2019: How Rivers people ‘ll chase Wike out of power – Amaechi

Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi, said yesterday that the Rivers State electorate will put an end to what he termed Governor Nyesom Wike’s poor performance, bad governance and misrule, during next year’s election Amaechi who is the leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state spoke at a grand reception for him and the Director- General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA),Dr.Dakuku Peterside, by the Free Rivers Development Initiative (FRDI) at Opobo, headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area of Rivers State. Peterside hails from Opobo. Amaechi asked the people of Opobo to start mobilizing now with a view to ensuring that they produce the state’s next governor. “When we start (politics), we will compare my first tenure with Wike’s first tenure,” he said. “You must start mobilising now.

You have not shown enough anger. You must show enough anger to chase him out of power. Show enough anger, such that if anybody warns you, you should chase the person out of Opobo.” The minister who was apparently taken aback by alleged summoning of Opobo chiefs to Government House,Port Harcourt,midway into the reception said: “Correct Opobo/Nkoro LGA’s chiefs, some of them came (for the reception), but many of them have run away (to Government House, Port Harcourt). “I then asked Ikwerre chiefs to join me to Opobo. One of them is Chief Chidi Lloyd (former Majority Leader of Rivers House of Assembly). When Ikwerre people wanted to produce governor (in 2007), they came together, were united and said they wanted governorship of Rivers State, not one of our (Ikwerre) chiefs escaped. If you (people of Opobo/Nkoro LGA) do not get governorship of Rivers State (in 2019), blame your chiefs.

They have run away. “When things were extremely bad with me, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja (indigene of Opobo) was behind me. Not politics. He (Jaja) will agree that I introduced him to major politics. I was hungry, I had a wife and children, but no money to survive then as a young man, but Dr. Sam Sam Jaja stood firmly behind me, as things were very rough then. Ike Chinwo housed us and gave us food, before I met Dr. Peter Odili (former Rivers governor). Dr. Odili played important roles in my life.” Also speaking, Peterside who was the governorship candidate of the party in Rivers during the 2015 election, said Wike is running a failed government. The government, he said, is also petty and has democratized stealing.

The NIMASA D-G described Amaechi as a visioner and a leader, who has done a lot for the people of Opobo/Nkoro LGA and other parts of Rivers State Peterside said: “It is not always common to take up responsibility for other people’s challenges. Our leader (Amaechi), for a very long time, has taken up the challenge of the development of Opobo and Nkoro Kingdoms. Today, in Rivers State, the symbol of good governance is Rt. Hon. Amaechi. We must be grateful to him. “Today in Rivers State, soot is killing our people. The current government (of Wike) represents the mass looting of our commonwealth. Our schools are shut down. Our pensioners are being owed and they are dying daily. Our people have no means of livelihood, that is why they are taking to illegal refining of crude oil. Rivers State secretariat is stinking. “About three years ago, when Rt. Hon. Amaechi left office, the road to Opobo (Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo Unity Road), remained less than two kilometres to complete. Till today, Wike’s government has refused to complete the strategic road. Before Rt. Hon. Amaechi left government, it was estimated that N6 billion would be needed to complete the road, but when Wike took over, instead of paying the contractor the N6 billion, the contract was cancelled, re-awarded to themselves and they inflated the figure to N14 billion.



They have democratised stealing in government. “Rt. Hon. Amaechi believes that every Rivers person must be given an opportunity to participate in governance. He believes in equity, justice and fairness. Rt. Hon. Amaechi and his wife, Dame Judith, played great roles in my life. “In the elections of 2015 and rerun of 2016, they (PDP members) rigged everywhere (in Rivers State), but they could not rig here (Opobo). APC has never lost any election on this soil (Opobo). We have not had a government with this type of terrible record. The government (of Wike) has failed in every respect. We know what the votes will do. The people of Opobo/Nkoro LGA will speak (during 2019 elections) and they will speak very loud.” However,Wike, in his reaction, said he is a man of substance, with awards from all over the world. The Rivers governor, who spoke through Information and Communications Commissioner Emma Okah, alleged that Amaechi and Peterside had not attracted any development project to Rivers State, since their appointments.

Kalu predicts Igbo presidency in 2023

Former governor of Abia State on Friday predicted Igbo presidency in 2023 after the completion of President Mohammad Buhari two terms in office.
He advised Buhari to ignore the letter written to him by Olusegun Obasanjo serious, saying the former President has no moral ground to criticism any administration.

According to him, Obasanjo is the “least Nigerian to talk about morality in Nigerian politics.”

Speaking with reporters during his advocacy tour of the Southwest after a courtesy visit to the palace of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, in Ike Ife, he said Obasanjo only wanted to hit up the polity and cause trouble in Nigeria with his letter.


Speaking on the possibility of president Buhari winning the second term, Kalu said, “Buhari has done a lot of jobs. People might be thinking he is not doing anything, Nigeria is a very difficult country to hold together and he held ot together.

He said: “President Buhari is not a thief. The were massive lootING before he came. I’m not saying Buhari is the best, he has his own patch, but the Buhari I know for over 30 years, he doesn’t believe in having house in Abuja and cars everywhere. I came to assure this region that Buhari is an honest man. He is more committed to the Nigeria than those condemning him.”

Kalu, who commended Oba Ogunwusi for preaching peace and taking peace across the nation, said: “Even some leaders have decided to be letter writers, I want to thank you for obeying what the Quran and the Bible said by supporting our president.

“I want to thank you for bringing peace. No leader is perfect. Every leaders has his patch. Some leaders like to criticize people but, when they were there as a leader, they didn’t want people to criticize them. They didn’t know that it is always good for leaders to have respect for other leaders.

“We realise that the country is almost broken. We are taking message of hope and peace to the people. You can see some ex-presidents want to take it upon themselves to start causing problems, writing letters that are unnecessary to our community and our polity. This is the same president I wrote letter to when I was the governor and he refused to answer to the leter.

“You press people know about that letter where I accused president Obasanjo on many occasions of corruption under his table which he know is the truth. So, he is the least Nigerian to talk about morality in our polity.”

Looters’ list: FG compiles new names

As controversy continues to trail the release of looters’ list by the Federal Government in the last one week, there are strong indications that government is compiling fresh names of people alleged to have looted the nation’s treasury.

It was learnt that the fresh list might contain names of those who have yet to be arraigned in courts for corruption.


The list may also include names of former governors, ministers and even bankers.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, had in the past said 55 persons stole N1.34tn under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan. Last week, he released 29 names, who he said took money from the office of the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sabo Dasuki (retd.).

Many of the names he released were, however, those already undergoing trial for alleged corruption while the names of members of the former ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party, who had defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress were conspicuously omitted from the list.

The two lists contained names of those in the main opposition party, the PDP. The PDP had subsequently criticised the government, accusing it of being biased and diverting attention from its alleged incompetence.

But a source close to the Presidency, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told one of our correspondents in Abuja on Friday, that the government, through the Ministry of Information and Culture, would soon release another list.

He said that the next batch would be more comprehensive and would contain the names of those who either took money from the office of the former NSA or directly from the Federal Government before the 2015 elections.

He said the government was aware of the controversy that surrounded the release of the first two lists, adding that the names of some persons considered to be close to the government could be in the third list.

The source said, “Between you and me, I can authoritatively tell you that we are compiling a fresh list. We won’t release it until we are satisfied with it. We want to be thorough. People will be shocked when we release the fresh names.

“Those who accused us of being biased will know that we know what we are doing. The first list was a fraction. When the second one came out, people were surprised. As for the next one, people will be shocked. I won’t say more than that.”

Efforts made to reach Mohammed on the issue were unsuccessful as calls made to his mobile phone indicated that it was switched off.

However, the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), in an interview with newsmen confirmed that the names of 55 persons that allegedly looted N1.34tn under Jonathan’s regime were not in the lists of looters released by the Federal Government.

He said he was very sure that the Federal Government would publish the names of these alleged looters. He said, “Yes, I’m sure. In fact, there is a paper containing all their names, the charges against them, how far their cases have gone, some of them have never been charged.

“That list includes former governors, ministers, bankers and so on. That is another list entirely.”

He, however, refused to mention any of the names on the list, saying, “No, I don’t want to mention any names for now. There are people on that list that the court declared that the EFCC (Economic and Financial Crimes Commission) had no right to prosecute for technical reasons, not for substantive reasons.”

Looters List: PDP sues Lai Mohammed, demands N1.5 Billion damages .

The National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, has dragged Mohammed to court for defamation of character.



Mohammed had on Friday, last week, identified Secondus as one of those who looted the nation’s treasury in the first list.

He alleged that Secondus collected N200m from Dasuki, an allegation that was denied by Secondus, who said he was embarrassed by the minister’s claim.

He claimed through a letter from his lawyer, Mr. Emeka Etiaba (SAN ), that he did not collect money and asked the minister to retract his statement. He also asked for the payment of N1.5bn as damages and a public apology within 48 hours.

The letter told Mohammed to note that if he failed to meet their demand after 48 hours, “We shall within 72 hours from today, proceed to a court of competent jurisdiction to ventilate our client’s rights under the law and shall further seek the protection of the court against you.”

Having failed to meet the demand, Secondus on Friday, made good his threat and filed a suit at the High Court, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, asking the court to award the sum of N1.5bn to him as damages for humiliation, castigation, vilification attack on his person and integrity as a result of the publication.

According to a statement by the PDP National Chairman’s Media Office, which was signed by his spokesperson, Mr. Ike Abonyi, Secondus, in the suit numbered: /PHC/1013/2018, is also claiming that Mohammed’s publication is defamatory.

He, therefore, asked the court to direct Mohammed to retract the said publication and apologise to him in writing.

He asked the court to compel the minister to publish the retraction and apology in the Nation, This Day, The Sun, The Guardian and The PUNCH as well as on television stations like Nigerian Television Authority and Channels TV, among others, where the “defamatory” report was published.

Secondus is also asking the court for a perpetual injunction restraining the defendant from further publishing defamatory materials against him.

Joined in the suit are the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Attorney General of the Federation and the Vintage Press Limited, publishers of The Nation Newspapers.

Also included in Mohammed’s first list were a former PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisah Metuh, who is on trial for allegedly collecting N1.4bn from NSA office; Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, who is on trial for taking N2.1bn from NSA office; and a former Senior Special Adviser to President Jonathan, Dudafa Waripamo-Owei, who is on trial over N830m kept in accounts of four different companies

In the second list, the minister said based on EFCC’s investigation, N126bn, $1.5bn and £5.5m were allegedly embezzled through Dasuki’s office. He said the amounts were not part of the ongoing $2.1bn military equipment scandal.

Offa Robbery: Police Confirm 17 killed; 7 Suspects Arrested

The deadly armed robbery attack which occurred in Kwara State on Thursday left at least 17 persons dead, including eight police officers, police said Friday.

Daredevil robbers struck five different banks in downtown Offa shortly after 4:00 p.m., blowing their ways into the vaults before carting away huge chunks of money. The specific amount is still being ascertained, police said.

The robbers also shot residents at random and launched an assault on a police station within the community, which is also home to a federal polytechnic and situated about 60 kilometres south of Ilorin, the state capital.


“Twelve people were killed at the police station, eight of them were police officers,” Kwara police commissioner Lawan Ado told Premium Times late Friday. “The remaining four were suspects in police custody.”

The police chief said five persons were killed in indiscriminate shooting by the armed robbers on the streets of Offa. The robbers also made away with arms and ammunition from the police armoury when they attacked the police station.

The police intelligence response team have arrived from Abuja to support the team on ground for a thorough investigation, Mr. Ado said, adding that seven suspects have been taken into custody.

“We arrested one person yesterday and six persons today in connection with the robbery,” he said. “We will stop at nothing to ensure that all the suspects are arrested.”

The commissioner confirmed affected bank branches as including Zenith Bank Guarantee Trust Bank, Union Bank , First Bank and Eco Bank.

He said the police have recovered seven vehicles abandoned by the suspects in the outskirts of the town, exhibits he said would form a part of detectives’ probe into the attack.

APC Will Take Buhari To Court If He Does Not Seek Re-Election – Ganduje

The governor of Kano state, Abdullahi Ganduje on Friday said that his party will sue President Muhammadu Buhari if he fails to re-contest for the forthcoming election.

He disclosed this in Abuja while chatting with journalists on Friday. According to him, “APC governors want Mr President to continue. I am happy that it is not the president that said he wants to continue, it is the people that are saying continue but Mr President has not made up his mind yet. “When he came to Kano, I told him that any time he decides not to contest, we will take him to court. Kano state government will take him to court any time he decides not to contest. So we are waiting for him.

Oyo state Gov's wife, Mrs Ajimobi builds multi-million naira Information Technology Centre At Poly Ibadan [Photos]

As part of activities marking her 59th birthday, Oyo State First Lady, Dr (Mrs) Florence Ajimobi has built a multi million naira Information Technology center, at the Polytechnic of Ibadan and fully equipped it.

My Husband Is Mentally Ill, I Have Never Enjoyed My Marriage, Woman Tells Court

An Idi-Ogungun Customary Court, Agodi, Ibadan, on Friday, dissolved a five-year-marriage between Victoria Akinyemi and her mentally ill husband, Dare Akinyemi.

Victoria approached the court for the dissolution of the marriage, alleging that she could no longer cope with the state of her husband’s mental illness.

The petitioner told the court that living together as husband and wife had reached a dangerous point due the unstable state of mind of the respondent.

“My lord, I never enjoyed my marriage of five years as a result of his stinginess and strange behaviours. “In fact, I fend for him, pay the house rent and shoulder our family responsibility.


“I was not aware of his mental illness until recently when he became violent.

“Now, he stays with his parents and family members but always comes to my shop to demand money from me.

“I have tried my best to stop him from embarrassing me and our only child, but he would not change.

“I want the court to dissolve the marriage so that I can be free of any further embarrassment from him,’’ she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Dare was not in court during the hearing to defend himself, the court, however, ruled on the case in his absence.

In his judgment, Chief Mukaila Balogun, the court president, said that there was no need for adjournment and there was also no reason to delay taking a decision on the case.

“Since the respondent was duly served a court summon on three occasions and failed to appear in court, the marriage is hereby dissolved and custody of the only child of the union is given to the petitioner,’’ Balogun ruled.

Man Keeps Mom's Corpse For 3 Years JUST To Collect Her Pension Using Her Thumb Impression

In a shocking case from Kolkata, a 43-year-old man has been arrested for reportedly keeping the corpse of his dead mother in a deep freezer for almost three years to collect her pension every month using her thumb impression.

The incident came to light after the mutilated body of the woman was found at his home by Kolkata Police on Thursday.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) (Behala) Nilanjan Biswas said, “Bina Mazumdar’s body was stored in a refrigerator since 2015”.

The police told that the accused Subhabrato Mazumdar has been detained. According to police sources, prima facie the lady (87) had died following a cardiac arrest.

Ex-South Korean Female President Sentenced To 24 Years Imprisonment

A South Korean court has found former President Park Geun-hye guilty on multiple counts of abuse of power, bribery and coercion and sentenced her to 24 years in prison.

Her conviction brings to close a corruption scandal which gripped South Korea, upending the country's politics and implicating some of the country's most powerful figures...

"The President abused the power which was given to her by the citizens," the judge said, adding a tough sentence was needed to send a firm message to the country's future leaders. Prosecutors had asked for Park to receive a 30 year sentence.

Park, 66, was found guilty of 16 of the 18 charges she faced, related to a massive influence-peddling case that removed her from office last year. As well as the prison sentence she was also fined $17 million.

The former president was not in the Seoul Central District Court to hear the verdict. Park and her lawyers refused to participate after the court decided to live broadcast the judgment, the first time this has happened in South Korea, after a law was passed last year to enable it.

Park lawyer's are expected to appeal her sentence.

Outside the court, hundreds of supporters of Park had gathered to watch the verdict on a large screen, waving Korean and US flags and calling for the former president's release.

Older, conservative South Koreans, who remembered the dictatorship of Park's father fondly as a period of strength for the country, were her electoral base and a common sight throughout the impeachment process.

Dramatic downfall 
South Korea's first female president, and the daughter of former dictator Park Chung-hee, Park Geun-hye was arrested in March 2017 shortly after she was stripped of her office by the country's Constitutional Court, which upheld a parliamentary vote to impeach her.

That vote came after millions of South Koreans took to the streets over a period of several months to demand Park's ouster, after revelations of the alleged massive influence wielded by her adviser and confidant, Choi Soon-sil.

Choi, the daughter of a cult leader once accused of having "complete control over Park's body and soul during her formative years," held no political office but is accused of using her influence over the President to funnel money to organizations she controlled and get her daughter a place at an elite university.

Park was accused of being unduly influenced by Choi. The court which upheld her impeachment agreed with accusations that Park had abused her authority in helping Choi raise donations from companies for foundations she had set up.

In February, Choi was sentenced to 20 years in jail on 18 charges including abuse of power, coercion, fraud and bribe, and fined $16.6 million.

Also implicated in the scandal was Samsung chief Lee Jae-yong. The 49-year-old billionaire was found guilty of bribery and other corruption charges last year and sentenced to five years in prison, but in February a higher court reduced his sentence and suspended it for four years.

Source: CNN

Here's how beautiful she was during her days as President. Sigh!

Late Singer, Alizee’s Management Releases Official Statement On Her Murder

Yesterday, the internet was hit with the news of singer Alizee’s passing.

According to reports, Alizee’s husband murdered her and her 4-year old who was found laying on her chest.

The singer’s manager has now released an official statement about the murder which reads thus;

1. Petra Entertainment Limited has received with shock news of the sudden demise of our artist Nielsen Zainab Joy (Aged 29) and her daughter Nielsen Petra (Aged 4) at their Banana Island, Lagos home on the 5th of April 2018.

2. The late Nielsen Zainab Joy (also known as Alizee) was a Nigerian citizen married to Nielsen Peter Schau a Danish citizen resident in Nigeria.

3. While we exercise restraint in making public comments on the circumstances surrounding the demise of Alizee and her daughter, – in order not to prejudices on-going police investigations – it has become important to correct some misinformation presently circulating in the media space.

4. In this regard, we state that the husband of the late Nielsen Zainab Joy who is also the father of the late Nielsen Petra is Nielsen Peter Schau. Nielsen Peter Schau is a Danish citizen and not an Italian or Asian as has been reported by several media outlets.

5. We call all law enforcement agencies to speedily unravel the circumstances surrounding the demise of these vibrant Nigerians and bring all complicit persons and/or entities to justice.

6. In the light of reports suggesting that Alizee’s husband may be under Police investigation in connection with these painful deaths, We particularly call on the Nigerian immigration Services to remain vigilant at this time and urge the cooperation of all foreign missions in the country.

7. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the relatives of the late Zainab and Petra.

Signed

Management

See that crowd at Rotimi Amaechi's reception at Opobo/Nkoro.

Grand reception in honour of the Minister Of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi at Opobo/Nkoro, the locality of DG, NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Adolphus Peterside.

The occasion is a grand reception in honour of his well deserved appointment as the minister of the federal republic of Nigeria.

The occasion held at Opobo/Nkoro in alliance with the Free Rivers Development Initiative, (FRDI) was attended by prominent leaders of Rivers state from far and near

According to reports, the Governor of Rivers State, Governor Wike is said to have chosen the same day to hold a meeting with Opobo Chiefs and people in Government House, Port Harcourt.

It is alleged that the governor has threatened to withdraw the Certificate of Recognition for any government recognized Chief who attends the Free Rivers program in Opobo/Nkoro.

El-Rufai: I didn’t attack Bill Gates but there’s nothing wrong in doing so

Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna, says he did not attack Bill Gates, co-chair of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Gates had attended an expanded meeting of the national executive council (NEC) where he said the execution process of the economic and recovery growth plan (ERGP) did not reflect the needs of Nigerians.

But el-Rufai who was at the meeting responded by saying it was wrong for Gates to have said that.

Speaking at the close of Kaduna Investment Summit on Thursday, el-Rufai said all he did was put “things in context”.

The governor said he told the Microsoft founder that he correctly identified the problem with the country’s economy but was looking at the wrong place for solution.

“I made a comment that was reported widely as attacking Bill Gates. It was not an attack on Bill Gates, it merely putting things in context,” he said.

“What I told Mr. Gates is that you have identified the problem correctly, but you are looking at the wrong tier of government to handle it.

“The state and local governments have the responsibilities to invest in education and healthcare. So, it is up to state governments to invest more in education and healthcare and I gave example of what we are doing in Kaduna. I also urged my colleagues, the governors to do same. Because, unless the state governments do so, the country will be clapping with one hand. That is what I said, but it was misrepresented to mean that I was attacking Bill Gates.

“There is nothing wrong with attacking Bill Gates, we can differ, but that is not what happened, I merely explained the con

N-Power, other SIP programmes failing – Senate blasts Buhari govt

 

Nigerian Senate yesterday declared that the N-Power and other National Social Investment Programmes under the Buhari government were not being felt by the people.

The lawmakers stated this after Maryam Uwais, the special adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on NSIP informed the National Assembly that the programme received between 2016 and 2017 N175billion out of the N1 trillion approved in the budgets for the two years.

Senator Danjuma Goje, chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation openly criticized the scheme when Uwais appeared to provide clarification on the 2018 budget estimate.

The special adviser said: “You may kindly recall that a sum of N500 billion was appropriated for the NSIP budget in 2017, out of which N100 billion was allocated for the Social Housing Scheme under the Federal Ministry of Finance.

“Further more, out of the balance N400 billion, only N90 billion was released to the NSIP for the year 2017.”

She also said that the programme received the sum of N85 billion in 2016.

“Unfortunately, N100 billion is deducted at source for Housing Scheme by the Federal Ministry of Financ,” she said.

However, Goje state that the NSIP was gradually going the way of the disbanded Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) of the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

He said the Senate would not hesitate to drastically reduce the yearly allocation of N500 billion to NSIP if its performance did not improve.

Goje, who stressed the importance of the programme, noted that by the end of three years, the NSIP would have handled N1.5 trillion which, according to him was unprecedented.

“Many people are complaining that they have not seen the impact of the programme considering the magnitude of the fund involved.

“I am from Gombe State, I represent Gombe Central. I am yet to see one single boy who came to tell me that he has benefited from your N500 billion.

“Many other Nigerians are saying the same thing. N500 billion for 36 states is about N13 billion. If you spend N13 billion in one year in Gombe State, there is no way I would not have known, other people will also know.

“If you spend N500 billion in one year in Nigeria, Nigerians will know. No single All Progressives Congress person from Gombe State has benefited from your School Feeding Programme.

“No single person from Gombe State has benefited from your N-Power. We don’t know about your N-Power. As far as many of us are concerned, we are completely dissatisfied with what you are doing,” he said.

Goje also said that there was no indication to show that N100 billion was deducted from source for Social Housing Scheme by the Ministry of Finance.

Christian leaders visit Buhari without mentioning Leah Sharibu

On Thursday, a group of northern Christian leaders visited President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa in Abuja.

The leaders under the aegis of Arewa Pastors Non-denominational Initiative for Peace (APNIP) in Nigeria discussed a wide range of issues with the president.

Expressing satisfaction with his performance, the religious leaders vowed to expose those working against him within the Christain fold.

However, while the discussion moved from the president’s health to economy, anti-graft war and hate speech, not a word was mentioned about Leah Sharibu, at least from excerpts of the meeting which was released.

Sharibu is the only Christian among the 110 students of Government Girls Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe state, abducted by Boko Haram on February 19.

Apart from five of her colleagues who reportedly died in captivity, the insurgents released all the captives. Sharibu rejected the condition given for her to be free. When asked to renounce her Christain faith, she dared her abductors.

Among the groups which have mounted pressure on the federal government over Sharibu is the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

During Easter, the Christain Association of Nigeria (CAN) organised prayers for the lone schoolgirl. Many churches also offered prayers on her behalf.

But the Yobe representative of APNIP did not seize the opportunity of being with Buhari to draw attention to Sharibu’s plight.

John Richard, leader of the delegation, told their host that they had archbishops and bishops from the 19 northern states, over 45,000 registered pastors, and millions of followers.

While thanking God for the president’s health, Richard said, “We congratulated ourselves also because during your health challenge we knowing you to be the Godsent timely leader to rescue and restore Nigeria back to her pride, fasted and prayed with over one thousand archbishops, bishops, pastors and evangelist for God to show you mercy and heal you.

“Your Excellency, we the 19 northern states pastors came together in unity to speak with one voice to crusade for peace, reconciliation and national unity of our great country Nigeria which you have already started.”

Richard also asked the president to support the group for a “peace and unity national delegate prayer congress” scheduled for the Eagle Square, Abuja on April 26, 2018.

Lai: Herdsmen, farmers clash didn’t start yesterday… the first one happened in 1948

Lai Mohammed, minister of information, says the clashes between farmers and herdsmen date back to 1948.

The minister said this on Thursday when he received a delegation of permanent secretaries led by Winfred Oyo-Ita, head of the service of the federation.

Mohammed said though the misunderstanding is as a result of “an environmental situation”, politicians are trying to make gains out of it.

“The farmers-herders clash is neither religious or ethnic, I think politicians and other people who don’t understand it are trying to make it look like Christian-Muslim, north-south. It is simply an environmental situation and we must see it in that light,” Mohammed said.

“The farmland that belongs to one person will have to be shared by three of four persons. Today, Lake Chad has shrunk to 2,500 kilometers before then (1963) Lake Chad used to support 35 million lives from Central African Republic, Chad, Nigeria – they were farming, fishing and doing irrigation on the same water. When that water lost 90 percent of its surface people had to move south.

“This is the whole issue of the farmers, herdsmen clashes, it is not Christian or Muslim. It has nothing to do with religion, it has nothing to do with ethnicity. The earlier we realise that the better. The first herdsmen, farmers clash was in 1948, it didn’t start yesterday, so please let us change this narrative.

“Frankly speaking we cannot repair the damage that has been done in over 16 years in three years.”

While listing achievements of the Buhari administration in various sectors of the economy, the minster said the country exited recession because of the growth of the agriculture and mining sectors.

He said the government had already diversified the country’s economy.

“We have diversified the economy, we went out of recession not because of the increase in the price of crude but because of agriculture and mining, these are things you need to share regularly if not they will accuse you because you are the government,” Mohammed said.

Hungry Pastors’ – Fani Kayode blasts Arewa pastors’ support for Buhari

Femi Fani-Kayode has blasted pastors under the auspices of the Arewa Pastors Non-denominational Initiative for Peace in Nigeria, who paid President Muhammadu Buhari a visit on Thursday.

A group of over 45,000 pastors, made up of the Arewa Pastors Non-denominational Initiative for Peace in Nigeria accused their colleagues of inciting violence and working against President Buhari.

Leader of the group, Bishop John Richard, endorsed Buhari for second term owing to his achievements in security.

Reacting, Fani-Kayode took to his twitter page, describing the pastors as hungry and descendants of Cain.

The PDP Chieftain wrote “Some hungry Pastors from Arewa Pastors Peace Initiative visited Buhari today to endorse him.

“I’m sure none of their daughters are being held by Boko Haram and no member of their family has been slaughtered by Fulani herdsmen.

“Woe unto those that support the descendants of Cain.”

Subsidy on petrol hits N1.4tn per year - FG

A total of N1.4tn is now being spent annually by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation as subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, the Federal Government has said.


Although it described the amount as under-recovery, the government stated that the national oil firm had been shouldering the huge financial burden, because the NNPC is the country’s supplier of last resort when it comes to the provision of petroleum products.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, who disclosed this while speaking at a Liquefied Petroleum Gas workshop organised by the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources in Abuja on Thursday, also stated that the ministry planned to unveil an infrastructure rebirth map for the oil and gas sector in two months.

On March 5, 2018, the NNPC announced that it was spending N774m daily (about N23.99bn monthly) as subsidy on the 50 million litres of PMS consumed across the country.

The oil firm stated that the huge under-recovery was due to the proliferation of filling stations in communities with international land and coastal borders across the country.

On Thursday, Kachikwu echoed the fact that the NNPC was spending enormous resources subsidising petrol, as he told guests at the programme that about N1.4tn had been declared as under-recovery by the national oil firm.

When asked if the N1.4tn, which he earlier mentioned in his address to participants at the workshop, was the current figure being spent by the NNPC, the minister replied, “Yes, it’s current.”

Probed further to state what the government was doing to handle the under-recovery, Kachikwu said, “Let me focus on gas. That (under-recovery) is being addressed at very high levels.”

The Group Managing Director, NNPC, Maikanti Baru, explained that the multiplication of filling stations had energised unprecedented cross-border smuggling of petrol to neighbouring countries, making it difficult to sanitise the fuel supply and distribution matrix in Nigeria.

Baru stated that a detailed study conducted by the NNPC indicated strong correlation between the presence of the frontier stations and the activities of fuel smuggling syndicates.

He said the activities of the smugglers led to the recent abnormal surge in the evacuation of petrol from less than 35 million litres per day to more than 60 million litres per day, which was in sharp contrast to the established national consumption pattern.

Providing a detailed presentation of the findings, the NNPC boss noted that 16 states, having among them 61 local government areas with border communities, accounted for 2,201 registered fuel stations.

He stated that the tanks of the stations had a combined capacity of 144,998,700 litres of petrol, adding that in the same vein, eight states with coastal border communities spread across 24 LGAs accounted for 866 registered fuel outlets, with combined petrol tank capacity of 73,443,086 litres.

Baru explained that because of the obvious differential in petrol prices between Nigeria and other neighbouring countries, it had become lucrative for smugglers to use the frontier stations as a veritable conduit for the smuggling of products across the borders.

This, he said, had resulted in a thriving market for Nigerian petrol in Niger Republic, Benin Republic, Cameroon, Chad and Togo, as well as Ghana, which has no direct borders with Nigeria.

“The NNPC is concerned that continued cross-border smuggling of petrol will deny Nigerians the benefit of the Federal Government’s benevolence of keeping a fixed retail price of N145 per litre despite the increase in PMS open market price above N171 per litre,” Baru stated.

Kachikwu had earlier told journalists that the petroleum resources ministry was planning to unveil an infrastructure rebirth map for the country’s oil and gas sector.

He said the map, which President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to unveil in the next two months, would open up the sector to investments in critical areas.

Kachikwu stated, “There is a lot more private sector investment in upstream than there is in downstream in terms of actual infrastructure, and that is why the government is more focused in upstream. We are also hoping to launch an infrastructure rebirth map for the oil sector over the next two months. And I hope the President will launch it.

“And the effect of that will be to open up tariff, create policy positions that will enable people to go in and invest in critical infrastructure that is needed. Because everywhere you look, whether it is distribution of petroleum products, it is done massively through trucks rather than through pipelines.

“Now, whether it is to take crude to refineries or whether it is being able to distribute gas all over the country, infrastructure is so key. There is a lot of stranded gas everywhere, lots of stranded power everywhere; distribution is key, infrastructure is key. We need to find a way or find enough incentives that will enable the private sector to go in very bullishly and put the money where it is supposed to be.”

Another aide to Communications Minister, Adebayo Shittu resigns over alleged 4 months salary arrears

Another Aide to the Minister of Communications, Barrister Adebayo Shittu, Mallam Ibrahim has resigned.

Ibrahim who is the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the Minister resigned last Thursday due to non payment of his four months salaries.

Our correspondent gathered on Friday that the CSO who was until his resignation stationed at the Samonda home of the ex-Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General decided to leave the Minister’s home after he made several efforts to get his entitlements allegedly owed him by the Minister.

A source close to the Minster said like the case of Ibrahim, some drivers of the APC governorship aspirant in the 2019 elections in the state are still being owed four months’ salaries.

We further gathered that lawyers at the newly built Mokola Ibadan legal chamber of the Saki born legal luminary are also not being paid.

Shittu was in the news last year when his Personal Assistant, Alhaji Rasaq Olubodun resigned after he accused the Minister of owing him 23 months salaries.

His Media Aide, Mr. Victor Oluwadamilare was also sacked by the Minister after he demanded for his 28 months salaries from the Minister. Communications Minister, Adebayo Shittu in another salary scandal, sacks aide over 28 months’ arrears

However all efforts made by our correspondent to get reactions of the minister on the latest resignation proved abortive as at the time of filling this report on Friday as calls put through his phone numbers were not going.

But, a close Aide to the Minister, Mr. Malik Aderogba in a brief telephone conversation confirmed the resignation on Friday saying that the ex-CSO resigned because he had been offered another job in Osogbo, Osun State.

Malik said, “Yes, he resigned because he has seen another offer. He has been posted to Osogbo, Osun State.”

Actor IK Ogbonna sacks his personal shopper on social media for buying him fake designer wear.

Nollywood actor, Ik Ogbonna just fired his personal shopper for buying him a fake Dolce and Gabbana shirt.

The actor took to his Instagram to notify his personal shopper of his new status after he realized he was wearing knockoff.

The same shirt has been won by music artiste Davido in one of the music videos and when Ik Ogbonna was caught wearing his own, he realized it was fake.

On his Instagram page, he wrote,

“Dear personal shopper, if u are seeing this message doxology… but iz like our business haf end here .. coz oyibo man say a person dat waz once trusted if hand falling enter should not be trusted again. Thainku. Ps ur #DOCLE & GABBANA is waiting for u at my estate gate. Brand new personal shoppers pls apply.”

View his post below;

This is not the first time the actor would be called out over buying fake designer items. Nigerian Eye recalls that the Nollywood actor was called out in 2016 by a luxury shopper for reportedly buying fake designer items for his wife Sonia Ogbonna, 25, on her birthday.

On January 19 2016, Sonia Ogbonna was a year older and her husband surprised her with several designer gifts including Christian Louboutin Nude Pumps, a Chanel Boy Bag, and 2 Chanel Tote bags all worth $10,000.

Sonia Ogbonna shared a picture of her designer gifts on her Instagram account but was quickly called out by a personal luxury shopper who said the gifts were not real.

The shopper who goes by @rodeodrng shared a picture of Sonia Ogbonna’s designer items and the supposed authentic versions. To save face, Sonia quickly deleted the picture from her social media account.

You can see the picture below;

$1bn funds for military: What about Nigeria Police – Shehu Sani

Shehu Sani, Senator representing Kaduna Central district in the National Assembly has raised concern over the state of Nigeria Police.

Sani, on Friday called on the federal government to stop sidelining the Nigeria police and accord same attention it gives the Nigerian Military.

He stated this in reaction to the approval of N1bn approved for military equipment.

Recall that Buhari had approved the fund during a meeting with the Minister of Defence, Brigadier General Mansur Dan-Ali (rtd), and the service chiefs at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The Kaduna lawmaker in his tweets expressed concern on the force being left behind.

Speaking on the repercussion of sidelining police, Sani wrote: “If we use a Billion dollar to upgrade our military arsenals to the 21st century while leaving behind our police in the 20th century and other security agencies in the 19th century, we will be dancing with the Python & sleeping with the Cobra,Viper,Mamba & Anaconda.”

How Buhari’s security detail nearly killed me – Veteran journalist, Smart Cole

 

Ace photographer, Sunmi Smart Cole, on Thursday narrated how he was rough handled by President Muhammadu Buhari’s security detail during the colloquium to mark Senator Bola Tinubu’s birthday in Lagos.

Smart-Cole, 76, who is currently recovering from the injuries sustained during the beating in a hospital in Ikoyi, threatened to sue the Department of State Service (DSS).

The former head of photography in the presidency said he was revived by the former Governor, of Ogun State, Chief Segun Osoba, the Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, and the Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha.

He said he was invited to the colloquium to take photographs, and that things were going on well until the president arrived and the place became rowdy.

“I was invited by the vice-president’s office. The vice-president told one of his assistants, Mrs. Uwais, the wife of a former Chief Justice of Nigeria, to invite me to cover the event”, he told Thisday.

“When Buhari entered with about 50 security personnel, things changed. If you stood near them, they would give you elbow. At a time, I just told one of them, ‘I am an old man; I am actually 76 years old’.

“He said he didn’t care and directed another security official to make sure ‘this old man does not come near the president’. I had to take photographs from a distance.

“The security operatives around the president continued to push me until I became exhausted and I slumped because my legs became weak.

“I slumped right in front of Segun Osoba, Niyi Adebayo, the former Governor of Ekiti State; Governor Tambuwal, and Governor Okorocha, who sat together, including the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki. They all saw me. I am the oldest working journalist in Nigeria.

“I slumped but I did not pass out. Prof. Pat Utomi and the Publisher of Ovation Magazine were detailed by Osoba to keep me seated, saying I get too excited when I carry camera. He seized my camera.”

Smart-Cole, however, disclosed that the doctors were not yet satisfied with his recovery and would spend more days there.

Photos: President Buhari visits Katsina, to pay condolence visit to late Senator Bukar's family

President Buhari departed Abuja for Daura, Katsina State, this evening. During his stay, President Buhari will pay a condolence visit to Senator Mustapha Bukar’s family. Sen. Bukar, senator representing Katsina North (Daura Zone) died on Wednesday after a brief illness. President Buhari will be back on Sunday. 

Slay queen Mimi Crush uses semi nude pictures for her birthday banner.PHOTOS .

The slay queen you see above made sure she went almost unclad for the birthday banner, And am only left to wonder how she looked like on the main day which was even yesterday..

Her name is Mimi Crush, And this how she decided to mark her birthday..
Biko, Happy birthday to her..