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Only The President Can Release Boko Haram Detainees – Military

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Only The President Can Release Boko Haram Detainees – Military
Chief of Defence Staff, Abayomi Olonisakin
Chief of Defence Staff, Abayomi Olonisakin

Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, Abayomi Olonisakin, has said that the decision to release detained Boko Haram members, can only be made by the President.

In a new video posted on Sunday, the terrorist group insists that the only condition for them to release the kidnapped Chibok school girls is for the military to release Boko Haram fighters detained in various facilities across the country.

But Olonisakin, when interviewed by State House Correspondents after a meeting of the country’s service chiefs in the Presidential Villa, reiterated that the military will sustain its operations against Boko Haram insurgents.

“That (call for the swap of the girls with Boko Haram fighters) is a political decision to be taken. The military decision is that we are going ahead with our operations. The operation is being conducted appropriately,” he said.

“We are analysing the video released by Boko Haram and we will make appropriate comments at the right time,” he added.

The CDS denied the reports that the military turned back one of the three persons declared wanted by the Army on Sunday.

“Nobody reported to my men and was turned back,” he said.

Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, who also spoke to journalists, maintained that the government was in talks with Boko Haram sect for the release of the girls, adding that government is being cautious “to ensure it was speaking with the right group as the sect had been factionalised.”

“There are few things we need to do behind the scene. What we are saying is that the government is committed to doing everything to rescue these girls,” he said.

Mohammed added: “We are engaging them. By saying we are talking to them, I am talking from a point of knowledge. It does not matter what other people say. I know that the government is in touch with the group,” he said.

“For us, it is not just because of the release of the video but because of our belief that there will be no final closure to Boko Haram until we are able to resolve the issue of these girls,” he said.

I’m Coming To Nigeria, Journalist Wanted By Army Declares

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I’m Coming To Nigeria, Journalist Wanted By Army Declares
Ahmad Salkida
Ahmad Salkida

By Samuel Malik

Ahmed Salkida, the journalist declared wanted by the Nigerian army, has indicated his willingness to make himself available for questioning, saying in the next few days he will be returning to the country.

Salkida, believed to be based in the United Arab Emirates, was declared wanted alongside Ahmed Umar Bolori and a lawyer, Aisha Wakil, for allegedly refusing to divulge information that would lead to the rescue of the missing Chibok girls.

In a rejoinder to the wanted notice posted on his website, salkida.com, Salkida, said he was willing to turn himself in, in spite of his being out of the country, adding that his return could be expedited by the military sending him a flight ticket.

“The army is aware that I am not in Nigeria presently. In the coming days I will seek to get a flight to Abuja and avail myself to the Army authorities. Indeed, my return will be hastened if the military sends me a ticket,” he stated.

He also revealed that in the last one year, he had been invited by different government agencies, adding that he honoured all the invitations.

“As a testimony to the credible and professional values of my access, since May 2015, I have been to Nigeria three times on the invitation of Federal Government agencies. I made personal sacrifices for the release of our Chibok Girls,” Salkida added.

In a similar vein, Aisha Wakil has said she is ready to be quizzed by the army.

In an interview with Premium Times, the lawyer expressed shock at learning that she was wanted in connection to Boko Haram, especially as the military personally knows her.

“They know me very well. Right from (former President Goodluck) Jonathan’s time. I am not hiding,” She said, adding that she might travel to Maiduguri from Abuja to report at the 7 Division Nigerian Army barracks.

“I’m in Abuja right now, but I am thinking of going back to Maiduguri so I can see them at the main barracks there,” she noted.

This is coming after the third wanted person, Bolori, reported himself to one of the barracks in Maiduguri but was surprisingly told to go home and come back the next day.

Jibrin Writes APC Chairman On Dogara

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Jibrin Writes APC Chairman On Dogara
Abdulmumin Jibrin
Abdulmumin Jibrin

Former chairman of the House Of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin, has written to the chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, John Oyegun, explaining in details the allegations of corruption against Speaker Yakubu Dogara.

Jibrin said the reasons he was writing the letter are:

  • “To apologise and seek forgiveness of the party for the role I played in the election of the extremely corrupt Speaker Yakubu Dogara.
  • “To give a background of the current crisis as a result of the allegations I raised against Speaker Dogara and the 12 other corrupt members.
  • “To furnish you with the details of the allegations against Mr Speaker and the 12 others, and
  • “To provide urgent recommendation on the way forward before this crisis cause irreparable damage to our great party.”

Jibrin said it was not easy for him to speak out on Dogara’s excesses, which he noticed only few weeks after the House election, because he had played a leading role in bringing Dogara to power as Speaker.

He accused the speaker of taking standing Committee Chairmen to swear an oath of allegiance before Iyola Omisore, whom Jibrin said was Dogara’s godfather.

“Studying Speaker Dogara in the last one year and many things I know that it may not be proper to mention here, he does not wish the APC well, he is a pretender of the highest order, he is not loyal to the party and he will provide a solid platform for a massive attack against our party in the nearer future. I know what I am talking about,” Jibrin added.

The Kano State lawmaker insisted that he did not commit any offence, saying that he believes the anti-corruption Agencies would do their jobs and he would be exonerated.

“My offense has been my refusal to be used as conduit to facilitate free flow of corruption in the House of Representatives,” he said.

Jibrin said it was shameless for Dogara to have said that padding was not an offence and that he cannot be prosecuted for it.

“Let me reiterate  that padding is an offense. Padding can be tried under Nigerian laws. The Speaker can be investigated and prosecuted contrary to the claim of Mr Speaker,” he said.

Jibrin said his allegation was against Speaker and 12 other members of the House of Representatives, not the entire House, the Senate and the Executive as Dogara  was insinuating.

The 12 others include: Deputy Speaker, Yusuf Lasun; House Whip, Alhassan Doguwa and Minority Leader, Leo Ogor.

Others are Herma Hembe, Mohammed Bago, Zakari Mohammed, Chike Okafor, Dan Asuquo, Jagaba Adams Jagaba, Haliru Jika, Babanle Ila and Abonta Abonta

Jibrin also alleged that since he came public with the allegations, “the Speaker has ordered that all the computers in the appropriation secretariat be shut down and moved to his office whilst the secretariat staff are being harassed to keep quiet and suppress facts relating to the entire budget and there has been attempts by agents of the speaker to burgle my office to steal vital documents.”

He added that “The Speaker was involved in money laundry cases in the House and was the architect of the fraudulent multi billion naira car purchase contract when he was Chairman House services committee.”

Speaker Yakubu Dogara
Speaker Yakubu Dogara

Jibrin said that “the world is watching to see how the APC will deal with this issue of incontrovertible corruption in high places”, adding that the party has now been presented with “a golden opportunity to show the world that there is zero tolerance for corruption in our great party the APC.”

“You will also agree with me that in the face of all these allegations and back and forth in his utterances, Speaker Yakubu Dogara and the other Principal Officers have lost the moral ground to continue in office,” he added.

Jibrin recommended, among other things, that Dogara should “reconvene the House and step down with other accused Principal Officers immediately to allow for internal and external investigation without interference so that sanity will return.”

Customs’ Revenue Falls By N500 Million

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Customs’ Revenue Falls By N500 Million
nigeria customs
Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Hameed Ali,

The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has revealed that its revenue generation in the first six months of 2016 fell by N525.5 million as against what it generated within the same period in 2015

Wale Adeniyi, the Public Relations Officer of the service said the revenue generation from January to June this year is N385.7 billion while that of 2015 was N438.2 billion.

He disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on Monday in Abuja.

Giving reasons for the drop in revenue, Adeniyi said access to foreign exchange and the drastic fall in the value of the naira have  affected the service’s revenue generation, Also, he said  the removal of the 41 items from the CBN foreign exchange window also affected the revenue generation by the service.

In a breakdown of the generated sum, Adeniyi said N197.7 billion was from import duties in cash, while N203 million was from import duty in non-cash receipts as Negotiable Duty Credit Certificate, NDCC.

Also the sum of N21.876 billion was generated from excise duty; N910. 995 million from fees; N41. 418 billion from federation account levies; N49. 357 billion from non-federation accounts levies and N74. 282 billion from Value Added Tax, VAT, during the period.

He however said: “There are positive indications that the economy may bounce back in the last quarter of the year,”

“We (customs) are working with our Western neighbour of Benin Republic to strengthen our transit trade, particularly with vehicles,

“So, we expect that this will have a positive effect on our service revenue generation in the last quarter.”

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Man Declared Wanted By The Army Told To Go Home And Return Next Day

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Man Declared Wanted By The Army Told To Go Home And Return Next Day
Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai
Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai

By Samuel Malik

A man declared wanted by the Nigerian Army, in connection to the whereabouts of Chibok girls abducted by Boko Haram, surprisingly turned himself in on Sunday but was told by the army to go back home and report today Monday.

Ahmed Umar Bolori was on Sunday, yesterday, declared wanted along with a journalist, Ahmed Salkida, and Aisha Wakil.

However, Bolori reported to one of the military barracks in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital where he resides, but after waiting for two hours without being detained or interrogated, he was asked to go home and report the next day, possibly today Monday.

In a post on his Facebook page, Farooq Kperogi, a U.S-based professor, said he spoke to Bolori on phone who confirmed the development. Kperogi wondered why the army would declare someone wanted without inviting them for questioning, especially someone known to it.

“It is now self-evident that no one in the highest reaches of governance and security enforcement in Nigeria is thinking. How can you declare people “wanted” when you haven’t even invited them for questioning–and they haven’t resisted your invitation? I just got off the phone with Ambassador Ahmed Umar Bolori, one of the people declared “wanted” by the Nigerian military,” he posted.

It is likely that Bolori is known to the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur, a Lieutenant General, as he was said to have called both the army chief and the army spokesperson that issued the wanted notice, Sani Usman, a Colonel.

“He told me he called the Chief of Army Staff, the spokesperson of the Nigerian military who announced him “wanted,” and other top military officers and said he was at their beck and call and didn’t need to be declared “wanted” since he wasn’t in hiding.

“He then went ahead and turned himself in at the top military barracks in Maiduguri, waited for more than two hours, but there was no one to interrogate or arrest him.

“He called and texted the Chief of Army Staff and the military spokesperson again and pleaded with them to send someone to detain, arrest, interrogate, or do whatever they wanted to do to him because he wanted to clear his name,” the post stated.

Kperogi also posted a screenshot of a conversation between Bolori and someone that appeared to be an army general working at the Department of Military Intelligence, DMI. In the conversation, Bolori asked the general where to report to and the respondent replied that he should report to the Provost Marshal Army.

Text message between Bolori and a DMI personnel

“They know where to get him if they want to. Yet they declared him “wanted.” Is there any parallel to this level of puzzling incompetence in the world? Who declares people “wanted” without any interest in seeing, much less interrogating them?” Kperogi queried.

I will Resign If … Sheriff

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I will Resign If … Sheriff
Ali Modu-Sheriff
Ali Modu-Sheriff

Factional National chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Ali Modu-Sheriff, says he is willing to resign as the PDP chairman if the other faction would agree to hold an open and transparent convention in Abuja.

Sheriff spoke during a television interview on Sunday, saying that he had handed a list of his demands to the party’s reconciliation committee which was setup to bring an end to the ongoing leadership crisis rocking the party.

Crisis in the party deepened after a national convention held in May led to the removal of Modu-Sheriff and the setting up of caretaker committee led by Ahmed Makarfi.

But the former Borno State Governor dismissed the decision of the party members, insisting that a court had issued an order barring the party from holding the convention.

During the interview on Sunday, Sheriff said he had given the committee certain conditions that must be met before he would voluntarily resign.

“What I want is that the convention should be an open and transparent convention held in Abuja where everybody will participate. I work with my principles.

“We will not let PDP to be hijacked by few people – Governor of Rivers State and Governor Fayose,” he said.

He also said that part of the agreement was for the convention that the party planned to hold on August 17 to be shifted as it would violate a court order which directed that the convention should not hold.

On his alleged ambition to run for the Presidential candidate of the party, Modu-Sheriff said he had never discussed that with anybody.

“I have never discussed with anyone about any plan to run for presidency,” he said.

Nigeria Is In The Hands Of Wrong Managers – Fayose

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Nigeria Is In The Hands Of Wrong Managers – Fayose
Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose
Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose

Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State says the country is in bad shape because it is being run by “Wrong managers.”

In a statement by his special assistant on public communications and new media, Lere Olayinka, the governor accused the All Progressives Congress, APC-led federal government of running the economy aground.

Fayose alleged that Nigeria is currently witnessing the worst form of nepotism in its history, as rather than work with competent individuals who can tackle the country’s challenges, President Muhammadu Buhari has “opted for his relatives, friends, in-laws and very close associates”.

“Nigerians are suffering, hungry and angry because the APC federal government has run the country aground,” the statement read.

It went further: “Nigeria has gone beyond recession, the economy has collapsed completely and painfully, those who should revive the economy do not have any clue as to what to do.

“The country is in the hands of wrong managers who do not know what to do and out of nepotism, not ready to be assisted by those who know.

“Nepotism is the reason our president discarded competent people in his party that should be running the government with him. The only qualification to hold key positions in the presidency is to know a certain nephew of the president or be a member of his family, that’s nepotism and what nepotism breeds is incompetence.

“The most influential person in the presidency today is said to be one Mamman Daura, who is a nephew of the president. Personal assistant to President Buhari is said to be the son of Mamman Daura while the state chief of protocol is said to be married to Mamman Daura’s daughter.

“It is also the height of nepotism that apart from just two, all security chiefs and heads of all the paramilitary agencies in Nigeria, as well as all the political-heads overseeing all the military and paramilitary arms and agencies are from the north of Nigeria.”

Fayose said some of the people who supported the president during the election are regretting their actions.

“Exchange rate was less than N200 to $1 when President Buhari took over power, as at today, it has gone beyond N400 to $1 and naira is still undergoing a free fall.

“One bag of rice was less than N8, 000 as at May 2016, it is now N20, 000. Kerosene is now beyond the reach of the masses.

“Nigerians voted for change because the APC promised them solutions to the country’s problems, but all we hear every day from the APC federal government are complaints upon complaints as if Nigerians elected a government of complaints.

“Obviously, the APC government has failed Nigerians and the president has resorted to putting his immediate family members and close associates in key government positions to protect himself from the fear of the unknown that has enveloped him.”

Gates Foundation Donates $1 Million For Borno Food Security Programme

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Gates Foundation Donates $1 Million For Borno Food Security Programme
Governor Kashim Shettima flagged off the exercise
Governor Kashim Shettima flagged off the exercise

The Borno State Government Has Flagged Off A Food Distribution Programme Courtesy Of The Bill And Melinda Gates Foundation Which Recently Made A Cash Donation Of $1 Million To The State.

The flag-off ceremony was held today at Mainok village, one of the liberated communities, not very far from Maiduguri, the Borno State Capital.

Governor Kashim Shettima at the ceremony said the intervention by the Gates Foundation is a testimony that peace is gradually returning to the state, adding that the programme would involve direct distribution of food items, as well as funding farming activities for farmers.

The governor said : “It is the state government that is carrying out procurements in the implementation of this particular intervention, which is targeting returning and resettling communities by giving them food aid and also helping them return to their family ways of producing food themselves and commercial purposes.

“The intervention from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is being used for food supplies and to fund farming activities for households.”

Shettima said the donation was the first cash donation received by the state government since the floodgates of donations opened in the state.

Hundreds of people gathered at a primary school compound in the village where the food items were distributed.

Also speaking at the ceremony, Babagana Umara, the state commissioner for Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, said that the ministry has acquired 100 hectares of land where beans will be planted.

“Half hectare of land is being allocated to a farm-family with a target of reaching 200 households,” he said.

He said the farms are located in Damboa and Konduga Local government areas and each household will be provided with fertilizer, improved seeds and a support service of farm extension officer.

Each beneficiary of the direct food distribution are expected to get a 25 kilogram bag of rice and a 10 kilograms bag of beans and the about 40,000 insurgency victims are expected to benefit from the intervention.

Head of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, UNHCR, in Maiduguri, Cesar Tshilombo, commended the state government for its passion in making life better for the people affected by terrorism in the state.

“I have been in the humanitarian services for over 22 years and I have visited 42 African countries, but it is the first time I have seen Africans taking care of their own population by dealing with the crisis like the way I have seen in Borno,” he said.

He also praised the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for making the project a reality.

Boko Haram Video: Army Declares Journalist, Two Others Wanted

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Boko Haram Video: Army Declares Journalist, Two Others Wanted
One of the "Chibok girls" spoke in the video
One of the “Chibok girls” spoke in the video

Following the claims by the Boko Haram terrorist group in a video released On Sunday, the Nigerian Army has declared a journalist, Ahmed Salkida and two other persons wanted.

The others are Ahmed Bolori and Aisha Wakil.

A statement by Sani Usman, Acting Director of Army Public Relations, said the wanted persons are believed to have information on the whereabouts of the missing Chibok girls.

The statement said following the abduction of the Chibok girls two years ago, the federal government had made several appeals for their release while the military had also made several attempts to rescue them.

“However, two recent incidents have pointed to the fact that, there are three individuals namely; Ahmed Salkida, (Ambassador) Ahmed U. Bolori and Aisha Wakil that have information on the conditions and the exact location of these girls.

“Therefore, the Nigerian Army hereby declare the two gentlemen and the lady wanted for interrogation.

“We are relying on the relevant laws of the land and in particular the Terrorism Prevention Act 2011 (as amended) where Nigerians could be punished for failure to disclose information about terrorists or terrorists’ activities.

“This becomes necessary as a result of their link with the last two videos released by Boko Haram Terrorists and other findings of our preliminary investigations.

“There is no doubt that these individuals have links with Boko Haram Terrorists and have contacts with them.

“They must therefore come forward and tell us where the group is keeping the Chibok Girls and other abducted persons to enable us rescue them.

“We are therefore calling on all Nigerians and peace loving people to give us useful information on their whereabouts. We are also liaising with other security agencies for their arrest if they failed to turn up,” the statement stated.

In the video released on Sunday, the Boko Haram spokesman warned the federal government about believing anyone who claims to be intermediaries between the sect and the government.

The spokesman said the only people they relate with are journalists, and the military believes the people declared wanted are those the sect was referring to.

In a number of tweets on Saturday, Salkida had said he was “studying the video of the #Chibokgirls that was sent exclusively to me before their abductors upload on it YouTube later.”

One of Salkida's Tweets
One of Salkida’s Tweets

The video was later uploaded by the Boko Haram on Sunday.

Kano Govt To Construct $100 Million Waste Recycling Company

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Kano Govt To Construct $100 Million Waste Recycling Company
Governor Ganduje during the foundation-laying ceremony of the proposed waste recycling company
Governor Ganduje during the foundation-laying ceremony of the proposed waste recycling company

Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, has said that the state government is to construct a waste recycling company, to be named Shara Dukiya Nigeria Ltd., at the cost of $100 million at Kawo, in Gabasawa local government area of the state.

According to him, his administration has expended not less than N2 billion on refuse collection and management as demonstrated by the provision of heavy waste disposal plants and equipment, construction of drainages and dredging of major ones at sundry locations in the state capital.

During the foundation laying ceremony of the project on Sunday, Ganduje explained that it would be executed under a public/private partnership with Waste Services International of Malta and City Central Group of Companies, a Lagos based company.

His words “Under this collaboration, government is to provide the site and continue to support the company with necessary assistance to ensure the sustainability of the programme thus representing 40% of the partnership contribution”

Ganduje noted that “on their part, the two companies are to provide part funding for the manufacture, delivery and installation of the plants in addition to the provision of skilled manpower requirement and the engagement of our teaming unemployed youth, putting their combined investment in the project at 60% of the total financial structure”.

He maintained that the decision by the his administration to establish the plant was informed by the need to properly handle municipal solid waste, which is being generated in large quantity on daily basis, in view of the high population and heterogeneous nature of Kano State.

When the company becomes fully operational, the governor assured that the problem of refuse will be completely resolved,

He further disclosed that farmers will have alternative source of fertilizer for enhanced agricultural production in the state.

In his remarks, the Chief Executive Officer, City Central Group of Companies, Mike Nwakalor, explained that the company, which is expected to be completed within 18 months would create nearly 10, 000 direct and indirect jobs

On his part, the Chief Executive Officer, Waste Services International, Karl Wismayer explained that besides transfer of technology, their group would pay a lot of attention to community education on sustainable environmental management, especially through engaging schools.

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, represented by the Sarkin Dawaki Maituta,  Bello Abubakar appealed to the Federal government to actualize the Green Wall Project, to save the northern axis of Kano from desert encroachment and commended Kano state government for its foresight in conceiving the waste treatment project.

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