Boko Haram: Amnesty committee under fire by Vanguard Media Limited

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61925

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

MONDAY, JULY 15, 2013

BOKO HARAM:

Amnesty committee under fire

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE, DAPO AKINREFON & LUKA BINNIYAT

•Amnesty has failed — Northern CAN •The whole thing is confusing — Balarabe Musa •JTF kills Boko Haram top commander in Borno •We didn't claim we spoke with Shekau — Amnesty C'ttee source

HERO'S WELCOME FOR AL-MUSTAPHA IN KANO

AGOS—THE Presi

dential Committee on the Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Conflicts in Northern Nigeria, came under severe criticisms, yesterday, from across the country following denial by Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau that the sect had entered into a cease-fire agreement with the Federal Government.

The Committee came

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Mr & Mrs AL-MUSTAPHA—Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer, CSO, to late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha being received by a large crowd in Kano yesterday. Inset: Founder of Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, Dr. Frederick Fasehun, leading Al-Mustapha out of the plane at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano. Photos: Abdulsalam Muhammad. See story on Page 7.

Bayelsa N65.1BN SUBSIDY DEBT: Mobil, Total, others threaten lawmakers sue for 5 to stop fuel import .1 peace in Rivers 11 P • C M Y K

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POCKET CARTOON

RETREAT—Country Chairman, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC)/Guest Speaker, Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu; Director-General, NESG, Mr. Frank Nweke Jnr. and the Chairman, Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), Mr. Foluso Phillips, at NESG retreat held at the Raddison Blue Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

BOKO HARAM: Amnesty committee under fire Continues from page 1 under attack on a day the Joint Task Force (JTF) Operation Restore Order II in Borno State, said that it has succeeded in killing a top commander of Boko Haram

sect, Bulabulin Nganaram, who was on the wanted list of the JTF with a N10m bounty. The sect commander who was killed in a shootout with the taskforce was said to be responsible for the killing of a teacher

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way— Booker T. W. There are many common things begging to be done in an uncommon way.

TAKE HEART BY ELLA RANDLE

Tell me a fact and I’ll learn. Tell me a truth and I’ll believe. But tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever —Native American proverb

URING Mark’s first month at college, the pro fessor gave his students a pop quiz. He was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until he read the last one: “What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?” Surely this was some kind of joke. He had seen the woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her fifties, but how would he know her name? He handed in his paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward the quiz grade. “Absolutely,” said the professor. “In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They each deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say ‘hello’”. Mark never forgot that lesson. He also learned her name was Dorothy. This story best illustrates the importance of recognising that everyone is important and relevant in the scheme of things. In essence, knowing and acting on this principle in our everyday dealings with people we encounter, may just be the key to not only influencing and making good friends, but also, to being loved and appreciated as we would love to see happen in our world.

and three students of Sanda Karami Secondary School, Ruwan Zafi Maiduguri. Chairman of the Committee and Minister of Special Duties, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki, had on a Hausa service programme of Radio France International monitored in Kano, July 8, that the Federal Government has secured a ceasefire deal with the sect which had claimed responsibility for terrorist attacks that have led to deaths of about 4000 people since 2009. The Presidency corroborated Alhaji Turaki’s announcement which it claimed had Shekau’s consent. Imam Marwana, a member of the sect said to belong to Shekau’s camp reportedly confirmed the truce deal and begged Nigerians to forgive them “over the number of people killed in the country. I appeal to those who lost their loved ones to our activities to forgive us and on our side, we have forgiven all those who committed atrocities against us.” Denying the ceasefire, weekend, Shekau, who endorsed the attack and killing of a teacher and 29 secondary school students at Mamudo, Yobe State penultimate week, said: “Let me assure you that we will not enter into any truce with

these infidels. We will not enter into any truce with the Nigerian government. We believe in the massacre inflicted on the secondary school in Mamudo and Damaturu and other schools. We earlier warned that we were going to burn all schools. They are schools purposely built to fight Islam.” Reacting to this alleged denial by Shekau, however, a source in the committee said the authenticity of the statement credited to Shekau was in doubt, since it could not be verified. The source added that the committee had never claimed it spoke with the sect leader himself and that unlike in the past, the sect leader never came out to disown the spokesman, who negotiated on behalf of the group. Govt must be transparent – Onyema Meanwhile, reacting to the confusion yesterday, the National Chairman, Foundation for Ethnic Harmony in Nigeria (FEHN), Allen Onyema, who is coordinating the amnesty programme for Niger-Delta ex-militants, argued that the government has to be more transparent and tell Nigerians those it reached agreement with as was done in the

Niger-Delta in the case of militants. His words: “If it is true that the presidential committee had any contact with real Boko Haram and they have accepted cease-fire, that is welcome but they must be sure of what they are saying. It will be very embarrassing for the Federal Government if the impasse continues after the cease-fire. They need to let the country know those who had signed the cease-fire. “When Chris Ekiyor took over as the leader of the Ijaw Youth Council, he went round the camps and got the militants to accept non-violence. We knew who and who were in the ceasefire agreement. Kingsley Kuku, Godwin Abbe, Tony Anenih and others paid visits to the militants and it was televised. It was made open. We know the exmilitants. Who are the Boko Haram leaders and members that the committee spoke with? Who and who agreed to cease-fire? I want the government to be transparent so that the country will be free. I don’t like what is happening in the North. A bigger and peaceful Nigeria is better for us.” The whole thing is confusing—Balarabe Musa On his part, former governor of old Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa said the ceasefire agreement between the Islamic sect and Federal Government had become confusing based on Shekau’s denial. He said: “We are not having what we expect, that is the ceasefire, because the reports are conflicting. There is this report from the chairman of the committee that agreement has been signed and Shekau was involved and now Shekau is saying he is not a party to the signing of any agreement.

There is also this report that there are two factions of Boko Haram; there is one led by Shekau, which appears to be the original but there is also a more militant faction led by a group. And so, the whole thing is confusing. We don’t know whether or not there is an agreement between the Federal Government and Boko Haram leading to a ceasefire.” Boko Haram has infiltrated Jonathan’s govt—Afenifere On its part, the PanYoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, said that it was obvious that Boko Haram had infiltrated the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan. Afenifere’s Publicity Secretary, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, told Vanguard on phone: “I think we should take Turaki, chairman of the Presidential Committee on Boko Haram to task now because we saw him on television that they have signed a ceasefire with Boko Haram and he even said something so offensive that Boko Haram has promised not to attack during the Ramadan. Assuming it was true, it was okay for Boko Haram to go and attack people on Christmas Day but they cannot attack during Ramadan and for a minister of the Federal Government of Nigeria to be party to such an agreement, then it is quite discomforting. “Now that Shekau has denied that agreement, we need to ask which Boko Haram Turaki was claiming and it shows clearly that may also be a confirmation of the statement credited to the president some time ago that Boko Haram had infiltrated his government. It shows that there may be sympathizers of Boko Haram in govern-

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6—Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 15, 2013

DESOPADEC official abducted, police orderly killed BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

ENIN— A POLICEMAN attached to an official of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Commission, DESOPADEC, was killed, Friday night, by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers in Edo State. He was killed while allegedly attempting to prevent them from abducting his boss who was later said to have been taken away to an unknown destination by the abductors. The police orderly was shot in the head while one of the suspected kidnappers was also killed. Vanguard gathered that the DESOPADEC official and the policeman were said to be travelling along the Benin-Lagos by-pass when they were attacked by the kidnappers who apparently may have been trailing them. One of the abductors was said to have been shot dead by the policeman before he was killed just as three other persons in a tipper lorry sustained gun shot wounds. One of the injured occupants of the tipper lorry told newsmen at the Central Hospital that they were hit by bullets fired by the kidnappers.

Jailbreak: Security beefed up in Abia prisons BY ANAYO OKOLI

MUAHIA— FOLLOW ING increasing cases of jailbreak in parts of the country, Mrs. Ukwuori NdukweKalu, the Abia State Comptroller of Prisons, said weekend, that security has been beefed up around prisons in the state to checkmate such occurrences. According to the comptroller, the prison authorities were collaborating with security agencies to ensure that tight security was maintained around prison yards in the state. Ndukwe-Kalu spoke when members of the Assemblies of God Church, Item Street, Umuahia, visited inmates of Umuahia Prisons. She said: “We want to take proactive measures, and other security agencies are synergizing with us.” The comptroller warned against any suspicious movements around prison formations in the state.

Two policemen, five robbery suspects killed during shoot-out BY EVELYN USMAN

AGOS — FIVE suspected members of a notorious robbery gang said to have been terrorizing Lagos State were shot dead early yesterday during a shoot-out with operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad SARS, Ikeja, Lagos. Preliminary investigation, according to Police sources, revealed that the robbers were responsible for the killing of the manager of 04 Hotel and three other staff in Ajah, last week. During the operation at the hotel, the hoodlums were said to have accused the manager and staff of the hotel of giving the po-

lice information about their gang which led to the arrest of their leader. However, other suspected members of the gang met their waterloo during a multiple operation, yesterday, in the process of which two policemen were reportedly killed. Report had it that the gang first stormed Ajah area of Lagos at about 1am,where they snatched a Honda Odyssey space bus. From there, they reportedly headed for Ajao estate. Midway, they reportedly shot two policemen who were on patrol in Ebute Metta area. One of the policemen, according to police sources, died while the other was rushed

to the hospital. At Ajao Estate, the gang was said to have operated at a warehouse where telephones and electronic gadgets were kept. On their way out, they reportedly engaged a team of policemen on distress call to the scene, killing one of them. When news of the shoot-out reached the Commissioner of Police, Mr Umar Manko, he was said to have deployed a team of policemen from SARS led by the commander, Mr Abba Kyari to the scene. The operatives reportedly trailed the robbers to stadium area of Surulere at about 4 am, where they engaged them in a

gun duel. Vanguard gathered that the robbers kept driving on top speed and at the same time firing at the operatives, heading towards the Island . “Three of them were shot dead in the process. Driver of the vehicle was hit but he kept moving until they reached Eko bridge. At that point, the vehicle somersaulted. Three of them managed to get out of the car and escaped with bullet wounds while five of them lay dead,” Police sources said. The bodies of the dead suspects were sighted at the command’s headquarters, Ikeja, yesterday.

Police arrest informant, 3 other alleged pipeline vandals zPolice's poor remuneration caused my return – Informant BY EVELYN USMAN

AGOS — OPERATIVES of the Inspector-General of Police Special Task Force on AntiPipeline Vandalism Unit, weekend, arrested four suspected pipeline vandals in Shagamu area of Ogun State and recovered a 33,000-litre truck loaded with petroleum products siphoned from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, pipeline. Surprisingly, one of the suspects, Ismaila Adetoro, 40, was a police informant. The suspect who confessed to have abandoned the illicit business two years ago before becoming a police informant, told Vanguard that he was tempted to go back because of the stipend the Police paid him as an informant. “The suspects,” according to the officer in-charge of the unit, Friday Ibadin, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, “had been regular visitors to the spot. Acting on tip off, the policemen led by Sector Commander, Onaghise Osayande, a Deputy Superintendent of Police stormed the scene weekend while the vandals were at the verge of leaving with the loaded 33,000 litres truck with number plate XP 453 SMK. “Four of them, Ismailia Adetoro (40), Raufu Odoniyi (39), Oyedeji Salim (22) and Tobi Olalekan (25), were arrested at Sagamu area in Ogun State. Ismaila popularly known as commissioner has been on our wanted list. “Investigation revealed that despite the fact that he was helping the police to track down vandals, he was also actively involved in the act. "The fight against pipeline vandalization is a collective responsibility of all and we should be proud to help law enforcers to protect our natural resources which are there for our development.”

I went back because of police's poor payment

Looking remorse, Ismaila said he was forced to go back to vandalism following failure on the part of the Police to review his payment as an informant . Hear him: “I was into pipeline vandalism but stopped when I

realised the danger involved. I decided, rather, to help the Police fish out vandals by alerting them anytime I discovered any illegal act in Sagamu area. In return, I was compensated. “But the truth is that I am a family man with so much responsibilities and what they were offering did not help matters at

all. At a point, my vulcanizing business was no longer booming. And because there was no attempt on the part of the police to review the payment, I decided to go back. “I called one Alhaji and asked him to include me in his next deal. But unfortunately, I was arrested."

The suspected vandals

Extradition: PDP chieftain urges court to quash judgment BY INNOCENT ANABA

AGOS — A PEOPLES Democratic Party, PDP, chieftain in Ogun State, Prince Buruji Kashamu, has urged the Court of Appeal, Lagos, to set aside its judgment delivered on July 2 regarding the purported attempt to extradite him to the United States by the Federal Government. He said the judgment was “delivered without jurisdiction” because the panel’s integrity was questioned. Kashamu is contending that while the appeal was pending, a petition was written accusing the panel of justices of alleged compromise in another appeal.

He (Kashamu) was accused of being behind the petition. Following the development, Kashamu said he wrote a separate petition urging the court to constitute an independent panel to hear pending appeals involving him. He averred in an affidavit in support of the appeal, that “In spite of the aforestated petition of the respondent/applicant alleging likelihood of bias against the Lagos Division of this court, and without awaiting the outcome of the said petition written to the President of the Court of Appeal, a hearing notice was sent out fixing hearing for April 18. “The judgment was not read in

open court and typed copies thereof were not available to parties until July 8, 2013. A reasonable onlooker would come to the conclusion that there were other considerations than the end of justice involved in the manner the case was determined and the result. “The panel of the Court of Appeal, Lagos constituted by its presiding justice lacked jurisdiction in any event to determine the appeal in the circumstances of the unresolved allegation of bias made against it by the respondent/applicant in his petition. "The judgment of this court delivered on July 2, 2013 is, therefore, a nullity having been delivered without jurisdiction."

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 15, 2013 — 7

My freedom still a dream— Al-Mustapha BY ABDULSALAM MUHAMMAD

ANO—MAJOR Hamza AlMustapha, former Chief Security Officer to late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, who regained his freedom last Friday, after 14 years in incarceration, broke down in tears, yesterday, in Kano while recounting his experience, saying his freedom was still a dream to him. Moments after arriving the ancient city of Kano, Mustapha paid courtesy visits to the palace of the Emir of Kano and Governor Musa Kwankwaso at Kano Government House, where he said: “I have an empty house to go to.” At Kano Government House, Mustapha said: “I was opportuned to meet my beloved late father and mother twice during the last 15 years and now I have an empty house to go to.” The former CSO told his host that his entry into the Government House was a clear reminder of an event on October 24, 1998, when he was brought into the Government House in tattered cloth and in chains by his captors in an attempt to rope him in for alleged attempt to topple a constituted authority. He said: “I am yet to reconcile with my freedom because I am yet to believe that this was the same Al-Mustapha that was brought into this House in tattered shirt, and in chains October 24, 1998. “I was moved between Kano and Yobe from October 24 and 26 all in an attempt to implicate me over an alleged coup to overthrow the civilian government.” Al-Mustapha, who was accompanied by Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, National Leader, Mr. Frederick Fasehun, Muhammad Abacha and several other chieftains of OPC, said: “I am yet to understand what is happening to me. It is still a dream and I am finding it difficult to adjust to the reality.” He also said there was a wicked attempt to kidnap his two siblings while in custody. He said: “I suffered serious witch-hunt and persecution all in an attempt to paint me black before the whole world. “Yesterday is gone. I have forgiven all those who perpetrated the evil against me. I am back home and we are drawing a new line for a better Nigeria. “In all I have got justice at last and we remain grateful to God, who has made it possible for us to enjoy our liberty once more.

‘A father in Fasehun'

“I found a father in Otunba Frederick Fasehun, who had been very supportive. A detribalised Nigerian, he stood by me during my travail and he is with me now that I have regained my honour and liberty.” In his speech, Governor Kwankwaso commended the judiciary for standing by the truth, adding that Al-Mustapha’s ordeal was a lesson to everyone According to Governor Kwankwaso, “AlMustapha’s freedom gives me joy, and his freedom is a big lesson to all of us. I wish to seize this opportunity to commend the judiciary for siding with the truth.” Al Mustapha had earlier in the day arrived Kano to a rousing welcome as scores of residents lined Kano streets to catch a glimpse of him. Commercial activities were brought to a

stand-still till late evening as people defied Ramadan to join others on the street. Armed soldiers took over his personal security on arrival, while a combined team of police, OPC and local militias controlled the huge but orderly crowd of supporters and well-wishers. Al-Mustapha was forced by the huge crowd to postpone the proposed visit to the grave of his late parents, where he was billed to offer special prayers In an interview with reporters at Government House, Al-Mustapha defended his visit to cleric, T. B. Joshua, describing him as “an old friend who cannot be forgotten so easily.”

On his military career

According to Al Mustapha, “immediately I regained my freedom, I headed straight to the palace of Oba of Lagos. Then I visited T. B. Joshua and other important dignitaries that identified with us during our travails.” Asked to confirm when he would resume work against the backdrop that he is still a Major in the Nigerian Army, He said: “The decree that set up the military is very explicit on the issue, and the court verdict left no vacuum on same.” While in the city, Al-Mustapha visited the emir’s palace, government House and General Sani Abacha’s residence located at Gidado Road, Nasarawa, GRA Kano.

Sudan’s Bashir arrives Nigeria Why he's here— Presidency

BUJA (REUTERS)—SUDANESE President, Omar al-Bashir, arrived in Nigeria yesterday, for an African Union, AU, summit on HIV/AIDS as his hosts chose to ignore an International Criminal Court, ICC, arrest warrant against him. Bashir, accused of masterminding genocide and other atrocities during Sudan’s Darfur conflict, which has left some 200,000 people dead, in theory risks arrest if he travels to one of the more than 120 states, including Nigeria, that have signed up to ICC. He has been refused trips to Uganda, South Africa, Malawi and Zambia in the past because of his indictment. This is his first trip to West Africa since the warrant was issued. AU voted in 2009 not to cooperate with ICC indictments, saying they would hamper efforts to end Sudan’s multiple conflicts. Bashir rejects the ICC charges. Presidential spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, said: “The Sudanese President came for an AU event and the AU has taken a position on the ICC arrest order. So Nigeria has not taken action different from the AU stand.” Human Rights Watch International Justice Programme Director, Elise Keppler, said Nigeria had “the shameful distinction of being the first West African country to welcome ICC fugitive Sudanese President, Sudan al-Bashir.”

8—Vanguard , MONDAY, JULY 15, 2013

NLC worries over review, hike in power tariffs BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

BUJA—NIGERIA Labour Congress, NLC, weekend, expressed concern over incessant and exorbitant review of electricity tariff by Federal Government. It called on the government to direct Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, to urgently review downward the entire multiyear tariff structure in the interest of Nigerians. NLC, in a statement by its President, Abdulwahhed Omar, expressed shock that the tariff had arbitrarily been increased from N225 to over N700, even without steady power supply. The statement read: “This review, whether done suddenly or in advance, is without justification or rationale and stand condemned as it will negate whatever gains expected to be recorded by the much vaunted reform in the power sector. “Congress believes that the multi-year tariff structure as designed by Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, tacitly approved by government, only protects the interest of investors in the power sector."

INSPECTION: From left— Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim, Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Works; Mr. Mohammed Wudil and Mr. Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi, Committee Chairman, during the inspection of Ebu-Asaba Road, Delta State.

Senate shifts PIB meeting for Constitution, Ewherido BY HENRY UMORU

BUJA—FOLLOWING debates on report of the 1999 Constitution, the Senate has been forced to shift a planned public hearing on the provisions of the new Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, with the thirty-six state governors and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, Senator Bala Mohammed. The public hearing on the PIB was slated for tomorrow, Tuesday, but had to be shifted due to last Tuesday’s conclusive voting on clauses to be amended in the 1999 Constitution and a valedictory session for late Senator Pius

Ewherido from Delta Central Senatorial District. It will be recalled that Senate had mandated its four standing committees on Petroleum Resources (Upstream and Downstream), Gas and Judiciary and Human Rights to work on the new PIB through a meeting with the public and other stakeholders in the oil and gas industry.

Session for Ewherido, burial arrangements

Meanwhile, Senate will hold a valedictory session for late Senator Ewherido, on Wednesday, July 17. Ewherido died on June 30 at the National Hospital, Abuja. A statement by the family

said the body of Senator Ewherido would leave for Warri immediately after the valedictory session in the Senate, while on Thursday, July 18, Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, will hold a valedictory session at Uvwiamuge Agbarho at 11a.m. The ststement said: “At 4p.m. same day, service of songs will hold at Mother of the Redeemer Catholic Church, Effurun, while on Friday, July 19, funeral service will hold at Catholic Cathedral, Warri. “Burial will take place at Ewu Urhobo same day, while on Sunday July 21, outing service will hold at Catholic Church, Ewu Urhobo.” The joint committee on the

new PIB had initially been fixed for July 16 and 17 to meet with state governors, Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke; Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Mrs. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, and Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke. President Goodluck Jonathan had in July 2012, submitted the new PIB to the National Assembly. Chairman of the Joint Committee, who is also Chairman of Petroleum Resources, Upstream, Senator Paulker Emmanuel, PDP, Bayelsa Central, yesterday told journalists: “On the scale of urgent matters of national importance, the constitution of the Federal Republic takes precedence. “As you are all aware, Senate was unable to vote last Thursday because we had to intervene in the Rivers State House of Assembly fracas of last Tuesday. The whole of Wednesday plenary was devoted to that. “Senate decided on the shift because we will also dedicate Wednesday plenary as a valedictory session for one of our departed colleague, late Senator Pius Ewherido from Delta Central.”

For public hearing

Also invited for the public hearing are the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC; Executive Secretary of Petroleum Technology Development Fund, PTDF, and the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board. Others are all managing directors of international oil companies, OICs; managing directors of indigenous oil companies, unions, including NUPENG, PENGASSAN and oil-producing communities.

LCCI faults FG's replacement of Cotecna BY OMOH GABRIEL

AGOS Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, has faulted the Federal Government’s decision to replace Cotecna at the Lagos port. LCCI said the replacement of Cotecna has created capacity gap at the port, which was showing in current poor cargo clearing. In a statement by the DirectorGeneral, Mr. Muda Yesuf, the chamber said: “The decision by Federal Government to replace Cotecna as the service provider responsible for inspection and operation of scanning machines at the Lagos Ports Complex, LPC, Apapa is already taking its toll on the efficiency of cargo clearing process at the port.” Federal Ministry of Finance recently reshuffled the operations of the destination inspection

agents operating in major ports in the country.

CBN's circular

A circular to all banks by Central Bank of Nigeria on June 17, said: “Following the extension of Destination Inspection of Imports at the Nigerian seaports, airports and land borders and the appointment of service providers for a period of six months with effect from June 1, 2013 to November 30, 2013, by the Federal Government of Nigeria, all authorised dealer banks and the general public are hereby notified of the following for compliance. “Messrs Global Scansystems Limited, Cotecna Destination Inspection Limited and Societe Generole De Surveillance, SGS, have been appointed by the

Government as Inspection Agents to carry out the assignment during the period. “The entry points for imports to Nigeria have been grouped into three lots and allocated to the inspection agents as follows: the Destination Inspection Agents, DIAs, are expected to assume duty at their new allocated lots with effect from Friday, June 14, 2013. “Apapa Seaports: Cotecna Destination Inspection Limited will transfer operations to Global Scansystems Limited; Grimaldi Port-PTML: Global ScanSystems will transfer operations to Cotecna Destination Inspection Limited. “Idiroko Land Border: SGS Scanning Nigeria will transfer operations to Global

Scansystems Ltd; Calabar Sea Port: Global Scan systems will transfer operations to SGS Scanning Nigeria Limited. “All other sea, airports and land border operators will remain as they are.” It was not immediately known why the ministry directed these changes.

LCCI's opinion

However, LCCI said: “LPC is the biggest and busiest port handling a substantial percentage of the imports cargo. The replacement of service provider has created serious capacity gaps in the cargo clearing process. “Reports reaching LCCI indicate the worsening of congestion at the LPC resulting from delays in the scanning of containers and other

related activities. “This development has profound implications for the private sector and the economy. There will be high demurrage charges arising from delays in clearing of cargo, high cost of fund on borrowed funds by importers. “There will also be disruption of production schedules of manufacturers as raw materials are stuck at the port, inability of suppliers to meet contractual time-lines, aggravation of corruption and extortion at the port as importers struggle to clear their cargo through the bottlenecks. “There is also the risk of exacerbation of inflation as goods are not quickly cleared from the port to meet relevant needs in the economy thus undermining the supply side of the economy.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 15, 2013 — 9

Fashola plants 1000 trees imported from India, Borno BY MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

INSPECTION: From left, Sen.Barnabas Gemade, Sen. Babafemi Ojudu, Sen. Gbenga Ashafa, Senate Chairman, Committee on Works, Sen. Ayogu Eze, Sen.Oluremi Tinubu, and Senate Vice Chairman, Committee on Works, Sen. Basheer Mohammed, during the Senate Committee on Works' inspection of Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos, weekend.

FG summons NPA, MWUN, NIMASA over strike threat BY VICTOR AHIUMAYOUNG

BUJA — THE Federal Government has summoned the management of Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, and other stakeholders to a crucial meeting, today, in Abuja, to find solution to this week planned strike by workers.

The workers are protesting 12 months unpaid salaries of tally clerks, onboard security men, among other grievances. MWUN had given the management of NPA this week to pay the salaries and have other grievances resolved or the union would withdraw workers from all ports' formations across the country and shut the sector. It was gathered that before the invitation for the meeting, the union had

perfected plan to begin an indefinite strike by Wednesday. The plan to down tools was sequel to the extension of an earlier 14 days ultimatum issued on June 12, following the intervention of the Federal Government through the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu. Following the intervention, the union extended the ultimatum with another 14 days to enable NPA and others involved to sort out

Why we must rally round Amaechi — Tinubu BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, political editor

AGOS — ACTION Congress of Nigeria, ACN leader, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu has urged support for

Judge for trial over alleged abuse of power BY INNOCENT ANABA

AGOS — Embattled judge of the Federal High Court, in Lagos, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, has been dragged before a Lagos High Court in Igbosere, over alleged abuse of judicial power. The lawyer, John William Dong, is claiming N5 million as damages against Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia for ordering his arrest and detention for four hours without any charge or trial. Joined as respondent in the suit, is the Superintendent of Prisons in charge of Federal High Court, FHC, Prisons Cell.

Governor Chibuke Amaechi of Rivers State from the hierarchy of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who he claimed, have added public brawling to their achievements. In a terse statement issued by his media office last night, Tinubu described the ensuing crisis in Rivers State as an orchestrated plan that is in line with the PDP’s definition of democracy where minority opinion prevails over majority.

He thus warned that Nigerians must rally round the embattled governor and chairman of the Nigerian Governors' Forum, NGF, to ensure that democracy is not re-defined. He cited the recent election for the chairman of the NGF and the quest of five members of the Rivers State legislature to dominate the others as illustrations of how far the PDP would go to achieve its aims even against reason.

Madam Ikokwu’s service of songs holds today

HE FINAL journey of Chief Ikokwu said, would late Mrs. Ella Ikokwu, be conveyed home soon for wife of Second Republic interment. politician and Anambra State Chairman of the defunct Nigerian Peoples Party, NPP, Chief Guy Ikokwu, begins today, July 15 with a service of songs at RCCG, Eric Moore, Lagos. Madam Ikokwu died recently in the United States of America after a brief illness, aged 84. Her remains, Late Mrs. Ella Ikokwu

the issues. Leaders of the union lamented that since the extension which expires today, the management of NPA allegedly refused to talk to them, pay the workers or resolve other grievances.

AGOS — GOVERNOR Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, yesterday, planted over 1, 000 new trees imported from India and Borno State, to mark the annual tree planting day, even as he asked parents to look after their children and be conscious of the kind of values, trainings given to them to prevent them from constituting public nuisance. It will be recalled that Vanguard reported that the state had planted 4.3 million trees since the beginning of the present administration. At one of the centres for the 2013 Tree Planting Campaign, with the theme ‘Green is Peace,’ at Onipetesi, Agege, Fashola said that the aim was to prevent flooding in the state, saying, “I hope that these trees will do the people of Lagos the good that they have done to the people of India.” The new trees of two species called Blackboard Tree or Indian Devil Tree and Milaila Abori from India

and Borno State respectively. According to him, “the two major trees that we are planting today are not indigenous plants. They are the two plants I brought from my trip to Borno State and India eight weeks ago. ...On parents Fashola, who spoke at the 5th Kafaru Oluwole Tinubu Memorial Ramadan Lecture at the Blue Roof, Agidingbi, Ikeja, said instead of blaming government for security lapses, people should also critically look at their families and observe the training given to their wards. According to him: “The family unit is the most important unit in any community. And I think that it is where the first government starts. "Father and mother and the management of limited resources, population; value development, moral training, the restraints and contentment and what other knowledge they impact on the children. Those are the children who become great men or difficult men as the case may be."

10 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 15, 2013

My guber ambition won’t cause crisis — Bamidele BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN

Wife of the Governor of Ogun State, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun, son of Prof. Wole Soyinka/Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Olaokun Soyinka in a group photograph with 79 winners of the Memoirs of Our Future Essay Competition in commemoration of Prof. Soyinka's 79th birthday anniversary in Abeokuta.

Fayemi, Oni commiserate with Fajuyi’s family BY GBENGA ARIYIBI

DO EKITI — THE State governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and his predecessor, Engr. Segun Oni have commiserated with the Fajuyi family over the death of the wife of late Military Governor of the defunct Western State, Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi, Eunice Ayodele. According to the only surviving son of the deceased, Mr. Donald Fajuyi, the matriarch of Fajuyi family was said to have passed on at about 6.45 a.m., yesterday, in her sleep at her Okesa family house, Ado Ekiti According to him, his mother could have turned 85 on July 27. Prof. Modupe Adelabu, the state Deputy Governor and wife of Ekiti State Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi were among the early callers at the family house where they condoled with the family and were received by Donald. The duo described the deceased as a rare mother and prayed that God would give the family the fortitude to bear the loss. Donald, who himself is 65, thanked former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, for rebuilding the old family house in 2009. He equally thanked the state governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Senator Femi Ojudu and others for helping the family in various ways, saying he would surely miss his mother. “We had planned to celebrate her 85th birthday from July 27 to 29. We also wanted to mark the 47th anniversary of her husband’s death which is on July 29.”

Soyinka at 79, says Nigeria in critical period BYDAUD OLATUNJI

BEOKUTA — NOBEL laureate and literary icon, Professor Wole Soyinka, yesterday, said that, Nigeria is in a critical period following the incessant attacks from the dreaded Boko Haram sect. He urged Nigerian students, especially those residing in violence-prone areas of the North, not to be discouraged by the activities of the sect. Professor Soyinka, who however, charged the President Goodluck Jonathan-led Federal Government and state governors to eliminate barriers and create conducive environment for Nigerians to access qualitative education, urged the Nigerian youth to demand from the country leaders their rights to sound education and safety so as to enjoy a better future tomorrow. The Nobel laureate, who spoke in his Autonomous Republic of Jegba in

Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, yesterday, while receiving 79 students drawn from across the country and who participated in a essay competition to mark his 79th birthday. He submitted that the activities of Boko Haram group has painted a bleak future for millions of Nigerian youth in the northern part of the country whose chances of getting educated, according to him, is made narrower and challenging by the sect’s mindset and assault on education. While fielding questions from the pupils, Soyinka said: ”We face a very critical period as a nation. It is a very difficult time, very difficult time. How many of you came from Borno State? Is there any of you that knows somebody whose school was burnt or who lost friends, in other words, some of you have experienced the practical impacts of the negative things go-

S-West PDP chieftains at war over national scribe’s appointment BY OLA AJAYI

IBADAN — CHIEFTAINS of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the South West are now at war over the vacant position of a new National Secretary of the party after the removal of the former Secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola by a court order. As a result of alleged marginalisation of the zone in the distribution of elective positions in spite of tremendous support by mem-

bers of the party for the emergence of President Goodluck Jonathan, the position of the scribe was conceded to the zone. But, now a member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party, Chief Bode George is presenting a candidate from Lagos State while the incumbent zonal caretaker chairman, Ishola Filani and other executive members have appointed another person, Professor Adewale Oladipo from Osun State to fill the same vacancy.

ing on there? “I don’t want you to feel bad about it, I don’t want you to think it is too negative or too bleak, but I want you to look at the positive aspect of life, your intellectual development, your education and cultural development...”

EMBER OF the House of Representatives, Opeyemi Bamidele has assured supporters of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in Ekiti State that the party would not run into a crisis on account of the tussle between him and Governor Kayode Fayemi for the party’s 2014 gubernatorial ticket. Bamidele, representing Ado-Ekiti/IrepodunIfelodun Federal Constituency of Ekiti State, stated this while giving his mid-term report in the House of Representatives to a homegrown social cultural group, Ekiti Parapo in Lagos, yesterday. He, nevertheless, assured that the tussle for the ACN gubernatorial ticket between him and Governor Fayemi would on the contrary make the people of the state more united. Yesterday, Bamidele was, nevertheless conciliatory as he fended off issues pertaining to the gubernatorial contest or other political issues as

he said that it would be unfair to raise them up in the absence of his political opponents within the ACN who were absent at the function. “We are transiting from civilian regime to real democracy and at the end of the day it will make us have a more united Ekiti State where our children will grow to be very proud of,” the lawmaker said. Presenting his accomplishment in the last two years, he cited his leading role in the establishment of the National Assembly Budget and Research Office, NABRO, asserting that he had through his position as chairman of the House Committee on Legislative Budget and Research ensured the establishment of the long desired body. He also pointed at his interest in pushing through bills to improve the opportunities of people living with disability to the extent of creating “conditions favourable to the attainment of their highest goals in life, whatever those goals may be.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 15, 2013 —11

Bayelsa lawmakers sue for peace in Rivers crisis zCall for probe as Pilot group condemns mayhem BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA &

JIMITOTAONOYUME

ENAGOA—WORRIED by the crisis rocking the Rivers State House of Assembly, lawmakers in Bayelsa State, have appealed to parties involved in the crisis to sheath their swords in the interest of peace. Raising a motion under matters of urgent public importance, the Deputy Speaker, Chief Victor Sam-Ateki, representing Brass Constituency I, said there was no alternative to peaceful co-existence. Meantime, Pilot group has condemned what they termed the show of shame on Tuesday in the hallowed chambers of the Rivers State House of Assembly. A statement by the spokesman of the group, Mr. Festus Egbe, wondered how a group of five lawmakers could claim to have impeached the Speaker of the House, Mr. Otelemaba Amachree, who had 26 lawmakers on his side. Calling on Nigerians to protect the nation’s democracy, the group said the botched impeachment of the Speaker, was an indication that the era of political rascality was gone. Meanwhile, Bayelsa Assembly Deputy Speaker, reminded the lawmakers in Rivers State that the legislature was the only symbol of democracy, adding that no meaningful development could be achieved under crisis. Sam-Ateki said : “All hands must be on deck to resolve the is-

NSITF chair lauds Jonathan over appointment of women BY FESTUS AHON GHELLI—CHAIRMAN of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF, Dr. Ngozi Olejeme, has commended President Goodluck Jonathan for giving women the opportunity to fully participate in the development of the nation. Olejeme, in a chat with newsmen, said: “The action of the president in carrying women along in the scheme of things is a clear proof that he appreciates that intelligence is not the exclusive preserve of men.” She thanked the President for advancing the interest of women, adding that women had been given visible position in politics in administration. She called on other arms of government to do likewise in order to touch the lives of more women.

sues that led to the current crisis in Rivers State House of Assembly. “There is no issue that cannot be resolved amicably.” He called on all stakeholders and well meaning citizens to avoid inflammatory comments capable of aggravating the already tensed situation in the Rivers State House of Assem-

bly.” The deputy speaker explained that the motion became necessary because of the historical bond that existed between Bayelsa and Rivers states. Similarly, Pilot group also called for thorough investigation into the role of the Police in the fracas that rocked the House, adding that security operatives should

act to restore public confidence. “The posers can go on and on but the truth is that the security agencies in Rivers State have failed again to live up to their constitutional responsibilities of protecting lives and property of Nigerians,” he said. Commending members of the House of Representatives for its timely resolution on the issue, the group urged the Senate to take similar action.

VISIT: Chairman, House Committee on Works, Mr. Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi (left) and Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, during a visit to the governor in Yenagoa.

Ugolor vs Police: Battle shifts to Supreme Court BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

ENIN—THE legal battle between the Executive Director of African Network for Economics and Environmental Justice, ANEEJ, Rev. David Ugolor, and the Nigeria Police over the N5 million awarded against the Inspector- General of Police by an Edo State High Court has shifted to the Supreme Court, with the IG urging the apex court to set aside the ruling of Appeal Court on the judgment sum. Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Muhammed Abubakar, and the Nigeria Police in their appeal are challenging the ruling of the Court of Appeal, Benin Division, which ordered

the IG and police to deposit the sum of N5 million awarded against them in an interest yielding account with a commercial bank. It will be recalled that an Edo State High Court sitting in Benin and presided over by Justice Edigin awarded the sum of N5 million as damages in favour of Rev. David Ugolor over his unlawful detention, following the murder of the late Oyerinde, Private Principal Secretary to Governor Adams Oshiomhole. Dissatisfied with the judgment of the lower court, the IG and the Nigeria Police Force approached the Court of Appeal to set aside the judgment. However, the Court of Appeal

in its ruling upheld the submission of Rev. Ugolor’s counsel, Afolabi Olayiwola, to the effect that the judgment sum of N5 million must be paid into an interest yielding account, pending the determination of the appeal. However, the IG and the Nigeria Police in the appeal before the Supreme Court, by their counsel, Onwuka Igwe, prayed the apex court for an order of stay of execution of the order of the Court of Appeal requesting the appellants to put the sum of N5 million into an interest yielding account to be managed by the Deputy Registrar of the Court of Appeal, Benin Division, pending the hearing and determination of the appeal before it.

Delta demolishes illegal structures for flyover BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

SABA—CONSTRUCTION of the first flyover in Asaba, Delta State, to ease traffic is in sight as structures erected on the right of way, including a church building were, weekend, demolished, just as the state government had taken delivery of two

heavy duty towing trucks to remove illegally parked vehicles. State Commissioner for Works, Mr. Funkekeme Solomon, supervised the demolition, with his Lands, Survey and Urban Development counterpart, Mr. Patrick Ferife Ekumeku. The Commissioner for

Lands, Ferife, said: “If you look at the master plan of Asaba, the position of Eagle Assembly (now demolished) is on the right of way and we had given the owners of the affected property more than three years notice to relocate before the commencement of this flyover project.”

Rights group flays Al-Mustapha’s 15yrs incarceration zAs Onuesoke lauds judgment BY EMMAAMAIZE &

FESTUS AHON

ARRI—FORUM for Justice and Human Rights Defence, FJHD, Warri, Delta State, yesterday, said it was an embarrassment for justice sector administration that Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer, CSO, to ex-Head of State , to late Sani Abacha and Alhaji Lateef Shofolahan, spent over 14 years in prison. The duo were acquitted of the murder charge levelled against them last Friday. Meantime, former governorship aspirant in Delta State, Mr. Sunny Onuesoke, has commended the Court of Appeal, Lagos, over the release of Major AlMustpha and Shofolahan. Onuesoke, who spoke to newsmen, weekend, while celebrating the release of the duo in his Agbarha-Otor country home, also commended President Goodluck Jonathan for not interfering with the judicial process that culminated in the freedom of Al-Mustpha and Shofolahan after spending over 14 years in prison for murder and conspiracy charges. He described the appellate court’s decision, setting aside the sentence handed Al-Mustpha and Shofolahan on January 30, 2012 by Justice Mojisola Dada of the Lagos High Court, Igbosere, by the Court of Appeal as the act of God, adding “the presiding judge, Justice Rita Pemu, is a woman of integrity.” Al-Mustpha and Shofolahan were sentenced to death by a Lagos High Court for the murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, who was shot dead in Lagos on June 4, 1996. Onuesoke said: “The release of Al-Mustpha and Shofolahan is good for the growth of our nascent democracy. It shows that the judiciary still remains the hope of the common man. At last justice has been done in this case.” FJHD in a statement by its National Coordinator, Mr. Oghenjabor Ikimi, said justice delayed was justice denied.

12—Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 15, 2013

Warri North crisis: Ijaw group commiserates with Itsekiri families BY EMMAAMAIZE

ARRI—IJAW Peoples Development Initiative, IPDI, Warri, Delta State, has sympathised with the families of Itsekiri natives, who lost their beloved ones in the reprehensible July 2 invasion of their communities in Warri North Local Government Area of the state by some armed Ijaw youths. This came on a day a leader of Egbema Kingdom in the area, Chief Ladina Yebu, commended Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan for visiting the various Itsekiri communities where

some lives were lost during the attack by the Ijaw youths. National President of IPDI, Mr. Austin Ozobo, in a statement, in Warri, said: “Ijaw and Itsekiri are intermarried; it is good we harmonise our differences without resort to war, it is our prayer that war does not break out between Ijaw and Itsekiri again. ‘’We urge both parties to sheath their swords and employ dialogue to settle their differences. We want a transparent settlement, let the governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, avoid bias over the harmonisation process of both parties. Let us forget about the issues of minority or

majority in managing the crisis. ‘’If we are talking about majority, the Ijaws would not have produced the President of this country, if we are also talking about majority, the Itsekiri would not have produced the governor of Delta State. ‘’What we want is something feasible to be done to bring lasting peace to Warri and its environs. Our candid opinion is that Governor Uduaghan should adopt rotational arrangement of the Warri North chair, State Assembly and Commissionership positions among the Ijaw and Itsekiri in the area.”

Edo IPMAN begins lifting of petroleum ucts will commence by products Monday (today), while BY SIMON EBEG-

BULEM

ENIN CITY—THE Edo State Department of the State Security, DSS, has waded into the factional crisis that is rocking the Benin zone of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN. Following the intervention, the Benin zone will commence loading of petroleum product by Mon-

day, July 15, which was suspended a week ago due to the factional crisis rocking the zone. The national adviser to the IPMAN and former National Vice-President of the association, Elder Konkon Ogbeide, who disclosed this, yesterday, to Vanguard, said the Edo State Director of the DSS, Bello Bakori met with the warring factions and it was agreed that they should sheath their swords so that loading of petroleum prod-

other contending issues will be settled amicably with the national leadership of the IPMAN. He appealed to aggrieved members to back the Solomon Ogbewe caretaker committee set up by the National body to pilot the affairs of the IPMAN until an election is held in the state, just as he described the purported election which produced another chairman of IPMAN in the state as null and void.

Bomadi LG boss gets Icon of Hope award

OMADI—TRANSITION Committee Chairman of Bomadi Local Government Area, Delta State, Mr. Collins Olorogun, has been awarded the Icon of Hope and Inspiration to SouthSouth by the South-South Youth Assembly, SSYA Presenting the award at the chairman’s office in Bomadi, the youth group, drawn from the nine oil producing states in the country, said the award was bestowed on the Bomadi council boss in recognition of the giant strides his administration has recorded in area of peace and security, sanitation and human capital development. The group said: “Olorogun stands out amongst the chairmen in the South-South region.” The group had listed parameters used to assess project executions and good governance, maintaining that the award would further rekindle his efforts towards nation building.

They also commended the council boss for the prudent management of the Subsidy Re-investment Programme, SURE-P funds to enhance the living standard of the people, saying it was satisfied with the level of development in the council as well as the youth-friendly policies and programmes which gave the youths a sense of belonging in the scheme of things.

SSYA also appealled to Boko Haram to shun violence and embrace peace to foster national unity. Receiving the award, Olorogun commended the youths for bestowing on him the award and promised to continue the good job of making the lives of the people better, just as he called on other youths of the region to always be of good ambassadors of the region.

CONFERENCE: Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State (right) and Managing Editor, Daily Independent, Mr. Akpandem James, at Mboho Akwa Ibom Conference in London, yesterday.

S-East, S-South govs wives hold widowhood summit in Uyo BY ONOZURE DANIA

YO—WIVES of South-South/South East Governors will today hold a summit on widowhood in Nigeria in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The two-day summit, is entitled National Widowhood Summit and is expected to provide a platform for sharing of ideas towards seeking

solutions to the challenges facing widows in Nigeria. The facilitator of the summit and wife of Cross River State governor, Mrs. Obioma LiyelImoke, said the summit will be chaired by Senator Helen Esuene, Chairperson, Senate Committee on Women Affairs. Mrs. Liyel-Imoke, who

is also the Founder/ Board Chair, Partnership Opportunities for Women Empowerment Realisation, said Hajia Zainab Maina, Minister for Women Affairs, is schedule to deliver the keynote address, adding that she would be hosted by Mrs. Ekaette Akpabio, wife of the, Akwa Ibom State governor.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 15, 2013—13

Ebonyi community alleges exclusion from flood compensation

4 parties in Imo drum support for APC BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

BY PETER OKUTU

BAKALIKI—AKPOHA in Afikpo, Ebonyi State, weekend, expressed dissatisfaction over marginalisation and noncompensation of its people over the

flood that hit the area last year. Briefing newsmen at Afikpo North local government council headquarters, leader of the community, Chief Simon Egwu, noted that the money released

by both federal and state governments to flood victims in the state did not get to any of them at Akpoha, adding that only relief materials got to them. He said they were at the

COMMISSIONING—From left; Chief Emeka Wogu, Minister of Labour and Productivity; Professor Jerry Gana, Chairman of the occasion; Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State; CEO of Jades Hotel, Arc. Benson Ezem and his wife, Mrs. Ezem, during the commissioning of Jades Hotel, Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, weekend.

Local Government council to register their protest and appeal for inclusion in the payment of compensation since many of the people, mainly farmers, suffered severely from the flood disaster that affected several states in the country. Egwu said: “We can’t understand why our people who were the worst hit by the flood disaster could be excluded. The flood that took place last year submerged our farms and destroyed our crops. “We couldn’t harvest anything from our farms. This occurrence led to the impoverishment of our people”. Reacting, Chairman of the council, Tony Ekoh, expressed shock at the protest by members of Akpoha, noting that disbursement of funds to flood victims had long been concluded by the council. Ekoh said: “The protest came as a surprise to me. We have long concluded the payment of compensation to victims. “How come, is it now that we are talking about local government election that people will now decide to protest?”

Orji warns Abia indigenes in China against drug trafficking BY ANAYO OKOLI

MUAHIA—GOVERNOR Theodore Orji of Abia State has warned indigenes of the state resident in China against drug trafficking. A statement by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ugochukwu Emezue, stated that the governor gave the advice in a town hall meeting with Abia people residing in China. Orji, who was on the entourage of President Goodluck Jonathan’s investment summit visit to China, warned Abia indigenes to be law abiding and shun the urge to push hard drugs. He reminded them that Abians were noted for integrity, hard work and excellence, and implored them not to do anything that would bring shame to the state and the country as whole. Orji pleaded with those who had factories in Gwangzhou and other cities in China to come back home to also establish factories in such areas as Aba, Umuahia and Ohafia, even as he assured them of adequate security.

WERRI—FOUR political parties in Imo State, weekend, reaffirmed commitment to the emerging All Progressives Congress, APC. The political parties represented at the meeting included Governor Rochas Okorocha’s All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, All Nigeria People’s Party, ANPP, Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, and Democratic Peoples Party, DPP. Addressing the party loyalists, Okorocha described the emergence of APC as a child of circumstance and linked it to the abysmal failure of the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP, to satisfy the yearnings of the citizenry in the past 14 years of governance. Okorocha said: "This meeting has become necessary, especially now that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has assured APC leadership that the new party has met the guidelines for registration".

Anambra to reward first class graduates BY VINCENT UJUMDU

WKA—GOVERNOR Peter Obi of Anambra State has promised that the state government would reward indigenes who bagged first class degrees in their fields of study as a way of motivating excellence. The governor, who spoke while presenting amounts ranging from N1 million to N3 million to six indigenes of the state who excelled in their fields of academic studies, said the action was to change the value system that had been throwing up people with questionable means of livelihood in the society. Those recognized included Miss Roseline Ejindu who was the best graduating student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and Mr. Ugochukwu Alutu, who made a first class in Economics and Statistics at the University of Benin. C M Y K

14— Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 15, 2013

C M Y K

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 15, 2013—15

BOKO HARAM: Amnesty committee under fire Continues from page 5 ment who are trying to tailor it to that direction.” Boko Haram should embrace peace—Gani Adams Speaking on the issue, National Coordinator of the Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, Otunba Gani Adams sued for a truce and advised Boko Haram to dialogue with the government. “I will advise them to observe ceasefire because the international community does not accept terrorism any longer. There is no way you start a terrorism cause and end well. My advice to them is that they should not start a battle they cannot win. For the purpose of peace and tranquillity, they should ensure they embrace peace so that we can move forward,” he enjoined. Govt should disband Amnesty Committee —

Northern CAN The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) of the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), also yesterday said that the President of CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor has been vindicated after being rebuked by some northerners for expressing doubt over the reported ceasefire deal reached between the Islamist terrorists group, Boko Haram, and the government last Monday. Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Northern CAN, Mr. Sunday Oibe, speaking with newsman, yesterday said: “The pronouncement by Mr. Shekau, the real leader of Boko Haram, has come to vindicate CAN and our national leader, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor. He was called many names when he said that he did not have confidence in the questionable an-

nouncement of a ceasefire between the Federal Government and Boko Haram. “Today Boko Haram’s number one man has come to speak with scorn and contempt against the ceasefire agreement. If you meet some of the committee members personally, some will confess to you in private that they have never met any foot soldier of Boko Haram, not to talk of any one near its leadership “We in Northern CAN believe that the Amnesty committee is useless and has failed. It lied to Nigerians about this ceasefire just to fool President Goodluck Jonathan to extend its tenure so they can grab more money. All those giving President Jonathan this unwise advice are either doing it for self-serving reasons, or are trying to deceive him into a blunder that will not only destroy him politically, but jeopardise the corporate existence of Nigeria. “We want to advise our Christian brothers in vulnerable places to be extra-vigilant, including other non-Christians who may be target of the demonic antics of Boko Haram. Northern CAN is

calling for the immediate disbandment of the amnesty committee. All monies that would be squandered on the committee should be put into supporting the Joint Task Force and vulnerable communities in affected states. Enough of this jamboree with scarce public funds. Enough of hypocrisy. “Finally, there can be no amnesty for unrepentant murderers and insurgents without reconciliation with the victims. As Christians, forgiveness comes very naturally as taught us by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, but there must be show of genuine repentance. Therefore, the amnesty committee, even in its composition, was in the first place an insult to Nigerian Christians. And now, see how it has failed”, he said. Turaki's ceasefire claim false, says Arewa youth leader Also reacting to the denial of any ceasefire agreement between the Federal Government and the Boko Haram sect, Arewa Youth Forum leader, Gambo Gujungu said that they were

aware that the claim by the government minister was false and asked him to apologise and resign. The group called on the Federal Government to disband the Amnesty Panel and stop wasting taxpayers’ money for something that would not yield any positive result. However, spokesman for the Arewa Consultative Forum, Anthony Sani, called on the Federal Government to continue the process of dialogue with the sect members, noting that the process of ending terrorism the world over has never been easy. Sani said: “We would advise that whatever it takes, the Federal Government should continue the process of dialogue. As dialogue progresses, those opposed to ending the crisis would join. “We do not want the denial by Shekau to discourage the government from continuing dialogue with the group. Overcoming terrorism is not easy,” he noted. Sani, however, regretted that government went public with the announcement of a ceasefire when the terms of the agreement had not been sorted out by the two par-

ties, thereby bungling the entire process. “The Amnesty Committee should have wrapped up all the issues under the terms of a ceasefire before making any announcement,” Sani said. Attempts to reach the Minister proved abortive last night as he neither responded to calls placed to his mobile phone nor text messages sent to the same phone.

JTF kills Boko Haram top commander Meanwhile, the taskforce in a statement signed by its spokesman, Lt Col Musa said: “The Joint Task Force (JTF) between 3-8 July, 2013 dislodged Boko Haram Terrorists from their main enclave in Bulabulin Nganaram, Aljajeri and Faluja areas of Maiduguri metropolis. “During the encounter, some terrorists were killed in the fire fight including the main Amir of Bulabulin Nganaram (who was on the wanted list of the JTF with a N10m bounty). He was responsible for the killing of a teacher and three students of Sanda Karami Secondary School, Ruwan Zafi Maiduguri."

Mobil, Total, others threaten to stop fuel import

N65.1BN SUBSIDY DEBT: BY CLARA NWACHUKWU

AGOS—MAJOR Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, MOMAN, has threatened to stop the importation of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS or petrol, if the Federal Government did not pay its outstanding N65.1billion subsidy claims. The outstanding sum is the combination of the following: *import claims from 2011 - N49.5billion *bank interest payments – N13.10billion *foreign exchange claims – N2.5billion The majors, comprising Mobil, Total, MRS, Forte Oil and Conoil, however said that only about N9.4billion of the total sum had been paid after much pressure on government, still leaving a huge outstanding of

N55.7billion unpaid. The marketers noted that some of these claims have remained outstanding since 2011, with huge implications on their operations. The Executive Secretary, MOMAN, Mr. Obafemi Olawore, told journalists in Lagos weekend that “The implication of the non-payment of our claims is that it is affecting our bottom line, and this will lead to a reduction in petrol importation, and eventually the downsizing of workers.” He noted that one of the six-member group has not been paid since 2011, while the burden of the foreign exchange losses of N2.5billion are being borne by three of the marketers and still counting as long as the claims remain unpaid. Olawore argued that

the majors were not trying to blackmail the government as suspected, noting that the banks were no longer willing to extend credit facilities for members to continue to import fuel due to the high interest rate of over N13.10billion that have accrued since 2011. “If the banks don’t give us the facility, and government is not paying us, what else can we do? Of course importation will stop because our ability to continue with the process has been weakened. Also, interest charges have eaten deep into our meager reserves, and there may be no other option than to start staff rationalisation,” he said.

Products importation

Petrol and kerosene are the two refined petroleum products approved

for subsidy by the federal government, to enable marketers sell the products at regulated pump prices. However, because of the politics involved in kerosene importation, all other marketers abandoned the process, leaving only the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC with the burden of importing, and selling at N50/litre prescribed by government. Other marketers sell kerosene at between N100 and N170/litre depending on location and outlet. Currently, the majors are the second largest importers of petrol second to the, NNPC, while the independent marketers merely complement imports with whatever quantity they could bring in.

16 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 15, 2013 THE nation and the world at large got a shocker on Tuesday, 9th July 2013 when the simmering crisis in the state’s chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Rivers State House of Assembly resulted in a free-for-all in the House chamber. Members of the Assembly were seen attacking one another with dangerous objects which left some of them seriously injured and hospitalised. The faction of five members of the House opposed to Governor Chibuike Amaechi, threw caution to the winds and assembled early that day and announced they had impeached the Speaker, Hon Otelemabala Amachree. In his place, Hon Evans Bipi presented himself as the new Speaker. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 stipulates that for the impeachment of any elected official to be valid, not less than two-thirds of the members of the House must vote in its favour. This clearly did not happen. The most regrettable part of it was that the Police, having been intimated of the possibility of trouble, drafted scores of their men to the Assembly. And yet, it did not stop the grievous assault on members from taking place. The Police simply watched while the law was being broken with impunity. In fact, some uniformed officers were seen helping to perpetrate evil as reminiscent of the horrific scenes seen on NTA in 2003 following the Governor Chris Ngige kidnap saga in Anambra State.

The Chaos In Rivers State Must Stop We are at a loss how people described in many media reports as “thugs” were able to find their ways into the Assembly grounds and even the public gallery when security men reportedly screened people getting into the arena. One would have thought that with crisis forewarned, strict steps would be taken by the law enforcement agencies to keep out non-members and to arrest anyone who abandoned their legitimate duties as legislators and opted to foment trouble. We condemn what happened in Rivers State last Tuesday in the strongest terms. This was a day that decorum was thrown to the winds, while the monster of lawlessness reigned supreme. It smacks of political madness for a handful of five legislators to purport to impeach a Speaker in total contravention of the constitution. We must find a way to severely sanction politicians and public office holders who perpetrate

such constitutional iniquities. Otherwise, our democracy will continue to be mired in political backwardness. Perhaps, it is time for us to consider the long suggested establishment of constitution courts to deal with matters such as these. We commend the House of Representatives for quickly intervening and taking over the legislative functions of the House until tempers cool and members come back to their senses. The House and the Senate should conduct a joint inquiry into the roles played by the law enforcement agents, particularly the Police, on that day. Those who failed in their assigned duties to enforce the law must be made to face the music. The crisis in Rivers State is beginning to acquire a more dangerous turn, with the supporters of both sides now confronting each other in the streets. We are living witnesses to the horrors the nation went through as a result of the activities of political thugs and cult groups who later became militants and went into the creeks to disrupt the peace and economic wellbeing of the country. The nation has paid dearly to pacify and stabilise the Niger Delta. We must not allow ugly recent history to repeat itself. The political combatants must sheathe their swords and allow the people of the state to live peacefully with one another. There is no substitute to politics without bitterness.

OPINION BY KEN CHUKWUEKE

OVERNOR Rochas Okorocha may not have imagined the extent of viral and collateral damage his characteristic bravado will spiral into, when he personally supervised the closure of Abia Line loading bay at 5 Wetheral Road Owerri Imo State. He ordered its closure without the option of notice for the company to at least pitch tent elsewhere. This may not have tickled anybody’s fancy, except that over one month after forcefully uprooting of Abia Line Network, the established sleight hand of pretending to have picketed other transport companies, who carried on with their businesses unmolested, has been made open. Abia Line was forced out of a yet to expire rented property at 5 Wetheral Road, but ironically other transport companies were allowed to continue business in the premises. The Imo State Governor, who personally supervised the ejection of Abia Line, may have done so on account of how he desperately wanted to restore the master plan of Owerri Capital Territory, but the strategic adoption of selective punishment, meted out to Abia Line is casting a huge doubt on that position. Imo State Government is at liberty to leverage on any aspect of the Land Use Act for the good of the people. It is also true that the dispossessed

Between Okorocha and Abia line native owners of such properties are treated with some level of dignity, given that governments should serve the interest of the people. The management of Abia Line, rather than hurriedly instigate a reprisal, cautiously and wisely made representations in a move to drive home the point that “two wrongs don’t make a right.” Retinue of evidence, located in public domain, abound to drive home the point that Abia Line General Manager Ugochukwu Uwaeke wrote Governor Rochas Okorocha, copied Abia State Governor Sir T. A. Orji and the General Manager of Imo Transport Company Limited, requesting the Imo State Governor to reconsider his decision or relocate the company, no matter how remote the location, to ameliorate hardship his action was causing Abia Line. Days turned into weeks and weeks into months without a word from Governor Okorocha. In this irritating and unacceptable milieu, Abia Line wallowed in limbo, while business flourished for Imo Transport Company both in Aba and Umuahia where the magnanimity and brotherly bond of Gover nor T. A. Orji allowed it unfettered access to strategic and centrally located loading bays in Abia State. The hurriedly ejection of Peace Mass

Transit and Rivers Transport Company after Abia State reacted is comically deceptive. It is not anything different from the volte-face of Imo State mouth piece; Chinedu Offor whose unfounded allegation that the General Manager of Abia Line hurled insults at Okorocha could not fly. The General Manager of Abia Line wrote a harmless letter with graphic details of the economic woes his outfit was facing on account of Okorocha’s closure of Abia Line loading bay in Owerri and humbly requested him to rescind the decision. It is also pedestrian to hoodwink the public by clinging to another falsehood that Abia Line ran into a breach of tenancy agreement with its former landlord at the Egbu Road loading bay.

bia Line had tenancy issues at Egbu Road loading bay which a court of competent jurisdiction resolved. It is not in any way related to Wetheral Road and its strategic business interest which is being hurt. Even if these conjectures were true, would they constitute grounds for the government of our sister State, Imo, to aggravate the misery of Abia Line by throwing it out of the Wetheral Road loading bay, which it legally paid for and acquired? Does the government think of the hardship it is imposing

on Abia Line and its passengers? All the boasts about political influence Governor has have no relevance to this issue. Over estimating our invincibility is one reprehensive attitude that pitches man against God and makes Him livid. Governor Okorocha in aspiring to cater for the public interests should enlarge his understanding of the public. Great as his resolve to restore the Owerri master plan may be, it is not adequate reason to impinge on the right of others. He cannot protect the interests of his people by denying others access to property they have acquired legally. The olive branch and commendable entreaties of Abia Line General Manager advanced through a harmless protest letter to Governor Rochas Okorocha should have been reciprocated, especially in the spirit of long existing sisterly bond between the States. If Governor T. A. Orji should be large hearted enough to allow Imo Transport Company the use of juicer loading bays in Umuahia and Aba, denying Abia Line a fragment of such opportunities in Owerri under the circumstances being witnessed turns equity on its head. Public interest is not the same as discrimination which is what governor Okorocha is unleashing on Abia line. *Mr. Chukwueke, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Aba, Abia State.

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Egypt freezes Muslim Brotherhood funds

GYPT’s public prosecutor has issued a temporary freeze on the assets of senior Muslim Brotherhood leaders as well as senior leaders of pro-Morsi parties and groups, Egyptian state television has reported. The freeze is temporary and pending investigations in ongoing cases related to events in al-Mokatam, al-Nahda square, and the Republican Guards Club, all venues of clashes during the aftermath of the June 30 protests. The freeze will affect Mohamed Badie, the general guide of the Muslim Brotherhood, as well as Khairat al-Shater, Mohamed Ezat, Mahi

Mr Morsi’s supporters have been staging protests demanding his return to office Ekef, Saed ElKatatni, Essam ElErian, Mohamed ElBeltagy - all members of the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood group. Senior leaders of the pro-Morsi coalition, including Essam Sultan, Assem Abdul Majed, Safwat Hegazy and Hazem Abu Ismail, will

also be affected by the freeze. Bassam al-Zarka, the deputy chairman of the Salafist al-Nour party, told Al Jazeera that he did not know the whereabouts of Morsi, asserting that the subject of the former president’s current location was “surrounded with secrecy”.

Russia: No asylum request yet from Snowden him asylum. at a meeting in Russia’s

USSIA has said that it had not yet received a formal request for political asylum from US whistleblower Edward Snowden, who has been holed up in transit zone of Moscow airport since June 23. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday that the country was not in contact with Snowden, who broke three weeks of silence and asked for refuge in Russia until he could secure safe passage to Latin America. Latin American countries such as Venezuela, Bolivia and Nicaragua have offered

Snowden, a former National Security Agency contractor who leaked a trove of US electronic surveillance documents, told activists

Sheremetyevo airport on Friday that he was being prevented by Western governments from flying to the Latin America.

9 militants killed in U.S. drone, Pakistan air force strikes

T least nine suspected militants, including two foreigners, were killed in Pakistan’s lawless tribal region in a U.S. drone strike and a separate Pakistan military operation, security officials said yesterday/. Pakistan has seen a spate of militant attacks since Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif took office last month, putting

pressure on his team to act more aggressively to curb the insurgency. Missile strikes by unmanned U.S. aircraft have inflicted the most damage against Taliban fighters in the mountainous areas straddling the Afghan border in past years, sometimes with heavy civilian casualties.

Zimbabwe police, soldiers begin early votes cast

OLICE officers and soldiers who will be on duty during Zimbabwe’s July 31 election began voting yesterday

, the eve of a court hearing to stop the process because Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC party says police

Zimmerman cleared in shooting of Trayvon Martin Neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman was cleared of all charges late yesterday night in the shooting of Trayvon Martin, the unarmed black teenager whose killing unleashed furious debate across the U.S. over racial profiling, self-defense and equal justice. Zimmerman, 29, blinked and smiled slightly when the verdict was announced. He

could have been convicted of second-degree murder or manslaughter.

numbers were inflated. Zimbabwe will hold presidential and parliamentary elections and police chiefs have been campaigning for Tsvangvirai’s arch-rival, President Robert Mugabe, telling rankand-file to vote for the veteran leader and his ZANU-PF party.

Malian troops open France’s Bastille day parade

ROOPS from 13 Afri can countries that took part in the French-led war against al-Qaida-linked extremists in Mali marched with the French military during the Bastille Day parade in Paris yesterday to honor their role in the conflict. U.N. troops

in blue berets who were helping to stabilize the west African nation of Mali also paraded with thousands of other soldiers down the Champs-Elysees Avenue in France’s annual tribute to military might.

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‘Game on' in Rivers replacing him with Evans Bipi. What else would you call a situation where five out of 32 members of a legislature would purport to carry out an impeachment when the constitution clearly says they needed two-thirds majority or roughly 20 members. The impeachment’s nullity was proved when 26 members later assembled and attended to a supplementary budget brought to the house by the Deputy Governor, Tele Ikuru. What happened that Tuesday was a move to push Governor Amaechi further to the outer fringes of power, perhaps before the final nudge. The opposition rehearsed its roles very carefully. You must have seen how the grounds of the Assembly were flooded with people described as “thugs” in some media quarters. Since there was a screening of both members and visitors to the Assembly, with scores of policemen in evidence, how was it possible for “thugs” to make it into the “hallowed chamber” of the House if superior powers were not in the picture and on the side of the opposition?

Boko Haram convictions

UESDAY, July 9, 2013 became an important day in our history of war on terrorism. It was on this day that Hon. Justice Bilikisu Aliyu of an Abuja Federal High Court sentenced Shuaibu Abubakar, Salisu Ahmed, Umar Babagana, and Mohammed Ali, all members of the terror group, Boko Haram, to life in jail for their parts in the bombing of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Suleija. Many were elated that, at least and at last, some terrorists have been brought to book, even if they got less than they deserved: death, which they meted out to their victims. Concerns remain, though. What about their sponsors; the big men who assembled and financed the ugly venture? You don’t kill a snake by cutting the tail leaving the head. Secondly, sending them to jail for life means we have to be vigilant forever for fear of their affiliates setting them free through jailbreaks, the sort we witnessed in Ondo and Bama prisons recently.

And how come that the policemen sat on their palms and watched the live movie, rather than do their job as law enforcement agents? Those (like Dr. Doyin Okupe, the Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs) who said the Presidency had nothing to do with events of that day were merely playing to the gallery. This was simply the latest episode of the President

T was horrible in the corridors of power in Port Harcourt on Tuesday last week. If it were a scripted Nollywood home video, it would have been either agebarred or altogether banned by the Nigerian Video Censors Board. An “honourable” member had a heavy, blunt object in his two hands. He swung it over his head and delivered a hit on the forehead of another “honourable” member. Rather than the victim turning tail and running for dear life as fast as his feet could take him, he was spinning around like a headless chicken. Perhaps, he was too dazed to run. He was repeatedly attacked until he found himself near an exit door. Just before he plunged into it, his assailant released a final hit across back in the waist region. We later heard the blunt object was a camera tripod – a steel object! Someone described that cold-blooded assault as an “attempted murder”. That assailant, whoever he is, must be prosecuted accordingly. The victim could easily have fallen down and lost his life. After all, the late Hon. Aminu Safana, a legislator from Katsina, simply slumped during a heated argument in the chamber of the House of Reps during the Patricia Etteh scandal in 2007 even though he was not even assaulted. Another sickening part of it all was that a policeman decked in his newly-acquired fatigue uniform was seen stripping the victim of his black jacket and in the process rendering him more vulnerable before his attacker. Earlier on, five members of the Rivers State House of Assembly opposed to Governor Chibuike Amaechi had conducted a comical charade in which they said they had impeached the Speaker of the House, Otelemabala Amachree,

Rivers State PDP led by Hon. Felix Obuah, visited the President in Aso Villa. They included Amaechi’s former principal, exGovernor Peter Odili. That visit was meant to keep the President focused on his warpath with the Governor. The anti-Amaechi group would obviously want him out of the picture as soon as possible because he could remain an irritant on President Jonathan’s path to reelection in his home base. The PDP and the Presidency are set for a general re-jig of structures in readiness for the oncoming political high season and undesirable elements will be dropped from the wagon as soon as possible. Amaechi started this crisis by striking the posture of an opposition element; a strange bedfellow, within the ruling party. He chose to fight the party and the Presidency from within, rather than honourably resign and join his allies in the All Progressives Congress (APC) parties, to which he is now the rallying point. People say he has the

The anti-Amaechi group would obviously want him out of the picture as soon as possible because he could remain an irritant on President Jonathan’s path to re-election in his home base

Goodluck Jonathan versus Governor Chibuike Amaechi political muscle-flexing. It was the newest phase of the political game meant to push matters rapidly towards the endgame. After the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) election, which Amaechi doggedly contested against the directives of his party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and won, thus making President Jonathan lose face; he had drawn a bold battle line. He not only gave the president’s political enemies in the north the opportunity to betray the Party and the President; he was also the rallying point for the rebellion. Thereafter, the two sides (President and Governor) made that routine protocol encounter at the Port Harcourt International Airport when Jonathan visited his home state. It was splashed all over the front pages of the dailies, and speculated as a move towards reconciliation. The following day, the major stakeholders opposed to Amaechi in the

constitutional right to do what he is doing, but the party also has the right to protect itself from a member who now acts in the interest of the opposition. This is power play, and it is game on. Amaechi says he is under siege. What did he expect? He would do the same to anyone who undermines him. The hand that disturbs the bee’s nest will be stung.

Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi

OPINION BY NNAEMEKA ORUH

WO issues grabbed the headlines penultimate weekend.Here,I will try to examine these issues as reflections of the state of our country Nigeria. First, the N100,000 issue that trended on twitter that weekend.It was not about politicians.Neither was it about OJB Jezreel’s kidney transplant fee.It was about a poor girl who committed the crime of asking a young man on twitter to help her financially.The guy asked for sex in return for the N100,000 that the girl needed.Irresponsible and immature as he is,the young man munched the direct messages and released them on twitter.The foxes pounced and began to tear the girl to shreds.While so many people decided to understand the situation as a case of a girl demanding money for sex,they missed the real issue: that the guy had decided to exploit the girl who needed help by asking for sexual favours.He did not ask for sex first,and the girl asked to be paid.She asked for financial help first,then he demanded sex.But as usual,we refused to see the real message and focused on calling her a whore. Then there is the sexist angle of bloggers publishing the story and putting up only the girl’s picture.There is a guy involved too,why was his own

What’s in a dog? picture not published? Why was the story all about the girl,with nothing said about the guy’s apparent exploitative nature? That is the story of our country.But then,what’s in a dog?She is a whore,right? On Saturday, July 6,2013, gunmen attacked a boarding school in Yobe and killed several school children.The gunmen were said to be members of the Islamist group, Boko Haram. Boko Haram has been a menace to the country for a while now,and indeed seem to be the major security challenge facing the Goodluck Jonathan administration.The killing of the school children was a new dimension to their acts,but unfortunately the President’s response was not completely a new dimension.According to reports, President Jonathan said the gun men will “go to hell”. Killers will go to hell,the Holy Book has told us.The question though is,do we wait for judgement day?Mr. President,should we now say God is the president? Was that what the president of a country should be saying when faced with extreme terrorism?There is

nothing wrong with the comment.The problem is,is that supposed to be the response to a terrorist act?The American president would have taken the issue as a matter of national emergency.But then,what’s in a dog? The children are dispensable,right? What’s in a dog really? What’s in a country where lives are worth nothing?What’s in a country where the leaders are busy fighting each other for the next general elections and care nothing about the citizenry?What’s in a country where school children are brutally murdered and tomorrow,we move on as if nothing really happened?What’s in a country where randy sexist men hug the limelight for good after demeaning poor women in dire need of help?What’s in a country where socio-economic conditions have made young men and women easy prey to the machinations of religious bigots? What’s in a country where a former lecturer sits as the president and universities are closed due to a strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities? Our dignity has been trashed, and our lives,well,our lives,are they worth more than the lives of dogs? *Mr. Oruh, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Lagos.

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How Jonathan stopped Egyptian style revolution in Nigeria — Masari HON Aminu Bello Masari was former Speaker of the House of Representatives between 2003 and 2007. In this interview with GBENGA OKE, he responds to issues of insecurity in the North and assertions of ambivalence by northern leaders, the preparedness of the All Progressives Congress, APC for the political battle ahead and the crisis that has recently enveloped the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, NGF. Excerpts:

T is alleged that majority of Northern leaders are ambivalent on the Boko Haram insurgency. Why? If you want to exploit people, deny them education. And in the North education is being denied to the public because public schools there have collapsed. The only schools functioning are private schools but how many parents can afford it? Secondly, the public health system has also collapsed. So now people have to provide water, security, education, health care system and every other thing for themselves. Today, the North is known for its agriculture business and over 80 per cent of northerners rely on agriculture and agriculture today cannot thrive without the input of government, which includes supply of fertilizers, good quality seeds. All these things have disappeared. As I am talking to you today, a 50 kg bag of fertilizer costs about N5,000. How many people can afford it? And some state governments like the state where I come from, for the last 30 days or more, people have planted and up till now government has not distributed fertilizer, when will they distribute it? The type of people that we put in office is not reflective of the reality on ground and my belief

•Masari because there is no peace without justice. Do you foresee anything like the Arab Spring happening here? Do you think that was not going to happen if the fuel

This Arab spring is not only limited to Arabian nations, bad governance and bad election can lead to such uprising

is that for you to provide responsible leadership there must be good, free and fair election. In Nigeria, people who won election were denied and leadership was given to those who did not win. How do you expect those who did not win to have respect for ordinary the person when they know at the end of the day it was not ordinary people that put them in power and it is not ordinary people that will put them in power again? So unless we address these fundamental issues of justice and fairness, we will know no peace

subsidy protest was not discontinued? You can see people all over Lagos, Abuja, Port-Harcourt, Kano and Kaduna rose up to the occasion and if they had not rescinded their decision and the rally in Lagos and other places were allowed to continue, it could have developed into something. So for anybody to think it cannot happen in Nigeria, such person is deceiving himself and it is a huge joke. It can happen if certain decisions taken by government are not favourable to people. This Arab spring is not only limited to Arabian nations, bad

governance and bad election can lead to such uprising. It will happen here except certain things are done and we are moving towards that because the alienation and deprivation are growing and when they grow to certain level, surely something must give way. In Nigeria today, there is no justice and fairness. So, no man can control what is happening unless we address the fundamentals and provide leadership at state and local government levels that are truly elected by the people and which will be held accountable by the people. Really, the attitude of leaders here in the North will have to change and our lifestyle will have to reflect the reality on ground. Governors and local government chairmen today behave like emperors, doing whatever they like with the wealth of the people because they depend on Federation Account and not Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

This issue is not about religion, sectionalism and hostility it is about leaders short-changing their people. It is happening all over the country but worse in the North because we have denied our people education. Can you imagine a governor that has not provided basic requirement of primary education, but was going to spend billions in feeding people during Ramadan? This is a contradiction. Give them good education and they will find their level. How can we stop this insecurity when a local government chairman with his appointees is patronising private institutions? So, they have no confidence in what they are supposed to be doing. There is no responsibility in leadership and it is a failure for governors, local government chairmen, councilors and other political appointees to send their children to private schools, when they refuse to send their children to public institutions, it means those schools are bad. For me, this is an indictment on them to provide good and quality service to the people they govern and that is why there is no accountability. We can overcome this insecurity situation but if we do not lay a sustainable foundation, it will recur and maybe this time, it may not be on religion but between the rich and the poor and the rich will be determined by the type of clothes he wears, house he lives, car he drives and the area he lives. There is this argument by some Nigerians that APC interim leadership is being dominated by Muslims. What is your reaction to it? This is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) campaign and let me tell you, we Nigerians start looking for good a leader, let it be

a Christian or Muslim. If we allow ourselves to be divided along religious lines, this country will not move forward. If there is bad governance by a bad Muslim, is it only Christians that will be worse for it? No, it is all Nigerians that will be worse for it. President Jonathan is the President today and a Christian, the bad policies, bad governance and the insecurity taking place, are they only affecting Muslims? Bad governance is bad governance and it affects everybody irrespective who is at the helm of affairs. So I think we better start thinking of how we are going to produce a good leader for our country irrespective of the religion they proffer. As a Muslim, my Quran taught me God will support a just leader be it a Christian or Muslim but God is not with an unjust leader even if he lives in Saudi Arabia. For us, it is not about religion but about those who will provide good leadership. By the time all necessary registration processes are completed, Nigerians will realise APC will be a different party, it will be a party that will produce credible leaders, we will be a party that will be answerable to the people and serve the people and not the current situation.

Responsible leadership We are going to play by the rules, we are going to be a just party, we are going to be an inclusive party and we are going to provide responsible leadership and responsible governance through APC. To what extent do you think the APC alliance will go given failed past alliances? What is about to happen will be the first of its kind in Nigeria. This is not an alliance but a merger of three major opposition parties and some sections of APGA and DPP. What we are seeing is not an alliance but a merger of major political actors to form a strong party to challenge the PDP dominance of government in Nigeria since 1999. So, this is the first time we are having a merger since 1999 to become one, by the time the certificate comes in, there wont be CPC, ACN, ANPP but APC. So it is a merger and not alliance and history has been made because this is the first time in Nigeria where parties form a merger and produce only one political party. We believe with the commitment shown by leaders of each of the parties in the merger,

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How Jonathan stopped Egyptian style revolution in Nigeria — Masari Continues from page 48 there is a strong resolution that we need alternative governance and the only way to achieve that is through the merger of these parties to become one in order to form one manpower, capacity, resources to challenge the PDP who control the government at the centre. Given the general clamour for power shift in the North and the recent assertion by Governor Babangida Aliyu that the North will negotiate power shift, does the APC have a position on the issue? First, whatever they are doing is a PDP arrangement. Let them sort themselves out, I don’t like to comment on what PDP is doing but what I will ask is whether we are still seeing a softening opposition by the Governor of Niger State because once he says they will negotiate, it means they will accept something which was totally opposite to what he was saying some two months ago that they produce another candidate. •Masari: I read it but I was a bit confused about what he meant that they will government, they are not talking about negotiate power come 2015. Is it a how to better the lives of ordinary softening opposition because they keep Nigerians. All these are not part of their saying there was an agreement with agenda. It shows they are neither here President Jonathan to do one term, so are nor there. they now saying they will negotiate with Secondly, when they had an election and Jonathan. there was somebody who won and they I am a bit confused about what he is refused to recognize who won, you want trying to say unless he is trying to be like to recognize the person that lost. Why? all big men we know that speak from both Because you felt the person that has won sides of the mouth. For us, when we are come 2015 will not support you to get fully registered, we will produce leaders elected. What is your business with that according to the constitution of the party. because not all governors in the forum are So are you saying APC won’t cede the members of your party? When you have a presidential ticket to any particular zone? leader of the PDP governors’ forum, you We will produce leadership according should be contented with that. What is his to the constitution that is submitted to the business with governors’ forum, which Independent Electoral Commission, involves all governors irrespective of their (INEC). We have outlined how to go about parties? What is the business of the producing our leaders, so we will go President and the PDP? according to the provisions of the I don’t even care even if they dissolve constitution to produce our leaders and the forum because I know the body does candidates in all the elections in Nigeria not add value to the polity or the lives of come 2015. the people. If you could remember when

APC formation For us in APC, justice and fairness is the issue and I think the issue of rotating the presidency is because there is no justice and fairness on the part of those ruling us. But in APC, we are going to be just and fair to all Nigerians and at the end of the day, by the time we produce our leaders and Nigerians see their quality, they will know that we have produced leaders who are going to govern irrespective of religious beliefs because Nigerians will be treated justly and fairly. What is your take the crises rocking Nigerian Governors’ Forum? First, you will have to ask yourself what the Nigeria Governors’ Forum has added to the quality of lives of an average Nigerian. It was formed to protect the governors themselves and they also use it to influence the Presidency on what they want. It is for themselves not for me and you or other ordinary Nigerians. So before you even delve into the fight of the NGF, what does the forum represent? It is a club and they are doing it for the aim of protecting themselves from prosecution, protection to be part of

I was in PDP, when I led the PDP reform, we fought the governors’ forum because we want the party to stand with the people and those PDP governors made sure the reform was killed and we were squeezed out. We told President Jonathan that time that this elephant called governors forum will grow to the extent that nobody will be able to control them. I think it is bad that 36 governors will conduct an election and they cannot uphold the election. So what does that portend for the country? The outcome of the NGF election has shown clearly what the PDP is planning for 2015 elections and we are ready for them. These are the reflections of 2015 and these governors are the ones to lead elections in their various states. Look at them and hear them talk. One of them said he will not attend another regional meeting. Look at him who got elected on the platform of another party, he won and decamped to another party and he is talking about morality, this can only happen in Nigeria. Governor Yuguda was elected on the platform of All Nigeria’s Peoples Party, (ANPP), he left there and joined the PDP and this is somebody talking about morality.

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54 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 15, 2013

$300 dollars to beat Eagles, Oduduru, COSAFA, probes and other stories

HE headline carried by Complete Sports newspaper yesterday was very appealing. Cash rain for Malawi to beat Eagles. The story said the Malawi Flames welfare package will be improved by “hundred percent “ before their all important 2014 World Cup qualifier against Nigeria in September. The story quoted Suzgo Nyirenda the General Secretary of the Football Association of Malawi ( FAM ) as saying further that a proposal has been sent to the National Sports Council to up the winning bonus from K 30,000 to K100,000 while the daily camp allowance will be moved from $50 dollars a day to $75 dollars a day. From investigation, Malawi Kwasha 330, equals one dollar, so by simple arithmetic, efforts are on to pay the Malawians $300 dollars (Yes three hundred dollars) as winning bonus for them to beat the Super Eagles! Don’t laugh. I wonder whether the Eagles are reading this. Let us move from there to Zambia, host of the ongoing Council of South African Football Associations (COSAFA) Senior Challenge competition. As you are reading this, I am not sure Coach Keshi has left for Zambia, but that is where he should be. COSAFA embraces Zambia, South Africa, Angola, Malawi, Namibia, Lesotho etc. In Zambia, Coach Keshi with or any of his assistants will not only have the opportunity of watching Malawi at close quarters but will also benefit a sneak preview of South Africa and Zambia, two countries we are likely to face in the decisive round of the World Cup if they make it out of their groups. Before we get back to Football, let us punctuate the stories with that of a young man called Divine Ejowokoghene Oduduru. “ Africa’s fastest youth” I repeat that one of the best things to happen to our sports was the African Junior Athletics Championship hosted by AFN in Delta State and won by Nigeria, dusting all the Kenyans, Ethiopians and South Africans of the of world track and field. I gave the Federation Kudos for it and prayed others to emulate same.

How come other Africa countries we dusted were winning medals with ease

After that championship, I got to read a lot of rave reviews about the champions of that event. A particular coach could have taken a full page advert in a newspaper to gloat over his discovery of Oduduru, who he swore was Usain Bolt personified. Off we went to the IAAF World Youth Championship C in Donetsk and stories filtered out that did no credit M to my great expectationsYof a medals haul. What of K he failed to even qualify the “great” Oduduru ? That for the 100m final but was ready to make amends in the 200m by blowing the opposition to smithereens. Sunday afternoon, I had the privilege of watching Oduduru in the 200m final. What a disappointment, coming in 6th with a time of 21.37 seconds in the race won by Jamaica’s Michael Ohara in 20.63 seconds. In the words of my wife, “ Why is he so thick and stiff?” Was Warri a fluke? How come other Africa countries we dusted were winning medals with ease?

Martinez wants Victor Moses on loan

VERTON boss Roberto Martinez wants a reunion with Victor Moses, on loan. But the key to Martinez and Moses linking up at Goodison Park, after being together at Wigan, is held by Jose Mourinho. If winger Moses, 22, is in the Chelsea manager’s plans, then he’ll be staying at Stamford Bridge. But if Mourinho feels he won’t be able to give Moses enough matches, another ex-Wigan man could be on his way to Everton. Martinez has already signed three of his former Latics players – Arouna Kone, Antolin Alcaraz and Joel Robles. And he has also taken assistant boss Graeme Jones, chief scout Kevin Reeves, goalkeeping coach Inaki Bergara and conditioning coach RichC M Y K

ard Evans with him from the DW Stadium to Goodison. Nigeria international Moses was a reluctant sale by Wigan to Chelsea for £9million only a year ago. The problem for Everton

will be if the Blues decide they want to recoup their money and not loan Moses out. Martinez, meanwhile, is hoping to use his contacts in Spain to add to his Everton squad.

Chukwu Continues from BP you begin to hear of such mind-boggling scorelines”, Chukwu bemoaned. The scores were the highest in African football since Madagascar’s AS Adema won 149 -0 in a 2002 match where losing side, State Olympique Emyme scored numerous own goals in protest at a refereeing decision. ‘’We’ve reported the matter to Police as it is a criminal matter ”, Chairman of the NFF

Media and Publicity Committee, Chief Emeka Inyama told Sports Vanguard. “They should follow it up. This is Nigeria. Before you know it, this case will be over without any punitive measure to the offenders”. Chukwu said. Nigeria has been on the front burner of the world’s media since the goals glut as all attention waits on the NFF to come out with a decision on the perpetrators of this scandalous football scores.

RANCE defeated Uruguay 4-1 in a penalty shootout to win their first Under-20s World Cup title on Saturday after a fiercelycontested final ended 0-0 after extra-time. Dimitri Foulquier scored the decisive fourth spot kick in front

(Including Nigerian born Ketira Orji of the US who leapt 6.39 in the Long Jump girls). In the Boys medley relay final we blundered to 7th position. Felt so bad on Sunday listening to the Kenyan and Ethiopian anthems again and again, watching their athletes mounting the victory rostrum so often (In the 3000m steeplechase girls, it was all African affair) Kenya placed second on the overall medals tables with eleven medals including four gold. Ethiopia had eight medals, South Africa two, while Egypt and Morocco also appeared on the medals table. No Nigeria. Pray, do we need a probe to find out what happened in Warri and Donetsk? Talking about probes, after reading Adokiye, Odegbami, Christian Okpara, Pius Ayinor……..I have nothing to add concerning the scandalous 1450 scoreline that has made us the laughing stock of world football. I have also called on the NFF to probe the strange ouster of Rangers from the CAF Confederation Cup. Tomorrow, a panel will sit to probe allegations of sell out in the National League, while a panel set up by the NSC to look at the Bonus issue and the Super Eagles embarrassing posture in Namibia is to conclude its sitting by next week. The NFF reacted swiftly by stepping into the scandalous Nationwide row, but Christian Okpara of the Guardian says “ …..But followers of Nigerian football believe the NFF action could be the prelude to sweeping the matter under the carpet. Their argument is hinged on the Federation’s treatment of previous cases of match fixing including the Lobi Stars versus Sunshine Stars case of last season “ Weighty, very weighty. The NFF must therefore act with dispatch. The current case is without mincing words a national disgrace and we must get to the bottom of it and fast too. NFF is the sole football controlling body in the land. They are to conduct the preliminary investigation and decide to transfer same to either the police or the EFCC as the case may be. Any thing to the contrary will be viewed differently. Ask FIFA. See you next week

France win U-20 World Cup of a sparse crowd, beating Uruguay keeper Guillermo de Amores to seal victory for France who beat Tu r key, U z b e k i s t a n and Ghana on the way to the final. Earlier, Ghana eased

past Iraq 3-0 in the thirdplace playoff. The competition was a test of Turkey’s ability to hold a major sporting event ahead of the September decision on the city that will host the 2020 Olympics.

IAAF WYC ends with Team Nigeria in 30th position medley relay event where it to four finals as against

EAM Nigeria’s only medal’s hope in the boys 200m Ejowokoghene Oduduru finished sixth position on Sunday to take the country to 30th position on the placing table, as the 8th IAAF World Youth Championship ended in Donetsk, Ukraine. Oduduru who injured himself in the race, returned 21.37 seconds. He was admitted in the IAAF Medical centre soon after the race and was replaced in the boys

Nigeria placed 7th on Sunday. Jamaican Michael O’Hara won the 200m in a time of 20.63 secs, while Brazil’s Victor Hugo Dos Santos and Cuba’s Reynier Mena were second and third respectively. Oduduru’s sixth position moved Team Nigeria from 39th position to 30th. The country finished fifth in the girls 400m and eight in the boys 110m hurdles. Though there was no medal won, but Team Nigeria was able to make

the three finals at the last edition in France. Top athletics countries such as Bahamas, Colombia, Belgium, Canada and the Netherlands occupied between the 43rd and 52nd positions at the close of events yesterday. Jamaica with six gold and two bronze medals was top on the table, followed by Kenya (four gold, three silver and four bronze.) Australia and Ethiopia had three gold medals, while the United States finished with two gold medals.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 15, 2013— —55

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Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 15, 2013

Eagles camp resumes today

Fantasy Football Scores

Jail ‘em now before it spreads like cancer — Chukwu BY TONY UBANI

t’s not every day that two football matches produce a cricket-like score of 146 goals. As Nigeria Football Federation continues its investigation to unravel the culprits behind the 79 – 0 and 76 – 0 scorelines respectively recorded by Plateau United Feeders and Police Machine FC, former Green Eagles Captain and later coach of the Super Eagles, Chairman Christian Chukwu has asked the soccer-ruling body to prosecute the offenders before they spill into the Nigerian Premier League. “I”ve never seen or

heard of such outrageous scorelines in my life. It is unheard of and unimaginable that such things we hear or see on foreign news is happening before us. The NFF should act fast to prosecute the offenders and send out warning signals to their likes. If not, negative things that will bring our football to disrepute will spread like cancer”, Chukwu who captained Rangers to the Cup Winners Cup triumph in 1977 said. “They should save this beautiful game for us. Bad people and politicians are infiltrating it. It is only when bad people enter into football system that Continues on Page 54

HE home-based Super Eagles are expected to resume camp today ahead of the allimportant clash against the Elephants at the Stade Felix HouphouetBoigny Already, head coach Stephen Keshi has called 24 players to camp for the return leg of their 2014 African Nations Championship (CHAN) final qualifying game in Abidjan on July 27. The Super Eagles lead 4-1 from the first leg last weekend. All the players are ex-

pected to report in Abuja today. Keshi has invited four new players, including one defender, one midfielder and two strikers, in line with a pledge to inject a few new faces following the first leg win at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna.

•Keshi

146 goal scandal:

It’s a terrorist attack on Nigerian football — Pa Ojidoh

PREDATOR: Super Eagles midfielder Sunday Mba (R) tries to get the ball past Ivorian defender Baresi Gloudoueu during their 2014 African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier in Kaduna. Nigeria won 4 -1. PHOTO: AFP

ETERAN football administrator, Pa John Ojidoh has described the 146 goal scandal as a terroristattackonNigerianfootball and called on relevant football authorities in the country to descend heavily on the culprits without further delay. In a message to Sports Vanguard, the former defunct Bendel State FA Chairman called on the Nigeria Football Associ-

ation to hand bans to the players and referees involved in both matches. “Ban the referee and assistants for life, hand club officials to the State Security Service and court martial the police officers in charge of Police Machine FC,” Ojidoh said. Continuing, the former referee said, “This is a terrorist attack on the image of association football.”

IAAF WYC ends with Team Nigeria in 30th position — Page 54

QUICK CROSSWORD

Sudoku TODAY'S

PUZZLE

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 3 Big (5) 9 Chief (6) 10 Beast (6) 11 Bitter (5) 12 Exchange (4) 15 Mature (4) 17 Lee (7) 20 Acme (3) 21 Inflexible (5) 23 Servant (4) 25 Servant (4) 25 Run (4) 26 Taut (5) 28 Stitch (3) 30 Treachery (7) 33 Snare (4) 35 Eat (4) 36 Scholar (5) 38 Item (6) 39 Dirty (6) 40 Chubby (5)

DOWN 1 Ecstasy (5) 2 Kayak (5) 3 Meadow (3) 4 Bowman (6) 5 Win (4) 6 Finish (3) 7 Scope (5) 8 Slumber (5) 13 Whine (7) 14 Braid (5) 16 Bit (7) 18 Correct (5) 19 Mine (3) 22 Wood-nymph (5) 24 Delve (3) 27 Platitude (6) 28 Den (5) 29 Squander (5) 31 Inane (5) 32 Poor (5) 34 Tug (4) 36 Seed (3) 37 Hew (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Enlist 5, Father 9, Naval 10, Hubbub 11, Lazing 12, Bless 14, Loud 17, Ere 18, Fete 20, Error 22, Faded 23, Pitcher 24, Aimed 26, Depot 29, Stud 30, Jet 32, Dare 33, Hades 35, Exceed 36, Natter 37, Revel 38, Teemed 39, Tender.

How to Play Sudoku

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.

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN: 1, Exhale 2, Labour 3, Snub 4, Table 5, False 6, Alas 7, Tailed 8, Rugged 13, Erected 15, Orbit 16, Doped 18, Fared 19, Tenor 21, Rid 22, Fed 24, Aspect 25, Muscle 27, Parted 28, Terror 30, Jaded 31, Tenet 33, Here 34, Sale.

e-mail: rowolove@yahoo.co.uk

TWO WEEKS TO LIVE

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