13032018 - Benue: I’m surprised IGP Idris disobeyed my directive—BUHARI

FG replies 

GENCOs, 

accuses them 

of blackmail, 

politicking 

9 

Dapchi 

Schoolgirls: 

We'll negotiate, 

not use force 

—BUHARI 

4 

2019 POLLS: 

Unclaimed 

PVCs to be 

burnt — INEC 

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THE BOSS 

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enable 

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VOL. 26: NO. 63504 TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2018 

Benue: I’m surprised IGP Idris 

disobeyed my directive—BUHARI 

•As herdsmen slaughter 2 Police sergeants ahead of President’s visit 

•Knocks, kudos as stakeholders react to Buhari's condolence visit to Benue 

BUHARI IN BENUE 

By Peter Duru & 

Peter Okutu 

M President 

AKURDI— 

Muhammadu Buhari 

yesterday expressed shock 

that Inspector-General of 

Police, Ibrahim Idris, 

disobeyed his directives to 

stay in Benue until the 

blood-letting between 

farmers and herdsmen was 

resolved. 

The President, who also 

said his government is 

deeply worried about 

incessant attacks on 

Benue’s rural communities 

and vowed to end the 

menace very soon, spoke at 

the meeting he had with 

leaders in the state during 

his assessment visit to 

Continues on Page 5 

Mr & Mrs 

From left: President Muhammadu Buhari with Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue; Senator George Akume and Gen. Lawrence 

Onoja (retd), shortly after his sympathy visit to Benue, yesterday, over recent killings in the state. More photos on Page 40 

Zenith Bank's operating results beat forecasts 

COLUMNISTS ERIC TENIOLA 18 ODUMAKIN 17 MAILAFIA 32 

19 

SEE 

INSIDE

2—VANGUARD, TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2018

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2018—3

4—VANGUARD, TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2018 

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

VISIT: President Muhammadu Buhari (right) and United States Secretary of State, Rex 

Tillerson, during a visit to President Buhari at the State House, Abuja, yesterday. 

Dapchi: I'll rather negotiate 

release of girls —Buhari 

•Says he won't adopt military option 

•Boko Haram, a threat to W-African sub-region—US 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

A BUJA—PRESIDENT 

Muhammadu Buhari, 

yesterday, told visiting US 

Secretary of State, Rex 

Tillerson, at a closed-door 

meeting in Abuja that the 

Federal Government was 

doing everything possible to 

secure the release of 110 

students of Government 

Girls Technical College, 

Dapchi, Yobe State, 

abducted by Boko Haram 

insurgents about three 

weeks ago through some 

sort of negotiation. 

According to him, 

government will negotiate 

the girls release, rather than 

adopting military option to 

secure their release. 

US Secretary of State, Rex 

Tillerson, had in a joint 

media briefing with Foreign 

Affairs Minister, Geoffery 

Onyema, after a closed-door 

meeting with President 

Muhammadu Buhari, at the 

Presidential Villa, Abuja, 

called on the President to 

ensure the release of the girls 

and described Boko Haram 

as a threat to countries within 

the African continent. 

The President said Nigeria 

was working in concert with 

international organisations 

and negotiators to ensure that 

the girls were released 

unharmed by their captors. 

Buhari said: “We are trying 

to be careful. It is better to 

get our daughters back 

alive.” 

President Buhari thanked 

America for assistance 

rendered in the fight against 

insurgency, noting that 

Nigerian forces were good, 

“but need assistance in the 

areas of training and 

equipment.” 

He promised that his 

administration would 

continue to do its best to 

secure the country, adding 

that he would be in Yobe 

State, from where Dapchi 

schoolgirls were abducted, 

later this week “as part of my 

condolence and sympathy 

visits to areas where we have 

had unfortunate events.” 

Free, fair 

polls in 2019 

The President also pledged 

free and fair polls in 2019, 

recalling that the then 

American Secretary of State, 

John Kerry, had visited before 

the 2015 polls, “and he told 

the party in government then, 

and those of us in opposition, 

to behave ourselves, and we 

did.” 

US commends 

Buhari on anticorruption 

war 

Speaking at the closed-door 

meeting, the visiting Secretary 

of State commended President 

Buhari on his strides in the 

anti-corruption war, to which 

the Nigerian leader 

responded that moneys 

recovered were being 

invested on development of 

infrastructure. 

Tillerson, who said Nigeria 

was a very important country 

to the US, noted: “You have 

our support in your 

challenges. We will also 

support opportunities to 

expand the economy, 

commercial investments, and 

peaceful polls in 2019.” 

While briefing the State 

House correspondents 

alongside their counterparts 

from the Nigeria, Tillerson 

said the American 

government was collaborating 

with Nigeria in terms of 

intelligence gathering, 

training of military operatives 

and the release of equipment 

to fight insurgency. 

He added that the 

equipment will help to fight 

Boko Haram insurgents and 

the release of abducted people, 

including the Chibok girls. 

He said: “First, we respect 

the responsibilities of the 

government of Nigeria and 

the territorial integrity of 

Nigeria. But the way we 

support is in providing them 

capability, capacity with 

equipment and also training 

of the personnel of special 

operations and sharing 

intelligence to ensure that 

they have all the information 

available to carry out the 

recovery effort. 

...Boko Haram, a 

threat to W-African 

sub-region 

“But I think it is also 

important to put this in a broad 

regional context as well: Boko 

Haram is a threat to other 

regions and this has been the 

subject of my meetings 

elsewhere and in Africa as 

well. 

“In my discussion with 

President Derby in Chad 

earlier today (yesterday), we 

spoke about the threat of Boko 

Haram and I think it is 

important and it’s really been 

powerful, the collaboration 

between the joint task force, 

which Nigeria is a part and 

Chad is a part, to respond to 

this threat of terrorism, which 

Boko Haram is one of the 

organisations, there are other 

threats that the leadership of 

this country has to deal with. 

US ready to help 

“So the United States is 

ready to engage and 

coordinate efforts as well. But 

we have been supporting, 

equipping, training and when 

we can provide information. I 

think that is the best way we 

have been helping the 

government of Nigeria secure 

the release of the girls, which 

we hope, will be done in a 

peaceful manner. We hope 

that something can be worked 

out and they can secure the 

release of these girls quickly.” 

Lauds Buhari on 

fight against 

terrorism 

Tillerson commended 

President Buhari for leading 

the sub-region in the fight 

against terrorism as well as his 

fight against corruption, which 

he noted had earned the 

president recognition at the 

African Union. 

He also said the American 

government will support 

Nigeria in the 2019 general 

elections. He commended the 

collaboration between Nigeria 

and her neighbouring states 

with the formation of Joint Task 

Force. 

Warning on loans 

from China 

On the recent warning by 

the United States Government 

to be careful with loans from 

China, Tillerson said the US 

was developing alternatives to 

Chinese loans. 

He said the United States 

President, Mr Donald Trump, 

was developing alternatives to 

Chinese loans that will make 

it easier for African countries 

to access funds for 

infrastructural development. 

He explained that although 

the United States was not 

against taking loans from 

China, America was more 

concerned with the aftermath 

of the loans as he stated that 

experience had shown that 

such countries with Chinese 

loans ended up forfeiting their 

sovereignty. 

He said: “I think it is 

important to clarify that we do 

not seek to stop Chinese 

investments from flowing to 

countries that need those 

investments. But what we are 

cautioning countries is to look 

carefully, that the implications 

of the level of debts, the terms 

of the debts, and whether the 

arrangements around the local 

financing are intact creating 

jobs, local capacity or the 

projects being carried out by 

foreign labour being brought 

to your country." 

Why we suspended 

judgement in FG’s case 

against Saraki —CCT 

By Ikechukwu 

Nnochiri 

ABUJA—CODE 

of 

Conduct Tribunal, 

CCT, in Abuja, yesterday, 

justified its decision to 

suspend further 

proceedings on the assets 

falsification charge the 

Federal Government 

preferred against the 

Senate President, Dr. 

Bukola Saraki, saying it 

was taken in the interest of 

justice and the right to fair 

hearing. 

The CCT, in a statement 

signed by its Head, Press 

& Public Relations, Mr. 

Ibraheem Al-Hassan, said 

its decision to adjourn the 

case sine-die (indefinitely), 

was anchored on section 36 

of the 1999 Constitution, as 

amended. 

The Justice Danladi 

Umar-led two-man panel 

tribunal said the 

clarification was 

necessitated by some 

reports in the media 

insinuating that it was the 

CCT Chairman that 

“outrightly adjourned the 

case indefinitely without 

stating the reasons.” 

The statement added: 

“We felt that such reports 

were not balanced, onesided, 

and written in bad 

faith. However, the tribunal 

wished to state that the decision 

was taken in the interest 

of justice and the 

right to fair hearing, section 

36 of the Constitution and 

the right to appeal from the 

decision of a lower court. 

“Tribunal is not 

insensitive to the 

circumstance under which 

the defendant was asked to 

return back to the Tribunal 

by the Court of Appeal to 

answer questions relating 

to counts 4, 5 and 6.” 

Al-Hassan said the CCT 

Chairman had noted that 

both the prosecution and 

the defense counsel filed an 

appeal before the Supreme 

Court challenging the 

decision of Court of Appeal 

with respect to the charge. 

He said it was on the 

basis of the appeals that the 

CCT held that it would be 

hesitant to take further steps 

in Saraki’s case, “pending 

when the appeal is 

considered and 

determined, which would 

of course definitely 

determine the outcome of 

judgement of the Tribunal 

on count 4,5 and 6. 

“The tribunal held that to 

be on a safer side and to be 

fair to both parties, the 

tribunal decided to tarry for 

a while so that the integrity 

and powers of the Supreme 

Court would not be 

jeopardized. 

6m admission seekers 

shut out of varsities in five 

years — NUC 

By Henry Umoru 

ABUJA— NATIONAL 

Universities 

Commission, NUC, 

disclosed, yesterday, that 

within the last five years, 

about six million students 

were denied admission in 

Nigeria. 

Speaking in Abuja while 

having in audience 

intelligentsias from Kogi 

West lobbying for upgrade 

of Federal College of 

Agriculture, Kabba, to a 

full-fledged university, 

Executive Secretary of 

NUC, Professor Abubakar 

Rasheed, explained that the 

number of university 

seekers got to the level due 

to acute shortage of space 

and capacities by the 

existing 161 universities in 

the country . 

Giving a breakdown, 

Professor Rasheed said 

between 2013 and 2017, of 

7.8 million university 

admission seekers that sat 

for Unified Tertiary 

Matriculation Examination, 

UTME, only 1.9 million 

gained admission, leaving 

the remaining 5.9 million 

admission seekers in the 

cold. 

He said: “The surest way 

out of this problem largely 

created by yearly increase 

in population is for 

government and private 

individuals or corporate 

bodies to establish more 

universities. 

He, however, assured 

the Okun people, led by 

Senator Dino Melaye 

(APC, Kogi West), and 

Nigerians that the NUC 

was currently working 

with the varsities to find 

solutions to the 

problems. 

In his request on behalf 

of Okun people, Senator 

Melaye, who who noted 

that Kabba as headquarters 

of Okun land deserved a 

university, said: “The 

College of Agriculture, 

Kabba, is as old as the ABU, 

Zaria, but it is yet to become 

a full-fledged university, 

even though it has most of 

the facilities required to 

become a university. 

“We need this university 

because it’s as important to 

us Okun people as the 

breath of air, so we have 

come to lobby you so that 

you can lobby the 

Education Minister, and 

President Buhari so that a 

university can be 

established in Kabba."

Vanguard, TUESDAY MARCH 13, 2018—5 

POCKET CARTOON 

BOOK PRESENTATION—From left: Author of the books titled ‘Banking Reform in Nigeria 

and The Law, Prospects and the Challenges in Nigeria”, Dr Bode Ayorinde; Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu 

of Ondo State; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; 

Vice Chancellor, Achievers University, Prof. Tunji Ibiyemi and Governor of CBN, Godwin Emefiele, 

during the public presentation of the books in Abuja, yesterday. Photo: NAN. 

I’m surprised IGP Idris disobeyed 

my directive—BUHARI 

Continues from Page 1 

Benue State. 

“I cannot overlook the 

killings in Benue or any 

other part of Nigeria. I 

cannot do that. I am 

genuinely worried about 

the attacks in Benue and we 

are doing everything to end 

them,” he said. 

He said the insecurity in 

some states was a major 

concern to his government, 

adding that concerted 

efforts are being made to 

restore normalcy to every 

part of the country. 

IGP’s disobedience 

President Buhari said he 

was surprised at the 

revelation that the IGP did 

not spend 24 hours in 

Benue, when he directed 

him to relocate to the state 

and remain there till peace 

was restored. 

“I am getting to know this 

in this meeting. I am quite 

surprised,” he said. 

President Buhari had, in 

the wake of public outcry 

that greeted the New Year 

Day murder of 73 persons 

by suspected herdsmen, 

instructed the IGP to 

relocate to the state until the 

carnage was contained. 

The Police boss had 

reportedly spent less than 

24 hours in the state before 

leaving and this attracted 

more condemnation from 

Nigerians. 

Also at his meeting with 

farmers, herdsmen, 

government officials and 

other stakeholders in 

Makurdi yesterday, Buhari 

denied insinuations that he 

was not interested in what 

was happening in Benue 

State. 

Appeal for peace 

He, however, said the 

meeting was not the best 

place to expose the 

inefficiencies of his 

appointees, and appealed 

to Benue people to exercise 

restraint and live in peace 

with their neighbours. 

He also appealed to the 

people to pay more 

attention to farming, 

especially rice cultivation, 

saying that rice importation 

had dropped by 90 per cent 

since some states 

embarked on massive 

production of the 

commodity. 

In his speech, Governor 

Samuel Ortom said: “Mr. 

President, you are known 

as a man of integrity and 

uprightness and you have 

always fought for justice. 

“On January 11, 2018, we 

buried 73 citizens, 

including women and 

children. All of them were 

brutally slaughtered in their 

sleep by armed herdsmen 

in the early hours of the 

New Year 2018. At least 65 

more have been killed in 

Guma and Logo local 

government areas after the 

mass burial. 

“Just a few days ago, 26 

of our men, women and 

children in Omusu 

Okpokwu Local 

Government Area were 

killed. Also over 5,000 

people were displaced in 

Mbatoho Community in 

Makurdi Local 

Government Area. 

170, 000 displaced 

persons 

“Attacks by armed 

herdsmen have continued 

in various communities in 

the state leading to the 

displacement of over 

170,000 people. More than 

60 per cent of this figure are 

children who have been 

forced out of school. 

“These and many others 

now live in the eight 

Internally Displaced 

People’s camps scattered 

across the state namely: 

Abagana, Daudu1, 

Gbajimba, Tse Ginde, 

Anyiin, Abeda and Ugba. 

Their homes and farms 

have also been destroyed 

and taken over by armed 

herdsmen. 

“You had directed the 

Inspector-General of Police 

to relocate to Benue and 

stop the killings. Issues of 

capacity and integrity may 

Continues on Page 44 

Police order for nationwide mop up of illegal arms (2) 

By Bose Adelaja, 

Bartholomew Madukwe & 

Frederick Okopie 

The Inspector-General 

of Police,IGP, order to 

commissioners to embark 

on immediate mop up of 

firearms in the hands of 

individuals and groups is 

good. My reservation lies 

with where the exercise 

would start from, is it with 

herdsmen who carry 

AK47? Miss Idowu Iyanuoluwa, 

NYSC member 

With the increase in 

killings, kidnappings 

and other crimes, 

I think the Nigerian Police 

is right in asking that 

all illegal arms be retrieved. 

However, I 

strongly advise they start 

this exercise by searching 

the houses of all politicians, 

political kingpins 

and all their associates. 

Mrs Nneoma Bianca, 

Self Employed 

When the Police said 

they will not hesitate 

to apply the full 

weight of the law on any 

individual or group under 

any guise whose conduct 

run contrary to the 

law of the land, I hope 

they also included 

herdsmen because it 

seems they are above the 

law. 

Mr. Anthony Ibekwe, 

Merchant 

As good as the mop up 

of firearms in the 

hands of non-military 

groups sounds, the IGP 

must start from Sambisa 

before proceeding to other 

parts of the North. 

Many Nigerians fear that 

this may be a ploy to disarm 

legitimate firearm 

owners and vigilante 

groups so that herdsmen 

would overrun the entire 

Southern Nigeria. 

Miss Adetoun Biobaku, 

Hairdresser 

The IGP’s directive 

for mopping up of 

arms is to guarantee the 

safety and security of all 

citizens. My only question 

is; where was the 

police before we got to the 

present situation of guns 

every where? What is the 

guarantee that the enforcement 

of the gun 

laws, will not be as it has 

always been? 

Mr. Nonly Steve, 

Businessman 

It ought to have been 

done long ago. I 

learned that hunters too 

are to surrender their 

arms. Taking arms away 

from hunters is like ending 

their livelihood. By 

the way, how does the 

police intend to disarm 

the OPC, Niger-Delta 

militants, herdsmen 

without putting the lives 

of police officers at risk? 

Mrs Chimezie Uche 

Agbo, Broadcaster

6—Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2018 

French 

fashion icon, 

Givenchy, 

dies at 91 

FRENCH 

fashion 

designer, Hubert de 

Givenchy, who created 

famous looks for Audrey 

Hepburn, Grace Kelly and 

Jackie Kennedy, has died 

at the age of 91. 

His partner, Philippe 

Venet, a former couture 

designer, confirmed the 

news. 

The enduring appeal of 

Givenchy was showcased 

at this year’s Oscars, 

where Black Panther star, 

Chadwick Boseman, wore 

a custom design. 

However, the designer is 

best known for the “little 

black dress” worn by 

Audrey Hepburn in 

Breakfast at Tiffany’s, a 

romantic comedy. 

Dry cleaner 

allegedly 

defrauds 

friend of 

N5.9m 

By Onozure Dania 

LAGOS—A 26-year-old 

female dry cleaner, 

Bose Bamidele, who 

allegedly pretended to be 

a man and defrauded her 

friend of N3.7 million cash 

and property worth N2.2 

million, was yesterday 

arraigned before an 

Igbosere Magistrate’s 

Court in Lagos. 

Bamidele, 26, who 

resides at Olufemi Street, 

off Ogunlana Road, Lagos, 

is standing trial on a twocount 

charge bordering on 

stealing and fraud. 

The prosecutor, Sergeant 

Cyriacus Osuji, told the 

court that the accused 

committed the offences 

sometime in 2017 at 

Anthony area of Lagos. 

Osuji said: “The accused 

obtained N3.7 million from 

the complainant under the 

guise that she was Dapo 

Awosika.” 

The prosecutor also said 

the accused obtained the 

complainant’s Toyota 

Corolla car worth N1.5 

million, one HP Laptop 

worth N700,000; all the 

items stolen by the accused 

are worth N5.9 million. 


Gunmen kidnap pastor, another in Akwa Ibom 

By Chioma Onuegbu 

U YO—GUNMEN 

suspected to be cultists 

have reportedly kidnapped two 

persons, including Pastor Mfon 

Udoneke, the Area 

Superintendent of Apostolic 

Church, Ikot Akpa Idem 

village in Ukanafun Local 

Government Area of Akwa Ibom 

State. 

By Ola Ajayi 

I BADAN—CHIEF 

Magistrate N. A. J. 

Ogunbona of the Ibadan 

Magistrate’s Court, Iyaganku- 

Ibadan, Oyo State capital, 

yesterday, rained curses on 

those who take pleasure in 

raping minors, as a 52-year-old 

man, Mr. Gabriel Olaniyan, 

was brought before her over 

allegation of raping a nineyear-old 

girl. 

It was gathered that the 

suspected cultists also 

kidnapped a businessman, 

Deacon Alexander Umoh, who 

also hails from the same 

village. 

According to a reliable 

source, who spoke on 

condition of anonymity, both 

incidents occurred in the early 

hours of yesterday. 

The source said: “Pastor 

The accused, arraigned on a 

count charge of having carnal 

knowledge of the minor, told 

the court how he lured the girl 

into a secluded place with N10 

biscuit before raping her. 

The accused, however, 

dismissed the insinuation that 

he actually defiled the girl for 

ritual purpose. 

In the charge sheet signed by 

Fawole Funke, the accused 

was alleged to have committed 

the act on March 1 at Alapafon 

Udoneke was kidnapped in 

his residence located within 

the church premises, while 

he was preparing for 

women fellowship prayer 

meeting that holds every 

Monday morning. 

“The two kidnappings 

were carried out by the same 

gang this morning. 

“What happened is that 

after kidnapping the pastor, 

Area of Ibadan. 

According to the charge 

sheet, “you Gabriel Olaniyan 

male, on the March 1, at 

about 5p.m., at Alapafon 

area, Ibadan, in the Ibadan 

magisterial district, did have 

unlawful carnal knowledge of 

a girl (name withheld) aged 

nine, without her consent 

and thereby committed an 

offence contrary to and 

punishable under Section 

218 of the Criminal Code Cap 

they proceeded to the 

deacon’s area, about two 

kilometres from the Apostolic 

Church.” 

Contacted, the Police Public 

Relations Officer, DSP Odiko 

Macdon, said he was not 

aware of the incident, adding 

“I have not received any 

report yet from the DPO. I am 

going to start making 

findings.” 

I lured 9-yr-old girl with N10 biscuit; 

raped her— 52-yr-old man tells court 

EFCC grills Modu Sheriff over N12b aircraft 

By Soni Daniel 

ABUJA—HOW did former 

Borno State governor, Ali 

Modu Sheriff, raise $72 million 

(N12 billion) to buy a 

Gulfstream aircraft, Model 

G650, after leaving office as a 

public officer? 

This was the major question 

put to him by a crack team of 

Economic and Financial 

Crimes Commission, EFCC, 

operatives, who grilled the 

former governor of the Boko 

Haram-troubled state for hours 

in Abuja, yesterday. 

The interrogators had been 

specifically raised by the 

commission to probe Sheriff, 

who was the governor under 

which Boko Haram insurgency 

birthed in Nigeria and were not 

considered as a serious threat 

to the state and the country at 

the time. 

Vanguard learned that the 

invitation of Sheriff by EFCC 

was to find out if he abused his 

office as a governor or 

benefitted from alleged rip-off 

of a former president to the 

tune of $200 million under the 

guise of enforcing a dubious 

Boko Haram ceasefire in a 

neighbouring country in 2014. 

The operatives also wanted 

to establish if the said amount 

was transmitted by a top 

presidential aide to a foreign 

leader, who has a personal 

relationship with Sheriff. 

The operatives, who invited 

the former governor to their 

head office in Abuja, 

questioned him specifically 

on where he got the money 

to acquire the aircraft in the 

same year that the 

controversial Boko Haram 

ceasefire flopped. 

The former governor, who 

was grilled for many hours 

yesterday, was however 

allowed to go home on 

administrative bail and 

asked to return on today 

with some documents. 

A source said: “Indeed, we 

interrogated Sherriff for 

many hours yesterday and 

he actually cooperated with 

our operatives and that 

made it easy for us to grant 

him administrative bail and 

asked him to report back on 

By Emma Una 

C ALABAR—FIVE 

persons were reportedly 

beheaded in a land tussle 

between the villages of Bubuo 

and Okwabang in Boki council 

of Cross River State. 

The battle, which started on 

AGAINST SEXUAL 

VIOLENCE: From left— 

All Progressives Congress, 

APC, South-West Women 

Leader, Chief Kemi Nelson; 

Deputy Governor of Lagos 

State, Dr. Idiat Oluranti 

Adebule; Governor 

Akinwunmi Ambode; his wife, 

Bolanle; Chief Judge of Lagos 

State, Justice Opeyemi Oke; 

Chief Whip, Lagos State House 

of Assembly, Mr. Rotimi Abiru; 

Attorney-General and 

Commissioner for Justice, Mr. 

Adeniji Kazeem; Justice 

Babajide Candide-Johnson; 

Commissioner of Police, Mr. 

Imohimi Edgal, and others 

during the state's Walk Against 

Sexual and Gender-Based 

Violence, in Alausa, Ikeja, 

Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: 

Bunmi Azeez. 

38 Vol. 11 Laws of Oyo State of 

Nigeria, 2000.” 

The Chief Magistrate advised 

parents to always monitor their 

children and take good care of 

them to prevent their wards 

from being molested by people 

with unwholesome behaviour. 

After ordering that the accused 

be remanded in Agodi Prison 

pending legal advice from the 

Director of Public Prosecutions, 

DPP, she adjourned the case till 

April 5. 

Tuesday (today). 

“We will continue with the 

interrogation of the politician 

in order to determine how he 

came by the aircraft and other 

items we are investigating.” 

Recall that with the purchase 

of the aircraft, Sheriff topped 

the list of such fleet owners in 

the country. 

However, the other owners of 

private jets in Nigeria are 

mostly top religious and 

businessmen. 

5 beheaded over land tussle in 

Saturday, has led to the 

destruction of many houses and 

livestock. 

A resident disclosed that three 

persons from Bubuo and two from 

Okwabang were beheaded. 

He said as at Sunday evening, 

many people had fled the area as 

youths from both communities

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2018—7 


Policeman killed, as youths clash 

with soldiers over party food in Delta 

By Perez Brisibe 

& Paul Olayemi 

JESSE—THE burial reception 

in honour of a 111-years-old 

woman (name withheld) at 

Boboroku community of Jesse in 

Ethiope West Local Government 

Area of Delta State turned awry 

weekend, as a plain clothes 

policeman reportedly slumped 

and died during a clash between 

the community youth and a team 

of soldiers drafted from the 19 

Battalion, Koko, to maintain 

peace. 

It was gathered that there was 

rowdiness during the sharing of 

food and drink at the party and 

in the process some of the youth 

THE National Youth Service 

Corps, NYSC, has ruled 

out suicide in the death of a 

corps member, Nneka Odili, 

who was killed in a train 

accident in Lagos on Thursday. 

NYSC Coordinator in Lagos 

State, Mohammed Momoh, 

told newsmen in Lagos, 

yesterday, that there was no 

trace of suicide in the tragic 

incident. 

The deceased, Miss Nneka 

Deborah Odili, was allegedly 

hit by a train on March 8, at 

Ikeja Train Station. 

She died at 6.55p.m. at the 

Lagos State University 

Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, 

on the same day. 

According to the NYSC 

Coordinator in the state, the 

late corps member did not 

exhibit any sign of depression 

or anxiety that could lead to 

suicide. 

He expressed shock and 

dismay at the mysterious 

circumstances leading to her 

death on the fateful day, after 

receiving her acceptance letter 

at her place of primary 

assignment. 

Momoh said she was posted 

to the 9th Brigade, Ikeja 

Cantonment, Maryland, in 

Lagos. 

According to the NYSC Co- 

Ordinator, “there is no way the 

late corps member would have 

committed suicide, considering 

events that preceded her 

death.” 

Her bio 

According to him, late Odili, 

with NYSC code number 

17B1169, was a graduate of 

Cross River 

freely engaged each other with 

guns and machetes. 

He said no Police presence has 

been noticed as both sides are 

carrying on without any restraint. 

However, Ms Irene Ugbo, Cross 

River Police Command 

spokesman, said anti-riot officers 

have been sent to the area. 

allegedly made attempts to 

disarm two soldiers, who had 

tried to restore orderliness. 

One person was reportedly shot 

on the leg as others sustained 

various degrees of injuries in the 

melee that ensued, while the 

windscreen and windows of at 

least five cars, including one 

hilux belonging to the soldiers, 

were also destroyed by the 

youths who went berserk over the 

incident. 

Community sources disclosed 

that the late policeman simply 

identified as Imomoh, who 

resides in the community, was 

said to have tried to intervene 

during the rowdy session 

between the soldiers and the 

youths. 

Giving details of the 

incident, a guest at the 

reception said: “The soldiers 

were called in to restore calm 

after the youths in the 

community tried to hijack food 

meant for guests at the 

reception.” 

The guest, who gave his 

name as Paul Amodu, said: 

“Vexed by the presence of the 

soldiers, the youths turned 

their anger on them, leading 

to fisticuffs amidst gunshots 

by the soldiers, during which 

Imomoh was said to have been 

hit by a bullet; he slumped 

and died.” 

Also speaking, a security 

source at the Sapele Area 

Command, said: “The death 

of the policeman who is a 

resident of the community, 

enraged the youths who went 

wild, attacking guests and 

destroying vehicles. 

“The soldiers had to apply 

minimum force in trying to 

defend themselves by 

shooting into the air to scare 

the rampaging youths, who 

were trying to disarm them 

leading to the shooting of one 

person in the leg.” 

Confirming the clash, Delta 

State Police Public Relations 

Officer, DSP Andrew Aniamaka, 

described the incident 

as “quite unfortunate.” 

Late NYSC member didn't commit suicide—Lagos Coordinator 

Health Education from 

University of Port 

Harcourt. 

He said: “She was 

born on July 11, 1988 

in Rivers State. 

“The late corps 

member was posted 

to the 9th Brigade on 

March 6 and was 

given acceptance 

letter on March 8. 

“She was said to 

be on her way to 

complete her 

documentation at 

Onigbongbo 

Local Government, 

when she was hit by 

a train, at the Ikeja 

Train Station. 

“There is no way 

she could have 

committed 

suicide, 

considering 

what transpired less than 24 

hours to her death. 

“A search on 

her Facebook 

page, in the 

early hours of 

March 8 

when she 

d i e d , 

revealed 

that she 

uploaded 

3 9 

pictures, 

entitled 

Happy 

mood. 

“There 

i s 

nothing 

like 

commiting 

suicide.” 

Woman allegedly murders her baby in Sokoto 

A 

businesswoman in 

Sokoto, Rabiat Mustapha, 

30, has been remanded in prison 

custody over the alleged murder 

of her baby, born out of wedlock. 

Mustapha, who resides at 

Asada area of Sokoto, is facing a 

two-count charge of criminal 

conspiracy and preventing a 

child from being born or causing 

it to die after birth. 

The accused pleaded guilty to 

the charge. 

However, the Chief 

Magistrate, Abubakar 

Adamu, said the court lacked 

jurisdiction over the matter, 

but ordered that the accused 

be remanded in prison 

custody. 

Adamu adjourned the case 

till April 9 for mention and 

possible transfer to a court of 

competent jurisdiction. 

Earlier, the prosecutor, 

Corporal Umar Rabiu, told 

‘No headphones on’ 

He continued: “It is 

equally erroneous for 

people to say that she was 

wearing a headphone when 

the incident happened. 

“She was with her small 

phone and nothing like 

headphone or earpiece was 

found at the scene of the 

accident,” Momoh 

explained. 

According to him, the 

remains of the late corps 

member has been buried on 

March 11 at Ndoni, 

ONELGA Local 

Government, Rivers State. 

The Coordinator described 

late Odili as a nice, loving 

and very active corps 

member during the 

orientation course. 

Sports girl 

He said she was 

the best Volleyball 

player and her team 

was billed to 

represent Lagos 

State at the National 

Youth Service 

Corps, NYSC, 

sports festival 

coming up later in 

the year. 

Momoh urged all 

corps members to be 

extra careful and be 

vigilant at all time. 

Late Miss Nneka 

Deborah Odili 

the court that the accused 

committed the offences on 

March 3 at Asada area of 

Sokoto. 

Rabiu said the woman 

conceived out of wedlock 

and gave birth to a baby boy, 

which she strangled to death 

and threw the body into a pit 

latrine. 

He said the offence 

contravened Section 235 of the 

Penal Code. 

Madman 

hacks 2 

pupils to 

death in Ogun 

By Daud Olatunji 

A BEOKUTA— 

CONFUSION 

enveloped residents of 

Ogun Waterside Local 

Government Area of 

Ogun State when a 

suspected mentally 

deranged man, yesterday, 

hacked two pupils of 

Saint John’s Anglican 

Primary School, Agodo, 

in the area to death. 

Vanguard gathered that 

the suspect, identified as 

Lekan Adebisi, reportedly 

stormed the school at 

11:15a.m. during the 

lunch break. 

It was further gathered 

that Lekan emerged from 

a nearby bush and 

attacked some pupils who 

were playing in the 

school field. 

In the ensuing melee, 

four-year-olds male 

pupils who were 

reportedly in 

kindergarten class— 

Mubarak Kalesowo and 

Sunday Obituyi— were 

hacked down. 

Eyewitnesses said 

immediately he 

committed the crime, the 

suspect fled the scene. 

Sources close to the 

school said it has a 

perimeter fence, but 

lacked gates. 


following the incident, 

parents and guardians 

thronged the school to 

withdraw their wards, 

while security agents 

battled to unravel the 

mystery behind the 

tragedy. 

The state Police Public 

Relations Officer, ASP 

Abimbola Oyeyemi, 

confirmed the incident in 

a telephone interview 

with Vanguard. 

Oyeyemi said the Police 

were on the trail of the 

suspect and will get him 

arrested as soon as 

possible. 

He disclosed that 

security operatives led by 

the Area Commander and 

Divisional Police Officer, 

Abigi had already been 

deployed to the area to 

fish out the suspect. 

He said: “The incident 

happened at 11:15a.m. 

during lunch break. They 

(pupils) were in the field 

playing. 

“The guy (suspect) just 

emerged from the bush 

and hacked two of them 

to death and immediately 

after ran away. 

“Those who know him 

(suspect) said he is a 

madman and also an 

indigene of that place.”


VANGUARD, TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2018—9 


By Chris Ochayi 

UYO—MINISTER of 

Power, Works and 

Housing, Mr Babatunde 

Fashola, yesterday, said he 

was not afraid of going to the 

law court over allegations of 

preferential treatment offered 

two power generating 

companies. 

He also raised the alarm 

over an alleged plot by power 

Generation Companies, 

GENCOs, to scuttle the 

current efforts being made to 

improve on electricity supply 

in the country. 

Fashola made these known 

at the 25th monthly meeting 

with operators in the power 

sector hosted by Ibom Power 

at Ibom Hall, Uyo, Akwa Ibom 

State. 

The minister was reacting 

to a suit filed by GENCOs, 

last week. 

GENCOs had on March 6 

sued the Federal 

Government for alleged 

discriminatory treatment of 

the companies and their gas 

suppliers with intent to harm 

their business interests. 

The GENCOs, in their suit, 

also accused the government 

of conferring preferential 

treatment on Azura Power 

West Africa Limited and 

Accugas Limited to the 

detriment of the Nigerian 

Electricity Supply Industry 

and the power sector as a 

whole. 

But Fashola said, yesterday, 

that while they had the right 

to go to court, GENCOs 

should be concerned about 

the court of public opinion. 

The minister cautioned 

them to be also bold enough 

to tell the court that they too 

were indebted to the gas 

companies, that they have 

received 80 per cent of their 

bill and that the Federal 

Government released N701 

billion to them to settle gas 

debt. 

He said: “Lately, I have 

read reports that some 

Generation Companies, 

GENCOs (not Ibom Power) 

have gone to court, filing 

claims against the 

government. That is their 

right and their prerogative. It 

is better than self-help, and it 

is consistent with the rule of 

law, which underpins our 

democracy. 

“While they seek refuge in 

a court of law, they must be 

ready to face scrutiny in the 

court of public opinion. The 

court of public opinion is a 

court of conscience and 

morality. In the court of public 

opinion, they must be ready 

to tell the citizens how they 

felt when other groups went 

to court to stop the 

implementation of tariffs 

approved by NERC in 2016. 

“They must explain to this 

public court whether they 

went to court before 

government approved a 

N701 billion payment 

Assurance Guarantee to pay 

their monthly power bills. 

They must disclose to this 

court that they owed debts, 

from the pre-Buhari era, 

TOWN HALL MEETING: From left, Deputy Head of Mission, 

Nigerian Embassy in Germany, Ambassador Mobolaji Ogundero; 

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, and 

Nigeria's Ambassador to Germany, Yusuf Tuggar, after a town hall 

meeting at the embassy in Berlin, weekend 

FG replies GENCOs, accuses 

them of blackmail, politicking 

•Says they are planning to disrupt power supply 

because their income had 

reduced to less than 50 per 

cent. 

“They must disclose to this 

court that they now receive 

about 80 per cent income, 

and that this government is 

now paying them revenues 

collected from international 

customers from the Republics 

Benin, Niger and Togo, in 

dollars, as against the naira 

payment they used to 

receive.” 

The minister argued that in 

both courts, the GENCOs 

must disclose how they felt 

when some DISCOs went to 

court to stop the enforcement 

of Provision of Promissory 

Notes, which was a condition 

that denied them access to the 

CBN low interest loans. 

He said: “They must tell 

the court of public opinion 

that the reason for going to 

court is because government 

is making 100 per cent 

payment to a new GENCO 

which has a different contract 

with a Partial Risk Guarantee, 

which they do not have. 

"They must also disclose to 

both courts that they held a 

meeting with government 

and tabled their demands, 

which government promised 

to look into one week before 

they went to court. 

“They must, in good 

conscience, tell the two courts 

whether one week was 

enough time to go to court 

and whether this action at the 

time when the sector is 

making progress does not 

suggest an intention to 

blackmail government and 

hold the citizens hostage.” 

GENCOs planning 

to disrupt power 

supply 

Fashola also alleged that 

the GENCOs were planning 

to disrupt energy supply to 

sabotage government efforts. 

He said: “Let me say very 

clearly to all operators that I 

get reports of many of the 

clandestine meetings that 

some of them are holding 

with a view to disrupt supply 

for political capital. 

“I will close by imploring 

those that are truly ready to 

run the business they have 

acquired voluntarily to 

continue to do so with the 

assurance of government 

support and partnership. As 

for those who entered the 

business without 

understanding it, please 

brace up for hard work and 

help us rebuild this country. 

“Those who choose to hide 

temporarily in the courts of law 

can do so, but the court of 

public opinion will scrutinise 

you and its verdict may be 

very scathing, unkind, and 

enduring. I say this because 

you may not have noticed that 

Nigerians are increasingly 

taking their destiny in their 

hands." 

Nigeria’s food imports dropping 

drastically — FG 

By Michael 

Eboh 

A BUJA—Federal 

Government has 

disclosed that Nigeria was 

recording a massive decline 

in food importation, stating 

that its agricultural policies 

have started having farreaching 

effects on the 

transformation of the sector. 

Speaking at the 

inauguration of 

chairpersons and members 

of boards of 23 agencies and 

parastatals under the 

Federal Ministry of 

Agricultural and Rural 

Development, weekend, 

Minister of State in charge 

of the ministry, Mr. 

Heineken Lokpobiri, 

however, stated that while 

the country had achieved 

significant results in its bid 

to grow the sector, it still had 

a lot of work to do. 

According to Lokpobiri, 

over the last couple of 

months, the importation of 

food items, including rice 

and fish into the country, has 

reduced significantly, while 

efforts are in progress to 

further reduce all food 

imports to the barest 

minimum. 

“Efforts on developing 

other agricultural products 

like cassava, millet, cocoa, 

hibiscus flower (zobo), 

ginger, cashew nuts and so 

on, are yielding positive 

results,” he added. 

Lokpobiri further stated 

that since the inception of 

the current administration, 

concerted efforts had been 

made to diversify the 

economy, agriculture being 

the foremost sector being 

explored in this regard. 

He explained that 

Federal Ministry of 

Agriculture and Rural 

Development had the 

responsibility of developing 

agriculture, making it the 

key driver of rural 

development for the 

transformation of the 

economy, with a view to 

attaining food security, 

generating employment 

and becoming a net exporter 

of agricultural produce and 

earner of foreign exchange. 

Extra-budgetary expenses: 

Reps order PermSec to 

refund N12m to FG 

By Emman 

Ovuakporie 

ABUJA—HOUSE of 

Representatives 

Committee on Public 

Accounts, yesterday, 

ordered the Permanent 

Secretary of Police Service 

Commission, PSC, Mr 

Istifanus Musa, to refund 

to the federation account 

the N12 million spent on 

workshop in 2014 without 

budgetary provisions. 

This was based on the 

queries raised by Auditor- 

General to the Federation, 

AuGF, in 2015. 

The committee, chaired 

by Kingsley Chinda (PDP, 

Rivers), had observed 

infractions that breached 

constitutional provisions, 

particularly Section 80. 

The infractions, according 

Herdsmen/farmers clashes: 

145 suspects arrested as 

police lose 30 to militias 

By Soni Daniel, 

Northern Region 

Editor 

A 

B 

U J A — 

INDICATIONS 

emerged last night that no 

fewer than 145 persons 

have been arrested in 

various parts of the North, 

following the crackdown 

ordered by the Federal 

Government on suspected 

militias causing mass 

deaths in some states in the 

region. 

A top source, who gave 

an update to Vanguard last 

night, also said the militias 

to the AuGF, bordered on 

how a workshop was 

conducted in Nasarawa 

State in 2014 and payment 

of N12 million was made 

in 2015 to the beneficiaries 

without appropriation in 

2015. 

According to the AuGF, it 

is a clear violation of 

Financial Regulation and 

the funds have to be 

returned. 

The committee members 

were unanimous in their 

various positions, declaring 

that the AuGF’s audit report 

should be upheld. 

In his response, the 

Permanent Secretary, Mr 

Istifanus Musa, admitted 

that there were infractions, 

“we made all the necessary 

documents available to the 

AuGF in 2015 because the 

releases in 2014 came late." 

Pension fraud: I'm not part 

of Maina’s task force, 

Oronsaye tells Reps 

By Levinus 

Nwabughiogu 

A BUJA—FORMER 

Head of Service, 

Stephen Oronsaye has 

exonerated himself from 

pension fraud stemming 

from the activities of the 

defunct Presidential Task 

Force on Pension Reforms, 

headed by Abdulrasheed 

Maina. 

But in a swift reaction, the 

Nigerian Union of 

Pensioners, NUP, said 

Oronsaye actually midwifed 

the idea. 

Both parties spoke at the 

ongoing public hearing of 

the House of 

Representatives Adhoc 

Committee investigating the 

activities of the presidential 

task force on pensions 

reforms from 2010 to the 

time of its dissolution and 

any other successor agency. 

Testifying before the 

committee chaired by 

Ananyo Nnebe, who 

represents Awka South 

federal constituency of 

Anambra State in the 

House, Oronsaye, however, 

said that during his tenure 

as the Head of the Service 

of the Federation, he set up 

a committee that carried out 

a comprehensive 

verification on the number 

of federal pensioners. 

According to him, the 

exercise discovered a 

number of ghost 

pensioners, which 

eventually reduced the 

monthly expenditure of 

N1.5 billion to N882 million. 

But contrary to Oronsaye’s 

claim of not being privy to 

the establishment of 

Maina’s task force, National 

President of NUP, Mr. Abel 

Akin Afolayan, in his 

presentation, said Oronsaye 

conceived the idea, adding 

that the committee also 

shortchanged pensioners. 

killed no fewer than 30 policemen 

mobilised by the 

government to quell the 

onslaught. 

The official said the bulk 

of those areas was in 

Benue, Kaduna and 

Nasarawa states, following 

the order given by President 

Muhammadu Buhari to 

security agencies to fish out 

perpetrators of the violence. 

Investigations by our 

correspondent revealed 

that of the 145 suspects so 

far arrested, 106 had been 

charged to court, while 21 

are under investigation and 

waiting to be charged to 

court.

10 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2018 

INEC seeks creation of 

Electoral Offences 

Commission 


A BUJA—THE 

Independent 

National Electoral 

Commission, INEC is 

seeking the creation of 

Electoral Offences 

Commission to enable it as 

a body, effectively 

prosecute violators of the 

country’s electoral laws. 

Speaking yesterday in 

Abuja at a public hearing 

on a Bill to establish the 

National Electoral Offences 

Commission, organised by 

Senate Committees on 

INEC and Judiciary, INEC 

Chairman, Professor 

Mahmood Yakubu, said 

the creation of the 

commission would enable 

Watch how your wards use 

social media, HoS admonishes 

parents 

By Gabriel Olawale 

LAGOS—HEAD of the 

Civil Service of the 

Federation, Winifred Oyo- 

Ita, yesterday advised 

parents to be mindful of 

ways and manners their 

children socialized through 

social media, noting that 

inherent dangers 

outweighed the benefits. 

Oyo-Ita who spoke in 

Lagos at the 2018 

Commonwealth Day 

celebration organised by 

Queens College, said 

social medial had turned to 

tools for committing 

different atrocities and that 

girls were the major victims. 

She pointed out that 

parents needed to be extra 

vigilant and diplomatic in 

guiding their children on 

the right path, “Almost on 

Women without work are 

vulnerable to domestic 

violence — MAKINDE 

By Cynthia Alo 

L AGOS—FOUNDER 

of Amazing Amazon, 

an initiative focusing on 

empowering women and 

the girl-child, Mrs Mercy 

Makinde, has said women 

who do not have work will 

suffer domestic violence 

more than those who have. 

Speaking at one of her skill 

acquisition programmes 

aimed at empowering 

victims of domestic violence 

at Oregun area of Lagos, 

Makinde stated that victims 

of domestic violence who 

did not have jobs to rely on 

were liable to die silently for 

fear of financial incapability. 

Addressing over 20 

graduands of different skills 

on pastries, Ankara 

making,make-ups and 


the electoral umpire arrest, 

investigate and prosecute all 

violators of electoral laws. 

The INEC Chairman who 

noted that INEC was 

saddled with the 

responsibility to prosecute 

electoral offences, said 

however that “the process is 

severely hampered”. 

Professor Yakubu 

continued, “ More so that 

some of the offenders maybe 

staff of INEC itself; how do 

we prosecute ourselves so 

the solution will be to have 

a commission to prosecute 

violators of Electoral Act. 

INEC cannot effectively 

prosecute electoral offenders 

and at the same time focus 

on our extensive 

responsibilities under the 

constitution and the 

Electoral Act.” 

a daily basis. We hear 

frightening stories of girls 

being kidnapped, raped, 

drugged, and sexually 

abused, among others. On 

many occasions, when such 

act is being investigated, it 

turned out to be someone 

they met on social media. 

“On many occasions they 

lied to them that once they 

joined an online club, they 

would be earning money 

and few months later they 

would send an invitation to 

them to come to Europe for 

holiday, the little girl would 

lie to her parent and go. 

Slavery has come back to 

Africa, not all Nigerians you 

see being brought back from 

Libya went with their two 

legs, some of them were 

young girls who were 

kidnapped, drugged, put in 

cargo and sent to Europe for 

prostitution.'' 

catering among others, she 

explained the training was 

in commemoration of the 

International Women’s Day, 

adding that it was focused 

on women victims of 

domestic violence. 

According to her, “Even 

when they (women) want 

to leave, they can’t because 

they don’t have anything to 

fall back on.We want them 

to be financially 

independent that is why we 

decided to empower them 

with lots of skills to grow 

them.” 

Also speaking, one of the 

stakeholders, Mrs Toyin 

Collins said: “Where a 

victim of domestic violence 

does not have job or 

something doing, she 

would die in the hands of 

the perpetrator.'' 

Ambode backs 25 years jail term for rapists 

By Monsuru 

Olowoopejo 

L 

A G O S — 

GOVERNOR 

Akinwunmi Ambode of 

Lagos State, yesterday, 

recommended a 

minimum of 25 years jail 

term for rapists and 

perpetrators of all forms 

of domestic violence, 

saying that the time had 

come to take aggressive 

steps to end the menace 


The governor said it 

was time to walk the talk 

and ensure that all 

hands were on deck 

towards safeguarding 

the rights of every citizen 

and the most vulnerable 

in the society. 

Ambode spoke during a 

symbolic walk against 

Domestic and Sexual 

Violence in Alausa, Ikeja, 

with top government 

functionaries including the 

Deputy Governor, Dr. 

Oluranti Adebule, Chief 

Judge of the State, 

Justice Olufunmilayo 

WOMEN OF IMPACT 2018: From left; Channel Lead, English West Africa, 

Cisco, Isioma Udeozo; guest speaker/founder and Chief Executive Officer, 

SecureID, Mrs. Kofo Akinkugbe; General Manager, Cisco Nigeria, Mr. 

Olakunle Oloruntimehin; and guest speaker/General Manager, Meltwater 

Entrepreneurial School of Technology, Mrs. Uneku Atawodi-Edun, during 

the Women of Impact 2018 organized by Cisco in Lagos. 

COMPUTER VILLAGE: LASG accuses landlords of violating 

building approvals •Says only 24 buildings approved 

By Monsuru 

Olowoopejo 

L AGOS—LAGOS 

State Government, 

yesterday, accused property 

owners in Computer 

Village, Ikeja, of violating 

approved building plans for 

the area, saying only 24 

buildings had approvals. 

The state government 

claimed property owners 

had illegally converted the 

buildings in the area from 

residential to commercial 

purposes. 

Aside conversion, it was 

gathered that the owners 

had also violated building 

Oke, wife of the 

Governor, Mrs. Bolanle 

Ambode, Commissioner 

of Police, Imohimi Edgal, 

Attorney General, Mr. 

Adeniji Kazeem, 

members of the State 

Executive Council, 

members of the House of 

Assembly, stakeholders 

in the justice sector, 

celebrities, students, 

among others. 

Supporting the 25 year 

jail term for rapists, the 

governor, who wore a red 

T-shirt with inscriptions 

‘I Say No To Rape’, ‘Stop 

Domestic Violence’, 

among others, said it was 

time to take the fight 

further by amending the 

Protection Against 

Domestic Violence Law, 

2007 and also come up 

with strict punitive 

measures that would 

serve as a deterrent to 

perpetrators. 

“Rape should not be met 

with light sentencing; the 

minimum sentence of 25 

years is highly 

recommended. We need 

approvals by adding 

more floors and other 

adjoining structures to the 

original structures, insisting 

the action negated building 

law in the state. 

General Manager of the 

Lagos State Physical 

Planning Permit Authority, 

LASPPPA Mr. 

Olufunmilayo Osifuye, 

who disclosed this, 

lamented that most 

buildings in Ikeja were 

illegally transformed to 

commercial purposes after 

owners sought permit for 

residential use. 

Speaking on the joint 

enforcement of the 

new laws, which will 

respond adequately to the 

nature and occurrences of 

this era. Domestic Violence 

is a crime, and should be 

treated as such. The 

Protection Against 

Domestic Violence Law, 

2007, should therefore be 

amended accordingly,” he 

said. 

According to him, in the 

last two and half years, the 

state had achieved a lot in 

the war against the 

oppression of the female 

gender, noting that the 

state’s Domestic and 

Sexual Violence Response 

Team had executed 

interventions and initiatives 

including easy access to 

reporting incidents, speedy 

rescue and access to justice, 

medical and psycho-social 

support for survivors, 

sensitization and policy 

advocacy and the 

establishment of the 

Lagos State Domestic and 

Sexual Violence Trust 

Fund to ensure survivors 

were financially 

independent. 

regularization of the 

building planning permit 

expected to last for weeks, 

Osifuye said the state 

government was not 

planning to demolish the 

structures but 

uncomfortable with the 

flagrant violation of the state 

building and planning law. 

“First and foremost we 

are regularizing those 

properties. Those who 

have violated the law 

and built illegally now 

have a six months 

window to what is 

expected of them. For 

instance, if you have 

built commercial on 

Ambode said: “A lot of 

progress has been made 

in the steps taken to 

protect the rights of 

women and the girl-child 

and in the war against the 

oppression of the female 

gender. 

''However, there is still 

so much to be done. We 

need to ask ourselves the 

hard question: for this 

cause we honour today, 

how can we truly ensure 

we are walking the talk? 

What we are tackling 

today is an almost innate 

culture which relegates 

women to the background 

and forces them to suffer 

in silence. 

''In Lagos, we are waging 

a war against this culture 

and we will do everything 

within our power to 

transform ours to a culture 

of equality, respect and 

dignity for all. It is a 

journey of radical 

transformation, and our 

government is wholly 

committed to seeing it 

through. 

In her remarks, the Chief 

Judge commended 

Ambode for leading the 

symbolic walk, saying the 

development as well as 

other efforts geared towards 

combating the menace 

eloquently confirmed the 

commitment of the state 

government to reduce the 

menace to the barest 

minimum, just as she urged 

victims to come out and 

seek justice. 

On his part, Speaker of 

the House of Assembly, 

Mudashiru Obasa, who 

was represented by the 

Chief Whip of the House, 

Rotimi Abiru, said Lagos 

had set the pace in 

putting issues of rape, 

domestic violence, child 

abuse and others on the 

front burner adding that 

the coming together of the 

three arms of 

governments was a proof 

of political will to fight the 

menace in the tate to a 

standstill. 

residential zone, you can 

now regularize your permit 

so that you can have 

legitimacy on the use of the 

structures,” said. 

On how many landlords 

are guilty of the violation. 

Osifuye said: “According 

to the Lagos State Bureau 

of Statistics, only 24 

property owners have 

building permits. What it 

means is that the remaining 

76% violated. The window 

for the opportunity for 

people to regularize their 

permit includes the existing 

structures because we want 

to encourage people to 

obey the law. “

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2018 — 11 


BIRTHDAY: Mr. Patrick Doyle, flanked by his wife, Bodun (left) and daughter, 

Kalca, during his 70th birthday celebration at Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos, 

over the weekend. Photos by Bunmi Azeez. 

2019 POLLS: Unclaimed PVCs to be 

burnt — INEC 

By Dayo Johnson 

A KURE—THE 

Independent 

National Electoral 

Commission, INEC, 

yesterday, said that all 

unclaimed Permanent 

Voters Cards, PVCs, at its 

various offices in the 

country would be burnt. 

Resident Electoral Officer, 

REC, in Ondo State, Dr 

Rufus Akeju pointed out 

that the decision was aimed 

at preventing the PVCs 

ROAD CONSTRUCTION: Omisore should apologise for 

lying — OSUN GOVT 

By Gbenga 

Olarinoye 

O Osun 

SOGBO—THE 

State 

Government has asked a 

former Deputy Governor of 

the state, Senator Iyiola 

Ondo govt denies plan to install new monarch in 

Akungba 


AKURE—THE Ondo 

State government 

has denied alleged plans 

to install a claimant, 

Prince Isiaka Oseni as the 

Alale of Akungba town. 

Tension heightened in 

the community, last week, 

following a rumour that 

the state government 

would give a staff of office 

to Oseni despite a 

pending suit at the 

Supreme Court and the 

existence of a ruling 

monarch, Oba Sunday 

Adeyeye Ajimo. 

Reacting to the 

speculation, the 

Information and Strategy 

Commissioner, Mr. Yemi 

Olowolabi said he was 

“not aware of any plan to 

install any Oba in 

Akungba-Akoko.” 

from being used to 

manipulate the 2019 

elections. 

He said this during a 

visit to NUJ council 

leaders, in Akure. 

The REC explained that 

all attempts to reach out to 

the electorate of unclaimed 

voters cards have not 

yielded positive responses. 

However, he said the 

commission was 

“making last efforts for 

voters to get their PVCs 

before the commission 

Omisore to apologise to 

the Governor Rauf 

Aregbesola-led 

administration and the 

people of the state for 

allegedly lying on the 

funding of the recently 

commissioned Workers 

Olowolabi said that “I am 

not aware of the plan by 

government to install an 

Oba. The governor is a 

Senior Advocate. Our 

government is law abiding 

and would not do anything 

to jeopardize the rule of law. 

“The government does not 

install an Oba. It is the 

people that install their Oba. 

Since the case is in court, 

the government will follow 

the due process." 

Recall that Oseni was 

installed as a parallel 

monarch following a 

judgment of Ikare High 

Court and the decision of 

Court of Appeal that 

recognised Agure-Mokun 

as part of Ole Ruling 

House, whose turn is to 

produce the Alale of 

Akungba. 

On his part, Oba Ajimo 

dispelled the rumour about 

the installation of Prince 

takes a final decision on 

how to dispose them.” 

Dr Akeju said: “Out of 1, 

659, 186 registered voters 

in Ondo State, only 1, 288, 

722 people have collected 

the PVCs while the 

remaining 370,464 have 

their voters’ cards 

uncollected. The burning of 

the unclaimed PVCs would 

be made open for all 

Nigerians to witness.” 

The INEC boss said the 

number of unclaimed 

voters' card was worrisome 

adding that the commission 

would investigate the 

reasons for the 

Drive in Osogbo. 

Senator Omisore had last 

week, after the 

commissioning of Orita 

Olaiya-Isale Osun road, 

said the project was partly 

funded by the United 

Nations Educational, 

Scientific and Cultural 

Organization, UNESCO. 

Oseni as the monarch of the 

town by absolving the state 

government. 

He also said that 

government would not 

subvert the rule of law. 

Ajimo, in a statement, 

said: “There is no plan by 

the Ondo State government 

to interfere or tamper with 

the chieftaincy title of Alale 

of Akungba. The legal 

tussle over the chieftaincy 

title of Alale of Akungba- 

Akoko is pending at the 

Supreme Court of Nigeria 

where an application for 

injunction pending appeal 

has been filed in Appeal No 

SC/155/2018. 

“All indigenes of 

Akungba-Akoko should 

maintain peace and order. 

There is no plan by the 

governor, Oluwarotimi 

Akeredolu, SAN, to tamper 

with Alale of Akungba 

chieftaincy." 

From left: Chief: Olatokunbo Thomas, Prof. Egerton Uvieghara and Mr. 

Ebun Sofunde, during the 70th Birthday celebration 

development. 

He said: “We are 

investigating the reasons 

behind the high number of 

unclaimed voters’ cards; 

but from our preliminary 

investigation, we 

discovered that many 

National Youth Corp 

Service, NYSC, members, 

who registered, did not 

collect their PVCs. 

“We also discovered that 

many students, who 

registered have 

relocated, while some of 

them have graduated. 

Many others have 

relocated from their states.” 

Reacting to Omisore’s 

claim, the Commissioner for 

Information and Strategy, 

Mr Adelani Baderinwa, in 

a statement, insisted that 

UNESCO did not 

contribute to the project. 

The statement reads: “The 

Government wishes to 

remind the people that the 

embattled Omisore and his 

cohorts, including some 

sponsored professionals 

obviously serving 

pecuniary interest had last 

week, lied that UNESCO 

committed 70 per cent to 

the funding of the Workers 

Drive, wrongly claiming 

that the crisis riddled 

Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP, had a role in the 

reconstruction of the road. 

“However, UNESCO has 

denied committing any 

fund to the reconstruction 

of the former Olaiya-Odi- 

Olowo-Ita-Olokan Road, 

which connects the road 

that leads to Osun Groove 

in Osogbo, the state capital. 

" U N E S C O ’ s 

Communication Consultant 

(Regional Office) Mr 

Olusola Macaulay has said 

UNESCO is not currently 

funding any project in the 

state, and that the state 

government at no time 

approached the 

organization to fund the 

Workers Drive.'' 

You’re polarising Ondo APC, 

Boroffice tells Akeredolu 


A KURE—THE 

lawmaker 

representing Ondo North 

Senatorial District at the 

National Assembly, Senator 

Ajayi Boroffice, yesterday, 

accused Governor Rotimi 

Akeredolu of Ekiti State of 

polarising and alienating 

some party leaders and 

supporters of the All 

Progressives Congress, 

APC, in the state. 

Boroffice, in a statement 

by his Media Assistant, 

Kayode Fakuyi, said that all 

is not well with the party in 

the state because of the 

alleged high handedness 

of the governor on issues 

relating to the party. 

He accused Akeredolu of 

threatening leaders and 

supporters of the party with 

a contrary opinion to his 

own with expulsion. 

The lawmaker, who traced 

the origin of the crisis 

rocking the party to the 

primary election that 

produced Akeredolu as the 

governorship candidate of 

the APC in 2016, said 

despite his controversial 

emergence, he still voted for 

Akeredolu. 

He said the statement 

Ogbara promises to champion 

greener environment 

N 

E W L Y - 

INAUGURATED 

Board member of the 

National Horticultural 

Research Institute, Ibadan, 

Oyo State, Alhaja Kafilat 

Ogbara, has pledged to 

champion the cause of a 

greener environment 

through massive flower and 

tree planting across the 

country. 

Ogbara, who spoke 

shortly after chairmen and 

members of boards for 

parastatals and agencies 

were inaugurated by 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari in Abuja, assured 

became necessary following 

a remark credited to 

Akeredolu during the 

unification rally in Akure, 

where he said Boroffice had 

not been working with the 

party in the state. 

The statement reads: “The 

attitude of the governor to 

other party leaders in Ondo 

State, who do not see issues 

from his perspective, has 

unfortunately polarized the 

Ondo State chapter of the 

party and alienated a critical 

mass of the party leadership 

and supporters as well. 

“Based on the abovereferenced 

developments, 

Senator Boroffice is of the 

view that all is not well with 

All Progressives Congress in 

the Sunshine State. 

“Rather than embrace the 

challenges of leadership and 

reach out to every leader of 

the party in Ondo State, the 

governor preferred to run the 

government of Ondo State 

and the party with his trifling 

followership. 

“The governor 

continues to erroneously 

lay claim to the 

ownership of the party 

and continues to threaten 

other party leaders with a 

threat of expulsion from 

the party.” 

that she would work in 

concert with other board 

members in ensuring that 

the Nigerian environment is 

protected against pollution. 

She said: “All over the 

world, the emphasis is on 

making the environment 

congenial through the 

greens and we cannot afford 

to be left behind. 

“To save the society from 

the damaging effects of gas 

flaring and other gaseous 

effluents that constitute 

nuisance the world, we 

have to intensify efforts in 

planting flowers, trees and 

other plants of 

environmental value.”


Oando employees donate 

materials to public schools 

EMPLOYEES 

of 

Oando have donated 

branded school supplies to 

the three schools that make 

up the Gbagada Schools 

Complex. 

A statement from the 

employees said the gesture 

was "an endeavour 

grounded on the 

company’s ambition to play 

a role in enabling the 

country reach Sustainable 

Development Goal Four 

(Quality Education) by 

2020, as well as furthering 

its Adopt-a-School 

initiative." 

"The Company has 

actively reinforced to its 

employees the benefits of 

giving back not, just as a 

good deed but to ultimately 

enrich the nation. Hence, 

this project initiated and 

implemented by the 

company’s employees," the 

statement said. 

The materials were 

donated during a visit by 

Rep seeks NEMA's help, as 

rainstorm ravages Bayelsa 

community 

By Samuel 

Oyadongha 

Y ENAGOA—A 

member of House of 

Representatives 

representing Yenagoa- 

Kolokuma-Opokuma 

federal constituency, 

Douye Diri, has led a 

delegation to Biseni 

community in Yenagoa 

Local Government Area of 

Bayelsa State which was 

last week devastated by 

rainstorm. 

Several families have 

been rendered homeless 

and exposed to the vagaries 

of the weather in the last 

one week. 

The delegation, which 

saw first hand the level of 

damage inflicted on 

residential buildings, 


the Corporate Communications 

and Oando Foundation 

team to the schools, 

according to the statement. 

Speaking at the event, 

Alero Balogun, Head, 

C o r p o r a t e 

Communications said: 

“We have a common belief 

that education is an integral 

tool in building the right 

foundation for tomorrow’s 

innovators, business 

owners, community 

leaders, and nation 

builders. We understand 

and recognise that a lot of 

these students face myriad 

of difficulties at home." 

The Head Teacher of Idi 

Odo Primary School, Mrs 

Ayowole Ajibade said: “We 

truly appreciate Oando 

Foundation for adopting 

our school and financing 

many of our developmental 

projects. The Foundation 

has been our partner for 

many years." 

churches, farm lands, 

electric poles and cables 

were shocked by the plight 

of the people. 

Diri, accompanied by the 

member of the state House 

of Assembly representing 

Yenagoa constituency III,. 

Gentle Emelah, noted that 

a team of property 

evaluators is to be engaged 

immediately to assess the 

impact of the rainstorm on 

the community. 

He called on the Federal 

Government, the National 

Emergency Management 

Agency, NEMA and oil 

multinationals, to come to 

the aid of the devastated 

community. 

“To those who were 

affected, we have started a 

process to assess the level 

of damage and analyse the 

destruction, know how 

many affected," he said. 

Nigeria has 5,000MW distribution 

$486million TCN 

capacity, says Fashola 

•Power generation now 7,000MW 

BY: Chioma 

Onuegbu 

UYO—MINISTER of 

Power, Works and 

Housing, Mr. Babatunde 

Fashola, yesterday, said 

Nigeria has 5000 

megawatts distribution 

capacity, adding that the 

Federal Government’s 

promise to provide steady 

power supply to Nigerians 

was real and in progress. 

Fashola, who spoke 

during the 25th monthly 

Power Sector meeting held 

in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, 

also disclosed that the 

generation capacity in the 

country has reached 7000 

megawatts. 

His words, “We have 

reached a 7,000 MW 

generation capacity and 

have a 5,000 MW 

distribution capacity. What 

is newsworthy is that in the 

last month, we had met 

with Manufacturers 

Association of Nigeria, 

MAN, DISCOs, and 

GENCOs on how to 

implement the Eligible 

Customer Policy and 

increase connectivity to the 

2,000megawatts that is 

available. 

“We have secured the 

World Bank approval for 

WEDDING: The Managing Director of Niger Delta Development 

Commission, NDDC, Mr. Nsima Ekere (middle), flanked from left by 

the Akwa Ibom State Caucus Chairman of All Progressives' Congress, 

APC, Atuekong Don Etiebet; and the State Deputy Governor, Mr. Moses 

Ekpo, during the marriage solemnisation of Engr. Akanimo Jackson 

Ekaidem and Barr. Nsikan Imoh Imoh, at Ibesit Ekoi, Oruk Anam, on 

Saturday. 

Diezeani’s ally loses bid to recover 

property forfeited to FG 

By Innocent 

Anaba 

LAGOS—MR. Olajide 

Omokore, an ally of 

former Petroleum Minister, 

Mrs. Diezani Alison- 

Madueke, yesterday, lost 

his bid to recover his 

property forfeited to the 

Federal Government by a 

Federal High Court sitting 

in Lagos, as his suit was 

struck out. 

Omokore had filed the 

suit against the Economic 

and Financial Crimes 

Commission, EFCC, 

seeking to secure the 

release of his property 

temporarily forfeited to the 

Federal Government by the 

order of the court. 

At the hearing in the 

matter, yesterday, 

Omokore’s lawyer, O. 

Achimiwu told the court that 

his client wants to 

discontinue the matter 

against the EFCC, though 

he did not state any reason 

for the discontinuance as 

there was no legal 

representation for EFCC. 

Consequently, the trial 

judge, Justice Mojisola 

Olatoregun struck out the 

case. 

Omokore had in an 

affidavit in support of the 

suit averred that the 

allegations levied against 

him and two companies, 

Atlantic Energy Drilling 

Concepts Nigeria Limited 

and Atlantic Energy Brass 

Development Limited 

which he has vested 

interest by the EFCC are in 

relation to the Nigerian 

Petroleum Development 

Company Limited 

allegations of breach of 

specific terms of the contract 

agreement embodied in a 

Strategic Alliance 

Agreements, SAA, between 

the two companies and 

Nigerian Petroleum 

Development Company 

Limited, NPDC, in respect 

of eight oil blocks. 

He stated that under the 

SAA the companies were 

obliged to render some 

services to the NPDC and 

also remit some monies 

accruing from the services 

to the Federal Government 

through the Petroleum 

company. 

It was averred that the 

contract agreement was ongoing 

and being performed 

until it was alleged that the 

companies were in default 

of certain sums of 

remittances. 

transmission expansion 

funding, while progress is 

being made with the same 

bank for the Rural 

Electrification and 

Distribution Expansion 

Funding. 

“Our power Sector 

Recovery Programme, 

PSRP, the set of policies, 

actions and programmes 

meant to solve the power 

sector problems continues 

to make progress and 

deliver results. 

“One of the results is the 

regulation that will 

democratize access to 

meters for power sector 

customers. In many parts of 

the country connected to the 

grid, citizen feedback is 

positive, even though all 

the problems are not 

solved. 

“Citizens acknowledge 

more power in dry weather, 

reduced hours of running 

their generators and 

reduction in fuel (diesel 

and petrol) purchase to 

power generators.” 

The Minister who 

explained that power sector 

recovery programme put in 

place has started yielding 

results, presented a copy of 

Meter Asset Provider 

Regulation 2018 that will 

democratize access to 

meters for power customers 

to the state governor, Mr. 

Udom Emmanuel. 

He said the country was 

moving away from 

theorizing about power to 

actual provision of efficient 

power to support trade and 

business, especially small 

and medium enterprises, 

who are the drivers of the 

economy. 

“Clearly, our power 

initiative is well underway, 

some jobs are manifesting 

and the promise of steady 

power is real. If we 

persevere, I am certain that 

we will witness 

uninterrupted power, 

which is the final 

destination of our journey,” 

Fashola added. 

In his response, 

Governor Emmanuel 

commended the Minister 

for his drive and efforts so 

far towards solving the 

problem of power in the 

country, adding that if the 

effort was sustained, power 

problem in the country 

would be over. 

Emmanuel assured of the 

determination of his 

administration towards 

providing digitalized 

meters for every household 

in the state by 2019, noting 

that the metering company 

will be able to provide four 

million meters need of the 

country and urged the 

Federal Government to 

take advantage of the 

metering company.



CONGRESS: From Left Mr. Martin Bolum, Guest Speaker; Mr. Reginald Bayoko, Head 

of Service, Delta State; Mr. Austine Oghoro, Chairman of the occasion, and Sir Edwin 

Ogidi-Ebegbaje, Chairman, Administrative Officers Forum, during the first congress 2018 

at Unity Hall, Government House, Asaba, Delta State. Photo: Nath Onojake. 

MOSOP, OYF decry alleged FG’s plan 

to build prison, cemetery in Ogoni 

By Davies 

Iheamnachor 

PORT HARCOURT — 

MOVEMENT for the 

Survival of Ogoni People, 

MOSOP, and Ogoni Youths 

Federation, OYF, have 

condemned an alleged plan 

by the Federal Government 

to build a maximum prison 

and cemetery in Ogoni land. 

President of MOSOP, 

Legborsi Pyagbara, in a 

statement in Port Harcourt, 

yesterday, noted that the 

Federal Government had 

already acquired over 41 

hectares of land for the 

purpose. 

He said: “The attention of 

MOSOP has been drawn to 

a new plan by the Federal 

Government to build a 

maximum security prison 

facility with modern cemetery 

in Ogoniland. 

“This move, MOSOP 

authoritatively gathered, had 

been concluded by the 

Federal Ministry of Interior 

and will involve the seizure 

of over 41 hectares of land in 

Bori, Ogoni where arable 

land had been conspicuously 

difficult to find. 

“MOSOP wishes to state 

categorically that we 

vehemently condemn and 

are opposed to this plan being 

hatched by the Federal 

Government against the 

Ogoni people. 

“It is so unfortunate that the 

biggest social events these 

days in Ogoniland are only 

burial ceremonies occasioned 

by the scientifically proven 

unprecedented pollution of 

Ogoni caused by reckless 

exploitation. 

“We deeply bemoan the 

failure of the Federal 

Government to institute a 

proper clean-up and 

remediation of Ogoni 

environment to halt the 

increasing death of our 

people rather than being 

served with a new plot of a 

devious arrangement of 

prison and cemetery.” 

Also, President of Ogoni 

Youth Federation, OYF, 

Yamaabana Legborsi, 

expressed worries, saying it 

was unfortunate that while 

the people were still battling 

with the pollution of their 

environment,the Federal 

Government had remained 

insensitive to plight. 

Legborai said: “We urge the 

Federal Government to site 

such project in the North-East 

where killing and all sort of 

heinous crimes occur daily. 

Market women laud Oba of Benin for 

laying curses on traffickers, others 

By Simon 

Ebegbulem 

BENIN 

CITY— 

MARKET women in 

Edo State, yesterday, went 

round the streets of Benin 

City, expressing their 

gratitude to the Oba of 

Benin, Oba Ewuare 11, for 

placing curses on human 

traffickers and cultists in the 

state. 

The women who described 

the action of the monarch as 

a great relief to all mothers 

in the state, said it was a 

great boost in the current 

effort being made by the 

Edo State Government to 

eradicate human trafficking 

in the state. 

Leader of Edo Market 

Women, Madam Blackie 

Ogiamien, described the 

orders of the Benin monarch 

as “progressive,” noting 

that it gives the needed 

support to the state 

government’s campaign 

against human trafficking 

and illegal migration. 

She said with the blessing 

of the royal father, “the 

people and government of 

the day are now working 

together and it will only take 

one who is foolhardy to 

continue in the despicable 

practices that have aided 

and abetted human 

trafficking for years. 

“We are comforted by the 

orders of our father, Oba 

Ewuare II. Edo people 

know and appreciate the 

weight of the curses and 

orders of the King and we 

are happy about the orders. 

“A lot of mothers sold 

houses and gave the 

proceeds to people who lied 

What the Ogoni people need 

from the government now is 

the restoration of the 

contaminated land, genuine 

investment that will create job 

opportunities for Ogoni 

youths and building of Ogoni 

Centre of Excellence as 

recommended by UNEP and 

not the building of maximum 

that they can take their 

children abroad through 

legal means and give them 

decent jobs on arrival. But 

the children were 

abandoned in jungles of 

death in Libya and in the 

Sahara Desert, while others 

died in Mediterranean Sea 

while being ferried in 

rickety boats.” 

She added that families in 

Benin City and elsewhere 

in the state are happy and 

comforted by the royal 

pronouncements and 

assured that market women 

NDDC partners Innoson to 

train Niger Delta youths 

CHAIRMAN of Niger 

Delta Development 

Commission, NDDC, 

Senator Victor Ndoma- 

Egba, has said the 

commission will partner 

Innoson Kiara Academy for 

the training Niger Delta 

youths. 

Ndoma-Egba spoke 

when he paid a courtesy 

call on Dr Innocent 

Chukwuma at his Nnewi, 

Anambra State office. 

During the inspection 

visit at Nnewi centre of 

Innoson Kiara Academy, 

the training arm of Innoson 

Group, which currently has 

students from Presidential 

Amnesty Office, Ndoma- 

Egba said the commission 

will partner the academy to 

train thousands of Niger 

Delta youths and will start 

immediately with about 100 

youths. 

He said the training of the 

youths had become a 

security prison and cemetery. 

“We call on friends of Ogoni 

and the international 

community to prevail on 

Nigerian government to 

jettison the planned building 

of maximum prison and 

cemetery. Ogoni youths will 

vehemently resist it.” 

will abide by the orders. 

The Benin monarch had 

last Friday in the presence 

of all his chiefs and native 

doctors in the kingdom, 

placed curses on the people 

perpetrating human 

trafficking in the state. 

The Benin monarch also 

extended the curses to killer 

gangs and cult groups, 

armed robbers who have 

been unleashing terror on 

innocent people in the state 

and causing mayhem in the 

name of cult activities. 

necessity because NDDC 

wants to groom another 

kind of militants in the 

region, militants of 

knowledge and creativity, 

who will be job creators and 

develop and build their 

region. 

The NDDC chairman, 

during the visit, was 

amazed that Innoson 

factory was not just 

assembling vehicles but 

actually manufacturing 

made-in-Nigeria vehicles. 

He promised Chukwuma 

that NDDC will lead other 

government agencies and 

parastatals in patronizing 

Innoson vehicles. 

In his remarks, 

Chukwuma thanked 

Ndoma-Egba for his visit 

and assured him that the 

academy has the capacity 

in terms of space and 

human resource to deliver 

quality training to the Niger 

Delta youths that will make 

them outstanding. 

2019: No automatic ticket for 

you, prepare for primaries, 

APC chieftain tells Ogboru 

By Festus Ahon 

ASABA—A chieftain of 

All Progressives 

Congress, APC, in Delta 

State, Mr. Jerry Uloho, has 

told Chief Great Ogboru to 

focus on how to go into the 

party’s primaries, noting 

that APC was too big to play 

to the gallery of endorsing 

a particular candidate as its 

governorship flagbearer. 

Uloho, in a statement, 

yesterday, said: “Ogboru 

should get to his feet on 

consultations among 

leaders in the various 

senatorial districts, in the 

same manner as Prof. Pat 

Utomi, Dr Cairo Ojougboh, 

Mr Victor Ochei, Chief 

Osiobe Okotie, Dr Leroy 

Edozien, Dr Iyke Odikpo 

and many more are 

currently doing. 

“It is a well known fact that 

Ogboru, the self acclaimed 

‘People’s General’ has a 

Oputa lauds Delta STEP, YAGEP 

initiatives 

By Kelechukwu 

Iruoma 

Achieftain of Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, 

in Delta State, Ajie Oputa, 

has commended Skills 

Training 

and 

Entrepreneurship 

Programme, STEP, and 

Youth Agricultural 

Entrepreneurs Programme, 

YAGEP, initiatives of the 

state government, as they 

have created jobs for 

thousands of youths in the 

state. 

Oputa in a chat in Asaba 

also commended Chief 

Godswill Obielum; Deputy 

Speaker, Delta State House 

of Assembly, Mr Friday 

Osanebi; PDP Chairman, 

Ndokwa East Local 

Government Area, Chief 

serial record of dividing 

political parties after failed 

attempts to hijack the party 

with discord seeking ploys, 

right from when he was in 

Alliance for Democracy, AD, 

in 2003. 

“History never forgets. It 

was exactly what he did 

then that he is presently 

replicating here in APC. 

Ogboru must, as a matter 

of necessity, go and work 

like other gubernatorial 

political gladiators vying for 

the APC governorship 

ticket in Delta State. 

“I challenge Ogboru to 

tell the world when and 

where he had ever won the 

primaries of a political 

party. He must get his acts 

right and be ready to meet 

others at the battlefield of 

the primaries. Blackmailing 

someone that won’t even be 

part of the contest is a 

cheap act that no one will 

listen to." 

Be tolerant of opposition’s 

views, Edo PDP tells APC, gov 

By Gabriel 

Enogholase 

BENIN—EDO State 

chairman of Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, 

Chief Dan Orbih, has 

appealed to the state 

governor and his party, All 


APC, to tolerate the 

opinions of the opposition 

in the state, saying it was 

the only way democracy 

can survive. 

Orbih, who made the 

appeal while welcoming 

members of the PDP 

Working Committee from 

the South-South zone to 

Edo State, said no 

democracy anywhere can 

survive if the opposition 

was muzzled by the 

government in power, 

noting: "In any democracy, 

while the majority must 

have their way, the minority 

must have their say.” 

The Edo State PDP 

chairman insisted that all 

attempts by the Edo State 

governor and his 

administration to silence 

opposition in the state will 

be vehemently resisted by 

the party. 

He said no amount of 

intimidation by the APC in 

the state will suppress the 

party from carrying out its 

obligations to liberate the 

people of Edo State from the 

misdeeds of the state 

governor, who has 

plundered the state into 

abject poverty over the 

years. 

Ugo Asebenua, among 

others for galvanizing the 

people of Ndokwa East 

towards achieving 

common goals. 

Oputa said the state 

government had worked 

tremendously towards 

meeting the needs of the 

people of the state. 

He commended the 

STEP/YAGEP schemes of 

the current administration, 

which have not only 

created jobs/wealth for 

hitherto unemployed 

thousands of youths in the 

state but also made them 

self-reliant and employers 

of labour. 

He attributed the 

achievements of the state 

government to the state 

leaders’ commitment, 

transparent leadership and 

good governance. 

C 

M 

Y 

K



NBA President inaugurates 

2018 Electoral Committee 

By Innocent Anaba 

A BUJA—THE 

President of 

Nigerian Bar Association, 

NBA, Mr Abubakar 

Mahmoud, SAN, 

yesterday at the national 

secretariat of the 

association in Abuja 

inaugurated NBA 2018 

Electoral Committee, 

ECNBA. 

The five member 

committee has Prof 

Auwalu Yadudu, SAN as 

chairman, Mr. Teslim 

Busari, SAN, as Alternate 

chairman and Mr. Bolaji 

A. Agoro as Secretary. 

Other members of the 

committee are Prof. 

Augustin Agom and 

Gloria Anuli Ohia. 

The electoral committee 

members were 

nominated and approved 

at the last National 

Executive Committee, 

NEC, meeting of the NBA 

held in Ilorin, Kwara 

State. 

Prof. Agom was 

nominated to replace Mr. 

Tobias Kekemeke, whose 

nomination was rejected 

by Bar leaders NBA in 

Ilorin, who alleged that 

he was already 

canvassing for votes for 

one of the Presidential 

candidates in the election. 

The terms of reference of 

the committee include to 

manage, control and 

conduct elections of 

national officers , to 

screen aspirants for the 

election, to circulate the 

list of properly nominated 

candidates to all the 

branches and the 

candidates by e mails and 

puyblish same on NBA 

website before the 

elections. 

He also charged the 

committee to publish a 

full list of all the legal 

practitioners who are 

qualified to vote before 

the date of the elections; 

publish the curriculum 

viteae, comprehensive 

manifestoes and 

campaign material of all 

the qualified candidates 

on the NBA website; issue 

guidelines for the conduct 

of the electronic voting; 

collate and arrange all the 

materials of qualified 

candidates in alphabetical 

order and publish them in 

electronic magazine on 

NBA website before the 

election. 

Mahmoud urged the 

committee to hear 

appeals of candidates 

dissatisfied with the 

decision of Electoral 

Officers and/or their 

Assistants and to take 

decisions upon receiving 

appeals made by a 

candidate. 

In his vote of thanks, 

Prof Yadudu thanked the 

NBA for the opportunity 

to serve and promised to 

discharge their duties 

according to the 

constitution of the NBA, 

the fear of God and their 

conscience. 

The inauguration was 

witnessed by many 

national officers including 

the General Secretary of 

the NBA, Aare Isiaka 

Olagunju, the 1st Vice- 

President of the NBA, Mr 

Caleb Dajan, National 

Publicity Secretary, John 

Austin Unachukwu, 2nd 

Assistant Secretary, 

Cecilia Ugbuji and 

Assistant Financial 

Secretary, Ngozi Udodi. 

BOKO HARAM: FG probes sources of IEDs’ 

materials 

By Evelyn Usman & 

Joseph Erunke 

ABUJA—THE federal 

government 

yesterday said it had 

launched a probe into 

sources of materials used 

by the Boko Haram 

terrorist group in 

manufacturing Improvised 

Explosive Devices, IEDs, 

in the country, saying it 

had already identified the 

prevalent types of 

explosives, accessories, 

fertilizers and precursor 

chemicals being used by 

the terrorists to unleash 

carnage on innocent 

citizens. 

This came as Nigerian 

Army Engineers, NAE, 

said security measures 

had been intensified, 

particularly in the area of 

detonating IEDs used by 

Boko Haram sect to cause 

havoc in the North-east 

region of the country. 

The National Security 

Adviser, NSA, Major 

General Babagana 

Monguno, retd, disclosed 

this in Abuja, while 

declaring open a five-day 

National Chemical 

Security Training 

Conference, organized by 

his office in conjunction 

with the Chemical 

Security Programme, 

CSP. 

According to Monguno, 

the federal administration 

would henceforth focus its 

attacks on criminal 

networks of sources of 

materials used in 

preparing IEDs by the 

terrorists group. 

Monguno, who spoke 

through the 

Coordinator of Counter 

Terrorism Centre, Rear 

Admiral Yem Musa, said 

all relevant agencies 

involved in the 

procurement, use and 

control of harmful 

chemicals would be made 

to ensure that Nigeria 

complies with global best 

practices in the 

importation, storage, 

transportation and 

distribution of chemicals 


According to him: “The 

Office of the National 

Security Adviser has over 

the years investigated 

series of Improvised 

Explosive Devices (IEDs) 

incidents, within the 

urban terrorism and 

insurgency theatre of 

operations and have been 

able to identify the 

prevalent types of 

explosives, accessories, 

fertilizers and precursor 

chemicals used in the 

preparation of the IEDs. 

“IED attacks have 

become an integral part of 

the Boko Haram Terrorist 

tactics. Over the years, 

nations faced with the 

threats and dual use of 

chemical substances and 

precursor for illicit and 

criminal activities, have 

evolved strategies to 

•Army intensifies measures to detonate IEDs in N'East 

mitigate, pre-empt and 

respond to such threats. 

“Similarly in Nigeria, we 

have also included counter 

IED initiatives in our 

National Counter 

Terrorism Strategy 

(NACTEST). The focus of 

this Strategy is to attack the 

criminal network of 

sources of the materials 

used in preparing the 

IEDs, including the 

various dual use 

chemicals, explosives/ 

accessories and specific 

blends of fertilizers. 

“Working with relevant 

stake holding Ministries 

Departments and 

Agencies (MDAs) we have 

strategic measures to 

control the importation, 

transportation, storage and 

use of these sensitive 

substances, thereby taking 

them out of the reach of 

criminal elements,“ he 

said. 

In his remarks, the 

Director General of 

NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola 

Adeyeye said time had 

come for the federal 

government to declare 

emergency in the drug 

and chemical sectors of 

the nation’s economy in 

view of the pervasive use 

of drugs and the porous 

nature of the country’s 

borders. 

NAE intensifies 

measures to detonate 

IEDs in North East 

Meanwhile, on 

measures at detonating , 

IED used by Boko Haram 

sect in the North-east 

region of the country, 

Corps Commander of the 

NAE, Major General John 

Malu, who spoke on the 

occasion of the 2017 

combined West African 

Social Activities, WASA, at 

the 65 Battalion parade 

ground, Bonny 

Cantonment, Lagos, said 

IED remained a potent 

danger in the North East. 

He said: “The Nigerian 

Army Engineers are not in 

isolation, the challenging 

task for the Army in the 

last few years had been 

our operations in the 

north east but 

the Nigerian Army 

Engineers take the larger 

chunk of the problem 

because IEDs is what we 

generally face, as the 

engineers are usually 

the first people to be 

contacted when IED is 

identified,as it falls 

squarely on them to ensure 

detonation of IEDs.” 

CONFERENCE: From left; Alhaji Nojeem Yasin, National President, 

National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW; Mr Stephen Cotton, 

Secretary General, International Transport Workers Federation, ITF; Senator 

Gbenga Ashafa, Chairman, Senate Committee on Land Transport and 

representative of the Senate President; Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, Corp Marshall, 

Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC and representative of the Minister of Transport; 

Mr Bello Yahaya, representative of Minister of Labour and Productivity and Mrs 

Azumi Aprezi at the 9th Africa Region Conference of ITF in Abuja. 

APC presidential aspirant pledges to restore 

US import of Nigeria crude 

By Emmanuel Aziken 

ALL Progressives 

Congress, APC 

presidential aspirant, Dr. 

SKC Ogbonnia has said 

he will cause the United 

States, US, to resume 

importation of Nigerian 

crude oil if he wins the 

presidential office. 

Ogbonnia, himself a 

petroleum entrepreneur in 

a statement, blamed 

corruption for the US 

decision to shut out 

Nigeria from its crude oil 

market. 

While noting efforts by 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari to combat 

corruption, Ogbonnia said 

his efforts commendable as 

they were, however, fell 

short of international 

standards of good 

conduct. 

He said: “As president, I 

will restore America’s 

confidence and genuine 

investment in Nigeria’s oil 

and gas sector. I am set to 

exhibit common sense 

leadership. It is not a new 

story that the Western 

world is growing tired of 

Nigerian National 

Petroleum Corporation 

(NNPC). 

“Apart from the dizzying 

corruption within the 

state oil company, the US, 

in particular, is very 

frustrated with the 

advanced-fee fraud letters 

that originate from 

Nigeria, most of which are 

linked to the NNPC. Not 

only has this scam 

devastated many 

American lives, it has also 

contributed to Nigeria’s 

bad image in the United 

States and elsewhere.'' 

“As Nigeria’s next 

president, I will make 

NNPC truly transparent 

and accountable to the 

admiration of Nigerians 

and the international 

community. For example, 

besides the much-needed 

overhaul of the oil giant, 

one of the many executive 

orders I will sign on Day 

1 of my presidency is the 

establishment of an 

NNPC office in the United 

States. An NNPC office in 

the US will offer 

prospective foreign 

investors the opportunity 

to conduct business 

inquiries or the necessary 

due diligence on various 

bogus offers with 

Nigerian addresses. 

“It is mind-boggling that 

Nigeria is the only major 

oil-producing nation that 

does not boast of an office 

dedicated to its oil and gas 

interests in the United 

States, especially in 

Houston, Texas, the Oil and 

Gas capital of the world.”



PVCs: INEC disenfranchising Ndigbo, 

Ohanaeze alleges 

•Laments Igbo discrimination in the north 

By Dennis Agbo 

E NUGU—IGBO 

umbrella body, 

Ohanaeze Ndigbo has 

raised the alarm that the 

Independent National 

Electoral Commission, 

INEC, is deliberately 

disenfranchising the 

people of the South-East 

zone by not giving them 

access to the ongoing 

continuous voter 

registration. 

The group also alleged 

that there is obvious 

discrimination against its 

people in the northern parts 

of Nigeria in the course of 

the exercise. 

President General of the 

apex Igbo organisation, 

Chief Nnia Nwodo, who 

made the allegations 

insisted that it was not just 

mere talk, but facts that 

emerged out of 

investigation. 

Nwodo spoke in Enugu, 

yesterday, when the 

Resident Electoral 

Commissioner in Enugu 

State, Mr Emeka 

Ononamadu, paid him 

courtesy visit. 

He emphatically said 

that virtually all the states 

in the South-East zone 

have shortage of 

registration materials in the 

Continuous Voter 

Registration exercise going 

on. 

Nwodo said he visited 

many of the registration 

centres in the zone before 

concluding that the South 

East is being shortchanged 

in the exercise. 

He said: “I am of the 

conclusion that INEC has 

deliberately denied this 

area of registration 

materials in order to ensure 

that we are under 

registered. I say this not 

because I am the President 

General of Ohanaeze 

Ndigbo but as a lawyer 

who respects evidence. 

“Let me use my home as 

example. I come from 

Ukehe in Igbo-Etiti Local 

Government Area. Last 

week, I went home to 

check what was going on, 

but my local government 

area had the presence of 

INEC in less than three 

polling units. In my ward, 

INEC was present in only 

one polling unit in my 

village. 

“Although the INEC staff 

was very hardworking, the 

maximum registration they 

can achieve in a day was 

48 people and there were 

twice the number waiting 

who were not registered. 

My projection is that in two 

days, they were able to 

register 96 voters against 

over 500." 

Ready to help INEC 

with registration 

Nwodo said Ohanaeze 

was prepared to give 

logistics to INEC to register 

people who turn out for the 

exercise, but lamented that 

the INEC was 

shortchanging the Igbo. 

“If you want us to pay to 

hire more machines, we 

will are ready to do so. If 

you want us to pay for staff 

that you may not have 

enough to deploy to our 

places, we are prepared to 

raise money from Igbos," he 

said. 

Nwodo equally lamented 

Ojukwu’s family in court over 

property sharing 

By Vincent 

Ujumadu 

AWKA—CHILDREN of 

Sir Louis Odumegwu 

Ojukwu, the millionaire 

father of the late Ikemba 

Nnewi, 

Dim 

Chukwuemeka 

Odumegwu Ojukwu and 

Ikemba Nnewi’s children 

were in an Awka High 

Court, yesterday, over the 

controversy surrounding 

the sharing of their late 

father’s property. 

Mr. Ikemefuna Ojukwu 

and his brother, Mr. 

Chukwuma Ojukwu, two 

children of the late Ikemba 

Nnewi, had instituted the 

suit in 2014, against their 

uncles, Dr Joseph Ojukwu, 

Dr Ike Ojukwu and Mr. 

Lotanna Ojukwu and their 

mother, Ambassador. 

Bianca Ojukwu 

The plaintiffs, among 

other reliefs, were asking 

the court to declare that 

they be entitled to 25 per 

that while Igbos are being 

disenfranchised in the 

South East; over 11.6 

million Igbos in Northern 

Nigeria are equally being 

discriminated from 

registration of voters card 

which he said is an 

inalienable constitutional 

right of all Nigerians. 

Marginalised in 

the north 

“Our people in the North 

told me that in the queues, 

the indigenes are treated 

before them. And I like to 

use this opportunity of your 

presence here to ask that 

you send this message to 

cent of the property in the 

compound of their father at 

No. 73, Owerri road, 

Nnewi and a declaration 

that they were entitled to 25 

per cent shares of their 

father’s company, Ojukwu 

Transport Company. 

They also sought an order 

of the court compelling the 

defendants to account to 

them the management of 

late Sir Louis Ojukwu’s 

property over the years and 

further asked the court to 

grant an order that the will 

of Sir Louis Ojukwu to be 

resealed. 

The first defendant, Dr. 

Joeseph Ojukwu was 

represented by Mr. 

Okwuchukwu Ugolo, 

SAN, while Mr. Ebuka 

Ogwu and Mr Christopher 

Ezeoka put up 

appearances for the second 

defendant (Mr Lotanna 

Ojukwu) and the fifth 

defendant (Ojukwu 

Transport Company) 

respectively. 

When the matter came up 

your headquarters. This 

kind of discrimination of 

Igbos in the registration is 

not good and healthy for our 

national polity.” 

Earlier, the Resident 

Electoral Commissioner, 

Ononamadu, said the visit 

was part of its outreach to 

critical stakeholders in 

election process which 

Ohanaeze Ndigbo is one of 

the major stakeholders. 

Ononamadu said since 

his assumption, he had 

gone round the seventeen 

local government areas of 

Enugu state where 

activated and re-activated 

the mechanism of 

continuous voter 

registration, noting 

however that Enugu state 

is not doing badly in the 

registration when 

compared to some states. 

CHARITY: From left—Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation, Ms. Nonny 

Ugboma; Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun; Founder, Olive 

Blooms Orphanage, Mrs. Ngozi Ken Ugochukwu; and General Manager, 

Corporate Affairs, MTN Foundation, Ms. Omasan Ogisi, during the 

handover of food and household items by the Minister and MTN 

Foundation to Olive Blooms Orphanage, in Lagos. 

on Monday, Mr. Chuka 

Osianatogu, counsel to the 

plaintiffs, pointed out what 

they described as a mix up 

in the appearance to the 

court, arguing that the first 

defendant counsel failed to 

comply with Order 48 of the 

High Court (Civil 

Procedure) rule. 

In his reply, Ugolo, who 

said the defendants would 

file papers to put their 

house in order, applied for 

a new date and to enable 

him to also file the pre-trial 

conference. 

The court also observed 

that the earlier order of 

hearing notice on the third 

defendant, Ambassador. 

Bianca Ojukwu was not 

properly served, just as the 

fourth defendant, the 

Probate Registrar of Awka 

High Court, was not served 

at all. 

The presiding Judge, 

Justice Dennis 

Mmaduechesi adjourned 

the case to May 7, 2018 for 

pre-trial conference to 

enable parties put their 

houses in order. 

APGA to opposition: Stop playing 

politics with Anambra leaked 

memo 

By Nwafor 

Sunday 

AWKA—A chieftain of 

All Progressive Grand 

Alliance, APGA, has 

warned opposition to stop 

spreading false information 

regarding the leaked 

internal memo from the 

office of the Secretary to the 

State Government in 

Anambra State. 

In a statement made 

available to newsmen in 

Awka, the National 

Coordinator APGA Media 

Warriors Forum, Evang 

Chinedu Obigwe 

condemned the 

politicisation of such and 

urged propagators to stop 

misinforming the public 

owing to their inability to 

interpret properly a memo 

that instructed all political 

appointees to prepare and 

submit their handover 

notes and accounts of 

stewardship which 

perhaps is constitutionally 

binding. 

Recall that some 

sections of the media and 

alleged opposition parties 

opined that Governor 

Willie Obiano, dissolved 

his cabinet, sacked his 

commissioners, aides and 

political appointees which 

reportedly were lies 

emanating from haters. 

In view of the above 

misinterpretation, Obigwe 

argued that the memo 

should not have raised 

eyebrows in the public 

domain if it had been 

properly studied by critics. 

Speaking further, he urged 

the general public to 

disregard and ignore those 

politicising the issue, 

noting that Governor 

Obiano is poised to use his 

second term mandate to 

deliver more dividends of 

good governance to the 

people of the State. 

He also said that some of 

the appointees might be 

reappointed by the 

governor because of their 

laudable performance in 

their respective ministries. 

WHO commends Enugu govt over 

payment of counterpart funds 

By Chinedu 

Adonu 

E NUGU—WORLD 

Health Organisation, 

WHO, has commended 

Enugu State for being 

among the states in the 

country that are up to date 

in their payment of 

counterpart funds for the 

immunisation of children 

against childhood killer 

diseases. 

Speaking during the flagoff 

ceremony of measles 

immunisation campaign at 

Uwani Cottage Hospital, 

Enugu, the zonal 

representative of WHO, Dr. 

Onyinye Emefiena, 

applauded the state 

government for its 

commitment to the 

programme. 

The ceremony was 

performed by the Enugu 

State Deputy Governor, 

Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo on 

behalf of Gov. Ifeanyi 

Ugwuanyi. 

Emefiena added that the 

state paid its counterpart 

fund since last October, 

which made it possible for 

the event to take place in 

the state. 

Noting that measles is a 

killer disease that has taken 

many lives, Dr. Emefiena 

explained that through 

vaccines, children within 

the nine-month and nineyear 

age bracket will be 

immunised. 

“The immunisation 

exercise will be taking place 

in health centres, schools, 

traditional rulers’ palaces 

and every other designated 

place where children can 

be found. So mothers and 

caregivers should avail 

their kids of this gesture,” 

she said. 

120 train on beans flour 

production in Onitsha 

By Nwabueze 

Okonkwo 

ONITSHA—NO fewer 

than 120 select 

trainees from Onitsha 

North/South federal 

constituency in Anambra 

state are now undergoing 

a four-day special training 

programme on beans flour 

production, aimed at 

empowering them for 

greater days ahead. 

The programme being 

sponsored by Hon. Lynda 

Chuba-Ikpeazu 

representing Onitsha 

North/South Federal 

Constituency in the House 

of Representatives, kicked 

off yesterday in Onitsha 

with two notable resource 

persons, including Dr. 

Aminu Mohammed and 

Alhaji Jimoh Ibrahim who 

represented Dr. S. O. 

Okunade, Executive 

Director, Nigerian Stored 

Products Research 

Institute, NSPRI as trainers.

16— Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2018 

:Vanguard :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnewsNEWS HOTLINES: 

Minister counsels new board 

By Emmanuel Elebeke 

ABUJA—THE Federal 

Government has 

inaugurated the boards of 

17 parastatals and agencies 

under the ministry of 

Science and Technology. 

The minister, Dr. 

Ogbonnaya Onu, while 

inaugurating the new 

boards charged them not to 

abuse the confidence 

reposed in them by the 

president and see their 

appointments as a call to 

national service. He 

challenged them to do their 

best at all times and never 

let the president down. 

He noted the crucial role 

science, technology and 

innovation play in nation 

building which he said is 

being positioned to for 

development of Nigeria. 

‘‘I am confident that the 

confidence reposed in 

every one of you by Mr. 

president will not be 

misplaced. It is a duty. It is 

also a responsibility which 

we must work hard to 

discharge in the interest of 

our beloved country. 

‘‘Let me affirm that the 

Federal Ministry of Science 

and Technology is 

determined to help Nigeria 

become a prosperous 

nation. It is our conviction 

that unless we continue to 

work hard and remain 

committed to the task of 

diversifying our economy, 

science, technology and 

innovation will not play the 

Wood, Dorman Long sign 

MoA on maintenance 

delivery in Gulf of Guinea 

LAGOS—WOOD and 

N i g e r i a n - 

headquartered, Dorman 

Long Engineering Limited 

(Dorman Long), have 

signed a memorandum of 

agreement (MOA) to jointly 

provide their maintenance 

services in the Gulf of 

Guinea. 

In a statement by the 

CEO of Wood’s Asset 

Solutions business in 

Europe, Africa, Asia & 

Australia, Dave Stewart, he 

said bringing together the 

companies’ expertise and 

comprehensive range of 

services supporting the 

maintenance of offshore 

and onshore oil and gas 

facilities across the asset life 

cycle, the MOA will 

strategically support 

customer demand for 

greater efficiencies and 

enhanced innovations. 

“We are a global company 

that is committed to acting 

role expected of it. This will 

enable us create jobs, 

strengthen the economy 

and reclaim our national 

pride. 

locally and we recognise 

the development of incountry 

relationships and 

expertise, as fundamental 

to our successful delivery. 

This collaboration with 

Dorman Long combines 

our four decades of 

experience providing 

maintenance services to the 

oil and gas sector with their 

deep local knowledge and 

talent. Our focus will be 

drawing together our 

strengths to support 

onshore and offshore 

assets, in particular 

focusing on safely 

extending the life of assets, 

reducing costs and 

improving productivity.” he 

said. 

Chairman of Dorman 

Long, Dr. Timi Austen- 

Peters, said: “This 

collaborative relationship 

with Wood will deliver clear 

benefits to the region’s oil 

and gas operators."

COMMENDATIONS to 

the chroniclers of violent 

deaths in Nigeria in SUNDAY 

VANGUARD of 11 March, 

2018; for telling us what the 

Office of Statistics will not 

volunteer :In about 10 weeks 

into the new year, the country 

has lost 1,351 to violent deaths 

under an administration that 

promised to secure Nigeria 

and manage it 

On that Sunday I was in the 

home of a big Egbon of mine 

whom I informed about 30 

minutes before reaching his 

home that I was coming with 

a pang of hunger. His lovely 

wife treated us to a very 

sumptuous meal that my 

friend who accompanied me 

said to her: "Madam,if you 

could do all this at a short 

notice,what would happen if 

we gave you a day's notice!". 

Nigerians should in like 

manner be worried about what 

the land would be today if 

security was not one of the 

promises upon which this 

government was elected into 

office. 

A chilling 

report 

The chilling report stated 

that: "Last month(February) 

no fewer than 517 people died 

violently, across the country. 

In January, about 676 

Nigerians were cut down 

through herdsmen and 

farmers clashes(I say 

herdsmen terror on farmers as 

clashes suggest two-fighting) 

sectarian crises, communal 

clashes, Boko Haram 

insurgency, cult clashes, 

kidnapping, and ritual 

killings, among others. The 

deaths are 176 more than the 

500 recorded in January 2017. 

The 1,351 deaths recorded 

since the beginning of 2018 

exclude those who died from 

illness, childbirth, Lassa fever, 

etc." 

The geo-political spread of 

the killings was given " The 

North-East remains the killing 

field with 591 deaths. It is 

followed by North-Central, 

270; North-West, 193; South- 

West, 136; and South-South, 

131. At the bottom of the list is 

South-East, 30(Igbos were 

marginalised again!). 

The breakdown on state basis 

showed that " Borno State, the 

hotbed of the Book Haram 

insurgency, recorded the 

highest number of deaths with 

a figure of 361. Borno is 

followed by Benue, 163; and 

Borno’s north-eastern 

neighbours, Taraba (107) and 

Nigeria as a killing field 

Adamawa, which witnessed 

103 violent deaths; Kaduna, 

71; Rivers, 66; Plateau, 54; 

Zamfara, 45; Lagos, 45. States 

that also recorded huge deaths 

include Ondo, 39; Ogun, 35; 

Jigawa, 30; Kano, 27; 

Nasarawa, 22; Delta, 19; 

Anambra, 18; Kebbi, 18; Akwa 

Ibom, 16; Kogi, 14, and Cross 

River, 14. The rest are Oyo, 

12; Bauchi, 11; Yobe, 9; Edo, 

9; Bayelsa, 7; Kwara, 6; FCT 

The breakdown on 

state basis showed 

that " Borno State, 

the hotbed of the 

Book Haram 

insurgency, 

recorded the 

highest number of 

deaths with a figure 

of 361. Borno is 

followed by Benue, 

163; and Borno’s 

north-eastern 

neighbours, Taraba 

(107) and 

Adamawa, which 

witnessed 103 

violent deaths 

Abuja, 6; Niger, 5; Enugu, 4; 

Imo, 4; Ebonyi, 3; Katsina, 2; 

Ekiti, 2; Abia, 1; and Osun, 1. 

There were no reported violent 

deaths in Gombe and 

Sokoto". 

To bring home the fact that 

Nigeria has become a huge 

killing field under the APC 

regime, let me reproduce 

conflicts around the world with 

some lasting decades that did 

not record the level of 

casualties we have recorded in 

Nigeria in 10 weeks : 

Deaths in 

troubled zones 

1,300+ – Allied Democratic 

Forces insurgency (1996– 

present) 

1,295+ – Siachen conflict 

(1984–present) 

1,229+ – Basque conflict 

(1959–2011) 

1,227–5,600 – Kargil War 

(1999) 

1,119+ – Post-coup unrest in 

Egypt (2013–2014) (2013– 

2014)[ 

1,043+ – Burundian unrest 


1,000–1,500 – Cabinda 

conflict (1994–present) 

1,000+ – Djiboutian Civil 

War (1991–1994) 

1,000+ – 1991–92 South 

Ossetia War (1991–1992)[172] 

1,000+ – Xinjiang conflict 


1,000+ – Chincha Islands 

War (1864–1866) 

907 – Falklands War (1982) 

898 – Barbary Wars (1801– 

1815) 

846 – 2011 Egyptian 

revolution (2011) 

820 – Syrian Civil War 

spillover in Lebanon (2011– 

2017) 

808 – Sino-Russian border 

conflicts (1652-1689) 

803-1303 - Conflict in 

Najran, Jizan and Asir (2015- 

present) 

789–1,874 – 2001–02 India– 

Pakistan standoff (2001–2002) 

771 – Insurgency in Egypt 

(2013–present) (2013–present) 

740 – Indonesia–Malaysia 

confrontation (1963–1966) 

722 – Kamwina Nsapu 

rebellion (2016–present) 

700–800 – Anglo-Aro War 

(1901-1902) 

659–2,496 – Russia–Georgia 

war (2008) 

643–1,500 – Sudanese 

conflict in South Kordofan and 

Blue Nile (2011–present)[ 

547 – Cyprus crisis (1955–64) 

(1955–1964) 

542 – East Prigorodny 

Conflict (1992) 

422 – Franco-Thai War 

(1940–1941) 

339 – Turkey–ISIL conflict 


327 – RENAMO insurgency 


275–569 – Second Afar 

insurgency (1995–present) 

Part of the Eritrean–Ethiopian 

border conflict 

236 – Batwa-Luba clashes 


206–345 – Arab separatism in 

Khuzestan (1922–present) 

200 – 1935 Yazidi revolt 

(1935) 

174–194 – United States 

occupation of Veracruz (1914) 

159 – ISIL insurgency in 

Tunisia (2015–present) 

158 – Dissident Irish 

Republican campaign (1998– 

present) 

126 – 2016 Kasese clashes 

(2016) 

115 – The Pool War (2016– 

present) 

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2018 —17 

102-227 – India–Pakistan 

military confrontation (2016– 

present) (2016–present) 

95 – 2013 Guinea clashes 

(2013) 

84–134 – Lahad Datu 

standoff (2013) 

82 – Quasi-War (1798-1800) 

82 – North-West Rebellion 

(1885) 

71 – Paraguayan People's 

Army insurgency (2005– 

present) 

63 – Ten-Day War (1991) 

46 – Annexation of Dadra 

and Nagar Haveli (1954) 

39-111 – India–Pakistan 

border skirmishes (2014–2015) 

(2014-2015) 

37 – 2013 India–Pakistan 

border skirmishes (2013) 

36 – DHKP/C insurgency in 

Turkey (1990–present) 

36 – 2016 Niger Delta 

conflict (2016–Present) [189] – 

Part of the Conflict in the 

Niger Delta 

12–61 – 2017 Afghanistan– 

Pakistan border skirmish 

(2017) – Part of the 

Afghanistan–Pakistan 

skirmishes 

11–30 – 2008 Kufra conflict 

(2008) 

8 – 2011 India–Pakistan 

border skirmish (2011). 

An unfolding 

tragedy 

The data above should bring 

home the reality of the type of 

tragedy that is unfolding in 

the land with the leadership 

unable or unwilling to rise to 

the challenges of the moment 

beyond doing Safari to the 

Government houses where the 

states have become theaters of 

death and making unguarded 

comments in moments that call 

for sobriety. 

Demonstration of 

leadership 

Thank God that former 

President Olusegun Obasanjo 

during his visit to Benue went 

to the graveside of the Benue 

73 to show what is expected 

of leadership in times like this. 

He also said a few things 

that should command some 

rethink on the part of the 

current drivers of the Nigerian 

vehicle :“I do hope that there 

would be an end to this. 

Governor, please accept my 

condolence and do not give up 

trying to work with men and 

women that have the interest 

of this state and the interest of 

Nigeria at heart to find a 

permanent solution. 

“This to me goes beyond 

what is on the surface. And we 

need to find out what is at the 

bottom of it. And that is the 

responsibilities of leaders and 

of course, they must leave no 

stone unturned to find what 

the root cause of this (is)and 

put a stop to it.“We must know 

why it is happening and we 

must put an end to it, someone 

must take responsibility to put 

an end to it. We cannot talk of 

a free, secure country where 

we will want development to 

take place and investors to 

come to be suffering this type 

of senselessness." 

As we pray to see the end of 

these mindless killings we 

must work hard as a people to 

ensure this affliction does not 

rise the second time ! 

...Can we hang some Ghanaians? 

IDON'T like bloodshed. And this is why I have been opposed 

to the death penalty all my life.I was furious when I read a 

bill that says any person found guilty of any form of hate speech 

that results in the death of another person shall die by hanging 

upon conviction, reads a new bill by the Senate sponsored by 

the spokesman of the Upper chamber, Senator Aliyu Sabi 

Abdullahi (APC, Niger). 

But I have since realised that we need this bill after our 

President was insulted by descendants of shoe shiners (soobata) 

whom we asked to put their stuff in "Ghana Must Go" bags 

over 30 years ago as they added no value to our voting process 

or the capacity to be blamed as foreign herdsmen causing deaths 

in our land. 

The cause of their insolence was the helping hand offered to 

their country by our President who has killed all corruption 

with insecticide in Nigeria except the "sacred cows" who have 

been enjoyed deodorant treatment. The rude boys and girls of 

Ghana had the temerity to be telling our President whom 

Nigerians can only speak ill about in confidential whispers to 

leave their country alone and go and face the monkeys and 

snakes who feed on Naira in his country. 

What hate speech can be greater than that? The Senate must 

quickly pass the hate speech bill with jurisdiction across West 

Africa since we now know that the hate speech merchants have 

moved to those neighbouring countries.The law must have 

retroactive effect so we can deal with those Ghanaians the way 

we dealt with those drug boys. 

Feedback 

Re:IGP Idris and in-rule of law 

IHAVE just read page 17 of Vanguard now. Go on beloved 

Yinka,the true fighters are diminishing,but continue to hold 

your head high for all of us! Almost 90% of office holders of this 

rebranded 1984-5 fascist regime are people who should be in 

gaol for one crime,treason or the other but people don't seem 

to care.-Prof Obasi Igwe. 

C 

M 

Y 

K


APPARENTLY, the more things 

change the more they remain the 

same in Nigeria. After months of 

denying what most economists 

and financial experts already 

know the Federal Government 

has finally admitted that N774 

million per day or N24bn per 

month is now being spent to 

subsidise importation of 

petroleum products. 

The Nigerian National 

Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, 

while lifting the veil over the 

badly kept secret by the Buhari 

administration also placed most 

of the blame on smuggling along 

Nigeria’s borders with 

neighbouring states. According 

to the narrative, which rings like 

a familiar tune from the muchdiscredited 

past administrations, 

the consumption of fuel had gone 

up from 35 million litres to 50 

million litres in recent months. 

Return of fuel subsidy 

That 42 per cent jump which 

should have resulted in massive 

security interventions and the 

arrest of some culprits has merely 

led to the wringing of hands by 

nation’s security agencies 

including Nigerian Customs 

Service. Instead of these bodies 

charged with security of the vital 

economic interests of the nation 

swinging into action to deal with 

those diverting our imported 

petroleum products to foreign 

countries and causing hardship 

for Nigerians, the impression 

Nigerians get is one of a 

government totally helpless to 

halt this increasingly crippling 

economic sabotage. 

One of the reasons that President 

Muhammadu Buhari gave for 

making himself the Minister of 

Petroleum Resources was that he 

wanted to sanitise the oil industry, 

especially the NNPC. Obviously, 

little has been achieved in that 

direction . 

We had expected, as part of the 

“change” that the APC had 

promised Nigerians during the 2015 

campaigns that by now the NNPC’s 

affairs, which have traditionally 

been shrouded in secrecy, would 

have been made more transparent. 

We had thought the Corporation 

would have been unbundled, 

privatised or made a more 

efficient state-run business like 

Malaysia’s PETRONAS and 

Brazil’s PETROBRAS. What we 

see, instead, is the retention of the 

discredited, model which the 

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) 

audit of the Corporation’s accounts 

in 2014/2015 had declared 

outmoded. 

Unless we reform the NNPC, 

deregulate the downstream sector of 

the oil industry and encourage the 

profusion of refineries in Nigeria, 

nothing will change. Fuel subsidy 

payments (whether real or imagined) 

will continue. Importation of 

petroleum products, fuel scarcity and 

the diversion of petroleum products 

to neighbouring countries will never 

stop. 

We are still waiting for the 

“change” in the oil sector. 

IF he was alive, Alhaji Gidado 

Idris (GCON) would be 82 next 

Thursday March 15. He passed on 

at a private hospital at Aso drive in 

Abuja on December 15 last year and 

was buried a few hours later 

according to Muslim rites. He was 

the first and only person till date who 

served two former Heads of State as 

Secretary to the Government of the 

Federation (General Sanni Abacha 

and General Abdusalam Abubakar). 

The presence of General Abubakar, 

many former Governors, many 

serving Ministers and numerous 

personalities across the country, at 

his funeral attest to the greatness of 

Alhaji Gidado Idris who opened 

doors of opportunities to many, 

including my humble self. My 

condolence always to his widow, 

Hajia Mariam Gidado Idris, his 

children and grandchildren. 

A lot has been written about him 

but I will like to refer to what he said 

of himself at a public lecture he 

delivered on February 12 1999, at 

the NIPPS, Kuru, Jos. 

He declared on that night: “I 

joined the Nigerian Government on 

1st April 1953 at the age of 18 as 

Third Class Clerk, and have 

remained a Civil Servant from that 

moment of my life till today. I have 

known no life outside the Service, 

and have never ventured into 

anything for a single day outside this 

life. While this goldfish like existence 

may appear limiting to come, for me 

it afforded a unique opportunity to 

accomplish two key personal 

objectives; to serve the nation 

exclusively and totally and to acquire 

skills and experience that gave me 

adequate personal satisfaction. 

I mention these facts merely to lay 

the background for what I will 

outline as my personal perception 

of our journey as a nation, a journey 

in which I was most privilege to be 

Gidado Idris in his own words 

an active traveller rather than a 

passenger. Without doubt, the Civil 

Service had occupied a central and 

strategic position in the evolution of 

our nation. It had, in itself, both 

facilitated and been affected by some 

of the monumental changes which 

have occurred in Nigeria for more 

than 70 years of our history. Of 

course, it naturally and principally 

functioned largely to underpin the 

major concerns and objectives of the 

dominant political interests at each 

stage in our evolutionary process. 

Nonetheless, its principal hallmark 

had been to provide a key instrument 

of governance and to guarantee 

stability and continuity. As an 

instrument structured to operate with 

established rules which sought to 

guarantee quality in its operations, 

it was meant to be insulated, not 

isolated from changes at the 

political level. 

As Private Secretary to the late 

Premier of Northern Nigeria, I was 

privileged to observe first hand the 

thinking and modus operandi of the 

late Premier and his colleagues at 

the terminal end of their tenure. 

What was particularly remarkable 

about the man was that in spite of 

the awesome powers which his office 

had, he constantly agonised over 

whether he deserved the perception 

of being a “bulldozer”. On many 

occasions, he would ask those of us 

around him whether he was truly a 

dictator, and we would invariably 

tell him that it was inevitable that he 

should be seen in that light given his 

exceptionally strong will and 

unwavering vision. It was not flattery, 

but a fact, because he was also a 

man who was incredibly shy of 

hurting anyone, and would go to 

extraordinary lengths to seek for 

forgiveness whenever he felt he 

treated any of us unfairly. 

I mention these personal attributes 

of the late Premier only to highlight 

the nature of the man who sat at the 

I do not think there is a 

nation anywhere else 

in the World which 

devotes most resources 

to the purchase of 

vehicles for its officials 

at all levels than 

Nigeria 

apex of an elaborate administrative 

structure that held together widelyvarying 

elements in a Region that 

nurtured a constant fear of losing 

control over its destiny to rival 

interests within the federation. The 

notion of a Northern Region is an 

illusion; the reality was that the 

Northern Peoples Congress, NPC, 

administration faced real challenges 

not only from a political opposition 

represented by the NEPU and the 

tendencies it represented and 

championed, but there were also 

serious challenges posed by some 

minority groups to assert some 

degree of independence and identity. 

What created the illusion of a 

resolute North united behind the 

strong leadership of the Sardauna 

was the remarkable congruencies of 

both the political and bureaucratic 

elite around the belief that every 

community in the North needed to 

be –and was-incorporated into the 

system of governance. 

It was inevitable that State civil 

services would register marked 

declines in professionalism, while at 

the Federal level, the service 

assumed greater roles as a result of 

the rapid changes in our national 

affairs. The execution of the civil war, 

major inputs of the Federal Civil 

Service, not only in an advisory 

capacity, but in the traditional sense 

of ensuring continuity of governance 

in a period of intense crisis. It is 

important that this fact is grasped, 

because all too often the impression 

is created that the credit for the 

successful execution of the civil war 

belonged exclusively to the military. 

(indeed, it is a little known fact that 

the initial funds for military 

mobilisation, especially the purchase 

of military hardware for the first 

stages of the civil war was secured 

from the frozen accounts of the NPC, 

on the advice of Northern 

bureaucrats!) 

Some of the key Permanent 

Secretaries who played pivotal roles 

in advising the Federal Government 

during the war, and provided a basis 

for stability and governance, 

ironically, became vilified later as 

Super-Perm Secs by the Press. If there 

was anything ‘Super’ about these 

experienced and competent 

bureaucrats, it was in the quality of 

service which they rendered. Given 

the relative lack of exposure of the 

national leadership which governed 

the nation from 1966 until the mid- 

70s, the contribution of this crop of 

bureaucrats was incalculable, and 

it is my fervent hope that history will 

someday accord them their due 

recognition. 

The leadership question 

represents singularly the biggest 

challenge facing our nation today, 

because it anchors the entire 

National edifice. In the dignifying 

humility of Sir Abubakar Tafawa 

Balewa, in the vision and enterprise 

of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, in the 

courage and enterprise of Dr. 

Nnamdi Azikiwe or in the assertive 

confidence and piety of Sir Ahmadu 

Bello, those who inspire to lead us 

have unlimited role models. 

Along with the emergence of a new 

set of Statesmen who will build on 

our strengths, we need to critically 

re-examine the structures of our 

economy and the federal system to 

which I have already alluded. In 

many ways, the two are inter-related. 

I have already asserted that the 

federal structure we presently operate 

creates avenues for monumental 

waste and little room for 

accountability and good 

governance. 

Just reflect on the facts that we 

operate about 801 governments 

(Federal Government, 36 State 

Governments and 774 Local 

Governments) at the three tiers, each 

of which parades the full 

paraphernalia of executive power as 

well as full bureaucracies. I do not 

think there is a nation anywhere else 

in the World which devotes most 

resources to the purchase of vehicles 

for its officials at all levels than 

Nigeria. 

Continues Online@ www. 

vanguardngr.com

BPE lobbies NIMASA to refloat National 

Unity Line 

By Godfrey Bivbere & Gbenga 

Oke 

THE Bureau of Public 

Enterprises, BPE, yesterday 

sought collaboration of the Nigerian 

Maritime Administration and 

Safety Agency, NIMASA, to refloat 

the collapsed National Unity Line, 

NUL. The NUL before its collapse 

was a government known shipping 

company with just one ship on its 

fleet. 

Director General of the BPE, Alex 

Okoh, during a visit to NIMASA 

head office in Lagos, stressed the 

need for the apex maritime 

regulatory agency to help actualise 

the refloating of NUL with the 

private sector as operators. 

Okoh noted that though the NUL 

was no longer operational, its 

license was still very useful 

especially as it concerns the 

Cabotage and Local content Acts. 

He stressed that businesses were 

better managed by the private 

sector and that government had 

very little to do in business apart 

from creating an enabling 

environment for businesses to 

strive. 

According to him, “We have 

looked at the Nigerian Unity Line 

and the only tangible asset they 

have is operating license. The 

license confers on the enterprise 

certain privileges, deriving from the 

Cabotage Act and also from the 

Local Content policy. This can be 

the foundation for the building block 

of a virile shipping business in 

Nigeria”. 

He called on the agency to take a 

common position with the Bureau 

in realizing the privatization 

mandate, to be forwarded to the 

National Council on Privatization 

as the strategic way forward for 

handling this particular NUL case. 

He commended the Dakuku 

Peterside led Management of 

CURRENCY BUYING SELLING 

US DOLLAR 

POUNDS 

EURO 

FRANC 

YEN 

CFA 

WAUA 

RENMINBI 

RIYAL 

SDR 

DANISH 

RAND 

$118.85 0.00 

$2,478.00 0.00 

$12.88 0.04 

$64.64 -0.85 

61.03 -0.01 

304.75 305.25 305.75 

422.6578 423.3512 424.0447 

374.7206 375.3354 375.9502 

320.6207 321.1468 321.6728 

2.8577 2.8624 2.8671 

0.5521 0.5621 0.5721 

440.9207 441.6441 442.3675 

48.1429 48.2223 48.3017 

81.258 81.3913 81.5246 

441.5523 442.2767 443.0012 

50.2938 50.3763 50.4588 

25.7112 25.7534 25.7956 

CBN Exchange rate as at 12/03/2018 

NIMASA for its effort at 

repositioning the maritime sector, 

adding that the “BPE is the agency 

of government that is responsible 

for sector reforms and enterprise 

reforms of the Federal 

Government.” 

Peterside in his speech, said 

NIMASA was willing to partner 

BPE to refloat NUL. 

The NIMASA Director-General 

noted that shipping, to an extent, 

Ogun State Governor, 

Senator Ibikunle 

Amosun (r) presenting 

the Ogun state 

government plaque to 

Professor Segun 

Ajibola, President/ 

Chairman of Council, 

Chartered Institute of 

Bankers of Nigeria 

(CIBN) during a 

courtesy visit to the 

Governor 

defines the growth trajectory of any 

nation especially as relating to 

seaborne commerce. 

He noted that the greatest asset in 

the maritime space is the vessel itself 

and if there are no vessels, one 

cannot be a major player. 

According to him, “You can only 

be a major player in name, but in 

reality you will not get maximum 

benefit from trade,” he pointed out. 

The only way to guarantee the 

efficiency and effectiveness of 


shipping, which will add value to 

the economy, is through the 

involvement of the private sector.” 

The NIMASA DG noted that the 

Minister of Transportation, Rotimi 

Amaechi, had initiated a process 

where people from the private sector 

would pull resources together to float 

a National Fleet, facilitated by the 

Ministry of Transportation and 

NIMASA, stressing that the process 

which would enhance the Nigerian 

Flag, was ongoing. 

LIRS targets N1bn monthly consumption 

tax with epayment 

By Oluchukwu Nkenta 

THE Lagos State Internal 

Revenue Service (LIRS) has 

deployed an electronic payment 

remittance platform aimed at 

increasing monthly consumption 

tax revenue to N1 billion. 

Executive Chairman 

of LIRS, Mr. Ayodele 

Subair, disclosed this 

while speaking to 

journalists on the 

launch of the platform 

last week. 

He stated: “This 

remittance system is 

aimed to help in the 

various sectors such as 

the hospitality sector, 

restaurants, events 

centres, and night 

clubs and bars, and 

have access to all 

transactions 

irrespective of their 

location. 

“We want to improve 

on the efficiency of our 

collection of 

consumption taxes. So 

we have decided to 

leverage technology in 

other to increase 

efficiency and reduce 

the amount of leakages in the 

system, we need to apply 

technology and that is why we are 

launching this initiative.” 

He stated that last year they got 

between N200 million and N250 

million a month, but anticipated 

that before the end of this year, 

they will be looking at N800 million 

to N1 billion with the application 

of this technology. 

Zenith Bank’s results beat forecasts 

By Peter Egwuatu “Fourth quarter, Q4’17 

ZENITH Bank Plc, revenue came in surprisingly 

yesterday, broke the silence stronger than anticipated as noninterest 

revenue doubled, rising 

in banks’ full year 2017 (FY’17) 

financial results announcing a by 97 percent, quarter-onquarter, 

QoQ, to N101.1 billion.” 

jumbo profit, while ending a threeweek 

waiting game in the subsector 

and apprehension in the 13.4 percent QoQ despite the 

Interest income also advanced by 

stock market. Zenith’s results also moderation in interest rate levels 

beat some analysts’ forecast during the period. 

significantly in key performance Cardinal Stone analysts said 

parameters. 

the surge in non-interest income 

Analysts at Cardinal Stone was predominantly driven by 

Partners, a Lagos based huge trading gains (+445.2% 

investment house stated: “Gross YoY and +345.4% QoQ) from the 

earnings rose by 46.7% YoY (yearon-year) 

to N745.2 billion, and Treasury bill portfolios 

bank’s derivative (+243.7% YoY) 

beating our estimate of N689.6 (+928% YoY). Overall, the bank 

billion (+8.1% deviation). reported a total of N158.04 billion 

“Surprisingly, after tax earnings in trading gains in FY’17 

rose by 37.2% to N177.9 billion, (+21.2% of total revenue) 

outperforming our estimate and compared to N28.4 billion 

consensus estimate of N157.9 (+5.8% of total revenue) in 

billion (+9.3% deviation) and FY’16. Further commenting on 

N159.52 billion (+11.5% the result, the analysts stated: 

deviation) respectively. 

“We believe the huge trading 

gains reported in Q4’17 is most 

CIBN begins 

computer-based 

testing for 

students 

By Babajide Komolafe 

THE Chartered Institute of 

Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) has 

upgraded its professional 

examinations from traditional 

paper-based to Computer Based 

Testing (CBT) platform for its 

students. 

In a statement issued yesterday, 

the Institute said the pilot phase of 

the CBT, which takes effect from 

April 2018, was carried out in 

October 2017 with the Certified Risk 

Managers (CRM) Certification 

Examinations in Lagos and Abuja 

centres. 

The Institute said the exercise was 

adjudged successful as the students 

described the platform as simple, 

easy to learn and user-friendly. 

“Students are assured that the 

transition to CBT platform will not 

affect their mode of study as they 

are expected to use the same 

materials to prepare for the 

examinations as they currently do. 

The only difference would be that 

the structure of questions would 

change to Multiple Choice 

Questions (MCQ) and Short 

Answer Questions (SAQ),” the 

Institute said. 

It said that courses like the 

International Trade & Finance, 

Banking Law, Ethics & Corporate 

Governance, Bank Lending & 

Credit Administration and Practice 

of Banking would have the hybrid 

of theory of MCQs and SAQs. 

It stated that an online tutorial 

platform for practice questions 

would be made available in advance 

of the real examinations to enable 

students to practice and get 

acquainted with the application to 

aid their preparation. 

Meanwhile, the examination has 

been scheduled to hold from 

Tuesday, April 10 to Thursday, April 

12, 2018 in 29 locations across the 

country and in areas where 

examinations are conducted. The 

Institute said specific test centers 

would be communicated to the 

students in due course even as 

registration for the examinations 

would be done online and manual. 

likely as a result of mark-tomarket 

gains on its Treasury bill 

portfolio which reflects the capital 

gains impact of the declining 

interest rate environment.” 

“Impairment charges however 

surprised us negatively as the 

bank reported a jump of 998.4% 

QoQ in provisions in Q4’17. 

While we await further clarity on 

what drove impairments from 

management, we suspect that 

the bank made full provisions for 

its Etisalat exposure, an 

estimated balance of N50 

billion.” However, analysts at 

Cordros Capital, another Lagos 

based investment house, said 

the result overshot of its 

estimates, on the negative 

perspectives. They stated: “The 

Operating expenses was 29.99 

percent higher than the 

previous year at N226.86 billion, 

and 3.50% higher than 

Cordros Capital estimate of 

N219.20 billion.


NEW LAGOS LAND USE CHARGE LAW: 

All you need 

to know 

•As Professionals, OPS, others criticise new 

Land Use Charge 

By Kingsley Adegboye 

THE re-enactment of the 

Lagos State Land Use 

Charge to Law replace the 

one enacted in 2001, was 

greeted with strident public 

outcry obviously due to 

misunderstanding of its provisions. 

However, a detailed 

look at the Land Use Charge, 

LUC, Law (2018), which is 

the state government’s 

property tax, indicates that it 

is a consolidation of ground 

rent, tenement rate, and 

neighbourhood improvement 

levy. 

According to state government 

officials, it is an annual 

charge rate expressed as a 

percentage of the assessed 

market value of the property 

and empowers the state government 

to vary between 

owner-occupied property and 

other property as well as residential 

property and 

commercial or revenue generating 

property. 

This variation further includes 

property for physically-challenged 

persons and 

those who have been resident 

at the same location for at 

least 12 years, minors; retiree 

owners of property and 

occupiers on the one hand, 

and active owners and 

occupiers on the other. 

According to the Law, the 

annual charge rate to be applied 

to eligible property in 

Lagos State shall be as follows: 

owner-occupied 

residential property – 0.076 

per cent per annum of the 

assessed property value, and 

owner-occupied pensioner’s 

property. 

The minimum 

LUC payable on 

any given property 

shall not be less 

than N5,000 

irrespective of any 

LUC relief granted 

on the property 

Exempted from from the 

Law are the state owned 

property, while chargeable 

property include industrial 

premises of manufacturing 

concerns at the rate of 0.256 

per cent per annum of the 

assessed property value, 

•Lagos State Governor, Akinwumi Ambode...raises land use 

charge 

residential property (owner 

and third party) at the rate 

of 0.256 per cent per annum 

of the assessed property 

value, residential property 

(without owner in residence) 

at the rate of 0.76 per cent per 

annum of the assessed property 

value, commercial property 

(used by occupier for 

business purposes) at the rate 

of 0.76 per cent per annum 

of the assessed property 

value and vacant property 

and open empty land at the 

rate of 0.76 per cent per 

annum of the assessed 

property value. 

Exemptions 

The Law also provides various 

forms of reliefs that are 

available to payers of LUC. 

The reliefs include general 

relief of 40 per cent (applicable 

to all property liable to 

pay LUC), and specific reliefs 

applicable to property owners 

and leases of 10 years and 

above for pensioners (60 

years and above) which is 

100 per cent for owneroccupied 

property, persons 

with disability 10 per cent for 

owner-occupied property. 

Others include aged persons 

(70 years and above) 10 per 

cent for owner-occupied 

property, age of property 10 

per cent for property aged 25 

years and above, long occupation 

by owners five per 

cent for 12 years and above, 

federal and other state 

government property 20 per 

cent for non-revenue 

generating property, partial 

relief under the LUC Law – 

20 per cent for non-profitmaking 

organizations. 

To enjoy the available reliefs, 

payers will need to 

provide relevant documentary 

evidence to support their 

relief claims. All LUC paid 

within 15 days of receipt of 

Demand Notice will enjoy a 

timely payment discount of 15 

per cent. 

The minimum LUC payable 

on any given property shall 

not be less than N5,000 irrespective 

of any LUC relief 

granted on the property. The 

Commissioner for Finance is 

empowered to appoint Property 

Identification Officers, 

Professional Valuers and other 

persons as may be considered 

necessary for the purpose 

of assessing the charge 

applicable to a property. 

Category of property exempted 

from LUC includes 

property owned and occupied 

by a religious body and used 

exclusively as a place of worship 

or religious education, 

public cemeteries and burial 

grounds, property used as a 

registered educational institution 

certified by the commissioner 

to be non-profit 

making, property used as 

public library or as a private 

library certified by the 

commissioner to be non-profit 

making; any property 

specifically exempted by the 

governor by notice published 

in the State Official Gazette, 

and all palaces of recognized 

Obas and Chiefs in the state. 

However, if any of the exempted 

property is leased out 

to private entities for revenue 

generation, it shall forfeit its 

exemption status as contemplated 

under the provisions 

of this Law. 

Offences and 

penalties 

What are the offences and 

penalties? Any person who 

refuses or neglects to comply 

with any provision of this Law 

when required to do so by the 

Property Identification Officer 

or an assessor; any person 

who prevents, hinders, or obstructs 

any Property Identification 

Officer or an assessor 

in the course of lawful duty 

or any one who removes, 

damages or destroys a 

Property Identification 

plaque on any property or 

building, commits an offence 

and shall be liable on 

conviction to a maximum fine 

of two hundred and fifty 

thousand naira only 

(N250,000) or to a maximum 

term of imprisonment for a 

period of three months or 

both. 

Any person who incites another 

person to refuse to pay 

LUC; or b) incites or assists 

any person to misrepresent in 

any way the person’s chargeable 

property; commits an offence 

and shall on summary 

conviction be liable to a maximum 

fine of two hundred 

and fifty thousand naira only 

(N250,000) or to a maximum 

term of imprisonment for a 

period of three months or 

both. 

The new LUC Law has 

equally established an Assessment 

Appeal Tribunal in 

each division of the state to 

treat all appeals and resolve 

any potential dispute. 

Each tribunal shall consist 

of a chairman who shall be a 

legal practitioner of not less 

than 15 years post-call 

Continues on page 21


NEW LAGOS LAND USE CHARGE LAW: All you need to know 

Continues from page 20 

experience, a representative 

of the Attorney-Generalof the 

state, a registered town 

planner, a registered land 

surveyor, a registered estate 

surveyor and valuer, a 

representative of the Lagos 

State Valuation Office, a 

person with cognate experience 

in accounting and taxation, 

and two persons from 

the private sector. 

A person may make an appeal 

to the tribunal if aggrieved 

by a decision that the 

property which the person 

owns is a chargeable property, 

or that the person is liable 

to pay LUC in respect of such 

property, or any calculation 

of an amount which the 

person is liable to pay as 

LUC, and the Tribunal shall 

make such decision as it 

deems fit. 

In resolving disputes arising 

from the provisions of the 

Law, the parties shall submit 

to a confidential mediation in 

an effort to resolve such disputes. 

However, where the 

mediation does not resolve 

the dispute within 45 working 

days of the first session or 

when the mediator declares 

an impasse, the mediation 

shall be deemed inconclusive 

and parties shall be at liberty 

to resolve their dispute 

formally at the tribunal or 

through any other lawful 

means. 

Making clarifications on the 

Law in an interactive session 

with property journalists last 

week, Lagos State Commissioner 

for Finance, Mr. Akinyemi 

Ashade, said said the 

government has extended the 

period for tax payers to enjoy 

the 15 per cent discount in 

the reviewed Land Use 

Charge Law to April 14, 2018 

to enable the implementation 

and enforcement of the new 

law, as well as allow many 

property owners to benefit 

from the discount. 

Ashade who took time to 

clarify reactions on the new 

law, said under the old law, 

which had not been reviewed 

for over 15 years since 2001, 

the Land Use Charge rate 

was totally inaccurate and 

retrogressive and was 

depriving the State of 

keeping track of all economic 

activities that relate to land 

in Lagos State. 

He said the Law, which was 

reviewed by the Lagos State 

House of Assembly and 

signed into Law by the State 

Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi 

Ambode, on February 8, 2018 

has merged all property and 

land based rates and charges 

in the State. 

Ashade said: “There was an 

urgent need for the repeal, as 

the old law had not been reviewed 

for over 15 years, 

since 2001. Under the old 

law, the LUC rate was totally 

force, the 

incidence of 

payment for 

Land Use 

Charge under 

the new law is 

on the landlord 

and not the 

tenant. 

He said the 

minimum rate 

was only 

increased from 

N1,200 it was 

in 2001 to 

N5,000, while 

there is provision 

for selfassessment 

a n d 

Assessment 

A p p e a l 

•Larry E. Ettah, NECA president 

Tribunal under 

the new law. 

On vacant properties, 

Ashade said such would be 

treated based on owner-occupier 

and not as a commercial 

property, explaining that the 

target of government is to 

make commercial property 

owners to pay a little bit more. 

inaccurate and retrogressive. 

This deprived the State of 

ability to keep track of all 

economic activities that relate 

to land in Lagos State. 

“The new law is a consolidation 

of ground rent, tenement 

rate, and neighbourhood 

improvement levy. This 

charge is payable annually in 

respect of all real estate 

properties in the State, which 

means owners and occupiers 

holding a lease to a property 

for 10 years or more are now 

liable to pay the annual LUC 

invoice charged. 

“Thus, the tenement rates 

law, the land based rates law, 

the neighbourhood improvement 

charge and all other 

similar property rates or 

charges, laws or amendments 

to any such property Laws 

shall cease to apply to any 

property in Lagos State as 

from 2018. Nonetheless, all 

pending invoices, orders, 

rules, regulations, etc. under 

the 2001 repealed Law shall 

continue to be in effect until 

such obligations are 

discharged.” 

Vacant 

properties 

Explaining the calculation 

of amount payable, the commissioner 

said that property 

owners can determine the 

amount by multiplying the 

market value of their 

property by the Applicable 

Relief Rate of 40 per cent and 

Annual Charge rate. 

“Upon receiving a notice or 

not, the new law has made it 

possible for owners to calculate 

their charge, and enable 

prompt payment, which allows 

them to benefit from a 

15 per cent discount for early 

payment, applicable to 

payments made within 15 

days of receipt of Demand 

Notice,” he said. 

Responding to fears of tenants 

that the new Law might 

force landlords to increase 

rent, Ashade said aside the 

fact that the Lagos State Tenancy 

Law 2011 was still in 

Professionals, OPS, others 

criticise new Land Use 

Charge 

But criticisms have continued 

to trail the new Law with 

the Organised Private Sector, 

OPS, leading the opposition 

to the new charges. OPS, 

along with opposition political 

parties in the state, 

residents of highbrow estates 

in Lagos, business and 

professional associations, 

have vowed to resist the reenacted 

Law which it said has 

led to 200 percent increase in 

Land Use Charge in the state. 

One of the opposition political 

parties, Action 

•Olusegun Oshinowo, NECA 

DG 

Democratic Party, ADP, 

described the increase in the 

land use charge by the state 

government as obnoxious, 

adding that the new levy 

would geometrically increase 

the level of hardship 

confronting residents of the 

state. Otunba Oluyemi, President 

of the Yoruba Youth 

Agenda and a chieftain of the 

party noted that APC 

government is anti-people, 

and there is a need to resist 

this anti-progress agenda of 

Ambode and his capitalist 

backers. 

ADP members also argued 

that the increase would lead 

to an upsurge in rents paid 

by Lagosians and 

subsequently render many 

homeless. They added that 

government exists for the 

people and people are not 

supposed to suffer in the 

hands of those who are serving 

them as a result of callous 

policies such as were being 

pursued by the government. 

The Nigeria Bar Association, 

NBA, Ikeja branch, expressed 

displeasure at the 

new Law which it argued, 

will lead to further 

impoverishment of over 17 

million Lagosians. It 

maintained that the poor 

economy of the country was 

already negatively affecting 

the people, and urged the 

governor to be sensitive in 

implementing policies that 

would positively affect 

residents of the state. 

Chairman of Ikeja branch of 

•Adesina Ogunlana, NBA 

Ikeja branch chair 

Category of 

property exempted 

from LUC includes 

property owned 

and occupied by a 

religious body and 

used exclusively as 

a place of worship 

or religious 

education, public 

cemeteries and 

burial grounds, 

property used as a 

registered 

educational 

institutions 

NBA, Mr. Adesina Ogunlana, 

said the governor was 

turning the state into a toxic 

environment and hell for its 

residents because of 

uncontrolled imposition of 

taxes. He said, “It is clear 

that if these tax regimes are 

allowed to stay, Lagos State 

would have been turned into 

a toxic environment and a 

living hell. Even ordinarily 

in Lagos State, accommodation 

is not cheap and easily 

affordable. The governor 

should not hide under the 

umbrella of working to develop 

Lagos into a mega-smart 

city to kill Lagosians with 

‘pharaonic taxes.'”President 

of the Nigeria Employer 

Consultative Forum, NECA, 

Mr. Larry E. Ettah, at a press 

conference last week, said, 

“The recent amendment of 

the land use charge law is a 

classic case of insensitivity, 

alienation and gross 

disregard of the current state 

of well-being of both corporate 

entities and residents.” 

Ettah said that in reality the 

new law expected property 

owners in Lagos State to pay 

at the very minimum, a monstrous, 

appalling and callous 

increase of over 200 per cent, 

and in some instances over 

500 per cent in Land Use 

Charge. He added,“It is not 

as if the income of a property 

owner has gone up 

significantly to justify this 

outrageous law. More so, the 

real estate sector continues to 

wallow in deep recession 

with high vacancy rates." 

To compound matters, he 

said, “There is a repugnant 

and odious penalty payment 

ranging between 125-200 per 

cent if payment is not made 

between April and August.” 

NECA hinted that the organised 

private sector would do 

everything legal and legitimate 

including social resistance, 

to challenge this “unfair 

and unjustifiable law.” 

Also speaking against the 

new Land Use Charge Law, 

the Director-General of 

NECA, Mr. Olusegun 

Oshinowo, who commended 

Governor Akinwunmi 

Ambode for his good work 

and making Lagos a model 

for good governance, 

contended that “sensitivity 

and humaneness, which is 

part of good governance, is 

missing in the recent amendment 

of the Land Use Charge 

law in the state. The new law 

will expect property owners in 

Lagos State to pay an increase 

of over 200 per cent in Land 

Use Charge even when the 

income of the property owner 

has not experienced significant 

increase to justify the 

charge. 

“There is, also, a penalty 

payment ranging between 

125-200 percent, if payment is 

not made between April and 

August, 2018. The new charge 

is, thus, highly insensitive and 

inhumane to say the least. It 

is therefore, unacceptable to 

organised businesses. The law 

is not acceptable and the Organised 

Private Sector OPS, 

will not stand hand tied up to 

celebrate impunity and cheer 

disdain. It will fight this law 

by social resistance and any 

other legitimate means at its 

disposal.”


Power sector records 230 systems breakdown in 8 years 

— as gas suppliers call for appropriate pricing framework 

By Prince Okafor 

DESPITE the fact that the 

nation's natural gas reserves 

rose by 4.067 trillion cubic feet (tcf) 

from 187.998tcf in 2014 to 192.065tcf 

in 2015, the power sector continues 

to suffer various setbacks as it 

recorded 230 systems breakdown 

or collapses in eight years. 

System collapse is the process by 

which the series of events 

accompanying voltage instability 

leads to a blackout or abnormally 

low voltages in a significant part 

of the power system. 

Investigation by Vanguard 

showed that the development was 

fuelled by limited distribution 

infrastructure, insufficient gas 

supply, inadequate transmission 

facilities and unstable water level. 

A breakdown showed that 

Nigeria recorded a total of 42 

systems breakdown (highest) in 

2010, of which 22 were total, while 

20 were partial in nature. 

The breakdown were recorded 

between 2011 and 2015, but the 

number of system collapse rose to 

28, 24 in 2016 and 2017 respectively 

before hitting six in the first two 

months of 2018. 

Expectedly, these frequent 

breakdowns have constrained the 

nation's capacity to generate power 

for transmission and distribution. 

For instance, 21 out of the 29 

generating companies, GENCOs 

in the country, generated 3,463 

megawatts (MW) of electricity last 

Thursday, as against 3,962mw 

recorded the previous day. 

According to the Daily 

Operational Report, the GENCOs 

sent out 3,899mw of electricity to 

the Transmission Company of 

Nigeria, TCN, on the same day. 

Shiroro, Sapele, Alaoji National 

Independent Power Plant, NIPP, 

Olorunsogo NIPP, Ibom Power 

ASCO, A.E.S, Azura-Edo 

Independent Power Plant, IPP, 

Paras Energy, were unavailable to 

send energy to the TCN. 

The report indicated that Shiroro 

Power Station has been shut down 

since February 20, due to flood 

problem, with seven thermal plants 

left idle by gas constraints and 

Nigeria Power System Collapses between 2010 and 2018 

other issues. The fire outbreak that 

occurred on January 2 has 

consequently affected the 

Olorunsogo NIPP with a capacity 

to produce 676MW from 

functioning normally. 

It will be recalled that the 

Nigerian Gas Processing and 

Transportation Company reported 

the fire on January 2, saying it 

would need to shut down supply 

to power stations, including Egbin- 

1,320MW, Olorunsogo NIPP- 

676MW, Olorunsogo - 338MW, 

Omotosho NIPP - 450MW, 

Omotosho - 338 MW and Paras - 

60MW power plants. 

GENCOs sue FG 

Meanwhile, many GENCOs 

have attributed the poor state of 

the sector to lack of funds, especially 

as the government has not yet 

paid their N1.0 trillion debt. A few 

days ago, 13 GENCOs had sued 

the Federal Government for giving 

preferential treatment to two 

competitors - (Azura Power West 

Africa Limited and Accugas 

Limited) in a bid to harm the affairs 

of others. 

DISCOs’ defence 

The Electricity Distribution 

Companies, DISCOs said that 

they have not been able to provide 

adequate and stable electricity to 

consumers because of 

inappropriate pricing of electricity 

in Nigeria. Consequently, they 

argued that they have not been 

able to provide adequate facilities, 

including transformers, cables and 

prepaid meters. 

Consumers lament 

Residents of Ago Palace Way, 

Lagos State, have expressed 

sadness over prolonged load 

shedding by Eko Electricity 

Distribution Company, EKEDC, in 

the area. Many residents 

operating various businesses 

informed Vanguard that the outage 

had negatively affected economic 

activities in the area. According to 

Mr. Akeem Suleiman, a welder, 

the power outage had crippled his 

business. 

"It is so painful that you come to 

work, in one week you only enjoy 

electricity for just four hours within 

the period.. 

Year 

THE average price 

of Organisation of 

Petroleum Exporting 

Countries, OPEC’s 

basket of 14 crudes in the 

past one week averaged 

$62.52 compared with 

$63.58 recorded the 

previous week. 

According to OPEC’s 

calculation, the highest 

price of crude was 

recorded on March 6, 

2018, which averaged 

$63.24 per barrel, while 

the lowest price for the 

period under review 

averaged $61.85. 

"Lack of electricity supply in Ago 

Palace Way has crippled my 

business because I cannot afford 

to buy diesel on daily basis. I have 

resolved to use my tricycle to carry 

passengers to make ends meet, 

rather than keep waiting for 

EKEDC to supply power." Also, 

residents of Nkpor in Anambra 

State, have lamented the 

intermittent power supply by the 

Enugu Electricity Distribution 

Company, EEDC. 

Gas pricing 

The gas suppliers who deliver 

commercial gas to the GENCOs 

also complain that the business is 

not profitable in Nigeria. The Chief 

Executive Officer of Seplat 

Petroleum Development Company, 

Austin Avuru, stated: "We have 

spent four years now struggling 

with the right pricing framework 

Oil production to contribute 2% growth to 

Nigeria's GDP in 2018 - PWC 

By Sebastine Obasi 

P RICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS, 

PwC, Nigeria said that 

Nigeria's real Gross Domestic 

Product, GDP, will grow at 2.0 per 

cent year-on-year in 2018, 

propelled by oil production 

increase and government 

spending. 

Number of 

collapses 

2010 - 42 

2011 - 19 

2012 - 24 

2013 - 24 

2014 - 13 

2015 - 10 

2016 - 28 

2017 - 24 

2018 - *6 

Source: Vanguard’s Energy Data Base 

both from gas to power, to the 

electricity itself, that whole chain 

so that it can hold itself. 

''Ivory Coast has got it right from 

gas to power to the power 

challenge itself. The minister of 

Power, Works and Housing, Mr. 

Babatunde Fashola, almost 

attempted to go into market tariff 

for electricity, but since election is 

less than 12 months, that means it 

cannot be achieved. "We still don't 

have the tariff that can generate 

the revenue from electricity that can 

hold the whole chain and pay for 

electricity and gas. These are the 

framework government should be 

emphasising on and not just the 

framework for rent collection and 

distribution.'' 

Buhari's promise 

The President, Muhammadu 

Buhari, had in his New Year 

message said that: "Several 

moribund projects have been 

revived. Repairs of Afam Power 

Station added 110MW in 2017 

and another 240MW will be added 

this year through a private 

investment partnership. 

"Katsina Power Project is now 

being tested and producing 

10MW of power from wind for the 

first time in Nigeria. It should be 

fully operational this year. 

"The Zungeru 700MW 

Hydroelectric Power Project, stalled 

by court cases is due for completion 

in 2019. The transmission and 

other requirements to operate the 

30MW Gurara Phase 1 

Hydroelectric Plant, the 40MW 

Kashimbilla Hydroelectric Plant 

and the 215 MW Kaduna Gas/ 

LPG/Diesel Power Plant will also 

be completed this year.'' 

The multinational professional 

services firm in its latest economic 

report said significantly higher 

oil sector growth in the first 

quarter of 2018 due to base 

effects is expected. Also expected 

is increased government and 

pre-election spending to boost 

the weak consumer spending. 

"However, we note that growth 

may be offset by a slowdown in 

investments due to the 

uncertainty usually associated 

with elections in Nigeria. 

"Despite our expectation of 

stronger growth in 2018, we 

believe the prolonged delay in 

implementing overdue reforms 

in the economy will continue to 

drag growth. These include: 

slow progress with the power 

sector reforms, absence of full 

deregulation of the downstream 

petroleum sector and the 

multiplicity of exchange rates 

which constrains investments 

and makes the economy 

vulnerable to shocks in the oil 

sector. Hence, growth will remain 

considerably below the longterm 

economic and population 

growth rates of 6.7 per cent and 

2.7 per cent respectively.'' 

PwC also stated that it is equally 

impressed by the growth rate 

recorded in the non-oil sector in 

2017. It stated that Nigeria's 

economy consolidated its ongoing 

recovery in fourth quarter 

of 2017, as real GDP expanded 

by 1.9 per cent year-on-year, the 

highest quarterly growth since 

fourth quarter of 2015. 

"This was driven by the non-oil 

sector which rose 1.3 per cent 

year-on-year, the highest in eight 

quarters, reflecting strong 

improvements in the agriculture, 

manufacturing and services 

sectors (92.6 per cent of GDP).'' 

Meanwhile, the oil sector 

received a boost from 150,000 

barrels per day increase in oil 

production to 1.9 million bpd, 

expanding 8.3 per cent year-onyear. 

In full year terms, real GDP 

increased 0.8 per cent year-onyear 

in 2017, largely in line with 

our estimate of 0.7 per cent yearon-year. 

C 

M 

Y 

K

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2018 —23 

Eruani: The man behind Azikel Refinery 

By Udeme Akpan 

DESPITE the early oil find at 

Oloibiri, Ogbia Local 

Government Area of Bayelsa state 

in 1956, many indigenes did not 

perceive the need to invest in the 

petroleum industry, still the 

mainstay of Nigeria's economy. 

This has constrained them from 

tapping the benefits inherent in 

the industry for themselves and the 

region. 

But the situation seems to be 

changing as Dr Eruani Azibapu, 

President of Azikel Group has 

ventured into business. Azikel 

Group is a conglomerate involved 

in dredging, petroleum refining, 

power generation, aviation, 

construction and engineering, 

with Azikel Dredging Nigeria 

Limited, Azikel Petroleum, Azikel 

Air Limited, Azikel Power and 

Azikel Construction as 

subsidiaries. 

Dr. Eruani is an industrialist, 

celebrated entrepreneur and a 

medical doctor by training from the 

University of Port Harcourt, Rivers 

State. In his quest to assume 

leadership in business and 

commence, he returned to class at 

the Lagos Business School (LBS) 

where he bagged the Own 

Management Program 

Certification. Thereafter at the 

London Business School, he 

obtained Certification in Senior 

Executive Programme, as well as 

Wharton Business School, 

University of Pennsylvania where 

he studied Advanced Business 

Management and Leadership. 

Equipped with these and other 

trainings, Eruani set out into the 

world of business. From the humble 

beginning of selling sand from an 

umbrella, then to caravan, while 

the sand product was sourced from 

local divers; and much later, driven 

by commitment to succeed, not 

despising the days of little 

beginning from one dredging 

machine. Today, the Azikel Group, 

with support funding from the 

Exim Bank and other International 

Finance Institutions has fleets of 

ultra-modern equipment with 

which it has continued to drive the 

wheels of industry in the Niger 

Delta. 

Expectedly, the Azikel Group 

has been able to stock pile and 

meet the demand for aggregate 

sand supply, and that underscores 

the several sand filling, 

reclamation and regeneration of 

land in the state and region. To 

say the least, Azikel Dredging 

Limited successfully sand filled, 

reclaimed and regenerated several 

lost lands to erosion, others below 

sea levels, such as the sand filling 

of the multi-purpose peace park 

for the Bayelsa State Government, 

provision of over 3million cubic 

meter of sand for construction of 

the East/West road, reclaimed and 

regenerated massive landmass for 

the take-off of the Federal 

University, Otuoke, reclamation 

work to regenerate lost ancestral 

land in Abalama and Bakana, 

Rivers state and several others for 

the International Oil Companies 

(IOCs). 

With the huge success in 

. Dr Eruani Azibapu, President of Azikel Group 

dredging, Eruani was encouraged 

to establish Azikel Air, Azikel 

Power and Azikel Petroleum. 

These companies have recorded 

several successes. Take Azikel Air 

as an example. The subsidiary has 

also impacted many lives through 

employment generation and 

quality services. It actually began 

operation providing helicopter 

services for Multinational Oil 

Chief Executives and Expatriate 

workers onshore and offshore oil 

platforms and rigs that traverse the 

Niger Delta. 

Azikel Power, a subsidiary of 

Azikel Group became a reality 

because Eruani seized the 

opportunity provided by 

privatisation to invest in the sector. 

As reserved bidder, he was not 

deterred after losing the bid to 

acquire the Gbarain power plant. 

His quest for a Greenfield licence 

was rewarded when the President 

Muhammadu Buhari/Yemi 

Osinbajo administration granted 

him a 500 MW on grid power 

licence in 2015. 

However, Eruani's commitment 

towards an industrial society went 

down the annals of history on the 

17th of February 2018, as the 

cream de la cream in the oil and 

gas sector, government 

functionaries at the federal and 

state levels and notable Nigerians 

converged in Yenagoa, to witness 

the foundation laying of the 12,000 

barrels per day refinery. 

The elated Governor Seriake 

Dickson of Bayelsa State said he 

was proud that a Bayelsan, has 

chosen to re-industrialize the state 

and Niger Delta by investing at 

home as he signed the certificate 

of occupancy for the landmass 

designated for the Azikel 

Petroleum Refinery and the Azikel 

Power Project. 

Fuel distribution to worsen as leadership tussle 

emerges in NUPENG 


THERE are indications that the 

fuel scarcity in the nation may 

worsen following the emergence of 

leadership tussle in the National 

Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas 

Workers, NUPENG, whose 

members, especially tanker drivers, 

are involved in the distribution of 

petroleum products nationwide. 

The crisis became apparent 

following alleged breach of its 

constitution by the outgoing 

President, Comrade Achese Igwe 

and his National Executive Council. 

The Petroleum Tanker Drivers, an 

arm of NUPENG is leading 

agitations to identify the alleged 

constitutional breach which it said 

was designed to elongate the tenure 

of the current executive officers of 

the union. 

A statement signed by Comrade 

Salimon Oladiti, the Branch 

National Chairman, PTD and 

Comrade Sunday Ochibejivwe, 

Branch National Secretary, PTD, 

and obtained by Vanguard, gave 

the Secretariat of the union until 

March 2018 to convene the National 

Delegates Conference that would 

usher in new executives of the union 

failing which they would be forced 

to use legal instruments to ensure 

that the breach is averted. 

The PTD disclosed that Comrade 

Igwe Achese and his team of 

National Executive Council were 

elected and duly sworn in, in 

December 2009 for the first term of 

four years and re-elected in October 

2013 at the Presidential Hotel, Port- 

Harcourt, Rivers State for tenure of 

four years for the second term. 

It indicated that the Achese-led 

executive has served the two 

consecutive terms provided in the 

union's constitution and legally 

ended in October 2017. 

The Petroleum Tanker Drivers stated 

that the matter had generated 

serious debate, but the General 

Secretary of NUPENG requested 

for grace of 90 days to convene the 

National Delegates Conference 

which was in breach of the union's 

constitution at a Central Working 

Committee (CWC) and National 

Dr. Parra was true OPEC pioneer, industry 

innovator - Barkindo 


M OHAMMAD 

Sanusi Barkindo, 

Secretary General, 

Organisation of Petroleum 

Exporting Countries, OPEC 

has described the late Dr. 

Alirio Parra, former Energy 

and Mines Minister of 

Venezuela as a true OPEC 

pioneer and great oil industry 

innovator. 

In a statement obtained by 

Vanguard, Barkindo disclosed 

that: ''Dr. Parra was a true 

OPEC pioneer, an oil industry 

innovator, a man who was 

always willing to share his 

great wisdom with others, 

and a witness to many historic 

OPEC moments, including 

the establishment of the 

Organization at the historic 

Baghdad meeting in 1960. 

''At the time of OPEC's 

founding, Dr. Parra was an 

assistant to Venezuela's 

legendary Minister of Mines 

Executive Council (NEC) meetings 

of the union in December, 2017. 

It added: ''Unfortunately again, the 

90 days he requested for, expired 

on 3rd of March, 2018, yet no date 

or venue has been communicated 

to members or branches for the 

National Delegates Conference. It 

is very obvious that there is a ploy 

to create disaffection and avoidable 

industrial relations crisis looming 

in the oil and gas industry with all 

these actions and inactions. 

and Hydrocarbons, Juan 

Pablo Pérez Alfonzo. It would 

prove to be the beginning of 

a long and distinguished 

career; one with many great 

accomplishments spanning 

several decades. 

''Early in his career, as a 

member of the Presidential 

Commission on Oil 

Nationalisation in 1975, he 

participated in the creation of 

Petroleos de Venezuela S.A., 

or PDVSA. In fact, as a 

founding Board Member of 

PDVSA, he spent 15 years 

helping to shape the company 

into an efficient, global 

commercial enterprise. 

''In this, he modernised 

PDVSA's downstream sector 

and revamped the entire 

refinery sub-sector, while also 

making sure the company was 

more efficiently integrated 

into world markets. 

He also initiated and 

facilitated the development of 

Orinoco heavy crude. 

Seven Energy 

reaffirms 

commitment to 

security, human rights 

By Ediri Ejoh 

SEVEN Energy, the leading 

indigenous integrated gas 

development, production and 

distribution company in south 

east Nigeria, has reaffirmed its 

commitment to implementing the 

Voluntary Principles on Security 

and Human Rights initiative 

(VPI) when it hosted the Steering 

Committee of the VPI at the 

Seven Energy Security Forum in 

Eket, Akwa Ibom State. 

The Seven Energy Security 

Forum is a monthly stakeholder 

engagement held in Akwa Ibom 

state to facilitate dialogue and 

flow of information between oil 

and gas companies and related 

government security agencies in 

Akwa Ibom State. 

The delegation from the VPI, led 

by the Chairman of the Global 

Steering Committee, Ronald 

Roosdorp, included 

representatives from the 

Netherlands, Switzerland, 

Ghana and the UK ,as well as 

from International and Nigerian 

companies and nongovernmental 

organisations who 

are signatories to the VPI. 

Speaking at the Forum, Ian 

Brown-Peterside, Managing 

Director Midstream, Seven 

Energy, said: "We are delighted 

to host the Voluntary Principles 

delegation, and particularly 

pleased to welcome the 

delegation to the Security Forum. 

We are fully committed to 

upholding human rights and 

ethical behaviors, and central to 

this is engaging communities 

and stakeholders proactively and 

consistently. 

NCDMB boss 

clinches rule of 

law award 

T 

HE maiden edition of JURIS 

LAW AWARD for honouring 

leaders who are taking significant 

steps towards promoting Rule of 

Law and economic growth in 

Nigeria has been won by Mr. Simbi 

Kesiye Wabote , the Executive 

Secretary of Nigerian Content 

Development and Monitoring 

Board ( NCDMB). 

The chairman of the occasion who 

presented the Award to Wabote was 

the former Chief Justice of Nigeria 

and Chairman Advisory Board of 

Juris Law Office, Hon. Justice Alfa 

Belgore. 

The founder of Juris Law Office and 

President of the International 

Institute for Petroleum, Energy Law 

and Policy ( IIPELP), Niyi Ayoola- 

Daniels, a visiting Professor of 

Energy Law and Policy applauded 

the noble efforts and outstanding 

achievements of Simbi Wabote for 

driving positive change in Local 

Content of the Oil and Gas industry 

using the instrumentality of the Rule 

of Law and the institution of the 

judiciary to ensure compliance to 

the law by the Oil and Gas 

companies.

24 — Niger-Delta Voice, TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2018 

VOL. 1: NO. 170 

70 TUESDAY, , MARCH CH 13, 2018 

18 

NON-PAYMENT OF SALARIES: 

C’River workers forced to sleep in 

uncompleted buildings, churches 

•As landlords pursue them from homes for not paying house rent 

•Angry CRGIA, CWBL workers lay siege to Gov’s Office; beg Gov Ayade to 

rescue them 

By IKE UCHECHUKWU 

C ALABAR—NUMEROUS 

workers of the Cross River 

Geographic Information 

Agency, CRGIA, and Cross 

River State Water Board 

Limited, CRWBL, Calabar, 

thrown out of their homes by 

their landlords for inability to 

pay house rent currently sleep 

in uncompleted buildings and 

churches. 

Some of the affected workers 

owed a backlog of 15-18 months 

salaries by the state government 

have also been dragged to court 

by the landlords. 

Penultimate Thursday, angry 

workers of the two agencies 

barricaded the Governor’s 

Office, Calabar, saying they 

were exhausted. 

They noted that different 

government officials had 

promised them that something 

would be done when the arrears 

were about six months, only to 

surprisingly renege and now, it 

has soared to 15 months for 

CRGIA and 18 months for 

CRWBL workers. 

We’re treated like beggars 

– Ibor, CRGIA worker 

One of the affected workers 

By Chioma Onuegbu 

U YO—OIL-BEARING 

communities in Akwa Ibom 

State have again slammed the 

Niger-Delta Development 

Commission, NDDC, for the 

purported shambolic execution 

and abandonment of projects 

across the state. 

Representatives of the 

beneficiary oil communities, who 

spoke at the maiden edition of 

NDDC Beneficiary Communities 

Forum/Stakeholders Dialogue, 

organised by Policy Alert, a civil 

society organisation, said the 

interventionist agency was 

delivering low quality projects to 

the people. 

They expressed lack of 

confidence in the ability of the 

and a staff of CRGIA, Nelson 

Ibor, confirmed that his landlord 

charged him to court because 

he could not pay his house rent 

that elapsed in November, 

2017. 

His words: “Our situation is 

like a nightmare which we are 

begging God to wake us up 

from. We are being owed 15 

months salaries while our 

directors and other 

management staff have 

received salaries till date. We 

are treated like beggars; I have 

three children and all of them 

have been sitting at home for 

more than two terms.” 

16 workers thrown out by 

landlords 

“To make matters worse, 

nobody is doing anything about 

it; we have been left in the dark. 

As we speak, 16 of my 

colleagues have been thrown 

out of their houses already, some 

sleep in churches while some 

sleep in uncompleted buildings. 

We are really suffering. His 

Excellency, Prof. Ben Ayade 

should look into our plight 

because it has already gotten 

out of hands. Many of us 

collected bank loans that we do 

not even know how to pay back,” 

he asserted. 

“As I speak with you, I will 

A’Ibom oil communities knock NDDC over messy, secondrate 

projects 

Commission to appropriately 

discharge its duties given the 

present situation of things, urging 

it to improve on the quality of 

projects, insulate politics and 

bribery from its processes. 

Decentralise operations – Chief 

Edoho 

Chief Emem Edoho from Esit 

Eket Local Government Area, who 

chaired the talks, frowned at a 

situation where contractors in the 

nine states of the Niger- Delta 

seeking award of NDDC contracts 

must travel all the way to Port- 

Harcourt, calling for 

decentralisation of the 

commission’s operations. 

He said: “You do not expect a 

rural contractor in Eastern Obolo 

or Esit Eket to go to Port-Harcourt 

to queue at the gate just to get a 

contract of N5 million or N10 

CROSS RIVER…THE PEOPLE'S PARADISE 

•Cross River Water Board staff protest non-payment of salaries at the Governor’s Office. 

AKWA IBOM…LAND OF PROMISE 

•We inherited the problem; Ekere, MD, others working to change the narrative 

— Frank, NDDC, A’Ibom Commissioner 

million. Such operation should be 

decentralised in the region. 

Centralisation is not giving the 

desired impact. 

“You can queue at the gate for 

two to three days without being 

attended to except you know 

somebody in the office or bribe the 

security at the gate. Such should 

discontinue. Also a situation where 

•NDDC Beneficiary Communities Forum 

participants 

somebody is awarded contract and 

for five years, you are not paid is 

not encouraging. 

“Also I am calling on NDDC to 

reorganise the commission such 

that a contractor must not know a 

director or commissioner before 

they are awarded a contract. It is 

not so in civilised societies,” the 

chair quipped. 

‘I am aggrieved’- 

Mbong, community 

leader 

A community leader 

from Eket Local 

Government Area, 

Obongiwoed Emmon 

Mbong, who grumbled 

that NDDC’s impact 

was not visible in the 

area, said: “I am very 

aggrieved. They 

Continues on pg 25 

be appearing in court on 

Tuesday, my landlord sued me 

because I have not paid him 

since July, last year. Two of my 

children have dropped out of 

school, I am a widower, and I 

have three children. I now live 

from hand to mouth. We 

generated a lot of money in 

2017 - over N200 million - I do 

not understand why they have 

turned us to beggars. We live 

at the mercy of friends and 

good spirited people. 

I and my children live in 

uncompleted building – 

Casual staff 

A casual staff said: “I now live 

in an uncompleted building 

with my children and my wife 

had to go back to the village, 

Okpoma in Yala. Because I 

cannot afford to allow my 

children to drop out of school, I 

live in an unfinished building 

with my children hoping that I 

will be able to raise money 

before the end of March to pay 

rent, even if it is a one-room 

apartment. 

“We were thrown out in 

November last year because I 

have owed my landlord for a 

year and two months, he ran out 

of patience and I do not blame 

him at all. Not everyone will 

even be as patient as he was 

with me for that long. 

“We are pleading with His 

Excellency, Prof. Ben Ayade 

and Commissioner for Lands to 

please help us, they should pay 

our money, we are dying, we 

have become destitute and 

internally displaced persons, 

IDPs, in our own land. A 

labourer deserves his wages, we 

have worked, we should also be 

paid,” he asserted. 

SOS to Gov. Ayade 

In a letter to the governor, 

CRGIA workers said: “We want 

to bring to the notice of Your 

Excellency the non-payment of 

salaries at CRGIA for over 15 

months. It would interest you 

to know that the agency 

generated N260 million in 

2017, N400 million in 2016 

while it generated N800 million 

in 2015, but our salary was just 

a meager 55 million, yet, 

nobody wants to attend to our 

plight. 

“We are appealing to His 

Excellency to come to our aid 

and help us clear the backlog 

of our salaries, most of our 

colleagues have died, many are 

sleeping in churches because 

they have been thrown out of 

their houses, we are going 

through a lot of psychological, 

physical and emotional 

trauma because of this ugly 

development,” they said. 

CRWBL workers also cry 

out 

On their part, CRWBL staff, 

who also blocked the entrance 

to the Governor’s Office, 

demanded their 18 months 

salaries, adding that they could 

no longer continue to work 

without pay. 

“They owe us for one year and 

six months. Many of our 

counterparts have died, some of 

us have put in 12 years as adhoc 

staff (casual workers), we 

want the meager allowances to 

be paid now, some of us receive 

as low as N25,000, yet they 

have owed us this money for 18 

months. We know Ayade has a 

listening ear, he should help us. 

6 staff almost suffocated in 

Continues on pg 25

CROSS RIVER…THE PEOPLE'S PARADISE 

I don’t go to hospital, God heals me when I 

smoke marijuana, drink herbs –Effanga Umoh, 

amazing Calabar cripple 

*I rather toil than beg on the streets, he swears 

*Why we can’t stop him from smoking marijuana – Edem, 

Supervisor, Watt Market 

By Emmanuel Una 

CALABAR—A 

physicallychallenged 

waste collector in 

Calabar, Cross River State, Effanga 

Francis Umoh, has revealed that he 

does not go to hospital when sick, but 

drinks native herbs and smokes 

marijuana to get cured. 

Umoh who spoke to NDV, however, 

stated that it was lack of money that 

pushed him into using marijuana as 

medical therapy. 

He is a familiar sight around the 

Calabar Watt Market and adjoining 

places like Lagos Street, Calabar Road 

and Bedwell Street where he serves 

as refuse disposal agent to the market 

women. 

Francis, unlike other refuse disposal 

agents in the market, who log waste 

baskets on their heads, in 

wheelbarrows or trucks, shuffles his 

king-size basket filled with waste to 

point of disposal at the Calabar River 

or any of the numerous waste bins, 

while crawling on his buttocks. 

should know that there is no 

gentleman in Niger-Delta. We are 

only trying to respect ourselves. 

Youth leader dares NDDC to 

identify projects 

And NDDC should not politicise 

its operations; they are only here 

because of us.” 

National youth leader of Okobo, 

who represented Okobo Local 

Government Area, Ulap Asuquo 

Bassey, challenged the NDDC to 

specify the number of projects it 

has executed in the entire 

communities in Oro nation since 

inception. 

He said: “The NDDC, two years 

THE TEAM 

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 

ago, planned s treet lights in Akai 

Ndyo without constructing the 

road. Even the roads they started 

in Eweme community are all 

abandoned. For me, they are not 

working at all. Also they should 

give scholarships to less privileged 

youths and not the other way 

round.” 

Eastern Obolo neglected – Dr. 

Ukpatu 

Similarly, Dr John Ukpatu 

representing Eastern Obolo said: 

“I want to tell this forum that since 

inception of democracy in 1999 to 

date, check the records, Eastern 

Obolo has no one ruler (12 inches) 

of tarred road done by NDDC. 

Continued from Page 24 

the office last week’ 

“We are the heart 

of Water Board, 

amongst us, we 

have highly 

technical personnel 

who have been 

working with water 

board for over a 

decade, yet they 

have not been 

absorbed into the 

system. 

“But that is not 

even our problem 

now, they should 

pay us, those who 

work in the 

chemical section, 

the main people who 

mix the chlorine and 

do water treatment. 

I cannot even 

remember the last 

time I got milk from 

the office. Last 

“And the constitution says that 

the leadership of NDDC must 

come from core communities. 

Eastern Obolo is the only core 

community in Akwa Ibom that has 

not sat on the board of NDDC or 

worked even as a cleaner. Local 

content policy must be enshrined 

in the NDDC,” he added. 

APC card before contract! 

Also speaking, Prince Ibiok Esuh 

condemned recent developments 

where 15 per cent was called by 

the agency for contract awarded, 

adding, “And for you to be awarded 

contract from NDDC now, you must 

present your All Progressives 

Niger-Delta Voice, TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2018 —25 

A’Ibom oil communities knock NDDC over messy, second-rate projects 

Continued from Page 24 

•Umoh Effanga, 

Calabar cripple 

who crawls to 

dispose waste 

I burn wounds on my body 

with marijuana 

His words: “The money the market 

women pay to pack their refuse cannot 

even buy me enough food to eat 

and igbo (marijuana) to cool my 

body, so which one do I take to the 

hospital for treatment? I stay at home 

and buy herbs from Mallam and 

smoke some igbo and God always 

cures me.” 

“Even when I have sores on my 

body because of scratching on the 

ground, I burn the sores with igbo and 

I get well,” he said. 

A close look at his body showed spots 

of healed sores and some fresh ones 

C’River workers forced to 

sleep in uncompleted 

week, about six of our 

colleagues almost suffocated 

because they could not get 

milk,” he stated. 

Gov working on the matter 

already- Orji, Commissioner 

Contacted, Commissioner for 

Water Resources, Mr. Odu Orji, 

said: “The governor whose 

philosophy is to make sure that 

there is food on the table of every 

citizen of the state has already 

directed an official, Dr Stephen 

Odey, to take charge of the place 

in a bid to ensure that the matter 

was handled appropriately.” 

“You people should exercise 

more patience, the matter will 

be resolved in the soonest 

possible time,” he assured. 

Director-General of CRGIA, 

Patrick Agida, referred our 

reporter to Mr. Christian Ita, 

Chief Press Secretary to the 

Governor, who was unreachable 

as at the time of this report. 

spread all over his body, attesting 

to his claim that he ‘heals’ the wounds 

by burning them with marijuana fire. 

Strong-willed 

During torrential down pours, he is 

usually seen drenched from head to 

toe and shivering while pushing his 

basket of garbage on the wet ground 

and during the dry season, he is often 

bathed in dust which gives him the 

appearance of a scarecrow as he does 

his job. Notwithstanding the hazards, 

he remains undeterred as he disclosed 

that refuse disposal is his only source 

of livelihood. 

He toldNDV: “I started this business 

a long time ago. I always collected 

refuse from the market women and 

carry to the Calabar River where I 

dump them, but when former governor, 

Mr Donald Duke, introduced the 

waste bins in Calabar and put some in 

the markets, many of my customers 

started dumping their waste in the 

bins, but some people still allowed me 

dispose their refuse and they give me 

stipends.” 

How I became a cripple 

Umoh, who was not born a cripple, 

said he found himself unable to walk 

after an illness that struck him some 

years back. 

“I used to walk upright just like you, 

but three years ago, I became so sick 

and I thought I was going to die but 

God saved me and when I recovered, 

I could not walk again, so instead of 

staying in my house to die, I decided 

to be crawling to do my business” 

Efik men don’t beg 

Asked why he does not sit at one 

spot and beg for alms rather than 

undertaking the laborious activity of 

carrying a basket of refuse to dump in 

the Calabar River, which is about a 

kilometre away to make money, he 

said: “I am an Efik man and we do not 

Congress, APC card. 

“Everything has been politicised. 

NDDC is now more corrupt than 

before. During the tenure of Bassey 

Dan Abia, nobody wants to know 

if you are from APC or PDP before 

giving you contract.” 

Commission should listen to 

the people- Gov’s aide 

Senior Special Assistant to Akwa 

Ibom State Governor on NDDC, 

Samuel Ekah, who is from Ibeno, 

after congratulating the organisers, 

was quick to accuse NDDC of 

delivering shoddy/poor quality 

jobs, procrastination on jobs, 

duplication of efforts and 

implementation. 

Blaming the leadership of the 

commission for the friction existing 

between them and states in the 

region, Ekah said, “There is always 

a state government contact link. 

This is normal operational 

procedure for every interventionist 

group, whether local or 

international.” 

“Even the project that NDDC is 

coming to deliver is on the land 

that belongs to the state. That gives 

the state government a major say 

in their activities. And the money 

that is used to fund the NDDC is 

from the states, and especially my 

local government, Ibeno,” he 

added. 

Criticize, but praise us where we 

performed – NDDC 

Commissioner 

Reacting to the protestations, 

Akwa Ibom State Commissioner on 

NDDC Board, Mr. Samuel Frank, 

who spoke through his staff, Mr. 

Effeh Effeh, pointed out that the 

issues raised predated the present 

board, saying that while the citizens 

criticized the oil agency, they 

should also admit that the 

commission had recorded some 

beg for alms in any circumstance 

because we are a proud nation. So I 

will rather work than bring shame to 

my people.” 

A tomato seller, Madam Ekanem 

Idio who normally gives Umoh refuse 

to dispose for her, said: “He has been 

doing it for many years for me and he 

does it to eat food, so if I do not give 

him work to do, I should give him food 

but since he can do it, it is better to 

allow him carry the refuse. 

I can’t stop him - Watt Market 

supervisor 

At the Watt Market office, a 

supervisor, Effiong Edem, told NDV 

that though the man does constitute 

occasional risk by obstructing traffic 

around the market, he wouldnot stop 

him from carrying on his job. 

“I was deployed to this market some 

years back and I met him here. He is 

not a thief even though he smokes 

marijuana openly and obstructs traffic 

with his crawling sometimes, I am not 

a drug enforcement official or do I work 

with the social welfare department, so 

I mind my job and leave him alone.” 

He informed that in a market, all 

kinds of characters, including spirits 

go there to do business, so it would be 

wrong to single out one person and 

stop him from going to the market. 

We’re uninformed on Umoh- 

Social Welfare officer 

At the Ministry of Social Welfare, 

Calabar, the Commissioner for 

Sustainable Development and Social 

Welfare, Mr Oliver Orok, was 

unavailable for comment when NDV 

visited. However, a welfare official, 

Agnes, said the department was not 

aware of the existence of the man, 

adding rhetorically, “Even if we know, 

what should we do? Take him to the 

welfare home meant for motherless 

babies?” 

achievements despite the 

challenges it faced. 

“The MD has accepted that he 

inherited a problem and he has 

promised to change the narrative. 

I am also willing to change the 

narrative. 

455 projects amounting to 

N57bn completed 

“You see, in Akwa Ibom State, 

up to date, I think we have 1,063 

projects, different types of projects. 

Recently another 298 were 

awarded; 455 of those projects 

translating to about N57billion I am 

aware, have been completed and 

318 are ongoing at various stages 

“Because we are discussing 

NDDC, I should not be defending 

NDDC, so if I start defending 

NDDC, I will not be fair to this 

forum. I conceive the need for us 

to improve. We need to change the 

narrative. I did not come here for a 

lecture, I came here to listen to you, 

get your inputs so that at the end 

of the day, we can improve,” he 

said. 

Agency done so little – Bolton- 

Akpan, Policy Alert 

However, Acting Executive 

Director of Policy Alert, Mr. Tijah 

Bolton-Akpan, said the essence of 

the forum was for the citizens and 

stakeholders to look at ways of 

addressing the challenges in the 

commission. 

He said: “Other states in the 

region have already started this. It 

is sad to know that so much wealth 

is being extracted from the state, 

yet, it continues to depreciate in 

terms of development indicators. 

NDDC as the interventionist 

agency created to develop the 

region, has impacted so little on 

the region,” he noted. 

Niger Delta Voice, MARCH 4


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AUDREY MOTHUPI 

CEO, SystemicLogic Group 

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financial industry forever. 

How much FinTech development 

is required for Africa to position itself 

as a regional hub, and how much 

can Africa leverage the developments 

elsewhere? 

In order to create a regional hub, 

we need to collaborate across borders 

and establish a FinTech ecosystem 

that is country-agnostic. By trading 

across border we are better equipped 

to pool funds, visit one another, work 

with multinational companies and 

engage our governments to help 

spread digital transformation. We also 

need to make sure Africa is 

represented on the global stage by 

participating in global FinTech events 

and learning from experiences 

overseas. 

The technology start-up scene has 

changed dramatically in Africa in the 

last few years. What are the key 

elements that supported this 

evolution and what improvements 

can be made to further increase this 

sector’s contribution to GDP and job 

creation? 

The appeal of Africa’s growing 

entrepreneurial start-up industry has 

continued to drive interest with 

international investors. The 

opportunity to create revenue by 

reaching a market of 1.2 billion people 

seemingly outweighs potential 

stereotypical risks, which have driven 

this technical transformation. As a 

result, we are in the midst of a 

technological boom where rapid 

modernisation and the growing startup 

scene would not have been 

possible without local and 

international investors, who believed 

and continue to believe in the potential 

and growth of Africa. 

What do you feel are the key 

components of the wider ecosystem 

that are required to support FinTech 

entrepreneurs and venture capital 

investors? 

Africa is experiencing exciting and 

promising technology developments 

that support the wider ecosystems 

for FinTech entrepreneurs and 

venture capital investors. As a result, 

investors are not averse to funding 

the entrepreneurial start up industry, 

which is supported by an article on 

the Disrupt Africa portal, where they 

mention that start-ups in Africa raised 

an estimated $129 million in 2016, and 

this figure is growing year by year. 

Additionally, we are noticing that 

government involvement and 

support is key to the growth and 

development of FinTech 

entrepreneurs and venture capital 

investors. Governments can provide 

tax–breaks to investors, skills 

development for entrepreneurs and 

see value in investing in infrastructure 

that will allow economic growth. 

What are some of the technologies 

and trends that threaten existing 

businesses and business models, and 

what sort of opportunities do they 

offer? 

Technologies and trends present 

both treats and opportunities to 

business. Looking specifically at the 

FinTech space, we are constantly 

researching block chain technology, 

mobile (apps, payments etc.), social 

networking, cloud technologies, 

augmented and virtual reality, 

wearable technology and gesturebased 

computing, as well as big data, 

social TV, 3D printing and 

gamification. With all this technology, 

cybercriminals are discovering new 

and creative ways to intercept this 

digital world, and take control. 

Businesses need to be aware and 

counteract this through compliance 

and security measures that ensure 

they do not damage consumer 

confidence. There is also a fear that 

technology will eventually be the 

downfall of humanity. As it stands, 

technology, automation and the 

improvement of internal business 

processes, we are noticing a reduction 

the size of the workforce. 

But the growth in digital innovation 

is presenting new ways to use and 

engage technology, information and 

collaboration to change the overall 

customer experience, alter how 

businesses operate and move into the 

future. Some exciting opportunities 

that will become available are: the 

introduction of the mobile workforce - 

made possible as a result of Wi-Fi and 

data technologies, cloud storage and 

file sharing, ensuring seamless 

interaction and communication 

regardless of the destination; the 

mobile banking industry has opened 

doors to empower the unbanked and 

drive financial inclusion; and 

opportunities for collaboration 

between big businesses, and small 

agile start-ups. 

How are these digital opportunities 

different from prior IT innovations? 

Unfortunately, IT is an older term 

and is associated with both positive 

and negative connotations. Generally 

speaking, IT within business is 

synonymous with the IT department 

– where you go for hardware or 

software issues. Digital is a buzzword 

that has been introduced, like IT 2.0. 

This innovation can also be found 

in marketing, customer service or 

Human Capital. Digital 

innovation has the ability to 

remove borders, create new 

markets, engage different 

stakeholders and open up new 

avenues for collaboration. In 

essence, digital innovation is a 

subset of IT innovation. 

How do you make sense of the 

digital opportunities and threats? 

The rapid adoption of digital 

technologies within financial 

services is fuelling a market-driven 

transformation. Those who lead this 

technological drive have an 

appreciation and understanding of 

disruptive digital innovations that 

enhance their efficiency, boost 

business productivity and deliver 

security that ensures consumer 

confidence. Others will find their 

businesses are left behind. We 

must be willing to face 

uncomfortable facts, embrace our 

diversity and learn in order to pivot 

our business into the future.


C 

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28 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2018


C 

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30 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2018

C 

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Financial inclusion lessons from 

Ghana (2) 

Last week we began discussion on 

the evolving progress in Ghana’s 

financial inclusion strategy. Today we 

conclude by looking at issues, 

challenges and prospects. 

WE begin by noting the 

crucial role played by the 

Bank of Ghana (BoG) in steering the 

financial inclusion agenda. The BoG 

has provided policies that support the 

development of branchless banking 

in the country. From our own 

discussions with some commercial 

banks, it is evident that banks in 

Ghana are integrating their mobile 

banking operations with mobile 

money service providers to ensure 

enhanced financial inclusion for the 

unbanked. For example, Ecobank 

is collaborating with Airtel to provide 

mobile money to unbanked 

subscribers of Airtel services. Zenith 

Bank, United Bank of Africa and 

Standard Chartered Bank have also 

partnered with Airtel to offer banking 

facilities to Airtel Money Services. 

Mobile money has grown in parallel 

with other financial electronic 

payment services (e.g., e-zwich, Afric 

Xpress, eTransact Ghana) that 

enable loading and sending of 

electronic cash, while facilitating 

remittance transactions via phone, 

among other services. 

There is a perceptible gap in the rate 

of mobile money usage between the 

rural countryside and the modern 

urban sector. Rural and poor people 

are least likely to hold an active 

financial account; while for females, 

financial account ownership is 

somewhat below the national 

average. According to our findings, 

commercial banks are the key drivers 

of financial services transformation 

in Ghana. We found that one in five 

Ghanaians had a registered mobile 

money account, although half of 

them also had a registered bank 

account. While reported registered 

use of nonbank financial institutions 

is rather low, it would seem that 

unregistered/informal use of such 

agencies is likely higher. It was 

reported that 48% of Ghanaians 

operate an account; some 20% have 

registered mobile money accounts; 

while 8% have non-bank financial 

institutions accounts. 

We also found that bank accounts 

with digital access are by far the most 

common form of digital financial 

services; with some 80% of bank 

account holders reporting at least 

one form of digital bank account 

access. Mobile money accounts are 

the second most common form of 

account. Some 20% of Ghanaian 

adults own mobile money accounts, 

while some 27% have digital access 

to bank accounts. Some 4% of the 

adult population have digital access 

to non-bank financial institution 

accounts. 

Remarkably, almost all Ghanaian 

adults owning a mobile phone 

possess basic literacy and numeracy 

and have the necessary ID to register 

for a formal account. There is also 

evidence that most are also aware of 

mobile money services. Unlike many 

ECOWAS countries, Ghanaians 

appear to have a rather high level of 

consumer engagement in advanced 

financial activities, with some 59% of 

Ghanaian adults able to purchase 

insurance, some 67% being able to 

save and some 40% able to engage 

in one form of investment or the 

other. Unfortunately, it also seems 

clear that few of these activities are 

channelled through banks, mobile 

money or NBFIs. Overall, the person 

to person, P2P, market appears 

dynamic in Ghana, with some 60% 

of adults able to send and/or receive 

remittances. 

Financial 

inclusion thrives 

best, in my 

opinion, in an 

environment of 

macroeconomic 

stability; in a 

robust financial 

ecosystem within a 

well-governed 

country that is at 

peace with itself 

One of the important innovations 

that Ghana has made relates to the 

creation of a payments System 

Council which serves as an advisory 

body to the BoG and supports 

implementation of a sound and 

efficient payments, clearing and 

settlement system. It is an 11- 

member organisation that includes, 

notably, the Ministry of Finance, 

Ghana Revenue Authority, Controller 

and Accountant General’s Office, 

Securities and Exchange 

Commission, National Insurance 

Commission, National Pensions 

Regulatory Authority, Ghana 

Interbank Payment and Settlement 

System and Ghana Chamber of 

Telecommunications. 

The Chair of the Council is the 

Governor of the BoG. The Council 

focuses most of its activities on 4 

thematic areas, namely, Standards, 

Automation and Technology; 

Operations; Pricing; and Legal. In 

addition, the BoG developed a Web- 

Based Data Collection Portal for 

collection of payment streams data 

from the banks and other service 

providers. This enhances monitoring 

and supervision and ensures that 

regulators are on top of the game. 

Also encouraging has been the 

creation of interest on float accounts 

for electronic money holders. Total 

interest payable to holders of 

electronic money wallets totalled 

some GHC24.79 million in 2017. The 

successful distribution of such 

interest was the first time electronic 

wallet holders were able to receive 

interest since electronic money 

services began in Ghana in 2009. 

More recently, and similar to the 

case of Nigeria, BoG, in cooperation 

with the Ghana Association of 

Bankers, is launching a Bank 

Identification Number Project. The 

introduction of biometric 

identification aims to stem the rising 

tide of banking and financial fraud. 

The envisaged benefits include: real 

time customer identity verification; 

opportunity to blacklist customers 

noted for miscreant behaviour, 

including those in the habit of issuing 

dude cheques; prevent identity theft; 

provide audit trail for over the counter 

(OTC) transactions; reduce the time 

required to serve customers; enhance 

the integrity and security of the 

banking system; a vehicle for trailing 

AML/CFT and other banking crimes 

while minimising cyber fraud; and 

prevent unauthorised access to 

customers’ accounts while ensuring 

KYC and engendering confidence in 

the industry. 

Another important element in the 

Ghana approach is the institution of 

consumer protection measures to 

safeguard consumers’ interests in the 

use of financial services products. 

Public awareness and consumer 

education is being pursued at the 

same time as windows for receiving 

and promptly treating consumer 

complaints have been opened. The 

authorities receive petitions and 

grievances which are systematically 

investigated and address, including 

issues such as fraud and defalcation 

in the financial industry. The BoG 

has articulated two sets of Market 

Conduct Regulations to guide the 

delivery of credit services. 

In spite of all the progress, a critical 

challenge remains that of ensuring 

inter-operability. To address the issue, 

KPIs are being developed to ensure 

a seamless inter-operability between 

TELCOs, financial services 

providers, banks and agents on the 

field. Another challenge is the 

question of internet connectivity, 

which can be rather expensive in 

Ghana. The digital divide remains a 

major challenge in Ghana. Some of 

the payments systems require 

internet connectivity which remains 

rather expensive in the country. 

There is palpable evidence that 

financial inclusion has enormous 

potential to improve human 

livelihoods while contributing to 

national transformation. But it is 

clear that the right policies are in 

place and the framework for 

implementation is on course in 

Ghana. Financial inclusion thrives 

best, in my opinion, in an 

environment of macroeconomic 

stability; in a robust financial 

ecosystem within a well-governed 

country that is at peace with itself. 

These are important lessons for 

countries like ours who desire to go 

up that route. 

In spite of all the progress that has 

been made, even Ghana is not yet 

where it ought to be. Indeed, a former 

Governor of the Bank of Ghana, 

Kwabena Duffuor, has lamented that 

the financial system manages to “only 

serve a few”. Progress requires that 

relevant stakeholders work together 

to achieve common objectives: the 

central government, the monetary 

authorities, the commercial banks, 

the TELCOs, financial services 

providers, regulators and others need 

to work in tandem to ensure the 

greatest benefit to the greatest 

number. 

Ultimately, this is not just about 

economic development; it is no less 

than about national transformation 

and the quality and meaning of 

building prosperous democracies at 

the dawn of the twenty-first century. 

Disaster called Edo State House of 

Assembly 

By Erasmus Ikhide 

ITHOUGHT I was in a trance of some 

sort while reading from the internet 

madrasa that Edo State House of Assembly 

has legislated against its own autonomy, the 

Judiciary, as much as against the Edo people! 

Information at my disposal is to the effect 

that of the 36 Houses of Assembly, only EDHA 

voted against self autonomy and independence 

of the Judiciary. This amounts to a collective 

death wish and pure masochism. 

Without any hesitation, I have drawn the 

conclusion that some human beings are no 

better than their animal cousins where and 

when the institutions put in place to secure 

and safeguard civilization have all but 

collapsed. What has been tweaking in my head 

since the news broke is how does the Edo 

masses arrest the intriguing home-grown 

tyranny foisted on them by a bunch of 

individuals . 

How sad that the human institution put in 

place — selected to ensure that that beastly 

nature do not triumph over human evolution 

suddenly swapped places with their animal 

cousins. The collective madness of mindless 

little minds of the hollow chamber — that 

emptiness of collective decay, driven 

principally by rapacious greed has seal the 

fate of Edo people! 

I'm however cautioned by my mentor, Mr. 

odia Ofeimu that animals are more 

conscientious and liberated than some of the 

dis-honorable members in the Edo Assembly 

and elsewhere in Nigeria who worship the god 

of their stomach. 

In truth, when political leadership of any 

nation mortgages its soul to the devil in a 

country rooted in magic and ritual, you are 

condemned to be eternally enslaved for the 

rest of your life and those of the unborn 

generation. A State Assembly with a ritualistic 

and diabolical leadership is nothing but a 

cancerous part of the whole that must be cut 

off before it spreads conterminously and 

consume the entire body. 

Those who felt betrayed or downcast over 

the tragic act of the self-degradation and selfabnegation 

— of course, outright relocation 

Edo is not a feudal state. It 

shouldn't play the first 

violin in despotism, as the 

leadership of the House 

demands of us 

into the caves and caverns by the pliant and 

compromised Edo Assembly must take solace 

in the sanctity of the electoral ballot. On a 

convulsing note, 99% of those who populate 

that 'house of shame' never own their mandate. 

None of them mounted the rostrums to win 

elections. They're all fostal children of the 

godfather, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole who 

purchased their mandates. 

You're wont to ask, does a political godson 

has a life of his own other than the one the 

godfather programmed and fixed for him? 

You're at liberty to seek explanation from the 

slaves and the slaves master. 

The heart shattering action of the Edo State 

House of Assembly gamble resurrects the 

residue of the old expiring order and ultimately 

ignites the crippling and disempowering 

phenomenon of authoritarian master-voices. 

These are despotic voices buoyed over time to 

enforcing subsisting old order without new 

perspectives or multiplicity of alternative views 

in the way a society should be structured or in 

a manner its democratic reformation should 

be programmed. 

Edo, in its immediate history witnessed 

monologic dialogue in which a dominant 

authoritarian master's voice revibrated and 

echo across the ocean, without restraint. 

Whereas, what we needed was a polyphonic 

debate and dialogic conversation as 

participatory democracy demands. Grumpy 

style of governance has no place in new 

societies. 

If Edo House of Assembly members were 

not crass opportunists and self servicing — 

despite the purchased mandates — they would 

have known that the legislature and the 

judiciary as arms of Government are equal to 

the executive and even stronger. 

That singular act of legislative banditry 

constitutes the actual erosion and a major 

blight on the hallmark of democracy and ethos 

of checks and balances as espoused by 

Montesque that distinguishes participatory 

democracy from other systems of government. 

The push for autonomy of Houses of Assembly 

nationwide was meant to secure financial 

independence, thereby extricating the Houses 

of Assembly from the shackles of tyrannical 

executives with the sole ambition to loot and 

pauperise the masses. 

Over time, Edo citizens in Nigeria have been 

severely plagued by crisis of youths 

approaching the Mediterranean sea to seek 

greener pastures in Europe. Recently, the crisis 

assumed frightening dimension that nearly 

drove the State to the edge economically, as a 

result of Libyan returnees' burden on the State 

Government. The House did not consider it a 

matter of urgent importance. No piece of 

legislation was promulgated to create safety 

net or social security for Edo youths, so as to 

enhance the governor's effort with the force of 

law and prevent them from engaging in such 

reckless voyages in the near future. 

The House leadership is completely at sea 

and bereaved of legislative solution to the 

Fulani herdsmen's menace that saw the 

decapitation of heads, amputation of hands 

and the murdering of tens of hundreds of Edo 

citizens. As we speak, the raping and killing of 

Edo citizens is taking place in parts of Akoko- 

Edo, where the Speaker of the House comes 

from. 

The total effect of legislative democracy has 

surely escaped the Honourable Speaker of 

the House. Alhaji Kabiru Adjoto has no business 

being the number two citizen in a digital Edo 

State with his ancient disposition and primitive 

disheveled appearance in a state where Mr. 

Godwin Obaseki applauds himself as the 21st 

century governor. The question is, why saddle 

a man with leadership position whose rules or 

etiquettes of engagement is alien to him? 

That self-destructive piece of legislation that 

disempowered Edo House of Assembly, the 

Judiciary and Edo people with the sole 

intention to entertain despotic leaders with 

prehuman style of governance must be 

abrogated. This is the time for Edo people to 

deconstruct the dominant subversive 

hegemony that replaces the previous empire 

of the political ruling class that debase Edo 

people and made them subhuman. It's 

godfatherism in different guise and structures. 

Edo is not a feudal state. It shouldn't play the 

first violin in despotism, as the leadership of 

the House demands of us. 

Mr. Ikhide, a public affairs analyst wrote 

from Lagos 

C 

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South-South PDP rejects 

onshore, offshore dichotomy 

By Gabriel Enogholase 

BENIN—THE South- 

South Zone of Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, has 

rejected the reintroduction 

of offshores/onshore 

disharmony, insisting that 

it was inconsistent with the 

principles of federalism. 

It will be recalled that the 

issue of onshore/offshore 

dichotomy was laid to rest 

during the regime of late 

President Umaru Yar’ Adua 

by the Supreme Court. 

By Harris-Okon 

Emmanuel 

UYO—WORRIED by 

the worsening security 

situation occasioned by 

cultism and kidnapping in 

Etim Ekpo and Ukanafun 

A communiqué read by 

the National Vice- 

Chairman of the party, Mr. 

Emmanuel Ogidi, at the 

end of its meeting in Benin, 

Edo State capital, also 

pledged that the zone will 

work with other zones to 

produce a credible 

presidential candidate for 

the 2019 election within the 

confine of credible and 

acceptable democratic 

processes, as stipulated in 

the party’s constitution. 

The communique said: 

Local Government areas of 

Akwa Ibom State, the Police 

and stakeholders in the 

state met in Uyo to fashion 

out ways to tackle the 

menace. 

The participants, in a 

communiqué at the end of 

“The zone commends the 

Edo State Executive 

Committee of the party and 

the entire PDP family for 

their resilience despite the 

unfavourable and hostile 

political terrain in the 

state. 

“The party condemn in 

its entirety the unwarranted 

arrest and detention of PDP 

members across the 

country, especially the 

arrest of the Edo State 

chairman of PDP, Chief 

Dan Orbih, on flimsy 

the meeting, observed that 

violent crimes in the areas 

have led to loss of lives and 

properties, and called on 

the state government to 

extend an olive branch to 

repentant cultists and 

kidnappers. 

It read in part: “We call 

upon the state government 

excuses. 

“The party condemns the 

killings of innocent 

Nigerians across the 

country and expresses 

heartfelt condolences to 

the people of Plateau and 

Benue states over the 

recent killings of innocent 

citizens by herdsmen.” 

It said the zone will 

regularly hold executive 

meeting henceforth, 

adding that the next one 

will be in April, in 

Bayelsa State. 

WOMEN'S DEVT: From left—Digital Manager, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Folahan Abudu; Head, Public 

Affairs, Women’s Development Centre, Abimbola Adeola; Commercial Finance Director, Olaitan Aremu; 

Sustainable Development and Alcohol in Society Manager, Titilola Alabi; and Corporate Communications 

Manager, Olayinka Edmond, all of Guinness Nigeria, during a knowledge-sharing session at the 

Women’s Development Centre, Agege, Lagos. PHOTO: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor. 

A-Ibom govt tasked on amnesty for repentant 

cultists, kidnappers 

Army chief urged to probe soldiers' brutality 

By Jimitota 

Onoyume 

WARRI— A rights 

lawyer in Warri, 

Delta State, Mr. 

Oghenejabor Ikimi, has 

enjoined the Chief of Army 

Staff, Lieutenant General 

Tukur Buratai, to 

investigate alleged 

brutalisation of his client, 

Mr. Freedom Odiete, by 

soldiers in Warri. 

In a petition to the Chief 

of Army Staff supported 

with photographs, Ikimi 

said the army chief should 

order an unbiased 

investigation into the 

alleged act by his men so 

that those found culpable 

will be sanctioned in line 

with military tradition. 

The petition read: “Our 

client has briefed our law 

firm to put up this petition 

to your office in a bid to 

cause a thorough and 

unbiased investigation into 

the unlawful arrest, severe 

torture and stigmatisation 

meted to our client by your 

men, whose unprofessional 

conduct contravenes all 

military norms and ethics. 

“We, therefore, call on 

you to order an 

independent and 

impartial investigation 

into the above incident so 

as to discourage 

indiscipline in the 

Nigerian Army. 

“It is our brief that our 

client was intercepted at 

the popular Jigbale Market, 

Ovwian, Delta State, by 

eight soldiers led by (name 

withheld) at the 3 Battalion, 

Effurun Barracks, who 

ordered our client at 

gunpoint to come down 

from his vehicle and enter 

the Hilux van conveying the 

soldiers. 

“Our client complied and 

was thus whisked away to 

the Army Barracks, Effurun. 

“It is our brief that at the 

said barrack, our client 

was stripped naked, his 

limbs handcuffed, 

flogged intermittently for 

an hour, during which 

time the said soldiers 

ordered our client to tell 

them the whereabouts of 

a suspect or else our client 

would be shot dead. 

“Our client informed the 

said soldiers that he knows 

nothing about the 

whereabouts of the said 

suspect.” 

to look into the possibility 

of granting clemency/ 

amnesty to those who are 

willing to embrace the 

gesture.” 

They called on criminals 

lay down their arms and 

give government the 

opportunity to look into 

their grievances. 

They commended the 

Police and the state 

government for their efforts 

so far and advised them not 

to relent in their efforts to 

restore peace and security 

in all parts of the state. 

They called for the 

establishment of joint patrol 

/crack teams with proper 

funding for effective 

operation and the 

establishment and proper 

funding of neighbourhood 

watch in all the 

communities, as well as the 

retraining, equipping and 

improved funding for the 

Police and other security 

operatives. 

Among those who spoke 

at the event were the 

Commissioner of Police, 

Adeyemi Ogunjemilusi, 

and National Legal Adviser 

to Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP, Mr. Emmanuel 

Enoidem. 

Women deserve special 

recognition—Obuah 

By Davies 

Iheamnachor 

THE Chairman of 

Rivers State chapter 

of Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP, Mr. Felix 

Obuah, has said 

humanity would have 

been a nullity without the 

special role of women in 

the society and that they 

should, therefore, be 

respected and accorded 

a special recognition by 

leaders. 

Obuah, in a goodwill 

message yesterday, on 

this year’s International 

Women’s Day and 

Mothers’ Day 

celebrations, said: 

“Human-kind has no 

choice but to love and 

Why I dumped APC 

—Bayelsa chieftain 

By Emem Idio 

Y ENAGOA—A 

chieftain of All 


APC, in Bayelsa State, 

Chief Abel Ebifemowei, 

who recently dumped the 

party for Young 

Democratic Party, YDP, 

said his decision was 

hinged on the fact that he 

needed a party that truly 

identifies with youths. 

Ebifemowei, a former 

Special Adviser on 

Youths to Bayelsa State 

Government and former 

Chairman of the State 

Environmental Sanitation 

Authority, under Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, is 

a founding member of 

the PDP, before he joined 

Consumers hail firm for 

checkmating fuel marketers 

By Onozure 

Dania 

W ARRI—FUEL 

consumers in 

Warri, Ughelli and 

environs in Delta State 

have expressed relief at 

the regular dispensing of 

petrol by Matrix Energy 

within approved pump 

price amidst hoarding 

and irregular prices 

among other marketers in 

the area. 

Consumers in Warri, 

Udu, Ughelli and Sapele 

where Matrix operates 

retail outlets, noted that 

the firm’s uninterrupted 

delivery of petrol at the 

official pump price, had 

forced gradual crashing 

of the outrageous prices 

among other marketers. 

Ese Komone, a resident 

in Ughelli who works in 

Warri, told Vanguard, 

protect mothers as special 

and indispensable, without 

who humanity cannot be 

sustained.” 

This, according to 

Obuah, was the reason 

why governor of the state, 

Nyesom Wike, gives 

prominence to women in 

his administration. 

He expressed optimism 

that given the gendersensitiveness 

of Governor 

Wike, women can measure 

up to their male 

counterparts. 

Obuah noted that the 

surest means of actualising 

this hope is to rally round 

Wike who has 

demonstrated his respect 

for women by appointing 

women to enviable positions 

in his administration. 

APC in 2015. 

In a chat with newsmen 

in his office in Yenagoa, 

yesterday, Ebifemowei 

said although the youths 

were prepared to take over 

political power, most of the 

leading political parties 

were not ready to give 

them the opportunity. 

He said: “Change is the 

only constant thing. As we 

speak, I am not in APC 

anymore. 

“As a youth leader, I 

deem it fit to give youths a 

platform to seek and aspire 

for political offices and to 

do that I need to get a party 

for them and I believe that 

YDP will offer the youths 

the best platform to realise 

their political aspiration 

and ambition.” 

“Matrix has turned out to 

be our saviour in the 

absence a NNPC Mega 

Station in Warri and 

environs. 

“Even major marketers 

we use to buy from 

suddenly started ripping 

off fuel users over the recent 

scarcity. Matrix came with 

steady supply.” 

On his part, a motorist, 

Kingsley Ebikeme, said: 

“Matrix’s queues are 

always long because they 

are about the only filling 

station with steady supply 

at N145 per litre.” 

Okeoghene Joseph, a 

transporter, said: “Matrix 

deserves commendation 

and other motivations from 

government. 

“How can people like us 

remain in business? 

Commuters are not always 

ready to pay extra to share 

the burden of fuel scarcity?”


Steer clear of Enugu guber 

race, group advises Okonkwo 

E 

N 

By Chinedu 

Adonu 

U G U — A 

POLITICAL group 

in Enugu known as 3-in-1 

Political Solution has flayed 

Nollywood actor, Kenneth 

Okonkwo for planning to 

contest the governorship 

election in 2019, saying he 

stands no chance against 

the incumbent governor, 

Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. 

The group which is a 

support group for 

Ugwuanyi's second term 

agenda is made up of 

grassroots politicians, 

former ward party 

chairmen and party 

executives who are well 

grounded in the politics of 

their communities. 

The founder of the group 

and chairman Ezzeagu 

Local Government Area, 

Chief Fred Chukwudi 

Ezinwa, at a meeting in 

Enugu described Kenneth 

Okonkwo’s entry into the 

2019: Prelate tasks politicians 

on selfless service 

By Emmanuel 

Elebeke 

ABUJA—AHEAD of 

2019 general 

elections, the Prelate of the 

Eternal Sacred Order of the 

Cherubim and Seraphim, 

ESOCS, Worldwide, His 

Eminence, the Baba 

Aladura, David Bob- 

Manuel, has charged 

political leaders in the 

country to rule in 

righteousness, fear of God 

and service to humanity. 

The prelate, who made 

the call while on his 

Episcopal visit to Abuja on 

Sunday, stressed that it had 

become imperative for 

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

race as a waste of time, 

stressing that the 

Nollywood actor stands no 

chance at all and therefore, 

advised him to withdraw. 

He said: “Even in his 

movies, he always failed 

where others succeeded 

but this is not acting, it’s real 

business. He has no 

chance at all because the 

governor has done well. 

“What is he coming to 

give to the people when the 

governor has provided all 

the infrastructure? He is 

paying salaries and even 

paid 13th month. 

“Ugwuanyi is the only 

governor that flagged off 

projects in all the local 

governments in one day 

and commissioned them at 

the same time. The 

governor has flagged off 

projects in the 450 

communities and we know 

he is going to commission 

same. So Okonkwo is not a 

threat at all." 

Ikpeazu plans telemedicine in 

Abia 

By Anayo Okoli 

UMUAHIA—IN an 

effort to ensure 

increased access to quality 

health services in the state, 

especially in the rural areas, 

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu 

has approved the 

introduction of E-health 

delivery service, known as 

telemedicine. 

It is a brand new 

innovation in health 

delivery services delivered 

through telephone 

conversation between a 

trained doctor and patients. 

Governor Ikpeazu was 

said to have been 

impressed with the system 

during a demonstration by 

the providers, more so 

when it is envisaged that it 

will help more people to 

have access to health care 

services, hence his 

approval for its pilot project 

to be launched in the state. 

Consequently, the 

governor has given the 

State Ministry of Health 

approval to partner with the 

project consultants, DIAL A 

DOC , who have been in 

the state in the past six 

months test-running the 

scheme for it to be tried in 

the state. 

The lead consultant, Dr. 

Omas Ubiame told 

Governor Ikpeazu during 

the demonstration that Abia 

is the first state in the 

country to successfully pilot 

this project which he said 

would revolutionize 

medical access in the 

country. 

political leaders to show 

patriotism and work for the 

good of the land and the 

prosperity of the nation. 

He therefore called for 

introspection and return to 

God for the glory of the 

nation to be restored. 

He said: “I want to 

admonish leaders of our 

land to rule in 

righteousness and in the 

fear of God and to work for 

the good of the land and 

prosperity of our nation. 

“If we return to God and 

let righteousness flourish in 

our land, God will heal our 

nation, restore peace in the 

land and everything would 

turn around for good.” 

The statement said: “For 

instance, whereas Abia 

State has 65 points for male 

and female, some states in 

the North have as low as 7 

points for female and 10 

points for male. This cannot 

continue. And funny 

enough, when products of 

this unjust system 

graduate, the same so- 

Ohanaeze faults FG's cut-off mark 

called 

disparity in Unity schools 

•Condemns re-instatement, promotion of Apo six killer cop 

By Chioma 

Gabriel 

ENUGU—THE apex 

Igbo socio-cultural 

organisation, Ohanaeze 

Ndigbo, has lambasted 

the Federal Ministry of 

Education for continuing in 

alleged descriminatory cutoff 

point in unity schools in 

Nigeria. 

In a statement yesterday, 

the group alleged that 

under the guise of 

educationally 

disadvantaged areas, some 

states are unduly favoured 

with very low cut off marks 

while others have 

unacceptably high cut off 

points. 

BRIEFING—From left: Tunji Amokade; Segun Oluwadoromi; Pastor 

Adebayo Adio; and Lateef Olasupo Olaleye, all members of the Board 

of Trustees of Embrace International Assembly, during a press conference 

to call for the vacation of their premises by the Police in Lagos. 

educationally 

disadvantaged specie will 

get jobs and preferential 

treatment before his 

‘advantage” colleague. 

This is robbing Peter to pay 

Paul. This is the highest 

degree of in-built terror 

against some people in 

Nigeria and it must stop. It 

has got to stop. This 

favoritism must stop if we 

want to continue as one 

nation.” 

Ohanaeze Ndigbo also 

condemned the reinstatement 

and promotion 

of Ibrahim Othman , one of 

the masterminds of the 

APO six killing in 2006. 

"Othman was recently reinstated 

and is now an 

Assistant Inspector General 

of Police . This is a great 

insult to the sensibility of the 

victims and dependants of 

the deceased traders. 

"There is no part of the 

world where this kind of 

callousness can happen 

and we call on the IG of 

Police and the Federal 

Government to reconsider 

the shameful act. 

“We also call for 

investigation into the 

ownership of oil blocs in 

Nigeria to ensure it meets 

geographical spread. The 

DPR and NNPC should 

publish the ownership 

structure of oil blocs in 

Nigeria.” 

Okorocha has destroyed Imo economy, medical 

practioners cry out 

By Chidi 

Nkwopara 

O WERRI—THE 

Association of 

Catholic Medical 

Practitioners of Nigeria, 

ACMPN, has accused 

Governor Rochas Okorocha 

of “mindlessly destroying 

Imo economy" with over 

N3.5 trillion allegedly lost 

to the state's urban renewal 

programme. 

The ACMPN chairman, 

Dr. Philip Njemanze, in a 

press release tittled: “The 

10 Mortal Sins of Governor 

Rochas Okorocha,” also 

lamented that no fewer than 

25,000 jobs have been lost 

since Governor Okorocha 

started implementing the 

programme. 

“Imo State economy 

drastically shrunk because 

of the loss of a whopping 

N3.5 trillion, as a result of 

the urban renewal 

programme. The colossal 

loss resulted to an equally 

disturbing loss of no fewer 

than 25,000 jobs,” Dr. 

Njemanze said. 

According to the 

ACMPN boss, “this huge 

losses have sadly reduced 

the state’s Gross Domestic 

Product, GDP, by at least 30 

percent”. 

Njemanze explained that 

the “10 mortal sins” 

allegedly committed by 

Okorocha, are those that 

largely violated the 10 

commandments of God. 

“The Okorocha 

administration had publicly 

lied in the name of God, in 

what everyone knows is 

false, including the false 

assertion that the state 

administration paid N400 

million to the Catholic 

Archdiocese, for the 

refurbishing of Catholic 

schools”, Njemanze said. 

He stressed that “the 

governor instead used the 

money to erect statues of 

friends and associates, and 

luxury homes for family 

members and cronies, in 

violation of the fifth 

commandments. 

“We have not forgotten 

the Abortion Bill, which the 

governor signed into law, 

to murder the unborn Imo 

child. We have equally not 

forgotten how 10-year old 

Somtochukwu Ibeanusi 

was murdered gruesomely, 

during the destruction of 

Ekeukwu Owerri market. 

This is a violation of the 

sixth commandment that 

you shall not kill,” 

Njemanze said. 

Visually impaired persons protest at 

Imo Govt House 

O 

W 

By Chinonso 

Alozie 

E R R I — 

MEMBERS of the 

Nigeria Association of the 

Blind, Imo State Chapter, 

yesterday, staged a protest 

at the front of Imo 

Government House. 

Leading them was their 

chairman, Mr. Christopher 

Kalu, who said they were 

worried because some of 

their demands had been 

neglected by the 

government. 

Kalu added that they 

would continue to protest 

until their grievances were 

comprehensively 

addressed. 

He said: “We are here to 

press home our demands. 

We started this journey 

since last year. 

“We want the government 

to establish a speech school 

for the blind. We are not 

happy that the government 

has not paid us our 

subvention since 2011. Imo 

state is the only state with 

no special school for the 

blind. 

“We demand that our 

graduate members get 

employed and payment of 

bursary allowances for 

students in secondary and 

tertiary institutions.” 

They were worried that 

“ government does not 

carry us along and that is 

why we are here to demand 

for our right. We also need 

empowerment for those 

who are disabled. Let the 

government empower us to 

establish ourselves and 

become self employed. 

“We have compiled the 

names of our graduates 

eligible for employment 

but got no response.” 

Responding, the Imo 

state commissioner for 

Education, Mrs. Gertrude 

Oduka, pleaded with the 

protesters to have patience, 

that the government has 

taken note of their 

demands and will look into 

it."



HALL OF FAMERS: From left—Founder/CEO, Mr. Kingsley Anaroke; Executive Secretary, 

Mrs Ifeoma Iloh, and immediate past Director-General, Nigeria Chamber of Shipping, NCS, and 

Programme Advisor, Mrs Ifeyinwa Akerele, all of MMS Woman of Fortune Hall of Fame, WOFHOF, 

Initiative, at a briefing on the forthcoming MMS Hall of Famers' Day and Charity Night scheduled for 

March 22, in Lagos. PHOTO: Oboh Agbonkhese. 

Group moves against dominance of 

Kano workforce by non-indigenes 

By AbdulSalam 

Muhammad 

KANO—THE Coalition 

of Northern Groups 

has launched a campaign 

to end perceived 

dominance of non-natives 

in the state workforce, 

claiming that over 70 

percent of jobs in Kano are 

in the hands of nonnatives. 

Briefing reporters in 

Kano yesterday, Kano 

Coordinator of the groups, 

Sani Salihu, said: “All the 

available jobs in all federal 

parastatals and agencies, 

including some stateowned 

agencies, are 

dominated by nonindigenes 

at the expense of 

employable people of 

Kano.” 

Saying the deliberate 

refusal to adhere to federal 

character provision would 

no longer be acceptable, he 

warned that “it must be 

reversed.” 

Salihu said the “groups 

would initiate series of 

actions and campaigns, 

allowable by the law, to 

ensure that indigenes of 

Kano State enjoy, as of 

right, no less than 70 

percent job opportunities 

in all private businesses, 

financial institution and 

banks locatedin the state.” 

He further assured that 

“we shall liaise with 

traditional rulers in 

•... vows to mobilise Ulamah, traditional rulers 

the state and mobilise the 

Ulamah and the civil 

society for a vigorous 

campaign to achieve this.” 

By Boluwaji 

Obahopo 

PEOPLES Democratic 

Party, PDP, yesterday, 

described Governor Yahaya 

Bello of Kogi State's 

reversal of the dissolution 

of the State Executive 

Council, SEC, and 21 

council administrators as a 

manifestation of confusion 

and delinquent 

governance. 

The party said the 

governor’s rigmarole 

decision on a sensitive issue 

that affects the lives of the 

people of the state was a 

hallmark of his 

administration's ineptitude. 

Kogi PDP Director, 

Research and 

Documentation, Achadu 

Dickson, who spoke on 

behalf of the party in 

Lokoja, said: “The weekend 

drama has once again 

reinforced the party’s 

position that Governor 

Yahaya Bello is not fit to 

govern the state. 

“The last two years of 

Bello’s administration has 

Salihu revealed that the 

groups would “sponsor a 

bill for the enforcement of 

observance of the federal 

been characterised by 

inconsistencies in policy 

making. 

“The weekend drama has 

proven once again that the 

governor is not in charge 

and does not have a mind 

of his own to govern a 

complex state like Kogi. 

“The governor’s past 

hasty decisions to destroy 

all roundabouts in the state 

capital, endless staff 

screening exercise, the 

planned sale off of 

government properties, 

and all the governor’s other 

inconsistencies in making 

policies, has shown poor 

character principles by all 

private businesses, 

financial institutions and 

banks located in the state. 

Cabinet dissolution, reversal: 

Gov Bello’s confused, says PDP 


A BUJA—SENATE 

President, Dr. Bukola 

Saraki, and his deputy, 

Senator Ike Ekweremadu, 

have congratulated Mr. 

Chile Eboe-Osuji on his 

election as the President of 

the International Criminal 

Court, ICC. 

In a statement yesterday 

Nigeria hosts Airport Council International confab 

By Lawani Mikairu 

THE Federal Airport 

Authority of Nigeria, 

FAAN, will host this year’s 

59th Airport Council 

International, ACI-Africa, 

conference. 

About 300 delegates and 

participants from all over 

Africa will arrive Lagos for 

the conference that will run 

from April 14 to 19 .. 

Managing Director of 

FAAN, Engineer Saleh 

Dunoma, who disclosed 

this in Lagos while 

unveiling the event's logo, 

leadership and brought 

untold hardships on 

Kogites. “ 

PDP described Bello as a 

kindergarten governor, 

whose administration lacks 

direction, stressing that he 

had no doubt driven the 

state to a dead end, with 

his “one chance” style of 

administration. 

The party also called on 

the governor to pay 

salaries, meet medical 

doctors' demands, 

describing the rate of death, 

following the shutdown of 

health institutions, as 

embarrassing. 

in Abuja by his Special 

Adviser on Media and 

Publicity, Yusuph 

Olaniyonu, Saraki 

described the 

development as positive 

for Nigeria coming a few 

days after his deputy, 

Senator Ike Ekweremadu, 

was appointed a Professor 

by the Southern 

University, United States 

Dangote Academy trains 10,000 

By Boluwaji 

Obahopo 

L 

O K O J A — 

DANGOTE 

Group of companies, 

yesterday, said it has 

trained no fewer than 

10,000 employees 

through the Dangote 

Academy, to address 

industrial skills gap in 

the country. 

Group Executive 

Director of Dangote 

Group of companies, Mr. 

Victor Edwin, stated this 

during the inauguration 

ceremony of Junior 

Technician Scheme, 

Batch 3 & 4 of the 

company. 

The company said it 

embarked on the 18 

months training for the 

selected students to foster 

the acquisition of 

technical skills and 

leadership ability meant 

By Aliyu Dangida 

D UTSE—JIGAWA 

State government 

has introduced 

competition among the 

14 councils benefiting 

from Sanitation Hygiene 

Water in Nigeria, 

SHÀWN, projects for an 

award of Open 

Defecation Free, ODF. 

The Managing 

Director of Rural and 

Urban Water Supply, 

Labaran Adamu, who 

disclosed this in Dutse, 

said any local 

government that comes 

first in ODF will be 

considered as winner, 

stressing that the gesture 

was aimed at enhancing 

environmental health 

condition of their locality. 

The state government, 

according to the 

for capacity development 

and empowerment. 

Inaugurating the new 

trainees at the Dangote 

Cement Plant, Obajana, 

Mr. Edwin said: “Most 

industries in Nigeria 

cannot rely solely on 

universities and colleges of 

technology to provide the 

specialised technical and 

managerial training 

required to run major 

modern industrial 

factories. 

“It is, therefore, expected 

that at the end of the 18 

months training, these 100 

young Nigerians will 

become master technicians 

in any or more of the 

following areas namely— 

electrical installation and 

maintenance, automobile 

maintenance and 

instrumentation, welding 

and fabrication, machining 

and fitting and mechanical 

maintenance.” 

Jigawa govt promotes hygiene 

with open defecation award 

of America, USA. 

He noted that the 

emergence of Eboe-Osuji 

during the 10th session 

of the Assembly of State 

Parties of ICC, at the UN 

Headquarters in New 

York, was a testimony that 

Nigeria and Nigerians 

have what it takes to 

continue to provide 

leadership at both the 

local and global arena. 

While wishing the 

eminent jurist a 

successful tenure, the 

Senate President said he 

was sure that the judge 

will work to justify the 

confidence reposed in 

him by his colleagues, 

who voted to elevate him 

to the position. 

On his part, Deputy 

Managing Director, has 

constructed a lot of public 

conveniences at motor 

parks, markets and other 

public places, calling on 

private developers to 

compliment government’s 

efforts. 

Labaran informed that 

the team tasked with the 

responsibility will make 

random sampling in each 

local government and 

access the level of 

compliance to 

environmental and 

personal hygiene, and 

then finally present its 

report to the committee. 

He said the committee 

will mobilise the workers 

for a door-to-door 

campaign against open 

defecation, promoting 

personal hygiene in over 

500 communities around 

the area. 

Saraki, Ekweremadu celebrate new ICC President, Eboe-Osuji 

said the theme of this year’s 

conference is Business 

Transformation for 

Sustainable Development 

of African Airports. 

The conference, 

according to him , will have 

multiplier effect on 

Nigeria’s economy, as both 

tourism and hotel 

industries will benefit. 

He said: “Nigeria is 

currently seeking 

investments, especially in 

the aviation industry and 

this conference will give an 

insight to areas where 

investments are needed.” 

Senate President, Ike 

Ekweremadu, described 

the election of Judge 

Eboe-Osuji as the 

President of ICC as an 

honour for Nigeria and 

Africa. 

He described the Imo 

State-born jurist as a 

worthy ambassador of the 

Nigerian legal and judicial 

system, urging him to 

remain on the path of 

excellence and justice. 

In a statement by his 

Special Adviser, Media, 

Uche Anichukwu, the 

former Speaker of 

ECOWAS' Parliament, 

said Eboe-Osuji’s new 

position did not come as a 

surprise, given his 

pedigree and wealth of 

experience.

36—VANGUARD, TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2018 

AWARD: From left, Principal Partner, Eldert Consulting Limited, Mr. Tewo 

Oke; Senator representing Ogun West Senatorial District, Senator Gbolahan 

Dada; Managing Director/CEO, MicMakin Nigeria Limited and Awardees, 

Mr. Olayato Aribo and his wife, Mojisola, during the presentation of Gold 

Award of Excellence to Mr. Aribo, by Southwest Nigeria Excellence 2018 

Award, in Lagos. 

MEMBERSHIP: Mr Daniel Akinlami, a presidential aspirant (right) receiving 

United Progressive Party, UPP, membership card from Mazi Mike 

Okereke, Lagos State Chairman of the party, in Lagos. 

SCRIPT CONFERENCE: From left, Nollywood actor, Mohammed Saeed (aka 

Funky Mallam); Head Writer, Ekenem Mowah-Eboh; Executive Director, Akin Fadeyi 

Foundation, AFF, Akin Fadeyi; Programme Manager, AFF, Obialunanma Nnaobi; 

and Nollywood actor, Greg Ojefua, during the script conference of 'Corruption not in 

my country' drama campaign project sponsored by MacArthur Foundation, in Lagos. 

MEET AND GREET SESSION: Chief Marketing Officer, MTN Nigeria, 

Rahul De, flanked by winners of MTN Trip to London to Watch Arsenal 

Live, Ademola Sulaimon, Asemota Ivie, Orimoloye Olateju, and Arthur 

Chuks during a Meet and Greet Session at MTN Headquarters, Ikoyi, Lagos. 

Abia civil society, grassroots and 

elites yearning for Ikpeazu's 2nd term 

By Chinyemike 

Torti 

“In a democracy, someone 

who fails to get elected to 

office can always console 

himself with the thought that 

there was something not 

quite fair about it.” 

Thucydides, History of the 

Peloponnesian War, 404 BC 

EVER since APGA 

suffered a crushing 

2015 defeat at the Abia 

governorship election, Alex 

Otti and his cronies, wailers 

and crybabies are still 

crestfallen, blaming, 

grumbling and throwing 

rancor, tantrums against 

INEC, Abia elders and 

pouring abuse at every 

imaginable externalities and 

nebula for their dreary outing. 

One Elder Dan Chinyere Imo, 

a side kick of Alex Otti, 

masquerading as a former 

“National President” of 

Ukwa/Ngwa League: writing 

in the March 5, 2018 edition 

of DAILY SUN, futilely sought 

to besmirch the integrity and 

person of His Excellency, Dr 

Okezie Ikpeazu. 

Richard Nixon, the 37th US 

President, had a word of 

caution and advice for bitter 

election losers like Alex, when 

he proffered this advice “You 

must never be satisfied with 

losing. You must get angry, 

terribly angry, about losing. 

But the mark of the good loser 

is that he takes his anger out 

on himself and not his 

victorious opponents or on his 

teammates.” 

Inexcusable 

errors 

strategic 

Alex Otti, lost the last election 

on account of inexcusable 

strategic errors, and mistakes 

arising primarily from his 

inability to appraise, decode 

and understand the problem of 

Abia and her people. First 

question on the lips of members 

of the Abia civil society, was, why 

should a former banker seek to 

sully the Abia polity with self 

serving, self seeking incoherent 

swathe of policies unrelated to 

the economics of the real world. 

Many stakeholders were 

overtly worried of the squalid in 

intellect, that played out in his 

election manifesto. Abia elders 

asked pointed questions why a 

hitherto finance guru was 

muddle-headed, about the basic 

tenets of securing loans from a 

financial institution. 

Otti’s campaign narratives 

flourished with so much fallacy 

and overflowed with an armory 

of mud in a bid to denigrate the 

impeccable credentials of Dr. 

Okezie Ikpeazu. The politically 

astute Ndi Abia refused to be 

browbeaten by APGA’s pie in the 

sky. 

Now that, he is on the cusp of 

a second shot at the 

gubernatorial hot seat, his tactics 

have not changed. Talking down 

on his supposed constituents, 

grumbling about elders, elites 

and senior citizens in a manner 

suggestive of emotional 

blackmail. But nobody is carried 

away with any hot air. Like his 

first outing, people are perceptive 

that a society can only build on 

planks of equity, social welfare 

and justice. The man on the 

street posits, and rightly so; 

this is not the time for 

Gov Okezie Ikpeazu 

butterflies to clothe 

themselves like eagles. 

The critical mass, elites and 

grassroots both at home and 

diaspora have seen that Abia 

has maintained the apex 

position in West Africa School 

Certificate examinations for 

three years and have observed 

a surge in the numerical 

strength of schools to the 304 

plus four model schools and 

that is the first of its kind here. 

Similarly, school enrolment 

has shot up from 115,000 to 

303,000 since 2015 in the 

public school system. 

Also under Ikpeazu’s watch, 

four successful kidney 

transplants vide the 

collaboration of Abia State 

Government and the Federal 

Medical Centre, Umuahia 

were made manifest. The 

Ikpeazu’s star studded show 

has packed so much five star 

ratings punch, visibly located 

in the public domain. 

Repositioning, 

Made- In-Aba 

goods, on the 

global markets 

has been a 

veritable 

signature of 

Ikpeazu 

You have to gallop with 

bated breath to catch up with 

Governor Ikpeazu’s velocity 

of democracy anchored on the 

five pillars of development. It 

will consume acres of editorial 

text to effectively capture his 

giant strides. Sampler: he has 

made tremendous efforts at 

deepening business 

relationship with both 

agencies of Government and 

the business community. 

On account of this, youth 

unemployment indices have 

taken a sharp dive- a derivative 

from that symbiosis, is the 

putting in place a One-Stop- 

Shop as an incubation and 

business development centre 

with all the relevant Federal 

and State MDAs located 

under one roof, generating 

world class personalized 

services aimed at invigorating 

MSMEs in the state. 

With the presence of business 

regulatory and support 

agencies like Bank of 

Industries ,Corporate Affairs 

Commission, Standards 

Organization of Nigeria, 

NAFDAC, Federal Inland 

Revenue Service in the newly 

commissioned Investment 

House, it has made investment 

trivial and relaxed in the state. 

Activities in the edifice which 

was commissioned by the Vice 

President, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo, 

has eliminated the rigors of 

business registration and 

concentration. 

This has culminated in the 

gold rush to Abia State, there 

is a new wave of business 

patronage, breakthrough and 

funding as over 8,000 small 

businesses accessed working 

and seed capital at single 

digit interest rates. Through 

the Social Investment office, 

the Ikpeazu administration 

has negotiated an initial 

30,000 slots to a tune of 30 

billion Naira to develop 

MSME’s in the state. Rural 

women and youths are the 

focal points in this business 

growth pattern. 

Repositioning, Made- In- 

Aba goods, on the global 

markets has been a veritable 

signature of Ikpeazu, which 

the detractors cannot shy 

away from. As the number one 

salesman, he has opened up 

cross border frontiers in New 

York, China, Brazil and 

Turkey. It is therefore no 

surprise, that the Federal 

Government vide budgetary 

allocations specifically 

captured Aba as its funding 

cluster for jobs, jobs and more 

jobs. 

Road network 

The road network trajectory 

has been on the upward spiral 

since May 2015. In the three 

senatorial zones, the Ikpeazu 

infrastructural imprimatur has 

been very visible. Just a snap 

shot of roads are listed thus: 

Umuagu Isingwu erosion site, 

Umuahia; Abia Investment 

House, Umuahia; Aba Road in 

Umuahia, Abia State poultry 

cluster in Umuosu Nsulu, 

Isialangwa LGA;Umuala- 

Nbawsi Road; Umunkpeyi- 

Amaiyi-Umuehim Road; 

Umuanunu-Ekwereazu 

Ngwa-Akwa Ibom Road; Abia 

State Multi Skill Development 

Centre, Unuobiakwa; Owo- 

Onichangwa-Iko t Ekpene; 

Osusu Amukwa model school; 

Ururuaka Road, Ukaegbu 

Road; Ehere Road; Umuola 

Road; Ovom Street; Faulks 

Road; Ifeobara pond; 

Osisioma flyover; Port 

Harcourt road and MCC- 

Samek road. 

Others are Idima-Abam 

road; Ndi Oji/Ndi Okereke 

bridge Abam-Arochukwu 

road; Ohafia ring road; 

Abaribe ring road; Ozuitem 

water projects; Eluama road, 

Isikwuato; Nkpa Road; 

Mushroom farm, Umuahia 

and Owerinta-Egbule Mbutu 

road. 

Of particular interest is the 

Umuagu erosion site, Ifeobara 

basin, Ariaria Samek-MCC 

road, Ndi Oji/Ndi Okereke 

bridge Abam-Arochukwu 

Presently, the State Government 

has delivered 25 roads in the 

commercial city of Aba and we 

are still counting. 

One could go on and on to 

enumerate the dazzling 

dividends of democracy 

delivered by Dr Okezie Ikpeazu 

in just two and half years of 

governance strewn with election 

court suits and tribunals. He 

refused to be distracted. His 

vision, tempo and trajectory will 

lead Abia to El Dorado. And 

that is the logic, for the clarion 

call for his term. God said it,we 

believe it and that settles it. 

Chinyemike Torti is a 

management consultant and 

public policy analyst.




40 — VANGUARD, TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2018 


Oil price declines amid supply fears 

after biggest gain in 7 months 

By Sebastine Obasi, 

with Agency report 

OIL price yesterday 

declined after its 

biggest rally in seven 

months due to speculation 

that global markets 

will remain well supplied 

by new output from the 

United States. 

West Texas Intermediate, 

WTI futures dropped 

0.5 percent after climbing 

3.2 percent on Friday. 

WTI for April delivery 

traded at $61.75 a barrel 

on the New York Mercantile 

Exchange. 

Total volume traded 

was about 24 percent below 

the 100-day average. 

Brent for May settlement 

fell 27 cents to $65.22 a 

barrel on the Londonbased 

ICE Futures Europe 

exchange, and traded 

at a $3.54 premium to 

WTI for the same month. 

Explorers in America cut 

the number of rigs drilling 

for oil by four, the first 

decline since mid-January, 

Baker Hughes data 

showed Friday. 

The U.S. Energy Information 

Administration, 

EIA, is scheduled to publish 

a monthly update on 

the country’s shale-oil 

boom, which some analysts 

expect will show 

production increased. 

A U.S. jobs report 

topped estimates last 

week, increasing confidence 

in the world’s biggest 

economy and giving 

50 designers from US, UK, others storm 

ARISE Fashion Week 

LAGOS—FIFTY fash 

ion power houses 

from the United States, 

United Kingdom, Germany, 

Morocco and South 

Africa, have confirmed 

their participation and are 

set to lead the charge at the 

2018 ARISE Fashion Week, 

AFW. 

The event is scheduled 

to hold from March 30 to 

April 2 at the Lagos Continental 

Hotel, Lagos, 

formerly Intercontinental 

Hotel. 

Other designers, who 

have signed up for the 

Easter fashion extravaganza 

that is billed to show 

case the best in the fashion 

industry, include those 

coming from Canada, 

Botswana, Cote d’Ivoire, 

Nigeria, Tanzania. 

In a statement by the 

Executive Editor of THIS- 

DAY Style and Co-Creative 

Director, AFW 2018, Ruth 

Osime, said “We are excited 

to bring world class 

fashion back to Lagos in 

the real sense of it. The bar 

will definitely be raised 

once more with strong collaborations, 

innovation, 

and creativity.” she said. 

According to her, the 

three-day event will have 

the distinction of kicking off 

in the morning of Saturday, 

March 31 with the first Supermodel 

Masterclass ever 

to be held in the country, 

an ARISE Fashion Mentoring 

and Bootcamp, United 

Nations Special event, representatives 

of the federal 

government meeting with 

key designers, and The 

Showcase that will be anchored 

by Banke Kuku. 

ABUJA—THE Federal 

Government 

says it will source for N8 

billion within five weeks 

to pay the Joint Action 

Committee, JAC, of the 

Non-Academic Staff 

Union of Nigerian Universities. 

The Minister of Labour 

and Employment, Chris 

Ngige, said this at a resolution 

reached at a conciliation 

meeting with the 

Non-Academic Staff 

Union of Nigerian Universities 

in Abuja. 

The Non-Academic staff 

Union of Educational ans 

Associated Institutions 

are made of the Non Academic 

Staff Union of Nigerian 

Universities, 

NASU, Senior Staff Academic 

of Nigerian Universities, 

SSANU, National 

Association of Academic 

Technologists, 

NAAT. 

The resolution was 

jointly signed by Mr. 

Ngige, NAAT President, 

Sani Suleiman, NASU 

General Secretary, Peters 

Adeyemi, SSANU President 

Samson Ugwoke and 

Anthony Anwukah, Minister 

of State for Education. 

Ngige also said part of 

the eight billion would 

also be used to pay mema 

boost to the outlook for 

energy demand. 

“Employment is the key 

driver of oil demand, as 

more people at work 

means more commutes 

and, in consequence, rising 

road fuel use,” said 

Norbert Ruecker, Head of 

Commodity Research at 

Julius Baer Group Limited. 

in Zurich. “However, 

today’s release of the latest 

U.S. shale oil and gas 

production statistics will 

likely remind markets of 

the ongoing supply 

surge.” 

Investors are starting to 

show some belief again in 

oil after growing increasingly 

concerned that U.S. 

crude producers may 

undermine efforts by the 

Organization of Petroleum 

Exporting Countries, 

OPEC and its allies 

to curb output to drain a 

global glut. Still, America 

is pumping record 

amounts of crude and 

forecasts for even more 

output are keeping prices 

below the highs of January. 

Nonetheless, fears over 

increasing U.S. production 

continue to weigh on 

producers and investors. 

Iran wants OPEC to work 

to keep oil prices at about 

$60 a barrel as an increase 

toward $70 will encourage 

shale oil output, according 

to the country’s Oil 

Minister Bijan Zanganeh. 

PRESIDENT BUHARI IN BENUE STATE 

FG to source N8bn to pay 

SSANU, NASU 

bers of the Academic Staff 

Universities, ASUU, University 

of Nigeria, Nsukka, 

UNN, and the University 

of llorin, 

UNILORIN, who were 

not paid at the last disbursement. 

He also said that the 

National Salaries Income 

and Wages Commission 

was to rework the December 

15 Call Circular on 

University Staff Schools. 

“This is taking into consideration 

the observations 

of JAC of NAAT, 

NASU and SSANU with 

a view to ensuring that it 

complies with the National 

Industrial Court, NIC, 

judgment. 

Ngige also said that the 

Federal Ministry of Education 

reported that the 

Office of the Accountant- 

General of the Federation 

has started payment of 

salary shortfalls, adding 

that the process was still 

ongoing. 

He said the Ministry of 

Education was to synergise 

with the concerned 

institutions to ensure 

compliance with Presidential 

Initiative on Continuous 

Audit (PICA) requirements 

to facilitate 

payments of JAC members 

in the universities 

that are yet to comply. 

President Muhammadu Buhari (left) with Governor Samuel Ortom of 

Benue State during his visit to Benue State, yesterday. 

President Buhari being presented with a bouquet flower while Governor Samuel 

Ortom watches. 

The President addressing stakeholders in a Town Hall meeting during his visit. 

...With more stakeholders.

CLI: LASG, Visionscape intensify 

construction of additional landfill sites 

... Visionscape plans to employ scavengers into scheme 


& Olasunkanmi Akoni 

Determined to tackle the 

menace of increasing 

waste challenges in Lagos State, 

Visionscape Sanitation Solutions, 

VSS, an environmental utility 

group, under the Cleaner Lagos 

Initiative, CLI, of the state 

government has stepped up 

construction work at its 880,000 

square metre Epe landfill site and 

Badagry, otherwise called Eco- 

Park, and other Transfer Loading 

Stations, TLS. 

Meanwhile,Visionscape has 

disclosed that it will employ adult 

scavengers at the Epe landfill, in 

a bid to boost the social impact of 

the Cleaner Lagos Initiative. 

The environmental utility 

company also said it would train 

the under-aged among the 

scavengers so they could be 

reintegrated in the future. 

Currently, there are over 200 

scavengers at the Epe Landfill, 

the first engineered landfill in 

West Africa. 

This was disclosed to journalists 

by Chief Operations Officer of 

Visionscape, Thomas Forgacs, at 

Firm announces 

launch of 2018 

real estate 

exhibition 

THE team at Anirejuoritse 

Group Nigeria Limited - T.A.G 

NIGERIA has commenced plans 

to activate this year’s edition of 

its annual Real Estate Expo 

organized to guide Nigerians in 

the diaspora to credible Real 

Estate developers with property 

investment that suit their budgets 

and needs. 

The TAGEXPO events had in 

attendance Real Estate Developers 

from Nigeria, and guest 

Nigerians (as well as Nigerian 

enthusiasts) in the UK/ US – many 

of whom were representatives of 

Nigerian professional bodies and 

communities in the UK. The preevent 

activities include 

Stakeholders’ breakfast session in 

Nigeria, and a Stakeholders 

“Meet and Greet” two days to the 

main exhibition events in the 

target locations. 

In a statement to the press, the 

convener and Chief Marketing 

Officer of T.A.G. Nigeria, Michael 

Ejoh (CIPS) said “The continued 

theme for the TAGEXPO is to 

“Meet, Invest, Secure” – encompassing 

the core responsi-bilities 

on real estate purchase to 

connecting and negotiating, 

making a commitment and 

insuring your commitment. “This 

year we are looking to go bigger 

than we have in the past two 

years, so much has been learnt 

on this journey and we hope to 

incorporate all the lessons to 

produce an even more engaging 

event for developers and 

attendees”. 

• Refuse collectors on duty 

a recent lunch organised by the 

VSS for journalists, PSP operators 

and other stakeholders in the 

waste management value chain. 

The lunch immediately followed 

the tour of the Epe landfill by the 

stakeholders. 

Forgacs said that there were 

previously 500 scavengers on the 

site but the number had dwindled 

to 200. He said they had been 

categorised into two, those who 

fell within the 18 to 50-year 

category and those who were less 

than 18 years. Forgacs said the 

landfill, would be completed 

between 12 and 18 months. 

Also speaking at the event was 

the Lagos State Commissioner for 

the Environment, Mr. Babatunde 

Durosinmi-Etti who said that the 

landfill being built in Epe was in 

steady progress. 

By Destiny Eseaga 

SUJIMOTO Construction, a 

Lagos-based luxury real 

estate development company, 

has confirmed that it’s exquisite 

Giuliano De’ Medici luxury 

apartments project under 

construction, located in highbrow 

Banana Island would be ready 

in October this year. 

The Giuliano project, a 10-unit 

super luxury terrace apartments 

with two penthouses, is inspired 

by the great works of the Medici 

family with the functionality of 

21 st Century lifestyle. 

According to the firm, the 

project, with a uniquely 

sophisticated combination of 

stone, marble and glass, brings 

exclusivity, location and quality 

together in one place. 

The company noted that each 

floor has a private elevator, 

building automation and state-of- 

He said that the landfill, being 

a critical aspect of the waste 

management value chain, was 

accorded the deserved priority by 

the Lagos State Government as 

it had concessioned the 880,000- 

square metre landfill to deliver 

the construction of weighing areas 

and road ways, leachate collection 

ponds and sediment pond as well 

as material recovery facilities, 

among others. 

According to him, the facility 

would ensure the protection of 

public health and the local 

environment as well as the global 

environment, while providing an 

efficient and effective final 

disposal option for waste 

generated in the State. 

Durosinmi-Etti stated that the 

landfill was part of the Cleaner 

Lagos Initiative (CLI) aimed at 

the-art features and facilities 

reserved for one per cent 

Nigeria’s ultra-high net-worth 

individuals. 

“From the main gate to the 

master bedroom, every inch is a 

square metre of exquisite luxury 

and 80 per cent of the exterior 

clad with a special Spanish 

Marble Stone,” the firm stated. 

Speaking at a private briefing 

and viewing of the Giuliano 

project organised by the 

company in Lagos at the 

weekend, Chief Executive 

Officer, Sujimoto Construction, 

Mr. Sijibomi Ogundele, said 

that the project was conceived 

to meet the luxury needs of 

Nigerians, explaining that 

Banana Island has one of the 

highest occupancy rates in 

Nigeria with 81 per cent of the 

luxury houses occupied 

His words: “The project will 

definitely be completed before 


revitalising the entire Solid Waste 

Management sector to have farreaching 

benefits and multiplier 

effects for the State. He said that 

the state government was 

committed to providing a 

sustainable and functional 

environment that would ensure 

development and prosperity. 

At the landfill, the visitors were 

ushered into the control room 

where the applications used to 

manage the waste were placed. 

According to Visionscape, the 

process and plans by the 

company are to ensure an 

integrated waste management to 

the visitors. CLI is targeting 

creation of 27,000 direct jobs and 

a further 400,000 indirect jobs, 

thereby contributing to improving 

socio-economic status aimed at 

bettering the lives of residents. 

Firm unveils Banana luxury apartments, 

sets October as completion date 

the 30th of October. It is only 

residential units and most of the 

investors are people that bought 

into it or lease out for investment 

purposes. Also, it is an affordable 

luxury apartment which means 

that it is cheaper than what we 

have around here (Banana 

Island) and comparing it to what 

we have in the market in terms 

of facilities, we believe we are 

cheaper than our competitors. 

“In designing the project, it is 

very important for us that 

whatever we are designing will 

pass the test of time. 

We wanted to give Nigerians 

value for money. So, we decided 

to visit almost every pent house 

and terraces in Ikoyi and 

Banana Island to set standard 

and break ground, so that we 

can develop a very strong 

competitive advantage over 

existing projects. 

NIESV launches 

MLS platform, 

tasks 

practitioners on 

branding 


IN a renewed effort to 

checkmate the activities 

of quacks in the housing 

sub-sector of the country, the 

Nigerian Institution of Estate 

Surveyors and Valuers, NIESV, 

through its Faculty of Estate 

Agency and Marketing, has 

launched an official Multiple 

Listing Site, MLS, for members 

to have direct contact with buyers 

of real estate products. 

At the launch of the website 

in Lagos weekend, the Chairman 

of the occasion; Emeka 

Eleh, an estate surveyor and 

valuer and former president of 

NIESV, described the initiative 

as worthwhile, noting that it is 

something that members have 

been expecting for a long time. 

He lauded the Faculty of Estate 

Agency and Marketing, a 

business division of NIESV, for 

birthing the dream which he 

said would boost credibility in 

real estate transactions. 

Speaking on the initiative, the 

chairman, Faculty of Estate 

Agency and Marketing; Pastor 

Sam Eboigbe, pointed out that 

the website is for NIESV members 

nationwide to advertise 

lands and property in Nigeria 

and abroad, stressing that the 

scheme would redeem the already 

bastardised name of the 

sector and promote easy identification 

of the core professionals 

who will render truthful service. 

“We have decided to do 

things more professionally, efficiently 

to ensure that we serve 

our clients all over Nigeria. 

Here you are dealing with professionals 

who are regulated by 

law. If you engage with us directly, 

you won’t pay us fees. 

About 400 members are already 

registered on the platform. It 

will be beneficial to our clients 

and our members. We have 

codes to follow on the platform 

and if you don’t follow the 

codes, you will be disqualified,” 

Eboigbe stated. 

In his presentation, the Chief 

Executive Officer of Corporate 

Shepherds Limited, Idorenyen 

Enang, stressed that activities 

of quacks in the profession has 

made it difficult to differentiate 

between the professionals and 

those who are not supposed to 

be in the trade. He stated that 

what needs to be done at the 

moment is to identify and establish 

brand positioning as 

well as brainstorm on ideas and 

technologies that would turn 

the fortune of the business for 

good. 

Delivering a lecture on the 

theme; Business Frontiers in the 

Real Estate Industry, he suggested 

that what needs to be 

done at the moment is to identify 

and establish brand positioning 

and brainstorm on 

ideas and technologies that 

would make the profession 

more profitable amidst the current 

economic challenges. 

“NIESV should build great 

brand that must have staying 

power, authentic, and maintain 

consistency which is about 

building credibility that is communicated 

to everyone.


Bauchi communities winning war against open 

defecation 

By Suzan Edeh 

INITIALLY, for Isa 

Dauda, a resident of 

Makama community in 

Dass Local Government 

Area of Bauchi State, it 

was a sad tale of 

frequent visits to the 

hospital and paying huge 

medical bills. 

He was a regular patient 

at Durr Primary Healthcare 

Centre, 5 km from his 

house. 

Caring for his family of 

12 including two wives 

was a big responsibility, 

especially paying their 

medical expenses 

particularly as they were 

falling sick often. 

Isa’s challenge is typical 

of the predicament of 

many more residents in 

the community. 

There are common 

accounts of children 

coming down with 

diarrhoea, cholera, 

typhoid fever, malaria 

among others mainly as a 

result of unhygienic 

environment caused by 

open defecation. 

According to Dauda, 

another resident of the 

community, there was a 

time in the community, 

human faeces littered the 

whole place. 

“People were 

defecating in the streams 

where we fetch water for 

our domestic chores. 

There were faeces in 

public places and the 

offensive smell was 

terrible.” 

Dauda recalled that 

every month, at least 

three or four children in 

each household were 

being admitted in hospital 

for cholera and typhoid. 

“We would just 

discover that a child was 

having headache, fever, 

vomiting and stooling 

frequently while 

dehydrating very fast. It 

was a terrible experience," 

noted Saratu Jamilo, a 

housewife and a mother 

of six.. 

But all these happened 

in the recent past. Good 

Health Weekly gathered 

during a recent visit to the 

community that the story 

had changed for good. 

The disease burden 

caused by open 

defecation had dropped 

significantly since the 

problem received 

attention of Bauchi state 

government, by keying 

into a special initiative 

known as Sanitation, 

Two girls at a community in Dass Local Government, Bauchi State, making use 

of the ‘tippy tank’ handwashing device after using the newly constructed improved 

household latrine (in background) 

Hygiene and Water, 

SHAWN, project. 

The project which 

began in 2010 was 

facilitated through the 

Bauchi State Rural Water 

Supply and Sanitation 

Agency, RUWASSA, and 

the Water, Sanitation and 

Hygiene Units in eight 

LGAs of Dass, Warji, 

Gamawa, Shira, Toro, 

Ganjuwa, Bogoro and 

Zaki. 

The project is jointly 

funded by the United 

Kingdom Department For 

International 

Development, DFID, 

UNICEF, the state 

government and local 

councils and aims at 

eradicating open 

defecation adopting the 

culture of hand washing, 

particularly after using the 

toilet. 

Findings show that Dass 

LGA, with 352 

communities, is currently 

at the forefront of the 

other LGAs benefiting 

from the SHAWN project. 

All communities in Dass 

were certified open 

defecation free by the State 

Task Group on Sanitation 

between 2012 and 2016 

and validated by the 

National Task Group on 

Sanitation in 2017. 

Good Health Weekly can 

confirm that Dass LGA is 

the first LGA to be 

It is 

difficult to 

find anyone 

defecating 

in the 

public 

again 

because it 

is now an 

offence that 

is not taken 

lightly 

declared open defecation 

free in Nigeria. Warji LGA 

is next in line while 

Gamawa LGA is at 85 

percent. Bogoro, 

Ganjuwa, Shira and Toro 

LGAs have also achieved 

various stages of 

success. 

Prior to this 

development, it was 

gathered that 3,965 

unimproved toilet 

facilities catered for 308,377 

people in the LGA, hence 

open defecation was the 

major practice, moreso as 

defecating in a latrine was 

considered taboo. Worse 

still, defecating in the 

open created conflicts in 

the communities. It was 

mistaken for witchcraft 

and was responsible for 

killing of members of 

households. 

Investigations revealed 

that in the past, people of 

the LGA were not 

motivated to improve 

their personal hygiene 

and environmental 

conditions, especially as 

they had to trek far and 

wide in search of water. 

The effect of the 

intervention practically 

transformed life in the 

community. Some 

residents of the LGA and 

members of the Water, 

Sanitation and Hygiene 

Committee at Durr 

community led an 

inspection of 

households with the 

improved latrines, smart 

toilets and locally 

constructed “tippy taps” 

to maintain sustainable 

open defecation free 

status. 

At the residence of 

Suleiman Ladan, the 

Chairman of the 

WASHCOM Committee, a 

newly constructed pit 

laterine situated at the 

back of his house readily 

caught attention. 

The latrine meets 

specifications of the 

SHAWN project . The slab 

constructed with cement 

is unlike the local pit 

latrine made with wood 

or mud. The floor of the 

latrine is constructed 

such that the user 

comfortably squats. 

Inside the latrine is a 

locally constructed “tap” 

made with two sticks 

dug deep into the ground, 

one to the right, the other 

to the left. 

The sticks serve as 

support for a rope that 

holds a water container and 

soap for handwashing 

purposes. 

The water container has 

two small holes - one to 

allow the water flow out, 

the other to allow air into 

the container. 

According to 

observers, the idea 

behind the new concept is 

to enable quick and 

convenient access to 

soap and water for 

handwashing purposes 

after using the toilet. 

There are functional 

boreholes situated 

strategically in the 

communities. The 

boreholes were 

constructed via the 

SHAWN project to 

provide safe drinking 

water and promote a 

hygienic environment. 

Women and children 

were seen fetching water 

with excitement. 

According to Ladan, 

since the implementation 

of the project, the 

problem of open 

defecation became a 

thing of the past as 

everybody in the two 

communities made use of 

the improved pit level of 

hygiene. 

"It is difficult to find 

anyone defecating in the 

public again because it is 

now an offence that is 

not taken lightly and we 

will continue to maintain 

the culture," he said. 

Ladan said the 

community constructed 

the improved latrines 

through a contribution 

method known as 

Adashe, in which each 

household contributes 

N250 monthly while 

members of the 

WASHCOM committee 

contribute N50 weekly. 

This laudable initiative 

drew attention of the 

Federal Government and 

led to official declaration of 

Dass LGA as open 

defecation free. The 

event on the 5th of 

March 2018, drew 

delegations from far and 

near. 

The Minister of Water 

Resources, Suleiman 

Hussein Adamu who was 

represented by the 

Permanent Secretary of 

the Ministry, Musa Ibrahim 

Madaki, said Nigeria was 

reported to have the 

highest number of 

people practicing open 

defecation, estimated at 

over 46 million, but that 

the ministry is responding 

adequately to the 

challenge. 

On his part, the 

Permanent Secretary, 

Bauchi State RUWASSA, 

Garba Magaji Babaji, said 

the SHAWN project built 

the capacity of stakeholders 

at the state and local 

government levels and 

adopted the LGA approach 

in the Commy Lead Total 

S a n i t a t i o n 

Implementation, CLTS. 

He said as a result of the 

CLTS, communities at the 

LGA committed to construct 

and use latrines, not only 

at household level, but in 

markets, motor parks and 

places of worships while 

the project in collaboration 

with the state government 

provided such facilities in 

schools and health centres 

in which ODF 

communities began to 

emerge. 

The total number of 

latrines at baseline is 3,965 

while total improved 

household latrines is 7,152. 

Also, the total(smart) 

improved household toilets 

constructed in 

communities (January- 

December 2017) was 2,815 

while the total improved 

toilets constructed by 

households through 

Adashe(January- 

December 2017) was 315.


From left: Senior Manager, Global Government Relations and Public Policy, Procter 

and Gamble, Ikechukwu Ofuani; MD, Procter and Gamble, George Nassar; DG, 

NAFDAC, Prof. Moji Christianah Adeyeye; CEO/Executive Secretary, American 

Business Council, Margaret Olele; Associate Director, Global Government Relations 

Africa, Procter and Gamble, iluyemi Temitope; Group Regulatory Affairs Officer, 

Sub Saharan Africa, Charles Azuka; during a breakfast meeting in Lagos recently 

Vedic begins month-long free health screening for women 

By Chioma Obinna 

ON this year’s 

International 

Women’s Day, a multispecialty 

hospital, Vedic 

Lifecare Hospital, has 

called for women friendly 

health policies that will 

ensure better health for 

every woman in the world 

even as it commences free 

screening for breast cancers 

including free 

gynaecological 

consultation for a month.“ 

To mark this year’s, Vedic 

Lifecare lends its voice in 

advocating gender parity. 

Speaking during the flag 

off of its free health 

programme in Lagos, the 

Centre Manager, Saurav 

Kumar said: “This year’s 

messages are filled with a 

strong call to action inviting 

women to press forward 

and push for progress 

through different social 

media platforms and Vedic 

Lifecare lends its voice in 

advocating gender parity.” 

He said Vedic constantly 

ensures the workplace is 

inclusive and conducive for 

female employees and 

guests alike. “The hospital 

boasts of having more 

female employees 

occupying roles that vary 

and challenge the norm. 

So it was no surprise that 

it had a befitting celebration 

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have gained a little more than one inch. This feels really 

g ood. Can I get even bigger? – Okwi 

If used consistently over a six month period, you can 

gain three to four inches in total – Uche 

My wife liked the last movie I bought from you. I think 

it was Underworld. Can I get another nice one to be 

delivered on Saturday morning? James 

Sure. Ask for Jane Blonde or Savannah’s Love Letters – 

Uche 

That is all for today. Adults in need of these treatments/ 

novelties can call us on 08171912551, 08027901621 or 

07086754515 for help or visit www.zeevirtualmedia.com 

to place their orders with their computers or on their 

phones with the zee mobile shopping app. Zee Virtual 

Media delivers all over Nigeria. For enquiries email us 

at zeevirtualmedialtd@gmail.com- Uche Edochie, MD, 

Zee Virtual Media. 

NCDs: Embrace attitude of screening for 

early detection, Nigerians told 

By Gabriel Olawale 

EXPERTS in Non- 

Communicable 

Diseases, NCDs, 

management have urged 

Nigerians to embrace 

attitude of screening to 

enable early detection of 

cancers. 

Giving this admonition 

during the Lakeshore 

Health Fair, the CEO, 

Lakeshore Cancer Center, 

Prof. Chumy Nwogu 

urged for more focused 

cancer screening 

approaches. 

He explained the 

ongoing month long free 

health screening for 

women was kicked off with 

the promotional offer of 50 

percent discount on 

mammogram, papsmear 

and breast scan tests plus 

a free gynecology 

consultation running till 

the 31st March 2018.“ 

Earlier, the a Consultant 

Gynaecologist/ 

Laporoscopic Surgeon, 

Infertility Specialist, Dr. 

Sarfaraz Salgae explained 

that over 350 coupons have 

been sent out to churches, 

mosques. 

Represented by the 

Consultant Clinical/ 

Radiation Oncologist, Dr. 

Mutiu Jimoh, he said 

cancer screening can 

detect precancerous 

changes in some organs 

and can be treated very 

effectively to prevent 

progression to actual 

cancers. 

"At this very early stage, 

treatment is much 

cheaper and the chances 

for cure are much higher 

than waiting for 

symptoms to arise. 

Screening is available for 

breast, cervical, prostate 

and colon cancers. 

Screening options should 

be discussed with a 

knowledgeable medical 

professional. 

"Clinical breast 

examination starts from 25 

years and once you 

approach 40 years you 

should go for 

mammography annually. 

“For cervical cancer, 

cytology and HPV testing 

is good from 21 years 

while prostate cancer 

required digital rectal 

exam and Prostate 

Specific Antigen testing 

from 45 years.” 

On his part, the 

Executive Director, 

Project Pink Blue, Runcie 

Chidebe said Nigerians 

attitude to cancer 

screening could be better 

and that men are more 

affected. 

"We had prostate cancer 

screening for 65 men and 

five had abnormal results. 

Most men don't go to 

hospital for screening, 

they think cancer is just 

for women, and that is 

why many men come 

down with cancer late. 

"Not all patients should 

be blamed for late 

detection, some patients 

present early but are 

wrongly diagnosed or 

mismanaged. Nigeria 

needs to continually invest 

in cancer care and training 

of healthcare practitioners.” 

Co-Founder, The Bricon 

Foundation, Abigail 

Simon-Hart, said there is 

need for more facilities. 

"There is no need of 

creating awareness if we 

don't have facilities to treat 

people. At the moment we 

have about eight 

radiotherapy machines in 

the country with over two 

million cancer patients 

and not all the machines 

are working. 

"We have 60-70 

oncologists in the country 

and not enough 

oncologist nurses. We 

need to include treatment 

of cancer in the NHIS.

44—Vanguard, TUESDAY MARCH 13, 2018 

SOUTH-EAST GOVERNORS MEETING—From left: Deputy Governor of Imo State, Mr Eze 

Madumere; Governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu; David Umahi of Ebonyi; and Okezie Ikpeazu of 

Abia, during the South-East Governors meeting in Enugu on Sunday. Photo: NAN. 

I’m surprised IGP Idris disobeyed 

my directive—BUHARI 

Continues from Page 5 

have accounted for the 

disobedience of your orders 

but you responded swiftly. 

“We plead with you to take 

steps to reduce the suffering 

of the over 170,000 of our 

countrymen in the eight 

Internally Displaced 

Camps. 

“The Federal 

Government should 

compensate them and 

assist in the rebuilding of 

their homes as promised by 

the Committee on 

Displaced People headed 

by the Vice-President. The 

primary and secondary 

schools, churches and 

health centres destroyed in 

several communities 

should be rebuilt for use 

again. 

Miyetti Allah 

“We recall that on May 30, 

2017, the Miyetti Allah 

Kautal Hore in a ‘World 

Press Conference’ held in 

Abuja, opposed our 

Ranching Law. They called 

on Fulani herders in all of 

West Africa to come into 

Benue to help them reclaim 

their land. 

“In the same vein, Miyetti 

Allah Cattle Herders 

Association in their Press 

Conference declared that 

more blood will flow in 

Benue if the Ranching Law 

is not rescinded. 

“As a President that 

supports the rule of law, 

you will most certainly be 

offended by these Hate 

Speech(es) that may have 

crossed the red line. How 

can a group claim 

responsibility for the 

killings that happened and 

are going about scot free? 

How can a group make 

public these inciting and 

criminal declarations in an 

organized society and are 

not arrested by the Police? 

“Kindly order the 

immediate arrest and 

prosecution of the 

leadership of Miyetti Allah 

Kautal Hore for carrying out 

their threats to attack Benue 

on account of the Open 

Grazing Prohibition and 

Ranches Establishment 

Law, 2017.” 

He appealed to the 

President to upgrade the 

military spike exercise 

going on in the state to stem 

the incursion of herdsmen 

into the state. 

“We hope that Exercise 

Ayem A’ kpatuma will be 

upgraded to a full-scale 

operation with the capacity 

to chase away the invaders 

so that those who have 

been displaced can return 

to their homes. 

“I urge the Federal 

Government and states to 

support and promote the 

Ranching Law, so that 

together, we will stamp out 

the menace of herdsmen 

and farmers attacks and 

cattle rustling in Nigeria. 

There is no known better 

and credible alternative to 

Ranching,’’ the governor 

said further. 

Anti-open grazing 

law 

Also speaking, the 

Chairman of the Tribal 

leaders of the three major 

ethnic groups in the state, 

Chief Edward Ujege said 

the unending killings in the 

state prompted a demand 

by the people for the 

enactment of the grazing 

law by the present 

administration in the state. 

“It was because of the 

continuous killings of our 

people that we demanded 

that a law be put in place 

since the immediate past 

administration. 

“This law was not made 

by Ortom who heeded the 

call of the people. We 

believe Ortom is the best 

servant of the state. The law 

is the win-win for everyone. 

The law came into force 

because we believe 

ranching is the best option 

and practice to ensure the 

safety of all,” Chief Ujege 

stressed. 

The Tor Tiv, Prof. James 

Ayatse, urged the Federal 

Government to decisively 

tackle the farmers/herders 

crisis in the country. 

He also called for definite 

roles for traditional rulers, 

especially in the areas of 

proffering solutions to 

security issues. 

Shetima Mohammed, a 

representative of Benue 

State chapter of Miyetti 

Allah Cattle Breeders 

Association of Nigeria, 

MACBAN, however, 

denied responsibility for the 

Benue attacks. 

“Our association is a 

peace-loving one and the 

exact opposite of what is 

being portrayed,” he 

declared. 

Reactions to the visit 

Reacting to the outcome 

of the President’s visit to the 

state, the National 

President of Tiv Youths 

Organization, TYO, Mr. 

Timothy Hembaor, 

described the visit as a 

hoax. 

He said: “We are so 

disappointed with the 

President, for taking us for 

granted. He came here 

allegedly on a condolence 

visit but he did not console 

us throughout his speech, 

neither did he condemn 

the killings in Benue State. 

I must state here that this 

visit has raised our sorrows 

and we reject the hoax.” 

In his reaction, the Team 

Leader of the Global 

Amnesty Watch 

Foundation, Terrence 

Kuanum, said: “I see the 

President’s visit as a 

jamboree to satisfy the 

curiosity of Nigerians and 

the international 

community of him visiting 

the crisis areas in this 

country. 

“Having told us the 

President has been 

studying security reports for 

the last months, we 

expected a decisive policy 

decision like ordering the 

arrest of the Miyetti Allah 

Kautal Hore leadership 

and declaring the 

herdsmen as a terrorist 

group. 

‘’But he came and said 

nothing, meaning the end 

to this crisis is yet to come. 

We in Benue are more 

angry with the situation 

more than ever before. 

“We call on all citizens of 

Benue to be united and 

stand for one another to end 

this crisis. 

We all saw that the 

President neither consoled 

Benue people nor 

commented on the attacks. 

We are disappointed.” 

On his part, President of 

the Idoma National Forum, 

Chief Amali Amali, said: “I 

will not say I am 

disappointed in the 

President, but the visit 

afforded us the opportunity 

to bare our minds to the 

President and we will 

continue to stand by our 

grazing law.” 

Also speaking, 

Wantaregh Paul Unongo 

said: “I don’t know what 

people mean by he did not 

condole with Benue 

people, I think he did. He 

came and called the visit a 

condolence visit. And I 

think he noticed that Benue 

people wanted to talk. 

“In my judgement, I think 

the people who spoke did 

so very well but they 

talked too much. There 

were too many speakers 

at the meeting, even 

though the people had 

been informed that the 

President had a 

programme in Abuja. 

“The President listened to 

them and the prayers from 

the government for 

interventions in several 

areas, including the 

military exercise, to make 

sure that the displaced 

people returned home. 

“So within that context, he 

stood up and stated that 

everything they said he 

heard and that he was 

going to give them the reply 

at the appropriate time.” 

On his his part, the 

President-General of Om 

Nyi Igede, one of the major 

three tribes in the state, 

Chief Odey Enyi, said he 

was disappointed that the 

President failed to 

condemn the killings in the 

state and also failed to order 

the arrest of the leadership 

of Miyetti Allah Kautal 

Hore. 

“We expected him to 

make a categorical 

statement condemning and 

ordering for the arrest of the 

leadership of Miyetti Allah 

Kautal Hore who are 

responsible for the attacks 

in the state. 

“They claimed 

responsibility, they 

threatened that they were 

going to do it, and they did 

it, we expected him to order 

for their arrests. 

“The Benue grazing law 

was made for and by the 

people. Sir Ahmadu Bello 

had ranches in the north as 

early as 1928; he himself, 

the President, has ranches. 

So we expected that he 

would have publicly 

declared support for the law 

but he did not do it, so we 

are disappointed.” 

Two police 

sergeants killed 

Meanwhile, two 

sergeants, Ibrahim Shehu 

and Mohammed Sanni 

from the Special Forces unit 

of the Mobile Police Force 

posted to Benue State to 

check the incursions of 

herdsmen in the state have 

been reportedly 

slaughtered by suspected 

herdsmen at Tse-Orogbo, 

Nyiev council ward of 

Guma Local Government 

Area of the state. 

This latest killing came 

just less than 24 hours to 

the visit of President 

Muhammadu Buhari to 

Benue State. 


the victims were killed 

Sunday afternoon in an 

ambush by the militant 

herders who had laid siege 

to the community since 

January when over 70 

persons were killed in the 

same Guma and Logo local 

government areas of the 

state. 

“They were killed in an 

ambush in the community, 

though other members of 

the team managed to 

escape but the two 

sergeants were not so 

lucky, they were murdered 

in cold blood by the 

militant herdsmen. 

“One of them was 

butchered, while the other 

was shot and had his neck 

twisted by the attackers 

who escaped after the 

attack. 

“Their remains have been 

recovered and deposited at 

the Federal Medical 

Centre, FMC, mortuary in 

Makurdi by the Police,’’ a 

source told Vanguard. 

When Vanguard visited 

the FMC Makurdi and the 

hospital’s mortuary, it was 

confirmed by highlyplaced 

sources in the 

hospital that the remains of 

the victims were deposited 

at the morgue of the 

hospital at about 6pm on 

Sunday. 

Benue State 

Commissioner of Police, 

Mr. Fatai Owoseni, and his 

Police Public Relations 

Officer, Assistant 

Superintendent, ASP, 

Moses Yamu, could not be 

reached for confirmation 

because they were said to 

be fully involved in the 

security arrangements for 

the visit of President 

Muhammadu Buhari to the 

state. 

Herdsmen attack: 4 

persons reportedly 

killed in Ebonyi 

Also, no fewer than four 

persons have been 

reportedly killed as farmers 

clashed with herdsmen in 

Igbeagu community, Izzi 

Local Government Area 

of Ebonyi State. 

The incident, according to 

reports, happened 

yesterday morning, in 

Anyanwuigwe village, 

Igbeagu community, Ikwo 

Local Government Area of 

the state. 

Police spokesman, Loveth 

Odah, confirmed the 

incident to Vanguard. 

According to her, the two 

herdsmen attacked a man 

who had gone to feed his 

local cattle in the bush, and 

after an altercation with 

him, chopped off his 

hands. 

“As they were attacking 

him, he managed to raise 

the alarm and more 

villagers came to his 

rescue.” 

The state police 

spokesperson said the 

herdsmen also attacked the 

villagers who came to their 

brother’s rescue, inflicting 

machete cuts on about 

three of them before fleeing 

the scene. 

But the villagers chased 

and caught up with them, 

beat them up before 

handing them over to 

military men stationed 

close to the community. 

The three wounded 

villagers were rushed to the 

Federal Teaching Hospital 

Abakaliki, FETHA, where 

two of them later died. 

“Also, one of the 

herdsmen later died as he 

was rushed to the hospital 

making it four deaths from 

the incidents”, the 

spokesperson said.

YOUR LUCK TODAY 

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 

PISCES; Unless you are more careful matters-of-theheart 

may cause avoidable trouble the way your career/ 

business can suffer temporarily. 

ARIES; 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. 

TAURUS; 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. 

GEMINI; 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. 

CANCER; 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. 

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye” 

32 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2018 — 45 

L E I S U R E 

TAKE HEART —ELLA RANDLE 

“Look for the good in everyone you meet and 

respect their journey.”- Steve Maraboli- 

Allow yourself to see the basic goodness in yourself. 

Find the joy of rediscovery this goodness in 

others too. Picture letting go of the struggle, worry 

and tension, and accepting this moment as it is, 

and yourself as you are. And you will uncover the 

joy and love that’s always there. -Ella Randle 

SAYINGS OF 

OUR PEOPLE 

Peace is 

costly but it 

is worth the 

expense. 

~Kenyan 

proverb 

By Kola Fayemi 

LEO; 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. 

VIRGO; It is not compulsory you take to aggressive reaction 

to those within your base of operation who are 

not as perfect as you. Protect your spouse. 

LIBRA; Watch what you eat and drink today. This is the 

wrong time to engage in unnecessary heated argument.. 

Romance at work may bring disappointment. 

SCORPIO; 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. 

SAGITTARIUS; 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. 

DUDU in “ROLLING HOT” By A.O. OLAIDE 

CAPRICORN; Taking a pleasure drive or movement 

may bring more than anticipated responsibility. Keep 

away from whatever can not be placed above board 

today. 

AQUARIUS; 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 

Where was my moon? 

Dear Joshua, 

Kindly tell me where the Moon was placed when I was 

born and other things I should know about my star. 

Babatunde, Ibadan. 

Dear Babatunde, 

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 dispositor 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


TRADE WAR: ‘EU will stand up to trade bullies’ 

THE EU’s trade com 

missioner has said 

the bloc “will stand up to 

the bullies” over protectionism 

as tensions continue 

over US tariffs on 

imported steel and aluminium 

imposed by President 

Trump. 

Cecilia Malmström 

was speaking at a conference 

in Brussels, following 

discussions at the 

weekend with US Trade 

Representative Robert 

Lighthizer. Those talks 

are to resume this week. 

Ms Malmström said 

protectionism was being 

“used as a weapon to 

threaten and intimidate 

us”. 

The EU says that its 

exports should be excluded 

from the measures. 

Mr Trump’s announcement 

of import 

tariffs of 25% on steel 

and 10% on aluminium 

has sparked fears of a 

trade war. 

He signed the measures 

on Thursday last 

week in a ceremony at 

the White House attended 

by steel and aluminium 

workers. 

In another development, 

Mr Trump tweeted 

on Monday that Commerce 

Secretary Wilbur 

Ross would be speaking 

to EU representatives 

about “eliminating the 

large tariffs and barriers 

they use against the 

USA. Not fair to our farmers 

and manufacturers,” 

he said. Without specifically 

mentioning the US, 

Ms Malmström said: “In 

some places, trade has 

been to blame for the 

pains of globalisation or 

they used it as a scapegoat 

or they think we can 

live behind walls and 

borders. 

Trump: Stormy Daniels offers to return agreement money 

ADULT film actress 

Stormy Daniels is 

offering to return the 

$130,000 payment she received 

from President 

Donald Trump’s attorney 

in exchange for dissolving 

a so-called “Hush 

*Stormy Daniels 

Agreement.” 

Last month, Michael 

Cohen said he paid 

$130,000 of his own money 

to Daniels, whose real 

name is Stephanie Clifford, 

ahead of the 2016 

election in exchange for 

her silence regarding an 

A 

group of almost 20 

South African 

companies linked to the 

Gupta family have lost a 

court bid which sought to 

have India’s Bank of 

Baroda, the last lender 

doing business with the 

firms, maintain 

operations in the 

country, court documents 

showed on Monday. 

alleged sexual encounter 

with Trump. Both Cohen 

and the White House 

have denied any sexual 

encounter between the 

President and Clifford. 

Clifford’s attorney, 

Michael Avenatti, sent 

Cohen a letter offering to 

wire $130,000 by Friday to 

an account designated by 

the President. In exchange, 

the settlement 

agreement between Clifford, 

Trump and Cohen’s 

company would be 

“deemed null and void in 

their entirety.” 

Gupta firms lose bid to have bank remain in 

South Africa 

Baroda’s South African 

division was thrust into 

the spotlight two years 

ago when it agreed to 

take on the Guptas after 

South Africa’s major 

banks turned their back 

on the family’s 

businesses. 

Baroda said a month 

ago that it had pulled the 

plug on its South African 

business, citing a 

strategic decision to slim 

down in international 

markets. 

The Guptas, a trio of 

India-born brothers, 

have been accused by 

the South African public 

anti-graft watchdog of 

using their friendship 

with former president 

Jacob Zuma to influence 

policy decisions. Zuma 

and the Guptas deny any 

wrongdoing. 

49 die as plane veers off 

Kathmandu runway 

A 

plane carrying 71 

passengers and 

crew has crashed on 

landing at Nepal’s Kathmandu 

airport, killing 49 

people, according to police. 

Rescuers pulled 

bodies from the charred 

wreckage of the plane, 

operated by Bangladeshi 

airline US-Bangla, after 

a raging fire was put out. 

The airline has blamed 

air traffic control, but the 

airport says the plane 

approached from the 

wrong direction. 

Flight BS211 veered off 

Former spy Sergei 

Skripal and his 

daughter were poisoned 

by a military-grade nerve 

agent of a type developed 

by Russia, Theresa May 

has told MPs. The PM 

said the government concluded 

it was “highly likely” 

Russia was responsible 

for the Salisbury attack. 

The Foreign Office 

summoned Russia’s ambassador 

to provide an explanation. 

Mrs May said if there is 

no “credible response” by 

the end of Tuesday, the UK 

would conclude there has 

been an “unlawful use of 

force” by Moscow. 

The chemical used in 

the attack, the PM said, 

has been identified as being 

part of a group of 

nerve agents known as 

Novichok. Mrs May said: 

the runway while landing 

on Monday afternoon. 

The exact cause of 

the crash remains unclear 

and Nepalese 

Prime Minister KP Sharma 

Oli promised an immediate 

investigation. 

However, a recording 

of the conversation between 

the pilot and air 

traffic control minutes 

before the plane crashed 

suggests some misunderstanding 

over which end 

of the sole runway the 

plane was cleared to 

land on. 

Russian Spy: Moscow behind 

attack, says Theresa May 

“Either this was a direct 

action by the Russian state 

against our country, or the 

Russian government lost 

control of its potentially 

catastrophically damaging 

nerve agent and allowed 

it to get into the 

hands of others.” 

She said Foreign Secretary 

Boris Johnson had 

told the ambassador Moscow 

must provide “full and 

complete disclosure” of 

the Novichok programme 

to the Organisation for the 

Prohibition of Chemical 

Weapons. 

Mrs May said the UK 

must stand ready to take 

much more extensive 

measures, and these 

would be set out in the 

Commons on Wednesday 

should there be no adequate 

explanation from 

Russia.


Gernot Rohr says it is only logical to snub Dele 

Alampasu and Dele Ajiboye for Francis 

Uzoho and 

Daniel Akpeyi. 

The two more 

experienced goalies 

were dropped, with 

Deportivo La Coruna 

youngster, Uzoho 

joining Akpeyi and 

Ezenwa for the pre- 

World Cup friendlies 

against Poland and 

Serbia on March 23 

and 27. 

Rohr was asked 

why he snubbed 

Rohr 

explains 

Ajiboye, 

Alampasu 

snub 

Ajiboye and 

Alampasu, and he 

revealed Ajiboye was 

snubbed for 

Ezenwa, as he 

played second fiddle 

to the Enyimba man in the 

CHAN eagles, deputising between the sticks after 

he was injured. 

On Alampasu, he was blunt, insisting he cannot 

pick a goalkeeper that has not seen playing time. 

“They already had their chances, remember that 

we invited Dele [Ajiboye]. Dele is no. 2 in CHAN 

team and it’d be surprising that he is no. 1 and 

Ezenwa no. 2 in the Super Eagles,” Rohr said. 

“We must be logical in our choices and Dele 

Alampasu, unfortunately, is never playing. You cannot 

take a goalkeeper who is never playing!” 

“Uzoho made his debut for Nigeria against Argentina 

and did very well. He plays for the second team of La 

Neymar puts 

PSG on their 

toes 

Neymar has put PSG 

on red alert after 

expressing an interest in 

a world record breaking 

move to Real Madrid. 

Reports in Spain have 

been rife with news on 

the Brazilian icon in 

recent weeks, with initial 

talk of the forward hoping 

for a return to Barcelona. 

The father of the player, 

who also acts as his agent, 

is now reported to have 

met with the hierarchy of 

Real Madrid, who have 

obtained a rough financial 

estimation of what it 

would take to bring 

Neymar to the Bernabeu 

in a sensational move, 

according to AS. 

The Spanish publication 

ran with the headline 

'Neymar asusta al PSG' 

•Neymar Jnr 

o n 

Monday 

morning, 

translating to 

'Neymar scares 

PSG.' 

Prior to PSG's 

Champions League 

elimination by Madrid 

recently, president 

Nasser Al-Khelaifi had 

stated '2000 per cent' 

confidence of the 

Brazilian staying in the 

French capital. 

Ablaze FC rule Bayern Youth Cup 

Ablaze FC of Lagos 

have emerged 

champions of the FC 

Bayern Youth Cup 

Tournament after beating 

Sporting Dreams of Abuja 

1-0 in a tightly contested 

final played weekend in 

Abuja 

The game took place at 

Aduvie international 

school and witnessed a 

large turnout by 

participating teams and 

spectators alike, who came 

out in their numbers to 

support the youngsters. 

At the end of the 

competition, 10 players 

were selected from six 

teams to form the team who 

would represent Nigeria in 

the world finals in Munich, 

Germany come May 2018. 

Speaking on the 

development, the Chief 

Executive Officer of 

StarTimes Nigeria, Justin 

Zhang praised the players 

for defying the blazing 

heat to canter to the top 

spot in the keenly 

contested competition. 

According to Zhang, 

“StarTimes is proud to be 

a part of the competition 

and we are pleased to be 

supporting the dreams and 

aspirations of these players 

to play international 

football” 

Also speaking, the 

Country Director, VOE 

Foundation, Victor Edeh 

commended all teams in 

the competition, noting that 

it has been a rewarding 

experience for all involved. 

Similarly, as part of 

activities to mark the climax 

•Ezenwa 

•Rohr 

Coruna; we could see 

him,” Rohr continued. 

“So we see Ezenwa was 

injured but he is 

returning gradually and 

he played with the second 

team at his club already 

so we will see who would 

be the fittest one but I 

think Francis Uzohi who 

did so well in the second 

half against Argentina 

could add some more 

competition with us.” 

Ebuehi to undergo scan 

Tyronne Ebuehi is to 

have a scan for a 

groin injury which forced 

him out of a Dutch league 

game at the weekend. 

Ebuehi, who has been 

picked for Nigeria’s World 

Cup warm-ups against 

Poland and Serbia later 

this month, was replaced 

in the 67th minute as a 

result of the injury. 

The defender’s club 

ADO Den Haag lost 2-0 

at home to NAC Breda, 

who lined up Roma 

loanee Sadiq Umar for the 

entire 90 minutes. 

They are eighth on the table 

with 36 points from 27 

matches, while NAC are 14th 

having recorded 27 points 

from as many matches. 

Sports federations' presidents 

return to classroom 

The Nigeria Olympic 

Committee, NOC 

will be organizing a 2- 

day seminar for 

Presidents of National 

Sports ministry rolls out 

commonwealth games timetable 

The Ministry of Youth 

and Sports has rolled 

out a timeline for the 10 

participating National 

Sports Federations ahead 

of the XXI 

Commonwealth Games 

in Gold Coast Australia 

next month. 

According to the 

General Team Manager 

Mrs Tayo Oreweme, an 

advance party and the 

Ministry’s secretariat 

will leave on March 18 as 

the Delegates’ 

Registration Meeting 

holds on March 22, 2018 

Federations competing 

at the Games will round 

off their pre-games 

training at the end of 

March and proceed to 

Brisbane on March 23, 

2018 with the exception 

of Athletics whose 25 

home based athletes and 

5 coaches are expected to 

arrive on March 25 as 

well as the Wrestling 

team who will arrive the 

Games Village on April 

2. 

The Games Village 

officially opens on 

March 25 while team 

officials will be allowed 

to check their athletes’ 

rooms 5 days earlier. 

Nigeria will be taking 

part in Athletics, 

Wrestling, Basketball, 

Gymnastics, Boxing, 

Table 

tennis, 

Weightlifting, Para 

Powerlifting, Para Table 

Tennis and Para 

Athletics. 

The opening ceremony 

holds on April 4, 2018. 

Justin Zhang, CEO, StarTimes Nigeria; Klaus Augenthaler, 

3 times world cup winner & Asst Manager at FC Bayern Munich 

and Victor Edeh, Country Director at VOE Foundation during a 

media chat to mark the end of the Fc Bayern Youth Cup 

Tournament in Abuja at the weekend. 

of the Youth Cup 

Tournament. Fans, 

supporters and followers of 

FC Bayern and lovers of 

German football came out 

•Dele 

AJiboye 

to see the Bundesliga 

trophy which was on 

display at the venue of the 

competition for the first 

time in Nigeria. 

•Okon 

•Neymar Jnr 

Sports Federations. The 

seminar topic 

“Governance is Sports” is 

scheduled to take place 

from 15th – 16th March, 

2018 at Starview Palace 

Hotel, Abuja. 

The seminar is organized 

in collaboration with the 

International Olympic 

Committee under the 

auspices of the Olympic 

Solidarity. 

All Olympic Sports 

Federations and 

Institutional federations 

such as NUGA, Schools 

Sports, CISM etc. have 

been invited to take part 

in the class. 

The International 

Olympic Committee 

expert Mr. Donald 

Rukare, is expected to 

arrive Abuja on 

Wednesday 14th March, 

2018. 

The seminar aimed at 

covering topics like 

Leadership in Sports, 

Election and Electoral 

Processes and so on. 

It is a classroom setting 

but it however promises 

to be interesting. 

FOC west invitational: 

Luka, Ajayi commend golfers 

BY Jacob Ajom 

The just concluded FOC West Invitational Golf 

tournament held at the Dolphin Golf Club, Navy Town, 

attracted over 150 professional and amateur golfers from 

across the country and some West African countries. 

Veteran golfer, Lateef Lasisi of Abeokuta Golf Club and 

Andrew Oche Odoh of IBB Golf and Country Club, Abuja 

tied for top spot. Although they took the top prize, Captain of 

Dolphin Golf Club, Rear Admiral Jatau Kogama Luka said 

every participant was a winner. 

“All of them were winners as they were part of history, 

having been here for the first ever FOC West invitational 

tournament,” Admiral Luka said, adding that he was 

surprised at the level of enthusiasm among the participants. 

On his part, Chairman of the organising committee, 

Babatunde Ajayi, a former captain of the club said, “we at 

the committee were stretched as we underrated the interest 

the tournament generated among golfers across the country. 

“We did not expect the huge number of participants we 

had to manage. I must say that we underestimated the interest 

and the love the golfers have for Dolphin Golf Club. We 

didn’t know that they will turn out en mass for the 

competition. We had about 160 players as a against the 120 

we were expecting. 

“The success of the competition shows that the golf club 

has come to stay and we are getting better with the type of 

tournament we organise. Hopefully, we will stage many more 

before the year runs out,” Babatunde added.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2018 

TODAY’S PUZZLE 

Sudoku 

YESTERDAY’S ANSWER 

TODAY’S CROSSWORD 

QUICK CROSSWORD 

YESTERDAY’SOLUTION 

ACROSS 

1 Abstain from eating (4) 

3 Entreated (8) 

9 Erased (7) 

10 Wonderful (5) 

11 Venomous snake (5) 

12 High-pitched and 

piercing (6) 

14 Reply (6) 

16 German emperor (6) 

19 Entirely (6) 

21 Moroccan capital (5) 

24 Unrehearsed (2,3) 

25 Transgression (7) 

26 Innocuous (8) 

27 Egyptian goddess (4) 

DOWN 

1 Disappear gradually (4,4) 

2 Substantial (5) 

4 Fashionable (6) 

5 Defeated contestant (5) 

6 Small waves (7) 

7 Communal bedroom (4) 

8 Die of hunger (6) 

13 Male siblings (8) 

15 Student (7) 

17 Loose from moorings (6) 

18 Stockings (6) 

20 Tag (5) 

22 Proclamation of intended 

marriage (5) 

23 Ready money (4) 

How to Play Sudoku 

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two 

of the same number). 

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines 

from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine 

blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no 

number can appear twice in any block, column or row. 

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or 

multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination. 

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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.

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