Self-defence: Danjuma misunderstood – Ortom

Gov Ortom and Danjuma

Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, has said the call by former Defence Minister, General Theophilus  Danjuma, who at the weekend tasked Nigerians to protect themselves from rampaging armed bandits who he alleged have military backing, was misunderstood.

Ortom told State House Correspondents, shortly after a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, over the killings in the state, noted that it is normal for people to defend themselves from any attack.

“There is a misrepresentation of what the former minister said. He did not tell anybody to take up arms. He only said that people should protect themselves. Of course, you know that self preservation is the first law of nature.

“You can’t just wait in your house and allow someone to come and kill you. You can resist the person, but, you don’t necessarily need to have arms. I think that that was what the minister was saying.  There is need for people to arise to defend themselves; not necessarily using weapons that are banned.

 “You can use a stick and disarm someone. Some years ago, I was able to disarm armed robbers with seven AK 47 without anything. I think that is the kind of thing he is trying to say. Nigerians should rise up to do this. Security matters are not just left in the hands of security men, it requires every one of us to put our heads together and be courageous to be able to surmount it.” 

Ortom, who said he went to brief the president on the happenings in the state, as well as remind him of his promise to rehabilitate 175,000 persons displaced (as a result of herdsmen attacks), currently taking  refuge in eight Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps, said he received assurances that that will be done; to enable them go back to their homes.

The governor insisted he was committed to implementing the Anti-Open Grazing law, to make provision for ranching, because ranching remains the global best practise and that Nigeria should not be an exception especially as land is decreasing because of increase in population.

Meanwhile, the Pan Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, has called on the United Nations (UN) and President Muhammadu Buhari to launch full scale investigation into Danjuma’s allegation of army bias over herdsmen’s killings.

Rising from its special meeting held at the residence of its national leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, in Akure, Ondo State, yesterday, Afenifere described the allegation as weighty and damning.

The association also noted that Danjuma’s allegation bcould be linked to ethnic cleansing.

Source The Sun

Buhari’s refusal to sign African trade treaty ‘disappointing’ — Obasanjo

Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to reconsider his stance and sign the Africa Continental Free Trade Area agreement before it is too late.
The former president expressed disappointment that Nigeria was not among the 44 member countries of the African Union that endorsed the agreement.
“That President Buhari didn’t sign the free trade agreement in Kigali is disappointing; I hope he signs it before it is too late,”Mr. Obasanjo was quoted as saying.
“Egypt started the discussion on the formation of the Organisation of African Unity but didn’t conclude it and Nigeria took over. Nigeria was also central to the discussion of the free trade agreement, but I am surprised that the country withdrew from signing.”
The agreement was signed during the 18th Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of (AU) Heads of State and Governments on March 21 in Kigali, Rwanda.
Nigeria and South Africa were two of Africa’s biggest economies that withheld their assent to the agreement meant to establish a common protocol to allow free movement of goods and services among member nations of the AU. South Africa later signed.
Seven other countries, including Burundi, Guinea Bissau and Eritrea also did not sign the agreement.
Although the Federal Executive Council had given consent for Nigeria to sign the agreement, Mr. Buhari canceled his schedule to attend the AU meeting at the last minute.
Prominent interest groups like the Nigeria Labour Congress and Manufacturers Association of Nigeria kicked against the treaty, saying aspects of the agreement would hurt Nigeria’s interest.
Consequently, the decision to sign the agreement was postponed to allow for adequate consultation and inputs from interest group, particularly with the NLC, which called the treaty a “renewed, extremely dangerous and radioactive neo-liberal policy initiative.”
But, Mr. Obasanjo, who was named on Friday as chair of the Advisory Council for Intra-African Trade Fair organised by African Export-Import Bank in conjunction with the Egyptian government for December 2018, said he was surprised Nigeria refused to sign the trade agreement.
He recalled the leading role Nigeria played in founding the free trade agreement initiative, saying apart from Egypt, which started the discussion on the formation of the Organisation of African Unity, Nigeria was central to all discussions on the agreement.
The AfCFTA treaty is one of the flagship projects of the AU Agenda 2063 to create a single continental market for goods and services, with free movement of business persons, investments and a single currency.
Signatories to the agreement so far included Niger, Rwanda, Angola, C.A.R., Chad, Comoros, Congo, Djibouti, The Gambia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritania, Mozambique, Cote D’Ivoire, Seychelles, Algeria and Equatorial Guinea.
Others include Morocco, Swaziland, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, South Sudan, Uganda, Egypt, Ethiopia, Sao Tome and Principle, Togo and Tunisia.


Source: Premium Times

Imo state under serious misrule – Sen. Anyanwu

Senator Anyanwu

Senator representing Owerri zone at the upper legislative chamber of the National Assembly, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, has said he is interested in the governorship of Imo state because the governance experiment in the hands of the incumbent has failed the expectation of the people, making the need to rescue the state imperative.
Speaking in a press statement he issued in Abuja, Tuesday, ahead of his formal declaration for the 2019 governorship election in Imo state tomorrow, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart said the state has, rather than grown exponentially in accordance with its potentials, suffered untold bastardization in the hands of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party.
According to him, Imo state has the potential to rank number one in Nigeria’s Human Development Index but mismanagement of its human and material resources has estranged it from real development.
Sen. Anyanwu, who was a two-time chairman at Ikeduru local government area, and also an ex-lawmaker at the Imo State House of Assembly, said his experiences as both council chairman and legislator, empowers him with a deeper understanding of the demands of development and resource management for the good of the people.
He said the development of a state should not only be about building perimeter fence around schools, but what is inside the school itself.
According to him, “our people see the construction of school walls as ‘development’.
“The real development is about what is inside the school and not just about the walls. If you have a beautiful wall but without equipment and other necessary facilities that will help in developing human capital, you have achieved nothing,”he said.
Sen. Anyanwu, who said his mission to the state was to rescue it from the mess created by the outgoing government, noted that “Imo has been in the news since the present administration took over, for only the wrong reasons. That means we have been portrayed negatively by the government and as such the government that said it came to rescue us also needed to be rescued before it collapses the state totally.
“We have the resources to manage and develop Imo state. But for lack of quality management skills and inability to select from a pool of quality human capital, those who will help drive development, we ended up with a situation where a family became the next best thing to happen to the state after its creation.
” It is not true that Imo lacks human capital to navigate it through development. What has been lacking is vision and purposeful leadership.


Source: The Sun

APC has failed Nigerians – Atiku Abubakar Voice Out

Atiku

Latest report as former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar on Tuesday declared his intention to contest the position of the President.
Atiku made this declaration when he led some leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party to the Government House in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
This is as the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, said Nigerians must take up the responsibility of sacking the “non-performing” APC Federal Government in 2019.
The former Vice-President and other PDP leaders were in the state to consult with chieftains of the party in Rivers State.
Atiku said that he was offering himself to set the country on the path of growth after “the serial failure of the APC.”
He said that since 2015, the APC Federal Government had destroyed the education, health and infrastructural sectors through poor budgetary allocations and releases.
“Since 2015, we have not seen a 100-kilometre road constructed by the APC Federal Government anywhere in the country,” Atiku said.
He pointed out that the APC Federal Government had destroyed the foundation of unity and cohesion of the country.
“I have never seen Nigeria so divided along religious, ethnic and regional lines. This division is as a result of the mismanagement of the APC,” the former Vice-President added.
The presidential aspirant expressed the need for the unity of the country, saying that no component part of the country could progress alone.
Atiku urged the Rivers PDP stakeholders to support his ambition to emerge as the party’s presidential candidate.
In his remarks, Wike urged all PDP members irrespective of their status to ensure that the march to the Presidential Villa was not truncated by disunity.
He urged presidential aspirants on the platform of the PDP to contest within acceptable limits, adding that the race should not be a do-or-die affair, but a movement to oust a failed APC Federal Government.
Wike said, “Every presidential aspirant must see himself as a member of the larger PDP family. We must do everything to ensure that the PDP returns to the Presidential Villa in 2019.
“Only one aspirant will become a candidate. We will do everything to ensure that the party comes out with a candidate that has a track record to upstage the APC,” he added.
The governor said that he had received a former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, and the former Vice-President, pointing out that other aspirants would be offered the platform to consult with the Rivers PDP members.
“God will make sure that the right candidate emerges. When the right candidate emerges, we will team up and remove this bad government.
“There is no benefit that Rivers State has got from this APC Federal Government. All the APC Federal Government is doing is plotting to rig the 2019 elections,” Wike said.
He said that the former Vice-President had the right qualification to fly the PDP flag, even as he advised him to extend his consultations.
Also speaking, a former Enugu State governor, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, described Atiku as a detribalised Nigerian with the capacity to rescue the country.
In his remarks, ex-governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, said Atiku remained a true Nigerian with business and political links across the country.
According to him, Nigeria needs Atiku to revive the country.


Source:mynationnews

Militants free scores of abducted Nigerian schoolgirls after month in captivity

DAPCHI, Nigeria (Reuters) - Islamist militants drove scores of kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls back into the town where they had been captured a month ago and abruptly set them free on Wednesday.
The captors gave no reason for their release, but Nigeria denied that a ransom had been paid. Several of the girls said some of their friends had died in captivity and one was still being held.

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The fighters from the Boko Haram group, some shouting ‘God is greatest’, drove the girls back into the northeast town of Dapchi in a line of trucks in the morning, dropped them off then left, witnesses told Reuters.
“I don’t know why they brought us back but they said because we are children of Muslims,” one of the freed girls, Khadija Grema, told Reuters.
Aliyu Maina, reunited with his 13-year-old daughter, said the fighters “stopped and blocked the road, they didn’t talk to anybody, they didn’t greet anybody.”
“They said people should make space for people to recognize their children and I got my child.”
Boko Haram has waged a nine-year insurgency in northeast Nigeria and neighboring states that has seen tens of thousands of people killed, more than 2 million displaced and thousands abducted. A 2015 military campaign drove the group from most territory it controlled, but much of the area remains beyond government rule, and insurgents still stage attacks from strongholds near Lake Chad.

The kidnapping of 110 girls aged 11-19 on Feb. 19 from Dapchi was the biggest mass abduction since Boko Haram took more than 270 schoolgirls from the town of Chibok in 2014 - a case that triggered international outrage.
Dapchi residents said more than 100 girls had returned on Wednesday.
“One is still with them because she is a Christian,” said Grema, the freed girl. “About five are dead but it was not as if they killed them - it was because of the stress and trauma that made them tired and weak.”
“They didn’t harm us,” Grema added. “They were giving us food, very good food. We didn’t have any problem.”

Oil rich Saudi Arabia turns to nuclear power



Saudi Arabia is fast-tracking an atomic energy programme to reduce its dependence on oil, but concerns over nuclear proliferation in the Middle East could put a damper on its ambitious plans, Channels TV reports.
The atomic policy, which limits nuclear activities to peaceful purposes, was approved by the cabinet on Tuesday just days before powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visited Washington. Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest exporter of oil, is struggling to meet fast-rising energy demand and crude prices remain far below their peaks reached before the 2014 market crash. The country has accelerated plans to build 16 nuclear reactors over the next two decades, according to officials and analysts, at a cost of around $80 billion.
Saudi Energy Minister Khaled al-Faleh said in October that the nuclear programme would start by building two reactors, each producing between 1.2 and 1.6 gigawatts of electricity. But the move has come under scrutiny in Washington at a time of growing tensions between the US and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear programme. The Saudi cabinet however says its nuclear programme will be fully transparent and will meet independent nuclear safety standards.

Alleged N400 million scandal: Metuh accuses APC of ‘undue interference’

Olisah Metuh

A former spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party, Olisah Metuh, has reacted to the publication alleging that a medical report submitted by his clients at an Abuja Division of the Federal High Court was fake.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by Mr. Metuh’s lawyer, Benchuks Nwosu, the former PDP publicity secretary condemned the publication, describing it as a product of the federal government’s undue interference in his trial.
Following a spinal cord injury reportedly sustained by Mr. Metuh, the PDP spokesperson wrote the Federal High Court requesting permission to allow him attend to his health condition in a foreign hospital.
Mr. Metuh who had previously attended hearing on a stretcher told the court, through his lawyer, Emeka Etiaba, that their application was backed by a medical report from a London-based neurological surgeon, Andrean Casey.
In response to the application, however, the APC claimed it conducted an investigation to ascertain the authenticity of the medical report.
According to the ruling party, its investigations revealed that Mr. Casey is not attached to the London hospital cited by Mr. Etiaba and other members of Mr. Metuh’s defence team.
Responding however, Mr. Nwosu accused the APC of unduly interfering in the trial of the former PDP spokesperson and demanded an end to what they described as a media trial of their client.
“In the past few weeks, we have witnessed statements, sponsored articles and comments by the All Progressive Congress (APC) and some federal government office holders and apologists in furtherance of the well- funded media trial against our Client, Chief Olisa Metuh.
“More disturbing is the direct threat, harassment and intimidation of medical personnel and institutions involved in the treatment and management of our client’s ill-health.”
“We have instances and evidence of these APC controlled agents and agencies directly interfering with the various hospitals that have admitted Metuh in the last two months but the latest is the letter written by APC to the Wellington hospital, London, U.K, depicting our client as an enemy of the Nigerian state and one that should not even have access to medical treatment abroad.

According to the statement, Mr. Metuh’s lawyers condemned what they described the APC’s massive radicle of their client’s decision to obey court orders, by appearing in court on a stretcher. The statement further explained Mr. Metuh’s medical condition and alleged persecution of Mr. Metuh by government.
“The clear fact, as evidenced by his MRI report, is that Olisa Metuh has severe spondylosis with disc herniations, cord and nerve root compressions in his Cervical, Thoracic and Lumbosacral spine.
“This has resulted in semi-paralysis and we have even gone further in open Court to request that the prosecution be allowed to conduct their own independent clinical examination of the person involved.
“Just last week, a Court released the passport of an accused person being prosecuted by the same EFCC to enable him attend a conference abroad. Others have been allowed to go for medical check- up abroad and even for pilgrimage.
“The same Court had also granted some other accused persons facing charges the same indulgence being denied Olisa Metuh.
“The fight against corruption does not imply persecution, manifest wickedness and lynch mob approach to particular individuals,” the statement said.




Source: Premium Times

Benue: Police counter Presidency, say Inspector-General Idris not queried by Buhari

Inspector General Ibrahim Idris

The police have strongly denied that President Muhammadu Buhari queried the Inspector-General Ibrahim Idris, following revelations that the police chief ignored a presidential directive to move to Benue State.

The police challenged “anyone” claiming Mr. Idris was queried by the president to produce an evidence.

A statement released by the presidency and later posted on Twitter using the @NGRPresident handle on Tuesday night said Mr. Buhari asked the police chief to explain why he flouted his order to relocate to Benue in the wakes of deadly attacks on villages that had left hundreds dead since January 1.

“Pres @MBuhari today summoned the Inspector-General of Police to explain his flouting of the presidential order to remain in Benue State. The President has also asked for a comprehensive report on Police Operations in the affected States,after which further decisions will be made,” the statement said.

It came a day after Mr. Buhari told Benue leaders he did not know that Mr. Idris did not relocate to Benue State as he directed in a January 9 correspondence, drawing widespread rebuke and calls for him to sack the police chief for insubordination.

Many Nigerians understood the summon and demand for explanation as a query by the president.

But as many were expecting the outcome of the query, reports emerged that the police IG did not receive any demand for explanation from Mr. Buhari, in a jarring contradiction of the presidency.

“The IGP was not queried,” police spokesperson Jimoh Moshood told THISDAY over the weekend. “Anybody that said the IGP was queried by the president should bring the copy of the query, let us display it.”

The presidency did not immediately respond to PREMIUM TIMES requests for comments about the police’s contradiction Monday morning.

If the police’s assertion holds true, the controversy could strengthen the arguments of Mr. Buhari’s critics that he lacks the political and administrative competence to sack errant appointees.

It could also support some claims that the president was aware that Mr. Idris did not go to Benue, but feigned ignorance. This is especially because PREMIUM TIMES reported in early February, about six weeks before Mr. Buhari’s comments, that Mr. Idris only spent a few days in Benue against the president’s openly-stated desire.

Mr. Buhari also highlighted his directive to Mr. Idris as part of his swift responses to the Benue crisis when he wrote to the Nigerian Senate to update lawmakers on his administration’s efforts to curb the killings.

Political analyst, Ken Eluma-Asogwa, said the police’s statement marked the latest assault against the president from his subordinates, saying he had been presented with another opportunity to exert his presidential authority.

“This is an aberration,” Mr. Eluma-Asogwa, a lawyer in Abuja, told PREMIUM TIMES by telephone Monday morning. “It is an absolute confrontation against the president like we have seen in several cases in the past in this administration.”

“We have an IG that is telling the president that he did not query him even after the president had come out openly to say he issued him a query,” Mr. Eluma-Asogwa said. “What the IG is simply saying is that he was not queried and there’s nothing the president could do about it.”

“Clearly, this is the time for this police IG to be shown the way out,” the lawyer added.

But Ayo Akanji, a media strategist for the ruling All Progressives Congress, said the president only summoned the IG but did not query him.

“The IGP was never queried,” said Mr. Akanji, also a media consultant for the Buhari administration. “He was only asked to come and explain what he had been doing in Benue.”

Mr. Akanji said it is after Mr. Idris had submitted the updates about police operations in the herdsmen crisis that the president would determine whether to issue a query or not.

Kaduna secondary school teachers to write competence test soon – El-Rufai

Gov Nasir el-Rufa'i

Governor Nasir el-Rufa’i of Kaduna state has disclosed that Competency tests for secondary school teachers will soon be conducted across the state to separate the incompetent ones from those that are competent. 

Kaduna state government conducted similar test for the over 30,000 primary school teachers in the state last year, following which 21,780 that failed to obtain 70% pass mark were sacked and replaced with newly recruited 25,000 teachers. 

Speaking on Sunday on his twitter handle, @GovKaduna, monitored in Kaduna, el-Rufai noted that the state is committed to restoring the integrity of the teaching profession. 

He also revealed that the state government has decided to pay urban teachers in the state 27.5% higher than average civil servants, while rural teachers will earn 32.5% higher than their other civil service colleagues to attract the best to the teaching profession. 

“We are doing our best to restore the integrity of the teaching profession. We have finished tests for primary school teachers and we are going to administer competency tests for secondary school teachers.”

The competency test for primary school teachers and subsequent sack of those that failed the test caused lot of brouhaha with the Nigeria Union of Teachers ( NUT ) and the umbrella body for workers, Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC ) taking umbrage at what they referred to as unfair treatment of teachers.

Despite the unions embarking on protest after which they took legal action, the state government stuck by its gun and followed through with its decision. This latest step, if taken, may cause further uproar in the state.

Source: The Nation

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IN PICTURES | Buhari In Benue State, Meets Deserted Streets

President Muhammadu Buhari is in Benue state. The president is currently holding a meeting with stakeholders in the state over the incessant attacks and killings between herdsmen and farmers.

Receiving the President Buhari was Benue state governor, Samuel Ortom, his wife, cabinet members,  traditional rulers and others.

Source: Breaking Times

‘Mathematical’ Segun Odegbami Loses Mother

Segun Odegbami

Popular Nigerian footballer Chief Segun Odegbami, MON, has lost his mother, Madam Abeke Odegbami.

In his condolence message to the Nigerian international on Sunday, Senator Shehu Sani, representing Kaduna Central in the National Assembly tweeted: ”My condolences to my friend, Mathematical Segun Odegbami over the passing away of his beloved Mother. May her soul Rest In Peace. Amin.”Segun Odegbami had last month on the occasion of the 97th birthday of his mother extolled her qualities, describing her as a discplinarian.

He stated: “I do not doubt the fact that I have a loving mother in Madam Abeke Odegbami who is presently aged 97. I will say it here that my passion for playing football made her to always beat me up mercilessly when I was young in Abeokuta. You see, in those days, she would expect me to carry out household chores but I would opt to go out to play football. Most times, during my primary school days, I would stay back and play football. So, while going home and knowing what awaited me at home, I would start to cry on my way home. This was the kind of relationship we had till I left the primary school.

”When I got to the Secondary school, the confrontation reduced because we used to close officially by 5pm. With this timing, she found it not too easy to confirm whether I played around or not. I would have played football to my satisfaction before going home. But on occasions when I had to attend to chores, I would sneak out to play and she would still beat me.

”Later during my secondary school days, I started becoming popular and this led to my prominence as a footballer. By the time God brought forth my glory as a footballer, I became my mother’s number one son. Today, she is one of those campaigning for parents to allow their children to develop God-given talents. May God continue to preserve her for me in sound health.”

Source: PM News

2019 Election Watch: Why Obasanjo Can’t stop Atiku – Mohammed

Fateema Mohammed

Fateema Mohammed, the director-general of the Atikunation group is of a firm belief that ex-president, Olusegun Obasanjo cannot stop ex-VP, Atiku Abubakar from becoming the leader of Nigeria in 2019.

Mohammed, a staunch supporter of Atiku, stated that Obasanjo was just a ‘single vote’ and cannot determine who will be president. She told Sun;

“The choice of Atiku for me is a personal conviction. You set your cards on the table and then you ask yourself, among all of the players on stage who is capable? In a time like this, we have different politicians; we have the pretenders who just want to come out and seek another thing.

We have the contenders. To me, Atiku is the only contender to that seat. I am speaking personally; I think he is the only credible candidate in every aspect and he will be the next president.  

When you have a good product you don’t need to go through the stress of hyping the product. Atiku is the most sell-able candidate.

The politics of the south-west is very dynamic; we have a lot of people who are exposed and knowledgeable. When you talk about APC it was Atiku’s money that helped the party to stand today and from the day he left APC, you will have seen that the party has taken a dive for the worse.

It is simply because one of its pillars just left. Selling him is not a problem at all. He is the largest employer of labour in Nigeria.

He is the benefactor of over 50,000 employees. He is a lover of youth and a detribalised Nigerian. He has wives from south-west and south-east. He believes in the girl child. He lives and says that he will give hope to the women and all that. Above all, he believes in restructuring.

Is Obasanjo God or is he God’s Personal Assistant.  Obasanjo has just one vote. He cannot determine who will be president. Obasanjo will be alive when Atiku will become president.  He cannot stop Atiku.”

Source: Politicsnigr.com

How Buhari plans to tackle Nigeria’s security challenges – Buratai

Lt. Col Tukur Burutai

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Tukur Burutai, has said the Army, under President Muhammadu Buhari’s instruction, is spreading its might in order to have a strong hold in all parts of the country and enable it deal with rising security challenges in the country.

The COAS, who spoke at the groundbreaking of the Nigerian Army Barracks, Camp Buratai at Elebele in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, said this was in synergy with other security agencies.

Buratai explained that following the various challenges facing the country, President Muhammadu Buhari, wanted a balanced and widespread footprints of the Nigerian Army to confront the security threats in the country.

He said the 6th Division and 6th Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt, Rivers State were part of the expansionist project.

He said the 16th Brigade in Yenagoa, was also made operational on February 28, 2018 adding that he was in Katsina 10 days ago to operationalise the 17th Brigade under the new 8th Division with headquarters of Operation Lafia Dole in Monguno.

The COAS said the headquarters in Monguno would be relocated to Sokoto as soon as the menace of insurgency had been fully contained.

Buratai said: “The establishment of 6th Brigade in Port Harcourt, 6th Division in Port Harcourt and the 16th Brigade in Yenagoa forms an important part of Mr. President’s desire to have a balanced and widespread footprints of the Nigerian Army to deal with the myriads of security challenges facing the country in conjunction with other security agencies.

“As you may be aware, I was in Katsina about 10 days ago to operationalise the 17th Brigade under the new 8 Division whose headquarters is currently in Operation Lafia Dole, the theatre of operation specifically in Monguno but will soon relocate to Sokoto after the menace of the insurgency has been fully contained

He said: “The Army has acquired the property and today Dickson has kept his promise. From what we have observed, of the preparation of this new site, so much efforts and resources have been efficiently deployed. Today’s ceremony is a testimony that with determination and sincerity of officers and soldiers, we can build institutions and regenerate society.

“The brigade has demonstrated and achieved so much in infrastructural development and enhancement of troops’ wellbeing within one year of its establishment as well as meeting its trainings, operational and regimental responsibility.

“I commend the commander, officers and men of the 16th Brigade for their innovation, determination and professionalism as well as the clear interpretation of my vision for the Nigerian Army which is to have a professionally responsive Nigerian Army in the discharge of its constitutional roles.”

Source: Daily Post

Giant bribery trial against Shell and Eni opens in Milan

A CORPORATE bribery trial billed as the biggest in history opened today against oil giants Shell and Eni over an £800 million scandal to win control of a lucrative oilfield in Nigeria.
The firms’ size makes it the biggest trial ever and it is unprecedented that Eni’s current chief executive Claudio Descalzi remains in his post while he faces such serious charges.
“We have never seen a sitting CEO of an oil major go on trial for bribery,” said Barnaby Pace, a campaigner with activist group Global Witness.
The trial was later postponed until May 14 for technical reasons. The Nigerian government and four non-governmental organisations, including Global Witness, submitted requests to be considered damaged parties and allowed to participate.
The groups all worked together to get documents to prosecutors in Milan, as well as in other jurisdictions, that helped bring to the Nigerian case to trial.
Mr Descalzi is one of 13 individuals charged in the case involving the 2011 purchase of the OPL245 block. Other defendants include his predecessor Paolo Scaroni, two former top Shell executives, a former Nigerian oil minister, and a series of middlemen and advisers. The companies themselves are also corporate defendants.
Prosecutors allege that £375m of the £800m paid into an escrow account was converted into cash and distributed as bribes, while several hundred million more went to a former oil minister.
Since the charges were filed, prosecutors also have opened a separate investigation into allegations that Eni lawyers tried to throw investigators off of the Nigeria case. Authorities searched their offices in early February.
Shell and Eni, which is 30 per cent owned by the ItaliaItalian government, both deny the allegations.


Source: morningstaronline.co.uk

Fayose reacts to President Buhari’s planned visit to Rivers, Taraba, Benue, others

President Buhari and Governor Fayose

The Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, on Monday said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to Taraba and his planned visit to Benue, Zamfara, Yobe and Rivers states, that have witnessed different forms of killings this year was an afterthought.
The Presidency on Monday, announced that President Muhammadu Buhari would be visiting crisis-ridden states such as Taraba, Rivers, Benue, Yobe and others. 
Fayose said, “Obviously, the President is more concerned about his reelection in 2019 and his visit to those States that he abandoned during their times of trouble is to seek for votes, not to sympathize with the people of the States on their loses.”
He said the President is like a selfish king who went on making merry while his people were in agony only to show up when the people had already buried their loved ones that were gruesomely murdered, gotten over their anguish and moved on with their lives.
In a statement issued by Monday, by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Governor Fayose said it was the height of cruelty that the same Buhari, who promised to lead from the front in the fight against Boko Haram could not visit Dapchi, Yobe State where 110 schoolgirls were abducted by the insurgents, but decided to go on merry making in Kano.
Fayose said, “On January 9 and 12, this year, 88 victims of herdsmen attacks were given mass burial in Taraba State. Also on January 11, 2018, another 73 persons killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Benue State were buried in a mass grave in Makurdi, the state capital.


Source: Daily Post

NNPC to resume oil exploration activities in Nasarawa

Latest report as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) says it is set to immediately resume oil exploration activities in Nasarawa State.
Dr Mazadu Bako, the General Manager, Frontier Exploration Services of NNPC, made the disclosure on Monday in Lafia, during a courtesy visit to the Deputy Governor, Mr Silas Agara.
Bako said that oil exploration activities in Keana Local Government Area and other parts of Benue Inland Basin were temporarily suspended in January.
He attributed this to the killing of one of the NNPC personnel by suspected herdsmen in the wake of the recent attacks of farmers by herdsmen at the Benue/Nasarawa border.
According to him, NNPC has been mandated by the Federal Government to resume the activities in order to increase its oil output.
Bako said that adequate security arrangements had been made to protect the lives of the workers.
He called for the support of the government and people of Nasarawa State for NNPC to achieve purpose of the project.
Receiving the team on behalf of Gov. Umaru Al-Makura, the deputy governor, expressed concerns over the unfortunate killing of the NNPC staff.
He pledged the support of the state government to enable the corporation to succeed on their assignment.
NNPC had embarked on the exploration activities in Nasarawa State since 2017.
The corporation is doing this through one of its upstream subsidiaries, Integrated Data Services Limited.

Buhari To Visit Taraba, Benue, Yobe, Zamfara, Rivers States

President Buhari

In view of recent terrorist attacks, criminal activities and communal clashes in some States leading to tragic loss of lives and kidnapping of 110 schoolgirls, President Muhammadu Buhari says he is visiting Taraba, Benue, Yobe, Zamfara and Rivers State for an on the spot assessment.
A statement issued by Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity said  as soon as the attacks were recorded, the president immediately tasked the Armed Forces and other Security agencies to compile comprehensive reports on the various incidents.
“Having received and studied the Reports, the President has decided to undertake an on the spot assessment of the various occurrences and to meet and console the communities affected.
“From today, March 5, he will visit Taraba, and subsequently Benue, Yobe, Zamfara and Rivers States.
“President Buhari has been receiving daily briefings, and has been in constant touch with the Governors, and has been updated with situation reports,” the statement said.
The statement added that the President called on all Nigerians, especially those in the affected areas to cooperate fully with the Security Agencies to enable them curb the spate of crimes, bring those responsible to justice and prevent further occurrences.


Source: PM News

Obasanjo celebrates 81st Birthday

Obasanjo

Obasanjo as military Head of State

The Foolish President By Bayo Oluwasanmi

Bayo Oluwasanmi

A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” - John C. Maxwell
Every year we gleefully engage in pranks during April Fools' Day. There are many things a foolish president can do that will make him a fool all year round.
Who is a foolish president? A foolish president cannot be trusted with the fate, faith, and life of his citizens. A foolish president lacks the skill and wastes resources. A foolish president wastes opportunities. Foolish president have poor judgments. Foolish president never learns or grow. A foolish president makes the same mistakes over and over again. A foolish president pays severely for the consequences of his actions. There's little or no hope for a foolish president.
A foolish president is an absent-minded leader. The old military saying captures leadership in a nutshell: “There are three types of leaders: Those who make things happen; those who watch things happen; and those who wonder what happened.” An absent-minded president wonders and wanders about. He doesn't really know what's going on in his administration. He doesn't know the people and the culture. This can make him make frightful decisions.
The foolish president is nothing but trouble for the nation. A foolish president is unprepared to lead. A foolish president's only concern is for himself, his immediate family, and his kinsmen. A foolish president is one with no foresight, no drive, no energy, no innovation, no creativity, no enthusiasm. He's unwilling to take risks. He surrounds himself with thieves and fools. A foolish president doesn't know where he's going, where he's taking the people, and where the country is headed. A foolish president is a tragedy to his nation.
A foolish president wants the rewards of the presidency – the travel, the food, the wine, the money, the fame, the popularity, the power, the position – but doesn't want the responsibilities of leadership – the risk-taking and the decision making. In most cases, creativity and vision is the answer to problems of governance. But a foolish president will never cast a vision, or call for creativity.
In the tumultuous days ahead in the season of a presidential election campaign, Nigerians are worried about the leadership capabilities of the candidates. To be sure, the elected president will not be a 'savior' of Nigeria and Nigerians. Nevertheless, it is vital that the Nigerian people choose the right man or woman for the job.
It is repetitively annoying to remind Nigerians after 58 years of electing foolish presidents that they need to elect a wise, honest, humble, capable, intelligent, decisive, and a resolute leader. I don't have the words to stress to the Nigerian people that they should not settle for a foolish president. We have consciously, continuously, and consistently elect foolish presidents. The costs have been devastating than we can imagine or expect.
It is said that powder kegs are exploded by small sparks. Likewise, one person – a foolish president – is capable of wiping out the future and the life of his people. To avoid such a political cataclysm in 2019, there's only one safe course: We MUST elect a wise president.

 
bjoluwasanmi@gmail.com

Tomato growers say policy has enriched more farmers

Mr Adamu Musa, the National Organising Secretary, National Tomato Growers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria said the Federal Government’s agricultural policy had enriched more farmers in the last two years.
Musa said this in Mararaba, Nasarawa State, on Monday.
He said that the policy of the Federal Government on agriculture had awakened the consciousness of many Nigerians that the country could only be sustained through agriculture.
Musa said that the acceptance and participation of Nigerians in the Federal Government agricultural policy had made many farmers richer in the last two years than they were.
According to him, farmers are smiling to the banks because the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has given a lot of support and has made farming lucrative through subsidies.
“President Muhammadu Buhari has a strong agenda for agriculture to improve the lives of indigenous farmers.
“In many villages today in Nigeria, there are farmers who could not boast of N1 million before the coming of this administration, now having N7 million naira or more.
“Farmers, especially those into rice production, now have money of their own due to the renewed efforts of the Federal Government to see that Nigeria produces for both local and foreign consumption.
“The president has a plan for agriculture and it is working out for farmers.
“Part of that plan is the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) Anchor Borrowers Scheme which has supported a lot of farmers across the country,’’ the association’s secretary said.
Musa also commended the Dangote Tomato Processing Company in Kano for the company’s efforts in creating markets for tomato farmers to take their produce to.
He also appreciated the efforts of Alhaji Aliko Dangote in the area of tomato offtake.
Musa noted that this has helped tomato farmers a lot as they no longer need to worry about their produce.
He’s said that wastages have been reduced to the barest minimum and this has enhanced the efforts of the Federal Government to boost agriculture.
He advised young graduates to go to farming and stop looking for white collar jobs.
“I have seen graduates who have gone into farming and within two years their efforts had paid off.
“Farming is a large industry, from production to agribusiness that young graduates can harness for livelihood, ’’ he said.