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Soldiers raid Nnamdi Kanu’s home again

Kingsley OBIEJESI
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Soldiers raid Nnamdi Kanu’s home again

The Nigerian Army conducted another raid on the home of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in Afaraukwu, Umuahia, the Abia State Capital, on Sunday.

Emmanuel Kanu, younger brother to Nnamdi Kanu made this known to the media on Monday, saying that the soldiers said they were searching for ‘technical items.’

According to him, the soldiers carted away some items from the house including television sets, generator and clothes.

The younger Kanu appealed to the Federal Government and the international community to direct the army to stop harassing his family.

He also asked the army to let the world know where they have taken his brother to.

Confirming the development, a military personnel who refused to give his name said it was a joint operation between the army and other security agencies.

The unnamed army official who is also the desk officer of the Operation Python Dance in Abia State said the raid was informed by a recent intelligence report which suggested that arms were hidden in the compound.

He however refuted the claims by Kanu’s brother that television sets and generators were removed from the house by soldiers.

“The things removed may be technical items…Somebody was arrested with weapon in the compound,” he said.

Soldiers first invaded Kanu’s residence on September 10, following the declaration of the IPOB as terrorist group by the defence headquarters. Kanu’s whereabouts has remained unknown ever since.

However, John Eneche, Director of Defence Information, denied that soldiers ever raided Kanu’s home.

“I saw everything, nobody raided Kanu’s house. I stand to justify it not from the information I got. I was watching it live. I was monitoring it live,” Enenche said.

Husband, wife, eight others killed by gunmen in Port Harcourt

Kingsley OBIEJESI
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Husband, wife, eight others killed by gunmen in Port Harcourt

10 persons, including a couple, were killed in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital on Monday by unknown gunmen.

According to Channels Television, the incident took place at about 4 am at the Mgbosimiri and AGIP axis of the city.

Residents of the areas were reported to have scampered for safety while the attack lasted.

Nnamdi Omoni, the Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State Police Command, confirmed the incident, adding that the motive for the attack is not known yet.

He however said that the police is doing everything in their power to get to the root of the matter.

Port Harcourt has been a volatile city over the years despite efforts by the State Government and the Security Agencies to maintain peace and order.

Nyesom Wike, Governor of Rivers State, had in the past accused the Police as being behind most of the crimes being committed in the State.

Wike said that instead of fighting crime dispassionately, the police was still playing politics with the lives of Rivers people.

Shiite Muslim group alleges soldiers shot man at point blank range in Zaria

Kingsley OBIEJESI
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Shiite Muslim group alleges soldiers shot man at point blank range in Zaria

The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), also known as Shiite Muslims, says some soldiers shot and killed an unknown man on a property belonging to the group on Sunday evening.

According to a statement issued by Ibrahim Musa, President of the IMN media forum, the incident took place at Darur Rahma, a cemetery belonging to the IMN in the outskirts of Zaria.

“Some soldiers went and shot point blank an unknown person, killing him instantly after tying his hands from behind. They went away leaving behind the corpse,” the statement read.

“Witnesses including villagers and members of the Movement guarding the cemetery, who saw the horrific scene scampered for safety as the soldiers opened fire at the man in cold blood.

“It is not clear who the person is or what he did to them. Even much more unclear is why they chose to perform this gruesome murder in our property.”

Musa said the army may have carried out the horrendous act in order to blackmail the IMN with whom it has been having a running battle for some years now.

“We feel obliged to inform the public knowing fully well the mischief of the Nigerian Army in trying to paint the Islamic Movement black in the eyes of the public especially in the last few days that they seem to redouble their efforts at soiling our name at all costs,” Musa said.

A picture of the victim was attached to the statement issued by Musa but it cannot be published because of its graphic nature.

The Shiite Muslim group have been declared an unlawful organisation by Nasir El-Rufai, the Governor of Kaduna State following several clashes between the group and security agencies.

In December 2015, a clash between the IMN and soldiers led to the death of over 300 members of the group while one soldier lost his life.

Following the incident, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, Leader of the group, was arrested alongside his wife. He has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) without trial since then.

In December 2016, the Federal High Court Abuja gave a judgement directing the Federal Government to release Zakzaky and pay him N50 million in damages.

The Judgement has since been appealed by the federal government.

Paul Le Guen, Gernot Rohr and World Cup qualification without the calculator

'Fisayo Soyombo
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Paul Le Guen, Gernot Rohr and World Cup qualification without the calculator

At the blast of the referee’s final whistle on Saturday, some half-a-dozen Super Eagles players were spotted locked in an embrace with Gernot Rohr, their coach. Afterwards, they grabbed the fragile German, threw him up, and caught him mid-air. Over and over they repeated the process to the adulation of fans at the packed Godswil Akpabio Stadium in Uyo. Everyone in or connected to Nigeria’s football fraternity was delirious, save one man — that man who could have been falling mid-air into the waiting arms of Captain Mikel Obi and co. Paul Le Guen!

HE WHO LAUGHS LAST LAUGHS BEST

In July 2016, Le Guen was offered the Super Eagles job — following the unceremonious exit of Sunday Oliseh, who lasted a little more than six months in the role. Without doing its home work well, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) rushed to announce Le Guen as the new Technical Adviser of the Super Eagles. The Frenchman would astonishingly reject the offer; and to save face, the NFF embarrassingly claimed that its Technical and Development Committee merely “recommended” — not appointed — him. Le Guen didn’t want to live in Nigeria, and he didn’t want to be given the specific target of qualifying for Russia. But all these matter no more! Gernot Rohr accepted the job, accepted the target and in fact added thereafter: “I’m not afraid of failure; if I fail, I pack my bags and I go back to my country.”

Talking about contrasting fortunes, while a Rohr-managed Nigeria is heading to Russia, Le Guen finds himself managing a Turkish Super Liga side only five points adrift of the relegation zone in one of Europe’s football backwaters. A current 10th position for Le Guen’s Bursaspor looks not that worrisome on the surface; but in an 18-team league, that’s a placing only better than that of five non-relegation candidates. And to put it in grim context, six of the nine teams ahead of Bursaspor are Kayerispor, Göztepe S.K., İstanbul Başakşehir F.K., Akhisar Belediyespor, Alanyaspor, Trabzonspor — all lacking or deficient in pedigree outside the south-eastern European country. Hopefully, Amaju Pinnick, the NFF President, will be humble enough in victory by refusing the temptation to text Le Guen; and let’s hope, too, that Le Guen can return that favour by congratulating William Troost-Ekong, his Bursaspor defender who is definitely boarding Nigeria’s plane to Russia.

QUALIFYING WITHOUT A CALCULATOR

Enough of Le Guen; the Frenchman doesn’t even qualify as a footnote in Nigeria’s 2018 World Cup qualification story. The real story is that for the first time in at least two decades, the Super Eagles prosecuted a World Cup qualifying series without turning Nigerians to emergency mathematicians; not for a moment did we need our calculators.

During the France ’98 qualification series, it took only two rounds of matches for Nigerians to begin punching their calculators. Blessed with the core of the ’94 continental title-winning team, and placed in a group comprising lightweights Guinea, Kenya and Burkina Faso, Nigeria was expected to boss the group from start to the end. But after an opening-day victory over Burkina Faso courtesy of a Daniel ‘The Bull’ Amikachi brace, Nigeria laboured to a 1-1 draw with Kenya in Nairobi. Guinea, meanwhile, followed up a 3-1 victory over Kenya in Conakry with a 2-0 away spanking of Burkina Faso in Ouagadougou. With six points, two more than Nigeria’s, Guinea looked pretty comfortable atop the group. The Super Eagles’ next game was against the Guineans, so Nigerians grabbed a calculator: we would climb to seven points if we defeated Guinea; if we could win the next away match, beat Kenya at home and avoid defeat in Conakry on the last match day, we were France-bound. Thankfully, Amokachi netted another brace to down the Syli Nationale (National Elephants), and Nigerians dispensed with their calculators. We beat Guinea to the ticket in the end.

A similar scenario played out ahead of the Korea/Japan World Cup. After ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha and Benedict Akwuegbu helped Nigeria to a 2-0 victory over Sierra Leone on the opening day in Lagos, the Super Eagles fell 2-1 to Liberia in Monrovia. At the end of Matchday 3, Nigeria and Liberia were tied on six points. Liberia took solitary control of the group on Matchday 4, beating Sierra Leone by a lone goal while Nigeria could only hold Ghana to a scoreless draw in Accra. Liberia had nine points while Nigeria had seven. Both countries won their next round of matches: Liberia 12 points, Nigeria 10. Like in 1997, Nigeria only gained control of the group after playing Liberia in Lagos, the legendary Kanu Nwankwo and Hansa Rostock striker Victor Agali delivering the goals that nailed the Lone Stars.

Qualification for the 2006 World Cup was a photocopy of the previous two, but this time, we failed to beat the troublesome team when we faced them at home. We won the opening game as usual, courtesy of Obafemi Martins’ second-half brace. But we lost the second match away to Angola. After just two matches, Nigeria was trailing minnows Angola. It was pretty too early but Nigerians were already punching their calculators, because that year, the head-to-head rule took precedence over goals difference. Therefore, we needed to beat Angola by two clear goals on Matchday 8, which we didn’t do. Instead, Jay Jay’s goal was cancelled out by Paulo Figueiredo. Everything else we did — including a 5-1 home drubbing of Rwanda and a 5-2 away mauling of Algeria — counted for nothing. On the final day, our calculators told us we needed Rwanda, playing at home, to avoid defeat against Angola; a draw of any score would have sent Nigeria through. The game looked destined for a goalless draw until Fabrice Alcebiades Maieco, better known as Akwá, broke Nigerian hearts with a goal just 11 minutes from time. Despite mauling Zimbabwe in Abuja and tying with Angola on 21points, Nigeria was ruled out of the Germany 2006 World Cup by the head-to-head rule.

For the 2010 World Cup, Nigeria was behind from Matchday 1, drawing away with Mozambique while Tunisia defeated Kenya in Nairobi. From then on till Matchday 6, we punched calculators. On the final qualification day, we needed to beat Kenya away, and we also needed Mozambique to help us defeat Tunisia in Maputo. Ten minutes to the end of both matches, we were playing a 2-2 draw in Nairobi, while Mozambique and Tunisia were stalemated. If either match ended that way, the World Cup dream was over. After Martins scored nine minutes from time, most Nigerians stopped watching the match and tuned to Mozambique, because a draw in that other match would still have handed Tunisia the ticket. Dário Monteiro eventually scored for Mozambique — and Nigeria — to bring to a happy ending what was arguably Nigeria’s most hypertensive World Cup qualifying campaign ever.

CREDIT TO ROHR BUT MORE WORK NEEDED FOR WORLD CUP

Even in 2013, when we recorded two pretty straightforward victories over Ethiopia in the final round to qualify for the Brazil 2014 World Cup, there were problems in the penultimate group-phase round.

Therefore, credit must go to Rohr for the calmness and clear-headedness with which he has led the Eagles, blending the youth of the likes of Alex Iwobi, Moses Simon, and Kelechi Iheanacho with the experience of the Ogenyi Onazis, Mikel Obis and Ahmed Musas of this world, and ensuring his boys underrated no opponent.

But, as the German himself admitted after booking the Russia ticket, the work has only just begun. If Nigeria must break its World Cup second-round jinx, there are problems to be fixed. First, this team is in a shambles without Mikel and Moses, as we discovered when South Africa thrashed us in an AFCON qualifier in Uyo, in June; should either player sustain an injury before or suspension during the World Cup, we’re unlikely to even scale the group-phase hurdle.

For Mikel, especially, Rohr must find a replacement before Russia. No one should mention Mikel Agu; his place in the team is questionable. The midfield collapsed in Yaounde after he came on to replace the original Mikel; against Zambia, fouls were his only contributions.

Also, Nigeria needs a better striker. Odion Ighalo is inconsistent and wasteful; Kelechi Iheanacho often disappears in games, offering no more than a poacher’s finish when offered game time. Elderson Echiejile is solid at the back, but all his good defence work is undone by poor decision making and bad crossing when bombing forward.

Hope we haven’t forgotten that we still have an unresolved goalkeeping dilemma. Ikechukwu Ezenwa is grossly underconfident, evinced by how passionately he kisses the ball after every simple save; he surely can’t face a Lionel Messi or a Kylian Mbappe at the World Cup. Is Vincent Enyeama returning to the Eagles, as some NFF sources are suggesting? Will Carl Ikeme recover from cancer in time to be back in goal? The questions are far too numerous to be laid down in a single piece. But for now, thank you, Gernot Rohr, for keeping our calculators very far away from us for the entirety of this World Cup campaign!

Soyombo, Editor of the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), tweets @fisayosoyombo

Falana to Buhari: Resign now, you have neglected your duty as Petroleum Minister

YEKEEN Akinwale
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Falana to Buhari: Resign now, you have neglected your duty as Petroleum Minister

Femi Falana, lawyer and human rights activist, has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to resign as Minister of Petroleum Resources.

His advice came in the wake of a leaked memo purportedly written by Ibe Kachikwu, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, to Buhari alleging insubordination and disrespect by Maikanti Baru, Group Managing Director of the NNPC.

Falana said Buhari should appoint another Nigerian of proven integrity and competence to superintend the affairs of the ministry, in view of the enormous responsibilities of the office of the Minister of Petroleum Resources and Chairman of the NNPC Board.

He said Buhari must reorganise the NNPC to ensure transparency and credibility, adding that Kachikwu’s letter showed that Buhari has neglected his duty as Petroleum Minister.

“Curiously, the presidency has demanded for the minutes of the meetings of the NNPC board. This demand has confirmed that the meetings of the board which are statutory required to be chaired by the Minister of Petroleum Resources have not been held as and when due,” Falana said.

“More importantly, the demand has corroborated that aspect of Dr. Kachukwu’s petition alleging that the powers of the Board have been usurped by Dr. Baru.

“Therefore, the petition should provide an opportunity for the President to reorganise the NNPC with a view to ensuring that it is publicly owned in a manner that the Board is constituted by accredited representatives of the oil producing communities and credible civil society groups including the trade unions in the oil and gas industry.

“Having regard to the enormous responsibilities of the office of the Minister of Petroleum Resources and Chairman of the NNPC Board, President Buhari is advised to relinquish the ministerial position in view of his busy schedule and appoint another Nigerian of proven integrity and competence to superintend the affairs of the ministry.

“If this advice is accepted in good faith and acted upon without any delay it would remove undue pressure on the health of the President and allow him to attend to urgent matters of the state.”

Falana also called for the suspension of Baru over the allegations.

“Apart from sanctioning the officers responsible for creating the wide gulf between Dr. Kachukwu and the President, the allegation of the unilateral award of contracts worth $25 billion by Dr. Baru ought to be investigated in line with the anti-corruption policy of the Buhari administration,” he said.

“In order to conduct a thorough investigation into the grave allegations of the reckless contravention of the provisions of the Public Procurement Act, Mr. Baru should be placed on indefinite suspension while the Presidency should refer the case to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

“And once it is confirmed that the said $25 billion contracts were awarded without the approval of the NNPC board, they should be revoked while the recent appointment of the heads of the parastatals in the oil and gas industry should be reviewed in line with the constitution and the Federal Character Commission Act.”

Hunger, sickness, death … ex-NITEL workers ask Buhari to pay their pension

YEKEEN Akinwale
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Hunger, sickness, death … ex-NITEL workers ask Buhari to pay their pension

Former workers of defunct national telecom carrier, Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) and Mobile Telecommunications Limited (M-Tel), under the auspices of Association of Former Telecoms Employees of Nigeria have cried to President Muhammadu Buhari to order the payment of their pensions.

This follows the recent approval by Buhari of a N45 billion severance package to be paid to workers of the liquidated Nigeria Airways.

According to a press release issued on Sunday by Gabriel Oluti, President of the association, the workers were only paid a five-year buy out pension when the company was privatized under the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo as against 25 years pension entitlement.

This follow the recent approval by Buhari that N45 billion severance package should be paid to workers of the now liquidated Nigeria Airways.

While noting that NITEL was also liquidated like the Nigerian Airways after its privatization failed, the association said its members are now languishing in abject poverty and many have died due to lack of proper healthcare.

They argued that about N93 billion pension fund belonging to their members is lying fallow after the Federal Government liquidated the company.

“When they paid us, it was just five years buy- out instead of 25 years and it was paid in piece meal between 2007 and 2010 and we went to the Court to challenge this injustice,” Oluti said

“It is interesting to know that the management of NITEL then, and the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE), under the leadership of Nasir El-Rufai illegally and criminally liquidated our pension scheme, our properties were sold and the money sent to the government coffers and other entitlement withheld till date.

“Our pension scheme was liquidated without our knowledge. We made PTAD to know that we are not part of the monthly pension payment recently directed by the Federal Government because we are entitled to pension for life.

“Two hundred and fifty staff buses bought by staff were sold, the mortgage was also not remitted with the Federal Mortgage Bank, the canteen and other properties sold should be paid for.”

Oluti said he and his members are asking the President to implement the court order by directing the Federal Ministry of Finance to release the counterpart fund for the liquidator so that he can add his own counterpart fund and pay them.

Monkeypox disease confirmed in Akwa Ibom

Kingsley OBIEJESI
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Monkeypox disease confirmed in Akwa Ibom

One case of the monkeypox disease has been confirmed in Akwa Ibom State, while two other suspected cases are being investigated.

Charles Udoh, the state’s Commissioner for Information and Culture, made this known on Sunday.

The monkeypox disease was first detected in Bayelsa State and health authorities say everything is being done to contain the outbreak.

More to come…

We are in trouble, says Abaribe the Senator who signed Kanu’s bail bond

Kingsley OBIEJESI
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We are in trouble, says Abaribe the Senator who signed Kanu’s bail bond

Enyinnaya Abaribe, Senator representing Abia South Senatorial District at the National Assembly, says he and the others who signed Nnamdi Kanu’s bail bond are now in trouble since nobody knows where he is currently.

Abaribe, who is also the leader of the South East caucus in the National Assembly, said this at the Made-in-Aba Products Show, which was part of activities to mark the 2017 Convention of the Abia State National Association of North America (ASNA), in New York, USA on Saturday.

He was one of the three sureties that stood in for Kanu after the IPOB leader was granted bail on health grounds in his ongoing treason trial at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Kanu’s next court date is on October 17, but it is unclear whether he will appear in court on that day.

Abaribe also noted that the progress so far made in the purchase and export of made-in-Aba products, have been eroded as a result of the Biafran agitation led by Kanu.

“I am a Nigerian Senator and not that of Biafra,” Abaribe said.

“We had advised Kanu, reminding him that his rights end where those of others begin.

“We are now in trouble, because we do not know where he is and how to contact him.

“Those that support Kanu’ s agitation should think twice.”

Abaribe, who described himself as a made-in-Aba Senator, stressed that the the Igbo will thrive more under a better Nigeria than outside of it.

“We think we need Biafra, but this Biafra should be that of the mind that represents our ingenuity and our innate quality for hard work and enterprise, especially as oil proceeds keep dwindling,” he said.

“Igbo are largest and highest investors in the country, contributing to the development of wherever they reside and operate.

“In Lagos alone, we have built and developed about ten different markets from which over N3 billion are generated on daily basis.

“We should trust that our leaders, both elected and not elected can get the best for us.”

Okezie Ikpeazu, the Governor of Abia State, was represented at the occasion by Ude Oko Chukwu, his Deputy.

We have not seen our king since three weeks, Nnamdi Kanu’s community cries out

Kingsley OBIEJESI
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We have not seen our king since three weeks, Nnamdi Kanu’s community cries out
Eze Israel Kanu and his wife

Members of Afaraukwu community in Umuahia, the Abia State Capital, where Nnamdi Kanu hails from, are worried over the whereabouts of Israel Kanu, the traditional ruler of the community and father of Nnamdi, Leader of the IPOB.

Nobody seem to know where Kanu, together with his mother and father, is currently located since after the invasion of their home by soldiers on September 10.

Newsmen who visited the community reports that the palace of Kanu’s father was still cordoned off while three vehicles riddled with bullets were seen in the compound.

Chimechefulam Odoemelam, a member of the Afaraukwu council of chiefs, said the council is worried as they have no idea where their King and Queen are.

He said that though the soldiers have been withdrawn from the community, and things appear to have calmed down, many people are still living in apprehension.

“The truth is that we have not seen or heard from our Eze since we all came back,” Odoemelam said.

“Everybody is confused about his whereabouts because we do not know where to look for him.

“We have reported the case to the body of traditional rulers in Ibeku, Umuahia kingdom where we belong and our Chairman, Eze Henry Ezekwem, has promised to give us a date to meet him on the matter.

“We are hoping that the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers which he (Eze Kanu) is a member will also lend their voice in asking for his whereabouts.”

Odoemelam said the community did not officially report the matter to the police because they were advised to stop further action until the umbrella body of traditional institutions in the kingdom decides on the next step to take.

He however said the Abia State and Federal Governments should question the soldiers that invaded the palace to know if they have information on their King’s location.

The Nigerian army have denied invading Kanu’s home in Afaraukwu and arresting him.

John Enenche, Director of Defence Information, said he monitored the operation live and nothing like that ever happened.

Kanu, who is currently undergoing treason charges at the Federal High Court, Abuja, has been in hiding since after the events of September 10.

His next court date is on October 17.

Scores injured in stampede during Nigeria-Zambia match

Kingsley OBIEJESI
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Scores injured in stampede during Nigeria-Zambia match

Many football fans were seriously injured during a stampede that occurred at the entrance gate of Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, on Saturday.

The stadium was where the all-important World Cup qualifier between Nigeria and Zambia was played.

Reports say the stampede happened when security operatives tried to prevent some people from entering into the stadium.

Soldiers allegedly used sticks and batons to disperse the crowd and many sustained serious injuries as a result.

Five persons were said to have died in the incident but the claim could not be confirmed.

However, ambulances were seen conveying injured persons to the hospital.

A correspondent with The Punch said he was also assaulted by the club-wielding soldiers and lost N 10,000 in the stampede.

Some persons who spoke with journalists say stampedes happen at the stadium every time an important football match is hosted there.

“I thank God that I’m alive. This is not the first time this kind of incident had occurred,” said Aniema Ekong.

“In fact, in every major tournament, there is always a tale of woes to tell about security agents injuring or killing people.”

Another fan who gave his name simply as Chukwudi, said his girlfriend was seriously injured by the security personnel at the gate, adding that “I don’t know why there is always trouble in this stadium”.

When contacted, Elkana Bala, the Akwa Ibom State Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed that there was a stampede and people sustained injuries but he stressed that no life was lost in the incident.

“It is confirmed that nobody died. But some persons were injured while struggling to gain access into the stadium,” Bala told newsmen via text message.

“The injured persons were taken to hospital for medical attention.”

Nigeria defeated Zambia 1-0 to become the first African country to qualify for the 2018 World Cup which is scheduled to hold in Russia.

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