Israel's Blog

10,000kg of cannabis lands 73 Edo cannabis farmers, dealers in NDLEA net

Israel A. 0 12:00

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<span style="color: #0b5394;">10,000kg of cannabis lands 73 Edo cannabis farmers, dealers in NDLEA net</span></h1>
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<a class="td-modal-image" data-caption="" href="http://d1phczbdxyh8yo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/30040712/ogbeifa-and-cannabis.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="entry-thumb td-animation-stack-type0-1" height="152" src="http://d1phczbdxyh8yo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/30040712/ogbeifa-and-cannabis.jpg" title="ogbeifa and cannabis" width="320" /></a>Seventy three suspects who specialise in
 cultivating and dealing in cannabis have been arrested by the National 
Drug Law Enforcement Agency.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The suspects made up of 60 males and 13 
females were apprehended in Edo State with 10,094.75kgs of cannabis 
between January and March 2016.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A statement by NDLEA spokesperson, Mr. Mitchell Ofoyeju, released on Thursday, described how the cannabis hauls were seized.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He said, “A cannabis laden Toyota Hilux 
and a J5 bus with cannabis disguised as pineapple shipment were 
impounded, while a warehouse located at the Okpuje forest, Owan West 
Local Government Area of Edo State, was detected and 2,590kgs of 
cannabis were seized.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Four notorious drug dealers at Ekpoma, 
Auchi and Benin as well as five young farmers from Taraba and Plateau 
States are among those being investigated for cannabis cultivation and 
trafficking by narcotic undercover operatives in Benin City. The Edo 
State Command exhibit room is already filled to capacity with over 
80,000kgs of cannabis.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
According to the Edo State Commander of the NDLEA, Mr. Buba Wakawa, efforts are ongoing to sanitise Edo of illicit drugs.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Wakama said a fake State Security 
Service identity card with the name Daniel Okolo was found in the Hilux 
van which was loaded with cannabis.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
One of the arrested cannabis dealing 
suspects include a 60-year-old woman, Juliana Ogiefa, who is on bail 
after her arrest for dealing in cocaine and heroin.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The NDLEA said it is pressing two 
separate charges against her at the Federal High Court sitting in Benin 
with the hope that her illicit drug activities in the state would be 
permanently terminated.</div>
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<em>Saturday PUNCH </em>learnt that in a
 forest at Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State, where NDLEA 
officials seized 2,590kgs of cannabis, an official narrowly escaped a 
large trap that had been set on the ground by the cannabis dealers.</div>
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The Chairman of NDLEA, Muhammad Abdallah, has vowed to identify, arrest and prosecute cannabis cultivators.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Edo State is a cannabis producing 
state. It is equally an important catchment area to us because it is 
strategically located in a way that drug dealers either come to buy or 
convey their illicit drugs across the state. This must come to an end,” 
Abdallah warned.</div>
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He warned against the use of school age 
youths in cannabis plantations and called for the support of 
stakeholders at all levels in the anti-narcotics campaign.</div>
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10,000kg of cannabis lands 73 Edo cannabis farmers, dealers in NDLEA net

10,000kg of cannabis lands 73 Edo cannabis farmers, dealers in NDLEA net Seventy three suspects who specialise in cultivating and ...

Catholic schools, Fayose in face-off over education tax

Israel A. 0 11:52

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<span style="color: #0b5394;">Catholic schools, Fayose in face-off over education tax</span></h1>
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<a class="td-modal-image" data-caption="Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose" href="http://d1phczbdxyh8yo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/21011822/Ayodele-Fayose.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="entry-thumb td-animation-stack-type0-1" height="170" src="http://d1phczbdxyh8yo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/21011822/Ayodele-Fayose-696x371.jpg" title="Ayodele Fayose" width="320" /></a><figure><figcaption class="wp-caption-text"></figcaption></figure></div>
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The new education levy introduced by the
 Ekiti State Government is setting it against the Catholic Church, which
 has vowed to take the matter to court. KAMARUDEEN OGUNDELE writes about
 the issues</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
When the 2015 Ekiti State Education 
Summit was convened by Governor Ayodele Fayose to chart a new future for
 education in the state, nobody knew the outcome would generate a fresh 
crisis in the education sector.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Speaking on the theme, ‘Restoring the 
lost glory’, the Chairman of the Summit and the Oluyin of Iyin Ekiti, 
Oba Ademola Ajakaye, lamented that students could not construct simple 
sentences any longer.</div>
<br /><div style="text-align: justify;">
“If we are able to get it right at this 
level, the story would change for the better,” he said urging parents to
 be part of the change.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The then Provost, College of Education, 
Ikere Ekiti, Prof. Francesca Aladejana, in her papers, said education 
should be built on strong moral values and religious knowledge, calling 
for a review of the curriculum.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In its resolution, the summit agreed 
that “funding of education is no more government business alone, all 
stakeholders must be part. It should be a cost sharing arrangement.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Entrepreneurship education should be 
given priority at primary and secondary school levels; welfare of 
teachers should be given top priority, parents should intensify 
monitoring of their children and Ministry of Education officials should 
monitor teachers.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The governor at the summit also promised to go after private school owners.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“We are going to take the issue of 
taxation seriously as no government thrives without it. Private school 
owners should pay up their dues and levies,” he said.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A few days after the summit, the 
government announced a new tax regime where pupils in primary and 
secondary schools would be required to pay N500 each and N1,000 each per
 term, respectively, if finally approved.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The state Commissioner for Education, 
Science and Technology, Mr. Jide Egunjobi, made this known in a press 
release made available by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, 
Idowu Adelusi.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
According to the statement, there are 
178,263 students in the 879 public primary schools; 48,960 in Junior 
Secondary Schools and 55,677 in Senior Secondary Schools in Ekiti State,
 making a total of 282,900.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Egunjobi said all stakeholders in the 
education sector, including parents and teachers, consented to the 
introduction of the education development levy at the Summit.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Before now, secondary school students 
were paying N100 as PTA levy, N300 for Extra Lesson and N600 as 
Examination Fee while primary school students were paying N100 as PTA 
levy, N300 for extra lesson and N200 as Examination fee, making N600 per
 term,” he said.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Apart from the Educational Development 
Levy of N1,000, secondary school students will pay N500 as Parents 
Teachers Association’s levy, N600 for examination, N300 for extra 
lesson, making N2, 400 per term while it is proposed that primary school
 pupils will pay N100 as PTA levy, N100 for Extra Lesson, N100 for 
examination, making a total of N800 per term.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Students of public schools in Ekiti 
were paying PTA, examination and extra lesson levies before Governor 
Fayose assumed office,” the statement said.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Egunjobi reiterated the government’s commitment to the restoration of the State’s lost glory in the education sector.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The government, however, did not begin the enforcement of the levy until last term.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Nevertheless, on March 14, private 
schools in the state began a three-day strike to protest against the 
imposition of the development levy.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The National Association of Proprietors 
and Proprietress of Private Schools in Ekiti contended that the 
extension of the levy to private schools ran contrary to the spirit and 
letters of Section 42(1) (a) and (b) of the 1999 Constitution.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The President of the Association, Alhaji
 Saka Adeleye, said the private schools would remain shut for three days
 to protest against multiple taxation.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Adeleye wondered why the government 
extended the levy to private schools that enjoyed no benefits from 
government, despite paying 12 different taxes imposed on them.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He listed the taxes to include Annual 
Renewal Fee, Personal Income Tax, Pay As You Earn for staff, Personal 
Development Fee, Registration of Business Premises Fee, Environment 
Levy, Vehicle Permit fee and Tenement Rate.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“There is no infrastructural development
 extended to private schools. Nothing was given to us to develop our 
schools; all the government does is to extort us with taxes. Even during
 the outbreak of the deadly disease-Ebola-no kit was given to us.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“We use our capital to fund our schools.
 There have been no textbooks or chalks from the government. The 
government distributed laptops to public schools but not one was given 
to private schools. So what are we gaining?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Even the meeting we were able to have 
with the Commissioner for Education (Jide Egunjobi) ended half way as he
 was summoned by the governor mid-way into the meeting. He promised to 
get back to us but till this moment, we never heard from him.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The association described the policy as 
discriminatory and unconstitutional against NAPPS, which is an employer 
of over 20,000 workers.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“In view of the foregoing uncontroverted
 facts, it is practically impossible for members of our chapters to pay 
the new levy. It is our humble view that our amiable governor has not 
been well briefed or advised in respect of this matter.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“We call on the ministry to withdraw 
forthwith all the circular letters relating to payment of the newly 
introduced development levy in private schools in the state and/or any 
other development levy.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But the state government has accused the proprietors of exploiting parents.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Egunjobi said school owners who cannot 
produce evidence of payment of other statutory levies imposed by the 
state will remain shut even after the self imposed strike.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Accusing some of the proprietors of 
inflating the levy, the commissioner noted that some of the schools had 
already collected the money from parents without remitting the same to 
the government.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“We have indicated interest to see the 
receipts of all statutory levies. Receipts of renewal fees, upgrading 
and approval fees related to the schools must be produced. I have text 
messages from parents, who claimed to have paid the education 
development levy, yet some of these schools are among those who have not
 remitted the money to the government.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The case took a religious twist when the
 Catholic Church threatened to sue Fayose over the levy, advising the 
government to exempt its schools from the schools to pay the levy.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Citing Ekiti State Universal Basic 
Education Board (SUBEB) Law, 2005, the church said the state government 
had the obligation to provide free and compulsory education for every 
child of primary to junior secondary school classes.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Bishop of the Diocese, Most Rev. Felix Ajakaye, stated this in a press statement made available to journalists in Ado Ekiti.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He threatened to file a legal action 
against the government “in the circumstance that any of the schools 
under my custody is disturbed.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“No law empowers the state government of
 Ekiti to impose Education Development Levy on pupils/students of 
mission schools in Ekiti state.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Ajakaye said that the church viewed the 
new tax as another burden on parents, whom he said were already 
overwhelmed with taxes in different forms by the state government.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He recalled with pain how the state, 
under the military regime in 1975, “forcibly” took over 106 Catholic 
primary schools, seven secondary schools and one technical school 
without compensation.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He added that the new tax was 
unnecessary because schools established by the Church had been paying 
various levies and taxes demanded by both local and state governments.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“The Catholic Church in Ekiti land 
implores the state government to see the Church as great contributor to 
quality education and a formidable partner in the development of 
education in the state. Therefore, the status of the Catholic schools 
must be recognised as defined by their purposes and they should be 
treated accordingly,” Ajakaye added.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But the state government in a swift 
response said that there is no going back on the levy in both 
state-owned and private schools in the state, including the mission 
schools.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It said that mission schools in the 
state would not be given preference over other schools because the 
decision was reached by all stakeholders at the 2015 Education Summit.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Commissioner for Education in a 
statement, said, “No other body apart from the federal and state 
government has power to make policies concerning the operation of both 
private and public schools in the country.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“It is wrong for any organisation to 
claim that it has its own education policy that is different from that 
of the state and that no law empowers the state government of Ekiti to 
impose Education Development Levy on pupils/students of mission schools 
in Ekiti State,” he said.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Egunjobi disclosed that seven schools 
owned by the Catholic Diocese of Ekiti State had already complied with 
the government policy by paying the development levy, dismissing the 
threat to sue the government by the Catholic Diocese.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
 “Christ The King Catholic College, Ire;
 St. Theresa`s Catholic School, Ikole; Ave Maria International College, 
Osun; St. Joseph`s Nursery/Primary School, Ado; Immaculate 
Nursery/Primary School, Ilupeju; St. Philip Catholic Nursery/Primary 
School, Otun and St. Louis Nursery/Primary School, Ikere have all 
complied with the government directive on the development levy,” he 
said.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The commissioner also disclosed that 
mission schools owned by the Anglican Diocesan, Christ Apostolic Church,
 Apostolic Faith, Baptist Church, Deeper Life and Muslim Societies have 
already paid the levy.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“It has become necessary that we correct
 the impression the press conference addressed by the Bishop of the 
Catholic Diocese of Ekiti, Most Rev. Felix Ajakaye, on the payment of 
Education Development Levy in Ekiti State was meant to create.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“In some states, Crèche Fee, Back Duty 
Levy, Entertainment or Merriment Levy and others levies are collected 
from schools and mission schools are not exempted.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Whether or not mission schools should 
be treated differently does not even arise because most of the mission 
schools in the state have paid the development levy. Even the Catholic 
Diocese that is threatening legal action, seven of its schools have 
paid.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But faulting the government’s position, 
the Catholic Bishop accused the state government of acting outside 
resolutions reached at the 2015 Ekiti Education Summit.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He maintained that the Education 
Development Levy imposed on pupils in private primary and secondary 
schools was not part of the resolutions reached at the summit.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Ajakaye said, “There was never any 
discussion, let alone any decision on Education Development Levy on 
private and mission schools.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He said Catholic Church was one of the 
stakeholders at the summit and was not part of the resolution that such 
tax should be extended to private and mission schools, contrary to what 
the state government had claimed and made the public to believe.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Stating that Education Summit was 
different from Economic Summit, Ajakaiye advised the state government to
 look for other means to increase its internally generated revenue.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He said, “Here is a poser for the state 
government, why can’t it impose same education levy on public and 
private tertiary institutions in Ekiti State?”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“With the present stance of the Catholic
 Diocese of Ekiti on the imposition of the Education Levy, Ekiti State 
Government may decide to close our schools. We have to go beyond threat 
and weigh our actions today as we plan for tomorrow. Posterity will 
judge.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In all this, the State Chairman of the 
Nigerian Union of Teachers, Samuel Akosile, advised all stakeholders to 
support the government to revitalise the education sector.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In a telephone interview with our 
correspondent, he said, “Government alone should not be left for the 
development of education. The task of developing education should be 
collective. We appeal to parents to pay the money.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“The private and missionary schools are 
all for profit making. They ply government’s road and so should be ready
 to pay tax. The privileged and the rich in the society, whose children 
are in such schools, should support the government.</div>

Catholic schools, Fayose in face-off over education tax

Catholic schools, Fayose in face-off over education tax The new education levy introduced by the Ekiti State Government i...

Oyo police arrest 21 suspected armed robbers

Israel A. 0 11:47

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<span style="color: #0b5394;">Oyo police arrest 21 suspected armed robbers</span></h1>
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<a class="td-modal-image" data-caption="" href="http://d1phczbdxyh8yo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/19161153/Nigerian-police-.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="entry-thumb td-animation-stack-type0-1" height="209" src="http://d1phczbdxyh8yo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/19161153/Nigerian-police-.jpg" title="Nigerian police" width="320" /></a></div>
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The Oyo State Police Command has arrested 21 robbery suspects in various parts of the state.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
According to the state Commissioner of 
Police, Leye Oyebade, some of the suspects were recently released from 
prison. Among the suspects is a six-man gang, said to operate in Oyo, 
Ogbomoso and Ilorin.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
They suspects are Aliyu Azeez, 28; 
Olanrewaju Ajayi, 23; Kehinde Abiodun, 28; Adeleke ADeyemi, 26; Teslim 
Muhammed, 26; and Adamu Muhammed, 23. Leader of the gang, Teslim 
Muhammed, said they were arrested after taking delivery of guns in 
Ilorin.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He said, “We had yet to make use of the 
weapons when we were arrested. After the guys who brought the guns to us
 were arrested, they implicated us and brought the police to our hideout
 in Agbabiaka area of Ilorin. The guns were actually brought to me. We 
all met at different occasions. I knew Azeez through a friend called 
Tosin.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
According to police commissioner, the 
suspects were nabbed while making plans to carry out a robbery 
operation. Exhibits recovered from them include a three cut-to-size 
double-barrelled guns, three locally made pistols, 14 live cartridges, 
three computer laptops, 29 assorted mobile phones, two digital cameras, 
six cutlasses, four jack knives, one saw blade, three spanners, one 
hammer, one nail pinchers and assorted criminal charms.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The command also arrested another gang 
of suspected robbers, who shot their victim after robbing him of a 
Toyota Camry car with number plate DL 994 LLD on April 26 in 
Olorunda-Aba area of Ibadan.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
One of the suspects, Kamaru Ganiyu, was 
released from a prison in Oyo State in February, but returned to 
criminal activities soon after his release. Other members of the gang 
are Agu Onyeka, Biodun Jamiu, Dare Azeez and Nurudeen Bilawu.</div>

Oyo police arrest 21 suspected armed robbers

Oyo police arrest 21 suspected armed robbers The Oyo State Police Command has arrested 21 robbery suspects in various pa...

N’Assembly to return corrected details to Buhari Saturday

Israel A. 0 11:42

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<span style="color: #0b5394;"> N’Assembly to return corrected details to Buhari Saturday</span></h1>
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<a class="td-modal-image" data-caption="National Assembly Complex" href="http://d1phczbdxyh8yo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/22224733/National-Assembly.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="entry-thumb td-animation-stack-type0-1" height="213" src="http://d1phczbdxyh8yo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/22224733/National-Assembly.jpg" title="National Assembly" width="320" /></a>The reconciliation committee of the 
National Assembly on the 2016 budget may return the corrected details of
 the appropriation bill to President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday 
(today), findings revealed on Friday.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The committee is chaired by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Suleiman Lasun.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A second committee from the side of the executive is chaired by the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Investigations 
revealed that the two committees would meet, fine-tune the details of 
the budget and forward it to Buhari possibly today.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The President and the leadership of the 
National Assembly had agreed to set up the committees after a brief 
meeting on Wednesday night in Abuja to reconcile the “grey areas” in the
 N6.06tn budget.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki,
 and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, as 
well as the principal officers of both chambers attended the meeting, 
which was held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Some senior officials of the National 
Assembly confided on Friday that the members of the 
Lasun committee worked all night on Thursday in a bid to speed up the 
reworking of the budget’s details.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“The Deputy Speaker and the other committee members slept at the secretariat on Thursday.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“They will likely sleep there today 
again (Friday) because their plan is to ensure that the budget details, 
as corrected, will reach Mr. President on Saturday,” one of the 
officials stated.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It was gathered that some members of the
 Senate and House Committees on Appropriations, which created the 
“distortions” in the first place, marveled at the work pace of the 
reconciliation committee.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Among the 
grey areas, which would now be deleted from the budget, were the N40bn 
lawmakers added to the original vote for zonal intervention projects.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Buhari initially proposed N60bn for the projects, but the lawmakers jacked it up to N100bn with an inflated N40bn.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Similarly, projects worth over N4bn, 
which the Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Mr. Abdulmumin 
Jibrin, allegedly earmarked for his constituency in Kano State without 
the knowledge of his colleagues, would be removed from the details.</div>
 Buhari opposed all cuts in his original projections that were up to 40 per cent.
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A source said, “The President wants the 
original figures retained because he feels the cuts will affect the 
implementation of the projects the funds were meant to serve.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Any cut that is up to 40 per cent will be reduced. Of course, this will still not affect the overall budget size of N6.06tn.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“What will happen is that we will juggle round the details and adjust the smaller figures but still retain the N6.06tn.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Distortions that crept into the budget 
will be removed to get the document ready for Presidential assent 
hopefully by Tuesday, next week.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Chairman, House Committee on Media 
and Public Affairs, Mr. Abdulrazak Namdas, confirmed that it was the 
expectation of the National Assembly that the work would be “done with 
over the weekend.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He added that the National Assembly hoped that the budget controversy would be resolved after May 1.</div>

N’Assembly to return corrected details to Buhari Saturday

N’Assembly to return corrected details to Buhari Saturday The reconciliation committee of the National Assembly on the 201...

Horror: Rejected suitor butchers MTN worker, stabs victim’s mother

Israel A. 0 11:36

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<span style="color: #0b5394;">Horror: Rejected suitor butchers MTN worker, stabs victim’s mother</span></h1>
</header>

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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a class="td-modal-image" data-caption="" href="http://d1phczbdxyh8yo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/30034728/tosin-n-ogundele.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="entry-thumb td-animation-stack-type0-1" height="199" src="http://d1phczbdxyh8yo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/30034728/tosin-n-ogundele.jpg" title="tosin n ogundele" width="320" /></a>The tragic incident of Sunday, April 24, was one that the family of Ashinwo, did not see coming.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Had a prophet told Oluwatosin, her 
siblings and their widow mother, of the danger that lurked around the 
corner that day, it is unlikely they would have believed it.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In fact, months after they all knew 
45-year-old David Ogundele, an engineer, who was deeply obsessed with 
30-year-old Oluwatosin, they had no idea they had a killer on their 
hands.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But it is late to regret; Oluwatosin is 
dead after being stabbed multiple times by Ogundele along with her 
mother, who was trying to ward off the attack on her daughter in a flat 
she rented at Tanke area of Ilorin, Kwara State.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As of the time of filing this report, 
Oluwatosin’s mother was still in intensive care at  a hospital in Ilorin
 where she had undergone a round of surgery to repair the extensive 
damage caused by the knife attack on her body.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In fact, one of Oluwatosin’s brothers, 
told our correspondent that their mother was stabbed more than his 
sister but she survived to tell the story.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
For her sister, the story is grimmer. She had bled to death by the time help came.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Agony of love unreciprocated</span>  </strong></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The story that culminated in the tragedy that has befallen the Ashinwo family started late last year.<em> </em></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Oluwatosin, who was a customer care 
executive with telecommunication company, MTN, had just been transferred
 from Kano to Kwara State when she met Ogundele.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Our correspondent was told that while Ogundele had a massive crush on the young woman, she had other things on her mind.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“My sister did not love him back and she
 did not hide it. He did everything to win her love but she just did not
 like him back,”  one of Oluwatosin’s brothers told our correspondent.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Soon, Ogundele was said to have reached 
out to the young woman’s siblings with the hope of winning their 
approval and convincing their sister.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Oluwatosin’s brother said, “At a time 
when I was in Ilorin at the end of last year, I visited my sister one 
evening when the man came around. I saw him a second time, two weeks 
after that in December. I did not ask my sister about him because I knew
 she was old enough to handle her affairs. But it was clear my sister 
did not like him.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“My sister used to tell me that he works at Omu Aran. She said the man would always pester her that he wanted to marry her.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“There had been pressure from my mother 
and other family members for her to get married but she always liked to 
handle her issues herself. She was the one who sponsored my university 
education. She was very hardworking. Even apart from her MTN work, she 
was still selling shoes and bags on the side.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“It happened that the man (Ogundele) got the numbers of my brother and I somehow.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Soon, Ogundele started to send messages to Oluwatosin’s brothers.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The screen capture of one of such 
messages shown our correspondent, reads, “Your sister is giving me a 
serious headache. I don’t know what to do. I love her so much but…Join 
me in prayers that God should soften her heart.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In another text message he sent to one 
of the brothers, Ogundele wrote, “I am at the health centre now. It is 
your sister’s behaviour that landed me there o. Always thinking (sic) I 
covet your prayers for survival. If I die, I die for love. You can’t 
understand.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
At this point, the brothers reached the 
conclusion that the man was terribly obsessed with their sister, who 
insisted that she was never going to get into a relationship with or 
marry him.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It 
became clear that Oluwatosin’s mind was made up when Ogundele undertook 
the most unexpected and shocking step of organising a big birthday  
party for the young woman when she clocked 30 in February.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Apart from organising the birthday, he bought a Toyota Matrix as a birthday gift.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As the birthday ceremony started, Ogundele reportedly put a call across to Oluwatosin to come. She never showed up.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“If my sister had accepted the gift, it 
would have been the same as accepting his proposal. He felt so bad about
 it,” the deceased’s brother said.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This was said to have infuriated Ogundele, whom they said felt ashamed in the eyes of the guests he had invited to the party.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Oluwatosin’s brothers said her resolve was more affirmed because she had learnt that Ogundele was married already.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
After Ogundele established contacts with Oluwatosin’s siblings, he went 
ahead to get in touch with their mother too.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“He kept disturbing my brother. My 
brother initially felt pity for him for the disappointment when he told 
him he bought a car for my sister but she still disappointed him. When 
he got my mother’s number, I explained to my mother that he was not the 
kind of person my sister could marry. My mother decided to tell him that
 there was nothing she could do about that because she could not force a
 man on her own daughter to marry.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
On Saturday, their 53-year-old mother travelled to Ilorin to visit Oluwatosin.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
That was when she learnt that there had been an incident recently which Oluwatosin did not tell them.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“I called my mother that day and she 
told me that she was happy that she visited my sister. She said the man 
(Ogundele) threatened my sister. My mother said my sister told her that 
the man held a knife to her neck and collected her ATM card and withdrew
 money from her account.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“My sister told mom that the man 
threatened that if he did not marry her, he would waste her. We could 
not finish that conversation that day.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Then between 8am and 9am on Sunday, the Ashinwo’s worst nightmare came true. Ogundele made good his threat.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
 Ogundele showed up and an argument ensued, during which Oluwatosin insisted the man must leave her house.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But rather than leave, in anger, he ran into the kitchen and grabbed a knife.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
By the time, he was done, the two women,
 Oluwatosin, and her mother, who tried to stop the fight, had both been 
stabbed multiple times.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It was learnt that Ogundele locked his victims in the room, thinking that they were both dead.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The house was deserted at the time as other tenants were not around.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But unknown to him, Oluwatosin’s mother survived and she alerted a trader who had a shop in front of the compound.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The severely injured woman, who had 
managed to narrate a little of what happened, said she watched as her 
bleeding daughter breathed her last, as Ogundele locked them inside and 
fled.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
She was later rushed to the hospital where doctors performed an emergency surgery to save her life.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Photographs of the scene of the attack, 
which were shown our correspondent, showed patches of thickened blood 
which had turned the white tiles red. The photographs gave an insight 
into the brutal attack that took Oluwatosin’s life.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Conversation with killer on the run</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In a shocking conversation our 
correspondent struck with the alleged killer (Ogundele) on WhatsApp, he 
simply rationalised his act by saying “I was bewitched.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Asked if Oluwatosin provoked him, he 
said, “It is well.  What can I do now? I was bewitched. How would I 
attack a lady I claim to love?”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
At what point did he think he was bewitched?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“When you did something you never wanted to do that’s how you’ll know. Tell me what to do please,” he said.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Asked what caused the argument in which he stabbed Oluwatosin and her mother, he answered “Please, tell me what to do.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Our correspondent told him that if he 
refused to explain what happened, people would read the report and view 
him simply as a cold-blooded killer, he answered, “At least I will 
appear in one of the most read newspapers in Nigeria.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Asked why he did not simply hand himself
 over to the police, rather than run, he said, “I am in Ilorin, airport 
area. I am not running.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He was asked why he stabbed Oluwatosin’s
 mother too, he denied it and simply said, “Never”. When told that the 
woman survived, he said, “Thank God for her life.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
When he was told that the more he stayed
 in hiding, the more he would look guilty, he replied, “Now you are 
talking.  Is she really dead? Okay. I will hand myself over to the 
police tomorrow in Ilorin, trust me. She is dead, let me die too.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Our correspondent later sent him one of 
his pictures earlier taken from his Whatsapp profile to let him know 
that his identity was known.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
 “That’s not my present picture though. I keep an afro now. Long hair. Where are you now?” Ogundele said.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He later signed off the conversation and said, “Talk to you later.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
  </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Hunt for killer </strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The case was initially reported at the F
 Division of the Kwara State Police Command, which is located few metres
 away from where Oluwatosin lived.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The spokesperson for the Kwara State 
Police Command, Mr. Ajayi Okasanmi, confirmed that the police are on the
 trail of the suspect.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Investigators have visited a private 
university where Ogundele is said to work, but his colleagues said they 
had not seen nor heard from him since the day before the incident.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The police have called for any information that may help to track down the suspect as he continues to stay in hiding.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As of the time of filing this report, he had yet to hand himself over to the police as he promised our correspondent.</div>

Horror: Rejected suitor butchers MTN worker, stabs victim’s mother

Horror: Rejected suitor butchers MTN worker, stabs victim’s mother The tragic incident of Sunday, April 24, was one that the...

NFF should plead with Enyeama – Taribo

Israel A. 0 11:25

<header class="td-post-title">
<h1 class="entry-title">
<span style="color: #0b5394;">NFF should plead with Enyeama – Taribo</span></h1>
</header>

<div class="td-post-featured-image">
<figure></figure></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Former Nigeria defender, Taribo West, has called for the return of goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama to the Super Eagles.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a class="td-modal-image" data-caption="Vincent Enyeama" href="http://d1phczbdxyh8yo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/26230629/Vincent-Enyeama.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="entry-thumb td-animation-stack-type0-1" height="296" src="http://d1phczbdxyh8yo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/26230629/Vincent-Enyeama.jpg" title="Vincent Enyeama" width="320" /></a>The 33-year-old  Lille keeper  retired 
from the national team following a disagreement  with former  Nigeria 
coach Sunday Oliseh.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
 Enyeama was  during the week ranked the sixth best goalkeeper in the world by football statistics body, CIES Observatory.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The 2013 Africa Cup of Nations winner was also nominated for the Best Goalkeeper  award in Ligue 1.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Taribo condemned the circumstances 
leading to Enyeama’s retirement from the Eagles, saying the  Nigeria 
Football Federation should plead with him to return to the national 
team.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Nigeria is a country where heroes are 
not  appreciated and it is  painful,” the former Inter Milan player told
 our correspondent during the week.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Nigerians should beg Enyeama to return 
to the Eagles and let him retire properly. He is the country’s most 
capped football player.  It is  evident that he still  has a lot to 
offer the country.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“The Eagles currently lack that leader 
figure among them and it is evident in the way they are playing. The 
young players  need to learn a lot from Enyeama. The awards and rankings
 he got this week  have shown  that he still very good.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Also, apart from Joseph Yobo, who is 
planning a testimonial for himself with some corporate bodies, no  
ex-international has been properly retired and they are all bitter 
towards the system.</div>

NFF should plead with Enyeama – Taribo

NFF should plead with Enyeama – Taribo Former Nigeria defender, Taribo West, has called for the return of goalkeeper Vincent...

Saraki must face trial, say 20 political parties

Israel A. 0 04:02

<header class="td-post-title">
<h1 class="entry-title">
<span style="color: #0b5394;">Saraki must face trial, say 20 political parties</span></h1>
</header>

<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Labour Party and 19 other registered
 opposition political parties have urged the Senate President, Bukola 
Saraki, to avail himself of the opportunities offered in our laws to 
clear his name.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Members of the opposition parties made their position known at a press briefing in Abuja, on Wednesday.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The National Chairman of the LP, Alhaji 
Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, who addressed the press on behalf of the other 
political parties, said the briefing was necessitated by happenings 
within the polity.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a class="td-modal-image" data-caption="Senate President Bukola Saraki" href="http://d1phczbdxyh8yo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/08164921/Senator-Bukola-Saraki.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="entry-thumb td-animation-stack-type0-1" height="208" src="http://d1phczbdxyh8yo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/08164921/Senator-Bukola-Saraki.jpg" title="Senator Bukola Saraki" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He said members of the opposition 
believe strongly that the ongoing trial of the Senate President at the 
Code of Conduct Tribunal had serious implications for the survival of 
democracy and this administration’s avowed commitment to fight 
corruption.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
According to him, the President 
Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress administration must do 
all within its power to ensure that the fight is carried out in such a 
way that it is not perceived as politically-motivated.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Abdulsalam said, “We want to put it on 
record that we are solidly behind President Muhammadu Buhari’s fight 
against corruption; a fight that we believe is crucial to the survival 
of our country.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“We however wish to note that this is 
not the first time that a President of this country would be declaring a
 war against corruption.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“In fact, the reason corruption is still
 a primary issue for the Buhari administration is that previous attempts
 have not been as successful as they should be.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The opposition politicians said while 
Saraki’s claim that he was being persecuted by his party should not be 
swept under the carpet, “we also believe that he must avail himself of 
the opportunities available to him in our laws, regardless of the 
conspiracies he may have suspected.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
They observed that one of the major 
obstacles in the fight against political corruption in Nigeria had been 
the way and manner it had been fought.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
They equally noted that several past 
efforts had left Nigerians with the impression that the fight was 
selective and targeted at perceived enemies of government.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Abdulsalam said the LP and the 18 other 
political parties had unflinching faith in the nation’s judiciary to 
ensure that no citizen was punished unjustly, no matter the weight of 
accusations levelled against him.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The parties also expressed worry over the alleged bias of the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Mr. Danladi Umar.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
They noted that the chairman had so far conducted himself more as part of the prosecution team rather than an unbiased arbiter.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Members of the opposition parties noted 
that the issuance of a “clearance” letter to Umar by the Economic and 
Financial Crimes Commission over allegations of corruption levelled 
against him gave a lot of room for suspicion.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
They suggested that for the process to 
be seen as transparent, the Tribunal chairman should excuse himself and a
 neutral person be appointed in his place.</div>

Saraki must face trial, say 20 political parties

Saraki must face trial, say 20 political parties The Labour Party and 19 other registered opposition political parties have u...

Budget: Buhari, N’Assembly set up committees on ‘grey areas’

Israel A. 0 03:59

<header class="td-post-title">
<h1 class="entry-title">
<span style="color: #0b5394;">Budget: Buhari, N’Assembly set up committees on ‘grey areas’</span></h1>
</header>

<div class="td-post-featured-image">
<figure></figure></div>
<br /><div style="text-align: justify;">
President Muhammadu Buhari and the 
leadership of the National Assembly have resolved to harmonise the ‘grey
 areas’ in the 2016 budget.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Two separate technical committees have 
been set up by the President and the National Assembly officials to 
study the areas of dispute and come up with a harmonised position in a 
bid to quicken the signing of the N6.06tn budget.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
One of the committees will be working on
 the side of the executive, while the second committee will serve the 
interest of members of the National Assembly.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The leaders had met with Buhari at the Presidential Villa on Tuesday night where the decision was taken.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a class="td-modal-image" data-caption="Buhari, Saraki and Dogara" href="http://d1phczbdxyh8yo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/27103350/Buhari-Saraki-and-Dogara.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="entry-thumb td-animation-stack-type0-1" height="213" src="http://d1phczbdxyh8yo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/27103350/Buhari-Saraki-and-Dogara.jpg" title="Buhari, Saraki and Dogara" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In attendance were the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, and principal officers of the Senate.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Deputy Speaker, Mr. Suleiman Lasun, was also in attendance.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Investigations showed that Lasun would chair the National Assembly committee.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on 
Appropriation, Danjuma Goje, and the Chairman, House Committee on 
Appropriation, Mr. Abdulmumin Jibrin, are members of the National 
Assembly committee.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It was not clear on Wednesday who chaired the committee on the side of the executive, though <em>the</em> Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; Minister of Finance, Mrs. 
Kemi Adeosun; and the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Mr. 
Victor Udoma-Egba, were members.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Buhari met with the leaders for about 30 minutes last night (Tuesday).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“The two committees were raised to look 
into the budget and produce a harmonised position,” one senior National 
Assembly official revealed it on Wednesday.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Dogara, on resumption of the plenary on Wednesday, immediately called for a closed door session with members.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
At the session, which lasted for about 45 minutes, the Speaker briefed members on the outcome of the meeting with Buhari.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“It was important to brief members so 
that they are not left in the dark. When they don’t have information, 
they may begin to speculate or even conclude that there is something 
hidden.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“So, it was necessary to brief them,” <em>.</em></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Findings indicated that, going by the 
mood at the Villa meeting, Buhari might append his signature to the 
budget by Tuesday next week.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
When contacted, the Chairman, House 
Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Abdulrazak Namdas, confirmed 
that Buhari and the leaders indeed met.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He also confirmed that the closed door meeting Dogara called centred on the budget.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He added, “The Speaker adequately 
briefed members on the outcome of the meeting. We are hoping that 
everything will work out fine and the budget will be signed by Mr. 
President soon.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The 
‘grey areas’ were “distortions” in the budget, particularly the alleged 
introduction of projects by the National Assembly, which were not in the
 President’s original version.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Presidency is also said not to be 
comfortable with the movement of funds from certain vote heads to 
others, which might make the execution of such projects impossible.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The contentious Calabar-Lagos rail line 
project was also listed as one of the grey areas, with the Presidency 
still requests that it should be included in the budget.</div>

Budget: Buhari, N’Assembly set up committees on ‘grey areas’

Budget: Buhari, N’Assembly set up committees on ‘grey areas’ President Muhammadu Buhari and the leadership of the National ...

Sunshine Stars treated me like a leper – Samson Unuanel

Israel A. 0 03:54

<div class="headlines">
<h1 itemprop="headline">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span>Sun</span><span><span>shine Stars treated me like a leper – Samson Unuanel</span></span></span></h1>
<time datetime="2016-04-27T23:22:04+01:00" itemprop="datePublished"></time></div>
<div class="leading">
The tactician has expressed his disenchantment over 
the Owena Waves’ inability to pay his remaining salaries despite showing
 him the exit door last month</div>
<div class="module module-ad fresh8-inline-leaderboar">
 </div>
<a href="http://images.performgroup.com/di/library/Goal_Nigeria/3/f/samson-unuanel_1sdjh8idugrcu1c2xi9i97z8o4.jpg?t=1031224323&w=620&h=430" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sunshine Stars treated me like a leper " border="0" class="article-image" height="221" itemprop="image" src="http://images.performgroup.com/di/library/Goal_Nigeria/3/f/samson-unuanel_1sdjh8idugrcu1c2xi9i97z8o4.jpg?t=1031224323&w=620&h=430" width="320" /></a>Coach Samson Unuanel says he is yet to receive his outstanding salaries since he was sacked by Sunshine Stars in March, 2016.<br />

The management of the Akure based outfit approved his dismissal after
 three games in the Nigeria Professional Football League owing to 
unending wrangling with fired former technical director, Henry Abiodun.<br />

Unuanel bemoaned the biased treatment suffered in the hands of former
 employers and has demanded that the club pay him his entitlement; else 
he would take apt action.<br />

"They did not treat me like a human being. They treated me like a 
leper and all I am asking for is my hard earned salaries,” he lamented <strong>.</strong><br />

“When I was fired, Ola Mafo promised to compensate me for relieving 
me of my job and I told him then that all I needed was my January and 
February salaries, but till date I have not received a dime from them.<br />

“I am the bread winner of my family and need to feed them and also 
cater for my children’s school fees. I have forgiven them for trying to 
soil my reputation over an offence I knew nothing about, but all I 
pleading for is my unsettled dues.<br />

“Now that I have not gotten another coaching offer, will I feed on 
grass? I’ve tried all within my reach to but up till today the story is 
still the same,” he concluded.<br />

Abia Warriors’ gaffer and interim Super Eagles’ assistant coach 
Kennedy Boboye also disclosed that Sunshine Stars are yet to pay 
his remunerations since his resignation from the club in November 2015

Sunshine Stars treated me like a leper – Samson Unuanel

Sun shine Stars treated me like a leper – Samson Unuanel The tactician has expressed his disenchantment over the Owena Waves’ inabil...

How AGF cleared me of bribery – CCT chair

Israel A. 0 03:51

<header class="td-post-title">
<h1 class="entry-title">
<span style="color: #0b5394;">How AGF cleared me of bribery – CCT chair</span></h1>
</header>

<div class="td-post-featured-image">
<figure></figure></div>
<br /><div style="text-align: justify;">
The Chairman of the Code of Conduct 
Tribunal, Danladi Umar on Wednesday said, contrary to the claim by the 
Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, the Attorney-General, the 
Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, had cleared him
 of the alleged bribery levelled against him.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Umar said this in response to Saraki’s 
lawyer, Mr. Ajibola Oluyede, while arguing the Senate President’s motion
 asking the tribunal chairman to disqualify himself from further 
presiding over the trial.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Oluyed anchored the motion on the 
grounds that there would be a likehood of bias in Umar’s handling of the
 trial because he remained under investigation by the Economic and 
Financial Crimes Commission for bribery.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Oluyede said the tribunal chairman would
 be subject to the control of the EFCC since the anti-graft agency was 
the body that allegedly brought Saraki before Umar for trial.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a class="td-modal-image" data-caption="CCT Chairman, Danladi Umar" href="http://d1phczbdxyh8yo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/06221031/CCT-Chairman-Danladi-Umar.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="entry-thumb td-animation-stack-type0-1" height="264" src="http://d1phczbdxyh8yo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/06221031/CCT-Chairman-Danladi-Umar.jpg" title="CCT Chairman, Danladi Umar" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Umar, however, said he had been cleared of the allegation by both the EFCC and the AGF.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He recalled that upon a petition filed 
against him before the House of Representatives over the bribery 
allegation, the AGF (Malami) appeared before a committee of the House 
and told the members of the committee that he (Umar) had been cleared.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Umar said, “A group called 
Anti-Corruption Network wrote a petition against me at the House of 
Representatives. The House committee invited me and I went there three 
times but the petitioner did not come. I told the committee that what I 
think should be done and I said if it were to be court, when the person 
who filed a case refuse to come, the court will strike it out. But the 
chairman said, let’s give them another time.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Why did he not strike it out and decided to continue to wait for the petitioner?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“I went there just because of the 
respect I have for the institution. I am a law abiding citizen, that is 
why I went there three times abandoning all my works here.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“They invited the AGF. The AGF went with
 a copy of the letter of the EFCC and he said by virtue of that letter, 
nobody could compel him to prosecute me on the basis of that the letter 
stated that the allegation was based on mere suspicion.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“On the basis of that, he said he will 
not prosecute me. As the chief law officer, he decides who to prosecute 
and to stop to prosecute anybody.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Federal Government is prosecuting 
Saraki before the CCT on 13 counts, including allegations of false asset
 declaration, which he allegedly made while being Kwara State Governor 
between 2003 and 2011.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Oluyede maintained while arguing his 
motion on Wednesday that the June 24, 2014 letter by the then EFCC 
chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde and which was addressed to the then AGF, 
Bello Adoke, did not exonerate him of the bribery allegation.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He added that the then AGF had minuted 
on the letter asking the EFCC to proceed to prosecute the tribunal 
chairman and the other suspects.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Oluyede maintained that the other report of investigation issued in March 2015 did not also clear the tribunal chairman.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He said it would require the AGF office 
to issue another letter overriding the earlier directive to the EFCC to 
go ahead with the prosecution of Umar and his co-suspect, before the 
tribunal chairman could be said to have been cleared.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He insisted that in as much as there was
 no fresh letter by the AGF expressly stating that Umar had been cleared
 of the allegation, “the legitimacy of the proceedings (Saraki’s trial) 
is in question.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The lead defence counsel, Chief Kanu 
Agabi (SAN), excused himself from the proceedings shortly before Oluyede
 moved the application on Wednesday.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Agabi, who though admitted that he only 
became aware of the application after Oluyede had filed it, said he had 
no problem with the motion being moved on behalf of the defence team.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Referring to the altercation that 
happened between the tribunal chairman and Oluyede during the previous 
proceedings, Agabi sued for peace among the parties to the case and 
between the parties and the tribunal.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He took his leave after advocating peace.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But Oluyede who picked up the microphone
 as soon as the lead defence counsel left, said in his opening argument 
on the motion that it was  Agabi who advised the Senate President to 
file the application.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He said, “Paragraph 15 of the further 
affidavit confirms that it was, in fact the lead counsel, Mr. Agabi, 
that advised the defendant to bring this application before the tribunal
 in the interest of justice.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“The submission of counsel, no matter 
how esteem that counsel is, does not and is not allowed to be considered
 as constituting evidence.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Even if it was true that the lead 
counsel was not aware or did not even consent or approve it for reasons 
of conflict, it is immaterial because any counsel that is briefed by a 
party to a proceeding is entitled to act in accordance to the 
instruction of his client.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But the lawyer prosecuting Saraki on 
behalf of the Federal Government, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), said the 
investigation of the bribery scam had been concluded by the EFCC and 
that the culpable person had been charged to court.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
While opposing the motion, he described as absurd the prayer asking Umar to disqualify himself from the trial.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He said it was absurd that Saraki who 
was already charged with criminal offence insisted on remaining a 
senator and asked to be allowed to keep performing the duties of the 
Senate President while asking the tribunal chairman who was merely 
investigated and exonerated to disqualify himself from performing his 
constitutional duties.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Jacobs said, “The defendant (Saraki) who
 has been charged to court is still performing his statutory duty as a 
senator till today, but he is saying that the constitution guarantees 
him presumption of innocence. He is saying that he remains a senator; he
 is saying that he will continue to be Senate President and he will 
continue to perform his duties.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“But he is saying that your lordship who
 was merely investigated should not be allowed to enjoy the presumption 
of innocence and that your lordship should not be allowed to continue to
 perform his duties.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Your lordship has not been charged 
before any court, no charge has been filed against your lordship. That 
is the absurdity in their motion.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“This application is only filed to achieve only one purpose, to embarrass the tribunal.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He said the motion was filed to malign 
the tribunal chairman, adding that the investigation of the bribery 
allegation had been concluded and the person found to be culpable had 
since last year been charged to court by the EFCC.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He said, “If investigation has been 
concluded and someone is already facing trial, will the defendant be 
right to say that the tribunal chairman is involved in an ongoing 
investigation? He cannot be right.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“The investigation has been concluded 
since March 2015. This is stated in our counter-affidavit which was 
never challenged. That is what led to the charge he referred to. The 
person on trial is the only one recommend for prosecution.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“The letter did not recommend your 
lordship for prosecution. That is not what the letter says. The letter 
clearly stated with overwhelming evidence the person to be prosecuted. 
We should fear God, we are counsel.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Jacobs said, contrary to the claim by 
Saraki, the EFCC was not a party to the case but that it was the 
Attorney-General of the Federation that issued him the fiat to prosecute
 the defendant.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He insisted that the case was filed through the Code of Conduct Bureau and not the EFCC as speculated by Oluyede.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He said by virtue of section 349(7), of 
Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, the Oluyede could not have 
validly filed the motion without any allusion to the lead defence 
counsel, Kanu Agabi, who was still representing the defendant in the 
case.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He reminded the tribunal that the issue 
of who filed the charges against Saraki, had been argued by Agabi in a 
motion challenging the tribunal.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He said the issue had become part of the
 subjects of appeal filed by Agabi against the tribunal’s ruling and 
urged the judge not to make findings on it in order not to run foul of 
usurping the duties of the appeal court.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The two-man panel of the tribunal led by
 Umar fixed Thursday for its ruling on the motion after entertaining the
 arguments for and against it on Wednesday.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The cross-examination of the 
prosecution’s first witness, Mr. Michael Wetkas, by the defence team was
 to continue on Wednesday, but it was suspended to enable the tribunal 
to first hear the application asking its chairman to disqualify himself.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If the tribunal rules against Saraki on 
Thursday, the defence will continue the cross-examination of the 
witness, but a ruling in favour of the Senate President may bring the 
trial to a halt.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Earlier in the proceedings on Wednesday,
 Umar ordered the security details that accompanied Saraki to the 
proceedings bearing rifles to go out of the court room for “the safety 
of everybody.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<em>.</em></div>

How AGF cleared me of bribery – CCT chair

How AGF cleared me of bribery – CCT chair The Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Danladi Umar on Wednesday said, con...

NLC demands N56,000 minimum wage from FG

Israel A. 0 03:47

<header class="td-post-title">
<h1 class="entry-title">
<span style="color: #0b5394;">NLC demands N56,000 minimum wage from FG</span></h1>
</header>

<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Nigeria Labour Congress has proposed a new minimum wage of N56,000 to the Federal Government.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The President of the NLC, Mr. Ayuba 
Wabba, said this while speaking with journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, 
 said that the labour body made the formal proposal to the Federal 
Government on Tuesday.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Wabba said that while it was a fact that
 the economy was in a bad shape, the law made it clear that a review of 
the minimum wage was overdue.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a class="td-modal-image" data-caption="President of the NLC, Mr. Ayuba Wabba" href="http://d1phczbdxyh8yo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/28012302/Ayuba-Wabba-new.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="entry-thumb td-animation-stack-type0-1" height="213" src="http://d1phczbdxyh8yo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/28012302/Ayuba-Wabba-new.jpg" title="Ayuba Wabba new" width="320" /></a>He also said that the economy would not be down for ever.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The NLC president said that the Nigerian
 worker had not fared well in the last one year and would not continue 
to lament the situation.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“On the issue of the minimum wage, I can
 say authoritatively that as of yesterday (Tuesday), we have made a 
formal demand of N56,000 minimum wage to government.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“That demand has been submitted 
officially to the Federal Government and we hope that the tripartite 
system will look at the review mechanism that will be put in place. Our 
argument is that, yes, it is true that the economy is not doing well but
 the law is also clear that this issue must be looked into and workers 
should not be seen to be sleeping on their rights.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“These are processes, but when we come 
to the roundtable, we can then see the best way out. But I think it is 
obvious that since it is a product of law, it is usually required that 
the tripartite process be put in place so that together we can look at 
the issues.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“It is obvious that workers have not 
fared well in the last one year, but we will not continue to lament. 
What we try to do is to work out a process of engagement on how those 
issues can be addressed.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
When asked if the N56,000 minimum wage 
was reasonable in view of the inability of various employers to pay even
 the N18,000 minimum wage, he explained that the minimum wage was 
designed to ensure that workers were not made to earn below what should 
sustain them.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He stressed that the government was expected to make it a matter of policy to review the minimum wage every five years.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He argued that the current minimum wage 
of N18,000 was negotiated when the naira was exchanging N100 to $1, 
stressing that the economic situation had drastically affected the 
purchasing power of the worker.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Wabba said that the Federal Government 
must take the issue of the minimum wage seriously if the issue of 
corruption was to be addressed effectively.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He said that it would be difficult to fight corruption without taking care of the workers.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“The issue of minimum wage is not 
essentially for now, it’s an issue we must take on board, if we want to 
address the issue of corruption. Without taking proper care of the 
worker, it is very difficult. That is why I said it’s a process and we 
are going to dialogue around that process. That is why collective 
bargaining is important,” he added.</div>

NLC demands N56,000 minimum wage from FG

NLC demands N56,000 minimum wage from FG The Nigeria Labour Congress has proposed a new minimum wage of N56,000 to the Federal...

EFCC arrests Fidelity Bank MD for receiving Diezani’s $115m

Israel A. 0 03:44

<header class="td-post-title">
<h1 class="entry-title">
<span style="color: #0b5394;">EFCC arrests Fidelity Bank MD for receiving Diezani’s $115m</span></h1>
</header>

<div class="td-post-featured-image">
<a class="td-modal-image" data-caption="Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Fidelity Bank Plc, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo" href="http://d1phczbdxyh8yo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/28004901/Nnamdi-Okonkwo.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="entry-thumb td-animation-stack-type0-1" height="223" src="http://d1phczbdxyh8yo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/28004901/Nnamdi-Okonkwo.jpg" title="Nnamdi Okonkwo" width="320" /></a><figure></figure></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<em><strong><br /></strong></em></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Economic and Financial Crimes 
Commission has arrested the Managing Director and Chief Executive 
Officer of Fidelity Bank Plc, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo, and some officials for
 allegedly receiving $115m from a former Minister of Petroleum 
Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The EFCC also arrested the bank’s Head 
of Operations, Mr. Martins Izuogbe, for his role in the alleged scam, 
which the anti-graft agency described as unprecedented.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A reliable source in the commission on 
Wednesday told our correspondent on condition of anonymity that during 
the build-up to the 2015 presidential election, Diezani invited Okonkwo 
to help her handle some cash, which would be disbursed to electoral 
officials and groups.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The source disclosed that the fraud was 
uncovered when the EFCC began investigations into how officials of the 
Independent National Electoral Commission in Rivers, Delta and Akwa Ibom
 states received N675.1m.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The detective said, “The MD of Fidelity 
Bank has been arrested and is currently in our custody. During 
investigations into the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioners, we got a 
major breakthrough as funds disbursed were traced to Fidelity Bank.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“We invited the MD, who then confessed 
to us that during the build-up to the presidential election, Diezani 
invited him to a meeting in Abuja. Diezani told him that some companies 
would deposit some funds in his bank and that she would give him further
 instructions on how the funds would be disbursed.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“The first company, Auctus Integrated, 
deposited $17,884,000 into the bank. The second company, Northern Belt 
Gas Company, deposited $60m while another company, Midwestern Oil and 
Gas, deposited $9.5m. A fourth company, Leno Laitan Adesanya, deposited 
$1.85m while the MD himself received $26m in cash.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The source alleged that Diezani’s son, 
Ugonna Madueke, later served as a middleman between the former minister 
and the MD of the bank.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He said it was Diezani’s son who 
forwarded the names of the beneficiaries of the funds, which included 
INEC officials and several interest groups as well as election monitors,
 who were expected to compromise the electoral process.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He said, “The MD said it was Diezani’s 
son that sent him a list of beneficiaries which included several INEC 
officials and election monitors across the 36 states. Diezani 
specifically instructed that the funds be disbursed at least a day or 
two before the elections. The total amount of money was $115m and 
Diezani told the bank to convert the funds into naira, which was about 
N23.3bn at the time.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“However, the suspects told us that the 
volume of money was too big and they had problems converting the funds. 
So, Diezani told the bank MD to use the bank’s funds and hold on to the 
dollars as collateral and that after elections, the bank could use the 
dollars to replace the bank funds.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The source stated that Diezani did not 
operate any account with the bank and wondered why Okonkwo would allow 
himself to be used in such a manner.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“He may be charged with conspiracy once we are done with investigations,” They said.<em>It  </em>had reported that a wristwatch worth £600,000 was seized from Diezani during a raid on one of her houses.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The ex-minister, who is currently 
battling cancer, was last year arrested by the National Crimes Agency in
 the United Kingdom for sundry allegations.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Under her watch as one of former 
President Goodluck Jonathan’s most powerful ministers, dubious oil 
marketers stole trillions of naira of oil subsidy money.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The then Governor of Central Bank of 
Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi (now the Emir of Kano), alleged that $20bn
 was missing from the account of the Nigerian National Petroleum 
Corporation, an allegation which led to his suspension and replacement.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
She had, however, denied all allegations
 of corruption levelled against her. The family lawyer, Oscar Onwudiwe, 
who had, in a statement, denied allegations against the former minister,
 said, “The Madueke family, like most other families, has its own 
challenges. For instance, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke has been receiving
 treatment for cancer in the UK.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
All attempts to speak with the 
spokesperson for Fidelity Bank, Mr. Ejike Ndiulo, proved abortive as his
 telephone indicated that it was switched off.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
However, a senior official of the bank, 
who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said the 
bank would issue a statement on Thursday (today).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“We don’t have all the facts of the case yet. However, we will issue a statement on the matter on Thursday,” he said.</div>

EFCC arrests Fidelity Bank MD for receiving Diezani’s $115m

EFCC arrests Fidelity Bank MD for receiving Diezani’s $115m The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested the...

Omeruo: I am fully fit & want to play for Nigeria

Israel A. 0 03:37

<div class="leading">
 </div>
<h1 itemprop="headline">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span>Omeruo: I am fully fit & want to play for Nigeria</span></span></h1>
<div class="leading">
</div>
<div class="module module-ad fresh8-inline-leaderboar">
 </div>
<b>Kenneth Omeruo</b> has revealed he is fit and ready to play for<b> Nigeria</b> 
in next month’s international friendlies against<b> Mali</b> and <b>Luxembourg</b>.<br />

<a href="http://static.goal.com/439900/439945_heroa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Omeruo fit for Eagles' friendlies " border="0" class="article-image" height="221" itemprop="image" src="http://static.goal.com/439900/439945_heroa.jpg" width="320" /></a>After failing to make the<b> Super Eagles’</b> squad for last month’s <b>Africa
 Cup of Nations </b>qualifiers against <b>Egypt</b> owing to groin worries, the <b>
Kasimpasa </b>player ruled himself out of the Rio Olympics due to medics’ 
recommendation.<br />

However, <b>Omeruo</b>, speaking after his name was included in the 26-man squad to face <em><b>Les Aiglons</b></em> and <b>Red Lions</b>, he expressed his eagerness to play his part in the friendlies.<br />

"I am happy that I have been called up for the friendly games against
<b> Mali</b> and<b> Luxembourg</b>,”<b> Omeruo</b> told <b>Eagles</b>’ media officer, <b>Toyin Ibitoye</b>.<br />

“I’m looking forward to putting on the green and white of <b>Nigeria </b>again and giving my 100% to the team.<br /> <br />
 "There is no truth in the reports that I am currently sidelined by 
groin injury. I am very fit and hope to stay this way for my club and 
country.<br /> <br /> "I regret my inability to be part of the<b> Olympic</b> team 
but as a professional player one has to be guided by the recommendations
 of experts.<br /> <br /> "My doctors advised that it is best I have a good 
rest during the off season and they felt participating at the <b>Olympics</b> 
won't guarantee that so I had to pull out.<br /> <br /> "In my absence, I 
believe in the abilities of the national <b>U23</b> team coaches and the 
players to do the nation proud in <b>Rio</b>,” he concluded.

Omeruo: I am fully fit & want to play for Nigeria

Omeruo: I am fully fit & want to play for Nigeria Kenneth Omeruo has revealed he is fit and ready to play for Nigeri...

Governors’ meeting on economic crisis inconclusive again

Israel A. 0 03:22

<header class="td-post-title">
<h1 class="entry-title">
<span style="color: #0b5394;">Governors’ meeting on economic crisis inconclusive again</span></h1>
</header>

A meeting of state governors held Wednesday night to address the nation’s economic crisis was again inconclusive.<br />

That was the second time in a week that the Nigeria Governors Forum 
could not reach a conclusion on the crisis which has led to the 
inability of many state governments to pay salaries.<br />

The forum’s Chairman, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari, told State House 
correspondents at the end of the meeting held inside the old Banquet 
Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja that no conclusion had been 
reached on the matter.<br />

<a class="td-modal-image" data-caption="The Chairman of the NGF, Alhaji Abdulazeez Yari of Zamfara State" href="http://d1phczbdxyh8yo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/21093830/Yari.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="entry-thumb td-animation-stack-type0-1" height="230" src="http://d1phczbdxyh8yo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/21093830/Yari.jpg" title="Yari" width="320" /></a>Yari who is the governor of Zamfara State said the governors would 
meet again to continue deliberation and would also seek an audience with
 President Muhammadu Buhari on the matter.<br />

He said, “The meeting was about the economy. You know we are in a 
very bad situation and we need to come together and discuss intensively 
about this economy because it is what is now giving the states headache 
and by extension the Federal Government.<br />

“If you look carefully at this month’s federation account, it is the worst ever in the last six years.<br />

“So, definitely we had to come to a round table. We were elected 
under different party platforms to perform, not just to pay salaries and
 it is worse off not to be able to pay salaries.<br />

“So, the issue is very very serious that we are coming back to 
discuss it and if we have the opportunity, we will come back to see our 
leader Mr. President.”<br />

When reminded that the Federal Government recently helped state 
governments with bailouts, Yari said beyond bailouts, the governors were
 more interested in permanent solutions to the economic problem.<br />

He said although the governors were talking about diversification, that is a long term programme.<br />

The governor said, “Yes, we are discussing about diversification but 
you should understand that it is a long term programme. We are looking 
for a short term formula for you to live, at least survive before the 
long term.<br />

“So on diversification, we are looking at agriculture, which is 
supposed to be the major focus long time ago but has been neglected by 
the past administrations.<br />

“Now that we found ourselves in this situation, we are working harder
 to diversify the economy and to look forward to a more permanent 
solution should in case oil goes out of existence but at the same time 
we have to look for a short term solution.”<br />

Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, also confirmed that the meeting
 was about finding a lasting solution to the economic crisis, saying all
 of them were concerned about the dwindling economy.<br />

Fayose said as leaders, the state governors believed they must come together to find a solution.<br />

He however disagreed with Yari that past administrations neglected agriculture.<br />

He said, “That is subjective. Every leader at one time or the other must have done their best within the ambit of availability.<br />

“For me, every former President, every former leader had made their 
contributions and I commend them. The new people on the saddle of 
leadership must continue to give their best.<br />

“Before now, recession was in America and the west, now we have 
recession facing us. What we depend on as source of our revenue is 
dwindling. It is not the making of any man, it i another trend in our 
history that we have to deal with and we are doing just that.<br />

“We will do our best we can only try our best, we have time and tenure.”<br />

Also, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Emmanuel Udom, said there was no one 
single meeting that could find a solution to all the economic issues.<br />

He said, “You convene and reconvene. No human being can know it all at a particular point in time.<br />

“The economic issues we have now is not only pertaining to Nigeria, 
it is a global issue, so you can’t just at one meeting of about two 
hours fashion out entire solution for the country.<br />

“We trouble shoot some points, we discuss those points and we have to
 weigh the impact of those points both the positive negative, the 
extreme, the mid-point.<br />

“And you know once you are bringing out certain policies, you also 
need to align those policies with the social cultural environment that 
you are operating in.<br />

“What may work in this part of the world may not work in other parts 
even though it is a good policy. So realign and readjust and connect 
these things together and bring out something that can work is not 
something a two-hour meeting can achieve.”<br />
<div style="left: -99999px; position: absolute;">
Saraki files fresh 
application to disqualify CCT chairman
On April 28, 201610:16 amIn NewsComments 
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By Chris Ochayi, with agency reports

ABUJA — The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has filed another 
application to disqualify Danladi Umar, the chairman of the Code of 
Conduct Tribunal, from continuing to preside over his trial.
Bukola and Saraki Danladi Umar
Bukola and Saraki Danladi Umar

Danladi Umar, chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, however, 
ordered security operatives attached to Saraki to leave the courtroom, 
even as the tribunal warned against posting clips of its proceeding on 
social media.

Ajibola Oluyede, a counsel to Saraki, who is being tried for alleged 
false and anticipatory assets declaration, filed the application shortly
 after the trial resumed yesterday.

He said the tribunal chairman still had a serious corruption case 
against him with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and
 premised his application on Section 36(1) of the constitution, which 
addressed the issue of biases and the rules of natural justice.

Oluyede had unsuccessfully moved a similar application last week, which 
resulted in a heated exchange between him and Umar.

After reading his motion, Oluyede called the attention of the court to a
 letter written to the Attorney-General by the EFCC chairman in February
 2015, which was part of his exhibits against Umar.

Oluyede read out paragraph four of the letter: “There are indications 
that the tribunal chairman might have demanded and collected money from 
the complainant through his said personal assistant.

“However, efforts made to recover the telephone handset used by Justice 
Umar proved abortive, as he claimed that he had lost the telephone in 
2012.

“This has made it impossible to subject it to independent scientific 
analysis, with a view to corroborating the allegation. In the same vein,
 the complainant could also not make available his telephone set for 
analysis on the grounds that he had lost it.

“Justice Umar also admitted that he met privately with the complainant 
in his chamber at the tribunal. This is a most unethical and highly 
suspicious conduct on his part.”

Justice Umar had initially declined to entertain the motion, but 
prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, urged him to admit the application 
so that it can be argued.

The letter cited is a 2014 petition sent to the EFCC, in which Rasheed 
Taiwo, a retired Customs official, claimed to have been pressured by Mr.
 Umar for a N10 million bribe.

The EFCC has repeatedly said  it had no evidence to prosecute Umar over 
the matter.

Umar orders Saraki’s security out of  tribunal

As proceedings continued, chairman of the tribunal ordered security 
operatives attached to Saraki to leave the courtroom.

He gave the order shortly after counsel to the prosecution, Rotimi 
Jacobs (SAN), and counsel for the defence, Kanu Agabi, announced their 
appearances.

The CCT judge said his order was for the safety of all those present at 
the tribunal. “We have observed that some armed security agents are at 
the tribunal. We want such security men to stay outside. They should 
stay outside of the court hall not inside. It is for the protection of 
us here,” he said.

Umar also warned against the recording of proceedings of the tribunal, 
adding that he was ready to make the trial open to all Nigerians, if 
parties to the case filed an application for it to broadcast.

Nobody’ ll assassinate you, Agabi tells Umar

Speaking afterwards, Agabi, Saraki’s lead counsel, urged the judge not 
to nurse fears because nobody would assassinate him.

He said:  “My prayer is for peace and understanding. By God’s grace, you
 are in that post to be instrumental. I believe harmony and love will 
prevail. That is why I always urge you not to be angry because anger is 
not of God, but of the devil.

“Generations to come will adore you if you are humble and humane. Nobody
 will assassinate you, but you should be an advocate for peace.”

19 political parties  ask Umar to step down

Meanwhile, the leadership of 19 political registered parties, yesterday,
 called on the chairman of  the tribunal to step down from the ongoing 
trial of the Senate President, arguing that recent events indicated that
 he was an interested party in the matter.

Annoyed by what they described as witch-hunt, the parties noted that 
Justice Umar would not be impartial or unbiased in this case, given the 
circumstances of his relationship with the EFCC.

Besides, the parties also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to direct
 an immediate investigation to unravel the circumstances which led to 
the EFFC issuing the letter of clearance to Justice Umar over his 
alleged involvement in N10 million bribery scandal.

Addressing newsmen in Abuja, National Chairman of Labour Party, LP, 
Alhaji Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, who read the text of the media briefing on
 behalf of the parties, said Justice Umar had failed to demonstrate a 
dispassion required of anyone sitting in judgment over others.

The political parties are Labour Party, LP; Action Alliance, AA; 
National Conscience Party, NCP; Democratic Peoples Party, DPP; African 
Democratic Congress, ADC; Democratic Party of Nigeria, DPN, and MPPP, 
among others.

The parties noted:   “We believe his continued stay on the bench while 
this defendant is appearing before the tribunal supports the conspiracy 
theory that there is an agenda to convict Dr. Saraki by all means.”

The political parties which said they were not against the trail of the 
Senate President, added, however, that, “President Buhari needs to act 
now, not to stop Saraki’s trial but to ensure that the process of 
fighting corruption does not end up being even more corrupt than the 
corruption it seeks to eliminate.”<br /><br /> Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/saraki-files-fresh-application-disqualify-cct-chairman/</div>

Governors’ meeting on economic crisis inconclusive again

Governors’ meeting on economic crisis inconclusive again A meeting of state governors held Wednesday night to address the n...

Attacks may assume B’Haram dimension, says Army chief

Israel A. 0 03:19

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<span style="color: #0b5394;">Attacks may assume B’Haram dimension, says Army chief</span></h1>
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<time class="entry-date updated td-module-date" datetime="2016-04-28T10:30:13+00:00"><br /></time></div>
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<a class="td-modal-image" data-caption="Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Olonishakin" href="http://d1phczbdxyh8yo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/28103018/Olonisakin.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="entry-thumb td-animation-stack-type0-1" height="222" src="http://d1phczbdxyh8yo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/28103018/Olonisakin.jpg" title="Olonisakin" width="320" /></a><figure></figure></div>
The Head, Defence Headquarters Committee on Persistent Clashes 
between Herdsmen and Farmers, Maj. Gen. Edward Nze, has said attacks on 
some communities could assume the menace of the Boko Haram dimension if 
not checked.<br />

Nze, who paid a courtesy call on the acting Governor of Benue State, 
Benson Abounu, at the Benue Peoples House on Wednesday, told journalists
 in an interview that the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi 
Olonishakin, was worried that the clashes between herdsmen and farmers 
were beginning to threaten national security.<br />

He said the committee had visited Nasarawa State, adding that it 
would proceed to Enugu State after the assessment of the situation in 
Benue State.<br />

Nze told the acting governor that the committee would visit the 
ravaged communities of Agatu, Kwande and Logo to assess the level of 
attacks and the destruction in the areas.<br />

Abounu told the committee’s boss that the atrocities committed by 
herdsmen and the dimension of the damage caused in Agatu and other 
communities in the state could not be said to have been perpetrated by 
the ordinary Fulani herdsmen, calling on the authorities for more 
investigation.<br />

“In Agatu LGA, more than six large communities were razed down and 
taken over by the herdsmen; we believe this is beyond some group of 
people seeking grazing land,” he noted.<br />

While emphasising that Nigeria was battling with a national problem, 
Abounu added that if no firm action was taken, the herdsmen menace would
 soon pose problems similar in nature to the Boko Haram insurgency.<br />

“We know that the constitution guarantees freedom of movement, it 
does not warrant burning of houses, killing and taking over the people’s
 land.<br />

“As we speak, same devastation has taken place in Tarka, Kwande, Logo
 and Buruku local government areas of the state. They kill in a most 
brutal manner. They are in black uniform, with AK 47 rifles. They are 
well trained; we believe they are from beyond Nigeria,” the deputy 
governor said.<br />

In a similar vein, the Chairman of the South-South zone of the 
Christians Council of Nigeria, Bishop Tunde Adeleye, on Wednesday, said 
the continued silence of Buhari on the increasing attacks by Fulani 
herdsmen in several parts of the country had become worrisome and could 
be misconstrued.<br />

Adeleye, who is also the Bishop of the Anglican Communion, Calabar 
Diocese, warned that if necessary steps were not taken to address the 
violent attacks, there might be reprisals that might take ethnic 
colouration.<br />

He said this in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, during a chat with newsmen.<br />

The Anglican cleric added, “The continued silence of Mr. President on
 this violence and deadly attacks by Fulani herdsmen could be seen as if
 he is supporting his tribesmen. He needs to speak now to calm frayed 
nerves in the country.<br />

“The Fulani herdsmen are now everywhere in the country, not only with
 their cows, but with sophisticated arms. Where or how did they come 
about such weapons without the knowledge of the security agencies?<br />

“If action is not taken now, Boko Haram would be a child’s play. 
Herdsmen issue is like a time-bomb. They have become a big risk. They 
move unhindered and are making other Nigerians vulnerable.”<br />

While noting that various Christian groups were praying to God to 
avert reprisals, Adeleye cautioned the herdsmen to have respect for 
human lives.<br />
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Saraki files fresh 
application to disqualify CCT chairman
On April 28, 201610:16 amIn NewsComments 
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