Following Thursday’s attack by Boko Haram, the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund, UNICEF, has suspended its humanitarian assistance to Borno state pending a security review.
Three officials of international nongovernmental organisations were among five persons wounded in the attack on the Maiduguri-Bama road and according to the UN children’s agency, an employee and a contractor working for it were injured in the attack.
In a statement, UNICEF says the assistance it was delivering to Bama was “desperately needed.”
“This was not only an attack on humanitarian workers. It is an attack on people who most need the assistance and aid that these workers were bringing,” the statement continued.
Doctors Without Borders warned this week that more than 500,000 people in Borno state urgently need emergency assistance, adding that 15,000 people in the town of Banki have been isolated by Boko Haram violence and depend entirely on humanitarian aid.
File: Nigerian Navy routine quarterly road exercise
The Nigerian Naval Headquarters has refuted a news report published on Tuesday 26 July 2016 by an online medium named vaxity.com, with the title “Chief of the Naval Staff faces sack for rejecting illegal recruitment list from Mamman Daura”.
A statement released byCor Ezekobe, a Navy Commodore and Director of Information in the Naval Headquarters said that the report was one of the many attempts to disparage and scandalize the current efforts of the Federal Government to eliminate all forms of corrupt tendencies in our national life.
“The Naval Headquarters therefore wishes to reiterate that the news report is false, mischievous, malicious and is intended by its sponsors to create disaffection among the citizens as regards the conduct of the Nigerian Navy Recruitment Exercise.
“Members of the public are hereby advised to disregard this report,” the statement read.
Ezekobe also talked about the ongoing anti-crude oil theft operations of the Navy in the Niger Delta, saying the exercise has been yielding positive results.
He stated that a “patrol team deployed by NNS DELTA, naval base in Warri raided an illegal refinery at Asiagbene community in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State. Four large GP tanks laden with about 10,000 liters each of product suspected to be illegally refined AGO was destroyed.
“Also the patrol team on 21 July 2016 located and destroyed 2 illegal refineries with 3 Cotonou boats containing approximately 350MT of illegally refined AGO at Asosolo and Ugbosede in Warri South West LGA.
“During the raid, 2 persons were arrested while the following items were recovered; 5 speed boats, 20 drums of illegally refined AGO, 5 drums of illegally refined DPK, 1 pumping machine, 1 generator and 1 x 90HP outboard engine. The suspects are undergoing further investigation.”
The Navy spokesman further stated that another “patrol team deployed by NNS PATHFINDER in Port Harcourt, Rivers State has raided and destroyed 2 active illegal refinery sites around Ogu Bolo in Rivers State. During the raid, 6 Storage tanks each containing 60,000 liters of suspected stolen crude and 2 speed boats carrying 15 drums each of illegally refined AGO were destroyed. The patrol team also destroyed a barge laden with about 120,000 liters of suspected illegally refined AGO.”
Ezekobe called for more synergy between the various security agencies that police the numerous waterways across the country in order to ensure better protection of life and property within the hinterlands.
The men at the centre of the padding controversy, Dogara and Jibrin
A member of the House of Representatives, Lawal Gumau, has given insight into how lawmakers make additions into the budget, which has come to be known as padding.
According to Gumau, who was speaking on Channels’ Sunrise Daily on Thursday, the insertions happen at the last minute just before the document is returned to the President for his signature.
“After the budget is prepared from the committees, it goes to the Appropriation Committee and they will work on the budget and return it to the members in the chamber for everybody to see, read and agree on it. Padding does not come in up till that point.
“Immediately after the House has passed the budget, before they submit it to the President is when the padding takes place. The members will not know that after they passed the budget, something was inserted,” he said.
Gumau, a member of Transparency Group, a collection of lawmakers in the green chamber calling for the probe of allegations of padding against the leadership of the House by former chairman of the House appropriation committee, Abdulmumin Jibrin, said the sharp practice had been on since 2011 and members were warned before the 7th National Assembly came into existence.
Maintaining that he is not in support of either Speaker Yakubu Dogara, who is accused of spearheading the padding, or the self-styled whistle-blower Jibrin, Gumau wondered why investigation has not commenced by the relevant government agencies.
“What is the Attorney General of the Federation doing? Is he not the law officer? If there is a petition, can’t he investigate or give an order for an investigation to be carried out?
“We have EFCC, we have ICPC; we have the Nigeria Police. What are they doing that they cannot investigate? What we are saying is that the House open this issue for an investigation,” he queried.
The Igbo Traders Association, ITA, in Kano state has demanded for justice over killing of Tochukwu Iro, a patent medicine dealer who was on Wednesday shot by trigger-happy police officers attached to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, of the Kano state Police Command.
According to eyewitness accounts, Tochukwu was allegedly killed at about 12 noon Wednesday along France Road, opposite First Baptist Church in Sabon Gari area of the state.
One of the eyewitnesses told reporters: “On Wednesday afternoon, at about 12 noon, we saw Tochukwu walking along the road, as he tried to negotiate Illaro Road, two armed police men walked up to him. They came with tinted glass car.
They stopped the car close to First Baptist Church, crossed the road and ordered Tochukwu to stop.
“When he stopped, there was a mild argument between him and the two armed men; and one of them who was wearing Kaftan brought out a branded police rifle and shot him. When traders
around started shouting, the same man shot into the air and bundled the victim into a waiting tricycle, while his partner crossed the road, dashed into the car and zoomed off.”
While speaking during an emergency Press Conference organized by the Igbo Traders Association at the Abubakar Rimi Market, chairman of the traders, Chief Emmanuel Amadi who was visibly disturbed over the gruesome murder of Tochukwu insisted that justice must be done.
He stated that Tochukwu, aged 40, who hailed from Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra state, died at Murtala Muhammad Specialist hospital Thursday afternoon after a failed operation.
According to him, “on that Wednesday, I was attending a market Board meeting with General Manager of Abubakar Rimi Market, security chiefs and other stakeholders when I received a call that one of our members was shot by the police along France Road.
“I immediately told the market management and they asked me to get more details over the incident. We made arrangements to ensure that he was taken to hospital for treatment.
Around 9 p.m. on that Wednesday, I put a call across to Murtala Muhammad Hospital and I was told that he was responding to treatment.
“On Thursday morning, I called the hospital and was told that he was taken to the theatre for operation; but it was so sad that this afternoon (Thursday), we got the news that he could not survive the gun shot. As I am speaking to you now, Tochukwu is dead.
“I have his file here and I can attest to the fact that he was a peace-loving man. We have never known him as a criminal and that is why we wondered why such an innocent man could be killed in such a gruesome manner. Since the news of his death, we have not rested.
“The youths were here in our office this afternoon in protest over the killing of their brother. They are demanding for justice. On our own, we have pleaded with them not to take laws into their hands; and all we are saying is that the killers of Tochukwu must be made face
justice,” he stated.
Reacting to the incident in a statement signed by Kano Police Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Magaji Musa Majia, “the Kano State Police Command wishes to inform the public that on 27th July, 2016 at about 1200hrs a team of operatives attached to Special Anti-Robbery
Squad (SARS) based on tip off along France Road, stopped one Ogochukwu Augustine `m’ of Odutola Street S/gari but he refused to stop.
“He was subsequently pursued and while trying to escape, he was shot at the hipbone and immediately rushed to Murtala Specialist Hospital where he gave up the ghost while receiving treatment.
“The Commissioner of Police Kano State Alhaji Rabiu Yusuf has directed for immediate arrest and detention of the team leader and his men for interrogation at the State CIID Kano.
“He also summoned the Elders of Igbo Community in Kano where he sympathizes with them and assured that Justice will be done.
“The Commissioner of Police also stated that his primary assignment is to protect life and property and will not condone any Police personnel who risk the life of innocent citizens.
“The outcome of the investigation will be made public as soon as investigation is completed before further action taken,” the statement stated.
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Thursday stopped the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from holding a planned convention billed for August 17 this year.
The PDP has been occupied by series of intra-party power tussle between former governors of Borno and Kaduna States, Ali Modu Sheriff and Ahmed Makarfi, with the former insisting that he is the rightful leader of the party despite a court order to the contrary.
The Makarfi-led faction had relied on the court ruling last month, which nullified the party’s process that made Sheriff chairman, to plan a convention that will see someone emerge to lead it in preparation for the 2019 elections.
Sheriff had approached the court on July 4, asking it to stop the convention because going by the party’s constitution, he and other members of the National Working Committee should be in office till 2018.
The plaintiffs also asked the court to prevent the Makarfi-led faction of the PDP from embarking on any moves to remove them from office.
Also named in the suit as plaintiffs are Wale Oladapo, National Secretary; Dennis Alonge-Niyi, Deputy National Youth Leader; Alhaji Bashir Maidugu, Deputy National Legal Adviser; Hanatu Ulam, Deputy National Women Leader; Lawal Dutsima Anchi, Deputy National Auditor; Okey Nnadozie, Deputy National Organising Secretary, and; Olisa Metuh, National Publicity Secretary.
However, Metuh, who is facing trial over N400 million he allegedly received from former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, a retired Colonel, denied being a part of the suit and said he never attended any meeting where he agreed to be part of the suit.
In a statement by his spokesperson, Richard Ihediwa, Metuh said those who included his name assured him that it was erroneously done and would be removed.
“Our appeal therefore is that Chief Metuh at this time should be left out of intra-party controversies. His only preoccupation now remains matters concerning his health and the extant court trial,” the statement read.
Gbagyi residents protest the proposed demolition exercise
Residents of Gbagyi community in Kaduna State have staged a peaceful protest asking the state government not to go ahead with the planned demolition of their houses that have been marked as illegal structures.
The residents of the community in Chikun Local Government Area, took to the streets on Thursday, carrying placards and chanting anti-government songs while demanding that the demolition be suspended as the matter was already before the courts.
They claimed to have all the relevant documents that gave them the right to occupy the land, insisting that the planned demolition was illegal and inhuman.
Governor Nasir El-Rufai had during a working visit to Gbagyi Villa said some of the buildings in the area had illegally encroached on the land belonging to the Kaduna State Polytechnic and would be demolished.
The Governor had also added that government was ready to recognise and protect every proven title to the land.
Chris Obodumu, leader of Gbagyi community, noted that late Governor Patrick Yakowa in 2011, resolved the dispute and amicably demarcated the boundary between the two parties, but another former Kaduna State Governor, Balarabe Musa, said that those claiming ownership of the land were not the genuine owners.
He advised the aggrieved residents to tread with caution, stating that the land in question was allocated to the Kaduna Polytechnic by the state government as a virgin land over 40 years, until some people started encroaching into it.
Musa, however, urged the government to set up a verification committee before the demolition.
The students of the Kaduna Polytechnic on their part held a peaceful protest where they commended Governor El-Rufai for assisting the institution to recover its land from encroachers.
President of the Student Union Government, Usman Kareem, expressed optimism that the land would solve the school’s myriad of accommodation problems if recovered.
President Muhammadu Buhari has felicitated with Catholic Priest, Ejike Mbaka, on the 21st anniversary of his ordination to priesthood in the Catholic Church which comes up on Friday.
Premium Times reported presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina, as stating that “The President extends his best wishes to Fr. Mbaka’s family, congregation and well-wishers as they celebrate this special occasion with him in his continued devotion to the well-being of others as a father, wise counselor, teacher and guardian,”
“The President commends Fr. Mbaka’s steadfast devotion to his vocation and ministry amply demonstrated in his love and service for his people, nation and God.
“President Buhari prays that God Almighty, who has given the cleric the strength to devote his entire life to service in the Vineyard, will continually bless and prosper his ministry.”
Mbaka became a controversial figure in the months leading to the 2015 general elections when he famously prophesied that incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan would lose his seat to his opponent Muhammadu Buhari, after having reportedly endorsed Jonathan.
The prophecy drew a lot of controversy, with some Nigerians accusing the Catholic priest of deliberately heating up the polity.
German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, has reiterated that recent attacks in the country involving asylum-seekers would not change its willingness to take in refugees.
She said the attackers “wanted to undermine our sense of community, our openness and our willingness to help people in need. We firmly reject this”.
But she did propose new measures to improve security, including information sharing, deciphering web chatter and tackling arms sales on the internet.
A suicide bomb attack in Ansbach that injured 15 people was carried out by a Syrian who had been denied asylum but given temporary leave to stay.
An earlier attack on a train in Wuerzburg on 18 July that wounded five people was also carried out by an asylum seeker from Afghanistan, with both attackers claiming allegiance to the so-called Islamic State.
The deadliest recent attack – in Munich on 22 July which left nine dead – was carried out by a German teenager of Iranian extraction but was not jihadist-related.
Chancellor Merkel, who interrupted her summer holiday to hold the news conference in Berlin, said the asylum seekers who had carried out the attacks had “shamed the country that welcomed them”.
But she insisted that those fleeing persecution and war had a right to be protected, and Germany would not deny shelter to the deserving.
Referring to the attacks that have taken place in France, Belgium, Turkey, the US and elsewhere, she said they were intended to “spread fear and hatred between cultures and between religions”.
But in reference to her famous phrase “We can do this” – uttered last year when she agreed to take in a million migrants – Merkel said: “I am still convinced today that “we can do it”.
“It is our historic duty and this is a historic challenge in times of globalisation. We have already achieved very, very much in the last 11 months,” she said.
The Sokoto State Government said it has uncovered no fewer than 12,915 `ghost workers,’ padded into the payrolls of the 23 local government areas of the state.
This was disclosed by the State’s Commissioner for Local Government and Community Development, Mannir Dan-Iya, during a media briefing in Sokoto on Thursday.
He said the discovery was made after the ministry had concluded a local government junior staff verification of about 58,143 workers, comprising of scheduled and unscheduled staff.
“The verification exercise yielded fruitful result, whereby about 12, 915 workers, comprising of seat-at-home and ghost workers were fished out of the local governments’ staff payrolls.”
Dan-Iya stated that the exercise was a huge success as it saved the state government over N319 million.
He added that plans are underway for a similar verification exercise of the ministry’s senior staff, whose salaries are paid through their respective banks.
He also said that issues that arose from the exercise, mostly associated with human errors, were being effectively addressed.
Former Military Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, has called on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government to do all it could to bring to an end the economic recession which Nigeria is currently grappling with.
Gowon made the call on Wednesday at the palace of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, in Osun State, expressing optimism that the team put up by the federal government can come up with a solution to the crisis.
“I have left government for a long time, so I may not really know what the problem is. The current administration should do whatever they can to solve our economic challenges,
“They should find a way to restore confidence in the citizens and the nation at large by fixing the economy,” he said.
Reacting to the current budget padding scandal rocking the House of representatives, Gowon sad, “ If that is true. If anybody is doing that, the person should be checked and stopped to ensure that such does not occur in the future.
“We didn’t do it during my time. We had Chief Obafemi Awolowo in-charge of our finance and he taught us to survive without borrowing. Such (budget padding) should stop, there is no point doing that”, he added.
The former military president admitted that the masses and businesses were going through a tough time.
He urged President Muhammadu Buhari to find a way to restore the confidence of the people in the economy and the country at large.
