Former Inspector General of Police, Sunday Ehindero with his wife at Abuja high court being arraigned for financial misappropriation during his tenure as IG in Abuja – today June 28, 2012
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Farouk Lawan Appears Before Committee on Ethics [Photos]
The embattled former Chairman of the house adhoc committee on oil subsidy probe appeared by the house committee on ethic today to answer questions over allegations of bribery leveled against him by the shady oil mogul and chief executive officer of Zenon Oil, Femi Otedola.Hon Farouk Lawan appeared today June 28, 2012 before the committee.
The session between the committee on ethics and Hon. Farouk Lawan was made a closed door session – with journalist barred from entry into the session. As a result, the details of the session was not readily available through official sources.
However unofficial sources within the lower chamber of the national assembly revealed to 247ureport.com that Hon. Farouk Lawan was quizzed in a friendly manner – with a soft tone. He was asked if he collected the money from Femi Otedola. Hon Lawan was said to answer in the affirmative but maintained that he took the money as evidence. A member of the committee then inquired whether the money was still available to be presented as evidence. Hon. Lawan responded with an answer that was neither a yes or a no – this is according to a source – who also added that police had indicated that Hon. Farouk Lawan had used the whole $620,000 – as both the deputy clerk of the house and Hon Adams had denied even holding any kobo of the money – that “the whole $620,000 is with Hon. Farouk Lawan“.
But the source noted that the body language of the committee members depicts a group leaning towards giving the embattled honorable member a soft-landing. He added that the exercise, which was intentionally made a secret, was to dig into the activities of the oil mogul with the hope to find enough to hang on him. As gathered, the members are generally unhappy with the events that unfolded against the embattled chairman and the entirety of the house of representative. Of particular concern was why the sting operation hatched by the Otedola group not arrest Hon. Lawan at the scene immediately following the alleged crime of bribery – when the alleged marked money was still in his possession.
The embattled Honorable member was asked whether he indeed went to the home of the oilmogul to collect the alleged bribe money. He answer was not clear.
Femi Otedola is expected to appear before the committee tomorrow June 29, 2012.
Meanwhile, the honorable member representing a constituency in Bauchi, Hon. Umar Abubakar Sade is said to have become a person of interest to the investigating committee and the police. Hon. Sade was part of the oil subsidy probe adhoc committee which Hon Farouk Lawan chaired. The Bauchi honorable member is said to have also collected bribe money from A. A. Rano and MRS for the same purposes.
stay tuned
Imo Government Terminates Contract With Compu-Data On IGR
Imo State Government has terminated the contract it entered with
Compu-Data, the company solely responsible for collection of the state
Internally Generated Revenue [IGR].
Briefing journalists shortly after the State Executive Council meeting
in government house, Owerri, the Commissioner for Information and
Strategy, Mr Chinedu Offor, said the decision was taken after a
critical review of the performances of the company in respect to the
dwindling internally generated revenue of the state.
He also disclosed that government has finally approved the engagement
of consulting expatriate firm to take over the management of the newly
renovated and refurbished Concord Hotel for maximum productivity and
efficiency.
He said “His Excellency, the Governor, though the state Exco agreed
that now is the time for government to seek for partnership in the
management of Concord Hotel. So, the New Concord Hotel is now open
for any company that has the capacity and competence to manage and
maintain it to its Five-Star standard”.
Hon Offor disclosed that government has resolved to revisit the issue
of certificate of occupancy [C of C] to address the controversies it
had generated in the past.
“There has been series of controversies about C-of-C , but Council
today resolved that in the next few days, the state government will
start signing C-of-O for those that desire to own land for whatever
purpose”, the commissioner said.
He further stated that Council also approved that each Ministry should
build and own a permanent headquarter even as the state government
would build a befitting palace at the state capital for the chairman
of Imo State Council for Traditional rulers, popularly called “Eze
Imo” to demonstrate the traditional heritage of the state.
On agriculture, the Commissioner also disclosed that government has
directed each community in the state to provide not less than 1,000
hectares of land for palm plantation and 25 hectares for vegetation
under the Back-to-Land agricultural programme of governor Okorocha’s
administration.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Urban Planning,
Hon Uche Nwosu, said Council approved the immediate construction of
Diaspora Village to provide houses for Imolites in Diaspora as well as
attract investment into the state.
The project which he said would be executed under partnership
agreement, commence with no fewer than 500 units of houses in its
first phase.
NNPC/DPR: Open Letter To President Jonathan On Release of Appointment Letters To Successful Candidates
Your Excellency Sir,
Following your recent approval on Tuesday June 26th 2012 for the retirement of some members of the executive management team of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), including Group General Manager Engr Austin Oniwon, and appointment of a new management team, headed by Engr. Andrew Yakubu as Group Managing Director of the corporation; we hail your actions, which is in line with the on-going reforms in the petroleum sector.
We also wish to congratulate the new Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Engr Andrew Yakubu on his appointment, as well as other members of the new Board of the corporation. It is our earnest desire that this new team of seasoned and trusted professionals drive the transformation of the corporation into a truly multinational company, and in your Excellency’s words “rapidly implement the critical interventions needed to positively transform Nigeria’s petroleum industry”.
Also, we are aware of the recent loss of lives of some members of staff of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) respectively in the ill-fated Dana airlines mishap on 3rd June 2012. We wish to by this medium commiserate with your Excellency and with the management and staff of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), as well as all affected families of that sad event in our nation’s history. We continue to pray that God may grant eternal rest to the souls of the departed.
Sometime around August in 2011, the then Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Engr. Austen Oniwon announced to the consternation of Nigerians that 80% of the over 40,000 Nigerians that sat for the recruitment test of the corporation failed, which leaves 20% representing 8,000 candidates as successful. This result was even more disastrous considering the fact that those who failed where either first class or second class upper degree graduates. Nine months later, the successful candidates who were being interviewed at the time that very inauspicious declaration was made do not know their fate. To fully appreciate the import of the following discourse, Mr President might need to be informed that this recruitment process began in November 2010, when the NNPC announced recruitment positions in the corporation and its subsidiaries.
On the 26th day of March 2011, over 40,000 young, bright and promising Nigerian youths sat for the NNPC’s recruitment test in various locations across the country, having met the stipulated recruitment criteria. Many of these young chaps, had to pass through a lot of rigors in order to write this test. Some had to embark harrowing journeys to make it for the test, others traveled from various parts of the world: Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Australia on personally funded flights. Nothing could better define the enthusiasm of these young ones than the arrival of a newly wedded bride still dressed resplendently in her wedding gown making her way through the crowd to “secure her future”.
Despite these inconveniences, 20% of the candidates – as asserted by no less a person than the GMD himself, braved the odds, passed the test and were invited for interviews. The last batch of successful candidates were interviewed at the NNPC towers between July and September 2011, in a time when the security situation of Nigeria could best be described as tenuous, owing to the bombings by the infamous Boko-Haram sect that were becoming rife. Once again, optimistic Nigerians made the trip to the NNPC towers across lands, air and oceans all at their personal expense.
As is the tradition, account numbers of the interviewees were collected to facilitate payment of their transportation allowances. Over nine months later and the “hopefuls” are still hoping. There is no gain saying that the Phillips Consulting officials and the NNPC senior staff members involved in the recruitment exercise have been paid their allowances, while not even the transportation allowances of the interviewees have been paid. Nine months gone and counting, the hopefuls have been waiting with bated breath for the conclusion of this recruitment process. We are increasingly wary, because the conspiracy of silence on this process forebodes ominous signals as was the case with the 2008 recruitment, which was ingloriously swept under the carpet. The expectations have reached feverish pitch as evidenced by discussions on various online fora on the social media and youth groups created for this purpose.
Similarly, in March 2010 an advert was put up on the National dailies by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) for recruitment of qualified persons into various positions in the agency. On 12th of June the same year, an aptitude test was conducted for shortlisted candidates. Subsequently a second test was done on 14th December 2010 and by April to May of 2011, the Department of Petroleum Resources invited successful candidates for oral interviews at its head office No. 7 Kofo Abayomi street, Victoria Island Lagos. It has also been confirmed that the list of successful candidates from this interview has since been approved by the Federal Character Commission in July 2011 for employment. But since then, no communication has been made to the successful candidates.
The question that keeps begging for an answer is: What offense did the Nigerian youth commit? Even though the issue of the fuel subsidy probe has been espoused as a possible excuse for the delays by some, the NNPC/DPR and its parent ministry have gone ahead to present and defend budgets for the year which made provisions for increased manpower. What then is stopping the release of appointment letters to successful interviewees? If the then GMD of NNPC was so quick to denigrate those who in his allusions are pretenders to the degrees they possess, is it not only fair to reward those who proved their mettle?
Also, with the new changes in management of the corporation, it is feared that a new recruitment process might be started all over and which may not be concluded. This has happened in 2008 when a new management was appointed and a new recruitment campaign of 2010 was started, which is still not concluded. Mr President Sir, isn’t this an obvious drain on the nation’s lean resources and a monumental waste of resources appropriated for these recruitments? It is needless to say also that this is a loss of brilliant minds that would drive the corporation to greater heights given the current transformation being pursued in the industry. It is also pertinent to the note that the last successfully concluded recruitment into the NNPC was the campaign 2006. Six years gone, the corporation is yet to successfully conclude a nationwide recruitment process, which should be due every three years giving the annual retirements of staff, thus leaving the corporation grossly understaffed.
The NNPC and her sister organization, the Department of the Petroleum Resources have decided to play the ostrich concerning the recruitment of a few deserving Nigerian youths, whereas in this nation, billions of Naira have gone into sustaining the avarice of a few. It needs some reiteration that it is the career of hardworking, deserving young Nigerians that is being toyed with by a privileged few. The new management of the NNPC should remember that “those whose nuts were cracked by benevolent spirits are morally obliged to others” and we therefore appeal for the approval of the list of successful candidates of the 2010 recruitment.
It is also worthy of note that increased personnel costs were defended by both agencies of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources at the Senate defense hearing. Earlier this year on 2nd February, the Director of the DPR, Mr. Austin Olorunshola, said the department was “about to recruit more staff within the next two weeks”. Also coming from the Minister of Petroleum Resources, “the slight increase in DPR’s recurrent budget represents provisions for anticipated recruitment of new staff to improve the overall effectiveness of the department”. It is however surprising therefore that four months after this promise, new hands are yet to be engaged.
The successful conclusion of this recruitment process or otherwise will call to question the genuineness of Mr. President’s job creation and transformation agenda, which most of the hopefuls bought into, and gave their votes for. It is unjust that in this nation the employment of a few hundred youths has become a matter of contention. So far, the hopefuls have remained calm. We are gentlemen and ladies in the very sense of it. We are responsible professionals/would be professionals, but there is a point to which we can suffer the evil in the land.
We therefore, wish to by this open letter call on the attention of your Excellency Mr President, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and all relevant stakeholders of government to our plight. It is our hope that the government, the Honorable Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke and management of NNPC lend a listening ear to our plea and respond by a speedy conclusion of this long-running recruitment process and invite successful candidates for training in the spirit of Mr President’s transformation agenda and job creation for the Nigerian youth.
An injustice against the Nigerian youth is one against the nation’s future!
GOD BLESS YOU! GOD BLESS NNPC/DPR! GOD BLESS NNPC/DPR RECRUITMENT HOPEFULS! GOD BLESS THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA!
Signed:
NNPC/DPR hopefuls online group A new thread for NNPC Hopefuls
Cc: The Board of Directors of NNPC/DPR Honorable Minister of Petroleum Resources Group Managing Director, NNPC Director, DPR
Official Communiqué from Muslims Against Terror, Nigeria
PRESS RELEASE
Access online: http://muslimsagainstterror.com/communique-fear-none-save-allah-defend-islam-defend-people-defend-churches-defend-nation/
June 28th, 2012 Official Communiqué from Muslims Against Terror, Nigeria:
Fear None Save Allah. Defend Islam, Defend People, Defend Churches, Defend our Nation
Quran 2:40 ….and fear none but Me. Quran 33:39 …and do not fear anyone except Allah; and Allah is Sufficient to take account.
All Nigerian Muslims NASFAT – NASFAT | Nasrul-Lahi-Fatih Society Muslim Association of Nigeria Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) FOMWAN | Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria Al-Habibiyah Organisation All other Muslim Organisations
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
We, Nigeria’s Muslims Against Terror, hereby send this urgent release to the Muslims of Nigeria in light of the protracted attack on our deen and the peace of our Nation by the Abubakar Shekau, ‘Boko Haram’, terrorist organization.
This is an official communication to be propagated to Muslim gatherings this Friday, Jumah, in other meetings during the weekend and week and each Friday thereafter; established with critical resolve toward strengthening our national security, eliminating the threats of terrorism, and preventing terrorists, criminals, or other unscrupulous actors from destroying property and incessantly taking innocent life.
Abubakar Shekau’s Boko Haram and related or affiliated ‘Muslim’ terrorism is the most challenging threat to our national security and our identity as Muslims and Nigerians today. Defeating this threat requires specific reactions, strong resolve, the commitment of all Muslims and active involvement as a duty as Muslims and humans.
If we do not stand up against Abubakar Shekau’s Boko Haram and related or affiliate elements, in addition to failing our duty as Muslims, we stand to loose, not only our lives, but even the sanctity of our sovereignty. Boko Members were recently listed in global terror lists, via drone attacks, travel and business restrictions, we will all be affected. We will loose our friends and children. Abubakar Shekau’s Boko Haram and related or affiliate elements will have used their evil to more gravely, permanently affect us.
The Noble Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) said: If one of you sees something evil he should change it with his hand. If he cannot, he should speak out against it, and if he cannot do even that he should at least detest it in his heart, this being the weakest form of faith (Sahih of Muslim). Are we going to be of weakest faith? No! It is time for us to change it. We must now as Muslims condemn the megalomaniac, Abubakar Shekau’s Boko Haram and its related platforms. But not only this, we must act against it as they continue to create a state of terror and insecurity in the North of Nigeria and disgrace us to the world as Muslims and as Nigerians. A Call For Action
To be communicated in Sermons and at gatherings:
1. Our sermons must encourage brothers to protect and shield the targets of Boko Haram, to frustrate their efforts and deny them of their ploy to cause sectarian strife between Muslims and Christians. They have attacked Government installations, but our resolve, will and peace was unhindered, they have attacked Mosques, we did not bend to their evil, they are now attacking Churches, to lead us to fight ourselves. Rather, from now onward, we must come out in great numbers and defend these religious sanctuaries.
This is our duty as Muslims. The Glorious Quran say what means:
Qur’an 22:40… And were it not that Allah checks the people, some by means of others, there would have been demolished monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques in which the name of Allah is much mentioned. And Allah will surely support those who support Him. Indeed, Allah is Powerful and Exalted in Might.
Our brothers in Nigeria have been defending Churches, of note, since the Fuel subsidy riots last January, witnessed in Minna, and again, of note, by MuslimAg last Sunday. So also Christians defended us and formed chains around Muslim brothers as we prayed. Fear none save Allah. Preach to brothers and let us come out in greater numbers to defend Islam and crush this menace of common criminals.
Tell congregations that are they afraid of defending Islam? Are you afraid of being known and marked as a defender of Islam? But we allow every Christian in our Muslim predominated North be as glaring a target. Will we allow Boko install fear of man in us?
Our so-called Muslim leaders have been afraid-of Boko, not Allah- to speak out these basic obligations of the Muslim Ummah.
Dear brothers, Muslims are a minority in many states and countries. Will we want majority Christians to look the other way if, if they simply stood up, with ease they can crush a minority extremist christian terror group that bombed our Mosques, if the roles were reversed? Muslim Chain of Protection Around Churches
Tell the congregations to come out in droves and defend the Churches, as is our obligation. Whoever saves a life, has saved all mankind, and if we sit back and allow a single innocent man, woman, or child die, when we could avert it, we enabled the killing of all mankind, including our very selves.
Quran 5:32 ..whoever kills an innocent, it is as if he has killed all mankind; and whoever saves a person, it is as if he has saved all mankind.
It is forbidden even in war to kill women, children and the elderly. Abubakar Shekau’s Boko Haram is a very wicked, non Islamic group of very wicked common criminals and murderers. They violate the most fundamental tenets of our pure deen. And truth stands out clear and distinct from error.
Will our congregation not come out and save the entire human race?
Please follow these guidelines, as obtains in our article: http://muslimsagainstterror.com/form-a-shield-of-protection-for-churches-on-sunday-muslim-brothers/
1. Please dress simple with white preferably. Have a sign that states your mission. Simply write ‘Vigilante Security‘, on the sign.
2. First- Pat-down and search every brother who volunteers, there must not be any weapons or dangerous material on any one! No bags etc.
3. Please ensure you send a single representative to first approach the Church you wish to defend and ask them where they will like you to stand and where may be vulnerable. Have their security persons phone number.
4. Please discuss the ways you can be of assistance with any security officers in the area.
5. Please have police phone numbers at the ready.
6. Apply absolute discretion at all times. Be only ready to accost and have planks to put in front of suspicious cars that may be speeding toward the Church.
2. We must stress the importance of our communicating and building inroads with Christians. To regain their trust, so we can jointly defeat terror in Nigeria. Only Nigeria in the entire world, displays this type of pointless, insane bomb throwing, anti human, anti monotheism and anti sanity, meaningless madness. This is the time to promote the display of Islam’s better virtues. We are a religion of peace. Many do not recognize this any more. Let us meet with Christians and other groups and discuss how to cooperate and make the world better. There is poverty and hardship in the North. Boko Haram terror is making the situation even worse. Prophet Mohammed was reported to have allowed Najran Christians observe their worship in his Mosque. This is extreme level of tolerance from our beloved messenger.
3. Please let us talk to ourselves, our youth, on better Islamic values and behavior. Truth stands out clear from error. We must never kill innocent people, never, neither as a group nor as individuals. When we participate in mob actions, riots and people are killed, we become murderers. This is the basic tenets of Islam. Unless an official war is declared by the Muslim leaders and the proper attitudes of war are engaged, we as Muslims are prohibited from taking a life. This is madness. Even if a life of one of ours is taken, the only person responsible is the one with blood on his hands, We can not keep carrying out these riots and killing other innocent people. Even if any other religious group does this, let us Muslims lead by example, by the example of our Noble Prophet Mohammed(PBUH). And show restraint. This is the greater Jihad.
4. Please cooperate with the authorities. Reveal all information on terror to the law. If you are scared, simply email us, we will forward this information to the relevant authorities. Let us expose them. Lats time they bombed and killed 200 of us in Kano. They made martyrs of us, because we have been exposing them. This is a welcome event. May Allah accept the souls of those killed.
It ultimately is the role and responsibility of Nigerian security services to protect life, to stop the inflow of dangerous chemicals used in bomb making, to expose finance flow and disrupt intelligence, material and human communication between members and across our borders. But this national defense obligation and responsibility can not be successful without our full and proactive participation.
Though the Boko Haram criminal cult/confraternity gains recruits more easily due to the critical poverty level in the North, which is being looked at and must soon be addressed by the Government, with welfare systems among other means, as Muslims we know and need remind our family and friends that poverty is never an excuse to commit such criminal atrocities and abominable haram.
Let us commit to getting rid of Abubakar Shekau and his Boko hooligans, other related groups and whoever sponsors them in Nigeria and abroad, by the end of this year, Insha Allah.
Let us all come out and defend Islam, our Christian guests, our families and our Nation.
Please redistribute this communique to all Muslim bodies, Mosques, and individuals.
Salam Alaikum
Brother Isa Sami
brother@MusliMag.com; Media@MuslimAg.com
011 234 (0)7086539243
Public Relations and Media, MuslimsAgainstTerror.com
Oil Subsidy Report: President Jonathan Says Have Patience
President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has said the law enforcement agents were carefully investigating the House of Representatives Oil Subsidy report, to establish water-tight cases against those who may have committed offences warranting being charged to court.
President Jonathan was speaking to Nigerians resident in Belgium, Thursday, after delivering a keynote address to the 119th/120th Sessions of the World Customs Organization.
“The EFCC is working on the report, so we must give them the chance to do their job. We have to build water-tight cases if we hope to get any conviction for any wrongdoing, and the law demands proof”, he said, adding that it was better to do a good job than to lose the cases in court due to shoddy preparations.
He urged Nigerians, including the media, not to consistently run the country down. “Take a look at the USA: after September 11, 2001, all Americans came together to support their government’s fight against terrorism, regardless of their political leaning”, he said, adding that Nigerians should not play to the gallery or play politics with serious national issues.
“We will continue to ensure our freedom of speech, but we should use it to build the country, not destroy”, he advised.
President Jonathan called on Nigerians in the Diaspora to join the transformation agenda by investing in industries at home to create jobs, noting that many developed countries have reached this position because their citizens resident outside have gone back to invest there.
The President spoke on other issues, including the NHIS, economic growth, free and fair elections, electricity supply and national security.
In his brief remarks, Nigeria’s ambassador to Belgium, Mr. Felix Awankor, said the Nigerians in Belgium were well behaved.
Gov Kwankwaso Receives Shipment of 3 Armored Escalade SUVs at N156million
“What happened in Kano today is yet another challenge. This situation must be checked and that is why we are working closely with all security agencies to address the situation,” stated the Governor of Kano, Malam Rabiu Kwankwaso following the attack on a Chapel inside the Bayero University [old campus] Kano by the dreaded Muslim terrorist group, the Boko Haram on April 2012. Commenting further, he added “here in Kano, we do not set aside a kobo for security votes, now, I can assure you that in our treasury today is more than N20.5 billion saved within eight months with which we are launching an accelerated development of the state.”
However information recently made available to 247ureports.com through a source close to the activities of the Kano State government indicates that the Kano State government may have acted in a manner depicting a misplaced priority. According to the information received, the Governor of Kano, Malam Kwankwaso received shipment of three [3] Armored Escalade Cadillac [Sports Utility Vehicles] at the total price of N156million excluding shipping cost.
The three [3] armored vehicles arrived to Nigeria from Texas [TAC-USA] through Tin Can Island on Sunday June 3, 2012. They were supplied by Maibiyar Motors.
[It is striking the vehicles arrived Tin Can Island on the same day multiple bombs exploded at Church buildings in Bauchi State killing and injuring numerous church goers.]
The 3 armored vehicles, as gathered, are for use by the State governor for his land transportation while in the country. The vehicles provide protection against high-power rifles such as 7.62×39, 5.56×45, 7.62×51 and M80 ball. Additional areas of armoring are the fuel tank, battery and computer module. It has anti-mine protection including DM51 grenade/fragmentation. It is a 6.2L V8 Gasoline engine and a 6-Speed Automatic transmission.
The purchase of the vehicles by Governor Kwankwaso tells the broader story of the state of insecurity in the northern state of Kano as seen through the eyes of the State governor.
It is recalled Gov Kwankwaso had arrived to the seat of governor as the prudent administration who had come to streamline the financial management of the State away from the wastage that had plagued the state previously. But informed observers of the state administration who have become conversant with the ongoings within the Kwankwaso administration have begun to point to questions that may require clear answers by the government of Kwankwaso.
To them, the purchase of Escalade [Cadillac] SUV at the purchase price appears exorbitant and a far distance away from being prudent with Kano State resources. They point particular concern to the purchase by the governor as evidence that the Governor may have given up on the insecurity in the State.
The Chief Press Secretary to the State government, Malam Dantiye, was reached through his mobile MTN line but he declined comment. The Information Commissioner, Hon. Farouk was reached through his mobile MTN but he also declined comment.
Couple held by Somali pirates returns to S. Africa
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A South African woman and her Italian partner were handcuffed throughout the nearly two years they were held by Somali pirates, who fed them little but rice, pasta and bread, the now-freed couple said Wednesday after arriving in South Africa.
Deborah Calitz and Bruno Pelizzari, captured in late 2010 from a yacht off the coast of Tanzania, spoke to reporters at an emotional Johannesburg airport news conference. They were freed in Somalia last week and stopped in Italy to see Pelizzari’s family before coming to South Africa, where friends and relatives draped in yellow ribbon printed with the word “believe” greeted them at the airport with tears, hugs and flowers.
“We were treated like untouchables” in Somalia, Calitz said. “We were treated worse than animals at times.”
The two were held captive 20 months, among the longest periods hostages have been held by Somali pirates.
Relatives have said the two were sailing on a budget after buying a used yacht several years ago to pursue a dream of traveling the world’s seas. At the time they were kidnapped, they were working for another South African yachtsman to earn money for a visit home.
The pirates originally demanded a ransom of $10 million, which relatives had said they could not pay. Their relatives in South Africa sought donations and organized concert fundraisers, and said the pirates kept changing their demand.
“Thank you for not giving up on us,” a tearful Calitz told her friends and relatives Wednesday. She also thanked the governments of South Africa, Somalia and Italy.
“We’re home! We’re safe! And we’re happy!” she said.
Calitz said Wednesday the couple did not know whether a ransom was paid. Last week, Somalia’s defense minister said Somali security forces helped secure the release. He did not describe it as a rescue, but would not say if a ransom was paid. Most such cases end with payment of multi-million dollar ransoms, which security experts say only inspires more hostage-taking.
South Africa’s foreign minister, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, who met the couple at the airport Wednesday, told reporters the hostage-taking could only end once stability was brought to Somalia. Somalia has been beset by decades of civil war, and its last fully functioning government collapsed in 1991, allowing piracy and other crime to flourish. In more recent years, al-Qaida-linked militants have gained a foothold in the Horn of Africa nation.
Pelizzari echoed the South African foreign minister’s calls for peace.
“We’ve created a rainbow nation in South Africa,” he said, referring to the negotiated, peaceful end to white racist rule here. “We’ve got to do the same for the world.”
Edo 2012: Candidates Commend Oshiomhole at Debate
Governorship candidates of the political parties in Edo State [today, June 27, 2012] commended the modest efforts of the state government at repositioning the state in the areas of health care services, infrastructural development, education, employment generation and rural electrification.
They however said that they are gunning for the Osadebe Avenue because they believe they have better plans to improve on what is on ground.
On health, Prince Frank Onaivi Ukonga ofthe Social Democratic Mega Party (SDMP) said: “We are not here to run down anybody, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has done well in the area of healthcare. He has already started well by giving free medical services to citizens of 60years and above.”
He also commended Comrade Oshiomhole for instilling discipline in the citizenry and cultivating the culture of queuing for intra-city bus services in the state.
On rural electrification, the candidate of the National Conscience Party (NCP), Mr. Paul Orunwense, while acknowledging the state Government’s effort in this area, said: “with all respect to the Comrade Governor, there is still a lot to be done”, while Mr. Roland Izebuwa of the Congress for progressive Change (CPC) said, “despite what Adams Oshiomhole has done there are still communities that need to be given light’’.
However, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, General Charles Airhiavbere blamed failures in the state on past leadership from 1999 to 2007, a period during which his party was in office.
Only the Labour Candidate, Mr AndrewIgwemoh was absent at the debate which will round off on July 5.
Kaduna: Press Statement On Malicious Video In Circulation
The attention of the Kaduna State Government has been drawn to a one-minute video clandestinely being circulated within Kaduna State by some faceless people.
The content of the video which shows grainy images of heap of dead bodies being handled by security forces is basically meant to deliberately tarnish the image of the state, truncate the peace building process in place and pit the adherents of our two major religions against each other
For the avoidance of doubt, it is pertinent to mention that the scene in the video was not shot in Kaduna state as can be seen from the abundance of neems trees in the background and the accent of some of the people speaking in the video is completely alien to people of Kaduna. The police Van in the background also shows that it is not from Kaduna State.
If anyone comes into contact with the video he/she should ignore it as it is a deliberate effort by certain individuals to kindle and fan the embers of religious and ethnic differences amongst inhabitants of our state.
The good citizens of Kaduna state are enjoin not to play into the hands of these people who are bent in further creating enmity and division among us for their own devilish goals.
Trying to put the crisis of the past few days behind it, the State Government and all security agencies will not tolerate any deliberate attempt to incite the people of the state against each other and are prepared to deal firmly and decisively with anybody caught fomenting unrest.
The State Government remains resolute in its attempt at entrenching sustainable peace and urge all in the state to join in the effort, remain peaceful and law-abiding.
Thank You.
Reuben Buhari
Senior Special Assistant Media
