Today the Senate confirmed the appointment of Ibrahim Lamorde of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes and Commission [EFCC] following a session of questions and answers at the Senate Chambers which lasted about one and half hours.
Ibrahim Larmode had been appointed to the post of acting chairman following the sacking of the former EFCC chairwoman, Farida Waziri. Ibrahim Larmorde had also been appointed the acting chairman of the Commission following the ejection of the pioneer chairman of the Commission, Nuhu Ribadu. Ibrahim Lamorde is seen as the “man behind the mask” at the EFCC. Ibrahim Lamorde is reported to have recorded over 500 arrests under his belt and over 200 convictions between 2002 and 2010.
During the Senate confrmation session, it was revealed that the EFCC had requested for funds from the federal government for the erecton of a headquarter, a 13 story building – expected to cost over N10billion. Ibrahim Lamorde was posed with the question of priority of expenditure – whether to focus its meager resources on equiping the feild agents or to focus on erecting a high cost building. Responding, Ibrahim Lamorde pointed that the EFCC operates out of five locations in Abuja because its lacks a central office in Abuja that can house the entire human and material resources of the EFCC. He also pointed out that sensitive materials are not fully secure when it has to be transfered from one office to the other.
Ibrahim Lamorde was not able to tell the senate how much the EFCC have recovered from the looters they had arrested. He could not provide an answer to how much the EFCC had recovered from its plead bargain arraingments with former governors. He was not forthcoming with answers as to the 32 missing files on the former governors.
When asked by the senate what he will do if he discovers that an agency or ministry – who had received N200billion as its budgeted funds [as in the case of NNPC] and it continues to expend the monies in excess of N600billion – ? Ibrahim Lamorde responded that he will not comment – as the investigation is still ongoing.
Information available to 247ureports.com from sources in Aniocha Local Government Area [LGA] of Anambra indicate that three journalists stationed in the area may have been manhandled. The journalists had gone to the area to monitor the re-run election between Dozie Nwankwo [ACN] and Uche Ekwunife [APGA] for he Aniocha/Njikoka/Dunukofia Federal constituency.
As gathered, the group of journalists who drove in a bus labelled NIGERIAN UNION OF JOURNALISTS with registration number AN 212 EOI arrived at the Aguluzigbo Town Hall [the howntown of the All Progressive Grand Alliance National Chairman (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh] at minutes after 1pm [about 1:15pm]. The town hall was serving as one of the polling centers.
Upon arrival, the journalists immediately observed what appeared an ongoing manupilation of prospective voters – monies being exchanged in return for votes. The journalist identified the agents involved in the cash-for-votes as predominantly APGA agents. And as the journalist began taking photographs and video of the incident The APGA agents responded. A near ruckus ensued.
They agents manhanded one of male journalists and one female from a Dailly newspaper. The driver of the journalists’s bus speed off in the ensuing ruckus to safety.
But another eyewitness source tell 247ureports.com that the confrontation was not with the APGA agents. The source indicated that it was the police who first challenged the journalists on why they are taking photographs of the exercise. When the journalist insisted that they were doing their jobs, the police charged at them. It was at this point that the driver drove off to safety.
Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon, Vice President of South Sudan
February 14, 2012 (JUBA) – The vice president (VP) of the Republic of South Sudan, Riek Machar, has officially declared his personal income, assets and liabilities while calling on all constitutional post holders in the country to do the same.
Machar issued a public statement on Tuesday following his receipt of a certificate from the South Sudan Anti-Corruption Commission (SSACC) which commended the VP for declaring his net worth and completing the declaration form.
He provided the commission with information on his income and assets he owns around the world such as houses, lands, and vehicles and the dates he acquired them along with supporting documents.
The SSACC has sent a form to all the constitutional post holders and senior civil servants in the country on which they are required declare their net worth to the task force. It will also include employees working in non-governmental organisations.
The disclosure must also include income and assets for spouses and children as well and is to be filed every year.
Machar encouraged all officials to be transparent in order to “clear doubts and flying accusations” and make South Sudan free from corruption, adding that this will give credibility to individuals and the country.
The VP’s declaration form was received by the chairperson of the SSACC Judge John Gatwech Lul, in the presence of his deputy, Johnny Saverio Ayik.
Lul commended the political will and the lead taken by the President and the VP to help the commission fight corruption in the nation which came to existence in July 2011.
He urged the constitutional post holders and senior civil servants to cooperate and complete the declaration form before the given deadline of 31st March.
The officials also briefed the VP on their recent engagement with experts from a number of countries during their trips abroad to mobilise support.
The commission’s chairman revealed that a number of key nations through their financial institutions such as the Swiss Bank have already agreed to coordinate efforts aimed at tracing stolen money.
He said that they have also invited experts from US and Austria to help the commission devise ways to go after any money embezzled and funnelled into foreign bank accounts.
All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Senatorial Candidate for Anambra Central, Prof. Dora Akunyili, has lashed out at Dr. Chris Ngige and his party, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), accusing them of desperately seeking to intimidate the National Assembly Election Tribunal sitting in Awka with a view to perverting justice.
Akunyili, whose petition against Ngige is currently being heard by the tribunal, cited a statement circulated to Internet blogs yesterday by the Anambra State Chapter of ACN as the latest proof of the desperation of Ngige and his party to blackmail and intimidate the tribunal.
“My attention has been drawn to a statement issued yesterday, February 13, by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Anambra State Chapter, and circulated among Internet blogs, in which Anambra ACN announced that it has set up and is training a ‘Judiciary Vigilante’ charged with policing the National Assembly Election Tribunal sitting in Awka,” Akunyili said in a statement signed by her media aide, Mr. Isaac Umunna.
“The task of the vigilante, according to the statement entitled ‘ACN sets up, trains Judiciary Vigilante’, ‘is to keep a watch on the Judiciary closely and pay attention to some special persons so designated to ensure that the adjudication currently on-going in the ill-fated petition of Dora Akunyili is above board.’ ACN also claimed that my case/that of my party, APGA, against the announcement of Dr. Chris Ngige as the winner of the April 2011 Anambra Central Senatorial District election has collapsed. By so doing, the ACN has arrogated to itself the power to decide the verdict of the tribunal,” Akunyili added.
The former NAFDAC Director-General expressed shock over “the sheer arrogance and deliberate twisting of the facts by Dr. Ngige and the ACN in their desperation to confuse the public and poison people’s minds regarding the on-going sitting of the tribunal. Their ultimate aim, of course, is to blackmail and possibly intimidate the tribunal with a view to getting it to endorse his stolen mandate. They had earlier written a petition against the panel, vowing to ensure its disbandment, only to apologise before the panel and claim that they didn’t know who wrote the petition.”
Akunyili, who is the immediate past Information and Communications Minister, accused Ngige and his camp of having sustained an unhealthy propaganda war on the tribunal for too long. She noted that “the propaganda war started when they recruited Dr. Alex Anene, the new Returning Officer for the first election held on April 9, 2011, to orchestrate a stalemate and cause a re-run in some places instead of announcing the authentic results that gave me a clear victory.” Expressing happiness that “the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Matters Commission (ICPC) has started investigating the activities of Anene during that election,” Akunyili said “it is obvious that he could not have done what he did without being paid. I look forward to the conclusion of the investigation, which I believe is also of interest to the rest of the world.”
The APGA flag bearer lamented that “since after the election, it has been lies upon lies by Dr. Ngige and his team of propagandists,” adding: “I largely kept quiet out of my conviction that the truth will surface at the tribunal, which is made up of honourable men and women whom I trust will courageously render justice no matter how many attempts are made by my opponent to blackmail and intimidate the tribunal.”
According to her, “the first lie told by Ngige’s camp was that I had promised not to challenge his purported victory. I never made any such pronouncement – I possibly couldn’t have because the rigging was so blatant that I was in shock and could hardly believe it.
“When I eventually went to court to seek justice, Ngige panicked and resorted to desperate attempts to ensure that the case was not heard based on technicalities and in contradiction of the Electoral Act. We have gone on appeal five times and we won in all cases.”
Akunyili observed that now that the tribunal is hearing her case on merit, “Ngige and his people are panicking because they have seen the handwriting on the wall.” She accused them of sponsoring twisted versions of what transpired at the tribunal when she concluded her case with her personal testimony last Wednesday, February 8.
According to Akunyili, “While I am challenging figures awarded to Ngige in 15 wards, the defence team produced exhibit indicating that I scored 90 votes in Agulu ward three but was wrongly credited with 190 (extra hundred votes). This does not in any way damage my argument that I won the simple majority of lawful votes cast during the 2011 April poll. I am therefore confident that the tribunal will ensure that justice is done by declaring me the winner because I won by simple majority but was denied victory by the padding of Ngige’s results in 15 wards.
“My legal team, my witnesses I have made our point and tendered relevant documents before the honourable tribunal. The course of wisdom is for Ngige and his people to present and defend their own evidence when the tribunal resumes sitting on Friday, February 17. Their resort to propaganda and trial of the case on the pages of newspapers and on the Internet betray the fact that they have a bad case. As I said during my testimony before the tribunal, I care only for the right thing to be done.”
Expressing her conviction that “God is still on the throne,” Akunyili said: “I remain confident that, as a God of justice, he will ensure that we get justice at the end, Ngige’s antics notwithstanding.”
By: Charles Ikedikwa Soeze, fhnr, fcida, fcai, cpae, son, emba
In beginning this article, it is most appropriate to commend the efforts of the security agents towards the manhunt and subsequent re-arrest of Kabiru Sokoto Umar who allegedly mastermind the December 2011 Christmas Day bombing of St. Theresa’s Catholic Church inMadalla,Niger State. Now that he has been re-arrested, he should undergo serious interrogation in connection with the incident as this will help the presidency to identify their sponsors and all those who have participated in the dastardly acts, that is, bombings in various places.
It is a truism to say that the continuous killings of innocent citizens through bombings and setting buildings and other properties ablaze by the Boko Haram has left many Nigerians both at home and in the Diaspora including international communities in a stupor of surprise and pangs of anger and righteous indignation. Based on the sect’s inimical activities, it had been shock, grief and lamentation.
Boko Haram, meaning “Western education is sin/evil” preaches hatred for everything western, but its leaders indulge in western luxuries. The extensive nature of the sect’s operations in some northern states was flabbergasting and shocking from reports in the media, print and broadcast inclusive. It took a joint military/police operations to confront its members in Sokoto, Kano, Yobe, Borno, Jigawa, and Bauchi States, arresting several hundred protesters in 2009. The ‘big’ question is what happened? Were they made to face the law of our land or were they handled with kid glove? While in 2011 and 2012 Boko Haram is about taking over the security operations of some Northern States thereby making the citizenry to move with fear of not being molested, maimed or killed.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika at a press briefing in commemoration of the 2011 edition of Army week, hinted that the Army was firming up to wage a war against the sect, which now constitutes the greatest source of insecurity in the country. According to the COAS, the deadly sect has transformed from a local fringe sect to its current ascendancy as an affiliate of the international terror network, Al Qaeda as “not invisible” assured that the Nigerian Army has studied the method of operation (in collaboration with other security agents), very soon the country will notice improvement and new security arrangements”. With the re-arrest of Kabiru Sokoto Umar, one can boldly and happily say Allau kaba, that is, God is great. Furthermore, a very ‘big’ congratulations to our security agents. I wish them elbow grease. To this end therefore, I have to quote the statement of the Vice President, Arc. Namadi Sambo, when he represented the President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan popularly known as “GEJ” at the graduation ceremony of the Senior Course 33 of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, Kaduna State “No country would fold its arms and watch some few people destroy innocent lives and properties with relish. This is not the time to put sentiments in our thinking. We must see the imminent reality of the evil before us and address it with the action it deserves”. The Vice President went further to say “In view of this, the federal government will use all available resources; all legitimate means to put a stop to this spate of insecurity in the land”.
In line with the above therefore, the federal government needs to investigate all the latest bombings by the sect and reprimand appropriately so as to make Nigeriasafe and the cause of the crises be decided per incuriam on their own merits that is by resisting and kicking against falsehood. In the words of Desmond Mpilo Tutu, “Justice must be done to the poor and oppressed and if the present system does not serve the purpose, the public conscience must be roused to demand another”. In other words, the government needs to investigate if there was crassa negligentia that is, gross negligence by any person no matter or highly or lowly placed in the society.
It appears that some of those engaged in the dastardly acts must be under sponsorship by God or Allah knows whom or group. Like Pope Benedict XVI, while appealing for peace in a message to commemorate 2007 World Peace Day (WPD) said and I quote “Those with greater political, technical or economic power must not use the power to violate the rights of others who are less fortunate”. In other words, it seems to me that some of these crises were based on religion, marginalization, tribal sentiments, bad utterances, among others.
Importantly, the rioters or those being used and their sponsors for criminal activities need to always remember the advice of an elder statesman, grassroots professional teacher, respectable politician and first executive president of Nigeria, Alhaji Aliyu Shehu Shagari when he said and I quote “This moment of our history demands of all of us the spirit of tolerance and cooperation rather than retribution and intrigue. If we succeed in highlighting the things that unite us rather than the things that divide us, we will have succeeded in bequeathing a fitting legacy to the coming generation”.
The nation has not been able to address the problems confronting the country because of lack of credible leadership as well as bad followers and fixing of political office holders in wrong positions and corruption, greed, ignorance among some of the political class and some top civil/public servants. It is crystal clear that the vision of the founding fathers was frustrated and scuttled by leadership challenge that manifested itself in sincerity and greed. For the nation to grow well and wipe out all sects, we need to purge ourselves of insincerity, greed and perverted notion of service. In this connection therefore, let our leaders including top civil/public servants handle issues with sincerity, honesty, passion, determination, and avoid favouritism, nepotism, tribalism, because this will go a long way to eschew issues, conflicts and crises.
Charles Ikedikwa Soeze, fhnr, fcida, fcai, cpae, son, emba, is a mass communications Scholar and Head, Academic and Physical Plsnning (A&PP), of the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, Delta State, Nigeria.
CAIRO: Israel’s leading communications satellite company Spacecom, which operates the AMOS satellites across the world, hopes that recent discussions with South Sudan will help boost its role in the young country’s communications and telecommunications industry.
According to a statement from South Sudan’s Ministry of Telecommunications, officials met and discussed potential cooperation on future communications projects in the country. They also reported that there would be further meetings with other Israeli telecom, aerospace and technology companies.
South Sudan, the world’s youngest country, is hopeful that its relationship with Israel will help produce high-end communications technology in the near future in order to bolster its young telecom industry, which has been struggling with the poor infrastructure in the country.
Spacecom’s AMOS-5 satellite, serving Africa, began commercial operations on January 25. It is slated to be a prime carrier of African satellite communications traffic in both broadcast and data services in the years to come, the company said on its website.
Maj. Gen Madut Biar Yel, South Sudan’s Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services said in a published statement, “it is a great opportunity for my associates and me to come to Israel as guests of Spacecom to meet with leading players in the telecoms market, including Israel Minister of Communications Kachlon.
“As we build up our infrastructure, Israel and its industries provide ample experience of best practices which we can emulate.”
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama‘s chief of staff says it’s only a matter of time before the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad collapses.
Syrian President Bashar Assad, left, stands with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov last week. On Sunday the White House said it is only a matter of time until Assad’s government collapses.
Jacob Lew says the U.S. and its allies have brought “serious financial pressure” on Syria and that Assad’s government is “feeling it.”
While the violence continues as rebels try to topple Assad, Lew says the transition “from tyranny to democracy is very hard.” Lew says the Syrian people “have to handle this in a way that works in Syria.”
Lew tells “Fox News Sunday” that “the brutality of the Assad regime is unacceptable and has to end.” He says the U.S. is pursuing “all avenues that we can” and that “there is no question that this regime will come to an end. The only question is when.”
Victor Ebhaleme, Field Commander of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Maiduguri
Information available to 247ureports.com from sources within the UMTH center in Borno State indicate that the bomb blast that occurred in Kwanan Yobe and Custom area last week on Wednesday, February 8, 2012 may have permanently maimed the Joint Task Force [JTF] commander, Col. Victor Ebhaleme.
As gathered, the bomb blast had hit the JTF commander Col. Victor Ebhaleme at his hand and his face. Both anatomies were reportedly damaged in the explosion. The commander has been receiving medication and treatment at UMTH male Amenity ward. The source within the medical center indicate that the Commander has been receiving treatment secretly.
According to the source, Doctors believe that the commander may not be able to use his right limb again.
Iranians gather in Tehran to mark the 33rd anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. Millions attended state-run rallies around the country
Iranmarked the 33rd anniversary of the Islamic Revolution on Saturday with a public display of confidence that stood in sharp contrast to widespread unease about the costs of the country’s confrontation with the West over its nuclear program.Demonstrators hoisting a national flag more than a mile long chanted slogans condemning the United States and Israel. Speakers vowed that threats and sanctions would not damp the nation’s will.
But behind the defiance was a broad sense of uncertainty among many Iranians, even the government’s supporters. The country’s economic problems, aggravated by new international sanctions, have hit middle- and working-class Iranians hard. Inflation is rampant in the world’s fifth-largest oil exporter, and the currency is plummeting in value.
Reports speculating about a possible Israeli or U.S. military strike on Iranian nuclear facilities have been answered with counter-threats and have added to the collective angst.
Iran insists its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes. But the U.S. and many of its allies suspect it of trying to master the components of bomb-making, and are imposing increasingly tough economic sanctions.
Israeli officials, who regard Iran as an existential threat, have warned recently that efforts to stop the country’s nuclear program may be reaching a point of no return.
Also unsettling to many Iranians on the anniversary was an Internet blackout, which the Mehr News agency said had left about 30 million people without access to their email since Thursday. There was rampant speculation that authorities had shut it down, but it was not clear why they would do that.
“People are worried about their future, their economic future,” said Hosian, 55, a Tehran grocery shop owner. “The government does not seem to be able to contain the prices. … We need a heavy-handed crackdown to control the prices. It is more important than anything else.”
Talk of war worries him, said the grocer, who like others criticizing the government declined to give his surname.
“Warmongering rhetoric on both sides will ultimately lead to catastrophe,” he said. “If you make threats, one day you have to fulfill your threats or shut up.”
Reza, 37, who runs a Tehran laundry, says rumors of war also trouble him, “But what can I do?”
Reza said business had plummeted. With spring approaching, almost half of his regular customers were declining to send their curtains, drapes and blankets for washing and dry cleaning.
A 35-year-old customs worker who identified himself as Hasan dismissed talk of war as a government tactic to spur support for hard-liners in next month’s parliamentary elections. “I am sure there is no danger of war against us,” he says. “Later, after the election, they will not mention the threat.”
Iranians who support children studying abroad are especially feeling the pinch, since the exchange rate means many are paying double what they did a few months ago. “I may have to ask my daughter to come back and forget her PhD, said a Tehran man whose daughter is studying in Boston.
One highly visible measure that the government has taken is a crackdown on money changers who proliferate on certain streets, especially near the British Embassy and other foreign missions. Iranians had been stocking up on dollars and euros as a hedge. But now many money changers have had to stop selling or go underground, fearing arrest.
A 57-year-old money changer who called himself Vahed said that as a precaution he now carries no hard currency on him. Vahed, who was walking back and forth whispering “dollars” to potential clients near the British Embassy, said he makes verbal deals with customers and accompanies them to a legal exchange shop for the actual transaction.
Such troubles do not negate the support many Iranians express for the government’s stated goal of developing a peaceful nuclear power program.
“Achieving nuclear energy is worth all the ordeals we have to go through,” said Rasul Ahmadi, 40, an employee of a car manufacturing factory who was among those out Saturday celebrating the revolution’s anniversary. “For a better life in the future, we have to suffer today.”
Special correspondent Mostaghim reported from Tehran and Times staff writer McDonnell from Beirut
The remaining part of Police officer that was affected by bomb blast at unguwar sarki bus stop, Kaduna yesterday. pic by Shehu K Goro
Information reaching 247ureports.com out of the capital of Kaduna State indicate that the multiple bombing in Kaduna State may have had more high target casualty that earlier thought.
Security personel at the scene of the bomb blast at unguwar sarki bus stop Kaduna yesterday. pic by Shehu K Goro
Kaduna State was hit by multiple explosions today – and one police died [Sergeant Sunday Badang ]on the spot as he tried to defuse one of the bomb.
Crowd of residents at the scene of the bomb blast at unguwar sarki bus stop Kaduna yesterday. pic by Shehu K Goro
This is as available information indicate that the head of the military operation [Operation Yaki] in Kaduna State, Col. D. G. Maman [RTD] was hit by the first explosion – as he rushed to the scene to assist with the rescue operation. He was said to have been hit by the abdomen area. He was reported in critical condition.
The affected bus by the bomb blast at unguwar sarki bus stop Kaduna yesterday. pic by Shehu K Goro
As at 3pm, the Retired Col. was rushed to the Army 44th Barrack medical center in a military ambulance [vehicle plate number = BK562]. He was reported to be bleeding heavily and being administered with blood to replace the lost blood. As he arrived at the military medical center, the medical crew examined his condition and made the decision that his condition was too critical to be treated at the military center. A source at the military center indicated that “he could not be accommodated” at the center.
The affected boy at the scene of the bomb blast at unguwar sarki bus stop Kaduna yesterday. pic by Shehu K Goro
He was then transferred to the the ABU Zaria teaching hospital where he is receiving treatment. His present condition is not known.
