16012018 - Benue killings: You lied, Osinbajo tells Gov Ortom

ELECTRICITY: 

The high cost 

of living in 

darkness 

25 26 

EFCC in fresh 

10 

move to seize 15 

accounts linked to 

Patience Jonathan 

VOL. 26: NO. 63464 TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018 

Benue killings: You lied, 

Osinbajo tells Gov Ortom 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

** ** 

•No land for cattle colonies here, Benue elders tell Buhari 

•Insist on arrest, prosecution of Miyetti Allah leaders 

•As Buhari directs IGP to arrest perpetrators 

•Begs Benue to accommodate others 

ABUJA—The Vice- 

President, Prof. 

Yemi Osinbajo, 

yesterday, denied 

receiving any letter from 

Benue State governor, 

Samuel Ortom, warning 

him of attacks planned by 

herdsmen. 

His statement came on 

a day President 

Muhammadu Buhari and 

the Benue governor 

disagreed on the need for 

cattle colony to be created 

for herdsmen in states of 

the federation. 

While the President 

asked the governor and 

other leaders in the state 

to accommodate 

herdsmen in the state, 

Continues on Page 5 

FOR PEACE IN BENUE 

President Muhammadu Buhari in handshake with Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, while the Chief of Staff to the President, 

Mallam Abba Kyari (4r) and others watch after a meeting between the President and Benue State Leaders over the Farmers/ 

Herders clash at the State House, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida. 

7 die, many injured as gas 

6 

plant, shop explode in Lagos 

Nigeria heading towards 

anarchy, disintegration, 

Coomasie warns 

COLUMNISTS ERIC TENIOLA 

Duke indicates interest 

in 2019 presidency 

Ekiti govt 

bans Fayemi 

from holding 

public office 

for 10 yrs 

•It’s a joke 

taken too 

far, says ex- 

•Says Buhari disconnected 

9 from ministers 

9 gov 39 

18 ODUMAKIN 17 

SEE 

MAILAFIA 31 

INSIDE 

CBN injects 

$210m as naira 

depreciates to 

N360.65/$ 

5 

Mr & Mrs

2 — VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018—3

4—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018 

Nigeria earns N144.7bn from 

cashew export 

L AGOS—THE 

National Cashew 

Association of Nigeria, 

NCAN, yesterday said 

Nigeria earned N144.7 

billion ($402 million) from 

the export of raw cashew 

nuts to Vietnam and other 

countries in 2017. 

Mr Sotonye Anga, the 

spokesperson for the 

association, said in an 

interview in Lagos. 

Anga said that 220,000 

tonnes of raw cashew nuts 

were exported to Vietnam, 

India and China between 

February and December 

2017. 

“The latest development 

has been interesting 

because just last week, we 

got Nigeria’s final export 

position from Vietnam, 

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

which was quite revealing. 

Out of the 220,000 tonnes 

of exported raw cashew 

nuts, Vietnam accounted for 

181,753 tonnes, while 

38,247 tonnes went to India, 

China and other countries 

in the last 11 months. 

Cashew production in 

Nigeria for 2015 was 

160,000 tonnes, which 

fetched the country 152 

million U.S. dollars (about 

N57.6 billion) revenue. In 

2016, we exported 185,000 

tonnes of cashew nuts and 

earned 259 million dollars 

(aboutN93.2 billion),” he 

said. 

Anga stressed that 

cashhew was a consistent 

foreign exchange earner 

and an international crop 

with huge economic value. 

Telecom operators to implement 

data roll-over period—ALTON 

L Association 

AGOS—THE 

of 

L i c e n s e d 

Telecommunications 

Operators of Nigeria 

(ALTON), yesterday said 

its members were likely 

to implement the 14 days 

grace for data roll-over 

planned by the Nigerian 

Communications 

Commission, NCC. 

Mr Gbenga Adebayo, 

the Chairman of ALTON, 

disclosed this in an 

interview in Lagos. 

NCC is working to 

issue a directive to 

telecommunications 

operators to give 14 

days’ window to 

subscribers to enable 

them to roll over their 

unused data. 

Adebayo said the 

period for data roll over 

was a commercial issue, 

which 

each 

telecommunications 

operator would 

determine how it suited 

its business plan. 

“The decision is left to 

the individual players. 

As an industry player; I 

think it is good for the 

subscribers. If the data 

roll over grace makes the 

subscribers happy, I am 

certain that our members 

will align with the 

directive provided it 

does not impact on the 

existing cost,” he said. 

On its part, the 

National Association of 


Subscribers, 

NATCOMS, has called 

on NCC to extend the 

grace period to 30 days. 

The President of 

NATCOMS, Chief Deolu 

Ogunbanjo, said 14 days 

was not enough, 

considering the present 

economic situation. 

Ogunbanjo said that 

the idea would ensure 

that telecommunications 

subscribers got value for 

money with regard to 

data usage. 

Forum seeks FG's presence 

in Igala land 

By Boluwaji 

Obahopo 

LOKOJA—THE Igala 

Unity Forum, IUF 

Federal Polytechnic Idah 

Chapter has appealed to 

the federal government to 

extend more federal 

presence to the Igala nation 

of Kogi State. 

Coordinator of the Forum, 

Mr Akowe Achimugu who 

spoke at a social gathering 

to mark end of year and 

beginning of a new year , 

noted that the only federal 

presence in Igala land 

were the Federal 

Polytechnic, Idah and the 

unity school at Ugwolawo. 

Achimugu said the two 

institutions were quite 

insignificant to compensate 

the commitment of Igala 

people in Nigeria, said the 

federal roads within Igala 

land were currently in 

deplorable condition 

seeking for urgent 

attention. 

He pleaded with sons 

and daughters of Igala land 

to shun divisive tendencies 

as well as “pull-him-down 

syndrome” and join hands 

together for the overall 

development of Federal 

Polytechnic Idah and Igala 

land in general. 

He said, ‘I urged the 

Igala people to fight a 

common development 

cause rather than fighting 

for individual selfish 

ambition which he has 

retarded the development 

of the Igala nation since 

independence. Our 

struggle for single 

executive position is 

affecting the development 

of Igala land and the 

polytechnic negatively." 

9mobile may still be sold today, as NCC 

declines comment on court order 

By Prince 

Osuagwu, Hi-Tech 

Editor 

ABUJA—THE Nigerian 

Communications 

Commission, NCC, has 

said it is committed to a 

legitimate process in the 

attempt to sell 9mobile to a 

preferred bidder today. 

The Commission, 

however, declined 

comment on whether the 

nullification of the telco’s 

interim board by a Lagos 

high court would affect the 

process. 

A source at the 

commission said : “One 

thing that cannot change is 

our commitment to a 

peaceful and legitimate 

process to the sale of 

9mobile to a preferred 

bidder but we cannot 

comment on any court 

order or declaration at this 

moment. We are studying 

the papers and I am sure 

the Executive Vice 

Chairman would make 

comments at the 

appropriate time” 

This is coming on the 

heels of a strong warning 

by one of the shareholders 

of Emerging Markets 


Service, EMTS, Spectrum 

Wireless Communications 

Limited, that 9mobile 

returns the $35 million 

invested in 2009 with the 

profit realised, before the 

company could be sold. 

The management of 

Spectrum Wireless 

yesterday told Vanguard 

that it would stop the 

planned sale of 9Mobile, 

pending when the money 

it invested would be paid 

back. 

The company solicitors, 

J.A. Achimogu & Co and 

Dr. Reuben Atabo & Co, 

said their client- Spectrum 

Wireless and three others 

invested about $100 million 

in Etisalat(now 9mobile) in 

2009, which the firm used 

to expand its infrastructure 

base, “and as we speak, no 

return on investment has 

come to anyone of us”. 

Atabo particularly 

expressed displeasure that 

the protracted $1.2 billion 

syndicated loan facilitated 

by United Capital for 

Etisalat was shrouded in 

secrecy, stressing that some 

investors were not regarded 

in the entire process. 

ENTREPRENEURSHIP: Founder, The Tony Elumelu Foundation and 

Chairman, Heirs Holdings, Tony Elumelu (left); and Deputy Regional 

Director for International Committee of the Red Cross, ICRC Africa, 

Patrick Youssef, during the historic Signing Ceremony of Memorandum 

of Understanding, MoU, between the Tony Elumelu Foundation and 

ICRC to empower 200 Nigerian entrepreneurs in Nigeria’s North East 

and Niger Delta, in Abuja. 

“When the problem 

arose, most of the directors 

abandoned the 

telecommunications firm 

because they never put 

their money into it. It got to 

the stage that no audited 

account was prepared for 

us to see. Everything about 

the loan and Etisalat was 

shrouded in secrecy. 

“Our investment should 

be adequately recognised. 

No money has been 

returned to Spectrum 

Wireless since 2009 and 

now they are bringing in 

new cronies to acquire 

9mobile again. I think 

Etisalat Nigeria’s board 

should be seriously 

investigated,” Atabo said. 

He added that “We wrote 

several letters to the NCC 

on the matter, but they 

claimed they were 

investigating and still 

nothing came out of it 

before now.” 

He said the action of 

United Capital, which is 

fronting for the lending 

banks, did not take into 

consideration other 

stakeholders in EMTS, 

especially, the non-bank 

investors. He maintained 

that Spectrum Wireless 

wanted its money back, as 

it was not only the banks 

that invested in Etisalat. 

A Lagos High Court 

sitting in Ikoyi, had on 

Friday last week sacked the 

interim board appointed by 

United Capital Trustees 

Limited, the receivermanager 

appointed by the 

consortium of 13 banks 

which lent 9mobile 

(formerly Etisalat Nigeria) 

$1.2 billion for giving false 

information that earlier 

empowered it to appoint 

the board. 

BENUE: TEKAN condemns wanton killings by herdsmen 

•Calls for sack of Ogbe, Danbazau, IG 

By Sam Eyoboka 

THE Fellowship of 

Churches of Christ in 

Nigeria, better known in 

Hausa as Tarayyar 

Ekklesiyoyin Kristi a 

Nijeriya, TEKAN, one of 

the largest Christian 

denominations in 

Nigeria, with about five 

million members, 

yesterday condemned 

the wanton killing and 

destruction of lives and 

properties of her 

members and innocent 

Nigerians by herdsmen 

and 

persons 

masquerading as Boko 

Haram, wondering why 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari has allegedly 

turned blind eyes to 

ongoing annihilation of 

Christians in Northern 

Nigeria. 

In a communiqué after 

its 63rd General 

Assembly at the 

Evangelical Reformed 

Church of Christ, ERCC, 

Alushi, Akwanga, 

Nasarawa State by 

TEKAN President, Rev. 

Caleb Solomon Ahima 

and General Secretary, 

Rev. Moses Jatau Ebuga, 

the group expressed 

dismay that the 

Muhammadu Buhari’s 

led Federal Government 

“has not been able to 

abate the killings and 

destruction of properties 

and called on him to 

uphold the sanctity of 

human life and keep to 

the terms of his oath of 

office and the provisions 

of the Constitution of the 

Federal Republic of 

Nigeria to defend and 

protect the lives of every 

citizen. 

“The Assembly views 

the security architecture 

of Nigeria, and is 

saddened by the fact that 

almost all the heads of 

the security apparatus 

come from the same 

religion and 

geographical zone of 

Nigeria, the Assembly 

believes that the ethnic 

skewed appointments 

are responsible for the 

increasing level of 

Fulani herdsmen 

terrorism in the country 

and calls for a deliberate 

balancing on those 

appointments.” 

The group also urged 

the Federal Government 

to permanently address 

the perennial fuel 

scarcity which was more 

severe during the 

Christmas and New Year 

celebrations resulting in 

untold hardship on the 

citizens. 

The Assembly which 

met for three days to 

review the state of the 

Nigerian Church, 

tagged: "In Time Like 

This," also condemned 

alleged usage of the 

Nigerian Air Force 

fighter jets for attacks 

and killings of innocent 

and defenseless citizens 

in Adamawa and Borno 

states under the guise of 

missed target.

Vanguard, TUESDAY JANUARY 16, 2018—5 

POCKET CARTOON 

GAS EXPLOSION—Burnt gas tankers and property at the scene of fire outbreak at Second Coming 

Nigeria Limited Gas Plant, located on CMD Road, Magodo, Lagos, yesterday. Photo Lamidi Bamidele. 

BENUE KILLINGS: You lied, Osinbajo 

information or 

tells Gov Ortom 

Continues from Page 1 

Governor Ortom said 

Benue State had no land 

to give for cattle colony. 

In a statement by his 

spokesman, Mr. Laolu 

Akande, Osinbajo 

expressed shock over the 

governor’s claims, which 

he described as a 

“terrible falsehood.” 

Ortom had said he 

alerted President 

Muhammadu Buhari, 

Osinbajo, the Inspector- 

General of Police, Ibrahim 

Idris, of the planned 

attacks by herdsmen but 

that they allegedly 

ignored it. 

Reacting to the 

allegation, Osinbajo said 

neither him nor the other 

parties the governor 

claimed to have alerted 

got any letters on the 

situation. 

What Ortom told me — 

Osinbajo 

Akande explained that 

Ortom wrote the vice 

president a letter dated 

June 7, 2017, protesting 

the opposition and 

resistance of Miyetti Allah 

to the anti-grazing law, 

adding that he had also 

received a letter from the 

leadership of Miyetti 

Allah on their reservations 

about the law. 

He said: “It will be a 

terrible falsehood to 

suggest that the VP was 

ever informed by the 

governor or anyone else 

of the imminence of the 

killing of citizens of our 

country in those or any 

other local governments 

in Benue State. 

“Governor Ortom wrote 

to the Vice President, 

then Acting President, on 

June 7, 2017, protesting 

a newspaper publication 

where the leadership of 

Miyetti Allah was 

reported to have stated 

that it was opposed to the 

Open Grazing 

Prohibition law of the state 

and that they would 

mobilize to resist the law. 

“The Miyetti Allah had 

written to the Vice 

President on June 5, 

2017, on the same law 

protesting several 

sections of the law. 

“The governor went on 

to say that the leadership 

of Miyetti Allah should be 

arrested because they 

used words such as 

“wicked, obnoxious and 

repressive,” to describe 

the law, and because 

these were utterances that 

were capable of 

undermining the 

peace…” 

He said upon receiving 

the letter, Prof. Osinbajo 

met with Ortom to discuss 

the security issues in the 

state, and ordered 

security agencies to be on 

the alert. 

He said, however, that 

there was no mention of 

any threats of attacks from 

the herdsmen in the letter 

written to him by Ortom. 

Meetings with Ortom 

“The Vice President 

subsequently met with 

the governor, discussed 

the matter and the security 

situation in the State and 

then ordered law 

enforcement agencies to 

be on the alert to prevent 

any attacks or violence. 

This was in June 2017! 

“In the said letter 

written by the governor, 

there was no mention of 

any threat to any of the 

23 local governments of 

Benue State, so the best 

the law enforcement 

agencies could do even 

then was to await 

intelligence of an 

imminent attack. None 

came. 

“Since then the VP has 

held several meetings 

with the Benue State 

governor, including a visit 

to the state on September 

6, last year, at the behest 

of the President, during 

the tragic floods in the 

state last year. 

“At all such meetings, 

the vice-president 

discussed the security 

situation of the state with 

the governor. 

Security retreat 

“Following that, the 

then acting president 

(Osinbajo) convened a 

major national security 

retreat which was 

attended by all state 

governors, service chiefs 

and heads of security 

agencies. The retreat 

featured very detailed 

discussions on the 

herdsmen/ farmers’ 

clashes. 

“To the best of our 

knowledge, neither 

Governor Ortom nor the 

Federal Government was 

aware of the imminence of 

the cowardly attack on 

Logo and Guma on 

January 1, and, therefore, 

any suggestion that the 

President or the vicepresident 

ignored the 

state governor’s warning 

is both absolutely false 

and certainly 

misleading,’’ he said. 

Please accommodate 

herdsmen, others— 

Buhari 

Meanwhile, President 

Muhammadu Buhari, 

yesterday, met political 

and traditional leaders of 

Benue State at the 

Presidential Villa, Abuja, 

pleading with them to 

accommodate herdsmen 

in the state. 

He also directed the 

Inspector General of 

Police, IGP, Ibrahim Idris, 

to fish out the herdsmen 

that were behind the 

massacre of over 70 

people in five 

communities of Guma and 

Logo local government 

areas of Benue State. 

The President appealed 

to the government and 

people of the state to 

accommodate Nigerians 

from other states and 

ethnic groups in Benue. 

He called on the 

government and people 

of Benue State to exercise 

restraint as he assured 

that all the perpetrators of 

violence in the state will 

be made to face the wrath 

of the law. 

The President 

commiserated with all the 

victims of the attacks, and 

the families who lost 

loved ones and 

properties, noting that the 

government would make 

efforts to ameliorate the 

situation of all the victims. 

He said relevant 

agencies had been 

directed to start catering 

for the humanitarian 

needs. 

Buhari said: “Your 

Excellency, the governor, 

and all the leaders here, 

I am appealing to you to 

try to restrain your people. 

I assure you that the 

Police, the Department of 

State Security (Services) 

and other security 

agencies had been 

directed to ensure that all 

those behind the mayhem 

get punished. 

“I ask you in the name 

of God, accommodate 

your country men. You 

can also be assured that I 

am just as worried, and 

concerned with the 

situation.” 

The president told the 

delegation that his 

administration had 

already begun a process 

of finding a lasting 

solution to the perennial 

challenge of herdsmen 

conflict with farmers and 

communities around the 

country. 

He said the Inspector 

General of Police had 

been directed to relocate 

to the state to provide 

security for lives and 

properties, urging all 

Benue indigenes to trust 

the security agencies and 

report all suspicious cases 

of movements in the state. 

However, Benue 

leaders, led by Governor 

Ortom, insisted that 

President Buhari should 

cause the arrest of leaders 

of Miyetti Allah, who they 

accused of being behind 

the killings in the state 

and had also been 

issuing threats after the 

attacks. 

No land for colonies in 

Benue — Leaders 

Addressing State House 

correspondents after the 

meeting, Governor Ortom 

said the people of the state 

made it clear that there 

was no large expanse of 

land to be donated for 

cattle colonies. 

Ortom, who explained 

that the meeting was on 

the instance of leaders 

from the state, said: “As 

you can see, I am here 

with the entire leadership 

NAIRA WATCH 

of Benue State, members 

of the National Assembly, 

the Tor Tiv, Ochi Idoma 

and the leadership of 

Benue State House of 

Assembly and other very 

distinguished sons and 

daughters of Benue State. 

“You are aware of the 

challenge we had since 

January 1 up to this 

moment. Several people 

were killed, more than 

60,000 people displaced, 

we are still counting. 

“We thought it was wise 

as the father of the land 

and as the President of our 

country that there is need 

to meet with him to 

interface with him. 

“At a personal level, I 

spoke to the President on 

phone on the 1st of 

January when this 

incident occurred and he 

responded promptly. And 

I followed it up with a visit; 

he directed the relocation 

of IGP to Benue State, in 

addition to sending us 

additional troops from the 

military. 

By Adaeze Okechukwu 

Relative calm in Benue 

“So the situation as at 

today, is relatively calm, 

though there are pockets 

of issues. For the past five 

days, we have witnessed 

two killings compared to 

what was happening 

before in Logo local 

Continues on page 45 

CBN injects $210m as naira 

depreciates to N360.65/$ 

The naira yesterday depreciated to N360.65 per 

dollar in the Investors and Exporters (I&E) 

window even as the Central Bank of Nigeria 

(CBN) injected $210 million into the foreign 

exchange market. 

Acting Director, Corporate Communications 

Department (CCD), CBN, Mr. Isaac Okorafor 

confirmed the injection saying: “The CBN offered 

$100million to authorized dealers in the wholesale 

segment of the market, while the Small and Medium 

Enterprises (SMEs) segment received the sum of 

$55 million. Customers requiring foreign exchange 

for invisibles such as tuition fees, medical payments 

and Basic Travel Allowance (BTA), among others, 

were also allocated the sum of $55 million.” 

Meanwhile data from the Financial Market Dealers 

Quote (FMDQ) showed that the indicative exchange 

rate for the I&E window rose to N360.65 per dollar 

yesterday from N360.41 per dollar last week Friday, 

indicating 24 kobo depreciation for the naira. 

The depreciation was occasioned by a 49 percent 

decline in the volume of dollars traded which fell to 

$167.16 million from $327.14 million last week Friday.



7 die, many injured as gas plant, depot explode in Lagos 

By Evelyn Usman & 

Monsuru Olowopejo 

LAGOS—TWO persons died 

when a gas plant at Magodo, 

Ikosi-Isheri Local Council 

Development Area of Lagos, 

belonging to Second Coming 

Company Nigeria Limited, 

exploded yesterday. 

The fate of some severely burnt 

persons was yet to be 

ascertained, as they were said to 

be unconscious at a Lagos 

Teaching Hospital, while those 

that sustained varying degrees 

of burns, were also being treated. 

Those affected were staff of the 

company. But reports had it that 

some persons who had gone to 

transact business at the company 

were also affected. 

It was gathered that three gas 

reservoir tanks, a 33,000-litre gas 

truck, the administrative block of 

the company, electric power 

generating set, gas cylinders and 

other equipment were destroyed 

in the inferno. 

The cause of the explosion was 

attributed to gas leakage at the 

plant located on CMD Road. 

Also, five persons died in 

another gas explosion in Ajara 

Vetho, Badagry Local 

Government Area of Lagos State, 

yesterday. 

An eyewitnesses said the 

explosion, which disrupted 

commercial activities within the 

axis, emanated from a retail gas 

shop on Iluda Road, at about 

8:30a.m., and was reportedly 

caused by excessive heat on the 

cylinders that were locked up in 

the shop. 

The impact of the explosion 

forced the wall to collapse on 

those in the building, the 

eyewitnesses said, adding that 

pieces of dismembered bodies 

littered the scene. 

The eyewitnesses further stated 

that two corpses were recovered 

from drainage, while two others 

were recovered in the premises. 

Among those who were 

severely burnt in the resultant 

inferno were a commercial 

motorcyclist and his passenger. 

Magodo eyewitness’ account 

An eyewitness of the Second 

Coming Company Nigeria 

Limited explosion, Sunday 

Gboyega, told Vanguard that he 

narrowly escaped being 

engulfed in the fire. 

Gboyega said: “I was on my 

way to the gas plant to seek 

employment for one of my 

brothers, who had just graduated 

and waiting for his NYSC 

posting. The plan was for him to 

get himself busy instead of 

waiting at home doing nothing. 

“I was close to the gas station 

when I heard an explosion. It 

was so deafening that vehicles 

stopped abruptly. It was followed 

by another deafening one. The 

next thing I saw were people 

running out from the company 

with shouts of “fire, fire.” 

“At that point, vehicles and 

people started making U-turns; 

Images of the fire victims and the explosion scene at Magodo. PHOTOS: Lamidi Bamidele. 

I had no option but to join. 

There were balls of fire and 

thick smoke emanating from the 

direction of the company. 

“I narrowly escaped being 

trapped. If I had left the house 

10 minutes earlier, perhaps I 

would have been right inside 

when the fire started. I give God 

all the glory for his saving 

grace.” 

LASEMA lists casualties 

The General Manager of 

LASEMA, Mr Shina Tiamiyu, 

revealed that the charred 

remains of two persons, who 

died in the fire, were found at 

the back of the company fence, 

while seven others, with 

different degrees of burns, 

were found in the compound 

and rushed to the Lagos State 

Emergency Centre, at the Old 

Toll Gate. 

Tiamiyu said there would be 

an investigation into the 

incident, with a view to 

ascertaining what went wrong 

and to advise residents living 

close to gas filling stations to 

always remain vigilant. 

The Lagos State Fire Service 

Director, Mr. Rasak Fadipe, said 

they got information about the 

explosion at about 7.15a.m., 

adding that they arrived at the 

scene at about 7.21a.m. 

His words: “When we 

arrived, the fire had covered 

the whole compound, but we 

were able to put it out with the 

combined efforts of other safety 

respondents, including the 

Police, NEMA, the Red Cross, 

LASTMA and the 

Neighbourhood Safety Corps. 

“One of our men got 

injured. All the injured were 

rushed to the Trauma 

Centre. Some with minor 

injuries were treated and 

discharged. We used about 

six fire trucks for the 

Man stabbed to death over chicken in Calabar 

By Ike Uchechukwu 

CALABAR—A fight over 

chicken at a political 

gathering in Calabar, the Cross 

River State capital, has claimed 

the life of a young man, Eyo 

Nsa, who was reportedly 

stabbed to death by members 

of a cult —King Crackers. 

It was gathered that a 

councillorship aspirant in 

Calabar South visited the 

ward’s secretariat at Gibson to 

signify his intention to contest 

and went with refreshment for 

members. 

An eyewitness, Sylvester 

Effiom, said: “One of the boys 

was sharing the chicken, but the 

deceased (Eyo Nsa) didn’t wait 

for them to get to him before 

dipping his hand into the tray 

to take a portion, which 

infuriated the people at the 

gathering. 

“An argument ensued, 

which turned into a fight. In 

the process, the deceased ran 

into their house and came out 

with a machete. As he was 

running towards one of his 

assailants, he was stabbed on 

the upper side of his ribs, fell 

and started bleeding 

profusely. 

“But because it was very 

late, there was no vehicle to 

convey him to the hospital so 

he bled to death on the spot.” 

Another source, who 

pleaded anonymity, alleged 

that the deceased “was a 

leader in the cult (King 

Crackers) and has refused 

to relinquish the position he 

was occupying. 

“The squabble presented a 

perfect opportunity for them 

to kill him since he refused 

to hand over to another 

person. 

“The chicken sharing, 

which caused the quarrel, 

was just a smokescreen. The 

main issue was a leadership 

position in the cult group; 

they know better. He was 

part of them. He was killed 

because he refused to hand 

over to someone else.” 

When Vanguard visited 

the area yesterday, residents 

operation.” 

Edgal, Lagos CP, reacts 

The Lagos State 

Commissioner of Police, CP 

Edgal Imohimi, who also 

visited the scene, noted that 

the location of the gas facility 

was not good for the safety of 

residents of the 

neighbourhood. 

He said the explosion was 

caused by a car exhaust, which 

ignited the gas pipe and 

spread to Magodo Road. 

“I have asked them to 

evacuate all the tanks to avoid 

a second explosion,” he said. 

had deserted their homes for 

fear of being arrested for 

questioning. 

Contacted, the Police Public 

Relations Officer, ASP Irene Ugbo, 

confirmed the incident, saying 

they were trailing the suspect. 

Decomposing 

By John Mkom 

JALINGO—MR. 

Hosea 

Ibi, member representing 

Takum I in Taraba State House 

of Assembly, who was 

kidnapped on December 30, 

2017, was found dead at the old 

site of SCC (Kwari) along 

Takum Kashimbila Road in

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018—7 


Panic in Ebonyi as Lassa Fever kills 

2 doctors, nurse 

By Peter Okutu, Gabriel 

Olawale & Oluwaseyi 

Adeshina 

TWO medical doctors and a 

nurse have been reported 

dead after attending to a Lassa 

Fever patient in Ebonyi State. 

The doctors, Udo Abel, a 

Resident Doctor in the Department 

of otorhinolaryngology (ENT), 

and Ali Felix, a Resident Doctor 

in the Department of Community 

Medicine, at the Federal Teaching 

Hospital, Abakiliki, FETHA, 

Ebonyi State, were said to have 

attended to a Lassa Fever patient 

in the hospital. 

The development, it was 

gathered, has created panic 

among other health workers in the 

hospital with two house officers 

and a nurse, who joined the late 

doctors in treating the contact 

patient, under watch. 

The Secretary, Nigeria Medical 

By Suliat Elemoso 

THE Lagos State Police 

Command and the wanted 

suspected Badoo kingpin, Alhaji 

Alaka Abayomi, were, yesterday, 

embroiled in a war of words over 

the latter’s resolve not to show up 

to answer questions bordering on 

his alleged involvement with the 

killer-cult group. 

While Alaka insisted that he 

would not want his case to be 

investigated by the Command, 

which he accused of being biased, 

his friends have challenged the 

Command to make public its 

evidence against Alaka as the one 

behind several killings in Ikorodu 

area of Lagos. 

They have also dared the 

Command to state why Alaka was 

granted bail without a surety, if its 

claim that he was a murderer was 

anything to go by. 

However, in a swift response, the 

Command explained that Alaka 

was granted an administrative 

bail, which entailed that he must 

show up whenever he was 

wanted. It, therefore, called on 

him to turn himself in and have 

his day in court. 

Recall that the Lagos State Police 

Command, last month, declared 

Alaka wanted in connection with 

body of kidnapped Taraba lawmaker found 

Takum Local Government Area 

of the state, yesterday. 

The body of the lawmaker was 

found 16 days after he was 

kidnapped by unknown 

gunmen from his house, 

opposite Ada Barracks in 

Takum, the headquarters of 

Takum Local Government Area 

of the state. 

Association, NMA, Ebonyi chapter, 

Ariom Ifeanyi, who confirmed the 

incident, said it was a sad day for 

Ebonyi State NMA to announce 

the demise of two members same 

day due to Lassa Fever. 

He said: “Dr. Ali Felix has just 

been laid to rest when we were 

struck by another bad news. Dr. 

Udo Abel of ENT department, 

FETHA, has just died following 

symptoms suspected to be Lassa 

Fever, too. 

“As we pray for happy repose of 

these our fallen heroes, let us pray 

for the recovery of other critical 

members and the safety of the 

entire NMA Ebonyi members.” 

In a statement by the Secretary 

of National Association of Resident 

Doctors, NARD, Dr. O. V. Nnadi, 

Udo was said to have died about 

four hours after a tonsillectomy on 

a Lassa Fever patient. 

The statement said: “The House 

Officer and the nurse that joined 

series of orchestrated killings by the 

Badoo cult group. 

However, the 51-year-old 

independent oil marketer has 

refused to show up, stating rather 

that he would want the case to 

be transferred outside Lagos. 

The command’s boss, Imohimi 

Edgal, had advised that the 

suspect was free to report at any 

The Police Public Relations 

Officer Taraba State Command, 

ASP David Mishar, confirmed 

that the lawmaker’s body was 

found within the old premises 

of SCC Camp along Takum to 

Kashimbila federal road. 

Those who spoke to Vanguard 

in Takum town revealed that the 

body was decomposing at the 

him in the surgery are presently 

on their way to Irrua Specialist 

Hospital, Irrua, Edo State. 

“Ali died in the early hours of 

Sunday at Irrua Specialist 

Hospital, where he was being 

managed for complications 

from Lassa Fever. 

Index patient 

survives, discharged 

Reacting to the development, 

Ebonyi State Commissioner for 

Health, Dr. Daniel Umezuruike, 

who confirmed the deaths at a 

briefing in Abakaliki, revealed 

that the index patient treated by 

one of the doctors and nurse, 

survived and has been 

discharged. 

His words: “Early last week, 

there were suspected cases of 

Lassa and yesterday my 

attention was drawn to it that a 

doctor died of suspected Lassa 

Fever. We sent 12 samples and 

four came out positive.” 

Mr. Umezuruike said the 

cause of the death of one of the 

doctors had not been confirmed 

of the Police stations in the 

country, noting that the force 

is one. But till date, Alaka has 

not shown up. 

Alaka’s camp 

Speaking on behalf of 

Alaka’s friends, Mr. Tunde 

Kukute, a legal practitioner, 

told Vanguard that he flew into 

time it was found. 

Meanwhile, there was 

tension in Takum, home 

town of the dead lawmaker, 

as the youths expressed 

anger with security agents 

for not making enough 

efforts to rescue the 

kidnapped lawmaker. 

Those who spoke to 

to be Lassa Fever as he had 

morbidity of diabetes. 

Self-medicating 

The Commissioner further 

said the victims came to the 

hospital late because they were 

self-medicating when the 

symptoms started showing up. 

His words: “One was selfmedicating; 

he went to Mater 

Hospital in Afikpo. Two doctors 

he saw later advised him to go 

back to FETHA, but refused 

until it was advanced before he 

came to the hospital.” 

For the second doctor, 

Umezuruike said because he 

has morbidity of diabetes, his 

death has not yet been 

confirmed to be caused by 

Lassa Fever. 

Umezuruike debunked 

reports that the victims were 

taken to Irrua Specialist 

Hospital in Edo State for 

treatment instead of the 

Virology Centre built by the 

state government in 

Abakaliki. 

Police/suspected Badoo kingpin saga: 

Tell the world why you released him— Alaka’s friends 

•He was granted administrative bail; he must show up— Police 

the country after he got wind 

of his friend’s case with the 

Police, stating that the case 

also rubbed off on them. 

He said the issue was 

beyond the surface and, 

therefore, challenged the 

Lagos State Police Command 

to declare openly the 

evidence it has against Alaka. 

He also requested to find 

out why Alaka was released 

twice by the Command 

during its earlier investigation 

into the case. 

Kutuke’s words: “Abayomi is 

a childhood friend. If indeed 

he has anything with Badoo 

as claimed by the Police, why 

was he released twice by the 

Command even after it 

confirmed that he was 

involved in the death of a 

couple in Ipakodo? 

“Secondly, why was Alaka 

released without the Police 

referring the case to the 

Directorate of Public 

Prosecutions for further 

advice? 

“If, indeed, Alaka was 

arrested and bailed, can the 

Command confirm the name 

of his surety? Is he or she a 

senator, permanent secretary, 

ex-governor or a king?” 

Vanguard in Takum were 

afraid that the anxiety of the 

youths might extend to 

innocent citizens within the 

area. 

The sources also called on 

the security agents to take 

proactive measures to avert 

any break down of law and 

order as a result of the death 

of Ibi. 

FCT Police 

nab fake 

Aisha 

Buhari 

By Kingsley 

Omonobi 

ABUJA—A 37-yearold 

mother of four, 

Mrs Aisha Bello, arrested 

by the Federal Capital 

Police Command for 

impersonating the wife of 


Buhari, Mrs. Aisha 

Buhari, said it was a risk 

she took as a mean to 

success. 

Speaking with 

journalists in Abuja, she 

said: “I read on Whatsapp 

that for you to succeed, 

you have to take risks.” 

The FCT Commissioner 

of Police, Sadique 

Abubakar, said the woman 

was arrested while using 

the name of the First Lady 

to solicit contracts and 

financial assistance from 

unsuspecting members of 

the public, especially 

heads of government 

establishments. 

On how the suspect was 

nabbed, CP Abubakar 

said: “Mrs Aisha Bello 

was arrested by 

operatives on January 10 

at Fadama 3 project office, 

Maitama, Abuja, 

following a report that she 

contacted the Coordinator 

of the project that she 

wants assistance in her 

capacity as the First Lady. 

“Upon her arrest, a 

phone and a newlyacquired 

SIM card, 

registered in the name of 

Aisha Buhari, First Lady 

of the Federal Republic of 

Nigeria, was recovered 

from the suspect. 

“Investigation is 

ongoing with a view to 

contacting other people 

she must have duped in 

the name of the First Lady. 

At the end of 

investigation, she will be 

charged to court.” 

In an interaction with 

journalists, the suspect 

owned up to 

impersonating the First 

Lady, saying she read on 

Whatsapp that for you to 

succeed, you have to take 

risks. 

Mrs Bello said she is a 

businesswoman and that 

she is into selling of 

clothes, adding that she 

got the phone number of 

the Coordinator of the 

Fadama Project 3 when 

she went to his office some 

time ago. 

According to her, “I 

impersonated the First 

Lady and wife of the 

President because I 

wanted to use her name 

get a contract so that I can 

feed my children.”

8—VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018 


NNPC begins enforcement of 

N133.28 ex-depot fuel price 

By Mike Eboh 

THE 

Nigerian 

National Petroleum 

Corporation, NNPC, 

yesterday, said it has 

deployed more of its 

depots and other 

throughput facilities to 

enforce the N133.28 per 

litre ex-depot price of 

Premium Motor Spirit, 

otherwise known as 

petrol, to marketers 

directly. 

A statement signed by 

Group General 

Manager, Group Public 

Affairs Division of the 

NNPC, Mr. Ndu 

Ughamadu, quoted the 

Managing Director of 

Petroleum Products 

Marketing Company, 

PPMC, Mr. Umar Ajiya, 

as also saying that the 

daily truck-outs from the 

depots had been 

increased from 1,733 

trucks to 2000 trucks per 

day, adding that efforts 

are on to sustain the 

tempo in order to flood 

the market with PMS. 

Ajiya explained that 

the measure became 

necessary to resolve the 

price differentials 

between some of its 

stakeholders. 

He noted that the 

throughput facilities, 

along with some of its 

coastal depots, would go 

a long way in ensuring 

that marketers accessed 

PMS at the approved 

government price. 

He maintained that the 

corporation had 

adequate supply of 

petrol, advising against 

panic buying. 

“As at today, I want to 

confirm that the NNPC/ 

PPMC has more than 20 

days sufficiency both at 

marine and land depots 

and we are still 

operating 24 hours at the 

depots and all NNPC 

Retail Outlets to wet the 

nation with PMS,” Mr. 

Ajiya reassured. 

He added that the 

corporation received 

between one and two 

PMS laden ships per 

day, adding that there 

were days that the 

NNPC/PPMC took 

delivery of four cargoes 

of ship laden with 

petroleum products. 

He stated that queues 

were easing out across 

the country going by 

feedbacks from the field 

and that most of the 

filling stations were 

selling at the approved 

price of N145 per litre. 

The PPMC boss called 

on marketers to desist 

from hoarding and 

diversion of petroleum 

products to neighbouring 

countries, stressing that 

the corporation was 

working hand-in-hand 

with the Department of 

Petroleum Resources, 

DPR, and other security 

agencies to sanction 

defaulting marketers. 

He enjoined motorists 

and other consumers of 

PMS to report any 

infraction by marketers or 

any NNPC Retail outlets 

to any of the under-listed 

numbers for speedy 

action. 0906 000 5621, 

0906 000 5622, 0906 000 

5623, 0906 000 5624. 

ARMED FORCES REMEMBRANCE DAY: Senate President, 

Dr. Bukola Saraki (right) and Speaker, House of Representatives, 

Mr Yakubu Dogara, laying wreaths to mark 2018 Armed Forces 

Remembrance Day, in Abuja, yesterday. 

ARMED FORCES REMEMBRANCE DAY: Buhari, Osinbajo, 

Saraki, others lay wreaths to honour fallen heroes 

•Govs, APC call for enhanced military welfare 

•Army releases 244 repentant Boko Haram 

By Our reporters 

ABUJA— President 

Muhammadu Buhari 

and Vice President Yemi 

Osinbajo, yesterday, led 

service chiefs, other top 

government functionaries 

and members of the 

diplomatic corps to lay 

wreaths in honour of those 

that died in service in 

Nigeria and at international 

assignments. 

This came as the Nigerian 

Army said it has released 244 

repentant Boko Haram 

terrorists to the Borno State 

government. 

Also, some state governors 

called for prayers for families 

of those who died in active 

duties. 

This was part of activities 

marking the 2018 Armed 

Forces Remembrance Day 

celebration, which 

culminated in the laying of 

wreaths at the National 

Military Cenotaph, Abuja. 

Aside the president and his 

vice, other personalities 

present at the wreath laying 

ceremony were Senate 

President, Dr Bukola Saraki; 

Speaker, House of 

Representatives, Yakubu 

Dogara and Chief Justice of 

Nigeria, CJN, Justice Walter 

Onnoghen. 

Others were the Chief of 

Defence Staff, General 

Gabriel Olonisakin and the 

Service Chiefs— Chief of 

Army Staff, Lt General Tukur 

Buratai, Chief of Air Staff, 

Air Marshal Sadique 

Abubakar and Chief of 

Naval Staff, Vice Admiral 

Ibok Ete-Ibas. 

The ceremony, which 

holds on January 15 of every 

year, at National Memorial 

Arcade in Abuja, is also 

dedicated to appreciating 

surviving military men who 

have retired from active 

service. 

Army releases 244 

repentant Boko 

Haram 

Meanwhile, the Nigerian 

Army has released 244 


terrorists. 

Presenting the repentant 

insurgents, yesterday to 

Governor Kashim Shettima of 

Borno State at the Maimalari 

Barracks Military cemetery, 

venue of the Armed Forces 

Remembrance Day, the 

Theatre Commander, Major 

General Rogers Nicolas said 

“on behalf of the Chief of 

Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur 

Buratai, I wish to handover 

these 244 repentant Boko 

Haram to you for re-uniting 

them back to the society.” 

Those released include, 56 

female, 118 male adult, 19 

under aged and 51 children, 

which the army said have 

undergone the deradicalization 

process. 

Receiving the repentant 

insurgents, Governor 

Kashim Shettima 

Nigeria ranks second worst 

electricity supply nation in 

2017 

By Prince 

Okafor 

NIGERIA has been 

ranked as the second 

worst nation in power 

supply as power drops to 

3,851 megawatts, MW. 

The Spectator Index of the 

world’s worst electricity 

supply in 2017, stated this 

in a report released by 

@spectatorindex twitter 

handle, yesterday. 

Of the 137 countries 

examined in the report, 

Yemen ranked as worst 

electricity supply nations in 

2017, followed by Nigeria, 

Haiti, Lebanon, and 

Malawi. 

Ethiopia occupied the 37 

position, while South Africa 

and Algeria occupied the 

41, 45 positions 

respectively. 

Meanwhile, the Advisory 

Power Team report showed 

that the national grid 

capacity stood at 4, 000 

Megawatts, MW. 

The report noted that the 

average power sent out by 

the Electricity Generating 

Companies, GENCOs, on 

the 14th of January, stood 

at 3, 851.06mw, down by 

168.58mw, recorded the 

previous day, adding that 

the peak generation 

averaged 4, 425mw, down 

by 5.5 percent. 

According to the report, 

“On January 14 2018, 

average power sent out was 

3,851MWh/hour (down by 

169MWh/h from the 

previous day). 1437.9MW 

commended the Nigerian 

Army for releasing the 


insurgents and advised 

them to be of good behaviour. 

Saraki, Dogara 

seek military 

welfare 

President of the Senate, Dr. 

Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has 

called on the Federal 

Government and military 

authorities to prioritize the 

welfare of both their serving 

and retired personnel; in 

view of the enormous 

sacrifices they render to 

sustain the peace and 

security of the country. 

Saraki said: “While 

serving members of the 

armed forces must be made 

to feel that their effort at 

protecting the territorial 

integrity of the country and 

assisting in the maintenance 

of law and order internally - 

often at the risk of their very 

lives - is not in vain, the 

welfare of the immediate 

families of all our fallen 

heroes must be given due 

consideration.”’ 

was not generated due to 

unavailability of gas. 

“0MW was not generated 

due to unavailability of line 

infrastructure, while 

680.5MW was not 

generated due to high 

frequency resulting from 

the unavailability of 

distribution infrastructure. 

290MW was not generated 

due to unavailability of 

water. 

“The power sector lost an 

estimated N1,121,000,000 

on January 14, 2018, due 

to insufficient gas supply, 

distribution infrastructure, 

transmission infrastructure 

and water reserves.” 

Consequently, a total of 

63.1mw of energy was sent 

out from Omoku thermal 

power plant with a 

constraint of 16mw. 

Alaoji National 

Independent Power Plant, 

NIPP, had a constraint of 

240mw which affected the 

ability of the plant to 

generate commercial 

energy. 

Energy sent out from 

Delta power plant on the 

same day was 340.76mw 

with a high-frequency 

constraint of 100 Hertz. 

Jebba plant sent out 

302.88mw of energy, while 

Shiroro had a water 

constraint of 290mw, along 

with high-frequency 

constraint of 95 Hz, limiting 

the sent out energy to 

160.31mw, while Kainji 

dam sent out 359.49mw of 

power to the transmission 

company of Nigeria, TCN. 

Also, Speaker, House of 

Representatives, Mr Dogara 

said: “As we mark the 2018 

Armed Forces 

Remembrance Day, let us 

remember to always show 

genuine appreciation to 

gallant men and women 

who deprived themselves of 

so much so that we may 

have this nation, Nigeria. 

Even in death, their sacrifice 

will never be in vain.” 

Ajimobi rallies 

support for fallen 

heroes 

Towing the same line, 

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of 

Oyo State said: “We must 

always give honour to those 

whom it is due. Today, we 

are honouring our fallen 

heroes who have laid down 

their lives for national peace 

and unity. The lesson is that 

we will die at the end of the 

day. What do you like to have 

believed? How do you want 

to be remembered? We are 

remembering them today as 

heroes because they paid the 

utmost sacrifice in the 

service of humanity and 

godliness.”

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018—9 


LECTURE: Kano State Commissioner of Commerce, Industry, Cooperatives and Tourism, 

Ahmad Rabiu; the Emir of Kano, Mallam Muhammadu Sanusi II, and Managing Directordesignate, 

Sterling Bank, Abubakar Suleiman, at the Sterling Bank organised public lecture, 

with the theme, “Reducing poverty and unemployment through non-interest banking,” in 

Kano, yesterday. 

Nigeria heading towards anarchy, 

disintegration, Coomasie warns 

By Ben Agande 

KADUNA — 

CHAIRMAN of Arewa 

Consultative Forum, ACF, 

and former Inspector-General 

of Police, Alhaji Ibrahim 

Coomassie, has warned that 

Nigeria was heading 

towards anarchy and 

eventual disintegration as a 

result of bad governance, 

nepotism and corruption. 

Speaking at a conference on 

“The North and the 

Challenge of Leadership” 

organised by Sir Ahmadu 

Bello Memorial Foundation 

and Arewa Research and 

Development Project to 

commemorate the 52nd years 

of the assassination of the 

former Premier of Northern 

Region, Sir Ahmadu Bello, in 

Kaduna, Alhaji Coomassie 

said corruption had become 

endemic in the country and 

that nepotism had become 

common-place in most 

appointments. 

He lamented that the 

provision of basic amenities 

such as quality education, 

potable water, efficient health 

services and power supply 

had been relegated to the 

background by the current 

crop of leaders in the country. 

According to him, the era 

of Ahmadu Bello and Tafawa 

Balewa was a golden period 

for Nigeria and the Northern 

region, as they laid 

foundation and charted the 

course for the most 

unprecedented, purposeful 

and progressive 

development ever witnessed 

in the north. 

He said: “Northern 

progress and Northern unity 

were uttermost in their 

thought processes while 

administering this large 

expanse of territory, which 

was more than half of Nigeria. 

‘’They ensured even 

development, justice and fair 

play for all the citizens. It was 

a period devoid of religious 

and ethnic bigotry where 

people from the numerous 

ethnic nationalities or creeds, 

held each other in mutual 

respect. 

“Corrupt practices by both 

politicians were very minimal. 

Things like inflation of 

contracts or favouritism in the 

award of contracts were 

virtually non-existent. In short, 

the Northern Nigeria before 

January 15,1966 was a 

territory that was characterised 

by visionary leadership and 

tireless dedication to duty to 

the community. Leaders were 

known for their integrity, their 

sincerity and their humility.” 

he observed. 

The former Police boss 

noted that although the old 

Duke indicates interest in 2019 

presidency •Says Buhari disconnected 

By Chris Ochayi 

ABUJA— FORMER 

governor of Cross River 

State, Mr. Donald Duke, has 

said he will contest for 

Presidency in 2019 general 

elections. 

Duke, who declared his 

interest for the plum job in his 

keynote address at the 3rd 

Mike Omotosho Annual 

Lecture, entitled, “Mellinials 

as Protagonists in Nation 

Building,” Sunday night in 

Abuja, promised to kick-start 

the process at the right time. 

“I am entitled to run for the 

Presidency of this country; I 

am entitled to it. Only on right 

circumstances I will aspire for 

it. I don’t shy away from 

responsibility, only the right 

circumstance, I will aspire for 

presidency of this country. I 

have what it takes to be 

president of this country,’’ he 

said. 

Duke, however, challenged 

the youths to fully participate 

in the electoral process by 

getting their Permanent 

Voters Cards, PVCs, and 

sensitising others ahead of 

2019 general election, rather 

than loafing around, looking 

for who to heap their 

problems on. 

The former governor 

northern region had been 

broken down into 19 states, 

ostensibly to bring 

governance and 

development closer to the 

people, this had not been 

achieved. 

He said: “Political office 

holders pay scant attention 

to the needs of their 

populace. Corrupt practices 

have become endemic. Not 

only are contract sums 

inflated, more often than not 

monies earmarked for 

projects that will immensely 

benefit the populace are 

removed and the projects not 

from ministers 

charged: “It was high time 

Nigerians begun to project 

people with the technical 

know-how to take the country 

to the Promised Land. 

“I hear young people say 

to me that why would they 

spend hours queuing and 

casting their votes when at 

the end their votes won’t 

count, and I tell that if their 

parents conceived them 

they never gave up on them 

considering the high 

mortality rate, so why would 

there not take a chance in 

building this nation? 

“We had young leadership 

at one stage or the other. 

Even in our First Republic, 

besides the likes of Awolowo, 

Tafawa Balewa, M. T. Mbu 

was in his twenties when he 

became a minister. 

“Gowon was 30 when he 

became the head of state. It 

comes back to the disaster 

therein because most of them 

didn’t have experience in 

governance, which led us 

into war. We need the 

combination of both." 

Duke, who disapproved of 

recent death of Nigerian 

migrants on Mediterranean 

sea and slavery in Libya, 

coupled with job loss and 

rate of unemployment in 

executed. 

“Nepotism has become 

common-place in most 

appointments. People who 

lack the requisite qualification 

are appointed to sensitive 

positions in the public sector 

either because they are related 

to, or are cronies to powerful 

political figures with 

resultants devastating 

consequences to the polity. 

“Unless we approach this 

problem with the seriousness 

it deserves, we may be 

heading towards anarchy 

and eventual disintegration.” 

Nigeria, summed up: “I don’t 

know what a definition of 

failed state is and I don’t want 

to categorise Nigeria as a 

failed state yet. However, a 

state that was unable to 

provide for its people has 

faded up. 

“So, if we are not there yet, 

we are walking with our eyes 

open towards it. And we need 

to pull the hand break now 

before it gets late." 

Buhari, ministers 

disconnected 

The ex-governor, while 

rating the activities of the 

present administration, said 

there was disconnection 

between President 

Muhammadu Buhari and his 

cabinet members. 

He said: “The challenge we 

have today is the disconnect. 

That is the challenge of the 

governance today and I am 

being candid here. 

‘’I think we should stop 

deceiving ourselves here and 

stop all these political 

correctness. There is 

disconnecting between the 

President and even the 

ministers.” 

He also attributed the failure 

of governance to lack of 

consequences for erring 

leaders, which had given 

room for incompetence. 

Taraba killings: We smell 

conspiracy among FG, 

Police, herdsmen — CAN 

By John Mkom 

J ALINGO—THE 

leadership of Taraba 

State chapter of Christian 

Association of Nigeria, 

CAN, yesterday, disclosed 

that there was a grand 

conspiracy among the 

Federal Government, the 

police and killer Fulani 

herdsmen over the recent 

killings across Nigeria, 

particularly in the state. 

At press conference in 

Jalingo, CAN chairman in 

the state, Rev. Ben Ubeh, 

said recent killings in 

Taraba State by Fulani 

herdsmen and the stand of 

the security, particularly the 

police needed to be 

scrutinized. 

This is even as they called 

on Governor Darius Ishaku 

of Taraba State not to buy 

into the cheap blackmail by 

Miyetti Allah Cattle 

Breeders Association over 

the implementation of the 

open grazing prohibition 

law. 

CAN said: “We call on 


Buhari, Emirs and patrons 

of Miyetti Allah to rise to the 

occasion and prevent the 

country from going into 

another needless civil war. 

“Cattle breeding is a 

private business and you 

cannot force your private 

FG summons US 

ambassador over Trump’s 

‘shithole’ comment 

By Victoria 

Ojeme 

ABUJA—THE Federal 

Government has 

summoned Stuart 

Symington, United States 

Ambassador to Nigeria, 

over Donald Trump’s usage 

of a demeaning term to 

describe African nations. 

The US president is 

reported to have 

questioned why the US 

would want to have 

immigrants from “shithole 

countries” such as Haiti and 

African nations. 

The comment was 

reportedly made in the 

Oval Office. 

Minister of Foreign 

Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, 

is scheduled to meet with 

the US ambassador 

business on the resources 

of others. If the Federal 

Government creates cattle 

colonies, would they create 

piggery colonies across 

states in north? 

“We support ranching as 

the best solution to the 

killings going on in the 

country. Ranching is the 

way to go and the Federal 

Government should stop 

playing politics with the 

lives of innocent Nigerians 

to please a particular group 

in the country. 

“For now, Mr. President 

seems to be sympathetic to 

his kinsmen going by his 

handling of herdsmen 

killings in the country. The 

President should do the 

needful and truly stand on 

his statement: 'I belong to 

everybody and I belong to 

nobody'.” 

While accusing the 

Federal Government and 

the police of playing double 

standard on issues of 

security in the country, CAN 

said the government last 

year declared Independent 

People of Biafra, IPOB, a 

terrorist group and lunched 

“Operation Python Dance, 

“and “Crocodile Smile” for 

the IPOB and Niger Delta 

Avengers, but failed to do 

so on the issue of herdsmen 

who have killed more 

people, even more than 

Boko Haram. 

Monday. 

Trump’s remark has 

drawn widespread criticism 

from several African 

countries and also the 

United Nations. The UN 

branded it “racist.” 

Rupert Coleville, 

spokesperson for the UN 

High Commissioner for 

Human Rights, said: “If 

confirmed, these are 

shocking and shameful 

comments from the 

President of the United 

States. There is no other 

word you can use but 

‘racist.’ 

“You cannot dismiss 

entire countries and 

continents as ‘shitholes’, 

whose entire populations 

who are not white, are 

therefore not welcome.”

10 — VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018 

Ambode appoints Ajanaku as 

Special Adviser, Information and 

Strategy 

By Olasunkanmi 

Akoni 

L 

A 

G O S — 

GOVERNOR 

Akinwumi Ambode of 

Lagos State has appointed 

Mr. Idowu Ajanaku, as his 

Special Adviser on 

Information and Strategy 

with immediate effect. 

In a letter released 

yesterday, by the Head of 

By Onozure Dania 

L AGOS—JUSTICE 

Ibrahim Buba of a 

Federal High Court, sitting 

in Lagos, yesterday froze an 

account of a Lagos-based 

lawyer, Laitan Fawehinmi, 

over alleged N40 million 

fraud. 

Justice Buba, ordered the 

freezing of the lawyer’s 

account number 

0001172227 domiciled with 

Standard Chartered Bank, 

while granting an ex-parte 

application marked FHC/L/ 

CS/1920/17, filed against the 

lawyer by the Economic and 

Financial Crimes 

Commission (EFCC). 

EFCC lawyer, Mr. 

Murtala Usman, had asked 

the court for an order 

empowering its executive 

chairman or any of its officers 

to instruct the Managing 

Director of Standard 

Ambode calls for strategic 

leadership in public service 

By Fredrick Okopie 

L 

A G O S — 

GOVERNOR 

Akinwunmi Ambode of 

Lagos State has said his 

vision for the Lagos State 

public service is to make 

civil servants strategic 

leaders that must 

understand the effects and 

dynamics of external 

environment and the 

internal capabilities of the 

organisation they operate. 

Ambode stated this when 

he addressed selected 

directors from various 

ministries, agencies and 

departments from the state 

at a training programme 

tagged: “Leadership and 

Management Training for 

Senior Civil Servants in 

Lagos State” at Ikeja. 

Ambode, who was 

represented by the 

Commissioner, Lagos State 

Ministry of Establishments, 

Training, and Pensions, Dr. 

Akintola Oke said: “The 

maximization of efficiency 

and the achievement of 

organisational goals are at 

the top of the priorities of 

Governor Ambode’s 

administration for the state 

civil service. This explains 

why this training has been 


Service, Mrs. Folasade 

Adesoye, the appointment 

was in line with Governor 

Ambode’s vision to 

strengthen the information 

machinery in the state with 

the aim of making it more 

people-oriented and 

effective, to the grass-root. 

Ajanaku, until his 

appointment was the 

Senior Special Assistant 

to the Governor on 

Media and Strategy. 

ALLEGED N40M FRAUD: Court 

freezes lawyer’s account 

Chartered Bank, to freeze 

the lawyer’s account 

pending the conclusion of 

investigations on the 

alleged fraud. 

EFCC in an affidavit in 

support of the originating 

summons, deposed to by 

Abdulrahman Ajigbotosho, 

an investigator with the 

commission stated that his 

team, Land Property Fraud 

Unit had received a petition 

dated October 18, 2017 from 

Emollient Law Practice on 

behalf of K-Solaring 

Investment Limited against 

the defendant. 

He averred in the petition 

that the lawyer allegedly 

obtained the sum of N40 

million from K-Solaring 

Investment Limited, under 

the pretence of having 

authority and mandate to 

sell a plot of land, lying and 

situated at Abijo, Ibeju- 

Lekki, Lagos State. 

given primacy and also 

underlines other numerous 

trainings tailored to improve 

and amplify the leadership 

abilities and skills of senior 

officers in the civil service. 

''It is indisputable that 

organisations will make 

rapid progress and 

experience growth only 

when its units and teams 

and departments are staffed 

by persons who 

understand what 

leadership means and who 

have developed their 

leadership potentials and 

have enhanced their 

performance skills.” 

EFCC in fresh move to seize 15 

accounts linked to Patience Jonathan 

By Onozure Dania 

L Economic 

AGOS—THE 

and 


Commission has 

approached a Federal High 

Court sitting in Lagos, in a 

fresh move to seize funds in 

15 bank accounts allegedly 

linked to Mrs. Patience 

Jonathan, wife of former 

President Goodluck 

Jonathan. 

The funds, which the 

EFCC is seeking to seize, 

include $8,435,788.84 and 

over N7.35 billion. 

EFCC had yesterday 

brought an ex-parte 

application before Justice 

Mojisola Olatoregun, 

seeking temporary forfeiture 

of the funds. 

The move was, however, 

interrupted by a train of 

Senior Advocates of Nigeria 

led by Mr. Ifedayo Adedipe 

(SAN) and Chief Mike 

Ozekhome (SAN), who 

challenged the court’s 

jurisdiction to entertain the 

ex-parte application. 

The SANs told the judge 

that the funds, which the 

EFCC seeks to seize, were 

already subject of litigation. 

But the EFCC, lawyer, Mr. 

Rotimi Oyedepo, 

maintained that the SANs 

had no right of hearing in 

the court since his 

application was an ex-parte, 

wondering how they got 

wind of the move by the antigraft 

agency in the first 

place. 

He urged the judge to 

disregard their appearance. 

The judge upheld 

Oyedepo’s submission, 

following which the SANs 

left the courtroom. 

Meanwhile in view of the 

development, the judge 

adjourned the case till 

January 23, 2018 and 

directed the EFCC to file an 

affidavit to convince her that 

there were no pending 

lawsuits relating to the 

funds sought to be forfeited. 

In the said ex-parte 

application, the EFCC listed 

Patience Jonathan and five 

firms and one Esther Oba 

as respondents. 

The firms that were listed 

as second to sixth 

defendants were Globus 

Integrated Services Ltd., 

We aim to reduce medical tourism — LASUTH CMD 

LAGOS—THE Lagos 

State University 

Teaching Hosptal 

(LASUTH), Ikeja, yesterday 

said it aimed at reducing 

medical tourism to the 

barest minimum in 2018. 

The Chief Medical 

Director (CMD) of the 

hospital, Prof. Wale Oke, 

made this known in an 

interview yesterday in 

Lagos. 

Oke said that the hospital 

was consolidating on the 

transplants that were 

carried out in the hospital 

between 2015 and 2017. 

LASUTH had performed 

its first kidney transplant on 

a 56-year-old man in 

November 2015, followed 

by another on a 38-year-old 

man in August 2016. 

“We are consolidating on 

our transplants; we had 

three more done in 2017. 

We have done two cardiac 

surgeries and by 2018, we 

are hoping to capitalise to 

ON BENUE MASSACRE: From left, Special Adviser to the Governor of 

Nasarawa State on Security Matters, Brig. General Muhammad Adeka (retd); 

HRH Abdullahi Amegwa, Agbo Osama of Keina; HRH Ahmadu Aliyu Ogah, 

Andoma of Doma; Nasarawa State leader of delegation and Secretary to the 

Government, Barrister Mohammed Hassan Abdullahi and Inspector General 

of Police Ibrahim Idris during a peace meeting between Leaders of Miyetti Allah 

and Benue State Elders at the IGP Office in Abuja. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan. 

Finchley Top Homes Ltd., 

Am-Pm Global Network 

Ltd., Pagmat Oil and Gas 

Ltd. and Magel Resort Ltd. 

The ex-parte application 

was supported by a 15- 

paragraph affidavit 

deposed to by an 

investigator with the 

EFCC, Huleji Tukura. 

Tukura claimed that 

investigation by the antigraft 

agency revealed that 

the funds found in the bank 

accounts linked to Patience 

emanated from the coffers 

of Bayelsa State and that 

the funds were moved at a 

time when the former First 

Lady served as the 

permanent secretary in one 

of the ministries in Bayelsa 

State. 

According to Tukura, 

Patience first opened a First 

Bank account and then 

“procured” the then Senior 

Special Assistant to former 

President Goodluck 

Jonathan on Domestic 

Affairs, Waripamo-Owei 

Dudafa, to fund the account 

with “proceeds of unlawful 

activities.” 

Tukura averred, “That the 

said Dudafa Warripamo- 

Owei procured one Festus 

Isidohomen Iyoha and 

Arivi Eneji Peter, who were 

domestic staff attached to 

the State House, Abuja, to 

deposit the funds, 

reasonably suspected to be 

proceeds of unlawful 

activities, into account of 

the first respondent 

(Patience). 

“That in depositing the 

funds into the account of 

the first respondent, the 

said domestic staff, in a bid 

to conceal their identity, 

deposited the funds, 

reasonably suspected to be 

proceeds of unlawful act, 

into the first respondent’s 

account, using fictitious 

names. 

“The total sum of 

$4,036,750.00 (Four million, 

thirty-six thousand, seven 

hundred and fifty United 

States’ Dollar) reasonably 

suspected to be proceeds of 

unlawful activities, were 

deposited into account No. 

2022648664 domiciled in 

First Bank Plc in the name 

of the 1st respondent. 

“That on the 28th day of 

September, 2016, the first 

respondent, in dissipating 

the property sought to be 

forfeited, transferred the 

sum of $3,640,794.72 to the 

first respondent’s account 

No. 2031277178 domiciled 

in First Bank Plc. 

Ikoyi prisons to be relocated from city 

centre for security — LAGOS AG 

By Abdulwahab 

Abdulah & Onozure 

Dania 

LAGOS—THE Federal 

Government is 

collaborating with the 

Lagos 

State 

Government to relocate the 

present Ikoyi Prisons to Epe 

do more; with each one that 

we do, we get better. The 

aim, of course, is to reduce 

the era of medical tourism 

as much as possible. It is 

better for somebody to have 

his or her treatment here; it 

is less expensive, you are 

at home, and so, healing is 

better. Relations can easily 

assist, but when you go 

abroad, you go with a 

relation; pay for that 

relation and stay in a hotel, 

which costs a lot, “ he said. 

for security and efficiency, 

after a world class facility 

must have been built in the 

area. 

Lagos State Attorney 

General and Commissioner 

for Justice, Mr Adeniji 

Kazeem disclosed this at a 

chat with journalists. He 

also reinstated the state 

government determination 

to prosecute tax evaders this 

year. 

According to him, “There 

will be no sacred cows on 

payment of tax and 

necessary levies in the 

state.” 

Mr Kazeem, who said the 

state government was 

willing to continue its drive 

for concrete justice delivery 

system, disclosed that 

discussion between both 

state and federal 

governments for the 

relocation of the Prison had 

reached advanced level. 

He disclosed that the state 

was waiting for the design 

to build a world class facility 

for inmates in Epe. 

As at today, there are 

about 2, 358 inmates in the 

800-capacity Ikoyi Prisons. 

Vanguard gathered that 

there are about 321 convicts 

while the facility has about 

2,037 awaiting-trial 

inmates. 

Prison officials last year 

disclosed that majority of the 

inmates were sleeping on 

bare floor. 

Meanwhile, the AG said: 

“There is an on-going 

discussion with the Federal 

Government to locate that 

prison to possibly Epe or 

some other location, and 

free of that place. The 

whole idea is that that prison 

is congested right in the 

middle of the city. What we 

are going to agree with the 

Federal Government is get 

the design, build the world 

class prison facility.''



MRS HARRIMAN CELEBRATES 80TH BIRTHDAY 

Celebrant, Mrs Irene Harriman (middle), flanked by daughters, Ete 

Harriman-Ayida (left), and Temi Harriman, cutting the cake during her 

80th birthday celebration at her residence in Ikoyi, Lagos, yesterday. 

PHOTOS: Bunmi Azeez. 

From left— Mr. Frank Ogbemi, Mrs Harriman, Mrs. Grace Ogbemi and 

Mrs Tuyen Blagogee. 

From left— 

Mrs Merit 

Ofulue, Mrs. 

Koma Sota and 

Mrs Tobi 

Odunaiya. 

From left—Dr. 

Omawumi 

Urhobo, Mr. 

Peter Arigbe 

and Julie 

Omamuli. 

MURIC blasts FG over 

N40m gift to ex-presidents 

MUSLIM Rights 

Concern, MURIC, 

an NGO, has decried the 

payment of N40 million 

each, to former 

presidents and heads of 

state. 

MURIC made its 

position known in a 

statement issued by its 

Director, Professor Ishaq 

Akintola, in Ibadan, 

yesterday. 

The group described 

the decision as antipeople 

and capitalistdriven, 

lamenting that 

the Nigerian system 

made the “rich richer 

and the poor poorer.” 

The statement said: 

“How decent are we as a 

people if thousands of 

retirees are denied their 

benefits for years, but we 

proudly present huge 

amounts of money to 

former presidents and 

ex-heads of state? 

“Where is our humanity 

if a whopping N40 

million is paid to an expresident, 

who arrogated 

all the honey and milk in 

the land to himself while 

Nigeria can’t be great without 

vibrant iron, steel sector—FUTA don 

By Oboh 

Agbonkhese 

A 

professor of 

Metallurgical 

Engineering has urged 

governments at all levels 

and other key players in 

the manufacturing sector 

to embark on robust 

investment in 

processing, smelting and 

refining industries to 

enhance technological 

entrepreneurship, local 

manufacturing of spare 

parts and ultimately 

resuscitate the hitherto 

moribund automobile 

industry in the country. 

Professor Benjamin 

Adewuyi stated this 

Delta community resolves succession 

tussle, elects new leadership 

WARRI—AFTER two 

months of succession 

tussle, Kokodiagbene 

community in Gbaramatu 

Kingdom, Warri South 

Local Government Area of 

Delta State has installed a 

new executive to govern the 

oil host community. 

The newly-elected 

leadership is chaired by 

immediate past 

Supervisory Councillor on 

Agriculture, Warri South- 

West LGA, Uyadonghan 

Powede, with Jackson 

in office and we still pay 

a paltry N18,000 as 

minimum wage to 

workers who grease the 

machines of our 

economy?” 

According to Akintola, 

this socio-economic 

imbalance emboldens 

criminals, frustrates the 

youths, diminishes 

patriotism and slows 

down the war against 

corruption. 

... impact on 

corruption fight 

He said the Federal 

Government alone 

cannot fight corruption 

alone, but needed the 

people to join the fight. 

His words: “How will 

an overworked, 

underpaid, impoverished 

and oppressed people, 

who are living witnesses 

to the waste of our 

common wealth, 

willingly join the fight? 

“The truth is that 

perhaps no present expresident 

or former head 

of state lives in penury to 

today. Our ex-presidents 

while delivering the 

94th inaugural lecture 

of the Federal 

University of Technology 

Akure, FUTA, on the 

topic Metals and 

Materials: Creating 

Technological 

Entrepreneurial 

Potentials, noting that 

no country can achieve 

any meaningful 

greatness without 

indigenous iron and 

steel-based local 

capacity building 

through technological 

entrepreneurship in the 

metal sector. 

He said for Nigeria to 

join the league of 

countries with vibrant 

Timiyan as General 

Secretary and Seyefa 

Brubor, Public Relations 

Officer, among other 

executives. 

In an acceptance speech 

by Timiyan, the new 

community leaders 

promised an inclusive 

administration, saying 

“we sincerely appeal to all 

those who were in the race 

but couldn’t make it to, in 

the spirit of oneness and 

magnanimity, accept the 

outcome of the election and 

are not in dire need of cars 

from the Federal 

Government. Majority of 

them are in palatial 

mansions on hilltops in 

choice locations all over 

the country.’’ 

He said that the “superrich” 

ex-presidents 

should be giving to the 

poor masses and not 

sucking from their blood 

again, adding that Islam 

encourages equitable 

distribution of wealth. 

Akintola faulted the 

idea of buying new cars 

for leaders while 

ignoring the cries of 

pensioners. 

He advised President 

Muhammadu Buhari not 

to abandon poor 

Nigerians or succumb to 

blackmail from greedy and 

selfish citizens, but to 

remain focused in his 

determination to rid 

Nigeria of wasteful 

spending. 

Akintola noted that God 

will ask every leader how 

he conducted the affairs of 

his people on the day of 

resurrection. 

manufacturing sector, it 

should prioritise the iron 

and steel industry and 

create incentives that will 

lead to the development 

of basic spare parts 

industries, which will 

make substitutes for 

imported varieties. 

In his remarks, FUTA’s 

Vice Chancellor, Professor 

Joseph Fuwape, who 

chaired the occasion, 

appreciated Professor 

Adewuyi’s dexterity, 

describing Adewuyi as an 

astute scholar and an 

administrator par 

excellence, who has 

worked in various 

capacities in the 

university. 

work with the new 

executives in achieving our 

lofty ideas and aspirations 

for the community.” 

The ceremony, graced by 

sons and daughters of 

Kokodiagbene, was chaired 

by opinion leader in the 

community, Chief Jonathan 

Ari, immediate past 

community Chairman, 

Sheriff Mulade, Pa 

Thompson Sewei, 

Amasuowei of 

Kokodiagbene with the 30- 

elder electoral college.



Edo community alleges 

neglect by oil firm 

By Gabriel 

Enogholase 

B ENIN—THE 

people of oil-rich 

Abiala community in 

Oduna Ward of Ovia 

North-East Local 

Government Area of Edo 

State, have accused 

Dubril Oil Company Plc 

that is prospecting for oil 

in the area of total neglect 

in its corporate social 

responsibility to the 

community. 

The community, in a 

petition to Governor 

Godwin Obaseki through 

its counsel, Mr Olayiwola 

Afolabi, said that the 

management of Dubril Oil 

Plc had bluntly refused to 

pay royalty to the 

community and also 

refused to sign a 

Memorandum of 

Understanding, MoU, 

with them as required of 

oil prospecting companies 

with their host 

communities. 

The community 

therefore, appealed to the 

governor to intervene 

immediately and call 

Dubril Oil to order to avert 

crisis and break down of 

law and order in the area. 

Showdown with Akpabio: Gov Emmanuel 

sacks SSG 

By Dennis Udoma, 

Harris-Okon 

Emmanuel & 

Chioma Onuegbu 

THE simmering feud 

between Governor 

Udom Emmanuel and 

his political mentor, 

Senator Godswill 

Akpabio, yesterday, 

recorded its first casualty 

as the governor sacked 

an Akpabio loyalist, Sir 

Etekamba Umoren, as 

Secretary to the State 

Government. 

Umoren, who is of 

Annang extraction like 

Akpabio, served as Chief 

of Staff to the governor 

during the Akpabio 

administration. 

Following Akpabio’s 

exit, he was appointed 

SSG, the same position 

Emmanuel held before 

he was picked by 

Akpabio to become 

governor of the state in 

2015. 

In his place, the 

governor announced Dr. 

Emmanuel Ekuwem, an 

engineer, as the new 

SSG obviously putting 

his own man in the office 

to coordinate the affairs 

of government. 

A statement by the 

Commissioner for 

Information and 

Strategy, Mr Charles 

Udoh, in Uyo, yesterday, 

said: “This appointment 

is part of a continuous 

effort to rejig the 

governance structure of 

the state which started 

with the swearing-in of 

two new commissioners 

less than two months 

ago.” 

The sack of Umoren is 

bound to escalate the 

crisis of confidence that 

recently erupted between 

Governor Emmanuel 

and his political 

benefactor, Akpabio. 

Akpabio had triggered 

the face-off on New Year 

eve when, at a reception 

organised by the deputy 

governor of the state, 

Mr. Moses Ekpo for the 

people of Ikot Ekpene 

senatorial district, 

alleging that his 

successor had 

marginalised his 

senatorial district. 

“2018 is less than one 

year to election. All is 

not well. Don’t allow 

anybody to deceive you 

that all is well. If the 

hotel in Ikot Ekpene rots 

after so much money has 

been expended on the 

project, would that be a 

good thing?” he 

questioned. 

The former governor’s 

assertion has been 

queried by some 

political bigwigs from 

Uyo senatorial district, 

who faulted the former 

governor’s comment 

which they described as 

a campaign of calumny. 

The Uyo Senatorial 

District Leaders Forum, 

USDLF, in a 

communiqué, said 

Akpabio’s Ikot Ekpene 

senatorial district has 

benefitted and 

continued to occupy 

superior advantages in 

appointments and 

projects even under the 

current government. 

Among the 

signatories were 

Otuekong Idongesit 

Nkanga and Senator 

Effiong Bob. 

However, Senator 

Aniete Okon, the 

pioneer publicity 

secretary of the Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, 

was quick to distance 

Umoren’s sack from the 

crisis between the 

former governor and 

his successor. 

According to Okon, 

Umoren’s presence in 

the government as SSG 

was to stabilise the 

Emmanuel administration. 

“It is very unfortunate 

when Nigerians feel every 

issue is political. I must 

say that his removal has 

nothing to do with the 

perceived in-fighting 

going on in the state. So 

people should not make a 

case out of nothing,” he 

stated. 

Dr. Ekuwem, who hails 

from oil-rich Mbo Local 

Government Area, was 

until the appointment, the 

Chairman of Teledom 

Group, an indigenous 

Information and 

Communication 

Technology company. He 

is a former President of the 

Association of 


Company of Nigeria, 

ATCON. 

Dr. Ekuwem will be 

sworn in today. 

IYC, ex-agitators call on FG to 

rebuild Toru-Ndoro community 

By Emma Amaize 

& Samuel 

Oyadongha 

Y ENAGOA—IJAW 

Youth Council, IYC, 

worldwide has called on 


to rebuild Toru-Ndoro 

community in Ekeremor 

Local Government Area of 

Bayelsa State that was 

invaded and burnt down 

as a result of the activities 

of the late militant leader, 

Karouwei and his group. 

Also, Niger Delta 

agitators under the 

auspices of the 21st 

Century Youth of Niger 

Delta, have called for the 

rebuilding of about 50 

houses razed by soldiers 

in Toru Ndoro and 

payment of adequate 

compensation to the 

victims. 

It will be recalled that 

as a result of the 

beheading of a security 

operative, military officers 

in search of the late 

Karouwei invaded and 

burnt down more than 50 

houses in Toru-Ndoro 

community. 

President of IYC, Eric 

Omare, disclosed the 

position of the IYC at a 

meeting with some youth 

leaders of Toru-Ndoro 

Community in Yenagoa. 

Omare, in a statement, 

warned that if the 

Federal Government fails 

to take steps towards 

rebuilding of Toru-Ndoro 

community and 

compensate those who 

suffered losses as a result 

of the invasion within 

two weeks, the IYC will 

mobilize Ijaw and 

human rights lawyers 

all over Nigeria to sue 


and the Nigerian 

military to court for the 

unlawful damage to 

property and other 

damages suffered. 

He said: “It is illegal 

and unconstitutional for 

a community to be burnt 

down in the name of 

searching for a 

suspected criminal. 

There is no law in 

Nigeria which 

empowers security 

agencies to attack and 

burn down an entire 

community because of 

the alleged offences of 

a few members of the 

community.” 

Omare recalled the 

several cases of invasion 

of Ijaw communities by 

military authorities 

including Okerenkoko, 

Ayakoromo, Ajapa, Odi, 

Ajakuruama and now 

Toru-Ndoro. 

Similarly, spokesman 

of the ex-agitators , W O 

I Izon-Ebi, in a 

statement, also raised 

the alarm that the memo 

by the Attorney General 

of the Federation, AGF, 

on the site of the 

Nigerian Maritime 

University, NMU, 

Okerenkoko, was a 

grand design to relocate 

the university, while 

government was 

planning to deploy 

troops in Gbaramatu 

Kingdom to intimidate the 

people. 

“We, the 21st Century 

Youth of Niger Delta, 

condemn in strong terms, 

the purported memo and 

the brutality meted on 

innocent Ijaws of Ekeremor 

council and the burning 

down of 50 houses in the 

course of tracking one 

criminal, Karowei, with 

about 3,000 military 

personnel, which is part of 

the orchestrated plan to 

provoke the Ijaw nation and 

justify their planned 

invasion of Ijaw nation. 

“But this well drafted and 

planned thought to justify 

the atrocities they are about 

to commit will fail. We 

demand the immediate 

rebuilding of the houses 

burnt and adequate 

compensation for the 

property destroyed and a 

befitting burial for the 

innocent and harmless 

civilians killed. 

“We have written to the 

UN, the US government, 

our former colonial master 

Great Britain and the AU 

informing them of the gang 

up to cower us into 

submission. 

“We are, therefore, calling 

on all Nigerians, the 

Nigerian Senate, elder 

statesmen, governors, 

political and religious 

leaders of the Niger Delta 

in particular, to arise and 

condemn this planned 

genocide against the Ijawspeaking 

people of the 

Niger Delta by President 

Muhammadu Buhari 

administration.”



Edo LG polls: EDSIEC warns against violence 

By Simon 

Ebegbulem 

BENIN—AHEAD of 

the March 3, 2018, 

local government elections 

in Edo State, the state 

Independent Electoral 

Commission, EDSIEC, 

yesterday, expressed its 

readiness to conduct a free 

and fair election and 

warned political parties and 

their supporters to ensure 

a violence-free poll. 

Meantime, the Coalition 

of All Progressives 

Akpabio/Emmanuel face-off: A-Ibom South 

leaders call for caution 

By Chioma 

Onuegbu 

EKET—LEADERS of 

Akwa Ibom South 

have called for an end to 

comments on the statement 

by Senator Godswill 

Akpabio that his senatorial 

district, Ikot Ekpene, had 

been marginalised by his 

successor, Governor Udom 

Emmanuel. 

A statement by their 

Chairman, Chief Nduese 

Essien, yesterday, said the 

leaders met on Sunday in 

Eket under the auspices of 

Eket Senatorial District 

Leaders Forum, ESDLF, 

adding: “Having noted the 

concerns raised in different 

quarters, we believe that 

except caution is applied 

and calm restored, we may 

end up collapsing all the 

gains we collectively built 

as a state in the last couple 

of years. 

“Suffice it to say that in a 

democracy, everyone’s 

view is required to oil the 

engines of progress. We are 

of the belief that we should 

be circumspect in our 

Congress, APC, youths in 

Edo State has appealed to 

Governor Godwin Obaseki 

and the leadership of the 

party not to impose 

chairmanship candidates 

for the party in order to 

avoid crisis in the party. 

Speaking at a meeting of 

registered political parties, 

the EDSIEC Chairman, 

Prof Stanley Orobator, 

urged parties to market their 

candidates rather than 

indulging in violent 

activities, noting: “We are 

ready to conduct elections 

utterances and decisions to 

avoid undesirable 

consequences. 

“We have noticed that our 

two statesmen, Senator 

Akpabio and Governor 

Emmanuel, are relating 

well as partners in the state 

project, with the former 

governor making it clear 

that he had not been well 

informed of the 

developments in his 

district. 

“Senator Akpabio was 

Dickson vows to expose politicians 

arming criminals 

By Samuel 

Oyadongha 

Y ENAGOA— 

GOVERNOR 

Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa 

State has restated his 

determination to name and 

shame politicians who are 

arming and supporting 

criminal elements in the 

society. 

Dickson stated this at the 

2018 Armed Forces 

Remembrance Day 

in the 18 councils and we 

are appealing to everybody 

to maintain peace to ensure 

a violence-free election.” 

Also, the Coalition of the 

APC youths, in a statement 

by Imade Osagie, stressed 

the need by the party 

leaders to avoid imposition 

of candidates for the 

chairmanship election, 

saying: “Those who subvert 

the will and aspiration of the 

people to chose popular 

candidates in an election, 

have defeat, regret and 

violence awaiting them at 

quoted as saying in the 

meeting with the 

governor, that if he had 

been so informed, he 

would not have made his 

earlier comments. That, 

to us, would have brought 

an end to the issue, but 

unfortunately, some 

persons still went ahead to 

apportion blames and 

ignite tension.” 

The leaders appealed for 

an end to open 

confrontations and media 

celebration in Yenagoa. 

Commending the 

gallantry of the security 

personnel and their 

contribution to peace, 

security and development, 

he lamented that some 

political leaders were 

engrossed 

in 

compromising security in 

the state. 

Dickson charged the 

leaders of the various 

security outfits to show the 

requisite courage and 

the end of such election. 

“We have been hearing 

rumours about alleged 

plans by the governor and 

leaders of the party to plant 

candidates but they should 

be told that this was what 

brought down the PDP in 

the state. They should look 

at the constitution which 

states that the nomination 

for the position of the 

chairman shall be through 

direct or indirect primaries 

to be conducted at the 

appropriate level.” 

PEACE WALK: Student of the Institute of Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ibadan, on 

peace awareness walk during their Peace Week celebration, in Ibadan, yesterday. 

altercations which could 

only bring joy and 

gratifications to enemies 

who do not wish the state 

well. 

“We cannot forget in a 

hurry, that it took the 

collective support of our 

elders, stakeholders and 

people from Uyo and Ikot 

Ekpene senatorial districts 

to ensure the emergence of 

our son, Mr Emmanuel as 

governor in 2015," the 

leaders added. 

professionalism to take 

decisive measures to 

enforce security in 

accordance with the 

express stipulations of the 

constitution. 

He said: “I call for robust 

partnership. In this state, I 

will continue to kick against 

political leaders who use 

advantaged political 

position to compromise 

national and state security 

instead of supporting 

security and stability in our 

communities." 

C-River APC accuses Ayade 

of repackaging foreign rice 

By Emma Una 

C ALABAR— 

CROSS River 

State chapter of All 

Progressives 

Congress, APC, has 

accused the governor 

of the state, Senator 

Ben Ayade, of 

repackaging imported 

rice as state rice 

produced at the rice 

village in Ogoja. 

However, Ayade’s 

aide on Revenue and 

the Managing Director 

Ayade Rice, Mr 

Godwin Akwaji, said 

the APC's claim was a 

ruse and without proof. 

The state Publicity 

Secretary of APC, Mr. 

Mens Ikpeme, 

through a statement, 

claimed that the 

governor was 

deceiving the public, 

accusing him 

(governor) of selling 

rice smuggled into the 

state as locally 

produced. 

The APC spokesman 

Edo community alleges 

marginalisation by govt 

By Gabriel 

Enogholase 

B ENIN—THE 

people of Ewu 

community in Esan 

Central Local 

Government Area of 

Edo State have alleged 

neglect and 

marginalization by 

s u c c e s s i v e 

governments at the 

local, state and federal 

levels in terms of 

appointments into 

political and public 

offices, provisions of 

infrastructure and 

human capacity 

development. 

Ewu town, which has 

produced prominent 

sons and daughters 

such as renowned 

Evangelist and 

founder of the Christ 

Embassy Church, 

Pastor Chris 

Oyakhilome, former 

Deputy Inspector 

General of Police, Mr 

Fidelis Oyakhilome 

(retd) and a Nigerian 

civil war hero, 

Brigadier- General 

Eronmhonbor among 

others, therefore, 

demanded for a local 

government area of 

their own in order to 

correct the anomaly. 

The community in a 

statement in Benin 

City, yesterday, by 

said investigation by 

his party revealed that 

several trucks carrying 

rice were impounded by 

the Nigerian Customs 

Service, which the 

governor had imported 

into the state. 

He said: “Several 

trucks with thousands of 

bags of rice smuggled 

into the state were 

apprehended and 

impounded by the 

Nigerian Customs 

Service. This is a 

commodity banned by 

the 

Federal 

Government. That the 

Governor Ayade 

government is 

smuggling bags of rice 

is the height of fraud 

and this leaves a sour 

taste in the mouth of the 

public.” 

Mr Chris Ita, Chief 

Press Secretary to the 

Governor, said Ayade's 

rice is local and not 

foreign. He said the rice 

is milled in Makurdi, 

Benue State, at Michael 

Andokaa's rice mill. 

Isiwele Odazuwa and 

Chris Egbele, stated that 

as the second largest 

community in the 

council, they have 

suffered decades of 

neglect in the areas of 

appointments into public 

offices, provision of 

infrastructure and 

human capacity 

development and have 

been made to play 

second fiddle to others. 

They said, “The sad 

trend dates back 27 

years. Just to mention 

one area, almost all the 

major roads and 

adjoining roads in Irrua 

town, the council 

headquarters have been 

reconstructed while nine 

in Ewu was touched. We 

say this act of injustice 

which can no longer be 

allowed to continue." 

“If Ewu people must 

continue to live in peace 

as Esan people in Esan 

Central, with the current 

state of affairs, we will be 

left with no option than 

to demand for our 

excision from Esan 

Central LGA to rejoin 

with our equally 

oppressed brothers such 

as Ukhun and Idoa in 

Esan West LGA, and 

Jagbe in Etsako West 

LGA, to form a new 

council to be known as 

Esan North LGA or 

Kugbe LGA.”


ROYAL LUNCHEON HELD FOR OONI OF IFE BY ASIWAJU OYEKUNLE ALEX DUDUYEMI 

The Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja 11, was hosted to a royal luncheon by 

Asiwaju Oyekunle Alex Duduyemi, the Aaro of Ife, at his Ile Ife residence on Sunday. PHOTOS BY DARE FASUBE. 

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Ogunwusi making a royal entry to the venue of the luncheon. 

From left; The host, Chief Alex Duduyemi; Obalufe of Ife, Oba Idowu 

Abiodun and Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi. 

Chief John Odeyemi Agboola (left) and Chief Olu Falomo. 

General Alani Akinrinade, retd (left) and Prof. 

Oluyemisi Akinyemiju. 

Lagos State Commissioner for Information, 

Mr Kehinde Bamigbetan and wife, Fatima. 

From left; Architect Dupe Omisore; Alhaji Bashir Awotorebo and 

GM/Editor In Chief, Vanguard Newspaper, Mr Gbenga Adefaye. 

A cross section of royal fathers. 

From left; Modakeke Chiefs, Chief Adeyemi Benjamin; Prof. Ayo Isawumi; 

Chief Anthony Oyewole; Chief Olu Toriola and Chief Wale Adebayo. 

From left; Mr Bankole Akinrinade; Senator Baju Bamigbetan; 

Architect Dipo Ajayi and Otunba Lanre Adesuyi. 

C 

M 

Y



By Anayo Okoli, 

Chinonso Alozie 

& Chimaobi 

Nwaiwu 

OWERRI— IMO State 

Governor, Rochas 

Okorocha, yesterday, 

lamented the unchecked 

killings by herdsmen, 

saying that Nigeria had 

been bedeviled by the 

menace of terrorism and 

herdsmen killings, 

describing the situation as 

unfortunate. 

This came as the 

Catholic Bishop of 

Umuahia Diocese, Rt. Rev. 

Lucius Ugorji warned 

that Nigeria is sitting on a 

time bomb that could 

explode anytime if the 

killings by Fulani herdsmen 

are not stopped urgently by 

the Federal Government. 

This is even as the Igede 

people of Benue State 

resident in Anambra and 

Delta states have also 

joined millions of Nigerians 

to berate the administration 

of President Muhammadu 

Buhari for its alleged 

shielding of the herdsmen 

from facing the wrath of the 

law over obvious terrorist 

activities they have been 

carrying out against 

innocent citizens. 

Okorocha’s statement 

came through his Chief 

Press Secretary, Mr. Sam 

Onwuemeodo, while 

speaking at this year’s 

Armed Forces 

Remembrance 

Day celebration held at 

Heroes Square, Owerri. 

Okorocha said he was not 

happy that, “Nigeria today 

is passing through a very 

difficult time. We are having 

so many challenges, 

ranging from terrorism to 

activities of the evil 

herdsmen and those who 

have chosen to kill for no 

just reason.” 

The governor, who is 

known for supporting the 

Buhari-led government 

further said: “It comes to a 

point when a nation may 

look hopeless and helpless. 

This is a very difficult 

moment in the history of the 

nation, but suffice it to say 

that we are consoled by the 

fact that we have gallant 

soldiers who are ready to 

lay their lives to save our 

nation.” 

Nigeria on time 

bomb 

However, speaking at 

Ihechiowa, Arochukwu 

council area of Abia State, 

at the weekend, during the 

dedication of St Mark’s 

Catholic Church, Uburu, 

Catholic Bishop Ugorji 

lamented the herdsmen 

killings, saying the 

herdsmen attacks on 

innocent Nigerians “are 

becoming too many,” as he 

warned that “Nigeria is 

sitting on a time bomb.” 

OFFICIAL CARS: Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, handing 

over keys of four SUVs to Chief Judge of the state, Justice Teresa 

Uzokwe, Deputy Governor, Sir Udo Oko Chukwu (middle), during the 

handing over of SUVs to judges in the state, in Umuahia, yesterday. 

Insert: The SUVs 

Okorocha laments killings 

by terrorists, herdsmen 

•Nigeria sitting on time bomb—Cleric 

•As Igede people accuse Buhari of shielding 

homicidal herdsmen 

He said: “If the Federal 

Government fails to do 

something now, a time will 

come when it will be too 

late.” 

Bishop Ugorji called on 

the Federal Government to 

take urgent and decisive 

steps to avert further 

bloodshed in the country, 

saying that as pastoralists, 

who are also farmers are 

morally bound to abide by 

the tenets of farming which 

includes protecting another 

farmer’s farm and crops. 

He accused the Federal 

Government of looking the 

other way, while herdsmen 

go berserk, killing and 

destroying crops and 

farmland in communities 

and lamented that their 

activities constitute a 

hindrance to the 

government’s increased 

food production 

programme. 

Buhari shielding 

herdsmen 

Meantime, the Igede 

people of Benue State in 

Anambra and Delta states 

have berated the 

administration of President 

Muhammadu Buhari for 

allegedly shielding Fulani 

herdsmen from facing the 

wrath of the law over 

obvious terrorist activities, 

and its lack of interest and 

inability to take 

commensurate action 

against the incessant 

killing of people by 

herdsmen. 

A patron of Ominy Igede 

Anambra /Delta States and 

immediate past President 

General of the association, 

Chief Patrick Akobo, in a 

statement in Onitsha, 

described the latest killing 

of over 73 people in Benue 

State by the herdsmen as 

a "killing beyond pardon 

and an affront to an 

average Benue man and 

woman." 

Chief Akobo urged 


Buhari to set up a special 

Police squad to control the 

menace of the Fulani 

herdsmen who have 

repeatedly attacked and 

killed en-mass, the people 

of Benue in their homes 

and farms. 

“The popular view is 

that, Mr. President being a 

Fulani himself, is turning 

a blind eye to an obvious 

act of terrorism and well 

planned criminal activity 

with a hidden agenda and 

shielding of his fellow 

kinsmen from facing the 

full wrath of the law. 

“Mr. President sir, it is 

nothing to be happy about 

that you have been able to 

control to some extent the 

Boko Haram insurgency, 

only for the herdsmen to 

take over from them to 

cause more havoc, but be 

informed that from the look 

of things, if nothing is 

urgently done, the attack 

will only increase and 

cause tension in the 

country, and reprisal and 

counter attacks will be the 

order of the day, thereby 

sounding the drum of war. 

“We are herby imploring 

the Federal Government to 

stop handling the Fulani 

herdsmen menace with kid 

gloves, but to urgently take 

action to save the lives of 

innocent Nigerians. 

Nobody has monopoly of 

violence. There is elastic 

limit to what Benue people 

will take from the hands of 

the Fulani herdsmen.” 

Ugwuanyi directs contractor 

back to Amurri road site 

ENUGU—IN keeping 

faith with his promise 

to the people of Amurri in 

Nkanu West Local 

Government Area, 

Governor Ifeanyi 

Ugwuanyi of Enugu State 

on Sunday, visited the long 

neglected community to 

inspect the road 

constructed by his 

administration (phase one) 

and ordered the contractor 

handling the project back 

to site for the construction 

of additional two kilometers 

of the road pending further 

improvement on the 

income of the state. 

Ugwuanyi regretted the 

hardship being 

encountered by the people 

of the area because of the 

deplorable condition of the 

road, which they said had 

never witnessed any form 

of development in the past 

100 years. 

The governor reassured 

the community of his 

commitment to their 

wellbeing, recalling that he 

had paid an unscheduled 

visit to the area early last 

year to personally assess 

the road and also find out 

from the people their most 

pressing need for 

government’s immediate 

intervention. 

Mortuary business booming in 

Imo—Ohakim 

By Chidi Nkwopara 

O WERRI—The 

immediate past 

Governor of Imo State, 

Chief Ikedi Ohakim, has 

decried what he called 

“the increasing degree 

of government imposed 

poverty and the 

comatose state of 

medicare in the state, 

which has claimed 

several lives”. 

Ohakim, who made 

Commendation service holds 

for late ex-VP, Ekwueme 

FINAL rites of 

passage have 

begun for the late former 

Vice-President of 

Nigeria, Dr. Alex 

Ifeanyichukwu 

Ekwueme. A statement 

by Mr. Ken Ekwueme 

indicated that a 

commendation service in 

honour of late Dr. 

Ekwueme will hold this 

Friday, January 19, at 

the Cathedral Church of 

Christ, Marina, Lagos, 

at 2p.m, while an 

Evening of Tributes and 

Music is scheduled for 

5p.m. of same day at 

MUSON Centre. 

Thursday, February 1, 

is service of songs at 

Alex Ekwueme’s 

compound in Oko, 

Towards One Million, Stop the 

Violence, One Nigeria march 

AS killings by 

herdsmen continue to 

attract global attention, 

the Arab Event Nigeria 

Organisation, plans to 

kick off its "One Million 

Stop the Violence, One 

Nigeria" march in Abuja. 

The event is also in 

commemoration of 

birthday of Martin Luther 

King Jnr, who was 

renowned for his 

movement for peace and 

tolerance in the United 

States and world over. 

According to Ms. Ngozi 

Kachikwu of Arab 

Movement Nigeria, the Arab 

Event Nigeria 

Organization plans to 

lead a “One million, Stop 

the Violence, One Nigeria 

March,” to kick off from 

Abuja this year. The title 

speaks loudly for the 

agenda. Nigeria needs to 

stop the violence to 

remain one country. We 

need peace to develop. 

his feelings known 

while addressing 

supporters of his 

renewed governorship 

ambition, in his Burma 

Retreat ancestral home, 

Okohia, Isiala Mbano 

Local Council Area of 

Imo State, also 

expressed regret that 

the poverty level and 

poor medical facilities 

have sadly increased 

mortality rate and 

boosted mortuary 

business. 

• Ekwueme 

Anambra State, at 5p.m. 

Next day, Friday, is 

funeral service at St. 

John the Divine Church, 

Oko, at 11a.m. Interment 

and reception follow at 

his compound. 

•Ms Ngozi Kachikwu (middle) flanked by other organizers 

"The lessons to be 

learned from the “One 

million, Stop the Violence, 

One Nigeria March,” is 

the legacy of non-violence 

culled from Dr. Martin 

Luther King, Jnr. In Dr 

Martin Luther King’s 

words, the purpose of 

education is to enable a 

man to become more 

efficient and train one for 

quick, resolute and 

effective thinking. We 

must remember that 

intelligence is not 

enough; intelligence and 

character are the goals of 

true education. Nigeria is 

one; we will celebrate our 

diversities and strengths." 

She added that the One 

Million, Stop the 

Violence, One Nigeria 

March and road show 

kicks off from Abuja in 

2018, and will go all over 

the 36 states, with 

sensitization, awareness, 

and distribution of job 

creation packs.


14TH CHIEF GANI FAWEHINMI ANNUAL LECTURE AND SYMPOSIUM 

From left: Basirat Biobaku; Seun Anikulapo Kuti and Muhammmed 

Fawehinmi at the 14th Chief Gani Fawehinmi Annual Lecture and 

Symposium, with the theme, "Federalism, restructuring and good 

governance: Striking a balance," in Lagos, yesterday. Photos: Akeem 

Salau. 

Chief Arthur Obi Okafor, Chairman, Nigeria Bar Assosiation, NBA, 

Administration of Criminal Justice (left) and Femi Falana, human 

rights activist. 

From left: Mojeed Ajao, Managing Director, Law Publication;Wale 

Ogunade, President, Voter Awareness Initiative and Ayodele Adewale, 

former Chairman, Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area. 

Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN (left) and Prof. Demola Popoola, 

Keynote Speaker/former Dean, Faculty of Law, OAU, Ile Ife. 

ARMED FORCES REMEMBRANCE DAY CELEBRATION 

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State at the 2018 Armed Forces 

Remembrance Day celebration in Ibadan, yesterday. Photo: Dare Fasube. 

Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State laying wreath during 

the event at Murtala Muhammed Square, Kaduna, yesterday. Photo: 

Olu Ajayi. 

Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs Oluranti Adebule 

(representing Lagos State Governor), laying a wreath at, Tafawa 

Balewa Square, Lagos, yesterday. 

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State laying wreath at the event 

in Port Harcourt, yesterday. Photo. Nwankpa Chijioke.

Benue killings: No pasaran ! 

IF the revelations of Mr. 

Samuel Ortom,Governor of 

Benue State, when the Senate 

Ad-hoc Committee on 

Security visited the latest 

killing field of Fulani 

herdsmen are true, then the 

current leadership in Nigeria 

has become a short-hand for 

systematic cruelty and horror 

on an enormous scale. 

After reading the frank 

submission of Ortom, it was 

Ibrahim Bakayoko in God's 

Bits of Wood a 1960 novel by 

the Senegalese author 

Ousmane Sembène that 

concerns a railroad strike in 

colonial Senegal of the 1940s 

that raced to my mind. As the 

strike crippled the system, the 

colonial authorities enlisted 

organised religion to persuade 

the strikers to call off. But 

Bakayoko deflated all their 

platitudes by asking the 

religious leaders if they had 

forgotten that hungry folks 

would most likely forget the 

roads that lead to Churches 

and Mosques .The authorian 

intrusion explained the source 

of the fiery of Bakayoko as "the 

cold fireplace in an empty 

kitchen". 

For Ortom, the mass graves, 

the blood on the streets and 

the tears that never dry must 

have been it as he was 

creating worry to not a few 

people when all this 

started.He drew a lot of flak 

last October when he went to 

the Villa to report the Miyetti 

Allah to the President . 

As he stepped out of the villa 

he told reporters his mission : 

"I have come to brief the 

President on the security 

situation in my state, about the 

threat by Miyetti Allah 

members that have even 

taken us to court; threat that 

they will make the Anti-Open 

Grazing Act impossible for the 

people of Benue State. I also 

intimated him on the general 

security situation in the state. 

Those who want to stay in 

Benue State and do cattle 

business must ranch their 

cattles, this is what we are 

saying. 

As far as we are concerned 

the law is not targeted at any 

individual, group of people or 

ethnic group. It is meant to 

protect everyone who is living 

in Benue State. 

“Miyetti Allah has taken us 

to court and we are there with 

them. But I don’t see how they 

will come and overrun Benue 

and make it ungovernable, it 

is not going to be accepted.” 

He did not wait to see what 

Herdsman on duty 

action would be taken on his 

complaint before he started 

campaigning for the reelection 

of the President in the 

same breath saying there was 

Ortom has stood 

firm at the 

descent of 

barbarism in our 

land and he 

should be 

commended for 

standing as a 

man in a season 

where killers 

have taken over 

the land 

no other credible candidate for 

the 2019 presidential election 

that had the capacity to move 

Nigeria forward apart from 

President Muhammadu . 

“Now we see him bouncing 

every day to the glory of God. 

We appreciate this and we look 

forward that God will help him 

to take us through 2015 to 2019 

and then 2019 to 2023,” he 

said, adding, “for now, there 

is no credible candidate as far 

as I know that has the capacity 

to take Nigeria out of where 

we are today ". 

From then until the latest 

mass murder of his people, it 

was as if he was going to take 

over Rotimi Amaechi's job as 

campaign Director General 

.But all that did not impress 

the butchers as they carried 

out the cruel killings of his 

people. A stunned Ortom 

realised belatedly that 

expansionists and terror 

merchants are not interested 

in your party card and he 

declared : 

“Henceforth, I have 

withdrawn from any political 

activity for now, till peace 

returns to Benue State. No one 

should think of 2019 for now; 

the year will take care of itself. 

I was elected to lead the living, 

not the dead. I’m not afraid of 

death. 

“I would rather die 

defending my people. This is 

beyond politics, I have called 

all former governors of Benue, 

David Mark and party leaders, 

even in the opposition. Let us 

chase the fox before we scout 

for the chicken.” 

Free from party 

encumbrances,he had the 

testicular fortitude to say it as 

it is when he met the Senate 

Committee. Ortom said, “We 

wrote to the vice-president on 

the planned attacks on parts 

of Benue by Fulani herdsmen, 

because the threat was 

everywhere on the streets, but 

he refused to reply. 

“However, when Mr. 

President returned from the 

United Kingdom, I intimated 

him through a letter. The 

documents are here. 

“I wrote to him on the 

planned attack by Fulani 

herdsmen because the threats 

were on the streets. 

“On October 7, 2017, I wrote 

to the Inspector-General of 

Police; I told him of a planned 

attack on our people when 

there was no response (from 

the Presidency). 

“On October 27, 2017, I 

reminded him that these 

people were planning to attack 

us, that we are law-abiding, we 

have disarmed our youths and 

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018 —17 

we are looking unto security 

agencies, and that the way to 

do it was to arrest those 

people who were inciting the 

herdsmen to combat us, and 

we knew they were going to 

come.” 

He added, “I also wrote to 

the Senate President (Bukola 

Saraki), and the Speaker 

(House of Representatives, 

Yakubu Dogara) on October 7. 

I also wrote to the National 

Security Adviser and the 

Director-General of the 

Department of State Services 

to intimate them on the 

planned attacks. When there 

was no action, I followed it up 

with a reminder on October 27, 

2017. 

"There was no response from 

any of them. In fact, the 

National Security Adviser 

invited us to a meeting two 

times but it was put off. 

“This is very sad. I know 

those people who are 

responsible for the killings. I 

accused them and I have 

evidences against them. 

“If I had bought guns and 

gave to my people, would they 

have been killed in the manner 

they were killed? I disarmed 

my people. I’ve not bought a 

single gun, I’m a Christian. If 

I bought, I would say so.” 

If we were not in some 

"sh..hole",these allegations are 

enough for a government to 

step up all its leaders are 

being accused of being 

accessories before the fact of 

murder!?" 

Ortom also had some words 

for the pathetic figure who is 

governor in Plateau state who 

claimed he warned him not to 

promulgate anti-open grazing 

law. “How can he warn me? 

Am I the Governor of Plateau 

State or am I his member of 

staff? Do I work for him? I’m 

Governor of Benue State, and 

my responsibility is to do what 

my people want. That is what 

democracy is.” 

Ortom has stood firm at the 

descent of barbarism in our 

land and he should be 

commended for standing as a 

man in a season where killers 

have taken over the land. All 

lovers of freedom should stand 

with him and all the people 

who are at the receiving end 

of savagery in these days of 

evil unhinged in our land 

knowing well that this too 

shall pass. 

We have to stand firm to 

defend the sanctity of human 

life in our land. We must stand 

up to the killers in our midst 

with the slogan used during 

the Battle of Verdun in the First 

World War by French General 

Robert Nivelle: No pasaran 

(They shall not pass).? 

Re: Adunni Oluwole warned 

against this independence 

IREAD your articles all the time and I want to appreciate 

you for your stand for the good of the country and for 

speaking the truth. I pray the LORD protect, bless and guide 

you as you continue to speak the truth. 

I just read your article with the above title in the Vanguard 

newspaper . It is amazing how the black man behaves. Are we 

saying our independence is not a blessing, as autonomous 

people, but a curse? I ask because this is not what our founding 

fathers fought for. 

My greatest concern is the level of injustice done to the 

governed by those in the driver's seat of governance. In a 

sane country, what has happened in Benue state would not 

have occurred in the first place if the appropriate steps had 

been taken when this whole herdsmen madness started, many 

people lives would have been spared today, not to talk of 

people's livelihoods. 

This is absolute madness and lack of intergrity, empathy, 

justice and what have you on the part of the government. So 

now tomorrow when another president comes in it will now be 

the turn of his clansmen to misbehave and say after all we are 

now in government and can do whatever we like. This president 

is setting a deadly precedent, borrowing from Chinua Achebe, 

this is an ill wind that will do nobody any good. 

I am just so sad because this country is too great to have all 

these happening to it. I hope the people will put sentiments 

and pettiness aside and vote wisely in the coming elections. 

Please Mr. Odumakin continue speaking the truth, hopefully 

one day the people will see the light and say enough is enough 

and do what is needful for the good of the country. 

Thank you once again and God bless you. With people like 

you, there is hope that Nigeria will get better one day. 

Yours sincerely, 

Amaibi Abraham-Bakumo 

Feedback 

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Y 

K

C 

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18 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018 

THIS 2018 will be a year when 

governance takes the back seat to 

make way for political party 

conventions, congresses and 

campaigns. Professor Mahmood 

Yakubu’s Independent National 

Electoral Commission, INEC, has 

already showed its enthusiasm for the 

intense politicking that lies ahead by 

proactively publishing the 

programmes and timelines for the 

impending general elections. Indeed, 

INEC has brought forward political 

activities. This has grave implications 

for the time left for meaningful 

governance. 

A major abnormality of our 

renascent democracy is that the 

Nigerian political elite, in or out of 

government, has perfected the 

tendency to allow politics override the 

need to get the budget passed speedily 

in the year leading to general 

elections. Given the ugly experiences 

Budget before politics, please 

of the 2016 budget year which resulted 

in the 2017 budget not being signed into 

law until June, last year’s budget 

remains largely unexecuted and a lot of 

it will drag into the current year. It will 

be most unfortunate, and indeed selfdestructive, 

if the National Assembly 

fails to quickly pass the 2018 budget 

before its members hit the road for the 

campaigns. 

The APC Federal Government must 

eschew the rancour and uncertainty 

among its constituent interests and close 

ranks not only to ensure the speedy 

passage of the budget but also the 

continuous delivery of democracy 

dividends even when the main political 

campaigns start. President Muhammadu 

Buhari can achieve this if he adopts the 

option of dissolving his cabinet, sending 

career politicians to the campaign field 

while appointing apolitical technocrats 

in their places to continue work on the 

major priorities of the Federal 


The closing of ranks cannot be overemphasised. 

If the Federal Government 

sets a joint Legislative-Executive 

committee to harmonise every possible 

area of friction that could lead to 

undue budget delays, it is very possible 

for the budget to be ready early in 

February 2018. Such a committee has 

become even more imperative in view 

of the threat by a leading legal mind, 

Dr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), to drag the 

National Assembly to court and stop 

the consideration of the 2018 Budget 

over alleged contraventions of parts 

of the Constitution. It is pathetic that 

we can no longer package a national 

budget without so many loopholes 

that militate against its easy passage 

being spotted. 

We plead with our political leaders 

and other stakeholders in the interest 

of this country to put the development 

of our country above politics to avoid 

plunging the 2018 Budget into chaos 

of immeasurable proportions. Politics 

is a means to an end, and not an end 

in itself. 

IN view of recent tribal clashes, 

it is necessary and important to 

take a look at a paper presented by 

Dr. Yusuf Bala Usman(1945-2005) 

of the Department of History, 

Ahmadu Bello University. 

He made the presentation at the 

Presidential Retreat on Peace and 

Conflict Resolution in Some Central 

states of Nigeria, National Institute 

for Policy and Strategic Studies, 

Kuru, Jos, 24th-26th, 2002. Till he 

died on September 24, 2005, Dr. 

Usman was the founder of Centre 

for Democratic Development, 

Research and Training at Ahmadu 

Bello University, Zaria. 

“The most primary of the fabrics 

binding all human communities, 

throughout the world, from the 

earliest Stone Age hunting and 

gathering bands, up to today, has 

been the provision, on a sustained 

basis, of the security of life, and of 

the means of life, to the members of 

that community. But, even from that 

very ancient period of human 

development, one of the most 

difficult political problems that 

human communities and polities 

have faced, is that of establishing on 

a feasible, and operationable, basis 

who is a member of the community 

and who is not. For this defines where 

the boundaries of the community 

and the polity begin and end, and 

who comes within that community 

and who is outside it and constitutes 

an actual or, a potential threat to the 

security and safety of its members. 

But, also one of the most 

permanent features of human 

development has been that these 

boundaries have to keep changing 

and, generally, expanding in order 

to incorporate others, who do not 

have the same ancestry, but who 

move in due to all sorts of factors 

and constitute a dynamic factor in 

improving the cultural, 

technological, economic and even 

A look at Bala Usman’s analysis of 

communal conflicts in Nigeria (1) 

political levels of the community. 

Human progress at all levels, even at 

the level of genetic development, is 

inseparable from immigration and 

the inter-mixing of different groups 

to form new groups. But, this process 

always challenges the existing order 

and generates tension, stresses, which 

can be used to set off violent conflicts. 

These are lessons of history we have 

to face in Nigeria, as others are facing 

them in all countries of the world. 

The communal conflicts in Nigeria 

which, since the 1980s, have become 

more frequent, more widespread and 

more violently destructive of life and 

property, are indications of failures 

to tackle and peacefully resolve the 

current manifestations of this age-old 

problem of the relationships between 

public safety, identity, the boundaries 

of the community, the basis of 

citizenship rights and social, 

economic and political progress. 

Since 1980, some of the well-known 

incidents of violent communal 

conflicts in the country were:1. The 

Kasuwar Magani conflict, Kaduna 

State, in 1980, 2. The Maitatsine 

Uprising, Kano City, in December, 

1980; 3. The Ife-Modakeke conflicts, 

in April, 1981; 4. The Maitasine 

Uprisings of Kano, Kaduna and 

Maiduguri, in October 1982; 5. The 

Maitatsine Uprising, Yola, February, 

1984; 6. The Matitasine Uprising, 

Gombe, April, 1985: 7. The conflicts 

in Numan and neighbouring areas 

of Adamawa State, in 1986-88; 8. The 

conflicts in Kafanchan, Kaduna, 

Zaria and other parts of Kaduna 

But, since these 

violent communal 

conflicts between 

farmers and nomads, 

occur entirely in the 

rural areas, the 

governments do not 

seem to feel 

threatened by them 

and accord them low 

priority 

State, in March 1987; 9. The conflicts 

at Wukari, Takum and other parts of 

Taraba and Benue states, in 1990- 

1992; 1999-2002; 10. the conflict in 

Tafawa Balewa and other parts of 

Bauchi State, in 1991, and 2000- 

2001; l1. the conflict in Zangon Kataf 

and other parts of Kaduna State, in 

February and May, 1992; 12. the 

conflicts in Obi and Toto LGAs and 

neighbouring areas of Nasarawa 

State, in 1995-1999; 13. the conflict 

in the Andoni and Ogoni areas of 

Rivers State, in 1993-94;, 14. The 

conflict in Karim Lamido LGA. 

Taraba State, in 1996-1997; 15. The 

conflict in the Ogoni and Okrika 

areas of Rivers State in 1994-1996; 

16. The conflicts in Nembe and 

Kalabari areas of Bayelsa State, in 

1996-1999;17. The conflict in the 

Bassambiri and Ogbolomabiri areas 

of Bayelsa State, in the 1990s; 18. The 

conflict in the Okpoma Brass areas 

of Bayelsa State in the 1990s; 19. The 

conflict in the Sangama, Soku and 

Oluasiri areas of Rivers and Bayelsa 

States in 1993-2001; 20. The conflict 

in the Burutu LGA, of Delta State in 

2000-2001; 21. The conflicts in Warri 

and its environs, 1997-2002; 22. The 

conflicts in the Okitipupa area of 

Ondo State in 1998-2000; 23. The 

conflict in Mushin, Ajegunle, Ketu 

and Agege and other parts of Lagos 

State, 1999-2000; 24. The conflicts 

in Kano State in 1999-2000; 25. The 

conflicts in the Kaduna Metropolis, 

in 2000; 26. The conflicts in the Jos 

Metropolis and environs, in 2001- 

2002; 27. The conflict in the Quan- 

Pan LGA of Plateau State, and the 

Azara District of Awe LGA of 

Nasarawa State, in 2001; 28. The 

conflicts in Awe LGA and other areas 

of Nasarawa State in 2001- 2002; 29. 

The conflict in Ife and Modakeke 

areas of Osun State, in 2000-2001. 

30. The conflict on the Mambila 

Plateau in 2001-2002; 31. The 

conflict in Gombe State in 

September, 2000; 32. The conflict in 

Shagamu and other parts of Ogun 

State in 1999-2000; 33. The conflict 

in Aguleri and Umuleri areas of 

Anambra State in 2000; 34. The 

conflict in Gwantu, Kaduna, in 2001. 

There were of course many other 

cases of violent communal conflicts 

which did not get prominent 

treatment in the media, or, by the 

government and opinion leaders and 

politicians. The violent clashes 

between Fulani and other nomads 

and Hausa and other peasant 

farmers in the Sahelian states of 

Kebbi, Sokoto, Katsina, Kano, 

Jigawa, Yobe, Borno, Bauchi, 

Gombe, and in the other central 

Nigerian states, hardly receive 

much attention in the media and 

by the state governments and at the 

Federal Government level. They 

are not only, almost annual events 

but, the destruction of lives, 

livestock and property involved, is 

significant. But, since these violent 

communal conflicts between 

farmers and nomads, occur 

entirely in the rural areas, the 

governments do not seem to feel 

threatened by them and accord 

them low priority, as they generally 

do with the whole of rural Nigeria. 

As for most of the media, a report 

of a conflict between Hausas and 

Fulanis, even when their reporters, 

ensconced in the urban centres, 

learn about this, it is not attractive 

for coverage. It exposes as 

questionable, the dominant 

dichotomies of conflict they insist 

on imposing on the general 

domestic and foreign perceptions 

of Nigeria politics, which are, that 

it is , has always been, a matter of 

rivalry. North versus the South; 

Christians versus Muslims: Hausa- 

Fulani versus Middle Belt 

minorities; and Hausa-Fulani 

versus the rest. 

Therefore, over this and other 

types of conflicts, government, 

pronouncements and media 

reports do not give an adequate 

picture of the extent of violent 

communal conflicts in the rural 

areas of Nigeria, particularly 

where they do not involve the 

disruption of oil production, or, oil 

pipelines. Some indications of the 

extent of the reporting of these 

conflicts may be obtained from 

State Security Service and Nigeria 

Police returns from their local 

government offices. 

Continues Online@ www. 

vanguardngr.com

Y 

NAICOM sets N600m capital base for national 

micro-insurance licence 

By Rosemary Onuoha 

NATIONAL Insurance Com 

mission, NAICOM, yesterday 

unveiled the revised 

guidelines for micro-insurance 

operations, which stipulates N600 

million minimum capital base for 

national micro-insurance license. 

The Commission defined microinsurance 

as ‘insurance developed 

for low income populations, 

low valued policies, micro and 

small scale enterprises provided 

by licensed institutions, run in 

accordance with generally accepted 

insurance principles, and 

funded by premiums. 

“Microinsurance products are 

insurance products that are designed 

to be appropriate for the 

low income market, low valued 

policies, micro and small scale 

enterprises in relation to cost, 

terms, coverage, and delivery 

mechanism.” 

The guidelines stated: “For a 

National Microinsurer, minimum 

capital base is N600 million, 

hence while the general business 

will have N400 million, the life 

business will have N200 million. 

“Its operation is nationwide with 

presence in at least six states 

within three geopolitical zones of 

the federation. The company shall 

prove to the Commission through 

their business plan that they are 

going to access the low income 

earners spread across the country 

within a reasonable time 

frame,” NAICOM stated. 

According to the guideline, a 

Unit Microinsurer must have 

minimum capital base of N40 million, 

hence while the general 

business arm will operate with 

N25 million, the life arm will operate 

with N15 million. 

“It is to operate only in any one 

location within a local community 

and the company shall prove to 

the Commission through their 

business plan that they are going 

to access the low income earners 

spread across the location within 

a reasonable time frame. 

“The Commission shall grant a 

CURRENCY BUYING SELLING 

US DOLLAR 

POUNDS 

EURO 

FRANC 

YEN 

CFA 

WAUA 

RENMINBI 

RIYAL 

SDR 

DANISH 

RAND 

$122.45 -0.35 

$1,922.00-6.00 

$14.22 0.04 

$69.71 -0.16 

64.28 -0.02 

304.8 305.3 305.8 

415.6558 416.3376 417.0195 

369.7529 370.3594 370.966 

313.8062 314.321 314.8358 

2.7413 2.7458 2.7502 

0.5393 0.5493 0.5593 

433.0029 433.7132 434.4235 

47.1526 47.2304 47.3082 

81.2713 81.4047 81.538 

434.7362 435.4494 436.1625 

49.6288 49.7102 49.7916 

24.5496 24.5898 24.6301 

CBN Exchange rate as at 15/01/2018 

From left, Lekan Sanni, Group Head, Admin and Legal, Vitafoam Nigeria Plc; Taiwo Adeniyi, 

Group Managing Director, Abagana Abatcha, Group Director, Technical and Development 

and Joseph Alegbesoge, Head, Finance and Account, during media interactive session on the 

company’s 2018 outlook in Lagos. 

Asset reallocation triggers N1.43trn decline in 

fixed income market 

By Nkiruka Nnorom 

ACTIVITIES in the fixed in 

come market fell by N1.43 

trillion in December, 2017 following 

asset reallocation by investors 

hunting for better returns offered 

in the stock market. 

Data from the FMDQ TOC Securities 

Exchange 

showed that transaction 

turnover in the fixed 

income market fell to 

N4.98 trillion from 

N6.41 trillion in the previous 

month in November, 

representing 

22.3 percent decline. 

Also, activities in the 

OTC market (fixed income 

and currency markets) 

for the month fell 

by 20.15 percent or 

N2.99 trillion to N11.86 

trillion from N14.85 trillion 

in November. The 

figure also represent for 

3.26 percent year-onyear 

decline. 

David Adonri, Managing 

Director/CEO, 

Highcap Securities Limited, 

explained that the 

equities and fixed income 

market are in 

perpetual competition, 

saying that when 

one goes up, the other 

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018 — 19 

state microinsurer licence to a unit 

microinsurer upon application following 

36 months of successful 

business operation and approval 

by the Commission,” NAICOM 

said. 

“For a State Microinsurer, minimum 

capital base is N100 million, 

hence while the general business 

will have N60 million, the life arm 

will have N40. 

“It is to operate only in any one 

state of the federation (for this purpose 

Abuja is regarded as a state) 

with at least three branches or office 

locations, each in a different 

local government area. The company 

shall prove to the Commission 

through their business plan 

that they are going to access the 

low income earners spread across 

the state within a reasonable time 

frame. The Commission shall grant 

a national microinsurer licence to 

a state microinsurer upon application 

following 60 months of successful 

business operation and approval 

by the Commission,” 

NAICOM said. 

The regulator said that it issued 

the new guideline to the industry 

as part of the financial inclusion 

strategy to stimulate growth in the 

sector especially the retail end of 

the market, drive insurance penetration 

and service the lower income 

earners who hitherto have 

been excluded from insurance. 

one trends downward. 

He explained that a distressed 

economy moves asset allocation 

in favour of the fixed income market, 

while there would be a flow 

to the equities market at moments 

of economic progression. 

He said: “All these are because 

of the state of the economy. When 

the economy was depressed, the 

fixed income market became more 

attractive; financial assets flew into 

fixed income when the economy 

was depressed, but now that the 

economy is recovering and interest 

rate is declining, assets are now 

migrating from fixed income to 

equity.” 

The data showed that transactions 

in the treasury bill market 

accounted for 83.99 percent of 

the overall fixed Income market, 

from 87.60 percent the previous 

month. Activities in the secured 

money market (Repos/Buy- 

Backs) settled at N2.74 trillion 

in December, a 19.78 percent 

decline compared to N3.41 trillion 

recorded in November 

However, year-on-year, YoY basis, 

turnover on Repos/Buy-Backs 

recorded a 7.75 percent increase 

from the N2.54 trillion recoded in 

December 2016. Unsecured 

Placements/Takings closed the 

month at a turnover of N141.37 

billion, a 37.58 percent or N0.85 

billion decrease from N222.46 billion 

in November. 

Stock market 

maintains 

upward trend 

as investors 

gain N79bn 

By Peter Egwuatu 

THE Nigerian stock market 

yesterday continued its upward 

trend with investors gaining 

additional N79 billion, in the 

first trading day of the week. 

Specifically, the Nigerian Stock 

Exchange, NSE All Share Index 

and market capitalisation rose by 

0.51 per cent, while the Year to 

Date, YtD returns rose to N12.75 

per cent. . 

The All Share Index closed at 

43,119.00 against the previous 

close of 42,898.90 while Market 

capitalization closed at N15.447 

trillion against previous close of 

N15.368 trillion. Volume traded 

decreased by 47.62 percent to 

730.618 million from 1394.801million 

while the total value of stock 

traded decreased by 55.74 percent 

to N6.301 billion in 7,964 deals 

from N14.237billion. 

The Financial Services sector led 

the activity chart with 426.232 

million shares exchanged for N 

3.449 billion. Conglomerates came 

next with 209.225 million shares 

traded for N 0.683 billion, Consumer 

Goods, Oil And Gas, Industrial 

Goods sectors followed in 

that order on the activity chart 

Transcorp, Diamond Bank, 

FCMB, Fidelity Bank and Access 

Bank were the most active stocks 

by volume. FCMB, SKYEBANK, 

International Breweries, Caverton 

and Fidelity Bank emerged the 

highest price gainers on the chart, 

while Eterna Oil , Union Bank Nigeria 

Wapco, NAHCO and 

Cutix topped the losers chart. 

Specifically, FCMB gained 9.84 

percent or 25 kobo to close at 

N2.79 per share, followed by Skye 

Bank with 8.33 percent to close at 

91 kobo per share. International 

Breweries Plc went up by 5 percent 

or N3.00 to close at N63.00 

per share. Caverton inched up by 

5 percent or 8 kobo to close at 

N1.68 per share and Fidelity Bank 

rose by 5 percent or 16 kobo to 

close at N3.36 per share. 

Meanwhile, Standard Chartered 

Bank has advised investors 

to manage downwards risks, with 

preference for equities as the global 

economy heats up. 

Specifically, Standard Chartered 

Bank’s Wealth Management 

Advisory outlook 2018 highlighted 

that: “As the global 

economy gradually heats up and 

the pivot towards reflation continues, 

investors are advised to manage 

downside risks, with a preference 

for equities.” 

Petrol, kerosene record double digit price increase in 

December — NBS 

By Adaeze Okechukwu 

THE average price of Pre 

mium Motor Spirit (PMS), 

commonly called petrol, increased 

by 17.98 percent, month-on-month 

(MoM), even as the average price 

per litre paid by consumers for 

Kerosene jumped by 22.5 percent 

year-on-year in December. 

The National Bureau of Statistics 

disclosed this yesterday in its 

Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) Price 

Watch and National Household 

Kerosene price watch for December. 

The NBS said that, “The average 

price paid by consumers for 

premium motor spirit (petrol) increased 

by 17.10 percent year-onyear 

and 17.98 percent month-onmonth 

to N171.8 in December 

2017 from N145.6 in November 

2017.” 

The bureau disclosed that the 

states with the highest average 

price of PMS were Abia, Kebbi and 

Anambra having N220.4, N210.08 

and N210, respectively; while, 

Ekiti, Abuja FCT and Lagos 

N146, N146.53 and N149.83were 

the states with the lowest prices. 

“The average price per litre paid 

by consumers for National Household 

Kerosene increased by 6.32 

percent (MoM) and 22.50 percent 

(YoY) to N284.03 in December 2017 

from N267.14 in November 2017. 

“However, average price per 

gallon paid by consumers for National 

Household Kerosene decreased 

by 0.32 percent (MoM) 

and increased by 1.59 percent 

(YoY) to N1, 048.97 in December 

2017 from N1, 052.33 in November 

2017.” 

C

20 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018 

Housing delivery: AHCN tasks FG, 

states on PPP models 

Stories by Kingsley Adegboye 

Association of Housing 

Corporations of Nigeria, 

AHCN, has tasked both 

federal and state governments on 

effective Public-Private 

Partnership (PPP) models to 

enhance housing delivery for 

prospective Nigerian home 

owners. 

The President of the association, 

Muhammed Baba Adamu, also 

called on the various tiers of 

government in the country to take 

appropriate steps to address, 

strengthen and embrace 

emerging partnership options for 

effective housing delivery, 

adding that decent and affordable 

mass housing would help to 

promote effectiveness and 

profitability of housing agencies 


Adamu who spoke recently in 

Owerri, Imo State, also called for 

effective partnership models and 

synergies with the Federal 

Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, 

FMBN, to enhance wholesale 

mortgage lending and 

origination. 

According to the AHCN boss, 

potentials of state housing 

corporations in mitigating 

housing deficit in the country had 

been cut short as a result of 

political interference, reiterating 

the association’s commitment to 

effective PPP models. 

He noted that various funding 

opportunities abound for mass 

housing and therefore hinted on 

the move of housing agencies to 

partner with major stakeholders 

in the sector such as NNMRC 

and FMBN for the purpose of 

fashioning out appropriate 

strategy in exploring foreign 

investment and partnership 

windows with long-term tenure 

to expand affordable housing 

market in Nigeria. 

The association also called on 

the Federal Government and the 

Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, 

to inject a minimum of N500 

billion loan as intervention fund 

into the real estate sector at a 

single digit interest rate for mass 

production of houses. 

He said such intervention loans 

would serve as a revolving 

housing fund to develop the 

sector. He noted that absence of 

cheap fund and high cost of 

money were among challenges 

confronting the housing sector. 

To make their resolution a 

reality, the ACHN helmsman 

called on state governments to 

support their housing agencies to 

access the funds for provision of 

housing for their citizens. 

“The Nigerian mortgage system 

is still underdeveloped in driving 

home ownership, as more than 

•Housing estate in Lagos 

90 per cent of new homes utilise 

funds from personal savings for 

incremental construction of which 

overall mortgages account for less 

than one per cent of National 

Gross Domestic Product (GDP), 

and real estate accounts for just 

about 8 per cent, as opposed to 

35 per cent and 65 per cent 

respectively in other developing 

and developed economies of the 

world,” he said. 

Applauding FMBN’s review of 

the off-takers guarantee, which 

has made it acceptable and 

bankable in favour of housing 

corporations to access 

construction loans from 

commercial banks, he enjoined 

state governments to support their 

housing corporations to take 

advantage of the opportunities for 

mass housing projects. 

The association bemoaned the 

dearth of skilled and unskilled 

labour in the housing sector, 

disclosing that agencies have 

resolved to kick-start the 

retraining of housing personnel 

especially professionals that 

supervises projects on sites to 

drive production of quality 

housing and the daunting task of 

Mowe land controversy: Lagos NUJ assures 

subscribers of amicable resolution 

Lagos State Council Chairman, 

Nigeria Union of Journalists, 

NUJ, Qasim Akinreti, has assured 

subscribers to the NUJ Mowe land of 

his administration’s determination to 

find a lasting solution to the controversy 

surrounding the land. 

He made this pledge when he led a 

delegation of the state executive council 

(SEC), and other stakeholders to the 

NUJ site in Mowe, Ogun State. 

The NUJ Mowe land has been 

enmeshed in crises, following a 

controversial housing project initiated 

by the Nigerian Association of Women 

Journalists, NAWOJ, President, Mrs. 

Ify Omowole. 

During a tour of the 56.753 hectares 

of land, the team expressed shock at 

the state of affairs on the land, which 

was bought over a decade ago by the 

union. 

A member of the delegation and The 

Nation's NUJ Chapel Chairman, 

Comrade Musa Odoshimokhe, 

lamented that no development had 

taken place on the land. He said it was 

regrettable that given the peculiar 

situation journalists in the country had 

found themselves in, self-help 

programmes initiated by the leadership 

of the union to provide shelter for its 

members had been left to not only waste 

away, but be a subject of embarrassment 

to all. 

Out of the 56.753 hectares of land, less 

than a plot of land was fenced, despite 

the fact that subscribers had paid N60, 

000 for perimeter fencing per plot more 

than five years ago to the immediate 

past administration of Mr. Deji 

Elumoye. 

Stakeholders also rued the 

uncompleted gate house and iron 

gate,which they claimed not only fell 

short of standard, but has suffered from 

corrosion due to long years of inactivity 

on the land. The survey pillars, the 

stakeholders said, have been washed 

away. 

The NUJ state executive council also 

condemned in strong terms, the three 

uncompleted structures on the land, 

built by the developer, Primewaterview 

Holding Limited, pointing out that the 

structures did not only fall short of 

expectation in terms of standard, they 

did not justify the amount members 

were made to pay to the developer. 

“This is not the type of house they 

told us we will get. This is exploitation 

and it is a shame. A lot of our members 

had high hopes of owning their house 

through this project, but now, this 

seems like a shattered dream,” 

Odoshimokhe lamented. 

mitigating housing shortage in 

the country. 

Besides, he condemned the 

lukewarm attitude of 

governments to the National 

Housing Fund as opposed to 

what obtained when the policy 

was newly introduced. He, 

however, admonished that all 

outstanding contributions to the 

NHF should be remitted while the 

statutory provisions of the 

National Housing Policy be strictly 

enforced and applied as well as 

the sanctions embedded in the 

policy. 

Adamu appealed to states that 

have pulled out of NHF to return 

in order to provide opportunities 

for civil servants to benefit from 

the funds. 

“Some state governments have 

pulled out of the National 

Housing Fund which will rob civil 

servants in such states of the 

inherent benefits of accessing 

mortgage loans through NHF. In 

view of the proposed housing 

development programme to be 

embarked upon by the association 

in all the states of the federation, 

the states should return to NHF,” 

Adamu appealed. 

FMBN was also enjoined to 

make the loans process more 

applicant-friendly by removing all 

bureaucratic hurdles and 

demonstrate a verifiable and 

transparent trends of benefits to 

NHF contributors nationwide in 

order to win back the confidence 

of states that have withdrawn. 

The Investigative Committee on the 

NUJ/NAWOJ Pen Jewel Estate Project 

Chairman, Mr. Fabian Anawo, briefed 

members on its findings. He said the 

committee was doing its best to find a 

lasting solution to the Mowe land 

debacle. He therefore called on the 

subscribers to be patient and wait for 

the report of his committee. 

“We are aware that subscribers are 

agitated. We share their feelings and 

pains. But soon, we shall find a solution 

to the debacle. Please just tell your 

chapel members to be patient with the 

Lagos NUJ administration,” he 

appealed. 

Similarly, the committee’s secretary, 

Mr. Muyiwa Lucas, likened the NUJ/ 

NAWOJ Mowe land issue to a ‘cobweb’ 

which has to be untangled with utmost 

patience. Lucas assured the SEC that 

the committee’s recommendations, 

which will be presented at the February 

NUJ congress, will be far reaching. 

“Major actors in the land issue have 

been interviewed by the committee, 

including the surveyor and omo oniles. 

Although the situation is messy, yet, it 

is not beyond redemption. However, 

what form of redemption to adopt will 

be decided by congress, because they 

have the final say,” Lucas said. 

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•Newly acquired trucks by Visionscape for 

waste management in Lagos 

Lagos Sanitation: 

Visionscape modernises transfer 

loading stations 

… Takes delivery of 100 trucks with cutting-edge technology 

By Kingsley Adegboye & 

Gabriel Olawale 

Visionscape Sanitation 

Solutions, a waste 

management company, 

has completed the 

refurbishment of the Tapa 

Transfer Loading Station, TLS 

in Lagos Island with acquisition 

of 100 categories of trucks 

embedded with cutting-edge 

technology in readiness for 

Cleaner Lagos Initiative of the 

state government. 

Disclosing this during a 

facility tour of the TLS, 

Visionscape Chief Operations 

Officer, Mr. Thomas Forgacs 

said that the newly acquired 

vehicles which estimated cost 

was put at about $50 million, 

was in line with their 

commitment to provide 

integrated waste management 

solutions for the treatment of 

municipal solid waste and 

wastewater under the Cleaner 

Lagos Initiative, CLI. 

“The Visionscape trucks are 

fully equipped and embedded 

with cutting-edge features, 

which include a Global 

Positioning System, GPS, radiofrequency 

identification, RFID 

and automotive Controller Area 

Network, CAN bus system. 

These innovative features are 

designed to meet the 

operational needs facing waste 

management across the state. 

“Using these methods, 

Visionscape will be able to 

monitor and track the state’s 

waste collection process 

thoroughly, ensuring the trucks 

are deployed for effective waste 

collection within Local Council 

Development Areas, LCDAs 

and Local Government Areas, 

LGAs. The shipment consists of 

a series of waste trucks, from 

various rear end loaders to 

operational vehicles. 

“In the last six months, we 

have surveyed all of Lagos State 

and collated vital data to aid 

operations. We, therefore, 

understand population density 

of the communities and areas 

that will be serviced, even up 

to the number of streets and 

households across the state. 

This preliminary assessment 

has aided us to know the 

amount of waste that will be 

generated in any particular 

location. 

“Visionscape has also begun 

construction of West Africa’s first 

engineered 

landfill in 

Epe. To 

date, the 

company 

h a s 

successfully 

cleared 

over 1,000 

litter black 

spots and 

illegal 

d u m p 

s i t e s 

across 

Lagos 

State, as 

part of 

their preoperational 

phase," 

Forgacs 

stated. 

He disclosed that they are 

currently in a public-private 

partnership with the Lagos 

State Government to provide 

management services for the 

CLI, under the Lagos State 

Waste Management Authority, 

LAWMA. 

By Kingsley Adegboye 

Ahead of the second meeting of the 

Conference of the Parties of the Bamako 

Convention (Bamako COP2) billed to take place 

in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire between January 28 

and 30, 2018, Mr. Leslie Adogame, Executive 

Director, Sustainable Research and Action for 

Environmental Development (SRADev), has 

called on the Federal Government to as a matter 

of urgency, ratify and implement the Bamako 

Convention now. 

According to Adogame, “It is most worrisome 

that Nigeria which should play a lead role on 

the continent has inadvertently lagged behind 

29 other countries in Africa. Nigeria’s delay in 

ratifying the Bamako Convention after 20 years 

of its coming into force is a bad omen for a toxicfree 

country and continent. It is simply not 

enough to sign the Convention without 

ratification to implement it. To date, the 

Convention has 29 Signatories and 25 Parties. 

Regrettably, Nigeria is yet to ratify and 

implement this Convention as a signatory since 

1998." 

Faith Osa-Egharevba, Senior Programme Officer 

said, “Nigeria’s continued observer status since 

COP1 in 2013 simply means no voice in the 

continent’s negotiation and on-going effort to 

implement the treaty.” 

The Conference of the Parties of the Bamako 

Convention will be held under the theme: The 

Bamako Convention: a platform for a pollutionfree 

Africa. 

The Bamako Convention on the ban on the 

Import into Africa and the Control of Transboundary 

Movement and Management of 

Hazardous Wastes within Africa is a treaty of 

African nations prohibiting the import of any 

hazardous, including radioactive waste. The 

Convention was negotiated by 12 nations of the 

Organisation of African Unity (now African 

Union) at Bamako, Mali in January, 1991, and 

came into force in 1998. 

Adogame added: “Globally, environmentally 

sound management of hazardous wastes is the 

subject of Chapter 20 of Agenda 21. Effective 

control of the generation, storage, treatment, 

NCF holds 16th S.L. Edu 

Memorial Lecture 

The Nigerian Conservation 

Foundation, NCF, will begin 

the new year with the annual 

Chief S. L. Edu Memorial 

Lecture as part of NCF’s 

sustainable development agenda 

and contribution to nationbuilding 

which is geared towards 

gaining public support for 

burning environmental issues. 

The 2018 Lecture will be the 

16th edition. The lecture is 

scheduled to hold tomorrow, 

January 17, 2018 at the Nigerian 

Institute of International Affairs, 

NIIA, Kofo Abayomi Street, 

Victoria Island, Lagos. 

The theme of this year’s 

edition is Combating Illegal 

Wildlife Trade in West Africa: 

the Role of 

Environmental Law and 

Governance. Professor 

Olanrewaju Fagbohun, a 

professor of Environmental 

Law and Policy and Vice- 

Chancellor, Lagos State 

University, Ojo, will present 

the lecture. 

According to a statement from 

NCF, the theme for the lecture 

was selected because of the 

rising cases of illegal wildlife 

trade in Nigeria and other West 

African countries, pointing out 

that Policy Advocacy is a cardinal 

programme of the Foundation, 

which is used to advocate for 

actions on imminent 

environmental issues, hence 

the choice of topics. 

The lecture was initiated by 

NCF to immortalise the 

Founder, the late Chief Shafi 

Lawal Edu. In the past 15 

years, lectures in diverse 

environmental issues have 

been discussed as a way of 

advocating and educating the 

populace on the need to be well 

sensitised to embrace nature 

conservation and sustainable 

livelihood. 

The event will also be used to 

award scholarships to two 

deserving PhD. students 

studying environmental 

sciences in any Nigerian 

university. The grant, 

sponsored by Chevron, is to 

encourage the students to 

undertake research work in the 

fields related to nature 

conservation, biodiversity and 

sustainable livelihood. 

Ratify, implement Bamako Convention 

now- SRADev boss 

recycling and reuse, transport, recovery and 

disposal of hazardous wastes is, according to 

Agenda 21, of paramount importance for proper 

health, environmental protection and natural 

resource management and sustainable 

development. 

“Among the overall targets of Chapter 20 are the 

following: ratification and full implementation of 

the Bamako Convention on the Ban of the Import 

into Africa and the Control of Trans-boundary 

Movement and Management of Hazardous 

Wastes within Africa; and eliminating the export 

of hazardous wastes to countries that prohibit 

such imports. 

“In Africa, the impetus for the Bamako Convention 

arose also from the realisation that many 

developed nations were exporting toxic wastes 

to Africa (Koko case in Nigeria, Probo Koala case 

in Ivory Coast). Moreover, ratification and 

implementation of the Convention has become 

expedient since Nigeria very recently signed pact 

with Russia to build and operate a nuclear power 

plant despite concerns about poor quality control, 

safety and waste management. 

“Furthermore, in The Future We Want, the 

outcome document of Rio+20 (2012), Nigeria 

reaffirmed her commitment to achieve, by 2020, 

the sound management of chemicals throughout 

their life cycle and of hazardous wastes in ways 

that lead to minimization of significant adverse 

effects to human health and the environment, as 

set out in the Johannesburg Plan of 

Implementation (JPOI 2002)”, the SRADev boss 

noted. 

He stated further that “Nigeria has consistently 

reiterated its diplomatic support for the UN in all its 

efforts, including the attainment of the 2030 Agenda 

for Sustainable Development. President 

Muhammadu Buhari has since 2015 (70th session) 

been honoured to address the United Nations 

General Assembly each year at which he re-affirmed 

Nigeria’s commitment to the Sustainable 

Development Goals' bold steps to transform the world. 

“Charity, they say, begins at home. We urgently call 

on the Federal Government through the Federal 

Ministry of Environment to match words with action 

to ratify the Convention before the COP2 meeting”, 

said Adogame. 

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22— Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018 

Nigeria loses $749m from OPA deals with five oil 

firms 

By Michael Eboh 

NIGERIA lost $749 

million from Offshore 

Processing Arrangements, 

OPA, entered into with five 

companies in 2015, latest audit 

by the Nigeria Extractive 

Industries Transparency 

Initiative, NEITI, has revealed. 

According to the report, of the 

six OPA deals entered into by 

the Pipelines and Products 

Marketing Company, PPMC, on 

behalf of the Federal 

Government, only the deal with 

Calson fetched the country a 

profit of $26.15 million. 

NEITI, in its 2015 audit report 

on the oil and gas industry, 

disclosed that the PPMC 

recorded a combined loss of 

$723.285 million from the OPA 

between it and the six private 

companies, with the loss from 

the Sahara agreement 

accounting for 44.7 per cent of 

the total. 

The report also noted that the 

contracts with Duke Oil and 

Napoil led to a loss of $160.66 

million and $44.55 million to 

the PPMC in 2015. 

However, in its response, 

Sahara Group faulted the claim, 

stating that its OPA contracts 

with the Nigerian National 

Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, 

were executed transparently 

and effectively in full 

compliance with all provisions, 

with absolutely no case of nonperformance 

or incident of 

quality or quantity disputes. 

In the statement posted on its 

website, Sahara Group said: “It 

is on record that there have 

been several reconciliations 

and reviews of the OPA by 

different organisations with the 

outcomes corroborating our 

position. 

“Sahara Group has over the 

past two decades built a track 

record of integrity, 

professionalism and service 

excellence in Nigeria’s 

petroleum industry and these 

attributes continue to drive our 

operations across the globe. 

“We urge our stakeholders, 

partners and the general public 

to disregard possible sensational 

and choreographed smear 

campaigns that may be inspired 

by the NEITI report. 

“We continue to align our 

business processes with the 

principle of integrity and 

transparency as members of the 

World Economic Forum 

Partnering Against Corruption 

Initiative.” 

However, explaining the 

process of the OPA, the NEITI 

report noted that the NNPC 

initiated the Offshore Alternative 

Production Arrangement called 

Oil Vessel 

‘Offshore Processing 

Arrangement (OPA) and Crude- 

Product Exchange (SWAP)’ in 

2010 to mitigate the price 

vulnerability, shortages in 

products availability and 

guarantee of nationwide steady 

supply while at the same time 

freeing cash for other 

expenditures. 

According to the report, due to 

the inability of the refineries to fully 

utilise the 445,000 barrels 

allocation, the NNPC entered into 

agreements with other companies 

to exchange the unutilised crude 

oil volumes for refined products 

FG’s N701bn saved power sector from total collapse – Ugbo 

By Chris Ochayi 

FOR the N701 billion 

intervention funds granted 

the Power Generation Companies, 

GENCOs, by the Federal 

Government early last year, the 

power sector would have 

experienced total collapse, 

Managing Director of Niger-Delta 

Power Holding Company, 

NDPHC, Mr. Chiedo Ugbo has 

said. 

Mr. Ugbo recalled that before the 

release of the intervention funds, 

GENCOs were generating power 

to the grid without getting 

commensurate revenues accrued 

to them from the Electricity 

Distribution Companies, DISCOs. 

The NDPHC boss, who spoke 

in Abuja, lamented that: 

“GENCOs will generate power to 

the grid, maybe the maximum we 

have ever received from the market 

is about 30 per cent of our invoice 

and that challenge is there.” 

According to him, “the 

challenges we have in the 

privatization is as a result of this 

generation revenue, those coming 

to buy the power plant when they 

look at the cash flow, they feel that 

something is not right. 

“Some of them will put $100 

million and some of them around 

THE average price 

of Organisation of 

Petroleum Exporting 

Countries, OPEC’s basket 

of 14 crudes in the past 

one week averaged $66.81 

compared with $65.49 

recorded the previous 

week. According to 

OPEC’s calculation, the 

highest price of crude was 

recorded on the 11th 0f 

January, 2018, which 

averaged $67.39 per 

barrel, while the lowest 

price for the period under 

review stood at $65.85 per 

barrel. 

to meet domestic use through the 

OPA. 

It said: “In 2015, OPA was 

discontinued, recent inquiry into 

the OPA and SWAP contracts by 

the Senate of the Federal Republic 

of Nigeria revealed that the 

contract (written agreement) 

between NNPC and the 

contractors was only made on 31st 

December 2014. 

“Under the OPA arrangement, 

NNPC delivers nominated Crude 

Oil grade to contractors for 

processing and subsequent 

delivery of the products to 

NNPC.” 

$500 million; you don’t make that 

kind of investment without 

knowing where the money is 

going to come from. 

“But the government is a very 

responsive government and 

everybody acknowledged that 

there is problem in the sector. 

Generation had its faults but there 

were also serious market problem. 

“So the government came up 

with the N701billion intervention 

early this year to ensure that at 

least, we are able to pay for our 

gas because with 30 per cent, it 

couldn’t have been able to pay the 

gas supply and then maintain our 

power plant. 

“The average cost, gas alone 

will take about 50 per cent of your 

invoice and now you are 

generating 30 per cent, there is 

no way you could pay for the gas. 

If you are able to pay for the gas, 

you won’t have money to do the 

operation and maintenance of the 

power plant.’’ 

The President Muhammadu 

Buhari government through the 

minister, approved the 

N701billion, so after analysing 

what the sector is supposed to pay 

for gas, they pay every month, the 

advanced cost, they check what 

our advance cost is in the invoice 

and they pay our gas suppliers. 

Global funding of 

solar sector hits 

$12.8bn in 2017 

- Report 

GLOBALLY, corporate 

funding into solar 

sector in 2017 experienced 

some growth amounting to 

$12.8 billion which 

represented a 41 per cent 

jump over the previous year. 

This showed an increase of 

41 per cent against $9.1 billion 

raised in 2016, according to 

global clean energy 

communications and 

consulting firm, Mercom 

Capital Group. 

Total global corporate 

funding into the solar sector, 

including venture capital/ 

private equity, debt financing, 

and public market financing 

stood at $12.8 billion last year. 

“A strong fourth quarter 

pushed overall funding higher 

in 2017,” 

Raj Prabhu, CEO and Co- 

Founder of Mercom Capital 

Group, disclosed in a release. 

Higher installation levels 

around the world, strong debt 

financing activity, and over a 

billion dollars in securitisation 

deals and other factors helped 

the solar industry have a 

much better year in terms of 

financial activity compared to 

2016, he added. 

“That means when they do that, 

it cost us like 50 per cent, so we 

will be getting roughly around 80 

per cent of our invoice paid now. 

“So generation companies 

technically get 80 per cent of their 

invoices paid now, so that is why 

you see that generation 

companies can cope now, we can 

have money now to do our other 

projects. 

“Government is doing that for 

two years from January 2017 to 

December 2018 because the 

government is carrying out the 

power sector recovery plan which 

they are doing with the World 

Bank. It is a performance-based 

loan arrangement, they are 

working with the World Bank, so 

we believed that within this 

period, we can come in and the 

market would have been set and 

we can flow. 

“So it is an intervention, it is just 

a payment assurance with the 

CBN; so every month you supply 

power, we send our invoice to 

Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading, 

NBET, then NBET receives some 

money from the DISCOs. The 

difference between what NBET 

receives from the DISCOs, so 

NBET then goes to CBN to make 

sure that at least we pay for gas to 

the gas suppliers and that has 

improved our revenue 

tremendously.”


Vanguard’s Electricity watch 

By Ediri Ejoh 

THE African Development 

Bank (AfDB) has formed 

partnerships with Calvert Impact 

Capital (CIC), Global Environment 

Facility (GEF) and the Nordic 

Development Fund (NDF) to drive 

investments in off-grid energy 

across Africa. 

Through the partnership, the AfDB 

approved a $30 million investment 

in the Facility for Energy Inclusion 

Off-Grid Energy Access Fund (FEI 

OGEF). 

This follows the approval of 

additional investments of $10 

million from CIC, $8.5 million from 

GEF and €6 million ($7 million) 

from NDF. 

Oilserv donates 66kVA generating set to 

Mopol 25, Azumini 

*EEDC field workers taking safety briefing in Enugu recently 

Power: AfDB to invest $30m in off-grid energy 

FEI OGEF is a $100 million blended 

finance debt fund designed to 

provide loans in local and hard 

currencies to off-grid energy 

companies with the dual objectives 

of scaling up access to clean 

electricity for off-grid households 

and crowding in local financial 

institutions as co-lenders 

According to the Director, 

Transformative Energy 

Partnerships at the AfDB, Astrid 

Manroth, “FEI OGEF is the first 

bank instrument that enables debt 

financing, including in local 

currency, to off-grid energy access 

companies who need growth 

AS part of its Corporate Social Responsibility, Oilserv Limited, 

has donated a 66KVA generating set to the MOPOL 25, Azumini 

in Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State. 

The generator which was officially presented on Friday, January 5, 

2018, will boost the operations of the Mobile Policemen by providing 

electricity to the barrack which was hitherto challenged by 

inadequate power supply. 

While receiving the generator, Deputy Superintendent of Police, 

Giwa Abiodun, expressed delight at the gesture and thanked the 

company for what he described as a laudable effort. 

“On behalf of Mopol 25 Azumini, I want to thank the Management 

of Oilserv Limited for deeming it necessary and appropriate to donate 

this 66 KVA generating set to us. This generator will indeed, improve 

our operations. I reassure you that we will continue to do our best in 

providing security to the people.’’ 

He added that the unit will make the best use of the generating set. 

The Chairman and Group Chief Executive Officer of Oilserv Limited, 

Engr. Emeka Okwuosa explained that the donation was part of the 

company’s CSR activities aimed at giving back to the society. 

Okwuosa underscored the need to support security agents in their 

quest to fight crime and maintain peace and order. 

He reiterated that Oilserv Limited is poised and positioned to be not 

only the leading Engineering, Procurement and Construction, EPC 

company in Nigeria, but also the top-choice company in the pipelines 

and facility business. 

He noted that the company has delivered various key projects with 

high safety and quality standards, including the 67km x 48” Lot B, 

East-West Gas Pipeline (Obiafo/Obrikom to Oben- OB3) which is over 

95 per cent completed and will be delivered to clients in a few months. 

capital to expand their operations 

across Africa.” 

Through the use of clean energy 

instead of fossil fuels to power 

communities, the fund is expected to 

result in the reduction of up to 8 million 

tonnes of CO 2 

emissions through 2025. 

NDF’s managing director, Pasi 

Hellman, said: “This initiative 

highlights the close and constructive 

working relationship between NDF 

and the AfDB. We have been in lockstep 

throughout the preparation and 

development cycle of the Fund. Now, 

we have a fully packaged investment 

vehicle to bring to market scaling up 

proven clean off-grid energy solutions 

to the energy access challenge on the 

continent.” 

Hope rises for Ibom Deep Seaport as procurement 

process begins 

By Udeme Akpan 

THERE are indications that 

the construction of the 

Ibom Deep Seaport (IDSP) will 

soon start following the 

advertisement of the Request 

for Qualification (RFQ) from 

reputable private sector port 

operators in partnership with the 

Akwa Ibom State Government 

and the Federal Government. 

The RFQ is a major step critical 

towards the implementation of 

the IDSP project, apparently one 

of the most promising Public- Private 

Partnership (PPP) initiatives in Africa 

because of the several multiplier 

effects it will create in Nigeria and 

other African nations. 

The company disclosed on its 

website that: “The Akwa Ibom State 

Government, as part of its 

industrialisation plans, is very keen 

on implementing the Ibom Deep 

Seaport project as part of the Ibom 

Industrial City development 

through a PPP arrangement. The 

deep seaport, although a part of the 

industrial city, is treated as a separate 

project. The Ibom Deep Seaport will 

be owned by the Federal 

Government of Nigeria through the 

Nigeria Ports Authority in partnership 

with Akwa Ibom State Government 

and private investors. 

‘’On the other hand, the Ibom 

Industrial City project will be solely 

owned by Akwa Ibom State 

Government. Both projects will 

utilise the state’s unique location to 

promote industrialisation in the 

region by developing a modern 

state-of-the art industrial city which 

will include a deep sea port. 

‘’The Ibom Deep Seaport is in line 

with the Federal Ministry of 

Transportation’s (FMoT) plans to 

augment port capacity in Nigeria 

and a key component of Akwa 

Ibom’s economic empowerment 

plans. The project has the full 

support of the Akwa Ibom State 

Government, the Federal 

Government through the Federal 

Ministry of Transportation and the 

Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).” 

Source: NCC Daily Operational Report 

EEDC emerges first in 2017 NEMSA 

safety ranking 

THE Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) has 

emerged overall first position in the 2017 Nigerian Electricity 

Management Services Agency (NEMSA) Safety ranking, indicating 

a leap from its fifth position in the 2016 NEMSA Safety ranking. 

NEMSA is an agency of government responsible for ensuring safety 

of lives and property in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry. 

This ranking was released by NEMSA in its Disco & TCN Ranking 

Trend for the year 2017 at the just concluded Monthly Power Sector 

Meeting held at Mararaba Akunza, Nasarawa State on Monday, 

January 8, 2018. 

In a statement sent to Vanguard, the company stated that: ‘’EEDC 

consistently maintained first position in eight out of twelve months, 

this underscores the passion and conscious effort put in by 

Management of the company in ensuring that safety rules are strictly 

adhered to, and safe environment are consistently maintained. 

‘’The criteria used for the ranking ranges from, fatalities (that is the 

number of deaths within the network), major injuries as well as 

network resolved.’’ 

The Acting Managing Director/CEO of EEDC, Mr. Paul Okeke 

attributed this feat to the commitment and conscious effort made by 

the Management of EEDC in ensuring strict adherence to safety 

rules and regulations; and the consistent Public Safety Awareness 

Campaign it embarked on via interactive radio shows across the 

South-East states, as well as Town Hall Meetings held in various 

Local Government Councils to educate and sensitise the general 

public on the need to be safety conscious. 

The Head, Health, Safety & Environment, EEDC, Engr. Francis 

Iwu also attributed this achievement to the seriousness the 

organisation has been giving to Safety, and the continuous investment 

in qualified Safety personnel and equipment. 

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Nigerian banks accused of frustrating solar energy 

expansion 

By Joseph Erunke 

Asolar energy expert and 

Chairman of AO Demarg, 

General Ademola Fadunsi, (rtd), 

has blamed banks for the slow 

pace of solar energy 

investments in Nigeria, saying 

the inability of banks to grant 

loans to investors in the sector 

had made investment difficult. 

This was even as he hailed the 

Federal Government for 

releasing N2 billion through the 

Bank of Industry BoI, for 

investors in the industry to 

access. 

The retired military General, 

speaking in Abuja regretted that 

local banks were not willing to 

assist solar energy investors to 

develop the country's solar 

energy sub-sector even when 

according to him, many people 

were now embracing solar power 

as alternative and reliable source 

of energy. 

Fadunsi hailed the Federal 

Government’s intervention 

through the BoI by releasing the 

N2 billion for solar power 

development in the country. 

He said:"Let me say here that we 

in the business need long-term 

financial backup from financial 

institutions but unfortunately, 

in Nigeria today, local banks are 

not giving out loans to 

anybody." 

He added that with the interest 

government was putting in the 

solar energy business, 2018 

would be promising. 

Hear him: "Government is now 

putting more interest in the 

solar energy business, they 

have through the Bank of 

Industry, released about N2 

billion solar fund for individuals 

and investors to access for the 

purpose of solar power. I think 

it's a good start and in a right 

direction. 

"With what the government is 

doing in the area of mini grid, 2018 

seems promising especially by its 

ongoing partnership with the 

World Bank in this area. We see a 

better future next year." 

He particularly lauded the 

government for providing a level 

playing ground for all players in 

the solar industry, saying the 

development had encouraged local 

investors not to look back in their 

efforts to develop the sector. 

"The government is giving 

everybody a level playing ground 

depending on your capability or 

technical knowhow and financial 

backup because even though they 

are giving out funds too, you as an 

investor or vendor, must contribute 

some certain percentage to keep 

the commitment so that you won't 

see the money given to you as free 

money, " he said. 

Fadunsi also commended the 

government for its initiative to focus 

more on connecting rural, 

especially remote communities 

with solar mini grid, saying the 

development will go a long way in 

addressing energy needs of the 

people besides reducing undue 

pressure on the national grid. 

"Government is already in solar 

mini grid, it's a good step to power 

the rural areas and a good step to 

give light and life to rural 

communities.” 

Global Rights, others kick as FG moves to generate power from coal 

By Gabriel Ewepu 

AN international rights 

organisation, Global Rights 

Nigeria and other experts have 

kicked as the Federal Government 

moves to generate power from 

coal. 

This was contained in the report 

presented by the Country Director, 

Global Rights Nigeria, Abiodun 

Baiyewu-Teru, titled To Coal or Not 

To Coal: A Powerful Question, at 

the weekend in Abuja. 

Baiyewu-Teru stated that the 

move will endanger lives of 

Nigerians if the government goes 

on with it. 

USADF, All On launch challenge for off grid energy 

*Solar Plant 

The Country Director, who spoke 

extensively on the impact of coal 

mining on a host community, 

Maiganga in Akko Local 

Government Area of Gombe State, 

also noted that many countries no 

more talk about generating power 

from coal, rather are investing 

heavily on renewable energy 

THE U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF) and All On have officially opened the application 

period for the 2018 Nigeria Off-Grid Energy Challenge, following the announcement last month of a $3 

million public-private partnership between the two organisations. 

The Challenge is aimed at identifying innovative off-grid solutions to “power up” underserved areas in 

Nigeria and will provide awards of up to $100,000 per enterprise. 

In a statement sent to Vanguard, USADF indicated that: ‘’Nigeria needs innovative, clean energy solutions 

to accelerate its economic growth. Over the next three years, both parties will jointly provide funding to 

Nigerian small and medium enterprises that improve energy access through off-grid energy solutions 

spanning solar, wind, hydro, biomass and gas technologies. 

‘’USADF and All On will consider proposals from 100per cent African-owned and 100per cent Africanmanaged 

enterprises who may be developers of their own technology and/or acquiring and implementing 

technologies developed elsewhere. Applicants need to be legally registered in Nigeria, demonstrate the 

capacity to track and manage project resources and operate in good standing with the local governments in 

their areas of operation. 

‘’USADF is one of 12 agencies that support Power Africa, a U.S. Government-led partnership that seeks to 

increase electricity access in sub-Saharan Africa by adding more than 30,000 megawatts of electricity 

generation capacity and 60 million new home and business connections. The rigorous and competitive 

application process seeks companies that can deliver energy solutions to underserved communities through 

a business model that demonstrates financial sustainability. 

‘’Successful applicants will receive up to $100,000 in the form of 50 per cent returnable capital from All On 

and 50per cent grant seed funding and technical assistance from USADF. To apply, interested parties can 

visit: www.usadf.gov/off-grid. The 2018 application portal closes on March 1, 2018 and winners will be 

announced by the end of June 2018. The U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF) is an independent 

U.S. Government agency established by Congress to support and invest in African owned and led enterprises 

which improve lives and livelihoods in poor and vulnerable communities in Africa. 

‘’All On seeks both financial returns and social impact to provide or improve access-to-energy for millions 

of households and small and medium enterprises. Power Africa is a U.S. Government-led initiative launched 

in 2013. Power Africa’s goals are to increase electricity access in sub-Saharan Africa by adding more than 

30,000 megawatts of electricity generation capacity and 60 million new home and business connections.” 

sources suitable for the 

environment. 

According to her, the 30 per cent 

coal power source utilisation policy 

was in contrast with the commitment 

made by President Muhammadu 

Buhari at the Climate Change 

Conference, Marrakech (COP22) 

in 2016 that Nigeria would become 

a reference point in carbon 

emission reduction, adding that the 

country was also a signatory to 

Minamata Convention on 

Mercury. 

She said: “The entry point for 

Nigeria’s coal renaissance... , lies 

in its desire to exponentially boost 

its power generation by expanding 

its pool of energy sources to include 

coal. 

“Nigeria’s coal power policy thrust 

on the surface appears reasonable. 

Its proponents often tout it as being 

‘available’, ‘cheap’ and as ‘creating 

job opportunities.’ In reality, coal 

has been proven time and again to 

be possibly one of the most 

expensive energy sources on the 

planet when externalised costs; 

high carbon missions largely 

responsible for the current surge in 

global warming, extensive 

consumption of limited water 

resources, environmental 

degradation, host community 

health, and air pollution are 

factored in. For these reasons, 

there has been a global shift to 

phase out dirty energy sources 

and embrace cleaner and 

greener sources.” 

SNG provides gas 

to 90 industrial 

customers in 

Ogun, Rivers, Abia 

states – Report 

By Udeme Akpan 

SHELL Nigeria Gas, SNG, 

has provided natural gas to 

about 90 industrial customers in 

Ogun, Rivers and Abia states, thus 

boosting socio-economic 

development in Nigeria. 

The company disclosed in its 

report obtained by Vanguard that 

the product is used mainly for 

power generation, processing and 

other activities. 

It said: ‘’Shell Nigeria Gas 

Limited (SNG) supplies natural 

gas to about 90 industrial customers 

in Ogun, Rivers and Abia states. 

The gas is used for power 

generation and processing by 

industries for the manufacture of 

domestic products ranging from 

household consumables, to 

household utensils and hardware. 

Among its customers are four 

compressed natural gas (CNG) 

companies that make the gas 

available to other companies 

outside the SNG pipeline network. 

‘’The SPDC JV is the major 

supplier of gas to Nigeria Liquefied 

Natural Gas Company Limited 

(NLNG)(Shell share, 25.6%). The 

SPDC JV Afam VI power plant, 

which has a 650 megawatt 

generating capability, supplied 

approximately 12% of the nation’s 

grid-connected electricity in 

2016 and since its commissioning 

in 2008, has delivered 24.16 million 

Megawatt-hour (MWh) of 

electricity into the Nigerian grid. 

‘’According to the World Bank, 

in recent years, Nigeria has 

depended on the oil and gas 

industry for as much as 90% of 

export income and 75% of overall 

government revenue. In 2016, 

the portion of total government 

revenue generated from the oil 

and gas sector was impacted by 

factors such as the recent decline 

in oil prices and lower oil 

production in the Niger-Delta due 

to acts of vandalism and sabotage. 

‘’Shell Companies in Nigeria 

were one of the initiators and a 

leading sponsor of the Nigerian 

Extractive Industries Transparency 

Initiative, which publishes 

payments made to the 

government by extractive 

industries including international 

oil companies. The economic 

contribution from SPDC JV 

partners to the Nigerian government 

between 2012–2016 was $29 billion. 

The Shell share of royalties and 

corporate taxes paid to the Federal 

Government of Nigeria in 2016 was 

approximately $1.4 billion (SPDC 

$1.0 billion; SNEPCo $0.4 billion).’’ 

It also disclosed that: ‘’Shell 

Companies in Nigeria are major 

contributors to the Nigerian economy, 

not only through the energy they 

produce and the revenues they 

generate for the country, but also via 

their extensive supply chain, local 

content and social investment.”

•Installed pre-paid meters...now available to the highest bidder 

Electricity: The high cost 

of living in darkness 

This is the concluding part of this 

report which was first published 

yesterday. In that edition, it was 

understood that there is no way the 

country can have power supply without 

adjusting tariffs because currently the 

DISCOs are running at a loss 

ADLY, rather than provide us with 

‘Sprepaid meters, which we gathered 

from reliable sources are available, EKEDC 

has continued to harass and intimidate the 

residents with individual and mass 

disconnections and has dared the residents 

by continuously issuing us outrageous 

monthly bills of between N9,780 to N20,000 

for a two bedroom each per month. 

“We are 

a w a r e , 

through your 

response to 

our earlier 

petition 

dated July 

28, 2017 that 

Discos and 

NERC have 

been consistent 

in the 

argument that 

cost of power 

must be 

recovered and 

giving the 

impression that 

it does not 

matter to them 

how the socalled 

cost is 

recovered 

you are 

looking into 

our petition, 

but we are 

constrained 

to note that 

EKEDC 

appears to be 

d o i n g 

everything 

possible not 

to be accountable 

to 

any body and 

feels that it 

can through 

its officials 

deal with us 

the way it 

deems fit, believing 

that 

we are helpless. Some time in August, 2017 

a certain EKEDC official, named Mr 

Falana, repeatedly disconnected the 

residents, even when the matter is yet to 

be resolved and he boasted that there was 

nothing we could do about the matter. 

“As it is, we are at the mercy of officials of 

EKEDC, who impose outrageous bills on 

us and yet, force us to pay same, even when 

we complain; the only language they have 

for us is ‘go and pay first’. We have no 

option than to still do this follow up, and 

plead that you save us from these 

exploiters, who have made our lives 

miserable. We insist that our meters are 

DETAILS OF METER INSTALLA 

AGREEMENT BTWN BPE AND DISCOS 

*Abuja Disco 

2014 (100,000); 

2015 (100,000); 

2016 (100,000), 

2017 (100,000), 

2018 (100,000) 

*Benin Disco 

2014 (180,571); 

2015 (286,176), 

2016 (N/A), 

2017 (N/A), 

2018 (N/A) 

*Eko Disco: 

2014 (69,793), 

2015 (124,398), 

2016 (124,398), 

2017 (124,398) 

2018 (124,398) 

*Enugu Disco 

2014 (N/A), 

2015(N/A), 

2016 (25,550), 

2017 (40,000) 

2018 (N/A) 

*Ibadan Disco 

2014 ( 32,910), 

2015 (117,963), 

2016 (82,720), 

2017 (324,998), 

2018 (157,955) 

*Ikeja Disco 

2014 (125,000), 

2015 (125,000), 


However, Vanguard INSIGHT investigations 

have revealed that the Discos are 

reluctant to deploy meters. It was discovered 

that the excuses of funding challenges are 

being used to continue to rip off consumers 

across the country. Reason? When meters 

are deployed, Discos lose revenue. It 

becomes impossible to issue outrageous bills. 

Crazy estimated bills are the new tricks of 

defrauding consumers and the Discos know 

that with meters, the game is up. 

Consequently, all pranks are being employed 

to keep meters away from consumers. 

A resident in Abuja who lives in a one-bed 

room apartment told Vanguard INSIGHT that 

she was being given an average of N12, 000 

monthly until she eventually succeeded obtaining 

a meter. She submitted thus: “Would 

you believe that since the meter was installed 

in my flat, I now spend about N5, 000 monthly 

recharging the pre-paid meter.” 

Our investigations showed that even while 

the management and staff of DisCos claim 

there are no meters, those who allegedly 

bribe them obtain meters within days. 

Several marketing managers in different 

locations confessed that the managements 

put extreme pressure on them with very high 

revenue targets, which must be met, in order 

to retain their jobs. DisCos claim they suffer 

significant losses of power in the process of 

distribution to consumers. As such those who 

pay their bills are unfairly made to carry the 

ALLATION 

burden of such losses which are often the 

result of the inefficiencies of the DisCos 

themselves. 

Discos not investing enough 

Vanguard INSIGHT investigations have 

shown that the privatisation exercise has not 

brought about the expected massive 

investments in distribution units, 

transformers, lines and poles. Our 

investigations show that the Discos have not 

undertaken massive deployment of 

transformers to areas where they were 

overwhelmed beyond their carrying 

capacities, leading to frequent breakdowns. 

The practice of rationing of power supply, 

whereby Discos alternate power supply to 

residents who depend on the same facilities 

subsists. 

When transformers breakdown, Discos officials 

don’t respond promptly as would be 

expected of a private sector business. In some 

cases it takes several days to get them to 

access the problem and find solutions to 

them. 

2016 (125,000), 

2017 (125,000), 

2018 (N/A); 

*Jos Disco 

2014 (N/A), 

2015 (100,000), 

2016 (100,000), 

2017 (100,000), 

2018 (100,000) 

*Kaduna Disco 

2014 (104,568), 

2015 (107,366), 

2016 (110,412), 

2017 (N/A), 

2018 (N/A} 

*Kano Disco 

2014 (25,009), 

2015(60,000), 

2016 (N/A), 

2017 (N/A), 

2018 (125,000) 

*Port-Harcourt Disco 

2014 (135,096), 

2015 (176,775), 

2016 (44,380), 

2017 (48,625), 

2018 (53,275) 

*Yola Disco : 

2014 (37,476), 

2015 (56,951), 

2016 (61,755), 

2017 (61,755) 

2018 (61,755). 

working but EKEDC decided not to read 

them to justify the exorbitant and outrageous 

bills they give us, which is a criminal offense, 

that must also be probed and appropriate 

sanctions imposed on them to serve as 

deterrence. We insist on pre-paid meter or 

nothing, as they have for two years, failed 

to read these meters but prefer to impose 

estimated bills on us to extort us, which they 

have done for over three years. We eagerly 

await your earliest intervention.” 

The petition was signed by the chairman 

and two members of the affected Close in 

Festac Town. 

Refusal to install meter: But Discos and 

NERC have been consistent in the argument 

that cost of power must be recovered, while 

giving the impression that it does not matter 

to them how the so-called cost is recovered. 

Under the agreement between the Bureau 

of Public Enterprises, BPE and the investors 

who took over Discos, specific numbers of 

meters were to be installed yearly and on 

an incremental basis. 

Frustrated 

staff 

Investigations showed that the staff are very 

frustrated with their managements’ refusal 

to invest in the purchase of operational 

vehicles and other materials necessary for 

prompt response when maintenance works 

are required. In some units, it is as bad as 

having to rely on commercial motorcycles for 

maintenance technicians to move around. 

A consumer told Vanguard INSIGHT how 

he had to call the Marketing Officer of his 

Unit and threatened to mobilise his 

neighbours for a protest at the headquarters 

of the affected Disco. The officer told him to 

proceed because that could turn out to be to 

his advantage as all his pleadings for 

equipment from the headquarters had been 

ignored for a long period. 

Frequent protests 

From Abuja, Benin, Ikeja and elsewhere, 

the headquarters of many Discos across the 

country have in recent time played unwilling 

host to several groups of protesting 

consumers. The protests centre around poor 

quality service, outrageous bills and refusal 

to meter consumers. 

Power rejection by DisCos Vs GenCos 

complaint of unutilised power 

Investigations have shown an irony in the 

current electric power equation between 

GenCos, Discos and consumers. While consumers 

are frustrated that their businesses 

are collapsing due to inadequate power sup- 

Continues on page 26


Electricity: The high cost of living in darkness 

Continues from page 25 

ply, DisCos are rejecting power generated 

by the DisCos on the ground that it is too 

much while counting their losses which runs 

into billions of Naira in days due to unutilized 

power. 

The Managing Director of Mainstream 

Energy Solutions, which runs both Kainji 

and Jebba Hyro-power plants, Lamu Audu, 

an engineer, told Vanguard INSIGHT in an 

interview that: “It is ironical that power 

generation companies like Mainstream are 

suffering losses due to unutilized power, 

while Nigerians have no power to run their 

businesses and for domestic uses. 

“Our system is feeling it. The problem 

with generation of electricity is that electrical 

energy cannot be stored. You use as 

produced. So these machines monitor if what 

is being put on the grid is actually being 

utilized; if it is not, the frequency will shoot 

up and the machine will note it and then 

begins to de-load. If the machine is not 

designed to de-load on its own it will trip to 

protect itself from the high frequency. 

“By the time our machines trip, so many 

sequence of events happen within that machine 

and it causes a lot of wear and tear 

and with the aged machines that we have 

and by the time you go through one, two, 

three system collapse, the damage is much.” 

The Mainstream boss challenged the TCN 

to tell Nigerians why there has been 

consistent high frequency of above 50. The 

frequency is determined by the measure of 

the quantity of electricity that can be loaded 

on the National Grid at any given time. 

“I think TCN should answer because they 

are the ones taking the energy from us and 

giving to the DisCos but if the DisCos are 

not utilizing it they will know better than 

anybody else. The DisCos can deny but TCN 

should have the records to tell us what is 

happening to the energy that we are 

generating. Simple question: Why has the 

frequency been high? Even from the system 

collapse, it shows from the broadcast 51.48 

instead of 50 which means that someone is 

not taking the power we are producing. 

(There had been a system collapse in the 

morning of the interview). 

"It has been observed recently that the 

frequency has been on the high side. Why? 

•Power minister, Babatunde Fashola being briefed on potentials of the proposed uranium 

power generation in the country 

They should tell Nigerians why? Because if 

you should ask the DisCos he would deny 

it, (that there is power rejection). He will 

tell you there is no generation,” he said. 

GenCos present 7-point 

demand to FG 

•Call for end to electricity rejection by 

NCC 

•Re-denomination of Concession Fees 

Further to their response to the prevailing 

situation, the GenCos presented a sevenpoint 

demand to the Federal Government 

with the request for an immediate end to 

electricity rejection by the National Control 

Centre, NCC, Osogbo, Osun State, in collaboration 

with the DisCos. 

The GenCos have also demanded a redenomination 

of the Annual Concession 

Fees from the US Dollar to Naira, the nation’s 

currency, citing difficulty in accessing 

foreign exchange rate. A highly competent 

source told Vanguard INSIGHT that the 

demand of the electricity generation 

companies was presented to the Vice 

President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, at a meeting 

in Abuja, shortly before President 

Muhammadu Buhari’s return from his 

Consumer Rights and Obligations 

THE Nigerian Electricity Regulatory 

Commission (NERC) is empowered by 

the Electric Power Sector Reform (EPSR) Act, 

2005 to ensure an efficiently managed 

electricity supply industry that meets the 

yearnings of Nigerians for stable, adequate 

and safe electricity supply. 

The Act mandates the Commission to 

ensure that electricity operators recover costs 

on prudent investment and provide quality 

service to customers. 

To ensure quality service delivery, it is 

pertinent that electricity customers know 

their rights as follows: 

1. All new electricity connections must be 

done strictly based on metering before 

connection. That is, no new customer should 

be connected by a DisCo without a meter 

first being installed at the premises. 

2. All customers have a right to electricity 

supply in a safe and reliable manner. 

3. All customers have a right to a properly 

installed and functional meter. 

4. All customers have a right to properly 

informed and educated on the electricity 

service. 

5. All customers have a right to transparent 

electricity billing. 

6. All un-metered customers should be 

issued with electricity bills strictly based on 

NERC’s estimated billing methodology. 

7. It is the customer’s right to be notified 

in writing ahead of disconnection of 

electricity service by the DisCo serving the 

customer in line with NERC’s guidelines. 

8. All customers have a right to refund 

when over billed. 

9. All customers have a right to file 

complaints and to the prompt investigation 

of complaints. 

10. All complaints on electricity supply 

and other billing issues are to be sent to the 

nearest business unit of the DisCo serving 

the customer. 

11. If a complaint is not satisfactorily 

addressed, customers have a right to 

escalate the issue to the NERC Forum Office 

within the coverage area of the DisCo. 

12. Customers have the right to appeal 

the decision of the NERC Forum Office by 

writing a petition to the Commission. 

13. It is the customer’s right to contest 

any electricity bill. 

14. Any un-metered customer who is 

disputing his or her estimated bill has the 

right not to pay the disputed bill, but pay 

only the last undisputed bill as the contested 

bill go through the dispute resolution 

process of NERC. 

15. It is not the responsibility of electricity 

customer or community to buy, replace or 

repair electricity transformers, poles and 

related equipment used in the supply of 

electricity. 

medical vacation in London. 

It was gathered that the GenCos meeting 

became necessary to arrest the debilitating 

state of the nation’s electricity sector which 

fortunes have nosedived, lately. “Operators 

of the GenCos”, our source disclosed, 

“lamented that their efforts were being 

frustrated by the practice of electricity 

rejection coordinated by the NCC, following 

persistent refusal of DisCos to take power. 

“Available power 

is 6,000 MW, while 

Available 

power is 6,000 

MW, while 

evacuation is 

merely about 4, 

000 MW; the 

case is very bad 

because it has 

grave 

consequences 

for the industry 

and national 

security 

that the unutilized 

power becomes a loss to the GenCos. We 

are not paid for that power. Nigerians may 

be complaining that there is no power but 

this is the real situation. What we have 

available is not been utilised as at today.” 

The GenCos also warned the Federal Government 

that persistent requests to ramp 

down power generation by the NCC could 

lead to flooding , especially as the 

hydropower plants would be expecting a 

very high volume of water from the Futa 

Jalon Mountains in Senegal, the source of 

River Niger on which both Kainji and Jebba 

Dams were built. 

“If the water is not utilized in power 

generation, it could lead to massive 

flooding. The water spillage through the 

Spillway Way Gate could have attendant 

consequences for the communities along 

the river. The ramp down is neither in the 

interest of the generating companies nor in 

national interest because the nation needs 

Continues on page 27 

evacuation is 

merely about 4, 000 

MW. The case is 

very bad because it 

has grave 

consequences for 

the industry and 

national security. 

Asking GenCos to 

ramp down 

(reduce) power 

generation means 

that the companies 

suffer loss on their 

investments. 

“According to the 

Concession 

Agreement with the 

F e d e r a l 

Government, 

GenCos are supposed 

to be paid for 

every power they 

generate. But that 

is not the case. 

When they are 

asked to reduce the 

power being put on 

the National Grid, 

what happens is

Electricity: The high cost 

of living in darkness 

Continues from page 26 

power and cannot afford 

flooding, especially in the 

coming months of 

September and October.” 

Our source equally disclosed 

that the failure to 

settle GenCos’ invoices 

even for the power that 

was utilized by the Discos 

constitutes a major 

impediment to their 

operations. According to 

him, Vice President 

Osinbajo was told in clear 

terms that the GenCos 

could not continue to 

operate when their 

invoices are not being 

paid. Currently, they are 

being owed about N600 

billion. 

The group also asked 

that the balance payment 

of about N213 billion of 

the Power Sector Special 

Intervention Fund still 

held by the Central Bank 

of Nigeria, CBN, be 

released to boost liquidity 

in the sector. 

As gathered, the 

GenCos also urged the 

Federal Government to 

release in full, the N701 

billion recently approved 

for the Power Sector Payment 

Assurance Fund to 

clear the five-month 

backlog of unpaid 

invoices. About 20 per 

cent of that fund is said 

yet to be released. 

Faced with the scarcity 

of foreign exchange for 

the purchase of their 

equipment, the GenCos 

have demanded a review 

of the Concession Fees 

with a view to making the 

payments in Naira, rather 

than in US Dollars, as 

contained in the 

agreement. 

According to our 

source: “The position of 

the GenCos was that the 

CBN has failed to make 

any speciation provision 

for them in terms of 

foreign exchange 

allocation, as has been 

done in respect of several 

other sectors. The argument 

is that even when 

they have Naira to place 

orders for their 

operational items from 

abroad, they are hardly 

able to obtain enough 

foreign exchange to meet 

their needs. 

Intermittent gas 

pipeline vandalism 

“In that light, payment 

of concession fees in 

foreign exchange further 

compounds their 

problems and they have 

told the Acting President 

that it is in the best 

interest of the economy to 

review that provision of 

the agreement and redenominate 

the fees.” 

Vanguard INSIGHT 

understands that inter- 

mittent gas pipeline vandalism 

has continued to 

affect the operations of 

the GenCos, especially 

the thermal plants which 

rely on gas to generate 

electricity. 

The Operators made a 

demand on the Federal 

Government to take 

necessary steps to ensure 

an uninterrupted gas 

supply to the plants to 

enable them take full 

advantage of the large 

market in the country, as 

consumers currently 

remain unsatisfied with 

the level of power supply. 

The GenCos also told 

Prof. Osinbajo that the 

permanent solution to the 

liquidity problem in the 

power sector remained 

cost-reflective tariff and 

targeted subsidies. 

It was learned that the 

strategy would be for 

high net worth consumers 

and commercial concerns 

to pay cost-reflective 

tariff, while low income 

earners, especially the 

rural poor and their 

counterparts in city slums 

The failure to 

settle GenCos’ 

invoices even for 

the power that 

was utilized by 

the Discos constitutes 

a major 

impediment to 

their operations 

who require minimal 

consumption to enjoy 

government subsidy. 

Remittances from 

International Consumers 

was one of the issues for 

which the GenCos also 

asked for a review. Since 

the international 

consumers pay in foreign 

exchange, they are 

demanding that the 

receipts for power consumption 

from that 

category should be 

passed to them in foreign 

exchange, rather than in 

Naira, as that could assist 

in their foreign market 

operations. 

Nigeria exports 

electricity to some 

neighbouring countries, 

including Benin 

Republic. Prof. Osinabjo 

was said to have assured 

that the current 

administration would 

take every necessary step 

towards scaling up 

electricity supply, noting 

that it remained the 

single factor for massive 

industrialisation of the 

nation. 

:Vanguard :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnewsNEWS HOTLINES: 

Court orders police to unseal 

Peace Corps’ headquarters 

By Ikechukwu 

Nnochiri 

A BUJA—ABUJA 

Division of the 

Federal High Court, 

yesterday, ordered the 

Nigeria Police Force to 

immediately unseal the 

head office of the Peace 

Corps of Nigeria, PCN, 

in Abuja. 

The court gave the 

order following a motion 

filed before it by 

National Commandant of 

Peace Corps, 

Ambassador Dickson 

Akoh, and Incorporated 

Trustees of the 

organisation, who are 

facing trial over alleged 

N1.4 billion recruitment 

scam. 

Justice John Tsoho 

directed that police and 

other security agencies 

currently laying siege to 

the head office of the 

corps should 

immediately vacate the 

premises and hand over 

possession of the office 

to the applicants. 

The applicants had in 

their motion dated 

October 6, 2017, prayed 

the court for an order 

unsealing their office, 

which was forcefully 

barricaded by the police 

since last year. 

However, in a counter 

move, police, through its 

lawyer, Mr. James 

Idachaba, filed its 

motion pursuant to 

section 330 of the 

Administration of 

Criminal Justice Act, 

2015 and Section 14 of 

the Advanced Fee Fraud 

and other ralated 

Offences Act, asking the 

court to order the sealing 

of the PCN 

headquarters. 

Police maintained that 

the PCN head office and 

property inside it were 

proceeds of crime still 

under investigation, 

saying it took over assets 

of the organisation at 57, 

A. Abubakar Crescent, 

off Alex Ekwueme Way, 

Opp Jabi Lake, Abuja, to 

avert the break down of 

law and order. 

It, therefore, urged the 

court to dismiss PCN’s 

application and issue 

interim forfeiture order 

against the property. 

Meanwhile, in his 

ruling, Justice Tsoho 

held that the application 

by the police lacked 

merit, stressing that 

“facts before the court 

glaringly showed that 

the police application 

was filed as an after 


thought.” 

Contrary to police claim 

that it did not seal the 

PCN’s office but merely 

maintained normal 

observatory and routine 

patrol of a scene of 

crime, the judge noted 

that from a picture 

exhibit tendered by the 

defendant, “it doesn’t 

seem to show a mere 

police on patrol. The 

picture showed a 

policeman and a van 

standing firmly on 

ground.” 

Besides, Justice Tsoho 

held that the application 

the police filed before the 

court was designed to 

legalize an illegality 

already committed since 

February 28, 2017, when 

it arbitrarily sealed off 

the office of the 

applicant. 

According to Justice 

Tsoho, “court cannot be 

used to cover acts of 

illegality. In view of the 

foregoing, this 

application lacks merit 

and is accordingly 

dismissed.” 

The court dismissed 

contention by police that 

the motion by PCN 

constituted an abuse of 

court process. 

Justice Tsoho held: 

“The application filed by 

the defendant is proper 

before the court; it is not 

an abuse of court 

process. Contrary to the 

complainant’s objection, 

the application of the 

defendant is 

unambiguous and not 

misplaced. 

“The motion on notice 

dated October 6, 2017 is 

bound to succeed and is 

hereby granted as 

prayed.” 

Benue killings: Catholic 

bishops condemn wanton 

destruction of lives 

By Victoria 

Ojeme 

A BUJA—Catholic 

bishops under the 

Ecclesiastical Province of 

Abuja, have condemned 

the indefensible preference 

of animals over human life 

evidenced in the mutilation 

of human beings by 

rampaging, demonic 

terrorists. 

Consequently, they called 

on the Federal 

Government and all 

relevant security agencies 

to live up to the 

responsibilities of their 

offices. 

In a communiqué issued 

at the end of the meeting 

on the recent killings in 

Benue State, the bishops 

stated that failure of the 

government to adequately 

protect life and property 

would create an 

unfortunate situation where 

people will have to take 

alternative measures to 

defend themselves, adding 

that it will be a disaster. 

The communiqué read: 

"We condemned this callous 

act in its entirety and 

sympathise with the 

affected families of those 

who lost their lives over this 

period of time. Particularly 

the gruesome killings of 

January 2018 in Logo and 

Guma Local Government 

Areas of Benue State. 

“We reafirm our strong 

belief that human life is 

sacred and must be 

respected and, therefore, 

condemn the indefensible 

preference of animals over 

human life evidenced in the 

mutilation of human beings 

by rampaging, demonic 

terrorists. 

“We call on the Federal 

Government and other 

related agencies to live up 

to the fundamental and 

constitutional responsibility 

of protection of human life 

and property. 

“We particularly call on 


Buhari to take more 

proactive measures to end 

this carnage and forestall 

its recurrence. 

“We support the efforts of 

the Benue State 

Government in finding a 

solution to this persistent 

crisis through the antigrazing 

law that calls for 

the establishment of 

ranches. 

“We, therefore, call for 

sustained prayers and 

fasting, our veritable 

weapons against all 

principalities for the 

restoration of our land and 

this proclamation goes 

alongside the call for 

vigilance and selfdefence.’’ 

The communiqué was 

signed by His Eminence, 

John Cardinal Onaiyekan, 

Rev. Fr. William Avenya 

(Gboko Diocese), Rev Fr. 

Peter Adoboh (Kastina- Ala 

Diocese), Rev Fr. Martin 

Oloromolu (Lokoja 

Diocese), Rev Fr. Matthew 

Audu (Lafia Diocese). 

Others are Rev Fr. 

Anselem Umoren (Abuja 

Diocese), Rev Fr Welfred 

Anagbe (Makurdi Diocese) 

and Rev Fr Michael 

Apochi (Otukpo Diocese).

28 — Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018 

DELTA community 

protests alleged 

marginalization 

by oil coy 

PG 28 

VOL. 1: NO. 165 

TORU NDORO- TWENTY- 

EIGHT—year-old Bayelsa 

State -born kidnap kingpin and 

sea robber, Oyawerikumor 

Peregbabofa, self-styled 

“General” Kareowei, who 

attacked security formations, 

executed his victims, including 

soldiers at the slightest 

provocation in Delta and 

Bayelsa States, in the last few 

months, operated as if he was 

invincible, but when soldiers 

finally ensnared him, last week, 

he proved cowardly and 

tactless. 

Shocker 

Kareowei’s notoriety and 

surefire actions sparked a lot of 

concerns in security circles, 

which made soldiers of 

Operation Delta Safe to express 

doubt when he surrendered, last 

Thursday, at Torugbene 

community in Delta state for the 

reason that his age call into 

question his spine-tingling 

daring acts. 

It was the incredulity that 

made the authorities of 

Operation Delta Safe to 

mandate the spearhead of the 

troops that captured him in 

Delta to take him to Toru 

Ndoro in Bayelsa, where 

community leaders know him 

better to authenticate his 

nomenclature. 

TUESDAY, , JANUARY ARY 16, 6, 2018 

18 

How soldiers tricked Bayelsa kidnap 

kingpin to surrender 14 fighters, killed all 

*Linchpin’s last battle, cry for mercy and bloody revenge by soldiers 

*Kareowei decapitated military intelligence officer, not DSS operative - Security source 

*Poser for Operation Delta Safe 

By Emma Amaize, Sam 

Oyadongha, Perez Brisibe 

and Chancel Sunday 

By Simon Ebegbulem 

O 

G H E G H E - 

RESIDENTS of 

Ogheghe community, Ovia 

North East Local Government 

Area, Edo State, have raised 

eyebrows over suspected ritual 

killings and kidnappings being 

carried out by a syndicate at an 

undeveloped land acquired, 

several years ago, on the outskirt 

Nobody who saw the pocketsized 

ebony creature would 

easily believe that he was the 

one that carried out deadly 

exploits associated with 

Kareowei in the region, 

particularly the demonstrated 

outmaneuvering of soldiers at 

a military checkpoint in 

Ogbogbabene, country home of 

former Minister of Niger Delta, 

Elder Godsday Orubebe, in 

Delta State, July, last year, 

where a soldier was killed and 

a General Purpose Machine 

Gun, GPMG, carted away. 

The criminal, who cut off the 

head of a military intelligence 

officer, not a Department of State 

Service, DSS, operative, as recounted, 

penultimate 

Wednesday, and ran rings with 

the blood-soaked head, was 

later slaughtered with 14 of his 

ABDUCTIONS, KILLINGS IN EDO “EVIL FORES 

OREST”: 

boys like chickens. 

Unquestionably, his instinct and 

magic failed him when it 

mattered most. 

Booby-trap 

An insider familiar with how 

he was “wasted” told NDV: 

“Kareowei, who gunned down 

four soldiers in a bloody creek 

battle was days after the 

encounter begging the military 

he outwitted yet again to spare 

his life.” 

Villagers abandon farm, flee Ogheghe community 

*No incident of killing in the said forest – COMPOL 

*Inside the dreaded jungle 

EDO…HEARTBEAT 

OF THE NATION 

BAYELSA…JERUSALEM 

OF IJAW LAND 

Felix Ewodaghe 

of the community by the 

Nigerian Air Force. 

The land overgrown by bush 

is called “evil forest” by the 

villagers because of the horrible 

activities of supposed ritualists. 

However, the people are 

enraged that despite the 

killings, security agencies were 

allegedly closing their eyes to 

the strange happenings in the 

forest, while the Nigerian Air 

Force appeared apathetic. 

Penultimate Thursday, 

January 4, the community’s 

vigilante nearly lynched a 

motorcyclist suspected to be a 

member of the syndicate from 

Delta state, but the timely 

intervention of police officers 

from the Ogida Police State, led 

by the Divisional Police Officer, 

DPO, saved him. 

Police counter allegations 

A source said the suspect 

confessed to the vigilante that 

he had killed 16 persons, but 

Commissioner of Police, Edo 

Command, Mr Babatunde 

Kokumo, who answered 

questions from journalists on the 

matter, said it was a case of 

alleged murder against the 

suspect and not ritual killing. 

He dismissed the claim that 

people were being killed in 

Ogheghe forest, declaring that 

no incident of killing has been 

reported in the forest. 

The villagers disagreed with 

the police boss, accusing him of 

being insensitive to their plight. 

Inside the supposed “evil 

forest” 

Last week, they invited NDV 

to visit the alleged “evil forest” 

Our reporter went with a tour 

guide. Going through the forest 

was quite petrifying. 

NDV observed that the major 

road leading to the forest has been 

deserted by the people, while 

Continues on pg 30 

“What happened was that he 

ran out of ammunition and was 

badly wounded on his leg and 

shoulder. So he fled to 

Torugbene for treatment and 

when the reality of the end 

dawned on him, he was 

begging for amnesty, the same 

treaty that ex-militant leader 

and member of the Delta 

Waterways and Land Security 

Committee, Bonny Gawei and 

the military intelligence officer 

that he guillotined, visited his 

camp to consummate, second to 

last Wednesday. 

“At his tether’s end in 

Torugbene where he finally 

capitulated with his hands 

upstretched, the military played 

along with him and even talked 

him into believing that he would 

be granted amnesty with his 

boys if they turned in their 

weapons,” he disclosed. 

However, how Kareowei, who 

cut off a soldier’s head, killed 

four others in a space of six days 

supposed that livid soldiers, 

who razed houses, molested 

innocent villagers and laid 

siege to waterways in Delta and 

Bayelsa states in search of him 

would accommodate his 

entreaty beats reasoning, but he 

fell for it. 

Outfoxing the fox 

The source said: “The 

military arrested and navigated 

the waters straightaway, but 

made a U-turn at Ogbobagbene 

waterfront. Reason was that 

some of the officers had 

reservations about his identity 

because of his youthfulness. 

After many inquiries, they took 

him back to Toru Ndoro to check 

his persona. The top military 

officers went back in the convoy 

that waited to see Kareowei at 

Ogbobagbene community. 

“After validating his identity at 

Toru Ndoro community, 

security operatives interrogated 

him on why he had been 

terrorizing the creeks and he 

told them that it was because 

he wanted amnesty. They asked 

him if he had followers and he 

answered in the affirmative. 

14 fighters seized, 2 evasive 

“They asked him how many 

they were, he said 16. He was 

asked to call them to come for 

the disarmament process right 

away in the community. In the 

presence of soldiers, he made 

series of calls and 14 of his boys 

materialized in the community 

and surrendered their weapons 

to the military. 

“Two of his men, however, 

smelt a rat and refused to come. 

The 14 that came did not 

suspect something fishy, but 

they trusted the judgment of 

their master, who spoke as 

everything was under control, 

hence they responded to his 

call. 

“At the time they assembled, 

it was late in the day and the 

soldiers, who displayed admirable 

Continues on pg 30

C 

M 

Y 

K 

Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018—29 

Bayelsa communities, 

SPDC lock horns over spillage 

*Seek state govt arbitration, blame regulators for purportedly taking sides 

*Shell says it‘s third party interference/sabotage, not equipment failure 

BAYELSA…JERUSALEM 

OF IJAW LAND 

By Samuel Oyadongha 

TEIN-BISENE- OVER four 

months after an oil spill that 

devastated farmlands and 

fishponds at Tein-Biseni 

community, Yenagoa Local 

Government Area, Bayelsa State, 

about five Biseni communities are 

at loggerheads with the Anglo- 

Dutch oil giant, Shell Petroleum 

Development Company, SPDC, 

over the overflow from the 

company’s Adibawa facility. 

The spillage occurred at Tein, a 

sub-clan in Biseni, comprising of 

five communities which include: 

Kilama, Tambiri 1, Tambiri 2, 

Aleibiri and Oturuama. 

Shell maintained that the last 

August spill was caused by third 

party interference/sabotage while 

the community said it was as a 

result of equipment failure. 

Community sources, however, 

expressed disappointment that the 

regulators, National Oil Spill 

Detection and Response Agency, 

NOSDRA, and State Ministry of 

Environment, SMoE, which 

earlier argued at the site of 

incident that the spill emanated 

from equipment failure has 

changed tone. 

Shell could not be immediately 

reached for comment, but 

community folks lamented that 

they have written series of letters 

to the relevant authorities about 

their plight with no action taken. 

Our anger- Biseni inhabitants 

Some members of Tein, who 

spoke to NDV, expressed sadness 

over the development. 

Chief Justus Bekesu from 

Kilama community said: “This is 

one of those areas affected, that has 

been impacted by the spill from 

Shell’s facility. The spill occurred 

from Adibawa North East Well 1 

in Biseni on the 11th of August, 

2017. And there was a very great 

spread after that, because Shell 

was not proactive enough to carry 

out containment. 

Volte-face 

Bekesu told NDV: “After the 

spill, the community wrote letters 

Emma Amaize, Editor 

Samuel Oyadongha, Yenagoa 

Simon Ebegbulem, Benin City 

Jimitota Onoyume, Warri 

Gabriel Enogholase, Benin City 

Festus Ahon, Asaba 

Egufe Yafugborhi, Port Harcourt 

Emmanuel Una, Calabar 

Akpokona Omafuaire, Warri 

Godwin Oghre, Sapele 

Chioma Onuegbu, Uyo 

Ike Uche, Calabar 

Davies Iheamnachor, Port Harcourt 

Emem Idio, Yenagoa 

Brisibe Perez, Ughelli 

Theresa Ugbobu, Agbor 

Ochuko Akuopha, Oleh 

Emmanuel Ayungbe, Uyo 

Nath Onajoke, Asaba 

Chijioke Nwankpa, Port Harcourt 

to Shell inviting them for a 

meeting. We are all aware that 

when spills happen like this, the 

owner of the facility and 

regulatory agencies normally visit 

the spill point to verify cause of 

spill and related matters. The day 

they came to the spill point 

together, (in fact even before they 

came, Shell had already clamped 

the spill point) and the regulators 

expressed annoyance as to why 

Shell clamped the spill point when 

the cause was yet to be decided 

jointly.” 

His words: “The regulators 

declared at the site that the spill 

was caused by equipment failure. 

At a later date, the landlords were 

invited for a meeting with Shell 

and regulators (DPR, NOSRDA 

and SMOoE) at the State Ministry 

of Environment, in Yenagoa. The 

landlords reached the venue of the 

meeting and discovered that these 

regulators were in a closed- door 

meeting with Shell for a very long 

time. At the end, they only came 

and called the landlords to tell 

them that the cause of spill has 

been declared as sabotage.” 

Unacceptable compromise 

He asserted: “To the Biseni 

people, what actually transpired 

was injustice. And because it was 

injustice, we are really seeking for 

justice. We want government to 

intervene and address this matter 

because things are not done like 

this at all. Cause of spill in most 

occasions is decided at the point 

of the spill. Now, they left the point 

of spill even after identifying it as 

equipment failure at the point of 

spill and went to a separate place 

and called it sabotage.” 

“I think all of that gives a clear 

interpretation that people 

compromised at our expense and 

so they could not stand for the 

truth. And once they have arrived 

at that decision, Shell would say 

there is no need to pay for damages 

suffered by victims. How would 

such devastation go on 

somewhere and people’s property 

destroyed and it will just go like 

that? 

“That is not acceptable at all. 

This is a conspiracy by Shell’s 

contractor, the regulators and 

Shell to twist the truth. And we are 

not pleased with it. So, what we 

are asking is Shell 

should come and assess 

the damage caused by 

the spill, after carrying 

out cleanup and 

remediation as well pay 

necessary damages to 

the affected landlords. 

That is our major 

concern,” he added. 

According to him, “We 

want the Bayelsa State 

government to intervene 

in this matter, look at all 

that has transpired 

concerning this spill 

and address this matter 

in the way it is supposed 

to be addressed. 

Otherwise, it will cause 

some kind of volatile 

situation in the 

community and Biseni 

people are not ready for 

that kind of situation.” 

I can neither fish nor 

farm now- Eke 

Blessing Eke, a native of Tambiri 

1, said, “Now the crude oil, which 

spread in the environment, has 

affected Ibove family land. We and 

Awowari family are sharing 

boundary and the crude oil has 

spread from the Awowari family 

land into our own land. Again, 

unknown persons have set fire on 

the affected environment. We 

suspect that it is people who are 

working to hide evidences of the 

crude oil that must have done this 

so that we will not be 

compensated.” 

“My fishing nets and farm are 

destroyed; we should be 

compensated for damages. This 

environment is owned by my 

husband’s family and it is here I 

go about my means of livelihood. 

But now, with this spill, I and my 

By Chioma Onuegbu 

EKET- RESIDENTS of 

Akata, Iwuokpom and other 

oil communities in Ibeno Local 

Government Area, Akwa Ibom 

State, have called on the Federal 

and State Governments to defend 

them from attacks by sea pirates 

and Cameroon gendarmes, 

following the exit of a Chinese 

company, SINOPEC Chang Jiang 

Engineering Limited, which 

underwrote the expenditures on a 

security outfit, Aswana Mopol, the 

people hired to provide security in 

the area. 

We don’t want Aswana Mopol 

to leave 

One of the inhabitants, Mr. 

Samuel Usoh, residing in Akata 

coastal settlement said, “We have 

been living in peace since Aswana 

Mopol was contracted because of 

SINOPEC and the security outfit 

has been very proactive in their 

operations here, especially in 

protecting our territorial waters. 

They patrol the waters regularly 

and since they came, we have 

never witnessed attacks by sea 

pirates on fishermen in the high 

sea.” 

“But as I speak with you, I am 

family are denied of our means of 

living. I use to take care of my 

children’s educational needs from 

my fishing and farming activities 

from this environment.” 

Traces of spill still abound 

A Tein indigene, Johnny 

Agangila, told NDV: The spill in 

question occurred in Well 1, 

Adibawa North East, Biseni, on 

the 11th of August, 2017. By then, 

the flood was coming up gradually. 

Shell, owners of the facility did not 

contain the spilled crude oil. The 

volume spilled was so large that 

A’IBOM OIL COMMUNITIES TO GOVT: 

Protect us from sea pirates, 

Cameroon gendarmes 

AKWA IBOM… 

LAND OF PROMISE 

not happy because few days ago, 

we heard that Aswana Mopol is 

planning to leave our local 

government area. The Chinese 

company had completed its work 

and has left since last year. I was 

told that the company was taking 

care of the welfare of the security 

outfit and since our community 

cannot continue, they are planning 

to leave. 

“We do not want them to leave 

because if they do, the sea pirates, 

Cameroon gendarmes are going to 

return to continue to terrorise us. 

Akata is one of the creeks where 

the sea pirates used to hang out 

and unleash mayhem on 

fishermen, rape market women 

and dispossess them of their 

money and other valuables. It 

will be sad if they are not given 

the opportunity to return,” he said. 

Start from where SINOPEC 

stopped 

Another resident, who simply 

identified himself as Usoro 

asserted: “If Aswana Mopol 

leaves Ibeno, there will be serious 

trouble. In fact, if the sea pirates 

we thought Shell would have 

recovered some from the 

environment immediately and put 

effective containment measures in 

place before the flood.” 

“But Shell did not take the 

expected actions until the flood 

came in September and spread 

the crude oil far into the whole of 

our bush. You can still see traces 

of crude oil around to show that 

the environment requires cleanup 

and remediation; despite the 

burning. We want the government 

and international organizations to 

intervene on this matter." 

renew their attacks this time, it 

may even be worse than what we 

used to experience before. I am 

seeing a situation where they will 

be more deadly in their attacks 

knowing what they had lost all 

these while.” 

“So we are pleading that 

governments at all levels should 

come to our rescue. We were only 

privileged to enjoy safety for over 

a year now because of the Chinese 

company. But they have finished 

their work and left. They did not 

witness any security challenge, 

especially kidnapping until they 

left. Aswana Mopol proved that 

they were equal to the task. 

“Let the government now take 

over the welfare of Aswana so that 

they can continue to carry out the 

good work they started. This is all 

we are asking for and I do not think 

it is too much to ask because safety 

of the citizens should be a primary 

concern of every responsible 

government,” he said. 

Village head lashes out at govt 

Village Head of Iwuokpom, 

Chief Okon Sunday Akpanowong, 

who spoke to our reporter, 

regretted that Nigerian 

government does not care about 

the welfare and protection of lives 

and property in oil producing 

communities, despite their 

contributions to the economy of the 

country. 

The royal father disclosed that 

the decision to hire the security 

outfit by the local government was 

due to government’s insensitivity 

to the plight of the people under 

suffocating attack from sea pirates. 

I‘ll take up the matter- Ibeno 

chair 

Contacted, the new Chairman of 

Ibeno local government council, 

Honourable Ifum Henry Udo, said 

he was not aware of the 

development. 

“I am only one month in office 

and I have not been properly 

informed about this. But I am 

going to find out and from there, I 

will know what to do about it, “he 

retorted on phone.

C 

M 

Y 

K 

30— Niger-Delta Voice, TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018 

Villagers abandon farm, flee 

Ogheghe community 


bloodstained clothes and 

skeletons were found in some 

shrines in the forest. We also saw 

what looked like a shallow grave 

with shoes belonging to little kids. 

There was also a very unique 

palm tree that has one root with 

three branches. Underneath, we 

saw blood stains and sacrificial 

items. 

Community members lamented 

that their people no longer enter 

the forest due to fear of being 

killed. And for over 30 minutes 

that NDV and his guide combed 

the forest, no single soul was 

found in the forest. 

Human skulls, skeletons 

Forty-six-year-old furniture 

maker, Mr Felix Ewodaghe, 

disclosed: “One day, I was coming 

back from work, I saw somebody 

crying and shouting armed 

robber, armed robber, I saw him 

crawling from a bush part and I 

went to help him. On getting 

there, I started tracing the bush 

part to see whether I can trace the 

armed robbers, but I started 

seeing human skulls and 

skeletons in the bush.” 

“I saw children clothes and 

shoes in the bush. I was shocked 

and I carried the victim to the 

main road where people came to 

help. But that was when I knew 

something was going on in that 

forest. This incident happened 

early 2017. 

…suspect confessed killing 16 

persons 

“Then last week, I was in my 

store when a commercial motorcyclist 

rode to the place and said 

that they killed somebody in the 

How soldiers tricked Bayelsa kidnap 

kingpin to surrender 14 fighters, killed all 


know-how and native intelligence 

by deluding Kareowei that he and 

his boys were actually going to be 

granted amnesty, pulled a 

bombshell, rounded them up 

and shot all of them dead on the 

spot,” he said. 

What I saw- eyewitness 

A villager, who witnessed the 

bloodbath told NDV: “Twelve 

bodies were thrown right into the 

river in front of my house, while 

the remaining four bodies, 

including Kareowei’s were taken 

away.” 

They ambushed soldiers- 

OPDS 

Giving the military account of 

how Kareowei and his boys died, 

Coordinator, Joint Media 

Campaign Centre, Operation 

Delta Safe, Major Ibrahim 

Abdullahi, asserted: “After his 

arrest, Karowei confessed to 

several criminal acts and led 

troops to his camp to recover the 

cache of arms and ammunition in 

his possession as well as to 

persuade other members of his 

gang to surrender.” 

“However in a twist of events, 

Karowei’s recalcitrant group laid 

an ambush and attacked Task 

Force troops in a gun battle at his 

camp deep in the forest. This was 

in a bid to rescue Karowei from 

the troops. 

“The superior firepower, 

forest. He said we should go there. 

When we got there, we met our 

vigilante people there and I asked 

them about the incident. 

“We saw the entire community 

there. They said I should look by 

my right hand and I looked. 

Behold I saw a dead man whose 

hands were tied on his back has 

two legs tied too. The body was 

started decomposing. I was 

shocked. 

“But I observed that there was 

one motorcyclist that they beat up 

and wanted to kill before the 

police came to rescue him. Other 

motorcyclists were accusing that 

boy of the killing. Many Okada 

riders know this particular guy, 

he uses different motorcycles 

every day and that was when they 

started suspecting him. 

“They said he will lure his fellow 

Okada people to the forest, kill 

them and collect their motorcycle. 

They said they wanted to kill the 

boy, but the police said no that he 

should not be killed. I heard that 

the boy even confessed to the 

Okada people that he has killed 

about 16 persons in this forest. But 

the police took the boy away and 

that was the end we heard about 

him,” he said. 

SOS to Gov Obaseki, Oba of 

Benin 

His words: “The truth is that 

because the land now belongs to 

Air Force, nobody goes there and 

the place became a thick forest. 

Air force should come and develop 

that land because it has turned to 

an evil forest. The land is known 

as Air Force land, but the truth 

now is that it is Air Force 

Cemetery due to the killings that 

goes on in that forest. “ 

resilience and gallantry of the 

troops countered this snap attack, 

which resulted in the death of 

several of Karowei’s henchmen 

and the king pin, Karowei who 

tried to flee to rejoin his cohorts. 

Elusive duo captured 

The two, who escaped death, 

allegedly came to the village after 

the bloodbath, but the villagers 

rounded them up and handed 

them to security agents. 

Question for OPDS 

Before he capitulated, Kareowei 

knew that his time was up and 

made frantic phone calls to top 

politicians and security officials, 

saying he was ready to lay down 

arms and accept amnesty. 

Multiple sources told NDV that 

Kareowei was equipped by some 

prominent politicians and they 

were the ones he was calling to 

save his life. Top military officers 

also knew that he was connected. 

Shortly after his arrest, Bayelsa 

state governor, Seriake Dickson 

and the former governor of the 

state, Timpre Sylva, both leaders 

of PDP and APC, in the state were 

engaged in a war of words with 

Dickson accusing the latter’s 

party of being behind the 

dishonorable criminal. 

Though the military maintained 

that Kareowei was killed when 

his boys waylaid own troops when 

they went to his camp, few 

persons bought the story and the 

question many are asking is: 

“I am happy you went there, you 

saw human skeletons, human 

clothes with blood. We are 

appealing to our Oba and the Edo 

state government to come to our 

aid and save us. People come there 

to kill people for rituals. They 

should show concern to this 

community by saving us. And 

they should ask Ogida Police the 

whereabouts of the boy they 

arrested. 

“We have stopped passing the 

road across the forest because 

there was a time we saw a J5 bus, 

we only saw that the doors of the 

bus were open but nobody inside. 

The vehicle was abandoned there 

and after few days, we noticed a 

grave in that area. Due to the fear, 

our people stopped passing 

through that road,” he narrated. 

Air Force should develop its 

land or… 

Another community member, 

Osarodion Arthur, said: “If you 

notice, our people have fled this 

community. Our appeal is that 

Governor Godwin Obaseki 

promised to give our youth work, 

and there is no other thing he can 

do, he should come and build 

industry in this evil forest so that 

“Since Kareowei submitted 

himself and soldiers ingeniously 

hoodwinked him to surrender 14 

other combatants, why did the 

Operation Delta Safe not wait to 

investigate their sponsors and 

source of arms and ammunition, 

which would have gone a long 

way in cleansing the region of 

criminal godfathers and 

lawbreakers like them.” 

the place can be opened and our 

youth can have jobs in the place, 

rather than keep an evil forest 

fallow here.” 

The Air Force that owns the 

place is not developing it and we 

cannot continue to suffer this. 

They are slaughtering our people 

every day there, using them for 

rituals just because the place is a 

forest. 

“Unfortunately, the day 

vigilante people and Okada riders 

arrested one of the suspects; the 

police came and saved him. So 

police is part of our problem 

because we heard that the people 

perpetrating this killing in the 

forest always settle the police if 

any of them are arrested. 

“Because of the killings in this 

DELTA…THE BIG 

HEART OF THE 

scholarships and other corporate 

social responsibilities, CSR. 

The protesters, mainly women, 

claimed that the management of 

the company was insensitive to 

the pains of the people. 

We are in agony- Residents 

Lamenting that they have 

nothing to show for the abundant 

oil in the community, they called 

on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to 

wade into the matter and prevail 

on the management to do the 

needful. 

Speaking to newsmen, one of 

the protesters, Madam Maris 

Akpochimore, said, “We are 

suffering untold hardship despite 

the oil wells we have in this 

community. We have no food to eat 

and our children are not employed 

by the company. 

“We, however, heaved a sigh of 

relief when Michael Enebeir 

forest, our people no longer go to 

their farms due to fear. Apart from 

that, when you go into the city and 

want to come back, no Okada man 

will agree to bring you to this 

village due to fear. We are 

suffering and if this forest is not 

developed, these killings will 

continue. What the Air Force 

people do each time they come is 

to beat up our people, rather than 

develop their land,” Arthur stated. 

Road block 

Community leader, Osarobo 

Omorodion, lamented that the 

police come to the area to mount 

road block on the road leading to 

the community, but rather than 

investigate the happenings in the 

forest, they collect money from the 

people. 

DELTA community protests alleged 

marginalization by oil coy 

By Festus Ahon 

ERHOIKE 

-ANGRY 

inhabitants of Erhoike 

community, Ethiope East Local 

Government Area, Delta State 

went up in arms against the 

Heritage Oil Company, accusing 

the management of sidelining 

their indigenes in employment, 

Mysterious Palm tree 

Osarodion Arthur 

and Matthew Oyibocha took over 

the leadership of the community. 

They ensured we got our fair share 

as oil producing community, but 

this did not go well with a section 

of the community. 

Insisting that they have rules 

and regulations governing the 

community, she said a single 

individual or a group or persons 

could not overturn their wish. 

The eldest woman in the 

community, Madam Erede 

Eneberi and Mrs. Felicia 

Solomon, who spoke in the same 

vain, bemoaned that their 

children were not getting 

scholarship from the company. 

Heritage and Erhoike have 

good relationship 

Efforts made to reach the Head 

of Public Affairs Department of 

the company proved abortive at 

press time. However, one of the 

company’s staff, who pleaded 

anonymity, said the company has 

good rapour with Erhoike 

community. 

He said their demands were 

being looked into, but the 

management was yet to take 

decision on the issues. 

•Erhoike community women and children protesting marginalization by Heritage Oil company

C 

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An Ode to Joy (1) 

WE are gathered here today 

to celebrate a distinguished 

patriot. Her Excellency 

Ambassador Joy Ogwu OFR is not 

only a woman of substance; she is 

a public servant of distinction; a 

woman of virtue; a devoted mother 

and wife; and an accomplished 

academic – one of those rare breed 

of scholar-diplomats that are, 

sadly, becoming extinct these days. 

An anecdote has been recounted 

about one of our pioneer career 

diplomats, Leslie Harriman, when 

he was appointed Ambassador 

and Permanent Representative to 

the United Nations in 1975. 

During his maiden address, 

Harriman jolted his colleagues by 

reporting that when his posting 

came up, the Nigerian press 

angrily demanded to know why a 

zoology graduate from Ibadan 

should be made envoy to such an 

august international body. The late 

envoy added that, having observed 

his colleagues in the General 

Assembly since his arrival he was 

left in no doubt that he had the best 

training for the job! 

When Joy Uche Angela Ogwu 

was sent to New York in August 

2006, there was, happily, no 

grumbling whatsoever from our 

media. She came to the job – the 

first woman to be so appointed – 

like fish in water. Before then, she 

had been Director-General of the 

Nigerian Institute of International 

Political party manifestos: Nigeria, UK and US 

People Democratic Party, PDP Manifesto 

THE party is committed to building a 

qualitatively better society based on 

the principle of democracy, human rights 

and moral justice under the rule of law. It 

would restructure Nigeria for true 

federalism: devolution of powers to the 

states and local governments in an 

indivisible Nigeria that respects 

geopolitical balancing and rotation of 

power at all levels of government. The 

judiciary will be independent. There will 

be gender equality in an economy that is 

private sector-led extending good 

governance and probity in a free marketbased 

economy in a multi-religious state. 

PDP believes in the rotation of power 

according to the principle of Federal 

Character involving all interest groups. 

On the economy, the state will play a 

leading role to achieve a self-reliant and 

just society. It will encourage 

pluralisation, alleviate poverty, leading to 

full employment, diversification of the 

economy and reducing dependence on oil: 

there will be an efficient tax collection 

system, reduce the gap between the rich 

and the poor. 

Agriculture will receive better inputs – 

fertilizer improved seedlings, farm 

animals, fish will be produced massively. 

There will be a Directorate of small-scale 

industries, a National Economic 

Reconstruction Fund and Bank for 

Commerce and Industries aiming at 

keeping interest rates low. There will be 

tax holiday for new industries. Health will 

be free to all, especially in all the 

institutions of learning and for the aged 

and handicapped. The PDP would provide 

General hospitals to all Local Government 

headquarters (i.e. 774 hospitals). 

Specialist hospitals in all states’ 

headquarters while promoting research 

Affairs, and subsequently, foreign 

minister. She came to the job with 

enormous intellectual capital – 

with an arsenal of publications in 

foreign policy and international 

affairs, disarmament and security. 

She brought to the job not only 

high ability but also leadership, 

passion, commitment and 

patriotism. One of the most 

difficult moments must have been 

when she had to leave her beloved 

husband – a renowned surgeon – 

in his dying hospital bed whilst she 

was attending to urgent matters of 

state. 

It was no doubt a humongous 

success for Nigerian diplomacy 

that she presided over the UN 

Security Council for four 

consecutive times — a most 

unusual feat for a non-permanent 

member of that exclusive club. 

The theme of my Keynote 

Address will centre on Africa, 

Nigeria and World Order. My point 

of departure is that Nigeria’s 

manifest world-historic destiny is 

to be the leader of Africa and of 

the black race – the cupbearer of 

the Standard of Civilisation in our 

continent. 

Some of you may have come 

across former American Secretary 

of State Henry Kissinger’s book, 

World Order: Reflections on the 

Character of Nations and the 

Course of History (Penguin 2014). 

I once attended a lecture by 

into traditional medicines. The PDP will 

provide family planning. 

Education should be free and functional, 

it would induce “political education” 

while encouraging private and voluntary 

organisation to establish schools. PDP will 

guarantee academic freedom while 

promoting science and technical 

education to build a solid foundation for 

economic take-off. It will complete, like 

the APC, the steel, and all petroleum plans. 

It will provide modern efficient 

transportation; encourage vehicle 

manufacturer; re-establish the Nigerian 

National Shipping Line and wellmaintained 

ports. The PDP will re-organise 

the nation’s postal system, privatise 

NITEL and NIPOST and revamp Police 

and the Prison system. 

Both the PDP and APC 

say they would 

“restructure Nigeria” 

The PDP would provide power and 

electricity to all Nigerians and encourage 

wind, sun energy projects. Water supply 

would be adequate for drinking and 

farming. It would improve the conditions 

of workers after reviewing the minimum 

wages and overhauling the Industrial 

Arbitration Court. 

On solid minerals, the PDP will quantify 

all mineral deposits, revamp the rolling 

steel mills and reposition NNPC for the 

purpose. Both the PDP and APC say they 

would “restructure Nigeria”. 

All People Congress, APC 

APC believes that all power is derived 

from the people through fair and free 

elections. It is committed to equal rights 

in a level playing field. It will restructure 

Kissinger when I was a doctoral 

student in England. I found him to 

be a man of genius. But he also 

reminded me of a famous quote 

from Sir Winston Churchill when 

he was asked about God and 

mortality: “I am prepared to meet 

my maker. Whether my maker is 

prepared for the great ordeal of 

meeting me is another matter.” 

Henry Alfred Kissinger made his 

fame as a great Harvard scholar 

of European classical diplomacy; 

and easily one of the greatest 

philosophers of war and peace of 

the twentieth century. He defines 

world order as: “the concept held 

It is up to us Africans 

to articulate a vision 

of who we are based 

on our cosmology, 

gnosis, historical 

experiences and 

clearly defined 

interests 

by a region or civilisation about 

the nature of just arrangements 

and the distribution of power 

thought to be applicable to the 

entire world…the practical 

application of these concepts to a 

substantial part of the globe— 

large enough to affect the global 

balance of power.” 

Kissinger significantly observes 

that no real “global order” has 

ever existed as such. Rather, “what 

passes for order in our time was 

devised in Western Europe n early 

four centuries ago, at a peace 

conference in the German region 

of Westphalia, conducted without 

the involvement or even the 

awareness of most other 

continents or civilisations”. 

Kissinger, despite his weighty 

learning, apparently suffers from 

profound prejudices. Our former 

Foreign minister Joseph Nanven 

Garba once angrily accosted him 

to explain his Africa policy. 

Kissinger reportedly gave Garba 

a blank look. In his latest tour de 

force, he makes a wide-ranging 

sweep at America, Europe, Asia 

and the Middle East. Africa is 

virtually ignored. In Kissinger’s 

world, then as now — and sad to 

say — Africa does not exist! 

Scientists, archaeologists and 

evolutionary biologists have 

established, quite incontrovertibly, 

that our glorious continent of 

Africa is the cradle of Humanity. 

The ancient civilisation of Egypt 

and the Nile Valley remains 

unsurpassed in the history of the 

human race. The ancient 

Egyptians, who were black people, 

were the first teachers of the human 

race, from whom the Persians, 

Greeks and Romans borrowed 

whatever has made them famous 

up to our age. The great Cushitic 

Christian kingdoms of Nubia and 

Kush have left their imprints on 

the annals of human culture, as 

have the ancient kingdoms of 

Ghana, Mali, Songhai, Kanem- 

Borno, Bini, Ankole, Toro and 

Buganda. 

While Europe and North 

America are regressing in terms 

of population, the emerging 

countries are experiencing a 

population explosion. The world’s 

population has recently reached 

the 7 billion mark. It is projected 

to reach 8.3 billion by 2030. 

Africa’s population currently 

stands at 1.22 billion, and is 

expected to exceed both China and 

India by the year 2030. Our 

continent has the world’s youngest 

population. The world’s middle 

class is projected to grow from 3.2 

billion in 2020 to 4.9 billion in 

2030. A recent report from the 

United States predicts that by 2050 

Nigeria’s population will be about 

440 million, way ahead of that of 

the United States. 

With a landmass of 29.8 million 

square km, our continent is the 

second largest after continental 

Eurasia. The Almighty Creator has 

the government 

devolving 

power to the 

units. It would 

declare war on 

corruption in a 

nation that has 

food security, 

constant power 

s u p p l y , 

integrated transport network, free 

education, and affordable health care and 

accelerated economic growth. The 

currency will be strong, interest rates low 

– in the single digit and low inflation. It 

would revolutionise the agricultural 

industry by establishing agriculture 

extension workers and produce 

inspectors; land preparation, commercial 

lives, afforestation. 

The APC would strengthen the Economic 

and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC 

and Independent Corrupt Practice 

Commission, ICPC encourage whistleblowers, 

sanitise Independent National 

Electoral Commission, INEC, and 

institute special courts for corruption. It 

would establish official and reliable urban 

transportation system, build 4000km of 

superhighways; 2000km of modern 

standard Rail System annually, complete 

the medium section of Ajaokuta steel; 

Promote aviation and provide hanger 

facilities to service planes. APC would 

build 40,000 megawatts per annum and 

liberalise the Federal Government's 

monopoly on power; while investing 

heavily in solid minerals. It would fully 

implement the Universal Basic 

Education, UBE act; devote 10% of the 

budget to education. All education would 

be free especially primary and secondary 

education. It would build, and upgrade 

all Federal Government hospitals to 

international standards, and boost 

pharmaceutical production to 70% of 

endowed us with over 50 percent 

of the world’s strategic minerals. 

Indeed some of the strategic 

minerals, known as rare earths, 

are found in our continent alone. 

Ours is a land of rich forests, fertile 

valleys and eternal fountain 

springs and rivers. 

Africa is currently experiencing 

the most rapid growth of the 

middle class as a percentage of the 

population. With a thriving middle 

class comes a mass consumer 

economy. This will provide 

opportunities for business, 

industry, agribusiness, banking 

and finance, infrastructures hotels, 

tourism and services to grow and 

flourish. 

Through the pernicious order of 

Global Apartheid, our continent 

has been consigned to a low and 

servile status in the hierarchy of 

nations. Global Apartheid is 

perpetrated through such vehicles 

as the international media, 

Hollywood, mass consumer 

culture, the global financial 

industry to impose a system that 

the Italian Marxist political 

philosopher Antonio Gramsci 

characterised as “hegemony”. It 

was not a slip of tongue that 

President Donald Trump spat on 

the face of our continent as a 

“shithole”. 

It is up to us Africans to articulate 

a vision of who we are based on 

our cosmology, gnosis, historical 

experiences and clearly defined 

interests. And we must do so with 

conviction and moral force. No one 

else will do it for us. 

Joy Ogwu has set an example 

with her stellar impact in the realm 

of ideas as well as practice. She is 

passing the baton to a new 

generation of scholar-diplomats to 

emulate her excellence. 

(Being Text of a Keynote Lecture 

on the Occasion of Books 

Presentation by H. E. Ambassador 

Joy Ogwu OFR, Held at the 

National Defence College, Abuja, 

on Thursday 11 January, 2018). 

Nigerians' need. There will be free health 

care for pregnant women and children. 

On the economy, APC would 

micromanage the economy by giving 

Central Bank its independence, grow the 

GDP by 10% annually, create 1 million 

jobs annually; amend the Land Use Act to 

create freehold land and institute an 

electronic land registration. APC would 

grow a new middle class by building 1 

million affordable houses yearly for them 

and establish special banks for the sectors 

of the economy- agriculture, construction, 

Industry, Social Development, etc. 

APC would create Nigerian National 

Petroleum Corporation, NNPC to become 

a cutting-edge institution for oil and gas, 

implement the master gas plan, stop gas 

flaring, stripe Nigerian National 

Petroleum Corporation, NNPC of its 

regulatory function. Nigerian would 

become a major Liquefied Natural Gas, 

LNG manufacturer as well as producer of 

LPC and Compress Natural Gas (CNG), 

and encourage more exploration 

especially in Sokoto, Minna, Chad and 

Benue Basin. 

On human rights, the APC would revamp 

the Public Complaints Commission and 

Code of Conduct Bureau while 

reorganising the Police and ensure the full 

implementation of the Freedom of 

Information Act and establish a Conflict 

Revolution Commission. 

Continues next week

C 

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32 -- Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018 

YOUR LUCK TODAY 

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 

AQUARIUS; Full-Moon across Leo/Aquarius axis today 

; Unless you are more careful matters-of-the-heart 

may cause avoidable trouble the way your career/business 

can suffer temporarily. 

PISCES; Full-Moon across Leo/Aquarius axis today 

; It is important you don’t exhibit aggression unnecessarily. 

Here is a day when secret love is capable of 

bringing serious pressure. Try to be very diplomatic. 

ARIES; Full-Moon across Leo/Aquarius axis today ; 

Your concentration level is not perfect and if you take 

bad advice from friends you would be misled. The more 

practical you are the better for you. 

TAURUS; Full-Moon across Leo/Aquarius axis today 

; Unnecessary aggressive approach on your part along 

your career/business lines will back-fire more than you 

imagine. Graceful expression is what you will need. 

L E I S U R E 

TAKE HEART —ELLA RANDLE 

The heart of the wise man lies quiet like limpid water. ~ Cameroon 

proverb 

Wisdom is like fire. People take it from others. ~ Hema (DRC) 

proverb 

Only a wise person can solve a difficult problem. ~ Akan proverb 

Knowledge without wisdom is like water in the sand. ~ Guinean 

proverb 

proverb 

Nobody is born wise. ~ African proverb 

A man who uses force is afraid of reasoning. ~Kenyan proverb 

Wisdom is not like money to be tied up and hidden. ~ Akan proverb 

african proverbs 

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye” 

SAYINGS OF 

OUR PEOPLE 

In the moment of 

crisis, the wise build 

bridges and the foolish 

build dams. Nigerian 

proverb 

If you are filled with 

pride, then you will 

have no room for 

wisdom. African 

proverb 

A wise person will 

always find a way. 

Tanzanian 

By Kola Fayemi 

GEMINI; Full-Moon across Leo/Aquarius axis today 

; Happenings within your working arena can bring minor 

provocation but it is just a passing trend. Travelling for 

love will bring more challenges than expected. 

CANCER; Full-Moon across Leo/Aquarius axis today; 

Male members of this Star sign will need to watch 

their libido while female must not ignore their sex-life. 

Beware of joint ventures with those you don’t know. 

LEO; Full-Moon across Leo/Aquarius axis today; It is 

not compulsory you take to aggressive re-action to those 

within your base of operation who are not as perfect as 

you. Protect your spouse. 

VIRGO; Full-Moon across Leo/Aquarius axis today; 

Watch what you eat and drink today. This is the wrong 

time to engage in unnecessary heated argument.. Romance 

at work may bring disappointment. 

LIBRA; Full-Moon across Leo/Aquarius axis today; 

Trying to influence matters-of-the-heart with money will 

not give you the desired result. Any way it is a day you 

will need to be more careful with money. 

DUDU in “ROLLING HOT” By A.O. OLAIDE 

SCORPIO; Full-Moon across Leo/Aquarius axis today; 

It is important you are more careful while trying to 

pass judgement on people within your base of operation 

because you too may be wrong. 

SAGITTARIUS Full-Moon across Leo/Aquarius axis; 

today ; Taking a pleasure drive or movement may bring 

more than anticipated responsibility. Keep away from 

whatever can not be placed above board today. 

CAPRICORN; Full-Moon across Leo/Aquarius axis 

today If you allow friends to force their ideas on you 

financially or on matters-of-the-heart, you would be the 

loser. Express yourself gracefully. 

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 should I know? 

Dear Joshua, 

Kindly tell me where the Moon was placed when I was 

born and other things I should know about my star. 

Lateef, Lateef, 

Dear Lateef, 

What space can take will be given here-under. Your 

natal Moon was in Aries. 

ANALYSIS OF YOUR HOROSCOPE DATA 

Preponderance of cardinal quality in your chart is an 

indication of GREAT LEADERSHIP QUALITY together 

with innate ability to attain prominence on one hand, on 

the other hand, exaltation of intellectual related Mercury 

in Aquarius at positive angle to both lucky Jupiter 

and Uranus (the planet of genius) in Libra pointed to a 

person with higher pitch of intelligence. 

Action loving Mars as the final depositor of your 

horoscope ( that’s most influential planet at home when 

you were born) will most times induce you to strongly 

desire importance with likeness for quick results; actually 

long promise without concrete action will bore you 

easily. Equally 60 percentage of push-full influence in 

your chart means that the best for you is to go after your 

needs and wants. 

Combination of all the placement and aspects formed 

within the planets when you were born are pointers to 

you as a person with balanced personality with little bias 

for good spiritual life. And you believe in disciplinarian 

life style. 

Placement of your natal Sun and Moon in compassionate 

Pisces and self conscious Aries respectively are 

indications of your being mainly a Piscean and partly an 

Arian, however as Aries is also your Stellium sign, both 

basic characteristics of Pisces and Aries are highly pronounced 

in your inner-self. 

VIRGINIA 

HOME & ABROAD 

dadadekola@yahoo.com 

By Lawrence Akapa



Delta LG polls: Admit you lost, PDP tells APC candidates 

By Ochuko Akuopha 

O 

L E H — 

CHAIRMAN 

of Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP, in Isoko North 

Local Government Area, 

Delta State, Prince 

Godwin Ogorugba, has 

told candidates of All 

Progressives Congress, 

APC, in the just 

concluded council polls in 

the state to admit that they 

lost the election and stop 

BURIAL: Mr and Mrs David Akpere, during the burial ceremony of his father in-law, Pa Albert 

Oghogho, at Orhokpokpo-Agbarho, Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State. 

Urhobo seek return to Midwest Region, 

flay herdsmen attacks 

By Emmanuel 

Aziken, Political 

Editor 

THE Urhobo in 

Nigeria are 

demanding their return to 

the old Midwest Region 

under their proposal for 

restructuring of the country 

that will put resource 

control at the basis of 

relationships between the 

entities in the country. 

A statement by the 

Urhobo Renaissance 

Movement, URM, a body 

comprising Urhobo 

professionals at home and 

in the Diaspora, also 

lamented the absence of 

any person from the ethnic 

group in the Federal 

Executive Council and in 

any commanding role in 

any of the federal agencies 

despite the ethnic 

nationality’s contribution to 

the national purse. 

The statement by 

Professor Hope Eghagha, 

Coordinator and others, 

also lamented what it 

described as the relegation 

of the ethnic nationality in 

the politics of Delta State. 

“It is our view that the 

political structure of the 

country as currently 

blaming their defeat on 

rigging. 

He said it was 

unjustifiable for APC 

candidates to accuse PDP 

of rigging the election 

when they knew they 

could not even win in 

their own units let alone 

their wards. 

Speaking at his Otor- 

Igho country home, when 

he played host to the 

leadership of the PDP in 

his ward to celebrate the 

constituted cannot meet the 

hopes and aspirations of 

our people. The resources 

in our God-given 

homeland are exploited 

and deployed to other parts 

of the federation. For 

example, Kokori, in 

Urhoboland, which is 

reputed to produce the 

smoothest crude oil in the 

country’s wells has been 

left prostate for decades 

caused by oil exploration 

“In the proposed restructuring, 

the Urhobo 

nation votes to return to the 

Mid-Western Region 

arrangement. This will 

guarantee equity and 

Edo Forum of Patriots laments state of 

proposed education varsity 

By Simon 

Ebegbulem 

B ENIN—EDO 

Forum of Patriots, 

comprising political leaders 

and professionals in Edo 

State, has written to the 

state governor, Mr Godwin 

Obaseki, expressing its 

concern over what it 

described as the sad state 

of the proposed University 

of Education, Ekiadolor, 

and appealed to the 

victory of the party at 

council polls, Ogorugba 

said the party in the ward 

and Isoko North will be 

dedicated in mobilizing 

total support for Governor 

Ifeanyi Okowa and all 

candidates of the party in 

the 2019 general election. 

He thanked the PDP 

faithful for their massive 

support for the party, 

saying, “With this 

overwhelming victory, it 

is obvious that there is no 

fairness through devolution 

of power to the regions. 

However, in a states-based 

Federal Republic, we call 

for the creation of a true 

Delta State in accordance 

with the recommendation of 

the National Conference in 

2014. 

“Central to restructuring 

is the issue of resource 

control. By this, we mean 

that economic resources 

within every state should be 

harnessed and controlled 

by the state in which they 

are derived with a clear-cut 

contribution formula to the 

central government. A 

nation where resources are 

governor to hasten the 

processes which will 

transform the College of 

Education, Ekiadolor, to a 

university in order not to 

jeopardise the future of both 

students and staff of the 

College of Education. 

The letter by Messrs 

Bright Omokhodion and 

Austin Atakpu, for the 

Interim Management 

Committee of the forum, 

recalled that the preceding 

regime of former Governor 

other party in the state 

aside PDP. I, therefore, 

charge you all to work 

harder and make it a top 

priority to ensure victory 

for PDP in the forth 

coming general election.” 

Congratulating the 

Chairman of Isoko North 

council, Mr. Emmanuel 

Egbabor and the 

councillors-elect on their 

victory at the polls, he 

said the PDP candidates 

won the election in a free 

and fair contest. 

exploited from one region 

for the development of 

others is inequitable and 

can never create peace. We, 

therefore, demand for 

resource control and fiscal 

responsibility of federating 

states as it was in the First 

Republic,” it said. 

Lamenting the spate of 

insecurity in the country 

and the relegation of the 

Urhobo ethnic nationality in 

the political allotments in 

Delta State, the group 

described as sickening, the 

upsurge of violence by 

Fulani herdsmen in 

Urhoboland. 

Adams Oshiomole put in 

place, the process of 

upgrading the former 

College of Education to a 

full-fledged university. 

“To do this, the law 

establishing the stateowned 

College of 

Education was repealed 

and a new one enacted to 

back the upgrade of the 

college to a university by 

the Edo State House of 

Assembly," it said. 

GMoU board: Monarch 

threatens to sue Bayelsa govt 

By Emem Idio 

Y ENAGOA—THE 

paramount ruler of 

Bilabiri II community in 

Ekeremor Local 

Government Area of 

Bayelsa State, HRH 

Minna Fun Omotete, has 

threatened to drag 

officials of the state 

Ministry of Mineral 

Resources to court 

following the rejection of 

the community's nominee 

as member of the 

Community Trust Board 

over alleged security 

concern. 

Top officials of the 

ministry had refused to 

inaugurate the Mein 

Cluster Global 

Memorandum of 

Understanding, GMoU, 

board, requesting the 

community to change 

one of the 10 nominees 

Emmanuel warns politicians 

against inciting masses 

By Emmanuel 

Ayungbe & Dennis 

Udoma 

U YO—GOV- 

ERNOR Udom 

Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom 

State has advised 

political leaders and 

stakeholders in the state 

to refrain from making 

provocative statements 

capable of generating 

bad blood and disunity 

among the people. 

He also called on 

Nigerians to promote the 

ideals which Nigeria's 

fallen heroes lived and 

died for. 

The governor spoke in 

Uyo during laying of 

wreath in honour of the 

fallen heroes to round off 

this year’s Armed Forces 


celebration in the state. 

2019: SSWA to campaign for 

Atiku in N-Delta 

By Onozure 

Dania 

THE South/South 

Wing of ex- 

Agitators, SSWA, is to 

embark on massive 

campaign for the 

presidential ambition of 

former Vice President 

Abubakar Atiku in major 

cities, towns and creeks 

of the six states of the 

region. 

The group also called 

on the national 

leadership of Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, to 

rally round and support 

Atiku’s ambition, saying 

the former Vice President 

and replace him with 

another, alleging that the 

rejected nominee has 

“generated security 

concern.” 

The paramount ruler, 

who described the rejection 

of the nominee as 

unacceptable, said the 

ministry was yet to provide 

cogent reasons for its 

action and urged it to 

substantiate the “claims of 

security concerns” against 

the nominee or risk court 

action. 

Omotete said: “As a 

community, we are finding 

it difficult to understand 

the rationale behind the 

rejection of one of our 

nominees for the 

community trust by some 

self-seeking officials of the 

Ministry of Mineral 

Resources, especially 

where no cogent reasons 

were forwarded to us." 

He said: “As we honour 

these heroes, let us 

collectively say to 

ourselves that in this 

unfolding political climate, 

we will not stoke the 

embers of hatred, but will 

play politics of inclusion. 

We will exercise deep 

sense of circumspection in 

our utterances and 

behaviour, knowing full 

well, that as leaders and 

stakeholders in this state, 

words we utter and actions 

we take have deep and 

profound meaning.” 

He urged Nigerians, 

particularly Akwa Ibom 

people, to emulate the 

sterling examples of the 

fallen heroes who did not 

allow parochial ethnic, 

religious and political 

sentiments to stop them 

from sacrificing their lives 

for the country. 

is the only person within 

the opposition that can 

unseat President 

Muhammadu Buhari in 

2019. 

Mr Paul Agge, leader of 

the group who spoke to 

newsmen after its meeting 

in Port Harcourt, Rivers 

State, said that since Atiku 

joined the PDP, the All 

Progressives Congress, 

APC, has been jittery. 

He said SSWA decided 

to join forces with Atiku 

because he is a 

detribalized Nigerian 

concerned with the unity 

of the country in an 

heterogeneous 

perspective. 

C 

M 

Y 

K

34— VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018 

Fulani Herdsmen: Orji Kalu reacts, 

says he’s quoted out of context 

U MUAHIA—The 

former Abia State 

governor, Dr. Orji Uzor 

Kalu yesterday denied 

alleged media report in 

which he was quoted as 

saying that “those 

killing Nigerians are 

not Fulani herdsmen.” 

He was quoted to have 

said while addressing 

newsmen in his country 

home in Igbere, Abia 

state, that “aggrieved 

politicians and runaway 

insurgents (Boko 

Haram) from Niger 

Republic might be 

behind those 

unleashing the mayhem 

on various parts of the 

country in the guise of 

Fulani cattle herders”. 

The statement had 

sparked mixed reactions 

online following the 

recent killings by the 

herdsmen in Benue and 

Taraba States. Some 

Nigerians lambasted the 

former governor for 

defending the killer 

herdsmen. 

But responding to the 

reactions in a statement 

yesterday, Chief Kalu 

said he was quoted out 

of context. 

According to him, 

“Fulani herdsmen may 

have been involved but 

it would be highly 

erroneous and irrational 

to conclude that all 

Fulani herdsmen who 

are nomadic in cattle 

rearing are killers and 

generally responsible 

for the attacks.” 

The statement read: 

“Our attention has been 

drawn to the torrents of 

reactions from various 

members of the public 

which has trailed recent 


interview of Dr. Orji 

Uzor Kalu with 

newsmen on the 7th of 

January in the Igbere 

country home of the 

former governor of Abia 

State over his comments 

as reported by various 

sections of the media 

that Fulani herdsmen 

are not responsible for 

the attacks and killings 

of innocent Nigerians in 

various parts of the 

country. 

“It is well known to 

every well informed 

Nigerian that the 

Nigerian Army including 

the coordinated joint 

border task force in 

Nigerian border 

countries have dealth 

decisively with the Boko 

Haram terrorists in their 

various enclaves and 

strong holds in the 

Northern parts of 

Nigeria, as well as 

border countries like 

Niger. Dr . Orji Uzor 

Kalu from the interview 

holds the opinion which 

actually means that it 

isn’t impossible that 

such terrorist elements 

might have “infiltrated” 

the ranks and file of the 

Fulani herdsmen to 

continue to perpetrate 

it’s nefarious evil 

activities of terrorism by 

killing people in such 

barbaric manner? 

“There may have been 

a few instances which 

the Fulani herdsmen 

may have been involved 

but it would be highly 

erroneous and irrational 

to conclude that all 

Fulani herdsmen who 

are nomadic in cattle 

rearing are killers and 

generally responsible 

for the attacks.” 

MASSOB praises Obiano, Ikpeazu 

for rejecting grazing colonies for 

herdsmen 

N Movement NEWI—THE 

for the 

Actualization of the 

Sovereign state of 

Biafra, MASSOB, has 

expressed delight over 

the positions of 

Anambra and Abia 

states governments on 

the 

Federal 

Government’s alleged 

plan to establish 

grazing colonies for 

Fulani herdsmen and 

their cows in the 

Southern part of Nigeria. 

MASSOB in a 

statement by its leader 

Comrade Uchenna 

Madu described the 

alleged plan to establish 

colonies for the Fulani 

herdsmen and their 

cows as anti people and 

a plot to empower the 

herdsmen to continue to 

kill people in the 

southern states of the 

federation. 

“We salute the 

eloquent courageous 

spirit of Abia state 

governor, Okezie 

Ikpeazu and Governor 

Willie Obiano for 

opposing the anti 

people Federal 

government policy 

which only favours the 

Fulanis and their cows. 

We urge other sleeping 

governors in the 

Southeast to wake up 

from their slumber and 

cowardice and follow the 

fearless footsteps on the 

issue and in 

infrastructural 

development of their 

respective States. 

Urhobo College 

old students 

hold reunion 

THE Urhobo College 

Old Students 

Association, Lagos 

Branch has slated its 

first quarter 2018 

reunion for Sunday 

January 21, 2018 at the 

White House Hotel, 

GRA, Lagos. at 4pm 

Pain, anguish in Imo, as petrol hits N250 

By Chinonso 

Alozie 

O WERRI—FEW 

days after the 

Department of Petroleum 

Resources, DPR, Zonal 

Controller Southeast, 

Mr. Peter Ikechukwu 

Eje, claimed that he had 

stopped petrol 

marketers, from selling 

above pump price, the 

product is still sold 

between N220 and 

N250 in the state, as 

against N145 approved 

by government. 

Residents in Imo, who 

spoke to Vanguard in 

Owerri, yesterday, 

wailed over the situation 

especially as the cost of 

transportation continued 

to rise, just as they 

blamed the authorities 

for the lack of political 

will to stop their 

sufferings. 

Some of the areas 

visited included Egbu, 

MCC, Aba and Port- 

Harcout road. To the 

chagrin of some 

motorists, petrol stations 

very close to the DPR 

office in World Bank 

area, Owerri, were 

selling above pump 

price. 

It was observed that in 

the day, some of the 

petrol stations sell the 

product around N220, 

while at night, they sell 

N250. 

Investigations by 

Vanguard confirmed that 

ORDINATION: Vice Chairman, Parish Pastoral Council, Sir John 

Akanya (right), presenting a gift to the newly ordained Rev. Fr. Pascal 

Ifeanyichukwu Nwoko, during his first mass celebration at the Sacred 

Heart Catholic Church Gwagwalada, in Abuja, on Sunday. With them 

is the Parish priest, Rev.Fr. Clement Igyeseh (2nd left). 

a petrol station along 

Onitsha road, close to 

Egbeada junction was 

selling at N145 as fixed 

by the government. 

In the area of 

transportation, the 

commuters lamented 

that the government has 

failed to intervene in 

their predicament. 

They reported that 

even the buses brought 

out by the government to 

reduce cost of 

transportation have 

added to their distress, 

saying that the 

government buses 

charged the same price 

as private car owners. 

One Kenneth Okenwa, 

who introduced himself 

as a student said that 

within this period, living 

in Imo state “is a 

sorrowful experience.” 

He went further to say 

that, “The government 

knows why the 

marketers are selling 

above pump price. You 

cannot say that the Imo 

state government does 

not know. 

“Just after the 

marketers paid a 

courtesy call on the 

governor, they remained 

adamant in selling the 

product above the 

federal government 

approved price.” 

Herdsmen attack: David Umahi assures of adequate 

security in Ebonyi 

By Peter Okutu 

A BAKALIKI— 

EBONYI State 

government said it has 

put everything in place 

to ensure the safety of 

Ebonyians from the 

hands of rampaging 

killer herdsmen, who 

might be planning to 

come into the State. 

The Chief Press 

Secretary to the 

Governor of Ebonyi 

state, Sir Emmanuel 

Uzor stated this while 

reacting to the statement 

made by the leaders of 

Miyetti Allah claiming 

responsibility for the 

deaths recorded in 

Benue State. 

“We have put 

everything in place to 

ensure safety of our 

people in the hands of 

the rampaging killer 

herdsmen. 

“His Excellency in his 

prompt response to the 

dangerously divisive 

tendencies that have 

posed great challenge to 

our nationhood had 

constituted security 

committee to ensure that 

there is no infiltration of 

killer herdsmen into the 

state. 

“There has also been 

series of meetings with 

the Fulani living the 

state and all these were 

to ensure free 

information about the 

activities of the killer 

herdsmen in the state. 

“In reacting to the 

pleas by the Miyati 

Allah in the state during 

Christmas homage that 

the state government 

should protect them from 

the hands of killer 

herdsmen, we have 

constituted a joint 

committee of both the 

Benue needs Python Dance, Crocodile Smile 

operations—Bishop Ezeokafor 

•Kicks against cattle colony 

By Vincent 

Ujumadu 

AWKA—THE Catholic 

Bishop of Awka 

Diocese in Anambra State, 

Most Reverend Paulinus 

Ezeokafor said yesterday 

that the situation in the 

troubled Benue State 

required special 

intervention from security 

operatives in the mould of 

Operation Python Dance 

carried out in the South 

East and Operation 

Crocodile Smile in the 

South –South combined. 

Speaking during a 

special service to mark this 

year’s Armed Forces 

Remembrance Day at St 

Patrick’s Cathedral, Awka, 

the cleric challenged the 

Nigerian security 

operatives to apply similar 

measures used in 

unmasking those behind 

the brutal killings of over 

20 worshippers on the 

New Year’s eve at Omoku, 

Rivers State in fishing out 

those behind the Benue 

massacre. 

According to him, mere 

deployment of officers and 

men of the Nigeria Police 

to the troubled state may 

not yield the desired result. 

He said: “Just check all 

those buried recently in 

Benue; they are mainly 

Christians. Check all the 

attacks, you will discover 

that Christians are being 

Fulani herdsmen, the 

farmers in the state and 

security agents, all 

geared towards cross 

pollination of ideas on 

how to curb and stop the 

herdsmen from our 

neighbouring states 

from coming into Ebonyi 

State to unleash 

mayhem. 

killed in their numbers. Is 

this another form of 

carrying out a hidden 

agenda or are these killers 

on conquest mission? 

‘The worst is that those 

behind the dastardly acts 

are yet to be made known. 

What are they waiting for? 

“They said it was 

communal crisis, why not 

name the communities 

involved? I saw trailer 

loads of dead bodies going 

for the mass burial and I 

ask, why are they not using 

the Don Waney’s method 

to get the killers in Benue 

State? 

“Operation Python 

Dance was declared on the 

harmless IPOB protesters 

and many were gunned 

down for no just cause,’ 

Bishop Ezeokafor said.



EFCC investigating 12 federal 

varsities over TETFUND 

By Aliyu Dangida 

D UTSE—THE 

Economic and 


Commission, EFCC, is 

currently investigating 12 

federal universities across 

the nation for lack of 

prudence and judicious 

use of funds allocated to 

them by Tertiary Education 

Trust Funds, TETFUND. 

Executive Secretary of 

TETFUND, Dr. Abdullahi 

Bichi, who disclosed this in 

Dutse at the commissioning 

of 14 projects executed at 

the Federal University, 

Dutse, worth N1.4 billion 

by the TETFUND, added 

that the investigation was 

aimed at enhancing 

transparency and 

accountability in the 

management of 

government’s resources 

and would serve as a 

deterrence to other 

institutions diverting 

funds. 

Dr. Bichi expressed 

gratitude to the university 

for using the fund allocated 

judiciously, contrary to 

other institutions that could 

not explain how they used 

the funds, which led to 

their being dragged 

before the EFCC. 

He also promised that 

N3 billion would be sent 

to Federal University, 

Dutse annually, because 

they were convinced 

beyond any doubt that the 

institution could make 

use of it as expected, 

pointing out that this was 

the first time, since 

TETFUND was 

established, of 

commissioning 14 projects 

at the same time. 

Earlier in his remarks, 

the university’s Vice 

Chancellor, Professor 

Fatima Muktar, solicited 

assistance from the 

TETFUND to construct the 

roads within the institution, 

noting that the institution 

would forever remain 

grateful to the Fund. 

THANKSGIVING: Secretary-General of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Rev. Fr. Raphael 

Madu (middle, back row); former Senate President, Senator David Mark (3rd left); his son, Mark Jnr 

(4th left); his wife, Helen, and other priests, at the thanksgiving mass to celebrate the dedication of St. 

Augustine’s Catholic Church, Otukpo, Benue State. NAN PHOTO. 

Miyetti Allah plotting coup, says MAFO 

By Peter Duru & 

Marie-Therese 

Nanlong 

M AKURDI—THE 

Movement Against 

Fulani Occupation, MAFO, 

a civil society organisation 

against the activities of 

herdsmen in Benue State, 

has warned that the 

activities of herdsmen in 

parts of the country was a 

clear indication that the 

Miyetti Allah was planning 

a coup against the Nigerian 

states. 

This is just as suspected 

herders, on Sunday night, 

attacked a village in Kwall 

district of Irigwe chiefdom, 

Plateau State, leaving one 

person dead and another 

injured, the State Police 

Command confirmed 

yesterday. 

The attack was said to 

have occurred at about 

9p.m., when unsuspecting 

villagers were retiring to 

bed. 

The State Police Public 

Relations Officer, PPRO, 

ASP Mathias Tyopev, told 

Vanguard: “On Sunday, at 

about 9p.m., unknown 

armed men attacked three 

people at Dundu- 

•...as suspected herdsmen kill one in Plateau 

Maiyanga village of Kwall 

district, Bassa Local 

Government Area. 

“As a result, one Sunday 

Lale was macheted to 

death, his brother, one 

Ayuba Lale, sustained 

various machete cuts on his 

body and is admitted in a 

hospital in Kwall, while 

Gimba Lale escaped 

unhurt. 

“The corpse has been 

evacuated and 

investigation in progress; 

efforts are in top gear to 

track down the 

perpetrators.” 

Recall that Irigwe 

chiefdom in the last three 

months, has recorded 

series of attacks by 

suspected herders, leaving 

more than 60 dead. 

On Miyetti Allah 

Speaking to newsmen 

yesterday in Makurdi, 

MAFO leadership, 

through Dr. Sam Abah, 

cautioned that Miyetti 

Allah, as a group, is 

executing the plot state by 

state through it murderous 

activities. 

The group said: “Miyetti 

Allah is plotting a coup 

against Nigerian states and 

they are executing the pilot 

state by state. 

“A phenomenon is going 

on now in the rise of an 

ethnic group that has no 

regards for the law. The 

killings, therefore, are not 

acts of aggrieved 

herdsmen, but the 

handiwork of well-trained, 

well-paid, well-armed 

gangs/militia terrorists that 

act as a standing army of 

invasion, sponsored by 

elites to wage war across 

Nigeria, particularly Benue 

State. 

“The terrorists and their 

sponsors are not foreigners 

from Mali, Chad, Niger, 

Libya and Senegal. 

“Rather, the murderers 

are Nigerians sponsored by 

Nigerians to kill and 

destroy Nigeria.” 

It urged President Buhari 

to stand up in defense of 

Nigerians by declaring 

Miyetti Allah a terrorist 

group and also take a step 

further to proscribe it. 

Police quizzes Ganduje’s commissioner over video 

By AbdulSalam 

Muhammad 

KANO—THE Police 

Command in Kano 

State, yesterday, quizzed 

Governor Abdullahi 

Ganduje’s Commissioner 

for Special Duties, Alhaji 

Abdullahi Abbas, over a 

video clip that purportedly 

incited people against a 

sitting senator, Rabiu 

Kwankwaso. 

The encounter with the 

Police by Abbas came on the 

heels of the arrest of his two 

children and a house maid 

over a free-for-all between 

Ganduje and Kwankwaso 

supporters on Sunday. 

Briefing reporters on the 

political tension in the state, 

and the steps to address it, 

the Police image-maker in 

Kano, DSP Magaji Majia, 

said the invitation of the 

commissioner was sequel 

to a petition submitted by a 

private lawyer. 

Glo's Professor Johnbull 

says boyfriends aren't ATMs 

THE latest episode of 

Globacom’s Professor 

Johnbull attacks the bad 

culture of many young 

ladies, who regard their 

boyfriends as a means of 

livelihood. 

The episode, “Meal 

Ticket,” explores the 

concept of courtship in 

Nigeria and tries to 

correct some prevalent 

misconceptions, 

especially as regards 

what the responsibilities 

of each should be in the 

relationship. 

In the episode, Jumoke 

(Bidemi Kosoko), dumps 

her boyfriend, Flash 

(Stephen Odimgba) 

because he does not dole 

out cash to her. She 

instead goes for another 

man who tends to have 

more money as he cruises 

around in a posh car. 

Will Jumoke get away 

with this betrayal? Who 

is the new lover? Is he as 

good as he pretends to 

be? Are boyfriends 

Automated Teller 

By John Mkom 

J ALINGO—THE 

Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP, candidate, 

Mr. Dominic Bakundi, 

has been declared 

winner of Taraba State 

House of Assembly byelection 

in Ardo-Kola 

state constituency. 

Dominic Bakundi of 

PDP got 8,848,000 votes, 

while Sanusi Usman of 

the APC got 8,308,000 to 

come second in the 

election. 

The Returning Officer, 

Dr. Manu Donga, said 

Mr. Bakundi had scored 

Machine, ATM? Should a 

man pick up the tabs for 

all the needs of the 

woman he is dating? 

These are some of the 

posers that the episode 

provides answers for. 

The episode preaches 

independence for young 

ladies so that they can 

fend for themselves 

rather than seeing 

themselves as 

commodities to be 

purchased by men. 

Other stars showcased 

in the show include 

Elizabeth (Queen 

Nwokoye), Olaniyi (Yomi 

Fash-Lanso), Abednego 

(Martins Nebo), Nje 

(Angela Okorie) and 

Jeroboam, aka Boam 

(Oita Iheme). 

Meal Ticket airs on 

Tuesday at 8.30p.m. on 

NTA Network, NTA 

International on DSTV 

Channel 251 and NTA on 

StarTimes, with a repeat 

broadcast on Friday at 

the same time and on 

same channels. 

PDP wins Taraba 

Assembly by-election 

K 

A 

N O — 

GOVERNOR 

Abdullahi Ganduje of 

Kano State has urged the 

Federal Government to 

improve welfare package 

for retired military and 

police officers. 

Ganduje spoke during 

the 2018 Armed Forces 


celebration in the state. 

The call came on the 

heels of demand by the 

Retired Army, Navy and 

Air Force Officers, 

RANAO, for the balance 

of 20 percent 

consolidated pension 

areas from the Federal 


the majority votes in the 

election and, therefore, 

declared the winner as the 

member-elect for Ardo- 

Kola Taraba State 

constituency. 

The Minister for Women 

Affairs and Social 

Development, Senator 

Aisha Arhasan, praised 

the peaceful conduct of the 

exercise across the 10 

wards of the local 

government area. 

She said the transparent 

conduct of the election was 

an indication that the APCled 

government was ready 

to reform the electoral 

process in the country. 

Ganduje tasks FG on 

welfare of ex-sevice men 

By AbdulSalam 

Muhammad 

The governor eulogised 

the sacrifices of fallen 

heroes, and called for 

budgetary allocation by the 

Federal Government to the 

retired military officers. 

Meanwhile, the Publicity 

Officer of RANAO, Kano 

chapter, Captain Yusuf 

Abdulmalik (retd), 

lamented that the Federal 

Government had refused 

to settle the arrears of 20 

percent since 2010, long 

after the approval of 53 

percent consolidated 

military salaries. 

He regretted the poverty 

families of late veterans 

were experiencing and 

also requested for proper 

accountability on funds 

realised annually from 

emblems' sales.

36 —Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018 

Why Nigeria should 

trade more with Africa 

ANigeria-Africa trade tie has long been a cherished, 

but elusive goal. With a growing need for the 

establishment of closer economic tie between Nigeria and 

the continent’s numerous countries, based on a 

heightened need for regional integration, and a clearer 

understanding of the reasons for past economic failures, 

the concept has gained a much more significant voice 

through Visa Africa Integration Index , launched in 2014 

at the prestigious World Economic Forum in Durban, South 

Africa. The Visa Index which aims to foster a better 

understanding of Africa and the need for the continent to 

unleash its enormous growth potentials, has since become 

an important economic research initiative, highlighting 

trends that deliver helpful insights to economic decisionmakers 

throughout the continent. The Visa Africa 

Integration Index was necessitated by the dearth of 

accurate data, research and low level of information in 

Sub-Saharan Africa, widely known as the world’s fastest 

growing region. The report jointly produced by the African 

Development Bank, the World Bank Group and World 

Economic Forum, was authored by Professor Adrian 

Seville, Visiting Professor of Economics at the Gordon 

Institute of Business Science (GIBS), Johannesburg. 

In the 2014 Visa Africa 

Integration Index, you 

noted that Nigeria must 

trade more with Africa. How 

important is Nigeria to Africa’s 

economic growth and 

sustainability? 

Given Nigeria’s population size 

and that the economy ranks as 

one of the largest on the 

continent, along with the likes of 

South Africa and Egypt, it follows 

that if these large economies 

produce ‘lagged’ growth, then 

they will drag down regional 

growth. 

What has inhibited Nigeria 

from realising the enormous 

potential of a Nigeria-Africa 

trade? 

The evidence suggests that 

Nigeria’s prospect of connecting 

to others is being held back by at 

least two macroeconomic factors, 

namely - an over-reliance on a 

single industry in which the 

economy has not progressed in 

terms of industrial complexity; 

and under-investment in fixed 

capital, where over the last five 

years (2011-2016), Nigeria 

invested about 15.5% of GDP into 

fixed capital formation against 

the world average of 24.4% per 

year. Alongside this, there is 

evidence that Nigeria needs to 

improve micro-economic 

aspects such as improving the 

ease of doing business and ease 

of travel across borders, to 

encourage business 

relationships across border 

whilst at the same time lowering 

costs of transportation and 

communication, which are 

important sources of efficiency, 

in relation to competitors. 

What do you see as a 

resolution to this issue? Be it in 

the form of policy or otherwise, 

how can Nigeria encourage 

further African investment in 

the country? 

From above, the emphasis 

should be on a combination of 

macroeconomic elements such as 

promotion of gross domestic fixed 

investment, and microeconomic 

elements such as promoting the 

ease of doing business. Ethiopia 

offers an excellent example of the 

first aspect in recent times, and 

Kenya offers an excellent 

example of the second aspect in 

recent years. 

What are the sectors to be 

involved in this push to develop 

the Nigeria-Africa trade? 

Transport and communications 

are obvious components. 

Financial intermediation to 

enable and facilitate the 

movement of goods, services, 

information, people and capital 

is an equally critical industry. It 

is also likely that rising 

connectedness would promote 

legal, administrative and 

regulatory capacities and 

capabilities. 

Does the infrastructure 

necessarily exist for the Nigeria- 

Africa synergy? 

The short answer to this is that 

the infrastructure does not yet 

exist. Important to note is that the 

infrastructure that is needed is 

across border as well as within 

country – it is necessary that not 

only is it efficient for goods, 

service, people and capital to be 

able to move across borders, but 

that competitiveness also 

requires an efficient and effective 

movement of these economic 

elements inside of the country. 

There is 

evidence that 

Nigeria needs 

to improve 

microeconomic 

aspects such as 

improving the 

ease of doing 

business and 

ease of travel 

across borders, 

to encourage 

business 

relationships 

across border 

Adrian Seville 

CEO, CannonAssets 

In the report, you argued that 

'Nigeria will be the main 

beneficiary of greater 

integration across Africa as its 

growing 

market 

matures.' Could you shed some 

light on what you mean here? 

This is a result of Nigeria’s 

size and potential contribution. 

How could a Nigeria-Africa 

trade become a significant 

component of development? 

The evidence that we have 

from international studies is that 

regional connectedness is 

potentially a more powerful and 

more sustainable form of crossborder 

connection than a simpler 

outcome of “connecting to 

anyone.” Excellent examples of 

this power of the region and 

impact of the neighbourhood 

come from the likes of NAFTA, 

the Eurozone and ASEAN. 

In what ways does Nigeria 

serve as an important resource 

in improving Africa’s 

economic ecosystem? 

This is a call to action or call 

to purpose rather than an 

observed outcome. It points to 

Nigeria’s potential to contribute 

in a meaningful and powerful 

manner. 

What role does or has Nigeria 

played in Africa’s economic 

development? 

Nigeria has the potential to 

play a large role based on 

population size, demographic 

structure, the prospect of a large 

internal market and proximity to 

growing external markets. 

Which are the African 

countries that Nigeria should be 

paying close attention? 

It can be argued that countries 

that have achieved sustained 

growth that has started to 

transform into new and emergent 

industries with rising income and 

growing employment all offer 

examples of what is possible. 

Helpful case studies include the 

likes of Ethiopia, Rwanda and 

Kenya. Equally, one can learn 

what not to do by studying 

countries that might have stalled 

or lost their way. 

Why does Africa show the 

highest growth prospects out of 

any continent in the world? 

Arguably the highest global 

economic growth prospect 

belongs to South-East Asia. 

However, the growth prospect for 

sub-Saharan Africa ranks the 

continent as the second-fastest 

growing region in the world. 

This is explained by a young and 

rapidly growing workforce; vast 

improvements in infrastructure, 

including transport and 

communications; increasing 

connectedness, regionally and 

globally, where the EAC is a lead 

example; and rising investment 

levels (such as Botswana, 

Ethiopia, Tanzania and 

Zambia). 

What are key areas of 

opportunity to capitalise on for 

Nigeria-Africa trade? 

The evidence from other 

countries is that the best 

prospects lie in the 

neighbourhood. For Nigeria, 

this would mean finding partners 

and prospects in the likes of 

Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire. 

In your opinion, what are the 

advantages that other African 

companies could have in 

Nigeria vice versa? 

The story of investing and 

operating successfully across 

borders is no different in Nigeria 

than anywhere, and it hinges on 

at least four elements: 

understanding the context to 

develop appropriate product and 

services; successfully navigating 

administrative obstacles and 

meeting or exceeding regulatory 

requirements; connecting first to 

partners that are geographically 

closer and/or easier to get to from 

a transport/geography 

perspective; and meeting needs 

that match or complement your 

business skills in other markets. 

Asian countries like India, 

Korea and Japan have been 

doing business in Africa a lot 

more than Nigeria. What is the 

difference between Nigerian 

companies’ business strategies 

in Africa and their Asian 

counterparts? 

Perhaps the best lessons from 

the Asian model come in the form 

of the so-called “flying geese,” 

where countries learned quickly 

from others, were ready to adopt 

and adapt quickly and worked 

actively to find neighbours who 

offered new markets to develop 

economies of scale and 

scope. 

What strategies should 

Nigerian companies take in 

order to adapt themselves into 

the larger African environment 

and culture? 

My response to this is the 

same as the answer above. The 

story of investing and operating 

successfully across borders is no 

different in Nigeria than 

anywhere, and it hinges on at 

least four elements: 

understanding the context to 

develop appropriate products 

and services; successfully 

navigating administrative 

obstacles and meeting or 

exceeding regulatory 

requirements; connecting first to 

partners that are geographically 

closer and/or easier to get to from 

a transport/geography 

perspective; and meeting needs 

that match or complement your 

business skills in other markets. 

C 

M 

Y 

K

COSON Chairman stages 

One-Man Indefinite 

protest in Lagos 

BY ONOZURE DANIA 

The Chairman of 

Copyright Society of 

Nigeria,COSON, 

Chief Tony Okoroji 

yesterday, staged a one-man 

indefinite protest against 

alleged plans to transfer a 

suit filed by COSON against 

Musical Copyright Society 

Nigeria,MCSN, to a new 

judge. 

COSON had dragged 

MCSN before a Federal 

High Court, sitting in Lagos 

seeking a declaration that 

MCSN an illegal entity has 

no right to collect royalties on 

behalf of musicians in Nigeria. 

The case was before Justice 

Ibrahim Buba, who has been 

handling the matter and had 

fixed a date for judgment 

until recently when he 

informed parties that the 

case file has been taken 

away from him. 

Okoroji said that it is very 

worrisome that judiciary 

authorities would withdraw a 

matter from a trial judge when 

the matter has been slated for 

judgment. 

He further stated that his action 

has become necessary to 

draw the attention of the world 

to a new and dangerous attempt 

to destroy the Nigerian 

judicial system by the 

blackmail of a Nigerian judge 

to force him not to deliver a 

judgment written by him. 

In one of the placards it 

read “#malamigate! “ I say 

no to the destruction of the 

judiciary system in Nigeria.” 

Okoroji also appealed to 

all lawyers and judges in the 

Nigerian judiciary to insist 

that the case file in Suit No 

FHC/L/CS/1259/2017 which 

he said was taken away in 

bizarre circumstances from 

Justice Ibrahim Buba of the 

Federal High Court, Lagos 

Avengers: Infinity War: 

By Iyabo Aina 

Top Nollywood actress Genevieve Nnaji 

has been announced as a replacement 

for Funke Akindele-Bello on the cast list 

for an upcoming Hollywood superhero film 

“Avengers: Infinity War”. 

Recall that Funke Akindele was listed 

as a member of Dora Milaje, the personal 

bodyguards of the Black Panther, recruited 

from every tribe of Wakanda. Her IMDb 

page had also listed the movie as one of 

the films the actress has appeared in. 

However, a check on the official website 

shows that Funke’s name has been deleted 

from the cast list and replaced with 

Genevieve Nnaji who will be playing same 

role, Dora Milaje. 

As at the time of filling this report, both 

actresses are yet to speak on this 

development. 

be returned to the judge. 

“All we are asking is for the 

case file to be returned to the 

judge so that he can deliver 

his judgment and any of the 

Stop the killings 

in Benue – 2Face 

By Tolulope Abereoje 

Multiple award-winning music 

sensation, Innocent Idibia a.k.a 

2Baba has called on the Federal 

Government to put an immediate end 

to the incessant killings by the Fulani 

Herdsmen in Benue State. 

The ‘African Queen’ crooner made this 

call, while performing at the Sound City 

Genevieve takes over role 

..as Funke Akindele’s name is removed from cast list 

Genevieve 

Tony Okoroji 

at the Lagos 

High Court 

yesterday 

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018 —37 

party dissatisfied with the 

judgment can proceed to the 

Court of Appeal”, he said. 

MVP Awards 

which held 

weekend, at the 

Eko Convention 

Centre, Victoria 

Island, Lagos. 

“I like to say 

something, we 

cannot sit down. 

Enough is enough. I beg our 

government, please stop the killings 

in Benue,” 2face pleaded. 

Recall that 2Face initiated a 

nationwide One Voice Nigerian 

protest which was scheduled to take 

place in Abuja, early last year, but 

was later cancelled following his 

announcement on Instagram that 

the protest was under serious threat. 

By Adetutu Adesoji 

Nollywood actress, 

Kehinde Bankole 

is bereaved. She just lost 

her Architect dad, Babatunde 

Bankole to the cold 

hands of death. 

The ex beauty queen 

broke the sad news on her 

Instagram page, few 

weeks after her dad’s 

demise. 

“Quietly over the weeks 

my family and close ones 

have mourned you. We 

love you daddy and cherish 

all the memories we have 

built over the years. You 

have trained God fearing 

TY Bello 

celebrates 40th 

birthday, 

announces 

partnership with 

Canon 

Toyin Sokefun-Bello, a.k.a TY 

Bello clocked 40, on Sunday, 

and the celebrity photographer and 

singer, took to her Instagram page 

and penned down a birthday message 

to herself. 

She also announced a partnership 

with Canon, while uploading 

colourful photos of herself in a blue 

dress. 

The mother of two, who recalled 

how she was born at the 14th of 

January 1978, at UCH, Ibadan, said, 

she's so excited to be here, full of 

hopes and dreams. 

She wrote; “So, today this girl is 

40, counting 

the years and 

wondering 

how, but it’s 

true. I was 

born on the 

TY Bello 

14th of 

January 1978 

at UCH, 

Ibadan. God 

has made my 

life so 

beautiful. Ive 

l i v e d 

passionately 

in this 

colorful love - 

bubble. I’m 

so excited to 

be here, full 

of hopes and 

dreams .. Soooooooo happy.’. 

“Every one knows I love canon 

right ? Well..one of the biggest gifts 

God gave me for my 40th is a 

partnership with Canon . I’ve 

fantasized about this for the longest 

time and its really a dream come 

true and I look forward to the 

amazing collaborations together 

…many many awesome 

announcements to make soon . So 

..I’m presently in Dubai with 

@canoncnafrica At CABSAT . Pls 

follow them on facebook ( 

@canoncna )..I’ll be having a live 

interactive Q and A session with industry 

influencers from Egypt and 

Morocco at 5 pm Dubai time ( 2pm 

Lagos ). Celebrate this with me guys 

it’s been a loooooong time coming .. 

I’m sooo excited. “ 

Actress, Kehinde Bankole 

mourns father 

children and given us legacies 

money could not buy. 

With broken hearts but smiles 

and resignation to God Almighty, 

we come forward to 

celebrate your life. We love 

you. RIP daddy. Architect 

Babatunde Olalekan 

Bankole, “ she wrote. 

Kehinde Bankole who is a 

twin, made her debut in the 

entertainment industry in 

2003, after she won Miss 

Commonwealth beauty 

contest. She also featured in 

Wale Adenuga’s Super Story 

in 2007 and won the revelation 

of the year award at the 2009 

Best of Nollywood Awards.



INDUSTRIAL HUB: FG wants Nigerian engineers to 

utilise abundant resources 

A 

B U J A — 

PRESIDENT 

Muhammadu Buhari has 

called on Nigerian 

engineers to utilise the 

enormous resources in 

the country to make it an 

industrial hub. 

Buhari made the call in 

a statement by Mr 

AbdulGaniyu Aminu, the 

Head of Press, Federal 

Ministry of Science and 

Technology at the 

ceremonial investiture of 

Mr Adekunle Mukuolu 

as 31st President of 

Nigerian Society of 

Engineers, NSE. 

According to Buhari, 

such effort will help the 

country in creating jobs, 

reducing poverty and 

building a society of 

abundant wealth. 

Buhari, represented by 

the Minister of Science 

and Technology Dr 

Ogbonnaya Onu, further 

called on Nigerian 

engineers and other 

professionals to intensify 

effort in infrastructural 

development toward 

economic development. 

He urged the 

engineers to be in the 

vanguard of scientific 

technological 

renaissance through 

innovative policies 

aimed at spearheading 

national development. 

“I believe our 

engineers are well 

placed to assist in the 

realisation of our 

numerous policy 

initiatives. 

“The recent policy 

guidelines on planning 

and execution of 

projects, programmes 

and contracts that have 

Science, Engineering 

and Technology 

components are 

particularly instructive. 

“These policy 

guidelines, which have 

been approved by the 

Federal Executive 

Council are imbued with 

great revolutionary 

potential that will be of 

great benefits to our 

engineers and other 

professionals in science 

sector, ” he said. 

He urged the 

engineers to seize the 

opportunities created by 

the guidelines for their 

own benefits and for the 

country, adding that 

Presidential Executive 

Order would soon be 

issued to commence 

implementation of the 

guidelines. 

Mokuolu appealed to 

Nigerians, particularly 

the political leaders to 

join hands with NSE to 

develop the nation by 

providing first class public 

facilities. 

The new president said 

NSE would ensure 

success of all the 

presidents’ initiatives in 

the area of infrastructural 

development. 

The former President, 

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo 

and all the past 

presidents of the 

association were among 

the guests at the occasion. 

Group 

organises 

mental maths, 

engineering 

competition 

for Secondary 

School girls 

in Edo 

By Festus Ahon 

ASABA—GOOD Women 

Love For Children 

Initiative, a nongovernmental 

organization, 

has organized a Mental 

Mathematics/Girls in 

Engineering Competition for 

Secondary Schools in Edo 

State, in an effort to ignite the 

interest of the girl-child in 

mathematics and 

engineering. 

Declaring the competition 

open, the state, 

Commissioner of Science 

and Technology, represented 

by the Director, Science, 

Technical & Vocational 

Education, Mr Philips 

Ekhaguere, said the 

initiative would avail the girl 

child the opportunity to 

explore more in the field of 

engineering. 

He urged the students to 

be good ambassadors and 

advocate of the Good Women 

Love For Children Initiative. 

Speaking during the grand 

finale of the competition held 

at India College, Benin City, 

Executive Director of the 

organisation, Mr. Samson 

Onoriode commended the 20 

finalist for appreciating 

mathematics at their young 

age. 

He thanked Niger Delta 

Development Commission, 

NDDC, and the state 

Ministry of Science & 

Technology, for supporting 

the competition. 

Also speaking, the state 

Director of NDDC, Edo State, 

Dr. Akwagaga Enyia, 

represented by a Deputy 

Director in the commission, 

Pastor Epebinu Olumide, 

said the commission places 

high premium on science, 

technology and innovation. 

He said the commission 

would continue to support 

such initiatives with a view 

to broadening the girl child 

interest in engineering.

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018 — 39 


Ekiti govt bars Fayemi from holding public 

office for 10 years 

By Dapo Akinrefon & 

Rotimi Ojomoyela 

AEKITI 

DO-EKITI—THE 

State 

Government has barred 

the Minister of Mines and 

Steel Development, Dr. 

Kayode Fayemi, from 

holding political office in 

the state and other parts 

of the country for 10 years. 

The ban was contained 

in a government white 

paper released in Ado 

Ekiti yesterday. 

The white paper, which 

was the outcome of the 

report of the Justice Silas 

Oyewole-led Judicial 

Commission of Inquiry, was 

read by the state 

Commissioner for 

Information, Mr Lanre 

Ogunsuyi at the end of an 

emergency State Executive 

Council meeting. 

Recall that the state 

government had set up the 

commission to look into the 

financial transactions of the 

state under the Fayemi 


Vanguard, however, 

gathered that the decision 

to declare Fayemi unfit for 

any public office couldn’t 

have been unconnected 

with the rumoured interest 

of the Minister of Mines 

and Steel in the 

governorship seat of the 

state. 

Fayemi and his 

commissioner had refused 

to appear before the 

commission even after the 

determination of the case 

challenging the 

inauguration of the 

commission of inquiry 

before the Ekiti State High 

Court. 

It was mandated to submit 

its report on Dec. 13, 2017. 

Also banned for the same 

length of period along with 

Fayemi, was his then 

Commissioner for Finance, 

Mr. Dapo Kolawole. 

According to the White 

Paper, both Fayemi and his 

Commissioner for Finance 

have been declared unfit to 

hold any public office in the 

state and any part of 

Nigeria. 

“This is as a result of their 

refusal to appear before the 

Judicial Commission of 

Inquiry even after the 

determination of the case 

instituted by them to 

challenge the inauguration 

of the commission before 

the Ekiti State High Court 

“For their disrespect to the 

constituted authority and 

the undignified roles they 

played in the whole 

contracts saga which were 

obviously against the 

interest of the state they 

were supposed to protect, 

they are banned for holding 

public offices for 10years.” 

They were also asked to 

refund various sums of 

money running into billions, 

either for failed or nonexecuted 

contracts that were 

allegedly paid for. 

It will be recalled that in 

BIRTHDAY: From left; Former President, National Council of Insurance 

Brokers Association of Nigeria, Asiwaju Feyisayo Soyewo; former Inspector 

General of Police, Alhaji Musiliu Smith and a public relations guru, Aramide 

Tola Noibi, at the 70th birthday of Alhaja Chief Modinat Abiola Sanusi and the 

golden jubilee wedding anniversary recepton of the celebrant and her spouse, 

Chief Teslim Sanusi at Insurance Brokers House at Alagomeji, Yaba, Lagos. 

Dec. 2017, when the panel 

submitted its report, Fayemi 

and others, including 

contractors were asked to 

refund billions of 

misappropriated money to 

the state government. 

Specifically, Fayemi was 

asked to account for the 

whereabouts of N2.75 billion 

allocated from the N25 

billion bond obtained by his 


The money was for the 

construction of an ultramodern 

market in Ado Ekiti, 

which was never executed. 

The commission also said 

that the contractor, in respect 

of the furnishing of the new 

Government House built by 

Fayemi, should be made to 

refund N324.8 million. 

It stated that the furnishing 

contract should not have 

been more than N280 

million. 

The panel said it found out 

that KITWOOD Nig. Ltd., to 

which the furnishing 

contract of more than N600 

million was awarded, had 

no traceable address. 

“The address on the letter 

of award was a virgin land 

opposite the new Central 

Bank along new Iyin Road, 

Ado Ekiti.” 

Also on the purchase of 

vehicles, the panel said 

“claim by Coscharis Motors 

that it supplied 235 and/or 

250 vehicles was fraudulent 

and fraught with so many 

contradictions.” 

It’s a joke taken too far 

— FAYEMI 

In a statement by 

Olayinka Oyebode, Senior 

Special Assistant (Media) to 

the Minister titled: ‘Fayose’s 

kangaroo panel 

recommendations, a joke 

taken too far’, Fayemi said 

he was not surprised that the 

panel was compromised 

right from inception and 

targeted against him. 

The statement reads: 

“While we believe it is part 

of the responsibilities of the 

state administration to look 

•It's a joke taken too far, says ex-gov 

into the finances of the state 

at any point in time, we are 

also of the belief that 

such must be done in a 

very responsible manner 

devoid of prejudice, witch 

hunting and a calculated 

attempt to victimise a 

citizen. 

“In this particular case, the 

entire process is discredited 

right from the beginning, 

as the only agenda of the 

panel was to rubbish Dr 

Kayode Fayemi’s public 

service record. 

“One is therefore not 

surprised at the 

recommendations of the 

White Paper: It only goes 

to confirm our initial 

position that the panel was 

compromised right from 

inception and targeted 

against Dr Fayemi. 

“In his desperation, 

Governor Fayose chose the 

crude and ignoble path 

towards hitting a perceived 

political foe.” 

He, however, chided 

Governor Fayose for 

ignoring the rule of law 

noting that the entire 

process is not only 

laughable but ridiculous. 

He argued that, “in the 

process, they ignored the 

rule of law and behaved as 

if the court does not 

matter. Thus, making 

their actions, subjudice 

to the court. 

"Fayose was however 

misguided into believing 

that he could pass a death 

sentence on Dr Fayemi’s 

public service with the 

White Paper. This is not 

only laughable, but 

ridiculous, as neither 

Governor Fayose nor his 

paid agents has the power 

to bar anyone from 

political participation. 

"The entire process and 

the character personae 

involved are discredited 

and since it is impossible 

to build something on 

nothing, legally speaking, 

their recommendation is not 

only null and void, it is ultra 

vires. 

“We urge the teeming 

supporters of Dr Fayemi, 

the good people of Ekiti 

State and the general public 

not to be disturbed by the 

development. It is simply 

another act of illegality, 

from an administration 

that has elevated 

political debauchery to 

state craft. It shall not 

stand. It is nothing but a a 

joke taken too far, perhaps 

joke of the century.” 

Oyo receives 11 Libya returnees 

…Charges them on renewed life 

By Adeola Badru 

IBADAN—THE Oyo 

State government 

yesterday welcomed 11 

Libya returnees, who are 

indigenes of the state, just 

as the state is also said to be 

expecting another eight from 

the last batch that arrived the 

Port Harcourt Air Port 

yesterday. 

The 11 returnees 

comprised six females and 

five males. They were 

received by the State 

Emergency Management 

Agency and received by the 

Oyo State deputy governor, 

Otunba Moses Adeyemo at 

the governor’s office. 

Some of the returnees 

attributed the bad economic 

condition of the country as 

the reason for the seeking 

greener pasture elsewhere 

while some others said 

they were only passing 

through Libya enroute 

Europe. 

In his short address to the 

returnees, the deputy 

governor charged them to 

seek means of positive and 

productive engagements 

noting that the government 

has approved the sum of 

N10, 000 to be given to each 

Courage, commitment 

earned Adams Aare Ona 

Kakanfo title — ALAAFIN 

By Dapo Akinrefon 

& Gbenga Olarinoye 

O Alaafin SOGBO—THE 

of Oyo, Oba 

Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi 

III, has disclosed that the 

title of Aare Ona Kakanfo 

was bestowed on Aare Gani 

Adams because of his 

passionate commitment to 

the protection of the cultural 

and territorial integrity of 

Yoruba land. 

This was just as a 

lawmaker in Osun State, 

Mr. Olatunbosun 

Oyintiloye described him 

as a great inspiration for 

Yoruba nation. 

Oba Adeyemi made this 

disclosure at a thanksgiving 

to celebrate his 47th years 

on the throne at St Mary’s 

Catholic Church, Oyo. 

He disclosed that out of 

25 candidates who were 

short listed for the title, 

Gani Adams was found to 

have paid dearly and 

earnestly for the interest of 

Yoruba land 

Adeyemi said: “The 

benchmark of selection was 

not hung at the sentinel 

of political engagement, 

solidity in terms of gold, 

wealth or fortune neither 

was it on the number of 

properties acquired on 

global pedestal but on 

agrarian and blind 

engagement of those who 

have abused and abusing, 

those who have infringed 

and infringing on the 

territorial and cultural 

territory of Yoruba. 

“Whatever methods 

employed by him and his 

association, the fact still 

remains that there was a 

counter balance check 

valve which sent jitters 

down to the spines of the 

irrational irredentists, who 

hitherto thought that they 

can make mince meat of 

Yoruba land.” 

The monarch, however, 

pointed out “Adams “has 

been poignantly consistent 

in fighting for the protection 

of Yoruba. He was for many 

times humiliated, 

disgraced, manacled and 

jailed. It is natural for you 

either to hate, love and 

dislike him. However ,the 

truth must be told that he 

was there when the Yoruba 

needed a person who is 

bold, strong and ready to 

lay his life for the defence 

of the heritage.” 

He noted that “the role of 

an Aare Ona Kakanfo both 

in the peace and war 

period is not a deal for the 

lilly or jelly livered or for a 

spineless fellow ,it is the 

consignment of a man with 

a lion’s heart and an eagle 

spirit which we have found 

in Aare Gani Adams.” 

Meanwhile, Chairman 

House Committee on 

Information and Strategy in 

the Osun State Assembly 

has expressed great 

confidence that Otunba 

Adams would be a great 

rallying point for the 

promotion of Yoruba culture 

and interest within and 

outside Nigeria. 

Aregbesola’s successor should 

come from Iwo land — MONARCH 

IWO—THE Oluwo of 

Iwo Oba Abdul- 

Rasheed Adewale Akanbi, 

has said the next governor 

of Osun State should 

emerge from Iwo land on 

the basis of the rotation of 

power in the state. 

The Oluwo said this when 

he received Mr. Femi 

Kehinde, a governorship 

aspirant on the platform of 

the Alliance for Democracy, 

returnee and also help them 

settle down. 

While charging the 

parents to ensure their 

children get additional 

entrepreneurial skills aside 

from academic qualification, 

he urged the youths to 

endeavour to learn business, 

skills or trades that will put 

them at an advantageous 

position while seeking white 

collar jobs. 

He said “We thank God 

that you all arrived safely. 

When people complain 

about how bad Nigeria is, is 

it as worse as where you are 

coming from? You must get 

a means of positive 

engagement. Even if it 

requires that you learn a 

trade or business.'' 

AD, in the forthcoming 

election in his palace. 

Oba Akanbi, who warmly 

received the aspirant and 

his team, said he regarded 

the aspirant as his son, who 

has visited his cradle and 

offered him royal blessings. 

Kehinde, a former 

member of the House of 

Representatives was 

accompanied by the State 

Vice Chairman of the Party, 

Alhaji Nujeem Alabede 

and the Local Government 

Chairmen of the party, in 

the Iwo/ Ayedire and 

Olaoluwa Local 

Governments Area 

(Iwoland). 

The aspirant who is also 

from Iwo Land (Ileogbo) 

said the visit was part of his 

consultations ahead of a 

formal declaration saying 

the visit to the palace was a 

beautiful home call. 

He said having been 

privileged to have known 

two previous Oluwos- late 

Oba Samuel Omotosho 

Abimbola and late Oba 

Ashiru Tadese, he had 

come to seek the Oluwo’s 

blessings, in his 

gubernatorial ambition.


Experts identify fasting as secret of long, healthy life 

By Sola Ogundipe 

AS the fasting period 

gets under way in 

Nigeria, more persons are 

embracing the practice 

even as proof exists that 

fasting is not only good 

for the spirit but also for 

the body. 

Fasting has long been 

associated with religious 

rituals and diets, even as 

evidence shows that 

routine periodic fasting is 

good for health and the 

heart. 

Experts say timed 

periods of fasting are 

beneficial and can boost 

immunity while controlling 

intestinal inflammation. 

Fasting has been 

around for centuries, and 

even Hippocrates used 

fasting as a means of 

promoting weight loss. it 

is known that fasting for 

health reasons for upwards 

of six to 24 hours at a time 

is popular as lifestyle and 

especially in the fitness 

world. 

Among primary benefits 

of fasting are weight loss 

and immunity 

strenghtening. Fasting not 

only lowers risk of 

coronary artery disease and 

diabetes, but also causes 

significant changes in a 

person's blood cholesterol 

levels. 

If you are fasting during 

this period, you can utilise 

the opportunity to cleanse 

and detox your body. 

Studies have shown that 

reducing typical calorie 

consumption, usually by 30 

to 40 percent, extends life 

span by a third or more in 

many animals. 

A large portion of data 

supports the idea that 

limiting food intake reduces 

the risks of diseases 

common in old age and 

lengthens the period of life 

spent in good health. 

While medical advances 

have championed the idea 

that intermittent fasting 

lowers the risks of 

degenerative brain 

diseases in later life, faith 

proponents have long 

maintained that fasting is 

good for the soul, but 

benefits on the body were 

not widely recognised until 

the early 1900s, when 

doctors began 

recommending fasting to 

treat disorders such as 

diabetes, obesity and 

epilepsy. 

Fasting weekly is the 

best way to maintain a 

healthy body and slow 

down the aging process. 

When breaking your fast, avoid foods that are too spicy or salty, and consume more fruits and vegetables to prevent getting thirsty. 

The best way to fast is to 

prepare the body to it. 

Fasting is especially 

useful for people who are 

overweight, people with a 

red face or people who 

sweat a lot. Fasting is 

useful for stress reduction 

and increasing diet. 

Preparation: Preparing 

for a fast the right way will 

help to reap the benefits of 

proper cleansing and 

detoxing. 

According to one expert, 

one of the ways to get 

through fasting 

successfully is to watch and 

control not just what you 

eat but also how you eat, 

Each food has its own 

energy level which affects 

our bodies in various ways. 

Some foods are warming, 

drying, cooling or 

hydrating; each food 

contributes its own 

particular property to the 

overall health of our body. 

In order to stay healthy we 

have to make sure we eat 

a balanced meal, which 

supports the health of the 

body. 

Before starting the fast 

avoid consumption of food 

that is very hard to digest, 

such as red meat. Also 

limit foods such as crackers, 

sugary drinks and patries 

as well as salt and coffee. 

Avoid sweet desserts 

which make you thirsty 

and lower your blood sugar 

after a few hours (which 

will make you crave more 

sweets). 

Diet: Best food to eat 

before fasting is food that 

has been properly cooked. 

Such foods are considered 

to be strengthening foods 

that preserve energy for 

longer periods of time. 

Good examples are 

beans and legumes, soups 

rich in orange vegetables 

(carrots, sweet potato, 

squash, pumpkin). 

A good tip is to avoid 

overeating during the last 

meal before starting the 

fast, which will make you 

hungry faster. Smaller 

meals throughout the day 

before fasting are best. 

Drink enough water to 

Fasting for 

as little as 

three days 

can not only 

strengthen 

the entire 

immune 

system but 

potentially 

extend life 

span 

keep hydrated on the day 

of the fast. If you are 

fasting, nutitionists 

recommend a nutrient 

dense meal such as pap 

(Ogi) topped with milk. 

Many persons tend to be 

confused about what to eat 

after the fast. 

The digestive system is 

very weak after a fast and 

therefore it needs a cooked 

warming meal which is 

easy to break down, and 

will compensate for the loss 

of energy. 

Don’t break with a heavy 

meal, instead start with a 

light meal of fruits such as 

watermelon, bananas, 

pawpaw. 

Mechanisms: Fasting 

alters body mechanisms for 

the better, says Dr. 

Courtney Peterson, an 

Assistant Professor at 

Pennington Biomedical 

Research Centre. "Fasting 

lowers levels of 

inflammation and puts the 

body into repair mode. 

Production of antioxidant 

enzymes increases, and 

that helps repair and 

recycle cells." Traditional 

medicine Researchers from 

Emory University Atlanta, 

USA, say that "Caloric 

Restriction" in the form of 

fasting has been used in 

traditional medicinal 

practices such as 

homoeopathy, 

naturopathy, ayurveda for 

treating various ailments. 

For instance, it is fact that 

the less you eat the longer 

you will live. Studies show 

how the lifespan of people 

in certain cultures 

increased due to their diets. 

A primary effect of ageing 

is a slower metabolism, a 

younger body metabolises 

faster and more efficiently, 

so the less less older 

persons eat, the less toll 

on their digestive system. 

Regulation; Fasting 

helps to regulate hormones 

in the body so that you 

experience what true 

hunger is. Nutritionists say 

the longer you fast, the 

more your body can 

regulate itself to release the 

correct hormones, so that 

you can experience what 

real hunger is. 

Fasting can help clear 

the skin because the body 

is temporarily freed from 

digestion and able to focus 

its regenerative energies 

on other systems. Not 

eating for just one day 

helps the body clean up 

toxins and regulate the 

functioning of the liver, 

kidneys and other parts. 

Fasting for as little as 

three days can not only 

strengthen a person's 

entire immune system but 

potentially extend the 

person's life span. 

In view of this, persons 

with compromised 

immune systems have 

been urged to fast regularly 

in order to boost their 

immunity. 

Chemotherapy: 

Researchers at the 

University of Southern 

California discovered that 

people undergoing 

chemotherapy treatment 

or with autoimmune 

deficiencies that cause 

damage to their immune 

system, can reverse such 

negative effects simply by 

fasting. 

According to findings, 

fasting as little as eight 

days a year could help 

bodies become healthier. 

Fasting two to four days at 

a time every six months 

causes stem cells to awake 

from their normal dormant 

state, and start 

regenerating. 

Cell replacement: 

Fasting in this manner, 

potentially replaces old 

and damaged cells with 

new and healthier cells, 

effectively renewing the 

immune system. 

The study, which is first 

to show that a natural 

intervention has capacity to 

trigger self-renewal, 

revealed that fasting causes 

production of new white 

blood cells, making the 

body more disease 

resistant. 

Valter Longo of the 

University of Southern 

California Davis School of 

Gerontology, notes: "When 

you starve, the system tries 

to save energy, and one of 

the things it can do to save 

energy is to recycle 

immune cells that are not 

needed, especially those 

that may be damaged." 

When a person fasts for 

48 to 96 hours, the body 

starts to consume stores of 

fat, glucose and ketones 

(created when fats are 

broken down for energy). 

After a period of fasting, 

human immune systems 

generate new blood cells 

when nutrients start 

flowing back into the body. 

"If you start with a system 

heavily damaged by 

chemotherapy or aging, 

fasting cycles can generate, 

literally, a new immune 

system."


FG’s investment in family planning will reduce maternal 

death by 30% — Dr Habeeb Salami 

By Sola Ogundipe & 

Chioma Obinna 

ONE major reason 

why women die of 

pregnancy and child-birth 

related issues in Nigeria is 

as a result of poor 

knowledge about family 

planning and also due to 

lack of access to family 

planning services. 

Currently, 576 out of 

100,000 women die 

annually in Nigeria as a 

result of pregnancy and 

childbirth related issues 

annually. 

Worse still, the current 

Contraceptive Prevalence 

rate (CPR) in the country 

is unacceptably low, and 

has been one of the factors 

responsible for the 

increasing incidence of 

unintended pregnancies, 

often resulting in unsafe 

abortions. 

As part of moves to tackle 

the development, the 

Federal government 

intensified campaigns to 

increase uptake of family 

planning commodities and 

services with the 

formulation of the new 

policy to increase the CPR 

from 15 percent to 27 per 

cent by 2030. 

The goal, it was gathered, 

is to improve the CPR 

uptake with a view to tackle 

unintended pregnancies 

and unsafe abortions 

In the views of a medical 

expert, Dr. Habeeb Salami, 

investment in family 

planning would reduce the 

rate of women’s death by 

By Gabriel Olawale 

PORTFOLIO Director, 

Johns Hopkins Center 

for Communication 

Programmes, CCP, Dr. 

Mojisola Odeku has 

called for increased 

political and policy 

commitment to family 

planning in Lagos State 

placing more emphasis 

on the local government 

level. 

Odeku who is currently 

the Lead CCP’s of Family 

Planning programmes in 

Nigeria said that despite 

the high educational level 

and socio-economic status 

of Lagos State, 

prevalence of traditional 

family planning method 

still high. 

Speaking during ‘Lagos 

State Family Planning 

Strategic Visioning 

Meeting,’ Odeku, 

blamed such bad index 

on negative myths and 

30 per cent. 

Speaking during a media 

stakeholders meeting in 

Lagos recently, Salami who 

is the Assistant Director for 

Reproductive Health & 

Family Planning at the 

Pathfinder International, 

said adopting family 

planning will save the lives 

of 111 women daily 

following pregnancy and 

child-birth related issues. 

Salami who regretted that 

pregnancy and child birth 

are natural process that 

should not take any life 

noted: “That is why family 

planning is important. It 

gives the woman time to 

rest properly from child 

birth before the next 

pregnancy.” 

The family planning 

advocate said that the 

alarming figure of 111 

women dying daily from 

pregnancy related issues 

can be blamed on five major 

causes of maternal 

mortality, viz: 

haemorrhage, 

hypertension, infection, 

abortion complications and 

obstructed labour. 

The reproductive health 

expert further urged 

women to embrace family 

planning so as to stay alive. 

Expressing fears over the 

state of Nigeria’s readiness 

to meet to meet the 27 

percent target for modern 

Contraceptive Prevalent 

Rate, (mCPR) by 2020, he 

said that the Federal 

government will have to 

work with the state and local 

government to secure 

misconceptions about 

modern contraceptive 

use. 

“During our extensive 

landscaping conducted in 

Lagos between 2014 and 

early 2015, we observed 

that despite the 

progressiveness of Lagos 

State and the State been 

leader in family planning 

financing in Nigeria 

especially in logistic and 

capacity strengthen, 

traditional family 

planning method is still. 

“We found out that even 

educated once patronized 

the traditional methods 

such as withdrawal or 

pulling out, use of 

breastfeeding or 

lactational amenorrhoea 

method among others. 

She identified 

information gap as 

another reason for such 

attitude, “People needs to 

be sensitised on the 

benefits of modern family 

Dr. Habeeb Salami 

complimentary budgets for 

family planning and 

reproductive health service 

delivery as well as meet the 

mCPR by 2020. 

Lack of 

consumables 

is hindrance 

and clients 

are usually 

asked to pay 

as little as 

N200 for the 

consumables 

FAMILY PLANNING: Odeku tasks LASG on grassroots 

participation 

planning methods for 

them and their future 

generation. 

“Modern family 

planning methods alone 

can help state reduce 

maternal death by 30 

percent, and also 

improved child survival by 

25 percent. To achieve 

this is to make family 

planning available in all 

MCH services. 

She noted that the 

essence of the meeting 

was to strategise for 

increased political and 

policy commitment and 

funding of the Lagos 

State family planning 

programme, “strengthen 

ownership and 

sustainability of family 

planning in Lagos State, 

Review modalities for 

institutionalization of 

NURHI models to 

achieve the Lagos State 

CIP goal”. 

In his own remark, the 

"The partnership which 

the Federal government 

can adopt to improve the 

lives of women of 

reproductive age would 

involve private sector, civil 

society, traditional and 

religious institutions as 

well as development 

partners.” 

Salami, a medical doctor 

with specialisation in 

obstetrics and gynaecology, 

blamed many state 

governments for stock out 

of contraceptive 

commodities, adding that 

their lack of commitments 

to making family planning 

commodities available all 

year round was at the 

Commissioner for Health 

in Lagos State, Dr. Jide 

Idris, admitted that the 

bulk of the population 

has not adopted modern 

family planning method 

and identified the need for 

more advocacy at all level 

across government and 

professional level. 

Idris pledged that the 

next phases of their 

Health Insurance Scheme 

will family planning 

important due to its health 

and economic benefits. 

” In our health 

insurance, family 

planning is been cater for, 

and not only public 

hospitals but it also covers 

private facilities 

“In our Maternal and 

Child Mortality 

Reduction Programme, 

one of the key aspects is 

behaviour change of 

which adoption of family 

planning was part of key 

focus. 

centre of the problem. 

He established that 

although, the Federal 

Government has paid for 

family planning 

commodities, imported 

them and stored same at the 

Central Stores in Oshodi, 

Lagos, the failure of some 

state governments to 

transport the products to 

their states and points of 

delivery ultimately creates 

scarcity of same products 

that sometimes waste away 

while in storage. 

“Federal Government 

procures all family 

planning commodities and 

sends them to the Central 

Stores; the state 

governments don’t pay. 

“It’s so bad that when the 

Federal Government 

procures and sends them 

to the Central Stores in 

Lagos, a lot of states have 

difficulty picking them up 

from Lagos. 

“The Federal 

Government goes the extra 

mile to send these products 

to State warehouses; yet, 

there are still challenges 

from the States to get these 

commodities from the State 

warehouses to the health 

facilities where they are 

needed. Government and 

its partners are still working 

on getting those 

commodities to facilities 

where they will be used. 

“Government has done so 

much that the states need 

to complement those efforts. 

Based on the Federal 

Government procurement, 


commodities in all states 

should be free. What a 

client that needs them is 

expected to do is simply 

walk into a family planning 

clinic, discuss with the 

provider, agree on a 

method, they give it to the 

fellow and the person walks 

away. 

“However, the setback is 

By Oluwaseyi Adesina 

THE constant training 

and retraining of 

medical practitioners has 

been identified as a strategy 

that would effectively curb 

medical tourism the State 

and in Nigeria at large. 

Lagos State Governor, Mr. 

Akinwunmi Ambode It is 

on record that the nation 

loses an estimated one 

billion dollars annually to 

medical tourism mostly as 

a result of inadequate 

investment in the nation’s 

healthcare system. 

The failure of the health 

system is often attributed to 

that the states are not able 

to buy consumables 

including, cotton wool, 

gloves, all of which the 

providers need to deliver 

the services. 

“These should always be 

available and the states 

need to fund so as to ensure 

that family planning 

services are provided free,” 

he said. 

He lamented that when 

people who need family 

planning services demand 

for them, even though the 

commodities are available, 

the lack of consumables is 

a hindrance and the clients 

are usually asked to pay 

even as little as N200 for 

the consumables. 

“A lot of women can’t still 

afford N200; so, they walk 

away. Based on what plays 

out afterwards, the next 

time you see these women 

they may be pregnant, but 

not because they want to be 

pregnant.” 

Among factors 

constituting hindrance to 

this group of women from 

uptaking family planning 

services is the problem of 

stock out syndrome of 


commodities. Salami said 

another major factor is the 

financial barrier. 

But there is a sliver lining 

above the dark clouds. 

Presently, the Lagos State 

Government is executing a 

policy that targets the 

achievement of 70 per cent 

CPR in its domain. 

Representative of the 

Public Health Sustainable 

Advocacy Initiative, 

(PHSAI), Mr Chibuike 

Amaechi said the aim is to 

increase access to family 

planning services and 

commodities in public and 

private hospitals in the 

State. 

Amaechi urged the State 

government to provide 


consumables as theire nonavailability 

currently 

constitutes barrier to uptake 

of family planning 

commodities. 

Ambode intensifies training 

of medical practitioners 

the penchant for medical 

tourism embarked by 

prominent Nigerians, a 

major contributor to the 

current spate of brain 

drain, loss of confidence in 

the sector along with patient 

drain and capital flight 

abroad. No less than 37, 

000 Nigerian doctors are in 

the diaspora, with about 30, 

000 in the United Kingdom. 

The Lagos State 

Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi 

Ambode, who disclosed 

this weekend, was 

emphatic that: “Any amount 

of investment made in the 

Continues on Page 28


We don’t have enough money to vaccinate all Nigerians against 

meningitis — ADEWOLE 

By Sola Ogundipe 

THE 

Federal 

government does not 

have enough money to 

vaccinate all Nigerians 

against Cerebrospinal 

Meningitis, CSM. 

Disclosing this to newsmen 

in Ibadan, Oyo state, 

Minister of Health, Prof 

Isaac Adewole, said even 

though CSM, a seasonal 

disorder, is easy to 

diagnose, the protective 

vaccine is very expensive. 

“The Federal 

government does not have 

enough money to vaccinate 

the whole country. The two 

vaccines are expensive and 

what we are trying to do is 

case detection. 

“The conjugate vaccine 

will protect everybody for 

10 years, while the 

polyvalent vaccine protects 

for 3 years, but for now both 

are expensive. The 

conjugate is about $20 

(N7,200) a vial, while the 

polyvalent is $3 (N1,080) a 

vial, and that is for just the 

vaccine, not including the 

syringes and other 

consumables, so our best 

bet is to alert Nigerians that 

this is the season for 

meningitis and they should 

beware.” 

On the average about 

N1.3 trillion is required to 

immunise the Nigerian 

Meningitis vaccination in progress 

population with the 

conjugate vaccine, and 

about N200 billion to 

immunise with the 

polyvalent vaccine. 

“The vaccine is 

expensive. When a case is 

detected we have what we 

call an epidemic threshold 

then we quickly vaccinate 

people in the affected Local 

Governments, that is the 

best we can do for now. So 

we are urging that 

Nigerians be on alert that 

this is the meningitis 

season and we need to 

contain it” 

Adewole said all 

Nigerians would be 

vaccinated when the 

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state had an outbreak but 

contained it. There was 

another outbreak in 

Zamfara and because the 

system was weak, it killed 

many people,” he lamented 

Nigeria is in the African 

Meningitis Belt, and 

control measures used 

during epidemics, include 

enhanced epidemiological 

surveillance, prompt case 

management, and mass 

Ambode trains medics 

Continued from Page 27 

procurement of 

sophisticated health 

equipment will amount to 

monumental waste if not 

complemented by a 

trained pool of medical 

workforce.” 

Ambode, represented by 

the Commissioner for 

Health, Dr Olajide Idris, at 

the Healthcare Leadership 

Academy (HLA) 

graduation ceremony/ 

launch of the Association 

Alumni, said it is from this 

perspective that the efforts 

of HLA must be 

appreciated. 

Noting that training 

underscores the vision of 

the State administration for 

the health sector, Ambode 

highlighted need for 

sustained training 

programme to regularly 

update medical personnel 

vaccinations in areas 

involved in an outbreak. 

Cerebral Spinal 

Meningitis (CSM) is most 

often caused by the bacteria 

Neisseria meningitides. 

Bacterial meningitis is an 

infection of the meninges, 

the thin covering of the 

brain and spinal cord. 

Symptoms of the disease 

include stiff neck, high 

fever, rash, headache, 

vomiting, and confusion. 

Even with rapid diagnosis, 

5-10 percent of patients 

typically die within 24-48 

hours of symptom onset. 

on global trends. 

“The partnership we 

maintain with the Academy 

is a reflection of the 

commitment of the State 

government to human 

capacity development in the 

health sector is to 

strengthen the capacity of 

our health institutions from 

the primary health care to 

the tertiary level with the 

state of the art medical 

facilities complemented by 

well trained and motivated 

health care personnel 

across board.” 

Fifteen medical directors 

of the Lagos State General 

Hospitals among other 

fellows graduated from the 

Healthcare Executives 

Leadership Programme 

(HELP) while other 

personnels graduated from 

Patient-Centred Care 

(PCC).


Sexually active elders have more brain 

power — STUDY 


OLDER adults who 

frequently 

engage in sexual 

activity were found to 

have to higher cognitive 

function, including 

memory, language skills, 

and spatial and visual 

awareness. 

The study by the 

universities of Coventry 

and Oxford found 

sexually active adults 

scored higher on tests that 

measured their verbal 

fluency and their ability to 

visually perceive objects. 

A group of 73 people aged 

50 to 83 took part in a 

series of tests for the study 

and were also asked to 

complete a questionnaire 

about how often they were 

sexually active. 

The tests included tasks 

such as naming as many 

animals as possible or as 

many words beginning 

with a certain letter and 

drawing a clock face from 

memory. 

Researchers at Coventry 

and Oxford universities 

found that the ones who 

had the most sex scored 

highest in the tests. 

Lead researcher Dr 

Hayley Wright, of the 

University of Coventry's 

Centre for Research in 

Psychology, Behaviour 

and Achievement, said: 

"We can only speculate 

whether this is driven by 

social or physical 

By Oluwaseyi Adeshina 

THE Kaduna State 

Primary Healthcare 

Development Agency 

says it will focus on hardto-reach 

areas in 2018 in 

its total push to sustain 

vaccination in the state. 

The Agency's Deputy 

Director, Hamza Ikara 

yesterday disclosed that 

the Agency had 

discovered 422 hard-toreach 

communities across 

the state in 2017. 

"As part of this year 

activities, we are making 

a total complete push for 

vaccination from states, 

zone and local 

government level; we 

want to ensure maximum 

progress in routine 

immunisation." 

According to him, the 

Agency was unable to 

fully cover some areas in 

Chikun, Kajuru, Kachia 

and Birnin Gwari Local 

Governments due to 

security challenges in 

2017. 

Elderly couple in happy mood. 

elements - but an area we 

would like to research 

further is the biological 

mechanisms that may 

influence this. 

"Every time we do 

another piece of research 

we are getting a little bit 

closer to understanding 

why this association exists 

at all, what the 

underlying mechanisms 

are, and whether there is 

a 'cause and effect' 

relationship between 

sexual activity and 

cognitive function in older 

people. 

"People don't like to think 

that older people have 

sex - but we need to 

challenge this conception 

at a societal level and look 

at what impact sexual 

activity can have on those 

aged 50 and over, beyond 

the known effects on 

sexual health and general 

wellbeing." 

group which 

had sex 

weekly scored 

on average 

two 

percentage 

points higher 

than those 

who had it 

monthly 

Vaccination against polio 

In the study, the group 

which said they had sex 

weekly scored on average 

two percentage points 

higher than those who 

had it monthly and four 

points higher than those 

who never had sex. 

This study expanded on 

previous research from 

2016, which found that 

older adults who were 

sexually active scored 

higher on cognitive tests 

than those who were not 

sexually active. 

But this time the research 

looked more specifically 

at the impact of the 

frequency of sexual 

activity and also used a 

broader range of tests to 

investigate different areas 

of cognitive function. 

Kaduna targets 422 remote areas for immunisation 

"Due to insecurity in 

these local governments, 

we were able to discover 

422 hard-to-reach 

communities which we 

intend to visit in this year's 

immunisation exercise. 

"We also have shortage 

of manpower and 

inadequate funds to 

conduct our activities 

effectively. 

"But we conducted 

routine immunisation in 

1,168 health facilities 

across the state and it is 

free. 

We have trained 

traditional institutions 

including the Village, 

Districts and Ward heads 

to help in providing 

healthcare services in 

communities across the 

state." 

He added that the 

agency gave out vaccines 

to 60 private health 

facilities in the state 

during the period under 

review. 

Ikara said the 

renovation of the 255 

primary health centres in 

the state have reached 65 

percent completion, 

adding that the 

government had 

purchased relevant 

equipment for the centres. 

"The renovation work 

has gone far by 65 percent 

and we have purchased 

health equipment waiting 

the completion so as to 

take them there." 

The deputy director 

added that three cold 

store rooms have been 

provided at the agency's 

zonal centres while plans 

were on to employ all 

cadres of health 

personnel. 

Swipha pledges to improve 

pharmaceutical sector 

By Oluwaseyi Adeshina 

MANAGEMENT of 

Swiss Pharma 

Nigeria Limited, Swipha 

has expressed their 

commitment to revitalizing 

and turning the company 

into a leading player in the 

pharmaceutical sector in 

terms of quality, code of 

conduct and partnership 

with HCP's. 

Towards achieving these 

goals, the company has set 

in motion a restructuring 

process focusing on 

innovation, staff training, 

new and compliant 

processes and business 

practices in order to offer a 

large range of efficient 

products of quality to 

patients in the country and 

the West African sub-region. 

As part of efforts to further 

reposition Swipha to meet 

global standards, the new 

management is introducing 

fresh ideas to improve on 

the welfare of staff as well 

as new corporate policies, 

Pwc supports Health Emergency 

Initiative, four others 


P RICEWATERHOUSE 

Coopers (PwC), a 

leading professional 

services firm in Nigeria 

has supported five charity 

organisations with N5 

million to provide succour 

to indigent and vulnerable 

people in the society. 

Charity organisations 

that benefited include: 

Health Emergency 

Initiative (HEI), Optimal 

Children's Home 

Orphanage, Destiny Trust 

Children's Foundation, 

Down Syndrome 

Foundation of Nigeria and 

Cerebral Palsy Centre. 

Mr Uyi Akpata, PwC 

Regional Senior Partner, 

West Market Area, who 

presented the cheques to 

the organisations urged 

them to use the funds 

judiciously. 

to attract and retain 

talented and motivated staff 

at every level. 

A first move from the 

Management is to reshape 

the functions of its field force 

in line with global 

standards to exceed the 

expectations of her 

esteemed customers. 

Swipha strongly believes 

in Nigeria and is 

committed to its economic 

and moral development 

and will engage in global 

best practices. It is 

committed to doing all it 

takes to ensure that it 

maintains and strengthens 

its position as a leader in 

the pharmaceutical sector. 

It will be recalled that in 

March 2017, Biogaran, a 

subsidiary of Servier that 

specializes in generics 

acquired Swipha as part of 

its expansion plans to other 

African countries and to 

increase local production 

and distribution of drugs in 

the country. 

"Our support is in 

recognition of what you 

have been doing and we 

know that in the future the 

benefit will come, not from 

financial rewards but from 

the positive impact in the 

society. 

PwC organised the five 

kilometre walk for the five 

charity organisations and 

now we are supporting 

them with N5 million as we 

themed the programme 

"5km Walk & Carnival for 5 

charities," he said. 

According to him, PwC's 

support to the charities is 

in line with its purpose 

which is to build trust in 

society and solve important 

problems. 

Dr Ndi Onuekwusi the 

Chairman, Board of 

Trustees of HEI, one of the 

beneficiaries, expressed 

appreciation to PwC for 

responding to the painful 

cries of the poor and needy 

in the society through the 

gesture. 

Onuekwusi said that the 

money would go a long 

way in stabilising the road 

accident victims brought by 

Federal Road Safety Corps 

(FRSC) and Lagos State 

Ambulance Service 

(LASAMBUS) to selected 

public hospitals. 

"HEI's"None Should Die" 

campaign is a unique 

program that benefits both 

the rich and poor, as it 

ensures any accident victim 

is resuscitated and 

stabilised immediately they 

arrived the hospitals on the 

assurance that HEI would 

foot the bill to the maximum 

sum of N20,000.


Russia berates US for ‘destabilising’ world 

RUSSIAN Foreign 

Minister Sergey 

Lavrov has accused the 

United States of destabilizing 

the world, airing a list 

of grievances over the 

Trump administration’s foreign 

policy. 

Lavrov dedicated the 

opening of his annual 

press conference Monday 

to castigating the US, 

which is expected to soon 

issue a fresh round of sanctions 

against Russia over its 

interference in the 2016 US 

election. Russia has long 

denied meddling in the 

vote. Lavrov criticized the 

US for issuing regular 

“threats” in relation to 

events in North Korea and 

Iran, saying they had “further 

destabilized” the global 

situation. 

He did not mention President 

Donald Trump by 

name, but the US President 

has issued stern threats to 

North Korea and Iran, 

sending a series of fiery 

Twitter posts attacking the 

leadership in both nations. 

Trump has openly ridiculed 

North Korean leader 

Kim Jong Un on Twitter 

over Pyongyang’s missile 

and nuclear testing and 

threatened military intervention. 

He recently lambasted 

the Iranian leadership 

for being repressive, 

“brutal and corrupt,” and 

supported anti-government 

protesters challenging the 

government in six days of 

rallies. 

Lavrov accused the US of 

provoking tensions on the 

Korean peninsula. 

“The United States quite 

plainly says that the military 

confrontation is inevitable, 

however, everyone 

understands the catastrophic 

consequences of 

such recklessness,” he 

said. 

He also criticized the US 

for expanding its military 

exercises around North 

Korea, “which provoked a 

new escalation of tensions,” 

while others were working 

through diplomatic channels 

to resume talks with 

Pyongyang. 

Huge oil spill left after burning tanker sinks 

off China 

CHINESE ships are 

racing to clean up 

a giant oil spill after an 

Iranian tanker sank in 

the East China Sea. 

The 120 sq km (46 sq 

mile) oil slick is thought 

to be made up of heavy 

fuel that was used to 

power the vessel. 

The Sanchi oil tanker 

sank on Sunday and officials 

say all its crew 

members are dead. 

It was carrying 136,000 

tonnes of ultra-light 

crude oil from Iran which 

generates a toxic underwater 

slick that would be 

invisible from the surface. 

Both the fuel and the 

Missing Indian teen 

gang-raped, killed 

A 

15-year-old Dalit 

girl who went missing 

last week in the Indian 

state of Haryana has 

been found dead near a 

canal in Jind district, 

nearly 100km west of the 

capital New Delhi. 

Doctors say she was 

gang-raped and her body 

was mutilated, bringing 

the memory of the 2012 

brutal gang rape of a 

medical student in New 

Delhi whose death had 

ultra-light oil could 

cause devastating damage 

to marine life. 

The Sanchi and a cargo 

ship collided 260km 

(160 miles) off Shanghai 

on 6 January, with the 

tanker then drifting 

south-east towards Japan. 

It caught fire after the 

collision and burnt for 

more than a week before 

sinking off China’s east 

coast. 

Iranian officials now 

say all 32 crew members 

- 30 Iranians and two 

Bangladeshis - on the 

tanker were killed. 

N/Korea to send orchestra to Winter Olympics 

NORTH Korea has 

agreed to send a 

140-member orchestra to 

the Winter Olympic 

Games in South Korea 

next month. 

The two sides are discussing 

plans for the 

North’s delegation at 

Panmunjom village in 

the demilitarised zone 

(DMZ), also known as 

the truce village. 

triggered nation-wide 

protests. 

“On the afternoon of 

January 9, she had left 

for tuition classes, as 

usual. When I went to 

pick her up at 8pm (2:30 

GMT), the teacher informed 

me that she had 

not arrived that day. She 

was nowhere to be 

found. Around 10pm that 

night we filed a police 

complaint,” the father of 

the victim told Al 

Jazeera. 

North Korea announced 

last week that 

it would send a delegation 

to the Games in the 

South - easing months of 

tensions. 

Relations have been 

strained between the two 

Koreas over the North’s 

missile tests and nuclear 

programme. 

North Korea has participated 

in several Olympic 

Games before, but 

never in South Korea. It 

boycotted the 1988 Olympic 

Games in Seoul. 

Details of the diplomatically 

complicated plan 

are still being ironed out. 

43,000 jobs at stake as 

leading UK firm collapses 

Construction giant 

Carillion has gone 

into liquidation, threatening 

thousands of jobs. The 

move came after talks between 

the firm, its lenders 

and the government failed 

to reach a deal to save the 

UK’s second biggest construction 

company. 

Carillion ran into trouble 

after losing money on big 

contracts and running up 

huge debts of around 

£1.5bn. 

Its failure means the government 

will have to provide 

funding to maintain 

the public services run by 

F L A S H 

BACK: Civil 

rights leaders 

meeting with 

President John 

F. Kennedy in 

the Oval Office 

of the White 

House following 

the civil rights 

march on 

Washington 

D.C., August 28, 

1963.(Americans, 

yesterday , 

honoured 

Martin Luther 

King Jr, a man 

who embodied 

the U.S. civil 

r i g h t s 

movement) 

REUTERS/ 

Library of 

Congress 

Carillion. 

“All employees should 

keep coming to work, you 

will continue to get paid. 

Staff that are engaged on 

public sector contracts still 

have important work to 

do,” said government minister 

David Lidington. 

Carillion is involved in 

major projects such as the 

HS2 high-speed rail line, 

as well as managing 

schools and prisons. 

It is the second biggest 

supplier of maintenance 

services to Network Rail, 

and it maintains 50,000 

homes for the Ministry of 

Defence. 

South Africa to protest Trump’s 

‘shithole countries’ remarks 

SOUTH Africa will issue a diplomatic protest to 

the United States Monday over US President 

Donald Trump’s “shithole countries” comments, 

according to its foreign ministry. 

During an Oval Office meeting on immigration 

Thursday, Trump expressed frustration with people 

coming to the United States from countries in 

Africa and elsewhere, sources told CNN. 

Trump on Friday denied describing certain nations 

in such vulgar terms, tweeting: “The language 

used by me at the DACA meeting was tough, but 

this was not the language used.” He also defended 

himself Sunday night, telling reporters he is 

“not a racist.” 

South Africa’s government will formally protest 

to the US Embassy in Pretoria on Monday, the Department 

of International Relations announced in 

a statement released to media on Sunday. 

Americans Celebrate Martin 

Luther King Jr. 

AMERICANS on Monday celebrated Martin 

Luther King Jr. Day, honoring a man who embodied 

the U.S. civil rights movement and who understood 

that the success of the movement depended 

on its nonviolent principles. 

Every year on the third Monday in January, Americans 

honor the slain civil rights leader who in the 

1950s and 1960s organized nonviolent protests 

against Southern segregation, the struggle for black 

equality and voting rights. 

Many around the country spend the holiday commemorating 

King’s tireless work to end racism by 

participating in community service projects. The U.S. 

Congress honored that community spirit in 1994 by 

designating the King holiday as a national day of 

service. 

Madagascar cyclone death toll 

rises to 51, thousands displaced 

THE death toll from a cyclone that hit Mada 

gascar about 10 days ago has risen to 51, with 

another 22 people reported missing, authorities 

said. Tropical Cyclone Ava passed through Madagascar 

on Jan. 5-6, hitting mostly the eastern coast 

of the island with wind speeds of between 140-190 

kph (87-119 mph). 

The death toll had been put at about 29 people a 

week ago. 

The National Office of Risk and Disaster Management 

said in a statement on Sunday more 

54,000 people were displaced by the cyclone. In 

March 2017, Cyclone Enawo killed at least 78 people 

on Madagascar’s vanilla-producing northeastern 

coast. 

Deadly clashes in Libyan capital 

force airport to close 

FIERCE clashes between two rival Libyan 

groups have left at least nine people dead and 

forced the closure of the main airport, underscoring 

the bleak prospects for the North African country 

as it marks seven years since the Arab Spring 

uprising. 

Security officials told Al Jazeera on Monday that 

all flights had been suspended from Tripoli’s Mitiga 

airport until further notice, after fighters from 

the Bugra rebel group attacked the Special Deterrence 

Force, a group that controls the installation. 

Health officials said at least nine people had been 

killed and 32 wounded, after the Bugra group 

launched the early morning attack. 

Mitiga is a military base near the centre of Tripoli 

that has been the city’s main airport for civilian 

flights, since the international airport was partly 

destroyed by fighting in 2014. 

The international airport remains out of service. 

Fighting had calmed by 2pm local time (11:00 

GMT) but gunfire could still be heard in the centre 

of the city. 

“The clashes erupted because the Bugra group, 

led by Basheer al-Bugra, believe that since the air 

base is located in Tajoura, where they have popular 

support, they should be charged with protecting it,” 

Aljazeera repoted. 

It said the Bugra group, which is opposed to the 

Special Deterrence Force and the UN-backed government, 

had accused them of “extrajudicial practices” 

at the airbase.

Vanguard, TUESDAY JANUARY 16, 2018 — 45 


government. 

‘’Other places are 

relatively calm; the 

security men with the IGP 

and the Benue State 

government have been 

working day and night to 

ensure that we bring the 

situation under control 

and stop the killings. 

“There are still security 

issues from one town to 

the other, like some few 

days ago, we had an 

uproar in Makurdi local 

g o v e r n m e n t , 

headquarters of Benue 

State, where some 

hoodlums wanted to take 

advantage. That is one of 

the things we have 

discovered, they try to 

create confusion so that 

they can go in there and 

loot. 

“We have made it known 

that for us in Benue State, 

there is no room for 

anyone taking laws into 

his hands. It is expected 

that even when you are 

offended or someone 

violates the law, the best 

thing to do is to report, by 

that we will be able to met 

out sanctions on such 

people. But when you 

take laws into your hand, 

you are inviting anarchy 

and we will not accept 

this. 

“So we are here to 

appreciate Mr. President 

for providing security, 

yesterday (Sunday) we 

also received relief 

materials based on his 

directives to NEMA and 

is being shared among 

the five IDP camps that we 

have in Benue State.’’ 

Insist on arrest, 

prosecution of Miyetti 

Allah leaders 

Ortom continued: “But 

beyond that, it is our 

strong appeal to Mr. 

President to cause the 

arrest of those people that 

perpetrated this act, the 

Miyetti Allah Kautal 

Hore, because they are 

not above the law, they 

made inciting statements 

against our people and 

they came and 

perpetrated this act. 

“As I speak to you, they 

are still issuing threats 

and it is not just antigrazing 

law, it is 

occupation because the 

manner they come and 

invade the land and take 

over is something we 

think is bad. 

‘’We are not willing to 

join issues with anyone. 

We are law abiding 

citizens, we are not going 

to let our people go out of 

control. We believe in the 

leadership of Mr. 

President because he is 

disciplined and is an 

upright man and we 

believe he will be able to 

sanction these people and 

he did assure us that 

there is no room for 

impunity, the law of the 

land must take its cause.’’ 

On whether he got any 

FOR FALLEN HEROES—From left: Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter 

Onnoghen; Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and the Senate 

President, Senator Bukola Saraki, laying wreath to mark the end of the 2017 

Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebrations at the National Arcade, Eagle 

Square, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida. 

BENUE KILLINGS: You lied, 

Osinbajo tells Gov Ortom 

response from the letter 

he wrote to the President 

on the killing, Ortom 

said: “Like I said, the 

President renewed his 

directive to the IG in our 

present that those who 

are perpetrating this 

should be arrested and 

prosecuted. 

“I believe that if no 

attention was given to my 

letter, I was told that it was 

being processed and I 

hope by now, it will be 

processed and then action 

will be taken now that the 

entire delegation from 

Benue State is here and 

Mr. President is directing 

the IG. I believe 

something will be done 

about this matter because 

we cannot allow 

lawlessness and 

impunity. 

“When people violate 

the law and they are not 

sanctioned, it becomes a 

problem. People should 

be investigated and I 

believe that these people 

will be arrested because 

there is enough evidence 

against them.” 

On armed militia 

Also fielding question 

on the allegation that he 

sponsored armed militia 

to attack the herdsmen, 

the governor described 

the allegation as a mere 

distraction. 

He said: “It is not true. I 

view that as distraction 

completely from the main 

issue that we are talking 

about. These people were 

not even arrested in 

Benue State. If we are 

being killed in the 

magnitude that we saw 

and we had weapons of 

what I saw in the media, 

I know that five AK 47s 

can sack a whole 

community. 

“So if we had such 

weapons and, I as 

governor, my local 

government had been 

attacked and people 

killed, property destroyed 

and so on, so will I go and 

sponsor militia in Taraba 

State? 

“You should go back to 

history: From 2015 when 

I took over, I organized an 

amnesty programme 

which saw the 

disarmament of over 800 

youths and more than 700 

weapons were turned in 

and destroyed in the 

presence of security men 

and the UN and the 

committee on small 

weapons and light arms 

from the Presidency. 

‘’So it is not true, it is 

false. It is meant to turn 

facts away from the reality 

that is happening on 

ground.” 

On setting up of 

vigilance group in the 

state, Governor Ortom 

said: “We are in the 

process of doing that but 

we have livestock guards 

in place, that is what the 

prohibition of the open 

grazing 

and 

establishment of ranching 

stipulates, that we should 

have livestock guards and 

we are considering 

having that in place.” 

The governor, who 

reiterated that the 

meeting was at the 

instance of Benue 

stakeholders and not the 

President, explained 

further: “As the father of 

the land, we felt let us 

interface with him, not just 

coming from the governor 

but from the stakeholders. 

And also to send the 

message that I am not 

just on my own when 

people try to accuse me of 

promulgating a law which 

they don’t believe in. 

Anti-Open Grazing law 

“This is a law that 

originated from the 

people and all the 

stakeholders as you see 

them, they are solidly 

behind this law. Because 

for us, we feel that is the 

best way to end these 

farmers, herdsmen 

clashes. 

“The law is a win win, it 

provides security for the 

herdsmen and the 

farmers. And as far as we 

are concerned, the 

implementation of the law 

is going on smoothly. 

“As I talk to you, several 

people have been 

arrested and arraigned 

before the court of law, 

both from the herdsmen 

and also from the natives. 

It may interest you to 

know that three of our 

youths who went and 

rustled cattle, killed some 

and killed a Fulani man, 

were arrested by the 

police. They were 

detained and arraigned 

and are now remanded in 

prison custody in 

Makurdi. 

“We have also arrested 

more than 18 herdsmen 

who violated the law and 

they were arraigned 

before the court of law. So 

as far as we are 

concerned, the law is 

being implemented 

without any hitch. 

“These killers that came 

on the 1st of January, 

about eight of them, were 

also arrested. They are 

with the Police and they 

are also going to be 

prosecuted. And that is 

what Mr. President said, 

that he is not going to 

protect any criminal and 

we are happy about this. 

So that is where we are. 

“As for the solution to the 

problem, we are open to 

discussion with the 

federal government to 

find how we can find a 

lasting solution. The 

Minister of Agriculture 

happens to be a son of the 

soil. There are many 

options that are put on the 

table. 

No to government 

cattle colony 

“Like I told you, the last 

time I came here, I did not 

understand what colonies 

meant. Today, I was 

privileged to meet him 

and he did explain to me 

that a colony is many 

ranches put in one place, 

restricted in one place 

where the land is. 

‘’So for us in Benue 

State, there is no 10,000 

hectares, they are 

looking for 5,000 

hectares we have no 

10,000 hectares to allow 

that kind of a thing to 

take place. So people are 

free. Other states have 

the land but we in Benue 

State we don’t have and 

that was what led to us 

enacting this law.” 

On the message from 

Benue people to the 

President, he said: “We 

needed assurance from 

the President, we are 

part of his constituency 

in the country. As you 

know, Nigeria is a 

federation and Benue 

State is part of the 

federating unit. 

“There is division of 

labour, there are specific 

responsibility given to 

each of the tier of 

government as 

enshrined in the 

constitution of the 


Nigeria. So we don’t 

have powers over the 

security of this country 

except the federal 

government, but it is 

expected that the federal 

government should 

support us to enforce our 

laws and the laws of the 


Nigeria. 

“For us, we have seen 

that even before the law, 

killings were taking 

place even more than 

what we are witnessing 

today, that we are 

looking for ways of 

getting out of it and 

today we have found a 

way and that is the law 

which seeks to protect 

all. 

“We are not sending 

anyone away from 

Benue State. The 

herdsmen, whether you 

are Igbo, Fulani, Hausa, 

Idoma, Tiv, anywhere 

you come from you, are 

free to follow the law, 

obtain permit and then 

you do your ranch and 

you are protected. 

“Benue State will 

protect you from cattle 

rustlers when you do this 

and a farmer will also go 

to the farm without being 

intimidated or harassed 

by any herdsman. So, for 

us, we wanted him to 

know our feelings as our 

President and that we 

have communicated and 

he has given us 

assurance that he is out 

to ensure that the oath 

which he swore to 

protect lives and 

properties he will do it 

and Benue State cannot 

be an exception.” 

In his remarks, the Tor- 

Tiv, Prof. James Ortese 

Iorzua Ayatse, said his 

entire domain had been 

thrown into mourning 

due to incessant attacks, 

telling the President, 

“we want you to put an 

end to the gruesome 

situation.” 

Present at the meeting 

were Benue State 

Deputy Governor, 

Benson Abounu; former 

Senate President, David 

Mark; former Benue 

State Governor, Senator 

George Akume and 

Senator Barnabas 

Gemade. Others include 

Senator JK Waku, Gen. 

Lawrence Onoja (retd), 

Brig. Gen. John Atom 

Kpera (retd), former 

Attorney General of the 

Federation and Minister 

of Justice, Michael 

Aondoakaa; Speaker of 

Benue State House of 

Assembly, Terkimbir 

Kyambe, and other 

members of the national 

and state assemblies 

from the state. 

Buhari has clear plans 

to end clashes – El-Rufai 

Governor Nasir El- 

Rufai of Kaduna State, 

said, yesterday, that the 

federal government has 

very clear plans to end 

herders/farmers clashes 


The governor told 

newsmen after laying 

wreath to mark the 

Armed Forces 

Remembrance Day in 

Kaduna that the issue is 

being tackled head-on. 

“We met with the 

Minister of Interior, 

there are very clear 

plans to curtail these 

issues, I don’t want to 

speak about security 

programmes on radio 

and television, but I want 

to assure everyone, the 

President and other 

security agencies are 

doing their best,’’ El- 

Rufai said. 

He noted that security 

is a continuous 

challenge in every 

society and the 

involvements of the 

military have helped to 

stabilize the country 

including parts of 

Kaduna State. 

He said the recent 

donation of $1 billion 

from Excess Crude 

Account by state 

governors were for the 

purchase military 

equipment to support 

the armed forces in 

securing the country. 

“The Nigerian armed 

forces have contributed 

significantly to the 

development of the 

country in maintaining 

unity and integration, 

and in protecting the 

lives of citizens and 

controlling security 

challenges.

46 — Vanguard, TUESDAY JANUARY 16, 2018 

Ronaldo...Heading back to the start? 

FORMER 

Super 

Eagles midfielder 

Wilson Oruma is 

recuperating in a Lagos 

hospital following a relapse 

of his mental breakdown. 

Oruma has been in the 

news recently following 

reports that he is suffering 

a relapse of mental 

breakdown which he first 

suffered after he was 

duped N1.2 billion by a 

clergyman and fake 

businessman in 2012. 

New photos emerged of 

the former midfielder not 

looking his best self but his 

younger brother Dominic 

Oruma has revealed that he 

is in a Lagos hospital. 

“Wilson is doing very fine 

he is in a hospital in 

Lagos,” Dominic said on 

sports show on Top Radio. 

“Doctors think he won’t 

spend a long time in the 

hospital, he is in great 

spirit.” 

Following reports of 

Oruma’s ordeal, there have 

been calls for his former 

Ronaldo wants Man U return 

•unhappy with 21m euros annual salary 

•fifth best paid in the world 

•Messi is top earner with 50m euro pay cheque 

CRISTIANO Ronaldo 

wants to leave Real 

Madrid with the player 

feeling betrayed by 

unfulfilled promises by 

Florentino Perez to renew 

his deal at the LaLiga club. 

His priority is to orchestrate 

a move back to Old 

Trafford with Manchester 

United where he spent six 

years before his transfer to 

the Spanish capital in 

2009. The decision by the 

Portuguese striker is 

apparently made with the 

player stating as much to 

other squad members. 

Those close to the striker 

maintain that “Cristiano is 

in the doldrums as he feels 

that he has been tricked”. 

After winning the 

Champions League title 

in Cardiff with goals from 

CR7 being instrumental in 

French referee suspended after kicking player 

FOLLOWING 

his 

controversial 

performance as referee 

of Sunday evening’s 

clash between Nantes 

and Paris Saint-Germain, 

Tony Chapron has been 

suspended and will not 

officiate again until 

further notice. 

In a bizarre incident, 

Chapron showed Diego 

Carlos a red card after 

the Nantes player 

the win, Cristiano was 

told by Florentino that 

an improved contract 

(his current deal expires 

in 2021) was a matter of 

time. That enhancement 

has failed to materialise 

despite the player stating 

in public on numerous 

times that his intention is 

to remain with Real 

Madrid with the last 

declaration coming after 

winning the 2017 Club 

World Cup in Japan 

where the striker stated: 

“I’d like to retire at Real 

Madrid but that doesn’t 

depend on me as I’m not 

the person in charge at the 

club”. These messages 

in public have failed to 

have the desired effect in 

pushing through the 

renewal with both 

Mbappé and now 

Oruma recuperating in Lagos hospital 

colleagues to donate money for him but his 

brother insists that the family is not in any 

financial distress and not asking for any help. 

“We (family) swing into action and 

everything is being taken care of,” Dominic 

added. 

He further called on the public to ignore 

anybody calling for donations for Oruma. 

“The family is not asking for any financial 

assistance,” Dominic who played for Golden 

Eaglets and Flying Eagles said. 

“We want to let the public know, we 

appreciate any concern but we don’t want 

any financial help.” 

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) 

have also waded in and visited the former 

Super Eagles star at the hospital on Sunday, 

January 14. 

According to Enakhena, the NFF during 

their visit to Oruma, promised to bring the 

former midfielder back into the football 

family. 

Benfica beat Norwich to Ebuehi’s signature 

NORWICH City look 

to have lost out to 

Portuguese giants Benfica 

in the race to sign Super 

Eagles right-back Tyronne 

Ebuehi. 

collided with him whilst 

the ball was in play. 

To the naked eye the 

collision looked entirely 

accidental, yet Chapron 

then aimed a kick at the 

defender before 

dismissing him from the 

pitch. 

The French official had 

been due to take charge 

of Wednesday’s fixture 

between Angers and 

Dutch football magazine 

Voetbal International 

reports that the 22-yearold 

is set to sign for the 

reigning Portuguese 

champions this month, 

ESTAC Troyes, which 

will now not be the case. 

Following the final 

whistle, the referee 

made reference to the 

aforementioned incident 

in his match report, he 

made clear that after 

reviewing the images he 

felt he had made an 

error with Carlos having 

fallen into him 

involuntarily. 

Oruma...Fighting depression 

with his contract at Den 

Haag due to expire in the 

summer. 

As Fifa rules prevent 

players under 23 years 

old from signing precontract 

agreements, 

Benfica have moved to 

secure the defender’s 

services, with Lisbonbased 

sports newspaper 

Record reporting Ebuehi 

could return to Holland 

on loan for the remainder 

of the season. 

That is due to the fullback 

being keen to keep 

playing regularly to 

make sure of a place in 

Nigeria’s World Cup 

squad, having played the 

second half of a 4-2 

friendly win over 

Argentina in November. 

Neymar being targeted as 

new possible future first 

choice forwards. 

Despite being the 

club’s record goal-scorer 

the player has never 

maintained a close 

personal relationship with 

Perez and this has 

hampered negotiations 

over the years with the 

player always conscious of 

the fact that he was a 

Ramón Calderón signing. 

Despite winning three 

of the past four available 

Ballon d’Or awards the 

Madeira born player is 

the fifth best paid in the 

world with his 21 million 

euro annual salary being 

eclipsed by big earners 

Neymar Jr. and his 36 

million euro per year at 

PSG and top earner 

Messi who now picks up 

a pay-packet of 50 million 

euro per season with FC 

Barcelona after his 

recent contract 

renovation. 

Wenger wants Martial in 

part-exchange for Sanchez 

ARSENAL 

are 

reportedly keen 

to take Manchester 

United striker Anthony 

Martial in part-exchange 

for Alexis Sanchez. 

United have moved 

ahead of Manchester City 

in the race to sign the 

Chilean this month 

because of their 

willingness to pay a 

bigger transfer fee and 

the offer of a player as 

part of the deal. 

This player was 

expected to be Henrikh 

Mkhitaryan but, 

according to the Evening 

Standard, Arsene Wenger 

wants to explore the 

possibility of getting 

France striker Martial. 

Sanchez, 29, was left 

out of Arsenal’s 2-1 

Premier League defeat at 

Bournemouth on Sunday 

afternoon, with Wenger 

saying his situation 

would be resolved ‘in the 

next 48 hours.’ 

Although City believe 

Sanchez is more keen to 

join them and reunite 

with Pep Guardiola, his 

former manager at 

Barcelona, United have 

assumed pole position 

because of their 

willingness to be flexible. 

But while Wenger 

would be keen on 

acquiring Martial, who 

has scored nine times for 

United this season, it is 

not believed Jose 

Mourinho will entertain 

the idea. 

Mourinho is more likely 

to allow Armenian 

winger Mkhitaryan to 

leave in exchange for 

Sanchez. 

Sanchez... 

bound? 

.... to get No 7 shirt, 

£400,000 per week 

ALEXIS Sanchez will 

be given the 

honour of wearing the 

fabled No 7 shirt at 

Manchester United if he 

decides his future lies at 

Old Trafford. 

United are already 

prepared to offer 

Sanchez £400,000 per 

week and according to 

Chilean news outlet 

Cooperativa, offer him 

the famous shirt too. 

The No 7 has an 

historic and legendary 

lineage at the club with 

George Best, Eric 

Cantona, David 

Beckham and Cristiano 

Ronaldo all previous 

United 

owners. 

The shirt is currently 

vacant so the logical 

move would be to give 

it to the relentless 

forward should he join. 

Pep Guardiola held 

crunch talks with City 

chiefs on Monday to 

plot the path forward 

and there is still a 

chance Sanchez will opt 

for United’s fierce 

rivals. 

That said, City are 

refusing to surpass 

their £20million 

valuation of a player 

with just six months 

remaining on his 

contract.

Banned Ghanaian ref helped 

betting syndicate, FIFA reveals 

FIFA says it banned Joseph Lamptey for life after the 

Ghanaian referee took decisions during a 2018 World 

Cup tie ‘to make certain bets successful.’ 

Lamptey was sanctioned after notable errors in South 

Africa’s 2-1 World Cup qualifying win over Senegal in 

2016. “He (took) intentional decisions with the sole purpose 

of facilitating a minimum number of goals to make certain 

bets successful,” said Fifa. 

Fifa believes the bets related to the game featuring at 

least two goals. 

Football’s world governing body has never given 

extensive details of the case before but says it decided to do 

so because of ‘its complex nature and various 

misconceptions.’ 

The game in Polokwane featured a contentious penalty 

converted by South Africa after 43 minutes when a 

Senegalese defender was adjudged to have handled the 

ball, despite replays showing it had hit Kalidou Koulibaly’s 

knee. 

Fifa also believes Lamptey was at fault for South Africa’s 

second goal just two minutes later, stating that the 

Ghanaian ‘clearly took two wrong decisions, which led to 

two goals being scored by South Africa.’ 

“Suspicious betting activities reached their climax 

precisely when Lamptey took the incorrect refereeing 

decision between the 40th minute and the end of the first 

half,” added the Zurich-based organisation in a statement. 

Australian Open! 

Venus out! 

Venus Williams was the most consistent of any player 

on the WTA Tour last year, but she began 2018 by 

becoming one of the first upset victims at the Australian 

Open. 

Williams, who was beaten in the 2017 final by her 

sister Serena, went down 6-3, 7-5 to Switzerland’s 

Belinda Bencic, following the defeat earlier of US Open 

champion Sloane Stephens, whose dreadful run 

continues. 

Bencic, coached by Britain’s Iain Hughes, has long 

been touted as one of the game’s best prospects but her 

progress was halted last year when she missed five 

months due to having wrist surgery. 

Since coming back her form has been electric, so 

even though she is ranked 78th 

compared to 37-year-old Williams 

being the fifth seed, this was not 

quite the seismic reverse it 

looked on paper. 

The turning point in 

the match came late in 

the first set when play 

was stopped to allow 

for the roof to be 

closed because of 

rain at Melbourne 

Park. After already 

saving five break points 

at 4-3, Bencic returned from 

an almost 30-minute suspension 

•Venus to win six consecutive points to 

take the first set. 

Fans go mad 

for Messi 

Lionel Messi offered yet 

another reminder of 

his irrepressible genius on 

Sunday night, bending in a 

sensational free-kick from long 

range. 

Such was the majesty of the strike 

in Barcelona’s 4-2 victory over Real 

Sociedad that scores of fans took •Messi 

to Twitter to marvel at the five-time 

Ballon d’Or winner’s effort. 

Geronimo Rulli could only watch 

as the ball fizzed and dipped under 

the crossbar for Messi’s 366th La 

Liga goal. 

The number is significant as it 

takes the 30-year-old past Gerd 

Muller’s record for the most goals in a 

single top five European league. 

The prolific German legend dominated 

the Bundesliga for Bayern Munich but his total 

has been surpassed and no doubt Messi will 

continue to break new ground. His incredible 

achievement and the manner in which he set the new 

record had social media users salivating. 

Gary Lineker reacted by saying Messi is playing a totally 

different sport to any other ‘mortal’. 

Another user referred to the free-kick as ‘supernatural’ 

and one fan joked that Barcelona should play with nine 

men to level the playing field. 

•Balogun 

•Ekong 

FIFA 2018 WC: 


Hannover fans racially 

abuse Balogun, Ujah 

Eagles to camp 

in Yessentuki 

Super Eagles defender Leon Balogun and Anthony Ujah were 

last weekend racially abused by fans of German club side 

Hannover. 

The duo were subjected to racial abuse, including “monkey 

chants” by the fans while warming up as substitutes. However, 

Hannover have strongly condemned the fans who abused the 

Nigerian players in their 3-2 win over Mainz in the Bundesliga 

played at the HDI-Arena. 

“It was a mindless action of a few individuals that 

we do not accept as part of our community of 

Hannover,” Hannover’s statement said. 

“They have nothing in common with the values for 

which our club has long stood for. We have already 

set in motion and will do everything possible to identify 

those so that such a shameful incident cannot be 

repeated. 

“We are grateful for any hints that help to identify 

these people. You’re right, Leon: there should not be 

room for racism in any corner of the world - and 

that’s our very clear statement!” 

The Super Eagles will set up base in Yessentuki, a City in the Stavropol 

Krai district of Russia. 

Located at the base of the Caucasus Mountains, Yessentuki is a city 

blessed with natural beauty an ideal place for players to concentrate 

on training. The Governor of the Stavropol Territory, Vladimir 

Vladimirov announced that the Nigerian national team will use the 

facilities at Yessentuki, and they have started paying attention to 

the teams that have chosen to be accommodated in the region. 

‘’In 2018, the World Cup will be held, the Nigerian national 

team will be located in Yessentuki,’’ Vladimirov told TASS 

Russian News Agency. 

‘’I hope Yessentuki will allow the national team of 

Nigeria to rise high in the standings, but in any 

case not to beat our team.’’Yessentuki, 

with a population of 100,996 

inhabitants (based on 2010 

census), is considered the cultural 

capital of Russia’s Greek 

population. 

Nigeria will face Poland and 

England in pre-World Cup 

friendlies before their trip to Russia 

for the World Cup, where they 

•Akanji 

are drawn with Argentina, 

Croatia and Iceland in the 

group stage. 

•Mikel 

Dortmund 

complete £20m 

signing of Akanji 

Borussia Dortmund have 

completed the 

signing of 22-year-old 

centre-back Manuel Akanji 

from Basle. 

The Swiss defender has 

joined the German side in a 

deal worth £20million and 

looked delighted as he 

posed with his new club’s 

shirt. 

Dortmund also shared an 

image of Akanji undergoing 

his medical and their new 

man has been handed the 

number 16 jersey. 

Akanji had been targeted 

by Liverpool as back up in 

case they failed to secure 

Virgil van Dijk. 

He had also been 

considered by a host of 

Premier League clubs 

including Southampton, 

West Ham and West Brom 

but Dortmund moved 

quickly to line up the highlyrated 

6ft 2ins Switzerland 

international. 

The Swiss defender had 

been at Basle since 2015, 

after joining from Swiss 

second tier side 

Winterthur, and was 

q u i c k l y 

established as a 

key member of 

their defence. 

Akanji played 

every minute of 

Basle’s league 

games aside from 

one this season, as 

well as all six of 

their Champions 

League group games 

including the 1-0 

victory over 

Manchester United 

in November.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018 

Sudoku 

QUICK CROSSWORD 

TODAY’S PUZZLE 

YESTERDAY’S ANSWER 

TODAY’S CROSSWORD 

YESTERDAY’SOLUTION 

How to Play Sudoku 

Across 

1 – – Sharif, film star (4) 

3 Seen briefly (8) 

9 Seer (7) 

10 Shakespearean lover (5) 

11 Settees (5) 

12 Garb (6) 

14 Equipment (6) 

16 Disappear (6) 

19 Language of the Middle 

East (6) 

21 Bart Simpson’s father (5) 

24 Colour of military 

uniforms (5) 

25 Contrition (7) 

26 Fiddle-faddle (8) 

27 In those days (4) 

Down 

1 Contrary (8) 

2 Distant in manner (5) 

4 Deadly (6) 

5 Deserve (5) 

6 Japanese warrior (7) 

7 Let fall (4) 

8 Sculptor’s tool (6) 

13 Baker’s dozen (8) 

15 Sure (7) 

17 In one’s own house (2,4) 

18 Nuts from an oak tree (6) 

20 Newly-married woman (5) 

22 Merriment (5) 

23 Related 

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.

16012018 - Benue killings: You lied, Osinbajo tells Gov Ortom

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