08082017 - OZUBULU HORROR ATTACK - How gunmen killed my three relations

PAPAL 

BLESSINGS: 

Special Pontifical 

unction of grace & 

blessings on Sen. 

Annie Okonkwo and 

his daughter, Dr 

Nkem Okonkwo, 

during a privileged 

audience with Pope 

Francis at the Vatican. 

Atiku raises alarm over 

anti-Igbo song 

•Balarabe Musa, Junaid Mohammed, 

Shettima react 

•Reconciliation talks end in deadlock 

8 

34 

** ** 

VOL. 25: NO. 63350 TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2017 

OZUBULU HORROR ATTACK: 

How gunmen killed my 

three relations 

•We've made arrests, but... —Police; NDLEA wades in, 

• As victims recount ordeal; it's not terror attack – Obiano 

By Emma Nnadozie, 

Crime Editor, 

Vincent Ujumadu, 

Anayo Okoli, 

Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru, Omeiza 

Ajayi, Nwabueze 

Okonkwo & 

Chimaobi Nwaiwu 

Awka- SHOCK 

and grief still 

pervaded 

Amakwa village, Ozubulu 

in Ekwusigo Local 

Government Area of 

Anambra State, yesterday, 

as the residents narrated 

their experiences, during 

the attack at St. Philip’s 

Catholic Church in the 

area. 

Just like Sunday, the 

vicinity of the church was 

still besieged by 

Continues on page 5 

Ozubulu church killings... 

Mr Samuel Ndulue (Middle) and other victims of the Ozubulu Catholic church attack during vanguard's visit, yesterday. 

Photos: Vincent Ujumadu. 

Paris Club refund: Abuja Court freezes 

bank accounts of Abia, C-River, Delta 

RESTRUCTURING: 

ACF studying invitation 

from Southern leaders 

COLUMNISTS ERIC TENIOLA 

9 

Diezani finally loses 

10 

$37.5m Banana 

Island mansion to FG 

18 ODUMAKIN 17 MAILAFIA 31 

Dead refineries: 

Reps to summon 

Kachikwu again 

59 

15 

SEE 

INSIDE 

Naira 

depreciates 

as CBN 

injects 

$195m 5 

Mr & Mrs

2 — Vanguard, TUESDAY AUGUST 8, 2017

Vanguard, TUESDAY AUGUST 8, 2017—3


Vanguard, TUESDAY AUGUST 8, 2017—5 

POCKET CARTOON 

from the left, Executive Secretary, NEPC, Mr. Segun Awolowo; Minister 

for Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole; Minister for Agriculkture, Chief Audu Ogbe 

and Ag. President Yemi Osinbajo during the meeting between the Presidency 

and the NIED at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja. Photo by Abayomi 

Adeshida. 

How gunmen killed my three relations 

Continues from page 1 

hundreds of people from 

various parts of the 

country, especially people 

from the village whose 

relations worship at the 

church regularly. They 

came to find out the 

situation in their village. 

This came as Police 

authorities in Abuja, 

yesterday, confirmed that 

three persons had been 

arrested in connection 

with the attack, just as 

Governor Willie Obiano 

dismissed insinuations 

that it was a terror attack 

against the church. 

The National Drug Law 

Enforcement Agency, 

NDLEA, also said it was 

already linking up with 

international collaborators 

and respective countries, 

with a view to 

establishing the veracity 

of the drug activities 

related with the 

massacre. 

How I lost three 

relations 

Among those who spoke 

with Vanguard, yesterday, 

was Joel Obunadike, who 

lost his uncle, his 

brother’s wife and a baby. 

He said they were facing 

the alter when the 

gunman shot them from 

behind and the bullet 

caught them where they 

were sitting. 

According to him, the 

deceased sustained 

injuries and died later at 

Nnamdi Azikiwe 

University Teaching 

Hospital, Nnewi. 

Obinadike added that 

his brother, whose wife 

and child were killed, had 

not even returned home. 

It was gathered that the 

baby was taken to the 

theater for operation, 

yesterday, where she later 

died. 

Joel said: “We were in 

the middle of the service 

when I noticed that a 

black jeep was parked 

outside. The car later 

moved from the spot and 

turned back a few minutes 

later and parked at the 

same spot. 

“A young man came into 

the church through the 

back door of the church 

and started shooting, 

while backing the alter. 

Many people tried to 

escape through the two 

doors and to our surprise, 

the gunman started 

shooting at them on both 

doors. It was a terrible 

thing. 

“I did not rush out like 

others immediately and it 

was most of the people 

who tried to escape that 

were either killed or 

wounded.” 

Our ordeal— Victims 

IT'S UP TO YOU 

BY AYO ADIO - 08104802192 

Don’t waste precious time feeling sorry for yourself 

about the mistakes you made, learn the lessons, move 

on quickly and live again. It's up to you. 

TAKE HEART — Ella Randle 

Self awareness is one of the rarest of human 

commodities. I don’t mean self consciousness 

where you’re limiting and evaluating yourself. I 

mean being aware of your own pattern—Tony 

Robbins 

A 

PERSON of awareness is calm, relaxed, 

serene, and creative, only good can come from 

these states of being. You will know when you 

become a person of awareness because you will quit 

watching others, that’s what everybody else does; 

all you need to do is watch yourself unfolding in 

the right direction 

SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE 

When an old woman falls, we count the 

contents of her basket. 

Two other victims, 

Samuel Ndulue and 

Chinasa Chukwueloka 

also gave a graphic 

description of what 

happened in the church. 

Ndulue, who is heavily 

bandaged after 

undergoing an operation 

on his two legs said: “I 

was sitting on the third 

row from the front of the 

church when the shooting 

started and I got up to run 

away only for bullets to hit 

me on my two legs. 

“I became unconscious 

and it was when I woke 

up that I discovered that 

I was in the hospital. I am 

happy to still be alive.’’ 

Miss Chukwueloka said 

it was a miracle that she 

was still alive, adding that 

she followed other people 

to run when the shooting 

started only to fall in the 

middle of the church 

when she was hit by 

bullets. 

Mrs. Christiana Okafor, 

who hailed from the 

neighbouring Ihembosi 

community that worships 

at the church, said she 

had to return from Enugu 

to ascertain the situation, 

adding that though she 

did not lose anyone, she 

was sad that people had 

to lose their lives in such 

circumstance. 

A nurse in charge of the 

Emergency Unit of 

NAUTH said, yesterday, 

that six of the injured 

persons admitted on 

Sunday had been 

transferred to the 

hospital’s outpost at Oba, 

while the remaining 22 

were recuperating at 

Nnewi. 

LG chairman reacts 

Chairman of Ekwusigo 

Local Government, Mr. 

Ikenna Ofodeme, said he 

was compiling details of 

the casualties and 

wondered why someone 

should enter the church to 

kill innocent people. 

According to him, it is 

possible that God wanted 

to use the incident to 

expose some bad people 

in the community and 

prayed that it will be the 

last time such an incident 

would happen in the local 

government. 

He said of the 12 people 

confirmed dead, 10 were 

females, including a baby, 

while two were males, 

adding that 10 of the 

bodies had been 

deposited at New Haven 

Mortuary, Ozubulu. 

He said: “Doctors who 

were not even on call, and 

some who were at church 

service came to join 

doctors on duty to save the 

lives of the victims, as I 

am talking with you now, 

the accurate number of 

people who died are 12, 

including 9 women, a 

baby girl, and two men, 

and they are already at 

New Heaven Mortuary, 

Joint Hospital Ozubulu, 

and the one at NAUTH 

Nnewi.” 

Ofodeme clarified on 

the alleged involvement of 

a prominent son of 

Ozubulu who is alleged 

to be the target of the 

attack, saying he could 

not have been the target 

because he was not in the 

country when the 

incident happened. 

“This young man, 

Aloysius Ikegwuonu, they 

are calling based on the 

police report has built 

more than three churches 

in 

Ekwusigo 

communities. He is 

currently building a new 

one in one of the 

communities. He left this 

country two days ago. 

“If he was the target and 

he did a business 

transaction that resulted 

to this killing, those who 

are pursuing him would 

have killed him at the 

football pitch. He played 

inter-village match a week 

ago before he left the 

country for his base. Some 

are quoting the governor 

of the state. 

‘’The governor was 

briefed by the police and 

whatever he said, he 

should not be blamed 

because it was security 

agents that briefed him, 

and he must tell the 

people of the state what 

he was briefed on. 

“The shooting 

happened in the church. 

Why didn't the people go 

to his house or his 

father’s house? What 

business has shooting 

people in the church got 

to do with business 

transaction between 

alleged drug pushers? 

‘’This is purely a terrorist 

attack and nothing to do 

with a drug pusher’s 

disagreement in South 

Africa with our son.” 

The council chairman 

said the attack may be 

politically motivated to 

give the impression that 

there is no security in the 

state, just to rubbish 

Governor Obiano’s stride 

in addressing security in 

the state. 

“If it were a 

misunderstanding 

between Mr Aloysius 

Ikegwuonwu and his 

kinsman in South Africa, 

what has that got to do 

with innocent worshipers 

in the church,” he asked. 

The state commissioner 

of police, Mr. Garba 

Umar, said, yesterday, 

that some arrests had 

been made, although he 

declined to say the 

number of people so far 

arrested. 

“We don’t want to give 

figures now so as not to 

jeopardize the ongoing 

investigation,’’ the CP 

said in an interview. 

Other victims react 

Similarly, Charles 

Justice, who brought his 

wounded friends to the 

Nnamdi Azikiwe 

Teaching Hospital in 

Nnewi, said the incident 

happened after the homily 

at 6 a.m. Mass. 

“Those who died are 

mostly children and the 

elderly, I know about 

three children who were 

below five years that died 

in the shooting,” said 

Justice. 

He said three of the 

victims had died at the 

hospital, a claim 

corroborated by a medical 

doctor who did not want 

to be named. 

Nonso Nwakibe 

thanked God as his 

mother, Antonia, laid 

groaning from the pains 

of the bullet wounds on 

her arm. 

Ogochukwu Maduka, a 

Lay Reader at the church, 

who sat in the front row 

at the time of the attack, 

said she had arrived for 

the Mass and found the 

church in darkness. 

“After much effort to get 

the generator to work 

failed, they had resort to 

using candles and 

rechargeable lamps. 

“The holy Mass had 

proceeded as usual, after 

the first, second and 

gospel reading, and then 

the priest’s homily, as we 

stood up for the 

proclamation of faith, 

there was a sound of gun 

like thunder from behind. 

“There was chaos, panic 

and confusion. The priest 

ran away as the gunshots 

continued and I took cover 

under the seat. 

“When people started 

running around, the man 

began shooting upwards. 

Those mostly affected 

were those at the back of 

the church.” Maduka 

added that she counted 

about 15 corpses 

afterward. 

Another victim, 

Nnagolum Oramadike, a 

primary three pupil, who 

was shot in the leg, said 

he “bent down” while the 

shooting was going on. 

His mother, Chioma, 

who also sustained bullet 

wounds, said she was 

worried the news would 

devastate her husband, 

who had just travelled 

abroad to seek greener 

pastures, but hoped he 

would find out they were 

alive. 

“The shooting started 

around 7 a.m. and my 


NAIRA WATCH 

Naira depreciates as CBN 

injects $195m 

By Babajide Komolafe 

THE Naira, yesterday, depreciated in the parallel 

market, Investors and Exporters (I&E) window 

even as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) injected 

$195 million into the interbank market. 

Vanguard investigation showed that the naira 

depreciated by N1 in the parallel market as the 

exchange rate for the market rose to N366 per dollar 

from N365 per dollar last week Friday. 

The naira also depreciated by 94 kobo in the I&E 

window as the indicative exchange rate rose from 

N366.44 per dollar last week Friday to N367.38 per 

dollar at the close of business, yesterday. The volume 

of dollars traded also dropped to $96.03m from an 

average of N198.8m, last week. 

In a statement issued, yesterday, Acting Director, 

Corporate Communications Department, CBN, Mr. 

Isaac Okoroafor, announced the injection of $195m 

into the interbank market. 

He said: “In the wholesale segment of the interbank 

Foreign Exchange market, the CBN auctioned 

$100m and also intervened in the Small and Medium 

Enterprises (SMEs) and invisible segments, with 

the sum of $50 million and $45m respectively.” 

Okoroafor reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to 

sustain liquidity in the market to ensure that genuine 

requests for FOREX are met as well as improve 

liquidity and flexibility in the market.

6—Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2017 

:Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058 

OURMUMUDONDO MARCH: Protesters, led by Charlie 

Boy, demonstarting over the long absence of President Muhammadu Buhari 

in Abuja, yesterday (Story on Page 8). PHOTOS: Gbemiga Olamikan. 

2 quacks 

perform 

surgery on 

woman, 

docked 

TWO 

suspected 

quacks — Adetoun 

Oyebade, a nurse, and 

Moses Dada, a health 

assistant — who allegedly 

performed a surgery on a 

woman that complained 

of stomach pains, were 

yesterday taken before an 

Ikeja chief magistrate’s 

court, Lagos. 

The accused, Oyebade, 

43, a resident of Fajumo 

Street, Alakuko, a Lagos 

suburb, and Dada, 41, 

who lives in Ifo, Ogun, 

are facing a four-count 

charge of conspiracy, 

operating unregistered 

clinic, impersonation and 

performing illegal 

surgery. 

Police prosecutor, 

Clifford Ogu, told the 

court that the accused 

committed the offences on 

June 10 at 12B, Fajumo 

Street, Alakuko, Lagos. 

Ogu said the accused 

operated an unregistered 

clinic where they carried 

out an operation on the 

complainant, Mrs 

Sherifat Laws, who had 

acute stomach pains. 

According to him, 

“Oyebade diagnosed that 

the complainant had 

appendicitis and told her 

that the best option is to 

remove it. She then called 

Dada to her ‘clinic’ to 

perform the operation. 

After the operation, the 

wound refused to heal. 

“The complainant was 

taken to another hospital 

when her condition 

became worse.” 

The accused, however, 

pleaded not guilty to the 

charges. 

Chief Magistrate Taipei 

Akanni, in her ruling, 

granted the accused 

N200,000 bail each, with 

two sureties each in like 

sum and adjourned the 

case until August 28 for 

mention. 

Delta housewife attempts suicide 

because husband slapped her 

By Perez Brisibe 

DOCTORS in Delta State are 

battling to save the life of 

a 33-year-old housewife, Stella 

Oghenerohwo, who allegedly 

drank a poisonous substance, 

broke the bottle containing the 

said poison and used it to stab 

herself several times on the 

stomach, because her husband 

By Joseph Undu 

THE bishop of a Church in 

Enugu State was, weekend, 

arrested from his hideout by 

operatives of the Commissioner 

of Police Enugu State 

Command Monitoring Unit for 

allegedly defrauding members 

of the public of over N500 

million. 

The Bishop, who was arrested 

in a hotel at Amechi Road off 

Agbani Road, Enugu, was said 

to be operating a financial nongovernmental 

organisation 

known as Build Your 

Generational Organisation, 

into which his victims were 

made to invest millions of naira 

with the hope of financial 

dividends. 

According to a reliable source 

at the Enugu Police Command, 

the suspect, who hails from 

Umuaku Uli in Ihiala Local 

Government Area of Anambra 

State, until his arrest, was 

Bishop in charge of the Enugubased 

ministry. 

He said: “Before now, the 

suspect was a Bishop in charge 

of an alleged financial NGO 

known as Build Your 

Generational Organisation, 

where his victims were made 

to invest with a hope of reaping 

bumper financial dividends. 

“The suspect was doing the 

business with his wife and 

eight of his pastors. He 

relocated to Asaba, Delta State, 

to avoid being nabbed by the 

operatives, who had earlier 

arrested his wife.” 

Vanguard further gathered 

from the source that luck ran 

slapped her. 

The woman, who resides at 

Eruemukohwarien in Ughelli 

North Local Government Area 

of Delta State, was hit by her 

husband, Prince Sylvester 

Oghenerohwo, because she 

reprimanded their son. 

Confirming the incident 

when contacted, Delta State 

Police Public Relations Officer, 

out of the suspect over the 

weekend as he was trailed, 

based on intelligence information, 

by operatives to a hotel. 

It's not N500m— Suspect 

According to the source, the 

suspected fraudster, who is 

DSP Andrew Aniamaka, said: 

“The matter was reported at 

the Ughelli ‘A’ Division at 

about 3p.m. on Saturday. 

“The husband, Prince 

Sylvester Oghenerohwo, was 

said to have slapped her over 

a matter involving her beating 

their son for not going on an 

errand for her. Angered by 

this, she drank an insecticide 

now helping in the 

investigation, told 

investigators that “he never 

knew his financial NGO will 

turn out this way.” 

The source said that the 

suspect denied swindling his 

victims of the stated amount 

and used broken bottle to stab 

herself several times on the 

stomach.” 

Although the Police imagemaker 

did not state if the woman 

will be prosecuted on charges 

of attempted suicide, he said: 

“She is receiving medical 

attention at an undisclosed 

hospital, while investigation 

into the incident is ongoing.” 

Bishop, wife arrested over N500 million fraud 

Over 400 jerry cans of petroleum products seized by 

Federal Operation Unit of Nigeria Customs Services along 

Mubi-Madagali Federal Highway, Adamawa State, in Yola, 

yesterday. NAN PHOTO. 

By Nwabueze 

Okonkwo 

ONITSHA—ONE of those 

who sustained serious 

injuries from last week’s 

cooking gas explosion at 

Obosi community in Idemili 

North Local Government 

Area of Anambra State has 

been reported dead as others 

are still recuperating in 

various hospitals. 

It will be recalled that four 

people died, when a 

cooking gas cylinder 

exploded at Trinity Gas 

Limited Station at Obosi. 

Director of the plant, Mr. 

Uzo Nwanya, who disclosed 

this when the executive 

members of Nigeria 

Association of Liquefied Gas 

Petroleum Marketers, 

saying: “The amount of money 

I defrauded my victims was not 

up to N500,000,000 as claimed, 

but N186,000,000. I seriously 

regret my action.” 

Victims cry 

Upon his arrest, Vanguard 

learned, many of his victims 

have been trooping in large 

numbers to the office of the 

officer in charge of the 

Commissioner of Police 

Monitoring Unit Enugu in 

tears, lamenting how the Bishop 

swindled them. 

Some of the victims, including 

a widow, Blessing Okonkwo 

Edekin, as well as Nnenna 

Okonkwo and a petty trader, 

one Chidiebere Okolo, narrated 

their ordeal in the hand of the 

Bishop and his agents. 

The Commissioner of Police in 

the state, Mr. Danmallam 

Mohammed, had directed a full 

scale investigation into the 

incident. 

Obosi gas cylinder explosion: 

Death toll rises to 5 

NALGPM, paid a condolence 

visit to the plant, said among 

the five deceased persons, 

three were staff of the plant, 

while two others were 

customers. 

Nwanya noted that his 

youngest brother, 

Somtochukwu Nwanya, a 

trained gas filler, was equally 

among those who died on the 

spot, while trying to close the

Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2017—7 


Woman runs 

mad during 

prayers for 

sister 

Sweepers cry to LAMATA 

over 5-month salary arrears 

SWEEPERS employed by a Her words: “We have only service. 

contractor engaged by the been paid for January and “Each broom costs N200 

Lagos Metropolitan Area February. Our employer owes and now that the salary is not 

Transport Authority, LAMATA, each of us five months’ salary paid, we have no means to 

staged a peaceful protest over arrears. Most of our children buy them to work.” 

the non-payment of their five have been sent out of their 

months’ salaries, yesterday. schools over unpaid fees.” ‘Food sellers've 

The sweepers were seen in Akindele said before now, their marked us’ 

their work kit, holding brooms employer used to supply them Another sweeper, Mrs 

and carrying placards with brooms to work with, but that Morufat Egunjobi, who 

different inscriptions appealing now, “we are responsible for covers the LAMATA Bus-Stop 

to the management of LAMATA them. With the non-payment of shelters around Ketu, a Lagos 

to pay them their salaries in our salaries, we cannot afford suburb, said they usually 

front of the Authority's brooms and this is affecting our worked between 6a.m. and 

Motorways Premises near 7-Up, 

Ikeja. 

They said they were employed 

by the contractor, who is into 

LAMATA Shelter Maintenance, 

to be sweeping LAMATAconstructed 

bus shelters along 

Mile 12-Ketu-Ikorodu Road- 

Tafawa Balewa Square, TBS, 

axis. 

According to the sweepers, 

they had not been paid since 

March. 

Some of the inscriptions read 

“LAMATA, pay us our salaries 

ever since the month of The sweepers during the protest, yesterday. 

February,” “LAMATA, why are 

you denying us our money, you 

are punishing us.” 

... since March, 

70-yr-old cries out 

Mrs Musiliu Akindele, 70, one 

of the sweepers, said that their 

employer was initially paying 

each sweeper N10,000 per 

month before it was increased 

to N15,0000. 

tap to a big gas tanker, adding 

that though he succeeded in 

closing the tap, which 

prevented the flame from 

entering the big tanker, he was 

burnt to death in the process. 

He noted that the explosion 

occurred when a five 

kilogramme-cylinder that was 

being refilled burst open and 

ignited fire on other cylinders, 

both empty and filled ones, 

adding that though they were 

yet to quantify the extent of 

lost, the explosion damaged 

walls, roofs, scales, cylinders 

and louvres in the offices. 

By Kingsley Omonobi 

ABUJA—THE Army said, 

yesterday, troops of 151 

Battalion, 21 Brigade Nigerian 

Army, Operation Lafiya Dole, 

weekend, sprang an ambush on 

suspected Boko Haram terrorists 

along Miyanti-Banki Junction. 

“The gallant troops 

neutralised 12 terrorists and 

recovered 18 bicycles, 30 bags 

of flour, one bag of groundnut, 

two bags of salt, two baskets of 

kolanut and five torchlights” the 

Army said. 

Other items recovered include 

a carton of mixed juice sachets, 

four rolls of brocade material, two 

packets of sweet, one carton of 

washing soap, five packets of 

cold patch, two packets of Maggi 

cubes, two pairs of bathroom 

slippers, two packets of yeasts, 

four packets of Vedan, two rolls 

of sewing thread, four kegs of 

herbicide, 14 packets of 

insecticide, one keg of 

groundnut oil, a bag of pepper 

and N4,000 cash. 

Similarly, troops of 81 Task 

Force Battalion of 22 Brigade 

Nigerian Army, on Operation 

Lafiya Dole, on Saturday, 

cleared Boko Haram terrorists 

ambush along Dukje-Mada 

Road near Gulumba Gana 

village. 

A statement by Brigadier 

General Sani Usman, Director 

of Army Public Relations, 

said: “The troops neutralised 

quite a number of the 

terrorists’ ambush party and 

recovered weapons. 

“Unfortunately, two soldiers 

lost their lives when their 

vehicle stepped on an 

improvised explosive device, 

IED, buried along the road, 

while four others sustained 

injuries. 

5p.m. Mondays through 

Sundays. 

She said: “We do not have 

off days and no motivations 

from our employer. Yet, our 

employer owes us five months 

of unpaid salary arrears. 

“Some of us, who could not 

cope with the harsh situation, 

stopped working. The rest of 

us are doing it on empty 

promises that we will be paid 

one day. 

“We are indebted to food 

sellers and they have refused 

to sell to us on credit any 

more. 

“We are pleading with our 

employer, LAMATA, and its 

contractor, to pay us our 

outstanding salaries.” 

We're processing their 

monies—Lagos govt 

Contacted, Mr. Kola 

Ojelabi, Head of Media and 

Communication, LAMATA, 

said that the state government 

was processing the funds for 

the payment of the sweepers. 

Operation Lafiya Dole: Troops kill 13 terrorists, 

recover kola nuts, groundnut, salt, juice, others 

“The remains of the gallant 

soldiers that paid the supreme 

price and the wounded have 

been evacuated to 

Maiduguri” 

In the same vein, troops of 

22 Brigade Garrison, 

Nigerian Army, recovered 

nine primed cylinders from 

the terrorists IED-making 

factory at Abdiri. 

They destroyed the factory 

along with the materials. 

In addition, on Sunday, 

troops of 28 Task Force 

Brigade Nigerian Army, also 

sprang an ambush against 

suspected Boko Haram 

terrorists at Kafin Hausa, 

Madagali Local Government 

Area of Adamawa State. 

“They neutralised one Boko 

Haram terrorist and recovered 

an AK-47 rifle with 

registration number 02527 

MTD and a magazine.” 

By Paul Olayemi 

SAPELE—AN elderly 

member of a church in, 

Sapele, Delta State (name 

withheld), went mad when 

the General Overseer of the 

church was praying for her 

younger sister, who she 

had invited to the church 

for a deliverance service. 

Vanguard gathered that 

the said woman took her 

sister, who had been 

having series of problems 

in her marriage and had 

not seen her menstrual flow 

for 12 years, to the church 

for deliverance. 

An eyewitness said: “The 

pastor called out the sister 

and told her that she had 

an issue in her marriage 

and has not seen her 

menstruation for 12 years. 

“He then placed his hand 

on the young lady’s 

forehead and prayed that 

whosoever was responsible 

should go mad. Her elder 

sister, who brought her 

there started stripping 

herself naked and 

behaving funny.” 

The woman was later 

whisked away to an 

unknown destination. 

When Vanguard visited 

the Church, the pastor was 

said to be away at Ologbo 

in Edo State, while some of 

the church members 

confirmed the story. 

Igarra records 

2 cases of 

Lassa Fever 

THE Director of 

Primary Health Care 

in Akoko-Edo Local 

Government Area of Edo 

State, Dr. Sunday Yerumoh, 

yesterday, confirmed two 

cases of Lassa Fever in the 

locality. 

Yerumoh, who made the 

confirmation in an 

interview in Igarra, the 

administrative 

headquarters of Akoko- 

Edo Local Government 

Area, disclosed that the 

patients were quickly 

admitted in the 

Surveillance Unit of the 

local government health 

care centre, when health 

personnel noticed that they 

displayed symptoms of 

Lassa Fever. 

He said: “In conjunction 

with the Institute of Lassa 

Fever Control at the Irrua 

Specialist Teaching 

Hospital, we moved them 

to Irrua and contained the 

spread of the disease.” 

Yerumoh said the 

patients were currently 

responding to treatment.

8—VANGUARD, TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2017 


By Dapo 

Akinrefon, Charles 

Kumolu & Gbenga 

Oke & Omeiza Ajayi 

FORMER 

Vice 

President, Atiku 

Abubakar, has condemned 

a song he said wished the 

people of Igbo ethnic group 

dead, warning that the 

country should not be 

allowed to slide into 

genocide like Rwanda. 

Atiku’s condemnation 

drew the support of 

prominent northerners, 

including former Kaduna 

State governor, Alhaji 

Balarabe Musa; Second 

Republic lawmaker, Junaid 

Mohammed; and Arewa 

Youth Consultative Forum 

leader, Alhaji Yerima 

Shettima, who said such a 

development should not be 

tolerated by the 

government. 

Atiku in a statement he 

personally signed, 

yesterday, entitled: 

“Nigeria Does Not Need a 

Rwandan Deja vu,” urged 

all Nigerians to condemn 

what he said was 

“reminiscent of the 

beginning of the Rwandan 

genocide.” 

He called on security 

agencies to fish out and 

bring to trial those 

responsible for the song but 

did not give further details 

of the song he was referring 

to. 

Atiku said: "I totally and 

unequivocally condemn 

this development, and I call 

on all men of goodwill to 

rise up against this evil. 

“This song is reminiscent 

of the beginnings of the 

Rwanda genocide. 

Nigerians need to be aware 

that the Rwanda genocide 

was believed to have been 

ignited by a song entitled, 

Nanga Abahutu (I hate 

Hutus), sang by Rwanda’s 

then most popular 

musician, Simon Bikindi. 

God forbid that we should 

have such a déjà vu in 

Nigeria. 

“I call on the security 

agencies to thoroughly and 

decisively swing into action 

and apprehend, try, convict 

and severely punish those 

behind this ungodly song 

which incites racial hatred. 

On Ozubulu killings 

“I commiserate with the 

people of Ozubulu in 

Anambra State, who lost 

family members in the fatal 

shooting that also left almost 

a score injured. I pray that 

peace will return to their 

minds and their community 

soon, even as the police 

work hard to get to the 

bottom of the matter. May 

God comfort them as no 

man can." 

NASS should be 

supported to 

criminalise hate 

speech 

—Balarabe Musa 

Reacting, former 

governor of Kaduna State, 

PRESENTATION: From left, Executive Director, Corporate Services/ 

Commercial, Bank of Industry, BoI, Mr Jonathan Tobin; Executive Director, 

Small and Medium Enterprises, BoI, Mr Waheed Olagunju; Managing 

Director/CEO, BoI, Mr Olukayode Pitan; Country Director,DQS Management 

System Nigeria Limited, Mr. Ogudu Lawrence,and CEO BJ Chris, Ogulu 

Ezekiel, during the presentation of the ISO 9001:2015 Certification to BoI, in 

Lagos. 

Atiku raises alarm over 

anti-Igbo song 

•As Balarabe Musa, Junaid, Shettima condemn 

hate speech •ECA, Ohanaeze youths, others react 

Alhaji Balarabe Musa, 

said: “I have not heard 

about the song but I am 

aware that the National 

Assembly is working on 

how to come up with a law 

against hate speeches. 

"What every Nigerian 

should do is to support 

every effort geared towards 

coming up with a law 

against hate speech. When 

such law is enacted, I am 

sure that the problem will 

be tackled.” 

The hate song is 

condemnable 

— Mohammed 

In his reaction, Second 

Republic lawmaker, Dr 

Junaid Mohammed, said 

the hate song was 

condemnable and should 

not be allowed. 

He said: “I have not 

heard the song but I 

condemn such songs in 

strong terms whatever the 

motivation behind it is. 

However, I must say former 

Vice-President, Alhaji 

Atiku Abubakar, is being 

mischievous about his 

statements because what is 

happening in Nigeria has 

no semblance of what 

transpired in Rwanda." 

We condemn it 

—Shettima 

Also condemning the 

hate song, National 

President of the Arewa 

Youths Consultative Forum, 

Alhaji Yerima Shettima, 

dissociated himself and the 

group from it. 

Shettima said: “I heard it. 

We condemn it and we 

have no business with that, 

we are not violent and we 

will not accept 

responsibility for such 

madness. We are not part 

of it, we dissociate 

ourselves from it and we do 

not even know the origin 

of the song. We are 

working with other 

progressives who are 

willing to join hands to 

build the country. That is 

what we have been 

doing.” 

ECA asks Fulani- 

Hausa Muslims or 

herdsmen to quit 

S-East 

In its reaction, Eastern 

Consultative Assembly, 

ECA, asked Fulani and 

Hausa Muslims or 

herdsmen to leave the 

eastern region latest 

October 2, 2017, saying any 

of them who stayed beyond 

that date would be on his 

own. 

Secretary of the ECA and 

Founder of Igbo Youths 

Movement, IYM, 

Evangelist Elliot 

Ugochukwu-Uko, made 

this known in Enugu, 

yesterday, saying the 

decision to expel Hausa 

and Fulani herdsmen or 

Muslims was taken at the 

Nnamdi Kanu Centre, 

yesterday afternoon. 

He said: “The Hausa 

song is a week old. We 

have listened to it and 

analysed it. We, the leaders 

of various Igbo groups met 

today, at the Nnamdi Kanu 

Centre and resolved that 

Hausa/Fulani Muslims or 

herdsmen must leave the 

Eastern region. 

“News reaching us 

indicates that four major 

Igbo groups took the 

decision at the Nnamdi 

Kanu Centre in Abia State 

today (yesterday.) 

“We are only after the 

Hausa/ Fulani herdsmen. 

We are not against the 

Idoma, Tiv, Igalla, 

Bachama, Zango- Kataf; 

Ibira or any other tribe in 

the Middle Belt or 

elsewhere. We are not 

against the Southern 

Kaduna people or the 

Christians or Muslims in 

Adamawa, Benue, Plateau, 

Kogi among others. 

“We do not want any 

Hausa or Fulani GOC, 

soldiers, Commissioner of 

Police, policemen or Director 

of the Department of State 

Services, DSS, in our place 

from October 2. 

“Those who crafted the 

Igbo hate song are those 

against restructuring of the 

country. They want us to 

continue with the unitary 

system of government 

because they hate hard 

work. They don’t want the 

country to progress or grow." 

IWA, Ohanaeze 

react 

The Igbo Women 

Assembly, IWA, which 

reacted through its National 

President, Chief Marie 

Okwo said those who posted 

the Igbo hate song online or 

in their blogs were not God 

and would never decide for 

Igbo on what they wanted 

In his reaction, President 

General of Ohanaeze 

Ndigbo Youth Council, 

OYC, Mazi Okechukwu 

Isiguzoro, warned that the 

song was a sign of a genocide 

coming. 

He warned that nothing 

should happen to any Igbo 

man in the 19 Northern states 

or anywhere in the country. 

Resume or resign, 

groups tell Buhari 

•Buhari has complied with the 

constitution — Presidency 

•We can't substitute Buhari 

— Lai Mohammed 

By Gabriel Ewepu 

ABUJA—NINETY days 

after he left the country 

to treat an undisclosed 

ailment, a coalition of Civil 

Society Organisations, 

CSOs, yesterday, laid siege 

to the Presidential Villa, 

asking that President 

Muhammadu Buhari either 

resumes or resigns from 

office. 

The Presidency in a sharp 

reaction dismissed the 

demand, saying the 

president fulfilled 

constitutional demands on 

him before his medical 

vacation, adding that the 

government is focused on its 

agenda of fighting corruption, 

insurgency and fixing the 

economy. 

The Minister of 

Information, Alhaji Lai 

Mohammed, also in a 

seeming rebuff to the 

demands said the president 

cannot be substituted on the 

claim that his absence has not 

undermined the efficacy of 

government. 

The protesters under the 

aegis of Concerned Nigerians 

and “Our Mumu Don Do” 

Advocacy, who marched from 

Unity Fountain near the 

Transcorp Hilton Hotel to the 

gate of Presidential Villa, 

where they made their 

demands, but were not 

allowed access by security 

agents. 

The protesters were led by 

musician, Charles Oputa 

(Charlie Boy) and Deji 

Adeyanju. 

They lamented that for over 

90 days President Buhari left 

and lived outside the country 

leaving room for persons 

they referred to as unelected 

individuals to manipulate the 

institutions of state. 

They also accused his aides 

and associates of stage 

managing Buhari’s health 

status and failing to open up 

to Nigerians to the true 

situation with the president. 

Speaking yesterday, 

Adeyanju said: “The 

President cannot continue to 

remain in London infinitum, 

and Osinbajo cannot 

continue infinitum as Acting 

President. 

“They are holding the 

country to ransom, it is not by 

force to remain a President, it 

is time to invoke sections 144 

of the constitution. You can 

imagine what happened 

after the Anambra attack, the 

Cabal in Aso Rock who are 

bent on holding the country 

to ransom, bye-passed 

Osinbajo to issue a 

statement.” 

On his assertion, the leader 

of “Our Mumu Don Do” 

group, Oputa, also known as 

Charlie Boy said he had to 

come out to support the youths 

in demanding the right thing 

to be done, because the future 

of the younger generation 

was bleak with the way 

politicians are handling the 

issues of governance. 

Buhari has complied 

with the constitution 

—Presidency 

Meanwhile, no 

government official from the 

presidency came out to 

address the protesters. 

Senior Special Assistant to 

the President on Media and 

Publicity, Mallam Garba 

Shehu in his reaction to the 

demand said: “The 

demonstration is in the 

exercise of their freedom 

under the constitution, which 

guarantees their right to 

embark on peaceful protests. 

“On the second issue, 

demanding the President’s 

return or resignation or certain 

explanations, I would say that 

they have over-stepped their 

bounds. 

“The President has 

complied 100 percent with the 

constitution by handing over 

power to the Vice-President 

before proceeding on his 

vacation. He has not 

breached any law or the 

constitution by staying away 

from office to take care of his 

health. 

“Equally, there is nothing 

like a power vacuum in the 

country given the competence 

and general harmony with 

which the whole government 

is running. 

“Any such calls as being 

made by this or any other 

group represent an irrational 

assault on the constitution 

and should be ignored by 

well-meaning members of the 

public. 

There can’t be a 

substitute for Buhari 

—Lai Mohammed 

Meanwhile, Alhaji 

Mohammed has insisted that 

there can be no substitute for 

President Buhari. 

Speaking to journalists in 

Abuja, the minister said 

though the president is being 

missed, he said the country 

has remained in steady 

hands. 

Mohammed said: “There is 

no doubt that we miss the 

president but I think the 

government has been 

functioning very well. 

“There can’t be a substitute 

for the president, no doubt but 

I don’t think it has gotten to 

any stage whereby we find 

the kind of acrimony, 

agitations that are coming up."

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2017—9 


Paris Club refund: Court freezes bank 

accounts of Abia, C-River, Delta 

By Caleb Ayansina 

ABUJA —THE Federal 

Capital Territory High 

Court has ordered the 

freezing of the Paris- 

London Club refund bank 

accounts of Abia, Cross 

River, and Delta states. 

Justice Yusuf Halilu 

issued the order on August 

3, 2017, sequel to an 

affidavit in support of an exparte 

originating summons 

sworn to by Dr. Maurice Ibe, 

Chairman and Managing 

Director of Mauritz Walton 

Nigeria Ltd, and filed 

before the court by his 

counsel,Alex Marama, 

Charles Ude, and Kenneth 

N. Esq. 

The suit was as a result of 

the debt owed by the three 

states, which had engaged 

a consultancy film to pursue 

the refund of excess 

deductions on foreign loans 

and miscellaneous charges 

in exchange of certain 

percent of any fund 

recovered. 

The court in the 

document available to 

Vanguard, yesterday, also 

ordered the banks to set up 

an escrow account where 

the funds in the respective 

bank accounts would be 

deposited, pending the 

hearing and determination 

of the Motion on Notice. 

In the affidavit, Ibe 

averred that there is an 

urgent need for the court 

to direct the third 

defendants (United Bank 

for Africa Plc and Zenith 

Bank Nig. Plc) in the case 

between Mauritz Walton 

Nigeria Ltd and the three 

state governments to, in the 

interim, stop further 

disbursement of the money 

already in or accruing to the 

Paris-London Club refund 

accounts of the three states. 

Abia State government 

reportedly owes Mauritz 

Walton Nigeria Ltd 

$11,325,000 and N1.72 

billion; Cross River owes 

$8,050,000 and N1.2 

billion; while Delta is 

indebted to the tune of 

$27,274,135 and N3 billion. 

Abia State government 

had engaged Mauritz 

Walton Nigeria Ltd on 

November 3, 2014, to 

pursue the refund of excess 

deductions on foreign loans 

and miscellaneous charges 

in exchange of 30 percent 

of any fund recovered. 

Similarly, Cross River 

State government engaged 

the same consultancy firm 

on the same date for the 

same purpose in exchange 

of 20 per cent of any fund 

recovered. 

Delta State government 

also engaged the services 

of Mauritz Walton Nigeria 

Ltd in exchange of 30 per 

cent of any fund recovered. 

Justice Halilu adjourned 

the suit till September 7, 

2017 for hearing. 

Reacting to the 

development, Delta State 

government said it was yet 

to get details of the 

judgment. 

Similarly, Abia State 

Commissioner for Finance, 

Mr Obinna Oriaku, said 

last night that the state 

would appeal the 

judgment. 

Cross Rivers State 

government could not be 

reached as calls pulled 

through to the phone of the 

Chief Press Secretary to 

Governor Ben Ayade, Mr. 

Christian Ita, remained 

unanswered at press time. 

VISIT: Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed (second 

right) with the management of Nigerian Sovereign Wealth Investment 

Authority when the minister visited the corporate headquarters of the authority 

in Abuja, yesterday. 

Restructuring: ACF studying 

invitation from Southern leaders 

•It's invitation to chaos —Tanko Yakassai 

By Ben Agande & 

AbdulSalam 

Muhammad 

THE Arewa Consultative 

Forum, ACF, has 

promised to give a robust 

response to the invitation 

from Southern leaders for 

the renegotiation of the 

Nigerian federation after 

studying the proposal. 

The ACF’s claim came as 

Northern elder-statesman, 

Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, 

dismissed the proposal 

from the Southern leaders 

as an invitation to chaos. 

Southern leaders had at 

a meeting in Lagos, 

weekend, invited Northern 

leaders to renegotiate the 

federation on the claim that 

it was weighted against the 

South. 

Responding to the 

invitation, ACF 

spokesman, Muhammad 

Ibrahim Biu, told 

Vanguard that the forum 

will respond appropriately 

after studying the 

proposal. 

Yakassai on his part, 

however, saw the move by 

the Southern leaders as an 

invitation to chaos, saying 

there was no legal 

framework for the move. 

He said: “Nigeria is 

covered by constitution, 

and it clearly spelt out 

procedures on each item 

that binds us together and 

anything outside it is an 

invitation to chaos.” 

Yakassai said any such 

meeting would amount to 

“incompetence, and affront 

on the constitution of the 

Federal Republic. As it is 

today, only the National 

Assembly is empowered by 

the law to take a stand on 

any issues concerning 

constitution amendment, 

and anything outside it is 

nullity and rape of the 

constitution. 

“I, for one, would not 

attend a talkshop that 

would be tantamount to a 

waste of energy and 

resources while the socalled 

conveners know they 

are out for mischief.“ 

He thus enjoined any 

“aggrieved group to follow 

the proper channel to 

achieve their mission.“ 

Omotosho II, Geregu II, 

Alaoji II plants shut 

•As power generation drops to 3,304MW 

By Udeme Akpan 

& Sebastine Obasi 

LAGOS—THREE power 

plants, Omotosho II, 

Geregu II and Alaoji II, 

have been shut as a result 

of inadequate gas supply 

for electricity generation, 

data obtained from National 

Electric System Operation 

(SO) showed. 

Consequently, power 

generation has dropped 

from 4,000 megawatts, MW 

recorded last week to 3,304 

MW as at August 3, 2017. 

The report stated: “On 

August 3, 2017, average 

power sent out was 3,304 

MWh/hour (down by 82 

MWh/h). The reported gas 

constraint was put at 

505MW. The reported line 

constraint was 0MW. The 

reported frequency 

management constraint 

due to loss of DISCO 

feeders was 1651MW, 

while the water 

management constraint 

was 0MW. 

“The power sector was 

reported to have lost an 

estimated N1,035,000,000 

on August 3 2017, mainly 

due to gas constraints. 

Increasing high frequency 

constraints led to reduced 

generation. 

"Increased gas constraints 

were reported at Omotosho 

II, Geregu II, Alaoji II. 

Gbarain NIPP plant was 

restored to functionality 

after extended outage. 

Also, Sapele NIPP was 

shut down due to 

undisclosed fault.” 

Nigeria, best economic destination in Africa —Osinbajo 

•As FG plans to boost power with N701bn 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

ABUJA— ACTING 

President, Prof. Yemi 

Osinbajo, has said that any 

investor desirous of making 

a fortune on his investment 

in Africa will always 

consider Nigeria as the best 

economic destination on the 

continent. 

The Acting President also 

disclosed that there was 

massive payment 

assurance scheme of over 

N701 billion the Federal 

Government was infusing 

into the power value chain 

to free up the chain. 

“I like the idea of 

investors knowing that the 

reason you are coming to 

Nigeria is not to help 

Nigeria.You will ultimately 

end up helping Nigeria, but 

the reason you are coming 

here is the fact that this is a 

good place to do business," 

he said. 

Speaking at the Nigerian 

Initiative for Economic 

Development, NIED, at the 

Presidential Villa, Abuja, 

yesterday, the Acting 

President said the country 

would be hosting the 

largest private sector 

investment of single line 

refinery in the world that 

NNPC secures $3.8bn 

FDI for 4 oil projects 

By Michael Eboh 

ABUJA—THE Nigerian 

National Petroleum 

Corporation, NNPC, 

yesterday, said it has secured 

$3.8 billion foreign direct 

investment, FDI, inflow into 

Nigeria for four major oil and 

gas projects. 

The NNPC, in a statement 

in Abuja, also disclosed that 

the four major investments 

it recently embarked upon 

with key upstream joint 

venture partners were 

capable of providing 

incremental revenue to the 

national treasury by over $30 

billion within the next 10 

years. 

According to the 

statement, Group Managing 

Director of the NNPC, Mr. 

Maikanti Baru, stated this at 

the inauguration of the 

reconstituted NNPC Anti- 

Corruption Committee in 

Abuja. 

Baru disclosed that the 

will be producing 650,000 

barrels of oil every day as 

well as the largest single 

line fertilizer plant in the 

world that will all be ready 

by the end of 2018 and early 

2019. 

He said: “So, really, 

Nigeria is a place that is 

waiting to happen and it 

will happen. That’s really 

the point. It will happen. 

The truth of the matter is 

that any country that opens 

itself to free enterprise, the 

way Nigeria is opening 

itself to free enterprise, will 

somehow find that it will 

work. 

“That is one of the critical 

investments would serve as 

vehicle to fast-track the 

prevailing post cash-call exit 

era. 

Baru identified the Joint 

Venture alternative 

financing upstream 

investments to include: The 

$1.2 billion multi-year 

drilling for 36 offshore/ 

onshore oil wells under the 

NNPC/Chevron Nigeria 

Limited JV, codenamed 

project Cheetah and the 

NNPC/First E&P JV and 

Schlumberger tripartite $800 

million alternative funding 

agreement for the 

development of the Anyalu 

and Madu fields in the Niger 

Delta. 

Others, he said, are the 

recent agreements executed 

in London last week for the 

$1 billon NNPC/SPDC JV 

Project Santolina and the 

NNPC/Chevron $780 

million Project Falcon on 

Sonam, hitherto financed 

through JV Cash Call. 

things that we are bringing 

into the mix. We are 

insisting that the only way 

that this country can make 

the profit that it needs to 

make is by private sector 

investment, beginning with 

local investment. 

“That’s why we are 

working so hard on making 

the investment climate 

profitable and easy for those 

who are doing business 

already. 

"We believe that those 

who are doing business 

already will invariably 

bring in those who want to 

do business from outside 

the country, foreign 

investment etcetera."

10 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2017 


Diezani finally loses $37.5m Banana Island mansion, 

rents to FG 

By Innocent Anaba 

LAGOS—A Federal 

High Court sitting in 

Lagos, yesterday, ordered 

that a $37.5million skyscrapper 

building on 

Banana Island, Lagos, 

belonging to former 

Minister of Petroleum 

Resources, Mrs. Diezani 

Alison-Madueke, be finally 

forfeited to the Federal 

Government. 

Trial judge in the matter, 

Justice Chuka Obiozor, 

also ordered that the sums 

of $2,740,197.96 and 

N84,537,840.70 realised as 

rents on the property 

should equally be forfeited 

to the Federal Government. 

The orders were made by 

Justice Obiozor, sequel to 

a motion on notice argued 

before him by the Economic 

and Financial Crimes 

Commission, EFCC. 

The anti-graft agency had 

on July 19, 2017, obtained 

a court order to temporarily 

seize the property located 

at Building 3, Block B, Bella 

Vista Plot 1, Zone N, 

Federal Government 

Layout, Banana Island 

Foreshore Estate, which is 

said to have 24 apartments, 

18 flats and six penthouses. 

The court had directed 

that the temporary forfeiture 

order be published in a 

newspaper and then 

adjourned till Monday, for 

anyone interested in the 

property and funds to 

appear to convince the 

court why they should not 

be permanently forfeited to 

the Federal Government. 

At the resumed hearing 

of the matter, yesterday, 

EFCC counsel, Mr. 

Anselem Ozioko, told 

Justice Obiozor that the 

publication order had been 

complied with, adding that 

no one has contested the 

forfeiture order. 

“In summary, it appears 

as if they are not willing to 

contest this application,” 

Ozioko said, praying the 

court to go ahead and order 

the permanent forfeiture of 

the property and the funds. 

In a short ruling, Justice 

Obiozor said, “In the face 

of the publication, which I 

find in Exhibit ‘B’ of the 

affidavit of compliance 

before me, and there being 

no responses from any 

interested party, I have no 

other option but to grant the 

orders as prayed.” 

The EFCC had earlier 

told the judge that the 

Banana Island mansion 

was reasonably suspected 

to have been acquired with 

proceeds of unlawful 

activities by Diezani. 

It added that its 

investigations showed that 

Diezani purchased the 

property sometime in 2013 

for $37.5 million, which she 

paid in cash. 

According to the EFCC, 

the $37.5 million was 

moved straight from 

Diezani’s house in Abuja 

and paid into the seller’s 

First Bank account also in 

Abuja. 

“Nothing could be more 

suspicious than someone 

keeping such huge 

amounts in her apartment. 

Why was she doing that? 

To avoid attention. We are 

convinced beyond 

reasonable doubt because 

as of the time this 

happened, Mrs. Diezani 

Alison-Madueke was still 

in public service as the 

Minister of Petroleum 

Resources,” the EFCC 

lawyer said. 

In a 41-paragraph 

affidavit attached to the 

application, an 

investigative officer with the 

EFCC, Abdulrasheed 

Bawa, averred that one 

other person, in connivance 

with Diezani, purposely 

incorporated the company, 

Rusimpex Limited, on 

September 11, 2013 to 

facilitate the alleged fraud 

scheme. 

According to Bawa, the 

said person was 

questioned by the EFCC, 

but explained that he had 

approached Diezani for 

opportunities in the Oil 

and Gas industry but the 

ex-minister told him that 

she did not have any such 

opportunity for him and 

asked him whether he 

could in the alternative 

manage landed 

properties, an offer which 

GRADUATION: From left; Bola Olajomi-Otubu, Human Resources Director, 

Guinness Nigeria Plc (GN Plc); Ahmed Bolaji Nagode, Acting DG, National Power 

Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN); Chigbundu Udo Uwaoma, beneficiary of the 

Guinness Graduate Skills Development Scholarship; and Viola Graham-Douglas, 

Corporate Relations Director, GN Plc during the graduation ceremony of the Guinness/ 

NAPTIN Scholarship Scheme at Guinness Ogba Brewery, Lagos, yesterday. 

Lull at Lagos LG elections tribunal, 

with no petition filed 

By Abdulwahab 

Abdulah 

L AGOS—TWO 

weeks into their 

inauguration, the Lagos 

State Local Government 

Election Petition Tribunals 

are yet to receive a single 

petition from aggrieved 

parties nor their candidates 

that lost at the recent polls. 

Vanguard gathered that 

L AGOS—FIRST 

civilian Governor of 

Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef 

Jakande, has urged 

residents of the State to 

cooperate with the present 

administration under the 

leadership of Governor 

Akinwunmi Ambode, in 

its bid to transform the 

solid waste management 

sector in line with global 

best practices. 

Ambode, through a new 

policy termed Cleaner 

Lagos Initiative, CLI, is 

seeking to revolutionize 

waste collection and 

management in the State 

with the aim of promoting 

public health and 

bequeathing the State with 

functional, livable and 

cleaner environment. 

he accepted. 

Bawa said that the fellow 

later registered Rusimpex 

Limited at the Corporate 

Affairs Commission, 

wherein one Adetula 

Ayokunle, and a Russian, 

Vladmir Jourauleu, were 

listed as the directors of 

the company. 

the two tribunals which 

were expected to 

commence sitting, 

moments after they were 

sworn in by the state Chief 

judge, were yet to receive 

a single petition as at 

yesterday, when Vanguard 

visited the Ikeja division 

of the tribunals. 

The panels of the 

tribunals were inaugurated 

July 28, 2017. 

Jakande backs Ambode on new 

waste management initiative 

Under the initiative, 

which is billed to 

commence next month, 

27,500 sanitation workers 

would be employed and 

deployed to all the 

political wards in the State 

to keep the inner streets 

clean 24/7, while 

mechanized sweeping 

equipment would be 

deployed to the highways. 

Also, a consortium of 

reputable firms specializing 

in waste management led 

by Visionscape, has been 

assembled to collect waste 

in the residential areas, 

while the existing licensed 

Private Sector Participation 

waste managers, 

otherwise known as PSP 

operators, would collect 

commercial waste. 

The investigator also 

stated that when Ayokunle 

was questioned by the 

EFCC, he explained that he 

only appended his 

signature on the CAC 

documents at his boss’ 

instruction, while 

Jourauleu denied 

knowledge of the company. 

Though, the state High 

Court Chief Registrar, Mrs 

A. O. Soladoye, in a 

statement made available 

to Vanguard indicated that 

the two panels were “set 

to begin sittings to provide 

platform as prescribed by 

the Electoral law for 

aggrieved parties or 

individuals who 

participated in the 

Saturday 22nd July, 2017 

Local Government Election 

into Elective Offices to seek 

redress, nothing indicates 

any readiness since there 

was no petition to attend to. 

Findings indicated that 

nobody has approached the 

tribunals for complaint. 

The Election Petition 

Tribunal (Lagos Division 

Panel) expected to sit at 

Court 1, Igbosere Road, 

Lagos is chaired by Hon. 

Justice A. Olateru-Olagbegi 

(retd) while the Ikeja 

division headed by Mrs 

Folasade Adetiba will sit at 

the Roseline Omotosho 

Court House, Ikeja. 

One of the Registrars 

allocated to the tribunals 

who preferred anonymity, 

said though they were eager 

to sit, “Nobody is coming to 

file any petition or process, 

we are ready to work but 

nothing is coming.” 

He lamented that there 

are provisions for time 

limitation for the tribunal 

to receive petition as well 

as hear cases. 

NCAC boss 

solicits 

support for 

African Expo 

By Gabriel 

Olawale 

THE 

Director- 

General of the 

National Council for Arts 

and Culture (NCAC), 

Otunba Segun Runsewe 

has re-iterated his pledge 

to unbundle the huge 

potentials in the culture 

sector to strategically drive 

the process of economic 

diversification in line with 

the policy thrust of the 

present administration. 

Speaking ahead of the 

forthcoming African Arts 

and Craft Expo, AFAC 

slated for August 27th to 

September 17th in Abuja, 

Runsewe said the theme of 

this year’s edition of African 

Arts and Crafts Expo; Our 

Culture: The Untapped 

Treasure, was carefully 

selected. 

“The theme was carefully 

selected to draw attention to 

the vast opportunities in the 

sector, and mobilize 

Nigerians to take 

advantage of the 

opportunities therein for 

personal empowerment and 

the economic development 

of Nigeria,” he said. 

Airtel The 

Voice Nigeria 

battle rounds 

continue 

L AGOS—THE 

‘Battle Rounds’ on 

Airtel The Voice Nigeria 

Season 2 continued on 

Sunday, August 6, 2017 

with much expectation from 

talents who will be facing 

one another to make the 

next phase of the 

competition. 

The first episode of the 

battle rounds created lot of 

drama and new twist to the 

show. We saw coach 

Patoranking demonstrate 

his persuasion prowess 

stealing Daniel to his team, 

after his enchanting battle 

with Efezino. 

Patoranking had always 

wanted Daniel on his team 

since the blind audition. He 

“fought” Coach Waje for 

him few weeks ago when 

they both turned for him but 

unfortunately, Coach Waje 

won Daniel over with her 

lobbying tactics. 

Daniel was not the only 

one excited about the 

amazing opportunity, as his 

former Coach, Waje jumped 

and screamed in delight, 

hugging Patoranking.




SIGNING: From left; Technical Director, NatanelFlorens, Andre Wasserman; CEO, LMI Building 

Solution, South Africa, Gys Lucas; Executive Director, NatanelFlorens, Yinka Daramola; Executive 

Director, NatanelFlorens, Oguche Agudah and Specialist, Alternative Building Technology, LMJ, Gary 

Hoey at the signing of an exclusive partnership with NatanelFlorens on the development of 1000 “green 

houses” to be sold using NatanelFlorens “Rent-to-Own” scheme in Lagos. 

DEAD REFINERIES: Reps to summon 

Kachikwu again product, Managing 

By Egufe 

Yafugborhi 

W ARRI—THE 

House of 

Representatives yesterday, 

said it will re-invite the 

Minister of Petroleum, Dr. 

Ibe Kachikwu to explain 

why the nation’s refineries 

have collapsed again 

months after reporting their 

resumed operations. 

Chairman, House 

Committee on Petroleum 

Resources, Downstream, 

Akinlaja Joseph, disclosed 

this at Ifiekporo, Warri 

South Local Government 

Area, Delta State, during 

the committee’s oversight 

visit to the tank farm of 

Matrix Energy Limited in 

efforts to get stakeholders’ 

perspective on prohibitive 

kerosene cost and the 

recurring problems 

associated with 

adulteration of the product. 

Following revelations 

from stakeholders that the 

Warri Refinery and that of 

Port Harcourt were currently 

not producing with similar 

doubt over the one in 

Kaduna, Akinlaja 

expressed pain over the 

general failure of 

infrastructure in Nigeria. 

He said, “It’s quite 

unfortunate that in Nigeria, 

infrastructure do not work. 

We will make laws, but 

implementation of the laws 

is also important. How can 

we have four refineries of 

445,000 barrels capacity 

and we are still importing 

fuel, it’s a national shame, 

all of us have to be 

concerned. 

“We will invite the 

minister and ask him 

because the last time we 

visited the refineries, he 

told us certain things. We 

saw the 1965 refinery and 

there was flame, which 

meant it had started 

working, we are surprised 

that six months after, it has 

gone down again. 

“When this refinery in 

Warri was established in 

1978, the turnaround 

maintenance was done by 

Nigerians, suddenly the 

award of contracts has 

jeopardised this, rendering 

Nigerian engineers idle, 

receiving salaries for no 

work done. These are 

issues that the House will 

be looking into.” 

On the prohibitive cost of 

kerosene and the 

proliferation of killer 

Benin youths condemn attack on Obaseki over 

vacant UBTH CMD position 

By Simon 

Ebegbulem & Gabriel 

Enogholase 

B ENIN—THE 

Benin Youth 

Congress, BYC, yesterday 

condemned what it 

described as a calculated 

attempt to tarnish the image 

of the acting Chief Medical 

Director, CMD, of the 

University of Benin Teaching 

Hospital, UBTH, Dr 

Darlington Obaseki, in the 

ongoing exercise by the 

Federal Government to 

appoint a substantive CMD 

for the hospital. 

In a statement by BYC’s 

Coordinator General, Mr 

Omoruyi Igbinedion, it 

described as untrue the 

allegation by some persons 

it called imposters, that Dr 

Obaseki is an in-law to the 

immediate past CMD of the 

UBTH, Prof. Michael 

Ibadin, saying “It is 

unfortunate for people to 

search for parochial issues 

rather than talk about the 

Director/Chief Executive 

Officer at Matrix, 

Abdulkabir Aliu told the 

House members that it was 

unimaginable to talk of 

cheaper kerosene in the 

atmosphere of inadequate 

supply in addition to 

dependence on importation 

without concession on 

dollars for kerosene 

importation as it is for 

petrol. 

Among his suggestions to 

sanitize the downstream, 

particularly for lowering 

kerosene cost, Aliu said, 

“The intervention fund that 

allows concession of 

cheaper dollars for AGO 

importation should be 

qualifications of Dr Obaseki 

who came first in the recent 

interview conducted by the 

Federal Government. 

“The attention of BYC 

has been drawn to a 

diatribe mischievously 

conceived by a set of 

jobless pen-surrogates 

working for a desperate 

cabal whose ulterior 

motive is to impose their 

puppet as CMD and derail 

the Federal Government 

extended to kerosene. Also, 

government should lead 

importation when local 

refineries fail. 

“However, the real way 

out of the problem is for 

stakeholders to phase out 

use of kerosene and 

concentrate resources on 

encouraging cooking gas. 

“I have been to Benin 

Republic, Ghana, many 

West African countries. 

They don’t even know what 

kerosene is, they use gas 

which is cheaper and safer. 

I think Nigeria is just one 

of about three countries that 

depend on kerosene. And 

it should not be so because 

we are a big producer of 

gas,” he said. 

road map for resuscitating 

a supposedly ivory league 

hospital. 

“For the records, Dr. 

Darlington Obaseki and 

Prof. Michael Ibadin are not 

in-laws by hint of 

relationship and the latter 

became substantive 

Professor after his 

appointment as CMD, ditto 

Prof. Austin Obasohan who 

also became substantive 

Professor after his 

appointment as CMD.'' 

Landlords cry to Obaseki 

over flooding of community 

By Gabriel 

Enogholase 

B 

E N I N — 

LANDLORDS 

of Anigboro Street and its 

environs in Egor Local 

Government Area of Edo 

State have sent a Save Our 

Soul (SOS) to the state 

governor, Mr. Godwin 

Obaseki, appealing to him 

to come to their aid before 

their houses and property 

are swept away by flood in 

the area. 

In the message by Elder 

Roland Irorere, Chief Frank 

Atoe, Mr Iro Omorodion, 

Mr Gibson Sylvester and 

Mr Peter Omorogbe for 

others, said that their cry to 

the previous administration 

of Adams Oshiomhole 

about the ravaging flood 

was unheeded. 

“Your Excellency, the 

flood has reached an 

alarming rate and if 

nothing is done urgently 

about it, the whole houses 

in the area and property 

might be washed away 

during this rainy season. 

Many landlords and 

landladies in the area have 

already fled their homes as 

a result of the flood and 

their abandoned houses 

have become hiding places 

for criminal elements. 

“The flood situation in the 

area became worsened by 

the construction of service 

lanes on both sides of the 

Uselu/Lagos Road, Benin 

City. The flood from Adolor 

Street area in Ugbowo and 

other streets and their 

environs flow to our area 

coupled with the one from 

Evbareke and Iyoba 

Streets.” 

They added that 

whenever it rains, their 

children no longer go to 

school, while their women 

cannot go to markets even 

as those living in storey 

buildings cannot come 

down from their houses 

until the water dried up. 

PROSCRIPTION OF ASUU KSU: 

‘Gov Bello’s action dictatorial, 

national embarrassment' 

By Ike 

Uchechukwu 

C ALABAR—THE 

Academic Staff Union 

of Universities, ASUU, has 

described the proscription of 

Anyigba Branch of the 

Union in Kogi State 

University, KSU, by 

Governor Yahaya Bello as an 

act of dictatorship and a 

national embarrassment that 

is highly regrettable. 

According to the Union, the 

purported ban of ASUU KSU 

has exposed the governor’s 

lack of understanding of the 

constitutionality of union 

matters in Nigeria. 

In a statement by Prof 

Nsing Ogar, Zonal 

Coordinator, ASUU Calabar 

Zone and other chairpersons 

in the zone, yesterday, said 

“It is a painful irony that a 

beneficiary of a democratic 

system would be the one to 

take such a tyrannical 

posture reminiscent of 

military dictatorship. 

“The purported ban of 

ASUU Kogi State 

University activities by 

Governor Bello has 

exposed his lack of 

understanding of the 

constitutionality of Union 

matters in Nigeria, which 

belong to the Exclusive 

Legislative List. 

“The governor has also 

shown his ignorance of the 

fact that he has neither the 

locus nor powers to ban a 

duly registered union or 

part of it and its activities,” 

he stated. 

He said that in view of 

the governor’s supposed 

role as the custodian of the 

constitution in the state, his 

actions were ridiculous and 

a national embarrassment. 

FG, states urged to restore teacher training colleges 

A BUJA—FEDERAL 

and state 

governments in the country 

have been urged to 

reintroduce teacher 

training colleges as part of 

measures required to 

revive the nation’s 

educational system. 

This suggestion was 

made in Abuja yesterday by 

the Chancellor of Gregory 

University, Uturu, Dr. 

Gregory Ibe while 

speaking to Oriental Mail. 

He also expressed regret 

that teacher education, 

which is the most important 

factor in the nation’s 

education sector was 

relegated to the 

background some decades 

ago. 

Said he: “When you look 

at the issue holistically, you 

would realize that at some 

point in our educational 

development, the 

importance of teacher 

training was relegated to 

the background and this has 

lasted for a long time. 

We thought that awarding 

a bachelors degree in 

education was the correct 

thing to do. 

“But teachers are critical 

people in a society. With the 

population boom that 

Nigeria has witnessed, the 

government needs to invest 

in teachers so that they can 

inculcate knowledge in our 

young ones. But instead, 

teachers training colleges 

were abandoned. We 

introduced crash 

programmes for the 

training of teachers and this 

messed up our educational 

system. 

“We have also failed in 

investing in our colleges of 

education for effective 

teaching delivery. That was 

where we got it wrong.''



INSIDE OUT AT 20: From left, Muda Yusuf, Director-General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce 

and Industry; Folorunsho Alakija, Vice Chairman of Famfa Oil; Stephanie Amata; Agatha Amata, CEO 

of Inside Out Media; and Emmanuel Uduaghan, former Governor of Delta State at the final recording 

of InsideOutWithAgatha, themed: ‘Nigeria Beyond Oil.’ 

FG to engage N-Delta youths in 

pipeline surveillance 

By Grace Udofia 

A BUJA—SPECIAL 

Adviser to the 

President on Niger Delta 

and Coordinator of the 

Presidential Amnesty 

Programme, PAP, Brig- 

Gen. Paul Boroh (retd), 

yesterday, said plans were 

underway to engage Niger 

Delta youths in pipeline 

surveillance in the region. 

He said the plan was part 

of measures to reduce 

crime in the oil rich region 

as well as get their youths 

gainfully employed. 

Boroh, who addressed 

newsmen on the outcome 

of their meeting with the 

Pan-Niger Delta Forum, 

PANDEF, in Abuja, said 

the government had 

evolved strategies that will 

help sustain peace and 

revamp the economy. 

He called on the people 

of the region to be patient 

with the Federal 

Government as the 

development of the region 

cannot be tackled using a 

fire brigade approach 

considering the peculiarity 

of the terrain. 

According to him, “the 

Federal Government is 

spending so much money 

on intervention in the 

region. So far, about 48 

billion both in pounds and 

dollars had gone into 

project at different levels of 

completion just to maintain 

peace and order. 

“One of our strategies is 

the principle of 

inclusiveness, which will be 

based on community 

security methods where 

each community will be 

responsible for the security 

of their pipelines. 

"This is a workable 

strategy that will employ 

about 10,000 youths across 

the oil producing states that 

will now be in charge of 

keeping the pipelines in 

their communities safe. 

“I call on the people of the 

region to be patient and 

allow the process come to a 

holistic overview to solve 

unemployment problems 

in the region.” 

On the resolution of the 

meeting, Boroh explained 

that the agitation by 

PANDEF on the Maritime 

University, Okerenkoko 

and development of the 

region was as a result of 

miss-information. 

My administration 'll be guided 

by the rule of law —Obaseki 

By Simon 

Ebegbulem 

BENIN 

CITY— 

GOVERNOR Godwin 

Obaseki of Edo State, 

yesterday, said his 

administration was 

determined to deliver 

institutional reforms and 

economic revolution based 

on the rule of law. 

The governor, who 

disclosed this when he 

received the executive 

members of National 

Industrial Court led by the 

President, Justice 

Babatunde Adejumo, who 

paid him a courtesy visit at 

How we spent N10bn Paris Club 

refund — Delta govt 

remain 

By Festus Ahon 

ASABA — DELTA State 

Government, 

yesterday, explained how it 

spent the N10 billion it 

recently received from the 

Federal Government as 

part of the Paris Club 

excess loan deduction 

refunds. 

Chief Press Secretary to 

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, 

Mr Charles Aniagwu, who 

made the explanation while 

fielding questions from 

newsmen in Asaba, 

disclosed that the local 

governments in the state 

were given N2.1 billion as 

their statutory share out of 

the N10 billion while about 

N5 billion was set aside to 

settle issues relating to 

certain aspect of salary 

arrears, co-operative 

deductions and pensions. 

Saying about N2 billion 

plus was earmarked for 

priority projects that 

require urgent attention 

and payment of contractors, 

he noted that the Governor 

Okowa-led administration 

was committed to prudent, 

transparent and 

accountable management 

of the state’s resources. 

Aniagwu said, “Governor 

Okowa has vowed to 

Government House, Benin 

City, noted that it was 

impossible to have real 

democracy or industrial/ 

economic growth without 

the rule of law. 

He said: “As part of our 

strategy to make this state 

a judicial hub, it is in our 

interest to have the full 

complement of the judiciary 

structure in Edo State and 

for us to attract investment 

and investors to the state, 

there must be peace and 

harmony. 

“The rule of law is core to 

our strategy. We want to be 

the major economic hub in 

the country and we must do 

all within our power to 

prudent, 

transparent and 

accountable to the people 

because he realises that the 

ultimate political power 

rests with the people who 

overwhelmingly voted him 

into office." 

attract investments and 

investors to the state, grow 

the economy and make it a 

major hub. 

"We must make the state 

attractive both in financial 

and social terms, ensure the 

court system works and 

give a general sense that 

things work and are orderly 

in the state.” 

Earlier, President of the 

court, Justice Adejumo, 

pointed out that the quest 

to establish an industrial 

court in the state was nine 

years old and commended 

the Obaseki-led 

administration for making 

that vision a reality. 

“Our aim is to ensure 

harmonious industrial 

relations between the 

government and the 

employees. If the work 

place is not peaceful, the 

governor will not be able to 

perform. What determines 

the success of a state is the 

harmonious and peaceful 

industrial relations with the 

employees,” he said. 

Land tussle: Call Ase community to order, Asaba-Ase 

leaders urge Delta govt 

THE leaders and people 

of Asaba-Ase 

community in Ndokwa East 

Local Government Area, 

Delta State, have called on 

the state government to call 

Ase community to order so 

as to avoid crisis in the area. 

President-General of 

Asaba-Ase community, Mr 

Godfrey Anagbogu, who 

made the call in Kwale while 

speaking to newsmen, said 

the call became necessary 

because of the claims by 

some Ase indigenes to the 

ownership of land in Asaba- 

Ase community, adding that 

Asaba-Ase community was 

an independent community 

Communal conflicts: Igbo in 

C-River appeal for help 

By Emma Una 

CALABAR — IGBO 

resident in Cross River 

State, yesterday, took stock 

of the losses they have 

suffered in the past few 

months following attacks 

on them during communal 

conflicts by feuding 

communities in the state 

and appealed for help from 

the state and Federal 

Governments. 

The appeal was made 

when Igbo in Cross River 

State paid a sympathy visit 

on their brethren living in 

Uyanga and Ojor 

communities in Akamkpa 

Local Government Area of 

the state, who lost lives and 

property when they were 

attacked during a recent 

communal conflict in the 

area 

President of Igbo 

Community in the state, Dr 

Lawrence Chukwuemeka, 

who spoke at the palace of 

the Clan Head of Uyanga, 

Ophot Felix Akposi, 

expressed displeasure that 

the Igbo in the state were 

always the target of attack 

during communal conflicts 

by feuding communities in 

from Ase community. 

The community leader 

argued that lands in Asaba- 

Ase community belong to 

individual families and not 

the whole community, 

hence, it was totally wrong 

for some Ase community 

leaders to lay claim to lands 

that belong to Asaba-Ase 

families and individuals. 

the state even when such 

conflicts have nothing to do 

with them. 

“The Igbo are usually 

made the scapegoats when 

communities in the state are 

involved in any 

misunderstanding even 

when such conflict is not 

related to us. 

"Recently, we read in the 

papers that two 

communities in Akamkpa, 

Uyanga and Ojor were 

involved in communal 

conflict and when hostilities 

ended, we began to hear 

stories that Igbo were the 

ones attacked and over 30 

shops were destroyed 

while some of them lost their 

lives, while others lost what 

they had worked for all their 

lives.”. 

Ophot Akposi , who said 

that the destruction was not 

done by his people, 

promised to make a case 

with the Cross River State 

Emergency Management 

Agency, SEMA, and 

National Emergency 

Management Agency, 

NEMA, to extend some 

assistance to those whose 

businesses and homes 

were razed down. 

NCDMB lauds Chevron, 

others over Nigerian Content 

Devt Act 

By Naomi Uzor 

NIGERIAN Content 

Development and 

Monitoring Board, 

NCDMB, has commended 

Chevron Nigeria Limited, 

Hyundai Heavy Industries, 

HHI, and Dorman Long 

Engineering Limited, DLE, 

for complying with the 

Nigerian Oil and Gas 

Industry Content 

Development Act. 

Speaking at the 

graduation ceremony of 72 

students, Monitoring 

Supervisor for NCDMB, 

Mr. Adike Kopiam, 

commended the graduands 

on their successful 

completion of the training 

programme in partial 

fulfilment of the 

requirement by the 

Nigerian government 

under the Nigerian Oil and 

Gas Industry Content 

Development Act for the 

development of human 

capacity relevant to the 

industry. 

He said Chevron in 

conjunction with HHI 

sponsored the three-month 

programme, facilitated by 

Dorman Long Engineering 

Limited. 

He noted that NCDMB 

has a mandate to drive local 

capability, capacity 

development and that 

much effort had been 

expended by Chevron, 

Hyundai Heavy Industries 

and Dorman Long 

Engineering to conduct a 

successful training 

programme. 

He urged the graduands 

to build on what they had 

learned. 

According to him, the 

Human Capacity 

Development Initiative 

Training, HCDIT, included 

courses in Project 

Management and Non– 

Destructive Testing, NDT, 

Training. 

Anagbogu also called on 

the Delta State Government, 

DESOPADEC, NDDC, 

security agents and the 

general public to disregard 

the insinuations from the 

leadership of Ase 

community about any 

purported agreement with 

government and nongovernmental 

agencies.

14 — VANGUARD, TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2017 

65TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION OF 

SENATOR DAISY DANJUMA IN LAGOS 

In celebration of her 65th birthday, Senator Daisy 

Danjuma hosted friends, relations and associates to a 

lavish party at Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, on 

Sunday. PHOTOS BY BUNMI AZEEZ. 

Senator Daisy Danjuma with her husband Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma 

(retd) and their children cutting the birthday cake. 

From left; Prince Nduka Obaegbena, Publisher, Thisday Newspaper; Lt. 

Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (retd); Senator Daisy Danjuma and Prof. Joe 

Irukwu, former President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. 

Governor 

A b i o l a 

Ajimobi of 

Oyo State 

and his wife, 

Florence. 

From left: Mr. Femi Otedola; Hajia Bola Shagaya and Alhaja Abah Folawiyo. 

By Ikechukwu 

Nnochiri 

ABUJA—THE All 

Progressives 

Congress, APC, yesterday 

persuaded the Federal 

High Court in Abuja to 

consolidate two suits that 

are seeking to stop the 

Independent National 

Electoral Commission, 

INEC, from going ahead 

with the process for the 

recall of Senator Dino 

Melaye. 

The party, through its 

lawyer, Mr. Olatunji 

Atoyebi, told the court that it 

was opposed to the bid by 

the electoral body to recall 

Melaye who is representing 

Kogi West Senatorial 

District, on the basis of “an 

illegal petition.” 

It drew attention of the 

court to a suit marked FHC/ 

ABJ/CS/601/2017, which it 

earlier lodged with a view 

to stopping any move by 

INEC to sack Melaye from 

the Senate. 

Aside APC, other plaintiffs 

behind the said pending suit 

were Alhaji Haddy Ametuo, 

Hon. Shaibu Osune, S.T 

Adejo, Comrade Yahaya 

Ade Ismail, Chief Gbenga 

Ashagun, Ahovi S. Ibrahim, 

Ghali ND Usman, Isa 

Abubakar, I. Molemodile, 

A BUJA—THE 

National Judicial 

Institute, NJI, yesterday said 

there was need for measures 

to be put in place to cushion 

the effect of economic 

recession on the Judiciary. 

Administrator of the 

Institute, Justice R. P. I. 

Bozimo, said there was 

need for those she identified 

as “financial gatekeepers” in 

the Judiciary to generate 

pragmatic solutions 

towards achieving better 

management of 

resources allocated to 

the Justice sector. 

Justice Bozimo made the 

call while flagging-off a 

National Workshop for 

Directors of Finance, 

Internal Auditors and Other 

Financial Officers in the 

Judiciary, at the NJI 

headquarters in Abuja. 

According to her: “The 

theme of the workshop 

‘Prudent Management of 

Judicial Resources in the 

Face of Economic Recession’ 

is indeed most appropriate, 

:Vanguard :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnewsNEWS HOTLINES: 

KOGI WEST: APC persuades court 

to consolidate suits against 

Melaye’s recall 

RECESSION: NJI seeks palliatives for 

Judiciary 

By Ikechukwu 

Nnochiri 

Abubakr M. Adamu and 

Daniel Sekpe. 

The party urged the court 

to consolidate the suit which 

was originally adjourned to 

be heard after vacation, 

with the one marked FHC/ 

ABJ/CS/567/2017, which 

Melaye personally filed to 

challenge his planned 

recall. 

Justice John Tsoho had 

previously adjourned 

hearing on both suits till 

September. 

However, following an 

application by INEC, 

Justice Nnamdi Dimgba 

who is sitting as a vacation 

Judge, on July 27, abridged 

the hearing date to August. 

Consequently, APC, at 

the resumed sitting on 

Monday, applied for 

merger of the two legal 

actions which it said were 

in search same principal 

reliefs. 

Following a no objection 

stance by the INEC lawyer, 

Mr. Sulayman Ibrahim, 

and Melaye’s lawyer, Mr. 

Nkem Okoro, Justice 

Dimgba granted the 

application, saying it was 

“a proper thing to do”. 

Meanwhile, the court, in 

a separate ruling, joined 

three persons that wrote the 

petition for Melaye’s recall, 

as INEC’s co-defendants in 

in view of the current 

economic crisis in Nigeria. 

“Measures must be put in 

place to cushion the effect 

of the economic recession 

in the Judiciary as well.'' 

“All hands must be put in 

deck to ensure that 

financial managers and 

officers entrusted with the 

management of public 

funds are trained in the 

new and best practices of 

Aisha off to London for 

Buhari’s return 

THE wife of the 

President, Aisha 

Muhammadu Buhari, has 

gone back to the United 

Kingdom where her 

husband is on medical 

vacation. 

Staff of the Office of the 

Wife of the President 

confirmed yesterday that 

Mrs Buhari left for the UK 

on Sunday and might 

return with the President as 

soon as his doctors certified 

him okay to do so. 

Mrs Buhari had last 

Thursday returned from 

London and proceeded to 

Owerri, the capital of Imo 

the consolidated suit. 

Justice Dimgba held that 

the applicants- Chief 

Olowo Cornelius John 

Anjorin and Mallam Yusuf 

Adamu- having identified 

themselves as Melaye’s 

constituents and authors of 

the contested petition, ought 

to be joined as interested 

parties in the matter. 

“At the heart of the 

litigation is the 

representation of Kogi West 

in the Senate. As well as 

an attempt by constituents 

to recall their Senator in a 

process being driven by the 

defendant, INEC. 

“Questions 2, 3, 4, and 

some of the principal reliefs 

sought by the plaintiff, 

attacked the competence 

and validity of the petition 

upon which the recall was 

based. 

“I am of the view that 

these applicants have 

shown interest warranting 

the court to join them as 

defendants”, the Judge 

held. 

He dismissed Melaye’s 

contention that the 

applicants neither exhibited 

their voters card to prove 

that they were indeed 

electorates from Kogi 

West, nor attached a copy 

of the petition to the 

joinder-motion that was 

moved by their lawyer, 

Chief Anthony Adeniyi. 

management o resources 

so as to perform their duties 

optimally. 

“My lords, distinguished 

ladies and gentlemen, this 

category of participants are 

considered the ‘financial 

gatekeepers’ whose 

presence within the 

Judiciary underlines a 

commitment to sound 

financial principles, 

stability and progress.'' 

State, where she attended 

the 2017 August meeting 

hosted by women in the 

state. 

Some of her staff hinted 

that there was a possibility 

that she will return to 

Nigeria with her husband 

at a time yet to be officially 

confirmed. 

President Buhari 

departed for the United 

Kingdom on May 7 for 

follow-up consultations 

with his doctors. 

He had assured that he 

was making progress and 

would return to Nigeria to 

resume his duties as soon 

as his doctors advised.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2017 — 15 


Imo people bitter, hungry, frustrated, 

impoverished — PDP 

By Chidi 

Nkwopara 

O WERRI—THE 

P e o p l e s 

Democratic Party, PDP, 

rose from its expanded 

caucus meeting yesterday 

in Owerri, accusing Imo 

State Government of 

impoverishing the 

citizenry. 

The State chairman of 

the party, Chief Charles 

Ezekwem, who levelled the 

accusation while 

‘Bishop’ in 

Police net 

over N500m 

fraud 

By Dennis Agbo 

E NUGU—BISHOP 

Ginika Obi of the 

City of Liberation and 

Comfort ministry Enugu, 

has been arrested and 

detained by the police 

for duping unsuspecting 

public to the tune of over 

N500 million. 

Enugu State Police 

Public Relations Officer, 

PPRO, Ebere Amaraizu 

who made the disclosure, 

yesterday, said the 

suspect was arrested in 

an Enugu hotel, during 

the weekend, where he 

was allegedly taking 

refuge. 

Amaraizu said that prior 

to his arrest, the Bishop 

ran a non profit 

financial organization, 

Build Your Generation, 

where his victims were 

lured to invest with a 

hope of reaping bumper 

financial dividends. 

It was gathered that his 

victims were numerous 

and with various 

complaints of huge 

amount of money 

swindled from them 

Amaraizu said the 

suspect on noticing that 

police operatives were 

on his trail , 

disappeared to Asaba, 

Delta state. 

“Luck ran out on the 

suspect over the 

weekend as he was 

trailed based on 

intelligence information 

to a hotel at Amaechi 

Road, off Agbani Road, 

Enugu, where the 

operatives acting on tipoff 

nabbed him,'' 

Amaraizu said. 

“He is now helping the 

operatives in their 

investigations in relation 

to his alleged nefarious 

activities." 

addressing party loyalists, 

also fumed that the high 

degree of poverty in the 

land was breeding anger 

and frustration among the 

people. 

“It is not in doubt that 

Imo people are fed up 

with the present failed 

government. They have 

been frustrated. They are 

angry. Our people are 

bitter and hungry”, 

Ezekwem said. 

The Imo PDP boss also 

lamented that the state 

Ex-commissioner, over 150 PDP 

members decamp to APC in Enugu 

By Chinedu Adonu 

E NUGU—PEOPLES 

Democratic party, 

PDP, Enugu state chapter 

has suffered another blow 

as about 150 of its 

members, including a twoterm 

commissioner and 

some of PDP chieftains in 

Aku, Igbo-Etiti Council 

area of the state, defected 

to the ruling All 

Progressives Congress, 

APC. 

Among those that 

defected were 50 women; 

a former two term 

commissioner for health, 

Dr. Simon Idike; Surv. 

Onodagu Chibuike, Barr. 

Uzor Chukwunekwu, Dr. 

Amara Uchenna, Dr. 

Innocent Odo, Dr. Amara 

Oluchukwu, Dr. Didigwu 

Emeka, Pharm. Abaeme 

Kenneth, and Odo Chidi. 

Speaking at the event 

which took place at 

Amagbo-Amgbowu Aku 

ward 1, Igbo-Etiti council 

area, the immediate past 

speaker and APC state 

chairman of local 

government has 

“impoverished the citizens 

beyond description”, 

stressing that nobody needs 

to be told that the people are 

yearning for rescue. 

“We must have to change 

this negative and evil 

change we are all 

experiencing in our dear 

state. The government has 

so impoverished the 

citizens beyond description 

and we don’t need a 

soothsayer to tell us that they 

are eagerly and earnestly 

government election 

committee, Hon. Eugene 

Odo advised aspirants 

desiring to contest future 

elections in the state to do 

so under the platform of the 

APC. 

He said that APC would 

not rig election, neither will 

the party be rigged out.He 

also pointed out that all the 

PDP members in Aku should 

be regretting, stressing that 

the PDP led government in 

the state hasn’t done 

anything in 2yrs of the 

administration in Igbo-Etiti 

council area, let alone in 

Aku that produced 29 

professors out of the 36 

professors of the state. 

He described the people 

in the state government as 

clueless leaders, while 

urging the members to go 

and prepare for the 

November 4th council 

election. “I assure you that 

anybody who wins the 

election on the platform of 

APC will be declared.” 

Odo charged those that 

joined the party to work with 

the existing members to 

waiting for PDP to come to 

their rescue”, Chief 

Ezekwem said. 

He reasoned that if PDP 

loyalists demonstrate 

discipline, commitment, 

fairness and carry every 

member along, “we will 

definitely come out 

victorious at the end of the 

day”. 

Ezekwem also pleaded 

with his party faithful to 

make credibility, fairness 

and success their watch 

word, “because our ultimate 

goal is to unseat the All 


APC, in 2019”. 

AWARD: From left: Mrs Tola Makinde, founder Mo Rainbow Foundation; 

Ufuoma McDermott, Nollywood actress; Pastor Marjorie Esomowei, founder, 

Wise Women Int'l; Mrs Mary Ikoku, CEO, The Access Media Ltd; and Mrs 

Bimbo Okutinyang, CEO, Bims Garden, at the fifth edition of Wise Women 

Awards Nigeria in Lagos. 

ensure that the party 

unseats the PDP-led 

government in 2019. 

In his remarks, chairman 

of APC in Enugu state, Dr. 

Ben Nwoye, who had earlier 

supervised the registration 

of new members, urged 

residents of the state to join 

the winning team at the 

centre in order to enjoy more 

dividends of democracy. 

He boasted that with the 

influx of former PDP 

members into APC, the 

party will take over Enugu 

state in 2019. 

Nwoye said the APC is 

the party for the 

progressives, stressing 

that it is poised towards 

rewriting the political 

history of Enugu state and 

Nigeria at large. 

Dr. Uche Olenyi, a 

member of APC state 

caucus, however implored 

APC members in Aku to 

desist from abusing 

Governor Ifeanyi 

Ugwuanyi or political 

appointees in the state but 

to propagate APC 

ideology to the people. 

Confusion trails Imo APC 

delegates election 

By Chinonso 

Alozie 

O WERRI—THE 

just-concluded All 


APC, delegate election in 

Imo State, has continued to 

generate uncertainties just 

as some said it was free and 

fair. 

Vanguard Investigation, 

yesterday in Owerri, 

confirmed that one of the 

troubled areas was Isiala 

Mbano local government 

area in the state. 

According to a source, 

“The trouble in Isiala 

Mbano local government is 

that we have two chairmen, 

Mr. Obinna Onuegbu, who 

is loyal to Governor Rochas 

Okorocha and Julius 

Asagwara, who is loyal to 

Senator Ifeanyi Ararume.” 

The APC chairman, 

Owerri West Local 

Government Area, Mr. 

Charles Obieze Amadi told 

Vanguard that the delegate 

election in the area was free 

and fair with three persons 

declared winners. 

“The winners were Barr. 

Charles Amobi Jaja, Hon. 

Innocent Eke and Elizabeth 

Eke. 

“The national delegate 

was led by Mr. Adedeji 

Kehinde and the returning 

officer was Emma Egemba. 

We had seven nominees 

and the delegates were 

242. We used the open 

ballot system. 

“Barr. Charles Amobi Jaja 

came first with 78 votes, 

Hon. Innocent Eke, came 

second with 72 votes while 

Elizabeth Eke had 66 votes. 

“For the fourth position, 

C.Y Amako scored 17 votes, 

Barr. Ugochi Nnanna 

Okoro, came fifth with five 

votes, Gibson Achonwa, 

came sixth with four votes, 

while Barr. Oke Ozuzu 

scored 0. 

“We are happy that the 

people have spoken and 

that is how democracy 

should be practiced if we 

want to grow politically.” 

Anambra drafts adjudication 

guidelines for family courts 


E NUGU—CHILDS 

Rights and 

protection in Anambra 

state has received a boost 

with the completion of a 

draft adjudication 

guidelines for family 

courts trying child 

offenders in the state. 

Stakeholders in childs 

rights and protection in 

the state, supported by the 

United Nations Childrens 

Fund, UNICEF, gathered 

in Enugu, weekend to 

complete the practice 

guidelines for trying 

children in conflict with 

the law. 

The 34 participants, 

including UNICEF child 

protection specialist, 

Nkeiru Maduechesi, were 

drawn from the state 

Judiciary, Ministries of 

Justice, Social Welfare, 

Children and Women 

Affairs, the Nigerian 

Prisons Service, Legal 

Aid Council of Nigeria, 

the academia and the 

International Federation 

of Women Lawyers, FIDA. 

In their resolution, the 

stakeholders 

recommended that the 

state government should 

properly designate family 

courts at Magisterial and 

High Court levels to 

adjudicate children’s 

cases in the state. 

They also suggested 

that the Anambra state 

government should for 

2018 fiscal year, make 

specific budgetary 

allocations for effective 

implementation of the 

child rights law, 

especially establishing, 

equipping and 

developing workforce 

capacity of the family 

courts and social welfare 

departments. 

The stakeholders also 

demanded as a matter of 

urgency, the 2004 child 

rights law in the state to 

be gazetted and 

produced for 

dissemination amongst 

people. 

Part of the communiqué 

read: “That the Borstal act 

should be reconciled with 

the provisions of the child 

rights law of Anambra 

state with emphasis on 

correctional homes or 

centres; the need to 

include child rights law in 

the training curriculum of 

police, prisons and other 

justice sector service 

delivery stakeholders. 

“High level advocacy to 

the Governor, Chief Judge 

and other senior 

policymakers with a view 

to prioritizing child 

protection issues in the 

state in view of the socioeconomic 

development of 

families and state in 

general.”


VISIT: From left— Executive Director, United Bank for Africa, UBA, Plc, 

Mr. Ayoku Liadi; Chairman, Senate Committee on Land Transport, Senator 

Gbenga Ashafa; Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State and Minister of 

State for Niger Delta, Professor Claudius Daramola, during a condolence 

visit to the governor over his mother, Alhaja Saratu Aregbesola's death. 

INAUGURATION: From left— Majority Leader, Oyo State House of 

Assembly, Mr. Kehinde Subair; the state's Commissioner of Police, Mr. 

Abiodun Odude; Governor Abiola Ajimobi; General Officer Commanding, 2 

Division, Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Martins Abraham; and Executive 

Secretary, State Security Trust Fund, Mr. Femi Oyedipe, at the inauguration 

of patrol vans donated by the OYSSTF to the state government in Ibadan. 

By Jeremiah 

Urowayino 

TWO aides of Governor 

Ifeanyi Okowa of 

Delta State, Mr. Okoh 

Ezekiel Oghenetega and 

Mr. Ossai Success, Special 

Assistant on Students 

Affairs and Special Duties 

(Media), respectively, 

have awarded scholarship 

to the winner of 2017 Mr. 

Delta State University, 

Isodje Victor, in the beauty 

pageant organised by 

Delta State University and 

College of Education, 

Warri. 

Addressing students at 

the pageant, the aides 

said it was paramount to 

note that their gesture was 

in line with Governor 

Okowa’s five-point 

agenda encapsulated in 

SMART (Strategic Wealth 

creation projects and 

provision of jobs for all 

Deltans; Meaningful 

peace building platforms 

aimed at political and 

social harmony; 

Agricultural reforms and 

a c c e l e r a t e d 

industrialisation; Relevant 

health and education 

policies; and Transformed 

environment through 

:Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews 

NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058 

Okowa’s aides give out scholarship 

urban renewal). 

“We are grateful to the 

governor, who has given us 

this opportunity, as the 

economic downturn, which 

THE Department of 

Meteorology and 

Climate Science, MCS, 

and the WASCAL 

Graduate Research 

Studies programme in the 

West African Climate 

System, GSP-WACS, of the 

Federal University of 

Technology, Akure, FUTA, 

has won a research grant 

from the United Kingdom, 

UK, Global Challenges 

Research Fund, GCRF, 

African Science for 

Weather Information and 

Forecasting Techniques, 

SWIFT. 

The experts from FUTA, 

who won the four-year 

programme grant are the 

Director of WASCAL, 

Professor Kenny Ogunjobi; 

Head, Department of 

Meteorology and Climate 

Science, Professor Emmanuel 

Okogbue; Professor 

Jerome Omotosho; Dr. 

Elijah Adefisan and Dr. 

Vincent Ajayiwill. 

A statement by FUTA 

has taken a harsh toll on 

parents, needs palliatives 

from well-meaning 

individuals and groups,” 

they added. 

FUTA wins UK research grant 

said the dons will join the 

team of 25 UK and 45 

African atmospheric 

scientists, social scientists 

and operational forecasters, 

who will undertake 

fundamental scientific 

research into the physics of 

tropical weather systems, 

evaluation and 

presentation of complex 

model and satellite data, 

and communications and 

exploitation of forecasts. 

Speaking on the grant, 

FUTA’s Vice-Chancellor, 

Professor Joseph Fuwape, 

congratulated the team, 

saying the grant further 

underscores FUTA’s pacesetting 

efforts in technology 

and its ability to hold its 

own in the comity of global 

Universities. 

Professor Fuwape added 

that FUTA’s participation of 

FUTA in the project will 

strongly support its 

capacity as a major training 

hub for meteorology and 

climate science. 

COMMAND DAY: From left— Commandant, Command Day 

Secondary School, Ojo, Lagos, Lt-Col U. A. Ndana; Commandant, Nigerian 

Army School of Music, Colonel Olaniyan; Acting Director, 81 Division 

Education, Col Y. Z. Momoh, representing the special guest of honour, Maj- 

Gen P. J. Dauke, GOC 81 Divison Nigerian Army; representative of Brig-Gen. 

L. F. Abdulahi, Director, Army Education, Brig-Gen M. Kimi, and Director, 

Army Account Inspectorate, Brig.-Gen. C. U. Akagu, at the 17th graduation, 

speech and prize-giving day at Command Day Secondary School, Ojo, Lagos. 

SECURITY MEETING: From left— Former Chairman, Amuwo 

Odofin LGA, Prince Rasheed Otolorin; representing the Commandant, NNS 

Wey Ojo Navy Base, Lagos, Lt. Cdr. Ayinla Alarape; Chairman, Amuwo Odofin 

LGA, Engr Valentine Buraimoh; representative of the DPO, Festac Police 

Station, DSP Obamiyi Peter; immediate past Chairman, Amuwo Odofin LGA, 

Mr. Ayodele Adewale, and Comanding Officer, OPMESA, Amuwo Odofin 

LGA, Lt. Saminu Jeremiah, at the council's first peace and security council 

meeting. PHOTO: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

It is liberation time, or else•• 

By Obasi Igwe 

IN the Escape from Sobibor, 

a man whispered to his 

astonished lover, “We are just 

pretending!”? And, so are all 

lovers of Nigeria as it is. If 

rulers had been fair to all, 

corruption, nepotism and 

killings would not have been 

their allies. Gowon at least 

implemented his so-called three 

Rs, if not Aburi, instead of a 

Rivers ethnic cleansing to 

pretend to an Igbo 

“landlocking”; and, by 2014 the 

country became an example of 

the black race at the very best, 

with no Avengers, MOSOP, 

MASSOB/IPOB, an OPC, and 

a Fulani tribal army and its 

Arewa, there would have been 

no Nnamdi Kanu? And, maybe, 

no expulsion of his people from 

the country by those nostalgic 

about the pogroms and 

genocide. Nigeria by now 

might simply have been 

concerned with the general 

issues of development, not the 

fundamental questions of 

existence 

Just a reminder to Igbo 

expellers: When after 

destroying the economy, the 

expellers and their allies 

conspired to also islamise the 

state and, as a consequence, 

Gideon Orkar expelled them 

from the country, so that they 

could go enjoy life in their 

caliphate instead of running 

Nigeria as a religious orchard, 

he and an entire generation of 

mostly Middle Belt officers and 

men, were wiped out of the 

army, because of a speech by 

one man who saw the future. 

With 1976, that was the second 

time that Middle Belters alone 

paid the supreme price for 

attempting to bring justice to 

Nigeria. It was mainly Igbo 

military personnel who rescued 

the caliphate from that sahelian 

oblivion, despite all the 

atrocities and arabas associated 

with them, which became too 

much for Orkar and his group 

to bear. 

The sins of 

Nnamdi Kanu 

Almost thirty years after, the 

same people rescued mainly by 

Igbos, rose from their intrigues 

and conspiracies, only to issue 

an ultimatum for their rescuers 

to quit (their parts of) the North, 

based on sections of the Koran 

that granted them right to kill 

the Igbo and other unbelievers 

and seize their properties, and 

their pretended reason is one 

young man called Nnamdi 

Kanu, who unlike them, has 

never physically hurt a fly. 

Why wouldn’t there be 

Nnamdi Kanu, after various 

Nigerian Evans in power and 

their Igbo allies used injustice 

and neglect to create him? 

Whereas for 50 years, various 

Igbo elite competed with each 

other on who would win most 

“acceptability” to Nigeria by 

being the greatest denier or 

betrayer of Igbo, using normal 

dialectal peculiarities to divide, 

weaken and permanently 

enslave their people. Nnamdi 

Kanu, in one fell swoop, reunited 

the grassroots Igbo 

nation down to the coast, and 

beyond the bottled-up 

“Southeast Region” which, to 

the utter amusement of others, 

If that day passes 

without people 

taking their destinies 

into their own hands, 

and their oppressors, 

the political, war, 

religious, economic 

and other criminals 

running helter-skelter 

in search of safety, the 

entire citizens of this 

country, especially the 

intelligentsia, should 

cover their faces in 

shame 

some Igbo political and 

intellectual wise acres all along 

sang? as their requiem mass. 

Nnamdi Kanu equally reanimated 

the true but cruelly 

suppressed template of 

sanguinary relations that bound 

together peoples of the entire 

Eastern Region and beyond 

since ages. Given that Igbos 

have no desire for any other 

pogrom, genocide and ethnic 

cleansing against them and 

other Easterners, if he continues 

along the peaceful and nonviolent 

course, improving on 

political correctness, which 

almost every adult is anxious of, 

including that not all Nigerians 

are bad or hate the Igbos, same 

way he is unrelenting in 

condemning evil Igbos too, his 

place in history is assured, in 

or out of Nigeria. 

Many Igbo elite and 

intelligentsia, shamefully more 

interested in personal 

survivalism, and political and 

economic favours from 

whomsoever could offer them 

have, for 50 years, failed to hold 

Igbo office-holders to account 

over the stealing of 

development monies and 

siphoning of the rest to all 

manners of Northern 

godfathers who planted them to 

undermine their people. 

Nnamdi Kanu consistently 

filled that patriotic void, 

denouncing a “zoo” in which 

jackals and hyenas kill and do 

whatever else they like to other 

animals, with everyone cowed 

into submission.? Nnamdi 

Kanu may be Biafra-specific, but 

the message is for the 

oppressed everywhere. There is 

no way that Igbos would be 

watching how Abuja and 

various places in Nigeria are 

being hurriedly developed with 

monies from the East, while the 

latter is rendered desolate, 

together with multitudes of 

other targeted marginalisations, 

without an Nnamdi Kanu 

rising up to challenge the 

goings-on. 

The entire North is being 

greened and dammed with 

monies from the East, and for 

decades, fertilizers provided 

almost free of charge, just like 

every other thing that is free up 

there in One Nigeria, and 

compare that with Ogoni, 

Andoni, Ijaw, Efik-Annangcentral 

Ibibio-Ogoja, and Igbo 

lands, and you don’t expect an 

Nnamdi Kanu? Igbos, 

generally, have no problems 

with the country; it is murderous 

and feudal Nigeria that cannot 

put up with the Igbo's quest for 

a level playing field for? 

everybody. Yet, the beneficiaries 

of these free meal tickets 

continually insult the 

sensibilities of other Nigerians, 

including the use of religion to 

keep their own masses in 

perpetual slavery, and 

massacres to subdue the 

Middle Belt tribes that attempt 

to emulate the Igbos in rejecting 

any oaths of fealty to the feudal 

system. 

Perpetrators and agents of 

ALL that you wrote and all you have been 

saying is the truth. Nothing but the truth! 

The undertakers will not give us what we 

want. I for one I am frustrated. The more we 

express ourselves nicely of what we want 

"Restructuring " the more the enemies dig 

deeper i.e. their control over Nigeria! Looking 

around me in the south, I feel choked up by 

the enemy! I feel the stranglehold of the 

oppressor! I find it harder to get out of this 

slavery! 

We should speak up more and more ! And 

what is the plan!!!! Nigeria is NOT WORKING! 

All you wrote is already happening!! 

A.Akintola 

Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 8 2017 —17 

these crimes are suddenly 

frequenting the Eastern 

minority areas to warn them to 

remain with slavery, if and 

when the Igbos are enclaved out 

of the coast, and they would 

have neatly solved their Eastern 

minority and Igbo problems. If 

those Igbo elite condemning 

Nnamdi Kanu had all these 50 

years applied similar 

vehemence in challenging the 

corruption of the post-war Igbo 

political classes, there might not 

have been a near 

romanticisation of Biafra by 

anyone. What happened to the 

Igbos also happened to a few 

other ethnic nationalities, and 

some of them have their 

Nnamdi Kanus in waiting. 

As October draws near, 

nothing that a man intends to 

do that he might not construct 

a justification from his Koran, 

or even his Bible, whether 

killing the infidels or treating 

them as brothers; whether for 

love, hatred, freedom, 

slavery,what have you. To some 

non-professional interpreters, 

the same Koran that people rely 

on to declare threats from Arewa 

House and intrigue mayhem in 

Nigeria and elsewhere, 

cautioned (abridged): “Do not 

treat men with scorn, nor walk 

proudly on the earth: Allah 

does not love the arrogant and 

the vain glorious. Rather let your 

gait be modest and your voice 

low”. And, there are several role 

models that true moslems are 

enjoined to emulate: “You have 

a good example in Abraham 

and those who followed him. 

Truly, in those men there is a 

good example for everyone who 

puts his hopes in Allah and in 

the Last Day. It may well be that 

Allah will put good will between 

you and those with whom you 

have hitherto been at odds”. 

That holy book might be 

referring to the likes of the 

expellers: “Have you not seen 

those who, though forbidden to 

intrigue in secret, defiantly plot 

together in wickedness and 

enmity and disobedience to the 

Apostle”, warning that 

“Intrigue is the work of Satan, 

who thereby seeks to annoy the 

faithful” -( the Penguin Classics 

edition of THE KORAN. Trans. 

by N.J. Dawood, 1974, pp.190, 

267, 272.) 

If those non-expert 

interpretations are correct, it 

then means that those who 

have been killing various 

Nigerians and plotting further 

harm to Igbos are in breach 

even of their own religion, 

which further substantiates the 

Feedback 

Re: Nigeria in the death throes? 

view that they are not in islam 

to promote the work of God, but 

in it to pursue the ambitions of 

tribe. They are of the tribe of Idi 

Amin Dada, not Ataturk or 

Nasser. This is apart from our 

lawyers determining the legal 

implications of inciting a people 

into the reciprocal secession that 

the Kaduna Declaration vowed 

to impose upon the Igbos,quite 

unlike the unilateral separation 

that is usually associated with 

the conduct. 

Revolution now 

or never! 

The objective conditions for a 

people-led democratic 

revolution in Nigeria are 

complete, and the date it should 

break out is October 1, 2017, not 

only for the re-ordering of the 

constituent units of political 

administration, otherwise called 

restructuring to address the 

class question for the elite, but 

also as a step in solving the 

national question for the sociocultural 

emancipation of the 

masses of? all nationalities. If 

that day passes without people 

taking their destinies into their 

own hands, and their 

oppressors, the political, war, 

religious, economic and other 

criminals running helter-skelter 

in search of safety, the entire 

citizens of this country, 

especially the intelligentsia, 

should cover their faces in 

shame. Whereas previous crises 

in Nigeria were “resolved” in 

favour of the self-same corrupt 

elite that created them and, so, 

could not last, this time it must 

be resolved in favour of the 

people who have suffered for far 

too long, otherwise let each and 

everyone go their separate 

ways, instead of co-joined in 

this demonic obloquy. 

Since 1966, we’ve been living 

a false life, with the least fit, 

hardened of heart and leathery 

of conscience, ruling everyone 

as they like, such that whoever 

believes he loves Nigeria to 

survive, and stem the tide of the 

Nnamdi Kanus, must right now 

sign in for the revolution. 

Whereas there are many 

centres and sub-centres of 

backwardness and oppression 

in the country, the longpampered 

caliphate towers 

above all. 

Nothing is sacrosanct in the 

caliphate, except that a lot of 

Nigerians enjoy being slaves. 

Continues 

Online 

@www.vanguardngr.com. 

*Prof. Igwe teaches Political 

Science at UNN . 

I have been an ardent reader of your column 

in Vanguard newspaper. You have been able to 

educate young minds like myself on issues 

bothering this country. Also let me say a big well 

done in trying to bring the entire South together 

to form a common ground. As for restructuring 

and true federalism which you have always 

canvassed for, my fear is this sir, how are we 

sure that after we restructure, these same 

poliTRICKtians won't retire to their regions or 

federating states to continue the looting spree? 

Regards 

Nwaboku Chuka 

Student of the Dept of Geology, Nnamdi 

Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State. 

Fee 

C 

M 

Y 

K


The recent invasion of the Kogi State 

House of Assembly by hoodlums has 

gone down in the history of the State 

as a day of infamy. 

On that day, thugs invaded the 

plenary chamber of the legislative 

body and drove members away. One 

legislator, Honourable Friday Sani 

representing Igalamela/Odolu State 

Constituency, was singled out by the 

marauders. He was frog-jumped and 

his dignity violated by the thugs who 

videoed their atrocious brutalisation of 

the lawmaker. Amazingly, the attack 

against Hon. Sani and his colleagues 

came on the day Sani was resuming 

his seat after obtaining a court order 

for his reinstatement. 

The invasion was also in the wake of 

the invitation from the House to the 

state’s Commissioners for Justice and 

Finance, Mohammed Ibrahim and 

Idris Asiwaju, who were to testify on 

the utilisation of the bailout funds and 

the two batches of the Paris-Club loan 

Kogi’s day of infamy should be probed 

refunds received from the Federal 

Government. 

Remarkably, the attack did not take 

the police by surprise given the claim 

that the police had mobilised to the 

legislative complex that day following 

security reports of a planned attack. 

What saved the life of the Speaker, 

Ahmed Umar, was perhaps the strong 

resistance put up by his security details 

who shoved him into an inner room 

and fought off the thugs. Other 

legislators like Hon. Sani who were not 

so privileged with official security 

were, however, not that lucky. Even 

more worrisome was that policemen 

stood arms akimbo as the thugs 

bloodied Hon. Sani and sacked the 

chamber. 

The nonchalant attitude of the Police 

inevitably drew speculations of a 

possible conspiracy directed against the 

House for carrying out its legislative 

functions. Someone somewhere was 

bent on preventing the House in its 

bounden constitutional duty of holding 

the Executive to account, which was the 

purpose of inviting the Commissioners. 

The legislature’s role as a lawmaking 

body and watchdog over the Executive 

must be protected from being trampled 

upon as the sponsored thugs did. The 

Inspector General of Police should 

probe the unwillingness of Police 

officers to provide security when the 

hoodlums attacked the Kogi House of 

Assembly. Otherwise, the Police will be 

seen as collaborating in the commission 

of crimes against the Kogi State 

legislature, which is a grave danger to 

our democracy. 

It is even more ominous that three 

days after that ignoble invasion, the 

leadership of the House of Assembly 

was changed. The nexus between the 

attack and the change of leadership 

must be probed. 

The Kogi House invasion, which was 

one of a series of similar incidents over 

the years, was yet another indicator that 

democracy has not really arrived at the 

state level where governors still behave 

like military administrators. This must 

stop. 

A 

11. NOTHER argument that has 

been advanced against the oil 

producing areas getting any 

special consideration is that the 

state or the people concerned have 

not contributed a kobo towards 

winning the minerals; unlike 

agriculture where the farmer puts 

a lot of labour and money to 

produce his crops. First of all, it is 

extremely pertinent to note that the 

Federal Government has not 

invested any money into the oil 

industry that has not emanated 

from the industry itself. Indeed, if 

anybody has invested any money, it 

has been the foreign companies 

that came here to exploit the oil. It 

is from the taxes on their profits, 

the royalties and the various 

mining licenses that Nigeria has 

derived the revenue it has invested 

in the industry. In effect, no 

indigenous body has made any 

independent investment in the 

industry. 

12. The second point is that a lot 

of valuable agricultural land is 

involved in the oil industry and in 

mining operation generally. The 

Rivers State Government estimates 

that some 25,000 hectares (62,500 

acres) of the State’s land is directly 

consumed by the industry. It is again 

important to bear in mind that, in 

both mining and agriculture, we are 

talking about land. Both require 

tremendous efforts to bring out the 

fruits of the soil. Whether this is 

done by individuals or 

multinationals seems irrelevant. 

The important thing is that the 

landowner expects to benefit from 

his land. What the argument is 

saying is that we have deprived the 

oil landowner of his valuable 

agricultural land and so he cannot 

farm like his non-oil counterpart; 

but while we concede that the latter 

should reap the fruits of the land, 

Dr. Leton on how Federal govt 

cheated Niger Delta (2) 

the oil landowner has no right to 

anything from his because the fruit 

of his land belongs to all! That 

surely is not equity. 

13. A third point to this argument 

is that people and Government of 

the oil producing areas have 

always contributed and will 

continue to contribute towards the 

winning of oil in this country. The 

people, as shown above, have 

sacrificed their land for the 

industry. And the Government? 

Some of the heaviest trucks that 

ply the roads in this country can 

be found in the oil producing 

areas. This imposes on the 

Governments of these areas the 

construction and maintenance of 

roads and bridges that can 

withstand the demands of this 

type of vehicles. It is these 

Governments that have to provide 

schools and hospitals for the 

generality of the staff of the oil 

companies. It is the Governments 

that have to provide alternative 

sources of water when the local 

streams are polluted. They have to 

provide alternative means of 

livelihood for people displaced 

from their farm lands and fishing 

grounds. 

14. The oil companies position on 

providing social services in their 

operating areas is clearly and 

succinctly enunciated by the Shell 

Petroleum Development Company 

of Nigeria Limited. In their 

pamphlet titled ’Statement of 

I therefore 

recommend that, 

in respect of 

mining rents and 

royalties, there 

should be no 

distinction 

between on-shore 

and off-shore 

General Business Principles’ they 

state that “Shell endeavours always 

to act commercially, operating 

within the existing national laws in 

a socially responsible 

manner…..The most important 

contribution that Shell can make 

to the social and material progress 

of Nigeria is in performing 

efficiently its direct line of business. 

Furthermore, it is neither feasible 

nor proper for Shell to pre-empt the 

responsibilities of the Federal or 

State Government in providing 

and maintaining social facilities 

and services”. Albeit, Shell awards 

a number of scholarships of 

national character, establishes a 

few demonstrative farms and 

builds a number of roads that link 

their location with State roads ( as 

they should). As for oil industry 

providing employment 

opportunities for the oil producing 

areas, a cursory glance at the staff 

list, especially in the grades that 

matter-the management-will reveal 

that recruitment by no means takes 

into consideration areas of 

production. 

15. Prospecting and subsequent 

mining of mineral oil off-shore 

began in earnest during the civil 

war when most of the operating 

oil fields were in the disturbed 

areas. And there was never any 

distinction between on-shore and 

off-shore mining until, by Decree 

No. 9 of 1971, the Federal 

Military Government accorded 

itself the sole rights to rents and 

royalties on off-shore mining. 

This immediately raised what has 

now become a nagging political 

question: whether Nigeria can lay 

claim to any territorial waters 

without first, or at least equally, 

laying claim to the adjoining state 

(or territory). The argument then 

is that Nigeria owns the seas by 

virtue of the adjoining state being 

part of Nigeria. Anti-derivationists 

then point out that the second 

Columns of Part I of the First 

Schedule to the 1979 Constitution, 

which defines the area of each State, 

nowhere mentions the Continental 

Shelf or Territorial Waters as being 

part of any State. And the oil 

States quickly react by invoking 

Section 2(2) of the same 

Constitution which simply 

provides that “Nigeria shall be a 

Federation Constitution and, 

therefore, if our Territorial Waters 

are part of Nigeria they must be 

so by virtue of being parts of some 

States. And so the argument 

continues. 

The points to bear in mind, 

however, are: (i) that most of the 

establishments for off-shore 

mining (e.g. tank farms) are on 

land;(ii) that the adjoining States 

are as exposed to the hazards of 

off mining as they are to on-shore, 

as has been amply borne out by 

recent events in the Rivers State; 

(iii) the people of the adjoining 

States lose their farm lands to onshore 

operations. 

It is worthy of note at this 

juncture that the North Sea oilfields 

in Britain are off-shore and 

yet Scotland, the adjoining State, 

has been transformed, within the 

few years of the North Sea oil 

operation, from a poverty-striken, 

almost deserted region to one of 

the most prosperous in the United 

Kingdom today. 

Equity and fair play dictate that 

you cannot take out without putting 

something back, otherwise you 

create a vacuum which Nature 

abhors. Looking at the issue 

purely from the point of view of 

equity, therefore, there is no 

defensible justification for the 

distinction between on—and offshore 

mining in the application 

of the derivation principle. The 

distinction looks at best like an 

excuse for depriving a people of 

their inalienable rights. I therefore 

recommend that, in respect of 

mining rents and royalties, there 

should be no distinction between 

on-shore and off-shore.

FinTechs won’t usurp banks’ traditional 

roles —CBN 

By Babajide Komolafe 

THE Central Bank of Nige 

ria (CBN) has assured that 

Financial Technology (FinTech) 

companies will not take over the 

roles played by commercial 

banks in delivering services to 

customers. 

Speaking at the Bi-Monthly 

Forum of the Financial Correspondents 

Association of Nigeria 

(FICAN) in Lagos, weekend, 

CBN Director, Banking and Payments 

System Department, Dipo 

Fatokun, said the demand for the 

services of FinTechs will continue 

to rise, even as they need 

commercial banks to enable them 

operate effectively. 

He noted that the increasing 

roles of FinTech companies in the 

payment system will allow banks 

to focus more on their traditional 

roles of financial intermediation, 

adding, however, that banks in 

developed world are now focusing 

on their core functions and 

leaving other roles to service providers. 

“FinTechs have always been in 

existence, it is just that more 

prominence is being given to 

their roles. In some jurisdictions, 

FinTechs are being allowed, or 

plans are under way to allow 

them connect to the central bank 

which, previously, was the exclusive 

preserve of the commercial 

banks,” he said. 

He added, “The fear has always 

be there that FinTechs will 

take over the roles of the banks 

and that a time will come when 

there will be no bank. Fintechs 

are not licenced as financial institutions, 

they cannot take deposits, 

they can make payments 

out of bank accounts. They can 

only facilitate payments or make 

it easier but the banks will still 

continue to play a very big role.” 

$141. 95 1.80 

$2,022.00 28.00 

$13.99 -0.15 

$14. 71 

$51. 75 -0.67 

$48. 92 -0. 66 

CURRENCY BUYING SELLING 

US DOLLAR 304.55 305.05 305.55 

POUNDS 400. 4223 401. 0797 401. 7371 

EURO 361. 5009 362. 0944 362. 6879 

FRANC 314. 4229 314. 9391 315. 4553 

YEN 2.7659 2.7704 2.775 

CFA 0.5315 0.5415 0.5515 

WAUA 429. 4486 430.1536 430.8587 

RENMINBI 45. 3056 45. 3804 45.4552 

RIYAL 81.2068 81. 3402 81.4735 

SDR 430. 6032 431.3102 432.0171 

RAND 22. 8274 22. 8649 22.9024 

CBN Exchange rate as at 7/08/2017 

From left Funmilayo Falola, Head, Brand and Marketing Communications; Wole Ajimisinmi, 

Company Secretary/Legal Adviser; Folake Sanu, Executive Director, Lagos and Tunde 

Mabawonku, Chief Financial Officer all of Wema Bank PLC at the 2017 Media Parley organised 

by Wema Bank Plc at its Marina head office of the bank in Lagos. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele 

FG trains 4,250 for 2018 budget preparation 

By Elizabeth Adegbesan 

THE Federal Government 

has commenced preparation 

for the 2018 budget with 

the training of budget officers 

in 800 ministries, departments 

and agencies (MDAs) across 

the country. 

Speaking at the commencement 

of the training exercise 

in Lagos, Director General, 

Budget Office of the Federation, 

Mr. Ben Akabueze, said 

that the training was focused 

on the use of the Government 

Integrated Financial Management 

Information System 

(GIFMIS) budget preparation 

module, which would be used 

for the first time to prepare the 

2018 budget. 

Akabueze who was represented 

by the Director, Fiscal 

Policy, Budget Office, Mr. 

Anslem Anyanwu, stated: “We 

shall be training over 4,250 

participants involved in budget 

preparations from over 800 

Federal Government MDAs in 

six cities across the six geopolitical 

zones of the country. 

“We are quite excited about 

this development because for 

the first time since its procurement 

we shall be using 

GIFMIS budget preparation 

module. This is the first time 

the MDAs will be using 

GIFMIS to carry out both budget 

preparation and budget 

execution. GIFMIS will enhance 

the smooth and seamless 

linkage between budget 

preparation, submission, execution, 

monitoring, evaluation 

and reporting.” 

Addressing journalists at the 


sidelines of the event, Supervisory 

Director, Budget Office, 

Mr. Ibrahim Iddrisu said, 

“Budget preparation in the 

last five years has been more 

or less a manual basis before 

uploading it into a GIFMIS 

system. We have been executing 

the budget on a GIFMIS 

but the preparation will be 

manual. It has been hectic. 

From last year there has been 

evolution where we have to 

prepare it online and then upload 

it into the GIFMIS.” 

Ibrahim explained that the 

difference between the 2017 

and 2018 budget preparations 

is the use of GIFMIS platform. 

The platform give seamless, 

no difficulty, using the same 

module within the same system 

from just preparation to 

execution. 

FMDQ launches Investor Protection Fund 

By Nkiruka Nnorom 

FMDQ OTC Securities Ex 

change has launched an Investor 

Protection Fund, IPF, to boost and sustain 

investors’ confidence in the Nigerian 

capital market. 

Following the establishment, Mrs. Titi 

Helen Lawani, representing the Pension 

Fund Operators Association of Nigeria, 

PenOp, was appointed the Chairperson 

of Board of Trustees, BoT, while Ms. 

Tokunbo Ajayi, representing the Association 

of Corporate Trustees emerged the 

Vice Chairperson of the Fund. 

The Exchange, in a statement, said the 

establishment of the Fund was in compliance 

with the provisions of Part XIV 

of the Investments and Securities Act 

2007 and represents a major milestone 

in the achievement of its mandate to provide 

a secure and credible platform supported 

by global best practices. 

“The FMDQ-IPF was established for 

the purpose of compensating investors 

who suffer pecuniary losses arising from 

insolvency, bankruptcy, or negligence of 

a dealing member of the OTC Exchange, 

as well as defalcation committed by a 

dealing member or any of its directors, 

officers, employees, or representatives in 

relation to securities, money or any property 

entrusted to, received, or deemed received 

by the dealing member in the 

course of its capital market activities. 

“Through this landmark achievement, 

the OTC Exchange is positioned to support 

the investor protection mandate of 

the Securities and Exchange Commission, 

which guided by the 10-year Nigerian 

Capital Market Master Plan, launched 

the National Investor Protection Fund 

(NIPF) in 2015 for the purpose of compensating 

investors whose losses are not 

covered under the Investor Protection 

Fund administered by securities exchanges,” 

the Exchange said. 

World Bank: 

Counterpart 

Fund default 

slows down 

projects in Edo 

State 

— Obaseki 

By Henry Umoru 

ABUJA — GOVERNOR 

Godwin Obaseki of Edo 

State has attributed the slow 

implementation of Nigeria 

Erosion and Watershed Management 

Project, NEWMAP, 

State Employment and Expenditure 

for Results, SEEFOR 

which are World Bank assisted 

projects in the state to delay 

in the payment of Government 

Counterpart Cash Contribution, 

GCCC on the part of the 

Federal Government. 

The governor also attributed 

the problem to bidding process 

bottlenecks and training of relevant 

personnel for improved 

project implementation, just as 

he stressed the need for state 

contribution to be paid as at 

when due, provision of logistics 

support in the area of 

project vehicles as well as direct 

advocacy link with the state 

government. 

Obaseki who disclosed this 

during a visit to the Country 

Director of World Bank, Rachi 

Benmessaoud, in his office in 

Abuja, said that the project 

which is for a period of 2012 to 

2020 has not been achieved 

because of delay in approval 

of designs for selected new 

sites, implementation of Safeguard 

Policies in view of the 

category of the project. 

He noted that critical actions 

to improve performance are 

required for quick implementation 

of procurement activities 

for the seven newly approved 

sites, completion of all processes 

involved in procuring 

consultants for Safe guards as 

well as prompt payment of 

counterpart funds by state government 

when they fall due. 

R e s p o n d i n g , 

Benmessaoud promised that 

the bank would continue to 

invest in the programme 

against the backdrop that the 

little the governor has done in 

the short period in office was 

enough to convince them that 

Obaseki would do better if supported. 

Earlier at the Edo State 

House, Abuja, Obaseki who 

received the Indonesia ambassador 

to Nigeria, Harry 

Purwanto, said the State and 

Indonesia were partnering in 

the areas of palm produce, industrialization, 

Agriculture, 

Tourism, among others aimed 

at generating employment and 

making the state an industrial 

and economic hub of the country. 

The envoy assured that in no 

distant time, Edo people 

would witness the full presence 

of Indonesian technology 

in their soil in the areas of mining, 

palm produce, agriculture, 

tourism, solid minerals, among 

others.


HOME OWNERSHIP: 

Experts canvass 

one-bedroom 

apartment for 

beginners 

Stories by Kingsley Adegboye 

AS Nigeria’s housing 

deficit keeps increasing 

by the day, Pertinence Ltd, developers 

and owners of ABC 

Gardens and ABC VIP Gardens 

located across the country, has 

unveiled a housing project 

called ABC Gardens country 

home as part of the solution to 

the nation’s housing problem. 

The country home project 

which comprises over 500 units 

of one-bedroom apartment, is 

coming as a site and service 

scheme but the developers will 

assist subscribers to build their 

housing units by providing the 

funding which is put at N2.9 

million, and home owners are 

expected to pay for the houses 

in three years without initial 

deposit. The payment is meant 

to be equally spread across 36 

months. The sprawling housing 

project which is located in Itori 

in Ewekoro area of Ogun state, 

is specifically targeting those 

who are just starting life on their 

own as bachelors or newly married 

couples as well as low income 

earners in the society. 

Speaking to Vanguard Homes 

& Property on the project 

fashioned along country homes 

in the United Kingdom, at its 

unveiling, weekend, Mr. 

Sunday Olorunsheyi, a director 

at Pertinence Ltd, said the idea 

behind the project is to make 

housing provision affordable 

and encourage people particularly 

those who are beginning 

life to have houses of their own 

early in life. 

“The idea is to make housing 

affordable and encourage people 

to own houses early in life. 

We tell people your dream 

home or house does not have 

to be your first house. May be 

your dream house is in Lekki, 

Ikoyi, Ikeja, Victoria Island or 

wherever, but if you can’t afford 

that dream house for now, start 

somewhere. And this is exactly 

what we are trying to do with 

this project. With N2.9 million, 

you can get a house and pay 

for three years. I think this is 

affordable enough. We have 

been travelling outside the 

country for a number of years 

now. But our last trip to UK was 

phenomenon in the fact that we 

visited a lot of real estate firms 

there, and we tried to under 

study them to know how they 

design houses in their projects 

over there to serve different 

categories of people. 

“We discovered that there are 

people who don’t actually need 

more than one-bedroom apartment. 

You don’t have to struggle 

to build a three-bedroom 

apartment that will take longer 

time to complete with higher 

cost. So, we decided as 

observed in UK, that we can 

start with one-bedroom 

apartment for those trying to 

begin life and low income earners 

in the society. The idea is 

that if they start with onebedroom 

apartment, as they 

become larger families, they can 

decide to move into bigger 

apartments. 

“The one-bedroom apartment 

consists of a bed room, sitting 

room, kitchen and toilet big 

enough to accommodate those 

just starting life family. Imagine 

people just rounding off their 

National Youth Service Corps 

year. By second year, they can 

Real estate firm, NMRC sign MoU on improved access 

to affordable housing 

AGAINST the backdrop of deepen 

ing Nigeria’s mortgage market in 

order to improve access to quality and 

affordable homes in the country, Nigeria 

Mortgage Refinance Company 

NMRC, and Alpha Mead Development 

Company AMDC, a strategic business 

unit of a leading total real estate solutions 

company of Alpha Mead Group, 

have signed a Memorandum of Understanding 

MoU. 

The MoU, which was signed at the 

just concluded 11th Abuja Housing 

Show, will allow AMDC and NMRC to 

work together on housing finance, training, 

research, advisory and project 

structuring to increase the stock of affordable 

housing in the country. It will 

also provide and permit relevant technical 

support and advice to Alpha Mead 

in relation to the residential real estate 

market in Nigeria. 

Furthermore, the partnership between 

both parties is expected to make it 

easier and faster for customers prequalified 

by AMDC to access mortgage 

from members of financial institutions 

under NMRC. 

Speaking during the signing ceremony 

in Abuja, Prof. Charles Inyangete, 

Managing Director/CEO, NMRC, 

described the MoU as a remarkable 

•Model of Country Home 

move, saying that NMRC decided to 

work with Alpha Mead because of its 

innovative and technology-driven 

approach to increase affordable housing 

stock in Nigeria and the facilities 

management expertise of the company 

to also maintain the projects after 

construction. 

“The combination of these capacities 

that Alpha Mead bring to the 

partnership will give the market the 

assurance that property prices can be 

sustained, going forward and we can 

all deliver to the specific needs of the 

customers. 

“So, we at NMRC decided to key into 

this relationship because we will like to 

see this Alpha Mead model succeed. 

We believe it is a model that will allow 

more and more transactions in the 

housing development value chain and 

feed our member institutions with more 

projects to finance”, NMRC boss said. 

On his side, Femi Akintunde, an 

engineer and Group Managing Director 

of Alpha Mead, expressed delight 

at the partnership, describing the 

partnership is a serious demonstration 

of NMRC’s commitment to reducing the 

nation’s increasing housing deficit, and 

encouraging recognition of Alpha 

Mead’s innovative approach to 

delivering quality and affordable housing 

to Nigerians. 

According to him, “It is increasingly 

becoming obvious that the conventional 

building methods cannot bridge Nigerian 

housing gap, especially in the face of 

the myriad of challenges that face the 

affordable housing value chain. So, what 

we bring to the market are the possibilities 

of addressing the challenges of 

affordability and quality; which are two 

critical issues that are inhibiting the 

nation’s affordable housing market”. 

Akintunde noted that the current structure 

of the market makes it a tall order for 

people in the middle-income bracket to 

own homes because of the high entry 

barrier. He also pointed to the challenges 

of lack of skilled artisans, the high cost of 

building materials, and lack of standardised 

building and quality processes as 

having adverse effects on the quality of 

building in the market. 

“So, on the one hand, we are addressing 

the issue of quality by using 

technology that guarantees repeated 

quality, straight edges and structural 

integrity; and on the other hand, we are 

addressing the challenges of affordability 

by using our technology to achieve up 

to 15 per cent savings for our customers”, 

Akintunde said. 

start saving towards having a 

one-bedroom apartment. And 

you can be sure that five years 

after graduation, you can be a 

proud owner of a house with 

our arrangement. 

“Payment is made so easy. We 

are not asking people to make 

down payment of 20 to 30 per 

cent like mortgage people do. 

What we are telling people is 

that, look at the total sum, 

spread it into 36 months and 

pay in instalments. For us, we 

will be ahead of our subscribers 

to ensure that the houses are 

ready before that three years. 

Low income 

earners 

“Infact, this project which is 

targeted at low income earners 

is located at Itori, Ewekoro 

along Lagos/Abeokuta axis, is 

located there because Lagos is 

already congested. Before deciding 

to locate the project there, 

we discovered that people 

residing in the area are actually 

working in Lagos. We also discovered 

that most people who 

live there and work in Lagos, 

live in rented apartments. So, 

we are saying that it is better 

for people to live in their own 

houses rather than to live in 

rented houses”, Olorunsheyi 

stated. 

Also speaking on the project, 

Mr. Wisdom Ezekiel, a codirector, 

said infrastructure 

which is a basic thing to be 

provided in housing estates, will 

be provided to standard. 

According to him, such infrastructure 

will include drainage 

system, motorable road network, 

security, recreational facilities 

such as swimming pool, 

shopping mall, market, football 

pitch, school and others. Ezekiel 

added that facility manager will 

be employed to ensure adequate 

maintenance of the infrastructure 

in the residential estate.

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2017—21


Oil exploration’ll be unprofitable in 13 yrs — CSJ 

•As shortfalls in JV funding lead to dwindling oil production 

By Michael Eboh, 

Jackline Oshiokameh & 

Joseph Oso 

C OMMERCIAL 

crude oil exploration in 

Nigeria and the rest of the world 

would become unprofitable 

within the next 13 years, 

according to a report by the 

Centre for Social Justice, CSJ, a 

civil society organization. 

This is as the Group Managing 

Director of Nigerian National 

Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, 

Dr. Maikanti Baru, stated that the 

shortfalls in JV Funding have 

also resulted in declining oil 

production. 

Executive Secretary of the CSJ, 

Mr. Eze Onyekpere, in a 

presentation titled, ‘Budgeting 

for Development,’ also projected 

that within the next four to five 

years, the price of crude oil would 

further reduce to about half of its 

current value. 

“By 2030, it may simply be 

unprofitable for companies to 

continue drilling oil in 

commercial quantities. It is 

imperative to start with a question 

that brings home the reality of the 

Nigerian nation; being a nation 

so dependent on the sale of 

crude hydrocarbons.” he argued. 

Onyekpere disclosed that in the 

coming years, crude oil would 

have little or no value or at best a 

nuisance value and many oil 

based investments will be 

stranded. 

He said, “Where shall we go 

with our oil and what shall we 

deploy it for? To drink the oil as 

the climate revolution roars full 

steam? Crude oil will soon have 

little or no value or at best a 

nuisance value and many oil 

based investments will be 

stranded. The climate change 

revolution is beyond oil, carbon 

and greenhouse gas based 

economic growth and 

industrialisation. It is about a new 

paradigm of economic growth, 

livelihoods, jobs, opportunities 

and development.” 

Onyekpere lamented that 

Nigeria failed to exploit the oil 

and gas value chain, hence, 

losing the full benefits of the 

revenue accruing from the sector. 

He said, “Good as leaving oil 

and its volatility, Nigerian plans 

ought to have fully utilised and 

harnessed the oil economy 

through expanding and 

expounding the frontiers of the 

oil and gas value chain which 

remains 

severely 

underexploited. Nigeria has not 

explored and therefore needs to 

explore the revenue potentials of 

the full value chain of the oil and 

gas industry through local 

refining of crude and processing 

of petrochemicals; full utilisation 

of gas through pipelines for 

LNG, to power electricity 

generating plants, industries and 

homes as well as exporting gas 

to the West African and other 

easily connected parts of the 

African sub region. 

“It is also imperative to state 

that our over-reliance on revenue 

from fossil fuels is no longer 

realistic in the short, medium and 

long terms. The statistics are 

frightening. India projects that 

by 2030, all cars sold in their 

country will be electric powered. 

India is a major buyer of our 

crude oil. France will end sales 

of diesel and petrol powered cars 

by 2040 in a ‘veritable revolution’ 

which is part of France’s 

commitment to meet the Paris 

Climate Change Agreement and 

to make France carbon neutral by 

that year.” Furthermore, 

Onyekpere stated that with 

Nigeria’s present economic 

circumstances where the country 

is facing severe resource 

constraints, special measures 

needed to be taken to protect 

women, youth and vulnerable 

groups. 

According to him, Nigeria is at 

a cross road and needs to take 

effective decisions on its next 

fiscal and economic steps. “The 

petro dollar boom is over as 

commodity prices have 

collapsed. Hard choices need to 

be made on how to expend the 

little available resources and new 

sources of generating revenue. 

These choices are between 

acceleration and stagnation, 

stability and fragility and the 

quest for social solidarity,” he 

added. Dr. Maikanti Baru, Group 

Managing Director, Nigerian 

National Petroleum Corporation, 

MASECA seeks authorization to tackle vandalism, others 

By Michael Eboh 

THE Maritime Security 

Agency, MASECA, has 

called on the Federal 

Government to authorize it to 

partner with other security 

THE average price 

of Organisation of 

Petroleum Exporting 

countries, OPEC’s 

basket of fourteen 

crudes in the past one 

week averaged $49.89 

compared with $47.99 

recorded the previous 

week. According to 

OPEC’s calculation, the 

highest price of crude 

was recorded on August 

3, 2017, which averaged 

$50.24 per barrel, while 

the lowest price for the 

period under review 

averaged $49.59. 

• Oil field 

NNPC indicated at the just 

concluded Society of Petroleum 

Engineers conference that, 

“Nigeria just like most of its 

contemporaries in the industry 

has been adversely affected by 

the recent tumble in oil prices for 

obvious reasons. In dire 

economic situations, the first 

reaction is tightening control on 

expenditure. 

“However, in a period of low 

oil prices, some NNPC JV 

Partners and Marginal Field 

Producers may opt to maintain 

and sustain their existing assets 

rather than commence new 

exploration activities especially 

in new frontiers based on high 

risks and uncertainties. 

A clear case of differing 

perspectives. “As a Corporation, 

NNPC is committed to reserve 

growth and will take this 

opportunity to advocate to all 

industry players to seize this 

golden opportunity and invest in 

oil and gas exploration now, as 

agencies to beef up security 

around the country’s 

waterways in order to tackle 

vandalism of petroleum assets, 

militancy and other crimes. 

The bill for the establishment 

of the Maritime Security 

Agency is currently before the 

National Assembly, awaiting 

passage into law. 

Consequently, Acting 

Director General of the 

agency, Mr. Jacob Ovweghre, 

has called on the National 

Assembly to expedite the 

passage of the Bill so that it 

could commence operations 

and contribute in ending the 

rising spate of violence in the 

Niger Delta and some other 

regions of the country. 

He said, "We, the officers, 

men and stakeholders of the 

Maritime Security Agency 

hereby call on Acting 

President Yemi Osinbanjo, to 

this is the best time to undertake 

such activities. 

“As the nation is beginning to 

pull out of recession, oil prices 

have dropped to around $50/bbl. 

Shortfalls in JV funding has also 

resulted in declining JV Oil 

production from about 1 Million 

barrels of oil per day 3-5 years 

ago to about 800,000 barrels of oil. 

“Given that the sector 

represents 90 percent of the 

nation’s foreign exchange 

earnings, this reduction, coupled 

with vandalism of critical 

production infrastructure, had a 

devastating effect on revenue 

generation, the environment as 

well as the national economy. 

“For the umpteenth time, we 

call on the perpetrators of these 

unpatriotic acts to stop in the 

interest of the nation. It is our 

belief that host communities stand 

to gain more from peaceful 

operations. On our part, we shall 

continue to step up our 

Community and Social 

Responsibility programs as a 

means of sustaining the recent 

peace experienced in operational 

areas. I’m delighted to say that 

the economic picture is changing 

now. The government has 

pronounced its exit from Cash 

Call arrangements with the 

commitment of settling all 

funding arrears. 

Oil production based on 

Production Sharing Contracts 

(PSCs) Arrangements, has been 

witnessing steady increase in 

production volumes. “In fact, 

towards the end of 2016, Exxon 

Mobil Corporation announced a 

significant offshore discovery with 

potential oil recoverable reserves 

between 500 Million and 1 Billion 

Barrels in the Owowo field which 

spans across portions of OPL 223 

and OML .This is very promising 

news indicating that some of our 

producers are still committed to 

exploration efforts. 

give us an executive order or 

letter of authorization to enable 

us assist the Nigeria Navy, 

Nigeria Maritime 

Administration and Safety 

Agency, NIMASA, the 

Marine Police and other 

security agencies, to beef up 

security as the first step to 

curbing militancy, terrorism 

and kidnapping using the 

waterways. 

"With collective responsibility, 

if we join forces with security 

operatives, we can effectively 

secure our neighborhood and 

communities. This will boost 

concern for our safety, security 

and national security 

apparatus to curb the sinister 

bombing activities of the 

terrorist, kidnappers and 

other nefarious groups 

especially those using our 

territorial sea, coastland, inland 

waterways and creeks." 

C 

M 

Y 

K


Egina 200,000bpd oilfield to be ready in 2018 

•As Total E&P invests $10bn in Nigeria's oil industry 

By Sebastine Obasi 

NIGERIA’S hope of 

increasing oil production 

will soon be a reality as Egina oil 

field, the flagship of Total 

Exploration and Production, is 

set to come on stream in 2018. 

The floating production storage 

offloading, FPSO, project is 

expected to add 200,000 barrels 

per day, bpd to Nigeria’s output. 

This is coming as the Total Group 

said it has invested about $10 

billion in the Nigeria oil sector 

in the last five years. 

Speaking at the Nigeria Annual 

International Conference and 

Exhibition of the Society for 

Petroleum Engineers, SPE, 2017, 

in Lagos, Managing Director/ 

Chief Executive, Total Upstream 

Companies in Nigeria, Nicolas 

Terraz, who was represented by 

the Executive Director, Corporate 

Affairs and Services, Abiodun 

Afolabi, said that the FPSO 

should be in Nigeria in the fourth 

quarter of 2017. 

“The Egina FPSO is planned 

to sail away from Samsung 

Heavy Industries yard in South 

Korea for Nigeria by third 

quarter, Q3, 2017 and should be 

in Nigeria Q4, 2017 where 

integration of six locally 

fabricated topside modules will 

be integrated on the FPSO at 

SHI-MCI Yard (LADOL) before 

final sail away to Egina site, deep 

offshore Nigeria. All is on course 

for first oil around Q4, 2018”, he 

said. He explained that beyond 

the expected 200,000 bpd 

addition, Total is committed to the 

development of local industry 

capacity. According to him, the 

company boasts of 24 million 

man-hours of work done incountry 

representing 77 percent 

of the work load for the project 

and equivalent to a workforce of 

3,000 persons on average in the 

last five years. 

Total has achieved fabrication 

of approximately 60,000 tons of 

equipment in various yards incountry, 

including specialized 

equipment like pressure vessels, 

flare tower, helideck, living 

quarters structures, large FPSO 

structures and complex subsea 

structures like Subsea Manifolds. 

“297,000 man-hours of work on 

the basic engineering for the 

By Chris Ochayi 

WORRIED by increasing 

electrical accidents, the 

Abuja Electricity Distribution 

Company, AEDC, has 

inaugurated a panel to investigate 

Star Deepwater, Agbami partners 

donate chest clinic to Zamfara 

STAR Deep Water Petroleum 

Limited, a subsidiary of 

Chevron Nigeria Limited, and its 

Agbami co-venturers, have 

donated a chest clinic to Zamfara 

State Government to help in the 

fight against tuberculosis and 

other diseases. 

The Agbami co-venturers 

comprise the Nigerian National 

Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, 

Famfa Oil Limited, Statoil 

Nigeria Limited and Petroleo 

Brasileiro Nigeria Limited 

(Petrobras). 

Speaking during the 

presentation of the Chest Clinic 

to the state in Abuja, Director, 

Star Deep Water, Mr. Richard 

Kennedy, said the project is a 

reflection of the commitment of 

the Agbami parties to support the 

availability and affordability of 

quality healthcare for all sections 

of our society. 

CONFERENCE: 

Dr.Victor Adeniran 

the GED/COO,NNPC 

Ventures (2nd left); 

Ms. Janeen Judah 

President, SPE 

International and Dr. 

Saka Matemilola, 

Chairman,SPE 

Nigeria Council at the 

exhibition/opening 

ceremony of Society 

of Petroleum 

Engineers Nigeria 

C o u n c i l 

(NAICE2017) in 

Lagos. 

Egina Project was performed in 

Lagos by three Nigerian 

Companies Netco/Batelitwin, 

Crestech and Dover, 

representing 94 percent of the 

total man-hours spent,” he said. 

Advocating for a home-grown 

solution to the volatility in the 

global oil industry, Terraz said, 

“Although the oil and gas 

business is a global one, we 

believe that the time has come 

for SPE, other professional bodies 

in the industry and all other 

stakeholders to look inwards for 

home-made solutions that will 

help Nigeria cushion the effects 

and ride the wave of ups and 

downs, the good times and the 

bad times, in an increasingly 

unpredictable global market. 

“There is no gainsaying the fact 

that global market conditions 

might be identical but the local 

circumstances of nations are 

unique to them. And so are the 

solutions.” 

AEDC probes electrical accident in 

Bosso, Niger State 

Kennedy, who was represented 

by Mr. Gbenga Aluko, Director, 

Government Affairs, Chevron 

Nigeria, said since the 

commissioning of the Agbami 

project in 2004, the co-venturers 

had donated 26 chest clinincs to 

different states of the federation 

including the Federal Capital 

Territory, Abuja. 

Kennedy said the chest clinic 

donated to the Zamfara State 

Government comes fully 

equipped with a standard x-ray 

machine, male and female wards, 

treatment rooms, laboratories and 

Gene Xpert machine. 

He disclosed that Star Deep 

Water along with its co-venturers 

had continued to ensure that its 

social performance intervention, 

especially in the areas of 

education and health was spread 

throughout Nigeria, to add value 

nationwide. 

the circumstances surrounding the 

electrical accident which occurred, 

last week in Angwan Biri, a 

neighbourhood of Minna, the 

Niger State. The AEDC mandated 

the six-man investigative team to 

establish the root cause of the 

incident, which resulted in the 

death of two residents. 

Head, Public Relations & Media 

of the Company, Ahmed Shekarau, 

disclosed in a statement that 

preliminary report on the incident 

showed that the binding wire of an 

11KV line got loose due to a windy 

condition and came into contact with 

the 415V red phase cable, thus 

sending high voltage which was 

alleged to have led to the 

unfortunate death of two people, 

while four others sustained injuries. 

The Director, Risk and 

Compliance, Engr. Collins 

Chabuka also during the 

inauguration dismissed 

insinuations that 49 houses were 

affected in the incident as “false”, 

and cautioned the media and other 

members of the public against 

misinformation. Engr. Chabuka 

said the decision of the company to 

set up a probe panel was in line 

with the internal AEDC Incident 

Reporting and Investigation 

Procedure Guidelines and industry 

best practice.” 

Electricity watch 

Source: NCC Daily Operational Report Daily 

Briefing on the Nigerian Power Sector| Advisory 

Power Team | Office of H.E. Vice 

1. On August 3 2017, average power sent out was 

3,304 MWh/hour (down by 82 MWh/h) 

2. The reported gas constraint was 505MW 

3. The reported line constraint was 0MW. 

The reported frequency management constraint due 

to loss of DisCo feeders was 1651MW 

4. The water management constraint was 0MW. 

5. The power sector lost an estimated N1,035,000,000 

on August 3 2017 due to constraints. 

Sector Reform/ Activities 

1. Increasing high frequency constraints leading to 

reduced generation 

2. Increased gas constraints at Omotosho II, Geregu II, 

Alaoji II 

3. Gbarain NIPP plant is restored to functionality after 

extended outage 

4. Sapele NIPP is shut down for the following reasons 

GT1 Out on undisclosed fault. 

GT2 Out for frequency manangement (50.80Hz). 

GT3 Out on bearing lift pump trouble. 

GT4 Tripped on

24 — VANGUARD, TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2017

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2017—25

26 — Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2017 

VOL. 1: NO. 147 

TUESDAY, , AUGUS 

UGUST T 8, 2017 

3 years after 

FERMA repairs, 

erosion 

threatens 

Edepie-Imiringi 

Road 

— PAGE 25 

•Residents at the Egbo-Ide/Ayokoromo Bridge, protesting non-completion of the bridge. (Story on the next page). 

LAND DISPUTE: Army invades Edo 

community, sacks villagers 

•It's our ancestral home — Enogie Aghaghowa 

•The land is ours —Army 

By Simon Ebegbulem 

O 

G H E D E — 

HUNDREDS of families, 

including children, have been 

rendered homeless at Oghede 

community, Ovia North East 

Local Government Area, Edo 

State, after soldiers attached to 

Ekenwan Barracks, Benin City, 

sacked the people from their 

homes on the grounds that the 

affected areas belong to the 

Nigerian Army. 

The stranded villagers had to 

temporarily relocate to the 

palace of the Enogie of Oghede, 

HRH Osadebamien 

Aghaghowa, which had 

turned a refugee camp for 

displaced persons. The soldiers 

were said to have invaded the 

homes of the villagers, in the 

early hours of Thursday, kicked 

the residents out of their homes, 

while those who offered 

resistance were beaten to a 

pulp. 

Tension mounts: Palpable 

tension in the community forced 

Governor Godwin Obaseki to 

send his Chief of Staff, Mr. 

Taiwo Akerele to the area, last 

Saturday, to avoid bloodshed. 

Enogie Aghaghowa, who 

had, penultimate week, led a 

protest to the palace of the Oba 

of Benin, His Royal Majesty, 

Oba Ewuare 11, to protest the 

alleged invasion of the 

community by the 

Army, narrated their ordeal to 

NDV. 

They chased my subjects 

away– Enogie 

“You can see the situation, my 

people were chased out of their 

homes and they ran to my 

palace. This is where they now 

sleep. The chief of staff to the 

governor came and we 

scheduled a meeting for 

Monday to find a solution to 

the problem. Before now, the 

Army has been fighting us since 

I ascended the throne, trying to 

take over our community. They 

came and started chasing away 

our people from their homes; 

beating up our men and 

women. The Army has a place 

the Federal government 

acquired for them, which is 

recognized by the community 

and it was gazetted. 

Army trespassed on our land 

“There is no dispute about 

that, but now, they started 

trespassing and that was why 

we went to court in the first 

place. It has not been easy for 

me because my palace is filled 

up with families, particularly 

women and children. I am 

appealing to our Oba and the 

state government to come to our 

rescue. Army has taken over 

my community. Our 

grandfathers gave them part of 

land through the Oba of Benin 

and it was gazetted by the state 

government. But today, they 

want to take over our entire 

ancestral home which is 

impossible and I am appealing 

to all relevant stakeholders to 

come to our rescue because we 

5 govs’ wives team up to fight cancer 

By Emma Una 

CALABAR—WIVES of 

five governors in the 

country, who are medical 

doctors, have joined forces to 

fight cancer, the ailment 

presently ravaging many 

Nigerians. 

The women under the aegis 

of Wives of Governors Against 

Cancer in Nigeria, led by Dr. 

Mrs. Linda Ayade, wife of the 

Cross River Sate 

governor, undertook a facility 

tour of Asi Ukpo Diagnostic 

Medical Centre, the cancer 

treatment centre, located in 

Calabar, Cross River State 

capital. 

The governors’ wives include 

Dr. Linda Ayade, wife of the 

governor of Cross River State, 

cannot leave our ancestral 

homes,” the Enogie asserted. 

Soldiers molest 

women, accused Obaseki 

One of the victims, 67-yearold 

retired soldier, Mr. 

Innocent, pummeled by soldiers 

for resisting the take-over, said: 

“This is our community, but the 

army came and started chasing 

everybody from their houses. 

They said we should leave our 

house, that the land belongs to 

the Army. So everybody ran to 

our palace to meet His 

Highness. 

“What happened yesterday 

Dr. Amina Abubakar Bello, wife 

of Niger State governor, Mrs. 

Funsho Amosun, Ogun State 

governor’s wife, Mrs. Omolewa 

Ahmed, Kwara State governor’s 

wife and Dr. Florence 

Ajimobi, Oyo State First Lady. 

The women undertook a tour 

of the centre to get firsthand 

knowledge of the available 

(Friday), they came and chased 

all of us away and our women 

barricaded the road. They 

started beating our women and 

my in-law was injured. Four of 

them first came and started 

throwing things out of the 

house. I asked one of them that 

if somebody did this to them, 

would they like it. 

“What the army men kept 

saying is that it was the 

governor (Obaseki), who asked 

them to come and take over our 

land. But they have their land 

which was gazetted, they have 

decided to abandon that area 

to continue to encroach and 

annex our areas. I am a retired 

army man and I met them to say, 

look you cannot do this to your 

own people." 

facilities to combat the cancer 

scourge since it serves as a 

referral centre where women 

with cancer cases are being 

sent for treatment 

and management. 

Conducting the women round 

the facility, former military 

administrator of Rivers State 

and managing director of the 

centre, Brigadier General 

Anthony Ukpo (retd), said the 

centre commenced operations in 

2013 with state-of-the-art 

equipment to conduct a wide 

range 

medical 

investigations, including MRI, 

CT scan, digital mammography, 

4 D colour Doppler, ECG Cardiac 

stress test and endoscopology 

analysis.

PANORAMA 

Riverine dwellers, activists to Okowa: Complete 

Egbo-Ide/Ayakoromo Bridge or forget second term 

By Akpokona Omafuaire 

A YAKOROMO— 

P L A C A R D - 

BRANDISHING activists and 

residents of Ayakoromo and 

Egbo-Ide communities in 

Burutu and Ughelli South Local 

Government Areas of Delta 

State, weekend, protested 

alleged abandonment of the N6 

billion Egbo-Ide/Ayakoromo 

Bridge project by the State 

Government, vowing not to vote 

for Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in 

his second term bid, if he fails 

to complete the project. 

The Coalition of Concerned 

Civil Society Groups, 

comprising Concerned Ijaw 

Transformation Ambassadors, 

CITA, and Community for Rural 

Development Movement, 

CRDM, Concerned Ayakoromo 

Citizens, CAC, and villagers 

of the affected Ijaw and Urhobo 

communities, marched from 

Ayakoromo to the abandoned 

project site at Egbo-Ide. 

Some of the placards bore the 

inscriptions: “Our bridge, Our 

life, Our development,” “ No 

Ayakoromo/Egbo-Ide Bridge, 

No Support for 2nd term from 

Riverine Communities,” “We 

are regretting now, Okowa!!!,” 

“Okowa fulfil your 

electioneering promises at 

Kiagbodo on Ayakoromo 

Bridge,”, “ You have to start 

commissioning riverine 

roads, "bridges” and “Why 

did Governor Okowa abandon 

Ayakoromo Bridge project,”. 

Previous govt 

executed 60%— Ozobo 

Speaking for Ayokromor 

Activists Forum, Comrade 

Austin Ozobo, asserted: “Let the 

bridge be completed, this is our 

stand. If Okowa refuses to 

complete the bridge, riverine 

communities will not vote for 

him in his second term. 

“We have it on good authority 

that this project was awarded 

at the sum of N6, 

530,223,262.50. Okowa’s 

predecessor, Dr. Emmanuel 

THE TEAM 

Emma Amaize, Editor 

Jimitota Onoyume 

Samuel Oyadongha 

Simon Ebegbulem 

Gabriel Enogholase 

Festus Ahon 

Egufe Yafugborhi 

Emmanuel Una 

Akpokona Omafuaire 

Godwin Oghre 

Chioma Onuegbu 

Ike Uche 

Davies Iheamnachor 

Emem Idio 

Brisibe Perez 

Theresa Ugbobu 

Ochuko Akuopha 

Barnabas Uzosike 

Nath Onajoke 

Chijioke Nwankpa 

Civil society groups, riverine dwellers march against Okowa. 

•Some villagers heading to the project site in a boat. 

Uduaghan, had paid the 

sum of N3, 098,000,000.00 

before leaving office. The 

remaining balance for Okowa 

government to pay is N3, 432, 

223, 262, 50. 

“From our findings, we 

discovered that with the 

amount paid so far by the 

previous government; work on 

the project is in advanced 

stage. The contractor, to our 

findings, has completed 60 per 

cent of work on the project,” 

he said. 

Okowa made promise 

2015 in Kiagbodo—Cleric 

President, Foundation for 

Human Rights and Anti- 

Corruption Crusaders, 

FHRACC, Alaowei Cleric 

(Esq.) in his speech stated that 

Okowa promised at Kiagbodo 

community during his 

electioneering campaign in 

2015 that the bridge was his 

priority project, bemoaning 

that two years into his 

administration, nothing has 

been done, even with several 

appeals to him. 

Cleric recalled that based on 

the promise, the people gave 

the governor massive votes 

during his 2015 election, 

adding that the bridge has 

immense economic 

advantages for people, who 

will not vote for him in 2019 if 

he opts to desert the project. 

Indescribable suffering 

President General of Egbo- 

Ide Community, Tony 

Okporoko, appealed to the 

governor to complete the 

project, stressing that the 

people were going through 

Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2017 —27 

untold hardship. 

We voted Okowa because 

of his promise—Akarama 

Chairman of Ayakoromo 

community, Rev. Wilson 

Akarama, also enjoined 

Okowa to redeem his promise 

to the people by completing 

the bridge project, adding, 

“We gave him massive votes 

because of his promise on the 

Egbo-Ide/Ayakoromo Bridge 

at Kiagbodo.” 

Representative of Ayakoromo 

community youths, Ebibofa 

Richard Abdullazeez, stated 

that Governor Okowa’s 

administration has betrayed 

and failed the riverine 

communities for abandoning 

the Egbo-Ide/Ayakoromo 

Bridge. 

DELTA…THE BIG HEART OF 

THE NATION 

NDDC PROBE: 

More groups 

back N’Delta 

Minister 

W 

A R R I — 

THE Foundation for 

Human Rights and Anti- 

Corruption Crusade, 

FHRACC, and the Ijaw 

People’s Development 

Initiative, IPDI, Warri, Delta 

State, have declared their 

support for the Minister of 

Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor 

Usani Uguru Usani’s 

resolution to investigate all 

corruption allegations 

against the Niger Delta 

Development Commission, 

NDDC. 

National president of 

FHRACC, Alaowei Cleric 

Esq., in a statement, said: 

“He (Usani) should go ahead 

and investigate all the 

allegations against the 

commission. 

“The minister must not 

back down on his resolve to 

reshuffle the board as 

contract enrichment/ 

diversion, administrative 

apathy, nepotism, 

favouritism and other 

fraudulent activities are the 

practices we have seen in 

the commission through this 

present board. 

“What is going on in the 

commission is mind boggling 

as nothing goes for nothing, 

the purpose for which it has 

been established is defeated 

as the agency is now a 

money making machine to 

some political appointees to 

live their pockets." 

According to the group, 

powerful forces in and 

outside the commission 

have hijacked contracts for 

their relatives, friends and 

cronies, while contractors, 

who bid for contracts were 

denied tender documents 

even when they had 

obtained bank drafts. 

The organization alleged: 

“The board also refused to 

attend to projects evaluation 

reports sent to it from the 

various states’ offices. 

Contractors have to wait for 

months before they can be 

processed to raise the interim 

payment certificates.” 

Similarly, IPDI national 

president, Austin Ozobo, 

asserted: “It is imperative to 

note that NDDC, has derailed 

from its original plan, it 

appears to be dysfunctional in 

its operations as regards the 

general development of the 

Niger Delta region. 

“We want to state 

unequivocally that the 

current NDDC board be 

dissolved and a new board 

put in place to manage the 

commission properly. We 

throw our weight behind the 

move by minister to 

investigate alleged 

corruption allegations in the 

commission.”

28— VANGUARD, TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2017 

METROPOLITAN LAGOS: Mega City, 

mega garbage 

•Long history of unenviable romance with refuse 

Residents on environmental sanitation in Lagos 

In this instalment of the report that 

started on Friday and continued on 

Sunday and yesterday, we continue with 

the grouse of the waste collection 

the conditions that have kept them in the 

business. 

Lagos before CLI 

The argument of those opposed to CLI is 

that before its inception or introduction, 

Lagos was cleaner under the PSP operators 

as these private refuse collectors were said 

to be familiar with their operating terrain and 

companies 

ACCORDING to them, it was 

essentially intended to deprive them 

of the right to service companies\industries 

by limiting them to house-to-house bin 

collection exercise which has been one of 

so were able to reach the nooks and crannies 

of the state by at least 70 per cent. There is 


Grouse of PSP refuse collectors 

also the belief that people were 

more conscious of 

environmental cleanliness 

which reflected positively on 

the streets, road sides, 

pedestrian bridges, walkways, 

bus-stops, markets, offices and 

other public places. 

Environmental sanitation 

exercise factor 

For decades, the compulsory 

environmental sanitation 

exercise slated for every last 

Saturday of the month which 

was introduced during the 

military regime of General 

Muhammadu Buhari in 1984 

served to sustain the 

consciousness of Lagosians to 

rid their surroundings of filth. 

Similarly, every Thursday is set 

aside in Lagos State for 

environmental sanitation 

specifically for markets, shops 

and trading arenas. The 

monthly sanitation has since 

lost its force of compliance 

following the scrapping of 

restriction of movement by the 

state government. 

Lagos now under CLI 

The introduction of CLI 

regardless of its avowed noble 

intentions has so far engendered crisis 

owing to the heated disagreement between 

the state government and PSP operators on 

whether it is desirable at this time, including 

the terms of its implementation. 

So, while the battle over this plays out in 

the courts, heaps of refuse continue to litter 

What we need 

is not just 

recycling, what 

we need is job 

creation, and at 

the moment 

what is 

happening is not 

progress; if it 

were to be 

progress, we 

won’t be in court 

Continued from yesterday 

LEKAN further stated that what the 

Lagos State government needed to do 

was invest in a land fill with a waste 

converting machine. “The government is 

saying that it is planning to engage the PSP 

in commercial waste management and what 

that represent is 20 percent of what we are 

currently doing now. 

It is important that we should not play 

politics with people’s lives; they are taking 

away 80 percent of someone’s business and 

you are justifying that. That is why I said 

earlier that some will go into extinction, and 

some would have to downsize. 

“That is not progress. What we need is 

not just recycling, what we need is job 

creation, and at the moment what is 

happening is not progress; if it were to be 

progress, we won’t be in court. The fact that 

we are in court is basically because the 

development is undermining our livelihood 

and we have family members who are 

dependent on us. If the government says 

that our contractual agreement with them 

has expired, that is a matter for the court to 

decide. 

“What I think is important is that for the 

past 18 to 20 years, PSP operators have been 

responsible for cleaning Lagos and that was 

something that they have done well after 

Lagos was rated as the dirtiest city in the 

world. We have made it a thriving industry, 

and the government is now coming with a 

new but unfair initiative. If you ask residents 

in Lagos State, they will tell you that PSP 

has been the one collecting refuse in their 

homes. Or is the commissioner now saying 

that we have been operating illegally? 

“The PSP operators are still working, we 

have not downed tools. However, the 

situation at the moment is that Lagos State 

has two dump sites, one at Solous and 

another at Olusosun. The dump sites are in 

a mess; our vehicles have been there for days 

trying to dump the waste they collected. They 

have to wait for four to five days before they 

can dump the refuse,” he said. 

Welcome 

development 

Elaborating on this, Olalekan Owojori, 

Director, Wellbeck Consulting Limited and 

a consultant to the Association of Waste 

Managers in Nigeria informed in an 

interview with PREMIUM TIMES, an online 

publication, that: “At the last court hearing, 

the judge ordered us to find alternative 

dispute resolution which is the meeting 

where we tried to resolve matters between 

the government and the association. 

"We have had two meetings to that effect. 

The commissioner was not present at both 

meetings, but the legal counsel of the 

government, our legal counsel and our 

members were present. At the two 

meetings, we laid down our position with 

regards to what we are looking for. 

“Just to remind you, the government’s 

position is they want to take away the 

residential waste collection from the existing 

PSP operators and offer it to foreign investors 

and we feel that’s unfair because that is 

going to affect our livelihood. The 

government pointed out that they are giving 

us the commercial waste collection and that 

they are going to increase the value of that 

collection. We pointed out to government 

that we are already carrying out the 

commercial waste collection. So you are only 

giving us what we are already doing. 

“Having said that, we recognise that the 

government is now saying that instead of 

sharing the money, the revenue from 

commercial waste collection 60-40 in our 

favour, we are going to keep 99 per cent of 

that money and only pay one percent in 

form of royalty to the government. 

"While that is a welcome development, the 

total value of that is still not enough to take 

care of the existing operators because what 

that will mean if we accept, is that a lot of 

businesses will fold up, a lot of businesses 

will have to suffer downsizing of both their 

staff and cost because the cost structure that 

we have is around the residential”.


Wastes dumped on a road median in Lagos 

Long history of unenviable 

romance with refuse 

Continued from Sunday 

Lagos roads and streets. 

During a tour around most parts of 

Lagos, heaps of wrapped refuse were noticed 

almost everywhere, especially at Ketu\Mile 

12, Ogba\Ijaye, Mushin, Surulere, Ebutemeta, 

Gbagada, Iyana-Ipaja, Apapa, 

Oyingbo, Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Orile, Iyana-Iba, 

Somolu\Bariga, Ebute-Metta, Ikeja, Agbado- 

Ijaye, Ikorodu, Ajah, Obalende, Epe and 

Ikoyi to mention but a few. Markets are 

not left out as Mile 12, Oyingbo, Ikotun, 

Idumagbo, Oke-Odo, Olaleye markets, 

Shomolu and Ebutemeta, Ladipo\Iyana- 

Itire, Ojuelegba, Mushin and Oshodi, to 

mention but a few. Motor parks and bus stops, 

including public schools, are fast becoming 

refuse or waste dump sites. 

Blocked drains 

During Vanguard INSIGHT’s visit to some 

communities in the state, it was observed that 

indiscriminate dumping of refuse led to the 

blockage of most drains, though some 

community development associations were 

seen sensitising and mobilising residents to 

help unblock the drainage channels. 

Overfilled dump sites, 

indefatigable scavengers 

A visit to both Solous and Olusosun dump/ 

landfill sites revealed that they were not only 

overflowing with waste but were also oozing 

offensive smell that residents at nearby 

communities find difficult coping with, afraid 

of the health implications. At Olusosun, there 

were long queues of refuse disposal trucks 

waiting to discharge their loads of smelly 

waste, with scavengers, mostly women and 

youths, milling around the area. 

Some of them said they had no choice but 

to eke out a living from the dump site despite 

the offensive smell. A female scavenger 

simply identified as Alhaja Risikat Yusuf, 

even boasted that all her children graduated 

from higher institutions of learning through 

the proceeds from scavenging. Making 

similar claim was another female scavenger, 

Modinat Olaosebikan, who said she lives 

comfortably on the income derived from 

scavenging since the death of her husband 

about nine years ago. 

Indiscriminate dumping 

At Ile-Ile area of Ketu, the drains have been 

blocked with debris and the drainage 

channels usually overflow at the slightest 

rainfall. Vanguard INSIGHT was told that 

during a recent downpour some residents 

gladly threw dirt and waste into the drainage 

channels, thereby obstructing the free flow 

of water. A housewife was spotted dropping 

wrapped refuse on the road and when 

confronted by 

our reporter, 

justified her 

action with the 

claim that the 

place was 

already dirty 

and that 

additional 

refuse will 

a t t r a c t 

government’s 

attention. 

According to 

her: 

“The 

Lagos under the 

partnership has 

since been 

transformed from 

one of the dirtiest 

cities to the 

cleanest city in 

Africa 

place is 

already dirty 

and the 

government may not do the needful unless 

it becomes an eyesore”. 

Speaking with Vanguard INSIGHT, some 

residents expressed fear that continued 

indiscriminate dumping of refuse could lead 

to an outbreak of communicable diseases. At 

Adeniji, a snacks seller, Mr Chukwudima 

Amos, said as soon as he gathers dirt for 

disposal, it invariably finds its way back to 

the road. ‘’I hate the smell but there is nothing 

I can do about it. I try my best to clean up 

the surrounding but the waste keeps piling 

up and the government is not helping 

matters,” he lamented. 

A resident of Iduganran, Mrs Abigael 

Dosunmu, castigated some residents for 

taking the law into their hands by dumping 

refuse indiscriminately. ‘’While both the 

government and PSP operators are busy 

trading blames, residents are suffering the 

inconvenience of refuse piling up 

everywhere. Lagos is fast returning to that 

unfortunate era when it was largely 

regarded as a dirty city where residents are 

liable to fall ill easily because of outbreak of 

diseases,” she said. 

Efforts to reach the State chairman of the 

PSP operators, Mr Bode Coker, proved 

abortive. But when Vanguard INSIGHT 

contacted Mr Olalekan Owojori, Managing 

Director, Wellbeck Consulting, the 

Consultant to the Lagos Association of Waste 

Managers of Nigeria, WMN, he said before 

the refuse situation got to this worrisome 

point, Lagos had successfully been 

transformed from one of the dirtiest cities 

in the world to one of the leading clean 

mega cities in the developing world. 

According to him: ‘’This was made 

possible through a Public Private 

Partnership, PPP, arrangement between the 

state government and local businesses. 

What started as a pro-poor initiative has 

today birthed about 350 successful small and 

medium size businesses. 

Direct and indirect 

employments 

"These businesses within this period have 

injected over N6 billion into the industry 

and created over 25,000 direct and indirect 

employments as they have not only provided 

a source of livelihood to the employees but 

their families, friends and other dependants. 

“ Lagos under the partnership has since 

been transformed from one of the dirtiest 

cities to the cleanest city in Africa. The 

numerous awards bestowed on the State 

Government to that effect attest to this. ...The 

awards include The Cleanest City in Africa 

in 2011 conferred on it by the Bill Clinton 

Foundation, the Cleanest City in Nigeria 

by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2012 

and the Cleanest Environment in Africa 2013 

by Siemens Global”. 

To be concluded tomorrow


vanguardpolitics@gmail.com 

Bianca branches 

out for Obiano 

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu 

WIFE of the late Ikemba 

Nnewi, Dim 

Chukwuemeka Odumegwu 

Ojukwu, Mrs. Bianca 

Ojukwu, has told youths in 

the state that they have a 

major role to play in the reelection 

of Governor Willie 

Obiano. 

Mrs. Odumegwu Ojukwu 

spoke, weekend, when she 

inaugurated the youth wing 

of ‘Stakeholders for Willie 

Obiano Second Tenure.” 

Youths numbering over 

3,500 from the three senatorial 

zones in Anambra State were 

inaugurated into the 

campaign group for the APGA 

governorship hopeful. 

National Coordinator of 

Stakeholders for Willie 

Obiano Second Tenure, Chief 

Ekene Enefe while 

addressing the people during 

the inauguration at Prof. Dora 

Akunyili 

Women 

Development Centre, 

explained that the group was 

inaugurated in 2016 to move 

By Vincent Ujumadu 

THE 

Independent 

Democrats, ID, is 

planning to field a female 

governorship candidate to 

spice the November 18 election. 

•Bianca Ojukwu 

ID may field female candidate 

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu 

FORMER Minister of State 

for Transportation, Prince 

John Emeka, has joined the 

race for the PDP ticket, vowing 

to use his private sector 

experience to lift the state out 

of poverty. 

He said,“I am running for 

governor so that I will fight for 

the cause you and I believe in. 

As your governor, I will strive 

to end poverty and restore our 

core social values. I have a 

mission, an urge, a passion for 

which I seek this opportunity 

to fulfil. 

“As an entrepreneur, 

politician, and former minister 

of the Federal Republic, I 

believe I have all the 

experience to provide credible 

leadership at this hour and 

time. 2017 gives us that 

opportunity to choose a leader 

with strong mind, a great heart, 

true faith and a ready hand 

whom the spoil of office cannot 

sway, someone with honour 

and integrity, who will not lie. 

This is the governor I will be.” 

He said his administration 

would focus on the 

round all the 

1 7 9 

communities in 

Anambra State 

to gather 

support for 

Governor 

Obiano’s reelection 

bid. 

He said they 

have been 

holding town 

hall meetings to 

sensitize the 

people of the 

State, adding 

that the 

“Governor had 

even directed 

that all the State 

Commissioners of the 

Ministries in the state will start 

attending the town hall 

meetings to ensure that the reelection 

bid becomes a 

collective effort. 

“We have even appointed the 

coordinators in all the 

communities in the State for 

effective mobilization of the 

Anambra people and assured 

that nobody would steal votes 

this time around.” 

Going by what the state 

chairman of the party, Mr. 

Ikechukwu Okafor said, ID 

decided on a woman carrying 

the party’s flag at the election 

to attract women and youths 

who are the majority of the 

Emeka enters race for PDP 

ticket 

implementation of six point 

agenda under the Anambra 

Sustainable Development 

Action Plan, ANSDAP, with 

security and dignity of the 

people being his direct 

responsibility, adding,"we shall 

fight crime with modern 

technology. We shall restore the 

sacredness and sanctity of 

human lives. We will improve 

the present security 

arrangement in the state." 

FORMER minister of 

aviation, Chief Osita 

Chidoka, has condemned as 

sacrilegious and extremely 

wicked, Sunday’s gun attack 

at St Philips Catholic Church, 

Ozubulu in Anambra state, 

which claimed the lives of 

innocent citizens who were 

worshipping at the church. 

This is just as Chief 

Chidoka, while mourning for 

those killed in the attack, 

cancelled all his political 

Also speaking during the 

inauguration, National Youth 

Coordinator, Hon. Nnamso 

Nwafor-Orizu said that 

among major reasons the 

youths had decided to return 

Governor Obiano for second 

tenure was that his 

administration has become 

the first in entire Nigeria to 

engage over fifty-five percent 

of the young people as 

political appointees. 

voters in any election. 

Okafor said: “The targets of 

our party are women and 

youths; and as I am speaking 

to you, a lady and a youth of 

about 36 years each have 

shown interest to contest the 

governorship election on the 

platform of our party. 

“We want to give the youths 

and the women the opportunity 

to be relevant in the scheme of 

things. We are ready to win the 

election, and we are not 

concerned about any threat by 

any group of agitators. The 

police should do their work 

and ensure that a peaceful 

election is held in the state.” 

He debunked the insinuation 

that ID has a special 

arrangement with APC, 

insisting that his party was not 

in alliance with any party. 

ANAMBRA CHURCH ATTACK: Chidoka 

demands for justice 

engagements earlier 

scheduled for Sunday and 

today, yesterday, August 7, 

2017. 

Speaking when he visited 

the church on Sunday to 

condole with the 

parishioners, Chief Chidoka 

described the attack in the 

house of God as shocking and 

particularly strange, adding 

that all must be done to track 

down the perpetrators and 

avenge the death of the 

Prepare your handover note 

now, Oyegun tells Obiano 

•He’s a day dreamer — Obiano’s aide 

By Nwabueze Okonkwo 

NATIONAL Chairman of 

the All Progressives 

Congress, APC, Chief John 

Odigie Oyegun has asked the 

Governor of Anambra State, 

Chief Willie Obiano, to start 

preparing his handover note 

to the in-coming APC 

governor in Anambra State. 

Odigie-Oyegun who stated 

this in Awka, Anambra State 

capital while inaugurating the 

State chapter of the coalition 

of APC support groups, said 

the call became necessary 

because, nothing can save the 

state from not being taken over 

by the APC in the 

governorship election. 

In a swift reaction, the Senior 

Special Adviser to the 

Governor on Political Matters, 

Hon. Arinzechukwu Awogu, 

described Odigie-Oyegun and 

his APC as day-dreamers, 

saying “an outsider does not 

have inheritance in another 

man’s estate”. 

Represented by the deputy 

national chairman Coalition of 

APC support group South, 

Ambassador Mustapha 

Adeyawayu, the national 

chairman tasked the group to 

embark on immediate houseto-house 

mobilization exercise 

to convince the Anambra 

electorate on the need to vote 

for APC and return the state 

Ozubulu attack desecrates our 

values — Nwoye 

APC aspirant, Dr. Tony 

Nwoye, has flayed last 

Sunday’s attack on St. 

Philip’s Catholic Church 

Ozubulu as a desecration of 

the sacred values that the 

people of the state are known 

for as he charged the church 

to sharpen its message on 

salvation. 

Reacting to the killings, 

Nwoye, a member of the 

House of Representatives, 

affirmed that neither money 

innocent worshippers. 

“This is a very sad day for 

us all. Those who carried out 

this evil act have hit us to the 

bone and at our soft 

underbelly. They have 

violated all tenets of our faith 

and existence as a people. 

What they have done is a 

sacrilege, and they will never 

know peace until justice is 

visited on them and those 

they conspired with," he said. 

to the party at the centre. 

He said: “I charge you as 

coalition group to work as a team 

and ensure that you leave no 

stone unturned to bring more 

people to join the party in your 

various wards and local 

government areas. We are 

confident that APC is going to 

win the Anambra election come 

November 18 and all hands 

must be on deck to ensure that 

APC sweep the polls." 

In his speech, the newly 

inaugurated chairman of the 

group, Comrade Onyebuchi 

Francis Osakwe, thanked the 

national executive of the 

coalition of APC support group 

for their perseverance, total 

commitment and resolve to give 

them the opportunity to serve, 

promising that the group will do 

everything within their powers 

to ensure that they mobilize 

Anambra electorates to enable 

APC over-run any other political 

party in the election. 

Dismissing the threat, 

Obiano’s aide, Awogu said, “We 

know that their stock-in-trade is 

to rig the election because any 

party that is prepared for the 

polls cannot talk in that manner. 

But we are waiting for them." 

Awogu further declared: “ This 

is Anambra State and not Edo 

or Ondo. We are fully waiting 

for them. Let them come and we 

will show them that there is no 

landing place for them here in 

Anambra.” 

nor material things should 

make anyone do what was 

done last Sunday. 

Nwoye while sympathising 

with the people of Ozubulu 

over the incident, also prayed 

God to comfort the families of 

the victims and grant speedy 

recovery to the survivors. 

He said,“What happened in 

Ozubulu is a violation of the 

sacred faith we share in God. 

It is not our nature, and those 

who did it are detached from 

our community. This incident 

should make the Church to be 

more aggressive on the 

message of salvation because 

salvation as offered through 

Our Lord Jesus is the ultimate 

answer to such violence and it 

is my prayer that the Church 

should put more focus on this 

and relegate the matter of 

money . 

“It is my prayer that God 

would in His infinite grace 

comfort as many as those 

affected by this violence and 

cause speedy healing to all 

those who survived this. May 

it not happen in our land 

again.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2017---31 

The Salt of the Earth (1) 

THE theme of this summit, 

“Arise O Lord”, is very timely. 

The ancient prophets of Israel 

often invoked the power of God at 

crucial turning-points in their long 

and tumultuous history. From 

them we know that our God is not 

only a God of peace; He is equally 

a God of War. A consuming fire. 

When God arises, his enemies will 

surely be scattered! When God 

moves, the proud mountains shall 

be levelled; the valleys shall be 

filled up, the crooked paths shall 

be made straight. And justice shall 

roll like a river and righteousness 

like the sea. “If my people, who are 

called by my name, will humble 

themselves and pray and seek my 

face and turn from their wicked 

ways, then I will hear from heaven, 

and I will forgive their sin and will 

heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14) 

I need not remind you that it is 

not at all well with the very soul of 

our republic. Young men from the 

East — young men who do not 

know what war is — are 

resurrecting the ghost of a dead 

Biafra. Not to be outdone, a 

coalition of Arewa Youths has 

declared an ultimatum on all 

By Akintola Benson-Oke 

WHILE committed to a knowledgebased 

transformation of the civil 

service, the Ministry of Establishments, 

training and Pensions, under the overall 

guidance of the His Excellency, Mr. 

Akinwunmi Ambode, is also overly 

committed to staff welfare in terms of inservice 

and post-service welfare. Thus, 

matters relating to pension administration 

and management have always been at the 

top of the list for the administration. This is 

why yet another training has now been 

devoted to equipping the minds of the senior 

staff of the civil service of Lagos State with 

the current trends in effective pension 

management strategies. 

I wish to offer a synoptic insight into the 

benefits of having and maintaining a 

pension strategy. While this approach is 

merely tangential to the main thrust of this 

training, it is my hope that it will serve to 

prepare the minds of participants to 

appreciate the importance of this training. 

Thus, I have articulated 30 unique benefits 

of having and maintaining pension plans. 

I am confident that the participants will 

become even more resolved to take this 

training seriously and to apply the lessons 

learnt to the benefit of civil servants, the 

Lagos State Civil Service, the Lagos State 

Government, and the economy of Lagos 

State: 

i.Pension plans are important because 

they offer financial security after retirement. 

Those who do not want to become destitute 

and dependent after retirement should take 

the subject with seriousness. 

ii.Pension plans are forms of deferred 

payment for the employees. Employees can 

look forward to receiving payment for 

services rendered to their employer in the 

past. 

iii.Attractive pension plans make it easier 

for the employer to attract and keep 

Ndigbo to leave the North come 

1st October. There are similar 

rumblings among the youths in the 

Yoruba West, who are demanding 

for an independent Oduduwa 

Republic. Youths of the Niger 

Delta are preparing to return to 

the creeks — to doing what they 

know best. 

The cacophony of voices 

demanding “restructuring” can 

no longer be ignored. In a recent 

series of articles in the Vanguard, 

elder statesman Chief Philip 

Asiodu traced the sources of the 

new angst: “…Southern Kaduna 

killings of Christians; 

inflammatory speeches by a few 

clerics calling for Christian selfdefence…continuing 

outrageous 

attacks and ambushes by Boko 

Haram fighters in 

Maiduguri…frequent slaughters 

of farmers in their villages and 

despoiling and destruction of their 

farms by well-armed Fulani 

herdsmen; attacks on oil 

installations by militants in the 

Niger Delta with its crippling 

consequences on oil exports, 

foreign exchange inflows and the 

Nigerian economy…” 

Articulating benefits of Pension 

planning in Lagos State 

competent employees because people are 

always eager to work for an employer who 

has good pension strategies in place. 

Employees can enjoy tax deductions in 

respect of contributions made to a pension 

plan. Thus, the making of the contribution 

effectively reduces the overall taxable 

income of the employees. 

v.Similarly, the contributions made by 

employers to the pension plan does not 

result in payroll taxes because they are not 

included in the calculation to determine 

A credible pension plan 

offers an employee the 

rest and relaxation 

deserved after a lifetime 

of labour and work 

responsibilities 

contributions to determine payable payroll 

taxes. The employee can have his/her 

pension savings invested in attractive profityielding 

investments that are also tax 

exempt. Thus, the employee can save on taxes 

from both ends. 

The employer’s contributions are 

immediately vested to the plan immediately 

upon the commencement of the employee’s 

employment because they are backed by the 

force of law. In the event of an employee’s 

death, his or her spouse may be structured 

to receive a payment structured as either a 

pension or some other benefits. In any event, 

the next-of-kin stands to benefit from the 

dead employee’s contributions in the 

manner provided under the scheme. 

The benefits accumulated in a plan cannot 

be seized, except in a few cases, such as a 

seizure to alimony or child support or for 

the purpose of partition of family patrimony. 

The Middle Belt, which is 

undeniably the bread basket of our 

country, has borne an unfair share 

of genocidal atrocities by Fulani 

herdsmen, a good number of 

whom are well-armed foreign 

militias. From Benue to 

Nasarawa, Taraba, Kogi and Jos 

Our leaders have 

become as cruel as 

the ostriches of the 

desert; they care 

only about lining 

their pockets while 

hunger ravages the 

land 

Plateau, an undeclared war is 

being waged on an unarmed and 

defenceless people. Thousands of 

peasant villagers have been killed 

while children and women have 

been hacked into smithereens. 

Entire homesteads have been 

rendered into a heap of ashes by 

rampaging herdsmen. Entire 

communities have been razed 

down in unprecedented acts of 

savagery and rapine. Many can no 

longer return to their farms. As a 

result, food prices are 

skyrocketing across the country, 

raising the levels of malnutrition, 

poverty and destitution to 

unacceptable levels. 

Remarkably, nobody has been 

arrested or prosecuted for these 

horrendous crimes. And the whole 

world is silent in the face of such 

unprecedented evil. 

Every student of political theory 

appreciates the political since 

John Locke and Ibn Khaldun as 

an organic community of human 

beings united together by certain 

immanent principles of 

civilisation. In our twenty-first 

century, the public deontology of 

the state is to secure the common 

peace, enhance the liberties and 

provide public goods while 

expanding the possibility frontiers 

of welfare for all its citizens. The 

first duty of civil government is to 

secure the lives and properties of 

its citizens and to guarantee their 

freedoms and liberties. A 

government that fails to do that has 

failed in its most elementary 

obligations. 

I agree with John Cardinal 

Onaiyekan when he says that 

Christians have nothing to fear 

from Islamisation. As a matter of 

fact, Islamisation is a right for all 

Muslims, just as evangelisation is 

the right of all Christian believers. 

If we know — and we know that 

we know — that Jesus Christ is the 

Way, the Truth and the Life, what 

are we afraid of? The Lion of the 

Tribe of Judah surely does not need 

anyone to fight on His behalf or to 

defend His Church, against which 

the very gates of hell shall never 

prevail. 

But we must not mince words. 

There is suffering in the land. At 

the risk of sounding rather 

personal, I can reveal that my 

family and me have fallen victim 

to the insecurity that pervades 

Nasarawa State. I grew up in the 

small missionary village of 

Murya, 10 km outside Lafia. My 

elderly father and mother had to 

flee uncountable times in the thick 

of night to seek refuge from Fulani 

herdsmen. During his last flight, 

his health deteriorated rapidly, 

The pension fund does not belong to the 

employer; it cannot be seized if the business 

goes bankrupt. Pension plans represent an 

opportunity for an employee to accumulate 

wealth without engaging in the rigours of 

running a business or operating assets. 

Also, pension plans present the 

opportunity for those who have already 

acquired wealth to supplement their 

acquisitions. Pension plans help employees 

to cope with the reduction in income that 

will arise after the retirement. When people 

retire, they will naturally experience a 

reduction in income, a pension plan makes 

up for some of this loss of income in 

retirement; 

Pension schemes can provide protection 

in the form of lump sums and pensions to 

dependants in the event of a member’s death; 

Pension plans make it possible for 

employees to enjoy lower management fees 

from top-tier fund managers to which they 

would not otherwise have access. 

Employees can achieve increased savings 

through payroll deductions. This is because 

contributions paid into a group pension plan 

are directly withheld from the employee’s 

pay, thus making it much easier to save. It is 

proven that individuals will put more money 

aside when they do not have to transfer 

manually an amount from their account to 

a retirement savings plan. 

The funds offered through group pension 

plans are run by managers whose expertise 

is recognised in the industry and who are 

continuously reviewed and monitored by the 

insurers and the regulators. 

When an employer decides to make, or is 

required to make, contributions to the 

pension plan, the plan becomes even more 

profitable for employees as the accumulated 

contributions exponentially increases the 

value of the fund. 

Competitive and attractive pension plans 

help maintain productivity during the active 

pre-retirement years of the employee. 

In the same related vein, great pension 

plans help in finding quality employees. 

Business owners consistently report that 

their toughest challenge is finding high- 

leading to his death in December 

2014. We believe he would still be 

alive if the insecurity in Nasarawa 

State had not despatched him to 

his early grave. Before his death 

he whispered to me that he was 

“tired of Nigeria”. 

My cousin, Very Rev. Father 

David Baka of blessed memory, is 

buried just a few hundred metres 

away from where we are 

assembled today. Two years ago, 

he was in Lafia to procure 

materials for internally displaced 

persons (IDPs). On his way back to 

his Emmanuel Parish in New Karu 

a hit-and-run driver rammed into 

his brand new Toyota Hilux, 

cutting him down in his prime in 

the evening of Saturday 11th July 

2015. 

“How I weep for you, my brother 

Jonathan! Oh, how much I loved 

you!” (2 Samuel 1:26). 

Our Nigeria of today has become 

a land of sorrows, blood and tears. 

Corruption has risen to the high 

heavens. Workers go for months – 

even years — without salaries. 

Scriptures tell us that every 

labourer deserves his just wages. 

Our leaders have become as cruel 

as the ostriches of the desert; they 

care only about lining their 

pockets while hunger ravages the 

land; families are suffering while 

marriages are cracking up; youth 

unemployment stands at a 

national average of 40 percent; in 

the far north the figures are a 

staggering 70 percent. 

(Shortened Version of a Keynote 

Address Delivered on the Occasion 

of the First Prayer Summit of 

Christian Leaders Organised by 

CAN Nasarawa State Chapter, 

Lafia, Saturday, August 5, 2017). 

quality candidates. When a potential 

employee considers working for an 

organisation, a retirement plan is a key 

deciding factor, along with salary and 

health insurance. Thus, organisations risk 

losing quality candidates if they do not offer 

a strong retirement package. 

Furthermore, and aside from attracting 

high quality candidates, competitive and 

attractive pension plans foster the retention 

of human capital. Of course, attracting but 

losing valuable human resources is not 

beneficial for an organisation. 

xxii. The retirement payout from a 

pension fund is usually guaranteed. It is not 

based on the stock market. When you start 

your pension, you create a plan formula to 

determine an employee’s pension benefit. 

This is usually based on the person’s average 

salary and the number of years he worked 

in your company. When the employee 

retires, he receives his promised pension 

payout. A reliable pension plan helps to 

meet the challenges of the increase in life 

expectancy. Our generation will live longer 

than previous ones due to improved medical 

and healthcare, implying the need to gather 

enough funds that can sustain longer life. 

This also implies that the healthcare needs 

and expenses are likely to haunt us. 

Pension plans also helps to cope with the 

changes in social structures. In spite of 

family support, many retirees prefer not to 

depend on the relatives or children for 

meeting post-retirement expenses. 

Maintaining independent lifestyle is 

sustainable only when backed with a 

financial cushion. 

Finally, a credible pension plan offers an 

employee the rest and relaxation deserved 

after a lifetime of labour and work 

responsibilities. I am convinced that a 

deeper appreciation of the benefits of having 

a pension plan or strategy will solidify in 

our minds to the importance of ensuring 

effective pension management. 

*Being excerpts of a speech by Dr. Benson - 

Oke, Lagos State Commissioneer for 

Establishment, Training & Pensions . 

C 

M 

Y 

K


YOUR LUCK TODAY 

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 

CAPRICORN; Love, romance and sentimental things can 

not be ignored completely today unless you want your 

concentration to waver .Be more enterprising in the 

business world Anyway success indicated for you today.. 

AQUARIUS; Happenings within your base of operation 

(both at home and at work) must be taken more seriously 

now, more especially as there’ll be competition 

PISCES; Both your mood and element of luck may not be 

as friendly as you’ll like.. Matters of the heart may top 

priority lists of some of you. But mind you your mood will 

change tomorrow. 

ARIES; If financial success is your priority you’ll need to 

redouble your efforts today and tomorrow. Be protective 

of your possessions and personal family. 

TAURUS; The Moon gives you the needed opportunity to 

assert yourself to the admiration of other people. You can 

make it a romantic day. Experiment with your personal 

ideas. 

GEMINI; Here is your day when element of luck will work 

favourably for you. Secret lovers are in for an exciting and 

memorable day. Keep your secrets please. 

CANCER; If you wait till tomorrow before you make an 

important move ,you may be disappointed , because 

tomorrow’s influence will bring you more challenges than 

you can rightly anticipate now. But greater success 

indicated for you today. 

LEO; Very soon there’ll be important development along 

your career line. But today will offer you best of opportunity 

and good luck to achieve your desired results. Be more 

ambitious now. 

L E I S U R E 

THOUGHT FOR TODAY 

“A wise old owl sat on an oak. The more he saw, the less 

he spoke. The less he spoke, the more he heard. Why 

can’t we all be like that bird?” — Author Unknown 

“It makes me so mad that some people underestimate the 

wisdom and energy of young people. All because they don’t 

look the way older folks think they should look.” 

— Johnny Cash 

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye” 

By Kola Fayemi 

VIRGO; Here is a loving day for those of you willing to 

give priority attention to matters of the heart. Planning 

for both immediate and far future’ll not be out of place. 

And it’s good to think money. 

LIBRA: This is the wrong time to gamble either with your 

physical cash or your source of income. Take nobody for 

granted. Take love more seriously. 

KAPTAIN AFRIKA in “Pretty Lunatic’ By Andy Akman 

SCORPIO; Partnership related issues are becoming more 

important and if you try to sweep anything under carpet 

now, it’sll back-fire sooner than expected. Take your love 

life more seriously than before. 

SAGITTARIUS; Hard work will not go unrewarded if not 

today very soon. Important development coming through 

your working arena soonest will place you at advantage 

position. The more practical you are the better.. 

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING 

Send your date e and place of birth th to the Astr 

trological 

Counselling, P.M.B 100 

007, 7, Apapa, Lagos 

What’s my best coloure? 

VIRGINIA 

dadadekola@yahoo.com 

Dear Joshua, 

I want your in-depth analysis and tell me about my social 

life, luck and the time I am likely to have my much desired 

break-through in life. Which day of the week was I born. 

And importantly what is my best colour? 

Anonymous Nigeria. 

Dear Anonymous, 

You were born on a Saturday. What you will find hereunder 

will answer your questions. Social life will always 

bring you attention good luck envy opposition and possibly 

fame. Aquarius and Leo are two most active social Star 

signs. And you will notice that your natal Venus in Taurus, 

Moon in Aquarius and Uranus in Leo formed T-Square 

aspects putting Venus as point-focus, meaning that the best 

way for you not to be constant loser in the social world is 

to always study situation practically and know that your 

finance will not suffer (if it can not be beneficiary) from 

the setting before taking responsibility. 

As for influential friends you will have them but never 

always take them for granted. 

Yes you can be a self made man but it is indicated that 

there will be times when both human and divine assistance 

will lift you up. You will have more to gain by your being 

spiritual .Saturday born people are favoured by BLACK 

and golden colours. 

Sudden SUCCESS will come your way during your 42th 

year on earth and will serve as a break-through year you 

can build great foundation of endless success on. But the 

same 42th year will bring love related challenges you must 

manage with all maturity or else it will linger till after 

your 44th year on earth. 

HOME & ABROAD 

By Lawrence Akapa



Flood: Move to higher grounds, 

Delta Govt warns residents 

By Festus Ahon & 

Godwin Oghre 

ASABA—WORRIED by 

the havoc flood was 

causing in parts of Delta 

State, the state government 

has, again, warned those 

leaving in flood-prone 

areas to move to higher and 

safer grounds. 

The 

state’s 

Commissioner, Bureau for 

Special Duties, Mr. Ernest 

Ogwezzy, who gave the 

warning after taking 

officials of National 


Agency, NEMA, on 

assessment tour of areas 

affected by flood in Asaba 

By Ochuko 

Akuopha 

O LEH—NDOKWA 

National Youth 

Movement, NNYM, 

yesterday, said the decision 

of the Pan Niger Delta 

Forum, PANDEF, to 

suspend its November 1 

ultimatum to the Federal 

Government to implement 

existing templates on the 

Niger Delta will create room 

for further neglect of the 

core issues affecting the 

region. 

It said the calling off of the 

ultimatum by the 

Convener, Chief Edwin 

Clark, and other leaders of 

the forum at their recent 

meeting with the Acting 

President, Professor Yemi 

Osinbajo, “only ended up 

making a mockery of our 

struggle for a better Niger 

Delta.” 

Lamenting that youths of 

the region were not 

and its environs, restated 

the state government’s 

commitment towards 

tackling the menace of 

perennial flooding. 

Meanwhile, residents in 

the hitherto over-flooded 

Sapele and environs, have 

expressed relief as 

government’s tractors 

penetrated waterways in 

the area, opening them up 

and channelling the flood 

into nearby creeks. 

A resident of Ogberikoko 

axis, Dr. Prince 

Oromokpaye, said: 

“Residents across party 

divides are applauding the 

efforts by the state 

government, which 

consulted before the 

ultimatum was issued, the 

group, in a statement by its 

National Secretary, Presley 

Idi, said: “We have no 

problem with them calling 

it off, but our major concern 

is instead of achieving 

results with it, they have 

ended up portraying us as 

a people that bark without 

bite. 

“We really would want to 

ask the leadership of 

PANDEF if the root cause 

of the agitations has been 

addressed before their 

ultimatum was called off. 

The answer certainly will be 

‘no’. Now tell us, how can 

we get lasting peace when 

there is no resource control? 

“Take it or leave it, we 

have said it that until the 

Federal Government stops 

talking and starts acting, no 

matter the numbers of 

meetings called, nothing 

tangible will be achieved as 

regards securing a pact that 

ensured that flooding that 

had forced them to relocate 

from their homes is being 

checkmated. 

“All the waterways are 

being opened up with 

government tractors and 

the flood is being 

channelled to the creeks.” 

Relocation advice 

On government’s 

warning to residents to 

relocate from flood-prone 

areas, the Commissioner 

who was accompanied by 

the Director of State 


Agency, SEMA, Mrs. 

Gladys Puegeren, and top 

management staff of the 

TEAM FUTA: From left— Director, WASCAL, Professor Kenny Ogunjobi; 

Dr. Elijah Adefisan; Head of Department of Meteorology and Climate Science 

Department, Professor Emmanuel Okogbue; Professor Jerome Omotosho and 

Dr. Vincent Ajayi, all members of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, 

FUTA's team that won a four-year research grant from the United Kingdom, 

UK, Global Challenges Research Fund, GCRF, African Science for Weather 

Information and Forecasting Techniques, SWIFT. 

PANDEF’s U-turn, room for further 

neglect of N’Delta—Ndokwa Youth 

will lead to lasting peace in 

the region. 

“All their meetings, 

conferences and dialogue 

sessions so far have proved 

to be nothing but mere 

political jamboree.” 

By Onozure Dania 

LEADER of the Urhobo 

Ethnic Nationality and 

President-General of 

Urhobo Progress Union, 

UPU, Worldwide, led by 

Olorogun Moses Taiga, has 

charged Nigerian youths to 

rise up to the challenge of 

nation-building and resist 

being used for any purpose 

that is detrimental to 

national interest. 

Taiga, who gave the 

charge at the election and 

swearing-in ceremony of a 

23-member National 

Bureau, described the 

disaster as unfortunate. 

He assured that the state 

government will, in 

collaboration with NEMA, 

assist to cushion the effect 

of the natural disaster, 

advising victims of the 

disaster to keep faith with 

government. 

Enjoining Deltans to 

always clear their drainage, 

he urged the residents to 

stop erecting structures 

without an approved 

building plan. 

Speaking after the tour, 

NEMA’s Head of 

operations in charge of Edo, 

Delta and Bayelsa states, 

Mr. Walson Brandon, said 

they will send their report 

to the national 

headquarters of NEMA in 

Abuja for necessary action. 

De-flooding efforts 

On efforts by the state 

government to address 

flood problems in Sapele 

and its environs, the 

Commissioner for 

Environment, Chief John 

Nani, who consistently 

defiled downpours to 

supervise the operations, 

said: “It will be recalled that 

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa 

had promised to address 

the problem. 

“Last year, the exercise 

took place in Sapele, 

Uvewie, Warri, Ughelli, 

Agbarho and Uzere. The 

state government, through 

the Ministry of 

Environment, deployed a 

total of 10 swamp buggies 

to do the de-flooding of 

these areas. 

“Government has 

deployed four swamp 

buggies to the area, 

channelling flood through 

urban areas to Omiemedi, 

Owumi, Mission Road, 

Uko, Oton and from Adeola 

Junction/Sapele Clinic by 

New Road to Ojolu, Urhwakpa 

and Oton creeks.” 

... as Urhobo leader tasks 

youths on nation building 

Executive of the Youth 

Wing of UPU in Warri, 

Delta State, said Nigeria is 

at a crossroads and all 

hands needed to be on 

deck to ensure its survival 

and development. 

Represented by Chief Ese 

Owe, Taiga urged the 

youths to be agents of 

positive change, unity, 

stability, transformation and 

rebranding. 

He said: “As youths and 

the engine of our country, I 

wish to remind you that the 

future belongs to you as 

leaders of tomorrow.” 

A-Court upturns artisan’s 

death sentence 

By Gabriel 

Enogholase 

BENIN—A furniture 

maker in Benin, the 

Edo State capital, Mr. 

Kelvin Nogheghase, who 

was sentenced to death 

for an offence of conspiracy 

to commit robbery by 

the lower court, has been 

discharged and acquitted 

by the Court of Appeal 

sitting in Benin. 

The appellate court, in 

a unanimous judgment 

delivered by Justice 

Mojeed Owoade, 

described the appeal as 

meritorious and 

accordingly allowed it. 

It set aside the 

judgment of the lower 

court which convicted the 

Bayelsa NGO launches N1m 

cash prize essay competition 

By Samuel 

Oyadongha & 

Emem Idio 

Y ENAGOA—THE 

Robert Sunday 

Iworiso Foundation in 

Bayelsa State has 

earmarked N1 million for 

the winner of her first 

essay writing competition 

scheduled to hold later 

this month. 

The essay writing 

competition, which is in 

partnership with Bayelsa 

State chapter of the 

Association of Nigerian 

Authors, ANA, and the 

state Ministry of 

Education is opened to 

Senior Secondary 3 

students from public and 

private schools across the 

state. 

Addressing newsmen 

yesterday in Yenagoa, 

Today's students need 

smart teachers— Minister 

By Amaka 

Abayomi 

THE Minister of State 

for Education, 

Professor Anthony 

Anwukah, has stressed 

the need to build a critical 

mass of smart teachers to 

teach technologicallysmart 

students. 

Anwukah, who stated 

this at the commissioning 

of the UNITeS CISCO 

Internet of Things, IoT, 

centre at the Federal 

Science and Technical 

College, Yaba, Lagos, 

said teachers need to 

upgrade their knowledge 

through trainings to 

meet global trends. 

The IoT refers to the 

growing network of 

physical objects with IP 

appellant for the offence of 

conspiracy to commit 

robbery under Section 6 (b) 

of the Robbery Firearms 

(Special Provisions) Act of 

2004. 

The appellate court 

agreed with the appellant's 

counsel, Olayiwola Afolabi, 

that some of the reasons 

adduced for his conviction 

were faulty. 

It held that the lack of 

proper identification and 

the contradiction in the 

evidence of the prosecution 

witness for the offences of 

robbery and kidnapping 

rendered it logically 

impossible for the charge 

against the appellant to 

succeed in the conviction 

of the offence of conspiracy 

to commit robbery. 

Director of the Foundation, 

Chief Alphonsus Iworiso, 

said the aim of the competition 

was to “discover and 

unleash untapped 

geniuses from the creeks 

and farmlands of Bayelsa 

State on the world.” 

In his remarks, 

Chairman of the 

organising committee, Mr. 

Michael Afenfia, said the 

competition will bring 100 

students, 80 students from 

public schools and 20 from 

private, to compete for the 

coveted prize. 

He said: “The winner 

will be celebrated and 

rewarded openly, because 

we want to reverse the 

horrendous poetry that 

celebrates cultists and 

criminals above those who 

are studious and focused 

on changing the 

perception of this state.” 

addresses for internet 

connectivity and the 

communication that occurs 

between them and other 

internet-enabled devices. 

Anwukah said: “As a 

teacher, nothing is more 

challenging than when 

students question your 

assumed superior 

knowledge. This makes it 

important for teachers to 

ensure that they update 

their knowledge through 

trainings, either self or 

government sponsored.” 

Appreciating UNITeS 

CISCO for partnering the 

Federal Government, the 

Minister said under 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari, the country has 

made deliberate and 

substantial investments in 

science and technology.



Quit notice: Reconciliation talks 

end in deadlock 

K 

A 

By AbdulSalam 

Muhammad 

N O — 

INDICATIONS 

emerged in Kano, 

yesterday, that talks 

between Northern youth 

groups and Igbo, over the 

quit notice to the latter 

have ended in deadlock. 

The Northern youths 

groups last Friday met 

with Igbo Leaders of 

Thought from the 19 

Northern states and 

raised a 10-man 

reconciliation committee 

to find a lasting solution 

to contentious issue of the 

quit notice. 

The deadlock came 

barely 24 hours after 

Northern youth leaders 

renewed their quit notice 

to Igbo community to 

leave the Northern part of 

the country, come October 

1. 

The tension soaked 

interface, which was 

convened by former Vice 

President of Nigeria 

Labour Congress, NLC, 

Comrade Isah Tijjani, 

handed down 72 hours to 

the committee to submit it 

report. 

This is even as a former 

vice president, Atiku 

Abubakar, has 

condemned the 

production and 

circulation of an Hausa 

song, which seeks to 

disparage the Igbo and as 

well incite hate against 

them, saying Nigeria 

does not need to 

experience the Rwandan 

genocide. 

Members of the 

committee were drawn 

from all sides. The five 

representatives of the 

Arewa Youths Coalition 

included Mr Abdullahi 

Toro, Dr Abba Bukar Kagu, 

Dr Yima Sen, Dauda S. 

Shamakeri and Alhaji Ado 

Mohammed. 

Igbo leaders at the 

peace talk were Chief Chi 

Nwogu, Eze Ngozi 

Nwaine Oso, Chief Chris 

Nnoli, Igwe Ibekwe and 

Magnus Ihejirika. 

The roundtable 

emergency conference of 

the Nigerian stakeholders 

had Northern Youths 

under the leadership of 

Shettima Yarima, while 

the Igbo leaders came 

under the leadership of 

Igwe Boniface Igbekwe, 

Eze Ndigbo Kano. 

While Nigeria awaited 

the outcome, the 


came up with a terse 

statement that it had 

“adjourned to reconvene 

August 17.” 


statement jointly signed 

by Chief Chikezie 

Nwogu, Dauda S 

S h a m a k e r i , 

representatives of Igbo 

leaders, coalition of 

northern groups and the 

convener of the meeting, 

Comrade Isa Tijjani, the 

“Committee sat and 

deliberated extensively 

and agreed that there is 

need for further 

consultation from both 

sides.” 

But in a dramatic turn 

of events, the Coalition of 

Northern Groups, a 

principal partner in the 


also issued a separate 

statement that countered 

the position of the peace 

committee, saying: “We 

expect to make a definite 

pronouncement at an 

international press 

conference in Abuja, 

Monday August 14, three 

days to resumed further 

talks." 

The statement further 

enjoined citizens “to 

continue to live 

peacefully, keeping in 

mind that this struggle is 

primarily intellectual and 

non violent." 

BRIEFING: From left, Mr Sola Ogunsiji, Administrator, Federal Nigeria 

Society for the Blind; Chief Olu Falomo, Council Member; Major Kehinde 

Danmole, Council Member and Mr Nicholas Obot, Principal, during a press 

briefing on the 12th White Cane Day and Public Enlightenment Programme 

of the society, in Lagos. 

Govs commit impunity with LG 

funds —Ex-Rep 


ENUGU— A former 

member of the House 

of Representatives, Dr. 

Eddie Mbadiwe, has 

accused state governors of 

committing impunity with 

local government funds. 

Mbadiwe, who 

represented Ideato North 

and South Federal 

Constituency of Imo State 

in the House of 

Representatives on the 

platform of All Progressive 

Grand Alliance, APGA, 

accused governors of 

pouncing on funds meant 

for local governments with 

impunity and stalling 

development at the 

grassroots. 

Describing the 

Governors’ Forum as a 

dangerous body not 

provided for in the 

constitution of Nigeria, the 

APGA chieftain said the 

governors use the forum to 

perpetrate odditities, 

adding that growth at the 

rural communities in the 

country would remain at 

zero level with the forum. 

Mbadiwe who spoke at 

the golden jubilee wedding 

anniversary of the Chief 

Medical Director of 

Memfys International 

Hospital for Neurosurgery, 

Enugu, Prof. Sam 

Ohaegbulam said: “These 

are the kind of instruments 

the governors lean on for 

protection and intimidate 

the people. 

“How do you expect the 

local government chairmen 

to embark on projects that 

would touch on the lives of 

their people when their 

allocations are seized and 

they only receive peanuts. 

Our people must rise and 

speak out against this 

wicked act”. 

He called for the 

scrapping of the Governors 

Forum, saying “our 

governors are just greedy.” 

Chime not owner of Enugu 

Mall —Spar 


E NUGU—Multinational 

super shop, Spar, has 

disassociated former 

Governor Sullivan Chime 

from ownership of the 

Enugu Mall. 

Spar, formerly Park and 

Shop, stated that the former 

governor of Enugu State 

has nothing whatsoever to 

do with the company, 

which opened shop in 

Enugu, yesterday. 

The Enugu Mall, which 

is currently under 

investigation by the 

Economic and Financial 

Crimes Commission, 

EFCC, is alleged to be 

owned by former Governor 

Chime but Chime had 

denied it severally. 

The commission marked 

the premises as being under 

investigation but the 

mark was covered by paints 

which made the EFCC to 

forcefully close the 

premises last week. 

However, at the official 

opening of the shop, 

yesterday, Spar Head of 

Marketing, Mr. John 

Goldsmith, told newsmen 

that the shop has nothing 

to do with the former 

Governor who recently 

defected to the All 


APC. 

Goldsmith said the 

company had resolved the 

issue that made EFCC 

close the premises, adding 

that even though the 

commission is still carrying 

on with its investigation, 

the shop has opened for 

business. 

150 Enugu communities in 

darkness over damaged 

EEDC transmission lines 

By Emeka Mamah 

ENUGU—About 150 

communities in four 

local government areas of 

Enugu State have been 

without electricity in the 

last two months following 

altercations between the 

Enugu Electricity 

Distribution Company, 

EEDC, and Eha-Amufu 

community in Isi-Uzo Local 

Government Area of the 

state. 

The blackout started on 

June 8, 2017, when 

unidentified youths from 

the Eha-Amufu community 

vandalised a 33 KVA line 

as well as the EEDC suboffice 

in the area before 

allegedly destroying other 

equipment and power lines 

Anambra polls: Group 

endorses Obiogbolu, 

Obidigbo 

By Etop Ekanem 

THE Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP, 

governorship aspirant, Dr 

Alex Obiogbolu’s guber 

aspiration and his All 

Progressives Congress 

counterpart, Mr Chike 

Obidigbo, got a boost, 

yesterday, when they were 

endorsed by Anambra 

Unity Forum, ANUF. 

The endorsement was 

contained in a 

communique issued at the 

end of their meeting in 

Awka,Anambra state, by 

the Forum, which 

comprises of all 

professionals, retired civil 

servants, academicians, 

politicians from different 

political parties, business 

men and women of 

goodwill residing in 

Anambra State. 

The group resolved that 

to increase the chances of 

emergence of candidates 

from Anambra North, it 

decided to endorse one 

Pope Francis, world's icon 

of humility — Okonkwo 

By Elizabeth 

Uwandu 

CURRENT Head of the 

Vatican State, and 

leader of the over 1.3 billion 

World Catholic 

Communion, Pope Francis, 

the 266th first Jesuit Bishop 

of Rome, has been 

commended as the world's 

most outstanding living 

exemplar of sacrificial 

humility, inexhaustible love 

and extraordinary 

meekness. 

Making this 

commendation is Senator 

Annie Okonkwo, a Knight 

of Saint John International, 

who spoke from the 

sanctuary of theVatican 

worth millions of Naira 

while protesting nonsupply 

of electricity to the 

people of the area. 

It was gathered that the 

electricity high tension 

lines passed through Eha- 

Amufu, yet, most of the 

people of the area do not 

have power as the lines 

were not stepped down for 

the benefit of the local 

populace. 

The destruction of the 33 

KVA led to the cutting off 

of electricity supply to 

Udenu, Igboeze North and 

Igboeze South local 

government areas since 

then, as EEDC had insisted 

that the culprits must pay 

for the damaged items 

before power could be 

restored to them. 

person in each of the two 

major political parties based 

on assessments of all the 

aspirants. 

It urged all its members 

to ensure that massive 

support is given to Dr Alex 

Obiogbolu of the Peoples 

Democratic Party and Chief 

Chike Obidigbo of All 

Progressives Congress. 


communiqué,“the 

Anambra Unity Forum is of 

firm belief that Anambra 

state has many 

phenomenally talented 

people capable of building 

the state to an enviable 

modern 

and 

technologically developed 

standard but we must fix a 

round peg in a round hole 

to achieve this." 

The group resolved that 

whoever must aspire to 

govern Anambra State 

must be an intelligent, 

home-based politician who 

knows the terrain and 

where the shoe pinches. 

after a privileged audience 

with the Pope, with his 

daughter, Dr Nkem 

Okonkwo, recently. 

The Pope who prayed and 

blessed them specially also 

urged them to remain 

flaming lights of service as 

global ambassadors of 

peace to humanity and 

Nigeria in particular. 

Reflecting on this solemn 

encounter, Okonkwo said 

"you cannot experience 

Pope Francis personally 

and remain the same. Of 

course, I caught my miracle 

of spiritual rebirth swiftly 

and gladly, with a revived 

charter of love to all and ill 

to none, firmly implanted.”



I need N40bn to clear salaries backlog—Gov Ortom 

By Peter Duru 

M AKURDI— 

GOVERNOR 

Samuel Ortom of Benue 

State has said his 

government needs over 

N40 billion to clear backlog 

of salaries owed all 

categories of workers in the 

state. 

He assured that following 

his declaration of state of 

By Ndahi Marama 

M AIDUGURI— 

PRESIDENT of 

Nigeria Union of 

Journalists, NUJ, Mr. 

Waheed Odusile, has 

called on other newspapers 

to emulate Vanguard in 

coverage of the war against 

Boko Haram, government 

and security agencies, 

especially the resettlement 

of millions of internallydisplaced 

persons, IDPs, 

back to their communities 

in the North-East. 

Odusile spoke on the 

occasion of Borno NUJ 

2014-2017 Combined Press 

Week with the theme The 

Role of the Media in Post- 

Conflict Rebuilding in 

North-East, Nigeria, during 

which Merit Award was 

given to Vanguard Media 

Limited. 

He said with the elusive 

peace gradually returning 

to the state and the North- 

East, there was need for the 

media and other 

humanitarian actors to 

support government's 

reconstruction and 

resettlement process. 

In his address, Borno 

NUJ Chairman, Alhaji 

Baba Haruna, said: “The 

Council, an umbrella body 

of over 200 journalists 

working in the state, had 

observed with keen interest 

the efficient role being 

emergency on salary 

payment, 

his 

administration will 

concentrate on clearing 

arrears and also take steps 

to reduce the state’s 

monthly wage bill. 

Ortom, who spoke at the 

funeral of late Atese 

Rebecca Terkpe in Taraku, 

Gwer Local Government 

Area, explained that in spite 

of the current economic 

difficulties, he had ensured 

that every state worker got 

paid at least once in two 

months. 

He said: “The clarification 

became necessary because 

of the erroneous 

impression being created 

in some quarters that we 

have not paid salaries for 

upwards of 10 months at 

a stretch.” 

He said his 

Emulate Vanguard in North-East 

reportage, media houses told 

played by Vanguard, 

which led to the 

recognition, appreciation 

and presentation of the 

merit award.” 

For the people’s 

welfare—Vanguard 

Receiving the Award on 

behalf of Vanguard Media 

Limited, the publishers of 

Vanguard Newspapers, 

Regional Editor, Northern 

Operations in Abuja, Mr. 

Soni Daniel, said: 

“Vanguard, since its first 

edition hit the news stand 

on June 3, 1984, has 

continued to supply 

current, balanced and 

factual news to readers at 

home and abroad daily, 

using a combination of its 

printed editions and online 

versions. 

“Among other things, 

Vanguard aims to serve the 

people through 

unflinching commitment to 

free enterprise, the Rule of 

Law and good governance. 

Its core values have largely 

driven our commitment to 

the people of Borno State 

and the North-East since 

the ongoing conflict 

erupted. 

“We share the concerns of 

the displaced people and 

will continue to give a voice 

to their groaning until they 

are fully rehabilitated, 

reintegrated and given a 

new lease of life. 

“We thank our Borno 

Correspondent, Mr. Ndahi 

Marama, for his courage 

and resolve to stay 

throughout the period of 

the insurgency, furnishing 

us with happenings and 

activities of insurgents and 

how government is 

sustaining efforts in 

restoring peace being 

enjoyed in the state. 

“We also thank the Borno 

State Government, led by 

indefatigable Governor 

Kashim Shettima, 

Chairman Northern 

Governors Forum, for his 

By Suzan Edeh 

B AUCHI—THE 

Presidential 

Commitee on Special Food 

Intervention Programme 

for the North-East has 

distributed 20,000 metric 

tonnes of assorted food 

items to 54,000 internallydisplaced 

persons, IDP, in 

Bauchi State. 

The Minister of State for 

Budget and National 

Planning, Zainab Ahmed, 

who led a delegation of 

members of the committee 

on a courtesy visit to 

Governor Mohammed 

Abubakar of Bauchi State, 

administration had kept to 

the agreement with labour 

leaders that as a result of 

insufficient funds, the 

federal allocation of two 

months would be 

combined to pay one 

month’s complete salary to 

workers, stating that it was 

the accumulation of the 

unpaid months that had 

created the wrong 

impression. 

ORDINATION: Bishop of Gussau Anglican Diocese, The Rt. Rev'd John Garba Danbinta (middle); 

newly-ordained priest, Michael Ademola (left) and his wife, Janet, at the priestly ordination of Ademola 

and some deacons at the Cathedral Church of Christ, Tashan Magami, Gussau. PHOTO: Olu Ajayi. 

resilience, steadfastness 

and focus in fighting for his 

people despite the 

challenges plaguing his 

state.” 

Gov reacts 

Also, the Chief Executive 

of Dangote Foundation, 

Mrs. Zouera Youssoufou, 

promised that the 

Foundation will continue to 

support Borno State as part 

of its corporate social 

responsibility. 

In his address, Governor 

Shettima congratulated the 

winners, noting that despite 

the security challenges, the 

government, through the 

Ministry of Reconstruction, 

Rehabilitation and 

Resettlement under the 

Commissioner, Professor 

Babagana Zulu, embarked 

on reconstruction of destroyed 

public and private 

infrastructure in 15 council 

areas of Bama— Chibok, 

Gwoza, Dikwa, Ngala, 

Mobbar, Kaga, Damboa, 

Monguno among others. 

said the gesture was an 

initiative of the Federal 

Government to alleviate the 

plights of IDPs in states 

ravaged by insurgency. 

She said the IDPs were 

identified from 9,000 

households in the state, 

adding that the gesture will 

be carried out on quarterly 

Glo’s Professor Johnbull 

stands up for the disabled 

THE next episode of 

Professor Johnbull, 

the Glo-sponsored TV 

drama series entitled 

‘Not One of Us’ will air 

today by 8:30pm on NTA 

International on DSTV 

Channel 251 and NTA 

on StarTimes, with the 

channels’ repeat 

broadcast same time on 

Friday. 

In this episode, the 

focus is on how society 

treats people with 

disabilities and other 

natural defects. 

In a sketch of the drama 

released weekend, 

Globacom said Professor 

Johnbull has, in the last 

one year, assumed the 

role of the conscience of 

the society, treating one 

topical and moral issue 

after the other. 

“The essence of the 

By Gabriel 

Olawale 

THE 

Nigerian 

Institute of Training 

and Development, 

NITAD, has called on the 

Federal Government to 

concentrate more on 

tackling issues of skill 

gaps, which is 

responsible for the high 

rate of unemployment in 

the country. 

The President and 

Chairman of NITAD’s 

Governing Council, Mrs. 

Janet Jolaoso, said 

findings have shown that 

many graduates are 

jobless because they lack 

required skills. 

By Kabir 

Dankatsina 

B IRNIN-KEBBI— 

THE wife of 


Buhari, Hajiya Aisha 

Buhari, yesterday, 

commissioned breastfeeding 

rooms for 

working mothers in 

Birnin-Kebbi, the Kebbi 

State capital, to promote 

the welfare of mothers 

C'tee distributes 20,000mt of food items to 54,000 IDPs in Bauchi 

basis. 

In his response, 

Governor Abubakar who 

commended the Federal 

Government's initiative, 

said the state had no IDP 

camps because of the 

hospitable gesture of the 

people, who accommodate 

IDPs. 

sitcom is to, at all times, stir 

the consciousness of 

society to the ills prevalent 

in our clime,” Globacom 

stated. 

The show’s locale is in 

the Coal City of Enugu, 

where a retired but still 

brilliant scholar, Professor 

Johnbull Macnwigwe, 

assumes the role of the 

conscience of the people. 

The Professor’s house, 

where he lives with his 

family, is regarded as the 

court of a sage, where 

thorny and moral issues 

are resolved. 

The company said ‘Not 

One of Us’ is a wakeup call 

on the need to show, not 

just respect to those with 

genetic defects, but to 

regard them as normal 

human beings and accord 

them the decent treatment 

they deserve. 

Unemployment: 

FG tasked on skill gap 

Jolaoso, who spoke 

ahead of upcoming 25th 

Annual Trainers’ 

Conference in Enugu, said 

the trend of 

unemployment will 

continue unless 

government addresses the 

issue of skill gap. 

Jolaoso, who was 

represented by the 

Chairman, Annual 

Trainer’s Conference, Mr. 

Oluwaseyi Kuton, said 

they have approached all 

the necessary Federal and 

state ministries to introduce 

‘Finishing School’ so that 

students can acquire 

necessary skills in their 

area of specialisation 

before they graduate. 

Aisha Buhari commissins 

breast-feeding rooms 

and children. 

Aisha Buhari, who was 

represented by Senior 

Special Assistant to 

President, Dr. Hajo Sani, 

described the 

breastfeeding rooms as 

exceptional and best in the 

36 six states of the 

federation. 

According to her, “this is 

a place where mothers can 

conveniently breast-feed 

their children during 

working hours without any 

hiccup. This is an indication 

of our commitments in 

advancing breastfeeding at 

all levels in the country.” 

She said it was a 

collaborative effort between 

her Future Assured 

National Nutrition Anchor 

and the state to assist 

mothers and their children 

with regards to breastfeeding.


MTN EYESIGHT RESTORATION: From left— Executive 

Secretary, MTN Foundation, Ms. Nonny Ugboma; MTN Foundation EyeRIS 

beneficiary, Jimoh Obaidu; Director, MTN Foundation, Mr. Dennis Okoro, 

and Ekiti State's Deputy Governor, Dr. Kolapo Olushola, at the commissioning 

of the MTN Foundation Eyesight Restoration Intervention Phase 2, at Ekiti 

State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti. 

NB's LIFE PROGRESS BOOSTER: Assistant Brand Manager, 

Regional Mainstream Brands, Mr. Josiah Akinola (left); Assistant Brand 

Manager, Regional Mainstream Brands, Mr. Rexanthony Anieke (right), both 

of Nigerian Breweries Plc, and some beneficiaries of N300,000 grant at the 

Life Progress Booster Hour in Asaba, Delta State. 

FASHOLA FOUNDATION: From left— Instructor, Lukman 

Olanipekun; winner of the Fashola Photographic Foundation, Vivain Nwobi; 

Senator Gbenga Ashafa, and first runner-up, Kehinde Yussuf, at the Fashola 

Photographic Foundation exhibition and launch in Lagos. 

SUMMIT: From left— Chief Onyesoh; Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, 

governorship aspirant, Dr. Alex Obiogbolu, and Chairman, Anambra North 

Unity Forum, ANUP, Chief Sylvanus Ohaemesi, at the group's summit. 

Motions of change by 8th Senate 

By Sanni Onogu 

T 

WO years in the life of 

any administration is 

significant. This is especially 

so when the life span of that 

organization is just four years. 

Any organization that has 

successfully spent two years 

can no longer hide its goals, 

objectives, failures and 

successes. 

In a four year tenure, two is 

equal to halftime. And half 

time in a game of football is a 

sure time to reflect on whether 

a team is getting it right and if 

not, to adopt new strategies to 

enable it up its game. 

Fortunately, for the 8th 

Senate, the last two years have 

been like 10 considering the 

milestones it has attained 

through the laser-focused 

determination of its 

leadership to restore the 

legislature's lost glory. 

Presently, the 8th Senate has 

shown itself as a worthy and 

dependable partner in the 

drive to sustain democracy, 

develop the country, diversify 

the economy and squelch the 

locust of corruption. 

Its President, Dr. Abubakar 

Bukola Saraki, had clearly set 

the tone for the many 

innovative interventions by the 

Senate when he told his 

colleagues, during one of its 

plenary sessions, that Senate 

would not abdicate its 

responsibility to government 

and the people. 

"Let me also state clearly that 

we shall not hide under the 

cloak of partisan solidarity to 

abdicate our constitutional 

responsibility under the 

principles of checks and 

balances," he said.“ 

We shall make critical 

interventions whenever they 

become necessary and 

undertake emergency actions 

whenever they are required, 

within the confines of the 

Constitution." 

While some may argue that 

legislation and oversight is the 

de facto mandate of any 

legislature, it can also be said 

that the use of motions and 

critical interventions to 

respond to emerging national 

emergencies is obligatory. 

Notwithstanding, the 8th 

Senate in the last two years 

has engaged motions and 

interventions as veritable 

instruments in aid of the 

government, prevent 

monumental loss of revenue, 

rally support for security and 

humanitarian emergencies, 

protect the people from 

exploitation, curb corruption 

and to ensure the economic 

viability of the country. 

It must be said that the most 

lofty and people friendly 

intervention of the 8th Senate 

has been its resolve to help 

uplift the economy through 

relevant legislations. In line 

with this, the Senate at 

inception fashioned a 

comprehensive agenda, 

which put the nation's 

economy at the centre of its 

legislative business. To achieve 

this, the Senate 

commissioned a team of 

experts to work with the 

National Assembly to 

research and review all 

institutional, regulatory and 

Senate President, Sen. 

Bukola Saraki 

legislative instruments 

operational in the country, 

identify their impact on the 

ease of doing business in the 

country and to come out with 

a way forward. 

It must be noted that in a 

bid to quickly terminate the 

recession facing the country, 

the Senate President, had in 

September last year, 

presented a 14-point plan to 

his colleagues for 

deliberation, adoption and 

subsequent transmission to 

the Executive to aid it in 

rebutting the economy. 

Saraki added that while the 

executive is working on the 

recommendations 

enumerated above, the 

National Assembly would 

support it with the necessary 

legislations and oversight 

activities. 

While the Senate has kept 

its promise by passing major 

landmark legislations to 

support the economic revival 

strategies of the Federal 

Government like the PIGB, 

Ports and Harbours Bill, 

Railways Act amendment, 

Public Procurement Act 

amendment, Federal 

Competition Bill and the 

National Road Authority Bill, 

to mention but a few, the 

Executive has since adopted 

some of the 

recommendations. 

Also, most of the 

recommendations have been 

accommodated in the 

Economic Recovery and 

It must be said 

that the most 

lofty and people 

friendly 

intervention of 

the 8th Senate 

has been its 

resolve to help 

uplift the 

economy 

through 

relevant 

legislations 

Growth Plan recently 

launched by the Federal 

Government. President 

Muhammadu Buhari in his 

speech before presenting the 

2017 budget, openly 

acknowledged and thanked 

the National Assembly for its 

resolutions on how to exit the 

recession and grow the 

economy. 

"Let me, Mr. Senate 

President, Right Hon. 

Speaker, here acknowledge 

the concerns expressed by the 

National Assembly and, in 

particular, acknowledge your 

very helpful Resolutions on the 

State of the Economy, which 

were sent to me for my 

consideration," Buhari said. 

The Resolutions contained 

many useful suggestions, 

many of which are in line with 

my thinking and have already 

been reflected in our Plan. Let 

me emphasise that close 

cooperation between the 

Executive and the Legislature 

is vital to the success of our 

recovery and growth plans. 

Senate intervention also led 

to the review of Central Bank 

of Nigeria's (CBN) forex 

policy to enable small 

business owners and 

individuals access required 

foreign exchange to keep their 

import businesses afloat and 

to meet the educational 

requirements of their wards 

in foreign academic 

institutions respectively. In 

this wise, many business that 

hitherto would have been 

asphyxiated were 

rejuvenated. 

Long list of 

achievements 

The Senate also 

investigated the failure to 

remit over $3.4billion revenue 

to the Federal Government by 

the Nigerian National 

Petroleum Corporation 

(NNPC) - with appropriate 

sanctions recommended. It 

halted the planned internet 

data tariff hike by 

telecommunications 

companies, despite the 

approval given to it by 

Nigerian Communication 

Commission (NCC), stopped 

the payment of retroactive 

duty on imported vehicles, 

initiated by the Nigeria 

Customs Service and the 

investigation of the fraud and 

anomalies uncovered by the 

2013 audit report of the 

Nigerian Extractive 

Industries Transparency 

Initiative (NEITI). This report 

revealed that Nigeria lost over 

$9 billion in stolen, 

unremitted oil money in 

2013. 

Interventions by the Senate 

have led to resolution of the 

crisis concerning the closure 

of the Queens College due to 

protests over the death of three 

students on account of the 

hygiene situation in the 

school, disagreement 

between Islamic and 

Christian groups over the 

merger of Islamic Religious 

Studies (IRK) and Christian 

Religious Knowledge (CRK) 

in the curriculum of junior 

secondary schools, the 

LAUTECH impasse in which 

the university jointly owned by 

Oyo and Osun States have 

been shut continuously for 

two years and many more. 

In summary, one can safely 

conclude that with the long 

list of achievements already 

recorded by the 8th Senate, 

the two years will witness the 

cancellation of past poor 

records and setting of new 

enviable ones. 

•Onogu is Chief Press 

Secretary to the Senate 

President.

Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta waves to supporters during the last Jubilee Party campaign rally 

in Nakuru ahead of today’s election. 

North Korea vows to teach US severe lesson 

•Says UN abused its authority 

NORTH Korea has 

vowed to retaliate 

and make “the US pay a 

price” for drafting fresh 

UN sanctions over its 

banned nuclear weapons 

programme. 

The sanctions, which 

were unanimously 

passed by the UN on 

Saturday, were a “violent 

violation of our 

sovereignty,” the official 

KCNA news agency said. 

Separately, South Korea 

says the North has 

rejected an offer to restart 

talks, dismissing it as 

insincere. 

The sanctions will aim to 

reduce North Korea’s 

export revenues by a 

third. 

The UN Security 

Council decision followed 

repeated missile tests by 

the North which have 

escalated tensions on the 

peninsula. 

In its first major 

response on Monday, 

North Korea insisted that 

ETHNIC minorities in 

the UK continue to 

have significantly worse 

standards of living than 

their white counterparts, a 

study by the think-tank 

Resolution Foundation has 

found. 

The report published on 

Monday says British 

Bangladeshis were worse 

off than any other 

community with average 

household disposable 

incomes of around 8,900 

British pounds ($11,600) 

it would continue to 

develop its controversial 

nuclear weapons 

programme. 

The state-run KCNA 

news agency said 

Pyongyang would “not 

put our self-defensive 

nuclear deterrent on the 

negotiating table” while it 

faces threats from the US. 

FRENCH President 

Emmanuel Macron 

has come under fire over 

plans to give his wife 

official status as “First 

Lady” of France. 

Macron, who took 

office in May, is facing 

accusations of hypocrisy 

after he was previously 

outspoken in his 

determination to rid the 

French political system 

of nepotism. 

A petition with close 

It threatened to make 

the US “pay the price for 

its crime... thousands of 

times,” referring to 

America’s role in drafting 

the UN sanctions 

resolution. 

Speaking to reporters at 

a regional forum in the 

Philippine capital, 

Manila, North Korean 

spokesman Bang Kwang 

Hyuk said: “The 

to 200,000 signatures 

has been launched in 

protest at the decision to 

give Brigitte Macron an 

official role with access 

to public funds, her own 

staff and office. 

“Brigitte Macron 

currently has a team of 

two or three aides, as 

well as two secretaries 

and two security agents. 

That’s enough,” says the 

petition. 

“It is up to the people 

worsening situation on 

the Korean peninsula, as 

well as the nuclear issues, 

were caused by the United 

States. 

“We affirm that we’ll 

never place our nuclear 

and ballistic missiles 

programme on the 

negotiating table, and 

won’t budge an inch on 

strengthening nuclear 

armament.” 

Macron under fire over wife's 'First 

Lady' role 

of France — and no-one 

else — to choose their 

representatives,” it 

adds. 


French constitution, the 

president’s spouse does 

not enjoy an official role, 

though they do have an 

office and advisers. 

During his presidential 

campaign, Macron said 

any role for his wife 

would not be paid for out 

of public funds. 

UK minorities lag behind white counterparts on income 

less than white households, 

which ranked the highest. 

White British families 

have a median disposeable 

income of 25,300 pounds 

($33,300), British 

Bangladeshis and 

Pakistanis have a median of 

less than 17,000 pounds 

($23,300), and Black 

Africans households have 

just under 20,000 pounds 

($26,600) on average. 

British Indians, however, 

have average incomes 

significantly higher than 

other minority groups and 

closer to their white 

counterparts at 25,000 

pounds. 

The figures have been 

calculated after taxes and 

benefits and exclude the 

cost of housing, which 

disproportionately affects 

minorities because they are 

usually concentrated in 

more expensive cities such 

as London, where costs are 

higher. 

The study recorded 

significant strengthening of 

income for British Pakistani 

and Bangladeshi males 

and rising employment for 

women from both of those 

communities, but still far 

behind white Britons. 

Bangladeshi women saw 

a huge jump in 

employment rate from 17 

percent in 2003 to 35 

percent in 2017, a bigger 

increase than any other 

community, but still far 

behind white women at 72 

percent. 

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2017 — 37 

Zuma's fate to be decided by 

secret no-confidence vote today 

SOUTH Africa's ruling African National Congress said 

on Monday it was not surprised by the Speaker of 

parliament's decision to allow a secret ballot in a noconfidence 

vote against President Jacob Zuma scheduled 

for Tuesday. 

"It's no surprise for us. We've already said that we will 

support any decision the speaker makes," the party's 

spokesman Zizi Kodwa said. 

The speaker of South Africa's parliament ruled on 

Monday that a motion of no-confidence in President Jacob 

Zuma brought by opposition parties will be held through 

a secret ballot - a decision which increases the chances 

he will have to step down. 

The decision could embolden members of the ruling 

African National Congress (ANC) to vote against Zuma 

and puts him in a precarious position as he struggles to 

fend off opposition accusations of corruption and 

mismanaging the economy. 

If the motion succeeds, Zuma -- in power since 2009 -- 

and his entire cabinet would have to step down. The rand 

extended its gains, bonds firmed and banking shares 

advanced after her announcement. 

Mauritania abolishes Senate in 

controversial vote 

MAURITANIANS have voted to abolish the upper 

house of their parliament, the Senate, in a 

controversial referendum that was boycotted by the 

opposition. 

The result is seen as a victory for President Mohamed 

Ould Abdel Aziz, who is accused by his rivals of trying to 

extend his mandate, which he denies. 

He called the referendum after the Senate rejected his 

proposals to change the constitution. Turnout was 53.73%, 

with 85% of voters supporting the change, officials said. 

But members of the opposition denounced an "electoral 

farce which has given way to open-air fraud". 

Mr Abdel Aziz, who described the Senate as "useless 

and too costly", said the move to abolish it would improve 

governance by introducing more local forms of lawmaking. 

Diaspora group supports regiional 

integration 

THE Oodua Progressive Union, OPU, in Europe has 

joined calls for restructuring of Nigeria along regional 

lines saying it will enhance development of the country 

and rescue it from imminent crash. 

This came as OPU convener, Otunba Gani Adams 

suggested the adoption of “mutual understanding and 

Compromise” to make her democracy workable. 

In a communique issued by the socio cultural body of 

Yoruba natives in diaspora under the umbrella OPU after 

its 3rd Europe Summit in Gothenburg, Sweden at the 

weekend, the group, among other decision said it 

“supports the call for restructuring and devolution of 

power” even as it also “ globally seeks, wants and supports 

that Nigeria be structured via regional line.” 

OPU’s European Coordinator, Chief Victor Adewale, 

while welcoming delegates to the 3rd historic Europe 

Summit of the Oodua Progressives said: “The position of 

European Union of OPU is clear, we throw our weight 

behind those who clamor for regional integration so that 

Nigeria will be restructured via regional lines using the 

six geo political zones as a model. Devolution of power 

from the center to regions should also the song on our 

lips now.” 

In his keynote address, Adams canvassed for the 

adoption of “mutual understanding and compromise” 

strategies used by the Swedish to accomplish the political 

and economic progress being witnessed in their 

democracy." 

Ex-Tanzania President tasks African 

leaders on investment 

By Jimitota Onoyume 

FORMER President of Tanzania, Dr Jakaya Kikwete 

has called on African leaders to create the right 

investment climate on the continent. 

In his keynote address, yesterday in Port Harcourt, at 

the African Bar Association 2017 annual conference, Dr 

Kikwete said with the right leadership greater wealth 

would be created in the region. 

President of the association, Mr Hannibal Uwaifo said 

the body was revived to reposition the continent in the 

legal community at the global level . 

Earlier, governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State who 

declared the conference open urged African leaders to 

create the right atmosphere for private sector and economic 

growth.



Afenifere berates Osinbajo 

over comment on Awolowo 


By Dapo Akinrefon personalities.” 

The Yoruba group faulted 

THE 

pan-Yoruba the Osinbajo for the remarks 

socio-political saying it was the third time 

organisation, Afenifere, has in three months. 

berated the Acting It said: “In that same 

President, Prof. Yemi speech, Prof. Osinbajo has 

Osinbajo, for allegedly also, rather strangely, and 

making dismissive in a way that dis-honours 

comments on late Chief the opinion and memory of 

Obafemi Awolowo’s famous outstanding Yoruba icon and 

reference to Nigeria as not sage – Obafemi Awolowo, 

being a nation, but a “mere gone ahead to 

geographical expression” disingenuously lend 

noting that Osinbajo’s himself to the propagation 

remarks are strange, of historical and intellectual 

misguided and unfortunate sophistry, regarding the 

on a number of fronts imposed unity of Nigeria.” 

Afenifere’s National The statement reads in 

Publicity Secretary, Mr Yinka part: “First, while his 

Odumakin said the Acting statement that the statement 

President, in seeking to was not original to Chief 

advance the position and Awolowo is not in any 

interests of his current doubt, the not-so-subtle 

central-government power inference that somehow, his 

constituency, “has, in a usage of the expression 

recent public speech, constitutes some 

dismissed the decades-old misnomer that has been 

clamour for a restructuring proven wrong by history 

of the Nigerian polity by merits deeper questioning, 

some of Nigeria’s best and which is what this rejoinder 

most-respected sets out to do.’’ 

APDA members fuse into 

PDP in Ondo 

By Dayo Johnson 

A KURE—THE 

leadership of the 

Advance Peoples 

Democratic Alliance, 

APDA, in Ondo State, 

yesterday, led hundreds of 

their members to fuse into 

the opposition Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, in 

the state. 

Messrs Banji Akinkuowo 

and Yemi Tadema, 

chairman and Secretary of 

the party respectively, said 

in Akure that the structure 

of the party had been 

collapsed into the PDP. 

The APDA, it will be 

recalled, was the plan B of 

the PDP if the Supreme 

court verdict had not 

favoured them in the 

leadership tussle between 

Ahmed Makarfi and Ali 

Modu Sheriff. 

Speaking on behalf of 

others at the ceremony, 

APOLOGY 

Oyo appoints 15 new magistrates 

By Ola Ajayi 

IBADAN – IN order 

to expedite 

administration of justice 

in Oyo State, 15 new 

magistrates and nine 

presidents of the newly 

introduced Grade ‘A’ 

Customary Courts were 

yesterday sworn in by the 

Chief Judge of the state, 

Justice Munta Abimbola. 

The swearing in which 

Tadema said they never left 

the PDP as insinuated in 

some quarters. 

He said they only 

registered the APDA as 

alternative platform during 

the Sheriff/Markafi 

leadership crisis. 

“The APDA in Ondo 

State came as a result of the 

factional crisis between 

Sheriff and Markarfi. As 

you already know, majority 

of the people in the PDP are 

loyal to Markarfi. 

“When they gave Sheriff 

the judgment at Court of 

Appeal, we lost 

concentration. 

“However, the plan B 

arrangement of the PDP is 

APDA should Markarfi not 

win at the Supreme Court; 

that APDA should be the 

party that we all belong. 

“We are the front-liner of 

the APDA hoping that if 

PDP did not work that all 

of us at Markarfi faction 

should all go to APDA. 

took place at the conference 

room of the Oyo 

State High Court was 

attended by the chairman, 

Nigerian Bar Association, 

Ibadan branch, Mr 

Akeem Agbaje; former 

NBA chairman, Kazeem 

Gbadamosi; ex-chief 

judge of the state, Justice 

Nurudeen Adekola, former 

Commissioner for Justice in 

the state, Mr. Ojo Adebayo 

and several others. 

FORUM: From left; Chairperson, Communications, Ataoja’s Palace, Olori Kafayat Oyetunji; Orooye 

11 of Osun State, HRM Oba Jimoh Oyetunji Olanipekun; Area Sales Manager, Nigeria Breweries 

Plc, Mr. Olatunji Josiah; Brand Manager, Grand Oak Limited, Mr. Adebowale Bojuwadi, during the 

2017 Osun Osogbo Festival Stakeholders Forum in Osogbo, Osun State. 

S-WEST PDP PARLEY: Why I wasn’t included 

in team that visited Buhari – FAYOSE 

...As Accord, AD, LP, SDP close ranks with PDP; Kashamu ostracised 

By Ola Ajayi 

I 

B A D A N — 

GOVERNOR 

Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State 

has expressed doubts over 

the report by some governors 

who visited the ailing 


Buhari in London, saying 

that he was excluded from 

the team because they knew 

he would certainly tell 

Nigerians the correct health 

status of the President. 

Fayose, who was 

presenting a welcome 

address at an all-inclusive 

meeting of the Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, with 

other political parties which 

held at Ibadan Civic Centre, 

Agodi Gate, Ibadan 

yesterday, maintained that a 

sick person who has little or 

no strength cannot govern 

Nigeria. 

''Osokomole'' as he is fondly 

called said; “Why did they 

not take me to London. Why 

didn’t they take me there? 

They obviously knew that I 

would listen to the man and 

know whether his voice is 

clear or not. Then, I would 

be able to tell Nigerians the 

truth. 

Some weeks ago, some 

governors, including those 

of PDP-controlled states 

visited the President in 

London and came back with 

a report that he would soon 

come back to the country 

after the doctor’s approval. 

PDP bigwigs at 

yesterday’s parley include 

Chief Bode George, ex- 

Deputy National 

Chairman(South West), 

Otunba Gbenga 

Daniel,(Former Governor of 

Ogun State), Senator Iyiola 

Omisore (former Deputy 

Governor of Osun State) 

PDP governorship 

candidate in 2015 election 

Femi Babalola and PDP 

chieftain, Dr. Saka 

Balogun, Former Chief of 

Staff to Adebayo Alao- 

Akala, Senator Hosea 

Agboola, Senator Ayoade 

Adeseun and members of 

other parties like Accord, 

who was represented by 

Senator Olufemi 

Lanlehin, Mr Babatunde 

Oduyoye, a chieftain of 

Alliance for Democracy, 

Labour Party, Social 

Democratic Party attended 

the meeting. 

Also in attendance at the 

preparatory meeting 

towards the 2019 general 

elections were PDP 

members from Oyo, 

Osun, Ogun, Ekiti, 

Lagos and Ondo States. 

Before 

the 

commencement of the 

meeting, Fayose, Bode 

George and others had a 

caucus meeting outside 

before coming into the hall. 

PDP South-West 

ostracises Kashamu; calls 

for disciplinary action 

Meantime, the PDP 

chieftains have called for 

sanction on Senator Buruji 

Kashamu and others who 

plunged the party into 

needless crisis and also 

warned members against 

colluding with those who 

want to destabilize the 

party. 

In a communique at the 

end of their meeting in 

Ibadan yesterday, they also 

directed the Ogun State 

chapter of the party to take 

appropriate steps to punish 

the Senator and others who 

colluded with him. 

This is just as Fayose, 

vows to declare his presidential 

ambition openly on 

October 1, this year. 

In his opening remarks, 

Fayose, who is the 

Chairman of the PDP 

Governors’ Forum, said the 

recent judgment of the 

Supreme Court that 

recognised Senator Ahmed 

Makarfi as the National 

Chairman of the party, was 

for Nigerians as a whole. 

The governor said the 

second chance given the 

party by the judgment must 

not be misused. 

“Our party must take 

appropriate decisions. We 

mustn’t allow impunity. We 

need to save ourselves or 

else the party may be 

consumed. We have to 

confront the monster 

frontally. We have told our 

leaders to choose between 

the monster or us,'' he said. 

Southern Senators, Reps didn’t sell out on 

power devolution – AGBOOLA 

By Rotimi 

Ojomoyela 

ADO 

EKITI—A 

member of the 

House of Representatives, 

Hon Kehinde Agboola, has 

denied insinuations that 

the federal lawmakers from 

the Southern part of the 

Country sold out during 

voting on power devolution 

in the on going constitution 

review exercise by the 

National Assembly . 

Agboola, a member of the 

Peoples Democratic Party 

(PDP) representing Ekiti 

North Federal 

Constituency 1, said the 

South, which had been at 

the fore front in the 

agitations for power 

devolution lost out in the 

game owing to the 

configuration of the 

National Assembly in terms 

of numerical strength. 

On the issue of the State 

Independent Electoral 

Commission, SIEC, which 

Nigerians wanted 

scrapped to give 

Independent National 

Electoral Commission 

(INEC) the power to 

conduct Local Government 

elections, the PDP chieftain 

said some stakeholders from 

states who wanted the status 

quo to continue directed 

some lawmakers to vote in 

favour of SIEC. 

The lawmaker said this in 

Ikole Ekiti yesterday while 

inaugurating Agboola 

Summer School Programme 

in 10 centres in his 

constituency to give free 

holiday coaching to 

secondary school students. 

“It will be wrong for people 

to say we sold out. We did 

our best but the South was 

only agitating without 

getting prepared for it. 

Some lawmakers in the 

North were well mobilized 

from their states,'' he said.


Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2017 ----41 

Multiple Indicator Survey, 

MICS, percentage of EBF 

nationally is still 15.0 

percent. 

Ekiti State tops the list 

with over 45.0 percent, 

followed by Osun 40.0 per 

1 

cent, Lagos was 25.0 per 

cent, Delta 10.0 per cent, 

Ogun 15.0 per cent, Ondo 

10.0 per cent and Edo 25.0 

per cent among others. 

Currently, to meet the 

World Health Assembly 

target of increasing the 

percentage of children 

under 6 months of age who 

are exclusively breastfed to 

at least 50 per cent by 2025, 

it is expected that an 

additional $4.70 per 

newborn is required. 

So what needs to be done 

to achieve the UN 50 

percent exclusive 

potential to save more 

children’s lives than any 

other preventive 

intervention. 

“Breastfed children have 

at least six times greater 

chance of survival in the 

early months than nonbreastfed 

children. And an 

exclusively breastfed child 

is 14 times less likely to die 

in the first six months than 

a non-breastfed child. 

Ezeogu further 

explained that another 

strategy to achieve the UN 

target was by enforcing the 

BreastMilk Code. 

Lamenting non 

implementation of the 

code, she stressed the 

need for the National 

Agency for Food and Drug 

Administration and 

Control, NAFDAC, 

breastfeeding target? charged with enforcement 

Health watchers say with of the Code to go in and 

the right level of ambition enforce the code. 

and the right policies and According to Ezeogu, 

BREASTFEEDING: Mothers breastfeeding their babies during an event to mark this year’s World Breastfeeding investment, countries can aggressive marketing by 

Week in Adeoye Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State. Inset is UNICEF Nutrition Specialist, Mrs Ada Ezeogu. 

fully realise the potential infant formula companies, 

gains from breastfeeding. non-enforcement of the 

UNICEF Nutrition Code of Marketing of 

Nigerian mothers denying babies 

Specialist, Akure Office, BMS are currently posing 

Mrs. Ada Ezeogu says a barrier to the campaign. 

breastfeeding is one of the The Code of Marketing 

exclusive breastfeeding 

best investments in global of Breastmilk Substitutes 

. health as every $1 invested aims to shield 

Only 25% infants breastfed exclusively 

in breastfeeding generates breastfeeding from 

$35 in economic returns. commercial promotion 

50% breastfeeding target by 2025 achievable — UNICEF 

For her, with the right that affects mothers, 

By Chioma Obinna days.” 

infant feeding provides all of Gross National Income, policies and behavioural health workers and health 

Another world leader, the nutrients that a child GNI, cost is another. change of mothers and care systems. All forms of 

SEATED 

among Keith Hansen of the World needs for the first six The poor breastfeeding health workers, exclusive product advertising and 

hundreds of nursing Bank, published in The months of life and habit is largely becoming breastfeeding will soar up promotion are prohibited. 

mothers at the Adeoyo Lancet 2016 that “If continues to provide an emergency. Anyone to 90 percent in the Mothers should not be 

Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo breastfeeding did not essential nutrients for who has visited some of the country. 

given free product 

State, was 29-year-old Mrs already exist, someone childhood development up UNICEF Malnutrition “The 50 per cent UN samples and promotional 

Saidat Ganiyu. Her face who invented it today to two years. 

Sites across the country will target is achievable in devices such as discounts. 

was radiating with smiles, would deserve a dual According to a Lancet on understand the benefits of Nigeria because if you look Ezeogu stressed the 

while she proudly Nobel Prize in medicine Child Survival Series 2003 breastfeeding. 

at the pattern you will find need to build the skills of 

breastfeed her baby. and economics. 

tagged: “Child mortality: Emphasis has been on out that most mothers in health workers who 

Watching from afar, no one However, the Bible in effective interventions”, the fact that adequate and Nigeria is breastfeeding but engage women on daily 

needs a soothsayer to say Lamentation 4:3-4: states Exclusive Breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding is the problem we have is that basis to be able to teach 

Saidat was happy doing that “Even the sea EBF, reduces child not only an investment in many of them give water. them how to breastfeed 

what she was doing as her monsters draw out the mortality by 13 per cent. 

“So if we can change their and why they should not 

two months and 22 day-old breast, they give suck to Sadly, Nigeria loses 

orientation on how to give water until after six 

baby Ajarat latched on the their young ones: the about 2,300 under-five 

position and attach the baby months. 

Breastfeeding 

breast. 

daughter of my people is year olds every day, and 

to breast, provide them with “Knowledge is dynamic 

While Saidat is one of the become cruel, like the over two-thirds of these is one of the the support they need at and they should be 

Nigerian women that have ostriches in the wilderness. deaths are often associated 

home and get them to retrained. There is also the 

best 

realised the importance of “The tongue of the sucking with inappropriate feeding 

understand that breast milk need to support these 

investments in 

Exclusive Breastfeeding, child cleaveth to the roof of and poor practices. 

itself has over 88 percent mothers. Usually there are 

EBF, her daughter also is his mouth for thirst: the According to the global health 

water even in Nigeria a lot of pressures from 

one out of the unacceptable young children ask bread, National Demographic 

climate where it can be grandparents who did not 

as every $1 

figure of 25 percent and no man breaketh it Health Survey, 2013, the 

pretty hot. 

do exclusive 

children exclusively unto them.” 

prevalence of EBF in invested in 

“The breast contains breastfeeding that is why 

breastfed in Nigeria. These remarks are not children below the age of 

enough water for the baby. there is need for social 

breastfeeding 

It is no longer news that unconnected with the six months was only 17 per 

If we can just drop the water mobilisation of the 

tackling malnutrition many benefits of cent which means that at generates $35 from 0-6 months, we will community to understand 

begins with investing in breastfeeding to newborns. least 5.4 million Nigerian 

indeed achieve much more benefit of EBF and to 

in economic 

the first 1,000 days of a Unfortunately, despite children each year do not 

than 50 per cent if not encourage community 

newborn, what is of interest the role of human breast get the benefits of return s 

almost 90 per cent of EBF. members to do that.” 

at this time is getting milk in child development breastfeeding. 

We will then derive the The UNICEF Nutrition 

Nigerian women to and survival as recognised However, imagining poor improving children’s benefit of breast feeding. Specialist also called for a 

breastfeed their babies. by these world leaders breastfeeding rate is one health and saving lives, “Again, if 90 per cent of holistic budget line for 

In 2016, President of the including the Holy Bible, thing, but beholding the but also an investment in mothers exclusively nutrition that would cover 

World Bank, Jim Yong Kim, 75 percent of Nigerian number of deaths (103,742 human capital breastfed their infants for all aspect of nutrition 

remarked that “One of the babies are not exclusively child deaths each year) development that can the first six months of life, because after 

biggest obstacles to a better breastfed. 

caused by low benefit a country’s we will derive 13 per cent breastfeeding the child 

world is our collective Breast milk, nature’s breastfeeding rate and the economy. 

reduction in infant will go to complementary 

failure to help parents food described as the economic cost to the nation From the South to the mortality. 

feeding and adequate 

provide adequate cornerstone of care for which is estimated to the North, there is no cheering “We need to change the feeding for all. 

nutrition… to children childhood development tune of $21 billion per year, news about breastfeeding. norm of breastfeeding in On the benefits of 

during the first 1,000 and the gold standard of equivalent of 4.1 per cent According to the 2013, Nigeria. EBF has the Continues on page 43

42 --- Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2017 

NAFDAC nabs 5 fakers of cough syrup, wines 

By Chioma Obinna 

THE National Agency 

for Food and Drug 

Administration and 

Control, NAFDAC, has 

arrested three 

manufacturers of fake 

codeine cough syrup and 

wines in Delta State even 

as it threatened to 

clampdown on importers, 

distributors and marketers 

still stocking banned 

regulated products. 

Addressing journalists in 

Lagos on its regulatory and 

enforcement activities, the 

Acting Director General of 

NAFDAC, Mrs. Yetunde 

Oni said the suspects; Mr. 

Chika Nwaemeka Nwoye 

and Mr. Ebuka Ojeani 

Nelson and Mr. Udoka 

Offor were also found to be 

in possession of fake 

cartoons of pharmaceutical 

products and packaging 

materials. 

Oni explained that Mrs 

Chika Nwoye who is the 

marketing manager of 

Archy Pharmaceutical 

Limited and Ebuka Ojeani 

were being investigated for 

their involvement in faking, 

sale and distribution of fake 

Archilin with codeine cough 

syrup. 

According to Oni, several 

cartoons of the fake product 

were found at the premises 

of Ebuka aka. Ebu-young 

who had earlier evaded 

arrest when he learnt that 

PRESS BRIEFING: From rght: Director, Ports Inspection Directorate, 

NAFDAC, Mrs. Maureen Egbigbeyi; Acting DG, Mrs. Yetunde Oni; 

Head, Investigation & Enforcement, Mr. Kingsley Ejiofor; and Director, 

Special Duties, Abubakar Jimoh, briefing the media in Lagos recently. 

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL) 

HELLO everybody and welcome. We are very 

excited about today’s episode because we have 

all new products to unveil. First on the list is the 

Develop Sex Penis Enlargement Cream for men. It is 

a new and wonderful enlargement cream that is used 

morning and night after shower to grow the male penis 

to a desirable size. The Develop Sex Penis 

Enlargement Cream is safe, can be used by all men 

and can grow the male penis up to four inches in 

additional length within four to six months. It is also a 

cheaper alternative to enlargement pills. 

Next on the list is the Dwellani Male Delay Spray for 

the control of premature ejaculation. Every man knows 

exactly how embarrassing and emasculating it is to 

meet a woman and within one to two minutes of 

intercourse, the show is already over. But with the 

Dwellani Male Delay Spray, men can now last for fifteen 

to twenty minutes during intercourse. That is enough 

time to stake your claim and make your ancestors proud. 

Last on the list for men is a major performance 

enhancer that we introduced briefly last year. We are 

talking about the almighty FX 3000, a natural 

enhancement pill that does it all, from taking care of 

weak erection or no erection to enabling men have 

multiple rounds of intercourse, an enlarged penis 

and prolonged action that counters the jitters of 

premature ejaculation. If you are worried about not 

being able to do a second round during sex, the FX 

3000 is perfect for you. Within three to five minutes of 

ejaculating, you are back with yet another monster 

erection spoiling for a fight. Sometimes, even after you 

ejaculate, the erection remains just in case you are not 

done making your point. The FX 3000 does it all. 

And for the women, we have exciting new gels and 

vibrators for you. Say hello to the Dual Intoxicated 

Orgasm Gel, a superb arousal gel that lubricates and 

excites to coax even the most reluctant vagina to action. 

The Dual Intoxicated Orgasm Gel can be used by adult 

women of all ages as often as they desire. It can be 

operatives were in his shop 

but later turned himself in 

after his shop, warehouse 

and residential apartment 

were placed on hold. 

She said the two suspects 

who were obviously taking 

advantage of the market 

opportunities provided by 

the original products have 

been arraigned in court. 

Also, Mr. Udoka Offor 

who was arrested in Abia 

State was arrested in 

possession of 28 cartoons 

and 50 bottles of 

COF’NÇOLD codeine 

syrup. 

During interrogation 

under caution, he (Udoka) 

admitted to have been 

producing the cough syrup 

in a one 

r o o m 

rented 

apartment 

in Asaba, 

Delta 

State and 

markets 

t h e 

products 

at Head 

bridge 

market, 

Onitsha 

i n 

Anambra 

State. 

Udoka 

further 

confessed 

that he 

buys the 

original product from the 

market, reduces the fill 

volume and mixes the 

reduced fill volume of the 

original cough syrup with 

borehole water to produce 

the exact volume per bottle 

thereby making more 

quantity of the syrup and 

selling to unsuspecting 

public. 

Oni also disclosed that 

NAFDAC has intercepted 

several cartoons of fake 

pharmaceutical products 

and packaging materials in 

a 40 feet container declared 

as agricultural products. 

Meanwhile, the Agency 

has warned that the Federal 

Government’s ban on 

commodities such as 

foreign juices, refined oils 

and fats, cocoa butter, 

powder and cakes, 

spaghetti/noodles, 

sweetening among others 

is still in force. 

Oni said the Agency was 

determined to wipe out 

from the markets products 

whose importations into the 

country have been banned 

by government. 

She implored all 

importers, distributors and 

marketers still stocking 

banned NAFDAC 

regulated products to 

withdraw them from 

circulation as the Agency 

would leave no stone 

unturned to arrest and 

prosecute violators of the 

extant policy. 

used for intercourse of for solo play with vibrators and 

other sex toys. 

New on the list also is a warming oral lubricant called 

Hot Kiss Edible Gel. This wonderful new gel does three 

things. First it lubricates the labia to prevent sexual 

pain during sex or while using a toy. Secondly, it warms 

the vaginal orifice to keep it friendly and welcoming. 

Like food, the vagina is best for intimacy when warm. 

So the Hot Kiss Edible Gel ticks that box too. And 

finally, it is also edible and perfect for oral sex with a 

wonderful strawberry fragrance. Apply it on your chosen 

body part and lick it off or blow a little air on it for the 

most titillating sexual experience. The Hot Kiss Edible 

Gel is very versatile. 

For women and men who desire a plain lubricant that 

can be used for multiple purposes of essential 

lubrication, we also have the Beautiful Life Lubricating 

Gel. It is new, slick, big and long lasting. 

But of course we can’t just tell you about orgasm gels 

and all that without throwing in new vibrators to 

complete the package. For lovers of Magic Wands, we 

have the 10 Speed USB Vibrating Wand. It is 

rechargeable, needs no battery and comes in gold and 

purple. This vibrator is stunningly beautiful. We also 

have the Magic Tongue Clit Licker Vibe and yes, it is 

exactly what you are thinking. It is a unique vibrator 

shaped like the human tongue to give every woman 

that sensational arousal and orgasm that only a tongue 

can. This is just the beginning. Next week, we will 

unveil even more new products. 

Adults in need of these treatments/novelties can call 

us on 08171912551, 08027901621 or 07086754515 for 

help. We can also be reached via whatsapp on 

08188153279 and instagram on zeevirtualmedialtd. 

Visit www.zeevirtualmedia.com to view our entire 

range of products and order. Zee Virtual Media 

delivers all over Nigeria. Email us at 

custserv@zeevirtualmedia.com- Uche Edochie, MD, 

Zee Virtual Media. 

Appeal Court upholds 

PCN’s regulatory powers 

PCN Registrar, Pharm. 

Elijah Mohammed. 

HE Court of Appeal has 

Tagain affirmed the 

regulatory powers of the 

Pharmacists Council of 

Nigeria, PCN. 

The appellate court sitting 

in Calabar, Cross River 

State, recently dismissed an 

Appeal by the National 

Association of 

Pharmaceutical 

Technologists and 

Pharmacy Technicians of 

Nigeria, NAPPTON and 

three others seeking to be 

independent in regulation 

matters as it relates to its 

members. 

NAPPTON had, in Suit 

No. CA/C/246/2014, 

approached the Court of 

Appeal to reverse the 2012 

decision of the Federal 

High Court, Calabar which 

recognised the PCN as the 

authentic body to register 

and regulate members of 

NAPPTON. 

Strangely NAPPTON 

had claimed that the 

judgment of Justice I. N. 

Auta of Federal High 

Court, Lagos in Suit No. 

FHC/L/CS/455/06 

delivered on the 27th day 

of April, 2007 was sufficient 

ground to enable members 

of the Association establish 

drug sales outlets without 

recourse to registration and 

licensure by the PCN. 

But Justice Phoebe M. 

Agua on 27th day of 

February, 2014 dismissed 

for lack of merit the 

argument of NAPPTON, a 

judgment which the 

plaintiffs approached the 

Court of Appeal to set aside. 

While dismissing the suit 

in favour of PCN on 22nd 

day of May, 2017, the Court 

of Appeal, in a unanimous 

decision, upheld the 

contention of the 

respondents that PCN did 

not breach the fundamental 

human right of members of 

the Association when it 

sealed shops in Calabar 

operated by members of the 

association which were not 

duly registered by PCN. 

The decision puts to rest 

the mischief employed by 

members of NAPPTON in 

claiming to have powers to 

register and issue licenses 

to its members to establish 

drug sales outlets.

Vanguard, TUESDAY AUGUST 8, 2017 — 43 

We need Universal Health Coverage to 

attain maternal health — MIMIKO 

By Sola Ogundipe 

THE immediate past 

governor of Ondo State, 

Dr Olusegun Mimiko, has 

declared that political will 

and public financing are key 

to attainment of Universal 

Health Coverage, UHC, 

in Nigeria and the 

developed world. 

Mimiko who spoke in 

Lagos at the maiden 

Scientific Conference of the 

Association of Feto- 

Maternal Specialists of 

Nigeria, AFEMSON, 

themed “Reducing 

Maternal and Perinatal 

Mortality, A Collective 

Responsibility,” called for the 

right leadership and political 

will to utilise public fund 

towards UHC. 

Presenting his keynote 

address, Mimiko who 

observed that from where he 

quoted data and reports of 

global and national agencies 

on the gains and challenges 

of UHC, said players and 

policy makers have agreed 

that Universal Health 

Coverage delivers substantial 

health, economic and 

political benefits across 

populations. 

Tracing his exploits as 

governor in the health sector 

to his conviction that 

maternal and perinatal 

deaths could in most cases 

be prevented if the society 

paid premium attention to 

delivering affordable health 

care, he observed that 

public finance must be 

deployed to the pursuit of 

coverage so as to reap 

associated health, economic 

and political benefits. 

“Let me make it clear that 

I am a firm believer in 

Universal Health Coverage 

(UHC) – everybody 

receiving the health that he 

needs (not what he can 

afford) without 

catastrophic spending. 

“For me, it is a moral, 

socio-economic and 

political imperative. This is 

in line with World Health 

Organisation (WHO) 

constitution of 1948 which 

spells out clearly that “the 

enjoyment of the highest 

attainable standard of 

health is one of the 

fundamental rights of 

human being.” 

“The point that needs to be 

made repeatedly is that 

himself. What an eloquent 

case for public funding of 

maternal 

healthcare.” 

Mimiko, who refered to 

different scalable 

interventions and 

developments of his 

administration as 

governor of Ondo State, 

women, children and 

adolescents must be given 

priority in universal health 

CONFERENCE: From left - Former Governor of Ondo 

State and guest lecturer, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko; 

receiving an award of commendation from the President, 

Association of Fetomaternal Medicine Specialists of 

Nigeria (AFEMSON), Prof Oluwafemi Kuti (right) and 

President, Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of 

Nigeria (SOGON), Prof Joseph Adinwa at the maiden 

Scientific Conference of AFEMSON, held at LASUTH 

Ikeja, Lagos, last week 

coverage as they are the 

most vulnerable of the 

population. 

He added that the 

attainment of the Health 

target of the Sustainable 

Developments Goals "is 

inextricably tied to 

universal health 

coverage." Tracing his 

exploits as governor in the 

health sector to his 

conviction that maternal 

and perinatal deaths could 

in most cases be prevented 

Pharmacist tasks FG on 

import duty, local 

production of drugs 

By Gabriel Olawale 

The 

Federal 

government has been 

urged to review the duty 

placed on imported drugs 

even as well as improve 

infrastructural support for 

local manufacturers. 

A pharmacist and 

Managing Director, of 

World Wide Commercial 

Ventures Limited, Pharm. 

Ananth Narayan, who 

made the call in Lagos, said 

majority of the consumers of 

medicines are not doing 

soat their own will. 

Speaking during a 

courtesy visit by the 

Committee of Head of 

Pharmacy in Federal Health 

Institutions, Narayan said: 

“As I speak there is high 

duty on finished 

pharmaceutical products. 

This is unfair, because it is 

consumed majorly by sick 

people. It is not for pleasure 

that people take medicines, 

95 per cent of people who 

use drugs do so to survive 

illnesses.” 

He regretted that inability 

of 24 to 30 percent of people 

are unable to purchase 

medicines they require. 

“Certain diseases like 

cancer can only be treated 

by 50 per cent of which 25 

if the society paid 

premium attention to 

delivering affordable 

health care. 

"Working with other 

stakeholders, put in place 

processes that have to a 

large extent proved that 

even in resources 

challenged settings like 

ours we can post 

reasonable outcomes in 

maternal and perinatal 

death reduction." 

to 30 get treated by 

borrowing money with the 

hope to pay back.” 

Narayan called on 

government to rescue 

Nigerians through the 

NHIS even as he pointed 

out that currently, there are 

a lot of grey areas in the 

Scheme which make it 

unbeneficial to the larger 

population. 

He also identified the 

need for government to 

support local manufacturers 

with adequate infrastructure 

so that they can serve the 

nation and feed themselves, 

“the biggest challenge 

manufacturers face in this 

country is electricity 

because pharmaceutical 

companies needs 24 hours 

power supply per day. 

“If power can be assured, 

they will not be spending 

that money on diesel. 

Nigeria is not short of skilled 

man power there are a lot of 

competent hand in this 

country, all they need is 

enabling environment. For 

instance in this our 

warehouse, we spend close 

to 240 million per annual on 

diesel, how many 

companies can afford that 

without close down?” 


Continues from Page 5 

father in law was not so 

lucky. I don’t know how 

to take care of my 

children now I’m 

incapacitated,” said Mrs. 

Oramadike, 32, whose 

daughter was hit by a 

motorcycle amid the 

chaos. 

Ifeoma Onyeka sat 

beside her 14-year-old 

daughter who had just 

been operated upon. Her 

elder, foster daughter, 

Anwurika Mboje, did not 

survive the attack, as she 

had died right inside the 

church. 

“I survived by hiding 

under the seat while the 

children must have ran 

because of lack of 

knowledge of what to do 

in such a circumstance,” 

she said. 

We’ve made arrests, 

but... — Police 

Meanwhile, Police 

authorities in Abuja, 

yesterday, confirmed that 

three persons have been 

arrested over last Sunday's 

killing inside a church at 

Ozubulu, Anambra State. 

Force Public Relations 

Officer, Moshood Jimoh, 

who disclosed this, said 

appreciable progress was 

being made over the ugly 

development but referred 

our reporter to Anambra 

State police command for 

more information on the 

arrests. 

However, when 

contacted, Anambra State 

police spokeswoman, 

Assistant Superintendent 

of Police, ASP, Nkiruka 

Nwode, said: “Yes, we 

have made some arrests 

over the killings but we 

cannot tell you the number 

of suspects arrested or 

disclose their identities for 

now. You know this is a 

sensitive matter and we 

have to tread with caution. 

‘’All I can tell you is that 

we are on top of the matter 

and we will not relent until 

the perpetrators of the 

heinous crime are brought 

to book.” 

In the same vein, 

Vanguard reliably gathered 

that the Inspector-General 

of Police, Ibrahim Idris, may 

direct a special tactical 

squad from Force 

Headquarters, Abuja, to 

wade into investigations 

over the killings. 

The move, according to 

sources, followed 

insinuations that the state 

police command may have 

reached hasty conclusion 

by asserting that the 

massacre was drug related. 

Vanguard learned that the 

police boss has been in 

constant touch with 

Anambra State 

Commissioner of Police, 

Garba Baba Umar, over the 

ugly development and has 

directed that perpetrators of 

the crime be fished out and 

dealt with accordingly. 

The Principal Staff Officer, 

Public Affairs, National 

Drug Law Enforcement 

Agency, NDLEA, Jonah 

Achema, told Vanguard 

that the whole story was still 

at the level of speculation. 

He said: “However, let 

me assure you that we are 

following the story of the socalled 

drug deals outside 

the shores of Nigeria. We 

are already linking up with 

our international 

collaborators and respective 

countries to establish the 

veracity of their drug 

activities. 

“For now, that is the level 

we are. We are focusing 

our searchlight 

everywhere. It is 

regrettable that this 

measure of violence is 

happening in this part of 

the world. 

‘’We assure Nigerians 

that if it is drug related, we 

will not spare any effort to 

see to the end and we will 

deal decisively with 

anybody involved, 

whether high or low. It is 

also a call to rekindle the 

drug efforts by all 

stakeholders in the 

country.” 

It’s gang war, not terror 

attack, Obiano insists 

Also, yesterday, Governor 

Willie Obiano said the 

attack on St. Philip’s 

Catholic Church, Amakwa 

Ozubulu was neither a 

terror attack nor by 

members of some groups of 

agitators in the country. 

In a special broadcast in 

Awka, Obiano said it was a 

gang war that had spilled 

over to the state from 

another African country, 

assuring that it would be 

the last time such a thing 

would happen in the state. 

The address read: “With 

a sorrowful heart, I stand 

before you today to brief 

you on the tragic killing of 

12 people at St Philips 

Catholic Church, Amakwa, 

Ozubulu on Sunday. 

“First, I want to assure 

you all that what happened 

in Ozubulu was a tragic 

dimension of a long battle 

between two business 

partners who are from the 

same town. I have been 

fully informed that this 

dangerous conflict has 

been going on for a while 

in the country where they 

both live outside Nigeria 

before they decided to 

bring the conflict home. But 

let me assure you that 

Anambra is too hot for them 

to operate, going forward. 

“This explanation, I 

believe, has erased the 

fears that the incident may 

have been caused by either 

some terrorist organizations 

or some members of some 

groups of agitators in the 

country. 

“What happened in 

Ozubulu was neither a 

terror attack as we know it, 

nor a violent action by some 

agitators. We are dealing 

with a dangerous Gang 

War that has spilled over to 

Anambra State from 

another African country. 

But this is the last time it 

will happen under my 

watch! 

“I want to assure you that 

we are on top of this 

situation. We are 

completely in charge here. 

The people directly and 

remotely involved in this 

crime are known to the law 

enforcement agencies. But 

no suspect, no matter how 

highly placed, is above the 

law. So, we have taken 

bold steps to bring them to 

book and restore the peace 

and tranquility that 

Anambra State has enjoyed 

since the past three years. 

No cause for alarm 

“Sincerely, there is no 

cause for fear or alarm here. 

Anambra State is safe. Our 

churches and places of 

worship are safe. So, our 

people should not be 

discouraged from going to 

church to serve their God 

because what happened in 

Amakwa, Ozubulu is an 

isolated case. 

“It will not happen again! 

Ndi Anambra should 

continue to sleep with both 

eyes closed because we are 

staying awake for them. In 

the words of Wendell 

Philips, the American 

abolitionist and liberal 

activist, “the price of liberty 

is eternal vigilance.” We 

have chosen to stay awake 

that Anambra may find 

sleep! I repeat, never again 

will this type of bloodshed 

happen in Anambra State 

under me! 

“In all our 25-year history, 

never has a single act of 

senseless violence 

consumed so many lives. I 

strongly condemn this 

wanton killing of our fellow 

citizens who left their loved 

ones in the early hours of 

Sunday morning to 

worship their God. 

‘’I condemn the senseless 

violation of sacred places of 

worship by people to 

whom neither man nor God 

is worthy of respect or 

honour. I condemn these 

people who did not think 

twice before placing such 

a heavy burden on our 

humanity! 

“All the shadowy 

characters behind this 

crime shall account for it. 

This is the first and the last 

of this appalling crime! 

“I call on you today, to 

join hands with me to rid 

our society of all vestiges 

of crime and criminality. 

Nothing else can stand in 

the way of accelerated 

development as crime 

does. We are familiar with 

this fact in Anambra State. 

That is why we have fought 

tooth and nail to usher in 

the long period of peace we 

have enjoyed in Anambra 

State. 

“To our numerous friends 

and partners, I want to 

assure you that Anambra is 

still Nigeria’s safest state. 

Indeed, the Ozubulu 

killings have only 

strengthened our 

commitment to create a 

safer, business-friendly and 

prosperous state. We 

remain focused on our 

Vision and Mission to this 

great state. No amount of 

threats or wholesale 

destruction can shake our 

commitment to these ideals. 

“I have declared today 

(Monday) a day of 

mourning in honour of our 

brothers and sisters that 

were slain yesterday 

(Sunday). We shall observe 

a minute of silence in their 

honour at 12 noon today 

(Monday) and special 

prayers shall be offered for 

them in churches and 

Continues on page 45


Vanguard, TUESDAY AUGUST 8, 2017 — 45 


Continues from Page 43 

prayer houses across 

Nigeria and in the 

Diaspora. We have also 

opened a condolence 

register for them at 

Government House. 

“Finally, for the 18 

survivors of this carnage, 

who are nursing different 

injuries in the hospital, my 

administration shall pick up 

all their medical bills. I have 

visited them at the hospital 

to ascertain their recovery 

rate. I have also dispatched 

50 additional medical 

doctors to the hospital to 

ensure that they have 

access to the best medical 

care possible. Indeed, all 

hands must be on deck to 

save more lives. 

Buhari called 

“At this juncture, I want 

to thank the President of 

the Federal Republic of 

Nigeria, President 

Muhammadu Buhari, who 

called me last night from 

London to commiserate 

with Ndi Anambra on this 

tragic incident. 

‘’I must also thank the 

Acting President of the 

Federal Republic of 

Nigeria, Prof Yemi 

Osinbajo, who also called 

last night to condole with 

us. My gratitude goes to 

everyone who has called 

my team and I to say a 

soothing word since this 

incident happened. 

‘’Your calls have reaffirmed 

my belief that we 

are one people under 

God! It has strengthened 

my faith in the unity of this 

country. Anambra State 

has survived incredible 

odds in our modest 

history. This too shall 

pass!” 

Meanwhile, more 

reactions trailed the 

attack, yesterday, as the 

Nigeria Labour Congress, 

NLC, described the early 

morning massacre as 

animalistic, bizarre, 

reprehensible and 

shocking. 

It’s animalistic, bizarre 

says NLC 

NLC in a statement 

personally signed by its 

National President, 

Comrade Ayuba Wabba, in 

Abuja yesterday, said: 

“What makes this attack 

more confounding is the 

fact that Ozubulu is far 

removed from any known 

theatre of conflict at the 

moment and has had little 

or no history of violent 

conflict. 

“Whatever may have 

been the situation, this 

attack represents a 

descent into the pit of hell. 

It is animalistic, cowardly 

and shameful and all 

necessary steps should 

immediately be taken by 

security forces to bring the 

perpetrators to book. 

“Our heartfelt 

condolences go to the 

families of the victims, the 

Catholic Church, 

Governor Willie Obiano 

and the people of 

Anambra State. 

“We urge our security 

agencies to step up 

security in and around 

places of worship. We 

similarly urge 

worshippers to take the 

initiative of securing their 

premises.” 

Kanu chides police for 

quick conclusion 

Reacting to the Ozubulu 

carnage, leader of 

Indigenous People of 

Biafra, IPOB, Mazi 

Nnamdi Kanu, called for 

forensic examination of 

the bullets used by the 

gun men so as to trace the 

killers. 

Reacting to the barbaric 

incident, Kanu said he 

suspected some foul play 

and cover-up in the haste 

by the police to attribute 

the “heinous crime” to 

alleged feud between two 

indigenes of the 

community based outside 

the country. 

The IPOB leader faulted 

the police for their quick 

conclusion on the cause of 

the attack or the identity 

of the assailants without 

conducting thorough 

investigations, saying the 

police should not have 

quickly ruled out terrorists 

from the attack without 

proper investigations. 

According to him, there 

was nothing to suggest 

that the attack was not an 

act of terrorism. 

Kanu noted that Ndigbo 

do not have the culture of 

carrying out mass killing 

for whatever reason let 

alone carrying such attack 

in a place of worship, 

insisting that it could be 

from terrorist act and 

called for thorough 

investigation. 

“We are asking for a 

forensic examination to be 

conducted to ascertain the 

type of bullet used in the 

attack. It makes a mockery 

of the entire security 

system that people can 

work into a town and 

massacre innocent 

civilians and walk away. 

Where are the security 

agencies? 

“All options should 

remain open because our 

people are not known for 

gang killings. It is alien 

to us. 

“Such atrocious crime 

has never ever been 

committed anywhere in 

Biafra land before. We are 

not known for mass 

executions. It was the 

same thing that happened 

at Uzo Uwani in Enugu 

State, the same scenario. 

“I wonder why the 

narratives coming out is 

that it is two brothers who 

are feuding in far away 

South Africa. Is that 

possible? Does that make 

sense?”, Kanu queried. 

He lashed out at the 

security agencies for the 

level of insecurity in the 

country, saying that they 

only show strength when 

it comes to combating 

peaceful agitators. 

Obi of Ozubulu 

condenms killing 

Also, yesterday, the 

traditional ruler of 

Ozubulu, Obi Fidelix 

Nnandi Oruche, 

condemned the attack of 

his subjects who went to 

worship at St Philips 

Catholic Church, 

Ozubulu, describing it as 

callous, wicked, inhuman 

and cowardly, saying the 

perpetrators must not go 

unpunished. 

The visibly worried and 

angry traditional ruler 

said government and the 

security agencies must 

fish out those behind it for 

punishment, adding that 

it was a sacrilege for 

anybody, no matter the 

provocation, to go into a 

church and attack 

innocent worshippers who 

went to pray to their God. 

On alleged business 

disagreement involving 

their sons living in South 

Africa that may have led 

to the incident, he said 

there was no connection 

between the killings in the 

church and business 

transaction. Obi Oruche 

totally dismissed the 

claim, adding that those 

saying so want to destroy 

the name of Ozubulu. 

Perpetrators ‘ll be 

brought to book 

—Osinbajo 

ACTING President, 

Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has 

said that those behind the 

dastardly act of the killing 

innocent will be fished out 

and be brought to book. 

A statement signed by 

the Senior Special 

Assistant to the President 

on Media and Publicity, 

Vice President Office, 

Laolu Akande, yesterday 

evening, in Abuja said, 

“Acting President Yemi 

Osinbajo, has since been 

receiving regular updates 

on the status of 

investigations regarding 

the atrocious and 

mindless acts of violence 

yesterday at the St. Philip 

Catholic Church Ozubulu 

in Anambra State. 

“The Acting President 

has been in touch with the 

Anambra State Governor 

Willy Obiano, police 

authorities and other 

security agencies, and 

assures that the 

perpetrators of the 

heinous crimes would be 

brought to justice. 

Uwazuruike gives BIM 

leaders 7 days to fish out 

suspects 

Meanwhile the founder 

of Biafra Independence 

Movement, BIM, Chief 

Ralph Uwazuruike, has 

given seven days 

ultimatum to three zonal 

leaders of BIM in 

Anambra State- Chief 

Arinze Igbani, Anambra 

South; Chief Vincent Ilo, 

Anambra North and 

Emmanuel Omenka, 

Anambra Central, to fish 

out the perpetrators of 

Ozubulu killings. 

Uwazuritke, who 

condemned the killings, 

said it would not be 

encouraged in any part of 

Biafra land, and 

sympathized with the 

bereaved families.


BALE: I’ll fight other 

coaches—Mourinho 

JOSE MOURINHO has revealed he is trying to 

sign Real Madrid star Gareth Bale. 

The Portuguese manager’s Manchester United side 

take on the Welsh star’s La Liga giants in the Uefa 

Super Cup on Tuesday. 

And ahead of the clash he has revealed he would 

“fight” to bring the 28-year-old to Old Trafford should 

he not figure in Madrid’s future plans. 

Mourinho said: “Well if he’s playing tomorrow, no 

I wouldn’t think of that, it’s because he’s in the coach’s 

plans and the club’s plans, because he also has that 

motivation to continue at RM. 

“So I haven’t even thought about the possibility. 

“If he is not in the club’s plans, that with the arrival 

of another player would mean he was on his way out, 

I will try to be waiting for him on the other side and 

fight with other coaches that would want him on their 

team." 

Mourinho eyes Madrid revenge in Super Cup 

FOUR years after his 

t u r b u l e n t 

departure, Jose 

Mourinho will once 

again face Real 

Madrid, looking for 

revenge. 

He has not forgotten 

the manner of his 

leaving, reminding Los 

Blancos directors and 

players of the same at 

recent press conferences. 

It is for this reason that 

he has worked hard with 

his Manchester United 

team so that he can take 

the European Super Cup 

from his former club. 

This first title of the 

season will be the 

opportunity for the 

Portuguese to recover 

from a bad taste in his 

WOLVES 

goal 

keeper Carl 

Ikeme has thanked fans 

and colleagues for their 

“incredible” support since 

he was diagnosed with 

acute leukaemia in July. 

The Nigeria international, 

31, is undergoing 

chemotherapy. 

“The support you’ve 

shown me has been in- 

Sanchez to leave 

Arsenal on free transfer 

ALEXIS Sanchez 

has resigned himself 

to staying at Arsenal 

for another season before 

leaving the club on a free 

transfer, according to the 

Mirror . 

The Chilean is out of 

contract in June 2018, 

leading many to expect 

a summer departure with 

Ikeme grateful for support after leukaemia diagnosis 

Ikeme 

Bale 

NBBF to name provisional D’Tigers list 

for Afrobasket defence 

THE Nigeria Bas 

ketball Federation 

has assured that the list 

of D’Tigers’ players to be 

invited for the 2017 

Afrobasket title defense 

will be released soon 

ahead of the tournament 

to be co-hosted by Tunisia 

and Senegal between 

8th and 16th of September, 

2017 

mouth against a club 

where he won a Copa del 

Rey, a Spanish Super 

Cup and a LaLiga, but 

who he had to leave 

under a cloud. 

“I see Real Madrid as 

what it is: a great club, 

the champion of Europe, 

and it’s a great 

motivation for us, 

“This is a new 

Manchester United, a 

new generation of 

footballers. Last season 

was the Europa League, 

but now we are returning 

to the Champions 

League and a UEFA 

Super Cup against the 

best team in Europe, so 

it is a great opportunity,” 

he argued. 

The Vice President of 

the federation, Babs 

Oguande, said that the 

Technical 

Committee of the federation 

is working round 

the clock to compile 

names of players who 

will be invited to camp 

ahead of the tournament. 

Oguade assured that 

the list will be officially 

made public through all 

the official channels of 

the NBBF as soon as arrangements 

have been 

finalized for the camping 

exercise. 

“We are working on the 

men’s team. The list will 

not be ready for announcement 

on Monday, 

07 August 2017 as expected. 

“We will call for camping 

very soon and once 

that is done, we will of- 

Lukaku 

Arsenal v Leicester: Iheanacho takes part in training 

K 

E L E C H I 

Iheanacho 

yesterday trained to 

give Leicester City 

manager Craig 

Shakespeare a boost 

ahead of the start of the 

new season on Friday. 

The 20-year-old striker 

lasted only 17 minutes 

of his debut following 

his £25 million move 

from Manchester City 

after taking a knock on 

his ankle against 

B o r u s s i a 

Monchengladbach on 

Friday. 

Iheanacho limped off 

the pitch but 

Shakespeare said the 

medical staff were not 

too concerned and 

Iheanacho only suffered 

bruising to his ankle. 

He is now expected to 

be fit to face Arsenal in 

the season’s opening 

fixture at the Emirates 

Stadium. 

Danny Drinkwater is 

expected to miss out on 

Friday after picking up 

a thigh strain in training 

last week, while Robert 

Huth is definitely out 

with an ankle injury. 

credible,” said Ikeme in a 

video message played at 

Molineux before Saturday’s 

1-0 win over Middlesbrough. 

“It’s really helped me 

get through these first few 

weeks and will help me 

get through the rest of my 

treatment.” 

Wolves supporters held 

cards spelling Ikeme’s 

name before kick-off, Wanderers 

players wore special 

T-shirts during their 

warm-up and the cover of 

the match programme - 

designed by ex-Wolves 

captain Jody Craddock - 

featured images of the 

goalkeeper. 

Several events raising 

funds for Birminghambased 

charity Cure Leukaemia 

have been staged 

since Ikeme’s diagnosis, 

including a 24-hour penalty 

shoot-out and a sponsored 

walk before Saturday’s 

game. 

The season opener also 

gave Middlesbrough the 

chance to show their support 

for Boro academy 

player Anthony Renton, 

who was also diagnosed 

with leukaemia in July. 

Manchester City one of 

the clubs linked with a 

deal. 

Arsene Wenger’s refusal 

to negotiate his forward, 

however, has led 

to Alexis cooling his desires 

to leave immediately, 

and he will now wait 

until he is a free agent in 

just under 12 months’ 

time. 

Weah was my idol—Ronaldo 

FORMER Brazil in 

ternational Ronaldo 

says he used to look 

up to Liberian legend 

George Weah, who is one 

of Africa’s greatest footballers 

of all-time. 

Ronaldo, whose full 

name is Luis Nazario De 

Lima, is arguably the 

best striker of all-time 

and he’s widely regarded 

as one of the greatest 

footballers to have 

played the game. 

The retired marksman 

disclosed that Weah, legendary 

Dutch striker 

Marco Van Basten and 

Italian legend Paolo 

Maldini were his idols. 

“George Weah, Marco 

van Basten and Paolo 

Maldini,” Ronaldo told 

Sky Sports News. 

“Those were the guys 

who I looked up to as a 

kid. The greatest ever. 

And when I was playing 

in Europe, too. 

Ronaldo won two FIFA 

World Cups with Brazil 

and he turned out for Italian 

giants Inter Milan 

and AC Milan as well as 

Spanish giants FC Barcelona 

and Real Madrid. 

Weah 

“I needed to stand out 

as well. So... I became 

bold, let’s say. I set targets 

and I went out to 

achieve them,” he added. 

“And I made sure people 

knew what I was doing 

as well.” 

Ronaldo 

expecting 

baby girl 

from 

Rodriguez 

CRISTIANO Ronal 

do’s fourth child is 

expected to be born between 

October and November, 

coinciding with the 

couple’s first anniversary. 

It’s been disclosed that 

Ronaldo and Georgina 

Rodriguez are expecting a 

girl. 

According to the Portuguese 

newspaper ‘Correio 

da Manha,’ Ronaldo will 

become parent of a second 

girl after the birth of Eva. 

The Real Madrid player 

confirmed the pregnancy 

of his partner earlier in the 

summer, with the Spanish 

model posing in the magazine 

HELLO! later on. 

UEFA Super Cup: Nigerian fans to enjoy live telecast 

P AY-television 

service provider, 

GOtv, has assured its 

subscribers exciting 

football action, as the 

new European football 

season kicks off this 

week. 


company, subscribers 

will have access to select 

games of the Premier 

League, Spanish La 

Liga, UEFA Champions 

League, Emirates FA 

Cup and UEFA Europa 

League. 

The Premier League 

will kick off on Friday, 11 

August, while the 

Spanish La Liga will 

start on Friday, 18 

August, with the new 

season promising plenty 

of excitement following 

the conclusion of major 

transfer deals by clubs.


Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2017 

Sudoku 

QUICK CROSSWORD 

TODAY’S PUZZLE 

YESTERDAY’S ANSWER 

TODAY’S CROSSWORD 

YESTERDAY’SOLUTION 

Across 

1 Pail (6) 

4 Collect (4,2) 

8 Smouldering fragment 

of wood or coal (5) 

9 Store of weapons (7) 

10 Make right (7) 

11Serious (5) 

12 Retaliation (3,3,3) 

17 Drained of colour (5) 

19 Obtain (7) 

21 Old war vehicle (7) 

22 Wrong (5) 

23 Part of the eye (6) 

24 Actually (6) 

Down 

1 Whitening chemical (6) 

2 Floor-show (7) 

3 Spooky (5) 

5 Perception (2,5) 

6 East African country (5) 

7 Filch (6) 

9 Space traveller (9) 

13 Stress (7) 

14 Of little importance 

(7) 

15 Fourth sign of the 

zodiac (6) 

16 Largest of the 

Channel Islands (6) 

18 Core (5) 

20 Tremble (5) 

How to Play Sudoku 

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No 

line can have two of the same number). 

Each row (nine lines from left to right), 

column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) 

and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine 

blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. 

This means that no number can appear 

twice in any block, column or row. 

No mathematics is involved – no adding, 

subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain 

logic and your imagination. 

Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-4548355. Advert Dept Hotline: 

01-4544821. Abuja Advert Hotline: 09-2921024. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com 

Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: EZE ANABA. Phone: 01—4548355, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

08082017 - OZUBULU HORROR ATTACK - How gunmen killed my three relations

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?