Newspaper of the Year
•Buhari reinstates Abdullahi as NPA’s managing director P4 •Senate raises panel to probe power sector funding P4 •National Hospital performs eight open heart surgeries P56 •Ex-U.S. President Jimmy Carter battles cancer P59 •Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper
VOL. 10, NO. 3306 FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 2015
Rain of tributes as Ooni goes home today NEWS Page 3
•www.thenationonlineng.net
TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH
N150.00
KPMG, PWC to audit NNPC, others
•President Muhammadu Buhari being assisted by the wife of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Omobolanle Olonishakin, in decorating the CDS Gen. Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin, with his new rank at the Presidential Villa Abuja...yesterday. With them is Vice President Yemi Osinbajo
From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja
T
WO international audit firms - KPMG and PricewaterhouseCooper (PwC) – were yesterday appointed by the Federal Government to examine the books of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and other revenue generating agencies. They are to forensically audit the accounts of the NNPC, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and other revenue generating agencies.
PHOTO: AKIN OLADOKUN SEE ALSO PAGE 62
Continued on page 4
•INSIDE:49,500 LITRES OF PETROL FOUND IN LAGOS HOME P61 ROW OVER EKITI FUNDS P7
Buhari to military: crush Boko Haram in 3 months Bristow chopper crash: two more bodies found
Order will be carried out, says Defence chief
•Julius Berger to retrieve black boxes
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From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja
S
ERVICE Chiefs got yesterday a three months deadline to crush Boko Haram – the sect that has given Nigeria horrors. President Muhammadu Buhari gave the directive during the officers’ swearing in and decoration with new ranks at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Those decorated yesterday after their appointment on July 13 are General Abayomi Gabriel Olonishakin - Chief of Defence Staff; Lt.-General T.Y. Buratai - Chief of Army Staff; Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas - Chief of Naval Staff and Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar - Chief of Air Staff. The Commander-in-Chief, who noted that the officers were qualified for the appointments, urged them to end Boko Haram’s terrorism in three months. He said: “Rightly, the armed forces have been in the vanguard of the fight against terrorism. While commending the efforts of the armed forces so far, you need to brace and continue to team up with other stakeholders to come up WILL THE with a well coordinated joint effort, which will CHIBOK GIRLS EVER bring a desired end to this RETURN? Continued on page 4
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•Wyatt
•Bello
WO more bodies were yesterday recovered from the Lagoon into which a Bristow helicopter nosedived Wednesday evening. The death toll is now six. The helicopter marked 5NBDG-760540 was carrying 12 men, including 10 Indigo Oil dredging firm workers, who were returning from an oil rig between Ondo and Lagos where they had spent two weeks. The recovery of the two bodies around 10am, signalled the end of rescue operations by emergency workers. The remains of the dead were deposited at the Mainland General Hospital mortuary. The injured were moved to Saint Nicholas Hospital on Lagos Island. Bristow released the names of the pilot and the co-pilot of the ill-fated chopper, describing both men as “experienced” and “qualified”. The crew, Captain Joseph “Jay” Wyatt of Oklahoma, United States and First Officer
By Precious Igbonwelundu, Wale Adepoju and Kelvin Osa-Okunbor
Peter Bello, a Nigerian, according to the airline, were among the six fatalities recorded in what has been described as the company’s third crash in eight years. A dedicated hotline for family members of those on board the flight has been established. Wyatt joined Bristow in 2006. He spent his entire career with the firm outside Africa. Bello joined the company last year after graduating from Bristow Academy’s helicopter flight school. “We are shaken and deeply saddened by this tragic accident,” said Bristow’s Regional Director, Africa, Duncan Moore. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families, friends and loved ones of all those on board. “Bristow has mobilised the full resources of its response team and is working closely Continued on page 4
•BRAND P13 •AGRIC P16 •SPORTS P24 •POLITICS P43 •INDUSTRY P47 •FOREIGN P59