 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria 2011.
The accused however pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The defence counsel, Mr Obinna Nwachukwu, pleaded with the court to grant the accused bail on liberal terms.
The Magistrate, Mr Abiodun Etti, granted the accused N100, 000 bail and a surety who must provide evidence of tax payment to Lagos State Government and adjourned the case till Feb. 10 for further hearing.

How Saraki transferred millions of dollars to own foreign accounts while serving as Kwara Governor – GTBank Official

A witness in the ongoing trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki has told the Code of Conduct Tribunal that Mr. Saraki made foreign funds transfer of over $3 million while he was governor of Kwara State.
The Nigerian code of conduct bars public officials including state governors from operating foreign bank accounts.
The witness, Nwachukwu Amazu, a banker with the GTBank said Mr. Saraki made several transactions, including a transfer of over $73,000 from his dollar account, maintained with the GTBank to his foreign account in the American Express Service Europe Ltd.
He said the purpose of the transfer was to fund a foreign credit card, belonging to the American Express Bank and owned by the defendant.
“He has a domiciliary account, with the GTB in US dollars and in pounds sterling. The domiciliary account is domiciled in Ilorin,” he said.
When asked to explain the mode of operation of Mr. Saraki’s foreign credit card, the witness said he did not know how the card operates.
“I don’t know anything about the card, except if I explain with my knowledge of the GTB credit card in the Nigerian perspective,” he said.
Mr. Amazu who worked with the funds transfer unit of the GTB, between 2006 and 2009 before he was transferred; then returned to the unit in 2011, as its head, said Mr. Saraki made other transfers including the transfer of £761, 904. 76 in February 2010.
He also said another sum of £632, 411.7 was also transferred for the defendant to Fortis Bank in London.
He made several other testimonies of funds transferred through Mr. Saraki’s domiciliary accounts to foreign accounts belonging to the Senate President abroad.
Earlier, the Tribunal chairman asked the defendant if he needed water and gestured to offer water to Mr. Saraki, inside the dock.

NLNG Supplies 13,000 Tonnes Of Cooking Gas To Lagos

The Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) has supplied of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), commonly called cooking, to Lagos to ease its shortage and attendant high prices.
The firm said it has successfully discharged 13,000 tonnes of LPG to Lagos jetty at the weekend.
In a statement endorsed by its General Manager, External Relations, Kudo Eresia-Eke said NLNG’s LPG vessel is scheduled to return to NLNG’s facility in Bonny to reload the product.
“NLNG continues its efforts to ensure adequate supply and price stability to the market,” he added.
Nigeria LNG is the sole local supplier of the cooking gas to the domestic market. LPG marketers complement such supply with imported LPG from the neigbouring countries such as Niger Republic.

NLNG Supplies 13,000 Tonnes Of Cooking Gas To Lagos

The Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) has supplied of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), commonly called cooking, to Lagos to ease its shortage and attendant high prices.
The firm said it has successfully discharged 13,000 tonnes of LPG to Lagos jetty at the weekend.
In a statement endorsed by its General Manager, External Relations, Kudo Eresia-Eke said NLNG’s LPG vessel is scheduled to return to NLNG’s facility in Bonny to reload the product.
“NLNG continues its efforts to ensure adequate supply and price stability to the market,” he added.
Nigeria LNG is the sole local supplier of the cooking gas to the domestic market. LPG marketers complement such supply with imported LPG from the neigbouring countries such as Niger Republic.

UNIMAID Attack Is An Attack On Education - Atiku

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has described as a dangerous development Monday’s suicide bomb attack on a mosque at the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID).
He said the attack on the UNIMAID mosque was particularly worrisome, having come at a time when the terrorist group was clearly degraded.
“We cannot afford to be complacent now or in the future,” he also said in a statement released by his media office in Abuja.
The chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who condemned the attack, said the attack on UNIMAID was not just about a bomb exploding in a mosque, but that education in the northeast is under attack.
He said Nigeria had not experienced any such act of terrorism perpetrated within a school after the February 2014 attack on the Federal Government College, Buni Yadi, in which 40 male students were murdered, as well as the April 2014 kidnapping of over 200 girls from their school dormitory in Chibok.
The Turakin Adamawa also stated that a lack of education was one of the most alarming threats to security in the northeast.
Many of the terrorists, he added, have been shown to be people who have either never had the chance or ability to read the Koran for themselves and interpret the tenets of Islam beyond the false teachings of their terrorist commanders.
“A sound education will provide our youth with the ability to analyse and make informed decisions, an opportunity that many young people in the northeast of Nigeria do not have at present, making it easy for false teachers to control them,” he also said.
Atiku, who condoled with the families of the deceased, students and staff of UNIMAID over the loss of lives, also prayed for the quick recovery of the injured.

Why Delta Traditional Rulers Stormed Out of Meeting With VP Osinbajo

 TVC has provided an update on the reason Delta state traditional rulers stormed out of a meeting with Nigeria's Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
Related: Delta State Traditional Rulers Storm Out of Meeting With VP Osinbajo
According to TVC's Sumner Shagari Sambo, the earlier walkout has been resolved and the elders have continued the meeting with Osinbajo.
He said the earlier walkout was led by the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom in Delta State, HRM Emmanuel Sideso who got angry for not being on the high-table.
As host, he felt slighted for not being on the high-table like Alfred Diete-Spiff & Edwin Clark, he added.
VP Yemi Osinbajo & Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa saved the day by persuading Ovie of Uvwie, HRM Emmanuel Sideso & chiefs to return.

NYSC 2016 Batch ‘B’ (Stream II) Orientation Course to Commence January 24th

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has announced the date for the commencement of the 2016 Batch ‘B’ (Stream II) Orientation Course.
It made this known in a statement via its Facebook page and on their website.
The statement read:
The NYSC Management wishes to inform prospective Corps members and other stakeholders that the 2016 Batch ‘B’ (Stream II) Orientation course will commence on Tuesday, 24th January, 2017.
The lineup of activities for the course is shown below:
a. Tue 24th – Wed 25th, Jan 2017- Registration/verification exercise
b. Thursday, 26th January, 2017 – Swearing-in ceremony
c. Monday, 13th February, 2017 – Closing ceremony
Prospective Corps members are advised to report to camp at the scheduled date as registration/verification will end at midnight of January 25, 2017.
All are also to note that original copies of academic credentials and other documents uploaded during the online registration MUST be presented on camp for physical verification.
In addition, all Prospective Corps members MUST present medical certificate from a government or military hospital showing their health status before they will be registered and admitted for the Orientation course.
Management wishes prospective Corps members safe journey to their respective camps as well as a successful Orientation course.