Home Blog Page 2923

NNPC Intensifies Oil Exploration In Lake Chad Basin

Editorial
-
0
NNPC Intensifies Oil Exploration In Lake Chad Basin
Governor Abubakar of Bauchi State and NNPC GMD, Maikanti Baru
Governor Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi State and NNPC GMD, Maikanti Baru

The Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, is intensifying oil exploration in the lake Chad basin as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Group Managing Director of the corporation, Maikanti Baru, on Thursday paid a visit to the Governor of Bauchi State, Mohammed Abubakar, to brief the governor on how the project was unfolding.

“We are here to intimate you on the level of exploration activities in Bauchi,” Baru told the Governor.

“We are resuming oil exploration in the Chad and Gongola Basin. Our exploration in the Gongola Basin includes those rivers that criss-crossed some parts of Bauchi and Gombe States,” he said.

Baru said that a number of Local Government Areas in the state “will witness these exploration activities” including: “Alkaleri, Darazo, Misau and Ganjuwa.”

He said “Our commitment for further exploration in the Gongola Basin is informed by the Presidential directive to resume oil exploration in this area.

“Successful commercial discovery of oil and gas has been recorded in neighbouring Niger, Chad and Central African Republic in their portions of the Chad Basin.”

The NNPC boss said that “Based on recent work by IDSL, we are compelled to further appraise the Nigerian portion of the Chad and Benue Trough due to their similarities.”

The Integrated Data Services Limited, IDSL, is a subsidiary company of the NNPC, established in 1988 to provide hydrocarbon exploration services in the local and international Oil and Gas industry.

Governor Abubakar commended President Buhari for his renewed vigour to order an oil exploration in the Chad and Benue Trough.

He expressed optimism that the search would be successful, saying that “If our neighbours in the Chad Basin have discovered oil on their side, I’m optimistic we will find it on our own side too.”

“I want to assure you of the unflinching support of Bauchi State Government and its good people towards this project.

“We are ready to provide offices and accommodation for all NNPC staff that will work on this project,” the governor promised.

He also called on citizens of the state to cooperate with and support the NNPC towards the success of the project.

“Our people will soon witness movement of equipment towards exploratory activities around their farms. They should all remain calm.

There will also be occasional blasts within and around those areas due to exploration. I assure everyone to remain calm,” Abubakar advised.

He promised to convene a meeting of the traditional leaders in the state to brief them on the development so that they would better educate their subjects.

NNPC GMD with the Emir of Bauchi, Rilwanu Adamu
NNPC GMD with the Emir of Bauchi, Rilwanu Adamu

The NNPC GMD also paid a courtesy visit on the Emir of Bauchi, Rilwanu Adamu, to seek the royal father’s support towards the renewed oil exploration.

The Emir praised President Buhari for appointing “one of our sons to lead the NNPC group”, assuring that his people would support the exploration exercise.

“We are aware of Dr. Maikanti Baru’s excellent record and integrity in all the places he served in the NNPC.

“We will provide all the necessary support required to make this renewed exploration a success,” the Emir said.

Buhari Reacts To Release Of Chibok Girls

Editorial
-
0
Buhari Reacts To Release Of Chibok Girls
President Buhari
President Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari, who is currently airborne to Germany, has reacted to the release of 21 Chibok girls from Boko Haram captivity on Thursday, saying it was a welcome development.

The President wrote on his social media handle saying: “As I depart Abuja for Germany on an Official Visit, I welcome the release of 21 of our Chibok Girls, following successful negotiations.

“The Department of State Services (DSS) has briefed me on the matter, and will continue to provide updates.”

Buhari reiterated that “Cooperation on the security and humanitarian situation in the Northeast will form a significant part of my discussions with (German) Chancellor (Angela) Merkel.”

Earlier, media aide to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Laolu Akande, had revealed that the federal government is assembling a team of medical experts to provide support for the released Chibok girls on their arrival in Abuja.

Meanwhile, there are indications that the 21 Chibok school girls released on Thursday may have been swapped with four Boko Haram fighters as was demanded by the terrorist group.

PREMIUM TIMES reports that senior government officials who were briefed on the case confirmed that a swap indeed took place.

“… the girls were swapped for four Boko Haram insurgents. Names of the militants were not released,” the report read.

The exchange reportedly took place Wednesday night “when Nigerian military officials, alongside personnel of United Nations, Red Cross and National Emergency Management Agency, conveyed four Boko Haram militants by a chopper to Banki, a border town in Bama local government area of Borno State.”

The 21 released girls were then taken to the Maiduguri Air Force base at about 8.30a.m on Thursday, and immediately flown to Abuja at 9a.m.

The report quoted one of the sources as saying that “most of the girls had babies.”

Presidency Confirms Release Of Chibok Girls

Editorial
-
0
Presidency Confirms Release Of Chibok Girls
Photos of the girls being released: Courtesy CNN
Photos of the girls being released: Courtesy CNN

The Presidency has confirmed the release of 21 out of the over 200 girls abducted from Government Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State, in April 2014.

Presidential media aide, Garba Shehu, confirmed this in a statement made available to journalists.

He said that the girls are in the custody of the Department of State Services, DSS, adding that the DSS Director-General, Lawal Daura, had already briefed President Muhammadu Buhari of the development before the President departed for Germany.

According to Shehu, “Lawal wants the girls to have some rest, with all of them very tired coming out of the process before he hands them over to the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.”

He said the release of the 21 girls “is the outcome of negotiations between the administration and the Boko Haram brokered by the International Red Cross and the Swiss government. The negotiations will continue.”

“The President welcomes the release of the girls but cautioned Nigerians to be mindful of the fact that more than 30,000 fellow citizens were killed via terrorism,” the statement added.

Shehu said the names of the released girls will be released “shortly.”

The release of the girls comes a day after 8 people were reportedly killed in a suicide bomb attack by suspected Boko Haram terrorists in Muna, Borno State.

15 others were also injured in the attack that was reportedly carried out by a middle aged woman.

Breaking: 21 Chibok Girls Released

Editorial
-
0
Breaking: 21 Chibok Girls Released

Chibok Girls

Twenty One of the over 200 school girls kidnapped by the Boko Haram from Government Secondary school in Chibok, Borno State have reportedly been released.

Names of the released girls are not yet known as the Nigerian authorities are yet to make any official statement as at the time of this report.

Reports say the release was a result of negotiations with a group from Geneva, Switzerland.

No Boko Haram fighter has so far been released in exchange

Details later.

EFCC Declares Goodie Ibru Wanted

Editorial
-
0
EFCC Declares Goodie Ibru Wanted
Goddie Ibru
Goddie Ibru

Businessman, Goodie Ibru, has been declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Spokesman of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, in a statement on Wednesday, said Ibru is wanted for allegedly diverting billions of naira and assets of Ikeja Hotels to his personal use.

“The public is hereby notified that Goodie Minabo Ibru… is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in connection with a case of conspiracy, capital market fraud, stealing, diversion of funds and money laundering,” the statement read.

“He allegedly diverted billions of naira and assets of Ikeja Hotels Plc, owners of Sheraton Hotel, Lagos, Federal Palace Hotel, owners of Sheraton Hotel, Abuja, to his personal benefit.”

Uwajuren urged “anybody having useful information as to his whereabouts (to) contact the commission through any of its offices located at Abuja, Kano, Gombe, Lagos, Ibadan, Maiduguri, Enugu and Port Harcourt.”

Goddie is regarded as one of the richest hoteliers in Nigeria.

Also known as G.M Ibru, he is the current Chairman Ikeja Hotel Plc, owners of Sheraton Hotel Lagos.

He also chairs The Tourist Company of Nigeria Plc, TCN, and Capital Hotels Plc, owners of Federal Palace Hotel and Abuja Sheraton Hotel respectively.

CCT Judgment: Orubebe Goes On Appeal

Editorial
-
0
CCT Judgment: Orubebe Goes On Appeal
Godsday Orubebe
Godsday Orubebe

Former Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe, has appealed the October 4 judgment of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, which found him guilty of false assets declaration.

Chairman of the tribunal, Danladi Umar had ruled that the property in contention, a plot of land in the Asokoro district of Abuja, be forfeited to the federal government.

However, Orubebe vowed to appeal the ruling, explaining that he did not include the said plot of land in his asset declaration because he had given it away to his former landlord as payment for the rent he owed him.

In a notice of appeal filed by his lawyer, Selekeowei Larry, SAN, before the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal on Wednesday, Orubebe asked the appellate court to set aside the judgment of the CCT.

Orubebe argued that the tribunal erred in law when it held that the prosecution proved its case and ordered the forfeiture of the property in issue.

The former minister posited that he neither acquired the said plot of land corruptly nor even purchased it, rather it was a gift to him by the Federal Government.

Orubebe said he led credible evidence, which the prosecution did not fault, about how he sold the land to a company called Divention Properties Limited, with the company’s Managing Director, Akinwumi Ajibola, testifying to that effect during trial.

He faulted the CCT for holding that he remained the owner of the plot of land on the grounds that Divention, to whom the property was sold, did not effect change of ownership.

He said, “Not only were the deed of assignment, deed of sale and power of attorney tendered and admitted in evidence, defence witnesses one and two (Ajibola and Orubebe) testified to the transaction without any contradiction. There is no time limit for regularisation of title at the Land Registry.”

Orubebe further argued against the decision of the CCT, to the effect that it erred in law when, rather than keeping itself within the evidence before it and the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal (CCB/T) Act, it went and relied on the Land Instrument Registration Act (LIRA), without hearing from counsel on both sides.

The Federal Government had on March 8, 2016, re-arraigned Orubebe on an amended charge of failure to declare his property at Plot 2057, Asokoro District, Abuja, in his asset declaration forms submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau as a minister between 2007 and 2011.

Displaced Persons Camps To Go By 2017, Says Borno Gov

Editorial
-
0
Displaced Persons Camps To Go By 2017, Says Borno Gov
Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima
Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima

Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima has expressed optimism that all Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, camps in the state will have been shut by May 2017.

Shettima said this during a session on ‘Mitigating the Impact of Crisis and Conflict’ at the ongoing 22nd Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja.

He said: “My target is May 29, 2017; I want to close down all the camps in Maiduguri in order to restore the dignity of our people.

“We will not stampede or intimidate people to go back to terrains not well secured. The local government headquarters would put up security architecture that would secure those places.

“The IDPs we have right now in Maiduguri, Biu and other places are full of challenges – issues of early child marriages, child prostitution, drug abuse and gangsterism.

“If we allow these things to continue, the challenges will become unmanageable in a few years to come,” the Governor said.

Shettima added that his administration is working to address the issue of illiteracy, unemployment and extreme poverty, which he believes fuels insurgency in the northeast region,

“You cannot divorce insurgency from poverty. We must evolve holistic programmes to create jobs.

“We have come up with programmes of addressing the grievances of the people and bridging the gap in trust between the leadership and the people.

“Education is a great treasure and the administration is determined to change the face
of Borno,” he told the forum.

Shettima reiterated that the state government was dealing with the Boko Haram crisis as an opportunity to make the state better, adding that the insurgency would resurface in a few years if nothing was done to transform the people both intellectually and economically.

“The destruction in the state are enormous,” he said.

“People are quoting 20,000 as the number of people killed, but believe me more than 100,000 people have been killed.

“Our IDPs are all over the state. We have hundreds and thousands of orphans and widows, if we don’t take care of them, believe me they will take care of us in the next 10 to 15 years,” he remarked.

The Governor also said that the State is placing emphasis on girl-child education and women empowerment, as well as agricultural development.

He said: “We want to pursue the issue of girl-child education and rebuilding all the communities; we are also focusing on women empowerment.”

“We engage the youth and create jobs so as to reduce vices; agriculture happens to be the best platform for engaging them.”

He added that the population of IDPs in Maiduguri alone had risen from 1.2 million to nearly three million, but “there are more to it than the IDPs camps. What can we do to restore the dignity of our people? What can we do to become merchants of hope for a better tomorrow?” he asked.

Shiites Clashes: Jigawa Governor Bans Processions

Editorial
-
0
Shiites Clashes: Jigawa Governor Bans Processions
shiites-clashes-jigawa-governor-bans-processions
Governor Muhammad Badary of Jigawa State

The Jigawa State Government has suspended all forms of public processions in the state following clashes between youths and members of the Shiites in several states in the north.

The directive was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Secretary to the State Government, Adamu Abdulkadir, in Dutse, the state capital.

“We reviewed the security situation in the country, and the states in the North-central part of the country in particular,” the statement read.

“And after due consultations with the security agencies in the state, His Excellency Governor Muhammad Badaru (Abubakar), has approved the suspension of all public processions of whatever nature in all parts of the state.”

The statement called on all law abiding citizens in the state to go about their normal businesses as usual.

Similar directives have been given recently in various northern states, notably Kaduna and Katsina, following the activities of the Shiite Islamic sect.

Earlier on Wednesday, a total of 11 people were reportedly killed when members of the Shiite group clashed with security agencies in Kaduna, Katsina and Sokoto states.

Five persons were said to have died in Katsina, four in Kaduna and 2 in Sokoto, while several vehicles were burnt in the various incidents.

Police Arrest Kidnap Gang Terrorising Lagos

Editorial
-
0
Police Arrest Kidnap Gang Terrorising Lagos

police-arrest-kidnap-gang-terrorising-lagos

The Nigerian Police Force says it has arrested a gang of kidnappers that terrorized an estate in the Isheri area of Lagos State following a massive onslaught launched by its Intelligence Response Team, IRT.

In a press release on Wednesday, Force Public Relations Officer, Don Awunah said the operation was sanctioned by the Inspector- General of Police, Ibrahim Idris,

“This feat was achieved as a result of due diligence and intelligence led policing exhibited by members of the Force and the zeal shown by public spirited citizens to rid our society of crime,” Awunah stated.

The arrested persons were alleged to have kidnapped some residents of the estate on September 27 and subsequently released them after ransoms had reportedly been paid.

The suspects include: Natei Okunna, believed to be the gang leader; James Kegbe, ThankGod Segede and Trust Bourdilon.

Awunah stated that the suspected kidnappers were arrested at different locations where they had gone to spend their share of the ransom, and during the course of investigation, they volunteered confessional statements admitting their involvement in the kidnap incident.

The police spokesman added that IGP Idris and the entire police force was committed to fighting crime, “the prevalent scourge of kidnapping” to a stand-still.

He urged the general public to always be law abiding and to see themselves as stakeholders in the cause of making Nigeria crime-free.

Corruption: AGF Recommends More Judges For Investigation

Editorial
-
0
Corruption: AGF Recommends More Judges For Investigation

corruption-agf-recommends-more-judges-for-investigation

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has submitted the names of more judges to the Department of State Services, DSS, for investigation.

They included two Chief Judges of High Courts, three judges of different divisions of the Federal High Court, and a Justice of the Court of Appeal.

Reports say there had been several allegations against the judges and petitions had been written against them to the National Judicial Council, NJC between 2014 and 2016.

One of the petitions by Chairman of Civil Society Network Against Corruption, CSNAC, Olanrewaju Suraju, against a Federal High Court judge was dated May 12, 2016.

Another petition, dated February 26, 2016, and signed by Suraju, was titled ‘‘Request for investigation of contravention of the Code of Conduct by Judicial Officers.’’

Also in another petition, dated April 20, 2016, sent to the NJC against a Justice of the Court of Appeal and others, who served on an election petitions appeal panel this year, accused the panel of receiving N8m from a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

According to a report by DAILY TRUST newspaper, sources say there was no excuse for the NJC not to have investigated the myriads of petitions so far written against the judges, since it was the only body constitutionally empowered to probe judges in Nigeria.

“Undoubtedly, if this type of deliberate inattentiveness; lethargy and benign neglect and dereliction of responsibility by the NJC is allowed to persist in an administration that came to power under the mantle of change, it will surely lead to the death knell of the judicial branch of government, which centrality the maintenance of law, order, rule of law and social harmony cannot be overemphasized.

“It is unfortunate that despite the preachment of the administration on the need for the judicial officers to be above board, we still have some of them that have stubbornly refused to change from their old ways,” the source was quoted as saying.

The DSS had arrested seven judges last weekend, adding that 8 others are still under investigation, bringing the total number to 15.

Large sums of money in local and foreign currencies were reportedly recovered from three of the arrested judges during the operations that lasted between Friday night and the early hours of Saturday.

Reacting to the arrests that has generated so much controversy, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, warned that “nobody, no matter highly placed would be spared in the current administration’s fight against corruption in the country.”

According to him, nobody is exempted from being investigated, not even the President, Vice President, Governors and their deputies who are covered by the immunity clause under section 308 of the 1999 constitution.

“The bottom line is that we have a responsibility to fight corruption. Corruption is a crime and nobody regardless of how highly placed is exempted as far as issues that border on crimes and criminalities are concerned.

Malami argued that even the constitution does not take away the right to be investigated.

“Once crimes and criminality are concerned, nobody is an exception. I think the undertone should be exclusively the consideration of existence of a prima facie case, existence of reasonable grounds for suspicion of commission of a crime.

“And if there are, no legislature, no judiciary and no executive can definitely be exempted from investigation. I think where we are now is the point of investigation and that is what is taking place”.

He reiterated the commitment of the President Buhari administration to the fight against corruption and urged the committee not to betray the confidence repose in them.

1...2,9222,9232,924...3,441Page 2,923 of 3,441