Biafra: What Buhari Must do to End Agitations - IBB

Former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, has urged all Nigerians to always embrace peace and dialogue as Nigeria marks 57th Independence anniversary.

He called on the government to use a peaceful resolution in resolving conflict. He said during his tenure in government, he deliberately formulated policies, programmes, projects and even the creation of states to further weaken unwholesome agitations for secession and promote mutual and peaceful coexistence devoid of ethnic, religious and regional discriminations.

Babangida said: “The resilience of armed forces of Nigeria to curtailed secessionist and agitations throughout our nation’s post independence has reduced tensions and unnecessary distruption of lives and property."

He added that “peace remains the best option in resolving conflicts and agitations in the country, adding that recent conflicts and agitations, chanting slogan of war and hate speeches are derailing the nation’s development and unity.


“As an active participant in the Civil War and a retired military officer, with the hard lesson learnt, I will never be tired on calling for the oneness and unity of our great nation. We will forever be ready to sacrifice for a united and prosperous Nigeria whenever the need arises
In order to end the agitation, Babaginda advised the government to look inwards.

“During our tenure in government we deliberately formulated policies, programmes, projects and even the creation of states to further weaken unwholesome agitations for secession and promote mutual and peaceful coexistence devoid of ethnic, religious and regional discriminations.”

According to him, government at all levels should continue to encourage mutual tolerance and protect the life of every Nigerian who should feel at home anywhere they find themselves in the country.

IBB urged Nigerians to pray and work towards peace and progress of the nation. He advised those beating the war drum through hate speeches to sheathe their swords and support the government in addressing security and economic challenges.

He said: “We should support the government in addressing the security and economic challenges as I urge Nigerians to extend their gestures with a hand of fellowship to one another and assists those affected by natural disasters, conflicts and communal clashes that are presently confined at various Internally Displaced Persons Camps (IDPs).”

GOD WILL BE ANGRY IF WE RESTRUCTURE NIGERIA - PASTOR EMMANUEL

Apparently irked by the spate of divided opinions over calls by some Nigerians to restructure Nigeria, Vice President of The Apostolic Church Nigeria (TACN), Pastor Emmanuel Awojide has warned that God will be angry with the people and may send calamity upon them if they go ahead to restructure the country.

Pastor Awojide said God who put the people and country in present circumstance knows why He did so, and as such, “No one should divide what God has joined together for peace and love”.

The Apostolic Cleric also took a swipe at killings going on in the country as a result of agitations, bombings, kidnappings, among others, and described Nigeria as a country full of religious, but ungodly people.

Speaking with Journalists at the 82nd annual convention, Kaduna area of the church, shortly after a sermon on the theme, “Come Thou and All Thy House Into The Ark”, Pastor Awojide noted that the spate of corruption in the country was already surpassing that of the days of biblical Noah where corrupt people were washed away by the great flood.


He cautioned that if God should visit anger on Nigeria, many will not escape the wrath because of corruption and killings taking place in the country.

The Apostolic Cleric however expressed the hope that the country could be better if the people and the nation could be Godly rather than being religious by putting a stop to evils in the society.

He said, “On restructuring, I want to disagree with those calling for the restructuring of the country because it is not the wish of God for the country to go in different directions.

“We must stay together because God will be angry with Nigerian leaders if they allow the country to be divided.

“It is against the wish of God for the country to be divided.

He also assured Nigerians that there will be no bloodshed in 2019 as against some insinuations that the general election will be bloody.


“But as men of God we will continue to pray against evil, and we believe that God mercy will come upon the country and the people. Therefore we must respond to God’s hand of mercy to avoid evils.

“Nigeria and Nigerians are religious, but are yet to be Godly because there is so much killings and destructions in the land.

“Corrupt Nigerians must repent or else the wrath of God and the law of the land will catch up with them.

“But ungodly people will perish eventually in hell fire, and Godly people will make heaven”.

FAYOSE OWES AS MUCH FOUR MONTHS SALARY ARREARS - EKITI WORKERS

Workers in Ekiti State appear set for a showdown with Governor Ayo Fayose over his claim on Channels Television on Thursday that his administration is owing only four months arrears of salaries. The governor, who had earlier in the day declared his intent to run for the presidency of Nigeria in 2019, was asked on the propriety of his ambition when he was owing workers under him.

But the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Ekiti State, Raymond Ade Adesanmi, refuted the governor’s claim maintaining that “Fayose owes various categories of workers under him between five and eight months arrears of salaries. Adesanmi disclosed that Fayose’s claim of owing just only four months arrears is already causing tension and disquiet among the workforce.

He advised government “to always come out with correct information to douse the raging tension in the system.” Speaking with reporters in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday, Adesanmi said although the workers are still loyal to the government, they won’t tolerate comments about their welfare that could strain the relationship between the workforce and the government.

Clarifying the level of government’s indebtedness to workers, Adesanmi said: “The state workers’ benefits are in different categories thus: pension, gratuity, deductions and salary. “As we speak now, the state civil servants are owed five months’ salary arrears, local government, eight months and institutions on subvention, like College of Education Ikere, College of Health Technology Ijero and Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, are owed seven month salary arrears.

“One cannot but talk about the plight of the pensioners, because one day we will all retire, either on account of age or length of service. As of now, pensioners are being owed five months pension arrears while gratuity has not been paid since 2012 when former Governor Kayode Fayemi was in the saddle. Ekiti workers are not oblivious of the economic recession that had depleted the financial strength of many states of the federation, including Ekiti.

“Let me state that we all owe it a responsibility to contribute to the development of this state, but we need to give out correct and accurate information to the public , so that the government and workers can be on the same page, otherwise there will be friction. I want to appeal to the already restive workers to be patient, particularly those who were ruffled by the information,” he said.

'WE DON'T KNOW WHERE NNAMDI KANU IS' - MILITARY SAYS

In the aftermath of controversies over the whereabouts of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, the Defence Headquarters on Friday said it had no knowledge of his whereabouts.

The army had kept a dignified silence over the location of the IPOB boss despite allegations by his lawyer that the army knew his whereabouts or may have been killed. The IPOB leader was last seen on September 14 when clashes occurred between members of his group and soldiers on an army exercise “Operation Python Dance” in Abia State.

But Defence spokesperson , John Enenche, in an interaction with journalists in Abuja on Friday said neither the military nor any security agency can be held responsible for the missing IPOB leader.

Mr. Enenche, a major general, also denied allegations that the military raided the home of Mr. Kanu in Abia State.

“I watched the operations live. I also got first-hand information from our men on the ground. For the records, Nnamdi Kanu was never taken away by the military.”

“The military is doing their routine exercise operation I saw everything, nobody raided Kanu house. I stand to justify it not from the information I got, I was watching it live. I was monitoring it live.”

“Nobody raided his house, nobody went to ‘carry’ him, that must be very clear I saw the militancy, nobody told me,” he said.

Mr. Kanu, who is currently facing trial for alleged treason is due to appear in court on October 17 for the continuation of his trail.



The IPOB leader’s lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, in an application filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, has asked the court to compel the army to produce Mr. Kanu in court.

The group is fighting for an independent nation of Biafra and has hpitched battles with the Nigerian security operatives in recent months. The government recently tagged them a terrorist outfit after securing a court order.

[BREAKING]: NIGERIAN HEALTH WOERKERS' UNION SUSPEND STRIKE.

The Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Healthcare Professionals, JOHESU, has suspended its nine-day-old strike.

The union made the decision following a nine-hour meeting with the federal government in Abuja on Saturday.

The national chairman of the union, Biobelemoye Josiah, said the strike had been suspended “in principle”, as a NEC meeting of the union will be held on Tuesday to take the final decision.

He said that the union has reached an agreement with the Federal government and workers are to resume back to work on Wednesday.

The union embarked on a nationwide strike on September 20 to protest among other issues, salaries adjustments, promotion arrears, and improved work environment for its members.

'YOU VOTED AGAINST YOUR OWN VOICE', MICHELLE OBAMA MOCKS WOMEN WHO VOTED FOR TRUMP

Michelle Obama has a few candid words for women who chose to vote against Hillary Clinton in favour of Donald Trump in the 2016 election.

The beloved former First Lady was clear and direct as she spoke on the topic during an appearance at the Inbound 2017 conference in Boston, where she expressed confusion at the choice of women who opted to vote in favour of Trump.

“Any woman who voted against Hillary Clinton voted against their own voice,” she said.

“What does it mean for us as women that we look at those two candidates, as women, and many of us said, ‘That guy, he’s better for me, his voice is more true to me.’


“Well, to me, that just says you don’t like your voice. You like the thing you’re told to like.”

Mrs. Obama also weighed in on the job Donald Trump is doing as President, emphasising that at the end of the day, she hopes he is successful at his job and is treated better by his political peers than President Obama was during his two terms in office.

“We want the sitting President to be successful because we live in this country,” she added.

“He is our commander in chief, he was voted in. When you’ve been in that position, you see that most former (presidents) do take a step back, they do let the current holder of the office lead.

“You do step up when you’re asked, and you do try to make sure what you say is constructive.

“Now, like I said, there was a whole party that didn’t do that for my husband, a whole political party that did not, but what we’ve learned as part of our legacy is leading with grace.”

Lastly, Mrs. Obama noted that despite consistent opposition from the GOP during his entire time in office, President Barack Obama will never stoop to the same low measures as Trump now that the shoe is on the other foot.

“Barack is not going to turn into what this President was, which is somebody tweeting in the wind and stirring up mess without really knowing what they’re talking about.”

MAN KILLS PREGNANT GIRLFRIEND, HER PARENTS, HANGS HIMSELF

Authorities in Louisiana, United States of America, say a man accused of killing his pregnant girlfriend, fatally shooting her parents and then torching their home has apparently hanged himself.

News outlets report that Jefferson Parish Coroner, Dr. Gerry Cvitanovich, says 29-year-old Jatory Evans apparently hanged himself Wednesday at the Jefferson Parish Jail.

Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office spokesman, Glen Boyd, says he was found around 4:25p.m. and pronounced dead later.

Authorities say Evans stabbed his estranged girlfriend, 20-year-old Sydney Hanson, in the bedroom of a home on November 7, 2016 before igniting the room while she was still alive.


She was seven months pregnant.

He’s also accused of shooting and stabbing Hanson’s mother, Samantha Hanson, and shooting her father, Dwayne Hanson, in the head.

Cvitanovich says his office will conduct an autopsy on Evans.

OCT 1 QUIT NOTICE: WE WON'T LEAVE THE NORTH, IGBO INSIST

The leadership of the Igbo community in Northern Nigeria has said that Igbo people will not heed the call by an association of lawyers in Anambra State, asking them to return home.

It described the call as nothing but mischief.

This was as Yerima Shettima, one of the leaders of the Coalition of Northern Youths, which had previously issued a quit notice to the Igbo living in the north, assured them that no harm will come their way on October 1 or after.

The Vice President of Igbo Delegate Assembly in 19 Northern states, Cheif Chris Nnoli, said the call by the so called lawyers was condemnable.

Nnoli, a lawyer, expressed disappointment and dismay that professionals like lawyers could make such call.

He, however, assured that no Igbo man living in the north will heed such call because every Nigerian under the constitution of the country has the right to live anywhere they feel like within the country.

Nnoli, who is also the President General of Igbo Community Welfare Association (ICWA) in Kaduna State, said October 1 remains Nigeria’s national day and they will all celebrate together as Nigerians.

“We are not in support of such call. And if lawyers actually made such call, because I also read the story in a national daily, then it is very unfortunate and we are not going heed it,” he said.

Also reacting to the call by the lawyers asking the Igbo in the north to return home before October 1 to avoid being caught unaware like it happened in 1966, Shettima described the lawyers asking North-based Igbo to return home during the period as mischief makers and enemies of Nigeria.

Shettima said: “We are a people of honour and respect. We honour our words. So, the Igbo in the north can go about their normal business and should not listen to mischief makers.

“We have sensitised our members to ensure the safety of every Nigerian, especially the Igbo, and we can assure you that nothing will happen to the Igbo by October 1 and even beyond.”

2ND NIGER BRIDGE STILL A PRIORITY - OSINBAJO

The Federal Government has re-stated its resolve to complete work on the second Niger Bridge as well as other federal projects in the South-East zone.

The Vice-President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo gave the assurance during a funeral mass for late Mrs Roseline Akabueze, the mother of Mr Ben Akabueze, the Director-General, Budget Office, Abuja at St Gabriel Catholic Church, Ifitedunu, Anambra State.

Osinbajo explained that the FG under President Mohammadu Buhari was committed to completing every federal project in the South East especially the second Niger Bridge.

According to him, “President Buhari went to China to negotiate with them about the second Niger Bridge and East-West road.

He said that everything have also been put in place to ensure the completion of Enugu-Onitsha expressway.

Osinbajo urged the National Assembly to consider and accommodate all the federal projects during their deliberations.

He re-stated that one of the cardinal principles of Buhari administration was fairness, which according to him has offered every political zone the opportunity to benefit from his government.

Also speaking, Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra recalled that Ifitedunu Community had benefited immensely from his administration, especially in the area of appointments.

Obiano urged the people to apply for the second phase of his N20 million community “Choose your Project” initiative, which is geared toward developing every community simultaneously as well as empowering the youths.

Dignitaries present include the Minister of Labour, Dr Chris Nwabueze Ngige, Minister for Budget and National Planning, Sen. Udo Udoma.

OBASEKI SACKS PERM SEC OVER N283M BUDGET PADDING

The permanent secretary in the Edo State Ministry of Youth and Special Duties, Dr. (Ms) Osayuware Idahosa yesterday lost her job over alleged padding of the budget for the conduct of primary school examination to the tune of N283 million.

Three other civil servants were sent on suspension for their alleged role in the scam.

Governor Godwin Obaseki who handed down the punishment also ordered an investigation into the schools’ delisting accounts in the state.

The decision was arrived at an extraordinary meeting of the State Executive Committee.


Dr. Idahosa, who served as Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Education at the time the alleged fraud was committed, was referred to the State Civil Service Commission for appropriate action, in line with the rules and guidelines of the service.

Others involved in the alleged fraud are: Barr. S. A. Erhunmwunse Edokpayi, Mrs. E.I. Ero-Ugiagbe and Mr. Lucky Adagbonyin.

The EXCO resolved that they should proceed on indefinite suspension without pay and their case forwarded to the State Civil Service Commission for appropriate actions according to the rules and guidelines of the service.

Communication and Orientation Commissioner Paul Ohonbamu told reporters at the end of the meeting that that the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Yinka Omorogbe, submitted a report on the panel of enquiry on the conduct of the 2016/2017 Primary School Leaving Certificate Examination.

He said the State Executive Council similarly set up a committee headed by Employment and Wealth Creation Commissioner Emmanuel Usoh to investigate the removal of about 350 private schools from the list of eligible schools to participate in the Primary School Leaving Certificate Examination and also the conditions that led to the relisting of these schools shortly after they were delisted.

LEBANESE, THREE OTHER NIGERIANS DOCKED FOR THEFT

A 46-year-old Lebanese expatriate and an employee of a water engineering firm, Lana Engineering Limited, Mr Antoine Alromi was on Friday, arraigned before an Abakaliki Magistrate Court over alleged theft of 5 KVA transformer valued at N7m.

Also arraigned before the court presided over by Olughu Nnachi were three other accused persons of Nigerian national. They are Offia Amaechi (25), Malachi Ogbodo (39), and Gregory Ndukwu (42).

According to the Charge No MAB /765/2017 between the Commissioner of Police Vs 4 accused persons, it reads, “That you Antoine Alromi (m) and Offia Benjamin (m) and other at large sometimes in the month of July 2017, at Abakaliki, in the Abakaliki Magisterial District, did conspire among selves to commit felony to wit stealing and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 516 A of the Criminal Code , Cap 33 vol 1, Laws of Ebonyi State 2009.”

When the matter came up for hearing, all the four accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charge even as the first accused (Alromi) had no legal representation, a Barrister Gabriel Onyike appeared for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th accused persons.

Onyike had applied for bail for the accused but was opposed by the prosecution counsel DSP Kenneth Adokeme on the ground that the accused would jump bail if granted.

In his ruling, the presiding Magistrate said that the offence was bailable, and granted the 1st accused bail to the sum of N10m with two sureties who must be civil servant on Grade level 15, while the 2nd, 3rd and 4th accused were granted bail to the sum of N5m with two sureties who must be civil servants of Grade level 10 or above .

Nnachi however adjourned the matter till November 27, 2017 for further hearing.

In a related development, the Ebonyi State Police Public Relations Officer Lovet Odah has paraded four suspects for their alleged involvement in various crimes ranging from fraud, stealing, armed robbery and conspiracy.

Briefing newsmen at the Command Headquarters in Abakaliki, the state capital on Friday, the PPRO said the command remains resolute to combat all forms of criminality in the state.

Odah reiterated that the suspects would be arraigned in court after investigation was completed.

APPEAL COURT ORDERS DASUKI TO APPEAR IN METUH'S TRIAL

The Appeal Court on Friday ordered the State Security Service to allow former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, to appear in court in the ongoing trial of former Peoples Democratic Party spokesperson, Olisa Metuh.

Mr. Metuh is facing trial on a seven-count charge of alleged diversion of N400 million brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The fund was alleged to have been diverted from the office of NSA, when Mr. Dasuki occupied the office.

The Appeal Court presided by Justice Peter Ige faulted and overruled the decision of an Abuja division of the Federal High Court that Mr. Dasuki was a ‘non-compellable’ witness.

The lower court presided by Justice Okon Abang had refused an application by Mr. Metuh to compel Mr. Dasuki to appear in court.

Mr. Metuh had made the application in December 2016 asking the court to sign a subpoena for the appearance of witness in a trial.

But in his ruling, Mr. Abang said the application by Mr. Metuh amounted to a waste of time for the speedy adjudication of the matter.

Mr. Abang said Mr. Metuh failed to prove to the court that he had exerted enough effort without success in his attempt to secure the appearance of Mr. Dasuki in the trial.


The judge further said the section 241 (1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act which deals with the issuance of subpoena is at the discretion of the court and that his court did not consider Mr. Dasuki a compellable witness.

However in his ruling, Justice Ige said the desire of the lower court to ensure a speedy trial of the criminal matter should not override the need for justice in the matter.

“A suspect is entitled to equal right and opportunity of being heard,” said Mr. Ige. “The waiver of fair hearing is a waiver of justice,” he added.

According to Mr. Ige, the conclusion of the lower court that Mr. Dasuki was not a compellable witness beckons on the need to address the factors that make a witness ‘compellable or non-compellable’ in a trial.

Speaking further, Mr. Ige said a witness must be competent to be regarded as compellable.

“Competence implies legal capacity qualification or fitness. Persons who can be regarded as non-compellable are persons who are legally not competent, or persons covered by immunity like presidents or governments.





“Sambo Dasuki is not one of those persons covered by immunity neither is he not competent. The powers given to the trial judge by law is not personal to him, but should be used to secure justice,” Mr. Ige said.

“It is therefore a misconception on the part of the trial judge,’ to regard Mr. Dasuki as a non-compellable judge, he said.

“It is my firm view that retired Col. Dasuki whose name features prominently in most of the charges against the appellant is a competent and compellable witness,” the judge said.

Mr. Ige said the decision of the lower court was an infringement of Mr. Metuh’s right to fair hearing, as provided by section 36: 6 (b) and (d) of the constitution. “A defendant does not need to tell the judge what efforts he has done in a bid to get the witness to attend court. It is the duty of the court to sign the subpoena. Once the subpoena is signed, the person to whom it is directed is obligated to appear in court, except if he can explain to the court, giving good reasons why he cannot appear,” Mr. Ige said.

The Appeal Court judge added that failure of compliance to the directives of the subpoena would attract a sanction from the court of law.




Mr. Dauski’s name is mentioned in five of the seven charges against Mr. Metuh. The former NSA is being tried separately for corruption.



CREDIT: PREMIUM TIMES

NIGERIAN PASTOR ARRESTED IN SIERRA LEONE FOR HATE SPEEECH

A Nigerian pastor in Sierra Leone,Victor Ajisafe, has been arrested by the police in the country for alleged hate speech.

His arrest followed his reaction to a claim by a popular Islamic preacher that Sierra Leone was an Islamic nation.

According to a news website, Sierraloaded, Ajisafe, who is the President of the Sanctuary Praise Church, Freetown,described the Islamic preacher as “a liar and an agent of darkness”.

A video of the pastor’s preaching has beentrending on social media for some days.

The website had reported that a prominent Islamic scholar and Grand Mufti of Zimbabwe, Ismail Menk, had visited Freetown for a two-day Islamic lecture held in the city’s stadium and attended by thousands of people.

During the programme, the cleric reportedly said that Sierra Leone was an Islamic country, a comment that drew Ajisafe’s reaction.

Ajisafe described Mufti as “a liar and an angel of Darkness who had come to deceive Sierra Leoneans”.

He said, “He (Menk) had no message, he has no power. He performed no miracles. Disciples of Christ are very few in Sierra Leone.

“There is no trace of Islam in Sierra Leone. You have idol worshiping and Christianity. He lied. He came to portray Islam as a religion of peace. Every terrorism in the world has been carried out by Muslims. He is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”

Ajisafe also described Islam as a “religion of terrorism”.

He alleged that the country’s ex-President, Tejankabbah, sold the nation out to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

EEDRIS IS FOND OF INSULTING ARTISTES YOUNG ENOUGH TO BE HIS CHILDREN - D'BANJ

Even as back in the days musician, Eedris Abdulkareem, tongue-lashed D’banj in a recent video, calling him “stupid” to have left Don Jazzy, the Kokomaster has refused to retaliate but rather gave a subtle throwback by saying Eedris insulted people who are young enough to be his children.

The controversial singer had in the said video that surfaced online recently, took some of his younger colleagues to the cleaners while saying D’banj “lacked talent and all he has is ‘razzmatazz’”.

Saturday Beats caught up with the Kokomaster during the one year anniversary of his initiative, CREAM, an acronym that stands for Creative, Reality, Entertainment, Arts and Music and he bared his mind on Eedris’ outburst.

He told Saturday Beats that he felt Eedris could have handled the matter in a better way. The Kokomaster said, “At first, I did not see the video where Eedris spoke about me and initially, I thought it was something else till people sent me the video. I have seen different videos of him talking about different artistes that are young enough to be his kids. I would have thought that if he was such a role model, there were better ways he could pass his message across but I have nothing against him. I have nothing more to say about him. I feel people just have different ways of expressing themselves.”

He also used the opportunity to talk about his son and what being a father means to him. “Being a father is very humbling. I have always acted as a father to a lot of young artistes from the days of Mo Hits but now, I have a child of my own. When he was born, I was in the hospital and as I held his hands, it made me realise that to whom much is given, much is expected. This is someone’s life that I am responsible for. It is not just about fatherhood but now I have a family. Before I became a family man, I took decisions without looking back. I could decide to sleep on the Mainland; I could decide to chill with my friends. But now, I have responsibilities. I have people that I am responsible for and we are growing together. The good thing is that I have a great partner and I love it. Each time I look into the eyes of my son, I know that it is real; I have to keep working harder,” he said.

IGBO GROUPS MOBILISE SANs TO DEFEND IPOB MEMBERS

A pro-Igbo Group, Igbo National Council, says it is reaching out to lawyers, including Senior Advocates of Nigeria from the South-East, to defend arrested members of the IPOB.

INC explained that the move was based on its members’ conviction that it was legally and morally wrong for the Federal Government to proscribe IPOB as a terrorist organisation.

The president of the group, Chilos Godsent, told Saturday PUNCH in Owerri, the Imo State capital that the pro-Biafra agitators had not violated any section of the constitution, and that INC would give the arrested IPOB members maximum support.

Godsent said, “The Igbo National Council at its last National Executive Council meeting held in Owerri on Friday, September 22, 2017, among other issues, resolved to reach out to progressive lawyers of Igbo extraction, including SANs, to discuss with them on the issue of volunteering to defend members of IPOB who were arrested during the Operation python Dance II in the South-East region.

“INC was dismayed that the Federal Government, through the Attorney General of the Federation, has concluded plans to charge the alleged IPOB members for terrorism. INC notes that IPOB is not a terrorist organisation and members of IPOB have not willfully violated any section of the 1999 Constitution that guarantee the rights to peaceful assembly and the rights to form and belong to any association.

“In view of the above, INC leadership and its contact committee have started reaching out to lawyers in that respect.”

The group said it was aware that the top members of IPOB were also reaching out to many other lawyers for the same purpose and that on its own, the lawyers it had met with so far had indicated interest in defending the IPOB members arrested in the course of the struggle.

Similarly, Concerned Igbo Unity Forum said that some of its members who are lawyers have volunteered to appear in court for the arrested IPOB members on pro bono basis.

The chairman of the forum, Sixtus Nwoke, said, “There are lawyers who have volunteered to take up the case considering the general view that they are not a terrorist organisation. Our stand is to ensure the unity of the Igbo among themselves in any state or country of residence.

“We equally ensure the safety of their lives and property during precarious times such as we are experiencing now.”

UK WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT KANU'S WHEREABOUTS FROM FG

The United Kingdom has asked the Federal Government to clarify the status and whereabouts of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

The British government said it had asked the government if the British national was alive or dead. However, it could not be immediately ascertained if the Federal Government had responded to the inquiries or not.

The Press Officer, UK high commission in Nigeria, Joe Abuku, stated that the inquiry followed reports that Kanu had been missing since September 14, 2017 when armed soldiers stormed his residence in Abia State.

“We are seeking urgent clarification from the Nigerian authorities about the status and whereabouts of Mr. Kanu, a British-Nigerian man, who has been reported missing since September 14,” Abuku stated in an email on Thursday.

Asked if the UK would strip Kanu of citizenship on account of the declaration by Nigeria that he was leading a terrorist organisation, the mission said it does not comment on individual cases.

“One of the conditions that can make the United Kingdom strip its citizen of nationality is if the person engages in a terrorist activity at home or abroad. And Kanu has dual citizenship and therefore a citizen of Nigeria and the UK,” the mission stated.

When asked if the UK supported the Nigerian government’s proscription of the IPOB, Abuku stated that the group was not a proscribed organisation under the British law.

“The Indigenous People of Biafra is not a proscribed organisation in the UK,” the mission spokesperson stressed.

However, when asked if the group was free to raise funds or hold rallies in Britain, Abuku said he would need to get an official response on that, but subsequently declined to respond to the question.

He also declined comment on whether the IPOB might be designated as a terrorist group or proscribed by the British authorities.

Abuku said, “We do not routinely comment on whether an organisation is or is not under consideration for proscription. A decision to proscribe an organisation must be based on a belief that it is concerned in terrorism as defined in the Terrorism Act 2000, and it must be proportionate.”

The United States had earlier said it did not consider IPOB a terrorist group and urged Nigerians to de-escalate tension and embrace peaceful resolution of grievances.

Spokesperson for the American Embassy in Nigeria, Russell Brooks, had said, “Within the context of unity, we encourage all Nigerians to support a de-escalation of tension and peaceful resolution of grievances. The Indigenous People of Biafra is not a terrorist organisation under US law.”

House of reps Speaker,Yakubu Dogara tasks Universities to proffer solutions to National problems .

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara,  was on Thursday night conferred with the award of "Outstanding Ambassador" by the University of Jos Alumni Association at its  2017 Re-Union and dinner held in Abuja.

He task Universities in the country to provide solutions to problems confronting the Nigerian nation.

Conferring the award to the Speaker, President of the Association Alhaji Idriss Yakubu, said Hon Dogara was recognised and honoured for his numerous accomplishments, contributions to the society, humanitarian and philanthropic activities.

Responding, the Speaker said that an institution is only as great as those who passed through it, and urged all alumni to give back by providing opportunities for others who desire education.  

"An institution is as great as its inhabitants. As alumni of the University of Jos, there's no way we can develop it if we avoid its needs and problems."

"We are talking about building an alumni center but we shouldn't stop there, and I've challenged them that the opportunity opened by the university of Jos made us who we are today."

"It is our responsibility to keep that door of opportunity open for any young person desiring a university education. We can do that through contributions and the only way we can contribute is through fora  like these. If we challenge ourselves we can gauge how far we have gone and how favorably we compare to products of other universities and that is why the event today is very important."

He further urged UNIJOS alumni to take a leading role in all aspects of national life saying "my advice to the alumni is that we should take the lead in entrepreneurship, take the lead in providing solutions to national problems and in any debate, whatever is happening in the country, the agitations, the issues about restructuring and leadership, even governance because there is no way that the voice of the alumni can be quietened if they rise up in this country, because that's the only way we can make it great."

Others who also received various categories of award include Governors Simon Lalong of Plateau state, Rochas Okorocha of Imo, Ministers of Youth and Sports Comrade Solomon Dalung, Niger Delta Affairs Pastor Usani Usani, among others.

Opposition using restructuring to destroy Nigeria – Presidency

Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, has said opposition is using restructuring to destroy Nigeria.
Adesina, speaking at the 5th anniversary lecture of News Express on Thursday, also stated that the country was positioned to automatically restructure itself.
Commenting on the lecture delivered by Niger state Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, who was represented by Jibrin Ndache, his chief press secretary, Adesina said the outcome of the 2015 election was a manifestation of self-restructuring.
“There is something that has been naturally built into Nigeria that makes it to self-restructure.
“The 2015 election, you know it got to a point that former President Obasanjo described it as “any other person but Jonathan (APBJ).
“The 2015 election showed us that Nigeria is naturally configured for self-restructuring. You know the current president has run for three times. Automatically, he had 12 million votes waiting for him in the northern part of the country but that was enough.
“And then in 2015, there was a handshake and middle-belt, south-west, they all teamed up. It was the DG of the campaign then, Rotimi Amaechi who said that the political map of Nigeria had been redrawn, and there was no way the incumbent president was winning. And it turned out to be true. That was the kind of restructuring that brought change to Nigeria.
“Nigeria is positioned for automatic self-restructuring. But that is not to say that restructuring debate should not continue,” Adesina said.
The presidential spokesman said there was no given definition of restructuring, alleging that the opposition was using restructuring as a tool to destabilise the government.
“The areas of restructuring are yet to be defined. Ask 100 people what is restructuring and you will get 100 different answers.
“It shows you that there is no unanimity on what restructuring really is. So how then do you begin to work on restructuring when it has not properly been defined,” Adesina asked.
“No wonder the APC now said OK, we will set up a committee to go round the country and find out what people understand by restructuring and what they what to see in restructuring.
“And then a lot of people say the president does not believe in restructuring. Not exactly. The APC has a manifesto and in inside that manifesto is devolution of power. What some people want is to see the entire thing in the manifesto being done in six months. It doesn’t work that way. The mandate is a four-year mandate.
“People that are agitating for restructuring, I may be wrong but my feeling is that they have turned it into another tool of opposition. It is a covert way of opposing the government of the day.
“If you oppose the government of the day to the extent that you distract it, what should be achieved would then not be achieved at the end of the time. Therefore, people who are sincere about restructuring and who want to see a tweaking of the configuration of our country, there is nothing wrong with it.
“If you read in between the lines, what people that canvass restructuring seeks at the substratum level is the fact that they want to break the country, what they want is dismemberment.
“The governing party believes in restructuring because devolution of power is a form of restructuring. I have heard the president say it many times that we did not fight that civil war to keep Nigeria one and then we will sit down and watch some people want to dismember this country.

“So, a restructuring that will deepen our unity is good but restructuring that will fragment the country is bad and no government, no president who has sworn to uphold the constitution, because the constitution recognises a united and indivisible country will agree to that kind of restructuring that they are trumpeting,” Adesina added.

Exposed: Hidden Assets Of Serving Nigerian Governor Uncovered In Offshore Tax Havens

The hidden assets of a serving Nigerian governor have been uncovered in offshore tax haven in the United Kingdom.
Harvey Lodge, Admiral Walk, London. [Photo Credit: https://onthemarket.com]
Secret assets belonging to the current governor of Niger State, Abubakar Bello, have been uncovered in offshore tax havens, including the notorious British Virgin Islands.
The discoveries were made as Premium Times Times continues to scrutinize the over 11 million Mossack Fonseca documents contained in the sleaze dossier now known worldwide as the Panama Papers.
At least two offshore companies were traced to the governor, one of which was used to acquire a property on Harvey Lodge London.
One of the companies, Best International Holding Limited, was registered in 1999 in the British Virgin Islands. The company was registered on May 26, 1999 with $50,000 as shares capital.
The company, with registration number 314717, has the governor and his son, Shehu Bello, as directors.
Governor Bello himself is the son of Sani Bello , a retired colonel and military governor of Kano State between 1975 and 1978.
Tax authorities the world over view the British Virgin Islands with a certain level of notoriety and suspicion.
Offshore company structures are sometimes marketed to rich businessmen and politically-exposed individuals to avoid or evade tax obligations in their home countries or conceal ill-gotten wealth.
While the two directors of Best International Holding Limited gave their Nigerian address as 17A Wurno Rd, Off Katuna Rd, Kaduna, Nigeria; a Lagos address was used for the registration of a second offshore company.
Another set of Mossack Fonseca documents seen by PREMIUM TIMES showed that Governor Bello is the sole shareholder of a secret offshore entity by the name Eyre Investments Incorporated.
This company, located in Hitchin, Herts, was incorporated on September 3, 2007 and had Ajibola Raphael Oluyede as director with Abubakar Sani Bello as sole shareholder.
Mr. Oluyede, a senior advocate of Nigeria, is one of the lawyers who defended Senate President Bukola Saraki in his recent corruption trial before the Code of Conduct Bureau.
Investigations revealed that for all his offshore dealings, the governor was using the services of Mr. Oluyede, the principal partner at TRLP LAW, as his legal front.
In one of the documents, it is stated that the registers of Best International Holding Limited are kept at D96 Landbridge Ave, Victoria Island Ext, Lagos, Nigeria. An online search of this address leads directly to TRLP Law office.
Governor Abubakar Sani Bello
Yet another Mossack Fonseca document reveals the minutes of a meeting of the board of directors of Eyre Investments Incorporated. The minutes claimed that the meeting was held on September 3, 2007 and that in attendance were Mr. Oluyede and Mr. Bello.
A letter from UK lawyers on behalf of the Niger governor to Mossack Fonseca hinted that business relationship between Mr. Bello and his lawyer, Mr. Oluyede, was not all smooth sailing. The letter came at a time when the governor was having apparent difficulties in selling off a property he had acquired using his offshore company Eyre Investments Incorporation.
The difficulties arose when the front director either refused to cooperate or was nowhere to be found. It took the UK lawyers, the certificate of incorporation and other documents to have the offshore company returned to Governor Bello.
The letter from Shaima Jillood of the firm Charles Russell LLP to Mossack Fonseca, dated July 3, 2007, reads in part:
“I am the property solicitor acting on behalf of Eyre Investments Inc in respect of the sale of a property Flat 18 Harvey Lodge, Admiral Walk Harrow Road, London W9 3TH. In order to exchange contracts with the buyers and sell this property, we need to establish who is authorised to sign the contract and sell this property on behalf of Eyre Investments.”
Mossack Fonseca was at the time administering Eyre Investments Incorporation after it was transferred to it from ILS Fiduciary Limited (British Virgin Island) on June 7, 2000.
The UK lawyers requested from Mossack Fonseca evidence of the list of authorised signatories, directors, certified copy of passport and the shareholder so as to establish who was legally authorised to sign the legal sale documents. The letter further explained that:
“My client, Mr Abubaker S Bello, has advised us that he is the shareholder of this company but has lost the documentation and has only provided me with the Memorandum and Articles of Association & Certificate of Incorporation but no mention of who the directors or shareholders are and who the authorised signatories.”
When contacted on the propriety of a public office holder holding secret offshore accounts, Jibrin Ndace, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Bello said that before his principal became the governor of Niger State, he had been for years an international businessman of repute doing legitimate businesses across the world.
“The governor was a well-known international businessman just like Donald Trump was before he became the President of America. It is like if Dangote becomes President tomorrow; you would see their footprints everywhere because they were once international businessmen,” he said.
Mr. Ndace insisted that Niger State is benefiting from Governor Bello’s international business exposure given the foreign investors he has attracted to the state. He however did not provide details of the investments the governor has attracted to the state.
“The difference between this governor and others is that he is a professional in politics not a professional businessman,” Mr. Ndace said.Violation of Nigerian law?
There is no evidence that Governor Bello is no longer involved with the shell companies. There is also no evidence that the governor declared his interests in the offshore entities to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) as required by law.
The governor’s spokesperson was evasive when asked whether his boss included the shell companies (with which he has dealt in properties) in the assets declaration form he filed at the CCB. Mr. Ndace merely insisted that the governor’s imprint as an international businessman cannot be easily erased.
While not all owners or operators of such offshore entities are criminals, participating in the running of private companies while serving as public officials is against Nigerian laws.
Section 6(b) of the Code of Conduct Act says a public office holder shall not, “except where he is not employed on fullâ€time basis, engage or participate in the management or running of any private business, profession or trade.”
The companies are also believed to own bank accounts. Yet Nigerian public officials owning foreign accounts, either individual or through their corporate interests, is a contravention of the code of conduct for public officials, which prohibits the holding of foreign bank accounts.
The code states: “Any public officer specified in the Second Schedule to this Act or any other persons as the President may, from time to time, by order prescribe, shall not maintain or operate a bank account in any country outside Nigeria.”
This revelation makes Governor Bello the sixth serving Nigerian official who has been shown to own shell companies in offshore tax havens in clear violation of the country’s law.
The others include President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki; former Senate President, David Mark; Senator Ibrahim Gobir (All Progressives Congress, Sokoto East); Senator David Umaru (APC – Niger East); Senator Andy Uba (APC, Anambra South).
The Nigerian government claimed it was investigating the officials as well as other former public officers who popped up in the Panama Papers to have violated Nigerian Nigerians by owning undeclared assets abroad. But the report of the investigation has not been made public and no one has been charged to court.
The former officials the government claimed it is investigating include former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Abubakar Yar’Adua; former Delta Governor, James Ibori; late former Bayelsa Governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha; and late former Minister of National Planning.
Another former NNPC GMD, Funsho Kupolokun, appears to have acquired his offshore assets after leaving office office in 2007.
***Culled fro, PREMIUM TIMES

Why I Divorced My Nigerian Actress Wife – Ghanaian Actor Chris Attoh Reveals

Popular Ghanaian actor, Chris Attoh has finally opened up on the real reason why his marriage to Damilola Adegbite crashed.



Nigerian actress Damilola Adegbite and ex-husband Chris Attoh
Following confirmation early this week that his marriage to Nigerian actress, Damilola Adegbite has crashed, Ghanaian actor Chris Attoh has revealed the true reason why he called it quit.
Chris Attoh, in an interview with Bola Ray on Starr Chat said the reason why his marriage crashed was because his wife was not submissive.

“A woman who does not submit to the husband and trust his instincts is not going to be successful in marriage.
I think that we have forgotten about the fundamentals of marriage. When you love someone, it’s important to be able to forgive, respect and submit.” he told Bola Ray.



“As a woman you need to trust the captain of the ship. It’s truly important if you want peace in your home.”


If you are a Christian, it is your bible that will take you through your wedding days.
Everything happens for a reason. I have a beautiful baby boy, a wealth of experience and a lot of work to do”, Chris explained.
The couple have a baby boy from the marriage.

FG Appoints New Acting DG for NAFDAC

Mr. Ademola Andrew Magbojuri will be at the helm of affairs of NAFDAC following an approval by the present administration.





The Federal Government on Thursday approved the appointment of Mr. Ademola Andrew Magbojuri as the new Acting Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Magbojuri takes over from Mrs. Yetunde Oni, who attained the retirement age of 60 years last week.
Oni served in acting capacity for 18 months following the sack of NAFDAC’s substantive DG, Dr. Paul Orhii.
Magbojuri, who is the most senior director in NAFDAC, until this appointment, was in charge of the agency’s Training and Research Institute in Kaduna.
The new DG also served as Director of Finance and Accounts before he was redeployed to the agency’s Planning, Research and Statistics unit.x

Nigerian govt shuts 21 illegal universities, fake NYSC camps

Nigerian government has announced closure of 21 illegal universities and fake National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) camps across the country.

This is made known yesterday by the Chairman of Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, during a one-day interactive seminar for religious leaders in Kebbi State.

The ICPC boss, while speaking on the seminar’s theme: ‘Corruption is a sin against God and a crime against humanity, reject it’, noted that the commission had to adopt an holistic approach to combat corruption.

He said: “To effectively address the pervasive nature of corruption in the society, the commission adopted a holistic approach to combating corruption, through the combination of enforcement, prevention and public education strategies.”

The ICPC chairman said to ensure prevention and public enlightenment, the commission embarked on integrity outreach programmes, such as “sanitation of the universities and other tertiary institutions, which led to the closure of illegal universities and prosecution of their proprietors”.

“We closed 21 illegal degree awarding institutions and fake NYSC camps across Nigeria. We are prosecuting their proprietors now,” he said.


Owasanoye, represented by Jimoh Bulus Mai, ICPC Sokoto Office Officer, added that the commission embarked on interactive forum with religious leaders to enlighten them on ICPC Act 2000 and challenge them to make positive impact on anti-graft war in Nigeria.x

Hidden assets of Nigerian governor uncovered in offshore tax havens

Secret assets belonging to the current governor of Niger State, Abubakar Bello, have been uncovered in offshore tax havens, including the notorious British Virgin Islands.

The discoveries were made as PREMIUM TIMES continues to scrutinize the over 11 million Mossack Fonseca documents contained in the sleaze dossier now known worldwide as the Panama Papers.

At least two offshore companies were traced to the governor, one of which was used to acquire a property on Harvey Lodge London.

One of the companies, Best International Holding Limited, was registered in 1999 in the British Virgin Islands. The company was registered on May 26, 1999 with $50,000 as shares capital.

The company, with registration number 314717, has the governor and his son, Shehu Bello, as directors.

Governor Bello himself is the son of Sani Bello , a retired colonel and military governor of Kano State between 1975 and 1978.

Tax authorities the world over view the British Virgin Islands with a certain level of notoriety and suspicion.

Offshore company structures are sometimes marketed to rich businessmen and politically-exposed individuals to avoid or evade tax obligations in their home countries or conceal ill-gotten wealth.

While the two directors of Best International Holding Limited gave their Nigerian address as 17A Wurno Rd, Off Katuna Rd, Kaduna, Nigeria; a Lagos address was used for the registration of a second offshore company.

Another set of Mossack Fonseca documents seen by PREMIUM TIMES showed that Governor Bello is the sole shareholder of a secret offshore entity by the name Eyre Investments Incorporated.

This company, located in Hitchin, Herts, was incorporated on September 3, 2007 and had Ajibola Raphael Oluyede as director with Abubakar Sani Bello as sole shareholder.

Mr. Oluyede, a senior advocate of Nigeria, is one of the lawyers who defended Senate President Bukola Saraki in his recent corruption trial before the Code of Conduct Bureau.

Investigations revealed that for all his offshore dealings, the governor was using the services of Mr. Oluyede, the principal partner at TRLP LAW, as his legal front.

In one of the documents, it is stated that the registers of Best International Holding Limited are kept at D96 Landbridge Ave, Victoria Island Ext, Lagos, Nigeria. An online search of this address leads directly to TRLP Law office.

Yet another Mossack Fonseca document reveals the minutes of a meeting of the board of directors of Eyre Investments Incorporated. The minutes claimed that the meeting was held on September 3, 2007 and that in attendance were Mr. Oluyede and Mr. Bello.

A letter from UK lawyers on behalf of the Niger governor to Mossack Fonseca hinted that business relationship between Mr. Bello and his lawyer, Mr. Oluyede, was not all smooth sailing. The letter came at a time when the governor was having apparent difficulties in selling off a property he had acquired using his offshore company Eyre Investments Incorporation.





The difficulties arose when the front director either refused to cooperate or was nowhere to be found. It took the UK lawyers, the certificate of incorporation and other documents to have the offshore company returned to Governor Bello.





The letter from Shaima Jillood of the firm Charles Russell LLP to Mossack Fonseca, dated July 3, 2007, reads in part:

“I am the property solicitor acting on behalf of Eyre Investments Inc in respect of the sale of a property Flat 18 Harvey Lodge, Admiral Walk Harrow Road, London W9 3TH. In order to exchange contracts with the buyers and sell this property, we need to establish who is authorised to sign the contract and sell this property on behalf of Eyre Investments.”

Mossack Fonseca was at the time administering Eyre Investments Incorporation after it was transferred to it from ILS Fiduciary Limited (British Virgin Island) on June 7, 2000.

The UK lawyers requested from Mossack Fonseca evidence of the list of authorised signatories, directors, certified copy of passport and the shareholder so as to establish who was legally authorised to sign the legal sale documents. The letter further explained that:

“My client, Mr Abubaker S Bello, has advised us that he is the shareholder of this company but has lost the documentation and has only provided me with the Memorandum and Articles of Association & Certificate of Incorporation but no mention of who the directors or shareholders are and who the authorised signatories.”



When contacted on the propriety of a public office holder holding secret offshore accounts, Jibrin Ndace, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Bello said that before his principal became the governor of Niger State, he had been for years an international businessman of repute doing legitimate businesses across the world.

“The governor was a well-known international businessman just like Donald Trump was before he became the President of America. It is like if Dangote becomes President tomorrow; you would see their footprints everywhere because they were once international businessmen,” he said.

Mr. Ndace insisted that Niger State is benefiting from Governor Bello’s international business exposure given the foreign investors he has attracted to the state. He however did not provide details of the investments the governor has attracted to the state.

“The difference between this governor and others is that he is a professional in politics not a professional businessman,” Mr. Ndace said.

Violation of Nigerian law?

There is no evidence that Governor Bello is no longer involved with the shell companies. There is also no evidence that the governor declared his interests in the offshore entities to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) as required by law.

The governor’s spokesperson was evasive when asked whether his boss included the shell companies (with which he has dealt in properties) in the assets declaration form he filed at the CCB. Mr. Ndace merely insisted that the governor’s imprint as an international businessman cannot be easily erased.

While not all owners or operators of such offshore entities are criminals, participating in the running of private companies while serving as public officials is against Nigerian laws.

Section 6(b) of the Code of Conduct Act says a public office holder shall not, “except where he is not employed on full‐time basis, engage or participate in the management or running of any private business, profession or trade.”

The companies are also believed to own bank accounts. Yet Nigerian public officials owning foreign accounts, either individual or through their corporate interests, is a contravention of the code of conduct for public officials, which prohibits the holding of foreign bank accounts.





The code states: “Any public officer specified in the Second Schedule to this Act or any other persons as the President may, from time to time, by order prescribe, shall not maintain or operate a bank account in any country outside Nigeria.”

This revelation makes Governor Bello the sixth serving Nigerian official who has been shown to own shell companies in offshore tax havens in clear violation of the country’s law.

The others include President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki; former Senate President, David Mark; Senator Ibrahim Gobir (All Progressives Congress, Sokoto East); Senator David Umaru (APC – Niger East); Senator Andy Uba (APC, Anambra South).

The Nigerian government claimed it was investigating the officials as well as other former public officers who popped up in the Panama Papers to have violated Nigerian Nigerians by owning undeclared assets abroad. But the report of the investigation has not been made public and no one has been charged to court.

The former officials the government claimed it is investigating include former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Abubakar Yar’Adua; former Delta Governor, James Ibori; late former Bayelsa Governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha; and late former Minister of National Planning.

Another former NNPC GMD, Funsho Kupolokun, appears to have acquired his offshore assets after leaving office office in 2007.



CREDIT: PREMIUM TIMES

NIGERIAN COWS ARE WORST MILK PRODUCERS IN THE WORLD - AUDU OGBEH

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, has said cows raised in Nigeria are the worst milk producers in the world.

He said an average cow in the country produces less that one litre of milk per day compared to those from other countries where a cow could produce 100 litres per day.

Ogbeh said this at the 79th anniversary of Ikoyi Club 1938 in Lagos on Thursday.

According to the minister, an average cow in Holland produces a minimum of 50 litres of milk per day, while in the United States, milk production per cow can rise to over 100 litres.

He said moving cows from place to place was a major problem affecting meat and milk production in Nigeria, stressing that the earlier farmers started developing ranches for cows, the better it would be for the cow market and its entire value chain.

“An average cow in the US drinks an average of 100 litres of water per day; but in Nigeria, I doubt whether a cow can get two litres of water per week,” Ogbeh added.

The minister also stated that the country accounted for 67 per cent of the world’s yam production, adding that there were more opportunities for Nigeria to grow its share of the market, valued at $12bn, given the over 50 million hectares of land lying fallow in the country.

To give the agricultural sector a major boost, he said the Bank of Agriculture would soon be restructured so that every local government in the country would have at least a two-room branch.

ONLY APC CAN GIVE IGBO PRESIDENCY - OYEGUN

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has said the easiest way for a Nigerian of Igbo extraction to become Nigeria’s president is for the people of the South-East to join the APC.

Odigie-Oyegun said this during a parley with former aspirants and the inauguration of a 48-member campaign council for the APC candidate for the November 28, 2017 Anambra State governorship election, in Abuja, on Thursday.

He said, “We must change the narrative in the South-East and we must start with Anambra because the APC represents the most viable route for any South-East person to the presidency of this country.”

Odigie-Oyegun also used the occasion to welcome the former Deputy National Chairman to the Modu Sherrif -led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, into the APC.

The party chairman said Ojougboh’s presence in the Anambra campaign committee was an indication that the party recognised the fact that he had a lot to contribute to the development of the party.

Meanwhile, Odigie-Oyegun has said the party needs to win the November 18, 2017 Anambra State governorship election to end the cry of marginalisation by the South-East.

Odigie-Oyegun said this during a reconciliation meeting organised at the instance of the party leadership for aspirants in the recently concluded APC primaries for Anambra State.

The reconciliation meeting was held at the party’s National Secretariat, in Abuja, on Thursday.

The party chairman, who described Anambra State as the “gateway to the South-East,” reiterated the party’s desire to win the election.

Odigie-Oyegun said, “It is important that we do everything we can, fair and square, to bring Anambra State into the fold of the progressives for a lot of reasons. 

“Until we manage to bring a few states into the mainstream of progressives’ politics, we may not see the end of this continued cry of marginalisation.

“It is important that we work and work very hard to win Anambra being a critical state in the South-East. It is not going to be a small political struggle. We must work hard with unity of purpose to break through to the South-East in a major way to win Anambra.

“We are in politics and we recognise that each and every one of those who aspired for the office of the governor of Anambra State has a constituency. Everyone has something very significant to contribute if we are to have hope of winning the governor’s seat in Anambra from an incumbent.”

He added, “It is very important, essential and vital that we manage to hammer together not just a patch work of peace or make-believe kind of camaraderie but a very serious unity of purpose between all those who aspired to that office to act as a serious guarantee that we are indeed also serious in winning the Anambra governorship seat.”

'JIBRIN MUST APOLOGISE TO THE HOUSE BEFORE RE-ADMISSION' - HOUSE OF REPS INSISTS

The House of Representatives on Thursday insisted that the suspended former Chairman of its Appropriations Committee, Abdulmumin Jibrin, must apologise before he would be re-admitted to the House.

The Chairman, Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Abdulrazaq Namdas, who stated this during a weekly media session in Abuja, explained why Jibrin had not been re-admitted after spending a full legislative year on suspension.

The former appropriations committee chairman was suspended before the House went on the annual recess at the end of the 2016 legislative year.

On Thursday, Namdas said Jibrin had not completed his 180-day suspension. According to him, Jibrin must notify the House formally after the completion of the suspension.

He said he must meet other conditions listed by the Ethics and Privileges Committee of the House.

He stated, “I have also asked the Ethics and Privileges Committee Chairman about the issue and he said the 180 days suspension is not over.

“Jibrin will also have to notify the House. He will write an apology letter too. You know there are other conditions he will have to meet to complete the procedure.”

But on his tweeter handle, the suspended lawmaker wrote, “One year today of denying my constituents’ representation in the House and one year taken off my four years constitutional mandate, only in Nigeria.”

Also in a statement by his Media Aide, Godwin Onyeacholem, Jibrin said that he was ready “to make whatever sacrifice for the good of the House of Representatives and Nigeria as a whole, so that posterity will remember him on the good side of history.”

He also described Namdas’ comments as insensitive and insultive to the people of his constituency. He said the people of his constituency, Kiru/Bebeji of Kano State, had protested his suspension.

He stated, “It is somewhat weird that the official spokesman for the House claims that he does not know the exact date that Jibrin’s purported suspension would lapse. That in itself speaks volume of the subterfuge and sinister motives around the whole issue.”

The Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara, had on July 20, 2016 announced the removal of Jibrin as the chairman of the appropriations committee.

The former appropriations committee chairman, a few days later, accused Dogara and other principal officers of budget padding.

He released documents to support his allegations and submitted petitions to the Department of State Services, the police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

NNAMDI KANU NOT IN MILITARY CUSTODY

Authoritative sources from the Nigerian Army have said the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, is not in military custody.

The sources, from the army headquarters, Abuja, and the 82 Division headquarters, Enugu State, which coordinates Operation Python Dance II, told one of our correspondents on Thursday that Kanu was not arrested or detained, as being speculated.

READ ALSO: Biafra: I hope Nnamdi Kanu will show up soon – Falana

Kanu’s lawyers on Wednesday filed a suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja praying for an order, directing the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, to produce Kanu in court.

The lawyers, led by Ifeanyi Ejiofor, had declared Kanu missing, saying the IPOB leader was last seen after the September 14 invasion of his residence in Afara-Ukwu area of Abia State by soldiers.

But an authoritative source from the army headquarters said, “If you follow the trends of things, the army has not been talking about a proscribed group. If someone says he does not know where Kanu is, who gave him the authority to file a motion against the army?

“We don’t want to be drawn into this propaganda. For goodness sake, if we have Kanu, of what use is it if we keep quiet? We have never been secretive. Nobody prompted us before we came out to talk about Egwu Eke II starting in the South-East. Nobody prompted us before we came out to say that despite all the pressures, we were not withdrawing the operation. The exercise is still ongoing.”

Also, the source from 82 Division headquarters, Enugu, who did not want his name in print, replied our correspondent’s enquiry through a text message.

“Kanu is not with us. And I am not aware of his whereabouts,” it read.

But Kanu’s younger brother simply identified as Fine Boy, had on September 17 said that only the IPOB leader could disclose his hiding place.

READ ALSO:LAWYERS DRAG BURUTAI TO COURT OVER NNAMDI KANU

He said, “Only my brother can tell Nigerians where he is, I can’t. I don’t know why the Army should call IPOB a terrorist organisation, it is out of their desperation to arrest Nnamdi and frustrate the Biafran struggle. We have petitioned the United Nations and the European Union.

“…Nnamdi will soon disclose his current location and IPOB will also react to the proscription of the group by the South-East Governors’ Forum.”

Soldiers allegedly invaded his house on September 14.

The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Sani Usman, could not be reached for comment as of press time.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the South-East caucus in the Senate, Enyinnaya Abaribe, who stood as surety for Kanu, has said he should not be held liable if Kanu does not show up on October 17, which is the next hearing.

Abaribe said this on Thursday on a Channels TV programme, Sunrise Daily, noting that the alleged invasion of Kanu’s home in Abia State by troops of the Nigerian Army, was done “18 days before Kanu is to appear in court.”

Some senators had on Tuesday in a closed-door session, reportedly lashed out at Abaribe for accepting to stand as a surety for Kanu and for meeting with the IPOB members, claiming that the senator supported IPOB activities.

Abaribe on Thursday, however, said his meeting with the IPOB members was to find, “lasting peace” to the crisis. The senator said no one could say whether Kanu was dead or alive after the army’s invasion.

He said, “One of the very unfortunate issues is that when people don’t want to address issues, they abuse or personalise issues. I stood surety for him (Kanu). Put it in perspective; he is supposed to appear in court on October 17. Then one month prior to his appearance, September 14 – clearly one month – the army now invaded his house and his village, and since then, nobody has heard from him.”