Leadership

28.07.14

FOR GOD AND COUNTRY

MONday

No. 2,229

N150

NIGERIA’S MOST INFLUENTIAL NEWSPAPER

CSO To FG: Don’t Sell Our Refineries As Scrap

By Millie Ibe, Abuja

The federal government has been urged to make the refineries function at a minimum of 70 per cent of installed capacity (450,000

barrels per day) before thinking of privatising them.

A civil society coalition for “Bring back out refineries”

campaign led by Mr Solomon Ben Olonade has said there is more to the issue of privatization of the refineries

than meets the eye. Selling the refineries at the current state will be a waste of national heritage, it stated.

Ebola: Arik Air Suspends Flights To Monrovia, Freetown > Page 14

Chibok Diary DAY 105

Olonade said the wilful refusal of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to repair the refineries in a bid to sell them off as scrap factories ➔ CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

BBOG Group Urges Nigerians To Empathise With Chibok Girls > Page 2

Jonathan on kaduna attacks

Nigeria Would’ve Boiled If Buhari, Bauchi Had Died 19 killed in Borno, Adamawa attacks, 6 in Kano bomb blasts 5 Boko Haram abducts wife of Cameroun deputy PM

L-R: Vice President Namadi Sambo; minister of special duties, Alhaji Taminu Turaki; former minister of defence, Dr Bello Haliru Mohammed; former minister of state for finance, Dr Yerima Ngama, and the chief imam of National Mosque, Ustaz Musa Mohammed, during prayers to mark Eid-el Fitr, in Abuja yesterday.

Photo by remi akunleyan

Eid-el-Fitr: Northern Govs, Sultan, Etsu Nupe, Others Pray For Peace

> Page 9

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chibok diary 105

Monday, July 28, 2014

DAY

CHIBOK TWEETS @TheCandyVillain All the violence going on in the world right now... made me rethink my life...#FreePalestine #BringBackOurGirls @ritaUdominic 100 days and still no sign of our girls.. God pls take control @UNICEF 100 days on, we won't rest until they're free—and until every child can go to school without fear #BringBackOurGirls @EiENigeria #Lagos We walk around the Wall of the Missing Girls calling out the names of the girls. #BringBackOurGirls @IshaSesayCNN As world marks grim milestone of 100 days in captivity for Nigerian schoolgirls, what are your thoughts? #BringBackOurGirls @estherclimate Almost 5.5million girls are out of school in Nigeria - more than any other country #BringBackOurGirls @obyezeks DAY100 Unwavering FOCUS on our #ChibokGirls should INSPIRE us all to RAISE OUR VOICES on this DAY & DEMAND: #BringBackOurGirls Now & Alive!! @Melvin0duah 100 days gone and still counting. How sad! #BringBackOurGirls @Funmilola This image of weeping fathers of Chibok broke my heart and fuelled my voice. Some have died, daughters still stolen.

Members of #BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) Group during their meeting at the Unity Fountain in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO BY

OYEDELE OMOKAGBO

Sallah Celebration: BBOG Group Urges Nigerians To Empathise With Chibok Girls

BY CHIKA MEFOR, EJIKE EJIKE, Abuja

As Muslims around the world celebrate Sallah, the #BringBackOurGirls Group has called on Nigerians to reflect and empathise with the abducted Chibok schoolgirls, as no one knows what they are currently going through.

Speaking on the 89th day of their sit-out sessions and 104th of the abduction of over 200 girls from Government Secondary School, Chibok in Borno State, the BBOG Group said it is only when Nigerians put themselves in the shoes of the abducted girls and their families that they would understand the campaign for their rescue.

“It is said that empathy heals. We know that when the Chibok girls come back and listen to what we have been doing about them, it will hasten their healing process.

“Whenever we come here, we all say that we are from Chibok. This is to show the people of Chibok that we are feeling what they are going through, even though some people tend not to understand what is happening here. They don’t understand how we can feel this way when it didn’t happen to us, but it is because of empathy that we keep doing this.

“It is because of empathy that most Muslims have left their Sallah celebration to be in the sit-out.

It is empathy that gives one respect for human dignity. Most people would not believe that the girls were abducted. It is empathy that made us to believe that this is happening. It is the empathy we as a people have for the Chi-

bok girls that has made us to continue our campaign and made international communities hear our voice.”

The group also urged Christians and Muslims to unite against the common

enemy - the Boko Haram insurgency, which has ravaged the North and other parts of the country, and pray for the protection of the Chibok schoolgirls.

Visualising Women and HIV/AIDS

> 50%

Women are more than half of all the people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide.

Worldwide, HIV/AIDS is the number 1 cause of death for women of reproductive age

HIV/AIDS was responsible for 60,000 maternal deaths worldwide in 2008 In Sub-Saharan Africa 60% of infected population are women.

72% ofnew infections among people aged 15-24 are young women Among 15-24 year olds, young women are eight times more likely to become infected than their male counterparts

Members of #BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) Group during one of their sit-out sessions at the Unity Fountain in Abuja. PHOTO BY OYEDELE OMOKAGBO

3

our stand Monday, July 28, 2014

Happy Eid-el-Fitr

E

id-el-Fitr is here once again. The first day of Shawal is a special day set aside to mark the end of the month of Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islam calendar.

Within the last 30 days, the Muslim faithful all over the world have fasted from sunrise to sunset in accordance with the injunctions of God. It is mandatory for all Muslims who have come of age. It is also one of the pillars of Islam.

During this period, Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, sexual interaction and any behaviour which is perceived to be against the teachings of Islam. It is the month of complete devotion to Allah, a period of prayer and recitation of the Qur’an.

The end of Ramadan is, therefore, marked with the feast of breaking the fast. It is a joyous period in which Muslims show a common objective of unity and brotherhood. Muslims begin the day by donning their new clothes and heading for the Eid prayers which is usually held in open fields around 10am.

After the prayers, a feast is held; it is followed with visits to friends, families and neighbours. In Nigeria, this is felt by not just Muslims. Christians and other brothers and sisters share the joyous moments with their neighbours and friends.

As we celebrate Sallah, we must not forget the main problem that is facing our country. The nation’s biggest challenge is that of Boko Haram, a self-acclaimed Islamic sect which has unleashed a reign of terror unprecedented in the annals of not only Nigeria but Africa. Throughout the Ramadan period, Muslims all over the country prayed

Editor Sadiq Abdullateef Deputy Editor Kazeem Akintunde Editorial Board Safiya M. Adamu, Chairman Christian Ochiama, Deputy Chairman Standards Aniebo Nwamu, Director ’Lara Olugbemi, Assistant Director

for peace in the country and among Nigerians. But, sadly enough, Boko Haram has not relented in its acts of terror.

Within the Ramadan, and in spite of the fact that it is a holy month, the sect killed hundreds of people; the latest were the bomb blasts in Kaduna and Kano.

As we mark Sallah, let us continue to pray for the protection of our beloved country. And, as we pray, we expect the government to brace up and confront this security challenge with all its might, and deploy the resources of this nation to silence terrorists once and for all.

Also, during this period, Muslims must pray against the scourge of corruption. It is one of the ills that have been holding the country back. Before the next Eid-el-Fitr, the 2015 election would be over. We pray that we will witness a peaceful and transparent election and that God will give us good leaders who will move this nation forward.

We celebrate with all our Muslim brothers and sisters in Nigeria and indeed the whole world. Happy Eid-el-Fitr. May we have a fulfilling Sallah.

Founder Sam Nda-Isaiah Chairman Hajiya Ireti Kingibe Group Managing Director Azubuike Ishiekwene Group Executive Directors Michael Okpere Dr Kazeem Durodoye Company Secretary/ Legal Adviser Abdulhaleem Amin Divisional Directors Abdulmumin Balogun Ademola Oladosu Iyobosa Uwugiaren Salisu Alhassan Bichi General Managers Aminu Abubakar Sule Zipporah D. Tanko Joy Adekanye

Leadership Holdings

Managing Director Abraham Nda-Isaiah Executive Director Nnamdi Samuel New York Office Mohammed Bello Shehu London Office Dr Bello Salihu Johannesburg Office Abiodun Oguntuase Business Manager Bilkisu Mohammed Rimi

LEADERSHIP is a national paper symbolically embedded in the nation’s capital.

We shall stand up for good governance. We shall defend the interest of Nigerian people even against their rulers, and we shall raise our pen at all times in defence of what is right. These are the values by which we intend to be assessed.

We shall never, ever for any reason forget the noble reason of our coming into being: For God and country!

4 THE NATION’S CAPITAL

Monday, July 28, 2014

Sallah: ALGON Preaches Peaceful Coexistence

Jiba

By Igho Oyoyo

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) has called on Muslims and Christian faithful to work towards peaceful coexistence during and after the Sallah celebration, in order to end the security challenges in the country.

Speaking during his sallah message to faithful yesterday, the chairman of the chapter, Hon. Micah Jiba, said that peaceful living amongst the residents, irrespective of their religious and ethnic background will go a long way in averting evil intention of the enemies of the capital city and entire Nigeria.

According to him, Muslims should use the sallah celebration

as a period of sober reflection and prayer for the leaders of the country, especially President Goodluck Jonathan.

He said, “If we conduct ourselves well, within the norms of society, if we see ourselves as members of one family and make constructive contribution to the development of the nation, the current security situation being orchestrated by terrorists would be effectively curbed.”

He, however, warned that tactics and the attacks by insurgents in the northern part of the country with its spiralling effect on the Nigerian polity should not discourage Nigerians from carrying out their normal duties in their work places.

According to him, “It’s necessary for us to consider ourselves as one, irrespective of our political affiliation, religious or ethnic belief, we should use love as a weapon to deal with the security situation of the country. We should cultivate an attitude of love by showing greater commitment and patriotism to the cause of our nation.”

He assured residents of adequate security of lives and properties during the sallah celebration and advised them to report any suspicious movement within and around their environment.

JAC Unibuja Teaching Hospital Denie Rumours Of Strike

By Chika Mefor

Members of the Joint Action Congress (JAC) of the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital have denied some media report that its members are on strike.

Speaking to journalists at the weekend, chairman of the union, that comprises all sister union in the hospital, Mr. Taiger Mai Beri, said that it was untrue that their members are not working and called on patients to always come to the hospital for their medical care.

“We heard the rumors making the rounds that we are on strike. We want to use this avenue to set the records straight. We want to state it categorically that we are not on strike. We have been working assiduously. We are calling on the patients not to relent but to come as members of JAC are on ground to see them,” he said.

In an exclusive chat with LEADERSHIP, a Lab scientist

with the hospital, Mr. Njoku Chinedu, explained that it was only the medical doctors that were on strike, adding that Lab scientists have always been on ground to attend to the needs of patients.

“We have been working seriously here, we are not on strike. In fact for the last three days, we have 200 samples in minology, Microbiology, Hermatology. We are working with the help of the nurses.

We are here, when the samples come, we work on them,” he said.

LEADERSHIP investigations revealed that most of the patients on admission in the wards were being attended to by nurses and queried the reason for the false report.

“Since I was admitted here nurses have always been on ground to attend to my medical needs. They are not on strike.

It is the medical doctors who are and I pray they call it off soon,” Matilda Ugwu, one of the patients said.

Chicken sellers making brisk business during the Eid-El-Fitri celebration at Dutse Market, yesterday. PHOTO BY NAN

Proposed Airport Road Demolition: Minister Admits Wrongdoing

By Catherine Agbo

Minister of the FCT, Senator Bala Mohammed has admitted wrongdoing over the proposed demolition of structures along the Abuja Airport Road, saying the administration acted in error.

The minister stated this yesterday when he received residents of the territory who were at his official residence to pay Sallah homage.

Recall that a little over a month ago, indigenes of the territory in communities along the airport road had come out to protest the planned demolition of their homes by the FCT administration without any alternatives in place for them.

The minister yesterday stated that the administration had allowed the people to remain in their homes as it had since been discovered that no

comprehensive arrangement for their resettlement had been made and added that the statusquo would be maintained until that is done.

“We discovered that natives who protested on airport road were right, they had not been resettled and we’ve since allowed them to go back to their homes pending when those are done. We are not always right,” he said.

On the issue of security, while lamenting the challenges and the unfortunate incidents that have occurred in the territory, the minister said, “we’ll continue to do our best to provide security through a security protocol we are coming up with which will be ready soon. All businesses must have CCTV and we must do this despite the inconvenience because of the challenges we’ve found ourselves in.”

Mohammed commended Christian and Islamic clerics in the FCT for always being with the administration and praying for it to succeed and urged Muslims to use the occasion of Sallah to pray for the nation, reflect on the lessons learnt during the preceding month of Ramadan and continue to imbibe its teachings in their daily lives, which are primarily premised on selflessness, sacrifice, patience, modesty and spirituality.

His words: “I enjoin you to continue to pray for the nation as it strives to the overcome the current security challenges in some parts of the country”.

The minister further called for prayers for the success of the country’s leadership under President Goodluck Jonathan for Allah to continue to guide, protect and give him the wisdom to steer the affairs of the state.

Garba Urges Muslims To Use Sallah For Sober Reflection

By Igho Oyoyo

The chairman of Abaji area council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Hon. Yahaya Garba, has called on Muslims to use the period of Sallah for sober reflection, in order to move towards a peaceful and united Nigeria during and after the celebration.

Garba, in his sallah message to residents of the council

and entire Muslim ummah, congratulated them for successfully completing the Ramadan fasting, which he said was one of the five pillars of Islam.

According to him, Muslims should live in peace with one another, as one of the lessons learnt during the one month fasting period, as part of the teaching of Prophet Muhammad.

He urged Muslim faithful

to continue to pray earnestly for the peace and unity of the nation, saying that Nigeria needs prayers for Allah’s intervention in the current security challenge rocking the nation.

Garba further called on residents to keep faith with his administration, saying he was resolute and committed to proving the dividends of democracy to better the lives of the people.

NEWS 5

Monday, July 28, 2014

Nigeria Would’ve Boiled If Buhari, Bauchi Had Died

By George Agba, CHIKA OTUCHIKERE, Bayo Oladeji, Abuja; Kareem Haruna, Maiduguri; Abubakar Salihi, Kano; aMohammed Ismail, Yola and ebriku John Friday, with agency reports

President Goodluck Jonathan said yesterday that the country would have been in turmoil if former head of state General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) and renowned Islamic cleric Shiekh Dahiru Bauchi had died in the twin bombings in Kaduna that killed scores of people and injured many others.

He thanked God for saving their lives and averting what he described as a major calamity for the country, even as he acknowledged the fact that the All Progressives Congress (APC) leader, who he said is a leading political figure, and the Islamic

cleric boast many supporters and millions of followers respectively.

Speaking when a group of Muslim faithful within the FCT led by Vice President Namadi Sambo paid him a Sallah homage to mark the 2014 Eid-el-Fitri celebration in his residence at the presidential villa, Abuja, on Sunday, the president told them that if the dare-devil Boko Haram sect had succeeded in killing the duo, they wouldn’t have gathered in his house for the Sallah.

Jonathan said, “Not too long ago, we had these dastardly attacks in Kano and Kaduna. We stand to condemn these acts of terror on our people. And we extend our condolence and sympathy to the bereaved and those who might have been injured. The recent attacks in Kaduna, especially where‎ Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi was a target and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari was

CSO To FG: Don’t Sell Our Refineries As Scrap FROM COVER

Diezani

calls for concern, suggesting that it is a plot to keep it nonoperational in order to sell it at a cheaper rate to cronies.

He stated: “Presently, Nigeria is annually losing around N1trillion to the offshore processing agreements (OPA) and crude for products swap (SWAP) arrangement through which the industry takes care of the crude oil left unrefined out of the statutory daily allocations to the refineries. OPA and SWAP are enough arguments for the NNPC and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to repair the four refineries.

“It is deeply annoying that while the current NNPC group executive director (GED), refineries and petrochemicals, Mr Ian Gregory Udoh, was managing director both at the Kaduna and Port Harcourt refineries, they were both significantly operational. Now that all refineries are under Mr Udoh, how come none is working?”

He said the group would send a petition to the minister of petroleum resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, on the refusal to put the refineries operational, as the plan to sell the refineries as scrap would be resisted.

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Jonathan

also a target, you can imagine if these two people had died in those attacks.

“Sheikh Bauchi is one of our top Islamic preachers; he has millions of followers. Buhari, former head of state, a leading political figure, has massive supporters. On the same day, people wanted to kill them‎.

Those who plan the attacks are clearly sons of the devil. Because if they had killed these two people, we wouldn’t have been here today.

“This country would have been in tumoil; we couldn’t have gathered here to celebrate. We thank Allah for saving their lives and preventing a major calamity that would have befallen our country.”

The president, who noted that he felt honoured to have the Muslim faithful visit him after the holy month, sought prayers and preaching that promote unity from the clerics.

He said, “These days, all we hear is story of conflicts and deaths. We pray God to hear our prayers. The fasting period is time to reflect and time to be our neighbour’s keepers; the time of breaking fast. Let me ‎plead with my brothers, especially the clerics, that when they are sending their messages out to their followers, they should preach peace and unity, not the gospel of hate.

Because without peace and unity we cannot develop this country.

“In a conflict situation people move away from such zones and we cannot develop our communities, our local governments, states and our country in a conflict situation.

I use this opportunity to call on all Nigerians to work with government to see that, collectively, we bring to an end the excesses of Boko Haram and other terrorist groups.

“We are doing everything humanly possible to end it.

Government, at the same time, is looking on how to raise funds. In fact, we are launching the fund on Thursday so that the widows, orphans, those whose business premises have been vandalised and even our worship places, mosques and churches that have been destroyed will be rebuilt.

“Government alone cannot do it because we will need huge sums of money. The Nigerian private sector is vibrant and willing, if they see sincerity in government.

We have demonstrated that very clear and we are hopeful that, that day, reasonable amount of

money will be raised. And we will continue to raise money until we are able to cushion the effect of these excesses and at the same time we are strengthening our security services so that they will be able to confront this menace.”

Earlier, Vice President Sambo who thanked the president for accepting to have audience with the Muslim faithful commended the president for fasting alongside the Muslims during the Ramadan fast.

He prayed God to continue to give the president wisdom and guidance to rule even as he prayed that all the evil including Boko Haram should come to an end.

Sambo said, “I will like to express our deep and sincere appreciation for accepting us today to come and express our felicitations and our happiness at the end of Ramadan.

We pray that Allah will continue to guide you, to give you good health and wisdom to lead this country.

We pray for peace and pray that all the evils including Boko Haram, the security challenge and other vices, that Allah will grant us the fortitude to remove these evils in this country and to make Nigerians, all of us, our brothers’ keepers and to allow peace, tranquility and progress in Nigeria and for the achievement of our transformation agenda.”

Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Bala Mohammed, who paid the Sallah homage on behalf of Abuja residents, said: “We have always enjoyed humane and civil disposition. That is why you see Muslims and Christians coming to pay homage in line with your exemplary leadership.

He prayed for courage and wisdom to continue to steer the country’s ship of leadership despite the current security challenges.

19 killed in Borno, Adamawa attacks Two different attacks launched

by Boko Haram gunmen, one in Borno and the other in Adamawa, have caused the death of at least 19 people, eyewitnesses and security operatives said.

The first attack, which occurred in Shaffa village in Hawul local government area on Saturday, took place when gunmen dressed in military camouflage invaded the town in broad daylight.

“They shot sporadically at residents at a crowded commercial point, killing two persons, injuring several others and escaped with five vehicles and a truck loaded with rice,” said Sunday Shaffa, a resident.

Shaffa is located about 220km south of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

Barely 24 hours after the attack, another one took place not more than 60km away in a village called Zani in Hong local government area of Adamawa State.

Gunmen believed to be Boko Haram stormed Zani village about 10am driving in some Hilux ➔ CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

6 NEWS

Monday, July 28, 2014

Nigeria Would’ve Boiled If Buhari, Bauchi Had Died FROM PAGE 6

vehicles and riding on several motorcycles.

“They began to shoot at the helpless villagers who began to scamper to safety,” said Muhammed Gava, a member of the vigilante group in Maiduguri.

“They shot dead about 17 persons and injured several others. The local hunters there managed to engage them in a shootout that later forced the gunmen to abandon seven of their motorcycles and fled in their Hilux vans.

Efforts to get comments from the security operatives were not fruitful as both police and military officials said they had not been informed about the attacks yet.

Soldier, suicide bomber, 4 others killed in Kano blasts Hours after an anti-bomb squad of the Nigeria Police detonated improvised explosive devices (IEDs) near Sheikh Isyaka Rabi’u’s mosque laden in a Peugeot car, twin blasts that simultaneously rocked a Catholic church and a police checkpoint in Kano claimed the life of a soldier, a suicide bomber and four others yesterday afternoon.

The first blast occurred at Saint Charles’ Catholic Church, Zungeru Road, Sabon Gari, shortly after the Sunday Mass and the second at Kofar Nassarawa, near a newly constructed flyover, all within.

Kano metropolis.

Commissioner of police, Kano State Command, Adelenre Shinaba, who confirmed the incident told reporters in Kano that the blast killed a soldier, a toddler and three others.

The police commissioner disclosed that eight other worshippers received various degrees of injury during the attack.

The police boss also revealed that a 15-year-old female suicide bomber blew up herself at a police checkpoint, leaving five officers injured.

Mr Shinaba said that the incident occurred at Gidan Murtala, by Kofar Nasarawa overhead bridge, around 1pm, adding that four of the affected officers had been treated and discharged.

One suicide woman bomber was involved in the Nassarawa flyover incident.

It was confirmed by the commissioner that a female bomber was about to ram into some police personnel that were stationed there to man the traffic congestion during the Sallah festivity.

“The explosive exploded on her before reaching our men,” he disclosed.

An eyewitness said he saw five policemen who received various degrees of injuries at the Kofar Nassarawa area.

At the Saint Charles’ Catholic Church, the terrorists were said to have used one primary school that was located behind the church where people parked their vehicles, because they could not get access to

Police arrest 5 suspects The Nigeria Police said it has arrested five of the suspects who carried out the attack on St. Charles’ Church and the averted attack on the Isyaku Rabiu mosque yesterday.

The police said the arrests were made as part of ongoing investigations into the various terror-related incidents that occurred in the ancient city of Kano.

According to a statement signed by the force spokesman, ACP Frank Mba, two of the suspects were arrested in connection with the foiled bomb attack at Isyaku Rabiu Mosque, while three were arrested in connection with the attack at St. Charles’ Church.

“As part of ongoing investigations into the various terror-related incidents that occurred in Kano, police operatives in the ancient city have arrested five male suspects for their complicity in the attacks.

“Two were arrested in connection with the foiled bomb attack at Isyaku Rabiu Mosque, while three were arrested in connection with the attack at St. Charles’ Church. All suspects are currently undergoing interrogation at different police facilities,” he said.

Mba said the police have stepped up patrols and surveillance in the ancient city and other major cities across the nation. He said operatives were carrying out both overt and covert operations nationwide, while special teams were carrying out sweeping raids in suspected terrorist hideouts.

border, said a regional police source.

Another source close to the local police force, who asked to remain anonymous, said Boko Haram had “kidnapped many people,” adding: “There was the sultan, the wife of the deputy prime minster and several police officers.”

Four civilians and two police officers were killed in the attacks on the residence of Amadou Ali, the deputy prime minister in charge of parliamentary relations, and the sultan of Kolofata, Seiny Boukar Lamine, said the source.

A source close to the sultan’s family told AFP that “four people, including the younger brother of the sultan, were killed, (while) he, his spouse and children were kidnapped”.

The two attacks were carried out simultaneously at around 5am (0400 GMT), said the source on condition of anonymity.

Another police officer said fighter planes were deployed to Kolofata early on Sunday morning and “there was shelling in the area” after the attacks, without giving further details.

The Nigeria-based Islamist group Boko Haram has stepped up raids into northern Cameroon, murdering and stealing with impunity despite military efforts to clamp down on its insurgency.

On Thursday evening, two Cameroonian soldiers were killed as they tried to defend a local village from fighters.

Cameroon, like other west African countries, has beefed up its operations against Boko Haram since the kidnapping of more than 200 Nigerian schoolgirls over three months ago sparked an international outcry.

Also on Sunday, at least five people were killed in two attacks on Nigeria’s largest northern city, Kano, by suspected militants from the Islamist group.

One attack targeted a Catholic church in a mainly Christian area of the city, when an improvised bomb was thrown into the building shortly after Mass, the police said.

In another, a female suicide bomber killed herself and injured five police officers when she blew herself up outside a university in Kano, a police spokesman added.

Boko Haram has killed thousands of people, including more than 2,000 civilians this year, since they started a bloody insurgency to establish an Islamic state in the mainly Muslim north of Nigeria in 2009.

Boko Haram abducts wife of Cameroun deputy PM Suspected Boko Haram terrorists yesterday kidnapped the wife of a senior Cameroonian minister and a traditional leader in attacks in the far north of the country that left at least six dead.

Cameroon sent warplanes and elite troops from its Rapid Intervention Battalion to stop the fighters after two attacks in Kolofata, close to the Nigerian

Soldiers/Shi’at Clash: Atiku calls for thorough investigation Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called for thorough investigation by military authorities of the alleged shooting of protesting followers of Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky.

Atiku, who made the call yesterday via his Twitter handle @atiku, expressed shock over the incident, saying he was “deeply

the church premises.

They threw the explosives from behind, which led to the death of five people and left eight others injured.

The inability of the terrorists to gain entrance into the church was seen as a result of the good secuity system put in places of worship during the Muslim festivity period, an action commended

by Mr Gabriel George, a resident of Sabon Gari area. The state commissioner of police called on the public to always report suspicious movements around them. He said that it was the work of a good samaritan that helped in preventing the explosion at Sheikh Isyaka Rabi’u’s Mosque.

He called on people to continue with their normal businesses and continue to pray for peace in the state and the country in general.

disturbed”.

The former vice president however tasked religious leaders on the need to preach calm and restrain their followers from taking laws into their hands.

He said via his tweets: “I am deeply disturbed by the fatal shooting of protesters in Zaria yesterday.

“I have always advocated restraint in dealing with dissidents be they political or religious.

“The incident needs to be thoroughly investigated by the authorities in order to restore calm and public trust in law enforcement.”

He further tweeted: “Our law enforcement agents must be careful to not alienate the people, who are partners in our search for peace and progress.

“It is also important that religious leaders preach calm and restrain their followers from activities which disturb the peace.”

The military on Thursday clashed with followers of El-Zakzaky, who is the leader of Shi’a Islamic group in Zaria. It led to the death of three of his children and nine others.

Curfew imposed in Kaduna saved Nigeria unprecedented chaos - DB Lawal But for the timely intervention of Governor Mukhtar Yero of Kaduna State, who quickly imposed curfew shortly after General Muhammadu Buhari had survived the explosion targeted at him, the whole country would have been on fire, beginning from Kaduna.

A political ally to the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the national vice chairman of the party for the northeast, Engr Babachir David Lawal, made this known at the weekend while speaking with some journalists in Abuja.

Although General Buhari escaped the attacks unhurt, some of his aides were were later admitted in the hospital and discharged later.

No sooner had the incident become known throughout the state and beyond through the social media than the whole state reportedly became charged. The governor had to quickly impose the dusk-to-dawn curfew to save lives and property.

“I was not in Kaduna. But yesterday, there are videos (footages) of it on facebook about what happened after the blast. Buhari came out inspecting the damage and the people who died and those who were injured. People were shouting that ‘God has protected you for us’.

What I heard was that they had even started stoning security men on the streets for not protecting Nigerians, not just Buhari. They think that if this could happen to their Buhari, if this can happen to Dahiru Bauchi, then who is safe? That is why the (Kaduna State) government had to impose the dusk-to-dawn curfew,” Lawal said.

When he was asked if General Buhari would still contest in the next year’s presidential poll despite his age and health condition, he

dismissed the argument with a wave of the hands. He cited many instances when young leaders have failed the nation.

He said: “General Buhari will run for the presidency in 2015; take my word. Now, about age: how old is (President) Goodluck Jonathan? He is a little over 50 and he runs the worst government ever produced to the extent that even my uncle Obasanjo -- if you dig very well, he might probably be over 80 or something -- he did it better.

Because during his regime at least there was relative peace.

“We grumbled but there was no bomb blast and things like that. He ran a better government, let’s face it.

He ran a much better government.

So it is not about age. Look, some of these governors, if you go to their houses they have Ferraris, they have Bentleys, they have cars that can drive themselves. They also have houses in places like France, London and Dubai. It is not about age, it is about character and integrity.”

On why Buhari would not anoint anyone to replace him, the Adamawa-born cleric-turnedpolitician argued that some political elite are fond of using Buhari’s name to win election and dump him.

“Buhari has said it before. In 1999, how many governors did the ANPP produce? I think it produced about 16 or so. Almost all the governors from the north won on account of General Buhari, but as soon as they were sworn in they became some of the worst governors. Some defected to the PDP and even in the PDP they were among the worst governors.

Now the same thing happened subsequently; so, you see, as a human being if you started having problems of trust...

“If I say, you, I anoint you to become a governor or the president, the following day you become the worst president, then ...Buhari while he’s in Daura on his farm we would be accusing him like we have been accusing Obasanjo for bringing the late President Yar’Adua, a man whom he knew had health challenges. We still blame him. I am sure Obsanjo is regretting that he ever did what he did because the whole failure of this administration can be traced to his choice of successor.”

Lawal also faulted those who are asking Buhari to endorse one of the serving APC governors: ”Let’s face it; a normal human being will be wary of these young people, and it has been demonstrated, he has seen it. However, there is also the issue of followers. We the followers don’t trust these possible successors. We don’t trust them, because some of them are our governors, we know what they do: they oppress people. They think they have a monopoly of knowledge. You don’t argue with them. You can argue with Buhari, because he is humble. I mean he is approachable. Maybe now that they have tried to kill him, they may tighten the security around him.”

Monday, July 28, 2014

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8 News north-central

APC Endorses David Umaru As Candidate For Niger East Senatorial By-election

By Abu Nmodu, Minna

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State, after a stakeholders meeting, has endorsed former All Nigerian Peoples Party, (ANPP) gubernatorial candidate, David Umaru as the party’s candidate for the Niger East senatorial district by-election coming up on August, 16.

The chairman of the party, Alhaji Mohammed Jibrin Imam disclosed this yesterday after the meeting at the party’s secretariat. The stakeholders at the meeting included the party’s executives at the state level and the nine local government areas of the Niger East senatorial zone.

According to the chairman, the decision of the party to present David Umaru as the candidate of the party for the election was in line with the contribution of David Umaru to the party.

“The criteria used to pick David Umaru is based on the article 20 of the party’s constitution which

stipulates that the candidate must have been contributing financially to the progress of the party and must have been up to date with his dues,” the chairman said.

Jibrin therefore stated that the endorsement of David Umaru was in line with the party’s determination to present credible candidates at all elections, hence the nine local government chairmen in the senatorial zone have agreed to the endorsement.

Responding to his endorsement, David Umaru said, “I am happy that the party has done what the people want which is the unanimous endorsement of my candidature and I promised to keep the flag flying”.

The endorsement of David Umaru has brought to rest the speculations that some extraneous forces planned to sponsor a candidate to contest against David Umaru in the party to destabilise the party and allegedly reduce the bright chances of David Umaru in the zone.

Pankwal Bogghom Stool: Court Nulifies Jang’s Request

by ACHOR ABIMAJE, Jos

Plateau State High Court has quashed the purported suspension and nullification of the appointment of Pankwal Bogghom, Alhaji Shehu Suleiman, by the Plateau State governor Jonah David Jang.

Jang, on resumption of office in 2007, suspended the chiefdoms in all the 17 local governments created by an edict of the Plateau State House of Assembly during the reign of his predecessor, Chief Joshua Dariye.

All other chiefdoms affected

by the announcement resigned to their fate but Alhaji Shehu Suleiman and the President of the Bogghom Development Association (BDA) summoned the courage and approached the court seeking declaration that the governor’s action was wrong and that his suspension be lifted with all his entitlements paid to him.

Among the reliefs sought by the plaintiff included a declaration that the cancellation of his selection as Pankwal Bogghom by the governor of Plateau was unlawful, null and void.

Monday, July 28, 2014

Senate 2015: Why We Endorsed Suswam– PDP Stakeholders

BY SOLOMON AYADO, , Makurdi

Some stakeholders and youths of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwande and Ushongo local government areas of Benue State have stated that the endorsement of Governor Gabriel Suswam for the senate ticket of the Benue North East senatorial district was not to victimise or throw dust on the political ambition of anyone.

The people of Sankera where Suswam come from had brought the governor to Kwande to ‘borrow’ the senatorial seat that is zoned to the people of the area. The Kwande people

readily accepted the request and quickly offered the senate ticket, urging Suswam to run against the incumbent, Senator Barnabas Gemade in 2015.

However, the development sparked crisis within the PDP and a group called Kwande Youth Vanguard took to the media, with their names and signatures protesting the endorsement of Suswam for the senate seat, describing it as illegal and an infringement on the right of the electorate.

Addressing newsmen at the NUJ House in Makurdi, yesterday, some of the youths, whose names appeared on the news-

paper publication denied ever signing any document.

At the NUJ House, the commissioner of information, Mr. Justin Amase, council chairmen of Kwande and Ushongo LGAs, Hon. Bem Tseen and Terver Orduen told journalists that the traditional and political leaders of Kwande have made a wise decision and that they are not opposing it.“We are here to make a declaration that there is no time any of our youth named in the said publication signed any paper against the agreement. of Kwande elders to endorse Governor Suswam” they said during the briefing.

Jos North LG Chair Denies Withholding Salary Of Workers

BY ACHOR ABIMAJE, Jos

Management Committee chairman of Jos North local government area in Plateau State,Dr Danjuma Sanda has denied allegations by the council workers that he has deliberately refused to pay their November and December 2013 salaries and other entitlements spanning over three years.

He chided the workers over the allegations they made against him during a peaceful demonstration outside the council secretariat recently.

In the said protest the workers had accused the council chairman of channeling their salaries to other ventures even when other LGAs

in the state including Wase which is equally under interim administration had cleared all outstanding salaries The workers also expressed displeasure over what they called inaction by the council to effect their promotions which they alleged were due some years ago Sanda while speaking with journalists in Jos at the week end said there was no iota of truth in the allegations, adding that the purported protests by the workers was stage managed to misled the general public on the issues on ground as well as give the impression that he was the problem.

He said, “When we came on board about four months ago and

met such outstanding salaries on ground, we immediately got in touch with the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs on how the payment can be cleared.

“We have also taken up the issue of outstanding promotions. And we have made substantial progress in the issues raised.”

This goes to show that we have no intention to suffer the workers or deny them their entitlements under any guise .So it is wrong for them to start making any insinuation because we are doing everything possible to make sure that the problems we met on ground when we assumed office including the said salaries are tackled once and for all.”

Eld-el-Fitr: Gov Jang Urges Muslims To Sustain Lessons Of Ramadan

BY ACHOR ABIMAJE, Jos

Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang has urged Muslim faithful to use the lessons of sacrifice, holiness and love which guided their Ramadan fast beyond the Eld-el-fitr celebrations.

The governor gave this ad-

monition to the entire Muslim Ummah as they celebrate 2014 Eld-el-fitr.

According to a statement issue and signed by the director of press, Government House Jos, Mr. James Mannok, Jang said these are virtues which the nation dearly needs at this time.

According to him, it behoves on all true adherents of Islam to work for a peaceful and stable Nigeria.

Urging all Nigerians to continue to pray for the country, Governor Jang urges all to imbibe the spirit of forgiveness and peaceful coexistence.

of bomb-making factories we constantly hear of? Or several shiploads or truckloads of arms that have been impounded by the customs and other security agencies? Why is it that, in all these years, no serious Boko Haram suspect has been arrested and tried by government? Is it possible that the government would not know the financiers of these hoodlums? Government? Is it indeed possible that any government at all would not know the financiers of criminals within their land for this long?

Does this make sense to anyone? If it is indeed true that Jonathan’s government still does not know those arming

these terrorists, why are they still in power? Is it by force?

There are several unanswered questions and many things are not adding up.

The matter is even getting more complicated. Some followers of Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi are beginning to say that the attack must have been masterminded by some members of the Izala sect with which they are in perpetual enmity, even though no one has any proof of that.

I hope some of these members of the Darika sect do not go on a groundless revenge mission thereby spilling more blood unnecessarily.

So Who Wants Buhari Dead?

FROM BACK PAGE

as a certainty. So that’s settled.

PDP’s publicity secretary, a certain Olisa Metuh, insinuated that those who attempted to kill Buhari could be his fellow APC presidential aspirants. I don’t know whether that makes sense at all, but listening to those PDP people, I know that there is nothing the human mind cannot contrive. If anyone in APC wanted to kill Buhari, would he use a bomb or a suicide bomber?

Anyway, whether it is Boko Haram or PDP people or even Buhari’s APC compet-

itors that desperately wanted him dead, is it not still within the métier of the Jonathan government to protect the people and unravel the mystery and save us all? Or has Jonathan and his people forgotten that elementary responsibility of government?

Even if it is APC members that wanted Buhari dead, is it still not the duty of the government that Jonathan heads to protect him? Why are they talking as if the president is totally excused, if it is Boko Haram or APC members that wanted to kill Buhari? The way some of these PDP chieftains are talking about this their brilliant idea of an intra-APC

murder conspiracy against one of their own, you would be forgiven to think that they were part of the assassination plot.

These people do not even understand the first thing about the workings of government.

Is it not the duty of their government to keep everybody safe? People who accuse those in government of such criminalities do so because of the Jonathan government’s body language. Why, for instance, does the government conduct all Boko Haram suspects’ trials in secret? Who does the government want to protect or what are they hiding? Why is it that nothing has come out of all the several discoveries

news extra 9

Monday, July 28, 2014

Group News Editor: Tony Amokeodo Northern Govs, Sultan, Etsu Nupe, Others Pray For Peace The Sallah celebration in Niger State was peaceful and low-key, even as the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) has urged Nigerians to work towards the continuous existence of Nigeria because it is not negotiable.

The northern governors’ call was contained in a message by the chairman of the forum and governor of Niger State, Dr Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu yesterday in Minna.

The message signed by the chief press secretary to Governor Aliyu, Israel Ayegba Ebije urged Nigerians to regard the current challenges as an ugly phase that will soon be in the past and prayed for the celebration to usher the country into a peaceful era where all Nigerians are safe.

Similarly, the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar has urged all Nigerians not to be deterred by the current security challenges but to continue to pray for the country to overcome the challenges.

The Etsu Nupe also called on all sons of Nupe land to embrace farming and also support all government development programmes, even as he called for prayers to solve the security challenges confronting the nation.

The Sultan of Sokoto and president general, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, yesterday in his Eid-El-Fitri message pleaded with all those involved in any form of insecurity or the other to have the fear of God in them and desist from such acts forthwith.

The Sultan who was particularly worried about the daily killings in Nigeria, especially the northern part of the country, also described the act of taking lives as unIslamic.

In a related development, Sokoto State governor, Aliyu Wamakko, through his special assistant on press affairs, Abubakar Dangusua, also called on Nigerians to be united in prayers against all forces of insecurity.

Wamakko, in his sallah message to the people of Sokoto and Nigerians in general, said prayers are the only way of overcoming the security challenges confronting Nigeria.

Calling on perpetrators to stop such heinous crimes against humanity and God, Sultan said, “The current spates of insecurity in Nigeria, especially in the north and north east are sources of concern to all peace -loving Nigerians. The massive losses of innocent lives and property are highly regrettable and they are Unislamic”.

Speaking further, Sultan stressed that Nigerians should however be consistent in their prayers to God to touch their minds either so that they insurgents discontinue their act or better still God should expose them.

By Abu Nmodu, Minna and Ankeli Emmanuel, Sokoto

L-R: National Security Adviser Alhaji Sambo Dasuki; Sokoto State Governor, Aliyu Wamakko and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, praying during Eid-elFitr in Sokoto, yesterday. PHOTO

BY NAN.

God Has Been Faithful To Me – Pa Clement Nda-Isaiah

By Isaiah Benjamin, Kaduna

Pa Clement Nda-Isaiah, father of Mr Sam Nda-Isaiah, the founder of Leadership Newspapers and All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirant, who turned 80 years yesterday, has said that God has been faithful to him and his family.

Speaking yesterday at his Kaduna residence, venue of the 80th birthday celebration and thanksgiving, Pa Nda-Isaiah noted that he is still hale and hearty at 80 due to the doing of the Lord and not by his power, and gave all the praise and adoration to God who has kept him alive.

He said, “I am indeed overwhelmed; this is the Lord’s doing and it is marvelous in my sight; turning 80 is not by my power; it is the doing of God and I am grateful to him.”

Blessing those who contributed in one way or the other to the birthday celebration, the elder statesman prayed, “God will replenish and reward you; no weapon fashioned against you shall prosper; may the Lord continue to lift you. Evil men will not visit you; you and your children are blessed, and your weeping will be for joy. May the Lord guide and protect you. You will never regret this day. All of you will grow above 80 years.”

It was indeed a moment of celebration, prayers and best wishes for Pa NdaIsaiah from his wife, children, grandchildren and well-wishers who turned out in their numbers to celebrate him at 80.

(Daughter) “I am happy that my father at 80 is still strong.

Many people are not fortunate to see their parents at this age, but for us, we still have both our parents alive and in good health; we give God all the glory.

My wish for them is to live longer for us to be seeing them around us.”

Pa Clement

His wife, Mama Eunice NdaIsaiah said, “We are thankful to God; he has been saying it for a long time that at 80, he would want to still go to church and give thanks to God; we are thankful to God for making that day a reality; even though he is not too strong, he has seen the day.

“He has always told me that he wanted to see his children and grandchildren and take group photographs with them.

Thank God that at 80, he can still do that with them today. My prayer for him is longer life for us to still be together. I wish him good health.”

Pa Nda-Isaiah’s children also wished their father well and prayed for him at 80.

Sam Nda-Isaiah (Son) “My prayers for him are more good health, more years for him to enjoy. My father prays for me everyday and this is just one of the many prayers he has prayed now and I am sure God will answer his

prayers.”

Joseph Nda-Isaiah (Son) “I feel great and happy.

When he was 70 years old, we prayed that he would turn 80 for it to be celebrated and today, even though health is failing him, he is 80 and we are celebrating with him; all I can say is that to God be all the glory for his faithfulness in the life of our father.”

Mrs Mary Owoyele (Daughter) “I feel happy; I pray that God will give him long life and divine health.”

Solomon Nda-Isaiah (Son) “I feel happy and grateful to God for a fulfilled life. Being 80 is not being 18, 28 or 78. He has achieved a lot and done a lot for the country; he has a happy family who are doing well; my prayer is for divine health for him to reap the fruits of his labour.”

Jonathan Nda-Isaiah (Son) “I feel good for him and wish him happy birthday and good health.”

Grace Nda-Isaiah (Daughter) “I am happy for my father; it’s not easy to be 80 years old. I wish him good health and longer life. I also pray that he will still be alive to witness my wedding.”

Pastor Abraham NdaIsaiah (Son) “This is the faithfulness of God; it’s not a man’s doing. When you consider life expectancy today which some say is 45, 57 and so on, obviously it is not easy to be 80, but God has kept him for us; we are wishing him happy birthday and good health.”

Sinmi Owoyele (Eldest grandchild) “I am excited that grandpa is 80 today; we thank God for his life, and we wish him long life and prosperity in good health.”

Mrs

Mr Mike Okpere (Lead-

Lydia

Ageni

Several other well-wishers who came to rejoice and pray with the Nda-Isaiahs also had these to say:

ership Group executive director) “It is indeed a beautiful family; daddy is 80; one of the beautiful things we enjoy while looking at events is the unity in the family; and there is cohesion; there is leadership and direction. Our prayer is that that leadership, cohesion and unity should be sustained. My observation is the wonderfully united family; my prayer is that daddy will live for many more years to bequeath his wealth of experience to upcoming younger ones.”

Pastor Paul Magaji of Praise Chapel, Kaduna who led the prayer session had this to say: “80 years is not a joke; it tells us of the faithfulness of God. Papa is 80; he is still strong; he knows God, kicking and communicating effectively; it simply tells you of the goodness and faithfulness of God in his life. For us, all we can say is to God be all the glory.”

Pastor Abel Yarison of Praise Chapel, Kaduna said, “Seeing his children and grandchildren at age 80 is wonderful; I wish him good health and strength; he has seen it all, so there is nothing else to wish him.”

There were also prayers and best wishes for Pa Nda-Isaiah from his daughters and sons-inlaw.

Highlight of the birthday celebration was the presentation of a new jeep to Pa Nda-Isaiah by his children as a birthday gift and to celebrate the faithfulness of God in their father’s life.

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stories of the Monday, July 28, 2014

...NEWS WITH A HUMAN FACE

ROBBERY: 2 Suspects Shot Dead In Edo By: Patrick Ochoga, Benin City

Two notorious suspected armed robbers identified as Onimisi Adewunmi, a.k.a Ojukwu, and Timothy Balogun, were reportedly killed in the border town of Ayegunle-Ugboshi-Aiyeteju areas between Edo and Ondo states in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State, by a detachment of soldiers in that axis.

Also, another suspect, said to be from Ikpeshi near Auchi, Etsako Local Government Area, is said to have sustained gunshot injuries and currently with the police.

LEADERSHIP learnt weekend that the suspected robbers met their waterloo on Friday evening when they attempted to rob a popular businessman who deals on frozen foods with Cold Rooms Inn, Ibillo in Edo State and Idoani in Ondo State.

Biggy, was said to have been a frequent victim of robberies in the axis as he was always trailed from Ibillo market which he frequently uses and then pass through the Aiyegunle-Ugboshi-Aieyteju axis to Ondo State.

KIDNAPPING: UNILORIN Student Jailed 20 Years

By Abdullahi Olesin, Ilorin

A 300-level student of the University of Ilorin, Ebenezer Gbadamosi, has been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment by a Court of Appeal sitting in Ilorin .

Gbadamosi, 22, who had earlier been arraigned before Justice Sulyman Kawu of Ilorin High Court, on a three-count charge, was sentenced by the appellate court for attempted kidnap of the son of an Ilorin- based Senior Advocate of Nigeria .

He had earlier been convicted on charges of conspiracy to kidnap, threat by means of telephone/SMS to kidnap and attempt kidnap under sections 2, 3, 5 and 15 of the Kwara State Prohibition and Kidnapping Law, 2010 of the penal code.

In case No. CA/IL/C.104/2013, the appellate court, in the lead judgment delivered by Justice Hussein Mukhtar, on July 10, 2014, agreed with the submission of the assistant state lead counsel for the respondent, MAI Akande, that the appellate court has the power to re-evaluate the evidence before the trial court and substitute higher sentence for one which the accused person was earlier convicted for by the trial court.

The appellate court further agreed with Akande that the State Security Service (SSS) has the power to investigate a case of kidnap and attempted kidnap as they are offences that constitute threat to internal security.

At the lower court, the trial Judge sentenced the accused to one year imprisonment with an option of N100, 000 fine for the offence of extortion, while the 2nd accused person, Samson Ibitoye, was discharged and acquitted.

A man with his four children on a motorcycle in Bauchi during Eid-elFitr yesterday.

Photo By Nan

JILTED: Married Man Attempts Suicide Over Rejection By 18-year-old Girl

by OSA Okhomina,Yenagoa

A tragic drama nearly played out in Yenogoa, the Bayelsa State capital, following a suicide attempt by a 49-year-old married man over the rejection of his love overtures by an 18-year-old girl along the Bay Bridge area of Yenagoa Local Government Area of the state.

The troubled man, Edaiken, who is married and has two children, was reported to have invested a huge amount of money and energy into the relationship with the girl.

The lover boy was shocked to learn that another married man had been sleeping with the girl on a regular basis.

LEADERSHIP learnt that the issue came to a head after the 18-year-old girl identified as Favour, openly rejected his sex overtures and deceived him into believing that it will be sex after marriage.

Troubled lover man could no longer hide his frustrations after he discovered Favour was going to

bed with another man.

Edaiken, according to neighbours along the Bay Bridge area, became emotionally depressed and began the plot to commit suicide within the compound.

Speaking on the development, the wife of the troubled man, Florence, confessed that her husband woke her up in the night complaining that all the people he loved did not reciprocate his love. According to her,”he was in bad mood throughout and he asked me to take care of their two children if he dies.”

She said “I was alarmed when he came in complaining that all the people he loved did not reciprocate his love. I told him I love him but he said he was not referring to me, but one Favour whom he had spent so much money for and yet refused to return his gesture with love. Early in the morning, as he stood up from the bed, I tried to hold him back but he broke loose and went outside.

“Even then, I didn’t know that he had already got a rope and some chairs where he intended to hang himself.”

Stolen Baby: Suspected Cultist Attempts To Kill Girlfriend By: Kola Eke-Ogiugo, Asaba

A suspected cultist has been accused of selling a three-year-old boy for N850,000. The suspected cultist, simply identified as Prince Josiah, also attempted to kill his girlfriend, Miss Favour Ifowe.

While plaaning to carry out their deadly act, the Delta State Police Command, arrested the suspects and his four for allegedly attempting to kill the 23 year old lady after selling her only son for N850,000.OO. The suspects included the boyfriend of the mother of the stolen three-year old boy, Prince Josiah; an officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) serving in Abia State; a self acclaimed medical doctor and a lady alleged to be the buyer of the stolen child.

Narrating her ordeal to LEADERSHIP, Favour Ifowe, at GRA Police Station in Asaba, where detectives carried out the arrest of the suspects, said Prince Josiah is her lover, whom she knew when he came to Otor-Owhe to do some works.

Since then, they became lovers as she was not married but had the child out of wedlock.

She added that her son, Ezra suffers from a pile-related ailment known to her lover boy, Prince Josiah.

So, on the fateful day, he called her to come over to Asaba, claiming that he had discovered a woman who could cure the pile of her son.

Oblivious of his evil intentions, she traveled from her home town, Otor-Owhe in Isoko North Local Government Area to Asaba, to meet her lover with happiness thinking that her son would be cured of his ailment.

On getting to Koka Junction in Asaba, she said she met her boyfriend with two other men namely Obinna and, Chigozie and after eating, they set out to Abia State where she thought he would be cured.

When they got to Abia State, the suspects took her to a village and the following day told her that he wanted to have a walk with the boy and buy him ‘Bobo, a local drink, not knowing that he had made arrangement to sell him.

Bunkering: Navy Arrests 25, Seizes 2 Vessels In Bayelsa

by OSA Okhomina,Yenagoa

Authorities of the Nigerian Navy at the weekend confirmed the arrest of 25 persons and seizure of two vessels suspected to have been involved in illegal bunkering and crude oil theft along the waterways of Brass In Bayelsa State.

According to the Navy, the two seized vessels identified as MV Hanan and MV Alezza Lilah, had 14 Nigerians, One Ghanaian and a Cameroonian on board with over 300,000 metric tonnes of stolen crude oil.

The duo of the Navy Commanding Officer, FOB FORMOSO, Captain Noel Madugu and Assistant Commandant, NSCDC, Anyanwu George, in a statement issued at the weekend in Yenagoa, during the handing over ceremony, said the MV HANAN L had nine crew on board, all Nigerians, MV ALEZZA LILAH had 16-member crew comprising 14 Nigerians, one Ghanian and one Cameroonian.

According to Navy Capt. Madugu ,”the MV HANAN L was intercepted by NNS Obula at 23 nautical miles, South West of Pennington when her actions became suspicious.The vessel with her crew of nine persons was arrested owing to the presence of Automotive Gas Oil on board.”

He gave the names of the suspected oil thieves as Bewaji O.O, captain; Obamuwagin A; Ayenamelo Sunday; Joseph Omope; John Ezen; Emmanuel Bassey; Uwem Francis; Kingsley Ayobi and Fred Amabebe.

He said the vessel had six tanks fully loaded with AGO but had no bunkering approval on board as of the time of arrest.

“The crew claimed the approval, other documents and other valuables were taken from the vessel by sea pirates when they were attacked. Upon investigation, it was discovered that the vessel was operating on behalf of Danyomile Marine Services Limited of Suite 1, LSDPC Shopping Complex, Agege, Lagos State.

The document claims MV HANAN L was granted approval to load 70 metric tonnes of AGO from Petrostar Nigeria Ltd storage tank in Port Harcourt.

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STORIES OF THE DAY 11

Monday, July 28, 2014

photo news

BULLET PROOF: Teenager Dies Testing Potency In Osun

by JOSHUA DADA, Osogbo

Attempt to test the potency of a charm prepared to ward off bullets, has claimed the life of a teenager, simply identified as Rasheed Sulaimon in Asipa, a town in Ife North Local Government Area of Osun State.

It was gathered that the two people involved, Rasheed Sulaimon and Siji, had left the residential area for a desolate part of the town with the aim of testing the potency of an amulet someone made for Sulaimon, with the powers to ward off bullets.

A resident of Asipa town, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Sulaimon, a bricklayer apprentice, had told Siji, said to be his cousin, to accompany him to Anglican Church Area, in the town to test the charm someone just made for him.

“Sulaimon has always been a tough guy and he is a bit older than Siji. The two of them left for a desolate part of the town to test the charm. Though the day the incident happened was on the day our market here was being observed, no one saw them un-

til gunshot was heard,” a source in the town had explained.

According to those that arrived the scene of the incident shortly after the gunshot was allegedly fired, Siji, who fired the shot, reportedly said the deceased compelled him to shoot at him, to test the potency of an amulet he intended using during the forthcoming governorship poll.

It was further learnt that the incident which immediately threw the town into panic shortly after, has dominated discource albeit in hush tones by people, while elders in the town, were said to have been paying close attention to youths with a view to identifying those of them that may be keeping similar charms, to retrieve them before another similar incident happens.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, of Osun State Police Command, DSP Folasade Odoro, said report of the incident was yet to be made.

She said: “No report made yet. At times, they would not report incident like that to the police”.

President Goodluck Jonathan (right), receiving a souvenir from Vice President Namadi Sambo, during a Sallah Homage to the president by FCT residents led by the vice president at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, yesterday. Photo By Nan

KIDNAP: Cameroon Gendarmes Abduct 2 Fishermen

By Bernard Tolani Dada, Uyo

Two fishermen, indigenes of Okobo in Okobo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, have been abducted by the agents of Cameroon government.

The two fishermen, named Mr Bassey Etim, and the other whose name could not be ascertained were said to have been abducted while fishing on the Nigeria Territorial Waters by the Gendarmes.

Another fisherman, Stephen Etim, who witnessed the whole episode but escaped and returned home, told newsmen amid tears at the weekend in Uyo, that words were inadequate for him to explain the kind of treatment Nigerian Fishermen suffered presently in the hands of the Gendarmes.

According to him, the two abducted fishermen were lawfully going about their daily shores fishing when sudden-

ly the gendarmes rounded them up, forcibly abducted them and took them to an unknown destination. ‘’This is not the first time that this kind of thing would happen to Nigerian fishermen doing legitimate business in that country and majority of them are from Okobo in Akwa Ibom.

The latest incidence makes the 13th time that Okobo fisher men would be kidnapped and taken into custody by Cameroon government.

Already, Stephen says he has reported the matter to the Speaker, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and the member representing Okobo state constituency.

He used the opportunity to again appeal to both state and the federal government to look into the matter and rescue all Nigerian fishermen who are currently being held hostage by government in Yaoundé.

Gun Running : Police Nab Civil Defence Operative

By CHIKA OTUCHIKERE, Abuja

An operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC), ASC Idris Saidu, has been arrested by operatives of the Niger State Command of the Nigeria Police for alleged illegal dealing in arms and ammunition.

A statement of the Force spokesman, ACP Frank Mba, made available yesterday to LEADERSHIP, disclosed that Saidu claimed that he bought the weapons as part of his personal contribution to his maternal community who, he said, are engaged in communal crisis with the Fulanis in Taraba State.

Saidu, 33, is said to hail from Maje Village, Lapai Local Government Area of Niger State and currently serving at NSCDC Headquarters, Minna.

He was arrested at Fadikpe Area of Chachanga Local Government of Niger State following a tip-off from a patriotic Nigerian.

According to Mba, following Saidu’s arrest on July 22, 2014, the detectives recovered two AK-47 rifles and a large chunk of ammunition, an action, he said, clearly intended to fuel communal tension and strife within the state.

“Nigeria Police detectives attached to Niger State Police Command on Tuesday, July 22, 2014 have arrested an officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), ASC Idris Saidu over his involvement in illegal dealings in arms and ammunition.

“Following the arrest, the detectives also have recovered from the suspect two (2) AK47 rifles and a large chunk of ammunition. In his statement to the Police, ASC Idris Saidu stated that he bought the arms and ammunition as part of his personal contribution to his maternal community who are presently engaged in communal crisis with the Fulanis in Taraba State,” the statement read.

Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima (right) and other Muslim faithful at the Ramat Square eid ground in Maiduguri, yesterday

1st vice president, Nasrul-Lahi-Fatih Society of Nigeria (NASFAT), Engr. Mohammed Miyinyawa, president, Alhaji Sherif Yusuf, general secretary, Lukman Folorunso, and Ogun State commissioner for information, Alhaji Yusuf Olaniyonu, during NASFAT’s annual Iftar (breaking of fast) with the media in Lagos at the weekend. PHOTO GBENGA OLAJOBI

Some traditional title holders listening to sermon during Eid-el-Fitr in Dutse, Jigawa State, yesterday. Photo By Nan

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Eid-Mubarak Eid-Mubarak

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Monday, July 28, 2014

business news

Ebola: Arik Air Suspends Fights To Monrovia, Freetown

By NKEM OSUAGWU, Lagos

As a result of the first Ebola virus death officially confirmed in Lagos, and involving a Liberian national who flew on a foreign (Non-Nigerian) regional based airline from Monrovia via Lome (Togo) into the city last week, Arik Air has suspended operations into Monrovia (Liberia) and Freetown (Sierra

Leone) effective today July 28, 2014.

The suspension will be in force until further notice. This decision is a pre-cautionary measure aimed at safeguarding the precious lives of Nigerians.

“Arik Air is taking this important step as a concerned corporate citizen bearing the interest of Nigerians at heart.

We acknowledge the steps that

the Federal Government of Nigeria is currently undertaking to prevent the spread of the deadly Ebola virus; however, we feel especially compelled to take the business decision to immediately suspend flight services into the two Ebola affected countries due to our interest in the wellbeing of Nigerians”, said Banji Ola, spokesman for the Airline.

Honeywell Empowers Bakers, Trains 300 In 10yrs

By OLUSHOLA BELLO, Lagos

As part of its corporate social responsibility, Honeywell Flour Mills Plc has continued to empower bakers with modern techniques aimed at ensuring improved production and maximum profitability.

Speaking at the company’s baking school, 25th certificate award ceremony in Lagos recently, the managing director of Honeywell, Mr. Lanre Jaiyeola said, “17 bakers randomly picked nationwide were turned into certified master bakers at the

25th certificate award, while the school has so far, trained and graduated 300 master bakers from across the country in 20 regular courses and one executives’ course in 10 years.”

He added that this is in line with the company vision to equip bakers and bakery owners to run profitable operations and build enduring business, saying that the vision is also driven by the understanding of the impacts of small and medium scale businesses could have as engine L-R: Treasury Manager, Dajcom, Okunnu Olayemi; sales director, Hisense Jacob Chacko; prize winner, of job creation and enablers of Somma Phillips and managing director, Dajcom, Mr. David Safa, during the presentation of 55” Hisense Smart Edge-Lit LED TV to winners of the “Hisense Now and Then Challenge” campaign in Lagos. PHOTO wealth distribution.

Dabiri-Erewa To Ex-ray Nigeria’s Economy At Catholic Brothers Conference

By Chika Izuora, Lagos

The chairman, House Committee on Diaspora, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa will be taking a post-mortem analysis of Nigeria’s economy at a national conference being convened by the Catholic Brothers United (CBU), formerly Catholic Young Men Association (CYMA), a socio-spiritual organisation in the Saint Agnes Catholic Church, Maryland, Lagos.

The conference, which is the 15th in its series, aims at examining various policies of government in the past one hundred years and to determine to what extent the government at various levels have provided economic leadership and pro-active steps taken to grow the economy.

The lecture which is the flagship of activities of the group, aims at drawing attention to major national and international issues and how government decisions shapes lives of average Nigerian and to a large scope recommend steps to attend to them.

The theme of the conference “Centenary Celebration: Appraising Nigeria’s Economic Growth and Development” was chosen as it provides stakeholders the uncommon opportunity to autonomously evaluate and interogate government actions and in-actions so as to determine if the economy has been on a pedestal of growth or decline.

Commenting on the upcoming event, national president of CBU, Mr. Emmanuel Uwukhor described the forum as a platform for intellectual discussion and appraisal of various government policies and part of contribution of the association to provided direction and leadership to the political class.

Uwukhor said, that the theme of the lecture and timing are apt as it is coming at the period the country itself is celebrating the centenary, adding that an independent and evidence based discourse at the event would help to influence government’s policies that will help move the nation forward.He said, Nigeria’s copious human and natural possessions if fully tapped would make the country one of the top economies of the world.

Follow these reports on leadership.ng/business

BY GBENGA OLAJOBI.

Substantive NCAA DG: Air Transport Workers Give Deadline To FG

By NKEM OSUAGWU, Lagos

Following the expiration of the 21days ultimatum given to the federal government to appoint a substantive drector-general for the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority of Nigeria (NCAA), the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) has given a fresh 14 day ultimatum to the government or face the consequences of an industrial action.

In a letter titled ‘Re - Demand for a substantive Director General of NCAA’ addressed to the Secretary to the government of the federation Senator Ayim Pius Ayim, dated 24

July 2014, and signed by deputy national secretary of ATSSSAN, Tarnongu Captain, the union said it was driven by deep patriotism and commitment to contribute their quota to the transformation agenda of Mr. President in the aviation industry.

Tarnongu in the letter drew the attention of SFG to the leadership vacuum existing in the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) making reference to their earlier letter on the above subject matter dated 18th June, 2014.

The letter reads, “As a stakeholder in the industry, we are aware of the enormous responsibility of this

authority as an halcyon bearer, chief regulator of standards, and custodian of safety in the aviation industry. Thus, we are justifiably disturbed on the inability of government to appoint a substantive Director-General for the Authority.”

“We are by this letter, giving notice of the extension of our earlier 21 days ultimatum for another 14 days to lapse on Tuesday, 12th August, 2014 by which time we expect the Government to have expedite action to confirm a substantive directorgeneral for the organisation, failing which, we shall be at liberty to deploy any other legitimate means to press home our demands.”

NAF Partners NAMA For Effective Airspace Management

By NKEM OSUAGWU, Lagos

The 209 Executive Airlift Group of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) attached to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, has pledged its continuous support and cooperation with the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), towards effective management of the nation’s airspace.

The newly appointed commandant of the group, Air Comodore Saddiq Kaita who made this remark during his first official visit to the agency

in Abuja, stated that such a working relationship, apart from facilitating seamless operations at the nation’s airports would also enhance safety of the Nigerian airspace.

He appreciated NAMA’s efforts at training some of the Air Force officers in various courses targeted at bringing them up to date with latest dynamics in the aviation industry.

Earlier in an address, the Airspace Manager, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Mr. Nnanna Ugbaga informed his guests that over time, the Nigerian Air Force

has been an ally of NAMA as both organisations perform complimentary but safety critical roles.

Kaita and his entourage were later led on an inspection tour of NAMA facilities at the TRACON site by Ugbaga and other top management staff of NAMA at the Abuja International Airport.

Meanwhile, as part of measures to ensure the smooth take-off of the newly established Jigawa Airport, a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed by NAMA and the Jigawa State Government.

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Monday, July 28, 2014

Barka Da Sallah and

Congratulations San Kano

O

n behalf of myself, family and the good people of Fagge Federal Constituency, I rejoice and congratulate His Royal Highness Muhammadu Sanusi II on his appointment as the 57th Emir of Kano and as we celebrate this year’s Eid-el Fitr.

May the blessings of Allah (SWT) and the spirit of Ramadan illuminate the world and show us the way to peace and harmony, Amin.

May Allah (SWT) also protect and guide you in the discharge of your responsibilities to humanity, Amin.

Allah Ya Ja Zamani Sarki, Amin!

His Royal Highness

Muhammadu Emir of Kano

Sanusi II

Signed:

Rt. Hon. (Comrade) Aminu Suleiman Goro Chairman, House Committee on Education Representing Fagge Federal Constituency

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‘Insurance Is Key To Boosting Rebased GDP’

BY CHIKA IZUORA, Lagos

Stakeholders in the insurance industry are positive in their thinking that the sector is in a vantage position to significantly add value to the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP).

Innovations and strategies supported by strong industry regulations points to a bright future for the sector despite other challenges.

Nigeria’s rebased GDP which currently stands at $509.9 billion is predicted to significantly soar in the future when operators in the retail, insurance and

health industry leverage on the full potentials available in their sectors.

Some industry operators who participated at the TBWA Magna Carta symposium in Lagos were of the view that while opportunities abound in the economy, brands should desist from seeing the opportunities from the huge population’s perspective as they argued that consumers are not just about numbers but about the ability of brands to offer innovative products and services that create values to consumers.

According to Mr David Blyth, group managing

director (GMD) of Yellowwood, opportunities currently abound in financial services, telecommunication industry but we believe the future of the Nigerian economy rests on sectors such as retail, insurance and health.

A brand strategist, Blyth explained that the country’s current retail structure though still informal is already evolving and will eventually grow into a major component of the economy.

He advised operators to desist from imitating what is obtainable in other parts of the world

to rubber stamp in the country, adding that Nigeria has her own unique system of trade.

Citing Shoprite as a case study, Blyth maintained that the brand has excelled in Nigeria’s retail scene because of its ability structure itself to suit its environment by stocking and offering its customers what is relevant to them.

“We also believe that the insurance industry will be a major contributor to this economy in the near future because this is evidently an underinsured market,” Blyth further said, pointing out that as the growing

middle class acquires more goods and services they will need to insure them.

Marie Jamieson, International Strategy director, TBWA emphasised that brands should dare to be different when marketing their products by engaging their customers with authentic, relevant, emotional and insightful ads.

According to her, the country’s advertisement industry is yet to attain its full potential, adding that several opportunities still exist in the creative industry.

Niger Insurance Gross Premium Hits N10.4bn

BY CHIKA IZUORA, Lagos

Niger Insurance has posted a gross written premium of N10,443,205 for the year ended 31 December 2013 as against N10,330,471 recorded the year before.

The company’s profit before taxation went

up to N716,108 against N703,499 during the period in review.

Speaking at the company’s pre-annual general meeting press briefing in Lagos, its managing director, chief executive officer (MD/ CEO) Mr Dauda Kolapo Adedeji attributed

the achievement to transformation which the company embarked upon five years ago.

Adedeji said the transformation laid emphasis on enhanced speed and efficient service delivery during which the company’s business operations were

improved upon. To further boost its income, the company will be keying into various programmes of the government and its agencies as well as launch new products and repackage existing ones to suit its clientele.

The MD also said the company will invest on its

information technology to fully integrate its regional and branch offices.

“We have adopted e-payment systems for premium collection, we will continue to build business alliances and embark on more aggressive marketing” Adedeji said.

Superior Cement In Nigeria’s Interest – CMAN

BY KINGSLEY ALU, Abuja

Chairman of Cement Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (CMAN), an arm of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Engineer Joseph Makoju, has clarified that the 42.5 cement grade has more superior efficacy over and above the 32.5 grade saying the recent cement standardisation by the regulatory authority was in the interest of Nigerians and Nigeria.

The technocrat, who was a former Managing Director of Lafarge Cement WAPCO, a cement manufacturer, was featuring at the Channels Television programme, Morning Ride, segment titled “Cement Standardisation: Setting the Record Straight” said he was at the programme to clarify some issues as regards the standardisation controversies.

Oil Production: Angola Set To Overtake Nigeria

BY CHIKA IZUORA, Lagos

Italian oil giant, Eni SpA, is making efforts to boost Angola’s crude oil output with over 129,000 barrels a day, a development that may see the country surpassing Nigeria in oil production.

Reports indicate that Eni had upgraded a production vessel for new pumping this year as the south-west African country targets output rivalling its bigger competitor, Nigeria.

The company is planning to start production within five months as operator of Block 15-06’s West Hub fields, estimated to hold reserves of 200 million barrels and boost flows to 80,000 barrels a day.

The block’s East Hub development is also due to pump about 49,000 barrels a day after starting in 2016.

Petroleum minister of Angola, Jose Maria Botelho de Vasconcelos is counting on block one of the country’s eight offshore projects, which is 350 kilometres (217 miles) northwest of Luanda, the capital, to help raise production to two million barrels a day by next year from 1.66 million last month, compared to Nigeria’s 2.15 million barrels daily.

One of the largest developments, Total SA (FP)’s Clov in Block 17, started last month and targets output of 160,000 barrels a day.

Analysts such as Wood Mackenzie Limited said the projects would be too late to boost declining flows by 2015.

Vasconcelos, at the inauguration of the N’Goma, a floating production, storage and offloading vessel for Eni’s West Hub project, said: “We should think about the need to shorten the time between declaration of oil discoveries and the beginning of production.”

He said Eni was on track to cut in half the eight years it usually took for output to begin after a discovery.

The spokesman of Eni, based in Milan, Domenico Spina, was said to have declined to comment on this development.

But a Wood Mackenzie analyst in Edinburgh, David Thomson, said: “Eni has made 12 discoveries out of 15 exploration wells, and there is still potential remaining and drilling continuing.

The success is certainly evidence of the continued prospecting of the deep

water Lower Congo basin.”

Aside from boosting the country’s output, Thomson said the West Hub development was important for setting up infrastructure for the block’s other discoveries and showing that smaller cluster developments can work even in a high cost deep water environment such as Angola.

He added that the West Hub reserves were less than half of other projects such as Total’s Clov and Pazflor and BP Plc (BP/)’s PSVM. The spokeswoman for SBM Offshore NV (SBMO), Paula FarquharsonBlengino, said Eni would finish the refurbishment this month of the N’Goma, known as an FPSO and owned by Sonasing.

SBM is a Dutch company that has a stake in Sonasing along with the Angolan state oil company, Sonangol EP, and Schiedam, the Netherlands-based SBM Offshore NV. Farquharson-Blengino disclosed that the upgrading and 12-year lease of N’Goma costs $1.6 billion, adding that the 100,000 barrels a day capacity FPSO, formerly named Xikomba, was used

by Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) in Block 15.

Monday, July 28, 2014

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Monday, July 28, 2014 USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS ON ANY EMERGENCY

Council endorsed the useful phone numbers submitted by the security agents for easy access in case of any emergency on the metropolitan Roads. Accordingly, the public may easily Contact KAROTA for: Breakdown of Vehicle(s), Traffic Congestion, Accidents, Illegal / Wrong Parking to kindly Call KAROTA through the following number – 08091626747.

Similarly, the State Police Command could be contacted on – 08032419754, 08123821575. In addition, the State Fire Service can also be contacted on – 07051246833, 08191778888.

KANO STATE GOVERNMENT

159th KANO STATE EXECuTiVE COuNCiL MEETiNG PREPARED BY COUNCIL AFFAIRS DIRECTORATE, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT, GOVERNMENT HOUSE, KANO.

ENGR. RAbi’u MuSA KwANKwASO, FNSE Executive Governor, Kano State

In steady progress towards the completion of initiated laudable projects/ programmes/policies by the present administration in Kano State under the leadership of the second (2nd) incumbency of Governor Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE, the Kano State Executive Council held its one hundred and fifty ninth (159th) sitting under his Chairmanship today Wednesday 23rd July, 2014 (26th Ramadan, 1435 AH).

Council received and tabled fifty four (54) memoranda from fourteen (14) MDAs for deliberation of which twenty three (23) were approved for execution with an expenditure of Nine hundred and thirty nine million, two hundred and sixty five thousand, two hundred and seventeen naira six kobo (N939,265,217.06) covering eighteen (18) projects while the remaining five (5) were on policy issues. Thus; 1. OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT The Secretary to the State Government submitted twenty two (22) memoranda on behalf of the Chairman and some MDAs for deliberation by Council of which eight (8) were approved for execution as follows; a) Request for Funds to Replenish the Quarterly Released Operational Funds to the Taskforce Committee on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking:The Multi – Agency Taskforce Committee on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is headed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). The cited request was originally submitted from the Committee but was endorsed by the Secretary to the State Government and presented to Council for consideration.

Details on the eleven (11) items required were presented to Council for consideration along with the request for the release of the recommended trimmed down sum of N12,861,000.00 to cover the months of July to September, 2014 as the third (3rd) quarter of the year.

Council considered the routine nature of the requirements and approved as requested. b) Request for Funds for the Registration and Conduct of 2014 National Community Examination in Respect of Community Health Extension Workers (CHEW):The Secretary to the State Government endorsed and submitted the cited request for consideration by Council on behalf of the State Ministry of Health.

The cited request was presented in respect of Community Health Extension Workers (CHEW) and Junior Community Health Extension Workers (JCHEW) students of the School of Health Technology, Kano. One hundred and forty one (141) students are involved. Thus; • CHEW = 56 students.

• JCHEW = 85 students.

Total = 141.

Details on the three (3) items required were presented to Council for consideration along with the request for the release of the aggregate sum of N3,617,500.00 for the stated purpose.

Council noted, considered and approved as requested. c) Request for Funds from the State Government for the Control of Tuberculosis and Leprosy in Kano:The Ministry of Health submitted the cited request for consideration by Council as endorsed by the Secretary to the State Government.

Specifically, Council was requested to approve for the release of the aggregate sum of N9,829,880.00 as the State Government Counterpart Fund to support the effort from the Federal Ministry of Health; the Netherlands Leprosy Relief; TB CARE 1; Family Health International; etc. These Development Partners support Kano State with free anti – TB drugs, Laboratory reagents, training of personnel, printing of record and reporting material worth N70,000,000.00.

The details presented on the six (6) items to be covered with the requested counterpart fund of N9,829,880.00 from the State were considered as approval was granted as requested. d) Request for Release of 2014 Counterpart Funds for the Control Activities on Onchocerciasis and Other NTDs:Onchocerciasis or River Blindness was presented to Council as one of the commonest causes of preventable blindness in Kano and is endemic in eighteen (18) LGCAs of the State. Further, other “Neglected Tropical Diseases” (NTDs) such as Schistosomiasis; Lymphatic Filariasis (Elephantiasis); Soil Transmitted Helminthiasis (Abdominal Worms) and Trichoma are prevalent in nine (9); forty four (44); twenty two (22) and five (5) LGCAs respectively.

Reportedly, Council was informed that the Ministry of Health has been working with the World Health Organization (WHO); Africa Programme on Onchocerciasis Control (APOC) and Christopel – Blinden Mission M (CBM) towards the establishment of a sustainable River Blindness Control Programme in all the eighteen (18) endemic LGCAs of Kano State.

Collaboration with the Development Partners yielded a work plan for the year 2014 budgeted to the tune of N28,373,660.00 for the control activities on onchocerciasis and other (NTDs). The Programme is to be jointly funded by contributions from the Development Partners and the Kano State Government as follows; • Development Partners = N18,449,160.00.

• Kano State Government = N9,924,500.00.

As such, Council was requested to approve the release of the sum of N9,924,500.00 as the State Government Counterpart Fund for the stated purpose.

Council noted, considered and approved as requested. e) Presentation on the Donation of One (1) Unit of Toyota Hilux Vehicle to RUWASA by the Management of EU/UNICEF:RUWASA undertakes the monitoring of Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Programme II (WSSSRP) in the State.

The Managements of EU/UNICEF donated one (1) Unit of Toyota Hilux Vehicle in support of the commendable execution of the monitoring activity of WSSSRP undertaken by RUWASA. Council acknowledged the presentation with appreciation. f) Request for Additional Operational Funds to Enable Effective Discharge of the Activities of PHIRU:The Private Health Institution Registration Unit (PHIRU) operates under the auspices of the Ministry of Health which submitted the request as endorsed by the Secretary to the State Government and presented to Council for consideration.

The main activities of PHIRU include registration, inspection, regulation, supervision of operations of Tradition Medical Practitioners, etc. which instigated submission of the cited request to cater for PHIRU activities for the period of July – September, 2014.

Details on the sixteen (16) items required were presented to Council for consideration along with the request for the release of the recommended sum of N1,543,421.31.

Council considered the request as appropriate and approved the release of the sum of N1,543,421.31 to the Ministry of Health to enable provision of operational funds to PHIRU for the period of July – September, 2014. g) Request for Funds to Undertake Collaborative Drainage Works at Dorayi Layin Sunusi Maifata, Gwale LGCA:The request was submitted from the Sustainable Kano Project (SKP) which was endorsed by the Secretary to the State Government and presented to Council for consideration.

Council was notified that, the Alkhairi Self Help Association expressed their readiness to partner with the State Government to construct a Ring Type Drainage in their area so as to alleviate the problem of persistent flooding.

In this respect, the SKP submitted to Council that the Community in the area was ready to provide the sum of N1,040,000.00 to cater for the required labour.

Eleven (11) items required as working materials estimated to cost the sum of N6,377,122.51 which was requested for release by Council for the stated purpose.

Accordingly, Council considered and approval the request as appropriate. h) Request for Funds to Enable Payment for Residence Permit (Igama) in respect of Ninety Nine (99) Kano State Indigenous Students Sponsored for MBBS and Pharmacy Studies at Various Institutions in Sudan:The renewable residence permit costs $200.00 annually to each of the ninety nine (99) students in the request which totals up to $19,800.00.

Statutory Provisions prompted Council to approve for the release of the sum of $19,800.00 (N3,366,000.00) to the Scholarship Board for the payment of the Igama (residence permit) to enable the ninety nine (99) Kano State Indigenous MBBS and Pharmacy Students sponsored for studies in Sudan continue to reside in the Country.

2. MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES Request for Refund of Erroneously Deducted Taxes to Messrs. SALFAT Nigeria Ltd.:SALFAT Nigeria Ltd. reportedly supplied two (2) CAT model electricity generators to the Watari Water Treatment Plant at the cost of N73,168,800.00 on which 13% taxes were deducted (i.e. N9,511,944.00) erroneously.

Details were presented for consideration by Council along with the request for the refund of the erroneously deducted sum of N9,511,944.00 to Messrs. SALFAT Nigeria Ltd. Council considered, appraised the details presented and approved refund of eleven (11%) percent to the Contractor or the sum of N8,048,568.00.

3. MINISTRY OF HEALTH Presentation on the Need and Request for Funds to Renovate the Burnt – Down Dialysis and Pharmacy Blocks at Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Specialist Hospital, Kano:The Ministry of Health notified Council, through contents of this memorandum that, an unfortunate fire outbreak occurred on Friday 13th June, 2014 at about 9:00PM at the Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Specialist Hospital, Kano.

Reportedly, portion of the Dialysis and Pharmacy blocks of the Hospital were seriously affected by the fire outbreak which was caused by faulty/aged electricity reticulation.

Details on the extent of damage were presented to Council for consideration along with the fifteen (15) requirements (including 2.5% preliminaries, 5% VAT and Contingency) for the complete renovation of the affected portions of the Hospital. Total financial implications were summarized and estimated to the sum of N12,364,792.57 which was requested for release by Council to enable execution of the renovation project so as to enable restoration of normal services at the affected portions of the Hospital.

Congruence of the project with the resolve by the present administration to provide quality services for the Health Sector prompted Council to approve as requested.

4. MINISTRY OF EDUCATION a) Presentation on the Need and Request for the Release of WRECA Staff Houses at Tiga to the Ministry of Education for Accommodating the Staff of Government Technical College, Tiga:The Ministry of Education reminded Council, through contents of this memorandum that, Government Technical College Wudil was relocated to the WRECA Workshop at Tiga. The exercise was executed remaining only the release of the Staff Quarters for use by the Staff of the College.

Council was requested to approve the release of the Staff Quarters to the Ministry of Education for use by the Staff of the relocated Technical College.

Council acknowledged the presentation and approved as requested. b) Request for Funds to Enable Procurement of English Language, Mathematics and Basic Science Textbooks for Distribution to the State Junior and Senior Secondary Schools:Inadequacy of the availability of students’ set – textbooks and Teacher reference materials in our Secondary Schools was presented to Council as a serious limiting factor to the teaching and learning processes in our Secondary Schools.

The Ministry of Education submitted the request for consideration by Council in respect of three (3) core subjects which include English Language, Mathematic and Basic The financial implications for the procurement of English Language Textbooks, Mathematics Textbooks and Basic Science Textbooks for 272,516 JSS 1 – 3 students in Kano was presented to Council as the sum of N344,732,869.56 while that for the procurement of English Language Textbooks and Mathematic Textbooks for 209,859 SSS 1 – 3 students in the State was presented as N171,818,760.32. These totaled up to the sum of N516,551,627.88 which was requested for release by Council for the stated purpose.

Council noted, considered and approved as follows; i. The release of 50% of the requested sum ( i.e. N258,275,813.94) ii. 50% of the requirements for the English Language, Mathematics and Basic Science Textbooks for the 272,516 JSS 1 – 3 students in the State be provided by the 44 LGCAs N172,366,433.78. iii. 50% of the requirements for the English Language and Mathematics for the 209,859 SSS 1 – 3 students in the State be provided by the Kano State Government N85,909,380.16. c) Presentation on the Need and Request for Funds to Enable Conversion of the Post and Telecommunication Office at Kwankwaso Town into a Viable Information Communication Technology (ICT) Learning Center:Cognizant of the commendable policy of the present administration to convert all unused or under – utilized Government owned buildings and/or facilities into Viable Secondary Schools or required Learning Center(s), the Kano State Ministry of Education submitted the request for consideration by Council.

The facilities at the site were inspected and found suitable for the stated purpose under the programme on the establishment of E-Learning Centers in all the 44 LGCAs in Kano State in collaboration between the State Government and an Organization called Nudenia of Canada.

For the immediate conversion of the facility into a full pledged ICT Center the following requirements were presented to Council for consideration;

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Monday, July 28, 2014 • •

Conversion works = N5,862,912.78.

Construction of Perimeter Wall Fence Measuring 323.10M x 3.00M length and Gate = N10,048,284.53.

Total = N15,911,227.31.

Council was requested to approve release of the sum of N15,911,227.31 for the stated purpose. Council noted, considered and approved as requested.

5. MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT Request for Funds to Enable Cleaning of Major and Minor Drainage in Kano Metropolis:The Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Environment submitted the cited request for consideration by Council in response to the directive issued by Council to his Ministry to embark on the general cleaning of major and minor drainage in Kano Metropolis.

The directive was issued on 9th July, 2014 with the intention to prevent the incidence of flooding which usually result in loss of lives and properties.

So, the Ministry of Environment divided the project into two (2) to cover the length of 7,580.80M or 7.580KM of major and minor drainage in Kano Metropolis.

Council noted, appraised the request and approved for the release of the sum of N1,500,000.00 to the Ministry of Rural and Community Development to enable cleaning of minor drainage in Kano Metropolis.

6. MINISTRY OF WORKS, HOUSING AND TRANSPORT a) Request for Funds to Enable Construction of 100 Housing Units of Prototype Model Village Houses at Kafin Agur Town, Madobi LGCA:Cognizant of the resolve by the present administration to provide access to affordable housing for the citizenry across the State, the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport submitted the cited request for consideration by Council.

Kafin Agur Town was identified as requiring the prototype modern sandcrete block constructed housing units of size 50 x 75 plots at the cost of N883,253.70 each totaling the sum of N88,325,370.00 for the one hundred (100) prototype houses.

Congruence of the project with the commendable housing policy of the present administration in the State prompted Council to approve as requested. b) Presentation of the Proposal and Request for Funds to Enable Construction of New Fagge Abbale I, II and Kofar Dawanau Gates; Kano City:Resolve of the present administration to beautify Kano and promote Tourism instigated presentation of the request for consideration by Council.

The monuments were inspected and assessed for construction at the following estimated costs; i. New Fagge Abbale Gate I = N16,207,328.81. ii. New Fagge Abbale Gate II = N15,612,888.38.

Kofar Dawanau Gate = N14,842,720.46.

Total = N46,662,937.65.

Council noted, considered and approved the release of the sum of N46,662,937.65. c) Request for Funds for the Construction of City Ceremonial Tower at Mahaha Sports Complex (Former NAMA Site, Kofar Nassarawa):This request was presented earlier for consideration by Council which directed the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport to negotiate and prune down the earlier figure requested for the project.

The directive was complied with and the requested project sum was reviewe down to the sum of N282,743,248.76.

Council approved the release of the sum of N282,743,248.76 for the project to be executed on Contractual Arrangement supervised by the State Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport. d) Request for Funds to Enable Extension of Steel Pedestrian Overhead Bridges at Five (5) Locations in Metropolitan Kano:Contents of this memorandum substantiated to Council the need for the cited projects.

Essentially, the present administration introduced the expansion of major arteries/gateways into Kano and provision of service lanes with a view to reduce traffic congestion, prolong the life – span of the roads, improve road user safety and safeguard economic activities, etc. These instigated submission of the request for consideration by Council in respect of the following five (5) locations. Thus; SN Bridge Location i. Kurna Makaranta ii. iii. iv.

v.

Length of Cost of Remarks Extension Extension (N) 20.00 8,461,701.61 For extension on both ends, dismantling and reassembling the stairways.

Kurna Babban 20.00 8,461,701.61 “ Layi Sa’adatu Rimi 20.00 8,461,701.61 “ College of Education Aminu Kano 10.00 4,787,613.31 For extension on one College Legal end, dismantling and and Islamic reassembling the Studies stairways Kandahar 20.00 7,961.701.61 This is the bridge transferred from Murtala Muhammad Way by Abubakar Rimi Market removed as a result of the flyover construction.

The extension on both ends.

Total = N38,134,419.75.

Council considered and approve the release of the sum of N38,134,419.75 to enable execution of the stated project on Contractual Arrangement supervised by the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport. e) Re – Presentation on Oversized Development Plots for the Construction of 100 Units of 2 – Bedrooms and Zaure Houses at Kwankwaso Town under the Model Village Programme:The Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport submitted the presentation for consideration by Council.

Council was reminded, through contents of this memorandum that, the cited project was initially awarded via Council Extract NO. SSCA/CA/EX/4/I/1410 dated 25th July, 2014 at the unit price of N753,341,.40 per 50 x 50 FT prototype model village plot totaling the sum of N75,334,140.00 for the 100.

Nevertheless, the approved 50 x 50 FT prototype plots were unavailable which compelled the Contractor to execute the project on 75 x 50 FT plots at the aggregate sum of N88,325,370.00 for the 100 housing units.

Details were presented to Council for consideration consequent to which the Contractor requested for the release of the sum of N20,090,595.00 incurred additional expenses due to the relocation of sixty two (62) houses.

Council considered the details presented as appropriate and approved the release of the sum of N20,090,595.00 to the Contractor as incurred variation for the project executed. f) Presentation of the Revised Total Estimate Cost (RETC) for the Phase I Conversion Works of WRECA Workshop, Tiga for Relocation and Upgrading of Technical College, Wudil:Contract for the project was initially approved for execution via Council Extract NO. SSCA/CA/EX/10/I/322 at the sum of N294,594,102.05.

In this respect, variations were encountered that made the Contract Sum to escalate upwards from the initial approved sum of N294,594,102.05 to the new revised sum of N414,282,922.31 for the Phase 1 conversion work with a variation of N119,688,820.26 which was requested for release to augment the initially approved sum for the project to the new revised Contract sum.

Council acknowledged the presentation and approved as follows; i. The phase I conversion work for the cited project be executed at the new Revised Total Estimate Cost (RETC) of N414,282,922.31 instead of the initial Contract Sum of N294,594,102.05. ii. The release of the sum of N119,688,820.26 to the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport to augment the initial approved sum of N294,594,102.05 to the new RETC of N414,282,922.31 for the cited project.

7. MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES Presentation on the Need to Employ Additional Number of Field Extension Staff by KNARDA:Provision of Agricultural Extension Service is the main function of KNARDA. The extension personnel are links between agricultural services provided and the farmers. Therefore, all Agricultural Interventions by Government and its collaborators are transmitted to the farmers by the extension personnel whose population dwindled from 903 in 1999 to the present 451. This is grossly inadequate according to the ideals of the ratio of 1:800 extension personnel to farm families. Currently, the ratio in Kano State is as poor as 1:1,804 extension personnel to farm families.

As such, Council was requested to approve for the employment of 450 National Diploma (ND)/AFCO certificate holders on salary grade level 06/01 on gross monthly salary of N27,282.27 per personnel.

Council acknowledged the presentation as in agreement with the resolve of the present administration to provide for the Agricultural Sector in all ramifications and approved for the employment of 50% or 225 ND/ACFO Certificate holders as field extension staff by KNARDA according to the details presented.

8. MINISTRY OF JUSTICE Presentation on the Kano State Rape (Prohibition) Law 2014:The Ministry of Justice reminded Council, through contents of this memorandum that, the Kano State Rape (Prohibition) Bill – a Private Members Bill was presented to Governor Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE on the 25th June, 2014 for his assent.

However, the Ministry of Justice studied the Bill carefully/professionally and suggested that rather than enact a completely new Law, relevant portions of the Penal Code be considered for amendment. Two (2) reasons were forwarded for this; • As prosecutors, the Ministry of Justice know the type and caliber of suspects involved in the commission of Rape and unnatural/indecent offences against the person and these suspects cannot afford to pay a fine of N250,000.00 as canvassed in the proposed Kano State Rape (Prohibition) Bill 2014.

• There is no need to enact a separate Law prohibiting Rape and unnatural and indecent offences against the person because we have an existing Codified Law (Penal Code) which addresses that issue.

Government’s noble aim could best be achieved via Legislation intervention. Against this background, an amendment to sections 283, 284 and 285 of the Penal Code Law 1987 is conceived and presented for consideration and transmission to the Honourable House of Assembly for passage into Law. The recommendations were as follows; i. Section 283 of the Penal Code be amended to read thus; “whoever commits rape shall be punished with imprisonment for life or for less term not below fourteen (14) years” ii. Section 284 of the Penal Code be amended to read thus; “whoever has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any

man, woman or animal shall be punished with imprisonment for a term of fourteen (14) years” iii. Section 285 of the Penal Code be amended to read thus; “whoever commits an act of gross indecency upon the person of another without the consent of that person or by the use of force or threats compels a person to join with him in commission of such act, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term of seven (7) years and shall also be liable to fine: provided that a consent given by a person below the age of sixteen (16) to such an act when done by his teacher, guardian or any person entrusted with his care or education shall not be deemed to be consent within the meaning of this section” Council acknowledged the presentation and approved for the transmission to the State House of Assembly for consideration and amendment of Sections 283, 284 and 285 of the Penal Code 1987.

9. MINISTRY FOR SPECIAL DUTIES Presentation of Report on the Payment of Course Fees and Allowances to the Twelve (12) Kano State Indigenous Students Sponsored for 2013/2014 NAPTIN Training Programme:The Ministry for Special Duties was assigned to chair the 3 – Member Committee constituted committee to supervise the cited exercise.

The Committee executed its assignment diligently in the following order; i. Payment of Course Fees.

- The Committee through the Accounts Section of the Office of the Secretary to the State Government to remit the Course Fees for the twelve (12) students in the sum of N9,000,000.00 directly into the NAPTIN Account. ii. Payment of students’ allowances and allocation of Laptop Computers.

- The sum of N960,000.00 was disbursed directly to the twelve (12) students at the rate of N80,000.00 each.

- The sum of N1,200,000.00 was utilized to procure twelve (12) HP Laptop Computers at the cost of N100,000.00 each which were allocated to the twelve (12) students respectively.

Council acknowledged the presentation of the report with appreciation.

UPDATE ON ACTIVITIES OF THE 159TH EXCO SITTING 1. GRADUATION CEREMONY OF 1,407 YOUTH TRAINED ON POULTRY, FISHERIES, LIVESTOCK, FARM MECHANIZATION AND HORTICULTURE IN THE STATE Council acknowledged the successful graduation ceremony of 1,407 youth on the acquisition of skills in Agriculture at the Government House on Tuesday 22nd July, 2014. Five hundred (500) Women were trained on Poultry Skills at Tukwui, four (400) Women were trained on Fisheries Skills; one hundred thirty two (132) Youths were trained on Livestock farming, two hundred and seventy five (275) Youths were trained on Horticulture business and one hundred (100) Youths were trained on Farm Mechanization.

2. GRADUATION CEREMONY OF 500 LESS PRIVILEDGED WOMEN TRAINED ON VARIOUS SKILLS Council delightfully acknowledged the successful conduct of the graduation ceremony of 500 less privileged women (widows, divorcees, disabled women, VVF Patients and women living with HIV/AIDS). The women were trained on various skills such as the production of bags and shoes, body care and perfume production and the production of cleansing materials which is an income generating activities initiated by the State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.

Further, this batch included women from non-indigenous communities resident in Kano State (Igbo, Yoruba, South-South & Northern Minorities) as well as the displaced women of Central African Republic that are living in Kano State as refugees due to ethno-religious crisis in their own country.

3. OFFICIAL WORKING VISIT TO THE STATE BY THE BRITISH HIGH COMMISSIONER Council acknowledged the recent visit by the British High Commissioner to the State where he attended the Government empowerment programme of 1,907 Youths and Women on Agriculture/ Home based Trades and commended the Governor and Government of Kano State for vigorously empowering both women and youths. Accordingly, he informed the gathering that Kano State receives the highest allocation from British Government funding projects/programmes through the DFID group in Nigeria towards the present administration’s tireless effort to develop its citizen’s standard of living.

4. COURTESY VISIT BY A DELEGATION OF NON – INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES RESIDING IN KANO STATE Council acknowledged the courtesy visit to Governor Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE by the delegation of Non – indigenous residing in the State under the leadership of Dr. Jumfat Aiyelegbe who commended the Governor for his mindedness and equal treatment of indigenes/non-indigenes alike without any discrimination, where he also commended the Governor for the peace and security they have being enjoying in the State, despite the current security challenges facing the Country and the Northern part in particular. Similarly, he further commended the Government unique development which it brought across the State, within a short period of time.

Signed:

Hon. Commissioner, Ministry of Information, Internal Affairs, Youth, Sports & Culture

www.kn.gov.ng/new

22 CAPITAL MARKET/BUSINESS

Monday, July 28, 2014

Book Building Will Boost Activities In Primary Market Stories By Olushola Bello, Lagos

In resolving the problems associated with over subscription of public offer and achieving transparency in pricing and allotment of securities, the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) introduced book building mode of securities issuance.

Book building was introduced by the SEC in 2009 to enhance fund raising in the capital market but of recent, companies have started taking full advantage of using the product to source for funds on the NSE. Book building is a common practice in developed countries and has recently been making inroads into emerging markets as well.

Primary market activities of any stock exchange remains one of the cardinal fundamentals for gauging investors’ confidence, market pulse, liquidity and health of the market as regards to its primary responsibility to the economy as a whole.

The capital market through its primary market functions is expected to boost both the public and private sectors of any economy. In addition, the need of huge capital to fund capital projects in public sector and expansion of the frontiers by private entities makes the primary section of the capital market very crucial to the robustness of the economy, being one of the avenues to access the required funds at an heavy discount.

Book-building is a process of price and demand discovery by which an underwriter attempts to determine at what price an Initial Public offering (IPO) and Public Offer (PO) should be offered based on demand from high net investors and institutional investors. It also gives the Issuer and Financial Adviser the opportunity to agree on a price range within

which investors are allowed to bid Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc was the first to execute book building for its N35 billion Series 1 Senior Unsecured Bond Issue in 2010, likewise Oando used the process to float an offer for sale of 171.5 million ordinary shares, while Guaranty Trust Bank raised a bond through the process. In 2014, Seplat Petroleum used the book building process to raise funds through IPO, while Africa Development Bank (AfDB) plans to issue its local currency bond in the Nigerian capital market through book building.

SEC sought the introduction of Book-Building in the Nigerian capital market with a view to either eliminating or reducing artificial pricing of new issues and evolve a market derived price.

According to the director -general of SEC, Ms. Arumah Oteh, SEC asserts that the book-building mode of securities issuance will solve the problems associated with oversubscription of public offers and achieve transparency in pricing and allotment of securities.

She affirmed that offers through book building process has been approved to be made 100 percent to high net worth investors, saying “However retail investors can take part through participating stockbrokers and Mutual Funds. Retail investors however, still have the opportunity to purchase securities both in Secondary Market and in Fixed Price Offer Process. Book-Building remains optional for issuers.”

The chairman, Association of Issuing Houses of Nigeria (AIHN), Mr. Victor Ogiemwonyi recently has assured that the new book building initiative which was spearheaded by the Association a long time ago would be able to bring issues to

the market much faster and will hasten the issuing process.

Stockbrokers are of the opinion that the introduction of book building in the nation capital market by SEC is a good development that would either eliminate or reduce artificial pricing of new issues and evolve a market derived price.

They noted that the method is a sophisticated type.

The chief relationship officer/ stockbroker of Foresight Securities & Investment Limited, Mr. Charles Fakrogha said that book building is a price discovery method, when the price of an issue is discovered on the basis of demand received from the prospective investors at various price levels within indicative price range. The book runner & syndicated members who will place orders for investors are appointed.

He noted that some banks and companies had used the book building process to raise bonds issuance and Seplat also use the process for its Initial Public Offer that lead to its listing on NSE. Speaking on the issue, the managing director of APT, Mallam Kurfi Garba said, book building is what the developed stock exchanges use in raising funds from the market.

It is high time companies on NSE source for funds through this procedure rather than the public offer. He recalled that during the era of public offer in the market in 2008, everybody was selling public offer, which was not supposed to be so.

Speaking on the features of book building, Kurfi said, “bids into the book are confidential, transparent and at a fair price.

Bidding is by invitation only to high-net worth clients, while the bookrunner and the issuer determine the price of the shares to be issued and the allocations of shares between bidders in their absolute discretion.”

CAPITAL MARKET REPORTS

Profit Taking: Market Capitalisation Sheds N200bn

Transactions on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) closed on a bearish note last week as the market capitalisation went down due to profit taking by investors.

The market capitalisation depreciated by N200 billion or 1.41 per cent to close at N13.963 trillion when compared with the N14.163 trillion posted the previous week. Equally, the All-Share Index decreased by 606 points or 0.41 per cent to close at 42,285.82 as against the 42,891.82 achieved the previous week.

Analysis of the price movement chart for last week indicated that Evans Medical topped the losers’ table by 12.34 per cent or 29 kobo to close at N2.06 per share. Japaul Oil came second on the activity chart with 10.53 or 6 kobo to close at 51 kobo, while Champion Breweries depreciated by 9.64 per cent or 98 kobo to close at N9.19 per share.

On the other hand, CCNN led the gainer’ chart for the week by 20.08 per cent or N2.37 to close at N14.17 per share. Parma-Deko trailed with a gain of 14.67 per cent or 22 kobo to close at N1.72, while Stanbic IBTC appreciated by 6.71 per cent or N1.83 to close at N29.09 per share.

Stanbic IBTC Interim Dividend Of N1.10 Lifts Share Price

Book building is what the developed stock exchange use in raising funds from the market

Investors on the Nigerian capital market has reacted to the impressive half year result and declaration of N1.10 interim dividend declared by the bank for the period ended June 30, 2014.

Shares of the bank by 6.71 per cent at the stock market last week as investors reacted to the interim dividend declared, as the stock rose from N27.26 to N29.09 to close among the highest price gainer for last week.

Looking at the bank half year result, its gross earnings rose by 13 per cent to N61.4 billion, from N54.5 billion in the corresponding period of 2013. The bank’s profit after tax (PAT) spiked by 56 per cent to N15.9 billion in half year, 2014, compared with N10.2 billion in 2013, while Earnings per share (EPS) increased by 57 per cent from 93 kobo in 2013 to N1.46 kobo in 2014.

Based on the results, the directors had recommended an interim dividend of N1.10 for every share with closing date of August 5, 2014 while payment will be made by August 26, 2014.

Further analysis of the financial statement reveals that loans and advances to customers were up by 18 per cent to N342.21 billion in 2014, compared with N289.74 billion as at 2013.

Sterling Bank Posts N5.528bn Profit In Q2 Sterling Bank Plc has announced a profit after tax of N5.528 billion for the second quarter ended June 30, 2014.

The profit represented a decline of 6.65 per cent as against the N5.922 billion declared in 2013. While, the bank’s gross earnings appreciated by 16.3 per cent to N48.7 billion from N41.86 billion. The topline was driven by interest income, which rose from N31.08 billion in the first

half of 2013 to N37.44 billion in 2014, while the operating income also rose from N25.95 billion to N32.54 billion.

According to the bank, its operating expenses increased by 28.5 per cent to N23.8 billion in first half 2014 as against N18.5 billion in first half 2013, driven by on-going investments in branch refits and expansion, and rollout of alternative channels.

Commenting on the

results, the managing director/ CEO of Sterling Bank Plc, Mr. Yemi Adeola, said that the performance in the first half of the year further demonstrated the underlying strength of the Bank’s core business.

He noted that in spite of the challenging operating environment, the Bank achieved a 130 basis points improvement in net interest margin to 7.7 per cent resulting from a 60 basis points reduction in cost of

funds and a 70 basis points increase in asset yield.

“During the period, we completed eight new branches while 13 others are at various stages of completion. We also remodeled several of our existing branches, deployed 168 additional Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) and signed-on over 200 merchants to drive our Agent Banking model for financial inclusion,” Adeola said.

23

Monday, July 28, 2014

NIGERIAN PORTS AUTHORITY 26/28, MARINA LAGOS

PUBLIC NOTICE NO.3859

CORRIGENDUM The Nigerian Ports Authority hereby wishes to draw the attention of all interested bidders and General Public to an earlier advertisement published in the Federal Tenders Journal, Guardian and Leadership Newspapers of Monday, 14th July, 2014 in respect of the following proposed projects: All interested bidders are advised to take note of the following amendments: 1. INVITATION TO TENDER FOR SUPPLY OF HSE) (SAFETY) AND RELATED EQUIPMENT NOTICE NO: 3849

- PUBLIC

SECTION 1.0: INTRODUCTION Lot 2: Supply of search and rescue equipment To Read Lot 2: Safety & Occupational Health Equipment for Public Enlightenment and Hazardous Material Handling Please note that the closing date for submission of Technical and Financial Bids for Lots 1 – 3 is now on or before 11. 00 am on Tuesday, 9th September, 2014. Bids received are to be opened immediately on the same day. All other information on the last advert remains valid.

2 . NVITATION TO TENDER FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING/ TELECOMMUNICATION PROJECTS - PUBLIC NOTICE NO: 3854 Lot 8: Provision and Installation of Intruder Detection and CCTV System for Monitoring the Sea-Sides at Lagos Port Complex, Apapa – Lagos.

• The Advert for the above mentioned proposed project has been withdrawn.

All other information on the last advert remains valid.

We regret any inconvenience this might have caused you.

SIGNED: MANAGEMENT NIGERIAN PORTS AUTHORITY

24 BUSINESS/insurance

Monday, July 28, 2014

Understanding Takaful Insurance (1) focus on insurance

The position of insurance in Islam has generated a lot of debate amongst Islamic Scholars over the years.

There are still diverse views amongst the scholars on the permissibility of the concept of insurance vis-à-vis the current practice of conventional insurers. Some scholars accepted the idea of general insurance and oppose the idea of life insurance, while others oppose the concept entirely on the premise that insurance is unnecessary because whatever happens to a person is predestined by Allah (SWT).

However, over whelming majority of the ‘Fuqahas’ (scholars) agrees that the concept of insurance has no problem in Islam, it is only how it is currently practice that requires some modification.

In view of this, one can rightly argued that insurance policy does not infer any attempt to override the power of the Almighty in one’s life or destiny as some assume it to be. It is even a concept that is aimed at achieving the pleasure of Allah (S.W.T) through mutual help against an unexpected peril. Islam never prohibits any initiative taken against unpredicted disaster or tragedy.

As a result of the growing concern on the position of insurance in Islam, in 1985, the grand council of Islamic scholars ‘Majama al-Fiqh’ Academy of the Organization of Islamic Conference issued a resolution on insurance as follows: • The contract of commercial insurance as practiced by conventional insurance companies with periodical fixed premium is a contract that contains substantial uncertainty (Al-Gharar), gambling and interest rates which renders the contract defective from sharia point of view.

• The alternative contract, which respects the principle of Islamic transactions, is the cooperative insurance contract.

It is built on the principle of voluntary contribution and mutual cooperation. The same apply to reinsurance, which should also be built on the same principle of mutual cooperation.

• The Academy calls on Muslim communities to establish mutual cooperative institutions for insurance and reinsurance.

Why Islam Frown At Conventional Insurance Practice?

For the purpose of

legal framework is developed and formalized. According to commercial historian Klingmuller E. (1969), A ‘Hannafi’ (one of the four schools of Islamic Jurisprudence) lawyer Ibn Abidin (1884-1936) is the first Islamic scholar to come up with the meaning, concept and legal basis of an Islamic Insurance or ‘Takaful’’ contract.

By Zubairu S Darazo

understanding, conventional insurance is divided into two aspects i.e. Conceptual aspect and Practical aspect.

Conceptual Aspect: It is clearly enumerated in our previous publications that the concept of insurance has no problem in the Islamic view point; it is only the way you operate it and manage it that is an issue. Shariah has no issue or objections with asset protection; so far as the concept of insurance is concerned, it is to cover the risk of loss or “fortunate many helping the unfortunate few”.

This concept is not only recognised, but also encouraged and rewarded if done with good intention.

Practical Aspect: the current conventional insurance practice involves various elements of gambling ‘Maysir’, excessive uncertainties ‘Gharar’ and interest ‘Riba’ hence; they cannot be justified Commissioner for Insura on the grounds of nce, Fola Daniel helping victims of various accidents or loses. hand, will make profit when the claim is Evidence Of Maysir, Gharar lower than the total premium, And Riba (Gambling, and it will be in deficit if claims Uncertainties And Interest are higher than the premium Rate) In Conventional collected. The element of Insurance Practice ‘Riba’ (interest rate) exists in A transaction of Maysir can the investment activities of be described as any transaction the conventional insurance. where one party’s profit is Most of the instruments used dependent on the loss of the for investments are interest other party, and Gharar is any bearing instruments. bilateral transaction in which the liability of the party in the Historical Background transaction is either uncertain Takaful is derived from the or contingent on other Arabic word “kafalah”, a verb, factors. For instance, if the which refers to guarantee, consideration of either party bail, warrantee or an act of is not known, delivery is not securing ones need. Although it in the control of the obligor, is not clear as to when takaful ultimate outcome of any one practices actually stated, party is uncertain or payments evidence proved that activities from one side is certain but akin to insurance practices were the other side is contingent. actually practiced even before In conventional insurance the era of the holy Prophet practice, the insured pays a (S.A.W.). A common practice small amount of premium during the Arab tribal system, hoping to gain large sum when known as ‘Aqilah’ was said to the insured peril crystalizes, resemble insurance practices. and he loses his premium when It is a system of a shared the insured peril does not responsibility in the form of occur. subrogation (blood money The company On the other or diyah) and financial

compensation for bodily injury (al-arsh). The system was accepted into Islam based on a verdict of the prophet (PBUH); One day in a quarrel between two women of the ‘Huzai’l tribe, one of them an expectant mother, was killed by the other.

The prophet (PBUH) declares that her kin (Al-aqilah) had to pay a penalty to the relatives of the woman who died.

Al-aqilah system is a classical representation of joint guarantee by a group of people to help each other in the event of mishaps. This is in line with Islamic principle of “mutual help and cooperation in good and virtuous acts (Quran 5:2)”.

The obligation to make regular financial payments to the tribal fund is similar to the payment of premium in the insurance practice, while the compensation paid by the tribal members of the killer could be similar to the indemnity or sum insured in the present insurance practices.

However, it is only recently that the Takaful

Basis And Rationale The fundamental basis for Takaful Insurance can be found in the following Qur’anic texts and Traditions of the Holy prophet (SAW).

Basis of cooperation: 1. “Help one another in alBirr and in al-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety): but do not help one another in sin and transgression” (Surah AlMaida, 5:2) 2. “Whoever removes a worldly hardship from a believer, Allah will remove from him one of the hardships of the hereafter. Whosoever alleviates the needy person, Allah will alleviate from him in this world and the next” ( Translation of Sahih Muslim, Book 32, No. 6250) Basis of responsibility: 1. the places of relationships and feelings of people with faith, between each other, is just like the body; when one of its part is afflicted with pain, then the rest of the body will be affected (Narrated by Imam Al-Bukhari and Imam Muslim book 32).

2. “By my life, which is in Allah’s power, nobody will enter paradise if he does not protect his neighbor in distress” (Narrated by Imam Al-Bukhari and Imam Ahmad Ibn Hambal).

Basis of Protection/Risk Management 1. “The prophet (s.a.w) noticed a Bedouin leaving a camel and he ask the Bedouin, ‘why don’t you tie the camel?’

The Bedouin answered, ‘I put my trust in Allah.” The prophet said ‘Tie the camel first, then put your trust in Allah’ (Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi and ibnMajah, Book 60, No. 2517).

2. “The holy prophet said: ‘it is better for a believer to have his/her offspring’s wealthy than to leave them poor, asking others for help” (Sahih albukhari, (trans. Eng.), Khan, Muhammad Mohsin, Vol. 8, No. 725, pp. 477).

Basis of the Prohibition of Maysir, Gharar and Riba ‘MAGHRIB’ (Gambling, Uncertainties and Interest Rate) This has being explained in our previous publications.

BUSINESS/insurance 25

Monday, July 28, 2014

‘Only 800,000 Nigerian Adults Have Insurance’ Stories By Chika Izuora, Lagos

The lingering apathy and low level of awareness of the benefits of insurance are still major factors affecting growth of the sector in the country, a situation that is now a source of worry to the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).

NEPAD is worried at the low penetration of the insurance industry, despite current reforms and innovation introduced by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM).

The chairman, NEPAD Business Group Nigeria (NBGN), Chief Chris Ezeh regretted that the industry’s performance still remained low with only about 800,000 of the nation’s adult population having insurance policies.

Ezeh, who spoke at a public lecture on the insurance industry in Lagos, attributed the low penetration to many factors which are peculiar to the environment such as, limited public awareness, the prescriptive orientation of the Insurance Act 2003

and lack of confidence in the insurance operators by the insuring and non-insuring public amongst others.

According to him, with the country’s population of over 160 million, the huge potential of insurance in Nigeria is far from being fully maximised. The insurance sector has the key to the transformation of the entire economy as it presents vast opportunities for the citizens, industry, financial service sector and the economy.

He identified the insurance industry as

a major tool for wealth creation stating that there will be no real growth or development unless the insurance industry is strong, reliable and capable of playing its major role as major mover of the economy.

He said, “Nigeria will attain rapid and sustained economic growth if it deepens its insurance penetration whereby more members of the population can buy one or more of the available insurance products.”

He added that the public

lecture would not have come at a better time that the President’s administration is making all efforts to transform all the sectors of the nation’s economy stressing that NBGN strongly believe s that proper focus and development of the insurance industry and its huge potential is critical to the achievement of the President’s transformation agenda.

Also speaking at the event, the special adviser to the President on NEPAD, Ambassador Fidelia Njeze said the public lecture

was apt and captured the aspiration of NEPAD Nigeria for the insurance industry in the country pointing out that the industry plays a critical role of risk sharing or risk spreading.

Njeze who was represented by the director, admin and finance, in the Presidency, Mazi Okey Nzem said the industry is a major source of medium to long term investment funds which are usually deployed to fund developmental initiatives such as infrastructure, capacity building and the likes.

FUG Pensions Raises Paid Up Capital To N1.5bn Future Unity Glanvills (FUG) Pensions Limited has continued to increase its paid share capital in a bid to deliver effective and efficient services to its growing clientele.

Despite being licensed late by the National Pension Commission (PenCom) as a Pension Fund Administrator (PFA), the company said it has scaled-up its paid up capital to N1.5 billion as against the statutory requirement of N1 billion.

Addressing the media in Lagos on the company’s activities, FUG managing director and chief executive officer (MD/CEO) Mr. Usman Suleiman said that the company, having surmounted the initial teething challenges as a new entrant in the industry, has moved from being a fringe player to become one of the top players in the industry.

Suleiman also assured that as the industry moved to a new level with the enactment of the Pension Reform Act 2014 (PRA 2014) which repealed the 2004 PRA, the company is repositioning to deliver more quality services to its customers.

He said the current paid up capital of the company has elevated it to a vantage position to provide best services, adding that FUG customer base has increased significantly with more state governments bringing their accounts into the company’s management.

According to him, FUG Pensions has been appointed in 11 out of the 15 states that have so far keyed into the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).

26

Monday, July 28, 2014

JONATHAN ACTUALIZATION MOVEMENT (JAM) WASHINGTON DC TOWN HALL MEETING VENUE: HAMILTON CROWNE PLAZA, DATE: 6TH AUGUST 2014 THEME:

“Security challengeS, Peace & SuStainable DeveloPment in nigeria” KEyNOTE SPEAKER:

Mr John P. McDonough, Maryland Secretary of State

2ND SPEAKER:

Prof Paula Tendai Johnson, Shaw University, North Carolina

3RD SPEAKER:

General S. Y. Bello Rtd, Representative of Nigeria National Security Adviser

4TH SPEAKER:

Dr. LeVonder Brinkley, Institute for International Empowerment, South Carolina

Announcer: OTUNbA bASIRAT NAHIbI, OON Founder/National Coordinator Jonathan Actualization Movement (JAM)

Abuja In-Market ads Pre launch_Punch NP 170x255mm.pdf

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11:44 AM

Monday, July 28, 2014

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COUNCIL FOR THE REGULATION OF FREIGHT FORWARDING IN NIGERIA (CRFFN) Freight Forwarders’ House 51 Khartoum Street, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja

GENERAL PROCUREMENT NOTICE (GPN) The Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria is an Agency being supervised by the Federal Ministry of Transport. The body is charged with the responsibility to regulate and control the practice as well as to organize and structure the activities of persons, organizations and associations operating the Freight Forwarding business in Nigeria.

The Council wishes to bring to the notice of interested, competent and reputable consultants/contractors that it would carry out procurement of the underlisted works and services in its office located at Freight Forwarders House, 51 Khartoum Street, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja.

2. DETAILS OF WORKS/SERVICES LOT 1: Purchase of Security Equipment for the Enforcement Officers.

LOT 2: Staff Training/Human Capital Development.

3. QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS Interested Companies are expected to possess the following basic requirements.

• Evidence of Company’s Registration with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC); • Company’s Current Tax Clearance Certificate for the Last 3 Years; • Evidence of VAT Registration and Past Remittances; • Evidence of Compliance with Pension Act 2004

• • • • •

Evidence of Industrial Training Fund (ITF) Contribution; Company’s Profile reflecting experience and works of similar Nature and Value; Curriculum Vitae (CV) including relevant experience of key Personnel; Evidence of Financial Capability and support from Bank; Company’s Audited Account for the last (3) years.

4. COLLECTION OF TENDER DOCUMENTS Qualified, interested and eligible consultants are to collect tender/bid document for only one lot at Freight Forwarders House, 51 Khartoum Street, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja upon presentation of evidence (original receipts) for the payment of non-refundable tender fee of N20,000.00 to the Council’s Account, which details are given below or a Bank Draft in favour of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria.

5. SUBMISSION OF TENDER DOCUMENTS The Completed Technical Financial Documents must be submitted in three (3) copies each, including one original and two (2) copies in separate sealed envelopes clearly marked ‘Technical Bid and Financial Bid’ with both sealed in a hard envelope marked with the Appropriate Project Title, and the Company Name at the top right hand corner, addressed and delivered to the address not later than 12 noon on Friday August 28th , 2014.

The Secretary Parastatals Tenders’ Board Procurement Department, Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding In Nigeria, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja.

6. OPENING OF TENDERS The Technical and Financial Bids will be publicly opened at the Freight Forwarders’ House immediately after the close of bids submission at 2:00pm on 28th August, 2014.

7. Contractors or their representatives, interested members of the public and relevant Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are invited to witness the opening of the bids.

8. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/DISCLAIMER This advertisement shall not be constituted as a commitment on the part of the Council nor shall it entitle potential companies to make any claims whatever to seek any indemnity from the Council by virtue of such company having responded to such advertisement.

The Council reserves the right to make available the tender documents to qualified bidders only.

Signed: The Registrar Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria

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Monday, July 28, 2014

health

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Monday, July 28, 2014

2050

The United Nations Water Development Report projected that by 2050, at least one in four people, would likely live in a country infected by chronic or recurring shortage of fresh water

F E AT U R E S N E W S T I P S I N T E R V I E W

$82m

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday last week approved $82 million (about N13.1 billion) loan facility to accelerate the eradication of polio from Nigeria health@leadership.ng, 08116706845

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The NMA

demands appointment of 4 & 3 Deputy Chairman Medical Advisory Committee at Teaching Hospitals and FMCs

The NMA is opposed to the appointment of Directors at hospitals

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demands that only medical doctors can be called Consultants

Cold Water Not Hazardous To Pregnant Women The myth about the effect of cold water on a pregnant woman and her unborn baby is as old as the society itself. Over the years, the story has been told and told again by the older mothers to the younger ones about the need to avoid drinking cold water at pregnancy to avert its consequences for the unborn babies. ARONKE OLAYIWOLA writes on this

Top 3 Headline ➊ Ebola: WHO

Urges Community Engagement To Stop Transmission

➋ Polio Will Be

History By December – Muhammed

➌ ‘Standardized Garlic Powder Reduces Heart Attack Risk’

The common myth is that pregnant women stand the risk of giving birth to babies with asthma, pneumonia and several other respiratory diseases if they consistently drink cold water.

That is why in some of our communities, older women appear highly incensed with pregnant women who discard this agelong admonition by drinking cold water.

Another is that if a pregnant woman drinks a lot of cold water, the blood vessels in the respiratory mucous membrane such as nose, throat, windpipe will shrink suddenly and cause a reduction in the flow of blood and consequently reduces the

woman’s resistance to diseases. Drinking a lot of cold water is also said to increase the frequency of movement of the foetus in the womb, thereby making the woman unease.

A retired civil servant, Mrs. Ayowale Aloba is very emphatic that when a woman takes cold water during pregnancy, there are attendant risks which she can hardly escape from. That is why she recommends avoidance of cold water by every pregnant woman.

A husband and father, Mr. Babajide Akintola said he would not allow his wife take cold water during pregnancy. In his opinion “cold water does not

only affect the baby but also the mother. My wife insisted on drinking a lot of cold water while she was pregnant and as a result when our baby was born, he sneezed a lot. I would however not allow her to do so anymore. I also know from growing up in the village that cold water affects the bones, it makes the bones become weak even before one gets old”.

Akintola added that “in the villages, women are not allowed to take cold water while they are pregnant, that is even if they have access to it as it can harm the foetus. Our mothers and older women make sure of that”.

But a mother of two young daughters, Mrs. Faith Akintunde, said there is no scientific or medical backing for the claim that drinking of cold water is hazardous for pregant woman. She however cautioned that “mothers to be are just advised to be careful with excessive drinking of cold water so that it does not result into cold or cough”.

In Akintunde’s opinion, “if a

pregnant woman has got cough, it could lead to threatened abortion or even abortion itself. I personally took a lot of iced water, since I knew I could tolerate it”.

A Nigerian gynecologist based in the United States, Dr. Tinuola Ajayi, also said there is nothing medically wrong with taking cold water.

“Over there, in the United States, pregnant women are given cold water when they require the baby to move or to know if the baby is awake. Thankfully we do not get much of such criticisms here; they could cut pregnant women’s head for almost anything especially in Nigeria. In the US women are given ice chips during labour. It helps with sensory pain. So I really do not think neither have I heard of any negative effect of cold water during pregnancy.”

Asked if he would allow his wife take cold water during pregnancy, an expectant father, Mr. Joe Olorunfemi responded in the affirmative. “My wife can take as much cold water as she wants, I will not stop her.

The pas➍ sage of the National Health Bill and Universal Health Coverage of 100% of Nigerians

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30 HEALTH/NEWS

Monday, July 28, 2014

Cold Water Not Hazardous To Pregnant Women 29

I always ask her to cross-check any of her doubts from her gynecologist, that way we have adequate information on whatever we are doing.

“As far as I am concerned and as far as I know, the cold water goes into the stomach, while the baby lives in the uterus, there is no association of any form or connection from the stomach to the uterus that will aid the cold water’s passage unto the baby in the uterus. If my wife wants to take it, I will encourage her as long as it brings relief to her in pregnancy. A pregnant woman has too many things to

deal with than to deprive her of something that will bring her relief,” he added.

A nurse and midwife at the Eko Hospital, Lagos, Mrs. Yinka Agbelusi also lent support toAjayi’s view. “I personally took a whole lot of cold water while I was pregnant with all my children. They are grown now and if anything, rather than be cold or asthmatic as people presume, they sweat a lot and cannot even stand a fairly warm weather,” she said.

For consultant gynecologist, Dr. Oluwole Alabi, there is absolutely nothing wrong with preg-

nant women taking cold water.

“Pregnant women are generally advised to drink a lot of water.

This reduces their risk of deep venous thrombosis (clots in the legs). If a woman reports reduced movements by her baby, we always advise them to take cold water and if all is well with the baby, movements would be restored to normal immediately,” he said.

Alabi maintained there are no consequences for the unborn baby whose mother takes plenty of cold water either in the womb or when the baby is delivered.

“The notion that certain chest problems such as asthma are associated with drinking of cold water has no medical basis,” he further pointed out.

In all of this, moderation, however, is prescribed. As Mark Twain said “water, taken in moderation cannot hurt anybody”. Throw moderation to the winds, according to Democritus, and the greatest pleasures bring the greatest pains. Cold water not taken in moderation can make the mother susceptible to infections such as cold and catarrh at a time of low immunity such as in pregnancy.

‘Standardised Garlic Powder Reduces Heart Attack Risk’ Studies have suggested that garlic may lower cholesterol and prevent blood from clotting in the internal body tissues. VICTOR OKEKE examines this

This study adds more support to the scientific case for garlic as a “pleiotropic” substance

Over the years, garlic has been used to prevent and treat a wide range of diseases. It is used for many conditions related to the heart and blood system. These conditions include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, coronary heart disease, heart attack and ‘hardenings of the arteries’.

According to Herb Research Foundation, a study published in the May issue of Atherosclerosis showed that a garlic powder supplement can help prevent and, in some cases, even reverse plaque build-up in the arteries.

Researchers have long associated arterial plaque with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

The study was conducted using rigorous controls (randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled) and took place over a four-year period, making it the longest clinical trial to evaluate the effects of a dietary supplement on reducing heart attack risk.

For the four-year study, 152 men and women were randomly assigned to take either placebo or 900 mg of standardized garlic powder daily. From the beginning, all participants had advanced plaque accumulation, in addition to at least one other established risk factor for heart disease, such as high cholesterol or blood pressure, diabetes, or a history of smoking. Researchers used B-mode ultrasound to measure the progression and regression of plaque volume in the common carotid and femoral

arteries, at the beginning of the study and at 16, 36, and 48 months.

At the end of the study, those who took garlic had a 2.6 percent reduction in plaque volume, compared to a 15.6 percent increase in the placebo group. When the effects were analyzed by gender, there was a 4.4 percent decrease in plaque volume in men taking garlic, compared to a 5.5 percent increase in the male placebo group. The results for women initially took researchers by surprise. While women in the garlic group experienced a modest 4.6 percent decrease in plaque volume, those taking placebo had a massive 53.1 percent increase.

According to the researchers, the striking difference between the two female groups was due to a predominance of younger women in the placebo group, and more older women in the garlic group by the end of the study. Although the age distribution was relatively even at the beginning of the study, it became unbalanced as a greater number of younger women in the garlic group withdrew from the study, mostly due to “annoyance by odor”.

However, the investigators asserted that the 4.6 percent decline in plaque volume observed in women taking garlic remains a “genuine garlic effect.”

Based on this study and more than 20 others conducted on standardized powdered garlic, researchers believe that garlic

Garlic Powder

can have not only a preventative but also a curative role in heart disease. Previous studies demonstrate that powdered garlic reduces total and harmful LDL cholesterol levels, serum triglycerides, and blood pressure, and also inhibits cholesterol oxidation and platelet aggregation (the tendency of the blood platelets to clump), among other positive effects.

This study adds more support to the scientific case for garlic as a “pleiotropic” substance, mean-

ing that garlic’s mild effects on many different measurements of heart health add up to significant overall benefits.

Although garlic has numerous medicinal values, experts say that too much of it can cause gastrointestinal ailments, such as heartburns, excess belching, garlicky breath, nausea and possibly diarrhea. Pregnant patients should notify their doctors about any additional heartburn or diarrhea associated with garlic consumption.

water, taken in moderation cannot hurt anybody

NEWS /HEALTH 31

Monday, July 28, 2014

AGING STRATEGY For Preventing Diseases Of Aging

Fruits seller attending to customers at Gosa market along Airport road Abuja. PHOTO BY OGOH JOSEPH

Rape Victims Need Specialised Care – Experts

BY ARONKE OLAYIWOLA, Lagos

With about a year to go before the withdrawal of funding for the operation of the Mirabel Centre, the organisation is seeking financial support from public and private organisations, concerned stakeholders, philanthropists among others, to keep the centre running.

This was disclosed by the managing partner, Itoro Eze-Anaba, Partnership for Justice, which is an international organisation that is providing funding support for the Mirabel Centre. She spoke at the one-day partners meeting

on the Mirabel Centre and Sexual Violence in Lagos State organised by Partnership for Justice with support from Justice for All (J4A).

The Mirabel Centre which is located inside the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, is a safe, friendly and conducive place, where one can get free help after going through the trauma of rape or sexual assault. According to Eze-Anaba, the call, seeking continued funding for the centre became necessary because the funding from Partnership for Justice in collaboration with Jus-

tice for All (J4A), will expire after two years.

Hence, this funding of the Mirabel Centre will be withdrawn at the end of 2015. She said getting more funding that would keep the centre running when Justice for All withdraws, is a big challenge.

However, Eze-Anaba said thereafter, the centre “needs high level of cash inflow for us to sustain that place.” Presently, Mirabel Centre is operating from an office space in LASUTH provided by the Lagos State Government.

Although, she expressed appreciation to the government over the gesture, she noted that the

given space is too small. “We are calling on the government to give us a bigger space so that we can render more effective services for people that are in need,” she said.

On the importance of sustaining this centre, she said the fact that there are no support services that are readily available for the rape survivors and victims of sexual violence is contributing largely to high incidence of rape, adding that this development makes affected persons to keep quiet. Consequently, by keeping quiet, she reasoned that perpetrators go on to the next person and continue to rape and assault other women.

NHIS Boss Calls On States To Help Achieve 30% Coverage By 2015

BY WINIFRED OGBEBO, Abuja

The executive secretary, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Dr Femi Thomas, has called on state governments to support the Scheme in its efforts at achieving the Presidential mandate of 30 per cent health insurance coverage to Nigerians by the end of 2015.

He said this could be achieved if the states fold their workforce into the formal sector programme and support the CBSHIP and PPSSHP initiatives.

Thomas disclosed this when he paid

advocacy visit to Calabar State Governor, Liyel Imoke as contained in a statement made available to LEADERSHIP by the Head, Media & Public Relations Division, Ayo Osinlu.

Speaking during the call on Senator Imoke in Calabar, Thomas stated that the Scheme was presently in the process of procuring state of the art equipment that will make operations such as enrolment, data collection, payment and other transactions within the Scheme transparent, and easily accessible to all stakeholders within the system.

He told the Governor that the Scheme will collaborate with any state government willing to fold its workforce into the formal sector social health Insurance programme, to develop a model that will be affordable and at the same time provide comprehensive health coverage to the enrollees.

The NHIS boss commended the state government for providing over eight hundred primary healthcare centres in various wards of the state, adding that ‘’this will significantly take care of the supply end of the chain in the healthcare delivery sector.’’

‘We Are Positioned To Ensure Quality Professionals’

BY WINIFRED OGBEBO, Abuja

The Registrar, Health Records Officers Registration Board of Nigeria (HRORB), Alh. Mohammed Ibrahim Mami, has disclosed that the board is positioning itself to provide regular continuing professional development training programmes specially designed for the health records professionals.

Alh. Mami said this during a courtesy call to NNPC Group General Manager, Medical services recently, added that the

hitherto paper-based practice is increasingly giving way to electronic information management.

In a statement signed and made available to LEADERSHIP by the public relations officer of the (HRORB), Abu Useni, the registrar, said, “this development is not only resulting in the reconfiguration of practice space from centralize to decentralize: so that practitioners might conceivably work in different areas of the organization, it is also making fundamental demand on the skills which enable the of-

ficers to function effectively in the broader set up of the emerging roles.”

The registrar appealed to the G.G.M Medical services to facilitate the regular participation of health records professionals in the establishment of it’s professional development programmes, saying, “ I am obliged to make this appeal because I know that since my assumption of office at the board, there has been low participant from the NNPC on any of its continuing professional development programmes”.

5.9

A study finds that people with diabetes who consumed an average of 5.9 grams of sodium daily had double the risk of developing heart diseases

85

Eighty five persons were reported to have died in Kaduna as a result of a twin bomb blast explosion last Wednesday and several injured

52% In May, a survey

by NOI Pulls Limited revealed that 52 per cent of adult populations are unaware of causes of heart diseases in their locality

Medicine focuses almost entirely on fighting chronic diseases in a piecemeal fashion as symptoms develop. Instead, more efforts should be directed to promoting interventions that have the potential to prevent multiple chronic diseases and extend healthy lifespans.

Researchers writing in the journal Nature say that by treating the metabolic and molecular causes of human aging, it may be possible to help people stay healthy into their 70s and 80s.

In a commentary published July 24 in Nature, a trio of aging experts calls for moving forward with preclinical and clinical strategies that have been shown to delay aging in animals. In addition to promoting a healthy diet and regular exercise, these strategies include slowing the metabolic and molecular causes of human aging, such as the incremental accumulation of cellular damage that occurs over time. The researchers, at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Brescia University in Italy, the Buck Institute for Aging and Research and the Longevity Institute at the University of Southern California, write that economic incentives in biomedical research and health care reward treating disease more than promoting good health.

“You don’t have to be a mathematician or an economist to understand that our current health care approach is not sustainable,” said first author Luigi Fontana, MD, PhD, professor of medicine and nutrition at Washington University and Brescia University.

POOR HYGIENE: What Is It? Poor hygiene can be a sign of self-neglect, which is the inability or unwillingness to attend to one’s personal needs.

Poor hygiene often accompanies certain mental or emotional disorders, including severe depression and psychotic disorders. Dementia is another common cause of poor hygiene. Other people may develop poor hygiene habits due to social factors such as poverty or inadequacy of social support. Physical disabilities can also interfere with one’s ability to care for oneself and may result in an individual being unable to attend to personal hygiene. There is no treatment for poor hygiene, although antipsychotic and antidepressant medications are used when certain mental illnesses are the cause of this behavior.

32 HEALTH

Monday, July 28, 2014

Polio Will Be History By December – Muhammed

Nigeria has dealt a fatal blow on wild polio virus. Someone who should know says the claim which he describes as authoritative is sequel to some innovations introduced into the wild polio virus eradication programme. In this interview with WINIFRED OGBEBO, the Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Ado Muhammed, says halting the transmission of the virus is already a fait acompli.

SHORT BIO OF DR ADO JIMADA MUHAMMED

Dr Muhammad was appointed Executive Director/CEO of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) on 1 November 2011.

Dr. Ado Muhammad was Staff of the National Programme on Immunization (NPI).

Dr. Ado J.G. Muhammad is a graduate of the School of Medicine, University of Ilorin Nigeria, with a Masters in Public Health from University of Wales, United Kingdom.

How far have you gone since the establishment?

So far, so good. The emergency centre is like the whole war room. You know in every war situation, there is a war room. So what I did is to

DR BIODUN OGUNGBO MBBS, FRCS, FRCSEd, MSc. Consultant Neurosurgeon

08122221616 (SMS only)

Use Your Head Or Lose It London, UK Many hospitals in the UK are built with a good dose of reality - I found that most of the hospitals have a cemetery attached to them.

The cemetery was either in front, across the road or behind the hospital. This is important and evidence of some degree of sensible planning. Because, for people who go into a hospital, its either you go back home or perhaps cross the road to the other side!

What brought about the setting up of the Emergency Polio Centre?

You know we are in a critical stage now of polio eradication effort and Nigeria has made a lot of progress and we felt that Nigeria cannot continue to transmit wild polio virus so we had to do things differently.

It’s not business as usual. Nigeria is one of the three countries that have never interrupted the wild polio virus transmission and we felt that we don’t belong to that comity of endemic nations. So what we did was that in 2012, we carefully reviewed over the years, what has been the missing challenge, why Nigeria keeps on transmitting the virus. One thing became very clear, that we need to go beyond generic approach to tackling the polio challenge; to be proactive in terms of being microscopic and granular and for that to happen, we have to use data so that data will now drive the process of programme implementation.

So what we did in 2012 was to establish what is known as the Polio Emergency Centre because every trace of the wild polio virus in Nigeria now is an emergency. It’s a onestop shop where we have partners, government and all other stakeholders operating under one roof.

The idea is that that centre provides the tactical and operational centre for overseeing implementation of polio programmes in Nigeria. That’s the vision behind having that centre. It provides detailed polio information on what happens in every location in every part of this country in terms of the human resource availability, in terms of the quality of the programmes, in terms of the number of locations that they cover, in terms of their refusal and rejections and then, what is being done. It’s a granular approach using ICT as the key to unlocking the polio challenge in Nigeria.

Surgeon’s Turf

Muhammed

have a war room for polio challenge in Nigeria. We have six other centres in the endemic statesKano, Katsina, Bauchi, Kaduna, Jigawa. Between the time we set up the centres and now, we have been able to reduce by almost 90 percent the burden of wild polio virus in Nigeria. Secondly, we have not seen a single case of wild polio virus type 3 for 20 months in Nigeria. This is unprecedented. It has never happened before in the history of this country. Thirdly, we have also been able to improve the quality of the programme from barely 55, 65 percent as it used to be to about 96 percent in the polio endemic states while in polio non endemic states, we have been able to raise the coverage of OPV uptake to about 80 percent. The centre is really doing well and it’s providing operational leadership for our polio programme.

What do you envisage we will see between now and December?

We have a number of high priority interventions. First, we have identified those areas that are the focal area of transmission and then we recently just finished our high impact interventions in those particular areas while we’ve gone to mop up those areas.

Secondly, for those local government areas that also are not doing well, even though generally we are doing very well, but we still have pockets of local government areas that have their performance in terms of quality lower than the nationally accepted average. Then we also have areas like the four local government areas that are trans-

mitting wild polio virus this year.

So we are also fixing those particular areas.

Then we are also working with the states to sustain the gains that we have made because while we are fixing those local governments areas that are not doing very well, we also should not lose sight of the fact that those local governments that are doing very well, we should make sure that they maintain the standard and also exceed where they are so that they don’t decline.

This is what we intend to do in the next six months and we also intend to carry out high level advocacy visits to all the states. The chairman of Presidential Taskforce on Polio who is the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Haliru Alhassan, will lead that effort. These are some of the things we are putting in place and we intend to achieve in the next six months.

After polio, are we looking at any other disease to eradicate too?

Yes. After polio, because we are at the end game now, what we are doing now is the end game strategy because this year, we’ve only recorded five cases so far and when you compare it with this time last year, we had almost 20 cases and this is high transmission season.

We’ve never been this low in the history of the programme. After polio, because we are almost exiting the polio endemic countries, we intend to transfer the whole asset of polio, that is the human resource, the surveillance, the ICT, the geographical information system we are using to other public health interventions like measles.

Lagos, Nigeria In Nigeria, we are a little different. We do not believe that people can die in hospitals.

Therefore many hospitals have their mortuaries hidden somewhere and not easily identified. Many and none that I can recall have a cemetery attached. Which is good, since we should not always copy what the Englishman does?

Where we do well is that when we build roads we display an uncanny sense of similar reality. Take for instance the huge artery called Ikorodu road in Lagos. It is built within the city and in now, a largely residential area. So, people are almost forced to have to cross the road. As they say, the grass is greener, and there is always something to do on the other side!

So therefore, people cross the road and get knocked down. What are we to do? Ha, I know, let us build a hospital close by. Hence, the National Orthopedic Hospital, Igbobi was born. If you get knocked down, no problem, there is a hospital close by for managing your head injury and fractures. Smart! Igbobi is full to the brim and dripping wet with accident victims.

Use your head or lose it I saw a great picture showing a Fulani chap herding his cattle across the road over the pedestrian bridge. Under the same bridge, Nigerians are running across the road! You will see the young, the old, couples and pregnant women take their lives in their hands and chance death. It seems to me that cows are smarter.

How long will it take to go over the bridge?

How long will it take to get knocked down?

How many people are knocked down daily?

What are the percentages? Just do the sums in your heads and don’t bother to send me the answers. However, all I know is that you only need one failure to succeed in meeting the Almighty. Or you could end up in one of our fabulous hospitals.

What is true, to a small extent is that the government is making serious attempts to stop people from crossing the highways and getting killed. Barricades and central dividers are constantly being erected and yet, constantly being pulled down by the natives as people continues to perish on our roads. This approach is therefore not working!

We need innovative approaches other than building more pedestrian crossings, or more barricades. Our town planners and developers need to look closely at this as a big problem and do something about it.

Painting Zebra lines on the roads is also simply not the answer. Nigerians do not respect Zebra crossing and believe it’s made only for Zebras.

OPINION 33

Monday, July 28, 2014

President Jonathan And The Nigerian Army

BY MOHAMMED ALHASSAN

A country is nothing without its army. In fact, in today’s competitive world, a nation is rated by the quality and efficiency of its armed forces. Corollary to this is the fact that an army cannot be effective and result- oriented unless it has a good Commander- in- Chief or conversely, an army is as good as its commander- in- chief.

It could be said that in the past five years which corresponds to the period President Goodluck Jonathan has been in power corresponds to the period when the Nigerian Army has lost its professionalism, pride of place and fighting ability or combat readiness.

Under the watch of President Goodluck Jonathan as supreme commander, we now have a lacklustre military, the type that has made a friend of the Nigerian current leader, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda to laugh and wonder at Nigeria. The popular Uganda leader, who is a good friend to Nigeria’s Jonathan, recently told a political rally in Kampala, his nation’s capital that he would rather commit suicide by hanging than do what the Nigerian Army has allowed to happen – hand over the security of his country and a fight against a domestic insurgency to foreign forces – the US, UK, France, China and Israel with all the implications for national security of Africa’s so called leading nation.

Under President Jonathan, the Nigerian Army is now like a Boys’ Scout movement which prevaricates and looks for excuses for its failings in the most minimal of security tasks. It was not always like this. The Nigerian Army used to be well ranked and since the early 1960’s have performed with

Jonathan

distinction at international peacekeeping missions of the United Nations.

From a confident and welltrained military whose mere mention put fear in the minds of rebels and trouble makers around the world, the armed forces under its present commander- in- chief has become one that is unsure of itself and issues press statements which are refuted minutes after they are issued or which events in a few days prove to be false.

Recently, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who was a General in that army when it was a force to reckon with, admonished the military to shun propaganda.

Obasanjo made this caution in response to childish claims made by the Chief of Defence Staff which was broadcast on local and foreign television channels that the army

Under President Jonathan, the Nigerian Army is now like a Boys’ Scout movement which prevaricates and looks for excuses for its failings in the most minimal of security tasks.

knew the location of the kidnapped Chibok girls but that it cannot use force to free them to avoid the girls coming to harm.

By cautioning the military against dangerous propaganda or false claims, the former President reflected the views of many Nigerians who are piqued by the poor showing of the nation’s military since the Boko Haram terrorists took on the country full time in the last four years.

All Nigerians remember that it is this same army under its present commander – in – Chief that has watched the insurgency grow from a small time to a big time insurgency that has now compelled us to accept foreign military assistance. Second, everyone remembers how the military claimed that it had eliminated the Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, without providing his dead body or a picture of the latter, only for the commanderin- chief of the Boko Haram to now surface in a demeaning video, triumphantly showing off the more than 250 Chibok school girls in his custody. And yet, that army and its commander – in – chief wants Nigerians to belief that it knows the location of the girls and that it can bring them home!

One is of the view that a serious fighting force does not need to tell the nation that it knows where the kidnapped girls are and the manner it would secure their freedom. The army, if it is still a professional force will do its homework and work quietly to do its job and one day, at a wellplanned press conference, unveil the kidnapped girls to the public, before they are sent back to their various homes.

–Alhassan wrote in from Maitama, Abuja

Dele Fatokun

Reasoning Together reasoningtogether2013@yahoo.com 08158594386 (SMS only)

Heaven And Hell: Knowing The Reality One of the mostly debated issues of our time is the existence of heaven and hell. And severally many had confused the meaning of heaven and hell. For example some refer to heaven as part of the galaxy or as part of the sky, firmament, and clouds or outer space. Many others seem to take hell to mean passing through a very difficult situation or having a very painful experience.

There are others who prefer to remain in oblivion claiming that heaven or hell do not exist just because they could not use their natural senses coupled with the theories of pure and applied science to

prove its existence.

The word of God spoke so much about heaven and that heaven is the abode of God. First and foremost the scripture maintained that “in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”, thus depicting the reality of heaven. We are on earth today and therefore find it easier to believe that earth is real. But the holy writ maintains that just as God created the earth which we see today, He also created the heavens which we do not see with our physical eye nor perceived by our senses at the same time.

However, the fact that we cannot perceive or see

or experience the heavens with our very limited human senses and knowledge cannot in any way negate the fact of Genesis 1:1 otherwise it would be wrong to accept, believe and agree that earth exists just because we are living therein and not to believe that heaven was equally created by the same God. The big bang theory had been invalidated! It will be wrong to say because we cannot see heaven physically it does not exists Almost all religions of the world today believe that heaven is God’s dwelling place. Heaven is where God is situated with all the host,

families of heavens “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them” (Genesis 2:1).

The question now is “what characterises heaven? Is it just another planet yet to be discovered by astronauts or NASSA?” Heaven is a holy place and no sinner will enter there (Revelation 21:27). This is awesome and frightening!

It means even the religious fellows who believe in its existence may not get there because of their lifestyles of ease, dirt, and carelessness.

In fact Jesus emphasised that except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3).

Every Monday With IBRAHEEM A. WAZIRI iawaziri@yahoo.com, 08035167963 (SMS only)

Social Relations Among Indigenes Of Kaduna State: (II)

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et as much as we were able to forgive the caucasoid race that justified and premised its evil transactions in those days on the sentiment of racism, we should be able to forgive those at home who exploited the times for different reasons. We must also not allow our view of one another as victims or victors of those moments to colour our present drive towards productive negotiations.

Enter the times of colonialism from the beginning of the 20th century to the moments of independence.

There was a lot of missionary activities around the Southern part of the state that saw the many ethnic groups who were not Muslims prior to the times, converting to christianity. This altered the social projections and the views of the different groups about one another. There are a lot of literatures and particularly from the active missionary then, Dr. Miller, who painted the Hausa Muslims in bad light and based on pure emotional premises and against the true Christian values, he came to spread.

He and his likes are essentially responsible for the modern Christian perception of the Northern Nigerian Muslim in a supposedly new nation where all should be seen as equal pursuers of happiness and good tidings of living. The Christians see in the Muslims the image of the retarded lots who live in a concretised past and unable to make for citizens of a viable modern state. Whether this is true or not, the Muslim on their part, entertaining mistrust of the Christian colonial imperialists and their missionary friends, still see the chunk of Christians in their localities as agents of the departed white man and a constituted obstacle to the creation of the modern Eldorado in the Muslim world.

The truth is, the present turbulent times which first reached their crescendo in the physical clashes of the 1987, 1992, 2000, etc are as a result of the crystallisation of these views among the two groups.

It is true though that government has not played its role quite supposedly in sharpening the differing perspectives that will make for good co-operation and sustainable peaceful co-existence in the state.

Religious leaders and groups are essentially and like all others, the properties of the government.

Nothing is most powerful and should assume the dictatorship of the content of the public material of any sort than the government.

In this regard it is my hope that the government will make the needed move to contain religious public and often private opinions as they relate to social relations. There is enough room for Muslims in Christianity as much as there is enough room for Christians in Islam as far as social relation is concerned. The sentiment true that everything or anybody good enough for a Christian is also good enough for a Muslim.

There is also the area that civil society can help. The most troubling situation is when a group perceives itself to be superior to another in a supposedly equal operational ground. In the market places, schools or any sort of public arena and especially the new media, there are some Northerners who easily use ethnic slurs and other derogatory terms against other ethnic or religious groups. It is essential that bills are sponsored in our state houses of assembly to make laws against these kinds of presentations; evolve mechanism for implementing the laws and prescribe appropriate punishment for the offenders. There is indeed nothing that generates offensive and ill feelings than what one says about the other. Word of mouth can be said to have been most responsible for the most devastating calamities of the human race in the past.

It will be well for us to check it, if we are ever to realize a dream of a harmonious setting.

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Orji Uzor Kalu My Leadership Series okalu77@yahoo.co m

Politicians: Visible Threat To 2015

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ne major problem responsible for the current state of instability and insecurity plaguing our nation is lack of restraint on the part of politicians. The Nigerian politicians, I regret to observe, have learnt nothing and forgotten nothing. They seem not to be guided by the experience and incidents of the past. The major preoccupation of many of them, as far as their attitudes and utterances are concerned, is how to satisfy their inordinate ambitions to the detriment of the nation. They care no hoot about what consequences their actions and utterances could have on the peace, unity and progress of the nation.

As I had since observed in this column, Nigeria is a country well-crafted

by God and endowed with overflowing human and natural resources to be harnessed for the good of the nation and its people. But what have our politicians done to Nigeria? They have sowed seed of discord everywhere and conducted themselves in a most untoward manner.

Why are there so much hatred, spitefulness and bitterness among us? Why do we hate one another so much that we can even kill and maim without any modicum of conscience?

Yes, we may belong to diverse tribal, political and cultural affiliations, but should that constitute a danger to the sovereignty of our nation? Since independence in 1960 our nation has constantly been buffeted by politicians with their negative and selfish tendencies, even to the point of endangering our nascent democracy.

The gale of bitter criticisms against one another has reached a worrisome level in recent times. There is no single day that passes that we do not read frightening reports about what evil that is to befall Nigeria. Politicians heap tons of curses on one another and threaten one another with all kinds of calamities. If some are not cursing their political adversaries, wishing them dead; some others are sounding the gongs of war. In all of these, who will bear the brunt if anything should happen to Nigeria?

When two elements fight is it not the grass that suffers?

The masses of this country have suffered so much in the hands of politicians. When the economy is mismanaged and life becomes difficult, it is the masses that suffer. When politicians, in their indiscretion, create upheavals, it is the masses that bear the consequences? What of when political parties squabble with one another over inanities? It is the same masses that bear the cross.

The truth is that I have never seen a country where politicians apply dishonesty, cantankerousness and crookedness to achieve political ends as is

the case with Nigeria. This is why I once described Nigerian politicians as too power-hungry and egotistic.

What other explanations would you want from me for my position when you, the reader, are a living witness to all the atrocities that have been committed in the name of politics?

Look at what is happening all over the country. There is no part that is not witnessing one form of crisis or another. Unfortunately, these crises have been deliberately created by some disgruntled politicians to destabilize the country and paint Nigeria black in the eyes of the world.

The manner some of these crises were instigated and executed smacked of treachery, mischief, sabotage and arrogance of power on the part of the perpetrators.

From Edo to Adamawa, Nasarawa to Borno, Rivers to Ebonyi, it is one crisis after another. Impeachment threats rent the air. The various Houses of Assembly across the country have found a new pastime in impeachment and threats of impeach of governors and legislative functionaries. Curiously, these things are happening less than one year to the birth of a new Republic. What exactly do the perpetrators and sponsors of these crises stand to gain from their mischief other than to truncate our democracy?

The crisis in Edo is unique. It has become a theatre of strange happenings, where 7 out of over 20 members have suddenly become the majority.

The same situation is obtainable in Rivers where less than 5 members claim they are now the majority. Situations as these make us a laughing stock before the outside world. Yet our leaders do not see anything wrong in them. There is no way we can continue to condone such recklessness and at the same time expect to be progressive as a nation.

I had hoped by now our politicians would have grown out of their infantile behaviour. Many of them still see acquisition of wealth and transient powers as the ultimate goal of their political odysseys, forgetting they would give account of their stewardship some day. Painfully, these merrygo politicians have failed to learn from the travails of their predecessors.

Those who walk the corridors of power today, thinking they own the world, will someday - not long from now - become ordinary citizens like many of us. How do they plan to reintegrate themselves into the society they so recklessly and heartlessly mistreated? Definitely, they will not find peace and solace since they murdered these values while walking like drunken princes on the floor of a slippery palace.

There is nothing as transient

as power. What will they do when they wake up the next morning, after handing over power, to discover the retinue of security men around them is gone and are faced with the realities of life? This is why some of them die of unknown ailments while others die in installments under the weight of the brutalities and injustices they inflicted on others while the party lasted.

I am sorry for those politicians who are yet to change their attitude to power, because they do not know the harm they cause themselves and their dependants. I know of some politicians who could not live among the people they governed, because of the burden of guilt and the humiliation they suffer in the hands of their chastised people. For such politicians death is a better choice.

If this is so, why then do those now serving not learn from their bitter experiences? The reason is simple: they whom the gods want to destroy, they first make mad. Like Pharaoh, these politicians have chosen to harden their hearts and tow the path of infamy. That is what we describe in local parlance as ‘chop and quench’.

One fact about power, which our politicians have often forgotten, is that it is ephemeral. Sadly, our politicians carry themselves with too much air around them as if they would rule forever. The tragedy of our political development has been the tendency of politicians to go to extreme levels to achieve their political ends. It does not matter to them if there is a word called ‘decency’. All they care about is the entrenchment of their political will, even if it brings the nation down.

The beauty of democracy lies in the latitudes it provides everybody to air his or her views without fear of molestation. However, this freedom has been abused, going by the verbiage and felonious utterances spewing from the mouths of some of our politicians in recent times. Yet, they see nothing wrong in their actions. Instead of showing remorse and turning away from their evil ways, they have rather continued to fuel the embers of hate and instability among our various peoples.

Nigerians are groaning under the weight of the indiscretion and recklessness of our politicians. And this unfortunate situation appears to have dwarfed the efforts by government to provide amenities for the well-being of every Nigerian. Most politicians spend the greater part of their tenures fighting perceived enemies, instead of providing the dividends of democracy to their people who elected them.

The bane of our modern-day democracy is deceit on the part of politicians. They promise their people one

thing and do another as soon as they gain control of power. While some shield themselves from their people, some others even choose to antagonize them. These politicians see themselves as demigods and commit all kinds of atrocities to remain in power.

Why would anybody be in league to bring down his own nation if such a person is not wicked and selfish?

Should our selfish desires obfuscate our sense of reasoning? I have asked these questions, because I am scandalized by the public utterances of some of our politicians who ordinarily should be role-models to the budding politicians. They say whatever they like, whenever they like and to whomsoever they like. They no longer respect constituted authorities or feel anything positive for the nation. It is this type of politicians that foments trouble and causes the hullabaloo that has been our lot in recent years.

Is it not preposterous that some politicians are really working to see Nigeria destroyed? Why? Have they forgotten they have no other nation to call theirs except Nigeria? What will they gain from pulling Nigeria down? They say Boko Haram is a tool being used by some politicians to destroy Nigeria! How true is this allegation? Nobody has yet produced any convincing evidence to support the allegation. If it is true that Boko Haram is being sponsored by some politicians for nefarious agenda, then all of us are in trouble.

For me, I have always seen Boko Haram as a product of an unbalanced social system, even though they might have been infiltrated at a latter day by mischief-makers. That may also explain the perilous dimensions the conflict has assumed of recent.

Let me offer some pieces of advice to the sponsors, if any, of the dreaded sect: they should desist from their evil act or be consumed by the wrath of God. If any politician has any grouse about the government he should not direct his anger against innocent people – killing and maiming them?

Just as nothing in life lasts forever, so does evil. Evil has an expiry date.

When your cup is full, God calls you to face judgement. Those who kill under whatever guise will face the same fate someday soon.

As 2015 approaches feverishly, it is time for our politicians to do an introspection to see where they have failed in their duties and expectations of the masses. They need to re-examine themselves and reconcile themselves with those they have offended and ask for God’s forgiveness. We cannot afford to sweep what is happening under the carpet and go on with life as if nothing is amiss. Many things are

wrong with our nation and they must be rectified if we are to continue to live as one. The ongoing national conference is one of the ways the present administration intends to address some of these knotty issues. But does the conference actually have the capacity to deal with these issues. The attitudes and utterances of some of the politicians in the conference do not give us much hope. They have carried their crookedness to the conference, trying to disorient it.

I am compelled to ask, at this juncture, must we play politics with everything under the sun? Politics is a serious business that should not be trivialized. Nomination into the national conference should be seen as a privilege and call to service rather than a tool for mischief-making or settling political scores. The conference can only achieve the objective for which it was established when its members come to terms with the real reason they were nominated in the first place.

What I expect the leadership of this country to do urgently is to call everybody who is misbehaving to order, irrespective of the political party to which he belongs. We must be seen to be fair and equitable in the discharge of our duties. If we want genuine reconciliation, the first thing to do is to do justice to all manner of people. Nigeria belongs to all of us and every Nigerian must be made to feel he belongs.

Politicians should be made to account for any atrocity they commit, no matter how highly placed such a politician maybe. It does not make sense to do selective justice and still expect the nation to be united. Some politicians have grown wings because they seem to be backed by some powerful individuals. If we subject every Nigerian politician to constitutional scrutiny then we will have removed one huge impediment on the way of our attaining democratic freedom and sustainability.

There is no peace among the peoples of Nigeria for the simple reason that we seem to have forgotten that we belong to each other. That we belong to different tribes, religions, political parties or cultures does not make one not to be a Nigerian any longer. It is just an accident of history that God made us the way we are and to be where we are. Instead of fanning the embers of hate we should apply our God-given talents for the advancement of our collective interests.

We must place every politician under surveillance as we approach 2015.

This has become imperative since we now know they are a major threat to national unity and progress. Failing to do so will amount to deliberately walking into a trap set for us.

politics today Monday, July 28, 2014

REPORTS ANALYSES REVIEWS INTERVIEWS

Yorubas Will Protect Their Votes – Bolorunduro

Bolorunduro

The Yoruba people know how to defend themselves.

We have a history that in 1955 elections were rigged in South West and there were attempts to trample upon the wish of the people, and what happened?

People rose in defence of their rights and their votes

Dr. Wale Bolorunduro is the chairman, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola Campaign Committee in Ijesa North federal constituency and Osun State commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning. In this interview with kazeem akintunde, Bolorunduro speaks on the forthcoming gubernatorial elections in the state, defection of Senator Isiaka Adeleke from PDP to APC and other sundry issues issues.

As the date for the governorship election draws closer, there are fears that it will be trailed with violence because of several interests. Would you say you agree to this?

How will it be trailed with violence? We have a sitting governor. We have the Police.

We have other security agencies.

I believe they will not shirk their responsibilities. We have been sending messages to the federal government that the southwest people and the Yoruba people know how to defend themselves.

We have been sending a signal to them that they should look at the history and to look at the etymology of the events, the Yoruba people know how to defend themselves. We have a history that in 1955 elections were rigged in southwest and there were attempts to trample upon the wish of the people, and

what happened? People rose in defence of their rights and their votes, and what happened, the first republic fell. In 1983, there were issues of post-election violence in the southwest; Ondo, Oyo, what happened? The second republic fell. So the signals are there, the history is there. The historical facts are there. We are all products of history and we know that the federal government and the president, as the father of the nation, will remain very fatherly and will ensure that he also becomes part of the great history in Nigeria that there was a president that presided over an election and the election was fair.

So if there is anything left for the federal government, it is for them to prove to the world that they can preside over an election that is free and fair and I know Mr. President will seize the moment and he will want to be part of the history and I

know that once that is established, we will have free and fair elections and there will not be violence.

As chairman of Aregbesola Campaign Committee in Ijesa North federal constituency of Osun State, how has the committee been faring in its assignment?

So far so good. You can see that we have started mobilising our people and galvanising them towards coming out en masse during the election and casting their votes for Ogbeni. And not only casting their votes, but defending their votes and making sure their votes count. We have met with all the traditional chiefs and the kings who are the custodians of our culture and the custodians of the people’s trust. What we have done is to sensitise them. It is left for them to give back to Ogbeni. We have moved from ward to ward, we

have carried our campaign to the nooks and cranny of Ijesa North constituency. We have left no stone unturned because we toured towns, villages and hamlets where we have the bulk of the electorates.

We received warm welcome everywhere we went, which indicates the love of our people for Ogeni Aregbesola. Name any community in the constituency, we have been there. We are not stopping at that, we already have people on ground who go house to house, door to door canvassing support for Ogbeni. We have never at any community, faced disappointments in terms of reception because what Ogbeni has done for each community has served as impetous for easy access to them. We are equally educating the people on voting process and that they should not be scared by the presence of security agents. Ogbeni has done so much for Ijesa North federal constituency and they are very proud of him. He is the beacon of hope for the Ijesas and we stand to say that we are very hopeful and we thank God for giving us this very visionary leader in the state of Osun and we join other people to ensure that Ogbeni returns to continue his good work and to ensure that we also stimulate him to do more. It is not enough to make sure that Ogbeni wins, but what will make him to do much more. Currently, Ogbeni works an average of twenty hours a day. He barely sleeps up to four hours. We believe if we push him more, he will deliver more to us. We want to stimulate him by returning him with the maximum votes ever cast in Osun. And not only that, we should deliver a historical landmark victory to him and God willing, it shall be so.

In what ways is your committee trying to outsmart others strategically?

You see, politics is changing now.

It is a game of strategy. It is a game of tactical plan as you get to the field. So, we will not let out our strategies. We know our terrain very well and we know the challenges here in Ijesa North and what we are already executing strategies that will deliver maximum votes for Ogbeni.

Donald Ojogo, Group Politics Editor ➔ CONTINUES ON PAGE 38

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Yorubas Will Protect Their Votes – Bolorunduro ➔ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 37

know if there is any political office that I don’t know. For me, I think it is very unusual. It is a way of discouraging me, but I will not be discouraged until Ogbeni is returned, and not only returned but returned in a remarkable way that will convince the whole world that Nigeria, especially Osun people, know how to appreciate people and the people of Osun will appreciate him by returning him with the highest number of votes that have ever been casted and with highest number of percentage compared with the population in Nigeria. So I believe that that is a lovely goal that I will like to be part of and I will play the game with other team members to ensure that nothing stops us from achieving that desired goal.

What is the aim of setting up campaign committees at federal constituency level?

Someone that can ensure that jobs are created and delivered to the people of Osun, that wants to make Osun the pride of Nigeria, and make Nigeria the pride of Africa. You will never have that kind of opportunity twice

You see, it is also devolution of powers as well as of responsibilities. Rather than concentrating campaign activities at the state level, the APC is strategic and party leaders at the state level decided to take the campaign and rally closer to the people by devolution of these activities to the federal constituencies. What this means is that we are going to be able to involve more of our people and each federal constituency has its own peculiarity, and of course through the state campaign committee. And I’m sure you know that the state campaign committee is also there. The federal campaign committee will give feedback to the state campaign committee and we will report to them. Through that, we will be able to enjoy the synergy of efforts and through that we will be able to compare notes and learn from one another. I believe that this bottom up approach to campaign and electioneering activities helps to ensure that party people are carried along, and people are involved and the peculiarities of each federal constituency are well taken care of. I believe this is the updatable strategy and I believe it is also demonstration of democracy at work and progressive approach towards changing things and making things better. And I believe it will deliver the maximum results. Our people at home are excited; they are members of the election committee. In our own federal constituency, we have even created committees at the local government level and even the ward level and to the polling unit. And we will get maximum results. So I must thank our people, I must thank the party and the state executive council of the APC in Osun for this innovative approach towards electioneering.

There is this insinuation that you are in both the state and federal constituency campaign committees for strategic reason. Could you explain the reason?

I believe that I met Aregbesola as governor of Osun State and I came into his cabinet when he was already governor and I believe that the best way to reciprocate my invitation to this government is to make sure he remains governor.

Personally, I have a philosophy that if I come to you or you come to me, I must leave you and you must leave me a better person.

I believe if Aregbesola wins the second term in a remarkable way,

Bolorunduro

he will be a better person. So my goal is not to diminish him but to ensure that I will be leaving him a better person than how I met him. Whenever he dissolves his cabinet, I want to be able to look back and say that I came to work for him and worked with him as a governor, and I am leaving him a governor. So my aim and my goal is to do whatever it takes, without committing a crime, to ensure that he delivers his best and to ensure that I move all the mountains and all the hills to ensure that Aregbesola is returned. Why? The reason is this. I believe you can never have this kind of opportunity twice.

The opportunity of having a leader who has a deep understanding of what it takes to grow the economy and at the same time what it takes to develop a state within the constraints of federal system which we are practicing in Nigeria.

I believe, if we have someone like this, we may not have him twice, so this is a very great opportunity to have such a man who has passion for development, who has energy for development and who is so determined to ensure that Osun becomes a very good state that can retain the working class, that can ensure that good infrastructure are available for sustainable economic development and that can ensure that the standard of living improves. Someone that can ensure that jobs are created and delivered to the people of Osun, that wants to make Osun the pride of Nigeria, and make Nigeria the pride of Africa. You will never have that kind of opportunity twice, and so this is a great opportunity for us to clinch him and put all personal interests aside. But I personally have never hustled for anything in my life.

God has always been merciful to deliver positions to me. I am not

doing this for any selfish interest or gain. There is nothing I need to prove again in life other than to serve humanity and God has given me the opportunity to serve humanity, first in the private sector, to grow a business that was employing hundred people to fifteen thousand people. And now, I have the opportunity to serve in my state and to work with the most remarkable visionary leader, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. I think it is very unfortunate that we live in a country where our private system is so distorted that people always think there must be something you need before you do something. Tell me, what is the need for Ogbeni other than he has the passion and ability and he wants to translate it to greatness for the greatest number of people? So if Ogbeni does not have any selfish interest, why should anybody working for him have? Our role should be to work with him, galvanise our people, use our energy and resources and fight like a Trojan horse and drive our people and drive the process to make sure that not only does he return, but he returns in a remarkable way. I believe that should be our selfish interest. Our selfish interest should be Ogbeni.

Are you saying that you have no personal interest?

What for? I came to this business as a bank executive. I came to this business working less hours and earning more than I am earning.

I came into this business as a potential bank managing director, having pioneered different industries in the banking sector.

I pioneered telecom financing. I pioneered infrastructure sector financing. I was a household name in telecom. I was a household name in power sector. So what is in it for me to gain? So I don’t

How would you describe the recent defection of Senator Isiaka Adeleke into the fold of All Progressives Congress (APC)?

Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke happens to be, not only a governor, but the first democratically elected governor of the State of Osun and he was elected on the platform of progressive party. So in terms of historical reason, he has always been progressive. And not only progressive, but someone who knows when the tide has changed and whenever there is new tide that is capable of galvanising people towards development, he is someone that recognises that tide. I believe he knows the tide has changed and the current tide is for development in the State of Osun, and that is why he has come back home. And as Asiwaju of Ede, and of course the first governor of the State of Osun, he is welcomed to the fold of progressives as an elder statesman. He is also welcomed as a progressive and as a great team player who is going to play a major role in galvanising our people towards development in the State of Osun and I am sure he has been impressed with the performance of our governor, Rauf Aregbesola and when the opportunity came for him to switch over, he did so. And we are very glad. We congratulate him and we say, Baba you are welcome.

What is your advice to the people?

My advice for the people is that they should be watchful and they should be confident that the security agents will play their roles and carry out their constitutional duties of maintaining peace and order and protecting them. They should come out en masse to vote and defend their vote and ensure that their votes count and then sit back to enjoy the developmental work that Ogbeni will implement for them during his second term.

senate diary Monday, July 28, 2014

Kaduna Bombings: Senate Calls For Ceasefire

The leadership of the Senate last week expressed shock and dismay over bombings that rocked the city of Kaduna which claimed over 80 lives and was said to target two prominent northern Nigerians. This incident is coming after the Senate received a request from President Goodluck Jonathan seeking approval for $1billion loan to fight rising insecurity in the country. Jonathan NdaIsaiah writes on the Senate’s reaction to the bombings and other related issues.

W

hen the governor of Borno State, Ibrahim Shettima said sometime back that the Boko Haram insurgents are better armed than the military who are supposedly fighting them off, it generated outcry, especially from a group of politicians who felt it was an affront to them. However, recent events have shown that the insurgents are indeed better armed and better prepared for warfare than the Nigerian army.

It seems the strength of the insurgents continues to grow as their attacks have now become more rampant, daring, deadlier and closer to home, while Nigerians now live in constant fear of where the next bomb is going to explode.Terrorism is a term now synonymous with Nigeria as bombs go off on a weekly basis in the country, killing scores and leaving hundreds injured.

The war against terrorism is taking another dimension with most Nigerians wondering if the federal government can indeed win the war against the insurgents. Gory tales of the insurgents killing and hoisting flags in some communities have become the norm rather than the exception.

Only last week, Kaduna and Kano States were again hit by bombs that claimed lives and properties. The Senate has responded, with the president of the Senate, David Mark, urging the perpetrators of terrorism and bomb blasts terminating lives of innocent Nigerians to sheathe their swords no matter the issues as killings cannot be a solution to any problem.

In a similar vein , the deputy Senate president , Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has described the Kaduna bomb attacks as a double tragedy aimed at the soul of the nation.

Senator Mark noted in a statement issued by his chief press secretary, Paul Mumeh, that there is no where in the world where violence or killings of people has solved any issue but rather, it has

aggravated and complicated issues.

He stated that the unabating killings and destruction of property would only worsen the economic and socio- political situation of Nigeria while renewing his appeal to the perpetrators to hearken to the voice of reason and embrace dialogue which the present administration consistently offers.

A worried Mark stressed, “This resort to bestiality without human feeling any more is what cannot be contemplated or tolerated in a decent society . There are a lot of channels including the law courts or the National Assembly for any aggrieved person or group of persons to seek redress.

“Resort to killings is inhuman, barbaric and reprehensible . Let us meet at a common ground to solve this problem. Life is too precious to be wasted .I also know that no religion any where in the world preaches violence or killing of people.”

The Senate president however urged the security operatives not to be deterred by the turn of events but be further strengthened towards winning the war against terrorism.

He expressed condolence to the bereaved family even as he called on citizens to be more vigilant in this trying times.

Meanwhile, Ekweremadu in a statement signed by his special adviser on Media, Mr. Uche Anichukwu, expressed a deep sense of loss over the massive destruction of lives and property occasioned by the dastardly acts while expressing solidarity with Gen Muhammadu Buhari and the Islamic scholar, Sheik Dahiru Bauchi over the incidents.

He observed that the characters behind the attacks were “unrepentant agents of satan and desperate schemers bent on throwing the nation into chaos and bloodshed”, and “another desperation to aggravate and exploit the nation’s fault lines.

They have attacked churches to set Christians at war with their Muslim brethren, but without success.

“They unleashed terror on the

Mark

Resort to killings is inhuman, barbaric and reprehensible . Let us meet at a common ground to solve this problem. Life is too precious to be wasted .I also know that no religion any where in the world preaches violence or killing of people mosques to set the country aflame, but that too did not work. Thus the unsuccessful attacks on major opposition and religious leaders were yet another heinous plot to get at the soul of this nation.”

He, therefore, called for caution and restraint on the part of the political elites so as not to heat up the polity.

According to him, “We must all be careful not to play the country into the hands of her enemies through hasty conclusions and careless remarks in the bid to make political capital out of a national tragedy.”

He further noted that “the times call for equanimity, courage, and prayers, especially since our enemies, their bombs and bullets do not know any tribe, religion, section, or party.”

Ekweremadu expressed heartfelt condolences to all those who lost their loved ones and prayed for the peaceful repose of the dead and quick recovery of the injured.

He assured Nigerians that with faith and total patriotism, the nation would emerge stronger from the challenges of the moment.

It will be recalled that President Goodluck Jonathan had two weeks ago written to the Senate seeking the consent of the National Assembly for external borrowing of not more than $1b to tackle the ongoing security challenges in the country.

In the letter read by Senate president, David Mark, Jonathan stressed the need to upgrade the equipment, training and logistics of the armed forces and security services to enable them more forcefully confront this serious threat.

According to Jonathan, “You are no doubt cognisant of the ongoing and serious security challenges which the nation is facing, as typified by the Boko Haram terrorist threat. This is an issue that we have discussed at various times”. “ For this reason, I seek the concurrence of the National Assembly for external borrowing of not more than $1b including government to government arrangement for this upgrade “ “While counting on the steadfast support of the distinguished members of the Senate as always, please accept, distinguished Senate president, the assurances of my highest consideration “ The request has drawn reactions from several quarters, as in the 2014 budget, defence got the lion share of N968.127 billion in the budget. Most Nigerians demanded to know how much was expended in the fight against the insurgents in the last two years.Some Nigerians are also of the view that no amount is too much as long as it will get the desired results in the war against terrorism.

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Monday, July 28, 2014

THE ELECTABLES Special Edition on July 30th, 2014

Who makes the list?

The best among Nigeria’s politicians; the best among those who aspire for political and elective office; the most popular candidates; the traiblazers; Nigeria ‘s most presentable candidates and those who have the vision and sense of mission to lead.

This is a must read!

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SPECIAL ProJECTS PUBLICATIoN

news extra 41

Monday, July 28, 2014

Impeachment Of Opposition Govs, Invitation Of Anarchy – APC The All Progressive Congress (APC) has condemned the ongoing impeachment of opposition governors in the country, warning that the development was an invitation of anarchy to the country.

The party, however, insisted that it would not be discouraged by the recent removal of ex- Adamawa state governor, Murtala Nyako.

“What we are saying is that if this ugly trend is allowed to continue, it is capable of truncating the ongoing democracy in the land,” the party said.

Leader of APC in Enugu State, Brigadier-General Joseph Okoloagu (Rtd) who spoke during the formal inauguration of the Dr. Ben Nwoye-led state executive committee of the party in Enugu over the weekend, stated that no amount of blackmail or propaganda by the PDP would force the opposition party to abandon its project of wrestling power from President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.

Okoloagu expressed regrets that rather than addressing many problems confronting Nigeria occasioned by PDP’s bad governance, the Jonathan-led administration was busy plotting how to impeach more elected opposition governors.

By Nnamdi Mbawike, Enugu.

Sallah: Gov Shettima Sympathises With Borno Citizens

“

Borno State governor, Kashim Shettima yesterday sympathised with citizens over tough measures taken in Maiduguri with a view to safeguarding lives and property, noting that the steps were in the best interest of all.

Speaking while hosting government officials, security heads and some citizens at the Government House shortly after the Eid prayers which he attended, Shettima said his heart was heavy, seeing citizens trekking miles from their houses to Eid grounds because vehicles were barred by the military from moving in the capital following intelligence reports that Boko Haram members were planning to detonate explosive devices to wreak havoc in the state.

Shettima said: “While we were driving from the Government House to the Eid ground earlier, I was highly traumatised on seeing our parents, uncles, wives, daughters, sons and younger brothers and sisters trekking under the scorching sun in an attempt to observe a very important spiritual rite which is the Eid prayers.These people have committed no crime at all order than trooping out as devoted Muslims seeking the favours of Allah.”

By Abdulkareem Haruna, Maiduguri

Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido (left) with the Emir of Dutse, Alhaji Nuhu Sunusi during sallah in Dutse, yesterday. PHOTO

BY NAN

Cholera Outbreak Kills 6 In Taraba ers are currently receiving treatment at various hospitals No fewer than six persons in the local government. have reportedly died following “From the report we have a fresh outbreak of cholera in received from the officer inBali local government area of charge of town clinic, so far, Taraba State. about six people have lost their A deputy director of health lives and twenty-seven others in the local government, Mr. are currently affected by the Adamu Alura, who stated this disease” he said. yesterday during an interview He noted that those affectwith journalists, said that six ed by the disease are from Bali people have already lost their A and B wards of the local govlives while twenty-seven oth- ernment area.

By Andrew Ojih, Jalingo

“I have already written to the local government management demanding for certain amount of money to enable them buy drugs for the treatment of those affected by the disease,” he said, adding that they have also written to the concerned authority in the state on the outbreak of the disease, while the state government has directed a senior staff at the state ministry of Environment to sensitise

people on the need to observe proper hygiene.

Alura disclosed that the people were also advised to report to any case of frequent vomiting and stooling to the nearest hospital for prompt action.

Efforts to contact the commissioner of Health in the state, Pharm. Oliver Wubon for comments proved abortive as his phone lines were not going through as at the time of filling this report.

APC Seeks Global Inquiry Into Assassination Attempt On Buhari

By George Okojie, Lagos

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has called for an international inquiry into last Wednesday’s assassination attempt on its leader, Gen.Muhammadu Buhari.

The party said the enquiry should unravel the motive and the perpetrators of the dastardly act that could have plunged the country into a deep turmoil, had it succeeded.

In a statement issued in Benin on Sunday by its national chairman, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, the party said it does not have confidence that Nigerian security agencies can carry out an im-

partial investigation because they work for the government instead of the nation.

It said the call has become more urgent because the agents of the federal government have started muddling the waters with their sickening statements and actions on the attack. ‘’How does one explain a situation in which a man who is nothing but a pervert is now being paraded as the suspected ‘mastermind’ of the attack on Gen. Buhari? At what point was this man, who perhaps is nothing but a transvestite plying his trade, arrested? Is it not clear, from the statement released by Gen. Bu-

hari himself after the attack, that it was clearly the handiwork of a suicide bomber? ‘’Could the person who drove the vehicle that was rammed into the general’s convoy have survived the explosion that was triggered by that action? Could the innocent passers-by who died in the blast not have been arrested and paraded as the ‘suspected masterminds’ if they had survived the blast? Clearly, the arrest of the pervert and his sickening description as a ‘suspected mastermind’ have kick-started the process of muddling the waters, as is usually the case with such high-profile cases. ‘’This is why an urgent interna-

tional inquiry into the attack is desirable and imperative, and anyone who is committed to an impartial probe of the attack on the opposition leader should embrace our call,’’ APC said, adding that the insurgency and its spin-offs are now clearly beyond the capability of this federal government.

The party also said the call has been further justified by the statements and insinuations emanating from the ruling PDP and the presidency, both of which now seem to be pointing accusing fingers at the same party (APC) that is clearly the target of the failed assassination attempt on one of its top leaders.

Niger East By-election: Musa Challenges Zagabayi For PDP Ticket

By Abu Nmodu, Minna

Another aspirant, Hon Abdullahi Musa, has emerged in the People Democratic Party (PDP) barely two weeks to the Niger East senatorial-bye Election despite the endorsement of the immediate past deputy governor of Niger State, Dr Shem Nuhu Zagbayi, by the party.

In a letter dated July 24, 2014 obtained by LEADERSHIP, Hon Musa who was a member of the

House of Representatives from 1999 to 2003 informed the state party chairman that after consulting with stakeholders in the zone, he has decided to contest in the bye-election.

The letter read in part, “I, Hon Abdullahi Musa after consulting widely with well-meaning indigenes and stakeholders of our dear zone, wish to inform you of my intention to contest for the position (Niger East senatorial seat).”

According to him, his experience as one of the foremost members of the National Assembly where he served as the chairman of the House Committee on Commerce has availed him the needed experience to contest and will be an added advantage for the party.

While seeking for the chairman of the party’s support , Hon Musa said that with the support of the party, he will carry out the mandate of the people and also com-

plete the works started by the late Senator Dahiru Aweisu.

When asked why he decided to contest when the party has already endorsed Dr Zagbayi as its candidate, Hon Musa said, “I don’t believe that there is an endorsement, a party like ours should be seen to be democratic. PDP is a democratic party. I can remember vividly when the present national chairman came, he made it clear that there is no automatic ticket.”

Monday, July 28, 2014 SALLAH Eid-el-Fitr: Emir Sanusi Pleads For Tolerance, Sacrifice

42 news NATIONAL Al-Makura Sues For Peace Nasarawa State governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, has called on the citizens of the state to continue to propagate peace and harmonious coexistence in the state, saying development can only take place in a tranquil atmosphere.

Governor Al - Makura made the call yesterday in a state wide broadcast immediately after observing his Eid prayers in Lafia.

He noted that the state has started enjoying peace after a turbulent past and called on individuals and groups in the state to make necessary sacrifices and commitment towards ensuring that lasting peace is achieved.

He also called on politicians and community leaders to desist from actions and comments that would inflame embers of discord, hate and mutual suspicion noting that social strife only serves to destroy people.

By Donatus Nadi, Lafia

By Abubakar Salihi, Kano

Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi 11, has, in the spirit of EidEl-Fitr’, secured the release of 11 prisoners in Kano State.

This is just as he has called on Nigerians to imbibe the culture of tolerance and sacrifice by emulating Prophet Muhammed’s (SAW) simple way of life that was characterised by patience,

humility, sacrifice and genuine understanding for the peace of all.

The royal father said this yesterday while leading the Eid prayer at Kofar Mata Eid ground, Kano.

“After the Ramadan, we should be more determined to live in the path of Allah as true believers’’, Sanusi counselled, while adding, ‘’We should also

continue to emulate the exemplary attributes of Islam which are love, tolerance, and peaceful co-existence”.

He further called on the people of the state to continue praying for peace, unity and progress of humanity.

The Emir emphasised the need to carry all the lessons learned during Ramadan fasting along to be closer to God and refered to

some chapters and verses of the Holy Qur’an where the importance of peaceful co-existence was emphasised.

The prayer was attended by the state’s deputy governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, members of the state executive council, members of the Emirate Council, some members of the Diplomatic Corps, business community and politicians.

short news Ahmed Urges Muslims to Pray for Nigeria’s Restoration

Emir Of Hadejia Calls For Election Credible Leaders In 2015 The Emir of Hadejia , Jigawa State, his highness, Dr Adamu Abubakar Maje has charged people to vote only for credible leaders in the forthcoming 2015 general election as they are the only answers to the peace, unity and progress of any given society.

The emir made the call while delivering his Sallah massage yesterday at the ancient city of Hadejia.

He said people must shun politics of money and vote candidates based on merit if they want progress and a stable and united country for the future generation.

Dr Maje also commended Governor Sule Lamido for the kind of exemplary leadership he exhibited which transformed Jigawa State beyond imagination.

By Muh’d Zangina Kura, Dutse

Aregbesola Calls For Prayer of Peace At Sallah The governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has called on Muslims to pray for peace and survival of the country as they end the Ramadan fast.

Aregbesola said this in a message to the Muslim Ummah across the country as they mark Eid el-Fitri in celebration of the end of the thirty-day fast.

In a message signed by the director, Bureau of Communications and Strategy, Office of the Governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, the governor said prayer is necessary both for the country and Osun State as election draws closer.

By Joshua Dada, Osogbo

A group entertaining guests with hyenas during Eid-el-Fitr at Emir of Bauchi’s palace, yesterday.

PHOTO BY NAN.

Sallah Celebrated Low Key In Kaduna

By Isaiah Benjamin, Kaduna

Kaduna State residents yesterday celebrated the Eid-el-Fitr quietly with many prayer grounds witnessing a low turnout of Muslim worshipers for fear of the unknown due to the present security challenges in the country.

Our correspondent in Kaduna who visited some of the prayer grounds reports that most of the Muslim faithful chose to offer the Sallah prayers very close to their abode as against praying with large crowds at specific locations.

At the Sultan Bello mosque, the

prayers was led by Sheik Balele Wali amidst tight security but witnessed a low turnout when compared to previous years.

A faithful, Musa Ibrahim, a former member of Kaduna State House of Assembly blamed the low turnout on the prevalent insecurity situation in the country, adding that it is a bad omen for the country because if people cannot go out to worship their God, then it calls for serious concern.

At the Malali Eid prayer ground, the same low turnout was also witnessed as the Chief Imam of Malali central mosque,

Sheik Bello Shanono who expressed disappointment over the turn out however urged Muslims not to allow the recent development to deter them from performing their obligation to their God. A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Abdulkadir Bello Kachia described the recent development which has put fears in the minds of people desirous to worship their God as most unfortunate and called on the government to rise up to its responsibility of providing security for her citizens.

Kwara State governor, Alh Abdulfatah Ahmed has urged Muslims to ensure that the lessons of kindness, fear of God and the spirit of helping the needy imbibed during Ramadan last beyond the holy month.

The governor gave the advice in his Eid- el -Fitri message, signed by his chief press secretary, Alhaji Abdulwahab Oba. Ahmed counselled that beyond festivity, Nigerians should also pray for the restoration of peace in the country while noting that if Muslims do not make the lessons imbibed throughout the month of Ramadan a life-long experience, the exercise would be one in futility.

By Abdullahi Olesin, Ilorin

Fashola Preaches Peace, Unity, Vigilance

By George Okojie, Lagos

Lagos State governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola has said there is urgent need for all Nigerians to embrace peace and cooperate in finding lasting solution to the challenges confronting the country.

Fashola, who said this in a Sallah message to the people, added that it is only by embracing peace, unity and fairness that Nigerians can put the country back on its leadership pedestal.

He urged them to embrace the spirit of love, tolerance, forgiveness and brotherhood preached

by Islam and other religions.

The governor observed that the country, with all its potentials, has no business with poverty if only its citizens can join hands to give it the right focus.

He called on them to cooperate and stamp out intolerance, discrimination, cheating, violence, disobedience to the law and other ills from the system while affirming that the country

will only assume its leadership position in Africa and among the black race when Nigerians embrace law and order, unity of purpose, equity and patriotism.

The governor further implored the people to celebrate the EId-El Fitri with moderation and in the fullness of the spirit of Ramadan which encourages peace, sharing, brotherhood, kindness and fairness and urged them to keep up with those virtues they have gained in the holy month.

Calling on the citizens to be open and receptive to positive change as a way to achieve real development, he added that human beings should always seek better ways of doing whatever they do as according to him, development can only be achieved when the citizenry show understanding that constant renovation, expansion and general redevelopment which often take place in most of the holy places and developed societies.

news north-East, north-west 43

Monday, July 28, 2014

Eid El Fitr: Muslims Defy Insecurity To Celebrate Sallah

By Mohammed Ismail, Yola

Despite heightened fear over possible attacks by the members of Boko Haram, thousands of Muslims trooped to various praying centres across Adamawa State to observe the Eid el Fitri prayer yesterday morning.

Reports across the state indicated that the ceremony was observed without any hitch as no breach of peace was recorded.

The development may be connected to the water tight security

mounted before and during the celebration by soldiers and police who intensify stop and search across every nook and cranny of the state.

Commissioner of Police A. J. Abbakasanga had earlier assured residents of the state a hitch-free celebration as he said he had ordered all units of the command across the state to ensure that their jurisdictions were properly manned just as he said intelligence gathering was intensified.

Some residents of Yola who

expressed happiness with the situation thanked Almighty Allah for ensuring a hitch free celebration during the period just as they applauded the measures put in place by the security personnel to prevent any eventuality.

A civil servant in the state, Mallam Shehu Awwal, also thanked the state acting governor for his generosity in paying civil servants of the state part of the outstanding salaries owed by the previous administration, saying the gesture is well acknowl-

edged by all civil servants in the state and will be reciprocated.

The Lamido of Adamawa His Royal Higness Dr. Muhammadu Aliyu Barkindo Mustapha also enjoined the people to live peacefully with one another and to obey constituted authorities for peace enterprise to prevail in the state.

The Emir made the call during the Durbar procession usually organized by the emirate to commemorate the end of the Ramadan fasting at his palace in Yola.

Chief Imam of Bauchi Central Mosque, Alhaji Bala Baba-Inna, leading EidEl-Fitr prayer in Bauchi, yesterday. photo by NAN

short news Jonathan Has Failed The Nation – Sen Gaya A former governor of Kano State, Senator Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya yesterday said that President Goodluck Jonathan had failed the country by his inability to ensure security of life and property as enshrined in the constitution of Nigeria.

The former governor stated this in Kaduna when he visited the former military head of state, General Muhammadu Buhari, to sympathise with him over the attempted suicide attack against on Wednesday.

By Midat Joseph, Kaduna

Nyako’s Impeachment: Adamawa APC Chair Lied Over N1bn Constituency Allowance – Kamale

By Mohammed Ismail, Yola

Adamawa State House of Assembly yesterday flayed its critics over the impeachment of former Governor Murtala Nyako and the resignation of his deputy Bala James Ngillari, saying that the criticism was being made erroneously.

In a statement signed by the Deputy Majority Leader and chairman, House Committee on Information Hon. Adamu D. Kamale, the House expressed wor-

ry over the trend and as such felt compelled to set the records straight.

“In particular, the comment made by the chairperson of All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Binta Masi Garba, that the Adamawa State lawmakers demanded from the former governor N1 billion for Constituency projects which the former governor insisted on N500 million out of which N350 million was disbursed to the lawmakers, is not

only false but mischievous.

“As a matter of fact, the constituency projects being embarked upon by legislators either at the state or national levels are prioritised projects that are implemented by the executive arm as budgeted, with inputs of locations mostly from the lawmakers.

“It is worthy of note that such money is not paid directly to the lawmakers but the relevant ministries that handle the projects as budgeted,” he said.

Rights Group Condemns Soldiers’ Extrajudicial Killings In Zaria Demands full investigation

By Midat Joseph, Kaduna

A Kaduna-based civil rights organisation, Centrum Initiative for Development and Fundamental Rights Advocacy (CEDRA) yesterday condemned the killing of 35 members of the Shi’ites Islamic sect who were carrying out a peaceful protesters in Zaria.

This is just as they called for a full independent investigation of the killing by bodies charged with monitoring and reporting of human rights violations.

The rights group in a statement

by its convener and a senior lecturer with the Kaduna State University, Dr. John Danfulani said “Governments in Nigeria must know that the dark days of ruling with impunity are over and have no place in a democracy.”

According to the group, the chief duty of the state is to protect life and not take it away without authorization of the body responsible for depriving citizens of their life.

It lamented the killing of 35 members of the Shiite sect who had embarked on their annual international QUDS procession last Friday by soldiers.

The group said the sect members

had been observing QUDS tradition for the past 32 years in many cities, adding that most of these processions went without any clashes.

“This year’s procession ended with incidences of shooting of Shiite members in Zaria. Their leader Malam El-zakaky lost three of his children and other members. Till this moment, corpses of two of his sons and those of his members have not been given to them for burial.

The right to peaceful protest in support or against local or international issues is constitutionally guaranteed and supported by many international protocols,” the statement read.

short news Group Urges Muslims To Promote Peace The International Organisation of Tijjaniyyah Brotherhood ( IOTB) yesterday urged Muslims to continue to promote peace and unity to socio economic development of the country.

The chairman of the association Prof. Abdullahi Muhammad El-Okene of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, stated in a press conference held at Centre for Democratic Development Research and Training (CEDDERT), Zaria.

The group also condemned the recent assassination attempt on the life of Sheik Dahiru Usman Bauchi that took many lives in Kaduna.

By Najib Sani, Bauchi

Emir Of Gwandu Counsels Nigerians On Self Assessment The Emir of Gwandu , Maj. Gen. Mohammadu Iliyasu Bashar (rtd) has enjoined Nigerians to critically assess their lives and ask God for forgiveness in view of the present condition of the country.

The monarch who is the Chairman, Kebbi State Council of Chiefs, made the Sallah remarks yesterday at the central praying ground in Birnin Kebbi.

He said it was high time people in the country embarked on self assessment and had a rethink towards acquiring material wealth, pointing out that now is the best time to plan for permanent life hereafter.

The Emir also called on farmers to prepare well for dry season farming to complement their production as, according to him, the present rainy season is characterised by uncertainty due to climate change.

On security he said: “I call on people to be carefull, and watchful for any stranger in our midst and always inform security agents on strange sightings in the community. I also commend our religious scholars for the Ramadan Tafsir and prayers to the country,” he said.

By Yahya Sarki ,Kebbi

Hayab Seeks Law Banning Hate Speech Special adviser to Kaduna State governor on Christian and Pilgrimage Matters, Rev. John Joseph Hayab has advocated for a law banning hate speech.

Reverend Hayab, a former Secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Kaduna State who was visibly angry while briefing journalists over the recent multiple explosions, emphasized that law against hate speech will entrench more peace and unity.

“We must avoid being divided by terrorists through making inflammatory statements; we are indirectly playing and keying into their plan while they further their agenda by holding us to ransom. If we continue to be spreading hate and animosity without caution and understanding, our challenges will increases,” Hayab added.

The reverend yesterday warned Nigerians to avoid being divided by terrorists on religious and political lines while terrorists continue to kill innocent Nigerians.

“We must stop generalizing issues and politicizing them from selfish political and religious angles; it is all these attitudes and perceptions that are worsening factual understanding of this problem and how to solve it,” he said.

By Midat Joseph, Kaduna

44 NEWS

Monday, July 28, 2014

2014 Guber Poll:

OsunDECIDES Don’t Return To Era Of Violence, Aregbesola Charges Osun People

Ahead of the August 9 governorship election in Osun State, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Governor Rauf Aregbesola has admonished the electorate in the state not to return to the era of violence and insecurity by voting for him.

Addressing APC supporters at Oke Ila and Ora Igbomina, Aregbesola expressed fear that the peace that is reigning supreme in Osun will elude the people if they vote the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) into power in the state.

Speaking through the chairman, Aregbesola re-election campaign committee, Ila/Ifedayo/ Boluwaduro Federal Constituency, Hon Sunday Akere, Aregbesola said his administration has done much to see that lives

and properties are safe in Osun.

The committee comprising Mr Bisi Obawale, Dr (Mrs) Temitope Ilori, Mr Azeez Moshood, Hon Afolabi Atolagbe and Barr.

Femi Popoola called on the electorate in the two towns to resist the PDP through the power of their votes.

Akere cautioned the people who possess permanent voter cards in the two towns not to give up their cards, describing the cards as their power to choose who directs their affairs after every four years.

He decried the new political development in the country called ‘Stomach Infrastructure’ at the expense of human and national development, urging the people to guard their future jealously through their votes.

Aregbesola

The commissioner for information and strategy urged the people to vote in line with their conscience and not allow anyone to use anything to cajole them to vote against their belief, saying Osun must not be allowed to return to the era of insecurity and violence that characterised the over seven years of PDP administration in the state.

Saturday, August 9

I’m On Rescue Mission, Omisore Tells Osun Electorate The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flag bearer in the August 9 governorship election in Osun State, Senator Christopher Iyiola Omisore has told Osun people that he is in the race to rescue them from bad governance.

Addressing his supporters at the popular Ereja Square in Ilesa, Omisore said the PDP is on a rescue mission that will enhance the welfare of the people of the state when the party finally clinches the governorship seat.

The former deputy governor who expressed optimism that he would win the poll noted that the people of Osun State are eager to vote out a government that is not committed to their welfare in principle and in deed.

He said, “We are confident of victory because our people are clamouring for

change that will add value to their lives; the reception we received everywhere we visited during this campaign tour shows that our people want us and they will not regret opting for us.”

Omisore was supported at the campaign rally by eminent Ijesa sons and daughters including a member of Board of Trustees (BoT) of PDP, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, former deputy governor and immediate past minister of state for defence, Erelu Olusola Obada, a retired deputy controller of Customs, Chief Francis Fadahunsi among others.

Speaking at the rally, Erelu Obada told the crowd that Senator Omisore has impacted positively on Osun East Senatorial District as their representative at the Upper Chambers of the National Assembly.

Omisore

According to her, apart from facilitating federal government projects in Ijesaland, Omisore has empowered a great number of people in the District without political or religious consideration.

Omisore’s campaign trail also paid a courtesy visit to the monarch of Ijesaland, HRM Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran in his palace for his royal blessing.

Stories by Joshua Dada, Osogbo

SOUTH-WEST Amosun, Daniel Sue For Peace At Sallah Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has congratulated the Muslim Umah on the successful completion of fasting during the holy month of Ramadan, charging insurgents to sheathe their sword in adherence to the teachings of Prophet Mohammed.

In a press release by his senior special assistant on media, Mrs Olufunmilayo Wakama in Abeokuta yesterday, Amosun admonished adherents of Islam to continue to pray for peace and stability of the nation, particularly during this trying period.

The governor, who noted that lslam is a religion of peace, enjoined those behind the bombings in parts of the country to sheathe their sword in the spirit of the season and find peaceful means to express their grievances.

In a related development, the former governor of the state, Otunba Gbenga Daniel has asked Nigerians irrespective of their faiths to live together in peace and harmony.

In his Eid-el-Fitri message, Daniel noted that the nation is in dire need of divine intervention to put an end to the incessant blood-letting in the land.

By Gbenga Adeboye, Abeokuta

Ondo Now Largest Baby Producer In W/Africa – Mimiko

BY TOPE FAYEHUN, Akure

With safe deliveries of 7,600 pregnancies in just a year under the Mother and Child Pet Project of the first lady of Ondo State, pregnant women in the state have entered into their best season.

Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko made this known at the weekend in Akure, the state capital, during a night vigil marking the 65th edition of Divine Agenda Praises organised monthly by his government for citizens of the state.

He said the multiple births’ delivery rate in Ondo State ranked

as the largest in Nigeria and the West African sub-region in one tertiary Maternity Centre.

Mimiko told the congregation that the high rate of births in Ondo State notwithstanding, the mortality rate has been amazingly low.

He said as part of efforts by his government to make life worth living for the people of the state, especially women, all deliveries have attracted no cost.

Mimiko who gave the report during testimony time with his wife at the vigil earned a deafening applause from the congregation when he said that only 15 fa-

tal cases had been recorded so far in the barrage of deliveries which he said included Caesarean sections.

He said while the Mother and Child pet project recorded 7,600 safe births in 2003 alone, the largest health institution in Nigeria had only 2,500 deliveries.

According to him, as low as that figure was, mortality rate was all time high with 63 fatal cases.

He said the maternity centres in Ondo State under the Mother and Child initiative produce an average of 20 babies per day, making Ondo State the largest baby producing state in Nigeria.

2015: Oyo APC Seeks Divine Intervention

BY ADEBAYO WAHEED, Ibadan

As Muslims celebrate this year’s Eid-el-Fitri which marks the successful completion of a monthlong fasting, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has urged them to pray fervently for lasting peace to reign in the country, especially as preparations for the 2015 general elections gather momentum.

The party’s state chairman,

Chief Akin Oke in a statement yesterday, felicitated with the Muslims for successfully fulfilling one of their religious obligations as stipulated in the Holy Quran and the teachings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

“It is very important for a party like ours, which respects the rights of individuals to religious practice, to identify with our Muslim brothers and sisters on this year’s occasion of Eid-el

Fitri,’’ the party said, urging them to continue to exhibit the virtues of sacrifice, humility, love as well as service to God and humanity beyond the holy month of Ramadan.

The party also called for fervent prayers for Nigeria for peace to reign in view of the activities of the insurgents, growing rate of terrorism, air mishaps and other natural disasters which have enveloped the country.

SHORT NEWS Mimiko Urges Nigerians To Embrace Love, Tolerance The Ondo State governor, Olusegun Mimiko has said that cordial relationship, love and tolerance among Christians and Muslims are required to move Nigeria forward and remain as one nation.

Governor Mimiko in his Eid-el-Fitri message by his chief press secretary, Eni Akinsola, rejoiced with muslim faithful in the state and across the nation as they celebrate Eid-El-Fitri, urging them to imbibe and put into apt use, the lessons of the Ramadan fast which centres on love and tolerance.

By Tope Fayehun,Akure

45

Monday, July 28, 2014

UNITED KWANDE YOUTHS FORUM No. 2, Aper-Aku Way, Adikpo Town, Kwande Local Government

OUR IRREVOCABLE STAND ON BENUE NORTH-EAST SENATORIAL SEAT

O

ur attention has been drawn to a subterfugium sponsored and expressed vaguely in some national dailies credited to an unknown political organization, KWANDE YOUTH VANGUARD. The initiator can be understood attempting to ridicule and undermine in his own infantile “wisdom”, the very historic, inviolable and sacrosanct political treaty of the SANKERA AND KWANDE people over the issue of the Benue North-East Senate.

published. Kaanga Tavershima on number 11 is also from Mbaav, Mbadura ward and not from Kumakwagh ward. Tivlumun Ako is a traditional ruler, (3rd Class Chief ) Tyoor Usar and Nanev and not a youth leader as appeared on Mbagwaza ward. This for sure is a defamation of character, impersonation and “unlawful assembly” of a royal father which requires earnest appease for you to escape the wrath of the gods of the Traditional Institution.

Without mincing words, we view the publications as a diabolical effrontery, introversion arrogance, and invidious surreptitious desperation to disparage and misrepresent a “covenant” conscientiously entered into and is to be conscionably executed between the great men of Kwande and Sankera kingdoms; surely the wrath dangles pertinaciously against the detractors.

These obvious fallacies characterizing the leprous document associated to you, Chief Gemade, and published in the national dailies have sadly gravely bruised your status and maligned deeply your reputation, integrity and person as well as your political career.

We are disappointed that Chief Barnabas Gemade whose hand is undoubtedly stretched oiling and fanning this ferity could resort to every approach no matter indignant, debasing and repugnant in his desperate search for re- election into the Senate.

More stunning is the Chief’s link and identification with a “forged” garbage as published in the national dailies (Daily Trust, July, 23 2014 and Leadership, July 24, 2014). But Chief Barnabas Gemade’s fast eroding and undoubtably unrealizable second tenure senatorial cannot be redeemed or made manifest through forgery, wishful, thievery nor distortionist indulgences.

The revered Traditional Councils of the entire people of Kwande/Ushongu including the Royal Highnesses Ter Kwande and Ter Ushongu, very dependable kingmakers, notable party stakeholders, respected party elders and youth leaders converged on the soil of Adikpo in Kwande, the ancestral home of the Tiv nation and voluntarily, cheerfully, and publicly adopted and endorsed Rt. Hon. Gabriel Torwua Suswam Ph.D, CON for the 2015 Benue North-East Senate. If this exercise gave anyone a nightmare, such a person should as well, assemble Traditional council members and notable party men greater than what went on that fateful day. This is the only way to reasonably question whether or not Kwande Nation spoke with one voice and had the issue of Senate 2015 irrevocably settled.

Kwande people can now see more clearly the political imbecility of certain individuals!

A political exercise was put up publicly and well celebrated, instead of matching it up to prove his political strength, Chief Gemade has resorted to media warfare disguising under non- existent organisations. That not withstanding, let us assess the leprous publication issued with Chief Gemade’s full authority.

Firstly, no single organization exists in Kwande with the name, “Kwande Youth Vanguard”.

The initiators knowing the bait they were out for have proved to be face-less as well as forgers of names and signatures! The so called “Vanguard” has no address. So, where is their operational office with a commanding strength and capacity to speak for Kwande and act as her Vanguard? So, Kwande Youth Vanguard where is your office in any part of Kwande?

Yes, we can identify the names of some of the youths who purportedly signed the document but make bold to state that many other names as published are imaginary and do not exist in Kwande.

The criminality that goes with this publication is such that we the authentic youth leaders of Kwande shall seek a legal redress. The names of the youths as published were put up without their consent.To posit that this has gravely injured the sensibility of such youths is an understatement. Such youths even though sufficiently provoked by this mindless defamation have resolved to embrace both maturity, democratic and legal approaches.

They have already all converged in Makurdi, the state capital to address the press on Friday, 25th July, 2014. The youths whose names and signatures were forged and published decided to put up PHYSICAL PRESENCE and reiterate their stand on the 17th July, 2014 declaration and covenant in Adikpo. The visibly angered youths warned Chief Gemade never to identify their names with his drowning political career charging that followership is not sustained through sponsorship of forged documents for publication but identifiable and sustainable dividends of democracy which turn to endear the electorate to their leaders.

Another intriguing and yet interesting aspect is how the “forgers” failed in carrying out their act accurately. They are being exposed shamefully. Let us take a look at the fallacies.

1.There is no NANEV WARD in Kwande local government, yet Chief Gemade’s sponsored non- existent group has as from Nos 186-203 in that publication names of youths from the “NANEV” ward appending their signatures to his window dressing exercise.

In summary, there is a reasonable proof that senator Gemade is not in touch with his electorate and does not know his constituents that he represents.otherwise, a casual perusal through that forged garbage would have aroused his familiarity to be able to know that there is nothing like “ABAYOO” “MBAYOUGH” “TONDOV” wards in either Kwande or Ushongo local governments! What a shame! Yet, names of youths appeared in the none-existent wards under a non-existent Kwande Youth Vanguard publication that is linked to him! Gemade and his co-travelers are indeed naive about the politically structure of Kwande.

Chief Gemade appears left alone in his drowning political ship to an extent that he could not even assemble a handful youths to assist execute the forgery act perfectly.

This explains why only one individual forged the purported signatures of all the names as published. For instance, please, Chief Gemade, kindly grab a copy of your document and see how you have sadly ridiculed yourself. Take a look at the name on numbers 57 and 58. Are they not the same signatures? Go to numbers 148,175 and 186 the same signature is appended on both purported names. Number 178 and 182 have the same signatures! Equally numbers 160, 161 and 74 have the same signatures and that is how it has reflected all over. Haba, Senator, what a manner of desperation? How could you stoop so low?

Again, for clarity, Senator, the youths in Kwande and Ushongo are well known to us.

We are familiar and very much around them and know exactly their roots, wards and kindreds. In collecting their names to be featured in your forged document, you felt their names could be dropped anywhere. Just a few examples; Terkibim Ayaigba, number 2 name on your document is from Yaav ward and not Kumakwagh ward as

Needless to say, the published forged document has attempted to rubbish and present Kwande people in a very bad light as a people who are not reliable, dependable and consistent. To this extent of colossal distortions, satanic misrepresentation and barbaric forgery to sustain an evasive political fame and fortune, we call on you Chief Gemade, to within seven days, retract the published subterfuge and tender an open apology in the same national dailies that your garbagepublished.

At the elapse of seven days graciously advanced you, we shall have no alternative than carry out legal actions against you. Lastly, as you Chief Gemade also clearly knows, it is the turn of the Kwande people to make representation at the Senate as far as the Benue North-East Senatorial seat is concerned, if the people of Kwande decided to loan their slot to any individual, it is our strong belief that this should not be the concern and worry of any person.

Kwande people cannot be cajoled, lured, intimidated or blackmailed to any political decision neither can we do what is beyond us. Kwande people had only but one Senate slot. After careful assessment of the character, conduct and antecedents of all those indicating interest, Kwande people unanimously, willingly and voluntarily resolved to loan their Senate slot right not just to a federal constituency or local government but to a particular individual in the person of Rt. Hon. Gabriel Torwua Suswam Ph.D, CON. Where did we go wrong? We had only one senate slot and loaned to Suswam. There is none left anymore. So, we obviously can’t give out what we don’t have any more.

There is always another time. Chief Gemade can wait for another time in future. Kwande people have spoken with one voice. No matter the number of sponsored publications, no matter the distortions and negativisms nothing can change the position of Kwande.

Lastly, sums of money are quoted to have been shared during the historic endorsement of Rt. Hon Gabriel Suswam. We need not to comment over this issue as it is not far from the routine distortions associated with the published document as earlier exposed.

But one turns to wonder if Chief Gemade had his cashier in the midst of the “Kwande declaration” that was taking note of all the shared monies as published. Even then, logically, where has politics been ever practiced without money. If Gemade would rule out financial gifts in partisan politics then we all would agree to the notion about him that he is a stingy person and does not empower his constituents and therefore, our people shall have no political business to transact with him. So, if Suswam shared money and Kwande people at least for that day saw food on their table, we would prefer him the more to other people that have monetized all their constituency projects yet, no impact is felt and have continued to be far from reach by their constituents to an extent that such cannot even identify council wards under their constituency!

On a summary therefore, we call on Chief Gemade to show his political strength by equally having his person endorsed by Kwande in a greater funfair as witnessed during the Kwande/Sankera Accord over Suswam. Political strengths are exhibited at the grassroots political rallies and meetings and not media warfare.

One other lie brazenly told in the publication is that His Excellency, Governor Suswam has not favoured Kwande in the distribution of infrastructural projects when the overwhelming evidence points to the contrary. For the avoidance of doubt, let it be known that Governor Suswam has given both Ushongu and Kwande their fair share of development projects. The Adikpo-Ikyogen-Jato-Aka road constructed by Governor Suswam was commissioned on March 8, 2012 by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan during his historic state visit to Benue. The Ge-Ikyobo-Anshagba road in Ushongu is another major infrastructural project delivered by the governor for the people in this area. Other projects include comprehensive renovation of the General Hospitals in Adikpo and Lessel, construction of classroom blocks in both primary and secondary schools in across the two LGAs, provision of electricity to numerous rural communities as well as borehole projects among others. We the authentic youth leaders are happy with the performance of our Governor as far as provision of infrastructural projects in Ushongu and Kwande LGAs is concerned.

Kwande people have loaned the senate slot to an individual, Rt. Hon. Gabriel Suswam Ph.D, CON. This name is very familiar to Chief Gemade we suppose. The earlier he gets this reality well situated in his head the better for him as he would save his energy and precious resources he values so much from chasing after mirage and shadows that are obviously practically unattainable. A word is enough for the wise!

CHIEF jOHN AKpERASHI

(Ikpamkor I Kwande)

HON. CYRIL GAjIR

(Former Caretaker Chairman, Ushongu LGC)

HON. VICTOR SHAAKAA

(Former Caretaker Chairman, Kwande LGC)

46 news Lagos

Lagos Lawmaker Calls For Support To Sustain Democracy A member of the Lagos State House of Assembly representing Ikorodu 2, Hon. Adebimpe Akinsola has called on Nigerians to work with government in order to sustain democracy.

She disclosed this while speaking on the ongoing impeachment saga in the country.

The lawmaker also described the on-going spate of impeachments in the country as an attempt by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to remain in power by all means.

Akinsola said, “It is a calculated attempt by one party to remain in power by fire and by force and I don’t think this impeachment saga will help, it will only contribute to the problems that we have in Nigeria”.

Asserting that democracy in any clime is better than any other form of government, the lawmaker admonished the perpetrators to seize forthwith because with the way they are going about it now anything can happen.

Monday, July 28, 2014

Insecurity: Bakare Wants FG To Apologise To Yusuf’s Family Says Buhari’s death would have dismember Nigeria

BY GEORGE OKOJIE, Lagos

The convener of the Save Nigeria Group (SNG), Pastor Tunde Bakare has urged the federal government to offer apologies to the family of late founder of the insurgent sect, Boko Haram, Mohammed Yusuf.

Addressing the media in Lagos yesterday, Bakare also listed five solutions that may lead to the end of insurgency in the Northern part of the country, saying the first step must be that

government apologise to the family of Mohammed.

According to the fiery pastor, the call became necessary in the wake of the attempted assassination of a former head of state, Major General Muhamadu Buhari. which he stated might have marked the beginning of the end for Nigeria if it had succeeded.

He listed other solutions to include upgrading the and strengthening of military capability, creation of jobs and enhanced welfare to discourage recruits of the sect, diplomatic engagement with

the international community, creation of an atmosphere of political inclusion rather than exclusion, among others.

“We will not also ignore the fact that at the root of the escalationof the Boko Haram crisis was oppression and injustice. The summary execution of the Boko Haram’s former leader, Mohammed Yusuf in 2009 provided the soil of martyrdom for the nurture and growth of the sect.

“Government must declare peace first of all; apologizing for the murder of Mohammed Yusuf

to the sect members not their sympathisers or bandits.”

On the attack on General Buhari, he noted that, “If the attack targeted at General Muhamadu Buhari and his entourage on Wednesday, July 23rd 2014 had succeeded the hatchers of the Nigerian disintegration agenda would have been smiling home to the bank by now. “ If Buhari had died, we would have been in such a big trouble that we would not be able to explain. It would have been North burning, South burning.”

short news LG Boss Raises The Alarm Over Gangs’ Activities

By Taiwo Ogunmola Omilani,

Sallah: Lagos Market Leader Tasks Muslims On Peace President of the Association of Commodity Market Women and Men of Nigeria, Mrs. Folashade Tinubu-Ojo has urged all Nigerians to embrace peace and religious tolerance.

In a statement she issued yesterday on the occasion of Eid Mubarak celebrated by Muslims to mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan, she urged Muslims to put to good use the lessons learnt during the month.

Tinubu-Ojo also tasked Muslims to continue to uphold the ideals of piety, patience, tolerance, perseverance, humility and self denial which were observed vigorously during the month of Ramadan, while enjoining them to remain steadfast in the worship of Allah.

On the spate of insecurity in the country she urged Christians and other faiths to join hands to build a virile and sustainable economy for the country noting that this task can only be achieved in an atmosphere of peace. ‘‘Nigerian market men and women, traders and those who visit various markets across the country daily cannot transact business when there is tension and fear in the land’’, says Mrs. Tinubu Ojo. She however charges politicians to always be above board, by ensuring that they fulfil their electoral promises.

By Olaolu Oladipo, Lagos

Flooded Idi-Iroko area of Maryland after a torrential rain in Lagos, yesterday.

PHOTO BY BENEDICT UWALAKA

Lagos To Introduce Stiffer Sanctions Against Pollution

By GEORGE OKOJIE, Lagos

Lagos State government has threatened to prescribe heavy sanctions against anyone or corporate organisations whose activities pollute the metropolis.

The special adviser to Lagos State governor on environment, Dr. Taofeeq Folami who said this at the weekend while monitoring environmental sanitation exercise in Agege council area added that indiscriminate dumping of refuse by the residents into drainage channels and canals is currently

frustrating the state government’s efforts of clearing the drains.

He said, “On the Awori canal, it is clear to us that there are a lot of construction works going there.

And one of the things we have to do before upgrading a road network is to improve the state of drainage network. “Looking at the streets, the road construction will start immediately the drainage is completed. And the drainage construction is at 70 per cent completion.”

Folami explained that the drainage system will have to be

redesigned, saying that was the reason why the state government is yet to embark on the road construction.

“We have to do some awareness campaign because we noticed that a lot of refuse are dumped into the canals in the state canals. We will be focusing on Agege to ensure that they inculcate the habit of not patronising cart pushers.

“We also discovered that the enforcement was low. We will investigate that and we will ensure that it does not happen again.”

The chairman of Amuwo Odofin local government area, Comrade Ayodele Adewale has raised the alarm over activities of some gangs, saying the local government area is under siege.

Adewale said this while speaking with journalists at a press briefing held at the local government secretariat in Festac Town area of the state.

He accused the Area E, Commander, Dan Okoro, an assitant commissioner of police of using a notorious and criminal group he formed to terrorise, intimidate, rape and harass council and state officials, residents and visitors alike in the local government.

By George Okojie, Lagos

Lawmaker Kicks Against Removal Of LGs From Constitution

By Taiwo Ogunmola Omilani, Lagos

The chairman House Committee on Public Accounts (Local) in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Dayo Saka Fafunmi has kicked against the recommendation of the committee on political restructuring and reforms on the removal of 774 local governments from the constitution, saying it is

unthinkable.

The lawmaker who is representing Ifako/Ijaiye constituency 1 said in an interview with LEADERSHIP that the decision is unthinkable, unimaginable and absurd for anyone to conceive the idea of removing local government system from the constitution.

“Why can’t we modify the operation to make it accountable, promote service delivery and make

people feel the presence of government the more. We cannot afford to take away that tie of government.

“Is there any country that practices democracy where existence of local government is not guarantee? Any where in the world that democracy is practiced, there is need to bring government closer to the people and the closest government is local government”, he

said.

Fafunmi maintained that governor of a state, no matter how intelligent he is cannot do everything.

According to him, “If there is no local government and LCDAs, the governor will be saddled with too much responsibilities and it is going to affect the smooth running of the state. No matter how intelligent the governor is, he can’t cope with such situation.

Monday, July 28, 2014

Scholarship: ExBayelsa Deputy Gov’s Son, 69 Others Send SOS To Dickson Over Deportation Threat Seventy graduates of Bayelsa origin that are beneficiaries of the State Scholarship Scheme including the son of the former deputy governor, Peremobowei Ebebi have sent a Save-Our-Soul message to the state governor, Hon Seriake Dickson over threats of deportation by the Malaysian government due to alleged unpaid allowances and Visa renewal.

The letter, which was signed by the chairman of the Bayelsa Student Community in Malaysia, Kelvin Frank Otele, said though the students graduated in flying colours in the fields of Business Management, Engineering and Information System Management since 2012, many of them are stranded while others were deported in shameful circumstances due to the failure of the scholarship board to pay outstanding allowances.

By OSA Okhomina, Yenagoa

We Must Collectively Denounce Terrorism – Gov Uduaghan Delta State governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan has said that Nigerians must collectively denounce terrorism as it is antithetical to the people’s way of life or any known religion.

The governor, who stated this in a goodwill message to Muslims in commemoration of this year’s Eid El Fitri celebrations, said that terrorism must be combated by all in the interest of the peace and unity of the country.

Besides, he said it is essential that Nigerians rally round President Goodluck Jonathan to check those that are betraying their nation by adopting terrorism as their ideology.

By Kola Eke-Ogiugo, Asaba

Why We Want Olejeme To Be Delta Gov In 2015 – Itsekiri Leaders Prominent Itsekiri leaders yesterday advised Deltans at home and abroad not to focus on gender but to consider an aspirant’s personality, qualities and what he or she has to offer in determining who to support in the state’s 2015 governorship election.

They also described the chairman, Board of Directors of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Dr Ngozi Olejeme as a simple, honest, and accomplished administrator.

“Dr Ngozi Olejeme has the knowledge and the skills to succeed in the state. So we are mobilising our people, friends and inlaws across the state. We are quite confident that she would become governor in 2015,” the leaders said in a statement issued in Warri.

By Kola Eke-Ogiugo, Asaba

news south-South south-East 47

My Decisions Are In The Interest Of Rivers People – Amaechi

By Anayo Onukwugha,Port Harcourt,

Rivers State governor and chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has said that all the decisions so far taken by his administration are in the best interest of the people of the state.

The governor, therefore, appealed to the people to continue to support his adminis-

tration’s efforts to achieve its programmes and policies for the overall development of the state.

Amaechi spoke yesterday at the Assemblies of God Church, Rumuokwuta, Port Harcourt, during a thanksgiving service to mark the end of the tenure of Comrade Hyginus Chika Onuegbu as the National Industrial Relations Officer of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff As-

sociation of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).

The thanksgiving service was attended by the member representing Ikwerre/Emohua Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Chief Andrew Uchendu, the state commissioner for information and communications, Mrs Ibim Semenitari, and a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly,

Dr Innocent Barikor.

The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Mr Tele Ikuru, said; “I am telling you that you need to support the government. Whatever decision this government has taken is for the benefit of the Rivers people. If such decision will not benefit Rivers people, this government will not take that decision.

short news Ex-Militant Fighters Plan To Engage Boko Haram Following the wanton killings and maiming of innocent Nigerians by the dreaded Boko Haram sect, ex-militants in the Niger Delta region, over the weekend, perfected plans to engage the insurgents, declaring that L-R: Senator Tunde Ogbeha, Prince Victor Ogakwu, Justice of Supreme Court, Mary Odili, Monsignor Obiora Ike and their days are former Rivers State Governor Peter Odili, at the induction of Monsignor Ike into the European Academy of Science & numbered.

Arts in Abuja, at the weekend.

The repentant fighters, who spoke under the aegis of Edo State Phase 3 Ex-militant

By Sola Adebayo, Warri subjects to his palace to resolve provided for her at an event held groups led by their differences. at the party’s office.

General Godstime The Asagba of Asaba, Obi Chike Disagreement between Ali However, it was learnt that Ogidigba also Edozien, has intervened in the and Nwaoboshi at the party’s the truce-meeting initially slatasked the Boko face-off between the special ad- secretariat in Asaba, the state ed for Thursday, July 24 was Haram sect to viser to the president on inter- capital, on Friday, July 11, 2014 postponed till Wednesday, July immediately stop governmental affairs, Dr Mar- degenerated to a fight by the 30 at the instance of Nwaowhat it described iam Ali and the chairman of two PDP leaders. boshi. as the senseless the Peoples Democratic Party Nwaoboshi, who honoured Ali, wife of a former nationkilling or be (PDP) in Delta State, Chief Pe- al chairman of PDP, Ahmadu Ali the invitation of the monarch on prepared to meet ter Nwaoboshi. and a member of the ruling par- Thursday later excused himself their waterloo.

Already, LEADERSHIP learnt ty’s Board of Trustees, had pro- after convincing the traditionthat the highly respected mon- tested alleged shabby treatment al ruler that he had to attend to

By Patrick Ochoga, arch had summoned his feuding by Nwaoboshi as a seat was not an urgent official engagement.

Benin City

Delta Monarch Moves To Reconcile Mariam Ali, PDP Chair

Ogonis Demand 100% Resource Control For Communities

By Anayo Onukwugha, Port Harcourt

The people of Ogoni ethnic nationality in Rivers State have demanded that their communities should be given 100% control over their resources while they pay the necessary taxes to the federal government.

This is as they called on the federal government and delegates at the national conference to review the current list of states being proposed and ensure that Bori State is included

in the list of recommended states to be created.

In a communiqué issued at the end of a general congress of Ogoni ethnic nationality, held in Bori, headquarters of Khana local government area of Rivers State, the people stated that anything short of Bori State’s inclusion will force them to seek other ways of expressing their rights to self-determination and political autonomy.

The communiqué, which was signed by the president of the

Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), Legborsi Saro Pyagbara, lauded the socio-cultural organisation and its supporters for the steps taken so far in the actualisation of the desires of the Ogoni people to produce the next governor of Rivers State to enhance adequate political representation and fairness in Nigeria.

It expressed regret over the recent cult crisis in some communities in Ogoni and advised the people especially the

youths not to mortgage their future by submitting to cult violence and manipulations by external masterminds to create violent conflicts in the Ogoni area.

The communiqué urged the people to ensure that such disturbance does not reoccur anywhere in Ogoni, stressing that Ogoni is a globally recognised community for non-violent advocacy and we cannot afford at this time to renege on that position.

48 news NATIONAL CAN Commiserates With Zakzaky Over Loss Of His Sons The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has expressed sadness at the clash between military troops and Shi’ite in Zaria which led the death of some people including three sons of a renowned Islamic scholar, Ibrahim El Zakzaky.

In statement signed by CAN president, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, the Christians body is particularly saddened by the implication of the incident because it was capable of throwing the community into more crises.

Oritsejafor urged the people in Zaria to exercise restraint and live peacefully amongst themselves, saying that Nigerian security forces are up to the task to bringing the perpetrators to book.

Commiserating with Zakzakky over the loss of his sons, he said their demise was most unfortunate and regrettable, while appealing to him to take solace in God now that energy and wise counsel of all in the society is needed to tame insecurity challenges in the country.

He also urged Nigerians to live peacefully irrespective of religious, ethnic and political difference in the quest for new national rebirth and advised that everyone should give useful information to security agents as they try their best to tackle insurgency.

By Igho Oyoyo, Abuja

State Creation: National Assembly May Amend Section 8 – Hon. Barde A third term member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Umar Yakubu Barde has hinted on the possible amendment of section 8 of the 1999 constitution, as amended, to give room for the creation of additional 18 States as proposed by the National Conference delegates.

Barde, who represents Chikun/ Kajuru constituency in Kaduna State, told LEADERSHIP that only issues of viability should be considered on each of the states proposed.

The lawmaker, who was particularly excited over the inclusion of Gurara State among the 18 proposed states, said the creation of additional states will reduce poverty and unemployment.

According to him, “Iwould not only vote for it as a member, I will contribute financially to make sure that the people of Southern Kaduna got their own Gurara State.”

“I believe creation of additional states will attract development in Nigeria. Gurara State is long overdue.

“I strongly support that section 8 of the constitution should be amended for the purpose of creating these 18 states as recommended by the National Conference and Ibelieve my colleagues will not hesitate in amending Section 8 for the purpose of creating these new states.

By Midat Joseph, Kaduna

Monday, July 28, 2014

PFN, Bakare Condemn Attack On Buhari

By Olushola Bello, Lagos and Patrick Ochoga, Benin City

The national president of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, (PFN), Reverend Felix Omobude has condemned last week’s assassination attempt on Gen. Mohammadu Buhari by members of the Boko Haram sect in Kaduna State.

This is just as the overseer of the Latter Rain Assembly and

convener of the Save Nigeria Group, Pastor Tunde Bakare said the attack would have led to the disintegration of Nigeria had it succeeded.

Bakare, who was the running mate to Buhari in the 2011 presidential election, observed that Northern youths who revere Buhari would have resorted to mayhem and this, he said, would have led to repraisals across the nation.

He said this while addressing the nation in a church service in Lagos on Sunday.

He added that the attack should have made it clear to all that Buhari was not a Boko Haram sympathiser.

He said, “This past week might have marked the beginning of the end if the attack on Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and his entourage on Wednesday, July 23, 2014 had succeeded.

The architects of the Nigerian disintegration agenda would have been smiling home to the bank.”

According to Bakare, all those Northern youths who see Buhari as a messaic symbol would have responded in unguided and uncontrollable fury of a vengeful army and there would be corresponding violence from the youthful population across the Niger.

short news Terrorism, Handiwork Of Mischief Makers – Cleric

A group of men playing African basket game during the Eid-el-Fitr celebration in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO BY JANE OKEKE.

New Number Plates: ‘FRSC Has Not Fixed Deadline For Enforcement’

BY Ejike Ejike, Abuja

Contrary to media reports, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has stated that it has not fixed a deadline for a nationwide enforcement of new number plates and drivers’ license.

This is coming on the heels of inundated media reports and online publications of a proposed plan by the FRSC to commence a nationwide clamp down on vehicle owners/ motorists from August 1, 2014 for non-compliance with the directive on the new vehicle number plates and driver’s

license.

Part of the statement signed by the FRSC spokesperson, Jonas Agwu, read, “For avoidance of doubt, the corps wishes to state that it still stands on the earlier resolve to defer enforcement of the new number plates and drivers’ license following the suspension of the 30th June 2014 deadline for a change to the enhanced motor vehicle number plate by the Joint Tax Board which is statutorily mandated to determine road taxes including prices of number plates and driver’s license. The Joint Tax Board is an

umbrella body of State Chairmen of Boards of Internal Revenue.

“The Board had decided after its 129th meeting held on 23rd and 24th April, 2014 at the Headquarters of Edo State Internal Revenue Services in Benin thus: “In the light of the Court judgment against the FRSC, the Board decided to suspend the 30th June, 2014 deadline earlier announced for a change to enhanced Motor Vehicle Number Plate and the Driver’s License pending the outcome of the appeal by the FRSC.”

The pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, The Master’s Place Parish and Zonal Headquarters in Utako, Abuja, Steve Oluyombo, has said that the current wave of insurgency in Nigeria is the handiwork of mischief makers who are hiding under the guise of religion to achieve their selfish and anti-people interest.

Oluyombo who stated this yesterday while fielding questions from journalists on the sideline of a four-day thanksgiving programme put together to mark the fourth anniversary of the parish said what is happening is the handiwork of a few mischievous elements who place their greedy interests above other human’s life.

By Abah Adah, Abuja

Amaechi Did Not Inflate Cost Of Automated Road Analyser – APC

By Anayo Onukwugha, Port Harcourt

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has said the administration of Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi did not inflate the cost of the newly purchased Automated Road Analyser (ARAN) commissioned on July 18, 2014 by the governor, and challenged the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to prove otherwise.

The PDP had, in a statement signed by Jerry Needam, media aide to the state chairman, alleged that the state government inflated the cost of the ARAN to N218 million, calling it fraudulent and a white lie.

But in a statement issued yesterday in Port Harcourt, the APC said; “We are shocked that instead of joining the rest of Rivers people to celebrate the purchase of this scientific device to be used in monitoring road quality so as to ensure

that dubious contractors do not rip off the State, PDP leaders are questioning this wise investment by the visionary government of Rt. Hon. Amaechi.”

The statement, which was signed by the state party chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, added that by opposing the purchase of the road analyser, PDP has left no one in doubt that it is a party of blind critics and enemies of progress.

It said; “Contrary to PDP’s claims,

the purchase of the road analyser by the Rivers State Government was done in a transparent manner and followed due process. Each of the two machines cost N109 million, making a total of N218 million for the two machines.”

The figure was not inflated in any way and any right-thinking person would appreciate this wise investment which will not only ensure better road quality but also save the state hundreds of millions of naira.

Monday, July 28, 2014

zonal watch

49

EDO DELTA BAYELSA RIVERS AKWA IBOM CROSS RIVER Vigilante Members To Undergo Training In Rivers

BY ANAYO ONUKWUGHA, Port Harcourt

To ensure that its members in Rivers State are prepared to tackle insecurity, the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN), will conduct fiveday internal security training for vigilante men, and officers in the state.

State commandant of VGN, Mr. Mambo Wilcox, who disclosed this in Port Harcourt, said that the reason for setting up the group in states in the South-South and South-East geo-political zones of the country was to ensure that the people were properly integrated in the business and activities of the

body, and not for personal gains.

Wilcox lauded the Andoni district of the group for its prompt response in the case of an abandoned baby boy, leading to the rescue of the child, as well as the subsequent arrest of one Miss Peace Richard Unwene, the mother of the child, who was later handed over to the police.

He commended the efforts of the commissioner of police in the state, Mr. Tunde Ogunsakin and men of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF), operating in the state, for their assistance to the VGN in their quest to protect lives and property.

CIPMN Seeks Local Participation In Oil And Gas Exploration

BY PATRICK OCHOGA, Benin City

The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPMN), has called for more local participation in the exploration of oil and gas in Nigeria.

This was contained in a resolution reached at the end of the first oil and gas sector human resource forum, organised by CIPMN in Benin City, the Edo State capital.

Speaking on the theme; “Reshaping the Future of Oil and Gas Sector in Nigeria: The Entry of Indigenous Companies”,

a guest speaker, Mr. Alexus Akwukwaegbu, decried the low level of participation of local operators in the nation’s oil and gas sector even when Nigeria, has a population of 172.3 million and produces 1.75 million barrels per day.

Akwukwaegbu said that although the nation’s reserves was pegged at 37.18 billion barrels reserves, most of the reserves were held and produced by international oil companies with “unhidden ambition” bothering on economic interest.

The guest speaker, while listing government regulations,

Bayelsa Guber: Stop Blackmailing Dickson –Group Tells Opposition Politicians

HEADS

BY OSA OKHOMINA, Yenagoa

FROM THE ZONE

➔ Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

The executive governor of Rivers State, Amaechi, last week begun a farewell tour of all the wards and communities in the state.

➔ Mr. Tunde Johnson Ogunsakin.

The commissioner of police, Rivers State Command, Ogunsakin, last week renewed the ban on all political activities in the state.

➔ Mr. Samuel Eyiba.

Eyiba, the commissioner for local government in Rivers State, has pledged that government will continue to remit federal allocation to the local governments.

ownership tussle, funding and health, safety and environmental issues as challenges facing local oil operations, however, stated that interested indigenous players could invest in various sub-sectors like the upstream, mainstream, downstream or as service providers to the sectors.

Akwukwaegbu called for more encouragement from the government to enable local exploration.

In his speech, Edo State commissioner for solid minerals, oil and gas, Isimeme Iriogbe, said that the theme for the event was apt.

L-R: Senator Magnus Abe, Rivers State deputy governor, Tele Ikuru, and chairman of APC in Rivers State, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, at a recent function in Port Harcourt.

Delta: Labour Unions Battle Uduaghan Over Unpaid Pensions

BY KOLA EKE-OGIUGO, Asaba

The leadership of the labour wing of the Joint Negotiation Council (JNC) in Delta State has assured that it would work tirelessly to ensure that the state government kept its word on meeting its obligation to its retirees.

The alleged irregular payment of the retirees’ entitlements has

been at the heart of issues in labour/government relations in the state.

But reacting to the issue in an interview in Asaba, just a couple of days after his re-election as the chairman of labour wing of JNC and chairman of the Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU), Comrade Tony Toki, said that both organised labour and the state

government were prioritising the payment of retirees’ entitlements, especially under the aegis of the Contributory Pensions Scheme (CPS).

According to Toki, the determination of the state government to holistically address the pension issues was expressed by its inauguration of a committee on the subject.

Akwa-Ibom: Akpabio’s Wife Tasks Parents On Children’s Safety

BY BERNARD TOLANI DADA, Uyo

The wife of Akwa Ibom State governor, Mrs Ekaette Unoma Akpabio, has appealed to parents and guardians to always accompany their children to school and church, as a way of creating a safe and secured environment for them.

Akpabio made the call while

speaking at the headquarters of Christ Faith Church, Utu Ikot Nkor, in Etim Ekpo local government area, as part of her sensitisation visit to churches in Etim Ekpo and Ukanafun area councils, to campaign for the protection of the rights of the child.

Describing children as the greatest assets of any nation,

the governor’s wife said when a child is protected; the future of a nation is also protected.

According to her, children cannot be expected to take full responsibility of their safety, hence, those looking after them, must keep a close watch on children, and those that come in contact with them, to avoid perpetrators of child abuse.

A group, the Grassroots Connect for Restoration (GrassCore) has warned opposition politicians in Bayelsa State, against alleged blackmail of Governor Seriake Dickson with frivolous claims on secret meetings with opposition party leaders and bribe of N26 million to officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the conduct of 2016 governorship election in the state.

The GrassCore, which announced its emergence and creation of local government and ward chapters in the existing eight area councils and development centres in the state, stated that though the race for 2016 has not began, the decision of Dickson to seek re-election was based on his performance and loyalty to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and above all, Almighty God. The national coordinator of the group, Hon. Nyenye Kuro, spoke via a statement he issued in Yenagoa, while reacting to the claim by some politicians in the online report on 24/7ureports that the governor had become desperate and seeking unholy alliances with the All Progressive Congress (APC) and former Governor, Chief Timipre Sylva, insisting that the report is a lie and an attempt to cause disaffection between Dickson and President Goodluck Jonathan.

Kuro said, “The report is false and a calculated attempt by some few disgruntled elements to cause disaffection in the state. Governor Seriake Dickson, based on his performance index in the last two years, has shown loyalty to the PDP and the president. He has shown that through the construction of over 50 roads, bridges, across the three senatorial district of the state. The president’s home state is transformed.

The president’s commendations at different fora including the just concluded investment and business forum allude to this.”

He noted that the performance of the governor and his loyalty to the president, Dr. Goodlcuk Jonathan has also led the caucus members of the PDP in the state to endorse him and the president for second term in office.

The GrassCore leader said, “The politicians involved in the campaign of calumny should know that the people of the state have been led out of the years of underdevelopment and restored with emerging and completed infrastructures. The implementation of the master plan, which is a core cardinal interest of the president, is being delivered by the Dickson.

50 zonal watch (South-South)

Monday, July 28, 2014

news behind the news

The Emerging Rainbow City In Rivers

BY ANAYO ONUKWUGHA

The Niger Delta region, as all and sundry know is blessed with abundant natural resources, especially oil and gas, which, today, has come to be the base of Nigeria’s economy.

Though, successive governments in Nigeria at various levels have made frantic efforts to provide infrastructural and basic amenities for the people of the region, they seem not to be enough, due to the ever growing population of the region.

Past administrations, through the Directorate for Food, Rural Roads and Infrastructure (DFFRRI), the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) and recently, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) made efforts to provide necessary amenities and infrastructure such as electricity, water, health care delivery, roads and affordable housing units in the region.

These infrastructures became inadequate due to the rise in the population of the people of the region, occasioned by oil and gas activities. Major cities like Warri, Yenagoa, Calabar, Port Harcourt, and Uyo often experience population explosion because of the influx of people from different parts of the world, who come to work in oil exploration and servicing firms operating in the region.

The federal government, through the Ministry of Housing has been able to construct housing estates that have basic amenities such as good road network, good drainage system, electricity and water supply, across major cities in the region. Yet, that could not solve the problem of accommodation.

Past state governments in the Niger Delta region have also made efforts to embark on the development of new towns in their respective states in order to decongest the existing one, but unfortunately, these laudable dream, that can create impact on the lives of the people die upon conception, due to lack of good partners or resources to actualise them.

However, reprieve seem to have come the way of the people of the region in the area of development of new towns or mini-cities, especially in Rivers State as the present administration has embarked on several of such projects, which will definitely have direct impact on the lives of the people of the state.

One of such laudable housing projects is the New Rainbow City, which is above 70 per cent completion. The project, embarked upon, under the

Ilori

News Behind The News

FG Plans To Convert Flared Gas To Electricity

Rainbow City

inspiring leadership of the Rivers State governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi was embarked upon with innovations and speedy approval, which replaced the usual red-tape protocol that delayed and even paralysed housing projects in the state in the past.

The New Rainbow City is a N50billion housing project, which includes cost of land, infrastructural provision, structural inputs and the cost. The financing of the project was done through a unique and innovative Private Public Partnership (PPP), which involves the Rivers State government and First Bank Plc. While the Rivers State government is paying 20 per cent of the total sum, First Bank Plc will foot the remaining 80 per cent.

The New Rainbow City, which took its name from the demolished shanty Rainbow Town that was ab-initio occupied by miscreants, is occupying a 32.42 hectare of land. It is fully integrated 840 Unit Community Housing / Commercial Scheme. In addition to the various types of accommodation being provided at the New Rainbow City, the project also boost of an office, a large shopping mall, an educational centre, and a clinic.

Interestingly, not only is this multi-billion naira project targeted at beautifying Port Harcourt and providing unique accommodation for people and organisations, it is also targeted as a window for business investments and employment for Rivers people.

In his speech during the unveiling of the Rainbow Town, managing director of the Rainbow Town Development Ltd, Arc. Chima Ucheya said the project was the largest in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Ucheya stated that the town is creatively designed to offer good living experience to dwellers, pointing out that it was capable of

The master plan reflects some of the live-workplay ideals of new urbanism communities worldwide.

Located with strategic proximity to the robust and vibrant Trans-Amadi business-industrial area

attracting investors to Rivers State.

He said, “The master plan reflects some of the live-work-play ideals of new urbanism communities worldwide. Located with strategic proximity to the robust and vibrant Trans-Amadi businessindustrial area of Port Harcourt, the ambitious programme was conceived with a range of good quality 1,181 residential units creatively located in terraces, detached homes and 25 high-rise condominium towers.

“The Rainbow brand is creatively designed to offer a total wellbeing experience comprising of a medical clinic, primary school, outdoor recreational facilities, clubhouse, security post, fire station, and shopping arcade. The township is serviced from the eco-centre, a supply hub for power, water, and sewer plants, broadband wireless internet connectivity and data service.

“Beyond its appealing aesthetics and tectonics, the underlying economic development objectives of Rainbow Town are achievable through construction and allied trades and business job creation; and by tenement, property, and business taxes.

“At present Rainbow Town site is a beehive of construction activities and a marketplace of big labour. With construction progress at about 60per cent and feeder and arterial road improvements, neighbourhood properties are already witnessing rebounds and upsurge in values. Infrastructure and mega real estate developments like Rainbow Town will drive Nigeria from the largest economy in Africa, now 26th in the world, into the noble target of one of 20 largest economies in the world by 2020.”

He allayed the fears of the people that the estate was out of reach of the low-income earners.

BY ANAYO ONUKWUGHA, Port Harcourt

The federal government has expressed its committed towards converting flared gas in the oil producing states in the Niger Delta region to electricity so as to improve electricity generation in the country.

The executive director, corporate affairs, Green Energy-Lake Oil Consortium, Mr. Segun Ilori, disclosed this while speaking at a stakeholders’ forum at Ikuru Town in Andoni local government area of Rivers State.

Ilori stated that the consortium had established an oil and gas partnership in Ikuru Town, Andoni to enhance its operations, adding that the federal government was starting a process of using resources in the oil companies to develop host communities by converting flared gas to electricity for domestic and industrial use.

He said, “One of the pilot projects of the federal government in power generation is the sustainable gas/power project; this project is aimed at converting gas that is being flared through oil exploration into useful gas for electricity generation.

“This measure by the federal government is to stimulate economic development and further enhance small and medium enterprises in communities.”

Also speaking, the director, Sustainable Development, Green Energy Oil Limited, Mr. Ayodele Olojede, said regular impact assessment was key in tackling oil and gas related environmental pollution.

Olojede assured host communities of the company’s intention to adopt best practices that would ensure zero gas flaring during oil exploration activities in the area.

He said in line with environmental protection policies, the company had contacted the federal and state ministries of environment to give them guidelines on how to implement environmental protection policies.

In his remarks, the paramount ruler of Ikuru Town, Chief Aaron Ikuru, thanked the company for their business initiative, urging them to ensure adequate youth employment and infrastructural development in the area.

51

Monday, July 28, 2014

world

news ➐

➍

To Liberia Medical Staff

A senior doctor working at Liberia’s largest hospital has died of Ebola, becoming the first Liberian doctor to die in an outbreak the World Health Organisation (WHO) says has killed 129 people in the country.

Tolbert Nyenswah, an assistant

health minister, said Dr Samuel Brisbane died on Saturday at an Ebola treatment centre on the outskirts of the capital, Monrovia.

The WHO says the outbreak, the largest recorded so far, has also killed 319 people in Guinea and 224 in Sierra Leone.

➏ Hamas-declared Ceasefire In Gaza Stalls As Conflict Continues

A 24-hour ceasefire announced

by Hamas in Gaza have stalled, with both Palestinian militants and Israel continuing their offensives.

Hamas fired more rockets into

Israel, accusing it of failing to abide by the ceasefire.

Israel rejected the truce, PM Benjamin Netanyahu saying: “Israel will do what it must do to defend its people”.

The wrecked Italian cruise ship, the Costa Concordia, has entered the port of Genoa for scrapping after a two-year salvage operation.

Its removal was one of the

biggest ever maritime salvage operations.

The Concordia struck a reef off the Italian island of Giglio in January 2012 and capsized, killing 32 people.

➎ Ebola Virus Spreads ➏

➌ ➊ ➋➎

➊ Libyan Fighting ➋ US, EU

Leaves Scores Dead Prepare Russia At least 36 people have been killed Sanctions in Libya’s eastern city of Benghazi, many of them civilians, in clashes between Libyan Special Forces and Islamist fighters, medical and security sources say.

The deaths occurred on Saturday night and on Sunday morning.

Another 23 people, all Egyptian workers, were killed in the capital Tripoli when a rocket hit their home on Saturday during clashes between rival militias battling over the city’s main airport, the Egyptian state news agency reported on Sunday.

Western capitals are preparing tougher sanctions against Russia.

Members of the European Union, wary of the impact of broad penalties on their own economies, were expected to try to reach a final deal on Tuesday on measures including closing the bloc’s capital markets to Russian state banks, an embargo on arms sales and restrictions on dual-use and energy technologies.

BEST TIME TO DRINK Beer is good if you are searching for an initial idea

Coffee is good if you‘ve already got an idea and you just need to focus on the work

Although Drink too much of either and you’ll loose the benefit of both

Everything in moderation folks!!!

➍ Experts Cancel Visit ➍ Mass Grave Of

To Ukraine Crash Site

International experts have been forced to abandon their plans to visit the site where the Malaysian airliner crashed because of fighting between pro-Russian rebels and Ukrainian troops in the area.

The setback happened despite an agreement reached with separatists in Ukraine on Sunday to enable international police to oversee a site.

Hundreds Unearthed In Bolivia Construction workers in the Andes stumble across a mass grave containing the remains of an estimated 400 to 500 people.

Construction workers in Bolivia have stumbled upon a mass grave containing the remains of hundreds of people, likely indigenous miners who died during the Spanish colonial era, a researcher has said.

➐ Costa Concordia

Wreck Enters Genoa Port For Scrapping

52

Monday, July 28, 2014

SCHOOLS, EDUCATION, & FAITH PLATFORM

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF

SPECIALISED CLASSIFIEDS PAGES MONIQUE’S GLOCAL COMMUNITY INITIATIVES The general public is hereby informed that the above named INITIATIVE has applied to the corporate affairs commission for registration under part “C” of the companies and allied matters act 1 of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Emmanuel Monica - Chairperson 2. Offor Beverly Ngozi 3. Ahmed Issa Abdullahi AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To promote the development of communities that is at par with global best standard through reorientation and community based initiatives.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the registrar-general, corporate affairs commission, plot 420 Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: CHAIRPERSON

IFE CHUKWU FRIENDS CLUB The general public is hereby informed that the above named CLUB has applied to the corporate affairs commission for registration under part “C” of the companies and allied matters act 1 of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Mr. Ifeanyi Maduakor 2. Amaechi Ngige 3. Tochukwu Meneze 4. Ejike Ezenwachukwu 5. Ugochukwu Orafu 6. Mr. Mathew Amesi

NOLLYWOOD ACTRESSES FOR CHANGE NETWORK THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ORGANISATION HAS APPLIED FOR REGISTRATION TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

TRUSTEES: 1. Chief Rachel Tabuno Oniga 2. Florence Onuma 3. Toyin Adewale 4. Kate Adefunke Adepegba 5. Gloria Anozie-Young 6. Lilian Uchenna Amah-Aluko

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To promote unity and peace among members.

2. To give assistance in community development projects.

3. To take care of the welfare of members.

4. To be our brothers’ keepers.

- Chairperson - Member - Member - Member - Secretary General - Member

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. To advocate and speak in one voice for desired change in our society and thereby embark on programmes and activities that will inspire, motivate and empower young people, improve standard and quality of life in general.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the registrargeneral, corporate affairs commission, plot 420 Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL. CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET. PMB 198, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28TH DAYS FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION SIGNED: BARRISTER WUNMI OLANLOKUN

SIGNED: SECRETARY

UNWU IKWU FRIENDS CLUB

THE GRACE OF GOD EVANGELICAL MISSION

EBONYI SOUTH UNITY & DEVELOPMENT FORUM

The general public is hereby informed that the above named club has applied to the corporate affairs commission for registration under part “C” of the companies and allied matters act 1 of 1990.

The general public is hereby notified that the above mentioned MISSION has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration in accordance with Part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act LFN (cap 20)

The general public is hereby informed that the above named DEVELOPMENT has applied to the corporate affairs commission for registration under part “C” of the companies and allied matters act 1 of 1990.

MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES 1 PROPHET OLABIYI ISIAH NIYI 2 PASTOR ADEYEMO ABIODUN ISAAC 3. PASTOR ADEDOKUN EMMANUEL AJIBADE 4 MRS. REV. OLABIYI FAITH JULIANA 5 PASTOR ADETUNJI OLUMUYIWA 6 MRS. FASOLA ABIMBOLA KOWIYAT 7 MR ABIOLA BABATUNDE EMMANUEL

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Chief Sunday Chukwu (Sunny Bright) 2. Victor M. O. Akpoke 3. Chief Nwachukwu C. Eze 4. Engr. Gabriel Aja-Odi 5. Offor Williams 6. Eze Godwin Eni 7. Egwu Franklin Okoro 8. Joseph Ajali

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. CHIMA OKORO 2. EMEKA AJA 3. JACOB NWAFOR 4. OKECHUKWU OKORO

- PRESIDENT - GEN. SEC. - P. R. O - TREASURER - MEMBER - MEMBER - MEMBER

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. TO PROMOTE THE WELFARE OF MEMBERS. Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the registrargeneral, corporate affairs commission, plot 420 Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: BARR. AJA N AJA 08034143429

1 To preach the gospel of Christ Jesus to the world 2 To win souls for Christ 3 To set up and operate orphanages, faith homes, senior citizen homes and vocational skill centres to assist the less privileged in the society 4 To establish churches, schools and theological schools both within and outside Nigeria.

Any objection should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Irosi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Signed : TRUSTEES

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To promote sustainable development among people of the zone.

2. To promote patriotism by recognising members of the zone who are making positive contributions towards human and infrastructural development.

3. To be a voice and watch-dog for people of the zone against corruption and other forms of social vices.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the registrar-general, corporate affairs commission, plot 420 Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: BARRISTER FERDINAND ONUKWUBE; SECRETARY

AKPANYA PROGRESSIVE ASSOCIATION

NOVO HEALTH AFRICA FOUNDATION

AFTER SCHOOL TALENT DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE

The general public is hereby informed that the above named association has applied to the corporate affairs commission for registration under part “C” of the companies and allied matters act 1 of 1990.

The general public is hereby informed that the above named foundation has applied to the corporate affairs commission for registration under part “C” of the companies and allied matters act 1 of 1990.

The general public is hereby notified that the above named INITIATIVE has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part C of the Companies and Allied Matter Act 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. DR. DOROTHY JEFF-NNAMANI 2. MRS UCHE ONWUBIKO 3. MRS CHINWE IGU 4. FR.REMI NGOZI ONYELU 5. DR. TOSAN ORUWAIYE 6. MRS HAUWA AHMADU MUSA KIDA 7. DR. ANTHONIA OGELE

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. STEPHEN ATTAH 2.ERNEST OCHOLI ABA 3. AUDU AMEDU 4. MRS FELICIA ALI 5. NICHOLAS AKOR 6. REMIJUS OSSAI 7. SEBASTIAN YAKUBU ONOJA AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1.TO PROMOTE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMET,ENTREPRENEURSHIP,LEADERS HIP,GROWTH AS WELL AS YOUTH AND WOMEN DEVELOPMENT. 2.TO PROMOTE EDUCATION,ENLIGHTENMENT AMONG THE COMMUNITY.

- CHAIRMAN - SECRETARY - TREASURER - MEMBER - MEMBER - MEMBER - MEMBER

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Joy Mamikay Oche 2. Inalegwu Vincent Enyi

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1.TO RENDER FREE HEALTHCARE SERVICES TO THE LESS PRIVILAGE ESPICIALLY FOR MOTHERS AND HELP REDUCE MATERNAL MORTALITY. 2.TO GIVE THE UNDERSERVED AFFORDABLE HEALTH INSURANCE THROUGH A SUBSIDIZED SCHEME. 3.TO ENCOURAGE HEALTH ENHANCING BEHAVIOURS FOR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC GROWTH.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the registrargeneral, corporate affairs commission, plot 420 Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the registrar-general, corporate affairs commission, plot 420 Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: EMMANUEL ILO 08036061881

SIGNED: AJUNWA K. AGADA ESQ 08108123257

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AIM AND OBJECTIVES 1. To assist individuals stand out among their contemporaries globally as role model ambassadors of positive change.

2. To undertake any other assignments which may be for the general welfare of people especially women and children.

Any objection to this change should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission (C.A.C) P.M.B 198, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent off Aguiyi Irosi Street, Maitama Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication.

Signed: DANIEL IHEANYI NWANAEGWO. (ESQ) SOLICITOR. 08069612030

HOME OF AFFECTION BIBLE MINISTRY

CHRIST HEALING POWER OF GOD CHURCH

The general public is hereby informed that the above named organization has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2004.

The general public is hereby informed that the above named organization has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2004.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. REV. BLESSING EDIDIONG DAVID 2. MRS. INEM BLESSING EDIDIONG 3. PASTOR GODWIN ASUQUO EDUOK 4. MRS. ROSE RICHARD MBOSSOH 5. BROTHER EKELE JUSTIN

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. ODUDU TIM UMOH 2. IKWO ODUDU TIM 3. EMAYAK ODUDU TIM 4. ANIEFIOK ETIM IBOK

AIM AND OBJECTIVE: 1. To preach the word of God.

AIM AND OBJECTIVE: 1. To preach the word of God.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the RegistrarGeneral, Corporate Affairs Commission plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama Abuja, PMB 198, within 28 days of this publication.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the RegistrarGeneral, Corporate Affairs Commission plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama Abuja, PMB 198, within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: CHAIRMAN

> GLORIA OKWUM 08038722368

SIGNED: CHAIRMAN

> ABIGAIL SAMBO 08064382438

> GLORIA RAPHAEL 08061356519

> GLORIA ODIO 08034285851

> GRACE OJO 08035054444

53

Monday, July 28, 2014

BananaRepublic RESTAURANT

AFRICA TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION

EGGON EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVE (EEI)

The general public is hereby informed that the above named organization has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2004.

This is to inform the general public that the above organisation has appliedto the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part C of Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. EKANEM, LEWIS LAWRENCE 2. EKANEM, EKEREMA LAWRENCE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To promote the transfer of technology and innovation for industrialization 2. To promote industrial development for job creation Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama Abuja, PMB 198, within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: Chairman

AISHA

I formerly known and addressed as AISHA ALIYU ISAH now wish to be known and addressed as AISHA ALIYU WALI. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

CHIDIMMA

I formerly known and addressed as MISS OZO-ONYALI ONYEDIKACHUWKU CHIDIMMA now wish to be known and addressed as MISS ECHEM ONYEDIKACHUKWU CHIDIMMA all former documents remain valid.

Nigerian Immigration Service and the general public should take note.

TRUSTEES 1. MR. ALFRED ALOGALA 2. Engr. Emmanuel A. Jatau 3. Mrs. Cecilia Aga 4. Mrs. Angelina Usman 5. Mr. James Kpason

- Chairman - Member - Member - Member - Member

Aims And Objectives 1. To undertake health related related programmes in Eggon communities.

2. To embark on empowerment programmes in Eggon communities.

3. To undertake educational programmes in Eggon communities.

4. To encourage peace and harmonious society among other related neighbours.

5. To do all such other helpful things that may be considered to be incidental or conducive to the attainment of the above objectives or any of them.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar, Corporate Affairs Commission, plot 420 Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: SECRETARY

CHIOMA

I formerly known and addressed as MISS ONWUKA CHIOMA EBELE now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ANIEMESIN CHIOMA EBELE. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

MERCY

I formerly known and addressed as MISS MERCY LAWRENCE now wish to be known and addressed as MRS MERCY MOSES TUKURA. All former documents remain valid.

Nursing School Wusasa and Nigerian Communication Commission and the general public should take note.

REBECCA

I formerly known and addressed as REBECCA GINIKA IRECHUKWU now wish to be known and addressed as REBECCA GINIKA CHINONSO UGWU all former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

PRISCILLA

JAMIMA

I formerly known and addressed as MISS JAMILA SAIDU DAUDO now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. JAMIMA ALFRED NJIBI. All former documents remain valid. Federal Polytechnic Nassarawa and the general public should take note.

COMFORT

LOSS of OF document DOCUMENT LOSS loss OF DOCUMENT

This is to inform the general public of the loss of Original Letter of Offer of Right of Occupancy in respect of plot No: 1983 measuring about 428.12m2 in cadastral zone E12, Aoo with file No: 20737 R of O dated 29/10/2009 belonging to IFEANYI OGONNAYA AGWU is missing.

All efforts made to trace the said document proved abortive. If found, please return to the nearest police station. General public to please take note.

LOSS of OF document DOCUMENT LOSS loss OF DOCUMENT

This is to inform the general public of the loss of Offer Letter in respect of plot No. BD/A56, Dawaki Layout, Bwari Area Council measuring about 600sqm allotted to Yohana Gimba is missing.

All efforts made to trace the said document proved abortive. If found, please return to the nearest police station. or call: 08029177529 or 08078574751. General public to please take note.

ANAOBI

OBASI

I formerly known and addressed as MRS PRISCILLA BUKIE MUOKA now wish to be known and addressed as MISS PRISCILLA BUIKIE OMANG. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS SAKA COMFORT VIVIAN now wish to be known and addressed as MRS USAR COMFORT VIVIAN. All former documents remain valid.

Nigerian Immigration Service and the general public should take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS PANE TANI now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ANAOBI TANI. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

I formerly known and addressed as OBASI OFOBUIKE IMEZE now wish to be known and addressed as OBASI OFOBUIKE CHARLES. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

1X1 SPACE FOR SALE

1X1 SPACE FOR SALE

1X1 SPACE FOR SALE

1X1 SPACE FOR SALE

ADEDOKUN

I formerly known and addressed as OGUNLEYE ODUNOLA ADESHOLA now wish to be known and addressed as ADEDOKUN ODUNOLA ADESHOLA all former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

1X1 SPACE FOR SALE

54

Monday, July 28, 2014

Manchester United Bid €100m For Strootman Manchester United must bid €100 million to even stand a chance of signing Roma star Kevin Strootman, according to boss Rudi Garcia.

New United manager Louis van Gaal is a big fan of Strootman and made him a key figure during his time in charge of the Netherlands national

side, though the 24-year-old missed this summer’s World Cup with a serious knee injury.

Speculation has been rife ever since Van Gaal’s arrival at Old Trafford that he will make a move for the former PSV midfielder, but Garcia is adamant that any deal would

not be cheap.

“What can I say about the rumours [about Strootman joining United]...” the Roma boss wondered after his side’s 3-2 defeat to United in Denver on Saturday.

“Maybe after a three-digit offer [€100m], then we will sit down and think about it.”

Glasgow 2014 Marathon: Shelley, Cheyech Win Gold Medals Australian Michael Shelley has won Commonwealth gold in the men’s marathon in Glasgow with Kenya’s Flomena Cheyech Daniel winning the women’s event.

Shelley, 30, ran clear in the final 5km to beat Kenyan Stephen Chemlany by 43 seconds and set a new personal best of two hours 11 minutes 15 seconds.

Uganda’s Philip Kiplimo was third, while England’s Steve Way placed 10th with a personal best of his own.

Cheyech won from compatriot Caroline Kilel and Australian

Jess Trengove.

“Now I have had a bit more experience, to come away with my first win is indescribable,” said Shelley, who won Commonwealth silver at the Delhi Games of 2010. “I dug deep and I was hoping I wouldn’t blow-up like I have done in the past.

Susan Partridge of Scotland was the highest placed runner from the home nations, finishing in sixth place, five minutes 23 seconds behind 32-year-old Cheyech’s winning time of 2:26:45, while England’s Louise Damen was

seventh.

“It really was the best and I hope to be there at the next Commonwealth Games,” said Cheyech, who led with Kilel for most of the race before breaking for victory in the final stages. “We were running together and trying to help one another.”

By Way’s own estimation, seven years ago he was “16-and-a-half stone and smoking about 20 cigarettes a day” but at the age of 40 he completed the route in 2:15:16, finishing one place behind Scotland’s Derek Hawkins.

Arsenal Sign Colombia Goalkeeper From Nice David is an excellent goalkeeper.

He will add strength to our squad and we are very pleased that he will be joining us.

Arsene Wenger, Gunners boss

Arsenal have signed Colombia goalkeeper David Ospina from Nice on a long-term contract for an undisclosed fee.

Ospina, 25, had been with French Ligue 1 side Nice since 2008 and helped his country reach the quarter-finals at the recent World Cup in Brazil.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger said: “David is an excellent goalkeeper. He will add strength to our squad and we are very pleased that he will be joining us.

“He has good experience and a proven record of performing.”

Wenger had earlier suggested that Ospina, who is expected to

make his debut at next month’s Emirates Cup tournament, could displace Wojciech Szczesny as the club’s first-choice goalkeeper.

Speaking after Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at New York Red Bulls, Wenger said that Ospina had proved his worth at Nice by replacing France keeper Hugo Lloris, now at Tottenham.

Wenger said: “I’ve known him for a long time because he played for Nice - he went there a few years ago and slowly became a very important player for them.

“Hugo Lloris played for Nice before he moved to Lyon. After he moved, they played Ospina. He

2014 World Cup Superstars: Claudio Bravo(Chile) NAME: Claudio Andres Bravo Munoz Date of Birth: April 13, 1983 Place of Birth: Buin Club: Real Sociedad World Cups: 1 APPS : 4 Goals: 0

Bravo

Chilean international since the 2004 Copa America, Claudio Bravo became captain of La Roja after the etirement of the legendary Marcelo Salas, and is now well on course to become the country’s most -capped player.

In fact, if Chile do as well in Brazil as some people suspect they might, he could achieve that honour at this year’s finals.

His reflexes are as quick as ever, his handling is assured

and confident, his positioning is reliably excellent, his distribution is thoughtful and accurate, and his ball-playing skills are as good as some outfield players ... Oh, and he has a very good record of saving penalties too.

As well as the 2010 World Cup, Claudio Bravo has represented Chile at three Copa Americas Nelson Tapia, for ten years Chile’s No 1, and the man from whom Bravo took over as goalkeeper for La Roja, considers him to be one of the most complete goalkeepers his country has ever produced. Roy Hodgson, whose England team lost 2-0 to Chile at Wembley last November.

had a big impact straight away and Lloris was not an easy player to replace.”

Nice coach Claude Puel, speaking to Sky Sports News after Nice were beaten 3-2 at Brentford in a friendly on Saturday, said: “It’s a good affair for Arsenal because he’s a very good player. You will see next season the quality of this player.”

Aresnal welcomed the player to the club and added that the move “is subject to the completion of regulatory processes”.

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry gained victory over his former club in a pre-season friendly in the Red Bull Arena.

Ospina

Allen Not Weighed Down By Xavi Comparisons Liverpool midfielder Joe Al- comparison could probably len insists he is not weighed be an albatross,” Allen told down by being compared to reporters.

Xavi.

“It is some player to be comThe 24-year-old was la- pared to. I don’t take things belled as “the Welsh Xavi” by like that too seriously.

Brendan Rodgers during the “Some people have maybe ‘Being: Liverpool’ documen- used that in a negative way, tary in 2012. but, from my point of view, Allen made 24 Premier you have to look at it as someLeague appearances last sea- thing that should flatter you. son, only 15 of which were “It should inspire you to bestarts, but the midfielder be- come as good as someone like lieves he is beginning to im- that. prove his performances and “I certainly felt the perforsays he is flattered with com- mance levels were getting parisons to the Barcelona back up to what I expect from midfielder. myself and a level I can per“For some people the Xavi form at.”

Follow these reports on leadership.ng/sports

sports 55

Monday, July 28, 2014

Lukaku Wants To Come Back To Everton Everton’s head of recruitment Ian Atkins believes Romelu Lukaku has decided he wants move to Goodison Park this summer.

Goal learned on Sunday morning that Roberto Martinez’s side have agreed two deals - one loan and the other a €25 million

permanent move - with Chelsea for the Belgium international.

Lukaku scored 16 goals during his season-loan loan spell with Everton last season and Martinez has already expressed his desire to bring the 21-year-old back to the club.

Watson, Panova Win WTA Baku Cup Mazzarri

Inter Must Get Back To Where They Belong – Mazzarri Walter Mazzarri believes Inter can return to the summit of Italian football if they continue to adopt the kind of attitude shown against Real Madrid.

The Serie A side defeated the European champions on penalties in their opening International Champions Cup fixture in California on Tuesday, after a 1-1 draw.

Since winning a treble of the league title, Coppa Italia and Champions League in 2010, Inter have fallen adrift of Italy’s elite and finished fifth, 42 points behind winners Juventus, in Serie A last season.

Mazzarri is determined to

restore Inter to past glories and was delighted with the attitude shown in preseason so far - but stopped short of predicting what the club can achieve this term.

“At this moment of the year we can’t decide on our target for next season,” he said. “But it’s clear that when you coach a team like Inter you want, as soon as you can, to bring the team back to where it belongs because of its history.

“We have had a good beginning during this preseason and we have some interesting young players.

“We have started a new era at Inter and our

mentality, our attitude, must be that of a team who are never satisfied and who always play to win, regardless of who our opponents are.

“If we act like this, then during the season we will discover what we can achieve.”

Mazzarri praised his team for their performance against Madrid and also paid tribute to the Liga giants for fielding a strong starting XI. “When two teams with such an important history play against each other, it’s always key for a manager to bring out in the players that

desire to win,” he added.

“Nobody enjoys losing in football, and that’s what I told my players.

“Real Madrid win trophies every season but, despite that, in a friendly game today they showed an attitude aimed towards victory and when, during the game, it was necessary to play tough and produce some hard tackles, they did just that.

“This is an aspect of football that I believe highlights the right way to play - playing with the will to win every single game is crucial to developing a winning mentality.”

Britain’s Heather Watson and Alexandra Panova of Russia have won the WTA Baku Cup doubles title in Azerbaijan.

Watson, 22, and Panova, 25, earned a 6-2 7-6 (73) victory over the thirdseeded pairing of Romania’s Raluca Olaru and Israel’s Shahar Peer.

It is the British number one’s fourth WTA title, and her first since 2012.

Two years ago, she won the Stanford Classic and Texas Open doubles titles, both with New Zealand’s

Marina Erakovic, and the Japan Open singles.

Watson had gone out in the first round of the Baku Cup singles, losing 6-2 3-6 6-0 to France’s Kristina Mladenovic.

Her only Grand Slam doubles appearance to date this year was at Wimbledon, where she partnered eventual singles runnerup Eugenie Bouchard, of Canada, as they went out 6-4 7-6 (7-3) in the first round to Australian pair Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua.

Russian Open: England’s Horsey Wins Play-Off To Claim Title England’s David Horsey beat Ireland’s Damien McGrane in a playoff to win the Russian Open and claim his first European Tour

title in three years.

Joint overnight leader Horsey, 29, birdied 15 and chipped in for eagle on 17 to finish 13 under par

and force a play-off in Moscow.

At the first extra hole, McGrane bogeyed after finding the bunker, leaving

Horsey to two-putt on the 18th.

After fighting back to win, Horsey told Sky Sports: “Relieved is the word.”

Watson

Vidal Set For Crunch Juventus Talks

Vidal

Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal will meet with senior club officials on Sunday evening amid serious interest from Manchester United.

The Premier League club are prepared to offer Vidal a deal worth €316,000 per week, which would make him the second-highest earner at Old Trafford alongside Robin van Persie.

Vidal will sit down with his agent, Fernando Felicevich, as well as Juventus officials and lawyers to discuss his future with the Serie A club ahead of his return to training on Monday following the World Cup. The Chilean midfielder is keen to make the switch to Manchester, but is also settled

at Juventus and would not rock the boat and risk damaging his reputation among supporters in Turin by forcing through a move.

United are confident, however, that they can offer an attractive financial package to both club and player to facilitate a smooth transaction.

Manager Louis van Gaal has identified Vidal as his priority target this summer, and the Red Devils are prepared to pay hefty wages and a transfer fee of more than €50 million to land their man.

Last week, Vidal insisted he was happy at Juventus and would speak to coach Massimiliano Allegri at training on Monday, although Goal understands his future will be

decided 24 hours beforehand.

The former Bayer Leverkusen man, giving a brief interview at an airport, also refuted the suggestion that he was heading to Manchester for talks.

“I don’t know if I will stay at Juventus, I’m happy here in Turin,” he told Sky Italia. “I will talk with Allegri on Monday. I’m not going to Manchester.”

Juve director Giuseppe Marotta has previously insisted that Vidal will not be sold. “It’s very simple,” he said at Allegri’s unveiling as Antonio Conte’s successor. “Vidal extended his contract with us last season, as there was a mutual desire to continue this rapport.

“I can confirm Vidal is happy to be with us and there’s no reason for alarm.”

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No. 2,229

N150

Sam Nda-Isaiah

I

t is now incontrovertible that someone somewhere really wants General Muhammadu Buhari dead. The event of July 23, 2014, must not be taken or treated lightly. If we had a serious government in place, then, setting out to uncover the mystery would have become a major national assignment at this point. General Buhari is not just another Nigerian. He is a former head of state and he is also the leader of the Nigerian opposition, whichever way you choose to see it.

Buhari himself has rightly called it an assassination attempt. But the government and their friends said if it were an assassination attempt at all, then, the searchlight should start from his own party, All Progressives Congress (APC). Some have even gone further, if preposterously, to directly point fingers at presidential contenders within the party. But it gets curioser and curioser; our own Mujahid DokuboAsari has said Buhari actually stage-managed the attack on himself so as to give his (Asari-Dokubo’s) paymaster, Goodluck Jonathan, a bad name. I didn’t know this man is so brilliant. How ingenious!

But Buhari’s well-wishers think those who want him dead are closer to Jona-

sam@leadership.ng

than than to him. Just within hours after Buhari had said that Jonathan had declared war against Nigerians, that direct attack on his person, as if to confirm Buhari’s statement, occurred.

Nobody has directly accused Jonathan himself of trying to kill Buhari – at least I have not heard that publicly – but there are some facts that are very difficult to ignore.

You may not like former president Obasanjo and I am not exactly his fan – but you cannot take things he says about this government lightly. After all, are both the Jonathan and Yar’Adua governments not an offshoot of his own? Obasanjo said in that defining letter he wrote to Jonathan recently that he was aware that hitmen and killer squads were being trained for President

So Who Wants Buhari Dead?

Jonathan in preparation for the 2015 elections. And nobody should tell me not to take Obasanjo seriously on this one please. If there are 1,000 people on the so-called hit list, as Obasanjo said, it will make sense to assume that Buhari’s name would be among the first. So this is one possibility. The snipers were probably very upset about Buhari’s assertion and they just decided to start their assignment from him.

Another possibility could be that, yes, Boko Haram wanted Buhari dead. The mass murder of that day in Kaduna bears the signature of Boko Haram all over it.

It would be plausible to link the suicide bomb attack on Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, the Darika sect leader, to the one on Buhari only minutes apart on that same day. Dahi-

ru Bauchi’s message to those who wanted him dead is that they should be a little more patient. At his age, 89, they wouldn’t have to wait much longer. Why did they spill the blood of scores of innocent people just to reach him? he asked. It’s just simply outrageous.

Could it be that Boko Haram wanted to kill Buhari because he has been critical of their activities? If this one is the case, then, it should be clear to those jesters who have been desperately trying to force the label of “sponsor of Boko Haram” on Buhari to go and find something else to do. If Boko Haram wanted to kill Buhari, then he could not be their friend. It is not that anyone needed this proof in order to make this point in any case.

Now, let’s go back to the

theory being bandied by the PDP and their friends. My friend, Akin Osuntokun, hinted in a write-up that the fact that the bullet-proof vehicle that Buhari was travelling in on that fateful day was given to him by Jonathan was enough proof that Jonathan could not be behind the failed assassination attempt. He said that it was Col. Dangiwa Umar who told him so. I think Akin did not understand what Col. Dangiwa told him because I placed a call to Col. Dangiwa myself after reading Akin’s piece. I do not think that Akin was lying. I just think he simply misunderstood Col. Dangiwa because I know the president did not give Buhari that jeep.

It was in fact given to him by an APC chieftain. I know that ➔ CONTINUES ON PAGE 8

GHANA MUST GO

…And More And More Bloodletting Who’s feeding on all this blood that’s being shed in Nigeria every day? Last Friday, soldiers needlessly killed 35 unarmed Shiite sect members including three sons of their leader, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, during a peaceful demonstration in Zaria. Was there no way that bloodletting could have been prevented? What danger did these Shiite sect members, who were unarmed and are ideologically opposed to Boko Haram, pose to the peace of Zaria and the country?

Yes, I am aware of their occasional excesses and peskiness, but is that worth 35 lives

especially since many of them were arrested alive? Maybe I don’t know enough, but when did peaceful protests for whatever reason become so much a crime that 35 people have to be killed? Is Nigeria losing its soul?

The leader, El-Zakzaky, has so far called on his members all over to show restraint.

This should be commended but there must be consequences for the murder of 35 innocent souls even if the murderers were those in authority. The government must not mismanage this one again and create another Boko Haram on our hands.

2015 elections will shock the world — Jonathan

Not if you lose!

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