Imo state government has released over 1.7billion Naira for the funding of free tertiary education programme of Gov Owelle Rochas Okorocha.
While launching the programme tagged ‘Investment for the Future’ on Monday at heroes square, Owerri, Gov. Okorocha disclosed that over nineteen thousands students of Imo origin schooling in Imo State University, Imo State Polytecnic Umuagwo and School of Health Science Technology, Amaigbo, Nwangele LGA will benefit from the scheme. While students of IMSU get N100,000 each for 2012/2013 academic session, students of Imo State Polytechnic and College of Health Technology will receive N80, 000 and N60,000 respectively.
The governor who had earlier declared free education in primary and secondary schools in the state however presented cheques to some beneficiaries to demonstrate the beginning of the programme.

Gov. Okorocha explained that it was his vision and utmost desire to make education free for all towards creating opportunities for the children of the poor to access qualitative education which he lamented had before now an exclusive privilege for the rich.
He further disclosed that arrangements are being concluded to absorb students of Imo origin in other tertiary institutions in the country during the second phase of the programme.
Gov. Okorocha posited that free education at all level in the state is a preparation for a better future that will guarantee the eradication of ignorance, poverty and injustice.
While he urged the students to shun anti-social vices such as prostitution, cultism and armed robbery, the governor expressed optimism that the adoption of all students by the state government under the free education programme will inculcate the spirit of patriotism in their minds and make them responsive citizens.
He maintained that free education to tertiary level is possible in Nigeria if leaders could shun corruption and self-aggrandizement as the country is endowed with abundant resources.
Gov. Okorocha added that his government successfully funded the multiple-billion Naira free education programme by reducing the cost of governance and making sacrifices which include the forfeiture of his four years salary and reduction of the security vote from N6billion Naira to N2.5B.
The governor, however directed the students to return to their various communities and collect their cheques from their traditional rulers immediately even as he urged them to always remember to extend the gesture to future generation whenever they get the opportunity to do so.
Gov. Okorocha also at the occasion announced the release of N1Billion Naira for the payment of gratuity to beneficiaries whose amount is below N500,000.
While he lamented on the huge sum of gratuities owed to retirees by the past administrations, Gov. Okorocha said his administration deliberately resolved to begin the payment of those that retired as junior staff to cushion their plight.
Earlier, the commissioner for education, Prof Adaobi Obasi said Gov. Okorocha’s passion for education is being taken to higher heights via the achievement of what many had described impossibility in the education sector.
She added that the revolution in the education sector as pioneered by the governor is not restricted to free education as 305 model schools are being constructed in all INEC ward of the state.

Mbisike N.C

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, 13 November 2012, arraigned one Adejugbe Anthony and his company, Tonique Oil Services Limited before Justice Lateefa Okunnu of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja, on a two count charge bordering on stealing and fraud.

The accused person fraudulently converted the sum of N272, 5000,000 (Two Hundred and Seventy Two Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira ) obtained from Water Gate Petroleum and Gas Limited for the supply five million litres of PMS to defray his liabilities with Sterling Bank without supplying the product for which he was paid.

One of the charge reads: “That you, Adejugbe Anthony and Tonique Oil Services Ltd on or about the 8^th of December, 2011 at Lagos with Ikeja Judicial Division stole and fraudulently converted the sum N272,500,000 (Two Hundred and Seventy Two Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira) property of water Gate Petroleum and Gas Ltd which sum claimed represented payment for 5,000,000 (Five Million) litres of PMS which sum you transferred from your GTB bank account to your Sterling Bank Plc account to defray your liabilities”.

He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges when read to him. Prosecution counsel, Mrs F. T Giwa prayed the count to give a trial date and remand the accused person in prison custody.

But counsel to the accused person, J. Fabilola urged the court to remand his client in the EFCC custody pending the hearing of his oral application for bail.

Justice Okunnu in her ruling observed that once an accused person was arraigned, the proper place of remand is the prison. She adjourned the matter to 19 November, 2012 for hearing of bail application, and 22and 23 November 2012 for trial. She also ordered that the accused person be remanded in prison custody.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, November 5, 2012, arraigned eleven persons on a two count charge bordering on illegal dealing in petroleum products at a Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State .
The eleven accused persons are Isiaka Edeleye, John B. Kpalam, Adedotun Awofidipe, Harris Usanga, Gilbert Eborty, Solomon Monday, Abang Jacob Ekwo, Adedayo Akinyoade, Victor Ekpe, Ernest Okon Ati and Inwang Akabio. They were arrested on board vessel MT AEGLE with 200 metric tons of petroleum product suspected to be Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) bunkered from EX MT Mercy II into MT AEGLE.
Count one of the charges against the accused persons reads: “That you Isiaka Edeleye, John b. Kpalam, Adedotun Awofidipe, Harris Usanga, Gilbert Eborty, Solomon Monday, Abang Jacob Ekwo, Adedayo Akinyoade, Victor Ekpe, Ernest Okon Ati, being crew members in MT AEGLE with Reg. No. IMO-8023890 and Inwang Akabio with others at large on or about the 25^th day of April, 2012 in Brass, Bayelsa State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit dealing in petroleum product and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 3(6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act CAP M17 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2007 and punishable under Section 1(17) of the same Act”.
The accused persons pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against them and were granted bail by Justice C. E. Archibong in the sum of N1million and one surety each in like sum.
While adjourning the case to November 30, 2012, for commencement of trial, the Judge ordered that the accused persons be remanded in EFCC custody for seven days and thereafter be transferred to Ahoada prison, if they are still unable to meet their bail condition.
It would be recalled that the accused persons were handed over to the EFCC on September 20, 2012, after their arrest on May 4, 2012, by officers of the NNS Pathfinder, Nigerian Navy, Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt . The purported owner of the product, Akpabio Inwang was later arrested by the operatives of the Commission on September 24, 2012, in Calabar, Cross River State .

The senate leader of the Second Republic and strong man of Kwara politics, Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki is dead.

Details of his death are still sketchy.

247ureports.com learnt Saraki died in his Lagos home today’s [Wednesday] morning. Saraki who was the Senate Majority Leader in the Second Republic has been sickly in the last few years owing to symptoms associated with aging.

He was born on May 17, 1933 and has had very active political life. His son, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, was a governor of Kwara State between 2003 and 2011. The younger Saraki is now in the Senate.

Stay tuned

The groundbreaking ceremony of a $2 billion (about N300 billion) fertilizer plant, the biggest in Africa to be sited in Agenebode, Edo State will be done before the end of January, next year.

Disclosing this at a reception, in Benin City, Monday, as part of activities to mark the 2^nd term inauguration of Governor Adams Oshiomhole, President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, said arrangements have been concluded for the ceremony this December or before the end of January 2013.

Alhaji Dangote, listed by Forbes magazine as Africa’s richest man said the company which is expected to employ more than ten thousand people directly and indirectly will be completed in three years.

He said: “yes we will build the biggest fertilizer plant in Africa here in Edo State.”

According to the industrialist, “Comrade Oshiomhole on road, infrastructure, but now he’s going to deliver on job creation. We will partner with him to make sure he gives us a conducive environment to create jobs here in Edo State.

“He has already mentioned that we will set up a fertiliser plant here in Edo State. I am sure he wants me to reaffirm that, yes, we will build the biggest fertilizer plant in Africa here in Edo State.

“It is a commitment and I am reassuring you, your excellency, by this year, either in December of January, next year, we will perform the groundbreaking ceremony in Edo State. It will be at a cost of $2 billion.

“I am reassuring you, in the presence of everybody, that in the next three years, Edo State will be exporting fertilizer from here to other parts of Africa.”

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, sitting in Gudu, Abuja and presided over by Justice Mohammed Talba, on November 12, 2012, dismissed the applications to quash charges filed by four of the six persons arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for their role in defrauding the Police Pension Office to the tune of N32.8 Billion.
The six suspects were Esai Dangabar, Atiku Abubakar Kigo, Ahmed Inuwa Wada, John Yakubu Yusufu, Mrs. Veronica Ulonma Onyegbula and Sani Habila Zira. Kigo was the director of the Police Pension Office, before he was made permanent secretary.

They had filed applications before the court, urging for the quashing of the charges against them on the grounds that the court not only lacked jurisdiction to entertain the case , but that the charges against them were frivolous and lacking in merit.

But in his ruling, Justice Talba said the 2^nd, 4^th, 5^th and 6^th applicants failed to supply relevant material before the court to warrant the quashing of the case against them. He also said that based on the proof of evidence before the court, the prosecution has presented its case in such a way that a prima-facie has been established against them.

The judge however adjourned till January 28, 2013, to hear the argument in respect of the applications filed by the first and third accused persons, Esai Dangabar and Ahmed Inuwa Wada respectively to quash the charges against them.

The accused persons who were arraigned on a 16 criminal charges bordering on conspiracy and criminal breach of trustonMarch 29, 2012, were on April 3, 2012, granted bail in the sum of N10 million each with two sureties in like sum, one of whom must not be less than an officer on grade level 14. The sureties, the judge also said, must live within the jurisdiction of the court. The sureties must however depose to affidavit of means which must be verified by the EFCC. The accused persons are also to deposit their national passports before the court.

It would be recalled that shortly afterward, the EFCC approached the court for an interim order to attach and take possession of the asset of the six accused persons. The order was granted by Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory, Justice Lawal H. Gumi, who on July 25, 2012 ordered the freezing of the bank accounts of all the accused persons pending the hearing and final determination of the corruption case against them.

Fifteen of the properties, which were ordered forfeited on interim basis, belongs to Dangabar, 11 to Mrs. Onyegbula, six to Wada, five to Kigo and four each to Yusuf and Zira.

Armed men over the weekend attacked a passenger boat occupied by some flood victims in Bayelsa state along the Orashi River of Biseni Community of Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Council Area, dispossessing passengers of over N.5million and other valuables.

The police while confirming the attack have also deployed a special squad of detectives to intensify investigation into the recent killing of two policemen between the ranks of an Inspector and a Corporal by unidentified gunmen in a black Prado Jeep in the state capital.

The attack on the passenger boat, according to Police Source, was carried out by about five persons armed with sophisticated weapons. The gunmen were reported to have made away with the 75 horsepower engine owned by the state government and made available to indigenes of the area to ease transportation during the flood.

Also reportedly carted away by the armed men was a boat engine being conveyed for servicing at Mbiama area of Rivers State and the sum of N400, 000.was stolen.

The armed men are suspected to be sea pirates operating along the waterways and creeks of the state.

Our correspondent gathered that the armed men hijacked the passenger boat and took it into the creek to dispossess their victims. A Secondary School Vice-Principal, who missed boarding the passenger boat, said the second boat she boarded ran into the victims after the attack.

Meanwhile, the Spokesperson of the State Police Command, Mr. Felix Odunna, has announced the setting up of a special investigation team to handle the manhunt for the killers of the two policemen shot dead last week along the Azikoro/Agbura road area of the state.