04042018 -TENURE ELONGATION: Buhari, APC govs’ talks end in deadlock

OANDO—From left: 

Omamofe Boyo, Dep. 

Group Chief Executive, 

Oando PLC; Minister of 

State, Petroleum 

Resources, Dr. Ibe 

Kachickwu and Wale 

Tinubu, Group Chief 

Executive, Oando PLC, at 

the commissioning of 

Oando Wings Office 

Complex, one of the 

largest grade-A offices in 

Nigeria. 

Bail for accused 

person and the 

presumption 

of innocence: 

Requirement for 

written application 

erroneous 

40 

VOL. 26: NO. 63520 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 2018 

Ogun 

pastor 

beheads 

lover, 

buries 

body in 

7 

church 

for ritual 

CHIEF AYO ADEBANJO @ 90 

TENURE ELONGATION: 

Buhari, APC govs’ talks 

end in deadlock 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru & 

Omeiza Ajayi 

A differences 

BUJA—The 

between All Progressives 

•Govs leave meeting frowning, angry 

Congress, APC, 

governors and President 

Muhammadu Buhari 

•APC sets up 10-man committee to resolve logjam 

over the structure and 

future of the party 

widened, yesterday, after 

a reconciliatory meeting 

on the issues ended in a 

deadlock. 

Several governors, who 

attended the meeting 

with the President, came 

out wearing angry faces 

reflecting their bitterness 

over the President’s lastminute 

withdrawal of 

support for the extension 

of the tenure of 

executives of the party 

across board. 

President Buhari, it 

was also learned, will 

Continues on Page 5 

FRONT ROW, from left: Chief Emeka Anyaoku, former Commonwealth Secretary-General; Mrs Christianah Adebanjo, wife of 

the celebrant; Chief Ayo Adebanjo, celebrant and Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe (retd), chairman of the occasion. BACK ROW: From 

left: Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Alapinni (retd); Mr Tony Elumelu, Chairman, Heirs Holdings and Senator Akin 

Odunsi at the launch of the book, Telling It As It Is: The Autobiography of Ayo Adebanjo in commemoration of the author's 90th 

birthday Anniversary in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele. SEE MORE PHOTOS ON PAGE 14. 

Gunmen attack Police 

station in Kogi, kill 2 cops, 

injure suspect in jail 

•Melaye, others to appear in court May 10 

8 

Telcos threaten 

telecom blackout 

ahead of 2019 

RESTRUCTURING: 

Why Nigeria must 

return to true 

federalism – Anyaoku, 

elections 44 

11 

Tinubu, Adebanjo 

COLUMNISTS DEAR BUNMI 47 

SEE 

OHUABUNWA 37 PRINCEWILL 17 FASAN 37 

INSIDE 

Naira down 

marginally to 

N360.21/$ in 

I&E window 

Mr & Mrs 

51

2 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 2018

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 2018 — 3


Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 2018—5 

POCKET CARTOON 

CONDOLENCE—From left: Ag CEO, Dangote Cement Plc, Engr. Joseph 

Makoju; President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; and President, 

African Development Bank, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, when Dangote paid a 

condolence visit to Akinwumi over his father's death, at his Ibadan residence, 

yesterday. Photo: Dare Fasube. 


The 


Continues from Page 1 

formally declare his 

interest or otherwise in a 

second term after the 

resolution of the 

increasingly protracted 

dispute. 

The stalemate in the 

Villa came as the 

embattled National 

Chairman of the party, 

Chief John Odigie- 

Oyegun, yesterday, 

inaugurated a technical 

committee to recommend 

a way out of the 

imbroglio over the 

extension or not of the 

tenure of the executive 

structures. 

21 governors, 

including Governor 

Yahaya Bello of Kogi 

State, who came on 

crutches after he had a 

foot injury last weekend, 

were present at the 

meeting. 

The closed-door 

meeting in the council 

chamber of the 

Presidential Villa earlier 

scheduled to start at 2.00 

p.m. did not start until 

2.15 p.m. a situation that 

further stretched the 

governors. 

President, 

nevertheless, apologised 

for his lateness to the 

meeting, saying “I 

apologise for coming a 

bit late.” 

The meeting came 

against the background 

of the uncertainty thrown 

into the future of the 

party’s structures upon 

assertions by President 

Buhari at last week’s 

meeting of the National 

Executive Committee, 

NEC, where he turned 

against the earlier 

decision to extend the 

tenure of the Odigie- 

Oyegun-led NEC and 

similar executive 

committees at the zonal, 

state and lower levels. 

Majority of the 

governors and state 

chairmen, according to 

Vanguard findings, were 

supportive of the 

decision as it would 

allow the governors most 

of who have control of 

their state structures to 

supervise the conduct of 

the primaries for the 

2019 elections. 

All attempts by 

correspondents to gather 

information on the 

proceedings at the 

meeting were futile as 

one of the governors said 

there was an agreement 

not to divulge information 

to journalists. 

Vanguard, however, 

gathered that the extension 

of the tenure of the party’s 

executive committees took 

centre stage. 

Also part of the informal 

agenda of the meeting was 

a proposal for the governors 

to adopt a structure for the 

President’s re-election 

campaign. 

It was gathered that the 

meeting was very stormy 

with the governors 

expressing their opposition 

to the President’s assertion 

on the illegality of an 

extension of the executive 

structures. 

One source said that at a 

point, the President 

excused the meeting for the 

governors to come up with 

another date for further 

deliberations. 

Governor Abdulazeez 

Yari, Chairman of Nigerian 

Governors Forum, was said 

to have proposed April 9 

and 10 but was countered 

by a strong supporter of the 

President among the 

governors on why he 

picked those dates. 

The challenge may have 

been because the pro- 

Buhari governor may have 

been earlier informed of the 

President’s trip to the 

United Kingdom. 

Many of the governors 

wore long faces as they 

emerged from the meeting, 

reflective of the deadlock. 

Some of them put their 

fingers to their lips, 

indicating they were not 

going to comment. 

One of the governors 

leaving the venue of the 

meeting was heard telling 

his colleagues, “some 

people who think they are 

tall, think they can control 

us, it will not work.” 

Earlier, before President 

Buhari entered the Council 

Chambers for the meeting, 

the governors had formed 

a circle around Governor 

Rochas Okorocha, 

Chairman of the APC 

Governors Forum, as they 

engaged one another in a 

heated debate. 

Some were overheard 

saying “what they are 

bringing to the table today, 

we will not allow it to stand. 

This is a coup, and we will 

not allow it to stand.” 

One was overheard 

saying angrily in Hausa 

language, “ba zamu yeda 

ba,” meaning, “we will not 

agree.” 

Another governor was 

overheard saying that they 

would not allow themselves 

to be controlled by anybody. 

At least, 21 governors 

were present at the 

meeting which also had in 

attendance Vice President 

Yemi Osinbajo, Chief of 

Staff to the President, Abba 

Kyari, and Deputy Chief of 

Staff to the President, Ade 

Ipaye. 

Sources at the meeting 

also disclosed that the 

dispute may have put 

forward the schedule of 

Buhari’s public declaration 

of his second term bid. 

“Baba will come out to 

speak about whether he 

will run or not after the 

resolution of the tenure 

elongation issue,” a source 

said last night. 

Oyegun 

inaugurates 

10-man technical 

Continues on Page 51 

By Bose Adelaja, Ebun 

Sessou & Frederick Okopie 

On FG's naming of alleged looters (2) 

Why must it be PDP 

members alone? 

The step is an offshoot of 

criticism, hatred and 

enemity among political 

leaders and the 

government should 

intensify effort to real out 

more names among other 

political parties 

especially those who 

have defected to APC. 

Mrs Adenike Saula, 

Trader 

This is politics at work 

and the list should 

not contain the names of 

Peoples Democratic 

Party,PDP, members 

alone. 

The government must 

beam its searchlight on 

other political parties; 

after all, PDP is not the 

only political party in 

Nigeria. There are about 

90 other political parties. 

Ms Toke Odubiro, 

Businesswoman 

T 

his is a welcome 

development in the 

fight against corruption , 

but it should be an all 

encompassing one. All 

looters in the country 

should be made public 

and the judiciary should 

help in giving the right 

judgment at the right 

time to serve as deterrent 

to those who have the 

mindset of looting this 

country dry. God bless 

Nigeria. 

Mr Ajayi Emmanuel 

Journalist 

The list is just to 

brainwash us and 

none of them will refund 

the money. 

Can you see that the 

government is deceiving 

us? They are deceiving 

just us. 

Moboluwaji Ayodeji, 

Gospel artist 

The onus of proof in 

the Nigerian legal 

system lies with the 

person that accused. If 

this proof is made, the 

process of retrieving the 

looted fund should 

commence. 

Aare Kunle Okulenu, 

JP, Businessman 

The All Progressives 

Congress,APC, is 

playing politics with 

everything and this is 

the result of having a 

clueless party as the 

ruling party. What has 

the list got to do with the 

price of rice in the market; 

the price of a bag of 

casava flakes and other 

food stuffs? Why did it 

take the Federal 

Government this long to 

release the list? Lastly, 

has any court 

pronounced them guilty? 

Azeez Omotola Olateju, 

Student

6—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 2018 

:Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867058, 08035483885 

S-Africa plans 

state burial 

for Winnie 

Mandela 

W 

INNIE Madikizela- 

Mandela, the hero of 

the anti-apartheid struggle 

in South Africa but also 

one of its most controversial 

figures, will be honoured 

with a state funeral, 

President Cyril Ramaphosa 

has said. 

Madikizela-Mandela, 

who died on Monday aged 

81, was one of the few remaining 

representatives of 

the generation of activists 

who led the fight against 

apartheid. 

Known as “the mother of 

the nation,” the ex-wife of 

the former South African 

president Nelson 

Mandela had a frequently 

negative image abroad 

that contrasted with a deep 

and long-lasting popularity 

within her homeland. 

Monday night, crowds of 

mourners gathered outside 

Madikizela-Mandela’s 

home in the Soweto township, 

a centre of anti-apartheid 

resistance. 

Cultists kill 

26-yr-old 

man in Delta 

By Ochuko 

Akuopha & Paul 

Olayemi 

O LEH—SUSPECTED 

cultists reportedly 

killed one Mr. Oyenka 

Oyende at Ndemili 

community, Ndokwa West 

Local Government Area, 

Delta State, yesterday 

morning, just as the Police 

also killed a suspected 

robber in Sapele Local 

Government Area of the 

state. 


26-year-old Oyende was 

nephew to chairman of the 

community’s vigilante 

team. 

Though 

the 

circumstances surrounding 

the incident could not be 

ascertained at press time, 

a source said the killers 

were members of a cult 

group in the community. 

The source, who craved 

anonymity, said cultists 

have been terrorising the 

community over the last 

few years. 

While confirming the 

incident, Police Public 

Relations Officer of the 

state command, Mr. 

Andrew Aniamaka, said 

Oyenka Oyende was 

killed by “a gang of 

seven” persons. 

He said: “The matter 

was reported by one 

Martins Oyende, the 

vigilante Chairman of 

Ndemili community.” 

Man 42, has been sleeping with 16-yr-old 

A 

42-year-old man, 

Oluwadare Joseph, 

charged with defiling his 16- 

year-old stepdaughter for seven 

years was, yesterday, 

remanded in Kirikiri Prisons, 

Lagos, on the orders of an Ikeja 

Magistrate’s Court. 

By Evelyn Usman & 

Esther Onyegbula 

LAGOS—AN illegal factory, 

where various brands of 

adulterated wine and liquor are 

produced, has been uncovered 

at Ajuwon Market, in Mushin 

area of Lagos, by operatives of 

Lagos State Police Command. 

Arrested was the owner of the 

factory, 55-year-old Benjamin 

Ojukwu, who said he had been 

running the factory, where the 

adulterated drinks are 

packaged and sold to 

unsuspecting Nigerians at the 

same price with the market rate, 

since 2005. 

Recovered were empty bottles 

of exotic wines and other liquor. 

Vanguard gathered that 

customers come from different 

parts of the South-West region 

to patronise the suspect. 

The bubble burst last Friday, 

after the Area Commander of 

‘D’ Mushin, Akinbayo Olasoji, 

an Assistant Commissioner of 

Police, who got wind of the sale 

of adulterated wines, led a 

team of policemen to the 

factory. 

We're working with 

NAFDAC— Commissioner 

Commissioner of Police, 

Lagos State Police Command, 

Imohimi Edgal, who paraded 

the suspect alongside other 

suspected criminals that have 

Magistrate B. O. Osunsanmi 

rejected the bail application of 

the accused and ordered that 

Joseph be remanded in prison, 

pending advice from the state 

Director of Public Prosecutions, 

DPP. 

The accused, a resident of 

Meiran area of Lagos, is 

standing trial for defilement. 

According to the prosecutor, 

ASP Ezekiel Ayorinde, the 

accused committed the 

offence between 2011 and 

2018 at his residence. 

He said the accused had 

been forcefully having sexual 

intercourse with his 16-year-old 

step-daughter since she was 

nine years old. 

Ayorinde’s words: “The 

accused had been sleeping with 

the girl since when her mother 

married him seven years ago. 

I’ve been doing this for 13 years, says 

owner of adulterated wine, liquor factory 

A 

13-year-old son of a 

policeman is suspected 

to have hanged himself in 

Gombe, the police disclosed 

yesterday. 

DSP Mary Malum, the Police 

Public Relations Officer in 

been terrorising the state, 

explained that after a search 

warrant was executed in the 

suspect’s factory, a room which 

also served as his house, 

“labelled bottle corks of 

different types of wine and hot 

drinks, empty wine bottles and 

various brands of wines and 

hot drinks were recovered. 

“To get to the root of this case, 

the command is working 

closely with NAFDAC to 

ensure that all samples are 

analysed, after which the 

suspect will be charged to 

court. 

“We won’t allow this 

type of thing to 

happen in Lagos.” 

Confession 

When approached, the 

suspect said: “I learned how to 

produce dry gin and other 

spirits in Taiwan. 

“Thereafter, I opened a 

factory in Nnewi, Anambra 

Gombe State, said the boy, 

identified as Muhammadu Al- 

Amin, was found hanging in 

his room. 

Malum said that about 4 p.m. 

on Monday, the father, Insp. 

Abdu Manu attached to 

State, after getting approval 

from NAFDAC. Barely had I 

started operating than my 

shop was gutted by 

fire. 

“I ventured 

into menial jobs 

to make ends 

meet. In the 

process, my 

wife left me. 

“Seven 

years later, 

I was able 

to raise some money and 

relocated to Lagos where I 

started producing the drinks 

in my apartment. 

“I buy these bottles and 

packs from clubs, markets 

and scavengers at N70 and 

Criminal Investigation 

Bureau of Pantami Division, 

received a phone call from his 

wife that their 13-year-old 

son had been found dead in 

his room. 

She said the father reported 

N100. After producing the 

drinks, I would fill them in the 

bottles and sell at the same price 

with the market rate. 

“I produce once a month and 

they taste like the original. I 

have my own label; it includes 

Abel Schnapps Affonso, 

American Hennessy 

and Label 5 drinks, 

which are my 

original products. 

“I was waiting to raise money 

to acquire the necessary 

machines and other 

requirements before applying 

for NAFDAC registration,” the 

Anambra State-born suspect 

concluded. 

13-yr-old boy commits suicide in Gombe— Police 

2 murdered, chief abducted in Rivers community 

By Egufe Yafugborhi 

PORT HARCOURT—TWO 

persons have been 

reportedly killed and a 

community leader kidnapped 

by gunmen in Rundele, 

Emohua Local Government 

Area, Rivers State. 

The community has been 

thrown into panic since the 

weekend when a cultural 

hunting expedition ended in a 

clash between two rival cults in 

Mgbuelia village of Rundele, 

leading to the killing of two 

persons. 

A community source, Alex 

Ibani, confirmed that following 

the cult clash, armed men 

invaded the residence of Chief 

Goodluck Umentor minutes 

past 10p.m. Monday night and 

whisked him away. 

He said: “My brother, the 

problem started Sunday, when 

the village celebrated its 

cultural festival of hunting 

expedition. Two cult gangs 

clashed in the process which 

led to the murder of two 

persons. 

“This (Monday) evening, 

we just heard gunshots only 

to discover that a recognized 

chief has been kidnapped.” 

The chief’s whereabouts 

remained unknown even as 

contact is said to have been 

established between the 

family and the abductors. 

Spokesman for Rivers State 

Police Command, DSP 

Nnamdi Omoni, also 

confirmed the incidents, 

assuring of the command’s 

determination to rescue the 

adopted victim. 

that the boy allegedly hanged 

himself with a rope after 

returning from quranic school. 

Police step in 

Malum said following the 

report, a team of policemen 

was immediately dispatched to 

the scene and a photograph of 

the boy was taken. 

She said the team recovered 

an exhibit rope as well as the 

corpse, which was taken to 

Gombe Specialist Hospital 

mortuary for autopsy. 

She said the case was still 

being investigated and that 

further details would be made 

available after. 

A resident of the area, who 

pleaded not to be named, 

disclosed that the boy was 

seen about noon playing with 

his mates . 

Efforts to reach the father for 

comments failed.


:Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews 

stepdaughter since she was 9 

The accused always beat and 

threatened to kill her whenever 

she tried to resist him. 

“The teenager reported the 

matter to her mother, but she 

did not take any action. The 

girl then ran away from home 

to put an end to the assault. 

By Daud Olatunji 

ABEOKUTA—AN acclaimed 

Pastor of the Holy Gathering 

Evangelical Church of God, 

Papalanto, Ewekoro Local 

Government Area of Ogun State, 

Oluwatobiloba Ipense, has been 

arrested for allegedly killing his 

secret lover, Railat Sanni, for ritual 

purposes. 

The victim was a 35-year-old 

divorcee with five kids. 

The pastor, who claimed he was 

ordained at the West African 

College, Sango, in 2011, was 

paraded alongside his 

accomplice, Daniel Sopeju, who 

also claimed to be a prophet in 

another church. 

The Ogun State Commissioner 

of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, led 

newsmen yesterday to the crime 

scene, saying the suspect 

beheaded the victim, severed the 

two hands and buried the 

decapitated body in his 

uncompleted church. 

When the Commissioner of 

Police and his entourage, as well 

as newsmen, got to the scene at 

Papalanto, thousands of residents 

of the area bordering Lafarge 

Cement trooped out. 

Iliyasu, who supervised the 

exhumation of the decapitated 

body of the victim in the church 

located in the bush, said the 

suspect and his accomplice were 

arrested last week Monday. 

The arrests 

While explaining the process 

that led to the arrest of the suspects, 

the Police boss said the command 

received a report of a missing 

person at its Divisional Headquarters 

in Ewekoro on Monday, 

March 26. 

He said, “The case was reported 

by one Adebola Saheed that his 

younger sister, Raliat Sanni, left 

home since March 21 and was yet 

to return. 

“On the strength of the report, 

our operatives at Ewekoro 

Division led by the Divisional 

Police Officer, Oluwarotimi Jeje, 

swung into action and embarked 

on technical intelligence 

investigation.” 

Iliyasu said the suspect was 

arrested following a discreet 

analysis of facts surrounding the 

disappearance of the victim, as he 

was the last person that had 

contact with her. 

According to Iliyasu, the suspect 

was in charge of a white garment 

church at Elebute area of 

When the girl could not be 

found, her mother reported at 

the station that her daughter 

was missing. 

“After some days, the girl 

resurfaced and told the Police 

why she ran away from the 

house, and that revelation led 

to the arrest of the accused.” 

The offence contravenes 

Section 137 of the Criminal 

Law of Lagos State, 2015 

(Revised) which prescribes 

life jail term for defilement. 

The case was adjourned till 

May 31. 

Ogun pastor beheads secret 

lover, buries body in Church 

The suspects. 

Ewekoro. 

He added that in the course of 

interrogation, the pastor confessed 

to the killing of the victim and 

burying her inside his church after 

removing her head and two hands 

for reasons only “known to him.” 

He also mentioned one Pastor 

Daniel Sopeju of Iyana Egbado as 

his accomplice. 

Iliyasu claimed that the victim 

was a ‘secret lover’ to the pastor, 

who reportedly hacked her to death. 

He, however, disclosed that 

forensic investigation into the case 

has commenced, adding that the 

case will eventually be charged to 

court. 

My accomplice killed 

her—Susupect 

While speaking with newsmen, 

Ipense denied the allegation that 

he killed the victim, but said his 

accomplice, Sopeju, killed her. 

Ipense claimed that Sopeju led 

seven members of an occultic group 

to his house with the aim of luring 

him to become a member. 

Ipense, who claimed to be 

teaching Accounting and 

Commerce at Methodist High 

School (Private), Arigbajo, said the 

group had earlier asked him to 

submit names of his church 

members from which he alleged 

they eventually picked Raliat. 

He said: “It was not true that I 

killed a woman. It was one Mr. 

Sopeju Daniel and a woman that 

wanted to initiate me into their 

occultic group and they said that 

they are going to collect a 

ransom. 

“So they collected the names 

of my members and picked the 

name of Raliat Sanni. Having 

mentioned her name, they 

asked me where she was living 

and I told them she was living 

in Wasimi. They later got her 

and brought her to my church. 

“Mr. Sopeju brought out a 

knife and beheaded the woman 

and after beheading her, he 

collected her blood and put it 

in seven calabashes.” 

He further explained that the 

group told him that the severed 

head and hands would be 

shared by members of the 

occultic group. 

When asked about his 

reaction, Sopeju denied killing 

her, but admitted that they all 

belonged to white garment 

churches in the area. 

The elder brother of the 

deceased, Saheed Adegbola 

said Raliat left home on March 

21 and did not return. 

Adegbola said: “But on the 

March 22, my mother came to 

meet her pastor to ask for her 

whereabouts, and the pastor 

told her if she sees Raliat, she 

will not know her again because 

she was owing him N200,000. 

“He claimed that she 

borrowed the money from him.” 

Ali Baba creates 

Dangotepreneurs! 

itsamaka1: Two thousand something comments! 

dereal_mikel: Nice creative business ideas. Wooow! God 

bless Nigeria. I am so glad am seeing this. 

atinukearewa: God bless you. What about people that need 

help but don’t have money to be on IG? Please, biko think 

about that. 

lordchuka: We really need to wake up. People have to find 

value in the resources we all have and stop being triggered 

with every ‘dash money’ theme. 

fjbabe__ceo_of_my_world: I need ooo. Just want to take 

care of issues and startup a small business for my family. 

... but in case you want a job 

Aside ‘Happy Easter,’ what did he say? 

CHIEF Patrick Obahiagbon’s Easter greetings: 

As we join Christians in the celebration of Easter, may we 

truly reflect on the quintessential modus vivendi of Master 

Jesus; The Christ, who peregrinated this incarnation as an 

exempli gratia of self-abnegation, puritanical excrescence, 

Spartan discipline, mental magnitude, hierophantic candour 

and altruistic effusions, qualities which have become a 

desiderata for national resurgimento. 

Beyond the fugacious razzmatazz of the moment, I seriously 

call attention to the rutilanting and coruscating modus vivendi 

of Master Jesus the Christ and I dare pontificate that save 

and until we viscerally emblematise the virtues of selfimmolation, 

quintessential abnegation, eulogiseable simplicity, 

Christ-like humility and immerse ourselves in a platonic 

emotionalism of agape love and communalistic service, we 

would have woefully failed in learning and imbibing the true 

meaning of Easter. We must elevate this moment from a 

proscenium of joie de vivre into one of meditative 

transcendentalism. 

Happy Easter.



PDP challenge: Presidency orders 

release of comprehensive 

looters’ list 

By Soni Daniel, 

Northern Region 

Editor 

APPARENTLY irked by 

the strident attempt by 

the Peoples Democratic 

Party to deny that its key 

officials siphoned billions of 

Naira from the nation’s 

treasury before and after the 

2015 general elections, the 

Presidency has ordered the 

release of a comprehensive 

list of those it claims 

engaged in the massive 

looting. 

A top Presidency official 

told Vanguard exclusively 

yesterday that the 

Presidency conveyed the 

directive to Economic and 

Financial Crimes 

Commission, EFCC, at the 

weekend. 

The official said that the 

Presidency was miffed by 

attempt by the opposition 

to whip up sentiments into 

a purely criminal matter, 

which its top officials in the 

last administration 

committed against Nigeria 

and Nigerians. 

The source said: “The 

President wants to prove to 

Nigerians that indeed the 

last PDP administration 

officials engaged in 

humongous looting of the 

nation’s scarce resources 

and that it is not something 

that they should trivialise 

as they are desperately 

trying to do. 

“The government is 

amused that after a 

piecemeal list of looters was 

released last week, the 

suspects, who should be 

hiding their faces in shame 

and apologising to 

Nigerians for their heinous 

crimes, turn round to 

castigate the government 

all in a desperate move to 

confuse Nigerians.’’ 

Vanguard learned on 

Tuesday that in carrying 

out the Presidential 

directives, Acting 

Chairman of the EFCC, 

Mr. Ibrahim Magu, has 

ordered all heads of 

departments to furnish him 

with the names of those 

who took money from the 

public treasury within the 

period under examination. 

The compilation, it was 

further learned, would 

include the names of the 

suspects, the amount 

collected, where and when 

it was taken and the 

purpose for which the 

amount was collected and 

if such a person or persons 

had been charge to court 

and what the state of the 

case is. 

It will be recalled that 

after the federal 

government released its 

lists of looters on April 1, 

2018, the former aide to 

former president 

Goodluck Jonathan, Reno 

Omokri, accused key 

leaders and members of 

the APC of being the major 

beneficiaries of the funds 

allegedly looted by former 

National Security Adviser 

(NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki, 

(retd). 

Banks demanding more collateral 

for corporate loans—CBN 

THE Central Bank of 

Nigeria, CBN has said 

commercial banks have 

increased the collateral 

requirements demanded 

from all business sizes on 

new loan applications. 

In its Credit Conditions 

Survey report for the first 

quarter of 2018, CBN said 

banks will demand more 

collateral in the next 

quarter. 

“More collateral 

requirements were 

demanded from all firm 

sizes on approved new 

loan application in Q1 

2018. Similarly, lenders will 

demand more collateral 

from all firm sizes in the 

next quarter,” the report 

read. 

“The overall availability of 

credit to the corporate sector 

increased in Q1 2018 and 

was expected to increase in 

Q2 2018. This was driven 

by brighter economic 

outlook, changing sectorspecific 

risks, changing 

appetite for risk, tight 

wholesale funding 

conditions and market 

share objectives. 

“Lenders reported that 

the prevailing commercial 

property prices negatively 

influenced credit 

availability of the 

commercial real estate 

sector in the current quarter. 

“Demand for corporate 

lending from all business 

sizes increased in the 

current quarter and were 

also expected to increase in 

the next quarter. Demand 

for overdrafts/personal 

loans in Q1 2018 was 

higher in comparison with 

other loan types. 

“The most significant 

factors that influenced 

demand for lending in the 

review quarter were the 

increase in inventory 

finance and capital 

investment,’’ the CBN 

stated. 

The apex bank said 

households demand 

lending for house 

purchase decreased in Q1 

2018, but was expected to 

increase in the next quarter. 

According to the report, 

banks experienced a 

greater level of default on 

personal loans, a situation 

it says will improve in the 

second quarter. 

SEMINAR: From left—Managing Director, Profek Power & Energy Ltd, Mr. Jide Obe; Mrs 

Anita Okumbido of the Council for Renewable Energy of Nigeria; Project Manager, Solar 

Energy, Bank of Industry, Austine Gwuche; Engr. Joana Maduka, MFR; and Chairman, Power 

Sector Group of LCCI, Engr. Effiom Edet, during the Renewable Energy Forum organised by 

the Power Sector Group of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Lagos. 

Gunmen storm Kogi police station, kill 

2 cops, injure suspect 

•Police parade re-arrested suspects in Melaye’s gun case 

...to re-arraign suspects, Melaye on May 10 

...issue ‘red alert’ notice to Interpol on senator 

• We don’t engage in politicallymotivated 

operations—Interpol 

By Kingsley 

Omonobi & 

Boluwaji Obahopo 

L OKOJA—GUNMEN 

yesterday, invaded a 

police station at Gegu, Kogi 

State, killed two police 

officers on duty and shot a 

suspect in the cell. 

This came as the police 

yesterday paraded rearrested 

principal suspects 

in the case involving 

Senator Dino Melaye, 

saying they would be 

arraigned alongside the 

senator at a Federal High 

Court, Lokoja, on May 10, 

2018. 

The suspects, Kabiru 

Seidu, aka Osama, and 

Nuhu Salisu, aka Small, 

had broken jail last week 

in Lokoja, Kogi State, and 

thus aborted their 

arraignment. 

Vanguard reliably 

gathered that the five 

bandits, armed with AK 47 

rifles, invaded the station at 

about 2.15am on 

motorbikes. 

According to the source, 

immediately they arrived 

the station, the gunmen 

opened fire, moved straight 

into the station and killed 

the two policemen on duty, 

while also shooting a 

suspect in detention. 

It was further gathered 

that the bandits made away 

with the gun of one of the 

slain cops and ransacked 

the station’s armoury for 

more guns and 

ammunition. 

The State Police Public 

Relations officer, Mr. 

William Ayah, who 

confirmed the attack, said 

the command has 

commenced investigation 

into the attack. 

Meanwhile, the corpses 

of the two police officers 

have been deposited at the 

Federal Medical Centre, 

FMC, mortuary, while the 

injured suspect is also 

receiving treatment in the 

same hospital. 

The police which said the 

suspects would now be 

arraigned on may 10, also 

said a notice of red alert had 

been issued the 

International Police 

Organisation, Interpol, 

should Senator Melaye fail 

to appear in court on May 

10 

Ḃut Interpol said 

yesterday that the notice 

notwithstanding, it might 

not get involved in 

Melaye’s case, saying ‘’we 

don’t engage in politicallymotivated 

operations.’’ 

However, speaking on 

the re-arrest of the two 

principal suspects and six 

others while parading 

them in Abuja yesterday, 

Force Public Relations 

Officer, ACP Jimoh 

Moshood, said other 

principal suspects still on 

the run would be arrested 

Military sets up panel to probe deadly 

Maiduguri Boko Haram attack 

THE Nigerian Army has 

set up a four-man panel 

to investigate Easter 

Sunday attack by Boko 

Haram fighters in 

Maiduguri, the Borno State 

capital, which led to the 

killing of 28 persons and 

injuring of 83 others. 

Head of the military 

operations in the North 

East, Major General 

Nicholas Rogers, who 

disclosed this yesterday in 

Maiduguri, said the 

investigation became 

expedient, given the large 

civilian casualties recorded 

in the attack. 

He told journalists in his 

office that at least 28 people 

died and about 80 others 

were injured as a result of 

attacks by Boko Haram on 

two suburbs of Maiduguri. 

He said over 10 suicide 

bombers, accompanied by 

gunmen, attempted to 

infiltrate Maiduguri but 

were stopped on the 

outskirts of the city. 

Speaking shortly after 

inaugurating the fourmember 

committee, 

headed by an army 

brigadier, Rogers said their 

task was to unravel what 

went wrong and proffer 

solutions on how to avert 

future occurrence. 

He said: “The committee 

has been inaugurated by 

the Theatre Command to 

unravel what happened 

and to ensure that such 

occurrences do not happen 

again. 

“We are going to tighten 

security and work with the 

state government to ensure 

that the various 

communities assist us with 

information.” 

Rogers, who bemoaned 

the high casualties recorded 

in the attack, said it could 

have been worse had the 

troops under his command 

not moved in quickly to stop 

the attackers from making 

their way into Maiduguri. 

“The chairman of the fourman 

committee is Brigadier 

General Henry Wesley, and 

others are Col. Bassey , Lt. 

Col Mohammed and the 

secretary of the committee 

is Captain Mairuwa." 

soon. 

ACP Moshood disclosed 

that Osama was re-arrested 

at Tafawa Balewa LGA in 

Bauchi State, while the 

second principal suspect, 

Nuhu Salisu aka ‘Small’, 

was rearrested at Ganaja 

village in Kogi State by 

combined teams of IGP’s 

Intelligence Response 

Team, Monitoring Unit and 

Technical Intelligence Unit. 

The accomplice, who 

assisted in the escape of the 

principal suspects, one Iko 

Musa Mohammed, who 

said he was in cell for theft 

and armed robbery, 

disclosed that he used an 

iron from the exhibit room, 

close to their cell, which 

was provided by DJ to 

break the iron window of 

the cell to enable him 

escape. 

Osama said after 

escaping from the cell, he 

shaved his hair and beard 

to disguise himself, adding 

that he got money to 

facilitate his movement to 

Bauchi by calling his 

mother to lend him 

N40,000. 

Giving further details of 

the arrest, Moshood said: 

"As a result of intense raids, 

cordons and search 

operations carried out by 

the police team in some 

identified criminal locations 

in Kogi State and other 

states and working on 

active intelligence, they 

were rearrested." 

Apparently reacting to 

Police statement that it had 

issued red alert notice to the 

International Police 

Organisation, Interpol, on 

Senator Dino Melaye, the 

organisation said ‘’it does 

not engage in politicallymotivated 

operations.’’ 

Interpol said it “does not 

comment on specific cases 

or individuals except in 

special circumstances and 

with approval of the 

member country 

concerned,” adding that 

Nigeria police request for 

Mr. Melaye, if at all it had 

been formally filed, might 

not meet its criteria for red 

alert.



ACCESS BANK: From left—Executive Director, IT and Operations, Ojini Olaghere; Executive 

Director, Personal Banking, Victor Etuokwu; GMD/CEO, Herbert Wigwe, all of Access Bank; Managing 

Director, Unified Payments, and Founder of PayAttitude, Agada Apochi, and Country 

Manager, PayAttitude, Titilayo Olubiyi, at the launch of PayAttitude by Access Bank in Lagos, yesterday. 

Dasuki facilitated 1983 coup that 

brought Buhari to power— Jokolo 

EMBATTLED former 

National Security 

Adviser, NSA, Col Sambo 

Dasuki (retd), currently in 

detention, was a financier 

and facilitator of the 1983 

military coup that 

terminated Nigeria’s 

Second Republic and 

installed Muhammadu 

Buhari as Head of State. 

Mustapha Jokolo, who 

was the Aide de Camp, 

ADC, to Mr. Buhari after 

the coup that toppled the 

government of President 

Shehu Shagari, made this 

claim in an interview, while 

reacting to a new book 

authored by Muhammadu 

Bashar, a retired general 

who replaced him as Emir 

of Gwandu, after he was 

deposed. 

He said Dasuki, then a 

major in the Army, played 

active roles through 

sourcing the funds for the 

coup that made Buhari 

Head of State at the end of 

1983. 

Jokolo, who took 

exception to some details in 

Bashar’s book, said about 

the funding of the 1983 coup 

thus: “Honestly speaking, 

that is why sometimes my 

heart bleeds because of 

what is happening to 

Sambo Dasuki now; I 

worry a lot.” 

‘How I made 

the connection’ 

Continuing, he said: “It 

is an irony. If I had not 

brought him (Dasuki) in 

By Anayo Okoli 

U MUAHIA—TWO 

women, staff of office 

of the wife of Abia State 

Governor, Mrs. Nkechi 

Ikpeazu, died yesterday, 

following an accident 

involving her convoy, with 

many others sustaining 

injuries, some said to be in 

critical condition. 

this thing (1983 coup plot), 

it could not have 

happened, with Buhari as 

Head of State. It was 

Sambo Dasuki who 

facilitated it not me. I only 

suggested it. 

“He was the one who 

convinced these people. I 

swear to God, Almighty. He 

was the one. He did a lot, 

honestly speaking. 

“So I connected them with 

Sambo Dasuki and 

wallahi, even when we 

were planning the coup 

that saw Buhari as Head of 

State, Sambo Dasuki was 

the one who was getting 

money for us from Aliyu 

Gusau and Chief of Army 

Staff votes to help the coup 

plot, because not a single 

kobo did we get from 

Buhari. 

“Not only that, he used 

his father’s money to 

sponsor some Mallams to 

go to Saudi Arabia to help 

pray for the success of the 

coup.” 

Dasuki’s narrative 

In a recently published 

book, entitled An 

Encounter with the 

Spymaster by Yushau 

Shuaib, Dasuki disclosed 

how he and two young 

army officers went to meet 

Buhari on the 1983 coup 

d’etat. 

Dasuki said: “He and two 

young military officers 

(Major Mustapha Jokolo 

and Major Lawal 

Gwadabe) travelled to Jos 

The victims include Mrs. 

N w a m a k a 

Maduabuchukwu, a Senior 

Special Assistant, Media, 

and Mrs. Promise 

Nwankpa, whose husband 

was a former member of 

Abia House of Assembly. 

Mourners and 

sympathisers besieged the 

emergency unit of the 


to brief Major-General 

Buhari, who was then the 

General Officer 

Commanding, GOC, of 3rd 

Armoured Division on the 

furtherance of the planning 

of the 1983 coup, which 

made Buhari the major 

beneficiary of the ouster of 

the elected President 

Shehu Shagari.” 

Dasuki disclosed how 

Buhari expressed 

bitterness about 

insinuations on his 

stewardship in one of the 

public institutions, upon 

which Dasuki assured him 

“not to worry about such 

reckless and mischievous 

insinuations, since we are 

taking over power from the 

politicians.” 

When the author of the 

book asked Dasuki why he 

participated in the ouster of 

Buhari less than two years 

afterward, he simply 

answered that “General 

Buhari should know who 

he should blame.” 

Dasuki said: “I always 

respect and dignify my 

seniors and those in 

positions of authority, 

whether in service or after, 

though as a young officer I 

was reluctant to be among 

those that arrested him. 

And I was not. 

“I only met him afterward 

at Bonny Camp with Lawal 

Rafindadi. There is no way 

I could have maltreated 

him as being alleged in 

some quarters. I am glad 

most of the actors are still 

2 die in Abia First Lady’s convoy accident 

FMC, when the bodies and 

those injured were brought 

in from the scene of the 

crash late in the evening. 

An eyewitness said the 

accident occurred at 

Ndiolumbe in Isiala Ngwa 

North Local Government 

Area, while the convoy was 

returning from an official 

engagement in Obingwa 

council. 

alive.” 

Abdulmumini 

Aminu’s version 

Lending credence to 

Dasuki’s claim that he was 

not in the team that arrested 


during the 1985 coup, a 

retired colonel, 

Abdulmumini Aminu, from 

Katsina State, revealed the 

identities of the three 

majors who arrested the 

ousted Head of State in an 

interview in August 2015. 

Aminu said he led the 

team that arrested Buhari, 

with the other junior officers 

being Lawan Gwadabe and 

John Madaki. 

Aminu said in the 

interview: “I must confess 

that I led that operation. I 

went to Dodan Barracks in 

company of two other 

officers— then Major John 

Madaki and Lawan 

Gwadabe. Three of us 

went, but specifically I was 

the one that went upstairs 

to bring Buhari. 

“With due respect, I have 

been reading in the papers 

and listening to radio; 

people saying that we 

manhandled him, we 

disrespected him. That 

was not true. General 

Buhari and I are the only 

two who knew what 

transpired upstairs and 

there was nothing like that. 

“We gave him his 

absolute respect as a 

superior. Even before that 

time we had absolute 

respect for him because of 

who and what he was. 

“We respected him a lot 

till today and there is no 

animosity between us and 

he knew it was a military 

assignment that we were 

carrying out from our 

superior. It is just like the 

other way round when he 

came to power during the 

anti-Shagari coup— I was 

among those who played a 

major role in getting him 

to power.” 

Looters’ list: 

You can’t fool Nigerians 

with incompetence, PDP 

tells Presidency 

By Henry Umoru 

& Dirisu Yakubu 

A BUJA—THE 

P e o p l e s 

Democratic Party, PDP, 

has said the Presidency 

and All Progressives 

Congress, APC, have 

failed in their ploy to use 

their so-called looters' 

lists to divert public 

discourse from the raging 

questions on their 

incompetence, numerous 

scandals and overall 

failure in governance. 

PDP’s statement came 

as former Minister of 

Aviation, Senator Stella 

Oduah (PDP, Anambra 

North), challenged the 

Minister of Information 

and Culture, Alhaji Lai 

Mohammed, to provide 

evidence linking her with 

his allegations that she 

looted N9.8 billion. 

The party, through its 

National Publicity 

Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, 

said in a statement 

yesterday that Nigerians 

have now seen that 

Federal Government has 

no case against it, noting 

that the lists only had 

individuals who were not 

indicted or convicted for 

corruption, some of who 

were not even members 

of the party. 

The statement read: “It 

is now a notorious fact that 

the whole essence of the 

flimsy and contemptible 

lists was to cause public 

misperception, change 

Ghana’s debt forces Nigeria 

to cut gas supply by 50% 

By Ediri Ejoh 

THERE are indications 

that Nigeria may 

have reduced its gas 

supply to Ghana thermal 

power production by 50 

percent (to about 60 

million cubic feet of gas 

per day), due to its $40.3 

million debt. 

Report from the 

country’s agency, Ecofin, 

stated that Nigeria had 

since the beginning of 

the year been sending 

about 60 million cubic feet 

of gas per day to Ghana 

through the West Africa 

Gas Pipeline Company 

Limited, WAPCo. 

This is less than half of 

the contractual volume 

agreed upon during the 

commissioning of this 

infrastructure in 2011 in 

Nigeria. 

Kweku Awotwi, Board 

Chairman, Volta River 

Authority, VRA, the 

leading electricity 

the topic and divert 

international and national 

discourse from various 

serious issues, including 

the parlous state of the 

nation’s economy caused 

by 

President 

Muhammadu Buhari’s 

misrule, for which 

Nigerians are now 

resorting to vices, 

including slavery and 

suicide as options.” 

Meanwhile, in a 

statement yesterday in 

Abuja, Senator Oduah, 

who noted that Lai 

Mohammed came up with 

such a list with her 

inclusion to win a quarrel, 

said the allegation 

involving the said sum was 

not only untrue but also 

laughable. 

The statement read: “My 

attention has been drawn 

to the list of looters 

released by Lai 

Mohammed in which, by 

treachery or by 

happenstance, my name 

featured. 

“It is worrisome how a 

serving Minister could 

condescend so low in what 

appeared like a childish 

altercation to start 

mentioning names of his 

alleged looters without 

verified or verifiable facts, 

to win what he considered 

a quarrel. 

“I would have simply 

ignored him since his 

notoriety in making false 

and laughable statements 

has gained prominence in 

recent times.” 

producer in Ghana, noted 

that the contractual volume 

was 123 million cubic feet 

of gas per day and that it 

should help generate 

electricity in Ghanaian 

thermal power plants. 

He added that since the 

day the agreement was 

signed, Nigeria had 

never been able to send 

100 million cubic feet a 

day. 

Meanwhile, Awotwi 

revealed that the volumes 

supplied were now 

prepaid by the Volta River 

Authority.

10 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 2018 


MEETING: From left; President Muhammadu Buhari; Govenor Rochas Okorocha of Imo 

State; Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State; Governor Shetima of Borno State and Governor 

Atiku Bagudu of Adamawa State during the meeting between the President and members of the 

APC Governors Forum at the State House, Abuja yesterday. Photos by Abayomi Adeshida. 

APOLOGY 

Dr. Oyenike Ibru is alive. 

V ANGUARD 

erroneously 

published yesterday, the 

photograph of Revd 

Mother (Dr) Oyenike 

Fatungase Ibru, widow of 

late Olorogun Michael Ibru 

as late Madam Grace Ibru, 

who died on Monday. 

We wish Mrs Fatungase 

Ibru well and sincerely 

regret the trauma our 

publication might have 

caused her - Editor. 

Madam Grace Ibru, who 

died on Monday. 

By Onozure Dania 

LAbisoye AGOS—JUSTICE 

Bashua of a 

Lagos High Court, sitting 

at Epe, has adjourned the 

hearing of the Ikota 

CAC holds 

stakeholders 

forum today 

From left; Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State; 

Governor Sani Bello of NIger State; Governor Abiola Ajimobi 

of Oyo State; Governor Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos State and 

Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State. 

LASG moves to upgrade standard of education 

By Monsuru 

Olowoopejo 

LAGOS—THE Lagos 

State Government 

yesterday, said the state 

education policy was old 

and must be updated to 

realign it with global 

emerging issues, to further 

boost standard of 

education. 

Speaking through the 

state Deputy Governor, Dr 

Idiat Adebule, it said to 

achieve this, nongovernmental 

organizations, civil 

societies, parents, 

traditional leaders, 

religious leaders, 

educationists and 

development partners had 

a role to play in the quest 

for quality education in the 

state. 

Adebule who spoke at a 

Stakeholders Engagement 

Forum on the Review of the 

Lagos State Policy on 

Education organized by 

the Ministry of Education 

in Lagos, stated that the 

policy was last reviewed 20 

years ago. 

According to her, the 

society’s quest for 

sustainable growth and 

development in all sectors 

was anchored on the 

guarantee of effective and 

efficient education sector. 

“The state government 

has realised the need to 

review the education policy 

in the state which was last 

reviewed in 1998. There are 

emerging issues in the 

sector and there is the need 

to update and re-align the 

old policy with current 

realities and global best 

practices. 

'' The new policy will seek 

to inculcate appropriate 

knowledge, attitudes, 

values and skills for 

individual, state and 

national development. A 

review committee was 

constituted in January 2016 

to provide a functional 

framework for the delivery 

of effective, efficient and 

access to inclusive 

education. We will 

appreciate your continued 

collaboration and 

cooperation to achieve our 

collective aim of making 

education very effective 

and efficient for the benefit 

of our dear state.’’ 

While pledging that the 

ministry would justify the 

huge investment on 

education by the state, the 

deputy governor said: “The 

Lagos State budget for 

education in the last three 

years have been huge, in 

particular, the current 

year’s education budget 

stands at 12.07 per cent; the 

third largest in the 2018 

budget. ‘This is a clear 

demonstration of this 

administration’s desire to 

ensure accelerated growth 

in the education sector and 

expand access to quality 

education in the state To 

justify this huge 

investment, the ministry 

has positioned itself to 

continuously invent 

sustainable strategies and 

structures that meets global 

trends. ‘’ 

Speaking on the topic -a 

Former Executive 

Secretary, National 

Universities Commission 

(NUC), Prof. Peter 

Okebukola, said that the 

policy document should 

promoted creativity on how 

students could address 

new challenges of the 21st 

century. 

‘’After a critical look the 

document, it has provision 

for contemporary issues as 

well as future directions for 

education in Lagos. ‘It can 

stand side by side with the 

policy of Finland which has 

the best education system 

that provides equal 

opportunities for all 

citizens,” he added. 

In his lecture, ‘Education 

Policy Review: The Journey 

So Far’, he noted: “The 

success of this document 

does not rest on 

government alone. I urge 

all stakeholders to 

cooperate with the ministry 

in the final compilation of 

this document.” 

Swiss authorities block bank accounts linked to Malabu Oil scam 

THE government of 

Switzerland has 

blocked several bank 

accounts in the country 

linked to the planned 

bribery trial of Eni and Shell 

executives in Milan, Italy, 

as it relates to the infamous 

Malabu oil scam. 

On Monday, the office of 

the Swiss Attorney-General 

confirmed that at the 

request of public 

Ikota Shopping Complex leadership tussle: Court 

adjourns till April 9 

L AGOS—THE 

Corporate Affairs 

Commission, CAC is 

holding a stakeholders’ 

Forum today. 

A statement by Tolu 

Sonaike said the event: 

“will take place at Ostra 

Hall and Hotel,off Jobi Fele 

Way, Alausa, Ikeja.” 

shopping complex leadership 

tussle to April 9, 2018. 

The chairman of the Ikota 

Shopping Complex Alhaji 

Ahmed Qassim and the 

Financial Secretary 

Timothy Adereti, had 

dragged a faction of the 

association headed by Mrs 

Adebola Ajao who is the 

Secretary of the association 

to court seeking to restrain 

her and her new executives 

from parading themselves 

as the new executives 

running the affairs of the 

association. 

Trouble started after a 

telecoms giant in the area 

came to renew the rent for 

its mast which was erected 

in the Complex. 

The rent which amounted 

to about 12.5 million, was 

alleged that the Chairman 

gave himself N1.5 million 

while some of the exco 

members got N1 million 

and others got N500,000. 

However, Justice Bashua 

granted the interim orders 

at the instance of Alhaji 

Ahmed Qassim and 

Timothy Adereti, a legal 

practitioner, who acted as 

Financial Secretary of the 

Association suing the 

Association, Mrs Adebola 

Ajao and her committee 

members for themselves 

and on behalf of members 

of their exco. 

The orders instructed the 

second and third 

defendants Mrs Adebola 

Ajao and her committee 

members to desist from 

parading themselves as an 

interim government. 

prosecutors from Milan, it 

had confiscated, assets and 

shared information with 

Italian authorities. 

The trial of the executives, 

including former Eni’s 

Claudio Descalzi, and his 

predecessor, Paolo Scaroni, 

was originally slated for 

March but was moved to 

May after it was transferred 

to Milan. 

Nigerian and Italian 

investigators have accused 

officials of both Eni and 

Shell of shady financial 

deals to secure a licence 

for the lucrative OPL 

245. 

Three separate bank 

accounts in Lugano, 

Basel and Geneva were 

blocked, according to 

media reports confirmed by 

prosecutors but they 

declined to reveal the value 

fo the seized assets. 

In all, apart from Messrs 

Descalzi and Scaroni, 11 

other people including two 

former top Shell managers, 

former Nigerian oil 

minister, Dan Etete and a 

series of middlemen and 

advisers are being probed. 

Eni and Shell were also 

listed as corporate 

defendants in the case. 

Both oil companies have 

denied wrongdoing and 

expressed confidence that 

the trial would exonerate 

both the companies and 

individuals. 

Apart from Mr Etete, a 

former Attorney-General, 

Bello Adoke, are amongst 

RENO Omokri, ex-aide 

of former President 

Goodluck Jonathan, 

yesterday said no cash 

what was found at any 

residence of Jonathan. 

He said this in reaction to 

a viral video on a purported 

raid of a residence of 

Jonathan where a huge 

amount of cash was found. 

In a statement, Omokri 

alleged that the video was 

circulated by agents of All 

Progressives Congress 

(APC). 

He said Jonathan was a 

modest man and whatever 

he had by way of cash or 

property was legitimate. 

“Let it be known that no 

police officers or any other 

security agents stormed any 

of the residences of former 

President Jonathan and no 

cache of dollars or any other 

foreign currencies have 

been found in any of his 

residences and indeed 

several Nigerians indicted 

in the deal allegedly 

approved by ex-President 

Goodluck Jonathan, who 

also denied wrongdoing. 

Huge amount of cash wasn’t 

found at Jonathan’s residence 

— OMOKRI 

none can be found because 

no such stash exists,” the 

statement read. 

“That declaration 

remains true today as it was 

then. Furthermore, the 

former president, in 

keeping with the cashless 

policy which his 

administration introduced 

and fully implemented, 

does not keep huge sums 

of cash at his residence. 

“He is the most 

investigated living former 

president in Nigeria’s 

history. That nothing 

implicating has been found 

on him should not lead his 

traducers to become 

desperate and fabricate 

evidence and circulate it as 

propaganda. 

“I urge Nigerians to be 

on the alert for the fake 

news circulated by 

desperadoes via WhatsApp 

and other social media 

platforms and intended to 

malign the good name of 

Dr Goodluck Jonathan.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 2018 — 11 


RESTRUCTURING: Why Nigeria must return to 

true federalism — Anyaoku, Tinubu, Adebanjo 

•Adebanjo's role in my emergence as governor — Tinubu 

By Dapo Akinrefon 

& Monsur 

Olowoopejo 

L 

A G O S — 

PROMINENT 

Nigerians converged on 

Lagos yesterday, to honour 

Chief Ayo Adebanjo for his 

consistent projection of a 

strong and united Nigeria 

built around its diversities. 

All Progressives 

Congress, APC, leader, 

Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, in his 

tribute, lauded Adebanjo for 

his honesty which he said 

ensured that he, Tinubu, 

survived intrigues to 

emerge as governor of 

Lagos State in 1999. 

The leaders including 

former Commonwealth 

Secretary-General, Chief 

Emeka Anyaoku praised 

Adebanjo for his consistent 

projection of true federalism 

as they expressed concern 

that the wrong 

implementation of 

federalism was pushing 

Nigeria to the precipice. 

The leaders spoke at the 

formal launch of a book, 

‘Telling It As It Is’ 

Adebanjo's autobiography 

unveiled 

in 

commemoration of the 90th 

birthday of the elder 

statesman. 

We lost structure of 

governance — Anyaoku 

Speaking at the occasion, 

Anyaoku stressed that the 

nation did well when it 

practiced true federalism as 

he lamented that the 

military intervention 

truncated it in 1966. 

Explaining novel policies 

introduced by each region, 

the former Commonwealth 

scribe said: “in the Western 

region, Awolowo 

introduced free education 

and free healthcare, while 

in the East, late Michael 

Okpara revolutionalised 

the agricultural system; and 

under the leadership of 

Ahmadu Bello in the 

North, the groundnut 

pyramids held sway.” 

Anyaoku said: “Adebanjo 

can be described as a 

symbol of success for the 

Nigerian Project. He is 

indeed very passionate 

about this country. He is 

indeed very passionate that 

our country should do well. 

He often recalls the 

yesteryears of our country, 

when the country was 

doing well. 

“It was a structure that 

gave each region (freedom) 

to develop at its own pace. 

It was a structure that made 

citizens of those regions 

feel proud to belong to the 

bigger Nigeria. 

Unfortunately, we have lost 

that basic structure of 

governance. 

“When we think of the 

progress we were making 

in those days, when you 

look at achievements that 

were truly first in nature in 

the South West, when Chief 

Obafemi Awolowo was 

Mr Bismarck Rewane (left) and Chief Yemi Ogunbiyi during the launching of 'Telling 

It As It Is', an autobiography of Chief Ayo Adebanjo to mark his 90th birthday at 

Harbour Point, Victoria Island, Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO BY LAMIDI BAMIDELE. 

there; the universal primary 

education that he 

introduced, the first 

television services in 

Nigeria and indeed in 

Africa, and the sage’s 

management of resources 

of Western Region. We 

cannot but say that those 

were days of healthy 

competition, because, in 

the Eastern Region, 

Obafemi Awolowo‘s 

counterpart, Michael 

Okpara was also focusing 

on the development of his 

region. The agricultural 

development in Eastern 

Nigeria was very 

significant. 

“In Northern Nigeria, Sir 

Ahmadu Bello was also 

learning from the 

experiences of his 

colleagues in the Western 

Region, the Eastern 

Region, and the Mid West. 

Those were days you could 

talk about the famous 

groundnut pyramid in 

northern Nigeria or talk 

about the vast plantations 

of cotton that Nigeria was 

producing. You could also 

talk about the high-quality 

hide and skin that was 

being marketed abroad, 

then. 

“I do not believe that 

there is any country in the 

world that has the kind of 

diversity that Nigeria has, 

diversity of people who 

have lived for centuries in 

their geographical areas, 

who have their distinct 

culture and traditions, 

where such people can live 

under a unitary 

government.” 

I stand for true 

federalism—Tinubu 

Tinubu on his part praised 

Adebanjo for standing firm 

for true federalism. 

“He (Adebanjo) stood for 

restructuring, which is true 

federalism; about freedom 

and about an opportunity 

for each federating unit to 

come up with their 

blueprint to promote the 

unity of the nation. I am 

with him on this; he has 

been a father to all of us in 

politics, and he is ready to 

pay the supreme price.” 

“Ayo Adebanjo is a great 

leader who was principally 

committed to constitutional 

democracy in this nation. 

You can praise and honour 

him for his stand on this 

nation,” he added. 

How Adebanjo ensured 

I become Lagos Governor 

— Tinubu 

While describing 

Adebanjo as a great leader 

who stood for restructuring, 

Tinubu narrated that if not 

for the honesty and 

integrity of the elder 

statesman, he would not 

have become the governor 

of Lagos State in 1999. 

The APC national leader 

explained that it was 

Adebanjo who insisted the 

results of the Alliance for 

Democracy primary 

election which favoured 

him must be upheld even 

when others were trying to 

scuttle it just before the 

1999 elections. 

“He insisted that every 

member of the AD must 

stand for primaries. He said 

the results of the free 

primary election must be 

upheld and that was in my 

favour. If he were corrupt, 

he would have collected 

bribe then as the Acting 

Chairman of Action for 

Democracy, but he stood his 

ground and upheld the 

primary election, which 

later made me the governor 

of the state. 

"Though we may 

disagree on some issues, he 

is my mentor, and he 

taught me rebellion, that 

means I am not a bastard,” 

he said. 

Our politicians lack 

principle — Adebanjo 

Chief Adebanjo, however, 

observed the lack of 

principle on the part of the 

majority of current 

politicians and said this 

deficit was the reason for 

the regular defections from 

one party to the other 

unlike in the past. 

The Afenifere chieftain 

maintained that Nigeria 

had no reason to be poor. 

Adebanjo who made fond 

recollections of his times 

with the late sage, Chief 

Awolowo further lamented 

that a major problem with 

those in power today was 

that political parties were 

no longer “operating on 

their manifestoes.” 

He recalled how 

Awolowo cancelled youth 

associations on the claim 

that there was no need for 

any segregation to achieve 

development and growth 

for the society. He thus 

enjoined Nigerian youths 

not to be satisfied with one 

or two slots they were 

being offered in any clime, 

especially in government 

appointments. 

Adebanjo explained that 

Awolowo’s strategy of 

recruiting youths into 

politics made them more 

radical, saying that was 

why he and others 

remained faithful to their 

ideological callings unlike 

the youths of today. 

ROLL CALL 

Notable personalities 

present at the event 

included Ogun State 

governor, Ibikunle Amosun 

represented by Mr. Taiwo 

Adeoluwa; Governor 

Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa 

State represented by Mr. 

Okara; former Secretary to 

Government of the 

Federation, Chief Olu 

Falae; Vanguard publisher, 

Mr Sam Amuka; former 

Director-General, 

Department of State 

Services, DSS, Chief Albert 

Horsfall, Pastor Tunde 

Bakare and Aremo 

Olusegun Osoba. 

2019 POLL: Why Buhari deserves 

second term — ALAKE OF EGBALAND 

By Daud Olatunji 

A BEOKUTA—THE 

Alake of Egbaland, 

Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, 

has called on Nigerians to 

re-elect President 

Muhammadu Buhari to 

enable him to consolidate on 

the policies and 

programmes he has 

initiated to transform the 

country. 

Oba Gbadebo stated this 

when the former governor 

of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu 

led members of the National 

Movement for the Reelection 

of President Buhari, 

on a courtesy visit to his 

palace in Abeokuta, in 

Ogun State. 

The monarch, who 

described the president as 

a focused and sincere 

leader, said he had charted 

a worthy path for the nation 

to transform it to an enviable 

height. 

He said: “I am part of the 

campaign team soliciting 

that Buhari should be given 

another chance to lead for 

another four years to 

complete the great work he 

Obasanjo’s verdict on Buhari 

has vindicated me — FAYOSE 

By Rotimi 

Ojomoyela 

A DO-EKITI— 

GOVERNOR 

Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti 

State, yesterday, said the 

latest outburst by former 

President Olusegun 

Obasanjo that President 


should stop giving 

Nigerians excuses and face 

the business of governance 

has vindicated his position 

that the President has 

nothing to offer. 

The Governor said: “Even 

though I do not agree with 

the personality of Obasanjo, 

history will not be kind to 

us if we do not 

acknowledge such a 

statement not minding his 

roles in foisting this present 

calamity on Nigeria and its 

people.” 

In a statement by his 

I can bear any title I wish 

— IWO MONARCH 

By Gbenga 

Olarinoye 

O SOGBO—THE 

controversial 

Oluwo of Iwoland in Osun 

State, Oba Adulrasheed 

Akanbi has declared that he 

is starting Cultural 

Revolution by adopting the 

title of Emir, adding he is 

not only the Emir of Yoruba 

land but also the Igwe of 

Yoruba land. 

Speaking on a radio 

programme in Osogbo, 

yesterday, the Oluwo said: 

“How can you abandon 

who you are? Can you 

abandon king for king? 

has started. 

“Those who drafted the 

constitution to allow for a 

second term have 

envisaged that while a 

leader takes time to 

formulate policies and put 

programmes in place, he 

needs more time for them to 

germinate before they begin 

to translate such to benefits 

for the people. 

“Unfortunately, policy 

somersault has become a 

prominent feature in the 

history of governance in the 

nation. 

“When a leader goes after 

four years, virtually 

everything he has done will 

be turned over by whoever 

comes after and we can no 

longer afford this wastage,” 

he said. 

Earlier in his remarks, the 

former Abia governor 

commended the monarch 

for the peace initiatives in 

the state. Kalu said: “We are 

for the oneness of this 

country. We are for leaders 

who are sincere to lead us 

well and who are equally 

committed to the rules and 

tenets of democracy." 

Special Assistant on Public 

Communications and New 

Media, Lere Olayinka, 

Governor Fayose said 

“what Obasanjo said is not 

new from what I said before 

and after President Buhari 

was elected. I have 

consistently maintained 

that the President lacked the 

required mental, physical 

and intellectual capacity to 

govern a country like 

Nigeria and now, I have 

been vindicated by even 

those who were at the 

forefront of his election. 

“Like I said when he 

wrote his letter in January, 

this year, I agree with 

Obasanjo’s new position on 

President Buhari and I call 

on the remaining 

Nigerians, who foisted him 

(Buhari) on the country, but 

are still keeping silent to 

in the interest of our 

country, speak out too.'' 

Oba is our own word. I am 

an Oba and I will remain 

Oba for life. I only said I 

can also be referred to as 

an Emir. I am the Emir of 

Yorubaland, I am the Igwe 

of Yorubaland and the Obi 

of Yorubaland. I can bear all 

titles of kings. We have to 

upgrade and update our 

traditional culture, else, we 

will go into extinction.” 

“By saying that I can also 

be addressed as Emir, I 

talked metaphorically. But 

some bad belle people are 

condemning me and 

telling lies against me, 

making me popular.''


Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 2018—13

14— VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 2018 

LAUNCHING OF CHIEF AYO ADEBANJO’S AUTOBIOGRAPHY, ‘TELLING IT AS IT IS’ 

National Leader of All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu led other dignitaries to the launching of 'Telling It As It Is', an autobiography 

of Chief Ayo Adebanjo to mark his 90th birthday at Harbour Point, Victoria Island, Lagos, yesterday. PHOTOS BY LAMIDI BAMIDELE. 

From left; Otunba Femi Pedro, former Deputy Governor of Lagos State; Mr Obafemi Ayo 

Adebanjo, son of the celebrant; Mrs Adeola Azeez, daughter of the celebrant; Asiwaju Bola 

Ahmed Tinubu, National Leader, All Progressive Congress; Mrs Christianah Adebanjo, wife 

of the celebrant and Folasade Ayo Adebanjo, daughter. 

Mrs. Olufunsho Amosun, wife of Ogun State governor (left) and 

Chief Nike Akande, former President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce 

and Industry, LCCI. 

From left; Mr Taiwo Adeoluwa, SSG, Ogun State; Aremo Olusegun Osoba, former Governor 

From left; Olorogun Sonny Kuku; Hafsat Abiola-Costelo; Dr. Amos of Ogun State; Mr Sam Amuka, Publisher, Vanguard Newspapers and Professor Pat Utomi. 

Akingba and Senator Ike Nwachukwu. 

Mr Joseph Eva (left) and Mr Tolu Osinibi. 

From left; Mrs Funke Osibodu, former MD, Union Bank 

Plc; her husband, Victor and Mr Tony Elumelu. 

From left; Chief Olu Falae; Dr Bisola Clark and Chief 

Yetunde Animashawun. 

From left; Mr Fola Adeola, founder, FATE Foundation; Pastor Tunde Bakare, Serving 

Overseer, The Latter Rain Assembly; his wife, Laide and Mr. Supo Shonibare. 

From left; Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, former Minister of State for Defence; 

Chief Rasak Okoya; Dr. Oba Otudeko and Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu (retd.)



Urhobo suffering under Buhari —Ogbobore 

By Perez Brisibe 

U GHELLI— 

F O R M E R 

secretary of Delta State 

chapter, Association of Fish 

Farmers 

and 

Acquaculturists of Nigeria, 

AFFAN, Prince Felix 

Ogbobore, has cried out that 

the Urhobo have never had 

it this bad in representation 

at the Federal Executive 

Council. 

Prince Ogbobore, while 

CAS warns against politicising security issues 

By Chioma 

Onuegbu 

UYO—CHIEF of Air 

Staff, CAS, Air 

Vice Marshal Sadiq 

Abubakar, has warned 

against politicising 

security issues in the 

country especially in the 

social media. 

Abubakar gave the 

warning in his keynote 

address at the opening 

ceremony of the 3rd Inter 

Nigerian Air Force 

Combat Sports 

Competition held at 

Godswill Akpabio 

International Stadium 

Uyo, Akwa Ibom State 

capital. 

His words: “I urge our 

citizens to continue the 

good work and resist the 

distraction of 

politicisation of security 

issues awash in the 

social media platforms. 

“I reassure all 

Nigerians that the NAF 

is fully committed to the 

successful execution of 

its constitutional roles 

and will continue to meet 

its 

statutory 

responsibilities of 

defending the territorial 

integrity of the nation.” 

Meanwhile, declaring 

the event tagged, Uyo 

2018 open, Governor 

Ben Ayade of Cross 

speaking on the 

expectations of the Urhobo 

nation ahead of the 2019 

general election, said: “It is 

sad that the Urhobo, who 

are the 5th largest ethnic 

group in the country, are not 

represented with even a 

junior ministerial 

appointment at the 

executive council. 

“President Muhammadu 

Buhari should not be 

deceived. The Urhobo 

nation will not support him 

Rivers State and the 

special guest of honour 

at the occasion, 

expressed conviction 

that the competition will 

keep Air Force personnel 

physically fit especially 

within this period of 

security challenges in 

the country. 

Ayade, represented by 

his deputy, Prof Ivara 

Esu, urged the Nigerian 

armed forces to ensure 

they tackle the security 

threat plaguing the 

nation to a standstill. 

He said: “The 

government of Cross 

2019: ANN joins Obasanjo, others to 

campaign against Buhari 

By Innocent Anaba 

AS the race to 2019 

presidential election 

continues to gather 

momentum, a political 

party, Alliance for New 

Nigeria, ANN, yesterday 

joined forces with former 

President Olusegun 

Obasanjo and others to 

campaign against President 

Muhammadu Buhari. 

Obasanjo had knocked 

Buhari at the Olusegun 

Obasanjo Presidential 

Library, OOPL, Abeokuta, 

Ogun State while receiving 

a joint delegation of Nigeria 

if he seeks re-election in 

2019 because they are 

suffering under his 

administration despite their 

huge contribution to the 

national purse. 

“We did not suffer like this 

in previous administrations 

compared to what we are 

experiencing in this 

government. As peace 

loving people, we are not 

involved in bombing, 

vandalisation of pipelines, 

oil installations or any kind 

River State will continue 

to offer all necessary 

support and assistance 

to the Nigerian Air 

Force. I commend the 

Akwa Ibom State 

Government for erecting 

standard sporting 

facilities that are 

acceptable by all in the 

South South.” 

Also speaking, the 

Akwa Ibom State 

governor, Mr Udom 

Emmanuel, said: “I want 

to use this opportunity to 

commend the Nigerian 

armed forces for their 

gallant efforts to ensure 

Young Professional Forum, 

NYPF and New Nigeria 

2019 at the weekend. 

In a statement in Abuja, 

Chairman, Board of 

Trustees, BOT of ANN, 

Adekoya Adebola, 

corroborated the expresident’s 

stance and 

called on Nigerians to 

ensure that the 2019 

election was a test of 

competence and not 

sentiments or political 

blackmails typical of 

previous elections. 

Adebola said: “The reality 

is how can we explain the 

continuous insecurity and 

of violence to the 

government or oil 

companies operating in our 

land and even in our 

peaceful disposition, the 

Urhobo nation remains 

underdeveloped. 

“There is no Federal 

Government presence, no 

industries to engage our 

youths as the oil companies 

in the land prefer the 

principle of divide and rule 

instead of adjusting to the 

local content law.” 

PRESENTATION: Ecobank Regional Manager, Advantage Team, South-South, Ecobank Nigeria, 

Godwin Eton presents a medal to Chief Emma Odeluga (Super Veteran of Onitsha Sports Club) during 

the 2018 East of the Niger Inter Club Tennis league Championship final in Calabar, Cross River State. 

that they confront the 

security threats we face 

as a nation especially 

the menace of some 

miscreants which we are 

also experiencing in the 

Niger Delta. 

“We remain eternally 

grateful and thank you 

immensely for your 

services to the nation. We 

hope you will continue in 

this service as it has 

always been. There is no 

way you can be good 

military officer without 

challenging yourself for 

proper fitness exercise,” 

he said. 

the ravaging killer 

herdsmen? Even when the 

core of the government 

focus is to deliver security 

but since inception of this 

administration, the country 

has witnessed more of 

security breaches and 

senseless killings in 

virtually every part of the 

country with no one 

apprehended, or 

prosecuted. 

“How can we explain the 

failure in the fight against 

corruption even when the 

reason Nigerians voted for 

this government was 

essentially because of the 

stealing that was going on 

in government?" 

Warri S-West: I'll add value to 

your lives, Igban assures 

By Festus Ahon 

ASABA—A House 

of Assembly 

aspirant in Warri South 

West Local Government 

Area, Delta State, Mr 

Andrew Igban, has said 

he was in the race to add 

value to the lives of his 

people. 

Speaking when he paid 

a consultative visit to the 

Olu of Warri, Igban said 

he was in the palace for 

royal blessings, adding 

that he was consulting 

stakeholders to intimate 

the people of his 

aspiration. 

The House of Assembly 

hopeful who was 

accompanied by 

Rivers PDP begins registration 

of old, new members 


AHEAD of the 

June 16, 2018 local 

government elections in 

Rivers State, the state 

chapter of Peoples 


has commenced reregistration 

of old and 

new members into the 

party across the 23 local 

government areas of the 

state. 

Addressing council 

Chairmen and 

Secretaries of the party at 

the PDP Secretariat in 

Port Harcourt, yesterday, 

state Chairman of the 

party, Mr Felix Obuah, 

charged them to take the 

message to their 

respective LGAs and 

ensure that the exercise 

was given the seriousness 

it deserves. 

He urged the party 

executives to go into all 

the Wards across the state 

and ensure that all the 

A-Ibom PDP chair in 

endorsement scandal 

By Harris-Okon 

Emmanuel 

UYO—AHEAD of 

the 2019 general 

election, the Chairman of 

the Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP, in Akwa Ibom 

State, Obong Paul Ekpo, 

is embroiled in a scandal 

over allegation of 

receiving N2 million 

bribe to endorse one of the 

aspirants for the Abak 

federal constituency seat. 

At the stakeholders 

meeting held to honour 

Governor Udom 

Emmanuel and his wife, 

Martha, by the PDP 

youths drawn from Abak 

and Ukanafun federal 

hundreds of supporters that 

cut across several interests, 

including notable politicians, 

community women, youth 

leaders and beneficiaries of 

Eric Igban Foundation, 

assured the people of 

effective representation if 

elected. 

The former PDP Youth 

Leader and recipient of the 

United Nations World Habitat 

Humanitarian and 

Philosophic award of 

excellence for his love for 

national peace, youth 

empowerment, community 

development, humanitarian 

and philanthropic services, 

assured that he will remain a 

true ambassador of the entire 

people of Warri South-West 

council if elected. 

decampees from the All 

Progressives Congress, APC 

and other political parties are 

registered. 

“Even those of them who 

will be decamping today and 

wish to join our party must 

be registered. Do not restrict 

anyone from becoming a 

member of our great party. We 

need them and we don’t want 

anyone to stop them from 

registering due to personal 

interests.” 

While handing over the 

party registers to the 

Chairmen, Obuah charged 

them to immediately reach 

out to the Ward Chairmen 

and Secretaries and ensure 

that the exercise kick started 

in earnest. 

He warned that on no 

condition should the 

membership cards be 

hoarded, adding that even 

though most of the cards had 

expired, arrangements were 

being made to give out the 

new cards before the end of 

the day. 

...Allegation is spurious —Party Scribe 

constituencies, Ekpo had 

raised Aniekan Umanah’ 

hand, a gesture people 

misconstrued to be an 

endorsement for aspiration. 

Umanah, a former 

Commissioner for 

Information and Strategy and 

a loyalist of Senator Godswill 

Akpabio is eying the lower 

chamber of the National 

Assembly in 2019. 

The party’s chair could not 

be reached at press time, but 

the party’s Publicity Secretary 

in the state, Iniobong 

Ememobong, described the 

allegation as “unfounded, 

unjustifiable and a plot by 

some mischief makers to gain 

cheap political point.”


LASSA FEVER: 30 under 

surveillance at FMC, Umuahia 

By Anayo Okoli 

UMUAHIA—AT least, 

30 persons have been 

placed on surveillance by 

the management of the 


FMC, Umuahia, following 

the death of a medical 

doctor suspected to have 

died of Lassa fever disease. 

The Medical Director of 

the hospital, Dr Abali 

Chuku who disclosed this 

yesterday, at a joint press 

conference with the Abia 

state Commissioner for 

Health, Dr. John 

Ahukanna assured that the 

disease would be 

contained. 

The victim female doctor, 

Chizorom Ndukwu, a 

resident doctor, said to have 

been barely a month in the 

employment of FMC, 

Umuahia, reportedly died 

of Lassa virus at the 

Nigerian Centre for 

Disease Control, NCDC, 

Irrua, Edo state. 

“The management of 

Federal Medical Centre 

Umuahia regrets to 

announce the death of her 

staff. She died of Lassa 

fever”, Dr. Chuku 

confirmed. The deceased, 

he explained was initially 

admitted at the FMC before 

We need Buhari's infrastructure, 

not OBJ's attacks—Kalu 

THE latest attack on 

P r e s i d e n t 

Muhammadu Buhari by 

former President Olusegun 

Obasanjo in Abeokuta, 

Ogun State yesterday has 

been attracting wild 

condemnations from 

Nigerians and non- 

Nigerians alike. Such 

reactions are coming more 

intensely with anger from 

prominent Igbo sons and 

daughters who feel Buhari 

is trying his best not just for 

the South East but the 

whole nation. 

In his reaction, former 

Governor of Abia State, Dr 

Orji Uzor Kalu wondered 

why anybody would 

condemn a president who 


is currently constructing 

abandoned Enugu-Aba- 

Port Harcourt expressway; 

Awka Expressway; Enugu- 

Awka- Onitsha road and 

Enugu-Oturkpo-Makurdi 

road among others. 

Kalu said he is also aware 

that contracts for the 

construction of roads in 

other parts of the country 

have been awarded and 

contractors are moving to 

site. 

'With these constant 

attacks, OBJ is up to 

another mischief. 

Nigerians need dividends 

of democracy like Buhari is 

giving and not attacks and 

letters. Nigerians, be 

warned," he concluded. 

Herdsmen attack guard in Enugu 

By Dennis Agbo 

E NUGU—THE 

dreaded herdsmen 

have once more left sorrow 

in Enugu community, 

machetting a security 

guard.The incident which 

occurred in Okpanku 

community, Aninri Local 

Government Area of Enugu 

State, left a security guard 

down with substantial 

injury. 


incident occurred, Easter 

Monday, when herdsmen 

defiled a security guard 

attached to a private 

residence and invaded the 

she was transferred to Irrua 

where she later died. 

Chukwu said many 

people were quarantined 

because some staff of the 

hospital “came in contact 

with her in the course of her 

management”, but added 

that not every person under 

surveillance has the same 

level of risk. 

“Every possible contact 

whether patient or person 

will be identified, defined 

and put on surveillance”, 

Chukwu said. 

The hospital has however 

not been able to trace where 

the deceased contacted the 

virus. 

He explained that an 11- 

month old baby was 

brought to FMC from a 

private hospital on March 

12 who died the following 

day after admission. The 

baby was said to have been 

treated by the deceased 

doctor, saying that the baby 

was not tested for Lassa 

virus before she died. 

Chukwu however said 

that it was not yet possible 

to pinpoint if the baby was 

the source of the Lassa virus 

that killed Dr. Ndukwu as 

nobody has manifested any 

signs of the virus after 21 

days incubation period 

which ended Tuesday from 

the day the baby died. 

compound. 

According to community 

sources, “the herdsmen 

and their cattle were 

passing through the 

community when 

suddenly, the herders 

entered inside the 

compound of one Barrister 

Eric Ogudu and started 

plucking mangoes in the 

compound. 

“The security guard in the 

compound (name 

withheld) tried to stop them 

but they refused and in the 

ensuing commotion, the 

herdsmen gave him several 

machete cuts on his arms 

and shoulder." 

Umahi sacks SSG, appoints new one 

A BAKALIKI— 

GOVERNOR David 

Umahi of Ebonyi State 

yesterday, sacked the 

Secretary to the State 

Government, SSG, Prof 

Bernard Odoh and 

appointed Dr. Hygenus 

Nwokwu as his 

replacement. 

Announcing the sack at 

the Government House, 

Abakaliki during a solidarity 

rally by the people of Ezza 

Ezekuna, the most 

populous clan in the state, 

Governor Umahi said he 

had invalidated the 

resignation letter earlier 

submitted by the sacked 

SSG because the letter was 

written on a public holiday 

and therefore null and void. 

He said: “In my capacity 

as the Governor of Ebonyi 

State, I hereby nullify the 

purported letter of 

resignation earlier written 

by Prof Odoh because he 

wrote the letter on a public 

holiday and we all know 

that by law, any letter of 

resignation done on a 

public holiday does not 

hold water. I also here and 

now announce his sack as 

the Secretary to the State 

WORKSHOP: From left—Mr Adenrele Onikosi, Facilitator; Mr Omotayo 

Bamishe, Head of Accounts, Agip; Ms Ighojovbe Oghenekaro, 

Managing Director Agip CPFA Limited; Ven. Adelowo Adesina, 

Managing Consultant, Sages & Scribes Consultants; and Mrs Yetunde 

Adeniyi, Compliance Officer, Agip, at a training workshop on "Personal 

Mastery & Value Based Leadership," organised for Agip CPFA Limited 

by Sages & Scribes Consultants. 

Government, SSG. 

“I appointed him SSG 

because I felt he was a 

responsible Ezza man. 

Many people faulted his 

appointment because he 

was not a PDP member but 

an APGA senatorial 

candidate in 2015 general 

election. Since his 

appointment, I have shown 

him love and assisted him 

in so many ways. I called 

him to my country home and 

told him that a case of murder 

is a very serious one. I asked 

him to see me but he 

switched off his phone 

throughout the Easter period 

and the next thing I heard 

was his resignation letter 

flying up and down in the 

social media.” 

Governor Umahi also 

announced the immediate 

appointment of Dr. Hygenus 

Nwokwu as the next 

Secretary to the State 

Government and described 

him as a round peg in a 

round hole. 

Dr. Nwokwu before his 

appointment was the 

Deputy Director General of 

Divine Mandate, a political 

platform in which Governor 

Umahi ran his campaign in 

2015 general election and 

also hails from the same local 

government area with the 

sacked SSG. 

CALL TO ARMS: Nwabueze backs 

Danjuma ...says people have constitutional right to self defence 

By Clifford 

Ndujihe 

LAGOS—LEGAL Icon 

and Elder statesman, 

Professor Ben Nwabueze, 

SAN, has thrown his weight 

behind call by former 

Defence Minister, General 

Theophilus Danjuma, retd, 

on Nigerians to defend 

themselves against killer 

herdsmen because the 

military was colluding with 

the killers. 

In a statement, yesterday, 

Professor Nwabueze asked: 

''Should Nigerians rise up 

to defend themselves in the 

face of the slaughter and 

havoc the Fulani herdsmen 

inflict on them and the 

failure or inability of the 

Federal Government to 

protect them?'' 

He answered the 

question with a positive 

nod, saying that General 

Danjuma only re-echoed 

Section 33 of the 1999 

Constitution, which 

guarantees Nigerians the 

right to self defence. 

His words: ''Anarchy and 

a consequent 'ethnic 

cleansing'loom in the 

horizon if the attacks, 

killings, destruction of 

properties and 

displacement of people by 

Fulani herdsmen continue 

unchecked and 

unpunished, given the 


Federal Government to 

take action to that effect, a 

state of things that may 

likely force the 

communities at the 

receiving end to resort to 

self-defence, as is 

guaranteed to them by 

section 33(1) & (2) of the 

Constitution. Gen T.Y. 

Danjuma (rtd), former 

Minister of Defence, was 

only re-echoing the 

guarantee of the 

Constitution when, in a 

statement on 24 March, 

2018, as reported in the 

newspapers, he called on 

Nigerians to rise up and 

defend themselves against 

the murderous attacks by 

Fulani herdsmen and 

against the larger design 

at 'ethnic cleansing.' 

''The action which the 

aggrieved individuals may 

take in self-defence, 

guaranteed by the 

Constitution, must be 

viewed in the context of the 

extraordinary situation 

created by the Fulani 

herdsmen insurgency and 

the means they employ – 

Ak47 and other 

sophisticated weaponry. 

Faced by an attack by such 

means, self-defence using 

sticks, bows and arrows is 

futile and meaningless. 

What is the value in 

guaranteeing a person 

the right of self-defence 

and then denying him the 

appropriate means to 

exercise the right 

effectively when the need 

to do so arises? Selfdefence, 

to be effective and 

meaningful in the 

prevailing context, must 

be by means proportioned 

to the means employed by 

the attackers. Disarming the 

citizenry and leaving them 

unprotected against the 

killer herdsmen would only 

render nugatory, to a large 

extent, the constitutional 

guarantee of self-defence, 

viewed again in the context 

of the extraordinary situation 

created by the herdsmen 

armed insurgency and the 


Federal Government to stop 

it." 

FUTO loses N60m to vandals 

By Chidi 

Nkwopara 

O WERRI—THE 

management of 

Federal University of 

Technology, Owerri, 

FUTO, says it "lost N60 

million to the vandals that 

destroyed the entire 

stretch of the completed 

perimeter fence, 

measuring about 1.5 

kilometres, at the 

Umuanunu-Obinze axis." 

The Vice Chancellor, 

VC, of FUTO, Professor 

Francis C. Eze, made the 

lamentation yesterday, 

during a pre-convocation 

press briefing in the 

Senate chamber of the 

University. 

"In the early hours of 

Tuesday, March 13, 2018, 

some disgruntled and 

misinformed elements from 

Umuanunu, Obinze, 

destroyed the entire stretch 

of the completed fence. The 

incident has been reported 

to the appropriate 

authorities," the VC said. 

While saying that 

management remained 

"very determined to ensure 

the completion of the project 

as funds become available," 

the VC revealed that "FUTO 

intends to continue to 

engage the representatives 

of the host communities in 

robust, constructive and 

meaningful dialogue 

towards the peaceful 

resolution of all contentious 

land issues."

TO use a popular 

Nigerian expression, 

the PDP must really 

believe it has its thumb firmly 

stuck on Nigerians’ “mumu 

button”. Its trite apology is 

nothing compared to the 

death, destruction or wasted 

lives and opportunities which 

have resulted from its lack of 

good governance and 

accountability. 

I’m often asked why I always 

seem to mention corruption in 

one form or another during my 

public engagements and my 

answer is always the same: if 

not for corruption, Nigeria 

which started off as a richer, 

more prosperous nation than 

Indonesia, Thailand, 

Singapore or any of the East 

Asian “miracles”, would not 

subject its people to poverty 

and underdevelopment. 

If women still die in 

childbirth in Nigeria, if basic 

education and healthcare are 

still a luxury in many parts of 

the country, it is simply 

because corruption has robbed 

us of everything modern 

nations hold dear. 

Hypocritical 

statements 

We are surrounded by 

hypocritical statements, many 

of us can no longer tell when 

we’re being manipulated and 

a number of us are quite 

comfortable with lies so long 

as they conform to the fixed 

ideas we’ve set our minds on. 

“We made mistakes. On 

behalf of my colleagues and 

members of this party, I 

apologise to Nigerians. We 

have learnt from our mistakes. 

It was all part of our evolution 

process. 

"Without it, there can be no 

maturity. I believe that PDP is 

more matured, to provide the 

best for this country” The 

National Chairman of the PDP, 

Uche Secondus recently said. 

We really haven’t come very 

far if gross malfeasance, 

economic mismanagement 

and the “disappearance” of 

trillions of naira can be swept 

away as a lack of “maturity” 

and part of an “evolution 

process”. Evolution to where? 

To ruin? 

Ibrahim Magu 

THE Chairman of 

Economic and Financial 

Crimes Commission, EFCC, 

asked young Nigerians to “take 

ownership of the war against 

corruption”. It’s necessary but 

not realistic. 

Sadly, what is the incentive for 

doing the right thing in a 

country where impunity assures 

wealth and success? Change 

can’t come from the bottom up 

at this point. 

A small group of enlightened 

individuals has to infiltrate 

every level of government and 

force change from within the 

system then rally the rest of 

society around them with a 

strong communications strategy 

based on their performance. 

But to think anyone will 

simply decide to abandon an 

easy, profitable, albeit corrupt, 

Forget repentant leaders, apologies mean nothing 

without prosecution and justice served 

Another 

PDP stalwart, 

Senator 

Ibrahim 

M a n t u , 

confessed to 

rigging 

elections. 

Nigeria is 

t r u l y 

operating in 

the twilight 

z o n e . 

Imagine 

what would 

happen in 

the US, the 

UK, France or 

any other 

m a j o r 

democracy if 

a prominent 

member of 

one of the two 

largest 

political 

parties 

confessed to rigging on 

camera. 

Are you imagining 

Armageddon? Well, not in 

Nigeria, a country where tapes 

of senators sexcapades 

surface or of members of the 

House accepting bribes, or 

alleged audio tapes of 

ministers and army chiefs 

planning how to rig elections 

etc., without any apparent 

resolution, conviction or 

punishment to act as a 

deterrent to future offenders. 

What a country. Senator 

Mantu’s explanation is just as 

puzzling as Mr. Secondus’ 

banal, disingenuous apology. 

These are hypocritical 

statements, poorly constructed 

public relations manoeuvres 

which can neither erase nor 

•Ibrahim Magu 

way of doing things, just 

because it’s the “right” thing to 

do, is naïve. Without 

punishment for wrong doing, 

first and foremost, we are going 

nowhere fast, all the rest is 

semantics. 

repair the harm done to 

Nigerians. Senator Mantu 

says he “confessed” because 

he is “tired of poverty in the 

midst of plenty. You see people 

coming to you every day, my 

wife has given birth, my 

relation is in the hospital. But 

if everybody has enough to 

take care of his or herself, they 

won’t come bothering you 

saying give me this, give me 

that. 

We have the resources for 

people to live decent lives 

without being beggars. Good 

governance can only be 

provided by good people, 

good people who are truly 

repentant, who are actually 

there to serve the people, who 

are concerned about the wellbeing 

of the people. If we have 

such leaders, then I can tell 

you they would judiciously 

and prudently use our 

resources for the common 

good of everybody.” 

This idea of applying the 

religious notion of 

“repentance” to such huge 

crimes as those alleged to have 

Goodluck Jonathan 

AS Christ is risen Nigeria 

will also rise”, so read the 

former President’s Easter 

goodwill message. Beyond 

preaching, when will we have 

generalised, universal 

understanding (and then of 

course punishment, i.e. legal 

sentencing) rather than denial, 

of the horrors that went on 

under GEJ’s watch? 

Demanding the truth doesn’t 

mean one says Buhari is perfect 

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 2018 —17 

been committed is frankly outnumber businesses and get 

baffling. Are Nigerians simply more loans than SMEs. In a 

expected to “forgive and society where logic has been 

forget” while many still wallow totally turned upside down, 

in poverty and those such statements can freely 

responsible continue to enjoy exist, in a realm of confusion 

their loot? Corruption has and dishonesty, where those 

killed as many Nigerians as who attempt to speak the truth 

any genocide or ethnic are shunned, and those who 

cleansing: many of those who do their best to oppress and 

are still alive have no future, manipulate the masses with 

disingenuous statements are 

kings. 

All our society respects is 

money, and nobody ever 

shuns individuals who are 

caught doing wrong. As you 

read this, the latter-day 

apologists are probably still 

being hailed in one corner of 

Nigeria or another, or excused 

despite their admissions of 

failure and unresolved 

allegations of criminality. 

At this rate, because there 

are so many cases to prosecute 

and investigate, the Federal 

Government would do well to 

heavily rely on foreign 

partners so as not to 

overstretch the EFCC which 

might not have the capacity to 

handle all the “confessions” 

and “apologies” which are a 

mere distraction from the 

reality of the suffering caused. 

no prospects and no hope as 

they attempt to survive in the 

villages and hinterlands of 

Nigeria, living a life 

reminiscent of what one would 

imagine obtained centuries 

ago, without any of the 

modern comforts of electricity 

or clean water. How can 

One thing is 

for sure, 

repentance 

means 

nothing 

without 

justice 

Nigerians forgive that? 

It is understandable that 

repentance is popular in a 

nation where churches 

or that he shouldn’t be 

criticised, but the way Nigerians 

defend one party or the other 

to the death despite evidence 

of wrong doing is dangerous. 

We love our leaders more 

than we love ourselves or each 

other. We have come to think 

exploitation and injustice are 

normal or acceptable, and there 

is no consensus in Nigeria as 

to who is corrupt and who isn’t. 

That is a big part of the problem. 

Atmosphere 

of impunity 

As Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) 

put it: “a former governor of 

Cross River State, Mr. Donald 

Duke, had actually given a 

more vivid account of how 

elections are manipulated in 

Nigeria. Furthermore, the 

National Human Rights 

Commission had also done a 

compilation of those who 

participated actively in the 

rigging of the 2011 elections 

and the government hasn’t 

done anything about it. 

"I don’t think the Buhari 

regime will really follow-up on 

this revelation because we 

operate in an atmosphere of 

impunity. The country is run 

on the basis of official 

impunity. But clearly, there is 

no statute of limitation with 

respect to serious criminal 

offences, but I am so convinced 

that this will not be followed 

up.” 

How sad that a government 

which raised all our hopes has 

now been reduced to this 

perception of ineffectual 

management and virtual 

camaraderie or solidarity not 

with the oppressed but with 

the oppressors. So, what next? 

Will alleged looters and 

“riggers” continue to get away 

with their crimes? One thing 

is for sure, repentance means 

nothing without justice. The 

same way no one makes 

excuses for war criminals or 

says they’ve “repented” and 

should be excused, is the same 

way Nigerians mustn’t be 

fooled by these half-hearted 

apologies which are too little, 

too late. 

Tabia Princewill is a 

strategic communications 

consultant and public policy 

analyst. She is also the co-host 

and executive producer of a 

talk show, WALK THE TALK 

which airs on Channels TV.


Most Nigerians were astonished 

when the Presidency, through the 

Senior Special Assistant on Media and 

Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, 

confirmed last Sunday that the 

Federal Government would grant 

amnesty to the Boko Haram Islamist 

insurgents if they would surrender 

and stop preaching what he termed 

“negative ideology”. 

According to Shehu, amnesty in 

exchange for cessation of Boko 

Haram’s murderous and other 

criminal misadventures would save 

the country a lot of lives, money and 

the killing of our military personnel. 

As if in response to the offer, the 

terrorists wreaked havoc in 

Maiduguri through a series of suicide 

bombings that claimed the lives of 30 

innocent people with 89 injured in a 

crowded area the following day. This 

was one of the grimmest harvests of 

death in the embattled Borno State 

capital since the insurgency started in 

On the matter of amnesty for 

Boko Haram 

2009. 

The amnesty offer seriously puts to 

question as to whether the Federal 

Government under President 

Muhammadu Buhari fully appreciates 

the type of enemy the nation faces in 

these Islamist terrorists. It is pretty 

obvious that there are so many 

irreconcilable differences between the 

Nigerian state and the insurgents who 

are pushing a foreign-inspired agenda 

to destabilise the nation and impose 

radical Islamic rule. Boko Haram has 

never wavered from this singular 

mission. 

So, where does the Federal 

Government pitch its hope that they 

will agree to lay down their arms and 

renounce their ideology? We are 

strongly convinced that this amnesty 

offer will be read as a sign of weakness. 

It will embolden the terrorists and 

create doubts in the minds of Nigerians 

about the capacity of the government 

to protect their lives and property. 

Even if the insurgents accept the 

amnesty offer, they are likely to 

capitalise on the advantage of easy 

access to the populace to revive their 

cells across the North and take us back 

to pre-2014 situations when they held 

the nation to ransom, terrorising 

Abuja, Kano, Kaduna, Jos, Bauchi. It 

will be a total reversal of the gains 

already made. 

Besides all this, we still stand on the 

campaign promises and serial pledges 

by President Buhari to defeat Boko 

Haram and rescue all the schoolgirls 

and other captives in their custody. It 

is a sacred undertaking, and we hold 

him to it. Part of the reason for which 

the Goodluck Jonathan regime was 

voted out in favour of Buhari was the 

former president’s perceived inability 

to arrest this situation. 

Having been told several times that 

Boko Haram had been decimated and 

defeated Nigerians look forward to 

total victory. This offer is like begging 

the enemy to have mercy. It is totally 

different from what we were 

promised. And it will never solve the 

problem. It will only bring the 

terrorists back into the Nigerian 

populace. 

We say no. 

By Sufuyan Ojeifo 

IT is time Nigerians took ownership of the 

anti-corruption war. I make this submission 

with all sense of responsibility. We can no longer 

afford to invest our fidelity in President 

Muhammadu Buhari’s modus operandi of 

prosecuting the war. The war has lost its integrity 

capital and we are left with a shambolic charade 

that the president deploys against perceived 

political foes through the instrumentality of the 

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, 

EFCC, headed by a proximate loyalist, Mr. Ibrahim 

Magu. 

I further submit that, in reality, the anticorruption 

war in Nigeria has not begun. When it 

begins, we will all know. The good and punitive 

actions to deter further indulgence by public 

officials and private individuals will be “clear to 

the blind and audible to the deaf,” permit the use 

of the oxymoronic expression. Presently, Buhari’s 

anti-corruption offering has been full of sound 

and fury, signifying nothing, apologies to William 

Shakespeare. 

This is obviously one of the tragedies of the 

Buhari administration. It is tragic in the sense of 

the sheer mismanagement of the people’s 

expectations and hopes for a new Nigeria where 

corruption will suffer essential indictment and 

eternal stigmatisation such that would make it a 

deficit anti-social capital in public administration 

and in the management of our public finance. 

That was the philosophical ramification that 

possibly made about 15 million Nigerians to vote 

for him in 2015. But funny enough, the fanfare 

with which they heralded the triumphal entry of 

Buhari in the saddle has become muted in the 

administration’s acclaimed cacophonous 

commitment to the anti-graft war. The war is 

selectively and unconscionably politicised. 

Membership of the governing All Progressives 

Congress, APC, has not only become a mark of 

immunity to EFCC’s investigation of corrupt acts 

but also a symbol of sainthood on the one hand. 

On the other, members of the opposition People’s 

Democratic Party, PDP, have continued to suffer 

OPINION 

Nigerians and the anti-corruption war 

emblematic stereotype as the only corrupt 

politicians. 

In the overall outlook of the architecture of the 

anti-corruption war, the Nigerian people have, 

sadly, been manipulated as though they are 

imbecilic. Their sensibilities have been roundly 

and constantly assaulted in the one-sided 

narrative of looted public funds. 

Since Buhari assumed the reins of leadership, 

his administration has focused attention on the 

misappropriation of public funds under the past 

administration of President Goodluck Jonathan. 

There is nothing wrong about that as long as 

there is evidence to back up the allegations of 

looting. The EFCC started well. There were 

feelings that a new era had come for national 

renaissance. But hardly had the process gone far 

than the inherent insincerity started to unravel. 

Buhari’s anti-corruption war has untangled as 

a historic scam, targeting real and perceived foes 

in settlement of political scores. The validation is 

self-evident in the fact that most politicians, who 

In the overall outlook of the 

architecture of the anticorruption 

war, the Nigerian 

people have, sadly, been 

manipulated as though they are 

imbecilic 

held either public or party offices in the immediate 

past administration, are being persecuted, not 

prosecuted, in the courts by the EFCC. Those in 

the APC who are known to have plundered the 

resources of their states as governors, those who 

funded the election of Buhari in the 2015 election, 

are either holding strategic positions in his 

government or shielded from investigation by the 

EFCC. 

Once corrupt politicians move from the PDP to 

the APC, they are saved further harassment by 

the anti-graft agency. It has been a crude and 

cruel in-our-faces reality. Unfortunately, the vast 

majority of Nigerians do not, as much as, care 

about the inherent injustice in the operations of 

the EFCC. 

Whereas there is lack of morality in the conduct 

of an administration that segregates along 

partisan lines in the grotesque issue of looting of 

public funds; whereas the administration has 

imprudently fallen into the muddle of impunity 

which was one of the banes of the past 

administration, the recent public spat between 

the administration and the opposition PDP has 

provided Nigerians with an opportunity to see 

through the chicanery of the political elite. 

The elite are not committed to the social contract. 

Therefore, we must take our country back from 

them and begin to dictate the pace of the anticorruption 

war. The present administration has 

shown its incapacity for driving a wholesome anticorruption 

war. Protecting corrupt officials in its 

employ is antithetical to purity in the arduous 

process of cleansing the Augean stables of 

decadence and age-long corruption in the political 

economy. 

The administration has just released the names 

of supposedly corrupt politicians in the PDP and 

the amounts they reportedly looted. Many of 

them are already in court. But in contradistinction, 

nobody in the administration and the APC was 

mentioned by the administration. Deploying its 

extant power of incumbency, the litany of 

allegations of corruption levelled against its officials 

by the opposition party has been coldly ignored. 

It is needless to indulge in the exercise of reeling 

out the specifics of the allegations and the 

identities of the former public officials involved. 

The thematic essence of this intervention is to 

urge Nigerians to subject both the APC 

administration and the opposition PDP to critical 

scrutiny as they have begun in earnest to jostle 

for votes in the forthcoming 2019 general 

elections. All the ballyhoos in the polity are about 

de-marketing each other. They are birds of the 

same feathers flocking in different parties. 

Our political actors even move freely across party 

lines in episodic repudiation of their membership 

of one or the other party, depending on the 

personal reasons that motivate such defection. 

The bottom-line is that the rest of us are manacled 

by a writ-large elite conspiracy to criminally 

privatise our commonwealth at the expense of 

our wellbeing. We must liberate ourselves from 

the elite domination and render it subservient to 

popular verdict. 

The Nigerian people, under the guidance and 

mobilisation of civil society organisations, civil rights 

groups, national coalition movements, et al., 

should embrace the urgency of now to own the 

anti-corruption war through utilitarian advocacies, 

save our nation from the vice-like grips of rapacious 

looters and the heartbreak of a failed 

administration. Let us resolve now that we can 

no longer subject ourselves to the Buhari 

administration’s shambolic anti-corruption war. 

Since the administration has politicised the war 

against corruption, it behoves Nigerians to take 

on the battle, depoliticise and redirect it for national 

good. We should pressurise the political elite to 

submit to essential accountability scrutiny. It is 

time Nigerians dropped the garb of imbecile 

(mumu) with which the political elite have robed 

us and begin to interrogate candidates aspiring 

for positions of public trust. 

In 2015, Buhari shunned presidential debate 

and he was indulged to our peril because 

candidate Goodluck Jonathan must not be given 

an opportunity to exhibit his brilliance over him in 

the APC’s grand strategy to railroad the Dauraborn 

new democrat on a tentative nation in search 

of redemption. 

A reconstructed antecedent as military Head of 

State from 1983-85 was turned into a beautiful 

narrative for the consumption of millions of restless 

youths who did not experience the Buhari era 

and who wanted a change from Jonathan to any 

other person. PDP’s caveat emptor, given pro bono 

publico, to reject him was ignored. 

Tragically, today, we have an administration that 

is aiding and abetting those of its members who 

are corrupt. 

*Mr. Ojeifo, Editor-in-chief of The 

CongressWatch, wrote from Abuja.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 2018 — 19 

Labour rejects plan to reinstate ex-SEC DG 

By Victor Ahiuma-Young 

CURRENCY BUYING SELLING 

US DOLLAR 

POUNDS 

EURO 

FRANC 

YEN 

CFA 

WAUA 

RENMINBI 

RIYAL 

SDR 

DANISH 

RAND 

$116.65 0.25 

$2,485.00 -150.00 

$12.45 -0.07 

$68.11 0.47 

63.42 0.41 

304.65 305.15 305.65 

392.2064 392.8501 393.4938 

356.867 357.4527 358.0384 

312.7181 313.2314 313.7446 

2.7488 2.7533 2.7578 

0.5255 0.5355 0.5455 

428.2207 428.9235 429.6263 

45.5161 45.5913 45.6664 

81.2335 81.3668 81.5001 

428.7339 

47.9749 

429.4376 

48.0536 

430.1412 

48.1323 

23.014 23.0518 23.0895 

CBN Exchange rate as at 03/04/2018 

From left: CSC Tunji Giwa, Nig. Customs Service, Chairman/CEO of Tamoro Industrial Park, 

TIP, Emmaneul Ihenacho, Mrs. Eloho Francis, Snr. Manager NAPZA, Uchenna Ihenacho, Managing 

Director TIP and Assist Compt. Yakubu Darki, Nig. Customs Service at the inspection of 

ongoing work at TIP in Lagos. 

THE organised labour, yester 

day in Abuja, rejected alleged 

plan by the Federal Government 

to reinstate the former 

Director-General of the Security 

and Exchange Commission 

(SEC), Mr. Mounir Gwarzo, currently 

on suspension. 

On the platform of Association 

of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, 

ASCSN, the labour group 

vowed to resist the planned reinstatement, 

claiming it would further 

dent the anti-graft war of the 

present administration. 

ASCSN State Secretary in 

charge of the Federal Capital Territory, 

Isaac Ojemhenke, claimed 

feelers from the Presidency indicated 

that President Muhammadu 

Buhari was under intense pressure 

by some members of his inner 

cabinet to recall the ex-SEC 

DG assuring him that even if there 

was going to be an outcry, it would 

fizzle out just like the case of the 

Executive Secretary, National 

Health Insurance Scheme 

(NHIS). 

“But what the cabal does not 

seem to understand is that the 

impression being created in the 

minds of millions of Nigerians with 

the policy of recalling Chief Executives 

and other top government 

officials enmeshed in financial malpractices 

is that the war against 

corruption is a ruse. It is necessary 

to recall that Mr Gwarzo was 

suspended after a properly constituted 

Administrative Panel set 

up by the Finance Minister, Mrs. 

Kemi Adeosun, found him culpable 

of financial improprieties. By 

planning to reinstate the SEC Director-General, 

the government is 

creating the impression that Mr 

Gwarzo is indispensable, yet, the 

Commission had continued to 

function during his absence. There 

are many qualified Nigerians that 

are capable of performing excellently 

in such exalted positions so 

why should the government continue 

to reinstate individuals with 

character deficit into strategic offices,” 

the Union wondered. 

It warned that the policy of recalling 

individuals with corrupt 

acts hanging on their necks into 

public service was fuelling the 

culture of impunity in the country. 

“The danger is that the public is 

beginning to think that once you 

are in the good books of President 

Muhammadu Buhari, you will be 

rewarded for engaging in corrupt 

acts. This is very unfortunate and 

should be stopped. We recall the 

attempt to smuggle the former 

Chairman of the Presidential Task 

Force on Pension Reforms, 

Abdulkareem Maina, who was 

dismissed from service because of 

N2.7 billion pension frauds, into 

the public service but for public outcry,” 

the Union emphasized. 

Capital market: ASHON, IRM task 

operators on risk management strategy 

By Peter Egwuatu 

ASSOCIATION of Stock 

Broking Houses of Nigeria 

(ASHON) and a frontline management 

consulting firm, IRM Professionals, 

have called on market 

operators to pay attention to various 

risk management challenges 

that impact their operations. 

Speaking at a training 

programme in Lagos, Managing 

Partner and Chief Executive, IRM 

Professionals, Mrs Owodunni 

Yussuff explained that 

certain risks were peculiar 

to capital market operations 

and they 

should be managed in 

order to ensure business 

continuity. 

Yussuff stated that the 

risks were usually classified 

into business risks 

and consequential 

risks, saying that business 

risks include credit 

risk and market risk 

while consequential 

risks comprises legal 

risk, liquidity risk, operational 

risk, settlement 

risk and 

reputational risk. 

She explained that 

apart from the technical 

risks, there are regulatory 

risks that are currently 

affecting capital 

market operators in Nigeria. 

“ As part of Minimum 

Operating Standard 

(MOS), they are expected to have 

a risk management function, and 

a risk manager. But many of them 

are not well equipped in the area 

of risk management department for 

optimal performance. As of now, 

many of our operators have not established 

what we call risk culture. 

“ The principal risk associated 

with a broker dealer or a capital 

market operator in Nigeria is 

compliance with the rules and 

regulations of the Securities and 

Exchange Commission (SEC), 

Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, 

the Investment and Securities Acts 

(ISA). Capital market operators are 

obliged to comply with the regulatory 

rules and regulations in order 

to avert sanctions with its attendant 

implications on corporate reputation”, 

Yussuff said. 

Commenting on the imperative 

of training capital market operators, 

ASHON’s Chairman, Chief Patrick 

Ezeagu, explained that the Association 

had no option than to expose 

capital market operators to 

risk management training in view 

of inherent risks associated with 

capital market operation. 

Ezeagu noted that capacity 

building would always be on the 

front burner of ASHON’s activities 

in order to support global competitiveness 

of capital market operators 

in Nigeria. 

Port Security: 

NIMASA to 

sanction port 

facility for late 

collection of 

Compliance 

Certificate 

By Godwin Oritse 

IN a bid to increase secu 

rity standard at the ports, 

the Nigerian Maritime Administration 

and Safety Agency, 

NIMASA, has threatened to 

sanction port facilities that refuses 

to collect their Certificate 

of Compliance. 

NIMASA is the designated 

authority in charge of the 

implementation of the International 

Ships and Ports Security, 

ISPS, code. 

It said that failure on the part 

of any facility to collect its Certificate 

of Compliance means 

that such facility is operating 

illegally. 

Speaking at the monthly 

meeting of the Port Facility 

Security Officers, PFSO Forum, 

Mr. Charles Odimiri, 

an officer of the ISPS Unit of 

NIMASA expressed disappointment 

over the late collection 

of Compliance Certificates 

by terminals and facilities. 

“Failure to collect the SOC 

(Statement of Compliance) on 

or before 31st of March, 2018 

would subsequently attract a 

fine against the concerned Terminal 

or Facility, as they may 

be assumed to be operating illegally 

without the relevant 

empowerment document,” he 

said 

Meanwhile, the Forum has 

lamented the porous nature of 

Nigeria’s waterfronts noting 

that it needs the patrol interventions 

of NIMASA and the 

Nigerian Ports Authority. 

The Chairman of the forum, 

Dr Ignatius Uche , appealed 

to NIMASA to facilitate the 

establishment of a Maritime 

Security Trust Fund (MSTF) 

that could assist in the funding 

of security operations in the 

industry. 

Foreign investors eye $450m Tomaro Industrial park 

By Godfrey Bivbere 

FOREIGN investors from 

China and Europe have 

indicated interest in the $450 

million Tomaro Industrial Park, 

which would generate about 

2,000 direct employment for 

Nigerians. 

Meanwhile foundation work 

for the project has commenced 

with the piling work for the 

platform that will hold the 

project’s storage tanks. 

Chairman of Eko Refinery 

and Petrochemical, the promoters 

of the project and former 

Minister of Interior, Emmanuel 

Ihenacho, disclosed this during 

a media tour of the project 

yesterday. 

Ihenacho said that companies 

from China and Europe have 

been making inquires about 

how they can be part of the 

project, especially after the 

funds made available by the 

government of the United 

States of America, USA. 

He however said that the 

company has not responded 

to the enquiries because it 

wanted to complete the 

preliminary works. 

He said response will be 

given to those who requested 

for partnership, and this will 

be followed by presentation to 

highlight areas for investment 

participation. 

Ihenacho who conducted 

journalists around five of such 

piling works disclosed that 

work on the berthing space 

would soon commence with 

piling work expected to go as 

deep as 800 to 900 meters to 

make it solid, adding that the 

company intends to build a 

sleep way for ship building 

and repairs. 

He noted that at completion 

of the shipyard, the company 

intends to start with the construction 

of 6,000 to 10,000 

dead weight flat bottom vessels 

that can sail through some of 

the shallow waterways in the 

country, especially in the 

Escravos and Forcados areas 

where the draft is about 6.5 

meters.


Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 2018 —21







28— VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 2018

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 2018 — 29 

EXPO: From left; Head of Marketing, Sona Group, Mr. Devanshu Seth; GMD, 

Sona Group, Mr. Ajai Musaddi; Group Chief Operating Officer, Sona Group, Mr. 

Ashok Manghnani; Mr. Manish Singh and Mr. Obhula Reddi, Marketing Managers, 

Shongai Technologies during the 2018 Nigeria Manufacturing and Equipment Expo 

in Lagos. 

AWARD: From left; Distinguished scholar, Prof. Toyin Falola; recipient of the Thabo 

Mbeki award for Public Service and Scholarship, Dr. Tunji Olaopa and Associate 

Dean, School of Humanities & Social Sciences, Prof. Celine Jacquemin, while Dr. 

Olaopa was being presented the award at the University of Texas at Austin during the 

Africa Conference. 

CONCERT: From left; Femi Adefope, MD, Skylogistics, Delta General Sales Agent 

in Nigeria; Corneel Koster, Senior Vice President, Europe, Middle East, Africa and 

India; and Bobby Bryan, Commercial Director, East and West Africa both of Delta Air 

Lines during the Delta Air Lines Lagos New York inaugural concert in Lagos. 

EASTER: From left; Assistant Priest, Rev. Peter Falusi; Church warden, Mrs. Comfort 

Odunlami; Vicar, Christ Church Anglican, Elere, Agege, Ven. Sunday Fajemisin; 

Church warden, Yemi Okudaye and and Priest, Venerable Sunday Odumuyiwa at the 

Easter Sunday celebration at Christ Church Anglican, Elere, Agege Lagos.







36 — VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 2018 

WITH CHARLES KUMOLU 

midweekpersonality@gmail.com 

08052140865 (sms only) 

In the beginning: 

GROWING up was an 

amazing experience. I am a 

product of an inter-ethnic and 

inter-religious marriage between 

a Delta-Christian 

mother and a Yoruba-Muslim 

father. Thus, my first lessons 

in life were tolerance and 

love. In my family, we always 

celebrate Christmas, Eid el 

Kabir, Easter, and Eid el Fitr. 

Also, despite being an Ikorodu 

indigene, my father enjoys 

Banga Soup and Starch 

while my mother probably 

speaks more Yoruba than her 

native dialect. That is why 

when people point to differences 

in religion and ethnicity 

as a basis for conflict, I disagree. 

My experience growing 

up taught me to see differences 

from a positive perspective 

and this is a lesson 

that would remain with me 

forever. 

Starting leadership journey 

I started my leadership 

journey at the tender age of 

13. I was a student at Queens’ 

College, Lagos and my 

favourite subject was Government. 

I loved it so much that 

I consistently received the 

award for the best performing 

student. My teacher at that 

time, Mrs. Ezeozue picked an 

interest in me and when the 

opportunity came, she nominated 

me to represent Lagos 

State at the Nigerian Children’s 

Parliament. This experience 

redefined me as a 

young person. For four years, 

I was privileged to participate 

in mock parliamentary sessions. 

I was an advocate for 

child rights on several platforms, 

and I worked closely 

with the Lagos State Ministry 

of Women Affairs under 

the leadership of the then 

Commissioner, Mrs. Adejoke 

Orelope-Adefulire. That was 

when my interest in girls’ 

rights advocacy was birthed. 

As a member of the Children’s 

Parliament, I also travelled 

out of the shores of Nigeria 

for the first time to attend 

a leadership summit in 

Johannesburg. The exposure, 

grooming, and motivation 

were excellent for a young 

and inquisitive girl like me. 

Collection of defining 

events 

My life has been a collection 

of defining events. I remember 

meeting the then 

governor of Lagos State, 

Babatunde Fashola ,SAN, 

and his cabinet. He gave me 

my first laptop, shook my 

hand and whispered some 

inspiring words. This was a 

very motivating moment for 

me. Another proud milestone 

for me was in 2015 when 

Women Deliver, – a global advocacy 

organisation based in 

New York recognised me as 

one of the 200 outstanding 

youth advocates for women 

and girls across the world. 

Other major landmarks include 

being called to the Bar 

and having the privilege of 

representing the Commonwealth 

Youth Gender and 

ABAGUN:Defeating 

stereotypes with 

Girl Power 

Girl Power, a slogan that encourages and celebrates 

women’s independence, development, and confidence, 

resonates with Olaolu Abagun, Founder Girl Pride Circle 

Initiative. Early in life, she decided to devote her intellectual 

gifts and exceptional capacity for hard work to 

humanity. In her story, the progress of an exceptional 

Nigerian, who through her strengths became a young 

leader of global repute, comes to the fore. It has been a 

journey powered by a passionate interest in the social 

sector and shaped by the sheer determination to dismantle 

gender-related barriers. This chat presents the 

candid portrait of a young woman, who has been privileged 

to spend every day working for things she believes 

in since the age of 13. She is a Solicitor of the 

Supreme Court of Nigeria and has represented Nigeria 

at various international fora.. 

Equality Network at the 62nd 

Session of the Commission on 

the Status of Women ,CSW, in 

New York. 

Honing leadership skills 

Moving on to the prestigious 

Obafemi Awolowo University 

to study Law, I also 

used all available opportunities 

to hone my leadership 

skills. I was elected as Class 

Governor to lead a class of 

more than 300 students for 

five years and I also volunteered 

actively with AIESEC 

– the largest youth-run 

organisation in the world. 

These experiences 

empowered me to start “Girl 

Pride Circle Initiative” to play 

my part in promoting girls’ 

rights and empowering 

adolescent to transform their 

communities. 

Inspired my work 

As a Christian, I owe my inspiration 

and strength to God, 

who has guided my path and 

granted me uncommon grace 

so far. There have also been 

many amazing people who 

have inspired my work over the 

years. They include my family, 

close friends, and mentors. 

For a long time, I put off starting 

Girl Pride Circle, until I attended 

a residential leadership 

training convened by one of 

my mentors, Jonah Obajeun. 

He inspired me to take the 

bold step in 2014. My family 

members were also my first set 

of funders and volunteers, and 

their belief in my vision greatly 

motivated me to keep going. 

When we incorporated the 

organisation, I was still a 

student but my close friends 

rallied around me to provide 

the required support. These 

are the most valuable players 

in my life, and I am honoured 

to have their support. 

Child parliamentarian 

My early experience as a 

child parliamentarian exposed 

*There are boundless 

opportunities to soar 

* I see differences 

from a positive perspective 

*Opportunities 

should be accessed 

on the basis of competence 

me to the peculiar issues that 

confront the average girl 

child. Through grassroots 

engagement, I came face to 

face with lack of access to education 

for girls, female genital 

mutilation and other disheartening 

forms of child 

abuse which are largely perpetrated 

against girls. It did 

not take long before I realised 

that protecting girls’ health, 

rights and wellbeing is my 

life-long struggle. Girls make 

up over 12 percent of our population 

and empowering 

them is the right thing to do. 

Accelerate my advocacy 

Within the first few months 

of starting my organisation, I 

met a 14-year-old girl who 

had been raped by someone 

in her neighbourhood when 

she was sent on an errand at 

night. She reported the incident 

to her mother, who 

blamed her, calling her all 

sorts of names. This girl 

received no medical attention 

or therapy, despite being 

deeply scared. She became 

withdrawn, depressed and 

her performance in school was 

heading south. I knew about 

the statistics of sexual violence 

at that time, but meeting 

this young survivor put a face 

to every headline and number 

I had ever come across. 

It made me realise how 

deep sexual violence has eaten 

into the fabric of the Nigerian 

society and the fact that 

adolescent girls are under attack. 

This further inspired me 

to accelerate my advocacy efforts 

for the prevention of sexual 

violence particularly 

against adolescent girls who 

are arguably the most vulnerable 

population. 

Feminism 

Becoming a feminist may 

not have been a conscious 

decision, because my parents 

groomed me to be a feminist. 

I grew up as the only girl 

child among my three brothers, 

yet my upbringing was 

not different in any sense. I 

had access to the best education 

my parents could afford, 

I played video games as much 

as I played with dolls, and I 

did the dishes and washed my 

father’s car just like my brothers. 

My parents set the same 

moral and behavioral standards 

for us, regardless of 

whether we were male or female. 

Having this kind of 

equal mindset as a child, I 

was shocked to go into the 

society to witness patriarchy 

and gross gender inequality. 

This is the social ill that feminism 

seeks to fix. Feminism 

is an ideology that simply 

champions equal socio-economic 

opportunities for all, regardless 

of gender. It is not a 

battle of the sexes or an offshoot 

of “man-hating” as 

wrongly projected by many. 

Prerequisite for leadership 

There is no simple solution 

to our developmental challenges 

in Nigeria. However, 

ensuring that everyone can 

have their voices heard and 

access opportunities on the 

basis of individual competence 

is a great way to 

progress. Gender is simply 

what it is. It should not be a 

prerequisite for leadership, 

economic empowerment, and 

dignity. 

Representing Nigeria at the 

United Nations, UN 

I was sponsored by Women 

Deliver, a global advocacy 

organisation, to participate at 

the 72nd Session of the United 

Nations General Assembly, 

UNGA. Apart from the political 

deliberations at the country 

level, UNGA also presented 

an opportunity for Civil 

Society and UN agencies to 

engage meaningfully around 

pressing global issues. It was 

a very insightful and empowering 

experience for me. I was 

privileged to attend a breakfast 

strategy meeting alongside 

20 influential civil society 

representatives and Dr. 

Tedros Adhanom, on his 100th 

day as the first African Director-General 

of the World 

Health Organization. 

I was invited by Population 

Council, National Democratic 

Institute and Running Start 

to speak about the dividends 

of civic empowerment of adolescent 

girls and young 

women. 

Time at UNGA 

Another highlight of my 

time at UNGA was when I 

spoke at a forum convened by 

the H6 – a partnership among 

United Nations Programme 

on HIV and AIDS, UNAIDS; 

United Nations Population 

Fund, UNFPA; United Nations 

Children’s Fund, 

UNICEF; World Health Organisation 

,WHO, and World 

Bank for synergized actions 

on Sexual Reproductive Maternal 

Newborn Child and 

Adolescent Health 

,SRMNCAH, within the UN 

system. I was humbled to 

share the stage with Mr. Alexander 

de Croo, who is the 

Belgian Deputy Prime Minister 

and Minister of Development 

Cooperation, Digital 

Agenda, Telecommunications 

and Postal Services; Dr. Flavia 

Bustreo, WHO Assistant 

Director-General for Family, 

Women and Children Health; 

Mr. Yannick Glemarec, UN 

Women Deputy Executive 

Director; 

Read full interview on 

www.vanguardngr.com


Leah Sharibu: Confirmation of the true 

mission of Boko Haram 

I 

FELT low last week and 

wondered what was weighing 

me down. Yes, my mother, Madam 

Mathilda Nwannediya Ohuabunwa 

who recently finished her race on 

earth will be laid to rest this Friday - 

April 6, 2018 in my home town- 

Arochukwu in Abia State. So it was 

natural to feel that was my problem. 

But I shook that off because since 

our mother went to be with The Lord, 

my siblings and I had maintained 

an attitude of gratitude. After what 

our mother went through to raise 12 

children ( seven boys from her womb 

and five other children from the 

womb of her mate) and lived to the 

ripe age of 90, we felt God had done 

so well for her and for us. And having 

come to that conclusion, we have 

remained upbeat as we prepared for 

her interment. 

Later, it dawned on me that my 

mood was caused by the pain that I 

have had in my heart even before we 

heard of the dramatic release of the 

girls abducted by Boko Haram from 

the Government Girls' Science 

Technical Secondary School, 

Dapchi, Yobe State. Actually, the 

pain began on February 19 when the 

men of Boko Haram marched 

unchallenged to abduct our school 

girls the same way they did the 

Chibok girls in 2014. One would 

have expected that my pain would 

ease with the news of the release of 

104 or 105 or 106 of the girls (as the 

total number has kept changing 

from 110 to 112 to 113). But truly, 

the way the release happened with 

the Boko Haram insurgents 

marching unhindered as heroes into 

Looters’ list and other stories 

THE Buhari government has compiled a 

list of Nigerians alleged to have 

plundered the economy and left the country’s 

finances in a shambles. For this government, 

the unhappy state of the economy that has 

hobbled its ability to deliver the much talkedabout 

dividends of democracy is traceable to 

the murderously corrupt activities and 

profligacy of the immediate past 

administration of Goodluck Jonathan that left 

the door of the country’s economy open for all 

categories of plunderers to enter and exit as 

they pleased. As a way to shame these 

appropriators of our commonwealth, the 

administration has decided to expose the 

hidden faces behind the statistics of corruption 

that have by the sheer magnitude of the 

amount involved, left many Nigerians openmouthed. 

Expectedly, the long list of people we would 

be justified to see as destroyers of the economy 

is causing a lot of controversy. Even when some 

of the accused persons have been making 

several rounds of the law courts before now, a 

few others have accused the government and 

its spokespersons of defamation and are 

heading to the courts of law. But the 

government doesn’t appear ready to give in to 

threats. If anything at all, it appears poised to 

do battle with those it has more or less called 

common thieves that should be made to 

account for their misdeeds. 

The immediate context to all this sabrerattling 

could be located in an innocuous 

speech delivered by Vice-President Yemi 

Osinbajo in which he uncharacteristically 

launched a verbal attack at the Goodluck 

Jonathan administration, accusing it of 

disgraceful profligacy. Jonathan’s 

government was in the speech of Mr. Osinbajo 

more or less cast in the mould of the biblical 

prodigal child that squandered his inheritance 

in a sudden access of incontinence. Although 

the vice-president mentioned no names (and 

he didn’t need or have to for Nigerians to make 

the town to drop the girls as they took 

them out, created doubts in my mind 

and certainly, in the minds of several 

other Nigerians. Was this a stagemanaged 

abduction and release? 

One Nigerian called it Nollywood 

movie and was asking when Part 2 

would be released. Though I also 

found it difficult to believe that this 

was stage-managed, I could not 

erase that sneaky feeling from my 

mind. 

Then when the news came that five 

of the girls had died (by trauma?) 

and one girl was kept back because 

she refused to deny her faith in The 

Lord Jesus Christ, my pain turned 

into anger. As I was trying to manage 

all these emotions, telling myself 

that I should be happy that 104 girls 

had regained their freedom, I 

became really distressed when the 

Minister of Information & Culture, 

my friend Lai Mohammed began to 

explain what happened. The 

Government negotiated with the 

insurgents using back door channels. 

They reminded the insurgents that 

they had agreed with the Federal 

Government, that while 

negotiations were going on, they 

would not kidnap anybody. Then it 

became a ‘moral burden’ for the 

insurgents and so they changed their 

minds so that they could maintain 

their ‘integrity’ as morally upright 

group and decided to release the girls 

unconditionally. Then the military 

was cleared from the way to allow 

the insurgents march triumphantly 

into Dapchi, addressed the waiting 

crowd, dropped the girls all in hijab, 

carrying decent luggages as if they 

sense of his point), but what he had to say was 

more than enough to ruffle some political 

feathers. 

Thus did former President Goodluck 

Jonathan take umbrage at the reference to his 

administration, soon coming to the conclusion 

that some people were out to tarnish his 

reputation. It’s a little unclear why Mr. 

Jonathan decided to respond in the manner 

or at the time he did. Far worse remarks had 

been made about the Jonathan administration 

to say nothing of President Jonathan himself. 

But it would appear that the comments of the 

vice-president, perhaps because he is not 

popular for making such relatively frontal 

Let everyone have their day 

in court and let everyone 

who knows they have no 

skeleton in their closet 

approach the courts in the 

spirit of confidence 

attacks - verbal or otherwise - perhaps it was 

for this reason that President Jonathan felt a 

need to respond. 

The rebuttal from the former president 

notwithstanding, his party, the People's 

Democratic Party, PDP, was soon to offer 

Nigerians unsolicited apology for the mistakes 

of the past, but exactly what was the nature of 

those mistakes, it failed to mention in specific 

terms. This seems to be a season of apologies 

and requests for absolution. For someone else, 

no less a former President of the Senate and 

serving senator, Ibrahim Mantu, has also 

confessed to rigging election on behalf of the 

PDP. This may strengthen the resolve of the 

ruling party and the Buhari government to 

maintain its stand on the looters’ list and refuse 

to offer any apology to those demanding one 

were returning from holidays 

abroad, and went back to their base 

as if nothing had happened. The girls 

looked neat and well looked after 

and many seemed happy. Then the 

next day, it was announced that 

Nigeria had entered into a truce with 

the insurgents. When actually did the 

truce start? All these cock’n’bull 

stories actually increased my pain. 

What really is going on here? Are we 

still dealing with terrorists or a band 

of freedom fighters?This government 

is certainly not telling us all that we 

need to know. I presume that we now 

know where the Boko Haram people 

are located. Is it still in the Sambisa 

forest? What then do we need the 

new airplanes for? The 'Defeated 

and degraded' Boko Haram 

insurgents calling the shots? Beyond 

using backhand channels to 

negotiate with Boko Haram, they 

also are certainly involved in 

backhand deals. 

As I pray for the safe return of Leah 

to her parents, I am really troubled 

by many unanswered questions. The 

first is, what was the religious 

If the lives of Christians 

were as important as 

those of Muslims, then 

our government 

nominated and approved 

negotiators should not 

have accepted the 

precondition 

affiliations of the 111 girls before 

they were abducted. We hear that 

Leah was kept back because she 

refused to convert to Islam? The 

second question is, how many of the 

girls who were Christians were 

compelled to convert to Islam for 

fear of their lives? The truth is that 

only less than 5 per cent of those with 

Christian names will refuse to deny 

their faith when faced with an AK 47 

or a threat to slit their throats. The 

narrative has been as if Leah was the 

only Christian in the midst of the 113 

girls. This may not be so. The third 

question is, what was the religious 

affiliations of the five students who 

died by trauma? Is there any 

possibility that this trauma had 

anything to do the religious 

persuasions of the girls! The fourth 

question is, were the bodies of the 

five killed by ‘trauma’ released to the 

Federal Government? Was an 

autopsy carried out to determine the 

cause of death?The fifth is, what are 

the names of the dead girls and what 

are the names of their parents? May 

be I missed out on this information 

before, so kindly permit my 

ignorance for asking. 

Actually, the pain in my heart is 

accentuated by another troubling 

question that has refused to go. Could 

this be the real reason for the 

existence of the Boko Haram group? 

I recollect that when they started out, 

their focus was on churches. They 

bombed churches from the North- 

East to the North-Central, getting to 

Abuja. It was after they found that 

there were no more churches within 

their reach that they turned to other 

subjects including mosques. They 

hate ‘the book.’ Is it the book used by 

the people called the the ‘People of 

the book’? Could it be that was all 

they set out to achieve? Abduct the 

girls, get them converted to Islam 

and returned to school? These are 

just nagging questions and my fertile 

mind may just be running riot. 

My mind refused to shake off this 

feeling and this questioning, moreso 

when I listened to the explanations 

by the Federal Government and its 

various spokespersons. Fortunately, 

I am not the only one asking 

questions. Mr. Nathaniel Sharibu, a 

police officer from Hong in 

Adamawa whose family lives in 

Dapchi and the father of Leah asked 

why the Federal Government could 

not negotiate the release of their 

daughter even if she was the only 

Christian in the group. The question 

is much more germane when we note 

according to Lai, that the girls were 

released without preconditions. 

Refusing to release a captive based 

on her religious faith, in my 

reasoning, is a precondition for 

crying out loud. So the captives were 

released with at least one 

precondition: If you are a Muslim 

or you accept to convert to Islam, 

then you are free to go home, if not 

for the inclusion of 

their names on that 

list of infamy 

comprising the 

plunderers of 

Nigeria’s wealth. 

To be sure, the 

B u h a r i 

administration had 

long promised to 

release a list like this. 

The promise was in fact something in the 

nature of an electoral blueprint. But like with 

many other promises made by this 

administration, the government has been very 

slow to make good on this. It promised to 

expose corrupt Nigerians but thereafter went 

to sleep, uttering perfunctory statements now 

and again on the matter but mentioning no 

single word about actual suspected looters. 

Soon, members of this administration would 

prove themselves no better than those the 

government was accusing of looting or 

corruption. It all soon boiled down to a case of 

the kettle calling the pot black. Perhaps, the 

Buhari government was looking for the right 

time like this to release its list of looters. But in 

the meantime, it held the list like the Sword of 

Damocles over the heads of those who 

probably already suspected they were 

potential candidates for the list. 

After those who very early read the 

handwriting on the wall took the wise decision 

to cross to the All Progressives Congress , APC, 

the ruling party has suddenly found the 

courage to release the list. Which may explain 

why there have been many cynical and 

dismissive put-down of the list as a catalogue 

of opponents of the party. While the APC 

government might have been motivated by self 

interest in not releasing the list of looters before 

now, it would neither be responsible nor wise 

move to see the list as one solely targeted at 

opponents of the government. For one, many 

of those mentioned in the list have been 

appearing for a while now before courts of 

competent jurisdiction and there have not been 

signs that they had no case to answer. If 

you would be held back. And my real 

pain is that our government accepted 

this precondition and came out to 

look at us in the face and sell us a 

spin. 

If the lives of Christians were as 

important as those of Muslims, then 

our government nominated and 

approved negotiators should not 

have accepted the precondition. It 

should have been all or none. Give 

us back all our girls or we take them 

back. The apparent weakness shown 

by the government in this so-called 

negotiation is outstandingly 

baffling. As a Christian, I really 

worry that this government, can 

easily give me up because of my 

religious beliefs. I really worry. And 

that is why I cannot celebrate the 

return of the released girls until Leah 

Sharibu returns home. Injury to one 

is injury to all! 

Actually, I should really be busy 

writing or reading tributes to my 

mother - Nne Muru Oha, but my 

humanity and abiding sense of justice 

will not let me do just that. I therefore 

decided to also write this tribute to Leah 

Sharibu who is on my mind as we 

celebrate Easter- the sacrificial death 

and resurrection of Jesus Christ which 

granted mankind opportunity to 

reconcile with God and have life 

abundant on earth and eternal life in 

the world to come. Leah is a true 

Child of God who knows that we 

should not fear those who only kill the 

flesh, rather we should fear God who 

will kill both Flesh and Soul. Leah has 

proven that what Daniel, Meshack, 

Shadrack, and Abednego did 

especially during the reign of the 

wicked Assyrian King 

Nebuchadenezar where they refused 

to deny their faith, preferring rather to 

be eaten by lions or consumed by fire, 

is reproducible today. As God 

delivered them because of their faith, 

so will He deliver our lovely daughter 

of Zion, Leah and bring her home hale 

& healthy. 

With this out of my mind, may be I 

can be allowed to wish my mother 

farewell. Since she died in Christ, we 

trust that we shall meet her someday 

at the feet of Jesus, where neither Boko 

Haram nor militant Fulani herdsmen 

will find a space. 

anything, many of them have been trying their 

best to show how they came about the money 

traced to them where they had not indeed opted 

to return it in order to be set free. 

The matter before us extends beyond mere 

politics. This is not an issue to be reduced to a 

game of political witch-hunt or personal 

vendetta in which persons apparently guilty of 

criminal pilfering can simply claim they are 

being targeted for ridicule and/or possible 

prosecution on account of their political 

affiliation. Let everyone have their day in court 

and let everyone who knows they have no 

skeleton in their closet approach the courts in 

the spirit of confidence, not assembling socalled 

senior advocates who go around seeking 

interminable injunctions to stall the course of 

justice. In choosing this time, not too far from 

the 2019 elections, to release the list of looters, 

the APC-led administration may have had its 

eyes set on some political advantage like 

rendering some of the guilty persons 

electorally unattractive and ultimately 

unelectable. But such calculation would only 

work, if at all, among Nigerians that probably 

have immediate concerns than moral stains 

to consider, where the fingered individual has 

indeed soiled their hands. 

Nigerians would like the government to be 

as inclusive as possible and be even-handed 

with the looters’ list. It is about time some 

people were made to pay for their misdeeds. 

They should not be allowed to continue to walk 

the streets and enjoy the profit of unearned 

wealth without being challenged. Naming 

them and reporting them to the rest of the world 

will be a good precedent to prosecution. 

C 

M 

Y 

K

38—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 2018 


Igbo responsible for drug abuse in 

North—Varsity don youths massive 

By AbdulSalam 

Muhammad 

KANO—A university 

don, Malam Bala 

Mohammed, has accused 

the Igbo for drug abuse 

prevalent among youths in 

the North. 

Malam Mohammed, a 

lecturer in the Faculty of 

Communication, Bayero 

University, Kano, said that 

available statistics pointed 

at Igbo drug dealers as the 

brain behind the scourge. 

The communication 

expert said, “this is not hate 

speech, my position was 

based on available statistics 

of suspects that have been 

arrested in connection with 

supply and distribution of 

illicit drugs in the North.” 

Mohammed who made 

the accusation while 

presenting a paper at the 

Kano Youth Summit on 

Peace Advocacy and 

Development, organised 

by Hamisu Magaji 

Foundation, at Mambayya 

House, noted that the Igbo 

made inroads through local 

collaborators. 

In a paper, titled: “Nexus 

between youth, drugs, 

crime and insecurity”, 

Malam Mohammed 

wondered why drug abuse 

was not prevalent in the 

southeast region but the 

Igbo people resorted to 

supplying illicit drugs to 

the north. 

The university don said: 

“our investigations 

revealed that drug abuse 

is beyond normal 

marijuana, cocaine, 

alcohol, etc. It has moved 

to the extent that the 

medicines we take in order 

to cure our diseases are 

now being converted into 

hard drugs." 

Speaking further, Malam 

Mohammed said, “we 

discovered that it is the 

handiwork of the Igbo who 

connived with the locals 

to supply codeine into our 

region, especially Kano 

State." 

According to him, “there 

are many instances where 

Igbo were arrested for 

supplying codeine into 

Kano and some parts of the 

north. The cases have been 

reported in national dailies. 

“So, why shouldn’t they 

take it to their region? Why 

don’t their youth engage in 

drug abuse? This is really 

sad and we have to rise up 

to fight this menace, “ he 

lamented. 

He however blamed the 

judiciary for it’s failure to 

stem the tide by flagrant 

release of suspects, adding 

that complacency on their 

part has not helped the 

situation. 

Bala Mohammed 

suggested communal help 

to arrest the scourge, 

stressing that the menace 

appeared to have 

overwhelmed the 

authority. 

In a speech at the 

ceremony, the chairman, 

Hamisu Magaji 

Foundation, said the 

essence of the summit was 

to enlighten the youth 

ahead of the 2019 elections. 

He lamented that despite 

contribution to nation's 

building, they have little 

or no access to leadership 

positions in the country. 

The Kowa Party 

governorship aspirant also 

declared that Kano youths 

have resolved that any 

politician above 50 years 

would not contest 

governorship seat, adding 

that any person above 30 

years would not be given 

the chance for a legislative 

seat in the state. 

“We will contest for all the 

political positions come 2019 

because we are tired of 

recycling leadership in this 

country. 

“Our stance is that any 

politician above 50 years 

would not contest for 

governorship seat, while 

any person above 30 years 

would not contest for 

legislative positions in this 

state.“ 

MEETING: From left: Former Minister of Information and 

Communication Technology, ICT, Mrs. Omobola Johnson; Chief 

Enterprise Business Officer, CEBO, MTN Enterprise Business Unit, 

Mrs. Lynda Saint-Nwafor; General Manager, Marketing, Enterprise 

Business Unit, MTN, Mrs. Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka; and CEO Terragon 

Group, Elochukwu Umeh at a stakeholder gathering for the enhanced 

version of MTN Mobile advertising in Lagos.Photo by Akeem Salau. 

Anambra govt prosecutes 1,206 tax 

defaulters 

By Enyim Enyim 

O NITSHA—ABOUT 

1,206 persons have 

been prosecuted by the 

Anambra State 

Government for defaulting 

in payment of signage 

taxes. 

Addressing newsmen in 

his office in Awka, the 

Managing Director of 

Anambra State Signage 

New Anambra monarch urges 

unity in Ojoto 

By Nwabueze 

Okonkwo 

ONITSHA—NEWLY 

enthroned traditional ruler 

of Ojoto community in 

Idemili South Local 

Government Area of 

Anambra State, His Royal 

Majesty, HRM, Igwe 

Gerald Obunadike 

Mbamalu has pledged to 

take up the task of unifying 

the entire town and 

harnessing the talents that 

abound in the community. 

Igwe Mbamalu who 

spoke on Sunday shortly 

after he was installed as 

Igwe Oranyelu III of the 

community, noted that the 

fact that the community 

reposed such a confidence 

on him by electing and 

crowning him as their 

traditional ruler, was 

enough to tell him that they 

are looking up to him to 

settle the numerous 

challenges plaguing the 

area. 

According to the 

monarch, “I was selected 

as Igwe because there 

were lots of challenges and 

my subjects are looking up 

to me to settle those 

challenges. What 

happened at the field today 

during my coronation and 

when people were paying 

me homages showed that 

my people were happy for 

my coming on board and 

that they have high 

expectations from me”. 

On his advice to his 

opponents, he declared: “I 

don’t have any opponent. 

What I had was somebody 

who was interested in the 

throne. You know that 

everybody wants to be king 

but everybody cannot be 

king at the same time. So, 

you can see that it was a 

matter of interest and not 

opponent or opposition. 

“My task is so enormous 

that it involves unification 

of the community, 

harnessing of the talents 

and above all, moving the 

community forward to 

eldorado.” 

and Advertisement Agency, 

ANSAA, Chief Jude 

Emecheta however said the 

cases have been settled out 

of court. 

According to him, the 

defaulters comprised 

politicians and corporate 

organisations that had 

always found it difficult to 

pay their taxes promptly. 

“In Anambra State unlike 

Lagos State and other states, 

what we have tried to do is 

to allow people post their 

advertisement before we 

begin to mount pressure on 

you to pay us. And another 

greatest challenge we have 

is that some hoodlums or 

area boys go and deface or 

tear some of the 

advertisements posted on 

our bill boards” 

Emecheta said the agency 

target N700 million for this 

year's revenue generation, 

hoping that with the recent 

oil boom, there will be 

multiplier effects on the 

economy that will enable 

corporate bodies pay their 

taxes promptly. 

To actualise their target, 

he said the agency will 

intensify it’s drive to make 

sure that all debtors paid 

promptly. 

"The Willie Obiano 

government would within 

the second term, leave a 

land mark in the state that 

would be difficult for his 

successors to surpass," he 

noted. 

Igbo group mobilises votes 

for Buhari 

By Ugochukwu 

Alaribe 

ABA—An Igbo pro 

Buhari group, One 

Destiny Organisation, says 

it has begun mobilising five 

million voters for President 

Muhammadu Buahri’s reelection. 

National Co-ordinator of 

the organisation, Mr. Ohiri 

Lewis, who said he joined 

the All Progressives 

Congress, APC, as a result 

of Buhari’s impressive 

performance, hinted that 

his group had commenced 

intensive sensitisation of 

Nigerians in the six geopolitical 

zones on Buhari’s 

achievement. 

He said: “President 

Muhammadu Buhari has 

performed well and needs 

another term in office to 

consolidate his 

achievements. We have 

commenced intensive 

sensitisation of Nigerians 

across the six geo-political 

zones on Buhari’s 

achievements. He has 

performed well in office. In 

fact, I was lured to join APC 

following his impressive 

achievements since he 

assumed office. 

“Many Nigerians are of 

the opinion that Mr. 

President deserves another 

term of four years to enable 

him stabilise our economy 

and successfully return the 

nation to the joyous path of 

social justice and 

prosperity.” 

Ohiri, who is a patron of 

several pro Buhari groups, 

disclosed that the president 

has won many Nigerians 

to his side through his anti 

corruption policy, insisting 

that one tenure would not 

be enough to correct PDP’s 

16 years misrule. 

On political 

developments in his home 

state, Abia, Ohiri 

dismissed reports that he 

joined the APC to scuttle 

some people’s political 

ambition in the state and 

added that hence, Abians 

are highly enlightened to 

make the right choice in the 

2019 general elections. 

“I am more committed to 

President Buhari’s reelection 

project. Abia 

people are well 

enlightened and really 

know what good 

governance is all about. 

They are democratically 

inclined to make the right 

choice when time comes,” 

he said. 

CLO seeks reduction of fees, bills 

by missionary schools, hospitals 

By Nwabueze 

Okonkwo 

O NITSHA—CIVIL 

L i b e r t i e s 

Organisation, CLO, 

Anambra State Chapter, 

has made a passionate 

appeal to church leaders in 

the state to reduce the cost 

of hospital bills and school 

fees in their various 

missionary schools and 

hospitals across the state. 

CLO lamented that high 

cost of medical bills in the 

missionary hospitals and 

schools had prevented the 

less privileged in the 

society from having access 

to medical care and 

compulsory education. 

In a press statement 

issued yesterday in 

Onitsha, Anambra State, 

chairman of CLO, Comrade 

Vincent Ezekwueme 

appealed to Archbishop 

Valerian Okeke of Onitsha 

Catholic Archdiocese to 

prevail on the management 

of Catholic institutions, 

schools and hostels to 

reduce the cost of services 

being rendered to the 

public. 

According to 

Ezekwueme, “Many 

parents find it difficult, if not 

impossible, to afford 

exorbitant fees stipulated by 

the authority of the schools 

and hospitals under the 

Catholic Church." 

He however commended 

Archbishop Okeke for his 

regular visits to Onitsha 

prisons on apostolate work, 

establishment of youth 

village at Amansea and 

proposal to establish a 

Catholic University which 

according to him, would 

help to produce students 

with moral rectitude and 

core values that have 

been the bane of social, 

economic and political 

development of the nation. 

Ezekwueme insisted that 

"unless and until we 

produce students who are 

sound in both morals, heart, 

head and hand, the future, 

just like the present, will 

remain very bleak. 

“I remain eternally 

grateful to His Grace, 

Archbishop Okeke for his 

numerous selfless and 

relentless efforts with great 

effects, his constant 

celebration of his birthdays, 

Easter Sundays and 

Christmas days with 

prisoners. This is in tandem 

with the sacrificial life of 

Jesus Christ and St. 

Mother Theresa of 

Calcuta,” the CLO boss 

stated.



Days of arms struggle over —Ateke Tom 

By Davies 

Iheamnachor 

PORT 

HAR- 

COURT— THE 

Amanyanabo of Okochiri 

Community, Okirika Local 

Government Area, Rivers 

State, His Royal Majesty, 

King Ateke Tom, has said 

that the days when youths 

used arms to agitate for 

peace were over, adding 

SEND-FORTH: From left: Group Managing Director/CEO, NEM Insurance Plc, Mr. Tope Smart; 

retiring Executive Director, Operations, NEM Insurance, Alani Olojede; his wife, Aderinola; Chairman 

Board, NEM Insurance, Fidelis Ayebae and Deputy Managing Director (Business Development), Susan 

Giwa-Osagie, during the send-forth dinner party in honour of Mr Olojede in Lagos. 

Ex-militant leaders to Dokubo: Weed 

out corrupt elements 

By Samuel 

Oyadongha 

Y ENAGOA—EX- 

MILITANT leaders 

under the aegis of Niger 

Delta Reformed Exagitators 

Association, 

NDREA, have called on the 

Special Adviser to the 

President on Niger Delta 

and Coordinator, 

Presidential Amnesty 

Programme, Prof. Charles 

Dokubo, to be wary of 

corrupt elements within the 

amnesty office. 

NDREA, in a statement 

by its National President, 

self-styled “Gen” Ebiowe 

Ayado, urged the new 


Programme boss to weed 

out such corrupt elements 

to avoid the pitfalls that 

befell his predecessor, Brig. 

Gen. Paul Boroh (retd). 

The statement said: “The 

group is very confident that 

Prof. Dokubo will 

effectively deploy his 

wealth of experience to pilot 

the affairs of the Presidential 

Amnesty Programme to 

greater heights. 

“However, we hereby call 

on him to beware of the bad 

eggs in the Amnesty Office 

that misled his predecessor 

that coordinated dialogue 

should be employed by 

aggrieved parties in 

resolving pressing issues. 

Ateke, an ex-agitator, 

spoke at his palace in 

Okochiri, yesterday while 

reacting to a video clip 

released on the social 

media by a militant group 

in Akwa Ibom State, 

seeking him (Ateke) to 

broker peace between them 

and created impediments 

for the smooth and effective 

implementation of the 

mandate of the Presidential 

Amnesty Programme. 

“He should weed out the 

bad eggs and inject fresh 

blood into the programme 

and engage very patriotic 

and committed persons as 

his aides to enable him 

actualise his mandate. 

“He should do away with 

all the aides that misled 

Boroh and appoint only 

Edo community laments death of 

woman, quadruplets 

By Simon Ebegbulem 

B ENIN—LEADERS 

of Okpekpe 

community, in Etsako East 

Local Government Area of 

Edo State have lamented 

the loss of a mother and her 

quadruplets after delivery 

due to lack of functional 

primary health care centre 

in the community. 

The clan head of the 

kingdom, Pa Peter 

Osigbemeh, who disclosed 

this at a ceremony to 

witness the partnership 

deal between the 

community and the Women 

(militant group) and 

leaders of their state. 

While calling on the 

government not to 

negotiate with criminals, 

Ateke noted that every 

group that bears arms and 

wants government’s 

attention is a criminal group 

and should be treated as 

such, adding that the days 

of using guns to get 

attention were over. 

very honest and dedicated 

persons to help him 

succeed in his new 

assignment. He should 

never recycle or engage 

those who have questions 

bordering on corruption 

and other illegalities under 

his predecessor. 

“It is our very strong 

position that for the new 

Coordinator of the 


Programme to succeed, he 

must sanitise the office and 

Health Action Research 

Centre, WHARC, geared 

towards checking cases of 

mother and infant mortality 

in the community, at the 

10th Okpekpe National 

Day, regretted that the 

community and other 

communities in the state 

had lost women and 

children due to lack of 

healthcare facilities over the 

years. 

Expressing excitement 

over the partnership with 

WHARC, Pa Osigbemeh 

disclosed that the 

community had already 

committed N2 million to the 

He said: “Ordinarily, I 

would not have given 

attention to the video clip 

as I do not identify with 

criminals, but for the 

recordsy, I wish to state that 

I do not know the hoodlums 

in that video. As a peace 

ambassador, I don’t 

associate with arms bearing 

individuals. Youths should 

not allow themselves to be 

used by enemies of society 

to cause crisis." 

bring in some critical 

stakeholders to help him in 

the discharge of his duties. 

“He should also distance 

himself from vendors who 

instead of executing 

contracts awarded to them, 

made away with funds 

meant for the Presidential 

Amnesty delegates and 

abandoned their contracts 

at the expense of the 

programme and the 

delegates. Such vendors 

should never be given any 

such opportunity under 

this new administration.” 

...blames deaths on lack of primary health care 

project and expressed 

optimism that the 

partnership will stop the 

frequent deaths of pregnant 

women as well as those of 

children before they attain 

the age of five. 

He said: “Just before they 

(WHARC) came up with 

this idea of partnership, I 

lost a woman who 

delivered a set of 

quadruplets. The woman 

and the four children died 

within two hours. It was so 

painful to all of us and more 

painful because the deaths 

could have been prevented 

if we had the facilities." 

Ogor advocates united PDP for 

Isoko devt 

By Ochuko 

Akuopha 

O 

L E H — 

MINORITY 

Leader of the House of 

Representatives, Mr. 

Leo Ogor, has charged 

members of the Peoples 


in Isoko federal 

constituency to put 

aside their differences 

and work as a united 

body to attract more 

development to the 

Isoko nation. 

Giving the charge 

when he played host to 

members of the party at 

an Easter celebration 

meeting at his Ozoro 

country home, lsoko 

North Local 

Government Area, Delta 

Udu council boss warns 

against tenure elongation 

By Oboh 

Agbonkhese 

CHAIRMAN of Udu 

Local Government 

Area of Delta State, Chief 

Onajite Brown, has 

warned that tenure 

elongation does not 

encourage progress as it 

leads to litigations and 

succession tussles. 

Speaking at the 

inauguration of a new 

executive council of 

Owhrode community in 

Udu for a three-year term, 

the council boss said Udu 

will not tolerate attempts 

at tenure elongation, 

which was usually for 

pecuniary reason. 

Brown, represented by 

the council’s Vice 

Chairman, Mr. Justice 

Passage 

MADAM Regina 

Eze who died at 

the age of 82 was buried 

yesterday at her 

hometown, Ugwu- Ago, 

Ubogidi, Edem-Ani in 

Nsukka L.G.A, Enugu 

State after service of 

songs and requiem mass 

at St. Paul’s Parish, Edem- 

Ani. Left to mourn her are 

her children and many 

relations, including a- 

Dublin based Researcher, 

Dr. Emmanuel Eze. 

Late Madam Eze 

State, Ogor stressed the 

need for party faithful to 

continue to work towards 

achieving the collective 

dreams of the party. 

Ogor said: “Recall that I 

was away on medical 

vacation. While I was away, 

you held the fort and I want 

to thank you all for your 

prayers, support and 

solidarity in keeping the 

party strong in my absence. 

“During my absence, 

there were some 

disagreements and 

discontentment in the party. 

I appeal to you all to put 

aside your grievances and 

unite the party as it is only 

a strong virile political party 

connected to the grassroots 

with people-oriented 

programmes that can win 

elections." 

Iyasere, said: “The 

constitution of any body is 

sacrosanct and so must be 

adhered to,” calling on all 

stakeholders in Owhrode to 

put their differences aside for 

the good of the community. 

The inaugurated new 

executive include Edafe 

Oghenekaro, President 

General; Owhrodenyorere 

James, Vice President; Ichipi 

John, Secretary; Gbojo 

Simon, Assistant Secretary; 

Oyibo Jewhe Blessing, 

Treasurer; Dadi Joseph, 

Financial Secretary; Jaho 

Jerkins, Public Relations 

Officer; Fobrukwueta 

Godwin, Auditor I; Auditor II; 

Odjoh Nathaniel, 

Spokesman; Oghorhon Eze 

Kotete, Assistant Spokesman 

and Odaji Francis, Welfare 

Officer. 

Burial 

MADAM 

Maria 

Ubanyi of Aguabosi 

village Ngwuoba in Oji River 

LGA Enugu State, is dead, 

aged 98. Christian wake keep 

holds at her compound today 

followed by internment at her 

husband’s compound 

tomorrow. 

She is survived by children, 

grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. 

Late Madam Ubanyi


IT IS wrong for a court to 

send an accused person to 

prison pending a written 

application to court. An oral 

application is sufficient. See 

Chief Abiola's case. 

Lately there has been an 

upswing in the number of 

cases filed by law enforcement 

agencies. Most of these cases 

have been in relation to 

allegations of corruption and 

financial crimes for which the 

government not too long ago 

set up a special team of 

prosecutors. As a result, 

media coverage of these 

proceedings have naturally 

attracted the attention of 

Nigerians. While many are by 

now familiar with the 

procedure adopted by 

prosecutors, defence lawyers 

and the courts following an 

arraignment, there are several 

others who have yet to 

comprehend in any measure 

all that transpires in court after 

charges are read to a criminal 

defendant and he is asked to 

plea to the said charges. 

It is therefore not surprising 

to find many questioning why 

a man already adjudged in the 

court of public opinion to be 

guilty, should be allowed to 

return home so soon after 

arraignment while his trial is 

ongoing and his innocence or 

guilt yet to be determined. For 

many, the moment a man is 

charged to court, he should 

immediately be committed to 

prison custody and kept there 

to serve as punishment for 

whatever crime he is accused 

of having committed. For such 

people it matters not that there 

is a process called “Bail” by 

which a person is entitled to 

be released and allowed to 

Bail for accused person and the presumption 

of innocence: Requirement for written 

application erroneous 

attend court while his case is 

heard. Such people can easily 

be forgiven when it is 

considered that even amongst 

Lawyers and Judges there is 

still a great deal of 

misconception about the law 

and procedure pertaining to 

bail and bail applications and 

in no other instance is this 

misconception revealed than 

with regards to the question 

whether an application for bail 

can be made orally or whether 

it can only be made by a 

written application supported 

by an affidavit. 

I must state straightaway that 

I do not intend this to be a 

comprehensive write up on the 

legal principles surrounding 

the decision of a court whether 

or not to grant bail to a criminal 

defendant. My intention is to 

briefly highlight errors which 

are still being committed by 

some courts in dealing with 

the issue of bail. In doing so it 

is my objective that these 

errors will be corrected and 

that the entire criminal justice 

Ibrahim Idris, IGP 

system will be better for it. 

BAIL 

The Black’s Law Dictionary 

defines bail as “a security 

such as cash or bond; 

especially security required by 

a court for the release of a 

It is said in law 

that Justice is not a 

one way traffic. A 

person who has 

been accused of 

infraction of a law 

and thereby 

arraigned before a 

court of law is still 

deserving of the 

protection of the 

law applicable to 

his case 

prisoner who must appear in 

court at a further trial”. In 

Nigeria, the Courts have 

generally held that “the whole 

concept of bail generally is 

about surety or sureties taken 

by a person duly authorised 

for the appearance of a 

defendant at a certain day and 

place to answer charges 

leveled against him and be 

justified by law”.Put simply, 

the essence of bail is to ensure 

that a criminal defendant 

appears in court to answer to 

the charges against him. 

The importance of bail also 

finds firm footing in the 

provisions of Section 36 of the 

Constitution of the Federal 

Republic of Nigerian 1999 (As 

Amended) regarding the right 

to a fair hearing. This point 

was made in the case of 

Obekpa v. Commissioner Of 

Police (1980) 1 NCR @ 113 

where Al-hassan Idoko J. (as 

he then was) stated the law in 

the following words: 

“as it appears, the spirit 

behind the provision in S.32(4) 

(a) and (b) of the Constitution 

is to keep an accused person 

out of incarceration until found 

guilty through the process of 

court trial. It is a conditional 

privilege, which he is entitled 

to under the Constitution. The 

reason for such privilege is 

obvious. It allows those who 

might be wrongly accused to 

escape punishment, which any 

period of imprisonment would 

inflict upon them while 

awaiting trial, staying out of 

prison guarantees easy access 

to counsel and witness and 

ensures unhampered 

opportunity for preparation of 

the defence. Of much greater 

importance in this regard is the 

fact that, unless the right to 

bail or to freedom before 

conviction is preserved, 

protected and allowed, the 

presumption of innocence 

constitutionally guaranteed to 

every individual accused of a 

criminal offence would lose its 

meaning and force. 

The implication of all the 

above is that a person is 

constitutionally entitled to his 

liberty. Even when he is 

brought before a Court of law 

to answer for the alleged 

commission of a crime, he 

would still be entitled to bail 

and a presumption of his 

innocence. Despite this, it is 

still common nowadays to read 

that a Judge before whom a 

person has been arraigned, 

has ordered the counsel to file 

formal applications supported 

with affidavits to ask for the 

bail of his client after which the 

defendant is then ordered to 

be remanded in prison 

custody pending the hearing 

and determination of the 

application for bail. This is 

very wrong. 

The requirement of a formal 

written application law is 

unknown to law where the 

application for bail is made 

before the Judge or Court 

before whom the defendant 

has been arraigned. After such 

an arraignment, the procedure 

is for the counsel for the 

defendant to make an 

application for bail orally and 

for the prosecution, should it 

elect to oppose, to give reasons 

why the application should not 

be granted. The law was stated 

correctly by the Court of 

Appeal in ABIOLA VS FRN 

(1995) 1 NWLR (PT.370) 155. 

In that particular instance, the 

judge before whom Chief 

Abiola was arraigned had 

refused to entertain an oral 

application for his bail and had 

ordered his counsel to file a 

written application. The Court 

of Appeal set aside the 

decision of the Trial Judge and 

held quite rightly that a formal 

application was not required. 

This is still the position of the 

law even with the passing of 

the Administration of Criminal 

Justice Act. The Act provides 

that a person accused of a 

crime is entitled to his bail. 

With respect to offences in 

respect of which a sentence 

exceeding 3 years is imposed, 

the law states that upon 

application, the accused shall 

be entitled to bail, taking 

certain conditions into 

consideration. It does not 

stipulate a formal written 

application. 

It is said in law that Justice 

is not a one way traffic. A 

person who has been accused 

of infraction of a law and 

thereby arraigned before a 

court of law is still deserving 

of the protection of the law 

applicable to his case. The law 

relating to bail is one of such. 

It must be respected at all 

times and in relation to all 

persons. Ordering the remand 

into prison of a person who 

under the constitution enjoys 

a presumption of innocence 

pending the filing of a written 

application for bail is 

erroneous as the higher court 

has ordered that application 

for bail can be made orally. An 

order to file written application 

for bail is a great disservice to 

the cause of justice.




Why we screened aspirants 

from Brass/Nembe Federal 

constituency, by NBGG 


A 

GROUP, Nembe- 

Brass Advocates 

for Good Governance, 

NBGG, has offered 

reasons why aspirants 

intending to vie for the 

Brass/Nembe federal 

constituency seat of 

Bayelsa State are being 

screened ahead of the 

National Assembly 

election, saying that the 

area was in need of 

quality representation at 

the national level. 

According to the group, 

though the membership 

of its screening 

committee cut across 

political parties and 

community leadership in 

Brass, the choice of Mr 

Israel Sunny-Goli by the 

selection committee 

followed due process 

and was just and fair. 

Sunny-Goli is the 

member of the All 

Progressives Congress, 

APC, representing Brass 

constituency 1 at the 

state House of Assembly 

and the South-South 

Coordinator of the 

Buhari Campaign 

Group, BCO. 

The group, made up of 

political elders and 

youths, drawn from 

different political 

affiliations of the Peoples 


APC, from the two local 

government areas of 

Nembe and Brass, said 

the decision was based 

on equity, justice and 

fair play. 

A PDP leader, Mr Nimi 

Jackson, who confirmed 

the development to 

newsmen in Yenagoa, 

said the meeting which 

was attended by 

politicians and youth 

leaders irrespective of 

political parties, was 

held to fashion out a 

united front devoid of 

acrimony during the 

National 

election. 

Assembly 

Sports critical to children’s devt —Nkwocha 

By Tare Youdeowei 

MR. 

Chris 

Nkwocha, 

Chairman of the 2nd 

Biennial Inter-house 

Sports Competition of 

Coastland Schools, 

Ikorodu, Lagos, has said 

that sports was critical to 

children’s development. 

He made the 

Okowa promises more projects in Warri LGs 

By Jimitota 

Onoyume, Festus 

Ahon & Cletus 

Opukeme 

W 

A R R I — 

GOVERNOR 

Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta 

State, yesterday 

commissioned several 

projects in Warri North and 

Warri South Local 

Government Areas of the 

state, thanking the people 

of the councils for their 

support for his 

administration. 

The governor who also 

paid a courtesy visit on the 

Olu of Warri, His Royal 

Majesty , Ogiame Ikenwoli 

reaffirmed that the monarch 

was the only king 

recognised by his 

administration in his 

kingdom. 

He assured that his 

administration will 

continue to deliver on his 

campaign promises to the 

people of the state, adding 

that more projects will be 

completed and 

commissioned soon. 

Some of the projects 

commissioned in Warri 

North were Iwere College 

Road, access road to 

Awaritse Industrial Park, 

Obite-Ugbo and Korobe 

Road in Warri North. Also 

commissioned in the area, 

was Alema Modern 

disclosure as Red House 

emerged winner with a 

total of 13 gold, 10 silver 

and 11 bronze medals. 

“Parents should play an 

active part in their 

children’s participation 

in sporting activities as 

well as be role models, 

just like this school's 

commitment to the allround 

development of 

College at Abigborodo. 

In Warri South , the 

projects commissioned 

were Ugbuwangue/NPA 

bye-pass road, rehabilitated 

Okere/Ugborikoko road, 

Frank Omare Crescent and 

the Esiri street. 

The governor inspected 

some of his administrations 

ongoing projects in Uvwie 


the state. 

“I am glad that we are in 

Warri in continuation of our 

commissioning of projects. 

42 candidates to miss 2018 SSCE in 

Bayelsa school 

By Emem Idio 

Y ENAGOA—NO 

fewer than 42 

candidates who reportedly 

registered for the 

forthcoming 2018 May/ 

June Senior Secondary 

School Certificate 

Examinations, SSCE, in 

Bayelsa State may not write 

the examination as a result 

of missing registrations 

fees. 

The parents of one of the 

affected students had 

alleged that the Principal of 

Community Secondary 

School, Akenfa, in Yenagoa 


the state failed to register 

their wards for the external 

examinations 

the children,” Nkwocha 

said. 

The event which was 

sponsored by Chikki 

Instant Noodles, saw 

Yellow House emerge 

second place with 12 

gold, eight silver and 13 

bronze medals, Green 

House followed with 10 

gold, 10 silver and eight 

bronze medals leaving 

We are happy that the 

projects are impacting on 

the lives of the people, we 

will continue to do more to 

touch positively, the lives of 

our people. 

“We are aware that 

development is not limited 

to physical infrastructure 

alone, that is why we are 

developing our youths, 

empowering our youths to 

be wealth creators,” he 

said. 

Meantime, in Obitugbo 

Chairman of the 

The parent said they 

knew of the development 

following checks at the 

Bayelsa Ministry of 

Education which indicated 

that 42 names were missing 

on the list. 

Mr James Ebiowei, 

parent of one of the affected 

candidates, said: “This is 

cruel as the implication is 

that these innocent children 

do not know what will 

happen to them. They will 

most likely lose a whole 

academic year due to this 

unfortunate incident. 

“My son for instance sat 

for the last JAMB and got 

very high scores with bright 

chances of getting 

admission offer on merit 

only to discover that his 

Blue House in the fourth 

position with eight gold, 

13 silver and nine bronze 

medals. 

Also present at the 

competition was the 

special guest of honour, 

Dr. Timothy Ifedioranma 

with a host of parents, 

friends and pupils of the 

school. 

WORKSHOP: From left: Mr. Deji Koko, Director of Account, Min. of Establishments, Training and 

Pensions; Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos and guest lecturer, Mrs. 

Rhoda Ayinde, Perm Sec of the Ministry and Dr. Akintola Benson Oke, Commissioner of Establishments, 

Training and Pensions, during the 2-days workshop on ''Adopting the Lean Process Improvement 

Culture in the Civil Service to Further Reduce Waste and Optimize Productivity'' at Golfview Hotel, 

yesterday. Photo by Bunmi Azeez. 

community, Justice 

Akunoma and the 

immediate past chairman 

Mr. Lawrence Ukubenje, 

in their separate speeches 

eulogized the state 

governor for his human 

and infrastructural 

development of the area. 

They said the entire 

community was happy 

with the Okowa 

administration for 

embarking on projects in 

the community. 

registration fee was not 

remitted by the school 

Principal. It is unfortunate. 

“The saving grace for me 

is that the alternative 

examinations, conducted by 

National Examinations 

Council, NECO, are still 

open, so I will ensure I 

register him for NECO.” 

When contacted, Mr 

Francis Micah, the 

immediate past Principal of 

Community Secondary 

School Akenfa, Yenagoa, 

confirmed that 42 students 

who paid their SSCE 

examination fees were not 

registered. Micah, who 

regretted the development 

said that he lost the 

examination fees totalling 

about N800, 000 to armed 

robbers.



AGAINST PRIVATISATION: From left—National President, Amalgamated Union of Public 

Corporation, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Service Employees, AUPCTRE, Mr. Benjamin Anthony; 

National President, Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, MHUN, Mr. Josiah Biobelemoye; Deputy 

Executive Director, Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth, ERA/FoEN, Mr. Akinbode Oluwafemi; 

Vice President, Public Services International, PSI, General Secretary, NASU, Deputy President, NLC, Mr. 

Peters Adeyemi; and Head of Campaigns, PSI, Sandra Vermuyten, at the ERA/FoEN-organised workshop 

on Public Private Partnerships versus Public Sector Solutions, in collaboration with PSI, Corporate Accountability 

and AUPCTRE in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: Oboh Agbonkhese. 

Gov Bello falls off car, injures leg 

•He only hurt his foot; will be back after Easter break—Aide 

By Boluwaji 

Obahopo 

L 

O K O J A — 

GOVERNOR 

Yahaya Bello of Kogi State 

allegedly has a leg in 

palster cast, following 

injuries he sustained while 

alighting from his vehicle 

last Friday at Old Market 

in Lokoja, the state capital, 

on his way from Abuja. 

However, the state 

government has refuted 

the degree of injuries 

suffered by the governor, 

saying he only lost his 

footing while trying to 

acknowledge cheers from 

the people. 

An eyewitness said the 

governor, who was in a 

BMW car smaller than his 

usual SUV, opened the car 

By Henry Umoru 

ABUJA—NO longer 

comfortable with its 

growing negative public 

perception, the leadership 

of the National Assembly, 

NASS, has begun 

measures to launder its 

image. 

Addressing journalists 

yesterday in Abuja, Senate 

Leader, Ahmed Lawan 

(APC, Yobe North) said the 

strategic plan for the image 

laundering was perception 

door when he got to Old 

Market in Lokoja, and in 

an attempt to stand up and 

spray money to people, fell 

from the car, hurting his two 

arms and left foot. 

The eyewitness added 

that the car dragged 

Governor Bello for some 

metres before he was 

rescued by some people 

and his security men. 

Absent at Majority 

Leader’s burial 

Meanwhile, Governor 

Bello was not available to 

receive the Speaker of the 

House of Representatives, 

Mr. Yakubu Dogara, at 

Government House, giving 

credence to reports that the 

governor was rushed to 

one of the private hospitals 

in Abuja for further 

change ahead of the third 

anniversary of the eighth 

Assembly on June 9, 

adding that the measures 

were being packaged by 

the leadership of NASS in 

collaboration with the 

management of the 

National Institute for 

Legislative Studies, NILS. 

According to him, this 

will be carried out through 

a programme tagged Open 

Week by the committee 

already set up for that 

purpose. 

treatment. 

The Speaker was in 

Lokoja for the burial of late 

Mr. Buba Jibril, the Deputy 

Majority Leader. It was the 

deputy governor, Chief 

Simon Achuba, that 

represented the governor at 

the ceremony. 

Only Bello’s left 

foot is hurt—Govt 

Reacting to the trending 

story, Director General, 

Media and Publicity to 

the Governor, Mr. 

Kingsley Fanwo, who 

confirmed that there was 

an accident in a statement 

yesterday, said Governor 

Bello only injured his left 

foot while alighting from 

a vehicle. 

Fanwo said: “We wish to 

refute rumours that the 

NASS launches image laundering campaign; 

quiet on scheme's budget 

KWARA State House of 

Assembly, yesterday, 

stepped down the request 

of Governor Abdulfatah 

Ahmed seeking to access 

another N1 billion 

agriculture loan from a 

bank for disbursement to 

poultry and fish farmers in 

the state. 

It also set aside his 

request seeking approval 

for a loan of N400 million 

to settle the subventions of 

the state-owned tertiary 

institutions. 

The House took the 

decision in its resolution 

after deliberating on the 

governor’s request read by 

the Speaker, Dr. Ali Ahmad. 

In a unanimous decision, 

the House asked the 

executive to brief it on how 

the N1 billion agriculture 

loan approved by in 2017 

was disbursed. 

The House directed its 

The Senate Leader said: 

“The planned open week 

is a welcome development 

which will serve as a 

platform for the public to 

interact with federal 

legislators at close range 

towards understanding the 

constitutional functions of 

the National Assembly, 

particularly as regards 

constituency projects. 

“The open week will 

bring to the fore required 

knowledge about the 

workings of the National 

Assembly, which are, 

fundamentally, lawmaking, 

Kwara Assembly steps down Ahmed’s N1bn loan request 

Committee on Agriculture 

and Natural Resources to 

liaise with the executive to 

know the identity of the 

beneficiaries of the new 

loan request. 

The House noted that 

there was no need for the 

N400 million loan since 

allocation from the Federal 

Government and the state’s 

Internally Generated 

Revenue had improved 

since January. 

Governor of Kogi State, 

Alhaji Yahaya Bello, is 

either hospitalised or 

incapacitated. 

“The governor missed 

his footing last Friday, 

March 30, while alighting 

from a vehicle and injured 

his left foot. He was 

treated by his doctors, 

who bandaged the leg 

and discharged him. 

“We thank Governor 

Bello’s supporters and 

well-wishers who reached 

out to us to inquire 

after his wellbeing. 

“His Excellency is doing 

very well and will be at 

work as usual after the 

Easter holidays. 

“Once again, the governor 

sends his best wishes 

to Kogites for the Easter 

season and beyond.” 

representation and 

oversight functions on the 

workings of all Federal 

Government agencies. 

“As lawmakers, we no 

doubt feel bad about the 

negative perception of the 

National Assembly and we 

must change it in the 

interest of democracy which 

to us cannot be 

development driven going 

by the way the institution 

is misunderstood by 

Nigerians.” 

Also speaking on the 

planned image 

laundering, Chairman of 

House of Representatives 

Committee on Judiciary, 

Human Rights and Legal 

Matters, Shehu Shagari, 

described the one week 

event as a welcome 

development since NASS 

has been the most 

misunderstood arm of 

government since 1999. 

The amount voted for the 

planned event was, 

however, not disclosed 

before the committee 

members, including the DG 

of NILS, Professor Ladi 

Hamalai. 

PDP hails court ruling on 

sacked 90 Kogi workers 

By Boluwaji 

Obahopo 

L OKOJA—PEOPLES 

Democratic Party, 

PDP, has hailed the recent 

judgment of the National 

Industrial Court, NIC, of 

Nigeria, reinstating 90 

sacked Kogi forest guards 

by the state government. 

The Lokoja Judicial 

Division of NIC had, on 

March 21, delivered 

judgment against the 

state Ministry of 

Environment and 

Natural Resources, 

declaring unlawful the 

termination of the affected 

workers. 

By Kingsley 

Omonobi 

A 

B U J A — 

FOLLOWING 

the recent attack on 

Bawan Daji community 

in Anka Local 

Government Area of 

Zanfara State, where no 

fewer than 30 persons lost 

their lives, Chief of Air 

Staff, Air Marshal 

Sadique Abubakar, has 

ordered the deployment 

of Nigerian Air Force 

Special Forces to Gusau 

as part of efforts to end 

increasing armed 

banditry in the state. 

Accordingly, the NAF 

Special Forces, trained in 

asymmetric warfare, were 

airlifted from Kaduna 

with the NAF C-130 

Hercules aircraft to 

complement the efforts of 

other security forces on 

ground to prevent further 

attack on innocent 

citizens. 

The personnel and 

By Marie- 

Therese Nanlong 

J OS—GOVERNOR 

Simon Lalong of 

Plateau State, yesterday, 

swore in Justice Yakubu 

Dakwak as substantive 

Chief Judge of the state, 

urging him to join 

hands with 

stakeholders in the 

judiciary to sanitise the 

nation’s justice delivery 

system. 

He was appointed as 

Acting Chief Judge in 

2017. 

Speaking during the 

ceremony at Government 

House, Governor Lalong 

said: “The short period, 

The state PDP Director, 

Media 

and 

Documentation, Achadu 

Dickson, described the 

ruling as a vindication of 

light over darkness. 

He said: “Whatever dark, 

directionless and 

inhumane decision that is 

wrongfully taken by 

Governor Yahaya Bello, 

the truth which is light 

will overcome his 

falsehood and 

wickedness.” 

The party called on the 

governor to obey the court 

ruling, reinstate the 

sacked workers and 

quickly pay their salaries 

and other entitlements. 

Zamfara killings: 

Air Force deploys 

special unit to Gusau 

other supporting staff will 

operate from the recentlyestablished 

207 Quick 

Response Group in Gusau, 

to reinforce the existing 

regiment personnel in the 

Unit in support of the 

ongoing Operation 

Sharan Daji in the state. 

Addressing the troops at 

Gusau before their 

deployment yesterday, Air 

Officer Commanding 

Special Operations 

Command, Air Vice 

Marshal Ismaila Kaita, 

announced that the Special 

Forces will be further 

deployed to remote areas 

of Zamfara State for 

internal security 

operations. 

A statement by Air Vice 

Marshal Olatokunbo 

Adesanya, Director, NAF 

Public Relations and 

Information, noted that “in 

recent times, NAF has 

taken additional measures 

to enhance its contributions 

to tackling internal 

security challenges.” 

Lalong swears in 

Dakwak as Chief Judge 

My Lord held forth as 

Acting Chief Judge, has 

not left me in doubt as to 

his willingness, readiness 

and commitment to 

enriching the Bench with 

the experience he has 

garnered in his over 30 

years on the Bench.” 

Anniversary 

ANWAR-UL 

Islam 

College, formerly 

Ahmadiyya College, 

Agege, will mark its 70th 

anniversary tomorrow with 

a lecture entitled Child 

Education: A Lasting 

Legacy by Dr. Abaniwonda 

of Lagos State University, 

Ojo, at the school’s 

premises by 10a.m.

C 

M 

Y 

K 


Worldwide Cloud IT Infrastructure revenues hit $12.8bn 

in Q4 2017 — IDC 

By Emmanuel 

Elebeke 

International Data Corporation, 

IDC, has said that Worldwide 

Quarterly Cloud IT Infrastructure 

Tracker, vendor revenue 

from sales of infrastructure 

products (server, storage, and 

Ethernet switch) for cloud IT, including 

public and private cloud, 

grew 27.3% year-over-year in the 

fourth quarter of 2017 (4Q17), 

has reached $12.8 billion. 

In its Worldwide Tracker, IDC 

said, for 2017, the combined 

public and private cloud deployments 

continued the double-digit 

annual growth trend from past 

years with revenues reaching 

$43.4 billion for 21.7% year-overyear 

growth. 

According to the market intelligence 

provider, public cloud 

infrastructure revenue has almost 

doubled in the past two 

years to $8.5 billion, growing 

34.0% year-over-year in 4Q17, 

while private cloud revenue 

reached $4.3 billion for an annual 

increase of 15.7%, and total 

worldwide cloud IT infrastructure 

revenue in 2017 increased more 

than double when compared to 

2013. 

IDC said; “The combined public 

and private cloud revenues 

now represent 42.2% of the total 

worldwide IT infrastructure 

spending, up from 39.3% a year 

ago. The traditional (non-cloud) 

IT infrastructure revenue grew 

12.8% from a year ago, although 

it has been generally declining 

over the past several years; and 

at $17.5 billion in 4Q17, it still represents 

57.8% of total worldwide 

IT infrastructure spending.” 

The Research Director for Computing 

Platforms at IDC, Kuba 

Stolarski, said: “Last year, 2017, 

finished strong for public cloud 

IT infrastructure growth, led by 

continued expansion by Amazon 

and renewed growth in Google 

and Facebook infrastructure. 

While there has been high 

growth in all IT infrastructure 

segments lately, public cloud, led 

by the hyperscalers, has resulted 

in the largest share of infrastructure 

growth, which is expected 

to continue at this pace 

for at least a few more quarters.” 

Except for Latin America and 

Japan revenue, which grew 

6.2% and 4.8% respectively from 

a year ago, IDC said all other 

regions in the world grew their 

cloud IT Infrastructure revenue 

by double digits. Asia-Pacific 

(excluding Japan) and Central 

and Eastern Europe saw the 

fastest growth rates at 59.0% and 

34.1%, respectively. Canada 

23.3%, Middle East and Africa 

27.5% and USA 21.1%, had annual 

growth in the 20s, while 

Western Europe 16.6% had annual 

growth in the 10s. 

RUMBLE IN THE TELECOM SECTOR 

•Demand executive order on telecom infrastructure as critical national asset 

•Seek harmonisation of taxes, levies 

•Sue NASS over frequent summons, harassments 

By Prince Osuagwu 

Barring urgent presidential 

intervention over alleged 

incessant closure of telecom 

operators’ cell sites and base 

stations, Nigeria may have the 

2019 general elections without 

telecommunications. 

This is as the telcos have 

Table of taxes levied on operators 

Telcos threaten telecom blackout 

ahead of 2019 election 

warned that henceforth, they 

would not re-open any site 

arbitrarily closed by states and 

agencies of government over 

non-payment of some taxes and 

levies, they (telcos) claim are 

arbitrary and criminally 

duplicated. 

The telcos say they are faced 

with uncountable number of 

ridiculous taxes and levies, 

leaving the operating 

environment so harsh and 

return on investment less 

attractive. They complained 

that the taxes and levies are 

duplicated in different names 

and among federal, state and 

local governments, making them 

practically impossible to comply 

with; yet at the slightest delay in 

payment, agencies involved 

resort to closing down critical 

network facilities. 

They are demanding that 

President Muhammadu Buhari 

declares telecom facilities critical 

national assets as stipulated by 

the Cybercrime Act, 2015. 

The Cybercrime Act 2015 says 

Executive order is required to 

declare telecom infrastructure 

critical national asset. Part 11, 

section 3(1), (2) (a-g) states that: 

“Designation of certain 

computer systems or networks 

as critical national information 

infrastructure: The President 

may on the recommendation of 

the National Security Adviser, by 

Order published in the Federal 

Gazette, designate certain 

computer systems, networks 

and information infrastructure 

vital to the national security of 

Nigeria or the economic and 

social wellbeing of its citizens, as 

constituting Critical National 

Information Infrastructure. The 

Presidential Order made under 

subsection (1) of this section may 

prescribe minimum standards, 

guidelines, rules or procedure in 

respect of - (a) the protection or 

preservation of critical 

information infrastructure; (b) 

the general management of 

critical information 

infrastructure; (c) access to, 

transfer and control of data in 

any critical information 

infrastructure; (d) infrastructural 

or procedural rules and 

requirements for securing the 

integrity and authenticity of data 

or information contained in any 

critical national information 

infrastructure; (e) the storage or 

archiving of data or information 

regarded critical national 

information infrastructure; (f) 

recovery plans in the event of 

Continues on page 45

MOBILE MARKET 

with Tare 

tareyoudeowei@gmail.com / 0806 713 4677 

Hottest mobile devices this week 

Infinix Hot 

S3 

LG Stylus 3 

Credited for being 

sought after due to its 

“long-lasting battery life, 

fast response stylus Penpop 

scanner, capture 

plus, quick memo and 

excellent camera performance 

that gives true 

to life colours," LG 

Stylus comes 

highly recommended 

by users. 

Sony Stereo 

Headset 

With five star ratings, 

the Sony wireless noise 

cancelling stereo headset 

comes highly recommended 

locally and internationally. 

Besides 

the tag of quality associated 

with the brand, 

its age and resilience in 

the market tells it all. For 

loyalist, not much needs 

to be said about its 

quality sound. 

About to debut in Nigeria 

from Slot Systems 

Limited at the original 

price of N62,200, Infinix 

Hot S3 is trending 

this week and available 

for pre-order. 

It promises to wow 

users with its latest android 

version, Android 

8.0 Oreo operating system, 

4G LTE network 

5.7 inches HD + 2.5D 

screen, Qualcomm 

Snapdragon 430 processor, 

13 MP 

with Dual-flash 

Light (Back), 20 

MP AF with 

Dual-flash Light 

(Front) cameras, 

32 GB internal 

memory, 3 GB 

RAM and a nonremovable 

4, 

000 mAh battery. 

Its additional 

feature is the 

XOS 3 interface 

for improved security, 

speed, 

finger print 

scaning, all 

which makes it stylish and efficient, as well as three 

fingers screenshot feature for taking screenshots just 

by swiping three fingers down the screen. 

Available in 3cHub 

stores across the nation, for 

N73,000, this device 

comes designed with a 

Remax Bluetooth 

Earphone 

For females or 

even males, that 

do not want 

their hair ruffled, 

the Remax 

Rb-S6 

Neckband 

Bluetooth 

Earphone 

that 

5.7inch HD screen, Octa- 

Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 

processor, Android 

7.0 Nougat operati 

n g 

system,2GB 

RAM,16GB 

ROM expandable 

to 

128GB with 

a memory 

card, 13 and 

8megapixel 

cameras and 

3,200mAh 

battery that 

translates to 

two days extensive 

phone usage. 

is trending at the moment, 

comes highly recommend 

since it 

doesn’t have to stay on 

your head nor do you 

have to have an audio 

cord dangling and getting 

in your way. 

It comes with 10 

meters Bluetooth communication 

range, 10 

millimetres speaker diameter, 

about 200 hours 

standby time and a 50- 

10000Hz transmission 

range. It is presently 

available at Yudala 

stores for N7,500 and 

can be ordered online. 

It comes fitted 

with Bluetooth 

connectivity 

for any mobile, 

memory 

card 

support, 

built in 

FM radio, 

is 

compatible 

with all 

phones 

a n d 

transmits 

over a distance 

of 10 

meters. It is available on Jumia for 7,000 

Continues from page 44 

disaster or loss of the 

critical national 

information infrastructure 

or any part of it; and (g) 

any other matter required 

for the adequate 

protection, management 

and control of data and 

other resources in any 


information infrastructure” 

Part 111 of the Act which 

deals with offences and 

penalties, stipulates in 

section 5(1-3) that: Any 

person who commits any 

offence punishable under 

this Act against any 


information infrastructure, 

designated pursuant to 

section 3 of this Act, is 

liable on conviction to 

imprisonment for a term 

of not less than fifteen 

years without an option of 

fine. (2) Where the offence 

committed under 

subsection (1) of this 

section results in grievous 

bodily injury, the offender 

shall be liable on 

conviction 

to 

imprisonment for a 

minimum term of 15 years 

without option of fine. (3) 

Where the offence 

committed under 

subsection (1) of this 

section results in death, 

the offender shall be liable 

on conviction to death 

sentence without an option 

of fine.” 

The telcos through their 

trade body, the 

Association of Licensed 

Telecom Operators of 

Nigeria, ALTON, said it 

was high time the 

President took that bold 

step to secure telecom 

infrastructure in the 

country. 

Chairman of the body, 

Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, 

told Hi-Tech that “we are law 

abiding corporate 

organisations paying our 

taxes as and when due. 

Irrespective of the fact that we 

are under regulation by an 

agency of the Federal 

Government, we are also 

faced with several other taxes 

and levies which are truly 

ridiculous and criminally 

duplicated by all manner of 

agencies and state 

governments. We have 

continued to engage these 

states and agencies but rather 

than exhausting the proper 

dialogue channel, at the 

slightest opportunity, they 

resort to closing down our 

critical operating facilities 

which even have serious 

security implications. “Now, 

we are approaching an 

election year, if these things 

continue, the country should 

expect telecom blackout 


Telcos threaten telecom blackout 

ahead of 2019 election 

because we are not going to 

open any site closed down 

arbitrarily by any state or 

agency under the guise of 

non-payment of these 

obnoxious taxes. The 

implication of this is that 

telecom as a borderless 

technology knows no 

boundaries. If for instance, 

those sites that are in the 

border areas are closed 

down, it will affect services 

in the states they border and 

both will have telecom 

blackout and we will not 

reopen any site and will not 

be held accountable. 

“Again, the regulator 

should not ask us to provide 

optimum quality of service, 

because it is not possible. You 

cannot have sites closed 

down in some states and use 

the few states that are 

operating normally to judge 

us on key performance 

index; that will be highly 

unfair. 

“All that can solve these 

issues is for the president to 

step up and make a 

declaration as required by the 

Cybercrime law that telecom 

infrastructure is critical 

national asset. Only then 

would we have the legal 

backing and instrument of 

state to fight these agencies 

shutting down our sites 

arbitrarily,” he added. 

Adebayo said the 

...we are 

approaching 

an election 

year, if these 

things 

continue, the 

country should 

expect telecom 

blackout 

resolutions were made after 

the association’s general 

meeting in October 2017. The 

association also took a swipe 

at the Amended Taxes & 

Levies Order, 2015, saying 

it has engendered the 

institution of multiplicity of 

taxes across different tiers of 

government. 

“The Amended Order 

failed to fix the taxable rate 

resulting in the imposition of 

arbitrary levies and charges 

at the state government 

levels. The industry is also 

burdened with enactment of 

laws at the state government 

levels to legitimise spurious 

levies and charges on our 

members which negates the 

ease of doing business in 

Nigeria. 

Specifically, item 3 (b) of the 

Amended Schedule to the 

Taxes and Levies (Approved 

List for Collection) Act 

introduced new levies and 

taxes under items 12 – 25. 

Most of these taxes and 

levies were hitherto 

contested by our members on 

the grounds that they were 

not applicable to 

telecommunications 

operations justified by the 

previous Taxes and Levies 

(Approved List for Collection) 

Act 1998. 

“It is disturbing that the 

entire instrument has given 

the state governments 

authorisation to coerce and 

disrupt the operations of our 

members in order to compel 

the payment of sundry levies, 

charges and taxes. Rather 

than Amended Order 

addressing the issue of 

multiple taxation; it on the 

contrary, increased the tax 

burden of our members and 

adversely impacted the ease 

of doing business in 

Nigeria.” 

Meanwhile, the 

association has sued the 

National Assembly, NASS 

over incessant and 

overlapping oversight 

functions being carried out by 

various committees of the two 

legislative chambers. 

The suit, filed February this 

year at the Federal High 

Court Abuja, is seeking the 

court’s interpretation of the 

provisions of the constitution 

on the extent of the National 

Assembly’s oversight 

functions on private 

companies, particularly 

telecom companies which 

are already subject to 

regulatory oversight by the 

Nigerian Communications 

Commission, NCC. 

It is also asking the court 

to determine the specific 

nature of information which 

the NASS can lawfully 

request from private 

companies including 

Telecommunications 

Companies, and whether it 

includes companies’ 

confidential information and 

information within the 

purview of government 

agencies. 

Also, it has urged the court 

to determine specific nature 

of directives that can be made 

by NASS pursuant to the 

outcome of their investigative 

activities as well as 

declaration on the proprietary 

of the NASS to issue these 

summons and insist that 

telecom companies are 

represented by only their 

CEOs and not other senior 

management officers whose 

job functions may directly 

deal with the subject matter 

of investigation.

C 

M 

YK 


VOL. 2 NO. 19 

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 2018 

HERDSMEN ATTACKS: Double 

tragedy for Imo community 

*Herdsmen and their cattle invading a farm 

By Chinonso Alozie, Owerri 

Umuowa Ibu community in 

Okigwe Local Government 

Area of Imo State, said they 

cannot cultivate and harvest their 

crops due to fear of attacks by 

Fulani herdsmen. 

Not long ago, South-East Voice 

reported that Umuowa Ibu, and 

about 10 other communities were 

said to be finding it difficult to 

carry out farming activities in 

their own land. 

This led to a protest in Owerri 

By Chinenyeh Ozor 

Barely three years after the Nimbo 

massacre by herdsmen that killed 

over 40 indigenes of the community and 

injured several others in thier 

farmlands, another tragic incident has 

taken place in the area as a middle aged 

man has allegedly beheaded a woman 

from a neigbouring community in Uzo- 

Uwani Local Government Area of 

Enugu State. 

South-East Voice gathered that the 

woman, identified as Susanna Enejere 

who hailed from Ugbene Ajima in Uzo- 

Uwani Local Government Area of 

Enugu State had gone to farm the 

previous day but did not return when a 

search party went in search of her. 

Investigations revealed that Susanna’s 

assailant, popularly known in Ugwuoda 

village in Nimbo community as 

Tochukwu Idu Chianugo, had allegedly 

laid ambush at the farmland waiting for 

any unlucky victim before the deceased 

fell into the assailant’s trap. 

A reliable source from the community 

who pleaded anonymity said that a man 

by a cross section of elders from 

the area. 

Why Umuowa Ibu community 

is said to be a peculiar case, was 

as a result of the story of 

abduction of toddlers in the 

community, reportedly started in 

2015. 

With this, if the Imo Police 

Command led by Mr. Chris 

Ezike, fails to nip in the bud, the 

issue of threats posed by Fulani 

herdsmen in this community and 

other parts of Imo State, that 

means Umuowa Ibu may be 

facing double tragedy. 

The reports of abduction of 

children in the said community 

was contained in a petition 

signed by Mazi Nelson 

Okoronkwo, Mr. Chukwu Vin 

Okorie, Mrs. Helen Akazie 

among others. 

Narrating their ugly experiences, 

the report said: “It is with hearts 

full of sorrow and pains that we, 

the entire people of Umuowa -Ibu 

community in Okigwe LGA, wish 

to bring to your knowledge acts of 

kidnapping of our children, which 

has become an annual event in our 

community. 

“This is sin against God and 

humanity. It started in the year 

2015, with a year and three months 

old baby of the family of Mr. Edwin 

Okorie of Umuorsu village. 

“In 2016, this community again, 

witnessed and experienced 

another disappearance of a young 

man by name, Mr. Ekene 

Odoemena. He was aged 50 years. 

“In 2017, precisely, on the 14th 

day of December, another one 

happened. This time, it was the 

turn of one Master Chisom Nnadi, 

about three years and eight months 

old. 

“The boy was in the midst of other 

children playing when he was 

taken away in the afternoon of that 

fateful day.” 

Confirming the incident and the 

threats by herdsmen in Umuowa 

Ibu community, Mazi Nelson 

Okoronkwo, lamented: “Yes, they 

destroyed my cassava farms and 

other farms of our people. 

“The other day, I went to ask 

them why and they tried to 

eliminate me and I ran away.” 

According to him, the herders 

said that, “if we like we should go 

to the police, the police is their own 

and that the government is also 

their own so whatever we like, we 

should do. 

“My people are not happy. We 

are hungry. How can somebody 

suffer to cultivate in his land and 

Nimbo: Man beheads woman on farmland 

was on a palm tree and witnessed the 

barbaric killing of the woman but could 

not shout for fear of being hacked to 

death by the blood thirsty assailant, 

adding that the palm tree tapper quitely 

came down unoticed, ran to the village 

and raised the alarm. 

Our source further 

said that the 

deceased's head and 

breasts were 

allegedly chopped 

off probably for 

rituals. 

Confirming the 

incident, the Police 

spokesman in 

Enugu State 

Command, Ebere 

Amaraizu said the 

Police have 

commenced full 

investigations into 

an alleged incident 

of murder. 

He said that one 

Tochukwu Idu 

Chianugo from 

Ugwuoda village in 

Nimbo community allegedly beheaded one 

Susanna Enejere from Ugbene Ajima, both 

in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of the 

state, explaining that the deceased had 

gone to farm on 26/3/2018 and never 

returned and through intelligence 

information, the headless body was 

discovered at the farmland. 

*Tochukwu 

Idu, suspected 

killer with 

victim’s head 

“Information gathered 

showed that a search party 

intensified action which paid 

off, as one Tochukwu Idu 

Chianugo of Ugwuoda village 

in Nimbo was nabbed in 

connection with the heinous 

incident in the area,” he 

noted. 

Following the arrest of the 

suspect, he took the operatives 

to the place where he 

allegedly beheaded the 

victim. 

"The headless body, together 

with the severed head have 

been recovered and deposited 

in a nearby mortuary while the 

suspect is helping the police 

operatives in investigations ‘’ 

he said. 

when the time comes to harvest 

the crops, Fulani herdsmen will 

go and destroy the whole thing?” 

Reacting, the National President 

of Igbo National Council, Mr. 

Chilos Godsent, said: “We feel very 

sad when we hear that their 

presence is a threat to any 

community. On many occasions, 

we tried to help many communities 

put up a mechanism for conflict 

management. 

“There is something we want 

some communities to understand 

and that is early warning signals. 

If they begin to get early warning 

signals, there is need to constitute 

a committee to liaise with the 

herdsmen and their leadership so 

that they can call to order, those 

herdsmen because majority of who 

you call herdsmen do not 

understand any other language 

except their indigenous language. 

“So there is need for 

communities to have this early 

warning committee to do their job 

so thatconflicts can be prevented.” 

Concerning the report that the 

community can’t access their 

farmlands as a result of fear of 

Fulani herdsmen, he said: “What 

we normally encourage any 

community that does not have the 

capacity to defend themselves or 

mitigate the threats posed by 

Fulani herdsmen in their area is 

to organise a media conference, 

bring it to the court of social 

jurisprudence, write to Civil 

Defence and Police, so that they 

will not deny being aware of the 

situation. 

“In one of the cases we handled 

in Umuoma in Ihitte Uboma Local 

Government Area of Imo State, the 

cattle owners agreed to pay 

damages caused by the 

herdsmen. They also agreed that 

the cattle herders should leave the 

location. Through that process, the 

crisis was managed. 

“If they keep it to themselves, 

the outside world will not 

understand that their community 

is under threat or under siege.” 

On what is expected from the 

security agencies, he advised that 

“it will be proper for the security 

agents to act without waste of time 

once they sense threats or 

abnormal movement of cattle 

rearers. 

“We also encourage communities 

to immediately alert the police, by 

sending them a very strong 

petition, so that it can be 

documented. With this, even the 

securitymen would not deny 

being properly informed.” 

On the way forward, Godsent 

said: “I think community leaders 

should make contact with the 

leadership of the Partners for Peace 

in the Niger, I know they have 

experts in this area. 

“So we can use our network to 

also reach out to the authorities to 

withdraw the cattle from the 

community. 

“There are organisations that are 

empowered to mediate, build 

peace and resolve conflicts. They 

can intervene immediately to 

mitigate the conflict before it 

degenerates into a violent conflict. 

“The pragmatic approach that must 

be followed must be linked to the 

withdrawal of the cattle from the 

community. 

“Most times, our experience 

shows that communication 

module becomes an impediment 

so, the next thing is to reach out to 

civil society organisations. This 

will help reach the various 

authorities faster. They can also 

bring in other actors; if the 

community uses force, we have 

seen the consequences, the 

herdsmen will run away, go and 

reinforce and return to attack the 

community.”

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 2018—47 

Ex-wife turns nasty 

I was unceremoniously dumped 

Dear Bunmi, 

My fiance told me out of the 

blues that he needed a break 

and just wanted us to be 

friends for a while. 

He has two kids and says 

life is just too busy for him 

and he doesn’t want to be 

‘romantically involved’ with 

anyone. 

He then virtually stopped 

visiting and calling. We have 

been together for over two 

years and planned to get 

married this year. I’m a 

complete wreck. 

I’m a single mum, who has 

raised kids on my own so, I 

fully understand what busy 

means. 

What I don’t understand is 

that up until two weeks ago, 

he called me several times a 

day and always told me that 

he loved me. His mother 

confessed he didn’t 

understand her son either. 

Yesterday, I heard he’d been 

out with another woman. He 

told his mum she was just a 

friend from school who had 

brought her child over to 

watch movies with his kids. 

My problem is, I can’t get 

him out of my mind. I know 

that distance and time will 

make it better, but how do I 

handle it when he calls me to 

talk? And he will call - it’s just 

his style. I don’t want to sit 

waiting for him to call. I can’t 

do it. It’s too painful. 

So what would be the best 

thing to tell him when next he 

rings me? 

Kanyinsola, by e-mail. 

Dear Kanyinsola, 

You’re sending mixed 

messages here. You say you’re 

I wish I could afford to leave 

Dear Bunmi, 

My current boyfriend is a 

professional and so am I. We 

earn good salaries and live in 

a flat we both furnished 

towards when we’ll get 

married. I thought I loved 

him, but a few weeks ago, I 

met a friend’s brother who 

was on a short visit to the 

country. 

He was wonderful and witty 

and our love-making was 

mind-blowing. 

My problem is that I believe 

I’m in love with this new man 

who says he’s recently been 

separated from his wife and 

is in love with me too. He has 

Dear Bunmi, 

My boyfriend of three years 

ended the relationship and I 

was devastated. 

A few months after we split, 

I went to his flat to remove the 

rest of my belongings, but he 

wasn’t around. 

His dad also lives on the 

premises and I popped in to 

see him with the hope of 

asking my ex to leave my 

things with him so I could pick 

them up at a future date. 

He wanted to know why we 

split up and I told him. The 

two of us had always got on 

well. 

So when he offered me 

not going to wait, then you’re 

obsessed about what you’ll 

say. The best thing for you to 

do is to embrace his lack of 

contact. And keep away from 

his mum too. She may not 

mean it, but she’s doing you 

no good. 

You know that time and 

distance will heal your 

wounds, so let them do their 

work. 

If he calls, he calls. If not 

move on - and let him know 

you wouldn’t be at home 

twiddling your thumbs 

waiting for him to call. 

There is a difference between a solid 

relationship, where you love each 

other, build a life; and a flash-in-thepan 

romance, such as you had with 

this other man; if meeting this man has 

shown you that your relationship could 

be seriously wrong, then leave 

since gone back but we talk 

on the phone fairly regularly. 

I’m now having doubts about 

my current boyfriend, but if I 

leave now, I will end up 

losing a lot of money I’d 

invested in the flat. Help! 

Mandy, by e-mail. 

His dad took advantage of our break-up 

comfort and booze, I didn’t 

refuse. One thing led to 

another and we made love. 

My ex had always 

complained that his dad was 

too friendly with me. 

Although we had not done 

anything until that fateful day, 

I know he’ll never forgive me 

when he finds out what 

happened, as I haven’t ruled 

out our getting back together. 

Doyin, by e-mail. 

Dear Doyin, 

Your ex could find out about 

this indiscretion of yours and 

if he did, be rest assured he 

Dear Mandy, 

What the heck do you think 

you’re doing? You’ve made a 

commitment but one glance 

from this JJC and you’re 

throwing all you’ve built for 

years out of the window. 

There is a difference 

between a solid relationship 

- where you love each other, 

build a life; and a flash-inthe-pan 

romance, such as you 

had with this other man. 

If meeting this man has 

shown you that your 

relationship could be 

seriously wrong, then leave. 

You might lose the money 

you’d invested in your flat, 

but at least you’ll be free to 

love someone you really care 

for. 

But are you sure of this new 

man who is still married and 

might not be free to commit 

for years maybe? I would 

advise that you settle down to 

making a successful future 

with your man, instead of 

replacing certainty with a 

dream. 

would never forgive you. 

You’ve been clearly out of 

order. 

Having a one-off on the 

rebound is understandable, 

but not with your ex’s father! 

But does it matter that he 

might not forgive you? 

Because if he really were that 

important to you, you would 

have behaved yourself 

around his father. Since 

neither you nor the randy 

father of your ex is prepared 

to come clear, there is no 

chance of your ex finding out. 

So move on and make a 

mental note not to let your lust 

run away with you again. 

Dear Bunmi, 

I was married for close to 12 

years when my wife and I 

called it quits. We are in the 

process of getting divorced as 

both of us are fed up with the 

marriage. 

My wife is now spreading 

rumours that I had affairs all 

through the period we were 

married and gave her 

sexually transmitted 

infections twice. This is a load 

of rubbish. As a matter of fact, 

she was the wayward one and 

I’ve kept an incriminating 

letter she wrote to a close 

friend who was once her lover. 

I’m thinking it’s about time 

I started telling some home 

truths about the appalling 

Dear Bunmi, 

I currently live with my 

boyfriend of six years and we 

have a lovely three-year-old 

son. 

Before I met my boyfriend, I 

had a crush on his brother and 

I’m afraid I still find him 

attractive. Every time I see 

him, the feelings get stronger. 

I can’t stop thinking about 

him even though I now have 

a son by his brother. 

My relationship with my 

boyfriend has always been 

rocky and if his brother makes 

a pass at me, I will jump at 

the chance regardless of the 

consequences. 

How can I stop lusting after 

this man? 

Judith, by e-mail. 

Dear Judith, 

I wonder if you are looking 

for an excuse to leave your 

boyfriend. If so, then stop and 

think because such 

relationship could only last for 

a while, in the process of 

way she behaved when we 

were married, but we have 

three lovely children and I 

don’t want them to be hurt by 

any scandal. 

Moses, by e-mail. 

Dear Moses, 

It’s considerate of you to 

think about your children’s 

feelings. 

Divorce is never easy but if 

there’s too much mud 

slinging, children can suffer. 

You’ve shown a lot of maturity 

by keeping quiet when your 

ex is busy spreading rumours 

but don’t descend to her level. 

Let your lawyer handle the 

messy details for you and try 

to keep your children away 

from the accusations. 

I still have feelings for his 

brother 

which you would have broken 

off a lot of friendships and this 

could put too much pressure 

on you as a couple. If your 

relationship with your 

partner is rocky, you must 

think of a way of working on 

it. 

Jumping into the arms of his 

brother is not an option you 

can even begin to consider as 

you may be left with no one 

in the end. Crushes fade in 

time. 

You need to focus on your 

son, who needs to have a 

good relationship with his 

father. This is very important 

for a boy. If you do anything 

to jeopardise this, you are 

risking his future. Whenever 

you think of what might have 

been with your man’s brother, 

remind yourself of this. If you 

are not happy, talk to your 

boyfriend about ways of 

improving the relationship. 

The only way to get his brother 

out of your head is to think of 

someone else - your son, who 

is this man’s nephew! 

You know that time and distance 

will heal your wounds, so let them 

do their work. 

If he calls, he calls; if not move on - 

and let him know you wouldn’t be at 

home twiddling your thumbs waiting 

for him to call 

Share your problems and release your 

burden. Write now to Dear Bunmi, 

Vanguard Newspapers, P.M.B 1007, 

Apapa, Lagos, or bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

48—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 2018






Continues from Page 5 

committee 

Meanwhile, the 

embattled National 

Chairman of the party, 

Chief Odigie-Oyegun, 

yesterday, inaugurated a 

10-man technical 

committee to fine tune a 

way out of the political 

logjam. 

Odigie-Oyegun gave the 

committee, headed by 

Governor Simon Lalong of 

Plateau State up till this 

Friday to come up with a 

report. 

The committee, which 

was established upon a 

recommendation of the 

NEC, is to also “assess all 

the information available 

and recommend a course of 

action consistent with the 

provisions of the party’s 

Constitution, the 

Constitution of the Federal 

Republic of Nigeria and all 

relevant laws,” Odigie- 

Oyegun said in a letter of 

appointment to the 

committee members. 

“As this issue is of utmost 

importance and is 

extremely time sensitive, I 

look forward to your report 

by Friday the 6th of April 

2018”, Chief Odigie- 

Oyegun signed off in the 

letter obtained by 

Vanguard. 

The technical committee 

also has as members, Boss 

Mustapha, Secretary to the 

Government of the 

Federation; Abiola Ajimobi, 

Governor of Oyo State; 

Nasir EI-Rufai, Governor of 

Kaduna State; Rotimi 

Akeredolu, Governor of 

Ondo State; Senator Ben 

Uwajimogu; Kabiru 

Ajanah; Elisha Kuroh; Prof. 

Dakas C. J. Dakas; and Dr. 

Muiz Banire, the party’s 

legal adviser who will serve 

as secretary. 

Inaugurating the 

committee yesterday, 

NAIRAWATCH 

Odigie-Oyegun said the 

issue in contention was a 

constitutional matter but 

with a lot of political 

implications. 

“Therefore, your job is to 

bring these two together and 

advise us on the way we can 

implement our activities in 

the next few weeks and 

months in a way that is 

politically advantageous to 

our party, the APC. 

“We must observe the law 

and at the same time 

emphasize that we try to do 

things that will be 

advantageous to the party. 

We will furnish you with all 

the documents like the 

resolutions of NEC, the 

party constitution and the 

Nigerian constitution to help 

you do a good job. 

“You are also at liberty to 

request for additional 

materials like the statement 

of Mr. President during the 

last NEC meeting and every 

other thing to guide you 

achieve the task you are 

about to undertake. I am 

praying, hoping that this is 

the kind of thing you can 

accomplish in about three to 

four days. 

“Getting answers from you 

is crucial (and) time 

sensitive and depending on 

which way you advise, we 

may have to put in motion 

very serious activities in the 

party virtually within a week 

of getting the report and 

taken decisions. I thank you 

for accepting this onerous 

assignment and wish you 

the very best of luck.” 

Not about Tinubu— 

Lalong 

Governor Lalong in his 

speech, was quick to 

dismiss insinuations that the 

work of the committee 

centered around the 

national leader of the party, 

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed 

Tinubu, who is opposed to 

tenure elongation. 

By Adaeze Okechukwu 

Naira down marginally to 

N360.21/$ in I&E 

THE Naira yesterday commenced the week with a 

marginal depreciation to N360.21 per dollar in 

the Investors and Exporters (I&E) window of the foreign 

exchange market. 

Data from the Financial Market Dealers Quote 

(FMDQ) showed that the indicative exchange rate for 

the I&E window rose to N360.21 per dollar yesterday, 

from N360.20 per dollar last Thursday, indicating one 

kobo depreciation for the Naira. 

The depreciation was in spite of the five per cent 

increase in volume of dollars traded in the I&E window 

yesterday. The transactions in the window stood at 

$283.04 million, up from $270.04 million recorded last 

week Thursday. 

Meanwhile, the Naira remained stable at N362 per 

dollar yesterday for the ninth consecutive business day 

in the parallel market. 

“The discussion there 

was not anything against 

Tinubu. Tinubu’s name 

was not mentioned in that 

discussion. The discussion 

was a NEC decision on the 

way forward on the position 

of the President who is also 

a member of the NEC, and 

that was subjected to 

discussion. 

"So, the issue of whether 

it satisfies somebody is not 

there. Our decision is 

not going to be final. We 

will only advise the 

NEC on the issue," he 

said. 

We didn’t extend 

Oyegun’s Tenure 

On his part, Governor 

Rotimi Akeredolu of 

Ondo State said the 

controversy was 

needless since NEC 

never extended the 

tenure of the Odigie- 

Oyegun led NWC and 

party officials across the 

country. 

“Let me let everybody 

know that the issue has 

nothing to do with 

tenure elongation. You 

journalists are the ones 

to advise or lead in the 

discussions. By law, 

nobody can extend their 

tenure. The usage of 

that word is wrong. 

There was no time at our 

NEC that we took the 

decision to get their 

tenure elongated.” 

He, however, added 

"but we can have them 

work in an acting 

capacity or work as a 

caretaker for some time, 

not over 12 months. 

That, on its own, is not 

tenure elongation. It is 

not the intention of APC 

to elongate anybody’s 

tenure." 

ROLL CALL 

Governors who 

attended the meeting 

yesterday included 

Yahaya Bello (Kogi), 

Jubrilla Bindow 

(Adamawa), Badaru 

Abubakar (Jigawa), 

Rauf Aregbesola 

(Osun), Atiku Bagudu 

(Kebbi), Rotimi 

Akeredolu (Ondo), 

Abdufattah Ahmed 

(Kwara). 

Others were Godwin 

Obaseki (Edo), 

Abdullahi Ganduje 

(Kano), Tanko Al- 

Makura (Nasarawa), 

Kashim Shettima 

(Borno), Rochas 

Okorocha (Imo), 

Akinwunmi Ambode 

(Lagos), Abiola Ajimobi 

(Oyo), Abubakar Sani 

Bello (Niger), Aminu 

Tambuwal (Sokoto), 

Abdulaziz Yari 

(Zamfara), Simon 

Lalong (Plateau), 

Samuel Ortom 

(Benue), Nasir El-Rufai 

(Kaduna) and Ibikunle 

Amosun (Ogun).


:Van- :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnewsNEWS HOTLINES: 

‘House got it wrong on 

Maina’s reinstatement’ 

By Charles Kumolu 

THE indictment of 

the Attorney 

General of the 

Federation and Minister 

of Justice, Abubakar 

Malami by the House of 

Representatives Ad-hoc 

Committee on alleged 

reinstatement of the 

former Chairman of 

Presidential Task Force 

on Pension Reforms, 

Abdulrasheed Maina 

has been described as 

frivolous by officials of 

the Ministry of Justice, 

who pleaded anonymity. 

One of the sources said 

the House Ad-hoc 

Committee usurped the 

function of the judiciary 

which is the only 

competent authority to 

indict anyone. 

The source said: 

“Section 158 of the 

constitution on the basis 

of which the committee 

placed reliance was 

equally observed by the 

committee in breach 

regarding the fact that 

the section clearly vests 

establishment matters 

relating to appointments, 

removal, and discipline 

of public servants 

exclusively in the 

Federal Civil Service 

Commission. Looking 

into the matter by the 

National Assembly is an 

exercise in futility and 

lacking in substance 

upon which it could 

stand. 

“For me two things are 

apparent. One is their 

allegation of fraudulent 

reinstatement. When 

fraud, which is criminal 

conduct is in contention 

the oversight function of 

Youth hails Dokubo’s 

appointment 

NIGER Delta Youth 

Peace Initiative 

Movement, NDYPIM, 

has hailed the 

appointment of Prof 

Charles Dokubo as the 

Coordinator of 


Programme, noting that 

it would ensure 

development in the 

region. 

A statement by the 

President and Secretary 

the National Assembly 

naturally gives way to the 

invocation of the judicial 

function. Only a court can 

determine and pronounce 

a conduct criminal and not 

a legislature.” 

How Lagos civil service has 

reduced waste, raised 

productivity — AMBODE 

By Fredrick Okopie 

L 

A G O S — 

GOVERNOR 

Akinwunmi Ambode of 

Lagos State, yesterday said 

the state civil service had 

come a long way in 

reducing waste while 

increasing productivity, 

attributing this to the 

investments in knowledge 

and skills by his 

administration. 

Ambode spoke in his 

address to 100 officers of the 

middle level cadre from 

various agencies of the state 

civil service during a 

training programme 

tagged: Adopting the lean 

process improvement 

culture in the civil service 

to further reduce waste and 

optimise productivity. 

He said the importance 

of eliminating waste could 

not be over emphasised 

because studies had shown 

that with sound processes 

relating to management of 

time and resources, meagre 

Ondo Assembly dissolves 18 LG caretakers 

committees 

By Dayo Johnson 

AKURE—THE Ondo 

State House of 

Assembly, yesterday, 

dissolved the caretaker 

committees in the 18 local 

government areas of the 

state saying the decision 

was taken in good faith. 

The order dissolving the 

council helmsmen during 

the lawmakers’ plenary 

session caused a stir as it 

caught them unawares. 

Reports across the council 

indicated that many of 

them were holding 

meetings with their 

councillors when the 

news broke out. 

The caretaker chairmen 

were directed to handover 

to the Directors of Local 

G o v e r n m e n t 

administration in their 

respective councils. 

Speaking on the 

development, the Deputy 

Speaker, Iroju Ogundeji, 

said the action of the 

lawmakers became 

imperative following the 

expiration of the six months 

tenure of the chairmen. 

Ogundeji said: “Since 

there was no election and 

the constitution stipulates 

six months tenure for the 

chairmen and the 

lawmakers are working 

within the concept of the 

constitution. 

“You will recall that their 

tenure lasted for six months 

as approved by the House 

of Assembly and the six 

months lapsed today.” 

Asked if the decision was 

taken with the consent of 

the state government, he 

said: “the House of 

Assembly is an arm of 

government and 

government has taken a 

decision.” 

“There is synergy 

resources could be 

extended to produce 

outstanding results. 

The governor, who was 

represented by the 

Commissioner, Ministry of 

Establishment, Training 

and Pensions, Dr. Akintola 

Oke said: “The ultimate 

objective of this training is 

to identify and codify the 

methods, means, and 

strategies for ensuring that 

the Lagos State civil service 

is positioned to do more 

with less. At the end of this 

training, the Lagos State 

civil service and her officers 

should be able to produce 

even more outstanding 

results with less money, 

less personnel, and in less 

time. 

“A lean operational 

system will also ensure that 

the Lagos State civil service 

creates and maintains the 

ability to improve itself 

constantly by bringing 

problems to the surface and 

resolving same.'' 

between the House of Assembly 

and the state government 

and there is no 

conflict, so the decision was 

taken in good faith.” 

Governor not aware 

Vanguard, however, 

gathered that the state 

governor, Mr. Rotimi 

Akeredolu is yet to forward 

an official letter or 

notification for tenure 

extension of the caretaker 

committees. 

The lawmakers, therefore, 

concluded that the 

continuous stay in office by 

committees would be 

against the Constitution. 

of the group, Messrs. 

Edon Ebikabowei and 

Donald Etietes said 

“Prof. Charles Dokubo is 

from the Niger Delta 

region, Rivers State 

precisely. He is highly 

informed having studied 

Peace and Strategic 

Matters. Therefore, we 

believe that he can take 

the office to greater 

heights by normalising 

all the anomalies that 

were going on in the 

Amnesty Office.”


54 — VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 2018 

2018 FIFA WC: Rohr may invite new 

players to Eagles, says Agali 

SUPER Eagles chief 

scout and 

former striker, Victor 

Agali has hinted that 

coach, Gernot Rohr may 

include new faces into 

his 35-man provisional 

World Cup list. 

Agali said Rohr is keen 

to present Nigeria’s best 

team at the Russia 2018 

tournament and will 

give every Nigerian 

player in top form 

opportunity to fight for a 

chance in the squad to 

the World Cup. 

“I believe we all must 

Egypt denies Salah’s World Cup expulsion rumors 

•Salah 

EGYPT national team 

manager Ehab 

Leheta, has dismissed 

rumors FIFA will ban star 

striker, Mohamed Salah 

from the World Cup, after 

he missed a drug test in the 

team’s camp in March. 

Lehata stated that the 

Egyptian Football 

Federation has not received 

any letter from FIFA 

regarding the matter. The 

Egyptian national team 

held their March camp in 

Switzerland, playing two 

friendlies against Portugal 

and Greece. Mohamed 

Salah scored versus 

Portugal as Egypt’s lone 

Commonwealth Games: 

Okagbare leads Nigeria out 

SPRINT 

sensation, 

Blessing Okagbare 

was Nigeria’s flag bearer as 

the 2018 Commonwealth 

Games events rolled out in 

Gold Coast, Australia. 

Nigeria is represented by 

90 athletes accompanied by 

45 and they will participate 

in 9 events including 

Athletics, Basketball, 

Wrestling, Weightlifting, 

Boxing, Table Tennis, Special 

Sports and Gymnastics. 

Okagbare recently broke 

the African 200m record held 

for 22 years by Mary Onyayi- 

Omagbemi, however, she 

has not been registered for 

the sprints. She will run the 

women 4x100m. 

The Commonwealth 

Games has been a good 

hunting ground for Nigerian 

sports men and women, 

however, it remained to be 

seen how they will cope with 

other athletes from the 53 

member nations of the 

Commonwealth who have 

been better prepared. 

Nigeria participated in the 

Games for the first time in 

1950 in Auckland, New 

Zealand and made her 

presence felt in a huge way 

as Joshua Majekodunmi 

won the very first medal for 

the country in the High 

Jump. 

The following edition in 

1954 in Vancouver, Canada 

produced the country’s first 

double medallist as Karim 

Ayinla Babalola Olowu won 

a silver and a bronze medal 

as well as Emmanuel 

Ifeajuna who won Nigeria’s 

first gold medal at the 

Games courtesy of his 

2.03m height in the high 

jump event. 

Sexual assault rocks Games Village 

POLICE are investigating 

claims that the 

head of the Mauritian 

Commonwealth Games 

team indecently assaulted a 

female athlete on the Gold 

Coast. 

Mauritian chef de mission 

Kaysee Teeroovengadum 

last night quit amid the 

scandal, which is also being 

investigated by Games 

authorities. 

Mauritian media reported 

a member of the team had 

accused Teeroovengadum of 

inappropriate “touching”. 

Police Games commander 

Deputy Commissioner Steve 

Gollschewski said a formal 

complaint had not been 

made but “we’re making 

inquiries”. 

“We hope to have a clearer 

picture by the morning,” he 

said. 

A GOLDOC spokesman 

referred inquires to the 

Queensland Police Service. 

Teeroovengadum stood 

down last night after a series 

of crisis meetings involving 

the government and the 

nation’s sporting authorities. 

goal in the friendlies, 

eventually succumbing two 

losses against the 

European oppositions. 

The ‘Egyptian King’s’ 

form continues to be a 

talking point with Salah 

equalising Didier Drogba’s 

record of number of goals 

in one season in the 

Premier League for an 

African player after scoring 

the winner against Crystal 

Palace over the weekend. 

He has scored 37 goals and 

provided another 10 assists 

in 42 games for the Reds 

this season, all while 

playing as a winger. 

•Okagbare 

be patient with Rohr 

because after the likes of 

Clemens Westerhof and 

Bonfrere Jo, I believe 

Gernot is another 

blessing to Nigerian 

football. 

“He tries his best to 

carry everybody along, 

and gives players equal 

opportunity to be 

selected and listens to 

all is scouting and 

technical team. 

“I know Gernot Rohr is 

fair to all and is 

committed to developing 

the image of our football. 

“He will decide on that. 

I can’t comment on if he 

will stick with the ones 

he has tested and know 

or not, but may be one 

or two new faces, just 

maybe. I strongly 

believe we should scout 

more and know more of 

about opponents,” Agali 

concluded. 

•Klopp 

Champions League: 

Klopp faces injury crisis as City 

battle Liverpool at Anfield 

LIVERPOOL 

boss 

Jurgen Klopp has 

attempted to downplay the 

importance of this evening’s 

Champions League quarterfinal 

against Manchester City. 

The only two Premier 

League sides left in the 

competition go head-to-head 

in the first leg at Anfield with 

the second leg scheduled for 

next Tuesday. 

Since 2015, Klopp has taken 

Liverpool to a League Cup 

and Europa League final 

apiece. 

But critics have claimed the 

clash with City is the biggest 

of his Reds career. 

However, when asked in his 

pre-match press conference, 

Klopp was reluctant to place 

too much significance on the 

game. 

Klopp told reporters: “If you 

prepare for a game like City 

or Tottenham for example, it’s 

COACH 

Ernesto 

Valverde, has hinted 

that Lionel Messi and Sergio 

Busquets could return to the 

starting line up when Barcelona 

host Roma in the Champions 

League tonight following their 

respective injury problems. 

Busquets was injured during 

the second half of Barca’s 3-0 

win over Chelsea on March 14. 

But Messi, who himself has 

been struggling with a 

muscular problem, came off the 

bench to salvage a point with 

an 88th-minute equaliser, and 

he – like Busquets – could be 

back in the starting XI for 

exciting. 

“I like it a lot, the little 

differences. Is this game 

bigger than others or not? It’s 

big, big, big, but it’s 

Champions League. 

“One team will be happy 

while others will be 

disappointed. That’s it. You 

need to be prepared for that. 

“There’s no need to make 

the game bigger than it is. It’s 

the quarter-final of the 

Champions League, so that’s 

how it is.” 

Liverpool face a defensive 

crisis. The German coach will 

be without Joel Matip, 

Ragnar Klavan, Joe Gomez 

and Emre Can for the 

Champions League quarter 

final first leg against runaway 

Premier League leaders City 

and the Merseyside Derby on 

Saturday, while Nathaniel 

Clyne is only just returning 

for a season long back lay off. 

Barca march out with half fit Messi 

Roma’s visit. 

Speaking to reporters, 

Valverde said: “Busquets 

trained yesterday in an 

important session and we think 

that today he will be fine. 

“We think he’ll be even better. 

He is a very important player 

for us because of his level. 

“If Messi enters the squad 

list, he could play as a starter 

better than other games. 

“The players are so good in 

their own position. When they 

are not missing, each one at 

their level, Busquets and 

Messi are fundamental players 

for us.” 

Our focus is to revive, develop handball – Ocheo 

By Jacob Ajom 

ACTION 

starved 

handball enthusiasts 

in Lagos have cause to be 

happy as the 2018 National U- 

12 and U-15 championships 

have been slated to hold in 

Lagos from April 6-15 at the 

Rowe Park Sports Complex, 

Lagos. Speaking at the prechampionship 

press 

conference yesterday in Lagos, 

President of the Nigeria 

Handball Federation, Sam 

Ocheo disclosed that the 

championship is open to the 

36 states of the federation and 

the Federal Capital Territory, 

Abuja. 

However, he further said that 

as at yesterday, on 25 states 

had indicated interest in 

attending the week-long fiesta. 

He said, “this championship 

has been our flagship 

programme where new talents 

are identified. As part of our 

plan to reposition the sport in 

the country, we have decided 

to focus on the revival of this 

championship which last held 

in 2013.” 

He said the Handball 

Federation of Nigeria 

under his leadership 

would focus on bringing 

up hidden talents and 

make them international 

stars. 

The motivation for 

participating teams is the 

opportunity to represent 

Nigeria in international


Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 2018 

TODAY’S PUZZLE 

Sudoku 

YESTERDAY’S ANSWER 

TODAY’S CROSSWORD 

QUICK CROSSWORD 

YESTERDAY’SOLUTION 

ACROSS 

1 Newspaper feature (6) 

4 Fireside (6) 

8 Passenger ship (5) 

9 Raiment (7) 

10 Someone else (7) 

11 Spooky (5) 

12 Spring-flowering plant 

(9) 

17 Muggy (5) 

19 Long-necked animal 

(7) 

21 Maybe (7) 

22 Old four-pence coin (5) 

23 Soothed (6) 

24 Harass a speaker (6) 

DOWN 

1 Underground room (6) 

2 Assassinated US 

president (7) 

3 One of the gifts of the 

Magi (5) 

5 Put into words (7) 

6 Less common (5) 

7 Aided (6) 

9 Irish airline (3,6) 

13 Bureaucracy (3,4) 

14 County of East Anglia (7) 

15 Place of worship (6) 

16 Vessel for boiling water 

(6) 

18 Wall painting (5) 

20 Scoundrel (5) 

How to Play Sudoku 

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

of the same number). 

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

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

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

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

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

multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination. 

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

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

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

04042018 -TENURE ELONGATION: Buhari, APC govs’ talks end in deadlock

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