The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, on the final day of its three days warning strike, announced a temporary ceasefire.

The union had embarked on a three days strike action on Monday to protest unfair labour practices of some oil companies and had threatened to embark on an indefinite strike, if at the end of Wednesday the federal government failed to broker a deal with it.

It directed all its members at the depots to stop loading petroleum products for the period to protest the alleged inhuman treatment by the management of Chevron, Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC and Agip Oil Company.

The strike was also called to protest the refusal of Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, NARTO, to implement the signed collective bargaining agreement with petroleum tanker drivers.

However, in a meeting held Wednesday with the group managing director  of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Andrew Yakubu,  he pleaded with the management of the three oil companies to rectify the employment status of casual tanker drivers in their organisations.

At the conclusion of the round-table discussion, the NUPENGPresident, Achese Igwe, said the decision to end the industrial action was for the interest of the public.

He highlighted the major issues which had led to the warning strike to include the high level of insecurity in Nigeria, bad state of the roads, rising oil theft in the Niger Delta, non-adherence to guidelines on contract staffing/casualisation in the sector and abuse of expatriate quota.

Igwe threatened that if the issues were not quickly resolved, the union will not give further notice to the government before embarking on an indefinite strike.

Men of the Joint Task Force, JTF in Borno State, known as Operation Restore Hope on Wednesday shot dead three Boko Haraminsurgents disguised as women who attempted to attack a police station in Maiduguri.

The JTF soldiers had apparently received intelligence of an impending attack on the Ibrahim Taiwo police station and were on alert and well prepared.

The insurgents had disguised as women wearing full hijab, the veil used by Muslim women to cover their body, underneath which they bore the deadly tools of their bloody trade – AK 47 rifles.

The gunmen are said to have tried to gain entry into the police station around 2.00 pm, posing as mere visitors but vigilant soldiers saw through their disguise and opened fire on them, killing all three in the ensuing gun battle.

The whole area was subsequently cordoned off by the soldiers for the rest of the day to forestall further attacks by the insurgents.

The use of hijab disguise by Boko Haram men has become fashionable for many reasons. For one thing, even at the height of the clampdown on Boko Haram members when stop and search was the order of the day in Maiduguri, women were not put through the indignity of proper body searches out of respect.

Also, because the JTF is made up of male soldiers, it would even have been ackward for them to have done full body searches on women.

It is this situation that the ever ingenious Boko Haram men have tried to exploit lately by dressing up as women in order to escape full scrutiny by security men.

Thus, women have been used as couriers of guns and ammunitions or, as happened last weekend at a market in Maiduguri, to plant bombs.

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A woman wrapped an explosive device on her back like a baby apparently with the mission of planting the bomb at the popular market, but before she could complete her deadly errand, something detonated the contraption, instantly killing her.

Also last week, in Gwange ward, youths popularly known as CivilianJTF arrested some Boko hAram men disguised as women and handed them over to soldiers.

There are indications that the prolonged accredation problem that has crippled the College of Medicine of the University of Abuja may be near its end as the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria has declared it fit for take-off.

The chairman of the council’s accreditation committee, FrankAkpuaka, announced this after inspecting the facilities of the College of Health Sciences of the institution.

“In the next few weeks, action will shift to this place. It is our hope that with what we have seen today, that will be possible,” he said.

Akpuaka, said there were some outstanding responsibilities to be settled by the university, but expressed optimism that those issues would be resolved in few weeks.

He called on the university to provide the remaining requirements such as the building of a clinical hostel within the hospital premises, provision of standard offices for the academic staff, a college block and employment of adequate academic staff.

The chairman advised the lecturers to start writing their lecture schedules – “Do not wait until the students are here before you start preparing,” he told them.

Akpuaka also advised the management of the university and the hospital to work in harmony to ensure an environment conducive for learning and operations.

The university’s vice chancellor, Sunday Adelabu, commended the team for their steadfastness and interest in ensuring standards for the university.

He assured that the management would not relent in efforts at putting the necessary infrastructure in place for the smooth take-off of the college and expressed joy that the university was witnessing the final stage of transformation.

Students of the college had staged several protest to express their disappointment and frustrations with the school authority over the unnecessary stagnation in the programme due to its non-accreditation.

Some of the students claimed they had spent over eight years in the school without exceeding the third level of the programme as a result of the challenge.

Despite attaining the mandatory retirement age of 60 last Saturday, the acting Director General, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Samson Shaibu, says he is in no hurry to step down, in what appears a bold defiance of the country’s Civil Service rule.

Premium Times reports that Mr. Shaibu’s decision to remain in office beyond his retirement date has angered not a few senior officials at the station, the Federal Ministry of Information and the presidency, who accused Information Minister Labaran Maku of encouraging the acting DG to sit tight in office.

The critics spoke to PREMIUM TIMES on condition of anonymity for fear they might be victimised by the administration.

By the rule, Mr. Shaibu should have commenced his pre-retirement leave in March, preparatory to his disengagement from service on June 22 when he turned 60.

But shortly before then, in February, he was asked to take over the running of the publicly owned station from the former DG, YusufNuhu, whose tenure expired. Mr. Shaibu was the most senior director in the Corporation at the time.

However, more than a week after he should have compulsorily retire from office, the acting DG is still hanging around and running the corporation in violation of service rule, which stipulates that all categories of workers in the public service shall compulsorily retire at 60 or after serving for 35 years, whichever is earlier.

The only exemptions are judicial officers and members of the Academic Staff of Universities who are entitled to retire at 70 and 65 years respectively. The law specifically says that a director shall compulsorily retire upon serving eight years on the post.

Insiders say speculations that the DG had no plan to leave gained traction when he recently informed some senior staff of the corporation of the existence of a letter from the office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation granting him the discretion to either leave or stay on till further notice.

But when contacted by PREMIUM TIMES, Mr. Shaibu said he had broken no law by remaining in office beyond his retirement date.

“My formal career as a civil servant has expired,” he said. “I have retired from service. But, I am serving a political appointment as acting DG of FRCN.”

What appears an official endorsement of the acting DG’s action, insiders say, came with the approval by Mr. Maku, early in May, for Mr. Shaibu to represent Nigeria in Ireland at an international workshop on Media Development and Politics for Media Practitioners scheduled for Dundalk between July 22 and 26, more than a month after the date he should have retired from service.

Mr. Maku could not be reached for comments. His Special Assistant (Media), Joseph Mutah, did not respond to calls and text message to his phone seeking comment on why the minister approved the trip and is encouraging the FRCN boss to stay on.

In an interview with this paper, Mr. Shaibu  justified  his continuous stay in office, saying he was just following a precedent set in the recent past when some retired  officials of the station were recalled to serve as DG.

He specifically mentioned Yusuf Nuhu, Eddie Iroh, and Kevin Ejiofor, as those recalled from retirement to head the station.

“My critics are just being mischievous by accusing me of refusing to go,” Mr. Shaibu said. “People are just talking from half information. If one wants to be emotional, the former man who was there before me was Hausa-Fulani, who was brought from retirement. Are there two rules for Nigeria – one for Hausa-Fulani and another for the minorities? I don’t think so.”

He added, “People who are talking are those who believe they must rule FRCN forever. But, Nigeria is a country of six geo-political zones. Nigeria is not owned by Hausa-Fulani, who have serially ruled or ruined FRCN for several years, neither is it owned by Igbo or Yoruba. It is owned by all Nigerians.”

Below are excerpts from the interview with Shaibu:

PREMIUM TIMES (PT): You are supposed to retire on June 22, yet you have approval from the Minister of Information to travel to Ireland to represent the country on July 22. Why is that the case?

SS: It is so because I have finished my retirement from service, but I am now acting DG, and that is political appointment. And the antecedents are these. The former DG who left before me was brought from retirement. Eddie Iroh was brought from retirement, and then Kevin Ejiofor was brought from retirement. The DG’s position is a political appointment. So, people are just being mischievous saying what they are saying. There are antecedents. But, my former career as a civil servant has expired. And I am acting DG, and there are antecedents. You know if you want to go emotional, the former man who finished before me was Hausa-Fulani. He was brought from retirement to serve as DG. Are there two rules in Nigeria – one for the minority and one for the Hausa-Fulani? There was an Igbo man, who was brought from retirement too (Kevin Ejiofor) and Eddie Iro. So, people are just talking about what they don’t understand.

For further information, the assignment I am going is funded by Chinese Government and not by Federal Government. So, people are just talking from half information.

PT: The recent fire incident in the studio at the corporation, how was it handled? Any report of the probe?

SS: The fire incident was teleguided by detractors who feel they should create a crisis situation for somebody they feel is not a team player. For your information, I am not a team player in corruption. I am acting DG for three months now, and if you ask the workforce, they would tell you there is an added difference. Within these three months, I have bought a bus for FRCN. Within these three months, 22 studios that were conduit pipes for corruption in FRCN have been resuscitated, and there is light there now.  And if I have opportunity of meeting with you, I will give you a catalogue of achievements. This has not happened for the past 15 years. But, people who are corrupt in our system would not like to see the likes of me. For example, there are people being teleguided from the Legal Department and Admin who are beneficiaries of corruption in the system.

PT: There is an allegation that you don’t carry everyone along, particularly on issues of staff welfare?

SS: As a journalist, if you can please ask the workforce, through independent investigation, the people who ruled before me, who were carrying people along, what did they do? In these three months time of my tenureship, I have paid more T&B (travelling and basic tours allowance) than any other person in the last two years. Records are there for all to see.

PT: It is said that you employed over 125 people and ignored the people employed in 2012, yet there are no offices and tools for them to work with?

SS: That employment was done by the previous regime that I inherited. The former DG, Barrister Yusuf Nuhu is the one who employed people, and that employment, to be fair to him, I don’t want to condemn my predecessors, was a collective decision of management. I have not employed a single person since I came.

The former DG employed, I don’t know the specific figure. That is what I inherited. So, people are just peddling this. These are people who believe they must rule FRCN forever. And Nigeria is a country of six geo-political zones. I am saying this, not as a slight to any tribe, because I know that Nigeria is a partnership of six geo-political zones. Nigeria is not owned by Hausa-Fulani, neither is it owned by Igbo or Yoruba. It is owned by all Nigerians. There six geo-political zones in this country. The Hausa-Fulani has serially ruled FRCN, or ruined FRCN all these years. Thank you very much.

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday invalidated the appointment of all Service Chiefs by President Goodluck Jonathan.

On October 4, 2012; the President announced through his special adviser on media, Reuben Abati, the appointment of O.S Ibrahim, a vice admiral as the new chief of defence staff; D.J Ezeoba, a rear admiral as chief of naval staff and A.S. Badeh, an air vice marshal as the chief of air staff.

However,  Festus Keyamo, a human rights lawyer challenged the appointments in a suit against the President, the Attorney-General of the Federation and all the service chiefs.

Keyamo asked the court to determine whether by the provisions of Section 218 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Section 18 of the Armed Forces Act, Cap. A.20, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, the President (1^st Defendant) can appoint the Service Chiefs without the confirmation of the National Assembly.

He also sought to know: “whether Section 18 (1) & (2) of the Armed Forces Act, Cap. A.20, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 is not in conformity with the provision of the 1999 Constitution so as to fall within the category of existing laws under Section 315 (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, that the President, may, by Order, modify its text, to bring it into conformity with the provisions of the Constitution”.

The court however, answered both questions in favour of the plaintiff.

The presiding judge, Adamu Bello, in his ruling, said such an appointment without the approval of the National Assembly is unconstitutional, illegal, null and void.

He further restrained the President from further appointing them without the approval of the Senate.

A pension funds thief, Shaibu Teidi, who is standing trial with others for stealing nearly N20 billion practically sent himself to jail Monday as he tied the trial judge’s hands from hearing his bail application, leading to his indefinite remand in Kuje prisons.

Teidi, director of pension accounts in the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, is being prosecuted along with UdusegbeEric Omoefe and their companies by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for defrauding the Head of Service pension office to the tune of N18.3 b.

The twenty two count charge against them allege obtaining money by false pretence, conspiracy to commit fraud and concealing the illicit origin of stolen pension funds and they had been remanded inKuje Prisons since June 7 pending hearing of their bail applications.

However at the resumed hearing Monday, Justice Adeniyi Ademolasaid he could not rule on Teidi’s bail application because he had petitioned Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, alleging that the court was biased in the handling of his case.

The trial judge averred that by law, “when there is allegation of bias against a judicial officer, a matter can’t proceed, all proceedings has to be suspended until the allegations are cleared.

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To the shock of Teidi and his counsel, Sunday Ameh JusticeAdemola adjourned the case sine die, (indefinitely).

Ameh said he was stunned by the development as he did not know that his client had written such petition to the CJN.

Nigeria has been urged to implement and enforce the tenets of the UN Convention Against Corruption by strengthening its anti- graft policies, laws and enforcement mechanisms.

At an extractive business dialogue on corruption with the theme:  “Corporate action for transparency in the hydrocarbon industry in Nigeria” organised by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group in Port Harcourt, the head, Transparency and Anti-Corruption, United Nations, UN, Global Compact, Olajobi  Makinwa, said many resource-rich countries like Nigeria were not receiving benefits from their natural resources because of graft.

She said that in 2002 the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative, EITI, was formed as a global transparency standard to ensure transparency and accountability in the extractive industry by requiring extractive companies operating within EITI signatory nations to disclose their payments to the government and the signatory to disclose such receipts.

Makinwa, however, noted that owing to corruption and lack of transparency, citizens of many resource-rich countries like Nigeria were not feeling the positive and developmental impact from foreign investments in the extractive industry.

She advised that government should be more committed to reducing corruption risks from procurement and contract processes of large-scale projects that are designed to support sustainable development.

On his part, the chairman of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI, Ledum Mitee, said the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, before the National Assembly provides the excellent opportunity for Nigeria to align its extractive industry governance to international best practices and ensure that revenues from its oil, gas and mining sectors support national development.

He said this could only be possible if the government is able to muster the political will to ensure the early passage of a PIB that weighs heavily on the scale of transparency, accountability, competition and corporate governance.

A deadly confrontation over the weekend between the Joint Task Force, JTF, and the insurgent group, Boko Harm, in Zabarmari, Borno State has left at least 50 of the sect members dead.

A military source disclosed to journalists on Sunday that the attack was launched following intelligence gathered that some fleeing members of the sect had found abode in Zabaramari ward of Jere Local Government Area, few kilometres from Maiduguri.

“We received an intelligence report that several number of Boko Haram terrorists have regrouped and were residing and hiding in this ward. We mobilized our troops to the area and on reaching the place the suspects upon noticing our presence began to chant: “Allahu Akbar,” (God is Great) and started shooting sporadically at us,” he said.

According to the source, the JTF was left with no option than to repel the attack and 10 insurgents were killed in that gunfire exchange, while another 40 were reportedly killed at the burial of the first batch of casualties.

“We decided not to take away any of their corpses as we left them in the area, but the following day; when we mobilized our men to the area, we found out that hundreds of the terrorists were at one of the grave yards burying their dead ones, and when we approached some of them started shooting at our troops which led to the exchange of gun fire for half an hour that led to the killing of 40 of them,” the source said.

He added that JTF is still in Zabarmari hunting for more of the terror suspects who might have escaped the encounter.

Three suspected members who were on their way to Jigawa State reportedly for a suicide mission, have also been arrested by the civilian JTF youths who later handed them over to a JTF unit.

“One of them is now dead…the deceased before his death told us that, already, all their weapons of massive destruction have been transported to the targeted areas; waiting for their arrival,” the source said.

Zabarmari ward has been one of the identified black spot areas of the Islamist sect.

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, has commenced a nationwide three-day warning strike over unfair labour practices by some oil companies.

As a result, fuel scarcity looms as the union has directed petroleum tanker drivers not to load products in all fuel depots and tank farms across the country during the period of the warning strike.

Already some leading filling stations like Total and Oando in the nation’s capital were shut Monday and some transporters have begun to increase their fares, while others have commenced panic buying.

The national president of NUPENG, Achese Igwe, explained that Agip Oil Company recently promoted 96 of its contract workers to the level of senior staff casual workers, instead of first converting them to full staff employees of the company.

“The law states that beyond six months you should convert them to employees. If you don’t want to convert them, then you leave them as contract workers till you are ready. But promoting them to senior staff level (PENGASSAN) is to do what? Is it to still serve as contract staff or slaves for more years? So this country must change in culture of job regulations,” he said.

Chevron too is accused of converting workers from contract labour to service labour and the Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC is said to have refused a collective bargaining agreement with casual workers and also denied them the right to join a union, among others.

“We want to see a serious commitment on the side of government on this issue. A situation where a company like Agip will want to promote NUPENG contract workers to PENGASSAN contract workers has never happened anywhere in the world.”

Achese said the union initially issued an ultimatum to the company but since then, there has not been any improvement.

Agip is also accused of sacking 93 contract workers that had put in between 25 and 35 years, without benefits despite directives by the ministry of labour and productivity.

He argued that if the agreements reached with the multinational companies at a meeting called by the labour minister, Emeka Wogu, in May 2012, was implemented, these issues would have been resolved.

NUPENG is also protesting the alleged refusal of National Association of Road Transport Owners, NARTO, to implement the signed collective bargaining agreement with tanker drivers and the impassable state of the Nigerian roads.

It warned that should government and other stakeholders fail to address its grievances after the three-day warning strike, it would declare an indefinite strike.

The union therefore, called on the federal government to summon an all-stakeholders’ national conference on oil and gas to address, among others, labour issues in the sector before the expiration of the three days strike to avert a national crisis.