July 12, 2014 by The Nation

www.thenationonlineng.net

THE NATION,

2 NEWS

SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014

Troops uncover Boko Haram’s underground armoury

•Recover 80 machine guns, RPGs from Balmo Forest •Over 20 suspects undergo interrogation

HE Defence Headquarters is still counting the gains of the recent capture of Balmo Forest in Bauchi State from Boko Haram. The military authorities

Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

said yesterday that troops uncovered an underground armoury

Boko Haram: 173 teachers killed, says NUT

•Threatens strike over unpaid 27.5 per cent allowance in Unity Schools

TOTAL of 173 teachers have lost their lives in Boko Haram attacks in Borno and Yobe states over the years,the National President of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Mr Michael Olukoya,said yesterday. One hundred and seventy of the teachers were killed in Borno and the remaining three in Yobe, he told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Uyo. He decried the continued detention of the Chibok schoolgirls by the insurgents and the unabated siege of the school system by Boko Haram in the country. The NUT president called on the Federal Government to expend all resources available to free the abducted schoolgirls and save them from the psychological trauma. “Government should appropriately police the school environment for the security of pupils and teachers and create conducive learning environment for quality education delivery,” Olukoya said. Speaking at a separate press conference, the NUT President who was in Uyo for the union’s fifth quadrennial meeting with the theme, “Changing Nigeria’s fortune through quality teachers,’’ warned that the NUT would go on strike should the Federal Government fail to address the issue of payment of 27.5 Teachers Allowance to its members in unity schools and other federal schools.

Kazeem IBRAHYM, Uyo with agency report

He said the union would meet with teachers in the affected schools and give the federal government deadline on the payment of the allowance. “Up till now, our teachers in unity schools have not been paid the 27.5 per cent Teachers’ Allowance. After this conference, we are meeting with teachers of unity schools and we will give the federal government a deadline,” he said. “If, after the expiration of the deadline, the 27.5 per cent Teachers’ Allowance is not paid, we will embark on strike. The strike will be total. NUT will also join teachers of the unity schools and other federal schools in the strike. “The time is ripe in Nigeria for the regulated scale of salary and other conditions of service to take a central stage in national attention if, indeed, the quality of teaching and the quality of education are to translate into national fortune.” The union also blamed the nation’s worsening educational standard on the state of infrastructural decay, saying the situation has led to serious crises of confidence among stakeholders in tertiary institution. The NUT said that unless there is a revolutionary improvement in the state of facilities in primary and secondary schools, every other expenditure on education would amount to a waste of the country’s resources.

Ex-AGF, Onagoruwa, 16 others become SANs •LPPC fixes Sept 22 for inauguration

ORMER Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Dr. Olu Onagoruwa, was yesterday named among 17 lawyers awarded the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) by the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) this year. The Registrar of the Supreme Court, Sunday Olorundahunsi, who made the list public in Abuja, said 109 lawyers applied for the rank this year, among who were three women, two of whom are from the academics. Olorundahunsi said two out of the lucky 17 are from the academics. He said the choice of who to award the rank was taken at the LPPC’s general meeting held yesterday. Named with Onagoruwa, who served under the late Gen. Sani Abacha government, include Sylvanus Aghumele Ogwemoh, Prof. Joash Ojo

Eric IKHILAE, Abuja Amupitan (University of Jos), Olusola Olaseni Idowu, Dr. Ernest Mabuachi Ojukwu (Nigerian Law School), Ahamefula Ikechukwu Eke Ejelam, Chike George Onyemenam, Tawo Eja Tawo and Olatunde Oluranti Adejuyigbe. Others are Dr. Adewale Adedamola Olawoyin, Dr. Joshua Olukayode Olatoke, Teslim Olatunde Busari, Kelvin Chukwudi Nwufo, Dr. Amuda-Kannike Abiodun, Oluwakemi Mufutau Balogun, Hakeem Olatunde Afolabi and Gerald Godwin E. Ezeuko. Olorundahunsi said the provision of the guideline for the award of the rank was “strictly adhered to this year.” He said the new SANs will be inaugurated on September 22 during the new legal year celebration.

owned by the Islamic sect in the forest which stretches from Bauchi to Jigawa and to the fringes of Sambisa Forest in Borno State. Recovered from the armoury were more than 80 General Purpose Machine Guns and tubes of Rocket P r o p e l l e d Grenades(RPGs). Besides,over 20 insurgents arrested from the forest are undergoing interrogation,according to Director of Defence Information, Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade. The claims could not be independently verified last night.

However,Gen.Olukolade,in the statement,said: “The mopping up operation in Balmo forest is yielding more discoveries of arms stockpiled in underground cells in the forest. “Troops who have been excavating various sites in the forest in search of hidden weapons, have so far recovered over 10 rifles along with parts and accessories as well as more than 80 General Purpose Machine Guns, tubes of Rocket Propelled Grenades and Launchers, cables, wires and thousands of rounds of assorted ammunition. “Also recovered in the

search are uniforms of security agencies including protective clothing. “Meanwhile, suspects captured in the forest have been taken into custody and they are volunteering information linking the activities in the forest with other terrorist activities in the country. “The mopping up operation continues” Although,the statement was silent on the number of captured insurgents, a top military source said: “They are over 20 insurgents in custody from the forest providing clues on the operation of the sect. “We decided not to pub-

lish their photographs for strategic reasons. We do not want the sect to know who among their members in Balmo Forest are still alive or not. “But some of those captured were in charge of armoury for Boko Haram. They are helping ongoing investigation.” Responding to a question, the military source added: “The recovered arms and ammunition and the arrested insurgents have been moved to a military facility where security agencies are also collaborating to source vital information from them.”

•Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State(right) in a handshake with Vice President Namadi Sambo, during the commissioning of the Elim Housing Estate, Ibagwa-Nike, Enugu State...yesterday

OVERNOR Murtala Nyako and his deputy,Mr.Bala Ngilari, were conspicuously absent yesterday as the 7-man panel constituted by the former Ag. Chief Judge Adamawa State ,Justice Ambrose Mammdi to probe the duo, commenced sitting in Yola . They were also not represented by any counsel. Chairman of the panel, Alhaji Buba Kaigama, apologized for the delay in the commencement of public sitting coming one week after it was constituted without a proper inauguration. He said the committee faced several problems which have since been addressed. Kaigama pledged to be fair to all parties involved in the assignment before his committee. The deputy speaker of the State House of Assembly,Mr. Kwamoti Laori was in attendance. Counsel to the House,which is the complainant in the matter,Mr. Duro Ajeleye (SAN) and Mr. Leonard Zidon, led the

Impeachment plot: Nyako, deputy shun panel's summons Barnabas MANYAM, Yola only witness for the Assembly, Mr. Therman Wafarninyi, Chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts. He said the panel should determine whether Nyako and Ngilari violated the constitution or not and make the appropriate recommendation. The counsel to the Assembly tendered 22 exhibits against Nyako and six against Ngilari. The panel adjourned to today to enable the Governor and his Deputy or their representatives to appear before it. The Christian Community in Adamawa State sued for peace between the warring factions and asked them to allow peace reign In a statement in Yola, the Chairman, Council of Pastors

in Adamawa State, Dr. Victor Ordinan, said the impeachment process was uncalled for at this point in time. Ordinan said:“As a people we must unite so that together we can avert the severe consequences of impeaching the number one and two citizens of our state at the same time. Because we know the consequences and cannot sit back to watch them befall us.” However, Elders and Stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state threatened to sanction any legislator that backs out of the impeachment process. Spokesman for the group ,Dr. Umar Ardo told reporters yesterday in Yola said that the impeachment move was a PDP affair and therefore any lawmaker who went against the decision of the party on the matter would be sanctioned.

Asked about the reconciliatory move between the lawmakers and governor Nyako, Dr Ardo said any action taken by the legislators is inferior to the party’s. He said the PDP was not even aware of any such peace parley. Spokesman for the State Government Mr.P.P. Elisha said that the legitimacy of the seven man panel constituted by the acting chief judge of the state remains questionable. Elisha said that Governor Nyako being a custodian of the Constitution will not submit himself to an illegal body On threat by the PDP to sanction any of the lawmakers that may back out of the impeachment process , Elisha said it was a confirmation that the impeachment saga was politically motivated . He said PDP was desperate to take over power at all cost.

NNPC increases refinery utilization capacity to 60%

HE Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Andrew Yakubu, yesterday disclosed that the four refineries now have 60 per cent refining capacity utilization. Yakubu who spoke at the capacity building workshop for media practitioners themed: “The role of NNPC in the Nigerian economy,” held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, explained that refineries have capacity to

•Attains 2.5m bpd production Emeka UGWANYI and John OFIKHENUA

refine more crude but there is currently limited supply due to pipeline vandalism. The NNPC chief also took advantage of the workshop to give account of his stewardship in the office in the past two years. He said that the

process of rehabilitation of the three refineries is underway, adding that there has been a procurement of long lead items. He noted that the rehabilitation of Port Harcourt refinery has begun while awaiting the commencement of the entire rehabilitation programme. He explained that major works have been carried out to ensure continued opera-

tions of the refineries. He said: “The capacity utilization of the refineries as we speak today is 60 per cent of their nameplate. The 60 per cent nameplate capacity is not because the plants cannot take more but because we have this challenge with crude oil supply.” He noted that the corporation has had recourse to the original builders of the refineries for benefits of their experience

•Continued on Page 6

THE NATION

SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014

THE NATION

4 NEWS

SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014

arrest armed robbers at About 90% of our contractors Police Savannah Bank building are local, says Ajimobi S O YO State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, yes terday affirmed that his administration engages local contractors for about 90 per cent of the projects undertaken across the state. The governor, who disclosed this while hosting media professionals in the state, said the aim was to boost local economy and encourage higher participation in governance by stakeholders. According to him, his vision for the state stands on the tripod of restoration, transformation and repositioning, adding that it is encapsulated in the "Ajumose" concept. Ajimobi explained that there are many experts among Oyo State indigenes and residents who are able to deliver quality jobs which

Bisi OLADELE, Ibadan

mark out his administration. He said the very few projects awarded to non-residents were those handled by firms that do not need mobilization because those big firms have huge financial capacity to execute big projects and that they also have access to funds from financial institutions. He said: "Not less than 90 per cent of contractors handling our projects are from Oyo State. The only ones given out were those local contractors can't do. But these firms don't need mobilization. Of all the roads, only about 10 per cent were given out. You can check the records." A few months after assuming office, Ajimobi re-

called that the state was greeted with heavy flood triggered by a downpour which washed away many bridges, roads and other infrastructures. From the ruins, the governor said his administration has rebuilt the infrastructures, adding that his urban renewal project has replaced the state to the top among cleanest states in Nigeria. Ajimobi,who emphasized that his administration succeeded in enthroning peace on assumption of office, declared that his administration was transforming the state to an enviable height. "We are proud to say that Oyo State is being transformed. Comparatively, we have done better than our recent predecessors," he said. He urged the public not to

believe lies being spread by his detractors. He described them as cheap blackmail aimed at discrediting him before the good people of the state having seen that his administration was lifting quality of life of residents in the state. "I have no refinery anywhere." Ajimobi emphasized. Earlier, the Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the state, Comrade Gbenga Opadotun, commended the governor for the massive dualization of roads in various parts of the state. He also used the occasion to solicit government support for the forthcoming National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the union in September in Ibadan.

IX young men were arrested by a team of anti- robbery policemen attached to the Area A Police Command, Lion Building while looting the properties of the distressed Savannah Bank on Lagos Island. The incident occurred yesterday at the Broad Street head office of the bank about 8.30 a.m. The suspects, who are all teenagers are Ibrahim Luka, Kunle Malik, Sheriff Lawal , Tnde Basiru, Arif Sarumi, Lukman Ojikutu and Fidelis Joshua. They were alleged to have been burgling the building for a very long time before the policemen swooped on them following a tip-off from the angry residents. “Distress call was received from the Ikeja control room that some armed robbers were operating at Savannah Bank, Broad Street. The policemen stormed the area and these boys were arrested” said a

Bisi ONANUGA

police source. Residents of the area, who gathered at the crime scene, but would not want their names in the print, identified some of the boys who they said had been tormenting residents of the area for a very long time. Some of the suspects attacked the policemen with cutlasses in an attempt to escape arrest upon the arrival of the policemen led by Sgt. Mohammed Akeem, but the police repelled the attack. Items recovered from the suspected armed robbers included three cutlasses, one iron bar, one iron saw and some cables. The suspects are now cooling their feet at the Area A Command where they are currently undergoing interrogation. Residents of the area commended the Area Commander, Imohimi Edgal, for the quick response of the policemen.

Lagos Assembly mourns Aturu

•From left: Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Seni Adetu; Managing Director, Eddinho Nigeria Limited, Dr. Edmond Okafor, and Managing Director, Alma Stores, Kunle Akinkugbe, during the 2014 Guinness Nigeria Sales and Distributors’ Conference/Awards Ceremony held at the Time Square Event Centre, Ikeja, Lagos ... yesterday

Ogun pays N27bn to retirees in three years

GUN State Govern ment said it paid over N22billion to pensioneers and another N5billion as gratuities in the last three years even as it vowed not to owe any pensioner or worker his due. Governor Ibikunle Amosun revealed this yesterday when leaders of the pensioners paid a courtesy call on him in his office at Okemosan, Abeokuta. Amosun said his administration had cleared the backlog of gratuities owed by the immediate past administration from 2008, adding that the administration cleared five years backlog of gratuities owed retirees in the state. Leaders of the pensioners had earlier requested for the settlement of pension arrears owed them from 2003-2006, implementation of increment on pension from 2010-2011, harmonization of pensions and payment of outstanding gratuities from 2008 among other demands. On the harmonization of pensions, the governor explained that the disparities in the amounts paid to the pensioners were determined by

the numbers of years served and unequal terminal salaries of the pensioners, adding that it would be unfair for people who did not serve the government for their entire productive years in service before moving elsewhere to earn as much as those who committed the entire working life to the state and completed their service years before retirement. The governor added that the last salary earned by the pensioner was what was expected to be paid to them as pensions. He was, however, quick to add that the government could look into the possibility of reviewing ths pensions. Amosun urged the pensioners to show more understanding with the government as he was currently clearing the backlog of pensions and gratuities he never owed, but was inherited, adding that his administration had never defaulted in the prompt payment of salaries and pensions. He promised that the government would have cleared all the backlog of all pensions

and gratuities by next year. The Chairman of Nigerian Union of Pensioners, Chief Kessington Odukoya, had earlier thanked the governor

for prioritising the welfare of the pensioners and pleaded he continues to put smiles on the faces of the elders who served the state meritoriously.

Ondo indigenes in Osun urged to vote for Aregbesola

HE indigenes of Ondo State resident in Osun State have been charged to come out enmasse and vote for Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola in his re-election bid as governor in the August 9 governorship poll. Hon. Ifedayo Sunday Abegunde, representing the Akure North and South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, gave the charge after a tour of 30 local governments by the Oranmiyan Sunshine Movement to rally support of all Ondo indigenes residing in the state for Aregbesola's reelection. Abegunde said he could foresee Aregbesola winning the election because he had done alot for the state. He said: “Aregbesola has given a sence of belonging to every Ondo indigene within the state through his innova-

Adesoji ADENIYI, Osogbo tive policies and programmes. He reminded them of their numerical strenght, therefore, saying their votes are very important in the coming election. Also, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Ondo State and co-ordinator, Oranmiyan Sunshine Movement, Hon. Saka Yussuf Ogunleye, said Aregbesola's popularity confirmed that he performed creditably. Ogunleye, who noted that despite the low Internal Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state compared to Ondo State where he comes from, Aregbesola has achieved more than Governor Olusegun Mimiko.

Oziegbe OKOEKI

AGOS State House of Assembly at its plenary on Thursaday paid tribute to the late lawyer and human rights activist, Bamidele Aturu, who died Wednesday, July 9, describing him as an uncommon personality that fought for emancipation of the masses. Muyiwa Jimoh, representing Apapa, brought the news of Aturu's death to his colleagues, saying: "Aturu was a pride not only to Nigeria, but also to Africa. At the age of 19, he was a youth leader always at the forefront of fighting for the good of others." The lawmaker said although the dogged fighter was an indigene of Akoko in Ondo State, he had lived all his life in Lagos, adding that "his death came as a rude shock to us. He died shortly after slumping last night." He explained that Aturu's recognition was far beyond Nigeria. "He was a member of the legal team of the International Labour Organization (ILO). I think with all these, he deserves tribute from this hallow chamber." Speaker Adeyemi Ikuforiji described the death of the frontline lawyer as a national calamity, saying: "The sudden demise of one of Nigeria's brightest legal practitioners and a civil rights activist, Mr. Bamidele Aturu , on Wednesday, is indeed a national calamity. It is quite sad and highly unfortunate that our nation has yet again lost one of her best legal minds to the cold hands of death at a time when more of such minds are needed to help rescue our country from ruins.” He further said: "It is not only sad, but highly unfortunate. It is on record for instance that Bamidele Aturu plotted a very unique path of practice for himself since becoming a legal luminary, by always aligning with and fighting for the poor masses of our country, free of charge. One would have wished that such a great soul would be spared by the Almighty Creator to live long enough to be able to fight the course of the downtrodden in our country, for a longer period.” While lending his voice, Sanai Agunbiade, representing Ikorodu I, pointed out that the death of the activist became more saddening because "he did not live to eat the fruits of his labour having died at the age of 49." Agunbiade explained that Aturu was to be distinguished among other activists because he was regarded as "gentle tiger" having fought wholeheartedly for the masses. While Deputy Whip, Rotimi Abiru, described the death as a great loss to the judiciary and the nation at large, adding that his exit would create a huge gap in the judicial system at this crucial time of our democratic practice. According to him, the late barrister was a dogged fighter, honest and professional to the core. "He was the voice of the voiceless and a man who always stood by the truth. The nation will miss him; the masses will miss him", Abiru said. A minute silence was thereafter observed in his honour.

...Okotie too

HE Chairman, Rev. Chris Okotie, the National Executive Committee and members of the Fresh Democratic Party have commiserated with the wife, children and family of the upright, forthright and human rights lawyer and activist, Mr. Bamidele Aturu who died Wednesday, July 9. The described his death

as a big blow to the struggle for the entrenchment of rule of law in Nigeria. They said: “Aturu identified with and stood his good causes and was a champion of the oppressed. He was iconoclastic till his death. “We pray that the Lord will grant the family the fortitude to bear the loss.”

THE NATION

NEWS 5

SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN (right); senator representing Lagos Central Senatorial District, Senator Oluremi Tinubu (2nd right); Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Lagos State, Chief Oladele Ajomale (3rd left); senator representing Lagos West Senatorial District, Senator Ganiyu Solomon (2nd left), and the first Military Governor of Lagos State, Rtd Brigadier-General Mobolaji Johnson (left) during the rendering of the account of stewardship to commemorate the 2,600 days in office of Governor Babatunde Fashola’s administration at the Blue Roof Hall, LTV 8 Complex, Agidingbi, Ikeja, Lagos...yesterday.

LL Progressives Con gress (APC) has alerted security apparatus in Osun State that Omisore and the PDP have contracted the assassination of four top APC leaders to hired killers from the Niger Delta for immediate execution. The leaders involved are Alhaji Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke (the first civilian governor of the state), Elder Peter Babalola (aka Peter Action), Chief Olu Abiola and Alhaji Fatai Oyedele. The hired killers, APC reliably gathered, have already commenced surveillance on the four leaders. Very credible sources from the PDP alerted the APC that top PDP officials took this

APC raises alarm over PDP’s alleged plan to assassinate Adeleke, three others

decision at a meeting in Lagos yesterday. “We are, therefore, alerting Nigerians of the horrible dimension to which the PDP’s desperation for power has taken. “The PDP in Osun State has gone berserk and its members’ diabolical lust for power has become so murderous that they seem to care less about innocent lives. “We are reliably informed that the reason the PDP has suddenly become this desper-

ate is that in spite of everything the party has done, the majority of the people of Osun and their leaders remain resolutely committed to the APC and totally opposed to PDP ideas. “We, therefore, alert Nigerians and all those who care about life and democracy that they should hold the PDP responsible for any harm that may come to these APC leaders, or any chieftain and members of our party.

“Nigerians should also hold the party responsible for whatever abduction or physical assault that may result in

``I want to use this occasion to say that I have great respect for the journalism profession. It is a noble profession. Besides, the constructive criticisms always being offered by journalists have helped tremendously in entrenching good governance and ensuring a better society,'' he said. Governor Ajimobi particularly commended the media practitioners in the state for their cooperation and support for his administration,

describing them as partners in progress. He said that the modest achievements so far recorded by his administration would not have been possible, if not for the focused government his administration runs and the friendly disposition of the journalists operating in the state without necessarily compromising the ethics of their profession. The governor said that his administration would continue to treat them with great

Nebo, Amsoun seek more investment in power

HE Minister of Power, Prof Chinedu Nebo and the Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, yesterday advised more Nigerians to invest in the power industry to address the lingering electricity problems in the country. They spoke during the ground breaking of 90mega watts plants in Magboro, Ogun State. Nebo said more Nigerians especially those involved in the oil and gas sector should build more power plants to increase supply to the national grid. He said investments in the sector should not be left in the hands of a few Nigerians, arguing that the problems in the sector required that more

Akinola AJIBADE people go into the electricity generation and distribution. He explained that Ogun State boasts of many plants because of its belief that power is critical to the development of the economy. He said President Goodluck Jonathan had promised to commission the plant by December 2014 as part of efforts to improve electricity production in the country. He said: ‘’Bresson AS Nigeria, the company behind the 90 megawatts power plant has promised to increase the megawatts to between 250Mw to 300Mw in the next few years. This shows the commitment of

the company and the Ogun State government to make the area more industrialised. ‘’ Also, the state governor, Senator Ibikunle, said greater investments in the power sector would help in galvanising the economy. Ibikunle, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Energy, Mr Taiwo Fagbemi, said poverty would reduce, once Nigeria could get the energy sector right. He said there are 12 licence operators in the state who have demonstrated the need to improve electricity supply to the national grid. He said the government’s investment in infrastructure was evident by massive road repairs and construction in recent times.

duced to the electoral process and activities leading to the August 9 election and thereafter,” the APC said.

Only way to have stable electricity is to vote out PDP, says Fashola

AGOS State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has said the only way the country can have stable electricity power is to vote out the ruling Peoples Demo-

I have great respect for journalism— Ajimobi

OVERNOR Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has said that he has great respect for the journalism profession, describing the practitioners as the conscience of the nation. The governor stated this on Thursday evening while hosting members of the state council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) who were at the Government House to break fast with him.

the death of anybody in Osun State in the circumstances of the senseless violence the PDP has intro-

respect, particularly for not allowing themselves to be unnecessarily influenced by the enemies of the society. He said that his administration decided to embark on urban renewal programme and environmental sanitation, having tackled the security problem which it inherited from the immediate past administration. Governor Ajimobi expressed satisfaction that the urban renewal and the environmental sanitation programme of his government had succeeded in changing the environmental landscape of the state and its hitherto typecast as one of the dirtiest states in the country. In their separate addresses, the state NUJ Chairman, Mr.

cratic Party (PDP) from power in the forthcoming 2015 general elections. Fashola, who gave the counsel while marking 2,600 days in office at an elaborate ceremony held at the Blue Roof on the Lagos Television premises, said electricity power crisis in the country is caused by lack of ideas and insincerity of purpose on the part of Federal Government. He said: "Yes I agree with you that it is possible to generate electricity and to make sure that everybody in this country has electricity. I agree with you it is simple. What we have done in Lagos within the areas where we are constrained show that it can be done . But you know the only way that you and I will have electricity in this country will be to vote out the PDP." The governor further said: "They started from vision 2020-20 and I told you then that they were having nightmare. There was no vision. They moved to a seven-point agenda and now they are

transforming. Governor Fashola told the gathering that his administration had in the last 100 days gave priority to the provision of homes for Lagosians through the Lagos Home ownership Mortgage Scheme. He explained that the state government, in a bid to reduce the housing deficit in the state, has continued to give out 200 housing units every month to subscribers to the scheme, adding that the state government intensified efforts to ensure that those in the informal sector benefit from the scheme. In the area of infrastructural development, he said the state government completed so many road projects across the state within the period, noting that 205 road projects are at various stages of construction in the state. Fashola said his administration would sustain the tempo of development in the state till the end of his tenure.

‘No way for PDP in South West’

HE All Progressives Congress (APC) Chair man in the Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State, Hon. Igbekele Akinrinwa, yesterday chided thePeoples' Democratic Party [PDP] for boasting that it would defeat the APC in all its controlled South West states by 2015 general elections. He maintained that the APC still has its formidable structures in all the six South

West states and that the party still enjoys the support of the masses. Akinrinwa, who stated this shortly after the swearing-in of the APC ward executive members in the Okitipupa Local Government Area of the state, was very optimistic that the APC would defeat the PDP in the forthcoming August 9 governorship election in Osun State. The APC chieftain said

what was done during the last Ekiti gubernatorial election like the militarization of the state and arrest of opposition leaders before the election day would never repeat itself in Osun. He said the APC leaders were determined to fulfil all their promises in order to sustain the support they have been enjoying from the masses. He advised the executive members to work tirelessly for the success of the party.

6 NEWS

HE division at the ongoing National Conference sank deeper yesterday following the boycott of a peace parley with the Chairman of the conference, Justice Idris Kutigi by Northern delegates. Kutigi was scheduled to meet with a team of “50 wise men” randomly selected among the delegates. The peace session was to seek the way forward following the split of the 492 delegates over derivation formula and five per cent inter-

THE NATION,

National Conference: Northern delegates shun Kutigi’s meeting Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation vention funds for the NorthEast, North-West and NorthCentral. While the Southern delegates favour increase in deri-

•No, flight disruption affected the peace parley

vation formula from 13 per cent to 18 per cent, Northern delegates are demanding five per cent Intervention Funds for the North-East (3%), North-West (1%) and NorthCentral (1%) which had been

plagued by Boko Haram insurgency. But the Southern delegates insisted that the five per cent should be designated as National Intervention Funds to cater for emergency situa-

•From left: Adindu Ugwuzor(lawyer), Mr Blessyn Okpowo(Ex-deputy Editor, Saturday Vanguard) and Mr. Festus Keyamo during a condolence visit to late Bamidele Aturu’s family in Lagos... yesterday PHOTO: Solomon ADEOLA

Supreme Court clears Suswam of Certificate forgery allegation

HE Supreme Court yesterday cleared the Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam of allegations of certificate forgery brought against him by a former governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP, Mr. Terver Kakih. The five-man panel of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Suleiman Galadima, in a 62page judgment unanimously held that Kakih’s appeal lacked merit and consequently threw it out. The court upheld the concurrent judgment of the Federal High Court Makurdi delivered

•Upholds his governorship mandate on July 11, 2012, as well as the Court of Appeal Makurdi which had on March 5, 2013, dismissed the case. Kakih, who lost the January 9, 2011 governorship primaries by six votes to Suswam’s 976 votes, had challenged his opponent’s qualification to contest the governorship poll on grounds of alleged forgery of his GCE certificate. He also alleged that the ward and state congresses of the party were conducted in violation of the PDP constitution and provisions of the Electoral

Act 2010 as amended, and sought the court’s relief declaring him as the duly elected candidate of the party and, therefore, the winner of the April 26, 2011 governorship election in the state. The judge held that the appellant failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt the criminal allegation of certificate forgery against Governor Suswam as required in section 362 of the Penal Code. The court declared: “There is no piece of evidence led by the appellant to prove that the 4th

respondent (Suswam) presented forged certificate to either 1st (PDP) or 2nd respondent(INEC) or that he swore falsely to an affidavit stating facts relating to his certificate which are false in order to bring his case within the ambit of section 31(5) of the Electoral Act 2010 Citing Section 131-134 of the Evidence Act, the judge noted that the appellant filed the appeal out of sentiments without any supporting facts or evidence, adding that political sentiments “command no place in judicial deliberations.”

Boko Haram: Immigration deports 182 illegal immigrants

BOUT 182 illegal immigrants from different African nations have been deported by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Lagos State Command. They were picked from different locations in the metropolis following an ongoing raid. Command boss, Comptroller Julius Ogbu said a few weeks ago, community leaders from various parts of African nations were told to advise their nationals to go to their countries and obtain all the necessary documents that could qualify them to stay in Nigeria due to security challenges. “We had a meeting with heads of the non -Nigerian nationals and advised them on the need to adhere strictly to the ECOWAS protocol which requires that non- Nigerians must come in through the recognized gateways and obtain ECOWAS travel certificate in their countries. By recognized routes, we mean the places where you have Immigration, Customs and all those security agents who are to screen you and ensure that you have good intentions before you come into the country.

Jude ISIGUZO “We have therefore decided to ease out all those nationals who have refused to comply with ECOWAS protocols. The operation is meant to ensure that we control persons who are in Nigeria. No African national who came into the country illegally is left out. We are not leaving any country out. “The Immigration Service have provided some of the logistics used to carry out the repatriation, but the Lagos State Government has been of tremendous assistance. We are not saying they should leave our country because they are our brothers, but what we are saying is that they should go back and come

in using their passports or the ECOWAS travel certificate using the recognized routes. We are all ECOWAS nationals, we are brothers, but we are saying that they should do the right thing and come back and live with us. He debunked the rumour that the Immigration was sending Nigerian citizens from the North out of Lagos. Ogbu said Lagos belongs to all Nigerian and noted that there is no way the Immigration could send citizens from Northern Nigeria out of Lagos. “We cannot send Hausa’s out of Lagos. It is not possible for us to send our own out of Lagos. When we make the arrest, we profile them based on our training and send nonNigerians back to their respec-

Correction

In our lead story yesterday, we quoted the former Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Coomasie, as saying, “We failed to reach any comprise,” while reacting to the recommendations of a select group of elders that the derivation principle of oil producing states be pegged at 18 per cent . The word ‘comprise’ in the sentence should read ‘compromise’. The error is regretted.—Editor

tive countries.” “I want to thank other security agencies who have been assisting us in this operation. The Police, SSS and other security agencies has been helping us in this operation.” He said. He told newsmen that 102persons have been sent back while 80 illegal immigrants are waiting to be deported back to their various countries.

tion nationwide. Another area of disagreement is the demand for ballot process to make delegates feel free on any decision. Northern delegates alleged that voice vote is being manipulated by the conference leadership to “achieve a predetermined agenda.” The differences made Northern and Southern delegates to engage in shouting match on Thursday leading to the constitution of a team of 50 wise men by Kutigi to build consensus. Investigation by our correspondent revealed that only 25 out of the 50 wise men showed up for the meeting. Findings showed that most Northern delegates in the wise men’s team boycotted the meeting with Kutigi and his deputy, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi. One of the frustrated wise men, who spoke in confidence, said: “We could not form the quorum; we had to discuss informally which is not binding. “Most of the Northern delegates did not honour the session as agreed by latching on one excuse or the other. “I think some Northern delegates have a hidden agenda which would not augur well for the survival of the National Conference.” But a source close to the Secretariat of the National Conference, however, said: “The closure of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport to traffic affected the peace meeting between Kutigi and the 50 wise men. “”Most of the 50 wise men and co-chairmen and deputy chairmen said the closure would affect their movement to their respective states to see their families and for that reason, they won’t be able to attend. “Only about 25 of them showed up. They just discussed at random and left thereafter.” A delegate from the North, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, who spoke with our correspondent, said: “The meeting was boycotted by the North. First and foremost, Kutigi was aware from the leadership of the Northern Leadership Forum at the conference that the Northern delegates among the 50 wise men were not going to attend. He is not the chairman of the northern delgates.” “Our leader, ex-IGP Ibrahim Ahmadu Coomasie stood up at the floor of the National Conference and said the northern delegates will no longer

SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014 attend the meeting of the 50 wise men unless a ballot process is put in place to decide on any recommendation. “If they tell you anything, do not believe them. I am aware that some respected delegates like Umar Hadejia, ex-Minister Bashiru Dalhatu, Buba Galadima, Prof. Auwalu Yadudu and Sadiq Mohammed among others did not attend the meeting called by Kutigi. Actually, Sadiq Mohammed came with me this afternoon from Abuja. ”If there was an attempted meeting it failed, it must have been a figment of their imagination. On the way forward, Dr. Junaid Mohammed said: “Ask Kutigi who does not want democracy; who does not want us to chart the way forward. “We came to this conference to defend and protect our interests; we do not come to participate in the reengineering of Nigerian state. The majority has been turned into minority. The North has 62 per cent of the population of this country. Yet out of 492 delegates we are less than 180 at the National Conference. “We are insisting on ballot because they have been corrupting the voice vote. The rules of the conference say we must have consensus three times and if it failed, we must have physical counting. Since we started, neither Kutigi nor Akinyemi has allowed ballot. “We either respect the rule or break the conference. What the chairman and the deputy want, was to blackmail the Northern delegates. We would not be blackmailed, we would not be intimidated, and we would not be fazed. As true democrats, we would not shy away from the ballot process. A key Southern delegate, who spoke in confidence, said: “The only thing we are ready to concede is five per cent intervention funds and it will be named as National Intervention Funds which would be accessible by all the six geopolitical zones. “If the conference concedes 5 % intervention funds to the North, it means technically we have voted funds for Boko Haram. We will be saying insurgency is the right way to live as citizens. “We have had insurgency; invasion devastation and war in the South-East, Zaki-Biam, Gabramatu Kingdom, and Odi, there were no intervention funds to rebuild these areas. We are saying the intervention funds should be for all the zones. “All the leaders and delegates from the South have agreed that it is either National Intervention Funds or nothing else.”

NNPC increases refinery utilization capacity to 60% •Continued from Page 2 and expertise in terms of rehabilitation and equipment provision for the entities to derive maximum value from the money to be spent. Yakubu also said that oil production has increased from 2.3 million barrels per day (mbpd) to 2.5 mbpd. He said the production feat was attained despite challenges of illegal oil bunkering and theft in the sector. “In line with Federal Government’s aspiration to transform the industry and especially NNPC into a competitive oil and gas company, on assumption of office, we met and set up strategies to improve oil and gas production. On the average today, we are able to maintain 2.5 million barrels per day production. “Although we have serious challenges with crude oil theft and bunkering from our major trunk lines, we have been able to maintain 2.5

million barrels per day production.” And these strong lines are mainly in the west, east and the centre of the country.” He also noted that gas flaring has been reduced to 10 per cent from 30 per cent a few years ago. He noted that the period within which he has served as group managing director, has witnessed improvement in the performance of the company. He said: “As at today, NPDC is proudly the fifth largest producer of crude oil as well the leading gas supplier in the country. Its production increased from 70,000 barrel per day when we came in and as at today we have about 170,000 barrel per day production and aspire to increase to 250,000 bpd by 2020. It has reserves of 2.1million barrel also.” He also said that the company has increased its gas contribution to the domestic market to over 570 million standard cubic feet per day.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014

COMMENTARY

‘

A lame duck president in the US is one who is ignored because he is in his last term and people are preparing for his successor as he is running out of tenure and office and is not quite relevant on issues

Between electoral and executive rascality and democracy LECTIONS in any democracy create or destroy power. Which in effect means that while elections can refresh power for incumbents they can also remove them from power. That was what happened in Ekiti State recently and even though the loser’s wife has protested that what happened at the election will soon be known, the fact is that power has shifted base from one party to another and from an incumbent to an incoming. That is the beauty of democracy. The acceptance of loss of power with equanimity and without loss of composure or face, is another potent aspect of elections that nurtures stability and continuity in governance and security. Thankfully all that was very much at play again at the last gubernatorial elections in Ekiti state and is something that we in this part of the world can be quite proud of, at least this time around. The reason for mutual backslapping or elationover a smooth electoral transition of power in Ekiti is not difficult to see if you monitored the reactions of politicians to some elections globally in the last week. In Indonesia’s presidential elections this week the two contestants have claimed victory in a way similar to how Former US President George Bush Jnr did on his election in 2000 for a first term of office when the results were very close when he defeated Al Gore in a close and controversial election decided by the Florida recount. Similarly in Afghanistan, the front runner in the announced election results asked for an urgent audit of the votes cast to confirm his lead while his opponent who also disputed the election results was planning to form a parallel government. This was a move which saw the US, the ‘owner’ or midwife of Afghan democracy sending its Secretary of State John Kerry scurrying back to Afghanistan to warn that any parallel government will not have US aid or US guarantee of security for Afghanistan- which both contestants know and admit is a sine qua non for any leader to rule Afghanistan at this present time. So, in effect, it follows that elections in some circumstances need some guarantees to facilitate their conduct and transparency and in some cases some threats, either subtle or direct, to ensure that those who get elected really get to take over power in a con-

ducive environment. Surely these are the rigors or the political costs of elections and they vary from place to place. In Ekiti of recent the army was the guarantor of a free and fair election while INEC was the organiser and facilitator. In Afghanistan the US was the guarantor and in either Ekiti and Afghanistan, the contestants were left in no doubt as to the conduct expected in the elections even though the electoral body was given a free hand to operate . In Ekiti some critics have called the involvement of the army a militarisation of elections, which I think is a misnomer as soldiers did not vote. All they did was to police the election as the normal police was deemed inadequate to provide such function even though they were on the ground filly kitted like an army for any eventualities. Which meant that the Army in Ekiti policed the election on behalf of the police which will make such operation a mere ‘police action’ similar to the one the Federal government of former Head of State ex-General Yakubu Gowon embarked on at the beginning of the Nigerian Civil War to crush the Biafran secession. Surely that seems to have become the mode of security for state elections under INEC nowadays as it was done in Edo state before Ekiti and all things being equal it would be repeated in Oshun state elections due in August. The only snag in the comparison with the Afghan election guarantee is that while the US had no stake in who won the election in Afghanistan, the Commander in Chief of the Nigerian army is the leader of one of the parties viewingfor power in the state and has even come there to campaign for the party’s candidate who eventually won. You have to wonder then what could have happened if the Commander in Chief’s candidate had lost or whether his losing at all was ever a part of the security guarantees for the elections. We need to mention that the police action against the Biafran rebels later metamorphosed into a full scale military action when the Biafran army proved a hard nut to track with that initial strategy. Aside from power shift arising from elections, real power rascality can ensue between power holders and those with whom they exercise or share power as was the case in the US this week when some US Republican Party leaders asked that US President Barak Obama should be impeached for violating the US Constitution in his use of presidential powers. Which is quite laughable considering the fact that President Obama was a professor of Constitutional law before becoming president sure-

‘

ly knows the limits of presidential powers. But his accusers are not joking on the charges and some senators have stoked the fire against Obama further by threatening to take him to court on similar charges. Obama in turn have called their bluff by saying that he has acted within the constitution and would be happy to have his day in court on the matter with his accusers. Of course Obama is serving his second term and cannot be frightened with the prospect of losing his powers through any presidential elections again but he is becoming a lame duck president faster than most of his predecessors in office. A lame duck president in the US is one who is ignored because he is in his last term and people are preparing for his successor as he is running out of tenure and office and is not quite relevant on issues. So Obama can afford to make himself merry with the rascality of those seeking his impeachment as his days are numbered in office anyway. This is not so however if a sitting president in any nation is seeking re election and a state governor stands in his way for what ever reason. This brings to mind the problem the Adamawa State governor Murtala Nyako is having over a letter he wrote recently condemning the security strategy and presidential style of Nigeria’s incumbent President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan. As at now Governor Nyako is facing impeachment charges from his state legislature that is surely a spill over from his face off with the Nigerian president and I am sure that the Adamawa governor is fighting dearly for his incumbency even though there is no election yet in his state. Surely Governor Nyako knows very well by now what the late but very witty MKO Abiola meant when he said only a mad man will stand in front of a moving train, when he counts the cost of his altercation with the Nigeria president over the security of his state where he is the chief security officer, and that of the purview of the C- in C which covers Nigeria including Adamawa state. This has shown that even in the use and management of power and security, water must find its own level at all times as incumbencies at both state and federal levels are not certainly equal in many aspects. Especially in Nigeria where Aso Rock is the fount of power and patronage thanks to our unitary system of governance in a so called federal arrangement or constitution.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014

COMMENTARY

Will they ever bring our girls back? XACTLY 88 days after over 200 school girls were abducted from their dormitories in Chibok, Borno State, I can't just believe the depressing details being churned out in certain quarters. It's one thing to take the citizens on a silly ride that leads nowhere and it's another thing to treat them as dumb and unthinking fools. In spite of our many failings as a nation, I never thought we would ever get to this sorry pass where political brickbats are being thrown around as the abducted girls go through the most unthinkable trauma in the hands of their abductors. Down here, it's been 88 days of playing cheap politics, trying to be politically correct and pitching tents with the various camps. Up there at the Boko Haram camp, it's been 88 days of unimaginable anguish for the girls, their innocence violently plucked! It's been 88 days since they were ripped from their roots and we are still counting the days as the buck passing goes on down here. When the news first broke sometimes in April, I had whined on this page about burying my thoughts in the cadenced candour of poetry in Nigeria's cacophonous atmosphere where one step forward equals three steps backward. That was some three months back when the authorities were comfortably living with the delusion that the story of the abduction was nothing but the fictional exertions of social media commentators and fake newsmen; a time when we were fed with the outlandish heroics about the fraudulent 'rescue' of 80 out of the over 270 school girls that were initially abducted; the reported brave efforts made by the parents of the girls to confront death in Sambisa forest; the comic relief of sorts that played out when the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, attempted to intervene; the setting up of a presidential committee to determine the veracity of the abduction story; the foreign intervention and the global #bringbackourgirls campaign; and the twists and turns of a tragic story that, 88 days after, is still developing. In that particular piece titled "Our girls, our shame, our failings", yours truly equally barked at a system that tends to see everything from the prism of political insularity rather than national ethos. Unfortunately, the security apparatchiks, hard as they try to convince us otherwise, are fully enmeshed in this dirty game of playing to the gallery. Rather than being insulated from the disturbing shenanigan, they have become a major content of the festering mess. And that's why it's not surprising to Knucklehead that, three months into the sickening abduction, we are all still sitting on our hands, whinging in solitude that the 234 girls would just walk out of bondage if they were truly in any chains in the first place! Shame. No, don't get it twisted. I'm not in any way saying that nothing has been done on all sides of the divide to free the girls or draw attention to their plight. Not at all. But what is manifestly undeniable is the international community's waning interest as far as the abduction saga is concerned. After a few weeks of worldwide hysteria, the rest of the world has moved on, leaving us to writhe in sheer hopelessness. Clearly, recent developments simply justify the frustrations that have been expressed by concerned citizens over the ability of the Nigerian government to protect them. Why can't they understand that the monotony of their excuses over this matter depresses the spirit? Three months into this worrying saga, they relentlessly feed us with tendentious excuses! Okay, we remember that the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh, once told us that the military knew the exact location of the abducted girls and

Knucklehead

With

Yomi Odunuga E-mail:yomi.odunuga @thenationonlineng.net SMS only: 07028006913

was only being tactical in its rescue efforts so that the innocent girls would not come in harm’s way. Good! We are also aware that the presidential committee set up on the issue had submitted its report in which it was explicitly stated that members of the Boko Haram sect actually abducted close to 300 girls in a secondary school in Chibok. Better! At least, we now know that it's no fiction. We have been told that concerned foreign governments have been offering technical and military assistance in the rescue effort and that our military would leave no stone unturned in reuniting the girls with their grieving parents. Splendid! We have also been promised that anyone found to be involved in terrorism, no matter how highly placed, would be made to face the full wrath of the law. Excellent! In fact, nothing would gladden my heart more than seeing every evil-minded person's head on the guillotine! Even the President had, at various times, assured us of the safety of the girls and his determination to reconcile them with their parents. Gbam! In all this, we tend to forget one critical thing---how the singular effort made by the #bringbackourgirls group helped in drawing local and international attention to the maddening, lethargic and almost do-nothing attention given to the incident in the first four weeks. Of course, I know the resilience shown by the groups to continue with the non-violent sit-ins at public parks in Abuja to push for the rescue of the girls must have scrabbled some elitist balls. However, it does not preclude the fact that the story of the abducted girls would have paled into insignificance without such efforts. Sadly, the sacrifice being made by these Nigerians is being ridiculed by the same agencies they have put to task on the need to rescue the girls. To this end, I concur with Emeka Madunagu's assertion that it is sheer pettiness for the security apparatchiks to blackmail the #bringbackourgirls movement to desist from tasking President Goodluck Jonathan to walk his talk as Commander-In-Chief. Lest we forget, Jonathan it was who promised to return the girls "soon". The problem is: this presidential 'soon' appears to be limitlessly elastic! And so, if some persons have chosen to demand an update 88 days after, why should they be shouted or hounded down for asking a caring President to, for the love of country, walk his talk? So, the movement is now a "franchise" with bank account? Members of this franchise are planning to brief the foreign press on their plan to storm Sambisa forest! They have become so ubiquitous to the point that the government is truly confused and wouldn't know which particular group to talk to! The activities of the group encourage and compliment terrorism! Oh, c’mon! What's so confusing about inviting an individual like Oby Ezekwesili and the other leading members of the group that interact with the press daily to a roundtable discourse on the

way forward? Is that enough justification to bar the accredited members of the group from attending the scheduled briefings on the Chibok abduction saga at the office of the National Orientation Agency? For now, I align with Ezekwesili’s statement on the vexatious allegation to wit she declared: “We are conscious of our rights and responsibilities as citizens and we are exercising them to remind government of their own responsibilities to provide security to citizens and rescue those in distress. We cannot be stopped from exercising our citizenship rights through intimidation. Far from seeking to undermine the efforts of the security agencies, we seek to enhance it and make it more robust and effective. Our concerns about the lack of results so far, 87 days after these girls have been abducted, are aimed at motivating the security agencies to more effective action. Our activities are open and our meetings are in a public space, the Unity Fountain. There is no compulsion to membership and our symbols such as the red t-shirts, face caps and pins are donated voluntarily by members. We are motivated by empathy and the need to search and rescue these girls. We are shocked that all we get from our security agencies is harassment, vilification, innuendoes and threats. This must stop. Security agencies have the responsibility to protect rather than intimidate citizens trying to do a good turn. Finally, rather than see our civic action calling on the government and its security agencies to do their work as enemy action, we urge them to take action against the real enemies who are the terrorists that have abducted and kept in captivity for almost three months over two hundred innocent Nigerian girls.” Gbam! I may not know how long the authorities plan to go on with this motion without movement. What I do know is that nothing has been done, in words and in deed, to assure us that those unfortunate 234 girls would be coming home soon. In 88 days, we have recycled stale tales and jaundiced hypothesis. So, what did Jonathan tell the National Council of State on Tuesday in Aso Rock that is remarkably different from his public moaning in the last 88 days? According to reports, he excused the delay on the 'meticulous' tactical approach by the security agencies to minimise loss of lives. Hmnnn....what a jejune way of exposing confidential tactics! Besides, wasn't that the same excuse Badeh gave the Oby Ezekwesili-led #bringbackourgirls movement some few weeks back? A foreign journalist accused the President of displaying a do-nothing attitude towards rescuing the girls and his spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, fired back, saying that Jonathan would not be pressured into revealing Federal Government's aggressive rescue efforts to the public in order not to endanger the lives of the girls, all in the President’s needless drive to mollify his critics! How meticulous can anyone be in making the open secret, secret? As for the latest development in which the security agencies have, once again, disclosed the involvement of some politicians in a 'leading party' in the funding of terrorism, I wait with bated breath for the disclosure of their names. But as that goes on, let us focus on the issue at hand. It's a national shame that 88 days after, our girls are still in captivity, forced to live with the reality of a bleak future at the mercy of a monstrous group. And since Jonathan and his men plead for more patience on this matter, what we can do really is to do nothing to upset the apple cart even as a poisonous bee settles on our balls! Isshhhh! But then, I ask, will that bring the girls home?

Who’s afraid of Chris Okotie? The Electoral Body (INEC) should obey the court order and register the Fresh Democratic Party – The Nation, Editorial HE Nation was one of the papers that wrote an editorial commentary on the Fresh Democratic Party, FRESH deregistration saga involving the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. It is a controversy that continues to fester like gangrene with no remedy in sight. Yet, the solution is very simple, like most of Nigeria’s complex problems, If only the government would do the needful. After weighing the arguments for or against the delisting of the political parties by the commission based on their alleged failure to win a seat in either the state or National Assembly, the newspaper made a case that since the offending party and chief protagonist (FRESH) in the suit (No: FHC /ABJ/CS/800/2012), successfully won a court verdict for its recertification it should be readmitted into the fray in the interest of justice and fair play. The ruling was given by Justice G.O. Kolawole of Abuja High Court 5, on July 29, 2013, in what was clearly a watershed in the evolution of our democracy. Like the Nation, many mainstream national newspapers have written editorials in support of INEC’s recertification of the young party founded by one of the country’s elite preachers/politicals activist, Rev. Chris Okotie. Standing firmly on the controversial Electoral Act 2010, INEC has refused to budge. Worse, the National Assembly has gone ahead to make a bad case worse. The law makers, in the course of the extensive constitutional review exercise going on, have likewise expanded INEC’s mandate to deregister political parties which fail to win any elective seat on offer, from the Presidency down to councillorship. The initial amendment restricted this action to the bigger offices, excluding the grassroots offices in the local government arena. Surprisingly, the lawmakers, who were joined as respondents in the Fresh & 2 Ors Vs INEC & 3 Ors action, did not take cognizance of this extant judgment, which was and is, still widely published, while taking its decision to carry out the latest amendment of the Electoral law. The issue here is not whether deregistration is right or wrong, but that a court of competent jurisdiction has declared the Electoral Act 2010 null and void, and, therefore, any action

Ojeikpon IMOUKHUEDE

• Jega derived from it of no effect. INEC, the National assembly and the other two respondents should obey the court order. What the judgment says is that INEC should restore the FRESH party as one of the recognized political parties and allow it to field candidates in any office it so decides in the on-going elections. We are vividly reminded of this case by the Nation’s edition of May 8, 2014 which conclusively settled the constitutionality or otherwise of the INEC action: “FDP approached the court to seek legal redress. Among the reliefs it sought from the court were that it has satisfied all the conditions and requirements of a political party as stipulated under the Electoral Act, 2010, and continues to exist as an extant political party in Nigeria; that it cannot be de-registered except

in accordance with the provisions of the 1999 constitution; that the reliance by INEC on Section 78(7) (ii) of the Electoral Act as well as Section 223 (1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution to de-register FDP without hearing the party’s side violates Sections 36, 38 and 40, 221-222 of the 1999 Constitution and paragraph 15 of the 3rd Schedule (part 1) of the constitution and an order nullifying the purported de-registration by INEC as illegal, unconstitutional and violating democratic tenets. “The FDP also prayed the court to order INEC to restore its recognition as a political party as well as restrain the electoral body or any of its agents from implementing or enforcing the de-registration. Describing Section 78 (7) (ii) of the Electoral (Amendment) Act as a product of “legislative arbitrariness”, the court held that the legislation negates Section 222 of the Nigerian Constitution, which stipulates qualifications for registration of political parties. “The learned jurist stated clearly that the Nigerian constitution does not ‘specifically or impliedly’ provide for de-registration of a political party that has met the conditions of Section 222 (a) to (f).” As an independent observer who, like millions of Nigerians, has been following this case, no excuse is tenable in law for the blatant disobedience of a court order. We cannot accept the argument that, because the legislative authorities decided that, only big or money bag parties with effective capacities to appropriate enough votes to win some elections are dominant today, other parties should “fall down and die”. Democracy is about level playing filed. The absence of this has blighted our processes and actions; this INEC and lawmakers’ impunity in the FRESH case is unpalatable. Some people are even asking: Who is afraid of Chris Okotie? Is all these attempt to shut out his party a sign of genuine phobia for man and his paradigm shift ideals? If FRESH claims to be only serious alternative to the present political shenanigans, we should allow the electorate to decide. •Imoukhuede wrote in from Lagos

THE NATION, SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014

COMMENTARY 9

Breaking the taboo OPE Francis’ strong condemnation of the sexual abuse of children by some rogue Catholic clergy and his apology to the sufferers of the abuse must be greatly commended at every level. Last week, during a Mass held for six victims of priests’ pedophilic abuses at the Vatican, Pope Francis addressed the subject of sexual abuses by some Roman Catholic clerics and declared that bishops who tried to sweep allegations of sexual abuses under the carpet would be held accountable by the Roman Catholic Church. Child sexual abuse is one of those murky taboo subjects cloaked in veils of secrecy, deception, intimidation, shame and disgrace. The offenders exist in all societies, come from every culture and practice all religions. It does not just exist in the Catholic Church; it occurs in familial establishments, school institutions and is often cultivated in relationships that are based on trust. It would really be naive, even reckless, for any community or establishment to think that their families and institutions are totally immune from the threat of child sexual abuse. It is vitally important for communities to acknowledge the existence of child sexual abuse in order for that knowledge to serve as a deterrent and help in the reduction of this transgression. And that is exactly what Pope Francis did. The eradication of child sexual abuse is a subject that I am extremely passionate about and committed to. For the past couple of weeks, I have wanted to write on this topic. Recently, I was presented with a brief where a six-year-old was brutally sexually assaulted by her uncle. Apparently, the uncle had been a frequent visitor to the house where his niece lived and, on many occasions, he was left in the house with the little girl and a nanny. It wasn’t until the little girl’s mother had sacked her old nanny and hired a new nanny that the new nanny informed the family that, whenever they were out of the house, “uncle” would take the little girl into the room and lock the door. Upon thorough investigation, the girl’s mother discovered that the uncle had been molesting her little girl and other little girls in the neighborhood for a long time. It seems so out-of-order and malevolent for a family member to carry out such an abominable violation upon his own kin. But the truth is, often, child abusers are trusted people known to the child. It is that closeness and position of trust, which the adult has, that makes the abuse much easier to carry out. That familial situation provides a sort of convenient cover for the abuser. It really is heart-breaking to know that there are people that feel compelled to carry out such monstrous acts against young children. The horror, trauma, and damage that pedophilia inflicts on a young child is not a faith-based problem; it isn’t a western or developing world problem; it is a problem within every single society. Here in Nigeria, there are so many cases of child abuse; I have dealt with them for over ten years. And it is unfortunate to note that, from my experience and observation; the incidences of child sexual abuse have greatly risen and have become more brazen in the last four to five years. In my past articles, I have

spoken of a little girl that I met sometime in the year 2000, when I was involved with a charity which helped women and children that were being abused. The little girl was four years old at the time I met her. I was alerted to the family of this little girl after her mother found out that she was a victim of sexual abuse. While I now deal with cases of such nature regularly, at the time I dealt with that particular case, I was relatively new to matters that were so horrific. I was naturally shell shocked and shattered to know of the ordeal that this little girl had gone through. In that specific case, from the age of three, this girl had been systematically and violently raped by a young family friend in the compound where she lived. At the time we came across her case, she was four and had already become psychologically traumatized and damaged. When we took her for medical tests, it was further revealed that this four-year-old little girl had contracted HIV from the young man who consistently raped her. Although we had a deep desire to help her and her family in every way we could at that time, we unfortunately lost contact with the family because they were displaced during a sectarian skirmish where they lived. In the aftermath of the conflict, we tried to get in touch with the family to no avail. I never saw her or her family again and was never able to find out where they went or what eventually happened to them. Whenever I think of the pain and distrust I saw in the little girl’s eyes, whenever I remember the sad, tortured look on her face and her damaged little body, I wonder what eventually became of her…, and my heart breaks! If that little is somewhere out there today, she would now be 18 years old. If she was able to survive the conflict and heal from the trauma, I hope that she has access to the treatment available for her to live a healthy and productive life. There is really no simple reason why some adults molest and sexually abuse children, although some would tend to argue that pedophiles are plainly insane. I don’t agree with this position because it gives them an excuse and is a sort of cop out for them. If we argue that people who have an unhealthy appetite for young children and carry out their warped desires are insane, then, the very fact of that insanity makes them not culpable for their heinous acts. I totally believe that adults who abuse children are completely aware of their actions and have an absolute understanding that what they are doing is wrong. For me, there is no debate in this; otherwise, why would they

go to great lengths to cover up their acts? It doesn’t matter whether child sexual abuse is carried out by Bishops in the Vatican in Italy or by ex-governors in Nigeria, in all of our communities, we cannot ignore the occurrence of child sexual abuse. Those in positions of authority; be it an older family member who touches a young relative in the wrong manner, a teacher who immorally crosses the line with their students, religious leaders who hide under the clandestine nature of their institutions to molest children or even aged, abhorrent, venal ex-governors who habitually espouse prepubescent lassies under the insincere rationalization of creed, all play a part in breaking down inhibitions on how elements within societies eventually come to view very young children as sexual partners. The challenge for every community is to confront it head on, so that communities can identify methods of combating or reducing its occurrence and dealing with it when it happens. As a mother, I believe it is vitally important for every single parent to speak to their young children about the dangers that come from the faceless pedophilic predator that may lurk around us. In order to protect our children, we must have good communication with them, talk to them regularly, listen and observe their behavior to see if there is any change. If in the unfortunate situation a child has been abused, that child most likely would be too afraid, ashamed and embarrassed to talk about it. In that situation, it is the responsibility of the parent to detect the physical and behavioral signals that accompany the victim of child abuse. An abused child may lose appetite for food, regress to infantile behavior, such as bedwetting or excessive crying, become afraid of the dark, have recurrent nightmares or disturbed sleep patterns and have an unusual interest in or knowledge of intimate matters. They may also begin to express affection in ways inappropriate for a child. In a situation where children show adult-like sexual behavior, it is usually because they have been exposed to it by someone else. Children tend to copy and repeat adult behavior. A parent should also notice if a child has unexplainable vaginal or rectal bleeding, venereal infections, torn or strained underclothing and other signals, such as disruptive behavior, withdrawal or delinquent conduct or even if they are unusually failing in school. Once any of these behavioral patterns become noticeable, a parent needs to be on alert and make further, necessary enquiries. A child can be abused no matter their gender. As parents, we must safeguard the interests of our children, boys and girls, because every child has a right to be protected, to be safe, to maintain their innocence during childhood and to be free from abuse. It is the obligation of each and every one of us adults to protect children from the harm of one of the worst crimes against humanity. The starting point for the protection has got to be breaking the taboo of speaking against child sexual abuse, just like Pope Francis did.

Akpabio: A doubting Thomas’ blackmail and self-entrapment VERY responsible practitioner of journalism in Akwa Ibom Ibom State would heave a sigh of relief at what seems as a rescue of the profession from the clutches of one of the most notorious blackmailers and medium the State has witnessed these past years. I am referring to journalism enfant terrible of the sponsored lowly Anti-Akpabio newspaper based in Akwa Ibom State. The paper has earned for itself the unenviable distinction of serving as a benchmark and a reference point in quackery as far as the practice of journalism is concerned. And the character has also acquired the notoriety of “Journalism Boko Haram” of Akwa Ibom State. The mischief-making local tabloid debuted when Governor Akpabio stood at the barricade of public interest against a certain politician’s interest who wanted to stampede the governor into fleecing the State in his favour. Because Governor Akpabio refused to accede to that request, the bubble burst and hell was let loose with the man’s fury knowing no bounds. It was from such miasma of anti-people’s interest that this platform of serial blackmail was birthed. The arrow-head, an incompetent user of English language has not disappointed his paymasters. In halted English often replete with grammatical somersaults, he has remained relentless in the demonization of Governor Akpabio and his administration. There is no prefix or lexical item capable of disparaging someone that he has not freely employed against the person of the governor. Sometimes, it is so flagrant that one wonders whether the pen-assassin remembers that the man he is often referring to is the executive governor of his State. The idea of screaming headlines like: “Akpabio is a Rogue”; “Akpabio is a Thief”; Akpabio Caught in London with 75 million U.S. Dollars”, with a rider, “Assam Assam to the Rescue”; are all manifestations of intemperate rage against an office that should be protected. Recently, this media mercenary decided to be more inventive and brazen. Not content with the series of publications in the anti-Apabio newspaper that has made him an object of dread and nuisance and extremely contemptuous to Akpabio and his administration, he purported a recorded message that is the subject in issue. He is reported to have gone to Edidem Umoette, the Paramount ruler of Etinan

John AKPAIDE

• Akpabio and Edidem Ime Udousoro Inyang of Ibiono Ibom to play for them a tape of a purported conversation he had with one of the members of a team of assassin the governor is said to have empanelled to kill the two paramount rulers. According to him, one of the assassins called him and he decided to record the message. Allegedly, the message purports that a meeting was held in the country home of Senator Emmanuel Ibokessien in Ikot Ekpene with Governor Akpabio, Chairman of Essien-Udim LGA and chairman of ALGON, Honourable Nse Ntuen, Commissioner for

Special Duties, Emmanuel Enoidem in attendance where the assassins where commissioned to kill the persons of Edidem Umoette and Edidem Ime Udo-Usoro Inyang. This serial character deformer informed the paramount rulers that the matter concerning their elimination was urgent and would be executed with dispatch. Of course, this caused extreme panic and fear as the two paramount rulers had to go into hiding. Severely troubled by the strange development, the paramount ruler of Ibiono in line with traditional mores sent a traditional injunction to the governor through the latter’s paramount ruler and to Hon. Nse Ntuen. Tension came upon the State like a plague with its attendant deepening of ethnic mistrust. Politicians cashed in with all manners of insinuations and interpretations. The fact is, when one pointedly accuses a governor of plotting the elimination of the citizens he is expected to govern like paramount rulers or any other important personality, especially if such persons come from an ethnic divide other than that of the governor, wrong signals are sent which flag the health of that polity. Journalism as a profession operates with a body of ethics. As a profession, it requires a period of training which enables the acquisition of skills and exposure to its dynamics. It is such exposure that breasts practitioners with the overriding need to preserve national interest over and above other considerations. It also imposes on them the moral demand to ensure that stories are balanced. But in Akwa Ibom, the practice is peopled more by quacks than professionals. For them, they delight in maligning public office holders for pecuniary recompense from their sponsors or for sheer illusory fame. But fame does not come from infamous actions. It comes from sterling contributions. And for a writer from works that can influence society positively. This should be food for thought for the likes of the doubting Thomas at the centre of what could be rightly called the most horrible embarrassment to Fourth Estate of the Realm in Nigeria. •Akpaide, a public affair analyst, wrote in from Oron, Akwa Ibom State

THE NATION SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014

THE NATION, SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014

B abies for th e

GA L L OWS

â&#x20AC;˘Tales of Nigerian minors sentenced to death in error

Story on pages 14,15&16

THE NATION, SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014

Tales of Nigerian minors sentenced to death in error T the time they were arrested in 2004, Sopuruchi Obed and OtoObong Edet were minors. But they regained their freedom as men penultimate Friday after spending 10 years on the death row. As soon as the duo walked out of prison as free men, Obed jumped up with joy and collapsed into the waiting arms of Daniel, his uncle. Edet, on his part, shed tears of joy as he breathed the air of freedom for the first time in a decade. “Thank God! Thank God!” he shouted repeatedly in a fit of ecstasy. At the time they were arrest in 2004, Obed was only 14 years old while Chidi was 17. The two teenagers were said to have been arrested after they were spotted by a police informant at a local canteen in Lagos, where they were said to have spent lavishly on sumptuous meals. But Obed and Edet said that they were picked at different locations and met for the first time in prison. From there, the story allegedly changed to that of armed robbery when police accused them of robbing one Mrs. Praise Lawani of the sum of N54, 000 and sundry items valued at N130, 000. In spite of their insistence that they were not robbers, they were arraigned at a Lagos High Court presided over by Justice M.A Dada, who pronounced them guilty and sentenced them to death on March 28, 2009. Indeed, Edet was allegedly shot by the police during interrogation and forced to sign a confessional statement which the court relied on to pass its death sentence on them. However, the attention of the Legal Assistance and Defence Project (LEDAP) a Lagosbased human rights group, was drawn to their plight, and it took the matter to the Court of Appeal, Lagos, where they were set free. The duo shared similar fate with one Williams Owodo, who were freed from the Kirikiri Maximum Prison on December 18, 2012 after spending about 18 years on the death row. Owodo was arrested while returning home from a local football match in February 1995 as a 16-year-old and final year student of Creek High School, Ajegunle, Lagos State. He was arraigned for murder and subsequently sentenced to death by a Lagos High Court on December 5, 2003. His freedom came after the intervention of LEDAP which took the matter to the Appeal Court, Lagos Division where the trial judges discharged and acquitted him of the charges on want of evidence particularly that he was a juvenile at the time he was arrested and arraigned in court. It was the same story for Dele Gabriel who was on the death row at the Maximum Security Prison, Kirikiri, Lagos State for 13 years. He was 16 when he was arrested on February 12, 1996 for “armed robbery.” Despite his in-

•Owodo

‘Our

n Kunle AKINRINADE n

sistence that he was innocent of the allegation, he was allegedly subjected to torture by the police while a bogus confessional statement was used to nail him at an Ekiti High Court without a single witness to corroborate the purported confessional statement. Gabriel however had a reprieve following an appeal made by LEDAP. The appeal was filed at the Court of Appeal, Ilorin, Kwara State. On July 1, 2009, the three justices of the Appeal Court discharged him, citing the inability of the prosecutors to prove the charges preferred against him beyond reasonable doubt. Hundreds of other Nigerians are on death row for offences they know nothing about. Sadly, many others are believed to have been hastily dispatched to their untimely grave. Reliance on confessional statement for prosecution/judgment As in the case of adult suspects, several cases of arrest of minors and their subsequent trial for capital offences (murder and armed robbery) have been based on confessional statements presented by police prosecutors, which most times are either contrived or obtained through violence, coercion, intimidation and harassment of suspects. However, legal practitioners explained that this practice negates the provision of Nigeria’s criminal laws, which forbid the prosecution of minors for capital offences and death sentence on them. For example, Owodo said he was brutalised to sign a statement purportedly written by a police officer during his interrogation. He said: “On February 13, 1995, I was transferred to the State Criminal Investigating Department (SCID), Panti, Lagos where I was interrogated but I kept saying that I was innocent of the allegations and that I was being unjustifiably held. Then, a particular officer took me to a dingy room and asked if I was ready to say the truth or not. I insisted that I was innocent and he became furious. He then ordered me to get under a table inside the room and hit me with iron rod and gun butt, and I started bleeding. “Not minding the fact that I was bleeding, the officer tore my statement and brought out a prepared one, asking me to sign or get killed. At this point, I had no option but to sign the contrived statement. The statement was what the police prosecutors presented during my trial at the Lagos High Court. “Unfortunately, the court relied on the statement to convict me of murder and wrongly sentenced me to death.” Owodo’s story shares semblance with those of Obed and Edet. Edet said: “After I was shot in the leg by the policeman handling our case, I wanted to

•Edet

EDET Y name is Oto-Bong Sunday Edet. I am 27 years old from Akwa Ibom State. I was arrested when I was 17 years old at Igboropo along the Agbara/Badagry Expressway, Lagos State. I had a shop where I sold music cassette and I had just returned from the shop when I learnt that some policemen were looking for me. I decided to visit the Igboropo Police Station,Agbara, the next day with one of my kinsmen. We were about leaving for the police station when we decided to first of all notify the Baale (traditional ruler) of the community. It was while we were at the Baale’s place that some policemen suddenly stormed his palace. Before I knew it, I had been shot in the leg, yet, I was dragged home for a search. Even though no arms or incriminating items were found in my home, the policemen still took away some of my belongings. I was taken to the station where I saw Sopuruchi Obed for the first time inside cell. We were accused of robbing one Mrs. Praise Lawani and that a police inform-

prove my innocence when the policeman asked us to write statements, but he threatened to kill us. He used his gun to hit us several times and subjected me to torture. “When we could no longer bear the pains, we signed the statements he had prepared. The mark on my mouth was as a result of the torture I was subjected to in the hands of the Investigating Police Officer (IPO). It was the same statement that the lower court relied on to sentence us to death.” According to a human rights lawyer, Barrister Vitalis Udorji, police prosecutors lack the necessary skills and diligent approach to carry out their investigation and have resorted to using suspects as fall guys. “The risk of wrongful conviction is fundamental in the criminal justice system in Nigeria. The margin of wrongful conviction is so high that a study of the number of cases treated from 2006 to 2011 shows that 39 per cent of the appeals treated within this period were successful because the Appeal Court justices held that they were wrongful conviction. That casts a kind of slur on our criminal justice system. “It clearly shows that what the courts have relied on is the confessional statement because police lack the skill to conduct proper

ant had identified us as the robbers while we were eating at a food joint. I was shocked. During the trial, the judge asked the police to produce their informant but they explained that the man was nowhere to be found again. After I was shot in the leg by the policeman handling our case, I wanted to prove my innocence when the policeman asked us to write statements, but he threatened to kill us. He used his gun to hit us several times and subjected me to torture. When we could no longer bear the brutality we signed the statements which he had prepared. The mark on my mouth was as a result of the torture I was subjected to in the hands of the Investigating Police Officer (IPO). It was the same statement that the lower court relied on to sentence us to death. The IPO wrote the statement and asked me to sign, which I signed without hesitation. I also wrote my name on the paper. After the death of my father, there was nobody to sponsor my schooling so I apprenticed under a man for two years in Oshodi and it was my boss that opened the music shop for me at the completion of my apprenticeship. investigation, and what they merely rely on to deceive the court is purported confessional statement which they obtain via torture and brutality of accused persons. “The court should not have entertained the prosecution of Obed and Edet because they are minors at the time of their arrest. They are not even supposed to be prosecuted for capital offence, considering their age. They are meant for juvenile homes for correction and not to be detained with other habitual criminals where they would be further influenced into the world of crime. “The provision of the Lagos State Criminal Laws is that suspects’ lawyer should be present while their statement is being written or taken. The law seeks to prevent sentences based on confessional statements whose veracity cannot be ascertained. “Another fundamental problem of our criminal justice system is the delay caused by the office of the Director of Public Prosecution on whose advice process for prosecution of the accused can be initiated. The lacuna in our justice system is that an accused person is put on holding charges at the Magistrate court for as long as six years while the accused continue to languish under a severe inhuman condition. This also gives room for

THE NATION, SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014

The margin of wrongful conviction is so high that a study of the number of cases treated from 2006 to 2011 shows that 39 per cent of the appeals treated within this period were successful because the Appeal Court justices held that they were wrongful conviction. That casts a kind of slur on our criminal justice system

ordeal’ I was in the prison when I lost my mother. My predicament was responsible for her death. However, I did not take the prison as a place of punishment but a reformation centre because even before I went to prison, I seldom attended church on Sundays. But not so when I was in prison. Another experience is that there are some common things we do outside that can lead people to prison. I cannot say that I was comfortable while in prison, but in any situation you find yourself, you cannot let it weigh you down. Many people have been in prison for so many years for doing nothing. Many people on death row die easily from the shock of seeing their colleagues being led to the gallows. “To me, I am the most happiest person on earth. I no longer begrudge the policeman that brought me into this mess; I don't have any ill-feeling for him because my ordeal has turned into a blessing. I learnt how to make shoes while on death row. If I had not gone to prison, I would not have become an artisan. My advice for government is that killing people cannot reduce crime in witnesses that could have provided the missing link in the investigation done by the police to suddenly develop apathy or become discouraged.” Udorji urged the judiciary to be proactive in handling cases that border on murder and armed robbery, so as not to be misled by inept police. He said: “I think judges should also interrogate the statement submitted to the court to ascertain the veracity of such confessional statement. For example, we have seen a situation whereby investigating police officers wrote statements for accused persons who mostly are illiterate. Rather than write what the accused said, they wrote a different thing entirely to nail the accused person. “The provision of the Lagos State criminal laws in Section 9(3) of Administration of Criminal Law of Lagos is that counsel to the accused must be present while his statement is being taken, or in the absence of the counsel, the accused should be videotaped or filmed while writing his statement. But the reverse is the case as police have formed the habit of extracting statement from accused persons through the use of torture, brutality or other violent means. Unfortunately, such statement is what is usually presented before

Nigeria. There are so many people on the death row who were sentenced for offences they knew nothing about. There is the case of one Mr Akpors who has spent about 37 years in prison. There is another man called Edet who is the headman in the prison’s tailoring workshop. He has so far spent about 25 years. He became the headman in tailoring work shop in the prison, following the conversion of his death sentence to life imprisonment.” In prison we have rules and regulations. So when you do the right thing, you will not be punished. Police should be cautious in believing the information from their informants which may sometimes be misleading. Instead, they should conduct thorough investigation in order not to nail innocent people, especially the poor who don’t have money to pay for their freedom.

OBED y name is Sopuruchi Obed. I was born on May 23rd 1988. I was arrested in 2004 shortly after my third term examination while I was in

Continued on page 16 the court while impatient judges use it to hurriedly sentence accused persons to death.” Barrister Austin Dedeigbo of the Citizen Rights Initiative, Lagos said that “using confessional statements obtained from accused persons through the use of force or violence and reliance on such by the court to pass death verdict on accused persons standing trial for armed robbery or murder is a violation of the rights of the accused person and amount to a miscarriage of justice. If the execution is carried out, he would not have the chance to prove his case if fresh evidence(s) emerges in future. That is the simple reason why we are clamouring for the abolition of death penalty because of our poor criminal justice system. It is a miscarriage of justice to prosecute minors for capital offence.” Statistics According to statistics obtained from the Nigeria Weekly Law reports, covering 2006 to 2011, nearly a half of death sentences (39 per cent) by trial courts were quashed on appeals, indicating a high risk of wrongful convictions and sentences. The report within the period under study also shows that a total number of 113 death sentences passed by the various divisions of High Courts of states were appealed. Sixty-nine of the 113 appeal cases got

•Obed (left) and uncle, Daniel to Supreme Court while 44 rested with the various divisions of Court of Appeal. The Supreme Court quashed 26 out of the 69 appeals against death sentences brought before it while 43 of them were confirmed. The Court of Appeal on the other hand quashed the death sentences of 22 out of the 44 appeal cases it adjudicated. In summary, 48 out of the 113 appeals on death sentences heard between 2006 and 2011 were upturned on appeal, leaving 39 per cent of what could be perfectly termed wrongful convictions on records for the Nigeria Criminal Justice System. Similarly, reports of a public poll on the use of death penalty in Nigeria conducted in 2010 by Nigeria Death Penalty Group (NDPG) reveals that death penalty has no proven effect on trends in violent crimes and it mostly affects underprivileged or poor people. What deters crime is the possibility of apprehension of the offender and not the weight of punishment. The National Coordinator of LEDAP, Barrister Chino Obiagwu, called for discontinuation of death penalty in order to prevent the killing of innocent people on death row, especially minors who ordinarily should not be made to face trial for capital offence.

He said: “This is a case that calls for an indepth re-evaluation and urgent overhauling of our criminal justice system, especially as it relates to the use of capital punishment. We cannot continue to be sentencing innocent persons to death, only for the appeal court to upturn the judgment after a decade or more when the appellant must have served unlawful sentence and deprivation of his personal liberty in the prison.” “This case is very pathetic in the sense that juvenile like Owodo, Edet and Obed should not have been charged with a capital offence in the first instance,” he added. A Lagos-based lawyer, Barr Omobolaji Adejumo described the trial of Obed and Edet as “a judicial rascality, because as minors, they are not by law supposed to be tried for capital offence. Besides, their use of a contrived confessional statement against them leaves some questions about the competence of the trial judge who sentenced them to death. What the law stipulates is that minors should be subjected to rehabilitation in correction homes.” Plight of convicts on death row Death row convicts in Nigerian survive

Continued on page 16

THE NATION, SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014

Sad tales of underage Nigerians wrongly sentenced to death Continued from page 15 under dehumanising conditions or worst form of human degradation. These include lack of quality and adequate food, ventilation, hygienic environment and the closeness of the gallows to condemned cells, going by the startling revelations from ex-convicts. Sharing his experience while on death row, Gabriel said: “We were 10 when we were arrested, but seven of my friends died in police custody while two others died from drinking the prisoners’ urine when they could no longer bear the terrible hunger. Nobody gave us food for almost two weeks and we were always hungry. I don’t know how I survived it.” Speaking on his plight, Owodo said: “The condemned prison is hell and it gives you psychological trauma, especially if you are not opened to take fresh air because there is not enough ventilation. I cannot pray for my enemy to be in condemned cell. “The gallows is also stationed close to the condemned cell and the sight of your mates being taken away for execution usually left many of us stooling throughout the day. It is a kind of psychological trauma.” “My other roommate is huge and bigger than me. I was the smallest among them. Once the warders locked the room, whatever we wanted to do, we did it inside our cell until morning, either defecation or urinating, because there was no toilet facility inside the cell. The meal they serve is bad even for a dog. You can never serve your dog that kind of food. And as for the quantity, if you give four children, they will ask for more. It is bad.” Freedom Nearly all the cases involving minors on death row in recent times have been quashed by the Appeal Court. Most of the cases have been dismissed not only for want of evidence but wrongful trial. In the case of Gabriel who was set free on July 1,2009, courtesy of an appeal (Appeal No: CA/IL/33C/2006) filed on his behalf by LEDAP in the Court of Appeal, Ilorin Division, the three judges of the court in a ruling read by Hon. Justice Sotonye Denton West, held that “it is unfortunate that no independent witness was called to corroborate the confessional statement (of the accused). In line with decided cases, the refusal of the court to properly evaluate the evidence and the fact that the judgment of the trial court was unreasonable, unwarranted and cannot be supported, having regard to the totality of the evidence, particularly that of the prosecution which has been discredited by the appellant. More so, as the only independent witnesses to the case were not called, I am bound to conclude that the findings of the court were not only perverse, but occasioned a miscarriage of justice to the appellant. This

is therefore a proper case for this court in its appellate jurisdiction to intervene and I do so and set aside the findings of the trial court which were based solely on the confessional statement of the appellant (the accused person). “There can never be the much wanted entrenchment of the rule of law and the eternal growth and development of our jurisprudence if our High Courts persist in those unwholesome practices of condemning accused persons on pre-conceived ideas or idiosyncrasies…the death sentence passed on the appellant is hereby set aside and I enter a verdict of not guilty of the charge of conspiracy and armed robbery against the said appellant.” In the case of Owodo, the Justices A.A Augie, Ibrahim Saulawa and Adamu Jauro of Appeal Court, Lagos Division held, amongst others, that “Undoubtedly, the findings of the learned trial judge are prejudiciously outrageous and rather antithetical to the well cherished fundamental doctrine of fair hearing. There was no eyewitness that testified and linked the death of the deceased person to Owodo. The judges said that the High Court which sentenced him to death failed to conduct a trial within trial when the accused person gave evidence that he was beaten with rod and forced to sign the written statement that the lower court relied on to convict and sentence him to death. More so, at the time of the incident, the accused person was underage and ought to have been taken to Juvenile Court for trial. Consequently, the conviction and sentence perversely passed upon the appellant by the lower court, in charge No.ID/28C/96 are hereby quashed. Accordingly, the Appellant is discharged and acquitted.” While discharging and acquitting Obed and Edet, the Justices S.D.Bage, Y.B Nimpar and Obaseki Adejumo of the Appeal Court, Lagos Division, said: “…in a criminal matter, the burden of proof lies only on the prosecution and such proof is beyond reasonable doubt, the prosecution called all its witness but the complainant-victim (Mrs Praise Lawani), and failed to tender her statement. “There was no link between the accused and the charge. Even the agent provocateur (police informant), Dada Abimbola, was not called. He was the person who heard them discussing the alleged criminal activities. Items mentioned as recovered said to be taken from Mrs. Lawani’s house was not identified by her. Robbery or attempted robbery was not established. Mere suspicions of a commission of an offence cannot amount to proof that the accused person committed the offence for which they are being charged.” Wrongful executions Although death penalties also include execution by firing squad, electrocution and

‘Our ordeal’ Continued from page 15 SS2. I came to Lagos to spend the holiday with my uncle in Agbara when I decided to visit a cyber cafe on October 6, 2014. I was returning home on a commercial motorbike when I ran into some policemen who were carrying out a raid. Before I knew it, I had been arrested and taken to Igboropo Police Station, Agbara, Lagos State. The police said I was a robber and I was shocked. I was even trying to show them my identity card but they just kept beating me. They arrested other people in the neighbourhood and shot sporadically into the air. One of the policemen shot me in the leg and I fell down in a pool of blood. I gave my father’s phone number to a female food vendor nearby and it was the woman that actually informed my father about my plight. The following day, they brought Otobong, I didn't even notice him because he was bleeding and my own problem was also big. I was arrested on Wednesday,

they brought Obong on Thursday, I saw my dad on Friday. Suddenly, the whole story changed to that of armed robbery and we were transferred to the SCID, Panti, Yaba, Lagos. It was there that a policeman called Abu John subjected us to series of torture. He was holding a knife and I was so scared. I just kept saying yes to every accusation he levelled against us in order to avoid further torture. At a point they took me to one uncompleted building and tied my hands to my back together with my legs like a roasted chicken. I know how to read and write but I was not allowed to write any statement; I was only asked to sign a confessional statement prepared by the officer called Inspector Kingsley Ayo at Igboropo Police Station. Having shot me in the leg, I felt that it would be better to admit and live than to continue to say anything contrary. My wounded leg was treated at Ikoyi Prison where I was remanded for some time. It

stoning, the most commonly used in Nigeria is death by hanging. However, there are other notable victims of death penalty in Nigeria who never had opportunity of having their case revisited before they were put before the hangman. The case of one Aliu Bello, who was arrested and convicted for armed robbery in 1986 in Oyo State, presents one of the many dark sides of the use of death penalty in Nigeria. Bello was convicted and sentenced to death for armed robbery by the High Court of Oyo State holden at Ibadan. He then appealed against his conviction at the Court of Appeal, Ibadan in the hope that he would get a reprieve. But while his appeal was pending, his execution warrant was signed by the then state governor. He was consequently executed while his appeal had not been determined. His aggrieved parents filed a suit at an Ibadan High Court, claiming damages for the wrongful killing by the state. The court however dismissed their suit for lacking in merit. Dissatisfied with the ruling of the High Court and that of the Appeal Court, the family took the matter to the Supreme Court, which unanimously allowed the appeal. Delivering the ruling, Justice Chukwudifu Oputa held thus: “The premature killing of Nasiru Bello in the surrounding circumstances of this case was both unlawful and illegal. It was also wrongful in the sense that it was injurious to the rights primarily of Bello to life and that it was premature and unconstitutional. It was unjust in the sense that he (Nasiru Bello) was not allowed a just determination of his appeal by the Federal Court of Appeal. It was reckless in the sense that it was done in complete disregard of all the constitutional rights of the deceased, Nasiru Bello.” Indeed, the ruling might have condemned the hurried execution of Nasiru Bello, but it cannot be reversed. Another case in point is the execution of one of Nigeria’s leading environmental rights activist and playwright, Ken Saro Wiwa, in November 1995 by the military regime of Gen. Sanni Abacha. As the leader of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), he had led a non-violent protest against the environmental degradation of Ogoniland by multinational oil concerns. He and nine other kinsmen were accused of complicity in the killing of some Ogoni leaders who were opposed to the activities of his group and hastily tried by a Special Military Tribunal and hanged by the military government without right of appeal. His execution drew outrage from international community as the killing was criticised for being politically motivated. But despite the outcry over his execution, the action cannot be re-

versed. For the condemned convicts, the time of execution is the worst moment. Death penalty can be horrifying. When the moment to hug death by the gallows beckons, the poor innocent soul hand cuffed behind with his back at the prison yard. And like a dumbdriven sheep, his pitiful face takes a creepy stare at the place of Golgotha. He makes a creeping march to the slaughter without a final bye to his colleagues whose time may be up any moment after his. He could not protest his innocence or express his disgust at the society for his wrongful conviction. The executioner is “impatiently” waiting to carry out his task. The way out In Nigeria, hundreds of people on death row, including minors, could be innocent because of the lack of fair trial or poor criminal justice system. Indeed, someone can end up on death row just because he was wandering and could not pay the police or lack of due diligence in investigation of crime by the police. Then police prosecutors rely on confessions obtained from suspects most times under duress to send them to the gallows. To remedy the situation, rights groups have called on Nigerian authorities to substitute death penalty with moratorium so that life imprisonment can allow the affected persons to have their cases reviewed and properly adjudicated. In Barrister Adejumo’s view, there is need for the abolition of death penalty to prevent unnecessary killing of innocent Nigerians, given the weak justice administration system in the country. “Death penalty is being gradually discontinued in saner climes and Nigeria should not be an exception. We have had situation whereby innocent people are put to trial, sentenced to death and wrongly executed based on improper investigation, contrived confessional statement and the use of violence or intimidation to obtain such statement. Instead of sentencing accused persons to death, they should be imprisoned or in the case of minors, they should be sent to correction or juvenile centres for proper rehabilitation. Obiagwu said: “Under Nigerian law, if a suspect confesses under pressure, threat or torture, it cannot be used as evidence in court. Judges know that there is widespread torture by the police and yet they continue to sentence suspects to death based on these confessions, leading to many possibly innocent people being wrongfully executed. “The police are overstretched and under resourced. Because of this, they rely heavily on confessions rather than expensive investigations. Convictions based on such confessions are obviously unsafe. The hundreds of people who have already been executed or are still awaiting execution in Nigeria all have one thing in common: they are poor. The solution therefore is the abrogation of the mandatory death sentence and replacing it with life imprisonment to stave off hasty execution arising from wrongful conviction because Nigeria’s criminal justice system is riddled with flaws and tainted by human error. Therefore, a government that must take life must first give justice.”

ally know the cause of the riot because I was then writing my General Certificate in Education (GCE). Even though no inmate escaped, warders still put the nozzle of their gun inside the cell and killed a lot of inmates. I was hiding under the bed using iron bucket to cover and protect myself from bullets. The incident distrupted the exams and the result was never released to date. From the first day I was convicted, I never gave up because I was encouraged by my mother to hope in God for possible freedom someday. I sat for and passed another GCE at the •Edet (left) and Obed Kirikiri Maximum Prison and I am currently a 300 was the same statement that the court reLevel law student of the National Open lied on to pass a death verdict on us. University, Kirikiri Prison Centre. I had a nasty experience when I was iniDeath penalty is too harsh. I believe that tially remanded at the Ikoyi Prison. There prison is for transformation; it shouldn't was this prison riot that took place in 2005 be turned into a place where people are whereby a lot of inmates died. I don't redehumanised.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014

Late Fadipe

18 Continued from Page 17

THE NATION SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014

THE NATION, SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014

CRIME & OTHER STORIES Group petitions Obiano over kinsman’s death he people of Isiama Igbo, a village in Agulu, a suburb of the Aniocha Local Government Area of Anambra State will never forget June 21. It was a day that one of their promising sons, Onyebuchi Okeke, an aluminium engineer, was allegedly murdered by the police. The incident, it was learnt, has brought untold grief to the family and the community at large. The deceased was said to have left his 28J, Awka Road, Onitsha residence on that fateful day for work without any premonition of what was ahead. After the close of business activities on that very day, the deceased, a member of social group popularly known as One Love First Club, reportedly went to one of his club members’ house to collect some money contributed by the members of the club to support his business. His dream of using the money

n Innocent DURU n to expand his business did not however see the light of day. He allegedly had an ugly encounter with a team of policemen on his way home and died in the process. In a statement, the spokesman of the club, Chinedu Elijah alleged that the deceased was with a sum of N355,000.00 that he collected from his colleague when the incident happened. He said the incident occurred around 6:30pm when the deceased got to Happy Bites Food Junction, a popular spot at Awka Road, Onitsha. “A team of police men from Inland Town Police Division accosted him, demanding the licenses and particulars of a motorcycle that he was riding. When they noticed that he was with some money, they started forcing him to go to the station with them but he refused. Consequently, they started beating him until he fainted. They collected his money, wallet and motorcycle and quickly moved back to their station,” he alleged. He expatiated that the deceased did not die immediately after the incident. He said: “ He was able to regain consciousness after a while. Luckily for him, a kind hearted Nigerian assisted him to go home. He later called the club member that he went to his house to collect money on the phone and narrated the incident to him. “The club member could not visit him immediately but advised that he should visit the nearest hospital for medical attention, promising to visit him the following day. Unfortunately, when the club member got to his house the following morning, he found him dead.” He further alleged that the club members had visited the police station to know their position on the issue, saying: “One of our members visited the police station to check if the deceased motorcycle was really there. When they got there, the Divisional Police

Officer (DPO) was not around but they saw the motorcycle and some police men on duty. “When he told them that we are looking for one of our members whose motorcycle was impounded at their station, a police officer came out and said ‘na that boy who claimed that he was stubborn. Na we beat hell out from his head. He was proving stubborn and we had to beat him until he fell down and we carried his motorcycle’. “He asked the police officer what he needed to do to secure the release of the motorcycle. Then, the police demanded the sum of N10,000.00 before they could release the motorcycle.” After some time, he said the club member met the DPO and narrated the incident, to him. “ When the DPO heard about it, he inquired from the team of policemen on duty and they confirmed it. He later sent one of his men to visit the scene of the crime and the deceased’s family. He instructed his men to take the remains of the deceased to the Onitsha General Hospital’s mortuary. The police signed the deposition document at the mortuary. “Since then the DPO had been pleading with the club members and the relatives of the deceased. He said that they are going to pay compensation to us but they have been avoiding us since then. “We want to call the attention of our former governor, Anambra State, His Excellency Peter Obi (Okwute Ndi Igbo), his successor, Chief Willie Obiano (Akpokue Dike 1 of Agureli),Dr. Senator Chris Ngige OON (Onwaa), the Anambra State Judiciary and other well meaning Agulu people, and Nigerians at large, who love life, to look into the unjustifiable murder of our son.” Attempt by our reporter to speak with the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Anambra State Command, Mr. Chukwuemeka Emeka, was fruitless as calls and text messages to his mobile line were neither answered nor replied.

five-man syndicate that specializes in using human heads to deceive and intimidate victims to submission has been smashed by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of Lagos State Police Command. The suspects are Waliu Rabiu, 26, from Apomu town in Isokan Local Government Area, Osun State, who claimed to be a barber and has a shop at Idimu; Paskal Abba, 35, from Izamgbo Ebonyi State, who operates a food joint at Mazamasa; Taofeek Abdullahi, 34, from Apomu town in Osun State; Ike Obi aka Priest and another member are still at large. The suspects referred to their victims as mungu (fools).Items recovered from them included fake dollars, human skull and a red curtain among others. They had allegedly defrauded a man along the Badagry Expressway where a pastor of a pentecostal church also fell victim. The man was allegedly shown some dollars stolen purportedly from a white man and he was asked to help change it into naira. He was later told that the white man had died and that they needed some money to cleanse the hard currency following which he was asked to bring one million naira. He was however said to have paid only N200,000. Rabiu said: “I have a barbing salon, at Pako Babakiki Street, Idimu. I stopped school at SS 2 at Egbeda Grammar School. I used to be a commercial motorcyclist popularly called okada. “I was delivering N4, 000 to my brother who owned the motorcycle but when I quit the job on the advice of my parent after a ghastly motor accident. My parent gave me N120, 000 to open a barbing salon whilst I was • Fake dollars and human head squatting with my brother called Taofeek, in 2007. “In 2014, June, I met my late brother-in-law Mutalab, a native doctor. I was helping him to sell traditional medicine on commission basis and made not less than N500 everyday. “ I am an errand boy. I used to buy snacks and drinks for my col-

N8.6m scam: Another victim seeks justice OLLOWING a story published by the Saturday Nation last week about a couple, Ojuolape and her husband, Mr. Danladi Wushishi, who were arrested by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of Lagos State Police Command for obtaining the sum of N8.585million by false pretence from some traders, a 63year-old man, Elder Afolabi Oni, claimed he had also fallen victim to the couple via a bogus car sale. He said: “I met the woman and her husband through one of my relatives called Olowe when I wanted to buy a Tokunbo Toyota Camry car in 2010. She told me she had a container load of vehicles which included the type of car I was looking for. I had no cause to doubt her because she even showed me a bill of laden relating to the goods. She, however, explained she needed some money to clear the container from sea port. “She used to live in a Nigeria Army estate in the Abule Egba area of Lagos State before she later moved into a hotel in the neighbourhood. I gave her N1.2million and it was after many months of failing to deliver the vehicle that I asked for as refund of the money. She later issued a dud cheque and ever since I have not been able to retrieve my money from her to date.” The retired federal civil servant explained that he had given up on the matter following the inability to compel the woman and her husband to refund his money until he read in Saturday Nation that the couple had been arrested by police. “I had lost hope of getting my money back from the coupe until I was told that they have been arrested by police and that their story was published in Saturday Nation. Now, I want to retrieve my money from the heartless couple because it’s my sweat. The couple is currently being detained for allegedly defrauding two traders of N8.6 after presenting them with fake customs allocation paper to auction 437 bales of textile materials. It was gathered that the couple had defrauded several traders in Lagos under the pretence of having large textile materials or electronics to sell without having supplied any item for the past five years. Police sources said the couple has allegedly been using their money to escape justice before their ar-

•The late Onyebuchi

•Ojuolape and Danladi

n Kunle AKINRINADE n rest following a petition to the Lagos State Police Commissioner Umar Manko. ”The husband has been detained for defrauding someone to the tune of N19 million which the Command’s ‘X’ Squad is still handling and likely to be transferred to

SARS for discreet investigation. It was the case in which his wife had allegedly posed as his sister in order to secure his bail. “It is likely that their arrest by SARS will alert many of their victims who are still looking for them,” said a police source who asked for anonymity.

leagues. The human head belongs to my late brother in-law Mutalabi Awoleye. Whenever they gave me N1000 for snacks, I used only N300 out of the money because they usually cheated

Police arrest alleged fraudsters with human heads

•The suspect, Rabiu

•The suspect, Taofeek

•The suspect, Abba

n Ebele BONIFACE n me anytime they are sharing our loot.” Another suspect, Pascal, said: “I joined the gang in 2013 due to the demolition of my shop at Maza Maza due to expansion of Badagry expressway. It was one 419 kingpin called IK that introduced me into the business after telling him about my predicament in an attempt to seek solution from him. “My role is to watch mugu (victim) and report his movement to our gang leader who is usually the seater. “If any mungu is coming or going or police is monitoring the gang I will signal to other members of the group through phone calls for situation report. “I have worked with them up to seven times. The highest money

they had given me is N10,000. They are very greedy. “When I was selling food at Maza Maza I used to make N2,000 to N3,000 daily. People who collect the largest share are those who attend or manipulate our victims while the rest of us are merely looking for money to eat or start business.” The third suspect Taofeek said: “I was duped N400,000 which I had wanted to use to supply plank. When I said I would report them to police they threatened to kill me. I ran to my late brother Mutalab Awoleye, 42, to help me and he gave me his medicine business to manage. I was given N40,000 from the N200,000 they collected from a pastor. “We don’t use gun, we use our brain to defraud our victims. We don’t put something in our mouth when talking to victims, it is their greed that blind them”.

We shot our victim dead for confronting us during operation —Robbery suspect A 23-year old armed robbery,Wasiu Adesina, has confessed that his gang shot their victim dead because he challenged them when they ‘gently’ knocked on his door during an operation. The Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State-born suspect said:”We had quietly knocked on his door so that we could rob him of his money, phone and other movable property, but he kept asking “who are you, why are you not using the bell or the intercom phone at the door? However, police source revealed that the gang members were dangerous armed robbers who had gone into hiding when Lagos became too hot for them. But when hunger took hold of them, they ventured back into the underworld and their activities were exposed to the Special Anti Robber Squad(SARS). Explaining what he was doing before he became a criminal, he said, “I met a lot of bad friends when I was doing barbing work. They used to patronise my barbing salon. With time I started sleeping with them at Railway Compound, Iddo Terminus, Lagos. They are called getto friends and their names are Lepa Saheed, Wasiu, Joseph and Segun. “It was while I was sleeping in their room that I also met Kehinde, Lucky, Sule. “One day, we went to Kano Street, Ebute Metta at night to rob a man in his house. When we entered the man’s compound, three members of the gang, Sule, Lucky and Kehinde scaled the fence and entered his house while some of us were standing outside the gate. “As soon as they forced their way into the house, they held the man at gun point and collected his phone and money. Sule threatened to shoot him to death if he puts up any resistance but the man was adamant and went for Sule’s gun. In the process, Sule got annoyed

n Ebele BONIFACE n shot the man dead. “The gun shot woke up the neighbours who raised the alarm. Unfortunately, Sule and others escaped and I was the only one arrested by policemen on patrol who gave us a hot chase. Sule escaped by firing indiscriminately to scare sympathizers away. “I was taken to Denton Police station and later transferred to SARS, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos. “I did not support Sule’s callous action. He should not have killed the man. Now he has put all of us in serious trouble. I know that SARS operatives will soon get all of them who are now still at large. It is rather unfortunate that Sule still killed the man after collecting his money and phone. It is very unfortunate.”

• Wasiu

Two arraigned for stealing N7.4m BUKA Chikezie, 27, and Nkemjika Ajumona, 32, wanted the good things of life, but lacked the means to achieve them. They allegedly resorted to crime by stealing property worth N7.4million from a warehouse belonging to their employer called Emeka Udoye. The accused persons have been arraigned before an Ebute Metta Magistrate Court for conspiracy and stealing. They were said to have conspired with one Friday Okafor now at large to commit the offences. They were allegedly arrested in Anambra State and arraigned in court facing charges ranging from conspiracy to stealing. They pleaded not guilty to two charges preferred against them. The police prosecutor, Corporal Cyriacus

n Rukayat JIMOH n Osuji, told the court that the accused persons committed offences punishable under section 409 and 285 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011. The presiding magistrate, Y.J. Badejo, admitted them to bail in the sum of N200, 000 with two sureties each. She adjourned the mater till July 28.

World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion, Osita Offor, also known as De Ultimate Commander spoke at length with STELLA BAMAWO on his rise to fame, his intention to walk home with one million dollars on July I8, and many more. Excerpts

THE NATION, SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014

Gov Wada

Gov Mimiko

Gov Amosun

Gov Oshiomhole

Gov Dickson

Muyiwa Oladipo

THE NATION, SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014

The birthday gift (2)

‘

As expected, Thad's letter caused a lot of problems. It threw me into confusion, heartache and for a while, I did not just know what to do. All I could do was weep and bemoan my fate. I found it difficult to believe that my fiancé of four years would just end our relationship and cancel our wedding for no reason

‘

THE NATION, SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014

AKURE: •The fountain

From rural commu

KURE, the capital of Ondo State, is a city ideal for n Segun AJIBOYE and Damisi OJO, Akure n deone to live in whether as a private individual or as a business man or woman. For someone who has been away from the city for some time, a stroll round scribed as the good fortunes of the capital city. Acthe capital city will leave him or her amazed at the amount of cording to him, Akure has grown into the dream of transformation that has taken place in recent times. The water every indigene of the city, who he said could not fountain at the First Bank roundabout has suddenly turned the have envisaged the rate of the city’s development a ancient town into an irresistible tourists’ attraction that is too few years ago. tantalizing to ignore. Omotosho said: “I must confess that nobody Akure in its present form is the result of a painstaking effort could have predicted that Akure would witness began in 1979 by the first civilian governor of the state, the late such rapid development within such a short peChief Adekunle Ajasin.. Today, entering Akure from the two riod. If you look back, you would realise that the major entry points—Ilesa and Ondo roads—would no doubt town has really made a leap in terms of developleave a first time visitor with a lasting memory of what a modment. Look at Arakale Road and even the popular ern city should look like. Oyemekun Road; they are good testimonies to how The road that leads to the town from Ondo town and down much Akure has developed.” to Arakale, NEPA and ultimately the Alagbaka seat of power is The Governor’s Office, which also wearing a look that has ensured that Akure joined the accommodates most of the governleague of modern cities across the nation. A ment ministries, is a beauty to behold. drive through the popular OyeIn terms of structure and aesthetics, mekun Road has become somevery few governors’ office around the thing pleasurable to do even in the country would compete with it. day. It is no longer the once dreaded The transformation of Akure into a modern city route that drivers would give anyis more manifest in the number of banks and other thing to avoid, thanks to the creation of modern bus stops and blue chip companies that are daily springing up. expansions going on across the city. Prior to this time, the economy of the city was And if you think that traffic lights are the exclusive reserve of based mainly on civil service and farming. In the capital cities like Lagos, you would be shocked to learn that absence of industrialisation, government was the most roundabouts in Akure now have traffic lights adding highest employer of labour. beauty to the city as you drive around in the night. Under the But all that is now history as major roads in the urban renewal policy of the state government, many roads and city are now dotted with various banks who are streets have been constructed in the city. As you drive round the competing for their shares of the ever increasing number of cuscity, you are confronted with a network of accessible roads and tomers that spring up in the city. Numerous small scale indusstreets that eases gridlock. tries have also sprung up over the years, offering jobs to the What is more, the streets are swept clean and are well maniyouth. cured. Visitors now have varieties of five star hotels to choose Genuine efforts to give Akure the modern look it wears from as they hope to revel in the beauty of the capital city. today started with the administration of the former governor of A resident, Tolu Omotosho, expressed happiness at what he the state, the late Dr. Segun Agagu. His administration awarded

Pe a c s CitY

The road that leads to the town from Ondo town and down to Arakale, NEPA and ultimately the Alagbaka seat of power is wearing a look that has ensured that Akure joined the league of modern cities across the nation

the contracts for the dualisation of the Fiwasaye Expressway and the Ondo Road entry point in Akure, setting in motion the machinery that has given the city its truly modern look. At night, residents could be seen strolling comfortably under streetlights. This night life culture has brought about a boom in nite clubs, hotels, joints and sit-outs. Every weekend, residents and visitors from neigbouring states fjostle for a share of the fun.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014

Let the people go and see the fountains. What conditions are they today? That is my challenge for the people

•Oyemekun road at night

•Mother and Child hospital

nity to modern city commercial activities are now going on around Akure and other major towns. This has helped to create job opportunities for young people in the state. Speaking on the development plan of the Mimiko administration, the state Commissioner for Information, Kayode Akinmade said the state government was determined in its investment drive to bring in more investors. Akinmade said a recent testimony of a former administrator of the state was good evidence of how well the capital city has been transformed. “The testimony of a former administrator of the state who missed his way during a visit to Akure many years after his tenure lends credence to the network of roads that stand to the credit of Governor Mimiko. One feature of the roads that is difficult to miss is that they are well asphalted, fitted with durable street lights, walkways, roundabouts and fountain where necessary. There are also state-of –theart bus stop sheds, among others.” Akinmade added: “You cannot mistake the seven wonders of Ondo State. The International Cultural and Event Centre, christened ‘The Dome’, and sited on a large expanse of •Oba-Ile estate about 34,000 hectares of land in Akure, is a product of great thinking. In Akure, in place of the Great Pyramid of Giza, you have the Dome. I have been to Ondo town where in On assuming office, Agagu’s successor, Governor Segun place of the Hanging Gardens, you have the Medical Tourist Mimiko, shifted the gear and increased the speed to give the Village that is second to none in the West Africa sub region. city an even more befitting look. And without doubt, the com“The Oda Cocoa Plantation stands like the Mausoleum at pletion of the roads projects and other new ones embarked Halicarnassus. A fountain inside a roundabout on a well- conupon by the Mimiko administration have surely established structed road in the state capital shoots water into the sky like Akure as a modern capital city. the Lighthouse of Alexandria. The water comes down with a According to government sources, through a deliberate ecothousand bubbles. The well- lit road, complete with the statenomic agenda adopted by the Mimiko administration, a lot of

of-the-art bus stop sheds, is a symbol of the latest urban renewal and reminiscent of virtually all major roads in the state.” According to Akinmade, the project is part of the efforts by the government to attract investors into the state and to increase its economic base. “The initiative is as a result of the drive to reposition the state for core investments and tourism attraction. It has been described as a three in one dome with a 6,000 capacity hall, a gallery for art, and a discothèque. A complementary facility in The Dome is a five-star hotel. It is the first of its type in the country. Nearby is Africa Village also coming on stream where culture iconoclasts can procure artefact.” At the current rate and with several other developmental projects yet to be completed, it could be said that Akure's future is on a firm footing. However, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, Mr Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye, described the beautification projects of Governor Mimiko's administration as deceit and a waste of money. Ogunleye said he was surprised that the governor was being hailed for planting flower. According to him, the needs of the people are more important than flower, adding that employment, good road network, healthcare and better life for the people are the real needs of the people. “Let the people go and see the fountains. What conditions are they today? That is my challenge for the people,” he said. The APC Chieftain said posterity would not forgive the governor for dragging the state back than he met it. He said Mimiko has thrown the state into bankcrupcy by wasting the tax payers money and turning around to impose heavy tax on the masses. Ogunleye noted that Governor Mimiko has not established any industry since he came into office about five years ago. He blamed the failure of Ekiti State governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, to secure a second term in the just concluded election because of the experience of the people of Ondo State. According to him, Ekiti people rejected Fayemi because they feared being treated to the same experience.

THE NATION SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014

FAMIL Y HEAL TH 53 AMILY HEALTH

Removing mold in your home

OME readers have asked about how to remove troubling mold in their homes (bedroom walls, kitchens, bathrooms, etc.). This task is a project you have to set aside time for. For instance, you can take a casual leave or wait for your vacation time if the health hazard can be contained (e.g. by closing up the area). A website serhttp:/ / blackmold.awardspace.com/ kill-remove-mold.html gives very good instructions that are easy to follow. For those readers that may not readily have Internet access, I summarize their instructions here. Some of the most effective mold removal products include: •Bleach •Borax• Vinegar •Ammonia

•Hydrogen peroxide •Detergent •Baking soda •Tea tree oil •Grapefruit seed extract The main steps in mold remediation and abatement are: 1. Wear protective equipment 2. Contain mold spores 3. Set up negative pressure 4. Remove the mold 5. Prevent mold returning 6. Clean belongings 7. HEPA vacuum 8. Dispose of the mold

A mold removal professional You need to protect yourself from the spores that will be displaced into the air. Wear a dusk filter mask or respirator, goggles, gloves, and a protective overall (preferable disposable). Then you need to seal off the area and prevent spread of the mold during your operation. Cover any exit point (doorway, vent, etc.) with duct tape and plastic sheets and duct tape Aim to direct mold in that gets airborne to flow out of the house. Put on an exhaust fan, open a door or windows that lead outside, of blow the air outwards with a fan. Switch off air conditioning systems before beginning to work on the mold. Spray water slightly on the moldy surface to wet it and prevent spores from being released into the air. Then use your choice remedy to remove the mold.

•Mrs & Mr Abiola Olufisan,Mrs & Mr Olapeju Ogunyinka, the head of Audit, Oyo State College of Agric igboora, Mr & Mrs Mojsola Ojetola,at the funeral of elder Olorunniwo

To be continued

•A clean toilet

•From right: Mrs Beatrice Olorunniwo, Mr & Mrs Oluwatoyin Ogundare and Mr & Mrs Wole Ojetola, Head of Audit

THE NATION SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014

SOCIETY

THE NATION SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MEMBER HON LANRE ODUBOTE’S DAUGHTER’S WEDDING IN LAGOS

•From left: Speaker, House of Representatives Hon Aminu Tambuwal; the couple Temitope and Folajimi Omokorede and House of Reps Majority Leader Hon Mulikat Akande-Adeola

•Iyaloja General Mrs Folasade Tinubu-Ojo flanked by bride’s parents Hon Lanre Odubote and his wife, Titilayo

•Groom’s parents Mr Olusola Omokorede and his wife, Taiwo

•House of Reps members (from left): Hons Oyetunde Ojo; Abudu Balogun; Deji Jakande; Ganiyu Dawodu and Ayo Omidiran

•Wife of Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly Mrs Mayowa Ikuforiji

•Chief Executive Officer Bolswot Ventures Alhaja Bolanle Olufowobi

•Lagos State Commissioner for Education Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye

•Hons Kehinde Odeneye (right) and Kingsley Ebenyi

•Alara of Épé land Oba Akeem Adesanya and Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa

•Osunla of Erusu-Akoko Oba Sunday Mogaji flanked by his wife, Olori Kikelomo and Television presenter Toyin Kawojue

•Otunba Adisa Osiefa

•Evang Ebenezer Obey-Fabiyi

THE NATION SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014

THE NATION

SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014

THE NATION, SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014

...continued from, page 60

Louis Odion

‘ ,

THE NATION SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014

SPORT EXTRA

Barcelona, Liverpool confirm £75m Suarez deal L

IVERPOOL have confirmed they have reached agreement with Barcelona for the transfer of striker Luis Suarez in a deal believed to be £75million.

The Spanish giants have long been linked with the Uruguayan forward and confirmation of the move came yesterday, with Barca saying in a statement on their official website that he will be in

Catalonia next week to put pen to paper on a five-year deal and complete his medical. The Premier League club added: "Liverpool FC confirms that Luis Suarez will be

FC Ashdod place N220m I tag on Oshaniwa SRAELI club FC Ashdod have upped their valuation of Nigeria defender Juwon Oshaniwa to a million Euros (about N220m) after his outing at the World Cup in Brazil. Left back Oshaniwa played all four matches as Nigeria reached the last 16 of Brazil

•Oshaniwa

2014. He has generated interest from several clubs, who will now have to pay more for his services. The former Sharks FC defender was valued at around 300,000 Euros before he represented Nigeria in Brazil, but AfricanFootball.com has since learnt his price tag is now between 700,000 and 1 million Euros. The 23-year-old Oshaniwa has established himself at FC Ashdod since he moved there in 2012, but may now be lured away this summer. The defender himself has

Ameobi close to joining Sydney N EWLY appointed Coach of Sydney FC Graham Arnold has confirmed that the Australian team are locked in talks with out-of-contract Newcastle and Nigeria forward Shola Ameobi. “We’re still negotiating with Shola Ameobi but he’s one of six international strikers we are talking to,” Arnold said. “The other five are Europeans and two of them have played in the World Cup in Brazil.” “I need the right player who’ll come to Sydney FC for the right reasons, to play good football and be successful.” “Some of the players we are talking to are out and outnumber nines who are lethal in the penalty area.” Sydney FC are due to face Amoebi’s former team Newcastle United in 12 days, but it appears unlikely his transfer will be completed on

time to face his old employers. Amoebi is presently out of contract after his deal with Newcastle United ended in June and the club refused to extend his 14-year stay at St. James’ Park.

•Ameobi

Ejike set for Sundowns return

A M E L O D I S u n d o w n s midfielder Ejike Uzoenyi is expected to arrive in South Africa next week after his loan deal at Enugu Rangers officially expired. The speedy winger has been given an extended break following his participation at the 2014 FIFA World Cup with the Super Eagles and though he is still in his homeland, he will not be continuing with Rangers when the Nigerian Premier League resumes next week. Sundowns have confirmed that they expect the 22-yearold back at Chloorkop next week. Uzoenyi’s handlers have also confirmed that he has been given a longer break to allow him to recover from the effects of playing nonstop football for the past 18 months. “He [Uzoenyi] is still in Nigeria but his loan deal at Rangers expired on June 30. He should now be heading to his parent club Sundowns and will actually be reporting for training within the next 10 days because he has played a

lot of football over the past year,” says one of his representatives. KickOff.com has also been told that Uzoenyi is sorting out paperwork logistics pertaining to his move. He was signed by Sundowns in January but was then loaned to Rangers. Meanwhile, Sundowns have flown to neighbouring Zimbabwe for a week-long camp and will return on July 17. Club officials confirmed that the squad left yesterday morning.

•Ejike

said he has received offers since after Nigeria exited the World Cup.

leaving the club after a transfer agreement was reached with FC Barcelona. The player now has permission to complete the usual formalities, which will then conclude the transfer. "We would like to thank Luis for his contribution and the role he played in helping bring Champions League football back to Anfield. "Everyone at Liverpool Football Club wishes Luis and his family well for the future." The transfer comes a year after the Uruguay striker tried to force through a move to Arsenal, only for Liverpool to stand firm and refuse to sanction a deal and the forward later signed a new four-and-ahalf-year contract at Anfield.

•Suarez

Nigeria’s soccer circus •Continued from back page attain the competitive heights that we see in other places? Is it not about time we enshrined the spirit of continuity in our football, if we hope to build on the gains of previous administrations? Nigeria has joined a few notorious countries that sack their federation chiefs, after every World Cup. This chop-I-chop attitude won’t help the game grow because those who have lost return to the trenches to seek vengeance. It is the game that suffers in this devious jig-saw puzzle. One hopes that this would be the last trip to Zurich to rub minds with FIFA men. We must learn how to transit from one era to another in NFF. What the government should understand is that no corporate body will do business with a body that is perpetually enmeshed in scams, intrigues and controversies. Sportswear giant Adidas has denied suspending links with Nigeria, pending when the impasse is settled. It is a business decision, but, like they say, there is no smoke without fire. This is just the beginning. Even the new board won’t be able to convince sponsors to bankroll the game because such firms would rather watch the trend than plough their cash into an unstable body. The truth must be told that FIFA has democratic methods of dissolving football federations through the ballot box. The impression here in Brazil is that the government has coerced a few people to undertake this task of sacking the Maigari-led board. I digress! Coaches whose heads have been slated for the chopping table over Nigeria’s poor outing in Brazil (forget about the Eagles qualifying for the second round) are smiling since the confusion in the Glasshouse ensures that their jobs are intact. Our football cannot grow when the senior national team is populated by foreign-based players, most of who warm benches in Europe. Attempts to get the Eagles coaching crew to invite our players doing well in Europe for a balanced squad that could compete favourably at the Brazil 2014 World Cup were rebuffed on the altar of giving them freehand to run the squad. Our game will get the desired fillip when the Eagles excel at big competitions, like the World Cup. Certainly not under these coaches. Eagles would have played better with players such as Ikechukwu Uche, Chinedu Obasi, Victor Anichebe, Sone Aluko, Lukman Haruna, Nosa Igiebor and Sunday Mbato mention a few. They did well for their European clubs last season. We recorded quantum growth after the 1994 World Cup because Clemens Westerhof picked a lot of our good players. Their performances compelled European clubs and their scouts to visit Nigeria. They took away some undiscovered players, such as Sunday Oliseh, Obafemi Martins, Austin Okocha, John Utaka and Emmanuel Emenike. Oliseh played for Julius Berger, but he never made the national team until Westerhof fished him out of Europe. Okocha was a gazelle for Enugu Rangers; he wasn’t considered until he dazzled in the German league. Nigerians knew Obagoal as a youth player with Inter Milan, yet he did very well playing street football in Ajegunle. But for Joseph Yobo’s persistence on Emenike, he would have played for South Africa, in spite of the fact that he played locally here until he sneaked out to South Africa Eagles’ coaches’ match reading notes in Brazil were highly inaccurate. They lacked the tactical savvy to outwit more intelligent managers. They lived in a cocoon, scared to imbibe some of the new tricks of the game, using the expertise of others better than them in various facets of team building. So many countries did well in Brazil because they had dispassionate backroom staff sitting in different stadia, charting the playing styles of their likely opponents, using the FIFA match chart. When such teams meet, the games are usually end-to-end stuff where the most proactive of the two sides wins. No team prosecuted matches blindly like Nigeria did. We are talking about a second round finish at the Brazil 2014 World Cup because goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama was spectacular in our first three matches, especially the opening game against minnows Iran. Eagles crashed out in the fourth

game because of Enyeama’s slip. You won’t blame him. He is human. But what were the coaches’ instructions to the players? Coaches who can brazenly give Gabriel Rueben a jersey and allow him enter the pitch for a World Cup game deserved to be sacked. Not for a country like Nigeria, with abundant talents at the grassroots. But do our coaches want to work? A day before the game between Holland and Croatia, I watched the Croatians train. I saw an ATP ranked Lawn Tennis player use his racket to hit the tennis balls towards the goalkeepers. I was curious. Tennis player and racket in a football training ground. I understood the impact when Croatia’s goalkeeper stood between Holland and goals. He virtually dragged the game into a penalty shoot-out, which the Dutch won 4-3. Holland’s manager Louis Van Gaal showed that coaching is not about begging the Dutch to pray for the team and its players like our coaches do. With the clock showing 100 minutes, Van Gaal beckoned on Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul to warm up. Where I sat in the stadium, I told Punch Sports Editor Pius Ayinor that Krul would be introduced into the game. I predicted that Krul would win the match for the Dutch. When it turned out that way, Ayinor wasn’t surprised. Ayinor alluded to the game between Ghana and Germany, where the German coach called his fellow World Cup mate Berti Vogts, asking what he thought was wrong with his team while the game was on. Germany’s coach Joachim Loew’s call was instructive. Vogts works for USA as Jurgen Klinsmann’s spy and the Americans had beaten the Ghanaians. Vogts told his countryman the Ghanaians had limping wing back. He challenged them to launch their attacking forays using the limping star’s position. It worked and Germany drew 2-2 with Ghana. Indeed, Loew has made the German side open to contributions from knowledgeable Germans. He listened to the voice of wisdom and included Klose in his World Cup competition, with one mission in mind- for Klose to break the record of scoring 16 goals at the Mundial. Klose was just a goal away from history. Today, Klose and indeed Germans can celebrate the feats. Only teams with such depth-in-strength can aspire to win the World Cup, not ours where Oguenyi Onazi’s injury exposed the Eagles’ weaknesses like the leaking nostrils of a sick child. Eagles in Brazil were tactless. The players struggled through our games. They had no game changer or match winners. Substitutes were awful. Did any of our coaches call up Sunday Oliseh to find out how the team was playing? Oliseh was the head of one of FIFA’s technical study groups at the World Cup. He would have given our coaches an unfettered brief of what to do. Our coaches are currying influence in high places and taking injured players around instead of staying back to see how others play and compare notes. Neymar is on a wheel chair. Nobody has played politics with his injury by taking him to see Brazil’s President. I must commend President Jonathan for the kind gesture of paying the medical bills of injured Onazi and Michael Babatunde in London. I hope this is sustained with other athletes. It is important to ask what would happen to the players’ reward from the insurance policy secured for them at the Mundial? They are also entitled to some cash from FIFA. Countries know the rule when a player is injured playing for his fatherland. The matter was resolved by FIFA last year. Injuries to players are expected because they are tagged accidents. Brazil FA chiefs have pushed Neymar’s case to their insurers. Not so with Nigeria, where we drag every little thing to President Jonathan. Some of the coaches who have exited the Mundial are here watching games and pushing to establish relationships with better coaches still in the competition. Many have become match commentators. Ours’ are in the country beating their chests that Nigeria equaled a record set in 1994 (20 years ago) and blaming everyone else but themselves for the Eagles’ shoddy showing at the Mundial. Did anyone raise objection about the Eagles’ shambolic outings? It is on record that Nigeria and Iran played the worst game at the Brazil 2014 World Cup, culminating in the fans booing both countries. The voice of the people, they say, is the voice of God. Not so?

THE NATION SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014

SPORT EXTRA Stakeholders shun congress convened by Maigari’s man

•James •Neymar

•Messi

Messi, Neymar, Rodriguez among FIFA Golden Ball nominees

IONEL Messi, Neymar and James Rodriguez have been named among those shortlisted for the FIFA Golden Ball 2014. The award is presented to the best player of the World Cup finals and is voted for by members of the media and FIFA’s Technical Study Group. The Barcelona stars were named alongside James, the tournament’s current top scorer with six goals, as part of a 10-man shortlist that is dominated by Germany and Argentina – the two sides

Ogu set to leave Academica

IGERIA international John Ogu has confirmed that he will not be extending his contract with Academica FC, with his current deal set to expire on June 30, 2015. Instead, the central midfielder has been locked in negotiations with the leadership of Academica, as he wants to severe ties with the Primeira Liga outfit before the start of the 2014 - 2015 campaign. The relationship between Ogu and the Students is beyond repair due to his lack of game time over the course of last season, which contributed to a large extent to his omission from Nigeria’s World Cup roster. ‘’I have not started pre season training with Academica because I want to terminate my contract with them. I don’t want to play here anymore. ‘’I am discussing now with the club. That’s why I didn’t turn up for the start of preseason training though I came to Portugal late because I had to get a new passport as my old one got expired,’’ John Ogu told SL10.ng. The 26-year-old is not damaged commodity yet as he still has admirers in Europe, mostly teams from Turkey. Ogu has represented Drava Ptuj, Almeria, União de Leiria and Atlético CP in the past.

who will contest Sunday’s final at the Maracana. Javier Mascherano and Angel Di Maria join Messi as the three Argentina players to make the list. Favourites Germany have four nominations, with Mats Hummels and Toni Kroos

joining captain Philipp Lahm and Thomas Muller, who has scored five goals in Brazil so far. Fifa Golden Ball Nominees: Mats Hummels - Germany Thomas Muller - Germany Toni Kroos - Germany

Philipp Lahm - Germany Lionel Messi - Argentina Javier Mascherano Argentina Angel Di Maria - Argentina Neymar - Brazil Arjen Robben - Netherlands James Rodriguez Colombia

Rizzoli to referee W/Cup final

ICOLA Rizzoli of Italy will referee the World Cup final between Germany and Argentina, FIFA has announced. With a European side facing a South American team, many had expected FIFA to appoint an Asian referee for Sunday's global showpiece. But Jim Boyce, the chairman of the FIFA's refereeing committee, said: "We choose the best referees for the best matches, and the Italian will referee the final." Rizzoli has officiated three matches at this year's tournament, including two

played by Argentina; their quarter-final victory over Belgium and the group stage win over Nigeria. The qualified architect also handled the high-profile match between Netherlands and Spain on the second day of the tournament. He also took charge of the all-German UEFA Champions League final at Wembley in 2013 - when Bayern Munich beat Borussia Dortmund 2-1 - and sent off Arsenal's Wojciech Szczesny during their 2-0 defeat by Bayern in a Champions League match in February.

•Rizzoli

2014 WORLD CUP FINAL

Eaglets tip Germany as champions

OLLOWING their 7-1 defeat of Brazil in the semi-final, Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets have overwhelmingly tipped Germany ahead of Argentina to win the Brazil 2014 World Cup on Sunday. The Final to be played at the imposing Maracana Stadium is a repeat of the gruelling 1990 encounter between the two countries which was decided by an 85th minute penalty goal by Germany’s Andreas Brehme, and the 1986 Final won 3-2 by Argentina. In a poll conducted amongst the 35 Eaglets in camp, 23 players (66 percent) felt the German Machines would extend their World Cup titles to four while the remaining 12 (34 percent) backed Lionel Messi’s Argentina to win a third title since their triumph in 1978 and 1986. Incidentally, Germany thrashed Argentina 4-0 when both teams clashed in a quarterfinal match at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, fuelling great expectations of Sunday’s encounter.

“My money is on Argentina to win because they have shown that they are a complete team since the competition started,” said Eaglets defender Jack Ipalibo. “Apart from that, they defend in numbers which makes it difficult for others to score against them. It won’t be easy against Germany; yet Argentina will win.” Dayo Femi is leading Germany’s cheer group in saying the three-time world champions have the best attacking force that would be too hot for the Albiceleste come Sunday. “We have seen that the most ruthless team at this World Cup is Germany and that is the reason most of us believe they would win on Sunday,” he stated. “I’m even tipping Mesut Ozil to nail the Argentines.” But it would be a win-win situation for Golden Eaglets’ Head coach, Emmanuel Amuneke (MON) since his two favourite teams would clash in tomorrow’s finale. “All my life, I have

supported Argentina and Germany,” said the 1994 African Footballer of the Year. “So, I have nothing to lose on Sunday because the two teams have the capacity to win. As such, we are going to see a great final match,” Amuneke said.

OOTBALL stakeholders in the North Central region of Nigeria yesterday boycotted a congress called in Jos, by the former coordinator of the zone, Yusuf Ahmed Fresh, a board member of the ousted Aminu Maigari-led NFF executive committee. According to a source who was invited for the meeting, the invitees - mostly the States’ FA Chairmen and Secretaries - called the bluff of the former board member because of what they called the ‘legal implications’ of attending such a congress. “On what ground is he calling us? Why is he calling us for a meeting now, when he was behaving like a lord all through their reign? They are now looking for solidarity. Besides most of us are civil servants, we cannot go contrary to the feelings of the government,” the source said. “Why are you asking me if I will attend the meeting, when the board has been sacked by the congress? Whatever meeting they are calling now is illegal, because they are no longer in office. Again, what is the security implication of attending such a gathering?

NNL hostilities resume Wednesday, clubs to bear match indemnities

HE management of the Nigeria National League (NNL) has said that football action will resume across the country on Wednesday with Week 19 matches just as it has advised clubs to henceforth take over the responsibility for the payment of match indemnities to the referees. The second tier league went on break after Week 18 matches to enable Nigerians support the Super Eagles’ campaign at the FIFA World Cup, Brazil 2014 Final. With the Eagles crashing out in the second round, the NNL during the week gave the green light for the league to resume on July 16, 2014. Also, the NNL management has directed the participating clubs to now shoulder the responsibility for the payment of match indemnities to the officiating officials comprising of Match Commissioner, Centre Referee and his two assistants as well as the Reserve Referee. In a letter signed by the NNL Secretary, Lawrence Katken, clubs were told that the lean financial status of the league prompted the decision to ask

Ideye starts pre - season training with Dynamo Kiev

From Patrick Ngwaogu, Abuja “It may be translated to mean a security risk because of the security situation in the country now. I think that is the major reason why nobody is attending the congress.” When reminded that the zone had earlier passed a vote-of-confidence on the members of the ousted board, the source, who is an FA Scribe, said: “Actually when we were in Brazil, the members came to us and pleaded that they wanted to return to the board again. We agreed to return them, as they promised to do more for the development of the game at the grassroots. “This many of us agreed in principle, but some were of the opinion that we should try other persons, since our interests were not catered for by the Maigari board. But now, the trend has changed, and we have to move on,” he concluded. Meanwhile, feelers from government circles indicate that the searchlight may be beamed on Ahmed Yusuf Fresh since the convening of a congress may be interpreted as a declaration of war on the government.

IGERIA international Brown Ideye has ended speculation about his future at Dynamo Kiev after he turned up for pre - season training at the Ukrainian Cup winners. The capital side previously officially stated that the attacker missed the start of pre - season practice after he picked up a virus while holidaying in his homeland. But the former Flying Eagles forward is now in Dynamo Kiev’s second gathering in Austria, where the club is fine-tuning strategies ahead of their campaign in the Premier League, Europa League as well as the Cup. Ideye isn’t expected to feature for the Kievites when they clash with RSC Anderlecht in Wörgl, as he could be lacking match fitness. He has been on the books of Dynamo Kiev for the past three years after he was signed from Sochaux in France.

clubs to undertake the payment of the match indemnities of the referees. NNL had shouldered the responsibility for 18 matches. Meanwhile, this second stanza of the league will witness a fiercer battle by all the clubs to either gain promotion to the elite division or avoid demotion to the lower cadre of the league. Below are some of the tough fixtures of the day. NNL WEEK 19 DIVISION A Sokoto Utd VS Kogi Utd Kwara Utd VS DSS FC Ranch Bees VS Mighty Jets TEAP FC VS Nig. Prisons FC Spotlight VS FRSC FC Plateau Utd VS Jigawa G’ Stars Adamawa Utd VS Niger Tornadoes Supreme Court VS Wikki Tourists DIVISION B ABS FC VS Akwa Starlet Gabros FC VS Unicem Rovers Ekiti Utd VS Remo Stars FC MFM FC VS COD UTD 3SC VS Stationary Stores Gateway VS Go-Round FC Abia Comets VS Bendel Insurance First Bank VS Prime FC

TOMORROWPUNCHLINE IN THE NATION

SATURDAY, JULU 12, 2014 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL.9, NO. 2907

In a way, Soyinka can be described as a consistently non- or anti-didactic playwright but he does have some plays and many poems that can be described as quasi-didactic, plays

EAR Mr. Segun Ayobolu, Please permit me to correct some wrong information in your article

titled ‘Further thoughts on Ekiti Polls’ in your column on the back page of the Nation of July 5, 2014. It is obvious that you based many of your assumptions on the wrong information you received from Ekiti. Whoever gave you information in Ekiti gave you wrong information upon which you based your article and thus misinformed the public. Your first misinformation is that Dr. Fayemi lost his polling unit, town and ward to the PDP. However, the truth is that Dr. Fayemi won in his polling unit, town and ward- Isan/ Ilafon/Ilemeso. The results from INEC's form EC8A is, unit 09 Fayemi APC- 167, Fayose PDP- 1(one) Opeyemi Bamidele LP-(0). Fayemi's ward- Fayemi-2,022 Fayose-261, Bamidele-6. Please always be sure of your facts. That is about election results in Fayemi's polling unit and ward. On the other spurious misinformation upon which you based your article and conclusion, you are very wrong! Whoever gave you that information has misled you into writing your article and you are guilty of a grievous error of judgment. Fayemi did a lot in Isan though that is not to say he is a Governor of Isan town but that of Ekiti State and there should be no regret about this. It is possible that the man who sent you an sms from the governor’s town was the only voter for Fayose who recorded 1 vote in the town. This is expected as no leader, including Fayemi and Fayose, no matter how popular, can have 100 percent support in his home town. Let's assume the result is the true expression of the wishes of Ekiti people, while 38 people voted against Fayose in his home town of Afao, only 1 voted against Fayemi in Isan so who is more popular at home? If excessive militarization of the State before and during the election did not affect the result of the election substantially what else did in your estimation assuming we are not considering other factors? A situation whereby as many as 400 (Four Hundred) APC leaders who were supposed to galvanise their members to vote were hounded and herded into various detention cells on the eve of election and on election day could not be said to be a non-issue. No doubt, this shameless, crude and naked abuse of Federal power substantially affected the result of the election. Mr. Ayobolu, how else will Fayemi refute the misinformation that he or his wife built a University in Ghana? Apart from debunking this wicked lie at every forum by the Governor and his wife Bisi, is the onus not on those who alleged to prove that he actually owns a University in Ghana? Till date, none of those who alleged this has been able to come up with the name or address of the University in Ghana so what else is Fayemi or his wife supposed to do? That Dr. Fayemi built mansions in Isan on assumption of office is not only fallacious, but mischievous because he had completed those set of six bungalows before he was sworn in on October 2010 and this was declared as part of his assets and published in the dailies. Your analysis about the stomach infrastructure cannot be correct. Let's assume without

Re: Further thoughts on Ekiti polls

•Fayemi conceding that Fayemi lost because Ekiti people prefer stomach infrastructure which he fails to do, are you telling us Fayose did better stomach infrastructure between when he emerged as governorship candidate of the PDP in April 2014 than Fayemi who started this 42 months ago? If it is all about rice (as we are made to believe and this is an insult to Ekiti people), do you know that Fayemi more than two years ago started feeding the elderly with choice cooked food all over Ekiti why those who can cook were given raw food stuff under the food bank programme?. This is apart from the fact that 25,000 elderly people were paid N5,000 monthly. 15,000 youths were paid N10,000 monthly under the Youth Volunteer Scheme. Over 2,000 women across Ekiti benefited from Conditional Cash Transfer by earning N5, 000 monthly. This is aside from thousands of women across the state that the wife of the Governor has empowered with cash and materials. Such groups as hairdressers, market women, tailors, food vendors were regularly empowered with cash and tools not once. There are many other programmes aimed at empowerment (stomach infrastructure) which the government did for many Ekiti people. I need to be enlightened what other stomach infrastructure we are talking about. There is no community in Ekiti state that does not earn a monthly cash inflow of between 500, 000 and 20 million naira being various amounts

earned by indigenes of such towns from various government programmes mentioned above so which other stomach infrastructure are we talking about? Is Fayemi expected to be throwing money on the streets at regular intervals? About Dr. Fayemi's alleged disconnect with the masses, nothing could be farther from the truth. This is a governor whose budget is a result of town hall meetings of requests from the communities in Ekiti state. He did this from 2011 to 2013. Many projects in the 131 towns in Ekiti state today are a result of the town hall meetings and requests made. The wife of the governor since 42 months ago have been interacting and impacting positively on the women in the rural areas through many of her empowerment projects. She has paid hospital bills of many indigent patients, she has taken over the care of multiple births under her Multiple Birth Trust Fund. She visited markets and farmsteads more than once to interact and empower the women. Fayemi is the only Governor who has given many communities various sums of money to assist in many projects such as town halls and palaces which many towns have abandoned due to lack of funds. So the question is, how else does a governor connect with the grassroots? Is the analysis of this election not all about calling a dog a bad name in order to hang it? You said Otunba Niyi Adebayo's 22 year old son is the Special Adviser to the Governor on Diaspora matters, this is also not correct as there is no such position in Fayemi's government. There is a Senior Special Assistant to Fayemi on Diaspora matters who is from Ire-Ekiti and he is close to 50 years of age. I don't know where you got this wrong information from. On your allusion that Fayemi has kept Asiwaju and those who helped him to power at arms length, I don't know what informed your position except Asiwaju complained to you! You may be close to Asiwaju but you are not the only person who is close to him and that is not the view and position of the rest of them. Fayemi has not kept Asiwaju at arms length but has continued to hold this human colossus in high esteem. I also don't understand what you mean by the statement that Fayemi's Commissioners

RIGHT OF REPLY

—Biodun Jeyifo and Special Advisers cannot boast of N1 million naira in their bank accounts, then I ask, is being a Commissioner all about personal aggrandizement? I won't say much about that but I know that is also not correct. If you are truly Dr. Fayemi's friend, you ought to have done a thorough check of your facts before writing that article which is an embarrassment to him and an attempt to rubbish his person and all his achievements in Ekiti State. With a friend like you Ekiti State needs look no further for an enemy or how else can one put the deliberate distortion of facts from you especially on the poll results from Fayemi’s unit, town and ward. This is why Yorubas say, Idaamu akoni lo maa so omugo di ologbon (It is the tribulation of a brave man that turns a foolish man to an emergency adviser) The truth of the matter is that there is not yet an agreement that the result of the Ekiti election as declared by INEC is the true reflection of the wishes of Ekiti voters. Many believe that the result is strange and more than meets the eye. Fayemi in his concession speech said that much and that is why the party is challenging the result in court. If the ballot papers were compromised as is rumoured in many quarters, then it means that the votes of Ekiti people didn't count. If this is the case, it follows that any analysis based on the result cannot explain anything, cannot describe Ekiti people as preferring stomach infrastructure to physical infrastructure and as people who are ingrates and who do not value development despite their education! I want you to ponder over these questions: 1. Is it possible for Dr. Fayemi an incumbent who has transformed Ekiti so much to lose with such a margin to the extent that he didn't win in any Local Government? 2. If a thief burgles a house and carts everything away including the grinding stone for pepper, what will you think? 3. If the result is real, why are people not jubilating across Ekiti in proportion the votes declared in favour of the PDP candidate? For example if it is true that Fayose scored 41,000 votes in Ado-Ekiti why is it that, not even 1,000 people of this figure could come out to jubilate after the result were announced? 4. Did all PDP Governors who have earned second terms perform more than Kayode Fayemi or did they meet all your conditions especially stomach infrastructure for their people? 5. Teachers have been on strike in Benue State for the past 9 months, are you saying the PDP Governor there will not win again if he should contest for another term? 6. Are you saying the present Kogi State Governor will not win again despite his refusal to pay minimum wage? 7. Are you saying that Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State will not win a second term despite conducting the same Teachers Development Needs Assessment (TDNA) which Ekiti teachers revolted against? In Bayelsa, those who failed the test were redeployed. The result defies all logic, all reasoning and all commonsense. Until the mystery behind the ballot papers is resolved, I implore you and other columnists to hold your judgment and analysis of Ekiti elections. Hakeem Jamiu Ado-Ekiti

Ade Ojeikere on Saturday talk2adeojeikere@yahoo.com

Nigeria’s soccer circus

EDNESDAY’S FIFA ban on Nigeria isn’t new. We have been through this before. We learnt nothing from previous threats from FIFA, largely because many people see the NFF as a casino. Again, President Goodluck Jonathan would be persuaded by views from discerning Nigerians on the social networks to accept FIFA’s verdict, like he did four years ago, when he banned the Super Eagles, if we hope to play the beautiful game in Nigeria. Our young girls Falconets are due to participate in the U-20 World Cup in Canada. They are

(My World Cup diary, 13) likely not to attend, except this ban is lifted. President Jonathan should please allow the girls participated in the competition. They have laboured through the qualifiers. Playing at the World Cup opens a new vista in their career. They are bound to secure bigger contracts to play outside Nigeria. Cash from such lucrative soccer deals can change the lives of their families. We need to protect the game that has brought fame and wealth to many, who are from humble families. Austin Okocha,

Nwankwo Kanu, Pepetual Nkwocha, Stella Mbachu, Mercy Akide-Udoh, Desire Okparanozie et al are their families’ breadwinners. Their lives have changed for the better since they attained stardom playing for Nigeria. Sports, especially football, is business; not a platform for settling petty feuds among contending parties. FIFA’s rules are sacrosanct. They are obeyed by 208 other countries. I wonder why Nigerians think that such rules are not biding on us. The statutes are respected, even

though we have refused to repeal Decree 101, which gives powers to the supervisory minister to wield the big stick. Yesterday’s bad men are now the tools to remove hitherto good men. It is a vicious cycle which leaves football administrators in a trance. We repeat the same mistakes and expect changes. Jobbers and influence peddlers in the corridors of power heat the soccer polity with personal interests, leaving national interests comatose. Yesterday’s men are back. They spent the last four years plotting their return. We have not asked them what they have been doing during the lull. Shouldn’t Nigeria break away from this clan if we truly want the game to Continued from Page 62

Published and printed by Vintage Press Limited. Corporate Office: 27B Fatai Atere Way, Matori, Lagos. P.M.B. 1025, Oshodi, Lagos. •Continued on Page 62 Telephone: Switch Board: 01-8168361. Marketing: 01-8155547, Abuja Office: Plot 5, Nanka Close AMAC Commercial Complex, Wuse Zone 3, Abuja, Tel/08099650602. Port Harcourt Office: 12/14, Njemanze Street, Mile 1, Diobu, PH. 08023595790 `Website: www.thenationonlineng.net E-mail: saturday@thenationonlineng.net ISSN: 115-5302 Ag. Editor: VINCENT AKANMODE