Shell to pull out of 10 countries

Royal Dutch Shell says it will exit oil and gas operations in 10 countries in a drive to deepen cost cuts and narrow its focus.

Speaking in London on Tuesday, Ben van Beurden, Shell’s chief executive officer, said the cuts were due to the company’s $54 billion acquisition of BG Group.

He expressed hope that the new cuts would help to boost Shell’s shares, which he said had underperformed rivals since the BG deal was announced in April 2015.

Although Van Beurden did not say which countries the company might exit, reports have it that Shell is planning to sell its assets in Gabon.

Van Beurden, however, added that the company would focus its short-term growth on deepwater projects in Brazil and the Gulf of Mexico.

“Deepwater production could double to some 900,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2020,” he said.

“Our strategy should lead to a simpler company, with fundamentally advantaged positions, and fundamentally lower capital intensity.

“Today, we are setting out a transformation of Shell.”

The merger makes Shell the world’s second biggest international oil company behind Exxon Mobil and the top LNG trader.

In the long term, the company said it would target shale oil and gas production in North America and Argentina as well as renewable energies hydrogen, solar and wind.

Shell plans to sell $30 billion worth of assets around the world by 2018 and announce it plans to implement a share buyback programme.

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I was not involved in any $1.6bn scam, says Adoke

Mohammed Adoke

Mohammed Adoke, former attorney-general of the federation, has denied being involved in any local judgment scam.

Reacting to report in an online publication, Adoke said his detractors were trying to use the current anti-graft war of the current administration as an avenue to nail him.

Adoke said some civil society organisations petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on the issue without having facts to substantiate their claims.

“My attention has been drawn to a publication by an online medium. My initial reaction was to dismiss it as the handiwork of mischief-makers who are hell bent on pitching me against anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies especially the EFCC in order to instigate and/or precipitate spurious investigations against my person to settle personal scores,” he said in a statement.

“I was however advised otherwise particularly as government’s current war against corruption has unwittingly created an enabling environment for mischief, harassment, fraud and revenge to thrive through malicious petitions against perceived enemies with the sole aim of disparaging them and bringing them to public odium.

“While I cannot decipher the motivations of the Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC) that has reportedly petitioned the EFCC “to investigate a court judgment obtained by the 774 local government councils in the country, ordering the Federal Government to pay them $3.188billion and the diversion of $1.6billion” and their antecedents, I am however surprised that they could make such weighty allegation without any factual basis.

“I wish to state categorically that I was not at any time involved in the alleged diversion of the sum of $1.6billion paid pursuant to the judgment of the Court or any other sums of money.”

Adoke said upon his assumption of office in 2010, he embarked on reforms that engender transparency in the ministry.

He argued that if truly he benefitted from the deal, how come his name only appeared in the headline and not in any other part of the story.

“It will be recalled that when I assumed office in 2010, one of the reforms measures I initiated was the decentralization of payment of judgment debts, which was before then, domiciled in the federal ministry of justice,” he said.

“It is instructive to note that the publication detailed the names of individuals and corporate entities to which monies were allegedly paid. I am not mentioned as an individual beneficiary and therefore find it mischievous and malicious that my name featured prominently in the aforementioned headline.

“I therefore urge my well-wishers and other Nigerians who have expressed concern over the publication to be rest assured that I was not a party to any unwholesome act or diversion of public funds as alleged.

“The EFCC has no reason to investigate me on the strength of this frivolous petition. I reiterate that in all my public service, my only motivation was the desire to serve my fatherland and contribute my quota to the development of our great country.”

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Aliko Dangote Foundation N10Million Ramadan Donation Rejected In Abuja, 10 Truck Loads Of Gift Returned

 Aliko Dangote Foundation N10Million Ramadan Food Donation Rejected In Abuja, 10 Truck Loads Of Gift Meant For IDPs Returned

In a rather surprising and shocking manner, highly-placed officials in the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) rejected donation of food items from the Dangote Foundation meant for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Abuja.

The food items were reportedly offered in the spirit of Ramadan.

The foundation reportedly went to the minister’s office to deliver the multi-million naira items such as sugar, salt, spaghetti, rice, Danvita, and wheat meal only for the gifts to be rejected.

All entreaties that the food items were meant for distribution to the needy like the IDPs fell on deaf ears.

The foundation, owned by the richest man in Africa, as part of its mandate to give, especially in the holy month of Ramadan for the indigent and the vulnerable in the society has the tradition of donating money and food materials to the less privileged and victims of other disasters across the country.

Ramadan supplies are delivered to the 36 states, including FCT every year and state governors assign a contact person to receive the items which are delivered in trucks on behalf of the governor before distribution to the identified beneficiaries by the state government.

Some residents of the FCT expressed dismay at the action of highlu-placed officials of the FCTA ministry and wondered how the plight of the IDPs would be addressed during Ramadan as the items were meant for them and no one elsewhere.

Callers at the FCT secretariat at Area 11, it was gathered, were said to be very displeased on hearing of rejection of the food items, which they believe would have made the IDP camp in Abuja and other vulnerable feel the good side of Ramadan.

According to them, the reason behind the rejection of the food items cannot be justified because those in the IDPs camp are hungry and some of them are dying.

A Dangote Foundation source confirmed that as at the time of filing this report, about 31 states had already taken deliveries of their items and some have started the distribution. It was learnt that 106 trucks of food items are on their way to Maiduguri, the Borno State capital in fulfillment of Dangote’s promise to make this Ramadan fulfilling for the IDPs in the states.

The latest donation of food items was coming shortly after the foundation donated N2 billion for the rehabilitation of the IDPs in various camps in Borno State.

The source said Dangote Foundation had in the past supported victims of disasters with monetary and food items donations. Food items were donated to the victims of post 2011 elections in some parts of the North while victims of flood disaster across the country were also helped with various food items and other materials.

According to him, Dangote Foundation also took its charity abroad when in 2015, it donated $1 million to support the government of Nepal to rehabilitate the victims of two devastating earth quakes that ravaged the country that year in quick succession.

The foundation also donated $500, 000 to the government of the Republic of Niger to support victims of meningitis outbreak in the country.

[NAN]

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EGCG Extract In Green Tea Can Cure Down Syndrome – Neurologists

Epigallocatechin Gallate Extract, EGCG Compound Found In Green Tea Can Treat Down Syndrome – Neurologists

A chemical found in green tea could improve the cognitive abilities of those with Down’s syndrome. This is the findings of a study published in the journal ‘Lancet Neurology’.

According to a report in the Belfast Telegraph, the researchers found ‘epigallocatechin gallate’ – which is especially present in green tea but can also be found in white and black teas – combined with cognitive stimulation, improved visual memory and led to more adaptive behaviour.

‘Epigallocatechin gallate’ the most abundant catechin in tea, is a polyphenol under basic research for its potential to affect human health and disease. EGCG is used in many dietary supplements. Down syndrome is a chromosomal condition that is associated with intellectual disability, a characteristic facial appearance, and weak muscle. It occurs when an individual has a full or partial extra copy of chromosome 21.

Dr. Rafael de la Torre, who led the year-long clinical trial along with Dr. Mara Dierrssen, said: “The results suggest that individuals who received treatment with the green tea compound, together with the cognitive stimulation protocol, had better scores in their cognitive capacities.”

The team also conducted neuro-imaging tests on the 84 participants, who were all aged between 16 and 34-years-old, to determine whether the improvement was attributable to physical or neurophysiological changes in the brain.

[Belfast Telegraph]

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Photo: Lagos Football Academy Player Crushed To Death In Akwa Ibom State

Scene of the crash

Picture: Lagos Football Academy Player Crushed To Death In Akwa Ibom State

 Abasiono Ubom a 15-year-old boy from Ikot Obioffong village in Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State was crushed to death by a Toyota Camry car with registration number FU 482 PHC Rivers. The incident occurred yesterday on Aka-Nung Udoe Road.

It was learnt that the late Ubom was a budding footballer contracted by a football academy in Lagos. According to sources, he was in Akwa Ibom State to attend his aunt’s funeral and was expected to return to Lagos at weekend.

Witnesses said the deceased had gone with his cousin, Aniekan, a nursing mother, to buy a mobile phone recharge voucher, when the driver swerved from the road, rammed into the shop where they were.

Ubom died on the spot while Aniekan is said to be in a stable condition in a nearby clinic. It was learnt that Aniekan’s legs were crushed and might be amputated. The driver, who escaped unhurt, was handed over to the police by the residents of the area.

When our correspondent visited the house of deceased, his weeping family members said they were not in the mood to talk.

[Daily Sun]

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Armed Robbers In Army Uniform Attacked Lord Chosen Pastor At Police Checkpoint In Ebonyi

Beware! Armed Robbers Now Wearing Military Uniform, Lord Chosen Pastor Attacked At Military Checkpoint In Ebonyi

Pastor Elijah Okechukwu of The Lord Chosen Church in Onueke Ebonyi state was reportedly attacked by some robbers wearing military uniforms in Amuzu area of Ebonyi while returning from the state capital.

The robbers flagged him down and dispossessed him of valuable items including his Golf-3 car.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP George Okaforn who confirmed the incident to our Correspondent, said the victim thought it was soldiers who flagged him down.

“The cleric stopped when he was flagged down thinking that it was Army officers at the check point, not knowing that they were robbers and on getting to the point, another person emerged from the bush wearing mufti. And the two of them collected his LG and Techno phones, took his Golf-3 car.

“They took his vehicle and ordered him to go back into the car and they drove him while the one wearing army uniform was driving, the one on mufti was following them on the back on a motorcycle,” he stated.

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SO SO SAD!!!! Former Super Eagles Coach, Stephen Keshi, is dead

Stephen Keshi

One of the most iconic captains of the Nigerian national football team, the Super Eagles, and former coach of the team, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, is dead, his family has announced.

He was 54.

Emmanuel Ado a brother to the late coach told PREMIUM TIMES the 54-year-old died of Cardiac arrest in the early hours of Wednesday, June 8.

“With thanksgiving to God, the Ogbuenyi Fredrick Keshi family of Illah in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, announces the death of Mr. Stephen Okechukwu Chinedu Keshi,” Mr. Ado said in a statement.

He continued “Our son, brother, father, father-in-law, brother-in-law, has gone to be with his wife of 35 years (Nkem ), Mrs. Kate Keshi, who passed on on the 9th December 2015.

“Since her death, Keshi has been in mourning. He came back to Nigeria to be with her. He had planned to fly back today Wednesday, before he suffered a cardiac arrest. He has found rest.”

Though deeply mourning the shock exit, Mr. Ado said the family remained grateful to God for the life spent by the Big Boss.

Mr. Keshi had lost his wife of 35 years, Kate, to cancer last December.

Mr Keshi, popularly called the Big Boss, is the only Nigerian coach to have won the Africa Cup of Nations.

He also became the second person in history to win the competition as a player and as a coach after Mahmoud El-Gohary of Egypt when he led the Super Eagles to win the tournament in 2013 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

He rose to national prominence when debuted for the Super Eagles in 1981 at age 20. The late Central Defender withdrew from the national team in 1994. He had 64 caps and scored nine goals.

As coach, he qualified an unlikely Togolese national team for the 2006 World Cup in Germany but was sacked and replaced with German Otto Pfister, just before the tournament.

He however, achieved his dream to manage a team at the World Cup when he coached the Super Eagles side to the tournament in 2014.

He is the fifth member of the glorious 1994 Super Eagles team to die, after Uche Okafor, Thompson Oliha, Rashidi Yekini and Wilfred Agbonavbare.

He is survived by four children and his mother.

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Alleged travel ban: Fayose petitions UN, US, NHRC, others

The petition signed by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Kolawole Oluwawole, was submitted Tuesday in Abuja, to NHRC’s Executive Secretary, Professor Bem Angwe, who assured that his commission will investigate the petition.

The Deputy Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Segun Adewumi who submitted the petition, was accompanied by the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Gboyega Aribisogan and Chairman House Committee on Health, Dr Samuel Omotoso.

The petition reads: “We write to bring to your attention another impending infringement on the rights of the Governor of our State, Mr Ayodele Fayose and by extension the entire Ekiti by the Federal Government.

“A few weeks ago, our governor was reliably informed that President Mohammadu Buhari had directed that he should be banned from traveling outside Nigeria. This reliable information was to be confirmed through reports in two major national dailies on Sunday, May 29, 2016 titled; ‘2 govs under watch, face travel.


“From our findings, one of the governors being referred to is our own governor, Peter Ayodele Fayose and we wish to state like we have always done that we, the members of Ekiti State House of Assembly are with the governor on everything that he does.

“Even ordinary Nigerians do not require clearance from the Department of State Services (DSS) or any security agency to travel outside Nigeria unless in compliance with court order, and as at today, there is no court order placing travel restriction on our governor, Ayodele Fayose. Issues concerning Governor Fayose cannot even be entertained in any court by virtue of the immunity he enjoys as provided in Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

“We however know as always that this latest plot is as a result of our governor’s critical stance on President Mohammadu Buhari’s government and its anti-people’s policies, and we make bold to say that no amount of intimidation, harassment and oppression will cowed the governor from exercising his fundamental rights to freedom of expression and to hold opinions as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended).

“We are aware that this is coming as a result of the failure of the President Buhari led APC government’s plot to use the DSS to coerce the House of Assembly members into the plot of removing the governor.

“We are also aware that plot to out-rightly take the governor ‘out of circulation’ cannot be ruled out as those advising President Buhari are said to be of the opinion that our governor has become a threat to his (Buhari) re-election bid and that everything must be done to ‘whip the governor to line’ before 2018.

“Going by the antecedents of the President Buhari-led Federal Government of Nigeria and the DSS under the President’s kinsman, Alhaji Lawal Daura, it is certain that there is nothing that cannot be attempted, no matter how unlawful.

“It should be recalled that this same DSS invaded the hallowed Chamber of the House of Assembly in our State, abducted our member, Hon Afolabi Akanni and kept him in detention for 18 days without access to anyone. Even when the court ordered that he should be released, the order was ignore. Up till today, no explanation was given for this arrest and detention.

“It should also be recalled that on April 20th, 2016, the Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti, in Suit No. FHC/AD/CS/7/2016 ordered the DSS to pay a sum of N5 million to Hon Afolabi Akanni as damages for what the court termed unlawful, illegal and unconstitutional infringement of his fundamental rights. Up till today, that judgment has not been obeyed by the DSS.

“It is therefore on the premise of display of arrogance and contempt for the laws of the country by the DSS under President Buhari that we elected to bring this latest plot to place Governor Ayodele Fayose on travel ban to your attention.

“It is worrisome that the federal government will consider the idea of compelling a sitting governor in Nigeria that enjoys Constitutional Immunity like the President to obtain clearance from the Director General DSS, who is an appointee of the President before travelling out of Nigeria.

“This to us is an affront on the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) more so that States, as federating units in Nigeria are not under the Federal Government, which itself is also a State and not superior to other federating units.

“Section 35 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) provides that; ‘Every person shall be entitled to his personal liberty and no person shall be deprived of such liberty,’ Section 39 (1) provides that; ‘Every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impact ideas and information without interference,’ while Section 41 (1) provides that ‘Every citizen of Nigeria is entitled to move freely throughout Nigeria and to reside in any part thereof, and no citizen of Nigeria shall be expelled from Nigeria or refused entry thereto or exit therefrom.’

“Article 13 (1) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to which Nigeria is a signatory provides that “Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the border of each State while Article 13 (2) provides that ‘Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and return to his country,’ ditto Article 12 (2) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

“By provisions of the Constitution of Nigeria, ordinary Nigerians do not require clearance from the DSS or any security agency to travel outside Nigeria unless travel restriction is placed by an order of the court, not to talk of State Governors that enjoy immunity just like the President and are not under the control of the President.

“Our question is; if Governor Fayose has become a threat to the security of Nigeria just because he criticises President Buhari and says the truth about his mis-governance of the country, what happens to Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended), which provided for freedom of expression and freedom to hold opinions?

“Most importantly, under a federal system of government, the states and national government both enjoy some autonomy, with sovereign power formally divided between the national government and the States such that each State retains some degree of control over its internal affairs.

“However, it appears that the laws of Nigeria are not important to the President Mohammadu Buhari led government and it has become once again necessary that we bring your attention to yet, another plot to subvert our rights as a State.

“We wish to recall that in 1984 when President Buhari was a military Head of State, late Chief Obafemi Awolowo was prevented from travelling outside Nigeria for medical treatment, thereby leading to his (Awolowo) untimely death in 1987.

“The international passports of late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade; late Emir of Kano Alhaji Ado Bayero and late Obi of Onitsha, Ofala Akulalia Alphonsus Ogugua were also seized and they were restricted to their palaces just because they travelled to Israel for business.

“We therefore wish to state on behalf of Governor Ayodele Fayose that as an opposition figure, he cannot be cowed by this pettiness from the presidency.”

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MEANWHILE… Did Fayose just commend Buhari?

The unimaginable has happened: Ayo Fayose, governor of Ekiti state, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari – probably for the first time in his life.

Fayose, who had been criticising every move and every statement of Buhari before the 2015 presidential election, has praised the president for “embracing dialogue” with Niger Delta militants who have been bombing oil and gas pipelines since February.

In a statement issued on Tuesday evening, Fayode praised the president “for listening to wise counsel” in opting to negotiate with the militants.

The federal government announced on Monday that it would scale down military operations and send a delegation led by the national security adviser, Babagana Monguno, a retired major general, to dialogue with the militants.

“The Niger Delta region as at today is still the golden goose laying the golden eggs on which all other regions are surviving and it will be suicidal for military action to be sustained against the militants,” Fayose said.

He added a low blow, though, saying he was happy that “for the first time, the president took to advice and suspended military actions in the Niger Delta and opted to dialogue with the militants”.

Fayose, who famously placed a newspaper advert warning that Buhari was too ill to be president, is yet to comment on the ailment that has seen him travel abroad for treatment.

However, he said the president’s approach to civil unrests of any kind had caused more security problems in the country.

“The president must stop talking tough on issues that dialogue can resolve,” he said, adding that the “hardline” approach of Buhari had already cost Nigeria billions of dollars in revenue.

“If our daily crude oil production of 2.2 million barrels per day had been sustained, Nigeria would have been having savings in the Excess Crude Account by now,” he said.

“Crude oil bench mark is $38 per barrel while the oil is now being sold at $50 per barrel, meaning that we would have been having $12 per barrel saved in the Excess Crude Account.”

He urged members of the negotiation committee to see the assignment giving to them as one that is highly important to the
revival of the country’s economy, saying that they should not act in anyway that will suggest that they were not sincere.

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Indian minister asks his country to ban Nigerians

Ravi Naik

Ravi Naik, a former minister in India, has asked his country’s authorities to impose a ban on Nigerians.

According to The Times of India, Naik made this statement while speaking to reporters.

“The Central government should ban Nigerians,” he reportedly said at a press conference.

Referring to Nigerians as “negroes”, the politician accused them of causing trouble “everywhere”.

“Even the Aam Aami Party leaders had a fight with Nigerians in Bengaluru,” he said.

“They create problems everywhere… We do not want Nigerian tourists.”

He accused some Nigerians in Goa, a state in the Asian country, of masquerading as students, demanding a probe into their activities.

Kiran Kandolkar, Goa spokesman, has demanded an apology from Naik over the controversial statement.

“Ravi Naik should tender an apology. The statements made by Naik are insulting and uncalled for,” he told reporters on Tuesday.

India is one of the countries which President Muhammadu Buhari has visited since he came to power.

During the trip, the Nigerian leader met with the country’s prime minister and other top government officials.

Both countries also pledged to strengthen their bilateral relationship.

Buhari also met with the Nigerian community there and assured them of his government’s commitment to their well-being.

Though Nigerians are used to being criticised all over the world, disparaging remarks like that of Naik is not a common occurrence.

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