Nigeria's president apologizes for plagiarizing Obama speech.

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari apologized Saturday for plagiarizing President Barack Obama's 2008 victory speech and said he will punish those responsible.

The announcement came as Obama is set to meet Buhari, the leader of Africa's largest economy and most populous country, next week in New York.

Adeola Akinremi in her Friday column for ThisDay newspaper denounced "the moral problem of plagiarism on a day Mr. President launched a campaign to demand honesty and integrity."

Several lines were almost identical to Obama's in a speech Buhari made Sept. 8 launching his campaign "Change Begins With Me." The campaign promotes a new way of thinking to rid Nigeria of widespread corruption.

Buhari said, "We must resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship, pettiness and immaturity that have poisoned our country for so long. Let us summon a new spirit of responsibility, spirit of service, of patriotism and sacrifice. Let us all resolve to pitch in and work hard and look after, not only ourselves, but one another."

Obama said, "So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. ... Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. "

Obama will meet with Buhari on Tuesday during the U.N. General Assembly session, the White House said Friday. They are expected to discuss U.S. support for security and economic changes in Nigeria and efforts to curb the Boko Haram Islamic uprising.

Obama also plans to promote U.S.-Africa trade on Wednesday, attending a summit with some 200 U.S. and African CEOs and African heads of state.

Ex-Pentagon chief Gates: Trump is 'unfit,' 'beyond repair'

Washington (AFP) - Former US defense secretary Robert Gates issued a sharp critique of both presidential candidates in the Wall Street Journal, but blasted Donald Trump as being "unqualified and unfit to be commander-in-chief."

Gates - a Republican who was Pentagon chief under Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Barack Obama - has worked with eight presidents and is among the most widely respected US voices on national security matters.

"I believe Mr. Trump is beyond repair. He is stubbornly uninformed" and "temperamentally unsuited to lead our men and women in uniform," Gates wrote in an op-ed piece posted late Friday on the Journal's website. "He is unqualified and unfit to be commander-in-chief."

Gates worked closely with Hillary Clinton when she was secretary of state, and did not hold back on his criticism of her tenure.

A former CIA director, Gates said Clinton's failure to predict the chaos that would follow Western intervention in Libya had raised credibility questions, as had her shifting position on the Iraq war.

Gates assailed Clinton's opposition to a pending Asian trade agreement she once supported, said she had been vague on dealing with Vladimir Putin's Russia, said she offered few specifics about North Korea, and had no clear strategy toward "a Middle East in flames."

But on credibility, Gates added, "Trump is in a league of his own."

"He has expressed support for building a wall between the US and Mexico; for torturing suspected terrorists and killing their families (and) for Mr. Putin’s dictatorial leadership."

Trump had expressed support "for withdrawing US troops from Europe, South Korea and Japan," while being "cavalier about the use of nuclear weapons." He had insulted servicemen, their families and military leaders, Gates wrote.

Trump is "willfully ignorant" about the world, the US military and "about government itself," Gates said.

While not saying he would vote for Clinton, Gates said he would be listening for reassurances from her ahead of the November 8 election.


SOURCE

7 Most Dangerous Places on Earth you never knew.

Number 1. INTRO

From its churning, sometimes stormy atmosphere to its shifting tectonic plates, Earth can be a dangerous place. Earthquakes, floods and other natural disasters killed more than 780,000 people between 2009 and 2009, according to the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction Secretariat. Millions more were injured or displaced. No one knows how the next decade will shape out, but some areas have more reason to worry than others.



Number 2

Lake Nyos, Cameroon

Lake Nyos, Cameroon

A silent killer lurks beneath the surface of this West African lake. A pocket of magma deep below the lake bed leaks carbon dioxide into the lake above. Under the pressure of 650 feet (200 meters) of water, this carbon dioxide stays dissolved, much like the carbonation in a bottle of soda.

But on the night of August 21, 1986, the water in the lake abruptly turned over, and the now-depressurized carbon dioxide exploded upward like a shaken soft drink. The resulting carbon dioxide cloud rushed downhill, asphyxiating 1,700 people and thousands more animals. In the 15 miles (24 kilometers) of valleys below the lake, almost nothing survived.

Today, pipes are used to siphon carbon dioxide-rich water from the bottom of Lake Nyos. The pipes prevent carbon dioxide buildup, but that doesn't make Lake Nyos entirely safe, said George Kling, a University of Michigan geochemist who was on the team that originally investigated the 1986 disaster.

"We're keeping ahead of the game, but we're not drawing the gas down very quickly," Kling said. "That means that it still is a very dangerous lake."

Number 3

Naples, Italy

In 79 A.D., Mount Vesuvius blew its top, burying the ancient cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. More than 50 subsequent eruptions and the eerie human-shaped cavities left behind in the volcano's ash haven't dissuaded people from populating the slopes of this volcano by the sea. The city of Naples lies at its base, and up to 650,000 people may live on its slopes, according to Guido Bertolaso, the head of Italy's civil protection agency. An impending eruption could force the evacuation of more than a million people.

Vesuvius isn't the only active volcano threatening this densely-populated area. The Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Italy is littered with volcanoes. The most worrisome, according to Bertolaso, is the resort island of Ischia. An eruption there would affect Naples and "could be worse than a hypothetical Vesuvius eruption," Bertolaso said.

Number 4

Miami, Florida

No one can predict where a hurricane will hit next, but south Florida is always a reasonable bet. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates the southern tip of Florida can expect more than 60 hurricanes over a 100-year period. And in 2008, sustainability company SustainLane ranked Miami as the most risky city for natural disasters in the United States.

Hurricane destruction in Miami and the nearby Florida Keys is nothing new. In 1926, the Great Miami Hurricane destroyed or damaged every building in downtown Miami and killed at least 373 people, according to the Red Cross. Less than 10 years later, the Labor Day hurricane of 1935 killed 408 people in the Florida Keys. In 1960, Hurricane Donna roared through the Keys and South Florida, bringing with it 11 to 15-foot storm surges.

Perhaps the most famous hurricane to hit south Florida was 1992's Hurricane Andrew . Andrew blasted through Florida as a Category 4 storm with winds so high they broke measurement instruments. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Andrew killed 23 people in the United States. The destruction totaled more than $26.5 billion.

Number 5

Guatemala

Central America gets hit by a triple threat of natural disasters: earthquakes, hurricanes and mudslides.

Along with the western coast of North and South America, Central America lies on the Ring of Fire, a seismically active loop that encircles the Pacific Ocean. Guatemala isn't the only country affected, but it's been hit hard: In 1976, a 7.5-magnitude earthquake killed 23,000 people, according to the USGS. Thanks to the country's mountainous terrain, landslides hampered transportation and rescue efforts.


The combination of topography and weather can be deadly as well. Heavy rains can saturate hillsides, leading to devastating mudslides. In 2005, the remnants of Hurricane Stan soaked Guatemala, El Salvador and southern Mexico, causing more than 900 mudslides. Entire villages were buried; one, Panabaj, was declared a cemetery after officials gave up hope of excavating the bodies of 300 missing villagers. The exact death toll is unknown, but some estimates suggest that up to 2,000 people lost their lives.



Number 6

Java and Sumatra, Indonesia

These two Indonesia islands face perhaps more natural disaster hazards than anywhere else. Droughts, floods, earthquakes, landslides, volcanoes and tsunamis all threaten Indonesia, and Java and Sumatra have the highest risk, according to the Center for Hazards and Risk Research at Columbia University.

The most famous disaster to hit Indonesia is the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami , which killed an estimated 227,898 people after a 9.1-magnitude earthquake triggered the enormous wave. Indonesia was hardest hit among the affected Southeast Asian countries, with over 130,000 people confirmed dead.


But smaller disasters cause more regular suffering. Between 1907 and 2004 (before the tsunami), droughts killed 9,329 Indonesians, according to the Columbia University group. Volcanoes killed 17,945 people in the same time period, and earthquakes killed 21,856. One of the most famous eruptions in history, of the volcano Krakatoa, occurred in the Sunda Strait between the two islands. And as recently as this February, floods drove thousands of west Java residents from their homes, and a landslide in the village of Tenjolaya killed dozens.


Number 7

Istanbul, Turkey

No one knows when the North Anatolian Fault will rupture, but one thing is certain: It will rupture. The resulting earthquake could be very bad news for the 12.8 million people in Istanbul.

For the past century, earthquakes on the North Anatolian Fault in northern Turkey have been creeping westward. The last big quake happened in 1999, when a 7.6-magnitude temblor devastated the city of Izmit . The official death toll was around 17,000, but a 2004 estimate by University of Brasilia researcher Vasile Marza put the number at 45,000.


The next time the ground shakes, scientists expect that it will be even further west, just south Istanbul. A January 2010 study in the journal Nature Geosciences found that tensions along the fault are building and could trigger multiple small-to-moderate quakes. Or the fault could go all at once. In March, USGS geophysicist Tom Parsons told Nature that the chances of Istanbul being hit by a magnitude 7 or greater quake in the next 25 years are between 30 and 60 percent.

Dizziness, Vertigo, and Imbalance - What you need to know.

Background
Dizziness and vertigo are among the most common symptoms causing patients to visit a physician (as common as back pain and headaches). Falling can be a direct consequence of dizziness in this population, and the risk is compounded in elderly persons with other neurologic deficits and chronic medical problems.

The overall incidence of dizziness, vertigo, and imbalance is 5-10%, and it reaches 40% in patients older than 40 years. The incidence of falling is 25% in subjects older than 65 years. A report reviewing presentation to US emergency departments (EDs) from 1995 through 2004 indicated that vertigo and dizziness accounted for 2.5% of presentations.[1] The estimated number of 2011 US ED visits for dizziness or vertigo was 3.9 million.[2]

A report using data from the Swedish National study on Aging and Care (SNAC) found that in patients younger than 80 years, the prevalence of falls was 16.5% and that of dizziness was 17.8%, whereas in patients older than 80 years, the prevalence of falls was 31.7% and that of dizziness was 31.0%.[3] The younger patients tended to have more specific predictive factors, whereas the older patients tended to have more general ones.

Mild hearing loss is the most common disability worldwide. The incidence of hearing loss is 25% in people younger than 25 years, and it reaches 40% in persons older than 40 years. About 25% of the population report tinnitus.

Vertigo, dizziness, tinnitus, and hearing loss are typically associated with inner-ear diseases as opposed to central nervous system (CNS) diseases. Migraine is more prevalent (10%) than Ménière disease (< 1%). About 40% of patients with migraine have vertigo, motion sickness, and mild hearing loss. Therefore, differentiating migraine from primary inner-ear disorders is sometimes difficult.

Primary care physicians evaluate most cases of dizziness and related symptoms. Their role and that of neurologists in this setting has increased over the past decade. This article outlines the clinical approach to dizziness with emphasis is on differentiating peripheral from central dizziness and on office management of the most common diseases. It also addresses indications for referral to an otolaryngologist or neuro-otologist and for specialized auditory and vestibular testing.

The patient’s history and findings on vestibular examination are critical in identifying underlying causes. Auditory, vestibular, complementary blood and radiologic tests help in narrowing the differential diagnosis and tailoring treatment. Vestibular tests should be ordered after careful history taking and examination because they do not provide the clinician with diagnostic information.

Most patients are treated medically and with vestibular rehabilitation. In addition to the appropriate medical and rehabilitative managements, safety must be emphasized and discussed with patients and their families. Occupational and physical therapists are helpful in addressing home safety and providing a structured balance-rehabilitation program.

For patient education resources, see the Brain and Nervous System Center and the Ear, Nose, and Throat Center, as well as Benign Positional Vertigo, Dizziness, Ménière Disease, and Tinnitus.


Etiology
The most common causes of peripheral vertigo include BPPV, vestibular neuronitis, Ménière disease, and immune-mediated inner-ear disease. The most common cause of central dizziness is migraine, frequently referred to as vestibular migraine or migraine-associated dizziness. Other central causes include demyelination, acoustic tumors, and brainstem or cerebellar vascular lesions.

There are numerous inner ear pathologies that are the direct result of disrupted ion homeostasis. While the initial cause may be something else (eg, inflammation, ototoxicity, noise), the ultimate impact on the ear is the interference of some ion or water transport mechanism. Thus, impaired ion homeostasis is essentially the final common pathway for many inner ear diseases.[4]

In a retrospective review of 907 adults presenting to an academic ED from 2007 through 2009 with a primary complaint of dizziness, vertigo, or imbalance, 49 patients had a serious neurologic diagnosis (eg, cerebrovascular disease).[5] Benign causes of dizziness included peripheral vertigo (294 cases) and orthostatic hypotension (121 cases). Factors associated with serious diagnoses included abnormalities on focal examination, age greater than 60 years, and imbalance as the chief complaint.

Epidemiology
The overall incidence of dizziness, vertigo, and imbalance is 5-10%, and it reaches 40% in patients older than 40 years. The incidence of falling is 25% in subjects older than 65 years. A report reviewing presentation to US emergency departments (EDs) from 1995 through 2004 indicated that vertigo and dizziness accounted for 2.5% of presentations.[1] The estimated number of 2011 US ED visits for dizziness or vertigo was 3.9 million.[2]

A report using data from the Swedish National study on Aging and Care (SNAC) found that in patients younger than 80 years, the prevalence of falls was 16.5% and that of dizziness 17.8%, whereas in patients older than 80 years, the prevalence of falls was 31.7% and that of dizziness 31%.[3] The younger patients tended to have more specific predictive factors, whereas the older patients tended to have more general ones.

Shocking News: World's Longest Lightning Bolt Was Nearly 200 Miles.

When the world's longest lightning bolt struck over Oklahoma in 2007, it traveled about three-quarters of the length of the state, according to the World Meteorological Organization, which recently announced the electrifying new record.

The lightning bolt traveled 199.5 miles (321 kilometers) on June 20, 2007, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said. The organization also confirmed the longest duration for a single flash of lightning: 7.74 seconds, for a flash that occurred over Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, France, on Aug. 30, 2012.

The two announcements mark the first time that lightning has been included in the official WMO World Weather & Climate Extremes Archive, which documents records for heat, cold, wind speed, rainfall and other climate events.

"Lightning is a major weather hazard that claims many lives each year," WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas said in a statement. "Improvements in detecting and monitoring these extreme events will help us improve public safety."

The WMO said the advancement of lightning-sensing technologies made it possible to detect new extremes and allowed the organization to now include lightning measurements in the archive. Randall Cerveny, chief rapporteur of climate and weather extremes for WMO, said experts can now study specific lightning flashes in much greater detail.

Lightning strikes about 25 million times a year in the U.S., annually killing an average of 49 people and injuring hundreds more, according to the National Weather Service. So far this year, lightning has killed 35 people in the U.S., which makes 2016 the deadliest year for lightning since 2007, which had 45 lightning-related fatalities. Improved sensing technologies in recent years have allowed for better warning systems and safety protocols, according to the WMO.

"The end result reinforces critical safety information regarding lightning, specifically that lightning flashes can travel huge distances from their parent thunderstorms," Cerveny said. "Our experts' best advice: When thunder roars, go indoors."

The WMO's full assessment of the record-breaking bolts was published online Sept. 15 in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society journal.



SOURCE

Buhari’s Hard Condition Led Us Into Temptation – Robbery Suspects

Two armed robbery suspects arrested by the Department of State Service in Anambra State, Uche Ezeugo and Somadina, have attributed their actions to the current hard times in the country.

Ezeugo said he was forced into the act to enable him give his late father a befitting burial.

He said, “I’m not a natural thief. It’s this Buhari hard condition that led me into this temptation.”

They were arrested for allegedly stealing some laptops.

Somadina, on his part, blamed his action on hunger and starvation.

The two, in their twenties, from Aguluezechukwu in Aguata council area of the state, were apprehended by the DSS at Nanka in Orumba North Local Government Area of the state.

While confessing to the crime, the suspects said it was their first time of involving themselves in the act.
They pleaded for leniency, promising not to indulge in such acts again.

But the Anambra State Police Commissioner, Mr. Sam Okaula, who confirmed the arrest of the two suspects, lauded the efforts of the men of DSS.

He said the collaboration between the police and other security agencies had helped in reducing crime in the state.

Okaula said the laptops had been disposed by the suspects before they were arrested.

The CP said two pump action guns and one locally made rifle were recovered from the suspects, adding that the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigations were concluded.

He advised youths to shun crime, noting that every crime must lead to trouble.



SOURCE

Nigerian Man, Monday Okorie, Killed In South Africa

The Nigeria Union in South Africa said on Thursday that a Nigerian petty trader, Monday Okorie, was killed in Potchefstroom, North West Province of that country, on Tuesday.

Mr Ikechukwu Anyene, the President of the Union, who spoke on phone from Pretoria, South Africa, said that the victim was an indigene of Agwu in Enugu State.
He said that on receipt of the report, some national officers of the union travelled to the North West Province to investigate the incident.

Anyene said that initial investigation showed that some unknown assailants shot and killed Okorie. He said that the incident had been reported to the South African Police Department and other government agencies. According to Anyene, 20 Nigerians resident in the city were initially arrested by the police for protesting the murder and allegedly causing public violence.

He said some of the Nigerians had been released after investigations while the nine charged to court were granted free bail.
Anyene stated that the incident had been reported to the Nigerian Mission in South Africa and had been assured that there would be follow-up investigations.

“ Nigeria Union is satisfied with investigations done so far by the South African police. Our people and government are not happy with the way cases involving Nigerians in South Africa are being handled, vis-a-vis the high success rate of prosecution of crime in South Africa.

“ We told Nigerians resident in the province to remain law abiding and allow the police to carry out a thorough investigation of the incident,” Anyene said

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/09/nigerian-trader-killed-south-africa/

Ekiti Leads In 2016 NECO Results

THE National Examination Council on Friday released the results of the Senior School Certificate Examination it conducted in and outside the country between June and July this year, with Ekiti State having the best performance with 96.48 per cent, followed by Katsina State with 72.59 per cent.

Since the assumption of office of Governor Ayodele Fayose, Ekiti State has been witnessing steady improvement in the education sector, with the State coming from 26 per cent performance in the West African Examination Council examination in 2014, to 36.5 per cent in 2015 and 42 per cent in 2016, coming 11th in 2016 in the federation and second in the South West.

In NECO, Ekiti State came 10th with 74.5 per cent performance in 2015.

The Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of NECO, Prof. Charles Uwakwe, who released the result in Minna, Niger State, said of the 1,022,474 candidates that sat for the examination, 905,011 recorded credit and above in five subjects.

Uwakwe said the results showed a remarkable improvement in the performance of candidates that sat for the examination.

“An analysis of the result across the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory FCT indicated that Ekiti State topped all others with 96.485 of its candidates that sat for the examination coming out victorious, while Edo State was second with 96.31 per cent, while  Abias and Kogi were joint third,” the Registrar said.


SOURCE

Dangote To FG: Sell NLNG, Beef Up Reserves, And Recession Will Go By December...

Aliko Dangote has prescribed ways through which Nigeria can get out of recession before the end of 2016.

In an interview with CNBC Africa, the billionaire said: “The only way for us to get out of this recession is to make sure we move into action quickly; action by diversifying the economy quickly.

Here are the details of Dangote’s prescription:

SELL STAKE IN NLNG AND AFRICAN FINANCE COOPERATION

“If I had challenges in my company, I would not hesitate to sell assets, to remain afloat, to get to the better times, because it doesn’t make any sense for me to keep any assets and then suffocate the whole organisation.

“What we need to do now in my own thinking… we have a lot of assets to sell. We can sell part of the joint venture; part of the shares. You know government normally owns 60 percent.

“We can sell in an open tender be it Chinese. We can change the term and make it an operating one, just like what we have in NLNG. We also have another asset I think we don’t really need.

“The African finance corporation; it can fetch them $800 million easily. My own suggestion before was that they should even sell 100 percent of NLNG. I don’t think government should be in any business of investing in sectors of LNG.

“A company like that, with earnings of $1.5 billion on the average, they should get anywhere between $12 billion and $15 billion.”

SHORE UP RESERVES WITH NLNG SALE PROCEEDS

“You will not believe that the crisis that we have today, if we have $15 billion, adding it to our $25 billion, that is $40 billion reserves. That will give confidence, confidence will come back, then government will back it up with proper economic policy, where people can see the road-map.

“Latest by fourth quarter we will be out of recession. It should be a partnership between government and private sector. We have all the answers, Nigeria falling into recession does not really scare me, if we take action.”

NAIRA AT 250 TO THE DOLLAR

The businessman said if the government boosts reserves as suggested, the naira may fall to 250 to the dollar and help the economy.

“Once we can sell assets, and put $15 billion together, you’d be very shocked at how much the dollar will actually drop, you can easily see 250. What is happening today is mere speculation.

“To currency, everybody will speculate, banks will speculate, companies will speculate, individuals will speculate, because if you have money you want to send in from abroad you will keep sending in trickles.

“If you know that CBN has $40 billion in reserves today, if you have $100,000, you might even sell it forward because you know that this rate is going to crash and you must quickly sell it.”

OTHER THINGS WE LEARNT FROM DANGOTE’S INTERVIEW

•India has no oil, yet has over 2 billion tonnes in refining capacity

•Nigeria imports poverty and export jobs

•We do not produce up to five percent of the clothes we wear

•Government should not be in the business of building factories, but just collecting taxes

•China has more than 500 billionaires on the Forbes list and over three million millionaires

•If I have to build a road of 1,000 kilometres in Nigeria, I don’t have to waste years talking about it. I raise money and build it, and hand over to government after 20 to 25 years.

•If not for Dangote Cement, government will have to put down $2.5 billion dollars in 2016 to import cement.

•We need 65 million cubic metres of sand for Dangote refinery.

•Dangote Refinery mechanical completion will finish by 2018, but oil will flow into the refinery by first quarter of 2019.

30-Year-Old Terrorist Python Killed In Ilorin

As Reported.

Words have it that the snake has been killing their domestic animals like goats, fowls e.t.c for the past thirty years. However nemesis caught up with it on the 14th of September when the python swallowed another domestic animal making it sluggish for a while around the swampy car wash area at Maraba where it was reported to have been killed.

The over 30 dark circular stripes on the body indicates that it is over 30 years old. It was also reported that the python is a female and that the male may soon be discovered because he will come searching for the female that has been killed.

Source

It’s Wicked To Owe Workers In Recession — Obiano

Governor Willie Obiano

The Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, has said that it is a sin for any employer of labour particularly government to owe workers salaries in a time of recession the country is in now.

Obiano said this during the commencement of the Anambra State Fire and Safety Summit in Awka on Wednesday.

He said payment of workers’ salaries would energise the economy in a recession and make life more meaningful for the people.

The governor, who expressed fear that the dollar would continue to rise against the naira, said it would take no fewer than 18 months for the economic downturn in the country to subside.

He said, “A state that does not pay its workers is inviting calamity. Payment of workers’ salaries energises the economy.

“We saw this recession early and made agriculture one of the pillars of our administration.

This is why we have been paying our workers. It is wicked to owe workers at a time like this.

“People should embrace risk management. That is the solution to disaster, especially in a recession.

“No recession lasts less than 18 months, so we need to wake up. The naira is moving to N500 per dollar.

“We need to secure our certificates and other valuables of ours so that nothing will happen to them overnight. That’s the way to survive in a recession.”

He said his administration foresaw the trouble and embarked on preemptive measures such as investment in agriculture.

Obiano posited that risk management was the solution to economic recession.

He called on Nigerians to develop the culture of insuring their lives and property, arguing that it was one sure way of mitigating the adverse effects of disasters whenever they would occur.

The governor, however, observed that the people of the South-East geopolitical zone had not been paying attention to insurance.

He added that that was why they were usually the worse hit whenever disasters occurred.

He said that his administration had acquired 10 sophisticated modern fire-fighting trucks to boost the activities of the state fire service

The governor advised that rather than approach government for assistance whenever disaster occurred, the people should form the habit of taking insurance policies.

“My expectation is that our people will be better informed about disaster and its management after listening to the various speakers at this summit,” the governor said.

Graphic Pictures-Boko Haram Fighters Killed In Yobe By Military. (Viewers discretion advised)

Following reported observed activities of remnants of Boko Haram terrorists around Jororo and Tombaeji villages in Geidam Local Government Area of Yobe State, troops of Operation LAFIYA DOLE carried out a clearance operation within the area in the early hours of Wednesday 14th September 2016.

The fighting patrol team sent came into contact with Boko Haram terrorists elements around Gajire village during which there was a firefight that lasted for about 15 minutes.

The gallant troops overpowered the terrorists and killed 4 of them and captured 1 alive.

The victorious troops also recovered 2 General Purpose Machine Guns (GMPG), 2 AK-47 Rifles and 144 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition from the terrorists.
In addition, they also recovered 2 KASEA branded motorcycles.

The troops have continued to patrol the general area in search of possible remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists that might be hibernating in the area.

The ever vigilant troops of Operation LAFIYA DOLE have continued their routine operations maintaining vigilance to prevent further actions by the Boko Haram terrorists in their respective areas of operations.

Thank your for your kind support and cooperation.

Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman
Acting Director Army Public Relations

PHOTOS 

http://www.nationalhelm.net/2016/09/scores-of-boko-haram-fighters-dead.html

Telecommunication Mast Batteries Thieves In Aba Brutally Beaten By Angry Mob

Three alleged thieves who specialized in stealing telecommunication mast batteries were nabbed today at Emenike street off Ngwa Road in Aba, Abia State and brutally beaten by angry mob.

The suspects were caught with 15 lister batteries which are the change over batteries that power the MTN mast. One of them have been identified as Bakassi. Police arrived the scene after the mob had administered street justice and took them to Cameroon road Police barracks.

Tension In Ondo APC Over Alleged Plan To Tamper With Primaries Result

***Appeal panel chair smuggled to Lagos

Tension is currently brewing in the Ondo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over alleged plan by some section of the party leadership to tamper with the result of the primary election, which produced a former president of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

Already, chairman of the Appeal Panel set up to look into the complaints that attended the exercise, Mrs. Hellen Benbager (from Benue State) was said to have been smuggled into Lagos State by some powerful forces ahead of the submission of the panel’s report, with a viewing to influencing the report that would ultimately undermine the result of the ballot.

Sources close to THISDAY hinted that signal from inside sources in Lagos told of the efforts being made to prevail on the Chairman to influence the report, including promises to get her an appointment amongst other added inducements.

“As we speak, the chairman is in Lagos, where they are promising her heaven and earth for as long as she is able to upturn the result that produced Akeredolu. They promised her money, landed property and appointment. This is desperation and the world must know. We cannot go on like this,” said a source displeased with the dimension the matter is assuming.

Continuing, the source said, “This is why the Jigawa State Governor, Abubakar Badaru, refused to let any known person in that axis work with him. He literally brought everyone who worked with him from his state and the exercise was free and fair. This is no less an attempt to embarrass the governor and it is unbecoming of anyone doing this.

“Besides, how do you explain the fact that the exercise was beamed live and by a television station believed to be owned by people, who are now crying foul. Nothing was shady in that exercise and it is unfortunate that we have to travel this mischievous road because the exercise didn’t favour a particular interest,” he said.

THISDAY further learnt that other stakeholders in the party have resolved to defend the exercise and would go to any length to make sure that the result produced by it is protected. They were said to have been able to identify a common enemy and are ready to do battle with him.

“We will not watch anyone undermine the rest of us. We all signed up for a free and just process and that process we had. But for anyone to now turn around and want to manipulate the rest of us to submission is impossible. We will fight it to the last and that is what we will do,” the source said.

The APC primary held recently in Ondo had produced Akeredolu as the winner after polling 669 votes to defeat his closest rival and the candidate believed to be the choice of the aggrieved section of the leadership, Olusegun Abraham, who scored 635 votes.

Olusola Oke polled 576, Senator Robert Borrofice, 471; Tayo Alasoadura, 206; Bode Ayorinde, 67; Jumoke Ajasin-Anifowose, 1; Tunji Abayomi, 5; Jamiu Afolabi, 44; Adefemi Mayowa, 13; Ayo Akinyelure, 3; Adekunle Adekunle, 8; Adegbonmire Adebiyi, 8; Olabimtan Victor, 18; Tunji Ariyomo, 2; and Oyewunmi Taiwo, 7.

The Comrade In Oshiomhole Has Died, He's Now Wearing Imported Safari Suits -Wike

Governor Nyesom Wike, Rivers State

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has blasted Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole over his penchant for lies and his confirmed inconsistencies.

Speaking when he granted audience to the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC ), the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has berated Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole over his penchant for lies and his confirmed inconsistencies, simply because he is in a panic mode over the rejection of the APC in Edo State.

The Governor who spoke at the Rivers State at the Government House in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, denied the false allegation by Oshiomhole that he sent N2billion to the Edo State PDP Governorship candidate, saying that it is shocking that at his age, Oshiomhole still believes in drama and lies.

He said that he was shocked by Oshiomhole’s allegation because on the day of the campaign, he met with the outgoing governor alongside other APC Governors at the Benin airport where they all embraced. "Oshiomhole even cornered me and said ' don't mind these people, they don't know that we meet and talk," he said.

He said: "If Oshiomhole has lost the confidence of his people, he should not blame me. He brought the President and 10 APC Governors and he was not satisfied. Only because two PDP governors visited Edo State, Oshiomole is panicking. Oshiomhole at his age should stop dramatising and telling lies. What will his children say when they see him behave like that."

Governor Wike added: "If you cannot win election, you cannot win election no matter the number of security reports that you write.

"Oshiomhole doesnt know when to stop lying. Why do you think that you will continue to deceive the people. This was the same man who praised former President Goodluck Jonathan for promoting free and fair election, one man, one vote which saw Oshiomhole win a second term. Today in his notorious inconsistency, anywhere Oshiomhole goes, he insults the former President. When President Buhari leaves office, Oshiomole will do the same to him."

He noted that he was in Edo State to campaign for the PDP the same way that Oshiomhole stormed Rivers State in 2015 to campaign for the then APC Governorship candidate in the state.

The governor explained that : "What I told Edo people that has set Oshiomhole in panic mode is that they should not trust INEC or the security agencies because they will never be neutral. I still repeat that the Edo people must remain vigilant so that they their votes will count."

He charged Nigerians to disregard Oshiomhole’s lies as he is no longer pro-people. "The Comrade in Oshiomhole has died long ago. There is no Comrade in him. From Khaki, he is now wearing costly imported Safari Suits."

Mother solicited men to rape 10-year-old daughter.

Sexual Assault

The mother of a 10-year-old girl killed last month in a gruesome crime that shocked the United States told police that she had solicited men to rape her daughter, according to reports.

Victoria Martens’ dismembered body was found in her home in the western state of New Mexico in August after police were called to the scene.

Officials said that Martens, who was killed hours before her 10th birthday party, had been given methamphetamine and was sexually assaulted, stabbed, strangled and dismembered.

Her mother Michelle Martens, Fabian Gonzales as well as Gonzales’s cousin, Jessica Kelley, have been charged in connection with her murder.

Michelle Martens, 35, told investigators following her arrest that she had sought men online and at work to rape her daughter, the Albuquerque Journal reported.

It said that Martens had set up encounters with at least three men, one of them a co-worker and two she met online, including Gonzales.

The paper, quoting search warrants related to the case, said Martens told police she didn’t solicit the men for money but because “she enjoyed watching.”

Martens also reportedly thought of offering Victoria’s younger sibling for sex.

“This homicide is the most gruesome act of evil I have ever seen in my career,” Albuquerque police chief Gorden Eden Jr. said in August after Victoria’s body was discovered. “A complete disregard of human life and betrayal by a mother.”

AFP



Punch

Man kills childhood friend after gambling with phone

Samson Folarin

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a 21-year-old man, Ogadima Nkwaha, for allegedly slitting the throat of his friend, John Effiong, in the Olodi Apapa area of the state.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the suspect killed the victim after he refused to release his (Effiong) phone to him.

It was gathered that Nkwaha had won more than N60,000 from the victim while they gambled.

Effiong, who wanted to recoup his losses, reportedly wagered his handset.

He, however, lost again to Nkwaha.

Our correspondent was told that trouble started when the deceased refused to part with the phone, which started an argument between the two men.

In the ensuing brawl, the suspect allegedly slit Effiong’s throat with a broken bottle.

He was rushed to a private hospital where he eventually died.

When our correspondent visited the scene of the incident on Kumuyi Street on Tuesday, an elderly man in the house threatened to injure our correspondent and subsequently chased him out of the house.

PUNCH Metro gathered from some neighbours that it was the second time that such an incident would happen in the house.

A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the recent case happened around 5pm on Sunday.

He said, “The two guys were childhood friends and they rarely fight. But their undoing was their love for gambling.

“They had gambled that day with money and Effiong lost more than N60,000 to Nkwaha. He thought he could still have a chance, so he decided to bet with his handset. However, his friend won again.

“He refused to release the phone to him and that was how they started arguing. Nkwaha said he must release the phone since he lost the bet, but Effiong refused.

“Nkwaha went inside the room and broke a bottle. Effiong pushed him and he stabbed him in the throat with the broken bottle.”

Another resident, Jide Alawiye, said the men continued with their fight without realising the extent of Effiong’s injury.

He explained that the community became alarmed when the victim slumped.

“He was taken to a private hospital where he died around 11pm. The case was reported at the Tolu Police Division and the suspect was arrested,” Alawiye added.

Another resident, Babatunde Obasola, said there had been tension in the area over the fear that some relatives of the deceased would attack youths on Kumuyi Street.

“That house has been giving a lot of headache to people on this street and the reason is that it is owned by an elderly man who does not have any control over his tenants. Some hoodlums live in that house.

“We have reported their activities to the police at Ajeromi and Tolu divisions, and even Area B command. This is the second time that this kind of thing would be happening,” he said.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the incident, adding that Effiong’s corpse had been deposited in a morgue for autopsy.

She said, “We have a case involving one Ogadima Nkwaha, who allegedly stabbed one Effiong on the neck with a broken bottle during a fight between them.

“The victim’s corpse has been deposited in a morgue for autopsy, while the suspect is in custody.”


Punch

Senate To Quiz Udoma And Adeosun On Recession

*Says Nigerians know those working and those ‘chopping’
*Adeosun not indicted — Finance Ministry official

By Soni Daniel

ABUJA — THE Presidency, last night, declined to join issues with the Senate over its threat to quiz the Finance Minister, Mrs Kemi Adeosun and her Budget and National Planning counterpart, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, on the state of the economy.

The Senate President, Dr. Olusola Saraki, who issued the warning, weekend, said the two ministers would be made to give explanations on why the economy was in bad shape.

But the Presidency said it would not dabble into the matter as it was directed to the affected ministers in question.

However, a top Presidency official, who preferred anonymity, said while the Presidency would not dabble into the threat by the Senate to question the ministers, it was confident that Nigerians knew “those who are working and those who are ‘chopping.’”

The official said: “We are not going to engage the Senate on this matter with the ministers involved in the management of the economy because we have a binding pact with the Nigerian people to end corruption and make life better for them.

“The truth of the matter is that President Muhammadu Buhari deeply feels the pains that Nigerians are passing through as a result of the pains inflicted on them through unmitigated corruption and wastefulness of the past and he is working assiduously with his cabinet to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians.

“This is not the time for unnecessary rhetoric to please the audience but a time to do serious work to change the landscape and put food on the table for Nigerians.”

Adeosun not indicted

— Finance Ministry official

Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, could not be reached for comments. Calls to her telephone line did not go through.

However, an official in the Federal Ministry of Finance said there was nothing to react to since the minister had not been indicted for anything.

Indeed, Saraki had said that managers of the nation’s economy would be held accountable for the current recession facing the country.

In an interview with newsmen in Ilorin, Kwara State, he said: “We are going to have an exhaustive and comprehensive debate on fixing the country’s economy when we resume next week.

“Already, all the economic priority bills are being analysed and collated so that we can hit the ground running when we resume. We understand the pains that Nigerians are going through and we do not take this for granted.”

“Additionally, the Senate intends to invite everybody involved in the management of the economy to address the Nigerian people through the parliament on the steps that are being taken to get us out of this mess.

“We fully intend to hold all those involved in the economic management of the country accountable. However, we will do so in a manner that is transparent and beneficial to the country as a whole.”


Source

Oshiomhole panicking over Edo gov poll – Wike

Chukwudi Akasike, Port Harcourt.

The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, said on Wednesday that “the falsehood” from his counterpart in Edo State, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, was an indication that he (Oshiomhole) was panic-stricken over the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State.

Wike stated that Oshiomhole’s inconsistencies had shown that the people of Edo had rejected the All Progressives Congress in the state.

He stated that it was “completely” untrue that he and his Delta State counterpart, Ifeanyi Okowa, mobilised militants to Edo State.

The governor also denied the allegation by Oshiomhole that he sent N2bn to the Edo State Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

Wike, who spoke when he granted audience to the Inter-Party Advisory Council, Rivers State chapter at the Government House in Port Harcourt, described as shocking that at his (Edo’s governor) age, Oshiomhole still believed in drama and lies.

He said he was shocked by Oshiomhole’s allegation because on the day of the campaign, he met with his Edo counterpart alongside other APC governors at the Benin airport where they all embraced and exchanged pleasantries.

“Oshiomhole even cornered me and said ‘don’t mind these people, they don’t know that we meet and talk.

“If Oshiomhole has lost the confidence of his people, he should not blame me. He brought the President and 10 APC governors and he was not satisfied. Just because two PDP governors visited Edo State, Oshiomhole is panicking.

“Oshiomhole at his age should stop dramatising and telling lies. What will his children say when they see him behave like that? If you cannot win election, you cannot win election no matter the number of security reports that you write.

“Oshiomhole doesn’t know when to stop lying. Why do you think that you will continue to deceive the people? This was the same man who praised former President Goodluck Jonathan for promoting free and fair election, ‘one man, one vote,’ which saw Oshiomhole win a second term.

“Today in his notorious inconsistencies, anywhere Oshiomhole goes, he insults the former President. When President Buhari leaves office, Oshiomhole will do the same to him,” Wike said.

PHOTONEWS: Precious ORJI, Paralympic Gold medalist.

This are the pictures of Precious ORJI, the Paralympic Gold medalist at the RIO Paralympic games in Brazil. Precious Orji, is from Arondizuogu in Imo state, a great ambassador of Nigeria in Paralympic sports.

SERAP Calls For The Prosecution Of Patience Jonathan Over $15m

By Abdulwahab Abdulah

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has given the Attorney-General of the Federation, (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), a 7-day ultimatum to begin the prosecution of the former first lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan over allegation of $15m unexplained wealth “frozen in four companies’ accounts.”

In a statement by SERAP executive director, Mr Tokunbo Mumuni made available to Vanguard, the body urged the AGF to institute criminal proceedings against Mrs Jonathan in line with “public interest, and exercise your powers under Section 174(1) of the Constitution of Nigeria 1999.” Making bold its demand, SERAP asked Malami to “take this step within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter, failing which SERAP will institute legal proceedings to compel the discharge of constitutional duty in this matter.” The body argued that, “Mrs Jonathan is a politically-exposed person under anti-corruption standards.

She is also covered under the definition of ‘public officials’ contained in the UN Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party. Under article 2 of the convention, public officials, include Mrs Jonathan or any other family members of the former President Goodluck Jonathan, who exercised official duties while he was president.” SERAP noted that “pursuing prosecution in this case would help to provide adequate reparation, which may take the form of restitution, compensation, satisfaction or guarantees of non-repetition to victims of corruption who continue to be denied their right to an effective remedy.

It would also send a clear message that cases of unexplained wealth or illicit enrichment involving politically exposed persons would not go unpunished,” it stated. Explaining the need for the prosecution, the group said the use of the offence of illicit enrichment is necessary to any anti-corruption movement and accepted instrument in the global fight against corruption.

It said the step by the government would also enhance its powers to monitor wealth and improve transparency and accountability within the public sector. The statement read: “By combating an official’s unexplained material gains, illicit enrichment offenses make it clear to public officials that if they engage in corrupt conduct they would forfeit illegally acquired wealth and go to prison. “According to article 2 “for the purpose of some specific measures contained in chapter II of this Convention, “public official” may mean any person who performs a public function or provides a public service.”

“Thus, article 2 makes it very clear that any person, such as Mrs Jonathan performing a public function, entrusted with a public task or to whom public functions have been assigned are public officials, regardless of whether they have been elected or appointed, paid or unpaid.” “Under article 20 of the convention, this government has an obligation to prosecute intentional illicit enrichment, that is, a significant increase in the assets of a public official that he or she cannot reasonably explain in relation to his or her lawful income.”

The fact that the $15m found in the four accounts belong to Mrs Jonathan raises serious suspicion or at the very least a prima-facie case of unexplained wealth/illicit enrichment, and imposes an obligation on Mrs Jonathan to explain and justify the source(s) of the $15m.” “In the event that she is not able to justify, explain or put forth evidence demonstrating the legitimate origin of the $15m, SERAP urges you to take immediate steps to forfeit the asset under appropriate legal proceedings, and to institute criminal prosecution for unexplained wealth in the matter.”

Budget: FG to raise $1bn via Eurobond in November

Everest Amaefule, Abuja

In order to finance the 2016 budget, the Federal Government is to raise $1bn through the issuance of Eurobonds by November, investigation has shown.

The amount to be raised from the international bonds market is part of the $4.5bn that the Federal Government plans to borrow from the market in three years.

Authoritative sources told our correspondent on Wednesday that the government was watching events in the international capital market to know the best opportune time to approach it to raise the fund.




Further investigation revealed that the international capital market had become very attractive to the Federal Government because of the dearth of foreign exchange in the country as a result of poor earnings from the nation’s major forex earner, crude oil.

It was also learnt that most of the monies expected from external borrowings to finance the 2016 budget would come from the issuance of the $1bn Eurobonds.

Other sources recently approved by Federal Executive Council for external borrowing to support the 2016 budget are the World Bank, African Development Bank, China Exim Bank and the Japanese International Cooperation Agency.

According to the budget passed by the National Assembly in May, the Federal Government is to borrow N900bn from external sources and N984bn from local sources.

At an exchange rate of N400 to a dollar, the $1bn that the government plans to raise through Eurobonds is N400bn or 44.44 per cent of the N900bn it plans to borrow from abroad to finance some capital projects in the 2016 budget.

In preparation for the issuance of the Eurobonds, the Debt Management Office has advertised for key partners to offer the government consultancy services in order to avoid poor showing at the international bonds market.

The consultants being sought by the Federal Government through the DMO are two international banks to serve as joint lead managers, one local bank to serve as financial adviser, one legal adviser and one technical adviser on communication.

In the advert, the DMO stated, “The Federal Republic of Nigeria is in the process of establishing a $4.5bn Federal Government Medium Term Note Programme, 2016 – 2018, out of which it intends to issue $1bn Eurobond in the year 2016.

“The purpose of establishing the FGMTN programme is to enable the FRN to have the flexibility of quickly taking advantage of favourable market conditions in the international capital market to raise funds, if and only when the need arises.”

Our correspondent learnt that officials of the DMO and the Ministry of Finance would in alliance with the transaction partners soon begin to sensitise the market to enable the country to take the earliest advantage of the market even though a target of November had been set.

It was also learnt that the Federal Government had adopted a cautious approach to the market in order to get the best result.

In 2015, the Federal Government could not muster the courage to approach the international bond market to raise the funds that it had scheduled to borrow from the market because of circumstances prevailing within and outside the country.

Instead, it resorted to the local bond market to raise the funds it had earmarked to borrow from abroad.

The government could also not approach the market early enough this year because the 2016 budget that prescribed a borrowing of N900bn from external sources could not be passed until May.

However, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udo Udoma, had at a recent town hall meeting, said the government had a 12-month window to implement the 2016 budget. This means that the government can continue to implement the budget till May 2017.

Resign now, PDP tells Buhari

John Alechenu and Olusola Fabiyi

The Peoples Democratic Party has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to leave office immediately.

But before quitting, the former ruling party asked the President to return the country to how he met it when he assumed office on May 29, 2015.

The spokesperson and a member of the party’s National Caretaker Committee, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, said this in a statement he signed in Abuja on Wednesday.

The former minister of state for works said his party was not happy with the state of affairs in the country.

He specifically mentioned the statement credited to the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, that, “recession is a word.”

Adeyeye said, “Is this statement as a result of ignorance, lack of patriotism or in-line with President Buhari’s comment that his ministers are noise makers?

“For the record, recession is characterised as a period of negative economic growth for two consecutive quarters, given rise to high rate of  unemployment, fall in output, increase in government borrowing, etc.

“Following this understanding, Nigeria’s economy is already near depression.  The crass ineptitude and lukewarm-attitude of this All Progressives Congress government is no longer tolerable, and therefore, we are calling on President Buhari and his team to return Nigeria to its state of booming economy before they assumed office in May, 2015, and then quit immediately to allow other capable leaders revive our ailing economy.”

Adeyeye said about three airlines, local and international, and some banks had allegedly suspended operations and sent their members of staff on an indefinite leave due to the poor state of Nigeria’s economy.

He said Nigerians were aware that the PDP government invested heavily in most of the nation’s airports, an action he said resulted to alleged ‘facelift’ and improved operations through remodelling, construction of new airports, refurbishing and equipping of the local and international airports to  meet the best practices in the aviation industry.

He said the APC’s administration had frittered away all the good policies and programmes which he claimed the PDP put in place, thereby bringing down the aviation sector in the country amongst other catastrophes he said the new leadership had caused.

He said the President should sit down to work instead of constantly blaming past governments at all time.

He said, “What Nigerians want from this administration are positive results and not resorting to throwing tantrums on the PDP at every given opportunity.

“Our call for the President to return the country to how he met it in 2015 is justified on the following grounds.

“In 2015 when the President came to power, a bag of rice was selling at N7,000, but now, it is above N20,000; a ‘mudu’ of beans was N150 then and now, it is N500; one US dollar was then trading for N197 but now it is over N400.

“Also, a litre of fuel was N87 but now is N145; cost of transportation and other services had skyrocketed. Given our observations since the inception of this government, they have nothing to offer and as such, quitting will be a solution because nobody can give what he/she does not have. The APC has failed.”

Adeyeye called on Nigerians to recall President Buhari’s purported “body language” at the beginning of his administration and reiterated that  governance “is a serious business and not about someone’s body language’ and de-marketing strategies of Mr. President while ‘globetrotting’.

“When this government came to power in May 2015 riding on the achievements of the previous PDP administration, President Buhari’s handlers and his party, the APC, claimed it was his ‘body language’ that brought some positive changes the country was witnessing at that time.

“So, we want to know what are the results of the so-called ‘body language’?”

He concluded that the earlier the President and his team quit, the better for the country, saying “there is no better time than now to make this call for the President to return the country to how he met it and quit.

“He can even quit right away for a more experienced team to take over.”

Adeyeye appealed to members of his party and other well-meaning Nigerians to keep praying to God to intervene so that the country could quickly recover from the ailing economy.

The Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, who was until his appointment, the South-East Zonal spokesman for the APC, has dismissed the PDP’s call for Buhari’s resignation.

Okechukwu said the PDP was simply trying to make Nigerians forget the 16 years of its maladministration.

He said, “On May 13, 2010, the Jonathan administration announced the contract award of three refineries which he called the greenfield refinery. One was to be located in Bayelsa, one in Kogi and one in Lagos, if those refineries were constructed, the billions of naira we are losing through vandalism of our pipelines would not be the order of the day.

“If his wife, Patience, was wise enough to use the money she used to build a hotel in Yenagoa for the refinery, we wouldn’t have been where we are today.

“The Nigerian people know where the rain started beating us. As the Petroleum Task Force chairman, Buhari, with the meagre resources at his disposal, was able to build more kilometres of roads than the PDP did in 16 years, even though they had more money.

“Are they saying Nigeria should return to the years where Boko Haram held all of us to ransom and the looting of the public treasury was the order of the day?”

Kukah to Buhari: Stop blaming Jonathan, solve current problems

Peter Dada and Atta Ede

The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Kukah, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to stop agonising about the past administration but to tackle the challenges facing the country.

He said Nigerians did not vote for him ( Buhari) to complain about previous government but to perform better than his predecessor.

The clergymen stated this at a dinner organised by the Ondo State Government after the 2016 Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria held in Akure, the state capital on Wednesday.

He said, “We didn’t  vote a government to complain about yesterday, if we wanted yesterday the new government would not be there. The previous government didn’t only do bad things; he did a lot of good things.

“I think the business of government is not our business; our business is, the previous government did bad, that is why we voted a new government. It is really about taking responsibility. No matter how much you praise or abuse (former President Goodluck) Jonathan, he is no more the President of Nigeria. I think that people must understand that you take power to solve problems not to agonise.

“We are not asking you to change the whole world, but Jonathan created problems: we are now riding a train between Abuja and Kaduna now; the train wasn’t there before. Things that Jonathan did that can help Nigeria, let’s continue with them. The bad things that Jonathan did and those who deserve to go to prison should go to prison. “

Kukah added that the only way the current administration could succeed in fighting corruption was to first solve the problem  of poverty and inequality in the country.

“I still believe that unless we get to the root cause of poverty and inequality, which are really the evidences and symptoms of corruption; you can talk of fighting corruption all the rest of your life and very little is going to happen.

“Sending people to prison will only be useful if it puts bread on the table of the people, “ the Catholic cleric said.

In his remarks at the dinner, the Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, reiterated his call for the restructuring of Nigeria to reflect the needed true federalism as the only panacea for the development of the country.

Mimiko expressed worries that the Federal Government was biting more than it could chew with the larger percentage of the resources at its disposal to the detriment of the federating units.

The governor posited that the problem of corruption facing Nigeria could be addressed with the right policy.

He called for the prayers of the religious leaders in the country to tackle inter-religious conflicts, noting that the (conflicts) might lead the country to more danger that might be difficult to overcome.

 “Government has the responsibility of bringing these bigots to book. We are not comfortable with what the bigots are doing. What they are doing is most worrisome in Nigeria. The Church has a major role to play by praying for Nigeria,” the governor added.

Meanwhile, about 200  pastors and bishops from the Anglican Church across Nigeria  are  currently in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, for a one-week conference where they would pray for the peace, security and development of the country.

The Benue State Governor  Samuel Ortom, while declaring the conference open at the Benue State University, Makurdi, expressed excitement that the state was hosting the All Anglican Clergy Conference and assured the pastors that their security would be guaranteed.

Ortom said, ‘’The government and people of the state believe in divine intervention in human affairs and my conviction accounted for the dedication of the state to God at the end of May, this year.

“My faith in God right from my teenage years has accounted for my elevation from a humble beginning to the present status and I’m resolute in my determination to serve God wholeheartedly.’’

He expressed appreciation to the Primate of the Church, Most Reverend Bishop Nicholas Okoh, and other clergy and the laity of the church, for making themselves available for God to use them to bless the present generation.

Ortom urged them to carry on with their activities at the conference without any fear of molestation and advised Benue people to put their trust in God to experience breakthrough in all facets of life.

He said he was sure that the conference would bring blessings to the people of the state as well as all the delegates.

The governor assured the people that his administration was working tirelessly to revamp the agricultural value chain, which he said, would turn around the economy for the better.

In his remark, Okoh thanked Ortom for his contributions toward the success of the conference.

He reiterated the anti-gay stand of the Anglican Church in Nigeria and advised members of the clergy who had gay tendencies to resign their position honourably or risk being disgraced out of the church.