In line with the state government policy on land acquisition, Governor Seriake Dickson has announced that N750, 000 will be the maximum payment per hectare of any land acquired by government.
The Governor who made the announcement while inaugurating members of the State Land Use and Allocation Committee in Government House, Yenagoa, however said that where there are crops or improvement made through human efforts on the land, government will value it separately and pay appropriate compensation.
He stated that no landlord will be allowed to hold the state to ransom for lands that are collectively needed for development.
“If private buildings are to be taken over in the public interest, which are allowed to do in the land use act, I will not hesitate to sign the appropriate acquisition notices”, the Governor stated.
Hon. Dickson called for sacrifice on the part of all, adding that the overriding interest of the state will always be paramount in government’s developmental plans for the State.
According to him government will begin massive acquisition of areas, reserve them as well as make adequate plans for their future use.
He sounded a note of warning to members of the public, who either out of ignorance or feel government does not care and have encroached on government land to leave the land as soon as possible as government is out to reclaim all its lost lands.
“For landlords or persons who have collected compensation and have gone ahead to sell government land without its authorization, you can be assured that the law will catch up with you”.
While, calling on the public to bear with government as it takes the necessary steps to beautify the state capital, the Governor warned land owners or individuals not to sell any land already acquired or about to be acquired by government.
Governor Dickson stressed the importance of land for development adding that as a state moving forward with a very ambitious development agenda and programmes, it needs to manage all its land efficiently and professionally.
Hon. Dickson explained that government is poised to turn around Yenagoa to a beautiful and befitting state capital of the Ijaw Nation.
According to him, the committee members are made up of people who are committed and professional enough to help government manage its land resources as well as advice it on the best ways to put the land to use.
The Governor frowned at the indiscriminate allocation of lands to government officials and their cronies describing it as an abuse of land policy in the state.
He stated that government will take disciplinary measures against people who develop structures without control or regard for aesthetics, adding that going forward, all lands will be properly planned according to the Yenagoa master plan.
“If we must allocate lands and plots, those in the committee will advise government” he noted.
Hon. Dickson, while disclosing that new areas would be opened up, said that no allocation will be made without a certificate of occupancy backing it up.
Responding on behalf of the Land Use Allocation Committee, the chairman, HRH Iboro Ige- Idaba assured Governor Seriake Dickson that the committee has resolved to take the assignment seriously because of the importance attached to lands, especially for developmental purposes.
He assured government of the committee’s readiness to key into the restoration agenda of the present administration.
Bauchi—Three people, including the District Head of Gudumbali, Zanna Mulima and former local council chairman of All Nigeria Peoples’ Party, ANPP, have been reported killed in separate attacks in Borno and Bauchi states, weekend.
In Maiduguri, Borno State capital, the former ANPP boss, Alhaji Tar Kusurambe was killed by unidentified gunmen. Two other persons were killed in Bauchi, even as an explosive planted in the house of a retired police officer at Gudum Sayawa, was successfully defused.
15 gunmen
Vanguard gathered that unknown gunmen, numbering about 15, stormed Gudun Sayawa, a suburb of Bauchi at about 8pm and killed the two persons.
One of the victims, Mrs. Alheri Ayuba, a mother of three, was killed on her way from a neighbourhood, while Iliya Duba was shot dead as he was about to go to bed.
Some residents of the area, however, alleged that the attack was targeted at a retired police officer. The explosive was found atop the roof of the said officer’s house.
According to sources, some of the residents of Gudun Sayawa put distressed calls to the anti-bomb squad, which quickly evacuated the explosive.
Some members of the vigilante group in the area, however, claimed that the police reportedly prevented them from pursuing the gunmen with the aim of arresting them in the premises of a company where they hid shortly after the gun attack.
They vowed to retaliate, blaming the Isa Yuguda’s administration for failing to address the insecurity challenges experienced in the area, alleging religious intolerance.
9 in Zango
Some weeks ago, nine people were killed in Zango, near Gudun Sayawa, in similar circumstances.
Among hundreds of sympathisers, who stormed the area to see the level of damage, was Director-General Inter-Religious Council, Pastor Kennedy Masau.
Masau, however, condemned the incident, saying it was not only barbaric but uncalled for. He called on the people to be at alert and guard themselves against future occurrence to ensure peace, unity and tranquillity in the state.
Attempts to confirm the incident from the Bauchi State Police Commissioner, Mr. Ladan Mohammed, were futile.
Meanwhile, Kusura-mbe was shot dead at his residence at 2am in Magumeri town, barely two days after returning from Saudi Arabia on the 2012 hajj exercise.
Senate President David Mark yesterday described Federal Government’s claims on the implementation of the 2012 budget as deceptive. Speaking at the 2013 budget defence of the Ministry of Agriculture, Mark said heads of ministries, departments and agencies were still in the habit of selective implementation of budget.
He blasted the Minister of Agriculture, Akinwunmi Adesina, for awarding constituency projects barely one month to the end of the 2012 fiscal year.
Mark said, “Statistics given by percentage (on budget implementation) never gives any real figure or perception or what is practically on ground. You have less than 30 days. What can you do? Budget performance is very low. We want to look at the performance based on the real number of people it has affected. At the end of the day, it is not the statistics on paper. If the statistics don’t translate to change in the lives of Nigerians, it has not done what it is supposed to do.”
Mark also queried the minister’s electronic wallet approach to fertiliser distribution, saying “I want to know how much fertiliser and seedlings went to the farmers directly through the new method you introduced.”
Responding, the minister said through the electronic wallet method, fertiliser had been distributed to about 1.2million farmers, 90 percent of whom were from the north. He put the 2013 budget estimate of the ministry at N47. 3billion out of which capital expenditure is N40.2bn; personnel costs, N6.7bn and overhead costs, N368.8 million.
the inaugurated teams to develop strategy for a mega Egi city
From PreciousWerner Ahiakwo, Port Harcourt
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The Egi People’s Assembly in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local government area of Rivers State has inaugurated the Egi Strategy Team and Boards of Egi City Development Initiative and Trust Fund to foster development and entrepreneurship in the Egi clan.
The development imperatives of the three platforms inaugurated are to focused on economic development projects and programmes that will empower and create employment and wealth to the Egi people, motivate each community in the clan to embark on community development plan that has short, medium and long term goals and deliverables and the immediate adoption and implementation of a community budgeting framework to guide development planning instead of craving for sharing of the money.
Inaugurating the teams, the President General of the Egi People’s Assembly, Chief Oris Onyiri expressed confidence in them and the teams to work with institutions in the clan in order to realize the Egi development plans, “äny group or sector concerned with the developments in Egi will support us. We’ll assist the team within our limits. Looking at you, no part of this world any of you’ll go to represent the Egi people and will have doubt, we believe that you have the capacity n capability to do service that will b remembered forever”, he said.
Also in an address by the Chairman of the event, an educationist and elder statesman of Egi clan, Elder I.O Izeogu who described leadership as service and sacrifice also urged the inaugurated teams to be transparent and diligent in their services to the Egi people, “if you fail to deliver and decide not to be truthful, there’ll be problem because lies cannot continue for too long. When the morning breaks and the truth comes out, the liar will be running helter skelter. So it’s good to say the truth as it is, by doing that you have been transformed into the likeness of good citizenship. Leadership is not to force someone to submission, it’s for general welfare of the people, its sacrifice and service” he said.
In an acceptance speech by the Chairman of the inaugurated team and Board of Trustees, Pastor Nonye Nwokomah, described the call to serve as a challenge to give back to the Egi people. He called on the Egi people to play a role that will encourage and make the job easier for the teams to deliever the projects in a short time adding that the EPA has shown an exemplary way to love and be loyal to one another in the clan.
The plenary session of the event saw the delivery of keynote address on “Developing Egi City through the spirit of entrepreneurship” by the President of Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture PHCCIMA, Engr. Emeka Unachukwu, “The Idea and Practise of Community Trust Funds”by Chizor Wisdom Dike (DNRS) and “The Idea and Practise of Egi City Development Initiatives and Programmes by Chika Emeh (CREDO).
The event which took place at the prestigious Novotel Hotel in Port Harcourt was well attended by oil giants and institutions operating in Egi communities, the Egi council of Chiefs and a host of professionals from the Egi Kingdom.
The act of greed caught up with a 31-year-old woman, Oju Bob-Manuel, who got sentenced to three years and six months imprisonment by a Magistrate Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, after being found guilty of stealing and fraud. The convict had been forging the signature of a fellow girl whose man was showering with money and gifts while she watched from the sidelines as a go between.
By the charges brought against her in court, she withdrew over N300,000 from Princess Nume Mangibo’s (her girl friend) account with Union Bank including the stealing of $2,500. She did not only stop there, she got enchanted by the jewelry of her friend and stole same all in a bid to look flashy without working for it.
She was said to have committed the crime between August 11, 2005 and April, 2006, at Union Bank Plc Station Road, Port Harcourt and No. 66 Aba Road, in the Port Harcourt Magisterial District.
The convict, who was found guilty on four-count charge, was arraigned on November 14, 2007, on nine-count charge.
Delivering the judgment on Monday, November 26, 2012, Emmanuel Woke, a Chief Magistrate in charge of the trial proceedings, said that the convict, who was standing trial with Union Bank Plc, Station Road Branch, Port Harcourt, were found guilty on counts three, five, six and seven, which were stealing of N372,000, possession of torn Union Bank Plc withdrawal voucher No. 5016162, stealing of $2,500 and stealing of one cosmetics box valued at N372,000, respectively, all property of one Princess Nume Mangibo.
However, in counts three and five, she bagged six months imprisonment each, or a fine of N50,000 each; count six, she is jailed six months, or a fine of N10,000. While, in count seven, the court sentenced her to two years jail term, or N100,000 fine.
The prosecution did not find her guilty on counts one, two, four, eight and nine, which were conspiracy, stealing of N975,000, N750,000, Union Bank Saving withdrawal and forgery of signature and thumb-print Princess Nume Mangibo, respectively.
The bank was discharged because the prosecution could not prove his case against it. He held that the bank only paid out the said money on the grounds that the signature presented to it was same as was in its system and not as a co-conspirator with the convict.
Officially, the police service commission of Nigeria is said to be the civilian oversight body established under the Nigerian constitution for the Nigerian police force. It has power to appoint, promote, discipline and dismiss all officers of the Nigeria police force (NPF) except the inspector general of police (IGP).
Information obtained from the website of the police service commission says that the objectives of the body are to make the relationship between the public and the police one of trust and confidence instead of suspicion and indifference. It further stated that the commission recognizes the public as essential to ensuring an effective police. The commission is said to have a charter, which is addressed to the Nigeria Police, Civil Servants, Non-Governmental organization, Security Agencies and the general public. It was established as an executive body for the Federation of Nigeria under section 153 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of 1999, and the Police Service Commission (Establishment) Act of 2001.
Currently the commission is headed by Mr. Parry Benjamin Osemwegie Osayande, who retired from the Nigeria Police Force as a Deputy Inspector General of Police. From the profile of the chairman published online by the official website, facts were stated to show that he is indeed a profoundly educated Nigerian.
There is little doubt that the police Service Commission was established to breathe some fresh air into the near-comatose Nigeria police Force that is replete with divergent but overwhelming evidence of corruption, indiscipline and lack of professionalism.
But has the commission delivered on their core mandate which is to create an atmosphere of trust and confidence in the minds of Nigerians on the credibility, integrity and professional excellence of the Nigeria Police Force?
Try, as any die-hard propagandist would like discernible Nigerians to believe to the contrary, most members of the general public are bitter that the current Nigeria Police Force and their operatives have largely failed to deliver on their core constitutional mandate which is the enforcement of the Rule of law and the maintenance of law and order.
Going by the plethora of proven allegations of inefficiency, corruption, abuse of power and the near-total collapse of the mechanism of law enforcement in Nigeria, it is the opinion of the majority of Nigerians that the police service commission is yet to deliver on this critical mandate. In the recent time, there were accusations from a cross section of aggrieved police operatives that the commission has failed consistently to follow merit, competence and seniority as the fundamental bedrock of determining who gets promoted but has rather promoted most beneficiaries based on primordial and pedestrian sentiments.
As an organization that champions the issues around the human rights of Nigerians, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria is not satisfied with the disciplinary role being played by the police service commission to ensure that indiscipline of all dimensions are confronted and minimized in the institution of the Police Force which constitutionally is the government agency that ought to have the closest proximity to members of the public.
Extra-legal execution of suspects in police detention centers across the country is a common place which has seriously dented the image of the police and these cases of extra-judicial killings have brought international opprobrium against Nigeria from respected International Non –Governmental organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch of the USA and UK respectively.
The Police Service Commission seems to be engaged in ferocious turf war with other important agencies of government like the Federal Ministry of Police Affairs that is administratively charged with representing the collective interest of the Nigeria police before the Executive Council of the Federation.
The other day in the full glare of the international community through the electronic media, the chairman of the Police Service Commission during a presentation of the reports of the presidential panel on police Reforms asked that the Federal Ministry of Police Affairs be scrapped. This statement was made in the presence of the serving police Affairs minister who is also a member of the presidential panel on police Reforms.
These local political bickering, intrigues and turf war is none of our business in the civil society community but we are worried that government officials charged with strategic duty of driving the process of achieving efficient national policing objectives are rather engaging in open confrontation even while the Nigeria Police Force as an institution has almost collapsed.
Few days back our officials got series of complaints bordering on alleged violations of extant statutes meant to promote the highest professional ethical standards, transparency and accountability.
These allegations were made against the office of the chairman of the police service commission and when we sought to know from one of those persons who brought this information why they have not bordered to take their complaints to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission or the Independent Corrupt practices and other offences commission (ICPC) he bluntly told us that they don’t trust the chairman of the EFCC and the Director of operations of ICPC who are officers under the direct control of the police service commission. As can be seen from the establishment Act, the police service commission has powers to appoint, promote, discipline, and dismiss all officers of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) except the Inspector General of Police.
It is a notorious fact that most serving police officers lobby intensely for promotions which may result in compromise.
How then can an officer under the direct disciplinary control of the police service commission be seen to be investigating someone or persons clothed with supposed statutory functions over him/her? How independent and impartial can any investigation commenced against members and/or chairman of the police commission by both anti-graft agencies be, given that the obvious lapses inherent in the establishment Act of the Police Service Commission which rightly or wrongly gives overwhelming powers to the police commission?
So when these complaints and allegations were brought to our attention with some photocopies of purported and/or alleged payment running to several millions allegedly authorized by the chairman, we decided to turn all of these in to the offices of the National Security Adviser to the President, the secretary to the Government of the Federation and the leadership of the Federal House of Representatives to use their executive and legislative might to uncover the veracity or otherwise of these allegations with a view to determining if any alleged abuse of power/office and if any law prohibiting acts of corruption or lack of accountability can be established.
Section 15(5) of the constitution states clearly that; “The state shall abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power”.
Information available to 247ureports.com indicates that eight have reportedly been shot dead at Heipang near Jos in Plateau State. The shooting incident occurred at minutes to 8pm on November 26, 2012.
Others were said to sustain injuries. An eyewitness account pegged the number of injured at 13.
No less than eight Igbos have been killed in the northern commercial town of Kano by terrorists in the past two weeks, the leader of Igbos in the town has disclosed.
Raising an alarm over the ordeal of Ndigbo in Kano, the state chairman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Michael Tobias Idika, condemned the indifference of the state government, saying that Igbos have lost confidence in its ability to protect them.
“We have lost confidence in the security arrangement of Governor Muhammad Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso; and Ohanaeze in Kano demands that he should be summoned to explain why all these things are happening. Kano State Government has not deemed it fit to pay condolence to the bereaved families. Yes, we are aware that not only the Igbos have been killed, and on this note we call on the Federal Government to beef up security in the entire North and other parts
of Nigeria,” Idika told newsmen.
Castigating Igbo leaders, the Ohanaeze chief said: “We have been abandoned by our leaders, both those at the National Assembly and the governors. We are being slaughtered like chicken every day; and nobody is asking questions as to where the leaders are.”
He called on President Goodluck Jonathan to protect lives and property of Nigerians irrespective of where they live and where they come from.
News Express reports that the latest incident of the killing of Igbos in Kano happened yesterday morning when two motorcycle-riding gunmen killed a Christian couple and their child as they were about to leave their home for church.
“Two gunmen on a motorcycle opened fire on the car, killing the woman and her child on the spot while her husband died later in hospital,” Kano State police spokesman Magaji Majia said.
He said the couple’s other child escaped unhurt in the shooting in the Kwanar Masallachi neighbourhood on the outskirts of the city.
The police spokesman identified the woman as Evangelist Nkeiruka, a native of Imo State and of the Pentecostal Life Assembly located at Abeokuta Road but who lived at Naibawa Quarters with the family. The gunmen were said to have asked questions before they killed the family.
The Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Rivers State chapter has further charged the State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to stop lamenting and procrastinating and take concrete actions to remedy the bad state of the State Health sector.
The ACN made this charge through a statement issued and signed by its publicity secretary, Jerry Needam while reacting to Gov. Amaechi’s confirmation during a Town Hall meeting in Port Harcourt that his free medical care has suffered a downward trend since inception due to poor-funding.
The ACN spokesman, Jerry Needam said the efficacy of government policies lie not in pronouncement and echoing on radio but in well articulated implementation of the policies for the overall benefit of the people.
The ACN further advised Gov Amaechi to listen less to those it described as professional praise-singers whose only interest is what they get from those in power but care less about the welfare of the people.
The ACN publicity secretary, Jerry Needam however, expressed satisfaction that Gov. Amaechi for once has admitted publicly that he has not fare well in his free medical care, stressing that the ACN will continue to ensure that the people of Rivers State get the quality governance it deserves by monitoring and ensuring that those entrusted with their resources do the right thing no matter the cost.
“This assignment is self imposed and was done out of love for our people. Nothing will stop us from doing it until our people are delivered from deceit and exploitation,” Jerry Needam concluded.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Monday November 26, 2012, arraigned Daniel Edet alongside his Company, Daneve Engineering Limited before Justice Abubakar Sadiq Umar of the FCT High Court sitting in Abuja , on a two count charge bordering on fraud and issuance of dud cheque.
Count two of the charge reads; “that you Daniel Edet and Daneve Engineering Limited on or about the 4th of June 2010 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory with intent to defraud knowingly and fraudulently issued a Unity Bank Plc cheque no. 00000003 dated the 4th of June, 2010 for the sum of N9,505,072 (Nine Million Five Hundred and Five Thousand, Seventy Two Naira ) payable to Global Royal Int’l Concepts Ltd of which the cheque on presentation was dishonored for insufficient funds in the account and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 1(1) of the Dishonored Cheques Act, Cap D11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004”.
The arraignment of Edet followed a petition by Sunday Thomas, alleging that Edet issued him a local purchase order, LPO, to supply various office furniture and electronics to his Company, Daneve Engineering Ltd which he did. That the accused issued a Unity Bank Cheque for the sum of N9, 505, 000.00 (Nine Million Five Hundred and Five Thousand Naira only) in his Company, Global Royal International Concept Ltd which, upon presentation at the Bank, was dishonoured due to insufficient funds in the account.
The accused pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him. C.A. Nwachukwu, defence counsel, moved oral bail application which was opposed by the prosecution counsel, Cosmos O. Ugwu who urged the court to rather grant accelerated trial as stipulated in section 19 of the EFCC Establishment Act, 2004.
Justice Umar adjourned the matter to November 28, 2012, for ruling on the bail application and fixed January13, 2013, for commencement of trial.
He further ordered that the accused person be remanded in EFCC’s custody.
