BOKO HARAM KILLS ABU QAQA'S DAD
Gunmen
suspected to be Boko Haram on revenge mission, yesterday in Maiduguri, Borno
State, shot dead Alhaji Abdullahi Bello, father of the detained sect’s
spokesman, Abu Darda (aka Abu Qaqa).
Bello is a retired Deputy Comptroller of Prisons. Also killed was Bello’s friend, whose identity could not be ascertained by Press time.
Abu Qaqa had been telling the State Security Service (SSS) all he knew about the Islamist sect since his detention this year.
The Joint Task Force (JTF) also shot and killed the sect’s commander, one of his aides and two armed bandits who robbed Maiduguri residents yesterday. A dependable security source who did not want to be quoted, said Abdullahi Bello, popularly known as DC and his friend, also a retired officer from the Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS), were performing ablution in preparation for the sunset (Magrib) prayers at his (Bello’s) residence located around Baya Quarters when the gunmen stormed the house.
The father of Abu Darda, who hails from Kogi State, was said to have returned to his house located some metres away from the demolished enclave of the Boko Haram leader, Mohammed Yusuf, few days earlier, having been out of the state for a long time.
“The gunmen came and shot him and his friend while rounding up their ablution at about 6.30pm,” one of the residents of the area disclosed.
Meanwhile, the JTF said the return of house-to-house search by troops in some flash points of Boko Haram attacks within the metropolis was aimed at fishing out the members and providing adequate security for the people.
JTF’s spokesman, Lt.-Col. Sagir Musa, in a statement, said: “What you are seeing (movement of troops to some areas and search of houses) is a normal routine patrol conducted by the JTF in areas considered as flash points. Targeted and deliberate Cordon and Search was being carried out in selected locations in Abbaganaram, Budum and Jajeri.”
Col Musa advised residents not to panic by the presence of JTF patrol vehicles and troops even as he urged the people to continue their legitimate businesses “unmolested and support the task force in its efforts to maintain law and order.” He also noted that the exercise will continue.
Meanwhile, the JTF said it killed a Boko Haram commamder, one of his lieutenants and two armed bandits, who robbed some houses in Maiduguri metropolis yesterday afternoon.
In a statement signed by Col. Musa, the JTF said the suspected commander was first arrested with his lieutenant at Jajeri area in the metropolis following a tip-off at about 1.30pm.
“A special operation was conducted that resulted in the arrest of a notorious commander of Boko Haram who was involved in recent attacks in Maiduguri. He was arrested with his lieutenant in Jajeri area of the city. They attempted to escape when being moved to detention facilities and were shot by JTF troops and they bled to death before they got to the hospital. Their bodies have since been deposited at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH),” the spokesman stated.
Among the items recovered from the hide of the suspected sect members, according to JTF, include one pomp-action gun, two bows and arrows, three machete and a handset.
Also, the task force said it killed two suspected armed bandits who allegedly robbed some houses at EYN Farm Centre yesterday afternoon in Kachallari, Maiduguri. It said it got a distress call by the residents and responded immediately.
According to the statement, JTF troops engaged the bandits in a shoot-out that led to the death of the two while others escaped.
Meanwhile,
Nigerian authorities have detained five men, including a Mauritanian, believed
linked to Al-Qaeda’s North African branch over the January kidnapping of a
German, two security sources said yesterday.Bello is a retired Deputy Comptroller of Prisons. Also killed was Bello’s friend, whose identity could not be ascertained by Press time.
Abu Qaqa had been telling the State Security Service (SSS) all he knew about the Islamist sect since his detention this year.
The Joint Task Force (JTF) also shot and killed the sect’s commander, one of his aides and two armed bandits who robbed Maiduguri residents yesterday. A dependable security source who did not want to be quoted, said Abdullahi Bello, popularly known as DC and his friend, also a retired officer from the Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS), were performing ablution in preparation for the sunset (Magrib) prayers at his (Bello’s) residence located around Baya Quarters when the gunmen stormed the house.
The father of Abu Darda, who hails from Kogi State, was said to have returned to his house located some metres away from the demolished enclave of the Boko Haram leader, Mohammed Yusuf, few days earlier, having been out of the state for a long time.
“The gunmen came and shot him and his friend while rounding up their ablution at about 6.30pm,” one of the residents of the area disclosed.
Meanwhile, the JTF said the return of house-to-house search by troops in some flash points of Boko Haram attacks within the metropolis was aimed at fishing out the members and providing adequate security for the people.
JTF’s spokesman, Lt.-Col. Sagir Musa, in a statement, said: “What you are seeing (movement of troops to some areas and search of houses) is a normal routine patrol conducted by the JTF in areas considered as flash points. Targeted and deliberate Cordon and Search was being carried out in selected locations in Abbaganaram, Budum and Jajeri.”
Col Musa advised residents not to panic by the presence of JTF patrol vehicles and troops even as he urged the people to continue their legitimate businesses “unmolested and support the task force in its efforts to maintain law and order.” He also noted that the exercise will continue.
Meanwhile, the JTF said it killed a Boko Haram commamder, one of his lieutenants and two armed bandits, who robbed some houses in Maiduguri metropolis yesterday afternoon.
In a statement signed by Col. Musa, the JTF said the suspected commander was first arrested with his lieutenant at Jajeri area in the metropolis following a tip-off at about 1.30pm.
“A special operation was conducted that resulted in the arrest of a notorious commander of Boko Haram who was involved in recent attacks in Maiduguri. He was arrested with his lieutenant in Jajeri area of the city. They attempted to escape when being moved to detention facilities and were shot by JTF troops and they bled to death before they got to the hospital. Their bodies have since been deposited at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH),” the spokesman stated.
Among the items recovered from the hide of the suspected sect members, according to JTF, include one pomp-action gun, two bows and arrows, three machete and a handset.
Also, the task force said it killed two suspected armed bandits who allegedly robbed some houses at EYN Farm Centre yesterday afternoon in Kachallari, Maiduguri. It said it got a distress call by the residents and responded immediately.
According to the statement, JTF troops engaged the bandits in a shoot-out that led to the death of the two while others escaped.
Four of the suspects were arrested last Thursday in a raid on a supermarket in Kano owned by the Mauritanian, while the fifth was held in a separate raid, the sources said.
“Guns and a laptop were recovered in the store and the documents found in the computer, including an AQIM operation manual, showed that the suspects are linked to AQIM and were involved in the kidnap of the German engineer in January,” one of the sources said.
AQIM is the abbreviation for Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, the extremist group’s north African arm.
It has not been known to operate directly in Nigeria, though some had suggested links between AQIM and Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram.
German engineer, Edgar Raupach, was kidnapped on the outskirts of Kano in January.
AQIM said last week it was holding the German and that it wanted to swap him for a jailed Muslim woman, a private news agency in Mauritania said.
A video obtained by the ANI agency and seen by AFP showed Raupach, his hands tied behind his back, surrounded by masked gunmen.
Germany had confirmed that one of its nationals was kidnapped in northern Nigeria, and the German construction company, Bilfinger Berger had said he was one of its employees.
“The arrests are an important lead that could help in resolving the kidnapping of the German,” one of the security sources said.
The initial raid on the store was carried out on suspicion that the suspects were tied to Boko Haram, but investigations after the arrests led authorities to suspect that they were linked to AQIM and the kidnap,” the sources said.
The second source, speaking of the Mauritanian, said: “He turned the upper floor of his store into a hideout where he housed his three Nigerian accomplices.”
Nigerian authorities had come under intense pressure over the kidnapping as well as violence blamed on Boko Haram. They also faced criticism after a failed bid to rescue an Italian and a British hostage earlier this month.
The British and Italian hostages were killed before they could be rescued in a joint operation with British security forces, authorities said.
Nigerian authorities blamed the kidnap of the British and the Italian on a faction of Boko Haram, which had not been previously known to carry out abductions. A purported Boko Haram spokesman denied any involvement.
A security source, however, had offered an explanation that implicated the group by association, alleging that the mastermind was a man named Abu Muhammad who was affiliated with AQIM and Boko Haram.
The source said the kidnappings were aimed at collecting ransoms, which could be used to finance Boko Haram activities, and that in return Abu Muhammad would be given security cover by the group to carry out further abductions.
Abu Muhammad died in custody after being wounded in a raid, which led to his arrest, Nigerian authorities have said.
There had been speculation that criminal groups may be seeking to profit from the security situation in northern Nigeria, where authorities had been unable to stop scores of bombings and shootings blamed on Boko Haram.
Jonathan under fire over rising debts !
President Goodluck Jonathan has come under fire over
Nigeria’s rising debt profile, with the House of Representatives asking him to
submit a proposal to peg the debt limit within 60 days.
Jonathan has faced severe criticism over the nation’s
rising debts. According to the Debt Management Office, the total external debt
stock stood at $5,666,579,900 as at December 31, 2011.
Of the amount, the Federal Government owes
$3,501,232,617.91 while the external debt owed by the 36 states and the Federal
Capital Territory is put at $2,165,347,282.09.
Also, DMO states that the domestic debt, comprising Federal
Government bonds, Nigerian treasury bills and treasury bonds is
N5,622,843,712,000. The N4.68tn 2012 budget envisages a N1.05tn deficit and
N794bn domestic borrowing while domestic debts stand at 16.1 per cent of Gross
Domestic Product.
From the foregoing, Nigeria’s total debt stock is standing
at N6.5tn, an increase of 24.37 per cent from the December 31, 2010 figure of
N5.235tn.
But, government appears not to be deterred as President
Jonathan informed the National Assembly recently of his intention to engage in
“external pipeline borrowing in the amount of $7.9bn a year being cumulative
facilities offered by the World Bank, Development Bank, Islamic Development
Bank, Exim Bank of China and Indian Lines of Credit.”
If the Federal Government borrows $7.9bn, its total
external debt will rise to $11.4bn. Already, the Federal Government will spend
N560bn on debt servicing in 2012.
Alarmed by this trend, the House of Representatives on
Tuesday said a peg was necessary in order to control the frequent borrowing by
the executive arm of the government.
In the motion, the House noted that pegging the country’s
borrowing at an approved limit was in consonance with the Fiscal Responsibility
Act, 2007, which the Executive had allegedly violated since 2007.
The motion on the issue was moved by the Minority Leader,
Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila.
The Action Congress of Nigeria lawmaker from Lagos State
said the President was obligated under Section 42 of the Act to “set the
overall limits of the consolidated debts of the Federal and State Governments”
within 90 days of the operation of the Act, subject to the approval of the
National Assembly.
Gbajabiamila, however, recalled that no President had
complied with the law since 2007, a situation that had left Nigeria with no
borrowing limits.
He argued that this could be the reason why the President
embarked on borrowing at will “without limits, leaving the country with a
rising debt profile that our children will have to bear the burden.”
Gbajabiamila added, “The law is there to prevent or stop
the government from borrowing without limits but it has been ignored. The US,
for example, has a debt limit of $14tn today.
“Where it has to exceed this ceiling, it has to revert to
parliament (US Congress) for approval. Today, our debt burden stands at over
N13tn and we keep borrowing.
“Just recently, Mr. President forwarded another request of
$7.9bn, tomorrow it will be $20m and so on. We have just gone through a painful
process of repaying our debt, but it is piling again.”
The lawmaker called on Jonathan to lay the country’s debt
ceiling plan before the National Assembly in compliance with the law.
“It is important that we know the figure, the limit that we
can work with to be approved by the National Assembly,” he stated.
Two lawmakers, Mr. Forte Dike (Anambra State) and Mr.
Mohammed Wudil (Kano State), supported the motion.
Dike observed that apart from restricting the President to
a borrowing limit, “loans should be tied to specific projects.”
“What do we do with the money we keep borrowing?
“We have to tie the loans to projects and monitor their
implementation,” he said.
On his part, Wudil told the House that there was no point
giving the President an ultimatum, as he was obligated to obey the law.
“This is a very simple matter; there is a law. The
President should comply with the Act; we don’t have to give him any ultimatum,”
Wudil stated.
But Mr. Jerry Manwe (Taraba State) noted that the motion
was unnecessary because it was an indictment on the House.
He said that it exposed the failure of the legislature to
make the President to comply with the laws passed by it.
“We have constitutional provisions that we can invoke
whenever any Act is violated,” he reminded his colleagues.
Manwe said it was a waste of time for the House to pass a
motion asking the President to obey the laws of the land.
Mr. Arua Arunsi (Abia State) said he was not surprised that
the President kept breaching the Fiscal Responsibility Act because he always
had his way whenever he brought a request to the House.
“Why blame the President? Have we ever rejected any of such
requests? We keep approving his borrowing requests,” he added.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Drugs/Narcotics and
Financial Crimes, Mr. Adams Jagaba, suggested that such requests should be
rejected the next time Jonathan sent them to the House until he complied with
the requirement of the Act.
The motion was later endorsed in a majority voice vote.
Capital Market probe: Deputy Speaker rejects Oteh’s apology moves
Frantic
efforts by the embattled Director- General of Securities and Exchange
Commission, (SEC), Ms Arunma Oteh to reach the Deputy Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha over her face-off with the sacked Chairman of
the House Committee on Capital market have been rebuffed, National Mirror has
learnt.
Meanwhile,
the ad-hoc committee investigating the collapse of the Capital Market has fixed
April 10, 2012 for a fresh public hearing on the capital market.
The
Committee which addressed a press conference yesterday after its Monday maiden
meeting, declared that it would source for its own facts irrespective of
whatever must have been submitted to the Herman Hembe-led Committee.
Chairman
of the ad-hoc committee, Ibrahim Tukur El-Sudi, said they would ask all
stakeholders to submit fresh memoranda to enable the committee commence the
investigation
El-Sudi
explained that the delay in the commencement of the public hearing was due to
the fact that many stakeholders might not be available during the Easter break.
The
ad-hoc committee had last week said that its public hearing would not be a
trial or judgment passing session but one to expose all factors that
contributed to the near collapse of the Nigerian Capital Market.
It
called on every stakeholder in the Capital Market to set aside all grievances
and sentiments regarding the aborted exercise carried out by the Herman
Hembe-led House Committee and approach the fresh public hearing with very open
and objective mind.
''Regardless
of issues that led to change of guards in this exercise, we are calling on
every stakeholder to the fresh hearing to come with very open mind. It is not a
trial nor is it an attempt to witch-hunt or victimise anybody but to ensure
that the Capital Market is brought back to life, the chairman said.
The
DG SEC, a source in the office of the deputy speaker, said had tried to
''to arrange a visit to the Deputy Speaker in his house to apologise for
mentioning his name concerning the capital market, but he was not interested in
meeting her''.
The
source who sought anonymity said Hon. Ihedioha thought the meeting might
be misconstrued as an arrangement for a soft landing for her.
Ms.
Oteh had two weeks ago, in an emotional outburst accused the erstwhile Chairman
of the Capital Market panel, Hon. Herman Hembe(PDP/ Benue) that was probing the
decline of the Capital Market of requesting a N39m bribe and failing to refund
a N5m estacode on a trip to Dominican Republic, also menti oned that her
alleged persecution may be connected to the fact that she gave Ihedioha's aunt,
the former DG of Nigerian Stock Exchange,(NSE) Mrs. Ndi Okereke Onyuike the
boot and that because the principal officer's wife works at the NSE which is
under her supervision.
My vision for World Bank – Okonjo-Iweala
The Nigerian Minister of Finance and
Coordinating Minister for the Economy, and Africa’s nominee for the Presidency
of World Bank, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has expressed confidence that she could
win the contest to become President of the World Bank if the election process
is open and transparent.
Dr. Okonjo-Iweala is contesting against
two other nominees including Jim Yong Kim of the U.S. and former Colombian
Finance Minister Jose Antonio Ocampo.
Expressing confidence at a media briefing
yesterday in Abuja, Okonjo-Iweala enunciated her vision for the global
financial institution, remarking that she possesses the best credentials to
turn the focus of the Bank to the challenges facing developing countries and
emerging economies across the world.
Okonjo-Iweala, who has since embarked on a
tour of the continent to draw support for her candidacy, stated that she enjoys
support from emerging market countries because of her experience with developing
nations.
She said: “There are many emerging market
countries that are very supportive of my candidacy and many of them feel that
the World Bank is ready for someone who understands the challenges of emerging
economies and of developing countries, and can totally focus on expanding
opportunities for growth and development using practical financial tools to
create growth.”
According to Okonjo-Iweala, “my vision for
the World Bank is that of an institution that is swifter and nimbler in
tackling what I consider the most important challenge of many countries,
especially developing economies, which is job creation.
World Bank under me ‘ll support
volatile countries
“I will work to create an institution that
can work fast to support countries in times of volatility and uncertainty such
as many global economies are currently facing. That is what I intend to bring
to the World Bank if elected President; both practical experience and
unimpeachable credentials required to do the job.”
The Minister expressed confidence in her
nomination for the position, adding that shareholders of the World Bank have
indicated their interest to see a more open and transparent system for the
election of the body’s president.
“This is the first time that it is
happening, and if there is an open and transparent process, I stand a good
chance. If there is no level playing field, then we will see what happens.
Otherwise, I stand a very good chance; I have the credentials for this job, and
I can only remain positive,” she stated.
Okonjo-Iweala further disclosed that she
had been to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and the Extra-Ordinary meeting of ECOWAS
Heads of Government in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, to meet leaders in the continent,
adding that, “what is happening is that Africa is excited about this
nomination; they see it as something that is very significant for the continent
because it has never happened before.
“This is the first time the position of a
World Bank president will be contested and Africa is ready to pull together to
show its support for my nomination,” she added.
Also speaking at the briefing, a former
Minister of Finance and presently Nigeria’s representative at the World Bank,
Mr. Mansur Muhtar, said Dr. Okonjo-Iweala possesses “one of the best
credentials for the position at the moment.”
According to Muhtar: “Reasons being
advanced by most of the people who have approached President Goodluck Jonathan
to put up the Minister for the World Bank’s top job, and many others within the
continent and outside who have canvassed for Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, is because of
her impeccable credentials and her experience in senior management position at
the World Bank.”
He added that there has been a lot of
interest from other developing and economically emerging countries for the
candidacy of Okonjo-Iweala for the position of World Bank presidency, adding
that the campaign is focused not so much on the nationality of the candidates
but on the qualities and credentials they bring to the table.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Finance has
assured Nigerians that she remains focused on doing her job as Minister of
Finance in spite of her interest in seeking the World Bank’s top job.
She stressed that although she was
honoured by President Jonathan’s acceptance of her nomination for the position,
she was still focused on delivering on the president’s reform agenda for which
she was appointed over the past eight months.
She said: “My passion for Nigeria is
unquestioned, and my commitment to doing this job (as Minister) is unquestioned
and I am very focused on doing my job here as Minister of Finance and
Coordinating Minister for the Economy.”
She added that, “the reforms that Nigeria
is undertaking in the economy for the President’s reform agenda is on-going,
and there is a National Economic team headed by Mr President himself that
oversees the achievement of the economic goals of the government.”
In the event she had to leave, however,
she stated that the president’s economic reform agenda would not suffer any
setback because she works with a team of very experienced and patriotic
Nigerians who would effortlessly carry on with the agenda.
Jonathan endorses action against BA, Virgin Atlantic, others
President Goodluck Jonathan has endorsed
plan by the Ministry of Aviation to compel the British Airways, Virgin Atlantic
and other international airlines operating in the country to correct the
disparity in the fare charged Nigerians against that charged other West African
passengers.
A top source in the ministry told Vanguard
that before the announcement of the 30-day ultimatum issued the two British
carriers and other international airlines by the Minister of Aviation,
Stella Oduah, President Jonathan and some key members of the National Assembly
were fully briefed on the development.
It was learnt that the decision to issue
the ultimatum had been delayed this far on the advice of the President that the
affected carriers be given time to respond and adjust the fares accordingly.
The source said the Federal Government had
not been communicated by the British Government on the reported plan to
retaliate any action that would be taken by Nigerian government against the
carriers should the latter go ahead with sanctioning the carriers at the
expiration of the ultimatum.
He said: “We are not aware of the plan by
the British Government to carry out any retaliation. We are not at war with
Britain. We are fully engaged in diplomacy where some parameters of justice and
equity are being demanded.
“What we are saying is that Nigerians
should not be exploited by these carriers. As government, we have done our own
studies on the fare regime being charged and we found out that it is clearly
unfair, it is unacceptable and unjustifiable for Nigerians to be charged higher
than those from other West African countries.
“This process has been on the table since
last year and these two airlines have been given ample time and opportunities
to respond and they chose not to do that and we cannot continue to look at the
situation. We must deal with this situation once and for all.”
Air of arrogance
The source said so far, the two airlines
had carried on with some air of arrogance each time the Nigerian government
tried to get them to discuss the issue, adding: “There are some arrogance about
it. Each time you talk to them, they say Nigerians are ready to pay these fare
disparity and that why should we be complaining as government?
“But the question is that: why would they
have that huge disparity between the fares charged in the economy class which
is about the same as those charged other West African passengers and the fares
charged in the business and first class?
“It is the same plane that carries both
the economy and these other classes. If you charge the same for Nigerians
travelling in economy class as those of his or her counterparts in other West
African countries, why charging a huge disparity for the business and first
class different from those charged other West Africans in the same class as
well?
“I must tell you that they have no option
than to come to the table. The repercussions are so clear and the government is
quite ready. We are not just talking as Aviation ministry, we are talking the
minds of government and Nigerian people. It would be of greater economic
benefit for Britain to have more cordial economic atmosphere and relationship
with Nigeria. So, the doors are open for British Airways, Virgin and the
British government to come to the table on this matter.”
The source disclosed that a committee had
been set up to carry out all necessary negotiations on this matter and that so
far, there were indications that they were ready to come to the table.
New number plate, drivers’ licence: Senate faults state govts over 100% hike in price
The Senate Committee on Federal Character
and Inter Governmental Affairs panel, Tuesday, expressed dismay over the
exorbitant price of drivers’ licence and new number plate by state governments.
The controversial new number plate and
drivers’ licence introduced by the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, was
produced at the cost of N7,593 and N3,000 respectively but sold at N15,000 and
N6,000 to Nigerian public by state governments under the approval of the Joint
Tax Board.
The Senate Committee, at a public hearing
on new number plate and drivers’ licence, described the price as exploitative
and insensitive, while faulting the Joint Tax Board for condoning the
collection of such exorbitant amount from vehicle owners.
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Dahiru
Kuta, had wanted to know why FRSC should sell number plates at very high price.
But the Corps Marshal of FRSC, Mr. Osita Chidoka, in his presentation said it
cost the commission N3,000 and N7,593 to produce a drivers licence and number
plate respectively.
He said the commission, however, gave out
the number plates to the states at N7,500 but the states then sell to the
public at N15,000.
He added that the cost of replacing old
number plates with new ones had been reduced from N10,000 to N5,000 after due
consultation between the Commission and the Joint Tax Board.
Chidoka, who was also asked why the
commission was spending revenues accruing to it from the production of the
driver’s licence and number plate scheme said it was difficult to remit monies
to the federation account in 24 hours.
A member of the Committee, Senator Kabiru
Marafa, had accused FRSC of breaching section 162 of the Constitution and
section 8(2) of its establishment Act by failing to remit revenues generated by
the agency to the Federal Government’s treasury within 24 hours.
But Chidoka in response said: “It has
never been possible to remit money to the Federation Account within 24 hours
because we didn’t even know how much money that we receive within 24 hours.
“The reality is that we can’t remit it
within 24 hours. That is the National Assembly’s work to help us look at the
law and review it.”
Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer of
FRSC has said the corps remitted N1.4 billion into the Federation Account
in 2011 from monies it generated from its operations.
On why the FRSC has not been effective in
its operations, Chidoka said only N300 million was budgeted for the corps in
2012 for fuel despite partial removal of fuel subsidy.
THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) may this week move
to seize property of 31 other accused persons standing trial alongside former
Director of Pension Administration in the Office of the Head of Civil Service
of the Federation, Sani Teidi Shuaibu, over the N4.56 billion pensions fraud.
The development is coming as the Commission summoned the Commissioner
for Finance in Ondo State, Mr. Yele Ogundipe, to appear before it in connection
with the alleged N100 billion fraud allegation for which the Chairman of the Ondo
State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (OSOPADEC), Mr. Debo Ajimuda,
was recently arrested and interrogated.
The Commissioner, according to an EFCC source, was summoned along with
three others. They are the Secretary and Accountant to OSOPADEC as well as
Deputy Director for Accounts at the state Ministry of Works.
OSOPADEC Chairman, Ajimuda was arrested on Tuesday, March 20, over
alleged criminal diversion and embezzlement of project funds.
Meanwhile, the anti-graft agency has said that Monday’s court dismissal
of the case on Halliburton bribery scandal is certainly not the end of the
case, giving indication of plan to re-file the suit.
A top operative of the EFCC disclosed to The Guardian in Abuja yesterday
that with the successful seizure of some property belonging to Shuaibu, the
commission will move to seize the property of the other accused persons joined
in the alleged N4.56 billion scam.
The EFCC operative, referring to the powers granted by court, said that
the commission had permitted the Executive Chairman of EFCC to seize and retain
custody of all the properties or assets of persons connected with the
transaction or allegation. He said that the court verdict, also empowered the
EFCC to confiscate the assets of the 31 co-accused persons. “And more assets
will be recovered,” he said.
The EFCC, at the weekend, seized the property of Shuaibu, which include
two choice houses and four filling stations.
The EFCC had informed the media on Monday, that it would, in carrying
out the powers granted it by the court in July 2011, moved in at the weekend to
seize the property of Shuaibu.
The Commission had quoted the court verdict which states that: “the
Executive Chairman of EFCC is permitted to seize and retain custody of all the
property or assets of persons (as listed in the attached schedules) though not
yet charged but found to be connected with the transaction or allegation
contained in charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/28/2011’.
“The Executive Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, is
hereby permitted to seize and retain custody of all such properties or assets
of persons listed in the schedules attached to this Motion, which assets are
suspected proceeds of crime or the value thereof until the final determination
of Charge no. FHC/ABJ/CR/28/2011.”
The EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwajaren, declined comment on the planned
move.
On the Halliburton bribery scandal, a top management official of the anti-graft
commission, told The Guardian yesterday that the EFCC might soon re-file the
case before the court. The official, who did not want his name in print,
said the EFCC was incapacitated to pursue the case because it had no power to
compel the accused persons to appear in court to take their pleas.
According to him, since the case was already in court, it was the
responsibility of the court to compel the accused persons to appear in court to
take their pleas. The EFCC source added that the court had also not considered
the commission’s application for a bench warrant to compel the accused to
appear in court.
Further explaining why the EFCC could not pursue the case, he said, “the
Prosecution filed an application before the court for a bench warrant to compel
the accused persons to appear before the court but his Lordship in his wisdom,
did not consider the application even though counsel to the accused were in
court.
“The EFCC could not effect an arrest because the matter was already
before the court. It was the duty of the court to compel their appearance since
the case had been fully charged before it”, he said.
He also stated that the problem with the case was not the charges, but
the fact that the accused persons failed to appear in court; and according to
him, it was the duty of the court to compel them to appear before it.
“The judge created an impression that we are not serious and that is not
correct. The case is an inter-agency investigation even though it was the EFCC
that charged it to court. The problem is that each time the case is called, all
accused were not in court to take their plea, and by court principle, they must
all be present for prosecution to begin”.
“The case was dismissed after a few adjournments but it’s not an
acquittal; they were never arraigned. All the accused were never available
together”, he said.
When contacted, on the next line of action, EFCC’s spokesman, Uwajaren,
simply said the judge’s decision would be reviewed before the next step is
taken.
Bianca hires private guards for Ojukwu’s house !
Bianca, widow of Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has hired
the services of private security personnel to guard the GRA, Enugu home of her
husband, where she also resides.
Aside from guarding the house, THE PUNCH learnt that
Bianca might have taken the decision in order to prevent warring family
members, who want their share of Ojukwu’s property, from gaining entry into the
compound.
When our correspondent visited the house on Tuesday,
the gun-wielding men moved round the compound with Rottweiler dogs.
One of them said, “If you must gain entry, you must
identify yourself and madam must give us the approval before we allow you in.”
A prominent member of the Ojukwu family last week alleged
that some of the ex-Biafra warlord’s family members were targeting the property
he left behind.
He said, “This is very disturbing because it has led to
accusations and counter-accusations and then the hatred that was already in the
family is even getting worse by the day.”
Meanwhile, attempts made by our correspondent to speak with
Bianca were not successful. She did not pick her calls, neither did she reply
the text messages that were sent to her mobile telephone line.
However, Debe, the eldest child of the late Ikemba,
restated again on Tuesday that he would open up soon on the “issues in the
family”.
He said, “Whenever it would be convenient for me, I will
speak in details about the issues in the family and several other matters.”
Mr. Azuka Okwuosa, who was Ojukwu’s closest aide from 1982
after he returned from exile till 2011 when he died, said it would not be
proper for him to comments on the matter because Igbo tradition forbides him
from doing so.
“In Igbo tradition, when a man like Ikemba dies, you wait
for 30 days to say anything about his life and family. Under such condition, we
are not supposed to be talking about his life unless we would be negating the
Igbo tradition,” Okwuosa said.
He, however, said what was happening in Ojukwu’s family was
not new. “It happens everywhere. People agree and disagree,” he said.
He called on the family members to be patient pending when
Ojukwu’s Will would be read.
When asked if he was in support of Bianca hiring private
security men to prevent other family members from visiting house. Okwuosa said,
“Bianca’s decision is basically out of choice. The few times I have been to the
house to see her; those security men were not rude to anybody. They would
attend to you in so far your mission there is genuine and legitimate.”
On the other hand, Mr. Bismack Oji, former national
chairman, Ohanaeze Youth Wing, berated the family for the act, describing their
action as “a disservice to Ezeigbo (Ojukwu)”.
Oji, said, “When a king dies in Igboland, it is only proper
that we give one year interlude before one begins to put up claims over his
property or begin to cause problems that may not allow for the peaceful repose
of his soul.
“It is needless fighting over his property and assets when
there is obviously a Will that would assign any property to any member of the
family.”
He added, “Even before Ikemba was buried, his children and
other family members had even started the fight. Now that he has been buried
and his wife has gone to seek protection by employing security men, one may not
really blame her for such an action.”
One of Ojukwu’s aide, who is now a pastor in Enugu and
didn’t want his name in print, blamed the crisis on Ralph Uwazuruike, whom he
said had already proclaimed himself the Ezeigbo II and the new Igbo leader even
before Ojukwu was buried.
He said, “His (Ojukwu) family members began to jostle for
his property when they saw the way Uwazuruike was also jostling for his titles
and positions even before the burial plans were concluded.”
Expect 236 days of heavy rainfall – Lagos
The Lagos State Government on Tuesday said residents of the
state should prepare for at least 236 days of heavy rainfall in 2012, being the
total period of rain predicted by experts.
The state government added that the intensity of the
rainfall would be like that of 2011, recording 1,279mm of waters with marginal
error of 50mm.
The Commissioner for the Environment, Tunji Bello, at a
news briefing said the prediction was arrived at using the Seasonal Rainfall
Predictions instrument, which was coordinated by the Nigeria Meteorological
Agency.
Bello said, “The natural phenomena that controlled 2011
rainfall are still in force and as such it has been predicted that rainfall
will commence from Thursday, March 22, with a margin of error of four days. To
a large extent we will agree that this prediction is true as the rains have
started in Lagos.
“It has also been predicted that the end of the season for
2012 is November 12 with a margin of error of two days; with between November
10 and 14 as probable days.
“The total length of rainy season for the year is
approximately put at 236 days with a margin of error of two days. Like last
year, Lagos will experience heavy rainfall with serious intensity.”
Bello assured residents that the government had
designed programmes to manage the expected rain water and minimise flooding.
He said the massive clearing of drainages, dredging of
primary and secondary channels, lining of many earth channels and the
introduction of resident drainage maintenance officers in local councils in the
state were parts of efforts by the government to cope with the rains.
Bello said, “But little can be achieved without the
collaboration of Lagosians. No nation can promise a flood free state, only
reduce it to barest minimum.
“We appeal that Lagosian should desist from indiscriminate
dumping of refuse, drains around homes must be evacuated and building of
structures on drainage alignments must stop.”
The commissioner explained that with the work done by the
Ministry of the Environment, which he supervised, water on the road after every
rain should not last for more than two to 24 hours.
He said in places where drainage constructions were going
on, the contractors had been mandated to open up the channels when there was
rain and cover them when it stops raining.
He said, “We are also advising that people who don’t have
to be out during the rains to stay at home.”
Too Much Sitting Can Kill You —Study
For better
health, try standing up more, a new study suggests. Those who spend 11 or more
hours a day sitting are 40 percent more likely to die over the next three years
regardless of how physically active they are otherwise, researchers say.
Analyzing
self-reported data from more than 222,000 people aged 45 and older, Australian
researchers found that mortality risks spike after 11 hours of total daily
sitting but are still 15 percent higher for those sitting between 8 and 11
hours compared to those sitting fewer than 4 hours per day, reports HealthDay
News.
“The evidence on
the detrimental health effects of prolonged sitting has been building over the
last few years,” said study author Hidde van der Ploeg, a senior research
fellow at the University of Sydney.
“The study
stands out because of its large number of participants and the fact that it was
one of the first that was able to look at total sitting time. Most of the
evidence to date had been on the health risks of prolonged television viewing.”
The study is
published in the March 26 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Average adults
spend 90 percent of their leisure time sitting down, van der Ploeg said, and
fewer than half meet World Health Organization recommendations for 150 minutes
of at least moderate-intensity physical activity each week.
The data was
collected as part of Australia’s 45 and Up Study, a large, ongoing study of
healthy aging. Strikingly, the elevated risks for dying from all causes
remained even after taking into account participants’ physical activity, weight
and health status.
Sixty-two
percent of participants said they were overweight or obese (a similar
proportion to Americans), while nearly 87 percent said they were in good to
excellent health, and one-quarter said they spent at least 8 hours each day
sitting.
Inactive
participants who sat the most had double the risk of dying within three years
compared to active people who sat least, van der Ploeg said, and among
physically inactive adults, those who sat the most had nearly one-third higher
odds of dying than those who sat least.
Because many
people must sit for long hours at their jobs, they should make sure a greater
portion of their leisure time is spent standing, walking or engaging in other
movement, said Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, director of Women and Heart Disease at
Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City and a spokesperson for the American Heart
Association.
“Yes, you have
to work, but when you go home it’s so important you don’t go back to sitting in
front of the computer or television,” Steinbaum said. “After the 8-hour mark,
the risks go up exponentially. It’s really about what you’re doing in your
leisure time and making the decision to move.”
Several
workplaces in Australia are testing sit-stand work stations, van der Ploeg said
— a generally well-received initiative that may be a future option for other
offices. “Try ways to break up your sitting and add in more standing or walking
where possible,” she suggested.
While the study
uncovered an association between total sitting hours and death risk, it did not
prove a cause-and-effect relationship.
The study was
limited by the relatively short follow-up period of less than three years,
experts said, which may have obscured undiagnosed health problems among
participants that could have led to earlier death. Dr. David Friedman, chief of
heart failure services at North Shore Plainview Hospital in Plainview, N.Y.,
said those who sit longer “tend to be sicker, have obesity issues and
cardiovascular problems. Perhaps they’re less ambulatory in the first place.”
Van der Ploeg
acknowledged these limitations and said more studies will need to replicate the
findings and focus more on sitting’s influence on developing conditions such as
diabetes, cancer and heart disease.
“Studies that
measure sitting time with activity monitors instead of questionnaires will also
help build the evidence base,” she said.
“All these
studies will further inform us of the exact relationship between sitting and
health conditions, which ultimately will result in public health
recommendations like we already have for physical activity.”
Angry Indonesians protest proposed fuel price hike
Thousands of Indonesians protested nationwide
Tuesday to reject the government’s plan to hike the subsidised fuel price, with
sporadic violence breaking out and injuring several people.
In Jakarta, a clash broke out between
police and a group of students near the presidential palace, injuring five
policemen and “fewer than 10″ protesters, Jakarta police spokesman Rikwanto
told reporters.
Around 500 protesters had pelted rocks,
petrol bombs and sticks at police, who then fired tear gas and water cannons to
disperse the crowd, an AFP photographer saw.
“The group was heading to the presidential
palace. We stopped them… but they damaged several public facilities”, said
Rikwanto, who like many Indonesians only goes by one name.
He said 35 people were detained for
questioning.
Around 3,500 protesters turned out in
Jakarta, much fewer than the reportedly 15,000 people the organisers had
promised.
Earlier, around 300 protesters gathered
outside parliament house in the capital Jakarta, carrying banners reading:
“Fuel hike will put people in misery”, and others asking the government to step
down.
Around 100 police with batons and riot
shields struggled to control protesters, mainly students and labour union
members, as they pried open an iron gate to the building.
More than 20,000 police and soldiers were
deployed in Jakarta, according to Rikwanto, amid fears of a repeat of violent
protests caused in the past by similar plans to hike the fuel. In 1998, riots
and unrest partly triggered by a government fuel price rise brought down the
Suharto dictatorship.
Protesters also gathered in other major
cities, including Medan on Sumatra island where around 6,000 people turned out,
and Surabaya in eastern Java where around 3,000 protesters gathered, AFP
correspondents saw.
“Fuel hikes will only give additional
burden to poor people as it will cause staple food prices to rise,” Amir, a
student protester, told AFP in the second largest city of Surabaya. About half
of the Indonesian population live on less than two dollars a day.
Violence also broke out in South Sulawesi
provincial capital of Makassar, where around 2,000 people protested in several
places including the governor’s office.
Protesters there had thrown rocks at
anti-riot police, who then fired tear gas to disperse the crowd, an AFP
correspondent saw.
Meanwhile, Indonesian parliament members
continued Tuesday debating the government’s proposal. They are expected to vote
later in the week to raise the subsidised fuel price by a third, from Rp 4,500
(49 cents) a litre to Rp 6,000 for private vehicles.
The proposal has been met with widespread
opposition both by members of parliament and the public, who fear accelerating
inflation.
But the government said that without the
fuel hike and due to rising global fuel prices, the country’s budget deficit
will exceed a three percent cap of the GDP stipulated in law.
How I escaped from the kidnappers’ den
Monday Whiskey is a freelance journalist in Delta State and
former media aide to Chairman of Delta State Oil Producing Area development
Commission (DESOPADEC), Chief Wellington Okirika.
He was on Monday abducted by gunmen who placed a ransom of
N10million for his release but miraculously, he escaped from the kidnappers’
den on Tuesday, last week.
This is his account of the ordeal.
At about 7.30, I noticed a car following me behind. I
thought it was a neighbour. As soon as I parked , the car blocked me from
behind.
I locked myself inside my car when I noticed they had guns.
They forced the car open and said they were bakassi boys and that I had
problems with them.
My daughter that came to open the door greeted them and they
said they were taking me away. When a female neighbour came out to challenge
them, saying if that was how to handle a responsible person, they pointed a gun
at her.
They pushed me into their car and covered my eyes.
Minutes later, I noticed we were driving past
communities on untarred roads and then through bush paths.
They took me inside a house and chained my legs with locks.
The following day, they called my wife, demanding that
she brings N10million for my release.
I told them I was no longer working. That I have been at
home for close to two years now, so how would I get N10million?
They asked if I had a house, I said no.
Then they asked if I had a piece of land , insisting that I
should go and sell my piece of land. They were now taking turns to guard me.
When the one who watched over me at night goes home, another
would come to take over from him. That change of routine convinced
me that they were from the area because when someone called the man guarding me
at night, he replied that he was on duty.
Someone came to change him in the morning.
The one on morning asked me questions; saying are you not a.
Journalist?
Don't you write stories about kidnappers?
I said no, then they put a gun to my head.
At a point, I told the one that came in the morning that I
was feeling hot and he opened the door and I started scanning the area through
my blindfold.
I noticed there was a ray of light from one side, so I
thought that could be a window.
He strolled away and I started hitting my head against the
wall, then the blindfold pulled off.
Later in the evening, he took money from my pocket that he
was going to buy cigarette .
When he left, I called him thrice, he didn’t answer, and
then I knew he had gone far.
I noticed that the chain on the leg had become loose.
I started pulling at the door but it was not yielding,
then I traced the lock, then it opened.
Unfortunately, when I jumped over the fence and got to the
road, one of the boys saw me, then we started fighting and shouting.
I bite his hand and he bite my eye. We were then struggling
on the ground.
Then he brought a bike and said he was trying to help me, he
bundled me onto the bike and was speeding off and I continued to struggle
with him.
He suddenly stepped on the brake of the bike and we
both fell.
I started shouting before the secretary of the Warri
correspondent chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalist came around, and
picked me in his car while returning from his village.”
In the last count, over 25 persons had been abducted in
various locations in the state, including mother of Commissioner for Oil and
Gas, Mr. Mofe Pira who was release after payment of ransom.
Two daughters of a contractor with Italian oil
giant,Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL, Chief Adewale, were earlier seized in a
separate incident in Ekpan, near Warri two weeks ago.
Also, wife of Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company,
SNEPCo ,employee and her elder’s sister son were also seized in Warri, but
later rescued.
Based on increase cases of kidnap in the state, local
chapter of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Warri, Delta State said any lawyer
who defended suspected kidnappers and killers in the law court would be
sanctioned,
Chairman of NBA in Warri, Chief Gweke Akudihor gave this
hint during the opening ceremony of a two day seminar organized for lawyers
from the South-South geopolitical zone in Warri.
Scores of ransom kidnappings have been carried out in the
oil-producing Niger Delta region, but journalists had seldom been targeted.
Expatriate oil workers and family members of wealthy
Nigerians have been the main targets, though a 2009 amnesty deal for militants
sharply reduced unrest in the region.
SSS smashes vehicle licence syndicate, arrests 62-year-old
The State Security Service, Lagos, has warned all vehicle
owners to be vigilant while procuring licences for their vehicles so as not to
fall victim to fraudsters.
The warning was given by the Director SSS, Lagos, Mr. Achu
Olayi, on Tuesday while parading six suspects who belonged to a syndicate which
specialised in manufacturing and selling fake vehicle licences.
Achu said the SSS operatives were able to arrest the
suspects through intelligence gathering.
He said, “Based on intelligence report, we uncovered the
hideout of syndicate that specialised in processing the licences and restricted
government documents at 18 Herbert Macaulay Street, Lagos.
“During a raid of the hideout, six suspected members of the
syndicate were arrested. They include: Ola Joshua (62), Gbenga Odubore (29),
Muyideen Taiwo (23), Muliskat Olayina (27), Adebayo Owoloabi and Abiodun
Adegbenga (25).”
Displaying some of the forged documents, which could easily
be mistaken for the original, Olayi said it was possible the suspects had
collaborators in vehicle licencing offices.
“Although the documents look original, we brought experts,
who identified them as fake.
“Even if the documents look original, so long as it was not
issued by the authorised agency, it can never be original.
“The suspects have made statements and will soon be charged
to court but there is a possibility that they have collaborators in licencing
offices.”
Olayi described the operations of the suspects as economic
sabotage, saying they made money by selling some of the documents to
unsuspecting people.
“Fraud-related crimes are the bane of this country and have
denied us many investments in and outside the country.
“Residents of Lagos should stop patronising these quacks
and touts and go directly to the licencing offices,” he said.
Man forges magistrate’s stamp, signature, secures release of suspects
A Lagos State magistrate (names
withheld) recently received the shock of her life when she demanded that three
suspected criminals, brought before her, be made to reappear in court, all for
her to be told that she already ordered their release.
In actual fact, the magistrate is yet to fully
sanction the release of the criminals. The three criminals were freed by, one
Oladele Fashola, who allegedly forged the magistrate’s stamp and signature to
secure the release of his purported partners-in-crime. It happened that sometime in March 2011, the three suspects, Nurudeen Owolabi, 23, Adigun Soyinka, 21, and Gbenga Akinpelu, 20, were, after a tip-off, arrested by operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS). The three suspects were found carrying two short locally-made guns and reports reaching the law enforcement agents was that they were about to launch a robbery assault at a designated estate in the Lagos metropolis.
Upon the arrest of the three
suspects, they were arraigned before the said magistrate at Igbosere on Lagos
Island for unlawful possession of firearms. While their case was in progresss,
the three suspects were put in the custody of prison officials at the Ikoyi
Prisons. In the interim, the relatives of the three suspects already secured
the service of a Lagos lawyer to fight the case of the suspects.
So, on Thursday, 13 October, 2011, the three suspects were arraigned
before the magistrate, where the judge acceded to the request of bail for
them all but only if they would be able to meet some conditions spelt out b y
the magistrate. Pending the time the conditions would be met, the magistrate
also ordered them back to the prison custody. It was gathered that
the families of the suspects and their lawyer could not agree on their latter’s
demand, which made him backed out in the pursuit of the release of the
suspects.
Already the lawyer had reportedly begin the release paperwork on the
three suspects. When negotiations broke down between the two parties, the
lawyer was said to have drafted the release paper and handed it over to one
Modinat, a relative of one of the suspects to see how she would have the
magistrate append her signature to it and thus affirm their bail. That was the
opportunity that Fashola had been waiting for and he did hesitate grab
onto it. Upon learning that the two parties could not agree on the monetary
conditions of the learned lawyer, Fashola, as a court tout, swung into action.
When Modinat and other family members got to the court, they could
not approach the magistrate and that was when Fashola met with them and
promised that he could help them secure the release of their own. Fashola, 36,
apparently because of his closeness to the courts, secured a used document of
the magistrate. Being in possession of the other lawyer’s letterhead, he had it
printed on a computer and also allegedly forged the stamp and signature of the
magistrate.
Having completed the forgery of the document, Fashola reportedly went to Ikoyi prisons where he presented himself as a lawyer and tendered the forged document. Convinced that the documents was duly authorized by the magistrate, two prison Inspectors, Amu and Umaru convincinly released the three suspects for the ‘fake’ lawyer. Fashola allegedly later sent a text messages to the suspects family that the three suspects should flee the Lagos metropolis to avoid being rearrested. And went back to the court to continue his touting business.
Having completed the forgery of the document, Fashola reportedly went to Ikoyi prisons where he presented himself as a lawyer and tendered the forged document. Convinced that the documents was duly authorized by the magistrate, two prison Inspectors, Amu and Umaru convincinly released the three suspects for the ‘fake’ lawyer. Fashola allegedly later sent a text messages to the suspects family that the three suspects should flee the Lagos metropolis to avoid being rearrested. And went back to the court to continue his touting business.
When the case of the three gun runners came up for hearing before the
magistrate again, they were not brought to the court. She adjourned their case
on three occasions and on the third time, wrote to the prisons to have the
criminals brought to the court. That was when the prison authorities informed
the magistrate that she already approved their release, presenting her with a
document bearing her signature and stamp of office. A confused magistrate then
denied signing any document for the release of the suspects.
When the families of the suspects were contacted by the court , they fished out Fashola who was still in the premises of the same courts doing his illegal business. He was promptly arrested. In his written statement at the police station , Fashola claimed that he only helped the lawyer to take the relatives of the suspects to Ikoyi Prisons and showed them those that could carry out the release order of the court as signed by the lawyer. The lawyer denied any pact with Fashola, claiming that he (Fashola) hacked on the conversation between him and the relatives of the suspects to perfect the crime.
When the families of the suspects were contacted by the court , they fished out Fashola who was still in the premises of the same courts doing his illegal business. He was promptly arrested. In his written statement at the police station , Fashola claimed that he only helped the lawyer to take the relatives of the suspects to Ikoyi Prisons and showed them those that could carry out the release order of the court as signed by the lawyer. The lawyer denied any pact with Fashola, claiming that he (Fashola) hacked on the conversation between him and the relatives of the suspects to perfect the crime.
A police source at FSARS, who crave anonymity, told Nigerian Compass
that their investigation showed that Fashola is a habitual forger of documents
who pose at the courts as a lawyer. His words, “That Fashola is just trying to
drag the name of the lawyer into it, but we have investigated him and found out
that he has no link with the family lawyer. We also found out that he is a tout
that uses the premises of the court to dupe unsuspecting clients and also forge
court documents.”
In his comment, DSP Olalekan Ogundare, FSARS spokesman, urged lawyers and people patronizing the courts to be extra vigilant in the people they deal with. He specifically urged lawyers to be wary of those they hand over their documents to.
In his comment, DSP Olalekan Ogundare, FSARS spokesman, urged lawyers and people patronizing the courts to be extra vigilant in the people they deal with. He specifically urged lawyers to be wary of those they hand over their documents to.
Journalist narrates how robbers used her ATM card to clear her account
Esther Egbe, a reporter with
National Daily newspaper recently had what she described as her first baptism
of fire in the journalism profession.
She was robbed in the most curious and unusual
manner by persons suspected to be one chance robbers, operating on a commercial
bus, popularly known as Danfo, as she returning from office around Ikeja, in
Lagos.
Speaking with the Nigerian Compass on the build-up to the incident, Egbe said that last week Thursday at about 8pm, she was waiting for a bus to convey her from Ikeja bus-stop to Maryland, where she could link- up Mende, where she stays.
Suddenly, a danfo bus, with four passengers, appeared from nowhere, closely followed by a red jeep from behind and “Politely beckoned on me to enter the bus, which I did,” said Egbe.
Speaking with the Nigerian Compass on the build-up to the incident, Egbe said that last week Thursday at about 8pm, she was waiting for a bus to convey her from Ikeja bus-stop to Maryland, where she could link- up Mende, where she stays.
Suddenly, a danfo bus, with four passengers, appeared from nowhere, closely followed by a red jeep from behind and “Politely beckoned on me to enter the bus, which I did,” said Egbe.
That action appeared to be her greatest undoing, as she said that
immediately she boarded, one of the men, who wore a tee-shirt with an MTN
identity card, began to chat with me, creating the impression that he was
interested in dating her.
From Ikeja bus-stop, the driver of the bus drove to Kingsway and on getting to the bus-stop, decided to drive into Ikeja GRA on the excuse that there was too much traffic jam along the Bank Anthony way, even as the jeep was also following from behind, she recounted.
From Ikeja bus-stop, the driver of the bus drove to Kingsway and on getting to the bus-stop, decided to drive into Ikeja GRA on the excuse that there was too much traffic jam along the Bank Anthony way, even as the jeep was also following from behind, she recounted.
Egbe said: “Inside the GRA, I became suspicious as the driver was
driving past the dark streets, while the other occupants were chatting
happily and I was praying silently and hoping for divine
intervention.
“As at the point, I had the intuition that the occupants of the bus were dare-devil armed robbers!”
Her intuition was confirmed when at a point after getting to the Ojota end of Maryland, she was ordered by the guy that was chatting with her to cooperate or she would be killed after identifying herself as a journalist.
“The guy snatched my bag, ransacked it, removed my N20, 000, blackberry and also asked me to give him my watch, necklace and other personal items with me.
“As at the point, I had the intuition that the occupants of the bus were dare-devil armed robbers!”
Her intuition was confirmed when at a point after getting to the Ojota end of Maryland, she was ordered by the guy that was chatting with her to cooperate or she would be killed after identifying herself as a journalist.
“The guy snatched my bag, ransacked it, removed my N20, 000, blackberry and also asked me to give him my watch, necklace and other personal items with me.
“While the incident was taking place, the driver of the jeep was playing
music loudly in order not to attract attention,” Egbe said.
But, the curious angle to the whole story began when her ATM card was discovered by the suspected robbers inside her bag.
“There and then, I think one of the robbers drew the attention of the occupier of the jeep and I was ordered to give the them my personal identification number or risk being killed.
“Afraid for my life, I was left with no other options at that point than to divulge my PIN to the robbers, who immediately pulled up at an ATM machine point around Ikorodu road and cleared my account of N120,000.
After the show, which according to the journalist lasted for about two hours ended, they dropped her at Palm Groove bus-stop, while the robbers zoomed off towards Ojuelegba route.
“I have to get police report on the incident in order to enable my bank place embargo on the ATM card, even as I am presently nursing my pains and counting my loses since that traumatic incident occurred,” she said.
But, the curious angle to the whole story began when her ATM card was discovered by the suspected robbers inside her bag.
“There and then, I think one of the robbers drew the attention of the occupier of the jeep and I was ordered to give the them my personal identification number or risk being killed.
“Afraid for my life, I was left with no other options at that point than to divulge my PIN to the robbers, who immediately pulled up at an ATM machine point around Ikorodu road and cleared my account of N120,000.
After the show, which according to the journalist lasted for about two hours ended, they dropped her at Palm Groove bus-stop, while the robbers zoomed off towards Ojuelegba route.
“I have to get police report on the incident in order to enable my bank place embargo on the ATM card, even as I am presently nursing my pains and counting my loses since that traumatic incident occurred,” she said.
BUSINESS
& ECONOMY
Firm Develops Tracker For Stolen Phones
An Information Technology firm,
TracknShield Limited, has developed a mobile phone anti-theft solution to
combat phone theft in the country The Managing Director, TracknShield Limited,
Mr Abu Grema, while unveiling the product in Lagos, said, the mobile phone
tracking application offered an easy-to-use solution to the problems associated
with mobile phone theft and loss with the possibility of recovering such
phones.
He further stressed that once installed on
a mobile phone, the Tracknshield would make it possible for the owner of the
phone to trace its whereabouts through a text message in the event that the
phone was lost. Grema added that even if the SIM card in the phone was removed,
the software would also make it possible for the phone to be traced and also
prevent a new SIM card from working with the stolen or lost phone.
Explaining the motivation behind the new
application, he said it was introduced as a result of the increasing importance
of mobile phones to people today.
He stated that due to their growing
sophistication, phones had now become the platforms on which many users
transacted a lot of businesses such as funds transfer, noting that this made it
very important for people to protect phones and data contained therein.
Grema noted that the solution was
necessary as the SIM card registration exercise that government introduced in
Nigeria and many other African countries had not adequately addressed the
problems of identity theft that might result from stolen phones.
Cashless policy CBN exempts embassies, donor agencies, others
TO avoid breaching international laws, the
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has exempted specialised international
institutions from the charges and penalties imposed on cash limit on lodgment
and withdrawal,
as it relates to the cashless policy which took
off in Lagos in January.
The international institutions that fall in
this category include all embassies, diplomatic missions, multilateral and aid
donor agencies in the country.
A circular, entitled: “Industry policy on
retail cash collection and lodgment as it affects specialised international
institutions,” addressed to all banks, Cash In Transit (CIT) companies; payment
service providers, switches, card acquirers, issuers, processors and members of
the public, which was signed by the acting director, Banking and Payment System
Department, Mr G.I Emokpea, said the decision was in line with global standard,
stressing that
sovereign states did not impose financial penalties on other sovereign states.
sovereign states did not impose financial penalties on other sovereign states.
According to the statement, “Nigeria is a
signatory to several treatises which exempt these international institutions
from all fees and charges in the host country. As a matter of international
practice, sovereign states do not impose financial penalties on other sovereign
states. It has, therefore, become necessary to extend on cash withdrawal and
deposit to these institutions.”
It will be recalled that the apex bank reviewed
the cashless policy to reflect views of stakeholders.
Under the new arrangement, the daily cumulative
limits which were hitherto N150,000 and N1 million were reviewed upward to
N500,000 and N3 million on free cash withdrawal and lodgment by individual and
corporate customer respectively.
The apex bank also reviewed downwards the
processing fee for withdrawal above the limit.
While that of individual was reduced from 10
per cent to three per cent, corporate was reduced to five per cent from 20 per
cent.
The processing fee for lodgment for individual
was also reduced from 10 per cent to two per cent, while that of corporate was
reduced to three per cent from 20 per cent.
CBN, however, noted that the reduction of the
various processing fees was temporary and would be subject to review every six
months.
It emphasised that collection of charges by
banks under the Cashless Lagos project would, however, take effect as scheduled
on April 1.
POLITICS
Stop playing partisan politics, Tukur cautions Jonathan
The
new National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Bamanga
Tukur, yesterday cautioned President Goodluck Jonathan against partisan
politics, advising him to focus more on the economy.
Tukur,
who spoke at the handover ceremony between the outgoing National Working
Committee, NWC, and the incoming, said that his administration as the party's
helmsman would ensure that President Jonathan faced economic development with
little or no presence in partisan politics.
He
said: ''We have come to help the President focus more on the economy than
on partisan politics. We have come to transform and build a great party, not to
play politics. We have come to help politicians play a decent politics,
politics based on fairness and level playing field.
''We
have come to be those neutral referees the PDP needs right now. We have
come to ensure that both the executive and the legislature are on the same
page-which is, to make Nigeria great economically, socially and politically.
''My
support staff and my team will never use this office as a platform for
launching political careers. They are here to work! in turning PDP into a great
party and helping government turn the economy around''.
Tukur
stated that the new NWC was resolute in transforming the party, stressing that
they would put PDP on the path of justice and equity.
He
added that as new leaders of the party, they would do all they could to ensure
security throughout their tenure.
Earlier
in his handover speech, the outgoing National Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje,
cautioned the new NWC to lead the party selflessly with no necessary personal
ambition, adding that party leadership is not a tea party.
He
said there would be challenges, stressing that efforts must be continued at
engendering internal democracy.
Baraje
noted that PDP remained the only party to beat in internal and external
democratic election, adding that others sit in one room and pick their
officers, even as he called on other parties to emulate PDP.
He
promised the new NWC of their support and advised that whatever the differences
as party members in the state should be buried at the gate of Wadata House.
According
to Baraje, ''We don't say things we don't do in PDP. Mr. Chairman, accept
our little contributions to the development of the party and continue from
there.
Present
at the ceremony were the former President of the Senate, Senator Ken Nnamani;
former Chairman, Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih; former national chairmen
o f the party, Senators Ahmadu Ali and Barnabas Gemade; former deputy Senate President,
Ibrahim Mantu, and the new and the outgone NWC members.
CRIME FILE
Man jailed for refusing to pay Lekki toll
An Igbosere Magistrate’s Court, Lagos has sentenced a
39-year-old man, Rozer Oladimeji, to a week imprisonment for refusing to pay at
the Lekki-Epe Expressway toll gate.
Oladimeji drove a red Toyota Jeep with number
plate LND 607 AC about 3:51pm on March 18 and refused to pay the compulsory N120
toll.
Oladimeji allegedly zoomed at full speed on getting
to the toll collection point of the expressway.
Unfortunately for Oladimeji, he was apprehended at
8.10pm when he was returning by toll collectors and security officers on the
outward bound lane of the expressway.
The charge sheet read in part, “That you, Rozer Oladimeji,
at about 3.51pm at the Toll Plaza, on Lekki-Epe Expressway, Eti Osa Local
Government Area, drove a Toyota Jeep and refused to pay the toll when it was
lawfully demanded from you.
“That you, Oladimeji, drove the vehicle in a reckless
manner on a public highway.”
Oladimeji was charged with two counts of reckless
driving and refusal to pay a lawful toll to which he pleaded guilty.
Police prosecutor, Mr. Clifford Ogu, told the court
that the offence contravened sections 18(1) and 67(1) Cap 124 Vol. 6 of the
Road Traffic Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2003.
Magistrate A. A. Famobiwo found Oladimeji guilty as charged
and sentenced him to a week imprisonment.
Famobiwo, however, gave him an option of N5, 000 fine.
Naval rating accused of killing baby walks free
A naval rating, Joseph Moses, who allegedly colluded with
some hoodlums to kidnap his three-month-old baby and later threw him into the
lagoon at Liverpool area of Apapa, Lagos, has yet to be arrested.
But the spokesperson for the state police command, Mr.
Joseph Jaiyeoba, said there was nothing unusual about that because the suspect
was a military man.
Jaiyeoba said, “Something you must understand is that,
there are procedures that need to be followed when a military personnel is
accused of a criminal act.
“Even if he had been initially arrested, the police would
still have to refer him to military authorities, who would exert their own
disciplinary action before handing him over to the police.”
According to Jaiyeoba, the present situation
notwithstanding, the State Criminal Investigations Department, where the case
is being investigated, has the authority to arrest any suspect no matter the
person’s status.
Two suspects in custody of the SCID, Messrs Peter Elias and
Amadu Bello, had accused the naval rating for being behind the kidnap of the
baby.
They also alleged that the policemen at Ajeromi Police
Station, Ajegunle, where the case was first reported, had released four other
suspects in the case after they paid 20,000 each to the investigating police
officers.
The duo, who said they did not know about the plan, noted
that the suspects that were freed were actually the ones that aided Moses to
carry out the plan.
Meanwhile, the police spokesperson said there was no truth
in the duo’s allegation.
He said, “Police do not grant bail to suspects in a murder
case, that’s something people need to understand.
“In fact, the Commissioner of Police summoned the
Divisional Police Officer of Ajoromi and asked him about the issue and he
cleared the air that no such thing happened.”
The three-week-old baby, a love child between the naval
rating and a woman, identified simply as Happiness was said to have been
kidnapped on February 10, after Moses denied that he was the baby’s father.
The two suspects at the SCID confessed that Moses put the
baby in a carton and threw her into the lagoon.
PUNCH Metro learnt that Bello, a motorcyclist, in
his confessional statement, said on February 10, Joseph had invited him to take
him to somewhere.
He said when they got to Liverpool Bridge, Moses got down
and threw a carton in the lagoon.
Bello said after he was arrested, he later learnt that the
carton Moses threw in the lagoon contained his baby
Police uncover ritualists’ shrine in Ogun
The
Ogun State Police Command yesterday said it has uncovered a shrine in Ewualase
village, Ogijo, near the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Mosinmi
depot, in Saganmu Local Government Area.
Police
Commissioner Ikemefunna Okoye said the shrine was patronised by “ritualists and
fraudstars”.
He
said: “The Ogijo Divisional Headquarters, through a very high-level intelligent
gathering, heard about the operations of the people found at the shrine. I gave
them directives and they swung into action that eventually led to the arrest of
two people at the shrine.
“For
now, all we can say is that they are using this place for either rituals or to
defraud people, or both. I can assure you that we are going to do a very
thorough investigation on their activities.”
The
police chief addressed reporters during an on-the-spot assessment of the
shrine.
He
said two suspects arrested in connection with it would be charged to court
after the conclusion of investigation.
Ikemefunna
urged the public to volunteer useful information to the police on the
activities of criminals, adding that the police need the support of the public
to succeed.
“Policemen
are not magicians; we can only work on information available to us. So, anyone
with useful information on how the state can be safer should please come
forward with such,” he said.
SPORTS
Champions League: Benzema, Kaka Lift Real Above Apoel
Karim Benzema and Kaka scored late goals
to give Real Madrid a convincing 3-0 win at Apoel Nicosia in the Champions
League quarter final first leg match on Tuesday.
The nine-times European champions
dominated the match but Apoel, the first Cypriot side to reach the last 16 of
Europe’s premier club competition, defended solidly to frustrate their Spanish
opponents until the last 15 minutes.
The arrival of Kaka as a substitute midway
through the second half created the breakthrough, with the Brazilian producing
a superb cross from the left for the diving Benzema to head powerfully home
after 74 minutes.
Kaka slotted in the second goal from eight
metres following a surging run down the left by his fellow substitute Marcelo
and Benzema struck again in the last minute to put the La Liga leaders firmly
on course for the semi final.
Apoel’s Brazilian defender Marcelo
Oliveira was carried off on a stretcher after pulling his hamstring early in
the match, but the home side initially made light of his absence.
Benzema missed a golden opportunity to
open the scoring late in the first half, as the French striker inexplicably
directing the ball over the bar from close range with the goal gaping.
Apoel never threatened the Real defence
but the Spanish side became increasingly frustrated by their inability to break
through.
Cristiano Ronaldo caused problems without
going close to scoring and it needed the introduction of Kaka to provide the
spark for Real.
The playmaker cleverly set up the first
goal for Benzema with a pinpoint cross and clinically converted Marcelo’s
cutback before Mesut Ozil crossed for Benzema to tap in his second goal.
The second leg in Madrid takes place next
Wednesday.
Champions League: Kalou’s Goal Gives Chelsea S/Final
Hope
A second-half goal by Salomon Kalou handed
Chelsea a 1-0 win over Benfica in the first leg of their Champions League
quarterfinal on Tuesday night.
The Londoners always appeared in control
and Kalou grabbed the only goal in the 75th minute, tapping the ball in from
close range after excellent work down the right flank by Fernando Torres and
Ramires.
Kalou’s goal vindicated the decision by
interim coach Roberto Di Matteo to start the Ivory Coast forward in attack in
place of England international Daniel Sturridge.
Juan Mata had also gone close for Chelsea
on the hour when he rounded keeper Artur Moraes but struck the post from an
acute angle.
Mata then had a late chance to put the tie
beyond Benfica’s reach ahead of next week’s second leg at Stamford Bridge.
The Spanish playmaker was set free on the
left with four minutes to go after substitute Sturridge sprinted away down the
right but his tame left-footed chip went wastefully over the bar.
Defender Jardel had Benfica’s best chance
midway through the second half when his close-range header was acrobatically
saved by Petr Cech.
Chelsea’s victory was their first away
from home in this season’s competition.
Wenger: Milan won't win it
Arsene
Wenger saw AC Milan dump his Arsenal side out of the UEFA Champions League, but
he does not expect the Italians to go on and take the trophy.
The
Rossoneri edged their way past the Gunners at the last-16 stage, with a
two-legged encounter dominated by home sides ending 4-3 on aggregate.
"I
know Milan very well, they play very well as far as collective work is
concerned, but I do not think they are up to the task of winning the trophy.
Everyone looks at Milan with respect, but I think they have no chance of
winning the Champions League," he wrote in his column for Eurosport.
Massimiliano
Allegri's Serie A leaders take on reigning European champions Barcelona in the
first leg of their quarter-final showdown tonight and Wenger feels home
advantage could be key for Milan.
"Milan
know what to do to win at the San Siro. I hope the condition of their pitch has
improved because against us it was a disaster. They have some weak points,
although they have a player with the quality of Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Robinho can
also be very dangerous in attack, but Ibra can score a lot of goals on a good
day," he said.
FA Cup: Spurs, Everton Progress to Semis
Second half goals from Ryan Nelsen, Gareth Bale and Louis
Saha sent Tottenham into the semi-final of the FA Cup where they will face
Chelsea.
Bolton keeper, Adam Bogdan was in fine form denying the
hosts several times before Nelsen headed the opener, reports the BBC.
Shortly after, Bale doubled their lead finishing off a fine
Spurs break before Kevin Davies gave the visitors hope after converting Ivan
Klasnic's cross.
But Saha sealed the win in injury time with a turn and shot
from 20 yards.
The rearranged game marked an emotional return to White
Hart Lane for Bolton's players after the original fixture was abandoned when
midfielder, Fabrice Muamba collapsed after suffering a cardiac arrest during
the first half.
Tottenham manager, Harry Redknapp admitted that sentiment
would go out of the window when the game kicked off and his side were true to
their word in a one-sided first half.
And in the second match, Everton set up an FA Cup
semi-final Merseyside derby at Wembley with a deserved victory at Sunderland.
January signing, Nikica Jelavic fired the Toffees in front
in the 24th minute when he swept in Magaye Gueye's cross.
They doubled their lead with a horrible own goal from David
Vaughan, who kicked the ball against himself as a Jelavic shot looked to be
trickling wide.
Kanu injured
Skysports
news Tuesday afternoon reports on South Africa's global television network Dstv
indicated that former Nigeria senior team captain Nwankwo Kanu is injured and
was unavailable for Portsmouth's English Championship game yesterday aginst
Millwall.
Kanu,
meanwhile, has not even made an appearance since Appleton became manager at
Portsmouth back in November.
Pompey
are six points from safety, but Appleton is not planning to use the ‘King's’
experience after suggesting Kanu and Benjani are not fit enough to start games.
"I
certainly wouldn't be expecting too much from Benjani and Kanu in the run-in.
Kanu is not fit enough to play - end of story. From Benji's point of view, he
has been involved enough and come off the bench enough to ask questions on why
he might not get a start. I can't afford to start playing players who I don't
think will get through 45 minutes of football," said Appleton.
Benjani
has scored once in 17 appearances for Pompey since returning
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