BLACK MONDAY IN ABUJA-100 perish in motor park bombing

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 62122

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ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014

BLACK MONDAY IN ABUJA

COLUMNIST: Admitting a mistake, fixing the problem •P.37

Zenith Bank's $500m eurobond over subscribed 9 Abuja blast: Confab delegates want Boko Haram financiers prosecuted 56 zScene of the Nyanya Motor Park bombing in Abuja, yesterday. WARNING: More gory pictures on Pages 14 &15. Photos: Abayomi Adesida & Olugbemiga Olamikan.

100 perish in motor park bombing

BY OUR REPORTERS

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•243 injured, 16 luxury buses, 24 other vehicles burnt •Eye-witnesses, survivors recount experiences •We'll defeat Boko Haram, Jonathan vows THE DEAD z27 at Asokoro Hospital z30 at National Hospital z14 at Maitama Hospital z16 at Wuse Hospital

THE INJURED z25 at Asokoro General Hospital z40 at National Hospital z27 at Maitama Hospital z51 at Wuse General Hospital z100 at Nyanya General Hospital

BUJA—‘MUMMY, mummy, don’t let me die’, the agonising cry of a 15-year-old boy, whose legs were shattered and holding on to his mother trailed the deafening bomb explosion reverberating through the Federal Capital City. A woman was lying face down without limbs while another who was surrounded by her children, struggled for life before giving up in their arms.

Several other corpses lit-

Anger, condemnations trail Nyanya bomb blast C M Y K

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tered the ground in the midst of the injured, following the massive bomb Continues on page 5

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POCKET CARTOON

Relatives recount losses

A scene at the Nyanya Motor Park bombing in Abuja, yesterday.

BLACK MONDAY IN ABUJA: 100 perish in motor park bombing Continues from page 1 blast that rocked the crowded Nyanya Bus Terminus, at 6.45 am yesterday. No less than 88 residents of the densely populated slum located at the suburb of the Federal Capital City were killed while over 200 sustained various degrees of injuries.

Some of the dead were burnt beyond recognition, while others were blown into pieces as only their severed parts were packed into bags by rescue workers. Over 40 vehicles were also destroyed.

The incident happened when the bus station which serves as a major terminus for commuters coming from satellite towns disembark before

joining the high capacity luxury buses to the city centre.

Condemnations immediately greeted the gruesome incident just as survivours of the blast and eyewitnesses have been recounting their experiences.

Although Police Spokesman, Mr. Frank Mba, put the death toll at 71 and 124 injured, eye witnesses and hospital sources said that the dead were far more than the official figure.

An eyewitness who simply identified himself as Romanus said pieces of human flesh were flung to different parts of the motor park and beyond.

When Vanguard visited the scene of the blast, there were pools of

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design into the present —Marck And Hack

T

O move ahead in life, you must mind your busi ness. Forget about what others are doing. Stop looking at where they are and what they have. Nobody is doing better than you because nobody can do better than you. YOU are walking your path. Sometimes, the reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-thescenes circumstances with everyone else’s public highlight reel. We listen to the noise of the world, instead of ourselves. So, stop the comparisons! Ignore the distractions. Listen to your inner voice. Mind your business.

From Mack and Angel Hack is an uplifting wisdom of the heart that you should keep your best wishes and your biggest goals close to your heart and dedicate time to them everyday. Don’t be scared to walk alone, and don’t be scared to enjoy it. Don’t let anyone’s ignorance, drama, or negativity stop you from being the best you can be. Because when you are focused on meaningful work and at peace within yourself, almost nothing can shake you.

fresh human blood which emitted a very strong smell. The explosion caused extensive damage at the park Charred remains of at least seven cars, as well as six buses were seen at the scene of the incident as a joint team of different security forces battled to evacuate the dead and injured.

How the bomb was planted According to eye witnesses, a man drove a red Volkswagen space bus into the premises of the big capacity bus terminus popularly called El Rufai Buses and parked in front of two of the buses which were loaded with passengers and almost moving to the city centre.

Vanguard gathered that upon protest from drivers of the buses that he was obstructing their exit, the driver who allegedly came with four other passengers reportedly said he was going to get some lower denominations of money to settle his ‘passengers’.

It was learnt that just about five minutes after the driver and the passengers left the Volkswagen bus, it exploded, killing everyone near it.

The blast which left a large crater at the spot where the bus was parked also resulted in a huge fire which engulfed cars, the loaded and empty buses and all structures in the area.

At the scene of the blast, a pack of local deli-

cacy, popularly called Okpa, whose owner was reportedly ripped into two was still intact, unaffected by the blast.

Piles of bags of intending passengers were scattered as far as over 30 metres. In the midst of concerted rescue efforts, mobile phones of some of the passengers who either died or sustained injuries from the blast were still heard ringing.

Vehicular damages

16 large SURE-P buses, popularly called El-Rufai buses and 24 others were either burnt or destroyed from the effect of the blast.

The National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (Rtd);the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh and all the service chiefs visited the scene of the incident.

Hospitals overwhelmed, call for blood

Hospitals across the capital city have sent out passionate appeals for voluntary blood donation from members of the public. They said that their blood banks were exhausted and that a large number of the injured had lost much blood and required transfusion.

The managements of the Asokoro Hospital and the National Hospital cried out that they had run out of blood and needed blood urgently to avoid losing those who suffered much blood loss in the incident.

A relative of one of the dead victims, Sadiat, who could not hold back tears, told Vanguard that his nephew was to travel to Taraba and left home about to 5 am in spite of the fact that they live not far away from the park just for him to catch the first bus since Taraba is far. “Only for me to hear deafening sound of a blast and rushed to the scene. It took quite some time before I could locate my nephew’s charred body and identified him with his cloth. I could only identify the boy with torn cloth he wore”, she said as she wept sorely.

At the Asokoro General Hospital, relatives of the victims gathered in different corners, waiting to identify their relatives, who were probably involved in the bomb blast.

Miss Adigun Bidemi who was looking for her brother, Mr. Gbenga Oladele an architect said “my mother called me to tell me of the blast and that my brother used to join the high capacity buses to work. My mother and my brother left home together this morning but parted ways at the park shortly before the explosion and we have not been able to contact the young man who headed for the high capacity bus. My mum called me and said that there was a bomb blast at Nyanya, so we went there but we could not find him, we had gone to the National Hospital but we did not see him, so that is why we are here to check on him, but they did not allow us in to check”

Lucky survivors’ accounts I was on the queue to enter a bus One of the victims admitted at the Wuse General Hospital who gave his name as Cosmas Ugwuanyi from Enugu State told Vanguard that he was on queue to enter the El-Rufai bus when

the blast occurred.

Though, Mr. Ugwuanyi’s case was not so critical, the blast affected his eardrum and he was having difficulties hearing what people were saying.

The blast removed my shirt, scattered my car, killed my four friendssurvivor A survivor of the blast who escaped unscathed, said his survival without a scratch was because of providence.

The victim, who was still in shock as at the time he was responding to questions said he was grateful to God for being gracious to him.

Narrating what he witnessed, the victim who wouldn’t mention his name said: “I went to Nyanya to pick my friends. I was under the Nyanya Bridge to pick them, one person sat with me in the front, while the other three people sat at the back. I had to enter the Park to pick them because the Task Force would not allow people to pick passengers under the Bridge.

“We all saw the commotion that was happening as a car drove into the park and the people were complaining about the driver. The last person entering my car shut the door and I tried to move the car and everything went blank. The explosion threw me far away and scattered my car while all the four people with me in the car died.

“I really can’t say what happened, I just saw myself here, they kept me on a wheel chair, but I got up to call my people.”

As he turned round, some of his relatives arrived the hospital, jubilated with him, but the medical personnel took him in for further medical investigations.

An eye witness, Michael Chuks said: “Our vehicle just left the park and we have not even left that junction close to the park when we heard loud noise,

Continues on page 6

6 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014

The Nyanya Motor Park bombing in Abuja, yesterday.

BLACK MONDAY IN ABUJA: 100 perish in motor park bombing Continues from page 5 some people said it was a burst tyre but we knew that the noise was more than burst tyre so we parked and the next we saw were plenty of dead bodies on ground.

“The blast affected more than four el-Rufai buses already loaded with passengers. There were more than 500 people. Very soon now the government will tell us that two or three people died.”

Narrating his ordeal, a survivor, James Igwe said a driver drove into the park and parked in front of the already loaded high capacity buses and disappeared before the explosion.

According to him: “A vehicle came in and parked and the driver disappeared from the vehicle, there were many people inside all those long buses you are seeing now, this bomb exploded and everybody was running, some people were seriously injured and we were calling for help but nobody came, because some people were still unconscious and they were on the ground.

How I cheated death —Chinenye

A food vendor who identified herself as Chinenye Emeka, was grateful to God for sparing her life as the explosion occurred immediately she stepped outside her shop and walked across the road to buy polythene bags with which to sell her snacks.

She, however, regretted that many other food vendors at the park died in the explosion.

Her account: “The vehicle just drove in at a point where two “ElRufai” buses which were full of passengers were about moving while many passengers were on queue struggling to board other vehicles.

“I saw a red-coloured space wagon going inside the park as I was trying to cross the road back to where I kept my bread and other things which I sell but while waiting to make sure there was no traffic on the road before I crossed over, I heard a loud sound. I fell down but by the time I got up, there was thick smoke all over the place. I tried running but I couldn’t and when the smoke could clear a bit, I saw many people lying down dead while many vehicles were already on fire”.

Jeremiah Ofem, a civil servant had bruises but survived

Displaying his bruised body to Vanguard, Ofem insisted: “Those who planted the vehicle may have driven it to the place earlier and left. I believe they detonated the bomb through the use of a remote control as no one was inside the vehicle."

Epuele was hit from a distance

One of the injured at the Nyanya General Hospital, Michael Epuele, who said he was a long distance driver at a nearby motor park, wondered how he was hit. He said he was hit even when he was many metres away from the point of explo-

sion.

Epuele claimed that when he and others were being evacuated from the scene, he saw a big hole created following the blast. “I believe the blast was buried in the ground, maybe in the night, else, how come there was a very big hole at the scene,” he questioned.

How a local bitters saved my life

Though he was aware that driving under the influence of alcohol was a crime that could earn him either imprisonment or a fine if caught by law enforcement agents, Timothy Eze Okorie was grateful for yesterday’s decision to buy a bottle of Alomo, a local alcoholic bitters popular with artisans and commercial vehicle drivers across the country before beginning his job as a commercial bus driver.

Narrating his experience to Vanguard at the scene of the incidence, Mr. Okorie who was visibly shaken said he could not explain why he took the decision to buy the bitters rather than go back to Masaka to bring back passengers to the bus terminus when the bomb blast took place.

According to him, ‘I Left my House at about six in the morning to bring passengers from Masaka, Mararaba, One Man Village and Ado to the Nyanya bus Terminus where they will board ElRufai bus to the city centre. I dropped the last passenger under the Nyanya Bridge and was supposed to enter the park to carry passengers back to Masaka.

Strangely, I had this sudden and strong feeling to drink before beginning the day’s job. So rather than enter the park, I took the next turn, went round the bridge and headed towards Jukwoyi to buy a bottle of Alomo”.

That decision turned out to be his saving grace as less than three minutes after he left the bus park, a huge explosion occured.

What will I tell our parents, cries Francis Alozie

“My sister, Miriam Edozie Chinyere, left this early around 6.30 in the morning to catch up with their staff bus which normally waits for them at Nyanya Bridge.

Unfortunately, when I heard about this bomb issue I tried calling her but her number was not going through, all the two numbers were switched off. And it is not as if the battery was down because I was the one that charged the battery of the two phones for her. She is my cousin, we live together at Kurudu, she works at the Airport.

I went to Nyanya Hospital first and they said that only one female patient was kept there.

They said they had the list where all female patients were compiled.

I tried to see the names and I did not see anywhere they listed names and here too I did not see any names I am just confused. I don’t know what to do. If our parents start calling now, what will I tell them?

I passed out — Abdullahi One of the victims, who

identified himself as Yaro Inusa Abdulahi, an Okada rider from Kano State, said, the blast occurred when he was trying to cross the road to see somebody when he heard a blast.

Abdulahi, who lives at national headquarters lodge, Karu, said: “I heard a big blast and fainted, when I opened my eyes, I saw wounds all over my hands, legs and head. About five ElRufai buses were loading at the scene of the incident.”

Another victim who spoke to our reporter, Daniel Job, who lives in Mararaba said: “I came with my brother to board a bus to town, and because there was no motor from Mararaba to town, I decided to enter a bike from Maraba to Nyanya, so that we could board a bus to town. After buying the ticket at Nyanya motor park, I discovered that the first bus had got filled up and we were asked to enter the second one, on our way to enter the next bus, that was when I heard the bomb explosion.

After the explosion, I discovered that I just had a little injury and started looking for my brother and sister, who were already inside the bus I missed.”

I came out of the car through the windowBusayo Another victim, Mr. Adeoye Busayo, 40 yearold security consultant at a private security firm in Abuja, said he left his house around 6.00 am with "my Nissan sunny car with some people I wanted to give a lift.

“When we got to Nyanya around 6:30 am, there was a little traffic between Skakoma and the check point. I was about 30 to 40 meters to Nyanya park; all of a sudden, I heard a terrible blast, and there was dust everywhere, people were running helter skelter. Everybody was panicking, though the sound was very terrifying, after the first blast, all my windscreen and side glasses were already shattered because of the vibration.

“Then I heard another blast. This time, I just heard a terrible noise at the roof of my car; I managed to escape through the window because the door could not open. I over-heard the people in my car shouting help, help and blood was gushing out of their bodies.

“At this point, the weather became dark because there was durst everywhere. We started running and I saw a lady fail down from my car after struggling to get out of the car through the

back glass and fire from the car at my back caught her.

“Everybody behind me all left their cars and ran away, instead of people running for safety, because you could neither see your back nor your front, they ran to where the fire was raging because it was only that direction of the fire that was a little bit illuminated, that was what deceived a lot of people.”

Abdul Isiaka, a welder at Golden Club company in Nyanya, said: “We had been at the garage since 6 am and when we could not enter the first bus, we decided to enter the second bus, in the process of entering, all of a sudden, I saw smoke under the El-Rufai bus and we started running, after running to a distance, the bomb exploded, and trying to cross to the other side of the road, another one exploded, that was how I got injured.

“It did not take too long before the rescue team came, in fact I went to them because I was crying for help,” said the 23 year old Mararaba resident.

I just found my self on the ground- Sake Another victim, Anquer Sake, 40, a public servant in Asokoro, who lives in Orozo area said: “I got to Nyanya park, got my ticket and queued, I just found myself on the ground, I did not know how I was brought here at Asokoro hospital. I just did my x-ray, waiting for the result because I got an injury on my head.

The worst hit The worst hit were inter-state commuters going to the Northern states of Benue, Bauchi, Nassarawa, Gombe, Tarraba, as well as, workers leaving the park to the city centre.

Others were: Petty traders, food vendors, Okada riders, tea brewers popularly called MaiShai and vehicles conveying passengers to various locations within and outside the FCT.

Inside the hospitals The effect of the explosion on the dead was so gruesome that at the Asokoro and Wuse general hospitals, as the bodies were seen mangled, charred and sickly to even look at.

At the Maitama General Hospital, where scores were rushed to, the Chief Medical Director, Dr. Adetoun Sotimehin confirmed to reporters that 14 dead Continues on page 52

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014—7

Anger, condemnations trail Abuja park blasts

BY OUR REPORTERS

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BUJA — President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday, assured the nation that the Boko Haram threat was just a temporary setback, promising that the country would triumph over the terrorists.

Jonathan, who visited the scene of the deadly blast in Abuja, emphasised that there was need for citizens to be enlightened, be security conscious and report suspicious persons and objects to security agencies.

The President who was accompanied to the site by Senate President, David Mark; Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar and Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Adamu Mu'azu, was received by the Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh, as well as the Chiefs of Army, Navy and Air Force.

He said: “I’m here with the Senate President, David Mark and Chairman of PDP, ministers, CDS and service chiefs and all other very senior government functionaries to collectively express our condolences to the families of those who suffered directly on the incident.

“The issue of Boko Haram is temporary. Government is doing everything to make sure that we move our country forward in spite of all the distractions that want to take us backward. We promise that we will get over it.

“We also want to use this unique opportunity to plead with the media and our great men and women, to come up with enlightenment programmes for our people. Those countries that face terror have developed great awareness. If there are unusual movement of vehicles and bags, they called security and based on this, a lot of incidences are contained."

Govt has run out of ideas — PGF BUT in its own reaction, the All Progressives Congress governors, yesterday, reviewed the security situation in the country and concluded that the Federal Government had run out of ideas on how to checkmate terrorists and other criminals.

The governors, who commiserated with the families of the blast, regretted that the death of innocent Nigerians had become a daily occurrence with little respite.

The statement, which was released by the Chairman of the Progressive Governors' Forum, PGF, and governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, noted with concern that no fewer than 1,000 innocent Nigerians had been slain in the last two weeks.

The PGF said the tragic deaths indicated a major failure on the part of the Federal Government.

"It is plain the government has run out of ideas in the fight against insurgency, ethnic and communal clashes as well as the spate of

•We'll defeat Boko Haram —Jonathan •FG has run out of ideas— APC govs •Perpetrators must be brought to book —Buhari •APC calls for national security summit •APC leadership, govs are responsible —PDP alleges •Jonathan should do more to end bombings —SERAP

Scene of the blast, yesterday. Photo: Gbenga Olamikan.

On his part, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) said: "The attack was horrific, heartbreaking and a cruel act of merciless slaughter. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who lost their lives.

I also pray and hope for the full and speedy recovery of those wounded.

"My heart breaks every time I take to this platform to offer condolences in this tormenting season of seemingly endless violence. I understand that it is difficult for the government to prevent every terrorist attack, but we can always do more to protect our defenceless citizens by boosting our intelligence and counter-terrorism capabilities.

"Words alone cannot express the full solemnity of our grief. We can only honour the memories of our country men and women by winning this war against terrorism and bringing to justice the perpetrators of those dastardly acts.

scribed the attack as cowardly and barbaric.

He said all Nigerians must join hands to bring an end to the spate of wanton killings in the country.

The speaker further urged security agencies to ensure that the perpetrators of the violent act are brought to justice.

While condoling with the families of those who lost loved ones in the blast, Tambuwal prayed for the quick recovery of those injured.

Also, speaking in the same vein, Rep Tajudeen Yusuf, PDP, Kogi described it as an uncouth action and deserves outright condemnation.

He said: “It is barbaric and the highest display of cowardice, we must be resolute. Men of honour must join hand with our patriotic men and women in the police and the military to find a lasting solution to this unpalatable development."

Chairman, House Committee on Anti-Corruption, Rep. Abiodun Faleke, APC, Lagos also said: "It is very devastating and unfortunate. The presidency must provide jobs, set up new methods for intelligence gathering to nib this attacks."

It's cowardly, barbaric—Tambuwal

Sultan condemns killings

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, has also condemned the attack.

In a statement in Calabar by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Malam Dalhatu Imam, Tambuwal de-

The Sultan of Sokoto and President General, Jama'atu Nasri Islam (JNI), Alhaji Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar condemned the bombings.

The Sultan, who was speaking at the opening ceremony of the JNI Central Council meeting

armed robberies and kidnappings across Nigeria."

Perpetrators must be brought to book —Buhari

holding at its national headquarters, however, said: "Muslims are at the receiving end.

More Muslims are being killed.

"We condemn the bombing in strong terms and pray that Allah will expose the perpetrators in the nearest future. There is the urgent need for the government to come to the aid of innocent Nigerians who are always victims of the attacks and bombings."

APC calls for national security summit On its part, the APC urged the Federal Government to urgently convene a national stakeholders’ security summit to help find a lasting solution to the spate of mindless killings in the country.

In a statement issued in Lagos, yesterday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party expressed its shock and sadness at the savagery of the attack, while condoling with the families of those killed and praying for a quick recovery for the injured.

It said: "It is time for new thinking, new ideas to stop this insurgency before it consumes all of us. "

APC leadership, govs are responsible —PDP alleges National leadership of the PDP has alleged that the leadership of the opposition APC and their governors were re-

sponsible for yesterday’s bomb explosion.

Noting that the attacks cannot be justified under any guise, the PDP raised alarm that they were politically motivated and can be traced to the utterances and comments of those it termed “desperate persons who seek to undermine and discredit the present administration and make the nation ungovernable for President Goodluck Jonathan by instituting a reign of terror against the people.”

In a statement yesterday by PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, the party while condemning the act as barbaric, monstrous and extremely wicked, stressed that the party was shocked and had remained grief-stricken since it received the news of the gruesome attack and killing of Nigerians pursuing their legitimate endeavours.

Alleging that the APC should be held responsible over the sad and unfortunate incident, Metuh said: “We stand by our earlier statements that these attacks on our people are politically motivated by unpatriotic persons, especially those in the APC, who have been making utterances and comments, promoting violence and blood-letting as a means of achieving political control.

"Nigerians are also aware of utterances by certain APC governors which have been aimed at undermining our security forces and emboldening insurgents against the people."

Jonathan should do more to end bombings —SERAP Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has said that "the unlawful and unnecessary killings of many Nigerians showed that the measures the government is taking to tackle the Boko Haram phenomenon are inadequate and simply not working."

The organisation urged President Jonathan to "show leadership and urgently initiate fundamental changes in the security strategy to end continuing civilian casualties, and a climate of insecurity across the country."

In the statement signed by SERAP Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, the group said: "Nigerians have heard promises from this government before that it would take all possible steps to prevent bombing tragedies and citizens' deaths and injuries. But if this government is to be taken seriously on its promises to protect the citizens, this latest explosion needs to be the last of its kind. The government must now come up with a blueprint to end continuing bombing tragedies."

8—Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014

Gunmen kidnap female judge in Delta

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

A

SABA — UNKNOWN gunmen have abducted a female judge in the Delta State Judiciary on Asaba/Benin highway.

Vanguard gathered that she was kidnapped in the presence of her husband when they stopped over, weekend.

State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Celestina Kalu, confirmed the incident yesterday, saying the command has spread dragnet to arrest the fleeing kidnappers.

The PPRO said the incident happened at 1800 hours "when the couple were travelling along Agbor/Asaba highway.

"On April 13, at about 0150 hours, one Onyeka Monye of Ibusa reported that on 12/4/14 at 1800 hours they stopped to buy pear along Agbor/Asaba express road when a Camry car registration number yet unknown with about four armed men double crossed them and kidnapped his madam one, Lawrenta Omeze, female President of Ibusa Customary Court Ibusa to unknown destination."

2 Poly students nabbed for injuring police officer

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SOGBO —THE Osun State Police Command has arrested two students of the Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun State for allegedly injuring a Police officer during a face-off between some students of the institution and residents of the town, weekend .

The sleepy community was in a state of pandemonium following a protest which ensued among the students after one of them was allegedly crushed to death by a tipper lorry.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the state Police command, Mrs Folashade Odoro who confirmed the arrest of the students, said, however, that normalcy had returned to the community through the efforts of the Police.

Ogun police rescue man tied in his stolen car

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

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BEOKUTA—The Ogun State Police Command said, yesterday, that it had rescued a man who was tied with rope to his Sports Utility Van, SUV, by a gang of robbers that snatched the car at Oregun area, Awolowo Way, Ikeja, Lagos.

He was rescued along Lagos/Ibadan expressway.

This came as the Commissioner of Police in Ogun State has ordered its officers to raid notorious places otherwise known as black spots across the state.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Muyiwa Adejobi, in two statements said the raiding order became necessary to flush out hoodlums and sustain the security arrangement in the state.

Adejobi, however, explained that the robbery incident which occurred on Friday involved a Honda Pilot with number plate Lagos EKY 281 BR, which was earlier snatched by the robbers.

According to Adejobi, “the police team attached to Ojodu Abiodun Division of the command, while on its routine patrol along the expressway,

suspected the SUV which was driven recklessly with four occupants.

“The police team gave a hot chase, this eventually compelled the occupants to aban-

don the vehicle and fled into the bush. While searching the SUV, the owner was seen in the car with his hands and legs tied with rope. Three double barelled guns and 20 live

Man remanded over friend's murder

BY CHINYERE ABIAZIEM

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Men pardoned by the Bauchi State government from Bauchi prison, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

Rising ritualism sparks fears in Ogun community

BY IFEANYI OKOLIE

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TA — THE Ota area of Ogun State is becoming a hot-bed for ritualism; and as a result, residents now live in fear of ritualists who are being arrested almost weekly by residents of the area in conjunction with law enforcement agents.

This year, the area has witnessed at least eight cases. Last week, for example, a woman who had often pretended to be insane was caught with a human head.

It was learnt that the woman, who loves mocking people, wears rags and carries condemned materials about to give the impression that she has a mental problem, was arrested by some commercial motorcycle riders in the area.

According to reports, the woman, while perambulating with a bag around a busy area of the community, allegedly went to a corner, brought out a phone and started making a call.

She was immediately trailed by a motorcycle rider, who pretended to be easing himself. The motorcycle rider said he overheard the woman asking the recipient of her call to come and "pick their thing because it was smelling."

He, therefore, quickly alerted his colleagues who caught the

cartridges were recovered from the car.

“The team immediately rescued the man who then narrated his ordeal in the hands of the hoodlums to the police."

woman, searched her bag and brought out the human head.

She has since been handed over to the Police.

In another development on Saturday, a team of police officers from Ogun State Police Command and the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Lagos Police Command jointly arrested five suspects in the Joju area of the same Ota, Ogun State with human heads and pieces of human flesh.

It was learnt that the Police were able to make the arrest following complaints by people living in the area. The Lagos and Ogun Commands had begun their investigation into the complaints, which led to the arrests of the suspects.

According to the Ogun Police Command, the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Ota Division, CSP Gabriel Idibie led the team of operatives who assisted men of SARS, Lagos, who had the first hand information about the ritualists based in Joju.

According to the Police, the arrested suspects are Kubura Salami, Tantolorun Abimbola, Kafaya Popoola, Wahid Ibrahim and Adamu Rafiu.

Following the successful arrests, Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Ikemefuna Okoye,

ordered that the case be handed over to SARS, Lagos for investigation since it is a follow-up to an ongoing investigation with the SARS officials.

He also asked his men to cooperate with the SARS officials in the investigation into the case, while urging the residents of the state to be very observant and report any suspicion.

As a result of insecurity in the area, most streets now have local vigilantes manning them.

Some residents said that many areas of Ota are very dangerous at night and must need extreme care for one to manoeuvre through.

AGOS — A 26-year-old man, Kunle Babalola, who allegedly killed his friend, was yesterday remanded in Ikoyi Prison, Lagos by an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court.

Babalola allegedly pushed his friend into the Majidun River over an alleged missing phone.

The accused, who resides in Ikorodu, is facing a charge of murder.

The Magistrate, Mr E. O. Ogunkanmi, who did not take the plea of the accused, ordered him to be remanded in prison, pending legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The rosecutor, Cpl. Cyriacus Osuji, had earlier told the court that the crime was committed on March 16 at Idiroko village in Ikorodu, near Lagos.

He said the accused and the deceased were friends.

He said: “The accused approached the deceased over his missing phone and wanted to fight the deceased but the deceased ignored him.

“The accused followed him and pushed him into Majidun River, the deceased struggled to come out but drowned.

“An eye-witness reported the case at the police station, following which the accused was arrested."

Father, daughter docked over malicious damage

BY ONOZURE DANIA

I

KEJA — A 62-year-old landlord, Samuel Olatunbosun, and his daughter, Aliyat, 21, were yesterday arraigned in Lagos over alleged breach of peace and malicious damage of valuables worth N199,500.

The accused who reside at 36, Oyekunle St., Orile-Agege, Lagos, were al-

leged to have sealed off the window of their tenant, Mr Charles Onye, after using a saw to cut off the padlock on his door.

The prosecutor, Inspector Nurudeen Thomas, told the Ikeja magistrates’ court that the accused damaged a television set, a wall clock, radio, DVD and a rechargeable lamp worth N199,500 in the tenant's apartment.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014 — 9

Allegations against Diezani diversionary —NANS

BY DAPO AKINREFON

T

CEREMONY: From left, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, Minister of Trade and Investment; Dr. ABC Orjiakor, Chairman, Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc; Oscar Onyema, CEO Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE; Austin Avuru, CEO Seplat, and Chief Lulu Briggs, major shareholder, SEPLAT, during the ringing of the bell ceremony, at the NSE, yesterday.

Confab: Delegates adjourn .To resume 4p.m. today .List of c'ttees, chairmen ready

By HENRY UMORU

F

OLLOWING THE inability of the National Conference leadership to complete compilation of the membership list of the 20 committees, the National Conference was forced to adjourn, yesterday, to reconvene today at

4p.m.

While delegates were making contributions to the proposed committees, the house in an unusual manner, adjourned for the whole day and not even for lunch, following an announcement by Conference Chairman, Justice Idris Kutigi that proceedings had closed for the day.

Shortly after the adoption of the prayers contained, attention shifted to the committees whose membership and leadership were expected to be announced.

However, the chairman apologised that although a lot of work had gone into the compilation of committee membership, there were still more work to be done

Zenith Bank’s US$500m eurobond massively over-subscribed

Z

ENITH BANK Plc has recorded a massive over-subscription of 200 per cent in her US$500m Eurobond issue under a US$1bn Global Medium Term Note, GMTN, programme announced on April 1, 2014.

The bank’s week long investors’ road-show, coordinated by Goldman Sachs and Citibank, received an overwhelming endorsement by a diversified group of global investors from Europe, the US, Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

Investor’s perception of Zenith’s domestic market leadership and its strong balance sheet defined by its liquidity, asset quality and capital adequacy are among the major factors driving the overwhelming acceptance of the bank’s first ever debt issue.

The bank was considered to be highly innovative, but prudent and customer-service focused.

This had also elicited investors’ appetite for its shares currently trading on both the Nigerian Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange (through a GDR programme), a patronage which had been reflected in the oversubscription of the its first debt issue.

Also, the bank’s conservative approach to banking exemplified by its robust Capital Adequacy ratio of 26 per cent as at December 31, 2013 Strong Liquidity ratio of 64 per cent, prudent Loan to Deposit ratio of 55 per cent and Strong Risk management culture confirms Zenith as the strongest Credit in the Nigerian banking clime.

As an affirmation of the confidence reposed by investors on the bank, two leading rating agencies, Standard and Poor’s Ratings Services and Fitch Ratings, rated both the programme and the first tranche of US$ 500 million issued as BB- and B+ respectively.

It was also worthy of note that Standard and Poor’s Ratings Services had in its 2013 Issuer Rating of Zenith Bank, noted that “the main constraint on Zenith’s Ratings is the Sovereign ratings of

Nigeria...”

The GMTN Programme gives Zenith the opportunity to raise up to US$1 billion out of which a first tranche of US$500 million had been issued.

This offer was priced at a coupon rate of 6.25 per cent payable every six months, the first US$500 million tranche had an effective date of April 22, 2014 and maturity date of April 22, 2019 and would be 100 per cent redeemable on maturity.

before the list would be made public.

Consequently, he said it was necessary to stand down every issue regarding the committees until 4p.m. today when he was sure the final compilation would have been done.

It was also agreed that based on suggestions and observations by delegates, committee members should be free to discuss issues that are related to the committees they serve and not limit themselves to areas listed under each committee.

As expected, delegates waited for the leadership of the conference to reel out names of chairmen of the 20 standing committees and their deputies as Justice Kutigi disclosed that when delegates break into the committee stage, 10 committees will operate from Transcorp Hilton Hotel while the rest will operate from venue of the Conference, National Judicial Institute, NJI.

HE NATIONAL As sociation of Nigerian Students, NANS, has dismissed the latest allegation of financial recklessness against the Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, describing it as diversionary and an exhibition of pull-himdown syndrome.

Briefing newsmen in Lagos, NANS President, Mr. Yinka Gbadebo noted that it was not absolving the minister of the allegations, but regretted that the manner in which allegations are made against the leadership class in Nigeria.

His words: ‘’It would be recalled that these sorts of allegations were levelled against the former minister of the FCT, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, when he was said to have sold property to his family members, but in his swift reaction, the former minister asked, 'does being a minister bar my family members from being Nigerians, and so not entitled to bid for property like other Nigerians?'

“We must understand that this woman, within the last seven years has continued to serve Nigeria in several capacities, with her background as the first female to attain the position of executive director in Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, where merit is appreciated and celebrated."

Nigeria tops Africa in home remittances, $21bn involved

BY OMOH GABRIEL in washington

N

IGERIA GOT a total of $21 billion as home remittances flows from Nigerians living abroad in 2013.

This puts the country as the fifth largest recipient of foreign remittances among developing countries and first in Africa.

Data released by the World Bank in Washington, weekend, showed that India remained in the top spot, with $70 billion in remittances in 2013.

Other large recipients according to the Bank are China ($60 billion), the Philippines ($25 billion), Mexico ($22 billion), Nigeria ($21 billion), Egypt ($17 billion), Pakistan ($15 billion), Bangladesh ($14 billion), Vietnam ($11 billion) and Ukraine ($10 billion).

The World Bank in its release said: “In terms of remittances as a share of GDP, the top recipients were Tajikistan (52 per cent), Kyr-

gyz Republic (31 per cent), Nepal and Moldova (both 25 per cent), Samoa and Lesotho (both 23 per cent), Armenia and Haiti (both 21 per cent), Liberia (20 per cent) and Kosovo (17 per cent).

The report said: “After remaining broadly unchanged in 2012, remittances to Sub-Saharan Africa grew by 3.5 per cent in 2013 to reach $32 billion. Flows are forecast to rise to $41 billion in 2016.

According to available data, Nigeria remains the largest recipient by far, with migrants sending about $21 billion in 2013.

Remittances to countries in East Africa continued to grow robustly last year, by 10 per cent to Kenya and 15 per cent to Uganda. In contrast, West African countries, such as Cote d'Ivoire and Senegal, saw only modest increases in 2013, after a slowdown in 2012.

Sub-Saharan Africa is one of the few regions in the world where official development assistance is

larger than remittances, and both are much more stable than either foreign direct investment or private financing flows.

Many countries in the region have large Diaspora overseas, with substantial Diaspora savings that could be mobilised for development financing.”

According to the Bank: "In addition to the large annual flows of remittances, migrants living in high income countries are estimated to hold savings in excess of $500 billion annually. These savings represent a huge pool of funds that developing countries can do much more to tap into.

The Bank further said: “International migrants from developing countries are expected to send $436 billion in remittances to their home countries this year, despite more deportations from some host countries, says the World Bank's latest issue of the Migration and Development Brief, released today.

“This year's remittance to developing countries will be an increase of 7.8 per cent over the 2013 volume of $404 billion, rising to $516 billion in 2016, according to revised projections from the latest issue of the brief.

“For many developing countries, remittances are an important source of foreign exchange, surpassing earnings from major exports, and covering a substantial portion of imports.

For example, in Nepal, remittances are nearly double the country's revenues from exports of goods and services, while in Sri Lanka and the Philippines, they are over 50 per cent and 38 per cent, respectively. In India, remittances during 2013 were $70 billion, more than the $65 billion earned from the country's flagship software services exports.

In Uganda, remittances are double the country's income from its main export of coffee.

10—Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014

Fashola makes case for youths

SWEARING IN:

From left— Mr. Sewendo Oluseyi, Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, Dr. Joyce Osunkiyesi and Mr. Ajibola Ariyibi, during the swearing in of three new permanent secretaries at Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, yesterday. PHOTO: Bunmi Azeez.

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI & MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

G

O V E R N O R Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, yesterday, stressed the need for a robust public service structure that would allow young Nigerians attain leadership positions.

He spoke at the swearing in of three newly appointed permanent secretaries in the state public service at the EXCO chamber.

Fashola said the younger generations of Nigerians held the key to a vibrant public service.

The three newly sworn in permanent secretaries are Mr. Oluseyi Whenu, Dr. Joyce Osunkiyesi and Mr. Ajibola Oke. Fashola lamented that many public servants attained leadership position at the twilight of their career.

ATUCHE, OJO:

Court fixes hearing for April 17

BY INNOCENT ANABA

A

Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, yesterday, adjourned till June 17, to hear written addresses filed by counsel in the trial of Francis Atuche, former Managing Director of defunct Bank PHB and Charles Ojo, former Managing Director of defunct Spring Bank Plc, charged with N125 billion fraud.

Atuche is standing trial alongside Ojo, on an amended 45-count charge bordering on the offence.

Trial judge, Justice Saliu Saidu, adjourned the case for hearing of addresses, after he granted an application for extension of time by counsel to the accused, who informed the court of his motion for extension of time within which to file his written address, and an order, deeming same as properly filed.

Lagos restricts traffic on Oke-Afa bridge

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

L

AGOS State Government has announced plans to commence repair works on Oke-Afa/Egbe Bridge in Ejigbo Local Council Development Area from April 17 to April 28, saying traffic will be restricted during the period.

Commissioner for Transportation, Kayode Opeifa, who announced the planned closure yesterday, explained that during the maintenance work the bridge would not be closed to traffic, but that vehicular movement would only be restricted to one carriage way in alternate sessions.

He said: “Traffic rerouting will also be carried out to facilitate seamless flow of traffic. Motorists

are advised to take alternate routes to avoid delays, watch out for traffic diversion signs and obey traffic rules and regulations.”

While regretting any inconvenience the maintenance work might

cause road users, the government directed all relevant agencies to ensure free flow of traffic.

“Members of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA; Nigeria Police; Federal Road Safety

Lagos APC members disrupt govt activities over ward congress

BY EBUN SESSOU & MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

A

CTIVITIES at the Lagos seat of government in Alausa secretariat were, yesterday, halted by protesting All Progressives Congress, APC, members from Somolu Local Government Area over alleged plan by a serving commissioner to upturn the result of the ward congress.

It will be recalled that APC held ward congress in the state on April 5.

The protesters sang several songs and were also armed with placards to express their displeasure, saying the result of the congress must be upheld.

The protesters claimed that two months before the election the Somolu APC leadership had invited the commissioner to four preward congress election meetings, to decide key issues that could mar the election, but that he failed to turn up.

On the eve of the election,

NUPENG suspends planned nationwide strike

BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

N

IGERIA Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, yesterday, suspended its planned nationwide strike over the leadership crisis in the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, which was affecting smooth delivery of petroleum products.

NUPENG, in a statement by its General Secretary, Isaac Aberare in Lagos, said it was suspending the strike following the resolution of the leadership crisis in IPMAN which led to the emergence of Chief Obasi Lawson as the President.

Corps, FRSC; Neigbourhood Watchers; Special Traffic Marshals and other relevant security agencies will be on ground to assist in traffic management to ensure seamless traffic flow.”

It said: “We believe in the rule of law. That was why we demanded that the judgment of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, recognising Chief Obasi Lawson as the President of IPMAN must be

respected.

“We wish the new IPMAN President the best as he pilots the affairs of the association to greater heights and put the necessary machineries in motion to restore credibility.”

the protesters alleged that the commissioner invited APC leadership in the council for peace meeting.

At the meeting, he was alleged to have demanded that candidates for the executive post in the eight wards be selected rather than elected.

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Mr. Olusegun Fehintola said: “At that meeting, we reminded him of the decision made by the leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, that each post should be thrown open, as against imposition. And that option A4 should be adopted as the electoral process.”

Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, urged the protesters to go back home, saying “ we will visit our leader, Tinubu on the issue and ensure it is resolved.”

AKIOLU: NJC, Lagos CJ petitioned over judge’s conduct reassign the case representing the claimants

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH

H

EARING in the controversy trailing the appointment and installation of Oba Rilwan Akiolu as Oba of Lagos has taken another turn as Mr. Babatunde Fashanu (SAN),

in the case, urged the National Judicial Council, NJC, to sanction the trial judge, Justice Samuel Candide Johnson over alleged rudeness.

This came as the claimants also asked the Lagos State Chief Judge, Justice Ayotunde Phillips, to

for adjudication.

The misunderstanding between the court and the senior lawyer started at the last sitting, when the judge ordered the lawyer to take his seat while he was arguing on a proposal of an out-of-court settlement brought by one of the respondents in the case.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014—11

INSECURITY: Nigeria needs competent leaders, says Soyinka

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

O

SOGBO— NOBEL Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, yesterday in Osogbo, declared that the country was in need of competent leaders to confront, among others, the security challenges facing the country.

He said the security challenges facing the country could not be solved by prayers, but by leaders with capacity to deal with the situation without partisanship.

Soyinka suggested that learning from the history of

nations that had faced similar situations could help Nigeria survive her present security challenges.

Soyinka, who was a keynote speaker at a colloquium with the theme Fundamental Imperatives of Cohabitation, Faith and Secularism, organised by Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding, CBCIU, Osogbo, called for a frank talk among stakeholders in the affairs of the country to end the spate of bombings.

According to Soyinka,

who said he received with shock the news of Nyanya Motor Park bombing, authorities concerned must arrest the situation.

Debunking a newspaper report, which quoted him as saying the nation’s security challenges could be resolved through prayers, Soyinka posited that Boko Haram insurgency should not be mistaken for a religious war, insisting that prayers alone could not end the crises.

He said: ”I have never said prayer can help resolve the security challenges facing

Nigeria.

“I believe the situation must be tackled without partisanship and all these uninformed comments cannot help the situation.

“We should wake up to the reality. Nigeria is in war and only competence can solve the problem, not prayers.”

At the event, Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State said the only way to respect God was by showing respect to human beings, emphasising the need for people to accommodate others' religions.

SUMMIT: From left— Mr. Jeffrey Hawkins, US Consular-General; Mr. Foluso Philips, CEO, Philips Consulting; Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State Governor and Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State during the Oyo State Economic Summit at the Ibadan Civic Centre, Idi-Ape, Oyo State, yesterday.

Olabisi Onabanjo Varsity shuns Ogun lawmakers over extra fees

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

A

B E O K U TA — T H E Governing Council and Senate of Olabisi Onabanjo University, OOU, Ago-Iwoye, yesterday, shunned the invitation of Ogun State House of Assembly to appear before it over the crisis rocking the institution, following alleged additional school fees imposed on final year medical students.

The Assembly had invited the university management to appear before the joint sitting of the House Committee on Justice and Petition and Committee on Education, to discuss and find solution to the issue.

It was gathered that the meeting was scheduled to start by 12pm inside the Committee Room of the Assembly, but could not hold due to the

absence of the institution’s management.

It would be recalled that the institution’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Saburi Adesanya, at a

stakeholders meeting on March 3, said the graduating medical students who had paid the mandatory six-year school fees required for the medical programme should pay a one-off developmental levy of N40,000 to develop the institution.

The matter came to a head when the management was alleged to have reneged on the agreement and asked the affected students to pay two extra tuition fees for the extra time they spent in school due to lecturers' strike.

Jonathan tasks Nigerians on religious tolerance

BY OLA AJAYI

I

B A D A N — PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, advised other geo-political zones in the country to emulate the religious tolerance among the states in the South-West zone.

According to him, if people in the South-West could live with one another despite the population of Muslims and Christians, he saw no reason for religious violence in any part of the country.

President Jonathan spoke at the thanksgiving service marking the centenary birthday of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Samuel Odulana.

Represented by the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku , the President said: “Yorubaland is a symbol of peace where Muslims, Christians and traditional worshippers embrace one another.

“If there is no religious violence in Yorubaland, there is no reason for religious violence anywhere in the country.”

He described the monarch as a “king among kings, promoter of peace and one of Nigeria's distinguished sons.”

Speaking, Governor Abiola Ajimobi said Oba Odulana's life was worthy of emulation.

He appealed to politicians' supporters not to fight because of any politician, noting that “ we politicians see ourselves as friends. We don’t fight one another.”

Ogun PDP faction denies joining APC

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

A

BEOKUTA—A faction of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ogun State loyal to former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, said they had not defected to All Progressives Congress, APC. The faction said the former President had not issued any directive to them to move to the ruling APC in the state.

The faction, led by Chief Okanlawon Soboyede on behalf of the leaders of the Obasanjo faction, who met under the aegis of the Ogun PDP Mainstream, spoke at a briefing.

The immediate past state chairman of the party, Chief Joju Fadairo, said all the factions of the party would work together to ensure the success of the party in the state in the 2015 elections.

He, however, noted that the Obasanjo faction had set up

a reconciliation committee which would meet with the other PDP groups in the state and submit its report to the leadership within the next seven days.

He said: “You will have heard that they said the mainstream people who are in Baba’s (Obasanjo) camp had gone to APC. We have not gone to APC. “Baba did not tell us to go to APC. Baba is in PDP and we want to disabuse the minds of the people who are

saying that Obasanjo's supporters in the mainstream have gone to APC. That is the essence of this meeting.”

Some other chieftains of the Ogun PDP Mainstream that present at the meeting were Chief Okanlawon Soboyede, Chief Wale Egunleti, Asiwaju Jide Awosedo, Asiwaju Tony Ojesina, Asiwaju Yemi Oluyomi, Engineer Tetede, Job Akintan and Abiodun Akovoyan.

12—Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014

Multinationals insensitive to plight of oil producing communities —Dickson

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

Y

ENAGOA—BAYELSA State governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, yesterday, berated international oil companies over what he described as their insensitivity to the plight of oil producing communities in the Niger Delta.

He said that over the years, the accumulated effects of their activities was beginning to have their toll on the people of oil producing states, as they have impacted adversely on the lives of the people, especially Bayelsa State, where oil companies have the bulk of their operations.

He said: “I have said it before that what has been going on in Bayelsa State and in all the oil producing areas, concerning the levity with which oil companies treat the issues of the environment, maintenance of environmental and health standards, is unimaginable.

“We all have a duty to keep the environment safe and hand it to our children’s children, the same way our parents handed it over to us. Already, in our villages and communities, we can see what is happening; the accumulated effects of many years of oil exploration and exploitation, a regime of lack of transparency and accountability by oil companies, which are operat-

ing in this area because they have no respect for our laws and even our lives.”

Dickson, in a statement in Yenagoa, urged non-governmental organisations and other well meaning groups to join government in championing the cause of protecting the environment for the sake of posterity.

“The environment is one of the greatest challenges our people are facing. This government is aware of the precarious situa-

tion of our environment and we are aware of our overall responsibility to protect the environment, which is the most important heritage," he said.

He condemned the activities of pipeline vandals and operators of illegal refineries for their unpatriotic acts, calling on the people of the state to see the fight against such crimes as a collective one.

The governor added that his administration will create awareness on compliance with standard practice as regards the environment.

“Of recent, our people have added to the environmental challenges even in a more direct and insidious ways. They break pipelines where crude oil flows freely on our land spoiling our rivers and destroying our ecosystem,” he lamented.

DECORATION: Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State (left) and Commissioner of Police, Delta State, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba (right) decorating the Aide-De-Camp (ADC) to the governor, Mr. Richmond Gbiwen, with his new rank of Superintendent of Police, at Government House, Asaba, yesterday. Photo: Henry Unini.

.... says Bayelsa not for highest bidder

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

Y

ENAGOA—THE Bayelsa State governor, Mr Seriake Dickson, has warned politicians involved in early politicking ahead of the 2016 governorship elections in the state, saying that the state was no longer for the highest bidder and persons not interested in the development and growth of the state.

Dickson, while swearing in eight new commissioners in the state, warned that never again will the state be on offer to the highest bidder as it will not be surrendered to those who do not mean well for the state.

Governor Dickson, who tasked the new commissioners to work as a formidable team to protect the overall interest of the state as the only homogenous home of the Ijaws, said his administration will not allow some persons he termed buccaneers and vultures to take over the ad-

ministration of the state.

Governor Dickson said: “You are all going to work as a team, because your functions overlap.

I urge you to stand firm. This state will not be surrendered to vagabonds anymore. What we have done will be permanent.

The restoration and revolution that we have started in this state, we will take it to the end

and never again will this state be on offer to the highest bidder.

“This state, the only homogenous state of the Ijaw people, will not be surrendered to vultures and buccaneers. This state will continue to be in the hands of those who understand why it was created and why our

people fought and died over the years to have this state to stand up as a beacon of hope for the Ijaw man, and I assure you, we will continue to work and mobilise support in this state behind me and therefore, behind the President. Bayelsa State will continue to grow from strength to strength.”

Panic as gunmen kill 18-yr-old in Bayelsa

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

Y

ENAGOA—RESIDENTS of OMPADEC area in the Amarata suburb of Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, were yesterday, gripped with fear, following the shooting to death of an 18-yearold youth by armed men suspected to be cultists.

The incident, which caused pandemonium in the neighbourhood, occurred in front of the house of a chieftain of All Progressives Congress, APC. While many residents of the area claimed that the killing of

the youth was as a result of violence between two notorious cult groups in the state, others feared that it might have political undertone.

The deceased, according to eyewitnesses, was pursued by his assailants, who caught up with him in front of the residence of a chieftain of the APC and dealt him machete cuts before he was shot dead.

It was learnt that the gunmen, numbering four, had at 7p.m., Sunday, pursued their victim, whose name is

yet to be ascertained, to the OMPAEC area and caught up with him in front of the residence of the APC chieftain, dealt machete cuts on him and shot him at close range.

The attack caused residents and shop owners in the usually busy area to run for safety.

Though the APC chieftain was not at home when the incident occurred, he was reportedly alerted that some gunmen had stormed his gate and a young man was shot dead.

It’s our turn to produce Delta gov in 2015 —Izon leaders

BY EMMA AMAIZE

W

ARRI — IJAW elders and leaders of thought in Delta State, have said that it was the turn of the ethnic group in 2015 to produce the next governor of the state.

In a communiqué by the former Military Administrator of Niger State, Brig. Gen. Cletus Emein (rtd), Izons resolved that “no Izon citizen in Delta State should aspire to a lesser political office other than that of the executive governor of the state.”

A six-man think-tank for the articulation of Izon interest in the 2015 gubernatorial election, to be known as Delta Izon Congress, DIC, was constituted with BrigadierGeneral Emein as interim chairman.

Members are Chief Bare Etolor, Chief Fred Anesa, former chair of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, Chief Wellington Okirika, Wing Commander P. Biakpara and Mrs. Vero Bamuza.

Rivers Assembly approves N50bn bond for state govt

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

P

ORT HARCOURT—RIVERS State House of Assembly, yesterday, approved a N50 billion bond for the state government.

Governor Rotimi Amaechi had, in a letter to the House, sought approval for the bond. The governor had explained that the N50bn would be drawn from the N100 billion bond earlier approved by the House for the government.

Noting that it was not a fresh loan, the governor said the money will be used to fund ongoing projects in the state.

The bond is to be accessed from Access and Zenith banks as a bridging facility for on-going projects.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2014—13

APC holds local govt congress in Anambra

BY NWABUEZE OKONKWO

O

NITSHA—LEAD ER of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Anambra State, Senator Chris Ngige, yesterday, confirmed that the party’s local government congress in the state would hold today.

He said the congress would have taken place last Saturday but for the national executive of the party which directed them to postpone it till today, adding that the exercise would be as peaceful as the just concluded wards congress of the party in the state.

Ngige, who spoke to newsmen in his home town, Alor, Idemili South Local Government Area of the state, shortly after their state caucus meeting, said they had concluded arrangements to conduct the exercise last Saturday but noted that all of a sudden, the national executive directed them through text messages to postpone it till today.

He said they had already finished their harmonization process and were waiting to come to the field to showcase their peaceful coexistence before the latest directive from the national executive of the party.

In the same vein, a chieftain of APC in the state, Chief Charles Amilo, confirmed that delegates from the ward congress had already emerged from the 226 wards for the local government congress before its sudden postponement by the national officers.

Why I want Anambra governorship election tribunal disbanded —Ngige

BY NWABUEZE OKONKWO

O

NITSHA —THE gover norship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the November 16, 2013, gubernatorial election in Anambra State, Senator Chris Ngige, has said he headed to the Court of Appeal in Enugu to ask for disbandment of the tribunal currently handling the matter in Awaka because of its bias.

Speaking to newsmen in his home town, Alor, in Idemili

I

MO State governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, has sacked no fewer than six general managers, directors and directors of account of some government-owned establishments.

Apparently irked by stories filtering into Government House from the establishments, Okorocha announced that he was going to set up a panel to painstakingly probe all the parastatals and corporations.

Some of the government establishments affected by the sack order include Imo Newspapers Limited, Library Board, Agricultural Development Project, ADP, Bureau for Procurement, Arts Council and C M Y K

The Appeal Court panel sitting in Enugu, headed by Abdukadir Jega, had last Thursday, after hearing from counsel to both parties, reserved ruling till a convenient date which would be communicated to the parties in due course.

In his submissions at the Appeal Court, counsels to APC and Ngige, Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) and Emeka Ngige (SAN), complained that the partiality of the Ishaq Bello-led three-man tribunal currently handling his

petition in Awka was so glaring that it rejected many vital parts of his petition and that of his witnesses.

Akeredolu, who expressed concern that the tribunal deliberately struck out all the paragraphs relevant to his case, including video clips of AIT and Channels crews that monitored the election on November 16, prayed the Appeal Court to disband the tribunal and reconstitute it because of glaring act of partiality.

Group seeks public procurement bureau in Anambra

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

A

WKA—A group, the Civil Rights Concern, CRC, has called on Anambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano, to urgently establish the council and Bureau for Public Procurement to drive the state’s public procurement process.

In a communiqué issued at the end of an interactive session in Awka, yesterday, the group said the setting up of the bureau would put to rest the issue of abandoned projects as it would provide an effective monitoring and evaluation unit for planning and proper advice to policy makers.

According to CRC, public procurement has strong link with economic growth, poverty reduction and human welfare, private sector development, as well as trade and foreign investment.

Arguing that the Bureau would enhance effective government business, the group noted that a situation whereby the State Tender’s Board and the State Executive Council performed the duties of policymaking and supervisory organs of the procurement process was not ideal.

Okorocha sacks directors, general managers

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

South Local Government Area , Ngige noted that if the tribunal were to continue sitting over the matter, it might trample on justice with a negative verdict.

Giving some instances of the tribunal rulings so far, Ngige wondered why it rejected some paragraphs of his own petition and the video clips of Africa Independent Television, AIT and Channels TV crews brought before it as an evidence of irregularities that allegedly marred the election.

Imo State Water Corporation.

It was not clear at press time why the governor jettisoned the probe panel and opted to sack the officials. It was equally not clear if any panel was constituted by government and if such a panel ever sat to look into any establishment.

Vanguard, however, recalls that speculations about the sack had been on for over six weeks.

A staff who spoke on condition of anonymity, disclosed that the panel requested her parastatals to provide certain documents yesterday but was surprised to hear on the state owned radio station that the Director and Director of Account had been suspended.

Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, flanked by Chief Okwudili Ezenwankwo, President General, South East Amalgamated Traders Association (L) and Mrs Vctoria Ekenma Okoye, a victim of the fire incident during the governor's visit to the Ogboji Ose Okwudo Market Onitsha which was burnt down by fire.

Be security conscious, Obiano urges Anambrarians

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

A

WKA—ANAMBRA State governor, Chief Willie Obiano, has called on the people of the state to be security conscious to ensure safety of lives and property.

Speaking at a dinner in Awka as part of activities to launch the State Security Trust Fund, Obiano urged the people to contribute to the Fund to enable the government to procure essential equipment that would enable it prosecute successfully the current war against criminals.

The governor said: “We are committed to aggressively clamp down on criminal elements that are bent on making life difficult for law abiding citizens across the state. To achieve our objective, we require funds to procure and equip security vehicles with real-time communication equipment for the use of the various security agencies.

“The state cannot do it alone and that is why we are knocking at your doors to identify with our security agenda by donating to the Security Fund.”

According to him, security agents are in need of functional armoured personnel carriers,

while the grounded ones also need to be repaired, explaining that the new security vehicles would have communication equipment with trackers to enhance easy interaction and coordination among the security agencies in all parts of Anambra State.

“We are adopting a multipronged approach in the present onslaught against armed robbers, kidnappers and other miscreants, while further measures are being taken to protect the water routes through which some of the arms are smuggled into the Anambra State,” he said further.

Successes against criminals He expressed happiness that the Joint Security Task Force he set up recently has already recorded successes against criminals, adding that over three hundred and fifty suspects have been arrested by the team.

He also said that the Judiciary would be involved in the present campaign to ensure that those arrested face prosecution in the law courts and if found guilty, would serve the specified penalties to serve as

deterrent to others.

Obiano told guests at the dinner that the Anambra Vigilante Group as presently constituted would undergo total overhaul to make it effective with proper training for the personnel to ensure they are alert to the needs of the communities by being able to gather intelligence in their local areas to assist the Police.

National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, noted that the provision of security was capital intensive and required the support of individuals, groups, corporate organizations, and multi-nationals.

Umeh observed that a well-funded security network would ensure effective crime detection and control and called on all Anambra sons and their friends to identify with the governments’ security initiative by donating to the security fund.

In his contribution, the Chief Executive of Chisco Group, Chief Chidi Anyaegbu, commended Governor Obiano for the bold steps he has taken to sanitize Anambra State and make the state investor-friendly and pledged his support to the Security Fund.

14—Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014

BLACK MONDAY IN ABUJA

A car laden with improvised explosive devices, IEDS, went off at the Nyanya Motor Park at 6.55am in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTOS: Olugbenga Olamikan & Abayomi Adeshida.

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Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014 —15

BLACK MONDAY IN ABUJA

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16—Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014

President, Civil Rights Congress, CRC, Comrade Shehu Sani (2nd right) , Comrade Nasiru Abbas (r) with Comrade Abdul Yusuf (l) and Suleiman Ahmed at the presentation of the former president Obasanjo's 1995 confab documents to local traders in Photo: Olu Ajayi.

Kaduna, yesterday.

Zamfara: Fulani herdsmen endorse peace deal

By SALISU MARADUM

G

USAU—THE Fulani herdsmen, farmers and the Vigilante Association in Zamfara State, have signed a peace agreement after two years of crises leading to the killings of several people and destruction of property worth millions of Naira.

The peace process was brokered by the committee led by the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Michael Zuokomor, weekend, at Gusau, the state capital.

Part of the peace agreement noted that the parties had been "living peacefully and co-existing with each other over a long period of time and are referred to as Hausa/Fulani because of

Newsmen advised on professionalism

BY MARIE-THERESE NANLONG

J

OS— JOURNALISTS in Plateau State have been challenged to improve themselves to meet up with the growing trend in the journalism profession.

They were equally asked to uphold the ethics of their profession which were being ignored by the social media and non-professional writers who pose as journalists. These were the views of resource persons at a one day refresher workshop organized by the state chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, for reporters/cameramen/photo-journalists.

The event with theme: “Challenges of the reporter in the digital age” took place at the Press Centre in Jos, the state capital.

The resource persons, Fola Haastrup, Kingsley Igwe and Godfrey Dana’an spoke separately on still photography, video and effective reporting in a digital age respectively.

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their common tradition and social relationship.

"But recently, there have been serious cases of crises between them which led to great loses of lives and property. Because of the incessant crises, the state government on its part and in order to curtail the menace, established a reconciliation committee to look into the remote cause of this problem and proffer solutions for peace to reign.

Despite efforts of well meaning stakeholders, the crises persisted and as a result, many people especially Fulani have fled their homes en-masse for fear of attack.

Resolutions: "Further to the meeting presided over by the Michael Zuokomor, with representatives of farmers, Fulani and Vigilante association, it was unanimously resolved as follows that: having realized the negative consequences as a result of enormous loss of lives and properties, all stakeholders in-

volved in the peace initiatives, resolved to call on all aggrieved parties to give peace a chance.

"That all the parties involved are calling on the state governor to seriously undertake a critical screening and verification of the present membership of the state vigilante group.

"That this should involve the participation of the police and other relevant bodies in order to flush out bad eggs among them. Also the parties involved have endorsed the idea of overhauling the vigilante group with a view to ensuring participation of all other sister associations (Fulani and Farmers) into the group for homogeneity and representations.

"That training and retraining should be given on regular basis to members of the Vigilant group to increase their efficiency, by making it operate alongside the Nigeria Police and other security agencies."

Gunmen storm firm, cart away explosives in Bauchi

By SUZAN EDEH

G

UNMEN suspected to be robbers stormed the premises of a construction company at Yana in Shira Local Government, Bauchi State and carted away explosive materials used for construction purposes at the site.

It was gathered that the construction company used the dynamites for road construction.

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, in the state, DSP Haruna Mohammed, said that a combined team of security agencies however, engaged the hoodlums in a fierce gun battle for more than one hour which forced them to abandon the explosives-laden

pick-up van as well as motorcycles while escaping with bullet wounds.

Mohammed called on the people to be calm and go about their normal businesses as the police were still investigating the incident.

Meanwhile, the entire area was cordoned off as efforts were being intensified to arrest the fleeing suspects. Among the materials recovered from them were one Toyota Hilux van with number plate 15 A 15BA belonging to the Ministry of Local Government Affairs, Bauchi,13 boxes containing Improvised Explosive Device, IED, cable detonators, five motor cycles and one box containing 311 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014—17

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18 Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014 OUR politicians never cease to amaze.

Their trip to a Washington policy forum on Nigeria’s plans and preparations for the 2015 elections leaves many wondering what America has to do with how Nigerians are governed.

The affinity for rushing abroad to ventilate feelings about Nigeria must have more motives than the patriotism that people tend to wrap round it. Why do the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the All Progressives Congress, APC, believe Americans are the best audience about their concerns over the 2015 elections? Will Americans vote in the elections? Will they be the ones to live under the cruel conditions politicians have subjected Nigerians to since 1999 when they began the new round of unfulfilled promising to improve the country? Have we not seen the country degenerate to increasing poverty and collapse of infrastructure that should support employment generation?

What were they doing in Washington engaging in schoolchildren debate, waiting to win the approval of their hosts and possibly secure more invitations to more debates in America? Has Nigeria finally

BY RASAK MUSBAU

“Corruption is authority plus monopoly minus transparency” -Unknown OING by the resources that the good Lord has blessed us with, Nigeria’s natural place in the world order should be at the top. Regrettably, however, this divine destiny has been ruined by several vices, the chief being corruption.

Corruption is one of the ugly features of Nigeria’s public life. It defines Nigeria, just as immorality defined the biblical Sodom and Gomorrah. Corruption is more than stealing. It involves people trying to get what they do not deserve by using money, bribes, ethnic connections, religion, family name, threats, harassment, deceit and other bad influences.

Corruption comes in different forms. It could come in form of an unqualified student gaining admission into a particular school because he has a godfather. It also comes in form of a policeman taking bribe to perverse the course of justice. It could equally take the form of a boss demanding friendship from a female subordinate as a prerequisite for promotion . It could manifest in a woman enticing her boss for favours . When a petrol dealer adds kerosene or water to increase the volume or quantity of his petrol that is corruption. When a civil servant uses the influence of a godfather to secure “juicy ” posting that is corruption. When a politician rigs election to get into office that is corruption. When newspaper’s editorial judgments are influenced from ‘powerful quarters’ that is corruption. When a political appointee gives out a contract

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Winning 20 15 Elections 2015 In W ashingt on Washingt ashington proven unsuitable for discourse on Nigeria?

What was the Washington outing meant to achieve when the parties are not engaging the electorate? Who paid for the waste?

The Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies, CSIS, is an intelligence centre fishing for information for the good of Americans. It has no interest in Nigeria, like most international organisations, beyond a semblance of stability that continues to guarantee the interests of America and her allies. Another concern of Americans is that further degeneration of Nigeria could lead to mass migration abroad with the US as a target.

If Nigerians understand these, they would

stop jumping at opportunities to rehash the country’s challenges abroad to titillate audiences that are part of those sowing the divisiveness that denies our country greatness. The United States, contrary to popular expectations, would not want Nigeria to attain greatness for it would minimise some of America’s influences round the world.

Fora like the CSIS’ are meant to check how the divisive agenda on Nigeria is working.

CSIS and their principals would be glad to see Nigerians tearing themselves apart. If they were that vicious against each other abroad, the bigger fight would be back home.

Nigeria’s ambassador to the United States, Professor Ade Adefuye, warned the contending sides about washing the country ’s linen in public and raised questions about the propriety of Nigerians coming to the United States to discuss their problems.

The bigger question is what the ambassador was doing at the forum. He should have declined the invitation with the same points he raised. His eminent presence conferred official approval on the disgrace in Washington.

OPINION Nigeria and the corruption malady (which ordinarily can be carried out by professional in the civil service) to a consultant at an inflated amount so that he can receive a kickback that is corruption. When a government institution collects N1, 000 each from 700,000 job seekers to compete for less than 5,000 employment slots, that is corruption. When a doctor in public hospital dubiously refers patients to his private laboratory for test that is corruption. It is also an act of corruption when government’s spin doctors unashamedly reel out statistics on economic growth, provision of massive employment and other charade when the reverse is actually the case. Sadly, corruption destroys merit, honesty, dedication to duty and sincerity. These are the basic principles needed for nation building. And when these principles are relegated, the country suffers, and progress ceases.

Without doubt, the extent of corruption in the country is slowing down our progress as a nation . It not only erodes government credibility but contributes to political malaise. If corruption is this bad, why do people engage in it? Corruption has a long history in the development of human societies. The struggle against it is equally old. Various societies have tried to explain the evolution of corruption.

Some societies have argued that corruption came into being because human beings are naturally corrupt. But we know that this cannot be true because children are not born corrupt. It is the

adults who corrupt them as the innocent infants grow up. Therefore, corruption arises from adult society.It is also known from history that corruption arose in societies where the custom of equality and caring for one another broke down and was replaced with selfishness and the division of society into rich and poor.

One other plausible reason for the spread of corruption in our clime could be the corrosion of hitherto revered African values. In the olden days, materialism was not the basis of the society. Today, the reverse is the case as petty thieves, armed robbers, corrupt public officials, among others, are now more respected than honest men with little or no means. The inability of government, over the years, to demonstrate genuine resolve to meet the needs of the people is equally responsible for the prevalence of corruption in our society. Perhaps, more crucial is the fact that nothing serious is being done to prevent corruption. Logically, the only thing that could make evil to triumph in any society is for evil to continually go unpunished.

Since corruption is so bad and dangerous to the nation, how do we stop the practice?

First, the attitude and orientation of our people have to change. We must begin to respect and value attributes such as honesty, dedication, sincerity, selflessness, sacrifice, transparency and dignity above money.

Similarly, public officials should declare their assets before assuming and departing public offices. The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria actually makes provision for this, but it has not

been followed to the letter.

Also, there is a need for governments at all levels to be more committed to the welfare of the people. If basic infrastructure and amenities that would make life better for the people are naturally provided, it would reduce the pressure on the people to cut corners. For instance, if all public schools are revitalised, the burden on the people, who go extra mile in paying huge bills to educate their wards at private schools, would be reduced. It is, of course, the failure of governments, overtime, to provide such basic needs that partly accounts for the rise of corruption in our society. Once it is certain that a large percentage of people in the society could effortlessly access qualitative education, affordable health care system, moderate housing schemes, among others, the preponderance of corruption would, undoubtedly, reduce.

For the progress of our nation, it is imperative to raise a critical mass dedicated to restoring the destiny of Nigeria by living above board, fighting corruption and conquering corruption. As followers when we are ready for change and live for change, our leaders will find it increasingly hard to stand in the way of our aspirations. The recent statement credited to the President of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, concerning the prevalence of corruption in Nigeria, though disrespectful and distasteful, should be enough to make everyone have a rethink about the awkward image corruption has carved for us in the comity of nations. *Mr. Musbau, works with the Lagos State ministry of Information and Strategy.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014—19

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HE Minister of Defence of Nigeria is a senior cabinet official in the Nigerian Federal Executive Council in charge of the Nigerian Ministry of Defence.

The Defence Minister’s main responsibility is to manage all branches of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to maintain a modern, competent, and professional military force for the protection of the national territory, maritime interests, airspace, and constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

After independence, Nigeria’s first Minister of Defence was Alhaji Muhammadu Ribadu (1910-65).

On May 1, 1965, he was to be honoured along with the then Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (1912-66) by the then Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello (1909-66) with gold medals of the Usmamiya order in Kaduna.

He died on the morning of that day at the age of 55.

No doubt, Alhaji Ribadu was a towering figure. A giant among men. He was in all but name, the deputy Prime Minister. He was powerful and intrepid.

Alhaji Ribadu was born at Bulala, in the present Adamawa State. He was active in politics in the Northern Region and entered the Northern House of Assembly in Kaduna in 1947. Thus began a

political career in which he rose rapidly. He soon became a leader of the Northern People’s Congress, NPC, founded in 1949 as a cultural organisation but soon turned into a political party in order to meet the requirements of the Macpherson Constitution. Under the leadership of the Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, the most powerful politician during his era, the NPC won all the Northern seats in Nigeria’s first general elections of 1951-52, and Alhaji Muhammadu Ribadu was one of the Northern candidates who won the election to the Federal House of Representatives in Lagos where he was appointed Minister of Natural Resources. He was previously a director of the Nigerian Produce Marketing Company, but resigned this post on becoming a minister.

In 1954 he was appointed Federal Minister of Land, Mines and Power; he served in that ministry until 1957 when he was transferred to the portfolio of Lagos Affairs. He was second VicePresident of the NPC, and of the most influential leaders of the NPC-dominated regime in the Federation. He received a British decoration, being awarded the MBE in 1952.

While serving as Minister of Defence, Ribadu presided over a rapid expansion of the Nigerian Army, Navy as well as the creation of the Nigeria Air Force.

He established the Defence Industries Corporation in Kaduna,

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the Nigerian Defence Academy in Kaduna and a Second Recce Squadron in Abeokuta. He got practically all his budgetary requests through parliament, including approval to spend 19.5 million pounds on defence from 1962-66 as compared with 5.5 million pounds during the preceding seven year period.

Defence costs as a percentage of Federal recurrent spending from 1958-1966 ranged from 7.7 to 9.9%. Defence costs as a percentage of Federal capital spending during the same period ranged from 1.5 to 12.1%.

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ibadu lost the Chairmanship of the Economic Committee of the federal cabinet in 1964, a position he had used skilfully to protect and oversee his defence appropriations. His colleagues often referred to him as “power of powers”. He completed the Nigerianisation of the Nigerian Army. Till today he’s still being remembered as one of the most outstanding Defence Ministers Nigeria ever had. If we remember Alhaji Ribadu in

Prisoners of hope

BY MICHAEL AGBAMUCHE

H

OPE lies internal in the breast of men even when reality confounds the expectations of man. This truism explains why, for instance, the Anioma of Delta North senatorial zone have again started, even if only on the pages of newspapers, a vociferous campaign to convince possibly themselves more than other people that they are entitled to the office of governor of Delta State in the year 2015.

The reality the Anioma must accept is that only the force of circumstances and their own focused and united dedication to the objective will enable an Anioma to assume office as governor of Delta State. What are these circumstances my readers will ask?

And I say in answer that the political, economic and demographic terrain of Delta State has been radically altered to the disadvantage of the Anioma these past 14 years, that is from the date of return to democratic governance in 1998.

My readers will recall that on the eve of independence, minority tribes, doubtful of their prospects in an independent Nigeria dominated by the major tribes, made such a fuss that the colonial government was obliged to set up the Willinks Commission in 1957 to examine the fears of the ethnic minorities in Nigeria and make proposals, if necessary, towards assuaging these fears.

It is a matter of historical record that the representatives of what is now Cross River State, Akwa Ibom State, Rivers State, Bayelsa State and parts of Delta State sent in copious memoranda making passionate representations to the commission on the need to protect them and their interests in an independent Nigeria. The important point here is that the leaders found that they had the ability to unite in pursuit of a common cause without the dominant ethnic groups dictating to them what their position ought to be.

Names that featured prominently were: Iwarimie Jaja of Opobo, Josiah Jamaso of Okrika, G.B.C Otoko and a host of other names from the area that was then known as the ‘COR’ states. Significantly, it was only on the issue of the ownership of Port Harcourt that the Igbos, the major tribe of the then Eastern Region, joined issues with the Ijaws and other tribes in the riverine areas and won.

The reader may ask, what has all the above got to do with the aspirations of the Anioma in today’s Delta State? The answer to that question can be located in the agitation for the creation of new states before and during the presidency of General Ibrahim Babangida.

Concurrently with agitation for the creation of Anioma state during the regime of General Babangida, the people further down in what are the creeks, rivers, and swamps of the Niger Delta, had mounted a vociferous agitation for the creation of what they call the real Delta State. Thus, when Babangida announced the creation of today’s Delta State with its capital at Asaba, the announcement was received with hostility from the Ijaws, Urhobos and other inhabitants of the creek, swamps and rivers who saw themselves as the true Delta State.Whilst the Anioma themselves seemed oblivious to the likely consequences of the feeling of resentment in the other parts of the state.

This resentment manifested itself practically in protest and demonstrations immediately Asaba was pronounced capital of the new Delta State. There can be no doubt that the Ijaws, Itsekiris, Urhobos and other sub-nationalities find common cause in their mutual discontent with the configuration of the new Delta State with capital at Asaba. It is significant to note that the Anioma as an identifiable subnationality took no meaningful part in the activities of the Willinks Commission.

éclat, valour and repute and for his giant strides, we must also note in glory and prowess the two permanent secretaries and the four Ministers of State who served under him.

Alhaji Abdul Azeez Attah (1920-1972) served as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Defence between 1960-1964 and handed over to Alhaji Sule Dede Kolo (88) who is from Jos, Plateau State.

From 1960 to August 1961, a physician, Dr. Moses Adekoyejo Majekodunmi, CFR (1916-2012), was Minister of State for the Army. He handed over to an Idoma businessman and politician, Chief Jacob Obande who is from Elilazi, Igumale in the present Benue State.

Alhaji Ibrahim Tako Galadima who was an ex-student of Government College, Bida,Niger State took over from Chief Obande in January 1963 and served till January 1966. Alhaji Galadima, according to the famous writer Dan Agbese, recruited almost all the famous Generals, including General Ibrahim Babangida, Gado Nasko, Abdulsalam Abubakar, Mamman Vatsa, Sanni Bello and others, particularly from Niger State, into the Nigerian Army.

Chief Matthew Tawo Mbu (1929-2012) served as Minister of Navy from 1960-1965 under Alhaji Ribadu. Chief Mbu from Okundi in Ogoja area of present Cross Rivers State had earlier served as Nigeria’s first High Commissioner to the United Kingdom between 1955 and 1959.

He was also the First Nigeria representative to the United Nations.

After the death of Alhaji Ribadu, Alhaji Inua Wada, uncle to the late

The entire Anioma area is now in the grip of hope; hope is primarily based on emotions and subjectivity; that is why the Anioma situation in Delta State is so poignant

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BY ERIC TENIOLA

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From Ribadu to Danjuma and now Gusau

Many scholars and historians believe till today that if Alhaji Ribadu had been alive the January 15, 1966 military coup could not have taken place

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Anioma was thus made to look like people who had come to reap where they did not sow with the creation of the new Delta State capital at Asaba. The Urhobos, the largest of the ethnic minorities in Delta State after the Anioma, became the champions of the interests of what was dubbed as the true Deltans. As soon as civilian government was reinstated in Nigeria, the Urhobos seized the initiative and installed firstly, Felix Ibru and then James Ibori as civilian governors.

Ibori in his person, attitude, and procivilities was the greatest misfortune that ever befell an ethnic group on the African continent. He not only flew the Urhobo ethnic flag and agenda in Delta State, he in fact expanded it and spiced it up with his own personal agenda. After the election in 1999, he (Ibori) set out deliberately to re shape demographic indices in Delta State.

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n other to achieve a perpetual dominance of the state of his own ethnic group (the Urhobos), he first sought to interfere with the results and or reports of various censuses seeking against all logic to establish that the largest ethnic group in the state even if situated in the less habitable southern low lands characterized by swamps creeks, rivers were the Urhobos, where demographic experts worldwide are agreed that the human tendency is for denser population to exist in upland arable areas. Ibori and his administration sought to show that the

General Murtala Muhammed was appointed Minister of Defence.

There was little he could do until the Military coup of January 15, 1966. Many scholars and historians believe till today that if Alhaji Ribadu had been alive the January 15, 1966 military coup could not have taken place.

That he would have prevented it and that the first republic in spite of all incidents would have survived. And that we would not have been in this mess today.

Since Alhaji Inua Wada, Nigeria has had many Defence Ministers namely Major General Iliya Bisalla (1975-1976), Professor Iya Abubakar (19791981), Alhaji Akanbi Oniyangi (1971-1983), General Domkat Bali (1984-1990), General Sani Abacha (1990-1994), General Yakubu Theophilus Danjuma(rtd.)

(1999-2003), Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso (2003-2007), Alhaji Yayale Ahmed (2007-2008), Alhaji Shettima Mustapha (2008-2009), Major General Godwin Abbe(rtd) (2009-2010), Adetokunbo Kayode (2010-2011) and Dr. Bello Haliru Muhammed (2011-July 2012).

Of all the Defence Ministers, none has resumed in office during war like the incumbent, General Aliyu Muhammed Gusau(rtd). I think it is not by accident that he has been picked at this period to serve as Defence Minister. He has all the credentials.

General Aliyu Gusau ended his military career as Chief of Army staff. His long tenure as National Security Adviser is still unequalled.

*Mr. Teniola, a former director at the Presidency, wrote from Lagos.

Anioma land which is all land in the northern part of the state had not only less density of population than the swampy southern part but that the southern part in fact was experiencing growth in geometric proportion compared to the northern part of the state. It therefore became imperative for Ibori to alter the local government structures of the state and create new local governments, all designed to show that the dominant ethnic group of Delta State was now the Urhobos. The effect of this on party politics was that the numerical superiority of the Delta North senatorial district (Anioma) having been erased or at best bracketed by the Urhobos, it became possible for the Urhobos to perpetually produce the governor of the state by simply forming temporary marriages of convenience with any of the smaller groups i.e. the Ijaws, the Isokos and the Itsekiris.

This grand strategy of Ibori backed up by the power of patronage attendant upon occupation of the office of governor for eight years proved successful in that in spite of various alleged promises- viz elections of 2003 and 2007, no Anioma indigene has come anywhere near becoming governor of Delta State. To further strengthen the force of this strategy, Ibori deliberately established as a policy initiative of his government, a proposition that the revenues of the state derived from the exploitation of crude oil and resource allocation thereto from the federation account was to be expended on only two senatorial zones which he identified as oil producing areas.

This is in spite of the fact that the state capital is located in Asaba, a part of the State which he had condemned as a non-oil producing area. To further underscore this deliberate policy of emasculation and marginalisation, the Delta North senatorial district was deliberately characterised by non-allocation of resources to the area, thus keeping the people impoverished and at the mercy of richer neighbors. The rest as they say is history.

*Mr. Agbamuche is the Owelle of Akwukwu-Igbo in Delta State.

20 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014

Conflicting posers over kidnap of Chief E. K. Clark’s son A

LTHOUGH the victim of the latest high profile kidnap in Delta State, Mr. Ebikeme Clark, son of the Ijaw national leader, Chief EK Clark has been released unhurt, a lot of controversies and unresolved riddles have been raised.

Newshounds who thronged the Delta State Police Command’s headquarters in Asaba, after confronting the arrested suspected kidnapers of EK Clark junior, heard from the horse’s mouth why the operation was carried out.

Earlier, the State Police Command’s spokesperson, Celestina Kalu, who paraded the six arrested on behalf of the CP, identified one of them, David Emevor, a native of Kiagbodo, the hometown of the Ijaw national leader, as the one who “plotted the kidnapping scheme with the benefit of ...(being) an insider”.

•Why we kidnapped him

In his response to reporters’ question, E.K. Clark’s kinsman, David, actually opened up, saying that they (gang) particularly chose the son of the elder statesman because he (Chief E.K. Clark) allegedly failed to provide them with jobs despite their conviction that he has the capacity to do so, given his high connection with the powers that be. They submitted that “due to the frustration we are passing through we decided to kidnap the victim to enable us raise some money to establish ourselves in business”.

However, the Chairman of the Labour Party, LP, in Delta State, Mr. Emeka Nkwoala, while condemning the act, posited that kidnapping is a crime against the State. The State House of Assembly vetoed Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan stand on death penalty for kidnappers. Again, this throws up the question of ethics, family value system and moral as some are wont to ask thus: When parents, especially mothers, abdicate their responsibilities of up bringing of their children what do you expect to have?

According to them, the Nigerian society is presently driven by wealth acquisition rather than good names. They anchor this on a random sample of selected secondary school students who on being asked about their future career, answered thus: ‘I want to be a politician’.

Again the issue of shared prosperity lies on the creation of job opportunity through massive industrialisation. They cite the Asaba Textile Mills which has been comatose over 10 years now with no sign of reviving it as an opportunity lost to C M Y K

gainfully engage the youths.

But for the Delta Information Commissioner, Mr. Chike Ogeah, who is also a lawyer by profession: “The fact that these youths are unemployed does not give them the right to break the law. There are also other law-abiding unemployed youths. This defence is spurious both in law and in fact; it is an after-thought being employed by criminals to disguise their brazen criminality. Of course, the law does not even permit ignorance of a law, therefore, excuses for breaking the law are also not tenable in law. Therefore, anyone no matter how high or low in status that breaks the law must face the consequences of their action”. He said.

•Delta govt denies paying N500m as ransom

Jolted by the claim from MEND, the Delta State government, said in clear terms that it never parted with even one kobo to secure the release of Ebikeme.

A statement by the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Comrade Ovuozorie Macaulay, said that “from the statement by the socalled MEND, it is obvious that

,

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA, ASABA

Due to the frustration we are passing through we decided to kidnap the victim to enable us raise some money to establish ourselves in business

,

they are out not just to blackmail the State Government but also Chief E.K.Clark and the amnesty programme of the Federal Government”.

Has Death penalty on kidnappers in Delta achieved result?

It will be recalled that the Delta State Anti-kidnapping and Antiterrorism Bill was passed into law by the state House of Assembly on April 17, 2013, overriding the veto of the Governor in the process.

And while commenting on the veto sometime in June last year, the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Charles Ajuyah (SAN) said that “60 convictions of long-term imprisonments

Journalists talking to the suspected kidnappers of Ebikeme Clark at the state police headquarters Asaba for kidnapping/robbery, had been secured from various courts in the state”, assuring the public that his Ministry had “stepped up prosecution in that direction as well as other matters”.

Investigation further revealed that the many kidnappers found guilty of the crime had either been sentenced to long term of imprisonment or outright death in the State. Ironically, however, the crime has continued unabated, thus instilling fears in the minds of the public, including the police.

Indeed the State Police Commissioner, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, had cause to express fear when he said that the Command was seriously worried over the whereabouts of some members of the kidnap gang that kidnapped

Ebikeme Clark. He described the runaway suspects as “extremely dangerous” and went ahead to promise ransom reward for anybody who can offer useful information that would assist in tracking them down.

According to him: “Other gang members still at large include Timi, male; Abel, male; Ndamaw, male and Jacob, male. The suspects further confessed being behind the kidnapping of one Madam Rose at Udu road Warri from whose family they collected a ransom of N1.8 million.

“We want to reiterate that these gang members are extremely dangerous, ruthless schemers and blood-thirsty, hence we enjoin the good people of Delta State to as quickly as possible alert the police

command through any of our distress call numbers viz, 08036684974, 08125273010, and 08075390753 or as well alert any of the security agencies in the State with any useful information that will lead to the arrest of the suspects declared wanted . Mouthwatering rewards await any public-spirited individual that may come up with useful/genuine tips to this effect”.

While the police are still working to track and apprehend the fleeing gangsters, a nagging question still begging for answer is: Would the young Clark be subjected to police investigation to determine whether he actually contrived his own kidnap as claimed by MEND?

Insecurity: Plateau equips 17 councils with 129 patrol vans

BY MARIE-THERESE NANLONG, JOS

E

FFORTS to curb incessant attacks in villages in Plateau State have received a boost as the State government in collaboration with chairmen of the 17 local government areas of the State used the proceed from the SUREP funds to purchase 129 Hilux vans for patrol and crime fighting, especially in the hinterlands.

The vans which were recently distributed to the 17 local government areas and security personnel from the Army, Police, DSS, Immigration, Civil Defence and the State-owned Operation Rainbow are to intensify patrols in the hinterland to forestall any security breach in the areas.

Speaking with Vanguard Metro, VM, the State Coordinator of Operation Rainbow, AVM Bala Danbaba whose office is responsible for the distribution of the vehicles said he believed that the additional means of mobility will strengthen the logistics of the outfit and help

the operatives in combating crime in the rural areas.

AVM Danbaba stated issues of cow rustling, armed robbery and other civil disturbances will be tackled on time as there would be improvement in prompt arrival at scenes of disturbances.

According to him: “These additional vehicles were bought in collaboration with the State government and the Association of Local Government of Nigeria, ALGON, in the State using the SUREP funds. The STF had been on ground and our operatives had earlier been trained in neighbourhood watch, personal protection awareness and unarmed combat. They will work in collaboration with the Military, Civil Defense, Immigration and others to patrol the volatile areas of the local government areas”.

These collaborations will beef up the strength and the vehicles will ensure mobility and prompt response to the point of needs and we believe issues like “cow rustling, armed robbery and other disturbances will be promptly addressed”.

The Coordinator urged the operatives to give their best as government will also give them the support they need for the State to remain peaceful.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014 — 21

Address problem of high interest rate, LCCI tells CBN

BY NAOMI UZOR

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HE Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, has called on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to urgently and critically examine the problem of high cost of funds and Monetary Policy Tightening.

The President of LCCI, Alhaji Remi Bello at the first quarterly press conference, said, the chamber demands that the CBN Governor should urgently and critically examine the problem of high cost of funds in the economy as this is one of the major disconnecting points between the banks and the real economy, adding that, in most advanced economies in the world, single digit interest rate is the rule.

He lamented that a situation where investors in the Nigerian economy is borrowing at 25-35 per cent annum is unbearable and not in the best interest of the economy and does not help the productivity and competitiveness of the private sector and the advancement of the economy as a whole. ”The cost and access to credit by the small businesses remains a major problem in the economy. This group pays as high as 70 to 100 per cent interest rate per annum on loans.

Most of the credits they get are from the microfinance banks, finance companies or the informal financial markets. The rates in these outlets are often atrocious.

Problem of access to credit by the SMEs is due partly to the risk associated with them. A credit guarantee scheme would mitigate the risk and improve their access to credit.

A Guarantee Scheme for SMEs would

have a moderating effect on the cost of funds to them as the risk premium component of the interest rate would be reduced considerably.

Lending institutions would feel more comfortable lending to small business.

Needless to say, the SMEs more than any other economic group, have the capacity to create more jobs, promote equitable income distribution and al-

-6.00

2,982.00

+12.00

16.82

-0.26

107.72

+0.50

104.07

+0.26

CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL SELLING DOLLAR POUNDS EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI

RIYA KRONA SDR

154.74 258.8955 214.7636 176.5247 1.5247 0.3082 239.3962 24.9106 41.2607 28.7573 240.2493

155.24 259.732 215.4576 177.0933 1.5296 0.3182 240.1698 24.9915 41.394 28.8502 241.0256

155.74 260.5686 216.1515 177.6637 1.5345 0.3282 240.9433 25.0724 41.5273 28.9431 241.8019

CBN Exchange rate as at 14/04/2014

further security challenge, financial intermediation role of the banks will continue to be undermined, financial inclusion objective will be constrained, recovery of the real economy will remain sluggish and the capacity of banks to support the economy would remain inhibited. ”These are some of the likely outcomes of sustaining monetary tightening.

From left: Mr. Olukayode Oluwole, Co-President/CTO, LANCOR Precision & Excellence; Mr. Brian Jackson, The ADJACENCY Group, Newton Kansas USA; Mr. Wole Shebioba, CEO, Petrodata Management Service and Funmi Adewole, Technology Evangelist, Microsoft at the media briefing for NASA International Space Apps Challenges, in Lagos.

NIA introduces measure to facilitate compensation to accident victims

BY ROSEMARY ONUOHA

200.10

leviate poverty. This is a core developmental objective for the CBN” he stated.

Bello noted that the continuation of a tight monetary regime will perpetuate persistent high interest rate, capacity of enterprises to create jobs would continue to be impeded and therefore deepening the unemployment crisis, youth restlessness and

T

HE Nigerian Insurance Associ ation, NIA, has commenced efforts to ensure that vehicles on Nigerian roads carry genuine insurance documents so that there would be compensation to victims who sustain injuries or die as result of accident.

To this end, the NIA has presented some units of HP Elite Pad 900 to the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, to assist it in its verification of genuine insurance documents of motorists on Nigerian roads.

The FRSC and the NIA said they are committed to making Nigerian roads safe and secure for motorist and the public through effective enforcement of compulsory motor vehicle insurance which ensures that crash victims have adequate and prompt medical attention, and owners of damaged properties resulting from insured motor crashes are also adequately compensated.

Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Mr.

Osita Chidoka, said the Commission was working out collaboration with relevant agencies and stakeholders including the Nigerian insurance industry through a technology platform that would promote right attitude of motorists and ensure safety and protection of road users.

Chidoka said, “We have one solution that has multiple facets that would assist in guaranteeing safety of road users and motorists, and one of it is the new vehicle plate number which when concluded will help several agencies key in to make roads safer and secure for the Nigerian people.

“Insurance industry in Nigeria has come of age because they have become more responsive to their obligations, so medical bills of crash victims should no longer be an issue, while crash vehicles also will no longer be abandoned on the roads, because insurance com-

panies will pick the bill once the insurance is established.

“A situation where hospitals or doctors reject crash victims or deny them treatment is over because the insurance companies will pay,” Chidoka said.

The Corps Marshal however sounded a note of warning that, “No more will insurance companies refuse to pay their claims when there is accident, as we shall raise alarm and make such company face the law.”

Director General of the NIA, Mr. Sunday Thomas, who led the delegation said the Nigerian Insurance Industry appreciates the efforts being made by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) at ensuring safety of roads users.

Thomas said “We see this collaboration as one that should enhance value creation for the Nigerian people and also enhance insurance sector contribution to the social and economic development of the Nation.”

22— — Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014

BY BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

Go for the best of

T

stockbrokers (3)

,

HERE are about 200 active stockbrokers on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), but ten of them control about 70 percent of total value and volume of transactions on the exchange. Why is it so?

Transactions on the stock exchange are dominated by rich individuals like Warren Buffet and institutional investors like pension funds, venture capital companies, and investment banks. They are very knowledgeable people and organisations with sound management practices, and standards for everything they do.

In addition, most of the money they invest are money held in trust for other people and organisations.

They cannot afford to lose money or not make profit on their investment activities. Hence, they invest with care and caution, especially in the choice of stockbroker to do business with.

This choice is determined by a number of factors, namely track record of performance, reputation, efficiency and security of investment. Hence, they will most likely not do business with a stockbroking firm that does not have any of these criteria. In other words, the investors that dominate transactions on the stock exchange

The rich and institutional investors patronise them because they don’t want to lose money

,

seek and do business with the best of stockbrokers represented by the top

ten brokerage firms on the exchange. A survey of these brokers shows that majority of them have been in business for more than ten years, and are subsidiaries of banks or financial institutions that have international linkages. Their reputation was built over a long period, or based on the reputation of their parent organisation.

As a result and in addition to commitment

to best practices, they would not want to trade that reputation for petty gains. They value their names more than any transaction.

But does this mean that the remaining 190 active brokers are not efficient, honest and guarantee security of investment? No. Some of them are also efficient, honest and offer security, but most of them are highly inefficient, and dishonest. They thrive by exploiting the ignorance of retail (small) investors. And because it is difficult to know or detect until you fall victim, it is better to be careful. The question at stake is, “Do you want to gamble with your money? If you don’t want to gamble with your hard earned money, then you must choose a broker with little or no track-record of fraudulent practice. And that is what it means to patronise the best of stockbrokers. The rich and institutional investors patronise them because they don’t want to lose money. They want efficiency and they want safety of investment.

Since that is what you also want from any broker you transact business with, then stop patronising the laggards. Patronise the leaders and the best of stockbrokers.

Top 10 performing stocks

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

The top 10 performing stocks last week were Forte Oil Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc, Cadbury Nigeria Plc, UAC of Nigeria Plc, P r e s t i g e Assurance Plc and Courteville B u s i n e s s Solutions Plc. Others were UBA Capital Plc, Cutix Plc, Transnational Incorporation of Nigeria Plc and Nestle Nigeria Plc. The shares of Forte Oil Plc went up by 27.37 percent or N29.07 to close at N135.27 from N106.20 per share.

Forte Oil had during the power sector privatisation in 2013 acquired substantial interest in Geregu Power Plant. The company recently set an outstanding record for itself by being the first quoted company to file its 2013 audited accounts and statement with the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE. The NSE had in 2013 commended the company for compliance withcorporate governance for submitting its quarterly financials well ahead of the due date. At the annual general meeting, AGM, just held last month,

shareholders approved the N4 dividend recommended by the board of directors after about three years of non-dividend payment.

The company's financial statement for 2013 showed a revenue growth of 41 percent from N91 billion in 2012 to N128 billion. Profit before tax soared by 467 per cent from N1.15 billion to N6.52 billion, while profit after tax rose by 397 per cent from N1.01 billion to N5 billion.

– Fidelity Forum- where it assembles successful entrepreneur from different walks of life to share their success story with start-up companies, as well sharing success tips. Just last week, the bank released its 2013 financial result with assets hilting N1.081 trillion as against N914.36 billion in 2012.

Total customers deposit grew to N806.32 billion as against N716.75 billion in 2012, representing an increase of12.5 percent, while the composition of low cost deposit to total deposits stood at 66.6 percent as at December 31, 2013. Similarly, the gross earnings increased by 6.5 percent to N126.92 billion from N119.14 billion in 2012.

Fidelity Bank emerged second with 10.26 percent or N0.20 price appreciation from N1.95 to close at N2.15. It recently completed succession programme where Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo emerged the Managing Director/CEO of the bank. The bank has actively being involved in community help projects where the lives of poor Nigerian are being turned around through its ‘Fidelity Helping Hand Programme’. Fidelity bank is equally contributing to the growth of small businesses, in extension, Nigerian economy through i t s weekly r a d i o prgramme

Cadbury Nigeria Plc was the next with 9.72 percent or N7 increase from N72 to N79 per share.

The food and beverage manufacturing company recently concluded share reconstruction, which was widely kicked against by its shareholders. The share reconstruction was widely believed to have been carried out in order to correct the market value of the stock to what was deemed fit. With the reconstruction, Cadbury had returned N11.9 billion excess capital to its shareholders t h r o u g h reduction in total shares outstanding of the company

from 3.13 billion ordinary shares to 1.88 billion. The company posted N35.761 billion revenue in 2013 as against N33.551 billion in the previous year, indicating seven percent growth, over the previous figure. It posted profit before tax of N7.421 billion compared to N5.362 billion recorded in 2013, representing 38 percent increase. Due to 38 percent drop in tax paid in the review period, it ended the year with post tax profit of N6.023 billion, which represents 80 percent increase over N3.350 billion reported in the previous year, while basic earnings for the period rose to 192 kobo from 107kobo.

UACN appreciated by 7.76 percent or N4.25 closing at N59.05 from N54.80 per share. Prestige Assurance Plc went up 7.14 percent or N0.04 closing at N0.60 from N0.56.

Courteville advanced by 7.02 percent or N0.04, rising from N0.57 to N0.61 per share. UBA Capital followed with 6.53 percent or N0.16 closing at N2.61 from N2.45.

Cutix Plc rose by 6.38 percent or N0.12, rising to N2 from N1.88.

Transcorp Plc appreciated by 5.79 per cent or N0.21 closing at N3.84 from N3.63 per share, while Nestle Foods advanced by 5.39 percent or N60.65 closeing at N1, 185.00 from N1, 124.35 per share.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014 — 23

MARKET NEWS Why Chams has not paid dividend in 6 years

By WILLIAM JIMOH

C *Peter Owolabi

*Samson Olusegun Adegoke

*Olusegun Owolabi

INVESTORS SPEAK Causes of insurance companies’ misfortune

By WILLIAM JIMOH

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he global capital market melt-down of about six years ago affected every sector of the economy. While virtually all companies in the other sectors have experienced a positive turnaround, insurance companies in Nigeria have not been able to live up to the expectations of its shareholders. In this chat with Vanguard Investors Forum, some of the shareholders of these companies that have not been able to declare dividend for up to five years, while their stocks continue to sell at below nominal value express their concern: Excerpt: Olusegun OWOLABI, Chairman, Western Zone Shareholders Association of Nigeria: Basically, the challenge the insurance sector is facing is a result of low patronage of their services

by Nigerians. Also, the kind of consolidation that took place in the banking industry also needs to be replicated in the insurance sector.

The low patronage is as result of lack of awareness of the importance of insurance services. Let me give you an example, Whenever some people want to have a motor insurance, they don’t go for the third party, they go for compressive insurance, which is very cheap, but it is not the best.

The mindset people have is that unless you are operating in an industrial scale that is when you think about insuring your business.

As many as are not operating on the large scale, don’t consider it necessary to take insurance cover for their businesses, unlike the developed countries where everything you acquire, has to be insured. Many people don’t even know that you can take insurance cover for your electronics at home.

Even the elites and middle class don’t think it wise to get covered in case of burglary. It is therefore because of the low patronage that they are recording business losses all over.

In an ideal situation, the insurance companies are supposed

to power the banking industry because all the money they collect from premium as a result of the services they render is something that can be grouped into long term since they don’t have immediate need for the funds, except in the case of a disaster, which is not very common in this part of the world.

But when you put all these together, you find out that the insurance managers and companies need to come up with effective and efficient strategies that will increase patronage of their products and services. If this is done, it will propel greater productivity and bring about an increase in the level of awareness of their products and services, which will later translate to better profitability.

Robert IGWE, former general secretary, Nigeria Shareholders Solidarity Association: Currently, the government has a role to pay in improving the condition of the insurance companies. Through the main regulatory body – NICOM- they have to make sure that they ameliorate the plight of the companies and see to those factors that are responsible for their misfortune. Take for instance, the money that all insurance companies have already deposited with the Central Bank, which amounts to billions of Naira, why can’t they give it to these companies at a time like this when they are not doing so well? Can’t they use that money to boost their business so that the companies can do well?

On the other hand, the agents are also contributing to the problem because after they must have collected money from the companies, they will not make use of it neither will they return it to the companies and because of that, the companies are suffering cash flow problem, which is responsible for the problems the companies are

Robert IGWE, facing now.

Pastor Samson Olusegun OLAGOKE, National Coordinator/ President, Pensioners Shareholders Association of Nigeria: The insurance companies need to call for a forum of shareholders associations and find out what can be done and from such a forum, we will analyse our problems and chart a way forward.

For instance, there are some directors that have been running some companies for years and the outcome has remained the same. You also have some individuals serving as the chairmen of some companies while they are also members of the Board of Directors of another company within the same sector of the market and the companies are not living up to investors’ expectation. With such a forum, suggestion can be made as regards what should be done for the progress of the companies.

Mr. Peter OWOLABI, National Coordinator, Integrated Supreme Shareholders Association of Nigeria: The issues with the International Financial Reporting Standard, IFRS, have been completed now and with that, there should be no difficulties resulting from getting account submitted to the regulator on time. It is only few companies in the insurance companies that are yet to submit their reports for two to three years and we hope that it will be resolved in the next few months. On the issue with the companies’ turnover, you find out that this has remained low because as Nigerians, we don’t appreciate insurance, and very few of us are doing insurance because we don’t believe in insurance policies in Nigeria. Many Nigerians don’t have insurance cover.

hams Plc, a company listed on the Information Technology of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, has attributed its inability to declare dividend over the last six years to restructuring and reformation projects it embarked upon during the period.

Sir Ademola Aladekomo, Managing Director, Chams plc, disclosed this while addressing stockbrokers at the company’s Facts behind the Figures, where he noted that with re-invigorated management of the company, they are restructured, repositioned and ready to deliver outstanding result to all its stakeholders.

According to Aladekomo, Chams suffered greatly from the economic meltdown that rocked the global capital market during 2008/2009 financial years, but recovered fully in 2011.

He explained that Chams returned to profitably in 2012 and 2013 though the profit was retained for better stability, the reason why they have not declared dividend.

“We were unable to roll out in 2009 and 2010 because of the National ID which we then needed about 8 billion and no bank was ready to give us money since they are also trying to survive,” he said.

“We have learned from our past experience that we needed to build our own cash and that is what we have been doing since we returned to profitability in 2012. There is no reason why we should not attain our set goals; we already have all the strategies, board, and the capital.

We need to sustain the infrastructure we have built, which is capable of sustaining us for the next seven years, an indication that 2014 is going to be a very good year for us.

“We will start to pay dividend from 2016; this is due to our adherent to the IFRS requirement.

It is going to be prudent of us to declare dividend in 2013, but this we could not do because we still have our debt indications in red. But the board will look at what can be done on the matter to see if we can pay dividend in 2014,” Aladekomo noted.

Speaking further he said, “Chams is determined to dominate the identity market in Nigeria, increase our market share to at least 60 percent by 2015, grow our revenue to N1 trillion in five to seven years, develop new product lines, introduce a unified system in our core business, and exploit the biometric payment and transaction space among other intents.

“We want to ensure that we are through with all the projects we have at hand for the National Identity Management Commission on the national identification project. As soon as we complete our on-going restructuring across the group, we will dedicate our energy towards delivering value for all stakeholders,” he added.

He also noted that the company is focusing on its main business, which is provision of infrastructure for identity management, epayment and electronic transaction for the public and private sector.

COMPLAINTS AND INVESTIGATION

Do you have any challenge with your investment in the stock market or with (any company stockbrokers, registrar company etc) write to vanguardinvestorsforum@gmail.com OR 07043855187. We will INVESTIGATE AD REPLY.

24 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014

Develop downstream operation, IPMAN charges members SEBASTINE OBASI

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From left: Secretary, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos Council), Mr. Slyva Okereke; Chairman, Mr. Deji Elumoye; Vice Chairman, Mr. Babatunde Jimoh; LPH Analyst, Oando Plc, Mr. Omotosho Omobusola; and LPH Technical Supervisor, Mr. Yves Okpure, during the presentation of 3kg cylinder three-in-one gas to NUJ Council, in Lagos.

Nigeria’s refining capacity rises to 26%

By MICHAEL EBOH

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HE Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, has put the combined average capacity utilisation of Nigeria’s four refineries at 25.95 per cent for the month of December 2013.

According to data from the NNPC’s December 2013 Monthly Petroleum Information, this is a significant improvement from the 6.46 per cent average capacity utilisation of the refineries in November 2013, and a slight decline from the 30.87 per cent utilisation year on year to December 2012.

The refineries are the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC), Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC 1 & 2), and the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC).

Specifically, the NNPC put the respective average capacity utilisation of the refineries in December, as: KRPC - 32.96 per cent, PHRC - 4.48 per cent, and WRPC - 40.41 per cent.

According to the NNPC, 388,000

metric tonnes, MT, of dry crude oil, condensate and slop was received by the refineries, in the month under review.

“With an opening stock of 433,000MT, total crude oil available for processing was 816,000MT, out of which 403,000MT was processed.

“Total national domestic refining produced 368,000MT of finished and intermediate products. Pipelines and Products Marketing Company, PPMC, which lifts products from the refineries evacuated 284,000MT of products,” it noted.

Meanwhile, in November 2013, the NNPC stated that 474,000MT of dry crude oil, condensate and slop was received by the refineries.

With an opening stock of 215,000MT, the NNPC explained that total crude oil available for processing was 689,000MT, out of which 86,000MT was processed.

It disclosed that the respective average capacity utilisation of the refineries in November 2013 was 19.37 per cent for KRPC, and zero per cent for both PHRC and WRPC.

“Total national domestic refining produced 84,000MT of finished and intermediate products. PPMC which lifts products from the refineries evacuated 225,000MT of products,” the NNPC said.

However, the NNPC said 40,314MT of products was used by the three refineries as fuel and loss, adding that consumption as fuel was 9.03 per cent while loss and flare accounted for 0.98 per cent of production in December.

Continuing, the NNPC said, “NNPC Retail Limited and Independent Petroleum Products Marketing Companies distributed about 673.92 million litres of various petroleum products in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, in December. This shows an increase of 150.33 million litres or 22.31 per cent when compared with 523.58 million litres distributed in November 2013.

“The NNPC Retail Limited distributed 140.66 million litres, 20.87 per cent of the total sales of petroleum products, while the independent marketing companies distributed 533.26 million litres, representing 79.13 per cent of the total.

Shell, BP sign LNG supply deals with Kuwait

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oyal Dutch Shell and BP have signed deals to supply Kuwait with liquefied natural gas (LNG) over the next few years, a Kuwait Petroleum Corp. (KPC) official was quoted as saying on Sunday.

Kuwait began importing LNG in 2009 and signed deals for Shell and Swiss-based trader Vitol to supply it during the peak power demand period from April to October over the last four summers.

Jamal Al-Loughani, deputy director of marketing at KPC, told the Kuwaiti Al-Seyassah newspaper that Shell and BP have been contracted to supply the OPEC member

country over the next 5-6 summers.

He said the total volume of super-cooled gas to be delivered between the two companies would be around 2.5 million tonnes a year.

Kuwait will sign another contract to buy LNG from a third company later this week, he said, without elaborating.

Surging air conditioning demand in the hot Middle Eastern summer and a lack of domestic supply means Kuwait needs to import more gas each year to feed its power plants.

he Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), the umbrella body of petroleum marketers, has directed its members to focus more on the sustainable revival of Nigeria’s petroleum downstream sector.

IPMAN said that the need became imperative following the global challenges and dynamics of the sector.

The association’s new directive to its members was issued after their National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held last weekend in Lagos.

Danladi Pasali, Media Adviser to the IPMAN National President, who signed the communiqué on behalf of the president said that the members need to focus on how to improve the socio-economic growth than creating national disorder.

According to him, “ we urged members to embrace peace and unity among one another to move the association forward towards achieving best desired unity” Pasali said that the current administration will ensure credible and transition of new members at the appropriate time.

He pledged the association’s commitment toward a credible election, while assuring that IPMAN would ensure effective distribution of petroleum products across the country.

The media adviser said that that IPMAN’s leadership had appealed to warring members to be law abiding in the interest of national development.

“We are appealing to all our members to be law abiding, prepare for the upcoming elections which will soon be conducted for eligible candidates who wish to vie for any office at the national, zonal and depots position as the case may be.

“We also appeal to our members to carry on with their legal and normal businesses without the fear of anything in order to serve our fatherland the association’s primary objective of supplying petroleum products throughout the country,” he said.

He explained that the tenure of Aminu Abdulkadri-led national executive will terminate on May27, 2014, while the Federal High Court judgment in Port Harcourt, nullifying the Abdulkadri executive has been appealed against.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014 — 25

Oil & People •CHIJIOKE NWAOZUZU

cnwaozuzu@gmail.com

DEVELOPING GAS PIPELINE INFRASTRUCTURE:

Who is responsible?

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Stanbic IBTC enjoins SMEs to tap into power reforms C

hief Executive Officer of Stanbic IBTC Holdings, a member of Standard Bank Group, Mrs. Sola DavidBorha, has called on small and medium scale enterprises in the country to tap into the power sector reforms for business growth.

She made the call at the 7th Lagos State Economic Summit where she was a panelist at one of the sessions on power sector funding.

According to David-Borha, “The power sector reforms have presented a huge opportunity for start-ups and small and medium scale enterprises to explore for growth. There is a supply and infrastructure gap in the power sector that small business owners can plug to their benefit. For instance, the distribution and generation companies would need metres, cables, electricity poles, payment cards, among others, which can be readily handled by small businesses.”

She said government’s determination to ensure the success of the privatisation process in the power sector and the local content policy, which ensures local businesses are not overlooked, are positive pointers to encourage investment in the sector.

David-Borha said the reforms and the enormous growth opportunity in the

sector make it easier for financial institutions, including Stanbic IBTC, to finance SMEs involved in the power sector.

“I am hopeful that even when there are challenges in the power sector, the government will step in to address whatever needs to be done because there is so much at stake to allow the sector to fail,” she said.

On the question of how to get the right partnerships and funding for the power sector, David-Borha said smart pricing is critical to the power sector transformation.

“There have been calls for right pricing, but I would add that with smart pricing, everything will fall into place,” she said.

The panelists, who included the Lagos State Commissioner for Finance, Ayo Gbeleyi, agreed that pricing could be done in a smart way to take care of all levels of consumers without overburdening consumers with high energy tariffs.

The Stanbic IBTC boss said her bank will continue to leverage on the rich heritage and know-how of the Standard Bank Group to support the reforms and the sector by providing both debt and equity in the right balance and by attracting foreign investors into the country.

Oil India plans acquisition of Shell’s Nigerian assets

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il India Limited, the nation’s second-biggest state-run explorer, is studying an acquisition of Nigerian oil and gas assets owned by Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA), according to people familiar with the matter.

Oil India is weighing a bid for stakes Shell holds in some onshore blocks, valued at as much as $2 billion, the people said. It will partner with India’s Sandesara Group on the potential purchase, according to the people, who asked not to be identified as the deliberations are private.

The explorer joins Dangote Group, controlled by Africa’s richest man, and Seplat Petroleum Development Co. in seeking to acquire Nigerian assets being sold by Western rivals. Shell and

Chevron Corp. are divesting fields in the country amid persistent violence and crude theft in the oil-rich Niger River delta.

India’s government-run oil companies are building on their record $5.5 billion of acquisitions last year to secure supplies for Asia’s second-biggest energy consumer. Oil India, which had 124.9 billion rupees ($2.1 billion) of cash at the end of September, has purchased stakes in gas fields in Mozambique and shale assets in the U.S. over the past two years.

Oil India Chairman S.K. Srivastava and finance director Rupshikha Saikia Borah didn’t answer two calls each to their mobile phones yesterday seeking comment.

Sandesara Group Chairman Nitin Sandesara didn’t respond to an e-mail and phone call to his office.

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Dr. Nat Ofo, Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria ICSAN, Vice President; Engr. Monsur Ahmed, Chairman, ICSAN Public Lecture and Dr. Sam Amadi, Chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission. NERC at the ICSAN public lecture, in Lagos.

nvironmental concerns have made the use of natural gas very attractive. Surging electricity demand is also one of the major drivers of increased consumption of natural gas.

Globally, energy use for electric power generation is expected to increase more than 25% faster than fuel use of all types over the next 10 years. Even in the US, ‘the most mature’ energy market, the use of natural gas to generate electricity is expected to increase by two and a half times by 2020. However, the greatest boost to domestic and international gas marketing opportunities has been brought about by synergies between gas utilization and electricity generation. Such synergies include the environmental benefits of ‘clean burning’ gas over other fossil fuel competitors; more favorable economics of a gas-fired power station when compared to other fossil fuels and nuclear options; recent t e c h n o l o g i c a l breakthroughs in combined cycle technology which makes gas-fired power generation equipment significantly more efficient than its other fossil fuel competitors.

Uses of natural gas Natural gas has many uses and advantages as an energy resource. It can be used in its gaseous state for heating, as industrial fuel and for cooking. It can be liquefied to produce liquefied natural gas (LNG) by supercooling it under pressure to -256 degrees F. The cooling shrinks natural gas to 1/600 of its original volume, which permits easier and more economical handling and transportation. The LNG technology converts gas to a liquid state for transportation and is subsequently converted back to a gaseous state at the end user location. Recent Gas – to Liquid (GTL) technologies convert natural gas to light synthetic crude, and then to clean light petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, kerosene, and naphtha. An added bonus of the GTL technology is that it produces zero sulfur, thereby making the light synthetic crude the most desirable crude in the world, after condensates. Natural gas can be compressed to 1/10 of its original volume to produce compressed natural gas (CNG) for use as industrial fuel and for power generation. It can also act as feedstock for the production of other fuels such as methanol using a different kind of GTL technology.

Regardless of the form in which natural gas is utilized, there is always a significant investment in gas pipelines and other gas infrastructure.

Economics of gas utilization

The economics of natural gas rapidly differs from that of crude oil in terms of the high cost and relative inflexibility of the transport systems required to get gas to marketplace. For instance, it costs 4-5 times as much to transport gas over land by pipeline compared to the cost of transporting oil. Transporting natural gas by tanker as LNG may cost 30 times as much as shipping oil. Not only are gas transportation costs much higher than those for crude oil, also gas transportation costs exhibit strong economies of scale. The higher the volumes, the lower the unit cost of delivery. Therefore, the drivers of natural gas economics are principally high cost of gas transport systems and scale requirements. As a result, global natural gas markets have historically developed first in countries with substantial natural gas reserves of

Not only are gas transportation costs much higher than those for crude oil, gas transportation costs exhibit strong economies of scale

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their own, and later in ‘gas-poor ’ countries with a large enough energy demand to justify the importation of gas through large international pipeline grid systems or through LNG tanker ships.

Costs of developing gas pipelines,infrastructure Natural gas pipeline construction costs vary between US$ 800,000 per km to US$ 2 million per km (for large diameter projects over rugged terrain).

Examples are: the 24 inch Yucatan Peninsula gas pipelines, completed in 1999 and running 432 miles from the Mexican State of Tabasco to power plants in the Yucatan province cost US$266 million. The 460 km line completed in 1996, from La Mora in Argentina to Santiago in Chile cost US$360 million. The 3,700 km pipeline from Bolivia to Sao Paulo in Brazil cost US$1.8 billion. A typical LNG project may require more than US$10 billion of investment and lead time of 6-10 years from conception to completion.

LNG tanker ships cost about US$200 million.

Who should develop the infrastructure The Nigerian power sector will perform efficiently only to the extent that they have a secure supply of natural gas. Considering the high cost of natural gas pipelines, which entity should develop this infrastructure?

Should the responsibility fall on the International Oil Companies (IOCs), or the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), or a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Arrangement?

26 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014

NNPC appoints Ohi Alegbe as spokesman

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HE Nigerian National Petro leum Corporation (NNPC) has announced the appointment of Mr Ohi Alegbe as Group General Manager, Public Affairs Division.

This is contained in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja by Mr Bernard Otti, Group Executive Director, Finance and Account.

The statement which was signed on behalf of the Management of the Corporation stated that the appointment was with immediate effect.

It stated that Alegbe, an alumnus of the University of Benin, was coming on board the NNPC with three decades of experience.

The NNPC further noted the experience had seen him traverse the broadcast, print, public relations and advertising genres of public communication.

Alegbe takes over from Dr Farouk Ibrahim.

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Ohi Alegbe

Iran’s oil exports surge above sanctions cap, says IAEA

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ran’s crude oil exports have surged to their highest in 20 months, far exceeding a 1 million barrel-per-day limit set by the West under an interim deal on curbing Tehran’s nuclear program and giving credence to Israeli warnings that economic easing sanctions would provide Iran too much maneuverability.

The International Energy Agency’s monthly report revised February’s global crude imports from Iran upwards by 240,000 barrels per day to 1.65 million barrels per day, the highest since June 2012.

Under an interim deal signed in November between Iran and six world powers — known as the P5+1 — that came into effect on January 20, Iran’s exports are supposed to be held to an average 1 million barrels per day through July 20.

Tough international sanctions over the past two years have cut Iran’s oil exports by about half.

“The question is whether they are going to continue to test the sanctions,” said Antoine Halff, head of the IEA’s oil industry and markets division.

KEROSENE SCARCITY:

NLNG to flood markets with cooking gas

BY CHRIS OCHAYI

A

BUJA: The management of Nigerian LNG Limited, NLNG, has expressed commitment to support Federal Government’sefforts to get more Nigerians to switch to cooking gas by making the product available for consumption.

The Managing Director, NLNG, Mr. Babs Omotowa, who disclosed this in Abuja, said the company is more determined to ameliorate the difficulties Nigerians were facing in accessing liquefied petroleum gas, LPG also known as cooking gas.

He said the use of cooking gas placed Nigerians at better advantages than the continued use of fire wood and kerosene, alternatives that have environmental and health disadvantages for citizens.

According to him, “In addition to ameliorating the difficulties Nigerians are having with LPG, NLNG commenced LPG distribution to the domestic market in 2007, and by that singular intervention brought down the price of cooking gas from N7,000 to N3,500 per 12.5 kg cylinder.

He added that, “we currently supply over 80 per cent of cooking gas, LPG, in Nigeria, and are increasing the volume to 250,000 metric tonnes per annum, MTA, representing 67 per cent increase. NLNG’s business has strong impact on key microeconomic variables and our contribution to the Goss Domestic Product, GDP rose to four percent in 2008.”

Omotowa pointed out that, “Nigeria’s strength is that with 187 trillion cubic feet, TCF, of proven gas reserves and 600TCF of unproven gas reserves, Nigeria has more than enough gas for both our domestic and export needs.

He noted that all our domestic power and petrochemical needs with all the expected exports from Brass LNG, OKLNG, come to less than 187tcf; yet we still have 600tcf unproven reserves.

“To further illustrate this, Australia

with only 60% of our proven gas reserves, generate more than 40,000 megawatts power and is working to export 80,000mta, whereas all our three LNG plants will only come to 52,000mta with current plans,” he said.

Omotowa stressed further, “However, notwithstanding these historic achievements, we face significant challenges in the future, which we are already developing strategies to overcome. Internally, we face challenges of sustained feed gas supply as well as ageing plants and ships.

“Externally, the Shale Gas phenomenon and the expected start of mega LNG plants in Australia and East Africa, pose significant competition and threat to our business.

“As an insight into the extent of the threat, the huge unconventional shale gas discoveries in the USA, with over 100 years supply has led to the USA, who used to consume 10% of worldLNG, becoming an exporter.

“As a result, LNG price in the US, the Henry Hub, has fallen from $15/ million British Thermal Unit, mmbtu,

in 2005 to less than $4.50/mmbtu today. Along with Australia, East Africa, etc., these supply potential if all realised, may leave only a limited window of opportunity for LNG projects to remain robust. The challenge being that whilst demand may continue to grow, pricing is likely to become depressed due to supply slut.

“NLNG can stay profitable and continue to deliver excellent value to the country, if we are able to play the number game of volumes in the global market. Part of the next phase of our company’s strategic response to the growing competition is the addition of a seventh train.

“When achieved, this will enable NLNG to add some eight million metric tonnes to its current production capacity, and increase annual output to 30 million metric tonnes. This is potentially capable of monetising more of our gas, and yielding an estimated $3billion in additional revenues.

“More importantly, this will enable the creation of over 18,000 jobs during the construction phase, a deliverable that is in line with Mr President’s transformation agenda of creating jobs for the youths of the country.”

Deputy Managing Director, Corporate Services, Addax Petroleum, Tunji Mayaki (3rd right) and some beneficiaries during the presentation of a cheque to some women at the launch of Addax micro-credit scheme, in Imo State.

NERC adjourns appeal against EKEDC

BY CHRIS OCHAYI

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HE Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, last week, adjourned indefinitely the case between Mayfair Gardens and the Eko Electricity Distribution Company, EKEDC, pending a thorough inspection of the entire Mayfair Gardens electrical infrastructure by the appeal panel before making a ruling on the matter.

NERC had on April 4, 2014, commenced hearing on appeal against the decision of the Eko Forum in the case brought by the Mayfair Gardens Property Owners and Residents Association of Lekki Peninsula against EKEDC.

NERC in a statement said, “This appeal was brought by the petitioner, Mayfair Gardens Property Owners and Residents Association of Lekki Peninsula, who cited Eko Forum’s inability to make a binding ruling on some of the issues they brought forward to them as the reason for their appeal.

According to the counsel for Mayfair Gardens, Mr. TijaniTemitayo, “Eko Forum has not exercised the powers given to it by NERC regulations.”

“EKEDC contended through their counsel,OladimejiAdemola that all the decisions made by the Eko Forum were binding. They requested that the NERC panel hearing the appeal uphold the decisions of the Eko Forum.

“Mayfair Gardens Property Owners and Residents Association’s main argument is premised on the fact that they solely financed the electricity infrastructure within the estate to serve the residents, prior to the Commission’s ruling against private individual distribution of electricity.

Based on this ruling, they had to transfer ownership of the power plant to EKEDC. “However, with the transfer of the power plant to EKEDC’s hands, Mayfair Gardens feels that they have not been served adequately by EKEDC even with the infrastructure which EKEDC had no hand in developing.

This led to them initially dragging the utility company before the Eko Forum panel.

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Experts seek way forward for power stability

By SEBASTINE OBASI

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xperts in the power industry, worried by the dwindling power situation in Nigeria, especially in Lagos, since the privatisation of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, assets last November, have come up with issues that should be tackled to achieve power stability.

A former Minister of Power,Prof. Barth Nnaji, who is also the promoter of Geometric Power Plant in Aba, Abia State, said that distribution companies must be involved in embedded power generation to stabilize power supply or depend on the purchase of power from NBET. He also said that Gas Aggregation Company of Nigeria should allocate gas to companies involved in power generation in the country.

He also advocated appropriate pricing for gas, so as to encourage investment in the sub-sector. “When PHCN was buying gas at 10 cents per 1,000 standard cubic feet, we were touched.

Nobody in his right senses, unless at gun point will sell gas at such ridiculous price. However we sat down with the Ministers of Petroleum and Power and the management of NNPC and arrived at a graduated price where the price of gas is expected to move from $1 to

$2 over a period of time,” he added.

Emphasising on the tariff structure, he said tariffadministration should be done in a win-win situation where the interest of all the stakeholders should be represented; stressing that power business is not an avenue for making huge profit.

Nnaji also recommended the application of ring fencing and embedded power generation between states and the private sector for the generation of electricity, which is urgently needed to develop Nigerian economy.

“We embarked on ring fencing in Aba to meet the power needs of all the consumers in Aba, Abia State. We used 27 kilometres of power lines to convey electricity to all the end users in the city,” he said.

The Group Executive Director, Gas, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Dr. David Ige, noted that gas supply for domestic utilisation has doubled from 300mscf in 2010 to over 1000mscf in 2013, adding that the product is expected to rise to 1800mscf in the next two years.

He decried the spate of vandalism of gas pipelines by unpatriotic Nigerians, and recommended 10 years jail term for anyone found to have vandalised gas pipeline in the country.

He listed Trans-Forcados and Escravos

pipelines as some of the major targets of gas vandalism in Nigeria.

“We have grown gas supply for domestic use in the last three years. This has boosted

development in the manufacturing sector, especially cement production.

Despite this growth, Nigerians live with power outages. When Escravos, or Forcados pipeline is lost to vandals, we are in for fresh trouble.

Chevron employees’ co-operative declares N266.7m net surplus

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ELTA Area Chevron Employees Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society (DACEMPCS) has declared net surplus of N266.724 million for the year ending 2013, saying it no longer relies on bank loans to finance members loan requests.

This was disclosed by Sir David Ikutegbe, President, Delta Area Chevron Employees Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society (DACEMPCS) at its 13th annual general meeting in Warri.

He said that the society is now very strong and good enough to grow and sustain members’ investment.

Sir Ikutegbe noted that the society achieved significant growth in all lines of it’s business activities which resulted to improved net surplus from N196.274 million in the year ending 2012 to the current N266.724 million for the year ending 2013.

According to Ikutegbe, “We have witnessed a record level of investment in our share capital and this has helped to ensure that we do not rely on bank loan to finance members’ loan requests. I am proud to announce to you that our great cooperative society remain very strong and good enough to grow and sustain your investments, our net surplus before appropriation has constantly been on the upward trend, year after year and for year 2013 under review, we made a net surplus of N266,724,406.00.”

Ikutegbe expressed the management committees’ appreciation to members of the cooperative for their support and commitment which according to him has made the cooperative to remain tenacious in it’s quest to increase shareholders value.

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32— Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014

By Theodore Opara

Mitsubishi Space Star

Mitsubishi Attrage

Chanrai storms market with Mitsubishi Attrage, Space Star C

HANRAI Nigeria Ltd, representatives of Mitsubishi Motors in Nigeria has introduced two compact cars into the market.

The two cars, Space Star (hatchback) and Attrage (saloon) are equipped with a 1.2 litre petrol engine with unprecedented fuel economy.

Speaking during the presentation at Chanrai Nigeria Ltd office in Victoria Island, Lagos, the visiting General Manager, Mitsubishi Nairobi laison office, Mr. Taiki Murai explained that the all new Mitsubishi Space Star and Attrage are class leaders in the compact car segment.

The class-leading fuel efficient engine of the Space Star and Attrage can cover 21 kilometres with just a litre of petrol. It is loaded with array of features like cars in the upper segment.

High standard Built to Mitsubishi’s high standard, the two cars are equipped with front MacPherson Strut independent suspension and double rear torsion-beam. They are also available with Anti lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD) which prevents the wheels from locking up during braking.

Also speaking at the unveiling the Executive Director, Chanrai Nigeria Limited, Mr. Raju Salwani explained that customers demand for a powerful compact car from Mitsubishi, below the Lancer necessitated the introduction of the two compact cars.

According to him, the introduction of the cars reflects

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Mitsubishi’s commitment to the Nigerian market adding that this is the first time Mitsubishi will be unveiling two cars into the market at the same time.

He commended the Japanese auto maker for their support to Chanrai by providing them with quality vehicles with unprecedented backup in terms of spare parts and training of their technicians to

handle the cars.

According to the Executive Director "hardly would people come for warranty claims on Mitsubishi vehicles because they are always built to the highest industry quality.

In his remark, the visiting Mitsubishi official Mr. Murai described Chanrai Nigeria as a reliable and strong partner in growing the Mitsubishi

brand in Nigeria.

“We are satisfied with our Nigerian partner and will continue to support them in several ways including training of staff, supply of original spare part at the shortest possible time and provision of quality automobiles for the Nigerian market,” he said.

The all-new Attrage and Space Star are loaded with a lot of features such as front fog lamp, alloy wheel, chrome grille, USB port, full auto air

conditioner, CD player, side turn lamp on door mirror, power door mirror and multiple cuphlders.

Others include heightadjustable driver ’s seat, airbags, power windows, immobilizer, LED high-mount stop lamp, engine switch, Keylessentry, electronic time and alarm system control among others.

The Space Star and Attrage comes with automatic and manuel transmission as wll as GLX and GLS models.

TNL unveils $2m body and paint repair workshop

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HE Managing Director of Toyota Nigeria Ltd, TNL, Mr. Chandrasheker Thampy has described the newly commissioned $2m Toyota Nigeria body and paint repair workshop as a game changer in Nigerian auto industry.

The ultra-modern workshop equipped with high tech machines is located at the company’s facility at Oregun Road in Lagos. According to the Managing Director, the body and paint repair workshop will also train technicians from Toyota Nigeria accredited dealers to enhance the quality of work to their customers.

Thampy described the body and paint repair segment (popularly known as panel beating) as “large untapped market in an organised sense.

Trained approach to it has not existed in the country.”

The Managing Director further explained that the workshop was not going to be a public one adding that TNL would not get involved in that kind of business. It would be a training centre to pass skill to dealer workshops, a kind of training school for them.

By this development he said they were encouraging

L-R: Executive Director, Toyota Nigeria Limited (TNL), Mr. Kunle Ade-Ojo; Managing Director/ CEO, Mr. Chandrasheker Thampy; and Head, Service and Technical, Mr. Victor Connaway, during the formal Launch of Body repair and paint centre in their Oregun Office, Lagos. dealers to take advantage of the facilities at the centre to provide good after sales services to the benefit of endusers of Toyota Vehicles. “We are transferring high-tech skills to dealers to satisfy our customers.

The company, he said has invested a lot of money into equipping the centre to enable them be the leader in the body and paint market in the years to come.

Presenting the facility, Mr.

Nishant, who is in charge, said it was important to train the company ’s dealers because “the lack of basic and standard knowledge in body and paint work process necessitate the new innovation in body and paint skill knowledge in Nigeria.”

Body and paint in Nigeria, he said really lacked modern work, process and methodology required to boost their dealer body and paint after sales activity.

Training, he said was an investment rather than expense; it also brings quality on the job process aimed at customer retention and trust; training gives the right product selection, which gives added quality of work reduces network and increases customer trust.

The company, he said desire to introduce more of body and paint workshops in its entire dealers service network.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014 — 33

By Theodore Opara

Weststar adds Mercedes Benz GL 400 L

ATEST addition to the Mercedes Benz GL family, GL400 has arrived Weststar Associates Limited showrooms across the country. The new GL 400 is available at Weststar showroom in superior black leather with grey fabric roof liner and shiny black exterior.

Weststar is the authorised distributors of Mercedes Benz in Nigeria and its dealers include, Sunny Motors, Globe Motors, Skymit Motors, MB Automobiles Ltd, Barbedos Motors and Tetraglog Motors in Enugu. The new Mercedes Benz GL is powered by a 3.0 litre V6 turbocharge engine which churns out 333 brake horsepower. This powerful engine is also marched with a standard 7-speed automatic transmission to conquer all terrain (paved or unpaved).

Despite the GL’s powerful engine, it boasts one of the most fuel efficient engines in its class — thanks to the ECO start/stop function.

Silver Chrome controls, generous amounts of brown burr walnut wood trim elements, soft leather upholstery with contrasting stitching, help create the air of high luxury that is classic with the new MercedesBenz GL-Class. The new Mercedes-Benz GL-Class is setting new standards in comfort, dynamics, safety, elegance and able to demonstrate its efficiency in the Sport Utility exceptional capabilities in vehicle segment. everyday situations with dense With this spectrum, it is city traffic, over very winding regarded as the S-Class (highroads or on well-built motorways end luxury) among off-road as well as way off the beaten vehicles. This premium SUV is track. Here the multi-talent’s

qualities are even more evident.

Whether driving over off-road sections i.e. tracks with potholes, continually altering road surfaces, dusty natural trails, or other rough terrains - the superior comfort of the seven-

Volkswagen Amarok Flaunts Improved Agility, Fuel Efficiency

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HE Volkswagen Centre, renowned distributors of Volkswagen products has unveiled some of Volkswagen latest commercial vehicle range including Amarok, Caddy, Multivan, Transporter and the 30-seater Crafter bus.

Volkswagen commercial vehicles (Utes) are a replica of the passenger cars and SUV models but are fortified with technically advanced engines

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that deliver more power and less fuel consumption.

Mr. Manish Daryanani, Head – Sales and Marketing, Volkswagen Centre Lagos gave this remark in his presentation of the new Volkswagen commercial range to the local automobile media.

He said Volkswagen has consistently improved on its commercial range to give them an

edge over competitions.

The Volkswagen Amarok pickup for instance is particularly “More than good enough to worry competitions such as Toyota, Nissan, Ford and Mitsubishi,” Mr. Daryanani swanked.

But what distinguishes the Volkswagen Amarok? Mr. Daryanani said the Amarok is Volkswagen’s first pick-up and a direct competitor to the

seater ’s ride, as well as its outstanding power and confident performance, are really impressive even when the going gets really tough. The new GL combines SUV practicality with luxury, power and beautiful design. Modern sophistication is certainly expressed through active Bi-Xenon headlamps with LED indicators and fibre-optic technology. The Mercedes-Benz commitment to safety underlies the availability of rewarding safety features such as the ATTENTION ASSIST which analyzes driving style, recognizes changes that could indicate fatigue, and warns the

ubiquitous Toyota Hilux.

Built on a platform at the Pacheco factory in Buenos Aires, this German engineered Amarok gets a classy, aggressive interpretation of the VW grille, a six-speed manual gearbox, lowrange transfer box, permanent four-wheel drive, locking centre and rear differentials as well as the latest direct-injection twinturbo 2.0-litre petrol engine that delivers 118kw (160bhp), while the diesel 4WD delivers 90kw (122bhp) with traction/stability control.

The Volkswagen Amarok also sounds admirable when viewed against an unprecedented torque generated from its 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine compared with either the Toyota Hilux’s 2.7litre or 3.0-litre or Nissan 3.0-litre V6 and Ford/Mazda 3.2-litre five-cylinder.

And with a pair of turbochargers, the VW Amarok TDI420 delivers quick performance, good fuel efficiency and strong towing capability with low cost of maintenance due to longer service intervals (10, 000kms or six months).

Volkswagen’s reputation for quality interiors also translates to the Amarok despite its workhorse status. Though clad with hard plastics – for the sake of durability – Amarok has the classiest dualcab ute interior design - thanks to instrument dials, heating and ventilation controls and an infotainment screen that clearly

driver, Automatic collision Notification, and more are evidence of this gentle giant’s rare but unique class and refinement.

Standard COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST with Adaptive Brake Assist ensures that the correct amount of braking pressure is applied in all emergency situations.

The rare also comes equipped with side bags to cushion the effect in the event of an impact.

Security features are not lacking either, as evident in the AntiTheft Protection Package. This consists of an Anti-theft alarm system and interior motion sensor.

compares with Golf and Passat.

Unlike competitions, the (large) door bins of the Amarok are carpeted and none of its rivals as yet has matched the satisfying door-closing thuds of the VW that enhances its reputation for build quality.

The Volkswagen Amarok TDI420 comes in a choice of two trim grades: Trendline and Highline for the Nigerian market.

Multifunction steering wheel The Trendline feature highlights include fog lights, 4speaker audio, leather gearlever, handbrake and multifunction steering wheel, Bluetooth with audio streaming, 16-inch alloy wheels, full-size spare, electric side mirrors, and cruise control.

Highline additions include rear parking sensors, higher-grade audio with six speakers, stainless steel side steps and sports bar, chrome exterior touches, 17-inch alloy wheels with extended wheelarches, rear privacy glass, and dual-zone climate.

Couple with these is classy, aggressive interpretation of the VW grille, a six-speed gearbox, low-range transfer box, permanent four-wheel drive, locking centre and rear differentials, with the latest directinjection, twin-turbo 2.0-litre engine with traction/stability control.

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By Theodore Opara

Over 100 firms confirm participation for Lagos Motor Show T

HE beauty of trade shows is that they take organisations beyond their supposed dreams and into the expected ground of realities. This they do by taking participants to higher levels by consistently keeping them [the exhibitors] in the minds of their target audience.

The Chairman organizing committee and the MD, BKG Exhibitions, Mr. Ifeanyi Agwu brought this to the fore while briefing journalist in Lagos on

the forth coming 9th Lagos Motor Fair and 3rd Auto parts Expo Nigeria.

In what has become an Auto mundial and show of strength among the indigenous and foreign firms in the automotive business, more firms are confirming their participation in the events.

Over 40 indigenous firms have confirmed their participation while about 70 foreign firms from all parts of the world are storming the

Federal Palace Hotel Victoria Island venue of the event with different world-class products and services from their stables. Mr. Ifeanyi Agwu revealed that “virtually all the major brands of automobiles, spare parts, accessories, lubricants, banking, insurance, regulatory and policy making agencies and bodies are taking part.”

He further confirmed that “Some of the companies and agencies that will showcase at the event are: Stallion

Motors (distributors of Hyundai, Honda, Vo l k s w a g e n , Skoda,Nissan, Audi, Porsche, Mahindra, JMC, Ssangyong, Foton, and ashok Leyland).

CFAO Group (distributors of GM and Mitsubishi ), Toyota Nigeria Limited distributors of Toyota brands, C&I Motors (distributors of Suzuki), CC Auto FZE [distributors of FAW Trucks and Buses], and Dana Motors [distributors of KIA and Renault], Basco Nigeria

Limited [JAC brands], Concept auto, ATC Nigeria Ltd, and CIG Motors” “Others are: Mobil, MRS oil Nig Ltd, Forte Oil, Honeywell Oil, Ascon Oil, Eterna oil, Techno Oil, Vigold, Hammerstone, Garu Te c h n o l o g i e s , Performance Enhancing Products Ltd [PEPCO], Car-parts.com, Authentic Auto Parts, Ana-safe Nig Ltd, Tramigo, the National Automotive council (NAC) and other allied firms.”

Over 70 companies

from Turkey, China , South Korea , Germany and Brazil, Canada, mexico, and South Africa are also participating.

The Managing Director further noted that the growing number of exhibitors confirmed for this event can be attributed to the importance attached to it by the participants.

“We cannot but attribute the increasing number of participants for the show to the strategic importance attached to it by all the stakeholders in the industry who have been hardworking and consistent with us.

It has been a collective effort and all hands have continually been on deck, starting from the private sector to the various agencies of government both at the state and federal level.”

ABC increases Lagos Cargo outlets

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BC Cargo Express, a division of ABC Transport Plc, has opened a new office in Ikorodu, Lagos. The opening of the Ikorodu office now brings the total number of ABC Cargo Express outlets in Lagos.

Since 2012, ABC Cargo Express commenced a vigorous expansion programme, involving setting up outlets, increasing its fleet size, and establishing a maintenance depot solely dedicated to cargo trucks. As it were, ABC Cargo Express will soon take delivery of additional new trucks before the third quarter runs out.

In addition to strengthening ABC Cargo Express capacity, manpower training and enhancement workshops were recently organized, especially for cargo staff, supervisors, drivers and attendants.

These workshops, which were aimed at imbuing them with the necessary skills to manage modern-day quality service delivery and customer relationship, took place in Abuja, Lagos and Owerri in March 2014.

ABC Cargo Express is

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36 — V anguard, TUESD AY, APRIL 15, 2014 Vanguard, TUESDA YOUR LUCK TODAY

LEISURE

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 AQUARIUS; Full-Moon across Leo/Aquarius axis today ; Unless you are more careful matters-of-the-heart may cause avoidable trouble the way your career/business can suffer temporarily.

PISCES; Full-Moon across Leo/Aquarius axis today ; It is important you don’t exhibit aggression unnecessarily. Here is a day when secret love is capable of bringing serious pressure. Try to be very diplomatic.

ARIES; Full-Moon across Leo/Aquarius axis today ; Your concentration level is not perfect and if you take bad advice from friends you would be misled. The more practical you are the better for you.

TAURUS; Full-Moon across Leo/Aquarius axis today ; Unnecessary aggressive approach on your part along your career/business lines will back-fire more than you imagine. Graceful expression is what you will need.

GEMINI; Full-Moon across Leo/Aquarius axis today ; Happenings within your working arena can bring minor provocation but it is just a passing trend. Travelling for love will bring more challenges than expected.

By Richard Eromosele

B

Y nature every human being wants to avoid a problem. It is also natural for humans to bemoan any p r o b l e m whenever they

Solve A Problem face any. Yet, everyone of us wants progress.

How can we progress when we try everything possible to avoid

TERROR MUDA

problem?

E v e r y destination has its own route and road. The road to the top is solving problems, -

in “Never say goodbye”

solving your own problem and solving other p e o p l e s ’ p r o b l e m s i n c l u d i n g organisational problems.

Thinks about it!

By Lanre Kehinde

CANCER; Full-Moon across Leo/Aquarius axis today; Male members of this Star sign will need to watch their libido while female must not ignore their sex-life. Beware of joint ventures with those you don’t know.

LEO; Full-Moon across Leo/Aquarius axis today ; It is not compulsory you take to aggressive re-action to those within your base of operation who are not as perfect as you. Protect your spouse.

VIRGO; Full-Moon across Leo/Aquarius axis today ; Watch what you eat and drink today. This is the wrong time to engage in unnecessary heated argument.. Romance at work may bring disappointment.

LIBRA; Full-Moon across Leo/Aquarius axis today ; Trying to influence matters-of-the-heart with money will not give you the desired result. Any way it is a day you will need to be more careful with money.

SCORPIO; Full-Moon across Leo/Aquarius axis today ; It is important you are more careful while trying to pass judgement on people within your base of operation because you too may be wrong.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Pretty Lunatic’

By Andy Akman

SAGITTARIUS Full-Moon across Leo/Aquarius axis; today ; Taking a pleasure drive or movement may bring more than anticipated responsibility. Keep away from whatever can not be placed above board today.

CAPRICORN; Full-Moon across Leo/Aquarius axis today If you allow friends to force their ideas on you financially or on matters-of-the-heart, you would be the loser. Express yourself gracefully.

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send yyour our dat th ttoo the As tr ological datee and place of bir birth Astr trological Counselling, PP.M.B .M.B 1100 00 7, Apapa, Lagos 007,

What should I know?

VIRGINIA

dadadekola@yahoo.com

Dear Joshua, Kindly tell me where the Moon was placed when I was born and other things I should know about my star.

Paul, Ibadan.

Dear Paul, What space can take will be given here-under. Your natal Moon was in Aries.

ANALYSIS OF YOUR HOROSCOPE DATA Preponderance of cardinal quality in your chart is an indication of GREAT LEADERSHIP QUALITY together with innate ability to attain prominence on one hand, on the other hand, exaltation of intellectual related Mercury in Aquarius at positive angle to both lucky Jupiter and Uranus (the planet of genius) in Libra pointed to a person with higher pitch of intelligence.

Action loving Mars as the final depositor of your horoscope ( that’s most influential planet at home when you were born) will most times induce you to strongly desire importance with likeness for quick results; actually long promise without concrete action will bore you easily. Equally 60 percentage of push-full influence in your chart means that the best for you is to go after your needs and wants.

Combination of all the placement and aspects formed within the planets when you were born are pointers to you as a person with balanced personality with little bias for good spiritual life. And you believe in disciplinarian life style.

Placement of your natal Sun and Moon in compassionate Pisces and self conscious Aries respectively are indications of your being mainly a Piscean and partly an Arian, however as Aries is also your Stellium sign, both basic characteristics of Pisces and Aries are highly pronounced in your inner-self.

HOME & ABROAD

By Lawrence Akapa

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014 — 37

Ritualist den in Ibadan: the facts, fiction and propaganda HAVE watched and listened with consternation over the past couple of days how Oyo State Government, the mass media and various individuals have attempted to turn a current event into ancient fables and myths. While the government propaganda was very active in distancing government from the bizarre issue the mass media have been lethargic in unearthing the facts.

More disturbing is the fact that friends and foes alike all over the world have continued to pour scorn and denigrate Map of Oyo our proud city of Ibadan as a city meant State for cave dwellers. I say with all sense of responsibility that it is the State Government through its negligence and bestial ac- ernment awarded a contract for the evactions that has in a large measure dragged the uation of lunatics from Ibadan and its name of the city in the mud. The facts here environs to Messrs Kolaful Company Limunder will suffice to buttress the point. In 1996 ited with Mr. Ibrahim Gbadamosi as the Aprofim Limited awarded the contract to con- consultant. The police were subsequently struct the Ogunpa Channelisation Scheme took implored to provide cover for the assignup accommodation at that Soka premises near ment through a letter written to the then Ogunpa River as its site office. When the com- Commissioner for Environment and Habpany could not perform, Costain West Africa itat, Wasiu Oladimeji Dauda. The destiLimited was brought in to continue with the nation of these unfortunate Nigerians project. Again Costain proved to be incapa- carted away from the streets was the Soka premises. The Nigerian Tribune edition ble of going on with the Project.

As the official overseeing the project then, I of Thursday, August 15, 2013 at page 9 recommended that the contract be terminated with a story titled ‘Oyo Government moves and the site as well as the equipment therein lunatics from Ibadan roads’ credited to be taken over by Oyo State until the balance of Tunde Ogunesan also confirmed the advance payment was refunded to Govern- movement.

It is disheartening to note that the site ment. The recommendation was approved, and which was not made to accommodate the site taken over by government in 1999. Bepeople became the abode of hundreds of tween 2003 and 2007, the Ladoja administraperceived lunatics, destitutes and untion advised the Ministry of Environment to put the premises into productive use. It was kempt looking people with no provision for medical care, rehaOyo State Government should be honest bilitation or feeding. The contenenough to take responsibility for this intion of the Special Adhuman, wicked and irresponsible act rathviser on Environment and Habitat, Mr. Yomi er than trying to hide behind a needle Oke on Channels then that the idea of setting up a sewerage Television during interview on the subplant to take care of domestic waste was moot- ject on Saturday, March 29, 2014, also ed. confirmed that government was only inThe Ministry then succeeded in construct- terested in getting these people off the ing an oxidation pond at the site. The oxida- streets to enhance the government envition pond became very useful for septic tank ronmental beautification programme withevacuators who had their waste products treat- out following up on what happened to ed after paying some amount to government them. This is not permissible in any civias revenue. Later, the Nigerian Breweries got lised society. The fact is that most of these interested in the project and constructed an unfortunate people were starved to death industrial oxidation pond for its exclusive use by the agents of Government. Those who to treat its waste products. Thus activities at did not die were on the throes of death the premises became a revenue earner for gov- with emaciated physiques when they ernment between 2005 and 2011. were rescued.

A cursory look at Oyo State Book of Estimates May I confirm that the Ladoja adminisfor the year 2009 at page 25, item 125 (v) will tration did not initiate any programme to reveal an approved revenue estimate of move lunatics from the streets neither was N7,000,000.00 from oxidation pond user it done by the succeeding administration charges. In the 2012 Approved Book of Esti- of Akala. Oyo State Government should mates at page 27 item 4310000 Revenue Code be honest enough to take responsibility 4020142, there was an approved revenue esti- for this inhuman, wicked and irresponsimates of N9,000,000.00 for 2011 while no pro- ble act rather than trying to hide behind a vision was made for 2012 for oxidation pond needle. There is no other word for this user charges. This means that the project was act than genocide! discontinued in 2012. The reason for this is The nefarious acts were committed benot far-fetched. tween 2012 and 2014. It might have been The complaints of the people of the area with possible for ritualist to take advantage of a sparse population when the project was start- the shoddy arrangement by Government ed had become more dense and the odour em- but the fact is that Government used its anating from the ponds had become very dis- resources to gather these unfortunate turbing, hence the cancellation. These facts people to a location where they became completely debunk the notion that the place vulnerable to human predators and the was ritualist den since about 10 years ago be- elements. I sincerely hope that the pocause a government agency could not have lice and human rights organisations will operated a project generating revenue for gov- get to the root of this evil. ernment where such a nefarious activity was •Omoetan is a public rights activist in going on. In July, 2012, the Oyo State Gov- Ibadan

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Admitting a mistake and fixing the problem

NTIL recently, Kathleen Sebe world, Africa in particular. How often lius was the U.S. Health Secre- do we hear our leaders blame their failtary. As April unfolded, she sent in her ures on the opposition even when it is letter of resignation to her boss, Presi- disingenuous to make such linkages? dent Barack Obama. That move caught The last thing most of these leaders practically everyone by surprise because will do is to admit failure, even in the there was hardly any indication that she face of overwhelming evidence that was about to quit. But she did, and it things have fallen apart. When they was not a forced move as the highly au- are ready to give in to the reality that thoritative New York Times newspaper their policies are not working, they reported that she quit entirely of her own seek solace in blaming their opponents volition. and everyone else as ready-made exWhat made her resignation seem out cuses to explain away indolence and of sync was that things were now going shortsighted policies. well with President Obama’s signature How about the treatment of officers Affordable Healthcare act popularly who work for the presidency? The known as Obamacare. When the March shabby treatment they get when things deadline requiring people without health go bad can be personally humiliating. insurance to do so or face some penal- Very few ministers in any African presties came, the number of people who idency leave office on a happy note. had registered for health insurance sur- They are the immediate sacrificial passed the seven million mark that was lambs to assuage a restive public. The set as the benchmark for registration. But, presidency often pretends that the you have to rewind to October 2013 to problem will go away once the officer fully appreciate the shock brought about who is in charge of whatever it was

by Sebelius’decision to quit. that went wrong is publicly humiliatPerhaps very few legislations in mod- ed in a most uncivilized manner and ern U.S. history have generated so much How often do we hear our leaders anger, confusion, blame their failures on the opposifrustration, division and political acrimotion even when it is disingenuous ny as much as the Afto make such linkages? fordable Healthcare act. Republicans and their allies vigorously campaigned relieved of his or her official portfolio. against the law as they saw it as govBut those problems do not disappear ernment intrusion into their lives. On by merely dismissing the minister in their part, Democrats and their support- charge of what went wrong. In the case ers could not imagine why anyone would of Obamacare, both president and his stand in the way of a law that is designed health secretary went to work to fix the to ensure that every American had health problem. insurance. Healthcarecost in the U.S. is President Obama has the power to so phenomenally high that several stud- sack Sebelius in order to curry some ies have shown that it is perhaps the favour from the American public. Howsingle most potent reason why people ever, doing so would not have solved go bankrupt. the problem for people who wanted to sign on to the programme. Obama did Ridiculous not want to appear nice and innocent disaster at the expense of his minister.

In fact, at the press conference where When this flagship policy of the Obama he officially accepted Sebelius’ resigadministration went into its implemen- nation and announced her replacetation stage last October the launch was ment, President Obama confessed that a ridiculous disaster as the Obamacare “She’s got bumps, I’ve got bumps, web site was just not ready to welcome bruises” over the ill-fated launching people who wanted to sign on for health of Obamacare. But he was also magnanimous enough to tell the world that insurance.

It was a moment of huge political hu- in the end, she “got the job done….the miliation for President Obama, and his final score (on registration) speaks for Republican opponents had a field day itself.”

Such attitudes make public service taunting him. But, the president resisted all calls to fire Sebelius in whose attractive to all who wish to get involved docket was Obamacare. Rather, the pres- in it. There are too many good-spiritident publicly accepted blame for the ed public servants in our continent who disaster and ordered Sebelius to go to got booted out in disgrace just because of something going wrong at some work and fix the problem.

Sebelius did, and did it so spectacu- point, not because they are habitually larly that when the deadline came, reg- incompetent. They are not even given istration for Obamacare exceeded esti- a chance to rectify the anomaly because mates. And having redeemed her bat- their bosses often try to ride the crest tered honor and integrity, Sebeliusre- of good public opinion on their backs. signed when the proverbial ovation was Of course there are indolent ministers at its loudest. But somehow, it didn’t who need to be shown the door.

It is important for the leader to share make sense that she left when everyone expected her to stay on and receive the the shame and blame when something accolades her hard work had earned her. goes wrong, as well as lead the lap of It is rather difficult not to examine this honor when all is well. That, is the incident against the backdrop of what mark of good leadership. regularly happens in the developing

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By OMOLERE OMOETAN

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38—Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014

2015 SENATORIAL ELECTION:

Heavyweights line up for Kogi East LESS than one year to the general elections, the question of who represents Kogi East Senatorial District in the Senate is generating lots interest.

BY BOLUWAJI OBAHOPO

T

HOUGH campaigns for the 2015 Senatorial elections are yet to commence in line with the guidelines of the Independent Electoral Commission,INEC, political heavyweights, have started consultations and permutations over who will represent Kogi East in the Senate.

A lot of names have come up as possible contenders to the seat that is currently being occupied by Senator Attai Aidoko.

The aspirants, include two former governors of the state, Prince Abubakar Audu and Alhaji Ibrahim Idris as well as Halima Alfa and Bob Alfa.

Though the duo have not formerly indicated or denied interest in the race, the body language of their supporters, has created the impression that Audu and Idris are interested.

Given that this is the usual pattern in Nigeria’s political culture, the silence of the former leaders could be described as an indication of their likely emergence as senatorial aspirants in the days ahead.

With robust political profiles, none of them could be dismissed as a light weight, leading to arguments that the race would be a heated one.

Attai Aidoko Aidoko, who is the incumbent, was in the House of Representatives before now.

He was in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before decamping to then All Nigerian Peoples Party,APP, following the party ’s cancellation of his victory at the senatorial primaries. He sought redress in the court where he eventually got his mandate back. Since then Aidoko has remained in the All Progressives Congress,APC. Regarded as a frontline aspirant, it is believed that he would have an easy ride in the absence of Audu in the race.

Abubakar Audu Close associates of Audu have noted that he might be forced into the contest, should Idris vie for the ticket.

Whether he will heed the calls to contest is yet to be seen.

But many are of the view that Audu remains an electoral

•Idris:Will give contest serious thought

•Audu:Electoral asset to his party

asset to his party.

Though there are rumours that he is on his way to the PDP, the former governor has remained a leading voice in the APC.

Responding, Idris said he would have loved to be left alone in his retirement, noting that he would give careful thoughts to the call.

“What I want to do now is to help the younger ones to grow.

I believe helping them to grow will be beneficial to me than perpetually clinging to power,” Idris added.

Ibrahim Idris But for the Appeal Court judgment that elongated his tenure in 2011, Idris would have contested for the Senate at the expiration of his tenure.

The rosy relationship between Idris and the incumbent governor, Captain Idris Wada, has been linked to the former’s

rumoured ambition.

Presently, the party structures in the state are indisputably under the control of the former governor, whose body language appears to suggest that he might contest.

There is also a group that wants him to contest.

Known as Ibro Leadership Initiatives, ILI, the Mr. Atabor Julius-led group said this during a courtesy visit to Idris.

It noted that the call became necessary following the need for someone, who will rescue the zone from political doldrums.

The two Alfas The duo of Halima Alfa and Bob Alfa, who incidentally share the same surname have also shown interest in the seat.

Halima is the only woman

who has indicated interest and her ambition is generating ripples in the area.

Shortly after her supporters disclosed her intent for the seat, petitions began to emerge against her.

For instance a group under the aegis of Concerned Eastern Citizens carried an advertorial against her in the state owned newspapers, opining that her candidacy would spell doom for the PDP. For Bob Alfa, his aspiration is still on the pages of newspapers.

South West: Labour Party makes inroad

BY DAPO AKINREFON

W

HEN the Labour Party (LP) was registered, not many gave it a chance. The party was formed in 2002 by the Nigerian Labour Congress and ever since it has proved critics wrong by not only surviving but also winning some electoral laurels.

A major break for the LP came when Dr Olusegun Mimiko contested on its platform and defeated the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to become the only Labour Party governor in Nigeria In the South West, the party is not resting on its oars to ensure it becomes a force to reckon with.

As part of its drive to ensure more Nigerians join its fold, the party has embarked on a registration drive to achieve its purpose.

Last week, the party converged

•Nwanyanwu:Grants new members

waivers

on Oyo State to commission its secretariat and also inaugurate its interim state executive.

The Labour Party office is situated at Molete, the political seat of the

late strongman of Oyo politics, Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu.

As early as 9am, the Oke Ado road became busy as Labour Party supporters and decampees from the APC and PDP converged at the new party office.

The not-to busy road experienced traffic snarl as motorists and passers-by were attracted to the

activities at the venue.

Party supporters defied the scorching sun to grace the occasion.

Popular Ibadan based Fuji artiste, Taye Currency was on

ground to thrill spectators just as party members adorned themselves in the colourful Labour Party tee shirts and face caps.

A combined security of Policemen and officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) and the State Security Service (SSS) were on ground to ensure crowd control.

ROLL CALL Leading Labour Party stalwarts included the Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, National Chairman of the party, Mr. Dan Nwanyanwu, Deputy National Chairman, Hon Joseph Akinlaja, National Secretary,

Continues on page 39

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014—39

We’ll be worse off, if confab fails to restructure Nigeria — Uko DEPUTY Secretary of the Igbo Leaders of Thought and founder Igbo Youths Movement (IYM), Evang Elliot Uko, is worried that the National Conference may not meet the needs of Nigerians for a new, united and prosperous nation and offers the way forward.

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE

H

IS appraisal of the National Conference one month after It is two early to make comments on it but what has become very clear is the distinction between Nigerians who understand the issues and those who do not. Vast majority of commentators regrettably do not understand the real issues.

Patriotic and deep thinking compatriots who agitated for a national conference of ethnic nationalities, whose decisions will be affirmed at a referendum in order to produce a new constitution, had only one thing in mind: A new,

association is both apt and ripe at this time.

Are you saying that the ongoing confab won’t meet this vision?

I am saying that the agenda was to achieve a new, united, better equitable and progressive Nigeria by restructuring the polity in order to allow for positive growth and development. If this conference achieves that, that will be wonderful, if it doesn’t our situation will be worse because despondency and disappointment will set in. It will be clear that our inability to redirect and reconstruct our nation could mean that we lack the ability to live together in

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This conference will be adjudged by history as a failure if nothing significant changes in the structure of Nigeria

better, united and equitable Nigeria. They wanted a fair, progressive Nigeria to emerge.

They wanted to put behind all the vices and evils that have held us down as a nation.

They know that a restructured Nigeria will emerge as one of the leading nations on this planet. They know that equity and a new structure will transform our beloved country to a new level.

Enabling law They are passionate about the survival and greatness of Nigeria. They stayed up all night for decades thinking about, how to truly make Nigeria great. Some of them like Chief Rotimi Williams and many others have since passed on.

These great Nigerians even prepared a draft bill for an enabling law to legalize the entire thing. They genuinely worried about the future of Nigeria and were inspired by the great successes of other nations which were at the same level of political and economic growth with Nigeria by 1960.

They saw clearly what damage a faulty structure, wrong political culture and sleaze have done to Nigeria.

They came to the conclusion that only a National Conference will save Nigeria.

They also recognised the place of ethnicity in Nigerian politics and saw that conference of ethnic nationalities that will renegotiate our terms of

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peace and unity. Already many countries are worried at our plight and people are asking, what is wrong with Nigeria?

What is wrong with Nigeria?

What I think is wrong with us is our refusal to face the truth.

The 774 LGAs and 36 states structure will never move Nigeria forward. This faulty, inequitable structure breeds corruption. Regrettably, we

hear that some people are determined to defend it, not because, Nigeria is working, but because they want to defend advantages they have over other sections of the country. If these military creations are not overhauled, Nigeria will never know peace.

My section of the country feels caged and imprisoned.

Over 50 million Ndigbo are locked up in five out of 36 states. We are imprisoned in 95 out of 774 LGAs. By our population, we represent close to 30 per cent of Nigeria’s 170 million. My people want to see those prison walls fall down flat.

We want to turn our corner of the world into Shanghai and Hong Kong, we want to explode and turn this place into Dubai. We can’t because we are shackled and manacled by this unjust structure. Our young people are bitter about this wicked militarily imposed structure. Some of them have been waiving Biafran flags for over a decade now. Arrests and detention have not been able to deter them. Now some of them have graduated to hanging Biafran flags in government houses at midnight. My people are angry with the structure of Nigeria everyday. We want regional autonomy, where a more

•Uko:We must address the root cause of our problems responsive and responsible leadership will transform our land like Michael Okpara did 50 years ago.

This conference will be adjudged by history as a failure if nothing significant changes in the structure of Nigeria. And if the political structure is not significantly changed, then all our problems will not only persist but grow worse. This beautiful country has great potentials, but the military imposed a political structure not only retards growth and progress but also encourages sleaze and ethnic and religious frictions.

On comments that Prof. Ben Nwabueze (SAN), ILT leader,

does not to have faith in the conference That is not true. Prof.

Nwabueze is so passionate about the survival of Nigeria that he dedicated decades of his life fighting for a national conference that will peacefully and successfully restructure Nigeria into the great country she ought to be. Prof.

Nwabueze is greatly pained that certain forces are working day and night to pervert the conference, to turn in into an avenue that would only dress the wound, ameliorate the discomfort without addressing the real virus responsible for the disease.

South West: Labour Party makes inroad Continues from page 38 Alhaji Abdulkadir Salam, Mr. Gbenga Olayemi, Debo Oloogun-Agba and Alhaji Fatai Akingbade among others.

In his remarks, the Oyo State Interim Chairman, Comrade Bashiru Asafa, expressed delight that Governor Mimiko and other leaders attended the event.

Asafa, who addressed the crowd in Yoruba language, however, explained that the event was not a campaign rally but the commissioning of “our party secretariat.”

National chairman of the party, Mr. Nwanyanwu, on his part, appealed to both old and new members of the party not to jostle over positions yet.

Nwanyanwu said: “on behalf of the national executive of the party, I thank you for honouring us. Those of you who came from the PDP and APC are in a good progressive party because Labour Party is the only progressive party. We have room for everybody. Those of you who

executives. We are not here for campaigns because the ban has not been lifted.”

•Mimiko are new have been given waivers.”

The party’s chairman said that the party’s echelon was there not to campaign as the ban on campaigns has not been lifted by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. He said: “ we are here to commission our Oyo state office and inaugurate the interim state

LP is progressive –Mimiko An elated governor Mimiko expressed joy at the crowd that besieged the newly commissioned party secretariat located on Lodge Street in Oke Ado road.

Mimiko, who addressed the cheering crowd in Yoruba, said, “What we saw in Ibadan today baffled us. We only came to commission our office and not for a rally but the crowd here have shown that Labour Party is the party of progressives.”

Taking a swipe at the APC, Mimiko said: “The difference between our party and the other party is that we are the most progressive party in Nigeria.

Some people only proclaim that they are progressives with their mouth but they are not. Our party is the only party that seeks to alleviate the lives of the people from the poverty line.”

Mimiko not only used the

occasion to canvass support for his party, he also advised the people of Oyo state not to see President Goodluck Jonathan as their enemy. ”We want Labour Party to spread across Yoruba land because we are out to carter for the masses.

This is our message, we are a progressive party and we want you to join our party. Also do not see President Jonathan as your enemy because he means well for all of you”, Mimiko advised the people.

Observers of political events in the South West view the Labour Party’s latest efforts as being capable of whipping up public sympathy in the region.

Already, ahead of the gubernatorial elections in both Ekiti and Osun states, Messrs Opeyemi Bamidele and Alhaji Fatai Akingbade have pitched their tents with the Labour Party.

This move, analysts posit, is causing stir in the political firmaments of the two states.

40 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014

FG commences reconstruction of substandard bridges nationwide

By FAVOUR NNABUGWU

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FCT, firm sign pact for devt of Abuja Centenary City

By JUDE NJOKU & HENRY UMORU

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etermined to flag off work on the construction of the 2.976 trillion Naira Abuja Centenary City project, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, Senator Bala Mohammed last week, endorsed an agreement for the development of the City which is one of the landmark projects to commemorate Nigeria’s attainment of 100 years.

The agreement was signed between the FCT Administration and Centenary City Conglomerate chaired by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar.

Senator Mohammed who disclosed that the Centenary City was an initiative of the Federal Government to provide qualitative houses for Abuja’s rapidly growing population as well as to commemorate the centenary celebration of Nigeria, said that the sum of N2.976 Trillion (18.6 billion US Dollars) has been mopped up to develop the 1,200 hectares of land earlier earmarked by the FCT Administration for the purpose.

According to him, a total of N1.2 billion had been paid being 100 percent compensation for economic trees of the original inhabitants as well as structures of some non natives situated there, adding that 20 percent of the plot

has been earmarked for residential houses while 80 percent is for mixed use and commercial purposes.

The Abuja Centenary City which would be built from scratch along Airport Road, will be the secondlargest private city development in history, and signals a new national economic awakening.

It will promote world-class multinational and domestic businesses in a planned environment that will encourage business and trade in the 21st century. Around 100,000 people will live in the new city, with a further 500,000 expected to pass through it daily.

Vanguard Homes & Property learnt that in a concerted effort to boost trade and investment in Nigeria, and

following the success of Dubai, Monaco, Shenzhen, Singapore and Songdo, the City will incorporate a free trade zone, duty free regime, tax holidays and nonregulated banking services Senator Bala at the occasion explained that the Federal Capital Development Authority, which is the custodian of the Abuja Master Plan, would be working hand in hand to ensure high quality infrastructure in the area. He further explained that the FCT Administration would maintain five percent equity share in the project.

The FCT Minister of State, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, FCT Permanent Secretary, Engr. John O. Chukwu fnse, and the FCDA Executive Secretary, Engr.

Adamu Ismaila witnessed the brief ceremony.

Patunola backs SW integration programme

By KINGSLEY ADEGBOYE

T

he First Vice President of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, NIESV, Pastor Ajayi Patunola has thrown his weight behind the South-West integration programme, saying the programme would develop and boost all sectors of the economy of member states.

Dr. Patunola who is the Managing Partner of J. Ajayi Patunola & Co, a firm of estate surveyors and valuers, added that the initiative will not only boost the practice of real estate business in the region, it will also

help to generate employment.

The NIESV 1st VP who stated these at the 25th anniversary of his practice as an estate surveyor and valuer, emphasised the need for training and retraining of estate surveyors in order to remain relevant in the modern day business trends.

Patunola who pointed out, that lack of reading remains a major challenge to professionals in the country, noted that real estate market has become very huge because of diversification.

Patunola who started his firm in 1989 with a handful of staff, now has a staff strength of 100 and nine branches across Nigeria.

n its quest to develop standard infrastructure, the Federal Government has commenced the reconstruction of all substandard bridges in the country. The government which spoke through the Minister of Works, Mr Mike Onolememen, explained that all existing old, weak and narrow bridges will be replaced by new and standard bridges that can compete with the test of time.

Onolememen, an architect, who inspected the newly completed bridges on Ovoa-Agenebode bridge in Etsako East Local Government Area, Egbegio in South-Ibie, Etsako West Local Government Area and the Federal Polytechnic bridge, Auchi, all in Edo State penultimate weekend, said that the new bridges are part of the transformation agenda of President Jonathan.

“The Federal Ministry of Works has for a while embarked on systemic replacement of substandard bridges across the country. You can see that the existing old narrow bridge at Wepa river could only take one vehicle at a time and that is not befitting of an economy that is experiencing transformation and that is why we decided to replace substandard bridges with new concrete ones,” he said.

The Minister commended the contractor that handled the bridges for a job well done. ”The contractor who carried out this project is Mothercat Nigeria limited which has given a good account of itself. That is how it should be because this project was completed on schedule and because on that we didn’t witness any cost overrun in the cost of the project,” he said.

On the Obajana-Auchi-Benin dual carriage road, the Minister said that the expansion of the road was aimed at reducing accidents on it.

“Many Nigerians drive with a lot of fear on this route because of its notoriety in terms of carnage and it is just a distance of about 3-4km. For us, the major objective of the government is to reduce fatality on our roads amongst all other things and reduce travel times as well. As soon as the work is completed, the daily carnage will be a thing of the past because vehicle will move better on this new design,”he assured.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15 , 2014 — 41

FG flags off reconstruction of N8.22bn Ilorin-Kabba-Obajana road ESVARBON to quacks: We will fight you to a standstill

By JUDE NJOKU

W

orks Minister, Mike Onolememen has flagged off the rehabilitation of Phase 11, Ilorin – Kabba – Obajana road which is estimated to gulp N8.22 on completion in three years time.

Flagging off the reconstruction in Kabba, Kogi State, the Minister who is an architect, explained that the 80 kilometre stretch of road will serve as a major economic artery to Obajana Cement Factory. It will also provide access to the nation’s premier Steel Plant in Ajaokuta, Kogi State. Furthermore, the road which connects Kogi and Kwara States will also serve as a connector-highway that links the North-South Arterial route A1 (Lagos-Ibadan-Ilorin-KadunaKatsina) to the North-South Arterial route A2 (Warri-BeninLokoja-Abuja-Kaduna-Katsina).

The project, according to a press statement signed by the Ministry’s Deputy Director of Information, Mr. Theodore Ogaziechi, was awarded to Messrs CGC Nigeria Limited.

He quoted the minister as saying that on completion of the project, travel time and cost of vehicle maintenance will be reduced while socio-economic activities in the country will increase, thereby contributing to an improved National Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which currently stands at

By JUDE NJOKU

S

Works Minister, Mike Onolememen, Governor Wada of Kogi State, Senator Smart Adeyemi and Oba Michael Olabayo at the flag-off of the road project.

510 billion dollars.

The road, Onolememen said, will be completed within 36 calendar months at the cost of N8.22 billion.

The Governor of Kogi State, Captain Idris Wada who also spoke at the flagoff, promised to provide all necessary security and support to the contractors to ensure successful completion of the project. He however called for compliance to the terms of the contract and asked the contractor not to cut

corners but stick strictly to specifications.

Senator Smart Adeyemi and the Obaro of Kabba Land, HRM Oba Michael Olabayo in whose constituency and kingdom the road traverses, promised to provide support in form of accommodation, manpower, security among other requests as may be required by the company until the completion of the project. The highway is a 2 lane 7.3metre single carriageway with 2.5metres wide shoulders on both sides.

Nigerite’s new helmsman unfolds transformation agenda

By KINGSLEY ADEGBOYE

T

he new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nigerite Limited, Mr. Frank LE Bris, has unfolded strategic growth plans to ensure the company remains a leader in the provision of solutions to housing needs of Nigerians.

The growth plans include transforming the company into a complete building components solution outfit with the aim of increasing and extending the products portfolio of the company and also increasing its market share.

Mr. LE Bris, who assumed office as the managing director of the 55- year old company in Nigeria in December last year, made the disclosure at a parley with newsmen in Lagos, last week.

Describing Nigeria as a consuming nation, he described the country as a potential market for Nigerite products. “The difference I want to make as the new Managing Director is to make huge investment for the company as agreed by the

Mr. Frank LE Bris shareholders of the company.

Essentially, I am here to support our team and to unfold the new products of the company to the market. So, I am here to help Nigerite start a new era”, LE Bris said.

He said the company has adopted the strategy of providing solutions to all aspects of building construction and finishing in order to remain the market

IX months into his tenure as the Chairman of the Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria, ESVARBON, Elder William Oruka Odudu has again vowed to use everything at his disposal to fight quackery in the estate management profession.

Odudu who spoke at the induction of 163 newly registered estate surveyors and valuers in Lagos last week, also renewed his pledge to double the numerical strength of registered estate surveyors and valuers in the country before the expiration of his tenure in 2016. He explained that with the admission of the new surveyors into the register of ESVARBON, the numerical strength of qualified estate surveyors in the country has risen to 3,395, a figure, he said, is grossly inadequate to cater for the over 160 million Nigerians who may require their services.

On his pledge to battle quacks to a standstill, Elder Odudu who is also a past President of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, NIESV said: “The Board has put requisite machinery in place, in collaboration with the relevant law enforcement agencies to check the spread of pseudo practice and bring to book culprits found guilty of the offence."

leader in its segment of the economy. “ Apart from our dry construction process which is faster in delivering housing projects than wet construction, Nigerite is into the production of finishing products such as a range of ceilings and roofing products as well as floor tiles.

Corroborating LE Bris, Toyin Gbede, an architect and marketing director of Nigerite said the company is going t h r o u g h transformation from one that produces products to a company that offers solutions.

“We are beginning to play at the international level within the expertise of the new managing director to help this transformation process to succeed. Like he stated, Nigeria itself has transformed from what it used to be. So, the managing director is here to add his knowledge of what transformation means abroad from what he has seen there to the transformation process Nigerite is currently going through.

C

M Y K

42 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014

Ill-fated boat recovered by LASWA divers. (INSET): LASWA MD, Yinka Marinho.

MAJIDUN FERRY MISHAP:

The LASWA story, by agency’s boss •Refutes overloading, says 22 were on board •Ill-fated boat hit detached log •Adopting measures to stem recurrence •LASWA, boat owners saved 14 survivors

O

N the Majidun mishap that claimed eight lives On that fateful day, 22 passengers embarked on the journey at about 5:30am and were all putting on life jackets from Ebute Ero. The accident happened along Oworoshoki channel heading towards Majidun.

We got a distress call around 5:50am and

got to the accident scene at 6:10am and with the management of Bell Marine, the ferry owners, because the boat that hit the log called other boats from his company who came to assist. We were able to save 14 persons, though we eventually lost eight persons.

With the help of LASAMBUS, we moved the victims to General Hospital Ikorodu.

The corpses were later moved to morgue of High land hospital the following day.

Our agency and Bell marine management took possession of the corpses we recovered and handed them over to Marine police, Ikoyi where the case was reported.

After this, we went back to that same channel to bring out the boat in order to investigate the cause of the accident and we discovered the LASWA with the management of Bell hole on the boat and we also Marine saved 14 survivors. LASWA divers discovered all the brought out six dead bodies from the boat logs around the channel which that sank and retrieved the boat from caused the boat to underneath the lagoon sink.

At that point in time, we had been able to go round to most of the victims who carries out a thorough inspection on the survived to clarify some issues to help our boat. The boat must have life jackets for both adults and children. Aside from this, investigation.

After the incident, we invited the loggers we also inspect the boats quarterly to check association to discuss how we will ensure the sea worthiness and all safety equipment on board especially the life jacket. that such mishap do not occur again.

,

THERE are controversies surrounding the boat mishap that occurred on the second day of this month which left eight people dead, while 12 others were rescued after a wooden boat capsized in Majidun area of Ikorodu. The Lagos State Waterways Authority, LASWA, the agency saddled with the responsibility of sanitising travels on the state’s waterways believes some reports on the accident were not only uninformed but also mischievous. The Agency’s Managing Director, Olayinka Marinho, gave his organisation’s side of the story in an interview with LEKE ADESERI, the South West Regional Editor.

We have taken it upon ourselves to monitor those logs from the entry point of Epe to Makoko. We had an agreement with the loggers Association in 2012 and we are going back to that agreement to ensure their logs do not become hindrance to the movement of our boats and passengers along the water ways.

As regards the search and rescue, LASWA with the management of Bell marine saved 14 survivors. LASWA divers brought out six dead bodies from the boat that sank underneath the lagoon and retrieved the boat from the lagoon.

Immediate precautions We have spoken with our operators to ensure that all passengers put on their life jacket throughout the journey. We are also looking at how we can widen the windows in the vessels to have more emergency exits in case of accident because I believe some of the passengers were trapped in the boat when it sank.

Issues around life jackets One of the things that the Agency does is to ensure that before any boat begins operation, we have an inspection unit that

,

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014

have like 2,000 persons trying to get into one bus. There are some issues we have to be very practical about.

The ferry transportation business is like a bus service. It happens that our main time of traffic is the morning hour’s rush and the evening hour rush. What we do is to create an orderly queue and take the head counts. With this, we have the departure time of boats and make sure that each boat with the number of passengers it is meant to ferry. We radio or call the other end, I mean the destination point to let them know when to expect the boat.

This is how we do our surveillance within the water ways.

Apart from that, we have our patrol boats that are sited in the water ways to ensure that our boats and passengers are save and also to ensure that our operators comply with the water ways rules and are fast to report any mishap in our water ways.

However, we are planning to bring in five boats before the end of this quarter and very soon you will get to see them on the water ways. They are with 80 sitters’ capacity.

LASWA and the FESTAC mishap

In a case where we discover substandard life jackets, what we do is to seize and burn them regularly. We also ensure these operators are not allowed to operate on the waterways until they provide standard life jackets. Lagos state government, yearly, also donates life jackets to riverine areas.

It has been a continuous programme by the state to give out life jackets to riverine areas and we enforce it on our ferry operators.

This year, about 10,500 life jackets will be given out to some of our operators and a large percentage will be given to the people in the riverine areas.

Legislation to minimise non-compliance with life jacket use We have Legislature to curb this.

We also have the water guards at the jetties. You must wear the life jacket before you get into the boat and you do not take it off until you get out of the boat.

This is because we notice that some passengers who rush out of the boat at times fall back into the water at the point of exit.

The law is: wear your life jacket before you get into the boat and take it off when you are out of the boat.

So we are now putting it upon the operators to ensure the captain of each boat is very vigilant and ensure no passenger removes his or her life jacket during the

journey on the water ways. It is impossible for us to put a life guard on every boat that travels on the water way.

Is there any form of punishment?

For now, we are looking at fines on erring operators or banning them for a certain period of time. While we are still on our research on the best approach to this issue, we have done a practical demonstration of how to use and the functions of the life jackets in the past because the importance of the life jacket cannot be overemphasized as regards water transportation.

Water transportation We have water guards at each of those terminals and that is why we have the confidence to tell you that 22 passengers left with the ill fated boat with their life jackets on.

Do the ferries carry manifests?

We do a rider’s count of the numbers on the water ways. When people talk about the manifest I like to imagine where we can run the water ways like developed countries of the world where their major transportation is the water transportation.

This is like going on the bus; can you carry a manifest in a bus? Is this possible during the rush hours? Sometimes you

areas within the state and the terminals will have facilities like the transition zone, car parks, even fuel banks where we can easily fuel our boats.

This will reduce fire accidents and will be very convenient for us. The state has floating jetties which make it a painless transition between the water ways for the passengers to come up of the boat. We are going from the concrete jetties to an easier one to enter and come off the boat.

There is the Ministry of Rural Development which has built a lot of jetties in the riverine areas from Badagry to Epe. Those jetties are now under the Lagos State Waterways Authority and we have about 59 of them spread across the metropolis of Lagos we are upgrading some of these jetties we are upgrading.

We have many projects at hand that are close to completion. We have one at Oke Afa, Isolo that we are bringing up pretty soon. People will be able to move from Oke Afa through Mile 2 to the Island. The jetties under the state are upgraded by the state and those under the Federal Government are being managed by them.

The law makers’ invitation I have been invited to the House.

Do you have any idea of what the query is?

I know it has to do with the Majidun accident. I think some publications have not made the investigation easy. We have incidents like this happen in every country of the world. The best thing to do is to ensure this incident does not happen again.

The incident was quite unfortunate.

LASWA’s achievement LASWA has disclosed that at least 12 million residents of Lagos State used the now-famous waterways transportation between January and July 2013.

According to the agency, the figure represents an increase of more than 100 percent in three years.

The ridership is a statistical data used by the Lagos State Waterways Authority to monitor the number of commuter that uses the state waterways to move within Lagos.

From a 494,010 ridership in June 2010, the ridership as at July 2013 has gone up to 1,862,767million, a development that has

That incident happened on a canal which is not meant for such movements, I mean not for water transportation.

The Chairman of the Local Government in Festac has done so much to stop people from crossing to the other end through that canal. He placed a gate at the other end where the passengers will land to close up between 4th and 6th avenue. There is no entering or exit point from the canal into the river. My point is that the canal is not a water way recognized route where people are expected to cross.

That crossing shouldn’t have happened because there is a bridge which I believe is about a 100metres where they should have crossed. The Local government has gone as far as creating tricycles for easy transportation in that area. There were alternative means to do that crossing. It was a very unfortunate incident. It was a minor who was piloting the boat, it was a 12-sitter canoe and he had 24 passengers on We have water guards at each of those board. I think he lost control of the boat terminals and that is why we have the trying to maneuver an confidence to tell you that 22 passengers over loaded boat at night. Our agency left with the ill-fated boat with their life does not encourage jackets on night travels. Most of the jetties that we superintend have our reduced pressure on the roads. A further water guard who will leave those jetties at breakdown showed that there was a 7:30pm to close the water ways progressive increase in the number of people that travel by water on a monthly transportation.

Going forward, the state is putting on basis. As at January 2013, a total of navigation bouys like BRT lane on the 1.103,567 as against 481,745 people in 2012 water ways. We are doing one in the Ojo used the waterways . For the months of area which I think before the end of the February and March 2013, 1,471,325 and next month, will start work in the Ojo axis 1,545,183 were recorded respectively, while from Ijegun Egba to Ebute Ojo ferry the month of April 2013 saw a total of 1,671,225 people using the waterway. terminal.

The figures for the months of February, From the Island to Ikorodu area, our March and April 2012 stood at 892,456, terminal leaves from Ipakodo which will be like a BRT lane on the water way so 1.212,768 and 1.560,182 repectively. For anybody who enters within that channel May, June, July and August 2013, the stood at will be able to navigate easily towards figure 1.671,325,1.852,653,1.862,767 and Ikorodu and not miss his way. We are also working on using solar energy to have 1.788,370 as against 1.318,372 May 2012, reflections at night that will demarcate the 1.269,754,1.729,712,and 1.135,810 water ways during harmattan period and respectively for the period under review.

The agency had projected that ridership in the evenings. could be as high as 2 million going by the Uneven development of the jetties Lagos State Government has taken up steady increase of the number of people the infrastructure within the water ways. opting to travel by water.

Additional reports by That is; building of terminals in different Dotun Ibiwoye and parts of the state.

Aderonke Adeyeri.

We want to build terminals in strategic

,

Detached logs that caused the accident.

— 43

,

44 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014

Edo APC ward congresses: Go to Appeal C'ttee, party leaders tell aggrieved members

2015: DESOPADEC commissioner urges Ukwuani to vote for PDP

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

B

ENIN—AS the All Pro gressives Congress, APC, in Edo State, holds its council congresses in the 18 local government areas in the state today, the leadership of the party has asked members who were not satisfied with the conduct of the ward congresses to channel their petitions to its Appeal Committee.

It was learnt that Governor Adams Oshiomhole, gave the directive during a meeting called to review the outcome of the ward congresses yesterday.

Meanwhile, Deputy Governor of the state, Dr. Pius Odubu, has urged party members not to take the result of the ward congresses of the party as a do or die matter in order to avoid what he described as unnecessary animosity.

In out of the 77 wards in Edo South senatorial district where the ward congresses took place on Saturday, the exercise was successful in about 67 wards. The lead-

T

HE Commissioner representing Ndokwa Nation in Delta State Oil Producing Communities Development Commission, DESOPADEC, Sir Kenny Okolugbo, has charged the Ukwuani people to repay the goodwill of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan by voting massively for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in all the elections of February 2015.

He spoke while commissioning a new Ante-natal building at the General Hospital Obiaruku, noting that the commission was keying in to the free maternal health care of the governor, which has driven down the rate of infant mortality in the state.

Okolugbo assured that equipping the abandoned Paediatric ward built in 2006 will be looked into by the commission and thanked the state governor for providing the enabling environment.

Rotary executes water project in Delta secondary school

T

HE Rotary Club of Ovwian, Delta State, has executed a N650,000 pipeborne water project in Aladja Grammar School, Aladja, Udu Local Government Area of the state.

Commissioning the project, Mr. Clement Oghene, Assistant Governor of Rotary, Zone 9, President, Rotary Club of Ovwian, Mr Emmanuel Umukoro, said the choice of locating the project was informed by

the fact that the school was one of the oldest secondary schools in the council.

Principal of the school, Mr. Omaruaye, thanked the club, saying “it is a turning point in the over 30 years existence of this school. We have had unfulfilled promises from politicians, organisations and individuals on the rehabilitation of existing, and building of new infrastructure in the school.”

ers of the party in areas where the exercise could not hold were directed, yesterday, to go and harmonise.

At press time, the leaders in the affected areas were harmonizing so as to be ready for today’s council congresses.

Odubu, who commended

the efforts of Governor Oshiomhole in ensuring that credible congresses were conducted in the state, frowned at the way party members were going about the congress as if it was an election with an opposition party. He said: “It is still within the

Delta clergy alleges threat to life

BY FESTUS AHON

U

GHELLI—THE rift between the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Patani Local Government Area Chapter, Delta State, and the Kabowei Cultural Committee degenerated, yesterday, as the association’s Chairman in the area, Rt. Rev Edafe Emamezi, raised alarm over alleged threat to his life by a member of the cultural committee, (name withheld).

CAN and the Kabowei Cultural Committee have been at loggerheads over the Seigbein cultural festival in Patani town which is required to commence with 11 days observance of complete quietness, during which no sound/musical instruments should be put to use.

Emamezi, in a letter to the

state governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, urged the governor to put a stop to attacks on Christians in the town.

The letter disclosed that the governor ’s representative, Mr. Tonye Timi, was in the Bishop's Court on April 2, 2014 “with Patani Community Chairman and the Secretary of the religious cult group, to see how the issue can be resolved.

“In the course of our discussion, when they couldn’t gag me, one of them flared up and threatened to send me out of Patani. I see this as a threat to my life and family. I strongly take exception to that statement and sincerely beg you to put a stop to these attacks on Christians in Patani and call them to explain their actions.”

Delta community holds confab

T

HE 59th Annual General Conference of the people of Alisimie Idumu-Itenei Community in Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State comes up on April 18, 2014.

According to a statement by the Chairman of Alisimie Central Executive Committee, Mr. Augustine Uwagwu, the AGM will take

place at Alisimie town hall in Idumukwu at 10a.m.

It implored sons and daughters of the community both at home and in the Diaspora to attend the conference as delegates to the conference would brainstorm on ways to fasttrack the infrastructural development of the community.

Delta Assembly to pass Bill on Judiciary financial autonomy

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

A

SABA—A bill seeking to grant financial autonomy to Delta State judiciary by releasing funds from the Consolidated Revenue Fund directly to it is underway.

Already, the bill titled Judiciary Financial Autonomy 2014, has passed the second reading in the state House of Assembly.

This followed the presentation of report by the House Committee on Business, Legal and Judicial Matters led by Mr. Rufus Akpodiete.

It will be recalled that there is a subsisting judgment by Justice Adeniyi Ademola, who ordered that “the Attorney General of the Federation and the states should act responsibly and promptly to avoid constitutional crisis in the country by ensuring financial autonomy for the judiciary.”

He made it clear that the end has come for the judiciary to be going cap in hand to beg the executive for funds.

By Bartholomew Madukwe

PEOPLE SPEAK

08102479985

party and we must see ourselves as brothers and sisters.”

(nwamad@yahoo.com)

On killing of 60 in fresh Boko Haram attacks in Bornu

M

Y soldier friend told me what was going on in Borno state.

He said it was terrible the way the insurgents are killing our soldiers with sophisticated weapons which our troops do not have. He said the insurgents are operating with armoured carriers and helicopters without being interrupted.— Mr. Titus Mba- Businessman.

I

still doubt how these terrorists can do their destructive work with armored personnel carriers without being repelled by security operatives. Where were the Air Force, Army when the insurgents unleashed havoc? Mr Akarigbo Okoro- Commentator.

VERNMENT G Oshould do something

to stop the killing of innocent people. The citizens are no longer sure of their safety at any point in time.

This is the biggest mistake by people who use them to fight the government of President Goodluck Jonathan. Mr. Igho Justice- ICT.

M

Y people, do not be deceived, the world is coming to an end. Please give your life to God. Putting an end to this mayhem by Boko Haram is largely dependent on the willingness of the northerners.

Mr. Henry BakwunyeSales Representative.

I

T is high time gov ernment gave guns to some civil servants and teachers in the villages and let us then see whether Boko Haram can still act without restraint. The army cannot be everywhere. Mr. Ezekiel Olatade- Chorister

T

HIS senseless kill ing must stop. Boko Haram should stop killing ordinary citizens. The Presidency and Northern leaders should stop playing politics with the lives of the masses, if really that is what they have been doing. Mr. Abraham Alexander- Worker.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014 — 45

Delta community attributes blackout to BEDC's reprisal over protest

Anioma APC leaders hail conduct of peaceful congresses

A

NIOMA Leaders Forum of Delta State, has hailed the Congress Committee Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state, Mr. Ngo Silva, for conducting hitch free ward and local government congresses in the North senatorial district of the state.

The group, led by Mr. Hyacinth Enuha, in Asaba, yesterday, described the congresses in the nine Anioma local government areas as transparent and credible, saying that the Ngo Silvaled team has performed well.

He said that due to the capacity of the state congress conducting team, the atmosphere in the nine councils was peaceful and devoid of rancour.

On his part, Ngo Silver, on the behalf the state congress committee members, thanked the Anioma people for their peaceful disposition, saying that the committee succeeded because of the way the party members conducted themselves.

Ovwuvwe annual festival ends Thursday

T

HE Ovie of Umiaghwa-Abraka Kingdom, HRM Lucky Ararile, Avwaeke I, has said that the celebration of the Ovwuvwe annual festival by his people, which started on April 1, will end on Thursday.

The Avwaeke I, in a statement by Chairman of the anniversary committee, Chief Ben Odjugo, said that the highpoint of the ceremony comes up on April 16, when the traditional war lords of Umiaghwa, Abraka will return from the forest called “Uyo,” to the ancestral shrine of Ovwuvwe at UgheleOtorho, Abraka.

Other features of the weeklong festival, include the second anniversary of HRM Ararile, as the Ovie of Umiaghwa, Abraka Kingdom.

C M Y K

BY EGUFE YAFUGBORHI & AKPOKONA OMAFUAIRE

W

BRIEFING: From left: Dr. Femi Thomas, Executive Secretary/CEO National Health Insurance Scheme; Mr. Omatsola Barrow, Sales & Distribution Executive, MTN and Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, Chairman, OpenMedia Communications Limited, at the Media Parley introducing Y’ello Health Insurance.

Jonathan urged to tackle energy crisis in riverine communities

BY EMMA AMAIZE

W

ARRI—THE traditional ruler of Akugbene Mein Kingdom in Delta State, HRM Pere Luke Kalanama VIII, has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to address the power supply problem facing the riverine communities in the state.

He said that some of the riverside communities in Kpakiama, headquarters of the Boma-

di Local Government Area that were connected to the national grid have no electricity, while many others were in total darkness.

The monarch, in a statement after a meeting of the Akugbene-Mein Kingdom Council of Chiefs in his palace, also urged the President to direct the anti-corruption agencies to step up the fight against corruption.

He said that the Federal

Government should effectively direct the security agencies in the fight against Boko Haram insurgency, which had claimed hundreds of innocent lives.

On the ongoing national conference in Abuja, the monarch commended the President for convening the historical gathering to brainstorm on the issues bedeviling the nation and proffer solutions.

Reduce election conflicts, Macaulay charges Deltans

BY FESTUS AHON

U

GHELLI—SECRETARY to Delta State Government, SSG, Mr. Ovuozorie Macaulay, has appealed to the people of the state to reduce conflicts over elections, urging all the ethnic groups in the state to build bridges of unity with one another.

Macaulay, at his Owhologbo country home, when he played host to Isoko elders of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the Abraka community, the state Performing Musicians Employee Association of Nigeria, PMAN Governor, Quincy Tebite Ellu community and President Generals of Owhe Kingdom, said once the bridge of unity was built, there would be no animosity among ethnic groups in the state.

Enjoining the people to im-

prove on the unity existing amongst the various groups in the state, he assured the Abraka community that the state government would continue to pay attention to the university community, adding, “giving the Abraka people four transformers is just the beginning.

Government is going to look into the township roads in Abraka.

“As a matter of fact, I know some of the roads have been cleared and once the budget is out, I am going to liaise with the Commissioner for Works and of course, get the approval of the governor for us to look into some of the internal roads in Abraka. The development of Abraka is of concern to everybody and we are going to do more.”

On whether the groups that visited were making demands on him as regards 2015 and the position of the Isoko peo-

ple, Macaulay said: “Isoko people are silent and our silence remains golden. Demands are being made, but you don’t fall into such temptations in a hurry because people are making demands.”

Earlier in his remarks, Chairman of Ethiope East Local Government Transition Committee, Mr. Sunday Onoriode, thanked the state governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan and Macaulay for their effort in the development of the Abraka community.

According to him, Abraka community was written off after the 2011 elections, expressing joy that the SSG had put smiles on their faces last year with the installation of four transformers in Abraka. He also assured that the issue of township roads would be addressed.

ARRI—AL ADJA community in Udu Local Government Area, Delta State, has been thrown into total blackout, following last week’s protests by residents over epileptic power supply and perceived outrageous bills.

Residents, who see the total blackout as Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC's, punitive action for last Wednesday ’s protest, have promised total show- down with BEDC. Mrs. Augustina Edirin, who resides in Ighwre Quarters, in a chat with Vanguard, yesterday said: “That the electricity company cut off our light for daring to protest what we perceived as injustice, is the height of it. They should never bring light bills either, because we will not pay for what we did not consume."

Group flays suspension of three Rivers PDP chieftains

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

P

ORT HARCOURT— THE internal crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Rivers State, deepened yesterday, as a group within the party, condemned the suspension of Chief Sarah Igbe, Mr. Lolo Ibieneye and Chief Elemchukwu Obowo, describing same as an act of tyrany.

It will be recalled that the state leadership of the party had suspended the three party chieftains for allegedly daring to denounce attempt by some forces within the party to adopt the Supervising Minister of Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike, as the governorship candidate of the party come 2015, in a radio programme.

46—Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014

Herbalist docked over N2m fraud

BY CHINYERE ABIAZIEM

L

MEETING: From left— Zonta Motolani Akinkoye; Zonta Omolara Smith, President Z Club 11; Zonta Anastasia Gbem; Ms Lynn Mckonzie, President Zonta International and Zonta International Foundation; Zonta Gloriastene Agboola, Governor District 18 Africa, and Zonta Shade Bembatoum-Young, President, Zonta International Club of Lagos 1 District 18, Area 03, during the welcome meeting with Zonta President International Foundation, Ms Lynn Mckonzie to Nigeria in Lagos. PHOTO: Diran Oshe.

Bees kill 83-yr-old woman in Imo

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

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WERRI—SHOCK and confusion reigned supreme in Nchoko Amiri community, Oru East local council area of Imo State, as an 83-year old woman, Madam Nwanyiaro Orji, was reportedly stung to death by a

swarm of bees.

It was gathered that the aged woman went to use the convenience located at the back of the family house when suddenly people heard an unusual noise.

A villager, who identified himself as Joe, told Vanguard that they thought

the noise came from a bunch of ripe bread fruit tree at the backyard, pointing out that they never knew it was the beehive on top of the bread fruit tree.

He said: “The angry bees, which home had been dislodged, started stinging everybody within the vicinity,

Dangote Cement debunks comments on buildings collapse D

ANGOTE Cement Plc yesterday dispelled insinuations that the 42.5 high quality grade cement it just introduced into the market could cause cracks in buildings and eventually lead to building collapse.

The Group Managing Director of Dangote Cement, DVG Edwin, at a briefing, yesterday, at the company’s head office in Lagos, expressed regrets over the misinformation going on in the public and wondered why some manufacturers would intentionally discredit the higher cement grade, just for the purpose of profit maximisation.

He said: “Although we want to make profit as a company but not at the cost of human lives. We want to make profit, but we will never indulge in

profiteering because we are guided by principles which we strictly adhere to. We will never compromise the lives of the people.

“There is a lot of misinformation going on in the country. A lot of these unscrupulous operators try to state that a lower 32.5 cement grades give higher strength than the higher

42.5 grades. This is ridiculous and laughable.

“There is nowhere in the world where a higher quality and a higher grade product will perform less than a lower quality product.”

He challenged competitors to produce evidence of SON’s certification authorising them to produce 32.5 grades.

APC's presidential candidate 'll reflect Nigerians' interests— ONU are determined to make general interest of Nigerians

BY PETER OKUTU

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B A K A L I K I — AGAINST the backdrop that the All Progressives Congress, APC, was aiming at

presenting only presidential candidates of Islamic background in the 2015 general election, one of the leaders of the party, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, has said the ticket would reflect the

125 students, 4 institutions benefit from SAMOAEF

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O fewer than 125 undergraduates of institutions of higher learning across the country have benefitted from Samuel Maduka Onyishi African Entrepreneurship Foundation, SAMOAEF, 2013

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including the aged woman’s step-son, who was in the kitchen at the time.”

It was further gathered that as the bees were having a field day on his step-mother, the young man made a spirited attempt to pull her away from the scene.

He added: “This did not work as the aged woman was not agile enough to scamper into safety with her step-son. The boy hurriedly left the scene.”

Some youths later organised themselves, bought some cans of insecticide, wrapped themselves properly and went after the bees.

Joe said: “After winning the battle against the bees, the young men rescued the old woman and quickly rushed her to a nearby private hospital, where the medical team did everything possible to save her life. The woman died the next day.”

AGOS— A traditional medicine man was docked, yesterday, in an Ebute Metta court for fraudulently obtaining over N2 million from a banker, Ayokunle Adebayo, under the pretext of treating his illhealth.

According to the prosecutor, DSP Etim Nkankuk, the defendant, 43-year-old Adeyemi Sakiru, who resides at Shomolu area, asked the complainant to pay him N2 million for treatment.

He also demanded that N10,000 be paid into his account to enable him buy the required herbal ingredients to facilitate his treatment.

After the treatment, the complainant noticed no improvement in his health condition and reported the matter to the police.

According to the charge sheet, the defendant, aside from defrauding the complainant, did threaten to kill his aunt, should she disturb him over the money again.

He also falsely presented himself as a licensed herbalist and trado-medical practitioners, an act which contravenes Sections 285 and 312 of the state’s criminal law.

The magistrate, Mrs Demi Ajayi, granted the defendant bail in sum of N500,000 with two sureties and adjourned the case to May 12.

scholarship scheme.

This brings to 725 the number of beneficiaries since the scheme was instituted in 2008.

Chairman, Peace Group of Companies, Dr. Sam Onyishi, who spoke at the

presentation of scholarships to the beneficiaries at Princess Alexandra Auditorium of University of Nigeria Nsukka, Thursday, said the reason for the award was to better the lot of humanity.

across the country.

Onu, who stated this during the party’s ward congress at Obiozara ward 1, in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State last weekend, assured party supporters and Nigerians that the presidential candidates of the party would emerge at the right time as the party was sensitive to the feelings of Nigerians.

According to him, APC remains a movement determined to make changes in the general administration of the country.

He said: “The APC is essentially a movement. We

changes. We must be very sensitive to the feelings of Nigerians.

“We must respond adequately to the feelings in different parts of the country.

I want to assure you that when we present our presidential candidates, Nigerians will be happy.

“We must have these structures in place and when the time comes, we will present our presidential candidates.

“We have done many things that Nigerians felt we could not do easily and we have done them successfully and this will come that way.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014—47

TURBANNING: From left— Alhaji M. A. Atanda, Managing Director, Macquis Nigeria Limited and Turaki of Egbaland; Alhaji Kola Animasaun, former Chairman, Editorial Board, Vanguard Newspapers, and Alhaji Aminu, during the turnbaning of Animasaun as the Agbesinga Adinni of Dopemuland, Lagos.

MEETING: From left— Dr. Chii Akporji, Special Adviser to the Coordinating Minister of the Economy; Dr. Ikemba Iweala; Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Coordinating Minister of the Economy & Minister of Finance; Dr. Bright Okogu, DG, Budget Office, and Emeka Ugwu-Oju, President, South-East South-South Professionals of Nigeria.

ECO PROMO: From left— Mrs. Oyenmowo Ilawagbon, Regional Sales Manager, FCT/North, Ecobank Nigeria; Alhaja Gambo Liman, Consumer Protection Council, CPC; Mr. Ikurior Peter, a winner at the Ecobank Card4Prizes promo; Mr. Akhigbe Emmanuel, Cards & e-Banking, Ecobank Nigeria; and Mr. Awoniyi Laoye, Head, Personal Banking, FCT/North, Ecobank Nigeria, at the promo in Abuja.

INDUCTION: From left— Mr. Yom BadejoOkusanya, Mr. Tunde Renner, MD, Evolve Integrated Services; and Mr. Chido Nwakanma, President, Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria, PRCAN, at the association's induction ceremony.

SEMINAR: From left— Mr. Peter Odogbor, a Discussant; Prof. Austin Asagba, Speaker, and Prof. John Sambe, Head of Department, Theatre Arts and Mass Communication, University of Benin, UNIBEN, at a seminar in Benin.

HEALTHCARE: From left— Dr. Atinuke Onayiga, Director, Medical Service, Health Service Commission; Prof. Kolawole Oyedeji, Board member, Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency, HEFAMAA; Mr. Gbenga Olubowale, Chairman, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, and Dr. Jimi Asunmi, Executive Secretary, HEFAMAA, representing Special Adviser to Governor on Public Health, during the 4th stakeholders meeting with all healthcare providers in Lagos State, organised by the state Ministry of Health and HEFAMAA in Alausa, Ikeja. PHOTO: Bunmi Azeez.

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FORUM:— Ms Arancha Gonzalez, Executive Director of ITC (left) and Mr. Olusegun Awolowo, ED/CEO of NEPC at the UNCEFACT Forum & Plenary on trade facilitation at Palais Des Nation, Geneva, Switzerland.

EMPOWERMENT: Osusegun Adetola, Chairman of Ikosi-Ejirin LCDA, Lagos State, representing Senator Gbenga Ashafa, presenting a cash gift to Mrs. Yemisi Bashorun during Senator Ashafa's empowerment programme.

KUMUYI AT FUTA: From left— Mrs Esther Kumuyi; her husband, Pastor W. F. Kumuyi, General Superintendent, Deeper Christian Life Ministry; Professor Adebiyi Daramola, Vice Chancellor; Professor Adedayo Fasakin, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic, and Dr. Modupe Ajayi, Registrar, all of Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA, during a programme tagged Morning of Divine Visitation at FUTA.

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48 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014

Oritsejafor, S-west leaders meet on state of the nation

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ATIONAL President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor and the South-West leaders of the association, led

by Archbishop Magnus Adeyemi Atilade, weekend, held a crucial meeting in Ikeja, to deliberate on issues affecting Christians nationwide. In a communiqué issued at the end of meeting, CAN observed that the church of God in Nigeria was under intense attack from what it called “the forces of evil with Christians being martyred daily in the Northern parts of Nigeria."

The communique said, “Christian schools are being closed down and churches are not being given approval or certificate of occupancy for development of churches”.CAN, therefore, called on the Federal Government to make more efforts to address these problems that could lead to religious uprising in the country. It also urged the government to support its military approach with effective intelligence gathering to fish out the Boko Haram backers and financers in the overall interest of Nigerians.

Stop deceiving the electorate, banker advises politicians

BY NDAHI MARAMA

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AIDUGURI— A BANKER and House of Representatives aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Borno State, Alhaji Mohammed Bukar has promised to address the twin issues of poverty and insecurity if elected in 2015.

Bukar of First City Monument Bank, FCMB, who is aspiring to represent the Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, MMC, however, prayed God to thwart his ambition if he would not live up to expectations of the electorate if eventually he won the election.

Bukar who spoke with newsmen in Maiduguri, shortly after accepting a call by his people to contest the election under the APC in the next year’s general elections in the country, said that the nation would not develop until the twin problems of poverty and insecurity were addressed. Commenting on the dilapidated facilities in the state hospitals/health centres, Bukar said, “these hospitals are mere consulting centres for patients, as the people do not even have the money to buy prescribed drugs and other hospital consumables."

No plan to turn Nigeria into Islamic state —Sultan

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ADUNA —THE Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, weekend, said there were no plans to turn Nigeria into an Islamic nation.

Abubakar, who is also the President-General, Jamatu Nasril Islam (JNI), made this known at the Golden Jubilee lecture of the JNI in Kaduna. He said, “Nobody can Islamise Nigeria, if Allah wanted, He would have made everybody Muslims, so also with Christianity. God would have made everybody Christian if He wanted."

He stressed the need for the people to set aside ethnoreligious differences and be committed toward peace and development of the nation.

The Sultan said JNI criticism of certain policies of the present government was a wakeup call for government or those in leadership positions “to do what is right,” adding that JNI’s action was not aimed at fighting the government or any group or

religion.

A b u b a k a r, h o w e v e r, decried the insecurity that had pervaded many parts of the nation, especially the North-East by the Boko H a r a m insurgents.

He said that activities of the insurgents should not be seen as an The Chair, Rotary Foundation, Mr Dong Kurn Lee and wife arrive at the Murtalla Moattempt by hammed airport Lagos yesterday to inspect Polio activities in Nigeria L-r: Mrs Young Lee, Mr Dong Kurn Lee, Mr Richard Giwa-Osagie, District Foundation Chair and Rot Muslims to Olugbemiga Olowu, District Governor during their arrival. Photo: Biodun Ogunleye persecute Christians or turn Nigeria into an Islamic in its programmes. ing the country. country.

Sambo reiterated commitment of He also urged them to see Isthe Federal Government in tacklam as a peaceful religion.

Abubakar, therefore, appealed ling insecurity and illiteracy in Vice President Namadi Sambo, to Christians and other faithful the country. in his goodwill message, said to join hands with Muslims to He also assured the Islamic the present administration tackle the present security chalbody of the government’s effort would continue to support JNI lenges and other problems facto address the constant clashes between Fulani herdsmen and farmers in some states of the federation.

Council, Rep deny death of JAMB candidates

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AIDUGURI— THE Caretaker Chairman of Dikwa Local Government Area, Alhaji Ali Modu Gana and member House of Assembly, representing Dikwa, Mohammed Zakariya have denied reports by a section of the media that many students were ambushed and killed by suspected Boko Haram terrorists while on their way to write the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, held last Saturday nationwide.

This was even as authorities of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, in Yobe and Borno States have also denied that any of its candidates was killed as widely reported.

The senator representing Borno Central, Ahmed Zannah, was reportedly quoted as having said

in Abuja that 210 people including students/ JAMB candidates were killed in the area, between Thursday and Friday last week.

But the caretaker chairman, Alhaji Gana and Zakariya said at a joint interview that the reports were not only false but misleading. They said that contrary to misleading reports that some students of Dikwa were killed, “some suspected terrorists invaded Government Secondary School Dikwa, but when they discovered that the council and the school authorities have already relocated all the students to Maiduguri following insecurity, they asked for the whereabouts of the Principal, Mallam Modu Mai Abdullahi who was not even in the school, as he was in Maiduguri to monitor his students

writing the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations, SSCE. Unfortunately, when the security guards on duty informed the attackers that the principal was not around, they killed seven persons including three of the security men, two teachers including the duty Master, one SSII student and a store keeper, before torching the Principal’s official residence, some classroom blocks and the science laboratory complex.”

They, however, commended the security operatives and men of the vigilante group, (popularly known as Kes Kes in Shuwa language), meaning ‘Volunteered Group Against Terrorists’ for the gallantry they displayed by repelling the attackers.

Gov. Mukhtar Yero of Kaduna State urged JNI to play its role in defusing tension based on interpretations of Allah’s revel a t i o n s .

This, Yero said, the Islamic organisation could do by encouraging Islamic scholars and preachers to dwell more on the five pillars of Islam.

Yero said that the five pillars remained the core of the Islam and its unifying factors.

He also stressed the need for the body to collaborate with other inter-faith dialogue organisations toward promoting peace and unity in the nation, adding, “The objective of such interaction is to devise means of promoting peaceful coexistence for the development of our great country."

Oko Poly: Inspector general warns trouble makers

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HE Inspector General of Po lice, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, has warned traditional rulers in Anambra State to stop causing confusion in their communities, warning that the Police would no longer allow a situation where some monarchs instigate crisis in their domains and turn around to blame the Police of bias.

Abubakar, who was in Anambra, weekend, on a security summit organised by the state government blamed the traditional ruler of Oko community, Orumba North local government of Anambra State. Prof. Laz Ekwueme for allegedly fomenting trouble in his community.

While answering question from Igwe Ekwueme at the summit, the Inspector General said that intelligence report indicated that the “meeting was intended to instigate protest for the removal of a sitting Rector of Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Prof.Godwin Onu without police permit”.

He noted, ”That was not a security meeting as you claim and not a peace meeting but we’re mobilising people to come and stage protest against the rector and we can not allow that because the situation may go out of hand. I didn’t want to discuss this matter in public because of the position you occupy but it is a serious

matter. I came here with AIG in charge of the zone and other officers. If you want to hold a security meeting as traditional ruler, you should write the DPO and tell him of your intention. The DPO will provide you with security if your intention is genuine.

From information we have, you were calling people to come and stage a protest to remove the rector of Federal Polytechnic Oko. I will discipline any officer who does not respect traditional institution because we need them to work.”

The IG complained specifically about what was happening in Oko where some people were

taking laws into their hands by staging protests to remove the rector of the Federal Polytechnic Oko. It would be recalled that the community had split over the call for the removal of the rector, after Mr President, Goodluck Jonathan had renewed his tenure for the next four years, resulting in different protests by the community .

The call has generated crisis between supporters of the rector and that of the monarch in the community culminating in the banishment of 13 indigenes from the community for pitching tent with the rector.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15 , 2014 — 49

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52—Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014

tion to government buildings.

“We want to appeal for calm, cooperation and patience,” he said, describing the incident as sad.

Mba confirmed that 16 high capacity buses, some cars and motorcycles were affected in the explosion. He said investigation had begun.

“Experts from the Bomb Disposal Squad are on ground, the police are working with other security agencies.

“At this stage, we may not be able to give the casualty figure; the reasons are obvious; a lot of people are in the hospital; our detectives are visiting hospitals and taking count.

“We want to give you figures that we can back up with facts,” he said.

A Nyanya blast victim at the hospital

BLACK MONDAYIN ABUJA: 100 perish in motor park bombing Continues from page 6 bodies including women, men and youths were in the mortuary, two persons were on danger list (critical condition) while 27 others who sustained injuries were receiving treatment.

At Asokoro General Hospital, the Chief Medical Director, Ahmadu Abubakar confirmed that 27 dead bodies were brought to the hospital with 25 others receiving treatment for various degrees of injuries. Staff of the hospital were later heard announcing that they needed blood donors from among the crowd of people that gathered round to enable them administer them on some patients.

At the National Hospital Abuja, 30 bodies were confirmed to have been taken to the mortuary while 40 of those injured were receiving treatment for injuries sustained.

At the Wuse General Hospital, the Chief Medical Director, Dr. Obiora Chibundu was uncooperative, telling reporters to go to the office of the GM Hospital Management Board for casualty figures.

Vanguard, however went to the mortuary and counted 16 corpses of the elderly, men, women and young boys whose extremely burnt bodies were being covered with cellophane bags by officials of the hospital, assisted by the police, NEMA and Civil Defence personnel.

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A list of another 51 persons containing those injured was made available to relations to check for their loved ones. On the list, 40 were classified as injured but recognizable while 11 were classified as injured but unrecognized.

At the Nyanya General Hospital, It was confirmed that over 100 persons with various degrees of injuries were rushed there for treatment while the dead were referred to other hospitals because the Nyanya hospital cannot boast of a functional mortuary presently.

At the Asokoro, Wuse and Maitama general hospitals, Vanguard observed that there was serious apprehension as scores of people who came to check if their relations were there could not get clear information of what to do.

Meanwhile, the Police authorities have released what they said is the official list of casualties, saying that 71 persons were confirmed dead while 124 were injured.

16 luxury buses belonging to the FCT, 24 other privately owned vehicles were damaged with three of the luxury buses burnt to ashes.

Mr Romanus Ugwu, an Abuja-based journalist, resident at Nyanya, said that he ran to the scene on hearing the blast.

Ugwu said what he saw could be best described as a “gory sight” because many people were burning in some

cars and were calling for help that never came to them while some were on the ground, helpless without limbs.

“You have to be hard hearted to look at these things. I saw a woman lying face down without limbs while one, who was surrounded by her children, struggled for life and gave up in their arms.

“These attackers appear to be more proactive than our rescue organisations and security agencies because so many lives would have been saved if help had come in time.’’

Ugwu said he counted many bodies littered on the ground in the park, but could not say if all of them were dead.

Mr Abdulrazak Haruna of the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Response Unit of NSCDC, told NAN that he counted more than 100 bodies, including the injured while evacuating victims. “It is a sad experience. We counted 20 BRT buses, 14 cars, 24 commuter buses and 13 motorcycles.’’

Mr Femi Lawal, a survivor of the blast who could not contain his joy and gratitude to God for sparing him, said he had dropped from one of the green buses from One-man Village and was heading to the park when the blast went off.

Lawal said he fell and was dazed momentarily before realising what had happened.

He said that he heard

a loud bang, which nearly blinded him, and saw a thick smoke while people ran in confusion.

The 32-year old man, who was apparently wounded on the wrist and neck, said “it is a day I will live to remember”.

A survivor, Prince Igwe, however, said a vehicle was driven into the park and parked in front of the already loaded high capacity buses.

“The driver hurriedly parked and disappeared shortly after the explosion went off. I was inside one of the buses; I struggled to come out.

“Many people died,” he said.

Security agencies on red alert in FCT— Mba Abuja, Security agencies have been placed on red alert throughout the Federal Capital Territory following the explosion that occurred in Nyanya bus stop on Monday morning.

CSP Frank Mba, Police Force spokesman, told newsmen in Abuja at the scene of the incident that the blast occurred at about 6.55 a.m.

“The FCT police are already on red alert; security in and around Abuja is being strengthened; we are paying very close attention to all vulnerable points.

“We are also paying close attention to motor parks. We advise the public to avoid unnecessary huge crowd. We are also paying close atten-

Remain calm — IGP Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, has urged the citizens and the international community to remain calm and vigilant saying the Police and other security agencies were stepping up measures to uncover the authors of the crime and avoid a reoccurrence of this unfortunate incident.

Speaking during his visit to the scene of the explosion where he assessed the extent of damage and the impact on the surrounding environment, the IG noted that security agents have relentlessly worked round the clock with significant success to stave off such attacks on the Federal Capital and the entire country at large.

He therefore reassured Nigerians and foreign nationals that security agencies will do anything possible to further strengthen the security within and beyond Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

As a result, the IG directed all Police operatives to be on red alert.

He has equally ordered the Police to intensify surveillance on all vulnerable targets within Abuja.

A statement signed by CSP Frank Mba said: “Meanwhile, the Police, supported by other law enforcement agencies, have commenced a fullscale investigation into the incident with the deployment of the Police Anti-Bomb Squad and other detectives to the scene with the view to solving the crime.

“Regrettably, seventyone (71) persons have been confirmed dead while one hundred and

twenty-four (124) persons sustained various degrees of injuries” he said.

“While commiserating with the families of the victims of the blasts, the IGP called on the members of the public to go about their normal businesses without fear and to cooperate with the Police by providing useful information in order to ensure that the perpetrators of this dastardly act are brought to book” the statement said.

US, UK condemn ‘senseless’ Nigeria bombing The United States of America, USA and Britain, yesterday, condemned the bomb attack on a packed bus station in Abuja and called for a full investigation.

British Foreign Secretary, Mr William Hague, who condemned the bomb attack, in a statement in Abuja, said: “I was deeply saddened to hear of the bomb explosion in the east of Abuja.

I unreservedly condemn those responsible and hope they are swiftly brought to justice. I offer the British government’s deepest condolences to the bereaved and those who have suffered injury.”

The UK foreign secretary reiterated that Britain would continue to work closely with the Nigerian government to help tackle the threat from terrorism.

Also, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters: “We are outraged by this senseless act of violence against innocent civilians,” as she condemned the series of attacks on three villages in Borno State over the weekend.

“We continue to stand with the Nigerian government and people as they grapple with violent extremism,” she added.

Washington was working with the Nigerian “government and its neighbours to address the growing threat of Boko Haram in a comprehensive manner,” Psaki said, but warned it was too early to say the attack had been carried out by Boko Haram.

The United States designated Nigeria’s radical Islamist Boko Haram network and an offshoot known as Ansaru as terror groups in November, bowing to months of pressure to act.

Vanguard, TUESD AY, APRIL 15, 2014 — 53 TUESDA

•Pregnant women waiting for antenatal care in Nigeria.

Nigerian women dying to give life N

KECHI was full of life and in high spirits. She was nine months pregnant and was already feeling the contractions of labour at well-spaced intervals. She had no expectation of problems and was hopeful of a normal delivery.

She woke very early on the D-Day, dressed up and packed her bags. The hospital was over 25 kilometres away, so she had to wait for her husband to run around and get enough money to give to her for the trip. That was the first delay.

Uncontrollable bleeding Finally, she boarded a taxi and departed. But there was heavy traffic. A journey that should have taken about 30 minutes lasted three hours.

That was the second delay.

At the hospital, Nkechi waited patiently. She waited almost six hours before she could see a doctor. That was the third delay.

Even on seeing the doctor, Nkechi could not be admitted because there was no bed. The wards were full. Nkechi was told to go home and report back the next day because her contractions were still too far apart. More delays.

Little did anyone know the unexpected would happen.

That same night she began to bleed. The bleeding was uncontrollable. She was rushed to a nearby hospital.

Alas, it was already too late.Nkechi and her unborn baby died.

Statistics on maternal deaths Such has been the fate of many Nigerian women. Today, getting pregnant in Nigeria is almost a suicide mission.

Statistics from the 2008 National Demographic Health Survey put Nigeria's maternal mortality ratio, MMR, at 545 per 100,000 live births, ranking second only to India in the global maternal death statistics.

A 2012 World Health Organisation, WHO, publication, “Trends in Maternal Mortality”, puts the MMR in the country at 630 per 100,000 live births.

Maternal death is defined as "the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management, but not from accidental or incidental causes. Nigeria may be one of the worst places in the world to become pregnant, compared to other countries.

Why are our women dying?

Why women are dying In the view of Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Assuit University, Egypt, "Women are not dying because of diseases we cannot treat rather they are dying because societies are yet to make the decision that their lives are

worth saving."

Health watchers say the high maternal death burden is yet to be addressed as a public health concern. Today in Nigeria, many health facilities are still taking delivery with candles or lanterns.

Many health facilities do not have necessary staff and even so-called government hospitals are short of doctors and have a limit of the number of pregnant women they see daily.

A case in point is a February 2013 study measuring the availability and accessibility of facilities, equipment and personnel to support the Maternal & Child Mortality Reduction (MCMR) Programme in 20 Local Government Areas,LGAs, in Lagos State.

Laboratory services The survey by the Lagos State Civil Society Partnership, LACSOP; the Lagos State Community Coalition and Innovation Matters Limited, found that the Primary Healthcare Centres, PHCs, were short staffed. In some centres only a midwife and Chief Nursing Officer was available to attend or take deliveries. Of the 29 Centres inspected, 22 offered laboratory services while seven had no services.

The study which was targeted at in-depth assessment and analysis of the capacity of 20 PHCs to provide maternal health services among others, discovered that

some centres are still using lantern to take deliveries and in some of the PHCs, staff contributes their money to enable supply of electricity.

Lack of medical equipment Speaking in Lagos, Mrs, Dede Kadiri of InnovationMatters, noted that equipment and supplies are lacking in most of the PHCs. "In February 2013, 45 percent of the responding PHCs stated that they did not have one form of functional equipment or the other. But by October 2013, only 13 percent

,

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

In July 2012, the nation was in attendance at a Summit which proposed to "mobilise global policy, financing, commodity, and service delivery commitments to support the rights of an additional 120 million women and girls in the world's poorest countries. Despite these commitments, Nigerian women have not stopped dying.

An Obstetrician/ Gynaecologist at Randle General Hospital, Surulere, Lagos, Dr. Adeleke Adesola Kaka, noted: "Every minute, a woman dies during pregnancy, labour and puerperium. Each year approximately eight million women suffer pregnancy related complications worldwide and over 500,000 maternal deaths yearly worldwide and most of the deaths are avoidable or preventable.

Needless deaths: "These women are dying needlessly.

Most of these deaths could have been avoided, which suggests important opportunities for prevention."

Kaka who spoke in Lagos at a media training organised by Devcoms stressed that each death or complication represents an individual tragedy to the woman, her partner, children and family.

Major causes of maternal deaths include delays in seeking care, accessing health care and at the health facility, hence the quality of care to a pregnant woman is a key determinant of maternal outcome.

To reduce the high MMR, there is need for demonstration of the will and

,

Today, getting pregnant in Nigeria is almost a suicide mission

stated that they lacked such equipment.

"Ten of the PHCs do not have any supplies to handle emergency conditions at all while the other 19 PHCs have these available in varying degrees. In most of the PHCs doctor to client ratio was 1 to 1,653, nurses, 1 to 999 amongst others," she added.

In 2006, Nigeria pledged to support the Maputo Plan, which addresses the serious threat to the right to health in Africa with poor sexual and reproductive health as a leading killer. Also, at the Summit for the UN Millennium Development Goals in New York, Nigeria was one of the countries that pledged to save the lives of 60 million women and children by 2015.

courage to pursue compulsory Universal free Basic Education, particularly for girl-children.

Kaka called for conducive working environment for women, extended and flexible maternity leave, increased awareness to encourage hospital delivery, provision of basic and comprehensive Emergency Obstetric Care services in health facilities, increase access to effective methods of contraception amongst others.

However, maternal mortality is a tragedy of immeasurable magnitude. Most deaths are preventable; therefore, reducing maternal deaths requires concerted efforts by all. It is beyond mere statement of intention or the rat race to 2015.”

54—Vanguard, TUESD AY, APRIL 15, 2014 TUESDA

‘Functional leadership desirable in hospitals’

NUAP relaunches name

•Dr. Steven Oluwole, President, Medical & Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria

...Protests appointment of ministers

OVER the years, the health sector has witnessed a spate of inter- professional rivalry. The face-off between medical doctors and medical laboratory scientists is well known.

Doctors often accuse medical lab scientists of treating patients after conducting tests, while medical lab scientists, on their own part, say doctors operate labs in their private hospitals without consulting them. Rather than wane, the conflict of interests has waxed. In this interview, President, Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria, MDCAN, Dr. Steven Oluwole, speaks to VICTORIA OJEME on efforts to redress issues at stake. Excerpts:

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TTACKS on doctors It is difficult to speak for other professionals because is not just the medical lab people who, as you know, have issues with medical doctors. Practically others have formed alliances particularly JOHESU to assault medical professionals, that is the way we interprete it but of course from their own part, they have been trying to advance their own profession in their own way to create autonomy in the hospital system.

But we cannot have parallel systems in health care where each profession wants to function independently. Patients are units and can't be fragmented. The philosophy itself is odd. It can’t just work. The approach is either to advance themselves, or calculated to attack, repress or redefine medicine.

Attempts at resolution The Nigeria Medical Association met with some Senators few years back and even last year in Asaba at a Medical Summit.

But other supposed staff were there and they all advanced that position but that to me wouldn't have been a forum to resolve issues like this.

I have not seen a robust approach by the Ministry of Health to put an end to this. It shouldn't be a resolution or dialogue, but about how medicine should be practised. The employers have to define how each group should function. Not the other way around.

Effect on the health system : This has been the primary interest of the MDCAN. The Association is headed by the most senior members, so they have reservations about ethics that are not necessarily appropriate. The call interest of any doctor should be the patient - “do no harm”, you must do good to the patient.

That is why medicine and hospitals exist because without patients, there is no reason for us to be here.

Now when we come out and say medical labs should not be

autonomous, it is because of the interest of the patients. The supposed staff are not trained to handle patients. So,e when they say they want to become consultants we say no, because no doctor also can just by wishful thinking, say he wants to become a consultant. No, it is not done that way. You must go through a process.

Way forward: It is important for employers to do what the law requires. The Ministry of Health takes a lot of responsibility in Federal institutions.

If they are saying they should behave and all of that, it will be imposing the responsibility for safe regulation or safe control on themselves which I haven't seen, unless external forces come in. I don't think they would stop.

When we say government, we must look at an officer with the right of responsibility. Let's first look at the aspect of law they think they are standing on.

We have our own Council, they will say and the Act of the Council enables them to regulate themselves. But when I read through the Act, I can say clearly that the spirit of this is not fluent with the autonomy to the hospital.

It is for them to regulate their own profession and determine who

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• President, MDCAN, Dr. Steven Oluwole. can practise it MLSCN Act: If we look at the Medical Laboratory Scientists Act, it provides a framework for regulation of their members and laboratories. Now the question is this - do they regulate all medical laboratories including those not run by medical laboratory scientists? I think this is where the conflict lies because they want to say only medical laboratory scientists can operate laboratories. That will be perfect.

MDCAN Act Because the MDCAN Act pathologists recognised clearly stated that. So it’s part of it, I think they are over reacting. They do not recognise that there are laboratories that others can run within hospitals.

So our lawmakers also have to step in to enable what we would want the Minister to do. But they might still contest and say they do not want to hear what the Minister has to say. But there is need to have interpretation of all those provisions and we intend to do that.

Appointment of CMDs: Currently we have to look at what

the Act says. What is the current status of the law? There shall be for each hospital a Chief Medical Director who shall be appointed by the President on such terms and conditions as may be specified in the letter of approval or as may be determined from time to time by the federal government. So that position exists.

But who can occupy it, a chief Medical Director shall be a person who is medically qualified and registered such to a period of not less than 12 years and has had considerable administrative experience on matters of health and with medical qualification obtained not less than five years prior to the appointment. In fact, all of them must be members of our Association by definition.

Now, to imply that we have been wrong all the while in interpreting this will be obnoxious.

If someone feels it is wrong that doctors should not head hospitals, who should? They who have been trained to handle equipment.

Can they now lead the team? It won't work. Functional leadership is what we want in the hospital and if they want to reinvent it, let them start because this is our own law. Every country has its law.

EALTH workers under aegis of Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals, NUAHP weekend disapproved the appointment of the two medical and dental practitioners as the ministers of health and state for health, calling on President Goodluck Jonathan to correct the anomaly with immediate effect.

National President, NUAHP, Com. Felix Faniran who said two ministers of health being members of one association was unacceptable to the Union.

Speaking in Lagos during the launch of the new name of the Union, NUAHP which was formerly called the Nigerian Union of Pharmacists, Medical laboratory Technologists and Professionals Allied to Medicine, NUPMTPAM, Faniran also stated clearly that the Union was not happy that professional association and registered Unions in the healthcare sector were poorly represented.

According to him, non inclusion of other professional bodies in the health sector apart from the Nigerian Medical association, NMA, was a great oversight when there are more than 20 professional associations.

He therefore demanded two other persons representing professional associations be invited to join the conference.

Expressing worry about the disharmony in the sector, he called for an encompassing Stakeholders conference to address the growing problem.

Mouka’s Sleep like a Millionaire promo

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• President, Down Syndrome Foundation of Nigeria, Mrs. Rose Mordi, (3rd right) with children living with Down Syndrome during UNIC/DSFN World Down Syndrome Day, recently in Lagos.

OUKA Limited has launched a promotion tagged "Sleep like a Millionaire", which affords consumers to win N1.0 million amidst various other cash prizes during a raffle draw in the promo which ends June 20, 2014.

After purchasing any Mouka product, scratch an authentication panel which is affixed to the mattress label, text the code to 38353 for free to receive confirmation. After the confirmation, consumers automatically qualify for an eraffle to win cash prizes.

Winners will be contacted to pick up their cash prizes ranging from N5,000 N1,000,000,

Vanguard, TUESD AY, APRIL 15, 2014 — 55 TUESDA

Global Fund tasks FG over increasing cases of untreated MDR-TB

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

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HE Global Fund, a key partner in the National Tbberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme, NTBLCP, has raised alarm over the increasing cases of untreated Multiple Drugs Resistance - Tuberculosis, MDR-TB, in Nigeria.

The development, which is currently threatening the survival of an estimated 250 patients with untreated cases of MDR-TB, is believed to be a direct consequence of delays by the Federal government in releasing funds for procurement of the 2nd line drugs specifically required for treating MDR-TB, under the NTBLCP initiative.

The funding deficit coupled with the nation's slow payment process for the 2nd line drugs,are allegedly causing a build up of new patients waiting for the urgently required life-saving drugs and threatening the nation's overall tuberculosis control effort Already, fears are making the rounds of an imminent and total collapse of efficacy of the common first-line TB drugs such as Isoniazid and Rifampicin.

Data by the World Health Organisation, WHO, shows Nigeria is ranked 4th out of 22 countries with 75 per cent of the global burden of TB. About 36 per cent of TB cases are detected with over 60 per cent untreated in the country and the escalating cases of MDR-TB cases currently constitutes a major source of worry.

Every year, an estimated three mil-

lion TB cases are classified as undiagnosed, untreated and undocumented.

Raising concerns over the nations’ growing MDR-TB Drug crisis the Head, Grant Management Division, Global Fund, Mark Eldon-Edinton, urged Federal government to live up to its commitment and expedite action on the release of funds for treatment of the disorder.

In a letter to the Minister of Health, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu, who is Chairman, Country Coordinating Mechanism, CCM, Eldon-Edington

strongly urged government to adopt an automatic procurement and payment method for 2nd line drugs in order to prevent future occurrence of the crisis.

“I’m writing to express great concern about the ongoing MDR-TB drug crisis in Nigeria due to delays in the release of funds for the procure ment of 2nd line drugs by government,” he noted.

Eldon-Edington said the Global Fund financing is based on the principle of additionality and has been programmed taking into account the government’s own commitment. has

•An NYSC doctor checking the blood pressure of a policeman during the free health check up held for men of the Nigeria Police Force by members of the NYSC, at Ifo Police Station, Ogun State, recently. Photo by Gabriel Olawale.

invested.

He said a total of US$ 147 million signed in TB grants of which US$103 million has been disbursed to fund diagnosatic capacity and scale up of first and second line treatment and care. Under the funding model, an additional US$117 million has been allocated for TB control in Nigeria.

“For the period January 2013 -mid 2015, the NTBLCP budgeted 2nd line drugs for 1,200 patients with 500 cures to be procured by the Ministry of Health and 700 funded by the Global Fund. By end of 2013, a total of 552 patients had been culmulatively enrolled for 2nd line treatment primarily financed byu the Global fund, while the goivernment funding for the 2nd line treatment drugs is pending and the number of new patients waiting for treatyment rapidly increasing; now reaching 250 of untreated drug resistant cases.

“Honourable Minister, I seek your urgent action to expedite the release of funds and the payment process for the 2nd line drugs as per the government’s commitment. With the number of untreated patients increasing by day, out joint TB control efforts are undermined and we are paving way to an even more dangerous and more costly Extensive Drug Resiostant, XDR-TB, crisis in Nigeria. “While the Global Fund has been requested to fund the roll out of new GeneXpert technology in this country, which provides opportunity for setting up a routine Drug Resistant TB surveillance system, the provisdion of treatment and care will nmeed to be stepped up in parallel. We would much appreciate hearing from you how this is reflected in the 2014 government budget,” Eldon-Edington remarked.

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56 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014

Abuja explosions: Delegates want Boko Haram financiers prosecuted •Ask Jonathan to implement Galtimari, Turaki, others’ reports

BY HENRY UMORU

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ITH teary eyes, delegates, yesterday, condemned in strong terms, bomb explosions at Nyanya bus terminal in Abuja, the nation’s capital, by members of the Boko Haram sect in which about 100 people were feared dead and several others injured.

The delegates, who observed one minute silence for the victims, also condemned past and similar mayhem in other parts of the county. They called on the Federal Government and stakeholders to, as a matter of urgency, implement all actionable recommendations made to it by various committees such as the Gaji Galtimari, Kabiru T. Turaki and Borno/Yobe Elders among others, which recommended prosecution of some politicians found to be financing and empowering members of Boko Haram.

To heal the wounds inflicted on Nigerians and families affected in these massive killings and wanton destruction of property almost on a daily basis, they advised the Federal Government to immediately commence a process of reconciliation, rehabilitation and reconstruction of the affected areas.

The Kawu, 19 others insecurity motion The delegates’ positions followed a motion by Is’haq Modibbo Kawu, who is representing the Nigeria Guild of Editors and titled, “Motion of urgent Public importance over the security situation in the North, pursuant to Order V11 Rule (1)

Nigeria is under siege – Clark

•The bomb explosion scene at Nyanya, Abuja, yesterday activities of the perpetrators of these heinous crimes. The Conference is concerned about the continuous deterioration of the security situation and calls upon the Federal Government to take urgently, drastic and concrete steps to arrest and immediately bring an end to these atrocities.”

They urged that all necessary measures be put in place to use proportional and non- excessive force to deal with the situation and safeguard the life, property and well- being of innocent civilian population in all areas affected. Leading a robust debate on the motion, Modibbo Kawu lamented that despite the declaration of state of emergency

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Conference notes that Nigerian security forces have made a lot of efforts to bring the insurgency, armed conflict and banditry under control; in spite of the efforts of the security forces the situation has continued to escalate V of the Rules of Procedure.”

The motion was co- sponsored by 19 other delegates. They were Mrs. Hannatu Ibrahim, Prof.

Jerry Gana, Alhaji Ibrahim Coomasie, Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, Dr. Magdalene Dura, Senator Ibrahim Mantu, Hon. Mohammed Kumalia, Senator Adamu Aliero, Prof. Auwalu Yadudu, Amb. Ibrahim Mai Sule, Prof. Iyorchia Ayu, Senator Jack Tilley Gyado, Gen. Jerry Useni, Senator Ibrahim Ida, Hon. Terseer Tsumba, Arch.

Ibrahim Bunu, Major General Ike Nwachukwu, Chief Olu Falae, Chief Edwin Clark and Brig. General Geoffrey Ejiga.

The motion read in part: “The conference condemns the

issue of urgent National importance. He noted that the Galtimari’s report had covered these issues and urged the government to implement the report and those of similar panels.

These killers are not Nigerians –Abdullahi Commenting, Amb. Yerima Abdullahi representing the Elder Statesmen category said: “We have been scratching the surface of this issue of Boko Haram.

Some of these undertakers are not Nigerians. It may have started with Nigerians but these people are not Nigerians.

Security may have better information. They have roots in Cameroon, Niger, Chad, etc. We have a very big problem. Security forces should show more interest.

The earlier the authorities woke up to this situation, the better.”

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in three North East states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe, the insecurity in those states has continued to escalate.

He said: “Whereas the Rules of Procedure has provided in Order V11 Rule (1) that matters of urgent public importance ( if) any may be tabled for discussion; whereas the security situation in the country has been deteriorating in the last 5-6 years; whereas the preponderance of the security breaches have been in the North although security is a National issue; whereas in the last two months the security breaches have escalated in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa stares where over 20 villages have been completely razed down and

thousands of people killed including school children in spite of the state of emergency which has been in existence for almost one year; ”Whereas in the North East the problem is Boko Haram, in the North West, it is armed banditry, cattle rustling and kidnapping of young women more particularly in Zamfara, Jigawa, Katsina and Kaduna states. ”Whereas in the North Central we have ethno- religious and herdsmen and farmers conflicts, which have led to the sacking of several villages, destruction of property, displacement of people and killing of thousands of people in Benue, Plateau and Nasarawa states; whereas the Conference notes that Nigerian security forces have made a lot of efforts to bring the insurgency, armed conflict and banditry under control; in spite of the efforts of the security forces the situation has continued to escalate."

Nwanyanwu, Ozekhome’s motion

Prior to Kawu’s motion, National Chairman of the Labour Party, LP, Dan Nwanyanwu who is representing LP at the conference ,had moved a motion condemning the killings. The motion was seconded by a Federal Government delegate, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), who argued that the wave of killings in the country is increasing in wavelength.

According to him, the killings have become endless as perpetrators of such acts no longer discriminate between Christians and Moslems or northerners and southerners in their crusade and called on the

House to urge the authorities to re-strategise and come up with effective measures to address the problem of insecurity in the country.

Coomassie intervenes

However, former Inspector General of Police, IGP, Alhaji Ibrahim Coomassie, representing the North West geo- political zone punctured the motion, saying that the North was ready with a prepared motion to be read on the insecurity situation in the North and sought the permission of Conference Chairman, Justice Idris Kutigi and the sponsor, Kawu, was then called to move it.

Attempts to scuttle motion Speaking on the motion, Chief Sergeant Awuse, a South-South delegate almost scuttled the motion raising Order 8 arguing that the conference cannot entertain such motion because delegates were not served with the motion paper ahead of time, adding, “If a motion paper has been served on those at the table, delegates deserve to be served copies.

"While I sympathise with what is happening in the country, we must not add to the problem, but we must go by the rules and we should not create any problem for ourselves.” However, Femi Falana (SAN), representing the Civil Society Organisation, cited Order 1 rule (2) and countered Awuse’s point of order, saying no formality was required on this issue because what happened yesterday where people were killed was an emergency situation and an

Contributing to the motion, a former Federal Commissioner for Information and Ijaw leader, and a delegate on the platform of Elder Statesmen, Chief Edwin Clark, noted that what was happening at the moment with people being killed was not a matter of the North or South but requires a collective action because Nigeria was under siege.

His words: “The issue of my son that was kidnapped is no longer an issue compared to what has happened. What is happening now is a national issue. It is not a North or South issue. Wherever it is happening, Nigerians are being killed and Nigerians are under siege. ”We have a duty to look at this issue and not to play politics with it. Security is doing its job. They need the support of every one of us; soldiers alone cannot fight this war. I think it has come to a stage where all must be involved. When my son was kidnapped, all of you rallied together. He is not dead.

Everyday we sit down here deliberating. What are we debating about? Will Nigeria be eradicated before we know it is here with us? ”This conference must do something about it. This conference must send a message to the authorities that something must be strongly done about it.

Instead of me going to eat at 2 pm, monetise it and send it to those who are dying fighting this scourge. The time has come for all of us to do something.”

We need holistic approach Anka On his part, a delegate representing the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, Hassan Salihu Anka, who condemned the act, however, called for a holistic approach involving all stakeholders to solve the problem.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014—57

Fayose, Bamidele, no match for Fayemi — Sen Ojudu SENATOR Babafemi Ojudu represents Ekiti Central Senatorial District in the Senate on the plank of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In this interview, he maintains that neither Mr. Ayodele Fayose of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) nor Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele of the Labour Party (LP) is a match for Governor Kayode Fayemi of the APC in the governorship elections in Ekiti State. Excerpts:

BY DAPO AKINREFON

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OW optimistic are you that the outcome of the polls will be in your party’s favour?

We have no doubt that the outcome of the election will be in our favour. The governor has worked hard to bring about positive change in the state. It is what everyone can see, touch and feel.

There is no government since 1990 that has done that much for the people of Ekiti. In appreciation of his hard work, his sense of purpose and his commitment to the

development of the state, he will be rewarded with another term.

Ekiti State has been known to be a volatile state during elections, what do you think is responsible for this? How can electoral violence be stemmed?

Ekiti people are principled not violent. Ekiti people are conscious of their right and will not allow anyone to take or subtract from it.

It is when people try to prevent them to give free expression to their democratic rights that they come out to say

no. It is the crooks, the undemocratic elements and the bandits who attempt stealing their votes that are violent and not the Ekiti people.

Do you see the LP and PDP candidates as a match for Fayemi?

Obviously not! Comparing them to Fayemi is like comparing death and sleep.

The difference is clear.

How do you see the emergence of Mr. Ayo Fayose as the PDP flag bearer?

Interesting and God sent. We were looking forward to a robust contest. With Fayose it

•Ojudu:Fayemi is light years ahead of his opponents

is no contest.

Considering the irregularities in recent elections conducted by INEC, do you see the commission conducting a credible election come June 21?

Bamidele tasks INEC on violence STORIES BY GBENGA ARIYIBI & DAPO AKINREFON

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HE Labour Party Governorship Candidate, Hon Opeyemi Bamidele has expressed concern over increasing reports of politically motivated attacks and assaults on opposition members in the state and called on the Chairman of the Independent N a t i o n a l Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega, to invoke its enormous power and sanction those breaching the electoral law.

Bamidele who is equally chairman, House Committee on Legislative Budget and Research, pointed out that members of the LP in the state have been adhering to the rule guiding the game by not fomenting trouble In a statement emanating from his campaign organization, in Ado Ekiti yesterday, the candidate called on the electoral body to take a holistic view of politicians in other political parties and come out with necessary sanction that would put a stop to the mess.

Bamidele regretted the desperation being nakedly displayed by members of some parties in their quest to win the forthcoming election and urged them to put the interest of the state at heart above their selfish and narrow interest.

The LP flag bearer noted that many of his supporters

•Bamidele:INEC must sanction law violators

have been intimidated, harassed and made objects of

attack since the commencement of electioneering campaign on March 23, assuring that this would not coerce the LP to betray the confidence reposed in it by the electorate.

His words: “We in the Labour Party find it so difficult to believe that some parties have quickly derailed from their promises to make the campaigns issue-based and agenda-driven.

Some of the parties no longer campaign on what they would do for the people, but take pleasure in character assassination.

At campaign rallies, what the people are being made to hear

are invectives on perceived opponents.

They no longer tell the people what they have in the pipeline for them if elected. Little, wonder there had been accusations and counteraccusations flying out from different directions where parties were being attacked. ”INEC cannot afford to fold its arms to all these shenanigans playing out in the polity else, the situation may escalate uncontrollably.

INEC would have to invoke the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act to put all the politicians at check for this election to be free, fair and devoid of bloodshed.

It is not about the commission. We cannot decide for them what they will do. It is for us to ensure they do what is right.

Preparation, organisation, meticulousness and vigilance are our watch words.

Fayemi’s wife empowers women

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IFE of the Ekiti State governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, yesterday, took out time to canvass support for her husband’s second term reelection, while donating some empowerment materials to women in the state.

Mrs. Fayemi admonished the women to make good use of the materials and funds provided, saying the initiative was in line with her husband’s agenda to empower women and also alleviate poverty in the state.

PDP: Aggrieved aspirants to be compensated if....

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T last, there are plans to compensate all the aggrieved governorship aspirants in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who lost out to the party•fs standard bearer, Mr. Ayo Fayose.

The affected gubernatorial aspirants include Senator Gbenga Aluko, Biodun Aluko, Mr. Bisi Omoyeni, Mrs. Modupe Ogundipe, Chief Ropo Ogunbolude, Mr. Peter Obafemi, Mr. Deji Ajayi and Dr Bode Olowoporoku. The name of a former spokesman of Yoruba socio ?political organisation, Afenifere, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, has been penciled down for a ministerial

to have expressed resentment over the assurances given by the leadership of the party that they would be adequately compensated.

On the possibility of getting back the N11,000 nomination fees, the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Muazu, was said to have told

the aspirants that the issue of nomination fee goes beyond his power as the money is nonrefundable.

He, however, assured like the president that each member would be compensated based on his individual contributions to the success of the candidate at the polls.

Omoyeni campaigns for Fayose •Fayose position allotted to the state.

During the meeting, it was gathered that one of the aggrieved aspirants was said

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OWEVER, Mr Bisi Omoyeni, yesterday, in Ikere local council, led his supporters to campaign for Fayose.

Omoyeni, who served as chief executive officer and group managing director of

Wema Bank Plc, was one of the antagonists of Fayose’s emergence as PDP candidate.

Mr Omoyeni, however, pledged to work for the success of Fayose in the June 21 governorship elections.

58 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014

INTERNET SCAM:

EFCC arrests Uniport undergrad, 6 others

By SONI DANIEL, Regional Editor, North

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DAWN raid con ducted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in the Lekki area of Lagos has led to the arrest of seven undergraduates of Nigerian universities said to be actively involved in internet fraud and living big in the society as a result of the thriving crime.

The suspected internet scammers, who are in the age bracket of 21 and 29, are reportedly studying various courses in their respective universities but have taken more interest in using the internet to swindle unsuspecting Nigerians and foreigners in recent years.

However, based on intelligence reports, EFCC operatives swooped on the area and succeeded in rounding up seven of the suspected fraudsters, whose names and photographs were released to Vanguard yesterday.

The suspects already in EFCC custody are: Elete Fred Debi, a 500-level student of Physics/Production Technology of the University of Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, Ese Iriruaga, 300-level student of Geology, Delta State University, Abraka, Couson Jimmy, 300-level student of Computer Science, Benson Idahosa, University, Benin-City, Edo State and Anthony Onos, 200-level student of Political Science, Lagos State University.

Others are: Stephen, 200-level student of Computer Science, University of Port-Harcourt, Rivers State; Kome Emmanuel, 200-level student of Petroleum Engineering, University of Port-Harcourt and Shola Muyiwa of the Petroleum Training Institute, Effurun, Delta State.

They were picked in two houses at Lekki County Homes and Lekki Phase One, both in the Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State following intelligence report on their alleged involvement in sundry internet scams. The suspects have all made useful statements.

N18.3bn pension trial: EFCC blasts NHRC over threat

By SONI DANIEL, Regional Editor, North

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WO Federal Government agencies are embroiled in a war of words over the trial of a pension funds suspect, Sani Shuaibu Teidi, accused of stealing N18.3 billion while serving as director of pension in the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation.

The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have openly disagreed over the trial of Teidi, who is unable to meet bail terms in a case of stealing of pension funds preferred against him by the commission.

Teidi is being prosecuted by the EFCC on a 22-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence, conspiracy to commit fraud and concealing the origin of stolen pension fund to the tune of N18.3 billion.

Upon his arraignment by the commission, Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court granted him bail in the sum of N500 million and two sureties in like sum.

However, Teidi, who has since been remanded in prison, has been unable to meet the bail conditions, which he described as stringent, a development that has now drawn the attention and sympathy from human right groups, among them,the NHRC. Apparently angered by the bail conditions set by the trial judge, the NHRC has threatened to investigate Justice Ademola over the way he handled the Teidi case.

But in a statement in Abuja on Monday, the lawyer to the

EFCC, Mr.Godwin Obla, condemned the threat by the National Human Right Commission, NHRC, that it was investigating Justice Adeniyi Ademola, the presiding judge in the on-going trial of Dr. Sani Shuaibu Teidi.

Obla, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria said: “I heard and read in the newspapers that the Executive Secretary said they were going to investigate the judge.

Exercise of powers I do not know whether that investigation is in respect of the exercise of the judge’s power to grant or to refuse bail or the exercise of powers conferred on the National Judicial Council, NJC that the National Human Right Commission has now decided to appropriate to itself

and exercise on behalf of the NJC. I don’t want to believe it was made, but if it was made I think it is unfortunate and reckless.” Obla said it was disheartening that an organization like the NHRC, which should be well informed about the basic rudiment of court proceedings, will choose to make premature and prejudicial comments.

“They are aware that Shuaibu is standing trial and for anybody to make any comment on any aspect of a trial, they should know that there are implications, and it shows a disregard for the proceedings in the court and the institution of the administration of justice”.

According to Obla, the judge exercised his discretion judiciously on the matter and wondered why the NHRC has chosen to make it an issue.

Obla asked the NHRC to go on appeal if it was unsatisfied

with the decision of the court rather than engage in acts inimical to the process of law and order.

“If you are not satisfied with the exercise of this discretion, there are options open to you like appeal. Shuaibu has exercised his right to appeal; the appeal is pending before the court of Appeal in Abuja. So even commenting on it is contemptuous of the proceedings in the Court of Appeal and is very unprofessional,” he said.

Obla advised the NHRC to tread carefully as they may not be aware that Teidi submitted fake documents in his attempt to secure bail. “There is currently a trial going on before the magistrate court against the bailiff of the court together with Shuaibu’s people who brought the forged document.

Mr. Nsima Ekere, former Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State (second left), flanked from left by Engr.

Johnson Essien Ibok, former Deputy State Chairman of Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP), Air Marshal Nsikak Eduok (Retd.), former Chief of Air Staff; and Ntisong Essien Ekidem, Ntisong Ibibio III, during the traditional marriage of Emem Uko, daughter of Dr. Okon Akpan Uko, Chairman of Ibibio Elders' Forum at Ikot Essien, Nsit Atai,

APGA: Court declines to stay judgment sacking Umeh as National Chairman

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

A

BUJA—THE Abuja Divi sion of the Federal High Court has struck out an application that sought to stay the execution of the judgment that sacked Chief Victor Umeh and Dr. Sani Shinkafi as National Chairman and Secretary of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA. In a ruling, yesterday, Justice Abdul Kafarati, who had on January 15, ordered the duo to vacate their various offices, said he found no merit in their application for stay of the verdict.

Umeh and Shinkafi had through their lawyer, Chief Patrick Ikweato, SAN, urged Justice Kafarati to suspend the execution of the judgment, pending the determination of an appeal they lodged before an Appeal Court in Abuja.

It will be recalled that the high court had directed the factional chairman of the party, Chief Maxi Okwu, to take over the leadership of APGA as its national chairman.

The court specifically ordered all the members of the National

Working Committee, NWC, of APGA elected alongside Umeh at a convention held on February 18, 2011, in Awka, Anambra State, to vacate their respective offices.

Aside Okwu, others the court directed INEC to forthwith relate with as the duly elected National Officers of APGA were Comrade Ibrahim Carefor, Chief Dickson Ogu, Dr. Gbenga Afeni and Alhaji Abubakar Adamu, all of them having emerged from a separate convention of the Party that also held in Awka on April 8, 2013.

Justice Kafarati, in his judgment, declared that “Umeh and Shinkafi (1st and 2nd defendants), having been expelled from the party, whether lawfully or unlawfully, regularly or irregularly, cannot validly continue to occupy the positions of national chairman and national secretary respectively, when the suit they filed challenging their said expulsion has not been decided and in their favour ”.

Besides, Justice Kafarati maintained that “the 2nd defendant,

having first been elected national secretary of the party on January 10, 2003, which is over ten years ago, cannot validly continue in office ten years after he was first elected when by Article 18(2) of the constitution of the party, any official of the party can only stay in office for a maximum of two terms of four years each.”

Umeh’s faction of the party, in its appeal, contended that the Enugu Division of the Appeal Court had earlier okayed the indefinite suspension of all the Okwu-led executives from the party, adding that the Supreme Court was already with the facts of the case.Accusing the high court judge of overreaching his powers by delving into an issue they contended was purely within the purview of domestic affairs of a political party, the appellants filed a motion for an order staying the execution of the judgment, pending the hearing and determination of their appeal.

More so, the defendants also applied for an order of injunction restraining Okwu’s faction

from interfering in the leadership and management of APGA in any manner whatsoever, including by way of dealing with INEC as officers of APGA and/ or from parading themselves as the validly elected national officers of the party, pending the outcome of the appeal. It was their argument that the high court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the suit and make orders that would affect and curtail the constitutional and inherent rights of APGA which they said was at no time joined as a party in the matter.

In their four grounds of appeal, the Umeh faction contended that Justice Kafarati erred in law and, therefore, occasioned a miscarriage of justice when he refused to uphold the preliminary objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the suit.

Consequently, the appellants had wanted the high court to order Okwu’s faction to maintain status-quo until the appeal was determined.

V anguard Vanguard anguard,, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014 — 59

Ukraine wants UN troops to ease crisis U

KRAINE’S acting president urged the United Nations yesterday to send peacekeeping troops to eastern Ukraine, where pro-Russian gunmen kept up their rampage of storming and occupying local government offices, police stations and a small airport.

The request came from a government that has proved powerless to rein in separatists in its eastern and southern regions, where insurgents have seized or barricaded government buildings in at least nine cities, demanding more autonomy from the new government in Kiev and closer ties with Russia.

The Kiev government and Western officials accuse Russia of instigat-

ing the unrest and of deploying armed Russian agents in civilian clothing to carry them out.

In a telephone call with Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon, acting President Oleksandr Turchynov suggested that an “anti-terrorist operation” be conducted jointly by Ukrainian security forces and U.N. peacekeepers, according to the presidential website.

Peacekeepers, however, would have to be authorized by the U.N. Security Council, where Russia holds a veto.

Turchynov’s deadline for insurgents to give up their weapons and vacate their homemade barricades passed Monday without any visible action — instead, the vi-

danger,” Turchynov said, according to the presidential web-site.

The events echoed those in Crimea, which was annexed by Russia last month after key regional facilities were seized by Russian troops aided by local militiamen.

Dmitry Peskov, the spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Pu-

ing Russia.

“The Russian Federation is sending special units to the east of our country, which seize administrative buildings with the use of weapons and are putting the lives of hundreds of thousands of our citizens in

Missing flight MH370: Robotic submarine to begin search

Egypt’s military strongman announces bid for presidency

E

GYPT’S ex-army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Mon day officially submitted his bid to run for president, with his lawyer handing over the required documents to the authorities, a spokesman said.

Sisi, who is riding on a wave of popularity after ousting Islamist leader Mohamed Morsi in July, is widely expected to win the May 26-27 election.

The 59-year-old had declared his intention to run for president in late March. “Lawyer Abu Shoqa submitted the required documents on behalf of Sisi that include endorsements by citizens, medical reports, and an application for his candidacy,” Ahmed Kamel told AFP.

Separatist unrest spreads in Ukraine, as ultimatum ends with no crackdown

T

EAMS searching for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane are to deploy a robotic submarine for the first time.

Search chief Angus Houston said the Bluefin21 drone would be sent down as soon as possible to search for wreckage on the sea floor.

Teams have been using a towed pinger locator to listen for signals from the plane’s “black box” flight recorders.But no new signals have been heard since 8 April, amid concerns the flight recorders’ batteries have expired.

Flight MH370 went missing on 8 March with 239 people on board. It was flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing when it lost contact with air traffic controllers over the South China Sea. Malaysian officials believe, based on satellite data, that it ended its flight in the southern Indian Ocean, An international search has focused on waters west of the Australian city of Perth, with teams racing against time to detect signals before the flight recorder batteries - which last about one month - run out.

B-R-I-E-F-S

Ban Ki Moon, UN Secretary-General olence continued. A proRussian mob stormed a Ukrainian police station in Horlivka, another city near the Russian border.

Later in the day, armed men in masks also seized control of a small airport outside the city of Slovyansk, also in the Donetsk region border-

tin, was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying Monday that Putin has received “numerous appeals” from eastern Ukraine “asking him to help and interfere in one way or another.”

Peskov added that Putin was “ watching the developments in those regions with great concern” but wouldn’t elaborate.

P

RO-RUSSIAN separatists yesterday ignored an ulti matum to leave occupied government buildings in eastern Ukraine while another group of rebels attacked a police headquarters as a threatened military offensive by government forces failed to materialize.

Rebels in the town of Slaviansk, which was expected on Monday to be the focus of a broad government “antiterrorist” operation involving the army, issued a bold call for Russian President Vladimir Putin to help them.

Militants attack Mali’s largest city The Bluefin-21 will search the sea floor for wreckage from flight MH370

Nigeria, US hold multinational naval M exercise to combat sea terrorism

BY EVELYN USMAN

A

MULTINATIONAL effort to curb growing menace of sea pirates in the Gulf of Guinea, has culminated in a joint exercise by 20 countries led by Nigeria and the United States.

The joint sea exercise, tagged Obangame 2014 is expected to cover three West African countries with a total of 14 foreign ships participating.

The exercise he said would hold simultaneously in three West African nations.The Nigerian

Navy would parade 10 war ships in the exercise taking place in Lagos.

Briefing journalists on the exercise, Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command ,Rear Admiral Samuel Ilesanmi Alade, said exercise was being coordinated at a newly established Maritime Operations Centre in Western Naval Command Headquarters at Apapa.

The participating countries in include; the United States of America, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Turkey, Brazil and

Denmark, Belgium Netherland, Portugal; the host nation Nigeria. others are Angola, Ghana, Cameroun, Equatorial Guinea, Benin Republic, Cote Devoir, Gabon, Togo, Republic of Congo and Sao Tome and Principe while South Africa is being expected as observer. He said Nigerian Navy participated in OBANGAME EXPRESS for the first time in 2010 as an observer but participated fully at the 2011 edition hosted by Cameroun, the Nigerian Navy participated fully.

ILITANTS fired a rocket into the centre of rebel-infested northern Mali’s largest city on yesterday, witnesses said, failing to cause any damage but panicking residents.

The rocket was launched from outside the regional capital of around 90,000 people, which was occupied by Islamists linked to Al-Qaeda in 2012 before being captured by French and Malian forces. Gao councillor Moctar Bandiougou said the rocket had “made a large hole” in the town centre.

Syrian army seizes towns near Lebanon border

S

YRIAN government troops have seized the an cient Christian town of Maaloula from rebels, a day after President Bashar al-Assad said the threeyear old civil war was turning in his favour.

During the operation on Monday, Hezbollahowned Al-Manar TV said three of its staffers were killed. “The army has taken full control of Maaloula and restored security and stability. Terrorism has been defeated in Qalamun,” a security official said.

60 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014

I’m proud of my large boobs – Serena T

ENNIS star, Serena Williams has made a statement that could attract attention the way her tennis does. Posing in a swimsuit, her figure on show, it’s clear Serena Williams is proud of her body.

But the 32-year-old tennis master has revealed that wasn’t always the case - as she used to yearn for a more traditionally athletic figure.

But with her success on the court - she is currently world number one Serena learned to love her body.

When I was young I thought I should be built more like an athlete— long and lean—not with a womanly figure,’ she told Fitness magazine, on whose May issue she poses.

But as she found increased success Sernea developed a huge following.

She explained: ‘But then people my age started coming up to me and saying, “I love you because of the way you look.” That was really motivating.

‘So I learned to be proud of my curves and embrace my large boobs.

It’s all about loving who you are and realizing that you’re beautiful.’

And Serena certainly embraces her curves as she poses on the beach in both a red and a white cut out swimsuit.

With her hair long and wavy, she demonstrates her physicality in a perfectly executed crab pose.

While Serena is today thought of as one of the greatest players in h8istory, she also enjoys sport for fun.

‘For me it’s so important to mix it up, I ran, and then I biked,’ she tells Fitness. ‘Then I did elliptical … I tried yoga.

‘I started dancing because I couldn’t train when I was sick. We started making up moves, and it was fun.

Now I run for 10 minutes and then I dance.’

Serena is currently the reigning French Open, US Open, WTA Tour Championships and Olympic ladies singles champion.

Serena Williams: Quite gifted!

Chukwumerije dazzles at German Ultimate Commander mourns Ultimate Warrior Open

B

ARELY a week after clinching gold medal at the 35 th Belgian Open, captain of Nigeria taekwondo team to the 2011 All Africa Games, Uche Perez Chukwumerije at the weekend in Hamburg, made it to the last eight of the German Open.

Chukwumerije, who had to fight through injury, which he copped on his way to victory at the Belgian Open last week was impressive in his fist round fight against Serikzhan Abdrassilove of Kazakhstan.

The tactical encounter saw the two athletes fighting save but it was the Nigerian champion that emerged winner with a 2-1 win.

His second fight - the last eight (quarterfinal) pitched the 2011 All Africa Games gold medallist

against, the current Military World Champion, Sajjad Mardani of Iran.

The Iranian, who was one of the top rated athletes in the men’s +87kg of the competition had earlier this year claimed gold medal at the 2014 Dutch Open when he defeated Olympics

U

•Uche

champion, Gabon’s Anthony Obame knew that he had to be at his best to overcome Chukwumerije.

Despite signs of competition fatigue in his first fight, Chukwumerije managed to shrug off stiff challenge from his first Kazahstanian opponent.

However, his efforts to rally against the experienced Iranian, who also won a silver medal at the last 2013 World Championships in Mexico, were not enough to secure a win for him. But he fell 10-0 to the Iranian.

NIVERSAL Profes sional Wrestling Federation’s (UPWF) world champion, Nigeria’s Osita Offor, also known as De Ultimate Commander, yesterday described the death of American wrestling icon, The Ultimate Warrior, as a huge loss not only to the US, but also to the entire sports world.

Speaking when condoling the United States of America and the family of the late Ultimate Warrior, De Commander described the American wrestling legend as one of the role models to ‘made me interested in wrestling. He was such a brilliant wrestler, who brought flair, flamboyance and theatre to the profession.

“Alongside Hulk Hogan, Jake the Snake and Shaun Michaels, among others, the Ultimate Warrior made wrestling a must watch for many Nigerian

homes.

“That I am now a top wrestler is partly because of the seed he sowed in me early in my life. If I knew he would die so soon, I would have asked him some of the questions that have been on my mind for so long. May his soul rest in peace.”

Speaking on the forthcoming Nelson Mandela Commonwealth Nations and America Unifying Championship, which will take Nigerian, American, Canadian, South African and European wrestlers to South Africa, Britain, the US, Canada and Nigeria in celebration of the late South African legend, Dr. Nelson Mandela, De Ultimate Commander said he has been in consultation with top local and foreign wrestlers to ensure that he emerged from the bouts with his title still intact.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014 — 61

132 Parishes for Archbishop of Lagos Cup

BY JACOB AJOM

O

NE HUNDRED and thirty two Parishes from the 15 Deaneries that make up the Lagos Archdiocese are expected to compete for honours in the maiden edition of the Archbishop Alfred Adewale Martins Cup, beginning in July across Lagos.

According to the President of the CMO, Archdiocese of Lagos, Chief Emeka Asoegwu, the competition is open to only members of the Catholic Men Organisation.

Preliminaries at the Deaneries will commence in July as champions from the various Deaneries will qualify for the final of the Archbishop Alfred Adewale Martins Cup. A giant trophy for the tournament which is an initiative of the Catholic Men Organisation was presented yesterday at the Archbishop’s office, Catholic Mission Street,

Lagos by the Chaplain of the Lagos Archdiocese, Very Rev. Daniel Nwankwo to His Grace, Archbishop Alfred Adewale Martins, the Archbishop of Lagos in company of top officials of the Catholic Men Organisation.

In his address, the Archbishop thanked the CMO for the initiative, which he said would amplify their fatherly role in the church and make them more visible in the activities of the Catholic Mission. “One of the things the church does is to ensure the welfare of the body as well as take care of the soul,” he said, adding that “as we journey towards heaven, we do our best to maintain the body and make it healthy.”

He implored both participants and organisers to “exhibit the spirit of sportsmanship, fair judgment and fairplay. All participants must do so with a sense of responsibility.”

Eagles Continues from BP ‘’Let me emphasise that this target is not from the Nigeria Football Federation or for the players. This is what we promised ourselves that the Super Eagles will get to the semi-final of the World Cup. And we are going to follow-up with prayers and fasting to achieve it’’, President General of the Supporters Club(Worldwide) Dr Rafiu Ladipo said.

He regretted that it was appalling that the Eagles who made their debut in USA ’94 and qualified for France ’98 and reached the second round respectively have not crossed that hurdle in 2002 and 2010. ‘’It is not a good omen for us that instead of progressing we are retrogressing. This year, we’re going to break that yoke of a first or second round exits and go all the way to the semi-final and anything C

M Y K

can happen from there’’, he said as the crowded hall quaked with a resounding ‘’Amen’’.

He pleaded with Nigerians to support the Super Eagles in their quest to break grounds in Brazil. ‘’This is not the time for distractions or divisive comments. This is the only thing that gives millions of Nigerians joy in the midst of hardship in the country’’.

Dr Ladipo also pleaded with corporate organisations to support the Supporters club as he announced that the Supporters Club would need a whopping N800 million to carter for their 800 army of supporters to Brazil. ‘’300 supporters from home will be flying to Brazil while 500 will from other parts of Africa, Europe, America. We happen to have representatives in all these countries.

A break-down of the expenses show that each

Appiah earns N48m for qualifying Ghana for W/Cup

G

HANA coach Kwesi Appiah was paid a qualification bonus of US$ 300,000 for leading the Black Stars to the 2014 FIFA World

Cup Brazil.

According to Ghana FA president Kwesi Nyantakyi, the bonus was paid from the $1.5m grant from FIFA paid to qualified teams to prepare for the

Onazi dedicates goal to terror his first ever Serie A victims

N

IGERIA midfielder Ogenyi Onazi has dedicated his goal in Sunday’s 4-2 loss to Napoli to the victims of the explosions in the country’s capital Abuja on Monday.

The blasts occurred at a bus station in Nyanya, on the outskirts of the federal capital, killing more than 70 people.

Onazi, a social media savvy player, dedicated

goal for Lazio to the victims of the terror attack.

“I dedicate my goal to the victims of the explosion, that happened this(Monday) morning,” Onazi wrote on his Twitter account.

“I hope, by the grace of God, the families have the strength needed to manage everything,” the Lazio midfielder concluded.

Many of the victims of the explosion were headed to work early in Abuja when the incident occurred.

tournament.

“We paid a bonus to Ratomir Dujkovic when he qualified us for the World Cup in 2006 and that money came from the FIFA grant,” Nyantakyi told Accrabased Montie FM. “We did same for Milovan Rajevac in 2010 – I think around the region of US$ 400,000.

“We have also paid US$ 300,000 to Kwesi Appiah for qualifying us to the 2014 World Cup but paid a tax of US$ 100,000.

“We have not been paying tax on qualification bonuses to our coach in the past but this time around the Internal Revenue office insisted we pay tax.”

Appiah has returned home from a knowledgesharing trip to the United Kingdom where he took time to visit some Europe-based players.

Bosnia Continues from BP

•Onazi supporter would pay $90 per match ticket in the first round and increases from the second round, Accommodation would gulp $250, 000 while transportation would be hectic as movement from one Eagles match venue to the next venue would see them spending 22 hours using a a fast train. ‘’We can’t afford to fly by air as that one is beyond us. We thank President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for his reception for us and his gift of N50 million.

Also, as part of their activities for the World Cup they plan to release a new song for the Eagles for the Brazil World Cup. ‘’Music is a tonic that propels Eagles to soar higher ’’, Ladipo said.

And truly, the music army entertained guests with their danceable tunes promising to do more at the unveiling of the new song for Super Eagles.

to attack and attack.

Guiding Bosnia to its first World Cup is the greatest triumph of Susic’s not-soextensive coaching career.

And the tournament in Brazil will provide a stern test of his training skills.

Bosnia scored 30 goals in qualifying — 10 coming from Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko. The team conceded only six in 10 matches.

“We have to play like we are doing now,” Susic said. “It may sound tactically risky, but I think it would be wrong to play differently.”

Once an attacking midfielder who played more than 350 games for Paris Saint-Germain, the 58-year-old Susic coached in France and Turkey before taking over the national team in 2009.

His hiring led to

Grant

Continues from BP

final stage if their mental strength is excellent. It will be a good testimony for African football.

“One advantage that the African teams have in Brazil is that it is going to be warm.

European teams have never won the World Cup in South America, so it will be a great opportunity for the African teams to do well because of the circumstances they have to play in. Grant was quoted by CAF as saying However, Grant

stressed that coaches will need to work on team’s poor mental strength especially against strong opposition -The only problem I have seen with African teams is the fact that they lose games they can win in crucial moments.

However, this can be improved because the problem is lack of a strong mental strength but it can be fixed, he said.

The Africa representatives in the 2014 World Cup are Nigeria, Cameroon, Algeria, Ivory Coast and Ghana

•Appiah protests in Bosnia — because fans were angry it took him so long to become coach.

“I did it once I realized that this team has a potential to do something big,” Susic said. “And, now I don’t regret it.”

Susic, a football great in the former Yugoslavia before it broke up in a bloody civil war, has an offensive squad including Dzeko and Stuttgart stiker Vedad Ibisevic, and a couple of very creative but also attack-minded midfielders in Miralem Pjanic of Roma and Zvjezdan Misimovic of Chinese club Guizhou Renhe.

“It would be unfair to the game and above all to the fans if we were to constrain such a talent,” Susic said.

“After all, we are playing to score more goals than our opponents and so far it has paid off.”

Bosnia will play Argentina, Nigeria and Iran in Group F, and Susic believes his team can reach the second round.

“Argentina is by far the best team in our group, and they should finish first,” Susic said. “Our target is to join them in the next round.

“I think our chances are very realistic, because at this moment, both Nigeria and Iran are not better teams than us. I fully expect that we pass into the second round.”

62 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014

Wenger eyes flawless League finish from Arsenal A

RSENE Wenger has targeted a 100 per cent record from Arsenal’s last five games of the Premier League season as they attempt to salvage a top four finish.

The Gunners will be looking to move themselves back above Everton in the standings when they host West Ham tonight following Saturday’s nerve-racking win over Wigan in the FA Cup semi-finals.

However, Wenger insists all thoughts of a re-

•Wenger

Redemption time for City

M

ANCHESTER City and Sunderland have already met in a cup final this season, but there is arguably more at stake when they clash this week.

Manuel Pellegrini’s men came from a goal down to lift the League Cup trophy with a 3-1 win last month, but the result of Wednesday’s Premier League fixture at the Etihad Stadium could have significant implications at both ends of the table.

City’s 3-2 defeat at Anfield on Sunday left them seven points adrift of tabletoppers Liverpool and five short of second-placed Chelsea.

•Pellegrini C M Y K

turn trip to Wembley for a shot at ending their nine-year trophy drought against Hull on May 17 must be put aside if they want to return to the Champions League next term.

“When you are in a semi-final and you win, it releases a little bit of pressure on the team on that front, but we want to bounce back in the Premier League,” the Gunners boss said.

“Therefore we want to finish strong, we have a battle with Everton and of course it’s now down to consistency in our final games.

“It (five victories) is the target. Do you need it? Nobody knows, but the target is of course to win every game. We just want to not imagine the consequences of not doing it, what you want is just to focus on doing it.”

We’re not safe, Allardyce cautions his side

W

EST HAM boss Sam Allardyce claims his side are not yet safe from relegation, with sides below recording wins over the weekend.

Six wins from their last 10 games has seen the Hammers climb away from trouble and they are currently seven points above the drop zone.

However, wins for Fulham, Cardiff and Crystal Palace have got the Upton Park tactician looking over his shoulder again.

“The results some of the teams below us pulled off, some surprisingly, means we are not mathematically safe,” Allardyce said.

“If they then get back-toback wins you have to look

down and say we’re not quite there.

“We’ve got five very tough games to go, we’ve got to try to pick up as many points as we can.”

West Ham travel to the Emirates today to face fifthplaced Arsenal, who will be boosted by the possibility of reclaiming fourth spot from Everton.

Ancelotti refuses to rule Ronaldo out of Copa final •Ramsey celebrates his goal with Ozil

C

RISTIANO Ronaldo is recovering well from injury and could play in the Copa del Rey

Ba: I always give everything

C

HELSEA striker Demba Ba revealed his joy in finding the back of the net for his club, insisting that he never lost faith and is always willing to contribute to the team.

The Senegalese forward scored a late goal in the Champions League last week which secured his side’s progress to the semi-finals, before netting the winner in Chelsea’s 1-0 League victory over Swansea on Sunday to ensure the Londoners stay within touching distance of leaders Liverpool.

“It was two good appearances for me, I’m happy for everybody, I always give everything for the shirt and I will do that until the last day, the last minute,” the forward told Chelsea’s official website.

“It’s not been a bad week, I’m happy for the team, for me and my family.”

The 28-year-old highlighted the importance of Sunday’s win in Wales, which leaves the Blues just two points adrift of Liverpool in the Premier League standings.

•Allardyce

final, according to Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti.

The Portugal captain has been absent for Real’s last three games due to knee and thigh problems, and it has been suggested that he will miss Wednesday’s final against Barcelona and the UEFA Champions League last-four first leg with Bayern Munich next week. Real are hoping to complete the first leg of a potential treble of Liga, Copa and Champions League in Valencia this week, and Ancelotti has insisted his side still have a great chance of beating Barca - even if Ronaldo, who has scored 45 goals this term, cannot play.

“He’s (Ronaldo) progressing every day so don’t rule him out,” the Italian told El Mundo.

“But we won’t take any chances.

SKILLFUL... Chelsea star, Demba Ba gives everything as he displays his skill.

Martinez expects tough Palace test

E

VERTON manager Roberto Martinez is expecting a difficult game against Crystal Palace as his side push to secure fourth place.

Martinez’s men host Palace at Goodison Park on tomorrow as Everton aim to earn a UEFA Champions League berth for the

first time since 2005, when they were knocked out before the group stages.

The Merseyside club leapfrogged Arsenal into fourth with a 1-0 win at Sunderland on Saturday, although Arsene Wenger’s charges can regain that place and put the pressure on Everton by beating West

Ham on Tuesday.

Everton will be heavy favourites to take all three points against relegationthreatened Palace, having reached 66 points - their highest ever Premier League tally - and made it seven league wins in a row at Sunderland.

•Ronaldo

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014 — 63

Lessons we learnt from Morocco,

by Ugbade

F

LYING Eagles assistant coach Nduka Ugbade has said they have taken a lot of lessons from last week’s friendlies against Morocco U20s.

The Flying Eagles were forced to draws in the two matches in Morocco – 2-2 in the first match and 1-1 in the second game.

“The matches showed we have to step up our game because this is a much higher level than U17,” Ugbade said.

“So, we have to work on the boys psychologically in this

•Yobo

aspect as well as improve them on the pitch because of the demands of a highperformance level we have now found ourselves in.”

The Nigeria U20s resumed training in Abuja Monday morning with a full house that included five of the foreign-based call-ups.

They are skipper Musa M u h a m m e d ( B e s i k t a s , Tu r k e y ) , Keelchi Iheanacho, Chidiebere Nwakali (Manchester City), Musa Yahaya

( T o t t e n h a m Hotspur),Chidera Eze (FC Porto, Portugal).

Nwakali will later limp out of training with a right knee complaint.

Several players were excused from Monday morning’s training on account of knocks they suffered in Morocco, but which the medical staff say are not serious.

They included threegoal hero from Morocco Alhassan Ibrahim aka ‘Mu-azam’, Bernard Bulbwa and Taiwo Awoniyi.

Eagles need Yobo’s experience — Sodje B

ANDANA-TYING former Super Eagles defender ,Efetobore Sodje says Norwich City loan star,Joseph Yobo deserves a place in Nigeria’s team to the FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

A former Nigeria Football Federation technical director,Kasimawo Laloko had argued that Yobo has outlived his usefulness in the team and should thus not be considered for a place in the Super Eagles team to Brazil. ‘I strongly believe Yobo still has a lot to offer the Eagles,”starts Sodje who played for Nigeria at the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2002 FIFA World Cup. 'Apart from his experience of playing at two World Cups which will be invaluable to the team,Yobo is also playing regularly in one of the toughest leagues in the world. He is playing against some of the guys he will face in Brazil at the World Cup. You can’t buy that in the market,”he said.

Sodje who is now with Macclesfield Town in the English League Two division both as a player and an assistant manager warns Nigerians not to confuse the Africa Cup of Nations with the World Cup. ‘The FIFA World Cup is a bigger competition than the C M Y K

Nations Cup and it is a stage where you must bring your best to compete. I

strongly think coach Stephen Keshi should also reconsider some of the ex-

perienced players playing regularly in their various clubs.

Emenike supports the Okwarajis

F

ENERBAHCE s t r i k e r Emmanuel Emenike has made good his promise to support the family of late soccer star Samuel O k w a r a j i .

Okwaraji died while in active service for Nigeria in a 1990 FIFA World Cup game against Angola at the National Stadium Lagos on August 12, 1989.

Late Samuel Okwaraji’s brother, Patrick Okwaraji, told AfricanFootball.com Emenike has redeemed his promise, which they deeply appreciate.

•Late Okwaraji

”We received with a deep sense of appreciation the gift from Super Eagles striker Emmanuel Emenike,” Patrick Okwaraji said.

“The gift channeled through the Samuel Okwaraji Foundation will be used to fund the refurbishing of the late soccer star’s mausoleum, built 25 years ago by the

•Ameobi

Government but now in a very bad state. ”In view of the fact that the site is somewhat a tourist spot and more so necessary as preparations for the 25th anniversary are ongoing. This gift comes at a good time.

“This is a unique gesture from Emenike.

We shall continue to pray and wish him well.”

•Awoniyi

Ameobi tasks teammates

S

UPER Eagles striker, Shola Ameobi has urged his team-mates to work hard to quickly end the ongoing crisis at Newcastle, who have lost their last four matches in Premier League.

32-year-old Ameobi, who has been at the club since 1995 experienced a lot of such crises and revealed that the best way to return to winning ways is simply to work hard.

“The fans are obviously frustrated, and that’s understandable.When you lose four in a row, it’s going to be very frustrating and no one’s enjoying the position we’re in,” he told thejournal.co.uk.

“I think we showed

against Stoke that we desperately wanted to get something out of the game. We just have to keep on plugging away.

“I’ve been at Newcastle for long enough now to know that things can go from very bad to very good in a short space of time. It’s not the first time we’ve had a tough situation at Newcastle, and I’m sure it won’t be the last. We just have to keep on working hard, and hopefully it’ll turn.” Newcastle have a difficult schedule for the rest of the season, as they will play at home to two relegation-threatened Welsh sides - Swansea and Cardiff, while the other two games are away clashes against Arsenal and Liverpool.

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014

Brazil World Cup: Eagles get S/Final target

BY TONY UBANI

A

•Didier

•Emenike

•Gyan

••• Grant identifies Africa’s problem

A

VRAM Grant believes that African teams have the necessary talent to excel and even win the upcoming 2014 FIFA World Cup set to begin this June at Rio De Janeiro, Brazil The former Chelsea manager spoke highly of

the five countries and believes they can go past the quarters if they make the most out of favorable opportunities present in the host country.

-I certainly believe Africans teams will excel at this summer ’s World Cup in Brazil. I strongly

believe that Ivory Coast, Ghana and Nigeria might even go further than the quarter Continues on Page 61

S the zero hour approaches swiftly for the Brazil World Cup( 58 days to go), Super Eagles have been given a semi final target.

The Nigerian Supporters Club(Worldwide) in a World Press conference yesterday at their Ayinde Giwa secretariat set the target noting that the target was solely for musical group who have been the back-bone of all national teams at all international competitions.

Continues on Page 61

SHARP SHOOTER: Edin Dzeko in action for Bosnia

•••Bosnia to attack, attack and attack

B

OSNIA coach Safet Susic has

a simple but stubborn logic that has followed

him throughout his football career: Attack is

the best defense. And in Brazil, his plan will be Continues on Page 61

QUICK CROSSWORD

Sudoku TODAY'S

PUZZLE

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 4 Collection (5) 7 Skulked (6) 9 Taxi (3) 10 Epoch (3) 12 Sword (5) 13 Yield (4) 15 Gather (5) 17 Crude (6) 19 Aperture (4) 20 Present (5) 22 Energy (3) 24 Ebbed (7) 27 Total (3) 28 Delete (5) 31 Prima-donna (4) 33 Rue (6) 35 View (5) 37 Timber (4) 38 Share (5) 39 Faucet (3) 41 Stray (3) 42 Area (6) 43 Vigilant (5)

DOWN 1Evoke (6) 2 Rut (6) 3 Insect (3) 4 Singer (4) 5 Embarrass (5) 6 Negligent (8) 8 Haul (4) 11 Astonishment (9) 14 Cat-noise (4) 16 Parched (4) 18 Dregs (4) 21 Customary (8) 23 Nobleman (4) 25 Remedy (4) 26 Sketched (4) 29 Nuclear (6) 30 Finish (6) 32 Flower (5) 34 Equipment (4) 36 Wagon (4) 40 Fix (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Grip 4, Rut 6, Sled 9, Per 10, Consumed 11, Edam 14, Fir 16, Adder 19, Confined 21, Tenet 23, Desirous 24, Dream 27, Win 31. Stem 33, Continue 34, Ire 35, Goad 36, Nor 37, Toss.

DOWN: 2, Room 3, Post 4, Remained 5, Tidy 6, Speed 7, Led 8, Erase 12, Scold 13, Angle 14, Fit 15, Renew 17, Decoy 18, Rouse 20, Designer 22, Tin 25, Ratio 26, Aimed 28, Icon 29, List 30, Fuss 32, Era.

How to Play Sudoku

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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