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Security Chiefs’ Absence Stalls Senate Briefing

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Security Chiefs’ Absence Stalls Senate Briefing

The proposed briefing of the Senate on the security situation in the country by the service chiefs could not hold on Thursday as plannedppppp due to the absence of some officers.

The Senate President, David Mark, said that the chief of army staff, Azubuike Ihejirika, a lieutenant general, the chief of naval staff, Dele Ezeoba, a vice admiral, and the inspector-general of Police, Mohammed Abubakar could not attend the briefing.

“Senate, in an executive session, differed to another legislative day, the briefing by service chiefs, security agents, the Inspector-General of Police…this is due to the absence of the Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff and the Inspector-General of Police,” he said.

The senate spokesman, Eyinnaya Abaribe (PDP-Abia), said that the service chiefs were absent due to logistic reasons and that the matter could not be discussed in their absence due to its delicate nature.

“We found out that some of the heads of these agencies and military formations were not available and we felt that what we are trying to get is of sufficient importance to the nation. We felt that we will not get the comprehensive briefing if those persons were not present,” he said.

The service chiefs are expected to give the senate a detailed account of the latest attacks launched by members of the outlawed Boko Haram sect in Maiduguri on Monday in which insurgents numbering over 200 attacked an Air force base, destroying several buildings and two air crafts.

Mandela Fighting Strong On “Deathbed” – Daughter

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Mandela Fighting Strong On “Deathbed” – Daughter

The family of ailing former South African President, Nelson Mandela, says the elder statesman is putting up a courageous fight from his “deathbed” in his Houghton home in Johannesburg.

Mandela who is 95-years-old has been receiving medical care for a protracted lung infection since the spring.

“Tata is still with us, strong and courageous. Even for a lack of a better word on his death bed, he is teaching us lessons of tolerance. Every moment l get with him, l am amazed. There are times where l have to pinch myself that l come from this man who is struggling, but fighting spirit is still there with him,” Makaziwe, his daughter said.

His grandchild, Ndaba Mandela, lamented Madiba’s ill health: “He is still with us although he is not doing well in bed.”

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Mandela was admitted to the Pretoria Heart Hospital in June where he was treated for a recurring lung infection.

He was discharged from hospital three months later to receive home based care at his Houghton home in Johannesburg, where 22 specialist doctors are attending to him.

Mandela celebrated his 95th birthday at the Pretoria Heart Hospital in July.

Nigeria To Get First Deep Sea Port

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Nigeria To Get First Deep Sea Port

The Nigerian government has approved the development of Lekki Deep Sea Port in Lagos as part of measures to end congestion at the Apapa and other ports across the country.

When completed, the deep sea port will be the first and is expected to generate more than $9 billion and 160,000 jobs.

This was part of the projects approved by the Federal Executive Council at its weekly meeting in Abuja on Wednesday.

Briefing correspondents after the meeting, the minister of transport, Idriss Umar, said the project under the Public-Private Partnership arrangement with 45 years concession would generate about $375 billion within the concession period.

“Under the concession development plan of the port, the Nigerian government has 20% equity share, Lagos State government has 18.5% while the investors will take the remaining 61.5%,’’ the minister explained.

“It is estimated that the investors will get not less than 375 billion Dollars, while the government is expected to receive nine billion dollars within the 45 years concession period,” Umar added.

The Council also approved a little above N31 billion for road constructions across the country.

The minister of state for works, Bashir Yuguda, said the money would be used to open up communities and ease the problems of transferring goods and services, especially farm produce across the country.

The projects are the Kankara-Gurbi Road in Katsina State, N1.4 billion; the Isoko Ring Road in Delta State, N2.1 billion; the Yashi-Duguri-Yalo Road (Duguri-Dungare-Yalo Section) in Bauchi State, N1.75 billion; the Jarmai-Bashar Road in Plateau State, N1.38 billion and the Wukari/Akwana Road in Taraba State, N3.97 billion.

Others are Ajase/Offa/Erin-Ike/Osun State Boundary Road in Kwara State, N1.24 billion; the Takum-Dongawa Road in Katsina-Alato Katum, N1 billion; the River Ebba Bridge at Cheche, Katcha LGS in Niger State, N1.48 billion; the Amanwaozuzu-Uzoagba-Eziama-Orie-Amaohia road in Imo State, N1.275 billion; the Benin/Adumagbae-Egba-Akure Road in Edo/Ondo States, N3.287 billion; the Nung Udoe-Etinan-Ekom-Iman Road in Akwa Ibom State, N2.383 billion and the Bida-Sacci-Nupeko Road in Niger State, N8.673 billion.

Falana Set To Challenge Iyayi’s Death In Court

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Falana Set To Challenge Iyayi’s Death In Court

From Jefferson Ibiwale, Benin

Human Rights lawyer, Femi Falana, on Wednesday further raised questions over the death of former president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, when he disclosed plans to engage government in a legal battle over the late academician’s demise in a ghastly auto crash involving the Kogi State governor’s convoy.

Iyayi, who was president of ASUU from 1986 to 1988, died while on his way to Kano to participate in the National Executive Council meeting of the union to resolve the issues behind the over five months strike.

Speaking at the residence of the late ASUU leader, Falana said he had been mandated  by the family and ASUU, to challenge Iyayi’s “murder” in court.

He urged the union not to relent in the struggle but to ensure that the death of their former leader was not in vain, as he would ensure that recklessness on the roads by government officials was checked.

In his address, chairman, ASSU UNIBEN chapter, Anthony Monye-Emina, described Iyayi as one of Nigeria’s number one heros that have fallen, and a hero of ASUU struggles.

Chairman of ASUU, University of Ilorin chapter, Taiwo Oloruntoba-Oju, said the late Iyayi had cloned many other Iyayis while alive to carry on the fight, adding that the only way to ensure what he fought for was to sustain the struggle.

He added that if the federal government truly respected Iyayi, it should implement the agreement signed instead of shifting the date for resumption by the lecturers and threatening to sack them.

Humiliated Edo Widow Rejects PDP’s N250,000 Donation

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Humiliated Edo Widow Rejects PDP’s N250,000 Donation

The widow who rose to fame after an unpleasant encounter with the governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, has turned down the N250,000 offered to her by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The widow, Joy Ifijeh, who has now been employed by the state, with a N2 million cash gift from the governor, said she does not want to be politically used and had asked the PDP to extend its generosity to other widows.

Speaking shortly after collecting her letter of appointment at the office of the secretary to the Edo state government, Ifijeh promised to lead in the campaign against street trading and selling on walkways.

She also called for assistance to enable her collect her late husband’s benefits from the police authorities, saying that since her husband died last year shortly after graduating from an inspectorate course, all effort to collect his benefits has proved unsuccessful.

Oshiomole hosted at the Government House, Benin, the widow whom he told to “Go and die”, while on a sanitation tour of the state.

Ifije had spread her wares along the road causing obstruction to the governor who ordered her goods to be confiscated.

The incident which was captured on video generated a lot of condemnation within and outside the country, causing Oshiomhole to tender apologies to the widow in addition to an automatic employment and N2 million cash donation.

Mass Grave Containing Soldiers Found In Mali

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Mass Grave Containing Soldiers Found In Mali

Malian authorities said on Wednesday that they have found a mass grave containing the bodies of soldiers in the southern garrison town of Kati.

Senior military and judicial officials said that they discovered the grave that had been known for a long time, but there were more bodies than previously thought.

The judicial source said the site, a short drive north of the capital Bamako, contained 21 bodies.

The discovery came days after the detention for complicity in kidnapping of former junta chief Amadou Sanogo, a general who led the March 2012 coup that plunged the country into chaos. .

The judicial source said at the time of Sanogo’s detention he had also been questioned over a failed counter-coup shortly after he seized power which caused more tensions between warring factions of the army.

It was not immediately clear if the soldiers in the mass grave had met their fate at that time.

Mali’s newly elected President Ibrahim Keita is still battling to assert state control over the army, accused by human rights groups of excessive violence, torture and enforced disappearances.

Edo Police Arrests Cop Killers

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Edo Police Arrests Cop Killers

From Jefferson Ibiwale, Benin

The Edo state police command says it has arrested members of a robbery gang responsible for the death of four policemen deployed from the Osun State for a special election duty in Anambra State.

It would be recalled that the policemen were ambushed by the gunmen on November 14 while reporting at their place of assignment.

The Edo State police commissioner, Foluso Adebanjo, told journalists in Benin on Tuesday that his men were accosted at the Benin bye-pass on the Benin/Lagos expressway by another gang of 20 armed robbers, who reportedly blocked the road to prevent the arrest of their colleagues.

In the shoot-out that ensued, one of the robbers was shot dead while a policeman sustained gunshot injury on his leg.

Other armed robbers reportedly escaped into the bush with bullet wounds.

One of the arrested armed robbery suspects, Muhammadu Umaru, 29, confessed that he had taken part in robbery cases in Enugu state three times, receiving N5,000, N6,000 and N30, 000 each time.

Umaru, who further disclosed that he had joined a new robbery gang in the Adumawa area of Benin City, however denied being part of the gang that killed the policemen.

“I don’t know who killed police. We don’t have real guns but carved guns which we use to block road,” he said.

In another encounter on the Benin/Auchi road, Adebanjo said three members of a robbery gang who had laid siege to the road, were gunned down in a shoot-out with his men.

In all, 43 suspects were paraded for various kind of offences ranging from armed robbery, unlawful possession of fire arms and cannabis, cultism, conspiracy and fraud, car snatching, murder ad rape.

No Quarrel With My Deputy- Gov Al-Makura

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No Quarrel With My Deputy- Gov Al-Makura

By Godwin Ojoshimite

Nasarawa State Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura has debunked reports that he is having a rift with his deputy,  Dameshi Luka Bauru.

The governor made the rebuttal at a meeting of the state interim management committee of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Lafia, the state capital, onWednesday.

He alleged that the report in some sections of the media, was the “handiwork of mischief makers, who do not mean well for the development of the state.”

He proclaimed that “those waiting to see friction between me and the deputy governor will have to wait till dooms day.”

Al-Makura attributed his administration’s success to the collaborative efforts of everybody in his government, including the deputy governor.

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He prayed members of APC in the state to eschew personal interests and imbibe the spirit of sacrifice to enable the party to excel.

The governor appealed to members of the party to support the interim management committee and avoid unnecessary scheming capable of causing disunity in the party.

He described the recent claims that over 4,000 supporters of the APC in the state had defected to the Peoples’ Democratic Party as “ridiculous”, and urged the public to disregard it.

FG Extends Ultimatum To ASUU

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FG Extends Ultimatum To ASUU

The federal government has announced the extension of the deadline for the striking university lecturers to resume work from December 4 to December 9.

The executive secretary of the National Universities Commission, NUC, Julius Okojie, announced the new date while addressing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday.

Okojie explained that government made the decis ion to shift the deadline after it received notification of the funeral rites of the late former  president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Festus Iyayi’s slated for between December 5-7.

Iyayi died on November 12, 2013 in an auto crash on the Lokoja-Abuja express way, while on his way to attend the association’s meeting in Kano to discuss the lecturers’ strike action.

According to Okojie, the decision is also to avoid a situation where government and ASUU will have to deal with the ultimatum during the funeral of the former ASUU President.

“Based on this information, government decided to shift the resumption deadline to December 9, to enable lecturers to participate in the burial,” he said.

The NUC executive secretary said the directive had been communicated to the governing councils of various universities and vice chancellors for onward transmission to the academic staff.

Okojie added that there was no intention to victimise any lecturer for participating in the strike, but maintained that any lecturer who resumed work after the expiration of the new deadline would not have his or her salary arrears paid.

“You cannot pay someone who has failed to resume work. You are on strike and you want to be paid? What if some has already left the system? Some of our very bright lecturers may have got jobs elsewhere,” he said.

On the N200billion Revitalisation Fund which ASUU wanted government to disburse within two weeks, Okojie said the money had been deposited in an account in the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, but added that the money cannot be disbursed as ASUU demands because it was meant for capital projects.

He stressed that government, as employer of labour, could not fold its arms while the institutions remained shut at the detriment of students.

Timipre Sylva’s Arrangement Stalled

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Timipre Sylva’s Arrangement Stalled

The arraignment of the former Bayelsa State governor, Timipre Sylva, and six others before a Federal High Court in Abuja over their involvement in laundering N19.2 billion could not hold Tuesday.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is re-arraigning Sylva following fresh evidence linking him with certain fraudulent transactions carried out during his tenure as governor of Bayelsa State between.

He and the other accused persons are being prosecuted on a 42-count amended charge.

The other accused persons are Francis Okuburo, Gbenga S. Balogun, Samuel Ogbuku, Marlin Maritime Limited, Eat Catering Services Limited and Haloween Blue Construction and Logistics Limited.

Although, the ex-governor was present in court, his counsel, Lateef Fagbemi, objected to his client taking a plea on the grounds that the accused persons were not served with hearing notice.

He asked that the provision of the law which allows for seven days before arraignment should be complied with.

Counsel to EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs, however, urged the court presided over by Justice A.R Mohammed to proceed with the arraignment since the accused persons were already in court.

He added that the defence already had a proof of evidence and the amended charge but Fagbemi insisted on the defence’s right to a hearing notice.

Counsel to the 4th accused person, Ajayi Olowo, at this point informed the court that he had filed a notice of preliminary objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the matter and asked for a short adjournment for the motion to be argued.

Counsel to other defendants aligned themselves with his submission.

Jacobs, however, urged the court to take their arguments on the motion orally to save the time of the court and ensure speedy trial.

Justice Mohammed adjourned the case to January 23, 2014 for hearing on the notice of preliminary.

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