Presidency Unveils Buhari’s Economic Team

The Presidency has disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari has an economic management team. The Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Mr Laolu Akande, disclosed this in a telephone interview with our correspondent last light.

Akande was reacting to a media report that quoted some economic experts as urging the president to form his economic team. According to him, the economic team of President Buhari has been put in place since the inauguration of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) last November.


 Akande said the economic management team is headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.  He listed the team’s key members as including the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma; the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun; the Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah; the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godswin Emefiele; and the Director-General of the Debt Management Office (DMO). He said the composition of the team was not static as Agriculture Minister Audu Ogbe and Information Minister Lai Mohammed as well as relevant permanent secretaries have also been involved.

The vice president’s aide said the team had since been meeting and engaging representatives of the private sector.

He noted that unlike what obtained in the past, Buhari’s administration did not make anybody from the private sector a member of the economic management team.

The vice president’s spokesman also exclusively told our correspondent that President Buhari had appointed Dr. Oluyemi Dipeolu as his Special Adviser on Economic Matters.  He said the economic adviser, who was until his appointment in January a director in the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), has been working with the economic management team.

Photos: Star Actress Omotola Jalade Meets With Oprah Winfrey And Boris Kodjoe

Meeting Oprah is the dream of many but Omotola has made it comes true for herself


Catiopn: @oprah kept saying #theNigerianActress oh dear... @essencemag #blackwomeninhollywood @owntv

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Davido Announces Collaboration With U.S Rapper Young Thug

Davido is one of the most consistent Nigerian artistes today and he continues to work hard to stay at the top. The singer took to his Instagram page to announce his collaboration with American rapper, Young Thug.

He shared a video of him having a video chat with Young Thug, checkout the clip below...

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCNwqZfKUDc/?taken-by=davidoofficial

Pics: Army Intensifies Rescue Operations As 1890 Boko Haram Captives Are Freed

Nigerian Troops Intensify Rescue Operations As 1890 Boko Haram Captives Are Freed

In continuation of the clearance operations by troops to mop up the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists, troops have rescued over 1890 persons held captives by Boko Haram terrorists at various locations within the last two weeks.

Those rescued include 800 Nigerian refugees that crossed to Cameroon that were brought back to Banki town in Nigeria by troops of 21 Brigade yesterday.

Troops of 121 Task Force conducted joint patrols with Cameroonian forces at Mararaba, Angwan Fada, Dale and Wizha Bokko Timit, Bokko Nasanu and Bokko Hidde up to Ngoshe in which they rescued 17 women and 28 children.

Similarly, troops of 7 Division Garrison, in a joint operations with 112 Battalion, Army Headquarters Support Group and Armed Forces Special Forces at Gajibo, Maula, Gamai, Gamare, Maiwa, Warsale, Tangli, Tushi, Sowa, Hasanari, Changuwa, Malamaja, and Marya in Dikwa and Mafa Local Government Areas rescued 350 people including 5 Cameroonian girls that were held hostages by the Boko Haram terrists in those areas.

Also troops of 7 Division Garrison in conjunction with troops of 112 Task Force Battalion, and Armed Forces Special Forces on 17th February 2016, conducted clearance operations at Kwaptara, Mijigete, Garin Boka, Mosole, Ngubdori, Ma'asa, Dukje and Gulumba in Dikwa and Bama Local Government Areas in which they rescued 195 persons held hostage by Boko Haram terrorists.

On 23rd February 2016, troops of 21 Brigade in conjunction with troops of MNJTF on clearance operations at Kumshe general area, rescued 250 and persons, mainly women and children held hostages by Boko Haram terrorists and brought back 800 refugees from Cameroon. On 23rd February 2016, troops of 7 Division rescued 150 persons at Kodo.

Troops of 21 Brigade had also intercepted over 3,000 Nigerian refugees crossing from Wambatche, Liman and Kodo Fata villages in Cameroon into Nigeria. The refugees have been moved to Bama Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp. Also, in a clearance operations troops of 25 Task Force Brigade today, at Galmasku, Muli, Chiralia, Maisani, Talala, Ajigin, Shetimalau, 1 and 2 and Dalomi also rescued 250 civilians held hostages by Boko Haram terrorists.

US To Send Soldiers To Nigeria: New York Times

DAKAR, Senegal — The Pentagon is poised to send dozens of Special Operations advisers to the front lines of Nigeria’s fight against the West African militant group Boko Haram, according to military officials, the latest deployment in conflicts with the Islamic State and its allies.

Their deployment would push American troops hundreds of miles closer to the battle that Nigerian forces are waging against an insurgency that has killed thousands of civilians in the country’s northeast as well as in neighboring Niger, Chad and Cameroon. By some measures, Boko Haram is the world’s deadliest terrorist group.

The deployment is a main recommendation of a recent confidential assessment by the top United States Special Operations commander for Africa, Brig. Gen. Donald C. Bolduc. If it is approved, as expected, by the Defense and State Departments, the Americans would serve only in noncombat advisory roles, military officials said.

Even as President Obama has drawn down the large American armies sent to Iraq and Afghanistan, he has relied heavily on Special Operations forces to train and advise local troops fighting the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, and to carry out clandestine counterterrorism missions.

Already, about 50 American commandos are advising fighters battling the Islamic State in eastern Syria. Scores more in a new, secret kill-or-capture unit are hunting Islamic State militants in Iraq. The Pentagon has offered to send American advisers with Iraqi brigades on the battlefield instead of restricting them to bases inside Iraq. Dozens of American commandos are conducting surveillance missions in Libya and counterterrorism missions in Somalia.

“Rather than entangle U.S. combat forces on the ground, help build the capacity of regional forces to tackle their countries’ security challenges,” said Jennifer G. Cooke, Africa director at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, who visited Nigeria last month. “Training and advising and perhaps imparting the lessons we learned the hard way is a good thing.”

Since taking office last year, Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari, has vowed to pursue a military campaign against Boko Haram more vigorously than his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan. His shake-up of the military high command and new cooperation with neighboring countries has proved effective.


A Nigerian Army soldier in Lagos last year.STEFAN HEUNIS/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE — GETTY IMAGES
Mr. Buhari, a former general, has boasted of the military’s successes in wresting control of a huge portion of terrain from the group, declaring a “technical” victory late last year. But while the military has killed or captured thousands of militants and put an end to raids of villages by dozens or more fighters, the group has still carried out suicide attacks at a relentless pace in Nigeria and neighboring countries.

“Despite losing territory in 2015, Boko Haram will probably remain a threat to Nigeria throughout 2016 and will continue its terror campaign within the country and in neighboring Cameroon, Niger and Chad,” James R. Clapper, the director of national intelligence, told the House Intelligence Committee in Washington on Thursday.

To help combat this threat, Mr. Buhari has embraced American assistance, ending several years of tense relations that sank to new lows in 2014 when the United States blocked the sale of American-made Cobra attack helicopters to Nigeria from Israel, amid concerns about Nigeria’s protection of civilians when conducting military operations.

Groups like Human Rights Watch say the Nigerian military has at times burned hundreds of homes and committed other abuses as it battled Boko Haram and its presumed supporters.

Nigeria’s ambassador to the United States responded sharply at the time, accusing Washington of hampering the country’s effort to defeat Boko Haram. American officials also expressed hesitancy about sharing intelligence with the Nigerian military, fearing their ranks had been infiltrated by Boko Haram, an accusation that further infuriated Nigerian leaders.

In December 2014, Nigeria canceled the last stage of American training of a new Nigerian Army battalion that was to take the lead in fighting terrorists.

Those days now seem over. This month Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the State Department’s top diplomat for Africa, announced that the suspended training for the Nigerian infantry battalion would resume soon. Nigeria will provide the ammunition.

Two weeks ago, Gen. David M. Rodriguez, the head of the Pentagon’s Africa Command, hosted Nigeria’s chief of defense staff, Gen. Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin, at the American headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany. “To contain Boko Haram, working together is a priority,” General Rodriguez told his visitor.

About 250 American service members have deployed to a military base in Garoua, Cameroon, where United States surveillance drones flying over northeastern Nigeria are sending imagery to African troops. Drone photos recently helped the Nigerian Army avoid a major Boko Haram ambush, according to a senior American intelligence officer.

Another breakthrough occurred late last year when General Bolduc, a Green Beret with multiple Special Forces tours in Afghanistan, visited Nigeria. When officials there asked for assistance, General Bolduc quickly sent an assessment team to conduct a 30-day review.

Among the team’s main recommendations was to position “small dozens” of Special Forces in Maiduguri, a major city in the northeast on the edge of the conflict, to help Nigerian military planners carry out a more effective counterterrorism campaign. British special forces are already assisting in the city. (The American military now maintains only a tiny intelligence cell in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.) Nigerian military officials have embraced the recommendations and are drawing up detailed requests, American officials said.

Just last fall, life seemed to be turning back to normal in the areas near Maiduguri, which for years had been the epicenter of Boko Haram’s activities. But after a major military operation uprooted the militants from nearby villages they had seized, many fighters have returned to Maiduguri to launch repeated suicide bombing operations in the city or in villages on the outskirts that have caused dozens of deaths.

At the end of last year, fighters attacked the city with rocket-propelled grenades and several suicide bombs. Residents say they eye one another with suspicion, especially women wearing religious gowns, fearful that explosives may be hidden underneath.

These relentless attacks have put more pressure on Nigeria and its neighbors to marshal their forces against a common enemy.

After taking office last year, Mr. Buhari began forging relationships with the presidents of neighboring countries to establish information-sharing and to build trust between his nation and Niger, Cameroon and Chad. But grouping the four nations together to share information and untangling decades of mistrust among them have proved harder.

A regional task force established by the countries last year has largely stalled amid lingering distrust and differing views about the threat. Less than half of the task force’s $700 million budget has been raised, and sinking oil prices have hurt the economies of Chad and Nigeria, Ms. Cooke said in congressional testimony this week.

Still, working together has yielded victories.

Earlier this month, the Cameroonians teamed up with the Nigerian military as part of a joint operation on Nigerian soil just across the border in the far north, killing more than 160 Boko Haram fighters, dismantling a logistics hub for the fighters and destroying explosive devices, according to officials there.

Reps Summon Adeosun, Emefiele Over Budget Saga

– Some MDAs risk zero allocation
– Certain grey areas identified in 2015 budget to be probed

The discrepancies identified in the 2016 budget proposal may appear to be unsettled ahead of next week’s plan by both chambers of the National Assembly to harmonise its budget.

The House of Representatives on Thursday, February 25 summoned the minister of Finance Kemi Adeosun, CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele, the Accountant General of the Federation Ahmed Idris and Minister of Budget and National Planning.



This is even as many ministries, departments and agencies of government risk zero allocation in 2016 if they or their oversighting committees miss deadline set by the House of Representatives for final harmonization Udo Ndoma.

Speaking on Thursday, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara issued a stern warning to committees yet to submit their budget report to do so within 24 hours or risk zero allocation to all the MDAs they represent. Of all the 97 committees, only 15 had submitted their budget report to the Committee on Appproriation.

In a communication from the Appropriations Committee read at the opening of the Thursday plenary session, the speaker directed chairmen of all the standing Committees to submit and defend their MDAs budget within 24 hours or risk zero budget for 2016.

Considering the enormous work before the committee on appropriation, its chairman Abdulmumin Jibrin informed all the members that the last session of the budget defence for Friday, 25th February scheduled to commence at 10amnwould start by 8pm.

While giving update on the presentation of the 2016 budget so far, Abdulmumin Jibrin, chairman house committee on appropriations confirmed that the budget proposals of the MDAs being presented by all the standing Committee have been harmonised with their Senate counterparts.




“Since by tomorrow we will finish taking the reports, we have agreed that we will invite the Minister of Budge and Planning, Minister of Finance, the Accountant General of the Federation, the Director of Budget Office and Central Bank Governor and engage them extensively on the entire budget.
“We also have pending issues on the 2015 budget, so they have to come with 2015 budget performance and then we will go into special session,” Jibrin
stated.

He also directed the Clerk of the Committee to liaise with the office of the Clerk of the House to access the members’ database for easy dispatch of message to all the 360 members and various Committees on the 25th February deadline for final submission and consideration of the MDAs’ budget.

Meanwhile, the speaker of House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara has assured Nigerians that the implementable 2016 budget will begin by March ending.

Dogara who gave the assurance on Thursday, February 25, when he received the Nigerian association of chambers of commerce, industry, mines and agriculture in his office in Abuja, however admitted that the budget has some imperfections.

Buhari Welcomes Offer From Islamic Development Bank To Develop Nigeria

President Muhammadu Buhari says the offer by the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) to organize a financing roundtable in Abuja to mobilize more funds for investment and development of infrastructure in Nigeria, is highly welcomed by his government.

Buhari said this during his meeting with the President of the IDB, Dr Ahmed Mohammed Ali in Saudi Arabia today February 25th.

A statement by Presidential media aide, Shehu Garba, states that Buhari during the meeting, restated his government's determination to revamp and diversify the Nigerian economy rapidly.

"The days of Nigeria as a big oil producer with plenty of money are gone. We need all the support we can get to diversify our economy as quickly as possible. We also need to rehabilitate our infrastructure, develop the domestic capacity to feed ourselves and export the surplus,".


President Buhari welcomed the plan by the IDB to fast track the take-off of the Bilingual Education Program, aimed at integrating the Almajiri system of education with Western education in Nigeria. IDP President, Dr. Ali assured President Buhari that the IDB will work with its traditional partners such as the Saudi Fund, the Kuwait Fund, Arab Bank for Development in Africa and the Abu Dhabi Fund, to increase the quantum of funding available to Nigeria.

The IDB has already provided US$ 98 million for the Bilingual Education Program in Adamawa, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Osun and Yobe. The bank plans to support similar projects in other states of Nigeria.

Diezani’s ‘cousin’, Donald Chidi-Amamgbo Arrested By EFCC Over Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is detaining Mr. Donald Chidi Amamgbo. A cousin of the immediate past Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, for allegedly using four firms to illegally lift crude oil.

The crude oil and natural gas involved are said to be worth billions of dollars.

The arrest of Amamgbo is rated as a major breakthrough for the EFCC in its ongoing probe of the ex-Minister.

The suspect, who was arrested in Lagos, was branded as a “front” for the ex-Minister.

According to a source close to the investigation, the EFCC discovered that Amamgbo used four companies to lift oil and gas in billions of dollars. He is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the four firms.



The companies are Mezcor Oil and Gas Limited, Tridax Oil and Gas Limited, Lynear Energy Limited and Bulk Strategic Reserve Limited.

The office of Mezcir Oil and Gas Limited at No.5 , Sannar Street, off Yalinga Street off Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse II Abuja, has been sealed.

“During the search, documents, which include payments for purchase of houses and vehicles were recovered,” the source said.

Another source said: “We are not giving up on other accomplices of the ex-minister who were used to plunder the nation’s oil industry.”

The embattled Minister has had her movement restricted to London since last October.

The International Corruption Unit (ICU) of the National Crime Agency (NCA) on October 2 arrested Mrs Alison-Madueke and four others.

The identities of the others remain unknown.

But all the suspects are being investigated for alleged bribery and money laundering.

R

Fire Burns Down Brothel And Three Houses In Rivers (Photo)

Chukwudi Akasike, Port Harcourt

A popular brothel known as Akamas located in Choba, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State was among property destroyed in an evening fire outbreak on Thursday.

It was gathered that the fire razed the entire brothel, leaving some sex workers and others in the place with no place to stay.
It was also learnt that the inferno was caused by a cooking gas used in the brothel by workers.

Some customers, who were inside the brothel with some prostitutes, were said to have rushed out of the place half Unclad in order to avoid being consumed by the inferno.

The inferno was said to have also affected about three houses close to the brothel as a result of the late arrival of fire fighters to the scene.

Choba, the area where the incident occurred is a host community to the University of Port Harcourt.

An eyewitness said that though no life was lost and no injury was recorded in the fire outbreak, property worth millions of naira were destroyed.

“The fire began at about 6pm and we believe it was caused by a cooking gas in the brothel. We also heard that the fire may have been ignited by a cooking gas,” the source said.

The raging fire, according to another source, destroyed everything in the brothel as no property was saved during the incident,

Oliseh Resigns As Super Eagles Coach! (See His Resignation Letter)

Sunday Oliseh posted his resignation letter on twitter.
At about 2:30 am


I feel fortunate, blessed and eternally grateful for having had the honour to Play,Captain & Coach this great Nation of ours,Nigeria.

Due to Contract violations ,lack of Support,Unpaid wages,Benefits to my players,Asst.Coaches & myself, I resign as Super Eagles Chief Coach

Sunday Oliseh has explained succinctly the major reasons for quitting the Nigeria senior national team, the Super Eagles eight months after being appointed, Completesportsnigeria.com reports.

Oliseh who had been in a running battle with his employers over what he termed uncondusive working conditions told Completesportsnigeria.com that he was irked by the underground moves by the Nigerian Football Federation to sack him and the constant violations of his contractual agreement.

Oliseh was irked by the fact that the President Of the Nigerian Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick tried to hire Frenchman Herve Renard soon after the Home Eagles crashed out of the group stages of the African Nations Champions.

"They had their motives and what I did was in the best interest of the country," Oliseh began.
"While I was coach of the team they tried to hire Renard who turned them down citing three major reasons," Oliseh told Completesportsnigeria.com in the wee hours of Friday.

"When I sought their aid to effectively carry out my duties I was ignored and instead of the helping me getting the players to give their best and placing them in a very good conditions at an advantages to the team play, they had plans to derail the progress of the team's chances.
"The most important objective is for the Super Eagles Of Nigeria to qualify to the next AFCON and the World Cup 2018,"

Completesportsnigeria.com also got a copy of from the resignation letter Oliseh sent to the NFF (published below).


OLISEH'S RESIGNATION LETTER


Dear General Secretary of NFF,
Object: Letter of Resignation.

Due to incessant Violations of our signed agreement (Contract) I am hereby informing you of my decision to terminate our working collaboration signed in July 2015
The most important objective is for the Super Eagles Of Nigeria to qualify to the next AFCON and the World Cup 2018.
Since so little help is being rendered me in getting the players to give their best and very vital conditions and advantages to the team play are also being sacrificed coupled with non redress of the aforementioned despite my several e mails and others, seeking your aid to effectively carry out my duties were ignored.
These unconducive working conditions that my coaching crew and myself have to live with, your contractual violations and the interest of the nation necessitates that I tender my resignation and recourse to the termination of our working agreement.
Many thanks for the opportunity to serve my fatherland.

Sunday Oliseh
Chief Coach Super Eagles of Nigeria

Buhari To Hold Special Prayer For Nigeria In Mecca - Presidency

President Muhammadu Buhari will begin a weeklong official visit to Saudi Arabia and Qatar on Monday, and hold a special prayer for Nigeria before returning to the country. Femi Adesina, special adviser to the president on media and publicity, announced the president’s trips in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday.
The statement said Ibe Kachikwu, minister of state for petroleum and group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), will accompany the president, who is expected to hold talks with Saudi authorities on stability in the price of oil.
“Before going on to Doha, the president will also visit Medina and Mecca to pray for greater peace, prosperity and progress in Nigeria,” the statement read.
“President Buhari, who will be accompanied by a high-powered Federal Government delegation, including the Minister of State (Petroleum) and Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC), Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, will first fly to Riyadyh for talks on Tuesday with King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and senior officials of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
“Ongoing efforts by Nigeria and other members of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to achieve greater stability in the price of crude oil exports are expected to be high on the agenda of discussions between President Buhari and the Saudi Monarch.
“Crude oil prices and market stability will also be on the front burner when President Buhari goes on to Doha on Saturday for talks on Sunday with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.”
Adesina said in Qatar, Buhari will meet with top businessmen and seek support for his administration.
“The president is also scheduled to meet with leading Saudi and Qatari businessmen in Riyadh and Doha, and invite them to support his administration’s efforts to revamp the Nigerian economy by taking advantage of the great investment opportunities currently available in Nigeria’s mining, agriculture, power supply, infrastructure, transportation, communications and other sectors,” the statement read.
“President Buhari’s other engagements in Saudi Arabia include meetings with heads of international financial organisations and multilateral associations.”

See Pics Of Boko Haram Members Who Sneaked Into IDP Camp In Gwoza & Caught By Army

Two Boko Haram suspects, Audu Umar and Hassan Umar, have been arrested by the Nigerian Army for ‘smuggling themselves’ among the Internally Displaced People (IDPs) that were relocated from Pulka to Gwoza IDPs Camp in Borno state. The male suspects, who were apprehended on Saturday, are currently undergoing interrogation by the military and intelligence operatives.

Catholic Priest Batters 70-year--Old Man In Anambra

Worshippers at St Dominic’s Catholic Church, Adazi Enu, Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State were shocked on Friday when a US-based Catholic priest, Rev. Father Mike Steve Ezeatu, descended on a 70-year-old man and beat him blue black.

Parishioners told Southern City News that the priest had finished celebrating a funeral mass and was about entering his SUV when he sighted the old man identified as Innocent Nwolisa and beckoned on him to come closer.

Obeying the call, Nwolisa approached the cleric, who descended on him, accusing the old man of charming him while he was celebrating mass on the pulpit.

Narrating the story, the first son of the victim, Ebuka Nwolisa, said his father was about to leave the compound of Ifedigbo in Ugweni Ojii, where the funeral mass of one late Ifeoma Ifedigbo, had just been celebrated by Ezeatu, when he was called back by the priest

“I think my father went because we are related to the priest and they know each other. My father thought the priest might be calling him to give him special blessing, but what he got was a beating.

“The only saving grace he (reverend father) had was that I was not around; that was why he got way with his action,” an angry Ebuka explained.

Another eyewitness, Mr. Arinze Ezeatu, who is a younger brother of the priest said, “Father Mike complained that the old man was releasing evil powers on him while he was at the altar celebrating the mass, and that was the reason for his action.

Arinze and Olisa Ezeatu, both younger and elder brothers of the priest, maintained that it was not true that Nwolisa was releasing evil powers on him, but that the reverend father was suspecting that the old man may have supported his brothers, whom the priest has for long been at loggerheads with over land.

According to them, “The priest is our brother, but he is more like a curse to us than a blessing. He is based in the US, and can be described as a businessman than a clergy. Because he has money, he has grabbed all our land and we have been in dispute with him.

“We have even reported him to the Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Reverend Paulinus Ezeokafor, yet he has not let go. The man he beat up is an elder in our extended family, and he has been advising the priest to relinquish the land to us and even settle our rift.

“We think he simply suspected that the man has started siding us after knowing the truth. That is why he beat him up on Friday after celebrating mass.”

Meanwhile, Ebuka the first son of the victim, who led his younger brother to the resident Parish priest of St Dominic’s parish to complain about the incident, told Southern City News that his father was recovering.

When Southern City News contacted Mr. Abuchi Onwumelu, the Press Secretary to the Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Rev, Paulinus Ezeokafor, he (Onwumelu) declined comment.

Fall Of NAIRA To The DOLLAR, Don't Blame BUHARI - Sen. Ben Murray Bruce

SENATOR BEN MURRAY-BRUCE MAKES COMMON SENSE, PLEASE READ BELOW:

Many Nigerians are complaining about the constant fall in the value of the Naira and they blame the Government.

But is the government really to blame? In truth, our insatiable appetite for all things foreign is to blame.
I always fly Arik Business Class whenever I am traveling abroad except Arik does not fly on that route.

Not only is an Arik ticket a fraction of the cost of a British Airways ticket, but the money I pay to Arik circulates in Nigeria and helps firm up the Naira’s value.

As I speak to you today, a British Airways Business to London is ₦2,103,666 while Arik Business is ₦551,545 yet our elite still fly BA

But though Arik offers an affordable alternative to British Airways and other foreign airlines, our big men prefer to pay double what Arik charges to BA and other foreign airlines for the same services and yet they complain about the value of the Naira.
I have Nasco cornflakes and I have eaten Kellogs cornflakes. In terms of nutrition and taste they are almost indistinguishable. Yet our elite who will rather eat Kellogs than Nasco cornflakes, wonder why the Naira is falling!

Even something like Quaker Oats can be substituted with corn meal known locally as pap.
Obasanjo Farms of Nigeria and other large scale poultry farms have the capacity to provide chicken for the entire nation. Since that is the case, why are we even buying imported chicken?

In fact what is wrong if every family in Nigeria has a poultry in their backyard to give them eggs and meat?
My steward went to Makoko, which is one of the largest fishing communities in Lagos. He wanted to buy fish and they were selling imported frozen fish!

Yet in the very waters in front of them, there exist fresh fish that is more nutritious than the cheap frozen fish they were selling.
We keep spending over 1 Billion Naira importing rice when our own farmers are capable of meeting our national demand for rice. But for some reason, Nigerians just prefer to buy imported rice.
The imported rice we buy in Nigeria is not as good as our local rice because it has been stored for years in silos and treated with chemicals.

Moreover, every time you buy it, your money is going out of Nigeria to service an economy in Asia. The end result is that their currency gains value while ours loses value.

Have you ever wondered why European Premiership Clubs are so interested in Nigeria? It is because Nigerians spend billions traveling to Europe to watch their games, buy their merchandise and promote their leagues.

Yet, back at home, we would not be caught dead watching our own local league.

If we will not spend money on made in Nigeria goods and services, how can we expect our Naira to hold its value and appreciate?
Obviously we can not cut ourselves off from the world. No nation is an island, but at least we can fly Nigerian airlines, eat locally produced food and patronize our football league.

If we do this, not only will our economy grow and produce jobs for Nigerians, it will also make our goods and services improve in value such that they will be attractive enough to be imported.

I bought Innoson vehicles as official cars for my staff. I have never lived to regret it one day. They are comfortable and durable. But most of all, I know that my purchase helps to keep jobs in Nigeria and improve the value of the Naira.

I urge you to do the same. We have no other country but Nigeria and it is you and I that will make it what it is.
If we buy Naija We Will Grow Naira

My name is Ben Murray-Bruce and I just want to make Commonsense!

Man Kills His Girlfriend In Jos The Morning After Valentine's Day (Photo)

Looks like he strangled the life out of her. If you are in a Violent marriage/Relationship and you know that your life might be in danger,please i encourage you to LEAVE AT ONCE!

"I Won’t Devalue Naira" - President Buhari Insists

Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated that his position not to approve further devaluation of the Naira President stands.

Buhari said that Nigeria, which is not an exporting nation, would be worst hit if the Naira was devalued.



He noted that only the Western countries, with lots of items to export, could benefit from the economic measure.

Contributing to a Presidential Panel Roundtable on Investment and Growth Opportunities at the opening session of the Africa 2016: Business for Africa, Egypt and the World at Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, the President asked Nigerians, who have developed taste for foreign luxury goods, to continue to pay for them rather pressure government to devalue the Naira.

“Developed countries are competing among themselves and when they devalue they compete better and manufacture and export more. But we are not competing and exporting but importing everything including toothpicks. So, why should we devalue our currency?”, the President said.

“We want to be more productive and self-sufficient in food and other basic things such as clothing. For our government, we like to encourage local production and efficiency”.

Buhari stressed that Nigeria, being a mono-economy dependent on oil, and with a teeming unemployed youth population, the way out of the current slump in the global oil market, is for the administration to focus on agriculture and solid minerals development.

“The land is there and we need machinery inputs, fertilizer and insecticides,” he said.

Responding to a question on his performance since he assumed office, the President said that his administration had been quite focused on three fundamental issues of securing the country, reviving the economy and stamping out corruption.

'Prosecute Jonathan For Corruption' – Lagos CAN

The Christian Association of Nigeria, Lagos State chapter, has called for the prosecution of former President Goodluck Jonathan for corruption.

The Chairman of Lagos CAN, Apostle Alexander Bamgbola, spoke in Lagos on Saturday on the sideline of an interdenominational service.

While fielding questions from journalists, Bamgbola applauded the ongoing war against corruption in the country, adding that nobody should be spared.

When asked about the stance of the group on the call for the prosecution of Jonathan, he said, “What is wrong with it? A former President of Peru (Alberto Fujimori) was jailed. Also, a popular prime minister of Israel (Ehud Olmert) was jailed. If a nation puts you in a position of trust and you betray that trust, you should go to jail no matter who you are. I have no sympathy for anybody. Just make sure you get it right, and we get the facts right as well.”

He lamented the corruption in the country, urging the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to go after the looters and “put them where they belong, so that we may have peace in this nation.”

The guest speaker, Prof. Joseph Otubu, who spoke on the topic, ‘Great Faith, the Antidote to Helplessness,’ urged the congregation to have faith in God and shun corrupt acts.

The Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, appealed to CAN to support the programmes of the state government.

While quoting from 1 Corinthians 13:13, Ambode, who was represented by the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Lola Akande, asked members of the Christian body to embrace love and unity.

The Senator representing Lagos-East Senatorial District, Gbenga Ashafa, commended CAN for being consistent in organising the annual service, saying it would help people in the country to have faith and the fear of God.

He assured Nigerians that the senate would not cover up any shortcomings in the 2016 budget.

Ashafa said, “The presidency will re-present the budget. I appeal to Nigerians to be patient as everything will be to the benefit of the country.”

Buhari Sacks Director-Generals Of NTA, NBC, NOA & 3 Others

The federal government has disengaged the heads of the six information-related parastatals under the ministry of information and culture.

According to Segun Adeyemi, special adviser to Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, the minister announced the disengagement during a meeting he held with the chief executives of the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Voice of Nigeria (VON), News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) on Monday.

“The minister directed the disengaged chief executives to hand over to the most senior officials in their various establishments,” Adeyemi said.

“He thanked them for their service to the nation and wished them the best of luck in their future endeavours. “The affected chief executives are the director-generals of NTA, Mr. Sola Omole; FRCN, Mr. Ladan Salihu; VON, Mr Sam Worlu; NOA, Mr. Mike Omeri; NBC, Mr. Emeka Mba and the managing director of NAN, Mr. Ima Niboro).”

Dangote Group Launches 20,000-Hectare Rice Production Scheme In Jigawa State

The Dangote Group, yesterday launched 20,000 hectare rice production scheme, aimed at making the country self-sufficient in rice production and food secure by the year 2018.

Speaking at the flagging-off of the scheme at Hago Fadama kafin-Hausa local government area of the state, the state governor Alhaji Badaru Abubakar Badaru said, the project was part of his government’s commitment to improve agriculture and industrialise the state for job creation and poverty eradication.
“Right from my inaugural speech, I made it clear that, agriculture was one of my government cardinal points and we are ready to collaborate with private investors in achieving the desire goals. The project we are launching today is one of the numerous projects we intend to embark in collaboration with private investors from within and outside the country, and we have already signed memorandum with many of them,” the governor said.

The governor assured Dangote Group of the state government’s support in making any policy and intervention that will make the investment profitable and generate jobs to the teeming population of the state.

Speaking at the occasion, the minister of state for agriculture Mr Heineken Lokpobiri said the federal government was worried over the production gap it has in rice and the millions of dollars spent annually on its importation despite having vast arable land that can make Nigerians rice exporters if properly utilized.
He disclosed that presently the country needs 6.8 million metric tons of rice annually for consumption, but that “we are locally producing only 2.6 million metric tons. In view of this, the federal government has come up with plan to encourage massive investment in rice production and agricultural sector in general to end rice importation by the year 2018,” he said.

In his remarks, the president, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, said his company targeted 120,000 hectares for rice production across the country by the year 2020.

He said the Jigawa rice scheme targets 20,000 hectares in which the out growers will produce 8,000 hectares while the company will cultivate 12,000 hectares.

According to him, the project will provide direct job opportunities to over 10,000 youths in addition to food security and internally generated income to the state government.

He expressed appreciation to the Hadejia Emirate Traditional Rulers, the Jigawa State government and federal government for the support given to the company, and also called for more policy and incentives that would create more enabling environment and encourage private sector investment in to the sector

Senate To Pass 2016 Budget In March - Ndume

2016 Budget Presentation by President Buhari
Indications emerged yesterday that the National Assembly may have rescinded its decision to indefinitely suspend its passage of the 2016 budget.

While the leadership of the House of Representatives has expressed optimism that the 2016 may be passed into law as anticipated on Thursday, February 25, 2016, the leader of the Senate, Ali Ndume, said yesterday that the Senate was striving to pass the 2016 budget before the end of March.

Ndume also said, contrary to reports in the media, that at no time did the Senate indefinitely suspend its passage of the N6.08 trillion 2016 budget, explaining that the Red Chamber only said that the February 25 dateline earlier given “may not be feasible.”

Concerns have continued to persist over the accuracy of the fiscal document alleged to have been seriously ‘padded’ and replete with errors.

After the first reading of the budget at plenary, both the Senate and the House of Representatives had fixed February 25 for the passage of the budget, soon after defence sessions with the various ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) at the committee level may have been concluded.

But the National Assembly last Tuesday announced that the February 25 deadline it gave for the passage of the budget estimates was no longer feasible due to inherent errors, ambiguities and phoney figures (padding) smuggled into the fiscal document.

Chairmen of Appropriation Committees of both chambers, Senator Danjuma Goje and Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin, noted that they had postponed passage of the budget indefinitely due to gross errors already identified in the entire budget estimates at both chambers.

But in what apparently looks like an about turn, the House of Representatives said at the weekend that it was working closely with the executive arm of government to ensure the speedy passage of the budget as planned.

Spokesman of the House and chairman of the Standing Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas, who hinted this during his weekly press briefing at the weekend in Abuja, however, asked Nigerians to show understanding if the February 25 date is not achieved.

He said, “As regards 2016 Appropriation Bill, I want to state here that the 25th February dateline earlier suggested may or may not be achieved. We admit that there are issues that have come up in the budget, but the leadership of the House is working very hard in collaboration with the Executive to ensure that the dateline is achieved; but if it is not (achieved), Nigerians should show understanding.

“However, Standing Committees have been urged to stick to the timelines for interaction with the MDAs and submission of reports to the Appropriation Committee,” Namdas said.

In the same vein, Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, said that the Senate did not suspend its passage of the budget indefinitely, but only said that the February 25 deadline earlier given may not be feasible.

Speaking in Abuja yesterday, Ndume stated noted that since March is the deadline for the implementation of the 2015 budget, the Senate working hard to pass the 2016 Budget before the end of March.

The Senate leader explained that although it was the wish of the National Assembly to pass the budget five weeks before the expiry of the period set for the implementation of the 2015 budget, it may not possible due to some errors.

“We have not postponed it indefinitely; we are saying that with the developments that we are seeing as the time goes on, the 25th February deadline we gave ourselves may not be realistic.

“That is why we now said that, going by this, it is not possible to say we will come back on 25th and say this is the budget; we are not saying that we have suspended it indefinitely. The reason we fixed 25th was because we wanted to have a gap of five weeks,” he said.

According to him, the gap would have enabled the Senate to fix whatever issues that needed to be handled before the March 31 deadline for the implementation of the 2015 budget.

Ndume further stated that the leadership of the National Assembly had met with ministers to iron out the grey areas and make corrections to them.

Promising that the Senate would ensure strict compliance with the implementation of the budget, the leader said once funds were available, he was convinced that the present administration would ensure a thorough implementation of the budget.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has refuted a report by an unknown media outfit alleging fraudulent activities by members of the National Assembly in the handling of constituency projects between 2013 to 2015.

Spokesman of the House, Abdulrazak Namdas, told journalists at the weekend that the report was “unfortunate,” and that the outfit does not actually understand what constituency project was all about.

He said, “It is obvious that the media support centre does not know how constituency projects are managed. Lawmakers are never given a penny to carry out constituency projects. Constituency projects are appropriated to the relevant MDAs. No cash is given to a lawmaker.

“Therefore, to say lawmakers diverted monies meant for constituency projects demonstrates not only lack of understanding of constituency projects, but also a desperate attempt by few individuals to set lawmakers against their constituents.”

Namdas assured that the 8th House of Representatives will do things differently, including ensuring that constituency projects get to the people, adding that the present 8th House of Reps has zero tolerance for corruption.



Civil servants responsible for budget padding – Gbajabiamila

Meanwhile, the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has absolved President Muhamadu Buhari of any blame in the controversy surrounding the preparation of the 2016 budget estimates.

Rather, he said the bureaucrats, made up mostly of civil servants, should take the blame for the apparent inconsistencies, padding of figures and duplications in the fiscal document.

Gbajabiamila made this comment while interacting with a delegation of the National Association of Nigerians Students (NANS) from the South-West geopolitical zone, who had come to honour him in Abuja at the weekend.

When asked to clear the air on the controversies surrounding the proposed 2016 budget, the House Leader noted that those who had be given positions of trust and saddled with the responsibility of the budget job at various levels had betrayed the trust of the president; hence Buhari is not to be blamed but the civil servants.

He said, “First of all, I’m going to absolve the president, but I’m not going to absolve the people that did it. Why I must absolve the President I will tell you. The job was done by civil servants; it has always been done by civil servants. The president does not sit in a ministry; he doesn’t know what’s going on in a ministry or what they need or do not need.

“The argument can be that the buck stops at his desk – I agree with that; he must take responsibility. But the point is that he delegated (the task). Under the Constitution, he has the right to delegate his work to ministers, and he delegated the issue of budget and planning to the minister of budget and planning.

“And once you delegate, the assumption is that you’re doing the work of the President, and that’s what delegating power means. It’s in the Constitution and that’s what he’s done.

“Where I think the ball was dropped, I think it was with the minister of budget and planning; because after the civil servants, whether intentionally or not intentionally, did what they did, it was for the minister of budget and planning to vet and scrutinize those things before coming to the House, or the National Assembly. It’s not for the President to do,” Gbajabiamila said.

He assured the students that President Buhari was on top of the situation.

“Don’t forget that the President was the first to raise the alarm – that it looks like there is a budget mafia,” he said.

“I’m sure things we get better as we move along. The problem of Nigeria is multi-faceted. The President is dealing with one thing and he expects that the people he has appointed should able to deal with other things.”



2016 Budget Funding: Falana to sue FG over foreign loans

For failing to respond to a letter in which he advised President Muhammadu Buhari not to borrow $3.5 billion to finance the 2016 Budget and to recover the outstanding loans and accrued revenues payable to the Federation Account, human rights activist, Chief Femi Falana (SAN), has threatened to drag the federal government to court.

Falana, in a letter dated February 12, 2016 and addressed to the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, said he would commence legal proceedings not later than February 29, 2015 with a view to compelling the federal government to recover loans, royalties levies and other recoverable revenues payable to the Federation Account, which is not less than $66.5 billion.

The one paragraph letter reads: “Since you have not deemed it fit to react to the serious issues raised in the letter, kindly be informed that we shall commence legal proceedings not later than February 29, 2015, with a view to compelling the federal government to recover the said loans, royalties levies and other recoverable revenues of not less than $66.5 billion.”

LEADERSHIP recalls that the lawyer had, in a letter dated February 5, 2016, and also addressed to Mrs Adeosun, urged President Buhari to jettison the plan to take a $3.5 billion loan to finance the 2016 budget from the World Bank and the African Development Bank (AfDB) due to the unpalatable conditionalities attached to it.

He had urged the government to rather recover outstanding loans and accrued revenues payable to the Federation Account and use same to fund the budget.

The lawyer said that the hapless Nigerian people should not be made to pay for the gross mismanagement of the national economy by the federal government and the profligacy of the pampered members of the ruling class.

According to him, instead of taking a loan of $2.5 billion with dangerous conditionalities from the World Bank, the federal government should recover the aforesaid loans and revenues of not less than $66.5 billion with the assistance of the anti-graft agencies.

Falana gave the details of the said recoverable loans and revenue as:

“From five cycles of independent audit reports compiled by the National Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), the potential recoverable revenues payable to the Federation Account are not less than $20,221,018,007.00, or approximately $20.2bn).

“The potential recoverable revenues are said to have arisen from “underpayment/underassessment of taxes, royalties, levies and rents. If you require more information in respect of this matter you may wish to contact your colleague, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning. In her capacity as the immediate past executive secretary of NEITI, she had called on the federal government to recover the said sum of $20.2 billion.

“On October 4, 2006, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) apportioned $7 billion to 14 Nigerian banks to “manage” out of the nation’s external reserves, which stood at $38.07 billion, as at the end of July, 2006. The amount involved represented 18.39 per cent of the total external reserves at the material time.

“In addition, following the crisis of global capitalism, which occurred in 2008, the CBN gave a bailout of $4 billion (N600 billion) to the commercial banks in the country. The CBN has not deemed it fit to ask for the refund of the total sum of $11 billion injected into the banking system in the space of two years.

“On September 6, 2015, the Presidency announced that the management of the NNPC had commenced the process of recovering of the sum of $9.6 billion in over-deducted tax benefits from joint venture partners on major capital projects and the legacy OPA/SWAP oil contracts.

“A fortnight ago, Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, disclosed that the federal government had concluded arrangements to recover an additional $750 million of the Abacha loot.”

Falana also noted that the ongoing Senate probe into the affairs of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) had revealed that the corporation had accumulated over $25 billion (about N5 trillion) debts, a violation of its Act which put the debt ceiling at N800 billion.

He recalled that AMCON’s managing director, Mr Ahmed Kuru, had stated that most of the debtors of AMCON were ‘big men who fly in private jets, live in big mansions and they have taken money and they are not paying back.’

Falana continued: “Having regard to the fact that the International Monetary Fund (IMF), whose endorsement is required for the World Bank loan of $2.5 billion, will insist that certain unpalatable conditionalities be imposed on the people of Nigeria, we urge the federal government to jettison the plan to take the loan.

“While acknowledging the concerted efforts to recover the looted wealth of the nation through the anti-graft agencies and the Arms Procurement Panel, the Buhari administration should embark on the immediate recovery of the aforesaid loans and accrued revenues with a view to financing the 2016 budget and the infrastructural development of the nation.”

He reminded the federal government that when Nigeria paid $12.4 billion to exit the London/Paris Club in 2005, it had assured the Nigerian people that the $2.1 billion the country paid annually to service the Paris Club debt would be made available to fund critical priority sectors such as education, health, etc, and stimulate the economy.

According to him, not only have the critical sectors been neglected, but the federal government has further plunged the country into indebtedness, with Nigeria currently indebted to the tune of $64 billion; yet it is seeking another loan of $2.5 billion from the World Bank and $1 billion from the AfDB to fund the 2016 Budget.

''Federal University Lafia Is Paying Half Salary For January 2016!''

A reader shared this today...

We went to work today and hoping to receive good news that people have started receiving alert, but alas we were greeted with the form shown below The form titled: "Consent to part payment of January 2016 salary", and for the benefit of those who may not be able to read it properly, the content is quoted below:

In view of the shortfall in January, the following Senior Staff and Academic Staff of the University hereby consent to be paid part salary with 50% Responsibility Allowance (where applicable) and excluding Peculiar Allowance for the month of January 2016. I hereby consent:

The following should be noted about this form:
1. No principal officer of the University (VC, Registrar, Bursar or Dean) signed this form;
2. The form has no cover letter;
3. There is no indication of whether the balance will ever be paid again!

The form was issued and staff, as stated in the form are expected to sign "almost by force", is this appropriate.

Is this method of short changing the hard working staff, approved by President Buhari and his Minister of Education?

It should be carefully noted that this is a University where staff are given a query for going to pray in the mosque or going to eat.

The current situation in the University now is that you either signed this form and get part payment for January or you do not get paid for January at all! Again, I asked, is this approved by President Buhari?

At Least 6 Dead In Boko Haram's Double Suicide Attack In Cameroon-Nigerian Border

At least six civilians were killed and over 30 injured Wednesday in a double suicide attack in Cameroon’s northern border region with Nigeria, which is regularly attacked by Boko Haram fighters, security sources said. The attackers, who were also killed, were both female, said a source.

“Six civilians were killed as well as two suicide bombers who blew themselves up” during a funeral wake in the village of Nguetchewe, a source told AFP, adding that between 30-50 people were injured. “The villagers were gathered for the wake when two suicide attackers joined them, pretending to be family members,” said the source. The two female bombers “blew themselves up at 6:20 am, just when people who had spent the night there were preparing for a meal.”

A police source in the region said several children, including a boy aged six and a 15-year-old, were among the victims. At least one member of a local committee set up in response to the upsurge in Islamic attacks was also killed. The most seriously injured were evacuated to a regional hospital in Maroua. It is the fifth suicide attack in Cameroon’s far north region since the start of the year.

On January 18 four people were killed in an attack at Nguetchewe’s mosque. Nearly 1,200 people have been killed since Nigerian Islamists began staging attacks in neighbouring Cameroon in 2013, according to government figures. Nguetchewe is a small village near the border with Nigeria where a French priest, Georges Vandenbeusch, was kidnapped in November 2013. He was held for 50 days before being released.

The kidnapping were blamed on Boko Haram, which has since sworn allegiance to the Islamic State group based in Syria and Iraq

Ooni Of Ife's Guard Shot Dead

By Gbenga Olarinoye

Osogbo—Suspected armed robbers, Monday night, killed Marcus Olatunji, an official of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, attached to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi.

A source close to the palace said the deceased, who was armed, was on his way to buy airtime at a nearby kiosk when he was shot dead by the robbers believed to be coming from an operation.

The source added that the hoodlums took away Olatunji’s gun.

The Head of Public Relations of the Corps, Mr. Wale Folarin, confirmed the story and assured that the Corps would get to the root of the matter.

He said: “It is true one of our officers attached to the Ooni’s palace was shot dead by some unidentified persons in front of a private residence of the Ooni. The killers went away with his gun. He died at the teaching hospital, Ife.

“We have arrested three suspects in connection with the crime and investigations continue as the command will get to the root of the matter.”

Spokesperson of Ooni of Ife, Mr. Olafare Moses, confirmed the story, saying the monarch received the news with shock.

Pako, The Midget That Dines With Emmanuel Adebayor (Photos)

Many of you who have been following Sheyi Emmanuel Adebayor, General SEA!!! Might be wondering who is Pako, who he is very fond of, and keeps appearing on his Snapchat handle.

Many a times, The Togolese striker has referred to Pako as his Elder brother, Twinnie, Partner in crime. Many of his followers were also thinking that Pako should be one of his staffs, or home keepers to be particular.

He however has cleared all that in a Snapchat video, Adebayor says he met Pako on the street. He took him into his home, bought him clothes, got him back in school and now Pako lives at his house. He’s constantly featured on the channel as Ade’s sidekick. We can only hope that he continues to make appearances in the future, especially now that Adebayor has been signed back to a club.

(photo) Stepmother Cut Off Child joystick Because He Urinate On Bed While Sleeping

What is the world turning to and why do we have lots of inhumane women in it?

This child’s joystick were ripped by his step mother because the poor little child urinated on the bed while he was sleeping.


The woman said she was not informed of the existence of the boy before she married his father, Her husband brought the boy to her matrimonial home shortly after their wedding and pleaded that he had the child out of wedlock before their marriage.

What should the boy's father do?

Yewande Fatoki The Husband Killer (her Pictures At The Scene Of Crime).

The police took Yewande to the scene of crime for further investigation yesterday, looking at her from a close range will tell you that there is nothing like shoulder dislocation or injury on her body. Her reaction was based on the fact that lowo had a child out of wedlock and she stabbed him in sleep. Yewande fatoki as always been a violent wife,never respected in-laws. Now the lady in question is using her possition as a staff of at the department of public prosecution at ministry of justice to mess up the murder case. God will save us away from violent partners. RIP still Uncle Lowo Oyediran Ajanaku.

Inside story: How Yewande, Ibadan lawyer killed her husband

A close friend of Oyelowo Oyediran Ajanaku, the 38 year old Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife graduate, killed by his lawyer- wife on 2 February in Ibadan, has thrown some light on what transpired before the tragic crime of passion, that has triggered shock waves, nationwide. From the story, Yewande clearly intended to kill her husband, having stabbed him at two separate occasions, same night, with the last stabbing with a knife, on the neck, a fatal one.

Lowo Oyediran Ajanaku: before he was killed by his wife, Yewande

Oyelowo Oyediran Ajanaku Popularly called LOWO a successful Nigerian businessman was resident in Paris (France) up until 2014, before his return to Nigeria to settle down with his wife, Yewande Fatoki Oyediran- a lawyer working as a Principal State Counsel at the Ministry of Justice Oyo state Nigeria.

He hailed from Osun state Southern Nigeria. He attended Olufi High school- Gbongan Osun state, Lagos State Polytechnic and then proceeded to Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife Osun state Nigeria and further had his MSc from Grenoble Business School, France.

The Oyedirans

February 2nd seemed like a regular day or so I thought until I got a text message that Oyelowo was dead. I called his sister in-law (Temitayo) who happened to be my very close friend to confirm and on hearing her wail on the other end of the phone, I discontinued the call. Confused and in shock, I dialled her number again. In tears and with a shaken voice, I asked how it happened. Then she narrated the ordeal amidst tears.
“Last night Lowo and his wife Yewande had an argument in their Akobo home in Ibadan, where they reside, over his proposed business trip scheduled for later in the week. Lowo was to travel to Europe for business purposes and then stop over to visit his child (from another woman) who’s also living in Europe with the mother.
“This didn’t go well with Yewande I suppose and the squabble continued into late In the night. In the process Yewande stabbed her husband Lowo on the shoulder missing his heart by just few inches.

The first stab on the shoulder

“Their neighbour-the Landlord intervened in the matter and took Oyelowo to a nearby hospital for treatment as he bled profusely. After treatment he was released to return home and instructed to rest as he had lost a lot of blood. On arriving home, the Landlord’s son offered Lowo his room to pass the night. But he declined the offer stating clearly that ‘all was fine as he trusted his wife and believed she didn’t mean to harm him’.

And Lowo after the fatal stab on the neck


“Few hours later, a shout was heard again: it was the cry of a man in agony. Oyelowo was battling for his life, blood gushing out of his neck and mouth. His wife Yewande had used a knife to stab him once again, unfortunately it was in the neck, a very delicate part of the body. He was whisked to the hospital where he was certified dead on arrival”.

“Oyelowo Oyediran Ajanaku was 38yrs old when his wife Yewande Oyediran,Nee Fatoki, stabbed him in the neck with a knife which ultimately led to his untimely death.

“I Met Lowo in Obafemi Awolowo University during my undergraduate days. He was a proud African man and he always said it with pride that he was a GBONGAN man.

“Describing Oyelowo in simple terms, I would call him a “Good man”, kind, jovial or rather say he’s a Jester, easy going, fun loving and absolutely peaceful.

“Lowo had always portrayed the characteristics of a good man to the society and has successfully brought foreign investors to Nigeria such as Aller Aqua a Denmark based company ( Aller Aqua produces fish feed for freshwater and saltwater aquaculture) .
‘He is always there to support anyone that needs help. All he wanted was for people to be happy around him. He was a Positive Impact to the Society. In over 10 years of knowing and relating with him I can’t seem to find any fault in him. Everyone loved being around him, he had charisma. His death has left a massive vacuum in the hearts and lives of his loved ones. He would be greatly missed by his family, friends, associates and loved ones.

“We want the world to know because as I write to you, the Family of the wife (the Fatokis’) are doing all in their power to see that this case is covered up. We want Justice to prevail, a grievous crime has been committed. We want the law to take its full course.
“This could have happened to anyone, anywhere across the universe. A crime is a crime irrespective of location, race or persons involved, this is a massive test on our judicial system as the world watches the outcome of this through global media.”

*If you believe that Lowo must get justice, you are invited to join the campaign using the Hashtag #JUSTICE4LOWO

Pics: DSS Storms Abuja Home Of GEJ's Friend & A Bayelsa King (See How Much They Took)

Not many know that HRH King Amalate J. Turner is ex-president Dr. Goodluck Jonathan's best friend. Turner, who is the Obanema of Opume Kingdom in Bayelsa State, has known Jonathan since their university days at the University of Port Harcourt. Turner is a former managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC). Turner and Jonathan have remained close till date. Sometime back, Turner told CNN that, "The Jonathan I know doesn't rush into making decisions and likes to involve a wide range of people and experts. That process takes time and can appear slow, but that is his style."


On Monday, 9th February 2016, operatives of the Directorate of State Security (DSS) raided the Maitama residence of Turner and carted away some documents, including insignificant amount of dollars, pound sterling, naira and rupees. Although the DSS is yet to disclose why the raid happened while the first-class king was away in Yenagoa in Bayelsa State, it may not be unconnected with his closeness with Goodluck Jonathan.

What the DSS operatives carted away from Turner's residence are:

1) 60 pieces of £50 note;
2) 46 pieces of £20 note;
3) 113 pieces of $100 note;
4) N5,000 (N1000 note);
5) 230 Indian rupee;
6) Complimentary cards of TRENUR Nigeria Ltd – HRH King A.J Turner, 60 Mississippi, Maitama, Abuja;
7) A document containing account numbers of Miss Havi Mabel Turner; Miss Apelega Inengite; A.J Turner and TRENUR Nigeria Ltd;
Income & Expenditure book of M.D Matelbot Oil Nigeria Ltd;
9) A document on campaign fund-raising;
10) Some documents on financial transactions

N400m Fraud: EFCC Closes Case Against Olisa Metuh

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday closed its case against the spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh. Metuh was arraigned before Justice Okon Abang of a Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged N400m fraud. During his trial yesterday, a witness of the EFCC, Junaidu Sa’id, told the court how $47million was withdrawn from the CBN and disbursed to members of the PDP including Metuh for the purpose of the party’s presidential campaign. Sa’id, an investigative officer with the anti graft agency, was led in evidence by the prosecuting lawyer, Mr Sylvanus Tahir, told the court that the commission in the course of investigation discovered how the office of the National Security Adviser under Col. Sambo Dasuki’ leadership withdrew $47million for the purpose of the campaign activities of the PDP. The witness said, “It was at that period that Dasuki withdrew $47million from the CBN which was shared to members of the party for the presidential convention that the commission traced the $2million paid to Destra Investment company belonging to Metuh. “It was four days after the disbursements that Metuh gave the money to his then wealth manager, Nneka Nicole Ararume.” Under cross examination by the lawyer to Metuh, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), the witness said that Metuh had written in his statement that the monies he received from the Office of the former NSA was for campaign activities as approved by former President Goodluck Jonathan and for the payment of his personal debt. He added that about N77.5 million was allegedly paid to one CMC Connect for campaign publicity for the PDP while N25million was giving to Abba Dabo for the same purpose. He also told the court that the National Women Leader of the PDP, Kema Chikwe, got N5million from the said money while the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the PDP, Tony Anenih, received N21.7milllion . He also told Justice Obong Abang that N500million was paid in two tranches to a firm, Daniel Ford International, by Metuh for the purchase of a landed property at Banana Island in Lagos State. The witness said that investigations revealed that Dasuki had on November 27, 2014, made a N10billion withdrawal from the CBN and converted same to $47 million which was shared to some PDP party members at its national convention.

IMF Has Listed Nigeria As The World’s 22nd Largest Economy In The World

According to a survey by the IMF, with an annual growth rate of 5% during the course of 2015, Nigeria’s gross domestic product (GDP) is set to total $1.105trn in 2015, representing a 5% growth from last year.

The report which was published on the website of the global body stated that despite global crude oil prices falling by about three quarters over the last year, Nigeria has defied the negative growth that afflicted several crude-producing countries.

Africa’s two other economies on the list Egypt and South Africa, who were ranked 24th and 30th respectively, enjoyed GDP growth rates of 5.2% and 2.4% respectively.

In terms of growth, Nigeria, was also the sixth highest achiever as only China, India, Egypt, Pakistan and the Philippines recorded higher GDP growth.

Over the last 15 years, Nigeria has enjoyed annual GDP growth rates of about 7% but with crude oil prices falling to about $40 a barrel from over $100 a barrel, it is no surprise that growth has slowed.

Despite this, the economy continues to diversify and the country remains on course to achieve its goal of becoming one of the world’s top 20 economies by 2020.

Below is the list as released by the IMF:

1. China: US$19.510 trillion (up 7.9% from 2014)
2. United States: $17.968 trillion (up 3.6%)
3. India: $8.027 trillion (up 8.3%)
4. Japan: $4.842 trillion (up 1.6%)
5. Germany: $3.842 trillion (up 2.5%)
6. Russia: $3.474 trillion (down -2.9%)
7. Brazil: $3.208 trillion (down -2.1%)
8. Indonesia: $2.839 trillion (up 5.7%)
9. United Kingdom: $2.660 trillion (up 3.5%)
10. France: $2.647 trillion (up 2.2%)
11. Mexico: $2.220 trillion (up 3.3%)
12. Italy: $2.174 trillion (up 1.8%)
13. South Korea: $1.849 trillion (up 3.7%)
14. Saudi Arabia: $1.681 trillion (up 4.4%)
15. Spain: $1.636 trillion (up 4.1%)
16. Canada: $1.628 trillion (up 2%)
17. Turkey: $1.576 trillion (up 4.1%)
18. Iran: $1.382 trillion (up 1.8%)
19. Australia: $1.137 trillion (up 3.4%)
20. Taiwan: $1.114 trillion (up 3.2%)
21. Thailand: $1.107 trillion (up 3.5%)
22. Nigeria: $1.105 trillion (up 5%)
23. Poland: $1.003 trillion (up 4.5%)
24. Egypt: $996 billion (up 5.2%)
26. Pakistan: $930.8 billion (up 5.3%)
27. Netherlands: $831.4 billion (up 2.8%)
28. Malaysia: $813.5 billion (up 5.7%)
29. Philippines: $742.3 billion (up 7%)
30. South Africa: $724 billion (up 2.4%)

EFCC Arraigns Saraki’s Cousin, Tope Saraki Ex-commissioner For N371m Scam.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday arraigned a former Special Adviser to the Kwara State Governor on Millennium Development Goals, Ope Saraki, who is also a cousin to Senate President Bukola Saraki for an alleged N371m scam.

The EFCC said in a statement by its spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, that a former Commissioner for Information, Olatunji Moronfoye, was also arraigned before Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo of a Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin for offences bordering on abuse of office, diversion of public funds and money laundering.

While Moronfoye served as commissioner under Saraki when he was the governor of Kwara State, Ope served under the current Governor of Kwara State, Abdulfatah Ahmed.

Moronfoye and Saraki, who were first arraigned on May 13, 2015, had to re-enter their plea on Tuesday following the transfer of the former trial judge, Justice A. O. Faji.

According to the anti-graft agency, Moronfoye, while being the Special Adviser to former Governor Saraki (now Senate President) allegedly used his position to enrich himself.

The EFCC alleged that Moronfoye awarded contracts to the tune of N200m for the renovation of Ijagbo Primary Health Centre and specialist hospitals within the state to a company in which he had interests and was the sole signatory to its account.

It said Ope allegedly abused his office and laundered state funds for his personal benefit by awarding inflated contracts to companies owned by his cronies.

The commission said in one of the transactions involving the purchase of buses for the state, Ope fraudulently procured 13 Hiace buses from a “local car dealer” and converted the vehicle to an ambulance instead of a factory-built ambulance for which a contract of N171, 990, 000 was awarded to Chemiroy Nigeria Limited.

One of the charges read in part, “That you, Ope Saraki, being the Special Adviser on Millennium Development Goals to Governor of Kwara State sometime in 2012 at Ilorin within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did by undue interest conducted procurement fraud in the procurement of 13 units of ambulance for 13 General Specialists Hospitals in Kwara State at the sum of N171,990, 000, a contract awarded to Chemiroy Nigeria Limited and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 58 (4) (b) of the Public Procurement Act, 2007 and punishable under Section 58 (5) 0f the same Act.”

Moronfoye and Saraki pleaded not guilty to the three and five counts preferred against them respectively.

In view of their pleas, counsel for the EFCC, Joseph Uzor, urged the court for a date to commence trial

Presidency Reacts To Negative Reactions Over Buhari's Telegraph Interview

The State House has described as misconstrued, the various interpretations of President Muhammadu Buhari’s comments in an interview granted to the UK’s Telegraph newspaper on February 5, 2016.

In a statement released in Abuja on Tuesday, February 9, Malam Garba Shehu (Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity) noted that the wave of negative reactions to the President’s remarks about the reputation of Nigerians abroad was as a result of an incomplete understanding of President Buhari’s point.

“President Buhari was asked about the flood of migrants from Nigeria and the fraudulent applications for asylum put in by people desperate to leave their motherland at any cost, and it was this question that elicited his response,” he said, encouraging Nigerians to avail themselves of a full text of the interview, which has now been made available on the Telegraph’s website.


Malam Shehu added that it was preposterous for anyone to imagine that the President of Nigeria would describe all the citizens of the country he leads as criminals, when he himself is a Nigerian–obviously not a criminal–and when there are many Nigerians of honest living making their country proud all over the world.

ree also Nigerians giving their country a bad image abroad, and it is to those Nigerians that the President referred in his comments,” he said, adding that people may play politics and online games with the President’s comments, but the fact of the matter remains that Nigeria’s reputation abroad has been severely damaged by her own citizens.

“These Nigerians who leave their country to go and make mischief on foreign shores have given the rest of us a bad reputation that we daily struggle to overcome.”


Malam Shehu called attention to the many efforts of President Buhari to clean up the image of Nigeria, such as the war on corruption, stating that acknowledging you have a problem is the first step to preferring a solution.

“President Buhari is very aware of the problems the people of Nigeria face both at home and abroad, and he is not shying away from admitting them even as he focuses on solutions to bring them to a permanent end.”

Governor Ambode At Dinner Reception With President Of Germany (Photos)

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode at the dinner reception in honour of His Excellency, President Joachim Gauck, President of the Federal Republic of Germany, at Victoria Island, Lagos, on Tuesday, February 09, 2016, See Photos Below.