Ghanaian president may be impeached over car ‘gift’

Ghanaian president may be impeached over car ‘gift’

Ghana’s parliament has initiated moves to impeach President John Mahama with three months to the nation’s general elections.
Though the legislators are on recess, the Speaker, Joe Adjaho, has recalled them for resumption Thursday, September 1, to begin debate on the issue.
Mahama is alleged to have received an expensive car (Ford) as ‘gift’ from a contractor and national of Burkina Faso but opposition parties and a cross section of Ghanaians, have, however, insisted the present was a bribe.
According to the country’s constitution, a sitting President or political office holder is barred from collecting a gift, either in cash or kind.
Edward Boamah, the Information Minister, reacting to the allegation argued that Mahama’s government is the only one in the history of the country that has dragged its officials and party members to court over corruption allegations.
Boamah cited former Minister of Transport, Mrs. A. Attivor, and three other party faithful facing trial to buttress his assertion.
Boamah in a statement said Mahama and the contractor had been friends, since the time he (Mahama) was Vice-President.
He explained that Mahama had attended the funeral for the contractor’s father and that the car had been a donation from the Burkinabe’s family, a token of cordial relationship.
The contractor, a very successful businessman, was said to have won many deals following the gift.
The car was registered in the President’s name.
It was only a few months ago that an investigative journalist, Manasseh Azuri, unearthed the matter, sparking widespread criticism from the Ghanaian public.
The Presidency has confirmed that Mahama received the car. It, however, said the item had been donated to the presidential fleet. It vehemently denied the car was a bribe.
Opposition parties are insisting the donation might have been made after the issue became public.
The parliament has 275 members, the opposition 148. The legislature needs a two-thirds majority to scale the impeachment through.
Currently, the leading presidential candidates are Mahama (NDC); Nara Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo (NPP), son of the former Head of State Akuffo Addo; and Pa Kwesi Ndum, a business mogul of the People’s Progressives Party (PPP).
All three are holding extensive campaigns throughout the country.
Of them all, Mahama, son of a chieftain of late Kwame Nkrumah’s Convention People’s Party (CPP), is the most politically experienced.

Breaking: Nigeria’s economy officially goes into recession

Breaking: Nigeria’s economy officially goes into recession

Nigeria, one of Africa’s largest economies, has officially gone into recession.

Second quarter figures showed a contraction of 2 percent, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

The Bureau stated that the economy shrank by 0.36 percent in the first quarter of 2016, to hit its lowest point in 25 years.

The negative growth rate recorded in the second quarter of this year is a confirmation of the predictions by the Federal Government and economists that the country was heading into recession.

A recession is defined as a significant decline in activities across the economy, lasting longer than a few months. It is visible in industrial production, employment, real income and wholesale retail trade.

The technical indicator of a recession is two consecutive quarters of negative economic growth as measured by a country’s GDP.

In the GDP report released by the NBS, the bureau said, “In the second quarter of 2016, the nation’s Gross Domestic Product declined by -2.06 per cent (year-on- year) in real terms.

“This was lower by 1.70 per cent points from the growth rate of –0.36 per cent recorded in the preceding quarter, and also lower by 4.41 per cent points from the growth rate of 2.35 per cent recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2015. Quarter on quarter, real GDP increased by 0.82 per cent.”

Niger Republic's Shipping Companies to return to Nigerian ports in October

Niger Republic's Shipping Companies to return to Nigerian ports in October

Shipping companies in Niger Republic are to return to Nigerian ports in October for cargo clearance, 10 years after they pulled out of Nigeria.

A Representative of the national shipping council of Niger Republic, Idi
Hamissou, made the disclosure in an interview with a correspondent
of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ikeja on Sunday.

Mr. Hamissou spoke to NAN on the sidelines of a forum with media
executives, hosted by the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shipping
Council (NSC), Hassan Bello, to announce the unveiling of reforms at
Nigerian ports.

The envoy said that shipping companies in his country had resolved to return to Nigeria to do business, following the latest reforms being
implemented by the NSC.

Nigerian ports have for years been notorious for imposing a regime of
taxations and sustaining a legacy of under-hand activities.

The development forced many shipping companies to relocate to
neighbouring countries, especially Benin Republic, which now handles
over 40 per cent of cargo meant for Nigeria, analysts say.

“We had used Nigerian ports since 1958 but the concessioning of the
ports drove our shipping companies out of Nigeria in 2006.

“But going to Togo, Ghana and even Cameroon has not been easy for
our shipping companies, so we’re returning to Nigerian ports next
month, to be fully on ground in October.”

Mr. Hamissou said Niger Republic and Nigeria shared a strategic land
border, spanning some 1,600 km, making it imperative for the two
nations to take advantage of business opportunities existing between
them.

Mr. Bello said the NSC had spent about one billion naira in the past one year on ICT infrastructure to ease the stress of doing business at the ports. He noted that agencies at the ports would eventually be pruned from 10 to 2.

He said the trucking system at the ports had also been overhauled,
explaining that every truck operator would have no fewer than six
trucks to be allowed to operate at the ports.

“We’re working with the National Automotive Council on the matter
because having 7,000 trucks daily on the Apapa-Lagos axis is
unimaginable.

“We have to increase the efficiency of the ports to boost business at
Nigerian ports; we are asking for a review of the Act establishing the
NSC to give us teeth to bite,” Mr. Bello stated.

The executive secretary disclosed that the NSC was also working with
the governments of Kogi, Kaduna and Enugu States for the
development of parks for trucks conveying cargo as part of efforts to
remove articulated vehicles from highways.

He expressed his optimism that the port reforms would boost
businesses in Nigeria and make various agencies at the ports to
increase their revenue targets.

NNPC refunds N18.99 billion to government

NNPC refunds N18.99 billion to government

The Federal Government received N18.99 billion from the Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) during the second quarter of
2016, being installmental refund of the corporation’s indebtedness to
the government.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which made this disclosure in its
second quarter report, added that the sum of N7.86 billion was equally
distributed as exchange gain among the three tiers of government as
13 per cent Derivation Fund.

A breakdown of the allocation showed that Federal Government
received N3.68 billion; State Governments, N1.87 billion; Local
Governments, N1.44 billion; and 13 per cent Derivation Fund (N0.88
billion).

CBN disclosed that Nigeria’s crude oil production, including
condensates and natural gas liquids, was estimated at an average of
1.54 million barrels per day (mbd) or 141.68 million barrels (mb) for
the second quarter of 2016.

This, it said, represented a decline of 0.37 mbd or 15.4 per cent,
relative to 1.82 mbd or 165.62 million barrels produced in the first
quarter of 2016.

It stated that crude oil export stood at 1.09 mbd or 100.28 mb
representing a decline of 20.4 per cent, compared with 1.37 mbd or
124.67 mb, recorded in the preceding quarter.

It stated: “Supply disruptions owing to continued attacks on oil
installations by vandals accounted for the decline in crude oil
production. Deliveries to the refineries for domestic consumption
remained at 0.45 mbd or 41.40 million barrels during the review
quarter.

“At an estimated average of US$46.44 per barrel, the price of Nigeria’s
reference crude, the Bonny Light, rose by 35.0 per cent, compared with
the level in the preceding quarter. The average prices of other
competing crudes, namely the UK Brent at $45.29/b, WTI at $45.18/b
and Forcados at $46.05/b exhibited similar trends as the Bonny Light.

“The average price of OPEC basket of eleven selected crude streams,
at $42.38 per barrel, indicated an increase of 40.5 per cent, compared
with the average of $30.16 per cent recorded in the preceding quarter.

It, however, showed a decline of 28.5 per cent, compared with the
average of $59.31 per cent recorded in the corresponding quarter of
2015.

It disclosed that at 3,156 MW/h, estimated average electricity
generation in the second quarter of 2016 fell by 0.19 per cent,
compared with the level attained in the preceding quarter.

The apex bank noted that the development was attributed to the fall in
power generation in the various power plants due to vandalism.

According to the report, average estimated electricity consumption, at
2,989 MW/h, fell by 0.19 per cent, relative to the level attained in the
preceding quarter.

CBN Licenses 11 New International Money Transfer Operators

CBN Licenses 11 New International Money Transfer Operators

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has licensed 11 International Money Transfer Operators (IMTOs) to operate in Nigeria.

Announcing this on Tuesday, the Apex Bank said the decision to license more IMTOs is in furtherance of efforts to liberalise the Foreign Exchange Market, ensure liquidity and make foreign exchange more readily available to low end users.

In line with the existing Guidelines on International Money Transfer Services in Nigeria (2014), the following IMTOs are now licensed to operate in Nigeria:

TRANS-FAST REMITTANCE LLC
WORLDREMIT LIMITED
UAE EXCHANGE CENTRE LLC
WARI LIMITED
HOMESEND S.C.R.L
SMALL WORLD FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP LIMITED
WEBLINK INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
CASHPOT LIMITED
DT&T CORPORATION LIMITED
FIEM GROUP LLC DBA PING EXPRESS
CP EXPRESS LIMITED

Power supply restored to MMIA – FAAN

Power supply restored to MMIA – FAAN

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) said on Monday that electricity supply had been fully restored to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

According to FAAN’s General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Mr Yakubu Dati, the power supply was restored at about 10.50 a.m. on Sunday after two days of interrupted power supply.

Dati said that the engineers successfully corrected all defaults, adding that normalcy had been restored to the affected areas.

He said that the power surge at about 8.56 p.m. on Saturday adversely affected the k16 transformer that serves the E-Wing Air-bridges and rendered them unserviceable.

“This affected operations of some departing flights as the heavy rainfall further delayed attempts by engineers to effect repairs
immediately,’’ he said.

Dati assured the public of safety and security at the nation’s airports and apologised to the passengers and airlines for the inconvenience
caused by the interruption.

Flight operations at the international terminal of the MMIA on Saturday and Sunday were disrupted following the power outage.

Address Hunger In The Land, Okogie tells Buhari

Address Hunger In The Land, Okogie tells Buhari

The Emeritus Archbishop of Lagos, Cardinal Anthony Okogie, on Monday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to address the hunger across the country.

Okogie, who made the call in an open letter he send to the President, said the government must act fast in order to relief the pains of Nigerians. 

The cardinal maintained, “Today, cries of “hunger” could be heard across the length and breadth of our vast country. Nigerians hunger, not only for food, but also for good leadership, for peace, security and justice.

“This letter is to appeal to you to do something fast, and, if you are already doing something, to redouble your effort. May it not be written on the pages of history that Nigerians die of starvation
under your watch.

“As President, you are the chief servant of the nation. I therefore urge you to live up to the huge expectation of millions of
Nigerians. A stitch in time saves nine, he said”

Okogie further stressed that Buhari and his party, the All Progressives Congress, promised to lead the masses to the Promised Land.

He said that although it was not an easy task to lead, the President during his campaign offered to take the enormous
task of leadership.

The cardinal stated, “Nigerians are waiting for you to fulfill the promises you made during the campaign. They voted you into
office because of those promises. The introduction of town hall meetings is a commendable idea. But in practice, you, not just your ministers, must converse with Nigerians. You are the President. You must be accountable to them. The buck stops on your desk. Even if your administration has no magic wand at
least give some words of encouragement.”

He said that the President should instruct his ministers to be sincere and polite at the town hall meetings, adding that their
sophistry would neither benefit Nigerians nor the President.

“Mr. President, if you want to leave a credible legacy come 2019, in all sincerity, please retool your administration. Change is desirable. But it must be a change for the better. Let this change be real. Change is not real when old things that we ought to discard refuse to pass away,” he added.

Okogie said that the President must take a critical look at his cabinet, policies and programmes of his  administration.

He added, “You will need to take a critical look at the manner of appointments you have been making. It is true that
commonsense dictates that you appoint men and women you can trust. But if most of the people you trust are from one
section of the country and practice the same religion, then you and all of us are living in insecurity.

“The Nigerian economy has never been in a state as terrible as this. You as the President, you are like the pilot of an aircraft flying in turbulence. Turbulent times bring the best or the worst
out of a pilot. We can no longer blame the turbulence on past administrations. You know quite well that some of the officials of your administration served in previous dispensations. Blame for what we have been experiencing is in fact bipartisan in character.

“The entire political class needs to come together, irrespective of party differences to acknowledge its collective guilt and to seek ways of saving the sinking ship that our country has become.

This cannot be done if some officials of your administration demonise and alienate members of the opposition.”

Okogie said that if a large portion of the blame for the present situation was to be laid on the doorsteps of the entire political class, the search for solution must involve everyone.

He said, “That is why no one should be alienated. All hands must be on deck.

“This is the time to revitalise moribund industries, reinvigorate our agriculture, make our country tourist and investor friendly, and enable our young men and women to find fulfillment by contributing to the common good.

“None of these lofty goals can be achieved without good education. On this particular issue, recent appointments you have made in the education sector raise a question: have you really appointed the best? Still on education, it is important that our universities be allowed to use their own criteria to admit students. It is a gross violation of the principles of federalism and academic freedom for the Federal Government to insist that only a federal parastatal can decide on who gains admission into our universities.”

Responding, the Presidency said President Muhammadu Buhari was already addressing the hunger in the land as advised by Okogie.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said this in an interview with The Punch.

Adesina said Buhari was working hard to ensure that Nigerians bid poverty and hunger farewell in shortest possible time.

The presidential spokesman said, “The respected cardinal asked the President to do something fast to address hunger across the country.

“That is exactly what the President is doing. He is working hard for Nigerians, so that they can say a final farewell to poverty and hunger.”

Why We Charged Man Who Named Dog Buhari To Court –Police

Why We Charged Man Who Named Dog Buhari To Court –Police

The Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 2 Command, Abdulmajid Ali had said that the ongoing trial of Joe Chinakwe, who named his dog Buhari, has no connection with President Muhammadu Buhari.

The AIG, who spoke through the zone 2 command spokesperson, SP Muyiwa Adejobi, noted that the man named the dog after his neighbour’s father and not the President.

He said Chinakwe was not arraigned for naming the dog Buhari, but for inscribing the name on both sides of the dog and
parading it around the Ketere area of Sango Ota, in the Ado Odo Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State, adding that his behaviour was capable of causing a breach of the peace.

Chinakwe, who had been released on bail, was arraigned after his neighbour, Halilu Umar, whose late father bore Buhari, reported him to the police.

In a statement issued on Monday, by the command spokesperson, the AIG also stated that the case was misconstrued as an attack on the President.

The statement read in part, “The case has nothing to do with the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President
Mohammad Buhari, but with one Alhaji Buhari,the biological father of the complainant, Alhaji Halilu Umar.”

“It is fundamental to state that the man was not charged to court for christening his dog Buhari, but for the behaviour of the suspect and circumstances surrounding the matter when Mr.
Joe (Chinakwe), who had been having conflicts with his neighbour,(complainant) named his dog Buhari, his neighbour’s
father’s name, inscribed Buhari on both sides of the said dog, and started parading the dog with swagger among his
neighbours and traders who are mostly northerners.”

Status Of High Profile Cases Filed By The EFCC

Status of high profile cases by the EFCC

Joshua Dariye – a serving Senator representing Plateau Central, and former governor of Plateau State, is facing a 23-count charge involving a N1.16 billion fraud at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Gudu, Abuja. The EFCC closed its case against him on June 6, 2016 after presenting its tenth witness. His defence team opened its case on June 17, 2016. Dariye is expected back in court on September 19, 2016.

Aliyu Akwe-Doma – a former governor of Nasarawa State, is facing a 10-count charge bordering on corruption and money laundering at the Federal High Court, Lafia, Nasarawa State, along with a former Secretary to the State Government, Timothy Anjide, and a former Accountant-General, Dauda Egwa. They are alleged to have fraudulently diverted about N8 billion from the state coffers. The EFCC closed it case against them on June 23, 2016 after presenting nine witnesses. They will be back in court on November 28, 2016.

Ikedi Ohakim – a former governor of Imo State, is facing a three-count charge bordering on money laundering offence, before a Federal High Court, Abuja. He is alleged to have made a cash payment of $2,290,000 to procure a property located at 60, Kwame Nkurumah Street, Asokoro in Abuja – an act contrary to the Money Laundering Act 2011 (as amended in 2012). Ohakim was first arraigned on July 8, 2015. His “no-case” submission application was on June 30, 2016 dismissed by the trial judge who ruled that a prima facie case had been established against him. The EFCC closed its case against Ohakim on May 5, 2016 after presenting six witnesses and tendering documentary exhibits to prove its case. Ohakim is expected back in court on October 10, 2016.

Olisa Metuh – a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is being prosecuted for receiving N400 million from the Office of the National Security Adviser for political campaigns. The EFCC closed its case against him on February 9, 2016 after presenting its eighth witness. Metuh was arrested in January after investigations into the $2.1 billion arms fund indicated that he was a beneficiary of the slush fund.

Jolly Nyame – a former governor of Taraba State is being prosecuted on a 41-count charge bordering on money laundering and criminal breach of trust to the tune of N1.64 billion, before Justice Adebukola Banjoko of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Gudu, Abuja. His trial began in 2007. The EFCC presented its ninth witness against him on May 20, 2013. The defence, however, brought in a twist challenging the admissibility of the statements. It argued that the 2007 statements were “not voluntarily obtained” from him. Nyame had alleged that he was forced to sign the statement, which he made. The allegation sparked the beginning of a trial-within-a-trial, in a case that started in 2007. It was to determine if the statement was obtained voluntarily or not. Judgment on the matter was however, only decided on April 25, 2016 – three years after the commencement of the trial-within-a-trial. Ruling on the admissibility of Nyame’s statements dated June 6 and 7, 2007 and July 11, 2007 Justice Banjoko admitted them as exhibits and overruled the former governor’s objections. His trial is to continue on September 27, 2016.

Danjuma Goje – a former governor of Gombe State, and a serving Senator, is is being prosecuted before Justice B.O. Quadri of the Federal High Court, Gombe State, on an 18-count charge bordering on conspiracy and money laundering. His trial began in November 2012. Goje is being prosecuted along with Sabo Tumu, former Gombe State Government House food supplier; Aliyu el-Nafaty, former Executive Chairman, of the state’s UBEB; S.M. Dokoro, proprietor of S. M. Dokoro and M. Dokoro Gombe. On June 15, 2016 the prosecution presented a witness, Salisu Abaji, former secretary to the state’s Universal Basic Education Board, UBEB, who told the court that Goje awarded contract for supply of dictionaries for over N1 billion without following procurement process.

Murtala Nyako – a former governor of Adamawa State, is being prosecuted by the EFCC along with his son, Senator Abdul-Aziz Nyako, Abubakar Aliyu and Zulkifikk Abba on a 37-count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy, stealing, abuse of office and money laundering to the tune of N29 billion, their trial which began on July 8, 2015 before Justice Chukwu will have to begin afresh. Justice Chukwu went the way of all mortals on June 8, 2016. The prosecution had presented five witnesses to prove its case against the defendants. The trial will, however, have to start afresh before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja on September 12, 2016.

Orji Uzor Kalu – a former governor of Abia State, is being prosecuted for a N5.6 billion fraud committed during his tenure. Kalu was first arraigned on a 107-count charge before Justice Binta Nyako of a Federal High Court, Abuja, on July 27, 2007. He was arraigned along with his company, Slok Airlines Nigeria Limited and Udeh Udeogu. His trial was however, stalled after he proceeded to the Supreme Court seeking to quash the charges. His appeal at the Supreme Court subsequently stalled his trial until March 18, 2016 when a five-man panel headed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, dismissed his appeal, and ordered that he “go and face” his trial at the Federal High Court. The Supreme Court also ordered that the case be re-assigned to a new judge. On May 16, 2016 the EFCC arraigned Kalu before Justice Anwuli Chikere of a Federal High Court Abuja, on an amended 37-count charge. Kalu is expected in court on September 27, 2016 when he is expected to take his plea.

Gabriel Suswam – a former governor of Benue State is being prosecuted on a nine-count charge bordering on conspiracy, bribery, abuse of office and obtaining by false pretence, to the tune of N3.1 billion fraud. He was first arraigned on November 10, 2015. The EFCC on May 4, 2016 presented its fourth witness. His trial before Justice A.R. Mohammed of the Federal High Court Abuja, continues on October 4, 2016.

Ahmadu Fintiri, served as an acting governor of Adamawa State. He was first arraigned on June 30, 2016 before Justice A.R. Mohammed on a five-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N2.9 billion. The former Speaker of the state’s House of Assembly, served briefly as the state governor in 2014 when Murtala Nyako, then governor, was impeached. Fintiri would be back in court on October 6, 2016.

Sule Lamido – a former governor of Jigawa State, is being prosecuted on a 27-count amended charge before Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja, along with his two sons, Aminu and Mustapha. They were first arraigned before Justice Evelyn Anyadike of the Federal High Court, Kano State, on a 28-coun charge, on July 9, 2015 for allegedly misappropriating funds belonging to the state.

Rufus Ojuawo, an Air Vice Marshall and former Director of Operations, Nigeria Air Force, is being prosecuted on a two-count charge bordering on bribery to the tune of N40 million before Justice M.B. Idris of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Apo, Abuja. His trial continues on September 15, 2016.

Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, a Lagos-based human rights lawyer is being prosecuted before Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo of the Federal High Court, Lagos for charges bordering on obtaining money under false pretence to the tune of N61,631,944.65. His trial continues on September 23, 2016.

Adeniyi Kayode-Beckley, an Air Vice Marshal, was first arraigned on June 29, 2016 before Justice Adebukola Banjoko of the FCT High Court, Gudu, Abuja, on a one-count charge of bribery to the tune of N10 million. His trial continues on September 27, 2016.

Stephen Oronsaye, a former Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Financial Action Task Force, PCFATF, is being prosecuted on a two-count charge bordering on abuse of office and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N190 million, before Justice Olasumbo Goodluck of the FCT High Court Maitama, Abuja. His trial continues on September 28, 2016.

Mohammed Umar, an ex-Chief of Air Staff is being prosecuted on a seven-count charge bordering on money laundering, criminal breach of trust and corruption before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja. He was first arraigned on May 11, 2016. His trial continues on October 12, 2016.

Raymond Dokpesi – former Chairman, DAAR Communications Plc and African Independent Television, AIT, for charges bordering on money laundering and procurement-related fraud. He was re-arraigned before Justice J.T. Tsoho of the Federal High Court, Abuja on a six-count charge to the tune of N2.1 billion. His trial continues on October 19, 2016.


Jide Omokore - Chairman/founder, Energy Resources Group, was arraigned on July 4, 2016 before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja on a nine-count charge bordering on money laundering and procurement fraud. He was arraigned alongside Victor Briggs, former managing director of Nigerian Petroleum Development Company Limited; Abiye Membere, former Group Executive Director, Exploration and Production of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation; David Mbanefo, manager Planning and Commercial of the NNPC; Atlantic Energy Brass Development Limited and Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Limited. The trial continues on October 19, 2016.


Rickey Tarfa – a Senior Advocate of Nigeria is facing a 27-count charge bordering on alleged willful obstruction of authorized officers of EFCC, refusing to declare assets, making false information and offering gratification to a public official brought against him by the anti-graft agency. His trial before Justice Adedayo Akintoye of the Lagos State High Court, Igbosere, Lagos continues October 13, 2016.


Raymond Omatseye – a former Director General, Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, was prosecuted on an amended 27-count charge bordering on N1.5 billion contract scam, before a Federal High Court in Lagos. He was first arraigned on the amended charges on February 4, 2013. The EFCC closed its case against him on October 13, 2014 after calling three witnesses. On May 20, 2016 Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia ruled that she found him guilty of 24 out of the 27 counts and sentenced him to five years in prison on each of the 24 proven counts, to run concurrently. He was however later awarded a N500,000 post-conviction bail on June 6, 2016.

Nigeria Bar Association Reacts To EFCC Press Statement

The Nigerian Bar Association has described as harsh & negative, recent statements made by EFCC on the call by its President AB Mahmoud for the agency to be stripped of its prosecutorial powers. The NBA wants the EFCC to withdraw the statements & tender an unreserved apology especially as the agency got its facts wrong. The NBA says its President has never prosecuted or defended convicted former governor James Ibori. Read the rest here:

NIGERIA READY TO TAKE ALL NECESSARY MEASURES TO FREE CHIBOK GIRLS -- PRESIDENT BUHARI

NIGERIA READY TO TAKE ALL NECESSARY MEASURES TO FREE CHIBOK GIRLS -- PRESIDENT BUHARI

President Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated the preparedness of the Federal Government to discuss the release of the Chibok girls kidnapped by Boko Haram terror group since 2014,

In an interview with journalists in Nairobi, Kenya at the weekend, President Buhari said the Nigerian government is ready to dialogue with bonafide leaders of the terror group who know the whereabouts of the girls.

‘‘I have made a couple of comments on the Chibok girls and it seems to me that much of it has been politicised.

‘‘What we said is that the government which I preside over is prepared to talk to bonafide leaders of Boko Haram.

‘‘If they do not want to talk to us directly, let them pick an internationally recognised Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), convince them that they are holding the girls and that they want Nigeria to release a number of Boko Haram leaders in detention, which they are supposed to know.

‘‘If they do it through the ‘modified leadership’ of Boko Haram and they talk with an internationally recognised NGO then Nigeria will be prepared to discuss for their release,’’ he said.

President Buhari, who spoke to the media on the margins of the sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI), warned that the Federal Government will not waste time and resources with ``doubtful sources’’ claiming to know the whereabouts of the girls.

‘‘We want those girls out and safe. The faster we can recover them and hand them over to their parents, the better for us.’’ 

The President maintained that the terror group, which pledged allegiance to ISIS, has been largely decimated by the gallant Nigerian military with the support of immediate neighbours from Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Benin.

‘‘Some of the information about the division in Boko Haram is already in the press and I have read in the papers about the conflict in their leadership.

‘‘The person known in Nigeria as their leader, we understand was edged out and the Nigerian members of Boko Haram started turning themselves to the Nigerian military.

‘‘We learnt that in an air strike by the Nigeria Air Force he was wounded. Indeed their top hierarchy and lower cadre have a problem and we know this because when we came into power, they were holding 14 out of the 774 local governments in Nigeria. But now they are not holding any territory and they have split to small groups attacking soft targets.

On the militancy in the Niger Delta region, the President said the Federal Government is also open to dialogue to resolve all contending issues in the area.

‘‘We do not believe that they (the militants) have announced ceasefire. We are trying to understand them more. Who are their leaders and which areas do they operate and other relevant  issues,’’ he said.

Garba Shehu
SSA to the President (Media & Publicity)
August 28, 2016

--

Focus turns to kidnappings off Nigerian coast as Pirate attacks fall to 21-year low

Focus turns to kidnappings off Nigerian
coast as Pirate attacks fall to 21-year low

Pirate attacks on shipping have fallen to their lowest level for 21 years, as crackdowns against maritime crime off the coasts of east Africa and Southeast Asia have proved successful.

The sharp decline in piracy — this year is on course to be the first since 2005 not to see a single person killed by pirates — may help calm fears that the world is becoming a more dangerous place, amid
war in Syria and an upsurge in terrorist attacks.

However, there has been a rise in attacks off the coast of Nigeria, with pirates increasingly looking to kidnap crew members and hold them to ransom.

Globally, there were 98 actual or attempted pirate attacks in the first
half of 2016, according to the International Chamber of Commerce’s
International Maritime Bureau, the lowest tally since 1995 and a
marked fall on the 134 recorded in the same period last year and the
peak of 266 in the first six months of 2011, as the first chart shows.

“This drop in world piracy is encouraging news. Two main factors are
recent improvements around Indonesia and the continued deterrence
of Somali pirates off east Africa,” said Pottengal Mukundan, director of
the IMB.

The fall in pirate activity is not just good news in human terms, but in financial ones as well. The One Earth Foundation, a Colorado-based governance foundation, estimated that in 2011, at the height of the Somali pirate epidemic, the cost to the maritime industry ran to $3.2bn a year in extra insurance costs and $2.95bn in rerouting ships around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa. It put piracy’s total annual cost to the world economy at $7bn-$12bn.

As a result of increased naval patrols in the waters off east Africa, shipowners’ greater willingness to employ armed guards and efforts to make vessels harder to board, Somali pirates failed to carry out a single attack last year, the first time they have drawn a blank since at
least 2006, the IMB said.

So far this year the waters off Somalia have again been incident free, although one attempted boarding of a container vessel in the Gulf of Aden in May was attributed to Somalis.

Despite this, Mr Mukundan says it is too early to claim success against the Somali pirates, given that the political situation in their homeland remains “fragile”, allowing organised crime to flourish.

The more recent spike in attacks on shipping in Southeast Asia also
appears to be abating, as indicated in the second chart. Last year 108
incidents were reported in Indonesian waters, the highest figure for
more than a decade.
However actual and reported attacks fell to 24 in the first half of 2016,
down from 54 in the same period last year and the lowest figure since
2011. Malaysian waters also became safer while there were no
recorded incidents in the Strait of Malacca between Malaysia and
Indonesia, a channel plagued by piracy for centuries, or the Singapore
Straits.

Mr Mukundan said thefts from ships in the region had been a “big
problem” between April 2014 and Aug 2015, but that the authorities
were now getting on top of the problem.
“A couple of these gangs have been caught and put on trial and
sentenced to very long terms in prison in Malaysia,” he said, while a
suspected criminal “mastermind” had been arrested in Indonesia.

Piracy remains endemic in the Sulu Sea, between the Philippines and
Borneo, however. The sea is used by fishing vessels and tugs pulling
barges carrying up to 5,000 tonnes of coal or palm oil, which are “sitting targets” for faster pirate ships, Mr Mukundan said.

“The crew are kidnapped and taken to the Philippines where in some cases they have been sold on to terrorist groups” and held for ransom, he added. As a result “the Malaysian government has banned barge transportation through the Sulu Sea”.

The most serious problems are now off the west coast of Africa, where Nigerian gangs have adopted “a new trend which is quite disturbing”, said Mr Mukundan.

In the past, these pirates have been content to board ships and steal
their cargo, such as oil from tankers.

However this activity has reduced, with Mr Mukundan speculating that the slide in oil prices has made such crime less attractive.

Instead, the gangs now tend to board vessels such as bulk carriers up
to 120 nautical miles offshore, kidnap some of the crew and take them
ashore to be held for ransom. Nigerian pirates kidnapped 24 crew
members in the first half of this year, up from just 10 in the first six
months of 2015.

These incidents are “increasingly violent”, with Nigerians accounting for eight of the nine incidents worldwide in which ships were fired on in the January-June period.
Despite the fact that paying a ransom is likely to encourage further kidnappings, Mr Mukundan said they were always paid.

“It’s very difficult to imagine a shipowner who is prepared to ignore the plight of his kidnapped crew members. It would be very unlikely to happen. You can’t abandon them,” he said.

Given that Nigerian pirates have been reported as far south as Angola
and as far north as Sierra Leone, Mr Mukundan said greater international co-operation was needed to tackle the problem, with countries being more willing to share information to help secure
prosecutions.

The IMB also called for agreements to allow a naval vessel that is in
hot pursuit of suspects to be allowed to travel into the territorial waters
of a neighbouring state, rather than being forced to give up the chase.

“There are a lot of countries with very short coastlines so it’s easy to
escape from one territorial water to another,” Mr Mukundan said.

“Agreements are required, but that requires a lot of confidence-
building among countries that that right won’t be used for other
purposes.”

Lagos to deploy 13,000 CCTVs September, construct Pen Cinema Bridge

Lagos to deploy 13,000 CCTVs September, construct Pen Cinema Bridge

The Lagos State Government says it will begin the deployment of 13,000 Close Circuit Television, CCTVs across the state from next month.
The government also said it has concluded plans to construct the Pen Cinema bridge to decongest traffic in the area.
At a joint ministerial press conference at the State Government Secretariat, Alausa in Ikeja, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria on Wednesday, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde said the government had declared its readiness to activate a multi-faceted project designed to improve living standards and revenue generation in the state.
One of such projects, Ayorinde said, was the planned deployment of 13,000 CCTV cameras and security censors for surveillance and crime prevention across the state, adding that the government had also commenced the implementation of the Lagos Enterprise GIS upgrade and the Integrated Land Administration Automation System.
“The platform, when fully implemented will ensure proper monitoring of government infrastructure for optimum benefit, fast-track the ease of doing business and improve government-citizen relationship,” he said.
On the Pen Cinema bridge, Ayorinde the project would lead to the construction of a flyover bridge and massive junction improvement work at the Agege area, adding that the planned construction of the bridge would bring to three the number of bridges the Akinwunmi Ambode administration had undertaken since it came into power in 2015.
The commissioner also announced plans to decongest traffic along the Lekki-Epe Expressway through the removal of three roundabouts.
“The roundabouts are the 4th roundabout (Elegushi); 5th roundabout (Jakande) and the 8th roundabout (VGC). The affected roundabouts will be replaced by the use of traffic lights, expansion of the roads and provision of dedicated turning lanes as well as lay-bys,” he said.
Commissioner for Science and Technology, Olufemi Odubiyi said the deployment of 13,000 CCTV cameras was part of the SMART City project, saying that one of the key issues was to ensure that Lagos was secured through the provisions of the cameras to run on high capacity fibres.
He disclosed that the deployment of the cameras would take-off in September and would last for between 16 and 18 months as it would run on a high fibre network, adding that 6,000 street lights would also be provided.
Odubiyi also said the EGIS project would help promote and encourage a secondary mortgage market and facilitate investment in properties.
He added that the project would witness the installation of information highway-metro fibre and deployment of 4GLT across the State, adding that part of what government was trying to achieve was the full implementation of e-services like e-health and e-agric, among others.
While explaining the scope of the Pen Cinema Fly-over, the State’s Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Ganiyu Johnson, said the government was pleased to announce the approval for the construction, which he said would be completed within 18 to 24 months, adding that the project would commence after the conclusion of the preliminary works.
Johnson said the fly-over would be constructed from Oba Ogunji via Ijaiye Road into Agunbiade, adding that it would be 700 meters long with some junction improvement at Pen Cinema.
“We will expand Oba Ogunji Road and create barriers. The project will also accommodate a generous walkway similar to the Ikorodu Expressway and the bridge will have a free flow all the way to Agunbiade,” Johnson explained.

PDP holds convention, extends Makarfi-led committee’s tenure

PDP holds convention, extends Makarfi-led committee’s tenure

THE People Democratic Party has extended the tenure of the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee of the party by one year.
Delegates of the party, who gathered at the Rivers State PDP Secretariat on Wednesday, took the decision as a result of the seal-off of the Sharks Stadium, Port Harcourt; venue of the party’s botched National Convention.
The extension of the tenure of the Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee of the PDP also came on the heels of the suspension of the election of national officers of the party.
Motion for the extension of Makarfi’s Caretaker Committee’s tenure was moved by the Deputy Senate President, Mr. Ike Ekweremadu.
A member of the party and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Mr. Leo Ogor, had earlier moved a motion for the suspension of the election of national officers of the party.
The motion was, however, seconded by Yunusa Suleiman, who is the Chairman of the 36 State Chairmen of the PDP across the country.
The PDP noted that the extension of Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee of the PDP would pave the way for the party to exhaust all cases pending in court.
Delegates also agreed that the chairman of the committee would not vie for any elective position in the party at the expiration of the one year tenure.
Makarfi, in his acceptance speech pledged to sustain the rebuilding of the PDP, reuniting its members and restoring the lost glory of the party.

Gadzama Drags NBA, Others To Court, Says Election Was Rigged

Gadzama Drags NBA, Others To Court, Says Election Was Rigged

• ‘I won by 498 Votes,’ says Gadzama
• Hires 11 SANs for Legal Fireworks
• Wants trustees to reconstitute ECNBA
• Ojo drags NBA to FHC, queries amended Constitution
• ‘We did not monitor election,’ says NDI

Chief Joe-Kyari Gadzama (SAN) has made good his threat to sue the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) over the association’s general elections held on July 30 and 31 this year. Gadzama yesterday instituted a lawsuit at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja challenging the outcome of the elections.

Gadzama had in a letter to the Chairman of the Electoral Committee of the NBA (ECNBA), Mr. Kenneth Mozia, SAN dated August 1, 2016 warned that he would “resort to the Court of Law to seek judicial redress” for alleged electoral infractions. Gadzama, a presidential candidate in the elections, rejected the outcome of the elections. The letter was copied to NBA President, Mr. Augustine Alegeh, SAN.

In a 102-paragraph Statement of Claim, Gadzama is urging the court to scrap the elections and order fresh poll. Among the senior advocates lined up for the case are Chief Nnaemeka Ngige, SAN; Chief Mobolaji Ayorinde, SAN; Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN; Chief Pius Akubo, SAN; Mr. Sebastine Tar. Hon, SAN; Prof. Andrew Chukwuemerie, SAN; Mr. Olakunle Ogunba, SAN; Garba Pwul, SAN; Aliyu Umar, SAN; Prof. Maxwell Gidado, SAN and Dr. Akin Onigbinde, SAN.

According to court papers sighted by CITY LAWYER, Gadzama is urging the court to declare that “the Defendants jointly and/or severally are bound by the provisions of the Constitution of the Nigerian Bar Association amended and adopted in August 2015 and must in all matters relating to, connected with the business and or affairs of the Association obey and give effect to the provisions thereof.”

Among those who are listed as defendants in the suit are NBA trustees including Alhaji Abdullahi Ibrahim (SAN) CON, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) OFR, Chief Thompson Joseph Onomigbo Okpoko (SAN) OON, Chief (Mrs) Priscilla Kuye, Alhaji Murtala Aminu OFR and Chief Anthony O. Mogboh (SAN). They are listed as 1st to 6th Defendants while The Incorporated Trustees of Nigerian Bar Association is the 7th Defendant. Mr. Kenneth Mozia (SAN), Chairman of the ECNBA is the 8th Defendant while Mr. Oluwaseun Ajoba who doubles as the Secretary of the committee is the 9th Defendant.

Others are Hajia Safiya Balarabe, Mrs. Amaka Ezeno, and Mrs. Eucharia Pepple - all members of the Electoral Committee – as 10th, 11th and 12th Defendants while NBA’s ICT Partner, Grace Infotech Limited is the 13th Defendant. Mr. Augustine O. Alegeh (SAN), the NBA President , is sued as the 14th defendant while Gadzama’s opponent who was declared winner of the election, Mr. Abubakar B. Mahmoud (SAN) is listed as the 15th Defendant.

Mahmoud was declared winner of the election with total 3055 votes while Gadzama polled 2384 votes. But Gadzama said in his statement of claim that “contrary to the result declared by the 8th Defendant, at the close of voting, at 12:00 midnight on Sunday, 31st July, 2016, the result of the 2016 Nigerian Bar Association Election as it relates to the office/position of the President, as collated from and contained on the official voting domain/platform was as follows: Joe-Kyari Gadzama - 2,963;  Abubakar B. Mahmoud -2,465.” This was as deduced by his ICT experts who conducted forensic audit of the poll.

Gadzama also wants the court to declare “that the 2016 Nigerian Bar Association Election as it relates to the office/position of the President held on 30th and 31st July 2016 under the supervision of the 8th to 14th Defendants, which purportedly produced the 15th Defendant as President, was in total violation and disregard of the mandatory provisions of the NBA Constitution 2015, Election Guidelines set down for the said Election fell short of established standards and international best practices, thereby making the said Election null, void and of no effect whatsoever.”

Aside from stating that the Internet voting mechanism, method and system adopted for the conduct of the 2016 Nigerian Bar Association Election “was not in conformity with the mandatory provisions of the NBA Constitution 2015,” the Life Bencher also impugns the Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC) as illegal and unconstitutional.

He is also seeking a “declaration that the integrity of the 2016 Nigerian Bar Association Election as it relates to the office/position of the President organised by the 8th to 14th, Defendants on 30th and 31st July 2016 which purportedly returned the 15th Defendant as President was fundamentally and incurably compromised by undue influence, overbearing, biased conduct and utterances of the 14th Defendant (Mr Augustine Alegeh SAN, President, Nigerian Bar Association) through the media and at Bar meetings before and during the Election and thereby robbed the conduct of the election of every element of impartiality, independence and transparency as required by established standards and international best practices.”

Flowing from this, the NBA presidential candidate seeks an order of court “nullifying and setting aside the 2016 Nigerian Bar Association Election as it relates to the office/position of the President held on the 30th and 31st July, 2016 which purportedly returned the 15th Defendant as the President.”

He also seeks the following orders:
“An order directing the 1st to 7th Defendants to set up a newly constituted Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA) which will issue Guidelines and conduct a fresh 2016 Nigerian Bar Association Election as it relates to the office/position of the President.

“An order of this Honourable Court that the 2016 Nigerian Bar Association Election as it relates to the office/position of the President should be held through Electronic voting in all branches of the NBA or at least at the three (3) zonal levels established by the NBA Constitution, 2015 and that results should be collated at branch or zonal levels and transmitted to the ECNBA Secretariat for final announcement.

“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the 8th to 12th and 14th Defendants from swearing in and/or recognising the 15th Defendant or in any way whatsoever taking steps or giving effect to the 2016 Nigerian Bar Association election as it relates to the office/position of the President held on the 30th and 31st July, 2016, whether by themselves, agents, employees, privies or anybody acting for or on their behalf based on the said Election,” and

“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the 15th Defendant, whether by himself, agents, employees, privies or anybody acting for or on his behalf, from parading himself, claiming and/or holding himself out as the President-Elect/President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) based on the 2016 Nigerian Bar Association election as it relates to the office/position of the President held on 30th and 31st July, 2016.”
According to Gadzama, the elections “held in total violation and disregard of the mandatory provisions of the Constitution of the Nigerian Bar Association, 2015,” adding that while the accreditation process was repeatedly extended, “the list containing the names of the said accredited voters was never released on the election platform (website), neither was it displayed on the screen used to monitor the Election.”

He alleged that “Around 12:01 a.m. of Monday, 1st August 2016, the 8th Defendant announced the end of the election exercise. The 8th Defendant further, for the first time, introduced some persons who were said to be staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and he further announced that the so called INEC staff were there to audit the election result, which was ready. The 8th Defendant also announced that it will take 1 (one) hour to audit the said results.

“Contrary to the expectations of the Plaintiff’s agents, established standards and international best practices, the said agents did not see the dashboard/monitor displaying the result of the Election, even upon voting being declared closed by the 8th Defendant.

“The Plaintiff avers that the 8th Defendant, the Managing Director of the 13th Defendant and the 14th Defendant and the so called INEC staff left the Plaintiff’s poll agents and others in the Situation Room at the NBA Secretariat in Abuja, went to a separate room to ‘audit’ the results.
“The 8th Defendant subsequently came into the monitoring room while the so called auditing was still going on to announce that the auditing was almost done and that the results were to be announced in due course. He remained in the situation room until after 1a.m. when the events in the next-following paragraphs took place.

“Around after 1a.m. on 1/8/2016, Mr. Olugasa, the Managing Director of the 13th Defendant, the 14th Defendant and the so called staff of INEC came back into the monitoring room and got seated.

“After re-introduction of the so called INEC staff; and the 8th Defendant and 14th Defendant had made some speeches, Mr. Ope Olugasa (Managing Director of the 13th Defendant) was asked to display the results on the dashboard.

“But instead of using the laptop that had long been connected online to the big LG Television/Monitor in the situation room, both of which had from the beginning been used to display the limited information about the election exercise described earlier on in this statement of claim, Mr. Ope Olugasa swapped the said laptop with another laptop which contained the so called election result. The 8th Defendant then pronounced the declared results as they were displayed on the big LG Television Monitor.

“The Plaintiff’s agent recorded the scene where the Managing Director of the 13th Defendant swapped the computer that was used throughout to display the votes that were being cast on the display screen/monitor, using Samsung Smartphone GT-I9500, Galaxy S4, with serial number R21D50BP33D.”

He stated that “On Friday, 29th of July, 2016 a day to the election, the names of eligible/verified voters continued to be padded and were never published 28 days ahead of the election, contrary to the provisions of the Nigerian Bar Association constitution and electoral guidelines,” adding that instead of utilising the advertised official portal/domain, the 8th to 14th Defendants “utilised another portal/domain (http://www.nigerianbar.org.ng) for the same Election process, just to enable them manipulate the said Election.

“As a result of this deliberate manipulative step taken by the 8th to 14th Defendants, two sets of results bearing different features but having the same figures were produced from the respective portals/domains. Accordingly, printout of the so called result of the Election from http://www.nigerianbar.org.ng is also hereby pleaded; and the Plaintiff shall, at the trial, show out the said different features, beginning with the different sources (domains) of both results, as can clearly be seen on them.”

Meanwhile, the National Democratic Institute (NDI) which was alleged to have monitored the elections has washed its hands off the exercise. In a letter to the Gadzama Campaign Organisation, the NDI reportedly denied taking part in the electoral process.

Mr. Olasupo Ojo has also dragged the NBA to court over the amended 2015 NBA Constitution. The action which was instituted at the Federal High Court, Lagos last July is querying alleged non-registration of the amended constitution with the Corporate Affairs Commission. No date has been fixed for hearing of the suit.

Reported by City Lawyer:

Four die in Ogun after drinking ogogoro

Four die in Ogun after drinking ogogoro

Four people have died in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, after drinking local liquor known as ogogoro ..
Three of the victims died instantly while the other one died later.
The vendor of the liquor which is suspected to bear high concentration of ethanol, Mr. Salako Taloju, has been arrested by the police.
He is a gateman who operates a kiosk opposite the Ibara – Abeokuta home of a prominent Egba politician.
The police simply gave the names of three of the deceased as Baba Imeko, Baba Onwenue and Easy.
The trio, he added, were living in the neighbourhood.
Taloju himself was heavily drunk when the police came for him yesterday. He attempted to resist arrest, pleading that he was innocent, but the Police ignored his plea and whisked him away in their vehicle.
Taloju said: “we have been drinking together for a long time. I do not know why they have to accuse me now of killing them, I have even taken out of the liquor and nothing happened.”
He noted that he could not report the incident to his boss, fearing likely consequences for ignoring repeated warning to shun local liquor.
“I don’t want my boss to get angry with me. He had warned me on several occasions not to drink again but I refused.”

Nigeria to experience annular eclipse on September 1

Nigeria to experience annular eclipse on September 1

• Phenomenon expected between 7:15 a.m. and 10:03 a.m.

• Astronomers prepare for 2017 solar eclipse spectacle

Nigeria is set to experience an annular solar eclipse that will be visible all over the country with different degrees of totality on September 1, 2016, even as astronomers in the United States (U.S.) prepare for a spectacle of solar eclipse on August 21, 2017.

An eclipse is an astronomical event that occurs when an astronomical object is temporarily obscured, either by passing into the shadow of another body or by having another body pass between it and the viewer.
The term eclipse is most often used to describe either a solar eclipse, when the Moon’s shadow crosses the Earth’s surface, or a lunar eclipse, when the Moon moves into the Earth’s shadow.
Annular solar eclipses have a “ring of fire” and occurs when the Moon moves in front of the Sun but does not cover the Sun’s discs completely.
The National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), said yesterday that the highest degree of obscurity in Nigeria during this natural occurrence will be in the southern part of the country particularly in Lagos where it is expected to have 80 per cent obscurity while the lowest degree of obscurity will be about 45 per cent and this will be observed in the northern part of the country, particularly in Sokoto.
Head of Media and Corporate Communications of NASRDA, Dr. Felix Ale, in a statement said the annular eclipse would be observed as a partial or near total eclipse across the country with Abuja the Federal Capital Territory expected to be about 60 per cent.
“The annular eclipse is expected to occur between 7:15 a.m. and 10:03 a.m. with slight variations in actual timing across the country.
“In Lagos, the first contact will occur about 7:15 a.m. while the maximum eclipse will occur around 8:30 a.m. and will end by 10:03 a.m.
“The eclipse is expected to commence in Abuja around 7:17 a.m., with maximum eclipse to be recorded about 8:32 a.m. and the eclipse will end around 10:00 a.m.”
Ale also reminded Nigerians that eclipse is not a spiritual issue but a natural occurrence that can be accurately predicted by science, hence NASRDA has developed the capacity to accurately make this prediction as part of its mandate.
He said the Space Agency has also put in place a viewing centre at her headquarters in Abuja with the provision of proper eclipse viewing apparatus for school children to observe the annular eclipse as part of its continuous efforts to expose Nigerians, especially students to matters concerning astronomical environment.
NASRDA, however, warned that observing the solar eclipse with naked eyes could lead to permanent damage to the eyes, as the obstruction does not reduce the luminosity of the sun.
“An annular eclipse occurs when the sun and moon are exactly in line, but the apparent size of the moon is smaller than that of the sun. Hence the sun appears as a very bright ring or annulus surrounding the dark disk of the moon,” Ale said.
Also, millions of people in the U.S. will witness something spectacular on August 21, 2017, when a total eclipse of the sun sweeps across the country, the first to occur in the country since 1979 (and the first to go coast-to-coast since 1918).

Report from Guardian  By Chukwuma Muanya and Emeka Anuforo

Budget padding: Court asks Jubrin to prove urgency of suits

Budget padding: Court asks Jubrin to prove urgency of suits

Justice Okon Abang of a Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday refused to hear two separate suits filed by a former Chairman, Appropriation Committee, House of Representatives, Abdulmumin Jibrin, in relation to his travails which followed the crisis of alleged budget padding in the lower legislative chamber.
Justice Abang, who is currently sitting as a vacation judge, refused to hear the suit on Wednesday because the plaintiff failed to obtain the court’s leave to have his cases heard during the ongoing vacation.
A plaintiff who files a suit during the court’s vacation is expected to file an ex parte motion to prove to the judge that his or her suit is a matter of urgency which its hearing should not be delayed.
On Wednesday, Dogara’s lawyer, Mr. Abdulhamid Mohammed, urged the court to hear him out on the two cases which were both listed for hearing, but the judge turned down the request on the grounds of the counsel’s failure to comply with the court’s rules.
Justice Abang ruled as he declined to hear the first case, “A matter filed during court vacation is not heard as a matter of cause.
“The applicant is expected to apply and obtain the leave of court to have his matter herd during the court vacation in line with the provisions of Order 46 Rule 5 of the Federal High Court Civil Procedure Rules 2009. I so hold.
“This applicant did not do so. I do not have jurisdiction to even grant an adjournment of this suit.
“It is expected that the applicant will do the needful to comply with the provisions of the rules of this court.”
Jubrin, through his lawyer filed the suit FHC/ABJ/CS/595/2016, against the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, his Deputy, Yusuf Lasun and other principal officers of the lower chamber seeking order to stop their alleged plan to suspend him from the House.
In the other suit FHC/ABJ/CS/595/2016, which is for the enforcement of his fundamental human rights, the plaintiff sued the Police, the Inspector-General of Police, the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command; Dogara, and other principal officers of the House as well as the Attorney-General of the Federation.
Other principal officers of the House sued in the fundamental human rights enforcement suit are Lasun, Alhassan Dogura and Leo Ogor.
He urged the court to stop the respondents from violating his rights in the course of investigation of the alleged budget padding.

Report from Punch

FG Approves Lagos’ ownership of 4 oil wells, Disproves 1 other

FG Approves Lagos’ ownership of 4 oil wells, Disproves 1 other

The Federal Government on Wednesday says four of the five oil wells discovered in Lagos truly belongs to the state but disproves the state’s ownership of one other oil well.
The FG said the disproved oil well fell beyond 200 metres isobaths and did not legitimately belong to Lagos State.
A delegation of the Indices and Disbursement Committee, Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, led by its Chairman, Alhaji Aliyu Mohammed visited Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on Wednesday at the State House, Ikeja, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria for the purpose of verifying crude oil and gas production from Aje Oil wells for the purpose of disbursement of 13% derivation fund to the state in line with the constitution of Nigeria.
According to Mohammed, as part of procedure and in pursuant to its constitutional mandate, the commission set up an Inter-Agency Technical Committee which comprised the commission, the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation and the National Boundary Commission to determine the location of the Aje oil wells.
“The technical committee recommended that for the purpose of derivation as spelt out under Section 162 (2) of the 1999 constitution (as amended) as well as the provision of the Allocation of Revenue Act 2004, Aje oil wells 1, 2, 4 and 5 fall within the 200m isobaths and therefore should be attributed to Lagos State.
“As a result, the commission and members of the Inter-Agency Committee had to embark on this working visit to conclude the process. Please, note that Aje 3 oil well falls beyond the 200m isobaths and therefore cannot be legitimately attributed to Lagos State,” he stated.
He added that the commencement of oil production from Aje oil field by Yinka Folawiyo Petroleum Company Limited was the first time oil was being produced outside the Niger Delta basin and therefore of a major significance in diversifying the source of crude oil and gas production in the country.
Speaking, Ambode described the visit as historic and one that would go down in the annals of the history of Lagos State, as the visit was the official step that would take Lagos to that final destination as an oil-producing state.
“We are very glad to receive this delegation. We also want to thank the Federal Government, most especially President Muhammadu Buhari for making this to happen very promptly. I want to say that this has been the promptest action that has been taken by RMAFC since I have known the Commission. I used to be a former Account General so I had a lot of transactions and relationship with the institution called RMAFC. Within a span of about 60 days of when we wrote our letter, and even before we wrote the letter, this technical committee was actually set up. It gladdens me to say that the institution works and is working for the good of Nigeria,” he said.
Also thanking the DPR and the boundary commission, Ambode said it was significant that the discovery of oil wells in Lagos was going to be the first time oil would be produced outside the Niger Delta.
“It’s significant for Nigeria, its significant for Lagos, it means that the whole path to diversification is what we are now witnessing. We would also encourage other states in terms of other mineral resources, not necessarily depend on crude oil; whatever it is that can actually allow states to start activating their mineral deposits, it would allow us expand the Internally Generated Revenue.
“It would also give us revenue dependence in a manner that there would be equal growth from all the nooks and crannies of Nigeria. One is happy that RMAFC has taken this step and also to say that they should also encourage other states to engage in such activities that would allow them to be able to activate whatever mineral deposit that we have in the various states in conjunction with the Federal Government, so that we can start to diversify revenue and growth and then

Send me flight ticket, I’ll be in Nigeria pronto – Wanted Journalist

Send me flight ticket, I’ll be in Nigeria pronto – Wanted Journalist

Ahmad Salkida, the Dubai-based Nigerian journalist declared wanted by the Nigerian Army over video released by Boko Haram on the missing Chibok schoolgirls
Ahmad Salkida, the Nigerian journalist based in Dubai who was declared wanted on Sunday by the Nigerian Army has asked the authorities to send him a flight ticket and he will be in Nigeria immediately to honour the army’s invitation.

The Nigerian Army through its spokesman, Col. Sani Kukasheka Usman, had on Sunday in a statement declared Salkida and two others wanted in connection with the fresh video released by the Boko Haram insurgents showing the abducted Chibok schoolgirls.

The video was sent to Salkida by the terrorist group and was released Sunday morning.

Salkida who said the fresh video was delivered to him by the Abubakar Shekau faction of the sect, said on Monday in a statement that he had nothing to hide and was ready to appear before the Army.

In his statement, Salkida stated: “Clearly, my status as a Nigerian journalist who has reported extensively, painstakingly and consistently on the Boko Haram menace in the country since 2006 is an open book known to Nigerians and the international community.

“Equally, my total allegiance and sacrifice to the Federal Republic of Nigeria is self evident. I have stayed within the creed of professional journalism in my work.

“As a testimony to the credible and professional values of my access, since May 2015, l have been to Nigeria three times on the invitation of the Federal Government agencies. I made personal sacrifices for the release of our Chibok daughters.

“Finally, the Army is aware that I am not in Nigeria presently. In the coming days, I will seek to get a flight to Abuja and avail myself to the Army authorities. Indeed, my return will be hastened if the Military sends me a ticket. Thank you.”

Salkida who is believed to be very close to the ousted leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, had in many of his writings proffered suggestions on the way to rescue the more than 200 schoolgirls abducted from Chibok by the insurgents in 2014.

He had also participated in many dialogues with the Federal government on the way forward to end the insurgency in the northeast of the country.

Investigations also revealed that the other two persons declared wanted by the Army had gotten in touch with the authorities.

Oil extends gains above $44 on output freeze hopes

Oil extends gains above $44 on output freeze hopes

Oil traded above $44 a barrel in Asia Monday, extending gains on hopes crude producers would agree to freeze output at a meeting next month, easing a stubborn global supply glut.

Saudi Arabian oil minister Khalid al-Falih’s comments last week that producers could discuss action to stabilise markets lifted
market sentiment, helping prices rebound since closing below $40 a barrel and tumbling into a bear market earlier this month.

Any agreement to curb production would help rebalance the crude oil market, where output has been running ahead of
demand, analysts said.

At around 0620 GMT, US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for delivery in September was up 39 cents, or 0.88 percent, at $44.88 a barrel and Brent crude for October gained 36 cents, or
0.77 percent, to $47.33.

Both contracts rose more than six percent last week following the Saudi minister’s remarks.

“Oil is now close to an equilibrium price, and unless we get further developments, I would expect to see it trading around the
$44 to $45 level for the balance of the week,” Michael McCarthy, a chief market strategist in Sydney at CMC Markets, told
Bloomberg News.

“It wouldn’t surprise me to see a little bit of pressure as some investors lock in some of the gains they’ve made.”

Some analysts, however, have cautioned against putting too much hope on an output freeze, noting that previous talks earlier this year have resulted in disagreement.

“An agreement is still improbable,” research house Capital Economics said in a market commentary.

It said most oil-producing nations are already churning out crude barrels close to their capacity and any accord to limit output “is unlikely to accelerate market rebalancing by much”.

A monthly report from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries showed Saudi Arabian oil production was at nearly 10.5 million barrels per day in July — a record high, above peak levels seen the same time last year.

CMC Markets’ Singapore-based analyst Margaret Yang said “it remains to be seen how far this optimism (about an output
freeze) could lead the crude rebound”.

OPEC’s informal meeting will take place on the sidelines of the International Energy Forum in Algeria from September 26 to 28, ahead of a planned meeting due at the end of November.

AFP

Buhari’s administration ‘more clueless’ than Jonathan’s – Chibok girls’ mother

Buhari’s administration ‘more clueless’ than Jonathan’s – Chibok girls’ mother

Esther Yakubu, the mother of one of the abducted girls, Dorcas, said President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was “more clueless than Jonathan’s.”

She said this after seeing her daughter speak in the new video released by the Boko Haram insurgents demanding swap of their detained members with the Chibock girls.

Esther said President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was “more clueless than Jonathan’s.”

“The Chibok girls must be rescued, they must have their lives, the future that Boko Haram tries to truncate,” she said in an
emotional outburst.

Earlier, Esther had told one of our correspondents that she regretted putting Dorcas in boarding school.

“I wanted her to have the best of education, I planned to sponsor her education to whatever level she wanted, but she could not sit for her final examinations because she was abducted.

“Boko Haram in the video asked the government to release their members so that they could release our girls. If the government knows that it cannot handle the insurgency, it should invite other
countries. It is not a crime to seek assistance in a war. It is a shame for them to allow our daughters to languish in captivity for over two years.

“I don’t regret sending her to school, but I regret putting her in boarding school. If she was a day student, she would be home with me that night. The abduction affected her because she was in boarding school,” Yakubu added.

She said apart from her daughter, she recognised about 20 other girls.

“I recognised Saratu Ayuba, Awa Ishaiya and others. In that video, Dorcas has grown up a little and she is slimmer. I cried when I saw her in the video. That is only change I observe, but I thank God she is alive.”

Dorcas’ father, Kabu Yakubu, urged the government to release Boko Haram detainees in exchange for the Chibok girls, adding that the demand had boosted his hope that his daughter and others would eventually make it home.

“I will sleep well because since she was kidnapped, I have never seen her in other videos released. But today, I saw her in the video, and my joy was rekindled.

“What we have been telling the government is what Boko Haram
demanded in the video. We are appealing to the government to help us to release Boko Haram detainees so they can release our daughters. In the video, my daughter was begging the government to negotiate with the terrorists and they (Boko Haram) said unless the government releases their members who
were being detained in Abuja, Lagos and Maiduguri prisons, they won’t release the girls.

LAGOS SHUTS 12 HOUSES AS POLICE UNCOVERS ILLEGAL OIL WELLS

LAGOS SHUTS 12 HOUSES AS POLICE UNCOVERS ILLEGAL OIL WELLS

...Stations Fire Tanker, Prepares Temporary Accommodation For Victims
...As Lagos CP Confirms Arrest of Three Suspects

The Lagos State Government on Friday shut 12 houses in Abeokuta and Ibadan Streets in Ilasamaja area of the State over discovery of shallow oil wells built by landlords to illegally scoop diesel from pipeline belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

The oil wells were said to have been built for the purpose of illegally scooping diesel and selling same to members of the public, while some of the affected landlords built pumping machine and bore hole to perpetrate the crime on a large scale.

The State's Commissioning for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde who confirmed this while briefing newsmen at the Lagos House, Ikeja, said the step to shut the wells and condone off the area was taken by government to forestall loss of lives and property as a result of the looming danger.

Ayorinde, who addressed journalists alongside top government functionaries and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, said a combined team from the police command, the Ministry of Environment, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, Lagos State Fire Service and Sole Administrator of Isolo Local Council Development Area carried out a thorough inspection of the entire area and discovered nothing less than 12 of the illegal oil wells.

He said that initial investigation revealed that a few of the landlords where the wells are located were taking advantage of the situation by commercializing the dangerous act.

He said that samples of the substance have been taken for immediate investigation in order to determine the true nature of the substance as well as the root cause of this usually occurrence.
He said the State Government was working with the NNPC for further investigation.

Ayorinde said that for the safety of residents, especially on Abeokuta and Ibadan Streets, the affected well have been sealed off, adding that the government would also work with those who are likely to be displaced as a result of the development.

“The Lagos State Government wishes to use this opportunity to remind Lagosians and the residents of these areas in particular, to assist the police with useful information and to urge them to always volunteer information before any potentially dangerous situation degenerates to public hazard,” he said.

Also speaking the Commissioner of Police confirmed the arrest of three suspects in the operation, adding that a fire tanker has been stationed in the event of any fire incident.

The men of the Lagos State Police Command in the area who were on routine patrol said they saw a woman around 12 midnight with keg of diesel and when an attempt was made for her to be accosted, she fled, a development which alerted the police of something fishy.

The police immediately pursued the woman and accosted her, after which she eventually took them to number 12, Abeokuta Street, off Ilasamaja, one of the houses housing the illegal oil wells.

Upon getting to the said house, those inside shut the door and prevented the police from gaining entrance.

The officers thereafter left the scene with the arrested woman, and they later came back disguising as potential buyers of diesel, while those inside opened the door.

It was at that point that the illegal oil well was discovered at the house, after which about ten more wells were discovered in other houses in Abeokuta and Ibadan streets.

NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION 2016 ELECTION RESULT

NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION 2016 ELECTION RESULT

President MAHMOUD ABUBAKAR BALARABE, SAN 3055

GADZAMA JOE-KYARI, SAN 2384

First Vice President DAJAN CALEB GAL 4057

Second Vice President UBANI MONDAY 4375

Third Vice President OJI BENEDICT 3999

General Secretary OLAGUNJU ISIAKA 2721

YAMAH DESMOND 2510

First Assistant Secretary OHAGBA OKEY LEO 2402

EDUN OLUKUNLE 1653

SALIHU MOHAMMED ENEBI 1067

Second Assistant Secretary UGBUJI CECILIA NGEDE 4240

Treasurer ABDULLAHI AISHA ADO 2626

CHUKWUMA MARY 2613

Welfare Secretary ADEGBITE ADESINA 2633

USMAN JOSHUA 1394

IGBA T. TERHILE 1064

Financial Sec, UDODI NGOZI 4216

Assistant Financial Secretary NGWU DORCAS 3168

ONWUKA KINGSLEY 1516

Assistant Publicity Secretary MBAMALA CHUKWUEMEKA 2815

ABUBAKAR GARBA 1278

SAIDU ABUBAKAR 880

Legal Adviser BALOGUN RAFIU OYEYEMI 3068

ONWUZULIKE CHUKS CHRISTOPHER 2043