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Saturday, September 5

Tanzania 0-0 Nigeria: Ikeme's heroics rescues point for Oliseh's Eagles



The Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper was in superb form on his international debut as the Eagles failed to soar in Dar es Salam

Tanzania held Nigeria to a 0-0 draw in Saturday's 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier played at the Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium, Dar-es-Salaam.



There was no separating the two sides in 90 minutes, with the impressive Carl Ikeme, who made his Super Eagles’ debut, on several occasions denying the Taifa Stars a chance to take maximum points.

The towering Wolverhampton Wanderers shot stopper's best moment was an amazing save in the 67th minute when he denied Thomas Ulimwengu with a long stretch before scrambling to Mrisho Ngassa’s follow-up which went by the post, with both shots coming from inside the six-yard box.

Without leading lights in attack Odion Ighalo, Victor Moses and Gbolahan Salami and missing veteran goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama, Sunday Oliseh’s men failed to break down Boniface Mkwasa’s well-drilled hosts who were fuelled by a crowd that generated a tremendous atmosphere.

Captain Ahmed Musa showed a fine turn of pace to burst down the left and cut back for Emmanuel Emenike, only for the striker to be fouled to hand Sunday Oliseh’s men a free kick in the second minute of the match.

The resultant kick was not enough to threaten goalkeeper Ali Mustapha who was rarely troubled by the Eagles’ frontline. Not too long afterwards, the hosts got their first chance through Mlinwengu - and that seemed to knock off Nigeria out of their rhythm as they failed to create an opening of note for the remainder of the first half.

Mrisho Ngasa had a chance to open the scoring in the 13th minute, but his shot from the edge of the area was blocked as the Taifa Stars continued their dominance.

Ikeme was then called into action to keep out Farid Musa’s close-range header after the striker had got on the end of captain Nadir Haroub’s dangerous free-kick.

Nigeria went close to getting the curtain raiser, but Mustapha did well to pluck Musa’s flick-on off the line before Mosee Simon was denied by a block in the area.

Oliseh introduced Sylvester Igboun for Haruna Lukman who seemed to be lost in the midfield but that did not yield any result as the hosts dictated the pace from the middle.

Tanzania edged the initial stages, although Emenike felt that he should have earned a penalty two minutes into half time when he went down under pressure from Shomari Kapombe. Contact was minimal and the referee waved away protests before the Taifa Stars continued to threaten.

Towards the end of the game, Nigeria did not fare any better as they failed to punish the hosts’ who were lethargic in the latter part of the game as goalkeeper Ikeme held sway in goal to prevent the hosts from snatching a win.

With this result, the Super Eagles now have four points and top Group G. pending the outcome of Sunday’s game between Chad and Egypt. While Tanzania who last made an Afcon appearance 35 years ago remain at the base of the log with a point.

(Gaol.com)
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REVEALED: Super Eagles starting XI vs Tanzania


Super Eagles starting XI vs Tanzania: Carl Ikeme – Kingsley Madu, Solomon Kwambe, William Troost-Ekong, Kenneth Omeruo, – Izunna Uzochukwu, Obiora Nwankwo, Lukman Haruna, Moses Simon, Ahmed Musa (skipper), Emmanuel Emenike.

Super Eagles coach, has picked Russia- based Lukman Haruna, as his midfield arrow head for Saturday’s African Cup of Nations qualifier against Tanzania, africanFootball.con reports.


Haruna was picked ahead of Slovakia-based Rabiu Ibrahim and FC Taraba midfielder, Usman Mohammed, for the playmaking role.

A top official told africanFootball.com that Mohammed will now start from the bench against Tanzania because he did not follow the tactics during the team’s last friendly.

Haruna will play behind the team top striker, Emmanuel Emenike, in a 4-3-3 pattern to be employed by Eagles for the match.

Warri Wolves ace, Solomon Kwambe, replaces the injured Germany-based Leon Balogun in the right full back position.

Gent of Belgium winger, Moses Simon, will start from left side of attack with skipper Ahmed Musa on the right side.

Wolves of England goalkeeper, Carl Ikeme, will make his debut in the absence of Vincent Enyeama alongside Russia-based defensive midfielder, Izunna Uzochukwu.

Kick-off time is 2.30pm Nigerian time.

Eagles starting XI vs Tanzania – Carl Ikeme – Kingsley Madu, Solomon Kwambe, William Troost-Ekong, Kenneth Omeruo, – Izunna Uzochukwu, Obiora Nwankwo, Lukman Haruna, Moses Simon, Ahmed Musa (skipper), Emmanuel Emenike.
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AFCON: We are in Tanzania to win - Oliseh


Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh, is expecting his charges to defeat Tanzania in Saturday’s African Nations Cup qualifier, his first game in charge of the team.

“We are here to win. That is the spirit of the Super Eagles of Nigeria. Of course, we respect the Taifa Stars, but we do not fear any team,” allnigeriasoccer.com quoted Oliseh as saying ahead of the match.

“I can tell you that there is a new mentality in this team and our focus is the three points available on Saturday.”


Tanzania last qualified for the AFCON in 1980, when Nigeria hosted the tournament.
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Nigerian Navy gets new warship to combat oil theft, piracy



The Eastern Naval Command (ENC) of the Nigerian Navy in Calabar, Cross River, on Friday received a new warship, the NNS Centenary.

The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, who was on ground to receive it at the NNS Victory jetty, said the ship was the newest in the navy’s fleet.



Ibas said that the ship would further reinforce the presence of the navy in the eastern flank of the country’s maritime domain.

He said that the ship was acquired to patrol the maritime domain of the Eastern Naval Command in order to keep the water safe from oil thieves and sea pirates.

“When we talk about maritime security, you have to know that it goes with development.
“Maritime security has a nexus with development. Nobody wants to do business in an insecure environment.

“The bulk of resources that bring development come from the sea; the essence of the new ship is to reinforce our presence in the Eastern flank of the nation’s maritime space,’’ he said.

According to the chief of naval staff, the ship has the capacity to carry helicopters and other vital instruments.
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“The new ship is capable of staying at sea for two weeks. It is no longer going to be business as usual for the bad guys at sea.

“Those doing their businesses at sea would have confidence to go about their business at ease,’’ he said.

He warned criminals operating on Nigeria’s water ways to stay off, adding that the navy was not friendly to such categories of persons.

Ibas in company with the Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Henry Babalola, later paid a visit to Gov. Ben Ayade.

Ibas also inspected the Navy Reference Hospital in Calabar.
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Buhari congratulates Idowu-Fearon over his new appointment


President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated Nigeria’s Most Reverend Josiah Idowu-Fearon, on his appointment as the Secretary-General of the Consultative Council of the Anglican Communion Worldwide.

In a letter delivered to Dr. Idowu-Fearon in London on Friday on the occasion of his commissioning into the new post, President Buhari said that all Nigerians were proud of his elevation into one of the most important offices in the world of faith.



The President also applauded Bishop Idowu-Fearon’s emergence, after a highly competitive selection process, as the first African to occupy the office.

“With your intellect, with great pastoral zeal and with compassion, you have over the years risen above intolerance and narrow sectarianism, and built inter-faith and ecumenical bridges of understanding among your countrymen.

“We salute your special gift of clearly articulating the essence and beauty of the many bonds that bind us.

“You have lived up to your calling and attained your self-stated goals of creating a culture of respect for differences, a culture of accepting human beings for what they are, and playing down the things that divide them.

“Our nation and the world will certainly be a better place if all men of God approach pastoral work with the same patience, compassion and fidelity to higher principles that you have exhibited in the various offices you have held.

“It is our prayer that, in your new position, God uses you to counsel and move the entire worldwide Anglican Communion in the direction in which you have taken the Anglican Church in Nigeria—towards an intimate knowledge of others, and sincere fellowship with everyone.

“This is the imperative of the moment: it is what the world direly needs today,“wrote President Buhari in the congratulatory letter.

Buhari wished Bishop Idowu-Fearon, God’s guidance and success at his new post in the Anglican Communion Office in London.

The letter was delivered to the Most Reverend Idowu-Fearon by a personal emissary of the President, Mallam Adamu Adamu.
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“We found shocking stockpiles of dollars, not arms in Akwa Ibom Government House” — Official



A top official of the State Security Service familiar with the SSS’ raid of the Akwa Ibom Government House has revealed that the Service found no arms and ammunition in the complex, but stumbled on “shocking stockpiles of U.S. dollars” Premium Times reports

The State Security Service (SSS) had on Thursday raided the Hilltop Mansion in a joint operation carried out by operatives from the agency’s headquarters in Abuja and a detachment from the Akwa Ibom State Command of the Service.
The immediate past governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio, with the new state governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel

Some operatives had earlier told newsmen they found arms and ammunition in one of the rooms in the complex.

But another top official of the Service said Friday night the claim by his colleagues was an exaggeration. He requested not to be named because he was not authorised to speak on the matter.

“Our men went there expecting weaponry but we didn’t find arms,” he said. “Instead, we stumbled on a room filled with stockpiles of dollars.”

The official said the SSS team however left the dollars untouched for fear of the “political backlash that might result if we evacuate it. They had no instruction to evacuate it”.

One of our sources had earlier said the operatives initially wanted to evacuate the dollar notes but received instructions from their superiors in Abuja to let the notes be.

The secret police was said to have stormed the Hilltop Mansion based on security reports that suggested arms and ammunition were stored in a room there.



After ransacking the entire residence of the governor, which is yet to be occupied by the serving Governor, Udom Emmanuel, the operatives moved to guest houses and the presidential lodge, said to be currently in use by ex-Governor Godswill Akpabio.

It was in one of the guest houses within the expansive complex, the source said, that the dollars were found locked up in a room.

The SSS could not be immediately reached to officially comment on the operation. The agency does not have a known spokesperson that could be reached for comments.

And its Director General, Lawal Daura, did not answer or return multiple calls to his telephone.
The raid has attracted harsh reactions from the leadership of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The Acting Chairman of the party, Uche Secondus, while hosting Bayelsa State governor, Seriake Dickson, in his office Friday, described the raid as a civilian coup d’état.

Mr. Secondus said the action is part of the strategy of the ruling All Progressives Congress, and the Muhammadu Buhari-led government to forcefully take some states won by the opposition PDP.

On his part, the Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, demanded immediate sack of the Director General of the SSS, Lawal Daura, who he accused of being behind the operation.
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Akwa Ibom Governor denies SSS invasion of Govt. House despite PDP confirmation



The Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, Friday denied the reported invasion of his official residence, known as Hilltop Mansion, by operatives of the State Security Service.

The governor, who spoke  through his Chief Press Secretary, Ekerete Udo, said the reported raid on the Government House, Uyo, is a “manufactured lie”.



“My brother, that is a manufactured lie that I am not even aware of,” Mr. Udoh said in a response to a telephone enquiry.

When it was explained to him that the call was initiated to get confirmation of the state government following the statement by the Ekiti State governor on the issue, Mr. Udoh insisted he was not aware of any such incident.

“I will have to call you back. I am in a middle of something here,” he said.

But hours after he promised to return the call, there was no word from the governor’s official spokesperson.

The denial by the governor came despite the confirmation of the incident by two top leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

It was reported yesterday, how DSS operatives raided the Government House Uyo, Thursday and uncovered “incriminating materials”.

The operation was jointly carried out by operatives from the SSS headquarters in Abuja and a detachment from Uyo, based on a tip off.

The PDP’s Acting Chairman, Uche Secondus, in a statement had raised the alarm and described the invasion as a civilian coup d’état.

Mr. Secondus said the action is part of the strategy of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC and the Muhammadu Buhari-led government to forcefully take some states won by the opposition PDP.
On his part, the Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, called for the immediate sack of the Director General of the DSS, Lawal Daura, who he blamed for the invasion.

Mr. Fayose said armed men from the Special Squad of the SSS invaded the Presidential Wing of the Government House, Uyo, in a commando style, ransacked it, intimidated and harassed the occupants, claiming that they were searching for bomb and documents.

While wondering when Akwa Ibom State Government House became a bomb-making factory, Mr. Fayose said he was shocked that men of the SSS were overzealously looking for bomb in Akwa Ibom instead of the Boko Haram-ravaged North East Nigeria.

“From the barbaric act of the DSS yesterday and other actions of Security Service under Alhaji Lawal Daura in the last few weeks, one can conclude that Daura is taking Nigeria back to the 1984 era of General Mohammadu Buhari and this is unfortunate,” Mr. Fayose said.

“No doubt, the Director General (DG) DSS, Lawal Daura is acting out a sinister script of taking over Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) controlled States in the South-South and South East by whatever means,” Mr. Fayose said.
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Family celebrates God's miracle as man bounces back to life after spending three days in the mortuary



A 70 year old man bounced back to life after spending over 30 hours in a mortuary in Makurdi, the Benue state capital. Doctors at a private hospital in the town had on Saturday, August 26, 2015, certified Amos Otene dead at 4. 30 am and promptly covered him up and wheeled him into the mortuary, awaiting instructions from members of the family for embarment.

As further proof that Otene was dead, the doctors extracted the requisite body fluid and other substances from the corpse, for post mortem examination which was to ultimately reveal the cause of death.



According to the family, the hospital admitted Otene on Friday August 25 after he complained of severe toothache which had persisted for several days. As the news of Otene’s death spread, family members and other sympathisers continued to throng the hospital.

On Sunday, when one of his children, Eche, who lives in Lafia visited, he was taken to the mortuary to confirm that his father had indeed passed on. According to Eche, at about 1.39 pm, “the morticians at the hospital wheeled out the trolley containing my father and unveiled the face for me to see.

It was in this process that the supposedly he started raising his right hand and all of us fled towards the reception area of the mortuary. From a safe distance we watched as my father lifted himself and sat on the bed and that was about seven minutes later. One of the attendants eventually summoned enough courage and approached my father who fell back on the trolley.”

Eche said that the doctors ordered that the resurrected man be readmitted in the ward where some medication was administered and he was placed on fresh round of drips. He remained in the ward till Tuesday when the doctors carried out series of tests and certified Otene fit for discharge.

As at Wednesday at the Otene’s Old GRA residence in Makurdi, well-wishers continued to troupe there to catch a glimpse of the resurrected man. Until his retirement in 2012, Otene worked at the Department of Forestry of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in Makurdi. In what may well be an apparent case of near-death experience, Otene said that, “what I remember is that I was in a vehicle and traveled a long distance.

When I got there, there were many people and there was a lot of celebration and merriment and the people were happy. But they did not allow me to stay with them. They said I should go back and repeat my work.

I am much better now and I thank God for everything and I also owe many thanks to the hospital for taking care of me and my family members who have been worried. I hope they will continue to be with me until I am completely free from this stress.”

Otene’s wife, Elizabeth, was not aware that her husband had ‘passed’. Her children did not inform her because, according to them, she is hypertensive and they feared that informing her would have caused additional damage.

According to Elizabeth, “they did not tell me that my husband died, they only told me after the resurrection and I think it is a miracle. I ask God to forgive me for doubting when they told me that he died and resurrected.

After his resurrection he developed high appetite for food and he has been demanding for food. Eche, the son said,”this is God’s miracle. We glorify God’s name. God is merciful and we can’t thank Him enough for keeping my father alive. What if they had embarmed him? They did not because they were waiting for us. And when I visited the man came alive. It’s God’s work.”

Faulty death certification
But medical experts say Otene could not have died in the first place and that the question of resurrection was out of the question. The only explanation, according to a Makurdi-based medical practitioner, Dr. Ameh Edace, is that, “he was in a long coma. He was in a long coma if he came back to life before embarment.”

Also reacting, the Medical Director of Rekiya Memorial Hospital, Kaduna, Dr. Bello Mohammed, said that, “in the history of medicine, there has not been any case of anybody coming back to life after being certified dead.

It is not possible but when you talk of miracle, that is a different thing altogether because with miracle, anything can happen.

But if a person is pronounced clinically dead, he remains dead and there is no way he can come back to life, certainly, not after 24 hours. For this case in question, the only medical explanation is that the patient was in a long coma.

If a doctor had certified the patient dead, then the competence of that doctor should be questioned. For sure, there is something wrong with the death certification.
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Mixed reactions trail Buhari’s assets declaration



Mixed reactions have continued to trail President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s public declaration of their assets.

A statement by the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr. Garba Shehu, had on Thursday disclosed part of the contents of the assets declaration forms separately submitted by Buhari and Osinbajo to the Code of Conduct Bureau.

Shehu said in the statement that the verification of the President’s and the Vice President’s assets was ongoing and that the forms would be released to the public after the CCB’s verification.


Based on the statement, Buhari’s assets include about N30m in his only bank account with the Union Bank Plc and a total of seven houses, comprising two mud and a standard house in Daura, his hometown; two homes in Kaduna, one in Kano and one in Abuja.

The President’s assets also include two undeveloped plots of land in Kano and Port Harcourt, an orchard and a ranch in Daura with 270 head of cattle, 25 sheep, five horses, a variety of birds and a number of economic trees.

According to the statement, Buhari also has several cars, two of which he said were bought with his savings, while the others were supplied to him by the Federal Government in his capacity as a former Head of State.

However, the declaration has been trailed by diverse reactions, with some Nigerians raising questions over the value of the President’s assets, which were considered as vague in the document.

For instance, analysts say they have been unable to draw comparisons between the President’s action and that of the late former President Umaru Yar’Adua, the first Nigerian President to publicly declare his assets.

Yar’Adua on June 28, 2007, a month after his inauguration, made public photocopies of his completed assets declaration form as submitted to the CCB.

The document detailed Yar’Adua’s assets, valued at N856, 452,892, with a total annual income that was put at N18.7m.

In the document, Yar’Adua declared the values of all his assets.

A breakdown of the assets declaration showed that Yar’Adua had a total of N43, 702, 892.43 as cash in his bank accounts, with other assets contributing for the rest.

Among his detailed declaration of assets, Yar’Adua listed his family compound in Katsina State, which he described as an inheritance. He valued it at N105m.

There were also a multi-storey building at A8 Wuse 2, Abuja and a duplex at Malali, Kaduna State, valued at N212m and N120m, respectively.

He also disclosed that he had a seven-bedroom duplex at 2, Lema Jubril Close, valued at N90m, which he said was built from savings in 1987 and a vacant plot at Asokoro New Layout in Abuja, valued at N50m.

Yar’Adua also said that he had 2,000,000 units of shares of Habib Bank acquired in 1998; 100,000 units of shares of Intercity Bank Plc; and another 100,000 units of shares of Muradi Hotels Limited.

He also disclosed that he had vehicles worth N181,250,000, consisting of 29 new cars worth N174,700,000 in both Katsina and Abuja, which he described as campaign vehicles, a Honda Accord car worth N350,000 and a Mercedes Benz worth another N6,500,000.

In addition, Yar’Adua disclosed that his wife, Turai, had a total asset of N19m, made up of houses. He stated the value of each of the houses.

Considering Yar’Adua’s declaration of assets, analysts have described Buhari’s recent version as a clear departure from a full declaration of assets.

They labelled the declaration of assets as done by Buhari as having too many holes, saying Buhari should have specified the total number of his cars rather than stating that he has several cars, two of which he said were bought from his savings.

Shehu’s statement had claimed that the President had shares in Berger Paints, Skye Bank and Union Bank .

But analysts said Buhari should have stated the value of each of his houses, describing his declaration of having ‘two homes’ as deceptive since many houses can constitute a home.

While Yar’Adua declared the number of shares he had in companies, Buhari’s declaration also failed to disclose that.

Meanwhile, in December 2014, Buhari in a Facebook post insinuated that he had about N1m in his account, about 150 of cattle and houses in Kaduna, Kano and Daura. But there was no mention of any property in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

He had said, “I have at least one million naira in my bank, having paid N5.5m to pick my form from my party.

“I have around 150 (head of) cattle because I am never comfortable without cows.

“I have a house each in Kaduna, Kano, and Daura, which I borrowed money to build.

“I never had a foreign account since I finished my courses in the USA, India and the UK.

“I never owned any property outside Nigeria. Never!”

Some analysts said Buhari did not explain how his 150 head of cattle and about N1m in December 2014 multiplied to 270 head of cattle and N30m less than a year later, respectively, especially as Buhari had said that he had to borrow the N27m he needed to purchase his presidential form from his party, the All Progressives Congress.

Reacting to the declaration of assets by Buhari and Osinbajo, a lawyer, Carol Ajie, said the documents had loopholes.

Ajie said Buhari and his deputy needed to “make clear if they have liabilities or not, bearing in mind that the constitution places emphasis on assets and liabilities.”

The lawyer said, “We need a bit more on specificity on some of the items such as shares in Berger Paints, Union Bank and Skye Bank, considering the length of time between April when he won the election and now, a period of six months for assets valuation of his seven houses located in Daura, Kano, Kaduna and Abuja.

“We have no addresses on these houses and what type of houses-bungalow, block of flats or duplexes- and estate valuer’s estimates. Same for his farms, orchard and a ranch in Daura, etc.”

Another legal practitioner, Mr. Kayode Ajulo, said the President had yet to complete the declaration “as it is the law that his spouse is not a civil servant; the spouse must declare her assets in the same manner as done by President Buhari.

“The same goes for his deputy. As it is, there may be likelihood of violation of the law on declaration of assets,” he added.

A civil rights lawyer, Ebun Adegboruwa, who described Buhari’s assets declaration as belated, also faulted the President for failing to disclose the worth of the property and stocks he listed as belonging to him.

He said, “He should have let us know the worth of those assets, especially the ones in Abuja. So without knowing the worth, we cannot estimate what the President has. The information supplied to the public by the President is so scanty, as to totally amount to hoarding vital details of his assets.

“For the assets declaration to make any meaningful impact, it should have been declared voluntarily and without any prompting upon the President by Nigerians. The implication of this is that the President was forced to declare his assets.

“Secondly, the assets declaration is coming after Nigerians, through their most diligent efforts, have already uncovered most of the President’s ‘secret assets’, especially the house in Abuja. By now, most of the contents of the President’s assets declaration document are already in the public domain.”

The lawyer also called on the President to make the assets of his adult children known to the public.

He said, “The Code of Conduct Bureau and the constitution require that it is not just the assets of the President that should be declared, the assets of all his grown-up children should also be disclosed.

“Is he hiding his assets through his children because there are many of them that are grown up? In Nigeria, you suddenly discover that children who are 18 years of age have houses in London, United Kingdom or Maitama and Asokoro in Abuja.”

Another lawyer, Jiti Ogunye, who commended the President for his public declaration of assets, also joined his voice with those calling for a more detailed declaration.

He said, “I commend the President and the Vice President for what they have done.

“Moving forward, our expectation is that now that we have a summation of this asset declaration, number of houses is disclosed, the account is disclosed and the credit in the account is disclosed.

“We hope that when the verification is concluded and that will not be too long, further details and particulars would be furnished to the Nigerian people.

“Those who are calling for fuller disclosure are not calling for something extraordinary or that ought not to be done, so I join those who are calling for fuller disclosure even as I commend this summary of disclosure.”

However, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Emeka Ngige, dismissed claims by some of the analysts, saying that the task of valuating the listed property should be left to the CCB.

He said, “I think the actions of the President and the Vice-President have sent positive signals on governance. The policy should now be extended to all political office holders appointed by the administration.”

Another civil rights lawyer, Liborous Oshoma, described the criticisms trailing the asset declaration in some quarters as “sentimental.”

He said, “For me, the essence of this is to open a new struggle for us, a new fight, a new demand of accountability. It is not necessarily about the worth of what was declared, but the fact that the assets were declared.

“The man has said he owns so and so, anybody who wants to question that can begin to conduct investigations into what he said he owns. It is not much about the worth of the houses and it has not been established that the houses were acquired with stolen funds because that is when we can begin to calculate the worth.”

Meanwhile, the Code of Conduct Bureau on Friday said it had begun the verification of the assets declared by President and his deputy.

The CCB, through its Head of Press and Protocol Unit, Mrs. Iyabo Akinwale, confirmed to our correspondent that the verification of their assets had commenced.
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UK sentences Nigerian to jail for murder


A 39-year-old Nigerian, Adebayo Ekun, has been sentenced to life imprisonment in London over the murder of 18-year-old Marcus Hall in 2001.

Ekun was said to be part of a gang that beat and stabbed Hall to death 14 years ago, leaving him dying in the street, according to a report by the Daily Mirror UK.

After committing the murder, Ekun was said to have fled to Nigeria in an attempt to evade arrest.



The report said five people out of the gang were convicted for the murder, but Ekun avoided arrest and fled the United Kingdom, after he was identified in a Closed-Circuit Television footage of the attack, which took place outside the Atmosphere nightclub in Luton, London because of a distinctive checked coat he was wearing.

It was said that detectives went to a designer clothes store in London where it was discovered that the jacket was one of only nine sold in the UK – and Ekun was listed as one of the buyers.

When the police raided his London home, he had already left the country.

However, the 39-year-old was eventually located and arrested in Nigeria in February, 2015 and he was extradited back to the UK.

He admitted to the killing at Luton Crown Court on Friday and was jailed for life with a minimum term of 10 years.

A detective sergeant, who was one of those who hunted Ekun, Mark Devine, said the ruling had proved that no criminal could evade justice in the country.

He said, “The conviction of Adebayo Ekun today highlights the fact that if you commit, or are involved in serious crime such as this, then there is literally no place to hide. Despite the passing of 14 years, Bedfordshire Police has continued the hunt for the final outstanding offender to this vicious and brutal murder.
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AU defence chiefs meet on Boko Haram, Al shabab


African Defence Chiefs and Ministers of Defence are meeting in Bamako, Mali, to discuss the threat of terrorism in the African sub-region.

The Acting Director, Defence Information, Col. Rabe Abubakar, said in an electronic mail on Friday that the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin, had arrived Mali to participate in the crucial security summit.

He said that the CDS would use the opportunity of the meeting to brief the AU defence chiefs and ministers on the efforts of Nigeria and the other member-countries of the Lake Chad Basin Commission against the Boko Haram insurgency in the North East.

He said that the Defence chiefs and ministers would focus on the need to enhance security cooperation in addition to designing a peace and security structure for the Sahel-Saharan region in the ongoing summit.


The Acting Defence Spokesman said that the meeting specifically discussed the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria and the Al Shabab’s menace in Central Africa.

He said, “The meeting is aimed at engendering participants to partner on the enhancement of security cooperation and the conceptualisation of the African peace and security architecture in the Sahel-Saharan region.

“The meeting discussed terrorism which has become a global problem that requires collective approach towards addressing its menace.

“It focused on the threats faced by countries in the Sahel-Saharan region, especially the threat of Boko Haram terrorists in Nigeria and other member countries of the Lake Chad Basin Commission and the threat of Al-Shabab terrorists in Central Africa.”

Abubakar said that the participants at the summit called for enhanced operational cooperation among the affected countries in order to make their response to the terrorists’ threats more effective.

He added that the meeting also classified threats in the sub region to four major categories which included terrorism, organised crime (drugs, arms and human trafficking), illegal immigration and separatism.

He said that the meeting signified a new phase in the promotion of regional security and a united front by the AU in the fight against terrorism.
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SSS uncovers arms in Akwa Ibom Government House


Men of the Department of the State Service have uncovered arms and ammunition from the Akwa Ibom State Government House in Uyo.

It was learnt that the discovery was made during a surprise raid. The operation was jointly carried out by operatives from the SSS headquarters in Abuja and the state command, according to Premium Times. The SSS reportedly stormed the Hilltop Mansion based on security reports.


After ransacking the entire residence of the governor, which is yet to be occupied by the serving Governor, Udom Emmanuel, the operatives moved to guest houses and the presidential lodge, said to be currently in use by ex-Governor Godswill Akpabio.

Security sources said on Friday that the arms were found in one of the guest houses while searching for documents and Improvised Explosive Devices.

When contacted, the state government declined to comment on the report.

Meanwhile, Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, has condemned the invasion of the Akwa Ibom Government House by the armed men of Department of State Services.

Fayose said the manner the DSS ransacked, intimidated and harassed the occupants, claiming they were searching for bomb and documents, was “strange and anti-democracy.”

The governor, however, accused the DSS of acting a sinister motive to run down the Peoples Democratic Party-controlled states, instead of going after the Independent National Electoral Commission suspected to have been involved in graft.

He said, “Interestingly, the DSS under Alhaji Lawal Daura that has turned Akwa Ibom State and other states into centre of its draconian operations has not deemed it necessary to invite for questioning, the Yobe State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Abu Zarma, in whose bank account N15m alleged to be a bribe was found.

“From the barbaric act of the DSS and other actions under Alhaji Lawal Daura in the last few weeks, one can conclude that Daura is taking Nigeria back to the 1984 era of Gen. Mohammadu Buhari and this is unfortunate.

“No doubt, the DSS Director-General is acting out a sinister script of taking over the PDP-controlled states in the South-South and South East by whatever means.

“Daura’s actions as the DG DSS are regrettable, unfortunate, condemnable and unacceptable because he has come to symbolise dictatorship, which democracy abhors.”

Fayose, who addressed journalists on Friday in Ado-Ekiti through his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Mr. Lere Olayinka, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to call Daura to order or sack him if he was uncontrollable.”

“As for me, I will continue to talk because Nigeria belongs to all of us. Nigeria is not a banana republic that can be ruled anyhow by anyone and Daura should know that this reign of brute force over constitutional democracy will fail.”
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Generator dealers, repairers lament low patronage


Generator sellers, repairers across the nation have lamented low patronage since President Buhari came into power, due to the increase in power supply in the country.

Speaking with NigerianEye yesterday, some of the dealers revealed that the sudden change in government and improved electricity supply has limited the profits they make from sales of generators.

A man who simply identified himself as Kabiru spoke with NigerianEye at Oyingbo, Lagos yesterday, revealing how hard business has been for them since the new government emerged.

'I'm happy because I now have more light (electricity supply) at home, but at the same time i'm sad because few people now come and buy generators from my shop. For 3 days now, nobody have bought any generator or parts (generator parts) from me' Kabiru lamented

Two generator repairers around Yaba, Lagos, Lateef and Monday also lamented how they now get fewer calls from customers requesting for generator repairs.

'All our customers dey always get light now, we no get plenty jobs like before' the two generator repairers told NigerianEye

It should be noted that there has been zero vandalisation of the country’s pipeline of gas supplying the power stations, since Buhari came to power in May, resulting to increase in power supply nationwide.

The Permanent Se‎cretary, Ministry of Power, Mr ‎Godknows Igali revealed while fielding questions from State House correspondents in Abuja last week.

He emphasized that no single case of gas pipeline vandalism has been recorded since President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office.

The permanent secretary was reacting to questions on what has been responsible for the recent improvement in electricity supply across the country.

Igali recalled that vandalism of gas pipelines was common in the last days and months of the previous administration, and reached its peak on the May 26 when gas-generated electricity was completely grounded.

“The gas is now passing to the gas pipelines and I think that the government has been engaging the communities and the places where these gas infrastructures pass through.

“We hope it will be sustained because like I said there is a conscious engagement and is redoubled. Redouble means that there was effort and when there was effort and you put additional effort and additional effort, then, it means that you have redoubled your work and that is what is going on and at different levels the engagement of where the pipelines passed.

“We saw tremendous vandalism, especially before the handover. It has never been so bad. But, now for nearly three months not a single day have we had that kind of vandalism.It is our prayer that this will continue.”

According to him, the Federal Government has been engaging stakeholders where the pipelines pass through to allow peace to reign.

He said this action had resulted in increased gas supplies and improved power supply nationwide with about 4,600 megawatts.

Igali explained that ‎apart from President Muhammadu Buhari building on efforts of past government and tasking stakeholders to double efforts, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo had been holding almost daily meetings with power distribution companies (DISCOs) on ways of improving power supply to consumers.

“It is no miracle but a lot of work being directed by President Buhari and Vice-President Osinbajo, and people are working in more a concerted manner to achieve the prevailing results,” he said.

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A new Sheriff in town - Femi Adesina



Some call it the Buhari bounce. Others describe it as the Buhari effect. Yet some others say it is the Buhari aura. One thing is however crystal clear. Things have not been the same in the past 100 days in Nigeria, since Muhammadu Buhari assumed the presidency. A new sheriff has truly come to town.
Exactly 100 days ago, he climbed the podium at Eagle Square in Abuja and got inaugurated as president, 30 years after he had been toppled from power as military head of state. He promised to belong to nobody, and to belong to everybody. It is a pledge that still resonates loudly today, and will surely echo for a long time to come.

On a day like this, you would expect a presidential spokesman to chronicle the achievements of his principal in office. He has turned stone to bread, slain the dragon, and climbed Mount Olympus in ten seconds. But that is not what I want to do. There are some intangible, almost imperceptible achievements, but which run very deep, and are quite fundamental. Those are the ones I'll rather talk of, while we leave the tangibles till some other day.


Oh, he's escaping. There are no concrete achievements, some wailing wailers would cry. True? Not true. I could have decided to focus on the bloody nose being given to Boko Haram in the North-east, which would see the country rid of insurgency soon, the rallying of leaders of other neighboring countries to deploy a Joint Multinational Task Force, the openness displayed about government finances and the welfare package instituted for states that couldn't pay salaries, the Treasury Single Account, which would promote transparency and accountability in governance, the disappeared fuel queues, fast-tracking of the cleanup of Ogoni land, reduction in the cost of governance, and many others. But I will not focus on all those. The day cometh!

When a new sheriff comes into town, disorder gives way to order. Chaos flees. Impunity is swept away. Laxity gives way to diligence, and people change their old, unedifying ways. When you have a Wild, Wild West situation prevailing, the new sheriff comes, and stamps his authority. Old things then pass away, behold, everything becomes new.

Nigeria had always needed attitudinal change. That was why the Buhari regime launched War Against Indiscipline in the 1980s. And the war was succeeding, till a spanner was thrown in the works through regime change. Buhari was called all sorts of names then: despot, tyrant, iron fist ruler etc But the discerning knew. They understood that it was a change we needed. And that change was postponed for 30 years.

But what is bred in the bones never goes out through the flesh. Immediately Buhari returned on May 29, Nigerians knew that discipline was back. The bird of the homestead told the ones in the bush, and they all sat up. No unnecessary chirping. Stealing is now corruption, they whispered to themselves. God help you if you get caught.

Now, consider the situation with electricity and with our refineries. Electricity has climbed to about 5,000 Megawatts. Some refineries, which had not produced a drop of fuel for years, have cracked into life. Even the perennial queues in our petrol stations have disappeared, vanished. Is it because Buhari threw billions of dollars at the problems? No. Those things simply responded to the presence of the new sheriff in town. Those who manned those schedules could afford to be laid back in the past. But not anymore! The music has changed, and the dance steps must follow suit. And would Buhari take credit for the newfound zeal and efficiency? Not the plain and honest man from Daura. The broadcaster Omotayo Omotoso had come to the presidential villa to interview him sometime in July. And she had asked what the magic wand he waved was, that refineries, long comatose, had sprang back to life. The President responded that it would be dishonest of him to have claimed he did anything. He had not touched refineries at all. But unknown to the President, he did something. He had swept into town with his reputation for efficiency, and for achieving results. And the refineries, fuel supply, electricity supply, responded to the new sheriff. May things continue to get better till the change becomes enduring and irreversible. Amen somebody!

Another imperceptible but momentous achievement is the faith that Nigerians now have in their leader. Yes, the opposition numbers in millions, and naturally so. A political party had held power at the centre for 16 years, and its loyalists would not simply disappear, or get converted overnight. About 12 million Nigerians had voted for the presidential candidate of that party in the March 2015 general elections. Would they just cross over to the winning side? It often takes awhile. But despite all that, a great deal of Nigerians, a vast majority, believe in the new sheriff. And that is great achievement. A big deal. When the citizenry believe in their leader, and almost can swear by him, it is no mean feat. The NOI polls, in a survey in July, revealed that over 70% of Nigerians were happy with the Buhari administration. And I can bet that the percentage would rise, as the months and years roll by. Faith in leadership is something that does not come cheap.

And this one! Even our foreign reserve knows that a new sheriff is in town, and has responded appropriately. In June, just one month into office, and with the plugging of some leakages and loopholes, foreign reserve surged from $29 billion to $31.89. Holy Moses! Just in one month. Well, that is what a new sheriff can do. He brings sanity, confidence and probity to the system. And you would agree that Nigeria needs such shot in the arm, if we consider recent past experiences, when our treasury was like a bag filled with holes.

An evidence of the believability of the new sheriff, and the confidence reposed in him, is the disclosure that came this week from Ambassador Godknows Igali, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power. He said since Buhari came to office, not a single sabotage of the power infrastructure has been recorded, and it is one of the reasons that electricity supply keeps improving. But did Buhari line up soldiers across the power infrastructure? Did he hire a combination of OPC, Egbesu, MASSOB, MEND and Arewa youths to keep vigil? No. Just believability. Those who are so angry with the country, and would go to any extent to sabotage development, have decided to give the sheriff a chance. They have heard of his reputation. A man that believes in fairness and justice. He would do right to all parts of the country.

Can you imagine the respect our sheriff commands on the international scene, and how it redounds to the glory of the average Nigerian? American President, Barack Obama said Buhari came onto his job with reputation of integrity and a clearcut agenda. Ambassador Johnny Carson, also during the U.S trip in July, said the Nigerian President was a man of honour and integrity. Everywhere he goes, the Nigerian President is lauded and garlanded for his virtues. And the image of the country is burnished and repositioned in the process. Surely, greater days are ahead.

Some people say the sheriff did not hit the ground running, as he is yet to constitute his cabinet in 100 days. And I usually ask such people: when you hit the ground, and you land in mud, how do you begin to run immediately? You can only sink deeper, if you attempt to run. The thing to do is to first clear the mud, till you get to terra firma, and then you can begin to run.

President Buhari has spent time trying to clean the Augean stable he inherited. And he is succeeding. Sheriffs can either come in with guns blazing, shooting malefactors to kingdom come, or simply stamp their authority on the situation by sheer force of personality and presence. The Nigerian sheriff seems to have opted for the second option for now. But we should never forget that sheriffs are licensed to shoot. And those shots can be lethal for lawbreakers. In a matter of months, you can ask those who had bled our treasury to the point of death. They'll have stories to tell.

Adesina is Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari
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Friday, September 4

Kaduna senator, Shehu Sani, declares assets, says he is worth N22 million


The season of asset declaration continued yesterday as a senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Shehu Sani,  publicly declared his assets, saying he currently has a total of N22 million in three bank accounts.

The senator, who was an activist before delving into politics, also said in a statement that he owns two residential houses in Kaduna, two houses under lease in Kaduna, two uncompleted office apartments in Kaduna, one residential house in Abuja, one family inherited house in Kurfi, Katsina State, and one family inherited house in Minna, Niger State.

He also said he owns several vehicles, and bought N5million worth of shares in 2007 but which crashed in 2008.



He said he authored over 30 books published in Nigeria, United States and United Kingdom with royalties and publishes a community journal ‘Peace Magazine’.

Mr. Sani, who is married to two wives and has six children, said he decided to declare his assets in line with the moral example set by President Muhammadu Buhari and his deputy, Yemi Osinbajo, both of who declared their assets on Thursday.

He said, “In line with moral example set by President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Osinbajo, and in conformity to the standard of transparent and exemplary leadership, and in submission to the public and popular demand for integrity test to all public office holders, in a new Nigeria on a filtration process for a politically cleaner and decent future, I have decided to voluntarily make this public declaration.

“President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Osinbajo public declaration of their assets is a moral challenge to all public holders. Their declaration challenges all men of conscience and docks all men who lay claim to self dignity and self worth.

“Their public declaration hangs a chain of guilt on the neck of all public office holders. To refuse to publicly declare assets is to continue to carry the burden of a moral thorn of guilt in a nation whose generation of leaders for so long stands in the dock of ethical court.”

Mr. Sani, a first time senator, however, said public declaration of assets does not make one a saint but that it avails the public the knowledge of his or her degree of sin.

He added that every public office holder carries with him a badge of suspicion and distrust until he proves his innocence or his degree of guilt.

“There are no saints and angels in politics, but the citizenry deserve to know the moral truth behind the facade of uprightness,” he said.

“A clean broom is needed to clean a dirty space. I chose to publicly declare and be pelted than to walk with the stain of suspicion and mistrust splashed on all public office holders by a generation of curious citizenry.
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Police arrest student who gave his colleague cake laced with Indian Hemp



The Police in Delta have arrested a male undergraduate of Delta State University, Abraka for allegedly given a female student cake laced with Indian hemp.

Police spokesperson, DSP Celestina Kalu said in a statement issued to newsmen on Friday in Asaba, that after eating the cake, the victim started behaving abnormally and was admitted to hospital for treatment.



She said that a male student from the University reported to the police in Abraka on Sept. 2 that Bassey Aniekan, a student of the university gave the cake to the female student, aged 17.

She said that during interrogation, Bassey confessed that he added Indian hemp to the ingredients used in baking the cake.

“The suspect admitted to have used Indian hemp to bake the cake which he gave the victim; we are still investigating the matter,” Kalu said.
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Gunmen abduct 85-year-old monarch in Bayelsa


Police in Bayelsa on Friday confirmed the abduction of eighty-five-year-old Paramount Ruler of Gbarantoru community in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa, Benjamin Weke, by gunmen.

Spokesman for police command in the state, Mr Asinim Butswatt, a Deputy Superintendent of Police told the News Agency of Nigeria in Yenagoa that the kidnap took place in the early hours of Friday.

Butswatt said the command did not receive information on the incident promptly but disclosed that investigation into the matter had commenced.


“Yes, the marine component of the police has been alerted and they are combing the creeks to find the whereabouts of the gunmen.

“The incident occurred in the early hours of Friday; the problem is that the family members did not contact our men until 5am,” he said.

A family member, Mrs. Blessing Weke, told NAN that the gunmen had on July 1, sent a letter to the 85-year-old monarch, intimating him of their coming.

Weke said, “that four “heavily armed” gunmen arrived at the home of the monarch at about 1am.

“Chief’s wife was the first person to wake up before chief could wake up; as soon as they saw him, they grabbed him and ran away.

“They also took some money meant for the traditional marriage of one of the traditional ruler’s sons scheduled for tomorrow (Saturday).

“Finally, the wife was beaten up and was ordered to lead their way to the waterside, where they escaped in a speedboat.”

(NAN)
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Code of Conduct Bureau currently verifying our assets - Buhari, Osinbajo



President Muhammadu Buhari and his deputy, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, have said the Code of Conduct Bureau is still verifying their assets forms.

The President and his deputy said this in their reactions to the demand for their forms by the Peoples Democratic Party.



Special Assistant to the President on Media, Mallam Garba Shehu, stated this in a text message he sent to our correspondent in Abuja on Friday.

They said as soon as the verification was over, the forms would be made open to the public.

Shehu said, “The contents of forms as submitted by the President and the Vice President are, as we said in that statement, still being vetted and whenever the process is complete, they will be made public.

“PDP doesn’t have shame, neither does it have conscience.

“If the officials did, they would have pressured their leaders, meaning President Goodluck Jonathan and VP Namadi Sambo, to declare their assets on leaving office as the law requires.

“Nigerians haven’t forgotten that against all entreaties, the then President and his deputy adamantly refused to make any form of disclosure regarding their assets. Now that they are out, they are behaving as if the law does not exist. Is that the party to question this unprecedented step our leaders have taken?

“They have lost all moral right to pontificate for anyone on matters of probity and accountability.”
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Fayose to Buhari: Sack DSS boss now over invasion of Akwa Ibom Govt House



Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, has condemned Thursday’s alleged invasion of the Akwa Ibom State Government House by armed men of the Department of State Services (DSS), calling for the immediate sack of the Director General of the agency, Alhaji Lawal Daura.



Addressing a press conference in Ado-Ekiti on behalf of the governor today, Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka described the alleged invasion as part of the sinister plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to circumvent the will of the people of the South-South and South-East States controlled by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), using the DSS.

He said; “To say the least, invasion of the Akwa Ibom State Government House on Thursday ordered by Daura, is a rape of democracy and invitation to chaos and anarchy. It is authoritarian, dictatorial and I condemn it strongly.

“It is unfortunate that this is happening under President Buhari’s watch, and painful that Alhaji Lawal Daura is drawing Nigeria back to the Military era.”

Governor Fayose, who recalled the arrest of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Austin Okojie by men of the DSS in July, wondered why “the DSS under Alhaji Lawal Daura that has turned Akwa Ibom State and other States into centre of its draconian operations has not deemed it necessary to invite for questioning, the Yobe State INEC REC, Mr. Abu Zarma in whose bank account N15 million alleged to be a bribe was found.”

Text of the press conference read in part; “Yesterday, the Akwa Ibom State Government House in Uyo was invaded by armed men from the Special Squad of the DSS. They invaded the Presidential Wing of the Government House in a commando-liked manner, ransacked it, intimidated and harassed the occupants, claiming that they were searching for bomb and documents!

“One wonders when the Government House of Akwa-Ibom State turned to a factory where bombs are made. Also, we wonder why men of the DSS were overzealously looking for bomb in Akwa Ibom State Government House, instead of the Boko Haram ravaged North Eastern part of Nigeria.

“From the barbaric act of the DSS yesterday and other actions of Security Service under Alhaji Lawal Daura in the last few weeks, one can conclude that Daura is taking Nigeriaback to the 1984 era of General Muhammadu Buhari and this is unfortunate.

“No doubt, the Director General (DG) DSS, Lawal Daura is acting out a sinister script of taking over Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) controlled States in the South-South and South East by whatever means.
“Obviously, Thursday invasion of the Akwa Ibom Government House by men of the DSS and arrest of the State INEC REC are part of this sinister plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to circumvent the will of the people of the South-South and South-East States controlled by the PDP, using the DSS, but it will fail ultimately.

“If a Government House occupied by a Governor who enjoys the same immunity enjoys by the President as provided by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria could be invaded by a Special Squad of the DSS, it means Lawal Daura is moving this country towards dictatorship and it must be said clearly that Daura and his DSS men will definitely have Nigerians to contend with.

“As for me, I will continue to talk because Nigeria belongs to all of us. Nigeria is not a banana republic that can be ruled anyhow by anyone and Mr Lawal Daura and those urging him on should know that this reign of brute force over constitutional democracy will fail.

“This is because we have seen them operate before and here they are now, trying to take us back to that inglorious era of dictatorship and barbarism where Nigerians were treated with contempt. This time around, it is a democracy that can never accommodate that 1984 era of draconian rule.

“Most importantly, Lawal Daura and his desperate men should know that here in Nigeria of today, the power of the people is greater than the power of those in power and the people will always rise in defence of their government no matter how strong the aggression.

“It is on this note that I call on President Buhari to call Alhaji Lawal Daura to order. He should be made to know that his activities since he assumed office as the DG DSS are of growing concern to Nigerians and that he is becoming extremely controversial.

“His actions as the DG DSS are regrettable, unfortunate, condemnable and unacceptable because he has come to symbolise dictatorship, which democracy abhors.

“Alhaji Lawal Daura should know that he is holding the office of DG DSS that he presently occupies in trust for all Nigerians and such office is not one that can be turned into instrument of political witch-hunt.

“If Alhaji Daura continues with his use of the DSS to harass, intimidate and assault the constitution of Nigeria, President Buhari may have to show to Nigerians that he is not a party to the use of the security agency to witch-hunt his political opponents by sacking the DG DSS.”
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PDP can’t shut Amaechi out of political space – APC


The Rivers State Chapter of All Progressive Congress (APC) Friday declared that the witch-hunting and sponsored probe against the former Governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi by the People Democratic Party (PDP) in the state is a waste of time.

The state Deputy Chairman of APC, Prince Peter Odike while addressing the press Friday at the APC state Secretariat in Port Harcourt, said the plan for Wike led PDP in the state is to shut Amaechi out of political space which he said is impossible.


Odike said the commission of inquiry set up by Wike and the petition to Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) against Amaechi were all ground plan orchestrated by the PDP and their cohorts to deny Amaechi appointment from President Buhari’s administration.

The party recalled that, Amaechi, the former chairman of Nigerian Governors Forum for solid eight years resisted the pressure mounted by some unpatriotic elements backed by the former President Goodluck Jonathan to control the resource of the state.

He alleged that PDP plan to politically pull down Amaechi was intensified in the month of August when they realised that President Buhari is expected to name members of Federal Executive Council and other strategic appointments.

“I am calling on the elders, young men and women of Rivers State and indeed the Niger Delta Region to rise in union and to tell these few actors represented by the current occupants of the Brick House especially PDP in the state that the sound of their drums is of war.

“They want to shut out Amaechi out of political space but they can’t because their plans are evil. Their actions are becoming inimical to the progress in Rivers State. They are not happy that Amaechi fought the political battle of his life to ensure Buhari’s victory at the poll.

“We therefore enjoin the good people of Rivers State to discountenance this ill-motivated selfish and devilish campaign of calumny against the great son of Niger Delta. Rivers people should refuse to be part of any gang –up geared toward destroying what Amaechi has built in the state.”
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Eaglets defeat Brazil in South Korea



Nigeria Golden Eaglets shot to the top of the Continental Cup Tournament after defeating Brazil 2-1 in Suwon, South Korea, Friday.

The Nigerian youngsters lead the four-nation tournament with four points following their 1-1 draw with hosts South Korea on Wednesday, africanFootball.com reports.

Kingsley Michael and Chukwudi Agor scored two first half goals, while David Enogela conceded a second-half own goal.


The team was boosted with the arrival of skipper Kelechi Nwakali, who was a 54th minute substitute in the match.

Nigeria went into the lead through Michael in the 20th minute, when he delicately placed the ball behind Juliano after the burly goalkeeper deflected Victor Oshimen’s powerful shot into his path.

The reigning world champions scored again 12 minutes later when Osimhen laid the ball on the path of Agor who shot from acute angle to score his first goal in national team colours.

The Brazilians swooped on the Eaglets in the second half and Evander saw his shot ricocheted off the bar in the 54th minute and goalkeeper Udoh Akpan was at his best to punch away Vitinho’s volley in the 60th minute.
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Nigerian Army bans use of horses in Borno



The 7 Division Nigerian Army in Maiduguri has called on the general public especially traditional rulers in Borno State to stop the use of horses as Boko Haram have resorted to it as a means of transportation.

The warning was given by the spokesman of the Division Col. Tukur Gusau at the destruction of dry fish worth millions of naira that was seized from the Boko Haram insurgents at different locations in Borno State.



He warned that the terrorists have resorted to use of horses, while calling on the general public especially traditional rulers to stop ridding on horses for the meantime, stressing that anyone found using a horse would be considered as an insurgents.

Colonel Tukur Gusau informed that the seized fish was another source of funding for the terrorists that has been truncated.

He disclosed that the seized fish consist of 2,000 cartons of smoke fish and dry meat that the insurgents carted away from innocent traders.

Colonel Gusau said; “we invited you to witnessed the burning of N2, 000 cartons and smoke fish and smoke meat, which they use in funding their terrorism.”

He explained that all revenue sources of the insurgents have been blocked both their sources of fuel supply and food.

Col. Gusau boasted that all terrorists’ logistics would be destroyed and peace restored to all areas.

The Army called on the general public to continued assistance to support “Operation Lafiya Dole” by promptly reporting suspicious movement of vehicles or persons loaded with supplies meant for Boko Haram terrorists.
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Nigeria is one of world’s worst business destinations — World Bank


Despite improving five steps on its ranking last year, Nigeria emerged one of the worst business destinations, the 2015 World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business ranking has showed.

Nigeria ranked 170 among 189 economies covered in the 2015 edition, released on Thursday.
The improvement, which showed a 3.61 percent improvement from 43.72 percent points in 2014 to 47.33 percent points in 2015, reflected the country’s movement from the 175th position in 2014 to its current this year.



In sub-Saharan Africa, the report showed that Nigeria ranked 36 out of 47, barely above other struggling economies like Zimbabwe, Liberia, Mauritania, Congo Republic, Guinea Bissau, Angola, Congo Democratic Republic, Chad, South Sudan, Central African Republic and Eritrea.

The thrust of the report showed that entrepreneurs in 123 economies saw improvements in their local regulatory framework in 2014.

Between June 2013 and June 2014, the report documented 230 business reforms, with 145 reforms aimed at reducing the complexity and cost of complying with business regulation.

About 85 reforms aimed at strengthening legal institutions – with sub-Saharan Africa accounting for the largest number of such reforms, took place during the year.

The report identified Tajikistan, Benin, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Trinidad and Tobago, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Azerbaijan, Ireland and the United Arab Emirates as the economies that improved the most during the year in areas tracked by Doing Business.

These 10 top improving economies, the report noted, had implemented 40 regulatory reforms making it easier to do business in their respective environments.

The case studies highlighted good practices in eight of the areas measured by Doing Business indicators.

These included the growing efficiency of company registries in starting a business; zoning and urban planning in dealing with construction permits; measuring quality of land administration in registering property, and importance of registries in getting credit.

It also included going beyond related-party transactions in protecting minority investors; trends before and after the financial crisis in paying taxes; judicial efficiency supporting freedom of contract in enforcing contracts; and measuring strength of insolvency laws in resolving insolvency.

Out of 189 economies, Nigeria improved by nine steps from 138 in 2014 to 129 in 2015 in the starting business, while dropping three places in dealing with construction permits category, declining from the 168 ranking to 171.

The country’ best performance, the report showed, was in getting credit to start business, rising 73 spots from the 125 ranking in 2014 to 52 in the current report.

Although the country did not record any change in her 2014 ranking in terms of registering property and trading across borders, the country slipped marginally by two spots in her ranking on paying taxes and resolving insolvency – 177 to 179, and 129 to 131 positions respectively.

The country also dropped one step each in terms of protecting minority investors (dropping from 61 to 60 position), and enforcing contracts (from 139 to 140).

Details of the report showed that to register a company name in the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, and pay the mandatory fees at the CAC bank desk, a fresh businessman required a minimum of 11 days. It would, however, take a week to prepare the requisite incorporation documents and stamp duty for the company’s Memorandum and Article of Association.

Similarly, the report said it would take an average of five days to complete the reservation of a unique company name at the CAC after the payment for the mandatory application fees.

To get the declaration of compliance (Form CAC 4) signed before a Commissioner for Oaths or notary public, a businessman would have to wait for a whole day.

It would take the same duration to attempt to make a company seal and registration of a business premises with the Lagos state government, for instance, as well as pay the business premises levy at designated bank.

To register for income tax and the value added tax at the Federal Inland Revenue Service the report said the businessman would require a minimum of four days, while it would take about two days to register for personal income tax pay as you earn, PAYE, at the state tax office.
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Nigeria on progress path under Buhari – Atiku


Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar said on Friday that although the nation is moving at a perceived slow pace at the moment, President Muhammadu Buhari has reinforced the confidence that “Nigeria is on the path of progress and bright future.”


In a press statement issued by his media office in Abuja, Atiku said the first 100 days in office of President Buhari clearly indicated that Nigeria is witnessing a marked departure from the culture of impunity, inertia and apathy in governance.

He added that Nigerians have seen proofs that the country is already moving in the right direction, a development he attributed to Buhari’s leadership style.

The ex- vice president explained that when leaders lead by example, they will automatically inspire confidence in the populace.

Atiku insisted that the Buhari administration has succeeded in blocking revenue leakages and diversions, saying he was proud to be part of the change movement.

He said the Boko Haram terrorists, for the first time, are facing a fiercer response from newly motivated armed forces.
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Why kerosene-for-aviation fuel scandal must be probed – Keyamo


Lagos-based lawyer, Festus Keyamo, on Friday demanded an immediate probe of the allegation that household kerosene was distributed as aviation fuel by some oil marketers with a consequential danger to human lives.

“On Thursday, September 3, 2015, the media was awash with a scary story of how some unscrupulous oil marketers now sell household kerosene as aviation fuel all in a bid to make astronomical and criminal profit at the expense of thousands of human life.

“This exposé, if found to be true, can best be described as the height of man’s inhumanity to man,” Keyamo said in a statement made available to newsmen.


Keyamo quoted reports as saying that some oil marketers in Nigeria now substitute household kerosene, HHK, for jet A1 (aviation fuel) which is believed to be one of the causes of the plane crashes the country had experienced recently.

Two helicopter crashes have occurred in recent times, one in Lagos and the other in Kaduna.

“The reports also have it that the said kerosene is sold by the PPMC at the ex-depot and regulated price of N40.90 per litre with the objective of reselling to the average Nigerians at the pump price of N50.00 per litre.

“However, given the fact that the said HHK share some physical and chemical properties with Jet A1 aviation fuel, some marketers have resorted to diverting it to the aviation industry and now sell it to both local and international airline operators in place of aviation fuel at the rate of N140 per litre.


“The dangerous implications of the use of household kerosene (HHK) as aviation fuel are listed to include the following: significant damage to the aircraft and engine, fuel system corrosion, clogging of fuel filtration components, failure of aircraft fuel system instrumentation and stopping of the fuel supply to the engine during flight.

“In effect, the use of HHK as aviation fuel portends a serious and grievous threat to the flying public,” he said.

Saying this was a clarion call for President Muhammadu Buhari to set up a high-level inquiry to investigate the nefarious activities of these oil marketers and airlines that engage in the dastardly act, Keyamo said such investigation would help to ensure safety of lives and properties in the aviation industry.

“Your Excellency, I most humbly urge you to continue to remain firm and resolute in your resolve to fight corruption and impunity in all facets of our national life.

“It would appear that the oil industry in Nigeria stinks to high heavens and the earlier you descend on it with the full weight of the law, the better for all of us,” Keyamo said.
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INEC worried over poor turnout of Continuous Voters’ Registration in Bayelsa


The Bayelsa State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Baritor Kpagih, has complained about the poor turnout of residents for the ongoing Continuous Voters’ Registration (CVR).

Kpagih on Friday, while commending on the exercise, however complained about the low turnout of residents, reports the News Agency of Nigeria.



He said that political parties and other critical stakeholders did not do enough to mobilise the people to participate in the exercise.

The REC also attributed the low turnout to the riverine nature of most parts of the state that are only accessible only through creeks.
The exercise which started on Wednesday, September 2, is expected to end on Monday, September 7.

Kpagih opined that the exercise in the state is to ensure that eligible voters were not disenfranchised during December 5 governorship election in the state.

He added that anyone that has registered more than once will be fished out and the affected person name will be deleted from the voters’ register.
Meanwhile, a youth group in Bayelsa called Youth Forum for Progressive Chnage had advised the state governor, Seriake Dickson to step down from the forthcoming election in the state.

The group told the governor to withdraw from the race if he is too scared of the calibre of persons contesting against him saying that it is not a do or die affair to rule the state.
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Nigerian Army destroys food recovered from Boko Haram



The Nigerian Army on Friday destroyed 2,000 cartons of dried fish and smoked meat recovered from suspected Boko Haram insurgents.


Col. Tukur Gusau, spokesman for the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maiduguri, supervised the public destruction of the items in Maiduguri.


Gusau said the items were recovered by the military after different operations in parts of the state.

“The cartons of dried fish and smoked meat are believed to have been seized from innocent fishermen and businessmen.

“The smoked meat was suspected to be made from rustled cows by the insurgents, who later sell them at ridiculous amount to finance their terrorists activities,” he said.

Gusau then called on members of the public to continue supporting security agents by reporting any suspicious movement of persons or vehicles loaded with supplies meant for Boko Haram terrorists enclaves.

(NAN)
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DSS plans to kidnap Akwa Ibom governor, PDP alleges


The Peoples Democratic Party has alleged that the operatives of Department of State Services are planning to kidnap the Governor of Akwa Ibom state, Mr. Udom Emmanuel.

The party, in Abuja on Friday, alleged further that recent actions by the DSS under the leadership of Mr. Lawan Daura was a reminiscent of the era of a former Director General of the defunct National Security Organization, Lawal Rafindadi, who served under President Muhammadu Buhari as military head of state.

‎Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, made this known when he hosted the Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Seriake Dickson, when the latter visited the party’s national secretariat to submit his governorship nomination form.


The Independent National Electoral Commission had fixed governorship election in Kogi and Bayelsa States for November 21 and December 5 respectively.

Secondus alleged further that operatives of the DSS on Friday invaded the Government House in Akwa Ibom State, claiming that the motive was to kidnap governor.

He, therefore, accused the DSS of attempt to execute what he called “a civilian coup d’état in the state,” adding that the security operatives reportedly combed the entire Government House in search of the governor.

He asked the international community to “intervene because the action of the DSS was influenced by a plot by the All Progressives Congress-led government to forcefully take away PDP controlled states of Abia, Delta, Taraba, Rivers and Akwa Ibom at all cost.

“‎Let me alert this nation that there was a civilian coup d’état in Akwa-Ibom State where the Department of State Security, headed by Lawan Daura, invaded the Government House in Akwa-Ibom, ransacked the entire Government House, looking for the governor (Udom Emmanuel) to kidnap.

“we want to alert this nation that this is part of the strategy of APC and its Federal Government to forcefully take Akwa-Ibom, Rivers, Abia and Taraba States by force because they are not satisfied with the control of the Federal Government.

“They still want to takeover by force all the states controlled by PDP. This nation belongs to all, to both PDP and APC, a situation where, consistently, the DSS has assaulted states controlled by PDP, the international community should be aware of what is going on. Is this democracy? Is this how PDP ruled in 16 years?”

“We want to advise and point out to the President that we will not tolerate this anti-democratic arrangement by APC and DSS because it will be a reincarnation of Rafindadi days when he was in charge of SSS.

“This is exactly the format. Daura is a reincarnation of Rafindadi. And Nigerians are not ready for what happened 30 years.

“This is a clear warning that they should desist from taking laws into their hands.”

Dickson has, however, said there is no rift between him and the former first lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, insisting that the former first lady is in the fore front in his bid for re-election.

He said,”As a rule, I do not want to be talking about my elder bother’s wife. There is no rift between us and she is campaigning everywhere for my re-election.

“I am here to submit my nomination form. You have seen my supporters from all parts of the state.”
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