Manufacturers Return To Black Market For Forex

The scarcity of foreign exchange from the official window has compelled some manufacturers to source funds from the black market in order to keep their business going.

In the coming months, affected manufacturing firms say consumers may have to pay about 100 per cent more than what they currently pay for locally manufactured products.

Some manufacturers say they have been on queue to access forex for a period ranging from six months to one year without making any progress.

“While you wait endlessly like this, your production suffers and you do not have products to sell to your customers,” the Managing Director of Mojec Metering, Chantel Abdul, said.

When In June, the Central Bank of Nigeria dropped its fixed exchange rate strategy and adopted a flexible exchange rate, the move was seen as one that would bring enough supply of forex.

Although the new official rate was put at N280, the President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Dr. Frank Jacobs, agreed that though it was high but that there should be more dollars in circulation than in the previous months.

The Director General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Muda Yusuf, said of the policy, “The Chamber believes that this policy choice offers an improvement in the efficiency of foreign exchange allocation in the economy, improvement of liquidity in the foreign exchange market, reduction in the current trade arrears, reduction in the arrears of remittances.”

Contrary to all expectations, however, the foreign exchange market has become very illiquid and all efforts made to redeem the situation by the apex bank have yielded no respite to the manufacturing sector.

It was gathered that the CBN’s directive that 60 per cent of the forex supply in the system should go to the manufacturing sector had failed as manufacturers are unable to benefit from the policy months after the apex bank initiated it.

A reliable source in one of the commercial banks told our correspondent that banks were under a lot of pressure because of high forex demand from customers.

“There is very limited supply of forex and a lot of people are coming for the supply. The banks do not even have the forex not to talk of giving 60 per cent to a particular sector,” the source said.

An analyst and professor of Economics, Leo Ukpong, explained that the situation could not be helped, adding that the dollar was a foreign currency that Nigeria had no control over and so could not determine its supply or rate.

Already prices of some household items that are manufactured locally have been rising almost every day following the increase in the cost of production.

For instance, a tablet of toilet soap, which sold for between N25 and N30 a few months ago, was offered on Friday for N100; while the price of 1kg of Omo sachet had gone up to N600 from N350 two months ago.

A major household products manufacturer, PZ Cussons, said sometimes in April that it was producing with dollars sourced at the parallel market rate of N320, at a time when the Federal Government pegged the official exchange rate of the dollar at N197. The dollar currently exchanges for N450 to N470 at the parallel market.

PUNCH

Robbers Attack Union Bank In Delta With Dynamite, Cart Off N25m.

UGHELLI—DARE-devil robbers, weekend, attacked an Ughelli branch of Union Bank, and carted away N25 million after blowing up the bank’s vault with dynamite.

It was gathered that the hoodlums, who were dressed in army camouflage, used dynamite and welding tools to break into the ATM inside the bank and the bank’s vault, where a bulk of the cash was kept.

An auditor of the bank, who was sent from the Benin regional office for the regular auditing of the bank’s branch, estimated that about N25 million was stolen from the bank.

Confirming the incident yesterday, a staff of the bank, who spoke on condition of anonymity, disclosed that the bank’s manager and some senior staff were arrested and taken to Asaba for questioning in connection with the incident.

Giving details of the incident, the staff said: “The security guards were tied up while the operation lasted.

“Though they spared the ATM outside the bank premises, they used dynamite to blow up the ATM inside the bank and drilled their way through into the bank’s vault.”

SOURCE

Mavins Record Officially Signs Iyanya (photos).

Mavins record boss, Donjazzy just tweeted what you see below and Iyanya also confirmed. First Iyanya signed a management deal with Temple Productions. Now he's apparently left his own Made Men Music Group label to join Mavin Records.

http://www.lailasblog.com/2016/10/mavins-record-officially-sign-iyanya.html

Army Orders 50,000 Aba-Made Boots - Receives Praise.

Saraki lauds Nigerian Army for buying Aba-Made Boots

By Henry Umoru.

ABUJA – SENATE President Bukola Saraki has hailed the Nigerian Army for its decision to purchase 50,000 pairs of shoes from local manufacturers in Aba for the use of officers and soldiers. According to him, the move shows that the military was living up to its billing as an institution that can play vital roles in boosting the national economy, adding that the military’s decision to patronise Made in Nigeria footwear was a good example which shows the force as a pace setter and a truly national institution which is ready to contribute its quota in ending the present economic recession in the country.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki who is a long-time champion of the Buy Made in Nigerian campaign and has been a major supporter of the Aba local manufacturers, however urged all the other military and para-military forces like the Air Force, navy, police, civil defence corps and the National Youth Service Corps to emulate the army by immediately banning the purchase of all imported foot wears in preference for locally produced ones.

Saraki who urged the military and paramilitary agencies not to limit their patronage and promotion of Made in Nigeria goods to only shoes but to other items that can be sourced locally, also praised the Air Force for the co-operation as it was forging with the Innoson Motor Group in the area of manufacturing of some air plane parts. He said, “This is the essence of the amendment of the Public Procurement Act by the Senate since June. The new law compels all Ministries, Department and Agencies of government to compulsorily give preference to goods and services which can be sourced locally.

We believe one of the gains that our country will derive from this recession is to make our people look inward and patronise locally made goods. “Patronage of Made-in-Nigeria goods is an obvious panacea for our economic problems. We will by doing that increase our Gross Domestic Product (GDP), empower our youths, challenge their creativity, increase revenue generation ability of state governments and improve on the sense of self pride and patriotism of Nigerians.”

The Senate President who advised state and federal governments to encourage local manufacturers by providing them with necessary infrastructure, soft loans, patronage and helping them to improve on the quality of their goods as well as facilitating their ability to access the export market, also implored organised groups like the National Economic Summit Group (NESG), associations in the field of marketing communications and others who can help in the areas of goods packaging, sales promotion and quality enhancement to engage the local manufacturers and see how they can help them broaden their reach and produce goods that can be sold across the world. He said, “We have an opportunity to turn our challenge to prosperity. We can create mass employment and make the private sector centre of our economy if we can make our small and medium enterprises to prosper. This is a task for all of us and this promotion of Made-in-Nigeria is a cardinal point in the Agenda of the present Senate.”

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/10/saraki-lauds-nigerian-army-for-buying-aba-made-shoes/

Man treks from Lagos to Zaria for lover

Samson Folarin

A 26-year-old man, Tunde Agbaje, has reportedly trekked from the Ketu area of Lagos State to Zaria in Kaduna State.

PUNCH Metro learnt that Agbaje, who is the cousin of a former People’s Democratic Party gubernatorial candidate in Lagos State, Jimi Agbaje, went on the adventure to prove his love for a lady, Sharon Donald.

Our correspondent gathered that 26-year-old Donald is the daughter of a former governor of a state in the South-South and had recently travelled to New York, United States of America.

It was learnt that Agbaje and Donald had met in Ikoyi, Lagos State, and had been friends for the past six years, but she had turned down his marriage proposal several times.

Agbaje said he decided to trek to Zaria to prove his love for Donald, adding that he was on the road for 19 days.

The Lagos State indigene was reportedly received on Friday, October 21, by the Chief Security Officer of the Ahmadu Bello University, Col J.K. Tukur; and the protocol office of the Emir of Zaria.

He was later taken to a hospital where he was reportedly treated for the injuries he sustained during the trek, which was monitored by a GPS tracker.

Narrating how he met Donald, Agbaje said, “I was with my friends sometime in 2010 and while we were discussing about ladies, I said I wished God would just show me my wife anytime soon.

“About five minutes later, we were hungry and I went to get food on Awolowo Road. It was my first day at that eatery. I was waiting to be served when she walked in. Coincidentally, that day was also her first day there.  I observed that there was a love image at the back of the trousers she put on.

“She approached me and asked what she could buy and I advised her. We later exchanged contacts and became friends. That was how my love for her started growing. We met several times afterwards.”

Agbaje said some months later, he decided to open up on his feelings for Donald, but she turned him down.

He said he persisted, adding that when Donald didn’t bulge, he decided to do “what no man can do for her.”

“I chose to trek to Zaria because her parents dated for six years in ABU, Zaria, before they got married. I didn’t let my parents know and to ensure I was not disturbed, I changed my SIM card. I took a tracker along with me to monitor my movements. I never took a bus at any time. It was a tough task and I even collapsed some of the times. I took off from Ketu on October 2 and arrived in Zaria on Thursday, October 20, around 4.15pm.

“I have no regret for what I have done. I have proved my love for her, even though she didn’t reciprocate my feeling. I believe even if she gets married to another person, nobody will ever be able to do what I did for her,” Agbaje added.

Our correspondent was told that the CSO of ABU, Tukur, called Donald to ask if she was aware of Agbaje’s adventure, which she acknowledged.

She, however, didn’t state if she would accept his proposal.

The head of the protocol office of the Emir of Zaria, Mr. Abubakar Ladan, told our correspondent on the telephone that Agbaje was received at the palace. He added that the emir had stepped out when he arrived.

“I had a brief chat with him and after telling us his mission, we prayed for him and wished him the best,” he added.

When our correspondent contacted Donald, she said she knew Agbaje was embarking on the trek, adding that she warned him against it.

She said she had never had any relationship with him, describing him as a stalker.

She said, “Tunde (Agbaje) has been harassing and stalking me for the past six years and as far as I am concerned, this is just a new escapade in a series of his harassment.

“I met Tunde at a church when I was living in Lagos and we were both part of the youth ministry. He never had a friendship, let alone a relationship, with me. I was in a music group and some of the youths had my phone number, including him.

“He later found out where I lived and came to my house. My mum warned him to leave me alone, but he refused.   I changed my phone number and moved to the US, but I don’t know how he got my contact. I have stopped picking calls from Nigeria because of him.

 “He later called me and said he was going to trek to prove his love for me in a non-violent way and I told him not to do it because he could die. I said that not because I cared, but just for Christian charity. This guy is mentally unstable, because how can you still be stalking a woman who has turned you down for six years?”


PUNCH

Edo court convicts 245 sanitation offenders

Alexander Okere, Benin.

NO fewer than 245 persons have been convicted by mobile courts for various sanitation offences in Benin, the Edo State capital.

 It was learnt that the convicts were arrested during the monthly sanitation exercise on Saturday and arraigned before the mobile courts, which sat at Ramat Park and Sapele Road.

While some of the offenders were convicted for wandering during the monthly exercise, others were convicted for preventing sanitation officials from discharging their duties.


The offences were said to have violated the Edo State Sanitation and Pollution Management Law No. 5 of 2010.

 A senior state counsel in the Ministry of Justice, Samson Erhaze, said 52 out of the 58 persons arraigned at Ramat Park were convicted while six were discharged.

“The accused were either sentenced to three days imprisonment or made to pay N2,000 fines as option,” Erhaze added.

According to the Head of Legal Services in the state Ministry of Environment, Pius Oiwoh, a total 193 offenders were convicted by the mobile court on Sapele road.

A Director in the state Waste Management Board, Geoffrey Ehon, noted that the conviction would deter others who chose not to comply with sanitation laws.

“Offenders were prosecuted at mobile courts to serve as deterrence to others,” Ehon added.


SOURCE

How soldiers foiled suicide bomb attack on IDPs camp.

The Nigerian Army on Sunday foiled another attempt by a suspected suicide bomber to attack the Bakassi Internally Displaced Persons camp in Maiduguri, its spokesman, Col. Sani Usman, said in a statement.

Usman said, “At about 9.00a.m this morning, troops of Operation Lafiya Dole deployed behind Bakassi IDP camp, Damboa Road, Maiduguri, on security duty, intercepted a suspected male suicide bomber.

“He had attempted to sneak through the troops’ inner parapet towards the IDP camp before he was shot dead.”

He said that “the vigilant sentry sighted the bomber and lay in wait until the suicide bomber came close.

“The sniper instantly shot and killed the terrorist as he tried to force his way to the western flank of the IDP camp fence.”

Usman said the Improvised Explosive Device vest strapped on the bomber failed to detonate, adding that ‘’a combined team of military and police Explosive Ordinance Device have been called to safely detonate the IED’’.

He said that the situation at the camp and the general area was calm.

On Saturday two female suicide bombers killed nine persons in Maiduguri.

Usman, who confirmed the attacks, said after the first bomber detonated her bomb, the second, in a tricycle, tailed a fuel tanker that was about to discharge fuel at a station.

All three occupants of the tricycle died, the army spokesman said.



PUNCH

‘Don’t drag Buhari into Judges’ corruption trial’.

The Presidency on Sunday frowned at those individuals or organisations attempting to link President Muhammadu Buhari to the legal travails of some judges facing corruption charges in the country.

A statement issued in Abuja by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, advised journalists and other Nigerians to stop linking the name of the president to the matter.

Shehu said that Buhari would be “the last person to authorise anybody to induce a judge to pervert the course of justice’’.

He recalled that despite his personal familiarity with some court judges, the president had never used that familiarity to seek favours from them.

According to him, from 2003, 2007 and 2011 when he was challenging the fairness of the presidential election results, from the lowest to the highest courts in the land during the periods in question, he never sought for favour from them.

Shehu also explained that, “as a politician, Buhari had never once ever suggested to his lawyers to approach any judge for assistance to win his cases.’’

According to him, the president lives by this principle and has never deviated from it.

On the fate of the judges facing corruption allegations, Shehu said, “the president doesn’t tell courts how to do their jobs and that anybody accused of corruption is protected by law to defend their innocence.’’

He explained that the purpose of the law was to punish the guilty and acquit the innocent, noting that “the law protects the rights of everyone.

“The president doesn’t have any powers to force any court to convict anybody who is innocent.’’

He stated that in a democratic society, such interference could not happen without resistance by the people.

NAN.



SOURCE

Niger farmers to produce one million tonnes of rice – CBN.

The cluster of rice farms in Niger are expected to produce one million tonnes of rice through the Central Bank of Nigeria Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, the bank said in a statement in Abuja o Sunday.

The CBN acting Director of Communications, Mr. Isaac Okorafor, said in the statement that the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, made the fact known when he inspected rice farms in some local government areas of the state.

The governor was accompanied by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Audu Ogbeh, the Governor of Niger, Alhaji Abubakar Bello, and the Governor of Kebbi, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu.

Emefiele said that over 14,000 farmers in Niger had benefited from the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, with billion naira disbursed from the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Fund.

He said that the programme’s enhanced funding for agriculture was in line with the bank’s resolve to build a strong and sustainable agriculture sector with integrated value chains.

On his part, Ogbeh said President Muhammadu Buhari was satisfied with the programme and commended the farmers for contributing to efforts to ensure food security for Nigerians.

He assured the farmers that government would provide them harvesters and mills.

Ogbe expressed optimism that the planned installation of state-of-the-art harvesters and mills would lead to increased production of rice in Nigeria.

He also promised that the government would provide them a solar-powered irrigation system to ensure all-year-round farming.

The minister urged farmers to embrace shifting cultivation to ensure the restoration of depleted soil nutrients.

He said that government would soon stop the importation of rice into Nigeria because of increased local production of the crop.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Farmers’ Cooperative in Niger, Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed, thanked the Federal Government for assisting farmers in the state.

He cited the lack of mechanised farming and irrigation tools for dry season farming as some of the challenges facing farmers.

Mohammed, however, urged the farmers to remain focused and committed to rice production as government was determined to address the issue of local agriculture production.

President Buhari on Nov. 17, 2015, launched the CBN Anchor Borrowers’ Programme in Kebbi.

The programme has been replicated in 14 states of Adamawa, Cross River, Ebonyi, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Lagos, Niger, Ogun, Plateau, Sokoto and Zamfara for rice and wheat farmers.

The programme aims to upgrade small farmers to commercial farmers, increase food production and create jobs.

(NAN)



SOURCE

Saraki Loses Bid To Halt CCT Trial.

The appeal court on Thursday dismissed Senate President Bukola Saraki’s appeal challenging his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

The panel led by Abdul Northerner, a justice, dismissed the appeal and held that the appellant’s submission was laced with sentiments.

Northerner further struck out a cross appeal by the appellant filed at court, saying that it was “smuggle‎d in”.

Saraki is standing trial for alleged false declaration of assets.

‎More to follow…

https://www.thecable.ng/breaking-saraki-loses-bid-halt-cct-trial?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ThecableTopStories+%28TheCable+%C2%BB+Top+Stories%29

Military Rejects Jonathan’s Claim That He Bought Warships And Aircraft

$2.2b arms cash: Military rejects Jonathan’s claim

by Seun Akioye,

Military sources yesterday rejected former President Goodluck Jonathan’s claim that his administration bought warships and aircraft.

The former president, who spoke at a lecture he delivered on “Youth Entrepreneurship” at the Oxford Union in the United Kingdom (UK), tried to exonerate former National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki of corruption allegations involving $2.2 billion voted for arms procurement.

Jonathan said he did not believe the former NSA stole the money because weapons were bought for the military to fight Boko Haram.

Jonathan said: “I don’t believe somebody can just steal $2.2 billion; we bought warships, we bought aircraft, we bought lots of weapons for the army and so on and so forth and you are still saying 2.2billion, so where did we get the money to buy all those things?”

Independent checks by The Nation
revealed that the former President might have been deceived by his officials on the type of weapons that were bought for the military.

According to several military sources who asked to remain anonymous because of the “sensitivity” of the matter, many of the weapons bought under the former president were “unserviceable and useless”.

One said the Jonathan administration bought at least three fairly used (Tokunbo) Alpha Jets for the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and two helicopters. But the jets were , the sources claimed, “not worth anything because they were not weaponised and the helicopters were cannibalised.”

NAF recently reconfigured two demilitarised Alpha jets in its inventory. According to the NAF website, the jets were bought from the United States in 2015 to help in the fight against Boko Haram.

“The two aircraft are among the four Alpha Jets bought from the United States in 2015 by the immediate past administration to enhance the operational capability of the NAF to combat Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast.

“The aircraft, however, before now, could not be deployed in the theatre of operation due to the inherent weapon delivery deficiency, hence its limited use for training purposes. The urgent need in recent times to commit all NAF available platforms to OPERATION LAFIYA DOLE to enhance the success of the counter insurgency operation necessitated the Service to look inward to seek ways of achieving its drive for self reliance through research and development.

“ A number of vendors invited to Nigeria to assess the platforms had concluded that it would be difûcult or almost impossible to undertake the project since the Original Equipment Manufacturer had long closed down the production line. A few others who agreed to the possibility of having the aircraft reconfigured to carry munitions have also submitted proposals for initial assessment fee ranging from $20,000 – $30,000 before they could come up with the actual cost for the project.

Convinced that the project would work, the NAF consequently assembled a team of technicians to develop a feasible model for the project. The model worked on ground, and has since been mounted on the Alpha Jets, and test fown successfully. This feat is a major research and development breakthrough for the NAF and the nation as a huge foreign exchange saver, given that the project only cost about N4,000,000.00 compared to what would be required to have it done abroad,” NAF said.

However, the former President may have been referring to the purchase of six decommissioned Norwegian battleships, bought purportedly on behalf of the Navy by former Niger Delta militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo.

The purchase had caused a huge row in Norway forcing that country’s military leadership to apologize to the lawmakers. The battleships were said to be used for anti-piracy operations on Nigerian waters. The Director of Information, Nigerian Navy, Commodore Christian Ezekobe, did not respond to our correspondent’s questions on the whereabouts of the battleships.

However a search on the Navy website revealed that the service has 24 battle ships purchased over several years while it still awaits one battleship built in China, NNS Unity.

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) is seeking to add an additional C295W military aircraft to its fleet as the battle against Boko Haram reaches an advance stage. NAF has been crucial to the recent victories recorded by the military in the Northeast, through series of sustained aerial bombardment of camps and locations of Boko Haram militants.

The aircraft is to be purchased from Airbus Defence and Space Company (Spain), which had earlier in the year made proposals to the NAF.

The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, had played host to Spanish Ambassador to Nigeria, Alfonso Barnuevo Sebastian De Erice, who led two executives of Airbus Defence and Space Company to the NAF Headquarters and held discussions on the company’s proposal to sell the C295W military aircraft to the NAF.

According to NAF, based on its operational capabilities, the aircraft was considered suitable to meet some of its operational needs, including Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and airlift operations.

The air force has also recommended the aircraft for acquisition and provisions have been made for this in the 2017 budget proposal.

The CAS urged the visiting team to start looking into training areas for NAF pilots and technicians on the aircraft.

This, he said, is with a view to ensuring a smooth take-off for the operation of the aircraft in the event of its approval by the Federal Government.

http://thenationonlineng.net/2-2b-arms-cash-military-rejects-jonathans-claim/

Police Uncover Ritualists’ Den In Ogun, Arrest Two Ritualists

By Evelyn Usman

Operatives of the Zonal Intervention Squad, Zone 2, Police Command, Onikan, Lagos, have uncovered a ritualists’ den at Abule Ifa, Siun area of Obafemi Owode Local Government, Ogun State, arresting two suspected leaders of the syndicate.

Recovered inside the massive den were several fetish materials and assorted charms.

Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Zone, Abdulmajid Ali, yesterday, led a team of senior officers among who were Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Police Command, Mr. Ahmed Iliyasu; Officer in Charge of Operations, Zone 2, DCP Suleiman Balarabe; Commander of the ZIS, CSP Gbenga Megbope, and Commander 16 Police Mobile Force, Chika, among others, to the den.

The visit, as explained by the AIG, was to have an on-the-spot assessment of the den and also to design possible legal means of taking over the den, which he described as dangerous.

He stated that the discovery and subsequent arrest of the suspects were made following a tip-off.

He disclosed that the den was used by some fraudsters/ritualists to dupe people and perpetrate evil acts.

“The operatives, who had been on surveillance of the men of the underworld, were able to arrest the ring leaders of the syndicate identified as Taiwo Adeleke, 47, and Kayode Oseni, 52,” he added.

While commending the policemen for what he described as a job well done, he reiterated his readiness to set all machineries in motion, with a view to tackling crime and criminality within the zone.

He said: “Necessary legal steps will be taken to take over the structure and dislodge the syndicate,” adding that the suspects would be charged to court.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/10/police-uncover-ritualists-den-ogun-arrest-two/

Nigerian Nanny Arrested For Killing Eight-month-old Baby

A Nigerian woman Oluremi Oyindasola, 66, of Glenarden, Maryland working as a nanny has been arrested and has been charged with second-degree murder, first-degree child abuse resulting in death and other offenses after police said she force fed an eight-month-old baby girl who then later died.
Prince George's County Police said Wednesday, a home surveillance system recorded Oyindasola taking a nap when the crying infant, eight-month-old Enita Salubi, approached her in a toddler walker.

According to Police, Oyindasola unsuccessfully tried to feed the child, then when she got frustrated with the infant not wanting to eat, she 'proceeded to pour a large amount of white liquid directly inside the victim's mouth'.
Col. Harry Bond with Prince George's County Police said:

'She forcefully poured the two bottles of what looks to be milk down the baby's mouth, causing her to not be able to breathe, suffocating her, and eventually she died at the hospital.'

The Police also released a press statement which read:

'On October 24th, at about 4.10pm, the baby had been rushed to a hospital after she became unresponsive at home. 'She was pronounced dead a short time later. An autopsy on Tuesday revealed the baby’s cause of death was asphyxiation. The manner of death was ruled a homicide. 'The preliminary investigation revealed the injuries to the baby occurred while in the sole care and custody of Oyindasola.' Oyindasol 'is in the custody of the Department of Corrections,' the release said.

Oyindasola, is being held on $1million bond.

Source

Jamilah Tangaza Declared Wanted By EFCC

Jamilah Tangaza, a former BBC journalist and former aide to former FCT minister Bala Mohammed has been declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

EFCC Boss, Ibrahim Magu told BBC Hausa that she was declared wanted following media reports that she had tried to jump bail. Tangaza was arrested by the EFCC in July over allegations of financial crimes and released on bail in August.

http://www.newshelm.com/2016/10/jamilah-tangaza-former-bbc-journalist.html

Fire Outbreak At Murtala Muhammed International Airport MMIA

A correspondence sent in this video showing fire outbreak at the Muritala Mohammed International Airport this morning.

IO think our aviation sector is taking a hit this recessive economic times. I do hope those who are charged with safety responsibilities within this facility would step up their game. They are obviously not doing what needed to be done, we shouldn't be having fire outbreaks in our facilities, no excuse.

See video below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hw2XcITgfiM

Aliyu Saidu Abubakar Presents One-year Diploma Certificate To Senate

One of the arrowheads for the campaign that the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria be scrapped, Alhaji Aliyu Saidu Abubakar, on Wednesday, insisted that Nigeria does not deserve a bicameral legislature.

Aliyu, who is a nominee representing the North East in the proposed Governing Board of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) stated that the upper legislative chamber was a waste of fund and government resources.

The nominee had appeared before the Senator Gilbert Nnaji-led committee on Communications for the ongoing screening of NCC board nominees.

A member of the committee had confronted the nominee, asking why he would accept to appear before the same Senate which he once led a protest for its scrapping.

The drama, however, started when instead of apologising to the Senate and repent of his previous moves, the nominee insisted that the senate be scrapped as cost of running the legislative arm was high and unbearable.

The nominee noted that a situation where the senators had been receiving huge transport, wardrobe and dressing allowances and others was a clear economic loss to the country.

He also listed the purchase of expensive vehicles for Senators as another reason why the upper chamber should be scrapped.


The Senate is an avenue for wastage of scarce economic resources of the country. The Senate must go”, Aliyu insisted.


Meanwhile, the committee had earlier listed what it described as “grave irregularities” in the personal records of the nominee while perusing through the copies of curriculum vitae he submitted.

The committee noted that apart from birth certificate, there were only copies of court affidavit and police extract dated the same day, claiming loss of his credentials.

This made the committee to infer that the court affidavit and police extract may have been procured after Abubakar had been nominated to serve in the board.

The committee also said that it was interesting that the highest academic qualification of the nominee was a one-year “Diploma in Computer” from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi.

It also revealed that the attached statement of result was dated 23rd September 2016, also obtained after he had been nominated by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Requested to show reason why he chose to present documents that were procured shortly after his nomination and also why he believed that he was qualified to function as a National Commissioner in such a critical agency like NCC given the rigours, challenges and required expertise for efficiency of the commission, Aliyu said he “did not bother to go for the credentials.”

He explained further that he “only went to school merely for knowledge having been self-employed prior to the nomination.”

http://dailypost.ng/2016/10/19/drama-buharis-ncc-board-nominee-presents-one-year-diploma-certificate-academic-qualification/

Justice Ngwuta Accuses Amaechi Of Begging Him Over Fayose's Removal.

Another Justice of the Supreme Court whose home was raided by operatives of the Department of State Service, DSS, Justice Sylvester Ngwuta, has alleged that he was being victimized for refusing entreaties, at various times, to help the All Progressives Congress, APC, win governorship election cases involving Ekiti, Rivers and Ebonyi states.

His claim came barely three days after Justice John Inyang Okoro, also a Supreme Court Judge,alleged that former Rivers Governor and now transport minister, Rotimi Amaechi, reached out to him over election appeal cases for Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Abia States.

Justice Ngwuta in a letter to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, specifically mentioned Amaechi and Minister of Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, as two top APC leaders who approached him.
Justice Ngwuta, made the disclose in a letter dated October 18 and addressed to CJN, Mahmud Mohammed and the National Judicial Council, NJC.

The letter is entitled: “Invasion Of My House In The Night, Planting Of Huge Sums Of Money In Different Currencies, Purported Recovery Of The Money, Carting Away Of My Documents And Other Valuable Items And My Subsequent Abduction By Masked Operatives Of The DSS Between Friday, October 7th And Saturday, October 8th, 2016”.

In it, Ngwuta said Ameachi begged him to facilitate the removal of Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State.

He further stated that shortly after the Supreme Court affirmed the election of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Amaechi also called him on phone and said “Oga is not happy”.

Details later…

http://dailypost.ng/2016/10/20/breaking-another-judge-accuses-amaechi-oni-begging-ebonyi-ekiti-rivers-cases/

Herdsmen, Farmers’ Clashes Not Buhari’s Responsibilty – Obasanjo

Okechukwu Nnodim, Abuja.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday said it is not the responsibility of President Muhammadu Buhari to address the lingering clashes between herdsmen and farmers.

Obasanjo also decried the increasing level of hunger in the country, stressing that it was sad to note that about 65 per cent of Nigerians were faced with food insecurity.

The former president spoke during the 23rd Annual LAPO Development Forum with the theme, ‘Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture in Nigeria: Challenges and Opportunities’, organised by the Lift Above Poverty Organisation in Abuja.

Obasanjo said, “Some of the words that have been coming from our leaders, particularly from state governors are not helpful! This issue is not a federal issue and another thing, I don’t like about it is that when you talk of Fulani herdsmen, people talk of the President.

“Now because the President of Nigeria is a Fulani man, you expect him to solve the problem immediately, that is not his job. And when people make comments like this, it annoys me.

He noted that during the colonial era, there were grazing reserves in most parts of the North, but wondered what had happened to them.

Obasanjo said, “I need to state that it is the responsibility of local governments to take care of them. Now, states should have even done better, but they haven’t, and then when you have cattle rustling, herdsmen and farmers conflict, you try to make it a national issue. It is not really a national issue.

“For me, the herdsmen are entitled be able to look after their animals but they are not entitled to destroy the crops of the rural farmers, it is unacceptable.”


http://punchng.com/herdsmenfarmers-clashes-not-buharis-responsibilty-obasanjo/

FAAN: FG Replaces Sacked Directors .

The Federal Government on Tuesday appointed two new Directors for the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN.

The newly appointed directors are Mrs. Nike Aboderin, who is now the new Director of Finance and Accounts (DFA), and Mr. Sadiku Abdulkadir Rafindadi, the new Director of Commercial and Business Development (DCBD).

The new appointees replaced some recently sacked directors of the agency.

In the shake-up, some Directors were forcefully retired, while most of the General Managers were demoted. 22 senior staff were affected.

The Head of the Civil service of the federation had earlier ordered a comprehensive audit of FAAN.

Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, Ag. General Manager, Corporate Affairs, FAAN, in a statement, said Mrs. Nike Aboderin is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (FCIB).

She holds an M.Sc degree in Banking and Finance of the University of Lagos. She has over 23years experience in the financial services industry and an Advanced Management Programme (AMP) graduate of Lagos Business School.
She also holds a post graduate certificate in Global Strategic Management (GSM) of the Harvard Business School, Boston, USA.

She is married with children.

Mr. Sadiku Abdulkadir Rafindadi is a 1985 graduate of Economics of the University of Pittsburgh.

He holds an MBA in Finance of Clark Atlanta University, USA. He attended Kaduna Polytechnic, where he obtained Certificates in Management Studies.

Rafindadi is also a seasoned Manager and until his current appointment, has worked in several Management capacities in different institutions, including, Phoenix Investment Services and British Petroleum.

He is married with children.


http://dailypost.ng/2016/10/18/faan-fg-replaces-sacked-directors/

Citing alleged bribery, arrest, Ademola withdraws from Dasuki’s trial.

Ade Adesomoju, Abuja.

Justice Adeniyi Ademola of a Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday withdrew from further presiding over the trial of a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.).

Justice Ademola returned the case file to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for re-assignment to another judge.

The Federal Government had on September 1, 2015 arraigned Dasuki before the judge on charges of money laundering and illegal possession of firearms.

But Justice Ademola, who was one of the seven judges recently arrested by the operatives of the Department of State Services, had written to the National Judicial Council, saying that granting bail to the ex-NSA was part of the allegations the DSS levelled against him.

The judge granted bail to Dasuki shortly after the accused person was arraigned on September 1, 2015.

At the resumed hearing of Dasuki’s trial on Tuesday, Justice Ademola said he was not willing to go on with the case in view of the recent development.

The prosecuting counsel, Mr. Dipo Okpeseyi (SAN), said he had not been briefed by his client (the Federal Government) on what position to take on the issue.

But the defence counsel, Mr. Adedayo Adedeji, said he had originally wanted to seek the judge’s guidance on what position to take but that since the judge had on his own raised the issue he should go ahead to determine it as he pleased.

The judge said, “I’m sure the prosecution and defence counsel are conversant with what is going on in the last seven days in this country.

“One of the allegations being made against me by the Department of State Services is that I received certain sums of unspecified money from the defendant.

“Of course, I have responded to that allegation of receiving an unspecified sum of money from the defendant but it will be wise for him to answer some questions.”

The judge then proceeded to direct his questions to Dasuki who was in the dock.

The conversation went thus:

Judge: Do you know me at all or have come in contact with me?

Dasuki: I don’t know you, my Lord.

Judge: Did you at any time give me money in respect of the ongoing trial?

Dasuki: No, my Lord, I didn’t give you any money.

Judge: Did you send any money to me; to any member of my family, or through any counsel?

Dasuki: No, my Lord, maybe the DSS agents who are making the allegation did.

Judge: I am happy that you have answered these questions. In the interest of fair hearing, I am minded to return the case file to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for further action.

Reacting, the prosecution counsel said, “We are guided by your Lordship’s decision even though we have come for a ruling and continuation of trial.”

Okpeseyi sought an adjournment of the case to enable counsel for both sides to meet with the Chief Judge over the issue to determine the next line of action.

But the judge went ahead to deliver a bench ruling returning the case file to the Chief Judge.

He ruled, “This court is minded to transfer this case to the Chief Judge. The defendant has vehemently denied in open court today, the allegation made by the DSS.

“Therefore, this case file has been returned to the CJ in line with the principle of fair hearing.

“This criminal matter has been adjourned to another date as may be fixed by the new judge.”