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Vanguard Newspaper 14 February 2018

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Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2018—9<br />

:Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058<br />

FG h<strong>as</strong> spent N1.2trn to support<br />

states —Os<strong>in</strong>bajo<br />

By Boluwaji<br />

Obahopo<br />

LOKOJA<br />

—Vice<br />

President Yemi<br />

Os<strong>in</strong>bajo, yesterday, said<br />

the Federal Government<br />

h<strong>as</strong> supported 36 states of<br />

the federation with N1.19<br />

trillion <strong>as</strong> at September<br />

2017.<br />

He also disclosed that the<br />

Federal Government had<br />

f<strong>in</strong>ally resolved all legal<br />

issues hold<strong>in</strong>g down<br />

Ajaokuta Iron and Steel<br />

Complex.<br />

Os<strong>in</strong>bajo said the funds<br />

were made available to<br />

enable state governments<br />

meet the challenges of<br />

shortage of funds for the<br />

execution of programmes<br />

<strong>in</strong> their respective states.<br />

The vice president, who<br />

stated this at the maiden<br />

Kogi State Economic and<br />

Investment Summit <strong>in</strong><br />

Lokoja, said the funds had<br />

enabled some state<br />

governments to embark on<br />

capital expenditures.<br />

Accord<strong>in</strong>g to him, the<br />

funds were made available<br />

through the excess crude<br />

account, Paris Club refund,<br />

loans, among others, to the<br />

states.<br />

He expla<strong>in</strong>ed that parts<br />

of the funds were the<br />

entitlements of the state<br />

that they legally had access<br />

to, while some of them were<br />

loans to be repaid.<br />

He noted that the present<br />

adm<strong>in</strong>istration had the<br />

highest capital<br />

expenditures <strong>in</strong> two years,<br />

add<strong>in</strong>g that these were<br />

evident <strong>in</strong> the ongo<strong>in</strong>g<br />

railway l<strong>in</strong>e construction,<br />

road constructions and<br />

hydro power projects,<br />

among others.<br />

He said the Kogi<br />

Economic Summit came at<br />

the right time that the<br />

country w<strong>as</strong> try<strong>in</strong>g to<br />

reduce its dependence on<br />

oil and <strong>in</strong>cre<strong>as</strong>e its non oil<br />

<strong>in</strong>come with the promotion<br />

of agriculture and the<br />

abundant solid m<strong>in</strong>eral<br />

resources across the<br />

country.<br />

On Ajaokuta steel<br />

complex, Os<strong>in</strong>bajo said the<br />

government also revived<br />

110 megawatt electricity<br />

be<strong>in</strong>g generated at the steel<br />

plant and connected to the<br />

national grid, add<strong>in</strong>g that<br />

the technical <strong>as</strong>pect to the<br />

steel complex w<strong>as</strong> already<br />

function<strong>in</strong>g.<br />

He also said the rail l<strong>in</strong>es<br />

lead<strong>in</strong>g to the steel<br />

complex would be<br />

constructed <strong>as</strong> works at<br />

Itape had also commenced.<br />

On the issue of dredg<strong>in</strong>g<br />

of River Niger, Os<strong>in</strong>bajo<br />

said it had been done and<br />

that it would <strong>as</strong>sist the steel<br />

company when it comes on<br />

stream.<br />

The state governor,<br />

Yahaya Bello, said the<br />

summit w<strong>as</strong> packaged to<br />

change the identity of the<br />

27 years old state from a<br />

civil service state to an<br />

<strong>in</strong>dustrialised one.<br />

He said his<br />

•Says FG h<strong>as</strong> resolved all legal<br />

issues hold<strong>in</strong>g down Ajaokuta steel<br />

adm<strong>in</strong>istration had <strong>in</strong> the<br />

l<strong>as</strong>t two years, prepared the<br />

ground for economic and<br />

<strong>in</strong>dustrial breakthroughs<br />

for the state by solv<strong>in</strong>g the<br />

problems that had been<br />

h<strong>in</strong>der<strong>in</strong>g economic<br />

growth <strong>in</strong> the state.<br />

Bello said the state w<strong>as</strong><br />

now safe for <strong>in</strong>vestors and<br />

<strong>in</strong>vestments, add<strong>in</strong>g that<br />

the problem of security had<br />

been tackled.<br />

PRESENTATION: From left, Mr. Grama Nar<strong>as</strong>imhan, Executive<br />

Director, Retail & Consumer Bank<strong>in</strong>g, Sterl<strong>in</strong>g Bank; Ms. Evelyn<br />

Nwaokolo, Emirates Holidays Nigeria; Mr. Ob<strong>in</strong>na Henry Ezeanyim,<br />

w<strong>in</strong>ner of International Holiday Trip to Dubai; Ms. Eniola Obe,<br />

Regional Bus<strong>in</strong>ess Executive and Mr. Henry B<strong>as</strong>sey, Chief<br />

Market<strong>in</strong>g Officer, both of Sterl<strong>in</strong>g Bank Plc, dur<strong>in</strong>g the Sterl<strong>in</strong>g<br />

Bank 1dament promo prize presentation to w<strong>in</strong>ners of International<br />

Vacation, <strong>in</strong> Lagos, yesterday.<br />

Benue kill<strong>in</strong>gs: Herdsmen agree<br />

to ce<strong>as</strong>e fire<br />

By Peter Duru<br />

M AKURDI—PEACE<br />

may f<strong>in</strong>ally return to<br />

Benue State <strong>as</strong> <strong>herdsmen</strong><br />

attack<strong>in</strong>g parts of the state<br />

have agreed to lay down their<br />

arms and abide by the<br />

provisions of the Benue<br />

Open Graz<strong>in</strong>g Prohibition<br />

Law.<br />

They, however, <strong>as</strong>ked for<br />

more time to help them<br />

adapt to the new policy <strong>as</strong><br />

well <strong>as</strong> resort to graz<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong><br />

the graz<strong>in</strong>g reserves already<br />

developed <strong>in</strong> the Northern<br />

parts of the country.<br />

This position w<strong>as</strong> reached<br />

at the end of the meet<strong>in</strong>g by<br />

the <strong>herdsmen</strong>, stakeholders<br />

and governors of Benue and<br />

N<strong>as</strong>arawa states with<br />

members of Technical Sub<br />

Committee of National<br />

Economic Council<br />

Committee mediat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the<br />

<strong>herdsmen</strong> and farmers crisis<br />

<strong>in</strong> Benue, N<strong>as</strong>arawa,<br />

Adamawa and Taraba states,<br />

headed by Governor Dave<br />

Umahi of Ebonyi State.<br />

Address<strong>in</strong>g the<br />

media,yesterday, at the end<br />

of its <strong>as</strong>signment <strong>in</strong><br />

Makurdi, chairman of the<br />

committee, Governor Umahi<br />

said the team had successful<br />

meet<strong>in</strong>gs with all the parties<br />

<strong>in</strong> Benue and N<strong>as</strong>arawa<br />

states.<br />

Reel<strong>in</strong>g out the decisions<br />

reached at the end of the<br />

mediation talks, Governor<br />

Umahi said: “We observed<br />

•Accept Benue graz<strong>in</strong>g law,<br />

but <strong>as</strong>k for more time<br />

that all the parties are will<strong>in</strong>g<br />

to make peace and we are<br />

look<strong>in</strong>g at the conditions and<br />

suggestions of the various<br />

groups handed over to us <strong>as</strong><br />

the way forward to hav<strong>in</strong>g<br />

peace.<br />

“From discussions, it w<strong>as</strong><br />

agreed by the parties that<br />

Benue State h<strong>as</strong> the right to<br />

make laws and that<br />

<strong>in</strong>dividuals or group of<br />

people that are <strong>in</strong> the state<br />

have a duty to obey the law.<br />

“They also have a duty to<br />

meet with the authorities of<br />

the law to dialogue on any<br />

section of the law that they<br />

believe will not favour them.<br />

“We have agreed, from all<br />

parties to this unfortunate<br />

matter, that we will pursue<br />

peace, disarm any group that<br />

is harbour<strong>in</strong>g militia and<br />

support the security chiefs to<br />

arrest anyone found with<br />

illegal weapons.<br />

“The security people have<br />

also vowed that <strong>in</strong>l<strong>in</strong>e with<br />

the directive they have,<br />

anybody with illegal<br />

weapon must be arrested, no<br />

matter who the person is.<br />

“The cheer<strong>in</strong>g news is that<br />

the <strong>herdsmen</strong> <strong>in</strong> Benue and<br />

N<strong>as</strong>arawa states are will<strong>in</strong>g<br />

to abide by the Open<br />

Graz<strong>in</strong>g Prohibition Law of<br />

Benue State but they would<br />

need more time for ranch<strong>in</strong>g<br />

and support from the Federal<br />

Government to move <strong>in</strong>to<br />

graz<strong>in</strong>g reserves."<br />

OPL 245 ownership dispute: Abacha h<strong>as</strong> no c<strong>as</strong>e with us,<br />

EFCC tells court<br />

By Ikechukwu<br />

Nnochiri<br />

A<br />

B U J A —<br />

ECONOMIC<br />

and F<strong>in</strong>ancial Crimes<br />

Commission, EFCC,<br />

yesterday persuaded the<br />

Abuja Division of the<br />

Federal High Court to<br />

strike out its name from a<br />

suit the eldest son of late<br />

military head of state,<br />

Mohammed Abacha, filed<br />

to reclaim ownership of<br />

disputed Oil Prospect<strong>in</strong>g<br />

License, OPL, 245.<br />

EFCC, through its<br />

lawyer, Mr. J. A.<br />

Ojogbane, told the court<br />

that the suit, FHC/ABJ/CS/<br />

201/2017, did not disclose<br />

any cause of action aga<strong>in</strong>st<br />

it.<br />

The agency ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ed<br />

that it w<strong>as</strong> not <strong>in</strong> anyway<br />

l<strong>in</strong>ked with any of the<br />

reliefs the pla<strong>in</strong>tiff is<br />

seek<strong>in</strong>g from the court with<br />

respect to the controversial<br />

oil block.<br />

It, therefore, moved the<br />

court to uphold a<br />

prelim<strong>in</strong>ary objection it<br />

filed on May 18, 2017,<br />

<strong>as</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g to be de-listed <strong>as</strong><br />

one of the defendants <strong>in</strong><br />

OPL 245 ownership<br />

dispute.<br />

Follow<strong>in</strong>g a no-objection<br />

$44m NIA miss<strong>in</strong>g fund:<br />

K<strong>in</strong>gibe <strong>in</strong>timidates Reps<br />

<strong>in</strong>to closed-door session<br />

By Emman<br />

Ovuakporie<br />

ABUJA—MEMBERS of<br />

the House of<br />

Representatives Committee<br />

on Public Safety and National<br />

Intelligence were, yesterday,<br />

<strong>in</strong>timidated <strong>in</strong>to submission<br />

by chairman of Presidential<br />

Review Panel, PRP, on<br />

National Intelligence Agency,<br />

Amb. Babagana K<strong>in</strong>gibe.<br />

The committee, which w<strong>as</strong><br />

charged with the<br />

responsibility of prob<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to<br />

the miss<strong>in</strong>g $44 milion<br />

belong<strong>in</strong>g to the agency and<br />

the circumstances<br />

surround<strong>in</strong>g the<br />

appo<strong>in</strong>tment of Mr. Ahmed<br />

Rufa’i Abubakar <strong>as</strong> director<br />

general w<strong>as</strong> held up by<br />

K<strong>in</strong>gibe and his colleagues<br />

when they refused to sit<br />

down.<br />

The PRP, chaired by K<strong>in</strong>gibe<br />

had been summoned by the<br />

committee to expla<strong>in</strong> its role<br />

<strong>in</strong> the alleged disappearance<br />

of the $44 million, <strong>as</strong> well <strong>as</strong><br />

Mr Abubakar’s appo<strong>in</strong>tment.<br />

But on gett<strong>in</strong>g to the venue<br />

of the hear<strong>in</strong>g yesterday,<br />

K<strong>in</strong>gibe stood for a few<br />

m<strong>in</strong>utes when the clerk of the<br />

committee approached him,<br />

<strong>as</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g him and his<br />

colleagues to take their seats.<br />

But the former amb<strong>as</strong>sador<br />

decl<strong>in</strong>ed, say<strong>in</strong>g, “no, I won’t<br />

sit down, what is all these, do<br />

you people want to make a<br />

stance by Abacha’s lawyer,<br />

Mr. J. A. Achimugu, who<br />

said he had expected a<br />

stiffer opposition from the<br />

commission, Justice John<br />

Tsoho, <strong>in</strong> a bench rul<strong>in</strong>g,<br />

struck out the EFCC <strong>as</strong> the<br />

6th defendant <strong>in</strong> the<br />

matter.<br />

However, the court fixed<br />

April 23 to hear the<br />

prelim<strong>in</strong>ary objection the<br />

Federal Government filed<br />

to abort Abacha’s bid to<br />

reclaim OPL 245.<br />

Justice Tsoho said he<br />

would consolidate every<br />

other objection aga<strong>in</strong>st the<br />

suit and hear them together.<br />

The Federal Government<br />

had <strong>in</strong> a process filed by the<br />

Attorney-General of the<br />

show of us?"<br />

The clerk then urged him<br />

to see the committee<br />

chairman, Am<strong>in</strong>u Sani Jaji,<br />

who w<strong>as</strong> seated with his<br />

colleagues await<strong>in</strong>g<br />

K<strong>in</strong>gibe’s arrival.<br />

But <strong>in</strong>stead of approach<strong>in</strong>g<br />

the chair <strong>as</strong> protocol demands<br />

<strong>in</strong> National Assembly,<br />

K<strong>in</strong>gibe said: “No! I won’t go<br />

there, you tell him to come.”<br />

Out of courtesy, the<br />

chairman rose from his seat<br />

and met him <strong>as</strong> they both<br />

stepped out of the hear<strong>in</strong>g<br />

room.<br />

K<strong>in</strong>gibe f<strong>in</strong>ally agreed to<br />

sit, and follow<strong>in</strong>g his<br />

discussion with the chairman,<br />

K<strong>in</strong>gibe began the<br />

<strong>in</strong>troduction of his panel<br />

members.<br />

He also tried to <strong>in</strong>troduce<br />

other members of the panel,<br />

but the committee chairman<br />

<strong>in</strong>terrupted him, say<strong>in</strong>g that<br />

he should allow the men to<br />

<strong>in</strong>troduce themselves.<br />

However, the former<br />

amb<strong>as</strong>sador ignored the<br />

chairman’s observation and<br />

said: “all of these men you<br />

see here are above 70 years<br />

old, with a comb<strong>in</strong>ed age of<br />

over 300 years.’’<br />

After the <strong>in</strong>troduction, the<br />

chairman announced that<br />

journalists should leave the<br />

hall for members to have a<br />

closed door session with<br />

K<strong>in</strong>gibe and his colleagues.<br />

CBN wants shell banks<br />

abolished <strong>in</strong> Nigeria<br />

ABUJA—THE Central<br />

Bank of Nigeria, CBN,<br />

h<strong>as</strong> called for the abolition<br />

of shell banks <strong>in</strong> the<br />

country, say<strong>in</strong>g they serve<br />

<strong>as</strong> <strong>in</strong>stitutions for money<br />

launder<strong>in</strong>g.<br />

Shell banks are<br />

<strong>in</strong>stitutions that carry out<br />

activities where they are not<br />

licensed.<br />

Mr Godw<strong>in</strong> Emefiele,<br />

CBN governor, who w<strong>as</strong><br />

represented by Director,<br />

Legal Services<br />

Department, Mr Johnson<br />

Ak<strong>in</strong>wunmi, made the<br />

request <strong>in</strong> Abuja,<br />

yesterday, at a public<br />

hear<strong>in</strong>g organised by<br />

House Committee on<br />

Bank<strong>in</strong>g and Currency on<br />

a Bill to amend the Bank<strong>in</strong>g<br />

and Other F<strong>in</strong>ancial<br />

Institutions Act (BOFIA)<br />

and other bills.<br />

He said the shell banks,<br />

apart from be<strong>in</strong>g used for<br />

money launder<strong>in</strong>g, distort<br />

the bank<strong>in</strong>g system and<br />

might pose a problem to<br />

regulatory agencies.<br />

Federation and M<strong>in</strong>ister of<br />

Justice, Abubakar Malami,<br />

SAN, <strong>as</strong>ked the court to<br />

dismiss or strike out the suit<br />

where<strong>in</strong> Abacha w<strong>as</strong><br />

claim<strong>in</strong>g ownership of<br />

Malabu Oil & G<strong>as</strong> Limited.<br />

Aside Federal<br />

Government and M<strong>in</strong>ister<br />

of Petroleum Resources,<br />

who are 1st and 2nd<br />

defendants <strong>in</strong> the matter,<br />

other defendants equally<br />

challeng<strong>in</strong>g the<br />

competence of the suit are<br />

Shell Nigeria Ultra-Deep<br />

Limited, Shell Nigeria<br />

Exploration and Production<br />

Company Ltd, Nigeria<br />

Agip Exploration Company<br />

Ltd and and Chief Dan<br />

Etete.

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