African Heavyweight Title, Power Lee Request Support

As countdown to his African heavyweight title challenge begins, National Wrestling heavyweight champion, Power Lee has appealed to Nigerians especially the Federal and Delta State Governments to extend financial support to him to enable him emerge as the new (Pro) Wrestling Africa heavyweight champion.Power lee will on September, 19th, 2015 at Palais De Sports Yaoundé, Cameroon, meet Cameroonian champion, Michel Noudem “Le Matraqueur” for the African title.In a World Press Conference organized at the Winners Body Fitness Centre, Ajah, Lagos to herald the title fight, he stated that he has what it takes to win the title with an appeal to Governments at all levels and corporate Nigeria to extend financial support to him to enable him write the name of the country in gold.“I am capable of winning the title and that is why I am appealing for support from both the Federal and Delta States Governments including corporate Nigeria and public spirited individuals for financial support to enable me write the name of the country in gold.He noted that as a patriotic Nigerian, he has through his Gym at Ajah; “Winners Body Fitness Gym” produced many weightlifters, body builders, wrestlers and boxers for the country even as he noted that he will continue to use the facility to develop more sports men and women for the country.Promoter of the fight, Sunny Irakpo stated that the wrestler deserves all the support from Nigerians both home and in Diaspora to enable him conquer the continent in the mats man game.

AFCON Qualifers:" Remain Focused" Nwosu

As the Super Eagles prepares to face Tanzania next week in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, former national team player , Henry Nwosu has advised the Sunday Oliseh led team to prepare adequately to enable them pick the maximum points in the East African country. Super Eagles will on September 5 in Dar es Salaam face the Taifa Stars of Tanzania.The match will serve as the first text for Coach Sunday Oliseh since he was handed over the national team job. The Super Eagles will be looking to build on their opening win over Chad when they take on the Taifa Stars, who were beaten 3-0 by group leaders Egypt in Cairo in June.Nigeria defeated Chad 2-0 in Kaduna and only trails the Pharaohs by an inferior goal difference. Nwosu told Saturday Mirror that there is need for the Super Eagles gaffer to use the best players in camp to prosecute the match even as he expressed optimism that the team is capable of beating Tanzania in their home ground.“I have no doubt that Nigeria will pick the maximum point in Tanzania but there is the need for the team to remain focused ahead of the match.“As this is the first match to be handled by Oliseh since his appointment, I expect him to approach it with all seriousness because anything in the contrary will affect the country’s qualification for Gabon 2017”, said the former New Nigeria Bank of Benin player.On the exclusion of Mikel Obi from the encounter, the former New Nigeria Bank of Benin and ACB of Lagos midfielder noted that it is unfortunate that the Chelsea midfielder will not be in action for the country in Tanzania but was quick to advise Oliseh and Mikel to settle their differences in the interest of Nigerian football.

Arsenal Quest to Dominate Newcastle

After a disappointing barren draw against Liverpool at the Emirates on Monday, Arsene Wenger and his Arsenal squad will be gunning for the full points when they visit Newcastle at St. James’ Park in the English Premier League fixture billed to kick off at 12.45 this afternoon.The Gunners have goalkeeper Peter Cech to thank for escaping another defeat at the Emirates Stadium on Monday, as the former Chelsea’s shot-stopper came up with several breath-taking saves against Liverpool in a game that Arsenal struggled for most of the first half against the Christian Benteke-led attack of the Reds.With four points after three matches, Arsenal needs victory to close the gap between it and Manchester City that has taken early lead with nine points from its 100 per cent result so far.Arsenal fans hold the bragging rights going into today’s clash with the Gunners winning in all six of the last meetings in­volving both sides in the EPL. And while Arsenal has won six out of its last seven away fixtures, Newcastle has failed to win 13 out of 14 of its last EPL fixtures.Arsenal must, however, be wary of Newcastle’s counter attacks and defending set pieces, two aspects where the Magpies draw their strengths. But the inability to keep possession, weakness in aerial duels and poor reaction to attacks down the wings could spell doom for the Steve McClaren’s side considering that the Gun­ners are reputed for their excellent ball possession and control of the game in the opponent’s half.The Arsene Wenger’s side is also very strong in aerial duels and has a penchant for attacking with ease down the left wing and through the middle.The players that would determine the rhythm of the game today are France in­ternational forward, Papiss Cissé, Moussa Sissoko, Aleksandar Mitrović, Massadio Haïdara, Daryl Janmaat, Gabriel Obertan, Fabricio Coloccini and Cheick Tioté while Arsenal will be boosted by the return of the duo of Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker in the defence to give goal­keeper Petr Cech cover, while Mesut Ozil, Santi Cazorla, Alexis Sanchez, Aaron Ramsey, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Oliver Giroud are expected to lead the attack for the Gunners.Arsenal is ninth on the EPL log with four points after three matches while Newcastle is placed a distant 17th with just two points from three games.Later this afternoon, leader, Manchester City would aim at a fourth straight win when it visits EPL newcomer, Watford, at the Etihad Stadium.The Citizens (nickname for Manchester City) are the only side yet to test defeat after only Round 3 fixtures in the new EPL season with the maximum nine points on offer all in their kitty to place them above other teams on the log.Watford is still looking for its first win in the Premier League and do not look convincing enough to post any upset at the Etihad this afternoon against a star-studded City side that is playing at its full potential.With four-time African Footballer of the Year, Yaya Toure’s current form and his partnership with Samir Nasri and Sergio Kun Aguero in City’s attack, Watford would struggle for most of the game against the Manuel Pellegrini’s side that looks certain to extend its early lead in the EPL.

Senate President's House Got Fire

An early morning fire incident occurred in
the residence of the Senate President,
Bukola Saraki, in the Maitama area of
Abuja on Friday, but no casualty was
recorded.
Our correspondent learnt that some
residents of the sprawling edifice raised
the alarm when they noticed a heavy
smoke inside the gymnasium of the senate
president.
A resident told our correspondent that
the attention of the officials of the fire
service were drawn to the incident around
10:05am and that they quickly mobilised
themselves there to put the fire under
control.
Confirming the incident to our
correspondent, the Special Adviser to the
Senate President on Media and Publicity,
Mr. Yusuph Olaniyonu, said the incident
was caused by an electric spark from one
of the air conditioners in the gymnasium of
his principal.
He explained that Saraki had been duly
informed of the incident, adding that
nobody was injured in the process.

Senate President's House Got Fire

An early morning fire incident occurred in
the residence of the Senate President,
Bukola Saraki, in the Maitama area of
Abuja on Friday, but no casualty was
recorded.
Our correspondent learnt that some
residents of the sprawling edifice raised
the alarm when they noticed a heavy
smoke inside the gymnasium of the senate
president.
A resident told our correspondent that
the attention of the officials of the fire
service were drawn to the incident around
10:05am and that they quickly mobilised
themselves there to put the fire under
control.
Confirming the incident to our
correspondent, the Special Adviser to the
Senate President on Media and Publicity,
Mr. Yusuph Olaniyonu, said the incident
was caused by an electric spark from one
of the air conditioners in the gymnasium of
his principal.
He explained that Saraki had been duly
informed of the incident, adding that
nobody was injured in the process.

Retired Soldier Set Self Ablaze

A retired soldier, who is fondly called “Baba Soldier” by his neighbours, at No. 13 Abeokuta Street, near Agege Stadium, Agege, Lagos, on 25th August 25, set himself ablaze.Daily Times gathered that tragedy took place in the man’s about 4.00 p.m., when a co-tenant noticed a fire burning in his room. A girl who saw Baba Soldier said, he drank kerosene and used the rest to wet his body before setting himself ablaze.Daily Times can authoritatively report that the remain of his body is still in his room as at the press time.His co-tenant, an olderly woman, who refuse to give her name, said he intentionally killed himself because of frustration. An Okada man, who spoke with Daily Times said, he always beg them for money to eat.

Your Male Artist as a She

Ever imagined what your favourite male artists would look like if he were a "she" check this pix out

Buhari Appoints SFG and Orders

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointments of Engr. Babachir David Lawal as Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Abba Kyari as Chief of Staff to the President and Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (rtd.) as Comptroller-General Nigerian Customs Service (NCS).The President has also approved the appointments of  Kure Martin Abeshi  as Comptroller-General, Nigerian Immigration Service, Senator Ita S.J. Enang as SSA to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Hon. Suleiman A. Kawu as SSA to the President on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives), a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina said on Thursday.The appointments are with effect from today, August 27, 2015.Engr. Lawal, the new Secretary to the Government of the Federation hails from Hong Local Government Area, Adamawa State. He graduated from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1979 with a Bachelor of Engineering Degree and worked with the Delta Steel Company, Aladja, Nigerian External Telecommunications Limited and Data Sciences Limited before establishing his own ICT and Telecommunications consulting firm in 1990.He is also a member of the Nigeria Computer Society, the Nigeria Society of Engineers and the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria.Alhaji Abba Kyari, the new Chief of Staff to the President holds Bachelors and Masters Degrees from the University of Cambridge and the University of Warwick in Law and Sociology.He has worked with the New Nigeria Development Company, New Africa Holdings, African International Bank, United Bank for Africa, Unilever, and Mobil in various capacities over the years.The new Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Ali holds Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Criminology. He was military administrator of Kaduna State from 1996 to 1998.The new Comptroller- General of Immigration, Mr. Abeshi hails from Nasarawa State. He joined the Nigerian Immigration Service in 1989 as an Assistant Comptroller. His educational qualifications include a Masters Degree in Public Administration.

FG TO PUT EFCC, ICPC UNDER SURVEILLANCE

Following the the urge to get down looters, it's been difficult getting upright judges. Judges handling cases of corruption against public officers are under surveillance, Nigerian Tribune learnt on Wednesday.The monitoring was said to be civil and security in nature.Chairman, presidential advisory committee on anti-corruption, Professor Itse Sagay, made this known during an exclusive chat.The surveillance is meant to monitor their performances, professionally, ethically and morally.The inability of the committee and other partnering government agencies to find upright judges across board, who will handle alleged corruption cases the President Muhammadu Buhari administration would so institute against alleged looters of the economy in the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan compelled the monitoring, according to Sagay.Nigerian Tribune had exclusively reported the failure of many nominee-judges for the proposed special looters' courts in the integrity test conducted by security agencies.Sagay, however, did not reveal the identity of those monitoring the judges.He disclosed that the rot in the judiciary had made the search for the desired upright judges a Herculean task.The sought-upright judges are to take off with the planned trial of alleged looters, while the constitution amendment for the establishment of the special looters' courts is being pursued, which Sagay said could run into next year.The reform being planned in the anti-corruption war would also see anti-corruption agencies being monitored by the advisory body as a way of checking with the inside from the outside.Sagay's committee may also become the warehouse for petitions for the public before they are sent to the appropriate anti-corruption bodies, after being sieved by the presidential team.To check corruption within, the committee would also have moles within the anti-corruption bodies for insider information, he said.According to him, "with all the relevant agencies like EFCC, ICPC and others, we intend to effectively collaborate with them."They have nothing to fear. We are not out to take their jobs from them. All this hostility must stop. We have been vested with the powers to recommend people for prosecution. A lot of people who are supposed to welcome us have been hostile. We are here to make their work lighter. All we are going to do is to increase the investigative capacity of these agencies."He also did not rule out the merger of the existing anti-corruption bodies, though noted that such move would not be immediate, considering the bodies being creations of the constitution.In order to further cleanse the judiciary which Sagay said stinks right now, Sagay said the popular Eso panel report and Babalakin review panel report, which indicted many judges still in service up till the Supreme Court, would be revisited.Debunking the insinuation that he was rewarded with the current assignment for saving Governor Rauf Aregbesola from impeachment, Sagay said he weighed in on the Osun matter because Justice Olamide Oloyede brought judiciary into disrepute.According to him, "Oloyede submitted her claims to the appropriate quarters and nobody is blaming her for this."As a judge, you don't bring yourself down. You don't turn yourself into a street fighter who has no care about dignity. These people (judges) have been placed on a pedestal for us to have confidence in them. What she is doing is a show of shame."This woman went to the gutter, discarded her robes and effectively walked about Unclad. She is a disgrace to the judiciary. I am still calling for her exit."Sagay also disclosed that his committee had not come into any information of a direct wrongdoing by Jonathan, saying that "no evidence has, however, linked Jonathan directly to these alleged crimes but he could be found guilty by reason of presiding over these ministers

Lola Omotayo Okoye Losses Employee to Cervical Cancer

Lola Omotayo, wife of Peter Okoye is mourning one of their employees, Esther Ngobor who worked for the couple for almost seven years, but sadly lost her life yesterday to cancer. Lola said Esther was an employee anyone would love to have. She said they tried all their best to save her, but Esther still left and she believes God knows best. 

"YOU ARE A GARAGE BOY" ORUBEBE TO OSHIOMHOLE

ABUJA – The verbal war between the ex-Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Peter Orubebe and the Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State Wednesday took a dimension of pedestrian, with the ex-Minister calling Oshiomhole a ‘garage boy’ and vowing to expose his dubious deeds against Nigerians.Orubebe in a swift reaction to Oshiomhole’s response to his (Orubebe) earlier remarks on him, said that the Comrade Oshiomhole’s attempt to link his advice to President Muhammadu Buhari to be weary of popular Villa sycophants to his fears of a possible probe with connection to the East- West road project shows he is indeed a ‘garage boy’ who lacks focus.Orubebe who described the governor’s insinuation as laughable, maintained that the Edo state Governor has failed to address the issue of sycophancy which he accused him of.He said Oshiomhole is suffering from chronic diarrhoea of the mouth and that is why he has lately been misleading Nigerians as his illiteracy is beyond human comprehension.The former Minister of Special duties further argued that his integrity and high level of accountability all through his six years service to the nation as the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs cannot be matched nor compromised.He added, “I am proud to have been a vital instrument used by God to take the once abandoned East- West road project to an admirable 80 percent level of completion. It is unfortunate that our respected Niger Delta could produced the likes of Oshiomhole who is a garage boy that should be at the motor park as a son.Threatening to expose Oshiomhole more, Elder Orubebe said, “I will disgrace him publicly and tell the world about his dubious deeds as governor as well as his role in the botched Third Term Bid of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.“I am going to open his can of worms to the point that Nigerians will stone him if seen on the streets. I don’t talk carelessly as I have my facts to prove my points.’On the alleged embezzlement of several billions of naira under his regime as minister of Niger Delta, he said, “I am not afraid of probe, am a man of integrity under whose watch the abandoned 42 bridges and 1040 culverts that was initially without designed was upgraded to the level it is today.“Every reasonable Niger Deltan and Nigerians at large knows that I am the admired face of the East West road, I can stand tall, anywhere and anytime to defend my administration as well as account for every dime that was allocated for the several projects we embarked upon’.“My Co- ministers and every other person who was a member of the federal Executive Council under former president Jonathan’s watch can attest to the fact that I was a vessel par excellence who had result oriented contributed to make towards moving the nation forward,” he said.On the statement by the Oshiomhole that he should be cooling off in jail following his actions at the 2015 presidential election collation Centre, Elder Orubebe said, “if he is reasonable, he will not refer to my action at the election result collation centre.”“This is because, history will talk about it and Nigerians will be proud of me. Yes, I had to apologise to Nigerians, particularly the youths over my I term ‘wrong approach to a just course’. Yes, I had a just case that was deliberately ignored, as one who felt cheated, and so reactedHe said, “I’m laughing at him because, if there’s anyone who should bury his face in shame, it has to be Oshiomhole who disgraced, harassed and rough handled a poor widow who he should have ordinarily accommodated.”He continued, “My people are very proud of me, I mean the aged, the poor and orphans. I don’t disgrace them before putting smiles on their faces.“I maintain the fact that Oshiomhole is a popular villa sycophant, a garage boy and that PMB should be weary of him, if he must succeed and be really admired.”

Obama Commends US off duty Solders Who prevented Train Attack

News from aljazeera.com

US President Barack Obama has praised
two off-duty US soldiers for their role in
stopping a gun attack on a train
travelling between Amsterdam and Paris.
Obama thanked the men for their
"courage and quick thinking" after the
attack on Friday on Belgian territory
near the northern French town of Arras.
Two others, including another US
national, and a British man living in
France were also involved in tackling the
attacker.
The incident left three people injured,
including one of the men who subdued
the gunman, a 26-year-old of Moroccan
origin who was known to the intelligence
services, French investigators said.
The man, who was arrested at a railway
station in Arras, had a Kalashnikov, an
automatic pistol, ammunition and a box
cutter in his luggage, one police source
told AFP news agency after Friday's
incident.
'Extremely violent suspect'
Bernard Cazeneuve, French interior
minister, who went to Arras in the wake
of the incident, praised the two
Americans who had subdued the
"extremely violent" suspect.
They showed "great bravery in very
trying circumstances", he said. "Without
their cool-headed actions we could have
been faced with a terrible incident."
Footage showed three men,
Americans Anthony Sadler and Aleck
Sharlatos, and Chris Norman, receiving
medals at a restaurant in Arras for their
actions, the Reuters news agency
reported.
A Spanish official, linked to the country's
anti-terrorism unit, said the individual
lived in Spain until 2014, then moved to
France, travelled to Syria, and then
returned to France, the Associated
Press news agency reported.
Cazeneuve said that the suspect may
have been flagged by Spanish authorities
last year for links to radical movements.

"I condemn the terrorist attack on the
Thalys [train] and express my sympathy
to the victims," Charles Michel, Belgian
prime minister, said on Twitter of the
incident which occurred while the train
was on Belgian territory.
French President Francois Hollande and
Michel agreed in a telephone call to
"cooperate closely" in the investigation,
according to a statement from the
Elysee Palace.
The incident occurred at 5.50pm local
time (15:50 GMT), the train operator
said.
The French prosecutor's office said its
anti-terrorist section had taken over the
investigation into the incident, "in view of
the weaponry used, the way it happened
and the context".
"The passengers are safe, the situation
has been brought under control," train
operator Thalys, which is jointly owned
by the national rail companies of Belgium,
France and Germany, said on Twitter.
France remains on edge after armed men
attacked the satirical magazine Charlie
Hebdo and a Jewish supermarket in
Paris in January in a spree that killed 17
people and shocked the world.
In June, a man beheaded his boss and
tried to blow up a gas plant in southern
France in what prosecutors say was an
attack inspired by the Islamic State of
Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group.
In May last year, four people, including
two Israeli tourists, were killed when an
armed man opened fire at the Jewish
Museum in Brussels.

No Plans to Probe National Assembly Account

The Presidency says it has not initiated any investigation into the National Assembly’s account, as public outcry mounted over the reduction in the high cost of governance at all levels.Shehu Garba, senior special assistant to the President on media and publicity, told BusinessDay on an enquiry of a report that the Presidency had initiated an investigation into the accounts of the National Assembly.“I am not aware of that. However, the National Assembly is not answerable to the executive,” Garba said.Concerned Nigerians recently expressed concerns over the N13 billion allegedly spent on allowances and salaries of the 109 senators and 360 members of the House of Representatives barely two months into the eighth Assembly.They also called for the disclosure of actual monthly salaries and quarterly allowances as well as contracts being awarded by the National Assembly bureaucracy.They further called for part-time legislature, on the premise that the services of the lawmakers did not commensurate with the N600 billion spent for a four-year legislative tenure.Earlier reports gathered showed that the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) revealed that the Clerk of the House Committee on House Services was quizzed about three years ago over a petition on the award of some contracts.When contacted on whether or not there was an ongoing investigation of the legislature, one of the ICPC management team noted that the Commission was at liberty to beam its searchlight on any public institutions in line with its statutory mandate.“We do conduct investigations based on petitions from anyone who have information from any of the institutions. We call them whistleblowers. But for now, there’s no investigation that I know on the National Assembly,” according to the ICPC official.When asked whether there was any petition against the seventh Assembly under Senator David Mark and Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, who is presently the Governor of Sokoto State, the ICPC official said that, “there was none that I can recall.”He explained that the commission do ‘painstakingly’ conduct thorough investigation into any corruption related practices, such as the 407 Peugeot contract scandal and Power probe that rocked the sixth House of Representatives.Bobboi Kaigama, president, Trade Union Congress (TUC), who chided the failure of the National Assembly from approving living wage for Nigerian workers, argued that the rising cost of governance contributed to the lingering economic crises.“Furthermore, considering the nation’s present socio-economic realities, it is totally indefensible for senators and members of the House of Representatives to be paid as much as N2 million and N1.8 million, respectively, as basic salary every month.“Where then lies any justification for their claims to being contributors to the growth of a nation where unemployment and other social vices are the order of the day?“The enormous cost of governance contributes immensely to the economic crises rocking the Nigerian boat. How is this huge amount justifiable in the light of the current financial dilemma the nation is overwhelmed with?“What do the legislators who often turn down proposals for wage increase for the workers do to deserve these mind-blowing sums of money? We think it is high time Nigerians take their destiny in their hands and stand firm against these injustices and inequality,” Kaigama said in a statement obtained by BusinessDay.

Buhari to Set Special Court for Looters

According to a report by Punch, the Federal Government might be establishing special courts to try people who have stolen from the country. Buhari may even have started plans to submit a bill on the special anti-corruption courts to the National Assembly. Sources in the know told the newspaper that the government is currently looking for fearless judges that would prosecute these corrupt individuals.All the states of the federation will have these special courts so FG is looking for 36 incorruptible judges. A source told Punch that Buhari decided to set up the planned special courts because of the long delay by regular courts in deciding corruption-related cases.

Did E-Money Use skibii for Money Ritual?

Kcee has expressed disappointment that his brother and chairman of Five Star Music, E-Money is being dragged into the Skiibii death scandal.Speaking on Wazobia FM, Kcee said “I’m disappointed with people on social media who said that my brother, E Money, used Skiibii for money rituals. What gets me even angrier is that now that he did not die, they are saying his head was too strong for the juju and that is why immediately I came into the country I decided to use this medium to clarify issues.”“I was on tour with my producer, Soso Soberekon in Norway when the purported rumour of Skiibii’s death broke. Somebody called Soso to confirm the news and Soso called his boy who confirmed that Skiibii col­lapsed and was rushed to the hospital but he did not know what exactly was happening but it’s like Skiibii was dead and so he told the caller that skiibii was actually dead.“I later got in touch with my brother, E-Money, who said he had instructed that Skiibii be transferred to another hospital immediately. So the whole issue was misconstrued because of Soso and he has been placed on suspension by the management.”Commenting, Skiibii said that he was hale and hearty. His words:“I’m alive and healthy. This is not the first time this is happening to me. It’s like a blackout which occurs anytime I’m over excited. It’s happened two times and the last time was when I was on a plane with another label mate. I thank God I’m okay.”

I DISCOVERED WIZKID NOT BANKY W -OJB

Producer, OJB Jezreel has decided to set the records straight regarding who discovered Wizkid.In a recent interview,OJB said he hadn’t spoken about it before now because he is too old to be blowing his own trumpet at 50. The beat maker said that he went to Wizkid’s family house to convince his parents to allow him pursue his music career.“To set the records, I discovered Wizkid’s talent. We basically started his career and I remember when we had to push Wizkid around and take him for shows but nobody was ready to allow him to perform because they were not ‘feeling’ him at that point in time. When he had the chance and said he wanted to move on and try other things, we were behind him then too. If we did not discover him, he would not have been with us. I was the first person to go to his family house to tell them that it would be a nice idea if they allowed him to go into music.We have been there from day one but not everybody know this story, we don’t just make noise about it. It is not Banky W that discovered him, I did. I would soon be 50 years old and I think it would be funny if I start blowing my trumpet,” he said.OJB said that he has no regrets when it comes to Wizkid because he pushed his career as far as he could.“There are some artistes that if you spend millions of naira on them, they would not be impactful until they cross borders. Take Harrysongs for example, millions was spent on him but nothing happened till he crossed over to Five Star Entertainment. There is no how Harrysongs would say that Questionmark record label was not a blessing to his life. Sometimes, these things happen like that and I think it is destiny,” he said.

Saturday PUNCH’s investigations on Friday revealed that President Muhammadu Buhari was opting for a comprehensive onslaught against the problem of corruption in the country.It was learnt that the President had concluded plans to submit a bill on the planned special anti-corruption courts to the National Assembly.The PUNCH had on Monday exclusively reported that the Presidency had commenced the process of identifying fearless judges that would be saddled with the responsibility of prosecuting corrupt persons.It was also gathered that the Federal Government was planning to establish 37 of the Special Courts to try corruption in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and the 36 states of the Federation.A top operative of one of the anti-graft agencies, who confided in one of our correspondents, said that the Federal Government decided to set up the planned special courts because of the long delay by regular courts in deciding corruption-related cases.It was further gathered that the President recently made a demand for 36 judges with the requisite integrity and boldness to decide cases in line with the law and not according to influence of the people or the pecuniary gains that come with associating with them.The anti-graft officer said, “The President is being careful; he does not want people to do a wishy-washy job for him.“Buhari is pressing for the establishment of special courts to try corruption cases. He wants the courts to be established in Abuja and the 36 states of the federation so that they can fast-track such cases.”Investigations further revealed that the Federal Government had contacted the National Judicial Council to provide judges with impeccable reputation to preside over the planned courts.It was gathered that the NJC released the names of 100 judges from the 36 states of the federation to the leadership of three major anti-corruption bodies in the country after an internal process of selection.The judges were screened by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission and the Department of State Security on Tuesday.It was gathered that the focus of the on-going screening exercise is to identify judges with a passion for the law and the constitution rather than deference to personalities.The officer stated, “On Tuesday, the NJC forwarded the list of 100 judges to the anti-corruption agencies for screening. The exercise is meant to select the judges for the special courts the President is moving to establish to try corruption cases.“The plan is to get judges that are bold, courageous, and fearless. Many of them must have delivered sound judgements (in the past). They don’t want those who play to the gallery.“The screening exercise is very intensive; they are passing through the NJC that has the list of all the judges. When the NJC is through with its screening, it passes the list of the judges to security operatives and the anti-graft agencies to continue with the investigation.“And because this is a democracy, they have to go through acceptable legal channels; they have to amend the constitution to set up these courts. They want to start with speed; even the legislatures have to be involved to amend the constitution.”It was also learnt that the anti-graft agencies screened the judges by doing background checks on them, particularly looking at their history at the bench.The source said, “We are working on the information we got about them (the judges). There are those who have been compromised in the past, who will not be part of the arrangement.”But the anti-corruption agencies are not saying much about the on-going screening exercise, which is said to have entered its second phase.When our correspondent contacted the Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, on the telephone on Friday, he said that he was not aware of it.“I am not aware of the exercise you are talking about,” he said.Similarly, the Resident Consultant, Media and events of the ICPC, Mr. Folu Olamiti, said that he could not comment on the story, when contacted.“I can’t comment on it,” he said.Also, the Acting Director, Information, National Judicial Council, Mr. Soji Oye, said he was not aware of any plan to create special corruption courts.It will be recalled that the EFCC Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, had in 2012, when he was being screened by the Senate, called for the establishment of special courts for corruption cases.He had said, “The reason for the clamour for special courts for certain cases has to do with the processes of law. Judges have corrupt cases and other cases to attend to, but if we have special courts for corruption cases, it would facilitate the process. I don’t think it will be too much to ask that a special court be dedicated to corruption cases.”Lagos lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo, and Executive Chairman of the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, Mr. Debo Adeniran, described the plan to create special courts to handle corruption cases as a welcome development.But a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Joseph Nwobike, described the establishment of such courts as needless.Keyamo, however, urged the government to put certain resources and laws in place for such special courts to achieve their intended goals.He said, “Establishment of special courts will not solve the entire problem of anti-corruption cases and it will not solve all the problems of criminal cases. But it will go a long way if the courts are well equipped and have rules that will help fast track such cases.“Special courts will not address the integrity of judges that will be sitting there. It is a welcome development and government should go ahead to establish them but some things should be put in place for the courts to achieve the intended goals.”Adeniran also described the establishment of special corruption courts as desirable. He said such courts would help in quick determination of corruption cases.He said, “It is desirable to the extent that it will hasten up the adjudication on corruption cases and will make it easier for the judges to handle.”But Nwobike said that instead of creating special courts, government should focus on capacity building to enhance the competence of investigators and prosecutors.He said, “It is needless. It will amount to waste of judicial resources to set up special courts to try corruption cases.”

Wealthy Businessman Shots Sex Worker who Denied Him Relationship

A wealthy businessman allegedly shot a sex worker after offering her £50,000 to marry him, a court heard today.Jonathan Kovacik also gave Rosalynde Pitcher £6,000 in cash towards her breast enlargement operation because he was in love with her, it was alleged.Ms Pitcher broke off her 'open' relationship with the 58-year-old after the operation, which saw her breasts increase from an A-cup to a D-cup last year. Kovacik then reportedly shot her with a pellet in the temple and struck her five times with the weapon as she knelt screaming on the floor, Portsmouth Crown Court heard. The former parish councillor denies four charges including wounding with intent, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and having an article with a blade or point.He also denies possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear or violence towards officer PC Matthew Rumsey.During the hearing Ms Pitcher, a webcam girl, described their relationship as 'friends with benefits'. She sent text messages to Kovacik that said he should 'get her a boob job' because they were 'too small and she didn't like them'.She also claimed he offered her £50,000 to have a baby, but said if she fell pregnant it would have stopped her having a breast enlargement operation. Kovacik then visited her home in Shanklin, on the Isle of Wight, on December 21 last year after he started to fear she was 'stringing him along' for his money, prosecutors alleged.Rob Griffiths, prosecuting, said: 'He had been very good to her - he bought her a car, various presents and had given her money towards having a breast enlargement operation. 'He thought perhaps she had been stringing him along to get his money, and as he said at the end of his interview: "There's no fool like an old fool."' Ms Pitcher, a mother-of-one, told the court how she let him into her flat after knocking on the door and asking to come in, claiming he only had 'a few months to live'.She said: 'I walked to the lounge and he was behind me when I turned around and he had a gun pointing at me.'He was really quiet and wasn't saying much. He was holding the gun directly at me in his right hand and started walking towards me holding the gun at my head. 'I dropped to my knees and he put the gun directly to my head.'I was screaming, I was just screaming: "Help". He was really quiet and just looked really angry and I had never seen that face on him before.' During the confrontation Ms Pitcher said she did not realise she had been shot with a pellet but remembered hearing a 'clicking' and 'popping' noise.  She was able to escape via a flight of stairs by her back door as Kovacik ran after her trying to grab her dressing gown, the court heard.He was apprehended by police in Cowes.  The pellet from Kovacik's pistol was only discovered at hospital a week later after x-rays revealed it was lodged under the skin. Kovacik has claimed he was mentally unwell at the time of the attack and suffering from temporary insanity.He said he took a diving knife and an air gun to her home over fears Ms Pitcher's father Lee would be violent towards him. The trial ongoing. 

Linda Ikeji

FIFA Presidency, Kalu Eminently Qualified-Idah Peterside

For the many doubting Thomases who before now have questioned the qualification of the former Abia State governor, Orji Uzor Kalu to vie for the presidency of the world football ruling body, FIFA, the initiator of the campaign, Peterside Idah has shed more light on Kalu’s qualification.Speaking exclusively to Daily Sunsports on Tuesday from his base in South Africa, Idah who is a football analyst with South African based cable television outfit, Supersport, stated that he was convinced that Kalu can pull through and emerge the next FIFA President given the former’s pedigree.“For the information of those who think that this is a futile effort and that Kalu is not qualified, let me state clearly that they are wrong. Kalu is eminently qualified to run for the FIFA Presidency. He is not an outsider in the round leather game.“First, he is the owner of the OUK Football Club which has metamorphosed into the Abia Warriors of Umuahia in the Nigeria Premier League. That clearly shows that he has roots. Secondly, this is a man that single handedly took Enyimba of Aba from obscurity to the top of African football, winning the CAF Champions League in 2003 and repeating the feat in 2004. That feat broke a 39-year-old jinx for Nigerian club football.”Idah, noted further that it takes only a man of vision to get the job done and that Kalu if he decides to run will get the full backing of the 54 Africa federations.“Should Kalu decide to run, I think he stands a good chance to emerge victorious. All he needs now is the backing of the Nigeria Football Federation and the endorsement of the Confederation of Africa Football, CAF to run. With the whole of Africa backing him and given his contacts outside the continent, victory could just be his.’

Lump Turns to Unborn Twin Baby

A logistics officer and a mother-of- 2 was horrified to discover a seemingly harmless lump on her ovary was in fact the decades old remains of her unborn 'twin'.Jenny Kavanagh, 45, made the grim discovery after she went to the doctors to have a contraceptive coil implanted and medics insisted on an ultrasound of her ovaries due to her age.Scans revealed a 10cm mass growing in her left ovary and concerned medics warned it could rupture and kill her at any moment.Surgeons told her it was an undeveloped unborn twin which had grown inside her from birth - complete with face, an eye, tooth, and long black hair.She said:'I feel very lucky that they found it and removed it before it killed me.'I try not to think of it too much because I don't want to feel sad about it.'If I'm honest, I did feel sad when I first saw it, because of the size and weight of it, it had already been likened to a baby.'But I try not to feel sad about it. I try to remember that it had no heart and no brain.'And that it would have almost certainly killed me if they hadn't found it and removed it.'But in one sense there was grief, mixed with happiness.'It was like a baby, but I was still glad it was out of me.'Ms Kavanagh moved to Cyprus in 2005 with her then-husband, to escape the 'rat race'.She said she has always avoided doctors and has never visited a gynecologist, but had no problems with either of her pregnancies.But when she started to have heavy periods she worried it might be due to a coil she had fitted 15 years ago and went to get a new one.The consultant scanned her abdomen and while her right ovary was totally normal, the one on the left side had a 10cm dark mass, in May this year. Her doctor assured her it was unlikely to be a cancerous tumour - and probably a teratoma or cyst - but she said she had 'thought the worst'.She said: 'He advised me it would have to come out regardless. If it twisted or ruptured it could kill me.'After tests proved inconclusive, 11 days later she underwent a three-hour operation to remove the mass at The Mediterranean Hospital of Cyprus.Doctors agreed to take a photo of the mass on her phone and showed her it when she came around, explaining it was a mass of cells which had been inside her since birth. 

Linda Ikeji

FG ORDERS PROBE ON HOW ISIS LEADER GOT NIGERIAN VISA

The Nigerian government has ordered a full investigation into how a wanted terrorist was granted Nigerian Visa in Lebanon to visit the country.An official of the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign affairs told Vanguard in Abuja, Tuesday evening, that President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to investigate the circumstances surrounding the issuance of Visa to the wanted terrorist‎ who has been on the wanted list of several governments.It would be recalled that a radical Muslim cleric, Ahmad al-Assir was arrested by Lebanese authorities as he attempted to leave Lebanon to Nigeria via Cairo.He was said to have arrested while attempting to travel with a fake Palestinian passport with a valid Nigerian Visa‎ at the Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport early Saturday, August 15, 2015 in Lebanon.According to the official of the ministry of foreign affairs who spoke with Vanguard on the condition of anonymity, the ministry of foreign affairs has been directed to explain how the wanted terrorist was able to get Nigerian Visa.“The reported‎ arrest of the wanted terrorist is a huge embarrassment to Nigeria and the President has directed that the matter should be investigated. The embassy in Lebanon has been directed to furnish the ministry with details of how the man got the visa. The National Intelligence Agency Officer has been directed to provide details of what happened” the officer said.Details later…

KACHIKWU, NNPC BOSS TO PUBLISH FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS FROM SEPTEMBER

The financial transactions of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation will be published periodically to ensure transparency beginning from next month, the Group Managing Director, NNPC, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, has said.According to Kachikwu, the move was part of his resolve to usher in a new dawn of transparency in the national oil firm, stressing that transparency must be the watchword of every staff in the new NNPC.Kachikwu, who stated this at his maiden town hall meeting with employees of the corporation at the NNPC Towers in Abuja on Tuesday, said the new NNPC will be a corporation anchored on the foundation of clearness.The Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ohi Alegbe, confirmed this to our correspondent in a telephone interview and also in an electronic mail.“I want transparency. Beginning from next month, I want to be able to publish what the company makes. I have told the President that as from next week I will be sending him weekly reports,” the new GMD reportedly told employees of the national oil firm.If implemented, this will be a departure from what used to be obtainable at the national oil firm. It will be the first time in ages that the NNPC will be publishing its financial transactions for the public to see.

BUHARI SACKS AMCON BOSS APPOINT AHMED LAWAN.

President Muhammadu Buhari has dissolved
the management team of the Assets
Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON.
The president appointed Ahmed Lawan
Kuru as new Managing Director of the
Corporation to replace Mustafa Chike-Obi.
Mr. Buhari also appointed Kola Ayeye,
Eberechukwu Uneze and Aminu Ismail as the
new executive directors of the corporation.
They will form the executive management
team of the body.
Until his appointment, Mr. Kuru was the
Group Managing Director of Enterprise Bank
Limited.
He started his banking career with the old
Habib Bank in 1985 and rose through the
ranks to become an Executive Director of
Bank PHB (now Keystone Bank) in 2005.
The president’s spokesperson, Femi Adesina,
said the appointments take effect Tuesday,
August 18.

BUHARI SACKS AMCON BOSS APPOINT AHMED LAWAN.

President Muhammadu Buhari has dissolved
the management team of the Assets
Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON.
The president appointed Ahmed Lawan
Kuru as new Managing Director of the
Corporation to replace Mustafa Chike-Obi.
Mr. Buhari also appointed Kola Ayeye,
Eberechukwu Uneze and Aminu Ismail as the
new executive directors of the corporation.
They will form the executive management
team of the body.
Until his appointment, Mr. Kuru was the
Group Managing Director of Enterprise Bank
Limited.
He started his banking career with the old
Habib Bank in 1985 and rose through the
ranks to become an Executive Director of
Bank PHB (now Keystone Bank) in 2005.
The president’s spokesperson, Femi Adesina,
said the appointments take effect Tuesday,
August 18.

BUHARI TO PERSONALLY PROBE SALE OF NITEL

President Muhammadu Buhari
has mandated the ministry of
communication to provide details
of the recent privatisation of the
Nigerian Telecommunications
(NITEL) and its mobile arm,
MTEL, to ascertain whether or
not Nigeria was short-changed.
Speaking to journalists Tuesday
after briefing the president on
the activities of the ministry of
communications, permanent
secretary Tunji Olaopa said the
president requested that a memo
detailing how the transaction
was processed be submitted
directly to him.
He said Mr. Buhari was
concerned about the possibility of
Nigeria not receiving a fair value
from the deal.
“The president was also
concerned about the liquidation
of NITEL. He is not opposed to its
privatization but he wants to
know… and he wants us to bring
a memo on how the whole
transaction was undertaken so
that he would know whether
Nigeria was short-changed,” he
said.
Mr. Olaopa said the president
was very concerned about the
whole issue of privatization that
is hindering investments in ICT
and said “that he will personally
champion this”.
“The president talked about the
potentials of the ICT sector in
generating employment,” Mr.
Olaopa said.
He said Mr. Buhari was also
concerned about the quality of
service from telecom operators in
the country.
The privatisation of the NITEL
and MTEL was completed in
December 2014 after the financial
bid was opened in October 2014
by the Goodluck Jonathan
administration.
A consortium run by Skye Bank’s
chairman, Tunde Ayeni, the
founder of Sahara Energy, Tonye
Cole, and two other companies,
received the nod from the
Nigerian government to take over
the two companies for $242.3
million (about N42.4 billion).
Their investment vehicle, NATCOM
Telecommunications, emerged the sole bidder
for the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited,
NITEL and Mtel.
NATCOM has as members NATSPACE
Telecommunication Investment Limited, PCCW
Global Limited, Prime Union Investment
Limited, Olutoyi Estate Development &
Services Limited, Legal Resources Alliance &
Co., Sahara Energy Resources Limited, and LM
Ericsson Nigeria Limited.
Of the seven firms, Mr. Ayeni, profiled as a
businessman and lawyer on Skye Bank’s
website, owns three.
He is the founder and operator of Prime
Union Investment Limited, Olutoyi Estate
Development & Services Limited, and Legal
Resources Alliance & Co. There were
suggestions that he has link with NATSPACE,
but PREMIUM TIMES could not independently
verify that claim.
In December 2014, Mr. Ayeni led NATCOM in
its acquisition of NITEL/MTEL less than two
months after he also led Skye Bank to buy
Mainstreet Bank from Assets Management
Company of Nigeria, for N120 billion.
In 2013, Mr. Ayeni was the chief promoter of
Integrated Energy Distribution and Marketing
Company Limited, a group that eventually
bought the Ibadan and Yola electricity
Distribution Companies, DISCOs.
Mr. Cole is the owner of Sahara Energy, while
LM Ericsson is a subsidiary of Swedish group,
Ericsson.
NATCOM, which merges the seven firms,
appears to be a new corporate entity created
solely for the purchase of NITEL/MTEL. Very
little is known about the consortium.
NATCOM emerged winner after NETTAG
Consortium, another little known group, was
disqualified for failing to attach a $10million
bid bond to its bid submission as stipulated in
the Request for Proposals (RFP) to prospective
bidders.
History of failed sales
Before the acquisition, four previous attempts
to sell NITEL failed.
Nigeria started the process of privatising the
national telecom groups in 2000 as part of the
government’s reform of the
telecommunications sector.
In 2001, the government tried to sell 51 per
cent equity to Investors International London
Limited (IILL) as the strategic core investor.
There was also the failed management
contract by Pentascope in 2005, the aborted
Orascom Telecoms bid in 2005, and the
strategic core investor sale through negotiated
sale strategy to Transcorp that was cancelled
in 2009.
The last effort was the strategic core investor
sale in 2011, where New Generation
Communications Limited and Omen
International emerged preferred and reserved
bidders respectively.
Following the last failed attempt, former Vice
President Namadi Sambo-led National Council
on Privatisation, adopted the guided
liquidation strategy for the sale of NITEL/
MTEL.

Anambara Sex Workers Embark On Protest and Strike

By Vincent Ujumadu
AWKA- No fewer than 200 commercial
sex workers residing at the cattle market
near the border community of Amansea in
Anambra State have gone on rampage,
destroying shanties in their vicinity after
they were rendered homeless and flushed
out by officials of the Anambra State
Urban Development Board (ASUDEB).
It was gathered that ASUDEB officials
swooped on them at about 3pm with
armed security operatives on the suspicion
that the brothels were being used by
suspected kidnappers and other hoodlums
to perpetrate crime.
Most of the prostitutes have already
relocated to the nearby Ugwuoba in Oji
River local government area of Enugu
State.
An eye witness said that after the
demolition of the houses, the visibly angry
prostitutes mobilized and set the remaining
untouched structures in the cattle market
ablaze, accusing the ASUDEP officials of
bias.
According to some of the sex workers,
government officials did not give them any
notice, accusing them of bias as they
destroyed only their homes, leaving behind
some huts, kiosks and canteens belonging
to the cattle traders.
However, the General Manager of
ASUDEB, Mr. Nathan Enemuo, who led the
operation, said the exercise was part of
Governor Willie Obiano’s resolve to rid the
state of all kinds of crime and criminal
activities in the state, adding that the
structures demolished were illegal buildings
in Amansea Garki Awka-North local
government area where prostitutes,
kidnappers and armed robbers have
allegedly made a safe home.
He said that such demolition would be
extended to the other urban towns of
Nnewi, Onitsha and other cities where sex
workers operate in illegal structures.
He also debunked the claim by the sex
workers that government did not give
them prior notice, saying that the board
gave them three weeks notice to vacate
the area, but they failed to do so.
He said: “A lot of prostitutes live around
Amansea cattle market, spoiling our
children and constituting nuisance in the
area and you know that anywhere there is
brothel, criminals and kidnappers hover
around there. In my capacity as the
ASUDEB general manager, I will ensure
that this does not exist anymore in the
state and our activities are in line with our
amiable governor’s policy on zero tolerance
to crime and kidnapping in the state.”

EBSU ATM ROBBED BY HOODLUMS

ABAKALIKI- HOODLUMS were on  Tuesday
reported to have invaded an Automated
Teller Machine (ATM) belonging to an old
generation bank in the College of
Agricultural Science, CAS, of the Ebonyi
State University, Abakaliki
Sources said the hoodlums evaded all the
security check points within the school and
proceeded to the ATM where they allegedly
carted away over N10 million which was
earlier loaded in by the bank officials.
“The robbers came into the campus in the
night and went straight into the bank.
They later carted away millions of Nigeria
which was loaded in the day time by the
bank officials.
“We learnt that up to N12million was stolen
during the incident. I can’t tell the actual
amount but all I know is that there was
robbery in this bank”, a witnessed said.
Another source claimed that the hoodlums
first sacked the security officials at the
entrance gate before entering the bank.
Contacted, the State Police Public
Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Chris
Anyanwu who confirmed the robbery
incident revealed that the actual amount
stolen by the robbers was yet to be
ascertained.
“Yes, there was robbery incident in one of
the old generation banks located in CAS
campus of Ebonyi State University.
“The robbers broke the ATM of the bank
and carted away all the money inside it.
We are hearing different figures stolen and
the bank officials have not given us the
figure of the amount carted away by the
robbers.
“Investigation has already commenced and
it is after the investigation that we will be
able to tell you a particular amount stolen”.

Reported by Peter Okotu.

NELSON MANDELA'S GRANDSON CHARGED WITH RAPING 15 YEAR OLD

Nelson Mandela’s 24-
year-old grandson, Mbuso
Mandela appeared in court on Monday on
charges of raping a 15-year-old, police said,
in a new scandal to tarnish the family of
the anti-apartheid icon.
Mbuso Mandela remains in police custody
and will return to the Johannesburg
magistrate court on Friday for a bail
hearing, police spokeswoman Mashadi
Selepe told AFP.
He is alleged to have raped the girl at a
Johannesburg restaurant over a week ago.
Another of Mandela’s grandchildren,
Mandla, the oldest of the late statesman’s
grandsons, was convicted early this year
of assaulting a 40-year-old motorist
during a road-rage incident.

Pastor Advises Actresses to Use Her Big Buttocks to Win Souls

Ghanaian actress, Vivian Okyere, popularly known as Tundra, says that her pastor advised her to use her buttocks to lead people to Christ. The actress made this known during an interview with NEWS-ON where she insisted that her big behind is actually natural but makes her feel guilty sometimes. Sometimes I feel guilty about my […]

Okonji " $600m Chinese Rail Loan not Diverted"

The immediate past Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on Sunday described as untrue allegation that a substantial part($600m) of the $1bn Chinese loan obtained for railway projects, was diverted.Okonjo-Iweala, in a statement by her Media Adviser, Mr Paul Nwabuikwu, also explained that contrary to the allegation, the Kano-Lagos rail project was not part of the project listed for funding from the Chinese loan.President Muhammadu Buhari had last Monday queried the Ministry of Finance for alleged diversion of foreign loans obtained for rail projects by the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.Specifically, the President was seeking clarification on alleged diversion of a substantial part of a $1.005bn loan obtained from the Chinese Exim Bank for the construction of a standard gauge rail line, linking Lagos to Kano.The funds were said to have been moved elsewhere.Okonjo-Iweala, who spearheaded the negotiation for the loan during her time as finance minister, said the China-Exim Bank kept and disbursed funds for approved projects to contractors based on milestones.The funds, she added, were not domiciled in the Finance Ministry.Giving a breakdown of the loan and how it was utilised, the minister said $500m was used for the expansion of four International Airport Terminals in Lagos, Kano, Abuja and Port Harcourt; $500m for the Abuja Light Rail project; $984m for the Zungeru Hydro-electric power project and $100m for the Galaxy Backbone projectThe minister, in the statement, noted that even if the alleged project was on the list of China-EximBank funded projects, diversion of any Chinese funds would have been extremely difficult because the terms of the contract and the processes would simply not have permitted such action.The statement reads in part, “We have continued to receive media inquiries regarding an allegation reportedly made by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transport, Alhaji Mohammed Bashar, that a substantial part of a $1bn loan obtained from the China-EximBank by the Jonathan administration for a Kano-Lagos rail project was diverted to other projects.“I want to state categorically that there is no truth in the reported allegation. Anyone who is interested can cross-check with the China-EximBank or the Chinese Embassy.“It is noteworthy that even though President Buhari, in his reported comments on the allegation, made no reference to Dr. Okonjo-Iweala but rightly stressed the need for due process and transparency in the execution of public projects, a sponsored media campaign has once again been launched by political elements to make the former Minister the culprit in a non-existent scandal.“The alleged diversion has no substance for the simple reason that the Kano-Lagos project was not even among the projects presented for funding by the China EximBank for several strategic infrastructural projects across the country.“In fact, it was the Lagos–Ibadan rail project, not Lagos-Kano rail project that was proposed in the original application to the China-EximBank. But in the end, no funds were assigned for the Lagos-Ibadan rail project by the China-EximBank.”

Shekau " I am still in charge"

Leader of the Boko Haram sect, Abubakar Shekau has again resurfaced in a recording and denied claims by Chadian president, Idriss Deby that he has been replaced by another sect member.Mr Deby claimed that Boko Haram was no longer led by Abubakar Shekau and that his successor was open to talks.“There is someone apparently called Mahamat Daoud who is said to have replaced Abubakar Shekau and he want to negotiate with the Nigerian government,” Deby said.The Boko Haram leader denied that he had been killed or ousted as chief of the extremist group in an audio recording released yesterday attributed to him by security experts.In the eight-minute Hausa-language message, Abubakar Shekau denied claims by Chadian leader Idriss Deby that he had been replaced and called the president a “hypocrite” and a “tyrant”.“It is indeed all over the global media of infidels that I am dead or that I am sick and incapacitated and has lost influence in the affairs of religion,” he said in the recording released on social media obtained by AFP.“It should be understood that this is false. This is indeed a lie. If it were true, my voice wouldn’t have been heard, now that I am speaking,” Shekau said.Mr Deby declared that efforts to combat neighbouring Nigeria’s Boko Haram jihadists had succeeded in “decapitating” the group and would be wrapped up “by the end of the year”.“Gratitude be to Allah and with his help, I have not disappeared. I am still alive and I am not dead. And I will not die until my time.”

IBB " BUHARI CAN RECOVER STOLEN FUNDS"

Former military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (retd), has affirmed that President Muhammadu Buhari has the capacity to recover Nigeria’s stolen funds.Gen Babangida, who spoke in an interview with correspondents yesterday in Minna, Niger State, to mark his 74th birthday, also gave reasons why the war on insurgency was very difficult and narrated how former head of state, the late General Sani Abacha, saved him during the failed Gideon Orkar-led coup d’état.On the efforts by President Buhari to recover stolen money, the former military ruler said: “My boss, President Olusegun Obasanjo created a similar strategy and, to be fair to him and his government, he made a lot of recoveries when he was in office; so we should support this present federal government in what is trying to do, to achieve the same objective”.Asked further whether he thought the president’s strategy in this direction would yield the desired results, he stated that Buhari needs commitment to succeed.“If he is resolute, I believe he will achieve some degree of stolen funds,” Babangida said. “You talk about oil theft, I am sure President Buhari is resolute to stamp out all those and to bring to book all those who have tampered especially in stealing our oil.”He also gave reasons why the federal government could not negotiate with Boko Haram just as he cleared the air on his ancestral background.On the new wave of attacks by Boko Haram since President Buhari assumed office, the former military leader said that the war against insurgents was exceptionally difficult because it was not a conventional war where military could test their full strength.“I think there is a general misunderstanding of the whole concept of insurgency; you can call it anything – instability, guerilla war, terrorism. We are not fighting a regular army where you can confront them with sheer use of force and weapons to overwhelm the enemy; no, we have gotten a small trained army whose tactics is to inflict maximum casualty on its so-called enemy, inflict casualty on him when and where he least expects it.“The army is not fighting a conventional war; that makes it exceptionally difficult. They (Boko Haram militants) blow our bridges; they go as far as blowing up barracks and so on; this is an unconventional war. I think the soldiers are trained for it and they know this is the sort of thing they do. I think the public should be educated about this unconventional war.”Asked whether he subscribed to the idea of the government negotiating with the Boko Haram, he said: “Unfortunately the president got it right. He said he will talk to people who are credible, who have been identified as some of the leaders of the insurgency but, so far, apart from one or two names, we do not hear any other name. I don’t think the government will like to talk to a vacuum, to talk to people who are not worth talking to, as far as these issues are concerned. So the government is right in being careful to identify and talk if there is anything to talk about.”Babangida praised the efforts of President Buhari’s government so far in fighting the group, and stated that, beyond weapons, it was the mind behind the weapons that wins war, adding that troops training should be emphasized also. He also commended effort of the United States in training Nigeria military over time.Also speaking on the bloody Orkar coup of 1990, the former Nigeria leader stated that the late General Sani Abacha and some loyal officers actually saved his life.“That I can remember very well. I had some loyal officers who were supposed to be my protectors and my body guards. Initially, they told me to leave but I told them no, that I was not leaving to anywhere but they remained stubborn, and later I took my family outside Dodan Barracks and joined my guards.“So we went out of Dodan Barracks and we went to a safe house where we got in contact with loyal troops. May God bless (the late) Sani Abacha. Sani Abacha was the chief of army staff; I got in touch with him and we sat down and talked about what we were going to do. I and Abacha rallied round the loyal troops and then I left my state house and joined Abacha in his house, that was what happened.”He also denied the rumour that he has ancestral link to Ogbomosho in the South West.“I had to answer the question way back in November 1962 because of my name, Badamasi. I answered the question during my final year in secondary school when I had to answer that question. Now, 52 years later, I am glad I am answering the same question.“The truth is that I hail from here, Niger State. My parents were from between Wushishi and this town (Minna). My grandparents travelled to settle down here, though I think that, that says it all. There is nothing wrong in being from any part of the country, but the truth is that I hail from Niger State. My grandparents and great grandparents moved from somewhere to settle down in Niger State.“There are some who still call you the settlers in Niger State, that we are not indigenous to the state because our grandparents came from somewhere to settle here but I have lived all my 74 years in Niger State and I think I am more than qualified to be called a native of Niger State.”Babangida further remarked that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) failure in the last election was a hallmark of democracy, adding that the people were resolute to vote PDP out and they did it peacefully.The former military president, however, advised the party to reassess itself and ascertain what went wrong in order to prepare well for future elections.“I hope, they (PDP) learn from their mistakes; what they did wrong – what they did right and what they can do now to re-launch their party.” 

APC RELEASES LIST OF LOOTED FUNDS SAYING NO LOOTER WILL GO FREE

The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday released list of looted funds in the country, saying no good leader will ignore such massive looting of the nation’s treasury by public officials.The party, in a statement issued in Lagos by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said nothing but the total recovery of the funds will be acceptable to all patriotic Nigerians.APC said anyone who attempts, either by deeds or words, to sabotage the recovery efforts is not a patriot and deserves nothing but public denunciation.‘’It is absolutely gratifying that Nigerians are vehemently opposed to the few who would rather have the government of the day turn a blind eye to the looted funds and, in their words, carry on with the process of governance.‘’Truly, what sort of governance can go on if the billions of Naira in a few hands are not recovered? In the first instance, the government needs every kobo of the funds it can muster to bring about the change it has promised Nigerians.“Secondly, leaving such hair-raising funds in the hands of the few looters is dangerous, because they can use the funds to destabilize any government. In fact, no one will be surprised if the looters use their dirty funds to sponsor public demonstrations against the government’s determination to recover the funds.‘’Thirdly, allowing those who privatized the commonwealth to get away is offering a thumbs-up for looting. No responsible government will do that,’’ APC said.The party remarked that, already, the looters had embarked on a relentless and an increasingly-bold campaign to discredit the government of the day and sabotage the funds’ recovery process, using newspaper columnists, and otherwise respectable opinion leaders.‘’They and their paid hirelings have tried to employ sophistry to muddle the waters, but Nigerians are much wiser, and will not succumb to the dirty antics of the looters’ megaphones,’’ it said.The party noted that it was necessary to remind Nigerians of the kind of massive looting of the treasury that took place in the past few years, so that they can better appreciate the seriousness of the issue at stake. It therefore listed some instances of the looting as follows:
– N3.8 trillion out of the N8.1 trillion earned from crude oil (2012-2015) withheld by NNPC
– $2.1 billion from Excess Crude Account unaccounted for– Department of Petroleum Resources’ unremitted N109.7 billion royalty from oil firms
– $6 billion allegedly looted by some ministers of the last administration– 160 billion barrels of crude worth $13.9 billion lost between 2009 and 2012
– $15 million from botched arms deal yet to be returned to Nigeria
– $13 billion NLNG dividends mostly unaccounted for
– N30 billion rice waiver
– N183 billion unaccounted for at the NDDC
The party said the listed ‘missing’ funds constituted just a fraction of the total sum since they are mostly from a few sectors of the economy, mostly the oil sector, and were discovered even before the forensic audit now being undertaken in some key areas.‘’The level of looting that went on in other sectors is better imagined, hence the need for all Nigerians to rally around the Buhari administration to recover the loots, bring the looters to justice and put in place measures to prevent such looting in the future,’’ it said.The governing party thanked Nigerians for their overwhelming support for the Buhari administration in its tough but important task of tracing and recovering the loot.

Segun Abaje, MD GTbank win CEO of the year in London.

The Foremost African financial institution, Guaranty Trust Bank plc has again endorsed its position as a leading global brand with the recent recognition of its Managing Director/CEO, Segun Agbaje, as CEO of the Year at the 2015 Finance Monthly Global Awards, which was held in London.The award, which is in its seventh year, is one of the most sought after industry awards because of its integrity.The CEO Awards is compiled by a dedicated team of researchers, who draw on the views of thousands of stakeholders including investors, analysts, executives, employees, and media professionals worldwide.The research results are used to inform and identify best management practices and critical success factors, and ultimately recognize achievement in business.Every year, Finance Monthly magazine identifies and honours the most respected companies and their leaders, by recognizing extraordinary individuals who have shown the strategic foresight and leadership to deliver superior performance over the past 12 months, effectively managed all key stakeholders and prepared the organization for the next phase of growth.According to Mark Palmer, Finance Monthly Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief, “The success of every business starts with a strategic, resourceful and engaging leader. It is these qualities that help foster team spirit and employee motivation, which in turn create a successful company.“The CEOs listed within Finance Monthly’s 2015 CEO Awards publication are corporate leaders who deliver results and have achieved considerable success in their sectors. In winning this award, Segun Agbaje, Managing Director/CEO of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc stands out as one of Africa’s most successful, innovative and forward thinking CEOs whose inspiring leadership has helped create an enduring organization with deep beneficial impact on the wider community and society at large.”Commenting on the award, Agbaje said, “We operate in challenging business environments, but we believe that our stakeholders should be better off for partnering with us thus, we set high goals and benchmark ourselves against global standards which influence our service culture and product offerings, thereby enabling us to remain relevant to our customers while adding value to all stakeholders.“For us, this award is an indication that we have earned the loyalty of our customers and an attestation of the hard work and dedication of our staff, management and board without whom this award would not have been possible and the hardwork of our staff is truly appreciated.“I am deeply honoured to have won this award, I want to especially thank all the employees of GTBank, whom without their unrelenting hard work and dedication, the success we all enjoy today would not have been possible.“We operate in sometimes challenging times, but we set ourselves high goals, benchmark ourselves against global standards, follow the best principles of corporate governance whilst adhering to a set of enduring values.”He added that, “This award and all the Bank’s successes in recent years can only be credited to the loyalty of our customers, the experience of our board, the passion and dedication of our staff as well as the support of our regulators.”GTBank has consistently played a leading role in Africa’s banking industry. The brand is regarded by industry watchers as one of the best run financial institutions across its subsidiary countries and serves as a role model within the financial service industry due to its bias for world class corporate governance standards, excellent service quality and innovation.

BABA TO JOIN CHELSEA $33m DEAL

Augsburg manager Stefan Reuter confirmed Saturday that Ghana's Abdul Rahman Baba is poised to join English champions Chelsea with the deal set to net the Germans up to 30 million euros ($33m).

BORNO STATE DEPUTY GOVERNOR DEAD

The Borno Government on Saturday announced the
death of its Deputy Governor, Alhaji Zannah Umar
Mustapha
Alhaji Usman Shuwa, the Secretary to the
State Government, announced the death in
a statement signed in Maiduguri.
“It is with deep sense of utter shock and
disbelief but with complete submission to
the will of the Almighty Allah that the
Borno Government hereby announces the
passing away of Alhaji Zannah Umar
Mustapha, the Deputy Governor.
“He died in his sleep this morning
(Saturday) in Yola, Adamawa, where he
was to represent Borno Government at
the convocation ceremony of Modibbo
Adama University of Science and
Technology, Yola.
“He was also scheduled to follow up on his
earlier visit to Yola, in connection with the
welfare of Borno citizens internally
displaced as a result of the Boko Haram
insurgency.
“His remains would be brought to
Maiduguri for funeral at the Government
House, Maiduguri, at 4p.m. Saturday, Aug.
15, the statement read.
It also quoted Gov. Kashim Shettima of
Borno as expressing his heart felt
condolence to the family of the Deputy
Governor and the entire people of Borno
for the irreparable loss.
Shettima appealed for prayers for the
repose of the soul of the late Deputy
Governor.

US EXPERTS TO TRAIN NIGERIA FAMERS

The United States of America will assist as well as train Nigerian farmers in the next agricultural planting season.This is part of the dividends being recorded after President Muhammadu Buhari’s trip to the US, Femi Adesina, presidential spokesman said.Already, the 2015 planting has been completed and Nigerian farmers will await the tutelage of US professional farmers to improve on the already thriving sector.He warned that the dividend from the four-day working visit might not be immediately visible as most were long term, however, the short terms ones were already pouring in and others will keep coming progressively.“It is not like going to the market and coming back and saying how much did you sell? There are long-term things. When we came back we talked about the things that are immediate, the low hanging fruits that we could have and the ones that could take time,” he said.During the National Peace Committee meeting which held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja last week, the President “talked about America coming to assist us in farming next season, it is late for this year but by next year they are going to send some experts who will help Nigerian farmers.“So, things like that will keep coming. It is not something that you will just put in a basket immediately. The yield will come in progressively,” according to Adesina.He said the agenda of security, assistance in terms of armament, instructions and intelligence, “will keep dropping; it is not as if it will be gotten in one fell swoop.”The administration of President Goodluck Jonathan had from 2011 focused on the agricultural sector as one of its mainstay, in the quest to boost food production and ensure self-sufficiency in agricultural practices in the country. This yielded a 70 percent growth in food production.The production of rice and cassava received more attention as even the output of Nigerian rice farmers was over 2.8 million metric tons of rice paddy. This had also culminated in the introduction of a dry season farming.Buhari’s government has now listed agriculture as one of its main source to boost the economy in the midst of dwindling oil prices. Oil prices have continued to fall between an all time high of $68 to $50 per barrel.Only recently Buhari had, while receiving the President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Kanayo Nwanze, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said the time had come for Nigerians to do more than pay mere lip service to agriculture, as crude oil and gas exports would no longer be sufficient as the country’s major revenue earner.“It’s time to go back to the land. We must face the reality that the petroleum we had depended on for so long will no longer suffice. We campaigned heavily on agriculture, and we are ready to assist as many as want to go into agricultural ventures,” the president had said.

TERRENCE HOWARD IN TIRES AS HE TESTIFIES AGAINST WIFE

Terrence Howard broke down on the stand yesterday when he testified he signed a settlement agreement with his wife because she threatened to release medical information that would make it impossible for him to ever work in Hollywood again.Howard was referring to a conversation he taped when Michelle Ghent was on the phone threatening to telling various people he had an STD.He also testified he felt pressure to sign the settlement agreement, giving her an unusually large sum of money and also because she threatened to release a sex tape featuring him and another woman.According to TMZ reports, Howard blew his nose as he fought back tears on the stand, taking deep breaths as he testified.He also testified that his wife was always jealous about his scenes with other women on TV especially the make out scene with Jennifer Hudson in the movie-Winnie Mandela. He said she flew into a rage and threw food at him while they were in South Africa.He also testified that they were no longer sexually compatible once he tried becoming a Jehovah's witness and applied bible principles to his sex life.He's trying to undo the settlement, giving her $5,800 a month in spousal support and a chunk of his "Empire" earnings, on grounds he signed the doc under extreme duress.

Four Scored Dead in Bristow Helicopter Chrash at Lagos Lagoon

Following a distress call received from Local Divers at about 3:10 pm today, 12th August, 2015, that a Helicopter plunged into the Lagos Lagoon at Oworonshoki, a team of Policemen and other emergency management agencies swiftly moved to the scene. During the rescue operation, six persons on board the helicopter were rescued alive and taken to the hospital for medical attention and are responding to treatment, while four corpses were recovered.Initial enquiry revealed that the helicopter belongs to Bristow Helicopters and that twelve(12) persons were said to be on board the ill-fated helicopter.In another development, there has been a high rate of fire incidents in Lagos State, arising from carelessness and mishandling of petroleum products through black marketeering and mass storage at homes due to perceived scarcity. Yesterday, 13/08/2015 at about 2030hrs, along Maidan Street, by Ajiliti area of Mile 12, a Motorcycle conveying a woman with a gallon of petrol stacked in a polythene bag collided with another Motorcycle. In the process, the content spilled on the road and caught fire. The fire engulfed both motorcycles and four others close by.The rider, the passenger and two others suffered severe burns and have been admitted at a nearby hospital for treatment. The Command therefore appeals to members of the public to be mindful of how they handle petroleum products, stop mass storage of the product in their homes. Motorists, especially Tanker Drivers are equally admonished to observe traffic rules and speed limits to avoid such occurrences.

AGIP EXPLOSION, BAYALSA THREATENS AGIP OVER DELAY OF VICTIMS BURIAL

Bayelsa State government has threatened to sanction the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NAOC, management for unnecessary delay in releasing documents and remains of victims of the July 9 pipeline explosion at its oil field in Azuzuama.Fourteen people, including two regulatory officials of the Ministry of Environment and National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA, died in the explosion at Agip’s oil fields in Azuzuama, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area in Bayelsa.Commissioner for Environment, Mr Iniruo Wills, in an interview yesterday accused the NOAC management of withholding autopsy reports and death certificates of the victims.Wills, who berated the stance of the oil firm, said Bayelsa government frowned at the development, which had frustrated burial plans by families of the deceased.He said the state government would wield the big stick and give appropriate sanctions if the documents were not released immediately to allow the families bury their dead.“Managing Director of Agip has refused or has been foot-dragging to release the autopsy report, death certificate and collection card for our staff ’s remains several weeks on. We find this to be grossly indecent and an aggravation of the Azuzuama tragedy that we and the families are still grappling with.“The family continues to be in suspense and has had to change burial plans because of this. We would treat it as a provocation and respond with appropriate governmental sanctions if we don’t receive these papers immediately,” Wills said.Officials of NAOC, representatives of the host community and Bayelsa Ministry of Environment were investigating the cause of a recent oil spill in the area when the explosion occurred.Public Affairs Manager of NAOC, Mr Dan Jumbo, declined comments when contacted for reactions on the developments.

AMAECHI ON SUBSIDY

Dr. Boniface Chizea, an Economist based in Lagos takes a dispassionate look at subsidy environment in Nigeria.Since after President Muhammadu Buhari declared his stand on the subsidy removal issue indicating that he was still pondering over the matter as according to him removal of subsidy will hurt the poor thereby by extension announcing his pro poor stance, I had thought of joining issues to explain that even if removal of subsidy could be inflationary it might not harm the poor as feared, as studies had established the fact that only a negligible proportion of the poor enjoy the benefit of subsidy and therefore what really needed to be done is to build in some palliatives to cushion this probable effect before effecting the removal.But I was reluctant and not convinced that it was worth my while until I stumbled on and watched a program on Sunday night after the popular Channels Television News at Ten which was on the 16 years of public service of Rotimi Amaechi; the immediate past Governor of Rivers State who most marveled at his courage at taking on a sitting President particularly the way and manner he did so and thought that it was a must watch and I was glad I did.After Amaechi declared during the program speaking on the subsidy regime that the cost of subsidy was N 300 billion under both Olusegun Obasanjo and Umaru Yar’Adua’s governments but suddenly increased to N 1.9 trillion (I heard N 1.4 trillion earlier) under President Jonathan and how he was invited to a meeting at which it was announced that the amount of the subsidy was going to be jerked up which he balked at in conscience as he was supposed to get a share as the Chairman of the Governor’s forum and how he was upbraided and called all manner of names by President Jonathan, I thought that I needed no further motivation to join issues regarding the subsidy removal debate.What therefore I intend to do in this article is to dispassionately look at the subsidy environment as it is presently, highlight some of the murky issues relating to it, avert our mind regarding a preferred strategy for the removal of subsidy in the country mindful of our recent experience and recommend the way forward. But it will be most unfair if I do not in the first place say one or two things about the entire program during which Amaechi was celebrated which was transmitted by Channels Television.As the Vice President who was the Chairman of the occasion observed when it was his turn to make some remarks at the event, Rotimi Amaechi had certainly been the toast of the moment as he had one event or the other celebrating him recently.I recall particularly a book launch here in Lagos which was held at the Institute of International Affairs for which Bishop Kukah was the reviewer which was supposed to be on Amaechi’s time as the Governor of Rivers State and particularly the observation made by Bishop Kukah to the effect that there was a misalignment between the title and the content of the book as it was really a collection of testimonials by some notable stakeholders on his tenure rather than an account of his stewardship.I was particularly fascinated that I shared a lot in common with Amaechi. We both share the Catholic faith. In fact I am a knight of the Church (Knight of Saint Mulumba) since the year 2000 and both of us share the culture of attendance at daily morning Mass which I agree with Amaechi is quite efficacious as it tantamount in faith to literally handing the day over to the Lord and asking Him to take preeminent control which will probably account for the boldness and courage which Amaechi is reputed to have exhibited; a child of God has really no fear.What was not probably added is the fact that to enjoy the full benefit of the protection of the Lord that you must strive to avoid sin particularly the sin of the flesh, which is a sin against the Holy Spirit as, our bodies are temples of Holy Spirit. Once one commits sin he loses sanctifying grace and God literally turns away from the sinner.The subsidy environment in the country today is characterized by the payment of unearned subsidy, which had placed an unsustainable toll on the treasury; the amount of subsidy is variously estimated at about 30 per cent of government expenditure, 4 per cent of Gross Domestic Product and 118 per cent of Capital expenditure.The level of subsidy as has been severally demonstrated breeds the worst type of corruption, encourages the smuggling of imported refined products across the borders to take advantage of the subsidized prize, creates occasional scarcity, productivity sapping long queues, cost of product in many parts of the country outside the main urban centers of Lagos and Abuja at prices higher than the regulated price, potential damage to car engines as citizens purchase adulterated products owing to the activities of greedy hawkers and the growth of the sector is undermined as even associated gas is not optimized and as private capital remains shy of going into a regulated environment and generally a poor advertisement for a country which is the sixth largest producer of crude petroleum but which is woefully dependent on importation to meet its needs for refined products.Obviously it goes without saying that this level of subsidy payment is injurious to the development of the national economy and cannot therefore be sustained. And therefore there is the urgent need for some initiative in this connection.As a quick win it will be necessary to activate the refineries in the country to begin to operate optimally to reduce the burden of importation, which also contributes in no small measure to the pressure, which the country presently confronts in managing the exchange rate.It is welcome development as it has been recently announced that all the refineries in the country are roaring back into operation; the fear of President Buhari! And my considered view is the fear that the poor will be impacted is to a large extent exaggerated.One is of course mindful of the experience during the most recent attempt to remove the subsidy in January 2011 which resulted in total gridlock as the country grind to a halt over the whole of one week and there was palpable fear that an environment was being inadvertently created for the return of the military and therefore we recommend consultation with organized labor to convince them of the unassailable need for the subsidy to be removed.And we would wish to caution that what we recommend is once and for all removal of subsidy by total deregulation of the downstream petroleum sector.Experience has shown that partial increase in the price of products will not do as President Obasanjo alone is reputed to have increased product price seven times; the last of which was undertaken a few months to the end of his two term tenure as civilian President. All that will be required is to agree some palliatives as product price increase works through the economy. The savings from the subsidy payment could for instance be deployed for the provision of social infrastructure for the benefit of the poor to cushion the unlikely effect of this proposed and recommended course of action.

NSCDC UNDERCOVERS ILLEGAL FERTILIZER FACTORY IN NIGER STATE

Chinwendu Nnadozie  /  Minna The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Niger State Command has uncovered a factory which mixed coloured clay with Notre Granule Urea and sold them to unsuspecting members of the public, particularly farmers as genuine fertilizer.The adulterated fertilizer factory owned by one, Hassan Karfe, who is now on the run, is located in a secluded compound directly behind the Abdulsalam Abubakar motor park in the Tunga area of Minna, the state capital.Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Mr. Philip Ayuba who announced the discovery to journalists said that they uncovered the factory during routine surveillance by the patrol team over the weekend.Investigations revealed that while genuine fertilizer sold for N7, 500 or more per 50kg bag, the fake fertilizer packaged by the factory sold for N4, 500.00.According to the NSCDC boss, “We are here to brief you of what our surveillance team has discovered lately. The illegal act is being perpetrated by some unpatriotic Nigerians who want to make money through a dubious means, some people are adulterating fertilizer.“What the people do is criminal, sabotaging Federal Government by mixing some concoctions with some coloured clay and mixed it with Notre Urea, for it to have the smell of fertilizer and selling same to unsuspecting farmers.“This act is not good for this country; it is evil because people put their money in farming business without knowing that they are buying fake fertilizer. This is another way of sabotaging the economy of this country because we know those who must have bought this type of fertilizer are into the business and expect bumper harvest”, he said.Although, no arrests were made because the operator of the factory was said to have fled on sighting the patrol team advancing towards the compound, the NSCDC Commandant, said that efforts were being made to track down the suspects and their accomplices.Items found inside the factory included; standby tipper loads of coloured clay, sack stitching/sealing machine, some sachets of Notre urea and as well bundles of empty 50 Kg bags with the inscription of the illegal company’s name on them.Mr. Ayuba expressed regrets that many unsuspecting Nigerians may have fallen victim to the antics of the fleeing suspects and would have wasted their money purchasing the adulterated fertilizer.He called on farmers in the state to beware of fraudsters and ensure they buy fertilizers from the approved distributors. He also enjoined farmers to insist on testing the commodity they bought henceforth before paying to ensure they are genuine.

SEVEN THINGS TO TAKE CARE OF TO AVOID HEARING "NO" IN A MARRIAGE PROPOSAL

The thought of a lady saying no to a marriage proposal to many is unrealistic. Many a time ladies are characterized by their attitude towards trapping a man into marriage rather than refusing a proposal but as uncommon as it may seem to many, guys still get their rings thrown back in their faces. 7 common reasons why ladies reject marriage proposals include: 1. Financial independence When financial independence is mentioned, a lot of people are quick to say ladies are only after the money, want a well to do man but this isn't about the man. Not that the "independent state" of a man doesn't count but some ladies reject marriage proposals because they (the lady) want to be financially stable before starting a family. Not every girl likes the idea of a man taking care of all her needs. Some ladies want to also be able to contribute and support their husbands financially before their answer is yes.2. Family attachment A man who loves his family can be said to be a good man. He can also be said to be one who would make a good husband and father but when a man is too attached to family it can be a reason not to be taken seriously when he pops the question. A man who can't make decisions until he gets approval from his family still has an invisible umbilical cord round his neck. A guy who has to meet all the needs of his family before considering the needs of his "to be" wife may not change after marriage. No woman wants a man whose decisions can only be final after the parents have certified3. Age factor Many ladies have lost great men because they have allowed themselves to be consumed by the feeling of "still young".A lady who feels she is too young to get married shouldn't be in a relationship. Some ladies claim to be ready but when the proposal comes they say they are too young. This has more to do with their inability to deal with commitment. 4. Mending fences strategy Relationships are never perfect and a good surprise is always welcomed but proposing during a misunderstanding or a fight usually backfires. It is good to want to work through issues easily and have them sorted out quickly but proposing when she's mad at you is risky. A no may just be what you get.5. Proposal method and ring choice Ladies usually have things they fantasize about. One of which is their wedding and also the way you propose. Ladies have been known to turn down marriage proposal because they felt it wasn't romantic enough, others because it was too extravagant. Choice of ring too has not been left out. Ladies love to show off among their peers, no wonder a lady would say no to a guy simply because she feels the ring used in proposing is not befitting. 6. Sexual satisfaction. The importance given to sex in relationships these days cannot be over emphasized. A lady could reject a proposal upon considering if the guy satisfies her in bed or not. In a relationship, a lady can still try to get her sexual satisfaction from someone else but in marriage she may not. Knowing that a guy can't sexually satisfy her is a good enough reason to say no for some ladies. 7. Lack of trust (too many female friends) Lack of trust is one of the most common issues faced by relationships today. A lot of people are in relationships where trust is only a mirage. A major cause of lack of trust for ladies is encompassed in the fact that the guy has too many female friends. In such situations, the lady is likely to feel insecure and unsure. Even when the guy proposes, she tends to take it as a joke and the reply is usually no.