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Reps Gives Oduah Till Tuesday To Appear Before It

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Reps Gives Oduah Till Tuesday To Appear Before It

The House of Representatives Committee on Aviation has ordered the controversial Aviation minister, Stella Oduah, to appear before it between now and next Tuesday, the deadline for its investigation into the scandal surrounding the purchase of two armoured cars at N255 million.

The order came after the permanent secretary in the ministry, who led a team of officials to represent his boss, told the lawmakers that Oduah was in Israel to sign a bilateral air agreement with Israel and will not be able to return before Tuesday.

Chairman of the committee, Nkiruka Onyejeocha, refused to listen to the minister’s representatives, insisting that she must appear before it even if it means that she returns to the country by a chartered flight.

Meanwhile, the minister in a swift response to a query issued by the President over the scandal said the procurement of the two armoured BMW vehicles at the cost of N255 million followed due process.

Oduah maintained that there is always an annual budgetary provision for the replacement of obsolete, inadequate and unreliable monitoring equipment.

“The NCAA (Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority) is charged with oversight responsibilities over all civil aviation operations in the country, including safety, security and strict compliance with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices, SARPs, and Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations, NCARs,” she said..

Oduah added: “Towards the effective implementation of its statutory regulatory responsibilities, therefore, it is imperative that the NCAA is fully equipped with highly specialised tools and facilities, including adequate operational vehicles to cover all 22 national airports and over 400 airstrips.”

In the minister’s lame explanation, she shied away from mentioning the cost of the vehicles or how armoured cars would be used for operational reasons.
President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday set up a three-man administrative panel to investigate the armoured car scandal.

The panel, which has two weeks to submit its findings, is to investigate whether the procurement of the vehicles for about N255 million followed due process or not. The panel is also to look into the main reasons for procuring the vehicles.

Security Men Bar Journalists From Boko Haram Suspects Trial

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Security Men Bar Journalists From Boko Haram Suspects Trial

Journalists were on Thursday prevented from covering the arraignment of 17 suspected Boko Haram members charged before a Federal High Court, Lagos.

Other litigants who had matters at the court were equally barred from entering the court.

Fierce-looking men of the Department of State Security Service, DSSS, threatened to arrest any journalist who flouted their order which they claimed was from above.

However, the arraignment of the suspects could not hold as five of them lacked legal representation.

Those without legal representative were Ali Mohammed, Adamu Karumi, Ibrahim Usman, Bala Haruna and Idris Ali.

Others charged along with them are Mohammed Murtala, Kadiri Mohammed, Mustapha Daura, Abba Duguri, Sanni Adamu, Danjuma Yahaya, Musa Audu, Mati Daura, Farouk Haruna, Abdullahi Azeez, Ibrahim Bukar and Zula Diani.

This is the third time the arraignment of the suspected Boko Haram members would be postponed.

The first time was on October 2 due to the absence of a Hausa language interpreter, while the second time was on October 9, due to the absence of the trial judge.

Justice Musa Kurya again adjourned the case again till November 27.

The accused are facing trial on 18-count charge of conspiracy to commit terrorism, illegal possession of firearms, and being members of a proscribed organisation.

They are alleged to have in their possession three packets of explosive construction pipes, 15 detonators, and 11 AK 47 rifles with 30 rounds of live ammunition.

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Other items also alleged to have been found in their possession include 200 rounds of 7.6 mm live ammunition, two suitcases containing explosives, and a water container filled with explosives.

According to the charge sheet, the 17 accused are alleged to have committed the offences on March 21, at Plot 5, Road 69, Lekki Phase I Housing Estate, and No. 24, Oyegbeni St., Ijora-Oloye, Apapa-Iganmu, Lagos, thereby contravening provisions of Sections 13(2) and 17(b) of the Terrorism Act 2013.

It also contravenes Sections 1, 8, 27 (1) (a) and (b) of the Firearms (special provisions) Act, Cap F28, Laws of the Federation, 2004, and punishable under Section 8 of the same act.

NUJ Protests Nasarawa Govt’s Interference In Chapel Election

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NUJ Protests Nasarawa Govt’s Interference In Chapel Election

By Godwin Ojoshimite

Nasarawa State Governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, has been called upon to sanction his spokesman for allegedly interfering with the election of executives of the Correspondent Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalist, NUJ, in the state.

The director of press to the governor, Illiyasu Yakubu, is alleged by the new executive members of the chapel to have supported the emergence of a splinter group after the election.

He was further accused of giving his official vehicle, a white Toyota Hiace bus with Government House registration number NSGH 50, to members of the splinter group to visit media houses to announce their victory.

The call to the governor is contained in a communique issued at the end of the inaugural meeting of the newly elected executives of the chapel.

“The congress wishes to draw the attention of the state government to the fact that the illegal action of some of the members was facilitated with the use of a White 18 Seater Toyota bus with Government House registration number NSGH 50,” the communique read.

“The congress therefore urged the state government to investigate and sanction the within 48 hours, the officer whose official vehicle was used”.

According to the statement, following the election, Chuwang Dungs of the Sunrise Newspaper emerged as chairman having polled 13 votes as against eight votes by Ali Abare of Peoples Daily Newspaper.

Suleiman Abubakar of Nagarta Radio reportedly polled 11 votes to defeat Peter Ahemba of Nigerian Pilot Newspaper, who scored 10 votes, while Isaac Ukpoju of the News Agency of Nigeria was returned unopposed as the secretary of the chapel.

The communique which was signed by Dungs and Ukpoju condemned the action of some of its members who went to some mediaorganization in the state to make announcement contrary to the results of the election.

It however, commended the zonal national secretary of the NUJ, Wilson Bako, for supervising the election and inaugurating the new executives of the chapel.

Meanwhile, Yakubu has denied allegations that he is the brain behind the rebel group of the correspondent chapel.

“It is a blatant lie. I was only told about the election when the screening committee came to government house and invited me for the chapel’s election and i asked them what my business was with the election of the correspondents’ chapel because I have my own duty to attend to. I cannot sponsor anybody. If you have your crisis, you have your crisis”, Illiyasu said.

He also denied that his official vehicle was used in conveying members of the splinter group to various media houses to declare other persons as the winner of the election.

“It is a blatant lie because as we are speaking now, i don’t even know if my bus was there. I was not personally there and my bus was not used by any person yesterday,” he said.

Illiyasu equally dismissed insinuations that he would side-line new executives of the Correspondents Chapel and embrace the splinter group now known as Correspondents Forum at government organised functions.

 

The Broken Promises On Debt Relief

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The Broken Promises On Debt Relief

By Eric Teniola

Apart from his re-election on April 19, 2003 when President Olusegun Obasanjo/ Atiku Abubakar presidential ticket scored 24,456,140 votes against General Muhammadu Buhari/ late Chuba William Malachy Okadigbo’s 12,710,022, no other event was celebrated by President Obasanjo during his eight year tenure more than the debt relief granted Nigeria in 2005.

It was celebration galore at that time in the Presidential Villa. Most of his aides including Ministers, special advisers and assistants were in a joyful mood. The entire press section in the Villa including Mrs. Remi Oyo, Tunde Olusunle, Musa Aduak, Justin Abuah, Steve Itugbu and Sule Katsina were in their best elements celebrating.

In 1970, under General Yakubu Gowon Nigeria’s debt profile was 570 million dollars.

In 1979 under General Olusegun Obasanjo Nigeria’s total debt stock was 3.2 billion dollars with over 5 billion dollars in foreign reserve. In 1985, under General Muhammadu Buhari Nigeria’s debt profile rose to 18.5 billion dollars and in 1995 under General Sanni Abacha, it rose to 34.1billion dollars. In 2002 under President Olusegun Obasanjo, Nigeria’s debt rose to about 39.9 billion dollars due largely to interests, surcharges, and penalties.

The debt relief granted to Nigeria in 2005 was negotiated by the Economic Management Team led by Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala who was then Minister of Finance. She is still serving in that ministry in spite of our dwindling fortunes.

One of the conditions for granting us debt relief at that time was the understanding that the additional 1 billion dollars will be put into human welfare budget of health, education, food security and infrastructure development.

Upon assumption of office in 1999, President Olusegun Obasanjo established the debt Management Office and named Mr. Akin Arikawe as the Director- General of that office.

Mr. Arikawe who is from Igbotako in Ondo State later rose to become the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance before his retirement. It was the Debt Management Office that pioneered the success of debt relief for Nigeria in 2005.

With the relief, Nigeria cleared its arrears of $6 billion of the $30 billion owed following which there was stock reduction on the Naples terms while Nigeria was to buy back the remainder.

It was the first time Nigeria ever had total freedom from the Paris Club debt. The package in final terms yielded debt relief of about 60 % of Nigeria’s Paris club debt while Nigeria had to pay off the 40% balance through a buy back operation.

The total right off at that time was close to $20 billion which compare favourably with the $40 billion right-off of debt for the 18 highly indebted poor nations of the world by the developed nations.

President Obasanjo had to broadcast to the nation on June 30,2015 that the achievement was worth celebrating because what Nigeria expected at the close of the exercise would be relief of close to $20 billion which was well beyond the total revenue of Nigeria for one year.

President Obasanjo told Nigerians: “Fellow Nigerians, how did we get to the point where our debt burden became a challenge to peace, stability, growth and development? Without belabouring the point, we can identify political rascality, bad governance, abuse of office and power, criminal corruption, mismanagement and waste, misplaced priorities, fiscal indiscipline, weak control, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, and a community that was openly tolerant of corruption and other underhand and extra-legal methods of primitive accumulation”.

These all took place in this country, before our very eyes, and at times in active complicity by many of us. Even community leaders and religious bodies accommodated corrupt individuals and exalted them. Money replaced traditional values, money took over souls, and we came to believe in the Machiavellian philosophy of ‘the ends justify the means’.

State governments contracted huge loans with outrageous conditions and interest rates and failed to perform with the funds, most of it being squandered on white elephant projects or simply looted. We often forget that stolen and wasted funds were monies meant for growth and development especially education, health, roads, water, electricity and other social services.

Contracts became the only basis for determining transactions and engagements with the public and privates spheres. We pray to God that we get beyond these debilitations and develop a collective conscience that is anchored on transparency, accountability, probity, value-for-money and due process”.

On July 26 2005, President Obasanjo told the National Assembly that of the total debt stock at that time the Federal Government owed 75% and the states’ Government owed 25%.

I want you all to weigh that statement in the present day Nigeria. Have those commitments been met?

Now eight years after, are we celebrating any debt relief any longer? Is our Economy not in comatose? The situation of our economy has become so doubtful that nobody wants to talk about it. The ministry of finance is not forthcoming on the true position of our economy. So many contradictions!

The safest conclusion is that our economy is in bad shape. Most states are financially grounded now unable to meet their obligations. Our roads are bad, our hospitals are in decay, the structures in our public schools have become so shameful, and there is massive unemployment. At present we face the agony of blasted hopes and shattered dreams.

Do we even remember that there was a debt relief? It is now clear that we have been taken for a ride.

On a personal experience, I attended the funeral ceremony of my friend, Chief Soniran Oluwole Sowemimo in Abeokuta recently in company of Justice Deinde George Soremi, Toye Akiyode, Jare Dada, Soso Ogunlana, Bayo Sofolahan, Babs Adeyemi, Kola Adebayo and Chief Dipo Odulate. On my way back on Lagos- Ibadan expressway, I was in the traffic for over 8 hours.

Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) wrote in the Ballad of Reading Gaol” We did not dare to breathe a prayer or to give our anguish scope! Something was dead in each of us, And what was dead was hope”.

Eric Teniola, former editor of The Punch and a retired director at the Presidency wrote in from Lagos Lagos.

 

World’s Media Urges Queen Elizabeth To Reject Royal Charter

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World’s Media Urges Queen Elizabeth To Reject Royal Charter

The global media has asked Queen Elizabeth II of Britain to reject a proposed Royal Charter that would endanger the freedom of the press.

A group of leading global press freedom and media organisations, in an open letter to the Queen, said the Charter despite its camouflage, is in reality “a set of repressive statutory controls being imposed on the press against its will”.

According to the group, the United Kingdom has consistently been a major campaigner for freedom of expression and a beacon of liberty across the world for over three centuries since it abolished the last set of statutory controls on the press in 1695, and so signing the the Charter would not only have an impact on press freedom but would also be used by repressive regimes worldwide to justify their own control of the press.

The letter which was signed by seven international media organisations said further: “The actions of Britain’s Parliament will be used as an excuse by those who want to muzzle the press in their own country and stifle the free flow of information – and there are many governments who would love to do so.”

It noted that the “freedom of expression was central to the European Convention of Human Rights which Britain helped draft. It is part of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to which the UK is a signatory. It is a core belief in the Commonwealth Charter which Britain inspired.”

“Yet all that is now in danger. No one should be in any doubt that the proposed Royal Charter which politicians are forcing Your Majesty to sign is, despite the camouflage, in reality a set of repressive statutory controls being imposed on the press against its will. That should not be the function of a Royal Charter,” the group said.

A Royal Charter supported by the main political parties will be put forward for approval to the Privy Council on October 30. An alternative charter drawn up by the industry was rejected by the Privy Council.

The letter to the Queen was signed by the following members of the coordinating committee of press freedom organisations: Commonwealth Press Union Trust, The Worldwide Magazine Media Association, FIPP, the Inter American Press Association, the International Association of Broadcasting, the International Press Institute, the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers, WAN-IFRA, and the World Press Freedom Committee.

Rivers Aircraft Was Grounded On False Allegations – Reps

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Rivers Aircraft Was Grounded On False Allegations – Reps

The Rivers State – owned Bombardier B700 Global Express jet may be free to fly again soon as the House of Representatives at a sitting on Wednesday declared that the allegations on which the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, grounded the aircraft, were baseless.

Chairman, House joint committee on justice and aviation, Ali Ahmad, while briefing his colleagues in a session presided over by deputy speaker, Emeka Ihedioha, said that the aircraft was registered in the United States, just as over 70 per cent of the nation’s private jets were registered abroad.

While adopting the recommendations of the committee, the House requested the attorney-general and minister of justice to consider prosecuting Caverton Helicopters for misleading the NCAA to illegally ground the aircraft.

“For providing information that led the authorities to wrongly believe that Rivers State government falsified documents thereby leading to grounding of its aircraft, the Attorney-General is requested to consider prosecuting Caverton Helicopters under the provisions of section 36 (4) Civil Aviation Act. C13, 2004,” the house members agreed.

It was also resolved that “the Rivers State Government should be allowed to comply with the necessary conditions for granting of all required permits and licences of Rivers State-owned Bombadier B700 Global Express with registration number N565Rs”

The lawmakers also warned the ministry of aviation to desist from undue interference in the day to day operations of the aviation regulatory authorities as envisaged by the law, even as it urged aviation regulatory authorities to operate professionally and ensure compliance with international best practices in the industry.

The acting director general of NCAA, Joyce Nkemakolam, had said in a press briefing that the controversial aircraft on the service of the Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi was “operating illegally in the country”.

According to her, the aircraft which was grounded on April 26, had a clearance approval which expired in April 2, 2013, adding that the aircraft had exceeded the extra two days or 48 hours leeway for it to leave the country.

However, the state government in a swift defense said that it had complied with the norms regulating aviation business in the country.

The state commissioner for information and communications, Ibim Semenitari, said: “Just to say that all our documentation is in place and to also say that as a responsible sub-national, we have complied with the norms that regulate aviation business in Nigeria”.

She added: “We have applied formally to the honourable Minister of Aviation for the import licence. That application was received in her office in September 2012. So, we believe that all of the procedures, we have complied as best as we know.”

Top tips from the Global Investigative Journalism Conference

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Top tips from the Global Investigative Journalism Conference

By Jessica Weiss

Leading investigative journalists from around the world shared their reporting tips over the weekend with attendees of the 2013 Global Investigative Journalism Conference (GIJC) in Rio de Janeiro.

“In my experience, the main thing you need for a successful career in investigative journalism isn’t a lot of technical equipment, and it isn’t the ability to spend a lot of money,” said David Leigh, former investigations executive editor of The Guardian. “It’s having the right mindset.”

Leigh spoke at the four-day event, which offered more than 100 panels, workshops, and seminars. The Global Investigative Journalism Network organized and co-sponsored the conference in partnership with its national member organizations.

Panelists explored the wide range of themes, from organized crime to the global food industry, that journalists should be investigating.

“Go for the big story,” said Fiona MacLeod, an environmental writer and editor of the Oxpeckers Center for Investigative Environmental Journalists in South Africa. “Just because it’s an environmental story or a science story doesn’t mean it has to be boring.”

Panelists also stressed how critical it is for reporters to get hold of records.

“Documents, documents, documents,” said Charles Lewis, the founder of The Center for Public Integrity. “Records are the bedrock of all great journalism.”

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Guatemalan journalist Juan Luis Font said investigative journalists, most of all, need to have the ability to break away from the bunch.

“When everybody’s going in one way, try looking the other way,” he said.

For more tips, watch this video (in English) produced by Yolaan Begbie and Ryan Patch of IACC Young Journalists Initiative, a network reporting on corruption around the globe.

Jonathan Sets Up Committee To Investigate Aviation Scandal

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Jonathan Sets Up Committee To Investigate Aviation Scandal

As pressure mounts for a probe into the alleged purchase of armoured vehicles by the minister of aviation, Stella Odua, at an inflated cost of N255 million, President Goodluck Jonathan has set up a three – man administrative panel to investigate the scandal.

The special adviser to the President on media and publicity, Reuben Abati, disclosed this while briefing journalists at the end of the weekly Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting on Wednesday.

The three-man panel is to be chaired by the immediate past head of service, Sali Bello, while other members include the National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, a colonel and Dik Iruenebere, an air vice marshal.

“Indeed Mr. President considers this very a weighty matter and that is not true as some people have been alleging that no action has been taken. Let me assure you that President Jonathan will like to assure the general public that nobody no matter how highly placed will be shielded or exempted from this inquiry that he has directed and that appropriate action will be taken against any person or persons who maybe found guilty of misconduct or misappropriation of public funds either in this respect or in any other respect,” Abati said.

He explained that the panel of enquiry set up by the President is to investigate whether the procurement of the vehicles followed due process or not. The panel is also to look into the main reasons for procuring the vehicles.

“President Goodluck Jonathan has taken the initial step of asking the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, for explanations and that is in public domain and so it will not be right to say that the President is not aware of the matter. But, also, President Jonathan has also today taken a step further and you will probably be the first set of Nigerians to hear this, by setting up a three-man administrative panel of inquiry,” he said.

While Abati did not state if the minister would step aside while she is being investigated, he noted that the panel which has a time line of two weeks would also give the President the necessary advice on the matter.

The President was earlier reported to have issued the minister a query on Monday, to which she is expected to respond before his return from Israel.

In the query, Jonathan is said to have directed the embattled minister to provide him a detailed report on the procurement of the controversial bullet-proof cars, especially the cost, procurement processes and other issues relating to the transaction that have been raised by the media.

However, it was gathered that the aviation minister was already in Israel ahead of the President’s pilgrimage and state visit, even though she is not officially listed on the President’s team.

She was absent at today’s FEC meeting.

 

 

 

EFCC Declares Italian, 2 Nigerians Wanted Over N1.09 Billion Scam

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EFCC Declares Italian, 2 Nigerians Wanted Over N1.09 Billion Scam

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has declared an Italian, Mariani Albino, wanted in connection with a case of obtaining money by false pretence, stealing and money laundering to the tune of N989,288,400.00.

The agency also declared wanted two Nigerians, Nsika Usoro and Steve Bajo, for fraudulent conversion of the sum of N107million belonging to So Energy, a subsidiary of Sahara Group.

Information provided by the commission in astatement issued by its spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, stated that Albino is 53 years, 5ft 3inches in height and fair in complexion and that he speaks Italian and English languages fluently.

In a telephone chat, Uwujaren told our reporter that the Italian collected close to a million naira from a Nigerian for an interior decoration job but disappeared after being paid. All efforts by the commission to trace him have failed so he is believed to have returned to his home country.

His last known address is 9B, Ezekwuese Close, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.

Usoro and Bajo are directors of Rigel Energy and Maritime Limited and obtained the money from the oil firm but failed to deliver.

They have since disappeared. The EFCC instituted a case against the duo and they were to appear today but they did not turn up.

 

National DIalogue: Gov Aliyu Calls For Grassroot Participation

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National DIalogue: Gov Aliyu Calls For Grassroot Participation

Nma Shekwolo – Minna

Chairman of the Northern States Governors Forum, NSGF, and chief governor of Niger State, Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, has thrown his weight behind holding a national dialogue, suggesting the constitution of  a 910-man conference committee with a larger chunk of the delegates elected  from the grassroots.

Aliyu made the suggestion when members of the presidential advisory committee on the national conference led by its chairman, Femi Okunrounmu, paid him a courtesy call in Minna,the Niger state capital.

The NSGF leader said the existing institutions especially those at the grassroot should be used as the basis of the electing delegates to the national dialogue conference.

“I suggest that 774 delegates should be elected from the local government areas in the country, 100 delegates from special interest groups and 36 from traditional rulers representing the traditional institutions in the 36 states in Nigeria,” he said.

Aliyu backed the position of President Goodluck Jonathan that the final decisions of the national dialogue should be sent to the National Assembly for further ratification.

“As long as the National Assembly is on the ground, the decision reached by delegates at the national conference must be taken into the National Assembly for framing into the constitution,” Aliyu said.

Okunrounmu had earlier said that his team was in the state to consult and have the input of the governor on the national conference.

He assured that the committee would ensure the views of all Nigerians are accommodated.

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