Dtn 20 1 18 by Dailytimes

THE

DAILY

Farmers v Herdsmen: Series III

In Benue, cows more important than human beings, citizens lament

TIMES SATURDAY Tom Okpe, Abuja

ÏÏÏ In what appears to be a loss of

faith in the government due to its

reluctance to curtail the rampant killings of people by herdsmen in most parts of the country, some Continued on page 6

NIGERIA INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER. EST. 1926 WWW.DAILYTIMES.NG https://plus.google.com/+DailytimesNgr/posts

dailytimesnigeria

www.facebook.com/dailytimesngr

SATURDAY, JANUARY 20, 2018 VOL. 3. NO. 556

N150

GLOBAL FINANCIAL/COMMODITY MARKETS

CURRENCIES/CBN: CBN: N305.90 PER DOLLAR, Parallel Market: USD N363 POUND N475 EURO N421 NSE: ASI 36, 930.83 MARKET CAP 12.78 FMDQ O/N 38.92 OBB 37.50 COMMODITIES: Wheat US $427.60/MT Rice US $11.22/MT Cocoa US $2,099.00/Bag Coffee US $125.90/Scoop Cotton US $68.61/Unit Sugar US $14.41/Ounce METALS: Gold US $1272.90/Ounce Silver US $16.79/Ounce Copper US $3.15/Ounce ENERGY: Brent US $63.10/PB, N/Gas US $3.09/CB

Sen. Obiora, SARS invade Daily Times complex

Ï Arrest 5 staff, cart away computers, documents Ladesope Ladelokun and Alade Tasma, Lagos

ÏÏÏ Riot policemen of Spe-

cial Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) Scorpion Division, Ikeja, Lagos at the prompting of embattled Senator Ikechukwu Obiora, on Friday, invaded and shut down operations at The Daily Times Nigeria (DTN) complex, Ikeja, Lagos, as they arrested five members of staff and went away with

computers and vital documents. The riot policemen, who also wore bulletproof vests, came in at about 10am and shut the gate, thereby preventing any car from going in or out of the premises. They thereafter asked everyone to identify himself. Those carrying the identity card of DTN were asked to stay in a place. Those who came in to transact one business or

the other were turned back at the gate. At the end of the exercise, which lasted over two hours, they went away with five members of staff. Those arrested were Tinu Ashiru, assistant manager, Human Resources; Ayodele Ibitoye, the accountant; two Graphic designers, Afolabi Adeboye and Marvelous Eyo; and James Olagoke, of Continued on page 5

Buhari: Why I don’t take decisions hurriedly 6

2019: Don’t undermine electoral process, Wike warns security agents 28

Magu vows hard times for treasury looters as EFCC 5 graduates 183 cadets

Court permanently 7 forfeits Ikoyi Flat, N13bn cash to 6FG

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, January 20, 2018

News

Sen. Obiora, SARS invade Daily Times complex Continued from page 1 the Advert department. At the reception, they asked the officer in the Front Desk, Adamma Ikeme, to take them to the office of the chairman, but she politely asked them for warrant of arrest which they told her was on the phone and refused to show the so-called warrant of arrest. Ikeme also told riot policemen that she was not in the position to give them the answer, as her scope of

duty did not go beyond the front desk. They left, but not without the five members of staff they had arrested earlier. After two hours, they came back with Tinu Ashiru (HR head) and Ayodele Ibitoye (the accountant) and matched them to the office, where they ransacked and carted away vital documents. They also went back with them. An eyewitness of the infamous act, said: “The officers who were fully armed with AK-47 riffles as if they

were fighting Boko Haram members, seized phones of individuals present in the DTN office and harassed customers from carrying out their daily activities. We don’t know what they are looking for but they took away five members staff, computers and vital documents”. But one of the riot policemen, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that they did not know why the members of staff were arrested, adding that they (the. Scorpion Division )

were ordered to give back up to the two senior police officers who came from Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The Daily Times gathered that the two officers, who were said to have come from Abuja, refused to talk with anyone nor disclosed their mission to anyone, even when the staff arrested asked why they were being arrested, they simply replied: “You will know when we get to the station”. Also, one of the riot policemen, who didn’t want

to be named, disclosed in a soft tone saying: “Na big men fight”, as they kept on requesting for the Editor’s phone number and other management staff who were yet to resume at the office for the day. The eyewitness added that though the riot policemen were saying that Na Big men fight”, the invasion was meant to cripple the operations of DTN. When one of the lawyers to The Daily Times made spirited efforts to secure the bail of the detained

members of staff at the SARS office in Ikeja, the officer in charge told the lawyer that the order to detain them “came from above”. When reminded that the action was illegal on the grounds that there was no warrant of arrest, the officer replied that his men were only obeying the directive from the office of IGP Monitoring Team in Abuja. The arrested five members of staff are still being detained at SARS office in Ikeja at press time.

Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah (left); Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (middle); President of the ECOWAS Commission, Marcel Alain de Souza (3rd right); DirectorGeneral , World Trade Organisation, Mukhisa Kituyi (3rd left) and other members of the World Trade Organisation, during the opening of the High-Level Policy and Private Sector Trade and Investment Facilitation Partnership Forum, in Abuja… recently.

Buhari felicitates with King Charles Ayemi-Botu @ 70 Mathew Dadiya, Abuja

ÏÏÏ

President Muhammadu Buhari has joined all illustrious sons and daughters of Seimbiri Kingdom in celebrating the 70th birthday of King (Dr.) Charles Ayemi-Botu, which interestingly marks his 24th anniversary on the throne of his fathers. Buhari congratulated the paramount ruler of the Seimbiri Kingdom, his family and friends on the milestones, both lined with narratives of courage, diligence and care for his domain and humanity, earning him the appellation of “Lion of the Niger.’’ In a statement on Friday by his Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President saluted King Ayemi-Botu for his visionary, reconciliatory and selfless leadership style of

always looking at the big picture of national unity and encouraging all his subjects to uphold and project patriotism in all their endeavours. The statement reads in part, “As His Majesty turns a septuagenarian, Buhari believes the wealth of wisdom and experience he has acquired, working as the former National Chairman of Traditional Rulers of Oil Mineral Producing Communities of Nigeria (TROMPCON) and serving as the National Leader of Pan Niger Delta People’s Congress, would be most useful in fostering peace and stability in the region, and the development of the nation. “The President prays that the almighty God will grant “the Lion of the Niger’’ longer life, good health and prosperity to keep serving his people and the nation.”

Magu vows hard times for treasury looters as EFCC graduates 183 cadets

Andrew Orolua, Abuja.

ÏÏÏ

The Acting Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC), Mr Ibrahim Magu, has vowed that “difficult times await treasury looters”. He said”corruption has dealt a great blow on the socio-economic life of this country,” and “treasury looters will no longer be treated with kid gloves”. A statement by Samin Amaddin, the Acting Head, Media & Publicity, quoted Magu as making the vow on Thursday at a cocktail party in honour of the EFCC detective inspector course 4, held at the Nigerian Defence Academy Cadets Mess, Ribadu Campus, Kaduna. Magu said: “With the recruitment and training

of these 161 men and 22 women and with the ongoing training of another batch of 314 officers, the President has fresh hands to start a new offensive against treasury looters in Nigeria”. The EFCC boss described the training as “a priceless opportunity to serve the country”, advising the cadets not to waste the opportunity through indiscipline and corrupt practices. “As for the Cadet Inspectors, let me warn you that this is a priceless opportunity to serve your country. We brought you to the Nigerian Defence Academy, NDA, to teach you discipline and selfless service. Do not waste this opportunity through indiscipline and corrupt practices”, Magu added. He warned the new ca-

dets that the long hand of law will catch anyone of them who abuses his/her office in the course of discharging their duties, as the EFCC has zero tolerance for corruption. The anti-graft czar thanked the NDA for making the training a success, stating that “the Commission looks forward for more collaboration of this kind”. Earlier, in his welcome address, the Commandant, EFCC Academy, David Tukura, congratulated the new operatives, saying that “they have undergone an amazing transformation”. He said the new cadets who looked confused on their first day at the NDA on December 11, 2016, have moved from confusion to confidence. “They arrived here

looking confused and wondering what on earth they had gotten themselves into. They have now moved from confusion to confidence, from lack of direction to a clear roadmap, from fear to courage”, Tukura said. He urged them to always be disciplined and committed. In his remark, the Commandant, NDA, Major General A. Oyebade, advised the graduating cadets to make good use of the platform given to them, by serving the country professionally and making a difference. “This is a tough call, you must take the decision that is in the interest of the country, for those who will make the country better will have their names written in gold”, Oyebade added.

News 6

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, January 20, 2018

In Benue, cows more important than human beings, citizens lament Continued from page 1 citizens of Benue State have raised the alarm over placement of priority on cattle at the expense of human beings, saying that “cows are now more important than the lives of human beings” in the state. They also decried a situation where the Federal Government would prefer deploy soldiers to Zamfara State to protect animals

from cattle rustlers while in Benue State where citizens are killed on daily basis by herdsmen, it is a difficult for President Muhammadu Buhari to send the police. On January 1 and 2, 2018, about 75 farmers of Logo and Guma Local Government areas of the state were killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen and were given mass burial by the state government on January 12, 2018.

Investigations conducted by The Daily Times show that more than 12 villages in two local governments alone have been abandoned with nine totally razed down with no sign of economic activities, while many others have been abandoned for fear of attacks from alleged Fulani herdsmen. In addition to this, over 1250 farmlands have been abandoned with more than

1020 of the farmlands razed down by the herdsmen. Our findings showed that in Logo local government alone, seven communities that share boundaries have been razed down and abandoned. People from these communities have taken refuge in nearby communities of other states. According to some of the citizens of the state, the herdsmen hold the cattle more important that what-

L-R: General Manager, Oyo State Agriculture Credit Corporation, Chief Bode Raji; Senior Special Assistant to Oyo State Governor on Agriculture, Sakirudeen Fajinmi and Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture, Prof. Segun Adekunle, during a forum organised by Oyo State Government on Youth Empowerment Project on Agriculture in Ibadan, Oyo State… recently.

ever destruction caused to any man and properties means nothing to them as they speak to the cattle while the animals gesticulate with necessary response. Even the state’s internally generated revenue (IGR) which the government has put much effort to make up for the loss in revenue from the allocation from the Federal Government has suffered set back as a result of the Fulani herdsmen persistent attack. In fact, some economists have put the loss in revenue from the Fulani herdsmen attack to over N60billion. Also, Logo, which appears to bear most of the brunt of these attacks and now an epicenter of the herdsmen, has lost about 700 farmlands and seedlings. Speaking on the effects of the Fulani attack on the state’s IGR, Mr. Igba Tyokase of the state’s Inland Revenue said: “Definitely, it has a way to diminish the IGR, the prove of having high IGR is been destroyed. “We are talking of destruction of farmlands by these cows which is the people’s industry, this is where the state gets its revenue and they are been destroyed, how will the state grow its revenue should be our concern. “The farm produce har-

Buhari: Why I don’t take decisions hurriedly

Mathew Dadiya, Abuja

ÏÏÏ Against the backdrop

of criticisms over his inactions on some burning national issues, President Muhammadu Buhari has explained why he doesn’t make decisions hurriedly. Buhari, at a dinner where he hosted chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja on Thursday, said he is fully aware of the issues confronting the country and that he is guided by historical antecedents. He said, “I felt I had to invite you to let us eat together and I tell you that I am sitting here very much aware of the problems in this country. I will always reflect on historical antecedents. “I decided to drop the

uniform and come back here (to be President of Nigeria), so I have gone through it over and over again. This is why I am not in a hurry to do anything. I will sit and reflect, and continue to (operate) with my clear conscience,” He also gave the assurance that he will never forget the contributions of the APC chieftains while he was vying for the number one office, appreciating them for honouring his invitation. The President said, “I thank you very much for honouring my invitation and I am telling you that if I don’t call you, it is not because, for a moment, I ever forgot how you supported me at one stage or the other over the years.” “I keep telling people that while I was in uni-

form, quite reckless and young, I got all the ministers and governors, and put them in Kirikiri. I said they were guilty until they could prove their innocence. I was also detained too. “I decided to drop the uniform and come back. Eventually, I am here. So really, I have gone through it over and over again. “This is why I am not in a hurry virtually to do anything. I will sit and reflect and continue with my clear conscience.” Buhari also denied the allegation of ethnic bias being levelled against him. He explained that the number of substantive ministers he appointed from the South East where he got only 198,000 votes is enough proof that he is not favouring the North as

being speculated in some quarters. “There is something that hit me very hard and I am happy I hit it back at somebody. “Seven states of the North are only represented in my cabinet by junior ministers, ministers of state. “In South East, I got 198,000 votes but I have four substantive ministers and seven junior ministers from there. “You are closer to the people than myself now that I have been locked up here, don’t allow anybody to talk of ethnicity. It is not true.” Buhari also noted that throughout the period of his struggles to become the President, he enjoyed the support of people of other ethnic grouping and

religious affiliations. He said, “There is one thing that disabused my mind in a dispassionate way about ethnicity and religion across the country. You know that tribunal for presidential election started at Court of Appeal. The then President of the Court of Appeal was my classmate. I missed only four of the court sittings. “For that first phase, 2003, we were in court for 30 months. My legal leader was Chief Ahamba (SAN), an Igbo man. He asked the panel of judges to direct INEC to produce the voters register to prove that the election was done underground. “When they came to write the judgment, they completely omitted that. Another Igbo man, a Roman Catholic, in the panel

vested from the farms are taken for sales and these are no more; definitely, the state will not grow. If the cows are destroying all these and there are no sales and food any more, the government will not generate revenue. The state’s revenue will go down”. Mr. Terwase Akaya, a popular farmer from Logo Local Government Area also told The Daily Times that what has happened to them cannot be quantified as living is worthless without home and a source of livelihood. He said, “I cannot quantify what has happened to us; we are now refugees in neighboring Nasarawa State without source of livelihood. “We are farmers and the Fulanis and their most important cattle have come to force us out of our homes, killing us, destroying our farmlands. If we are to go back, where do we start from, what about the seedlings as the cows have eaten all the crops with nothing left. “Benue is known as the food basket of the nation but I regret to tell you today that this food basket has been broken with what this massacre by the Fulani herdsmen has done to us. Continued on page 7

of judges wrote a minority report. “I went to the Supreme Court. Who was the Chief Justice of Nigeria? An Hausa Fulani, a Muslim from Zaria. After 27 months, Ahamba presented our case for two hours and 45 minutes. The CJN got up and said they were going on break and when they returned the following day, they will deliver the judgment. They went away for three months. That was what made it 30 months. “And when they came back, they discussed my case within 45 minutes. “In 2007, who was the CJN? A Muslim from Niger State. The third one (in 2011), who was the CJN? My neighbour from Jigawa State. The same religion and the same tribe.”

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, January 20, 2018

7 News

A Federal High Court, Lagos on Friday, permanently forfeited Flat 7B at No. 16, Osborne Road, Ikoyi, Lagos to the Federal Government Peter Fowoyo

ÏÏÏThe

court also forfeited permanently to the Federal Government, humongous cash of $43,449,947, £27,800 and N23, 218,000 (about N13billion) discovered on April 12, 2017 in iron cabinets and “Ghanamust-go” bags. Justice Saliu Saidu

gave the order of final forfeiture of the flat to the federal government after dismissing Union Bank Plc’s application as the owner of the flat. Union Bank Plc, which came to court as an interested party, had urged the court to discharge the interim order of forfeiture placed on the property. But the Judge de-

scribed the financial institution as a busybody in the suit. Union Bank had on January 11, through its application, filed and argued by its lawyer, Mr. E. Ayuba, had urged the court not to finally forfeit the flat to the Federal Government and urged the court to discharge earlier interim order made

on the flat on November 9, 2017. But the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), through its team of lawyers led by Rotimi Oyedepo, had urged the court to discountenance Union Bank’s claim. The flat where the money was discovered, was said to belong to Mrs. Folashade Oke,

L-R: Former governor Niyi Adebayo of Ekiti state; President Muhammadu Buhari and Minister of Mines and Steel, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, during a courtesy visit to the President in Abuja...on Friday.

In Benue, cows more important than human beings, citizens lament

Continued from page 6

“Of late, you discover that heads of cattle brought by ‘Herdsmen’ have diverted into people’s farmland to eat up these crops, destroying farmland, farm produce and everything in such a way that the acronym, ‘Food Basket of the Nation’ is becoming eroded because the farm that the food produce comes from, have been destroyed while the people do not have any other thing to do than farming. “You know we would not want to sit down and watch our farm crops destroyed. Where interactions become available, you see fighting and the truth is that, the Fulanis are more sophisti-

cated as they have the modern weapons, AK-47 and all sorts of dangerous weapons, so they always over power us”. In the same vein, Mr. Timothy Tor Agbenda, a farmer in Guma Local Government Area, stated that Government should do something immediately before Benue and indeed the entire Middle Belt zone is wiped out by the herdsmen. He said, “Now that the Fulani herdsmen are attacking and killing us, we are helpless as we do not have the kind of weapons they have and even if we do, the option is not to fight back but to bring in lasting peaceful solution. It was in the cause of looking for this peaceful solution that government came up with the

‘Anti-grazing law. He said, “When the government enacted this law, ‘anti grazing’, the herdsmen union, ‘Miyetti Allah’ felt that it was a law that encroaches on their rights as they believe that they should be allowed to graze anywhere, anyhow. “But the state government is saying that farming is our industry here, so you cannot graze anyhow to destroy our industry for if we allow you to do that, then we shall not have a livelihood anymore. “As a people, we should look for a law that can curb that and that is the problem. The Federal Government should do something quickly before our state and indeed the entire middle belt zone is wiped out com-

pletely”. Former Minister of State for Education and Chairman, Benue State Civil Service Commission who is also a stakeholder in the state, Prof. Jerry Agada, in his advice said; “Where you see things that are unbecoming of what is supposed to be prevalent of a state, report to the law enforcement agencies. “With that, there will be peaceful co-existence. I also appeal to our brothers and sisters who also have cattle headed by herdsmen to talk to them to obey the laws enacted by the state because the state will not enact a law that will be detrimental to the welfare of its people. Let them advise the herdsmen to conform to the law of the land”.

wife of the sacked Director General of the Nigeria Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Ayo Oke. The anti graft agency had through its lawyer, Oyedepo, argued that Section 17 of The Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 empowers the court to order the final forfeiture of the property. He added that Section 44 (2) (k) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) also permits the take-over of a property in view of an enquiry. Oyedepo said, “ Our motion has its root in the Constitution and we urge the court to grant the application in view of the fact that Chobe Ventures which allegedly used proceeds of unlawful activities to acquire the property in issue is yet to controvert our averrements as to the source of the money”. The bank’s lawyer, Ayuba, had told Justice Saidu that his client filed the motion seeking the discharge of the interim order to protect its interest in the property. The bank had in an affidavit in support of the motion deposed to by one Alfred Olukayode Edun, argued that the forfeited flat was part of the property situated at 16, Osborne Rd, Ikoyi, Lagos, belonging to one, Alhaji Ahmadu Adamu Mua’zu by virtue of a certificate of occupancy dated 27th September, 2009 and registered as 97/97/2009 in the Lands Registry Office, Alausa, Lagos. The bank also said Adamu Mua’zu has already mortgaged the entire property to it by virtue of Tripartite Deed of Legal Mortgage dated November 1, 2011, in order to secure a loan granted to Tripple A. Properties & Investment Ltd. It further claimed

that the original titled deeds of the property has been vested in it while the loan is yet to be liquidated till date despite the fact that its tenor has expired. The bank further claimed that it sold the property to Chobe Ventures Ltd to liquidate the loan. But in its counter affidavit to the application, the EFCC argued that the bank lacks the ‘locus standi’ to challenge the forfeiture of property ‘reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities of Ambassador Ayo Oke and Mrs. Folashade Oke’. The anti-graft agency in the affidavit deposed to by Mohammed Chiroma, argued that the funds used to acquire the property sought to be forfeited in the name of Chobe Ventures Limited belong to the Federal Government but was fraudulently converted to the company’s use. The deponent further averred that if the property is finally forfeited to government, the right of Union Bank Plc, if any, in relation to the covenants in its deed of assignment with Chobe Ventures Limited will not be hampered in any manner. The EFCC further claimed that having transferred its interest in the property sought to be forfeited to Chobe Ventures Limited, upon the receipt of a sufficient consideration, the bank has no legal right over the property again. Delivering judgement in the suit yesterday, Justice Saidu described the Union Bank Plc, as a busybody, that has no interest in the property sought to be forfeited. The judge ordered that the property be forfeited to the Federal Government, adding that all parties have right of appeal.

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, January 20, 2018

Politics

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, January 20 2018

Herdsmen menace in Nigeria requires collective responsibility –Prof Agada ≥≥10&11

Ekwueme was a great leader, selfless statesman – Anglican Bishop A cleric and Bishop of Lagos and Dean Emeritus, Church of Nigeria, (Anglican Communion), Most Rev. Adebola Ademowo, has described the late former Vice President, Dr Alex Ekwueme, as a selfless and God fearing Nigerian statesman. Ademowo said this on Friday at the commendation service for Ekwueme at the Cathedral Church of God, Marina, Lagos. The late Ekwueme was Nigeria’s vice president from Oct. 1 1979 to Dec. 31, 1983. “The Late Dr Alex Ekwueme was a man who loved God and he showed it through the way he loved his fellow human being; he was a great man, selfless, gentle, soft spoken; I wonder how he got into politics, I got to know that this man loves his fellow human being. “We cannot compare him to the politicians of today as he single-handedly supervised the construction of Oko Comprehensive Secondary School, among many things he did, he spent his money for the good and benefits of Nigerians. “For dust thou art and dust we will return, therefore do good deeds, how can we love God when we cannot love neighbours, he was a great man and I wish I can find a better word to describe

him. “As we sit here today remembering the Late Ekwueme, how do you spend your life today, as long as Nigeria exist, the name of Ekwueme will always be remembered,” he said. Among dignitaries at the commendation service were former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, Chairman, MTN Nigeria, Dr Pascal Dozie as well

as elder statesmen such as Ebitu Ukiwe, Allison Madueke, Emeka Anyaoku and Otunba Subomi Balogun. Speaking with NAN at the commendation service, Former Anambra governor, Peter Obi, described Ekwueme as a nationalist and urged other politicians to emulate him.

THE LATE EKWUEME

Stop parading Nigerians as bunch of jokers–Falana tells FG Senior lawyer and human rights activist, Femi Falana SAN has slammed the Federal Government for parading all Nigerians as jokers. The soft-spoken lawyer said the proposal by the government to establish cattle colonies in the country was wrong and should be buried. Speaking on a Channels TV programme, Falana said it was obvious

FALANA

the government placed more value on animals than humans. His words, “With respect to the national economic council, I think we busy chasing the shadows as a people,” he said. “The government is parading Nigerians as a bunch of jokers. It is not rocket science to solve this problem. And I am bothered when leaders come out to make statements that give the impression that we are either out to cover up serious criminality. “We don’t want a committee for heaven’s sake! A committee to do what? To go and find out how many people have been killed? Or to establish the fact that we have been in this problem for five years running and nobody is addressing the problem, the committee is just to deceive Nigerians.” Quoting the Global Terrorism

Index, the lawyer listed the number of people who have died in the crisis over the years. “In 2014, we lost about 1,300 people. Between 2013 and 2016, 1,800 people were killed in Benue State alone. And this government knew this problem before it came on board; it was part of its campaign,” he said. “And this government, upon its inauguration, has repeatedly maintained, and quite correctly, that the only solution to the incessant violent clashes between herdsmen and farmers is to establish ranches in the country. The activist also took a swipe at Audu Ogbeh, minister of agriculture, for proposing the establishing of “cattle colonies”, he said. He said Ogbeh was talking about cattle colonies “to confuse Nigerians”. He added: “According to him (Ogbeh), the colonies will mean a group of ranches. Why are you using such word as if you are giving the impression in a tensed atmosphere that you want to colonise certain parts of the country. It is so nonsensical. Government has to take Nigerians seriously.”

2019: Buhari/Osinbajo group opens S/West Office in Ibadan today ≥≥ 12

Agege LG chair charges council staff on revenue generation Agege Local Government Area of Lagos State has presented its 2018 budget estimates after the Executive Council Management Committee completed a three-day budget retreat held at VIP Chalet in Badagary area of the state. Speaking at the retreat at the end of the event, the council chairman, Alhaji Ganiyu Kola Egunjobi made it categorically clear to participants made up of the council management, staff, Secretary(SLG), Councillors, Supervisors, and other political appointees to put into practice their takeaway from the retreat, adding that it was important that the council met its revenue expectation, and carried out its planned programmes and projects. A statement by the Special Adviser on Media to the council boss, Rotimi Sulyman said. “Talk is cheap, we must put our action where our mouth is, we have been here for three days deliberating on how to move our council forward, we must not allow our sacrifice to be in vain by not walking our talk as soon as we return to the office,” Egunjobi who presided over the retreat alongside the Council’s Head of Administration, HOA, Builder M. A. Abass said in one of his remarks at the twilight of the event. Abass brought his knowledge of coordinating such occasion to bear, and in one of his numerous contributions urged participants, particularly the civil servants to contribute maximally to the deliberation, saying that retreat was not a walk in the park. “When you are at a retreat, you are expected to work extremely hard, think hard and make contributions that would be of benefit to the organisation. “We have all heard the chairman promising to implement all the planned projects and programmes captured in the 2018 budget as at when due. So we must seize this moment by making informed suggestions and contribution,” the HOA said. Some of those who made quite an impression on the Council management as a result of their contributions were the Chairman, Council Revenue Committee, Hon. Rasheed Osanyi, the SLG, Hon. Gbenga Abiola, the Supervisor for Works, Hon. Olusola Osolana, the outgoing auditor, Mr. Monsuru Adelu and his legal counterpart, Mr Akin-Kunle Akin-Ajayi. Among the facilitators who took the participants through various issues were the acting chairman, Lagos

State House of Assembly Finance Committee, Hon. Oluyinka Ogundimu, SA on Budget and Planning to Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, Otunba Richard Akin Osungboye and a Geography Information System expert, Mr. Olubiyi Bidemi.

Politics 10

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, January 20, 2018

Former Minister of State for Education and Chairman, Benue State Civil Service Commission, Prof Jerry Agada, in this interview with TOM OKPE in Makurdi, Benue State capital, speaks on the incessant killings in the state by suspected Fulani herdsmen and proffers solutions for the way forward

AGADA

Herdsmen menace in Nigeria requires collective responsibility –Prof Agada What are the prevailing situation and factors responsible for the incessant crisis in Benue State? The problem is not farfetched, in the sense that it did not start today, it has been on but the long and short of it for the people of Benue State is that Benue State is the food basket of the nation. The only industry that strives here is farming. People go to their various farms to farm yam, rice, corn and other food crops and bring the crops to the cities for the people to buy, this is what our people understands. Of late, you discover that heads of cattle brought by ‘Herdsmen’ have diverted into people’s farmland to eat up these crops, destroying farmland, farm produce and everything in such a way that the acronym, “Food Basket of the Nation” is becoming eroded because the farm that the food produce comes from are being destroyed, while the people do not have any other thing to do than farming, so, whatever you do to encroach into that principle of farming means dealing with them negatively which is not liked by the people. This is the cause of the problems between the Fulani herdsmen and the farmers here, because when their cattle come, go into the farms and destroy the farm produce there will be trouble. You know these people would not want to sit down and watch their farm crops destroyed. Where interactions become available, you see them fighting, killing one another and the truth is that, the Fulanis are more sophisticated as they have the modern weapons, AK 47 and all sorts of dangerous weapons so they always over power the people. Apart from that, I have heard people talk about self defense by fighting back, teeth for tat which is not the option, you know when this present administration came into power, they introduced amnesty program where people that had arms and ammunitions were asked to surrender them for sake of peace. The people turned out in large quantity so the policy worked and the state was free of people caring arms about at random. The simple reason for this program was that before the inception of the administration, there were political thugs which led to people killing each other, carrying arms about and this regime said no, we must stop this and that was the birth of the “Amnesty Program” which eliminated all that. Now that the Fulani herdsmen are attacking and killing the people in their numbers, the people are helpless as what they use to have are no longer there but even if they are there, like I said, the option is not to fight back but to bring in lasting peaceful solution. It was in the cause of looking for this peaceful solution

that government zero down the ‘Anti grazing law’. I remember in those days when some of us were in the primary school, we used to see Fulani herdsmen with their cattle moving peacefully in single terrain with their wives and children; settle in an area after some times, move ahead to another location without encroaching into anybody’s compound or farmland. This time around, the types of herdsmen we have are different from that of the yesteryears. Today, you hear a lot of jargons after cattle entering into people’s farmland and destroyed their crops, you hear about rustling of cows and all that or because they killed other people’s cows and you have free will killings and destruction, it is not good. These are the root causes of all these problems because when the government enacted this law, ‘anti grazing’, the herdsmen union ‘Miyetti Allah’ felt that it was a law that encroaches on their rights for they should be allowed to graze anywhere anyhow. The government is saying farming is our industry here so you cannot graze anyhow to destroy our industry for if we allow you to do that then we shall not have a livelihood anymore. As a people, we should look for a law that can curb that, and that is the problem. All that have risen as a result of these are people’s talk, somebody will stand up and say what is not true or happening and will begin to post them on the social media and some people will tend to believe. What do you think should be the solutions to solving the perennial crisis between the herdsmen and farmers in the state? If you look at it critically the problems of farmers and herdsmen, it is not limited to Benue State alone; it is all over the country. It is happening in Nassarawa,

If you look at it critically the problems of farmers and herdsmen, it is not limited to Benue State alone; it is all over the country. It is happening in Nassarawa, Ekiti, Abia so it’s all over, if you are talking of a solution it’s not looking at Benue alone to provide solution but collective responsibility.

Ekiti, Abia so it’s all over, if you are talking of a solution it’s not looking at Benue alone to provide solution but collective responsibility. People will see and talk about it and then see how to bring a gospel solution. It is responsive and collective responsibility of the entire nation. People should see it and brainstorm and come out with a lasting solution not waiting for a single person to come with an individual idea. Until people come together and agree, deciding to go the same way, which is the only time I think there will be a permanent solution that can be incurred. For the state, they have done their own law, other states can equally do their own but like I said, when they are put together, then you can now think of a whole single solution that will bring lasting peace. Are there possibilities of having arrow heads, sponsors of these herdsmen who are bent on these attacks? I cannot say if there are arrow heads or sponsors of the herdsmen, but for instance what you hear about these cattle you see, it is not just the headers, the people that carries them about that are the owners. These are laborers being paid for doing these daily jobs. We are also told that even sons and daughters of the soil have their own which are being tended by the headers. If for instance you see a herdsman going with flocks of cattle and you arrest him, you are only cheapened in because the person is not the owner. That is why you can talk of people behind them and when I say this, I mean different people are owners of these cattle you see. So you don’t actually know who the real owners are. The long and short of the story is that yes, there must be people behind them, because if people give their cattle for somebody to look after and carry about for grazing and you touch or hold the person and arrest him, have you arrested the person that sent him. This is why people have the feelings that there must be some powers behind the whole scenario. Who the particular power is, I as a person don’t know. The Feeling that because our President is a Fulani man, they are doing what they are doing because of his influence; I don’t want to believe in that because Mr. President himself ranch his own cattle. If he knew that the system of ranching is not a good one, he wouldn’t have done it, so we should learn from him by equally ranching all cattle in the country. If the Federal Government is bringing the solution by the proposed cattle colony, it means the idea should CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, January 20 2018

11 Politics

‘Herdsmen menace in Nigeria requires collective responsibility’

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

first be sold to the President, Muhammadu Buhari because for now he is not practicing colony but the ordinary ranching that we know. I do not want anybody to blame Mr. President that he is the one behind the herdsmen, no, he is not, because he has ranched his own as he knows is not good for cattle going about destroying other people’s livelihood. Like I said, it will be wrong to say Mr. President is their arrow head, but on the other hand, you will discover that why people are tending to reason that way is that, before the inception of this administration you were not seeing much excess of cattle but this days, if you go to Abuja for instance, the Federal capital city you will see cattle all over the place. The other time we were going to the Airport, we nearly ran into a cow, because as we were crossing, it also ran to cross the road and there were lots of them. Both in the Central Area of the city and all over, it was not the case before now. I ask where they were before this time. If you say they migrated from other countries, were they not doing that before they were curtailed? My appeal is that we should do what is obtainable in other places. When it comes to a single item of what favors the authority, they will tell you it is happening in Brazil and other countries, but when it comes to the real thing that we are seeing that is happening in Brazil, they will not bring that one to us here. Do you go to Brazil and see cattle roaming about in their capital city Rio de Janeiro? Why don’t you bring that example here that it is happening In Brazil and make a place for cattle instead of over running the cities. The question if there are people behind the herdsmen, I don’t know, I think I have explained what I know. I do not know who is who in the whole game. Is the Miyetti Allah representing every Hausa Fulani tribe or are there truly Nigerians or foreigners behind the clash? This is the feeling because people will tell you that the Fulanis we used to know were not behaving like that. The ones we used to know goes about with his walking stick (Sanda) Shepherd stick to wake and put the cattle on the rightful position. This time around, you see them wearing and hanging AK 47 riffle, was it what they were using? In those days as I explained earlier when they were moving without perpetrating any havoc, people did not bother as they cannot do any havoc with their sticks. Now that they are moving about with guns, the moment they are sighted by the people, fear grips the people so, the people tend to conclude that they are not the normal Nigerian Fulanis we know; that these ones have come from outside the country. Even the Fulanis that are not Nigerians coming from Senegal or other places are coming with guns, do you not apply the laws of the land to them that as you have crossed to Nigeria boarder into the territory of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, you must abide with our laws, rules and regulations. Telling them you don’t carry guns indiscriminately so that they will conform to our norms. We should not allow them to be carrying guns about killing people indiscriminately if they are actually people that come from other land. So, in that case, I don’t know; I am not a member of the Miyetti Allah to know who is who among their membership.

AGADA

What I am saying is that the Fulanis that we used to know never carried guns and if they must carry, then I am appealing to the Federal Government that they should apply the law that applies to Nigerians citizens. If this is not done people will begin to think even though erroneously that there must be a support for them from the government that is supposed to implement the law. Do you think cattle rearing is a regulated business venture in the country? From all we have seen and talked about, I am beginning to know that it is a regulated venture, if not I was thinking that it was an ordinary business like any other one. For instance, if you go to the Makurdi cattle market, you will find people selling all sorts of livestock individually. I have never been told of a time, of course, I have people selling goats there from my place but they have never told me that government has come into their business by giving them some sort of subsidy and doing some regulations or whatever apart from saying, this is the market which you are supposed to operate from. If that is the type of regulation, yes, your livestock must be seen by the health officials to ascertain their good

When it comes to a single item of what favors the authority, they will tell you it is happening in Brazil and other countries, but when it comes to the real thing that we are seeing that is happening in Brazil, they will not bring that one to us here. Do you go to Brazil and see cattle roaming about in their capital city Rio de Janeiro?

health for human consumption so that it will conform with security and health challenges, yes, that type of regulations should apply. If the regulations are on its heads as if it is a government parastatal, you know there was a time there was a debate at the National Assembly of some money put into the National budget for providing grazing, it means it is becoming governmental and if that is the case, even chicken sellers, poultry farmers should be regulated. So, I don’t know whether it is regulated outside the normal regulations that we should know of the dos and don’ts, whether there is any form of support that government must provide specially. Do the cattle bearers pay tax to the state government? I have never thought about it, because unless tax collectors can ambush them on the road to count the numbers of their cattle if not where will they stay to pay that tax. If they are moving along and they sell any, they put the money in their bags so where do you collect the tax; but like I said, I do not know if government has any way of taxing them, I have not been informed of those details. If a head of cow sells between 150,000 to 200,000 naira, is it not possible that the owners will do everything possible to purchase sophisticated riffle to protect these cattle? Yes, that is why I asked earlier if they are living in a different world; even if their sponsors buy AK 47 for them to protect their animals, are we supporting the government of the day that is watching them, law enforcement agencies that prevent you and I from carrying guns, why are they not applying that same law to them, because powerful people have bought these riffles for them? It means we are operating a country where different types of law apply to different people which is not good enough. If the venture is a good one, is it

not possible for the owners to divert the huge sum involved into money laundering? I don’t want to speculate so that people will say you are talking about something you don’t know anything about. I do not know how they carry their money about but what I do know these days is that unlike in those days, you wouldn’t see a Fulani man in the Bank or wherever. With the operations of modern banking, no matter what amount of money they have for the day, they can equally visit the banks or if we say they have a pay master somewhere, they can easily transmit the money to them through e-banking. This is possible but, whether it could be used for money laundering or whatever, I can’t say. How do the state government benefit from the cattle business and such funds in growing its Internally Generated revenue (IGR)? Definitely, it has a way to diminish the IGR, the process of having high IGR is been destroyed. We are talking of destruction of farm lands by these cattle which is the people’s industry, this is where the state gets its revenue and they are being destroyed, how the state will grow its revenue should be our concern. The farm produce harvested from the farms are taken for sales and these are no more; definitely, the state will not grow. If the cattle are destroying all these and there are no sales and food any more, the government will not generate revenue. The state’s revenue must go down. As a stake holder in the state, what is your advice to the people? I advice that we should remain calm, peaceful and not taking laws into our hands by engaging in unnecessary fight. Where you see things that are unbecoming of what is supposed to be prevalent of a state, report to the law enforcement agencies. With that, there will be peaceful co existence. I also appeal to our brothers and sisters who also have cattle headed by herdsmen to talk to them to obey the laws enacted by the state, because the state will not enact a law that will be detrimental to the welfare of its people. Let them advice the herdsmen to conform to the law of the land. I also appeal to people that come from other countries to dwell among us, that the Miyetti Allah should know too that government does not enact laws for outsiders but for its people, so, if they must operate within the state, they should conform with the law guiding the people so that things will work amicably. For instance if you are operating in our state and the law says no one should carry guns indiscriminately, everybody should abide by that law, both indigenes and strangers. You cannot say they are carrying guns but can’t use it on human beings; they don’t carry guns for fancy. As far as it’s a gun, there must be the fear that something terrible may happen like accidental discharge. Let them obey the laws of the state and as migrants going from state to states, let them not be rigid in their ways of business operations. If you cross to a state, obey the laws of that state until you cross from there to another, with that there will be peace. If you say you have your rigid law from where you are coming and it must be your own law that you will obey, then you want anarchy to prevail.

Politics 12 A campaign group in support of a second term bid for President Muhammadu Buhari and his Vice, Yemi Osinbajo, will today, Saturday, January 20 officially inaugurate the South-West Zonal Office in Ibadan, Oyo State in preparation for seeking support for the duo towards the 2019 general election. A statement from the Minister of Communication, Mr Abdur-Raheem Adebayo Shittu, who is the group’s Board of Trustees Chairman, stated that former Abia State governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu has agreed to grace the occasion as the Guest Lecturer. Prominent Nigerians expected at the official commissioning of the office, according to the statement are, the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Special Guest of Honour and Grand Patron of the group, former Senate President, Senator Ken Nnamani as Chairman of the occasion, former Minister of Petroleum, Don Etiebet and Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi as the Chief Host. The Minister of Transportation, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi will be Special Guest of Honour and former National Chairman of APC, Chief Bisi Akande as Chief Guest of Honour Others are state governors like Senator Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai of Kaduna; Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Osun, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, Lagos and Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, Ondo. While former Senate Leader, Senator Alli Ndume, Senator representing Katsina Central, Abu Ibrahim and MBO National Patron, Senator Ayo Akinyelure are all Guests of Honour. Shittu also informed that all the 36 governors are invited to the commissioning which will take place at the Oritsejolomi Thomas Hall, International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan at 11:00 am. While noting that the group stands for unity, peace and development of the country, Nigeria, and her heterogeneous tribes, Shittu said it champions the good cause of Muhammadu Buhari/Osinbajo adminis-

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, January 20, 2018

2019: Buhari/Osinbajo group opens S/West Office in Ibadan today

BUHARI tration across the country. He said despite President Muhammadu Buhari’s strict stance on discipline, “It is human not to be able to satisfy all as evident in the commendations and criticism which have perpetually put him on his toes and alive to his responsibilities.” According to him, Buhari’s antecedents in the days of the military regime paved the way for being the choice in 2015 general elections at a time when there was a lacuna

in the political space of the country. He explained that it was Buhari’s character that made him acceptable and most suitable to fill the gap so created, adding that, it was not surprising that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other party stalwarts considered him worthy of the exalted office. “President Muhammadu Buhari is retired but not tired, tall in height, fragilely framed, elegant, coolheaded, compassionate and passionate about good governance.

“These have made him turn deaf ears to acrimonious antagonism from enemies of progress,” the Minister said. Speaking on Professor Yemi Osinbajo, he said, he is a perfect match for his boss, taking into consideration the duo’s nature. He said they are transparent, patriotic and selfless, saying “just like his boss, the Vice President is conscientiously moderate and modest in his style of leadership. “The effectiveness and accommodating disposition displayed by both is a proof of a tendency to labour with no ulterior motive to betray each other,” he said. The Chairman Board of Trustees noted that during the medical vacation of the President abroad, the Vice President displayed his loyalty and allegiance to his boss by taking control of leadership without any ill-motives, whether for selfish interest or other personal motives. While noting that the Vice President was a former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Lagos State, he said, he is a committed man of God and has consistently displayed this by acting in that direction. “The duo of PMB and Osinbajo are clear indication that God has His hand in the affairs of this country. Both men have, from time to time, displayed quality leadership which can only be evident in men who are being directed by God. “Their leadership has been so exemplary that only the discerning minds would readily understand that Nigeria is in the right hands,” he added. Shittu stressed that it was no exaggeration that experience, exposure, excellence and expertise are sine qua non when nature wants to justify one as deserving to be placed in a position of responsibility and authority as evident in the lives of President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Osinbajo.

We’ll ensure impactful leadership in Lagos civil service- Ambode A Diaspora Igbo group under the platform of the Igbo Ekunie Initiative has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of treating killer Fulani herdsmen with kid gloves. Benjamin Omoike Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has restated his government’s resolve to ensure that leadership in the state’s civil service becomes impactful, influential and inspirational. The governor made this remark at a training workshop organised by the Lagos State government at Citi-Height hotel in Ikeja, tagged: “Leadership and Management Training for Senior Civil Servants in Lagos state In a keynote address by the Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, Dr. Akintola Benson Oke, who represented the governor, he said in envisioning a public service peopled by leaders, it is important to be mindful, as Robin Sharma observed, that “Leadership is not about a title or a designation. It is about impact, influence and inspiration”. According to him, “Impact involves getting results, influence is about spreading the passion you have for your work, and you have to inspire team-mates and customers. “I therefore hope that this training will begin or further the monumental task of transforming the participants of this training into impactful, influential and productive officers to such degrees that the

output of the public service will inspire the good people of Lagos State.” He told participants at the training that the state government would not rest on its oars in ensuring that the state’s civil service ranks among the very best in the world. He urged them to assess themselves on a scale of one to 10, by attempting to answer some pertinent questions. “Are you able to maximise efficiency in your use of time and resources? Are you able and willing to initiate action? Do you instill motivation? Do you provide guidance? Do you instill confidence? Do your words and actions build morale? Do you seek to create and maintain an efficient work environment?” Oke said answering the questions dispassionately would stoke a desire to either aspire to leadership or to improve their leadership skills. He added that Governor Ambode fully recognises the enormous value that knowledge and soft skills training bring to bear on the attainment of the strategic objectives of the government and the public service of Lagos State. He stressed also, that the Ministry of Establishments, Training and Pensions had always been in the vanguard of advocating the institutionalisation of essential training programmes that benefit the most strategically-placed officers in the public service. As such, he said he was delighted to be witnessing yet another occasion to demonstrate this noble commitment of the

state government. He urged participants to take the training seriously as the need for ensuring and assuring the efficiency and effectiveness of public institutions has never been greater than now. He said in a dynamic age of constant changes, it is widely agreed that institutions must have clearly-defined missions that are relevant to the needs and aspirations of its stakeholders.

AMBODE

Following this, he stressed, the human capital at the helm of leadership in these institutions must have the courage to envision a future that realises the attainment of the defined mission of the institutions. “In order to actualise the vision, however, leaders must be trained to possess both the hard and soft skills that are fundamental for success. This is where this training programme becomes relevant,” he said.

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, January 20, 2018

Govt must attend to all ethnic grievances - Obasanjo

ÏÏÏ

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said the government must give listening ears to the complaints from all regions of the country. The former President said this would give all the ethnic groups a sense of belonging. Obasanjo stated this on Friday at the National Open University of Nigeria’s convocation lecture in Abuja. The lecture, titled: “Restructuring and true federalism: Nigeria in perspective,” was delivered by the Vice Chancellor of Igbinedion University, Edo State, Prof. Eghosa Osaghe.

The former President, who spoke briefly after the lecture, said such discourse on restructuring would provide an opportunity for all stakeholders in the country to state their grievances and possible solutions. Obasanjo said, “Nigeria must continue to give listening ears to the complaints of all ethnic groups in the country. This will give a sense of belonging to all ethnic groups and encourage them to effectively participate in the socioeconomic discussions and national development.” Osaghe said the federal system of government

practised in Nigeria could only work through restructuring. He said, “The federal systems are delicate and difficult to manage. This is because their success cannot be guaranteed or taken for granted. Research confirmed that the number of failed federal systems outnumbered the successful ones. “Restructuring, therefore, represents a continuous correction, adjustment, and reconfiguration process by which the federal system works and reworks its instrumentalities; this is to guarantee success and efficiencies of federalism,”

Osaghe said. The VC added that the federal instrumentalities of governance were expected to respond to “changing dynamics, demands and stimuli, which changed in consonance with changing imperatives.” The NOUN Vice Chancellor, Prof. Abdalla Adamu, said the graduation of Obasanjo from the university with a Doctor of Philosophy was an indication that no one was too old to pursue education and knowledge. Adamu said citizens must disregard age and other challenges to “diligently pursue education for self-improvement.”

13 News

Osinbajo inaugurates committee to trace sources of terrorists’ fund committee are Minister

ÏÏÏVice-President Yemi

Osinbajo on Friday inaugurated the National Sanctions Committee at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The committee is saddled with the responsibility of tracing and freezing sources of funds for terrorists. At the brief ceremony, Osinbajo restated the present administration’s commitment to eliminating terrorism in the country. The Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), is the chairman of the committee. Other members of the

of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema; National Security Adviser, Maj.Gen. Babagana Mongunu; Director-General, Department of State Services, Lawal Daura; and the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris. Others are the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele; Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai; Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Ahmed Abubakar and Director-General Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit. Malami, in his remarks, assured the government that the committee would deliver on its mandate.

Gunmen abduct five oil workers in Niger Delta ÏÏÏFive

L-R Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Abdulrazaq Namdas, Sen. Danjuna Goje and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar after Friday prayers at Asokoro Jumu’at Mosque, Abuja.

Ibadan Chieftaincy: We‘ll appeal judgment -Ajimobi

ÏÏÏThe Oyo State Govern-

ment says it will appeal the judgment which declared unconstitutional and illegal the Commission of Inquiry recommending the elevation of some Ibadan high chiefs to Obas. Justice Olajumoke Aiki of Oyo State High Court had on Friday declared the retired Justice Akintunde Boade’s Commission of Inquiry which reviewed the 1957 Ibadan Chieftaincy Declaration and other Chieftaincies as unconstitutional and illegal. The state government had on August 27, 2017 elevated some Ibadan High Chiefs, except one and some district heads (Baales) as obas, an action which pitted them against Oba Saliu Adetunji, the Olubadan. The Osi Olubadan and former governor of the state, Chief Rashidi Ladoja,

had filed a suit to challenge the propriety of the Justice Boade Commission of Inquiry. Reacting to the judgment of the court on Friday in Ibadan, Governor Abiola Ajimobi said that the state will appeal the verdict. The governor made the assertion at the inauguration of a block of classrooms donated by Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN) to Community Secondary School, Ajara in Ibadan. Olujimi was a former minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation and an indigene of Ajara community in Ibadan. Ajimobi said: “Today’s judgment on the Olubadan Chieftaincy review will be appealed immediately. We have embarked upon the exercise, not for joke, but for the good of Ibadan and the people. “We will not relent in mak-

ing Ibadan great and the greatness shall come from various ways, one of which is the review exercise. “You should not expect people to accept change and radical policy for that matter, but we shall get there. “We will not allow the forces of retrogression to overtake the progress Oyo State is making.’’ The governor commended Olujimi over the gesture, calling on other well-meaning Nigerians to emulate this. He also advised parents to provide necessary means for their wards as a means of making them proud in the future. The governor said that the event indicated that the School Governing Board policy of his administration has continued to yield good results. Ajimobi stated that many states had enjoyed transfor-

mative outlooks through the intervention of the community in their schools. He said: “APC administration since 2017 has established a foundation of peace and security that gave birth to modernisation of the state through massive physical infrastructure, opening of our tourism potentials and the rebirth of our educational policies. “Today, we are celebrating another milestone in the success of the SGB policy as our foremost lawyer, Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN), has reinforced our faith in restructuring our education. “We must all work handin-hand to change the face of education in our state the more as we have been getting positive results from our various policies on education. I therefore call on other people with means to do same.’’

oil workers have been kidnapped in Nigeria’s restive southern Niger Delta region, an area regularly hit by militant attacks and abductions, police told AFP on Friday. Suspected militants seized the workers on Wednesday near the Ajoki community, which borders Edo and Delta States, said Delta State police spokesperson, Andrew Aniamaka. “The police in partnership with the military are working to ensure that the victims are rescued unhurt with the perpetrators arrested and brought to book,” Aniamaka said. The workers are employees of Sahara Energy Oil Company, a Nigerian energy firm. “The oil workers were in a boat en route to an offshore location when the gunmen arrived,” said local resident Ajugu Fidelis, who witnessed the abductions. “(They) stormed the waterside and

ordered the workers into their boat amidst gunshots and sped off to an unknown location.” The incident happened a few hours after the Niger Delta Avengers, a rebel group known to attack oil pipelines, issued a statement warning the government it was ending a 2017 ceasefire agreement. The NDA’s targeting of oil and gas infrastructure in 2016 led to a slump in output that helped tip Nigeria into recession. Kidnapping has long been a problem in Nigeria’s southern states where highprofile individuals, including the families of prominent politicians, are regularly seized. But as the economy stalled in recent years, the abductions have begun to happen further north as well. On Tuesday, two Americans and two Canadians were kidnapped by unidentified armed men in an ambush in northern Kaduna state.

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, January 20, 2018

15 News

Court nullifies installation of 21 kings in Ibadan Peter Fowoyo

ÏÏÏ

An Oyo State High Court presided over by Justice Olajumoke Aiki, on Friday, declared the review of the 1957 Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration and other Related Chieftaincies in Ibadanland, which was done by the Justice Akintunde Boadeled Commission, as unconstitutional, illegal, null, void and of no effect. The Oyo State government had set up the commission on May 19, 2017, to review the declaration, after which a report was submitted to Governor Abiola Ajimobi in August 2017. The report recommended the creation of more monarchs in Ibadanland, leading to the installation of 21 kings by the governor on August 27, 2017, at the

Mapo Hall, Ibadan. The elevated members of the Olubadan-in-Council, who were present to receive their instruments of office at the venue were the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Senator Lekan Balogun; the Ashipa Olubadan of Ibadanland, Eddy Oyewole; the Balogun of Ibadanland, Owolabi Olakuleyin; the Osi Balogun of Ibadanland, Tajudeen Ajibola; the Asipa Balogun of Ibadanland, Latifu Adebimpe; the Ekarun Balogun of Ibadanland, Dr. Kolawole Adegbola; the Ekerin Olubadan of Ibadanland, Abiodun Kola-Daisi; and the Ekarun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Amidu Ajibade. The elevated baales are the Onijaye of Ijaye, Oba Lasisi Akano; the Oniroko of Iroko, Oba Ismaila Opeola; the Onikereku of Iker-

eku, Oba Moses Akinyosoye; the Ololodo of Olodo, Oba Mudasiru Adebayo, and the Elegbeda of Egbeda, Oba Victor Okunola. Others are the Onido of Ido, Oba Gbolagade Babalola; Alakufo of Akufo, Oba Olabamiji Thomas; the Oloke of Okelade-Okin, Oba Wahab Okedina; the Alawotan of Awotan, Oba Dauda Omotoso; Olofa of Offa, Oba Adeboye Salako; the Onilagun of Lagun , Oba Rafiu Alawusa; the Alaba of Aba-Nla, Oba Tiamiyu Ladipo; and the Alakanran of Akanran, Oba James Obisesan. But before the installation, the Osi Olubadan of Ibadanland, Rashidi Ladoja, challenged the constitution of the panel and the expected recommendations in court, joining Ajimobi as a co-defendant. While delivering her

judgment, Justice Aiki held that wearing of beaded crowns was beyond the powers of Sections 10, 12 and 25 of the Oyo State Chiefs Law. According to her, Section 25 of the Chiefs Law could not be treated in isolation to the provisions of parts two and three of the Chiefs Laws. Aiki added that the provisions of parts two and three of the Chiefs Laws, especially sections 10, 12 and 25, did not give power to the governor to review the Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration. The court said Governor Ajimobi acted beyond his constitutional powers. She stated that a judicial commission of enquiry could not amend or further amend, review or further review the chieftaincy declaration.

Member representing Obingwa West in Abia State House of Assembly, Hon A.C Thomas Nkoro moving a motion for the adoption of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu for second term in 2019 at a town hall meeting on Friday

Meanwhile, Ladoja has praised the verdict, describing it as a victory for Ibadanland. In a statement signed by his media aide, Lanre Latinwo, Ladoja said it was not a personal victory for him because what triggered the suit he filed in court to challenge the government decision was the need to preserve the globally cherished custom and tradition of Olubadan succession system, which he described as smooth and rancor-free.

Boroffice welcomes Oke, others to APC in Ondo ÏÏÏSenator

representing Ondo North Senatorial District, Prof. Boroffice Ajayi has applauded the return of the former legal adviser of Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olusola Oke and his supporters to the All Progressives Congress in Ondo State. Oke, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), and a 2016 governorship candidate of Alliance for Democracy, defected to APC on Thursday in Akure with his supporters. Boroffice commendation is contained in a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Kayode Fakuyi, on Friday in Akure. The statement said: “The

Only NASS can appropriate for subsidy –NNPC Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) says only the national assembly can appropriate for the payment of subsidy in the importation of petrol. Ndu Ughamadu, NNPC spokesman, said the statement attributed to Umar Ajiya, Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC) managing director, was misconstrued. Ajiya, who was a guest on Sunrise Daily, a Chan-

nels TV programme, had said the extra cost of imported petrol could not be classified as subsidy and thus the national assembly did not need to approve it. “For us, it is not a question of subsidy, we don’t know what subsidy is because it was not budgeted for,” he said. “The act establishing us, and the national assembly knows clearly that in that same act, there is a provision that we can run

senator is delighted to note that the laudable efforts of himself and other party leaders to woo politicians from other political parties to join the APC have started yielding positive results. “As a matter of fact, the wave of defection is currently blowing across Ondo, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Ekiti and Lagos States.” The statement added that in the weeks ahead, APC would receive more political gladiators into its fold. It urged the defectors to quickly perfect their membership registration in order to join hands with party leaders to build a united and formidable party in the state.

DPR seals up five filling stations in Sango-Ota ceive calls from members ÏÏÏThe

ÏÏÏThe

The statement said, “The judgment has vindicated us as purists who abhor any contamination of a rancour-free succession process that has become the envy of many cities all over the world. I do not in any way see it as a personal victory.” Counsel for Ajimobi, Nurudeen Adegboye, said the team would apply for a copy of the judgment and study it. According to him, only the client could decide on the next step.

our operations and recover our cost fully.” But Ughamadu said NNPC would not undermine the role of legislators. “For the avoidance of doubt, Mr Ajiya who was a guest at Channels Television programme, Sunrise, today (Friday), explained that there was under-recovery in the importation and sale of PMS by NNPC, but the burden is categorised as business losses which the Act establish-

ing NNPC recognises,” the statement read. “Mr Ajiya had made it explicitly clear that the losses from the PMS imports by NNPC could not be classified as subsidy since it was not appropriated for by the national assembly. “NNPC wishes to disabuse the minds of the public to disregard the statement incorrectly attributed to Mr. Ajiya as it represents neither PPMC nor the NNPC’s position on the subject.”

Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) on Friday sealed up five filling stations in the Sango-Ota area of Ogun for allegedly selling petrol above N145 per litre and under dispensing. Muinat Bello-Zagi, the Abeokuta Operations Controller of DPR, told journalists in Sango Ota that the marketers were caught through the efforts of members of the public. Bello-Zagi, who was accompanied by her Head of Retail Outlet, Femi Adebowale, said that the state had enough petrol to supply. She said that there would be no reason for anyone to either hoard or sell above pump price. She said: “The DPR re-

of the public to some filling stations selling above pump price. “We decided to go into the nooks and crannies of the area because the operators always think we cannot visit the interior. “This is to further create the awareness that DPR can go anywhere to enforce the law. “Some of the stations fell short of standard safety measures expected of them and we made sure they did what was expected of them, while some that proved difficult were made to face the sanctions.” Bello-Zagi restated the commitment of DPR to sanitize the system and ensure petrol marketers comply with government directive.

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, January 20, 2018

FEATURES

Farmers, herdsmen clash: Causes, way forward Tom Okpe The clash between herdsmen and farmers in Nigeria has become more worrisome especially as it concerns states of the middle belt region of Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa, and Taraba, Kaduna, Niger states. Lately, the orgy of violence has been Benue, Taraba and Adamawa states leaving hundreds of deaths on its wake. Depending on which angle one looks at it, there have been divergent views as to the causes such that the nomenclature as to whether it is actually Framers/Herdsmen clash has received so much attention and generated heated controversy such that the real issue of wanton destruction of lives and properties has been relegated to the background. As has always been the case, Nigerians express divergent views not because they do not know the real fault lines but because sentiment due to differences in ethnicity and religion conspire to unnecessarily arouse rejection of fact. That is why the recent act of terror unleashed on the people of Benue that led to the deaths of almost 80 people painfully have become so unimportant than the issue of arresting the perpetrators. Even the security agencies have become parties to the sordid situation. In fact, since 1960, the wanton destruction of lives and properties, the indiscriminate extermination of communities, raping of women and the under aged as well as the visit of the reign of terror on the people have not been so wide scale, defying common comprehension. Unfortunately, the Federal Government has continued to behave in such a way that it has been accused of not only failing to curtain the crisis but a party to the dastardly episode due to the clannish affinity to a particular group. Specifically, the New Year’s killings in Benue State in two local governments did not only draw local concern and condemnation, but also International concern as it was not only barbaric but callous. Investigations carried out by The Daily Times in Benue State revealed that the refusal of the Miyetti Allah to observe the state government’s Anti-Grazing Law was responsible for the escalation of the crisis. Recall that at inception of this administration, a whole community in Agatu in Benue state was wiped out due to herdsmen attacks which according to the attackers were reprisal attacks. Those attacks displaced tens of thousands of people, destroyed their crops and farmlands while many people were killed just as many were raped. Because of the reoccurrence of the incessant killings, there seems to be no peace in sight in the once bubbling state that was full of life. With the imposition of curfew by the state Governor, Samuel Ortom from 6pm

A Farmer at the farm

Herdsmen with the cattle (inset) another herdsmen with AK0-47 rifle

to 6am, the Hausa and Tiv youths are curtailed of movement in the city as security men comprising of the mobile force are seen keeping vigil in the town. Investigation revealed that barely after the mass burial, another crisis erupted between Hausa youths protesting for one of their own who was knocked down by a vehicle at the Wurukum area of the town. An eyewitness told our correspondent that the violence started after a Fulani man was hit and killed by a vehicle. “Earlier this morning (Saturday) a Fulani man was hit by a vehicle at the Wurukum area of the town, shortly after, hundreds of Hausa community in the town besieged the area and other parts of the city with weapons and the whole city turned upside down”. There are high concentrations of Hausa community in the Wadata

and Wurukum areas of the city as the main abattoir is located in Wadata. One of the youth scouring for weapon told our correspondent in Makurdi at the scene that: “We have to defend ourselves”. Efforts made by our correspondent to reach the Security Authority and stakeholders in the state for comments proved abortive as they were all said to be attending State Executive and Security council meeting. The catholic Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, His Eminence John Cardinal Onayekan, speaking at Otukpo in Benue state condemned the incessant violent clashes in some parts of the country particularly the recent Benue massacre that claimed scores of lives stressing the need for Nigerians to unite against evil forces. “We must, as a people of Nigeria, unite against these forces of evil to

liberate ourselves. These carnage and bloodletting orchestrated by hatred and wickedness cannot be a way of life. We must all join hands to stop this spate of killings. “As Christians, we pray for peace, justice and love. We have no room for hatred or vengeance. Vengeance is for God. Let us do everything that promotes peace and harmonious relationship with our neighbors”, he said. A stakeholder in the state, former Minister of states for Education and Chairman, Benue Civil Service Commission, Prof. Jerry A. Agada said of the herdsmen, farmers clash in the state: “Farmers, herdsmen clash in the state is not necessary but lasting peace should be sorted that will prevail, though killing in the state by suspected Fulani Herdsmen is farfetched in the sense that it did not start today”.

He explained the prevailing situations and factors responsible for the crisis in the state that, as the “Food Basket of the nation’, the only Industry that strive here is farming which is been destroyed by cattle. “Of late, you discover that heads of cattle brought by ‘Herdsmen’ diverts into people’s farmland to eat up these crops, destroying farmland, farm produce and everything in such a way that the acronym, “Food Basket of the Nation” is becoming eroded because the farm that the food produce comes from are been destroyed while the people do not have any other thing to do than farming, so, whatever you do to encroach into that principle of farming means dealing with them negatively which is not liked by the people. This is the cause of the problems between the Fulani herdsmen and the farmers here. When their cattle go into the farms and destroy the farm produce there will be trouble. According to Prof. Agada, “I remember in those days when some of us were in the primary school, we used to see Fulani herdsmen with their cattle moving peacefully in single terrain with their wives and children; settle in an area after some times, move ahead to another location without encroaching into anybody’s compound or farmland. This time around, the types of herdsmen we have are different from that of the yesteryears, carrying sophisticated rifle instead of the normal stick (Shepherd stick) we knew”. He decried the killing of human beings for cattle and jargons like cattle rustling which were not known with the Fulanis of yesteryears adding, “Nobody has the free will to kill a fellow human for animals, “it is not good”. The onetime Chairman of Association of Nigeria Authors (ANA), revealed that: “When the State Government enacted the ‘Anti Grazing Law’, the herdsmen union ‘Miyetti Allah’ felt that it was a law that encroaches on their rights for they should be allowed to graze anywhere anyhow. The government is saying farming is our industry here so you cannot graze anyhow to destroy our industry for if we allow you to do that then we shall not have a livelihood anymore. As a people, we should look for a law that can curb that and that is the problem”. He accredited the rising problems to the Social Media which he described as ‘Peoples Talk’ “Somebody will stand up and say what is not true or happening and will begin to post them on the social media and some people will tend to believe”. Prof. Agada who advocated for lasting peace in the country said it is a collective responsibility where all states of the Federation should be involved. “Benue has enacted its anti grazing law; other states should enact theirs so that the issue of herdsmen and farmers clash will become a thing of the past”.

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, January 20, 2018

19 News

All APC govs have endorsed Buhari for 2019 - Okorocha of all the govÏÏÏGovernor Rochas dorsement ernors of APC.

L-R: President, National Association of Polytechnic Student, Mr. Mohammed Enejithe; National Chairman, Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers (NICE), Mr. Andem Ekpo-Bassey and wife, Mfon, during the presenting of Special Recognition Award to Ekpo-Bassey to celebrate 2017 NICE International Conference and Annual General Meeting in Abuja… recently.

Ondo receives 23 Nigerian returnees from Libya ÏÏÏThe Ondo State Gov-

ernment, on Friday, in Akure, received 23 indigenes of the state, who were among Nigerian returnees from Libya. Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of the state, who received the returnees, assured them that government would provide adequate support and means of reintegrating them back to the society. Akeredolu, who was represented by his deputy, Agboola Ajayi, thanked the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Abike Dabiri, for bringing back thousands of Nigerians from Libya. Akeredolu said the State Government was already doing all that was necessary, as all the returnees were already going through debriefing. He said: “We are going to

take care of them; government will set them up in the skills, which the returnees will be willing to do. “I interviewed them on what they were doing there, so that we can do better for them in the state.” Akeredolu advised citizens to stop listening to lies from travel agents promising heaven and earth for them abroad. He noted that government could not force movement of its citizens in and out of the country, but charged them as adults to find something doing in the country. The governor, however, promised that his government would embark on the sensitisation of its citizens on dangers of going to Libya. Akeredolu added: “My advice for everyone is that people should learn from the bitter experience of these returnees, what they

are looking for in Libya or Europe is right here in their father’s land.” The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the returnees were made up of 12 females, 10 males and a child. A woman, who was among the returnees, said she was lured by a Nigerian lady in the country to engage in a cleaning after the death of her husband. She explained that she travelled to Libya in April 2017 after his husband, a policeman, simply identified as Jimoh, was killed during a special duty by armed robbers. The woman, who was four months pregnant, when her husband was killed, said she decided to travel to Libya when there was no means to sustain herself and her children. She said: “On arriving Libya, we were sold to

‘Arabu’ (a non-indigene) on the promise to pay certain amount of money to us. “My children were left in Nigeria as they have stopped going to school.” She said she escaped from ‘Arabu’ to engage in selfwork since the ‘Arabu’ did not pay their salaries, but even the money made from self-work could not be sent home. Another returnee told the governor that she was only able to communicate three days ago just hours after the bus conveying them arrived Port Harcourt. She said she was eight months pregnant and lost contact with her husband when their camp was bombed. The returnee revealed that any woman, who was not married or pregnant, would easily become a victim of rape in Libya.

Butchers agree to partner Oyo on centralised abattoir

ÏÏÏOyo

State Butchers Association have agreed to partner with Oyo State Government on the feasibility of the proposed centralised abattoir in Akinyele Local Government Area of the state. The butchers conveyed their position at a news briefing on Friday in Lagos after a facility tour of the Lagos State Centralised Abattoir situated in the Oko-Oba neighbourhood of the state. The delegation of butchers, led by Alhaji Abidemi Siyanbade, the Special Adviser to Governor Abiola Ajimobi on Community Relations, was in Lagos to understudy the operations of the centralised abattoir. Siyanbade told newsmen that the visit, which was at the instance of the governor, was aimed at enlightening the butchers and state government on how the Lagos centralised abattoir worked. He said: “Today, we have established the fact that Ibadan Central Abattoir in

Akinyele Local Government can function effectively and efficiently in a similar manner. We learnt that Oko-Oba Abattoir is the only centralised abattoir in Lagos. “We were told that it was only last year that the Lagos State Government decided to establish modular types of abattoir at some areas in Lagos and all, including the Lagos centralised abattoir, are run via a Public-Private Partnership.” The special adviser expressed optimism that the central abattoir in Ibadan would soon be functional since the butchers had established that a centralised abattoir could also work in Ibadan. Alhaji Abdul-Azeez Adekunle, the Chairman, Oyo State Butchers Association, pledged that the association would partner with the government to ensure that the state’s abattoirs functioned well. Adekunle, who was represented by Abdulfatai

Adekunle, said that the butcherswereimpressedabout how the Lagos centralised abattoir functioned effectively, particularly its mechanised animal slaughtering lines. He said: “We came to see how they are doing it in Lagos, particularly the mechanised slaughtering model. Today, we are very much impressed with what we have seen. “We were exposed to the mechanised and conventional methods; we hope to partner with the government to make our abattoir in Ibadan function well. “We just have to move forward and from the old way of doing things; we just have to sit down together and agree on some important issues.’’ Also speaking, Yinka Fatoki, Executive Secretary, Oyo State Bureau of Investment Promotion, said that the visit was part of the ongoing stakeholders’ engagement on the desirability and workability of a centralised abattoir in a metropolitan city

like Ibadan. Fatoki said: “We have come here with some members of the butchers association, some local government chairmen and some government functionaries. “It is good to know that since 1995, the Oko-Oba Abattoir has been the only centralised abattoir in Lagos.’’ Adekunle Oladeji, the Chairman of Aare Latoosa Local Council Development Area, called for a synergy between the butchers and government. Oladeji said: “What we saw here today is worth being emulated. I think the butchers will agree with government and ensure the workability of the abattoir.” Earlier,DrMichealAdeyemi, a Deputy Director, Veterinary Services, Lagos State, and Adesegun Bello, Managing Director, Harmony Abattoir Management Services, urged butchers in Oyo State to embrace the centralised abattoir model.

Okorocha of Imo state on Friday said all governors in the All Progressives Congress (APC) have endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari for a second tenure. Okorocha said this in a statement issued on his behalf by Sam Onwuemeodo, his chief press secretary. He said the endorsement was part of the outcomes of the three-day meeting of Buhari and the party leaders in Abuja. He was also quoted as saying Rotimi Amaechi, minister of transportation, was unanimously picked as the directorgeneral of the president’s campaign team. He said governors agree that “four years is not enough to show what the President can offer”. The statement read: “We have been in Abuja for three days holding meetings of the Progressive Governors with the APC leadership. We deliberated on so many issues. “First among the very important issues that we discussed, was the issue of Mr President’s second term bid and it has the en-

“There is need for him to complete his second term as president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and he should go ahead to declare. “We also deliberated and a unanimous decision was reached that we liaise with the campaign team to be headed by the minister of Transport, Chief Amaechi as the directorgeneral. “The governors also endorsed his re-appointment as the director-general of the campaign team due to his track record during the last election. “We believe that another four years will bring out the best in him. The first four years is a very difficult period, and we believe that as things are stabilizing, he will take Nigeria to the next level.” This comes about a week after seven APC governors endorsed the president for a second tenure. In 2017, Okorocha said 34 out of the 36 governors have endorsed the president for a second tenure, but later said the president will not get an automatic ticket from the party.

MPC meeting unlikely over non-confirmation of new members ÏÏÏThe Central Bank of

Nigeria’s Monetary Policy Committee is unlikely to hold its first interest rate setting meeting on January 22 as scheduled, it has been learnt. This, according to CBN sources, is because several new members of the MPC appointed by the Federal Government have yet to be confirmed by the National Assembly. The MPC meets once in every two months to review the state of the economy and possibly take key decisions around interest rates in order to steer the direction of the economy. At least five of the MPC’s 12 members are due to be replaced after retiring last year. “The indications that the MPC might not hold are there because of quorum,” Reuters quoted one of the sources. The CBN rules state that at least six members of the MPC are needed to approve an interest rate decision. A rate announcement had been expected on January 23, a day after the meeting. The sources said the central bank would issue a statement.

At its last meeting in November, the MPC held the Monetary Policy Rate at the same 14 per cent level it has kept for more than a year to fight inflation and to attract foreign investors to support the naira. The Statistician-General, National Bureau of Statistics, Dr. Yemi Kale, was said to have told Reuters earlier that he expected inflation to fall faster this year than in 2017 as the economy and currency stabilise, but warned that spending ahead of elections next year could stoke price rises. But the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, told Bloomberg on Wednesday that he expected the MPC to hold its main interest rate at next week’s meeting. “I don’t think rates will change. Normally, when you begin the year, what you find is that you want to hold the policy rate steady,” he had stated. The MPC has kept its key rate at a record high 14 per cent since July 2016, trying to balance bringing down inflation and boosting an economy that exited recession only last year.

News 20

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, January 20, 2018

Delta CP sues for inter agency cooperation ÏÏÏDelta

L-R: Immediate past head of department, Guinness Eye Hospital, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Mrs. Folasade Akinsola; Head of Department, Guinness Eye Hospital, LUTH, Mrs Adeola Onakoya; Corporate Relations Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mrs. Viola Graham-Douglas and Sustainable Development & AiS Manager, Mrs. Titilola Alabi, during the presentation of cheque to Guinness Eye Hospital, LUTH...on Friday.

Man stabs sibling over late father’s estate ÏÏÏOkwe, a close town

to Asaba, the Delta State Capital, was almost thrown into mourning Friday in the early hours when what could be described as selfishness drove a man (name withheld) to attempt to kill his only sister over their late father’s estate. It was gathered that trouble started after the death of their father and in his Will, bequeathed all his property, including buildings, to his only son and only daughter he had. But after his burial, the two children collectively collect the rents from the buildings and sharing without any trouble, our

source informed. As days went by, the duo (names withheld) started having disagreements over the sharing formula, and after some family members allegedly started fuelling the embers of discord among them, saying that the girl should get married and stop contesting for property with her brother. And so, the boy started behaving funny to his sister, and our reporter gathered, it got to a point that the brother asked her to leave the compound and get married or else he will deal with her. However, trouble resumed after some time as the brother allegedly made good his threat and

asked the girl (his sister) to leave the compound and never asked him for any money again. It was further gathered that degenerated the crises and on the fateful morning, the two had a quarrel and fighting ensued between them, and before they could know what was happening, the brother had allegedly reached out for a broken bottle and stabbed the sister and then started chasing her to kill her but the lady was fast enough to run into the Okwe market where traders saved her life. It was also learnt that the boy was reportedly furious and wanted to stab his sister to death for

daring to ask him for her share of the rents paid by tenants this Year. But for the intervention of the market women, the man would have killed his sister. As at the time our reporter got to the scene, the victim was being taken to the hospital for medical attention, while the suspect was already disarmed of the broken bottle and taken away by area boys who almost mobbed him to death. When our reporter sought to speak with the lady, she declined comment, saying “I will report the matter to the police and our family to handle”.

Carpenter, 45, pleads guilty to raping 18-year-old daughter ÏÏÏA

45-year old carpenter, Olumide Akinleye, who allegedly cohabited with and raped his own daughter, is to remain behind bars pending judgment, an Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court ordered in Ibadan on Friday. Chief Magistrate, Modina Akanni, who gave the ruling, said

Akinleye should be kept in police custody until when hearing would begin. The lustful father had admitted committing the offence. Akinleye, who lives in Odo-Ona Elewe in Ibadan, is facing a charge of having unlawful carnal knowledge of his biological daughter.

Earlier, Police Prosecutor, Sunday Fatola, told the court that Akinleye had a carnal knowledge of his 18-year-old daughter in their apartment. Fatola said: “Akinleye, who is cohabiting with his daughter in his one-room apartment, raped her several times between September and December 2017.”

He said the girl had confessed during investigation that she confided in her father’s friend about the several sex bouts against her will. The offence contravened Section 214 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Oyo State 2000. The case has been adjourned until January 25 for facts and sentence.

State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mohammed Mustafa, has called on security agencies in the state to close rank and collaborate with one another to fight crime. The police boss stated this Friday when he paid a familiarization visit to his counterpart at the Department of State Security (DSS) in Asaba. CP Mustafa said the visit was to cement and sustain the cordial relationship existing between the Police, DSS and other security agencies in the war against crime. The Delta Police boss called for sharing of intelligence, information, support by security agencies and all stakeholders to enhance joint efforts against men of the underworld. According to him, “this will bring about unity of purpose and would make law enforcement agencies formidable against crime”. While promising to do his best, the police commissioner expressed confidence on security agencies to fight criminality in society, adding that we need openness, greater synergy, understanding and trust among all relevant stakeholders to fight a successful war against crime. Also, 21 year old man, Frankline Sade and his friend have been arrested by police in Delta State for alleged illegal possession of fire arms. It was gathered that suspects were arrested in Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area of the state with one locally made single barrel pistol. When contacted on the arrest of the suspects, Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Andrew Aniamaka, confirmed the arrest, adding that the police recovered the gun from the suspects. He said that the men of the local vigilante in Agbor while on routine patrol accosted one of the suspects riding a Lifan Motorcycle with registration number AGB 772 WZ along the Baleke Street

road, Agbor, and, upon search on the suspects, one of the locally made pistol was recovered. Upon further interrogation, the suspects that they bought the sun for a rivalry cult conflict going on in their village, Mbiri, Aniamaka said. Aniamaka said the matter has been transferred to SARS Office in Asaba while discreet investigation is on. In another development, in recent times, there have been reported cases of stolen vehicles from where they are parked in different parts of the state. Expectedly, nemesis caught up with some unrepentant car thieves as the police operatives in Delta State have tracked down two members of an alleged notorious gang that specialize in stealing cars from where they are parked. It was gathered that the suspect had successfully stolen the car from where it was parked in Orukowa Street, Sapele, and were heading to Benin when the police operatives suspected their movement and arrested the two suspects driving it. Speaking on the matter, Police Public Relations Officers, DSP Andrew Aniamaka, confirmed the arrest of the two suspects and the recovery of the stolen car. He said police patrol team on stop-andsearch operation along Sapele/Oghara/Benin expressway in Sapele, accosted the stolen Camry car with registration number GRA 106 TN with two occupants (suspects). The PPRO said upon interrogation, they were unable to give satisfactory on the ownership of the vehicle and later confessed that they stole the car from where it was parked at Orukowa Street, Sapele. The Police Image Maker said the suspects were immediately arrested and they later led operatives to their hideout where another gang member was nabbed. He said the owner of the stolen car has identified the car, while investigation is ongoing.

News 21

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, January 20, 2018

Rivers testimony of PDP’s capacity to transform Nigeria - Wike Amaka Agbu, Port Harcourt

ÏÏÏGovernor

Nyesom Ezenwo Wike of Rivers State has declared that the roll out of strategic projects in the state has proven that the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, has the capacity to transform the country. The governor spoke with journalists Friday after an extensive project inspection in company of former Rivers State governor, Sir

Celestine Omehia and former minister of sports, Dr Tammy Danagogo. He said: “This is a state that PDP has shown capacity that we have the capacity to transform this country. “I do know by the Grace of God that Nigerians are aware that the only hope they have for this country to move forward is the PDP”. He stated that the response from the beneficiaries of the projects remains a lasting encouragement to

do more for the people of the state. Governor Wike stated that the response from the beneficiaries of the projects remains a lasting encouragement to do more for the people of the state. “It touches us when you see market women, mothers and children coming out in their numbers to dance in appreciation of what we are doing in the state. We are doing so much with little resources at our disposal. That spurs us to

continue. “Look at how we walk freely on the streets. I don’t know how many governors that can be free on the streets like this. What you are seeing is natural love. We thank God for the opportunity to serve and contribute to the development of Rivers State,” Governor Wike said. The governor said that delivery of projects had been sustained because his administration was using tested and competent con-

tractors. In a sideline interview with journalists, the former Rivers State Governor, Sir Celestine Omehia, confirmed that Governor Wike executes projects that have improved the lives of the people. He said: “God has given him the zeal, the wisdom and determination to transform the State. All we owe him as Rivers people is to support him to succeed.” Former Minister of Sports, Dr Tammy Danagogo, said that the Rivers

State Governor has lived up to the expectations of Rivers people as a performer. “His ability to construct projects even with little or no resources is legendary. I am not surprised that we have him delivering dividends of democracy, “ Danagogo said. Projects visited included: Tourist Beach road, Creek Road, Bonny/Bille/Nembe Jetty, Court of Appeal, National Industrial Court, Mile One Market, Cultural Centre and Health Centre, Agip road.

2019 : Place your poster on my project for performance, Ikpeazu tells kinsmen Sunday Nwakanma Umuahia

ÏÏÏGovernor

L-R: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Olukunle Bamigbose; Commissioner for Political Affairs, African Union (AU), Amb. Minata Samate Cessouma; Deputy Chairperson, AU, Amb. Quartey Thomas Kwesi and Acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, during a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Abuja… recently.

Stop herdsmen violent killings, EU tells Buhari Andrew Orolua, Abuja.

ÏÏÏThe

festering herdsmen killings has continued to attract condemnations including the European Union (EU) who on Thursday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently address and stop the violent bloodshed. The EU also asked the President to defend the rights of all Nigerians to worship freely. It urged Buhari to protect the rights of all Nigerian citizens in line with Nigeria’s laws and Constitution. The EU made the call in a 17 point resolution passed by its parliament on Thursday. It was brought pursuant to Rule 135 of the Rules of Procedure of the EU Parliament. Titled: ‘European Parliament resolution on Nigeria (2018/2513(RSP)’, the resolution followed motions brought to the parliament by different groups seeking urgent intervention to end violent bloodshed by herds-

men across the country. The parliament also urged President Buhari to “focus on upholding human rights and dignity in all policies to ensure peaceful coexistence among citizens irrespective of their religion, beliefs and political affiliations”. While deploring “ongoing violence and attacks in northern Nigeria, whose targets have been Christian communities”, the EU urged “the Nigerian Government to negotiate a national policy framework that would protect the interests of both farmers and herders”. It also urge President Buhari to address the root causes of the violence by ensuring equal rights for all citizens and non-discriminatory legislation, just as it lauded him for his efforts in addressing security challenged posed by Boko Haram terrorists. The EU said it “strongly condemns the increase in violence against Christians and Muslims in Nigeria, including the targeting of religious institutions and

worshippers, such as the recent killing of at least 48 Christians in villages across Plateau State and the bombing of a mosque in Mubi, northeast Nigeria, in which at least 50 people died”. Is deeply concerned by the increasing interethnic conflicts between pastoralists and farmers in the Middle Belt region which have increased the security challenges already facing Nigeria, and regrets the lack of real progress in addressing these issues. It expressed it condolences and noted that until the 1970s, the coexistence of herdsmen and farmers was peaceful. But regrets that the current violence, which concerns access to land and has been exacerbated by the disappearance of effective mediation schemes, is being depicted as a religious conflict, which oversimplifies the issue; It therefore urged the government to focus on upholding human rights and dignity in all policies to ensure peaceful coexistence among citizens irrespective of their

religion, beliefs and political affiliations. EU also urged the Nigerian Government to negotiate a national policy framework that would protect the interests of both farmers and herders and calls on international partners to increase investment in preventing and resolving intercommunal conflicts between cattle pastoralists and farmers by supporting cooperation through shared economic and natural resource management initiatives. It deplored the ongoing violence and attacks in northern Nigeria, whose targets have been Christian communities; notes that Boko Haram has attacked Muslim, Christian and other faiths indiscriminately. It further noted that the Nigerian military has recaptured territory from Boko Haram and arrested some of its members; but that the Government’s non-military efforts to stop Boko Haram remain nascent, among other resolutions.

Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia state Friday, expressed his desire that he will like everyone to place his poster on his project in 2019 as a way of measuring performance and enumerated some of the roads he has completed as evidence of his great accomplishment in office. Ikpeazu was talking at Uhie clan in Obinwa LGA of Abia state after the clan endorsed him for a second term in office following his score card of excellent performance in office. The clan had in a resolution of the people read out at a town hall meeting with the Governor by the Uhie Progressive Assembly at Osusu Amaukwa primary school, passed a vote of confidence on Governor Ikpeazu and declared that there is no vacancy in the Abia state Government House till 2023 when Governor Ikpeazu must have completed his two tenures as done by past Governors of the state. In the resolution which was read by Mr Godwin Adindu, the people pledged their loyalty and support to the Governor and called on Abians to rise up and support Dr Ik-

peazu for a second term in office. Also speaking at the event, notable sons and daughters of Uhie community including the executive chairman of Obingwa LGA, Hanson Amechi, Chief Seth Agomuoh,Ezinwa Abiri, Macaulay Obiya, Eziuche Ubani, Caroline Uzoije, Ibe Nwadioha all affirmed that the Governor has done well in office despite the legal distractions and raised the bar in governance. They stressed the need for all Obingwa people to register and get their permanent Voters Card to enable them exercise their civic responsibility during the forthcoming election. Responding, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu who was conferred with the chieftaincy title of Ogbadaraenyi of Uhie clan thanked his brethren for the endorsement but stressed the need for all to get their voters’ cards handy in order to vote him back to office. The member representing Obingwa West in the state House of Assembly, Hon A.C Thomas Nkoro had earlier moved a motion for the adoption of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu as the sole candidate in the 2019 election and supported by Chidi Atuonwu.

News 22

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, January 20, 2018

Constitution amendment: Labour, CSO rally support for ABHA Sunday Nwakanma, Umuahia

ÏÏÏOrganized

L-R:Chairman, A.G Leventis, Alhaji Ahmed Mantey, Member, Board of Directors, NBC, Mr Laolu Akinkugbe, Governor of Edo State, H.E Godwin Obaseki, and Chairman, Board of Directors, Nigerian Bottling Company,(NBC), Ambassador Segun Apata touring the NBC Benin Plant, during the Governor’s visit to the facility .

CLI: LASG clears black spots, Illegal dump sites ÏÏÏThe

Lagos State Government and the environmental utility group contracted to implement the Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI), Visionscape Sanitation Solutions, have intensified evacuation of waste in black spots and illegal dump sites across the metropolis. A tour of various parts of the State on Friday revealed that evacuation of filth had been carried out and still ongoing in major areas including Falomo Bridge, Obalende, Ikoyi, Mushin, Ikeja, Ipaja, Agege, Oshodi, among others. The clean-up exercise, which was simultaneously going on across the State, is in line with “Operation Deep Clean,” a stop-gap measure designed to keep the city clean pending the full transition to

the new waste management policy of the State Government encapsulated in the CLI. The CLI was established to address, enforce and regulate the challenges in the solid waste management systems within the State in line with global best practices. Speaking after observing the evacuation of heaps of refuse in Ikeja Along Bus stop on Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, a resident of the area, Mr Babatunde Bamidele commended the State Government and Visionscape for the exercise, saying it was obvious that a good job was done. He said: “What they have done here is very good. Everywhere is clean now. I will only appeal to them to keep up the good work by coming regularly.”

Another resident, Tanwa Babarinde, who operates a public toilet in Ikeja, urged the State Government to designate officials to monitor the area especially at night to prevent indiscriminately dumping of refuse. She said: “I like what Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is doing to make the State clean. The Visionscape people have been here to clean up this area and they did a very good job. “My only appeal to the State Government is to designate their officials here especially at night to prevent indiscriminate dumping of waste because anytime they clean up the illegal dump site here, before the next day, you will see heaps of refuse again meaning that some people are coming here to dump waste at

night,” Babarinde said. It would be recalled that the operators of Private Sector Participation (PSP) in waste management and the Lagos State Government had agreed to amicably settle a court case which delayed full implementation of CLI. Investigation revealed that some people were going out in the middle of the night to dump waste on a large scale on the roads. But the government, in turn, had vowed to go all out after such unscrupulous elements and punish them accordingly in line with the law. The State Government has also urged residents to properly bag their waste and put in front of their houses for evacuation by officials of the Cleaner Lagos Initiative and other assigned bodies.

labour and civil society organization in the south east, Friday staged a peaceful rally, urging the Abia State House of Assembly to key into demand by labour and civil society organizations in the south east on constitution amendment. Addressing the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Chikwendu Kalu while leading the rally, the Abia state Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, Uchenna Obigwe said “We are here on peaceful rally to request Abia State House of assembly to key into what labour in the south east and the civil societies thought to be the best in the amendment of the constitution of Nigeria”. Comrade Obigwe further said “I want to associate ourselves with the success story to see that the autonomy of the local government is achieved and constitution amended to better the lives of the south easterners”. He later presented a position document of the group to the Speaker, while expressing the hope that the Abia State House of Assembly will find the document useful in their area of regards and request. Responding, the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Chikwendu Kalu disclosed that already, the House has scheduled public hearing on the issue, pleading with them to be present at the public hearing. The Speaker who was

represented by the Clerk of the House and Permanent Secretary, Sir JohnPedro Nnamdi Irokansi acknowledged that all the rallies in that regard is to the good of the south eastern zone, assuring that the Abia state House of Assembly will do all it can to the good of governance in the state and in the country. “If Nigeria gets a comfortable and workable constitution, all will enjoy. Abia State House of assembly is in absolute support of positive amendment of the constitution, not cosmetic one, especially where one unit of government will take away all meant for all of us. “If workers are treated well at all levels, there will be no protests”, he said stating that the rally was geared towards a better Nigeria. In his vote of thanks, the leader of the civil society that participated in the rally, Innocent Anozie Nwokocha, said the day marks a good beginning of a relationship between concerned Abians and the Abia state House of Assembly in respect of the project; Local Government Amendment Bill. “We are ever ready to celebrate with the House of Assembly in all ramifications. We are not doing this to antagonize anybody, but for the good of the state, south east and the nation”, Nwokocha said. The rally had placards with different inscriptions, including “Give the distributing pool account the desired vote”,” LGAs should be allowed to operate fully as a third-tier of government”.

NYSC: Yobe, Adamawa corps members for orientation in Bauchi Samuel Luka, Bauchi

ÏÏÏThe National Youth

Service Corps (NYSC) has transferred the 2017 Batch B, Stream II Corps Members deployed to Yobe and Adamawa States to Bauchi to undergo the three weeks compulsory orientation course at the state NYSC permanent camp in Wailo, Ganjuwa Local Government. Speaking Thursday during the official swearing -in ceremony of the NYSC members, Bauchi

State Governor Mohammed Abubakar represented by the head of civil service Alhaji Liman Bello said the redeployment of the youths for camping activities was an acknowledgement of the peaceful atmosphere the state has been enjoying over the years. The governor who stated that the state government ‘cherishes’ the lofty aims and objectives of the scheme, added that they came up with deliberate policy of sustained up-

grading of facilities at the orientation camp in order to create the enabling atmosphere for training of the youths. ‘’In this regard, the contract for the provision of additional infrastructure such as the 5000 capacity multipurpose Hall and Administrative Block will be awarded this year. The on-going work on the construction of two additional hostels will also be completed very soon’’. He said. According to him, gov-

ernment would create post service opportunities for the effective participation of youths in socioeconomic and political development of the state even as he encouraged the youths to take full advantage of the entrepreneurship training of the orientation course to ensure that they enjoy the benefits of the program. In their separate remarks, the Governors of Yobe state Ibrahim Gaidam represented by the Commissioner Yobe state

ministry of social welfare, youths and sports Tijjani Zakariyya Zanna and Adamawa state Governor Jibrila Bindow represented by the Permanent Secretary Adamawa state ministry of youths and sports Ibrahim Emmanuel however explained that their corps members were sent to Bauchi camp for the three weeks orientation course in view of their low numbers. They claimed that the two states are safe for the youths to stay throughout

their service period as adequate security are put in place urging them to disregard the widespread fear and the wrong impression created against the two states as a result of insurgency activities. They said that every part of the country experiences one form of insecurity or the other emphasizing that the NYSC members might only wish to relocate out of the states on marital or health grounds.

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, January 20, 2018

News 23

I withdrew N30m cash for Dokpesi –Witness Andrew Orolua, Abuja

ÏÏÏMr.

Godfrey Usifo, the personal secretary to chairman DAAR Communication PLC owner of African Independent Television (AIT) and Raypower FM Radio, Chief Raymond Dokpesi has told the Federal High Court in Abuja that he withdrew N30milion cash from the company bank account with First Bank. He said he made the withdrawal on behalf of Dokpesi

on 26 of March, 2015, few days after the account was credited with N2bn payment from the office of National security adviser. Usifo, who was led in evidence by prosecution counsel Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) in the continuation trial of Chief Raymond Dokpesi on six count charge of money laundering before Justice John Tsoho also said that he gave the same sum of N30m to Chief Dokpesi same day the withdrawal was made. The witness who said his address is No 1 Ladi La-

wal Drive, off TY Danjuma Street Asokoro, Abuja, also told the court that part of his work schedule include running errands for Chief Dokpesi. He said that as a Secretary he was seconded to Chief Dokpesi from DAAR communications PLC and “as the secretary I also run errands for Dokpesi including delivering letters, going to bank to withdraw money.” He refused prosecution counsel suggestion that he is a consultant. “I am Chief Dokpesi’s secretary not con-

sultant. He sent me to First Bank of Nigeria PLC to withdraw the sum of N30m cash on 26 March 2015. I delivered same amount to him the same day.” Usifo said that there were other withdrawals he handled on behalf of Chief Dokpesi that were itemised in exhibit B that he delivered to the defendant same day as shown in the exhibit. According to the witness, Dokpesi instructed the First Bank of Nigeria to transfer various amounts of money at various dates into his

(Usifo) account and “ I withdrew them and delivered same to him”. On the relationship between him and the DAAR Investment and Holding Company, the witness said that: “I work as a secretary and not as a staff of DAAR Communications PLC or DAAR investment and holding company. Dokpesi is my boss”. Under cross examination by defence counsel Kanu Agabi (SAN) the witness said that DAAR Communication Plc is a company with

many customers that earned money from many of them. He said he cannot enumerates the company customers and “I don’t know the sources the monies I withdrew on behalf of Dokpesi came from.” Usifo said that he is still in the employment of Dokpesi and have served him for more than 17 years and can attest that the company is a competent organization. The matter has been adjourned to February 6 and 7 for continuation of trial.

Buhari felicitates with King Charles Ayemi-Botu @ 70 Mathew Dadiya, Abuja

ÏÏÏPresident Muhamma-

Organised Labour, members of the CSO in a rally to the Abia House of Assembly to support the lawmakers on the constitution amemdmend in Umuahia ...on Friday

du Buhari joins all the illustrious sons and daughters of Seimbiri Kingdom in celebrating the 70th birthday of King (Dr) Charles Ayemi-Botu, which interestingly marks his 24th anniversary on the throne of his fathers. Buhari congratulates the paramount ruler of the Seimbiri Kingdom, his family and friends on the milestones, both lined with narratives of courage, diligence and care for his domain and humanity, earning him the appellation of “Lion of the Niger.’’ The President in a statement on Friday by his Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi

Adesina, salutes King Ayemi-Botu for his visionary, reconciliatory and selfless leadership style of always looking at the big picture of national unity and encouraging all his subjects to uphold and project patriotism in all their endeavours. As His Majesty turns a septuagenarian, Buhari believes the wealth of wisdom and experience he has acquired, working as the former National Chairman of Traditional Rulers of Oil Mineral Producing Communities of Nigeria (TROMPCON) and serving as the National Leader of Pan Niger Delta People’s Congress, would be most useful in fostering peace and stability in the region, and the development of the nation.

NYSC raises concern over sharp practices among corps’ members Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

ÏÏÏThe

National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has raised the concern over deepened sharp practices among corps’ members, and warned against illicit activities, indecent dress sense especially female corps’ members. The Director-General, Brigadier General Suleman Zakare Kazuare who made this known Thursday in Issele-Uku, NYSC Orientation Camp in Delta State, while addressing corps’ members, Batch “B” Stream II, at their swearing-in ceremony, said that NYSC in the recent times had been inundated with alleged sharp practices, and its related act, adding that corps members who mistaken service for an avenue to perpetrate fraud, would face the consequences. According to him, “while

serving, and in camp, it is clear that you will certainly pass through some discomfort, and its related act, shun every forms of sharp practices, we have been inundated with allegations of sharp practices such as yahoo yahoo, no short, no forms of indecent dressing, especially among the female corps members”. Strong indications are that recent corps’ members have allegedly been indulged in sharp practices, such yahoo yahoo, even while serving and in camp, but the DirectorGeneral, Brigadier Kazuare warned that any corps’ member found in the act, would be severely dealt with, adding the NYSC scheme had provided for skills Acquisition for members to make themselves useful instead desperate about while callers’ jobs, stressing the need for corps’ members to be good ambas-

sadors of Nigeria, the NYSC DG however commended the state co-ordinator, Mr. Benjamine Omotode for his unrelenting efforts in ensuring the well being and welfare of the corps’ members. In his remarks, the State Governor, represented by his deputy, Barr. Kingsley Otuaro, said that the NYSC scheme established four decades ago, has demonstrated its ability to remain relevant as the Vanguard for promoting national integration, adding the roles of the scheme in various national assignments like national elections, census, health campaigns sustainable development, among others indices of development. According to the Governor, “its attractiveness to the Nigerian Youths has continued to swell in spite of challenges, including the contemporary effect of insecurity in some

parts of the country”, and called on the corps’ members to apply themselves to the physical, and psychological training they will be subjected to as the orientation exercise was designed to instil in them the requisite leadership qualities of perseverance. The Governor also called on the corps’ members to be security conscious at all times, and avoid bad company including incessant journeys that might endanger their lives, and assured of the state government’s commitment to always support the NYSC scheme to grow in the state. Also, the State Co-ordinator of the NYSC, Mr. Benjamine Ayodele Omotade disclosed that a total of 2, 457 corps’ members would under the orientation exercise, adding that the 2017 Batch ‘B’ Stream II was combined of Delta/Edo with 1, 589 Delta

State, and 868 corps’ members from Edo State as duly registered. He said that in the course of the orientation exercise, corps’ members will be exposed to lectures on the ideals of NYSC scheme, and its operations, national core values, culture and tradition of people of Delta State among others, and enjoined the corps’ members to be involved in various camp committees, and camp administration, as well as solution providers, rather than being army of incurable complainants. The State NYSC co-ordinator further disclosed that the state government had embarked on construction of additional camp officials’ hostels, construction of modern bathrooms and toilets, 20, 000 gallons-capacity over head water storage tank to replace the collapsed tank, and

installation of a brand new 300 KVA transformer. In his remarks, the chairman NYSC Delta State Government Board, Mr. Festus Ovie Agas, assured the corps members of the Board’s commitment to ensure seamless and purposeful administration of the scheme in the state and called on them to explore to the fullest, and harness the inherent lessons, knowledge including experiences therein. He said: “it is the expectation of the State NYSC Governing Board that you will demonstrate a high level of commitment and dedication in this period of orientation course, and thorough out your nation service to emulate the good deeds of your predecessors who interacted, integrated and contributed greatly to the development of their various host communities.

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, January 20, 2018

24 News

Aisha Buhari shares videos of senators criticizing President’s performance Mathew Dadiya, Abuja

ÏÏÏ

L-R: Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi and former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, during a courtesy visit to Umahi in Government House, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State… recently

Court refuses ex-gov. Nnamani’s application, insist he must appear Peter Fowoyo

ÏÏÏA

Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos on Friday refused the plea of a former governor of Enugu State, Chimaroke Nnamani, to vacate the bench warrant it issued for his arrest. The Judge turned down the plea made by Nnamani’s lawyer, Mr. Rickey Tarfa (SAN), and rather insisted that the ex-governor must be produced before the court in respect of N5.3bn fraud charge. Justice Chuka Obiozor also struck out Nnamani’s application challenging the court’s jurisdiction and seeking a perpetual injunction to restrain the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from arresting him, after Tarfa had asked to withdraw same. The judge, thereafter, adjourned the case till

Moses Oyediran, Enugu

ÏÏÏThe Nigeria Union of

Journalists (NUJ), South East Zone wants residents of the area to take advantage of the ongoing voter registration exercise to update their voting strength. The union also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to fill the vacant position of the South East National Commissioner in the commission. These were contained in

February 20, 2018, at the instance of the EFCC prosecutor, Mr. Kelvin Uzozie, who pleaded for time to consult with the anti-graft agency on how to proceed with the case. Justice Obiozor held that: “The request for an order to discharge the bench warrant against the first defendant before me, for now, is hereby refused. This is without prejudice to the renewal of the application at the next adjourned date.” Earlier after withdrawing the application challenging the court’s jurisdiction and seeking a perpetual injunction against the EFCC, Tarfa had contended that there was no valid charge against Nnamani before the court. He said a plea bargain had been entered in the case, leading to the conviction of the 3rd to 8th defendants.

But Uzozie explained that though there was a plea bargain in respect of the 3rd to 8th defendants, the case of Nnamani and his ex-aide, Sunday Anyaogu, who were joined as first and second defendants, had yet to be concluded. He said: “We are working on an amendment of the charge to reflect the proper situation. We will ask the court to indulge us by way of an adjournment to bring a clean copy of the charge sheet”. As the defence counsel did not oppose the application for an adjournment, the judge granted same. Nnamani, Anyaogu and six companies had been first arraigned in 2007 for allegedly conspiring to divert about N5.3bn from the coffers of Enugu State. The case, which had been handled by no fewer than three judges, was last year December trans-

ferred to Justice Obiozor, who fixed December 4 for the re-arraignment of the defendants. But following the failure of Nnamani and Anyaogu to appear in court, the judge issued a bench warrant for their arrest. At yesterday’s proceedings, Anyaogu was in court but Nnamani was not. His lawyer had in December claimed that the ex-government was in the United States of America, bedridden in a hospital, where he underwent a heart surgery. A counsel from the chambers of Rickey Tarfa & Co., Abubakar Shamshudeen, had exhibited a photograph, showing Nnamani on the sickbed. But the EFCC lawyer, Uzozie claimed that the photo had been in circulation on the Internet since 2014.

a communiqué issued at the end of an expanded NUJ Zone ‘C’ meeting on Friday in Enugu. The Communique was read by the NUJ National Vice President for the zone, Mr. Chris Isiguzo. Isiguzo said that the office of the INEC national commissioner for the zone had been vacant for more than one year, adding that such was unacceptable to the people. He said that the calls had

become necessary as the nation was at the eve of an election year when chances were not supposed to be taken. The vice president commended the INEC on the successful conduct of the governorship election in Anambra as well as the conduct of the senatorial election for Anambra Central. He said that such levels of performances were also expected from the electoral umpire in the 2019 general elections.

Isiguzo appealed to governors from the area to take an informed and unanimous decision on the establishment of cattle colonies as proposed by the Federal Government. “The union calls on the houses of assembly in the South East to endorse the Local Government Autonomy in the ongoing constitutional amendment process. “We commend the Federal Government for the award of road contracts for the re-

The wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, Aisha, on Friday shared videos of senators criticizing her husband’s government. Aisha, on her verified Instagram page reposted videos by two senators; Isah Misau and Ben Bruce, accusing her husband of appointing incompetent persons because they “belong to the cabal.” The first video from OakTV that Mrs. Buhari reposted showed Mr. Misau at the floor of the Senate Thursday condemning Mr. Buhari for appointing “an incompetent person” as the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA. The Senator accused the president of “doing nothing” since he was elected, adding “the president has not taken anything to change this country.” Misau also said 50 per cent of the ministers in Mr. Buhari’s administration “are not performing”. The second video, also from OakTV, showed Mr. Bruce, who supported Mr. Misau’ stance saying Nigeria is becoming lawless. “We either have a government or we don’t…” he said.

The third video showed Mr. Misau saying the government has only three months to correct the anomalies, saying “it’s as if the president is not in charge.” He advised the leadership of the National Assembly to have a “one –onone” with the president. The end of the third video showed former governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Adamu, protesting the language used by his colleague on the president. Most of those who commented on the postings commended the president’s wife for “her courage” to be on the side of the people despite her position. Others even urged her to join politics. Mrs. Buhari had in an interview with the Hausa service in October 2016 voiced out her concern that her husband’s government had been hijacked by a few individuals. She said those who “caged” her husband did not even vote for him and that she feared they might cause him the anger of ordinary Nigerians. In his response, while on a visit to Germany, Mr. Buhari said it was not in his wife’s place to comment on the administration.

Aisha Buhari

Update your voting strength ,S’East NUJ urges residents habilitation of the 9th MileOtukpo-Markudi and the Enugu-Port Harcourt roads and appeal to the contractors to expedite actions on the roads. “We equally appeal to the Federal Government to extend the road rehabilitation to other federal roads in the zone,” he said. Isiguzo said that the union condemned the lingering hike in prices of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in parts of the country and appealed

to government to arrest the situation. “South East is a component of Nigeria. The Federal Government, therefore, should accommodate it in all spheres of national issues including the National Security Council where it is not represented. “We also condemn the recent killings by suspected herdsmen in parts of the country and urge the Federal Government to take steps to stop the carnage,” he said.

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, January 20, 2018

News 25 Taraba Police place N10m bounty on killers of Ibi Okerafor Athanatius, Jalingo

ÏÏÏThe

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike and a little school girl during project inspection on Thursday at Borokiri.

Lassa fever: Nurses fly Buhari over Ebonyi fresh outbreak, deaths

Charles Onyekwere, Abakaliki

ÏÏÏNurses under the aus-

pices of University Graduates of Nursing Science Association (UGONSA), have lambasted the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government over the fresh outbreak of lassa fever in Ebonyi State. It could be recalled that two doctors and a nurse have already lost their lives to the workers are also battling for life over same infection. Reacting to the recent deaths, the association decried as despicable the level of lip service paid to development and strengthening of the Nigerian health system by successive governments. It frowned at the state of the Nigerian health system and

called on the government to live up to its responsibility and overhaul the health system for efficient and effective care delivery. In a statement signed by its National President, Chief (Hon) Solomon Egwuenu, and its National Secretary, Nurse Goodluck Nshi, the association said the recent killings by Lassa Fever of health workers in Ebonyi State was avoidable but for gross neglect and abandonment of our health system by government. “At the latest count, more than 40 health workers have died as a result of Lassa fever in Ebonyi State alone in the past 13 years. This ugly incidence has continued because there have been no proactive measures fostered by the government to arrest it over the years. “What we see each time we experience the avoidable dead of health workers from Lassa

fever is that government officials rush to the press to commiserate with the victims and hypocritically resume the supply of basic personal protective equipments (PPE) and hand sanitizers to hospitals. “But as soon as the tension dies down, hand sanitizers, PPEs, electricity and ever running water disappear and become essential commodities in our hospitals, leaving our compassionate nurses and physicians with the pathetic option of treating patients largely unprotected, and in the process, dying while trying to save others from a preventable disease like the Lassa fever. “The worst is that as we bury the deceased in agony, the government mocks the living health workers by paying them five thousand naira as hazard allowance. In Nigeria today, we all know that five thousand naira can hardly procure a comprehensive ther-

apeutic drug regimen let alone run a basic laboratory health screening. “Despite this, our irrational government that pays millions of naira to political office holders as newspaper and wardrobe allowances does not see any good in reviewing upward the current ridiculous hazard allowance payable to health workers in the face of non-provision or inadequate supply of basic PPE and sanitizers for standard universal precaution in our healthcare institutions. “We advise JOHESU and NMA to sheath their swords and fight together to salvage the plight of the Nigerian health workers especially on this issue of abusive hazard allowance because the current government seems insensitive to the plight of the health workers and more so seems too comfortable with the rot in our health system”, the group

said. The association further queried why the South-East virology centre built by Ebonyi State government and commissioned by the Federal government two years ago was not yet fully functional, necessitating the arduous ferrying of victims of Lassa fever, by road, to far away Irrua in Edo State, which leads to the deaths, from exhaustion, of some of them in the course of such a long distance journey on very bad roads. “With the pomp and ceremony that greeted the commissioning of the South-East virology centre, we thought the government had meant business in efforts to curtail the endemic Lassa fever. Two years later, it is now clear that it was the usual case of “the more you look, the less you see”.

5 top ATBU management staff risk arrest over contempt of court Samuel Luka, Bauchi

ÏÏÏA

chief magistrate Court 12 sitting in Bauchi has issued a warrant of arrest for five top management staff of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi for contempt of court. Chief Magistrate Safiya Salihu ordered the arrest of the Dean Faculty of Management Sciences, Dr S.I Ningi, the deputy dean, Dr Umar Usman, Director General Studies (GNS) faculty of management sciences Dr Babangida Yerima, HOD, faculty of man-

agement Dr Y.B Maiwada and head of department, faculty of management of the university Dr Tijjani Abubakar. Salihu ordered they be arrested after they failed to appear before the court on Wednesday, to respond to the suit instituted by their colleague, one Dr Idris Isyaku Abdullahi for allegedly defaming him in a petition they allegedly wrote to the Vice Chancellor of the institution sometime on 19 June, 2017. According to the suit document issued to our correspondent by the plaintiff’s lawyer

Nasara Joshua, the accused persons alleged that his client brought an unknown person into campus and pointed out some staff whom ‘he considers enemies to the individual’ . The document also states that the accused persons further alleged in the petition that the complainant has pronounced how he intended to eliminate ‘his enemies and propagated campaign of calumny on some staff and the faculty as a whole’. ‘’We therefore crave the indulgence of this Honour-

able court under section 78 of the penal code to cause the accused persons to pay the sum of N5,000, 000 (five million Naira) for defamation of character and a public apology in one of the national dailies and a media house within the state capital’’. It was gathered that after the failure of the accused university staff to appear before the magistrate, the judge issued arrest warrants on the five defendants and also ordered their remand until 24th January for continuation of hearing over the case.

Our correspondent however reports that counsel to the dependants S.D Idrees told the magistrate that his clients lost confidence on her to be impartial which led to the transfer of the case to another magistrate court number four, Federal Low Cost Bauchi. Meanwhile, the defendants also secured a restraining order from Bauchi state High Court 5 which stopped the police from arresting and remanding the ATBU management officers as ordered by the lower court.

Taraba State Command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has placed the sum of N10 million as reward for an individual or group with useful information that will lead to the arrest of the killers of Hon. Hosea Ibi, a member of the Taraba State House of Assembly abducted on 30th December, 2017 in his home town, Takum. Police Commissioner Dave Akinremi stated this on Friday during a Press Conference at the Command Headquarters, Jalingo. CP Akinremi said the Command through the assistance of the State House of Assembly has placed the money to facilitate quick arrest of the killers. He added that his men were doing everything possible to track the kidnappers, before they carried out the dastardly act to divert the attention of security agencies. “It is believed that the abductors killed the lawmaker to divert the attention of security agencies and to make sure they did not leave any trace that could lead to their arrest. “We want to reassure all residents of the confidentiality of the information given to us in this regard,” said CP Akinremi. He further called on the public to remain calm as the command was doing all within its powers to guarantee security and public safety. Daily Times reports that the late Hon. Hosea Ibi was abducted at gun point by kidnappers on Dec 30, 2017, in his home town Takum and was found dead 16 days later, after an undisclosed sum of money was paid as ransom for his release.

IG Police, Ibrahim Idris

News 26

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, January 20, 2018

Magu reads riot acts to looters, says hard time awaits them ÏÏÏ Economic and Finan-

cial Crimes Commission (EFCC) acting chairman, Ibrahim Magu has reiterated the Commission’s readiness to fight corruption to a halt warning that, “difficult times awaits treasury looters”. “Corruption has dealt a great blow on the socio-economic life of this country, as such treasury looters will no longer be treated with kid gloves”, he said.

Magu gave this warning on Thursday, at a cocktail party in honour of the EFCC Detective Inspector Course 4, held at the Nigerian Defence Academy Cadets Mess, Ribadu Campus, Kaduna. According to him, “With the recruitment and training of these 161 men and 22 women and with the ongoing training of another batch of 314 officers, the president has fresh hands to start a new offensive

PDP plots to destabilise APC through members in Enugu - Party Charles Onyekwere, Abakaliki

ÏÏÏ

The leadership of the All Progressives Congress(APC) in Enugu state, said it has uncovered plans by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) to use few suspended members of the party to cause major division in the party. The party added that the plans if not checked, may lead to likely threat to peace in Enugu State, calling on security agencies to act quickly to forestall breakdown of law and order in the State. The state Chairman of APC, Dr. Ben Nwoye,who raised the alarm while briefing newsmen in Enugu Friday. He said PDP seeing that it was no longer popular in Enugu state with what happened in the November 4 council polls, has been going about, picking people who are no longer in APC to organize a mega-rally in Awgu town, purportedly on behalf of APC. According to him, PDP has seen that it has been decimated in Enugu state with the recent defection of its immediate past secretary, Steve Oruruo to APC and was ready to do anything to stem the tide of change blowing in Enugu state. Nwoye said the quartet of A.C. Ude, Louis Okoro, Lolo Queen Nwankwo and Juliet Ibekaku, who were being linked with the mega-rally were on suspension and awaiting their possible expulsion from the party. The APC Chairman called on members of the public, particularly the se-

curity agencies, to beware of the antics of the quartet, who are being used as agents to destabilize APC, now that the timetable for the 2019 elections has been released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). “We are calling on the Police, the Nigerian Army, the Department of State Security (DSS), the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and others, to act quickly to forestall any breach of peace in Enugu State, as a result of the actions of these elements” Nwoye said. He made it clear that no faction exists in Enugu State APC, pointing out that commission of criminal act does not amount to fractionalisation of a party. Nwoye said he was worried that somebody who broke into the party secretariat and carted away some documents has been going about, parading himself as Acting State Chairman of APC, with the support of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the security agencies allowed him, even when the APC National Secretariat has forwarded a letter to him, to desist from doing so. He however made it clear that the antics of these elements would not deter APC in its quest to bring change to Enugu State, pointing out that unlike the local government elections, conducted by the PDP sponsored Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC), there would be no writing of result in 2019, with INEC as the umpire.

against treasury looters in Nigeria”. The EFCC boss described the training as “a priceless opportunity to serve the country”, advising the cadets not to waste the opportunity through indiscipline and corrupt practices. “As for the Cadet Inspectors, let me warn you that this is a priceless opportunity to serve your country. We brought you to the Nigerian Defence Academy, NDA, to teach you discipline and selfless service. Do not waste this opportunity through indiscipline

and corrupt practices”, Magu said. He warned the new cadets that the long hand of law will catch up with anyone of them who abuse his/her office in the course of discharging their duties, as the EFCC has zero tolerance for corruption. The anti-graft czar thanked the NDA for making the training a success, stating that “the Commission looks forward for more collaboration of this kind”. Earlier, in his welcome address, the Comman-

dant, EFCC Academy, David Tukura, congratulated the new operatives saying, “They have undergone an amazing transformation”. He said the new cadets who looked confused on their first day at the NDA on December 11, 2016, have moved from confusion to confidence. “They arrived here looking confused and wondering what on earth they had gotten themselves into. They have now moved from confusion to confidence, from lack of direction to a clear roadmap, from fear to cour-

age”, Tukura said. He charged them to always be disciplined and committed. In his remark, the Commandant, NDA, Major General A. Oyebade, advised graduands to make good use of the platform given to them, by serving the country professionally and making a difference. “This is a tough call, you must take the decision that is in the interest of the country, for those who will make the country better will have their names written in gold”, Oyebade said.

L-R: President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, when the latter visited leadership of the Senate at the National Assembly in Abuja… recently

AuGF tasks ICAN on standards

ÏÏÏ The Auditor General

for the Federation on Friday tasked the management of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) on the need to uphold the high standards the Institute is known for. Ayine stated this when the ICAN management team led by the President, Mr Isma’ila Muhammadu Zakari paid him a courtesy visit on Friday in Abuja. He said that ICAN has contributed immensely to the Nigerian economy and beyond over the years through the training of professional accountants. The institute is known for it high standards, he said. Ayine stated that a lot of initiatives by way of reforms are underway adding that their target as Supreme Audit Institution in

Nigeria (SAI, Nigeria) is to be among the best 10 in the world. The Auditor General, who described the visit as a moral booster not only to the management and staff of his office, but to the 120 members “of our great and reputable institute who are serving in OAuGF. He said all initiatives would be vigorously pursued while seeking for support from the Institute to enable the Audit House to see through these reforms. He said national auditor should be able to adopt and change the whole process being used to meet global best practices. The Auditor General said that the five years development plan (2017-2021) was still opened for changed and feedback from experts especially ICAN. He said capacity build-

ing is key and the initiative started last year to upgrade the skill of over 1700 staff of OAGF, of which over 400 have already been trained. According to Ayine, the aim is to transform from the current manual to electronic to enable delivery of service. He said that the OAuGF was opened for advice as a supreme auditor in the country to enable it discharge its responsibility and chart new path in the country. He said that collaboration is taking place between the Office of the Auditor General for the Federation and local auditors at the local level to allow for accountability and efficiency. “We will welcome assistance, collaboration and support from ICAN, he said.

In his earlier remarks, the ICAN President, Alh Muhammadu Zakari said that ICAN is committed to building capacity of their members to ensure they excel in their work. Zakari said, in line with global trend, the institute has included new course modules such as Information Communication Technology (ICT), Forensic Investigation and Fraud Dictation to enhance members’ capacity to be at par with the global standard. He commended the Auditor General for the good work he has been doing since assumption of office. The ICAN boss assured the Office of the Auditor General of ICAN’s unflinching support and collaboration. The highlight of the visit was presentation of gifts by both parties.

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, January 20, 2018

News

Dickson tasks oil firm on return on investment Chris Eze, Yenagoa

ÏÏÏ

Governor Seriake Dickson of Rivers state has charged the newly inaugurated Board of the State Oil Company Limited to steer the company on the path of profitability, to ensure return on investment. The governor who gave the charge while inaugurating the 7-member board of the Company in Yenagoa, urged them to expand the operations of the firm

beyond the upstream sector of the oil and gas industry, particularly as oil prices are on the rebound. A press statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Francis Agbo, issued on Friday said Dickson called on members of the board to ensure that, the Company participates fully in the oil industry, towards reaping the benefits accruable in the sector, assuring them of his administration’s support to achieve set goals.

According to the statement, Governor Dickson expressed displeasure with the way and manner the Company was being managed, and called for commitment and patriotism on the part of members of the board in the discharge of their functions. His words:” Let me say that I am not pleased with the way and manner that this company has been run and managed. I am not pleased with how far we have gone in terms of getting benefits from the

huge investments that the state has made and I expect this board to correct all of that. “Take a hard and critical look at all transactions and reorganize the priorities of the company to ensure that the state, in no distant time, will begin to get benefits from the investments from the assets that this company is holding on behalf of this state. “This company will have my support to expand their operations even beyond the upstream

sector. I want to see commitment, business sense in your activities, so I urge you to get cracking. “A lot is expected of you, particularly now that oil prices are rebounding, we want to be part of that industry, even if you need more assets, the state government will support you. I want to see performance, capacity, patriotism and commitment so that the state can benefit.” Responding, Chairman of the Bayelsa Oil Company Board Limited, Mr. Sol-

Edo agog as APC receives PDP defectors

EFCC arrests two bankers suspected serial fraudsters

ÏÏÏ The Edo State Chap-

ÏÏÏ

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibadan zonal office has arrested two former staff of a new generation banks for conspiracy, stealing, and illegal diversion of funds. The suspects: Walter Ekomaye (39) and Ebenezer Adelowo (31), were arrested sequel to a petition from the bank’s Regional Control Compliance Officer and Zonal Control Compliance Officer. The petitioner alleged that sometimes in December, 2017, Ekomaye and Adelowo were involved in an illegal withdrawal of funds from two customers’ unfunded accounts totalling N23million. It was further alleged that they also withdrew another N17.5million from the bank’s vault, money meant to fund the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) of the bank, making a total of N40.5million. Investigation revealed that the suspects took advantage of their position as account officers to two of their bank customers to perpetrate their fraud. It was discovered that part of the money from the fraudulent acts by the suspects were diverted into different accounts for the buying and selling of foreign exchange. It was also alleged that Adelowo, collected the sum of 35,290.200 (Thirty Five Million, Two Hundred and Ninety Thousand, Two Hundred Naira) from the five customers of the bank under false pretence.

omon Agwanana assured Governor Dickson that, they would work diligently to achieve the vision of the state government. Mr. Ebi Dorgu is the Managing Director while other members are, Chief Maxwell Clarkson Kikile, Mrs. Ebizi NdiomuBrown, Major Lancelot Anyanya (Rtd), Chief Ayebaemi Opuene and Mr. Jonah Cock-Brown and Engineer Ogbariyai Fredrick Suku-Ogbari, representing the State Ministry of Mineral Resources.

L-R: Governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku and President Muhammadu Buhari, during a courtesy visit to President Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja… recently

Delta assures riverine communities of infrasructures Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

ÏÏÏ The state Government has assured Deltans especially those residing in riverine communities that all road projects awarded in their communities would be completed by may this year. The State Commissioner for Works, Chief James Augoye gave the assurance while inspecting the 2. 193km Obitonbon Rigid concrete pavement road at Ogidigben, Warri South West Local Government Area. Chief Augoye said the Okowa administration was passionate to providing infrastructural de-

velopment riverine communities inspite of their difficult terrain. He stressed that the riverine communities were part and parcel of the state and should also benefit from the all infrastructural development being carried out in urban centres. The works commissioner who expressed delight that work had commenced on the project site, explained that the inspection exercise was not only to ensure that the contracting firm worked according to specifications but to also get firsthand information and report back to Governor ifeanyi Okowa. Chief augoye who further paid homage to the

Alaja of the Ogidigben community Pa Utieyin Maku, said the Obitonbon road project which linked four clans was dear to the state government as it would boost the socio/economic life of the people. He sued for the continuous cooperation of the Ogidigben people pointing out that no meaningful development can thrive in an atmosphere devoid of peace. The chairman of Warri South West local government Area Honourable Taye Touyo and the Olareaje of Ogidigben community thanked Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for sitting such project in Ogidigben even though it

would gulp huge finance given the terrainof the town. Honourable Touyo said the Ogidigben people are peace loving people as opposed to the volatile nature of most riverine communities and assured the State government of their unflinching support and cooperation. Also speaking, a representative of the contracting firm handling the Obitonbon road project Mr. Natuke Emmanuel and the site engineer Atiene -kowe Robinson said they have not faced any challenges since they mobilised to site and promised to utilise the dry season to complete the project.

ter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) dealt a big blow to the camp of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state on Friday, with the decamping of major PDP heavyweights, including Member representing Egor/Ikpoba Okha Federal Constituency, Honourable Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma and former gubernatorial aspirant of the PDP, Matthew Iduoriyekemwen. The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki led the party leadership to receive Hon. Agbonayinma and Hon. Iduoriyekemwen and their followers at its Mega Rally, which hosted party chieftains and members across the state, at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, in Benin City, the Edo State capital. Governor Obaseki, who welcomed the new members of the party, said that they have further swelled the ranks of the party to become an indomitable force in the state, adding that they would enjoy all due benefits as party members. He maintained that the infrastructural development witnessed in the state is the result of the solid foundation laid by his predecessor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. According to him, “Edo is working today, because Oshiomhole laid the foundation. Edo people have not seen anything yet. We will continue to demonstrate efforts in sustaining good governance.

News 28

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, January 20, 2018

Baru bags PENGASSAN’s industrial harmony award Idu Jude

Abuja

ÏÏÏ

Amidst biting fuel scarcity across the country, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has conferred a distinguished award on the Group Managing Director of the of

the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Dr. Maikanti Baru, for promoting industrial harmony since assumption of office. The award, prepare by the NNPC Corporate Headquarters Branch of PENGASSAN, was presented to the GMD during the Branch’s Love Feast,

with the theme: “Synergy and Collaboration between NNPC Management and the Union.” PENGASSAN National President, Comrade Francis Johnson, applauded Dr. Baru for being a labour friendly Chief Executive, assuring him of more union support as he pilots

the affairs of the NNPC. Speaking in the same vein, the Corporate Branch Chairman of PENGASSAN, Comrade Mathew Duru, described the GMD as the Iroko of the Oil and Gas Industry who has maintained an open door policy, stressing that the award was a payback to the

NNPC management for its friendly disposition to labour at all times. Duru said, in the weeks ahead, the Union planned to sponsor a capacity building training course in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) which participation would be extended to the management to further ce-

ment the existing synergy. In his remarks, Dr. Baru said NNPC management under his leadership, had witnessed unprecedented collaboration with labour representatives at all levels of the union structure, stressing that this has engendered cordial industrial relations

The Economist disowns publication on Buhari Mathew Dadiya, Abuja

ÏÏÏ

The Economist, a London-based magazine, has disowned a publication which claims that Nigerians have shown unprecedented level of patience with President Muhammadu Buhari. The publication has been making rounds on the social media and on some websites in the country, and beyond. Senior Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said a letter dated January 18, 2018, written and signed by Jonathan Rosenthal, the Africa Editor of the magazine, reads: “It has come to my attention that an article has been circulating on social media and been published on various websites that purports to have been written or published by The Economist. “The article with the headline ‘The Unprecedented Level of Patience Shown to Buhari’ was not written nor published by The Economist. Any claims connecting it to The Economist are false.” The Presidency enjoins Nigerians to be very watchful and circumspect about the kind of information they are exposed to, and share, especially in this period when purveyors of fake news abound.

Chairman Edo state All Progressives Congress (APC), Anselm Ojezua(left); former PDP gubernatorial aspirant , Matthew Iduoriyekemwen (third left); House of Representatives member representing Egor/Ikpoba Okha Federal Constituency, Honourable Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma (fourth left), Governor Godwin Obaseki (third right); former governor Adams Oshiomhole (second right), Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Philip Shaibu (right), while receiving Agbonayinma and Iduoriyekemwen, with their followers to the APC, at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City.... on Friday.

2019: Don’t undermine electoral process, Wike warns security agents Amaka Agbu, Port Harcourt

ÏÏÏ

Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike of Rivers state, has declared that political leaders would be more accountable if security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) restricted themselves to their

constitutional roles. The governor said that that the use of security agencies and INEC by some politicians to manipulate the electoral system had encouraged them to deny their constituents development projects. Speaking during a Courtesy visit by the Commander of the 115 Special Opera-

tions Group of the Nigerian Air Force to the Government House Port Harcourt on Friday, Governor Wike said the only way the nation can make progress is when things are done correctly. He said: “The only way this country can grow is if things are done right. One of the reasons Nigerian leaders refuse to perform is

because some of them connive with INEC and security agencies to rig. “Nobody cares. Because whether or not you perform, they will use security agencies and INEC to manipulate the electoral process.” The governor noted that the Rivers State Government would continue to

partner with the Nigerian Air Force for the promotion of security. He said that the state government would support the Nigerian Air Force to fight crime and criminality in the state. He warned the military against being dragged into the settlement of civil disputes.

out of the money he paid NECO for 170 students, while 3000 people would get N10, 000 each to start or boost their petty businesses. “There are also 404 students that will get N5000

each as bursary while registers, lesson notes chalk, and books among other were procured for schools. “I will also rehabilitate electricity line to four villages in my constituency,” Abubakar said.

Adamawa to construct dam in Mubi - Lawmaker Tom Garba, Yola

ÏÏÏ Member representing

Mubi South Constituency in Adamawa State, Hon. Abdulrahman Abubakar said Adamawa Government has agreed to construct a Dam

in Gella to address the problem of water supply in the area. Abubakar made this known in a chat with newsmen over a proposed dam project by European Union (EU).

Abubakar said EU would now sunk boreholes while Adamawa Government would handle the dam project. He said that already officials from the state Ministry of Water Resources

had visited the area on the projects. On constituency projects, the lawmaker said that he was utilizing his N20 million constituency money for empowerment projects. Abubakar explained that

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, January 20, 2018

29 News

Glo-powered CNN African Voices extols women entrepreneurs

ÏÏÏ CNN

African Voices powered by Globacom will this week extol the virtues of some foremost African female entrepreneurs. The 30-minute magazine programme is broadcast on CNN at 9.30 a.m. on Friday, while viewers can also watch the repeat editions at 3.30 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. on Saturday and at 11.30

a.m. and 6.30 p.m. on Sunday. Further repeats come up at 10:30 a.m. on Monday and 4.30 a.m. on Tuesday. A statement released by Globacom in Lagos said the entrepreneurs being profiled on the programme include Ghanaian TV personality and media entrepreneur, Peace Hyde; founder of Kenya’s

first indigenous cosmetics brand, Suzie Wokabi; and Moroccan celebrity chef and author, Choumicha Chafay. Hyde is originally from the United Kingdom, where she practiced as an education specialist. She is the founder of Aim Higher Africa, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to

enriching the standard of education for students by incorporating the use of ICT in the learning environment. She is also the head of digital media and partnerships for Forbes Africa. The second guest, Suzie Wokabi, is one of Kenya’s most exceptional female entrepreneurs. Eight

years ago, she founded Suziebeauty which manufactures lip-gloss, lipstick, eye shadow, mascara and concealers. Suziebeauty is now a remarkably successful brand and a household name in many Kenyan homes. A celebrity chef, Choumicha Chafay, is the third leg of the tripod on the

programme. She has participated as a jury member in several competitions including “Master Chef ” France show, “Master Chef ” Saudi Arabia and “Top Chef ” Lebanon. She also founded and directed the publication of the first Moroccan culinary magazine, Saveurs et cuisine du Maroc.

Cattle colonies: Adamawa registers 64, Gazettes 30 grazing reserves – Commissioner Tom Garba, Yola

ÏÏÏ Adamawa State Com-

Acting chairman Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ibrahim Magu,(middle) with some of the newly graduates of the Course 4 Cadets of the EFCC at the NDA, Kaduna.

Consumers raise the alarm over rice re-bagging in Adamawa Tom Garba, Yola

ÏÏÏ A cross section of con-

sumers in Adamawa have raised the alarm over alleged re-bagging of rice products circulating in the state’s major markets from the normal 50 kg bag by some rice dealers in the state. The consumers who also

alleged re-bagging of rice by some dealers, urged relevant authorities to investigate the matter and ensure that consumers get value for their money. “On many occasions if you buy a 50kg bag of rice you will end up noticing that the weigh is not up to that. “To worsen the situation, you can also end up notic-

ing that the content is not the real thing; meaning the foreign rice you assumed you bought is nothing but local rice that has been rebagged and sold to you at the cost of foreign rice. “Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) need to do something to address this capital cheating by some rice dealers in Yola market,” said Yakubu Bappa, a

civil servant. Also speaking, house wives, Lami Mohammed, Ramatu Ahmadu and Rhoda Steven said they experienced similar shortchanged by dealers. “I bought a bag of foreign rice only to discover that the content at the middle was different brand of rice. “I believed that not only was the content mixed, the

quantity is questionable,” Stephen said. She said that even if you complain, they dealers would deny selling you such rice. When contacted on the development, the state Coordinator of SON, Mr. Galadima Musa, said that his office was aware of the problem and has started taking action.

missioner of Livestock Production Isah Salihu, said government had already registered 74 Grazing Reserves and Gazetted 30 across the state. Salihu who made this known in an interview with the Newsmen in Yola, also said that the development was to compliment the Federal government Cattle Colonies Programme. According to the commissioner the cattle business contributes about 37 per cent yearly state’s GDP. “The State Government has already registered 64 grazing reserves out of which 30 were gazetted. “The development was to compliment Federal Government’s Cattle Colonies Programme,’’ Salihu said. He called on the Federal Government to fast tract the completion of construction of the three pilots grazing reserves in the state. He complained that the State Government was not happy with the way and manner the projects were on snail speed. Salihu described the antiopen grazing reserved law introduced by some State Government as “unfortunate’’ adding that the development would not solve the lingering farmers/herdsmen crisis.

Kidnapped ex- Bayelsa commissioner regains freedom Chris Eze, Yenagoa

ÏÏÏ

Kidnapped former Bayelsa commissioner for transport, Mrs. Marie Ebikake, has regained freedom.

It was learnt that the woman who was abducted by unknown gunmen at her Igbogene residence on the outskirt of Yenagoa on Sunday was freed at about 3:00 am on Friday. Spokesman of Bayelsa

Police command, Asinim Butswat, a Deputy Superintendent of Police in a telephone interview confirmed her release. He, however, said that he did not have details on the terms of how she regained

her freedom. “I can confirm that the former commissioner has been freed and reunited with her family but I do not have the details,” Butswat said. Meanwhile, a soldier kid-

napped the same period in a separate incident is not as lucky as his whereabouts is still unknown. The soldier was abducted by suspected sea pirates between the waterway of Foropa and Azuzuama area of

Southern Ijaw Local Government Area. The soldier, identified simply as Rotimi, was on board a passenger boat heading to Yenagoa while the boat driver was shot on the shoulder.

Thursday, January 20, 2018

EXTRATIME

he home-based Super Eagles team has registered its first win at the ongoing African Nations Championship, CHAN tournament taking place in Morocco. The Coach Salisu Yusuf tutored

CHAN 2018: Super Eagles secure first win side labored to a lone goal victory on Friday against hitherto table toppers, Libya. Sunday Faleye was the hero; scoring the all-important goal in

the 79th minute as the Eagles secured maximum points. Nigeria now occupies the top spot in Group C with four points from two games.

It will face Equatorial Guinea in the final group game as it looks to seal its place in the quarterfinals. The CHAN trophy is the only elusive major trophy for Nigeria in Africa.

GALLERY

Nigerians to watch this weekend

Victor Moses

helsea fc has not started the New Year as well as it like and is still searching for its first win in 2018. It travels to Brighton & Hove Albion seeking a much needed victory in the race to secure a top-four place. Victor Moses is expected back in the side having missed their FA Cup third-round replay win Alex Iwobi Having failed to pick up a win in five games (in all competitions), Arsenal

faces Crystal Palace searching for its first win since December, which was against the same opponents at Selhurst Park. The Gunners won that time 3-2 and will definitely take any kind of win against the Eagles to stop their recent downturn in form. Alex Iwobi has started the last three games and is expected to be in the 11 to play Roy Hodgson’s side. Kelechi Iheanacho It’s been a tough start at Leicester City for Kelechi Iheanacho, but he came to the fore in his side’s FA Cup replay win

by netting a brace as the Foxes saw off Fleetwood Town 2-0. The forward is likely to drop back to the bench for the visit of Watford, with Jamie Vardy returning, but will fancy himself to feature at some point in the encounter. Wilfred Ndidi though, is expected to play from the start. Ola Aina Ola Aina featured for Hull City as they played out to a goalless draw last time out at home to Reading, which left them a point off the relegation zone. They are winless in six league games, but with a

Saturday, January 20, 2018

EXTRATIME

P.31

Nigerians to watch this weekend

trip to rock bottom Sunderland in the offing this time around, should play on the front foot at the Stadium of Light. Aina is expected to keep his place in the side for this relegation six-pointer.

Sone Aluko Sone Aluko was a first-half substitute in Reading’s draw at Hull last time out. The forward failed to make the desired impact in that encounter, but will hope to be recalled to the starting lineup as the Royals host midtable Brentford. Jaap Stam’s side are in

18th place, five points off the drop zone and need to start picking up wins to avoid getting dragged into a relegation dogfight. Chidozie Awaziem Nantes haven’t been setting the world alight since the winter break and have stuttered badly in its chase for continental football. Chidozie Awaziem and company are expected to make light work of Bordeaux when both sides face off at the Stade de la Beaujoire. However, having failed to pick up a win against struggling Toulouse

in mid-week, the Canaries have to be wary of the Navy-and-Whites. Tyronne Ebuehi ADO Den Haag ended last year on a high with a resounding 4-0 win over high-flying PEC Zwolle. They kick off the New Year at home to VVV-Venlo and surely go into the game as surefire favourites to pick up a win. Benfica target Tyronne Ebuehi and his teammates have to beware of complacency, but will back themselves for the win as they seek to move into the Europa

League play-off spots. Oghenekaro Etebo Feirense may have ended last year with a win but have fallen back into old habits, losing two of its last three games. It welcomes struggling Moreirense to Estadio Marcolino de Castro seeking to pull further away from the dropzone. Oghenekaro Etebo hasn’t found the back of the net in almost two months, and the attacker needs to start delivering for his side if they are to beat the drop. William Troost-Ekong Bursaspor ended last year with a bit of a wobble, failing to win their last three games before the mid-season break. They welcome league leaders Istanbul Basaksehir in what has to be

the worst possible start to the year. William Troost-Ekong is expected to continue in the centre of a back three for the Green Crocodiles as they seek to upset the champions-elect. Abdullahi Shehu Anorthosis Famagusta have only themselves to blame for dropping to fourth place in the league having sat top of the pile only a few weeks back. The Great Lady have picked up one win in four games and now sit four points off top spot. Abdullahi Shehu and co. will need to better last week’s stalemate against Apollon Limassol when they play host to bottom side Ethnikos Achna and nothing but a win will suffice for the hosts if they’re to keep in touch with APOEL Nicosia at the top.

Published by FOLIO COMMUNICATIONS LTD, Lateef Jakande Road, Agidingbi, Ikeja. email: info@dailytimes.ng Tel: 08038099089. Editor Daily: TONY AMOKEODO

SATURDAY, JANUARY 20, 2018

VOL. 3. NO. 556

Price: N150

Flashback in Times: January 20, 1973

News Hotline: 08050220692 Advert Hotlines: 08037862794, 08057041525

Business Times Daily Times Nigeria

Sterling bank lauds NDIC over quality of bank examination reports

Page B3

Ooni of Ife, Ozolua partner to tackle malnutrition in Page B4 Africa

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Ethiopian Airlines signs deal to revive Zambia’s national carrier

Page B7

Navy destroys 150 illegal refineries within seven months, says FOC Simon Ugwu with Agency report Rear Adm. Victor Adedipe, the outgone Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Eastern Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy, Calabar, says the command destroyed no fewer than 150 illegal refineries between June 2017 and January 2018. Adedipe said that the illegal refineries destroyed within the Command’s area of operation included those within the maritime domain of Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states. Adedipe said this during the handing over of the command to his successor, Rear Adm. Matthew Emuekpere in Calabar. Adedipe said that since his resumption on June 29, 2017, the command had witnessed drastic reduction of crude oil theft, illegal bunkering and piracy. According to him, the successes were achieved by the constant patrol by naval personnel at sea, adding that the command also repelled the hijack of several ships on the sea. “During my time in the command, myself and my team were able to make our contributions principally in two key areas which are operations and welfare. “Within the period, we were able to shut down 150 illegal refineries within the command’s

area of operations. This was due to our aggressive anti-crude and illegal bunkering patrol. “In the area of welfare, with very strong support from the Naval Headquarters, the command was able to add value to its entire barracks,’’ he said. He also commended other security agencies, the host com-

munity and the governments of Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States for their support and solicits the same support for his successor. “I also acknowledge the contributions of the Naval personnel and civilian staff that served in the command under my leadership and urge them to continue

to give the same level of loyalty, commitment and support to the new FOC,’’ he said. Emuekpere in his response after receiving the flag of command and leadership commended Adedipe for his dynamic leadership in the command. He thanked all those that helped Adedipe to succeed and

urged that the same level of support be given to him to enable the command achieve its set objectives. “I have formally served in this command as a young officer. I wish to solicit the support of all personnel within the command to help us move the Nigerian Navy to greater heights,’’ he said.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa (3rd left); with a team of Chinese investors after their meeting in Abuja...on Wednesday.

IITA /AfDB launches bold plan to revolutionise agriculture in Africa International Agriculture research institute, IITA and Africa Development Bank, AfDB are set to launch a bold plan to revolu-

BUSINESS TIMES Business Editor Ganiyu Obaaro Asst. Business Editor Simon Ugwu Capital Market Editor Bonny Amadi

tionize African agriculture as Scientists, development specialists, agricultural experts, representatives from national agricultural research and extension systems (NARES), and entrepreneurs from the private sector mainly from Africa will assemble in IITA, Ibadan, Nigeria on January 22-25, 2018, for the inauguration and planning workshop of the African Development Bank (AFDB)-funded program called Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT). According to IITA sources,

the multi-year, multi-partner TAAT program was conceptualized based on;“Africa Feeding Africa,” a core priority of AfDB and aligned with the Bank’s TenYear Strategy (2013- 2022) for inclusive and green growth in the continent. The program, aimed to revitalize African agriculture, was conceived in a high-level conference on African agricultural transformation attended by leading experts in agriculture, research institutions, academia, financial institutions and civil society held in Dakar, Senegal in 2015.

The TAAT program was first announced during the World Food Prize events held in Des Moines, Iowa, in October 2017, where AfDB President Akin Adesina was given the 2017 World Food Prize award. TAAT will be launched on 22 January at IITA’s headquarters in Ibadan, Nigeria. According to Dr Jonas Chianu, AfDB Agricultural Economist and TAAT program manager, “TAAT heralds a new dawn in African agricultural transformation because of its key benefits.” TAAT will lead to Increased agricultural productivity and diver-

sification, leading to improved food and nutrition security, improved the socioeconomic status of farmers including women and youth due to higher incomes, Reduced vulnerabilities to market fluctuation due to agricultural product imports, and Job creation, among others. TAAT will execute an ambitious and bold plan to achieve rapid agricultural transformation across Africa by raising agricultural productivity along nine Priority Intervention Area (PIA) and over 18 agricultural commodity value chains.

Business News B2

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, January 20, 2018

L-R: Newly appointed Permanent Secretaries, Ministry of Information & Strategy, Mrs. Omotayo Awobamise; Ministry of Science & Technology, Mr. Olukayode Ogunnubi; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode; Ministry of Establishment & Training, Mrs. Omotilewa Ibirogba; State Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Iyabo Are and Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Olufemi Salaam, during their swearing-in ceremony at Lagos House, Ikeja, on Monday.

DPR seals up five filling stations in Ogun The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) on Friday sealed up five filling stations in the SangoOta area of Ogun for allegedly selling petrol above N145 per litre and under dispensing. Mrs Muinat Bello-Zagi, the Abeokuta Operations Controller of DPR, told journalists in Sango Ota that the marketers were caught through the efforts of members of the public. Bello-Zagi, who was accompanied by her Head of Retail Outlet, Mr Femi Adebowale, said that the state had enough petrol to supply. She said that there would be no reason for anyone to either hoard or sell above pump price. “The DPR receive calls from members of the public to some filling stations selling above pump price. “We decided to go into the nooks and crannies of the area because the operators always think we cannot visit the interior. “This is to further create the awareness that DPR can go anywhere to enforce the law. “Some of the stations fell short of standard safety measures expected of them and we made sure they did what was expected of them, while some that proved difficult were made to face the sanctions.” Bello-Zagi restated the commitment of DPR to sanitize the system and ensure petrol marketers comply with government directive.

Power lines to be Constructed to pipe 2,000 MW surplus Stories By Simon Ugwu Nigeria’s government will construct two additional power lines to pipe the surplus of 2,000 MW. Due to lack of adequate infrastructures, the Federal Government was unable to transport the power surplus recorded for months. Indeed, Nigeria has an output capacity of 7,000 MW while its power distribution capacity stands at 5,000 MW. “Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a memo providing a framework of investment at the 33KVA and 11KVA line in expanding the national distribution network, to deliver an extra 2,000MW of electricity to consumers,” said Babatunde Fashola (picture), Nigerian minister of elec-

tricity. The government and the distribution companies (DisCos) that operate in the country will co-finance the project at 40% and 60% respectively. According to the minister, the construction of these facilities is just the first step of the power distribution capacity expansion process. Besides, additional plants of 1,600 MW are yet to be commissioned in this year. “We cannot continue to accumulate electricity production capacity if we are unable to distribute that energy to the people” he added. In a related development, the German Government has provided a total of 22million to Nigeria, to address energy and climate change issues in the country. The

German Ambassador to Nigeria, Bernhard Schlagheck, who disclosed this recently in an interview with The Guardian in Abuja, said the support, which is under the auspices of the Nigerian Energy Support Programme (NESP), is being implemented by the German Development Corporation (GIZ). The Ambassador said the German Government Technical Advisor Group, has also provided mobile care hospitals for the Nigerian military with solar panels to guarantee a consistent supply of power. His words: “From 2013-2020, Germany is providing a total of 22million to Nigeria, to address energy and climate change issues. He disclosed the Group has also supported some Nigerian universities to take all of their electricity supplies from off-grid renewable

energy solutions preferably solar power. Based on the agreement with the German Government under the Nigerian-German Energy Partnership Project, solar power farms would be built in some federal universities across the country.Schlagheck noted that for many years Germany has been one of the major donors to climate protection action in developing and newly industrialising countries, adding that in recent years the German Government has systematically stepped up its climate commitments in the developing world. “Germany has pledged and contributed roughly $1billion to the Green Climate Fund, from which developing countries (including Nigeria) can benefit in the fight against climate change.

Edo, Sahara Energy to Power Public Utilities with Gas Nasiru Suleiman, Abuja

Plans by the Edo State government to improve power supply through partnership with oil and gas companies have received the buy-in of Sahara Energy. The innovative energy solution includes the conversion of gas, hitherto flared, to electricity

that will be used to power hospitals, schools, street lights and other public utilities. Governor Godwin Obaseki, who spoke yesterday after the weekly Executive Council (EXCO) meeting at the Government House, Benin City, said during the unveiling of representatives of Sahara Group, led by the Chairman, Funso Kupolokun, an engineer, the compa-

ny indicated interest in partnering the government in electricity generation through the exploitation of the state’s gas assets and other key developmental areas. The Co-Founder/Executive Director, Sahara Energy, Tonye Cole, hailed the governor for opening up the space for investment, saying he (governor) had expressed interest in collaborating with Sahara Energy in elec-

tricity and curbing illegal migration. “Governor Obaseki is committed to stopping gas flaring and to convert it to electricity. This ties 100 percent to what we stand for. On illegal migration, which has become the biggest problem in the state, we are standing here to give hope to the people and commit to developing the nation,” he said.

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, January 20, 2018

B3 Money Market

L-R: Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, during the Legislative Summit on Economic Recovery and Sustainable Development in Abujaâ&#x20AC;Ś on Monday.

E-Commerce Dominance: Facebook groups may displace Jumia â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Report Ladesope Ladelokun with agency report Informal transactions through Facebook groups are threatening the success of e-commerce giants in Africa according to a recent straw poll on the impact of the Black Friday sale promotion on this fledgling industry. According to a Geopoll Black Friday straw poll, which ran

in December 2017 among 2031 respondents in Nigeria , South Africa , and Kenya, Jumia still remains the most preferred ecommerce vendor. Fifty- six percent of the poll respondents have shopped on Jumia before, and a significant number of online shoppers utilize Facebook groups . At 32 percent , Facebook is the second leading online retailer in the leading e-commerce regions. Of the 2031 unique re-

spondents seventy-four percent indicated they have purchased an item online before, a majority (22 percent) are those who buy something only once a month. Among the 26 percent of respondents who indicated they had never purchased any items online , the top reasons cited were that they did not trust the site (29 percent), and they did not know how the sites worked (20 percent) . This trend was also observed at the individual

country level . The low trust levels towards online retailers can be demonstrated by the most preferred payment options. For respondents of the straw poll, when they shop online , a majority prefer to pay in cash upon delivery at 50 percent. Mobile money comes in a far second at 21 percent and debit cards a distant third at 14 percent . In Kenya and Nigeria, 52 percent and 51 percent respectively., of respondents indicated

they preferred cash on delivery. However, the most effective channel for creating awareness among online consumers is social media. A total of 55 percent of respondents who participated in Black Friday sale month said they first found out about it through that medium. Websites and TV ads were the second and third most common mediums of awareness at 15 percent and 13 percent respectively.

Sterling bank lauds NDIC over quality of bank examination reports Sterling Bank Plc has commended the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) for the quality of their bank examination reports which have contributed to the safety and soundness of the Nigerian banking system. The Management of the bank expressed the opinion during a courtesy call and formal introduction of its new MD/CEO Mr Abubakar Suleiman to the Corporation on Thursday, in Abuja. The Sterling Bank team which was led by the outgoing MD/CEO, Mr Yemi Adeola; was received by the MD/CEO of the NDIC, Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim along with the two Executive Directors, Prince Aghatise Erediawa and Mrs. Lola Abiola-Edewor. The outgoing MD/CEO in-

formed the NDIC Management that the selection procedure for the selection of the new CEO of the bank was a rigorous process handled by the reputable consulting firm KPMG. While expressing the hope that the courtesy call would further strengthen the excellent relationship between the bank and the Corporation, the Management of the bank also seized the opportunity to brief the Corporation on the future outlook of the bank which includes the planned expansion of its NonInterest Banking (NIB) window. He informed the NDIC Management of the plan by Sterling Bank to apply for a license for a stand-alone NIB as soon as possible adding that the decision was informed by the feasibility studies conducted by the bank,

judging from the potential Market and financial resources of customers expected to embrace NIB. The meeting also provided a platform for the discussion of the prospects and opportunities in the Nigerian Banking system along with challenges. In his response, the MD/CEO of the NDIC thanked the Management of Sterling Bank for the visit and promised to sustain the cordial relationship. He expressed the hope for the appointment of capable hands into the banking system to improve the performance of the sector. He also assured the incoming MD/CEO of Sterling Bank Plc. of his support to ensure the growth of the bank.

Features B4

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, January 20, 2018

Princess Modupe Ozolua

Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi

Ooni of Ife, Ozolua partner to tackle malnutrition in Africa

Simon Ugwu

His Imperial Majesty, Oonirisa Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II,The Ooni of Ife, has partnered with Empower 54, a non-profit organization, to create awareness and promote solutions to end malnutrition in Africa, which currently kills 2.3 million children annually in Nigeria. Empower 54 Project Inc (Empower 54) is a US nonprofit organization providing humanitarian assistance since 2003 through health, education, empowerment, and IDP/refugee programs to underprivileged Africans. According to the Founder and President of Empower 54, Princess Modupe Ozolua, Nigeria’s Minister of Health has declared that “one-third, 33% of Nigerian Children under 5 years old suffer from chronic malnutrition” which translates into very disturbing statistics and many innocent lives lost due to lack of sensitization on early management of malnutrition and accessibility to free treatment. Princess Ozoluafurther states: “After Empower 54 evacuated the severely malnourished IDP children from Bama to Maiduguri on June 13th and 15th 2016, we

realized more has to be done to save children suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) beyond evacuating them from high risk zones for treatment. There are countless non-IDP children suffering from SAM all over Nigeria and other parts of Africa that also need help.” Due to His Imperial Majesty’s dedication to humanity, it’s with great honor that he has agreed to lend his voice and passion to the campaign to eradicate malnutrition in Africa, starting in the countries Princess Ozolua further states: “Empower 54 currently work in; Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo. His Imperial Majesty supports Empower 54’s forward thinking and lives changing initiative by stating: “The menace of malnutrition is creeping deeper into the fabric of our society and we must be tenacious in our fight against this colossal beast by creating a better mechanism; adopt policies and strategies that are capable of combating its rapid expansion. Africa is the wealth of the world with huge human and natural resources and we must form a consensus that would scale up nutrition projects for the greater developments of future leaders that are being crippled daily by our collec-

tive negligence.” He further states: “As the Co-Chairman of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN), we require holistic and systematic global blended approach in addressing the shade of malnutrition in Africa. I recognize and applaud months of intervention of

Empower 54 in subjugating the spread of malnutrition in Nigeria and across Africa. Therefore, in an effort to forge greater participation, it is my sheer commitment and other global partners to advocate alongside the longterm collective aspirations of Empower 54 in championing malnutrition extinc-

tion roadmap in Africa.” Empower 54 will be working closely with His Majesty’s organization, Global Outreach (Ooni of Ife Global Outreach) Initiative, on strategies for his role as Empower 54’s International goodwill Ambassador to end malnutrition in Africa. As a global goodwill am-

bassador for Empower 54, The Ooni of Ife joins His Emeritus Archbishop Desmond Tutu (Patron of Empower 54) and Hollywood actress, Kat Graham (Empower 54’s goodwill ambassador for IDPs/Refugees) to work towards impacting lives of underprivileged Africans.

FG committed to effective implementation to boost FDI, says Enelamah Dr Okey Enelamah, Minister, Industry, Trade and Investment, on Friday said that the Federal Government would ensure effective implementation of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) to boost Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Speaking at the private equity summit packaged by Udo Udoma & BeloOsagie, in Lagos, the minister said apart from ERGP implementation, the government would ensure a strong enabling environment. He said that government would embrace the right policies and incentives as well as enabling infrastructure to attract investments. Enelamah said that government would also

collaborate with the various arms of government and the private sector on ways to increase FDI in the country. He said that government would create special economic zones where people could invest or where industries could thrive, to boost investment. The minister said that government would create the right environment for industries in areas with strategic advantage, for industries to grow. On ease of doing business, he said that the recovery in the economy should be sustained through government and private sector shared responsibility. “The best way to predict the future is to create it,” Enelamah said. He said that government

recognised the importance of an enabling environment and had introduced several initiatives and policies in this regard. “We don’t expect an enabling environment to be created in one day or even one administration, what we want to see is sustainability”, the minister said. Speaking on the multiple exchange rate, the minister said the worst was over, noting that the country had learned a lesson. Enelamah said that the investor and exporter window introduced by government brought increased supply and increased confidence. He said that government would continue to create an enabling environment that would create opportunities and make it easier

for investors. On the effect of electioneering on economic growth, he said that government was committed to free and fair election. According to him, the government is committed to “what it is doing now to sustain economic growth and development”. Enelamah said that government would continue to implement its economic reforms, and politics would not get in the way of this. He, however, emphasised the importance of working together for the interest of the country. The minister said there would be increased spending as a result of electioneering, hoping that the spending would not be wasteful, but help the economy.

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, January 20, 2018

Tourism B5

Sychelles Islands… Exploring

Simon Ugwu with Agency report For years, Seychelles was on my list of top getaway destinations. And somehow, that dream came to reality recently, when the country hosted a select group of Nigerian travel and tourism journalists. Indeed, it was a memorable experience. When it comes to traveling by air, landing is always the most interesting part for me; I always look forward to it. I don’t know how true it is, but landing seems to be a sure way of testing the pilot’s level of experience in flying. Oh yes, sometimes it could be very rough, but in some cases, you still find pilots, who land the plane really good. On this particular trip from Bole International Airport, Addis Ababa to Victoria, Seychelles, the Ethiopian Airlines pilot was exceptional; it was as smooth as you could imagin Really, landing on Victoria, the capital city of

Seychelles, felt sooo different. Aside from the scenic view of the Indian Ocean as the aircraft made its way to the runway, there was this serenity in the air; you could easily tell that this is a happy nation. Though the Seychelles International Airport is not as massive as what you find in places like South Africa, Dubai or even Lagos, it’s as efficient as you can think of; everything works fine. As for the people, they were very receptive and cheerful. Irrespective of your nationality or that of your family member, there are no visa requirements to enter Seychelles. To obtain immigration clearance here, you need a passport valid on the date of entry to and exit from Seychelles, return or onward ticket, proof of accommodation and of course sufficient funds for the duration of the stay. Once you have them, you visa is a done deal.

Though the Visitor’s Permit is initially valid for the period of visit of up to one month, it can be extended for a period of up to three months. With representatives of the country’s tourism ministry, as well as Mason’s Travel staff on ground to receive us, immigration procedure was hitch free; it was a VIP treatment. In Seychelles, Mason’s Travel holds the award as the best tour operator in Luxury Travel Guide. Therefore, we were in perfect hands. Seychelles is located in the Indian Ocean off the East Coast of Africa. Victoria, the capital of Seychelles is a quaint ‘city’ on the main island of Mahé, which is situated approximately 1600 Km from the African Coast and lies at 4.62° S, 55.45° E. With 115 Breathtakingly beautiful islands, each with their own unique charm, Seychelles remains a paradise destination where the rich and famous play undis-

turbed. However, the three main inhabited islands are Mahé, Praslin and La Digue. And being out of the cyclone belt, it enjoys a stable weather system all year round. In fact, discerning travellers find the island getaway of their dreams, no matter their budget. From the luxury deserted island getaways to the allure of the rich cultural heritage inherent in the country’s inner islands, Seychelles has something to soothe the whims of every traveller’s fancy. Historically, the people and culture of Seychelles is a blend of European (French and British settlers), African (Freed African Slaves) and Asian (Indian and Chinese merchants). This makes for a colourful and rich cultural heritage shared and enjoyed peacefully by its people. Its population is roughly 96,000 people, most of which reside on Mahé. But of the total population, up to 90 per cent are Catholics; a Ni-

gerian priest currently serves there. Notwithstanding, there are also several Anglican, Adventist and Jehovah’s Witness churches, as well as Mosques and Hindu temples for the minorities. The official languages are English, French and Seychellois Creole. However, most visitors get by on English as it is predominant, but French speakers will have no problem speaking French to most locals or even understanding Creole. The country enjoys a democracy, but with strong socialist roots. Done with the immigration procedures, we were received by Celisse Zelime of Mason’s Travel, who gave a quick run down of our itinerary. As we drove through the serene roads and streets of Victoria, Celisse, who looks very much younger than her age, pointed out some historic buildings and strategic locations in the beautiful city, up to the standing clock (Tour

de L’horloge), which is the city centre. Navigating through the hilly ring roads, we eventually arrived Savoy Hotel, which was our home in Seychelles. A five-star luxury hotel, Savoy Resort & Spa is one of the most prestigious beachfront Seychelles resorts and boasts a prime location on Beau Vallon beach. With second-tonone customer service and top of the range facilities, it is assuredly one of the best resorts in Seychelles; a trial will convince you. Facilities include an expansive outdoor pool, a comfy library, a supervised kids’ club and an exclusive Seychelles’ spa. As first time visitor, you can’t help but fall in love with the ambience at this hotel. Inside the rooms, the story is not different, as they all come with individually controlled air conditioning, private fully furnished balconies, minibars and free Wi-Fi. Two restau-

Tourism

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, January 20, 2018

the African paradise rants and a plush bar invite guests to experience a spectacular array of globally inspired and locally sourced dishes in one of the premier luxury hotels in Seychelles. Once we were done with check-in, all roads led to the beachfront, a walking distance from the hotel, through the market. Being a Wednesday, the market day at the beach, the whole area bubbled. From guests shopping for items to tourists having fun by the beach, loud music blasting from shops and car woofers, bonfires, singing and dancing… it was indeed an entertaining evening that ended in a dinner at the BoatHouse. Of course, we got a taste of the local cuisines; it was a buffet. Done with breakfast the following morning, it was time to go see the town with our tour guide Cellise. Our first point of call was the Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clark Market where we saw first hand the Seychelles lifestyle. Though not a shopping destination, the city offers a nice selection of boutiques and local souvenir shops to purchase

the right gifts. Particularly, you can’t miss the fish section; it’s usually very busy. They have array of fishes raging from red snappers to baby sharks. From the market, we made a brief stop at the Hindu Temple, where we observed worshippers pray. Once your shoes are off, everyone is invited into the architectural masterpiece, though you don’t necessary need to pray with them. However, get ready for burning colourful candles and smoke from incense oozing from the inner chamber. Our next stop was La Plaine St. Andre, the home of Takamaka, a local rum distillery company. For about 30 minutes, we were taken round the historic distillery, which has been operating since 2002. Founded by the d’Offay brothers, Richard and Bernard d’Offay, it is the first and only commercial rum producer and exporter in the Seychelles. Takamaka Rum is made from naturally grown local sugar cane from four different regions of Mahé by a cooperative of threedozen local farmers; it is

then crushed on site at the distillery. The sugar cane juice is fermented and distilled in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. The distillation process takes place in three copper stills, two pot stills for flavour and a rectifying column for purity. The rums are then aged

and matured in French and American oak barrels before being blended with aged rums, local spices, fruit extracts, and spring water from the island. The highpoint of the visit was rum tasting and from one brand to another, we tasted them all. You needed to see the dramatic

scene, as the tasking by the Naija crew lasted; the spectators really had fun watching. By the time we landed at the Eden Island, the heavens let loose; rain! Somehow, we managed to get into the restaurant where we had lunch with some of our hosts, including Hilda Camille, senior Sales Executive Asia and Nicole St. Ange, the Group Branding & Communications Manager of Mason’s Travel. Eden Island is located just off the east coast of the main island of Mahe and is linked to the mainland by a 300m bridge. On the island is the Eden Plaza, the local shopping mall, which offers a great selection of stores selling international clothing brands, groceries, art, and others. The plaza incudes a casino, banking facilities, health and dental services and a Mason’s Travel office for tourist needs including money exchange facilities. On this artificial island is the Marina, a new dedicated super-yacht facility developed in conjunction with the Eden Island luxury residential project. The marina offers facilities

for super-yachts of up to 115m, cruising yachts and local leisure craft. There are over 1000m of piled pontoon berths of which 180m is available for super-yachts, with stern on berthing available both sides. The super-yacht pontoon section is 4m wide with varying 500mm to 750mm of freeboard. Berthing is available astern to or alongside, depending on occupancy. With stern to berthing there are laid lines for securing bows. The depth of the water in the Marina basin is 11m but the approach channel to the marina is restricted to 5.1m. To ensure that your stay at the marina is pleasant and trouble free, golf carts are available for delivering your stores and transporting your guests to their waiting yachts; there are also several manual trolleys with a 500kgs load capacity. In case you are in Seychelles, this is a must visit. Once we were done with lunch, the bus zoomed off to the airport from where we headed back to Adiss Ababa for yet another tour of the ancient city.

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, January 20, 2018

B7 Tourism

Ethiopian Airlines signs deal to revive Zambia’s national carrier Simon Ugwu with Agency Report Ethiopian Airlines said on Tuesday it had signed an agreement with the Zambian government to relaunch the southern African country’s national carrier, which was shut down more than two decades ago. In a statement, Ethiopian Airlines said the Government of Zambia will be the majority shareholder with 55% and Ethiopian will have 45% stakes in the airline. It did not disclose how much it had paid for the stake. Ethiopia’s state-owned flag carrier, ranked by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) as the largest airline in Africa by revenue and profit, is in talks with a number of airline companies across the continent to acquire stakes and manage operations. ‘’…in line with our Vision 2025 multiple hubs strategy in Africa, we are very happy that the discussions with the Zambian government have been crowned with success. The launching of Zambia Airways will enable the travelling public in Zambia and the Southern African region to enjoy greater connectivity options, thereby facilitating the flow of investment, trade and tourism, and contributing to the socio-economic growth of the country and the region,’‘ Ethiopian Air-

lines said in a statement. State-owned Zambia Airways went into liquidation in 1994. Ethiopian Airlines operates and manages Malawi Airlines through a deal signed in 2013.

It also has a deal with ASKY, a West African airline whose shareholders include the ECOWAS regional bloc of countries and a number of banks.

The airline’s revenue rose 10.3 percent to 54.5 billion birr ($2.43 billion) in the 2015/16 fiscal year, while passenger numbers climbed 18 percent to 7.6 million. Net profit was up 70

percent at 6 billion birr. Ethiopian Airlines wants to increase revenue to $10 billion by 2025 and to expand its fleet to 140 aircraft from less than 90 now, with its sights set on Asia.

Benjamin Netanyahu in India for first visit by Israeli premier in 15 years Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in New Delhi on Sunday for the first visit by an Israeli leader to India in 15 years, promising closer ties with the regional power. Netanyahu and his wife Sara were welcomed at the international airport in New Delhi by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who made history in July when he became the first Indian leader to visit Israel. “This visit is an opportunity to enhance cooperation with a global economic, security, technology and tourism power,” Netanyahu said in a statement ahead of his visit. “Indian Prime Minister Modi is a close friend of Israel and of mine.” Modi — who will accompany Netanyahu for large parts of his five-day tour — embraced the Israeli prime minister on the tarmac before the pair set off to pay homage at a war memorial in the

Indian capital. “Your visit to India is historic and special. It will further cement the close friendship between our nations,” Modi said on Twitter. Netanyahu will be only the second Israeli PM to visit India and the first since Ariel Sharon in 2003. He was accompanied by the largest-ever business delegation to travel with an Israeli leader. Executives in technology, agriculture and defence are among those making the journey as Tel Aviv pursues deals with Asia’s thirdlargest economy. The build up to Netanyahu’s visit was soured this month when India called off a deal to buy 8,000 anti-tank guided missiles from Israel’s state-owned defence contractor Rafael. The Indian army and the government are discussing ways to revive the $500 million order, which was scrapped when the country’s own state-run defence

contractor offered to build similar missiles locally. Israel is a major weapons supplier to India, exporting an average of $1 billion of military equipment each year, but Modi wants to end India’s status as the world’s top defence importer. Netanyahu and Modi kicked off the visit with a stop at a memorial to Indian soldiers who fought in World War I to help liberate the Israeli city of Haifa. The Israeli leader would later meet with Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj before a private dinner with Modi. Netanyahu was expected to sign new agreements in fields of energy, aviation and cinema production, with stops at the Taj Mahal, a visit to Modi’s home state of Gujarat and meetings with Bollywood luminaries in Mumbai. But he would also make an emotional visit to a Jewish centre targeted in the 2008 Mumbai attacks during his tour, a symbolic

gesture to India’s tiny and shrinking Jewish community. Netanyahu would accompany 11-year-old Moshe Holtzberg as

the boy returns for the first time to the house where his parents were killed in the attacks that left 166 people dead.

Tourism B8

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, January 20, 2018

Top Sights to visit in Lagos shorelines of Lagos, situated on Victoria Island. For a while, it was the most popular beach in Nigeria especially when Lagos was the federal capital.

Simon Ugwu Nigerian National Museum The Nigerian National Museum is a national museum of Nigeria, located in the city of Lagos. The museum has a notable collection of Nigerian art, including pieces of statuary and carvings and archaeological and ethnographic exhibits. Dreamworld Africana

Victoria Island

Victoria Island Victoria Island (VI) is an affluent area that encompasses a former island of the same name that sits between Lagos Island and the Lekki Peninsula in the Lagos Lagoon. It is the main business city

Dreamworld Africana Dreamworld Africana is an Amusement and Theme Park situated in Lekki, Lagos State. Established in 2010, Dreamworld covers an area of 10 acres and reopened to the public in 2013. The park is one of the main amusement parks in the city.

Lekki Conservation Centre Lekki Conservation Centre is a 78-hectare Natural Resource Conservation in Lekki, Lagos State.

Bar Beach, Lagos The Bar Beach was a beach on the Atlantic Ocean along the

Bar Beach, Lagos Lekki Conservation Centre

Send money abroad for less through FirstBank Sending money abroad through FirstBank just got more economical with MoneyGram ‘Naija Send’ as charges are now as low as N1,500. First Bank of Nigeria Limited is committed to ensuring ease, convenience and affordability for its Customers and therefore sees this reduced fee as helpful in bringing loved ones closer as they do not need

to worry about high cost of sending money to family and friends living abroad. According to Mr. Abiodun Famuyiwa, Group Head, Products & Marketing Support, FirstBank, “Outbound money transfer through FirstBank is the way to go in sending money to loved ones abroad as the money sent can be picked up within minutes either as cash

in the currencies of the destination countries or as a direct transfer to beneficiary’s bank account over there.” Also, there are no hidden charges as the beneficiaries get the exact transfer equivalent in the destination country. For instance, when N355,000 is sent abroad, the beneficiary gets exactly $1,000. The money is received

Lagos Island Lagos Island is the principal and central local government area in Lagos, Lagos State. It is part of the Lagos Division.

in the currency of the destination country. In addition, there is no risk of buying fake currencies. MoneyGram services are available at over 750 FirstBank branches nationwide. FirstBank also has dedicated money transfer branches that open every day of the year including Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

Life&

TIMES Saturday, January 20, 2018

Meet 10 Nollywoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sexy mothers L2

Daily Times Nigeria

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Meet 10 Nollywoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sexy mothers

Genevieve Nnaji

Oge Okoye

Uche Elendu-Igweanyinba

Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde

Mercy Aigbe

Iyabo Ojo

Biodun Okeowo

Monalisa Chinda

Omoni Oboli

Mercy Johnson-Okojie

Life&

Daily Times Nigeria

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Society circle L3

Isaac Oguntoye

Former President, Obasanjo eulogises Olatinpo Odutola

Between Ooni of Ife and Dr. Ramon Adedoyin

Ooni Oba Enitan Ogunwusi Olusegun obasanjo and Olatinpo Odutola

strike your mind. And those who have come in contact with the seasoned business woman and society top shot, Olatinpo Odutola, would attest to the fact that she is generous to the fault. This attribute had made the former president, Olusegun Obasanjo throwned his weight behind

He made this declaration at his Hilltop residence in Abeokuta, Ogun state last Friday when Olatinpo Odutola alongside her powerful delegation paid him a visit. During the visit, Olatinpo said she had come to see her Mentor, and also to seek the wisdom Obasanjo said he was quite elated when he saw the charity activities of Olatinpo Odutola in the memory of her late mother and he encouraged her to do more.

Gen. Obasanjo thereafter hosted the delegation to a private breakfast. While others are busy lavishing money on golds and luxuries, Olatinpo through her platform Olubusola Akingbehin Memorial Foundation, a non- governmental organisation named after her late mother, Olubusola Ayodele Akingbehin has been able to reachout to needy. The foundation which focuses more on three main sectors: Women, education and empowerment reach out to disadvantaged womenfolk. The foundation is reputed to have provided delivery packs for pregnant women in the state general hospital, Otunba Tunwase Hospital and in rural clinics in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State. Odutola is one of the granddaughters of the late Ijebu-Ode born billionaire industrialist, Adeola Odutola. Her largeheart has earned her accolades from all and sundry.

Top socialite, Lanre Shittu celebrates

Lanre Shittu

In every situation, one has to thank God because life itself they say is a mystery. Without mincing words, Auto dealer and philanthropist, Lanre Shittu has every reason to thank God for keeping him alive despite life challenges. The renowned socialite who loses his wife to the cold hand of death recently turned 60 penultimate Monday. Although, many would have expected the chairman of Lanre Shittu Motors to roll out drums to celebrate his 60th birthday but the septuagenarian who is still mourning his late wife, Alhaja Wura Shittu celebrated in a low-key with downtrodden. We learnt he shared gift among the needy and called for prayer among the family member with some few friends.

Ile Ife, also known as Ife, is an ancient Yoruba city in the southwestern part of Nigeria. The city is located in Osun state. The oldest Yoruba city is respected for her rich cultural heritage. This Nigerian town is seen as the cradle of the Yoruba people. Meanwhile what we have on the historical town is far from socio cultural tourism attraction. At the moment, the town is present lt experiencing royal tussle. The incessant crisis is be-

tween the present Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi and the Oduduwa university boss, Dr. Rahmon Adedoyin who was said to have been sponsoring hate speaches against the most reserved stool in the entire Yoruba race. Now, the king maker within the community have been sending warning notice telling to stop disrespecting their king or face the wrath of gods. According information gathered, the billionaire

businessman and educationist was among the over 60 candidates from different ruling houses shortlisted to succeed the late Oba Sijuade but after several consultation and screening carried out by the King makers, Adedoythe Giesi family before it was presented to the King Makers. never seen anything good coming from the palace of the Ooni of Ife.

Juju maestro, Yinka best shoots new videos It is quite tricky to put character across in a song while infusing your voice with soul and passion by harmonizing the soulful blues in Juju music. For ace juju Maestro, Yinka Best blending both the old and the modern version of traditional African sounds has been his topmost priority since he started music. And this has been shaping the kind of songs he churns out to his fans. In few weeks time, he will be dropping another mind-blowing singles titled, the audio and visual will be drop on all musical platforms before the month runs out. According to the dynamic singer who has been waxing stronger since he video is shot by an award winning music video director, Big Doo while the songs was produced by Olu Mix.

Juju maestro

Daily Times Nigeria

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Daily Times Nigeria

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Society Circle L6

Daily Times Nigeria

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Mutiat Alli

All set for Wazobia FM carnival

Jaywon out with new banger ‘Ayinde Wasiu’ Ft Olamide -

United in music at Sauti za Busara 2018 -

Ayoade Adewopo’s philanthropic gestures

Daily Times Nigeria

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Home Affairs L7

Folarin Leonard

Factors to consider when transforming your sitting room How would you like to discover various ways to transform your living room to somewhere you never feel happy to leave? These tips include that which even works for a tiny budget. To all dĂŠcor lovers,

Available space You must consider your available space before minimum effort. Sometimes the simplest changes can have a dramatic effect on the appearance of a

location. Your items should be kept in designated areas. Curtains You may have formerly used heavy curtains that prevent rays of light. You may want to consider simpler be amazed how much larger a room will appear and

Color Have you maintained a particular color? You may want to Change the color scheme at this point. This Plan your scheme carefully before you so as to keep you on-track both with the balance of color and pattern in the room and also the budget. For busy homes that receive visitors often, a hard-wearing paint is essential. Wallpapers To achieve a sophisticated look without overspending, a single panel of wallpaper within a large architrave frame can be as impressive as a whole feature wall.

use of cable concealers. Play zone Create a Play Zone

where there might be

Lightening Other steps include; adding warm and proper lightening and if you use a carpet, replace with a rog

you have a lot of small, Have your books and

clean, fresh feel. Tiles are recommended for solid

the room.

sofa and a couple of chairs, consider a scaled-down

Wall spacing You should also leave space between the walls

Your Houseplants in cute plant stand or several decorative pots. The type of houseplants you

single couch, small sectionals make perfect sense for a cramped space by offering as much seating as a separate sofa and chairs but in a smaller footprint.

against a wall, the room can seem cold and unwelcoming. Pull the furniture inward on at least two or three sides to create a more intimate area. You can replace some furniture with glass or less

use glass-item tables either at the center or forward center of the room. Keep Flat Surfaces Clutter-free. Papers, books,

doors, or open doorways make a room more spacious. Furniture with thinner bodies on raised legs reveal more space to the eye.

surfaces all around the house, and the sitting room is no different. You will need a household information center where you can access entertainment like that. The tangle of wires in the house can be really annoying. Fortunately, there are several options for taming cords in the sitting room. You should make

Center attraction You should have a center of attraction. The most common focal points are up against one large windows. Place seating arrangement along the other three sides of the room, at right angles or angled slightly toward the focal point.

Relationship L8

Daily Times Nigeria

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Mutiat Alli

Common phrases you don’t realise are actually abusive Books and movies from “Twilight” to “50 Shades of Grey” teach society to buy into the idea that dependent and harmful relationships are the epitome of love. Because of these complicated versions of romance, it can be challenging for people to recognize emotional abuse. However, anything that causes the victim to feel degraded, guilty, invalidated or humiliated may be a result of emotional abuse. While this list does not include every form of emotional abuse, nor indicate a partner is abusive, the following list may help you evaluate whether your relationship is suffering from emotional abuse. “Get over it” Rather than validating feelings, this phrase implies that the person who needs to “get over it” is overreacting. This is a form of gaslighting_a type of abuse where the abuser makes the victim feel like they are crazy. You are entitled to your feelings and to express them.

Your partner should disregard them. Communication

not exclusive

relationship

basis—meaning, if you feel you have a need to know you an should know. Your partner

because, really, healthy for their own good. It also relationships are not built on places the abuser in the place secrets. of authority, which can make the victim feel dependent on “I love you, but …” the abuser. If your partner expresses love to you but tacks on a This phrase masquerades you. Rather than building as constructive criticism, you up as expression of love alerting you to your issues should, it decreases your so that you can improve. self-esteem, leading you to However, abusers use this believe that your abuser is the phrase repeatedly to destroy only person who could “put making hyper-aware of their

Another form of gaslighting, While at times you need this form of abuse makes it to accept responsibility for are talking about. Someone who loves you will try to your point of view instead of disregarding it.

feel persistently guilty. No matter what, your partner is responsible for his or her own actions. You are not the cause of their actions. They should not make you feel Abusers may try to make guilty for things that they did.

trying to help you. However,