The Enugu State Government has awarded scholarship up to university level to a 6- year old boy, Master Chibuzor Offiah who lost his parents and four siblings in a road accident while fleeing Boko Haram attacks in Damaturu, Yobe State.
The Government in a ceremony held yesterday at the government House, Enugu also presented Master Offiah of Amani village Awhum in Udi local government area of the state with sets of school uniform, school bag, foot wears, clothes, beverages and a quarterly allowance of N50, 000 thousand naira for his up keep.
Presenting the items to the boy in the presence of his grandmother and two uncles, the State Commissioner for Gender Affairs Mrs. Ndidi Chukwu described the incident as very unfortunate recalling that Governor Chime had received the news with shock and had promptly dispatched a delegation led by his Chief Press Secretary Chukwudi Achife to console the family.
Mrs. Chukwu who was accompanied by the Special Assistant to the Governor on Good Governance Mrs. Tochi Eze sympathized with the family and said that Government took special interest on the welfare of the boy to cushion the effect of the tragedy on his life.
She said that staff of her ministry are also to make regular visits to the family at Awhum by to monitor his health and wellbeing
Receiving the items on behalf of the boy, his uncle Mr. Ben Offiah, thanked the Governor Chime for his the gesture saying it showed the high level of sensitivity and concern he has for the welfare of citizens of the state.
He described the road accident which claimed the lives of his brother and family as very painful but noted that the interest shown by the state government and promises made had consoled the family.
The road accident that claimed Master Offiah’s family occurred on 31stof January 2012 along Enugu-Kogi high way when they were returning their home town Awhum from their base in Yobe state to escape the Boko Haram attacks in that state.
The vehicle they were travelling in was however crushed in a collision with a trailer at Otupka Benue State with Chibuzor emerging as the only survivor.
…As Gov Okorocha Embarks on Sensitization Tour to LGs
The Community Government proposed by Governor Rochas Okorocha in Imo
state has taken off with the governor embarking on a sensitization
tour to some Local Government Areas in the state
At the flag off of the programme at the headquarters of Mbaitoli,
Njaba, Orlu, Ideato South and Ideato North LGAs, the governor told
civil servants, traditional rulers and other stakeholders that the
establishment of the community government was to unlock the economic
potentials of the rural communities left untapped for many years.
He disclosed that the state civil servants would pioneer the
establishment of the fourth-tier government on the grounds of civil
service secondment policy and would hand over the reins of
administration to the permanent staff after few years of tutelage to
the latter.
Owelle Okorocha who enjoined the people of the state to embrace this
novel policy stated that the take off of the fourth-tier of government
became necessary to revive the agricultural potential of the people of
the state especially the planting of the palm tree adding that great
cities of the world grew from the ranks of rural areas.
He urged the traditional rulers, who are also designated chairmen of
this community government, to live up to the expectations of the
state government in ensuring the socio-economic development of their
communities adding that high performing ones would be elevated in
ranks.
Imo governor also enjoined the people of the communities to
collaborate with the civil servants in lifting their plight and
pleaded that the returnee civil servants should be provided with
conducive working environment.
He equally revealed that plans are being made to establish factories
in every community in the state as government has concluded
arrangements to start a job-placement programme for graduates where
youths would be attached to companies and establishments with monthly
stipends from the government.
It would be recalled that the state governor in recent fora had
explained the essence of the fourth-tier government to the people of
the state.
The controversy generated by this policy had erupted due to the
misconception that civil servants posted to the communities would lose
their place in the state civil service and would rely on their
communities for salaries and emoluments.
However, the governor’s sensitization programme and consultations with
labour leaders seem to have doused the tensions generated by the novel
policy.
Justice M. T. Salihu of the Federal High Court, sitting in Bauchi, on May 2, 2012, sentenced Adamu Abubakar a.k.a. Damina Suruku, 18, to 10 years imprisonment. He was found guilty on all four count charge for dealing, altering and being in possession of fake Nigerian currency notes brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. He was however given an option of three hundred and sixty-five naira (N365, 000) fine.
Adamu was arrested on March 19, 2012, at Darazo market in Bauchi state while trying to spend a fake N500 Nigerian currency with an orange seller in the market.
In his allocutus, counsel to the accused, Sarah K. K. Peters, prayed the court to be lenient with the accused who had earlier pleaded guilty to the four count charge brought against him by the EFCC.
She told the court that the convict is a young and promising youth, who was ignorantly lured into the crime by his uncle now at large. She urged the court to take cognisance of the fact that Adamu was repentant and remorseful; the breadwinner of his family with aged parents, and a first time offender who has promised never to get involved in any crime, in sentencing him.
Justice Salihu in his ruling said ordinarily the offences which the accused was charged with, carries heavy penalties and without an option of fine. However, in view of the plea of the convict, and by the powers conferred on him by Section 322 sub-section 1 of the Criminal Procedure Act, he had decided to use his discretionary powers to offer him an option of fine.
The attention of the Presidency has been drawn to reports in the media of allegations made against President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in an affidavit said to have been sworn to by Mr. Henry Okah who is facing trial in South Africa for his involvement in terrorist acts against the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The Presidency categorically affirms that these allegations are false in their entirety and without any factual foundation.
As the case of Mr. Okah’s involvement in the plotting and execution of terrorist attacks in Nigeria is already before a court of competent jurisdiction in South Africa, the Presidency does not intend to say anymore on the matter for now and will, in accordance with due process and international law, make a full representation on the matter to the court when the trial opens.
The Presidency also advises the Nigerian media to respect the sanctity of the legal and judicial processes in this matter and avoid becoming willing tools in the hands of Mr. Okah and his agents in an entirely diversionary trial by the media aimed only at falsely impugning the character and integrity of the President and officials of his administration.
Reuben Abati
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
Controversial Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke may be the main casualty in the planned cabinet reshuffle by President Goodluck Jonathan ahead of his first anniversary on May 29. Presidency sources say it is the President’s way of reassuring Nigerians of his commitment to fighting corruption. The President has come under severe pressure from his inner circle to drop Mrs. Allison-Madueke because of the controversy surrounding her. The President, sources say, is disposed to the recommendation but does not want to act on it immediately so as not to be seen as acting under pressure from the public.
Mrs. Allison-Madueke, a former executive of Shell Petroleum Development Company, was appointed Minister of Transportation in July 2007, charged with the responsibility of over-seeing the maritime, aviation, railways, and road infrastructure of the country. Following a cabinet reshuffle in December 2008, she was appointed Minister of Mines and Steel Development in which she held the primary responsibility of discharging the ministry’s mandate in the exploitation of the nation’s solid minerals and steel endowments. After a cabinet dissolution in March 2010, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke was appointed Minister of Petroleum Resources in April 2010, putting her in charge of Nigeria’s vast oil and gas resources.
Controversy has dogged the minister who is seen as a member of the inner circle of the Jonathan administration. Dubbed the “queen of bling” (jewellry) because of her penchant for high fashion and jewellry as well as her close ties to US-based jewellry merchant, Chris Aire, Mrs. Allison Madueke was the subject of a Senate probe in June 2008 after it emerged that as transport minister she had paid 30.9 billion naira ($263 million) to contractors between December 26 and 31, 2007. She was never charged or tried for these allegations and has strongly denied any wrongdoing.
In October 2009, the Senate indicted her and recommended prosecution for the alleged transfer of 1.2 billion naira ($8 million) into the private account of a toll company without due process and in breach of concession agreement. The minister said she was innocent. No legal action was instituted against her.
Investigative reporter and managing editor of Premium Times, Musikilu Mojeed, in a report last year titled “Oil minister, her jeweller and their sweetheart deal” made startling revelations about Mrs. Allison Madueke. According to Mojeed, “On April 7, 2010, a day after her appointment as minister for petroleum resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke flew to Beverley Hills in Los Angeles to revel in a lavish party and fashion show put together by Christopher Aire, a United States-based Nigerian celebrity jewellry designer and merchant, whom she met during her 15-month tenure as minister for solid minerals and steel development. By the time the bejewelled Mrs. Alison-Madueke returned home a few days later to assume duties as Nigeria’s first female oil minister, she had achieved three clear objectives from the trip – she had unlimited fun, acquired some of Aire’s exotic gold and gemstones, and handed Mr Aire an invitation to become one of Nigeria’s biggest crude oil lifters. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
“At the time, the 47-year-old Mr. Aire had nothing whatever to do with the oil business. His company, Solid 21 Incorporated, dealt strictly in jewellery and timepieces. Those close to him said Mr. Aire was content with his jewellery business and had no plan to venture into Nigeria’s murky oil waters. But all that changed after his meeting with Mrs. Alison-Madueke that fateful April 7. As the minister was flying home, Mr. Aire also kick-started the process of registering brand new companies with which he planned to lift Nigerian crude. On July 9, 2010, the jeweller incorporated Siseno Oil Nigeria Limited, with him and one Patience Iluobe (believed to be his relative) as directors, to carry out the business of petroleum products sales and distribution.
“Twelve days later (July 21, 2010), Mr. Aire, through his agents, headed again to the Corporate Affairs Commission, where he incorporated another firm, Caligeria Oil Limited, also for the purpose of conducting petroleum products sales and distribution. This time, one of his US-based companies, Osiri Holdings, Ms. Iluobe, and one Otaigbe Onyekwere Agba, were named as directors. Mr. Aire also proceeded to incorporate a US version of Caligeria with himself, his bodyguard, Joseph Agbi, and Jivani Davoodian, a Californian lawyer, as directors.”
It is not just allegations of shady deals that have trailed Mrs. Allison Madueke. She has also been in the eye of the storm politically. Last June, an association of unemployed youth held a protest calling for her re-appointment as Minister of Petroleum Resources. Just last week, she was accused of renting a crowd of protesters to stop the debate at the National Assembly in Abuja on the fuel subsidy fraud. The protesters in Abuja were given police protection while protesters in Lagos calling for government action on the subsidy report was dispersed by the police. Under Mrs. Allison Madueke, nobody knows how much oil Nigeria produces, how much is consumed locally or exported. There are also no exact figures of the level of fuel import and how much the country makes from the sale of crude oil.
Many individuals and groups, including at least one member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Robinson Uwak, (PDP- Oron Federal Constituency, Akwa Ibom State), the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Save Nigeria Group (SNG) led by Noble Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, and Pastor Tunde Bakare have called for the dismissal of the petroleum minister after the House of Representatives probe found out that between 2009 and 2011, the government made illegal payments of about 2.7 trillion naira ($18 billion) for fuel subsidies. The committee described the subsidy regime as “fraught with endemic corruption and entrenched inefficiency”. It noted that more than 10 companies obtained foreign currency under the subsidy programme and didn’t use the funds to import petrol while the state Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) gave approvals to 35 companies to import products before they were formally registered with the agency.
The House of Representatives had asked the anti-corruption agencies to investigate and prosecute former ministers of finance, Mr Mansur Mukhtar (2009-2010); Mr Olusegun Aganga (2010-2011), who is now Minister of Trade and Investment, and former Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) and current governor of Gombe State, Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo; the present AGF, Mr Jonah Otunla, and the Director-General of the Budget Office, Dr Bright Okogu, for an alleged extra-budgetary expenditures under the Petroleum Support Fund (PSF) scheme. A member of the House Ad Hoc Committee on Subsidy Management, Dr. Ali Ahmad, had alleged that companies owned by past and serving governors, ministers and top politicians were involved in the fuel subsidy scam.
The Save Nigeria Group on Monday gave the Federal Government a two–week ultimatumto prosecute persons indicted in the fuel subsidy probe. ‘‘The populace should be ready for another determined march on corruption. Nigerians must be prepared to march and come out en masse and demand a termination to this insolence against the ordinary people,” Soyinka said at the press conference called to announce the group’s plan. According to Bakare, “Now is the time to act to save our country from the grip of corruption. To this end, we are giving two weeks to see concrete steps in the direction of prosecuting the indicted officials, failing which, we shall be calling our people out on protest.
Nigeria’s four refineries have been comatose over the years necessitating the importation of refined petroleum. Even though many public commentators and experts, including former petroleum minster, Professor Tam David West, and renowned petroleum engineer, Dr. Izielen Agbon, repeatedly said that there was no subsidy on imported petrol and what the government was subsidizing was corruption and inefficiency, the Jonathan administration, after a spirited campaign spearheaded by the Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, and Mrs. Allison Madueke, went ahead on January 1 to remove the so-called subsidy on fuel. That decision occasioned intense hardship across the country as price of basic food items and transportation sky-rocketed. That decision also sparked a week of strikes and protests, forcing the government to put the price of petrol at 97 naira a litre from 65 naira after it was raised to 141 naira on January 1.
The January protests have been termed the largest and most successful public protest in Nigeria because of its appeal and nation-wide spread. The activists who led the protests said the government should fix the country’s oil refineries and tackle corruption.
President Jonathan has faced internal and external problems since assumption of office on May 29, 2011, including allegations of corruption, poor management of public infrastructure, and rising violence. Only last week his national security adviser, General Patrick Owoye Azazi (rtd) accused his party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for being responsible for the violent insurgency in the country. Azazi had blamed the PDP”s “politics of exclusion and the do or die attitude” of the leaders of the party for the deteriorating security situation in the country.
There are plans to give the embattled minister of petroleum resources a soft landing if eventually she is dropped. There are murmurs of a possible diplomatic appointment. It is left to be seen how the planned cabinet reshuffle will affect the government’s handling of corruption and change the public perception of the Jonathan administration.
Information available to 247ureports.com indicates that the tension and/anxiety in the federal capital territory may have elevated to levels of public concern. This is as the federal security operatives barricaded the entire area surrounding the commercial hub along Aminu Kano Cresent in Wuse 2, Abuja. As gathered, a bomb threat was phoned-in by an unknown source indicating that a bomb had planted inside a major shopping plaza located along Aminu Kano Cresent.
According to information gathered from security operatives, the bomb scare was phoned-in at minutes to 11am today – stating that a bomb had been planted inside Banex Plaza and Efab Plaza – both located alongside Aminu Kano Cresent. And as the security operatives were alerted of the phone call and the bomb threat, the security forces were quick to begin evacuation of the shopping plaza. Eyewitness reports state that the commercial activity at the plaza quickly seized and pandemonium ensued.
The security operatives which comprised of men of the State Security Service [SSS], the military and the Nigerian Police Force [NPF] condoned the area – and launched a search which failed to turn up any bomb or explosives.
It is no longer news that Nigeria is a corrupt country. Corruption in Nigeria pervades almost every facet of our national life. The level of financial corruption is so alarming and hope of curbing it is fast waning. Civil servants and politicians both at the local, state and federal levels are neck deep in looting of public till. Government contractors are also in league.
Despite efforts made to punish and curb financial corruption, it appears that the country is losing corruption war. Recent revelations of how those entrusted with public funds desecrated public coffers does not give any hope of success in the war against corruption. Many of those in positions of trust look out for ways to enrich themselves and share from national cake.
The ripples effect of such brazen corruption is that national infrastructure suffers. It is no surprise that despite government talks to give us constant electricity that will boost industrial development we are more in the dark. It is corruption that has militated against our having motorable roads. It is corruption that made Nigerians to unduly pay more for petroleum products. It is corruption that made pensioners not to receive they pension after serving fatherland with the blood and sweat of their youth.
All those deepening corruption in Nigeria are not from outer space. They are our brothers and sisters; our friends and relatives; our compatriots. They are men and women who believe in God. They are professed Christians and Muslims, who go to church on Sundays and Mosque on Fridays. They are men and women who know what the Holy Books say about such evil yet they engage in it unashamedly. They are also aware of the position of the Nigerian constitution and extant laws of the land on corruption. In spite of such knowledge, they are still propelled by inordinate crave to be corrupt.
Many of those who have corruptly enriched themselves in the country escaped the long arms of the law. Many who were caught by the long arms of the law did not pay commensurate price. All those in these categories know themselves. Nigerians know them too. They may seem outwardly happy but certainly pricked and sad in the inner recesses of their being. Such burden of quilt has to be lifted off them.
In this regard, there is the need to establish Nigerian National Restitution Fund (NNRF). All those who have corruptly enriched themselves financially in one way or the other should pay 10% of such loot so illegally acquired to the Fund as restitution of their sin against fatherland. All those who have participated in public affairs since Nigeria’s independence and are still alive but acquired wealth in corrupt ways should as a matter of purging their conscience of guilty take part in the national restitution.
The Fund account number should be made public in churches, mosques, offices, newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations and other public places so that none of those who are supposed to refund part of their loot will have any excuse of not doing so. The Fund should be managed by the clergy and Muslim clerics and civil society representatives of unquestionable character.
The money that will accrue to the Fund should be invested in specific projects that meet due process standards and must be completed at specified period. Such projects should not be bugged by the virus of inefficiency and business as usual. The coming on stream of the Nigerian National Restitution Fund is one way of having some amount of public money in private hands returned for the benefit of Nigerians. One hopes that the government and National assembly will do the needful and allow the Fund to be established.
Boko Haram has named popular newspapers and broadcast media as its new target.
The extremist group, Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati Wal-Jihadl, popularly called Boko Haram, today named more media houses and staff as targets of its attack.
In an 18-minute video, the group threatened to attack more media houses, naming Voice of America (Hausa), Radio France (Hausa), Daily Trust, Guardian Newspapers, among others.
The group also gave reasons why it bombed Thisday office in Abuja and other media houses last Thursday.
“This is a message from jamaatu ahlis sunnah lil daawati wal jihad, and we wish to inform Nigerians our reasons for attacking some media houses,” the group said.
The video also shows that the radical group carried a live coverage of the bombing in Abuja and filmed the explosion at Thisday. The group created the new Youtube video under the name Alhaji Mani.
Available information indicates that the gun battle between the men of the Joint Task Force [JTF] and the men of Boko Haram may have resulted in the death a suspected Boko Haram member while the other members of Boko Haram reportedly escaped. The wives and children were arrested by the men of JTF. No member of the JTF sustained any injuries or died in the gun exchange.
According to the information received by 247ureports.com, the Boko Haram hide out at Maidule area behind Sabuwar Gandu was hit in the early morning hours of today – following a tip off by the neighbors who suspected that the members of Boko Haram were living at the said house. Upon arriving at the location, it was discovered that the men of Boko Haram had bobby-trapped the house. As the JTF began firing, the explosives went off – allowing the men of Boko Haram ample opportunity to escape the house – leaving behind their wives and children – who were then arrested by JTF.
The hit operation by the JTF was said to be a success. The hit recovered a cache of heavy amunitions in the possession of the Boko Haram.
The men of JTF are expected to brief the press shortly.
—
The JTF has confirmed that a Boko Haram member was killed in Kano while another one escaped. They indicated that two women and a three week old child were captured in the house along with a large amount of bullets and 60 AK47 riffles and home-made bombs. It was revealled that one of the captured women had in her bag a cache of bullets and other small arms. The JTF revealed that the woman had been arrested previously following a tip off but she was later released because she was pregnant. In addition, the motorbikes recovered at the house resembled the same motorbikes used in the BUK attacks – and in another attack against the Kano State home of the Imo State Commissioner.
Meanwhile, 247ureports.com has gathered that as the men of JTF arrived the scene with the bomb sniff dogs used to detect bombs – and as the dogs began work – the bombs detonated killing the dogs instantly.
The first civilian governor of New Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, has recommended one his successors and incumbent governor of the state, Peter Obi, for the nation’s number one seat of president.
Speaking to newsmen in Awka over the weekend on national and state issues, Ezeife singled out Obi for the presidency of the nation for what he described as his accomplishments in the areas of improvement of infrastructural and administrative developments of the state, his fiscal discipline and leadership qualities which has seen him being the chairman of South East Governors’ Forum for many years now.
‘Peter Obi has been underrated by our people too much and I don’t know why. They said he is even more ‘araldite’ than myself; I was told I was tight-fisted and that he is even more tight-fisted than me, but there has been some significant physical development of Anambra State, there has been some significant administrative development in Anambra State and the governor of Anambra State has been the leader of South East Governors’ Forum. He is highly rated in financial management across the country. Peter Obi is actually one of those who should be considered for the office of president, because he has done quite well,’ Ezeife enthused.
Speaking further on the issue of Igbo presidency in 2015, Ezeife said only the Igbo could stop themselves from becoming president of Nigeria. He however pointed out that it could only come to fruition if the Igbo put their acts together and make a shortlist of not more than five candidates from which one would be chosen by general consensus rather than by force.
‘So if the Igbo people say yes to Igbo presidency in 2015, I will say yes in support and it will happen, but if our people begin to shake and allow all kinds of wavering, then we will be the cause of our downfall,’ Ezeife warned.
He said that the current Boko Haram-induced violence in the country would only succeed in further delaying the north from returning to power in the nearest future. He regretted that after the north had ruled Nigeria for 38 and half out of the country’s 50 years of Independence, they should be willing to give others a chance instead of claiming that they were born to rule.
